Family pics...

My friend Summer was able to take some funny family pictures this past weekend for us at a vacant home that I really admire! I guess it is in my blood to appreciate and love great architecture and the front entry of this home keeps beckoning me to take more pictures; so I'm sure I'll be back. So, without further ado, here are some of my favorites. I took the creative license in the post-editing so Summer I hope i didn't disappoint.

I love the picture of the porch behind us. I love all the rich brick color, the columns, the wrought iron, the great lantern hanging, peeling paint and green grass--so much to love!

Lovin' this one of my boys...

Beautiful little girl!

waiting for the bubbles...

Cory and I "letting go"

Shy Ethan...

What a great husband I have!! His love has truly helped me become who I am. Love you so much!

My little boys giving me hugs their style!! Wild and rough!

Silly Briggs! Such a fun boy!

Daddy's girl!

What's not to love!

What a great house and what a handsome little boy!

Love these!! Best friends! Truly!

One lucky girl

How I rate...

About a week ago I was at a garage sale and saw this 16" power ranger little boys bike and ended up bringing it home with me. Briggs was so excited!! For months we've been trying to get Briggs to ride his bike (a 10" with the training wheels removed) and he always refused or ended up crying after we made him (which he could totally ride just fine but just didn't like it for some reason). Cory suggested that perhaps he just needed a bigger bike. I would have to agree since he looked so big on his small bike. Within minutes of being home he was asking to ride his new bike. I was so excited for him!! He hopped on and was a natural and never looked back.

As the week has progress he fit smoothly into the bike riding scene often asking all of the older boys and girls on our street to ride bikes with him; most of whom were more than willing and yet he doesn't seem to mind if they don't; what a cool kid!!  So, there is a little 9-year old girl across the street, Mackenzie, that rides her bike often and Briggs loves to hop on his bike and get in sync behind her and they play follow-the-leader or race.

Well, tonight Cory, the kids and I were all outside enjoying the beautiful evening.  Cory was getting the mountain bikes down because he was going riding with a friend and his wife.   I decided that I would be a "cool" mom and pay follow the leader with Briggs--who, by the way, seemed quite excited at the time!  (I guess it would be important to note that there were no other kids outside at the moment.)  So we went riding, and swapping turns playing follow-the-leader for about 10 minutes.  Then....out walks Mackenzie.  Briggs spotted her and asked her if she wanted to ride bikes.  Mind you, I am still playing follow the leader with him when he stops and looks back at me and said, "I think I'll be done playing follow the leader with you now."  What?  I was getting denied by my 4-year old who then said, after seeing my dejected face, "well, you can ride with Mackenzie and me if you want to."  Oh, boy....now I know how I rate!!!  What a funny kid!! But he sure looks cute on his new bike!!

Little white house

(three new posts today...lots of pictures!!)

There is a great little white house that sits abandoned not far from our home on a beautiful and very large lot.  I don't know who owns it but I have have always thought that it would be a great place to take some pictures.  I actually had in mind to do Ethan's 3 year pictures there but he wasn't as cooperative as I would have liked but I did got some fun ones of the kids.  Here are a few of my favorites.

To say that Briggs loves to play Baseball would be an understatement.  I guess that is why I love these so much!

Ethan sharing his ball

Look who's now the big 3!!

Headed home...

Summer fun...

Here are some of the random pictures I've taken over the past month.  I love the one above with Ethan chillin' just eating his hot dog.  This is not staged.  He really wanted to eat lunch outside one day and no one else did.  When I looked out the window I saw him totally kicked back enjoying the beautiful, and no doubt, hot and humid day!  I love it!!

Has anyone else gone through a million freeze pops this summer?  

Playing with Rice!

I love the above and below pictures because often when these two STRONG personalities get together this is the result!!

Brooklyn may be one but she has a strong opinion and she has no problem letting you know!

Summer days...

Briggs is such a good brother to Brooklyn.  I love his one of him touching her face.

Brooklyn wanting in on the goods.

Here she is begging for more licks from mommy's fudgecicle.  The girl loves her treats.  I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Brooklyn loves to ride the green 4-wheeler whether that includes Ethan as a chauffeur or if she goes solo.  She actually really likes cars and things with wheels.  Maybe she will be our little car babe!!

She doesn't need Ethan apparently.

Brooklyn loves to sit on our fireplace hearth and here she is being goofy.  She is such a fun little girl.

Just plain tuckered out from our walk.