Slip n' Slide Silliness

There is no better way to have fun and cool off during the warm summer months than a slip n' slide. I know it is one of my favorite memories as a child. This particular slide had three different "lanes" which was perfect for the boys.
We laid it out in my parents backyard and off they went.Austin wasn't into sliding as much as he was into slipping. But he always has fun at his own version of whatever it is we are doing.
All the adults put their feet in the water at one time or another, but we all tried really hard not to get too wet (which is a challenge with all three boys splashing away.
And splash they did!! LOTS!


Another successful summer memory made having a cool time all together.

Welcome to Penryn

Our friends the Leavitts recently moved to Penryn, just up the road about 15 min, so we piled the kids in the car one night to have dinner at their new place with some more friends too.
Dinner was great (thanks Noel) and it was the perfect night to sit outside in the yard and enjoy time with good friends. Between our three families we had 5 little boys there, and since then Noel and I have added two more boys to the group. I am hoping in March Diana can get a girl to join the group, but we will have to wait and see :)They have some chickens too, so the boys thought that was amazing and we all went to feed them. I guarantee you that was the highlight of the night. And ever since then each time we head up there, the first thing my boys ask is if we can go see the chickens.

Nights like these are some of my favorite time with friends. Thanks girls!! (and boys)

The last game... for now

Ty has found his sport. We see a long future of baseball (and probably swimming) for T. He had a wonderful spring playing his first year of t-ball and he can't wait for baseball.
He is really into every game and plays real hard.
The last game was a lot of fun because they pitched to the kids in stead of letting them hit it off the tee. Ty thought that was the coolest thing ever.

And as always, his loyal fans supported him the whole time.
I don't know where Tanner was, probably being bat boy or socializing with some new friend.
After the game we headed to Leatherbys for the end of the year party.
Ty loved loved loved his trophy. Unfortunately it did break 4 minutes after he got it, but super mom here super glued it back together when we got home, and it was good as new.

Tyler loved his coach, and we loved Coach Mandy. She did a great job with the Maidu Twins and the kids on the team.



Eric and I thought Ty did a wonderful job and he really found a sport that he loves for now. I am prepared for many years in the future that have me hanging out at the ball park all day as the boys all play their games, and I can't wait. Thanks for a great season Ty, and I can't wait for more games!!

Cool Down

At the beginning of summer I was dead set on taking it easy. Baby Boog as we called him at the time was giving me a little trouble and we wanted to keep him in as long as we could. But sitting around and watching shows all day really isn't an option either with three very active little boys at home. So I tried to plan adventures that would limit my physical activity and still allow the boys to have some fun.
We actually did have some warm days in the beginning (gratefully for me the rest of the summer was pretty mild-cool) so we wanted to take advantage of the sun. I packed up lunches, towels and sunscreen and headed up to the park in Rocklin that the boys love!
It has water that shoots out of the ground, and is really a perfect way for the boys to cool off. I was so proud of myself too heading out with the boys, the umbrella, the chairs, the lunches... all by myself. Now looking back I am longing for the ease of that day, but I distinctly remember feeling very accomplished as I successfully set up camp at the park that day being 8 months pregnant.As predicted, the boys had a blast, as did I.

Ty got in a bunch of water fights with the other boys there that day.
Austin was cracking me up as he kept trying to get a drink out of the fire hydrant. The water would turn on and off as it cycled around the park, and luck for A it never turned on at the hydrant while his face was inches from the spout. He would have been knocked over if it turned on while he was drinking.
Tanner not being too huge on water did pay for a minute, until he got caught up in a water fight and didn't like that the boys he was spraying actually sprayed him back. He was beside himself with disappointment that the other kids in the park would respect the fact that regardless of who he sprayed, Tanner was not to be touched. Oh the lessons he will have to learn.
Luckily Grandma surprised us all and showed up halfway threw our adventure. She took Tanner and Austin over to the slides and made up for the lack of respect Tanner was being shown at the water. Austin had a great time going down the huge slide, and I bet Grandma did too.
It was a successful family outing and a great summer memory.

Playing catch-up

Oh my goodness that summer went by fast. And during it all, there was just no time to blog apparently. I want to get started blogging about Brodie, but so much happened before him, I want to catch up first before I get too far behind. So ignore the fact that I'll be taking about June and July for a while, and I'll be fast so I can get to the many stories that have happened in the last two weeks.
Looking back at photos, I left off around the end of May/beginning of June when they boys graduated. Tanner from his first year of preschool and Ty from kindergarten. Tanner did a fun graduation ceremony at Mrs. KaRyn's and wore the hat and gown. Eric and I figured Tanner would be his typical outgoing self and sing all the songs and say all the right things.... but we should know by now to always expect the unexpected with Tanner. He didn't sing a thing. When he got up to say his nursery rhyme that he had been saying night and day non-stop in the weeks leading up to then, he said nothing. Not even a try. In fact, the rest of the class had to say it because he wasn't going to talk. And it wasn't even as if he was scared. He just wasn't talking. Oh Tanner, always doing things his own way. It just is who he is. The one thing he did choose to do during the graduation was make faces. Not at anyone in particular, just cause. Here is a taste of what people in the audience saw.


Tanner, Tanner. What we have to look forward to with you.

Ty's graduation was a little less, theatrical, but still fun.
His teacher decided not to do any kind of a program, which was a bummer, but we did go in a little early the last day and do photos and Mrs. Beatty handed them a certificate of completion. Ty was just sooo happy to be moving up to the first grade. He loves school, and so going all day was really and exciting thought to him.
Congrats Ty on passing kindergarten with flying colors. Top group in the class. That is my T!!

After all the celebration Eric and I took the boys to lunch as a treat for them. We rarely do lunch out as a family, so they thought it was a great little treat.
So to sum up their school year, they both had a ton of fun, learned a bunch and just had a great time. Great job T and t on being wonderful students, brothers and kids! You are awesome and I am excited to watch you learn and grow over the years. Love you boys.

And so begins our summer fun.

Broderick James Lawrence

Brodie is here, and we are so excited to have him as apart of our family.