Fun in the Sun!

We spent all day Sunday at our friends' Scott & Jill DeBrito's lake home on Swan Lake. The weather was awesome and the kids had an absolute blast! Hope and Michale DeBrito went tubing behind the boat (Julia wasn't very excited about doing that). Hope LOVED tubing so much, she ended up riding in the tube around the whole lake! Julia played "Tarzan" on the rope swing - it was a perfect day!

Emily and her little friend Ruger
Hope driving the boat with Scott - she REALLY liked to make the boat go fast....even when we weren't expecting it!
The girls luvvvvv Michael. What is he going to do with all these GIRLS?!?

Little fish, Michael & Julia

Julia enjoying the rope swing- she did really well swinging WAYYY out into the water!


Hopes FAVORITE part of the day was tubing. She's talked non-stop about it since Sunday. I know, you can't believe Hope would talk non- stop!!! :)

World's Greatest Dad

For Fathers Day, we went out to the lake (only after stopping at Granny's Pantry for our summer supply of salt water taffy!!) Paul's requests for the day were going out on the pontoon and sunfish fishing with his girls! I don't think he ever drops a line- too busy bating hooks and taking off sunnys!
Check out that catch - can you say LUNCH?? The girls caught a ton of teeny tiny sunfish - they had a blast.

OK- I know that the line Word's Greatest Dad is used WAY too often, the t-shirts, the mugs, the hats... but I really believe Paul qualifies for this title. He has the patience of a saint, is still a kid at heart and loves his girls like there's no tomorrow. I have to brag a little more- this big tough farmer - has such a tender heart. Anytime he leaves on a hunting trip, snowmobile trip, or overnight anywhere, he ALWAYS leaves a note for each of his girls, telling them how special they are and how much he loves them. I am a lucky, LUCKY woman to have married a man so loving and kind. Again, I thank the Lord for all He has blessed me with. Happy Fathers Day to the WORLD'S GREATEST DAD!!!!

How many kids do I have??

Daddy, Emily, Hope & Julia enjoying the new play set!
Emily has no problem navigating the steps, slide, rock wall....can you say "No Fear"???
"Hunter" and "Hello Kitty", aka "Stubby" per Hope - the cat has no tail, so Hope thought Stubby was a better name than Hello Kitty.

I have 4, yes 4 children! We got a new playset for the kids, and I'm quite certain Paul was as excited as the kids about it!

A day at the zoo!

On June 10th, my mom and I took Tate & Olivia (my sister Karla's kids) and my three girls to the Chahinkapa zoo in Wahpeton (I think I just destroyed the spelling of the zoo). The weather was awesome- the kids had a great time. Favorites of the day were the bears, the monkeys and the Carousel (which they got to ride on before and after our zoo visit). If you haven't taken your kiddos to this zoo- you should. It's really clean, well laid out and the kids loved it!

Happy Birthday TATE!!!

Happy 6th Birthday TATE! Tate had a John Deere Birthday Party on Sunday - I think he had a good time! :-) Still not sure if it was Tate, Grandpa or Paul who enjoyed the party most~ All the kids got John Deere hats- there was a John Deere cake- and he got quite a number of tractors to follow suit. It's SO hard to believe Tate is 6 years old. It's like yesterday I was at the hospital in Detroit Lakes waiting for him to arrive (I remember being REALLY pregnant at that time too - and wondering if our first babies might share a birthday - I think the OB nurses were wondering the same thing!)
I think Tate liked his John Deer remote control tractor.....what do you think???

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear TATE, Happy Birthday to you! We love you buddy!

Our little farmer Hope was really into Tates gifts. It was so cute - I asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, (of course she first said "A Tee Ball", because that's what she always says) - but then she said "mom, can girls be farmers???" and I said YOU BET! Only time will tell!
Grandpa was telling Hope how to run a baler- and how he used to help his dad when he was a little boy!

MUDDY BOYS!!!

Tate and Grandpa T took off their shoes and went stomping and splashing around in Paul's beet field. I'm not sure yet who had more fun, Grandpa or Tate! Bare Feet in the mud- nothing tops that when you're 6! The picture of Tates feet- remember- he does NOT have shoes on- that's just "mud soles" on his bare feet! What a fun day for those two boys!
I couldn't resist snapping this picture- Tate and Julia have been Best Friends since the cradle. They treat each other so well- and have always loved playing together. On the ride home from Fergus Falls, Julia was upset about something and started to cry. Tate wanted to make her feel better, so he reached over and held her hand - the whole ride home. I could have cried at what a sweet gesture that was. Kindness is not something that can be taught- it simply is part of who you are as a person. Thank you, Tate, for being so kind!

My two little "bugs" - Hope and Olivia were loving the new bug hats Grandma A gave them!

I want to be like DAD!

I was busy getting supper ready Thursday night, when out of the laundry room came 3 little girls, dressed up like daddy! Just for fun- I had to post this. Kids are so wonderful- no matter what kind of day I've had or what's going on around them, they simply want to have fun, laugh, and make others smile. I Love My Kiddos!

Daddy's Girl

Emily with the daddy hair-do.... 1st time in crocks...maybe we should get some that fit her a little better

Here's Emily on the floor - coloring like such a big girl! Right after this picture, she bit the top off of the marker and ate it :-)

OK- so anyone who knows Emily, knows that she is the spitting image of Paul. Without me knowing- Paul wet down Emily's hair and brushed it like he brushes his - and made a mini-me out of Emily. Here's the latest "little Paul" picture (and some random cute pics of Emily).

Dance Show

It's that time of year again- what the girls (and boys) wait for all year - the annual Fergus Falls School of Dance show. The production was fantastic, the costumes were great- and Julia had a GREAT time! Here are some pics from the show - enjoy! The boys above are Mason and Alex Hastings- two of Julia's favorite buddy's - they were in the boys dance "Hound Dog" - Super Cute! Julia's dance song is "Give a Little Love", which is also so cute. Mrs. Sohl is Julia's dance teacher- and was last year too- she is an absolute saint. The girls all respond so well to her - she has a true gift with children. Next year- I will have two little dancers - as Hope has informed us she WILL be dancing next year. Ok Hope, we hear you.