July 4th 2014

 This year started out yummy with Einstein bagels and cream cheese otherwise known as smear. Blake had brought them home the night before. I was so excited that Blake was able to join us in the holiday festivities this year. We went to the city parade and had a great time. We were even lucky enough to run into some good friends among the crowds that showed up for the parade. The girls' most favorite thing, according to them, was the candy that people threw out. We didn't arrive early enough to get seats near the road, but the girls eventually inched their way in to the front lines as the parade progressed. They were disappointed that despite their efforts at getting the perfect location, they didn't get much candy. Kelsey was in tears because of it...so sad (insert sarcasm font). It was fun to see Kayden's reaction to the horses, cars and trucks.

Kelsey, Kayden, Mylee, Kaylee, Lanaea, Brooke, and Austin

Is this cute our what?!

I think he liked the parade!

After the parade, Blake went to his hole (his study place, that day it happened to be his bedroom) to study while me and girls got out the kiddie pool. I placed it underneath the slide and the kids and I had a great time. I've been so busy with getting the house ready to move that I haven't played with the girls much this summer. It was so relaxing and just plain fun to play with my kiddos. I went so far as putting on my swimsuit...I know... and I got a major sunburn, opps! Blake even joined the fun for about an hour. It was so great. I let the girls stay up late to watch the fireworks. We started in our front yard, but ended up on the roof. I wish I had captured some pictures of it. It was fun to see fireworks all over the city including some large ones in our own neighborhood. Blake and I stayed up to watch a movie together. It was a perfect ending to a perfect day. God Bless America!

Our Little Dude Turns 2!

 It's hard to believe that my little boy is 2 now!! The years had literally flown by and I can't express enough about how fun it is to have a little boy!! It warms my heart to see how a simple toy car can make his day. Or how a simple "arrghh or vroom" can make me smile when I'm having a bad or hard day. His cute 2 yr. old antics help bring the girls out of an argument too and can make them laugh when just moments before they were crying. Don't get me wrong, this kid can throw a tantrum, but he sure is cute and such a joy to have in our family.

For his birthday I made him a round cake with white frosting, blue cotton candy for clouds and an airplane jet on the top. Simple, cute, and easy...my kind of cake these days! He loved it! He opened presents in the morning so he could play with them all day then we sang happy birthday and had cake in the evening. It was an eventful day with Kayden's 2 year check-up. If I was on top of it I would have his stats to report here, but I forgot to ask and I know I would butcher it if I tried to remember. I think he's around 26 lbs though which is in the 30% percentile or something like that

I think he liked his new helicopter! When I was checking on him before I went to bed I found it right by him. 

One of Kayden's favorite things he likes to help with...mow the lawn. Isn't this priceless with he and his dad!!!

All my kids with our sweet pediatrician, Lesley Motheral. We will sure miss her!

After visiting the dentist the week before and seeing a mini sized potty in the bathroom, I have caught Kayden many times like this. Maybe potty training a boy won't be so bad after all....fingers crossed. If not, it sure makes for a cute picture.

He loves getting cards in the mail and LOVED that this one had a truck on it. He kept saying vroom, vroom and looked at it forever. 

I think Kayden's sisters like his new train set as much as he did!! Thanks Grammy Polly and Gpa Roland!

Residency Graduation

 Two words: FINALLY and HALLELUJAH!! I really thought this day would never come, but it did...finally! To celebrate, the department does a little graduation ceremony that includes a nice dinner, a speaker that they fly in, a golf tournament the next morning followed by a family barbecue/swim party. It's something we look forward to every year and it was so fun that this year we were the honorees!! The evening dinner and program was great and memorable. Blake's department chair, Dr. George Brindley composed a song that he sang with this guitar featuring all three of the graduates. He also shared advice on 25 ways to be successful and happy. Blake and I felt we are doing well on the things he suggested, namely: marry the right person the first time, always have a savings plan no matter your budget, focus on what matters most--your faith and family. Blake was given his certificate of completion and given a collegiate chair (I think that is what it is called) with his name on it. I'm excited to see that displayed in his office one day. It was a wonderful evening we thought would never come!

Blake and the famous Dr. George Brindley: Department Chairman. He specializes in joints and tumors

Clint Beicker (Blake's twin, everyone at the hospital always gets them confused, even after five years!, John Roaten, and the one and only Blake Clifton.

The graduates and the "crazy" (I didn't just say that) sports attending/body builder.

Blake and his fancy new chair

Blake and Dr. Mark Jenkins--great man and great teacher. He will be missed. He specializes in Trauma and is the Program Director.

Looky there!! It's official!

Shelley Roaten, Amy Beicker, and Cami Clifton, the three Ortho Wives graduating this year....yes we are graduating too!

More of us, though not all of us. Back, left to right: Michelle, Sarah, Amy, Trina, Shelly, Cami.

Having fun at the family BBQ

 Every year at the family BBQ they have the same guy come and cook prime rib and (can't remember, something good that is beef :), and baked potatoes in a giant smoker. The food was delicious as always and it was topped off with ice cream sundaes with all the mix-ins to go with it. The kids enjoyed swimming while the adults mostly visited. This program also has a tradition of having the chiefs roast the other residents. The best one was how they roasted one of the residents that has been dating his steady girlfriend for at least three years by giving him a fake engagement ring. Both his reaction and his girl friend's reaction was priceless!  Maybe it will finally get him to pop the question and tie the knot :).

Father's Day and Summer Fun

 Father's day was fun and eventful this year. We all slept in and missed making dad a nice breakfast...opps!! We made up for it after church though and had crepes with frozen berries and cream...yum!! The girls had made some cute cards I had put the babysitter up to the night before while Blake and I were at a wedding. The girls and me picked out some nice ties for him and got him mint oreos, his favorite. During church, we knew something was up when Kayden was acting like an angel sitting so quietly during sacrament meeting. He sat on Blake's lap for a while then sat on mine while eating gold fish. Before I knew what was happening, Kayden was throwing up all down the front of him. I had to run out of sacrament meeting as he was still throwing up, leaving drops of throw-up on the church carpet....NOT good!! Blake quickly followed behind me and found a trash bag we could put his clothes in. A nice girl helped clean up the mess he made in the chapel. I went home with Kayden, while the rest stayed at church. He threw up a couple of more times during the day; that's why Kayden is not pictured in the traditional father's day photo and why our day was eventful!

 Summer has been both fun and challenging. It's hard to have all 4 at home while I'm trying to pack up our house and clean it to move. I feel like I have to teach them how to do summer! They would sit all day in front of the television if I let them!! So frustrating for me. It doesn't help that we sold our hose sprinklers at our garage sale and our swimming pool has holes in it, so it quickly loses water. We do live in Texas and it gets HOT! Occasionally I run into tender moments like these shots I included. Pictured above, Kayden decided to use Bella's water bucket as a pool one day. Below I caught the sweetest moment and expression between Kayden and Lanaea. It shows their sweet smiles

 The picture below I caught one day while letting the kids watch Wild Kratts (a daily occurrence while I get dinner prepared). It's a cute program that teaches the kids about animals and their amazing "creature powers".