An Evening Together

The other night, we walked down to Lions Beach and enjoyed playin' around. Nate took some AMAZING photos (my hubby is so talented!) including the awesome new photo at the top of this blog, which is now hanging over our fireplace. Enjoy the photos!


Three siblings head to the park.


Asher just got all his hair cut off today, so I'm really enjoying this photo!


Handsome boy!












This is what pure joy looks like.


Up a hill and home again.


One last look back.

Little Fish

When Gabriel started baseball this year, I promised Asher that he could pick one activity to try. He picked swimming.
This was a great choice, since he loves the water but doesn't know how to swim. The lessons are held through my mom's club at a discount rate through the local YMCA.
Enjoy these photos of my little fish!


Asher gets a face full of water.


Happy in the pool. Ash always has the biggest grin on while he's swimming. He LOVES it!


Another big smile for mom.


Sitting by the pool with his bubble. The kids wear these "bubbles" on their backs, which I guess can be slowly deflated as they get better and better.


Swimming back and forth across the pool. I'm not really happy with how blurry these photos turned out. I guess I'll have to hire Nathan to shoot photos one week!

Little Sluggers

Baseball fever has become a raging epidemic at our house.
Even Rhylah has decided to get in on the action.
For two years now ... just as the snow begins to melt (which is usually mid April, in Michigan...) my oldest son, Gabriel, has gotten the itch to play baseball.
This is his second year, and he's quite the talented little player. (And no, I'm not just saying that because I'm his mom.) His first official game is tonight (more photos of that to follow) against the Yankees. He usually plays shortstop or first base.
If current levels of interest are any indication ... Asher and Rhylah will also be starting ball in a few years!


My kids like to play quick games in our tiny backyard ... here, Asher is playing catcher for Rhylah's at-bat.


Slugger-girl.


Gabe, looking so cool! He's not a Cub this year ... this is his jersey from last year. This year, he's a Diamondback.


Rhy is all ready to go. I love her toes in this photo ... not sure why...


Gabe helps Rhylah with her stance. What a great big brother!

Oh but the dirt is such fun!

My daughter has a new outdoor hobby. Today I found her in the dirt, behind our garage (where I uprooted a tree last fall and transplanted it to the front yard ... hence the big mound of dirt) looking rather adorable with a dirt-smeared face. She just LOVES playin' in the dirt. I think she's on her way to being a true gardener, like mommy!

Girl Time

My entire family was up for a visit this week for a funeral. Aside from being an obviously sad time for all of us, it was a rare chance to get some pictures of the girls together. My sister's daughter, Sydney, is only three months younger than Rhy -- and since the odds of Rhylah having a sister are pretty much nill, it's always fun to watch the two of them play together!


Papa watches the girls play with the busy ball popper. They dragged him upstairs by both hands.


Playin' together is so much fun!




At one point, they took most of Rhy's books off her shelves and loaded them onto the bed so they could read together. Now that's my idea of a good time!


My sweet baby girl.


Rhy shows Sydney her freshly painted toes.


Playin' chicken with their daddies.


Leon takes a "kick" to the nose. :)

Flowers In a Jar

My daughter might be the "Lord High Executioner of Daffodils," but when she manages to snap a few off well below the blooms (and I can get them into water fast enough) they make a sunny addition to our kitchen table. After all, is there anything that says spring better than flowers in a mason jar??

Smiley Rhy Photos

These photos I took of Rhylah the other day, were just too cute -- I had to post 'em!

Easter Photos

Gabe smiles EARLY this morning after finding his basket.


Ash finds his basket hidden under the couch cushions.


Rhy digs into her candy right away.


The kids with their baskets.


Rhylah in her Easter dress with flowers in her hair.


Gabe, looking very grown up on Easter Sunday!


My smiley Asher!


Three of the best kiddos ever!


Brothers ...


A rare moment of brotherly affection ... right before the tackle!


Rhy wore her Christmas dress for Easter this year, because it worked so well! She calls it her "Cinderella" dress. She proceeded to wear it ALL day long!


My darling girl.