Happy Fathers Day

To our fathers:  We are greatly blessed as parents to each have such amazing examples of fathers in our lives.  Thank you for everything that you have done and for everything that you continue to do for us and our family.  Each year that passes and each child that comes into our lives helps us to better understand how incredibly lucky we really are.  It seems a sad trick that it would take so long to really understand, appreciate, and love our fathers so much.  We hope you have a great Father's Day and are excited to see you both soon.  This little family owes so much to you.  We love you!

Happy Fathers Day Nick!

We woke him up with breakfast in bed (and just a little bit of screaming before then) and then kids sang him 'I hope they call me on a mission.'  Then they all snuggled up for a picture in which everyone is smiling including Nick & Ike is not trying to scratch off his face.  I can now die happy!

We gave him his presents after everyone had taken a bath & we're about to make pizza bombs for dinner to go with the dirt cake for dessert.

I love you Nick!  You are the greatest husband a girl could ask for & the best father for our children.  They love you so much!  Everyday, the highlight of their day is watching for you to come home.  I never believe that I could love you more and then I do.  Everyday.  You're patient with the children when I want to kill them & are so thoughtful.  You make us laugh everyday & we couldn't imagine a world without you!  Thank you for loving us!

Tony & Mel

This was the best one I could get with all of them.  Ike looks a little crazy, but at least none of them are crying as in subsequent pictures.  We were ecstatic when Tony & Mel said they wanted to come and see us!  Unfortunately like Dane & Jordan they had a rocky start.  Their car engine stopped working just outside of Butte, MT & the tow truck started on fire taking them back into town.  Luckily a good samaritan let them use their car and the trip that should have taken 5 hours took 12, but they got here.  Yeah!

These pictures all in the wrong order, but this is them playing at the park the right before they left for home.  I think the second day they were here it rained so we took them to Cabelas which is always fun & had a picnic in our living room, which wasn't.  Then we grilled these huge steaks and for some reason my children decided to eat meat and ate almost an entire one by themselves.  I don't understand them at all!

Here's a great park we found recently with water features and a regular playground next to it.  It was so fun!  Soren & Lorelei jumped right in.  I think Reagan got her feet wet once or twice & here's Coen drinking the water, that's about as close as he got.  The big wimps.

Monday we went to the  beach & had a picnic.  Nick met us there unexpectedly which was lovely.  We had a great time until it got cold.  We went to the park downtown and then the beach on Wednesday too.  It was tons of fun!  We were all pleasantly surprised how well they entertained themselves without drowning or trying to kill each other.  We were unpleasantly surprised at how hard it is to keep track of 3 children at a busy playground.

One night we got a babysitter, yes just one & she survived, and we the the Whitehouse to eat.  It was fabulous!  Especially the sea bass & the baklava (I hope I spelled that right), sadly the belly dancer wasn't performing that night.   We were so sad to see them go & hope they will visit again someday after such a rocky start.  I forgot to mention that Soren also got 2 ear infections & strep throat.  So they had a rough few nights.  Thanks for coming!  We love you!  Come again soon or just move here.  If I can convince Nick to dig out our basement you could live with us!  Hope the move goes well.  See you in DC!

Dane & Jordan

So, their trip started out rough!  I forgot what time they got in, so we were late picking them up  & then Reagan threw up all over herself on the way home.  But they finally got here and they even talked to us after all that!  What troopers!

We had lunch downtown & then went on a cruise around the lake.  Well, not me, I get a little motion sick.  I think everyone had fun, although there were some sunburns. 

Coen unfortunately got a little too much sun & we think he suffered from some heat exhaustion,  so we couldn't do the things we had planned on Saturday.  Instead we took them to see their very first movie at the theater, UP.  It was a great story & Reagan sat all the way through it.  Coen managed to make it until about the last 20 minutes or so because we kept him well supplied with popcorn.  Unfortunately we didn't bring our camera, but that night we took them bowling.  It was great!  The kids had so much fun & everyone enjoyed beating me (but that is only because Dane named me gutter ball or something like that)!  Jordan made us a delicious dinner that night.  They had to leave Monday and there was crying all the way home from the airplaneport, but it was a great weekend.  Thanks guys!  We love you & can't wait for the wedding!  Come back anytime!