I love this city in the summer time!!!

Yeh, winter is brutal. But summer makes it all worthwhile!!!

Wow - Are We THAT Old?!?

Last night as we celebrated Brent's birthday I stuck one candle in Brent's cake thinking that would suffice. Morgan and Isaac weren't satisfied. They dug through the cabinets to find enough candles for the cake. After mixing and matching from several different sets they had 36 candles. We lit them all up and were ready to roast marshmallows on our little bonfire. There's nothing like a flame burning for each year of your life to help you realize how old you've become. Next year I'll make sure to buy the number 3 and number 7 candles.

Daddy Rocks!

Happy Father's Day to an amazing dad! This collection of photos makes my heart melt. Thanks Brent for loving our kids, playing with them, providing for them, and being there for them when they are sad. I love that you love coaching Morgan's soccer team as much as she loves playing. I love that you spent a weekend making a go-cart with Isaac. I love that you always take time to push Ethan on the swing whenever he asks (wish I could make the same claim about myself). Marrying you was the best thing I ever did in my life. Not only did I find my soul mate but I found the best dad I could wish for for my kids. Love you!

A Little Catching Up To Do

It seems like May is always the busiest month of the year (next to December). I went to the zoo with Isaac's class and the art museum with Morgan's class. Also, this year another mom and I put together the memory books for Isaac's kindergarten class. We kept up on it pretty well during the year, but of course had to scramble to get them all wrapped-up for the "Kindergarten Celebration Show" which was yesterday. School is out on Monday...so the end is near. Can't wait!

Here's a quick little catch-up...we finished off Morgan's soccer season. Her team (co-coached by Brent) did great. They were undefeated going into their last game. Just so happens the last game was against the other team from Morgan's school who was also undefeated. There was definitely a spirit of rivalry in the air. The other team was known to be a powerhouse. And, as it turns out they were about 2x the size of our team. In the end Morgan's team was scoreless. Morgan has a very competitive side to her (...Brent?) and took the loss very hard. After a long nap she was back to herself again.

Isaac joined the cub scouts at school. He marched in the Memorial Day parade in our town, put flags on graves at the cemetery, and went to a camp out at the forest preserve. He came home with a tick and some VERY dirty feet but overall is pretty jazzed to wear a cub scout uniform. Ethan is extremely frustrated that he can't be a Cub Scout yet. He's shed a few tears over this fact--which only makes Isaac more proud of his grown-up stats as a Tiger Scout :-).

Ethan finished up his first year of "preschool" (one morning a week). His teachers made him a darling scrapbook and he loves to look through it over and over again. He asked me this morning if he was married. I said no, and he seemed relieved. I told him he wouldn't get married until he was an adult. He seemed panicked, "No, I don't want to get married". I'm not sure what has brought on this fear of commitment :-). Since then he's been asking all his friends if they are married.

Brent's been busier than ever with work. He took a new job 2-months ago as the Director of Marketing at a medical device company. The workload has been intense and we've seen less and less of him but strangely he's loving it.

Oh, and my exciting news is that I have a new baby...a digital SLR camera Brent bought me for my birthday. Thanks Brent! (and thanks President Bush whose generous check came just in time for my birthday and mother's day...what great timing)! I haven't figured out all the settings, but I'm having fun with the killer 200x zoom lens.

Sisters Trip in Arizona

Two weekends ago I had a fab getaway to Phoenix with my sisters and mom. I feel a bit like a kid saying "NE NER NE NER NE NER" when I talk about having four sisters. It really is the best ever. All my sisters are truly amazing women who I just love to be with. I really do feel guilty that Morgan doesn't have a sister--a thought that sometimes makes me consider having one more child (but then I realize the chances are greater of me having another boy, so I should sit tight and enjoy what I've got knowing she and I can have a great bond instead :-).

Thanks to the twelve children and four husbands who didn't complain too much about being left to vend for themselves while thier mothers/wives enjoyed themselves lounging in Bekah's pool, shopping, and eating great grub.

I'm too lazy to recreate the wheel here, so check out my sister's blogs to see pictures and get the scoop on the trip...
http://6shaefs.blogspot.com/2008/05/sisters-weekend.html
or
http://mattbekahjax.blogspot.com/2008/05/sisters-health-retreat-weekend-in.html

It's Hard Work to Get a Bike

After his first morning wearing undies Ethan sighed then said to me in a tired and weary voice, "Mom, it's really hard work to get a bike". (He gets a bike as soon as his potty chart is full of stickers).

My Mom at 61 Years Young

Here's my mom at 61 years young. Amazing isn't it? One of her old high school friends is an artist who has sculpted several Cirque du Soleil performers. He recently opened a gallery at the entrance to Cirque du Soleil "O" at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. This photo was taken at the gallery opening after-party with one of the Cirque du Soliel performers. That's my mom for you, always looking for ways to have fun. How many 61 year olds do you know who'd peform this stunt? I'm so proud to have her genes (...if I could only fit into her jeans).