Let Freedom Ring!

I love LOVE LoVe the 4th of July!  It is one of my favorites!  I love the heat (well at least the heat that's not so hot in Fillmore LoL!)  This year we went to Dustin's parents and we had a ton of fun!  Here's what we did...

 Because the actual 4th of July fell on Monday we had the whole weekend to "Gear Up" for the parade!  DenniAnn and Kristi helped the kids make all their cute shirts and bags.  By the time parade morning arrived they were dressed to the nines and VERY ready for the candy!  So fun!

 Getting ready for the flag to walk by.  Derrick was a good sport, even though he argued the point that his heart was on the other side.  Yes...Dustin is picking his nose...on purpose.  Found this out after I downloaded the pictures to the computer! Sigh.

 Getting ready for the candy...they can hardly wait!

 Making a mad dash for all the goods...What Fillmore lacks in floats they make up for in Salt Water Taffy...Yummy! It's funny how the kids are at different stages.  Dallin has finally figured out how to grab all you can and stuff it in your bag later, while Zeke would try to put each piece neatly in his bag and then move onto the next.  He didn't get as much as Dallin.  LOL!

 They were very serious about watching for the next float...so cute. 

 Here comes "Yogi Bear"!!!  I will never live that down!  They toss out the best Frisbees!  We look forward to them every year...so does Cloey.  She can't help chewing them all up!  They drive her mad.

 Hanging out in the yard after the parade counting the loot. So Fun!

For the second year in a row now I have made all the kids P.J's.  I have to admit I am impressed with myself yet again for getting all the sizes just right without being able to measure anyone.  They are so cute and the kids love them!  We get them all washed up after playing in the dirt all day and put on their new jammies and head to the park for fireworks.  This works great sense most of them fall asleep there after diving uner the blankets because they are scared.  So fun having all these cute kids together.  The boys loves thier cousins!

 Does it get cuter than this?  Say cheese!

 Funny Faces!

 Four Cute Boys!

Awe!  Last year we got a cute pictures of Shannon giving Zeke a kiss so we tried again this year...Zeke was not impressed, but he was a good enough sport to let her give him a little love.  These two are a riot together.  A very fun age.  Great pals

I consider these little gals my own.  They are darling.

 Zeke is loving getting his picture taken right now.  Every time I have the camer out he begs me to take a picture so he can see.  This is one of my favorites.  He is getting so big...I can't believe he's almost three!

 Dustin and the pupps...what can I say...he's an animal guy.  Do you think we could get anymore black dogs????

 We spent most of the weekend on the tramp...I am happy to report my bladder survived the trama LOL!

Derrick is 5!!!

Our little Derrick turned 5 today!  He is growing up so fast!  He said, "Today was the best day of my life! Mom!"  

 He woke up to a pile of presents and a new bike!

 This is what our little Derrick looks like most mornings...he's always got some sort of glasses or costume on the minuet he gets out of bed.  It's hilarious!

 We went to Jumpin' Jacks with all the kiddos to celebrate and Derrick invited his "best pal, Jack."  They had a great time.  It was a VERY HOT day...even the little guys were sweating from all the jumpin' and running!  Yuck!

 Dustin met us there after work.  He had them all going crazy jumping and running and playing ball.  He's a big kid at heart!

 The kids were fearless going down the big slides.  They would jump and flip as they went down.  Scared me to death.  Zeke was the only one who did it the "mom way"...sit down first then slide.  LOL!

 Such a happy kid!  So full of life!

 As birthday cakes go I admit I am no good.  I try...I have good intentions, but it is not an art I posses.  I got this idea off of google and it worked out pretty good.  Derrick was impressed and that's all the matters right?  I've learned with enough "M's" as he calls them and candy bars you can impress even the toughest food critic (a.k.a. Alex...LOL!)  He was very impressed and what it lacked in looks it made up for in chocolate!

We cam home from jumping and had a pizza party with all the timmings!  We are so glad Derrick is in our family.  He is a riot!  Love you Derrick!  Happy Birthday!

Rub-A-Dub-Dub!

Tub Time!  These little guys are so cute...when they are ALL CLEAN!  LOL!  I loves tub pictures they are so fun...so here are my favorites!

 The "Two Musketeers!"  They fight like dogs and protect each other to the death when they are in trouble.  They are a team when getting into mischief.  What would we do without 'em?

Zeke...The tub is his favorite place to be!  He makes a mess in there...loves to splash, but hey you only have one chance to be two right?

End of the Season

These pictures mark the end of the Season for this year...and we are actually sad they do.  Dustin was depressed for days...LOL!  The kids are already counting down the days until next season.  They really had a lot of fun and learned a ton!  We are so proud of our little league(ers) and all they do!  Here are a few of my favorite pictures.... 

 Doesn't this say it all?  All those cute little hats and bats lined up...makes you want to yell "Play Ball!"

 

Dallin #6 - Mets

 

Dallin's team showing support for those up to bat!  Their coach was really good to team them team spirit!
 

 

Waiting and waiting and waiting for his turn to bat.  He's growing up way to fast!

 

Alex -Teeball - Yankees

Tee Ball was the only league that got trophies this year.  Alex was ecstatic. They were also the only league to get team treats after the game...Dallin didn't care, he said his team was "more serious" LOL!

 Alex's Team

(Loved watching these little guys!  A few of them are in my primary class and they are a hoot to teach and watch.  Alex is the second from the left on the bottom)

More often than not I would loose Zeke at the ball field.  He would usually be found watching a different game or trying to sneek onto another field.  This is where I found him the very last day of games!  On the pitchers mound at a different field playing with some other kid.  It was so cute!  He got that mit at the DI and carts it around everywhere.  I guess we're not done with T-Ball yet.  Love him!

A not so lazy day...

 We have been keeping up with the park this summer.  Every time we pack all of us up and head to the park I am always thinking..."This will be fun, I'll sit and be 'LaZy' and the kids can play."  Hahahahahah, I get to be anything but lazy chasing these boys around!  They are VERY full of life.  Curious, THIRSTY all the time, need help pushing the swing, or pulling them down from whatever apparatus they have found themselves stuck had fun.  Sheesh...I really think it's more of a work out than the lazy afternoon I always have planned, but we sure have fun!  I have yet to bring them all home and have them pass out on the couch like I want to though...full of life...that's the only way to put it.  Here are some of my favorite moments...nothing like a little fresh air and green grass to put a smile on your face right?

 For some reason Dallin keeps getting bigger and older every day...I can't believe how much he's changed this year.  Two sizes bigger and taller and way to smart for his own good.  LOL!

 Alex is a monkey...love to climb...no fear!

 I won't tell you how many times Derrick almost fell out of this thing... he didn't give up though until he spun around on it himself.  Go get 'em Derrick!

 Zeke was a hoot in the spin chair...

 This one is my favorite!!!  So cute!

 Up and down the hill a zillion times...they loved it!  I admit I was surprised we didn't end up in the ER.  They were falling and running and rolling like crazy!  LOL!

 This makes me laugh...it's like you can hear them yelling and laughing their heads off!

 Exploring the river bed looking for bull frogs (I am happy to report we didn't find any...that day)

 Funny faces!  I have more pictures like this than cute smiles.  They loved to make faces when I'm begging them to smile.  It's hilarious!

I am still trying to practice with my camera.  These are my favorite flower and the only thing that looks decent when it heats up down here.  I'm embarssased to say I don't even know the name of it, but they are everywhere this time of year and they make me smile.

Puppy Heaven

 Couldn't resist a few cute pictures of the pups!  This is their favorite place to be...on top of the laundry pile.  Lucky for them there seems to always be one at our house...laundry is a never ending chore around here.  I am kicking them off constantly, but the minuet I turn my back I find them there again.  If you look really hard you'll see a green frog.. Diesel loves that thing.  He is forever trying to rip the eyeball off but it's not going anywhere.  He drags it all over the house.  Drive me crazy!  :)

If it's not the laundry pile than Stella's next favorite thing to do is torture Cloey by getting in her bed.  Cloey get's mad and boots her out most of the time, but she sneaks back in whenever she gets the chance.  We have a regular cricus at our house most days.

Summer is Finally Here!

I admit that I am actually VERY excited to have summer here.  For me it's a time to settle down and get things done around the house.  I am looking forward to lazier days and no driving kids to and frow.  I think when I look back I'll realize this past school year has been the busiest ever!  With Derrick in Pre-School and Alex in Kindergarten and picking them both up and tossing playground duty into the mix and poor little Zeke being dragged all the way it will be nice to have a break and get things done around my house.  I have a list of goals to kick off our summer of fun!  Top of the list...lose 25 pounds by the first day of the new school year in the fall, get Zeke potty trained, scrub all the baseboards in my house (they are filthy!), go the park or swimming a few times a week...tons of sewing projects!  Wish me luck! 

 

We started off with a bang and went straight to the splash park.  The kids were happy as little clams and I was perfectly content to sit and read a book while they played.  So far the weather is cooperating and it's not TOO HOT yet!  Hope it lasts!  Perfect Day!  Thanks for the joining the fun Humphreys!  We had a good time!

Pre-School Graduation 2011

Derrick graduated from Pre-school with flying colors!  

Miss Kami said he is ready for Kindergarten and he can't wait!

With all the cool spring weather we were BLESSED with...graduation at the park was a little rainy,

windy and cold, but well worth it!  He did great!  He knew all the songs and said

he was willing to sing anything his teacher wanted as long as he could have a cupcake at the end.

We are so proud of our little Derrick and how smart he is!

Derrick and Miss Kami!

 

...and yes...whilie we were watching the program Alex and Zeke were up to their usual

shenanigans.  I turned around and this is what I found...umbrellas flipped inside-out with the wind and of coarse Alex had figured out how to make a "Light Saber" out of it and was going after Zeke.  After it was all said and done Derrick told me he was mad becuase it looked like Alex was having more fun than he was playing on the grass with the umbrella while he had to stand up there and sing "dumb songs".  He was very put out that I didn't want to stay and let him play in the wind and rain.  Lol!

*A funny sidenote:  The other day we were driving down the road and Derrick yells..."Hey guys look!  A BLUMP!"  You know I had to look for that one...who knows what he was referring to?!?  Turns out it was a blimp on a sting at a car dealer.  I tried to get him to say it right for about 15 min.  But he was determined it was a "BLUMP" and that was that.  He asked me why I kept saying it wrong.  Funny Kid!  Love Him!

Happy Mom's Day!

I am grateful I am a Mom.

 I had a great Mothers' day!  I love the things the kids come home with that the "made themselves" This was Alex's picture he painted me.  So sweet.  He said it was just for me. 

This is what Derrick came home from pre-school with and let me have just long enough to take a picture before he took it back and gobbeled all the raisenetts himself.  He said it was just for me to look at...LOL!  I love my kids.  I know I don't say that enough.  Does it count if you think it a lot in your head...after they go to bed? LOL!  I love that they love me too.  I love that they are boys, even if they do pee all over they floor and make a mess and talk loud and wrestle ALL THE TIME!  I love that they remember to tell me that they like my shirt or my lipstick.  Sometimes I forget the little things is what makes being a Mom special, but that's why we have this holiday right?  To remember the little people that make us special!  Happy Mothers Day to all the other mom's out there too!  You are specail to me!

Our Very First Pine Wood Derby!

 I know I am totally bias, but I think Dallin is the handsomest little scout there ever was!  He cleans up so good!  He LOVES LoVeS LOVES scouts!  Here he is with his finished Pine-Wood Derby car!  (A side note: This car was made with lots of love.  Dallin was very worried he was going to miss the big race because he had a game the same night and he didn't want to miss either.  He helpe his dad cut the wood and design it all right down to picking out the paint.  Dustin spent a few very late nights getting it all ready to go and then took all the boys to the game and the Derby because I had to work...He even remember to take the camera and make sure I had lots of memories to look at.  I can't thank him enough for being such a great Dad!)

 It's serious business getting the car just right on the track...

 ...and they're off! 

Dallin did great and we are very proud.  He won "Best Detail"...I guess like father (and mother) like son.  Of couse our kid would win "Best Detail"...that's what we do at our house...pay attention to detail...laugh laugh!