Swimming Lessons

Makenna passed Level 4 this summer at Tech. She loves to swim, but had a teacher that wasn't too detailed this time around. I am not sure about how many strokes were better defined, but she had a blast!




Tracen is still having issues with Level 1. He will be experiencing it again next summer. Again. He likes his face to remain above water at all times. One thing that he finally got was floating on his back. He is a pro at it! Yay for the little things!

A Small World in San Antonio

The Poormans were so gracious and let us stay with them a few weekends ago. (Summer of Suitcases Part 3, if anyone's counting.)

Long story short(ish):
We went to Tech and met Scott and Sharlain Donaho, who were from San Antonio.
We sang at a camp in Florida a looong time ago for Sharlain's brother-in-law's youth group.
Sharlain's brother-in-law is Charles and his wife, Shar's sister, is Serena.
We just loved them and their sweet kiddos who were like 5, 3, and 1ish then.
Charles and Serena moved to San Antonio some time after that.
Stacie is Tyson's sister.
Stacie and her family moved to San Antonio a few years ago.
Stacie and Nelson met Serena and Charles in San Antonio and their families became best buds.
Our neices wanted to know how we knew Scott and Sharlain on facebook, because Sharlain was their friends' mom, Serena's sister.
Scott got a job a few months ago at a church in San Antonio so they moved back there.

Small world????

All of this led to a cookout full of laughing and fun and playing and tarantulas and sweet talks and loving seeing our friends again!!!!

Out in the Country

While we were in Ropesville we all had so much fun with Leslie, Kayla, and Toddo.

Mailey cooked up some good food


Todd and Tracen played a cool Lego game


Kayla and Makenna iced a delicious cake



Mailey got into Leslie's cabinets


The kids explored a maze Mr. Michael dug out with the backhoe






This is before Tracen fell 6 feet into the maze...but we looved being in the country!

ONE

Today at 12 noon my sweet Mailey baby turned ONE.

ONE YEAR OF:
soft baby skin
floaty blondish hairs
thousands of diaper changes
bonding times nursing
tiny kissable toes
amazing blue eyes
cutest squinchy nose
little thigh rolls
smelling baby lotion
cuddling before bed
loving us unconditionally
thinking our hearts might burst
rejoicing in God's promises
living the blessing
watching Makenna become a mini-mommy
seeing Tracen become a big brother
more joy than we ever had before!

One year with this girl...WONDERMENT.

Mailey has been the light in our family during one of our craziest and toughest years.

Thanks, God, for the privilege of being her family.

We love you, precious Mailey baby!

slippin' n' slidin'

King...and Queens...of the Castle

Here are some pics of the kids at the Lego Castle Exhibit at the Mayborn Museum in Waco. They loved playing with all the swords and jousting.





They also played for awhile in the museum. Some of these pics completely show their personalities. They looooove going with Mim and Pop!

Oh, were you talking to me??


Get out of my way!!


Busy,busy!

Love these people!

What's a cookout without...

a table for kids only...



a Brett Berridge hamburger...



seeing old friends...


eating this...


laughing...


playing...



and sleeping...


We love you Berridges, Gassiots, Aunt Bunny, Sharla, Trooks, Donaldsons, and LeGasse's!

That was fun, so let's do it again soon!

Skeet Gradgetated

Erica Kacey Amundson graduated from Texas Tech University!
We have loved having another cousin in Lubbock for their college years. Loved it!
We are so proud of Skeet! She graduated with a lot of honors that I don't know the correct names of...but I think they have something to do with a 4.0??? :)