forts!

my kids are really good at messy play. this gives them opportunities to learn to clean up too, but this post is not about that. rather, it's more about the sinful state of "irritable mama" that the stresses and tiredness of late have made me weaker against. i'm praying for Jesus to help me fight this because "love is not irritable" even when i'm tired and the kids are pretending something elaborate with all the linens in the house. and really, i want them to play imaginatively and with each other. i want us to have fun together without me organizing every moment of the day. so when the kids built a super duper fort (one of many) just before bedtime the other day, of course they wanted to sleep in it. i resisted the urge to say "no" out of habit and said yes! as long as you actually sleep. so they slept in it for about a week before they started waking each other up too early in the morning. then we all tore it down and put away the blankets (not that hard) and they were relieved to get back to their own beds. they slept three across in miles' bed, which is great practice for camping. marit sleeps in her own room only about 50% of the time anyway and i love that they want to be together.

for fun, since o didn't get to sleep in the fort

they wanted to stretch together

this fort had separate quarters for boys and girls

yes they are holding hands!

i love this man who just finished reading them the hobbit for the 3rd or 4th time.  miles loves to fall asleep during reading time:)

swimming!

it is soooo hot here in the south, so for the first time we joined a neighborhood pool nearby. our city has a neat neighborhood swim-league that many of our friends have enjoyed, so we gave it a try this summer. even if the kids don't do it again, i feel like they will benefit from learning strokes and making a few friends. plus, like their mama, they go a little crazy without regular exercise. miles also graduated from a week of swim-lessons and is swimming mostly independently (sooo helpful when i'm taking 4 kids swimming by myself!).

they write the events they are swimming on their arms with sharpie.  the kids think that is so cool.

this girl LOVEs to race and is giddy with excitement before each time.  she is about to turn 7 so she is enjoying being on the older end of the 6 and under age group.

g won his first "freestyle" race even though he mostly dog-paddled.  it was adorable.

father-son camping trip

a few weeks ago, adam and a friend took their oldest sons on a camping trip to a nearby peninsula. it may have been the best 24 hours of graham's life. not only was he with his best friend, but he was outside with an abundance of creatures and nature to observe and touch. he caught 18 fish and that fact will come up in conversation if you talk with him for more than 30 seconds or so. mr jason did a lot of the leg-work and planning and it truly was a big hit.  marit and i had a mama/daughter duo over for a lovely time of nails, chic-fil-a and heidi, but the menfolk had the camera (being a low-tech family you know).

the shirts came off upon arrival and remained off most of the trip

boys and a bonfire

lovely sunrise

the rest  of us joined them the next day for some swimming, but they really just wanted to sit in the mud-puddle beside the beautiful lake...

around the house

i have not taken enough pictures of the busy last couple months, but i wanted some here of us settling into our new season with a new person and living in a rancher in a regular neighborhood. we feel grateful for God's goodness to us in this season. and tired, but mostly thankful. we have had some visits from family and that has been lovely. my sister and her husband are headed to join abe and bethany in india for a couple years, so there have been goodbyes too. i guess the old bloggy is mostly to keep my far-flung family in the loop as the kids grow and change.

brownie helpers

g is so gentle with o and often gets him to sleep

the kids have thoroughly enjoyed having a few trees to climb in our yard

we are always wet around here

another novelty for us: a driveway. marit lost a toenail due to scooters this week

our carport is mostly a patio.  we eat out here all the time.

we play games and do school in the den

this girl is so joyful...a true gift

sharing the morning sunshine

on our tenth anniversary.  what a lot of life in a decade!

your 3 yr old doesn't sleep in the doorway?

sweetness

grateful for many moments like this

we don't have toys in the living room this time...how lovely!

1st lemonade stand with cousins!

auntie char trying to look like a stranger to give the kids some new customers

owen meets uncle j

kelly tames the masses

4th babies unite

super dad.  we have enjoyed walking in our quiet ,but hilly neighborhood

see you in a year or two sweet sister

miss these neighbors, but glad we aren't too far away

there is some resemblance i think

morning snuggles

this crew is wild and crazy.  owen is doing so well...easiest baby i've ever had, or maybe babies are just ultra-simple relative to the rest!

we have tree frogs, bluebirds, hydrangeas, and fireflies in our yard. oh joy! (and lots of anoles and skinks to graham's delight)

miles chatting it up with one of our precious neighbors...there are a bunch of kiddos nearby.  hurray!