Just a few more ...

Well, we're still recovering from the stomach flu at our place ... pretty sure we won't be flying again until the kids are 5!  (Well, I say that now, but next month I'll be ready to plan our next adventure) ... But it sure is fun to go through pictures of a great week ... worth the aftermath :)  Here's just a few more!

3 little monkeys!

Father and daughter.

Beach girls!!

Aloha!

Maui:  Sun.  Sand toys.  Condos.  Luau.  Date nights.  Family time.  Pool parties.  Shaved ice.  Fresh pineapple.  Margaritas.  Beach towels.  Pool floaties.  Games.  Laughter.  Spray-on sunscreen. Relaxation.  Stomach bug (this family can't seem to travel without one of those!).  Snorkeling.  Memories made.  Thankful.

Good morning!  People with small kids seem to be the only ones on the beach in the 7 am hour :)

Maybe the Uncles had more fun than the kids?  It's a toss up!

The twins take their sand-castle building quite seriously!

Pool time!  The look on Amelia's face says it all -- the water was a hit!

Grandpa and Amelia.  Love.

The Hally trio! 

Lukey being a ham!  (When he wasn't taken down by the stomach flu ... poor guy!)

My loves.

Attempt #312 for a shot of the 4 grandkids with mom and dad .... group shot failed.

Patty and Kylee -- all dressed up!

Happy #60 Dad!  We love you!

Hope to be anywhere near as active, fun-loving and generous as these two when I'm 60!

Date night!  Happy 6th anniversary to my love.  You amaze me on a very regular basis.

Luau with both couples celebrating an anniversary last week!

The group shot!  We did it!  Well, good enough at least!

Weekend Fun!

Scott's on a new work schedule and we're loving it!  One week he works 5 shifts (60 hrs) and the next week he only works 2 shifts which means he has five days off!  Usually those days off mean that I work extra shifts or we get projects done around the house.  But this week we decided to enjoy  some fun family time ... We spent three days in Bend with the Milne family which was such a treat!  Michelle and I worked together as nurses in Tucson and she moved back to Oregon around the same time we did.  She is one of those rare people where I feel like I don't ever have to filter what I say -- I feel so blessed by the fact that we can talk honestly about life, faith, marriage, work ... and now, parenting!  Marisa is eight weeks old and such a precious girl.  It was a gift to get to know her a bit this weekend.  Hard to believe that Luke and Amelia were that size not very long ago.  The kids had a great time playing with 4 big dogs all weekend (I'll attach a video ... hilarious!) because Michelle and Rich and Michelle's parents each have two dogs.  We also had fun wading in the Deschutes River, exploring Bend and just relaxing together.  It's the first time we've been out of town other than to visit family but the kids were really flexible and Michelle's whole family was so hospitable that it made it much easier than I'd imagined in my head (when planning to travel with kids I've realized I'm a bit pessimistic, which I should work on!) 

These two have an arranged marriage in the works :)  Luke looks happy, right?

Michelle and I with our girls ... plus Ollie and Sam!

Amazing view from the Burge house of the Sisters Mountains ... Wow.

Sweet baby girl!

18 month appointment!

Whew -- we made it through another appointment!  My mom and niece Kylee helped me with this one since Scott was working.  Every time it's all over I feel like I need a drink!  I also feel in awe of triplet mamas!  Just the logistics of getting two anxious (they're old enough now to realize where they are at), screaming kids to cooperate with assessments and shots all in a very small room and try to have a conversation with our pediatrician leaves my head spinning just a bit.  But most importantly, Luke and Amelia are healthy, growing and developing.   Amelia is 2'9" tall (93%) and weighs 26.5 lbs (77%).  Her head (and his!) circumference is still in the 100th percentile.  No wonder it's so hard for me to find hats that fit them :)  Luke is also 2'9" tall (82%) and weighs 27 lbs, 13 oz (75%).  These two love to eat!
This week we've all been enjoying having cousin Kylee here to play!  Here is a picture of the three of them playing outside -- we're having a bit of a heat wave (for the PNW at least!  When the temps get above 80 for more than two days the fans and ACs start flying off the shelves -- look out!) so the kids have been loving all the time in the pools and sprinklers!

Happy 4th!

Right now we have two totally passed out little ones (and their parents are not far behind them) after a very fun and very full day ... A parade, lots of water play with friends and a BBQ with some of Scott's co-workers and friends ...  Feeling thankful tonight ...

Some very cute parade watchers :)

They get so excited when everyone else claps ... may as well join in, right?

Scott with the kids!

Nothing says summer like watermelon and a slip n slide!

Beautiful!  No. I'm not creative enough to come up with this but Luke's wife, Kung, is an amazing baker/decorator 

Stop and smell the roses ...

Today we had one of THOSE mornings ... The kind where the kids get to watch videos because I'm rushing around trying to get us out the door and our house looks like Toys R Us made a delivery and my children went through every box! ... The kind where I desperately call my neighbor (thanks Martha!) to come with me to the eye doctor to entertain the kids (after three days of splitting headaches I realized it's because my contact prescription has changed so I haven't been seeing right ... ahhh!) ... The kind where I feel like a wearing a sign that reads: "Please don't judge the fact that I look like I just rolled out of bed and my children don't look much better!" ... But we made it to nap time (whew!) and Auntie Allie is coming to visit today (hooray!) and this video helps me remember to slow down, take a deep breath and stop to smell the roses ... Luke is SO into smelling flowers.  He read about it in one of his books and ever since then he smells every flower he sees -- in a book, in a picture, on his sister's shirt! ... So darn cute!