Summer catch up: Part 1!!

This summer truly felt like a gift to our family.  We just had a lot of fun together.  I fully admit I wasn't a super adventurous mama with little ones (this summer was their first camping experience if that says anything!) -- sometimes the work of adventures just didn't seem worth the loss of sleep when you're already tired at baseline.  But as they get older it gets so.much.easier and they love adventuring so much! Now that it's fall and we are settling into more of a routine I actually have time to get caught up on the pictures :)  Up next will be part two of the photo update with pictures of the kids week in Arizona with Grammy and Gramps!

Idaho pool time!  

Addy running for her life :)

Take down in the blueberry patch

Happy Father's Day to three amazing dads!

Cousins on the Oregon coast

Hanging with Eden at Oaks Park!

Lake picnic on the way to Sunriver

Water babies!

We love our Hanna Anderson clothes!

My babes

SunRiver!

Happy 10th anniversary to my love!  Couldn't have
imagined a more wonderful person to do life with.

Wallow Lake!

Amma and her tribe of grandkids!

Scott tackled by our kids and the Milne girls!

Porter survives his first Coyle/Milne annual beach weekend!

Narnia read aloud at Lost Lake

Salamanders: entertainment for the teenager and the twins!

Love this girl to pieces!

Lost Lake: a new family tradition.  Incredible!

This kid.  Love him so.

Kylee!!!!  Enough said.

Wenatchee college roomie reunion!

Boys catching frogs :)

End of summer water balloon fight!

These three.  Together from the beginning.

Post dinner pile up!

Happy birthday, Amma!

First of many many soaking-wet-soccer-filled Saturday!!

Kindergarten!

Well, we survived our first week of kindergarten!  By that I mean Scott and I survived! The kids THRIVED in their first week of school.  They loved it.  It's a huge transition and we had no idea what to expect so we've been pleasantly surprised every day at pick up by how enthusiastic and excited they've been about the whole thing.  "Mom!  I have to wear purple tomorrow, it's Friday!  Everyone wears purple on Fridays!  And we went to computer lab today!  And Spanish!  And can I have hot lunch tomorrow?  And someone in my class has allergies.  And I love Mrs. Morris!  And do you know what dodge ball is? ... And ...And ..." the stream of consciousness of a five year old who just started school!  On the night before school started as I was getting their clothes and lunches ready I couldn't help but to reflect on how many people have helped us get to this point with our kids.  From their NICU team to their counselors to their preschool community, grandparents, extended family, neighbors, friends ... truly the raising of children brings people together.  I couldn't have asked for better people to have journeyed these young years with.  Just look at these big kindergarteners!

Videos!

Some sweet and fun and classic childhood skills that have recently been learned around here  :) ...

End of an era ...

My babies graduated from preschool today!  Over the last three years what a gift it's been to have our family and our children learn in an environment that is rich in community and in love.  These kids have been nurtured and cared for.  School has been a place of curiosity and play and discovery for them.  There have been hard parts too -- living life closely with other people means that there are things to be worked through.  But what better chance to show our children grace and communication and what it authentically looks like to share life.  They've gotten to have Teacher Donna for the last two years.  What an incredible teacher -- you know the power of a solid teacher when you are a student.  But you REALLY GET what a role they play when you're observing your children learn.  We are thankful.

And since I've fallen of the blogging train! ... Now is my chance to catch up on the last few months!  This blog is a sweet way to capture moments of our lives in a season of life where there isn't much chance to pause and reflect.  So while my posts may be few and far between, I do want to keep it up so that the kids will someday be able to look back on it.  (I'm only just beginning to understand the implications of raising children in the digital age.  Oh man.  I'm in over my head!) But for now ... 

Meeting Emmy Grace Katherine.  Love her so.

The girls!  Amelia is blessed to have so many girl cousins so 

close in age.  I'm so happy for them all to get to grow up together.

Celebrating 10 years of marriage by making our knees sore!  Hiking

in the Grand Canyon while Grammy and Gramps had the kids!  It was

breathtaking, just like we remembered.

Family time in Arizona!

We love GG Edna!!

Miss Amelia Jane is down a tooth!  She is thrilled, Luke is jealous :)

Disneyland with Grammy and Gramps!  What 

a fun trip!

Luke negotiating with the Storm Troopers ...

...Amelia's NOT so sure!

We love Disney!

This girl absolutely loves animals.  

Random day spent playing at the coast with my loves.

Five cousins in a stroller!

These guys are becoming quite the swimmers! 

I'm impressed with how comfortable they are in the water and 

how much they love it!

Mother's Day 2016!

Life is just better together :)

... And then they were FIVE!!!

Luke and Amelia turned FIVE today and my heart can hardly believe it.  Five feels big.  They will be starting kindergarten this year.  They just starting swimming on their own.  They are right on the verge of reading.  They feel like big kids.  They are so capable and feel so old and I just love being their mama.  Most days at least :)

We had donuts with candles in them for breakfast.  My parents stopped by on their way to work to sing to the kids.  We spent the morning at various appointments and errands but then got to spend the whole afternoon on a "family hike" at Mt. Tabor.  It was lovely.  There are so many things I want to write down to make sure I don't forget about this phase ...

Amelia ... There are so many things I want to remember about you right now!  You are such an energetic kid.  You love playing chase and tag and anything physical.  You are FAST.  Like crazy fast. If you decide to be an athlete, you will be incredible.  You are coordinated and determined and tough.

Your favorite time at school is gym time!  You love art.  Your eye for color and patterns is amazing. You help me see the world in a whole new way: through your lens.  I notice things I never would have seen because I get to be your mama.  I was missing so much!  Thank you.

Your brother and your cousin Caroline are the people you enjoying playing with the most.  You and I are getting ready to go on a  "girl trip" to Idaho to meet Emmy Grace and you are so excited that you already have your bag packed even though we don't leave for a week.  You love anything sweet (chocolate especially).  Your favorite books are the "Elephant and Piggie" books, "Clifford" and "Bernstein Bears."  You love "Frozen" and pretty much any show that we will let you watch :)  You love pink.  You will always choose to wear the pink clothes if you're given the choice.   You are my amazing sleeper.  You sleep 11-12 straight hours every.single.night.  That is a gift to us and we are thankful!  You told me today that when you grow up you want to have twins too ... "Mama, I want to have a girl baby and a boy baby in my tummy at the same time too!  The girl will be named Ribbon and the boy will be Superman!"  Your dad and I got a good laugh from that one.  Dad says those babies will fit right in in Portland with names like that!

Luke ... You are one of the most thoughtful people I have ever known.  I don't know many just-turned-five-year-olds who ask their moms things, "Mom, how did you sleep last night? Did you sleep good?  Did you have any good dreams?" ...  You are inquisitive and ask incredible questions and show concern for people in ways that are well beyond your years.  You love deeply and I learn so much from watching you.  You understand life through words and through story.  You can repeat stories with incredible memory and want to be told stories all the time.  You love books and words and I'm so curious to see what you will do with that during your lifetime.  You love super heros and Star Wars.  You love to swim.  You.are.always.hungry.  I bake because of you :)  In a good way!  You often come out of your room in the morning and after quiet time and say ... "Ummm, mama.  Do we have any muffins or cookies or anything else yummy?"  You are an amazingly good eater.  I can't think of a single food you won't eat.  You are my early-to-bed-early-to-rise kiddo.  You're usually asking to go to bed by 6pm and then up very early.  I fought this for years ("You WILL be on the same schedule as your sister!") but have come to enjoy my morning Lukey snuggles.  You told me this morning "Mom, I know you and sissy are night owls but me and daddy, we're just morning people!"  Ha!  I don't know who told you that but it's very true. 

Luke and Amelia ... You are loved beyond measure ... 

Christmas 2015! 

PJ and cocoa party at preschool

Love these Christmas babies!  Eden and Evelyn :)

Christmas Day!

Zoo lights!

Emmy Grace Katherine Hally :)

Amma with grandbaby #6

Snow day!!!  Girlfriends get crazy!

Dang these babies love snow :)

Hold on tight!

Only in Portland do we get so excited about a few inches of snow!

Birthday buddies! ... The big five year olds!