Shook has started

School started this week. We have had fun getting kids up and ready for school. But all this early morning stuff has its wear on Tessa. This was in the middle of play time. She disappeared and I found her passed out on her bed. 

 

My buddy is getting bigger and bigger. Check out his social smile! He's by far the happiest of our kids. I'm sure it's because he hears all the screaming from the kids and realizes they don't get what they want so he sits here patiently and happily. 

 

 

We have the best neighbors. They surprised Bridget with cupcakes on her birthday! They have been so great to us and they have kids our kids ages.  

 

We took Bridget and all the kids out to Hibachi for Bridget's birthday the day after to celebrate. We love hibachi in our house!

 

 

Ok. I've got a little Krang! 

 

After school today we had a family art project. This was all Bridget's idea. It turned out super cute. No idea where we're going to put it though. 

 

Funny kids. New house

Eli and Dora have been reading my previous blog posts for funny stories. I think I may need to get back into telling stories and funny anecdotes. 

Photo documentary evidence of our lives and adventures is important and captures a lot of memories but not enough. I'll try to write more. 

Church in our new house!

 

First day of school that I missed because I had to work last minute. 

 

Aunt Cassidy and uncle Bo came to visit. I wish I had taken more pictures. 

 

I really love my kids. They are so funny. They are in the other room playing super hero animal zoo. 

So weird. 

Moving time and growing girls

Sammy has no idea what he is in for. All the big sisters want to hold him. Emmy keeps saying "baby Sammy is so cuuuuuute" Dora always wants to hold him. Even Tessa wants in on the action. Hope their excitement continues.  

Emmy really is a unique spirit. I wish I had half the joy in life that she has. Everything is magic unicorn Pegasus. If ever a princess was born into a non royal family it was her. That kid acts like a princess. But not the snobby kind, the kind that would be benevolent as long as she had pretty dresses to wear. Her husband someday is gonna have a lot of needs to meet.  

So. My parents have a picture of us kids. All four boys sitting on a couch watching tv in our pajamas when I was about this age. We don't have tv. We have Internet. Netflix. Amazon Fire. And iPads. I guess things change and stay the same. 

 

No one loves animals more than this one. Foxy really takes abuse well. 

Packing for the move from league city to Richmond was a bit difficult for the kids. Look at Tessa and her bunny pile. So much excitement.  

 

So this is funny. We went out to dinner at the Greek Place in Kemah. Emmy and Tessa were being squirrels and whitney. Eli and Dora were good. I looked at Eli and Dora and said "you each get a thumb up today for your behavior. Thanks!"  Followed by my telling Emma and Tessa, "You each get a half thumb up." (Indicating they were being stinkers.l

Tessa looked at me and said, "Dad, you get a thumb AND a Pinky!"  

What a funny kid. 

 

Getting ready for the big move. Tessa lined up all her animals and was talking to them and explaining them we would be moving. 

 

Emmy saw me take a picture of Teasa's bed set up and wanted me to take a picture for the same thing. Funny. 

 

The day we sold our house, Carla had the three small ones. Eli and Dora and Bridget came down to Galveston for dinner. We ate at a seafood place then walked on the beech at dusk. We watched the spider  crabs come out of their homes. Eli and Dora didn't notice. But I watched the homeless set up sleeping places on the beech. Interesting dichotomy, homeless setting up a place to sleep, while we move from one palace to another, also homeless settling in for the night while the spider tabs get active. 

 

Look at how my little man is growing. 

 

Booger is growing

  

Summer fun

First off. I did a burr hole. I kept the drill. Really interesting that such a technically specific procedure can be and needs to be done by hand and a hand drill. 

 

Tessa is such a cute little girl. Such a big energetic spirit. She's so funny. Amazing how much personality fits into such a tiny person. Bridget calls her my mini me. Maybe. 

 

Emmy is my little photographic memory photogenic wonder. This girl is the funniest and has the most interesting insight. Really need to watch what you say around her. She won't forget. I really need to start writing down all the stuff she says. Such an imagination and so freaking hilarious. 

We spend a lot of time in the pool here. This really is a nice pool and nice house. But I'm excited about moving back to our good friends in Richmond. And being close to family again. 

 

Totem pole and swimming in the rain.  

 

Kids are really funny. 

 

My little booger is turning into a big booger. 

 

I've discovered dipping apples in peanut butter and Nutella is like making a candy apple. 

We finished second Nephi so to celebrate we went to Chuck E Cheese's.  

 

 

 

So I'm pretty good at spiderbot.  I can put a token in and get 25-70 tickets each time. Eli knew this and gave me tokens to turn into tickets. After we were out of tokens we started to count tickets. Eli took five tickets and traded Dora for a token and had me win spiderbot. He has the makings of a wheeler and dealer. He turned 5 tickets into 25 tickets. 

 

 

 

End result 

Eli 235 tickets 

Dora and Tessa pooled 215

Emmy 85

I had 200. Gave Emmy half and the girls half. Eli was smart enough to have me work for him so 100 of his tickets were from me. 

All in all the kids have fun. Jacob is a short book. Then Enos. Jarom. Omner. Himni. Words of Mormon. Man. I'm gonna be going to chuck e cheese a lot. 

Summer fun

  

Can't believe how fast these kids are growing. So cute. 

 

 

Photo dump

Here are some of the summer highlights. Sleeping baby. 

Double rainbow.  

 

Brian and graham last day in Texas.  

Baby bunny 

 

  

Birthday cupcakes from Emma and John