FAIR-ly fun times...

We made our annual pilgrimage to the Puyallup Fair.  I'm not a super fan (in my opinion, you might as well just light your $$ on fire...), but we really had a great time.  Grandma, Grandpa, Wes, Camille and all her kids joined us this year.  I took surprisingly few pictures for the 12 HOURS we were there, but here are some of them....

The gals on the tilt-o-whirl

 Once it got going, Sam wasn't totally sure she loved it...  But by the end she wanted to ride again

 Brooke and Alix loved the roller coaster

 This isn't a great picture, but I wanted to include it because Erin was really scared, but tried the roller coaster anyway.  She did cry her way through it, but I'm glad she was willing to "make sure" she still doesn't like roller coasters....

 The super swings... This is (weirdly enough) what scared Brooke

 The Tornado - You're spinning in three directions as fast as you can...  It was fun to ride with the girls and all three of the older girls loved the spinny rides.  And I love any ride at all...

 Brooke and I out for a hang gliding ride...

 All five kids checking out the mini-horses

 Petting zoo - Erin really loved this and we had to drag her away

 It's funny to me how many looks we get when we go out as a whole family.  Out here, there aren't too many families with five kids...   

Another great year at the fair!

Little Mama

Sam and I have Ethan to ourselves in the afternoon after she gets home from kindergarten. She loves the time that she gets as his only Little Mama...

 He's getting big - it's a little harder for her to carry him.  But look how great she is at supporting his head...

 We have a deal - she feeds him lunch while I make her lunch.  Everyone wins...

I can't believe my "baby" is now taking care of my baby.  It's pretty great.

Kale Me Crazy....

I tried making our morning green smoothie with kale the other day....

I don't think the girls liked it.....

Say "Yes" To The Dress

Chain of events...

Watching "Say Yes To The Dress" with Brooke and her friend while feeding Ethan...

Which led to... me mentioning I still have my wedding dress...

Which led to... me finding said wedding dress...

Which led to... trying on the wedding dress by all the girls...

Brooke...

 Erin...

 and Alix... (and all the friends that were over at the time...)

 Finding the wedding dress led to finding some old prom dresses...

Which led to... trying them on...

 Which led to... much rotation of dresses...

It just wouldn't be fair if everyone couldn't try on every. single. dress...

 Which led to... mock proposals...

 Which led to... dead brides...

 Which led to... weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth...

Silly girls.

It's all a matter of perspective...

Prison?  (Brooke thinks so...) Best day ever? (Sam and I agree...) Tears? (No one's crying here...) A little scary? (Erin and Alix thought so...) Freedom?  (I'm alone on this one...)  It's amazing how we can all look at the same thing in so many different ways...  Today, I'm talking about....

 The First Day of School.

Finally!  I'm not a sad one when they head back.  I love summer and I'm so glad when they come home for summer break and I am just as glad when they head back... We had a great, fun summer but everyone was ready to see a little less of each other by September 4th when they headed off on the bus.  (I headed back up to bed...)

Alix

Sam

Brooke

Erin

All my lovely ladies

Third grade

Fifth grade

Kindergarten (we had to get a little creative with her fingers...)

Holy cow, I have a ton of kids!

I will definitely miss Brooke's help.  She has been amazing with Ethan.  She's his second mother.  But I guess I'll let her go...

Quote of the Day.

We were driving home from Tom's parents and talking about an upcoming barbecue we're going to...

Tom - "It should be called a kenecue..."

All the rest of us - "What?"

Tom - "You know - BARBIE-cue/ KEN-ecue..."

I think he got his son just in the nick of time... ;)