She is my sunshine...

Emily's sweet smile and happy face lifts my spirits every day.

She is quite the character too. She talks with such expression and uses her hands and body in her expression of joy or frustration. You would think she was a teenager at times with the drama she can portray.

I just love this girl!

Katie plays b-ball...

Katie is playing with on the Autumn Faire YW basketball team this year. She is having fun. It was fun to watch her and the team play. They played a very good game and were beat at the last minute of a very close game!

Logan's Eagle Project...

We finally have finished with Logan's Eagle project. He has two merit badges to complete and he is an Eagle Scout! Logan was able to complete Jonny's project he had planned and had approved to do and then he was in the hospital on the day we scheduled to do it.

Logan had 75 storm drains to label in West Boise. We had a good turn-out and all the drains were labeled in about 2 hours.

When Steve and Jonny picked up the project supplies from the Boise Watershed they stopped and found one of the drains on the map and placed one of the medallions. I am so glad they did that. Jonny did get to prepare all of the paperwork and did get to participate, even if it was only one. Jonny will get a posthumous award called "The Spirit of the Eagle" which is award to young men who qualified but passed away before receiving their Eagle Scout Award.

One more Eagle project to go for Carson!

Happy 14th Logan!!!!

September 1st Logan turned 14! He didn't want much, iPod Touch, DVD player, Computer.....Ha! It's ok to have wishes I told him!

This was the first time I haven't made a cake for a birthday in years.

There was just too much going on.

So some wishes do come true.

He got a camera for his Digital Photography class he is taking at school, a microscope kit.
He got an iPod touch from his grandparents too.

Logan did get some fun stuff and plenty of yummy treats, and some gift cards too.

Baseball fun...

We had bought tickets for the Boise Hawks and got the entire family plus two friends in for really cheap through one of the local Groupon-like sites. We went on Logan's birthday and part of his gift was to bring a couple of friends along to the game.

The bonus for the day was the free hats we were given when we entered the stadium! Emily put her hat on and immediately asked her Dad if she looked cute!

Fun row of kids!

Grandma Lockhart came along too!

Katie is always willing to pose for the camera!

Humphrey Hawk!

Carson wanted a photo with the Hawk and the Hawk stopped and posed with him.

Boise won the game and we had a great time!

Painted faces...

Emily is being transformed into a ladybug. We have been to a few events where there is a booth offering face painting. Emily becomes every shy around those she doesn't know and so she never gets her face painted. So I decided to buy face paints so we could do it at home where she is more comfortable.

Katie was very happy to paint her sister's face.a

Kristina had to get in on the fun too.

Silly girls....

Holes...

Tonight Emily was having a late snack with her "Daddy-o-ee" and she wanted to have salt on her tuna melt. Steve has bluffed her many times by adding salt without turning the shaker over, pretending to shake salt while it is right-side up. Well that bluff is over. Tonight, Emily picks the shaker up, looks under it and says "Daaaad, there aren't holes under here!"

Autumn Faire Youth Trek 2011

Leaving for Trek...

Finishing Trek....

A poem...

The Broken Chain

Author: Ron Tranmer

We little knew that day,

God was going to call your name.

In life we loved you dearly,

In death, we do the same.

It broke our hearts to lose you.

You did not go alone.

For part of us went with you,

The day God called you home.

You left us beautiful memories,

Your love is still our guide.

And although we cannot see you,

You are always at our side.

Our family chain is broken,

And nothing seems the same,

But as God calls us one by one,

The chain will link again.

Sun is shining all around.....

The kids had great fun this afternoon in the backyard with water going most all of the afternoon. Steve came home and shot 500 photos of the girls on the Slip-N-Slide. He then edited his 500 shots down to the few in the video. The other day Emily told me she needed to wear her swimsuit everyday. She may just need a new swimsuit to have one that will fit all summer. A little Chopin in the background completes this water fun! (Chopin Etude in C minor, Op. 25)