Estella is 6 Months Old!

Half a year old! It's such a mixture of emotions when your baby grows older. I love seeing them discovering and learning new things. I love that they are gaining more and more independence and are needing me a little less. I love sleeping more:)
At the same time, however, I don't want her to get any bigger. I love my little baby girl and how she gives everyone the biggest smiles ever with her bright blue eyes shining. I love how she nuzzles into my neck when she is tired. I love how many naps she takes:)

With every month, though, I feel like it couldn't get any better. Yet, it does! So keep growing baby Estie! I'm so thankful I'm the one who was blessed to be your mama!

Adoring brother looking on:)

Where did those gorgeous eyes come from?!

Yes, she is in a tutu.
I can't help myself, I actually have the urge to dress her in girly clothes.
Perhaps I'm making up for my own lack of girlyness?

Boy did she enjoy this!

Awwww, what a cutie...

or not.

Yay! A good picture of mama and baby!

Another good one!

I need to hang out with other women with cameras more often.

I end up being in the pictures!

So this is what is going on back there....

what a hilarious look!

speaking of hilarious looks!

Have I mentioned how much I adore this little girl?!

Final Farewell to the Lake

The last weekend of July I headed up to the cabin for the last time with water in the lake. The power company was supposed to be draining the lake starting the first of August in preperation of the dam being blown up in October.
That being the case, and with the weather being spectacular, Kellie, who had been there all week, invited various friends to come out so we all had a great time playing on the water. In fact, I would say that weekend was the most activity that cabin and dock has ever seen!

We had every water craft imaginable out on the water. Kayak, raft, two paddle boards, air mattress, little red dinghy and the rowboat were all out there. We made some memories that I won't forget anytime soon. First off, Kellie rowed Alex, Nik, Luke, Morgan, two other small children and myself out to the rope swing where Kellie and I both jumped in. Brrrrr!!!! I came up screaming, though, I won't say whether it was from the cold or...................................................

the monsters in the deep.

One never knows what lurks below the surface of the waters.

Nik is definitely my water boy, and what is up with his biceps?! He's going to be stronger than me by the time he's eight!

I need to start rock climbing again.

Kellie took Nik out on the paddle board. He loved it and got his sea legs pretty quickly. I'd say he's ready to go surfing!

Then there was the other memory made I won't forget any time soon.
Due to some high winds suddenly flipping an empty raft, the oar ended up sinking to the bottom of the lake. Now, the lake isn't that deep in most parts, and thankfully the oar sunk in about seven feet of water. So one would think that diving down to it would be no big deal. Right?

Maybe for normal people, but my sister and I are slightly irrational when it comes to unknown waters, as you may have figured out by now. So neither one of us wanted to be the one to have to go after that oar. Well, having bad eyesight finally came in handy for Kellie as she had her contacts in and so would have had to dive in with her eyes shut. Which would have made it rather difficult to locate said oar. That being the case, my fate was sealed, and it was up to me. So i dove in, snatched that oar and was up and next to the board trying to get on before Kellie even knew what had happened to me. I'm highly motivated when there is a remote chance of being eaten by who knows what.

Luke and my last trip out on the lake in the kayak :( So sad!!!

Then we were all entertained by these lovely ladies. Alex and Morgan decided it would be fun to get into the little red dinghy and try to sink it.

They did.

They were having so much fun testing the limits of the little red dinghy that they didn't even notice the freezing cold glacior water they were in. We all had fun watching them as well:)

Yep, that's me in the little red dinghy as well. It's fun being a kid every once in a while.

The boys also practiced their slingshot shooting abilities.
They were getting pretty good at.
Nikolas fully thinks he could kill a giant like David did.

Lukas, on the other hand, would just irritate the snot out of him.

Alexandra and one of her many talents:)

Lukas has suddenly become a little tree climber. Hmmm, this bodes well for his climbing mama....

Tire swing!

We're sure going to miss that lake.
Sad.

Created To Work

Tone' and I are determined to raise hard-working children.

Children who don't mind getting dirty and sweaty and putting forth effort into life. We want to see them serving others, and doing so gladly. This won't come if we don't encourage it, so whenever I see a chance for my boys to work, I jump!

The other day my brother, John, and my dad were out felling trees and cutting them up for firewood. So the kids and I headed over and when they were ready to load the wood into the trailer Karen, Abby, Nikolas and Lukas went out to help. (I had Baby so was rendered useless at the time) It was so great to see my boys joining everyone in hauling wood. They didn't complain and they took their jobs seriously. Nikolas is quite the strong man already and carried some hefty for him logs. Lukas is my natural hard worker, but he mostly carried twigs:) I think he doesn't realize he is a strong little guy, but he is perfectly happy letting Nik be the tough one.

Disclaimer: Nik picked out this outfit

Cowboy hat, explorer vest with no shirt, camo pants

Apparently this is his "hauling logs" outfit.

Some of my favorite memories of growing up on the farm were from work. I enjoyed it and, often, went looking for it. I loved picking berries and fruit from the orchards, mowing the grass, taking care of the chickens, pruning the trees, chopping down blackberries and whatever other job my dad may have had for me. I may have been a little weird, but no one has ever called me lazy. Likewise, I want my boys to want to work. I have found, however, that it's hard to foster hard workers while living in a neighborhood. At least for me. Instead of seeing things that need to be done, like on a farm, I have to create work to be done. I'm not really good at creating...I'm better at maintaining. So while I try to stretch myself by creating projects at home, I am perfectly happy to take my boys to someone elses projects.

Nikolas is so little here, but he is already doing good things by helping his grandpa and uncle. I also love that he was working along side his cousin, Abby, and Aunt Karen.

There is a book I have been meaning to read on this very subject. It is called, "Created For Work" by Bob Schulz. I know I'll like it because the summary is the very thoughts I have regarding boys, and girls!, working.

"Modern culture seems to be addicted to ease and entertainment. It has produced a generation of dishonest, unproductive, and weak-willed men. In Created For Work, Bob Schulz inspires boys to act differently - to get there hands dirty, follow directions, think creatively, and respect authority. It inspires young men, and offers the tools and encouragement they need to embrace God's ways and always give an honest day's work."

Interestingly, I recently took my nieces to a conference called, The Rebelution. It is put on by twin brothers whose message is to "Do hard things" and not succumb to society's low expectations on teens, (and really children of all ages). It was inspiring for all of us and I am more determined to help my kids learn to be hard workers and to love serving others.

Check back in ten years to see how I've done! Eek!

Toe Sucker

We have a toe sucker in our midst.

Luckily she doesn't walk yet, or even crawl, so it is really cute at this point.

Unlike when the boys show me how they can suck on their toes as well.

Their grimy, black little toes.

Not so cute.

The good thing about toe sucking versus thumb sucking is that eventually her legs will get longer and she won't be as flexible and it will be more difficult to pop those delicious little toes in her mouth. Unless she is like my niece, Alex, who should be in the circus for her incredibly bendable body.
I really wonder what she is thinking..... It looks as though she has taken off her leg and is holding it.

Mmmmm, squeaky clean little toes to suck on!

She is trying to stick her entire foot into her mouth.

Funny baby.