Swimming Lessons

This year, Brayden, Adelyn and Sophie took Swim Lesson's at 7 Peaks. They were all in different classes because they were in different levels. It would have been nice if they were all in the wave pool the whole time, but reallly they were in opposite ends of the park almost the whole time. Kolby was usually an angel like always, and I got my excersize just running between their classes to cheer them on and take pictures!! Here are my little swimmers!!

Here is Sophie, she was in Level 1 and not so sure about getting in the water... She had great teachers and she really started doing better...we have a ways to go still(Marcia I wish you could teach our kiddos swimming lessons...you are way better than these guys!!)

Isn't she a little batheing beauty!?!?! I love you Sophs the Squeeze!!!

You can tell she's not sure about this. Her teacher was nice, but maybe a little too nice, I wanted her to really make her get in...but Oh well...

Sophie sat on her teachers lap any chance she could.

When I was standing there with a camera she got more excited about swimming, I think she wanted to show off a bit!! Later she asked me if we could put these pictures on our blog...

Sophie, you did such a good job!! I know when you learn how to swim really well you will LOVE it!!! We'll keep practicing!! I love you!! Here is Sophie jumping in to her teacher. That's about as good as we got...

Adelyn loved everything about swim lessons..Zachary and Kirsten Stitt were in her class, she loved to get in and she really liked her teacher. (She was excited that his name was Troy, like Troy Bolton from High School Musical) Adelyn was in Level 2.

Adelyn is a little fish, she gets better and better every time we go swimming. Now she can open her eyes under water and is all over the place. I think she would live in a pool if I let her.

Adelyn had fun with Kirsten and Zach too...Sometimes I think they motivated each other, and other times I think they were distracted...If one of them didn't really want to get in or do something they all decided to follow suit...I'm glad that she had fun!!! The last day of Swim Lessons was a play day and the kids got to go down the slides. They loved it!!! Way to go Adelyn, you went down all by your self.... Brayden you did it too, I just didn't get a picture!!! Good Job Kiddos!! Here's a video of Adelyn, This was toward the beginning of swim lessons....




I couldn't do this post without a picture of Kolby!! Kolby was a trooper. I know he would have rather been splashing in the pool, but he was so happy and content walking all around 7 peaks with mommy!! Thanks for being so supportive to your older brother and sisters Kolby!!! You are a sweet heart!! We love you sooooo much!!!

If you ask Brayden, he'll tell you that he loved swim lessons and that he really liked his teachers... I'll leave it at that except that I don't totally agree with him. Brayden did a really good job, he did everything that he was asked and taught....I wish he learned more...but I'm not getting into that...It was fun to see him having soooo much fun. He had a blast and was totally disappointed when it was over!! Brayden was in level 3.

Isn't that the cutest picture ever. You can just tell Brayden is having a ball!!!

Here are some Video's of him swimming....




And learning how to dive....



It is so fun as a mother to see your children learn new things...especially I guess when I have so many fond memories of swimming. I love swimming. I was practically raised our pool....just kidding, but we were out back in the pool a lot. I remember my swim lessons, it was traumatizing a little bit, I got thrown in and if I didn't swim to the side I would have died;) but at least I learned how to swim. I also remember that the pool tiles were dark green and that was freaky. My teacher wanted me to open my eyes under the water and I just knew if I did frogs would get into my eyes... Mom, thanks for having me take swim lessons even though I kicked and screamed....

Our Mexico Outfits

I know I'm slow, but Mom and Dad I wanted you to see these kiddos in their outfits that you brought back from your Cruse!! They were a little big when we got them, but they are loving them now!! Thank you soooo much!!! They got so many compliments on them at church on Sunday!! Thanks again!!

Adelyn's 5th Birthday

Happy Birthday Adelyn!!!!! Wow you are such a grown up girl!!! We are so grateful that you our our little princess and that God sent you to our family!! We love you sooooooooooo much!!!

As you can see, Adelyn wanted a Princess Castle Birthday Cake this year!! It had to be pink...and she was in love with it!!! It's so fun to be able to make something that brings such a big smile to your kids faces. I love that the kids get so excited about picking what cake they want for their birthdays....Some have looked better than others...but that's ok, It's fun to do!!

Adelyn was the first one up ready to celebrate. It was early but who cares, it's only your birthday once a year... Adelyn wanted to open her presents first thing, so by 9:00 am she was having fun playing with everything... After a wild scavenger hunt she found her big present which was a new bike. She was soooo excited about it!!!!
Here are the 3 biggest kiddos with their bikes. I think we definitely have a bike gang going on here. Sophie was really excited because Adelyn gave her the old bike and helmet...look at how big they all are now!!

Our 5 Year old Beauty!!

Our almost 7 year old Bray-the bike rider-man!!

Sophie is excited to learn how to do this bike thing for real now....She's catching on really fast!!!

For Adelyn's Birthday we went with the Carter's and the Stitt's to 7 Peaks!!! I wish I got more pictures but it was pretty much all I could do to keep up with our 4 kids at a huge, crowded water park. Most of these were at the end of the day...but at least you get the picture!!

Brayden had tons of fun swimming around. What a little fish!!

Candace and Kolby...oh Kolby is soooo squeeze able and fun to hold and cuddle with. When we were on the Lazy River, Kolby was on my lap and Sophie was on my arm in the tube. Kolby fell asleep, I wasn't really in a position to steer the tube and right before we went past the waterfall some kids bumped into us and we went straight under it. I tried to block the huge amounts of water that fell on us from Kolby's face, but he woke us and cried for about 1 second..then he fell right back asleep about 1 second later. It was pretty funny...then it all happened again. I'm glad he's such a good baby. I was tempted to go down a big water slide with him...I bet he would have slept through that too...;)

Holly, Kirsten and Sophie Brayden, Kirsten, Holly and Adelyn, what good buddies!!
Holly is one of Adelyn's favorite people!
Sophie had fun, but she wanted to stay really close to Mom the whole time....we will work on not being so worried about swimming...
I had to get this picture...Kolby loves to suck on his toes now. Kind of gross I know, but it's soooo cute, or maybe he's just cute!!

After we got home from 7 Peaks we did the cake!!! Adelyn was so excited, (Brayden looks like he's totally bored..it was actually just worn out after a long day)

Great Grandma and Grandpa Rasmussen came over to have cake and ice cream with us...Adelyn got her card, money and some birthday spankings from them....Thanks you guys...We love you!!

Grandma with a precious arm full!!
Adelyn, just admiring your castle cake....

Happy Birthday Adelyn!!!! 5 Years Old!!!

Grandma and Grandma Ras, Paul and Whitney sent Adelyn a really cute present. It was a purse full of money!! There were $1 bills shoved in every pocket. It was fun to watch the look on Adelyn's face when she opened up another pocket and found more money and gum. Thanks guys for such a wonderful, thoughtful, fun present. If you can tell by this picture, she loved it.

Wow, I think Adelyn had an amazing birthday, we got to spend the entire day with our family, and friends, presents, a cake, and money from Great Grandma and Grandpa, Nana and Papa, and Grandma and Grandpa, Adelyn is excited!! Adelyn LOVED all the phone calls too!! Thank you everyone for helping make her birthday soooo special!!

Adelyn's 5 Year Old Stats:

Height and Weight: 34.8 pounds 3 1/2 feet tall (42 inches)

Favorite Color: Pink and Blue

Favorite Movies:Enchanted, Rapunzel, Princess and the Pauper, Leap Frog Letter Factory...

Favorite Toys: Barbies, Baby Dolls, Princess Toys, Kitchen, Books, Purses...

Favorite Foods: Mac and Cheese and Hot Dogs, Chicken Noodle Soup, Pizza, Broccoli, Celery...(Adelyn is such a good eater, she pretty much likes everything!!)

Favorite things to do: play with family, jump on the trampoline, ride bike, go swimming, play dress ups...

Friends: Brayden, Sophie, Kolby, Holly Carter, Emma Bair, Kirsten and Zachary Stitt, Kamry Flippen, Elizabeth Bird, Elle Johnson, all her cousins

We Love... your sweet disposition, your willingness to help with Kolby, your sense of humor, your funny names and phrases that you make up, your smile, your laugh, that you are quick to obey, that you want to do what's right.

Happy Father's Day Daddy!!!

The kids and I made this video for LeGrand for Father's Day!! (Thanks for the idea Brandon and Tina!!) LeGrand loved it!!! I seriously feel blessed to have such a loving, understanding, faithful, handsome man as my eternal companion and the father of our children!!! Thank you LeGrand for all you do for us!! We love you Honey!!!

Here is a different version for you Papa Laing!! We love you!! Happy Father's Day!!

Here is another version for you Grandpa Ras!!!! We Love you too!!! Happy Father's Day!!!

We feel so blessed to be surrounded by such incredible fathers and examples!! We love you guys!!

Kids- This made me laugh!!!

A 3-year-old tells all from his mother's rest room stall.
By Shannon Popkin

My little guy, Cade, is quite a talker. He loves to communicate and does it quite well. He talks to people constantly, whether we're in the library,the grocery store or at a drive-thru window. People often comment on how clearly he speaks for just-turned-3-year-old. And you never have to ask him to turn up the volume. It's always fully cranked.There've been several embarrassing times that I've wished the meaning of his words would have been masked by a not-so-audible voice, but never have I wished this more than last week at Costco. Halfway, through our shopping trip, nature called, so I took Cade with me into the restroom. If you'd been one of the ladies in the restroom that evening, this is what you would have heard coming from the second to the last stall: "Mommy, are you gonna go potty? Oh! Why are you putting toiwet paper on the potty, Mommy? Oh! You gonna sit down on DA toiwet paper now? Mommy, what are you doing? Mommy, are you gonna go stinkies on the potty?" At this point I started mentally counting how many women had been in the bathroom when I walked in. Several stalls were full .. 4? 5? Maybe we could wait until they all left before I had to make my debut out of this stall and reveal my identity. Cade continued, "Mommy, you ARE going stinkies aren'tyou? Oh, dats a good girl, Mommy! Are you gonna get some candy for going stinkies on the potty? Let me see doze stinkies, Mommy! Oh ... Mommy! I'm trying to see in dere. Oh! I see dem. Dat is a very good girl,Mommy. You are gonna get some candy!" I heard a few faint chuckles coming from the stalls on either side of me. Where is a screaming newborn when you need her? Good grief. This was really getting embarrassing. I was definitely waiting a long time before exiting. Trying to divert him, I said, "Why don't you lookin Mommy's purse and see if you can find some candyWe'll both have some!" "No, I'm trying to see doze more stinkies. Oh! Mommy!" He started to gag at this point. "Uh oh, Mommy. I fink I'm gonna frow up. Mommy, doze stinkies are making me frow up!! Dat is so gross!!" As the gags became louder, so did the chuckles outside my stall. I quickly flushed the toilet in hopes of changing the subject. I began to reason with myself: OK. There are four other toilets. If I count four flushes, I can be reasonably assured that those who overheard this embarrassing monologue will be long gone. "Mommy! Would you get off the potty, now? I want you to be done going stinkies! Get up! Get up!" He grunted as he tried to pull me off. Now I could hear full-blown laughter. I bent down to count thefeet outside my door. "Oh, are you wooking under dere, Mommy? You wooking under DA door? What were you wooking at, Mommy? You wooking at the wady's feet?" More laughter. I stood inside the locked door and tried to assess the situation. "Mommy, it's time to wash our hands, now. We have to go out now,Mommy." He started pounding on the door. "Mommy, don't you want to wash your hands? I want to go out!!" I saw that my "wait 'em out" plan was unraveling I sheepishly opened the door, and found standing outside my stall, twenty to thirty ladies crowded around the stall, all smiling and starting to applaud. My first thought was complete embarrassment, then I thought, "Where's the fine print on the 'motherhoodcontract' where I signed away every bit of my dignity and privacy?" But as my little boy gave me a big, cheeky grin while he rubbed bubbly soap between his chubby little hands, I thought, I'd sign it all away again, just to be known as Mommy to this little fellow.

I was seriously laughing as I read this....I thought you could all use a laugh too!! I can totally relate to this.....

Together is our Favorite Place to Be!!!

I'm so glad when Daddy comes home. I know the kids felt like this but holy cow, so did I!! LeGrand got home from Missouri last night and we are SOOO happy to be all together again!!! I don't know if it was the fact that this is the first time he's gone when we had 4 kids, that it was longer than normal or that I was wishing we could have been in Ohio for Ammon's Graduation, but this was hard for me. The kids did amazing actually and we had a lot of fun, we just missed LeGrand. It felt soooo good to have him home last night and to be able to fall asleep in his arms. That totally beats sleeping with the kids in our bed, it was fun to have some slumber parties while dad was gone, but this everyone in our bed it was crowded!;)

When LeGrand got home the kids did a huge dog pile on dad(as you can see). LeGrand brought the
kids home a little surprise , they were little lights that you can clip on a book so you can read at night. The kids LOVED them, and as you can see they got creative and clipped them on hats and became explorers!! They had so much fun with their little lights!! Thanks dad!!

When LeGrand speaks in a new state he's started a tradition. He brings home a magnet from that state. We were able to add a Missouri one to our collection...How fun...Know LeGrand has spoke in California, Nevada, Utah, Alabama, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Idaho... I might be missing a few, but you get the idea!!

If you can tell the kids were just so excited to play with daddy that it took us a while to calm them down. Together is our favorite place to be!

Kolby at 5 months

I'm a little slow getting this post done, but Kolby is 5 months old now!! It's hard to believe that he's growing up soooo fast!! We are loving every minute of it, seriously he's been such an amazing baby!! Kolby is doing lots of new things everyday now!! Here are some pictures and videos to document it all!!

Kolby loves the swing in our backy yard. Well he still loves his little swing inside, but the bigger one is way better!!

I seriously could eat this kid up and so could everyone else who knows him. His little personality is coming out. His eyes are sooo blue. I couldn't ask for a more pleasant, cute and happy baby!!

This one is one of my favorites of Kolby....I love watching him grow... my only compliant might be that he's a drooler.. I hope it just means that he's cutting some teeth, but he's been drooly for months so we'll see. I had to include this one since he looks adorable and he has his little string of drool that's almost always with him.
Kolby has definately found his hands and feet. He will but anything and everything in his mouth that he can get his hands on!! I have to change his socks several times a day now since he likes to suck on his toes too.

Kolby is loving his toys, he loves to grab his rattles, hold stuffed animals, play with things that light up and make sounds and it all goes straight to his mouth!

Kolby now eats baby cereal. At first he shuttered and gagged and spit it out, but after 2 times he's a pro. He loves it now and eats it all. I think he's his father's son!! ;)

These video's were taken the first time Kolby really laughed a lot. He's so happy and smiley, and has giggled a bit, but here he is really belly laughing!! It's adorable...to bad he got bounced around a bit, for LeGrand that it...;)

Kolby has also found his little voice...see the video on the It's finally Summer Post... It's adorable!!

Kolby sleeps through the night too... yup I'd say he was the "perfect" baby!! Kolby, we love you so much and are grateful every day that our Father in Heaven has sent you to our family!!!