I have to move the blog... or something.

This blog has no more room for my pictures... and I am too cheap to pay a yearly fee for more storage... I might just upload all photos to my shutterfly page: http://earthmonkeyfamily.shutterfly.com/

Come visit! Plus, I am pretty busy here, so maybe a break is in order?!

Our Buffalo Gap Village Visit

Colton attempting to be a cowboy!

Somebody got caught.

I love these little pants... the bottom fabric is from Tyler's grandma from the 70's! and I made them for Kellen when he was little, and now Soren is wearing them, and almost grown out of them!!

One with the earth.

my musical girl

For some reason, I love this picture... blurry I know.

Kellen's favorite place there... he loves trains.

I can rope (I actually did it twice, and got the steer) with a baby on my back. I'm that good!

Nice Little Sunday Balloon Chasing

Today:
Tyler: What do you want to do today?
Me: I don't know. Any ideas?
Tyler: How about Buffalo Gap? We didn't really explore there last time.
Me: Sounds good, let's go.

Another 2 hours later, after we finished hanging out and gathering things for the excursion... we weren't sure if we were excited about it or not... 

Heading off base, we spot a hot air balloon. We tried to guess it's colors and what not. And luck would have it, we headed towards it! Then in front of us is a truck with gear in it, and on the side says some sort balloon chaser on it, and they turn into a parking lot... so we do to. We watch the balloon in amazement (it was really close), and we ask the "chasers" if they are going to land soon. They said sure thing, and they ask, "Do you guys want to help bring it in?"

We look at each other, not really knowing how to react, or if it is something we really want to do... They we say "Sure!"

So we follow.

It was a test of patience.

They thought they would land in one spot, and then they couldn't for one reason or another.

So we followed.

Then finally, it happened! So we stayed back, then they invited us up close, and Colton and Ayla both got a turn to get inside of the basket and PULL the lever that makes the fire! They were scared, but pretty amazed at the same time! It was so fun.

Then Tyler helped get the air out and roll it all up, and it fit in a bag the size of a small coffee table. It was pretty cool.

This was Soren's job the whole time!

Yeah, it was an hour out of our other excursion, but it was SO cool. I am so happy we said "Sure" to balloon chasing. If you ever get the chance, you won't regret!

Halloween

I had so much fun making the kids costumes this year! Admittedly, they are all the same basic pattern (I made it up) with some details added to each. Ayla's unicorn costume probably took the longest because of the mane, but Kellen's adorable chipmunk one took about all of 20 minutes to complete! We had so much fun doing this photo shoot with Ashley here in Abilene. The kids were so cute and she got a ton of great pictures with great lighting.
I love these kids.
When I have a bad day and reflect after they have gone to bed.... I realize how lucky I am. 

Sometimes I make the wrong choice and yell at them when I really shouldn't. But overall, we all get along fabulously!

We invited the Wicked Witch into our house after Halloween this year, and it worked out great! The kids get just way too much candy, and I end up eating it over and over again... so we started inviting the WW. The kids pick out 15-20 of their favorite pieces of candy, and the rest goes into one bag. They hide it somewhere, and leave a note for the WW. She has to find it and takes it with her, and then she leaves a little gift. This year she left walkie talkies (or Honkey tonkies as Colton calls them!). And a note... it was fun!

A day in the rain

The kids having some fun during a rain storm last week. Or maybe the week before that? They all seem to run together after a while... They were having so much fun! I am not sure why they laid down in the water, but it sure looked like they had a bunch of fun. Oh, to be a kid again.

One of my Favorite Days

Where do I begin... this man that I love so deeply... it is our 7th Anniversary today (well, yesterday... i didn't have time to finish this yesterday!). It is hard to fathom that 7 years ago, we had our beautiful wedding. And now, I still find myself terribly in love with him. Everyday.

For one, he makes adorable children.


And I mean look... he lets the kids dress him up.

One of my favorite pictures, but when our family was only 5 people strong.

He is our rock. Or at least mine.

He is the kids play toy. Seriously. They never stop asking him to play. Even Soren with his little chubby finger points and giggles. Adorable, I tell you.

This is an old gem from our days in North Carolina/Maryland days. Our first stay at a bed & breakfast... and it was fabulous!

In Japan, our first camping trip on Mt. Hakkota. We ended up camping next to a sulfur creek. It was seriously stinky, but memorable.

Doesn't he look pretty much the same? This was 8 years ago!

 And look.at.that.cute.baby.

Did I already say he makes adorable children? His half of the chromosomes definitely shine through (I'm taking biology, so ...)

He still make me laugh on a daily basis. Our world revolves on laughter. Ourselves and the kids are all sarcastic, and it makes us happy.
Life is so good. (except it is just okay when we have sicknesses, like right now. Soren has been letting me get maybe 3-4 hrs a night of B-R-O-K-E-N sleep for the past couple nights...)

Can you get any better than that for wedding day weather? In October???

This is in Japan, at the Oriasi Gorge... so pretty. We got to go behind waterfalls and such. So many good memories of our times together.

And of course, all the camping.

And...
he let me get a dog!

Even if the puppy has been definitely being a puppy, I think it was a good idea!
Oh, and he got a tattoo for our anniversary! It was such a good surprise... a ring on his finger (he doesn't get to wear his ring at work)

Now he is branded!

Austin: Part 2

We had such fun at the Tough Mudder! It was one of the hardest and most fun things I have done in a while. Tyler and his buddies from work set out at the same time me and my friends did, but they finished a bit before us... but I would say we ran/jogged 8 of the 12 miles on the course; we went through some ice cold water, climbed muddy hills, jumped off a 2 (?) tower into water, and over a HUGE pile of those round hay bales.. and some went through the electrodes.... which I did not because of the crazy heart stuff I have had going on in the last two weeks. My back felt great, I was covered with mud, and got to eat a HUGE bbq meal later with a milkshake. Oh, and the next morning we got really expensive yummy doughnuts at Gordough's in Austin (I had the flying pig! YUMMY), and they were worth the 30 minute wait!

We are hoping to run another Tough Mudder next year... who's in?

It was SO much fun.

The headbands are what you get at the end of the race for finishing, and the boys just love them!

More pictures HERE.