My Beautiful Flower!

Since all the OTHER children are is school ALL DAY now, Kaylin can now have some MUCH needed one on one time with mommy!!!!!

We enjoyed the Como Zoo last week, and next week will be heading to the MN Zoo..... POOR girl, all this attention.... what is a girl to do??????

THAT'S THE SIZE OF MY UPPER ARM....

For real... this carrot was as round as my bicep!!!!

200th POST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't believe it.... I came here to share a great photo and realized it was my 200th post!!!!!!! YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyways, here is the great Photo!!!!

2 weeks ago I went and saw Barlowgirls and CASTING CROWNS at our state fair.... it was the BESTEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They both rocked the house! I have never been so energized than that night! If you ever have a chance to see either of those groups, DO IT!!!!!!! You won't regret it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OUCH!!!!!!!!!!

I don't EVER remember being that flexible... I mean, I am sure I WAS at some point... but certainly NOT ANY MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SOOO OUCH, that is ALL I HAVE TO SAY!!!!!!!!!!!

BIG DAY YESTERDAY!!!!!!!!!!!

Not ONLY was it Shayla's 6th BIRTHDAY!!! (happy birthday baby girl!!!!!!!!!!!) But it was also the first day of school!!!!! Shayla entered Kindergarden, Lucas entered 2nd grade, and Trevor (gosh where did the years go?) entered 4th grade..... UGH, is that middle school knocking at my door...??? TELL IT TO GO AWAY!!!!!!!!!!

Anyways, I just love taking picture of the kids the first day of school, standing at the front door, to see how much they have grown!!!!!!!

It is AMAZING to look back and see... When you live with them and see them daily, it is hard to notice... until they stand right by you and all of the sudden, your oldest child is taller than your shoulder..... STOP GROWN ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(not that much growth over last year.... You can tell because he is wearing the SAME SHORTS.....)

(From Eyes to mouth!)

(is it me, or did she grown a 1/2 of a foot????)

WELL, here is wishing my children a wonderful school year, as they begin another new adventure!!!!!!!!

CAMPING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SO, we took our VERY FIRST AS A FAMILY camping trip! It was very fun!!!! The hiking, the beach, the cooking on the fire, ALL FUN!!!!!!!! NOT fun was the fact the temp got down to 45 at night... that was NOT FUN!!!! BUT that was OK, we lived.... OH, also not fun, sleeping on the ground... YES, hubby and I did have those self inflating mats, and a sleeping bag for comfort, but still.. I AM NOT SURE adult bodies should sleep on the ground!!!

Our site was great, HUGE, full of nice trees, and tucked back in the camp ground. We choose to have NO electricty, which was OK... didn't need it anyways!

Anyways we ate many smores, a few too many chips, plump on the fire hot dogs, Pocket Pizza's, and some other fun camp things!!!! We enjoyed a few hours on the beach (SO MAD I FORGOT TO GRAB MY CAMERA....) because we built a great sand castle... OK, not great, but the only one on the beach..... The kids collected TONS of rocks to bring home... YEAH (NOT!) and we also took a hike though the woods!

All of this inspired the good ol' hubby to look into saving for a pop up camper! Not only for more room, but for some storage while we camp.... I mean really, the van was LOAD to the TOP! 4 kids, a tent, 6 sleeping bags, 2 roll up mats, 6 fleece blankets, 6 pillows, a large cooler, 2 bags of food, 2 adult fold up chairs, 4 kids ones, a water jug, a suit case of towels, and a large TOTE with all the clothes in it!!!! That was just for a weekend...LOL!!!!!!

Anyways, we are planning a few camping outings next summer, the kids loved it and we had a good time too!!!!!!

CORN CORN CORN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday was the BIG DAY!!!

The day to START picking that corn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In and out of the rows my husband and I went, picking ear after ear after ear.....

220 ears of corn to be exact!!!!!!!!

(Also a few zucchinis, cucumbers, peppers, and a couple dozen tomatoes!)

We at 15 for dinner and then I PUT UP the other 205 of them! Making a whopping 28 meals worth of corn for this coming year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (3 C. per bag!)