cousin David

Cousin Mike

and Cousin Maren was a trooper for being the only girl who competed and she was awesome!

After lunch, The boys played an old pioneer game with sticks and a tin can. IT looked pretty competative.

I would click on these last two so you can better see the pain in Davids face after he got hit in the nose and the intense action below.

Rosie Hill. After the lake, the kids spent the afternoon riding a long tarp down a hill in James back yard named after his daughter Roselina.

Liam posed for these BTW.

brother David and his daughter Marissa.

The kids spent many hours working on creative water rockets and we blasted them off all afternoon. Liam worked super har d on his and when he finally shot it off it didn't go as high and some of the others. He immediately ran up to it and stomped on it and threw it. ahhhh, my little perfectionist.

I love this shot because Jonny is ducking in fear. He also was responsible for all the take offs and stayed by the rockets so everyone could enjoy them. THanks Jon!

THe reunion was really fun. There was a lot of hard work put into it and we all had fun. WE ended the reunion doing a family swim at Vernals new community center.

4th of July

immediately after getting home from the reunion it was the 4th. We went to the Bothell city parade and had some family fun.

We set off fireworks that evening at our house with Evan and Heather and family and Evans brother and wife. The kids all sat on chairs under our row of mailboxes and at one time some fireworks buzzed toward them and they all ran screaming except for Merrick who just sat there. That was the kids favorite part anyway.

Mackay Reunion 2011

Liam and Conner were "Crazy" in the water and spent most of the reunion swimming together.
Eric spent time throwing all the kids.
and I spent time sunning myself.

Heather is warming up..
Connor and Liam cruised up the wall.

The Mackay reunion was held just outside of my hometown of Roosevelt, Utah. We stayed on a fabulous cabin and let the kids run wild. We did some rock climbing, the kids did duck tape crafts all weekend long and swimming, swimming, swimming. Aunt Shona did storytime and it was a big hit. the kids were mesmerized.

Erics cousin Corin and myself.
Anna and Isobel were cold, so we bundled them up.
Look at those white legs! I definately felt like I had gotten older when I did this climb. Anyway, it was a super fun reunion. The kids loved feeding the trout in the pond by the cabin and watching them jump and they all loved the bunkbeds in the rooms and having sleepovers with Isobel and Ian.

Anna's 4th birthday

Anna had a Scooby Doo Alien party this year. She adores anything Scooby. In the cartoon they go camping and see aliens, so we put tents all over the yard , Eric let the grass grow and made a crop circle with the weed whacker. We gave the kids waterguns and swimsuits and avtivities in the tents and summer fun was had by all. As you can tell, the adults relaxed in the shade.
We were lucky to have Aunt Liz and Cousin Isobel and Ian visiting from Hawaii

Chaos in the backyard....

Anna opened presents next........


I love this picture.

The party ended with all the kids in Dress ups. Cousin Ian, Liam with a ghoul face and good Mackayla and Cousin Isobel all joined in.

First order of summer

Swimming lessons began soon after school was out. Anna continues to be a fish in the water and Liam is doing handstands and front flips and back flips in the water. Both of them would take lessons all year if they could.

End of the school year!

The kids ended their school year with Gymnastics finale's. Anna cried because she didn't want to leave shcool and Liam jumped for joy because he knew summer was beginning.

THis is blurry off and on but I think it's cute. She missed her performance day because she was sick so her teachers let me video tape it the next week. Her little friend danced with her for moral support

Confessions

The other night while cuddling behind Liam in bed he says, "Mom, I said something really mean today" "what did you say?" I said to Anna, "I wish you were never born." "I bet that made Anna sad, how did you feel when you said it." it's quiet for a moment "I knew I shouldn't have told you, I don't want to talk about it" "sometimes it feels good to say something mean at the moment, but you always feel bad about it later. Nobody is perfect Liam. We all make bad choices at times." "Martin Luther King was perfect." "How do you think he learned to make so many good choices? I bet he made some bad choices too, but he learned to choose the right." "What about Abraham Lincoln, he was Honest Abe. He never never made bad choices." "Why do you think he thought it was sooooo important to tell the truth?" "cause he didn't like how he felt when he lied, so he doesn't do it anymore" "See, we all make bad choices but we can make them right. How could you make what you said to Anna right?" "I could say 'Anna, I wish you were born." George Washington did that. he cut down an apple tree and when everyone asked who did it he didn't tell the truth. But then he made it right and told everybody that he did it" quiet for a moment "Mom, I love you."

on potty training

Anna is sobbing and clearly upset with herself after wetting her pants on the way to the bathroom. Through her tears she says quite seriously, "Mom, I wish Jesus made potties in T.V. rooms." I don't know, sounds like a good idea to me.