A wonderful family shot by Uncle Been!

Anthony and AJ prep the rocket for a launch! Ben and Lisa visited a couple weeks back and we had a great time, we launched the rocket several times, even a night launch. We had a blast:)

Chloe loves the high heels!

Pap, Chloe, AJ, and Avery during our visit to OH in August.

First day of school! I'm a bit late in getting this photo up, but beter late than never:) The kids are growing fast! Avery is enjoying Kindergarden, and AJ loves 2nd grade, though the spelling words "seem like 3rd grade words". They both love wearing uniforms and are excited to go everyday. We have since cut AJ's curls off. Everyone was so sad to see them go, we'll have to grow them out again sometime:)

Chloe's "I didn't do it" look. She looks all sweet and cute, but look at the laundry hanging behind her...she managed to steal away with several pieces of clean laundry. She promptly dunked them in Jake's water then hung them nicely to dry! Genious...yes, but not a help to my laundry mountain:)

After much ground prep, fence movement, etc. we have our new shed:)

Avery, Chloe, and AJ after a good sprinkler soaking. It's become one of their favorite evening activities. Our neighbors have their yard sprinklers set to come one each night at the same time, so we try to hit it often, especially since the temps have been soaring above 100!

Our sunflowers have bloomed!

AJ's lost his two front teeth! What a big summer of change for him...missing teeth, growing curls, growing taller, getting a Wii! Yes the kids finally saved up enough money for a Wii and we've had so much fun playing it together. I would recommend it for any adult too!

Chloe splashing in the mud puddles of our neighbor's yard. Notice the rain boots...they were Avery's:)

Happy, Chloe:) We can't believe she is 16 months already! Busy as a bee, full of new words, and not a fear in her body! It always amazes us at how much she really understands and how she will follow commands. We call her a genious baby now because after we missed a call on the cell phone, she not only called the voicemail, but put it on speakerphone so we could all hear it! (Maybe it was just luck, but it was amazing!)

A little dark, but you can see Anthony and Jerry getting a firework ready to shoot. Auntie A and Uncle Jerry had an amazing assortment of fireworks, making for an amazing backyard show:)

Our July 4th fireworks crowd...Auntie Amy, AJ, Britty, her friend Stephanie, Uncle Jerry, Avery, and Anthony, rounded up by Bic, Charlie, and Shannon and Chloe (taking pictures)...we had a wonderful evening of fun:)

Violet is growing so big! We really enjoyed playing with her during our visit to OH...thanks, Auntie Stephie!

AJ poses with Pap:)

AJ, Great-Grandma Eva , and Avery in Ohio, July 2007.

The kids with Great-Grandpa Lonnie and Great-Grandma Jeanie:)

A family shot on the floating bridge. All part of the beautiful gardens at the Creation Museum in northern KY.

On our trip to Ohio, we visited the new Creation Museum with Grandma Jeanie and Grandpa Lonnie. It was a great museum, excellent exhibits and full of fun. Here the kids pose with Grandma Jeaine and the "three horns dino".

AJ all dressed for soccer camp. Methodist University held a week long soccer day camp. Both AJ and Avery had a wonderful time, even though temperatures soared in the high 90's!

Avery all dressed and ready for soccer camp!

Avery, AJ, and Chloe pose for a picture at The Frog's Leap vinyard. It's one of our favorite vinyards in Napa Valley, and it's Organic, so we ordered a case and had it shipped home:) They have just a wonderful garden and mini-farm set up with the vines. It's such a neat place to explore and eat the fresh fruits, see the animals, and enjoy a glass of the tasty wine:)

Grandpa Bud puts on another roll....the kids really love visiting Great-Grandma Gay and Great-Grandpa Bud Hewitt. Each time we go, Grandpa puts different songs on the player piano. The kids just love it! Especially now that they are taking piano lessons, they know just how hard it is to really play a fancy song!

Chloe finally runs for Grandpa Harv to hold her:)

Chloe and Great-Grandma Gay Hewitt

Chloe was sure that this bucket belonged on Grandpa Larry's head:)

Avery presents the town of Avery!

Auntie Kaitie and Chloe:)

Uncle Ben and Auntie Lisa...the kids were so excited to see them in CA! After living with them for over a month last year, the kids have really missed them. During baseball, AJ got hit with a ball and came out of the game bawling. He asked if I had my phone, and I assumed he wanted to call Daddy, who was home with the girls, but he sobbed, "I want to call Uncle Been!"

Avery and Uncle Mookie. Avery asked, "Do you really think Mookie is Superman?"

Back in Hermit Valley, CA! While we were in CA we drove up for a day trip to Hermit Valley. We were able to hike around, fish and have a fun picnic lunch at "Sandy Beach Camp".

Beautiful Averina!

Chloe's newest "stinky" face:)

Even little Chloe doesn't miss an opportunity to lick the bowl and beater from the cake creation in the Kitchen Aide!

A masterpiece by Avery!

AJ creating his WWII Army scene:)

Fried Onions! One of Chloe's new favorite snacks...now we have to hide the can!

AJ, Anthony, and Avery getting ready for the first launch of our rocket:) This lauch ended up in an hour long hunt for the rocket...windy day blew it into the swampy land behind us, fortunately it was dry, but full of brambles and thorns from the blackberries, and not to mention the fire ants, etc. Now it's safe and sound, and the film is almost full, so we can't wait to develop it and see what kind of pictures it's taken:) (now we only launch on calm days!)

Chloe at 13 months

Avery and Shannon at our Mother's Day picnic.

Happy Mother's Day! Anthony and the kids completely surprised me with this PINK Kitchen Aid mixer! The first thing Avery said was, "Can I inherit this someday, Mom?". We later decided that maybe it would be better if we could just live together and both use it:)

YIKES! While Anthony was away last week, the kids and I were out front planting flowers, when Avery spotted this snake. We were all freaked out, especially as it lunged and hissed and tried to bite Jake 3 times! After calling neighbors, they informed me that it was probably a poisionous Copperhead. Upon hearing this, AJ gathered the girls and went inside and began praying for me as I screamed in horror as I killed it with a shovel. We are so thankful no one, not even Jake was hurt. It was just another reminder (as the 20 fire ant bites I got two weeks back) that our yard can be a dangerous place!

This is a full length shot of the (what we believe to be) Copperhead snake that slithered around our yard.

On a happier note, NC is full of beautiful creatures as well! This is a beautiful pink and yellow moth we found flittering around our front door:)

AJ is 7! I can hardly believe our little boy is already 7! Time goes by so quickly! God bless you, AJ!

AJ (aka Luke Skywalker) walks away after bombing the number 7:)

AJ's 7th birthday! We put a new twist on the pinata...we bombed it with water balloons! The kids had a wonderful time and the toys just fell out in the end.

Fun times with Daddy:)

A windy day for beautiful Averina:)