fun on the fourth

It was a pretty perfect summer day.

We started our afternoon by heading over to Camp Berachah with most of the Edwards’ fam (minus Cory and Alice who were in Oregon).

There were go-carts

Bouncy toys

And a giant swing in the trees that the big kids loved. They put a harness on you, hook you up, pull you up as high as you want and then you pull a cord to release yourself and go swinging through the forest.

After all the adventure, we headed back to a bbq and games at Kurt and Steph’s. By games, of course I mean many intense rounds of Red light, Green light and Duck, Duck, Goose.

Symantha made a bunch of patriotic bracelets for the kids to wear, pretty cute.

When it got darker, we busted out the big fireworks… meaning sparklers and poppers.

We watched the Camp Berachah fireworks from Kurt and Steph’s backyard, while sitting around the campfire. It was pretty perfect and easy.

None of our kids were scared by the fireworks this year and everyone stayed up easily until 11. I think we are turning a corner here.

It was just an all-around great family day. And I love this family.

What we’re up to #5: me

Last but not least, right? A whole post about me…. hmm, don’t think I’ve ever done that. Feels kind of weird.

It’s a busy season of my life (see previous posts of what we’re up to and my role in all of that). I’m on my own with the kids a lot more than I prefer right now, but I also see how God prepared me for this during the youth pastor season. This is nothing compared to that, and I see a light at the end of the tunnel. Plus, I am a lot more involved with the house than with the youth group.

So, all this to say that my life is a lot about them….

and a lot about him…

And I’m pretty blessed by all of it.

Not to say that I don’t have bad days where I feel so guilty because I wasn’t a very nice mom, or the house is a disaster, or I’ve let someone down because I couldn’t spend the time that I want to with them or do the thing they want me to do. It is still such a balancing act where I am trying to be the best I can at all the different roles in my life. And sometimes I don’t try hard enough and am just selfish – I’ll be the first to admit that. But tomorrow is always another day to try, and God’s mercies are new every morning… thank goodness.

Over the past couple of months, I’ve gotten to spend some time with Mom… celebrating Mother’s Day with a little day trip to Friday Harbor.

Or meeting at the park for dinner with the kids. This is another picture taken by Symantha, my future photographer daughter

And I’ve gotten to celebrate some fun friends’ birthdays

Along with spending time with my Dad on Father’s day

Through it all, I am still pretty much obsessed with doing this….

My favorite hobby. I love the memories and the stories that pictures remind me of, and our lives get pretty well documented. Because I know this stage in my life will go fast, just like the ones before it, and I don’t want to forget any of it.

Well, I did it. Everyone is officially updated. Hope you enjoyed my little series! Now let’s see if I can keep up with blogging a little more, maybe I have formed a habit:)

What we’re up to #4: Derek

In honor of his birthday today, how perfect that I get to do a little update on his life. Even though his life consists of a whole lot of work right now (house and MSA), he does an amazing job of making the kids and I still feel important. He is creative and generally way more fun than I am in the kids’ eyes. He thinks of things like bundling them up and getting them out of bed to watch the sunset, which I love.

He is officially done with youth group now after more than 13 years of working with teenagers. This is big for him, but he is feeling it’s time and he is good with it. He had his last senior night to celebrate his small group, which included his nephew Colby. And then there is the spreadsheet he had to make to try to hit all the graduation open houses – it was crazy! It is so cool to see the impact he had on so many kids.

MSA has been having Derek travel a bit for the last couple of months, and he has been gone for a week or so each time. It has been great to discover Skype and the girls LOVE seeing him on the computer to talk.

The times he gets home from those trips are always great because no one can get enough of him and the kids are attached to his hip nonstop.

We had a full on Daddy celebration on Father’s day, complete with homemade cards, a special book for them to read together, a “Dance me Daddy” song where they each had a turn dancing with him, and watching videos that they had made about him.

And I got to celebrate him too, while Symantha snapped pictures (loving every minute of it)

Here he is celebrating his own Dad, along with his brothers.

This next picture is a bit deceiving, as they were heading off to the Dad and Me Campout. It was beautiful and sunny ONLY for these few minutes, and it poured on them most of the rest of the trip. No worries, they still had fun.

And in a very rare moment, Derek even got to play a little softball. A few years ago, he was on three different teams and played tournaments. Softball used to be a big part of our lives, but there is no time for it now, so he only gets to sub for a team now and then.

I can’t wait until he has more leisure time, but I’m thankful he handles all this stress and busyness so well. In a few months, it will not be so crazy. Until then, he is doing his best and we are so appreciative of his hard work and love for us.

Happy birthday, Derek!!

What we’re up to #3: Addison

This one is super silly and a total crack up. Yesterday she told me when she grows up she wants to be a peach or a french fry. She has to carry her purse with her everywhere and buckle her baby up in the extra seat in the van. She says that our new house is “lookin’ good” every time we drive up to it, and the days we don’t go there she tells us we should go check if the house is “lookin’ good”.  And I could just keep listing little things that  make us laugh on a daily basis. I will say it again, I love ages 3 and 4.

Addison is also beginning to join the big girls in many more activities. She went skating for the first time and did AMAZINGLY. I hate to say it, but she was better than Hailey (who has recently gotten very nervous about falling and creeps around the rink). Watching Addison skate was one of the cutest things I have ever seen, with her arms out to the sides just like the teacher told her to.

She finished her first unofficial year of preschool, which she is still mourning over. She always asks me when September will be here so she can go to preschool again. She’ll be in my class again next year, officially this time. This picture was at our last day picnic, and this boy Grant had called Addison “his girl” and held her hand throughout the year. They were quite the characters.

We are getting ready for my sister Ryann’s wedding and Addison will be the flower girl. I have been waiting SO LONG to have one of my girls be a flower girl, I am giddy about it. Oh yeah, and it’s cool that Ryann is getting married too:).

Addison is into laying around on things for long periods of time lately. Especially this Storage bench. She loves it and you will often find her like this during the day.

She is the little tagalong with this bunch of 9 kids that have been hanging out this week. All 9 are in swimming lessons together, so we have been hitting parks or hanging out after lessons. Addi is a little bit of a loner, but she doesn’t mind yet.

Swimming lessons were a big hit with Addison this week, and I was thrilled I didn’t have to get in the pool this year! She tended to smile through everything she did. Here she is with her instructor, Nathan, who she thought was named “wheat thin” the first couple of days.

This girl adds so much laughter and joy to our lives and we are SO thankful for her!