water babes and the mother of the year

summer is really here.

to me, summer means swimming. when i was growing up we had seasons passes to wild waves until we got a boat. every day was filled with water games.

we don't have a boat and there's no way i would take my little babes to wild waves enough times to justify a seasons pass. so we swim.

sure, the kids can take swim lessons year round at the YMCA or the high school. but i don't like indoor pools and i also don't think it's nearly as much fun to swim when it's cold outside. (am i the only one?)

right now the two older kids are in swim lessons. and after swim lessons end we usually end up at a pool. of course, my mom's house has a pool and it's likely we could be found there most days. but my kids also love wading pools and spray parks. a little variety is good for everyone.

it's no secret i'm a little stressed out most of the time. what, with trying to keep up with the two boys, remodeling still going on in my house, and well, a non-fenced backyard...i'm wound tight and i know it.

but seeing my kids enjoy the spoils of summer makes me feel like mother of the year!

the summer...it is grand!

don't worry, isla pulled him out of the water right after i snapped this one.

little swimmers

the unsure: macrae

(2 years old)

(it only took him 2 days to get up the courage to join his class)

the little fish: isla

(6 years old)

Family Photo circa 1982

this photo was taken when we first moved to Tacoma. We were living on Sunset beach so this is basically our backyard!

my man

the greatest dad and husband. my soulmate.

he is honorable. hardworking. loving. handsome. and if i go on he will be very embarrassed.

6 years ago today

she made me a mom. it was the single most thrilling day of my life. i did not know i could feel love like that. for the first year of her life i felt like i had won the lottery. well, i did win a lottery.

she was born on a sunday. it was father's day. it was sunny. it was glorious.

we celebrated this year at red robin. gannah took her to the movies with all of her chicklet cousins. then we had cake and ice cream followed by a swim party. (of course!)

meredith made sure that kjrsten was at the party this year!

what you can't see is that macrae actually blew them out and she had to have them lit 4 times before she got them out herself.

rhettsy was so cute last night. i couldn't help but put these up.

macrae stole this toy right away. isla didn't even see it until bed time. it is already broken. (thankfully! it is a talking toy and so obnoxious!)

BFFFFF

duff started a bonfire for the cold, wet party-goers.

(standing next to a picture one of the chicklets drew of her with her new window markers. this door has happy birthday isla written all over it. so cute!)

i love her.

I forgot to mention

We went to Portland a few weeks ago.

stella was baptized.

it was kjrsten's birthday.

my kids tore the madsen house apart. (sorry kjrst)

we ate gannah's cake. with "diets" all around.

kjrsten got some good stuff.

we stayed at the hotel monaco. if you have not stayed at a monaco, i recommend doing so. i love the decor! and most of all, i love being downtown! isla and i went out together to explore.

( i told her that when i was growing up my parents took us to downtown portland to do all of our school clothes shopping every year. )

oh goodness, it was fun!

all the dyer kids represented including a surprise by the baby, mare, who flew in right after her baking shift at the cocoa bean.