I didn’t get too many pictures back from this outing, but this was the highlight of Jackson’s life! These pictures tell the whole story I think.Campfire/ Marshmallows

Late night in the tent

Asleep on the way home

So its been quite a while since I’ve really updated. The last post was actually drafted quite a while ago, I just forgot to post it. I didn’t really have any good pictures to go with it either. Oh well.

Anyway, at the beginning of May or so we decided the mud hole in our side yard that kept ending up as dirt clods on the side of our neighbor’s house really needed to be taken care of. Cement was the answer. I love it. It makes quite a bit more space for the kids to ride around on their bikes and took away the constant temptation to get the hose out  and play in mud. 

As part of this change I wanted to make our lawn a little bigger, so we moved the shed on to part of the new cement. We were out in the back yard admiring our work and picturing the future lawn when we saw this:

What the heck is that? We had to know (especially because the colors made me think it could be poisonous).

Its an iron cross blister beetle. Have any of my local friends ever seen one before? I haven’t, but I found out they are native here. If they come in contact with your skin they cause blisters. I’m glad we didn’t touch it.  It actually climbed over the wall and I haven’t seen it or anything like it since!

Summer has come here in AZ, well not the worst of it, but the weather here did finally decide to stay hot this week. We’ve really enjoyed several cooler days mixed in with the warmer ones throughout May. Even now, we have cooler mornings to play outside, then we put our swim suits on for the afternoon.
Lacey just finished her first session of swim lessons. She was a little timid at first, I think because the water was still pretty cold, but she got her confidence back and insists now on floating around the pool on noodles. She kicks around and can get anywhere she wants. She really likes to pick up rings from the bottom of the pool. Jackson can’t wait to start swim lessons next week.
Last weekend we had a blast at the cabin! There was beautiful weather and it was so relaxing. The Woods were also there, and of course it was fun to be with them.

This is our first family portrait after the baby was born. He made this one just a couple weeks after we had Shell.

Jackson is quite the artist lately! I’ve been very impressed by his art work lately.

Here is his latest drawing:

Can you tell what those are? Its two of these…

Not too shabby, eh?

He’s been very busy creating lately. He loves to make maps. There’s always an X to mark the spot, and when its finished we go out and have quite an adventure getting to where it tells us to go! It seems we always have to fight off some bad guys, watch out for the crocodiles, and go through a cave or tunnel to get to the right place! Its pretty entertaining to watch his imagination go.

Shelly has been smiling like crazy! I haven’t gotten too many pictures because the camera is just not her favorite thing. Here are my most recent attempts:

Today Lacey was playing with her and she smiled for her several times – Finally! Lacey’s been dying to make her Shell happy. She still comes up to Shell and says “baby’s so coot!” We love our Shelly girl! She’s a cute and sweet girl!

And here’s our “Fancy Nancy” that’s been hanging around lately

She asks for her Minnie dress everyday and cries if its in the washer or dryer. She loves her accessories… she wears her bright pink and orange square “watch-thing” (watch) almost always (it must have fallen off for a second during this picture). It really completes the outfit.

I love the fun personalities that children come with.

Finally… Jackson has been watching me put this post together and requested to type his own name, so without any help from mom, here it is:

JACKSON