Soccer

Yep, we're moving to North Carolina very soon. In July, Ben started applying for jobs in under-served areas down there in hopes of securing federal funding to help pay off the remainder of his student loans. He was offered a job with a big raise and we're really super excited. Of course, we'll miss all our friends and family in Maryland!

Just some nice pictures of Tim at soccer this year. They have an unofficial team photographer with so many fantastic pictures. Here are just a few -- he was smiling in so many of the pictures. It's great to see him having fun.

Pumpkin Patch 2010

The kids with cousins. Tim was in school (he's loving kindergarten, by the way). Four of the kids pictured below will be leaving the area soon. We're on our way to Durham, NC shortly and the two little girls in orange are moving with their family to Hawaii (Rick's next army post).

The kids could have stayed all day with the water pumps/duck races. Uncle Greg helping Joe.

My dad, and the kids. We really had fun.

Now he's 2!

Joe turned two recently. Can't help but love this kid. He's so super sweet -- even when he's being a stubborn two-year old. He's got a great sense of humor and loves his family.

A good example of his recent silliness: Just Joe and I and were eating lunch together. He was munching on tortilla chips. Munch, munch, munch. Then "Ah-Ah-Ah-CHOOO." Pieces of chip fly everywhere. He repeated these fake sneezes several times before I caught on. the little rascal. I don't know where these kids learn this stuff.

First day

A big day for all of us. We've entered a new era and the little trio is broken up. I almost made it without any tears until little nearly-two-year old Joe started sobbing as Tim got on the bus and then he waved and waved long after the bus was out of sight. Really sweet kids. I have a tight little bunch here.

We've had a quiet and peaceful day here. Really a huge change of pace and something I could get used to.

~time to go meet the bus~

July 9: Vacation, day 8

Last day. Thanks for bearing with me through all the posts. No more for a little while. We started the morning at the Peter Whitmer farm, then went to the E.B. Grandin Printing Press. We stopped by Alvin Smith's grave and then drove by Hill Cumorah, the Joseph Smith home and the temple. There was rain coming, so we went home a day early. No regrets. We had a good time, maybe tried to do too much, but that's how it goes with three young kids.

July 8: Vacation, day 7

Niagara Falls, NY.  Never made it to the Canada side.  I was totally bummed that I forgot the passport cards.  We'll have to plan another trip to Canada sometime.  I didn't let it bug me and we really enjoyed our trip to the falls.  We were there less than two hours and then drove to our campground in Canandaigua.

July 7: Vacation, day 6

Before we left Indiana, we stopped by a historical site called Angel Mounds.  Interesting place with man-made mounds by early Natives.  Only a couple more days...

See the mound behind the kids?  I guess the chief would have his home built on there.  

We slept in Columbus for the night and Carolina spent awhile drawing.  She is pretty much obsessed with drawing and coloring.  I really like it.  She's drawing on a paper towel below.

Joe decided that he really likes to have his feet massaged, so Carolina obliged.  

July 6: Vacation, day 5

Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana.  We spent a lot of the day in the water park.  So fun and it completely wore us out!  I really recommend this park.

 

July 5: Vacation day 4

No good pictures of this day. We went to the pool in the afternoon. The weather was hot, but I learned not nearly as hot as home. Glad I missed the 100+ days. 95 was kinda cool, I guess. The dads took the four older kids to see Toy Story 3 at a drive-in that night.

Can't have a post without pictures, so here are some pictures taken right before the trip. Daddy mowing and Joseph doing his best to help. I like how he pushes a mower with one hand and holds on to the baseball mitt with the other. He's such a ball and sports nut. I think Ben is excited for him to be old enough for sports.

July 4: Vacation, day 3

Like many of you, we spent the morning of the fourth at church.  It's kind of a different summer.  In recent years, we tried to plan our trips so we'd be in our home ward on Sunday.  This helped with callings, nursery, etc.  This ward in Indiana was the 3rd ward we visited in a month.

Apparently they are a little more lenient with firework rules in Indiana, so we were able to hang out a ward members' home and watch all the personal firework launchings in the neighborhood.  My littlest guy was a little bit nervous, so we hung out inside most of the time.

These pictures were taken that afternoon and evening with our friends' camera.

When we met our friends we each had one baby boy.  Now we've got three and our crowd has grown.  The older girls and boys are close in age. We meet once a year and it's like we never had a break!

Joseph was not very cooperative at all.  Thought I'd include one of the many pictures where he decided screaming was appropriate.

And here we decided to pretend like we only had two children: 

Excuse any typos.  I just woke up from a three hour nap while wearing contacts and it is really, really hard to see!