Random Fun from Way Back

Since it is my only scrapbook of family memories, I am determined to catch this blog up. It may be random and out of order, but at least it will all be here.

Gracyn and Reagan caught this huge frog at Addison's riding lesson one day. I love all the time they spend exploring and tromping around the country while she is riding. It really is fun for our whole family.

Gracyn's first sentence. I have this written all over so many pieces of paper around my house. Melts my heart when I come across them.

Winter hair problems.

Sweet girl all snuggled up for bed. She loves those 3 Lion King Lions. They travel with us and she doesn't sleep without them.

Reagan and I went on her school field trip to an outdoor museum on a very rainy day. Thankfully we got most of the exhibits done during a quick break in the rain.

On the bus with Reagan and Olivia. 

Poor sick girl sleeping in the chair with her lions.

The first really hot day of summer. I biked with the kids to the neighborhood park and they were blazing hot by the time we got home. Megan was ready with pop ice in the Leslie's driveway when we got back.

We went to a super fun birthday party for our friend Eloise at a farm.

There was a playground inside an old barn.

Addison has found her passion. She reads about horses, rides horses, saves every penny she has for a horse and has her room decorated with horses. She is in love.

One of what felt like a million skating parties for the girls' school last year. Good thing our family loves skating, we were there OFTEN!

Sidewalk paint. It was a favorite birthday present. Not necessarily the best thing when your house is on the market. Thankfully it sold in a few hours and we didn't have to worry about our designer driveway.

Maggie Dog. Our constant companion. Our family loves her. 

I snapped this shot of Gracyn and Sophie, while looking down at them from the deck. I want to remember how much my girls loved that little rock path in the flower bed on the side of our Ohio house. They all 3 spent hours over there with chalk coloring the rocks. They did this often from our first day there until our last.

Celebrating Daddy's birthday. We got him a few gifts, made him taco soup and brownies and then took him rollerskating. That was his request!!

Just a normal day at our house afterschool. So thankful for all the kids in and out playing. Emma, Gracyn, Reagan, Daron, Olivia, Addison and Elena all crowded around one computer, checking something out.

Cumberland, Kentucky

The Janzen's spend most summer weekends at their lakehouse in Cumberland. We have heard about it and watched them come back and forth from trips for the whole 3 years we lived next to them, so we were anxious to squeeze in a trip with them before we moved. Our small group us, The Sphires and the Janzens headed up for a long weekend of fun and relaxation.

Their house is amazing and had more than enough room for everyone. Despite plenty of beds and rooms, most of the kids insisted on sleeping all together in one bed the last night. We spent our days in the pontoon boat on the lake. The kids tubed and we had fun anchored in different coves and swimming. At night we went for golf cart rides and made smores (wtih Dove chocolate of course) by the campfire.

The most memorable part of the trip for my family was the bathroom situation. As in, on when you are on the lake, that is the bathroom. The Guess girls are a bit delicate when it comes to these things and if you have spent any time with us, you know between the 4 girls one of is in the bathroom constantly.  I have no problem going to the bathroom in the lake, except that the lake was COLD. It was Memorial Day weekend after a frigid winter, so the water was no where near warm enough for me to swim. I knew this ahead of time and made sure to drink NOTHING all day!!! The girls didn't plan ahead so much. Reagan and Gracyn took some convincing, but were on board with the outdoor facilities by the end of the day. Addison was another story. No way that girl was going to potty in the lake. Despite drinking loads of water, she somehow managed to make the 8 hour day without every going to the bathroom. She RAN back to the house as soon as we were on shore. Fun memories!!!

On the way home we were in the vicinity of a Zaxby's, so I had to stop!!! The Sphires are good sports about my Zaxby's addiction and stopped with us. Having our kids share milkshakes at Zaxby's has become a travel tradition for our families.

Random Days from May

Wippy Dip Ice-Cream.....a summer staple in Ohio. We will miss their creative soft-serve creations. Reagan chose a chocolate bunny this day. Whatever you ask for, they will make. 

Addison with her 2nd grade besties at their spring musical. Amanda, Chloe and Yana. These were the girls she spent her time with this year.

Gracyn and I had some visitors after the girls got on the bus one morning. We fed bread to the ducks, Maggie was tortured!!!!

I got to work at Reagan's field day. It was fun and her class was WILD. God bless her teacher who was thankfully a 22 year veteran. That class was tough!

Addison tagged along with me for a pedicure one day.

Chloe started riding lessons. The girls LOVED when they got to ride together. Addison is on Ripley and Chloe is riding Hestia.

A fun summer cookout with some of our besties. This was one of our last nights with the Bowles. So much has changed since then. We have moved, they have moved and that golf course behind the girls has been bulldozed to make a new housing development.

I had to have one last Melting Pot night with my favorite ladies before we left. We ate and chatted for hours....all the while ignoring that I was about to move. Deny, deny, deny!!!!

We had one last bar-b-que at the Sphire house. The kids fished, played on the play-set and ran around all night. My kids think there house is better than Disneyworld. I caught my first fish this night, but I can't find the picture. This crazy sign was on their garage when we pulled up. I felt so loved.

Reagan's last day of 1st grade. She was enjoying some Kona Ice with Olivia. I helped the kids tie-die shirts. My hands were green for a week.

Addison's last day of school. They autographed beach balls and had Kona Ice.

I ran around to everyone's class parties and hosted an ice-cream party in our cul-de-sac for about 30 people, all while the movers were packing my house. Did I mention I was in denial right up until we pulled away?

Gracyn's final Wippy-Dip creation was a vanilla penguin. Adorable.

Guess Family Pictures

This summer we made a last minute visit to see Tommy's family in Texas. With Mike living in the Dominican Republic and us living all over the place, it has been a LONG time since we have all been in the same place at the same time. We decided Steve and Dannea's wedding was the last time, and 3 grandchildren have been born since then! We had a great visit with lots of drumming, eating and playing. The girls were just smitten with their Baby Noah. Unfortunantly the weekend was saddened by Steve being newly diagnosed with Stage 3 Melanoma. He is cancer free after 2 surgeries and we are praying he will stay that way. In the meantime they are searching for a medical trial that might offer him better odds. We appreciate your prayers for him.

Gracyn's Muffins with Mom

All of the end of school events for Gracyn this year were about triple the normal level of emotion. Combine preschool graduation for your baby, a move across the country and a whole phase of life with little ones at home all day ending and it is a melting pot of emotions. My usual coping mechanism was to pretend none of it was happening and when I started to feel too sad, I usually left!!! I lived in denial right up until our last walk through our cul-de-sac.

Our fabulous 4 year old teachers Miss Julie and Miss Dana plan a VERY special day for mom's at the end of the year. The kids are precious with their artwork, singing and serving. It is a day of memories I will always treasure.

MCP was such a terrific place for us to land. They gave my kids so many lessons on God and gave them a great foundation for school. The girls friends are precious and their mom's are DEAR to me.

The derby hats are perhaps the best part of the whole day!!!