7 Hours of Peace and Quiet

School is starting on Tuesday. Devon, Carter and Lauren will all be gone from 8:45am until 3:45pm. What is Chelsea going to do without Lauren around to dress her up? Maybe she'll actually stay in her clothes for an entire day. Only time will tell if she misses the older kids or if she is happy to have Mom to herself. I think by the time hour number seven rolls around Chlesea will be ready for some entertainment other than me.

Happy 35th Birthday Bruce!!!

Bruce turned 35 today! The kids decided that 35 candles wouldn't fit on a cake so we had to get a 3 and a 5 instead. The kids just got out of the shower and are in their pjs for anyone who is concerned that we dress them in Spongebob shirts. Don't worry, Kentucky hasn't gotten to us that badly yet. Just enough to allow them to dress in Spongebob to go to sleep.

Chelsea thought it was her birthday again. She saw us with a cake and the camera and ran into her room to get her birthday balloon. She blew out Bruce's candles before he even had a chance to take a breath.

The kids made a birthday banner for Bruce that they took to him at school. They walked through the halls of UofL carrying the banner to deliver it to him.
Half way to 70 and looking better every year!

Staying Cool in Louisville

Here we are at the pool and Kentucky Kingdom water park. I don't know of anywhere (in Kentucky) the kids would rather be.


Chelsea

Lauren

Chelsea

Devon and Carter

Chelsea, Lauren, Devon and Carter

Chelsea

Lauren, Devon and Carter

Chelsea

Devon, Chelsea, Tiffany, Lauren and Carter (sorry Bruce, we'll get you next time)

Chelsea (yes, she wears floaties that big, but she does not actually wear goggles that big)


This is what I woke up to the morning after our day at Kentucky Kingdom. The kids all woke up, but weren't actually ready to get out of bed so they decided to get cozy with me. I'm not even sure where I was squeezed in before I got up to take this picture.

Our little photographers

Here is a picture of the boys' favorite pets taken by Devon and Carter. They, of course, thought it was the coolest thing the snakes (DJ and Tiger) have ever done. I apologize if some of you are so freaked out by the image of snakes that you will never look at our blog again.

Lauren played "hair salon" with Chelsea and then took pictures of the finished product.

Lucky for Lauren, Chelsea is obviously thrilled to have a big sister do anything she wants to her.

Chelsea is 2!

Disclaimers: #1 - We went for taste not beauty for Chelsea's cake since she had a High School Musical cake on her actual birthday in Chicago. (yes, she chose High School Musical and she is only 2!) #2 - We are renting this house, for any of you that are looking beyond Chelsea at the beautiful wallpaper in our kitchen. We really didn't choose the ivy!
This picture really has nothing to do with Chelsea's birthday other than being taken on the same day. If you look closely you'll see a blue ball about to come shooting out of the salad spinner. This is how our kids entertain themselves while I am making dinner. This would make a much better video than still shot, but I still thought it was funny. You probably had to be there!

Chelsea blowing out her candles

Lauren, Chelsea, Carter and Devon

Chelsea and her doll from Grandma and Grandpa Wardell

I think Chelsea was sick of me telling her to smile so she decided to show me what she thought of all the pictures that were being taken.

Chelsea's new bike

Chelsea LOVED her card and $2 from Great Grandma and Grandpa Sonnenberg

Our traditional "set the timer and see what we get" birthday shot

Happy Birthday Chelsea! We love you! (eventhough you may never read this!)

4th of July

We spent the 4th of July in Chicago at Lake Holiday with Bruce's family. We also spent a little time at Bruce's uncle's farm playing with the big kid toys.



Lauren


Chelsea

Chelsea (and cousin Tyler and Carter)

Lauren and cousin Tyler

Devon fishing with Uncle Scott

Carter


Devon and Ryan

Carter and Devon

Carter fishing with his new fishing pole (thanks Grandpa and Grandma Bridges)

Devon and cousin Nathan

Tyler, Carter and Lauren

Cousin Natalie and Lauren

Devon

Carter

Tyler, Devon, Carter and Nathan

Carter and Bruce

We Don't Want to Go Swimming, Mom. We Like to Sweat and Get Eaten By Mosquitoes!"

Chelsea hanging out in the shade...What a smart girl!





















Chelsea running away from me so I won't take her picture.





















Devon, Carter and Lauren.
(It looks like Chelsea wiped out in the background)





















Carter hanging out in the creek behind our house.




















"I want to be a helmet head just like the older kids."




















Carter taking a break and asking for his picture to be taken.




















Devon going on a bug/frog/crawfish/etc. hunt in the creek.





















Carter unaware of me taking his picture.

I think Lauren needs a new helmet.

Lauren's camera work.

This is Chelsea wondering why I still have the camera

out instead of helping her ride her bike.

Lauren blows the bubbles and Chelsea waits

to destroy them.

Chelsea also likes to destroy plants and rip the leaves off.

Lauren is such a poser and Chelsea tries to be just like her.

Chelsea would rather "fix" her bike than ride it.