freedom {a photo gallery}

the ashes from the fireworks were falling down on us like rain last night.

we sat under those big huge fireworks in the family yard,

and it felt so calm and quiet.

in a loud kind of way.

chase slept in my mom's basement like a baby.

max sat on my lap and hid under her blanket.

the fireworks still scare her.

brennan sat by sean in his spiderman chair.

we would tell them to cover their eyes when the ashes fell.

and look down at the grass as it all softly patted our heads and shoulders.

all of the children {kids, cousins, friends} 

would light "glowies" {sparklers} 

between firework sets.

and drop them in the grass when the tiny flames got too close to their little fingers.

by the end of the night our ears were ringing and my head was aching a bit,

but sitting in that warm summer's night air, 

with those big huge fireworks atop, 

and our family all around, 

was the moment that you wait for all day to grace your special holiday.

HAPPY HAPPY FREEDOM:)

{my house is filled with the smells of rain this morning, thank goodness the moisture is finally here.}

...

blueberry pancakes

fried ham

pioneer day float 

{my cousins were in charge of building it this year}

KFC

family reunion

skyping to Belize

sunscreen

swimming

inflatable horse races

sprinklers

snow cones

chocolate dipped ice cream cones

hamburgers & hot dogs

lindi's famous fruit salad

treats a'plenty

gigi's baked beans and corn on the cob

Popsicles

swings & slides

cookies the size of your face

sandbox

play house

and

FIREWORKS.

just another 4th of july.

{minus the "just another" part}

oh happy day:)

{i just LOVED her eyelashes}

{and yeah, the bunny is holding green jello--we ARE in utah you know.}

{troy and his summer treats--bliss.}

these little beauties shot fireworks up that dropped red parachutes down after.

so cute. 

{and then there was the part where some aerial fireworks shot right at us. spooked us right home. not fun!}

god bless troy for saving us all from that one.

 {max hiding under her blanket on my lap}

 {THE END}

letters to Emily {dryer, gelato, & Italy}

Dear Emily,

Sorry it has been so long!  Between moving into an awesome flat in downtown Heidelberg, going to Italy for a wedding and having family move here, I have been busy, but no excuses!

I can't believe Brennan got a car stuck in his hair....definitely traumitic.

Yes we do have a dryer, as rare as they are in Europe, we have one.  I am grateful too, with a baby it would be a little hard to hang dry all those little onsies and clothes.

Bryce is getting better and life doessn't seem impossible anymore.

There are a million berries growing in the mountains here,  I think I am going to attempt to make jam this year!  We will see how is goes.  Have you ever made Jam before?  What flavor combinations did you like best?  I tried a strawberry/raspberry jam and I think I fell on the floor it was so delicious.  

How is little Chase?  Is he the best?  I love seeing pictures of him.

Since they sell gelato all over Heidelberg I have discovered my favorite flavor...Dunkel Schokolade, it is basically heaven in a cup.  It tastes like costco's chocolate cake in icecream form.  Delicious.   Bear's allergies are more under control.  Since I had to go off the diet in Italy, ( I mean really, who isn't going to eat pasta or pizza in the motha land? )  I think I endulged in the dairy the most.  I think Cheese is a staple in my life.  Once I get back into the groove of things I will have more stories to share.  You amaze me!  I hope your summer is HOT HOT HOT!

love
Beth

just call me cinderella...or not

sometimes i put a princess crown on 

and wear it around my house 

just to remind myself of how special i am.

:):):)

OR....

my kids put it on me, 

and then fight over who gets to wear it next.

{with someone usually ending up in time out for hitting and/or biting.}

whichever.

chase & his white tuxedo

today we blessed chase.
sean did the honors during our church meeting at the bright and chipper hour of 9am.
i woke up before all three of my kids AND sean to shower and paint my toes red.
sean and brennan dressed chase in his little white tuxedo while i dried my hair.
the same one we blessed brennan in 4 years ago.
i adore his "jin-jah" hair with all of his white garb.
such a handsome little man.
food inspiration from my favorite little blog here.
{who happens to be one of my college besties. love that little miss!}
a carolina style pork butt, shredded and smothered with a rocky mountain sauce is just about the best thing there ever was between two breaded buns.
BUN,
carolina style pork,
rocky mountain bbq sauce,
loaded up with slaw,
BUN.
with sides of sweet potato fries {which i happily store bought and baked},
star shaped watermelon, and gigi's juicy corn on the cob.
which she prepares in her cooler of hot water with two pounds of butter.
strawberry lemonade and water to quench our parchings {i made up that word}.
and two jello salads from my in-laws {b/c it's just not a party in utah without the jello salad}.
YUM.
{forgot to serve the bottled coke. oh well.}
i made my first homemade cole/broccoli slaw.
and learned that i like my slaw sweet, salty, and vinegar-y.
easy on the mayo.
dried cranberries too.
{compliments of missy as well}
and
water soaked in strawberries is my new favorite treat.
ice cream cones {"pink" for max's pick & chocolate brownie for brennan's},
raspberry bars, and frosted pink sugar cookies from linsey,
and THE famous cookies on the side.
all for the blessing of this little white tuxedo'd fellow.
i just love his little face and body in that vest.

b/c everything just tastes better from a jar.

{really, it does.}

{on the left: mary with baby chase}

{on the right: NAT! who drove all night from arizona with 3 kids ALONE. 

oh yeah, AND it's her birthday today. HAPPY HAPPY NAT!!!}

P.S.

{see picture below}

i just love this picture of the five of us after church today.

my arm looks wicked buff, which i know it is not.

but if it were that'd be ok too.

and maybe it is.

i don't really know.

max is pouting.

chase is sleeping.

or he is blinking.

whichever.

sean is talking.

brennan is...i don't know.

AWESOME:)

i really need a huge bowl of reese's puffs.

and a long long sleep.

what a fun day it was celebrating baby chase.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

{missing: ruff's & mehr's who disappeared before we could round them up.}

funnel

 {max asks to wear her swimming suit the minute she wakes up. every day. love her.}

can you see what she sees???

it was quite the spectacle in the yard last night.

the spider.

or the airplane races.

whichever. 

it built a funneled web like a tornado right down into the base of the grass.

and went up and down its tube as the kids leaned over to take a peak.

max kept squealing when it would move.

in true girl fashion.

brennan was mostly concerned that the spider was going to be mad at sean for cutting up his home tonight with the mower.

b/c then the spider might bite him.

such a tender little heart.

i didn't point out that the mower would probably cut up the spider before it had a chance to bite dad.

sad for the spider.

happy for me:)