Patience and Prayers are needed...

My dad suffered a stroke last Saturday. It has been a rough few days.

...

For stroke victims, the first week or so is a waiting game. It could get worse before it gets better. This is to be expected. These are all the things we heard over the weekend. Things we keep repeating to ourselves.

...

My brother, his beautiful wife and I flew to Albuquerque this past weekend to be with my stepmother, Alice. Alice has the hardest job of all. She rarely leaves his bedside, she sleeps in his room at night.

...

Stephanie (my beautiful sister-in-law) and I are setting up a separate blog to give updates on his condition to help alleviate the number of times Alice has to recite the information about his current condition. It is a work in process, but you can find this blog by clicking here.

...

I wish for him to recover with all my heart...

Geronimo!!!!!!

Click here to view these pictures larger

Here is just one photo of Kennedy on her trip to Yosemite. Jumping off a rock into the water. Wow.

Haircuts and Pieholes

These two smiley girls are having a lovely summer. And they were both in need of a haircut.

So off we went, and the hairs got cut! Yes, Kennedy got bangs again! It's the new style with the girls these days. How adorable are these two? Pretty dang adorable, if you ask me. Which you didn't, I guess I asked me and I have the biased right to say....WHAT CUTE KIDS!

Seriously, people pay big money for hair like this...

Brooke was playing quietly in her room right before bedtime Saturday night.

And I made her pose for a few more cute-haircut pictures.

And then her sister came in and got the weird idea that she wanted to try and fit Brooke's fist...

inside her great big pie hole.

....which Brooke protested, so Kennedy tried to put Brooke's fist inside Samoa's great big pie hole. Which Brooke did not really mind for some reason. (You might want to make sure she washes her hands before she serves you anything, FYI)

So then Kennedy decided to lay down on top of her and squish her.

And speaking of pie holes, this dude was gone ALL WEEKEND to Minnesota...playing guitar and fishing with bandmates.

Pie holes are genetic, by the way.

Hope everyone else's weekend was spectacular!

Happy Fifth of July!

Last Saturday I said the words I haven't said since I lived in Texas... "We are spending the day at the lake tomorrow."

Four families: four dads, four moms, eight kids. 2 jet skis. Lots of food. Good times!

Here, Darby and Ryder wave goodbye to Stacy, Kennedy & India...

Relaxing in the water.

Julia, India and Kennedy...great friends!

Chillaxin' in a boat with my girlfriends!

Brooke and Tim were on the hunt for rocks.

Brooke refused to go on the jet ski all day until almost the very end. She LOVED it!

Kennedy went out several times throughout the day!

And then when we got home, close to 8 p.m., they wanted to go swimming in the neighbor's pool (which we have been pool-sitting all week while they were out of town).

WHAT A GREAT WEEKEND!!!

Happy Fourth of July!

What a fun-filled day!

Cutting the strings one thread at a time...

What's this?

Cabin rosters? Who's staying in a cabin?

Kennedy! She has gone to her very first sleepaway camp. I use the term "away" loosely, as she is practically in our backyard with the dog...she is just a few miles away in Hollywood.

She went with Emilee. Here is Emilee, her mom, and her little brother trying to close her suitcase. These girls do not travel light.


This week's camp theme... (she had to pack a Halloween costume)

Emilee does not look especially thrilled...

So I cut her out of the next picture... (don't mess with a scrapbooker taking pictures)

I walked away...backwards....leaving my first baby for the first time all alone at sleepaway camp.

She comes home Thursday...I can't wait to hear all about her experience!

Hello Summer, Goodbye School!

First of all, people, I got a new camera and I am thrilled.



The end of a school year is bittersweet. Brooke is all-around sad. School is so fun for her and she will miss her friends.

Kennedy will not miss her homework, and she will see most of these girls this summer.


Kennedy's teacher is having a baby. I coordinated a group gift which included a little tiny t-shirt with our school's name on it!

Brooke's teacher is enjoying the scrapbook that very nearly killed me. :) No, in reality, these scrapbooks turn into a labor of love. This one is especially special because Ms. Diehl, unfortunately, is one of the teachers who is losing her position at our school due to the stupid "budget cuts". Don't get me started on that...the fact that this teacher, who is fabulous but has only been teaching two years, gets bumped by a more seasoned teacher who will make more money and cost us resources in interviewing and hiring. The position is not gone, they are just putting someone else in it. Someone who makes more money. So, tell me, how is this a budget cut?

Anyway, Brooke has enjoyed her first grade year and her teacher is very special to her.

I made a Shutterfly book for Emily and Hera, the after-school program teachers. They cried, I cried. There was a lot of crying this week.

Kennedy's grade cried a lot, too. Several children are switching schools next year. This grade is a tight grade. The girls leaving will be missed.

After school, it was off to Subway and Yogurtland. Then to Safia's for a swim! The girls had fun in the sun, spending time with each other, laughing, and playing.

Brooke liked Safia's new puppy.

Then they made a girl pyramid. Then everyone went home.

And now, OFF to our first little vacation of the summer! Hearst Castle and Sequoia National Forest, here we come!