Tyler's Tenth Birthday!

My sweet Tyler turned ten on Friday.
This was a very special day for our family!

For Tyler's birthday party we took his friends swimming...

Jensen, Henry, Jaxon, Harrison, and James

Angelyn, Jaquie, and all of the boys.

Casey and Zander

Rozanne and Casey

James and Jaquie

Casey and Thomas

...and then back to our house to open gifts,

have cake,

and enjoy this huge jump house!!

After Tyler's friends party we got ready for our family BBQ.
Tyler got some good down time in the bath in between the parties.

Our family party was wonderful.
I love spending time with my family...they are my best friends!

The food was fabulous!
Brad does a great job on the BBQ!!!

Chase was hilarious with his love of watermelon. He walked round eating everybody watermelon rinds. He even went as far a chasing some of the other little kids around to get their watermelon.

Tyler and Carly

Then we enjoyed the jump house some more...

And more!!

Lastly we invited some more of our friends and neighbors over for
root beer floats and fireworks!

Sheri, Erin, and Courtney

Suzie, Philip and Charlie

Krista, Erin and Roz

Brad and Dave

4th of July!

Bike Wreck

My sweet Thomas had his first bad bike wreck.  Little faces and concrete don't mix. But yeah for bike helmets.  I think it saved us from an ER visit or much worse.

Never was there a a cuter skinned nose!

The Freedom Run

For the 4th of July, we woke up early and the boys ran the Freedom Run 1/4 mile race in Centerville.  Well, Thomas ran, and Tyler rode his new bike.  Thomas ran really fast.  He finished top 20.  Tyler was the first to start and the last to finish.  As he came down the home stretch, everyone was cheering for him.  He worked so hard to get through that finish line, (everyone could see how hard he was working, this was not easy for him!)  This was a way cool experience.  He was pretty stoic and straight faced, but he felt really proud when he was done and everyone came up to him to congratulate him.  Most of them came up to me too with tears in their eyes and told me how great it was that he was doing something like this, and one lady even hugged me, and while crying told me that that experience made her 4th of July.  It made my day too!!

Our neighborhood friends.

Thomas and Reed

Tyler getting ready for his very first race!

Thomas and Carly

Start Line

Great Job Thomas!

After the race we sold water along the parade route.  The boys sole four cases!  And made $90.00.  They worked really hard.  Toward the end Tyler was yelling at the top of his lungs..."Water for Sale!"  Thomas however, was riding in the back of the bike carrier is this really tiny space just so he didn't have to walk any more.  He looked so cute!  

When we got home they counted their money.  After paying for next weeks water, and ice, they each took $35.00.  They paid 3.50 to tithing, and put about 23.00 in savings, and then they each had 10.00 to spend, which, by the way, they wanted to spend immediately, (you're shocked..i know)  So we went to TJ Maxx with Adrea, Liv, and Bev.  Thomas got bid Incredible Hulk boxing hands, that make noises when they are hit together.  Tyler chose a Spy camera that has a light and a mirror, and a set of headphones, that when you plug it in and listen to theheadphones it makes you voice sound different.  I was so proud of how hard they worked, and I love to see how excited they get with the "fruits of their labors"

Charli

Our niece, Charli Mae Niu, was born Thursday, July 2nd 2009.

Melissa was amazing that night!  And I feel so blessed to have been there to experience her peaceful birth.

Livia came to our home to hang out with the boys while Philip and Melissa were at the hospital.  Thomas and Liv fell asleep on our bed...so cute!

Then next day we took the boys and Liv to the hospital to meet Charli.

Liv is so proud of her new sister, and Tyler and Thomas love their cousin.

As Tyler held her for the first time he said..."Hi Charli, I am you big cousin, Tyler"

Thomas and Liv dressed themselves that morning...

They look a little homeless.