Every week my brother Jared writes my mom and email. He gets way too many letters to respond to all of them. So he reads them and writes one big letter to my mom and she forwards it to everyone else. This week, he wrote that he'll be coming home no later than June 3rd!!! How exciting is that!!! I am so thrilled. Finally after 2 very long years without him he's coming home.
I know for me since I've got 3 crazy wild kids, those 2 years went by pretty quick. But after stopping for a while and thinking of how long its actually been since I've seen Jared, it really has been 2 very long years. Hopefully sometime soon he'll know more of when transfers will be.
Things will be really different for him when he's back.
This is Natalie, I think of May, 2007. We were taking family pictures right before Jared left.
Natalie was getting her teeth brushed before she went to bed. January 2009.
This was in September of 2007. Kylie of course being Kylie.
Kylie playing at the park January 2009.
This was August 2007. Just after Jared left.
Don't let that innocent smile fool you! She's planning something. This was just a few days ago on Matt's birthday. March 10, 2009.
My kids have grown so much. Natalie has lost more teeth, Kylie is still as skinny but much taller and Jared will hardly recognize Mackenzi.
This is Vance during Thanksgiving of 2007. Not quite walking yet.
This was beginning of March 2009. Carter was being blessed and the kids were playing outside burying each other in the "sandbox" my mom has in her backyard.
I put sandbox in quotes because its really just a dirt pile. It's not where it's suppose to be yet. Either procrastination or laziness has taken over. =D I love you mom!
This is Carter after he was born January 15, 2009. Jared will definitely not know Carter.
This is Carter on his blessing day. He just got done with a feeding and being burped.
As for Kimberli's kids, he won't even know Carter. Vance will be so grown up he'll barely recognize him either.
This is little Tyson. Also known as Reed. He was just born on March 14, 2008.
This is at Christmas 2008. This is the last time I got to see Reed before they went back home to Washington D.C. He has grown a lot since this picture. I think he's almost walking now.
Tyson's son, Reed, Jared has never met either. It'll be interesting to see Jared's reaction to all of these new little people. It'll be really fun. I'm very excited to see Jared again. Anyway, I will dedicate a whole post just for pictures such as Mackenzi's birthday. =)
So this wasn't the 4th but it just poured at my house. It would come in spurts but when it rained...it poured. And of course Kenzi had to play in the rain. I must admit I was out there with her. It was a gorgeous day to play in the rain! =)
Just getting out of the pool.
The girls played outside during the day and took pictures of course.
One of the better shots of the fireworks.
Natalie LOVED the sparklers. She was the only one that didn't plug her ears this year.
This is Mary-Louise. She is Vince's sister. Kenzi absolutely loved her.
We had a LOT left.
This is what was left of the fireworks before one misfired and tried to burn down Connie's plants.
Kenzi playing with her vacuum Aunt Tifani got her. This is by far her favorite toy! If you know my children at all, they LOVE to help clean.
That look says, "This is SO not as cool as my vacuum!"
Kenzi with her cake.
Besides dying the eggs. Blowing the bubbles into the pool was the favorite thing to do.
Washing off after playing with the bubbles. Or rather spilling the bubbles.
Dying Easter eggs. Many, many eggs.
Kenzi liked using her hands to get the eggs out instead of her spoon. A lesson she will forget for next year. =)
Patiently waiting for Grandma to get changed to go swimming. Notice Vance's feet and hands. He likes to use his hands as well to get the eggs out.
Swimming after dying Easter eggs.
I've had to learn my lesson a few times...always ALWAYS bring swim suits to Grandma's house. A lesson I will never again forget. We really don't want Natalie in a WHITE see through t-shirt when wet again. So, keep swimsuits in car. Got it. Lesson learned.
This is Natalie, I think of May, 2007. We were taking family pictures right before Jared left.
Natalie was getting her teeth brushed before she went to bed. January 2009.
This was in September of 2007. Kylie of course being Kylie.
Kylie playing at the park January 2009.
This was August 2007. Just after Jared left.
Don't let that innocent smile fool you! She's planning something. This was just a few days ago on Matt's birthday. March 10, 2009.
This is Vance during Thanksgiving of 2007. Not quite walking yet.
This was beginning of March 2009. Carter was being blessed and the kids were playing outside burying each other in the "sandbox" my mom has in her backyard.
This is Carter after he was born January 15, 2009. Jared will definitely not know Carter.
This is Carter on his blessing day. He just got done with a feeding and being burped.
This is little Tyson. Also known as Reed. He was just born on March 14, 2008.
This is at Christmas 2008. This is the last time I got to see Reed before they went back home to Washington D.C. He has grown a lot since this picture. I think he's almost walking now.
