Oh, the Sunny Days of Summer Long Past (Part II)

 Bekah was baptized this summer!  She is so beautiful inside and out.  I've been so grateful for the way her little spirit recognizes feelings from her Heavenly Father.  She is tender, sweet, and very excited about all life has to offer. 

From left to right: Patrick, Eli, Andrew, Joshua, Josh, Rebekah, Ben, Henry, Logan (in side chair)

Aaron, Jameson, Rachel, Hannah, Elisabeth

 Bekah and her only girl cousin Celeste

 Rebekah and Hannah

Trying to hold Elisabeth - She was rescued shortly thereafter.

 Sis. Penrod, Sis. Lee, Debbie Thompson, Michael, Rebekah, Me, Elisabeth, Henry, Stacy Horton, Logan, Garrick, Horton

Bishop Stansbury, Josh, Patrick

Rachel, Andrew Jameson, Hannah, Ben

 Mimi, Papaw, Patrick, Michael, Andrew, Rebekah, Me, Elisabeth, Grammy, Grandpa

 Papaw, Mimi, Josh, Hannah, Andrew, Michael, Rebekah, Me, Elisabeth, Grammy, Grandpa, Alyssa, Elijah

Celeste, Patrick, Eli, Aaron, Scott, Alisha

 Prepare yourself for some funny stuff:  We went to Graeter's Ice cream parlor.  It's a Cincinnati original started in the late 19th century.  It's still handmade and wonderfully rich flavors and textures.  Don't go if you're dieting....

 Love the classic mess on these faces!

 Here's the silliness.  I wanted a picture with my siblings and Eli went all bloated on us!  So we all followed suit and the next one is what you get!  For all intents and purposes, I need to work on my "silly" face.  I think I look a little too normal...

 My Dad is so charming that even his wife isn't sure what to do with him!

 On his phone...  Fortunately, it wasn't too often that I found him like this, but can I say that I wish it wasn't so "normal" for us to be on our phones nowadays???

 Aaron did NOT want his picture taken.  (Who knew boys went through the "no pictures" phase too??)

 Beautiful.

Candy, Jeff, Hannah, Me, Mikey.

Many of the adults went to a Cincinnati Reds game.   Too bad they got schooled by the Cardinals.  Then they won the next night.  What gives?

 Too good for words!  You think they had a good time?

 Lego creations

 Growing girl

 And she rolls too!

 Bekah rescued this tiara from my friend, Stacy's, yardsale.  She was so in love that she got all dressed up to get groceries. 

 Then she shared the love with baby sister.  :)  I L.O.V.E. those cheeks!!

 A friend in the ward saw me getting groceries with all the kids in tow.  At the time they were all helping and decently happy.  So was I.  However, it was a hard evening.  I was by myself that night and though I don't remember the details now, I remember crying to Michael about it on the phone as he drove home that night.  Then I got a random call asking if I was going to be home in 15 min.  The caller didn't identify themselves, but spoke as if they knew me well, and they had something for me.  Sheila Madden from the ward showed up carrying her famous homemade cream eclairs.  She told me about seeing me in the grocery store and how impressed she'd been with my guts to do such a hard thing.  Too many young mothers, she said, don't even try to do hard things anymore.  I deserved it.

I think it was Heavenly Father's way of reminding me that I was still a good person and that He still loved me despite my occasional angry outburst and impatience with my children.  It was His way of encouraging me to keep trying to be better.  I was very humbled.

 This girl has the hardest time sleeping during the day.  I honestly think that she's worried she will miss something.  It's currently the bane of my existence.

 Patrick's 1st grade wall.  His owl is orage.

 As long as Mikey does the steep hills, this kid is mowing the rest of the lawn entirely by himself at age 6.  We're both a little dumbfounded by this, but hoping it holds up!

 First Day of School 2013:  Patrick 1st grade

 Rebekah 2nd grade

 Andrew home

 "I'm Not Happy, Bob!  NOT HAPPY!" 

(10 bonus points if you can name that movie.)

 This was all in progression.  I swear she was a little manic that day.

 Sleepy rub of the face.  I get this one a lot.

 It wasn't quite bedtime.  Apparently he was plenty worn out.

 Proof of Patrick's ambulance ride.  He didn't wake up for a thing.

This is so typical of the way Bekah talks and therefore writes.  I had to capture it for posterity's sake.  :)