BAPTISM

The day was finally here! On April 18th, we got all the kids baptized!

 This was something that was important to both of us and we had wanted to do for a long time.  Things happen as they should, and it was actually very special to have one ceremony for all our children.  Equally as special to have a lifelong family friend, Deacon Greg Yeager, do the service for us.  

This little chapel in the photo below used to be on Hwy 88 in Lockeford; I saw it everyday growing up. 9/16/2006 Mike and I were married outdoors in front of family and friends.  Then on 11/11/2006 we also had a small ceremony in this very chapel.  It was later moved from Hwy 88, to its current location in Lockeford, on the property of the new St Joachim Church.  

Point being, it was very special to us to have the baptism in the same little chapel.

Giada and Gino are both old enough now to have an understanding of what was going to happen at the baptism, and the reason for it.  However, any event with children can go a number of ways; this one went remarkably smooth. Thank you to our family and God Parents who celebrated the day with us!

Giada enjoyed ringing the bell to signify something special had happened at the church that morning.

 

Family! We always feel so fortunate to have both families living in town who we see almost daily!

Our photographers were taking selfies; what a fun find as I was looking through the photos.

 Kim Duke's cupcakes are always so delicious, she can handle a request big or small!

 This guy and his crazy hair!

End of summer fun! School starts!

Towards the end of summer we got a couple last minute visits in with friends!

Kids day at Raley Field with Brooklyn

 Lunch with Auntie Linds!

 Park with the Archuleta kiddos!

 Grace Preschool Buddies. Fun day of slip n slide at Williams house.

 The Lorikeets were back again this summer at Micke Grove Zoo. Giada couldn't be happier. Clearly my fear of birds did not pass on to the next generation.  She would go everyday if she could!

 Day at the park with the Clarins.

 If it can be climbed on...Gino will attempt it! It's all fun and games until one of these times, he loses his grip.

 This girl was waiting all day for her clam chowder.

The kids pretty much want a picture with Lucky every day.

  Cousin Love!

 Annual mud volleyball! Kids loved rolling around in it this year. Not the best year for Guys and Dolls.... unfortunately it was a quick day 0-2.  Maybe next year will be our year!

It was a miracle that we had a free day on the weekend. So instead of staying home and doing all the chores, we decided to take an adventure to SF. The kids loved playing on the beach, and didn't care it was about 12 degrees out!  I think the highlight of the day was seeing the Bush Man. Gino asks every day to look at it on You Tube so he can see the Bush Man. He laughs so hard at it, but I think was startled at the time.

 Our poor Syd had to have a massive tumor removed on her leg. She seems on the mend now. She got some extra love before her surgery. She hates wearing the cone, and Gino thinks it is a new hat. Lucky seems to like the cone too!

Giada made Syd a 'Get Well Soon' sign

You should always sleep with your sword, you never know what can be lurking around!

What a fun day on the water.  I think it was all the kids first time and they loved being able to roam around. We stopped for lunch, found a beach to dock for awhile and a dock to jump off from. All the kids were so brave jumping off the top level of this 2 story dock. Aubrey dominated and was a non stop jumping machine!

New chalkboards in the backyard are providing so much fun for the kids!

Both kids started school recently. Gino is off to Preschool 2 mornings a week, and couldn't be more thrilled.  He loves being able to play in the classroom he has dropped his sister off for years. He wasn't really going for my idea of holding the sign. Between his singing and wanting to hang it on the door, this was the best we got!

 

The day for Kindergarten was here. She had her stuff all laid out and ready to go!

 

The day started with LOTS of tears on drop off. I did not expect that and would be lying if I didn't then shed some tears myself.  But when I got there to pick her up she was so excited and has been every day since. She wants to stay longer and eat with her class, and stay until 3pm. That seems SO long to have her gone, but am letting her do it a few times a week. We are all looking forward to this new adventure.  At the end of day the parents got to come in to hear a special song, it was so cute!

Last but not least on this catch up post!  This weekend I had the Kerns kids as well and we road tripped to Tahoe to see Renee, Nico and Pete.  The kids all did great. So fun to catch up with Renee too. Who knew kids could hunt for crawdads for 5 hours!!

Princesses &Pirates en route!