Three year old party

Saturday we had Owen's birthday party.  This is the first year that he actually grasps the concept of a birthday.  When you ask, he tells you he is going to be FREE this year and holds up one finger.  Ok, so he hasn't perfected it but he tries.  He had to practice blowing out candles the night before his party.  There was cake and presents and a pinata and tons of people.  What more could he ask for??

cake from Jossabean Sweets

Blow!!

Uncle Tony got me a cool new bike!

Note to self: next time make pinata a bit easier to break.

Amos guarding his pinata prize!

He's "free" years old



From THIS



To THIS







In three short years.

Happy 3rd Birthday to our chatty, spunky, mischievous, lovable, live-wire, Owen.  Look how far he's come!

Fireworks

After a fun-filled day at the pool we settled in for an evening of fireworks.  

Beatin' the heat

Last weekend we packed up all the kids, except Isaac, and headed to the pool.   I'm not sure who had the most fun.  They are all a bunch little fish in the water.  

Joey

Brendan

Owen

Cole

Maddy

4th of July

We spent most of 4th of July just hiding out in the air conditioning, but after hours of the kids begging we finally stepped out to spend some time at the pool.  If the boys had their way we would be there all day, every day.

Brendan started the summer clinging to the wall.  He's getting daring now.  He thinks he's super cool because he will jump off the wall.  He don't have the heart to tell him that he literally lands, but doesn't go under the water.  He believes he goes under and stays there forever.  Our next step is to get him out of the vest.

Look!  I'm under water!!!  Or not.  

Owen, on the other hand, is a fish in the water.  He can practically swim from one side of the pool to the other.  He has NO fear of water.  

Splash!!

Cole prefers to stick close to someone.  

My buddy

The four older kids have no time for the camera.  Ben is too far away.  Isaac never opens his eyes.  Joey is at the perfect age.  He's happy, he's interactive, he thinks I'm hilarious, and he can't escape.  So, we get pictures of his cuteness.  

Joey

Joey last weekend after his baptism all set to party. 

Look at that face.  How can you not love him??

Lucky number seven

Three weeks ago we welcomed the 8th Ahlers grandbaby.  If you're keeping track, that makes seven boys, one girl.  Poor, poor Maddy. 

Isaac Daniel

look at that tongue

Josiah and Isaac

Friends

A hiking we will go

Brendan asked to go hiking a few weeks ago so we packed up and headed to Devil's Lake.  Instead of reading the signs, we just wandered and picked a trail.  Once we were finished I read the signs and realized that these poor boys hiked almost 5 miles.  And they actually walked probably 95% of it.  They were beat!

On top of the world

A short break along the way