Our Summer is winding down.

I just want everyone to know that this is how my children are at all times. Loving, not fighting, eating their food that I make for them, then they thank me for making it for them.
Actually right after I took this picture Piper dumped her plate upside down, then so did everyone else. Then they fought over who's food was who's on the ground.
We were just leaving to go to the splash park and the girls were singing twinkle twinkle little star. But when one would stop the other would pick up where she left off. It was cute, but of course they both wouldn't sing if I tried to get it on video. They both love to sing and be sung to.

Highland has a new splash park. Those have been fun since the pool hasn't happened much this year. 4 kids that can't swim and a mom that doesn't want to get in a swimming suit has made for a summer of splash parks!

There's a new restaurant up by this splash park and we got a bunch of coupons for it, so we've been going there afterwards and it's been our fun summer activity.

It has been good because I spend half of my life sitting on my brown chair feeding and rocking Preston so the kids hang around me in the living room making a mess. So I've had Asher clean up the living room for a quarter and it's really motivating for him because he's starting to comprehend the concept of earning money. So he cleans, we go to the splash park, then pizza pie cafe, he gets a .25 cent bouncy ball, we all get a salad and pizza then go home for naps.

Since Asher turned 5 he has been able to rally comprehend a lot more and it just makes for some funny realizations. The other day I was on hold with the IRS, and I ended up talking to Asher about taxes and how the government takes all our extra money. And he goes, "Oh! Just like Pirates!" We just laughed because yes, it's just like Pirates!

I've been training for another triathlon and I got a new bike. I've been riding up to suncrest a lot this summer and it's a pretty hard ride. So I tell Asher when I go up there and the other day I was on a ride and was almost home and got a flat. I took him to his craft class and I go, "Do you want to see where I got a flat and had to walk home from?" He goes, "I know, I know, I know!!! You rode to the top of that mountain, I know!" Ok, so I won't be telling him when I do that anymore!

It's fun having him catching on to things more and more. He starts school in 2 weeks. We're so excited for him. He's going to love it. He'll be riding the bus too. I just remembered something else funny he said. The other day he said he hated one of his sisters for doing something small and I was telling him we don't talk that way. Then he kept saying, "But I hate it when she does that!" And I kept saying, "Please don't talk that way, blah blah blah..." Finally he goes, "Fine, I'll talk nicely..." then he paused and goes, "So basically you win and I lose."

He just wants to be in charge of something, or someone and it just kills him that he knows everything and can't just solely be in charge of Averi and Piper. The other day I go, "Asher, you aren't in charge of Averi and Piper, you NEVER will be!" He just stopped and looked at me and goes, "Never?" I just have to reassure him that when he gets older he'll have his own kids he can boss around.

This boy just can't stop being chubby and sweet! He's gotten so big lately. This picture is recent and he is so much bigger now than he was when I took this. We weighed him yesterday and he's 20 lbs. That's at 2 and half months.

I couldn't love this picture more! I asked Asher to go clean his room. Then I didn't see him for a while then noticed Batman in the gutter, peacefully watching cars go by with his new basketball. I didn't even think anything of it when I first noticed him out there. Then realized it was funny and took a picture. He just layed there in the gutter for about 10-15 min. He's so funny! I think he was just tired and didn't want to take a nap so this was the second best thing.

The girls know that they have free reign of the house while I'm feeding Preston. You can see her trail, her pajamas on the floor, a few pairs of underwear to choose from... I think her hat and underwear are in the same drawer and she just realized how cute it would be all together. I love her little muscular body. She is really so strong! You can see all her little muscles when she's walking or playing around.

Melanie and I took the kids to the Thanksgiving point petting zoo. I love how Kalli will pose for a picture. Maybe girls just naturally want to look cute in pictures. Zane poses a lot like Asher usually does.

I love Averi's little face! She has such a cute sense of humor. She's pretty silly. Her voice makes the things she says funny too. It's kind of robotic, but really cute. She knows so many words and talks all day long! She's still throwing huge fits all day, but I'm hoping that those are coming to an end soon. That would make our house so much more peaceful!

Grandma Moore got Asher some mustaches and he was nice enough to share with the girls. They were a little too sticky for the girls sensitive skin and Averi ended up with a little rash, but it healed quickly. This boy loves his mustaches and can't wait until he can grow one of his own!

This was taken the night before his blessing. Matt and I went to Cheesecake Factory with his parents. A few weeks ago Matt and I decided to save money and cut our date nights out. That lasted for about 10 days. I woke up one morning after Matt had let me sleep in and was so grouchy I couldn't even thank him. He was just as frustrated with the kids, and surprisingly ME! (I know, what would I ever do that isn't just happy and perfect?!) So I called a babysitter and we went out that night. What a difference it makes to take a break together with each other! It's really rejuvenating. With all of our kids being so little and so physically and emotionally demanding that is just something we can't afford to give up. We don't go on vacations so we just try to make sure we go out one night a week. We've been taking Preston with us. It's kind of fun to have a little one on one time with him too.

I just remembered something else that Asher said the other day. I was making dinner and he was just thinking, then goes, "Mom, are you sometimes ugly?" I go, "NO!!!" Then he goes, "Yeah, you are, sometimes when you don't sleep in you are." Then thinks for a second and goes, "What does ugly mean, does it mean grouchy?" I can't argue with Asher on that one. I might get a little grouchy if I don't get enough sleep. It's kind of a hard time right now as far as sleep goes, because I still get up with Preston, usually just at 5:30 or 6, but it's so hard to fall back to sleep for that last hour, so I usually fall asleep about 6:50 and the kids are up about 5 minutes later. So hopefully Preston can start sleeping until 7 or even 6:30. He will soon. It's just so tiring to have so much to do each day all day with the kids and with work when I've gotten 6-7 hours of sleep every night for days on end.

It's fun though. We're starting to get into more of a routine and the girls can do a lot more. They are so cute and fun. They still take a long nap every afternoon, so it gives me a nice break and some peace and quiet. Their naps are about 2-3 hours and then Asher either sleeps or has quiet time or plays with a neighbor so our afternoons are really nice here.