Vacation Bible School

Libby was so excited that she got to be a part of VBS this year! So nice being able to have siblings do things together.  How did I have no problem with Sally always going about things on her own? Thank goodness for her willingness to do so!

 Proud of helping getting breakfast set out and stacking it all together :) She's a morning person like her Mama

 "Mom, can we go say Hi to Mary?!" Our beautiful Mary Garden at church

 Love that we get to see pictures of what they do during VBS!

 Mr. Mason, never lacking in being showered with love and attention

 What it's like getting ready in the morning with 4 kiddos :)

 We got to meet up with the Lindberg ladies when they were in town.  We met for a picnic lunch at the park after VBS one day.  Friends since they were 3 months old!

 6 girls and a boy!

 Always so great to catch up with Mary! So glad we took advantage of our time when we were blocks away from each other.  Can spend hours talking about life with you!

 Some baby pictures of Reid to show how IDENTICAL he and Mason are!!

 Samesies!

 Beautiful Summer night for T-ball, Libby was playing 1st base

 Hi Mom!

 My early risers sharing a book

 Lots of drool and silly faces these days

 Morning snuggles again!

 Crinkle noise, one of my faves!

 I think this is from quite a while back, but still a gem!

 Mister Brecken was rocking the lemonade stand one day after naps. Fancy glasses as all!

 Friday ice cream dessert.  Some day soon Mason will be joining in. Until then, we'll enjoy the 6ish bedtime

 ooooooof.  We're hitting that point of the summer where the days are getting longer and we're itching for that predictable schedule.  This will likely be the summer that will be remembered as demanding the most of me.  I'm sure I'll miss this crazy stage of motherhood in no time.  Trying to savor it and keep the perspective positive.  So we turned on the Divine Mercy Chaplet and whipped up some Banana bread.  Can't believe in a few weeks I'll lose half my crew to school alllllllll day errrrrrrrr day!

Happy August! Slowly but surely I'm catching up on the pics!

August Headers

August 2011

August 2012

 August 2013

 August 2014

 August 2016

Walker 2017

Soooo it's been a month since we had our Walker vacation.  Better late then never, I guess.

This year we decided we wanted to make it a week, so we went up a little bit earlier.  Last year we were pregnant so I had thought, it will be a lot of work to pack us all up, we might as well make it worth it.  It was a lot of fun, but the days with just our crew and the days with the whole Moran fam, kind of blended together, so I think we might try and do a separate 3-day weekend next year to have an additional set of memories.

Mason's 1st road trip, he's even smiling!

We made it!

 We got a hitch carrier and backed the inside just as full.  We needed room for the stroller with being there for a week.  I waited to get groceries once we got up to Walker.  I realized, groceries are the most stressful part of packing.  Shopping before the trip.  Make sure no one eats anything that's meant to be packed for the trip.  Keep some stuff cold.  Keep some stuff soft.  Make sure it all gets packed, but don't shove it in there.  Once We got unloaded I headed in to town quickly to go shopping.  Definitely will be doing that every road trip from here on out.  While I was gone, Mason was napping and the rest wasted no time in jumping in!

 The next morning we woke up to an absolute picture perfect day and it was that way the entire day!  We also go to sneak in a quick visit with Father Don.  Thank you for taking the time to stop!

 On Mondays they have an afternoon activity for kids.  The Bigs made the cut, and got to go pop can fishing!

 So proud, both of them

 Mama's turn to get in the water.  I was a little upset I waited so long.  I expected it to be much colder than it was!

 The craze of dinner!  Vacation is fun, but it is a lot of work.  Everyone still needs to eat.  And things are out of place so it takes some getting use to.  We managed, most of the time.  Mason understood the play part of a pack N play.  The bedrooms also have skylight windows and Mister Mason thought at 4am each morning it was time to get up!  Made for a tired Mama.

 Lots of Sail Boats on Leech Lake

 Sisters playing at the park

 The next day was a little cooler, but the sun was still shining.  Oh Miss Emma, you are beautiful.  She wants everyone to know she's 2 and a half!

 Going to the same place the same time of year each year makes you realize just how much your children grow each year!  This was our 5th! year going.

 I surprised the girls with a marker, colored pencils, paint set and fresh drawing paper.  They loved sitting on their balcony and creating things

 Here fishy fishy

 1-2-3-4 Gang's all here all sporting their Walker shirts!

 LJ Rocking the goggles!

 Emma was terrified of the bobcat on the property that was doing some work.  Once she got up closer and realized how much Bobby loved it, then she decided to love it too.

 Cousins creating and playing

 Bobby & Emma playing trucks

 Mason hanging with his Godfather

 walking back from the beach, youngest to oldest

 Enjoying her boat ride

There was a lot of dividing and conquering.  We figure we have one more hard year, next year with Mason being only 1.5, and then they should start getting a little easier

 Fishing with Dad

 The neighbors brought over some homemade ice cream to share

 Trying to catch the pretty colors of the sky from the sunset

 Brian wanted in too

 Sally's happy place!

 Mommy's turn for a quick boat trip

 and then LJ got the stomach flu...wah wah

 a quick boat switch to give mom a 5 minute break.  Godson and Godmother, cannot believe he's going to be in 5th!!! grade!

 Cannot believe she's going to be in 3rd!!

 Being silly with Daddy

 Finally giving in to some sleep

 Poor thing went to bed in tears "Mom, we wait all year for these fun times, why do I have to get sick and miss going on the boat?"  Luckily she woke up the next morning with an appetite so she got to take a quick little boat ride and slowly ease back in to the fun

 Wish I could look this goo the day after the flu!

Grandma got these cute shirts for all of the cousins "Cousins make the best friends"

 Walker 2017 is in the books!

Thanks Grandma and George for your generosity!

I'll leave you with this year's gem...
[VIDEO]