Bug Fest!

Our park district held a bug fest this morning at a local nature center. While daddy was greeting incoming freshmen at AU, I was pushing our large stroller up and down paths and encouraging seemingly friendly spiders to crawl on my children. The kids were each awarded their own bug collecting kit which they put to use in our backyard as soon as we got home. Graham successfully caught a bug, but was less successful in encouraging the bug to eat the bit of tortilla chip he dropped next to it during lunch.

Graham's first day of kindergarten

Camping with G Fink

Birds

William loves to watch the birds at Bop and Gaga's house. He said 'bird' for the first time this morning and hasn't stopped since!

One Big Birthday Bash

Graham turned six yesterday! This Friday Bea and Inga will be three, and our baby is one on the following Wednesday. We celebrated our week of birthdays last night with family and friends. In the chaos of fifteen children, thirteen candles, five cakes, and numerous sword fights and skipping princesses I felt so blessed. Just a year ago we did not know most of our guests. Our gracious God has surrounded us with thoughtful, caring friends who are raising children to be followers of Jesus. We are so blessed!

On guard!

Princesses in the castle

The kids played before we ate

Will gets in the sword action

You're almost one, big boy!

Present time!

Inga was VERY excited about the little puppies she received from her good friend Ella!

Bea loves her puppies, too!

Aunt Katie and Uncle Tim gave Graham a lion marionette.

One of our favorite pictures of the evening in which our good friend Nick made a heroic leap across the family room and rescued a glass of wine from his one year-old.

Cousins :)

Will liked his presents, but he really liked shaking the tissue paper the best of all.