My sister and nieces

Here's a few pictures from when Lyn was here.....

Auntie and her nieces

Alayna and Taylee taking a spin
Aleigha and Alayna
Uncle Craig and "Tater Tot" which he loves to call her.

A night at Cracker Barrel
Alayna loves loves these rockers at Cracker Barrel and screams when it's time to go in and eat.
Another favorite park...The Deep Creek Locks. There are alot of awesome picture spots here, but to many to post.
"Girl Time" As Alayna always says
Daddy and Alayna "hwing, daddy hwing"

I love this boy!!!
Aleigha, Bradley & Taylee
Don't kill me lyn....you look awesome!!
Taylee loves having her picture taken
The whole goofy gang

Leave it to Auntie Lindsay to want a picture like this one and thinks it's hysterical.
This rock wall always freaks me out!
Bradley being such a big brother.
Bradley and Auntie
Backyard pool fun

Even a Target trip with 4 kids is bound to be fun. Lyn got a kick of of yelling for me all through Target when we got separated. I purposely left her with the kids then I hear. "HEIDI, WHERE ARE YOU!!!" CRAZY girl!!!
Pizza at Fun Forest
Mommy look.....a tree.
These 2 are more like brother and sister than cousins. They could almost be twins although Taylee and Alayna have almost identical personalites in alot of ways.
I must say this was one of the hightlights so far for me this summer. Lyn came to visit with the girls and stayed for 10 days. We all survived a crazy chaotic week of fun and relaxation (if there is such a thing). I still wasn't feeling 100% during most of the time, but we still managed to do alot of big and little things. From a day at Ocean Breeze, Water Country, a few days at parks and alots of backyard pool time and hanging out catching up. Lyn and I have a tendency to be a little reckless when we are together. We literally forget sometimes that we are mothers and can act very off the wall. My niece had to reel us in a few times and would have to tell us we were acting inappropriately:) Then you get mom on the phone scolding us for not being good examples to our children:) I say this all with a smile as I think of how silly we really can be. We just make up for lost time I think....we went from fighting like cats and dogs as teenagers to me leaving and getting married when my sisters were only 12 and 14.(So sad to look back on that now) We've become so much closer in our adult life.... especially over the past few years. The kids did great together for being in close quarters nonstop for 10 days. Of course they fought, of course they whined, what normal kids don't, but of course there was lot more laughter and fun to make up for it. There's nothing like the feeling of family time where you can 100% be who you are and just do nothing or a lot of little somethings. Bradley's birthday was the 3rd, Aleigha's birthday was the 7th and Taylee's was the 15th so of course we had yet another birthday celebration for Taylee where she decided to make her own cake and the kids all decorated their own creations of a cake and cupcakes. What a sticky, frosting, sprinkle mess they did make, but enjoyed every minute. The more frosting Alayna could sneak in her mouth the happier she was. It's always so hard to capture all of the little moments in a journel writing, but memories are always in our mind and the pictures to remind of some of them. We were so sad to see them go. Thanks for an incredible time Lyn, Taylee and Aleigha!!!

We just let em go!!

Yeah, I got my baby alive doll!

Here's the birthday girl......Look what I made all by myself!

Just lovin life with no boundaries

A day trip to Corolla

I'm still backtracking a bit.......We had a great time with the Ratz Family with a spontaneous trip to Corolla at the end of June. This was on a weekend in between family visits. Sometimes we are crazy for what we try to cram in.... although I'm becoming wiser in that area. HA!! Two highlights were riding on the beach (Craig could have went forever, but we finally had to reel him in:) and the other was seeing the wild horses. That was pretty cool! Three actually....it's always great fun riding the waves on the boogie board although I didn't do too much of that this time. The guys had their share of it.

Our Family

These two are a piece of work together. They always make us laugh...even when we shouldn't.

Bradley just enjoying the water.

Alayna Chasing daddy

Finding the best seashells is always a highlight....and so is seeing wild horses all over the beach. That just isn't an everyday occurance...at least not at our local beach.

The kids had loads of fun being pulled up and down the beach on the boogie board.

4th of July

Here are a few pictures of the week before the 4th when Craig's brother, Crystal and the kids came into town. We decided to be smart and skip the 4th of July fire works and go to Symphony under the stars on July 3rd at the Chesapeake City park instead of fighting the crowds on the 4th. So glad we did. We did this a few years ago and really enjoyed it so much more. They had the music playing in the background and we were able to eat a picnic dinner there. While we were waiting for the fireworks it was fun to see all the kids chasing daddy/uncle Craig all over until he was exhausted. Someone was dressed up as the Pink Panther and Alayna was so obsessed with him, as she is any big fuzzy creature (no fear for her in that area for sure.) I had many mother surges of not knowing where Alayna had taken off to and not realizing someone was always watching where she was going. She would find her way through the crowd right back to the pink panther.

In the back of the van being very silly waiting patiently for the fireworks to begin. They never did start until almost 10pm

Enjoying their picnic dinner
It was great because right before the fireworks began we decided to pack up our gear and do the tailgate thing to watch them so we could quick throw our chairs back in the truck and be one of the first ones out of the parking lot.
Bless her little heart.....the fireworks scared the mess out of her. She took her blankey and put it over her head and kept it there the entire time. She never did cry though.
My little "rock star" Uncle Aaron has the whole rock back game set and here's Alayna learning to play the guitar. It was very cute!

Being buried is so much fun!! You'd think they would panic, but no, it's always a highlight. Alayna just plopped down right in the middle of it all.

Ocean Breeze

The month of June and July has been an extremely busy months of family in town and more activities than I can count or keep track of. I can officially say I am all beached out and all water parked out which I can't imagine me saying, but I just did. We've been to ocean breeze twice and water country twice. I have always loved Water Country, but now that I've been to Ocean Breeze I think that has become Craig and I's favorite little spot. Not because it's huge or grandiose, but because it's simple, very family friendly especially with little kids and very quaint and still very fun. These were taken at the end of June when Craig had a promotion for work so we got a free night at Ocean breeze. We ended up staying until 10pm close and had so much fun with the kids and ended the night floating in the wave pool until we finally had to leave. I find myself more just trying to enjoy the moment rather than trying to get a million pictures of every event.

Happy 5th Birthday my little buddy

Momma and her Birthday boy

Oh my little man has turned 5......Bradley it is such a joy and blessing having you for my son. You mean more to me than you will ever know. Once again I told you that the special medicine was coming out of my hiding place to give you to keep you little forever. You just simply said "you are silly momma" If I could freeze you where you are forever I might...... or I might not. There is that part of me that will treasure each stage you go through and enjoy each one and each time will probably say the same thing. The thing I love most about the core of who you are is your tender heart and always wanting to do the right thing and when you don't you feel bad and want to make it right. I see you having so many of the same qualities that your daddy has the older you get and that will forever make me proud because I know one day you will know how to treat a lady. Lately you have been so eager to learn and I'm loving watching what we do together come alive for you when we read or do math...you just soak it all in. Your favorite things to do lately are school, nonstop I spy fun, building things with tinker toys, magnets, swimming in the pool, being outside, doing melting beads, building things with clay.......You have had the most fun filled week this past week for your birthday and the fun isn't over yet with more cousins and birthday celebrations this week. We've had beach days, water country days, many pool days. You were so understanding about not having a friend party when I told you all the things we would be doing this month. All you really cared about was "momma, do I at least get a cake?" Absolutely I told you...In fact there would be more than just one. You were very excited about that. So this week when Taylee and Aleigha come we will be having more cake, another Water Country day, more beach and pool days and whatever else may come our way because their birthdays are both the same time as yours.

You are the best little brother and as much as you and Alayna love to irritate each other you have just as much love for each other. I loved watching you two this morning hugging and kissing all over each other and to see Alayna's face brighten when you came down this morning and her little shreek..... "BRADDY.....HUG, HUG!!!! She keep wanting to hug you and jump on you and I"ll tell you, you loved every minute of it. Mommy and Daddy are both so proud of you dear son and we were both just saying how fast the time goes and where did the time go from the time we took you home from the hospital 5 years ago where we had the most special 4 days in the hospital back when our firstborn son was born....Bradley Scott Boyer.....a day we will never forget. We love you baby!!

You wanted a Spider Man Power Ranger birthday, so the cake was spiderman and the decorations were Power Ranger.

OOOOHH Presents!!

Brynne, Bradley, Alayna, Ryan

Trying to make friends

This little girl is hysterical when it comes to the our Ashleigh cat. She trys so hard to get the cat to like her. The other day she had the phone and was saying "kitty talk on phone" She herself LOVES to talk on the phone and thought the kitty would too I guess. She tries numerous times to get the kitty to take a drink from her sippy or she'll try to feed her some snacks, and loves to talk to her. Ashleigh is like "whatever" and hangs her head. The cat really doesn't like anyone but Craig and I and really am surprised she tolerates Alayna getting so close although she has swatted her a few times, but that doesn't stop Alayna from trying. The phone thing really took the cake and got a picture just in time. This girl keeps me laughing with what she says and does. Would you believe she calls me Mrs. Heidi because she hears her little friend Sarah call me that all the time. This morning it wasn't "MOMMY, a r you!" like she does most mornings when she wants out of her crib, it was "Mrs. Heidi, want out" Well, we are on day two of feeling happy and good. Bradley has a little trouble still finding things to eat that don't hurt his mouth, but we are making progress and on the upswing. YEAH!!!

Ok mom's on me again for not blogging about her babies and I said "what am I suppose to say I'm depressed, I don't feel good, I'm tired, my kids have been sick and cranky for a week with this absolutely awful virus called hand, foot and mouth disease (sounds deathly doesn't it)which is really gross and discusting. It gives you blisters in your mouth, hands, feet, and butt and they are so painful you can't eat anything solid. Due to the fact that several people I know have now contracted it I'm convinced they got it at the YMCA." She thinks I'm funny and asks "why are you depressed?" I say "no worries it's nothing chronic, it's hormonal and I'll get over it" I'm really thinking "why don't you just quit your job, get on the first plane and come see your favorite daughter in the whole world!!!" HA! Just kidding mom! I think it just all came to a head yesterday being cooped up like a chicken all week and to top it off my dear friend is moving to another country and found out their official leaving day is Friday rather than next week. So that also means Bradley's best little buddy since birth will be leaving too. Right from the get go they used to sit in their carseats side by side staring at each other or put up with Moneiva and I toting them all over the city so we could shop all day. So many memories and being pregnant all three times together. Only this time we won't be finishing up together to see each other's end result. Bummer! Anyway, the reality of that has sunk in and now it's time to be a big girl and realize this is just part of life and being a grown up. So on another note all funniness and seriousness aside.... today has been a great day with my kids, the depression has lifted, my kids are very happy, Alayna hasn't thrown one fit, I feel really good....so good, I woke up this morning and went for my first run in over a month. I sorta feel like me again. Don't get me wrong I've had alot of good days weaved in and it's getting better.....I was just tired of me and the kids not feeling 100%. Still so much to be thankful for and have to keep it in perspective right? I even put a roast in the crock pot to make a healthy meat, potatos and veggie meal for my poor deprived family who has so graciously put up with my lack of cooking and has been living so unhealthily. Mainly on pizza, fastfood, or nothing at all. The swingset has been in commission for awhile now except the tunnel across the top, but the kids and I spent the morning digging out all the grass from the space underneath by the roots to get it ready for the sand. We headed to Walmart and got some sand and now the sandbox is complete. They loved it and thought it was really cool to help with all the hard work. Bradley felt very important helping with such a "big job". "momma, did I get all the roots?" he kept asking. Even Alayna was in there pulling with all her strength. So we just had a backyard laborous fun kind of day today.