McDowell Family Reunion

It was our turn to host the reunion this year.  We knew for a while that we wanted to go camping and last year we found the perfect spot when we were camping with Devin's sister.  We took everyone camping up at Bull Trout Lake.  We found 2 sites right on the lake, away from any other sites.  I reserved them clear back in January to make sure we got them.  It was perfect, minus the horrible amount of mosquitoes and the fact that my youngest sister couldn't make it.

Cousins from oldest to youngest

The girls getting drinks out of the pump

Bailey didn't make it very long on the walk before she was out

The little girls had fun reading Kelci's books

They even talked Grandpa into reading to them

Remember the mosquitoes I mentioned?  Ryleigh was showing Uncle Nathan all of her mosquito bites.

The kids had fun playing Ashlyn's new game

Bentley was a champ on his first camping trip.  Thanks everyone for offering to hold him.

The Uncles teaching Blake how to cut firewood

Some of us braved the cold lake.  Devin's shoe got stuck in the muddy bottom of the lake.  It was like clay. 

The last evening, the majority of the crew headed down the road to test out the hot springs.

We had such a great time! Thanks for everyone's help and making the trip out.  Can't wait for the next one!

Photo Shoot

I took some pics of little Bentley the other day so I could make a collage for his bedroom.  Here are a few of my favorites.

Lucky Peak

Grandma and Grandpa Larsen came to visit to me our little Bentley.  They brought Demitri and Amaryah along too.  So we decided to take them out to Lucky Peak for some fun in the sun.  Auntie Ann and the kids joined us for the afternoon too.

Amaryah was sure she didn't want to play in the water.  It didn't take her long before she was in playing with the kids.

Brynley digging in the sand.

Zach digging too.

Auntie threw Bailey up on the tube with Ryleigh.  They thought it was pretty funny.

Demitri pulling Ryleigh and Brynley around in the tube.

Zach can't get enough of his new little cousin.  

Ryleigh the water carrier.

Bentley enjoying his first time at the lake in the stroller.

Bentley Wallace

I was scheduled to be induced Sunday morning but since I tested positive for Group B Strep, my doctor wanted two doses of antibiotics in me before they induced.  So we spent all day in the hospital and finally started the induction at 4:30 that afternoon.  My doctor broke my water at 4:30 but I wasn't making much progress.  They started pitocin at 10:30 and Bentley finally came at 2:03 Monday morning.

7 lb 12 oz

21 inches long

My biggest baby, not that it took much to be bigger than his sisters.

Aunt Nicole and Grandma brought the girls to meet him at the hospital.

Ryleigh was pretty excited to see her new brother that she had been waiting for.

Bailey was pretty curious and had lots of questions about her new brother.

Ashlyn got to miss a few days of school to come meet her new cousin.

Zachary is so excited to have another boy cousin.

Bentley couldn't keep his blood sugar up so they admitted him to the NICU to give him fluids and antibiotics in case of infection.  He ended up not having an infection and kept his blood sugar up with after getting fluid so he only had to spend two days.

We finally got to go home on Wednesday right before lunch!

Ryleigh and Bailey were so excited to finally have him home.

Ryleigh asks several times a day to hold her baby brother.  She would hold him all day if I let her.

Nap time and snuggles with Grandma.

Pre Kinder Graduation

I can't believe Ryleigh is going to be a kindergartner this fall.  She can't be old enough to already be going to school.  She had a lot of fun this year with pre-k.

 They started the graduation with a few songs they learned through out the year.

Ryleigh and two of her friends.  Her best friend ended up not making it to graduation.

Happy 5th Birthday, Ryleigh!

Ryleigh turned 5 on Friday!  I can't believe it.  She has been talking about turning five for several years because that meant she would be able to go to kindergarten.  I had a half day on Friday so we took her to lunch at Red Robin.  She wanted to wear a dress on her birthday so she looked cute opening presents.  She got to open presents from family that night.  Devin said she was asking all day to open them.  She even asked the second she woke up if she could open them before I went to work.

She was very excited to get the movie Frozen from Grandpa and Grandma McDowell.

And she was just as excited to get the one gift she asked for, a make-up kit from Bailey.

Saturday we had a little birthday party for her.  Again, she wanted to wear a dress for the same reason, to look cute while opening her presents.  She is such a girl!  She had her cousins and a few friends come to a Princess Party.  We started out playing Princess Bingo.  Even Zach and Mason played along.

 Bailey, Brynley and Madison

 Avery, Ryleigh and Ava

We played a find Cinderella's glass slipper game and then got up to the table for some cake and ice cream.  Ryleigh has been talking about the kind of cake she wanted for several months.  She requested a cake with all the princesses.  I found a cute picture on Pinterest of a castle with the princess figurines on it.  We were able to find all of the princess she wanted except Elsa.

Then everyone gathered around for presents.

We are so grateful to have Ryleigh as part of our family.  She is growing up way too fast.  We love her to pieces!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

We have been talking about doing a garden for several years now and we finally made it happen.  We have a section in the back yard that sprinklers didn't water well so we dug it up and made it our garden.  We planted cucumbers, squash, peppers and tomatoes in little pots to start out with before we dug up the spot for the garden.  Once we had the spot ready we planted corn and then carrots.  Every thing has sprouted except the carrots but they were the last thing we planted. 

Here is the progress thus far.  The girls are having fun watering and watching the plants grow.  It's fun to go out and see new plants popping up.

 The corn is to the right of the little pots.

Next weekend we will replant the potted ones into the ground.  Here's hoping we get some yummy veggies.