Summer

Unfortunately, I took very few pictures this summer. Our summer mostly consisted of being pool rats and going to the pool every day for swim team and just fun family swim time. Van loved swim team and was able to participate in his first swim meet by the end of the summer.

Merick has grown to love the vroom-vroom as much as her brothers and loves nothing more than when they are willing to give her rides.

Fun with Family

Amber and Sean came for a weekend to celebrate Cora's birthday. The kids always love having cousins around.

We met up at Raccoon Creek State Park in Pennsylvania for a fun camping trip

Dad came to town to ordain Jared as a High Priest and was able to come with us and celebrate his birthday.

Hiking

We found our new favorite lake beach to play at. The kids were so happy.

The kids get to have as much fun on Jared's stand-up paddle board as he does.

It was very special that Dad could be here when Jared was set apart to be in the bishopric and ordain him as a High Priest. 

A few of our favorite things

We found our new favorite place. It is a "mountain biking" trail for the boys to ride their bikes on. It is perfect for them and they love it so much. It's our new favorite family tradition because the boys have so much fun and it is gorgeous. 

The end of gymnastics. The boys love their gymnastics teacher.

It is impossible to get 3 kids to pose the same way for pictures!

Jared surprised Van with a new motorcycle, Van has been in heaven riding it.

Merick turns 1!

Merick's favorite things at age 1: doggies, daddy, pancakes, food in general, people (she's very much an extrovert), playing outside, and being involved in anything she sees her brothers doing.

She loves food! She completely demolished her birthday cupcake so quickly. She's our first child to do that.

Such a happy girl

She loves playing mini golf like her brothers. She is actually very good at it.

Her favorite thing to do is eat on Daddy's lap

Wardy is 3

Happy Birthday to our sweet, fun, mischievous little guy. He loves peanut butter, tools, building, wrestling, helping mom, digging for worms, playing outside, and doing anything with his daddy. His smile and laugh are contagious and we adore our little Wardy!

Wardy wanted to celebrate his birthday at Chuck-E-Cheese since the boys LOVE it there. 

Ward now has a tool bench to do all his "building" at and a toolbox exactly like his dad's which he was so thrilled about. It is adorable when he gets out his toolbox to help dad with his projects.

Easter

The kids had a fun day with their cousins doing an Easter egg hunt and playing

Catching Up

Merick decided to just start taking steps on her own at 10 months and then never stopped.  Now she's working on running! She has to keep up with her brothers.

She loves to jump on the trampoline

We did a Superhero 5k and kids run but it happened to be a freezing day.

Ward loves to snuggle with his Dad. Especially this past few months with his molars coming in. He is our snuggly boy.

I love this picture. They were just adorable working together to make a bucket-hoisting contraption

As soon as daddy comes home or wakes up, all 3 kids just pile onto  him. Even Merick loves to wrestle with her daddy.

Jared's new way to keep up with the boys when they ride bikes.