overdue for photos

I know I am long overdue for photos.  I finally downloaded my camera, so we are going to binge here. Hold onto your seats.  . .

So the next few photos pre-date our Michigan move.  The kids love to help me wash the car.  We ALL get washed when we wash the car.  

 Lydia and Colton with their swim coach at the end of season party.  They were both proud of their medals. 

 The swingset in our Michigan backyard.  The first few days we were here the kids were out there ALL the time.  It was very convenient so I could un-pack.  And the line-up is always the same.  Josie gets the inside swing- or we all hear about it- Colton gets the middle swing and Lydia gets "The Race Car" as the kids have deemed that funny teeter/totter like swing on the end.  What do you call those anyway? 

 Our first weekend at our house, we left to go to Indy for the Indianapolis Temple Open house.  Mike has a sister who live in Indy now, so it was so fun to spend the weekend there and see the temple that we prayed for finally finished. 

 They had a tent outside of the temple with this Christus statue.  Colton was showing Josie Christ's nail prints in his hands and feet.  I LOVE these photos.  It just reminds me that one day we will see our Savior again and he will be so excited to receive the little ones with their perfect faith. 

 Colton turned 7 just a few days after we moved to Michigan- so we saved his celebration for when we were in Indiana.  He requested a dinosaur cake.  (Good thing I found the dinosaurs in time) What we didn't have was matches, but Uncle Kyle saved the day with something in his camping stuff. 

 Lydia started 3rd grade! 

 There are a bunch of trails in the woods by our house, so Mike's brother came up from Ohio for Labor Day weekend and we took all the kids riding.  It was really enjoyable.  And we had fun with family.  We are glad to have some family around. 

 Josie discovered this fun way to ride the skateboard down the driveway. 

 Yay for homeownership!  The AC leaks.  Thankfully, we had a warranty and got it fixed in a jiffy. 

 Breakfast at the Hansen house.

 Along with the swingset, the kids like the sandbox. 

 We have discovered the goodness of 7 eleven slurpees.  It has sort of become an after soccer game tradition to get one.  (And then watch college football once we get home)

 All those moving boxes had to find some creative uses.  The kids enjoyed making castles one day. 

 We have a bounteous apple tree in our front yard, so we have been making apple dishes.  Josie helped me make caramel apples- something I've always wanted to try since I LOVE them.  Silly girl is snitching the chocolate chips off of them. 

 Potty training.  I wish she always looked this happy throughout the process.  Let's just say it is a work in progress.  The princess dolls on the back of the toilet were her incentive and she has earned half of them.  We still have a ways to go before she gets the other half. 

 We have enjoyed the beautiful fall evenings and using our fire pit. 

 Colton's first day of first grade.  His front teeth are finally starting to grow back in and it makes me sad.  I love his toothless grin. 

 Soccer season has started. Both Lydia and Colton are playing and Mike is Colton's coach.  We have had some windy weather, some rainy weather, some beautiful weather. . . . I guess you would just call it soccer weather.  These two crazies took shelter from the rain in their 'fort' and had a grand time eating snacks and disassembling my purse while Mike and I watched Lydia play. 

 Might as well kick back and relax during all the soccer this girl gets dragged to. 

 The missionaries helped us trim our apple tree because they were so laden with apples the branches were all starting to break.  It was really nice to have some helping hands. 

Whew!  I should reappear from the basement and make dinner, but it was nice to have a few minutes of quiet reminiscing while I blogged.