Kamryn at 6

She is a perfectionist in her schoolwork. There were a few times where she didn't read the instructions well enough, and then used a pen and did some things incorrectly, and she freaked out because she couldn't just erase it. She is not patient with herself when it comes to learning something new, she wants to be able to do it right the first time. And there was a couple of times she left her homework at school and was devastated, and hysterical.

She always requests ice cream cake, and because I'm lazy, I make a giant one for Wes's birthday which is 2 days before Kamryn's and then we eat the leftovers on Kamryn's birthday. She doesn't mind, and the rest of us certainly don't mind eating the giant ice cream cake.

 
• Kamryn loves trying to take care of Kimber. She is always jealous that Kimber sleeps with Hallie and not her. She likes to take baths with her, and to make Kimber laugh.
• Of all the kids, Kamryn is best buddies with Jaxson. They like to push each others buttons for sure, but they spend most of everyday together playing. Especially now that Hallie is getting a little older and likes to be alone more (and she reads a ton which excludes them). They like to ride bikes, play on the trampoline, play Pokemon/Rummy/Scum, go to Nana's house to play in her yard, and wrestle.
•  Kamryn weighs in at a whopping 35 pounds. She was hoping to be 40 so she could move to a booster, but no such luck.
•  She is the only kid of ours who has fallen off the horses. She fell off Hercules, twice, but took it like a champ and got right back on. She is probably still the bravest of the kids, I would say.
• She is reading simple chapter books, like Junie B. Jones. I should really get her reading Amelia Bedelia books because I think she would think those were hilarious.
• She wanted cowboy boots for her birthday, so I took her on a little date to pick them out and then we got a shake from Sonic. She kept correcting me, saying they were cow-GIRL boots.
• Kamryn is generally easy to please and likes to go with the flow. She likes to be included with the "big kids". She is a really picky eater. She doesn't really like meat, rice, beans, veggies, pasta, etc.  No wonder she is so tiny.

More of June-Ranch pics

One day when I was driving up to the ranch I saw this about 15 feet off the side of the gravel road. I was so stoked! I've always wanted to see a bear in the wild-I know they are up there, but have never seen one before. I stopped the car and it just kind of stared at me for awhile...long enough for me to take a few pictures. I was half tempted to let Gus out of the car to see if he could tree the bear.

One day it hailed like crazy for a few minutes and almost looked like snow where it had collected.

 

The three older kids usually ride for awhile with Wes, and then I usually bring down Addi and Kimber for a short ride. So they end up hanging out with me a lot.

We spent a lot of time up at the ranch in June. The cows have been up there since May, so Wes has to go every few days at least to check on them. Plus, we've been taking the horses up to ride a lot, and inviting friends up too.

The only proof of my pregnancy thus far (this was at 23 weeks)(photo courtesy of Addison)

Kimber and Britta...We had the Kings up to camp one night, and they got to ride the horses a bit. These two loved hanging out on the gate when it wasn't their turn to ride.

Summertime is always a blast when we are at the ranch! We are so blessed to have such an awesome place to retreat to.

Ombre Quilt

I made this really simple ombre quilt a month or two ago. It was probably the easiest and fastest quilt ever. I wanted something to simple to ease my way back into sewing after a few months of intense morning sickness, and this was just the ticket. I backed it with this aztec-y print that I fell in love with. I wish I could remember all the Kona cottons I used, but my memory is not that good. I know there was some Kona coral (the darkest), pale flesh (the lighest), and peach somewhere in there.

 

 I quilted it with lines on either side of each solid strip.

More of the horses

All 5 kids on Big Red

We had a really hot month in June...lots of 90's, which is about as hot as it gets here. There were some evenings where Wes and the older kids would go for rides around 7:30 or 8:00 when it had cooled off a bit. Then they would come back to the house and throw these younger two on for a minute before unsaddling.

 

 

Playing around in the empty feeder. The kids are learning just how much work it is to take care of horses. Hallie and Jaxson can feed them by themselves if they work together-it takes them a long time, but the hard work is good for them.

We got a pony a few weeks ago that we named Hercules. He was a little feisty in the beginning, and still has some quirks, but he is doing much better now that we have been working with him. Jaxson really loves riding him, and Hercules likes to go!

Even though he is not as gentle as the big horses, it's good to have Hercules around because he is small enough that Hallie can actually learn to bridle/saddle/etc all by herself.