a sandbox + a popsicle = happy kids

Kate sharing the sandbox with "Crazy" (aka Duke)

cute little girl!
Jackson continues to amaze me everyday at his ability to be SUCH A GREAT BROTHER!! In this way, he is JUST like his Daddy. Kate was going crazy when she looked up and saw that I had given Jackson a popsicle. She REALLY wanted some. Since she can't talk yet (with only a few exceptions), I translated for her and asked Jackson if he would mind sharing. With wide eyes and ZERO hesitation he said, "Oh! Sure Mommy! Here Baby Tate!" What a nice boy!!
She was loving it.
This is the "wait, come back I really want some more" face she made everytime Jackson took his turn with the popsicle
she finally grabbed it and got sand all over it (gross). luckily, the hose took care of that... quick fix! and everyone's still happy
This is my good boy! Unlike the neighbor boy who comes over to play with Jackson (aka steal all of the good toys and do a fair job of pushing my buttons and teaching Jackson phrases and attitudes I would rather he not learn for the next 5 years), Jackson hands me his popsicle stick... rather than throwing it on the grass... seriously! Were you born in a barn? I am SO grateful to have SUCH a wonderful, usually polite little boy.

"stinky fart face"

we don't use that word at our house, but this is the phrase my sister uses to describe this popular facial expression of Kate's. Parker is a pro at it too... one more reason they are alike. Most of us just make this face when the sun is in our eyes, but these guys take this expression to the max. Obviously, I think it's cute & funny or I wouldn't have posted it.
you can probably see why Tiffany calls it the "stinky fart face". It's like she's saying, "Gross, Mom! Can you smell that?"
There wasn't anything smelly, but it WAS very bright out and Kate won't keep her sunglasses on... she would rather chew on them or throw them and then insist that I pick them up & hand them to her for her to throw 50 more times. It's a great game! (We were watching Jackson during his swim lesson... it was a bit cold today, so I chickened out of going in myself... Kate and I took the day off and just enjoyed Jackson's lesson.)

Swim lessons: Session II

"Hi, Tate! Baby Tate, baby Tate, hi!!!" (so cute! I just love that they love each other!)
Hey mom!
Big kicks while teacher Robin helps him float
They worked on swimming with arms and legs simultaneously this week. We're not pros yet, but baby steps on our way!

just ONE chocolate chip cookie = bathtime

just one little chocolate chip cookie...
this little girl has talent!
straight into the bathy for these two messy kids. Jackson was being silly, but I couldn't catch his silly facial expressions on camera. He would stick his head under the running water and then look up at me with a silly face to get me to laugh, then once he could see, he would begin again.
why is it that kids do not/can not/don't understand the importance of looking at the camera at the same time?
oh, well. they're cute anyway and they're having fun

just like daddy

This is NOT my mouth, which then by default must be Parker's. (his dad would correct me and say, no, it's Kate's mouth... you know what I mean... we're all made up of a combination of 2 sets of genes, so her features HAD to come from one of us) Anyhoo... I just love the way Kate lights up when she smiles. We still get stopped during almost every visit to a public place by people complimenting Kate's and Jackson's beautiful blue eyes and those big smiles (which they obviously got from their Daddy)
what a crazy little girl (she is yelling here, in excitement)

I'm pretty sure she's teething again... tons of drool, hands or anything else in the mouth at all times.
silly Kate; always trying to make us laugh

Elder Benjamin Schwitters: Tulsa Oklahoma Mission, Sept 2009-2011

{photo taken August 2005}

My little brother (Benjamin) just got his mission call today... Tulsa Oklahoma! The mission is actually situated in the northeast corner of Oklahoma and also includes SE Kansas, SW Missouri, and NW Arkansas. He is to report to the Missionary Training Center September 2, 2009... only a few more weeks!! and will obviously serve for 2 years. He is really, really, REALLY excited to go and knows that there are many reasons that he has been called to this mission. {graduation}

{Eagle Scout project--sports camp for disabled children}

Map of Tulsa Oklahoma Mission!

CONGRATS, Bunj!!! We're really proud of you!

tired & sweet

I don't know what it is about watching your children while they're sleeping, but I love it! I'm sure you're not interested in seeing MORE pictures of my kids asleep, but it's my blog and my only journal/scrapbook of any kind at this point. Sad, huh? Anyway, it may not mean much to anyone else but these pictures make me smile to myself... my son is just like me in SO many ways. The only reason I don't sleep with MY stuffed animals (dogs) and blankets anymore is because Parker talked me out of it explaining that our bed would be a little crowded. He (to his knowledge) didn't have an animal or blanket that he was attached to (like a comfort something or other). I had lots. So does Jackson. I think it's a good thing. When he's tired or sick or just having a bad day, his puppies and blankets help him to calm down and comfort him. It's hard to explain to someone who didn't experience this. Anyway, look at his bed! Covered in comfy friends and blankies... so cuddly!

Fun on the 4th!

Parker and Jackson during our yard sale... which was a HUGE success, by the way! Holy smokes! I didn't know a person could accumulate so much money just by having a yard sale in a tiny town in southwest Idaho.
Jackson totally got into this water slide! We had so much fun on the 4th. The parents of an old friend are now our neighbors and they invited us to come to their family party. We had a blast!
Huge splash at the bottom! Jackson started getting a running start to get more speed... he was surprisingly a little daredevil.
This is Alan, the nephew of our friend (he's named after his grandpa, who is our neighbor now)
Jackson had so much fun playing with Annie & Alan, both 3 years old and just his size & speed.


Playing with "firecrackers" (aka Pop Its)




Annie, Alan, Jackson
Teeter-totter... so fun!
taking turns
[Jackson & Daddy] Jackson loved the cupcakes (big surprise). half had pink frosting and half had brown. after he finished his first cupcake (with brown frosting), he thought he needed to try a pink one. messy kid!
Listening to our friend Nick and his dad, Alan serenade us with their guitars
gross! pink frosting all over
sparklers... so fun!
Jackson loved the sparklers. It's a good thing we were at someone else's house because I'm pretty sure I may not have been brave enough to let him try these this year. Luckily, he didn't get burned once! Woo-hoo!
Totally mesmerized!

Happy 4th of July!!