Happy birthday!

Happy Birthday to Jim: my husband, partner, and best friend!

(note to self or others: needing pictures of just Jim and I together)

Good food, good times

One of my favorite summer pics!
She insists on starting from the bottom

I love the fact that Kady is such a good eater. She eats well, yet is pretty particular in a way. One day she will eat the whole bag of grapes, but another pushes them away and makes faces like I'm trying to poison her. Gotta be in the mood I guess.

There are also no guesses about what she ate, because when she is done she does what I like to call "decorating". Kady styles her hair in great ways using leftovers on her plate. Ranch is a favorite, but anything wet, sticky, gooey, or colored seem to work quite well!

gooey goodness (part 3)

So in addition to eating like kings and queens at every meal (and the whole time in between) we were also able to enjoy smores this year! We had an awesome fire pit to sit around. Everyone loved them, especially Reagen, Lucy, and Kadence. There is just something about the mixture of crunch, goo, and chocolate that I find irresistable!

"you wanna kiss?"

Don't worry, I'll get my own


Lucy and Reagen

YUM

Here, I have two, I'll share!

Cousins (cottage part 2)

Kady giving kisses, what a sweet, sweet girl
Lucy and Reagen at Stephanie's salon. Fingers and toes were the special that day

Reagen and Lucy "doctored" Joseph and Mya, what good little patients they had

Story time

Eating breakfast on the stools...the two big girls

Lucy loved playing with Joseph and Mya

Kisses from Kadence

Cute girls in matching pj's

The 3 little kids

Mya and Lucy making funny faces

One day they will appreciate how close they are all in age. Five kids under the age of 3. Every year we love to see them together. This year Lucy and Reagen actually played together which was so fun to see. They disappeared in Reagen's bedroom to jump, play, read, and just be silly. The younger 3 were angels. All good natured, happy, and fun--Mya papaya, Rea-Rea, Lucy-goosey, Jo-Jo, and Kady (no good nicknames for Kadence), we love you guys! Until next year....bets on if there will be any newbies by then?

back to reality

I could get used to cottage life. I try and tell myself that it's more enjoyable because I don't get to do it all the time....but if vacationing was my job, I would definately earn billionaire status.

I have no way to include everything in one post so I am going to dedicate this week to some of my favorite moments at the Lake. Martha's cottage was a perfect place for the whole Koops family to get together and share a week. It meant so much to slow down, relax, read, talk, and connect.

Lazy days on the beach play time in the water and sand
Lake Michigan had perfect water temps for the week. We got to enjoy days with "rollers" and another calm day so the kids could really play in it

Amazing sunsets

Happy fourth!

Justice riding pluto, pretty speedy

The girls really loved the "whipper snappers". Jovie smashed them with her bare piggies!

Kadence loves being outsdie and getting dirty!

Simon loved getting dirty as well, he did take it a step farther when he showed us how good dirt tastes!

Daddy and Lucy with Zuma

At the Cascade Parade

Jovie and baby Zuma

kady Loved the fireworks (which totally surprised us!)

Our group at Gun Lake fireworks! So big now that we needed two views!

Lucy's prayer

The many faces of Kadence

Summer lovin'!! She loves popscicles!

Wanna see what I was eating??

Ahhh, so peaceful

come on mom, are we done with this yet? I want to see those dutch dancers!

Little diva in the making

Poolside fun--yet not too sure what to make of it

Don't mess with my thumb or my blankie!

Not that anyone wants to hear their own child scream, much less someone elses....but here is one of Kady's minimal tantrums. One day she'll thank me for this! ;) We love her strong personality. (please turn down your volume!) I have yet to get a really good smile on camera. She gives out lots of those, and kisses, she is such a lover. The problem is we never know what to expect from her, and it can change in a matter of seconds! Love you Kady-Kate.

So it must be a sign that the video will not download x2.....