He's growing up...

Happy 11th Birthday, Nathan!  

There are so many reasons to celebrate you.  Thank you for being such an obedient, helpful, loving son.  You're a great brother to your sisters.  Baby "Charlie" adores you! 

Favorite birthday gift:  The Lego Mindstorm.  

Tonight our family attended Nathan's final Cub Scout pack meeting.  He was awarded his Webelos Badge and several other activity badges and belt loops.  He is excited to become a Boy Scout. 

Nathan designed and frosted his own "Froggle" cake.

Yellowstone National Park

This past week, Brian took Nathan and Maren to Yellowstone National Park for the Giles Family reunion (Christine, Caroline and Charlotte hunkered down at home with Grandma Butler).  Family members came from New York, Washington, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and Texas (of course).  The trip was a great way to re-introduce our two oldest children to their Giles cousins and the beauty of the Mountain West.

DAY 1:  Today's highlights were grandparents, cousins, and talking like pirates (ARRR, matey!) while rowboating on Yellowstone Lake.

DAY 2:  Brian and kids enjoyed seeing buffalo (keeping our distance because tourists had recently been gored), hiking to Yellowstone's Lower Falls and horseback riding!

DAY 3:  Saw Old Faithful and some colorful "golden-mantled" ground squirrels.  Ate lunch on the outdoor deck at the rustic Old Faithful Inn.

DAY 4:  A morning hike to beautiful Harlequin Lake and visit to Midway Geyser Basin and Grand Prismatic Spring.

DAY 5:  Final day of sightseeing was capped off with the Grand Tetons and a cool dip (plus a captured toad) in Colter Bay.

This summer vacation will provide lots of great memories for years to come.  Thank you Giles Family!  

"Misery" by Nathan

Nathan turns a little misery into laughter through his line drawings and captions.

Misery is when you are wearing your favorite t-shirt and your mom asks you to hold your baby sister after she has been nursed.

Misery is when you have practiced your recital piece for months and, when it is time to perform, you forget how it starts.

Misery is when you place an online order for a tadpole and three weeks later the company informs you that, due to the hot weather, the tadpole will be sent in four months.

Misery is when you have four sisters and no brothers.

Misery is when you build an awesome Lego structure and, when your mom is dusting your bedroom desk, it falls to the floor and breaks.

Blessing Day

This past Sunday was a very special day for our family.  Baby Charlotte was given a beautiful blessing by Brian.  She looked so angelic dressed in heavenly white.  This dress was also worn by Sarah on her blessing day.  It was a tender occasion for our family.  We felt the sweet presence of Sarah throughout the day.  How grateful I am for my eternal family.

Celebrating U.S.A.

We celebrated the fourth of July in Houston this year.  Our community hosted a children's parade and carnival.  Nathan joined his Cub Scout troop riding on his patriotic bike in the parade. He was awarded the "Best Decorated Bike" and received a gift card from Toys R Us!     

   

Caroline's favorite carnival attraction was the train.

Our local grocery store provided watermelon, crafts and carnival games.

Maren had a lot of fun paling around the park with her good friend, Katie.

Baby Charlotte was content snoozing in the shade.