Sweet Summer Time.

We're still alive, and like most of you, have been soaking up summer by staying so insanely busy we barely have time to sleep, which really isn't anything new. I have so many blogs I want to write to document our life. Blogs about the funny things the kids say, mom moments, being a nurse, documenting our life in our new home, amazing recipes, pictures, pictures, pictures ... I seriously don't have time for it all. Working full time leaves little room for much else, plus I am required to work every other weekend - that seriously cuts our summer in half. But here are some pictures of our summer thus far. And I apologize to my future self that I haven't documented more. When you're looking back wondering what was going on, just remember - we were having a blast.

Peace. Love. Camo. We really are rednecks.

Meet Blueby. And toothless Jackson.

Camping and fishing at Strawberry Reservoir. We caught 7 fish this trip!

Even Mia loves it, although you can't tell by the pained look on her little round face.
I promise I wasn't yelling, "Smile for the camera, damn it!" At least not this time.

Mega family time. Typical Dean family get together: Sara's trying to comfort Jack, Jeanie's hangin' loose, I'm in the center of attention, my mom is gorgeous as ever, my dad is just happy to be around his kids, Emily and Gunner are making the same face, Bob is the tallest one of us all - oh wait, except for that other tall random kid who no one knows, Rachel's cheesin' it, Mia's eating and making weird faces, and Tim and Devin are just there to hang out.



We got to spend one day with my favorite nephew, Gunner. I'm pretty sure he's growling "CARS! CARS! CARS!" One day wasn't nearly enough.



This marks our one millionth baseball game. This game was actually played on what we call the "Ron Dean Memorial Field" since my dad built it (with help, of course). It's actually his second baseball field he's built from the ground up. That man really loves baseball. "If you build it, he will come."




And this time his family weren't the only ones cheering him on. Awkwardly enough, there were a bunch of giggly teenage girls there to cheer him on as well. Heaven help us all.

A trip to the zoo. Gunner and his idol, Jack.

Jack with the map, leading us all astray.





Sara and Gunner. There is nothing better than an auntie.

If I am not mistaken, and given the look on my face, we are looking at the monkeys. "What does a monkey say?"

This doesn't even include pictures of swimming, gymnastics for both kids, BBQ's, slip'n'slides, late nights on the deck, roasting smores, tending the garden, and having Harry Potter marathons.


Here's to summer!