Adam leaving Part 2

Before Adam left we had an awesome week/weekend as a family, which may or may not have included multiple people throwing up....but I digress.  We got some great family pictures taken too.  These aren't the professional ones, just the candids that were the best.

 These kids love their uncle.  We make Max look at pictures of him a lot so he doesn't forget.

 the candids are a little Anna heavy.  She was the one in the best mood.

 I especially love the natural smiles.

 Looking at potato bugs.

 Dad also left for Saudi today.  I am sad.  It's been so fun to have him around for so long, and these two definitely have something special.  I told my Dad that I would take a picture a day for him while he was gone, so there's a chance this blog might not be so neglected.

Adam Leaving Part 1

 I got to talk to this guy this morning while he was at the airport waiting for his flight.  He sounds so happy and so excited and I thought of a million things I wanted to ask him after he hung up.  There's always letters:)

This is his graduation.  Josh begged to go and LOVED it.  He kept saying, "Mom I don't know why you thought it would be boring..."

 With the parents.  They don't look too bad for being empty nesters now:)

 After going through the temple.  Our whole immediate family was there as well as a lot of extended family.  It was wonderful.  With grandma and grandpa esplin.

 With "the sisters" as he refers to us.  Jessie ran into a old seminary teacher and asked him to take a couple of pictures outside the temple.  He noticed she was obviously pregnant and was teasing her about her old high school boyfriend whom he referred to as "Dixie Boy"   Then he asked where her husband was.  She pointed him out and said, "By the way that's Dixie Boy."
"Wait you actually married him?!"  Apparently high school sweethearts don't end up together too often these days:)  It was awesome.

Brady, Adam and Justin.  We missed Patrick.

Water!

 Our pool has been a hit this summer.... well for the time it's been up at least.  We got it up in June, then the pump broke and it was out until the week before school started, but it has been great.  Deep enough to have fun, not deep enough to drown.

 Becca and Anna loved it so much they couldn't be bothered with swim suits.

And I try and think of ways to keep Max happy if he sees the bigger kids swimming because it is too deep for him.  Buckets of water and "mean guys" so far have done the trick.

Belly Blowing

 I found these random photos mixed in with all the family reunion pictures:)  We love to blow on bellies and cuddle in our jammies around here.