What's That Plant?

As a family we went on a hike at the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, with a tour guide identify all the plants in the area. I took lots of pictures of the plants that they were telling us about and their fun facts. But when I wait to blog about it five months later, I have forgotten all the names of the plants that should go with the pictures. So I am not going to put any pictures of the plants but of my family, because I can remember who they are. Just kidding.

 Here we are at the beginning of the hike, everybody else had backpacks except our family, the others were prepared :0). Luckily it is not that long of a hike maybe quarter of a mile.

 Here Kallie is next to one of the plants they identify, isn't she cute.

 This is once we reached the end of the hike at the lake. The bugs were pretty thick down at the lake, we are brushing the bugs as the picture is taken.

 Karlee even found some plants in hidden, under the boardwalk back.

 After the tour guided hike, we decided to go on a family hike deeper into the refuge. Karlee is being our leader here.

Hiking buddies!

We had a lot of fun being hiking and learning all about the plants in Alaska, even though I can't remember them :0) But being together as a family.

June Summer Pics

With being in this different house and the kids out of school we have been finding lots of things to do to fill our days.

 Kallie has picked up baking and loves it. She is always wanting to make something out of the Ellison family cookbook. Kelsie and Karlee play along as though she is doing a cooking show. She made us a lot of yummy treats this summer.

 When then sun comes out I make sure the kids get out. It was a really nice day about 70 degrees and so all the kids raced and put on shorts to go outside. They love the swing set. We also go on a lot of walks around town.

 Kelsie loves to pick these flowers and thinks they are the best.
Love the freckles.

With having a yard, along comes the grass. We are grateful to have the yard and grass. And Jaron really enjoys mowing it. Really he does, he is always asking to mow :0)

Happy Birthday Kelsie!

Today was Kelsie's actual birthday. I felt bad that she was kind of sad at her birthday on Saturday and so I want to made sure that she had a fun birthday. She woke up to presents and her birthday crown.

Kyle had to take a class at the hospital for the day and so he could not spend it with us. But before he left he made her her favorite breakfast panCAKEs. We piled seven candles on there and sang Happy Birthday.

 Good Morning Sunshine!

 After her breakfast she torn into her gifts. One thing that she was really wanting was a tennis racket and balls. She wants to become a famous tennis player and a private eye. She got her tennis racket and is excited to hit the court.

After getting ready we headed out on the town and went to McDonald's for ice cream. 

Got have ice cream on your birthday!

  Then headed to the bounce house in town.

"Jumpin Junction" 

 She loved it!

 She also loved getting all the calls from family far away calling to sing Happy Birthday!!

Thank you to all those that called and sent cards.

Then a second trip to McDonald's for dinner of Happy Meals, her choice.

She was one happy girl.

Happy Birthday Kelsie we love you and all the joy you bring to our family.

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day

to Dad and Kyle you both are such awesome dad's!

 Jaron had made a gift for Kyle for Father's day at school before it got out. He held onto that gift and made sure that it came with us in the move. It was cute the bag said "Top secret classified" with like fifteen staples to seal it close. It was a cute book of all of Jaron's drawing of the past year, such a keeper he has the cutest drawings.

 The kids also made Kyle a crown that said the "Worlds #1 Dad".

 I also took the kids to the park. It was a beautiful day, one of the few days that the sun was really came out this summer. So it was nice to get out and enjoy it. I wanted to get a picture of them with We love daddy on the bottom of there feet. I saw someone else had done it and thought it would be a fun picture for Kyle :0)

 Since I had all four kids there I wanted to get a group shot of the kids for the wall. Lately Karlee has not been into getting her picture taken and she will really be a pill about it. So here are the three older ones...

And Karlee trying to hide from the camera.

 But I got a picture of that cutie.