{8.20.18 - 8.26.18}

My big kids light up when they get to hold Eli! 

Axel's skinny little legs crack me up and I can't get enough of his curls! // He's so much happier when he's upright.  

The girls have quite a collection on the fridge of items that they need to earn back with good behavior. Lyla decided she didn't need to wait for permission or help - which just about gave me a heart attack when I found her. // This little man is having a birthday this week and one of our favorite part about birthdays is making the desserts! Also...don't you love those curls!? 

Oh how I love these boys! 

That smile makes my heart smile! // We had a little adventure one night. Matthew and I were sitting watching TV when we smelled smoke. Matthew got up to investigate and saw smoke behind our house so we went outside and saw that the auto shop behind our house had caught fire. Our neighbors were evacuated but thank goodness no other properties were affected. Matthew didn't mind at all running the fire hose for a couple of hours!

Lyla thought it was so funny when Dad rode her bike! // I can't believe he's gonna be two! 

Axel's truck cake! I had a lot of fun making this cake! 

Axel got a strider bike for his birthday and he is already getting so good at it!

Eli's first real laugh! It is one of my favorite sounds!

{8.13.18 - 8.19.18}

Dad took us on a scouting trip. I love seeing all four of my kids in pictures...even when Axel is mad I'm making him sit down for yet another picture! Haha! 

See...he really wasn't mad the whole time!  

Axel picked out his outfit today. His shirt is very fitting! // Lyla is learning how to take selfies! 

I had a feeling Eli would be happier if he could sit up more, so we tried putting him in the swing today. I think he liked it! // My friend brought her babies down to visit. They will be one in October. I think it's so funny that her little boy, Eli is almost as big as Axel!  

Lyla and Reagan, Axel and Eli, Alya and Eli. These six littles are adorable!  

Eli hates to be on his tummy. // Axel inherited Daxton's old robe and slippers. They drown him but he loves them! He wakes up in the morning and wants to put his robe on first thing. 

Eli and Daddy!! 

Warm summer days are wonderful!  

Eli's first time in the Bumbo was a success! // Lyla drew a picture of me holding Eli! 

We went to visit Grandpa! I treasure pictures of my kids with their grandparents and great grandparents.

Baby giggles are THE BEST!

{8.6.18 - 8.12.18}

Jessica and Kenzie came down to visit us for the day. We had a lot of fun having a picnic at the park and swimming! 

Everyone loves to hold Mr. Eli! 

These two are so cute when they are getting along! // Eli has been to the swimming pool a few times this summer but hasn't actually been in the pool because he always falls asleep on the drive to the pool.  

Axel was clearly very happy to have Alya holding him! Haha! 

The best part of this bath for Axel was when I pulled Eli out of the sling so that Axel could climb into it! // I love the way Eli sucks his bottom lip in and tucks it under his top gums! 

Axel attacks me. Always. He doesn't just kiss me, though. He bites my lips or my cheeks or whatever else he can get his teeth on and he thinks it's hilarious! I think it hurts, but I also kind of love it! 

We had the Sorenson family reunion in Salt Lake this weekend so Grandpa took us to Park City to ride the lifts.

The views were so pretty!  

The girls got to have a sleepover with their aunts. Unfortunately I forgot to pack their swimsuits so Crystal had to buy them a new one. They thought it was great!

This is a favorite activity for all of us! 

{7.30.18 - 8.5.18}

8.5.18     My baby is three months old! He is really good at convincing me that he needs to be rocked or nursed to sleep and he only likes to nap for 30 - 40 minutes. He likes to eat at least once a night but I've been okay with that so far! He likes to be held and he's getting so good at controlling his head! I feel like he'll be sitting up in no time! He doesn't like to be on his tummy at all - he hates it more than any of my other kids have hated it! I've been able to get him to laugh multiple times but it's hard, and he definitely has to be in the mood! Haha! I'm so glad this sweet, smiley boy is mine! 

8.5.18  Eli was given a beautiful blessing by Matthew today!   

The kids love to "fly" on my feet and I love the smiles I get to see when we do it! // Lyla and Eli! He's getting better about letting them hold him!  

Alya and Eli // These kids are the greatest!  

Grandma and Grandpa came down early for Eli's baby blessing and took Matthew and the bigger kids fishing. They loved fishing on a boat, even though Lyla accidentally dropped her fishing pole into the lake. 

Axel is so excited about this fish! I'm not sure why the girls look so grossed out by it!  

I love this little boy with all of my heart! This picture of him is so darn cute!! 

He's getting so good at grabbing things and he loves to lay and kick...but only if I have him somewhere he can't be bothered...like on the counter while I'm working in the kitchen! Ha!

My sweet baby Eli! It's getting harder to lay him down and expect him to stay asleep for very long. He sure likes to be held! As hard as that can be, I know how fast they grow up and grow out of these phases, so I haven't pushed too hard to get him to fall asleep and stay asleep on his own!  

Luke and Diana came down a little early for Eli's blessing so we met up with Evan and Megan and had a BBQ. I really love these friendships! I'm so glad that I like all of Matthew's friend's wives! Haha!  

He really struggles with tummy time, but he is so stinkin' cute!  

Some of the kids at the BBQ. Evan's mom was so sweet - she got a little gift to give to all seven of the bigger kids.  

Diana and Megan and I took our kids swimming before the BBQ while our husbands worked on Evan and Megan's house. How dare we make the kids stop playing to take a picture, though! 

Some friends here in Ephraim invited us out to their parent's pond for family home evening one night. It was my first time on a paddle board and the girls loved playing in the canoes and swimming. They were so brave and I was so proud of them! Axel had every adult take him around on the paddle board and it was hard to convince him that it was time to take it back to shore.  

Oh how I love this smile! // I have a slight obsession with hands, and these are some of my favorites. I have many favorite little hands! 

I was doing my hair one morning with Eli laying where I thought he would be safe behind me on the bathroom floor. Axel came in the bathroom and before I knew it, he was dragging him out the door!

{7.23.18 - 7.29.18}

I love this! Haha! She is out! (Alya) 

Lyla is such a hoot! Her vest over her pajamas, her crazy messy morning hair and her big blue eye balls she stuck into her mask just crack me up!! // I love a freshly bathed baby!  

I think of all his siblings Eli looks the most like Alya. I also think Eli is a miniature version of Matthew. 

I can't help but smile when I see him smile. // We were invited up to some friend's property to camp for the day and their neighbors set up a zipline. All the kids went on it!! It was so great! This was the easiest way to pack Axel back and forth after he was harnessed in! 

Our 2nd annual 24th of July camping trip was so great! All our friends came to us this year because we didn't want to pile our whole family in our truck and drive that far with one of the kids in the front seat! I'm so grateful they were willing to come so far!  

Dad set up his hammock this year and got lots of quality time with each of the kids! (Left: Alya Right: Lyla) 

I'm very grateful all the moms have tricks up their sleeves to keep these kids entertained! They colored, they went exploring, the found bullets, they played in their treehouse, they went on a scavenger hunt, etc. etc. I think they had a blast!!

Almost all the girls (minus Gracie, Ainslee and Marlee) Left to right: Riley, Alexa, Beckett, Lyla, Alya, Annalynn 

We had a very successful dessert night! Haha! // I love their friendship!  

Everyone but myself and Eli went fishing one afternoon. It was pretty nice to have the camp all to myself for a couple of hours! Eli nursed/slept the whole time so it was very quiet and peaceful for me! And each of the kids were able to reel in a fish, which they all loved!  

One of the many games the Bair's entertained the kids with! // I brought a bunch of embroidery floss and was pleasantly surprised at how popular the friendship bracelets were! I think each of the kids ended up with at least one of them!  

I can't say enough how grateful I am for the friends that we have! I love when we can get all together and catch up on our lives...especially when we get to enjoy our beautiful mountains and have no distractions! But I think I love even more watching how much fun our kids have together! I hope these are friendships that will last through the ages!

This is Alya on the zipline. She was so scared but so brave! After this she did go again and liked it better the second time! 

This is Lyla on the zipline. I think she was nervous but I think she loved it! She also went a second time. 

Axel LOVED the zipline. As soon as he saw our friend Shane go down he knew he wanted to try it! I thought we would have to try putting him in the Moby wrap and sending him with Matthew or something like that, but he went on his own and he thought it was the greatest thing!! He also went a second time!