July pics

Here are some pictures from earlier in July that I never got posted:

Sawyer hanging out on our back deck.

Bennett checking out our new tent for the first time, when Erik set it up in our backyard.

Sawyer checking out the tent too :)

Sawyer took a nap while we were hanging out in the tent, Bennett loves snuggling with (a.k.a. waking up) Sawyer while he is napping!!!  He really is quite gentle though, such a good big brother :)

After we got back from North Dakota last Tuesday evening, I worked Weds, Thurs, Fri and Erik was home watching the boys, then we actually had a WHOLE DAY OFF TOGETHER on Saturday!!!  So we took advantage of the time and took a walk to the park.

Bennett wanted to get out to play obviously, but Mommy wanted to get a quick picture first, to show how Sawyer is sitting like a big boy in the stroller now too!!!  It works out so nice because if he falls asleep sitting there, that chair in the back can be laid down flat like a bed.  It is the best stroller ever!!!

The Long Term Care Unit where I work had a carnival the other day, for little kids to come play games and win prizes and treats.  (The residents LOVE little kids!!!)  We were planning on getting there on time but Bennett ended up taking a 4 1/2 hour nap that day, he didn't wake up until 6:15 and the carnival was over at 7, but we made it there right at the tail end, and Bennett got some treats and got to try cotton candy for the first time!  Here is a cute picture of Sawyer with two of the nursing assistants I work with, Nina (on the left) and Mariann (on the right).  They are cousins :)

The good thing is, if Sawyer ever goes missing, we'll know exactly where to find him... with these two girls!  

They love Bennett and Sawyer so much :) :) :)

A SUPER cute outfit that a nice lady from church gave to Sawyer on Sunday!!!

My goodness, he is getting so big so fast...... he is sitting up on his own now too!  Will get some pictures of that and get them posted soon :)

North Dakota or bust!

We started our journey to North Dakota a little later than planned, due to a nasty flu bug that went through our home right before we were scheduled to leave :(  Luckily Sawyer and Laurel never got sick but Bennett, Erik, and I had a rough few days.  We left on a Wednesday evening and drove to Butte, Montana that first night.  Erik set up our tent in the middle of the night and we got a few hours of sleep there before we packed up to leave again Thursday morning.

Sawyer's first morning waking up in a tent!!!  I think he liked it! 

Daddy was still tired :)

The campsite in Butte on Thursday morning.

Bennett helping Daddy pack up camp.

A yummy breakfast of berries!

Now that I have a new phone that takes great pictures, I have started realizing that I don't use my real camera as much anymore... I need to learn how to upload pics from my phone onto my computer.  Anyway, from that morning in Butte (Thursday morning) I don't have any pictures on my camera until the wedding reception on Saturday night! How sad!  This is a funny pic of Bennett at the reception... he's looking a little disheveled after his afternoon of being angry because his nap was cut short!  He finally cheered up after he got to eat 15 chocolate peanut butter cups at the reception :) :) :)

Telling stories to Great-Grandpa Allan.

I brought nice socks for him to wear at the wedding...but... mama screwed up and left them back at the Knutson home when we packed and headed over to the Draxton barn for the wedding... oops!  White socks in all the pics!!!!!  lol.  Oh well, just another memory :)

We had a relaxing day at the Knutson home in Hatton, ND all day on Sunday after the wedding, before we headed for home again on Monday.  

Sawyer was so happy hanging out with Uncle Anders!!! (Bennett was too I might add!)

Cousin Kari!

Bennett looking at "Awkward Family Pet Photos" with Uncle Anders, and Sawyer sitting with Aunt Marta.

I think they're related!

We decided to stay in a hotel in Billings on the way home, luckily there was a pool at the hotel we picked, because Bennett LOVES jumping into the water and into Daddy's arms!!!

Some lady at the pool asked if we wanted a picture of all of us, we said sure! :)
Too bad the boys didn't cooperate!

I was soaked from getting splashed by people coming down the waterslide.

Bennett making his bed in the drawer in the hotel room ;)

On the home-stretch! Billings to Chewelah, day seven of our vacation!  

Bennett enjoying his breakfast platter from McDonald's :)

The boys EXCEEDED our expectations on how they would do with traveling so far & so long in their car seats... four days on the road total... we were pleasantly surprised!  With me as the entertainer in the backseat for the boys and Erik as the driver, we made a good team :)  

It was so wonderful to be able to be there for Abby & Nate's special day... what a beautiful wedding it was, and we are so happy to have another new brother-in-law!!!  
Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Weller!!!!!!!  
We love you both so very much!

Oh, p.s. Sawyer got his first tooth in on the day of the wedding!!! July 20th, just under 5 months old!  One of the bottom front teeth, and the other one is just visible under the skin so it will be any day now for that one to break through!  What a big boy :)

Sawyer 4 1/2 Months

Our new BIG tent!, and Mini Donuts!!!

4th of July video montage

I didn't realize that "the powers that be" in the blog world changed the way you upload videos, so when I posted this video on the 4th of July post it didn't work I guess.  So here it is so you can actually see it!

Bennett gettin down at Chataqua!

Pics from the past couple days

Great action shot!

Let the good times roll

A few pictures from mine & Erik's golfing date on the 4th of July:

Chewelah Golf & Country Club

It was sunny & hot & I got a lovely sunburn!

(that already turned into a tan!)

Erik attempting a putt for par...

... he missed... but he beat me in the end anyway! lol

A really cool view of the Chewelah valley from the golf course!

Happy baby on the 4th of July :) :) :)

Tired baby on the 4th of July!  :)

We went on a family walk to the park on the evening on the 4th... and we had the place all to ourselves except for one other family of four!!!  Everyone in town must've been out on the lakes getting ready for the fireworks.

Look at the tiny baby in the stroller... ;)

Bennett & Daddy played in the creek that runs through the park, and they got soaked!  And when the sun went down the temperature dropped fast, so Bennett was shivering by the time we got home but he didn't even seem to notice!  He had so much fun playing in the water, it was his first time getting in the creek :)

Pictures from a while ago:

Bennett loves to take care of his brother already, he is always offering him his beverages...

...and offering his pizza too!

Sawyer's face is saying, "Yep, i'm almost 100% sure i'm not supposed to be eating pizza yet!"

Kind of a cool random picture I took of me & the boys the other day:

Pictures of the boys playing outside, notice Bennett's rad new hat he got with his birthday money!

A little video montage from our adventures on the 4th:

The Bollands stopped by!

Our friends from Hood River, Jake & Brianne, who also have two boys who are 20 months apart (just like our boys!), stopped by to see us today as they were headed home from visiting the area... we miss them so much and it was soooo nice to see them again :)

Baby swap!  Or, Mom swap, depending on your perspective :)

Handsome little Kingston walking with Laurel! 

An attempt to get a picture of all the boys together on the couch... 

this was the best one I got on my camera!  

We didn't have high hopes of it being successful so we were ok with the less than perfect results :)

Bennett was going in for a smooch on Kingston in this pic!

Group shots!

These are funny because in this first picture, both toddlers are looking at the camera and the babies are not...

...and in the second picture, the babies are looking at the camera and the toddlers are not!

Sawyer 4 months, Kingston 10 months, Bennett 2 years, and Barker 2 1/2 years :) :) :)

What amazing little blessings these beautiful boys are!

A few videos of their visit:

Bennett playing with his buddy-since-birth Barker!

Bennett was sad to say good-bye when it came time for them to leave :(

(Mommy was sad too... I contemplated abducting their whole family to keep them with us in Chewelah for a while longer!!!)

We found out that Barker does NOT like Starbursts!!!

THANK YOU for stopping by Bolland family!!!!!!!!!!!  

Next time we need to spend at least a week together I think!!!  :)

100 Degrees and rising...

It sure has been hot here, but our trusty little window a.c. unit is keeping us nice & cool inside the house!

But we can't be cooped up all day of course, gotta brave the heat in order to get some fresh air!

"Ok... what am I supposed to do now Mom?"

Trying his first food! Avocado!!!!  

He didn't seem to mind it, but his tongue-thrust reflex is still too strong so he can't quite eat it, he ends up spitting most of it out.  It was just an experiment anyway, we'll try again in a week or two :)

Sawyer's first text:

"Dad you've got to do something... Mom is making me eat some strange green stuff... please help ASAP!"

He likes this new contraption!  

Well, new for Sawyer... hand-me-down from Big Bro of course :)

Bennett loves playing with the hose, it's a great activity on these hot hot days!!!

No need for clothes when the temp is 105.

Little stinker ;)  Gosh I love my boys!  

That is hubby included!... Who I get to go on a date with on the 4th thanks to Laurel!!!  

Golfing & maybe we might even get crazy and go out for dinner too! lol ;)