It's hard to believe that only yesterday Jacob first ventured off the shallow step! Tonight he is diving, jumping from the waterfall, letting Dad throw him off the side, and Jeffrey toss him through the air! He can swim the entire length of the pool! Way to go Jacob!
Samuel is asserting his Big Boy-ness. First the high chair became the ultimate insult. Next he thinks he should sleep in the big beds with the other boys, and actually went to sleep with Berkeley on Saturday. Now he is spending less time in the cupboards and more time working with Legos and Lincoln Logs (much to Jacob's dismay). He is talking more and more, and can even put on his own shoes! I'd be sad about my baby growing up if I didn't totally enjoy getting to know this little person he is becoming!
Sam is mad because we told him to wait until we were done singing to blow out the candles.
It's all going to be ok.
Dawson took out those ten candles one at a time, guess he gets a lot of wishes! 
Has anyone else noticed that Sam is a HAM?
Thanks to Dawson's Best Bud's Trey and Armando! They had a fun day at the movie watching Disney's UP in 3D. We had also told Dawson he wasn't getting video games for his birthday, but Dad just couldn't help himself. So this is a real surprise face if you couldn't tell....
Amazingly, we are now a ONE pet family. After a week of family council it was agreed that snakes are no longer part of our family. The Stevie incident reminded us of the nature of snakes, and we decided that the little boys are WAY too comfortable with them. So there will be no more capturing and playing with wild snakes. 
Unfortunately, we have also said goodbye to our friend Ricky. He went to live with Jeffrey's buddy K.J. What a great kid Jeffrey is to be willing to make such a HUGE sacrifice to submit to the will of his parents, and do what is best for the family as a whole. The ever incredible example of our first born son. 
We did a little family history and some relay games.
Knot tying can be harder than it looks.....
Berkeley learned to play marbles, and was an aggressive gladiator.
At the end of the day we went to the Jr. High swimming pool for the boys to pass off a few requirements and then have a free swim.
Dawson walked out onto the diving board, was having a hard time safely maneuvering past the hand rail with his impaired depth perception . He simply stopped, looked at he board, turned around to the boys waiting in line, lifted his arm in the air and proclaimed, "I have made my decision, I am not going to be jumping off the diving board." and then walked back down the ladder. He wasn't a bit self conscious about it. I was so proud of him! (And it was very cute!) 
The DELL photographer snapped this at an event on Maui.
If you want the details on the trip you should check out Jeffrey's blog! 
Here is a more fuzzy and "ahhhh, cute" catch. The first thing that prairie dog did was just what every other critter does...escaped and ran beneath my piano.
This little guy is a little more clever than the biting lizards. When the boys finally got him out, he was all limp and dying. The guys were crying their heads off cause they though they had killed the poor thing. I could swear it was peeking at us though, and sure enough when they went out back to put him to rest, he took off at lightening speed! MORE TEARS!
The boys are on constant search and seizure missions. There is no wall too high to scale, no bush too thorny to search. Berkeley is a man on a mission. Don't think a blood drawing bite will win your freedom , he has sustained millions of bites all for the cause. Some lizards have found temporary refuge under pianos, couches, or camouflaged against the fireplace - only to be discovered and reported by Mom. Your best plan of action is just to patiently wait out the "Two Day Rule" which states that "No lizard shall be retained as a permanent resident/pet and may only be held as such for a maximum of two days thereafter to be returned to it's habitat to maintain nature's (and Mom's) delicate balance." Since the time of it's inception this law has been amended to include snakes, frogs, toads, birds, and prairie dogs. 
Steve and Rebecca
Gina and Mike
The view from our pool!
