Tons of Fun!

Where to begin...we have just had a jam-packed fun-filled couple of weeks. Aunt Hannah came to play with us for two weeks. She really loves playing her guitar! The bigger the better! Aunt Hannah, Ella-marie and Levi having some bonding time.

At least a few of them are having a good time.

The spider ate Ella-marie!!! But luckily Miles is squishing it into submission.

Hunter, Grandpa, Ella-marie, Hannah, Levi, Grandma, Miles and Corbin.
Usually 50% smiling is pretty good, but not so much this day.

We went camping with the Hancocks and Hacketts to Giant City State Park in southern Illinois. FUN with a capital FUN! I'm suprised that we all survived in all actuality! Hunter had his 2nd birthday while we were there.

Levi, Miles, Spencer, Hunter (with two fingers), Ella-marie, Corbin, cousin Zach,

Aunt Michelle and Aunt Emily

Hunter opening some birthday presents.

Miles, Aunt Michelle, cousin Helen and Hunter playing with his birthday ball.

Hunter, cousin Zach, Ella-marie, Corbin and Aunt Emily with the birthday s'mores.

Ahhhh!! This is the best birthday ever!

All of the cousins (that can stand)

Corbin, Miles, Zach, Ella-marie, Quinn, Hunter, Helen

Chloe and Levi were nursing at this moment

For more pictures, visit Michelle and Ryan's blog at www.rhandmh.blogspot.com

Hopefully we will be able to recover soon from having so much fun.

Graduation!

Our amazing Miles graduated from Pre-K last week. I can't believe that the school year is already over! Where did the time go?? I think that Miles had the largest cheering section in attendance at the graduation party. I guess that's what happens when there are so many siblings to make this more exciting. He really is smiling in this picture, I just don't know why he has such a funny face on.

Also, Grandma and Grandpa Johnson and Aunt Hannah have been visiting us for a few weeks now and we have decided that they can never leave. Never ever. They will have to stay with us forever! Hannah will not be happy with that. I think that she doesn't appreciate being roommates with her close friends Corbin, Miles and Hunter...Something about Corbin snoring...

Levi loves having extra playmates!

I haven't downloaded the rest of the pictures, but I will soon. Oh, and Aunt Michelle...Aunt Hannah is in the running and trying to knock you out of the "Favorite Aunt" top spot. You'd better watch out!

Run Away!

Spencer ran over a nest of baby bunnies last week with the lawn mower. Luckily none of the babies were hurt, probably just their pride. Yesterday we decided that they were big enough to be taken to a nice new home with lots of space and clover to eat. Wasn't that nice of us? We decided to take some pictures because it was very cute to see the kids holding the bunnies on last time before letting them set off on their own in the big world.

Spencer was the biggest kid of all. He really, really, really, really wanted to keep one of the bunnies for a pet. Ha. Just in case we didn't have enough "things" to take care of. Corbin thought that his bunny was the cutest. Miles decided that his bunny was cuter than Corbin's bunny. Ella-marie said that hers was the mostest cutest princess bunny in the whole world.

And Hunter couldn't figure out why the bunny would start squeaking frantically when he would squeeze just a mite too hard.When it was finally time to let them go, three bunnies made of like a shot for the woods and relative safety found there. Two of the others learned a hard lesson...if you don't run away fast enough...those crazy children pick you up again....and if you don't run away fast enough again...they pick you up again...etc, etc, etc.

Run away! Run away!

We're so excited!

In honor of Grandpa Johnson coming to visit in a few weeks, Corbin and Ella-marie decided that they wanted to bask in the sunlight in our living room. For everyone who understands, this is a very funny picture.

Beans, Beans, A Magical Fruit...

...the more you eat them, the more you want to plant more!

Saturday was an exciting day in the Finch household. It was finally time to plant the garden! Spencer and I can't decide whether it's easier having more helping hands, or exponentially harder. I guess Hunter definately was a liability, but Corbin, Miles and Ella-marie did a great job! Here we are after planting the twelve tomatoes and six rows of green beans.

Michelle and Ryan, these are for you...Miles is planting the Peruvian beans, Corbin is planting the Colombian beans, and Ella-marie and I are planting the Brazilian beans. Spencer took care of the hot peppers. And Hunter is digging up the cucumbers that Spencer also had just planted. One step forward, two steps back...

Hunter was quite a mess after we were done. This picture was taken even after he had wiped his face with his hands. Before it had looked like he had brown boogers coming out of his nose. And also note the brown socks...really, they are white. Well, at least I hope they will be white again after I wash them.

A Photographic Montage

I have some photographs that haven't seemed to fit anywhere else this month,

so I've put them all together. Enjoy!

Levi, the cutest baby in the world

Many naked children. Perhaps we need a bigger bathtub!

How many people does it take to sweep the floor?
(I guess 3, but whether they are actually "helping" is debatable)

I have titled this photograph "Hunter, You Have To Wait Until After Prayer"

Toothless!

Corbin has had a loose tooth for quite some time, and an adult tooth growing in behind. Well, today we decided to bite the bullet (literally) and pull it out for him. Neither Spencer nor I realized beforehand how queasy and chicken we really were. This was definately a learning experience. I've included a photographic journal of our adventure.

Dental floss was a great idea. Spencer the eagle scout was able to lasso his tooth with some floss. Ella-marie, Miles and I sat on the floor in front and counted to 3. And this is the part where we realized that Spencer was a squeamish chicken. Poor Corbin...all of that anticipation...then nothing! So Spencer and I traded spots and they counted for me. On 3, I closed my eyes and yanked. Perhaps I should have kept my eyes open. It took a while to find the tooth across the room. Hehehe!

Corbin was very brave and didn't even cry. I think that he was so shocked that his mom could be so mean as to pull his tooth out that he couldn't even comprehend.

If that's not a sad face, then I don't know what is! Note, the little tooth in his hand!

Ta-da! We have success!
Final conversation...Spencer-"Corbin, how do you feel now?"
Corbin- "Toothless"