May-July 2014

This summer I didn't work and so was lucky to get to spend lots of time with the kids.  We kept busy with swimming lessons, almost daily visits to the neighborhood pool, Koen's golf camp, Koen's Bug Camp at the Botanical Garden and lots of fun activities at the library.  Kenn, unfortunately, doesn't have the luxury of summers off and actually spent a lot of the summer traveling but when he was home we made the most of our time together camping or enjoying the outdoor adventures Idaho has to offer...

MAY

Goofing around at the zoo

Picnicking at Lucky Peak before heading into the foothills on a butterfly and wildflower hunt

JUNE

First camping trip of the summer with the Starkels

Camp fire fun

No better way to beat the heat on 100 degree days than a good old fashioned slip n slide

Cheese!

JULY

Koen and his buddy Kea'kua at golf lessons

Sage and Io'kepa waiting for their big brothers at golf

Sage and her best friend Kya (our 12 year old chocolate lab) on an early morning river walk while camping near Pine

Koen's 6th birthday was July 3rd and he had 2 pirate themed birthday parties (family then friends).  He really got into the whole themed birthday thing this year  - Happy 6th birthday Captain Hardin!

Sage (3.5)  and cousin Evie Watterson (2)

Koen and Sage were all business about breaking the pinata. Poor pirate Elmo!

Koen and his best mate Cooper

There is nothing better than pure joy on your kids face!  We are very lucky to have  been blessed with an amazing, sensitive, inquisitive, friendly and happy boy :)

Family pics - July 2014

We finally tried again for family pics and as usual I am my own worst critic and think I look horrible (frizzy hair, ill flattering dress, etc) in these pics but everyone else looks great!  Again I picked the hottest day of the summer for pictures so Koen overheated quickly and was a bit squirrely, but Sage (who we were worried would be her normal wild and sassy self) was on her best picture taking behavior.  And of course Kenn is a handsome photogenic guy so he always looked great :)   Koen just turned 6, Sage is 3.5, I just turned 37 and Kenn is 39...

Early 2014

2014 started out with an inversion so we headed up towards the ski hill (Bogus Basin) to escape the dreariness. This is the view just above the inversion.  Boise is under there somewhere...

The kids enjoyed hiking in the snow, sunshine, clear air

 and a "crazy" tailgate lunch before heading back down into the dreary inversion.  

Sage turned 3 on February 3rd!!!

This year she wanted a theme of  "bery pecial pwetty (very special pretty) unicorns".  It wasn't easy to find unicorn decorations but she was happy with her unicorn cake and shirt. 

The Coles cousins enjoying a ride on the kid tractor at my sisters ranch. Koen had fun driving the "little kids around" but is looking forward to when he can give everyone a spin on the "real
tractor".   Koen (5), Sage (3), Evie (1), Luke (3)

Celebrating the first warm days of spring with a hike in the foothills and the swings at the Foothills Learning Center.

Easter morning - reading the clues the Easter bunny left to find the eggs that eventually led to the baskets.

Easter with the Hardins...

thanks Grandma for the new books and Phlat balls.

Koen got glasses this spring. I love them - he looks so handsome!

Sage had fun blowing bubbles

and climbing trees. She's our little daredevil!

The Hardin cousins - Koen, Sage, Emily and Ryker - Easter 2012

and now.

It's amazing how hard it is to get four kids to all smile at the same time!  

Koen did half day K at my school this year but he's a very young 5 so he's going to do full day K next year in our neighborhood school with his buddies.  That way he won't always be the youngest kid in his class...and it saved us a lot of money on daycare! ; ).  He's very excited because it means he gets to have all the fun of K twice - especially all the attention associated with graduation!

There was so much chaos in the gym that everyone was distracted or overwhelmed so the idealistic and charming family pictures we attempted to take are not so ideal or charming -- but they are pretty funny.  

( We are having family pictures taken in a few weeks - hopefully they turn out better than this attempt! )

Grandma and Grandpa Hardin 

and Nana.

My dad didn't make it because he was just in from a conference in Barcelona (rough life!) but it's no big deal because he can catch K graduation # 2 next year :) 

Koen and his teacher, Mrs. Bird

The spring ended on a great note with Koen's first season of tee ball.  He had a great time

learning all the positions. Here he is as pitcher...

and catcher.
He said his favorite things about teeball were playing with his friend Cooper, learning to hit without a tee and (of course) the snacks after the game :).