One more time around

Tomorrow Dan and I are celebrating our ELEVENTH wedding anniversary... and we are doing it in true Linn family style. We will be spending the evening together in our camping chairs watching our two amazingly talented little boys play baseball. One of these years I am sure that we will do it up right and get away and celebrate this amazing milestone but for now we are completely satisfied with spending the evening together side by side watching our future.
Sometimes eleven years seems to have past like nothing. Just yesterday we were way to young, way to immature, and way to selfish to be joining ourselves to each other for eternity... but then I see all we have done in eleven years and I am completely amazed. We have brought FOUR of the most beautiful and amazing children into this world and love every minute of their little lives, we have lived on both sides of this continent and in the middle of it too! We spent over a year apart from each other while I raised our little family and Dan protected this great nation. We have had a busy eleven years! I am grateful for everything these years have brought us because it has always made us stronger. I love you.

The Healing Field

Last year we learned about this tribute to September 11th in Tempe.  It is called The Healing Field.

Last year, after taking the kids we instantly decided it should be a family tradition. This year we even went twice! We went on Saturday evening and listened to the ceremony and enjoyed the music. People were singing and some were just instruments playing Taps, Nearer My God to Thee and God Bless America. It was so emotional. There were hundreds of people in the crowds holding blue lights and listening to the ceremony. The news was there too - which was kind of a downer because they had to have their big news trucks and bright spot lights in the middle of the peaceful, dark, quiet fields.

Sunday I took the kids back to the healing field so that we could see it in the daylight and with less people. My kids are a little embarrassing though because they would run around like crazy people! I tried explaining to them the reverence that is expected in a place like this and they just didn't get it! So here are some pictures:

Ethan's Baptism

On Saturday, September 11, 2010, Ethan was baptized. It was such a great day. We are in Arizona now, so we were able to be surrounded with lots of family and friends. It really ended up being awesome.
We are so proud of Ethan for making such a great choice and we are grateful to have him in our lives.

We love you Ethan!

The food at the luncheon - it was so yummy!

Ethan on his big day! I can't believe how big and handsome he is.

Our family

With and without secret service

It is about time....

So Olivia's hair is finally to the point where it looks cute straight! For the longest time her hair was the texture of baby duck fluff. Whenever I would straighten her hair she looked like Doc from Back to the Future! But finally, she has enough hair and it is long enough to look cute. Of course, as soon as she takes a nap or we go to the park (like we are in this picture), and she sweats a Little, it springs back up again into an unruly afro. At least it looks cute for a couple of hours.

Happy Birthday to my Little Man!

Ethan is 8 years old today. I can hardly believe it. He is growing up way too fast!

Happy Birthday Buddy!

We love you!!

First day of school!

Today is the first day of school! The kids are so excited and so am I!!

Ethan is starting 3rd grade!

Spencer is now in 4th grade!

Ryleigh is in 7th grade!

It finally happened.

Olivia's First Hospital Trip

we knew it was only a matter of time.

She was standing on the top bunk of her brother's bed (and apparently they were playing a little game of "lets jump off the top bunk onto the pillows on the floor" thankfully we had no broken bones!) and the ceiling fan was going at full speed. She got a nice little gash on the back of her head.

She had a total blast in the hospital! She got a teddy bear to keep and all the attention was on her. She was in the best mood ever and she was acting like a total crazy wild woman the whole time! I was so embarrassed because she was supposed to be in pain - but NOOOO - she was having a grand ol' time.

Thankfully she was able to watch Dora and Diego on Dan's cell phone, that kept her still for a few minutes.

She came home with 5 staples!