We are FREE! - the rest of the 4th

Wayne and I had lots of great talks about why we celebrate the 4th.  While he initially thought it was "to blow things up" he did eventually understand that that was HOW we celebrated, but not WHY.  The reason WHY we celebrate is because we are FREE. Here's what Wayne is thankful he is FREE to do:

1. To go to church
2. To go to school
3. To go shopping
4. To go crabbing
5. To do whatever it is we want 

We had a great time - Todd was home, so it was fun to just hang out with him.  The kids drove our cars every which way for awhile, which was some DANDY entertainment for us adults.  Both Taylin and Kallen were there - our first family party with all SEVEN grandkids present!  If I had been thinking more clearly, I would have done a family picture, but with the crabbing and Ethan's birthday party, by this time I was getting a little foggy minded.  We kept the food and activities simple, and just ENJOYED being a family!

Free to love our family and hang out!  :-)

Free to have has many babies as we want!  :-)

Oh Weston... he loves to make this face when I take his picture lately. 

Yup, you got it.  All SEVEN of them!  And NONE looking at me!

I can only imagine what these two were thinking about....

Now this is a scary sight... Weston with fireworks!

Two brothers, giving each other a light...

Do you see how many layers Taylin was wrapped in?  She wasn't cold!

Mr. Cheeto Man

Wouldn't be an outdoor party with the Silves boys unless someone was off peeing in the bushes. 

or digging in the dirt. 

Hmmm..  Did you know Treven can put an ENTIRE marshmallow in his mouth?

And scarier yet...  Wyatt with a sparkler!

a DECADE strong

10 years ago, I married a 21 year old who I KNEW God wanted to be my husband.  I didn't really know what that meant, to "have a husband" but that was the logical next step, since we'd been dating 5 years!  :-)  We definitely didn't know what the next 10 years would bring.  Who does?  We dreamed of him finishing school and finding a good job, of buying a house, and maybe one day having a family. I knew that if we ever had a boy - his name would be Wayne.  IF we ever had a boy!  :-)

10 years ago, we had breakfast at Homestead with our families.  I left to get my hair done, because that's what brides do.  Tyler left to wash his Mustang, fresh out of the paint shop and ready to drive us away from our reception.  The whole day went by in a BLUR.  Lots of running around - I remember my friend Amanda who stayed with me the WHOLE day, and made sure I got my allergy medicine on time!  (I had TERRIBLE allergies made way worse by all the beautiful flowers!)  I remember the look on my Mom's face when I put my dress on...  Okay, she was probably in shock that I was actually wearing a dress to begin with, but also that it was a WEDDING dress.  I was the first of us four kids to get married.  I remember the look in her eyes when she told me that this was it, this was a LIFETIME decision.  I would only be welcome at their house WITH Tyler.  If I had any hesitation at all, I could slip out the back door of the church, and she would handle the rest.  I remember THINKING about it.  I wasn't just swept up in the moment, doing what I thought I should do.  Her asking that question made me THINK about it.  And I prayed.  And I KNEW.  This was the man that God had given to me.  Whatever our life would hold, it would be according to God's plan.

And here we are, 10 years later.  July 7, 2011!  We both have great jobs.  We bought and remodeled our house.  We not only have 1 boy, we have THREE!  Sometimes the days seem a little long, but the years have FLOWN by and I am abundantly blessed in the life that I have.  Tyler is not the same as he was 10 years ago on our wedding day.  When I look back at those pictures, he seems not much more than a boy.  Our relationship isn't the same either.  He is better, and we are better.  We know more about each other than we did back then - what buttons to push to get a rise out of each other, what habits drive the other crazy, and who does what around the house.  I think we have quite a bit more grace for each other to - letting the little things slide, and accepting things in each other that can't be changed.  Even when I am mad at him, I always know that I love him, and he loves me, even if he is driving me crazy!  :-)  Seeing him as a Dad - that's when I fell in love all over again.  He is the BEST dad our kids could have ever had, and they adore him.  We're off to spend the day together - with no agenda, and no kids.  I'm SO looking forward to it!  We might even have to pull our wedding photo album out a little later, and walk down memory lane.

Happy Anniversary Tyler!

Crabbing at Deception Pass

With OPENING DAY of crabbing down south, we headed out with my Dad (Grandpa) and a car full of Silves boys to haul in some crab!  We took Dad's boat, and while we had hoped for SUNSHINE and CRAB, we got skunked on both but had fun anyway.  I forgot how pretty it was out on the water, and how disorienting it can be.  The boys claim the "cuddy" as their own, and spent much of the trip down there staying warm, full, and happy!

 The tide was ripping, with a 7 foot change in just a few short hours.  When we dropped all six of our crab pots, their bouy's sunk below the service within 20 seconds!!!  That made for some serious wondering over the next few hours....  How long would it take before the tide went out enough that they popped back up?  Had the tide moved the pots?  Hmm..  Only time could tell!

 Hmm.. Do you think they like the boat?  At one point Wyatt clung on to Grandpa from behind.  I think he thought that he was "getting" him!

 Nothing like taking a break from pot searching - Wayne entertained us with a booty shake!

 As we were finishing up - doing our last scan of the water to find our very last pot, I thought we were about to lose Weston...  he was tired and I think a little sea sick!  He hung in there until we hit dry land, and bounced back quickly. 

After it was all said and done, we caught 4 crab, and came home with none - we found a young family on a small boat and gave our 4 to them!  Wayne was happy that other little kids could have some crab too.

2nd Annual Groen Summer BBQ

I feel like we can't say it's summer anymore until we've had the now annual Groen BBQ at Uncle Dewyl's and Aunt Shawi's - ooops - I mean at Uncle Deryl's and Aunt Shari's!  :-)  They are such gracious hosts - opening there NEW and NICE house to all of the hoodlum's who will come!  Of course, count us IN!  It's fun to see how all of the cousin's kids are growing each year.  This year especially triggered all the memories that I have from going to family parties as a kid - heading off to go play with all of the cousins, and having a BLAST becase Mom and Dad were too busy talking and relaxing to notice all the trouble we were getting in to!

Speaking of trouble...  We'd been at the party for about 20 minutes, and everyone was gathered on the back patio, gazing over the backyard looking at the koi pond.  And then.  It happened.  Weston faced the pond too, and dropped his pants and peed in the flower bed.  And EVERYONE saw it.  *CRINGE*  I am so thankful I married someone who's family has a sense of humor!  They all laughed, and Weston just shrugged and walked off.  At least it he didn't go in his undies!

Mmm..  Aunt Shari and Kara made special 4th cookies, and the Silves boys were their biggest fans!

Oh yeah baby, double fisting it!

And what better way to pass the time then jumping off a four foot wall?  Again.  And again.  And again.

Here are all the cousins kids that were at the party.  We declared this picture, on this hill, to be an ANNUAL TRADITION as well.  Such cuties!

And one more, with the Host and Hostess with the Mostest!

I took over "cruise director" responsibilities and entertained the kids for awhile.  Between log rolling down the hill, and a few other "down the hill" activities, soccer between the trees, and dodge ball... we were TUCKERED OUT!

Three Silves boys ready to celebrate the FOURTH!

With a few minutes to spare before heading out to our first BBQ to celebrate the 4th of July, I hustled the boys across to the park for an impromptu photo shoot.  I must be an eternal optimist...  I always think I'm going to get the most perfect, precious picture of all three boys on the first shot.  About the time I flip my camera to "on" I realize that there's nothing wrong with having a dream...

They may not be perfect, but they are perfect to me!

 Come on.... two out of three isn't bad!

 And then it all fell apart....

 Cool Dudes!

 A good photographer knows when to call it quits... and walk home. 

An idea for the 4th:

I saw this idea on Coupon Connections, and thought it was too good not to pass up!  The boys are going to be THRILLED on Monday morning!

Photo Credit

Mr. Chatty

Breanne, Treven, and Kallen came over this morning for a visit.  As soon as we had settled in, Wayne started his own conversation:

Wayne:  So, how's your grass doing Aunt Breanne?

Aunt Breanne:  Pretty good Wayne.  I am watering it a lot.

Wayne: That's great to hear!

Aunt Breanne:  Thanks!

Wayne: I'm so glad to hear about that.


Seriously?  Ever time I turn around from getting him more food in the kitchen, he's grown another inch, has broadened his already BROAD vocabulary, and is becoming even more delightful every day.  Wayne is a HUGE helper, and LOVES chores and doing things around the house.  As much as I dreaded him turning 5 and becoming a big boy, I shouldn't have.  Being 5 has a lot of perks, and is just such a fun age to be around!