Cousin's Camp!

Awesome Auntie Brookie put together a three day cousins camp this year. It was held at the Ranch and the kids were told to bring nothing but a sleeping bag, a swimsuit, a flashlight, and a smile. We gathered on the first night at about 6:30pm and chowed on bbq'd hot dogs and watermelon. The evening activity was "Cousin's Idol" where each kid was given the opportunity to sing their favorite song underneath the disco ball. Afterward the cousins all changed into their pj's and piled into their tents where they talked and whispered for hours before finally falling asleep. On the second day of camp Papa made pancakes for breakfast and afterward everyone went for a morning bike ride where BOTH Camille and Brenden learned to ride without training wheels! The afternoon was spent on the water slide and as a service project the kids all made cards for our soldiers. That night they all crowded into Nana and Papa's living room for a movie night with popcorn, licorice, and root beer floats. Wednesday morning the cousins all worked together to clean up the messes and organize the tents. They were tired and a bit cranky from two days of fun coming to an end... but without a doubt, they had a blast and can't wait to see what Auntie Brookie has in store for NEXT YEAR! Thank you Nana and Papa for opening your home to all of our crazy kiddos, and thank you Meredith for your helpful, supportive hand, and Brookie... thank you for your amazing imagination, endless patience, and beaming smile. We love you!

Thompson Smiles...

We're all here except for Laurie's sweet family and Noah. Thompsons are good-looking, food-loving, hug-giving, smiley, happy people! I'm proud to be one! Love you all so much!

Papa Turns 60!

July 31, 2010... David Wayne Thompson turns 60 years young. We all met up at Lake Don Pedro for some good ol' fashioned Thompson fun. The sun was warm, the breeze was cool, the food was fabulous, and the company was GREAT! We swam and played. The cousins built a slide out of towels and took turns rolling down the grassy hills. The kids worked together to write Papa a message in the sand, and at one point Brenden even lost a tooth! It was a fun-filled day spent with family. We love you Papa! Happy Birthday!

July...

Fireworks, swimming with friends, taking a country drive, splashing in the sprinklers, visiting the water park, picking fruit at the Ranch... July has been a month filled with fun. As summer begins to fade and the school season approaches, I am filled with gratitude. I am grateful for these summers with my children; these crazy days without schedules or homework. Childhood speeds by so fast, I hope that when they've all grown up that they'll be able to look back and remember these fun simple summers with fondness just as I do.

Norman Rockwell...

This one is my favorite because of those beautiful eyes...


This is the picture that I had in my head...

So, to briefly describe these pictures I will simply say that about 2 years ago (when I first discovered that I liked photography) the idea for this particular photo shoot just "popped" into my head. I wanted it to look like a boy on the run from the 20's or 30's, in kind of a "Norman Rockwell" style. I thought that it would look great on a wrapped canvas hanging in my future studio. Since that day I've waited for the perfect time, hair cut, out fit, venue, season, and opportunity to do this shoot. Finally, this week Mike offered to take me to the perfect train tracks and sit with the baby so that I could do it. I've been letting Brenden's hair grow out for months now knowing that summer and that long grass I needed where approaching... so, here are some examples of the final product. I know that it seems silly, but to me, just seeing my little idea come to life felt like a "win." I needed a "win." Even if it was just a little one...

Thompson Reunion 2010!

This year's reunion was a blast! Rachel planned and put it all together. She did an AMAZING job. We met at Shaver Lake just East of Fresno. We scored a group campsite that kept us within close quarters and offered a killer BBQ and bench, complete with cable and a private amphitheater. Brookie set up a craft table that kept the kids busy all four days. There were daily activities planned and we all took turns providing the meals.

We took a hike to a local waterfall. Snow was still on the ground along most of the way so it made for an interesting journey. The kids made the most of it by sliding down the snow banks and getting as muddy as possible. We also held our 4th Annual Thompson Olympics. We are a competitive bunch and believe me when I say that the competition was fierce! This year's teams competed in marshmallow stuffing, milk chugging, potato relays, bubble gum chewing, and hula-hooping. We learned that Rachel and "Little Eddie" can hula-hoop like pros, Laurie can take a glass of milk from full to empty in .005 seconds, and that Andrew will defend his family's honor by stuffing his mouth with marshmallows as many times as is required!

Each day was spent taking in the sun at the lake, crafting with the kids, gathering around a campfire, and eating some awesome food. On Sunday we held the Annual Pirate Treasure Hunt and along the way the kids discovered a real live bat living at the camp library. For the rest of the reunion the library was referred to as the "Bat Cave." Brooke and Jared had the most "decked out" tent with their custom sign. At the lake Dominick found some old burnt wood and discovered the hard way that it doesn't wash off so well. There was a skit night that was both funny and fantastic. We shared s'mores and stories afterward. On our last night together we had "movie night." We lined up our chairs stadium style, ate popcorn, sipped hot chocolate, and enjoyed a movie under the stars. This year's reunion was nothing short of fun and let it be known that we are very blessed to have the opportunity to get to do this every year. Thank you to a wonderful Grandmother and Grandpa for putting this on for us, and thank you to all the busy hands that worked hard to make it a reality.

Soccer Camp!

Paris, Brenden, and Sophie were lucky enough to be able to join a local soccer camp this year. The homeowner of a remodel that Mike has been working on runs a soccer camp at his property and invited our kids to participate. Each child was assigned a country to represent and for the rest of the week they were to come dressed in those colors and armed with soccer facts about their country. Paris represented Brazil, Brenden was given Argentina, and Sophia was Japan. They spent the week making friends and playing games that encouraged proper soccer form, sportsmanship, and teamwork. The last day of camp was to be a fun one so the kids were asked to come in full face paint for their country, bring a homemade flag for their country, (my kids get excited about any craft assignment) and even the parents were invited to join in on the exercises. To my surprise, the kids really embraced the experience and had a wonderful week. When it was over they were sad to go and were begging me to sign them up for another "camp."

A Memorial Weekend Getaway!

We got to do something that we so rarely get to do: we took a family trip! We spent the Memorial Weekend with our friends the Astles and camped at Henry Cowell just outside of Santa Cruz. The first morning was beautiful and the kids had fun exploring the patches of light and winding pathways through the campsites. We spent the rest of the day at the beach soaking up the warm weather. At the close of the day we took a walk down the pier, saw some sea lions, and then took the kids on the boardwalk ride of their choice. We had to change campgrounds for our second night's stay and found a place that was interesting to say the least. We finished off our trip by spending the last day on a quit beach South of Santa Cruz. We packed our lunches, watched the kids play in the lazy waves, and went home happy and tired. Thanks go to the Astles for joining us on yet another fun camping adventure!

My Kindergarten Grad...

Yep, it's true. My little Sophie is officially a first grader. I can't believe it. It seems only yesterday that she was my tiny two year old following her big sis Paris around on HER first day of kindergarten, and now, here she is almost 6 years old and ready to jump in with the big kids. She picked out her outfit for graduation night and joined her class with a beaming smile. She had a great year, made some good friends, and can't wait until next year where she can stay the whole school day. I guess Jett and I are on our own... (sniff, sniff)

Dominick Turns 4!

It's crazy I know, but our sweet little Dominicky has turned 4! He's been asking his mama every day if he could have a party at the lake, so that's what we all did. All the cousins were there except Lucas and Garrett, so we had our hands full to say the least. (14 kids!) The lake was practically abandoned so we had the shade and the lagoon to ourselves. It was AWESOME! The kids disappeared into the water and pretty much stayed there until it was time for cupcakes. I had some fun laying Jett and McKay together, and as you can see, Jett was eager to get to know his new cousin. It was a great day spent as sisters and cousins. Happy Birthday Dominick... WE LOVE YOU!

A Baby Shower for Rachel

Laurie hosted a baby shower at her house to welcome McKay and outfit Rachel and Jared with all the baby boy goodies they'll need for their new little man. Brooke whipped out some amazing homemade invitations and goodie bags, Meredith and Laurie put together some delicious food, and me? Well, I tried my hand at making a diaper cake. It was fun, not so easy, but fun. Family and friends came to celebrate our newest arrival and visit with Rachel. It was a fun night. Almost all of the Thompson girls were there, and it's always a good time when that happens!

Love Letters for Mom

The other night as we were working our way through the night time routine of getting ready for bed, little Sophie begged for me to "Come see something mommy!" So, reluctantly... I pulled myself away from my crying, hungry baby Jett, and the loud chaos of Paris and Brenden's nightly toothbrush fight to find this! It was a wonderful moment and reminded me of the important things, and so of course, I had her pause for a picture. I never want to forget this. There will be a day too soon from now where I will look around at my quite, clean, EMPTY house and miss those crazy night time rituals filled with crazy, crying, screaming, laughing kids. Thank you Sophie for writing mommy a love letter... I needed it!