Summer

I feel like this summer has flown by. In just over two weeks Den and I leave on a cruise to Bermuda for our 10th anniversary and then school starts a few weeks after that. Crazy. I've been a bit homesick for the west the past couple weeks but there is still joy to be found in my children and hubby and God's creation. The weather has been remarkably lovely, and only recently can it be defined as "sticky".



You can 't hate that sky. (i actually went outside to see if i could take pics of fireflies, go ahead and laugh, but i did get some little yellow spots to show up. not worth sharing or saving though)


A new roof was put on which meant the old one had to come off. There were slate shingles and then underneath 100+ year old wooden shingles and that was it. Yep, that's all our stuff exposed, but they had it covered back up that day. They also found a nest of around 20 bats. ick.


She requests the side pony sometimes and I got her to give me a pose for the full 80's effect.


First corn on the cob.


We give cheesy smiles for the camera,


we wave,

and we blow kisses.

There has been sightings of little fairies having tea parties under a laundry line tent. (i knew my laundry line was good for something)

There have been swim lessons. She just jumped in and landed on a noodle which she refused to do until yesterday when I bribed her with a lollipop. That's all it took.

J's been doing great. He has the perfect teacher to push him and encourage him at all the right times. It's frustrating because he was 2 or 3 and swimming like a fish. But age and absence of a pool has made him cautious and not as courageous as he once was.

During swim lessons today we played on the playground.

Our other kids were not so courageous with the slide. And yes, that is my eldest yelling in the background, playing pirates with his cousins.

Par-tay

J's party was Friday night on his birthday. He had his cousins and some 2nd and 3rd cousins that are his best buddies over to stay the night. He was in heaven. All day before it started it was, "Mom, I can't believe my party is today!". Excited is an understatement. Overall, it went well. The boys were boys but behaved. They went out to play baseball, saw a bat(the kind that is blind ans flies at night) on the ground, and even had a pillow fight. We could not find our video cam for the life of us so we missed a few thing that way. But Den did get a few videos on the dig cam. They had pancakes in the morning and were gone by 10:30. Thanks to all who sent wishes and gifts and made his day even more special.


Here is my 8 year old who reeeeally wanted to help with his cake. I prefer to do it myself and surprise them with my amazing creation, but I caved and let him do bits. In this shot he is crushing graham crackers for the dirt on the baseball field (which did not come out like the picture in my head, boo, but he liked it, yay!)


I decided to use butcher paper to make our own table cloth. I told J I'd write words and he could draw pictures of balls as it was a baseball/sport themed party. I said sport related items only. While he draws I write things like "Jesse is.... loved, creative, funny, smart, a great brother" etc.
Occasionally he'd stop to read it and say "thanks mom". Finally I looked up to see what he was doing and his soccer ball that had already pushed the limit by having an eyeball had turned into some sort of space sport contraption, I don't really remember what he said it was. When I said that he was supposed to draw ball, he reminded me

Den said that J was tearing up at this point when everyone was singing to him. He loves to be loved on by his friends and cousins.

Sister bought him a present with her own piggy bank money. She was proud and he loved it.

They ended the night watching a movie on their sleeping bags. It was dark in there but the flash was bright.

8

He's 8. What the.....? I love this pic of him because it shows a calmer, curious side that most people don't see, or take the time to notice. Sure, he has energy to last all day, but there are many times I see him with book or his Bible, or on the ground studying the aunts, or quietly playing with his toys and developing and intricate story for them to live out. I love this kid.

Gardens Galore

Yesterday my MIL took me and my kids as well as two other nephews and a niece to Longwood Gardens. I had heard about it several times but had never been. It was truly beautiful. A must for the lover of all things planted and anyone else who appreciates prettiness.


The kids were all given children's maps and referred to them often.




Ethan decided that there should be statues under these arches.




There were at least three different tree houses. They were every kids dream and I took pics so Dennis could replicate someday.



Also know for its fountains, this was a definite highlight for all the kids.




This was the "covered porch" as they called it in the Peirce-du Pont House. Again, I took pics for Dennis to use as an example for when we build. I know he's going to be thankful!

The kids were most interested in the cat napping here. We later found out that there are several cats on the property (though this is the only one we saw) who are considered employees. They each have a place where they live complete with kitty doors, are fed and given check ups all in exchange for rodent control. This one must have been on break.

Next stop was the conservatory where there was a Indoor Children's Garden. Even though it wasn't huge they could have stayed there all day.

Here the girls are getting a Lima bean with a wet cotton ball to take home for germination. At some point poor Ella lost hers and my sweet E gave hers to her cousin. I was so proud of her generosity and that it wasn't prompted by me!

There was a small room with paintbrushes and they could dip them in the fountain and paint the walls or anything else in there. Great idea to use at home.

He LOVED playing with the water.

Did NOT love when it was time to move on.

He was soaked, but they provided towels.

When I wouldn't let him do this,

he threw a fit like this. Oh yes, discipline days have been here for a while now.

There were the biggest lily pads I have ever seen.

There were monkeys under the banana tree.

Playing in the Topiary Garden. It felt very "secret garden" to me.

Then they got thirsty. This was more fun than their water bottles.

At the chimes tower.

The falls below the chimes tower.

The Eye of Water

Our navigators. 6 kids, 5 1/2 hrs of walking, no meltdowns. A successful day.

We went back to MIL's for dinner and the wheat had just been cut and baled.

Den wanted to ride back to check out his clover fields and we found wine berries. I thought they were so pretty, and tasty.

So did V.

4th

So all this actually took place on the 3rd, but that's how it is around here. You don't actually have to celebrate the 4th on the 4th. I've adjusted to this. Anywho....we spent it with Dave and Liz who will love this pic I have of them chewing our yum dinner of steak, sweet potato fries, sweet corn and pasta salad. The weather was gorgeous and the kitchen was hot so we dined alfresco.

We then sat outside to watch distant fireworks that turned out to be more distant than I thought they were, but we could still see them lower on the horizon. The kids were crawling all over Dennis.

He was mesmerized.

No. This is NOT a body someone dumped in our yard. It's my husband who can fall asleep anywhere. I almost left him there all night, for fun....then I thought better of it.