TOO COLD

While it is a bit too chilly to go swimming this week,

( I'm hoping it warms up a bit next week!!)

it is perfect weather for playing at the park!

Travis and Landon

Michael and Jared.

What have you been up to this week?

SEVEN

Michael turned 7 earlier this month.

How did that happen?

One of these days I'll have to share his birth story with you.

His actual birthday was on a Thursday and during VBS week.

The day was fairly normal.

We stopped at the grocery store on the way home from VBS and Michael picked out an ice cream cake for the evening after Daddy got home.  For his birthday meal, he changed his mind from cereal (!!) to waffles with strawberries.  Quick and easy.  

He opened a few presents that night.

Then had to wait until Saturday for our family party.

As you know, Michael is into Angry Birds....

so I attempted.

Maybe the best part?

Our first use of the pool!

As you can see, it was still pretty green..but it was a hot day and

 I think those who went in enjoyed the water!

Happy 7th Birthday, Michael!

We love you!

BROTHERS

Forging a bond to last a lifetime.

I love their expressions.

THIS WEEK

Every single event/plan/playdate etc. that I had for this week was cancelled.

Every single bit of school work I hoped to accomplish was put to the side.

I THOUGHT the garden was neglected last week during VBS..nope.  It DEFINITELY was this week.

See, Sunday I started to feel yucky.

Monday it was bad enough to go to the doctor.

And I don't go to the doctor.

Thursday I went BACK to the doctor and got new meds.

It has been quite the week.

Certainly not the way I had planned on spending it.

We had several activities and events to attend this week that just didn't happen.

Mike has been pretty much taking over once he gets home, which has been a help.

The kids have been loving swimming time with Daddy at night.

Not too many baths this week either..............um. 

These things happen.

Even the best laid plans go awry.

Humanly speaking, of course, because THE BEST laid plans NEVER go awry,

and for that I am forever grateful.

The end.

HAS ANYONE SEEN MY BABY?

 

 

 

I'm still not on my regular computer.

I was for awhile, but it is out of commission for the moment..hence less posting and no pictures.

You'll just have to bear with me.

(plus, I STILL have not re-installed my camera stuff!)

 

Sooooooooo..

tomorrow my firstborn turns 7.

SEVEN.

That is, like, not little kid anymore.

He is moving into middle-aged-kid-dom.

Seven just seems so "old."

(I know, I know..wait until he is turning 20 and 30, Lord willing)

Michael has always been pretty easy-going, fairly responsible and an all-around "good" kid.

Nothing has changed in that department.

I can trust him with helping his siblings or doing some chores to help out.

He has a mouth full of half grown/adult teeth..

He is big for his age..not a string bean anymore.  He has some heft to him.

He grew 2 clothing sizes over the past year.

I am sure that I will post an official birthday post in the near future.

I just can't hardly believe it...7!!

Has anyone seen my baby?

 

(I asked him what he wanted for his birthday dinner, and......

he asked for CEREAL!! lol.  CEREAL!!)

 

This week brings us VBS.

The kids are having a lot of fun at "Kingdom Rock"

learning about standing strong and things that help us stand strong.

It is a bit exhausting, I admit.  We have to get up an hour and a half earlier than normal and be out of the house and there by 9am. After a full morning of crafts, music, Bible, games and snack--we get home around 1pm.  Plus it has been hot and sticky and I have the two little ones that stay with me.  (They have been very good thus far.) 

More pictures to come from that as well.

 

Baby boy is going to be 8 months old this month!

I missed the 7 month post.

Currently he sits on his own..with an occasional flop over, has 6 + teeth.  Plus for the ones we can see coming.  He is eating a variety of foods but still mainly nursing.  He is not crawling in the traditional sense.  But he goes from room to room with is "army crawl."  This boy can pull his weight like it is nothing!  Definitely Mommy's boy..hands down at this point. 

 

In other big news, our pool is ALMOST ready for use!!

A big thanks to those who helped out...and of course hubby who has been working round the clock, literally, to get it ready for the kiddies.

Again, it will be another post, with pictures one of these days.

We are soooooooo ready for it!

 

We are enjoying the summer reading program at the library.

We have not gone to as many programs this year due to scheduling conflicts--Seriously!  How does summer fill up so fast!! 

The kids definitely enjoy going and picking out prizes after reaching the goals.

 

Our garden is starting to produce.

I picked a shirt-ful (FULL) of beans today...there are tomatoes all over, some lettuce ready to be picked, peas are growing nicely..exciting.  The garden has been rather neglected this week due to VBS, today was the first time I was in it and I was pleased to see the growth.  One day, when the kids are older,  I hope to invest more time and effort into growing things. 

 

I made homemade laundry detergent for the first time.

Our stash of store-bought is just about done, so I will be using it very soon. 

 

4 of the kids have been going for swim lessons for a couple of weeks now.

This week we have off.  Carina is actually going into the water with no fight/complaint! 

That in itself is success to me.

Michael and Rian are doing wonderfully.

 

We have a new niece!  Miss Madison lives in Maryland.  So we have seen her via pictures...another new niece due to arrive VEEEEEEERY soon.

 

Anyone do anything exciting for the 4th of July?

This was the first time for as long as I can remember that we did not do the picnic/get-together thing.

And, dare I say it..it was kinda nice!

We didn't have to worry about getting somewhere or feeding people etc. etc.

Yes, it is nice to get together too..but this was another kind of nice.

We did do fireworks later on that evening.

 

Okay, enough.

Gotta run.

I have a crier.

 



SHOWTIME!!

 

We wrapped up our year of dance this week with the recital.

 

Here are the girls getting ready to go to dress rehearsal.

 

They were just a little bit excited!

 

 



 

This was Missy's first recital and Bean's second.

 



We missed professional pictures this year due to scheduling conflict.

I had hoped to get some good pictures on recital night, but it turned out that Missy broke out in poison ivy ALL over her face.  Poor thing.  It is only just starting to clear up now. 

So, this is what we have.

 

In the auditorium.

Waiting to go on stage.

 

 

You know me, I try to be on time for everything.

I don't know why (!!) but it seems to get harder as time goes on..anyway, we were one of the first ones to arrive for rehearsal. 

 

 And then....

It was SHOWTIME!

 

The boys enjoyed the show too.

 

 

 There they are!

I did record part of their routine on my phone, but I missed the beginning.

During dress rehearsal, Rian did not smile at all.

So, after we went home and prior to the show, I stressed to her--SMILE!

She did. 

It was very cute,

while standing there with a nice smile and her hands folded in front of her,

 she just neglected to dance!

(for a minute)

 

Rian is the 4th from the left and Carina is 3rd from the left.

Bean did a great job.

She has the look of a ballerina.

If she chooses to stick with it, I see a lot of potential.

 



 

 

 

I'm going to try and get my video on here.

 

 

ooooh, I think we're successful.

 

Enjoy!

 

(pssst!  Great job, girlies!)

 



CICADA SUMMER

The woods are humming.

Literally.

You turn down our street and wonder what the noise is.

Everyone who has visited us in the past few weeks has commented.

 

17 year (otherwise known as Periodical Cicadas) Cicadas have emerged!



 

If you look closely, you can see the bottom and tips of the leaves covered in the shells.

This was not even a FULL branch!

 





 

It is pretty remarkable the way God designed these creatures.

They know exactly when to burrow out of the ground.

They have a 5 week adult life span.

 

 

 

The males are the ones that make the noise.

They are looking for mates.

 

Here you can see a small smattering of empty shells on the ground.

Parts of our yard are (or were, I should say--all the rain did have an effect!) covered!

 



 

 

Another tree.

There are a few different kinds of cicadas.

Some which come every year.

These are special though.

We were figuring out how old the kids would be when the next brood arrives..

potentially out of the house!

 

 

 Some of the books we have been reading to learn more.

I would definitely recommend the top one.

Great pictures and lots of information.

 

 

 

Finally, after reading about and hearing them and all that good stuff..we saw online that a friend of ours had made Cicada Cookies!

Yes, they are eaten around the world.

Did you know that cicadas are especially "revered" in France?

Anyway, I thought we'd go for it.

Our friends saved one cicada cookie for us to sample.

No one was forced.

 

 

 

Michael and Carina refused to even try it.

Rian licked it and Travis actually had it in his mouth and then spit it out!

I did take videos, but I was laughing so they are rather wobbly.

I think it would have went over better if the cicada had actually been incorporated INTO the cookie.

Hey, it was a once in a lifetime type thing, right?

 

So, yeah.

Our adventures with the cicadas.

:)