As my faithful followers may have noticed, my blog took a "summer vacation" of it's own. So here is our entire summer packed into one Post!
First job of the summer is to take off the pool cover. The youngest is still excited about this task and even invited a friend to help scrub it off with degreaser. The oldest three are SO BEYOND this! After the scrubbing then it's a sprint to the pool to be the first one to jump into the 65 degree water. After your breath returns to your lungs, your skin turns pink again.
Our annual Sunday School Campout was a blast, as usual. This year I took a bunch of Minute To Win It games for a "trial run". I'd like to do something similar for recreation at the Youth Convention next summer, but might call it Win It In A Menno-Minute. In the next picture one of the big kids is trying to get the lamp shade, that's tied to a fishing pole, onto his head. Each year when I look at pictures from campout, I can't believe how fast our kids are growing up! Remember when they were all just little tots and we spent our whole weekend just chasing them around? Now we are just lucky to have them join us around the campfire that we sit at alllll day long!
Ahhhh .... Colorado Vacation! At the end of June we snuck in a quick 5 day trip to Colorado with Abbi & Kevin. Things are different now with Alli & Mitch "all grown up" with real jobs. Our complete family vacations are likely rare in the future.
Abbi filled 4 weeks of her summer with various volleyball camps! She loves the sport, and I confess I love that she loves the sport! Especially in the fall when it's 50 degrees and raining out at the soccer field and I'm sitting in a warm gym.
OK folks, now this next picture ranks right up there with my most favorite event of the summer ...
Of course we raised a barn full of chickens and rabbits again! Abbi raised Bantams for the first time, and later this summer one of those pretty little chickens actually sat on her eggs and hatched these cute little chicks! Sad to say, not one of them survived. One died after a few days, two died at the mouth of the dog, and the other two just disappeared.
And then there was the Fair! Abbi showed 5 different chickens and one rabbit. She got honor ribbons with most of her chickens. Her rabbit was over-weight so just got a blue ribbon. We didn't even know they weighed rabbits. Now the rabbit is on a strict diet & excercise program with The Biggest Loser. Perhaps you've heard of it?
August 2nd! The best day in any year! It's the day I married my Best Friend! This year we celebrated 24 years of wedded bliss and headed to New Buffalo, Michigan to this very cool motel for two nights.
A photo taken through my tears, out the window of a plane. That pretty much sums up a very sad trip that Dave & I took to Alaska to spend time with a good friend who's wife & stepdaughter were killed in a plane crash in August. We shared hugs, tears, and quiet conversation. We attended two heartbreaking Memorial Services of two people that we had never personally met, but who obviously were exceptional human beings. Our feet were in this beautiful state for exactly 31 hours, and we came home emotionally and physically exhausted. But it's a trip I would do again in a heartbeat, it was just sooo important that we be there for this dear man at such a sad and tragic time.
Our annual Sunday School Campout was a blast, as usual. This year I took a bunch of Minute To Win It games for a "trial run". I'd like to do something similar for recreation at the Youth Convention next summer, but might call it Win It In A Menno-Minute. In the next picture one of the big kids is trying to get the lamp shade, that's tied to a fishing pole, onto his head. Each year when I look at pictures from campout, I can't believe how fast our kids are growing up! Remember when they were all just little tots and we spent our whole weekend just chasing them around? Now we are just lucky to have them join us around the campfire that we sit at alllll day long!
Ahhhh .... Colorado Vacation! At the end of June we snuck in a quick 5 day trip to Colorado with Abbi & Kevin. Things are different now with Alli & Mitch "all grown up" with real jobs. Our complete family vacations are likely rare in the future.
When I was working on this post I realized that I hadn't posted about this awesome trip! I plan to do that yet, because we have so many pictures and memories.
Obviously, here we are freezing on top of Pikes Peak. Reminds me of a really old picture of my family, when I was about 5, standing in front of a real similar sign.
Abbi filled 4 weeks of her summer with various volleyball camps! She loves the sport, and I confess I love that she loves the sport! Especially in the fall when it's 50 degrees and raining out at the soccer field and I'm sitting in a warm gym.
HOWEVER ... I am trying to convince her to find other interests too ... like feeding her animals that she loved just a few short months ago and playing some basketball.
Abbi is now taller then I am by a few inches and I am officially the shortest in the family! But I'm also the most powerful, if you know what I mean!
OK folks, now this next picture ranks right up there with my most favorite event of the summer ...
I had the privilege of joining a gathering of my old (not really "old", just from the past) elementary friends. I went to a very small private school through eighth grade and spent all of those years as one of seven girls in our class. One lives in Ohio and didn't join us. When I went to a different high school, these girls still hung out together and made memories. They still get together occasionally and they were kind enough to invite me to their gathering this summer.
These fine ladies are all grown up now, but we still know how to laugh and have a good time!
What a blast to reminisce and just to be together! Thanks friends, for inviting me!
What a blast to reminisce and just to be together! Thanks friends, for inviting me!
Of course we raised a barn full of chickens and rabbits again! Abbi raised Bantams for the first time, and later this summer one of those pretty little chickens actually sat on her eggs and hatched these cute little chicks! Sad to say, not one of them survived. One died after a few days, two died at the mouth of the dog, and the other two just disappeared.
And then there was the Fair! Abbi showed 5 different chickens and one rabbit. She got honor ribbons with most of her chickens. Her rabbit was over-weight so just got a blue ribbon. We didn't even know they weighed rabbits. Now the rabbit is on a strict diet & excercise program with The Biggest Loser. Perhaps you've heard of it?
Kevin entered this real cool picture of the Air Force Monument/Museum (?) in Photography, and got an Honor ribbon.
August 2nd! The best day in any year! It's the day I married my Best Friend! This year we celebrated 24 years of wedded bliss and headed to New Buffalo, Michigan to this very cool motel for two nights.
A photo taken through my tears, out the window of a plane. That pretty much sums up a very sad trip that Dave & I took to Alaska to spend time with a good friend who's wife & stepdaughter were killed in a plane crash in August. We shared hugs, tears, and quiet conversation. We attended two heartbreaking Memorial Services of two people that we had never personally met, but who obviously were exceptional human beings. Our feet were in this beautiful state for exactly 31 hours, and we came home emotionally and physically exhausted. But it's a trip I would do again in a heartbeat, it was just sooo important that we be there for this dear man at such a sad and tragic time.
We had taken our kids to Alaska in 2002 for a week of traveling in a Class C Motorhome. Our friend spent a portion of that week with us, showing us the most beautiful scenery that you will ever hope to see. Our hope is that we can return again with our kids to lend more time & comfort, and also to see God's handiwork.
And now that our summer is over, I'm on to more projects ...
1. Ripping out a bunch of ground cover that is about to choke our home!
2. Lots of work to do for the Youth Convention next summer!
2. Lots of work to do for the Youth Convention next summer!
3. Following my kids around to tennis, soccer, & volleyball games!
4. Cleaning the pantry, and maybe cooking?
2 comments:
What a fun summer you did have, I guess you were too busy to blog. I forgive you, not this fall and winter you will have to make up for it.
I like the comment...and maybe cooking? I understand so well!
We need to get together more...I need my Cindy-therapy!
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