Day's of SUMMER!

The first day of summer arrived last week and we are feeling the affects!  The weather has been warm but lovely!  The flowers are in full bloom!  The sugar peas got ripped out and string beans are now planted in their place.  We have a sunflower that opened and that makes me smile.  We are enjoying the pools and watermelon!!!  Summer is such a happy, fun time for us!

I got to go on a little "getaway from home" the beginning of this week.  Going to the beach with some church ladies is always a highlight and we always have a great time!  The motel we stay at is super nice.  We even got escorted out to the beach on a golf cart!!!  The serve a warm continental breakfast and warm cookies in the lobby in the eve!  We love staying there!  This year the motel had a new patio set which included a propane fire pit that we sat around both nights we were there!  The days were sunny and perfect for the beach!  We ate the best foods!  We dug our toes into the sand.  I touched the ocean water.  We saw dolphins out in the deep ocean.  Watching the sunset along the bay was beautiful!  The whole trip was a luxury for sure!!!  Thanks to all the ladies that always make this such a fun trip!

Now it's back to reality and house work!  The laundry is almost finished.  The bags are unpacked.  The kids and hubby are reunited with me!  (Which by the way, thanks to sister Jody and Mindy for babysitting!  Mike did a lot too while I was out!  He took Matthew to his little league game, dropped the kids off where they needed to go, he even took Ginger to Sadie's and back home!  Thanks Hun!)  The berry's were picked again.  My thirsty flowers got watered!!!  It's good to be back home!

Cousin Anne invited us to her pool the other day and we loved it!  Sierra and Ashlyn kept saying "how they never get to play together ... or how they should go to each other's houses more often"!  They sure enjoyed swimming and playing together a few hours!

We made another stop at the library and that means it will be more reading for the kids and some quit time here at home!

Enjoy the warm summer days because some how the month of June is going by so fast!

We love summer!

Father's Day in Perry ...

What a lovely day to spend with the great Father's in my life!  Yesterday was Father's Day and we got to be with family, relatives and church!

We woke up to a gorgeous morning with the sun shining bright and the back porch inviting.  I knew I had to keep things moving though because we were heading for Perry County for the day!  Mike woke up and we all loved on him with kisses and cards!  I love Mike so much and the children adore him!  He really tries to be the best daddy there is and for that I am so grateful!  Thank you Mike for all the time, energy and words you give to our family!  We love you!

We all grabbed a bite to eat and then off to Perry to spend the day with our church family.  H.K.'s had their farm in tip top shape and we had a full day of singing, playing baseball, volleyball, the children swinging and lots of good food!  Hadassah played volleyball with her friends while Matthew played ball with the big boys.  Ashlyn joined the candy scramble and spent lots of time on the swings with her friends!  My mom and dad were out at the farm too so I got to be with my dad for awhile on this special day!  I love you Dad!  The weather was warm and so nice all day long!  It was time to head home before we knew it.  Thank you so much H.K. and Lynn for all your hard work today to host the church on your farm!  We didn't want to leave too late because we had another gathering to go yet!

H.K. and Lynn on the porch!

 Father/Son singing ...

 She enjoyed the swings!

 Rides ...

 Games ...

Mike's mom had the family for supper for Father's Day.  We drove straight from the mountains to dad's.  We were all tired from being in the sun all day long and from driving (Adventures in Odyssey really helped make the traveling go fast) but it is always a fun time being with family.  We sat and chatted for awhile and then came home!  Being able to be with both of our dad's was a privilege!  We love you both!!!

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Looking at the forecast this week ... it looks great!  From our humid/cloudy/rainy days last week, the sunshine is therapy for us around here!  We love when the sun shines and the kids were excited about heading to the pool!  It's always a treat when friends from school show up at the pool too! 

Enjoy the warm days of summer vacation!!!

Summer vacation has begun!

School is officially out!  That means it's time to be outside with the kids more, in the garden picking weeds and fresh vegies and going to the pool!!!  Our schedule's relaxed a lot with now not needing to always to pushing to get the kids tucked into bed in a decent time!!!  Sometimes I wonder what time they really would get to bed if I wouldn't keep pushing the matter???  Even when we were at dad's Sunday night for a hot dog cookout after church, I was looking at the time and saying it's time to get to bed.  Everyone looked at me like ... you don't have school anymore why are you so worried about the time?  I wasn't worried but we still can't function with a bedtime at 11 PM every night either!!!  :)

We were very proud of the kids with their awards!  Matthew was awarded with the Christian Character Award!  Wow ... what an honor!  He also got the Dove award from his teacher plus a track-n-field ribbon!  Hadassah was awarded with A Honor Roll!  She was the only one from 6th grade to average an A for the year!  Good job girl!!!!  She also got a 6th place ribbon from MACSA for high jump and a first place ribbon in high jump at track-n-field.  What a great jumper!!!

It's always an adjustment the first days of 'no school' but so far it's going well!  I do keep hearing the plea to go to the library or to Jody's to play with cousins.  I'm all into going to both of these places but we can't every day and I still have my errands to get done around the house.  We did get to the pool once already though since school is out!!!  Saturday, Matthew went with Mike to his shed lot and helped him work.  I took the opportunity to take the girls to the pool in the afternoon!  It was a sunny day and they loved the water once again!  We are started with our summer tans!  We also enjoyed a fun burger cookout later!  John and Ruth had us and Matt's over for supper and we sat outside enjoying the lovely evening!  Fresh garden salad, fresh pressed hamburgers on the grill and brownie's for dessert hit the spot!!!  :)

Sunday we went to church and we were reminded of Pentecost and read of how God sent down His Holy Spirit on the church!  What a gift to have for us Christians!  The Holy Spirit's guidance will always be available for the believer!!!  We were also challenged to not being a mile marker along the path of life but to be a fork or crossroad to others!  Be a shining light to the world so that when they see us, Christians, they will want something more ... Jesus!  They will want to know about Jesus because they will see the difference He is making in us!  We need to be that encouraging family that made a choice that "we will serve the Lord".  Be genuine.

We came home for lunch and then Mike went out biking while the rest of us relaxed.  We had church again in the evening and it was great to see how God is working Mexico!  Anthony shared about his experiences and how it is to live in Mexico!  Then we went to dad's for a little snack and finally to bed.

Monday was the first morning that the kids got to sleep in.  Ashlyn was up first.  Then Matthew but he came out on the couch and slept some more.  Meanwhile I went back and made his bed (I know I keep reminding myself that he should now be doing this ... ).  Soon he woke up and went back to bed!!!  He made it the second time!!!  :)  Hadassah was the one that slept till almost 10 AM.  I went out for a few groceries.  The weather didn't look promising for a sunny day so we went to the mall with Mom and Mommy D.  Jody didn't go along so I left Ashlyn there to play with the girls!  That was a big break because taking the two oldest took extra time looking at their choices and things.  It was a fun day at the mall and fun with the kids!  We hope to get to the pool sometime this week!

This was us the other day at the pool!!!

Counting down the school days!!!

Today is the last 'full' day of school for our two oldest!  We are counting down but they are being real champs with not complaining about 'still being in school'.  With our winter being so tough and having many snow days, we had to extend our school term a full week.  Most other schools around us went by hours and they have been out for a week or so already.  I guess it's a head thing because knowing we have just a few more short days to go yet, it's not been bad!  The weather has been nice to us too!  Some years the weather is hot and we are so ready to have school over with and head to the pools.  We've had some warm days but not too many hot days yet.  I did mention this week would be a perfect week to have some splashes in the pool but hopefully soon!!!

Talking about the weather ... it's been so lovely the past few days!!!  The mornings have been cool and then the afternoon gets nice and warm!  Lot's of sunshine and that feeds my mind, body and soul all at once!!!  I love the spring/summer months and I know to enjoy them to the fullest, I have to not be so busy and embrace each day with gratitude!  We had a thunderstorm go through last night and that was perfect for my thirsty garden and plants!

The flowers are in full bloom!  The garden sugar peas, lettuce and strawberries are all ripening at once!!!  We are thoroughly enjoying them all!  I like asparagus but the rest of my family turn up their noses!  I made a very small asparagus casserole last night that should feed me for a few days!  I love veggies!!!  I also bought some fresh beets that I can't wait to enjoy!  Making salads for our meals are such a blast right now because we have fresh cut lettuce, butter crunch lettuce and dark green spinach to mix together.  Add some cranraisins, walnuts, fresh basil, feta cheese and strawberries and then splash on some oil dressing and you have yourself a tasty bite!!!  Love it!!!

With school coming to an end, the kids are talking about summer jobs.  Matthew wants to help Mike out at the shop a few days.  He's all excited about the new adventure but we will see how it all works out.  He still wants to sleep in and have lots of pool days!  :)  Yet, the other day he said, "The only money I get is birthday money or the money I find."  Where's he find money???  :)  Hadassah is needing to earn some money too.  She wants to go to volleyball camp this year and we said she could go if she earns her own registration fee.  She was up to the challenge and I have a feeling it will greatly improve on getting chores done this summer!!!

Ashlyn is still loving the kittens!  They meow like crazy when she holds them but they have no choice but to get tame with her around!  :)

Hunter and Ashlyn are enjoying the warm afternoon in the small pool!  Perfect for these two!

The other night, the weather was chilly but she was outback picking tons of mushrooms in the yard.  She has this thing with mushrooms right now!?!

Homemade jelly sets on my kitchen counter right now!  Yum!!!

It's easy to eat greens now with everything being fresh out of the garden!!!

Last night, Mike got the gazebo in place.  We are ready for campfires!!!  For smores!  For doggie roasts!  For more campfire memories!!!

The kids are loving the outdoors in the evening.  Matthew is usually with Mike doing something.  Else throwing balls, hitting balls or doing a project around the house.  Ashlyn goes to the swing, to see what Hadassah is doing or helping me.  Or playing with the kittens.  Hadassah is always bouncing a ball!!!!  She bounces a ball all over the driveway and I didn't get a photo of her doing this but it's true!  She also put another paint coat on my bulletin board.  Her craft!!!  Love it!