Spring "Break"

I'm trying desperately to think about green and growing things, life things, the precious gifts lovingly bestowed upon me. To be content and not despair of my ever expanding to do list...

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

Matthew 6:25-27 (NIV)

Summer Vacation Part Three- Fireworks!

Our kids have seen fireworks before but this year was their first experience wielding the flames themselves. They were so serious at first, standing stock still, sparklers at arm's length, with eyes as big as dinner plates. Eventually, with Joel's help, they both loosened up a bit although it must have been difficult amid the chorus of both mother and grandmother shouting out, "Don't run with those! Give your sister some space! Don't burn yourself! Don't poke your eye out!", etc.

I was glad to see them having so much fun. Really, I was!

Of course then a couple days later the mommy guilt set in after reading an article online about how dangerous it is to let your kids play with sparklers. To paraphrase, the end of a sparkler is hotter than burning wood or melting metal and as a good parent you wouldn't let your kid play with those other things so why the heck are you letting them use sparklers???

Can't anything be fun anymore? Oh well, my kids were well supervised and they had a blast! So there!

Summer Vacation Part Two- 4th of July Parade

We made it to the Johnson Parade again this year. The kids had so much fun and had definitely honed their candy collection techniques with the help of their grandmas!

As usual, anything goes at this parade!

We saw the Peace Band again with a few new uniquely dressed members.

Horrors! Next came the "MAN EATING CHICKEN"! Oops, I mean the man, eating chicken.

What parade would be complete without GI Joe and White Trash Barbie?

Grandpa Bob proudly took his turn on the tractor. So did my parents' neighbor! He was busy reloading his homemade, mega squirt gun from the water tub attached to the back of his tractor. Yes, there are many spontaneous water fights that break out during this parade! It's tradition! And yes, we did get wet!

Summer Vacation Part One- Grandma & Grandpa's Farm

We spent our family vacation in beautiful Palouse country. I still miss it sometimes.

The kids had such a good time at their grandparent's farm.

We put them to work too! Well, they volunteered because work is so much more fun when granparents are involved!

The highlight of the day had to be rides behind this shiny red tractor! Zach was so excited!

Where Do I Begin? An Update of Sorts

I have been so busy finishing up the school year, hanging out with dear friends and planting our massive garden that I have neglected this whole blog thing terribly! Here's what has been going on lately in pictures:

A fabulously fun wedding (I only have pics of the rehearsal... I need someone in the family to take pity and send me their pictures of the actual wedding as I was too busy being IN the wedding to take any!)...

Joel's baby sister was the beautiful bride! It seems like just yesterday that she was one of my bridesmaids!

Sportin' our fancy red shoes! No one fell or even tripped, it was a miracle! Standing next to me is Joel's brother's girlfriend. She is such a lovely person inside and out. I love her to pieces!

My children are "helping" grandma decorate the reception hall.

A trip to Point Defiance Zoo

A preschool play and a kindergarten field trip

My little guy was the Red Bird from "Brown Bear, Brown Bear".

Then he received his certificate for completing his first year of preschool! My big boy!

My cutiepatootie Kindergarten field trip group!

Farmin'

We REALLY liked this little rental tractor... too bad it's not ours! I even got to drive it which was great until the dumb thing popped out of gear, I couldn't figure out how to stop it and then I nearly ran over my husband! My farmer hero dove out of the way then leaped onto the tractor to save the day as I panicked! It was a bit of a Lucille Ball moment. So very dignified.

This monster of a garden is approximately 1 acre. Whew!

Family Visit Part Two: "Stay-cation"

So that's what they call it when you can't afford to go to Hawaii--a "stay-cation". I love the new terminology (got it from the Travel Channel) it makes day trips seem so much more legit!

At the end of their visit, Beau and Jessa went camping by Lake Owyhee and our family joined them for the day. It was really quite pretty for a high desert area.



The kids had impromptu swimming lessons with their daddy.


I helped the kids start a rock collection.

We're a good team, Joel and I. He takes care of all the athletic, jock stuff like swimming and throwing footballs and I'm the geek, collecting rocks and doing leaf rubbings. It works for us. Kasey was in seventh heaven at the lake. She is such a water dog and loves to fetch.
She got a little annoyed with Baker the Stick Bandit. He wanted in on the action!

Unfortunately, Beau and Jessa's time at the lake was cut short by an emergency with their poor doggie. They rushed him off to the nearest vet (about 40 minutes away) when Baker started drooling, breathing heavily and acting sluggish. He had an allergic reaction of some kind but thankfully he was okay!