Birthday Bash!

Three weeks ago my twins hit a major milestone: they turned 7! We had a small family gathering for them then, and yesterday we invited their best friends from their 2nd grade Sunday School class to the Springdale House "Waterpark." Sadly a storm drifted by the during the first hour, so we moved the crafts, wedding/foudant cake and presents into the garden house to celebrate indoors. The sun peeked through the last hour hour, so the kids got to slip 'n slide all over the courtyard.

This is a great group of kids and they are all such good friends. And not just the kids...I happen to really like all the parents too! We are blessed to be surrounded by great friends.:)

Reading Time

Every day we have 30 minutes after lunch devoted to quiet reading. The girls can read whatever they wish. Sometimes they read their Bibles, sometimes they read a science book, sometimes they read a magazine. Other times they simply pretend to read while they try to kick each other off the couch.



Today, my crazy crew all lined up on the sofa to devour their literature de jour. Even the baby joined in. His book of choice: Clifford, The Big Red Dog. :)

Conversations with a cactus

Yesterday we finished an exciting/exhausting/enjoyable week of Vacation Bible School. My girls, who suffer from the homeschool-kids-don't-get-out-of-bed-before-sunrise sydrome, struggled to be awake by 7am. They were absolutely dragging by Wednesday of last week; by Friday they were well past pitiful.

They were also hyped up on VBS snow cones and energetic music, so yesterday my tired/cranky/over-stimulated lively ladies needed some desperate downtime (and I needed a vacation to a very quiet, secluded spa ;) ). Once Matthew came home, he took care of Micah and two of the girls while K and I went to Wally World to restock the fridge.

On the way there, I admittedly bribed my child into excellent behavior when I promised her a toy. Of course, nothing suited her in the toy section. So we checked out the craft isle. And the school supply area. She picked up a few things here and there and put them all back. She just wasn't happy.


But as we made our way to the dog food isle, we spotted the most perfect treat--a tiny cactus with a red face and a green body. My K, with her already over-imaginative mind, immediately named him Spikey. She blows him air kisses, talks to him and even carefully gave him a drink of hot chocolate this morning.

Gotta love a cactus that can entertain (and calm) a (overly tired) child. :)

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

It's too hot to go outside and the kids have too much excitment as they look forward to the start of Vacation Bible School this week. I, on the other hand, was tired. And so was Matthew. Last night,we both tag-teamed caring for a sleepless Micah, who probably has another ear infection.

Anyway, my very active kids couldn't keep their hands of anything, not even my fabric scraps, so groggily agreed that CG she could do some sewing. You know, anything to keep occupy the kids so I can catch a cat nap.

So she decided to cut a square of felt and just sew. She really didn't know what she was going to do with it, but I didn't really care if she had a pattern or a plan. I just wanted her busy. ;)

So she made a pocket of sorts to hold her school pencils. Not too bad for no parent interaction:

Now she's says she ready to make a doll dress. I think I'll let her Granny handle that project--perfect for another lazy Sunday afternoon, don't you think? :)

When life gives you blueberries, make

blueberry pancakes

blueberry muffins

blueberry cobbler

blueberry stains

Yesterday evening we went blueberry pickin' in Uncle Brian and Aunt Sara's backyard. Their bushes were flooding their yard with these yummy berries. We picked and picked until we ran out of containers. And now we are enjoying the fruits of our labor.

Even Micah helped Uncle Brian:
Sweet Ol' Scarlett loves the berries too!
M ate more than she picked:
Want one?

Why I've been MIA from the blog...

Every year our church celebrates the 4th of July in a really BIG way! This massive production involves 100s of people and almost every group within the church.

This year the girls got to twirl their baton with their dance class/best friends.

Then they handed off their batons and grabbed their props to participate in the children's part of the production. We had about 3.5 seconds to make this transition--good thing my kids thrive on chaos! Here Double Trouble get to represent the states of Idaho with a basket of potatoes and Mississippi with a mud pie sign.

This is the first year that the entire family had a part. I helped backstage a bit with the children, before heading upstairs to interpret the second half of the preformance. Matt, who normally handles traffic detail, parked a few cars then changed into a Founding Father so that he could sign the Declaration.

I didn't get any pictures of the honored military veterans, but every year I'm struck by all the horrors these men and women endured. The Greatest Generation sacrificed much so that we can continue to be free nation. I'm saddened that so many people want to change those freedoms.

Anyway, here's the most anticipated grand finale...indoor fireworks!

Now that's all the rehearsals/performances are over, I'll probably be MIA for another few days, as I climb a mountain of laundry and dirty dishes.

Enjoy your 4th!