The Man of Many Helmets (the kids call them Hemlets)....

I enjoy watching him come up with things to make life interesting.

The fierce leader!

Thanks for all the comments.  They made me smile.  You are a great bunch of friends!

Enjoy your day!!

Tomato Girl...(and a little vent)

Dear Readers, (if we still have any)

Life has been just packed full the last few months. I offered to clean the school last month and that took at least a couple of hours each evening, not to mention all the normal mommy stuff.  So blogging has gotten pushed way down on the priority list.  I considered just closing the blog altogether, but I do enjoy blogging  (when I have time) and so I'm thinking surely my life will kind of get back to normal one of these days. :) (My cleaning job is happily back in the hands of the janitor)

So if you're still hanging with me, I'm just going to shed the big elephant on my back that's saying "You're not keeping up with your blog...nag, nag, nag" and just move on from here and post periodically with just some things that are going on around here. I like to blog things as they happen - mainly because none of our family live close to us and I think they like to see what we're doing, BUT I can't do that right now (because there is ALWAYS pictures on my camera of funny things the kids are doing - I would have to post everyday), so it will just be total randomness for a while. :) (unless I decide to just close it altogether)

So on with the  post for today. :)

Ashlyn loves - LOVES - tomatoes!  If I don't catch her in time she is out the door as soon as she wakes up - PJ's and all - out in the garden, picking and eating tomatoes.

Her favorite are the small tomatoes that are growing like crazy right now.

I finally got it through to her that you only eat the red/orange ones - NOT the green ones.....

and it's a good idea to pull the stems off before you eat them.  It's SO cute to watch her pull the stems off  - priceless! (check out Owen's face on the side bar - look similar? LOL!!)

She is just the right height to see all the ripe ones and feast away.

 Yesterday she came up holding a big tomato with both hands just eating away.  She is one funny cookie! 

One of these days, I'll get pictures of her eating peppers - she eats them the same way as the tomatoes. :)

I have about 5 posts worth of pictures of our garden that we have thoroughly enjoyed this summer, but that will have to wait for right now. :)

I hope you are enjoying your day!!!!! 

Thanks for stopping by!

What Should You Do.....

when your weekend camping plans get rained out?

Well,.....

Hmmmmm......

You could be happy in the Lord anyway, 

Run and shout because it's still warm enough to play outside,

make "mud-angels",

have a mud bakery, 

be thankful that you're not hurting anymore, 

praise the One who created you (and the mud),

and just enjoy being a family!  Sound like a plan? 

Then get hosed off! :)

 ?????

Hope your weekend is blessed and full of fun!!!!

A Funny from Kristyn....

Last night at supper, Owen was shaking the Tabasco sauce bottle over his food (which is not uncommon) and Kristyn reached for the bottle.

She tipped it up and then set it back down.

"Nope, I'm not going to do it! 

God did NOT create me and Tabasco sauce 
to be together like He did peanut butter and jelly!"

I have no idea where she came up with that, but it made us smile. 

 :)

Have a happy Wednesday!!

Be Still...

and know that I am God.

It's hard to do sometimes, isn't it?

The rest of June...

The last part of June we got together with our family for a camping trip at Misty's.  They have a beautiful home and their property has so many fun places for everyone to be.

A couple of years ago, we went camping at an actual camping site, but we quickly realized that it was just not a good plan for a family this size.  We would much rather let the kids roam where they want and not worry about having camping neighbors within feet of your tent. Or listen to their loud music...or wonder if they would be fully dressed when they came out of their tent. :/

But probably the main thing was the showers!  At the camping site, we had to pay 50 cents for a timed shower in this concrete "cell" joined with spiders and all kinds of wonderful creepy crawlers wanting to mooch off of your 50 cent shower....no thanks!

So it was decided that we would camp at the Peterson Ranch. :)  They have a walk out basement with a  full bathroom right inside the door, plus three other bathrooms, so we had it made in the shade!

We each brought our tent, staked out our little spot and set up camp.  Wes and the kids put up their tent and stayed in the back yard, too.  Misty let the babies (her twins and Ashlyn) sleep inside, so she stayed in the house at night.  That made for a much better nights sleep for them - and the rest of the camp, too, I'm sure. :)~

 My very talented brother-in-law made these cool picnic tables for the weekend and check out those booster seats.....you can slide them off and move them where ever you like! Genius!!

 One of the days we went to a creek.  It was a beautiful day and everyone had a great time! 

 The four-year-olds of the bunch.  Cera, Megan & Kara

They have a big open-sided barn that Wesley strung lights in for night.  We ate all the meals and did the cooking/grilling there - it was the perfect set up. 

 A perfect relaxing weekend, enjoying home-made ice cream.

 One night, Wes got all the kids glow sticks and they took a walk through the trails in the woods. :)

 Soccer game...boys against girls.  Jeren and Owen were out numbered, so Grandpa helped them out. :)

 Sunday, it was a bit warm, so we had church inside their house.  It was a beautiful time!

 I love this picture of Mr. Trent. :)

 Watermelon-seed-spitting contest

Not sure why this ended up down here, instead of with the creek pictures. :)

Thanks, Misty and Wesley, for opening up your place for all of us.  We had a GREAT time!!

More catching up to come - probably not today, though. :)  

Thanks for stopping by!