Loving Everything About Summer

Loving chickens roaming the yard and peeking in windows

And kids riding horses

And trying out new parks

And tasty summer treats

Fourth of July 2012

One of our favorite days of the year is the Fourth of July. 

Daddy always has it off from work. 

We have some traditional foods we make every year. 

And we live just a few minutes from boom city

so we can buy huge amounts of fireworks cheap.

So many choices!

Almost didn't get these backpacks until daddy scored 3 for the price of 1.

Our haul

Back at home Anna shapes the cookie dough for our fruit cookie cups.

Our Traditional Fourth of July Foods

New this year:  Annas Cookie Fruit Cups.

Moms Bacon and Chive Potato Salad

Kylie's Ambrosia Salad

A summer feast

Setting up the fireworks show

Starting with smoke balls and firecrackers

A special part of our family this year

Anna enjoying the day

This little guy was dispensing wisdom on our fireworks box

Getting settled in for the bigger show.

Every year Jacob buys some huge tanks and stages a

tank battle for us.

A few more pretty ones before mom (aka the photographer)

went inside with the baby to escape the super loud ones

I hope you all had an amazing independence day and that everyone remembered

to be thankful for the freedoms we have every day!

Summer Solstice Week

This week was the Summer Solstice.  Nevermind the fact that we have yet to have more than a day or two in a row of summer type weather.  Whether we feel ready for it or not the days are getting shorter again.  We were almost too busy to give it much thought.


We started out with a music recital.  Stephanie played piano and played a piano/flute duet with Kylie.  Jacob and Clara also each played piano and Jacob opened the performance with his Tenor Saxophone.  Both Jacob and Clara played pieces that they had wrote for the recital as well as some classic pieces.  They all did very well!

Then Tuesday was our retirement home volunteer day.  Clara chose the craft this time.  We brought sun catchers that you paint.  We met a new friend this time named Ruth.  She had only been there a week and she enjoyed the craft.

But more exciting than all of the other things we had going on....

We entered a new chapter in our family.  We are now the parents of an adult!

Stephanie turned 18!  We could write down all of our thoughts on this event but it would read like a cliche about how fast the time has gone and how it all seems like yesterday...  so we will spare you all of that and just say -

Stephanie we are so proud of the young woman you have become!  We look forward to seeing the plans God has for you in the next years.

Graduation!

We have our first homeschool graduate!  Stephanie completed her high school studies on June 7th!

She graduated with a 3.87.  We are so proud of you Stephanie!  You have worked so hard!

Thank you friends who came and helped make her day special!