Summer Fun

Last week found us out and about, and then back home, all the while doing our usual chaotic form of normal that we love.

Monday was a day filled with neighbor kids at our house.  At one point, there were children from four different families in addition to ours in our yard, totaling 11 kids.  For the most part, they all played well together, but by the end of the day I was ready to be back to just 4!  That night, Daddy and I took the girls to the splash pad in Wayland and treated them to a picnic compliments of "Donald Doo's"

Monday night, after we returned home and got the kids tucked into bed, Daddy was snuggling with Ezri, who was wiggling that loose front tooth.  Between the two of them, they worked at it and suddenly there it was, in Daddy's hand!  Ezri was thrilled to have that tooth out, excited for the tooth fairy to come, and quite proud of the big hole in her mouth.

It's was an exciting thing all week long!

Wednesday, we went to the Reader Feeder bus in the morning and then headed off to East Lake to hang out with Aunt Nancy, who was there camping, and swim for the afternoon.  Elam enjoyed the water until he was tired out...

The girls had a great time swimming, playing in the sand, trying to catch fish with a net and just enjoying the sun.

Thursday, as Mommy was doing some work for Daddy, one by one the girls wandered out.  Soon, they were all looking for ways to help and eager to do so.  I gave them each aprons to wear, they donned their gloves, and soon they were working together to bring me the angles so I could drill them, and then carrying them back to a skid to stack them.  All three girls worked their hearts out through angles, and it sure made the task fly by!

 Friday we found a quiet spell to enjoy the yard together.  We decided Barb might like some fresh air and greens to nibbble and Ezri needed to spend time working with him in prep for the fair.  So, we rigged up a little area and all of the kids had a great time!

Tierney jumped her heart out as Ezri worked...

Elam bounced and watched happily as Ezri cleaned Barb's cage.

Alora was happy to brush and pet him while this went on.

And it was also fun to check out a caterpillar she found!

 Newly brought out, Elam is loving the Exersaucer and had quite a time just bouncing and playing while the commotion went on around him.

 Of course, there was no shortage of attention for him...

We got to go out for lunch with Daddy on Friday.  Uncle Andy joined us.  The girls wanted him to sit in the back with them, so he squeezed in!  It was a source of giggles and fun.

Saturday, we had some excitement of the animal kind.  While trying to take down a broken window frame on the back of our barn, Daddy discovered a bat was living behind it after he sprayed for bees and it crawled out.  

We showed the girls, who were very excited.  A short time later, we went back to see if the bat had left, and instead found it on the ground.  Afraid it might be sick from the wasp spray, we moved it to a box and put it in a safe place in a tree where it might rest and hopefully recover.  Before putting it into the box, while I held it, we took the chance to look at the bat up close and investigate a little, which was very exciting!

 A few hours later, we found the box empty and no sign of the bat!  The girls were quite excited to know it had moved on and hoped it might make a new home in the bat box that Ezri built, which we hung on the back of the shed.

The girls also discovered a Cicada that had recently emerged, and that was quite a cool discovery too!

 Sunday found this Mommy back on the stage singing with the band after quite a long break.  Daddy and Elam watched... well Elam may have napped more than watched.

 On our way home from church, we had to take some silly pictures.  All week long, we took and sent pictures to Travis and Emmett as well as emails as the boys and their parents were gone with family to Disney.  Ezri and Barky were Praying Mantis'

 I'm not sure what Alora was, but silly...

 In anticipation of catching our friends as they drove past on their way home from their week away, we hung a sign on our front fence that night and waited to wave as they passed by.

 Instead of driving by, they stopped!  The kids were so very excited to see one another (and we were thrilled to see our friends too!).  It was a bit of commotion in our yard for a while as we caught up, talked excitedly, and watched the boys give the girls gifts.  The Death Star Mickey ears were a big hit!

 As were the other little treasures the girls were given.

Elam loved his Mickey rattle, its his favorite toy now!

 There was much energy to be expended and much excitement.

 It was a really pleasant and quiet weekend for us, one of the only we have had this summer, and the only one to be seen until September is in full swing as August is going to be a very busy and packed month for us.   Here we go!!!