Up North for the Fourth

We stayed at a little cottage by Bear Lake.  It was hot at the beginning of the week and finally cooled off Thursday night.  We enjoyed lots of lazy days, kayaking, eating, and sleeping!

 We took off on Sunday, July 1, after our morning service and lunch.  We were ten minutes away from Clare...so we had to stop for a treat!  

Velle perked up and gave me the idea of looking at our vacation from her point of view.  Anytime Mom leaves the family for any length of time...she is on high alert! 

"MMMM...what is that smell!?"

We arrived at our cabin type accommodations...and sniffed it all out.

"There are bears everywhere!  And I have had to bark and let them know who is boss!"

 "These things followed us the whole way up here.  I think I like them!"

 It is so hot and humid...can we just stay inside?  Dad and Mom went and got groceries and the rest of us hid inside where it was cooler.

 Supper...this is how we camp...in a cabin...with air-conditioning...with a microwave...

 Packing a lunch to spend an afternoon at Bear Lake kayaking!

 I got my own straight jacket...they call it a life jacket...but it makes me not want to move!

 What a beautiful day!  It is hot but the water feels good!!!

 My favorite spot is with Mom...no...Teddy...no...Alisa...no...Ashlynn...no...just kidding...Mom!

 Ok...this straight jacket thing works pretty good!  I like swimming!!!

 SSSAAAAAAANNNDDDD!

 Sunbathing and watching my girls...are they going to come back?

 A bath to get rid of all the sand and....goodnight!  I am tired from all that swimming!

 View from the cabin to the woods...they are keeping me away from those hamburgers!

 View of the front of the cabin...that bear seems to be guarding us!

 Why...why...do I have to stop barking at it?  He keeps looking at me!

 Resting...and playing...and cuddling...yep, I like it when all my people are together!

Morning coffee outside in the shade is comfortable!

 In and out, in and out!  The kids are inside and Dad and Mom are outside...I just don't know who I want to be with more!

 Happy Fourth of July everyone!

 A four hour tour on the Fourth...wore all of us out!

 I pretty much am the captain of any boat that I am in...or so Mom says!

 Pasties for supper...and nobody will share with me!  What is up with that?  

 A bath and supper and I'm out for the night!

 Used Trip Advisor and found a diner...or maybe it would be classified as a dive?  It was good and we didn't have to make it or clean it up!

 Small town summer night entertainment...the kiddos were not impressed!

The weather finally broke on Friday and Dad and Mom had coffee and breakfast outside with me.

 The kids slept in so late..."Hey, guys, the sun is up!  Are you still in there?  Hey!"

 The guys are going fishing...hey, I want to see that!  It smells funny!

 Can I go with you?  Are yo going in the boat again?

 You have to stay with Mom!  You will get a hook in your nose!

 I want to go! Please!  Ok...I'll stay!

 Grilling again...they let me closer this time...MMMM, it smells good!

 Ooooo...a campfire!

 Poor Ashlynn....she doesn't like outside stuff...I tried to keep her out with us but the smoke and the mosquitos drove her away.

 This was the way we had to deal with our garbage.  Mom burned on Tuesday night and Teddy burned on Friday night.

 "Yah, you know that pinterest thing about using Vicks to keep the mosquitos away...I can breath pretty good right now...but I just got bit!"

 "Whoa, dude!  That could have hurt!"  You know how old those chairs are, Dad?  Old! We had them in Illinois!

 Well, they say that all good things must come to an end!  We are going home...it is Saturday.  The week went pretty fast!

 Hey...where are you guys going? Why are you getting out of the van already?  Ohhhh, you went to that smell good place again!  Fine...leave me with Dad...again!

 Are you ready now?  Good!  Dad, follow that gps and let's go home!

 You drive...we will sleep...again!

 It is rough...but somebody may as well be comfortable!

 So here is a great welcome home for Mom!  The girls came upstairs fussing about a mouse floating in the laundry tub.  They were sissies, so Mom had to go take care of it!  Poor little guy...he should have put on his life jacket!

180th Anniversary of our church

 Saturday celebration ended with a concert...at our church...with Greater Vision!  What fun it was!

 And then they called Uncle Pastor up to sing with them...so neat for all involved!  "With all the many miracles...why don't you think it's possible...with all the things that God has done..."

Deck time!

 One of our favorite things to do at night...sit on the deck and have coffee!  Especially on a night when Ted gets back in town from being gone all week!  Yard work was done and everything looked so nice!  Being still and just being thankful...it is a good way to end a week!

Friday night treats

 Summer means...Mom is in the kitchen more!  Homemade pizza for supper and churros for dessert!  I was pretty impressed with the taste...for not being in Mexico for the real deal.  Next time...I need to find my star tip so they are more authentic!

A Happy 15th Birthday brought...

Teddy to this point...filling out another job application!  This guy has boundless energy and drive.  It is fun to watch him!  He has fun where ever he goes and with whom ever he goes with!

Happy 17th Birthday to our Ashlynn!

Ashlynn and I finally got a chance to sneak away and do some birthday shopping (since we were gone on her special day).  She makes me laugh with her quit wit.  She makes me proud as she works three jobs!  She amazes me with her thoughts and perspectives.  She is very loved!

The day the lesson was more than what we expected!

 We haven't subbed with children for a long time...we are usually with the adults.  We helped by subbing in the 3-6th grade SS on Father's Day and many people were gone.  Ted chose the topic and prepared...but once again...we were reminded that you can't always prepare for every part.

 These guys provided real life illustrations of what the lesson was about before we even got into it.  Often we say things without even thinking about the words that come out of our mouth...because it was in our heart first.

 Once they are out...you can't take them back!

 Not sure that the lesson really reached the heart for some...yet...too much silly is often a distraction from God wants to accomplish.

 But...after trying to put the toothpaste back in the tube...the picture was a little clearer.

 We hope.

 That's all we can do...as teachers and parents...present God's truth and pray that some day...they will remember the deeper meaning of squeezing out toothpaste in Sunday School!

 I love listening to Ted teach...because I know the price of what the lessons has cost him through the years...it doesn't matter if he is talking to adults, children, or teens.

Happy 16th to Alisa!

 Wow!  I can't even believe what is happening to our children...right before our eyes!  We will do a fun friend get together in a couple weeks...the schedules are interrupting our plans...No worries...makes the fun last longer!

20th Anniversary trip for two!

 Ted and I had a lovely trip celebrating our 20th anniversary!  A big thank you to Grandma for coming to stay with our teenagers!

 How much spoiling can a girl take?  Thankful for the time to share together...it never gets old!

A busy month of May

                                                The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe

                                                        Practicing for the K5 program!

                                          So excited to wear the graduation robes and hats!

        "The best day ever" is when you get your next book!  These guys are great readers!!!

 An almost forgotten gift for our K5 mothers...flour sack towel "but this is just black and white...does Mrs. T like black and white pages?"  NO!  We need to add some color!  "How about we paint on your hand and color it that way!?"  HUH????

                       Cute little owl handprints...whew!  Love it when a pinterest idea works!

 A quick picture on Mother's Day with my sissy!  We were sitting in church being discreet...nice angle for the double chins, we think!

 Velle had a rough week...allergies? then a reaction to some flea/tick medicine and a need for Benadryl.  After a good five days, she is back to her normal self. Oi!

 Running our chair fillers back and forth to their jobs...Teddy's ref job with 5/6 year olds.  He is good at this!

 My kiddos took me to lunch on Mother's Day...they planned, drove me, AND they paid!

  Some days are hard...but then there are some days that just bring joy and lots of laughter!