The last day of July...means school is just around the corner!

Which my humans are starting to leave and go here or there.  Teddy is getting ready for soccer preseason.  Momma is working in her new room.  The girls are still working daycare every day.

After 6 years...

I finally waded through the rest of the boxes that were moved from our storage unit to our garage.  I found all sorts of interesting things...like missing washcloths, hand towels, and sheets that we used to wrap stuff in when we packed up our IL house!  We have started going through boxes of pictures in preparation of three Senior years in a row.  I didn't realize that I had still had our box of wedding cards!  I looked at each one and soon realized how things have changed in people's lives over the last twenty years.  There are still three buckets to go through...but I am finding I need to space it out...it is emotional reliving the growing up years!

We love company!

 Funny enough...most of our pictures are of Little Miss Kitty!  We had fun with Ken and Jen too!

Summer is in full swing...and...

 Velle and I seem to compete for the most couch time...or bed time...or sleepy positions!

 Ted always tells me that he isn't sure if Velle is a bad influence on me or I'm a bad influence on her.  We will call it mutual!

 In other news...the kids are always on the go and working lots of hours!  Ashlynn and Alisa now work the register and get tips.  It is fun to watch them in this new era of responsibility.

 Me...I am not as productive...but doing my best to experience new things...such as a new kind of tea!  Finished another book.  Cooked.  Started some school planning.  Weeded.  Netflixed.

 It has been so hot and dry.  I sat and watched the storms roll in last night...so thankful for some rain! And then the relief from the humidity!  Praying for more rain...our grass is toast.

Waiting for my peoples to come home from working at Dairy Twist...11:00pm is awfully late!

Celebrating our newest 16 year old

 Alisa's birthday was June 24.  She couldn't decide exactly how she wanted to celebrate after one of her ideas dissolved.  We finally narrowed down some ideas and this is what sounded fun to her!  We went to Glazy Days and got artsy.  We get to pick up our masterpieces this week!

 We chose a local place and asked for reviews.  We all agreed it was a good choice!  And the deep fried pickles were half off!  Happy Birthday to our creative girl...it is fun to share these growing up times with you!

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!