Happy 8th Birthday Carly ! !

I picked up my mom today and

 Jeshanah and I drove out to

Hawley to see

Carly on her 8th Birthday!

We feasted at the DQ ...

shopped at the

Hawley Thrift Store ...

and picked up some 

much needed Hot Tub Filters

at Olson Pools in Hawley.

It was a quick but fun trip.

Jill posted a sweet 

benediction prayer for Carly here 

as well as some cute pictures of her.

My prayer for Carly is that

she would know the LORD Jesus

as her Savior and obey and trust

Him all the days of her life.

Here's a pic of my 

sweet mom with Jill.

My mom has been

a precious jewel to me

for many, many years now.

I pray that she will continue on in

the joy of the LORD all the

days of her life!!

A Busy and Productive Weekend

We got the steps from the upper level

 to the lower level done on the deck.

Myron's an expert at steps!!

And they DO look lovely.

I hope we have more warm weather so

I can enjoy the new platform!

Briann played waaay over at the Pepsi Complex

so we weren't able to take in her soccer game Saturday  ...

But .....

Sydney played her little heart out and

it was lots of fun watching her.

BTW 

those dimples are there on both of these girls ....

whether they are grinning at the camera or

playing soccer!

We cheered for #14  ALL THE WAY!

             Cody played today too ...

                He is as fast as lightening 

                        out on the field!

           Made some sweet goals and

                       some quick take aways!

These kiddos 'talked' this gramma into

keeping

 just one

of the many cardboard boxes that needed

to be broken down and taken to recycling.

Since they have been so good about
helping me out in the yard ...

I said, SURE ! !

They are see'in some fun times 

sledding with this box!

How could I say no ..... ? ? 

Maybe I will even sled with them!!



Sam and Chloe also played

soccer last Friday night.









Lydia kept busy practicing soccer with her dad!

One Week and One Day

 The

picture  of

Sweetness ...

and

this 

progress on the deck

is

sweetness

to

Jeshanah

Good - bye ....... Nookie

Hmmmm  ....

Something  is 

SERIOUSLY 

wrong with this thing ....

I wonder if it can be fixed ....

or if my

mom or dad can simply

buy me a new one .....

Maybe 

Jeshanah

can fix it ....

she's pretty smart!!

Gramma says to try

my thumb ....

It's just not the same !

They keep telling me

my nookie is broken ....

funny how it broke straight off

right at the base.

Hmmmmmm......

So it is ....

the beginning 

of the end of the nookie

for Selah!

A Precious Heart ...

This heart is 

from Switzerland!

It traveled a long way to

get to our home!

It's Belgium chocolate and

it is almost too pretty to eat.

(I actually want to save it!)

But the 

bearer of the chocolate heart

is far more

precious

and far more

valuable ! ! !

We love you Carly!

Thanks for the visit and

the very sweet desserts!

Search and Rescue

 

 Meet Barnaby and Laura.

They are dogs trained to do Search and Rescue.

Their trainer was at Lindenwood Park ...

 while we were enjoying Taco Tuesday.

The dogs' trainer was looking for some

 training time for his dogs.

The trainer took Anna's shoe and let the dogs smell it.

Meanwhile Anna and I ran off to hide.

It didn't take them but a minute or so to find Anna.

She was hiding behind a tree. 

 As soon as the dogs found her

they sat down right beside her.

  

They are trained to do this so they don't scare little kids

Here's Barnaby with a mullet!

The trainer taught us a lot about

search and rescue dogs.

It was lots of fun.

And here's Laura acting out the song ...

"do your ears hang low

do they waddle to and fro

can you tie them in a knot

can you tie them in a bow..."

Anna sure enjoyed the dogs.

and it was a fun

experience for us all!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ELLY

Elly turned 4 on July 3rd.


We celebrated her birthday a few days early.

She had a swimming party in our backyard.


Enjoyed family, food


fellowship and friends




She picked out this 


beautiful cake all by herself.

Angeli and Elly

It was a fun,


 full and


 busy day.

And this is what


 happens


when you party


 too much !

 This is a picture from her real birthday, July 3rd.


At Sandies Doughnuts!  Positively the BEST in town.


I pray that Elly will come to know the


LORD Jesus as her very own Savior soon ... 


and that her life would be lived in a way


that would bring honor and glory to


the LORD Jesus!


I love you - Elly Boo


with all my heart!

Happy 8th Birthday, Chloe!

Chloe is 8 now!

I took her for breakfast at McDonalds

which I hope to do with all the kiddo's

 on or near their birthdays,

 now that they are getting older!

The kids did this fun craft ....

You can NEVER go wrong with 

paint, emblishments and foam!

The kids also had a lot of fun

TRYING 

to smash the candy our of a pinata.

It took MANY hits.

Here's Chloe


with her mom and dad


at the party.

Here's my mom ..... 


at the party .....

she has always loved blowing bubbles

and Chloe's bubble gum was perfect for her!

I remember when I was just a little girl

I use to wish and wish that I could 

blow BIG bubbles like my mom.

Now I'm a big girl ....

my mom still blows big bubbles ...

and I still cannot!

Chloe chose this pretty butterfly cake.

It looked so nice and tasted even better!

Trying to get ALL

those candles out was a big job.

But Chloe did it!




She can often be found playing outside,


swimming, or drawing.   


Chloe is forever offering to help


me do anything and I love hearing


her cheerful voice calling,

" hi gramma " !

I pray that Chloe will continue


to love the LORD her God


with all of her heart.


That she would always seek to be


well pleasing to her Savior.


I love you, Chloe Kathryn!!

How Does Your Garden Grow ....?

Jeshanah watering after the 'plant'

Lois is working on a garden.

and I'm trying to help. 

When I was young ..... 

I loved gardening.  Think I got it from my

"Gramma Green" who lived in Sabin, MN and

had the absolutely most wonderful 

garden around. She taught me how to weed.

How to thin the carrots and how to

put "dried blood"  (YUCK) around the plants

to keep the rabbits out!  But it works ~ and is not a pesticide!

.

Samuel was a big help in making 

and then pounding in all the stakes for the rows.

Can you tell which vegis he is going to eat???

Chloe was a big help too by covering up

all those tiny seeds after they were

placed gently in the ground.

And Lydia ... this sweet girl, without being told,

went in and got ice water for us all ... it was a hot afternoon.

Jeshanah helped too ... maybe she will be the 

daughter that shares my love of gardening ?!?!  

Maybe not!

I use to always plant 'Big Boy' tomato

plants.  Was looking for them and found

'Better Boy'.  OK I'm game.  Technology

has progressed ... why not tomato plants.

We will see how they do!

Sam and Chloe went to the lake with us

to help mow and trim the bushes by the door.

Love to see these kiddos working ~ and having fun doing it!!