Playing Catch Up...

We leave on Sunday for the church camping trip and I'm sure I'll have loads of pictures and stories to blog about so I though I better play catch up now!! As you will see, we have had a very full, busy, fun summer. I have been so enjoying getting together with friends and families we don't get to see regularly during our homeschool year. In between playdates and some basic school work, the kiddos (especially the 'littles') have gotten a bit creative entertaining themselves!!

The kids raided the basement craft bin...like their new look??

Mercy and our dear friend Miss B...this is after she spent 3 hours styling Mercy 's 4th of July 'do'

The creative juices are flowing!! L had an idea for a shirt design after perusing one of our Civil War books and begged for a shirt to decorate...I relented and soon after Mercy and Odeso followed suit. You'll need to click on the picture to get a better look :) Felicia and Jenkins came over after the artists finished and wanted to be in the pictures too.

Too funny...the kids turned around for me to see the back of their shirts and Jenkins and Felicia did the same thing:)

Felicia and Mercy swinging with Miss C during our Weekly 'Pool Day' . These are a part of our summers here... on various days of the week, different gracious friends open their pools( volleyball courts, trampolines,tree forts and bathrooms!!) up to the rest of us. What great memories have been made over the years!

I have gleaned so much wisdom and practical help from these ladies over the years... I am so grateful to walk beside these wonderful friends in the trenches of parenting and life issues!!

L and his friend M...this is the first summer all of our kids have been 'swim safe' without life jackets. Woo-hoo...another major milestone!

P and a friend playing a spirited game of water basketball.

Odesco , Em and G venturing to the tree fort!

We had a fun visit with our friends the T family... last year they took in 2 young foster children so life has been full of transitions for them as well. We used to babysit swap on a monthly basis--needless to say with both of our families in flux, our swaps have not happened :( and we have missed our times with this very special family! By the way, the cool shade of green pool water really was deemed safe to swim in :)!

A duckling's sad demise... the T's Golden Retriever did what he was born to do...he retrieved a wayward duckling in the bushes of the T's yard... Mrs. T quickly responded but it was too late for this adorable little fellow. The big mystery is where a duckling came from in the midst of suburbia??

Here's the sweet dog who had no idea what the huge fuss was about. The kids were totally spoiling this furry friend and asking when we were going to get one. That's not going to happen anytime soon!!

Sweet victory!! For as long as I can remember, G has had an unwarranted fear of dogs. She could tolerate teeny ones but was absolutely paralyzed with fear around larger more active dogs. Today she faced her fears head on and decided that petting them is better than running away from them! A huge step for our little girl.

P and C with friend J McD
We also went over the bridge for the 1st time since Mercy and Odesco came home to visit our friends the McD's. They have a son C's age and a daughter close in age to G and Mercy.After swimming and playing all day, we did a 'kid swap'- she kept the big boys and I took M home with us. My friend S has been so accomdating always making the trip to us and bringing a meal with her...she graciously says since we're not all called to adopt, she can help us out by making my load lighter. It's the role she can play...what a kind friend!!


Popsicle time!

When Mr. McD heard about Mercy's love of hot sauce, he provided 5 various bottles of hot sauce.As a chef, he has plenty on hand and very generously shared his bounty... Mercy was only too happy to oblige! Here she is at breakfast...eating a waffle with hot sauce! No syrup for her...
Uncle Juke, I know how much you enjoy our odd breakfast choices-this is for you :0 Oh and she also loves her toast and bagels to be burnt--to a crisp. She puts the toaster on the darkest setting and her food is not 'just right' until it has been through the toaster twice!!!

The kids had a ball playing house. They were very creative with leaves, bamboo, and other treasures from the yard.

On the days we are not pool mooching from our friends, the 4 littles stay very busy. My idol of order is knocked from its throne on these days...this 'visual noise' makes me cringe-they do eventually restore order and clean up their messes but I must admit I am still learning not to be perturbed in the midst of the chaos and trying to allow them some latitude for 'creativity'!!...the Lord obviously isn't done working on this area of my heart yet!

More Summer fun!!!
Our friends the S family hosted a fun summer party complete with a craft station, playdough station, slip n slide, yummy snacks and swimming in their pool. The kids had a blast and the moms had just as much fun chatting and getting to know some new faces.

Goofy boys...typical--instead of creating crafts with the foam stickers, they decorated their faces with makeshift mustaches and goatees!

Male bonding...over food, of course :)

Lovely little ladies!

A little mishap: Mercy accidentally banged into G's mouth and knocked her tooth out!! (the one next to her front tooth) They tried to find it at the bottom of the pool to no avail. Thankfully it was slightly wiggly baby tooth and Mercy just helped the natural process along a bit! A few months ago, Odesco had a similar situation and 'helped' G lose her front tooth...maybe Mercy and odesco have a future in Dentistry?

On Saturday we headed over the bridge to Aunt Joyce and Uncle John's house to pick up the big boys who had a sleepover with cousin J...Old friends stopped by with their children...this is their son S...I think Odesco enjoyed meeting another 'brown boy' with a white mom and dad!

Mr. G and Daddy~

The girlies~