Last week of Summer!

The last week of Summer!?!

I can't believe it!

I do not feel ready to give up the freedom of

spontaneous evenings, late nights...( playing NOT doing homework!)

Vacations, reunions, and spending lots of time together.

We have not been bored!

It's been a wonderful Summer, if only a little too short.
We have played to exhaustion-

as this picture taken after a game of SkipBo shows.

Some of us didn't last the game.

The ones not pictured were the ones winning...

and the ones awake!:)

Here are some random favorites of

Summer.

I absolutely LOVE coming home to flowers on my porch.

They didn't do as well this year...bad dirt:( but this is how they looked for a little while!:)

Some of my favorites this year were the wild flowers
shown here that surrounded our raspberry patch.
We have already been eating raspberries from our starts this year!
In fact, if we can't find Mandi....we know where to look.
Her favorite getaway this Summer had to be the raspberry patch.
I think she ate 3/4 of our crop!

Pictured here are some of the first picks of the year.
Justin was unsure of the beats!
Until he found out what eating them does.
Now it is a favorite- as he loves red pee.

Gotta love backyard camping!
Easiest camping clean up EVER!
Gracie took the matter of getting a swimming pool
into her own hands!
I came out one day as she was "swimming."
As you can also see-she has started to wear make-up.

One of the backyard forts made this Summer.
-not pictured-
countless indoor forts!

Backyard Pac meetings.
Mitch didn't quite make it!!
So close!

Here are some pictures of us partying on Mitchell's tenth b-day!
Party Time is always a favorite.

It is not Summer around here

without Popsicles in the freezer!

Creamies are a definite favorite.

Good Summer memories

(with more posts and pictures to come!)

Ready or not, school here we come!

Our baby is growing up.

I'm 4 years old!! Gracie's special day is August 12th!!

I can hardly believe it's been 4 years.

Gracie woke up to traditional b-day love notes-
(decorations) and b-day "sugar" cereal.
She has waited for this day for....
about a year.

"Gracie, what do you want to do for your birthday?"
"Gracie, if you could go ANYWHERE,

where would it be?"
These were the questions

the kids were excitedly asking.
(In hopes Gracie having a birthday-

would mean a very amazing day for them as well!)
Gracie did know exactly

where she wanted to go and

exactly what she wanted to do

for her birthday.
Without any hesitation,
she enthusiastically announced her wish.
" The park and ice cream!"
Park and ice cream?
DONE!!!
Hmmm....I suppose we could arrange that!:)
I loved the look on the kids faces when they heard her simple requests.
To the Park we go...!

The fact we don't have a swing set... yet
could be counted as child abuse.
All this b-day girl wants ...is to swing!
And we had no problem granting her wish.

This little girl brings so much life and joy to our home.

She has everyone of us willingly

wrapped around her little finger.

Happy big 4 baby girl!

We simply adore you.

You give us so much love...

and ask so little in return.

Hugs

kisses

tickles

*back scratches

and the park.

A very content 4 year old at the end of her day.