Brother and "Trixie Ann". Yes our dogs have middle names. There is Brownie Dawg Lavender, Trixie Ann Lavender, and Sweety Peety Lavender!

Julia in a summer dress that's a little too big but cute!

Julia saying she is going to be sick. So she picks up the garbage can and holds it upside down above her head! Not sure that will work!! :)

Busy Summer!

I remember telling my mom a month ago that as soon as school was over I would be "free" to do more stuff like go to her house more! What was I thinking? I forgot that when school is out, preparations for next school year begin. Along with catching up on all of those deep clean chores like defrosting the freezer. And of course, you've got to include those "field trips" you can only do in the summer ;) like playing at the water park. Mom said I plan something for every day. I don't know that I plan it that way, but it does seem to work out that way. I also have a family member-in-law (that doesn't have internet btw) that somedays drives me nuts. Friday, she called us 6 times and came over 2 times !!! Isn't that ridiculous!! For the first time in 33 years I am sick of the telephone. It rings most of the time now and I don't even stop what I am doing. Anyway, here are some things going on with us this summer in no particular order:
1. Sarah is taking a fun online class where she is reading through Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Which means I have to get her class going online and then help her print everything out and work on it during the week.
2. Sarah is taking a fun online spanish class ......... same as above!
3. I am assigning myself 2 or 3 chores a week to accomplish such as defrosting freezer, cleaning out cabinets, ect.
4. I am working on my two class syllabi for the two co-op classes I am teaching in the fall.
5. I am preparing the work for those two coop classes.
6. I am preparing for our homeschool at the end of July.
7. I am tutoring lil' Michael in reading.
8. I am activities director for my group at our school, so I am planning field trips and play days for the summer and fall.
9. I am helping Michael build mice racks for the building. (He also has certain goals for the next few weeks which I help with)
10. I help feed and water the mice twice daily!
11. I have got to get lil' Michael's room painted by next weekend when we will have company staying with us.....which by the way . . .
12. I have to prepare for company that is coming the next two weekends.
13. We are preparing for the birth of 100 baby snakes. We have to prepare boxes for each one.
14. Michael is going to be off two weeks around July 4th. I will be dedicated to him and his jobs during those two weeks.
15. Julia is old enough for me to mow now while Michael weed-eats. This saves him from having to work on that two days. I mow while he weed-eats.

It seems my source of communication will be late night emailing or blogging! Just wanted to let you mom and everyone else know I am not just sitting here watching the phone ring! haha

Ideas for the kids for the Summer!

1. Volunteer- Beautify an old lot, plant flowers in a park garden. Help in a shelter. Visit a nursing home.
2. Write postcards to friends.
3. Join a summer reading program at the library or come up with one of your own.
4. Plan a scavenger hunt.
6. Take photographs an create a collage with all your pictures at the end of the summer.
7. Make a sandbox.
8. Visit as many different kinds of habitats as you can find. Ex. rivers, oceans, fields, forest
9. Spend a 1/2 hour or more quietly sitting outside. Observe and write down everything you see. Birds, animals, bugs, clouds, people, ect.
10. Spend the morning at a farmer's market. Plan a meal using the produce you buy.

*These are just a few. I will add more later.

Air National Guard Field Trip

What a cool trip to the Air National Guard support center in Birmingham! The kids got to get hands on with a few of the guns used by these brave guys. They loved that. I think this one on the left is the one they use on the Chinook.

They also got to get in and buckle down in one of the chinooks for a cool lesson on what goes on during a typical mission.

Sargeant Stewart showed the kids some of the gear that he has to wear. Boy this thing by itself was heavy!

This is the helmet with face shield that he would use. Kind of looks like Darth Vader...uh?

So cool!!!

This is inside the support center where they do maintenance and prepare for the next mission.

This is an older copter they got to see.







Sargeant Stewart and his crew will be leaving in August for active duty for 10 months on a chinook in Iraq. He is the "door gunner". Very dangerous I am sure. Please be in prayer for him and all of the brave soldiers fighting for us!

Reunion Time!

Ben, Marie, and Mary-Morgan

Sydnie and Sarah

Hannah and Julia

Mary-Morgan

One Handsome Fellow!!!

The Gardners came to visit this weekend! For those of you who do not know, The Gardners are one of our church families who moved about a year ago to Colorado! We have missed them so much. Ben was a great teacher and friend, Marie a super mom and friend, Parker and Aaron Lil' Michael's big buddies (didn't get a pic of the boys, I guess because they were always on the run) , Sydnie is one of Sarah's best friends, Hannah was one of Julia's best friends, and Mary-Morgan a blessing to all! It was just like "ole times" this weekend! Such fellowship! It truly was bittersweet. Hannah and Julia running around holding hands, and Sydnie and Sarah huddled up together giggling! We went to the park and had pizza with them Saturday night and then Ben taught and preached Sunday morning. After church we stayed and eat and fellowshipped until they had to leave. I truly enjoyed every minute with them. We are praying that if it is the Lord's will that Ben's job will send him back to the SouthEast!