Kids at rest, and play

How can I NOT post this (edited) photo of Eli putting on jammy pants?

Eli; Captain Underpants who knows kick-butt karate.

Joey dreams of Prince Caspian...I can't believe he's reading this book! He tends to understand it better though when we read aloud. I can't miss any of the story anyhow! When we finish we get to see the movie. Any reviews?

Snuggy-buggies in a rug.

Juneau, Juneau, Juneau

He ate two socks and tossed them up.
He likes strawberries and gets to them way faster than we do.
He dug a three gallon whole in my garden bed.
He races around the house like a bull in a china shop.
He drinks from the toilet and tries to dig in the trash.
He's kind of stinky and pretty dusty

Somehow, we're all falling in love with him too.

Joey says:

...to me as I tucked him in bed tonight, "I love you from the start to the end."
I said, "I love you from the start to eternity."
He answered, "I love you to infinity."

We poured over his baby book tonight. He was terrified to read that he used to like Barney, and overjoyed to see the u/s photos of himself, and how we cherished his baby-self. I like 6 year olds.

Trip to the Big, Smoky CA

Okay, so I was waiting and waiting to do this until I had more time, but it seems I'm running out. Yes, that happens to me with blogging, because a day or two rolls by and I have something else to blog about. So...I'm going to put our photos in tonight, a LOT of photos. :) Enjoy!

Nappers in the car

Our little bookworm

Off to the 4th of July Parade

The boys and their Dad















The very entertaining lawn chair brigade

Candy Happy Nate

The Ralph's prepare to play some serious golf

Joey's Submarine on Ralph

Eli all wet

BBQ

Me; relaxed

A little game for Joe and I

Nate takes a dip

Couldn't be happier

Joe too

Bumblebee

Little boy garden



A favorite photo

Happy Feet

Eli Jumps In

Family Swim

High Swinger

At the Park

Reading time

A little Snack

Water Break

Nate and Juneau

Home, sweet home!

We're back! Our trip to Cali was wonderful and eventful, and if you know me--you know I have a million photos I'm anxious to share. But that'll have to wait for tonight...I'm exhausted after a long drive and then the mess that a trip leaves a mom with. Yikes! I have laundry up to the eyeballs and everything out of it's place. Ah, most of it'll wait for morning but I should get out to my garden and do some quick harvesting.

Before I left, I took a photo of it just for fun. Here it is on July 2nd;

We

When we got home, my sweet husband came in from the back yard saying, "hon, you'd better go have a look at your garden." This is what I saw;

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Amazing, how quickly it grew. I can't give you our secret...sorry. And, no, the horse manure is not it. I'm anxious to get this lettuce cut and share. My basil is growing like crazy, Nate's carrots more than doubled in size and Joey's broccoli will have to be thinned out again. (This part makes me so sad!) My tomato plant gained about 1/3 in size...just amazing!

You'll be hearing a lot more from me this week, including a list of my thoughts on top items to take on a road trip to keep everyone sane. :) Soon!

Eli's Fortune

Tonight we went out to chinese for dinner. It was yummy and the kids love it. We all loved it most when Eli cracked open his fortune cookie and "read" it to us;

"Eli is faster than Nate."

Boys are beautifully competitive. I'll try to work this in our favor as much as I can!

My Habit Focus for July

I was reading another Mom's blog this evening (ok...late night) and I was inspired to make a new habit for July. I've been talking some about habits too, and so this is a good time- out with the old and in with the new.

So July will be my month to be disciplined in getting in Bible Study time. I tend to be really disciplined with this when I'm going to Study and have a curriculum, a plan, a study. But as you might imagine, summer is not too easy for me. Summer is so chaotic, non-routine...it's like a summer long party. When fall rolls around and school starts up I'm always so happy to fall back into schedule, routine.

So I need a plan. I'm going to get into the habit of reading, working in my journal, working on old unfinished studies daily in July, and carry this on into August. When I'm resting in Him, I'm amazingly more rested in my days, temperament, peace...you name it. I really need this time. Anyone relate?

Any of you have tricks for being consistent when all else is upside down? Have company? Are you a guest with someone else? Yikes!? How do you make sure it happens? Do share!! Oh- and if you decide to make a new habit, let me know! I'd love to hear about yours too!

How does your garden grow?

Quite by accident, I'm sure. I'm basking in the aroma of the roses that our previous owners so kindly planted for us to enjoy. They're looking fabulous this year, and I can't take a bit of credit for them.



**Breaking News!! I got a new Camera!! This is a very, very happy woman you're reading here. :)**



I'm also having fun with planters this year, I must say I just never tire of color.




We picked up 1500 lady bugs at our local grocer to keep the bad bugs at bay too. I put them in a bug box overnight...



...so that my munchkins could release them in the early morning. I think they're happy settling into our yard, or a neighbors' for home.


We're also getting plenty of these, but have a tricky time getting to them before Juneau does. Puppies!


We're taking plenty of time to do lots of this;

And of course getting in plenty of this;


These bugs are frequently found in our yard;


Followed up by a little of this; (look at those squeezy lips!!)


Today we've had smoke from the California fires, it's amazing that there is enough to carry clear up here.