Summer fun around Missouri

Elephant Rock is a place I remember loving as a child.  As an adult its more of a love hate.  Fun climbing, beautiful views but with children of my own, my nerves are on edge the whole time!  Some tame views of our adventure:)

 

We made it out with no injuries and only one minor hitch=  #4 got stuck between some rocks for a few minutes :)

 

Another place we visited was a Tiger Sanctuary.  Gorgeous Cats!

 

 

 

And Beautiful Views!

 

Summer pickings- Blueberries

Sister spent the weekend with her Aunt so it was just the boys at home.  What to do? Check out a local Blueberry farm.

 #3 & 4 hard at work.

 

 

#5 showing me his bucket, this is at the very beginning.

 

 

#1 and #3 were in a race to see who could fill their bucket first.  They didn't get to find out because the younger two didn't last that long but we did get to weigh each bucket at the end and #3 had the heaviest bucket!

 

 

Part of our haul, in all about 11 punds of blueberries.  I put lots in the freezer but have also made muffins, jelly and dessert with them.  *love*

 

They said blackberries will be ready soon, so may be going back for more harvesting! :)

 

In June

 I had more allergy testing.

 

The kids had fun in VBS, #1 was a helper this year.

 

My daughter had a fun time at camp with her friends.

 



 

The big boy in this picture celebrated  his 9th Birthday!  Sadly all pictures from that day were lost when my phone crashed that night.  But we had a fun day. In between packing #3 and mom got to play mini golf, eat shrimp, go on a hike and have a blizzard.  Great picks #3!!

 

 

 

#5 tried on his papa's eye wear.

 

 

#4 tried on some of his mom's makeup.

 

 

 

 

#4 got hit in the head, although it wasn't this branch we found it might have felt like that!  I'm hoping he understands how important it is to leave your hat on when playing ball now!  We found this branch on the ground after the hit in the head and the younger boys were then worried to walk under trees for a couple days.

 

This son turned 7!!

 

His picks of the day: Bowling, chocolate pancakes, grilled cheese and tomato soup, pizza!

 

 

Our last game of softball.

 

Many other things happened such as we moved and my dad(papa) was in the hospital much of June.  We now live closer to both sets of grandparents, have been working in the garden and plan to add to our chicken collection this summer.

 



Spring Chicken

 

These are the plans for the house the girls built.

 

 



 

These are the pieces for the plans, for the house the girls built.

 

 

This is the girls building the house.

 



Fun work!

 





 

These are some of the boys helping waterproof the house the girls built.

Here are the girls for the house we built.

 



 

March 16, 2013-Our first egg from the girls whom we built the house for.

 

 

 

March 17, a 2 egg day! The feathered friends are getting the hang of it!!

 

 

Looking forward to spring



 

 

Nothing like a twirly skirt to make a heart fill with joy!

 

 

 

 

 

My big, heavy duty vacuum needs to go to the shop.  In the meantime this cowboy is having a hay day keeping the carpets clean with this little vac.  He barely lets it charge before he trying to use it again!

 

 

It's snowing again.  I love watching the snow but still not fond of the cold.  Yesterday we were playing catch and thinking of softball season-very much loving the nice spring days we get and thinking of gardens and new growth and what the next season in life will bring:)

 

 

 



Snow day

The second snow fall for the kids but my first snow day with them.  We were finally able to use the sled we got last year!

My two early risers.  They had played in the white stuff the night before and then laid out all their snow gear so they could literally jump out of bed and get outside the first thing in the morning.  I think they were afraid it would melt away if they waited until after breakfast!

#5 wanted to show me that the garden was covered up.  He had a lot of fun in snow this year, no crying because his hands were cold(like last year:).

Cutie  #4

The kids(minus the oldest who didn't play out today).  Tested three hills in our neighborhood.

I joined them for the backyard fun.  I don't know when the last time I was on a sled but it was so fun!  I felt so blessed today, to be home with my kids...playing outside, making hot chocolate and playing with Christmas gifts.  I am looking forward to 2013 and what it brings.  I am filled with joy in my soul.

Christmas time

 Working on the (2nd) annual Christmas morning shot.  Well, it is now right before supper but we are still in pj's/lounge wear so it'll work.

 

What a beautiful, loving family.....wait a minute.  I'm missing someone.

 

 

 

Oh, right the oldest didn't sleep the night before and it caught up with him.  He had fallen asleep in a living room chair and I woke him up so he could eat dinner.  Well, turns out he was way too sleepy to snap a picutre with us and ended up going to bed to catch up on his sleep.

 

 



 



Lucky for him I had gotten this picture before a Christmas singing.  For these shots it was the youngest who was out of sorts!  Most of the pictures have him squirming away, LOL!

 

 

Hope you and yours had a very Merry Christmas!!