Leech Lake Vacation

It was a shady moment in the front yard there, it just kept getting better and better.


Luke and his trailer skills, let me tell you. He is good. I couldn't back out of anything with that wheely thing. Then again, he is a professional driver:)
We walked on the road, to each resort to each end of the road. The road just ends in a resort, kinda funny. There must have been dead end signs before our stretch.

Blueberry Pancakes! Libby did pretty good, danger for my summer:)


And she wanted that pic right away. I thought she could climb on the mantel too, but we didn't get that far. Lexi almost got up and Libby just didn't have much luck. There was about maybe 10 inches between.

Great walkway, couldn't snap everything. The big misses were the kids playing and swimming, Luke wrestling with his boat in a wave storm, the momma and her 8 ducklings, and a family pic. Who forgets the family pic? Me.

Great Photo Op, nice tounge, Noah. Can that word ever look right or is it mispelled?

Look at that fuzzy hair! Cruisin' with mom...always puts her to sleep too:)

Yum Yum, Smores are good. The only place reward comes before work is in the dictionary.

We did manage a fire each night, that was impressive for us.

Have I ever mentioned I love plaid?
We had a great time on Vacation, a good time had by all. It was a peaceful area. Creation was no mistake. Wow! Nature and lake life is so tranquil, all of our spirits enjoyed and thrived! It was great for everyone.Check out vrbo if you're going somewhere. Wonderful opportunity to have fun memories with the kids and relax.

Happy Fathers Day

Happy Fathers Day to my wonderful husband, Luke is the best.
And to my dad, who teaches me so much.

Thank you Luke for being great with the kids and always stepping up and being the funnest man in the world!

I never really imagined what God has made for our lives and I am so thankful to have my life with you.

So in honor of Fathers Day, a shout out to fathers- you are important to your little girls...thank you for being wise and helpful to your children. Thank you Father in Heaven!

Vacation clean up and VBS

First off, a vacation for us is more than one night. And we were blessed to have found a beautiful home to rent for a vacation of 3 nights up at Leech. For probably the equivelent to gas money for our original idea to do Yellowstone. Another year. Infact, not sure. I learned, as great of a time we had and it was truly awesome up there, I like all inclusinve's better. Family camp, with an itinerary, cooked meals, and various programming is a better trip with the kids. Who'm I kidding, it's a lot of work! But it is so worth it because it is great to explore with the kids and give them that opportunity, even if it is limited, spending time away from home and tourism is fun! I grew up going there several summers, but never did see the location of where that resort was that now isn't the same or name or who knows. That's a huge lake, can't even see across it! It was peaceful and rejuvinating to be on the lake and do nothing but enjoy life away from home. I even came back with clean laundry because they had a washer and dryer. There is proof, that running laundry is kinda like walking for me. Haha. I did get some help unloading my heap of pressed time laundry routines, consisting of my dryer heaped in 3 feet of folded stacked clothes needing to be put away. Typically semi sorted too.
VBS stands for Vacation Bible School. A really fun week and both boys are working too, so it will be great seeing them in a orange shirt! This year I am doing preschool music, and am really enjoying it. My stream of classes come in and I am jumping around, thinking their "motions" are too much now. The best thing is that they are having fun though, it's all good. We do a cute little show on Friday and the whole week is just awesome. Decoration is phenomenal too. I feel really laid back this year, as I didn't work committee- and not with a classroom too. Starting to be a good week though, even with scattered showers. Rec was in the old sanctuary. WHERE I GOT MARRIED!! I have pics to prove it:) Growth. Everything wants to grow I told Luke about my trouble gardens. Everything that has breath praise the Lord!

photo malfunction- i'll take it, cute kids and friends:)

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Adam 15?

What? Happy Birthday big guy! Adorable Adam Lee turned 15 on May 8th. Wow! He is turning into a man! He is getting broad shoulders, passed me up in height a long time ago, is strong too! Wow, hard to imagine that he is in his mid teens.

Adam LOVES fishing, LOVES electronics, LOVES cooking and baking, likes using the weed whacker, likes riding motor scooter, likes playing outside, likes helping, and likes doing things with friends.

He came around with the baby after only a few months and he loves Naomi!! He likes jokes and can be a prankster. He is very innocent and sweet, not a mean bone in his body. He is mechanically inclined and will likely work in that industry. His big brown eyes will likely melt anyone...stay back girls, no dating! We love you Adam!

Thank you God for Adam! Lord we pray that you will bless him in unmeasurable ways that he may be successful and happy, healthy and helpful. May Adam delight in serving your kingdom and be a blessing to other people as well. Thank you for Adam!

Reany the Eight

Darling Norean Sarah had a birthday May 5th!!
She turned 8!! She is such a joy! I want to have each of the kids a birthday post, but life gets the best of me, not the computer...oh well.

Reany loves to help people, especially little ones. She is a really good singer, and an amazing dancer. She is so beautiful with her big smile, she is my happy girl.

Reany's favorite toys are the fur-real pets, she has three newborns. I think she might may a great vet someday! She loves coloring and playing UNO too. She is a star and she brightens up wherever she is. We love you Reany!!

God blessed us with Reany and through her we are learning things too, as with all of our children. Thank you Jesus for our daughter Reany, may you continue to guide us and give us strength for her upbringing that she may serve and glorify you now and forever.

Crafty

crafty and toddlers...not so much. I really have to let go if there is glue or other media (what is the word I am looking for?!) My kids can barely remember to overshadow with a back sheet and literally draw pens and markers onto my table. I know I should use the table cloths, but I am not a fan!

Growing up we always had some ugly (sorry mom) vinyl tablecloth that has little checkers indented into it. I specifically remember it being hard to clean up sometimes, and it was never as nice as the wood underneath. Why not use the beautiful piece as it's intention. I see if I have one though. I could lay it in the back of the van. I love my new mini van, after pouting to get that station wagon, a few years of hunching into that thing, and I won and got an Odyssey. It is amazing compared to the old getter. I am very blessed.

The back seat just rolls into the floor. Right now Noah has it set up so he could bring his little stash of stuff with him. It has three and three for back row seating for total of 8, so that is great for us. Buying bags of reddish wood-chips for our front. If we have to restock them heavily every two years then it is still worth it. Now that things have bloomed up around here I have been playing with the landscaping a little bit. Always trying to 1) minimize my future time involved with maintaining gardens and 2) have it look progressively- i can't afford too quick perfect...good things plants grow!

First year sleeper, second year creeper, third year reaper. Seemingly true as the gardens I ripped up a couple years ago are finally flourishing to see where I can fill in more things and hopefully someday it will be totally full and effortless. We have been here over 4 years now. I guess m-i-l still wants some peonies...pretty sure you never read this, so sorry for ratting you out- you'll get the peonies. I know you have realized that I am not able to prioritize my gardening and have made even more mess than what you left. But sorry, I just have a long term plan with things and ultimately have to make things easy for me. Plus, some things just didn't seem to make sense how we use our property. WtH... I don't really care, take the peonies? Anything else you still want at one last chance? I know you want more rhubarb too. While you're at it, grab the queen size bedframe in there too. Hehe just teasing, I love my mother in law and wish that I spent more time with her. Hopefully this summer we will get a pool pass again.

Last year Grandpa Deno got us a membership with some work cleaning up trees, so while we don't like storms, maybe one over on the gulf course:) The passes are $200 per family, doesn't that seem outrageous! But they have us in a tight spot because it is highly enjoyable for our entire family at any given point, sometimes a couple times a day to go down to the pool. So likely will get a pass.

Other summer activities? Well there is a junior golf I think the boys will go to, the girls and Noah are going to sign up for tennis. Would like the boys to too, but might just see how they interact with the girls. I hate to do it to them, but they might start in the second session if they take interest, being "under" the girls even. Then again, for David, he would like the statistics that they got a jump start. I can hear that one already.
YMCA classes (woot woot still in the competition, curious what my stats are and not sure if even available) trips to the zoo and visiting family, PCA staffing for 1:1 with a set schedule. Leach Lake our next weekend with Aubrey and Lexi. Calling to get at "Big Sandy," I guess Lebanon's early registration is not to be taken lightly. Gardening, playing, being outside...