Summer Days

-The last weeks of summer-

How did it happen again- summer break is almost over. A little over two weeks and the kids (all three) will be back in school. This is a picture of the kids at Country Kid's Camp. They loved all the fun "country summer" activities and could not wait to go back each day.

Their favorite things-

Brenner- The zip line into the lake, canoeing and the "Mud Day".

Cayden- The zip line, the fire truck hose down and looking for worms.

Mia- Doing all kinds of crafts and catching tadpoles. Also riding "trigger" the horse and painting him with finger paints. Fun, Fun, Fun!!!

<>We also celebrated the 24th of July in high pioneer style. We pulled our family and provisions (a salad for the potluck and our camera) in a hand cart to a little valley (1/8th of a mile from the car) and hung out with some of the best Mormons around (the Monroe Ward). It was lots of fun, but super HOT! Come, come ye saints!!!
And Brenner is still reading, and reading and reading. He has only a chapter or two left in the final fifth book of the Percy Jackson series. All added up, he has read over 1,800 pages this summer. I think that meets the AR reading goal for the summer! Turns out all that finger and thumb exercise from all his video gaming also helps to turn the pages of books- who would have thought!!!

Gram's and Pa's Visit to Georgia

Gram's and Pa's visit to Georgia

Oh the kids had been holding their excitement from the day they heard Grams and Pa were coming to Georgia until their plane landed and the kids were half asleep.
The trip was sorta last minute and planned around Pa offering to come out and ordain me to the office of High Priest. It could not have been a better week, the weather (although a bit humid for Grams & Pa), the fun, the food, and the just good old family time spent doing nothing really! Past trips were planed around trips here and there and this visit was just good time spent together- it was "great time"! Swimming at the Tara pool.Pup Pancakes of course! Grams as always was the "cruise director" with all kinds of activities up her sleeve at any given moment. Sun Catchers, Finger Paints, Bubbles, Carmel Corn and many other Crafts made for "simple great times". Mia kept asking: "what 'actidity' is next Grams?" Even going through grams bags one time to get a jump start on the boys.BubblesMia and Grams reading and playing sticker princesses. We had lots of fun at the Vines Park and Pond. Feeding the ducks and nature walking.
Down by the banks of the Hanky Panky were the Bullfrogs jump from bank to banky!
We stopped and bought some "boiled Peanuts" from a road side vendor and Pa thought they were great- but Grams could not quite get into the southern spirit of it all. As you can see, little Miss Mia thinks they are yummy! They are a bit of an acquired taste- I have acquired to love them!
After my high priest ordination and setting apart as a high councilor in the Athens Stake, I found out that my speaking assignment for the following Sunday was changed from a ward assignment to speaking in a branch. They are a bit different, and as such, I needed a first speaker and fast! Pa, without hesitation, offered to speak and we both spoke on aspects of Member Missionary Work. The Meeting was great and a bit of a relief, as speaking in a small branch as opposed to a full ward was a more natural transition I think. The members and the spirit in the Madison Branch were great, and having my parents and my family there with me for my first assignment I will remember forever! Great Day!
Speak, See and Hear no evil.

Pa and his silly rhymes. Adam and Eve and pinch me quick went down to the river to bathe, Adam and eve were drowned, and who do you think was saved?..... Pinch me quick! The kids never tire of such fun and the opportunity to pinch each other!

Watching the Garden Railroad at Vines. Choo- Choo!!!

Another day with the ducks, but armed with bread this time. We almost got caught in a rain storm this day and the last minute "Run and Dash" to the car was fun, although no one ended up getting wet.

Mia and Grams and a Magnolia blossom.

Dinner in the backyard. Yummy!!!

Carmel Corn is becoming a Grams and Pa visit tradition!

In the flowers at the gates of Tara.

What would a visit to the South be without a visit to the Waffle House. Brenner and Pa's favorite meal. Make my hash browns "covered (cheese), chopped (onions) and chunked (ham) please!"

The kids in the Crape Myrtles. Although many of the Georgia flowers had finished blooming a week or two back, the Crape Myrtles were all in full bloom and colored the visit in pink, white and purple.
Gram's and her Georgia Kids

Thanks for such a great visit Grams and Pa, we love you and had the "BEST OF TIMES!"

Forth of July FUN!

Fourth of July FUN!

We had a great Independence Day with family and friends. The Georgia summer heat gave way for the weekend and the temps in the 80's gave us all some "Independence" from the heat and humidity.
There was plenty of Red, White and Blue, a traditional water balloon fight and as always, great summer cook-out food!
Here the kids are having a picnic in the backyard.

Mia and Morgan clapping in approval of the Cul-de-sac firework display- The boys were busy lighting them of course- little fire bugs!!!

And oh what would the Fourth of July be without cold and creamy homemade ice-cream!!! YUMMY!!!

Politically correct or not- the little southern rebel with her Confederate flag.

THE SOUTH WILL RISE AGAIN?!?!?!

And the night ended with the always spectacular firework display at the front gates of Tara. We are always right underneath them, but this year the wind seemed to blow lots more spent cartridges and firework sparks our way. Someone said: maybe next year we should sit further back..... I said: are you kidding, I'll be right here in this exact spot again 365 days from now. There is nothing like feeling the pound in your chest as they explode so close and right above you... sparks and debree only add to the experience!!!

And just a side note:

Not to be out done by the bangs and crashes of the fourth, I wrapped the bumper of the Armada around a mini-van several days later. Just as with the fourth, there was also a bang and crash and some debree thrown around, it just was not as exciting or fun- but that is life I guess.... Some times it unexpectedly crashes. No one was hurt and we now are driving a fancy red rental Mini-Van until the Armada gets it's face back! "Yeah" said the kids as it has two TVs and video game hookups!