more yard work fun

Continuing the project started a few weeks earlier.....

burning

This is a boy thing.  I'm still not sure why this was helpful, but they burned out the ditch.  I guess if you want to know more about it you will have to ask BJ.  :)

The moon was beautiful that night!

Although I am waiting patiently for progress on our farm, I sure get excited to see projects started!

These 2 crack me up!  And we can't keep them away from the fruit on the ground.  I am constantly trading them a good apple or pear for the rotten one they picked themselves.  :)

Johnny wanted to run the rototiller so bad, and he actually handled it pretty well!

Last visit with mom....

My mom went to be with Jesus on August 27th.  I still feel in shock about the whole experience.  She had battled cancer for last 5 years, but the end came fast.  After a trip to California she came home sounding very worn out. I thought she had just overdone it, but a trip to the ER showed she had only a little while left with us.  She mentioned maybe through Thanksgiving....but from the day she found out the news and called us, it was just 10 days later.  We were mentally thinking we'd head down there in a week and half, but by the Lord's gracious promptings and council from a few wise people, we made the trip that Wednesday instead.  Amy and her family were there as well and we are so grateful we went when we did.  My mom was weak but able to still visit with us, eat, and walk around some.  We came to her home in small visits throughout the next 3 days and did our best to let the 11 grands get their wiggles out in between. It was such an emotional time.  So weird to be sitting with her talking knowing she only had a few weeks left to be with us.  Our families said their good-byes, and Amy and I made a promise to return the following Tuesday.  My next few days were busy with normal life and getting things caught up before I left my family to be with my mom. Ray called us on Sunday telling us we needed to get there earlier than we had planned.  And so on Monday Amy picked me up and we headed down.  The difference in my mom was unbelievable as she never spoke to us or was coherent again.  When we first arrived and went to her bedside I called out, "mom, we are here."  She opened her eyes for a moment and then went right back to sleep.  The rest of her time on earth we tried to make her comfortable administering her meds, but on Tuesday afternoon she breathed her final breath....and was gone.  

These pictures were taken during the last visit.

So thankful I still have my sister.

Mud....lots of mud

Camp Arnold

Aunt LaVisa and Uncle Steve hosted a cousins' camp this summer. What a blast!  Aunt LaVisa and her sisters are just amazing.  The crafts, activities, and food for our kiddos were awesome. 

Grandma Carolla helped Judson paint the seat for his camping chair.

The twins had great fun on the nature hike collecting leaves for our t-shirts.

It was pretty remarkable to me that 18 of Grandma Carolla's 19 great Grandchildren were there.  Growing up so far away from my cousins, I know how special this is.

Thank you Uncle Steve and Aunt LaVisa for this fun and memorable day!

Campmeeting

The boys were asked to sing offertory for Tuesday evening of camp meeting.  Practicing for these such occasions is always hilarious.  Maybe not so hilarious at the time, especially when it is the night before, but BJ and I are learning to loosen up- a little.

How can we not crack up when Judson and Josiah join in?

And especially when they are reading their words, but two out of three of them can't read!

They sang a song that we learned from our dear friends', the Voetbergs,  a Jesus Loves Me/So Deep medley. 

They did a great job, and this mama was so proud.  :)

Adventures

Air soft wars

With our new place came a few acres of Scotch Broom and an old condemned farmhouse ....perfect for an afternoon of air soft wars.  A couple of young men from our church asked to use our place and we were happy to let them have at it! It was fun to watch all the activity from my window.  Boys sure are different than girls, but they had a good time!  Our Scotch Broom is now gone, but we'd gladly let them play another round someday.  :)

They were so nice to let our oldest three and BJ use their equipment and join in the fun.  The boys, big and small, had a blast!

WPC Homecoming

Reunion time happened again at Warner's homecoming. It is always good to catch up with these old friends....our meetings are few and far between.

My older boys also had a chance to share their music and scripture memory.  They made me proud!

We stopped at the park on our way home to get the boys' wiggles out.  The boys are always up for these stops. :)

a day with little girls

Eddie, BJ's cousin, and Jocelyn asked us to babysit their two darling girls while poor Jocelyn had her wisdom teeth pulled.  I was thrilled to take care of these two....especially sweet Paisley who has taken a liking to me in the church nursery.  What's two more?  I think it is easier to go from 7 children to 9 than 1 child to 3! 

(Starting the day with family worship.) 

One of the first differences between boys and girls was noticed as soon as Eddie and Jocelyn dropped them off.   Rileigh followed me into the bathroom as I finished fixing my hair, and she talked to me non-stop the whole time. :)  I was thinking about it, because my boys talk a lot, but I think the difference is my boys run in to blurt out what they want to tell me and then run off again, over and over again.  They don't just calmly stay by my side and talk with me for an extended period of time.  :)  It was fun to carry on a conversation with Rileigh....she's a hoot!

Paisley really liked Jesse.

We were really blessed to have BJ take a few hours off from work to take us to the Evergreen Aviation Museum.  It was fun to explore this place again.

We had a great time and are looking forward to having them again. Hopefully Jocelyn will have a less painful reason to leave the girls with us next time.  :)