Everyone Survived!

Everyone survived the 2nd Annual Nana and Papa Camp and had a great time.  Tired was an understatement, but I would have been concerned if they were all rested and in a good mood after a week of being together!

It was bible school week at their church, so each night they headed up to the church from 5-7. This year's theme was Digging Up & Into the Bible and it focused around a daily "dig"!  Alex couldn't wait on Sunday to show me the dig site!

Brecke took to anyone who wanted to hang out with her, but especially loved Amanda and Denise. As a Mommy, it is fun to hear how others just really enjoy your kids!

It was a HOT week and a daily dig lead to quite the assembly line for nightly baths!  Nana got pretty good at cranking them through!!  Brecke even learned how to take a shower!

We were able to enjoy some of the songs they learned during the week when we went to church on Sunday with everyone. They sang the B-I-B-L-E and another song that they did in both Hebrew and English...I was impressed!

Nana has lots of pictures during the week, but here is one of Alex's wind chime that he made with Papa out in the shop.

Getting ready to head home...

Everyone is still smiling!!

Makes my heart so happy to know that my kids got to spend some quality time with their grandparents and cousins.  Those are memories they will always cherish (me too)! (Thanks Mom and Dad!)

Quiet

Well, our week without the kids has consisted of the following so far:
-no home cooking...meal preparing...or hearing "I don't like it" (Brecke--not Alex)
-sleeping in.  How nice!
-adult conversation
-adult beverages while having adult converation
-some errands without loading and unloading kids in the vehicles

--and wondering what the little ones are up too!  Can't wait to hear the whole story, but appreciate the short instant messages from Nana when she has a minute or two!

2nd Annual Nana & Papa Camp

We took the kids to meet up with Nana and Papa and their cousins, Jonah and Greta today in Indianapolis.  Four carseats later, they were buckled in and ready to head south! Can I say they were excited!!!!???  I am sure they will stay plenty busy.  Fishing, swimming, playing, baking, and bible school in the evenings.  We will head down on Saturday to see them and bring them back home.

Buckled in and ready to meet up with Nana and Papa!

Loaded up and ready to head south for the week!

Timber...

Alex and Dad used the fence to build towers! Tall towers!

He said he slid his little right foot over to start the destruction! Sneaky!  Patience is not he forte!!! :)
Dad's face is funny!

Timber!!!!!

Yum Yum!

A bit of cookie dough...what could be better!!?

Freezing Corn

We don't have much sweet corn this year due to the extreme drought (and the fact that we like to eat what we do have!), but Alex and I were able to get some put up today!  Tried a different process, so we will see how it tastes!

IOWA!!!!!!

The kids and I did our annual "tagalong" trip to Iowa with Matt. He has a meeting each year in July in Iowa, so we ride out with him (actually he rides with us!) and then he jumps in with someone from Wyffels and heads to his meeting while the kids and I bounce from place to place in Iowa.

This year we left on Sunday and headed to Parkersburg to be with the Prices.
Monday to Aunt Barb's and Uncle Charlie's.  Uncle Butch joined us for supper!
Tuesday to Aunt Jan's (Reiman Garden's Lego display and Hickory Park with Kristen)
Wednesday to Reinbeck (pool time with the Wyatt girls) and onto Swisher (Sara)
Thursday--Home!

Here are some pictures from the week.

Some book time with Great Aunt Barb

Great Uncle Butch

Lego Hummingbird

Hill rolling

Attempted hill rolling

Lego Lawnmower 

World's largest gnome.

Post baths.  They were TIRED!

We had a great time and it was nice to get home.  So good to catch up with so many and Alex really started to figure out that "this is where Mommy grew up"!  That means a lot to me!

Happy Birthday America!

4th of July was a HOT one this year!  So much so, that we skipped the Sibley parade and instead Brett, Lindsey, and Brody came up and swam! Brody brought his super cool water slide!

Brecke's first time down took some coaching from Uncle Brett!!  Notice the facial
expression and the way the hands and feet are clamped down as "brakes"!!!

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This is her 2nd and I think last time down that day!  Follow the series of pictures below! :)

See opted for (proudly) manning the squirt gun the rest of the day!

Buddies!  Or should I say TROUBLE!?! :)

Later in the day, we went to our friends, the Aberles, for supper and some playing.

The kids and their mini cones.  Do they look TIRED or what!!!  :)

After Aberles, we headed up to Sibley for the fireworks!  It was a beautiful, calm night.  

And my absolute favorite....

I am pretty sure I sat and stared at her more than I watched the firework show.  It was just so precious!  She laid right down in Daddy's cradled legs, cuddled up with her cool bottle of water, and fell right asleep.  Not sure she really even saw any of the fireworks show.  Think I saw her open one eye, look up and scowl like "I am trying to sleep--can you keep it down??!!"

It was a great day as a family!!!  I treasure these days!