Holding onto Summer

I think I am going to squeeze every ounce of summer out of this month!  Summer around here is absolutely the best season.  I spend the rest of the year counting down until summer.  I am someone who cherishes seasons, and being from New England and East Coast- all the seasons are celebrated.  Since we have lived here...maybe I am just getting old, but I don't enjoy 2 season of the year at all!!! Winter and spring are dreadfully long, cold, and grey...I think the grey is what gets me.  Summer, though, not a cloud in the sky, everybody is constantly doing something or travelling, coffee on the porch, gathering together, no schedules, all to fit in 2 short months!  So here are a couple of pics from the last week or so.....me trying to fit it all in our last bit of summer.  I decided though, being the dreamer that I am, if I owned a motor home then summer would definitely be extended!  We would do September school travelling  and I would put snow tires on and .....get out of dodge!

Extra-large marshmallow stuffed with chocolate..the bomb!





Apricots from a friends yard...jam!  Blackberries from a spot near our campsite...jam!!

Big deal- Joseph learned how to mow the lawn.

And Annabelle had to be a part too... so they both learned how to mow the lawn.  No we do not have 2 mowers, we borrowed the neighbor's.

The same neighbor came home with a bear!!! Lots of excitement for us.

Just a taste of where we live :)

Found a fun place after a soccer tournament, Birch Bay.  It reminded us of the Boston North Shore!

Everyone decide to swim with all their clothes

One of my beautiful girls!

As I said...full clothes!

The highlight of camping for the soccer tournament....a 3 inch slug we found!

Everyone doing their part

All Together Again

It is a wonderful thing that we are together as a family again!  I felt like a limb has been missing between all these camps and mission trip, etc.  Rob took a vacation week this week- just so we can be together- it has been wonderful.  MacKenzie has returned safely from New York and her trip was , of course, amazing. She actually has had some very obvious changes in her life which we have been delighted to see.  She has been very patient with her siblings, had a delightful attitude with us, and she is pursuing a daily quiet time....WOW!! How fun is all of that!  She grew up quite a bit on her trip and she has many stories to tell.  From the mouse that lived in her room chewing on her clothes, to the adventures of travelling through several nights, to lifetime relationships built...she has many stories.  We are hoping that she will have a DVD or newsletter sent to all her supporters about her trip...so you can look forward to that.

 As for this week- well we have not done much except be around one another.  We picked MacKenzie up on Saturday, after almost not making it due to a blown out tire.  Since Saturday she has been catching up on sleep and we have been....HOME!  We did go to Chelan yesterday to pick blueberries and swim in the lake, but we even took Halle.  As the summer comes to a close I am not ready to say goodbye.  I am beginning school plans, but holding on to sweet sunny days.

We just couldn't stop!

So happy together....

Halle's first "dog-friendly" restaurant...we think she liked it!

The joy of the find of the "mother-load"

We really didn't have to look that hard!

Fun at the Lake

The best place to swim...EVER! It is a "pool" that is part of the lake, it is wonderful.

MacKenzie Update

Well- it seems I am living by "No news is good news", but it feels more like "No news is HARD!"  MacKenzie has been in NYC all week and apparently doing fantastic!  She called last Thursday with excitement and plenty of stories. She is sharing her faith, enjoying her team, and experiencing New York.  I am so proud to say that she is using her gifts of leadership and having a great time.  I expected to hear from her last night, but I guess they did not get the designated call time.  Keep praying for her.  If you would like to send her a message this week go to : http://www.globalexpeditions.com/index.cfm/pageid/4857/index.html
She is on the New York Z trip, she loves getting the messages.

As far as Joseph's week at Camp Bighorn, he had a fabulous time.  He enjoyed being with his buddy Matthew and meeting lots of new friends.  He had many adventures and continues talking about them.