Hail

Thus far this is the largest hail stone we've seen since moving here, as displayed by Pastor Brad (this actually fell from the sky last month, I just didn't get around to posting it until now).

Summer of Fun

I know, I know -- I've been slacking off again. It's just that summer, with it's long lazy days and restful, relaxing vacations is BUSY! At long last here's an update.

Lijah turned 3 on June 30 -- wow! It's almost like he's a big boy now! Or maybe he really is a big boy and I'm just not ready to admit it.



The boys and I spent just over two weeks in Washington with my parents in July, and Wade joined us there for the second week. We had copious amounts of fun playing games with friends and family, camping at Ross Lake, going to Brian and Kayla's wedding and just hanging out.

Mom and I took the boys to Lynden City Park for a picnic.

Levi, colorful character that he is, got lawn mower rides from Grandpa.

And all the boys got motorcycle rides from Uncle Kenner (I got a motorcycle ride too, but I got a ride on his new street bike, not the dirt bike).

The highlight of the trip was camping at Ross Lake with Dad and Mom. Kenner and Karen, Justin and Jen and Tim and Cami with little Javan were also there for part of the time.

Boat rides were a big hit, as was fishing with Grandpa.



Lij found a great seat.

The boys spent hours catching minnows in nets. The lake was swarming with the little fish which made it easy for the boys to "reel them in" by the netful!

A net full of fishies!

Wade and Justin graciously escorted Kenner out into the lake... still sitting in his lawn chair!

Kenner and Karen... awwwwww.

Luke proudly spelled his name from branches and sticks.

Wade and Levi returning from a walk along the lake.

Camping in the Black Hills

We took to the hills this past weekend (June 18-20) for some fun in the sun camping at Sheridan Lake, about 25 minutes from Mount Rushmore, which we also visited while we were in the area.

Isaac and Levi getting ready for a swim... as soon as they lose their balance.


Lukey was pretty proud that he could get the hatchet stuck in the stumps. He spent quite a bit of time chopping anything and everything around camp.


We hiked about a mile one evening to this bridge overlooking the Sheridan lake dam and the canyon it spills into. It was a great way to tire out the boys just before bed.


We ran into some hail on the drive down to the Black Hills -- big hail! Thankfully things had cleared off and dried out a bit by the time we set up camp, but those ice cubes did leave a few small dents in the van.


Our boy-ohs at Mt. Rushmore. They thought the "carved rocks" were pretty cool, but they didn't have the patience to wait around for Wade and I to read all the information signs about the presidents and the carving of the faces. We'll do that another time.


'Lijah was all tuckered out on the way home -- surprise, surprise -- not! I think he looks so big in his car seat these days, more little boyish than babyish, but he's still got another 8 pounds to go before he graduates to a booster seat.

New Portraits

I took new pictures of the boys for the living room frames. We used the portrait ones below (head and shoulder shots, not the full-body pictures, although I was pleased with how those turned out too).

Isaac




Levi




Luke




Elijah

Turtle, turtle!

Wade called home from work a few days ago and said, "You gotta get out here and see this!" He was only about a mile from our place, so the boys and I piled into the van and went to check out the BIGGEST turtle any of us had ever seen! This guy was a good two feet long including his spiky dinosaur-like tail (think Spike on The Land Before Time), had claws at least an inch long (think Sharp Tooth on The Land Before Time), and when he walked his belly was about four inches off the ground. Quite the specimen!