Summer Days

I know I say this every year, but seriously - summer is OVER already?! With one more week until the pool closes, and 4 days until the Great Darke County Fair, we're trying to milk our few remaining care-free days for all they're worth!

Since I'm past the point of "catching up" on the season's activities, I'll content myself with putting up a few of the highlights . . . and several pics that just make me smile. The first few are from our Camp Forest Springs & Chicago trip the first week in July.

One incident we still shake our heads over. We decided to leave at midnight and drive through the night on our way to WI - about a 12-hour trip. Around 6:00 am, the kiddos had all awakened and, of course, were just DYING of hunger. We stopped at a McDonalds, ate breakfast and put gas in the van. After driving about 30 minutes, I noticed that one of Malachi's shoes was missing. Now, it normally wouldn't have been a big deal, but these particular shoes are the only shoes he's been willing to wear all summer without making a huge fuss about how they hurt his feet - and we had to drive to a Croc outlet (and spend a great deal more than I would usually spend on a pair of kids' shoes) to purchase them.

We realized, after searching the ENTIRE van, that his shoe had probably come off at the gas station. So . . . we turned around and sure enough, there was the shoe, underneath another vehicle. One thing about having kids that has taken me by surprise, is the extent to which we are willing to inconvenience ourselves to retrieve certain life-and-death objects such as special pillows, blankies, stuffed animals / dolls and now shoes.

OK, on to the pics . . . .


The mini farm


We loved walking the wooded paths


Zeke's favorite pastime was going out in the funyak . . . and I didn't complain, since we couldn't have asked for more beautiful weather.



On the way from our apartment to lunch


In Chicago . . . Funny story: right after snapping this photo, an Asian couple who spoke limited English walked up to us and asked if they could take a picture. A little taken off guard, we agreed, thinking they just wanted a pic of some American kids. We watched, however, as first one, then the other, got into the picture and posed with our kiddos! Weird.


Millennium Park: Crown Fountain


Just before we left for CFS, we went to "Flicks on Fifth" downtown, where we watched The Lion King on a huge outdoor screen. That night we remembered why we rarely let Karis dress herself.


Rachel, Zeke and cousin Ellie


Bed Head


Rachel, Karis, cousin Addie, and newest cousin Corina


Karis & Moo with friends at a surprise 30th birthday party



Breast Cancer Awareness 5K in July . . . I was elated to set a new personal record, until I discovered we all made a wrong turn and ran a total of 2.9 miles.



Mr. Moo (or should I say Woody?) at a friend's cowboy/cowgirl-themed birthday party


This is just disturbing.


Mr. Moo is a big boy!! He decided at the end of July that he was ready to do some serious business with the potty - and after about 3 weeks is fully competent (except sometimes at night). He likes to remind me, though, that no matter how big he gets, he's still my baby. I guess I can live with that!