Soccer Tournaments

Jason made a goal!!!!!

AWANA

Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed--Taken from II Timothy 2:15

We are well into our new Awana year.  I say "well" because though it has only been two weeks, it seems as if we have done a lot of work.  And we have!  Our first week was close to 60 children, and this week we were over 60.  Now to get the Gospel message out to each child...

I have been helping the secretary again this year.  This involves getting information about the child, permission slips, books, vests, membership cards, record cards, finding last year's information if necessary, organizing the folders, coloring pages, verses tally sheets, etc.  The first week was mostly passing out books, this week mostly giving vests and membership cards, next week will be putting rank patches on vests, and the next giving wings and jewels.  After that it should start to dwindle down a bit.

Soccer Games

We are in the downward swing of our soccer season.  Today the junior team played a FUN game to watch in Karlstad even though they were still beaten.  We have another practice this week then tournaments on Saturday.  Next week there is one more game, as we could not fit all the games in prior to the tournaments.  I never get any good pictures during soccer season so "more power to me."  :)

Country Corn Maze

We bought a family season pass for the corn maze again this year.  The kids have fun out there.  There is so much to do.  We even brought a small group one day.  David enjoys checking out the tractor and going on hay rides the best.  The four youngest kids do a "chart" at home where they get up to $2.00 each week for spending money from me.  Check out the website and head on over.  You will be glad you did!

www.countrycornmaze.org

4th of July Skirts

The 4th of July is celebrated "big" in this town.  Each year I have wanted to do something special for the kids and have never done it.  Well, this was the year!  I made these red, white, and blue skirts for the girls with some fun "celebration" material in them plus a pair of shorts for David.  He would NOT wear them until we convinced him that if he wore them to the parade people would throw candy at him.  :)  What I thought would be an hour's long project took most of the day plus part of the next day!  The skirts had a lot of gathering because I made them flare out.

Garden

Our friends took a long vacation so we watered their garden and got their mail each day.  Watering the garden was the favorite activity.  We also fed the fish they had.

Fountain

We have not stopped at the fountain much this year (compared to most years,) but the kids enjoy walking around it and sticking their feet in.  Sometimes they have made and sailed boats of leaves and twigs, and they enjoy taking picnic lunch and eating there.

Cousins

Kayla and David share birthdays exactly one year apart!

If you'd like a pond at your house, I'll get you some contact information.  :)

More Pictures of the Camping Trip

I THOUGHT I had loaded more pictures than in the previous post!!!!!

Camping Trip

Reading around the fire before bed

The view of the lake from our site

Making S'mores

Melissa entering the tower

David and Shelly in the tower

Melissa and Laura debating on jumping out the tower (Just kidding!)

I took off for two nights with the four youngest kids, and we went camping at Lake Bronson State Park.  The water was quite "green-filled" which was not very inviting after our summer of chlorinated pools.  We did swim, however, and we enjoyed the waves the boats made and also were a bit jealous of those getting to ride on tubes dragged behind the boats.  David enjoyed the big boat that was parked by our campsite, and one evening the people were on it doing some work so he stood and watched for the longest time.  The girls got to practice putting up their new tents, pumping the mattresses, and making their campsite.  They had fun biking around, although Laura's training wheels were quite noisy--especially during the morning bathroom run when everyone else was still asleep!

New Lawn Mowers

We bought a new lawn mower this year which has greatly shortened the time we have had to spend mowing.  David also got a new plastic mower, and then Jason made a Lego lawn mower for him.

My 2013 Summer-time Lifesaver

The diameter of the pool is bigger than our living room!

Jason's Birthday

Good morning, Birthday Boy!  (and dog)

The traditional birthday breakfast.  He biked up and got 1/2 cup of blueberries from the cross roads for his muffins.

Playing with Legos

Favorite summer time activity--complete with music.

Happy 15th birthday, Jason!

Melissa's Birthday

Melissa turned 9 at the end of May.  I have a few pictures of that, but they are stuck on the cell phone.  One of these days I will figure out how I can get them off and onto the computer.  :)  One of our friends did take a picture of her with her cake at Grandma's house, but I have not seen it.

Mall of America Trip

I took the four youngest down to the cities for a visit.  We went to Sea Life, the American Doll Store, Lego Land, and on the rides. 

Tracy's Birthday

Tracy had a birthday in May.  Jason made LOTS of cookies for her so she would have a surprise when she came home from work.  The cookies spell "Happy B-Day Tracy."