Summer overview!!!!!

Here it is!!!! Our summer overview!

:rubs hands together: Let's get started!!!!

Dad was able to find pavers for a walkway and patio for much cheaper than it would be to pour cement! So the crew got together and went to work! They did an amazing job!

What would summer be like without a batch of kittens to play with?

And what would we do with out reenacting? Not sure. The event in July only us kids went to for the day and I have to say it was just long enough! It was SOOOOO hot! Whew!

The patio is done and Dad even built a fire pit on it! We really enjoyed that all summer.

Heather was given the delight of making her first wedding cake! In fact she did two this summer! She does an amazing job!

One of the highlights of our summer was getting to meet our cousins fiancee, Dania, for the first time! She is in the front and McKenzie is the other sweet gal and she is my other cousins wife. We're all cousins!!!!! Both of those girls mean a lot to our family!

This was Family Camp time!

It was lovely getting to be with friends.

And just lay around!

Smiles!

Our little Annie!

Dania was able to go with us which made family camp all the more fun!

Since I got a new camera I had Dania pose for me!

Isn't she darling?!?!?!

We were able to have a Homeschool Alumni party while she was here.

A couple of happy people!

We took Dania to the coast since it had been MANY years since she had been. It was a lovely day!

Mom and Emma! Don't you think my mom looks great for a grandma??? I do!

Keslie and I after our picnic on the beach!

Group shot! What you don't know is that a stray dog was sitting right beside my camera! It jumped when the camera took the photo! LOL!

During a walk on the docks a fisherman gave us this tuna they had caught that morning! He was so nice and really wanted us to have it. Boy, did it taste good! Wow!

Grandpa enjoying Emma!

and Grandma holding her!

We made some zucchini relish...

...and pickles!

Uncle Ben and sleeping beauty!

Summer is so fun with all the lovely flowers!

Two growing kids!

Baby bunnies!

Little Emma Christine in her baptismal gown! Her grandma and great-grandma wore the dress as well! It was special to have her wear it and she looked so darling! It was a very special day!

Green beans!!!!

Little girl lost in a maze of green beans!

Even Emma wanted to help snap beans!

I think he likes beans!

Lydia and her friend Mrs. Cash! Mrs. Cash really likes Lydia and the feeling was mutual!

I love this picture!

After escaping a rain storm that interrupted a picnic we found refuge at the Carousel! Lydia had never been on it before so we had to let her have a ride! She loved every minute of it and was a little in awe!

We were able to take Emma to visit Grandma again! They matched!

Grandma "coooed" and talked to Emma! It was so sweet! Grandma always loves to see Emma.

For Grandpa's birthday his kids got him a hot air baloon ride!

It was delightful to be able to watch him take off and take pictures for him!

He is in the balloon at the bottom left furthest away. It was a beautiful morning for a ride in the sky and he enjoyed every minute of it!

My dad's side of the family had a family reunion. Lydia Anne is here with her "cousin" Lydia Dianne who is 3 weeks younger! They are so cute together!

And yet one more reenactment! Anna and Gracie eating luncheon!

Happy girls!!!!

Our kitchen tent.

David with his little girl! She likes reenacting!

My dad reading the bible.

Lydia and I!

=) My dear little niece! I just adore this little one!

Happy birthday Grandma! Emma "helping" Mom blow out the candles! LOL

The cutest batch of kittens ever! Want one? ;)

We were able to take our first real vacation we've had in years! We stopped by the house we built 15 years ago and met neighbors who were working on their place! We had such special times with them and loved exploring their land! such fun memories! What a joy to get to visit with them.

In the middle of a lava flow. Almost as far as you could see there was black lava and it was VERY sharp! Wow! It had it own strange beauty though.

A couple took a family picture for us!

Then we had to hike a very small part of the Pacific Crest trail. It was lovely up there but we are used to breathing more air! Kind of hard when walking up hill! But it was lovely up there.

Resting!

The next day we went spelunking! We didn't find any really big ones but this one was fun.

The kids enjoyed fishing on a beautiful lake right outside our condo!

There was a swimming pool we all enjoyed! It was cold outside, but boy, a pool is a pool and one must swim in it!!!!!

JUMP!

Lydia really liked her kiddie pool!

Mom, Lydia, and I went to a quaint little town while the rest of the family was hiking some more. Lydia wasn't too sure of the large bison on the wall!

The little wooden bear was more to her liking!! We had a very nice and relaxing vacation! It was such a joy!

I made some fun peppermint candies!

Lighting the candles on Dad's cake.

Mom took us kids to help some people from my grandma's care home go to a pumpkin patch and hay ride. Taylor is helping a sweet lady named Lydia! She didn't like the outing much! Poor thing!

I just had to post this of sweet Amelia! She likes to pose for pictures!

Happy Birthday Grandpa!!!!

Okay, now tell me this, could you really have this darling little face look at you like that and not have your heart melt? I don't think it's possible! =)

Thank you all for looking! I'll be updating again soon as I practice with my new camera!