Happy Father's Day

 Our Father's Day was fairly nondescript.  We just had a good meal and enjoyed spending time with Peter.  The boys got him a nice fishing lure and I got him some books, including a commentary for his next sermon series.

The boys helped me make some blackberry buckles for everyone with some local blackberries we had stashed in the freezer.

Parcheesi was a highlight.  We found this vintage game at a garage sale the day before for $1 and enjoyed playing several rounds by turns.  Peter remembers playing with his dad when he was young.

Outside Projects

 Down below the house, the boys are putting in a raised garden bed for me.  We're not really doing vegetable gardening this year, except for this one bed.

 The tree stump in the background is from a pretty big tree that the older boys felled for me this spring.  It was their first time to fell a live tree and they did a great job.  It's absence provides a lot more sun on this portion of the garden.

 Tomato plants in my new bed, all done!

 On another part of our property, Sam has spent some his free time carving out the beginnings of a "cellar" that he wanted to make.  He's showing me how he's planning to put in support beams.

Our blueberry bushes have put out some lovely fruit this year.  We think we'll have more than a pint total.  Fun!  

There are wild black raspberries around our property that the boys are enjoying collecting and freezing for future pies and cobblers.  The end of June is full of seasonal good things.

That's Our Girl

 

(As in, that's everyone's favorite little family member at the moment.) Can you see why?  There's a little bit of sunshine in those cheeks, smile and eyes!  She's enjoying her first summer as a walker and talker.  The world is so amazing!

First Fire

 This was a couple of weeks back, when we finally built a fire in the fire pit and spent an evening outside.

 Somebody has a marshmallow in her little hand...

 Yummmm....

 The boys enjoyed watching our Christmas tree go up in flames.

 It made quite the blaze!

 Ben got out his Indian drum and there was a little dancing around the fire.

 While the fire burned down, I sat on the hillside and watched the kids play, sans toys.  Ben started a little contest of jumping over last years' garden fence.

 Calvin has very good form.  :)

 There was much rolling down the hillside.

Like a breath of fresh air was this evening for our family.  It can be so difficult to stop "living" to enjoy down time and simplicity of being together outside, with no plans.  So nice.

Memorial Day Fun

 Picnic!  We spent the afternoon/evening at the home of a friend on Memorial Day this year.  There were several other friends there as well and it was a great time of fellowship and food.  The food was pretty wiped out by the time I took this picture!

 The older kids spent some time filling water balloons so that all the kids could have a water balloon fight.

 The water balloon fight was great fun.  No one was disappointed. Well, at least not ultimately.

 Sam smashed one on Will's back.

Bronwyn popped one in her hands.

 Big kids playing on the playset.

 Cutie-Pie baby in the swing.  :)

  She saved one secretly.  I wonder what she did with it?

Chatting and hanging-out.

Lady Bronwyn is making her rounds, in turn, to visit the chickens, the toys, the playset and the food.

   Our friends made an amazing ice cream cake for dessert.  It was gigantic and super-delicious.

 It was the perfect dessert for all of these kiddos.

 Still playing after sunset...

 One of the dogs came out to see everybody.

He even got a kiss from Bron.  A fun, fun time and a tired, tired bunch of dirty kids I brought home with me.  Yippee!

Kisses In The Tub