Summer Days- let me not miss a second of it

Our very first Summer Break AND we are loving it! We are adjusting to the extended time off very well after having the kids in year round schools in NC. We liked year round and we also like having a long Summer Break. I have had many memories rekindled from childhood with having the kids home for the summer. I enjoy our late nights gathered around the front porch talking with neighbors, movie nights as a family, eating late dinners, kids rotating from one house to another creating and playing, going to the pool, parks and day trips to new places. The house has been quiet until 9:30 and sometimes as late as 10:00am with kids sleeping in, we are enjoying this time and it just seems to be flying by so fast.

Lemonade stand!

Hot DOG day's of summer!  Hanging out playing the yard with midnight.

friends and neighbors helping one another

.....or watching logan learn how to mow the grass.

friends over coloring hair...yipers I was one scared mama!

many nights of s'mores for who ever drops by.....

The kids  went fishing with the Dad's on Father's Day

 This little barbie pole catches a fish every time!  All 3 girls have used it and all of them have caught fish every time.

From wiffle ball, bike riding, Nerf guns, sprinklers and games of tag to basketball and beyond the kids are staying very active this summer.  

 Gotta stay cool in this heat!

Breanna learned how to change the oil and brakes on the car...love that girl!  I have many pictures of working on the car with my dad as a kid.

Breanna has biked a lot this summer. One of the perks of living in the city and having a great place to ride your bike along the river. The girls headed out for lunch, went to the Capitol, watched Senate hearings and hung out at the Jazz festival for the day.  

ohh I don't want to miss even a second, memories in the making it seems every day. Thank you God for my family and friends. I am truly a blessed woman.

Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy! Psalms:47:1

Secret Keeper Date #4

Maddy and I are working through Secret keeper Girl- The Power of True Beauty and Modesty by Dannah Gresh. We are on lesson 4 The Power of Beauty.

 We went to the Midtown Scholar Book Store/Coffee/ Gallery. We spent some time looking at Art in the gallery talking about the Gestalt Theory and how to take responsibility in dressing modestly for several reasons but one was so that guys are not tempted to practice the Gestalt theory of intriguing the brain in completing the unfinished image. Also, we looked at art and advertising and discussed how feminine beauty was portrayed and if it was a healthy view of women.

 Here Maddy is working in her Secret Keeper Journal. Focusing on Proverbs 5:18-19. Protecting your heart, mind and others by the way you dress to be only intoxicating to one man in your future...your future husband. Saving the deepest secrets of your beauty to intoxicate just your future husband. Deep discussion but so needed in this culture that throws sexual purity and modesty out the window.   (very appropriate that our homeless friend, Mr.Spider walked by the coffee shop a little intoxicated as I was giving the definition of intoxication)

 Reading and thinking.......

We headed home and listened to the CD as Rebecca St. James shared a story. We prayed together and wrapped up a very special night.

May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving doe, a graceful deer.....may you ever be captivated by her love" Proverbs 5:18-19

"Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" 1 Samuel 16:7b

Visit from friends from NC Whooo-hooo!

Some friends from our Brewers Glynn neighborhood came for a visit last week. We surprised the girls by joining them for a fun day at Chocolate World. Here is the video of the surprise! 

Our first stop was to make our very own chocolate bars. This was a lot of fun and would totally do it again!

Here we are watching the instructional video before we get started making our candy bars.

So cute in hair nets and aprons..as you can see I stay way behind the camera so I don't end up in these photo shots!

Dark chocolate, dark chocolate chips...chocolate, chocolate, chocolate.....yumm!!!

Here is our crew, so much fun to go as a group. It was neat to watch the kids create their own packaging after they bars were done.

Maddy stuck beside "Grammy Sue" like glue.  "Gammy Sue" was recently diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing treatment. Maddy has shed many tears the past few weeks as it is difficult to be far away from someone you care for so deeply.   

Our next stop was the 3-D Movie at Hershey. Very fun experience.

Then it was off to the falconry experience at the Hershey Zoo.

Maddy and Carina hanging out at the Falcon Show

Here is Grammy Sue's Son Matt and Toni. We had fun catching up and filling them on all the exciting things the Lord is doing here in Harrisburg PA.

Very cool birds indeed....a little intimidating if you ask me!

What a sweet visit, always difficult to say goodbye and never easy when your friends are already in tears. My ohh my, goodbyes are difficult.  Please pray for Ms."Gammy Sue" as she battles cancer and is going through tough treatment currently.

Championship Game

Last game of the season and we are playing the same team that we started against our very first game...navy verse "THE" red team. In other words for you NC folks The Morrison's team verses the Shay's team. It was no doubt a win win situation no matter how the game finished. Both teams had a great season and improved from the first to the last game.

 Logan played 3rd base and pitcher. He had a pretty good year adjusting to kid pitch and playing with older boys. We enjoyed our fun little team and made many new friends along the way.

 Very intese and tight game, the team was focused!

 Just a little "discussion" on the field over a tough play.  Shawn stepped in as the head coach during this game while their coach was away on duty for the military.

 Pretty special boys going through the line with superb sportsmanship.

 The boyz after a great game and a great season.

 The boys celebrated a big win by dumping Logan's water jug on Coach Jerry.

2012 STBA Pony Champions!

On to the celebration par-t-y!

 We ran home to grab swimsuits for the party and Logan jumped out of the car and ran over to see our neighbor/friend, Mr.Bo to show his trophy.

 We all had a fun time hanging out with the team

 ohh my the slip and slide grew as the grass became a sloppy, muddy mess and the kids didn't mind one bit!

 wowzers! We hosed the kids down afterward...a couple of times

 Coach Jerry gave all the kids game balls from the season as a gift and he the coaches a framed personlized picture.

Here is the shutterfly book we made for Coach Jerry....Enjoy!

Click here to view this photo book larger

DC to Baltimore-family fun

Breanna flew out of Baltimore to visit friends in NC so we decided to take some time to explore DC and Baltimore before we picked her back up at the airport.

We spent a day in DC visiting musems and looking at monuments...it was HOT!

This was in the Natural History museum. Pretty good museum but way over the top with evolution.

Maddy takes any opportunty she can to study animals...dead or alive.

I just love her curiosity, her intrest in God's creatures. I can't wait to see how she uses this passion to further the gospel.

We all liked the photography display from National Geographic.

Here the kids are talking about the move "The Night at the Museum"

Our little "sweet pea"

just beautiful

Dinner Time! Hot Spot in DC

It was so hot during the day that we waited until the sun went down to check out the White House and a few monuments.

So tired, done for the day!!!

Billy took Logan by the Redskins stadium...Happy Boy.

So the next morning we headed to Baltimore to hang out before we picked up Breanna at the airport

. Billy took me by Charm City Cakes...very thoughtful indeed.
One of the girls who works there was outside but when she saw me coming with the camera she took off around the alley.  I'm sure they are over people like me stopping by all the time.

We checked out a few sights in Baltimore, it was HOT!  Very HOT!

We were all very excited to go pick up Breanna from the airport.  We all missed her very much and we were happy to have her back home. Logan cuddled with her all the way back home from Baltimore. She did a great job flying by herself for the first time.

We had a fun time getting away together for a couple days, much needed with how fast paced life seems to be this past year. The next time we make this trip I sure hope it is not as hot!