Space Camp!

This summer, Andrew had a tremendous opportunity to attend "Young Astronauts Day Camp" at the Challenger Learning Center. We're studying astronomy in science, and will continue that study this coming school year, so it was the perfect extension. He thoroughly enjoyed himself, learned a lot, and our only disappointment is that Jacob wasn't old enough to attend this year. Andrew attended 4 different sessions, and it was one of the highlights of his summer!

Life is more fun...

With siblings!














Baths are great, but baths with jet bubbles are even better!


















Hot summer days!


















Enjoyng mommy's new (free!) piano!

Pottery Class

Last semester, during our music/art swap, Andrew had the opportunity to work with pottery! Here he is with a pinch pot and a pencil-holder he made!

A good great day!

God has been amazingly good to us!
(And I'm ashamed to say that this post is about a week old now...I saved it in my drafts until I could call and verify that #2 was actually true, and then forgot to come post it)!

1. We were able to get 30 bales of hay for the winter for only $5.50/bale, and Chad let us borrow his 1 ton truck for just the cost of 5 bales of hay for Jordan's rabbits!

2. We had $750 worth of medical bills forgiven!!! (Here for more details).

Nat'l Trails Day

Every year, my friend Irene, who is a forest ranger, organizes a fantastic time for the kids to celebrate National Trails Day. (Did you know there is such a thing? It's in June, the 2nd or 3rd...it's not ever preprinted on any calendar I've seen, but when you live in a National Forest and a bunch of your friends are rangers, you know these things).
















They have several activity stations set up...Anna's favorite was planting her very own pansy, (which before the summer was out was dug up by Sophie, but that's besides the point).

















Our friend Katie was dressed up as the "Dandelion Queen," and taught the kids all about how dandelions are survivors, let them try some dandelion honey, and made a felt dandelion! One of the other stations was for rock decorating, using colored wires and beads. They turned out quite nicely, and we hid them till Father's Day!

















After all of the activities, we had a picnic by the river with all our friends. Anna and Jacob both needed to catch their second wind, but then they were ready to throw rocks in the river along with Andrew!

Softball season...

I may have blogged some on softball before (that's one of the dangers of a 3-month hiatus from blogging pictures-you totally forget what you've done). But it's a fun 3-week season for all of us, despite the late nights which make for crabby kids.


Mark is on the field...




















The boys are racing here and there, catching bugs and building forts with their friends, while I attempt to keep them in view (Jacob's red coat=good, Andrew's tan coat=bad).





















Anna generally hangs out on the bleachers with me. Unless, of course, Tommy happens to be there. In which case, mommy is as good as chopped liver, and what would make me think Anna might want me to even sit by her? Nooooooo...she has to sit by Tommy all by herself. It's fine if Dakota is there. But should Dakota leave and mommy try to sit there? No way.
















She's happy with it being just her and Tommy! And watching the softball game, of course.

And he's off

Half-naked farmer boy runs away from his mother so that she can't take pictures of him. Again.

It's a Date

I don't remember where they were headed...maybe just out scouting our back "yard," but Anna was sure excited to be headed out with her Daddy!

Friday Funnies

Just a little political ha-ha:

"The mightiest of weapons is truth. And everyone
knows you're not permitted to enter a
Government building with a weapon"

The Covert Comic

Water, water, everywhere...

...and now a drop to drink!

Our water pump burned out on Saturday night. After spending most of the night trying to swap out parts from other pumps in the virtual collection of them in our basement, it was still not functioning. Which is highly ironic. Because on Friday night, Mark was up most of the night finishing the shower and toilet in the new apartment so that our VBS team that would be staying there could have running water, a shower, and flushing toilet.

By Sunday night, we had a new pump and had it installed by midnight or so. (Please note that I'm using the term "we" here quite loosely. As in "Mark did all the work while Wendy sat at the desk in the basement using Mark's computer for facebook, offering encouragement when applicable." Yeah...we). Despite many prayers, the new pump wasn't the fix-all we were hoping for.

New diagnosis? Bad check valve. After VBS on Monday, we met Mark halfway on his lunch hour to get new check valve, which Ben (Papa) and Matt (one of the VBS team members) worked on all day, and Mark and Matt worked on late into the night. Still not functioning.

New diagnosis? Pressure tank bladder is collapsed. Tuesday night, we (used appropriately here, as in "Mark and Wendy travelled together") went to Lowe's and got a new pressure tank. Thankfully Rebecca had come to hang out for a few days, so she stayed home with the kiddos. Arrived home about 1 a.m...keep in mind that Lowe's is 100 miles from our house, and we did stop at my mom's for showers.

Wednesday afternoon, the discovery is made that the location of the valves and fittings on the new tank will require rearranging all of the piping. After reworking it all and connecting everything, it was still acting the same way. Acting badly. Matt and Mark decide to try and isolate the few remaining parts that could still be bad by removing them one at a time to see which one is the culprit. Bingo! 11:26 p.m. Wednesday night, we are back among the privileged who have running water. A privilege I don't take for granted.

And this last little part that was removed? It doesn't really matter to me what it's called or what it's job is supposed to me. I wish I could attempt to keep up with my plumbing vocabulary, which may have deceived you into thinking that I have an inkling of what I'm talking about. But I really don't. It's just been the topic of conversation around here for, oh, say five days now. And it really doesn't concern me. Because my dishwasher is humming along nicely at this moment, and I know that a hot shower will be waiting for me in the morning, and that my kids can stop smelling perpetually of baby wipes and actually get clean. Thank you, Lord!!!