I "found" my cardreader!

Yes, "found". . .I've been looking for it all summer and apparently it's been sitting on the desk the whole time.  Pathetic I guess. . .regardless, I'm happy to have it because my phone camera is more of a diary these days then my big camera. . .I still really miss the in-between one that was ruined on vacation in May :(

These are random but there is a memory (sometimes story) attached to each one. . .

My beautiful girls. . .they each look like an Aunt. . .Marie looks just like her Aunt Jodi (my sister) and Margaret looks just like her Aunt Kathy (Tom's sister).  They are as different on the inside as two people from the same family could be. . .and they are so incredibly gorgeous and talented in their own pursuits and passions.  I am so proud of who they are!
The boys were at camp for a week together this summer and we had a week with "just the girls" -- I really enjoyed that time!  Here we had stopped at DQ for a quick treat and I took the picture to send to Tom. . .that we missed him while he was working but we were also enjoying the freedom of getting to go for ice cream. . .since Tom doesn't "do" dairy and Frederick can't have it and I abhor fast food for a meal DQ is a rare stop!

This is a funny story. . .I was dressed to paint but first had to take Frederick to camp (I don't remember which one).  He told me that I needed to change my clothes, that "you can't go out of the house like that" -- ha!  I couldn't believe it, but he *was* serious.  I changed for him.

I took these pictures to send to Tom just because it was such an unusual thing, for a kid to care about how someone in this house was dressed -- that's my job!

Do you see Thomas sprawled out on the bed/futon back there?  Apparently he was worn out from making Grandpa's bed and getting his room ready for him.  We were blessed to have my dad here on the weekends for 5 weeks this summer!  This was his retreat -- unfortunately the only bathroom upstairs with this room is the kids' bathroom.  We did feel bad for him about that.

Yea, they pretty much make themselves comfortable where ever they are -- even if it's in the middle of Lowe's!

Marie taking up the baseboards in the dining room. . .with the earbuds in that she is rarely without. . .













It's always a happy day if I'm following this up the road. . .

And the "war wounds" to prove that there was not a lack of tubing time on the lake that day. . .

Ready to hit the pool on the 4th of July :)

4th of July fireworks in Centerville, OH

She's only 10. . .are we in trouble????  (Waiting in line for food at CentriKid at Campbellsville University)

Frederick and his bestest at CentriKid camp this summer.

The group I roomed with at CentriKid. . .I have no idea why the Bell girls were not smiling. . .tired maybe?

I rarely go "crazy" over a random house. . .I enjoy looking at beautiful homes, especially people I know who can tell me stories about the house and how they decorated it, etc.  It is strange for me to love a house so much that I take pictures of it but this was one.  It's the president's house at Campbellsville University and we walked by it every time we went to our "apartment" from campus. . .I loved every bit of it. . .so much so that I took a picture and sent it to Tom.  I'm not sure what it was about the property. . .I just really, really liked it.

 Again, a picture I sent to Tom one day. . .kids "building" something. . .working together with scraps in the shed/garage. . .

Marie's "Olympic outfit". . .she is NOT  a shopper so when we walked into Old Navy and she saw these shorts and jacket she just "had to have it".  The best part is that after my coupon and my Rewards Bucks it was absolutely FREE!  Even the girl who rang me up couldn't believe it. . .what a great day to say "yes" to new clothes :)

I had just picked him up from camp and he was being a *jerk*.  Why I remember this is because before I left to go get him I asked the other kids who would like to go with me and Frederick said, "I do!  You know why?  Because Thomas is *always* in a good mood when we pick him up from Cedar Lake!"  And then he was the grumpiest person around.  Turns out he was just hungry. . .after downing a couple of those good Sam's Club hotdogs he DID turn into that great kid that we all know and love :)

Roasting hot dogs at my friend Rhonda's house.

Movie night one evening this spring. . .we watched Hop together with some neighbors.  Unfortunately we never had another chance to do it ALL SUMMER LONG. Love being busy. . .and love times like this too.

 

My boys, messing around on Grandpa Foster's phone. . .

I don't even know why this was worthy of a picture but so glad to have it now. . .so nice to see the 13-yr-old and the 8-yr old sitting together like this.  

(We are at our "weekly" Mexican dinner after church on Sunday.)

A great day for me -- having a Promethean board installed in my classroom!!!  It was done a day or so before school started -- so exciting!!!

I love it :)

I wish this wasn't so blurry but this was last night. . .Thomas had ref school (for soccer) and Marie had soccer training out of town, so it was just the little two and me.  I asked them what they wanted to do -- I was prepared for anything. . .movie, bowling, dinner out. . .they chose snacks from Dollar General and a Netflix movie in my classroom -- ha!  So. . .I got all of my lesson plans done for next week and a lot of copies run and they got to do exactly what they wanted too!  Win-win for everyone although I'm sure many would think hanging out in a 7th grade classroom until 9 p.m. on a Friday night is nothing short of c-r-a-z-y. . .

 

Next weekend -- can't wait :)