July's Midsummer

 Hello All :)

This summer has gone entirely too fast, and July was the midsummer of the summer, but also just blitzed by.  Here are the moments caught on camera...

...here is a midsummer bouquet Jason surprised me with...this man is the best!...

...an up-close view of one of the roses...

...sunrise pause...

...oh yes, I'll give you a pet...

...swim lessons...this gal didn't like them too well...

...this gal loved them and did super...

...one of her finished art pieces from an art camp...

...amazing books that we picked up this summer and are thoroughly loving...

...Happy Independence Day(missing Kirk)...

...early morning toad gathering...

...fresh brisket off the smoker...

...this girl, lol :)...

...a tiger mask for the animal day at the Nature Explorer's Summer Scholar's...

...checking on our rooster as he is waiting to be picked up by someone :)...

...konked!...

...early morning quiet on the front porch...part of us are partially ready for church...

...imaginative play was paused by books :)...

...hatching butterflies...

... love being back in the saddle :)...

...after nap cuddles; why yes, I'll take them for this little gal that is all go all the other times :)...

...reading bedtime stories and watching the sunset...

...someone found too good of a deal to pass up...

...for Jadon's fall training he had to send videos of him working out at certain times this summer...here is a running session...Dad is following on the bike videoing and timing the run :)...

...ah, love your smile sweet one...

... these quackers are so fun and cute...

...the Salmon Faverolle's just add to the cuteness...

...why yes, I am just 'borrowing' my sister's mask-lol :)...

...and some butterflies have hatched...

...girl face sheet masks while reading aloud a bedtime chapter book :)...

...is he alive? Haha, yes he is, it's just so funny how he can sleep like this!...

...well, the oldest finished off this truck...we are so thankful he was okay and no one was injured!...

...an evening, of just us, enjoying cooling off...

...some more pics of Nature Explorers Summer Scholars...

...the midsummer pics of family visiting from Kansas...it was a time chockful of memories made, blessings, and fun times...oh, that doesn't mean that the kiddos didn't squabble from time to time, lol, but that we all had a blessed time, even with a few squabbles here-in-there with the kiddos :P...

...some lake fun...

...bedtime reading...

...joining Janessa for riding lessons, thanks to this sweet lady for letting the cousins come along :)...

...these three :)

...smile ;)...

...swimming fun!...

...off to Fossil Rim Wildlife Ranch...

...howdy...

...walking a trail, caught a baby Texas spiny lizard, and grabbed a quick picture...

...the giraffes are one of my favorites...

...and she ran out of feed, LOL :D...

...what most mornings looked like...quiet time and breakfast time on the front porch :)...

...this young fella joined me in the sauna for a bit. I love him;)...

...that smile :)

...and enjoying a treat from Artisan Bakery :)...

...another lake fun picture...

...winding down for the evening--love seeing kiddos enjoying books!...

...morning fort building :)...

...hmmm, what comes around, goes around...LOL...we were DUCKED with 100 duckies...we are STILL finding them :)  We are at about 70 now, so not as many as before to go...and we are saving them to return the gift to this loved family, hehe :)...

...we had a bag of Easter eggs given to us that were leftovers from an Easter egg hunt....we decided why not hide them in July when the cousins are here and have some seek and find fun :)...

...this cousin wiggled his way clear into the culvert to get an egg that the wind had blown into it...he got it!...

... Auntie reading bedtime stories :)...

...she has finally warmed up to this uncle, just took about 3 years, lol :D...

...more swimming fun...

...we surprised this fella with a little 40th birthday fun, a month before his actual 40th day :)...

...she thinks the birthday festivities are awesome!...

...cuddling the goose, Maizy...

...heading to go swim, I am so thankful for the kindness of our neighbors!...

...San Saba adventures...these two actually standing here talking and not arguing, this is one of the few times of them getting along, lol, one of these days, they will realize the blessing of friendship :)...

...train tracks...

...feeding the ducks and geese at the Mill Pond Park...

...the waterfall...

...the water wheel...

...creek exploration and fun...

...another lake fun picture...

...Jadon purposed to spend time with the 3 older cousins that came this time...this one wanted to go fishing...he took one varmint hunting and one out to eat...I love to see intentionality coming out of this budding young man's heart!...

...a glimpse into Kirk's life while he was gone for several weeks...

...beautiful sunset...

...some of the team leaders and students that he was with the most...

...Jadon drove to East Texas one Saturday to eat breakfast with Kirk and the rest of the camp/coursegoers...and Jadon kindly was the postal service for a few packages going that direction :)...

...we sent what he needed to make his favorite coffee drink...YUM!!...a taste of home...

...Kirk and the team of guys he lead for a month...

...the coffee drink became very popular :)...

...the advanced group did a 3-day camping trip in Arkansas...the landscape is beautiful...

...one of the few night hikes they did...some of the night hikes had medical scenarios they had to solve...lots and lots of practical skills, emergency medical skills, and wilderness survival skills learned...a few more pics might come next month...Kirk was there for the first part of August, so we will see if he has any more good pics when he gets home :)...

...ah, I see, you have taken KeKe's napping spot...

Hoping you all enjoyed the last little bit of summer...we sure did...it went SO fast!!

"When it comes to your life, are you living to make it through, or are you living to make it count?"

        ~jamie kern lima~

"Creating a home is a worthy pursuit that will have eternal implications and the power to shape the souls who find themselves within it."

~sally clarkson~

"God blesses us so that we might bless others."

~charles f stanley~