June and July (almost caught up!)

JUNE:

June was a pretty low-key month.

(tadpoles! Cory took this shot.)

(we did Bible time all summer--the book of Acts. It was really good for us all.)

(Brannon track and field day in the backyard)

(Jeremy and the kids made pita for Father's Day. Yum.)

(our baby birds ready to fly away!)

(We went on a date, hiking to the top of Kennesaw Mountain. And on the way back down, we saw a mama deer with THREE fawns.)

(The big kids went to VBS, and the little two went in their pjs and boots to pick them up.)

JULY:

Where June was slow and relaxed, July was busy and full!

On the 4th, we went to the parade. It was rather disappointing, actually. Only one marching band, and lots of beauty queens and politicians. Not our favorite parade.

After dinner on the 4th, we set off fireworks and did sparklers and poppers in the cul-de-sac/driveway. It was raining, but still fun. Look at Ivy holding Cory's hand, and hiding behind Iain. SO cute.

(he was actually having a blast...)

(July 4th is our Independence Day and Rwanda's Liberation Day, so we get to doubly celebrate!)

(patriotic pjs and one last picture on the porch)

Then the Whatleys came to town! We hadn't seen them in a while and everyone had so much fun playing together for a couple of days.

Jeremy preached on Jonah. His mom and mine came to town, as did Haylee and Jeff. He, of course, did a great job.

And then Grammy stayed for a week and a half! It was wonderful having her here and we hope she comes again soon (although I doubt she has any voice left after all the books she read to the kids!).

(ballet with Ivy)

(Cow Day at CFA!)

(Laina got her hair done--doesn't she look lovely?)

(We went to hear Nick preach at Adoration last Sunday.)

And that's July thus far. We also started school and celebrated Laina's birthday, but that's another post or two.

April and May (Still Catching Up!)

APRIL:

April saw Cory making huge leaps in reading. He finished his I Survived book, and then went on to read several others in the series. As of this writing (end of July), he is officially a book worm, devouring everything he can get his hands on and reading for HOURS a day. We are over the moon. SO proud of all his hard work to get here, and it was so exciting to see it finally click and take off!

Jeremy and I got a scholarship through LifeSong/Promise686 to attend the Empowered to Connect conference in Tennessee. My mom kept the kids--it was the first time we had been away for a night since before Ivy was born! It was a PACKED two days and we learned a lot. We had read The Connected Child and other TBRI parenting books but the conference brought it all together and gave us a common language to use when parenting. It was a game-changer for us and we are hoping to continue to see results in our family. Also, Steven Curtis Chapman played a song to kick off the conference, which was a fun surprise!

The Annual Palm Sunday egg "hunt" at FPC was the first one held at our new building. Ivy would only choose red eggs.

Some requisite Ivy cuteness:

On Good Friday, we made our garden tomb.

We saw Nan for her birthday and had a blast watching her read the funny birthday wishes her family sent her.

Easter Sunday! Knowing that Jeremy's dad is with Jesus now made Easter Sunday sweeter. Death, where is thy sting? We spent the afternoon with the Waltzes and their family, and the kids got to play in "Simon's Bathtub" as Ivy called the hot tub.

School! Read-alouds on the back porch is one of my favorite things about homeschooling. We also had a lot of end-of-the-year projects at Timothy.

(Iain had a presentation at Timothy where he made an arcade game with simple machines and cardboard. He aced it!)

(Laina playing the boom-wacker at Timothy in her music class)

We had some baby birds in a nest under the back deck eaves. It was lovely watching them grow, seeing their parents feed them, and hearing them chirp all the time. We even got to see one take off for the first and last time when she was old enough to fly! Science: check!

(Cory made a salt dough map of Carlsbad Caverns and presented on it at Timothy.)

(riding in the Bug)

(It's seriously one of his favorite things to do: ride around the neighborhood in the Bug)

MAY:

I spent some time at the lovely Barnsley Gardens, a gift from friends at church.

The boys and I watched The Great British Baking Show, so they made their own version! They set a timer, made fancy salads, and had a judge (Laina). Iain won, but Cory played a good game. Iain's salad is the one with the carrots around the edge. Cory's featured a carrot man surfing on a vegetable.

We celebrated Laina's Adoption Day at--where else?--Dunkin Donuts! We gave her a big-kid Bible and she loves it still.

Both Iain and Cory started piano lessons in August of last year. This month, they had their first recital (one solo each and the cutest duet ever!). Cory was nervous but both boys did great.

More septic tank problems resulted in 2/3 of our back yard to be completely dug up. We've had a very muddy yard all summer.

(also, Mason had his first trip to the barber shop!)

School is out! The end of May marked the end of the school year. Fourth, Third, and First in the books. Phew. Happy students and a happy teacher went out for donuts to celebrate.

(unposed princess)

(family day at the Indian Mounds--look at Ivy's face!)

(new sunglasses and cool kids)

(Mason staring down a fish--this picture cracks me up)

(Aunt Gloria gave us caterpillars that we got to see turn into butterflies)

(and the boys played their piano duet with some other students at a local nursing home)

Jeremy celebrated his birthday with help from the Wheatleys (first time he's ever gotten Vegemite for a birthday gift!). Iain had his hip hop dance recital. And that's the end of May.