Summer sweetness

I feel myself holding onto warm summer nights. To my kids, no doubt. We still haven't purchased school supplies because I am putting it off. Summer flew by! Too fast. But it was good and sweet and memorable and FUN. I am very thankful.

Natasha and I like to dream about business ventures. I got to see her and her family this week! At our home! It was less than a 24 hour visit, but it was good. We visited, connected, thrifted. We visited the Shops on Alder (an old house with tiny rooms, second hand merchandise and antiques). We dreamed about something like that. Natasha and Reese have also dreamed about a Christmas tree farm. Many of our conversations were light hearted although many of our conversations in the past year have not been. They have had a tough year. They have both been through a lot. I think through prayer and looking to God for healing and guidance really great things can happen. I saw some of that.

Then we got to see Lesha, Rob and family and Matt and Brenda. The cousin fun was great. And they all beg for a little more time, dessert or candy and maybe a sleepover. Lesha tells me funny stories about work and we giggle about stuff. It was good. Lesha loves the thrifting too and upcycling. She has had a successful etsy store and has had fun with that.

When we can enjoy the day to day stuff, watching the kids grow, feeling thankful for our mom and her example... When we can dream and laugh, it's good.

Highlights

We have had some highlights over the past couple of weeks.
Seeing Lissa, Travis and the girls in Lynden was one. Oren stayed with them all day while we got to enjoy the FAIR with Tasha and kids, Rob, Lesha and kids and Kristen and girls. Those visits, so good for the soul. And Oren feels so comfortable with Lissa and family and they are so good to him!
Being able to connect with and make memories with family there is special. ! Grandparent time, extra special. I got two good visits in with Grandma Alma. The kids got an evening with Stan and Adie. We BBQ'd at my dads one night.
There was cousin fun too.
I do wish that drive was not so long. But it was a weekend well spent.

The boys have gotten shoes for school. Other than that, no other shopping. No clothes, no classroom supplies. The first day of school date is sneaking up too quickly. I had better kick in gear, but saying goodbye to summer break will not be easy. Merit registers for 8th grade tomorrow.

The Moses Lake Fair was also fun! Especially admiring the sheep, horses, chickens, rabbits... and the livestock auction.

I liked the rodeo! And that ended up being a date night for me and Vance.

We have two growing, thriving ADORABLE foster kitties! Taking care of this pair has been so fun!

Carly and Ryan's "after party" was last night and was a blast! So many fun people to visit with. The food was delicious, the company great and I loved celebrating Ryan and Carly.

I may get to see BOTH of my sisters this next week! Our side of the mountains! Can't wait!

Summer evenings

Warm summer evenings make me wish we had another three months of summer.

The thought of fall is always pretty great though (my favorite season).

Some summer evenings Vance and I sit out and catch up. We watch Oren pretend. I snuggle a kitten. Sometimes we go for Can Am rides, sometimes I weed... It feels good.

I love having these kids home! We have eaten lunch out probably too much, visited so many parks, swam a bit, camped, gardened....

We flew to Lynden, quick trip, for Vance's company picnic! I loved it. I was so willing to stay home but I loved it. My visits with Cary, Molly, Dorothy Polinder, Alison, Sandy, Char .... Well, so many made it worth it. And Hazel's horse back riding!! She loves riding horse.

We are loving on these kitties! Making a difference, I believe. It has been so good. Our community service and outreach for the summer. I seem to need it.

Summer days...

Our garden is growing and so are the weeds. I had to tear out some kale (aphids). We have been enjoying zucchini! My basil looks great! Our tomatoes are promising. A few pumpkins, squash, Brussels sprouts. The cabbage we grew was the best I had ever tasted.


Teanaway River is gorgeous and crystal clear. A night of camping along that river felt like a lot of work but was a lot of fun.

Our sweet Nellie cut her paw, pretty badly. I took her to the vet Thursday. They put her under, stitched and wrapped it. The hope was she would leave the wrap alone. It fell off Saturday as I was dropping her off at the Boarders. I was worried about it, but hoped it would continue to heal. Well, she ripped out her stitches. 😞 The cut looks as bad or worse than when I took her to the vet Thursday morning. Not exactly sure where to go from here.

Our weather has been gorgeous.

I thought a lot about our nephew Case yesterday. It would have been his 7th birthday. I do not understand. - I am so thankful that Natasha and Reese shared that precious baby with us Thanksgiving and Christmas that year! In the past ten years, only once have we made the trip to Lynden for Thanksgiving. We always go to Vance's dads. But that year we did make the drive to Lynden. I am so glad we did. I snuggled and cuddled sweet Case.

A little girl just crawled up on my lap. I better go and snuggle her and then it is laundry, washing the car, figuring out a plan for Nellie and Vance wants to head out at noon to see his cousin at Sun Lakes. Summer is fast paced. Not sure how I feel about that some days, but making memories feels good.