YIKES!!

 Who needs Halloween to put up Halloween decorations when you've got the real deal?!

 

I hate spiders!  But look how amazing that web is!

Memorial Weekend

SCHOOL IS OUT!!

Not just for the kids, but for Jon, as well!  YES!!  The kids have worked hard and been super busy all year.  (By all year, I mean the school year: August - May.)  Jon has been working crazy hard for an entire year!  He has decided to drop a class for the summer and I couldn't be happier. 
We ALL need this break!

Before Jon finished his last class, he said that the first weekend we would be camping out in our back yard.  Not just sleeping out there, but doing everything out there.  Thankfully the weather cooperated and we were able to do just that.

Doesn't he just look like a happy camper?!

We finally got Luke's little pool out and cleaned up.  He's a happy camper too.

We had been keeping an eye on a robin nest right outside our back door.  The babies finally hatched and are now visible without having to go up to the nest and look inside.  We all enjoyed watching the  mama and the babies.  I felt like I was invading their territory, however, when I was using the patio or anytime I would open the door, or move around the yard.  That poor mama probably wish we would just go inside and stay inside!

Almost everyone slept outside.  I tried.  Ben tried.  I was good until the air mattress sprung a leak and was turning Jon and I into taco filling.  Ben was good until he needed to go inside to use the bathroom.  Ugh!  We really tried!  I will say that we made it until almost 2am!

 

I wasn't kidding when I said that Jon wanted to do everything outside.  I woke up Sunday morning to Jon making breakfast outside.  Is there anything better than waking up to the smell of bacon.  I think not!

I firmly believe that everything tastes better when cooked and eaten outside!  YUM!

Look what my campers found in the back yard!  I have no idea how that turtle ended up in our back yard, but it sure got a lot of attention.  Luke and Abby couldn't get enough of the little guy. 

Seeing as though the sun comes up so early, there was plenty of time to be lazy before getting ready for church.

More outdoor cooking (:

Even dessert was made outside!  Jon's famous Mississippi Mud cake!  Oh my!!

Wouldn't you know it, we had another turtle in out back yard the next day!  CRAZY!!

It is amazing how God created these creatures so intricately.  Look at the beautiful design on this guy.

Beautiful!

I am so thankful for such a fun, relaxing, beautiful weekend in our very own back yard.  I am thankful for a break from school and time to have fun with my family.

Happy summer!

Our First Bountiful Basket

Have you ever heard of Bountiful Baskets Food Co-Op? It's a co-op that distributes produce baskets, organic produce baskets, artisan breads, as well as items that change every other week. (This time some of the offerings were Halloween cookies, pumpkins, boxes of apples...lots of fun things!) I had never heard of it until someone mentioned it at MOPS. I completely forgot about it after MOPS until a few friends said that they had ordered and were very pleased with what they ended up with. I told Jon about it and we checked out their website to find out as much as we could. It sounded like something we definitely wanted to try out.

So...this is what came in our basket this week!


Avocados
Cabbage
Green Beans
Roma Tomatoes
English Cucumbers
Romaine Lettuce
Kiwi
Apples
Bananas
Strawberries
Pomegranates

All of that for only $15!! I have never made anything with cabbage or pomegranates, but I am looking forward to trying some new things!

I'm pretty sure we will be ordering again next time!

Our LIttle Visitor

We had a little visitor Sunday night!
Can you see him? Luke is pointing at him.Yes, we had a frog come visit us in the garage. It was all fine until I got really close to take a picture and HE JUMPED!!! I screamed which made Luke scream and then all we could do was laugh like crazy!!!