4th Fun!

This year our 4th celebrations were many and varied!  On Friday, we met up with my sister (to swap some kids) in Columbus, OH.  While there, we participated in their Red, White and Boom! celebration.  We were not impressed with the food selection (everything seemed to be closed), but the fireworks were amazing!

The group in downtown Columbus - we had to get a pic with the headlines playing behind (and yes, it says "Teacher Accused of Breast Milk Spraying Fired"!).

It is always great to get these cousins & friends together . . . I pray that their friendships will last them a lifetime!

Once home, we headed to see some Silverhawks baseball and post-game fireworks with some good friends.  (Honestly, the fireworks were less that spectacular, which means they matched the game too!)

Gotta have some cotton candy at a ball-game!

Thanks for sharing the evening with us!

And one more . . . a video of the finale in Columbus . . . hope you had a great 4th!

Family Camp - Memorial Day Weekend

Last Labor Day we ventured to MCSC's Family Camp and so enjoyed ourselves that we were back for Memorial Day!  The big hit this year - Ga-ga Ball!  

 J in action (you hit -with your hands - a volleyball-sized ball around trying to get others out - by hitting them on the knee or below) . . . he loves this game!

M on the tire swing . . .

L on the rope swing . . .

 and Baby Girl looking like such a big girl!

Around the campfire with friends.

Easter!

Day 345-351

Day 345, Sunday, December 12th

Tonight we went to church for the Advent Night of Carols.  This is what happens when you leave these boys alone for a minute!  And this is what happens when you play with my camera when I'm not around - you get posted on my blog!

M has another loose tooth!

Day 346, Monday, December 13th

I haven't posted a pic of our beloved Toby for awhile . . . this is what he has been doing a lot of lately.  Aahh . . . to have a dog's life!

Day 347, Tuesday, December 14th

What is missing from this picture?  Baby Girl has been playing with this, a gift from my grandmother.  I love having one the kids can play with.   

Day 348, Wednesday, December 15th

Science co-op!  Today was a game/review day with some cookies and snacks thrown in.  All set and ready to go!  I loved seeing what they've learned.

L drawing for the boys team (which lost by the way) . . . can you guess what it is?

Day 349, Thursday, December 16th

J had his Christmas concert tonight.  He's the middle head in the picture :)

And my attempt at getting a picture of Baby Girl enjoying the music . . . not what I was going for, but definitely worth keeping! 

Day 350, Friday, December 17th

Nothing like the smell of burning plastic.  Thankfully, I noticed the smell before any real damage was done, but it was NOT fun to clean up and I really think I still smell it when the woodburner gets hot enough.  This was after I pulled it off of the side of the stove.

Day 351, Saturday, December 18th

Hubby caught this one for me.  Impressive bubble!  

Day 324 to 337 (Minus a few!)

I finally have my camera back!  I didn't know I would miss it so much.  I guess this Project 365 has made it become a part of me!  So I am making up for 2 weeks and filling in with some pictures taken after the actual day  - they are noted with an * - cause you know, I'm just like that.  Enjoy!

Day 324, Sunday, November 21st

I really can't believe I didn't take a picture!  My sister and her family arrived on Saturday, L made it home from his overnight camp (he had a blast and wasn't in the house 5 minutes before he asked to go back to my mom's to see his cousins!) and we had a Thanksgiving feast at small group.  Oh yeah, I didn't take a picture, because I have this video!  Sorry for the poor quality and baby squealing in the background!

Day 325, Monday, November 22nd

M lost his first tooth!  It had been loose for quite a while, apparently he is not much of a tooth wiggler.  He came home from Nana's with it in a plastic bag - he had gotten her to take it out for him!  Thanks Nana!  What a cutie!

Day 326, Tuesday, November 23rd
Again - no picture and I did have my camera!

Day 327, Wednesday, November 24th
Breakfast with my sister and then to United Art and Education!  What a wonderful time!

Day 328, Thursday, November 25th

Happy Thanksgiving!  Grandpa Gorbics showing us his antique coffee grinder.  

Day 329, Friday, November 26th*
An early Christmas present from Grandma Gorbics.  A beautiful Advent Calendar!  Thanks Debbie!  You are one talented woman and we have already enjoyed using this!

Day 330 & 331, Saturday & Sunday, November 27th & 28th*
Yes, it actually did take us 2 days to decorate our Christmas tree!  We discovered when we put it up on Saturday, that we needed more lights . . . and you can't hang any ornaments on before the lights are on . . . it was very hard for M to wait!  This is the earliest we have ever put up our Christmas tree - let's hope it survives until Christmas!

Day 332, Monday, November 29th*

I was very sad we didn't have the camera for this event - Turtle Racing at Cub Scouts!  L brought home a piece of wood with a pattern that he and Dad had to cut out.  He then got to personalize it - Super Turtle!  The whole in his head is where the string went through that was pulled to make him "walk".  He did have 2 eyeballs before the race!

Day 333, 334, 335, Tuesday - Thursday, November 30 - December 2nd

No pictures :(   Not starting the last month of Project 365 very well!

Day 336, Friday, December 3rd

I have my camera back!  Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Gorbics for dropping it by! 

Yeah - and this is all I took a picture of - J being silly!  I'm sure I'll use it to embarrass him sometime in the future!

Day 337, Saturday, December 4th

M's turn for the Advent Calendar.  One thing I like about this one is that Baby Jesus stays on the whole time - that means no one fighting over who gets to put him on this year and me not being able to recall whose turn it is!

Day 247-253

Day 247, Saturday, September 5th

Our first full day at family camp.  Ok, so we didn't exactly "camp", but we did stay at a campground!  Our humble abode for the weekend . . .

How did they all live together in "Little House Days"?!

Day 248, Monday, September 6th

The family camp had a Labor Day 5K that D and J participated in.  Gettin ready to go!

D won overall and J took first in his age group!

Day 249, Tuesday, September 7th

Back home and back to the garden!  Things are winding down out there - but we still have plenty of tomatoes! 

Day 250, Wednesday, September 8th

My sis and her kiddos came over for our mini history co-op.  We learned about archeology and got to do our own dig!  Cousin S finding an "artifact" from the 2000's!

M was a little disappointed we didn't go out in the woods and find bones!

Baby Girl and Cousin C joined in the fun too!

Day 251, Thursday, September 9th

J had his first cross country meet and did great!  I loved this shot from the starting line.

Day 252, Friday, September 10th

Field Day for our homeschool group!  I was so proud of M, this was his third year attending and first year participating.  He is very self-conscious and afraid of drawing attention to himself, but then behaves in a way that draws more attention to himself than if he just did what everyone else was doing.  All that to say, that we discussed trying to participate this field day and he might have fun, and he did - both!  Here is him and his new buddy - they won the 3-legged race! 

L and his friend trying the wheelbarrel!

And well, J had a night at church for SPAZ - basically, playing in Jell-O with all your buddies!

Day 253, Saturday, September 11th

Still dealing with tomatoes . . . made sauce (still making sauce - waiting for it to cook down) and canned some diced tomatoes.  I will appreciate this in the winter, right?