Summer Fun!

This picture was taken at the Chewelah Park after Maddy's promotion ceremony from Eigth Grade. She wanted to attend a graduation party at her friends house that went until midnight. Barry offered to pick her up that late and she agreed to let me take her picture. The Sunday before graduation she came home from church informing me that her friends had all gone to Spokane to shop for and purchase fancy dresses for graduation. When we opted to be included in the ceremony, I hadn't even thought about it being a dress up time for them. Before I had a chance to freak out (where would be buy the dress?  Should we buy fabric and make one? How much would this cost?) Maddy asked if I still had the dress that I wore for Barry's sister's wedding. She wanted to alter it and wear it to graduation. I found it and she tried it on. It was a perfect fit! We added the ribbon around the waist and cut it from floor lenght to just below the knee. I felt like the mice in the opening scene of the Disney Cinderella movie. Adding ribbons, etc to re-do a gown for a ball. I am glad that Maddy was so resourceful. It saved me a headache to be sure!

We spent the fourth of July at the lake with our friends. Here Mackensey uses a canoe on Waitts Lake.

Makayla brings one of eight chickens that we butchered to the chopping block. It was a great experience.

The girls were asked for the third year in a row to sing the National Anthem at the Chataqua Parade. This year Benjamin was included and he sang so well! One day after practicing the song he asked if the ending was "and the home of the parade." I told him no, it was the home of the brave. :-)

Mindy and Makayla play in the wave pool at Silverwood. We spent the morning in the water park, the afternoon going on the rides. Maddy took me on a ride called After Shock. It was voted as the #1 "hang them up" scary ride in the country. It was...scary.

We've spent hours in the mountains picking huckleberries. This day we had one of Maddy's friends with us and I had her take our picture.

Marianne gets a ride on Daddy's shoulders.

We had a litter of kitties born this spring. The mama cat disappeared (probably coyotes), and we have been mothering the cats ourselves. Only one has made it. It is a friendly kitten and gets lots of attention.

We have spent a lot of time this summer at the park. Ben loves playing on the jungle gym.

Maddy made a watermelon cake for Mackensey's nine year old birthday. We celebrated it yesterday because I am going to be gone on her real birthday (My 20 year high school reunion is on July 27th).

We spent a bit of time this summer at the Spokane YMCA. Maddy took a 3 week summer school class for culinary arts where she had to be in Spokane from 7am-2pm. We carpooled with another family, but on our days to drive, we would kill time swimming at the YMCA. The last time we went we were bummed when they shut the pool down because of lightening (who ever heard of an indoor pool closing for lightning?)

Here's our summer update! Hope you are enjoying this beautiful and fun time of year.