Summer Lovin'

Father's Day was certainly full.  Our Babcock fathers are good and true.  They keep us safe and warm.

 Lego-topia all over the girls' room was delightful.  This game was their way to be creative.  I love it. 

 I needed a change in wreaths.  I found all this under the house.

 Grandma B. came and picked up Ryan for a day of spoiling and treats.  They made mummy dogs and brought home Oreos.  Ryan always comes home happier and more loving.  That's what grandma does for each person she nurtures.

 Molly made a "potion."  She told us we could get powers if we drank it.  Nope. I'm okay being ordinary.

 Maddie wears her winter boots because she owns no flip flops.  (We did fix that.)

These two play are as thick as thieves.  They jump from boat to tree and back again.

 Friday night Austin went with his dad to a baseball game.  Meg decided that we should buy Taco Bell and eat it at the park.  It was so much fun.

 We then came home to a show.  Being together is so easy.

 Ron and Rachelle arrived with their family to prepare to go to Mexico.  We swam.

 She zips all over the pool now.

 Sunday-selfie.

Maddie is 10!

Maddie is 10!  We decided that she needed her very first party with friends.  Saturday afternoon a few girls came over to make pizzas and swim.  Maddie smiled and laughed the entire time.

 Present opening couldn't wait -- we ate, sang and cut the cake before heading out back for the rest of the afternoon.

 We played that game where I dumped a whole bunch of pennies in the the pool, then the children redeemed them at my little candy shop.

 Maddie's friends are lovely girls.  We were so happy to have them over.

 Sunday morning we did it all again.  Maddie opened a few gifts (which she specifically picked and carefully listed for my convenience, bless her) and we ate savory and sweet crepes.

 "I wanted this!"and "This is just the color I wanted!" and "Yes!  Yes! Yes!" confirmed I shopped correctly.

 Of course we sung to her at church, and her teacher has the same birthday as well.

 Birthday girl.

 Maisie helped Maddie begin to make her "fluffamal", which is a stuffed animal to which you add all the fur.

 She's grown!

 Fresh apricot cobbler rounded out dinner.

 Grandma and Grandpa came to love and kiss and admire our little denarian.

After "Come Follow Me" we went for a quiet walk and then the Taylors came over to play flag football and eat mud pie.  They were an impromptu visit, but they listed, cooed and watched "all" the tricks of each child.  

Maddie is practices a bit of piano everyday, so she learns a new song each week.  She also flips and cartwheels her way around the house.  Austin gasps every time she walks down the hall in a back bend.   She sings with all her might in primary, can say any "Article of Faith" on demand, and reads for hours up in the tree.  We love Maddie because she is our family MVP football player -- she's fast.  (Meg keeps convincing her to be a gymnast instead of a runner, so Maddie won't beat all her records.)  Mostly, Maddie loves.  She knows how to play dollhouse with Molly, Uno with Ryan, Crazy Games with Eddie, wrestle with Nick, ukulele with Maisie, football with Andy, and clean the office with Meg.  We love our girl that is 10!

Summer -- Week 3

Maisie looked super cute in this white eyelet dress from the neighbor.

 Monday was swimming with friends.

 And I delicious dinner that Grandpa B. could eat: No oil, fat, animal fat, or dairy.  It was vegetables and sourdough bread.  Scrumptious!

 Maddie prepared a lovely FHE about the sacrament.

 I am soaking all our grains and beans.  I made kefir and yogurt.  I'm just trying to do a little better with our eating.

 Maisie has picked up the uke and is quite successful.

We made five batches of strawberry jam.

 YUM!

 My legs looked super tan.

 Austin finished making frames little water colors I purchased from artists all over Italy (oh, and one from Seattle).

 Eddie lost another tooth. 

 Ryan was all over the pliers extraction method.

 Four little mndibular-deciduous teeth gone.

 Primary had an "Articles of Faith" party where each child received one topping for every AOF they memorized.  Maddie got 13, the two boys got 11.  They have been memorizing one a week for the past bit.  I am very pleased with them.

 Saturday everyone was HOME.  We swam as a family and that is bliss.

 Triple decker

 Maddie and her boys buried Nick. 

Summer -- Week 2

Our summer mornings start so slowly.  We don't rush breakfast or dishes.  We do as we please.  Molly and Eddie painted.

 We don't rush evenings, either.  Meg's boyfriends (the boys that are her friends) come over at least once a week for night swimming.  They push each other off that big raft over and over.  They laugh and play loud music and enjoy being young and carefree.

 I made another lovely dinner.

 My entire yard is in bloom.

 Austin took Andy and Nick on a rafting trip.  I don't know many details, but they all came back loving life.

 Selfie.

 Grandma went with these kids to "Aladdin" while I got my teeth cleaned.

 She's so big.

 We don't rush the afternoon, either, again.  We stay outside for at least three hours everyday, sometimes we swim three different times a day. 

 These two found the warm morning sunshine.

 We did work, once.  We moved 23,000 pounds of rock to finish off our trampoline/fruit trees.  It was hard work.

I'm loving every moment of our long summer days.  I love the children all around me and the sounds of their playing and stress-free life.