What we've been doing....

We have been working hard and playing hard. Here's a little of what we've been up to, my style. more pictures than words...

Jacob turned 15! Happy Birthday...we love you!
Ro-Ro is working on her culinary skills!
We watched lots of baseball...which made for fun evenings at the ball field! Samuel's team won their district and had a good showing in the state tournament. We were very proud of him.
A beautiful rainbow after a storm before a ball game....
Our favorite time of day is first thing in the morning. We go outside to play and have a little Bible time before it gets hot.

Summer school piano lessons....

We continue a half day version of home school so we can do fun things like slip and slide after lunch!

We've been organizing, gardening, visiting the library every couple of days for movies and books, bike riding, and playing with friends!One last picture, my cutie nephew, Jackson!

My Favorite Things...Baby Edition

This is one of the prettiest favorites I have for Rose. I bought this Gap diaper bag on ebay over two years ago for Lily when we decided to use cloth diapers part time. I needed a bigger bag and this one fit the need. It's a great bag with lots of space!
I really like the leather buckles and fringe around the side pockets.
There is a nice zippered middle pocket and lots small pockets on either side of the middle section for all the baby necessities that we have to tote around. Here is a list of things that are always in my bag...

1. extra clothes
2. a receiving blanket to use as a nursing cover
3. a cloth diaper for drool, or spills
4. desitin
5. the cute little duckie you see in the next picture. It holds roll of disposable bags for stinky diapers or wet clothes. You can buy these at Target and the rolls of bags are replaceable. This makes a great little shower gift.
6. diapers and wipes of course!
7. a jacket or sweater

Rose approves! Visit Sarah's blog, Fiddledeedee to share in favorite things!
Anna-Kate took this sweet picture of Rose this week:)

Menu Plan Monday

Monday
B-oatmeal with rasberries
L-peanut butter with banana sandwiches
D-tostadas
home made peanut butter kiss cookies-recipe from William Sonoma Kid's Baking Cookbook This book has simple delicious recipes and is full of beautiful pictures!

Tuesday
B-Smoothies, bagels with cream cheese
L-Tuna salad sandwiches with lettuce and swiss
D-Grilled chicken with squash and zucchini over pasta

Wednesday
B-eggs and toast
L-cheese pizza
D-lasagna, broccoli salad, bread (make a second lasagna for Saturday)

Thursday-
B-cereal with blueberries, toast with peanut butter
L-leftovers
D-Jacob's 15th birthday, he asked for....
deer steaks, cole slaw, corn on the cob
cake and ice cream!

Friday
B-banana muffins
L-salad, pb&j
D-out

Saturday
B-cereal, english muffins
L-early dinner-lasagna, peas, bread

Read more menus at orgjunkie.com!

Happy 4th of July

Patriotic Freedom

John Quincy Adams:• “Why is it that, next to the birthday of the Savior of the world, your most joyous and most venerated festival returns on this day [the Fourth of July]?" “Is it not that, in the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior? That it forms a leading event in the progress of the Gospel dispensation? Is it not that the Declaration of Independence first organized the social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer's mission upon earth? That it laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity"?--1837, at the age of 69, when he delivered a Fourth of July speech at Newburyport, Massachusetts.
Read more quotes from our founding fathers here. If you've not ever read the Declaration of Independence, today is a great day to read it and be thankful!
picture from allposters.com

My Favorite Things....Baby Edition

Oh how I love bathing my happy, smiley, pleasantly plump little baby!
She enjoys it too!
She smell so good after a bath with Burt's Bee's Baby Bee shampoo and wash. It's my favorite way to wash baby. It is so mild and gentle that no lotion is usually needed. But my favorite baby lotion is Burt's Bee's buttermilk lotion. A little goes a long way. The wash lasts a long time because it is so concentrated.
Be sure to join in Sarah's favorite things, it's so much fun! Or just go read about other's favorites at Fiddledeedee.

Menu Plan Monday

It's a perfect time of year to take advantage of the local farmer's market. I bought all this organic produce and 32 eggs for $15 except the rasberries that were given to us by our neighbor. I included everything in our menu this week!

Monday-B-bagels, cream cheese, juice

L-turkey, ham sandwiches

D-hot dogss with chilli, fries

Tuesday-B-oatmeal with fresh rasberries

L-mac-n-cheese

D-taco salad, made with black beans and ground turkey(make double for Sat.)

Wednesday-B-bagels, cream cheese, fruit

L-egg salad (make extra for another meal), PBJ

D-men at baseball banquet, girls night out!

Thursday-B-eggs, toast

L-bean and cheese burritos, cantaloupe

D-chicken with summer squash and zucchini over whole grain pasta

Friday-B-whole wheat rasberry muffins

L-egg salad, PBJ

D-burgers, baked beans, cole slaw, watermelon, blueberry pies for desert

Saturday-B-cereal

L-leftovers

D-Taco Salad

Visit Laura's blog to see more menus!

A Chat With Lil'

While snacking on craisins.....
Lil'...."You wike my shoes Mom?" (not mommy, just Mom, she's so grown up:0)

Mom...."Yes, they are beautiful, love them!"

Lil'..."Where did you get these shoes for me, Mom?"

Mom...."Umm, not sure."(I had never seen them before, she pulled them out of a bag of hand-me-downs in the garage)

Lil'..."You pwobwee bought them at CBS for me." Interpreted...you probably bought them at CVS for me, it's such a great place to shop you know?!