Friday, July 29, 2011

BFF's





Riley, Lily and Ellie.  We had playdates, birthday parties, they went to school together and carpooled.  They have known each other since they were infants.  Riley, Lily and Ellie.  BFF's forever. 
And then Riley moved to California.  We made her a scrapbook and exchanged emails.  They will skype occassionally and they exchanged Christmas and Birthday presents in the mail.  They send each other pictures of themselves on our phones.
Last week, they surprised us by coming to visit.  The girls were ecstatic and giddy.  They danced, giggled, shared stories.  It was precious.  Like they hadn't spent any time away from each other.  Just like old times.  Friendship is a beautiful thing. 

Thursday, July 28, 2011



As hot and humid as these evenings have been, we couldn't resist pulling out the giant sparklers and letting the girls experience life at it's greatest!  :)  They twirled, danced, spelled their name in the air, and life seemed so grand with these humungous sparklers!  I love watching them as they fade into their own little world as they watch the sparks twinkle in the night. 

Each day I try to accomplish something small in regards to my mess of a home.  It's funny how we always look forward to the summer so we can get some things done, and then these summer days fill up and fly by!  Today I accomplished cleaning off the counter that seems to get dumped on several times a day.  It looks so nice...  but somehow as one part of the house gets cleaned, another accumulates more junk! 
Homeschool planning and my church group seem to consume every sitting-down moment I have. 
Oh well, there's always tomorrow...

Monday, July 25, 2011

ST. Margaret of York Festival

This year Rob and I were a little more involved at our church festival.  After going to church the week before and hearing how there were 1600 shifts over the weekend, and 900 still needed filled, we didn't hesitate to dedicate some of our time, and with the girls being older, they were a big help!  It was sticky, sweaty HOT, but it didn't slow down the dollars bills being spent!  There were lots of games played, rides ridden, food eaten, and bands danced to. 
I have such fond memories of my church festival growing up, but it was so much smaller.  We knew every family and we all went to school together.  Dad worked Bingo and we raced in sack races.  I can't believe how old-fashioned/ancient that sounds.  But it is so true.  Part of me misses that.  It seems now everything is so massive and you have so many choices as to churches and schools, that we've lost a bit of that personal ownership of a place.  But as we've grown to love our church and the community that takes pride in it, we place more of an emphasis on being more involved and that is all it takes. 
 What I saw of the girls this weekend reassured me, though, that there was nothing they felt was missing.  They didn't know any different.  They were loving life.  Isn't that what it's all about?!  Sadly, this picture is all that I took of my phone, it being one of their favorite memories watching Miss Ohio dancing and singing onstage, and then being right there for signed autographs and pictures.  She was so nice and took her time with the girls- fun times!

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

The Fourth

Finding life in the everyday...

















                                                       HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!!