Camp Out Party

This year for her 12th birthday, Megan chose a camp out party. Here is her cake and the camping decorations Grace and Leah set up.

After all had arrived, the first thing on the agenda was a game of volleyball.

Teams 1, 2, 3, and 4 ready to begin the treasure hunt. They had to solve Biblical or historical clues to figure out their next destination stop. 12 clues for our 12 year old!

Team 1: Megan and Abrey - figuring out the first clue.

Team 2: Beau, Moriah and Hope - deciding where they need to go to next.

Team 3: Grace, Kayla and Leah - made quick work of the clues and were the first team to finish. Team 4: Kelsey and Honor - working together.

Presents from all her friends.

Dinner around the campfire.

The gang with her cake.

Enjoying fresh homemade cookies and cream ice cream.

All eight girls slept in the tent. Beau had his own tent a few yards away.

The rest of the time we spent outside playing wave, capture the flag, and kick the can once it got dark.

What a fun last hurrah of the summer!

~Wee

Rollin' the Dough

This month the project for our CARE group was making frosted cinnamon rolls to sell at the Gateway Woods auction. This is something we look forward to every year and the girls eagerly help with all that has to be done. They first begin with mixing up the dough, allowing it to rise, and then move into the following process.

Rolling out the dough....

Brushing on the butter....

Sprinkling on brown sugar and cinnamon....

And the final step before baking....slicing them into pieces.

While waiting for the rolls to bake, the girls decorated labels to put on each package of rolls.

I am bummed that I failed to get any pictures of the final project, but I can attest to the fact that they were delicious! The bake sale begins at 7:30 a.m., on auction day, and the rolls don't stick around long!

~Wee

Please Pray

for Katelyn (Thames) Schroeder and her two little girls as her husband and the girls' Daddy, Jordan, just passed away from cancer at such a very young age. I grew up with Katelyn's father. Please read their story at http://jkschroeder.blogspot.com/.

My heart is aching for this sweet family, as well as their extended family, as it brings back all the memories of watching Tess pass from this life onto her Heavenly reward 11 years ago already. Having gone through what they are now going through, I am very familiar with the emotions, the feelings, the pain, etc., they are experiencing right now. Along with the Father's loving arms, our prayers are what carry them through this difficult time.

Lifting them to the throne of the Ultimate Healer! Please join me!

~Wee

Fun on the Farm

This past weekend, the girls and I went to my parents' to see my sister Tess' boys, Connor and Cole, and to celebrate Leah's 5th birthday and my Grandma's (my girls' only living great-grandparent) 95th birthday.

The boys come visit Grandpa and Grandma's farm every summer, so it's a highlight for the rest of us to be able to see them, too. Dad's project for them this year was painting the "old garage." Here, Cole uses the paint sprayer.
Connor looks as though he's having a grand 'ole time, doesn't he?
The girls and I arrived on Thursday afternoon, and after the boys finished helping Grandpa paint the garage, the hours of fun on the 4 and 3-wheelers started! We played chase and hide-and-seek. The boys would hide anywhere around the farm, while we girls would attempt to find them. Then, vice versa.
Getting ready to head out to look for the boys.
Several minutes later, we found Connor hiding out by the gas tanks....
and a very sweaty Cole was found here.

Then is was our turn! We chose to hide in the cornfield. Waiting for the sound of the 4-wheeler drawing near.

Notice that it is now dark outside. It took so long for the boys to find us that the sun set while we were still hiding out, and of course the mosquitoes were in their glory with four sweaty bodies in their midst! Since it was getting darker, the boys had to go retrieve their headlights, and while they were inside, we emerged one row closer to the edge of the field and stuck our heads out between the cornstalks. They found us soon thereafter (especially after we made "yoo hoo" noises!) and demanded a rematch the next day! Just look at Cole's face!

Other fun shots taken around the farm...

All of us pitched in in stemming beans from the garden. Many helpers made short work!

My brother Wes came down from Chicago on Friday and after he arrived, we all went out for pizza. Then we celebrated Leah's 5th birthday with presents, ice cream and homemade angelfood cake.

This year she got her American Girl doll. She chose Rebecca from the 1914 period (because she looked the most like her....all but the green eyes).

On Saturday morning, Connor, Cole, Megan and I climbed the grain leg. Grace stayed on the ground with Leah for me. Next time, she'll get to join us. Megan and I stopped off at the first landing, while the boys climbed on up to the very top, just a few feet above us. This allowed room for all of us to enjoy the view from the top of the leg.

This is Megan on her climb back down the leg. Connor and Cole are still at the top.

Then on Saturday (Leah's birthday), they hosted Grandma's party at the old Fairbury Hospital, now an abandoned, run-down building. But it was once a thriving hospital, the place where I entered this world. My cousin gave us a tour of the buidling. Cole, Leah, Grace and Megan inside a patient exam room.

This was the popular WOMAN of the night! She had to smile for tons and tons of pictures, as everyone wanted their picture taken with her! 95 years old!

~Wee

Apple Pickin'

Yesterday the girls and I went out to Lynn and Leonda's and picked apples from one of many trees in their orchard. Then we came home and made several quarts of applesauce, plus one lone apple pie (we wanted to make two pies, but honestly were so tired of doing apples by that time). The girls were great helpers as we cut, cored, sliced, cranked and scooped!Finally, a tree that Megan could climb....something she loves to do, but is unable to since we lack good climbing trees at our place!

Leah helped Leonda go around and pick up all the rotten or bruised fallen apples.If you come for a visit, we'll share our applesauce with you!

~Wee

4th of July

It was a HOT weekend! Lots of swimming was on tap throughout the weekend. On Sunday after our dinner of ribs and the works, Andy and his children and Alex and I and the girls went to Jim Bollier's pond for a special treat!

Each one swung out on the rope and dropped in. This is Grace.

Megan's turn.
Paddle boat rides.

The kids all jumped off this tampoline raft and into the water. Grace and Beau.

Megan.

Leah just enjoyed the freedom to swim wherever she wanted.

Before leaving the pond, this is the beauty that we beheld ~~ a gorgeous sunset.

Thankfully, we are able to see the fireworks from our own front yard. They shoot them off just up the road at Riverside Gardens. No fighting traffic! We enjoyed the fireworks show with friends and neighbors.

Last year Leah slept through part of them, but not this year! This year, she thoroughly enjoyed watching!

Thankful for our freedom!

~Wee