Summer

 I blinked and our summer break is over!

Our chickens keep growing

The cat seems to have moved in

Movies were watched (Pride & Prejudice)

Gelato was enjoyed

Or inhaled!

New skills were learned

Crafts created

Service rendered

A Switch earned—for all his work on the coop and fencing

A trip the the CMA Festival

Hiking

Taking a book donation to Book’em

Seeing the completed bus

Filled with books

And Gabby and her friends’ handiwork

Not all of our garden was stolen by local wildlife

Dresses made

A visit to Kentucky

Rejoicing in the ground breaking for our former church

A long promised swing was hung

Vacation Bible School

A new building for our new church

Urgent care

An open house

Fence building

Aquarium visit

In Chattanooga 

And Holiday World too

Sent our Gabby off on a grand adventure with Kevin

We got our very first eggs from our flock 

The crew went to an antique engine show outside the professor’s old growing up town

Someone tried to cute her way into staying up late every night

These two coexisted, with mixed results

And then it was over!

Lately

My tulips bloomed

And so did the apple tree.

And I worked to establish our flower beds:

Azalea, Peonies, and Roses.

Katie passed her practical exam—earning her aesthetics license.

We took some company (here for prom) to the Parthenon.

And then there was prom!

There was a Daddy-Daughter AHG Tea.

We celebrated Mother’s Day

And a birthday (anvil in box)

With a T-Rex cookie

The Pi/Pas worked to finish us their Music Appreciation badge by adding musical sounds to Green Eggs and Ham.  It was great fun!

We got a ‘barn cat,’ but she likes the house too.

The Trail Life troop built this boat from cardboard (and lots of sealant and tape).

These two laughed until they cried.

We were able to see the Northern lights from our back door. (photo cred: Katie)

We wrapped up our troop year

With a joint ceremony.

Nate had a piano recital (here introducing another group).

We had a rainy date to visit some local antique shops and dinner at Cracker Barrel (thanks to a gift card from the kids).

Nate’s working on an Auto Care Badge, so he got to change my oil.

Gymnastics continues for our monkey.

Chicken watching is one of Lucy’s favorite activities.

Friday Funny

As Ellie has gotten older, she no longer lets Gabby choose whatever hairstyle she wants to do for her anymore. After one such frustrating hair styling session, Gabby looks up and asks:

When are you going to make me a new doll?

🤣

14 1/2

 

1. What is your favorite color? Blue or black 

2. What is your favorite toy? Airsoft 

3. What is your favorite fruit? Grapes 

4. What is your favorite tv show? Lego Ninjago 

5. What is your favorite movie? The Mario Movie 

6. What is your favorite thing to wear? Cargo pants and a t shirt 

7. What is your favorite animal? Dogs

8. What is your favorite song? I love rock and roll by Joan Jett and the Black Hearts

9. What is your favorite book? Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief 

10. Who is your best friend? Matthew 

11. What is your favorite snack?  M&Ms

12. What is your favorite drink? Root beer 

13. What is your favorite breakfast? waffles 

14. What is your favorite lunch? Meat and cheese sandwiches

15. What is your favorite dinner? Tacos 

16. What is your favorite game? Risk 

17. What is your favorite thing to play outside? Tag 

18. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas 

19. What do you sleep with at night? Pillows 

20. What do you want to be when you grow up? Either a diesel mechanic or a HVAC guy 

Chickies

So if you move out to the country, you’re supposed to raise your own laying hens, right?

Ellie and I went to get some tiny little chicks

We set them up in a tub, water, feed, heat plate, and all in the laundry room.

There they grew and grew

So they were promoted to a dog pen

In the mean time Justin and Nate were hard at work

They put together a coop

And a large run

Here is a chick visiting before we got their door installed

A waterer that they can’t foul! Every day had been a clean out job before this!

Chickie with the Chickie

The finishing touches are still going into the run, but they and we are glad they are outside.

16 1/2

1. What is your favorite color? Pink

2. What is your favorite toy? Claw clip

3. What is your favorite fruit? Cherries

4. What is your favorite tv show? Percy Jackson

5. What is your favorite movie? Pride & Prejudice (2005)

6. What is your favorite thing to wear? Hoodie

7. What is your favorite animal? Panda

8. What is your favorite song? Never Gonna Give You Up

9. What is your favorite book? Heartless

10. Who is your best friend? Lucy

11. What is your favorite snack? Ramen

12. What is your favorite drink? Ramen Juice

13. What is your favorite breakfast? Waffles

14. What is your favorite lunch? Ramen

15. What is your favorite dinner? Fancy Ramen

16. What is your favorite game? Spicy Uno

17. What is your favorite thing to play outside? Eating popsicles and creepily watching passing cars

18. What is your favorite holiday? Halloween

19. What do you sleep with at night? Rhinoceros, the elephant

20. What do you want to be when you grow up? Rich