The Calendar's Clear but We're Keepin' Busy

I really enjoy looking forward to things, really, that's half the thrill of even having an event on the calendar. It's not just the event, it's the anticipation. Well, I've been pleasantly surprised this summer with the fun things that I've thoroughly enjoyed even though I didn't have any time to look forward to them.


Grandpa Davis took the kids up to the mountains... twice.

We rode the carousel... three times.

The family went to a Volcanoes game......where we got to see Daddy's "exclusive membership letterman's jacket" on display. He has entered the digitizing of that logo into a contest. It does look very nice.

We walked up to the duck park and fed the ducks nutritious bird seed.

We got to see a local airshow with WWII fighter planes.

We rode the tractor pulled hay ride to the strawberry fields at the French Prairie Gardens in St. Paul...

...and picked four buckets full with our friend Micah, his mom, Leslie, cousin Mackenzie, and her mom, Aunt Cheryl, and Grandma Linda, who was the highest quality picker in our group.

We watched dad lead a crew in pouring a large cement slab down at the shop...

...and made sure we left our mark forever.

We prepared for our Pounce Party and Kite Flying Demonstration...

...but when the kite got stolen and mom couldn't figure out how to download the video in time, it became just a Pounce Party. But, we enjoyed it and were glad to be joined by Grandpa Davis, Gramma Linda, and Uncle David, who even biked to the event. The kids actually earned $6 a piece!! (Gramma is extra generous.)

On the weekend we were sad that we weren't entertaining campers at Bear Paw, we had the privilege of hosting backyard campers here in Salem when cousin Leif stopped by with his parents, Uncle Tim and Aunt Ellen...

...and their dogs, Porter and Lucy (shown below with a VERY happy Mia).

Daddy got out the bubbles for some mid morning fun...

...and Lucy provided the best entertainment with her bubble acrobatics!

We went on our annual Faith Hike. Here the kids are at the 1 mile marker, which is where I first took a picture while I was pregnant with Faith, and have since gone back every year and taken family pictures by. This means the kids hiked 2 miles. Even Sierra was only on Daddy's neck for the last little part of the hike.

On the hike, we took the time to pray as a family, both to praise God for his provision in the past, like when I was pregnant with Faith, and for the present as we wait to move to Bear Paw, and for the future and all that it holds. Shortly after that prayer Sierra wanted to stop and pray again and it was so sweet to hear her reiterate some of the same things I had just prayed.

It was a beautiful hike and the perfect day, especially for Mia who was greeted, not only by two beautiful horses, one of which was slightly albino, only on his face, and therefore had clear blue eyes...

...but also by husky dogs, who also happen to have the clear blue eyes.

Oh, and let's not forget the baby that is growing and growing while all this life is going on "on the outs". Here's momma at 14 weeks pregnant!