Have you ever been to The Newport Aquarium?

We had a great time on our first day of vacation, getting up close to the penguins, petting the sharks(yikes!), and taking a walk across the bridge to Ohio.

A Boy, a boat, and a dog . . .

goin' for a ride

in the good ole summertime!

More of the ABCs - J to R

To set the record straight - We will not officially start school until September. We are still on our summer "schedule", which this year has been very relaxed. We are still working on our memory verses, though.
We're almost done!

End of Summer?

Make a Smilebox slideshow

These pictures were taken on a trip I took with the kids to visit my parents in Dallas, GA and celebrate my brother, Wesley's birthday and my sister, Leah's birthday in her newly renovated basement.

CCMA people

These are some pics I snapped this Sunday after church. Here's part of Lutfi's lovely family.


A twosome of Terri's troup, one of which is very tired.

Just a portion of Jeramy's jewels. I just can't figure out what Meggan's expression is all about.

And outside, there is a bird on the ground . . .

and a boy in the tree?

Which flock does he fly with? Do you know?

Goodbye to the Little House on the Prairie

We just finished reading Little House on the Prairie.

That was our read aloud for the summer.

At first it was hard for me to get into it, because the real story is

quite different from the TV version, which is what I was use to.

If you haven't read the book, don't read any further, because I give away the ending.

...

At the end of the book, they have to leave their house, the well they dug, the garden they just planted, and papa's plow and a cow and calf. They didn't sell those things, they were just LEFT BEHIND. It made me think about what's really important and how we cling to earthly things. Maybe you don't but I do. I think of it as being resourceful. I keep an item, because I might need it SOMEDAY. SOMEDAY I won't even BE HERE. And all THIS STUFF won't matter at all. The interesting thing is that the stuff the Ingalls left behind were things that someone could use, not just used up old stuff either. They lived simply, not alot of clutter, not alot of unneccessary things. They did have special things - pa's fiddle, ma's cooking things and cupboard, but everything they had, except the plow, fit in the wagon. Could we fit everything we had into a covered wagon? I don't think so. It barely fits in our house.

So, I hold what I have with open hands, willing if God sees fit to take it, or tell me to LEAVE IT.

Doggie Dress-up

Today, Hannah turned Little Lady into a princess.

She wore her dress and tiara like a princess,

but she had trouble walking and eating like a princess.

47. I'm thankful that Little Lady puts up with all the attention the kids give her.

48. I'm thankful for the changing of the seasons. In summer, we get a break from the usual. In fall, we get to begin learning something new. In winter, we get to curl up under comforters and read books. In spring, we get to see beautiful colors and celebrate finishing another year of learning.