Nothing says Summer quite like a visit to Grandma's house...unless that visit happens to include a roaring bonfire and all the fixin's for a good old hot dog roast.

Now while it is true that I don't eat hot dogs under any circumstances (and I do mean ANY), it is certainly not true that I shun festive occasions where hot dogs are likely to be served. Nay, I am quite happy to slather my empty bun with ketchup and eat it with relish. (Get it? Relish? HAHA)

Anyway, All Those Boys do not have the same hot dog hangups that I do, so this was doubly exciting. Grandpa had a raging inferno going so cooking the hot dogs was a breeze. Everyone had their own sharp, dangerous, pointy stick to use.

Once those dogs were truly hot, it was time to eat! Yummy!

But, as everyone knows, the best part of the meal comes last, namely dessert. Well, what does one eat for dessert at a bonfire?? That's right! Roasted marshmallows!

This picture is a really good image of what it means to be two years old: See the 'ME DO!' look on his face and the tug-of-war going on over the dangerous weapon/marshmallow roasting device?

But at the end of the day, a toasted marshmallow sure is a sweet finish.

My laundry basket is usually filled with clothes waiting to be folded, but when it's not, Chip can always put it to good use. Ah, doesn't that look comfy?

Happy Birthday, America!

We celebrated the Fourth of July last weekend and had a fabulous time. Saturday morning, All Those Boys and I set out in search of good deals on fireworks. After all, being the last possible minute, I expected to find deep discounts. BUT NO! Apparently 'the economy' has hit the fire cracker people too. Well, humph.

So with (small but precious) bags in hand, we returned home and prepared for our par-tay.

That evening, Sandy and Co. descended upon our humble home and prepared to eat, drink and make merry with the punks. (The little sticks you light things with, not the kids.)

This was our first year with a good camera, so Luke and I had so much fun capturing the explosions as they lit up the sky. What a wonderful holiday...and what a wonderful country we are blessed with!

Friday we packed up the Big Ride and headed across the state line to visit Paula's family. We had such a great time! Her place is so nice, with lots of fun little buildings for the kids to explore. There was a pond and HUGE fields of corn to get lost in. The kidlets had a fantastic time. I think the pictures speak for themselves.

Chip and Carson loved riding in the little Gator.

Swinging is always more fun with a buddy!

Believe you me, getting six little boys to stand still long enough to snap a picture is harder than it looks!

Even the men had a good time. See the excitement on their placid faces? It was a wonderful day with great weather. We got home tired but happy with lots of fun memories and kids wanting to go back. Can't beat that.

Selective Color Can Be Fun!

As you know, here at the Blog we're all about fun. And I've decided that there's nothing more fun than a black and white picture with just a touch of carefully placed color.

See what I mean?

Celebrating Two Milestones At Once

Earlier this summer we celebrated two big steps in Luke's life. First came his birthday. As hard as it is for me to believe, he turned 15 this year. Those years sure went by fast. Right on the heels of his birthday, we celebrated his graduation from eighth grade. It was a big month!

For his birthday all he wanted was a PHONE. Take a look at this picture and see if you can tell what was in the box he just opened. What you can't see is the smoke that virtually pours forth from said phone all day long as he texts people with lightning speed.

Of course any birthday boy deserves a great big gooey birthday cake!

It looks so innocent laying there on that plate, doesn't it? Get thee behind me, calorie laden treat.

Luke is a very good kid. He's highly responsible, tender hearted, respectful, everything you would want in a son. He's a very gifted athlete, a whiz with the camera, and a professional vacuum cleaner operator. Tim and I are both so proud of him.

Here he is with his graduation cake. Two cakes in one week...Wow! Time for Mama to hit the gym.

It's hard to believe he will be in high school next year. I still remember so well his first day of Kindergarten and exactly what he wore. He's come a long way since then. We will enjoy watching him grow closer to manhood with excitement, pride and, I'm sure, lumps in our throats.

Vacation Bible School Is Upon Us

Hello, Loyal Readers! I am truly back this time. I know there was that fake post that somehow made it onto the 'Blog several days ago saying that my return was imminent, but this is the real deal. To prove it, I've got the first of several posts for you to enjoy as I try to redeem myself for this rude hiatus.

So the big question is what exactly have we been doing while we weren't blogging? Well, taking lots of pictures, for one thing. And having pictures taken of us taking pictures.

Another fun thing we've just wrapped up is Vacation Bible School 2009. It was wonderful and exciting and awesome and fantastic! The weather was insanely hot but, happily, the Lord kept the AC working just fine so the inside was nice and cool.

I have to offer a disclaimer right off the bat. In the pictures to come, you'll notice a vast majority are of Chip. There are two reasons for this, both of which are beyond my control. Number 1, Chip is touching me, just finished touching me, or about to touch me at all times. Therefore, when I point my camera, it tends to fall upon him. Second, the other kids have reached the point of maturation where they will not allow a documentary crew to follow them around, recording their every move. And Heaven help us all, if something unapproved should show up on the 'Blog. So I get what I get and it tends to be Chip. No offense to the other kidlets is intended in any way.

Now on to the magic of VBS. Tyler and some friends carried the flags and Bible at the beginning of our first day. They were so excited to help out!

And what does any red-blooded American do when presented with our great country's flag? Pledge allegiance to it, of course!

Speaking of helping out, Luke worked in recreation this year and had a great time. Since it was so hot, they only played outside once, but I think Luke just about melted! Here is the recreation crew. Nick wasn't able to be there very much this year due to football conditioning, but I bet he missed us!

Here Chip shows us the proper form for scooter use. He's certified in this activity.

A big part of VBS is the great crafts the kids get to make every year! One day they painted a picture frame any way they wanted! We even took a sweet picture to memorialize their year at VBS. The camping setup was just too cute.

The frames all turned out really neat. Tyler's is decorated like an American flag and I already have it installed in a prime spot in the basement. Here's his all finished. Very, very cute!

Chip even got to decorate a frame. Here we have the virgin material given to the artist....

and the final masterpiece.

Another day was devoted to decorating a bandanna to your liking. Tyler really enjoyed making his just right!

The most popular craft of all is the stepping stone. We try to make these every few years and always plan for lots of extras because all the adults like to make them too! This year, Sandy brought Colter in to make his very first stepping stone. He thought the pretty shells used to decorate the stones were just delicious! But he turned out a beautiful product. Shhh! Don't tell! It's a surprise for his Mommy and Daddy!

Chip made his too and was EVER so proud of his work! We will proudly display this beauty in our garden.

There were lots of other things going on all week as well, like super lessons full of Bible truths, bouncy songs to sing, and snacks which are always appreciated. It was a really nice week of fun and I'm so glad I could be a part of it.