June taking her turn stirring the filling – and Mason photo bombing 🙂

Jenny sent me a link today where we could go on the Asbury Hills website and see pictures of Charlie having fun during his first week of church camp.  He looks like he’s having a great time, and I am so looking forward to hearing all about it when he gets home.  We’re not sure what he’s doing with this rope – we think maybe a zipline, or ropes course?

That’s him second from the right, facing the camera. Looks like a great pool! So thankful he has this opportunity.

Today I took Momma back to the heart doctor to get the results of the tests she had run a couple of weeks ago (all good results. Yay!). Leesy came over to her house to play with the kids – Mallory, Clara, and Adam – there while we went. We brought KFC home for lunch, & then that sweet Elise stayed & played with the kids the whole afternoon until we had to leave to get the kids home for Bible school.  A huge part of the time was spent playing beauty shop.  You know that’s not something Adam has ever gotten to play just a WHOLE lot :-).  He was right in there with them, though.  He was the first to get his hair styled – you can maybe see his Mohawk in this picture – and then he was dead into helping Leesy curl Clara’s hair :-).

What a special day yesterday was.  Hope wanted to celebrate her birthday early, instead of waiting until November, because her friends Laura and Sarah are down visiting from Massachusetts.  Meg rented out the Sylvia Theater in York & we watched the movie “Spirit,” the first movie Hope ever went to watch at a movie theater.  Once everyone had gathered, Meg had us go around in a circle & tell how we met Hope, and something we love about her.  Here is Mallory telling Hope how much she loves LARPing with her :-).

Opening her presents after the movie. Just a special day for a special girl.

Friday night Jeff & I headed to York to the Songwriter Round at the Sylvia Theater.  It was great.  They just had these five local musicians sitting on the stage, and for two hours they took turns singing songs they’d written, and telling the stories behind the songs.  I really, really enjoyed it.  We’ll definitely be going back.  I took this picture with my phone – I forgot to take my camera in with me – and when I got home I played with it & figured out how to zoom in.  Next time the pictures will be better.

This past week was Bible school at church.  I don’t always help with Bible School – it seems like a lot of times it’s scheduled during our vacation.  This year it wasn’t during our vacation, but it was the week that Amy and Liz were here, so I still wasn’t able to help.  June and Mason did go, though, and I picked them up Thursday night – the last night.  The theme this year was Thailand Trek, and they were so excited to show me the cool decorations on the stage there in the fellowship hall.  It did look very cool.

Last night, while Liz and Amy were in town, we had supper with here with as many family members as could join us. Sherri drove up from Augusta, and Andrew & Jenny & the boys were here, & Addie & Lee & their kids, & Boo and Lesley. It was a good evening with some of the people I love best in the world.

At Momma’s, trying to get my stairstep picture.  Every year we have a little over a month – from June’s birthday on July 18 til Adam’s on August 29 – that they are all a different year old.  This year Mallory is ten, Charlie nine, June eight, Clara seven, Adam six, and a missing Mason, five.  Mason, however, was having a little trouble agreeing to get his picture made.  He is crazy.

This week Amy and Liz are here for a visit, which has been absolutely great. This week is also Queen’s Feast in Charlotte, and Lindee had gotten the five of us – her, Amy, Liz, Addie, and me – reservations to eat at Blue that evening. It was amazing. Here are loving cousins of an older generation before we headed out from our house that evening. Great fun.

Monday morning I ran out and picked Mallory & Clara up, & brought them back to the house.  While I was at their house Addie texted to ask if she could bring June and Mason over while she went & got her hair done.  Of course the cousins were all excited about that.  Almost as soon as we got there Jeff got them outside for Mal to help him light the bonfire.  He’d promised her long ago that she could, and it had rained a tiny bit the day before, so he figured it would be a safe time.  Of course you know once a fire is burning, it is just almost mesmerizing.  They could hardly look away.

I realize that most people would make Resurrection Rolls during the Easter season, but I never could seem to get it together to do it.  So when it got too hot for the kids to play outside, we came in to the ac to do just that.  Here is Clara rolling her marshmallow, which was white and pure and represented Jesus, in the butter (the oils they poured on his body) and rolling it in cinnamon sugar (the spices they used on his body before they put it in the tomb).  The kids were SO excited when they took a bite of the rolls after we cooked them and found them to be an empty tomb.  Even in the middle of summer, it was a good activity for them.