Convention Weekend

We were priviledged to spend four days

with dear loved ones obtaining bread for our souls.

Fishing Weekend

This is the seventh year that we've traveled to La Grande for

the annual boys' fishing weekend. It's the only time during

the year that most of the men/boys on Bob's side of the family

are able to spend time together. This year, we celebrated J's 11th birthday first, and then they were off to the mountains.

For the first time, this was an all-boy plus one-girl fishing weekend.

Emma's old enough to rather be up with the guys than sitting back

at the house. As an added bonus, I was able to enjoy

a few quiet days.

The small group that left from the house.

The rest met them at camp.

Can you tell that she's excited?

And these two, too?

(The remainder of the photos were taken by my bro-in-law)

They went to a new place this year as the boys had outgrown

the ponds. The water was roughly 30 feet up the bank due to the

amount of rain they've had this spring, but they still had a great time.

Emmalee, Paul, J, and Ryan

The whole gang

Emmalee...totally worn out!

A pause

Just a short note that my posts are going to be

very sporadic over the next several weeks.

We'll be seeing relearning old lessons, spending lots

of time with family, witnessing a wedding,

enjoying the sunshine (hopefully).

And when it's all over, I'll be back with

LOTS of photos and stories to share.

::

See you soon.

Summer has arrived!

~home~
~childhood memories of what happened here...
and here...and here~

~mom's roses~

(have you ever seen anything more perfect?)

~color...texture~

~what remains of our climbing/shade/Tarzan tree~

(and has now become Emma's dancing stage...yes, it's that big)

~roses...from when Dad's parents lived here...

if not longer~

~and, oh, the smell~

~the beauty...the detail~

~multiplied~

~colors mingling~

~blending~

~going home...priceless~

Summer Break - Day One

It was really quite strange to not put Ryan on the bus this morning.

On the other hand...it was nice (most of the time) to have him around.

Here they are listening to "Diary of a Worm" on CD.

We were introduced to the books on CD at the library by AmyS.

Since then, there is almost always one playing. Emma love them...she'll sit and play for hours while she listens to them.

FINALLY the weather cooperated enough to take a walk.

Bob was home early for a Scouts meeting, so he was able to join us.

Blue skies!

No rain, no storm clouds.

Stopping to smell the flowers.

Running through the spinklers...it wouldn't have been warm enough

for me personally, but that's the great thing about kids. They don't care...because it's fun!!!

Emma finished her book marks this evening.

We punched holes in patterned paper and then

used a glue stick to attach the patterned paper to the front of the solid.

Staple on some ribbon and...bookmarks!

(Emma didn't want to say "cheese" for this photo. She asked if she could say something else. She came up with, all on her own, "I love to scrapbook. Fabric!!")

~~

I know that there will be days where I'm ready to pull my hair out

(better try to aim for the white ones, eh?), but today was a pretty good first day of Summer Break!

I already posted today, but I had to add this.

Ryan just got home from his last day as a third grader; he carried a note from his teacher that touched my heart...

~~

Dear Parents~

I give you back your child, the same child you confidently entrusted to my care last fall. I give him back pounds heavier, inches taller, months wiser, more responsible, and more mature than he was then. Although he would have attained his growth in spite of me, it has been my pleasure and privilege to watch his personality unfold day by day and marvel at this splendid miracle of development.

~

I give him back relunctantly, for having spent nine months together in the narrow confines of a crowded classroom, we have grown close, have become a part of each other, and we shall always retain a little of each other.

~

Ten years from now if we met on the street, your child and I, a light will shine to our eyes, a smile to our lips, and we shall feel the bond of understanding once more, this bond we feel today.

~

We have lived, loved, laughed, played, studied, learned, and enriched our lives together this year. I wish it could go on indefinitely, but give him back I must. Take care of him, for he is precious.

~

Remember that I shall always be interested in your child and his destiny, wherever he goes, whatever he does, whoever he becomes. His joys and sorrows I'll be happy to share.

~

I'll always be his friend.

~Mrs. Schwehr

Dear Time,

Last night, we celebrated Ryan's last evening as a third grader. He

got to pick our meal...BBQed Corndog (an Uncle max specialty...the rest of us had hot dogs), tater tots, cranberry sauce (his favorite thing that

comes in a can, he informed us), and Dr. Pepper. The watermelon was added as an attempt by his mother to have something redeaming about

the meal.

On his way out the door for the bus this morning

~~

Dear Time,

When I was a kid, I'd often hear the adults comment on how fast you were flying by. I didn't understand as you always were a bit finicky for me. Sometimes, like when I was playing at a friend's house, you did seem to pass quickly. Other times, like when we were out in the fields picking up potatoes by hand, you seemed to stretch out each second until it felt like pure agony!

But, now, oh now, I understand! It seems like just yesterday that Ryan started third grade, but today is the last day of third grade. How can that be? After today, I'll offially be the mother of a fourth grader! (Assuming they pass him along to the fourth grade...just kidding). And, my baby will begin her long journey in the public school system!

Please, dear Time, please slow down. I want more sweet nine-year-old grins and hugs, more five-year-old belly laughs and kisses, more time to hold them close, more days where you just seem to creep by as we squeeze

as much as we can out of every single moment.

Fondly,

Katie

Three hours of sunshine

Does anyone know what this bush is?

The flowers are amazing...the outer part is large flowers and the middle

are teeny-tiny little flowers.

Remember the curly bush we found on the side of the house?

I described it to someone and was told that it wouldn't have leaves;

it would have nuts.

It must not be what they thought it was because it's covered with

large wrinkly leaves.

Location: Flower bed in front of the house

Time: Thursday, 12:30 p.m.

Time: Thursday, 3:30 p.m.

It's amazing what you can do when the sun FINALLY peaks

it's face out from the clouds.

I've been wanting to work on this flower bed for a long time.

We found all of the rocks scattered around the back yard.

The wooden tire was also a backyard discover. There's a

Virginia Creeper growing right next to it. It'll be

pretty growing over it.

There's still more work to do...I need to get the

rest of the grass removed...but I can't wait for the

plants to fill in.