Spring and Summer 2019

 So hopefully I'll get fall and winter posted this afternoon also...This is Anna's 6th birthday (February). I've never done a birthday party for either of the girls, so I told them that we would do just one - we even made a horse shape cake:)

 The girls had a tea party and decorated cookies.

 Easter breakfast at church - according to family tradition, I curled the girls hair the evening before.

 My handsome little man :)

 We wrapped up homeschool co-op at the end of April and for part of the program, the kids "read" a book that they wrote together and illustrated.

 The girls went to AWANAs some as well -

 Grace started out the year a baby, but she's definitely in the toddler category now!

 Julia helped me out by feeding the baby applesauce :) She thought it was great fun!

 Some of us went to the mother's day brunch at my parent's church - Esther decided to go fishing with  Aaron and the guys.

 We got to go to three weddings this summer - they were all so much fun!

 Every year we plan to take pictures by our lilac bushes, but we never seem to remember at a good time! This spring I took some, but it was so sunny that everyone is squinting in all the pictures.

 Grace playing doctor -

 I had a couple different outfits in two sizes, so the girls got to match once and a while.

 Grace enjoying corn-on-the-cob, as did the rest of us :)

 We went to the aquarium in Duluth - I thought it would be a good occasion for everyone to wear their orange outfits!

 When the kids saw this ship in Lake Superior, their first thought was "Pirate ship".

 Esther and Anna -

 VBS at FFC - Sometimes the little kids just need a nursery break - me too!

 This was the first year that my older girls pretty much took care of themselves and even took the initiative to learn verses without me standing over their shoulder -

 One day even Aaron Joseph went off and ate lunch with his friends :)

 Anna working on verses with Libby.

 The girls and Elizabeth at another one of the weddings -

 Decorating is not my talent, but thankfully, some people are amazing at it and decorated our church for VBS - So exciting!

 Aaron working on his craft -

 Since we live downstairs, we have to be creative to make everything happen at VBS - This is our stairway which served as a classroom :)

 Family are so helpful! Sarah and Marie both came and helped in many ways!

 This is me teaching in the coat closest -

 VBS was just too much for Julia some days - Miriam was a great help as well- teaching, and holding the babies!

 A man brought his horses on the last day and gave wagon rides.

 There really were people there other than family...

 The next few pictures are all from 4th of July - the cousins had fun playing in the hayshed.

 Esther and Grace -

 Aaron Joseph -

 I'm not sure what game this was...

 Aaron checking out the corn maze float -

 The parade -

 Aaron, my husband that is, took a bunch of the cousins to the fenceline to pick juneberries.

 Grace :)

 Esther, Grace, and Anna at the church in TRF - the kids went to most of the week of VBS there as well!

 A lady at Cornerstone took care of Lily during the week and Julia tagged along.

 Our church did a block party/giving day at the park in town. A church from the cities, one from MO, Aaron's parents, and some people from our church all pitched in and did a ton of work to make it all happen.

 At the last minute, we were in the parade during fair week, so we pulled out an old banner, got some candy, and had fun!

 At the fair - Esther is into horses these days, so she was happy to pose for me with this one.

 We call any light green shirts we have our "mowing shirts" - because that's what Aaron wears most of the summer :)

 Anna at the fair -

 Grace and her car - I've never seen a baby with such a sense of humor as she has!

 The kids love to ride bikes up and down the driveway, and any time they can, they get Aaron to race with them :)

 Aaron Joseph has graduated from his tricycle -

 Another family picnic -

 It's so fun to see the cousins playing on the same swing set we played on - not very long ago!

 Grace's first birthday! (in June) This is in the morning -

 On the afternoon of her birthday with a new ball!