The littlests

I was home with Eliott and Leanna while Jaron was working with Daddy. Seemed like they had fun playing together since big brother wasn't there to distract!

 

Our trip to Haiti!

Just thought I should update on our proposed trip. We now have tickets bought, leaving Septembar 28 and returning November 8. Well, we'll actually be getting home November 9, considering the 4 hour drive from Chicago in the middle of the night. . . So we're really looking forward to it, planning and preparingand staying busy busy in the meantime!

Biking and neighborhood party

Micah and Amy decided to join us on another biking excursion! Little did they know we were setting them up! We started out in decent time with brunch at our house, then hit the road with the bikes. For those of you who don't know, we hope to ride the entire 100+ miles of state bike trail as a family eventually. We're over half done, after 4 years of working at it. It's great fun and great excercise, and we thoroughly enjoy it. We did 15 miles this time, from Sparta to West Salem. Just more than half way, we stopped at a park to let the children romp and eat a snack:

 

After we were done with our bike ride and had some supper at the park in West Salem, we headed home. There was just enough time to grab a couple things and run again--this time to the surprise party! The neighbors had wanted to get together to "chivaree" Micah and Amy and welcome them to the neighborhood. So we did our best to make sure they were home (by taking them biking) then went down there with an assortment of bowls and spoons and banged away. They were surprised, all right! Since it started to sprinkle just as we got there we moved the festivities to the shop instead of in the yard, and shared snacks and treats and time visiting. It was great fun!

That Leanna!

Earlier this week I was standing at the sink washing dishes, and heard some extra happy sounds of Baby Girl behind me. I turned to smile at her, and this is what I saw! She had dug into Jere's lunch box, found the opened bag of Coconut M&M's, and tried them out. Obviously, she's a girl! She LOVES that chocolate! But oh, what a mess. Then the boys came home and came happily running into the kitchen--that still had chocolate mushed all over the floor. One of those days. . .

Oh yes, you can see her wee toothie on the this pic. I'm expecting its neighbor to show up anytime now. She is eating banana. . . banana. . . and more banana! All the food she can possibly get her hands on or mouth around. Last night she was trying out some corn on the cob, her one little tooth working overtime scraping those kernels off the cob. What a little stinker!

Adventure coming right up!

Well, looks like there's an adventure out ahead of us--soon! :-) We, at this point, are planning to go to Haiti for 1 1/2-2 months, leaving sometime in Sept and returning sometime in November! Jere will be doing some mechanical work, and we both may help some in the clinic. It wasn't that long ago that we began to consider it, so it's still rather a new idea and not all the details are worked out. But we're looking forward to it!

Please pray for us during this busy season of preparation for a long trip in the midst of harvesting the garden and school and, well, just life with 3 small children! It takes the wisdom of God to know what to do when and how to get it all done with ample time given to each child in the way they need it and not just pushing them aside 'cause we "don't have time."

Corn and other yummies

OK, Anita, I don't want to make you too jealous--but you will be able to eat some when you're home in a few days!

Here are a couple shots of the summer's bounty. YUMMY! We've been eating corn on the cob till I'm nearly sick of it, plus putting some in the freezer. But oh, is it ever good!

Seems like we're overflowing with a fruitful, abundant harvest. We praise the Lord for it! We're eating cantelope and tomatoes and peppers and corn and beets, and enjoying an abundance of flowers as well. The green beans are getting over-ripe due to lack of time to pick and process them. Oh well, there's worse things!

School!

Well, it's the start of another school year! We started extra early this year on a relaxed schedule, in hopes that we wouldn't have to do school every day during the busy harvest season.

Eliott is doing some pre-school work, his first time to sit down and "do school". He's a bright little cookie, but for some reason still doesn't catch the concept of colors. Hopefully by the end of the school year he will!

Jaron is doing K5 this year. According to his books, he should be doing some basic reading by the end of the school year! We're both excited about that!