Day 212, Saturday, July 31, 2010

Mahree with Henry--her new bunny.

Henry is 2 months old, and

is a chestnut Netherland Dwarf.

Mahree's bunny, Purina Bree, almost 1 year old.

She is going to Fair with Mahree this year--Mahree's

first year showing a rabbit at Fair.

Day 211, Friday, July 30, 2010

The morning after the sleepover in Mom's room,

finds the same quartet watching TV on Auntie's bed!!

Merica, Sammy, Spencer, & Mahree DO have

beds of their own!!

Mahree planted zucchini in her garden

--see the tag from the seed packet--

what grew were cucumbers!!

Day 210, Thursday, July 29, 2010

Sleepover in Mom's room--

however, not in Mom's bed!!

Sammy, Merica, Spencer, &  Mahree

Day 209, Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Another 4H meeting--letting the 4 little boys

burn off a little pre-decoupage energy!

Day 208, Tuesday, July 27, 2010

A quick photo

just before Cheryl takes

the Stewart family

back to Chicago.

Back row:

Kaitie, Rosie, Laura, Spencer, Bonnie

Front row:

Merica, Sammy, Mahree

Day 207, Monday, July 26, 2010

Lentee's 5th birthday isn't until August 11,

but we won't see her then!

We celebrated it today--they go

back to Chicago tomorrow.

Happy Birthday, sweet girl!

Day 206, Sunday, July 25, 2010

Took family pictures of  Mike & Laura

with their children,

Amal, Samadas, Jarvis, and Lintee

after church--this is my favorite one!

Day 205, Saturday, July 24, 2010

Took a lot of pictures of our flowers--

several had critters on them!

Then, I got a picture of the 5 youngest

kids here today-

Spencer, 8, Merica, 7, Jarvis, 6, Lintee, 4 1/2, and Sam, 4

Day 204, Friday, July 23, 2010

4H sewing meeting at our

teacher's home.

In the background on the

right, you can see

the water island

they prepared for me!

How thoughtful!

Cheryl set up the tarp down our little hill,

the kids had soapy sponges, and with the

sprinklers on--they had so much fun

sliding their soapy selves down

our home-made slip and slide!!

Day 203, Thursday, July 22, 2010

We started our day at TOPS;

Rosie invited Laura to come with us!

Mahree made another card

for Stephanie; we also

had to check out her

new pink cast!!

My beautiful daughter,

Laura, and me!

Day 202, Wednesday, July 21, 2010

I couldn't be there for my

oldest grandchild's graduation

from Middle School,

so Amal modeled his

cap, gown, & diploma

for me--he's Spencer's hero!

Cheryl started a campfire,

and everyone gathered

around to make s'mores!

It was such a fun evening!

Day 201, Tuesday, July 20, 2010

4H Meeting today--outside Miss Cheryl

and Mr. Mitch helped the kids

make pan pipes!

We had two projects going today!
Inside Miss Connie was working

with the sewing group!

Day 200, Monday, July 19, 2010

I found a Lite Brite shirt

for my Lite Brite daughter!!

Day 199, Sunday, July 18, 2010

Today Sandra Destrempes

visited with us after church.

She lives in  Lansing. 
We had never met her before;

she's a teacher,

and was a hit with the children!

Stephanie, Mahree's friend,

broke her wrist yesterday.

Mahree made her a

card, so we stopped

by to visit her!

Day 198, Saturday, July 17, 2010

I have no idea why I took this picture!! 

However,at this point it is

the only one I can find that I took

on Saturday, July 17, 2010.

Day 197, Friday, July 16, 2010

On our way to the

airport viewing area,

we stopped at McDonald's.

I love their water

fountains, and just

had to get a picture!

Day 196, Thursday, July 15, 2010

My youngest 4 have been

playing so well together

this summer!

Their favorite activities

seem to always include water!

The latest has been to have

their sand pails on their

heads as helmuts--

using the still attached shovels

as their walkie-talkies!!

Here they appear to

be threatening me with

a shower!!

Day 195, Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Mahree wanted a garden this

year, and planted a little

of several types of veggies--

she also planted a row

of marigolds to try

to keep animals away.

Her garden is growing

very nicely!

Day 194, Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Mahree has been making

little fairies out of silk

flower petals, wire,

and little wooden beads.

I put a AA battery next

to them to show how

small they really are.

Day 193, Monday, July 12, 2010

We got back from Ann Arbor,

and impulsively decided to

take the kids to see a movie

they really were eager to see---

"Despicable Me."

We shared popcorn, and

each child had their own

straw--for 2 drinks!

We put some of the

kids down for a nap,

and took the rest!

Rosie was willing

to baby-sit--

(The time on the photo is

not correct--Kaitie's camera!)

Day 192, Sunday, July 11, 2010

Mahree was bidding us a "see ya later",

as Cheryl and I headed out to Ann Arbor.

I have to see Dr. Ward, Dr. Z,

and Tamara Jorgensen from Dynasplint

tomorrow morning.

Mahree is showing off her

Silly Bands--a bit of a craze

right now with kids!

Day 191, Saturday, July 10, 2010

Two little boys wanted a sleep over in

Mom's bedroom!  Spencer said,

"It's more peaceful in Mommy's room!"

Sammy also took a nap in the afternoon

in Mommy's room!!

Day 190, Friday, July 9, 2010

I stopped by Dean and Lisa's house,

held their new 5 day old baby, and

took a few pictures of some of the

kids that were around!

Here Katherine and Caleb are

finishing some p & j sandwiches!

Here is little Samantha Peace

in her Mommy's arms!

Portraits on their wall!

Dean, Lisa, Caleb, Katherine,

Victoria, Julia--all before

Samantha's birth!

Day 189, Thursday, July 8, 2010

We had to buy more material for

Mahree's 4H project, because

the project we had picked out

was a bit too ambitious!

Mahree loves all the selections!

Day 188, Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Kaitie, Spencer, and Merica are

doing their "schoolwork"--Rosie

was helping Merica.

Meika, Mahree, and Sammy

did their books a bit later.

We're also working on

reading--especially doing

the library book club!

Day 187, Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Cheryl and I went to

Case Damsteegt's funeral today.

We both worked with him in the

late 60's and early 70's.

We renewed our contact

with him when I joined

TOPS about 7 years

ago, because Diny, Case's wife,

is a member there.

Day 186, Monday, July 5, 2010

Mahree and Spencer

were swinging,

and trying to

get sprayed by

the sprinklers!!

Day 185, Sunday, July 4, 2010

Roasted marshmellows, ate popcorn,

did sparklers--on the actual 4th of July!

Day 184, Saturday, July 3, 2010

Merica looks forward to the

pony rides after the

July 4th parade!

This year because the 4th falls on a

Sunday, the celebration was

held on the 3rd.

It was a hot and

beautifully sunny day!

Day 183, Friday, July 2, 2010

Kaitie posed with her doggie, Tuffy,

and Merica's cat, Angel!

She is reading the Mandie series!

Day 182, Thursday, July 1, 2010

Miss Lucia and Merica after

the closing "program" they

put on for us after

their dance camp!