SOMETIMES IT'S BUSY HERE!

Well, Nana left. She arrived Saturday morning and left Wednesday morning. We had a really nice visit. She was more attentive to Owen this time that she has been in the past, so that made my heart very happy! Speaking of Owen, he has a sty in his eye :o( Today it's really red and puffy.Owen with sty (and milk mustache)

love this picture!

Sunday we spent the afternoon visiting the family of a friend of Jane's -- actually her daughter Tammy is our friend too. LOVE them! We met Tammy's sister for the first time. We'd heard so much about Myra! LOVE her too now! Tammy's brother and his wife graciously let us use their yard (and pool) for the gathering. They live right next door to "Miss Kay". What a great family!

Jim, Myra, & Tammy with Owen and Dylan

The boys LOVED the built-in pool!


Jane & "Miss Kay" (friends since 5th grade!)

We had a WONDERFUL time! The food was great, and the company was delightful!

Rainbow on the way home from Miss Kay's

Anyone tired? Long day for all of us!

Monday we spent just hanging out with Nana. I spent a little "me time" going to the local thrift store and grocery store. I hit the jackpot with winter coats and snow pants! Yea! Love that!

Owen looking "tough" (his word) with his new snowpants, flip flops, and
old Nerf gun of the boys (not to worry, it doesn't work; but it DOES look tough!).


This might look strange to see a 4-yo needing help on a tricycle. It's almost
impossible to ride on a gravel driveway, so Owen hasn't tried much.
The boys used to ride it around in the house--when we had more room!

I also bought a small desk for the boys -- they share a room, and the DON'T have much extra room. But I knew this small desk would squeeze in there. I spent $10 on it. Jim and I picked it up on Tuesday. It was a little heavier than it looked. As we went up the stairs to the bedroom--not getting any further than than the first couple stairs--it fell apart! :o( I was so sad. Here I felt like I was doing a good thing by buying a desk at a thrift store! It was one of those furniture pieces that you put together yourself--made with "press board". The top of the desk can be salvaged, so Jim and I (or Nathan, so he thinks) may be able to put some kind of base on it so they can still use it.

Jim had Tuesday off, so we went to play mini golf. N & J have gone with Jim before, but this was Owen's first time. He LOVED it! I didn't want to play, and I'm glad I didn't because I got some great pictures! I was also "caddie", carrying both mine and my mother-in-law's handbags!! That was a job in itself!

This little guy was so close to us during the course.

He didn't seem very afraid!

After that, Nana treated us to lunch at Pizza Hut. NOT impressed. I haven't been to Pizza Hut in a couple years. It was the service and atmosphere that weren't impressive. It wasn't even busy -- at 12:30! Don't know what the problem was. The food was okay. However, it was nice to have lunch out.

I always have my camera with me, so Nathan grabbed

it to photograph one of his FAVORITE subjects!

I guess that's enough pictures for one post! Hope you enjoyed catching a glimpse of our sometimes busy lives!

blessings, joie

PAGES!!

Just thought I'd post the three pages that I've completed recently. The last one I did this afternoon.

My boys and their cousins from Plattsburgh.
Chloe's expression, hanging out with all the boys, is priceless!

You have to read the story to understand this one.
Of course, he dressed himself! Can ya tell I love my
Dymo label maker for embellishments!

My little niece Chloe, showing me her vacuum cleaner last fall!

Love the ragged edged look of the background papers. Also, I just tried for the first time,!paper piercing the circle. I LOVE it! It's such a simple technique. I simply traced around a plate--lightly--and pierced holes with my hobby awl (also called a paper piercer in the scrapbook industry)

That's all for now! Enjoy the weekend!

blessings, joie

Friday, August 1st

I should be more diligent in posting. The longer I put off posting, the harder it gets, and I just end up posting pictures with little text. I'll try to be better. My mother-in-law is coming this weekend, so hopefully, I'll have nice pictures to post next week.

I just love pool pictures! The blue background is
always perfect! Love this picture of Owen!

A few days ago, I mentioned a shirt that Jared had. This is it! I got it at the
thrift store and cut it down to a "muscle shirt" (he HATES t-shirts!)

I have a couple pages that I recently did, but I haven't taken pictures of them yet to post. I'll try to do that later today.

The other night, we went to dinner at the home of friends. We had SUCH a NICE time! We don't get out much because of Jim's crazy schedule, so this was such a wonderful blessing! The boys thoroughly enjoyed themselves (and there were no children). The food was yummy and the company was great! Thanks, N & T! You're a true blessing to us!

blessings, joie

LAST POST WITH THIS SET OF PICTURES!

I love to see my boys playing together. They usually play together pretty well on the trampoline. N & J are going through a stage where they fight alot! Also, I love to see them running!

My Dad (left) and his sister & brother.
He's lost three brothers in the last few years.

Jared, Owen, and their cousins playing with my sister Donna's two labs!

My sister Brenda leading a 'spirited' game of Mother May I? !
Don't know how she ever got our 2 Aunts to play.
The one on the far left is 80+. They had fun!

THAT'S IT FOR NOW!

Until next time...
blessings,
JOIE

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL (VBS)

The next 4 pictures are from VBS week at our church (Vacation Bible School). It and Christmas are the highlights of the entire year for my boys! Although Owen is too young to attend as a regular student-they start in Kindergarten (the grade you'll be going into in the fall), he was able to go this year because I was a volunteer, he participated in the 3-4 year old program. He LOVED it!

Owen got tired of singing during worship in the sanctuary, so he
grabbed a Bible and settled in to "read" it!

In the sanctuary to learn the songs, hand motions, and WORSHIP! I would finish up in the craft tent about 11:45, so I'd have time to come in and watch for a while. The woman that teaches the songs has been doing it for 20 years! Two of her boys are N & J's age. She is SO enthusiastic! She is just great with the kids! The boys love her!

Becca with Owen during worship.

Nathan and Jared in the sports program during VBS

Can't wait until next year! Owen will be a regular student next time!

blessings, joie

(one more post with pictures) (maybe if I didn't wait so long to post, I could do this in one post!)

PROFESSIONAL STUNT MAN!

Believe it or not, that's EXACTLY what Jared's shirt says: "Professional Stunt Man". It has a picture of a men's room icon with a bandage around his head, an arm in a sling, and a leg in a cast!!

Nathan's and Jared's latest challenge on the trampoline (those are towels that you see)

A few nights ago, we had this much rain-3.5 inches! I don't ever remember
hearing it rain so hard before! It was kinda creepy.

My little boy blowing bubbles in the light rain

More pictures to follow

blessings, joie

STILL HERE!

I can't believe this! I can only import 4 pictures at a time like this (oops, I accidentally lost one). I have several that I wanted to catch you up on! I think I have a memory problem -- I'm referring to my computer this time! I might have to post a few blogs in order to get all the pictures that I want.

Not really much out of the ordinary going on. Summer's buzzing along. The boys spend lots of time in the pool. I read while I sit there; so I feel I'm getting something done.

Nathan playing seahorse with Owen

.

Last night while Nathan was sitting watching something on the computer with me, Owen decided to "cut" his hair! He even brought a paper towel in for Nathan to put around his neck to "catch the hair"! He's using a plastic trowel from his Bob the Builder playset! He spent quite awhile doing it!

This is TOO funny! It appers that Owen is doing a math worksheet on telling time. He
stumbled across these clock pages and told me that he had to work on his "TIMES TABLES"!

I'll add more posts after this!

love, joie