"Lincoln Log Village" has taken over our living room!

The kids have spent the final weeks of summer indulging themselves in long lazy days filled with board games, card games, Matchbox cars and Lincoln Logs (the Lincoln Logs have been a definite favorite!). We've even gone searching about on Craigslist to add to our collection . . . aaah summer, this is what I hoped you'd be like!

Can it really be called "camping"? . . .

I don't know that my conscience will allow me to call it "camping" . . . when it means spending the weekend with Yogi and friends (in a camper with a microwave and a shower, no less!)~ but such is the fun of a Jellystone Campground! We enjoyed a great weekend "camping" with family in Estes Park. The timing of the Perseids and a perfectly cloudless sky conspired together to create a near magical experience filled with 'oohs' and 'aahs' from children who had never seen a single shooting star, much less several of them in one hour! Daniel wiled away the daylight hours in "mini-golf heaven" and nearly melted when he temporarily misplaced his "unlimited weekend pass"! (fortunately he found it quickly!). The weather was scrumptious and even hinted of the soon coming splendor of (drumroll please . . . ) autumn!

Our birthday girl!

My favorite photo from Emily's birthday (taken outside of church)

Eleven years ago . . .

Eleven years ago, on a quiet Sunday morning ~ while the world around us was just waking up, we were making a frantic dash from Castle Rock to Denver (praying that our baby would not be born on I-25!) Very shortly after arriving at the hospital (there wasn't even time to park the car!), God breathed new life into my shallow understanding of what it means to be a 'child of God' when He blessed us with a little bundle we named Emily Grace. On that August morning, after 5 1/2 years of infertility, I found myself gazing down at my very own miracle ~ ten little fingers and toes, soft swirls of strawberry blond hair, deep blue eyes; beautiful and perfect in every way.

It is hard to believe that eleven years have passed since that surreal morning. Our sweet Emily has moved with us five times, welcomed four younger siblings with great anticipation and joy, grown through six years of homeschooling, committed her life to Jesus, chosen some really wonderful friends, developed into a voracious reader, graceful dancer, prolific writer and an amazing big sister. She is creative, funny, smart and sensible and she knows how to take charge and get things done. She brings us laughter, she sometimes brings us tears, she brings us closer to Jesus and she continues to be a precious and beautiful gift to our family.

We love you Emily!

Fishing Fun

It was a "good Grandpa week" for us, we got to see him twice in the same week! We were able to join my dad (along with my sister's family) for a fishing outing with a group that he's been volunteering with (giving kids the opportunity to go fishing who might not otherwise get to). In this case, several of our children had never even gone fishing before (yes, sad but true!) and most of them had never caught anything if they had. In spite of the extreme heat, all of them caught something that day and were very excited ~ hooray!

Hiking Castle Rock

The kids' track team recently hiked our very own Castle Rock (and we even talked Grandpa into joining us!). The trail is fairly easy going up to the base of the big rock. The trickier and more adventurous part is shimmying your way up to the tippy top of the rock itself (where the flag pole sits). The older three kids and grandpa went up there this time (Kevin was kind and stayed behind with Samuel, Anna and me). Great views and great fun. All of the kids thought it was pretty fun that we could see our little church in downtown Castle Rock from the trail also.

Family Fun at Elitch's

Thanks to the Summer Reading Program at our library, we've just crawled in the door thoroughly exhausted from our annual trip to Elitch's. We enjoyed our day immensely ~ although we might have done one too many "spinning things" for the old folks' stomachs . . . we don't do so well going in circles anymore!