Happy Birthday Clara

Clara turned 10 and will be starting middle school in just a few days.  For her birthday we painted her bedroom, greenish-bluish brownish paneling . . .  

to yellow.  We are happy with the results.

Clara worked hard on it for two days.  She did most the painting herself.

A new Do

Lea has been growing out her hair for a year and a half to cut it and donate it.  We have been almost there for a year and I finally convinced her to just do it and cut her hair a little shorter than she wanted.

A Visit with Southards

 Our friends the Southards came to visit us for a few days.  We had fun hanging out at home with Nintendo, trampoline, bonfire, etc and going swimming.

  At the pool we all tried to time going off the diving board and slide so we'd enter the water together.
Clara and Trevor were always the best.  They got it every time.   The rest of us had fun trying--even when it ended in a belly flop.

Happy Birthday Marianne

Another teenager (offically). 
Marianne was a good sport and let Emma dress her up in all her birthday gifts (and school clothes).

Happy Birthday James

Our little boy is getting big.  He says things that let us know he is thinking and planning and growing up.  (Like on Thursday when he said he wanted to stay at Grandma's house and I could just come pick him up later.)

Recent Additions

The newest additions to our place have been some honey bees.  Grandpa Maughan likes to bee keep and has been teaching Clara and Marianne.

Happy 60th

We had a picnic and hike for Grandpa Maughan's 60th birthday.  We ended in this dry river bed and everyone had fun playing on the fallen tree.  It was a fun day.