Start of June

 June got busy for us!

I broke out my rollerblades and decided to see if I could still move. It was a little rough, but I laughed at myself the whole time. I did it early in the morning so the neighbors wouldn't see. haha.

We found a new area to swim and invited some friends. It was a really quiet place and less crowded- so that's a win for us!

 

 

I took the kids a few times to a homeless shelter to feed the homeless. We did it about once or twice a month throughout the summer. The kids were a little nervous at times, but I think it was a good experience for all of us.

We took Amy to the temple one day.

Amy went for allergy testing. The decided to discontinue her shots, which she's had for several years.

This is about the time we were looking at the chickens and saying "One of these does not look like the other..." I texted the chicken lady (who we bought them from) and asked what breed this was. She said "That's a rooster." She was willing to trade him for a hen, but the kids were all attached and didn't want him to leave. Actually, he's a mild breed and with our 10 other hens, he keeps them in line. I guess it's good to have a rooster as the hens are less stressed when he's around. He's really good. He does crow every morning, and several times a day, but the neighbors all assured us they love it and I think we are all used to it by now.

We join the MTSU pool every summer and only enjoyed it a few times this year.

Sarah kept busy with Master Gardener events. She went to the state conference in east Tennessee and had a fun time learning about all sorts of things... as well as laughing with everyone. Gardeners are a good group.

I was impressed with the way Will filled the bucket. I've filled that bucket a million times and have never, ever thought of taking the retractable nozzle and bringing it to the bucket. I always just shove the bucket into the sink.

Every so often a box turtle wanders into our yard. Amy is crazy happy about it.

The boys were watching 'Learn to Draw' videos

Trying to teach him tricks.

Amy went to a week long church camp named FSY. It was up in Kentucky and I drove a crew of them. I love teenagers.

Pam Simpson was her roommate (she's also her friend from the ward)

Marty missed Amy while she was gone.

Another homeless shelter volunteer day. Will loves handing out the desserts.

I think this was a pre-birthday Waffle House breakfast.

Amy was having lost of fun at FSY. I love that she sent us a lot of photos and videos. We love our girl!

May

 It's Monarch Season!

 

Enjoying a rainstorm Apparently it was cold.

The chickies are getting bigger! One of mine and Amy's favorite past time is just hanging out with the chickens. We are true country people now. 

Teaching the boys how to use power tools

It was Amy's best friend, Kate's, birthday. This was their birthday picture in seminary. It made me laugh.

Will deciding he's willing to eat sandwiches, but only if there isn't any bread on it. He's by far our strangest eater!

Granny came to visit! We took a day trip to Columbia and then she taught Will how to make her deviled eggs.

I asked the kids to do a Summer Book of Mormon reading challenge. Tyler was the only one who did it.

Buying wood for who knows what.

More monarch caterpillars!

The many sleeping positions of Tyler

This is my Master Gardener friend Gail. She is hilarious and I love being around her.

Riding on the back of a pickup is one of the perks to Master Gardener events. We just take leftover stuff to the big compost pile.

Amy's friends, Summer and Icely, were in a play. We all went to go watch.

More power tool training.

The Master Gardeners tie-dyed tshirts. Since Will comes with me to so many events, we made him one too. He's an Junior honorary Master Gardener.

We had a BBQ goodbye party for a friend. It was fun until Will had a seizure. Apparently he drank like 5 cokes (unbeknownst to me or Lee!) and was really hyped up. We don't know if that's what triggered it or the heat. Or possibly both. But he put a little damper on the celebration event! This picture was pre-seizure.

Tyler won several end of the year awards. He's walking the red carpet.

This is a wild story..... The kids were home and I had gone over to my friend Marisa's house. She doesn't live too far from here. I was about to leave her house when I remember hearing a big clap of thunder. It had been storming so I didn't think much of it, I just remember it was loud.

On my way home I got a call from my neighbor who said, "Ummmm... are you home?" Not yet, I'm on my way. "Well, are your kids home?" Yeah, why? "Well, you house just got hit by lightening. WHAT?!?!?!?! Is it on fire?? "No, if it was I'd be calling the fire department. But yeah, I just saw it hit your house, at your cable box. I'm not sure if your kids have power or anything but thought I'd check...."

I quickly called Amy who said "Is THAT what that bright light was? I was folding laundry and saw this pure whiteness outside the window. I didn't know what happened."

By then I was home and ran over to the side of the house to investigate. Yep, lightening struck our cable box! Actually, after further investigation, lightening burst OUT of the cable box. We have no idea where it went in. It blew the box cover into the neighbors yard and you can see the fried spots.

The cable company came out and that guy said, "Wow!I have never seen this before." A few days later another guy came out and he said the same thing. We like to be original! (insert eye roll)

But everything was ok. I mean, the cable had to be reconnected. But we never lost power. A fire didn't start inside the walls. It was just a crazy event! But we are definitely grateful nothing worse happened!! Actually the guy said that the grounding wire was working because if it hadn't been, the house would have gone in a poof. That was a little terrifying to think of, especially with the kids inside. But we were protected and we said many prayers of thanks that evening!

I made the boys clean out their closet. They weren't happy.

I found out about an Amish community not too far from here. We drove down and found a little fun store, a lot like Sauders in New York, but much smaller. They had delicious sandwiches for lunch!