2nd Annual 4th of July Neighbor Cookout

Because the 4th of July is such a BIG day in my family, my sweet neighbors and I decided to have a cookout last year. It went great and thus this year we did it again. It was a very fun time with our neighbors, the Rusnacks, and some of our church family!


Me, Sheryl, and Suzie getting ready to eat!

The Lampheres, Glenna and Blayne, and Glenna's niece, watching the Frisbee game!

Suzie and Justin cooking the hamburgers. What a handsome man on the grill, and yes, he is all mine!

Karis filled her plate with what she likes best: a hot dog, not in the bun, Cheetos, fruit, and jello. At least there is some variety!

Joseph, another one our church family, playing Frisbee with the kids!

Steve Lamphere and "neighbor John" as my kids call him, enjoying some Frisbee too!

I made our annual flag fruit pizza this year. My favorite thing about the cookout, the dessert of course! Glenna made a ice cream sandwich lasagna thing, YUMMY!

The kids dressed in their flag shirts!

Karis loves helping "neighbor" decorate the tables, so when she finished, her and Noah got to sample some food before the guests arrived! Who knew fruit in a cup would be such a hit!

I am so blessed to have such a wonderful church family and neighbors. God is good to allow me to continue to celebrate the freedom of our country with such special people. I did miss my family, but not near as much!

Thank you to all who serve our country.

Sharing an Ice Cream Sandwich

Books are the BEST!

There has been a lot of reading going on in our house this summer, which is no surprise here. Both of my kids have loved books since they were old enough to sit and look at them by themselves. I often find them in their rooms looking at books. Karis can "read, recite books," that we have read her only a few times. I so enjoy listening to her read to Noah. He adores her and will sit and listen for a long time. Here are a few pictures of our book time!

Karis reading to Noah!

The "librarian" reading to Noah!

Looking at books together while Mommy makes dinner! The library is such a blessing to us! I so enjoy library day, getting them new books, reading every last one of them, and then watching them enjoy looking at them by themselves! Books really are the BEST!

My Silly Boy!

About a week ago, Noah was sitting on the potty trying to go (number 2), and he kept acting like he was falling in the potty.

"Be careful, Noah, I don't want you to fall in the potty." I said.

"I won't Mommy." he replied.

After a few more times of him doing the same thing, I said, "if you fall in the potty, you might get flushed down the little whole."

"We can just go buy a new Noah, " he replied with the cutest most sincere look on his face.
I spent the next few minutes trying to explain to him that we can't go buy new people, and telling him how special he is, one of a kind, no other Noah like you ever in the world! It was a great teaching moment for me, after I stopped laughing at his hilarious reply. I am not sure why he said that because if things break, we don't always go and buy a new one. It is neat to see how his mind works and what an imagination he has!