summer can you stay a little longer?

Summer quarter ended this past week so now I get summer for 4 weeks. Since I start college on Sept. 21st, I also bumped the kids back to start their homeschool at the end of September too, instead of the 9th like the public schools are doing this year.

My photographer Tessa has been so busy that she hasn't uploaded the pictures that I have taken to blog with so I am going to just try my best to tell you about them.
bare with me :o)

Remember the photos of our garden being planted? that space looked so bare. Now we have cucumbers, peas, beans, a humongous sunflower (Sophie's pride and joy), corn, tomatoes still ripening (over 12 plants-geesh!), and flowers. It looks like a jungle. We made it look like a victory garden with the diamond garden in the middle and a path around it. Two of the paths have disappeared because of overgrown tomato plants. I have started pinching off the new flowers on the tomato plants to direct the growing and ripening of the already numerous small tomatoes on the plants. Is that right? Anyone grow tomatoes?

We had exhibits in the county fair. To be honest we didn't make our exhibits specifically for the fair but since we are a busy family for the sake of sanity I went around and collected things that the girls and I have made. I put them in my giant orange bag and took them up there to see if they fit into a category. They all did! Hannah, Sophie and Aliss all got 1st and 2nd places in their divisions, Hannah got a 1st place in the overall division with a ribbon that has a huge rosette and 5$ of McDonalds money (that she shared with her sister-what a sweetie!). Tessa took her photos up too. She did really well and got 3rd overall from the huge rosettes too! I am so proud of my girls.

Zackery has gotten bikes given to him by a friend of his dads. He has learned how to take the parts off and reuse them on his bikes or on his friends bikes. One thing he has learned though is that boys flock to the shop that has parts like bees to honey. He is growing so fast into a young man. I am glad that he has the opportunity to build bikes even with his dad not here to show him. I was a little concerned about him being able to work on things. I really should stop worrying about these things because God shows me time and time again that He has everything under control.

The cats all are looking well except two days ago I noticed them starting small sneezes again. I try and shoo the cats outside during the day for the open spaces away from each other and fresh air. I am also still dosing them with L-lysine and Colloidal Silver. Man I hope this stuff goes away for good and soon!

Zack and I are driving an hours distance away today for our deposition from the accident 3 years ago.

Fall is in the air. Walking home from a neighbors house the other night around 8pm the air was sorta damp and clear. All of a sudden I thought kids should be getting ready for bed and school will be starting soon. There is a tree along the river that already has branches with yellow leaves on it and I think I heard a few of the Canadian Geese that stop over here along the river flying overhead the other night too.

4 more weeks summer...4 more weeks....pretty please? :o)