Weekend highlights

The girls were have a great time at the Vandalia festival. We all had fun!

The big kids made a mudslide in our backyard. They must have slid down that thing for an hour. And spent two trying to get the mud off.

The kids had the camera for awhile. They took about 15 posed pictures. Interesting.

We got water guns and firemen hoses out to play to beat the heat. The kids were supposed to be out of the area where the adults were, but Nolan was enjoying spritzing us while we sat at the table.

Our Memorial Day weekend was great. Both of my brothers and their families were here and our friends Steve & Hannah were here also with their kids. There were nine adults to eleven children. We were outnumbered by little kids. There was one 11 year old (yo), one 8 yo, one 7 yo, two 4 yo, one 3 yo, two 2 yo, two 1 yo, and a 3 month old. Sounds crazy, but the kids did really well. Very few fights not a lot of major whining either. Lydia was in heaven to have a girl her age to play with. Unfortunately we got a lot of rain on Friday so things were a bit muddy all weekend. Even with temps in the 90's the mud still isn't completely dry. It was a busy weekend but also relaxing and fun.

Other highlights that I don't have pictures for -

The fawn- We took a good hike around the property. We went to the creek and looked at plants and animals. On our way back to the house Tim spotted a fawn. It must have only been a few weeks old. It was maybe 20 feet from the path nuzzled beside a rock. It didn't move. I had never been that close to any deer before. It was a sweet moment.

Instant bonfire - Saturday night we were all tired and we had decided not to put up a tent as planned b/c of the mud and going to church in the AM. So I asked Tim if he still wanted to do a fire in the backyard. I had never seen a grown man so excited for a camp fire. I knew he was up to something. So we get all the kids to bed and Steve and Tim are in the backyard. Hannah and I are wrapping up a few things. I see Tim walking around with a propane tank! He is very evasive when I ask what he is doing. Then we hear this woosh sound. Tim is starting the fire with a large propane torch that is used to heat roofing material. After a little more asking I realize he has been planning this all day and couldn't wait for the fire! Have a mentioned life is always an adventure here?