Summer Fun on the Farm

19 days after starting this post, maybe I'll actually post it today. In order to do that, I have to ignore the fact that my computer chair has to roll over Lincoln Logs to sit at the computer; the dining room floor has shredded napkins all over, in addition to the usual Cheerios, rice and roll crumbs; our towel situation is dire; the beds aren't made; I have several Rubbermaids worth of outgrown kids' clothes to deal with... you get the picture. Anyway, we've been having a busy summer! Most of these pictures were taken in July, when we went up to Mom and Dad's farm to hang out for a week. In August, we've been wildly busy, but less photographically inclined.

A chocolate-faced Rilla, on the swing set at the farm.
Uncle Owen freed the children from their neurotic mother and gave them motorcycle rides.

I like the reflection in the puddle.

Thankfully, they were REALLY slow motorcycle rides. Or I would have had to beat Owen.

Not at all proud of being a biker babe.

Yup, she still has red hair!

Unfortunately, the camera missed the enormous grin when Owen first lifted Elliott up.

I don't know if this is a grin, or just general weirdness.

The flowers were in top form.


The weeds were growing like crazy in the garden, too. Here, Ashley hauls a five gallon bucket of weeds away.

I think she fed them to the appreciative pigs.

Lots o' beef cows up there.

There was a micro-burst storm one day that knocked the power out for 14 hours. Olivia and I didn't let that stop the Monopoly Deal tournament.


Considering this picture, maybe we should have stopped. Or at least not taken pictures.

While blurry, Ashley and Lincoln were much more photogenic.

It was Justin and Mom's birthday that week, just a day apart.

Of course, having birthday candles to put on the cake would have made too much sense, so two Yankee candle samplers were pressed into service.

Elliott helped Mom with blowing them out.

Rilla is just a tad obsessed with "Aunt Ashwee".

Dad attempts to unravel the intricacies of a sippy cup top.

Handsome little dude on Grandpa's lap.

Lincoln, chilling on the swing under the maple trees.


Orianna, posing beautifully.

Curly-headed crazy girl.

Sweet cousins.

Doesn't everyone need a shopping cart on the lawn?

Wheeling it past Uncle Owen's truck.

What a lovely scene. This puddle was left over from the crazy amount of rain we got in the short but powerful storm that knocked out the power.

Not a bad place to chill with a baby, eh?

And a good vantage point to watch a little girl make ripples in the puddle with rocks.


I like having this run toward me!

Dad, pulling hay wagons with his truck.

Tori Alice, with her nephew. He likes being in Tori's arms.

Ashley, the Grill-Meister. She was barbecuing a suckling pig-- very yummy, although it took much longer than anticipated.

Then, back to suburbia, and Daddy. And a little pool.

This is Marilla's default position in the bath or pool. She's so busy laying claim to as many toys as she can hold in her arms, that she forgets to play with them.

Then, in the beginning of August, we were off to Freedom convention. We got to stay at Aunt Sally and Uncle Leon's, which was very handy for Evan helping with the kids. It was also handy for celebrating Elliott's fifth birthday!

Yup, I baked a cake and remembered to bring it, but not birthday candles. Maybe I should start carrying a set in my diaper bag/purse. So we raided Aunt Sally's tea light stash.

Not that Elliott was proud of having a birthday, or anything.

Good cheek form, there!

This was the next day, on his actual birthday, showing Daddy how old he was!

The kids loved playing under the trees in between meetings. Apparently not in this picture, though. I'm not sure why Orianna is crying, but I am glad to see that Elliott is sharing in her sorrow at least.

Gilbert wasn't the LEAST bit sorry, though. What a grin!

While Lincoln is smiling lots, I still haven't got a picture of that. He is still cute to photograph, though.

I love the blue of his eyes when he's wearing this blue outfit.

Rilla's adorable hair style had succumbed to gravity and curliness by this point.

Lily's elegant 'do was holding firm!

Even whilst standing on the front of the stroller.

For a little guy just learning to use those legs to walk, then forced to sit a lot, Mr. Ethan was remarkably happy.

Then, on to Altamont, where Lincoln and Benjamin hung out. Apparently, Benjamin is much more active than Lincoln.

Despite Mommy's hand reaching out to still him.

Thankfully, this picture of young 'uns was posed a little better than the impromptu baby house bed shot of the babies.

Now, we're home again. I pretended to be supermom on Monday, doing nine loads of laundry, then putting it all away, plus the two loads of laundry I had washed before we left. Of course, it was on Monday that Lincoln decided on a colon cleanse that soaked ALL the way through the sheets and onto our king-sized bed's sheepskin mattress cover. That cover requires a whole load by itself. By Tuesday, I only had enough energy for three loads of wash. Then one on Wednesday. And now, I'm procrastinating on the laundry that still has to be done. (See the aforementioned dire towel situation.) I figure we'll be back in school soon enough, no reason to rush the ambition.

Now, off to rescue a patient baby that isn't finding his thumb all he requires...