July, In All It's 100+ Pictured Glory

 Hmmm, I wonder why I always feel so overwhelmed by writing a blog post?  Couldn't have anything to do with the fact that I post so infrequently that I then feel compelled to cram an entire month into one post, I'm sure...  I really went crazy and downloaded the pictures of my iPod Touch.  I've had it since June, and have loved taking pictures on it of day-to-day things, but I never downloaded them to the computer before. 

Of COURSE I don't procrastinate like I did in college!

Anyway, a nice way to kick off the month of July is...

With a picture of beautiful Elsie June, sleeping in Aunt Clover's arms.

July union Sunday at Vaughans'.  Bethaney is skeptical at something, but Perry and Dave are attentive to whoever is spinning the current story.

Owen looking like the strong, silent type.

Mumsy.

General loveliness of sitting under the trees, chatting, on a beautiful summer day.

Cecil making a point.

Nathan and Philip.

An iPod picture of Moi.  Cheyenne took a bunch of pictures on it that afternoon.  I had forgotten to bring contacts with me, so I had to suffer with glasses for the four days I was there before Evan came up and brought me the contacts.  I love contacts.  And I hate glasses, especially on hot summer days.

Silly Lily.

Speaking of silly...  these two girls had an awesome time together.

Orianna demonstrating the wiggliness of her tooth.

Lincoln, playing in the hay "nest".  One of the hay wagons spilled over on the lawn, and the resulting exploded hay bale kept the kids entertained all summer.

The poor dead wagon, sheltering Penny.  She was banished to a leash so my frightened children could participate in outdoor activities.

Homemade ice cream one night!

And a meeting of the Vaughan Support Group* resulted in fried chicken and french fries. 

Justin's name for when he, Evan and Ashley are cooking in the kitchen.  I forget who first made the worrying point: "Why do all the meetings of the Vaughan Support Group involve hot oil and big knives?"

The elm.  I should make a triptych of awesome elm pictures some time.  In fairness, I believe this is a picture Livie snapped.

As is this.  Is that not beautiful?

This is beautiful, too, squinty-eyed as she is.  That was her favorite shirt this summer.  We had to use hair elastics in all the four colors of the ruffled hearts on her shirt.

Playing in the dust.  Elliott is wearing swim goggles, a key component to any child's costume that week.

Winding up in the swing in the evening light.

Green Tori and Green Gilbert!

Another few of Livie's awesome pictures.

The moon over the barn-- such an evocative picture of a place that is still "home."  (The house where I live with my husband and kids is home, too.  It's nice to have a few places to call home.)

I had never noticed that title until Livie took this picture.  Jerry Todd and the Purring Egg.  I'm almost tempted to drive to Moira RIGHT NOW to investigate this further.

I adore this picture of one of the bookcases in the basement.  So much happiness in the sight of full bookcases.

Another sight that made me smile-- Daddy did an errand's run to Malone.  He then came home, sorted out the various things he had bought everyone, and labeled each stack with sticky notes.  I got the Butterscotch Krimpets as a nice Daddy surprise.

Lincoln, showing off his adored birthday gift from Aunt Bet...

Tractor Robeez!

Elsie, looking fat-cheeked in her seat!

Then, it was Fourth of July (which should have had its own lengthy post on, oh, July 5th or so.)

There was a few kids there!  Cheyenne isn't finding holding Elsie a piece of cake.

Bethaney seems to have more experience in that line.  See all the matching skirts?

I had made matching skirts for my girlies, too, with material I filched from Mom and Bet.  I had SO MUCH FUN sewing them, I really need to work on setting up a place I can sew in the dribs and drabs of time I can find.

For some reason, I was a little obsessed with everyone being matchy and patriotic, so I had to go to Malone July 3rd to buy these shirts.

Cute little cousins!  Isn't Gilbert's grin great??

It is so funny to have your picture taken.

One of the many yummy foods at the potluck.

The kiddos were sure glad to see Daddy when he made the trek North.

Girls galore!

Patriotic tablecloths!

 Aren't these a pretty and Pinterest-y way to hold the utensils?

The young(ish) ladies table.  Bethaney's chewing mouth was probably not something that she wanted displayed for the world to see, so I whipped out my Super Awesome Amazing Photo Editing Skills and made her face a black circle.  I should really charge more for me photography services.

Manly men group.

The low table for the kids.

The mature set!

Relaxing after lunch.

Obviously, after a big meal like that, it's time to check the progress of your bicep.

A comparison.

Yup, getting stronger every day.

Grandma Marilyn leading an expedition down to the river.

Running back!

Then, Cecil injected another element into the afternoon!

I was surprised, considering Elliott's abhorrence of getting his clothes wet, how much Elliott enjoyed a watergun war!  It might have been helped along by the fact he's getting to tote around the super awesomely huge gun.

Livie returning fire.

Some dry people playing Corn Hole.  I think that's what it's called anyway.

Owen and Philip plotting strategy.

Ashley keeping an eye on everything.

Watching the water fight from the safety of Daddy's knee.

Rilla's ear shows the effects of tangling with the corner of the green table under the maples.  Ouch!

It's a shame Evan doesn't know how to relax.

Happy Gilbert.

Connie's old washing machine, in the back of Evan's pickup for nefarious reasons that will be revealed in the post about September.

The advancing troops.

Moby-wrapping Mama.

The four year olds!  Nate left that age behind him the week after this picture, but here they were all the same age.

These girls have so much fun together.

Lincoln, exploring water pistols in a timid way.

Hmm... did Amy REALLY want to hold Elsie, or is she just protecting herself from being a further water gun target?

This is the one picture I have of the softball game.  I couldn't take more pictures because I actually played, for the first time in many long years.  No baby to hold me back!  I had a glorious time playing for a while, and earned my first horrendous sunburn of the year!

Gilbert thought Abigail was The Bee's Knees.

Abigail doesn't seem to mind him, either!

Some of the many roosters walking around the farm like they own it.

Driving home, with the kids clapping along to an instrumental version of Belfast Polka.

They love getting the rhythm right!

Okay, I had planned on getting the whole month done today, but since I see it is 11:23 on a Sunday night, I'm going to post this, and get to the other pictures later.  Quite soon.  I promise.

Final okay:  Since I have a touch of OCD, I had to go back and count how many pictures are in this post.  And it's only about 87 (hard to count with sleepy brain), so it doesn't live up to the billing of the title.  Please don't be too sad.