Last of the Orphaned July Pictures

Remember those few pictures from July that I was too tired to post one night?  But I was going to post right away?  Yeah, you probably don't, because it was eleven days ago.  And you have better things to do than think about my blog.  Here they are, though, for your viewing pleasure.

The exciting night that Evan really and truly finished the siding!  Rilla posing on the ladder...

Dana and Evan flew through this little section.

Big kids, walking around on the roof with Daddy.  I kept my neuroses to my self and let them enjoy the experience.

Little helper silhouette.

Carrying extra siding scraps into the shed.

 Even Lincoln had to help.

Cottens came down for a few days, and Orianna and Cheyenne combed their American Girl Dolls until they were practically bald.

Lots of chaos, and fun.

Cheyenne, again not too sure about holding the crying baby.

This is pretty blissful, though-- a book and a quiet baby!

 Sweet little Elsie, sleeping.

 A Lily smile is a beautiful thing.

In a fit of feeling invincible, I decided Lily and Orianna could come along to the kids' dentist appointment.  Barring Lincoln, who was a crazy child, they were all quite well-behaved!

Bethaney had to run some errands one afternoon (Gymboree may or may not have been involved), so Gilbert was hanging out on the bed while I folded wash.  He asked me to read him a book, and about halfway through my reading, he passed out.  I have to say I had to lay there for a few minutes, savoring the loveliness of Gilbert snuggles, before I got up and checked on the other kids.

One of Elliott's hobbies this summer-- shinnying up the flagpole.

He really gets up there!

This is from the second-story window, looking out over the porch roof.

Cody and Tori stopped in before they commenced the Epic Road Trip.

One weekend, we went out to Leigh Ann's graduation party!

Chatting on the front steps.

Elliott felt he had to get involved in the picture of Leigh Ann with her cake.

A proud grandma!

Me holding a filthy Lincoln, after a long day spent at work day, then the party.

Hanging out, eating cake!

One random afternoon.  Elliott and Marilla were immersed in an elaborate game that involved Little People, dolls from the dollhouse, trains, Megablocks, and Polly Pocket houses.  I love the way they play, if I don't always love cleaning up after it.  Or making them pick it up, which is the right (and much harder) way to do it.

This was another popular activity this summer (it still is this fall): coloring.

Cheyenne thought I should take a picture of these bright green "Golden Yellow" bananas.

Someone illicitly hanging out in their sister's sacred top bunk.

Saw this at a Wal-Mart on the way to my folk's house.  Apparently, they felt things too strongly to be constrained to bumper stickers.  I doubt they have a lot of giggling in their life.

The kids planted some sunflower seeds from Auntie, so watering the pot was a favorite activity every day.

Of course, the deck and cute toes got watered as well.

I participated in the adult summer reading program at our library, and won a picnic basket from a drawing made of book reviews!

So the kids got a picnic on our front porch.  I never took a picture of the cute picnic basket, but I love it!  I also had lots of fun with the $25 Wegman's gift card!

Lincoln likes self-portraits on the iPod Touch.

Yup, not a bit self-conscious!

Cheyenne, preparing gourmet mac 'n' cheese for lunch one day.  She'll be making supper soon!

Lincoln and Cheyenne's cleaning contributions at one Freedom work day.

The swing set got a lot of use.  Especially when Rilla figured out how to propel her and Lincoln on the red two-seater.

Grandpa Lee, checking out Elliott's doughnut consumption.  We were on our way to the airport to pick up Tori.  The road trip finished when Cody had to fly to Alaska to work, so Cody popped Tori on a plane in Denver, and we collected her in Syracuse!

Elliott is really going for that doughnut with gusto!

A blurry iPod Touch picture of Evan laying in Lincoln's toddler bed, reading a book to Lincoln and Hanger-Ons.  A book about tractors, naturally.

Okay, only about three more months to catch up?