VanLochTurff Camping--Beaver Creek

Okay, I think there are a MILLION pictures here, and believe it or not, they only capture a BIT of the fun that we had camping right before July 4th with Julie and the Van Pickles.  We were able to go up with Julie on July 1st to secure three spots, and the five Pickles came up the next day.  This was the year for the World Cup, so I am sure that we'll remember--for the record--that Julie and I came up with the Lochhead three while Jeff watched the US play Belgium.  It was a sad ending to the US's World Cup, but a fun beginning to our weekend.

The kids helped Julz set up the trailer.  I held Micah.  I was pretty worthless as a camping helper on this trip.  It was hard to do much else when I was a full-time Micah-perch.

Sometimes he sat in his car seat.  This was probably when I had to go to the outhouse.  :)

 Okay, sometimes other people gave me a break.  Isn't he cute all slumped over in his pack?

 The lake was cool and refreshing.  The kids could've stayed in all day.  It was certainly hot enough to do so!

Julie, picture-taker in the back…

 …Ellie, picture-taker in the front.

Alea loved feeding Micah.

Auntie always brings fun ideas for hair-do's.  I think this was the beauty parlor.

A STAR for the 4th.

Movies?!? Who watches movies when they're camping?!?  Apparently two boys do when the girls are having beauty parlor time!

This is Micah the Velociraptor.  Or Pterodactyl?

I love this picture of my guys.  

Notice the empty bottle--Micah was weaned at the end of June!

"Let's go take this TWO MILE HIKE." -Jeff

Walking…

…walking…

…resting…

…resting…

 …taking selfless…

 …walking with help…

…resting…

"YAY!!!! We made it!"  Turns out it was THREE miles one way.  We stayed at Upper Priest for quite a while to forget how long the hike home was going to be.  :)

And this picture is proof that Daddy was embarrassing the kids long before they were teenagers.  It'll be nothing new in 2024.  Just more polished.  :)

And the way back went WAY smoother than the way there!  We were SO impressed with these six hikers.

We left that night, on the way to Cousins' Camping.  We didn't get very far down the road before they all crashed.

It was such a fun few days, we are convinced that we have to do that again next year!

While the Cat's Away...

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

 Daddy took the "biggers" yard-saling.

 Joshy got to join Gracie's class on the last day.

 Jeff sent a pic in his stylin' new glasses upon request.

 Josh and Grace found great outfits for dress up.

 And our strawberries became ripe!

And once I was home, they had to take pics of the toys that Auntie Debbie sent back to them.  Toy Story guys and Barbies.

California Girls (and Micah)

 Cassie and I got to go visit Debbie in Azusa at the end of June.  We had SUCH a great time!

 So excited to see this lady!

 First stop was to stop by The Joshua House clinic where Debbie works.  Skid Row in downtown LA was not as frightening as I'd imagined.  I snapped this pic on our way out to show Jeff.  LOVED meeting all of the peeps that Debbie works with.  They were all so nice and appreciative of our Debbie.

 Little Tokyo

Fabulous Mexican food.  Debbie and I split this burrito, for the record.  :)

 Cute little house that Debbie and Randy rent.

 We drove up to an exploratory…

 …and ate delicious food...

 …and played Catan and visited until the late hours of the night…

 …and fed poor Micah PRUNES.  :)

 He loved Callie.

 And Aunt Beth!

And all too soon, we were headed home.  What a fabulous long weekend together.

Fishy, Fishy, in the Pool

Swimming Lessons, 2014!!!  This year Jeff and I had a little company on the side of the pool…Micah Man!

Grace took off this year and conquered new tricks like swimming the length of the pool and jumping in and swimming to the edge.  And diving down for pennies!  She's now been working on doing a head-stand with Daddy's help.

 Joshy got to be in Oden's class this year!  It was so fun to have some cousin love.  This was the year that Josh decided that putting his head in was actually FUN.  He was a great underwater wiggler and loved to grab pennies off of the platform.  He was so excited to conquer his face-in-the-water fear.  Pure joy for this boy this year!

Pizza Picnic at Pappy's (and Granny's)

It was a great June afternoon in the Lochhead Meadow.  We picked up pizzas and took them to Granny and Pappy's.  When the kids and Granny and I came back from a walk, this is what we found the Lochhead men doing.

Granny heard that Gracie was reading, so she ahd to get her Dick and Jane books out.  :)

VBS at Whitworth Pres

Okay, it's now August and I'm still blogging JUNE.  I think this is how we are going to roll for the next few…years.  :)  We've had an amazing summer!  It's been so fun to look back at all the things we've done these three months!

So during the last weeks of June we did swimming lessons and VBS at Whitworth Pres.

Jeff and I got a couple of "day dates" with Micah during these morning VBS sessions.  La Petit Chat was visited TWICE in four days.  Micah charmed the onlookers there.

The theme was Weird Animals--and the songs were so great!  We are still listening to the CD in the car.