Memory Making is Important.

That's the theme that goes with this post.

Our advice? Take time to make memories with friends and family. This trip we took in August will always have special importance for our family and our friends.

 We rented a house in McCall in August-- what a crazy fun time! We had a really great time with the Rogers and the Davis families. And we're totally planning on spending a vacation together again-- SOON!

And even caught Allison swinging from a rope into the water! I was so proud of her for taking a risk for fun. :)

We thank God for the chance to have taken this vacation with friends. What an important time together!

Silverwood!

We did summer up BIG. The next fun event was Silverwood with the Sawyers. It was Idaho Vandal day, so we were decked out in our gear and went. Mostly went on rides-- 60 degrees wasn't quite warm enough to spend much time at the water park. It was a great day!

One of our Fave Summer Spots

Priest Lake. With the Hollings and crew. Guaranteed to be a great time!

This year was no different.

Sun. Sand. Water fights. Games. Fishing. Fabulous!

Family FUN!

We were so lucky to have the Lynden cousins come visit us in July.

My kids could not have been more excited! They all had such a great time.

Independence.

I feel like independence day this year was a good representation of life in our household with "older" kids. It's amazing to see how different our life is than it is for my siblings who are busy with younger little ones!

But we sure love to spend time with those busy little cousins!

June Joy

I was so so so proud of my kiddos in June!

Finished school with style...

Even graduating from preschool...

And going to camp-- big brave girls who stayed for several nights away from home!

Anyone for a little t-ball?

What joy my growing kids bring to our household. :)

Some ways the kids stay busy in the month of May...
Coug Baseball...

Scrapbooking...

Playing with tractor toys...

Lunchdates while watching the road crew.

What did you do to stay busy in May?

Another AWANA year comes to a close...

What a year! All three kids did some great work and we celebrated them at the award ceremony last week.

Grant: Finished his second Cubbies book and will move on up to the Sparky Club in the fall. No more little kids! I think his favorite night was "Drive In Movie Night" where kids make a cardboard car and sit in it to watch a Veggie Tales movie. Grant and dad designed a cardboard combine this year. Pretty incredible!

Allison: Finished her book #2 for Sparks in February, and took on a challenge to finish a third book before year's end. AND SHE DID IT!! She completed book 3 in less than two months! That means she completed an average of 4 sections each week (a section is anything from bringing a guest, doing a bible crossword, but mostly memorizing scripture-- sometimes a few verses at a time!) Completing the third book earned her the Sparky plaque! Allison will move on to T and T this fall.

Sadie: She completed book #2 this year and will stay in Truth and Training (T&T) this next fall. One night she was the record breaking points earner for one night-- by completing a Discovery, completing a book and bringing two friends all in the same night!

"Keep my words and store up my commands within you. 2 Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. 3 Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart." --Proverbs 7:1-3