Weeding frenzy...

 Before we weeded the blackberries and after I tilled on each side.  You couldn't see the blackberry bushes very easily.

 After we weeded the blackberries!

 This row was pretty much all weeds.  They are too tall to use the tiller on so we picked them all.  We did find some plants along the way.

 Moriah making progress on her area.

 The boys and I worked on the places that had plants and we found quite a few broccoli, cauliflower and cabbages coming up.  It was worth the weeding in the end.

 You can't see the plants but they are there.  Here it is finished.  Crazy how weeds take control of an area.

 We weeded 13 rows all together.  We made it a joint effort and it was fun at the beginning but the kids hung in there and we got all these weeds picked. 

Payment was ice cream bars and they each get $5 cash from the next market for a bonus!  They all actually get a percentage of the market earnings that goes to all of them together used to pay for camps or other family activities that we may do. 

Family Fun Days...

 We had a great weekend at camp.  The kids enjoyed barrel train rides and all kinds of activities!

 Kevin gave goat milking demonstrations and let the kids milk the goats!  It was a big hit!

 Isaac's walking on stilts.  There were a few pairs of these, some much taller.  Most of the kids were successful their first try.  I don't think I'd have the balance needed.

 Em and her good friend Hope. 

 The winning team for the tug-of-war.  You can see Isaac with the shirt untucked and Rebekah in the turquoise pulling.

 Here's Gideon and some others having a try.

 Jordan and some friends. 

Wheelbarrow races!

The theme for the weekend was Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding....  How many times do we try to justify or accomplish something on our own apart from God.  We may think we have sought the Lord for direction but we are really asking God to bless what we already plan to do and not do what God has planned for us to do.  We hope God will bless it because we've decided it's right or necessary.  I'm so guilty of wanting God to bless my plans instead of being blessed by His plans! 

Another graduation...

 My cousin Geoff with me at his house in Wisconsin yesterday!  We went to his son's graduation party. 

 Geoff's wife Lauri!  She's a great person, so glad to see her again after 7 years have passed!  Her next graduate is in 2 years though so there is hope it won't wait so very long!

 Caleb and Grandpa Sam playing a game at the party!

 My mom and her sister Donna.  Her sister Evalene was the grandma of the graduate.

 Jason (brother to Geoff) has not changed a bit!  It's been almost 9 years since I've seen him. He spent a summer out at the farm with us when he was about 13 and he has the same smile and laugh.  Love it, loved seeing him and his little boy Derek!!!!

 Here is my mom's sister Evalene with the final brother of Geoff and Jason, Greg.  Greg and Deb came out to Jordan's graduation party so it hasn't been so long since I got to see him but still enjoyed the whole day with them all!

Lena called this big dog, precious and spent a lot of time hugging and petting White Sox. 

Here kitty, kitty...

 

 Lena loves our kitties!  They get stuffed in purses, walked around by their hands, left to roam the house when they get away from Lena, pushed in strollers, and just loved.  We have some adorable kitties available to a good home that are well played with :)

 We've picked beans 3 times now and eaten these three varieties of zucchini.  Just the last two days we have had our first cucumbers :)  Love it!

 I worked on cleaning up this garden today.  It's called the house garden and half of it is our original garden when we moved here 11 years ago.  Our needs have sure changed since we started gardening!  I planted peas around the fence and then today I planted tomatoes in between where the peas didn't come up.  We'll see how it works.  I'm hoping to tie them up to the fence.  The one thing I'm short on this year is stakes for tying up tomato plants so I needed to improvise.

 We got the pool set up today.  The kids always want to swim right away but I feel it is too cold but they swam anyway and made it a good 15 minutes before they conceded that it was just too cold!  Now they have even more incentive to get their chores done on a hot day. 

First Recital...

 Jordan has been teaching music 3 years now and had her first recital this last week.  It went off very well.  She's wearing a beautiful flower from two of her students!

 Her brother Isaac is one of her guitar students.  He played 2 songs very well.

 A piano students from town.

 She also teaches her sister Emily!

 One of her "non-sibling" guitar students from town!

 Here is a piano student she has had two years now!  She did so very well.  Playing piano is one thing I wish I could do.  I don't have the patience to try to learn now!

Jordan and her students!  Way to go Jordan!  She's such a young lady now!

Another grad., more friends, new faces...

 We got to meet Ely this past Saturday.  He belongs to friends we don't see enough but isn't he cute?!?

 Em and her friend Hope.  The graduation was at Hope's house.

 Awww!  Too tired to hold his head up anymore!

 My only picture of the graduate, Dylan, and he's behind his sister and Dad!

 Some of the girls!  Many people had already left and Tearza (far left) was leaving now so we grabbed a picture of the girls that were around.  Tearza, Emily, Jordan, Hope and Fallon. 

Lena informed me she was covering her ear because it was so noisy.  Here she is with Eliana.