The Horror!

Arlan and I threw a little birthday party for Grey & Lydia (our neice and nephew on the Beiler side) since Lydia's mommy was on bedrest and Darlene was vacationing here in PA and didn't need the stress of organizing. All went as planned...........

Now, those of you who know me well know that I can be a bit of a "freak" about germs, and dirt and messiness. So when all 10 of the birthday kids decided to go out back and play I seemingly forgot about the gigantic dirt pile left from our landscaping project. And believe it or not our dainty, precious little daughter Breanne got the, "hands down", dirtiest!! I just sat out back with my mouth hanging open trying to figure out how to get her cleaned off without leaving a trail of dust and dirt the whole way to the bathroom. In the end about 7 of the 10 kids took baths at our house before the left they were that dirty

This dress never got totally clean!

It's so fun to watch Trey and Breanne play nicely together because there are more times than not that they pick or tease each other to death. But recently they have had a ball reading to each other. Breanne turns the pages and babbles while Trey narrates each picture through the book.

Yesturday Arlan and I bought a pack of Strawberry Shortcake books for Bre to read through and Trey LOVES them. He say Strawberry is his new favorite thing. Not sure if we should be nervous or not. At least the book he's reading is "Strawberry Shortcake Plays SOCCER."

They are both so cute aren't they?

These are the Days!

The Beilers and the neighbor amish family built a pond out past our steer pasture several years ago and our kids just love swimming in it during the hot summer days. It's nice because Arlan will take his lunch break out there too and play with them while he cools off.

Some times I think I'm such a homebody. The kids and I don't go out very often and I feel that I'm not giving my kids a full range of experiences. But as I leaf through my pictures I realize what a blessing I have just living on the farm. It's amazing all the things they see and experience right here in their own backyard.

This morning we woke up to find our cow had a baby calf. The kids just loved watching this calf wobble around looking for it's mommy. Breanne and Trey are seeing more and learning more then I realize.

Ahoy Matie!

The Stumpf family invited our family down to the bay house for the day and it was fabulous. The weather was perfect for swimming and boating and relaxing. This was the first boat ride for Trey and Bre and they loved it. Trey was smiling from ear to ear but Bre fell asleep within five minutes of going out.

Who knew they made life jackets so small!

Here's my nephew Brady, my dad, Trey, my nephew Parker, Me and Breanne getting ready for round two.

They had a nice swimming area next to the docks for the kids to build sand castles and jump the tiny waves made from the boat going in and out. They loved it!

Home Sweet Home

These are the newest editions to our "home". Arlan bought 15 goats to keep the pastures down. These goats are so tame and are completely drawn to the kids. I think they just like nibbling on their clothes.

I had a great time planting flowers for the first time on the farm. They are enormous now and I'm training Bre not to pick every bloom, just the dead ones.

Here's our farmhouse. Still needs lots of love and care.

Cuties

Our kids would eat, sleep and play outside if they could. Here's some photos of them playing in their favoite spots.

Trey loves to read books so much he even brings them outside. He's great at looking at the pictures and making up the stories, even repeating them the way mommy or daddy read them.

What an absolutely adorable little girl.

Unfortunately our "darling" princess discovered a new hobby. Picking her nose. The more we scold her for it the funnier she thinks it is. Sometimes she will walk around for 5 minute with her finger just stuck up there...smiling the whole time. She's a hoot!

Yard Work

We are in the middle of a major landscape project here on the farm. Our whole back yard is getting ready to be torn up and new beds and shrubs planted. I can't wait for the weed jungles to be gone for good.

Trey and Breanne loved helping us out. By the end of the night they were caked in dirt!