June Catch-ups and July Party!

Much has happened since my last post in June...but I want to go in order on updates - so you'll just have to wait with bated breath...unless you are my friend on Facebook - and then you know everything already!!

A couple random picutes...
Like this - showing how my kids likely break arms...

And this one - Justin had to cut down our Ash tree (which makes me VERY VERY sad) and I'm lucky that HE didn't break an arm or leg doing it. I really don't like our yard now without the tree :(

And we were excited in June to see Andrea, Lucy and Jack when the visited from Chicago for Sarah's graduation party!! As all these kids get older and busier, we don't get to see them nearly as much as we used to.

 (Sarah, Ella, Alison, Lucy, Abbi and Zoe)

Since last post when Silas broke his arm - he adjusted pretty well to that and on July 3rd got a half-arm, waterproof cast.  It worked out great because we had the whole Juenger family coming for Mason's graduation and birthday party.  I was adamant that we got the waterproof cast on before the cousins' arrival so that Silas could swim and have fun with them - so happy that it worked out!
This is Hudson and Silas at COSI - being way too cool...

We had Juengers from all over the U.S. start rolling in the last week of June - from Arizona, Nevada, Rhode Island, New York and from around the corner.  It was such a fantastic time to see all the cousins have fun and play until they were so exhausted that they couldn't see straight!
All the kids (except Mason) at COSI.  What a cute bunch!!

 

(James, Molly, Ella, Silas, Myles, Hudson, Trent, Will and Jefferson)

We ended up with Cousins in a Box upon the arrival of the NV Juenger Bennetts...this kept them busy  for quite a long time!

 

The James' were crazy and invited us ALL over for their July 4th party...I tried to warn them!

A great time was had by all - especially the kids who got to swim all day and then see the fireworks.

We had a super fantastic (with some bouts of downpour) on July 6th for Mason's graduation and 18th Birthday party!  It was wonderful to see some great friends and old neighbors come by to visit.

LOOK at those boys down in front...could the be any more related?!?
It was a wonderful visit and I wish we could do it so much more often!!
Love to see them enjoying each other!

We got to go to the Star Liner - one of Grandpa J's favorites!!

 (Mason and Molly)

(Baby Jeff and Ella)

And since the NV Juengers/Bennetts left OHIO...they have added to the ranks!  Carolynn Olivia was born on July  26th.  She is SOOO cute!!

It's been such a fun (and exhausting!) summer so far.  We just got back from our OBX trip on Saturday, so that needs to be blogged next. But wow, feeling so blessed to spend time with the family this summer!!

Bye Bye Summer...

I am definitely feeling Autumn in the Air.
What awesome sleeping weather!

I feel like we had a very good summer - we got to go to the Yankees game in NYC (actually that was in the Spring but still, I'm counting it!), we swam a ton this summer, planted our garden, caught lightening bugs, had a visit from mam-moo and Trent, Aunt Amanda and Grandpa, rode bikes, did sidewalk chalk, went to the zoo, went to the new Zoombezi Bay...

Looks like we also climbed trees, ate ice cream, slid down slides and broke an arm

Planted flowers, picked flowers, sat in our blue chairs on the porch and read Summer Legs over and over, grew a sunflower and strawberries, and saw some very pretty sunsets.

And swam and swan - A LOT!

What I enjoyed the most this summer was our beach trip - a wonderful, fun, relaxing vacation that was well documented with hundreds of photos!!!

Blood, Sweat and Tears...

Blood and sweat - as Justin hammered his finger and worked his butt off all weekend.

Oh man...what a project. I knew it was going to be bad but in the back of my mind, I was thinking that I was just Thinking it was going to be bad and in real life...it wouldn't be so bad...no, it IS as bad as I dreaded it would be!


So here's our weekend in pictures:

Friday night we boxed things up, moved things out of the family room

Saturday morning the carpet got ripped up - the furniture got moved out.

Ella decided that she'd do some helping in her snazzy little sandals. These are NOT OSHA compliant!

This is the very worst part for me ... the major furniture pile-up. That is where the "tears" come into play.
Ella and Si being silly helpers

After the "helpers" were no longer helping, we went to the James' to hang out - lots and lots of pool time!

Ella and Si were SO tuckered out after hours and hours of swimming.

This is what the floors look like so far - about 1/2 of the family room is completed - actually less than 1/2 - so it's very slow going but they look fantastic!!

Everyone is super tired and Ella had a temp of 102.2 when I put her to bed tonight. Not sure if she has caught a bug or if she is just wiped from the weekend. She'll be disappointed if she has to miss the Big K tomorrow!

Diego meets Duct Tape

"Duct tape is like the force: It has a dark side and a light side and it holds the universe together." - Carl Zwanzig

As usual, when I come home after leaving Justin in the house alone with the kids, there is typically something that has been broken, fixed and/or jimmy rigged. It has bugged him that the Go Diego Go Rescue pack that Si has does not have any straps on it. When I got home from book group Sunday night, it had straps. I didn't ask how long it took for him to construct these strap (none of the kids were bathed at 8:45pm so I figure it must have taken him quite awhile).

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
A few more pictures from our swimming weekend at Beth and Greg's. If you can't tell from all the pictures, we go over there and swim a lot. That's why we aren't allowed to call the James family or go within 200 yards of their property from around Labor Day until December 1st. They are SICK of us :)

oh, how I love toddler toes!

My Little Fishies

We have had a great week for swimming - very hot and humid with no storms.
Here are a few pictures of my swimming fishies:



Mason put his blue arm thing on so he can swim with his cast - it's harder than heck to get on but it kept the cast completely dry!


And a video of Ella really swimming!! By George, I think she's got it!