Snapshots from Michigan

 

 

It's so hard to believe our week at Life Action Family Camp

has come and gone.

We look forward to it for only 51 weeks out of each year

and it always passes too quickly when we are there.

We were so blessed to spend family time together, time with our Canadians {we miss you SO much!}, time with a dear family from our little town here in Nebraska - and a surprise visit from our Mr. Kyle...the son who is not technically a son to either myself or my Canadian but we still claim joint custody of him.  I'm not sure how great that custody thing is working out, seems like Mr. Kyle is the one paying the price.  See photos below...

 

 

 

A beautiful view of Lake Michigan near St. Joseph, MI

 

'Ga-ga Ball' - a seriously dirty and fun game.  Braden and Joseph are kicking up the dust while Ryland waits out his turn.

 

Apparently carpet ball is not just for kids

Langston helping Mia down the slide.

{Oh, Langston.}

Braden and Tarver hanging on for a ride around Clear Lake

The Rocket

There were a LOT of teenage boys hanging out here during the week.

 

Oh, Amy.

Sweetest of all Canadians.  We need to do coffee again!

Date Night

Sunset after chapel time

Tarver, showing Mr. Austin how to appropriately flex.

 

Braden and canoe tug-of-war

{tossing hay bales all summer really helped give him the competitive edge!}

 

Ryland and buddy Brendan enjoying ice cream on the beach

Langston and 'Baby Nick', though he's technically not a baby any longer.

Soaking Mr. Austin

Our wonderful friends, the D family

Have I already mentioned how I miss you?

Trying to figure out which side of the border Mr. Kyle is heading towards -

good thing you have long arms Mr. Kyle

{and please don't show your real Mom what happens to you when your fake Moms are around!}

Our family - heading home.

Hearts full, Eyes fixed on Jesus.

Just a few more weeks and we'll get to do this again, yes?

Children left to themselves ...

Will build themselves a hot air balloon, using the most basic of materials.

{Excepting Dad's air bubble}

 

They were deflated, but not discouraged, to find out that this contraption wouldn't really take to the air.  I admire so much their creativity and determination!  Just one more plug for the freedom of home educating.

{And yes, sometimes these children left to themselves really do complete the well-known Proverb.  I just don't happen to have my camera in hand as often when that happens!}

They are Speed, too

Chips off ye ole block.

{all photo credits to Mr. Kyle, our wonderful family assistant}

Look, Mom, no hands!

Clear Lake

Giving the thumbs up for "Faster"

Fifty weeks, one day.  The countdown is in full swing for Family Camp 2013!

Speed. I am Speed.

We had just *a bit* of fun in Michigan.

Many thanks to Kyle for these awesome pictures, Luke for disregarding my husband's desire to not go fast enough to tip, Sarah for keeping my babies safe in the boat while we were playing and the D family for praying for us from the beach.

Just 354 days until we can do it again . . . can't wait.

Here We Were

Our hearts are still lingering . . .

A Visit From the Wild West

Family flew in from way out west for an incredibly fun {and way too short!} visit.

While Auntie Heidi played . . .

Gramma Carol made herself at home at the sewing machine.

Yes, my personal fashion designer flies from Seattle to make me new clothes!

Thanks Mom and Heidi for a wonderful visit . . . we weren't five minutes from the airport when Langston asked, "When will they come back again?"

Early Morning Outer Space Flight

Ryland had a little extra time the other morning - I believe he was waiting for the caffeine to kick in with his Kindergarten teacher.

While the Starbucks was brewing, he gathered some odds-n-ends from about the home and garage and built himself a space shuttle.

Carseat-rocketseat, the globe {so he can recognize which planet to return to} and an invisible steering wheel.

His mission?  To deploy this Tinkertoy satellite for his brothers' homemade radio system.  There's a lot more truth in that statement than most would realize!

I found these lovely signs taped to the doors of his headquarters.  He very proudly told me all about them - notice how NASA is spelled backwards?  He was looking down at his shirt to get the letters in the right order. {sweetness!} The picture of the man with the balloon pants?  The sign for the men's restroom, of course.  {He's a thinker!}

And my favorite sign of all, perhaps of all time-

no ordnare pepl

I believe his way of saying "Authorized Personnel Only"

I'm framing this one, because this too has much more truth than we admit.

It pretty much sums up our family,

No ordinary people.

Anti-Archaeology and other cuteness

We spent some time recently at a Children's Museum.  It had been a long time since we've visited one of these types of places and I had forgotten how much fun they can be! 

Over at the dig site, Langston was apparently clueless as to what was going on.  As soon as he uncovered the trilobite, he started screaming.

And I mean LOUD screaming, not just your average little boy screaming.

"COVER IT UP! COVER IT UP! COVER THE MONSTER UP! BRADEN, COVER IT UP!"

Which makes me think he probably doesn't have a future in archaeology.

Maybe he'll just be the guy who hides fossils for the digger types.

The boys were thinking of hopping the train back to Seattle to see kin-folk.

And snow.

We miss our snow.

The museum even had things for older sons, such as giant Keva planks.  How fun is this?

'Twas a great weekend get away and I am already trying to plan our next visit to a Children's Museum!  We'll  probably steer clear of the fossil exhibit, though.