*verano

So far we've had a nice little summer.  It took us about two weeks to recover from our trip to California - everyone was tired and grumpy, not getting along - we were at quite a low.  Over the past couple weeks things have finally settled and I don't feel like our lives are falling apart anymore - now that we are leaving again for a long trip! Anyway here's some things we've been doing...

Riding bikes and scooters to the little local library branch we've just discovered:

I took a picture of this nice moment because it's very rare lately:

We went strawberry picking one morning.  Afterwards we went to the grocery store to get whipped cream and these two were fighting to get out of the door and completely smashed all the strawberries. I was a *little* upset with them. :)

Another farm excursion with our good friends here.  There were some older girls volunteering on the farm through 4H - it was really neat. Vera was obviously really into the bunnies.

Edie was showing me how big she is. I'm this tall, Mom!!

Edie is really getting into being pretty and princessy and pink now - well over a year later than Vera hit this stage!  It's so cute to see her little scrappy self putting on a ballet show :)

Another rare moment of them playing together - making a birthday party for Josie the bunny:

We met some good friends at the Arboretum for a picnic last week.  It was definitely fun and worth it to get out like that, but man it was a hot one!  This picture was taken near the end - Edie could barely handle it, poor babe.  Look how cute Ruth is with her little buddy Iris :) 2 months apart.

We finally got a membership at the Y and Ben takes them several times a week.  They loooove it.

Super rainy 4th! Had a fun lunch/BBQ with friends, but still it just didn't feel like the 4th of July!

at the park:

She was feeling pretty stylish here last week after church:

reading Little House in the Big Woods and eating a popsicle on the beach - this made me incredibly happy!  This was me when I was little!!

Said goodbye to our dear dear friend Ethan and his family.  So sad to see them go but know we will cross paths again.  I met Leah through Megan and felt instant connection - I literally felt like I already knew her the first time we met!