Summer 2014

 Pinkies up Uncle Nolan for our tea party!

I wanted the mouse in the window-well dead.  But after the kids named him Ronald and fed him and were entertained by him all afternoon, softie Chris helped them set Ronald free.   

Marie even painted a rock in memory of Ronald that she keeps in her room.  As a neighbor said, I'm sure there will be many more Ronalds to visit as the field behind our house is developed.

 I'd say ol' swoosh-Hanson has a slight addiction....   

Lounging in the pool by 9am.  Rough life. 

One day, I jokingly called her "hurricane Marie" because I could walk through the house and tell every spot that she had decided to play something; make-up, beads, puzzles, ponies... each in a different room.  She says later to me "it hurts my feelings when you call me a hurricane."  Well my dear, take a look at how you do art. 

Hurricanes strike often on this desk.  In this photo, the desk is an airplane flying her tigers to Florida.

 We had some fun kid-guests stay with us this summer.  Andrew Evens came for a week before the 4th of July.  Who knew boys could have so much to talk about?    

 Marie makes Bison horns anywhere, anytime; 

Her daddy could not be more proud.

Chuck and Sue came for the 4th.  In classic Chuck style, he was way-fun doing synchronized swimming with the kids in the pool.   

We ate all our meals on the patio for the 4th. 

I don't often take pictures of food.  But, could this be a more perfect 4th of July meal?  Wine and beer (just couldn't decide), ribs that Chris smoked all day, corn on the cob, grilled asparagus and macaroni salad.

And we ended the weekend with a dual-family game of kickball!

Marie is a imaginary-player-type-person like Travis was at this age.  She is holding her tiger family of Jingle, Bell and Stripe and Luke brought Orangey to the party: It was Jingle's birthday.  I made a cake and we sang so I can look back at pictures some day and say "see what a fun mother I was?"  Ha!!!

Halle Buckhouse also came and stayed with us for the week before the wedding. They road these stick horses around non-stop.  These stick-horses are difficult to find.  If anyone ever finds good ones, please let me know.  The brown one was bought for me by my mom when I was 18 because I would complain about how I rode a broom around as a kid because I didn't even have a stick horse: my brothers would tell you the broom was a better fit.   

They were playing Sheriff Callie and these dance ribbons were their magical weapons to catch bad guys....
(look in the window-well)

And they caught a bad guy and put him in jail; complete with handcuffs! (or a ring from the swing-set.)  

Oh Lukey Hanson.  This trip for ice cream occurred with the rule that you had to ride your bike; I was pulling Halle and Marie in the trailer.  The boys had just finished up a 2 hour football camp; Travis was out (more physical activity for sweet stuff I don't even like? No thanks.)  Luke still had his training wheels on his bike because he refused to take them off and this was a long ride; But, he was determined.  So the picture in front of me as I'm laughing hysterically is this: an 85 pound six year old, riding a bike so small that his knees are hitting the handle bars, shirt off (of course) because it's so hot, knocking the training wheels off with every bump he hits because I couldn't get them tightened anymore than they were, I'm having to kick the training wheels back into place with each bump.... he's putting in the full effort to get there.  When he got to the check-out, the cashier rudely said "his cup will be a pound of ice cream."  Well, I think he earned it.  He ate every last drop within 5 minutes.  

Oh Lukey #2.  Luke has had some poop problems.  At least he has a good sense of humor about the entire thing?  This is what he wrote on the chalkboard at the gastroenterologist.

Six people camping for 2 nights and traveling 
in a mini-van is a very tight fit.  

Are you ready for the most genius cooking ever?  I forgot the oil + bacon for breakfast = popcorn over the fire fried in bacon fat!  So delicious!  

I don't like frogs.  I don't mind bugs. But amphibians, reptiles, worms; these are not things I am fond of.  So, I was very happy that the Bevil boys have taught Marie to pick up and hold toads and not be scared.  Here is her beloved toad in the house she made for him. 

Iron chef judge Travis critiques Carson and Luke's smores....

Pictures like this fool us into camping again and again.  As Fred Bevil says:  "Why do we camp?  We go back in time to a place without amenities that we are lucky to have.  Running water, electricity...we pack up all our stuff, eat food with dirty hands, pack up all our stuff again and head home."  Ha!!!!

 Travis says to Marie "hit me!" the first time in his FB pads.  I said he looked so cute; He told me "there's no cute in football mom."