NOT YOUR TYPICAL PATRIOTIC DISPLAY

BABIES, BABIES, EVERYWHERE . . .

My sisters, Julie and Kelly were here for the Fourth of July Weekend. We enjoyed hosting them so much, and especially getting to play with their three adorable babies. This is Jordan, lounging in the hot tub.

Luke followed suit with enthusiasm.

And Willa, though a little more sedate, joined the fun.

After a dip in the hot tub, they chatted a little on the couch.
What a threesome! Julie, Jon and Jordan are returning home to Atlanta today, but Kelly, Eric, and the twins will be here for another week+. We hope to post more pictures soon.

ITS A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL

One of the wonderful blessings of homeschooling is the instant support group/church family/friends network that exists among fellow homeschooler. Adam drove to Portland to join a group of other HSA members
(Home School Alumni http://www.homeschoolalumni.org/)
who were hiking in Oregon. He spent Friday night with some friends he had met at a previous HSA Reunion, and enjoyed hiking to Ramona Falls on Saturday.

A very High Tech Hike: multiple cameras, video, walkie talkies, etc.
I think this is Brian Plett and Nathan Becker, and a nice person's back.

Views on the Hike.

Adam drove back to Washington Saturday evening and went to church Sunday morning.
He has also really enjoyed the congregation he has been attending in Seattle http://www.pilgrimbible.org/
He was able to link up with other similar families through the homeschool network.

The Falls look beautiful. Wow!

Today Adam was introduced to a new intern at Boeing. This intern was Chad Burns, of the Burns family in Illinois, and Burns Family Studio Filmmakers. Their family are dear people and have visited with us in our home. What a coincidence that now Adam and Chad are two cubicles apart in Seattle.

TEAM EPIC HEADS FOR HOME

Team EPIC enters (or leaves) Washington State.

A good flat spot for a Team meeting, or card game?

Fantasticly magnificent photos of Glacier National Park. Thanks Mark.

I would love to see this in person. I'm so glad the Team got to. They are in South Dakota tonight and plan on being back in Rolla Sunday evening.

THE BLUEBERRY TRADITION CONTINUES

This year marks the 20th anniversary of our first blueberry picking experience. We've picked berries at Brandywine Farm every year since then that they've had berries. Our family record is 120 lbs of berries picked in one morning.

Today, several of our pickers we absent, being instead in Washington (or Oregon), Montana, Pennsylvania, and at home in bed. We missed you guys. I also miss my 50mm lens. I think I need to buy another, as this lens takes lousy pictures.

It was a lovely morning, and the berries were wonderful. We generally eat at least 20 lbs of berries while we're there.

Joy is "in the shrubbery" (now I know what is meant when that phrase is mentioned in Pride and Prejudice.)

I love my floppy hat.
It works great for canoeing and haying as well, and if the kids sit on it, it's O.K.
It can also go in the washing machine, which after much haying is a good thing!

THE EPIC PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS

Best Photo on a Log
(Team Epic on a Mission)

Best Photo to Scare Your Mom
(Need I say more)

Best Really Super Hilarious Photo
(Ian relaxing with his cool footwear)

Best Nature Photo Taken With a 50 mm Lens
(A Gray Jay)

Continue to visit
The Few, The Proud, The Epic (click here)
to read more of Team EPIC's amazing adventures.

ROLLA TOWN BAND--FREE SUMMER OUTDOOR CONCERTS

You are once again invited to join the Rolla Town Band for their free outdoor summer concerts.
The schedule is as follows:
Thursday, July 2nd 7:00pm Castleman Hall
Thursday, July 9th 7:00pm Location TBA
Thursday, July 16 7:00pm Location TBA
Thursday, July 23 7:00pm Location TBA

The concerts will be either at Castleman Hall or the Bandshell down by the Railroad Tracks (near City Hall)
Several of our homeschool friends are participating in the Rolla Town Band, including some Browns, Hickles, and a Light (not to mention a few Nisbetts).

I LOVE GRANNYWARE

These are some cups that I found a couple years ago at a flea market. I would love to have some more. They hang on hooks in the kitchen and everyone has their own hook, so that I don't have to wash 27 cups a day. I hope to discover more of these wonderful cups someday.

LIFE WAS A BOWL OF CHERRIES . . .

While the kids were on their camping trip, Keith and I had the house all to ourselves. Although Keith had to work, and we had Rolla Town Band and a Bible study in the evenings, we still managed to have a delightful time. I jokingly posted on Facebook that we could eat all the ice cream we wanted, we actually ate cherries. I love bing cherries!! My dad loved bing cherries, but they were expensive, so we (the kids) didn't ever get any. They're still expensive, so we wait until the kids leave. We also took a canoe trip on the Courtois River (the Meremac was too flooded for any one to put in there). Taking a float trip during flood stage is the best way to ensure that the river isn't crowded. We had a magnificent day, a perfect experience. Enjoying my husband and the beauty of Creation, while playing in the water and eating cherries -- Wow! (We also discovered that it IS possible to canoe without Pringles, Nutty Bars, and Lemonade, which the kids probably won't believe.)