Summer 2017

After we returned from our awesome adventure, we returned to these dear ones who missed us just a little...

 But don't let the sad eyes fool you, the pups were in good hands with a wonderful dog sitter.

Our garden was in full swing and has been fantastic this summer.
Kieran's plans made all the hard work during the winter well worth it.
We even enjoyed a small potato harvest from some of the potatoes we had saved from Grandpa Ray's last crop.

 Plenty pictures like these appeared on my phone & computer.....

 especially the week that Kevin & Kieran went to Richmond, VA on a missions trip.

 And one kid shimmered for days when he mistakenly put a glitter bath bomb in his soak one night:

 Our new grill was assembled in between downpours one afternoon in a hot & muggy breezeway.

 Kevin, & Kieran ran a 5k before the Fourth, & this kid ran a one mile run by himself.

 Our main A/C unit died after the 4th, and limped along for the next few weeks.
While we were waiting for it to be replaced, the boys and I enjoyed a visit to SciWorks in Winston one afternoon.

 We've ridden out a couple of nasty little storms.
This one took out a tree in our back yard & damaged some fence.
(We're the white hand on the right of the screen.)
Two out of the three dogs in residence are not fans of storms.  At all.

 Our apple trees are providing a bumper crop of apples.

 Some yellow jackets tried to crash our apple party (poor Hobbes), but Kevin found their nest & kicked the party crashers out.
Jerks.

 So many apples....

 One kiddo enjoyed a digital art camp and had a piece displayed in an art show...

 We assembled pinhole viewers and were ready to experience 93% totality during the Eclipse.

 And had glasses to use as well....

 and for about thirty minutes enjoyed watching the progress.

 Until a massive, sun blocking cloud, and rain covered the whole show.
We made the most of it & enjoyed listening to the crickets.

 Last week cross country practice began for one kid, and Tuesday we picked him up a couple minutes early and headed to a concert.

 Switchfoot was playing at they were amazing!
So good.

 Friday was beautiful, and all summer Biltmore House has offered free admission for kids.
Our schedule was finally open, & we snuck over for the day with friends of ours to explore America's largest private residence.

 Thumbs up all around.
It was a great day.

 Saturday Kevin & Kieran ran another 5k with lovely cooler than normal temperatures.

 And now we are readying ourselves for school to crank back up on Wednesday.