Happy Birthday Emily!!

happy birthday to you
happy birthday to you
happy birthday dear emily
happy birthday to you!!!

Wishing you a very happy 8th birthday!!!

love,
uncle benjamin, aunt heather, benji, carolyn, katie and john

Going, Going, Gone....

happy father's day!

Together for Ten.

10 years ago today ...

Fishing

pictureless...

I'm having trouble with blogger uploading pictures.  Later on when I have more time (smile) I will try to add pictures.  Just a run down on what we've been up too:

• We tend to homeschool year round. The summer months we tend to focus our workbook lessons on mainly math and reading.  Keeping a lighter work load.  It's been an encouraging year.  Homeschooling wise.  It's been rewarding watching the kids progress as the year went by.
• Strawberries are in full force here.  A local Amish family has berries already picked.  Depending on where you go, these already picked berries are maybe $1-$2 more.  But with 4 kids, it's well worth any extra $$$.  Just pull into their driveway.  Grab a couple of buckets.  Pay.  And head home! We're enjoying fresh strawberry jam, strawberry pie, shortcake, waffles-n-berries, and just stuffing ourselves full of fresh berries.
• Speaking of fresh... we recently got a milk cow.  Champange is her name.  A brown swiss cow.  (whenever I am able to upload pictures, I'll share one of her).  We're loving fresh milk and fresh butter.  Slowly I'll venture into making more with her milk and cream.  It's been about a month that we got her. Every morning and night she needs milked.  By hand.  It's been quite a workout for my hands, wrist and arms.  Benjamin milks occasionally, and his Dad has milked a few times for us as well.  Today is a happy day for me... The milk guy is here to set up the barn to milk her into a bucket, rather than using the entire pipeline for one cow.  She gives us 6 gallons of milk each day.  Luckily we also got 3 calves that love drinking her milk as well.   The kids are diligent in feeding them 3 times a day.
• We're looking forward to a vacation out west this summer.  It's all the kids, especially Benji can talk about.  We plan to spend most of our time near the area my husband is from. Camping, fishing, sightseeing. 
• The kittens are doing well.  Their eyes are opened and they are adorable.  I'm not really a cat kinda girl.  But little kittens are just darling. The kids love holding them and can't wait until they can play!
• Laundry and dishes are calling my name.  But with this cool weather it's the perfect time to head out into the garden.   I'll try to work on getting pictures up when I have more time.

Hope you're all having a great summer so far!!