Flowers

It's amazing the changes that can happen in a plant in just over a week. Here are pictures of our hydrangea on 6/14 and again on 6/23.




The flowers on our back patio are thriving, too. Aren't those petunias gorgeous? Dad W. has great taste in flowers. Maggie is especially thrilled with the grass he chose for the center of the pot.

Busy June

I finished the skirts! I actually finished them before my homeschooling conference, but I have been busy since then and have been avoiding the computer to get other things done.

My conference was excellent and I had a good time with all the ladies. Bob and the children did all sorts of fun things together while I was gone. In one day they went to the library, the pool, two different play grounds and Pizza Ranch. I was delighted, though, to come home to children who ran into my arms with big hugs and who danced around the living room chanting, "Mommy's home! Mommy's home!" What a welcome!

Three days after I got back from the conference we met Aunt Joanne and cousin Paul at the Blue Bunny visitor's center and ice cream parlor in LeMars, IA. We were intrigued with all we learned about the history of ice cream and how Well's Dairy produces, stores, and distributes such massive quantities of ice cream. After filling up on ice cream we tried out a playground in LeMars. Joanne and Paul took a slight detour from I-80 to visit us in Orange City on their way back to Colorado from PA and Illinois. They stayed with us Tuesday night and for a good portion of Wednesday. Joanne and I had fun comparing homeschooling conference notes as she had just attended one in Illinois. Paul, Maggie, Carie, and David played imaginatively together and watched the launching of a hot air balloon. Before Joanne and Paul left we made sure they experienced Pizza Ranch's lunch buffet followed by a visit to Windmill Park. When it came time to say goodbye, Paul clung to Maggie with a big pout.

On June 8, Carie read her first book! She read Mat in the B.O.B. series.

She likes to read it several times a day now and has also read Sam. Carie is very excited about reading!

This week swimming lessons are supposed to start but have been postponed a few days. The heater in the swimming pool is broken and the past week it has been very cool. Today was a gray, rainy day so I doubt it did much to warm the water. The pool staff hope that by Wednesday the water temperature will be a little warmer and the kids can get started with lessons. We'll see.