Blueberries

We are all set for a year of "Blueberry Buckle"! Emma, Quinn and I spent a morning at the blueberry farm and picked 14 lbs. of very sweet blueberries. Yum.

Girl's Camp

I went to camp this year as Craft Leader. We had a great time with the vinyl cutter. I also did fun projects with wire and mod podge. Plus, SHRINKY DINKS. My staff and I did over 100 of these value boards plus 110 quote boards. Great fun! (and much better than last year's assignment in the kitchen) Looking forward to crafts next year.

Emma's first year at camp. Lots of new friends and experiences.

Abby's 6th year at camp. She is an experienced Youth Leader

and has a talent working with the younger girls

Abby in Utah

Abby spent a week in Utah with Krista. They visited Bob & Mary and Abby spent the night with her friend, Brooks. Then they went to Monticello for the 24th of July. A fun trip to the lake, a parade, good food, a stop at Arches National Park and lots of family were the highlights.

John Deere

Quinn LOVES John Deere tractors. He has informed us that he wants to be a John Deere driver when he grows up. There is a fantastic museum at John Deere headquarters in Moline, IL and we had a memorable summer get away there in July. Quinn got to sit in a dozen tractors -combines - gators and we rode our bikes along the Mississippi River. The local museum and IMax theater were great. We also enjoyed a minor league baseball game (well, at least until it was cancelled because of a huge thunderstorm.)

Kip's Travels

Great picture. Kip sleeping at an airport with a "big, boring book" on his chest. Very typical.
Kip spent two weeks on the road this month. The first week was in Perth, Australia where he experienced an Australia "winter". Then it was off to Mumbia & Pune, India. Lots of interesting new experiences, food, people & even an adventure attending church. This trip included stops in Tokyo and Singapore. He returned tired but pleased with the work.

What happened in June?

-School finally let out on June 9th. We had a lot of snow days this year.

-Quinn finished Kindergarten and is looking forward to 1st grade (and eating lunch at school)

-Emma ended the year on a high note--Straight A's. She was also promoted to the next higher choir in YNS singing group.

-Abby-- BRACES OFF, finally. She has a new hair color and new glasses. Cute girl.

-Youth Conference. With Kip serving as Stake YM president and Abby on the youth committee for the conference we were very involved this year. It was a successful day--great speakers, activities and friends. Don't forget the AMAZING food (yeah, I was drafted to do the food for 130 people.) It went well. I think our favorite thing was the make-your-own Ice Cream Sandwiches. Very fun.

-Kip's International Travels

-Abby to EFY in Bloomington, IN, including a trip to the Indianapolis Children's Museum for Quinn, Emma and I.

Abby's piano recital

Abby and her friend Jenny at their piano recital.

They both played beautifully.

Emma learns to crochet

The young women had a lesson on crocheting. Emma started a project on Wednesday and by Thursday it was a long, skinny something (a blanket for a snake?), by Friday she had added on to it and closed it into a circle (a lampshade?) By Saturday she decided to add some straps and a bow and make it a dress for a teddy bear.

Wow! She certainly has a gift for learning quickly and for being creative.

Tulips--the bad and the good

So, last fall I planted bulbs. I thought I would plant a few in a pot and force them to bloom early. The only thing is--I forgot about them. They started to grow out from under their cover and look like alien creatures. Not a pretty sight.
But, the bulbs in the garden have been beautiful and so fun to look at from our kitchen table.

Quinn's Birthday

Our Lego loving Boy turned 6 years old and we celebrated by going to Legoland with his friend Nate who also turned 6 this spring. Sweet Boy.