Summer’s really here!

• Lily started saying “nose” and finding noses,
• Elsie threw a fit because she couldn’t go swimming, ran into her room, hid under her blanket, and was asleep within about 30 seconds,
• Timmy ran to his friend to give a hug goodbye. His friend turned and ran to Timmy, and they smacked heads, giving Timmy a bloody nose,
• Abby learned to float on her back and swim under water,
• Kate learned to swim under water and float with a little help,
• Gina drove down to Santa Fe with all 5 kids to get loaded up on cheap, fresh produce, and
• I got to go swimming with the kids.

Happy Father’s Day

We went from Monroe to Salt Lake to Provo to Camus to Provo.

• Lily ate a lot of dirt,
• Elsie hugged, held, and ‘helped’ Lily way too many times,
• Timmy played with two cousins, Andrew and Jack, in one week,
• Abby made a leaf collection and convinced us to let her take it home,
• Kate cried at many different partings,
• Gina played her first game of Bohnanza, and
• I got 7 new ties for Father’s Day.

• Lily warmed up to her uncles and aunts,
• Elsie filled up a gigantic tub of water using the outdoor water pump,
• Timmy turned 5 and had a great time playing with his cousin Andrew,
• Abby covered me with a blanket and got a pillow when she saw me resting on the floor,
• Kate almost beat her uncle Sam at a game of Wii tennis,
• Gina made two amazing birthday cakes, and
• I submitted my first paper.

Gardening

• Lily walked.
• Elsie used the miniature rake to rake every open space in the yard,
• Timmy told several adventure stories in the form of dreams,
• Abby performed beautifully at her first piano recital,
• Kate orchestrated night games for the kids,
• Gina planted tomatoes, peppers, pumpkins, and flowers with the kids, and
• I got the 500 pounds of compost and the horse manure from the county dump.