Beach days

 We had taken a break from our beach vacation last year because we were in Colorado for most of the summer. So when July came around I was so excited!!
We always go to the beach with my parents and stay at this adorable house that is just the right size for the six of us. It's only 5 minutes driving distance from the beach - perfect!
The first day was a bit chilly. The waves were fierce and the current was so strong that we saw 6 people get rescued in the hour and a half we were there. My kids only go in up to their ankles, so we were good.

 Alex started off scared of the ocean, but by the second day he got a little closer. By the third day he was letting the waves wash up on his legs. It's better than two years ago when it wasn't until the last day that he was cool with the ocean.

Pictured below is Dave trying to encourage Alex to "slap the waves with your tool" and run away. He got the running away part well before the wave reached him.

Isn't it funny how kids don't mind having sand all over their bodies? What changes in adults that we would say a big, "No thank you!" to being buried up to our neck in sand.

Here is Lilia and Alex playing on the last day. The weather and ocean were perfect!

Dude!!!

 Two weeks ago we were up at my parents. The kids can ride bikes in the street because their aren't as many cars around. I was jogging (yes you read jogging...I have to jog a bit so they can enjoy bike riding and not have to wait forever for me to catch up) behind Alex on his bike and I noticed neither of his training wheels were touching the ground.
This past week we met Dave on Penn's campus after work and took the training wheels off.
Dave ran with Alex for about 20 feet and had to let go. Alex was riding too fast for Dave to keep up.
When he let go Alex kept going for a while. He totally got it!!! We were so surprised, and excited for him.
Dave helped him get started and he was off riding! Alex and Lilia rode all around campus for a long, long time. He was even riding on the grass that afternoon. It was so awesome!!
We celebrated at the Lil Pop Shop just like we did with Lilia when she learned in April.

Now we go out on bike rides around the neighborhood most days. I have to jog to keep up. It's really fun and exciting when your kids become more independent in really fun ways.

Farm Camp

 Lilia just finished up farm camp this past week. She stayed with my folks for the week, the camp is 10 minutes from their house. Lilia was so sad to have to say goodbye for the week. She cried and cried when we said goodbye Sunday night. 

Lilia and Bubba

 The camp goes from 8:30-3:30 and these kids work hard doing farm work. Anyone ages 6-11 are welcome to come for camp.
Because Lilia was the smallest kid she could ride the miniature pony, Bubba.
Their day consisted of feeding animals; goats, sheep, llamas, horses, chicks and bunnies. They also had to work in the garden. There were nature walks, finding tadpoles in the pond, and crafts.
Their was also yoga one day and a spa day. On the spa day the older counselors brought in nail polish and foot lotions and pampered any one who wanted it done.
They finished the day with swimming.

Lilia learned that if you hold a chick and blow on their belly they will fall asleep in your hands.

On Friday afternoon the families were invited to tour the camp and meet the animals. Lilia showed us around like it was her place. It was amazing to see her interact with the animals - she was such a natural.
God is seriously gifted her with animals. He has big plans for her. I don't know what they are, but God is going to use her in incredible ways.

July 4th Weekend

My niece Ellie turned 3 on July 3rd. We celebrated her birthday at  4th of July parade near their house.

Happy Birthday Ellie 

 On Sunday of that weekend we had a BBQ at Patti & Tony's. Tony had his army jeep out and the kids were playing in it. Tony got out his walkie talkies for work and the kids were pretending to be out on a mission.

Lilia and her 2nd best dog friend, Star

 Matt, AnnMarie & the kids came up too. Matt had more fun seeing Patti's four horses. The older girls were a little scared when the horses came up to the fence.

My mom is holding Naomi (left) and Claire (right). They are 5 months.
Olivia is in the middle, 21 months and Ellie on the right.

Enamored

We met Jonah & Luke (and their parents) last summer. They are 11 and 8. Alex is enamored.
The four of them have THE BEST time together. Often after playing for a few hours it's the kids who say, "Can we have dinner together?"
At least once a week, Alex says, "I miss Jonah & Luke. When can we see them again?"
Jack and Cherie (their parents) are such fun. Jack is Chinese and has amazing/hilarious stories of growing up. Cherie grew up not far from my home town. We have the best time with them.
University City can be so transient and friends come and go, which makes it kinda hard to live where we do. I am so grateful for God to bring awesome friends into our lives that are long-termers like us.

Life on the Farm

 My best friend, Danae and I met through Cru at West Chester University. Our lives have intertwined throughout the years. They now live in West Chester with their three boys and we regularly spend time together.
Danae grew up in Chambersburg on a farm. She didn't move to this particular house until high school, but where she grew up was only 4 farms away, and literally down the road. We've been talking about all of us going out to her parent's place and staying a few day and we finally made it happen.
The first morning Lilia, Danie (Danae's youngest, 5) and Alex were out riding bikes at 7am - even before breakfast.

 Danae grew up in a house just behind her grandparent's dairy farm and farm house. Although Grandma Diller no longer milks cows, she still rents the land out to other dairy farmers. We walked over to meet the cows.

We played in the sprinkler

 Jack, their oldest, took us for golf cart rides around Danae's 90 year old Grandmom's property.

We stopped by a lovely farmstand with the reddest, sweetest, freshest strawberries ever!

Lilia, Alex & Daniel played it the barn, raking up the stray hay with sticks.

 So this is an old-fashioned milking room. Grandma Diller took us in and showed around - telling wonderful stories of the past.
When they started dairy farming, they milked by hand. Then they eventually turned the work over these machines. The cows would come into the room and stand on a level above the glass milk bottles. A machine would hook up to their teats and do the milking. The milk would go into these large glass bottles (for lack of a better word.) Then the cows would exit out a sliding door (the kind people (I) pin on Pinterest for their home). It was really cool.
Danae said how she wasn't allowed in this room growing up because it was too dangerous. The cows would sometimes kick and standing down where the bottles are would be right at kicking level.

Roger and Joyce (on their anniversary going out for a drive).

I'm so thankful for the generous hospitality of Roger and Joyce! We had such a wonderful time with them and the whole family!
I personally loved life on the farm. I had fun weeding the corn field and collecting field rocks. The kids helped dig them out and put them in the wagon. I think all together we collected about 7-8 wagon loads. I was able to take some stones home. I put them out back in the garden to remember the fun times we had.