Fourth of July Fun

We had a great fourth of July. We started our day going to the big parade. We were lucky it didn't actually rain during the parade. The girls really got into it this year. It was the first year we made it through the whole thing.

Grace & her flag from Nana.

Faith enjoyed eating snacks Nana packed for her during the parade.

This year Aunt Jo Jo got to come to the parade too.

Nana helped the girls get candy in their baskets.

After the parade my sister and I headed to watch friends in the Mud Volleyball tournament. Then we went to get french fries & a funnel cake for Jeremy. That night we went to visit my parent's for dinner & then out to my grandma's house to watch a family sponsored fire works show. I was excited to see the progress on my grandma's house. She is hoping to move back in soon. We were worried the girls would be afraid of the fireworks. But they actually loved them. Faith kept saying, "Ohhh!" Grace enjoyed catching fire flies (even though Papa kept letting them go.) It was great to have some family time.

Gramy's House & Know Sweat

Gramy & Papa's House

While we were away the girls had lots of fun adventures with Papa & Gramy. Here are some pictures to highlight their fun. I know they enjoyed swimming and getting to see their uncles. (Aunt Josie was working in Hannibal most of the time.)

Swimming in the BIG pool (well, bigger than our tiny one anyway)
Golf lessons with Uncle Cody

Stickers with Papa
Tea Party (with Gramy's real china!)
My princess, Faith, can rarely be seen these days without a necklace on.
The girls LOVE to help cook.
Uncle Kit, His Girlfriend Wesley & the girls playing dress up.

Know Sweat:

The last full week of June Jeremy and I traveled to Omaha, Nebraska with the high school youth group. It was the first time we have both went and left both kids at home with Gramy & Papa. It was a great trip. While in Omaha we removed vines & painted a home for a lady named Ardella. It was supposed to take us all 3 workdays to complete this project. However we were finished by lunchtime the second day.  Ardella's neighborhood was amazed as they watched us paint her house in 102 degrees! They couldn't figure out who paints a house for free in that type of heat. Only Jesus can do that! Getting done early gave us the opportunity to work with Open Door Mission, an awesome ministry to homeless & hurting people in Omaha. I have volunteered in several different missions but never one this large. They had warehouses full of food & clothing to be distributed. It was a great trip.

Hannibal Cavemen

The raccoon ruined our picture- he snuck up in the back and scared Grace!
Running the Bases

This summer Hannibal got a prospect league team. My sister actually got a job working with them in guest services. So one of the fun things this summer has been having her live with us part time. It has been a little more interesting since our basement flooded. Instead of her having the basement to herself she has been sleeping on our couch & we have all been sharing one bathroom. But, she has been a trooper and other than my kids waking her up with excitement at 7 a.m. its really worked out fine. The girls love running out to the couch each morning to find Aunt Jo Jo (since she is usually at work when they go to bed). And I've enjoyed being able to sneak away and do girl stuff with her like going out to eat & to the movies.

We have been wanting to take the girls to a game all season. Well, kind of last minute it worked out for us to go on Sunday. My parents were coming to the game and someone from church offered to share their season tickets. Free tickets + extra helpers = perfect opportunity, even if we were tired from our trip! The girls really enjoyed it. Grace loved the "funny men." Her name for their two mascots, Rascal & Shoeless Joe. They also loved waving to Aunt JoJo (even though she didn't dance). And they ran the bases after the game. Faith was determined to walk the entire thing all by herself, even though we walked all the way around the outfield and then the bases. It wasn't even hot & the Cavemen won! (both of which haven't happened recently)