June.

June brings with it so many wonderful things.
The end of school.
Warmer weather.
All the kids home together.
No schedules.
Does is get any better?!

Brock had his kindergarten concert.
He sang & did great.

Mrs. Marholz.

She was the absolute best.

Brock was so happy that he never had to 'move his stick' the whole school year.

I think Brock had to have been her favorite!

He was such a sweet, lovable, learner in class.

Schools finally out & we're ready to have fun.

Grandpa Wayne got himself a new lawnmower.

Vance & Viv decided to try to run over the older boys as they ran aimlessly on the farm!

Grandpa was thoroughly enjoying himself!

We noticed some neighbors helping do some yardwork for another neighbor.

We decided we should join them.  

Raising our boys to be helpful young men.

Summer also means going for bike rides around the lake & through the trails.

This year our family riding consists of Vance on the tandem with dad, 

Viv in the baby seat with me,

& the two older boys on their bikes.

If Luke & I run around the lake then Vance rides him own bike.

This summer is his first year riding all the way around the lakes 

& he's doing a great job.

Grandma & Grandpa Johnson stopped over on Vance's 4th birthday.

Vance's family birthday party.

He wanted a bobcat-john deere cake & that's just what he got!

Cousins Ethan & Sawyer spent the night after Vance's party.

What a great way to kick off summer!

Picnic on the front steps.

As years go by our kids still love reading The Berestain Bears books at bedtime.

I capture these moments because I know time is flying by

& I will soon miss these nights of reading & tucking the kids in.

Both older boys decided they wanted to play tennis for community ed this summer.

Vance, Viv & I spent a lot of quality time playing tennis too!

I think we ended up being more of a distraction for all the kids, but what do you do?!

I always pack snacks, toys, & blankets for when we head out to sports.

I usually end up with all the other kids playing & sitting by us too,

but I can't blame them; we're having fun!

The kids love our inground trampoline.  

Most often, they turn it into a water play feature!

School is out, which means it's time for Music in the Park on Thursdays.

Great friends, beautiful weather, good music & supper on a beach blanket.

Hello summer!

We typically will swing by our friends house on the lake & take the deck boat to the park!

It doesn't get much better than that.

More tennis.

The kids decorated their bikes & wagon so they could be in the kiddie parade 

for Becker Freedom Days.

We circled the parking lot a few times & decided it was not really our kind of 'fun'.

So we live & learn & probably will not be participating in it again.

We thoroughly enjoy the parade,

especially when the kids get to sit by their best friends from school.

We went to the YMCA Camp Manitou Open House 

& realized they have an amazing outdoor swimming area!

I'm so excited that we have such a nice place so close to home.

We will be back for sure.

The Camp's splash pad.

Archery at the Camp.

Father's Day.

The kids made dad special cards.

And gifted dad a helmet so he can protect his brain after his concussion episode.

We took grandpa Eddie out to Granite City & a splash pad park for Father's Day.

They decided to have a sleepover in Vance's room tonight.

I loved them all upstairs again for the night!

Luke's 36th birthday bash.

Complete with a cake & his handful of kids!

Going on a ranger ride with grandma; checking out the farm.

It was also Valley Daze, so we loaded up the troops & headed to town

for supper & a tractor pull.

The tractor pull cheering crew.

Vance went first.

And he won!

3rd place trophy for that boy.

He set the bar pretty high for his brothers.

Giving it all he's got!

Like Tractor Mac always says, "heave, tug, pull"!

Later that evening we put the 2 little ones to bed at grandpa & grandma's

& went to the local drive-in to watch Finding Dory.

The boys loved the whole experience!

Erin recently made the decision to chop her hair off 

(since it was so unhealthy with all of her health issues)

so she bought a couple wigs while her hair grows out a bit.

She tested it on dad!

And we all just died! 

Tractor rides with grandma.

Summer mornings relaxing on the couch.

The little girls had a chance to play this summer too!