Scenes of Summer

 "School-Is-Out!"  Celebration with friends

Tyler had a little graduation from pre-school. His speech progressed well during his months in pre-school and he made many friends there. 

Tyler's class came over for a class trip to see the animals and play in the yard. Each pre-schooler had a parent or a grandparent accompany them allowing us to meet many new people. Despite the cool weather we had a great time. They spread out their picnic blankets and a few loose chickens joined them as they ate their lunch.

We also had a circus stop by:)

Andrew and Andrew

Every year, I make plans to invite the Jamaicans who work across the street from us over for supper but it remains that - just plans. They work here for 8 months of the year and you think you have lots of time to get together but before you know it they are heading back to their families.

This year I decided to be intentional about it and the five guys came over. We learned their names, about their families back home, what they like to eat and all about Jamaica. We told them we didn't need to talk about ourselves because they know everything about us. They can hear laughter, and fighting; cries of delight and hurt cries. They witness the wars of little boys wearing raccoon hats armed with sticks and charging. They also see the not so nice wars, of basketballs and bikes being rammed at one another. 

I had made plans to play a joke on the Jamaicans.

 Last year when these guys arrived, they gestured a round belly to me: as in why wasn't I pregnant. I guess all of the other years I was either pregnant or had a little baby.

This year I was going to find two baby dolls and pretend that I had twin babies while they were away. I planned to walk down the street with my twins and wave at them.

Unfortunately the Jamaicans saw me before I could play my joke on them so I told them about the joke. They laughed and laughed and they have a good hearty laugh.

The boys love the piles of mulch every year.

Jumping, riding, throwing.

This plant has graced our home for ten years. It started off as cutting from my aunt who got her cutting from my great-grandmother. Finally it bloomed! Four clusters of wondrous blooms.

*Word and Deed Bike-a-thon- update: Andrew, age 7, biked the whole 52km with energy to spare!

 $93,000 was raised that day for the AIDS clinic in South Africa.