Our busy summer!

I knew it had been awhile since I had posted, but didn't realize it had been since June!  Whew! But that does tell you just how crazy June and July have been for us!  Unfortunately, I am terrible at remembering to take pictures at events so forgive me.  I will include the pictures I do have...most of them taken by other people!  

We started off the summer with a quick trip to Cameron to visit Aunt Kim, Uncle Joey, Nana, and Papa John.  We had big fun going to the park, blowing bubbles on the front porch, and watching baseball (of course!).  Aunt Kim and Nana, as always, had delicious food ready and waiting for us when we got there!

JD blowing bubbles with Nana!

This is the life!

JD and Uncle Joey on the "tractor"

We also went to Nacogdoches for the Blueberry Festival.  Can you say blueberries in every way imaginable?  Pancakes, cobbler, lemonade, donuts, ice cream...ahhh heaven on earth!  Gee Gee and Granddaddy worked hard making thousands of delicious blueberry pancakes...which was lucky for us because we didn't have to wait in the mile long line to get some!  BC and Drew came for the weekend too!  We had so much fun!

We've also visited with lots of other family and friends...Aunt Debbie, Uncle Mike, Russell, Lauren, Thomas, and adorable Addie B.   Aunt Sherry and Uncle Gene came down with Gene's son Greg and we had a great time showing them around SA.  Uncle Dwight and Aunt Kristy came to play with us for a night, and, we finally met sweet Annalee, Jewels and Blake Sawyer's precious daughter!  Finally, last weekend, Jenn and Brett Campbell were in town from Georgia and the boys had fun playing and the grown ups had fun visiting and eating Mexican food!

One of JD's favorite events of the summer so far was his first experience at "Cation" Bible School!  Our church had a circus theme and JD loved every minute of it.  They (bravely) let the preschoolers join the big kids for the opening session each morning so they could see the skit and hear the worship team play.  Our dear friend Misty led worship and JD was so excited to sing along with her.  There was also a guy dressed as a big gorilla that made an appearance each morning and JD is STILL talking about how funny he was.  They had a closing session for parents and kids on Thursday night.  We were sitting in the middle of our row and once the band started JD bolted down our row into the aisle and just started dancing and jumping around all by himself.  It was the funniest but sweetest thing I've ever seen.  It brought my heart so much joy to see him so happy!  I know God was smiling to see his little child worship so purely and freely!  After the session they had a carnival in the parking lot for families to enjoy for FREE!  JD, and his buddies Chase and Ben,  got to ride ponies.  And, later that night JD, Chase and Shannon (I was afraid I would puke) rode the spinning teacups.  JD loved it! Thanks Community Bible Church, and particularly our sweet friend Jen Tallon, who was the VBS Director, for planning such a wonderful and memorable week for our kiddos.  

JD praying during "cation" Bible School  (thanks, Jen, for capturing this priceless moment!)

JD and Chase praying during VBS

Lastly, JD has been taking swimming lessons every week since early June.  He's the oldest in his class, but he's the only one who hasn't taken lessons before so he was a little hesitant at first.  His school is really great at getting little ones comfortable in the water and he's made a huge improvement and his confidence has greatly increased since he's started.  I do have to bribe him with an oreo each week to get him to go under the water each time his teacher asks him too.  Hey, whatever works!  I get in with him so it's been a fun activity for us both to do. (Even though I think it might be more of a workout for me than him!)  

What a fun, busy summer we've had.  Looking forward, we have a busy, exciting fall ahead of us too!  I promise I will make a concentrated effort on actually taking pictures!