Our weekend seems looonggg, but so stuffed full of good family feelings! It was nice to have Mike home for 4 days straight, even though the time flew. We had an unexpected house project come up, and so we poured our hearts and energy into it fully and Mike completed it Sunday morning. So thankful for his dad, Phil, as we would have never gotten it done without him.
Saturday night, we celebrated Independence Day with the Beeler family. I love backyards and fires and family and no agenda!
Double Trouble?? Six months apart and more alike each time they are together. These two are master negotiators, strong willed, and oh-so-cute...
The Beeler-Brummer-Paredes crew...great grandkids of Dale and Betty Beeler...
I particularly like Zayden's face in this one so I included it...
This one has everyone looking and no tongues out!
Ameliya was excited for "party."
Supper!
This kid...
The crooked hat and then this face that he gives me...
Backyard games!
Birthday cousins!
Great Grandma Betty likes to party, too!
It's water that he's drinking! He thinks he's big stuff!
There's that face again! LOL
We ended the night watching fireworks that some friends let off at the local park that we could see quite well from the yard, and then Eric and Breanna treated all the kids to "make a wish" paper lanterns.
We got home late (yawn), showered our fire smelling sweaty kids, and tucked them all in by 11.
Sunday we were back up and at it for worship. Mike worked on finishing the house project so the kids and I went to church together and Mike came late.
{Our Americana boys}
After church we had everyone nap, Mike included, while I worked on a few things in the quiet. After supper, Mike and I went to visitation to pay our respects to my Great Aunt Berniece before going out to my Uncle Stanley and Aunt Marcia's for desserts and fireworks.
Ameliya likes fireworks! The noise, the colors! She and I laid on a blanket and let them explode right overhead!
Beautiful show!
The family lit paper lanterns in memory of Aunt Berniece, and they were beautiful.
Sunday was another late night. It became a theme of our weekend!
Monday we laid Aunt Berniece to rest, and then Andrea and Vance kept our children while Mike and I went to look at houses. Nine houses - exhausting. And another late night by the time we got everyone picked up and put to bed.
Uncle Mike/Daddy kept the kiddos during the funeral.
Tuesday was zen. We didn't do much and we needed that day! Mike took the older three kids for fireworks at the golf club in their jammies, while I kept an exhausted Zayden home for early bedtime (that he fought, and was still up when Mike got back!).
So...a full four days, but days full of blessing and love and beauty and family. So thankful. So blessed to be free in this country, but more importantly free from sin's hold because of Jesus' sacrifice.
