Weekly Wind Down {Father's Day, Slow Days, Garden Update} June 18-24

Sunday was Father's Day.  We stayed over in Missouri and started our day at Mike and I's "growing up" church.  This meant we got to snag some Father's Day pictures with Papa Phil.

Mike, Zayden, and Phil all ended up matching!

Seven beautiful grandchildren!

Mike and his sister with Phil.

I took my opportunity, too.

After church we went out to my folks' for lunch and to celebrate Father's Day and Xavier's birthday.

I didn't do a great job taking pictures - I visited too much instead - but it was a fun afternoon!

Evalynn and Arthur - equally ornery.

Checking out Grandma's raised garden.

We had to stop by Tractor Supply for a couple of things on the way home.  The girls all ogled the Schleich animals and the little ones had big eyes for this dirt bike.

Back to Iowa for us.

Monday was a quiet day.  The girls and I were supposed to go swimming in Newton with friends but Natalee came home with a sprained ankle, and a couple came home with head colds, so we decided to stay home.  We went to the chiropractor and then just spent the day at home.

Mia braided beads into her mannequins hair.

Monday evening my friend, Shonya text and said she was in town and asked if I wanted to get supper.  Mike was already planning on making chicken noodle soup for supper and told me to have a good time.  It was so nice to visit!

The children love Daddy's chicken noodle soup the best and that's just fine by me.  It is very yummy.

Tuesday with this dolly.

Mike played softball with the church league Tuesday evening.

Wednesday we got out and went to the library.  Everyone felt well enough to spend some time at the public pool, although Natalee took it slow and still overdid it with her ankle a bit.  Back home for supper and some warm oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

Mia and Evie made a "store" with novelty food erasers and invited us to their grand opening.  The store was based out of their closet.  I love their imaginations.

Thursday the girls and I went to hippotherapy.  The boys used Mike's lunch break to get hair cuts.

Evalynn and I fell in love with this sweet book from the library and read it several times.

Mike ended the evening at worship practice and Xavier subbed in for him for church softball.

Friday I intended to get up early and go to the garden before it was warm but I failed - again.  I still went but I paid for it in sweat.  I got the cucumbers going up instead of sprawling all over, pulled some weeds, and hoed around most of the plants.

Cosmos....probably should have been thinned.  I'm reminded again that we don't really know what we're doing.

The sweet corn is looking fine.  Xavier is excited for this!

I'm hoping to taste a homegrown watermelon!

The pumpkins that the kids planted the week before are coming up!

A beautiful head of romaine - that was admittedly a bit bitter.  It should have been harvested earlier in the week and earlier in the morning.  But it's still gorgeous.

Harvest!

The cucumber was so yummy!  And I brought Mike in a jalapeno pepper.

The rest of Friday was spent with household tasks.  I made a big lunch knowing we'd have a light supper.  Papa stopped by on his way back from Newton and brought frosties and visited awhile.  We left after Mike got off work for homeschool softball.

The kids had a great time and talked us into Culver's afterwards - more to hang out with their friends than because of the food.

We were late getting our Wal-Mart grocery pick up order coming back into town.  I called ahead and they left it at customer service for me to load myself.  Very thankful they didn't just say no because it had things I needed for Xavier's birthday!

Saturday we celebrated our 13 year old!!  The rest of us held down the fort while Xabe and Dad food hopped and shopped.

Playing outside around the rain showers.

Ending another week with this vibe....

A full week of fun!

Xavier Turns 13!!

Another teenager in the house!  I refuse to accept that teenagers spell doom.  Teenage years are a great time of growing and brain development and spreading wings.  Not done without some pain, obviously, but not a sentence to a terrible time.  So, while I may joke about "another" teenager, we aren't disheartened to have a second in the house!

When Natalee turned 13, she and I did a "food hop."  Xavier asked if he got to do that and I thought, "sure, this can become a tradition."  And thus, the 13th birthday food hop for Xavier took him and dad down to Ottumwa where they could do a little shopping, too.

But first.....breakfast biscuits and gravy.

Oops, he breathed too hard and one biscuit went out. 

And a couple of presents before heading out....

Swim shoes and a new suit before camp starts.

A fun card from Natalee welcoming him to a new "club."

Mia made him a fun pipe cleaner baseball player!

Zayden made a perler bead New York Yankees symbol!

and drew a baseball diamond...."Xavier Beeler hits a grand slam off Zayden Beeler."  

Then mom got a lesson in the difference between a home run and grand slam.

Zayden's excitement at giving his gift was special to me.  He sure looks up to his big brother.

So very thankful they have each other.

After breakfast and gifts, Dad and Xavier headed on their adventure.  We thought about inviting a friend along but it's kind of special for us to get one on one time with our kids on their special day.

First stop - donuts...

Then they walked through the dying mall with the purpose of going to the sports store.  He was hoping to find a catcher's mask but to no avail....so the hunt continues.  Back into the mall to the arcade.  Dad said, "he likes the racing games."  That bodes well for my future, huh?

And then to Hardee's for lunch.  Nothing he loves more than chicken strips and curly fries.

After lunch, to Wal-Mart for birthday shopping and a few camp supplies.  Xavier had the choice to shop for his own birthday gift or be surprised and he chose to shop with dad.  First they grabbed crocs, and, as Xavier tells it, "spent 20 minutes picking a bug spray."  I told him his Dad makes fast decisions about spending lots of money and is slower to choose about spending little moneys.  LOL.  (In truth, Mike was texting me trying to figure out what we usually get and they didn't have it and and and.....and as he said "there was bug spray in THREE different areas - just why!?").  

He sent me this picture and told me Xavier was trying to choose between these two sets.

I couldn't wait to see what he chose...imagine how surprised when he came home with both. (wink)

Seems about right when shopping with Dad.  But also, as dad said, "he's a real good kid who works hard around here."  And that's true, too.

Would you believe that Xavier chose to skip the last leg of the birthday food hop?  Even after all the Wal-Mart walking following lunch he couldn't find room for dessert.  That's totally okay and I'm glad he listened to his body.

Back home he couldn't wait to tear into one of those Lego sets.  It was pretty intense and even taxed his brain a couple of times.  Nothing he couldn't handle, though.

He asked for grilled burgers with melted cheese, and we escalated that by frying bacon to put on it, too.  Mac and cheese, chips and Grandma Betty dip, and a salad from our garden (that was honestly a little bitter - the heat took the lettuce).

He decided that he really couldn't enjoy cupcakes and ice cream, so we decided to save it for the next day.  He opened a couple more small gifts, and worked on his Nascar set for the rest of the evening staying up late with Dad to fix a few kinks and get it finished.

The next day...

I needed a picture for his camp canteen account and it was a good one to save.

Xavier, I sure am thankful for you.  You help me so much day to day, but not only that you anticipate what's needed and work to fulfill the need on your own (except the trash- you leave that one every time).  You are a good friend and a (mostly) sweet brother - ha ha - and it's my delight to watch you mature, find your way in the world, seek Jesus, and do His work.  I'm always on your team, Bud.

Happy 13th birthday!

A bonus picture that Grandma Num posted on Facebook....I love it and wanted to "scrapbook" it here.