I have been inspired to blog by friends who blog. I really don't need one more thing to do but I haven't been journaling lately and realize that I really miss documenting things that are happening in our life. So, Jay, JT & Claira, this is for you.
I think now is a good time to start since Jay and I will be celebrating 16years of marriage on July 9th!! It will be fun to spend our anniversary looking back over the last year of marriage and see all the fun things we have done together as a family.
So it Begins....
This summer, so far, we have enjoyed spending time with friends, hanging out at the pool and gardening. Jay is especially attached to the carrots and green beans. It is so cute seeing him dig through the green bean bushes "hunting" for dinner. It is a far cry from bow hunting but we know longer live on wooded acreage. (I am proud you have found an outlet, Honey!)
At first, I thought the garden would be a great way for the kids to have some extra responsibility since their chores have decreased but...Jay and I love it so much it isn't work, it is a hobby. Sorry kids, I guess that is why you are stuck cleaning the bathroom and vacuuming.
I am constantly taking pictures of the flowers and veggies. I am in wonder at how God created a little bitty seed to turn into a beautiful flower, it's amazing. I have grown roses and herbs in the past but gardening this summer is different some how. I think it is because we have less to take care of. We have no yard to mow and have cut our living space in half. That leaves lots of time to watch the plants grow. Plus, it is a social affair. It isn't uncommon to see six or eight people standing around the garden at night watering and talking. The sense of community we feel this summer is like nothing we have ever known. I take that back...Whidbey Island...in many ways this feels like our time when we lived in base housing 16 years ago....how time flies.
Honey, we have taken a full circle! What a sense of humor the Lord has.
Claira loves to play and read books to the little ones. Emily, Claira & Anna
Happy Birthday to Me thanks to Woodway friends: Amy, Me, Angela Kids: Shopie, Paxton & Claira.
Luc and Sophie spent the night. She and Claira played in the pool while JT and Luc played baseball. 
Claira was dying to swim as soon as the cover came off the Woodway pool. If I remember correctly it had been cloudy all week and the water was freezing. I finally relented and let Claira swim but I told her that I was too old to get into cold water. She just kept going on and on about me getting in but there was no way. She finally decided to ask our neighbor and good friend Micheal to swim with her because in Claira's words, "Micheal, is practically my age!" As you can see from the picture I believe he is or a sucker for sweet Claira!
The funny thing about our squash plants is that 
