Lamby

 

 

 

Yes, that's right, we are proud owners of a sheep. This sheep almost looks like a goat because of its breed (Jeff will have to write about the details later), but it is because it is for meat and not for wool. He is two weeks old and requires bottle feeding three times a day. He is getting better at it today (so am I), but still is not used to a plastic nipple. He is so gentle and trusting - just laying in our arms completely still. We'll let you know how its going!

Our garden

 

 

 

 

This year's garden has done very well. We have thankfully had lots of consistant rain. Hosanna has taken a real interest in helping and the others enjoying picking the rewards. I call it my garden therapy - nothing like getting my hands in the dirt and yanking out some weeds. We have gotten lots of purple beans - even Jonathon will eat them for dinner.

Pottery Wheel

 

 

Jeff took the children to one of the library's summer reading program events. A local artist brought clay and his pottery wheel and then taught the children how and let them "have a go" at it - even Jeff brought home a plate!

Little Kitty

 

 

About a week ago we discovered that a cat had had her kittens next to our house. Four little fluff balls joined our family. We believe that they were about three weeks old when we found them. The mama had been coming around for food for about the last three weeks...hmmmm... so the kids are loving this! One was a little runt, which I have been trying to help. I extracted a maggot living under its skin as well as trying to deal with an eye infection. We call him "Squint" because of how his little problem makes him squint some times. He is a little friend though, jumping through the grass (as he is too little to walk through it) playing wtih the kids.

More Fun

 

 

 

The return trip from Dollywood afforded Zachary and Hosanna a two hour nap, Jonathan with two hours of babeling and fussying, and Jubilee with a two hour question and answer time. Why was the roller coaster in the dark? Why did they pretend that the house was on fire? Why did they make the ride go down so steep? My favorite part of the day was going back to the pickup truck for lunch. Nothing like escaping the park's lunch prices for a picnic under the camper shell. They sell a bottle of water bottles for $2.50 - we would die of thirst before we could pay that! :) Thank God for big diaper bags!

DollyWood

 

 

 

 

For all those that don't know, Dollywood is Tennessee's version of Great America, with a Southern twist. There are lots of rides, shows, and artisan areas (glass blowing, carriage-making, candle making, etc.) with a hillbilly flavor - very Christian, very fun (esp. for the little ones). So Jubilee was tall enough to ride most of the rides, and there were a few we could all get on. Having three short people with us didn't allow for a lot of roller coasters for me, which is just fine. After the tea cup spinning ride and the Ferris wheel I had just about lost my equilibrium for the day. We managed to get all six of us in the tea cup ride. As the woman came over the check our safety latch Jeff joked, "I think we might be able to squeeze one more in here," to which she replied, "Just give yourselves a few minutes, and that might just happen." Jeff and I laughed - I think the boys look so much like us, that people assume we are the most fertile couple around (that is, next to the Duggars.) That family is my hero - well, maybe my biggest inspiration.