baptisms

Sarah, after finding a pink marker this morning::  we love pink, just not this much.

Today is the first day of summer vacation.  I took Jacob and Ethan to the orthodontist and then we went to a sports store and then Costco.  Grace stayed home to watch Sarah, who was tired out, and I took Caleb and Seth with me.

At the dentist, Caleb and Seth were playing with big lego cars that they found in the waiting room toybox.  Seth made me laugh when out of the blue he said to Caleb, "Can you fix my bottom?  It isn't working right."  It took me just a second to realize he meant his car was falling apart.

at the orthodontist, this morning

I laughed again while we were shopping.  Jacob poked Caleb (7 years) and Caleb said, "I hate being the third youngest!"  It made me laugh, to hear how specific he was.  Caleb has four older siblings and two younger ones. 

So now we are back home and I'm forcing the reading children to read quietly for 45 minutes.  They are rebelling.  Jacob said it's just like being in school during SSR.  "What in the world is SSR?" I asked.  "Silent Sustained Reading", he said. 

I chose the books from our own collection and gave Jacob a book on Abraham Lincoln, Ethan The Lamplighter, and Grace Little Town on the Prairie.   Caleb is reading An Army of Frogs.  David, our other reader, isn't here.  He's at Six Flags with his friend. 

Little House, with a very sleepy kitty

Seth is playing quietly and Sarah is still napping.

It's 94 degrees and humid outside.  We will go outside to swim later on.

After church on Sunday we had one of our annual summer picnics.  There are about 3 or 4 of them, at various church members' homes.  The one on Sunday was at an apple orchard, owned by a couple from church.  They live in an old family home, very country and lovely, the property has big beautiful trees around so the house is shaded and cool.  We have attended this church for almost 2 years and I am finally feeling comfortable, secure in the grace filled environment of a healthy church family.  It's all so casual and sincerely nice, truly like family, as it should be.   

This is the orchard shop.  During the picnic, the food tables are set up outside and the desserts are inside.  I love the white picket fence with pink flowers planted in front of it.

Log farmhouse, I love it!  There was a fun game of Frisbee going on.

I thought it was precious when Sarah left my side to go quietly over to her big sister, and hold up her arms to be held.

A group of ladies chatting near a picnic table covered with a pretty table cloth and a potted petunia.

Gary, on the left, is our pastor.  He is also an old friend of my Dad's.  He is an outgoing, friendly, and very smart man who simply loves to preach the gospel, anytime and any place.

There was a pond in which to do baptisms.  The music guys set up the sound system so we could sing hymns.  Here is Caleb (closest to camera, with Rich, Seth F., Ethan, and others, all singing).

This little boy had his testimony written down and folded up in his pocket, to read it to us.  SO dear.

After the first baptism, we sang a couple more hymns.  This is big Mike, with my oldest boy, Jacob.  Ethan is in the background, too.

Then, Shannon shared her testimony and was baptized.  Look at the joy in Gary's face.

Sorry this one is blurry, I accidently focused on the flowers.  I was trying to take a picture of the praise team.  The music is always such a blessing.

The food line. It was "bring a dish to share" and I made my Aunt Carol's three bean salad recipe.

 

3 Bean Salad

 

1 can dark red kidney beans

1 can cut wax beans

1 can cut green beans

1/4 cup diced green pepper

1/4 cup diced onion

1 pkg. Good Season's Italian dressing (prepared per directions)

1-2 Tablespoons sugar-or to taste-

 

Open and drain cans of beans through a colander and place in bowl.  Do not mix any beans, etc. until the very end or they will break into mush--try to be as gentle while mixing as possible.  Add green pepper and onion to bowl.  Add sugar to Italian dressing in cruet and mix by shaking until well blended--immediately add to salad and mix gently.  Refrigerate for at least 4 hours--tastes even better the next day so go ahead and make the day before.  Enjoy!

 

P.S.  The picture is my own salad from Sunday, made with different beans b/c I didn't have the correct ones, still good!

 

 

Summer fun continues now that quiet reading time is over.  Our friends will be here at 3 to go swimming.  And then I'm making a big taco salad for dinner.

Have a great day!
You are loved.