Girls Camp

 Maxie B's was before camp! Every time the Cobia's come back to visit I remember just how much I ADORE them and it makes me miss them all over again. Starting at the left is Mariah, Alena (the only pic I have seen of this child where she is not making a weird face is the family picture hanging on the Cobia's wall, cracks me up!) Sophie, Grace, Nicky, Leslie & Noelle. Jen was not quite back with her cake yet. The Cobia/Hardy Maxie B's date has become a tradition.  If I remember right this was only the 2nd day the girls had been back from Saudi Arabia and they were freaking out about how good the cake was ;)

It was soo hot. I think it is my last Girl's Camp for a while - the heat was hard for me this year. Probably because we had AC in the cabins and going into the cool air periodically does not acclimate  you to the horrid, muggy heat when you are outside! Seriously - mid 90 degree temps with humidity in the 80's-90's also. Now I'll stop complaining - because Girls Camp is awesome and I did have fun. Our ward was camping by ourselves this year and I loved it. The girls bonded from spending so much time together - fun stuff, spiritual stuff, silly stuff. 

I can't believe that Grace & Sophie are 2nd year campers already. I was in charge of the 1st year girls - we had fun. When our trail cleaning/marking was done during service time I took them down to the Haw River to play. Most of them had not been in a river before and were nervous about snakes, etc. It was funny to me because these 6 girls were so loud, I'm sure any wild life within 5 miles of us had left long before we got there!

 

Sophie, Mariah, Grace & Echo Ide

I am so glad to get a picture of Echo with the girls, even if it is a funny one. What a blessing she has been to Grace and Sophie! She has reached out and included them from their first day in YW. She is fun and smart and relaxed and has a strong testimony. She is going to be missed!

Farmer's Market & stuff...

The kid's first farmers market. They did so well - sold almost everything we brought!

This picture of the boys we used to advertise on Facebook to come to the Farmer's Market. This year for the first time I planted flowers in a 4 foot strip right in the middle of the garden. It has been SO amazing to see them grow so well. The sunflowers are enormous! And beautiful, and I have fallen in love with Black Eyed Susans. They grow really well here and I didn't know! Most of the flowers are perennials. I ordered some lavender plants that were developed for the south.  Lavender do not like humidity at all - they are doing so well! Will bloom next year.

Sophie got braces this week. I think she looks so much older in them! The salt water pool at girl's camp turned her lavender hair blueish gray - she like it.

Happy 4th of July

 We drove to Mt. Airy for the 4th again this year and watched the parade in exactly the same spot as last year! I love the store behind us, each of the 2 times I have been there I have found something unique and fun to buy that was inexpensive. Small town 4th of July is just fun. It is a little over an hour to drive, but so relaxed and low key. The parade is full of antique tractors and cars, politicians, military, kids groups, etc. My favorite is the family that dances down the road in the parade. I guess each year they have a huge family reunion in Mt. Airy. They all wear matching T-shirts and dance to cool music. Even the Grandmas and Grandpas boogie a little here and there - it's fun.

Mt. Airy is the birthplace and hometown of Andy Griffith. Mayberry was based on it. We cracked up at this water! Luke planned all week to make a dessert for the 4th. Such an awesome kid!