Splash - August 2011

Our splash this month is from Mandy Bartlett's barn.  It's a dilapidated out building really.  Not even a barn.  It's cool, though, and has character.  Like Mandy.  And like my BallTeam.  JMichael is obviously more interested in the horses out in the pasture and I remember he was upset that Josephine was posing like a photographic subject and not listening to him show her the horses.  They each have their own personalities, despite the fact that they come from the same parents, raised in the same house.  God bless them, every one.

Girl's Camp 2011

Rachel and Samantha left us this summer for a week to go to Girl's Camp. They were up in Boonesville, AR, and it was hot. HOT. I'm talking 110 degrees and humid. It was the one week this summer with no rain and record breaking temperatures. Hot, hot hot and humid. They were well taken care of, though, because they are already talking about when they get to go back next year. They had plenty of water to drink, a great group of leaders and in the whole group of approximately 200 girls, only two scorpion bites. Yikes.

Happy Anniversary

The year was 1966. Our nation was in turmoil over a "police action" in Southeast Asia. Wayne was a new airman, only 23 years old. Juanita was a high school junior working at the base coffee-shop. They met over coffee and algebra homework. They jumped in, side by side, and married on August 19, 1966. By October, of the same year, Wayne was sent to Vietnam and forced to leave his young bride. While he was serving his country, Juanita delivered their first child alone. Two sons followed; many trials, adventures and joys followed. Forty-five years later, they are still holding hands as they walk side by side. Happy Anniversary, Dad and Ma! You crazy kids.... :)

Back to the Books .... 2011

It's that time of year again: the BallTeam is back in school. The school district keeps moving up the start date, and it makes summer so short. Nonetheless, I think the ladies will each admit they are ready to get back to structure and friends and projects, even if it means getting up early and doing homework! This year we have two in elementary school and two in junior high. And who could forget the little man, still home and loving his alone time with Daddy? Well, I forgot him. He's not in any of these pictures because he was snoozing happily while all the ladies were up and off to school ... what a good boy!

The Close of Summer 2011

WARNING: tons of pictures! (yay!)

Goodbye Summer 2011. We were good together, but, we must move on. Here are a few last shots: some goofy, some sweet, and most of them a good mix of sweet/goofy.

Samantha and Laura captured paratroopers on Fourth of July

Road trip shots - a lollipop meets PacMan. c/o Rachel

Rachel and Samantha showing their personalities at my office. They rode their bikes there one day and had lunch with me.

Rachel working hard at Keeper Camp. In the HEAT...

Cool shot of Joey at the top of the slide at the playground.

New haircuts and lost teeth!

Goofballs at the store. We were waiting on a prescription....

The swimmer in her element. Charlie at practice.

The "little three" cruising the backyard in the Barbie Jeep.

Posing for Mom at the Park.

Goodbye Summer 2011 - hello school and cooler weather.

Samantha is Twelve

Samantha did it. We told her not to. We told her to slow down and be a little kid. But she went ahead a did it. She turned twelve. Samantha is whimsical kid. She is ever-changing. She likes to be entertained and busy. She likes to explore and imagine. Samantha, at twelve years old, is now in the Young Women's program at church (in other words, she gets to leave the little kid program and hang out with the teenagers). She loves it. At twelve, she is going into the seventh grade - a new school. She likes science and English, and she is in the percussion class, but, as confident as she may appear, she's a typical seventh grader, nervous, but ready to take on a new challenge.

For her birthday, we had her style of cake - a plate full of jellybeans. She opened presents and we made duct tape flip flops. (For all you moms out there, do not try this at home. It was fun, but, they didn't last on their feet any longer than it took to make them. I don't recommend it.) We played with the duct tape; that was more fun. We gave her a puppy. True, we are lunatics. With five kids and two dogs already, we didn't really need an extra animal, right? But Samantha was sad when Lexi left, so we found this sweet pup on CraigsList - for free! - and she is a keeper. Her name is Luna, and she sleeps with Samantha, is house broken, loves to play, and came spayed with all her shots and freshly groomed. I think Samantha was really surprised. All pictured above is Skittle in her new outfit from her grandparents - all ready for Young Women.

Samantha is a great playmate for the younger kids; I hope she keeps her enthusiasm and spontaneity forever. She loves fruit and candy (so much that we call her Skittle). Samantha is independent and sometimes solitary. She, more than the other kids, is the one keeping to herself. She is athletic naturally and loves to push herself. Happy Birthday, Samantha. We love you, Skittle!