Hello from chilly Wisconsin!

As I type this, I have on a big fleece sweatshirt and am wondering if we are going to need our furnace turned on again?

At least it is not raining today!!

We enjoyed our week despite the weather and did have some moments of sunshine that were delicious!

The kiddos signed up for the reading program at the library…which is really not a challenge for them, but it is fun to keep track of their minutes of reading to earn those free books!

My love of reading has yet to return!

I do not have much time to sit still these days – and when I do, I would rather enjoy watching the kiddos!

When we go to the library, we also stop at our Coop!

I bought some greens this week since our garden is not quite ready to eat from!

I am loving smoothies lately.

Especially green ones!

Don’t you love that photo above of Ruby curled up on the couch in the middle of all those books?

She has mellowed quite a bit lately!

She still has a lot of pup in her too, but she is not as rowdy as has been in the past!

That swing on our lower patio is my new FAVORITE place!

Eliza likes to swing with me a lot.

The movement is so good for her!

She took a nap in the crook of my arm on that swing one afternoon and it just filled me up so much!

While she was napping, I was watching Chad play hide-and-go-seek with Lane and Tate.

Buddy, I don’t think this is the best hiding place!

We use the moments of dry weather to work outside too.

My grounds crew is the BEST!

They keep the land looking good!

Thursdays we head to Briar’s place for dinner!

I make and bring dinner, and everyone else comes there after work.

It brings a lot of chaos to Kay – but I know she loves it anyway!

We try to leave their place in great shape before we drive away!

This past Thursday I made sloppy joe’s, which Ellie Joy calls “barbie – shoo!”

I love her!

They have new kitties at Briar’s place, and they are a hit with ALL the kiddos!

One evening last week we had a storm roll in and the clouds were SO majestic.

I took photos standing at the end of our driveway from right to left!

Date night this past Friday was a grocery run.

Not all our dates are glamorous!!

We just enjoy being together!

But this time we literally ripped the grocery list in two, split up and met back at the front of the store when we were done.

We were tired.

Really, really tired!

Saturday was a huge day for the pool project!

The guys got to work early and did not finished until late evening.

The water truck was coming late in the day and they needed to be ready!

First up was getting ready for a load of sand.

The sand was delivered before lunch!

I was snack support!

They ate half of a watermelon in two minutes flat!

Eliza and I went to a bridal shower in the afternoon, and when we got back one load of water had been put in the pool and they were waiting on the second load!

The sun had went away during the afternoon, the temperature had dropped to 60 degrees, and the wind was fierce.

These poor guys have quite the stories to tell of how they did not let that pool fly away as they tried to set it to fill it!

It involves tossing some children into the pool – just saying.

Blake is disappointed that it is not set perfectly square on the foundation they built – but I have to say I think it is fantastic!

Eliza and I had a wonderful time at the shower!

Kayla and Briar went with us too!

Just look at what she filled out for the bride!

All by herself!!

SO CUTE.

Yesterday we celebrated Blake and David – that will be up next!

I just got a text from Chad, who is out with his Dad.

Chad just got a JOB.

He starts in two hours. I’m not kidding!

Okay then, I can’t see through the crying in my eyes to type anymore!

Happy tears! And growing pain tears! All mixed together!

Stay tuned for a post of our sweet Father’s Day yesterday!!