Git'cher Mullberry Sodapop! Illustrations by Libby Jane!

 Gibbie has been dying to have a lemonade stand!  When the Mullberries hit, he did one better and sold Mullbery sodapop from our front stoop!  We have a SodaStream thing that charges the juice with CO2, that I thought was the coolest thing when I was a kid, and apparently, it still is!  The kids get out there and pick the berries themselves.  He was hindered by a scarcity of ice, and some kinks in service, as well as a strange lull in afternoon foot traffic the day we did this project. The business can only grow from here!

On a related family entrepreneurial note, I illustrated a little reader for Logic of English, the reading and spelling curriculum we are using.  I think their materials are so great, I was thrilled to get to do a bit of artwork for them!  You can see (and order!) my reader here.  They also have many free videos, like this one, on teaching technique and content which I have found particularly helpful.

 We entered a fresh-caught turtle in Battle Lake's turtle races this June.  Despite our high hopes, she didn't bring home glory.

 Gibbie and Ezra did some glorious fishing, however!  We ate fresh panfish at nearly every meal, and even had some to take home!

 So wonderful to have lakeside time with Grandmothers and Great-Grandmothers.  The children have been exceptionally blessed in the grandparent department, on both sides of the family!

 All the adults helped remove hooks at one point or another.  It is precious to me that they get to fish with Grandpa Bob, just like Mary and Robert and I did!  Plus, my mom has caught the fishing bug too!

 This summer has been an exciting time for us!  Here are two powerful figures in our life.  John Stanley, of the Church Army, paid us the honor of a visit recently. He biked four hours out of his way, through hours of drenching thunderstorms! He has been something of an Elijah to us.  He stirs things up.  As does John Tolo, and his work right in our neighborhood!

 We've been spending as much time outside as possible, now that the sun's finally shining. (We had almost a solid month of rain here in Minnesota earlier this summer!)  I love the familiar landscapes of our favorite outdoor adventure spots!  This is Crosby Farm Lake park, in St. Paul, on the Mississippi. 

 Willem, like his big brothers, loves to play with the rabbits.  He may be "nursing" this one!