We did have a life outside of Stormy lake this summer.....

I realize that most of my posts from this summer were from Stormy Lake--and although we did spend a considerable amount of time there, it's also because our time there lends itself to more picture-taking opportunities!

Pool time (this was with the Scribner girls before they moved)

Blake's first official dentist appointment without needing to be on my lap....

Sadie was quite interested....maybe a future dentist?!

One of the families in our small group is building their own house---literally--and so the guys have been helping out a bit on nights and weekends and one day after VBS, a few of us families headed out there to have some lunch and let the kids play!

(this was two full stories off the ground, as you can tell by how Wyatt was cautiously looking over)

The girls were playing fairies and building fairy houses----love the creativity kids have when there aren't any toys around and it's just a pile of dirt and wood and rocks!

But this guy was hard at work!

VBS at church on the last day

Before we left for VBS on the last day, I told Wyatt we had a surprise for him. I drove to a nearby gas station and met Dixie there--they were back in town for her daughter's hockey tournament and I hadn't told my kids about it because I wasn't sure we would be able to see them much. Neither Wyatt nor Titus knew what was going on, but as soon as Titus got out of their car, Wyatt flashed the biggest, most genuine smile and Titus climbed into our car and the boys hugged/wrestled/attacked each other in a rare  sign of affection for one another. Boy did it make me tear up--just to see how much they missed each other and how much joy they both had in seeing each other again. We took Titus and his little brother Onyx to VBS with us that day and the kids had a blast!

A group shot with Gracie (our neighbor) and the Scribner boys

My friend Kim and her three kids came over to play and catch up one morning and the boys were definitely being all-boy!

Tree climbers...

And their own invention...Wyatt pulling Blake in the burley-type thing while Elijah was being pulled on the scooter behind with a rope! He was going quite fast at one point!