hi!

 wow..i didn't realize i hadn't blogged since monday?!? have been busy enjoying these last days of summer. they've been perfect. sleeping in (for the kids), bike-riding for HOURS, letting them play and come up with fun ideas like putting on "snow white" - costumes and all! my heart has been SO happy. and i've tried my best to sit and enjoy them...without the computer, or my phone, and sometimes even  my camera (though i have to document it SOMEtimes! :-))

a SWEET friend emailed this morning, worried about me because i hadn't blogged :-) i LOVED this line from her email:  "I can be in your place in 10 with straws and meat. And a hug. And sweet potatoes." it's nice to be KNOWN! :-)

i don't even think these pictures are in order. but here's a snapshot of the week!

our sweet bible time in the afternooon...

 took JUST lincoln and levi for their well-checks one afternoon. it was fun to be just the 3 of us!

 they are 2 healthy little boys!

 i am really trying to STOP and enjoy my food when i eat. but sometimes it still has to be on the run...but, with a little planning ahead, it can still be healthy! (kielbasa, jicama and sweet potato strings - all leftovers and heated up)

 joshua's first Big Mac - lunch with my mom - he was a fan :-)

 we've ridden our bikes miles and MILES this week!

 and took some fun pit stops along the way...

 on a bike ride one afternoon, we found a FUN creek. they wanted to go back with nets to catch fish. so we did. the next morning. we rode our bikes, packed our lunch and stayed for 1 1/2 hours! the kids came up with the idea to BUILD A BRIDGE. right. really?? they totally did it!

 it was awesome to watch them work together!

 lincoln is a HARD worker.

 and joshua is a GREAT big brother!

 their finished bridge! it REALLY worked!

 and joshua just HAD to test it out with his bike. he totally ended up in the water, with a skinned/bruised knee from this. but i think he would have done it all over again.

 finished a craft we've been working on for a MONTH (will share more soon!)

 don't you play the recorder when you ride your bike?

 he LOVES riding his bike with no training wheels!

 the kids hadn't seen pat from sunday night until wed nite - he had some late nights and didn't seem them in the mornings because they were sleeping in. they were SO excited to see him when he got home wed nite. this was his welcome...the sign says, "welcome home, dad!!"

i don't think i've ever gotten that kind of welcome?? :-)

see why i haven't been here? these guys are SUCH joy!

also, we are leaving tomorrow morning for a week away at the beach with friends!! LOTS of planning and shopping and cooking and packing to get ready for that! we can't WAIT!!!