On Backing Out of the Clarke's Driveway...

With Samuel in the car....

Samuel: "Umm..Miss Emily?"

Me: "Hmm?"

Samuel: "That is our car, so it would be good not to back into it."

Me: "Don't worry, we're being very careful."

Samuel: "OK, 'cuz that's our trooper car. It's our car, and it's a trooper. So that's why it's called a trooper."

Later....

Me: (laughing at something else he'd said,) "I love being with you Samuel, you always make me laugh!"

Samuel: "Yea, but I don't know why you laugh."

Me: (Laughing again at his utter sincerity)

Samuel: "I love you Miss Emily"

Me: "I love you too."

Sigh...Awww...

Now that's a precious moment.

I was walking through the park one day...

Yesterday the girls and I took all the the Clarke kids to the park for the morning/part of the afternoon, while Mrs. Clarke did some home school planning at home.


LOTS of PB n' J sandwiches for the picnic lunch.

All ready! Sandwiches, plates, cups, phone, band-aids and a frisbee. (and pepper spray, that's as close to carrying a gun as I can get right now! :)

"Can we pleeese go on the swings first Miss Emily? I want Josh to do an under-dog to me." ~Samuel, age 4

Going down 'the dark slide' on wax paper to make you go faster!

To old for going down the 'the dark slide'? Never.

Exploring the creek. The water was so nice and cool, especially to 9 hot, sweaty kiddos.

Trying to get up the nerve to explore the tunnel

That slide is just irresistable!

Mrs. Clarke gave us some money to walk to the Cenex gas station to buy "a treat"

Say, "hyper!" :)
We all had lots of fun and after Mrs. Clarke brought the little ones home for naps, the other five came here to swim for the rest of the afternoon. I hope you're all having fun in the sun!

PS,

Thanks Samantha and Ali for all your help with the little guys!

Samuel and Meg

Yesterday I was blessed to be able to spend the entire day with Sam and Meg Clarke as the parents and the rest of their family were gone. We had fun going on walks, playing with chalk and playdough and I had fun playing 'house' for a day! I got there at 9am and and we spent the morning outside, came in for lunch and played with playdough. Then after they went down for naps, Samantha and Brad came to stay with them while I ran to fiddling lesson.

After I got back Samantha and Brad went home and Ali stayed with me. After dinner they watched Tom and Jerry while I cleaned up and then we got them ready for bed so when their daddy came home he didn't have to worry about it. Then they wanted to play outside so we put shoes and coats on over their pj's and out we went! Mr. Clarke and Josh got home around 8:30pm and mom came and brought us home.

I hope you all get enjoy the company of life's biggest little blessings, from time to time,

(or all the time if you have them in your family:) and realize what a precious, precious gift the Lord has given to us in these sweet little ones.

(thanks for the great pics Ali!)