July

On the 4th of July weekend, Mike surprised us ALL with a trip home!  He was able to join us to see Finding Dory.

Judith attended another birthday party for her friend Robyn.  She got to ride a horse.

We were excited that Brian, Laney, and Lucia were in town!  We met them at the Maryland Science Center and had some learning fun.  We enjoyed a planetarium show.

Judith and Jonas loved playing with Lucia.

Allison and Spearman families at the Inner Harbor, Baltimore.

Jonas attempting to entertain Lucia as we waited for dinner.

After a good seafood dinner at Nick's Fish House, we said see ya later to the Spearmans.  

Sadly, on the 4th of July we had to drop Mike off at the airport.  Then we joined our neighbors for a crab feast.

The 4th of July kind of got rained out.  So some places had their show on the 5th of July.  We enjoyed a show in Catonsville.

Later that week, we headed to Altoona, Pennsylvania near my friend Susan's small home town.  We swam at Glendale Lake on Saturday evening and rented a paddleboat for about 15 minutes.

The next day, we rented a pontoon boat and swam in Gallitzen State Park.  It was so pretty!

The Stawas, Smith, and Allison families.

Ezra lost his 3rd top tooth.

Ezra enjoyed a play date at the Maryland Science Center with his friend Charlie from school.  Here they are launching their paper airplanes.

Jonas needs a dentist.  Just kidding.  He bought these with his own money from the Dollar Store.

Another breakfast in bed with a sweet note.  Don't know what I did to deserve such great kids!

Jonas did this with absolutely no prompting from me.  I didn't even know what he was up to until he called me out to see it.  Gotta love my military kiddos.

We made it to several shows at the library this summer.   This was a puppet show.

I enjoyed a night out to see a cover band with these crazies.

Judith enjoying some fro yo at Jason's Deli.

Jonas' 8th Birthday

Jonas wanted to take a few friends on an Urban Pirate adventure to celebrate his 8th birthday.

I made a pirate hat cake.  

Jonas started the day with birthday donuts.

His friends came over for some lunch and cake.

Jonas and his friend Christian.

The pirate crew.  Judith, Jaxson, Sean, Jonas, Christian, Cameron, and Ezra.

Showing some pirate muscles.  I didn't notice that the pirate guy totally photo bombed the pic.

Jonas getting a pirate tattoo.

Jonas and Christian manning the cannons.

Judith and Jaxson manning the cannons.

Jonas shooting Black Beard the pirate with the water cannon.

Jonas and Jaxson partaking in the pirate booty.

Pirate ship birthday photo.

When the entire band of pirates sang happy birthday to Jonas.

He did a great job turning 8!

June

 In June we actually got to have not one, but two pirate ship rides!  Judith was invited to her friend Cameron's birthday party and we set sail in Annapolis.

Ezra and Jonas had their Cub Scout bridging ceremony.  Ezra bridged to Webelos.

Ezra's Den 13.

And Jonas bridged from Wolf to Bear.

Jonas' Den 14.

I helped Judith and Jonas with their I'm a Christian Now books.  

Jonas prayed to ask Jesus to be part of his life back on November 29th of 2015.  He prayed at church and then had some conversations with us at home.  He had a desire to read the Bible and had some attitude shifts citing, "that's not what Jesus would want me to do".  He began his book, but didn't complete it.  When Judith began hers Jonas became very interested in finishing his.

Judith received AWANA awards for completing her book AND the extra credit book!

Jonas finished his book just in time!

At AWANA, if you completed your book, you got to throw a cream pie (aluminum pie plate with whipped cream in it) at two of the leaders.  Judith's pie missed, but she happened to be in the line of fire for some flying whip cream and got hit!  I don't know if you can tell from the picture, but she thought it was hilarious.

Then, there was Judith's Kindergarten Graduation.

In front of her are her classmates, Brady, Soane, and Evan.

She was so excited!  She practiced her songs and rhymes for weeks.

"Judith Allison wants to be an astronaut when she grows up" is what Mrs Mascetti (Kindergarten aid) read.

Judith proudly displaying her diploma.

Judith and her beloved Miss Crawford.

Celebrating at Bob Evans after graduation.

Jonas enjoyed an end of the year ice cream social with his class.

Judith on the last day of kindergarten.

Jonas' last day of 2nd grade.

We celebrated the end of school by making a trip to Port Discovery in Baltimore.

It's firefly season!

We had one week of relaxing by the pool and then it was off to Cub Scout Day Camp!  Here's Ezra with a frog and some grasshoppers he caught.

Jonas had a wonderful den leader, Ms. Jen!

Ezra built his own bug catcher.

Jonas with his BB target.

Ezra and Den Leader Mr. Mike shooting his BB gun.

He did really well!

Ezra with his den.

Ezra with his pals, Ryon and Ryan (no typo there).

Even Judith got to be in a girls "den".  She loved it!

We tried to re-create our Cub Scout Day Camp award ceremony picture from last year.  (The one with Ezra in the red hat is last year.  Ezra in the orange shirt is this year).