Cookout

On one of our last nights in the little yellow house on East 4th, we decided to celebrate the blessing this house has been to us. We had a fire, roasted hot-dogs, and made s'mores. Matt and I even brought out the guitars for some tunes in the yard.
Believe it or not, moving out of this tiny abode is bitter-sweet. To be totally honest, there will be just the slightest twinge of pain as we say goodbye to the 'new to Spencer' season this house represents. I've posted before about what a blessing it's been to live here. The Lord continues to mold and discipline us, asking us to walk by faith still today.

Moving calls for changes

We will be moving ...again... tomorrow. After packing up most of the kitchen yesterday, I found serving breakfast this morning a little different. Thankfully, Joey was cooperative and happily ate his Coco-Roos from a plastic cup.
Please pray for our strength, patience, safety, and physical endurance during this move.

The Summer of Independence

Olivia has decided that this summer, she's going to learn how to do things "on her own".  It's so funny that already at the young age of 6, she's quite goal oriented.  Ha! I've been trying to get some photo documentation of some of her independent ventures.  So far, she's tried riding her bike without training wheels, painting her own fingernails, and hit the ball without the "T".  As I'm typing this up, she has reminded me that she wants to learn to garden too:)  This girl cracks me up!  

Here is Olivia getting ready to tackle the 2-wheeled bike, sans training wheels:)

 Below are pics of Olivia trying her hand at fingernail painting...no pun intended. Ahem...

Once she'd mastered her own, she did her sister's

Dance Recital 2011

 Recital this year was enjoyable as always.  Family gathered to show their support to the girls and they danced their little hearts out.  I do regret that it seemed a bit rushed, with the me having to whisk the girls off to the venue a full hour and a half before showtime.  While Matt took the Rudens and Gerdes' on a tour of our "new to us" house, Grandma Lola fed the kids pizza.  Joey was being a complete clown at the supper table, so a lot more giggling was done, rather than eating:)  He does LOVE an audience!

pizza party

 We managed a few pictures before taking off to Spirit Lake, where the girls would dance at the Sami Bedell Center for Performing Arts.

Grandma Lola with the dancers

Gerdes' with the dancers

G-ma and Papa with the dancers

Mom and Dad with the dancers

The girls in their ballet costumes on rehearsal night

Olivia wearing her tap dance costume on rehearsal night

Olivia and Sylvia hanging with Mama backstage.

The dance recital is always a little stressful, but oh so fun!  The girls both did a wonderful job and had a blast in the process.  Thanks especially to all the family that drove to watch the girls perform: Great Grandma Evelyn (failed to get a picture with), Grandma Lola, G-ma and Papa Ruden, Aunt Kiki, Uncle Jesse, and cousins Logan, Lucas, and Grace.