A Week of July Goodness

I do love summer time. 

Making smoothies for breakfast. Buirlen's all about helping push the buttons. 

He's a classy dresser

At the beginning of the week, I had another ultrasound because they hadn't gotten all the pictures they wanted at our 20 week appointment. Sweet baby girl is doing good. We are now at 25 weeks with 15ish left to go!

Earlier this week, Buirlen and I were going to go work in the garden. I needed something from the barn, so we went there first. When I opened the door I heard some sort of critter rustling around, which startled me and I shut the door. Suddenly, a cat(we don't have a cat) came flying out from underneath the larger door, scaring both Buirlen and I good and proper. I still needed what I had come for, so I braved the main door once again only to find there was still something in there, then I realized it was kittens. I haven't managed to get a look at them since, but Luke has seen them a couple of times. Buirlen was sufficiently shook up(We both were) and wouldn't let me put him down until we got to the garden, which I managed to convince him was a safe place. 

Exploring the sunflower forest in the garden. 

So, I was convinced I'd planted beets. However, as the plants have come up, they don't look like what I thought beets looked like, they don't have any red on the leaves. My father-in-law said it might still be a beet just not a red one, or maybe I didn't pay close enough attention to the package. We shall see I guess. 

Fresh basil from the garden for our pizza. 

I mowed the law this weekend, I will say that is a summer job I quite enjoy. 

There are several trees in our backyard. I had assumed they were crab apples, but with my mowing escapades this summer I've taken a closer look and i'm wondering if we have a plum tree. 

Luke spent last summer working on residing our house. He got the entire house done before winter set in, but the garage had to be put on hold. So this summer he has been working on that. It's going to look SOOOOOO good once it's all completed. 

Buirlen has recently taken an interest in what he wears and he has a few different shirts that are favorites. He has had days were the shirt he wants is dirty and that is stressful. The other day he brought me his car shirt and I told him it was dirty and needed to be washed. He promptly went to the sink to do just that...

Morning devotions. 

Helping Daddy and Uncle Jordan work on the car. 

I made naan this week. I do love the feeling of dough as it gets to the right consistency when kneaded. 

May the week ahead be wonderful!

"The most beautiful things in life cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt with the heart." ~Hellen Keller

Long Time No Talk...Summer 2019

So, I realize it has been a coon's age since I last did a blog post(5 months and 11 days to be more exact)...Ooops. So here you go, a Williams Family update.

In March our sweet Buirlen Elder turned 2. He thought having candles to blow out was the bees knees and we had to have candles for the leftover cake as well. Good times. He currently loves sharks and trains and babies, is trying hard to increase his vocabulary, thinks having a cup of cocoa/coffee in the morning is important, and makes life fun. 

We also bought a new, double reclining couch(something I'd been wishing for for awhile)...Buirlen occasionally considers it to be an amusement park ride

Also in March we got the happy news that we were expecting Baby Williams #2, due to arrive November 9th. We have since found out that this sweet baby is a girl and we are excited to meet her in a few months. 

This picture was taken today, I am currently 24 weeks. 

In May, we had the opportunity to take a trip down to visit my parents for Memorial Day. We also got to stop in and visit Luke's sister Anna and her family as well as make a quick trip over to Jackson to see my grandparents. I am really glad we made that extra leg of the trip because we were able to see my Grandpa Kinney one last time before he died a couple weeks later. In the beginning of June, we were back in Jackson for the funeral. 

A day at the zoo with Ama, Poppy and the aunts and uncles. 

Summer at Ama and Poppy's house

Catching up with Grandpa and Grandma Shearer

One last visit with Grandpa Kinney. I am sad that he is gone, but I have been very aware of how blessed I am that this is the first grandparent I've lost. A lot of people can't say they made it to almost 30 years old with all of their grandparents still playing an important role in their lives. 

I so wish Grandpa had held on a little longer so that I could tell him that this new baby is a girl. He had been hoping and praying for me to have a girl for a long time. He'd be so pleased. 

Spending some time with both of my grandmas at the funeral. 

So funny story, before the funeral started, I was standing with my aunt, dad, and I think Grandma Shearer in the sanctuary. The church had an open baptistry in the back that stands about 3 feet high and is open water with a ledge all around it. I felt the need to sit down and the edge of the baptistry was there and at the time seemed like a good option, unfortunately I sat too far back and sat in the baptistry, resulting in a wet and soggy situation. I was thankful I had chosen to wear the skirt I did rather than the dark blue one I had also packed, which would have made it a lot more obvious that I was sopping wet...Good times. 

The week after the funeral, my younger sisters came home with us to spend a week. Buirlen loves having his aunties around. It makes for good fun. 

Other summer goodness 

Gardening

The sunflower forest is growing fast

Checking out the fish at the local greenhouse. 

Watering Mama's flowers

Keeping it cool

4th of July

Dapper Fellows...This boy loves being like his Daddy

Being helpful

Strawberry picking and fun with cousins. 

To use Ephraim's terminology, they are "Best Boys"

   The 3 Musketeers. I love their little friendships.

Yesterday was my 30th birthday, wait what, I'm 30?!! It's true. We had a lovely day in Duluth with my Dad. 

I finally got the chance to try Betty's Pies, a place apparently everyone and their uncle visits when they go to the North Shore. It was pretty good. 

Hanging out with Poppy

The water was chilly, but he didn't seem to mind. 

Checking out a ginormous train. 

Hammering in the Golden Spike. We learned that this year is the 150th anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad. 

So there you have it. I hope this finds you having a lovely summer of your own. 

"I'll look back on this and smile, because it was life and I decided to live it."~Unknown