The Garden

This year has been a good garden year (unlike last year). All the variables balanced out which allowed us to grow our own bountiful baskets. We have gotten about 75 cantaloupes, bushels of yellow squash, some onions, and just the right amount of okra. Jerry and I have given cantaloupes and squash to about everyone we could possibly pawn them off on! The only real disappointment this year were the tomato plants. For some reason they just did not do well!  Marilyn and I did manage to make salsa with some tomatoes we were given in addition to using what few puny ones we had.

All I Wanted.....

July 25 was a "big number" birthday for me. Rick and Marilyn kept asking me what I wanted to do for it. I just wanted to be with all my family for a meal and no gifts.

I must say my birthday was perfect! Everyone pitched in and put together a great meal down at Marilyn's. I was blessed to have all my family there. They did break the "no gifts" request -- but in all fun I received some great "gag" gifts.

Love my peeps!

Isabel Josephine Davis

Marilyn got her second grandchild! Greg, Lisa and Anja (now 22 months olds) welcomed Isabel into the world yesterday. Mom and baby are fine. Although she will probably be called "Izzy," Isabel's middle name comes from Joseph which was Greg's dad's first name. She weighed 8 pounds and was 20 inches long. She is beautiful!

Now we wait on our fourth grandchild who will be here in about two weeks!

Daycare Wears Her Out!

Miss Marlow occasionally needs a cat nap when she gets home from daycare in the afternoons. Such a little precious thing!

A Late Recap of the 4th

Well, another 4th and Firework Season is in the books. With the 4th falling on a Monday, the kids actually had two full weekends to sell. We had lots of meals, fun, and family time. Lisa, Anja, and Chad did not get to be with us at all. Chad was really bummed; this was his first 4th to ever miss! He just couldn't get the time to fly in from Singapore for such a short time. (The upside to this is knowing he and Tara will be coming home to the states for good in October.)

Highlights of the season:

*the guys did three city shows and one private show

*record sales

*Keelie and Justin about 8 months pregnant with #3

*Jenna and Jared with Marlow celebrating her first July 4th

*Lisa in Minnesota 8 and 1/2 months pregnant with #2; Greg facetiming each night

*Jonah and Glory at such fun stages 

*Marilyn taking candid shots of my family

*visited with lots of friends and met new ones

*we survived the heat

*were together as a family with lots of craziness thrown in

Wouldn't take for it!

Wowed by All the Wildlife

We literally saw hundreds of bison on the trip. I was so thrilled to see the grizzly bears and moose. Everywhere we went we saw wildlife!

Our South Dakota/Wyoming Trip 

Rick and I recently flew into Rapid City, South Dakota. Our goal was to visit sites around there as well as drive through Wyoming over to Yellowstone National Park and the surrounding area. We spent the first night in Deadwood, the second night in Cody, the third night in Jackson, the fourth night in Sheridan, and the fifth/sixth nights back in Rapid City. I took 400 pictures and drove our rental car 2000 miles! 

This Girl.....Melts My Heart !