Free Kool-aid & Lemonaid

The kids decorating their sign for the BIG give away! It took a lot for Alli to let Landon scribble on one side of the sign.

With each passing car, Alli was going into a deep depression :) So she called her Pop, who said he would be on his way! As she hung up the phone she got five customers, the man below was their first, they were so excited! Landon even wanted him to follow him into the garage to show him how he played the drums, oh goodness, my ever so trusting children, I'm going to have to keep a close eye on them.

Here's our Pop...he thought this was so cute and was going to take his own pics if he hadn't left his camera in his own car, he even asked me if I was taking pictures, WELL OF COURSE, c'mon now! :)

After Pop left, we closed up shop, it was getting soooooo hot out there, and Anderson couldn't handle it any longer, even in the shade. We might pull it back out tonight when the walkers come by. One of their customers asked if they took donations and Alli kept telling him no, that it was free. She is so funny. So I had to pull her aside and tell her that if they want to give you money that it is okay to take it even though the sign says it is free. So off to Target we shall go...she told me she wants to be rich and then followed it up with a "WAAAAHHHAHHAHHAHH!" (head tilted back with such dramatics) "I'm Rico!" <--Hannah Montanah, I guess you would have to see the show, but I thought it was so funny.

I told her that she didn't have to be rich, and then she told me..."Actually I'm making this money for daddy, because he's poor and really broke." I was laughing so hard, I couldn't wait to tell Ken, he too had a good laugh...oh our sweet little girl, always looking out for others :)

Visiting Our Mills Family

Last week we took a small teeny tiny trip to Oil City, it was about 40 minutes away, but it was a quick drive because I stopped at the Starbucks at 220 and that broke it up a bit :) As soon as we got there the kids were running around playing like the good ol' days! Angela and I were talking it up and loving on the baby and it was just really nice.

I had to post the photo above because I didn't notice Alli pulling Anderson's mouth open and his cute little tongue until I developed it, too funny...this is the 20x30 I need to hang on my wall!

Knee-boarding Baby Girl

Yes, it's true, my little girl knows how to knee board. I wasn't nervous about it, I just really didn't think she could do it...and of course I was proven wrong. She got into the water and swam out a bit with her board with all of the confidence her little five year old heart could hold and DID IT! I was so proud of her, I was smiling so big, hoping she could see me past all of the water splashing in her sun kissed face.

Watching her I was thinking about how happy of a childhood she has and is going to have...what great memories that she will be able to take with her and pass on, being able to grow up on the lake.

Some Photos from the Fourth of July Weekend

More Smores Please!

Yea! We finally made smores at the camp! I don't particularly like Marshmallow, or graham crackers, or plain chocolate, but put them together and I don't care what crumbs fall from my mouth or how much mallow-goo is stringing from my chin, I can eat those up!

A Quick Morning Family Shoot

OH MY! This was tough....I emailed all my fam girls with kiddos to get together to capture one 8x10 pic of all of our Mamaws great grandchildren for an already existing frame awaiting the photo. I thought while we were at it, we would get some shots of the kids by themselves as well. Just let me say how much I LOVE taking photos of one subject at a time! Don't get me wrong, I love the challenge as much as the next photographer, but when it is your own babies that you are trying to work with it can be a bit stressful... <---which was the understatement of the day. Any way...30 frames later, I find myself staring at the ONE photo that will do the job, and it is a bit sad, but lets face it...sometimes we just need to capture the moment and go with it. So for years to come, and kids to come, those who walk through the doors of Goonies house including all of us that were there that morning will look at it and smile, because this was THEM, on that day, at that moment in time.

Our Little Miss Lily Sue: If this kid can't make you grin from cheek to cheek, I don't know a kid that can!

The Merrill Grandkid Clan

Edward Connor: He has such a sweet gentle heart this one, and such the little peace maker

My Landon Everett: Oh he is BITTERSWEET this one, you could just squeeze him and love on him for hours, or you could be putting him in time out all day, either way, he has my HEART

Allison Renea: My very first BABY LOVE and now my BIG helper...this girl has it all, beauty and brains, and can find the best in everyone....I shouldn't forget to mention her sassyness, drama and independence either...I would hate to not make note of those.

Princess Olivia Ann: I'm her "Shell Shell" and she is my "Stinky Muffin"...I love this one like I do my own, and she is now ours forever as of June 30, 2008! This one will give you a run for your money, watch out!

Here are Nana & Pops grandchildren, hopefully this bunch will become much bigger in the days to come!