So I thought I would have a nice easy laid back summer this year. No such luck. I was gone for most of June and then August also, and July was just busy with sewing for my church youth trek. Then school started and we got back to normal. But we do have pictures and so I thought I would show you a bit of what I have been up to:
First, for Father’s Day we got Doug this great new camera from Cannon. It is water-proof, shock-proof, and freeze-proof. We have had a blast with it and have taken it everywhere. We’ve gotten some great shots that we otherwise wouldn’t have been able to get. We took it on the river, twice and got some shots like this:
Splashing in the water and seeing the cool new rock towers everyone is building along side the river. The first trip was great, the second, not so great. We hit too many rocks the boat was unsaveable. Thank goodness for the life vests because that was the only thing keeping us afloat by the end of the second trip.
Sara and Tessa got to spend June out in Iowa with my sister and her family. Then when they came home they had a birthday and turned 12. I can’t believe they are that old. So I made them a little more grown up style of skirt. It is a simple ITY knit skirt with a knit waist band. I cut theirs out like you would a poodle skirt and sewed the waist band on. I didn’t even hem it because it won't unravel. Easy Peasy!!! I even made one for myself. Just bigger. It is a great summer skirt.
We went to the Oregon coast for 9 days. We took the camper and camped out. It was a blast and a whole other post. But a couple of highlights, we went to Smith rock (of course) and it was pretty awsome! Lots of great hikes and climbing. Then the other have to see if you get out that way is the Peterson Rock garden in Redmond. That was pretty incredible and it was all done by one guy!
Erica started pre-school after the girls started school. Here is her first day picture. She is pretty excited and loves going!!
Also because we have this great new camera, we now have lots of pictures like these ones. Lots of underwater shots with friends at the pool and lot s random shots of what ever they see, because we are less worried about them dropping it and so now they take shots to their hearts content!
We went to the air show at Mountain Home Air Force Base and saw the Thunderbirds. We saw them a couple of years ago and this show was just a good! Some shots were great, like these ones and some like the next , weren’t. It’s tricky timing when taking pictures of moving objects that are moving faster than sound.
Amber had a birthday and turned 9. It was not my idea to have her walk down the stairs blindfolded! But the frosting was. 
And it is very Amber!
Then this past week my brother and his family and my mom came out. . Troy and Jen were at a conference for work, so his two little ones hung out with Erica and I and my mom for 2 days. It was lots of fun to have friends to play with. So my mom and I spent the time sewing. We got a few things cut out and sewed for my aunt and I had to make a dress for Avery. (She is my biggest fan!) I made a matchy one for Erica while I was at it. The colors are perfect for fall! I also made Karter a jumper with some Diego material I just happened to have. I didn’t get a picture of him in it. I wish I did, but it was so cute and he loved it!!! He so into Dora and Diego right now. It was lucky I had that material, I don’t usually have boy material on hand. It was fun having them visit. We took pictures of the girls after church, but by the time we got all the kids in there Erica was done. What can you do.
So that is what I have been up to. Just life, but still sewing. I am hopping to get into more of a routine with the kids in school and get some more sewing done. I will also post a picture of a dress I made for MYSELF!!! Very excited about that!
