July 1
Afternoon walk with Grandpa, Knox, and Ella
Afternoon walk with Grandpa, Knox, and Ella
She loves to wear hats
July 3
M-O-O-N
M-O-O-N
July 4
Celebrated Independence Day in our backyard with family
Celebrated Independence Day in our backyard with family
Neil grillin' those ribs
Chow Time
Fillin' up those plates with ribs, cole slaw, pasta salad, potato salad, baked beans, stuffed eggs, and corn
Neil and me cranking up two ice cream freezers
Ella doesn't mind leaving fingerprints on your glasses
Traditional pic of the cousins
Outtake
Ella wasn't having it
Outtake
Ella wasn't having it
Ella still wasn't having it
Independence Day 2020
From left are Ella, Kerry, Alex, Laura, Katelyn, Julia, Elijah, Holly, Don, Ann, Terry, Sarah, Jane, moi, Neil, Kelly, Knox, and Shelby in front
From left are Ella, Kerry, Alex, Laura, Katelyn, Julia, Elijah, Holly, Don, Ann, Terry, Sarah, Jane, moi, Neil, Kelly, Knox, and Shelby in front
While the ice cream churned ...
... we went for our traditional walk around the block to burn off ALL those calories we just consumed (yeah right) and to make room for ....
This!
There's always room for homemade vanilla ice cream
There's always room for homemade vanilla ice cream
Can't wait
Yum!
Brain freeze. Sugar coma.
Ella discovers the joy of homemade ice cream
Ella discovers the joy of homemade ice cream
Sparklers!
Ella's first time holding a sparkler
Ella's first time holding a sparkler
One of the best parts of the Fourth
Off to see the fireworks
We're fortunate that our town goes all out for the Fourth and provides one of the biggest fireworks shows in the state.
We're fortunate that our town goes all out for the Fourth and provides one of the biggest fireworks shows in the state.
I didn't manage to snap any good pics this year. Better to just enjoy the rocket's red glare bombs bursting in air as it's happening and not through a camera viewfinder.
We had a great Independence Day celebration this year. I think we always do.
We had a great Independence Day celebration this year. I think we always do.
July 6
Two spoons. No waiting.
Two spoons. No waiting.
Anything can be a hat
She doesn't mind a little housekeeping
July 7
Moving day
Our daughter Holly and hubby Jerry and kids Shelby and Elijah packed up and moved from the home they'd lived in for nineteen years and into a new house
Moving day
Our daughter Holly and hubby Jerry and kids Shelby and Elijah packed up and moved from the home they'd lived in for nineteen years and into a new house
The view from the front yard of their old home
A new place to start making some great memories
Hard to say goodbye to a home after nineteen years
Thank goodness we can take our memories with us when we leave a place
July 8
Peeps
That timeless childhood summertime tradition
Catching lightning bugs
Catching lightning bugs
July 10
Another day, another hat
Another day, another hat
Another timeless childhood summertime tradition
Climbing trees
Climbing trees
Mommy shoes on the wrong feet and backwards
Learning to float on her back
And yet another timeless summertime tradition not limited to childhood
Peach milkshake from Chick-fil-A
Peach milkshake from Chick-fil-A
When dinosaurs ruled the earth
July 11
The assistant to Ella's swim teacher took these underwater shots with a GoPro
The assistant to Ella's swim teacher took these underwater shots with a GoPro
Her mom got in the pool with her this time which made Ella very happy
They are reaching for each other in this pic
They are reaching for each other in this pic
Knox learned how to shoot a bow
Bull's eye
July 12
After worship service lunch with the fam at El Tapatio
After worship service lunch with the fam at El Tapatio
July 13
Selfies with Smokey
Selfies with Smokey
July 13
My niece Sarah celebrated her quarter-of-a-century birthday
Her mom baked Sarah's fave birthday cake and it was delish
My niece Sarah celebrated her quarter-of-a-century birthday
Her mom baked Sarah's fave birthday cake and it was delish
July 15
Ella is starting to get the hang of floating on her back
Ella is starting to get the hang of floating on her back
July 16
The fifth Beatle
Yeah Yeah Yeah
The fifth Beatle
Yeah Yeah Yeah
Knock knock
Her brother went inside to get Bomb Pops
Her brother went inside to get Bomb Pops
July 18
Granddaughter Shelby turned 19. We brought her a slice of cheesecake and lit a candle to blow out on her special day since she wasn't going to have a birthday party until two days later.
She's rockin' those long locks!
Granddaughter Shelby turned 19. We brought her a slice of cheesecake and lit a candle to blow out on her special day since she wasn't going to have a birthday party until two days later.
She's rockin' those long locks!
Wish Big
July 20
A morning walk complete with hat (of course), her tote bag full of Bubble Guppies, and her Minnie Mouse brush. It's good to be prepared for any eventuality.
A morning walk complete with hat (of course), her tote bag full of Bubble Guppies, and her Minnie Mouse brush. It's good to be prepared for any eventuality.
Another GoPro underwater capture of Ella's swim lesson
When I showed her this pic, she could not stop looking at herself and all the "Bubbles!"
When I showed her this pic, she could not stop looking at herself and all the "Bubbles!"
Summer sunset
Shelby celebrated her 19th birthday, a first birthday party for her in their new home
Elijah and friend Kiara
July 22
Hat Lady ...
July 22
Hat Lady ...
... and artist
July 22
We got together with our grands Shelby and Elijah for dinner (Cracker Barrel) and a movie (Predator)
Always fun. Still can't believe Grandpa forgot to pop popcorn.
We got together with our grands Shelby and Elijah for dinner (Cracker Barrel) and a movie (Predator)
Always fun. Still can't believe Grandpa forgot to pop popcorn.
July 23
Lunch at Mamma Rosa's
July 28
July 29
A rare supper with Holly, Shelby, and Elijah
July 30
It's a right and a privilege and a pleasure
Also, I like early voting
What's in the box?
July 31
She bounces so hard that she flies up off the seat
Bye bye, July, I'm outta here!
That is the truly beautiful and encouraging aspect of freedom, no one struggles for it just for himself.
~Fanny Lewald
Where liberty dwells, there is my country.
~Benjamin Franklin
