~Happy Birthday, Moma, and our 4th of July!~

We're in PA right now, so I posted this post with one of my friends, Miriam, by my side.  It was fun having her and her sisters Esther and Mary looking over my shoulder as I blogged.  =)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~On Monday and Tuesday, July 8th and 9th, our family got to go over to Daddy and Moma's house.
Moma turned 71...and we got to be with her for those couple days before her birthday.   The day before her birthday I quickly ran to a store and bought a cheesecake and we celebrated...in the midst of helping Daddy and Moma pack!
We had a wonderful couple days together!  We love you tons, Daddy and Moma!~

 ~Moma's birthday cheesecake!~

 

 

 ~As you knew we were hurrying back from AZ to go camping over 4th of July with my sister and her family.  Well...then we heard that it was going to RAIN!!!! most of the week.  

So, we decided to stay at home, but still be together with the Hausmans...like we were camping.  We unpacked, organized our basement, etc., but still got to spend lots of F.U.N. time with the Hausmans! We also ate all our meals together for those few days.    =)

Here's a pic of Elijah on our RAINY 4th of July!~

 ~In the midst of that week there were things and boxes, suitcases, etc. sitting all over my house while we tried to unpack, and then repack to head out again. 
(The gray bench is the church van back seat that we took out so we'd have extra room while traveling out west!)
So, this sign that I just bought at a thrift store was my inspiration.  

It says:

"My house was clean last week.....sorry you MISSED IT!!"  =) ~

~Yummy banana muffins that my dear sister Laura made for us to welcome us home.~

~We got home Wednesday evening...on the 3rd of July.  Daryl and Laura had us over to their house for a yummy taco salad supper and we had a blast being together again with their familhy after 2 months of us being out west on deputation!  Then next morning we had a yummy breakfast and supper over at their house too.~

~But, I HAD to at least make a 4th of July table in our house...to help my heart.  ~

~I LOVE these little tin pitchers (red one) from Dollar Tree.~

~The sparklers in a fun red and white tin...by my chalkboard.~

~Then Daryl and Phillip helped me by moving a bookshelf downstairs.~

~Kimberly took these fun pictures of little Mary!~

~Daryl and Laura's kids and ours on the 4th.~

~Kimberly, and her cousisn Natasha, and Brittany.~

~My sweet sister and I.~

~Sarah and her cousin Darla.~

~Bryan, Noah, Elijah, and Mary.~

~Elijah and his lil' sis Mary.  They are best BUDS...when they aren't fighting.  =) ~

~Daryl grilling out.~

~Yummy 4th of July meal.~

~Daryl and Laura.~

~Laura's cute tin with ice and drinks.~

~Sarah and Darla ...are supposed to be drying dishes....but I caught them doing something else.  =) ~

~My Phillip bought some sparklers, smoke bombs, and Roman Candles for the kids to enjoy.
Here's Mary with her sparkler.~

~Elijah thought things were getting spooky...so he went and got his helmet on!  =D ~

~Mary and her cousin Brittany.~

~Since we were out west and driving home, Laura went shopping and got all the groceries for our "camping trip."  Then when we got back home we paid for our half.  We had some very yummy meals and a VERY FUN few days together with Daryl and Laura and family.  Brittany said, "This has been so fun, it's felt like Christmas!" and I said, "That's EXACTLY what I wanted it to feel like!"  =)
One morning Laura gave me the ingredients to make breakfast burritos and I made and served them at our house.
I used my new galivinized bucket and wrote a paper saying, "Happy 4th!" and Laura added some red, white, and blue star marshmallows for our hot chocolate.  Yes, you read that right.  It was rainy outside and sort of chilly, so I served a choice of hot chocolate or coffee for breakfast.~

~Our patriotic fruit for breakfast.~

~My breakfast table for the 5th!
We had so MUCH FUN being together with the Hausmans for those days.  We laughed lots, prayed together, ate great food~