Summertime!

From many Busch Gardens trips to camping to baby goats being born and beach time with Grandma and Grandpa, the kids have had a full summer. I enjoy a day at home here and there, but a good morning out seems to be good for all of us on most days. We've been blessed with gorgeous weather this summer and the death of our sweet Renee has encouraged all of our local and close friends to be more intentional with loving and seeing one another. Thanks, Nay. We love you.

We've had many trips with the Klug's to Busch Gardens this summer. I love that Kelly and I are aligned in how to do theme parks with 5 under 5. We've got it down now!

Charlotte and me.

Holding Elsa.

Camping with the Senters and Lees. Love these memories!

God is so good to us with these sweet children.

Busch Gardens in style!

Busch Gardens with Addison!

A 5k at home to support Keesha and Brian's friend who died in a boating accident a few years ago.

More goat time with Addison joining us. After some training I can now take care of Addison by myself! This was my first time and all went well. Plus that desire to be a nurse is fulfilled a bit. How cool is that?! 

We attempted potty training for 1 week. Let's just say he's back in diapers, and I am A-ok with it!

Reading. Yep, that's how he always is. Calm and quiet...

Pool time at Staunton River State Park.

While Mary-Michael was in a vacation Bible school all week in July, Momma and Frazier enjoyed library story times, ice cream at McDonalds (how did I not know a cone there was so cheap?!), splashing in the river at West Point, exploring the Mattaponi in Walkerton and lots of playground time.

Colosse Baptist church (a sweet little country church down the road) put on a really awesome VBS that Mary-Michael went to with Addison. We are preparing for her final performance in this picture.

Here's our little star! She actually performed better than she ever did at any of her preschool shows last year. I saw her lips moving and her feet dancing. Woohoo!

All 4 Burrell cousins got together and we are around the family matriarch, our one and only Nana!

This is a picture of Micah (age 7) who proceeded to dress Frazier (age 2) up in one of his outfits complete with a backwards cap. They danced and then explored the outdoors at Aunt Lem and Uncle Buck's new house. 

Cookout and playtime with Addison, Matt and Brandi.

Love these newlyweds, the Suttmillers! So glad we could see them while in northern VA. (In this picture I had just returned from Niger.)

Look at these two! They thoroughly enjoyed their Myrtle Beach trip with Grandma and Grandpa. What a blessing that is!!

All girl. Thank you, Grandma!

More Busch Gardens with the Klug family!

Busch Gardens with Avery (dear Renee's daughter). I went by myself with a 2, 3 and 4 year old. When all 4 of us made it in the car in one piece, I felt like superwoman.

Frazier and Avery braving the glider.

For Geoff's birthday he enjoyed a Flying Squirrels game with Matt, Zach and Hunter, and a few days later we continued celebrating with a cookout at our house. It was a beautiful evening, and the kids were coated in dirt by the end of the evening. This bath is what resulted: Karis, Brooklynn, Mary-Michael and Avery splish-splashing!

Helping Daddy on the farm.

Sweet Lily - we had a chance to watch her so her momma (Lacey) could set up her classroom. Of course, while having 3 children under 5 at home a cow got out, which resulted in the police and animal control coming out. I offered to have a police officer come stay with the kids, so I could corral him back in. They declined. And they told me they couldn't get a leash on him (um...it's a COW). After many phone calls we got in touch with a farmer friend down the road who nudged him back in. Gotta love being a farmer's wife!