June 2011

June came and went in a whirlwind. From Jeff finishing school to taking two family vacations, there was never a dull moment.

The first week of June saw Jeff finish his first "official" year of school. It was an awesome year and he is really looking forward to starting a new one in just a little over a month. Union Christian has been a great fit for him and he is excited to teach a new class or two in the fall.

The following week we headed to Russellville to spend some time with Leigh Ann's side of the family. The Anderson's head to the mission field at the beginning of August and so time spent together is more precious then ever. Everyone enjoyed swimming, eating, and fellowshipping together. We all got a special treat when we visited a hobby farm and we able to play with many animals and even ride a horse. The boys all headed to the lake for a morning of fishing too. A big thank you to Laura for coming and taking some family pics for us.

Next, we packed up and took the very long trip to Wisconsin to visit Jeff's family. The weather was a little on the chilly side compared to Arkansas but it was a welcome relief. We spent part of a day at Bay Beach, a fun park in Green Bay. Eli loved it and went from ride to ride as fast as he could. Thad also enjoyed the rides he was allowed on. Almost everyone took a trip on their newest attraction...a roller coaster! We had a special treat when longtime friends Pete and Dorothy came and spent the day with us along with their daughter Naomi. We also enjoyed breakfast on the farm one morning. As you will see from the pictures, there is no lack of things to do on the farm. One night the boys braved the cold and took a dip in Uncle Doug's pool. We celebrated Thad's first birthday and Father's Day together. Thad wasn't quite sure what to make of all the fuss but loved Grandpa's buttercream frosting. Daddy made him a special sandbox cake because that is where Thad prefers to spend much of his time. While in Wisconsin Thad learned how to stand without holding on to things and took a couple tentative steps. We also enjoyed taking walks, going for bike rides, riding Uncle Doug's tractor, and Daisy...their new lab puppy!

Once back home, we jumped right into Vacation Bible School. This was the first time Eli was able to participate and we were thankful that even though he was "technically" to young the teacher allowed him with the Pre-Kindergarten group. He had a blast and did fantastic. His favorite part were the clowns. At the end of every night, a group of clowns would do several Bible skits. The last night Elijah won a scooter in a drawing and had his face painted by a clown. Life doesn't get much better then that.

We hope you enjoy the MANY pictures. Come back next month to see pictures of Thad's birthday and our new pergola!

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