So one thing that we have discovered this summer is a bunch of sand dunes on the river that go out into a giant sand bar. In the first picture, Jeremy is out really far but the water is only up to his knees. So it is like a giant wading pool.
Near the dunes is a dam. Before the dam, there is an area where all this drift wood piles up along the river. I had Jeremy stop because I knew that I needed some but I didn’t know why. 
Today the kids and I made sculptures in our side yard.
The end. :)
I went in the back yard the other day and happened upon Clara making shoes for herself, Hayley, and the neighbor girls out of hosta leaves. They even had matching purses. I love that girl!
The girls did a two day horse camp recently at a local ranch. They were the only two in the class and were riding by themselves within the first hour of class. The horses there were AMAZING!
The girls rode the horses on an obstacle course within the first hour and a half!!
The girls liked the baby horse and painting the horses’ toenails. It looks dangerous where Hayley is sitting… but the horses just stood there!
Grandma brought a lot of July 4th novelties with her. The kids had lots of fun with all the glasses, beads, hats, crowns, you name it, she had it. They enjoyed putting them on themselves and the pets. We went to church in the morning and had the neighborhood parade in the afternoon. Then we had a bbq and lit fireworks. Mom, Johnny, Jeremy and Laurel stayed up until 2am talking. It was nice to be together on such a fun day! (Look down to older post for more pics.)
After Clara’s baptism we all went fishing at a local pond. It is a private pond, that is open for kids to fish at for free. They stock it with rainbow trout. Uncle Kevin and cousin Cody both caught fish with their hands! Everyone caught at least one fish and many caught quite a few! It was so much fun.
Clara was baptized on July 3. We were so lucky to have Grandma and Grandpa Z, Johnny, and the Lloyds come and visit for the occasion. Clara asked me to make the talk I did on baptism really short because as soon as I gave my talk, the baptism itself would take place. She cried after and said that she was so happy. She is such a special girl. Hayley and Aunt Annie sang “A child’s prayer” and Clara did a clarinet solo of “I am a child of God.” It was a great day for our family. That night we had a picnic in a local arboretum with all the cousins and it was so much fun.
So Grandma Wendy and Papa Z and Johnny came for Clara’s baptism. The arrived earlier in the week and I talked my dad into building a small pergola or patio cover over our patio. We worked on it all day with some help from Johnny, and when Jeremy got home from work it was all built and he painted it. My mom and I found the chandelier at the thrift store for $10 and it was brand new. Mom and I hung curtains a few days later. It was really windy when we did this. It was a group effort with Grandma entertaining the kids all day. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Z!
Here’s some pics of the parade on our street. Jeremy and I won the Casey cup award this year. (For outstanding patriotism and patriotic achievement above and beyond our patriotic duty.)
