A family tradition!

Thank you SO very much Grandma & Grandpa Warta AND a very BIG THANK YOU to Grandpa & Grandma McClendon for making this trip to the cabin possible year after year. Our summers would not be complete without a week at the cabin. The kids look forward to it all year long!

It has been tradition in the Warta family to set one morning aside for a photo shoot. I am always amazed at how we can get so many people ready in a timely manner.

For some of us, this may be "the" family photo for the annual Christmas letter.

Who knows what was said at the time this photo was taken! Tim & Brian had taken the younger children out exploring in the woods.

I just love this photo of my man and my little man.

All the cousins played so well together.

Keagan spent most of the time around the campfire tending to the fire...

Or shooting his bow.

Bethany found a friend in Matt, Aunt Kate's boyfriend.

Aunt Kate has always had special place in Bethany's heart.

Bethany was so fascinated with the caterpillars and the butterflies. The only problem was...she often forgot where she had left him to play.

Looks like a pretty mischievous hand shake.

Grandma and the girls. I just love the smiles!

Bethany & Hailey had their hair french braided for the first time by Grandma. What a treat!

The weather was so cool this year the ladies really enjoyed visiting indoors.

Hailey ventured out on her 3rd hike to Bald Mt. Way to go Hailey!

Aunt Ashlie & Hailey have always been close. They have a lot in common.

Hailey & Grandpa found a patch of snow at the top of Bald Mt.!

Twice Hailey went out with the guys for a little evening fishing.

While we were taking our family photos in the Meadow, a flock of geese became the target of our mischievous kids.

Hailey was cracking us up with her boldness and funny gestures.

Finally, we remembered to bring the butterfly nets and the bug catchers. Boy, were we glad! There were butterflies everywhere!

Cabin withdrawals!

Every year we spend a week at a cabin in LaPorte with Brian's family. Every year the kids are overjoyed to go and sad when we have to leave. This year was no exception! I will post those photos later when I am caught up on laundry and back on my feet again. Until then, enjoy this video of Bethany as she reminisces about her time at the cabin. I think you will all find this too precious!

13 beautiful years!

Brian and I celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary with a much needed weekend get a way. Thanks Grandpa & Grandma Penterman for making this possible!

Not a typical weekend...

School ended on Thursday followed by a Year End Program & my nieces 8th grade graduation; both on the same night! The next evening my brother graduated from Williams High school. Another late evening. Saturday morning came early as we left for Keagan's last baseball game at 10:30 a.m. The truck was packed with all of our luggage, a wedding gift & food for an end of the season swim/BBQ party. After the game, we headed to Keagan's swim/ BBQ party for baseball. We finished up there around 2:00 p.m. and drove straight to Williams to drop the kiddoes off at my parents house so that we could make it to a 6:00 p.m. wedding in Elk Grove. One of Brian's fellow firefighters was getting married and we took advantage of this time to celebrate our anniversary. By Saturday evening we were both exhausted but very excited to have some time away. On Sunday, we visited Sutter Creek, the Sutter Gold Mine, & the town of Jackson. We always enjoy exploring the history of California together. On Monday, we did a little bit of shopping in the Roseville area before treating my folks to a home-cooked meal. (Something they have looked forward to us doing for them every few months)

We had a wonderful weekend getting rested, reconnecting with one another & planning out our summer!

Campin' with the girls...

The last few weeks of school were packed full of field trips, class parties, fun days & programs. Hailey's #1 highlight of the school year was by far the "Rock 'n' Water trip to Coloma, Ca. I was honored to chaperon her and 2 of her school friends, Chloe & Amaris. Adults were encouraged & expected to behave as if we were 10 again. In two days, we participated in the following:
-toured the town of Coloma & visited the Gold Bug Mine in Placerville,
-went on numerous nature hikes where we learned the uses of common plants
-learned to square dance, gold pan, ground wheat on a millstone
-played botching ball (among other games)& swung high on a tree swing
-made postcards with an old fashioned press and a 3 ft. piece of rope
-pitched & disassembled a tent(keeping 3, 10 year old girls, focused was a bit challenging!),
-ate yummy, yummy food & washed our own dishes
-met new friends (including Hailey's pen pal, Olivia)
-were entertained, challenged & inspired by all the live actors (the camp's staff) to seek God's will daily and to find God in everything we do.

I am SO excited about Keagan & Brian having this same experience in 2 years!

Director, Clem, had to give Hailey a "huggin' lesson" after feeling her limp hand shake. Let's just say, Hailey will always give a firm handshake and a big squeeze when being hugged.

All the adults had to wear these "scalp scraper" helmets when entering the mines. I was no taller than most of the kids, but I still had to follow the rules.

The first day was extremely hot. The girls & all of the adults had to take several pit stops to rehydrate & cool off.

Everyone was given less than 20 minutes to unload their belongings from the cars & set up camp before dinner. Let's just say, most of us came to dinner as sweaty pigs.

Our campfire band kept us in stitches.

Square dancing was SUPER fun!

You can take the girl out of the country but you can't take the country out of the girl!

Making rope.

Gold panning.

"I just know I have to have some gold", Hailey thought. She was right. She did find 2 small flakes.

Making post cards.

F.C.S 4th grade students, teachers & parents along with 2 other Christian school groups & the "Rock 'n' Water" staff.

The Rock 'n' Water staff was like watching the F.C.S. Players perform.

A Sutter Buttes hike with my son...

Back in April I had the privilege of joining Keagan's 2nd grade class for a day in the Sutter Buttes. The rather large group of parents, teachers, and students were divided into two groups and assigned a tour guide. Keagan was fascinated with our guide and was excited to ask him questions. I was so proud of his boldness! We saw many historical sites including the Hughes family cemetery and learned many interesting facts about the history of the Sutter Buttes. We ate a picnic lunch on the top of a grassy hill. The view was breathtaking!