Summer Shows

We recently switched our internet service from a Mi-Fi (cellular signal) to DSL, and are enjoying unlimited streaming of Amazon Prime through our blu-ray player.

The girls discovered the show H2O: Just Add Water, and have watched all 3 seasons.  Their daddy likes to tease them about watching their "vampire show," but it's really about teenage mermaids.

Caeden has been watching episodes of the old cartoon The Pink Panther and Friends.

And, of course, this summer we have watched The LEGO Movie at least a dozen times. Every time we find a friend who hasn't seen it yet, we sit down to watch it again with them.

We don't have satellite, and the only network channel we can get consistently is Fox, so we don't watch much regular TV.  Jeremy and I tried watching a bit of Parks and Rec but just didn't get into it. We've watched all of Modern Family that we can get on Netflix DVD and are back to catching up on Big Bang Theory now.

Quality Time

While the girls were at camp today, Caeden and I went to McDonald's.  He enjoyed playing on the PlayPlace and with Legos.

It's so nice to have unscheduled time together.

B Fam Fun

This evening, we had some sweet friends from down the street come over for a cookout.  After we ate, they creamed us in whiffle ball.  

We had such a great time!

Thanks B Family!!  

String Camp Week

This week, the girls are attending String Camp at ISU.  We dropped them off at 8am, and Caeden and I spent the morning at Fusion Brew with an orange snow and a very pretty mocha.

During the 4 hours, the girls have musicianship class, chamber ensemble rehearsal, snack time, private lessons, and orchestra rehearsal.  Today, some photos of orchestra rehearsal were posted on the String Project Facebook page.  Annah is very happy to being playing Violin I this week!

Sylvia is in the cello section!

They were smiling when I picked them up outside Cook Hall.

Sounds like camp is off to a great start!

eJ

Thursday morning, Annah was up early, early to get to the church for the Pivot youth retreat.

Daddy dropped her off before heading to work.  She was very excited.

The trip is called "experience Jesus," and this year's theme was "SELFLESS...it's not about me."

They went to Kings Island.  

They had a full schedule, with sermons and group activities interspersed throughout the day.

On Saturday they got soaked when it stormed while they were at the park.  (They were just pretending to be sad for the picture.)

We picked Annah up this evening, and all the teens seemed tired but content.

ACT

This evening, I took Sylvia and Caeden to see the ACT production of The Little Mermaid.  The show was very sweet, our friends did a great job, and the kids decided they wished they'd auditioned. 

Maybe next summer...

Mini golf

It was quite chilly this morning at 54 degrees!  Sure feels different than our usual July, but I love it!!  We gave Simon this sweatshirt the kids have outgrown--totally appropriate.  

This evening, we met Jeremy at work, then went back to SF park.  "Uncle Jeremy" picked up some LC's on the way.  Andrew was a very careful helper, getting the root beer from the car to the picnic table.  

The boys have been hoping and hoping all week to go mini golfing.  They were so excited!

Celebration!  It went in the hole!

What a privilege it's been to have Andrew and Simon with us this week.  I hope they will have good memories of this time together!

Dancing, Swimming, and Singing

All Lopshire boys must love to dance!  We cranked up some tunes and danced for about an hour in the living room this morning!  

These were part of our playlist:

Walk Like An Egyptian

Get Up Off That Thing

Move

I Like to Move It

Crocodile Rock

A Little Bit More

I Love A Rainy Night

Trashin' the Camp

Kyrie (Mr. Mister, of course)

Tarzan Boy

Monkey's Uncle

Peanut Butter Jelly Time

Don't Stop Believin'

My sis-in-law, Erin, texted me today to say her weather app was saying it was 122 degrees at my house.  She wondered if that was really true.  I looked, and my app said the same!  It was definitely not 122.  It was about 88, actually, which is much warmer than it has been most of the summer!  Good for a laugh though!

Andrew and Simon are enjoying Caeden's trains.  I'm enjoying seeing them played with again!  It's been a while since they've come out from under the bed.  I miss the days of trains!

This evening we took all the kids to SF Park for some swimming.  Both Simon and Andrew are a bit smitten with Sylvia.  Andrew has been trying to arrange alone time with her all week so they can have a date, and Simon is calling her his girlfriend.  Sweet.

We packed our supper and ate at the clubhouse.

The kids looked for fish in the pond, but I don't think they saw any.  There were ducks swimming by though.

We had the most fun swimming!

This is what I got when I said, "Cheese me."  Well, yes, that's certainly cheesy.

Lazy River

You know it's time to get out when you're all prune-fingers!

The kids started a great, loud, worship singalong on our way home.  They sang every word of Strangely Dim, Hold Me, Where I Belong, and a few others too.  It was beautiful!

Racing Pirate Cousins

There's a lot of fun going on around here!

The Darda track is always fun!

Sylvia is not a Wii lover, but she played a little bit of Mario Cart with Simon.

We walked down to the little park in Arrowsmith this afternoon...

...and played PIRATES!

Cousin Visit

While we are praying for Marti's mom Brenda, we have the privilege of Simon and Andrew staying with us so Marti can be with her mom at the hospital in Indianapolis.  Jeremy made a quick trip to Indiana yesterday and got to play poker with his high school buddies (Daniel, Joe, Seth, Steve, and Eric) last night.  He visited his parents, picked up the boys this morning and headed home.

Of course, the first thing the boys had to do was have a light saber fight!  I think this will be a week full of memories made!

Jeremy came home with his mom's accordion!  I think it may take a bit o' practicing to learn a polka!

Four Four Eyes in the Fam

The kids and I had appointments with the eye doctor today.  

Both girls had to get new lenses because their prescriptions changed a bit.  Sylvia's changed more than Annah's.

They were able to do new lenses for the girls while Caeden had his appointment--really quick!

And, Caeden had a milestone day!  He got glasses for the first time!  He looks so handsome in them!!