long summer re-cap

I've slacked in my blogging.  Lori is partly to blame.  She introduced me to instagram.  I have had fun posting random pictures there and playing with the color settings.  You may have noticed some tweaking with photos in my posts.  They are ones I played with on instagram.  So here is my re-cap of small happenings from the summer, and most pictures will be from instagram.  In no particular order:

Carter went to his first EFY (Especially for Youth: church retreat for 14-18 year olds) in Kentucky and had his first COW (crush of the week).

Carter borrowed a friend's slack line for a week ( all summer) and we enjoyed playing on it.

 We all had our eyes check, most for the first time.  Jared, Claire and I all came home with glasses to be worn when reading- trouble focusing=headaches for us (Jared and I) or reading the board at school (Claire).  Carter has better than perfect vision-didn't know that was possible.

 While on our annual end of summer rafting trip with friends, we stopped at the Cumberland plateau and enjoyed the scenery and the boys climbing a rock wall.

we helped with a service project "green bean drop"

Did another round of "Chopped" and let Claire cook this time.  It may have been a bit early for her. 

This is the winner-Jared's creation

 Carter got his learner's permit!!!  He is driving and doing great! Just a few grey hairs.

Jared found a new love-smashing things with an axe.  This is just one of the things he has gotten his hands on.

The kids, thanks to Mimi and Grand dad, got to ride in a Zorb!

guns and fairs

 One weekend this past summer we went to a firing range while Claire was at camp.  This is one of those things that I enjoy but not sure why.  This was only my second time and I loved it.  I got a bulls eye my first shot!  Boys loved it too.  That same weekend we headed to a small county fair and enjoyed riding familiar rides and eating not so healthy food.

Funny story from the fair.  I really wanted to ride the swings with the kids, but I had flip flops on which weren't allowed.  So my kind husband let me wear his tennis shoes while I rode and he shoved his feet in my flip flops.  This mortified Carter.  Not me with huge men's tennis shoes on, but Allen with my flip flops.  He kept saying, "Dad, stop.  Oh my gosh dad, take those off!  I can't stay by you, this is so embarrassing."It was so funny!  We decided that this was the first time Carter has been embarrassed by one of his parents.  Which is funny that this is what he chooses to be embarrassed by.  He is our teenager who still hugs and kisses Allen and I in front of friends, who still tells me he loves me as I drop him off at high school along with two other boys, who doesn't mind me loving on him or Allen putting his arm around him.  All that is fine, but don't you dare wear women's flip flops!  He cracks me up.

taking a break and watching motorcycle tricks

She won a fish on her first try!  It was dead by morning.