When life is fffuuulllll here at Twin Oaks, this Mama’s brain is too!

Hence that very catchy title of this post.

It’s true though!

I have a lot of photos!!

Memories made and ones I want to keep!

Our “random life” photos go all the way back to the week after Father’s Day!

The Monday after Father’s Day is the day Chad started working, and was also the same time Addie Mae went back to working only three days a week.

The dynamics change a lot here at Twin Oaks these days!

I am SO glad I ran out the door to grab this photo as David picked up Chad to head to work one morning!

David works for the same family Chad does and David starts his day in the yard where Chad needed to go.

Now that Addie is back home more, she is always doing all the things!

She had a helper weed the garden with her – a cute one too!

Just look at our garden back then (first photo) – and look at it a couple of weeks ago (second photo)!

Having Addie Mae home more again has BEEN SO GOOD.

I do not remember when the guys started building the shed that will sit next to our home – but they did not get very far on it before Chad’s accident and they have not been able to work on it since because of lack of time!

It is taking up the entire garage though!

We hope to finish it this summer – or we will have to find a place to store the mess it made so I can get the van back in the garage for winter.

While Chad was working life looked a lot like this!

Me and my three amigos!

We always do lots of reading!

We also have been doing some school like activities, and I even got Chad started back up since school is something he can do with one hand!

I spent some time planning chores so the kiddos could learn them while it is still summer and then they will be able to do chores on their own come this fall.

I always switch up the children’s chores every summer so they are doing new things once a year.

I so wish I could capture their excitement for things like this!

It is super cute, contagious, and spurs their Mama on!

When I posted this next photo of Lane doing this chore on Instagram stories, Kay messaged me and said at first she thought Lane was throwing up – ha, ha!

NOPE! Just vacuuming, I promise.

We finished a great devotional book I was using with the kids, and so I started another one.

I LOVED this devotional by the Clarksons!

We have used the second book for years and years – but this was a first time for Tate, and Eliza and Lane doesn’t remember it much since he was so young last time I went through it with the bigger kiddos.

I also spent two weeks during our “school” time teaching my three amigos all things about the phone!

I had them learn their address, phone number, my cell phone number, how to answer a phone properly, how to call for help, how to unlock my cell phone, etc…..it was all good stuff!!

I still read aloud to the children when time allows – which is usually once a day when we are home.

Such a favorite for all four of us!

I have the kiddos illustrate and narrate what they heard after I read to them.

A wonderful activity for SO many aspects of learning!

I am sure you can see by this photo who loves this activity the most!

Ahem.

I knew with Chad’s accident it was even more important for me than usual, if that’s possible, to stay in God’s Word every morning.

It takes discipline, folks!

Usually for me that means getting to bed on time to be able to get up early before all the crazy begins – but even when I do not get to bed on time I make sure to get up anyway.

SO WORTH IT.

I have been praying for the Lord to bring back the ability, focus, and desire to read.

He is answering!

He cares about the details!

I enjoyed this book, and it was a quick read.

I am enjoying and almost finished with a book called Ripple Effects by Pam Tebow.

POWERFUL stuff in her book. I highly recommend it!

I love to sit on the patio swing in the afternoons while the kiddos swim and read!

Chad’s injury, our travels and Kay’s travels have been keeping us and our favorite people apart lately.

THAT IS NOT OK WITH ME – obviously!!

I took these amazing photos on one of our Thursday night visits to Briar’s place back in June!

We got to enjoy David, Clyde, Ellie, and River’s company while Kayla and Briar were at a Young Living convention.

I had the privilege of taking care of them too!

All of Kay’s kitties have new homes, much to our and Clyde’s dismay!

Some of them live on our road now though!

Kay says there are more kitties on their way – can’t wait to enjoy them too!!

This guy is enjoying his new place, his job, and his Mama’s food! Ha, Ha!!

LOVE when he shows up here!

He has been helping us mow our land since Chad can’t help with it right now.

He is a keeper!!

Speaking of that guy with the amazing road construction tan – guess what he does on Saturday nights?

I’m his Mama – I get the right to brag!

He has his siblings spend the night at his place.

I know, I know!

THEY LOVE IT. WE LOVE IT.

They even take Sadie with them!

This past Saturday Grant bribed them all with lunch out if they would go grocery shopping with him!

Of course they said YES!

Addie was at work, so Blake and I did what all fifty somethings would do with that opportunity – we took a NAP.

I’m not kidding!!

Eliza did not join them on Saturday nights the first couple of times, and Addie doesn’t usually go, so we get some time with the girls!

For ice cream at the Co-op and important stuff like that!

I am sure you know we are still eating.

Always eating!

Our favorites this summer have been smoothies, using all that beautiful kale, local greens from our Co-op for big salads, and of course all the coffee on ice!

Life around here is always yummy!

While in Madison at one of Chad’s follow-up appointments we stopped at Costco to stock up.

Chad almost made it through the whole store with us before I had to take him back to the van to sit down and let Blake finish up!

It was the day he had an appointment before his surgery, so he was still having a lot of pain.

Grateful, grateful for full freezers and pantry shelves during this incredibly busy time!!

There are lots of other “normal” things going on here too!

What do you call someone who is obsessed with the sky?

A sky watcher?

A sunrise and sunset gazer?

GIVE ME A NAME, if you like, but I just can never ever get enough of what the Lord does with the sky!

Well, you know I love that pool, and so do these kiddos!

These photos are the very first day they were in it – obviously before Chad’s accident.

Tate and Eliza have to wear life vests if I am not in there with them, even though Eliza can almost stand the whole way across, Tate can only stand on the ladder side.

No, it’s not supposed to have a deep end! Even so, we like it that way now!

Sometimes Chad joins me on the patio during the kiddos swim, and now that he has his cast we have been wrapping his whole arm in a bag so he can get in that pool again!

I guess you do not need anymore photos to look at for you to figure out how big these kiddos are getting!

Trust me, I feed them – I already KNOW.

Growing up fast!

So, so, so much I want to remember!

Like how Eliza sits on her feet!

Tate does this too.

Why does she look twelve here?

Or how Tate just figures out how to do things!

Nothing slows this boy down.

Or how Ruby lays under the dishwasher while we make dinner!

Smart dog – there are a lot of feet in that kitchen all at once!

Or how they love to play games!

Even by themselves!

SO cute.

Or how much they love to help!

My good helpers.

Or how fluffy Ruby gets!

And how white she is now!

I promise she was red when we named her!

Or how Eliza now can verbalize JUST what she needs.

So, so good.

Some movement? Thank you swing!

A nap? Thank you Ruby!

These kiddos are SO FUN!!

I haven’t been paying attention to the page in my journal about my summer goals, but some of them stare you in the face, like every time you open a door.

The garage for instance.

Or this closet in our school room/office!

I spent two chunks of two different days cleaning out this closet! It was such a mess!!

Looking good now!

I took this photo when I cut the guys hair the last time.

Isn’t it funny?!

Can you guess whose hair belongs to who?

The black hair should be pretty obvious, ha, ha!

As well as that one at the very top….just saying! (hi, honey!!!)

Speaking of the man with that salt and pepper hair that I love so much – we have a HUGE problem!

It’s date night, you all.

We never used to let it get trumped by ALL THE THINGS…but good grief, it has been lately!

By very good things though!

Date night has been a lot of ripping the grocery list in half, meeting back at the front of the store, and driving home in seperate vehicles.

Sigh.

I told Blake this past Friday our date night did not count!

I wanted a redo!

Yes, I am aware we had the chance for a redo and took a nap!

No, that does not count either!!

Anyhoo……

If you all made it to the end of this post – you are crazy!

Ha, ha!

BLESS YOU!!!!

I should give it a new title!

The longest post EVER!

Those photos are full of good memories and I am SO thankful to have kept them here!

Until next time…..