Our Pre and Post Vacation Week

I didn't get a chance to post Our Week last week because we were gone, but I do have some pre-vacation pictures to share from that week, as well as some post vacation pictures from this week.  So we'll just slap them together to make this week's post.  If you missed the vacation part, you can get started with Vacation Pictures, and then read about our tour of a working Gold Mine, and my trip to Belmont Courthouse.

Miss Hannah has long, gorgeous hair.

After her bath Saturday night, I put our new Curlformers (affiliate link) in her hair.

And Sunday morning, she had pretty curls for church!

They actually lasted the next day, too, which was nice.  Such a beautiful girl!  I have to keep reminding myself she's 9, and starting to get older (if not much bigger).  I tend to lump her and Katie together so much.

Sunday morning, we went to the church that the kids had gone to VBS at so they could "perform" their VBS songs for us.  Katie's dress is one that I made for Hannah ages ago.  It's got matching bloomers, and an attached muslin ruffled petticoat to add fullness.  You can just see Jack (in the r/w/b tie dye) behind Katie's head.  

Our front room throw pillows were getting flat and grimy, so I picked up a couple pillow forms a while back to make new ones.  The fabric is a soft twill with a slight stretch to it.  In hindsight, I think I should have made them out of scratchy burlap to keep the kids from putting their heads on them.

Speaking of pillows, Paul has been asking for new pillowcases for his giant pillows.  I finally whipped up a couple out of flannel.  They're lavender, not because that's a favorite color of his, but because it coordinates with our bedspread.

After vacation, there was a lot of laying around.  Laundry took a couple of days to get under control again.  People got back to their various regular commitments.

Probably the very biggest news of this week is that Josiah decided to look into joining the Army while we were on vacation.  After we got home, he and Paul went to talk with a recruiter, and Josiah was invited to join the guys (and gals) for PT twice a week.  So he needed running shoes.  And when Sam heard that Josiah was getting new workout shoes, he reminded me that he needed some, too.  We hit a local going out of business sale and brought home 2 pairs of the same size, same brand, same color shoes.  I'm taking bets on how long it is before Samuel runs out of the house with two left shoes.

I'm not very creative when it comes to the little girls' hair.  Part of it is that they both have asymmetrical heads.  Neither can wear a headband.  But I'm trying to branch out a little bit more.

Everybody's pillowcases and blankies got washed when we got home, and Katie was very happy to get her soft blankie back, all nice and clean.

Yesterday was Friends Friday at our house.  I watched my friend's 6 kids while she and her husband went to an ultrasound appointment.  The little guy in the baby seat is not forever theirs yet, so I won't show his face.

Here's 4 more of their crew, playing with Katie and Hannah.  Yes, that's a different baby than the one in the seat.  She's going to be super busy come Thanksgiving when #7 is due.  I liked having babies in the house.  Paul and the teens eyed me warily.  They know I would love to foster little ones someday.

Wheelie hid in Paul's office behind the gate while they were here.

These are Brianna's Terra Nova test results.  Above average in every area, even though she warned me she didn't try very hard on these tests.

After naptime, we had more friends come over!  I ended up going out to dinner with another mom that I met when we adopted Katie.

One of her girls is close in age to Brianna, and always asks about Bri when I see her, so it was nice that Brianna was home and able to come with us this time.  Another one of her girls is a year younger than Katie, and it's fun to see the smaller ones playing together, too.  That's Katie and Bri, outside by the fountain after we closed down Baja Fresh.

Next week brings Safety Camp for these two girls, too.  Brianna as a leader, and Katie as a camper.  I'm trying to decide whether or not I want to send Hannah and Katie to another VBS next week.  They had a super time at the last one, but I'm leaning towards not, because K will already be in an activity during the mornings, and I don't want to overwhelm her, or feel like I'm spending the entire week in my van.


This post may be linked up at these linky parties.

Thanks for clicking for us!