Please Summer, May I have Some More?

 We got a kick out of a de-lovely summer of top outdoor theater with Jason and Gigi's debut in Whitecliff's Playhouse Productions. Jason played Eli Whitney in Anything Goes and Mr. Bumble in Oliver while G developed her dance skills as ensemble in both. In reviewing the situation, they'd consider themselves part of a fine life to be back soon on the stage, giving us more glorious food for thought.  Pictures misbehaved and are all twisted up. 

Father's Day was spent on stage and helping Ben get his wheelchair back into service. 

We had a very relaxed 250th 4th with friends.  I was briefly dressed as Mary, mother of God, as part of a surprise for a member of a prayer group. Unrelatedly, Gigi impersonated a T-rex for her volunteer shift at the library. 

Serious heat didn't completely deter the entire family from camping and canoeing the Meramec. Phillip, the gutsy Raccoon had the nerve to steal bread in broad daylight after being mercifully rescued from a dumpster. Time was whiled skipping rocks, exploring caves, cooking over campfires, sitting in the river to reduce body temps, and dwelling in Kairos time. 

We celebrated Alex's belated birthday by lumping him in with Jason's and adding a round of mini golf.  

Caption this?

Gigi had a beautifully rich faith experience at her second Steubenville conference in Springfield with her youth group.  To boot, she exceeded her personal goal to clothespin 100 200 people. 

Mom/Daughter Day

Favorite Flower

One more vacation post remains to wrap up summer and then it's back into the swing. 

Grand Knights for Singing

We each took a turn battling a virus over Spring Break. Jason and Gigi eked out a canoe outing on Simpson Lake just before the return of the school schedule and she got to hang out for a fun day with a friend so vacation wasn't a complete bust. The lake adventure concluded with G and her 4 day old learner's permit driving my van home in the dark with boat trailer attached and parked it in the garage unscathed. 

Health improved during Holy Week and the whole family was well by Easter Sunday. The adult egg hunt with prize table is here to stay. 

This latest illness seems to have set me back a bit on what had been pretty well controlled POTS symptoms. I'm combatting it with soprano breathing, potato chips, and Spanx but have also been approved for the PT/cardio lab for monitored recumbant therapy to try to sneak up on my nervous system to retrain it not to freak out about gravity. 

Jason attended Gigi's choir concert where she had a solo while I witnessed Ben inducted as a Knight of Columbus. Ursuline's choir went on to win first place at their Six Flags competition. She and her friends attended the quilt show downtown.  

We had a bloody fish slapping good time at Vianney's Spamalot being scandalously entertained. Gigi was the taunter's assistant, Frenchie and Minstrel. Before her curtain call flowers had faded she'd already been cast in her next musical, her first alongside her dad. 

Our yard is booming with blooms by the by. This has been a terrible year for Iris, but the ones on the lee side of our house are thriving. I'm not up to my usual long walks, so I'm consoled by daily flower peeps and working from my porch rocking chair. 

Passiontide

Good Friday

Dyeing Eggs

He is Risen Indeed!

Hardboiled Egg Battle

Feast

Prize Table-last to cover a word with the letter found in a color specific egg wins

All my chicks in the nest

Museum of Illusions

Did she just sing what I think she sang?

Un Petit Lapin 

A Knight's Sword and Shield

Brother Knights

Planting a Japanese Maple

First Peony Bloom

Keukenhoff Tulips

A unique cross Gigi cultivated-not yet named

Highly Classified

Frank's Dream

Brussels

Pansies and Dianthus for Mary

Clematis

sibling crosses

Clematis

Feeling Whimsical

ACTS trivia 3rd place winners! 

Hey y'all, this is Gigi just telling you to embrace the whimsy, there are many ways to do this. Me and my friends went on a picnic and danced in the rain, or you can just go outside. #WhimsyRevolution #GrassIsFun #Nature4Eva

Also if anyone knows of any film festivals coming up let me know.