The summer has gotten away from me! I’ve tried to intentionally be more present with my family which has meant less time writing on the blog. Instagram is so much easier to post to when I want to share what our family has been doing.

There are two birthdays to celebrate in July. Gideon turned seven! How did he grow so fast? Of course he wanted a farm cake. Marie was more than willing to make it for him. He asked for a “control remote airplane” and a cap gun.

Henry was excited to also get a cap gun and more John Deere tractors. He turned three and is a mama’s boy through and through. I am so glad he still loves to give hugs and kisses!

Eve, Patrick, and Thea came to visit! Little Teddy is the life of the party. The uncles love her to pieces.

Some fox cubs have made themselves at home in the hay cellars. The kids like to go in the evenings just as the kits are coming out to watch them. The foxes are just as curious of us as we are of them!

There have been so many wildfires around us and in California that our summer skies have been hazy and smoky. The wind doesn’t clear it up. It just blows more smoke from California. Occasionally there will be a few hours where we can see patches of blue sky before the smoke comes rolling in again.

I am smitten by the beautiful journaling Bible I ordered from Hosannah Revival. I chose to have it personalized with these two verses – “His word was in mine heart as a burning fire” (Jeremiah 20:9) and “Did not our heart burn within us?” (Luke 24:32) because that is how I feel when I read the scriptures and live their teachings.

This semi-custom Bible is painted in the Barcelona theme which fits me perfectly! I can’t wait to start writing my thoughts, drawing little pictures, and adding in quotes to those wide margins.