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Summer 2015

After a very exhausting trip to the star party, we came home at a relaxing summer!  We spent the summer swimming and relaxing and just enjoying our time off!

And then I woke up.........

The summer started off great.  We had our normal activities of VBS and history camp at the Audie Murphy American Cotton Museum.  Unfortunately, the youth orchestra didn't happen this year - which may actually have been a blessing for me.  There was a few make up piano lessons and violin lessons.  We joined the local country club for their summer membership and spent several days (because the rain had different ideas) playing at the pool.

And then the bottom broke!  



The kids and I went to my parents house and helped organize, go through, and set up for a garage sale.  Much of the items belonged to my grandparents and great-grandparents.  There are boxes and boxes of documents and pictures that still need to be scanned and organized.  These boxes were carefully set away to be documented another day.  The rest of the boxes contained clothes, bedding and dishes.  Specifically, there was CHINA and SILVER!  We came home with a van loaded full of new things.  In my defense, the 3rd seat was filled with boxes that I need to scan and return to my dad.  The back of the van was filled with new treasures though - a singer sewing machine that belonged to my grandmother, china to match things I already have, and new knick-knacks that the girls, and boys, picked out which reminded them of Nonie.  We also found a 1926 Bible that belonged to my Great, Great, Great Grandfather

Unfortunately, we came home just in time to unload the back and the 3rd seat and to turn around and spent the next 2 weeks fixing, repairing, and making ready for new tenants our house in town.

The people who rented our house decided that they *needed* several (4) dogs of a breed that are illegal to own and rent a house in TX and that were chewers.  We found the sun room had been used as a dog kennel and had been left open to the elements.  The upstairs bedrooms had the walls peeled of their coverings and the curtains pulled down and curtain rods broken.  Nothing in the house had been cleaned since they moved in nearly 18 months prior.  

So, we painted and painted and painted every room, we replaced fixtures, replaced blinds, replaced carpet, and cleaned and cleaned and cleaned and cleaned.  We also had the back fence repaired from where the dogs tried to escape (and apparently succeeded).  We had to repair the gates that were torn up to create a dog run.  It was a mess and most of this was completed while the AC was OFF because the electric company decided not to transfer the power but to require a new service from the management company.  Fortunately, the weather cooperated and it was only 90 degrees instead of the normal 100.  (This time it really is paint!! and not gray!)
                                             


So, our nice quiet summer turned into a busy one that we are only just recovering from.  After everything was finished, I decided I needed a break and we have taken the last 2 weeks off.  I am just relaxing and sewing and planning for next school year.  The kids have renewed their acquaintance with the swimming pool and we are finally starting to cool off and enjoy unpacking and placing in their new homes all our collectibles from Nonie.

We are also busy collecting eggs........

 

 

And watching roses grow..........

 





And playing in my indoor plants.........



And attending Bible Bowl competitions with our friends in Garland where we won 2 seconds and 2 thirds .......



And getting our ears pierced.............



And caring for 2 new hives of bees.................




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