Camping in June

The Hall family camping trip has become a once-annual event that reminds us every year why we only do it once a year. Now, yes, camping is fun. But not camping is significantly easier, cheaper, less hot and sweaty, and more well rested.

However, despite the fact that it was boiling hot, that Hattie cried almost constantly the first day and night, that to survive we had to rig our camper up with a window unit air-conditioner outside with a dryer hose running inside, and that we were serioulsy discussing getting rid of our pop-up within about two hours of arriving, we had a pretty good time.

Our home:

Hattie turned into a regular "Princess and the Pea." She required all of the blankets stacked up just so so in order to take her naps in the camper. We ended up nearly freezing the first night because Josh had the air cranked and Hattie was using all the blankets as her mattress. No one dared to wake her.


We all did some fishing and caught several. I caught both the largest fish I had ever caught (sadly, it wasn't really that large) and the smallest fish I had ever caught (about the size of my pinky.)


Edy probably had more success on her Dora the Explorer Wal-Mart fishing pole than I had using Josh's fancy fly pole. You can't really blame your equipment in that case...


First catch!


Someone suggested that we bring the Pack 'n' play along for Hattie. I wish I could remember who it was so I could thank them. Since she's at that super grabby, wiggly, half-crawling stage, it would have been really difficult to function without a good place to set her down. Edy enjoyed it too.


The chair broke. That's what they get for trying to snuggle in a camping chair.


And just because they're cute:



I wouldn't include this one, but I wanted to show that I was present on this trip.


And there you have. Don't expect any more camping pictures until next year...It's going to take us that long to work up the nerve.

7 Years

And what fun it's been.

Happy Anniversary, my darling.

Beautiful Days

Come and see what God is done, how awesome his works in man's behalf! Psalm 66:5

Playing catch-up, as usual.

So I know I'm just getting progressively worse at blogging. Seriously, though, finding the time to take, upload, edit and post pictures and then make cutesy comments about each one is not high on my priority list these days. It ranks somewhere between mopping the kitchen floor (which I haven't done in weeks) and taking a luxurious bath (which has not happened in recent recorded history.)

The girls are growing up fast. I put Hattie in an onesie today that I could've sworn I just put Edy in a few months ago. Which reminds me that Hattie is 6 months old today. Amazing.


Edy is turning into quite the ham. She loves an audience. I can't imagine where she gets that from.



The girls are becoming great friends. They even have the same taste in accessories.



Edy made a killing at the annual Hall Easter get-together, and we hid and re-hid our eggs at home until they were terribly rotten. Elly enjoyed them then.



Hattie sampled her first solid-ish foods. She didn't much care for rice cereal or mashed potatoes, but sweet potatoes were a hit.


I took this sweet adorable-ness of Edy and her best buddy, Gibson, just before they rode off into the sunset on a train bound for Winslow, Arkansas. We got tickets to go along with my mom's annual train ride for all the kids in the H.I.P.P.Y. program. They loved it, but they love each other more. :)


We attempted some family photos. Between Edy's ridiculous faces and Hattie's blank stares, this was the best one. I think it captures us well.


And finally, we are just beginning to get to harvest some of our own delicious honey right out of our backyard. Josh (in the bee hat) and our kind friend and bee expert, Bo Nall, were checking on our hive here. We should have gallons of delicious honey soon. Come visit us and have some!

New Tricks

I've had this video of Edy forever, but I've been unable to post until now. And Hattie...well, she's always been a bit of a screecher. :)

March

It's been quite the month.


We are finally fencing in our yard, which meant- delight of all delights- a tractor in our own backyard. Edy was in heaven...especially when Pax showed up to enjoy it with her. It was a joyous day.


Hattie discovered her thumb and now takes full advantage of this handy appendage.


Grammy and JuJu came by and brought bubbles. Joy again!


Daddy turned into a fine two-sweet-girls-at-a-time-bedtime-story reader.


Edy has two favorite pairs of shoes, and both will fit on any either foot. It's very handy. (When I took this picture she told me she was doing her "Bible study.")


Hattie still spends much of her time eating and sleeping, but she has also added smiling and giggling to her repertoire. And, to my happiness, she is quite ticklish.


I just adore these sweet feet.


And finally finally we have achieved pigtails. A humongo thanks to Merrilee Greer for introducing us to such tiny rubber bands.

Four Happy Months