Benjamin and I recently helped our church sell ribbon fries at a local festival.  (We were helping to raise money for a missionary family so they could buy a car when they get to Peru.)

He loves to help run the drill.  You put a potato on...I don't even know what it is called...then attach a drill and turn it on.  The potato is quickly sliced and is one long curly fry.

One business there had a tent set up with kids games.  This was the chuck a chicken game.  Joseph took a rubber mallet and hit the catapult, which sent the chicken flying.  Quite hilarious and he managed to hit the bucket.

Then they had the battery operated pigs that they raced.  The pig would take about 4 steps and then stop, wiggle their tail and nose, and then keep on going.

Joseph was the orange one!

Recently the boys and I have had some pretty interesting talks about life after death.  One of Jacob's classmates (they knew each other casually, but never had play dates) was accidentally shot and killed in a home recently.  It is still an ongoing investigation but the only thing that has been released is that the child killed did not live in the home where the accident happened and it appears there were no adults home.  Tragic situation and probably the first time someone has died that the boys even knew.  So many questions.  Fortunately the Bible has some pretty good answers so I was able to field most of the questions.  It has also been a great time, once again, to talk about gun safety.  We have also had to discuss liability issues and why it is so important to obey our house rules and not let anyone else in the house.  Lots of discussions all over the community!  Very sad.  (I have finally decided to bite the bullet and purchase a small gun safe that opens with the swipe of a fingertip.  JR has all of his guns in a big safe, but we needed something small for when it is in the house and not on his person.  His birthday is this Friday, hopefully it arrives in the mail in time)

I think I am finally getting through the last of the 'stuff to do before school starts' list!  It is here.  We are already planning to have a fire pit/s'mores on Monday night, which will technically be our last night of summer, since Tuesday night is a 'school night'.  All of the kids are excited, especially Benjamin.  Even though I have some trepidation, I believe that he is exactly where he needs to be for this school year.  I am working on my school schedule and I don't know that I am gonna have much down time while the kids are at school.  I am hoping for 2 half days or one whole day of just leisure stuff...we will see how it goes.

We have had beautiful weather lately.  Highs in the mid 70s to low 80s and the nights into the 40s.  Perfect weather for sleeping with windows open.  I like getting the boys' room really cold at night so then in the morning, they stay curled up in bed and sleep in.