Working on the Farm

Steve has been putting in a lot of time at the farm this summer

and occasionally the girls and ONCE, myself, would go along and "help."

Aubrey likes DODGER 

Avery making friends with the cats

a forced and fake smile, but she DID touch Dodger with Dad and Grandpa Craig 

Aubrey's 3 on 3 tourney

On a free weekend we were actually home,

Aubrey played in her first 3 on 3 basketball tourney with 3 other girls in her class.

They put together the team, made the shirts, had one practice

and realized they were the only girls team so they had to play the boys!

The 3 on 3 game is quite different than what they all had played with UPWARD

but they had fun and kept working hard in the heat! 

It was played uptown Oskaloos on their outside courts

saving their energy :)

Steve volunteered to "coach" them and also got them to lower the hoops!

Steve doing a quick time-out lesson 

Team B-PAC (Blair, Preslie, Aubrey and Chloe)

I Do BBQ

Even though we had just traveled to Chicago for the wedding,

we decided to head up to Northwest Iowa for the I DO BBQ one week later.

It was a bit of work to set up and serve, 

so we were glad that we were able to help. 

setting up Satuday morning

(the tent was hired our but we set up the tables and chairs and decor)

the "vanity" that Dad Van Grouw made near the port a potty 

the grillmasters: Steve, Kyle and Josh

some cousins hanging out near the yard games set up

Grandpa and Avery playing JENGA together 

checking out the red angus cows that were right close by the house 

Curt and father-in-law playing JENGA 

Ash, cousin Michelle and me 

the lovely couple 

moms and Emily 

playing TWISTER we painted onto the grass 

Grandpa chceking out the CONNECT 4 game going on