Sophia, gnome sewer extraordinaire.


Little painters having fun.


Sopo in a bubble! We had fun at our friend Sage's bubble-themed birthday bash.


How do you like dem apples?


I like dem just fine.

These apples later became delicious jars of apple butter and a few pies.

A day at our favorite place to play... the Living History Farm in Schaumburg.


Sophia is such a regular there she gets special privileges, like gathering eggs in the henhouse. They even baked special cookies just for her birthday party.


Feeding the chickens.


Weaving grapevines at Grammy's.


Sophia proudly wearing her grapevine wreath. We took them home to dry and Sophia decorates them to use in her nature table.

Daniel and Tema (the doll).


We had a great day tie-dying shirts and playcloths with Aunt Jenny. The things Sophia did on her own turned out to be the best!


Sophia playing among her finished work.


A sunburst cloth.


Sophia's favorite.

Happy little boy.


Sopo on the slide.


A fun day at the zoo.


Sopo's soap. She made some beautiful homemade soaps with all sorts of good stuff in them to give as gifts.


Muddy paws! She could use some of that soap now!

Fresh broccoli for dinner!




For those of you who have seen the picture of Matt and his brother Jeff dancing in their underwear as kids, this picture is priceless.


Sophia hanging the diapers out to dry. Maybe we should have named her Cinderella.


Daniel loves babies, especially our friend's baby Eliot!

Sharing stories.


Sophia's harvest... swiss chard, tomatoes, peppers, broccoli and herbs.


The bunnies in my garden... this year, no tomatoes ever made it into the house. We weren't allowed to pick the green beans, either. They were all eaten right off the plants!


Sophia picking tomatoes. She did most of the work in the garden this year, from planting to watering to weeding. Quite the green thumb.


At the Civil War battle... canons are loud!

Civil War Days at the Grove. After visiting the Lincoln museum a few weeks earlier, Sophia announced that she didn't even know there was a "silver" war... so we had to take her to learn more!


Sophia building her cabin on the homestead.


Lincoln loves our kids.


Ah, the year of the cicadas... who knew they could be so cute!

The boys.


Mama lovin'.


Sopo on the beach at Abby Springs.


A lovely day at Rock Cut State Park.


More beach babes.

Fun at the beach.


At the Lincoln Museum.


Sophia riding Uncle Chuck's horse.


Hiking in the woods.


Sopo feeding Uncle Chuck's the horses on the farm.

Snuggling with Uncle Chuck's foal.


I have Nora and Nora has her toes!


Sophia and Daniel had fun splashing in the rain...


... and squishing in the mud.


Granda Joe spoiling the kids at the zoo.