Trip to Tipton

This was our 4th year at Tipton!  We worked HARD and accomplished a lot and bonded big time with each other!  We took down a half mile of barbed wire fence, put up another 1/4 mile of 6-strand barbed wire fencing, cleared 4 large trees, and cleaned up their cafeteria! It was a wonderful trip!  

Technically the second tooth

Yesterday, Levi FINALLY lost his first tooth the normal way.  I think it was three years ago that he fell in HEB and knocked out his top tooth, and now we finally have entered the stage of wiggly teeth, which is at least a little less dramatic than knocking them out!  Ava coached him through it and stuck with him all the way!  He was so relieved to finally join the club!  This morning the tooth fairy left a dollar bill in the shape of a pirate ship for him!

(Non)Talent Show

Last Thursday, after at least 2 months of talking about and planning, Ava finally got to run a Talent Show for our family.  She was dead-serious about this show.  She made us sign up for time slots, get tickets and of course made me clear the calendar.  It has been one of my favorite things we've done as a family in recent history!  Everyone did something and had a part to play!  Without further adieu, here's proof that our family has talent (or lack thereof). 

Ava and Elle were the MC's, but mainly Ava.  Elle's job was to shine a flashlight on the one doing the talent.  They even made a "backstage" area.

Shawn was the jogging dad joker.  He actually was pretty hilarious.

I was a snake charmer and the kids were seriously surprised when a snake jumped out of the basket.  Thanks to our friends and missionaries in India, I had this awesome outfit to wear!

Levi sang a song that was so sweet to listen to.  Our friend from church recorded a CD of songs and Levi has memorized most of the songs.  :)  (The video is too long to post :(  )

Ava played some songs on my keyboard that I STILL have from around 1992!

Then it was time for ribbons.  Shawn came in 3rd place!

Levi got 2nd!

And the Indian Snake Charmer came in 1st place!!  I came to win.

Here's the schedule we found taped to the "backstage" area.