{pretty, happy, funny, real} Too Many Great Photos

With so many photos and important events this week, my cupcake photos didn't make the cut. Just believe me when I say you should go to the Cupcake Station and order the "Red, White, and Blue" cupcake of the month (hurry- July only!).

{pretty}

Oh, how I adore this family! Parker with Caitlyn, one of the 9 awesome kiddos of our friends, Scott and Meagan. They moved 6 years ago, so these visits every 1-2 years are incredibly precious to me.

{happy}

I'm not sure you could capture a happier me than right here. We are hoping to make the trip to see them in the winter to meet Schneider baby #10 and a whole host of scary Florida creatures that roam their area. :P

A fun evening with friends.

John with Josie and Rydell. It is so sweet that they remember him from one visit to the next (it's a long time for kids!). <3

{funny}

Scott with the youngest- Ava and Theresa. Why is this under {funny}? Ava was having a little diaper incident on Scott's arm, and he can still plaster a great smile on his face. :D

Cale was NOT a fan of Mr. Sp-> wearing a Raiders jersey, but he was a good sport and let me take a photo anyway.

And on to the other major happening of the week, the Kids Read Comics event in downtown Ann Arbor. On the way there, we had to take a quick stop into a guitar store for this...

{real}

Of course, we all had to sit in the chair that John Lennon sat in 41 years ago! While we were there, Luke discovered his next musical challenge. He fell in love with a banjo. How annoying will that be to listen to while he is learning? It can't be worse than the violin, right?

KRC is a 2 day event with many classes, "Quick Draw" challenges, artist tables, etc. Here is the class schedule for one of the rooms for Saturday. Check out the Lego class- Jalen Sparrow made his teaching debut!

A young man sharing his Lego comic ideas with Jalen. Love this!

Jalen giving Rachel the evil eye after a quick draw challenge, for no particular reason. The idea is to get suggestions from the audience for a character, an action, and a location and quickly put them together into one (hopefully amusing) drawing...

This was Jalen's... King Kong, the Eiffel Tower, and ballet! The pictures were all given away to kids at the end. I didn't qualify. :(

Jalen and Rachel's table in Artist Alley- they make special artwork by request, sell their work, and talk with guests and other artists. It is a great experience for them!

Have a blessed week!

{pretty, happy, funny, real} Happy Independence Day!

What a wonderful week in the Sparrow house! We missed Luke terribly as he was in the "thumb" of Michigan, vacationing with friends, but happy for the opportunity for him and we still managed to have lots of fun. Thankfully, a few photos were posted on facebook so we could keep up with some of his adventures!

{pretty}

Our neighbor, Caitlyn, joined us for the fireworks over the lake on Saturday night. These were the best fireworks over Whitmore Lake in years! A gorgeous night, a DJ down on the beach playing music, leading contests, and counting down to the first beautiful explosion... perfection!

Well, we do call her "Parker-Pie" so I guess she is the best one to model with our Fourth-of-July-Pie!

{happy}

I was cleaning and found this card from Mother's Day, made by Luke, my 16 year old. I love how he pegs each of us in a really cute way. <3

We did it! Morgan asked (two days beforehand!) if we could do a 5K together. I really thought we would walk it- after all, we did not train for this! I learned the hard way... train, warm up, and buy good running shoes. After x-rays, ice, elevation, and a couple of days on crutches, I am now eager to take on the next one... after a whole lot more training. :)

I love this guy! How happy it makes me to spend another Fourth of July with John in the hometown of our youth, to see old classmates, teachers, Kiwanis members, etc., and to share this community with our kids- we are blessed and thankful that we chose to have our "nest" here!!

{funny}

Yes, Captain America chose the Whitmore Lake parade to attend...that's how cool we are.

Shot herself right in the face. I think it's time to start the blonde jokes.

{real}

Livingston County's Veteran of the Year, and my neighbor on the lake growing up: Butch Ely, carrying one of the flags.

I know my usual food-posting is a cupcake, but dinner was just so yummy last night. Even though it was 101 degrees yesterday, chili dogs on the deck with Sangria... REALLY good!

{pretty, happy, funny, real} Three in a Row!

I remembered to post {p,h,f,r} again- what an accomplishment!

{pretty}

Yes, these count as pretty. Vanilla latte and banana split cupcakes. Cupcake Station, Plymouth, MI.

Even prettier than my weekly cupcake selections- Morgan and her girlfriends! On Friday, the girls each got their second set of ear piercings. They were all great sports and allowed lots of photos and videos to be taken- such a lovely group of young ladies. <3

{happy}

Parker started gymnastics last week and got her new shiny green leotard yesterday before class. She feels Olympic-ready now and already reached the top of the climbing rope (the *one* time I put down my camera. Grrr.) She is working hard and loving it!

{funny}

Look closely. The boys have airsoft guns. Not that they could do any damage with them, but they are watching for chipmunks (which annoy me greatly) in our backyard. After a couple of minutes they turned the guns on each other and I was laughing so hard at them fighting that I couldn't take any more pictures. :P


{real}

Friday night in Canton, MI- the largest, whitest, most gorgeous cloud EVER.

I haven't identified this little guy yet, but he's a newcomer to our bird feeders and he is adorable.

Have a wonderful, blessed weekend! We are going to see many friends perform in Suessical, watch the Whitmore Lake fireworks, and just enjoy the family at home. Luke has been invited to go away for several days with friends- I've never had one gone for the fireworks (sniff, sniff) but I am thrilled for the opportunity for him to have this little vacation in the "thumb" of MI.

{pretty, happy, funny, real} This One is a Must-Read!

{pretty}


I love loading photos into the computer and finding that my girls have secretly borrowed my camera for one of their photography sessions. :)

{happy}

Or we could title this one {jealous} since I didn't get to attend this little adventure. My husband turned into a 12 yr. old again, he was so happy to see the Tumbler in person (one of the vehicles in "Dark Knight Rises"). In fact, they stuck around for an hour and a half, just hoping to hear it start up when the event was over. They were not disappointed! J even recorded it for me (way-cool points on that one, John!!)...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKxey8X4x-0&list=UU1sk1_AfdqhYZ3OSuq4wyHQ&index=1&feature=plcp


{funny}

I have to laugh at myself sometimes. I am a "Cupcake Station" addict! I have their flyer with all of the cupcake varieties on it and I am determined to try EVERY ONE.

{real}


OK, here's the "must -read" part!!! Our friends are working to expedite this little guy home from China to his new family and life-saving heart surgery. This is a very real and urgent need. He is in an orphanage where the surgery will not be provided. Will you *please* consider reading up on their story and donating to them through their blog? http://ourjourneyoffaithtochina.blogspot.com/

^"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." -James 1:27

{pretty, happy, funny, real}... The Trial Run

I've wanted to do this for months. Now that summer is finally here, I'm going to try it, but don't hold your breath for the next one. They are supposed to come out every Thursday, but I'm pretty good at forgetting my blog as soon as I decide to start writing consistently.

This *should* be easy... pick a few photos to go with the words "pretty, happy, funny, real." I'm not a big writer but I do love taking photos, so maybe I can do this. We'll see!

{pretty}


Morgan and Parker took a ballet/lyrical class at our homeschool co-op this term. Oh, how I love those dresses and those smiles!


Morgan took ballet when she was between 3 and 6 years old and then decided she hated it and never wanted to do it again. This year, she renewed her interest and took one class at a studio, in addition to her co-op dance classes. I know nothing of proper form, but I know this photo makes me so happy to see her back on stage and working so hard at something she has grown to love again.

{happy)


Parker's 10th birthday- Girls' day out. Parker and Gianna went to the movies, out to lunch, and got their first manicures together. It's not so easy to see here, but they just loved the nail art that was applied free-of-charge as a gift for Parker. :)


{funny}

Oh, that face!! Jalen agreed to be a walking billboard for 20 minutes at the Motor City Comic Con in order to get a free tshirt!

{real}


Oh, goodness, is this REAL? Luke and Sarah took their driver's test a couple of days apart and then went to the Secretary of State to get their licenses together. I can't believe he is driving (but aren't they so cute with their temp. licenses?!).

And also in the {real} category, we are in a very real fight for our freedom in America. On Friday, we went to the "Stand Up for Religious Freedom" rally in Ann Arbor. We had over 1,200 people there and there were more than 150 rallies that day all over the U.S.

I did it! I finished ONE {p,h,f,r} post... see you next week (maybe).

God bless.

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A Summer to Remember

Wow, so much has happened since I last posted! This has been a crazy and wonderful time- Jalen's art show, graduation, and party, a weekend with friends at their cottage, a second kid is now driving, three kids in "Once Upon a Mattress," finished our co-op's yearbook and signed up for TWO co-ops for the fall....

Oh, wow! The above paragraph was written in June. And then life exploded! Five exchange students came to visit over the last 6 weeks or so, including the very best moment of the year... carefully planned and caught on film! You can check it out on you tube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6PlLFP2qsg . Morgan's reaction was priceless and everything I had hoped for! Thankfully, you can't see in the video just how much I was shaking from the excitement of pulling it off with Immo and John!


Going back a little earlier in the summer, here's what's been up with us:

A double birthday celebration at a friends' cottage near Saginaw Bay... We had a wonderful weekend away with the Schultz family, celebrating the dads' birthdays. Caseville is a new favorite get-away destination- such a cute town and the kids all loved the boating, shopping, exploring, etc. We are hoping for one return trip before the boat comes out of the water for the season.

Jalen- graduated, working local comic/art shows, selling his art and having comics published in two local newspapers! He is starting college next week and can't wait. This year has really held some interesting challenges for him and I am so proud of the strong Christian man that he is becoming.

A favorite senior pic...
Jalen at his table at the Kids Read Comics show in Chelsea...
Luke is our newest driver and harasses us to drive all the time. He has learned to unicycle, taught himself the ukulele, and has been taking a ballroom dance class this summer in Plymouth with his friend, Sarah. He is also gearing up for his first day of school next week at Washtenaw Technical Middle College. I am excited about this opportunity for him, but might have to leave him behind for vacations now... I'm used to going to Disney when the crowds are at their lowest! How will I ever get used to following someone else's school schedule?!

Luke and David in Caseville...

Morgan is just a ball of energy! Volleyball, 2 drama productions, just returned from Pine Hills camp, and is now an assistant at our church's VBS. Her 12th birthday was Sunday and she asked for a guitar. She has no experience with one but today she was online, figured it out on her own and was singing and playing a simple version of the song, "If I Die Young" by The Band Perry. Simply beautiful!
Parker is my Bethany Hamilton expert! She is obsessed with all things water... surfing, sharks, dolphins, etc. She just watched "Soul Surfer" a week ago, is reading her book, and she can't get enough of Bethany's website and videos about her. What an incredible role model she is! Parker is looking forward to starting school and the two co-ops we are in. She will have the chance to get a couple of great science classes (her favorite subject), as well as ice skating, dance, history, and others (nine classes total).


This photo of Parker was taken by her sis, who is really getting into photography...

John started a "new" job yesterday! We are very excited about the new owners of Thorton's (not sure if it's changing names yet). Big changes are coming and God has been so good and so faithful throughout this process. While I am always prone to worry, I know that He is taking care of everything and J couldn't be in better hands right now.

In June, we celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary and I am so thankful for my best friend/love of my life!!

At the Motor City Comic Con, John had the chance to work security and assist "Chewbacca" (Peter Mayhew). What a dream come true!!!


Me? Well, coordinating one in college, one in high school, two at home, plus the co-ops and the jobs associated with them, as well as volleyball... hmmm, this is going to be interesting! One day at a time, I guess. I can't say I'll love *every* single minute of it, but I am certainly very excited about the opportunities that John and all of the kids have this year and I am grateful that I get to be there to help them all in every way possible.

So many things have happened over the last week or two that have me saying, "Things are really looking up"... but things were already pretty awesome! I'll end by pasting my status from facebook, posted last Friday:

"Every blessing You pour out I'll turn back to praise... Blessed be the name of the Lord, Blessed be Your glorious name".... that's been stuck in my head all week. Thanking HIM this week for some wonderful blessings!! :)