Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real: Summer Fun Edition

Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~ Every Thursday at Like Mother Like Daughter

*Note: You'll notice, no doubt, that some of the text of this post is highlighted in a white background.  I have absolutely no idea how I did this and don't know how to fix it!  I apologize for it and hope it does not drive you as completely insane as it is driving me!  Alas, time to redecorate for Summer anyway...*

I posted all about my sisters' visits in my last post, but reserved some of the best shots for todays PHFR.  Weeks with the family are perfect fodder for pretty, happy funny and real!

Pretty.  I mean, seriously, is she not?

Sweet Pea

I seem to spend 93% of my time with this child chasing her with a camera, trying to capture her little elfin qualities.  And this time, I succeeded, thanks in part to Dharma distracting her by, no doubt, making some ridiculous faces (judging by the slightly amused, slightly suspicious look on her face)!

I really dislike combining but I can't help it this time: Pretty AND Happy

Fidget and Redheaded Snippet

I've said it before and I'll say it again: peas in a pod, these two.

Happy

Rosebud, Sweet Pea, Calvin, Fidget and Little Man

(Almost) all of the grandchildren/nieces and nephews/cousins.  The next generation minus one.  Redheaded Snippet was at home doing her online Spanish course.  I know!  In the Summer!  And, NO, it's not because she failed something.  She's taking it early to get it out of the way, poor thing.

Happy AND Funny

Little Man and Rosebud

The chocolate goatee just kills me.

Happy AND Funny

Fidget and Dame Agatha Christie - yes, that's the dog's name

We've always told Mom we'll know the time is right to put her in a home when she starts dressing the dog.  But she insists it doesn't count if it's to amuse the grandchildren.  We'll see...

Funny

A leeeeetle too much sugar, perhaps...

Funny

The Viking on his whirlwind tour of the downstairs with the pool raft (NOT a giant's large intestine).  This photo tickles me because it looks like he's trying to run out of the frame like he's ashamed to be seen with it!

Funny

Dad, Lobelia, [Calvin], Sweet Pea and Lenny

I was trying to catch a few nice shots of Lenny as he was tending to Sweet Pea.  Lenny is in seminary right now so we haven't seen much of him lately.  And I almost never get shots of him here on the blog.  I was going to delete this photo when I spotted El Bandido, the outlaw photobomber.  He found a gold belt last used for Redheaded Snippet's Cleopatra (of the barge) costume and managed to rig it with Nerf darts like a bandolier.  He wore that thing all dang day.

Funny and there seems to be a theme with this boy

This morning I was startled to see this slowly approaching me when I looked up from making the bed.  His love of empty boxes knows no end.

Real (and Happy)

With two extra children, both preschoolers, in the house, things were understandably a little less tidy all week.  There were usually toys everywhere.  And on Saturday when we added two more young children and NINE more adults, it was hard to find any empty spaces at all.  This was the couch in the living room.  And I believe this was right after one of our tidying attempts.  This was as good as it got.  But it's all good because a couch cluttered with toys means there are several jolly children lurking about!

Real

Ok, bear with me, I know it's hard to see.  This is more of the aftermath of the sisters' visits.  We had opened a large can of peaches for a snack for the children and then, in our hurry, put the opened can in the fridge, intending to dump it into a more appropriate container at a time when there weren't 19 people all crammed into my medium-sized house.  And, of course, we forgot.  And then everyone went home.  And the next day, I managed to knock it out and all down the front of the inside of the fridge and the outside of the freezer door.

What. A. Mess.  That's my attempt at capturing the peach syrup coating the front of the freezer door (my freezer is on the bottom).  While not as impressive looking as 10 lbs of flour or two dozen eggs, it was still a formidable task.  Calvin came running in when he heard my small shriek of horror and said, "Oooooh, that's gonna take a LOT of vinegar spray!"  And he was right.  The stuff had gotten into the stretchy, elastic stuff that surrounds the doors and the freezer door was REEEEEALY hard to open at first!  But I managed.  And then I texted Dharma about it and she said she was soooooo glad she wasn't there to share my pain and we had a good laugh.

So what have you found to be contented about this week?  Join in and do tell!