Farm Status Approved

 I hesitate telling people we live on a farm.  Sometimes I will say "hobby farm" but even that brings me to some hesitancy.  To a true farmer, he would laugh at my claim.  To a city slicker, he would definitely put us in farm category.  Truth is, we live in the country on 7 acres, a creek, a pond with 2 ducks, a barn and a chicken coop filled with chickens.  You can add to that resume that we raised 75 chickens for butchering this year, not to mention we have 2 gardens of fruits and veggies.  So whatever you call that, farm or no farm, we have recently received farming status from the state through a simple application process and now can purchase all farm-related things free of tax!

And since we are officially a farm (farmers, don't chuckle!) we are now the owners of a big orange tractor.  The country song "I'll take ya for a ride in my big, green tractor" keeps ringing out on the Fish Sticks Farm (except we change the color to orange).

Our new farm addition is for gardening, cutting, grading and to aid in my husband's business.  Like true x-city slickers, we've been spending our evenings riding it around in the yard with the Fish Sticks in the scoop.

 Or maybe that would put us in the category of rednecks.

Either way, this "farming girl" has no desire to ever return to the city and 

she might even one day learn how to drive that "big green orange tractor."

First Day of School

 Some of you might remember the sadness and hesitancy this Mama felt last year sending my 2 oldest Fish Sticks off to school.  This year we added another Fish Stick and the feelings of last year were far from us.  On the contrary, the opening night of school was a time of counting our blessings to have the opportunity to send our children to such a wonderful Christian school with like-minded families, all set on the purpose to raise warriors for the Lord.

She's gonna kill me for posting this photo with her eyes closed but it was all I took.  Sorry, Sweetie!

 Fish Stick #3 wasn't scared or nervous (at least that is what she told us) but ready to head out to the real world.  She looked so small to me going off to school that I fought back the knot in my throat and covered her (and the others, of course) in prayers.

School is good.  Homework adjustment is not like it was last year and I think we've gotten the hang of being a school + homeschool family.  We are so blessed to have GCA for our children to pass the torch to for part of each day!

Grand Finale

Before the Campbell cousins headed back to Turkey, we had one more big family night.  The girls performed their piano recital for us....

some clogged for us on the front porch.  "Rocky Top" was my favorite and I can't help but wonder how weird it must seem for my Tennessean SIL to watch her daughters clog to "Rocky Top" in the Middle East.

These 2 nutty cousins put a hip hop dance together complete with "costumes" reminding this ole Mama of the Blues Brothers.  I just don't recall the Blues Brothers slinging long, blond hair like these 2 did.  :)

And to finish off the night's events, we had our 2nd annual family kickball game.  Uncle T and Uncle R were captains & this photo shows the anxiety of all waiting to be picked by the "winning" team. 

Granddaddy served as all-time pitcher.  I might be wrong, but I'm guessing that the Fish Stick in the background has been caught on camera doing her trash talk during the game.  For those who know her parents, you'll know where that competitive spirit came from.  If you're not enlightened by that hint, did I ever tell you that I played in a high school soccer game once that lost 0 to 30???  In SOCCER??  No tears were shed by  me either, after all, it's just a game.

Thanks for lots of summer memories, Campbell Cousins.  I know (not first hand) what a sacrifice it must be to fly 7 people half way around the world to come to TN each summer.  We sure do enjoy our time!!

 As part of our "cram our last fun activities into the last week of summer" event went, my SIL/BFF and I invited our good high school friend to come over for a play date.  The fun part of this is that there are 6+5+7=18 kids between the 3 of us.  Ten girls and 8 boys.

 This little guy didn't want to be a part of the photo shoot, so I snagged him anyway.

 Even with a bit of a pouty face, he's still a cutie bug!

 It was a day that I wish we could repeat many times a year!

Thanks Kelley for making the trek to our place!

And just for fun, I added a tribute to the class of 90!!  Big hair rocks!

Love you girls!!!

Down by the Creekbank by the Ole Holler Log

 During the last week of summer, we tried to cram in as many activities that we intended to do this summer as possible.  One of them was to go to the creek with the cousins before they flew home.  It was perfect weather!

 These 2 buddies will certainly miss each other.

 Uncle R, Grandma and Granddaddy were able to join us for the fun.

 Catching tadpoles and baby crawfish were among the most favored activities.

 Not to mention sword fighting with bamboo sticks.

 And this Peanut found the treasure of the day...a monster truck with a dog leash tied to it.  

It was the envy of all and now graces of huge collection of toys at home....just what her Mama needed....more toys!

These 2 "baby" cousins are only 4 months apart but she weighs what the average 18 month old weighs and he, like his Mama says, is a 2 year old brain in a 4 year old body.  His name is Benaiah but Little Liddy called him "Moo-My-Uh" for the majority of the summer and we loved hearing it.  It was kind of sad when she learned to say it correctly.

A Family of Internationals

 Like the last few summers, Aunt S bought all the 11 kids a t-shirt and they decorated it.  

This year she got a fancy tie dye kit and I think they turned out great.  Thanks, Aunt S!

 Did you notice My Man picking his nose in the background??

 These 4 pose in front of the Singapore flag because they were all 4 BIS (Born in Singapore) and still love  Hainanese chicken rice and beehoon noodles.  One of them can put down the spicy curry for breakfast too!

 These 2 Turks weren't happy about their flag photo.  

One had a fever and one wanted to get back to sword fighting with his cousin.

And these 5 Americans stand tall and proud (and struggle to keep the flag out of the face of the little ones).

Crazy Cousins

 Having not grown up hanging out with cousins, it brings me MUCH joy to see my kids be such super friends with their cousins.  What memories they are making!

So here's the Fish crew - 11 kids ages 2-12 and all came from just 2 Fishes.  Not bad multiplication, huh?

My Precious Fish Sticks

Fish Family

What's a summer with the Campbell Cousins here without a large family photo?  They seem to get easier as the kids get older, but getting 17 people to look at the camera and smile at once when 11 of those are 12 and under is no small feat!  

Thanks once again to college buddy of my SIL, Kim, who has volunteered to be family photographer each summer for years!  This year she even had 2 toddlers grabbing at her legs during the shoot.  Not bad considering, eh?

With Friends

In July we let the older 2 Fish Sticks have their Bender Buddies join us for a weekend at the lake.  Here Caleb and Sammy enjoy a knee board ride together.

Last year, Caroline had a broken arm at the lake house and couldn't get wet.  This year she was ready to try everything...including blue zinc!

Our fun weekend wore us out!!