July is almost gone!!!

It seems our summer is going by so fast.. it's hard to keep up! I haven't blogged for a while, but our family is doing great! Enjoying summer and going swimming a lot this week, as it's been in the 90's most of the time! Arggghhhh! (Too hot for me)

We've been keeping up with our garden this year.. lots of tomatoes, corn and beans. They're all doing well, even though our corn is still rather small! (I'm sure this heat will help it!)

Josh has been busy with work and keeping busy doing odd jobs also! Jonathan is having fun working with the guys, and is getting lots of knowledge about carpentry!! And me, well, I've been busy lately with canning jams and jellies but now that is done, so I have a nice break before it's time to start canning garden produce! :)

Leah is doing so good, just growing like a weed! I really should measure/weigh her, she is just such a little girl now! Lost a lot of her baby-ness. (sad I know!)

We discovered a few weeks back that Leah is allergic to tomatoes! She had been having this awful rash on her face, and we didn't know what it was from. Thankfully it has gone away after taking away all tomatoes. Which is really sad for her, becuase her favorite food was spagetti, and alfredo sauce just isn't as tasty to her.

Hope you are all having a great summer also! Keeping busy and staying cool! :)

Here are some fun pics from weeks past.

Swimming at Long Lake

Leah ADORES her little floaty and also loves playing with the puppy!

Leah trying on Grandpa's headphones!

Fun in Summer!

We have been having such a great summer! Josh's family was here the weekend before the 4th of July camping at Oak Hills. We were down practically every day swimming and visiting! Leah LOVED the beach and the swingset there! It was great to see family again. :) Here are some pics from our busy summer so far!

Leah on the swings at Oak Hills

Josh and Leah at the 4th of July Parade

Grandpa and Leah listen to the LOUD fire engines.. Leah didn't like them much!

Josh and Leah before her first fireworks

Look Mom! Fireworks!!

Leah LOVED the fireworks and pointed at them the whole time!

Fireworks picture! So pretty!

Strawberries!

Leah, my mom and I went strawberry picking last week, and we had so much fun! It was Leah's first time in a strawberry patch! Mom and I had so much fun showing her the berries, and "helping" her eat some to keep busy. (Notice her shirt and mouth is all stained with strawberry juice!) She eventually got tired of eating and helped mom and I pick our berries and put them in our bucket. She would find a berry with a loud exclamation and pick it then come and plop it in our buckets. Then she discovered the rotten berries and loved grabbing them out of the aisles, she decided they were easier to pick. :) It was a very fun time, and we all loved it!

So this week I have been making jam, jellies and sauces. I tried canning them this year instead of freezing and it worked out so much nicer! (Lot less freezer space!) Plus I love canned jams so much better. :) So fun to have great strawberries here!

Helweg Boys Fishing Trip

On Wednesday night, Josh took his three brothers (James, Michael and Jonathan) out for a fishing trip... they went to their secret "Lake Z" and had such great luck with their fish! HUGE walleyes and bass! They had such a great time, and got some fun pics!

Josh's HUGE walleyes

James and Michael's BIG Bass

James and Josh with their catch

Michael with his BIG boy!

Jonathan, the only bro not to get any fish, sticks his hand inside Mike's Bass!

Cities Trip Pics

Leah and I went down to the cities to visit my family and celebrate my cousin's HS graduation last weekend. It was so fun for Leah especially, to get to see relatives again! Here are some pics to enjoy! :)

Uncle Todd with his Grand-Niece!

The Halver Clan!

Leah and Uncle Todd "reading"

(Note: Leah is wearing a new dress/pinafore I made for her... it turned out so cute!)

Great-Grandma Shirley reads with Leah! (so precious!)

My Cousin Andrew, with his fiance Alyssa

My cousin Caitlin.. hail the Conquering Graduate!

I love my Joshy!

This is a tribute to my darling husband, Joshua! I'm so grateful and blessed to have him in my life! Enjoy these pics!

Family Resembalance!

Everyone is always saying how much Leah looks like Josh, and I agree, but after seeing these pictures of me from our family albums I had to post them to see if anyone agrees that..... I think Leah looks a lot like me! :)

Vacation Pics

Just thought I'd give ya a photo tour of our vacation out West! We all had a GREAT time, and Leah did so well in the car for the most part. :) It was so fun to see the Rocky Mt.s, which were new for me! It was a great vacation!

Enjoy the "tour"!

Helweg Family at the Badlands!

Badlands View

My Sweetheart and I

Leah asleep in the Badlands... too much action!

Mt. Rushmore on a rainy day!

Rocky Mountains! SO Beautiful!

Warroad Helwegs in Rocky Mts.

Our Family at Rocky Mt. Nat'l Park

Susan and I at Sprague Lake

Josh carrying Leah on the 1 mile-hike to Alberta Falls

Alberta Falls at Rocky Mt. Nat'l Park

Josh and Leah enjoy the slide at the Park in Laramie, WY

Uncle Isaac and Leah at the Wall Drug, SD

Leah enjoying the jets at the kiddie pool in Laramie

Hannah, Josh, Leah and I at Devil's Tower, WY

Us at Devil's Tower

Helweg Four-Generation Picture!

Great-Grandpa Gene, Grandpa David, Dad Josh and Daughter Leah

Look Mom! A Dinosaur!

Isaac at the Geological Museum in Laramie

A common sight on our trip... a Buffalo!

(Ahhh, It's alive! haha)

Saying Goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa

Leah and her daddy

My Favorite trip Pic by far!
(so precious!)