Blueberry Picking!

This morning the kids and I went to pick blueberries! What fun we had! Actually a couple in our church (the people we rent from) told us that we could come one day and pick some blueberries. Well today ended up being the best day for us and it worked well for them! So we loaded up and headed to their house, what a beautiful home they have, and Mrs. Tysh helped us get started. The kids were so excited!! After a while Sarah was ready to visit with the horses and Elijah of coarse wanted to tag along, Timothy was just hanging out and Isaac was busy faithfully picking blueberries. We were out there about 45 minutes when the smaller 3 had had enough of the heat and Mrs. Tysh took them in while Isaac and I finished up. Isaac did so well and hung in there and picked right along with me, never complained, not one time! Isaac and I picked for another 10 minutes and then headed inside. We were greeted with a nice cup of cold water, how refreshing. We ended up with about 1 and 1/2 gallons of blueberries. We enjoyed our morning and the sweet fellowship with Mrs. Tysh.

Birthday Girl!

Our baby girl!

Sarah is 1 in this picture

Her & her scooter

Opening the gift from parents

I think she was a "little" excited :)

Sarah's cake

The girls after they had played a game

Waiting to blow out that candle

Having FUN!!

It is so sad to believe that our girl is getting older. Sarah had a great birthday and enjoyed everything about it. On Thursday, which was her actual birthday, we gave her a scooter. She was so surprised and could not wait to ride it! She also received a package from my parents that had plenty of surprises in it and then for supper we celebrated with our Pastor and his family, him and Sarah share a birthday. On Friday we took her out for lunch to the restaurant of her choice, we all enjoyed that. The waitress even brought her a desert that was big enough for us all to enjoy! Finally on Saturday night Sarah had her birthday party with her friends. She invited 4 little girls from church and they had the best time playing together. We ate pizza, played a game, the girls played dress up and then we had birthday cake! We did something a little different this year...we asked that for a gift the girls bring a chritian book (age appropiate) and then I made up a story that included alot of the words left and right. The girls formed a circle and as I read they passed the gift (book) they brought to either the left or the right. At the end of the story which ever book each girl was holding that is the one that got to open. After Sarah reads them at home we are going to donate the books to our church library for all the girls to enjoy! Everything turned out so well. :) I have told of Sarah playing T-Ball, well last week (Wednesday) her picture was in the paper. It was such a great picture. It is a picture of her tagging someone out, a really great action shot. Wish I could post it.

First Haircut

Actually it was a hair trim! :) Timothy has had this hair right on the back of his neck that was flipping up in a curl around his little ears. Don't get me wrong I thought it was cute, especially on him, but I did not want it to grow so long that it covered up his whole ear (I am sure it wouldn't have). So the other night before I put him in the bath tub, I gave him a little trim on the back. Now he looks like a little man!! Really he does look very clean cut and very neat.

On the pregnancy note: I think I have felt the baby move some. It is only those small little (like butterflies) moves I am feeling. I have been feeling better and only am sick a little each day. I am 14 weeks now and looking forward to that next Dr. visit. I also am wearing some maternity clothes already....this is my 5th pregnancy, I have to remind myself.

One last thing....we went to some friends house last night for supper. These friends go to our church and I realized that we have eaten at alot of people's house from the church. I love it and have enjoyed every one of them. Everyone that has invited us over has made us feel so welcome, the food was very delicious and the fellowship was more than sweet. Our family is looking forward to more times of fellowship with our church family!!

A surprise visit

Sarah with her grandparents

Elijah and Gigi

Isaac loves being with my parents! (Sorry mom that you blinked in the pic) :)

I love this picture of Gigi and Timothy

And this is what Gigi saw out our window on Friday morning (do you see what we saw?)

Sarah has been palying T-ball, but one thing that is not good about living far away from family is that grandparents don't get to come to all the games. BUT...my parents and Bryan's mom surprised her with a visit to see her play ball! I wish I could have captured the look on Sarah's face when she saw them walk in our house. She was sooooo surprised and excited! They did get to see her play and then spent the night and hung out with us until after lunch the next day.

As we were sitting and talking on Friday morning, Gigi realized that there was a snake on the tree outside our front window! Praise the Lord, Bryan had not left for VBS yet and my wonderful hubby took care of that snake for us (me). :)

We had so much fun spending time with Paw, Maw and Gigi. It was so nice that they were able to come and visit and get to see Sarah play ball. It is not great living far away from family, but I am so thankful we don't live so far that they can't come for a short visit!!

Thank you Paw, Maw and Gigi for coming and being with us. We loved every minute of it and so glad we got to make some memories. We love you all so very much. We are blessed by each of you!

Post #100

I can't believe it...this is my 100th post! To celebrate I have updated some things on our blog so be sure to look it over. I have enjoyed blogging so much and always look forward to seeing updates from those we follow, reading comments from those who follow our blog and just being able to some what keep track of all that goes on here.

I want to thank each of you for keeping up with our family and for taking the time to read our blog. I also want to thank those who have been faithful to leave comments, what an encouragement and blessing. It is so good to hear from each of you.

I am looking forward to another 100+ post more! I know that my kids and I will be able to remember what was happening at this time in our lives. Please keep checking in with us and feel free to leave a comment or two and feel free to become one of those who bless and encourage us by being a "Follower"!

Until next time....

VBS 2010

This is my "Big" cowboy! I didn't get a great pic of him. I love that "cowboy"!!

This is Elijah's 4-year-old friend and the teacher that he had. She was wonderful with him!! :)

Sarah is singing those songs. That is her "new" friend, to the right.

Isaac was in the middle of his class and I stuck my head in to snap this picture!

Our Vacation Bible School was this past week and my kids had so much fun. Isaac and Sarah loved being with their friends. Sarah of coarse is my "not-so-shy" one so she loved making new friends!! I didn't know how or what Elijah would do since he is the one I struggle with on Sunday mornings. I let him ride to the church with his Daddy and then I let his Daddy take him to his class. When I saw Bryan later and asked how Elijah was doing, Bryan said "He is in with the 4 year olds." Which means that he wasn't in the same age group as him. I figured out that he knew more and was friends with a four-year-old boy. Needless to say that he LOVED VBS too! Elijah's teacher said he did so well and they were so glad that he fit right in with those older kids. I actually didn't have to work at Bible School until Thursday and I filled in for a teacher that was out, so Timothy didn't go to his class except that one day. He did well, but he is the one that is hard for me to leave. :( Last night we had family night for VBS and Sarah actually had a small part and did great. It was a fun filled week and I am so glad that my kids could got to enjoy learning about God, isn't that awesome!!

Pregnancy update...

This past Wednesday, July 14, I was 13 weeks pregnant. I have made it through the first trimester. I went to the Dr. on Wednesday for a check-up. We were suppose to be able to hear the baby's heartbeat, but could not hear it. The Dr. wanted to do a sonogram so that I didn't have to leave there worried. Of coarse I did not complain, I love when I get to see my baby!! We did a sonogram and got to see the heartbeat and that sweet little baby! So I will go back in about 3 weeks and we will try and hear the heartbeat again this time. One of the hard things this pregnancy is finding a new Dr., argh...! I loved the Dr. that I had in Alabama, and although he didn't deliver Sarah I still had a wonderful Dr. with her also. That is just something that means alot to me, having a good doctor. The Dr. I am seeing is very sweet and I have liked her but she told me on my first visit that she is leaving this practice in October. Which means that I will be back to square one...looking for a doctor. There are other doctors in the same practice and I will probably choose one of them to finish this pregnancy up with, but this has been a hard thing for me. I am praying that God would send me to the right Dr. and that God would use me to be a witness and a blessing to whomever takes care of me and the baby! But all is well with the baby and I. Hard to believe that I am a 1/3 of the way there. I will keep you updated...

Biscuits!

Did I mention homemade biscuits? I have finally gotten the hang of making homemade biscuits!! I am so excited. I have tried for so long to make "good" biscuits and have not done very well, but the old saying is true "the more you try the better you get". Recently we have been having breakfast for supper on Monday nights (our family loves breakfast), so I have been able to practice and this past Monday night I have to say were the best I have done so far. Thanks so much to my mother-in-law who is a wonderful cook and my mother, both have given me many tips and advice not only on biscuits but other meals too. So here are a couple of pictures of the biscuits from this past Monday night!!

Have you finally gotten the hang of something? Would you share it with me?

Kids Camp 2010

Eating a popsicle!

Getting a stick out of the cold water with my toes!

Drying off feet!

Passing the marbles!

Playing ninja!

On Monday, July 5th, I left to go to kids camp with our church and our old church. We left at 12:00 and got there at 3:30. Soon as we got there we all unpacked and got on our bathing suits and went swimming in the lake. We played games, had Bible studies, sang the songs that we are doing for VBS and had some free time. When we played 2 hand touch football I made 3 touch downs and it was tied at the end of the game 35-35. I learned a new game called Ninja and it was really fun. We slept in cabins that had bunkbeds. There was a swing that you could swing out on and jump in the water and in the middle of the lake there was an inflatable ice burg that was tall that you had to climb up, if you could. I had so much fun at Camp and being with my friends!

Why do I blog...

I have asked myself this question lately. With trying to prepare for school, being a housewife, being a mom, being a friend, how do I find time to blog? I love to blog and know that about myself so I had to ask why do I blog...why do I love it. So I thought I would share with you why...

1) For a keepsake for my children

2) Because at one time I scrapbooked, but now blogging is much faster

3) To keep our family and friends informed

4) Hopefully to encourage and bless someone else (even if it is my own children)

I remember the first post I did and how nervous I was. Some of you reading this are the very ones I have called and asked questions to about blogging. I also have to admit blogging can be an encouragement to me. I love it when I see that someone has posted a comment or two. I get so excited and feel so loved. Many of you (my mom especially) have said that they would love to comment but can't figure out how since they don't have a blog...I am working on that one. I am so very thankful for each one of you that does read our family blog and thankful that you keep up with us.

Since I now realize exactly why it is that I blog, my goal is to blog more often. I want to be open and honest with our life, feelings and who we are. I want to post more about the things that God speaks to me about and the things He is doing in our lives. I want to post more pictures of the kids so you can see how they are growing. I want to post more so one day my children can look back and see the wonderful memories God has given us.

Why do you blog?

A weekend with Friends!

This past weekend some very dear friends of ours came up for a visit. We had the best time! These dear friends are the Oehrig's. We met them through homeschooling and wish now that our paths had crossed a little sooner. We have said numerous times that it is amazing how close we have become in such a short time. We actually met right before Timothy was born and our friendship has flourished ever since. We had been wanting them to come up and it worked out that they came 4th of July so it gave us a long weekend. They arrived late Friday night and so when they got here we said our "hello's" and then got to bed. On Saturday morning Bryan made pancakes and waffles for breakfast, the waffles were a hit with the kids- next time we will make more waffles. The rest of the day was just play, fellowshipping, laughter, lunch, naps and supper. After supper we all were getting ready for bed and I got really sick! I mean no stopping it. Thankfully the Oehrig's were here and they helped greatly with the kids. What a blessing they were to us. On Sunday morning I awoke to Mr. Jacob already preparing breakfast and setting everyones place. Then on Sunday afternoon the kids and the big kids (the Daddy's) went outside to play in the water, they all had a great time. After supper on Sunday night we all went to watch fireworks. It is was a really nice night. It was nice to talk and to be together with friends. We feel so comfortable around them and talk about things from family to spiritual things. On Monday morning it was time to get things ready for their departure and for Bryan and Isaac to head to Kid's Camp. After lunch we said good bye to the Oehrig's and then we took Isaac to the church to say good bye to him and Bryan. When we got back home it was very quiet and lonely. Sarah and I had our share of tears and then we all laid down to rest. What a great weekend with our friends. I can honestly say that they are some of the best friends anyone could ever have.

On the pregnancy note: I will be 12 weeks tomorrow and have finally gotten down to less than 200 days to go. I will go to the Dr. next week and will be able to hear the baby's heart beat. I am showing just a bit and my clothes are beginning not to fit. Actually I have wore a couple of maternity things the last couple of days.

Until next time....

Basketball Camp

Practicing those free throws.

Working hard on those drills.

Isaac with his trophy.

Big Sister and little brother!

Building with blocks!

This week Isaac went to basketball camp. A dear friend of ours who teaches got to sponsor a child to go to basketball camp and she asked if she could sponsor Isaac. What a blessing! Isaac had a great time. If you know anything about Isaac you know that being around people he doesn't know is a real challenge. He did really well and I am so proud that he went and even made a couple of new friends. He learned alot about techniques and did drills and even played a few "games" of basketball. The camp was Monday thru Thursday and started at 8:00 a.m and was over at 3:00 p.m. He had to take a lunch and so by the time he got home he was tired. Today was their last day and all the campers got a T-shirt and basketball. Then they also gave out trophies to some of the kids. Isaac got the Hustle Award for the Elementary boys. He had so much fun! Of coarse while Big brother was at camp Big sister got to spend time with Timothy and play with Elijah. Sarah is such a great sister and mommy's little helper.