One of our summer trips....MN!

 We have been planning on a little trip to Minnesota for a while for a family reunion.

10 hour car ride + 2 kids in back= mommy sitting in the middle wanting a nap!

No just kidding, they actually were really good on the way there. They had their moments of course, but it's only natural since they were out of their comfort zones!

We took a drive for Tony to show us around Mankato and we spotted a park to stop at so the kids could play for a bit.

Tony and Jeanne's house was so nice. The kids loved walking the trails, looking over the bluff, and climbing the deer stand.

Tony took Hudson fishing and they caught a few. I think they were both just as excited!

Here's all the guys minus Collin.

(Kyle, Tony, Kevin, and David)

 For some of you that don't know, Tony is Kevin's biological father that he recently has been in contact with.

The other guys in the photo are Tony and Jeanne's boys. They were so nice and great to get to know.

Here's a pic of Tony & Jeanne with us the next day before we headed to the reunion. We met at a Mickey D's to let the kids play so we could talk over coffee.

We headed 2 hours north to a little town by Monticello, MN. We were there before the other crew got back from the airport so we took some family photos!

That evening we sat around outside with a few drinks talking about what was new with each one of us.

The next day we headed to the farm after a quick trip to the outlet mall where Lisa (Kevin's biological mother) bought Avery this cute tu tu. OF course my diva child had to wear it over her dress with her cowboy boots! I thought this pic was too cute to pass up with her bandaid, beat up knees, tu tu , and boots!

Here's a family photo of us on the family farm. We also go to meet Lisa's daughter Courtney and her boys. Hudson and Nolan buddied up quickly. Dylan and Avery got along for the most part!

As you can see there was no sharing by my little princess. She was telling Dylan that was her chair! What am I going to do with this girl???!!!

It's always nice to hang out with these ladies (Gwen and Colleen). We haven't known them long, but love them as though we have!

All in all, we had a great time and can't wait until we meet up again!

Where I've been...Part 1

Late Spring I had surgery on my neck (C4-5 fusion) so I've taken it easy for the past few months. I had time to make alot of bows and  we had Jamie Luff Photography come and take a few photos of the kids with the new Cardinals line with Lois Jean's Linens.

My Avery did not want her picture taken at first...and then she started to play with the bats and Jamie got a bunch of great pics of her!

Hudson being silly!

Baseball started and we've been at the park atleast twice a week for the past 2 months! Hudson also made the all-star team so next week he will start practicing and have 2 games for that team!

"Ne Ne" and  Cary went to prom and we went to watch the promenade.

She looks beautiful as always. Cary is quite handsome too!

Avery decided to dress in her "prom dress" to go. She looked like a cutie! I can only imagine what I have to look forward to years from now.

We also took a trip to St.Louis for Darien's 12th birthday. We visited the Magic House.

Hudson holding up the "H" box!

They loved all of the hands on and climbing,jumping, and sliding activities. Have I mentioned my children are busy bodies!?

This may be my favorite pic of them this summer. We ate at the incredible pizza in STL and inside they had this car. Hudson actually has his arm around his sister and she isn't hitting him for it! WOW!!! And even better, I got it on camera!!!!

The fun didn't end there. We headed to Busch stadium to see the Cardinals battle the bluejays. Avery got her first STL baseball cap. The cards ended up losing. BOO! But we all had a great time celebrating Darien's birthday.

Here's the birthday boy!

Happy 12th Birthday Darien Miller!!!!

We love you!

The next day Carterville had "Heritage day" to celebrate a new book about our town's history and the destruction of the old high school. Here is my dad sitting on the steps of the old high school both he and I graduated from. We both have many memories from this school, but are excited to see the new school where my children will attend.

I also bought Hudson bunkbeds at a yard sale and painted them red and painted his walls a light blue. I was totally going for the "Pottery barn" style. I loved how it turned out! I still need to place his sport pictures on his walls and other canvas prints. The bunks are awesome because they have shelves, drawers, and even a little desk on the right side.

This past week we decided to take a family trip to the Garden of the Gods. It's located in the Shawnee National Forest and I had never been(that I can remember). The kids had a blast walking through the trail and climbing rocks and looking at the scenery.

There were 8 of us that went. Here is a picture of myself, Avery, and "ne ne" aka Eleni sitting on a rock chilling.

I caught a picture just in time Hudson hit it towards 3rd base and was running in front of me. A total action picture of the all-star.

I've learned more than anything these past couple months...

just to stop and smell the flowers, because life just happens too fast!

Avery started dance class last week.

She was so excited! Can't you tell?

She's a natural or atleast that's what Eleni and I think!

And she looks so stinkin' cute in her dance outfit and ballet shoes!!!

Part 2 will include my "new do"! Yes, I got 6 inches cut off!!!! I feel so much better and I'm only shedding short hair now!!!

Bubbles make kids happy!

If it only took bubbles to make us happy each and every day, I would buy the whole rack at Wal-Mart!

This evening we decided to get our outdoor "laundry basket" of bubble toys out of the garage and blow some bubbles with the neighbors' grand kids.

Needless to say...They LOVED it!

Avery chased bubbles all over the front yard.

"V" came over to play with Hudson (apparently she's a big fan of my little man). The first thing he did when she came over was take her to Avery's room and ask if she wanted a princess dress. It was the cutest thing! Of course, Avery told her to be Snow White and found her a crown to wear too!

Avery had been dressed as Rapunzel because she had kept her panties dry and had been going to the big girl potty (going potty=wearing princess dresses) You learn the art of bribery as you become a mother real quick!

These two are the cutest little princesses of Nightingale Ct!

They had bubble wands that were making the largest bubbles ever. The best part was that I didn't have to blow out my lungs blowing bubbles for an hour! It was so easy for them to do it themselves.

One day I'm going to look at these princess dresses put away 20+ years from now and remember all of the things they have been through.

Hudson was a big helper "prince" with distributing bubbles when the girls ran out.

I was HAPPY because my two were playing so nicely together, which is a rare occasion right now.

"V" you have to come and visit more often....

Thank you Lord for such a beautiful day for these children to play together outside.



and they came 2 by 2

Last weekend our Jr. High Youth entered the Cardboard Boat Regatta. We knew talking with them a few months ago about doing this would be a total hit for the kids. Us leaders had a bigger plan..."How can we minister to others while we are there?"

NOAH'S ARK OF COURSE!

Here is our Noah & Noah's wife in front of the ark.

Let me introduce a special couple, the elephants....oops I mean the Whiteheads. This couple is very special to me because of how dedicated they are in the youth and in our church in general.  

You may not realize it, but yes that's me and the hubs...the tigers! Look how beautiful the day was with the sun shining. We couldn't have ask the Lord for anything better.

This is a good pic of our youth shirts which I totally LOVE. I'm really into the peace signs these days. Maybe someone is trying to tell me I need more "peace" in my life. Hint!?

Here is the crew including leaders, leaders children, youth, and friends.

The little ones had a blast just as much because they could make their own "boats" from manila folders and straws and float in the kiddie pool. I think they all enjoyed themselves. 

I couldn't pass this pic up of the kitten and the dog AKA the Fleege girlies. They are the sweetest girls, and it's so amazing to me see how they are growing so quickly. I remember when we first started going to CBC little Megan was a newborn baby and we sat right behind them in service. I would just stare at her the entire church service dreaming of having my own little princess one day.

Time for launch...This pic cracks me up because it looks like Kevin & Jared are holding hands. They are not but more like holding the boats before the whistle is blown. As you can tell Darien was ready to go!

Noah's ark didn't make it too far into the water. That's ok because our ARK rescue boat made it through the course 2 TIMES!!!

Here is a picture of our proud youth. Not only were they proud of themselves, but all of us leaders were SO VERY PROUD of them for all of their teamwork and ministry they did that day.

Do you see how far they actually had to paddle and then all the way back, didn't look too easy especially with the wind blowing against them. GREAT TEAMWORK KIDDOS!

A.R.K.

ACT OF RANDOM KINDNESS

That's all that it takes to make this world we live in a better place while we are here. 

Good bye "feefs"

So tonight I have decided.

No

more

"feefs" or better known as the pacifier!

I have been prepping Avery for the last week that the "feef fairy" is going to take her feefs to the little babies that need them and bring her a big girl toy. Well as I was going through the mail this evening I saw this on the front of PARENTS magazine and knew they were talking to ME!

So I did something that I didn't think I could do because it may be her security, but it's also mine! I cut the tip of it off and told her that the "feef fairy" was coming here tonight to pick it  up and bring her a big girl toy. Well she was excited about the toy, but not too excited about the feef being cut! She didn't want to hold it, she only wanted me to put it on her armoire next to Belle.

Then we read some books and acted silly for a bit.

Like playing peek-a-boo for the camera. Too cute!!!

I love this little stinker...feef or not!

She then decided that she needed to read Cinderella by herself and tell me about the castle. This little girl loves princesses and castles.

She always asks me "why the pumpkin turns into the carriage?"

and then we read AN EASTER BASKET OF PRAYERS. This was great for tonight because it talked about how we shouldn't be scared of the storm because God is stronger!

I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Psalm 23:4

She's been asleep for 30 min and I've only heard minimal whining for the feef.

Wish me luck!