So many smiles ...

Ashlyn is blessing us with her millions of smiles!  I love when she's happy (which is most of the time!)!  It's pretty easy to know when she needs a nap or fed because that's her 'not happy' moments!  She's grabbing toys and putting everything she can in her mouth.  She is drooling a lot too.  It seems like I can see her grow each week and I thank God for her happiness!!!

Have a great day and I am passing on the smiles of Ashlyn to you ...

Shaved ...

I took Ginger for a hair cut and asked what they needed to do about her matted hair at her belly and legs.?.  They said they would need to cut it out and blend in the rest of her hair.  OK?  How bad could that be? 

Well, when I went to pick her up, the people from Petsmart called me and said, "We just wanted to warn you that Ginger does look a bit different.  We hope your daughter will be OK with that."  Hadassah was with me when I dropped Ginger off and when I said to cut some off her coat (2 inches or so because it was really long), Hadassah wasn't too sure.  She didn't want her hair to be shorter.  To say the least, short is an understatement! 

I went alone to get Ginger, and YES she looks different.  I brought her home and Hadassah was so sad!  She couldn't believe it.  They SHAVED Ginger's hair!  She cried.

After a bit, we decided that hair does grow again and for now, we will still love Ginger for who she is.  It reminded me of how much God loves each one of us.  Just who we are and how we are.  If we shave our heads, or gain some weight, or need glasses, or braces, or do something that makes us look a bit different, God loves us the same!  He always will ... no matter what!!!

My opinion about Ginger's haircut ... it's not my style!!!  She usually looks so cute and smells so good after a haircut, but this time she looks really skinny and well, different!  I can't wait till it grows out a bit and then I'm sure she will be absolutely adorable!!!

Here's the clean cut Ginger ...

1,100 Ears of Corn!!!

What a project!!!  You might call it crazy, but we got it done!!!  A big check off my canning/freezing list!!!

Yesterday, we did 1,100 ears of corn at mom's.  We usually go 'all out' when it comes to our family canning and freezing projects.  We like to help each other ... but then that means we do all the more!!!  This year Mindy and Fanny Lynn wanted corn and they helped too!  Amazing how good a huge project like this can go with great helping hands.  It went well and I actually wasn't 'sick of it' by the time we got done! 

We started with boiling water in mom's huge outside cooker.  Then we put the corn (with the husk still on) in the boiling water and cooked it awhile.  Mom pitch forked it into a cold barrel of water and then the husk got pulled off and put into another ice cold barrel of water.  When it cooled a bit, we cut off the corn or creamed it!  Then we bagged it into bags and put it in the freezer!  So yummy!  This is definitely one vegetable that cannot be bought in the groceries stores that taste this good all year long!

Thanks mom for letting us do this at your house again and thanks to all the ladies (and Ryan) for helping!

Daudy Dienner even helped us a little!!!

Mommy Dienner helping ...

Letting the corn cool in the cold water ...

Cutting off the corn ...

Bagged and ready for the freezer!!!

Baby watching from the side ...

Family around

The kids couldn't wait!!!  They had it all planned out.  Excited!!!

Sister-in-law Rosie and her son Jeremy came up from Florida to spend a few short days with us family!  They flew up on Wednesday morning and Lena went to pick them up at the airport.  Hadassah and Matthew went with her (Rosie & Jeremy not knowing about that!!!).  They had it planned out to try to surprise them.  Hadassah wore a black wig, sunglasses, and hot pink 'too big' shoes.  Matthew also were a wig with a ball hat, his angry bird shirt and shorts.  When they got to the airport, Lena told the kids to get out along the curb and then she got out.  Rosie and Jeremy had their backs turned when the kids got out and so when Lena got to the curb, Jeremy saw just her!  Perfect!  They got their bags and Hadassah walked up to Rosie and asked her for money.  Rosie looked at her kinda strange and then a few seconds later she yelled, "Das!"  Then she spied Matthew too!  They got a huge laugh out of that!!!

We have been spending a lot of time with them while they are here!  Wednesday night, us sisters and Hadassah went to Park City.  Rosie likes to shop H&M because they don't have that store in Florida.  Hadassah was trying on 'spike heals'.  When she's with Rosie she has to go 'fashion crazy'!

Thursday we spent the afternoon at Lena's using her small water slide and enjoyed the sun.  Linda gave Jeremy a big box of Lego's for his birthday.  What a gift!!!!  The kids love Lego's and so does Jeremy!  They played with them on Lena's porch for a long time!  Mike's family came over to our house for supper and Mike grilled yummy burgers!  Although it was sooooo hot outside, we did eat under the shade tree and was glad for the breeze.  Dad's homemade raspberry ice cream tasted great with the chocolate cupcakes!  We started a campfire to roast marshmallow's!  HUGE marshmallow's!  They are called 'Campfire Marshmellows'!  Talk about gooey, delicious smores!  Jeremy slept here for the night and they kids watched 'Denis the Menis'.  I popped two huge bags of popcorn and they chowed!

    

Friday, we went to Mim's pool!  It was 101 degrees outside and the only way to tolerate the heat was to be in the water or stay indoors!!!  The kids loved the pool and enjoyed playing with Mim's plastic smoothie cups.  They were pretending to serve lemonade and smoothies at the pool!  Mim treated them with ice cream cones and the ladies with sweet tea!!!  Rosie left for New York to tour the city for a few days with a friend, so Jeremy stayed with us overnight again.  With more popcorn and another movie, they fell asleep at 10:30 PM.

Rosie and Jeremy stayed till Sunday.  It's been fun to see them and have them around!  Safe trip back home guys!!!

4 Months Old ...

Ashlyn is now already 4 months old.  She is sweet and we love her so much!!!  Here's my baby ...

"Jesus loves the little children; all the children of the world;

Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight. 

Jesus loves the little children of the world."

Garden Creations

Last night the kids were playing out in the garden.  I pulled out my old strawberry plants and hope to be putting new ones in for next year!  So, that gives a little empty space in the garden for right now.  The kids picked some sunflower leaves, pulled out some carrots and got some red tomatoes off the plants and made a 'creation'.  Not sure really what it represented but they had a fun time!  It was good to spend some time outside.  It feels the best outside in the evenings right now!

They even added a yellow flower!

Matthew's digger ... Hadassah's digger

The dirt was so dry and dusty, but they didn't mind.  Nothing a good bath can't take off!

I love to see what our children's minds can come up with!!!

Cold in the summer???

Ashlyn has caught her first cold ....

She's been sneezing so much and has a runny nose.  I have tried to be really careful to not bring her in the AC when she is all sweaty.  I usually take her right back in her room and change her sweaty clothes.  Yesterday, even though she was sneezing a lot, she was still happy!  I was thankful for that and when she took a long nap, I napped too!  The older kids played so nice indoors!

Then last night, I tucked Ashlyn in her crib and then kissed, prayed, and said good night to Hadassah and Matthew.  Well, I have concluded a while back that a pet peeve of mine is "interrupted sleep"!!!  I do not like when my sleep gets disturbed.  Last night, I was up so many times with the baby.  She was miserable.  Her cold was making her feel gross.  Even when I held her close, she cried.  I finally went for her bottle and that seemed to content her (at least for a few short hours).  When Mike got up for work his comment was, "Boy, you had a rough night."  Ashlyn usually wakes up in the morning with a great big smile, but not this morning.  It wasn't until I gave her a bath (which she really loves) that she shared a big smile with me!  She is now sleeping peacefully and I hope she will be feeling better the rest of the day!!! 

Being up throughout the night, made me remember what I read as a devotional yesterday.  My thoughts come from a devotional book I read now and then that is to be inspirational meditations for new mothers.  When I read yesterday, it talked about getting up during the night with your baby and making it a prayer time too.  A great idea but honestly I felt like I've been past those restless nights and midnight baby feedings.  But as I was up last night, I did do some praying.  I prayed for Ashlyn, those hurting around us and whoever else came to mind.  The revised scripture that was a focus verse for yesterday came from Isaiah 40:11. 

"The Lord ... shall gently lead those that are with young." 

Then there was a poem on the next page that the last few lines read this ...

"but the God Who guarded Israel still eternal vigial keeps.  Maker of my little baby,

Eye o'er Earth that never sleeps.  He looks down with loving eye, He can hear my lullaby. 

And we share this midnight moment - Little Baby, God, and I."  ~ Sharilyn Martin

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's been so hot and dry here!  The only enjoyable way to beat the heat is to either stay indoors in the air condition or at the pool!  Going swimming is not really an option for us right now though.  (Actually, we are enjoying some time at Annie's pool.  I usually have Ashlyn taking her afternoon nap inside the house and then we swim!)  Taking Ashlyn out in the heat and sun would be ridiculous. 

Well, have a great day everyone and pray that my baby will be well very soon!!!

Just as the flowers grow each day from the source of their Maker,

I want to find my strength in my Creator today too!!!

Another Weekend ...

We are enjoying our summer days so much!  We are busy.  We are treasuring the summery things that surround us!!!

I said to Mike the other day that I feel like each day is seriously just flying by!  I usually like to write our daily activities, cute sayings, etc. in my journal, but I am so unbehind in that!  It's never as much fun trying to write things that have happened like two weeks ago.  Much better writing down feelings and thoughts when they are 'fresh'. 

I also started reading the book "Heaven is so Real".  I am not finished with it yet and yearn to read it!  When I sit down and feed Ashlyn that seems to be a quick time to read yet another page!  If you haven't yet read this inspiring book, you really should!!! 

Keeping up with my laundry is a must for me.  I love the smell of laundry detergent and clean wash, and I only like this job when I can see the project as a quick thing and not a huge chore! 

The weeds keep growing even when the grass looks thirsty for another rain shower.  But with all the work comes all the summer fun too!!!  We have been enjoying the sunshine at the pool when we can.  We are also starting to pick fresh tomatoes off of our plants!  Red and juicy!

Here are some summer surroundings at our house!  Have a great weekend!  I can't believe it's already mid July!

... 15 WEEKS OLD ...

Ashlyn is now 15 weeks old.  She's growing and is truly a blessing from God!

She is so much fun at this stage in her little life and we love it when she laughs out loud for us!

Matthew loves to sing to her, "Red Robin .... yum!" 

He closes his eyes, lifts his chin a little, and perks out his lips when he says "yum". 

It looks so funny and Ashlyn laughs!

Here are the 'girls' in the house ...

Hadassah took the baby and the camera for a little photo shot (in the living room) the other day. 

This is one that she took and had Ashlyn in her Bumbo surrounded with toys. 

Ashlyn loves all the attention!!!

Happy Saturday to you all!!!

Celebrating Birthdays!!!

We've been celebrating a lot this week!!!  On Wednesday afternoon, my sister and sister - in - laws took my mom out for her birthday.  We told her that we would pick her up at 1:15 and then be out the afternoon and evening!  She didn't know where she was going and that was kinda a fun thought!  When we picked her up we told her that we were going to King of Persia and then eat at the Cheesecake Factory.  (If you remember this is what Mike's sisters and mom did for my birthday.  I loved it so much and wanted to go again!!!)  I was the only one that had eaten at the Cheesecake Factory out of our group, so we needed some time to look over the huge menu!  We enjoyed EVERYTHING we ate!  Salad, Salmon, Pasta, Shrimp, Stuffed Mushrooms and their yummy, warm bread and butter!  After we ate, we went shopping.  Then, then we went back to the Cheesecake Factory for CHEESECAKE!  Dessert!  Oh, we choose from 32 different kinds!  We enjoyed the sweet taste and then on our way back home, we stopped at HomeGoods and Kohl's yet!  The night out with just ladies was fun!  We are hoping to do more of this!!!  (Thanks Babe for keeping the kids in the evening and to Lena for checking up on them!  Smile!  They were both rewarded with a piece of cheesecake!)

THESE WERE OUR ENTREES ...

    

SISTERS AND MOM ...

MY SLICE OF RASPBERRY TRUFFLE CHEESECAKE!!!  

I AM STILL ENJOYING THE LEFTOVERS!!!

 Thanks for the fun night ladies!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MORE BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS ...
Matthew has been counting down the days for the 6th birthday!  He made a list of things he 'wished' for: skateboard, walkie talkies, binoculars, and a telescope.  Wow.  Boys don't dream of much do they?  Matthew woke up in the morning happy, happy, happy!  Birthdays are so much for kids!  We had texted some of his guys friends and planned a birthday party at the ballpark.  We baked a baseball cake with the kids helping hands!  In the morning, Matthew was out riding his new skateboard (thanks to Mommy Lapp), when he came running in and said, "The fruit guy is here with my fruit!!!"  I sent him back outside and said for him to tell him he's the birthday boy!  Now, thanks to 'John Mike Mommy', we are enjoying a fruit bouquet! 

At lunch, Aunt Lena took Matthew to Texas Roadhouse for their yummy rolls and cinnamon butter!  Matthew absolutely loves them.  Because the restaurant wasn't open yet, they grabbed a cheeseburger at Fudruckers and then played a game of mini golf and then went for their rolls!  Thanks Lena!  Matthew was thrilled!

When Matthew's friends arrived at the ballpark, we sang Happy Birthday and I served cake and ice cream to hungry, excited, little boys!  They played at the park and then we watched Mike play two games of softball!  The day was fun for Matthew!!!  He's happy to say he is now "6"!

HERE'S TO ALL THE 'ANGRY BIRD' FANS ... thanks Fanny Lynn for the shirt!!!

OPENING GIFTS ...

HIS 6TH BIRTHDAY CAKE ...

MAKE A WISH AND BLOW ...

HIS FRIENDS ...

We love you buddy!!!  Happy Birthday!!!

"One More"

I keep thinking about our church sermon this past Sunday.  The title was "One More".  The minister preached on the parables that Jesus taught about "The lost sheep, The lost coin, & The lost son".

THE LOST SHEEP - Reading from Luke 15: 

"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them.  Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?  And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home.  Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.'  I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."

How valuable is one soul?  One?  When one becomes saved, he deserves a hug and a cheer!  A pat on the back and not the words, "Well, it's about time you get your act together!"  No.  Heaven cheers for ONE saved soul!!!  Do we cheer?

THE LOST COIN - "Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one.  Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?  And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rojoice with me; I have found my lost coin.'  In the same way I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."  Luke 15: 8 - 10

ONE sinner!  Rejoicing in heaven!  Just yesterday, Matthew couldn't find the necklace that Hadassah got for him at camp.  It's a necklace with a cross on it and Matthew really loves it!  We searched until we found it.  When he saw it again, he smiled and he was so happy!  The lady lit a candle and searched hard for that ONE lost coin!  We have the 'light' of Christ within us!  A burning candle to help find the lost souls!  God's kingdom is built ONE soul at a time!!!  (I am writing these words from the notes that I took during Sunday's sermon.  I feel like I am preaching to myself!!!  I need these reminders!)

THE LOST SON -  "Jesus continued:  "There was a man who had two sons.  The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.'  So he divided his property between them.  Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.  After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.  So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.  He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.  When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare,and here I am starving to death!  I will set out and go back to my father and say to him:  Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.  I am no longer worthy to be called your son:  make me like one of your hired men.'  So he got up and went to his father.  But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.  The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.  I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'  But the father said to his servants, 'Quick!  Bring the best robe and put it on him.  Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.  Bring the fattened calf and kill it.  Let's have a feast and celebrate.  For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'  So they began to celebrate.

Meanwhile, the older son was in the field.  When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.  So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.  'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'

The older brother became angry and refused to go in.  So his father went out and pleaded with him.  But he answered his father, 'Look!  All these years I've been slavering for you and never disobeyed our orders.  Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.  But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!

"'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.  But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'" 

Luke 15: 11- 31

Oh, there is so much that I don't really understand in this parable.  If I were the son that never strayed, I think I would be saying the same thing ... "What about me?  Where's my party?"  But on Sunday, as I was listening to this being preached, it hit me.  All that is God's is already mine if I am a believer in Christ!  ALL.  What more could I ask for?  Another earthly party?  More recognition for me?  Sometimes life seems unfair and like some people just get it all, but that's OK.  I needed to be reminded that God has rewards for us Christians in heaven that we seriously can't even grasp here on earth!  Gold.  Silver.  Mansions.  Jewels.  So much more that my eyes have ever seen!!!  I have seen some gold and silver and when I hold a little piece of something like these in my hand, I am amazed at it's wealth!  Can we imagine "streets of gold"?  Wow, let's celebrate!!!

That dad seen his son coming home a far off and he was so happy to see him and have him back home!  He celebrated!  Let's reach out to those who are hurting and help them 'come back to Jesus'.

I was also challenged to encourage our children when they do something good!  Give them a pat on the back and celebrate!

Here's a picture I took the other day from our garden. 

The sunflower is ready to burst with it's color!  I hope today you can burst forth with your color in life!  Celebrate!!!

Making Applesauce ...

Today was a another hot, busy day.  It was hot and sticky early this morning and we were at Mommy D.'s by 8:30!  We had 8 baskets of early harvest apples to cook, churn, and freeze.  Some of us get together and we all help each other with all these apples.  Mommy D. usually cuts the apples, mom cooks them, Jody churn's it and adds sugar, we taste it, and then after it cools a little in the cooler, we put it in containers and freeze it!  So yummy!  I prefer eating some while it's still warm!!!  It tasted so good at lunch time!  Thanks to all the helpers and now my freezer kind of applesauce is done!  (I am going to can some yet later in the summer!)

HERE'S MOMMY D. CUTTING THE APPLES ...

ASHLYN WAS WATCHING AND MOM IS COOKING THE APPLES ...

AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!!

CHECKING TO SEE IF THE APPLES ARE SOFT ENOUGH

TO PRESS AND AUNT VERNA HELPING!!!

DUMPING THE APPLES INTO THE 'CHURNER THIING' AND THEN IT'S

READY FOR POURING IT INTO CONTAINERS ...