Mike's Birthday!!!

We celebrated a birthday yesterday!!!  Mike turned 36!

 

The more I live with this man, the more I love who he is.  Not that I ever loved him less!  Not at all!  Love grows and with twelve years of marriage with him ... it is still growing and growing and getting better and better.  I have no idea how that works!?!  It's a God thing!  Definitely a God thing!!!

 

Anyway, back to Mike ... he's amazing.  He follows his dreams!  He follows his heart.  He is checking things off his bucket list slowly.  It will take a life time of travels and adventures to be able to cross off all his dreams ... but he's following his dreams!  I love that about him!  Why just last night, I was looking at all his dream world travels that he would love to do sometime.  He's got places marked in China, in the USA, and in many other countries.  I am not a very adventurous traveler myself (well, just not yet) and so I am glad to give it a few more years before we travel the world together.  Small trips at a time.  :)

 

He loves being a dad!  You can see that through and through.  Day after day.  After those many long days at work, he walks in the house ready for family time!  He keeps making comments like, "I want to do this dad thing right!"  That's a statement that you may hear from a lot of other dads.  Mike really means it.  He wants to be open minded and walk through each stage of life with the children.  Each one of them.  I really love seeing this desire in him!

 

Yesterday, he planned to take the day off and go golfing and enjoy some 'me' time.  When he realized that today he would need to leave work early to help play some softball, he chose to take today off instead.  He is right now finishing up some time on the golf course and then plans to relax with the kids and then play ball tonight!  What a lovely idea!!!

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This was last night.  We thought we were going to have to have a quick supper and go racing off to Matthew's games, but because of the rains, the games were canceled.  Perfect!!!  Normally, we celebrate birthdays with going out to eat and then some kind of date/event.  We hope to get our date night some other time soon and we celebrated at home last night!

 

Mike walked through the doors after work and we were jamming on a birthday song I found on you tube.  It set the mood!!!  :)  We sat contently around the supper table eating cheese steak sandwiches and veggies.  We topped it off with little "Lava Chocolate Cakes".  Originally, I was going to grab some tiramisu at Costco, but I forgot.  I decided to try the lava cakes and I was so pleased with how they turned out!  Gooey and yummy!  Mike really liked it!  That's what really counted!!!

 

(Here's the fun song we played again and again!)

 

 

 

Mike sat down at his usual supper table spot.  The kids had balloons blown up and decorated the dining room!

 

Mike loves Coke ... so it only made sense to buy bottled Coke made with real sugar cane!  He was happy, happy, happy!

Thanks Costco!!!  :)

The cheese steaks were delicious!  Fresh beef cooked and stirred with 'Merv's steak sauce' and topped with American cheese!  Can't get much better!!!

 Mike needs a new pair of sandals and so when he kept walking around with his brother Ritchie's sandals at the cabin, I knew this would be a good buy!  The only problem is that I bought women's!!!  Now I need to return them and get the right ones!!!  Sigh.

 

Hadassah made this card for Mike.  You don't have to guess what the kids are enjoying watching right now.  Don't you just love the different seasons of life?!!  Wasn't it just yesterday that they watched Blue's Clues and Wonder Pets?

 

 

Here are the lovely Lava Cakes!!!

A warm chocolate cake with warm gooey syrup flowing out of it when you cut and bite into it is heavenly!  Add some ice cream and whipped cream and then some fresh blackberries ... Oh yes!!!  It's called dessert!  (Thanks Mim for the berries!!!  I was texting you to come over for a cake when I remembered your 'no sweet's' deal.  Bummer.  Come around when you can eat chocolate again!!!  :)  )

Lava Chocolate Cakes:

4 tsp. sugar

1/2 cup butter, cubed

4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 cup powered sugar

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

1 1/2 tsp. instant coffee granules

3/4 tsp. vanilla

6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

whipped cream, optional

Grease the bottom and sides of 4 (6 oz.) ramekins; sprinkle each with 1 tsp. sugar.  Place ramekins on a baking sheet; set aside.  Melt the butter and chocolate in the microwave; stir until smooth.  Stir in powered sugar until smooth.  Whisk in the egg, egg yolks, instant coffee and vanilla, stir in flour and salt; spoon batter into prepared ramekins.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.  The cake sides should be set and centers are soft.  Remove ramekins to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes.  Carefully, run a small knife around cakes to loosen.  Invert warm cakes onto serving plates.  Lift ramekins off cakes.  Serve warm with whipped cream and ice cream!

Yield:  4 servings.  (From: Simply Divine Cookbook)

 

 Can you see the syrup almost coming out of the top?

 

We love you Mike!!!  I love you so much!!!

 

Thanks for being such a blessing! 

Thanks for being an awesome husband and a loving father to our dear children!!!

 

Happy Birthday!!!

First Days of SUMMER!!!

SUMMER is here!  Officially!

It's such a good feeling in knowing that my summer list is really in action!  I keep highlighting more and more things that we already did! 

Matthew had his first ever sleep over party with inviting a special friend over from school!  He thought it was so cool to have a friend (not that cousins are not friends because they are some of the best) but having a non relative over for the night was cool stuff!!!  :) 

Zach and Matthew have such a great time together and the night of playing little league, then sprawling out on the cool basement floor which was stacked and made all cozy by Hadassah, then watching a movie, then sleeping, and then having the whole next day of fun and play together was like a dream come true for Matthew!  He really enjoyed having Zach over!  Thanks for coming Zach!

We spent our late evenings at home enjoying the beautiful sunsets!  We sit on the back porch and look around at our beautiful surroundings!  Surely, God is good and really does bless us!!! 

Thursday was a day of working at home.  Things needed a good cleaning.  So by Thursday night, I was into relaxing on the back porch after my shower, but the kids had a different plan.  They thought going out to the old ball park and watch a game would be much, much better!  Mike and I bit for it and so off we went and sat and watched a ballgame.  Mike was enjoying his homemade root beer that the kids gave him for Father's Day.  Ashlyn ran around in the cool grass.  Matthew chased after the home run balls that were hit out over the fence.  Hadassah hung out with Matt, Lena, and Hunter ... whom we invited to join us!  The night was relaxing even away from home!  :)

Friday, we were ready for a pool day!  It was warm and it was even more perfect to leave the yard work for Saturday, because our mower is in the garage being fixed.  It keeps needing to be jump started and then shuts off while mowing.  So annoying.  Anyway, we were off early to do some errands and then to the pool!  It was the first time we went to a fun public pool this year.  We always enjoy it so much at this pool.  Take a look ....

Matthew loves the pizza at this pool!!!

 And the girls love the cheese fries!

Mom gave Hadassah this really small bucket that had some candy and small shovels in it.  Ashlyn loved them at the pool!!!  Thanks Mom!

 Loving the water!!!

Hadassah does a great job with entertaining Ashlyn!  They both loved the water together!

 

The first day of summer was a day full of sunshine and water and fun!!! 

 

We came home and got ready for a fun night out at the park.  It was heritage days at the park and so we got supper and ice cream there.  We enjoyed the spelling bee event and then we watched fire works in our back yard while roasting marshmellows at 9:30 PM!  Matthew was catching fire flies in the back yard!  We love summer nights around the camp fire!

 

And since we love camp fires so good, we had another one last night.  :)  Yesterday was a hot day with more time spent at the park seeing lots of reptiles, bouncing in the bouncy house, and staying hydrated!  After 2:00 PM, everyone was warm and ready for a break.  Mike decided to go golfing with his friend John and so Martha Rose and I chatted here while the babies took naps and kids played. 

 

We made BLT sandwiches, added a veggie tray and watermelon to the table, smores, cold water refreshed by lemon slices and mint tea leaves and sat around the camp fire!  At 10 PM, we had another fire work display done by the heritage day events!  What a perfect view from across the field!  Thanks John and Mart for hanging out with us!  We love our friends!!!

 

Summer is such a busy time, but hey, it's great!!!  We love the fresh garden foods, the local grown fruits, the green grass, the fire flies and butterflies (subtract the house flies please!!!), ball games, and camp fires with friends and family!!!

 

WE ARE BLESSED!!! 

 

Have a great weekend and enjoy the moment!  Enjoy Summer!  Today.  Right now!!! 

Hadassah loves art!

Hadassah loves art.  Crafts.  She's into the duck tape crafts.  The paints.  The pastels.  Chalkboard paint.  You name it ... !

We got to enjoy the day together with her best school friends and their moms ... and her 5th grade teacher, Miss. Kreider!!!  We all met on Monday morning and went to Hobby Lobby!  We were only there once before, so it made it extra exciting to go and see and shop the store.

Hobby Lobby is a craft store and it has unique, beautiful items.  Hadassah spent the entire time shopping with her girlfriends, Courtney and Laurie.  Miss. Kreider stuck with them too.  They had a blast!  The other moms and I went our own ways and enjoyed some peaceful shopping!  :)

Hadassah had a cart full of things before we checked out.  I had a few myself!  :)  She went gun go on the paints!  She also bought pastels.  (I can't wait to see what she does with those.  These are really neat!)  We got a canvas.  Some more duck tape.  A few gift items, etc..  I found a big 10 Commandments plague that Mike has been wanting for his shop.  The price was great!  I bought a few frames and some outdoor items.  Fun, fun!

Here's a stool we picked up at a yard sale this Spring.  It was black but Hadassah added all kinds of fun paint splats.  She thinks it will look great in her 'studio' outback.

Mike brought home a demo, small shed two summers ago and it sets behind the pines in the back yard.  It stores our patio set during the winter but now that's its empty, Hadassah wants to make it into a studio.  An art studio of some sort.  It's been a dream of hers ever since the shed hit our property.  Last summer her and Matthew painted the inside.  They laid some spare pieces of carpet in it.  Now, yesterday afternoon they attempted to give it a good cleaning and add some furniture.  I think it will be a fun project for them today!!!

 We visited an antique barn yesterday after doing a fun garden tour with the kids.  I found this small piece of wood on a iron rod.  I asked Hadassah to paint it orange for me.  When the paint is dry, we will write "carrots" on it and stick it in the garden!  Hence .... the reason for the orange hands!

 

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I kept mentioning that I want small signs for the garden.  I think it adds some style and neatness!  :)  I bought a paint pen the other week and finally texted Mike asking him to bring home some boards from the shop to complete my project.  When he came home last night, he had forgotten but we looked around the shed and found some other boards that worked perfectly!  With Mike and Matthew's help with the saw and a hammer, we had a the small project done in no time!  Satisfied!

 

I pulled out the sugar peas last night.  Now it's time for the string beans to be planted.

 



 

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This is another project Hadassah did last night.  She liked my paint pen too!  :)  I love her art!  It's always inspiring! 

 

This was Matthew's project ... not so inspiring, but so cute!!!

 

 

His watermelon plant is growing slowly.  I think with all the rain we've been getting, all it needs is some good sunshine yet and it will take off!  He made this sign too last night for his plant!

 

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 I mentioned earlier about a garden tour we took.  Mom, Jody, and I (and the kiddoes) took a walk through an outdoor garden tour yesterday.  It was so neat!!!  It was paths through the woods, the crafts, and foods, the animals, the wood projects, flowers, gardens, etc!!!  We really enjoyed our time there! 

 

As us ladies mused on the landscapes and flowers, while the kids roasted free smores.  They fed the pony and baby ducks.  They tasted and loved the different popcorn flavors!  We bought some of that yummy "Emma's Popcorn" for a treat on the way home!!!

 

Then we stopped at an antique barn and roamed and had a blast there after the garden tour!  I was never there and had no idea a barn like this was so close to home!  I will be going back again!!!   

 

We went from one event to the next.  After the barn, we went to Annie's pool!  That warm sun felt so good and the kids always love swimming!  Thanks Anne for the invite!  And for the fresh zucchini bread!  Yummy!!!

 

 

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Hadassah mentioned that I don't have a whole lot of pictures of her recently on the blog and I agreed.  It's not like I try to take some of one child and not of the other.  Not at all.  It seems that my camera goes first to Ashlyn.  Anyway, so here's most of this post for Hadassah!

 

Her first day at market ... eating a pickle!

We have been enjoying smores and campfire out back!  This was last week ...

 

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Well, it's off to eat some breakfast and enjoy my coffee before my little ones wake up!  Have a blessed day and enjoy the lovely weather that we are anticipating for today!  We love sunshine and summer!!!

Matthew's Ball Tournament ...



 

On Saturday, Matthew had a ball tournament ALL day long.  He did great!  We missed some key players that are usually on his team.  They were on vacations or not able to be attend, but the Rookies still played some great ball! 

 

It was hot!  Warm!  Sweating!  In need of lots of water and drinks! 

 

Matthew's first game began at 9:00 AM.  The Rookies played four games and then the playoffs started at 3:30 PM.  They lost that game and so they didn't make it the final game.  They played hard and were still happy with the games they did win!!!

 

Here Mike is giving Matthew a nice encouragement.  Mike was the pitcher for all the games.  Matthew likes that he helps his team with that!!!  :)

 



I love watching Matthew play baseball.  He's got this care free attitude yet one that loves, loves to win!  He never says a whole lot and doesn't let losing get him down and out.  He is an inspiration to me at times!  :)  See how his feet are?  Is he ready?  Yepper ... as soon as the next batter steps up to the plate, he's in position and ready to field the ball!!!

He plays different positions.  Most times it's third base and outfield.  Here he is playing third and ready to make a play!!!

Ashlyn watched from the side lines.  Every now and then you will hear her say, "Go Matthew.  Go Matthew!!!"

It was hot and so applying sunscreen was necessary!  And ... she can do it herself.  We must not forget that!  :/

Hadassah was off with her friends all afternoon.  They played on the playground.  Or watched the older teams play ball.  Or took walks to the snack stand.  They even walked up to Rita's for an ice treat!

After Matthew's last game, I was ready to get the girls bathed and relax.  But, Mike was into watching some of the older boys games.  They played really good.  So, it was Ashlyn and I that came home and got refreshed and cleaned up the house and did some laundry.  The evening was so lovely and the rest of my family eventually joined us on the back porch. 

Good games Matthew and you make a great ball player!  I am so proud of you!

Father's Day in 2013!

We love DAD'S!  They are so important in children and adult lives.  They give strength and wholeness to a family.  They are leaders.  They are strong and yet loving. 

We had a fun day yesterday!  The kids had to get woken up so we can enjoy a whole day of church at my parents on the farm.  We do this every year as a church and it's always so much fun!

Because of it being Father's Day too, the kids woke up praising Mike with kisses and hugs and "Happy Father's Day" words.  They all signed a card and gave him a gallon of homemade root beer.  I know we will have some good times on the back porch drinking the soda and making root beer floats!  :) 

We were then off to the church fun day at dad's! 

Everyone gathers under a big tent for devotions and singing.

 This was for all the Men when they arrived!

 A line up of food warmers ... ready for lunch!  Uncle Alvin making the chicken.  Again!  Thanks Alvin!

 The many drink options!

 Mommy D. helping Shakia bring Coins For Camp.  All the coins that are given will benefit children's camp this summer!  Mike and Ashlyn are giving too.

 Happy Father's Day to Daudy D. too!  My special grandfather ...

 

 My dad ... Thanks dad for all you do for me and my family!  We love you so much!!!  Also, before church was over, we heard this loud 'coin noise'.  Ashlyn and Shakia thought playing with the coins was fun!  :)

 Lunch time ...

 Ada ALWAYS blows up balloons for the kids and throws a candy scramble.  She's great!

 

Here's the Daddy for our kids!  He's so special and we love every ounce in him! 

Thanks for all you do for us, Baby!!!  You are the BEST!!!

Mike enjoyed croquet!

 This is Matt and Mike ... again!  These two are too crazy together.  No, no he didn't really hit him!

 Collecting candy ... all they could get!

Ashlyn and Alaina licking their lollipops!

This piece of watermelon was bitten off of and laid on a bench.  The girls decided to finish it off.  They were so dirty and wet from the juice but they loved it! 

 

 Matthew played so much ball all day long!  He finished off the day playing in the creek and getting all wet!

Hadassah had a blast with the girls that were there.  Her friends are special and in between laughing, running, playing volleyball and eating ... she had a good day!!!

Thanks so much Dad and Mom for opening up your farm for this fun day!  We love you!!!

Happy Father's Day to all you dad's out there!!!  God made you special!