3rd grade's field trip - Longwood Gardens!!!

I hopped along on Matthew's field trip last Friday!  Our gorgeous fall weather cooperated so well with all the outdoor activity at the Garden's!!!  It was a long, fun day!!!

We all rode together on a school bus to the Garden's.  Shortly after we arrived, the children split into two groups and took a guided tour!  This gave us volunteers (Moms) a few hours to roam freely around the many plants, flowers, gardens and greenhouses!  I was only there once before and it was in the Winter.  I was so amused at the vegetable garden!!!  I love to see how other people have their vegetables planted!  Fun!!!

Lot's of lettuce! 

Water lilies.  Coleus.  Mums.

I thought this was neat.  Indian corn hung at the children's area!  Matthew is normally a quiet type of boy ... unless he gets with a group of rowdy boys!  This is what his lunch bag ended up to be.  I love to see him have a good time with school friends!

Our happy son!

The Water gardens were so awesome!!!

Here's just a glimpse of my favorite area!  I loved these dahlias!!!

At lunch, we all ate together and then split into smaller groups and us Moms got to take the children to the tree houses, the fountain shows, the wood trails, and of course to see more beautiful flowers and landscaping!!!  My favorite, was an area where they had tons and tons of flowers that all grouped in color.  It would go from pink to red to orange to yellow to white to purple to blue ... etc..  Totally astounding!!!  Someone knew what they were doing and by far not just sticking a flower or plant here and there and call it beautiful!  I loved it!!!

After having some shopping time in the gift shop, we all were ready to sit and relax!  We must have all walked miles!!! The trip back to school went fast and Matthew was so excited to show his "Venus Fly Trap" to Hadassah and Mike!  It's been eating plenty of flies ever since!!!  I love that he choose a plant to buy at the Garden's!  We will try to keep it healthy and thriving!!!  :)

Thank you Miss Roth for organizing the trip and letting me tour along with your students!  God's creation is so gorgeous!!!

Autumn Splendor!

Autumn is here and I am still busy.  I don't mind having events planned in the summer because I wouldn't want to miss out on campfire nights, roasting marsh mellows, amusing over fireworks, playing colly over outside with the kids, shooting hoops with Hadassah, swinging with Ashlyn and watching Matthew scoot around on the scooter!  Summer just is a busy, fun time and I love it!  But now that it's Fall, I have a big desire to slllloooowww down.  Is there something like "slowing down fast"?  :) 

I love all four seasons, summer being my favorite!  However, I really love Autumn too!  The smells of cinnamon, maple spice lattes, coffee with hazelnut cream, pumpkin pies, pumpkin bars, apple dumplings, fresh grape juice ... the list goes on!  All so yummy!

Another thing I love about Fall is the weather!  I think September in our little county is the all time best!!!  The cool crisp air in the morning and evening is refreshing!  Then the warm afternoon reminds me that Summer is still trying to share the warm tempts!  I have yet to sit outside and enjoy the warmth on my skin.  I do need to go work outside and pull out the rest of my garden produce and rid of some dying flowers.  That might be my way of feeling the sun on my face again?.

Something that's not so exciting to me is housecleaning.  I love to be organized and have those closets and drawers cleaned out but it takes me a bit longer to get that urge into my head.  It seems to be a chore that I push off for a while and then eventually dig into to.  That was me yesterday!  Such a good feeling!  More days of cleaning are planned for next week!  My carpets need a good cleaning too!

Our watermelon plants have become a fall food around here.  It happened last year and again this year.  I waited too long to plant them and now they are just beginning to ripen.  If they are as good as last year, we won't mind a bit.  Juicy and sweet!  I keep checking them and maybe this weekend we will pull off the first melon!?!

My canning shelves are being restocked too!  It always takes a lot of energy and effort to can soups, tomato foods, peaches, relish, etc..  I am really enjoying my canned soups for lunch or for a quick, easy supper!  They all go so well with a salad or grilled sandwich!

Sitting around a fireplace, snuggled in a blanket sipping on hot cider or coffee or tea ... and just relaxing is what I am anticipating!  Soon!  :) 

Wedding pics #1 ...

I have been so busy the past few weeks that blogging has been something I just had to keep saying "No" to.  I mentally keep thinking of blogs that I would love to post but don't seem to get it done.  So, because I don't have much time, again, I am just making this post a quicky!

This past Saturday, my youngest brother got married to a beautiful bride!  The girl of his dreams!!!  (This is one reason for my busier schedule.  :)  )  They had such a gorgeous wedding and the whole theme was "cowgirl, burlap, twin, and fall colors!  So beautiful.  They had their ceremony at church and then the reception at my parents farm.  The whole experience was so cool!!!  Love was in the air!!! 

Ashlyn was asked to be the miniature bride with a very cute and handsome boy from church!!!  They did a really good job and now we are trying to get make to a good diet of fruits and veggies!  All morning, we kept giving candy for their reward of doing a good job!  :/

I hope to get to more picture editing soon and then I will share a few more!

For now, here's a sneak peak!!!

My handsome brother with his lovely bride!!!

John Micheal & Mim ...

 

Your wedding was so gorgeous, Mim!  You were a beautiful bride and I hope God gives you many, many years of fun, loving years together!!!  I am so proud of you little brother!!!

 

XOXO

Never ending ball season and weekend events.

I thought after our Labor Day Weekend in Ohio was our official good bye to our ball season this year.  Well, not after all!  :)

We all love it when Mike plays softball!  He's a great player and to me sitting at a park with the kids playing and cheering and watching the game, it's one definition of "fun" for us!  Mike suited up for the Gators Fall Ball game on Thursday night.  Then on Friday afternoon - Saturday night, he played ball at the Gospel Express Tournament.  This time the team was a mix of the "Rebels" and "Gators".  I have come to really enjoy the Gators and so putting them together with my "all time favorite team of the Rebels" ... it was great!!!  A mix of the young and the slightly older guys.  :)

Not the best picture ... but it's proof that he played the game!  :)

The team did good!  I knew they would.  They got to the semi finals.  South Side from Ohio won their last game and put them out Saturday night.  By now the weather was chilly.  We went from HOT weather in the beginning of the week to chilly on Friday.  I had to go dig into the 'winter tubbie' and look for warm jackets and hats!  After the Rebels/Gators last game, the little children were playing in one of the ball fields when Ashlyn came up crying and holding the back of her head.  She kept saying something of a stone hitting the back of her head.  I tried to look but saw nothing.  I decided to just head home and not watch the final game.  It was time for baths and beds.  Our little toddler was exhausted and hurt.  When we got home, I took another look at her head and sure enough, she had three small bruises.  I still don't know if it was really a stone or a ball that hit her or if she fell.  After a bath, some kisses and extra lovin', she was sleeping peacefully!

Here's our little cheerleader all bundled up on the chilly day at the park!

I think it's safe to say that now our ball playing will be at rest.  :) 

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Yesterday, we had a full day!  It was church with a visiting minister, Nelson Coblentz.  He brought us a great message from the Lord!  He titled his message "Giving Up to Move Up".  I was encouraged and I'll share some of my sermon notes with you ...

***  Sometimes giving up means to move others up.  Deny myself.  To be a follower of Christ costs us everything.  We need to take up our cross.  Jesus said, "Follow Me."  If I want to be the greatest in God's kingdom ... I must be the least of all.  The best servant!  And when we go through tough times, God might be thinking of someone else. 

(Nelson talked about when Joseph was in prison for two years for doing nothing wrong.  He was wrongly accused.  It hit me yesterday that Joseph's coat seemed to be such a trouble maker for him.  First, his father made him a nice coat and his brother's got jealous and that all lead to actually selling him to foreigners.  Then later in life, the kings wife took Joseph's coat and lied about him again.)

God was thinking of someone else in the story of Joseph.  His family.  His brothers.  Generations.  He also talked about when Paul and Silas were in prison.  They were singing and praising God in a dark time in their life.  That night when the doors and locks were all loosened by God, the jailer panicked and was about to take his own life, when he was stopped.  None of the prisoners ran away to freedom.  The presence of God was real there!  When the jailer realized the power of God, the Bible says that HE and ALL HIS FAMILY were saved. 

Are we willing to take some beatings?  Rough bumps?  Things we call tribulation for the sake of others?  I'm not being real if I say life is always fun and easy.  Really it's not.  It's not fair.  It's hard.  Really hard at times.  We need to remain faithful!  God just might have other people in mind!

Another comment made was "we are entering a valley, in a valley, or coming out of a valley".  Enjoy the highs and learn in the lows.  God uses broken people.  Don't let our past be our future.  God turns our past of ashes into beauty!  He restores our past!  We need to look at everything in the light of eternity!  God does have something good to restore!  ***

All my notes are easy to write.  It's much harder to live out and apply in my life.  I am challenged with this sermon!

We were invited to Dave's for an awesome, yummy lunch!  Thanks Suz for the delicious foods!!!  We then relaxed at home.  Mike was in the basement fighting against his allergies.  They really got stirred up again this weekend.  What would be blooming now???  Hadassah had a friend over and they played dress up and had fun all afternoon.  Ashlyn and Matthew hung out in the living room while I tried to do a homework lesson from the new study I am doing at Ladies Bible Study.  Another great session and I am so eager to do yet another Bible study with Beth Moore!  A short nap was exactly the energy boast I need too! 

We attended evening service last night.  We voted for a new elder couple to join the leadership team and new Sunday School Teachers.  Matthew is all smiles now that I am his new teacher!!!  :)  After all the voting, we went with Dave's to make a quick stop in at Matt Lapps.  Suz had a little bit of her famous cheesecake leftover from lunch and Matt's supplied the coffee!  The small campfire felt good because the nights just get chilly now.  It was so much fun to see them again even if it was a short stay.  The children always have fun too!  Matthew counted at least 13 sneezes from Mike on the way home!!!  Sigh!

Now, it's raining outside and the two oldest are in school.  Mike's got a full day at the office.  Ashlyn is sleeping in and the washer and dryer are busy!  Rainy days sometimes mean lazy days.  I think the low key day will be just what I need!!!

Enjoy the rain drops and according to the weather forecast, the sunshine later on!!!  Our new seeded lawn is drinking up the moisture and it's just what it needs!!! 

We will be thinking wedding this week!!!  My youngest brother is getting married!  How awesome!!!  :)

~ Don't grow weary of sharing the gospel!  Trudge on solider of God!  Be blessed today!

Remembering back 12 years ago ... 9/11.

I am thinking about September 11.  It was back twelve years ago when I was pregnant with our first baby.  We were in Florida with our grandparents.  It was a VERY lovely day.  Mike was out golfing a good round of golf and I was relaxing in the sun and helping Mommy D. with house chores.  There wasn't a cloud in the sky.  It was a normal, September morning ... until it happened!

The planes came crashing through the Twin Towers.  Two other planes were high jacked and crashed!  What was going on???  We all wanted answers NOW!  It was scary waiting to see "what next?".  We read about in the papers.  We watched it out in the mall on the news.  (No, we didn't have our iPads, Laptops, and iPhone twelve years ago.  Crazy ... )  I had the radio on almost 24/7.

How terrible for NY and those who have been directly affected by such a tragedy!!!  All week long we would read news article after news article.  It brought many to their knees and repentance.  That's what any tragedy does!  It melts the hearts of those hurt.  I will never forget this moment. 

.................................................

Fall ... It officially begins in a few weeks.  But today I am feeling in the fall mood.  My new scented "Apple Cider Candle" is burning.  I even have some fresh apple cider in the fridge.  I might heat some up tonight and enjoy each sip!  The windows did get closed up again and AC turned on ... not just because of our warm 80 degree weather but because Mike's allergies seemed to act up again.  Sigh.  Oh, how I feel so bad for him these few weeks of allergy season for him.

I am getting the urge to put up the fall decorations in the house and make that transition from summer to fall.  My flowers in the planters outside are looking bleak and need pulled out.  They might just have to be replaced with some fall flowers and mums.?.  :)  As much as I didn't want to say good bye to summer, the fall feelings are being stirred! 

Housecleaning will be one of my next projects around here too.  We are going to be switching some bedroom furniture and get some new paint on some walls, so maybe I will have to just do the closets and drawers for now.  The carpets are in need of a deep clean too!  It will be refreshing when everything is wiped down and thoroughly cleaned.

Take time today to look at the blue sky and green grass.  It's so beautiful in September!  One of my favorite months!!!  Have a wonderful day and please say a prayer for all the 9/11 victims! 

Weekend memories in September!

It's September and even though I am never ready to say farewell to Summer, the brisk air and back to school routine is nice!  I love the change of seasons and my sweaters and long sleeves are looking appealing again!  Wondering though ... how comes summer seems to go by so fast and winter just don't seem to ever end?  I think they are about the same amount of weeks.  Hm mm?

I am so happy to have my hubby back home with us!  Mike was out of a golf outing last week.  He left for the hot 110 degree Arizona on Thursday morning and came back home last night.  The paid golf fun trip for Mike is a blessing from the Lumberman Company!  We really missed him so much and every time he leaves home for a few days, it reminds me how much I rely on him every day!  I love his presence.  When he comes home from work each night, the house lights up with laughter and carrying on with the children.  I tell him about my day.  I share any stories about the kids that happened.  We pray together.  We laugh.  Sometimes we cry.  We tuck the children into bed together.  We kiss each other good night and sleep side by side.  There are a ton of other things that I could list here, but one thing I am sure, when he's not home ... he's missed so much!!!  I love, love this man!!!

One way of functioning without Mike being home, is keeping myself busy.  I have not found anything yet that makes me 'forget he's not home', but being occupied seems to help a little.  So on Thursday night, we ate at Chickfila with Linda and her kiddoes.  Steve was out of town too so that worked perfect!!!  We enjoyed our food and watched the children play in the play area.  Then we were off to Five Below to grab a few items.  Never leave a two year old hold a ball in the store and then not buy it!  Just saying that that could cause some drama!!!  :/  I surprised Matthew with telling him that he can sleep with me since it's him and I that really, really miss daddy tucking us in at night.  :)

Friday it was school for the older children and laundry for me.  Ashlyn played with Mel and Meg while Jody cleaned dad's shop.  I did some errands and then after the school children returned home, we headed up to Jody's to set up for a yard sale.  A big yard sale of old cloth and shoes.  We sold a good bit Friday night and was ready to sell lots more Saturday!  Jody served us supper and we slept there that night.  That was a real blast for the children.  I still prefer my own bed!  :)

I was up with the sun and off to get some donuts to sell at the sale.  Hot coffee and fresh donuts just seem to go together at yard sales!!!  It was cool in the morning and the sun felt good in the afternoon!  We sold more items but after lunch, I packed it all up and took it to a thrift store.  I was not going to return that stuff back into the attic!  Thanks so, so much Jody for hosting us and for giving us beds to sleep in and food to eat!!!  You are the best Sister!!!

I was so tired when we got home.  My hot bath did wonders to my body!!!  I got re energized with some coffee and quiet time and then we spent the evening with Mike's family!  Campfire and hot dogs!!!  They were so delicious!  Mom had new roasters that we all laughed and laughed at!  Just roast and flip as you go!!!  :)  With homemade ketchup and relish and mustard ... that makes any hot dog yummy!!!  The kids always have fun with their cousins and what a lucky day to play with some from both sides of the family.  It was Kan Jam and throwing balls around for them!  The adults sat around the fire chatting and all taking our turns holding Hunter!!!  :)  Such a dear baby boy!

Sunday we went to Sunday School.  We came home for lunch and I took a good nap while the others played.  When I woke up, stuff was everywhere.  Ashlyn made her round throughout the whole house.  The Sorry game was lying out in the family room.  Her babies and dishes were sprawled in the living room.  She got Matthew's Lego's out in his room.  She was in Hadassah's jewelry bag in Hadassah's room.  She had the water running in the bathroom from washing her hands.  After wiping my eyes from my slumber, we got the place clean up in no time.  Matthew had decided to make a smoothie and so the kitchen was in need of clean up too!  :)  How could this be called "a day of rest" for us moms?  I love it though!  I am so happy that the children play and make our home homey!  :)  Last night, we walked/biked out to Matt's and ate pizza while we waited for Mike to return home!

The whole weekend was fun!  I have so much to be thankful for!!!  Healthy children!  A place I can call home!  A husband that loves me and all of our children!  Family that entertains us every now and then!  :)  A church family!  And so much more ...

~ Thank you Jesus!!!  ~

Count your blessings today!  Bless someone around you with a smile.  Kiss your children and husband!  A tight squeeze may be just what a friend needs to get through a tough time.  Pray for a lost soul!  Praise our Maker!!!

I have some snack to prepare for tonight's events, so I am off to cut up some cheese and make salsa!  Blessings!

Ripping out bushes!!!

Ever since we lived here, we had these terrible, picky ground cover bushes out front.  Every year, it got harder and harder to keep the weeds out.  I finally made that the kids chore project and I pulled all the rest of the weeds around the house.  It wasn't too bad if we pulled them each week.

Well, last Friday, I was so happy to see the landscaper truck pull in and get to work with pulling out the bushes.  They had them out in no time.  They brought in loads of top soil and seeded grass.  Now we wait for some lush green grass and no more weeds!!!

Before they started ...

Good bye bushes!!!

They dumped dirt and leveled it off so that it will be easy for me to mow.

We are waiting for new grass to grow!!!  I can't wait to see the finished project with green grass!!!

Canning and Freezing ...

This is the time of year when I do most of my canning and freezing.  I love to plant the foods and garden but harvesting it all takes a bit more effort!!!  I still have a row of carrots that need dug out and tomatoes to keep after.  My egg plant decided to grow more blooms too!  The three watermelon plants are thriving in the front flower bed!  It will be a late harvest for those because I got them planted a little late again.  What's wrong with eating watermelon in October!??  :) 

String Beans ...
I planted three "small" rows of string beans later this summer.  They were just small but the beans grew plentiful!!!  I cleaned so many beans and froze lots of bags!!!  This is by far one Ashlyn's favorite cooked veggies!!!  She sits so quietly at the supper table chowing on green beans!!!  I am glad to say that the green beans are now pulled out and finished for the summer!!!

(One of my many pickings.)

Peaches ... I did two baskets of Baby Gold Peaches.  I did this kind last year and we really liked them.  They stayed firm and did not get mushy!  Mom and Mommy D. wanted to do them too.  Mommy D. heard all kinds of comments about how these peaches are a pain to peel and stone.  I just smiled because even though it does require more work to clean the peaches, they are so yummy to eat!!!  I am sure she will enjoy these very much!!!

Peppers ... I picked a big bowl of green, red and yellow peppers and still have a bunch growing.  Matthew cheers when he sees these ripen in the garden!  He likes to eat these raw!  I also picked a bunch of jalapeno peppers too.  I cut them in strips and slices and canned them with great herbs and olive oil.  They smell wonderful when you open up a can!!!  They are great with sandwiches or any hot meats!!!  Mike will love these!

 

 

 Applesauce ... Two baskets of mixed Ginger Gold and Smoke House Apples was made into applesauce on Tuesday.  This is my favorite canning food because it's the one I love the best!!!  Applesauce is set on our dinner table each night.  I love it with any kind of hot food!!!  And soup!!!  It just makes everything so much better!!!  :)

 Mom in law has an outdoor cooker that we use each year!  It works so well and does a whole bunch at a time!!!  Thanks mom!!!

Ashlyn and Sophia both enjoyed a small tea cup full of warm applesauce while we worked!!!  Such cuties and great friends!!!

Pickle Relish ...
Yesterday, sister Jody and I canned pickle relish.  We got the new recipe from mom and after slicing lots of cucumbers and mixing in more spices, we filled over 40 pints!  I forgot to take pictures, so maybe the next time I make a yummy sandwich with these sweet pickles on top, I'll share the moment with you!!!  :)  These really are so good!!!  I can't wait to top my homemade burger with them.  Or eat them right out of the jar.  Or top a hot ham and cheese with a few slices!!!

My canning is almost over with only a few more things to fill my shelves up with.  I have salsa and pizza sauce left from last year, so no need to do more of that.  I would like to juice some tomatoes for some delicious tomato soup!  I am waiting to see the fall advertisement from our local grocer for turkey or chicken thighs.  I need to can some meat and have that handy for chicken noodle soup and casseroles! 

I am so blessed to be able to restock the cellar shelves and reap another year of good harvest!!!

Labor Day Weekend ~ '13

We are back home and the suitcases are unpacked ... again!  We spent four days in Ohio watching and coaching a ball team! 

Mike was the Gators ball coach all season.  He did such a great job and really, really enjoyed it!  He did not coach any tournaments though except the one we were at this past weekend.  For years, we went out to Dublin, Ohio, and Mike played ball in this church tournament.  Then the past two years, the team did not go out.  So, this year, Mike was so into going out with the Gators and helping them by coaching!

We left Friday afternoon and drove the long seven hours west!  That trip just don't seem any shorter even though we traveled it many times!  The kids did do so good though and I was thankful for that!  We arrived at 9:30 PM tired.  The motel we stayed at was huge and really nice.  It was also really crowded with lots of small children.  It just so happened to also be a big soccer tournament for some out there.  It was midnight before we got to sleep.

Saturday the weather was gorgeous.  Perfect for some good ball games!  We went to the park and watched three 'not so good' games with the Gators.  They just couldn't seem to get started on any good hitting.  They lost all three games on Saturday and believe you me ... the team was down and out.  When we all got back to the motel, the guys were doing their usual tussling, when suddenly they heard a crack and poor Matt Glick was off to the hospital.  He broke his arm!!!  We also had some rain so the evening games all got canceled.  That gave us some time to hang out and grab some good food to eat.  The guys ended up at Steak and Shake.  Us married families that went along, we all enjoyed some food at Longhorn!  Fun time!  Again, it was midnight before our heads hit the pillow.

 

Sunday morning was relaxing knowing that no games would start before noon!  The kids slept in and after some devotions and story reading, we ate breakfast and headed for the park once again!  We really hoped the new day would bring us some new game results!!!  It did!  The Gators won two in a row!!!  Our spirits were much lighter and we were having a good time watching them perform well!!!  Hadassah and her friends went to the water park right next door for the afternoon and loved the slides, lazy river, and big pool!!!  Matthew hung out with Chris ... so glad we knew at least one boy there at the park his age!!!  Ashlyn and Jennifer played together so well too!!!  I had packed her small animals and some toys and they played and played!  Thanks Jenn for being such a good playmate!!!

Matt Glick in his arm sling ...

The sun was bright and hot.  They used the umbrella for shade!!!  :)

Waiting at midnight for her milkshake and Matt's burger.  The blue tongue is so gross!  Not my buy but a gift.  :)

The Gators played their final game Sunday night.  We were proud that they did make it to the big tournament bracket!!!  Good job guys!!!  The rest of the night was spent at the motel and waiting for Matthew's burger and Hadassah's milk shake!  Mike decided to go get something to go at Steak and Shake but while he was there, the team guys showed up.  He ended up staying there and eating with them.  The waitress was new and it took her really long.  The waiting and waiting was tough but after they ate, and we all said "Sorry" for getting so mad at each other.  We laughed about the whole situation on the way home Monday morning!

Monday morning, we enjoyed another motel continental breakfast and then packed up the van and headed home.  The ride home went well too but again it seemed far!!!  It is good to be home again and now I think I can say that our Family Summer Vacations/Outings are over.  It's time to settle into the school schedule and get to bed before midnight!!!  My body is still trying to recuperate!!!

She was exhausted!  Again, eating her favorite snack of cucumbers!!!

Thank you to all those who made our weekend so enjoyable and fun!!!  We love the Gator guys and really did enjoy seeing them grow in their game skills!!!