Campout at the new house

Asher celebrated his 9th birthday this month.  In celebration he did his usual.  A camp out!  We have done these camp outs in various places.  This year our new backyard was the perfect spot.  So we got some hot dogs, put up the tent and watched the boys roll in.  It was stinky boy (and dad) heaven.

Bet you didn't know this is how you use a wheelbarrow.  Levi was helping his daddy set up.

 

 

Ta-dah!  Vanna White, look out!

Asher and sweet Blake ready to get their camp on.

Lovely little spot right in our own backyard.

Some of the dudes.

Sitting around the fire.  They had so much fun!

Happy birthday to my Asher.  I am so happy that you are mine!

It was cold so baby girl got Daddy's hat.

Jolie had to be a civil war heroin at her school's wax museum.  They all had to memorize their bios and recite them to whomever stood in front of them.

She did a great job!  Go Jolie!

Oh boy.  Been out in the country for 3 weeks and we have a black eye.  *sigh*

My hair has been an issue for me the past few months.  I really wanted to cut it when Micah was born but didn't.  I finally got sick of it.  I called for an appointment and got in the next day.  When I decide something, I want it fast.

 

The weight of the world is no longer on my head!  I love it and am wondering why I didn't do it sooner.  It will be much easier to care for.  and I won't be sporting a ponytail everyday.  Happy mama!

From here to yonder.

This is my new living room.

And the office.

The kitchen.

Not sure where this is but my point is that we are in transition, under construction and scattered from here to yonder. 

Here is our welcome present from the country.  This was one of 6 fly trapping devices. 

 

 

But we are warm and cozy.  Our bellies our full and our hearts contented.  We have no troubles besides where to put this or where to hang that.  We can sit and read and smile.

And we can stare out at the beauty right out our back door.

If you could see our hearts they would look like this.  :)

 

At some point we will be able to show the progress on our home.  We will add our own touches to it.  We will bring our family's personality into the house.  It will be slow but we will get there.  The good news is that we can live in this home just as it is.  It's clean, cute and comfortable.  We have been richly blessed and pray that you find yourselves the same way. 

Big news!

We are moving!!  We have finally found our little spot in the country.  So I will be absent from blogging for awhile.  When I come back, I will have tons to share!  I will leave you with a few pictures to tide you over until then.  :)

 

 

When we travel, this is what I see.  A tiny, fuzzy head straining to see out the window.  We went to a small town North of us called Canadian.  It usually has beautiful fall leaves for us to enjoy.  Micah did this for a good portion of the trip.

One of our favorite spots to stop on the way!  It has a good old-fashioned merry-go-round.

Daddy and baby spent a lot of time together on this trip.  Micah looks scared but she really does adore her daddy.

Me and my girlies.  I am trying to get over my aversion to pictures of myself.  I would like to be a part of my family's memories.  :)

The boys.

This is the highlight of our Canadian trips.  The bridge!  It's at least a mile long.  The kids like to try to run as much of it as they can.  I prefer to stroll.

 

There is a section of the bridge that is over a little bit of water.  We always linger there watching the tiny fish get swept along in the current.  We drop golden leaves from high in the air and try to guess where they will land.  We toss sticks upstream and race to the other side of the bridge to watch them rush past. 

I wish a camera could capture the striking contrast of color.  I was much more beautiful in real life.

There was this vine that grew up the trees that was a vibrant red.  It was stunning!

 

Our final stop of the day was a little forested park with a lake.  The lake was a bit of a disappointment to me because the water had receded so much.  My husband and kids however saw it as a great adventure.  The above picture is the exposed lake bottom.   

It was kind of creepy.  Like bones sticking up from the ground.  (Matt took all of these lake photos.)

This ground was really cool.  It was spongy.  I got freaked out because I kept sinking into it.  Apparently the top was only a crust.  Underneath was water and soupy mud.  I'm not saying that my husband broke through the crust and sank into the mud up to his thigh...but I'm not not saying it either.  It was a stinky ride home. 



Let's bring this kid home!!!

Our sweet friends John and Michelle Emmitt have been, for the past 2 years, in the process of adopting a precious boy from Belize.  This boy's name is Alfred.  They have made enormous progress and have had many miracles occur in this process.  You can read their story here. 

 

 

We have followed this journey through every turn and trial.  We are so thankful to know John and Michelle.  They already have 3 biological boys and are taking on Alfred who has several health issues that they really don't know the extent of.  I know that God put this call on their heart, to love unconditionally, this child they hardly know.

 

 

 I am asking for prayers for this family as they come into the home-stretch.  I am also asking that you, who live nearby, would consider attending this upcoming art auction to raise money for Alfred's adoption.  Here is the info... 

 

 

It's going to be a blast.  Come have a night out and help bring this kid home!!!  I know John, Michelle, Josiah, Matthias, Jacob and of course, Alfred will appreciate it! 



In the family...

I was looking through pictures of our latest adventure to the apple orchard.  They were just great.  What struck me about them was not the beauty of the picture but the people in them.  We are so blessed to have a close family.  Both my family and Matt's family are just great.  And we spend as much time together as we can.  This weekend with cousins was not a super-exciting adventure.  But it was a nice comfortable day with people we love.  Having cousins around makes it memorable for all of us.

 

 

Asher is checking out the pond.

He alerted the crowd!

These two have to coziest spot.

It's the funniest spot too!

Searching for apples.

These guys stick together.

They look guilty.  Is there a bit of apple throwing going on here?

My little man.

We get to eat lunch after picking.  It's a homemade treat!

 

 

It was my sweet Jolie's birthday.  She picked Grandmother's Mississippi Fudge Cake.  We made them into
cupcakes and popped in some candles.  It was a great celebration for her. 
(Not that she likes being the center of attention or anything.)



You'll have to humor me...

This little doll is about to be 5 months old.

I can't believe it!

She is so jolly.

And precious.

And she is learning new tricks everyday!  Toes are her favorite toy.

She gives our whole family so much joy!

This is what I get to do everyday.

I have the best job ever.

Who wouldn't want to wake up eye to eye with this every morning?

It's very hard to get out of bed.

He tends to motivate me.  :)

Sweet miss got to try some cereal tonight.  She was pretty happy about it.  Next, avacado!!