Last days....

Let's see, where did I leave off?  Oh, yes.  Saturday of vacation we went out on the town for awhile.  We went to Goofy Golf for some miniature golf.  Technically the place was closed for the season, but we caught them on the one day they were open doing a charity event.  Golf was "free" with donation and basically we had the run of the place.  I really did more of chasing Molly and trying to keep up with the other kids than I did golfing.  The kids had a blast and it really was a neat place to go.

Can you find Molly in this picture?

After lunch, we decided to go out onto the pier.  Brian and the boys (friends that stayed the weekend with us) went fishing off the pier.  They caught quite a few fish including a flounder.  We also got to see some other fisherman go fishing with a net off the pier.  How awesome to see them pull that net up just full!  Molly sure thought she was big stuff on that pier.  I again spent most of my time just trying to keep up.

We topped Saturday night off with dinner out.  You just have to go to a sea food restaurant when you are this close to the ocean.  Sharky's Restaurant it was.  I enjoyed the fresh catch of the day - Trigger fish and also some crab legs.  Daniel opted for a burger.  :)

The kids with Sharky

Sunset on the way to the restaurant.

One more full day of fun in the sun.  Stay tuned.

Shell Island - Day 2

I know, I know, technically vacation is over.  But I'm going to relive it again this week, just for you.......What's that you say?  OK, OK.  You caught me............ For me too.

Enjoying the pontoon boat ride.

Friday we spent the day at Shell Island.  We weren't exactly sure what to expect, but were pleasantly surprised.  We were greeted on the island by lots and lots of jellyfish.  Some were huge!  At least 2 foot in diameter.

The island itself is 7 miles wide and about 3/4 of a mile wide.  My suggestion for next time would be not to have so much stuff to carry because we did a lot of walking before finding a place to sit and relax.

The kids and Daniel ventured off down the beach after awhile to search for more shells.  They found all kinds of neat treasure including an abandoned boat.

The vegetation on the island was just like you would picture for a deserted island.  It kinda made me think of the Swiss Family Robinson.

And what did Molly and I do while they went out on their adventure?   We sat and played in the sand, waded in the waves and even sang songs of praise to our Awesome God as we soaked up the beauty of his creation.

The day was windy, and the surf was high, but we still found loads and loads of shells and sand dollars.  What a great inexpensive souvenir.  And upon our return back to the condo, we were greeted with the smell of cheesy chicken in the crock pot and a nice warm meal.  As David and Madelyn both said, "It was the best day ever!"

Florida or Bust

We took a bit of an extended fall break for a much needed, long-anticipated family vacation.  Wednesday after picking the kids up for school we headed to Florida.  Panama City Beach to be exact.  We drove until Athens, Alabama before getting a hotel and bedding down for the night. 

Glad to be out of the car!!

Then up and at 'em early the next morning.  We did a little more site seeing on Thursday.  We ate lunch at a good 'ol hometown place called "It Don't Matter" Family Restaurant.  It was located in a beautiful part of Alabama off of a two lane highway. 

As we had entered into Alabama, we began to see lots of cotton fields ripe for harvest.  What a beautiful landscape for the fall!!

The kids picking some cotton.

"I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest."  John 4:35

We also saw a helicopter training field and about 10-15 helicopters.  Some were flying in and out of the field, some were hovering.  What an amazing site!  Also on our drive, we saw a real-life Tabernacle.  Unfortunately, they were not giving tours at the time, but we were able to see the outside tent and also the altar.  Very neat.  Finally, near evening we made it to the beach. 

The view from our 14th floor condo.

The kitchen and dining room from the balcony.

After getting our things in, we headed down to the beach to dip our toes in the water and enjoy our first sunset.

Mesmerized by the beauty.

Ready to play in the sand.

A little unsure, but sticking her toes in for the first time...

It's been a long time since these toes have been in the warm sand.  I can tell you they are much anticipating the next few days of rest and relaxation!!

After sunset, we ordered some pizza for delivery and got some rest.  A big day planned tomorrow.  Stay tuned for more vacation escapades!!

Spring Break!

In desperate need of a mini-vacation, the kids and I took off Saturday and spent the majority of our spring break in Illinois at my parents house.  The weather turned cold and we were not able to enjoy the outside as much as we would like, but we had a good time anyway.  The first night there, we got to enjoy Dad's famous home-made pizza!  Mmmm!

Molly made herself at home quickly playing with the toys Momo and Papa have collected over the years.  Here's Dr. Molly.  By the way, she put this around her neck on her own.  We didn't do this for her.  :)

Day 2: Madelyn, PJ and I headed to the movie theater.  We saw Gnomeo and Juliet.  It was an OK movie.  It really wasn't as funny as I thought it would be.  I definitely will not buy it.  But the movie theater popcorn was good and the company was even better, so it was all worth it!  David did not join us for the movie as expected.  He wasn't feeling too well and had a runny nose and a cough.  Molly also was not feeling well, but finally got some rest with Papa.

Day 3: Dad and I along with the kids headed to Decatur to visit my Dad's brother Gary.  The kids loved chasing the 2 cats around.  David, my brave boy, started the steep climb up the stairs to the attic.  Madelyn reluctantly started to follow.  Uncle Gary teasingly told them to watch out for the boogie man.  They changed their minds and headed back down.  But after a little talking between the two of them and David assuring Madelyn she would be fine, they headed up again and opened the door to the attic.  Funny to me....my Uncle Gary lives in my Grandma's old house and I too remember as a kid the long scary climb up the stairs to the attic.  I joined them upstairs and reminisced what it was like to visit this same house when I was their age.  Such great memories!!  In the afternoon, Mom and I sneaked out to do a little shopping.  Always a must.  This day Molly also started with a runny nose and a fever.  Needless to say, I didn't get much sleep this night.  Good times!

Day 4: David felt much better so he and Papa went on a train hunt.  After burning up about $30 in gas, 2 hours of time that included a Happy Meal, a trip to the park and 2 bathroom breaks, they finally saw a train and chased it 5 miles to Blue Mound.  Success!!  Meanwhile, my sister came over to visit.  Mom, Lori, Madelyn and I visited while Molly took a nap.  Later that evening I went to Taylorville to get my hair done.  A girl I went to high school with now owns her own salon on the square.  It was good to see her and reminisce about old times.  Molly started to feel a little better and slept much better.

We headed home on day 5.  By this time, David was perfectly fine, Molly just had a runny nose and I was starting to feel a little run down.  Sure enough, when I got home I had caught the cold.  And the next day it was Mom's turn.  Luckily whatever this is doesn't last long.  The first day and a half are the worst.  So far, Madelyn and Dad have escaped it.  And Daniel....well, he left for Illinois the day after I got back and will not be back until tomorrow.  So maybe he's escaped it too. 

John 14:27 (NLT)  “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give."


#34-42 of my ONE THOUSAND GIFTS.....of endless grateful love......

Spring buds on the trees

connecting with Mom through Him at that table over coffee and newspapers

fresh sudokus

listening to stories of old - reminiscing by my Daddy

her sitting next to me in the van and then in the movie theater. 

my parents and my children - strengthening and loving

catching up - the way sisters do

HIM pulling me back to HIS love using his words of wisdom and leadership I've so longed to hear.

His Word breathing new life into my soul - truth, love, passion, joy

Mom's weekend off....

Last weekend I was able to enjoy a mini vacation with the girls.  We had so much fun.  When you get a bunch of ladies together, emotions run a-muck!  We laughed, we cried, we bonded and of course we ate!  I am so blessed to have such great friends.  And don't forget a hubby who steps up and allows me the time away.  Thanks Daniel!!  Here's some pictures from the weekend!

Melissa and Chasity

Jen - looking cute!

And to prove I was there....

And she's off!

OK...so I'm a little behind in blogging.  I guess it's time to get caught up on what's happening around here.
Last Friday my Dad came and spent the night.  On Saturday, he took Madelyn home to stay with them.  On Thursday when I told Madelyn she was going, she said she needed to pack and ran off.  I found her in her room packing her back-pack full of toys.  She claims that was all she needed and she was ready for Papa to come and get her now.  HAHA!  I convinced her I still needed to pack her some clothes and it would be a couple days.  She wasn't happy, but she obliged.  However, as soon as Papa was here and claimed he was ready...there was no way she was going to be left behind.

She has her back-pack full of toys, her baby, a purse, a hat and a stuffed flower.  What else does a girl need to travel?  :)

Back home in the Country!!

The kids and I went to Illinois to spend a few days with Mom and Dad. We had a great time! I was able to visit with an old friend from High School and College I haven't seen in years. So good to see you Darla. Why in the world did we not get a picture?? I also spent a day shopping with my Momma and Sister. That was a great time! We haven't done that in years! Of course Molly was the center of attention as she traveled for the first time to Illinois.

Molly and Aunt Lori

Papa and Molly hanging out on the porch...

Mom and Dad and all the kiddos...

I was also able to visit with my Great Nephew Hunter! Isn't he just the cutest??!


Molly, Madelyn and I headed back to Indiana leaving David to spend a few days with Momo and Papa. So far he's having a great time! Dad has taken him to see some trains up town as they load grain, he's gone shopping a couple times, and he's having a great time playing with the neighbor kids next door. I don't think he's going to want to come home anytime soon. Especially when there's a promise of fishing with Papa coming this week!

Welcome to Saddle Ridge Ranch!

Vacation Bible School 2010

Good times!!

My best friend Mary and her husband Josh from Wisconsin came to visit us the week of Memorial Day. We had the best time! We hadn't seen each other for at least 5 years. A lot has changed since then... namely 5 sweet little children. We had a lot to get caught up on!


The kids seemed to get along pretty well. Typical for preschooler's anyway. :) Here's Brooklyn, Joscelyn, David and Madelyn enjoying the back yard.


Madelyn and Joscelyn slept in the same room. They had some pretty late nights. They would sit up and talk and rock their babies. We laughed because during the daylight hours they really didn't play with each other that much. But when the lights would go out, they would be up talking and giggling like teenagers! The last night we decided to set up a video camera in the room. We sure did get a lot of laughs out of that! At one point, Madelyn spent about 5 minutes or longer slapping Josie. We learned that Josie would run and get back in bed when someone came into the room to quiet them down, but as soon as the door shut she sprang back up. And Madelyn would quickly run back into her bed before someone walked in and would have her fingers in her mouth and her pig over her face as if she had been there the entire time. That little sneak! The following day, we showed the girls the video and confronted their behavior. Oh, how fun that was!!


We kept pretty busy all week. We had a cookout, went to the pool, played at the park, and visited an indoor playground. The boys got some geocaching time in and Mary and I were able to get out one evening for a much needed girls night out! I fell in love with her sweet girls and even though it's been 5 years we picked up right where we left off! Best of friends! We have already made plans for another visit, this time up north!

A little getaway....

We decided to take a little vacation #1 for Daniel's birthday, and also a little get-away before his busy summer schedule begins. We headed to Great Wolf Lodge in Mason OH. We had more fun! The kiddos had no idea what to expect, and even after trying to explain it to them, they were still a little confused. When we arrived, David was excited just to be staying in a place that looks exactly like his Lincoln Logs. Haha! Oh, enjoy this while we can! He's so easy to please. :)


The wave pool was David's favorite area. They had a wolf howl right before the waves would start and you really had to watch David if you were in another area of the park. As soon as he'd hear the wolf he was off in a flash! He loved to splash and run from the waves. By day 2 he was getting more and more brave.


Madelyn LOVED the water slides. David went down a few too, but once was usually enough for him. Madelyn on the other hand couldn't get enough! And I'm not talking the little slides either. She liked them bigger and faster! That's my girl!


Molly had a good time too. I wasn't sure how she would do, but she was so good and had a lot of fun. They keep the water area very warm and being indoors it's also pretty humid. She just ate, slept and played in the water. I think her favorite was the lazy river. There was a few times she was splashed in the face pretty good, but she never did cry. She was an angel!

(A little fun washing out Molly's bottles)

We had a great time! Great Wolf Lodge is a little pricey to stay in but worth it. We were able to save quite a bit of money taking some of our own food, snacks and drinks. The food there is way over priced. But each room has a little fridge, microwave and coffee pot, so even if you just eat one meal in your room, you can save a good $30. We saved $10 for one meal just bringing our own drinks. Oh, and we only stayed one night, but were able to enjoy the water park for 2 days. By day 2, we were definitely tired and had had a good time! :)


Great Wolf Lodge was definitely a good time, but my favorite part??....

A little shopping at Ikea! You didn't think I would go all the way to Cincinnati and not go to Ikea would you?! That would just be crazy!