Angels of Hope

It is that time of year again.  My day is consumed with getting every detail, along with two other lovely ladies, ready for the annual Angels of Hope Walk/Run.  This year will be so much fun as we are doing a glow in the dark!  I can't wait!  We would love to see you all there!

Did You Know?

Did you know that in 22 days I can accumulate over 100 photos of random family fun?  If you know me well enough you know this was not hard to do.  Here is some Tuesday fun...

Did you know I'm an aunt again!  Baby J is here and doing well.  So very blessed.  Harry's still the only boy cousin but I don't think he's complaining too much!

We went to do some fencing on Saturday.  The kids didn't get much fencing done but had a ton of fun in the mud.all.day.long!

This is before lunch

After lunch we found a water hole...this was their mini cliff

At the end of the day!

I got to spend the day with mom and dad in Madison.  After Dad got released from the surgical department with a good report we went out to eat!  Love these two so much!

This week is Homecoming...today is dress like a teacher!  love it!

1st Day of School

WHAT?!?!?  All my kids are in school this year!  How did that happen!?!?!  They were so excited this morning.

2015-2016 School Year

Ellaree - 3rd Grade

Lorelai - Kindergarten

Harry - 4K

3rd GRADE

Ellaree made a sign for Mrs Tunks!  It's says "Welcome to Mrs Tunks Room" out of beads

Mrs Tunks & Ellaree

 KINDERGARTEN

Mrs Clements & Lorelai

4K

Ms Justin

Kenzie & Harry (student teachers aide)

Mrs Sandwick & Harry (teachers aide)

So Much...

So much has happened in a short 2 weeks...or has it been 3!?!?  Dad did great with his open heart surgery and at his 1 week post-op the dr said she was very impressed with how he looked and was feeling!  I try hard to get down to see him and Mom as much as possible but there are days that just is not possible with 3 kids, your own business, getting a farm up and running and did I mention kids?

 Madison Zoo

Our good friend Ann went with us once again to the Zoo and we also made a quick visit with Grapa while he was in the hospital

Tubing the Kickapoo River

We were able to fit in a fun afternoon of tubing down the Kickapoo River.  Unfortunately the kids got bored fast and they pulled Mom down the river!  haha it was lots of fun and good memories!

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Grapa was more then ready to come home!  And we were ready to have him home!

Harry at 4K Jump Start

I can't believe my baby is going to school this year!

Grama had to work so we got to hang out with Grapa.  We made really yummy cookies with him!

Fencing

We are fencing off a second portion of the pasture for the cattle.  We had excellent help on Saturday.  9+ hours of fencing = good sleeping!

We have a teenage boy that has become like one of our own that loves to help and great with the kids!

Harry's handy work!

Ellaree is getting really good at driving the tractor & 4Wheeler

Friends came up this weekend to see the cattle & help feed them.  Love this picture of all the kids!

Allergy Appointment

I took Harry into Allergy today to be tested.  Results in a couple of days.

Afterwards it was Culver's & ice cream.

Aren't they the cutest lunch dates ever?

Where is Ellaree, you ask?

She left this morning at 4 AM to go to work with her Dad!  Love that his job & schedule allows for these fun times!

God has blessed & provided for us beyond imaginable.  

Roller Coaster of Emotions

Many of you have heard but there are some that have not.  Tuesday night I got the most frightening text message I could get.  My dad had a heart attack.

Through it all I have seen God's hand in all of this.  Had he ignored the signs he would have went to bed 15 minutes later.  His back & shoulder pain for the past week was signs.  His tiredness was signs (even though we thought it was from work).  God gave him the instinct to know that it was something very different and needed checked out.  Thank you Jesus!

As hard as it was to see him Saturday after surgery I was thankful for this week that so many that offered and stepped up and helped watch the kids, thoughts, prayers and love!  God definitely is not done with Dad! I am thankful that he is getting the help he needs and will come home with lots more energy and new man! I thank God that he gave me the ability to be productive during a crisis and to get things done.  I was the go-to person and it helped my mom tremendously that she didn't have to worry about paperwork or the small simple stuff that I could handle for her.

I have learned through all this that we take family & friends and our daily lives for granted.  We don't look at the importance of each breathe we take.  We don't look at the time we spend with each other as a blessing like we should. We need to see every moment from God as a blessing.  Don't sweat the small stuff.  Don't look at every moment with worryness but rather look at it as an opportunity to love and trust God with everything!

God is so good all the time!  All the time God is so good!

So Much Fun!

Now that the kids are done with summer school & bible camp we are getting some fun into the last month before school starts back up.

We have one week left of swimming lessons  Harry was brave and got on the diving board but when it got time to jump he wouldn't do it!  It will come!

We had eye appointments for all three kids and dentist appointments.  Here Harry is at his first appointment.  What a big guy!

The kids have been a huge help in the garden.  Here they are happy to be helping snap beans with me!

We went to the Mary Poppins musical with Aunt Jen & Maddie on Sunday.

Church service and then a 4 1/2 hour performance was almost too much for my little man! He did very well for having to sit that much in one day.

I found these adorable comforters for the girls beds.  Aren't they just awesome!  Now to get dad to build some beds ;)

Miss Ellaree's dream is finally coming true!  Yesterday she had her first riding lesson.  She was in heaven and asked if tomorrow could be Monday again.  She loved it and loves her horse George!

Here is a video of her trotting.  I made the comment that she was running with George the first day and I got corrected that they were trotting!

We are so very blessed and glad that she gets this opportunity to try new things out.  I was also informed that the other two are going to do riding lessons as well.

Busy

We have been very busy this week. It has kept my mind off of how much I am missing Ellaree.  Only 1 more day and we can go get her!  I miss her so much!

Checking and feeding cattle are a daily chore now.  Kids love going with.  They are getting bigger!

We love dressing up...so why not Kevin as Princess Kevin!

We learned a new trick...climbing up and over the fence.  

And absolutely no help is needed from mom!

Yes he's my little farmer through and through

Last day of T-Ball

What do we do during T-Ball we wear dad's shades and pose for pictures with Nonie

He acts like a big kid at Christmas time 

He had way too much fun running this

We made a buschel full of peach jam!  That morning I had 5 kids ages 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...then in the afternoon I had these cute helpers to peel the peaches for me.  Grama came and helped with the jam part.  I'm so blessed to have her help and such special time as well.

I always have berry pickers but usually they don't take the buckets...straight into their mouths!

Reading time with Grama is always the best!