A little of this and that...

Way back in May Aaron and I did something we had never done before. We went on a trip sans children for 4 nights! We missed them, but it was W-O-N-D-E-R-F-U-L! I had no idea how much we needed that time to reconnect and get our heads on straight again. We went with 2 other couples to a quiet cabin in North Carolina that belongs to some of our friends. We appreciated them letting us go so much! It was a lot of fun. We went to a movie...in the theater! We also shopped and stayed up late and slept late and didn't have to get milk in sippy cups or give anyone a bath but ourselves. Seriously. Joyous.



The view from the cabin. Look at God's gorgeous creation! We enjoyed spending some time together studying the Bible and praying. We needed that time together.





Hey good lookin'!

In other news...we have been trying to lose some of the extra poundage we've been carrying around and just be healthier overall. Aaron started back in January and has lost 30+ pounds! I'm so proud of him! I haven't done so well. I am an emotional eater and stress makes me crave things I shouldn't be putting in my mouth. So, I've lost a few here and a few there, but nothing too substantial. A good friend inspired me to look into Weight Watchers. (She's also lost 30+ since joining!) Although the idea of paying for it was NOT appealing, I decided to go for it because I obviously needed something more. Aaron was very supportive so I signed up last week. I was diligent to count my points. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I just had to rethink things a little. Well, I weighed in this morning. I was nervous. I was terrified, actually. I knew I would be really discouraged if I hadn't lost anything. Well....I lost 4lbs! I am so happy! I will continue with this for at least the next 3 months...I signed up for 3 months. I think paying for the program as helped me a lot....I do not want the money to be wasted, which gives me an extra nudge of motivation. I'll keep you posted!

Playtime

I can't believe summer is almost over! Well, for the school aged kiddos anyhow. It's hard for me not to define summer based on the school system. I guess growing up that was life, then same thing in college, then I was a teacher...so in my mind, the year is still divided into "summer" "first semester" and "second semester"...I guess it's alright though...we will soon be in the school days with our own children. Which is a scary and humbling thought. How fast life does fly.



Oh how we've played this summer. When we weren't out of town or having house guests, we were trying to beat the heat by playing indoors more than I would like. It's just been so hot this summer...as all of you know. Our time outdoors has been somewhat limited, but the children have still had fun and loved playing.



Caroline has played school, library, sleepover, and grocery shopping with her dolls and animals. She has a vivid imagination...it's obvious by the stories she makes up. I don't know how she comes up with some of her stories.



Do you remember those old reams of printer paper with the holes on the side and then you could tear the holey part off and have a regular sized piece of paper? Well, Opa gave Caroline a whole ream of that paper and while some of it has been used for drawing (she's also becoming quite a little artist), the bulk of it was used to play with on the floor of our bedroom. They had a blast.



Why do kids like to play under covers and pillows? Or at least, my children? This is one of my least favorite games because it messes up the bed. We do play it sometimes though, their laughter making the mess easier to swallow. :)

Goodbye for now!

Happy First Birthday!

A very sweet little man is having his first birthday today!



Landon is a joy to have in our life and a priviledge to raise. He is a true gift from the Lord and it's very difficult to remember our life without him in it. Just like his big sister, he loves the water. He loves to splash and makes a big mess, but his squeels of delight are like payment for the time spent cleaning the bathroom floor.





Landon is into everything. He's crawling and pulling, and trying desperately to walk. He is drawn to all things electronic and would chew through a wire if given the chance.



Landon loves his big sister. He wants to eat what she's eating, play with her toys, follow her around, he's basically her little shadow!





I love you dearly, little boy! Happy Birthday!