Summer Fun

This past week has been full of fun things! Last weekend our small group had a Progressive Dinner. I didn't get many good pictures except of the kids. At our first stop we had a fruity red drink that was very yummy. (Did I mention Faith dumped hers on the light carpet?) Then at the second stop we had appetizers. Finally, we had a taco bar. The family who hosted the main part of the meal decorated with Mexican decorations. Above, Faith is sporting her hat.

Well, it has finally gotten hot this week. Our air conditioning has been on the fritz and officially broke this week. So we had a summer fun day when my daycare kids were here. They all played in our tiny pool, ate popsicles, & watched Dora's Summer Adventure movie. They had a lot of fun.

Then on Thursday we had a true ADVENTURE! One of our family's closest friends (The Terrill's) are temporarily living in Galesburg, IL. They are there for Shane's job, working on the railroad. We decided to go visit for the day. To make it more fun we decided to ride the train! So, we got up very early (5:15 a.m.) and got on the train in Quincy. The ride was only supposed to last an hour and a half. Little did we know a huge storm had moved through the area just hours earlier. It took us almost 5 hours to get there!!! Needless to say I was out of movies to watch on the portable DVD player and snacks. But, the girls just thought it was fun to ride the train. When we got there they didn't have any water or electricity due to the storm. So our day didn't exactly go as planned. We ended up taking the kids to the public library to play and read books. (Yeah-air conditioning!) Then to a local ice cream shop. We didn't get to swim, but the kids had fun playing at the little park where they are staying (in their camper, with 3 kids!) Then we had to go out for dinner. We caught the train home at 8:45. I was hoping the girls would sleep. No such luck!! It was a LONG day, but I am so glad we went. It was great to visit friends.

This week I am at CIY in Omaha, NE. I brought my computer so I can SKYPE with the girls. But, I probably won't blog.

My "Garden" is Growing!!

The Beginning- small plant, and seeds planted.
A week or so ago...
Today- Look at those seeds growing into actual plants!!

Original Picture

My Plants Now

So, I am totally excited. My garden is growing! Even the seeds (I'm still a little shocked on that one). Its way more exciting to see though than to try and describe it. So just to confirm I am a big novice here are some of my beginner's mistakes:

-My pepper plant had a beautiful white bloom. I was very excited. Then it died. I was so sad. I couldn't figure out what happened. So I went to pinch off the dead bloom (this is what you do with flowers). I pinched it off and discovered I had killed my first produce. Inside was a tiny pepper emerging. The flower has to die for the vegetable to emerge. Duh!!! I totally knew that. 

-I didn't buy soil with fertilizer in it to save money. So I ended up having to buy some organic fertilizer you mix with water. So I mixed it all up according to the directions and watered away. Then I went on to read one batch should water 20 sq. feet of your garden. I had made like 5 batches! Luckily it didn't burn my plants. Opps! 

-I haven't been sure how or when to harvest my herbs. I did cut off cilantro and use in a new dish I tried, but other than that I just let them grow, grow, grow. Well, my beautiful herbs are now blooming. And everything on the internet says they should be harvested before blooming because it alters the flavor. Not sure what I'm going to do on that one. Probably use them anyway??

This has been quite an adventure. But, I have to say at this point I am pretty hooked. Even with my mistakes I think I will do it again next year. Grace loves to look for Topsy Turvey planters when we drive around Hannibal. Its like I Spy. She will yell, "Mom there's a mato!" And she has been faithful to check for growth & remind me to water. I'm definitely not a gardner...yet...

Whatever Your Doing

So life has been kind of crazy lately. Actually if I am totally honest it has been overwhelming. I've kind of been in a blogging slump because let's face it there is some stuff you just don't publish on your blog. And while I desire to be real some lessons you have to share about once you've been through them and you have some God perspective. That is where our life is at right now. And surprisingly I'm trying to be okay with that. 

Jeremy and I feel like God is cementing us together through the challenges. One of the things we have really tried to work at but never been super consistent with is praying together. Now maybe that shocks you. (sorry, to disappoint) Or maybe you are totally with me on this one. Its not that we don't pray. We do. We just haven't ever consistently been able to do it together. But, lately our new motto is, "Prayer is our strategy." (Okay, we kind of stole it from Pioneer Bible Translators) And it isn't a last resort type of strategy- it is the only plan we've got. 

Jeremy and I were taking a walk and discussing the challenges we have been facing in our life. And I told him that I think maybe the outcome is worth the cost. If what we've been through the last 3 months is what it took to transform us into a praying couple. Then I think it is worth it.  There is a quote in Remember the Titans, "Sometimes life is hard for no reason at all." I'm not sure why that stuck in my head, but it did. But, the Bible speaks truth in this area.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.       James 1:2-4

The hard things we experience in this life aren't for nothing. They produce perseverance and grow us in our faith. So my prayer is that I won't miss the lessons God is teaching right now. Jeremy and I both LOVE Sanctus Real's new song, "Whatever Your Doing." It is like putting our life to music. So while I don't feel like sharing all the specifics of our struggles the words of this song are an insider look at the cry of my heart.

Whatever Your Doing

Fun at the Park

This week Jeremy is gone at camp. This means two things. 1. I have a whole new appreciation for the balance Jeremy brings to our family. (the girls are really challenging me in the area of patience) 2. We have been looking for fun things to do. One of those is visiting my family. Last night we took the girls to the local park. They had lots of fun. The park is one my grandpa used to take me to when I was little. It is located right across from his farm. My cousin and I thought he owned the park when we were little. Now Grace refers to it as Papa's park.  We also took the girls' favorite buddy, Roxy, Uncle Cody's dog. Grace recently asked if Roxy could come and spend the night at our house. She LOVES that dog. And has recently started carting around a stuffed dog she has. She tells me she needs to take it out to go potty & play "stick." 

Wildlife Prairie Park

 




Above Grace is pumping water outside the frontier home. Below is the friendly tree, Grace & Carter are shaking its hand. We watched Jeremy do both these on the tape.





On Friday we had a fun day with friends. Nana & I took the girls to Wildlife Prairie Park near Peoria, IL. It was a great day with perfect weather (no rain!!). On Thursday night Nana showed the girls a VHS of Jeremy at the park when he was eight. They got to see a preview of some of the fun things they would see the next day. They kept saying, "Who is that boy?"

The park has animals that are indigenous to Illinois. The kids were too little for us to see everything, but they loved everything we did. I think it will be fun to take them back when they are older.  While there we saw farm animals, an old house & school, a bobcat, a fox, a coyote, a black bear, snakes, and more. We also took a ride on the park's train. We ended our visit with a picnic lunch. It was such fun to introduce them to something Jeremy enjoyed when he was little! And I enjoyed seeing a place I had only heard about from Jeremy's childhood stories.

Family Photos

My mom took new family photos. I was really pleased with how they turned out! The girls were semi-cooperative &  I love their matching dresses. Know I won't be able to get away with that forever! If you live locally and need a photographer my mom (Jan Holst) does an awesome job.