Historic

Kevin said "I thought you wrote another blog post?" I told him that I started but didn't get to finish it.  I have hoped to get a few posted written, but haven't had the time to sit and write... it usually takes me awhile to put a post together.  But this morning I feel as if I speak my mind here because I don't have another forum to do it.

I have been praying hard, the kids and I have spent time praying together during our school time for our country.  Senator Ted Cruz is standing up (as I write this) against Obamacare and I would be proud to call him my Senator.  Thankfully my Representative is standing with Cruz, but my Senators are are not (they have been informed in many ways that I am not happy with their position).

I know I have written on it here before, but I feel as if I need to do it again.  Obamacare will destroy this country.  I don't have time to go into all the whys...  But as the kids and I study our founding fathers and learn about the Constitution and all the Amendments, I can't help but see the stark differences from the MEN who built our country and the men who are ruining it today.

This country is no longer the country of my Grandparents.  I will admit that I fear the future of my children.  I know I am not to worry about tomorrow, but I do.  I pray on it daily.  I know God will provide and care for us, but I am making sure God knows that I am continuously looking ahead to what is coming.

We are living through historic times.  What is happening today is historic.  My children are learning in realtime the workings of the government.  They are seeing what happens when one man stands and speaks for (at this time) over 20 hours.  Will it make a difference?  Probably not.  More than likely Harry Reid will just do what he wants to do anyway and Obamacare will go through.  However, Ted Cruz and those who are standing with him, can say that they did all they could to protect our country from the people who are out to destroy it.

There is so much more I would love to write.  There is much more going on than just the craziness that Obamacare is... but I don't have time to write about it all.  I will just ask you to PRAY for this country, PRAY for the men who are trying to uphold the Constitution, PRAY for the future of our children, and as hard as it is... PRAY for Obama, I hate writing that, but God tells us to pray for our enemies.  He needs LOTS of prayers.

Last Week

Last week Wednesday we left for a week out at the cottage.  Kev was working just down the road, so we took the opportunity to enjoy the last week of what might be summer here in Michigan.

We had a great time making memories on the beach and swimming in the water.  A few of the days, we had to be careful because waves were pretty big and I am a little overprotective of my kids when there is a high rip current warning out.  Kevin said that as a kid, those were the days they went way out and enjoyed playing in the waves.  Since I almost drowned as a girl in the ocean, big waves freak me out a little and big waves plus my kids freak me out a lot.

It was a wonderful time.  My Dad and I have talked about how important it is to be intentional about making memories with the kids and this week, although unexpected, was a week for memories.  We even had guests join us for the weekend!  And before I start getting the school questions.... yes we did school.  The kids were up early working getting it done so they could enjoy the afternoons on the beach.

I will share the pictures as soon as I gather a few more :)

Blessings!!



 

Girl Cousins

I was going through my phone to start organizing our latest UP trip pictures and came across this picture from Aug 1st.  I just had to share it because I think it's so cute.

The girls have the same dress....just stating the obvious :-)  Can you tell they are cousins??  Some of their baby pictures look a lot alike.

Blessings!!

Taking the Opportunity

I have to get this down before life steals this little memory away...

Yesterday Micah and I ran up to the library to get a bunch of the books that we had on hold.  I sent him in to check them out and I stayed in the truck waiting for him.

After about 10 min I figured I better go find out what happened to him.  I walked in the door just as he was walking out so I asked him... "Hey buddy, what took so long?  Did you have any problems?" His response was... "No, I thought that I would take the opportunity to find me some items."  I laughed out loud.  He may look like his Daddy, but he loves his books like his Momma!

Photo taken at Presque Isle Park in Marquette Mi (Aug 2013)

Final Post from 2012 UP Trip

I think I forgot to finish the last few pictures from our 2012 UP trip.  So even though my blog is no longer in a chronological order, I am going to finish up that before I start our latest trip to the UP.

The day we chose to go to Mackinaw Island was cold, windy, and rainy.  Thankfully while on the island it didn't rain, but it was bitter cold.  Our trip over on the boat was a ride all it's own with the big waves that we had to cross!

This was Micah and Tyler's third trip to the island and Jillian's second, but they really didn't remember the last time we were there and since the other cousin's had never been, we decided to take the carriage ride to see a lot of the island without having to walk most of it.  The added bonus was that the carriage ride had blankets for us to cuddle under while we rode around.  It was still cold, but it made it bearable.

Most of you I am sure know about the island, but to those that don't.... Mackinaw Island is a car free zone.  So everyone that lives there has to get around on bikes or by horse.  It's like being transported back in time and if you close your eyes you can imagine what it would have been like in the late 1800's to early 1900's in every American city.

After our carriage ride, we did some quick shopping... October is a great time to shop the island, everything is on sale because the tourist season is over.  Had lunch and bought some fudge (no trip to the island is complete without fudge).

These are the kinds of pictures you find when you ask your son to hold the camera while you are shopping...

Then we headed back to the boat for another wild ride back to the mainland.

Despite the weather not cooperating, we had a really great time and I doubt any of us will ever forget that cold October we went to the Island.

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I don't remember ever posting this picture and since it is proof that I have witnessed a sunrise, I am going to quick post it.

Granted I shot this picture out the window of the trailer while I was still in bed... but that does not negate the fact that I saw a sunrise!

Home Again

Well Hello.... I just got back from an AMAZING two week camping trip that took our family all over Michigan.  We ventured from the northern Lower Peninsula to the banks of Lake Superior in the Upper  Peninsula, then back down to the shore of Lake Huron in the Lower Peninsula again.  All but just a few nights we had family along side us to keep us laughing and having fun.

As I write this, I am loading up my pictures... there was 990 pictures.  I guess I took a few and lucky you, I will be sharing many of them with you.

Just wait until you see some of the unbelievable things we got to do on our trip!

I will leave you with this quick picture of us at Presque Isle in the UP.

Looking at this picture, you would never guess how just a short time before it was cloudy, and misty.

Blessings!!

I am Going to Miss This...

I am going to miss my early morning rides with my baby girl to the barn.  I am going to miss the time we spent praying as the sun was just beginning to show it's face.  I am going to miss the quiet talks, the slow winding drive down the long dirt driveway where deer and pastures line the way.  I am going to miss opening up the door to the barn to be greeted by the smells of horses and hay uniting in a sweet aroma all it's own.  I am going to miss hearing the hungry calls of the horses waiting for the morning meal.  I am going to miss the huge hug and kiss I get as I walk away and leave my sweet girl in a dream land all her own.

I am going to miss that long drive back to the barn in the afternoon.  I am going to miss the driving back down that long driveway where the horses are now in their pastures, rolling, grazing, trotting around.  I am going to miss the several minutes it takes me to hunt down my Jilli.  I am going to miss being surprised that she is still in the saddle learning a new skill.  I am going to miss watching as my daughter commands a beast 10 times her size with grace and confidence.  I am going to miss hearing her excited story telling as we make our way home.  I am even going to miss the small hay pile we have going at the back door where she takes her dusty boots off.

It has been an amazing week.  We are both sad to see it end.  She is already planning for next year's camp and "all the lessons in between."  Later today is her horse show.  She will be riding her new favorite horse, Arnold.  Arnold is huge and makes Jilli look entirely too small to be riding.  Kevin is taking off of work early because no Daddy should miss his daughters first horse show.  I will be taking pictures like crazy and enjoying every minute.  And yes, I will probably get all teary eyed (I am just thinking about it).

This is Jilli walking Layla back to the barn after she was done riding her.  Layla is half the size of Arnold...

And because I believe it is worth noting... I will miss the feeling of community amongst diesel truck drivers.  I am often looked at funny when I drive my truck around the city, or hear comments "you drive that big truck??" No one looks at me funny out where the grass rolls and the corn grows tall.  No one minds the loud rumble as I pull up or the black smoke that I leave behind as I pull away.  My truck and I love the winding roads that speeds of 45 are considered slow.  My truck speaks to me, it purrs like a kitten as we become one rolling over the hills together.

I am going to miss this...

Happenings

We have had so much going on over here that I haven't been able to keep up on the blog.  I have a half dozen posts half written, but then I am pulled away from the computer and the posts never get done.  So, I am getting this one written and posted before anything stops me!

Three big things have happened over here....

1. Our house is back together!!  Yippee!!  I am finally back in my bathroom again.  I was officially kicked out of Kevin's bathroom Wednesday night.  I found all the remainders of my bathroom possessions sitting on my bathroom counter when I arrived home in the evening.  Haha!  Jilli and I are happily getting reacquainted with our own space again.

2. It was Jilli's Golden Birthday on Monday.  I will have a blog post all about it, but she said that it was the perfect party for the budget that we had.  Oh My.... Kev and I will have to start saving for her wedding yesterday!  She is quite the planner and little hostess.  Love that about my little blonde miracle!  It really was a special day, she had some very special guests... four different states were even represented at her party.  As a parent, it was very special to see all who showed up to celebrate the special day, it's a snapshot of love... love for a little girl who grows more special everyday.  (Did you count how many times I used special in the last two sentences? Haha!)  I Look forward to sharing the pictures from the special day!

3. Micah went into his Ortho appt on Wednesday with braces and came out with them off.  I had no idea that was going to happen.  He walks out and says "Mom, I picked clear this time!"  With his adjustments he got to pick the color rubber bands that go around the braces.  So at first I thought... Wow, those are really clear.... and then I realized he didn't have any on!!

My Grandma always said it was VERY important to have straight teeth.  As a matter of fact, my first date with Kevin my whole family was over at our house.  Before Kevin arrived my Grandma told me that if he didn't have straight teeth I couldn't date him and she would be checking.  Poor guy, he had no idea what he was walking into when he picked me up for that first date.  Thankfully his teeth passed the test :-) My Grandma said that the teeth was the first thing people saw and as such they needed to be straight.  People with crooked teeth are at a disadvantage, she said.  Funny the things I remember my Grandma saying... But I think she is absolutely right (she usually was).  Your smile says a lot about you, it is the first impression...

Well Micah is now giving a really good first impression!

What a handsome boy!!

That's it for now... I think my time is quickly running out before an interruption happens.  I am off to carry on with my most exciting day.  What a gorgeous morning it is!

Blessings!!

I Have Not Forgotten You Blog... Just Been Busy!

Hoker Smokers it's been awhile...

We have been workin hard over here to get our house back together.  Kevin has men knocking on the door at 8AM (I think he is picking that time on purpose, (it's killing me)) to keep moving our house in the motion towards wholeness again.  I have been running around trying desperately to keep the dust and dirt at bay, but it's not working out so well.  The boys room and the basement had new pad laid today (8am) and the carpet re-stretched.  Yippy!  Just a few more things need to happen and then we will be back in business.

This week is crazy busy on top of all the workers.  It's VBS in the morning and VBS at night and who knows what all in between!  Oh and now the planning has begun for Jilli's Golden Birthday Party.

She is turning 8 on the 8th and she is thinking we are going "all out" for this birthday party.  She has her theme (bet you can't guess it) and she is coming up with all kinds of great idea's at all kinds of crazy hours of the day (and night).  I am thinking this little girl is going to make the most a.m.a.z.i.n.g wife someday.  She loves all the things I hate dislike, she is good at all the things I'm not and she plans way ahead of time (which I am definitely fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of planner).  So stay tuned for her birthday bash that is taking place on Saturday July 6th ( I know it's not on her birthday, but it's close enough).

Back to the house stuff.... have I mentioned how thankful I am that my husband (even though he keeps getting me out of bed at the crack of dawn for his workers) is amazingly organized and skilled to handle all that has been happening over here?  Amongst this whole house thing, we had a bout with lice as well, and he even handled that WAY better than me.  I kind of freaked out and lost my cool a few dozen times.  Have mercy that was a stressful few days.  We are all better now and the princesses have been instructed that being best friends doesn't mean you need to share EVERYTHING.  So hopefully, we won't have to deal with all that drama again.  Foolish me, I thought that since the kids were not in school, we wouldn't have to worry about that problem.  I guess all that to say... Kev has kept me on solid ground, he has made this whole process bearable.

Okey Dokey, I think that's it for today... need to shove food down some throats and then speed off to VBS for the evening.

Blessings!!

Wake Up!

It doesn't stop... Every keystroke you make is recorded.  Even if you type something, then erase it and type something else... it is recorded.  Everything you buy is tracked, every website you visit is tracked.  People who are "in the know" of the technology our government has, refuses to have any conversations in a room with any electronics.  Did you know that you can be recorded even if your cell phone is turned off?

Here is an article about some of the companies that are storing everything you are doing click here.

Let me say this plainly... If Hitler had this technology there would not be ONE Jew left.  There would have been no secret hiding rooms saving precious Jews.  Corrie tenBoom's story would have never been.

America we are living in dangerous times... WAKE UP!