Blackberries

I am making Michael his first blackberry,raspberry pie of this year. My sister-in-law Laura and I have been picking blackberries at the church twice. Our church has a beautiful property with a house and a lake and many many blackberry bushes around the lake- the problem- they have amazing thorns so you pick at your own risk. The first time we took turns picking and watching the kids on the playground- the second time we got Grandpa to help us so we could pick at the same time. The boys loved playing in his truck that time. Though we both realized, it is def. harder with kids now. Laura has been teaching me a lot about canning this month- we have canned peaches and have canned and made blackberry jam too. Laura is my faithful instructor in these canning areas as I am not as good at that type stuff- I would rather just stuff things in the freezer.

My Bathing Suit

About the middle of summer, I was looking for a new bathing suit as the one I had was about 8 years old. After looking and looking, Michael encouraged me to try something a little different based on a site he had found off of Focus on the Family's website- modest swimwear. It sent me to a few sites to look at their swim dresses. This led me to getting this swim dress. Honestly, what really got me thinking was that now I have a daughter- I want to be in the practice of modeling modesty even in areas like a swim suit. I have always found swimsuits to make me feel somewhat naked and have often felt the need for a shirt or shorts to cover me. I do think most of my believing friends have done a great job at being modest with swim wear so I don't want people to feel guilty by my swim suit. After a month wearing it, I really like it- it is comfortable and modest. I don't know how long the material will last so I am trying to gently wash it and use it with care as the suit was a little pricey. This was the site that I bought it from Works of the Heart. Honestly, it helped that my friend Laura in South Asia has a suit like this- so I just love that I could fit in overseas with this suit as well. :)

DeVoe Park

A trip to DeVoe park in Northern Kentucky- overlooking the city!

Tummy Sleeper

Lydie has become a tummy sleeper over the last month! She has gone from laying flat on her back with hands outstretched to kicking to her slide to sleeping fully on her tummy & she is beginning to love the pacifier- she is on the verge of addicted which is a good and could be bad for the future. The first thing she does when I lay her on her back is kick to her side and all the way to her tummy now- she love sleeping on that tummy- which is funny because she HATES tummy time- still!

Transitions this Summer!

This summer we have had several transitions! It started with Jeremiah learning to potty train the last week of June! We are still in process on this one- he does well for the most part but seems like on the weekends struggles more when we are out in the evenings or with friends! He STRUGGLES to break away from hard core playing with friends and I am sure that is common at this stage for some kiddos. At times I have been frustrated with him and myself feeling like a failure when he does not perform in this area. Some sweet friends have reminded me that he is in process. He was doing so well pooping on the potty and then backslides. So we are still in process. The beginning of August we put him in a big boy toddler bed- basically took the rail off of his bed- he loves it and loves running and jumping onto the bed! For the most part- he has stayed in bed though a few nights fell out of bed and calls for me in the middle of the night if something falls out of bed! We also started putting them to sleep in the same room and even napping them together at times as I will be watching Katy again this fall. Lydie does great at falling asleep while Jeremiah is singing to himself at night and he always call for Lydia to come in the room to bed. Though the other day, I did catch him crawling into her crib with her at bedtime. So over the course of two months- we have been trying to make slow transitions and I look back and think- we have had a lot of change this summer in our little house! ;)

Lydia's First Cereal

Around August 1st- we started Lydie on her first cereal- at about 5 1/2 months.  She is doing so much better than Jeremiah in eating her solid foods!  Now I have an extra helper to help feed her!  I have to admit- I have not been too excited about having one more thing to do- to feed her but she has been a quick and happy eater which has helped.  Now- Jeremiah has his own big boy seat at the table- so long to the high chair- though he still eats there at times when it is good to be contained. :) 

Smokey Mt. Vacay- pt. 3

 A few of our favorite memories from the trip:
*  Dad's patch on his glasses because he couldn't see straight.
*  Our favorite things- the pools- Jeremiah's favorite, the hot tub, fires in our fire pit, dinners together, boat ride, sunsets, woods, hikes
*  We enjoyed the extra help and the hikes- Michael and Jon hiked a long morning hike...
*  Our least favorite things- mosquitos and bug bites & getting up a few times each night as we were all in the same room- we nicknamed Jeremiah "flipper" as he flipped around and Lydia "thumper" as she would wake up and thump her legs constantly.  We have decided we are not good sleeping all of us in the same room.  One night we put Lydie in the bathroom b/c she was crying so much!
*  Kinda funny things- It took 6 hours to get there and we had to go through the Dragon's Tail to get there- a motorcycles dream- winding curvy roads for 11 miles- we were a mile from our cabin  on the way there- Jeremiah and Lydie were screaming- we stop for Jeremiah to go pee in his potty seat- when we were almost there- Jeremiah starts crying and throwing up all over the car.  Oh my...  he couldn't take the Dragon's Tail.
*  On our way back from the Smokies- we stop at a Chick-fil-A for lunch.  Jeremiah has a pull up on just in case- he goes in the play area and poops all in the play area- it came out of his pull up.  Needless to say- we slunk out of there as they shut down the whole play area and Michael and Jeremiah and Lydie all had to change clothes on that trip.

 Jeremiah enjoyed the hikes and the playing in the creek near our house.

 Part of the Appalachian Trail- who could get sick of these views!

 The siblings!

Smokey Mountains Vacay- pt. 2

 On our trip to the Smokey Mountains, we visited Fontana Dam- beautiful and on the Appalachian Trail.  We took a lovely boat ride one evening!  Jeremiah loved the boats!  Pop even took Jeremiah fishing one morning so Michael & I could go on a hike without kids.  Jeremiah loved and discovered worms on this trip! 

I can never get enough of this view- love the Smokey Mountains!

Smokey Mountain Vacation- pt. 1

 A few weeks ago- we went to the Smokey Mountains and Fontana Dam & Resort Park in NC- we have many stories from the trip- but here are a few quick photos- we spent a lot of fun time with Erin's whole family and really spent time at our house, the pool and hiking and being together.

Lydie turned 5 months while we were there!

 

 We thank the Lord we were even able to go as my dad had eye surgery for a tear in his eye a few days before- he was a trooper and we laughed at his makeshift eye patch he made though he could barely see from that eye.

 The beautiful mountains- our resort had two pools complete with a lazy river- Jeremiah was a fishy and loved the water.

 Lydie and her little swim cap/ hat. 

 

 Our house had a hot tub on the porch- glorious to use at night after a long day! 

 My sister Rachel is so good with kids- Jeremiah and Lydie loved every minute!

 We took turns making dinner each night which was a nice way to break up the load and we made a lot of our meals ahead of time which was nice.