Lydia- 18 Months!

Lydia is 18 months!  We love this sweet little bundle!  Lydia is still our "scooter"- she loves to scoot on her bottom- all who see it think she is so funny!  She is beginning to pull up and walk around tables and likes to walk if you hold her hands but she is not confident standing on her own yet- she is getting there though.  Lydia loves her "Gooey"- her little lady bug pillow bet and her "cowey" that she won from Chick-fil-A- both she sleeps with at night!  

Lydia loves following around her big brother playing with trucks and cars- she pushes them following her brother!  Right now at least- she would rather play with a truck or a stuffed animal over a baby doll.  Lydia loves to be with people and right now screams when I leave her in the nursery on Sunday or even walk out the door without her!  She is sweet and cheerful and loves to have fun but she will also led you know pretty loudly when she has been bonked or hurt or just something does not go her way.  She loves her Daddy and screams when he comes in the door each night!  She loves any slide or swing that she sees!  We love this sweet little girl and look forward to watching her grow and seeing what the Lord continues to do in and through her life.  Hard to believe you are 18 months already Lydia!  We love you!

Sweet Corn...

So this is a little late- but over a month ago- we did sweet corn- husked and froze it!  It was fun to do with the kids outside and with the cousins!  Jeremiah and Jonathan were very good huskers until they found their trucks and a digger site to dig in- they they went to dig instead!

Just like dad...

He wants to be just like his dad- and what a great dad he has too!  Jeremiah has been wanting to go to work with dad... Michael started teaching last week at Xavier and has been working hard on his syllabus for class he has never taught on Theological Foundations- praying the Lord uses the class to reach many unsaved kids for Christ who may be very liberal in their thinking and praying for Michael for wisdom as he prepare each class! Michael will also be teaching a Hebrew class at Hebrew Union as well as teaching a SS series at our church on the Historical Books- Joshua thru 2 Kings- he is going to be a busy boy and is already feeling the busyness!  Have a great first week (well by the time I post this 2nd week) of classes Professor Lyons!

Silly kids...

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

So it has been a little bit of a crazy week with some little crazy kids...

What we were up to this week:

1. I got a great deal on raspberries and after picking blackberries at church- made jam and canned them 2 afternoons this week.

2.  Hosted a Staff Ladies Lunch- 30 minutes before Jeremiah said his stomach hurt so I called Michael at church and said could you please pick him up- wanting to avoid a child throwing up while hosting a lunch- in the end he was fine- must have been faking it.

3.  Spent Friday afternoon cleaning out the pantry, throwing a lot of food away and bleaching things down after moths had taken over the pantry.

4.  Michael and I have been addicted lately to Star Wars- I have never seen them before and they are intriguing.   I think we have one more left to watch- it really makes you think about good and evil and how tempting Satan and darkness can be as Satan tries to draw us away from the Father of light!

5.  Had a great time walking with a friend and getting ice cream to celebrate her birthday- so thankful for this sweet friend.

Blackberry Picking...

What have we been doing a lot of lately?  Blackberry picking! Our church has tons of blackberry bushes surrounding the church property!  I am enjoying getting out there any chance I get but it is dangerous with all the briers!  The kids have come at times and it is definitely more challenging with them there! I have to say Jeremiah eats all the blackberries he picks- so he is not much help!  Hoping to pick enough blackberries to can another batch of blackberry jam and Michael is hoping for a berry pie at some point here!

Girls Weekend...

 A few weeks ago- we had a girls weekend in Cincinnati!  My roomie and best friend from home Sara Fillmann drove out with Nicole Fenton who has spent the past year overseas!  And Sarah Brown and I were here!  We went out to dinner, browsed through Ikea- took a painting class for an evening, ate and shopped some more and stayed at a hotel together near the airport so Nicole could fly out early in the morning!  It was a wonderful, fun and refreshing weekend!  

Flowers & Gardening...

I have been enjoying my flowers that continue to grow in the flower beds and that I can cut and have fresh flowers in my home!  We are also enjoying some yummy tomatoes, a little bit of broccoli lately and some zucchini to make zucchini bread from the garden!

Smokies Getaway...

Our Smokey Mountain Getaway was over a month ago and finally I am getting around to posting pictures of it!  This is by far one of our FAVORITE places to visit while we live here in the Midwest- being only 5 hours away- we love it!  We got a Groupon deal for a little Resort- 2 night stay in Gatlinburg!  

It did have a nice view out our back window of a stream- we probably prefer a cabin-

 but this was nice!  

This was our first time away for nearly 3 nights from the kids and we so enjoyed the time spent together!  I think our favorite thing to do is hike!  Michael bought a book of Hiking in the Smokies and faithfully researched all the hikes!  It was amazing!  

The first day we did an afternoon hike and while it rained when we got to Clingman's Dome- we decided to try our hike- to Andrews Bald and the view did not dissappoint!  Amazing from elevations of 6,000 feet.  

The second day we did the Alum Cave Hike- almost half way up to Mount Le Conte!  Our next goal will be to do Mount Le Conte- it is nearly and 11 mile roundtrip hike which I think next time we could do in a day!  The views on this hike were amazing!  And the cave was cool!  Apparently there is a lodge at the top of the mountain that you can make reservations to stay there but it takes awhile to get in!  It sounds neat though!  

The day we left- we did a morning hike- by far the greatest hike we did!  We hiked the Appalachian Trail from Newfound Gap and off the trail at one point to the "Jump Off"- it was an opening on a cliff with a magnificent view- literally you could jump off the side!  Wanting to hike still more- we decided to keep going to Charlies Bunion- which was a mile farther after going 4 miles already!  It was amazing as well- the views from the top- so the last day was our longest 9 miles about round trip.  We were realizing how grueling hiking can be as we drove home the 5 hours in the car and could barely pull ourselves out- our bodies were so sore!  It was great!

I think these hikes are getting in our blood- can't wait to do it again!