Apple picking time

One of my favorite traditions is to go apple picking. Today was a beautiful day to go. The late spring freeze hurt the crop but we were able to find enough good ones. I made carmel to pour over the apples when we got home. The first of the season :) I thought about you Bro. Ron (my caramel recipe fan).

September 29, 2007 Apple picking time

Tagged

Okay, Okay I have been running around since I've been tagged then I realized that home base was just to tell 7 random facts about myself.
1. I love picnics
2. I enjoy reading in bed, after the kids are asleep, and listening to classical music.
3. I read the back of the book first (so I can enjoy the journey)
4. I don't like roller coasters (don't need that kind of a rush to be alive)
5. I'm the middle child in my family (older sister and younger brother)
6. David is the only one I ever kissed (unless kindergarten counts)
7. I love to have my hair combed

That took way too long to come up with. Not sure if I'm just boring or the fact that I was aware that strangers might be reading this. I think I will start an "I dare you"...like I dare you to say how old your favorite sleeping garment is :)
Until then I will tag Brent, Bette, David, Charles, Leanna, Jennifer and Karla

Another camp out

Okay, that was our 3rd camp out in a months time but it equals up to only 3 nights and 7 meals. This time it was our church's annual camp out. We went to Mounds State Park. Outside of being with your own flesh and blood what better fun than being with your church family. The weather was near perfect, warm while setting up our "village" of 9 tents but it cooled down in the evening and we set around the fire pit and enjoyed a little singing, alot of reminiscing and of course food. The singing had great potential to be worshipful but we have several commedians in the group. The reminiscing was all about "last year" it was very comical to those of us that were there "last year" but I'm sure the first timers got sick of hearing about "last year we". About the food, everybodys favorite is the Carvers apple cobbler pie cooked right there with the coals from the fire and of course it wouldn't be right without Smores.
Another tradition is to hike the trails at night. This time we walked on the road to get to the trail we wanted down by the Mounds (Indian burial sites). It was a little long for short legs so David ended up bringing the van to haul all the short legs pack to camp along with their parents. After the short legs left it is rumored that a scary mask was revealed :) (owner--Pastor Mike)
When you drive back into the park it feels like you are out in the boondocks but the trains (about every 15 min.) kept everybody awake and then it just feels funny to be sleeping within snooring distance of all your friends. Morning finally arrives and we all "prepare or not" for the day. Very few morning pics included. I tried to be kind because I wasn't the only one with a camara and the only one with a blog :)It turned out that our little one burner stove was the only means of getting 30 people their bacon and eggs. It worked like a trooper.
After breakfast, the tents started coming down. The day warmed up nicely. Comfortable in the shade. While David and Mike got the grill going (Thank You!) and some chair warmers stayed back at the camp the rest of us went for a walk/hike. We didn't get far because the trail went right by the river and we HAD to put our feet in. The kids LOVED playing in it. It was only about 12 in. deep and my kids had never played in a river before so the swift water was new to them. We never made it back to the hike but I came back with my heart full--I love the water.
We had hamburgers for lunch and did the final packin up and headed home. What great memories we brought with us though! Now we can talk about "this year".

September 21, 2007 Campout

Original---Good thing or not?

When it comes to labeling things "original" around here we are very blessed or is it cursed? I have an original oil painting, that my Mother painted. An original framed and cross stitched Proverbs 31 that my Mother-in-law gave us. We are the original home owners of our house and that is where the curse comes in. We have lived here for 11 yrs. now and most everything that has a motor or requires a level of maintenance is original. We bought new so as to avoid the time consuming house projects of an older home and we don't have any natural talent for fixing things. I went out the other morning to take the kids to school and tried to open the original garage door and it wouldnt budge over 12 in. Well my van can't fit through that so I called for David. It didn't take long for him to discover that the loud bang against the garage door the night before (that scared us up) was a broken spring for the door. A local company came and fixed it for us and left a "reasonable" repair bill and a brochure for a new door. The nerve! For now we are trying to take care of and appreciate all of our originals.

What we have been up to...

This past Friday we met my parents Howard and Jeanne and camped out together. They rode their bikes up with another couple to participate in a bikers tour of covered bridges. Indiana is the covered bridge capital. This particular group was the Valkyrie riders which is in the Honda family. We spent a chilly Friday evening and night and woke to a very chilly Saturday but it warmed up nice and we had a wonderful day together. My folks rode with us and we taged along behind the riders for the tour. On our way back to our campsite we came by an accident that had happened moments before. 3 golfers on their way home t-boned a tree. They all survived and I'm glad but very angry that they were drunk and they could have hit a family. We enjoyed another meal together before we packed up and our little family headed home. I didn't properly prepare Sarah Brooke of how short the visit would be and she left one sad little girl. Dad gave her a bottle of Mountain Dew before we left and she guarded it like a prize. Mom and Dad left Sunday morning early. We came home and hopefully washed away our camp "aroma". Sunday night we were invited over to the Four under Four families home. They had a fire on the patio and grilled hamburgers. They could have had p&j's because the best part was getting to hold the babies (although, Charles, the burgers were tasty). I recommend that you have a girlfriend have twins if you have little girls that love babies. It works out great! We left there very late but how fun to end your weekend with friends or family.

Campout and our day with the bikers

Fulfilling an obligation

I feel as though I owe my loyal readers a picture of the man responsible behind the blog I recommended lately www.DavidGoing.blogspot.com. He does have a serious side to him but we cross our fingers in hopes that he is not called on to pray for fear of him bursting out laughing. It has happened before. I've heard it diagnosed as nervous laughter. This has happened to him on more than one occasion so it is a real fear of ours. Many have been subject to this nervous laughter, just inquire around of people that have played the piano for us. Our new pastor does not know of this. We have failed to inform them. Have a great day and keep me in your prayers.

Work day at Parsonage 2007

Picture Day!

Today is picture day at school. Sarah Brooke came home yesterday and said the teacher told her to take a bath. For a moment I thought it was directly at her but she was telling all the kindergartners how they should get ready for picture day. They were even supposed to go to bed early. It is funny how they follow the rules exactly. She brought home a library book but she couldn't look at it until she had washed her hands. We put the curlers in last night and she literally bounced into school this morning. Cameron's hair wasn't going anywhere after I was done :)
Today is also the 6th Anniversary of 9/11. I didn't know anybody close to me that was involved but my heart is heavy for the families today. I'm sure they have found a new normal by now. I will count my blessings today!

A couple things to check out

There is a new guy on the block (blog). He has a great sense of humor. http://www.davidgoing.blogspot.com. You can check out our church too on http://www.calvarybiblemethodistchurch.com/.

Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day weekend

We headed down to Brown County Sunday afternoon for an overnight campout. Pastor Mike and Michelle came down after church Sunday night and joined in. The idea was for us to get set up and enjoy the campsite all afternoon and evening but the kids wished their time away until Pastor Mike and Michelle got there. They did arrive and life began again. We roasted hot dogs, had smores and enjoyed the fire until very late. I tried putting the kids to bed so we could have adult time but they kept popping there heads out of the tent. We outlasted them though :) Monday morning we woke to the sounds of the surrounding campers, that didn't stay up late, enjoying their morning. I fixed hot chocolate, David started up the fire and one by one everybody got up. I won't tell who was the last one :) I fried bacon on the handy gas burner that Mom and Dad gave us for Christmas last year. Then made scrambled eggs and pancakes. We took a hike and skipped rocks in the lake. All this sounds charming and fun and it was but the bees were a huge pest this year. Four of us were stung. We ended up packing up and not grilling hamburgers like we planned. We headed to the town of Nashville, IN and shopped around, ate lunch at That Sandwich Place. It was a very enjoyable time getting to know our Pastor and his dear wife. I respect them and feel blessed to have them at our church.

A girl goes shopping

August 31, 2007

Sarah Brooke had a dollar burning a hole in her purse. Fortunatly for her we were near a scrapbook store. She took her dear sweet time looking at the everything is a $1 rack. She came away with her purchase with a big smile. What a fun feeling!

Can you imagine....

wanting to do this chore? I seem to have lost the charm in it for myself. I must have given it all to Miss Ashley.