Noah on the move!

I'm learning how to use the video feature of my camera . . . so thought I'd practice on Noah (he didn't seem to mind at all)!

 

Labor Day fun!

Today being Labor Day, it seemed only fitting that we spend it with family enjoying the beautiful outdoors, cooking on the grill, relaxing in the sunshine while our children play quietly at our feet . . . okay, so that wasn't exactly what happened! 

There was no sunshine to speak of (although the rain held off until after the kids got a bike ride in) and quiet play isn't in order when you have six children in the house because it's raining.  But we did have hot dogs cooked on the grill before the rain started and we were with family, which always is a treat!

Lael and Jaden were happy to get some bike riding in . . . they have become quite proficient bikers!

 Side note:  Jaden went on an 11-mile bike ride with Daddy on Friday afternoon - he completed a 5 1/2 mile loop in 51 minutes!

 Noah enjoyed having others his size to play with - like cousin Hanna! 

(And yes, he's already learned to "cheese" for the camera!)

 He also decided to practice standing by himself - and did so for ten or fifteen seconds before reaching for Daddy's hands!  Walking is right around the corner!

 The sliding glass door was a favorite place for little ones today . . . sorry about the fingerprints, Grandma!

And when Noah needed some alone time, he put himself in the toy box . . . not sure why he did, but he seemed to like it there!

The babies all managed to share toys very well, which is pretty impressive considering that Noah is the oldest (at 15 months).  Hanna is about 10 months old and Abby is 11 months old.

When the big kids needed some time in a "baby-free zone", they retreated to the upstairs playroom where they did what else?  Make a blanket fort!

 Grandpa had to brave the rain to entertain the babies on the other side of the sliding glass door - but I don't think he minded very much! :)

 We had lots of fun today!  Thanks for having us, Grandma and Grandpa!

My apologies to Lael and Carrie . . . that they weren't more prominantly featured in this blog post.  They were having so much fun playing together - just in different rooms from where I was taking pictures at the time! 



Our first "box day"

Although we've been homeschooling since 2006, most of our curriculum has been gathered "bits and pieces", so we've never had the excitement of opening up a box which contained our school year . . . until this year!

The waiting was almost unbearable, so when the box arrived everyone was thrilled!

I had to convince Jaden to stop hugging the box so I could open it and see what was inside!

 Lael was beaming because she knew there were new books inside!

 Even before Jaden and I finished checking to make sure we had all the items on our packing list . . .

 . . . Lael had already found something that caught her eye and was off in another world!

Looks like another exciting, learning-filled year at God Seekers Academy!

(Special thanks to Jaden for his assistance with the photos for this blog post!)

Playing is hard work!

Our little guy plays hard . . . and sometimes he sleeps in very interesting places!

Walking through history . . .

We had a fabulous field trip yesterday to the Goschenhoppen Folk Festival - what a wonderful experience!  Here are a few photos (which don't at all do this event justice) . . . it was literally like a walk through the 18th and 19th century lives of Pennsylvania Germans.

Noah is "strollered" and ready to go!

 All three kids excited about the Festival

 Visiting the blacksmith

 Wheelwrights

 Trying some colonial games

 Noah providing some comic relief :)

 Jaden needed a quick break ;) - loved the rocking chair

 The ice wagon - we saw a picture of it on the festival's website so Jaden wanted me to take a picture for us to have too!

 19th century quilting bee

 Making apple fritters over an open fire (18th century style)

 This gentleman showed us what a soldier might carry with him - fascinating for my seven-year-old especially!

 Threshing grain by hand - no machines here!

 Lael got to help make candles - each row of candles would need to be dipped at least 25 times!

 Jaden enjoyed the view from this stone wall . . .

 . . . so much that he convinced his sister to join him!

 Churning butter

 This churning will yield about 5 pounds of butter!

 Now it's time to do the laundry

 If only they were that quick to do laundry at home! ;)

 Lael had a lesson in making sauerkraut

 Another favorite - seeing the militia fire their muskets

 The Goschenhoppen Festival parade

 Wagon ride - with several of our homeschool friends

 Jaden "warming up" by the fire while waiting for Lael to finish her cornhusk doll

 Lael made a wonderful cornhusk doll - complete with bonnet and apron!

 Jaden got the hang of this game quite quickly :)

We also tasted some yummy treats like apple butter, potato candy, funnel cake, watermelon, corn pie, apple fritters, faschnaughts, apple cider and freshly made peach ice cream!  It was an absolutely marvelous day!

Twelve years ago . . .

Twelve years ago, Bill Clinton was president of the United States, a gallon of gas cost me 99 cents (at least sometimes), and none of the current players of the Philadelphia Phillies had played a single major-league game.  Alot has changed in 12 years.  We've had three presidents, the Phillies won the World Series, and we won't even talk about gas prices!

Twelve years ago, I began a new life - as the wife of an amazing young man!  In those 12 years, we've called three places home . . . owned three different vehicles . . . served in four different ministries . . . more than doubled the size of our family - from 2 to 5.  Alot has happened in 12 years!

Here we are then . . .

. . . and now!

Twelve years ago we began this amazing walk together through life together - I thought it was wonderful back then . . . I had no idea that it would get better with each passing year! Happy anniversary, Brent! You are God's precious gift to me! I look forward with great anticipation to the next 12 years, and the 12 after that, and the 12 after that, and the 12 after that . . .