Summer Fun

Since summer is officially over and school has been well underway here- I figured it is time to give you a little glimpse of our fun and crazy summer!  We did so many new fun things with new fun friends!  There was still a residue of sting since summer was THE BEST in Washington- we really miss our summer swim team and the fun we had there.  Take a look at our adventures:

camping in Indiana is wonderful

Not many pics of the two of us

good friends!!!!!

Not sure anyone liked seeing us coming

more good friends

my entrepreneurs

Giant twister

birthday...15

downtown Indy fun

Papa cam e to visit

The State Fair

Aunt Jen cam to visit

The Indians games

Lake Fun

Youth group fun

Holiday World

more good friends

crazy kids

More good friends

just beautiful

fun on Gramma and Grampa's farm

Fourth of July

sometimes, just sometimes- they have fun together

Love them

My brave little boy

Cutting the rug

ropes course

Thrill seeker

A little Bragging

Look what Annabelle found>

Just thought I would take a moment to do a little bragging on behalf of our new church and church family.  We have been in Indianapolis just short of a year, in a few short weeks will will celebrate the anniversary!  In that year, we have been so blessed by amazing people all around us.  I have known our church is huge, I have known I have never been a part of anything so big....but I really had no idea until this week how big and spectacular it really is!  I realize bigger is not necessarily better- BUT if things are done with excellence and big---WOW!  I am proud to be a part of this family, they do things so well, thoughtfully, deliberately, and big! Right up my alley.

Take a look at some of these photos of our recent VBS and Community Fish Fry.  I hope you are as amazed as I am at the wonderful gifts God has blessed these people with.  I hope it blesses you as it has blessed me to watch people use there gifts for the Kingdom!

Walking into church-decked out Medieval everywhere!

I don't know how big this was but it was amazing- you could WALK through it!!! And...it was cool inside!

Look at all those kids! Don't know how many somewhere between 350-400!

The water boy.  Never got a negative comment about my little helper!

loving on kids!

Didn't get many picture of the fish Fry- BUT WOW- look at all those people!

Anyone wondering how our struggling little one is----- he is doing just fine and has some little bandits to run around with-so fun!

Making it in the Middles

Seems life doesn't allow many moment for me to reflect and blog anymore, why is that? Well, summer has recently come upon us with a sweet, comforting arrival and given me a bit of time.  I realized this year that I no longer have little kids!!! I know-duh- right! Our lives have changed so much- we are in "The Middles" and watching "The Littles" go away has been hard.  Having -not little kids and not big kids is well.....exhausting!!!!!  I remember my sister telling me several years ago-"I would go back to diapers over this!"  My response was a pensive...."NO WAY!" It seemed in those days all I did was change diapers!

I understand her now!  There are some things I am learning being in the middles, thought I would share them with you:

1.  It used to be you had to make sure you had food and diapers in the car, now I make sure I always have a book- FOR ME!  I spend hours upon hours in the car, not just driving, but waiting. I am also very thankful that in Indiana I can talk on the cell phone.

2.  Food....plenty of food in the house- NEVER run out!

3.  Find new ways to discipline- the naughty seat and spanking just don't work anymore.  I have had to be creative here but the worst is that the punishments make me sad!

4. I really have no control.  Not sure why that one is a surprise to me?

5.  Be deliberate.  Life was so fun when we dealt with things as they came, now we actually have to "plan" vacation, have rules about media, "plan" time together", plan, plan, plan!

6. Speaking of media....WOW!   What a strange phenomena which has occurred with the many media driven activities my kids have...make it stop!  I think, particularly the teenager, could actually be on media 24 hours a day!

7.  The communication of opinions is quite different now...enough said.

8.  Dinner, at the dinner table, with 6 family members in an anomaly.  Not sure when this happened but this goes back to #5.

9.  All the things I held so deeply to, stubbornly- "My kids will never do that!"  Well- they do that!

10. Pray! (and drive carefully)

The Littles

The Middles

Hock Happenings

Just a few pics to share of all the busy times we are having.  Life has been getting fun as, hopefully, spring arrives.  I am not sure I am so happy with the weather here in Indiana- it has yet to get much higher than 38!!!  I am done with winter, my slump of hibernation needs to be behind me, and well--not yet!  Hope you enjoy our picture and all that we are up to these days.

pretending he is in the tank at the aquarium

All of that and still only the weight of a shark

Look at that sign...we tried it!!!!!

fun at the aquarium

Biggest pizza EVER!

And the cast is off

new worship band member!

Look at all the books Sammy can read!!!!!

Basketball is over but it was fun

look at that jump!

pinewood derby!

Sam the Man