Girls weekend

I got to go on my very own vacation. Charlotte and I flew to North Carolina to visit my brother and his daughter. We have never been there before. It was Great!! What a beautiful place. There were trees everywhere we looked. And we got to eat all kinds of southern food. Char loved spending time with her cousin sofia. Because of the distance we rarely get to see each other.

Best airport greeting ever!

Filling their bags with treasures at the Scrap Exchange

Starting our first morning at Biscutville! Yum!

Trying on hats at a Vintage store.. Why not?!

And Baptism Day!!

My very own Stretch Armstrong

It has been 4 years since we had surgery to correct Ben's legs. The doctor makes a cut in his groin, calves and ankle tendons and then stretches the muscles to a flexed position. He then casts both legs to keep his feet flexed and in a month we have new stretched out legs. It gives him just enough to stand up flat footed and straighten his knees. Right now he walks or runs on his tippy toes always crouched in the knees. Over time he will start to walk with a criss crossed gait and that's when it is time to stretch him out again. So Moday afternoon when I called to schedule his surgery I was greeted with a 'We had a cancellation for tomorrow morning. Are you ready tomorrow?' Woah! After a good talk with the surgeon we decided to go for it. The good part was knowing that Ben was healthy and none of us were sick around here. Not something you can very well predict when you schedule a month in advanced. It went great. Me and him got to spend the day together. The doctor even let me suit up to carry him into the O.R. and help him as they gave him some gas to fall asleep. I don't think he had any fear until they tried to make him breathe into the oxygen mask. It was a good day. Today we are taking it easy. I know it hurts him and he is a tough kid. I am so amazed by his strength. I love him so much!!

School is cool

School has started again!! This was the fastest summer yet. My little chickens are growing up too fast.

12th grade

10th grade

8th grade

5th grade

3rd grade!!

Nice View

My husband and daughter spent this week on a river trip with a group of teenage youth from our chruch. He really enjoyes camping, hiking and just being in the outdoors so this trip was something he looked forward too. A nice break from his everyday office work.
The first morning before they set out on the river he sent me this picture.
It was titled "Look at the view I woke up to this morning!"

Wow! He was right. It is beautiful country where he is. Well, I went downstairs after seeing his message and took a look at the view I woke up to that morning. I couldn't help but take a picture of it and send it back to him. Of course I titled it "And look what I woke up to this morning!"

Sweet music

I reunited with an old friend.

I got this beauty in 1991 and we spent a couple of years close together. But as kids came along, she went back in her case and stayed there for the last 15 or so years.
 My two older sons wanted to take guitar lessons. I was so pleased about it. So out came my old friend and I have had fun playing around the last couple of weeks. I love having the sound of guitar music in my home. It is what I grew up listening too. It feels like home.

Two weeks = New shoes

My sweet littlest boy got a new walker. He is getting taller! He waited patiently while adjustments were being made and even tried to help it along.

Because he puts so much effort into walking, he drags his feet. Especially when he tries to run. His shoes take quite a beating. I have tried buying every type of shoe. From cheap Target shoes, to Stride Rite. The first obsticle is finding a shoe that will fit over his leg braces. And then trying to find ones with toe reinforcement. Not as easy as it would seem.

I found one brand that I order off the internet now that last him 2 weeks. The longest he goes without his toes poking through. I started taking pictures of all the worn out shoes we go through. Here are a couple...



It is so worth all the trouble to see him walk and even run! We try everyday just to help him be as independent as he can possibly be! He is a Champ!!



Little Pioneer Children.. walked and walked and walked..

Every four years the youth from church spend 3 days experiencing what life was like for the pioneers. This year two of our kids went on the trek.

We had a fun afternoon thrift shopping for all their clothes. I think I have only been in a thrift store twice in my life. It was super fun and I now feel the need to go to all the thrift stores in the area.  Haha..
So all the clotes were thrifted except for making the bonnet and apron. We did pretty good and I think they look pretty cute. It was a great experience for them to be put in to groups/ 'families' and pulling a handcart for 3 days. They slept under the stars each night and got soaked in a rainstorm. They got a tiny feel for what our pioneer ancestors experienced.