Fun Weekend

 We had a jam-packed weekend...but it was a jam-packed with fun activities, so it was worth it!  Saturday was house cleaning, followed by worship team for mom & dad while the kids played with Uncle Marc, Uncle Matt, & Rowie.  Always a hit there!

Sunday was church, a 1st birthday party for Josh Denny (such a sweet baby boy that we LOVE!  I forgot to take pictures though!), and dinner with Uncle Ry and Auntie Janna.

We went to dinner at the Chancery up at Pleasant Prairie in the Ramada at the outlets.  I HIGHLY recommend this restaurant.  Their nacho dip is amazing!  We always get it...so check it out after a long day of shopping.  It won't disappoint.

Janna wanted a new background picture for her phone with her favorite neice and nephew.  This was quite commical and took about 15 minutes to get one with both of them looking and not moving!  Here are two that I took on my camera.  Two because, although my sister always looks amazing, my children do not!  One is great of Ave and the other is decent of Ash.  Got to love taking pictures with children!

Thanks for dinner Jan and Ry!  We had a blast!

Better late then never!

***Please ignore how late this post is...Someone took my camera at church, and finally returned it two weeks later when they figured out it wasn't theirs. I was so upset when it was gone, but it taught me to download my pictures, and that I should blog for more memories! Plus, Mike bought me that camera for Mother's Day two years ago with his own giftcard money, so it has sentimental value.***


We had a wonderful time celebrating Easter this year. The Good Friday services at our church were beautifully done, and I was given the privilege of singing with several people who are very talented and a joy to be around.

Easter was the debut of our new sanctuary design. Dan, our worship pastor, worked very hard to get it all done in time. Mike put in several long nights of work (along with Asher a few times!). I think it turned out beautifully. Don't you? The lights change with each background, and there are 3 screens now. I was joking that I should start matching my outfit to whatever lights were going to be used.

Here it is on Easter morning...LOVE the colors!

Another shot...

Asher was finally old enough this past year to sing with all the kids on stage. They range in age from 3-5th grade. He LOVES to sing, but for some reason never really sings when he is up front. He will do it perfectly before and after, but only sings a little on stage. Our Christmas singing was lacking, to say the least, so I took it upon myself to make sure that he new those songs PERFECTLY for Easter. They have a great message, and I'm glad that he's learning worship songs. He did okay this year. Happi and I laugh because all the children of the worship team are the ones normally getting in trouble or not singing! Caden (her little boy) and Asher always give us a run for our money! They are so stinkin' cute.

Here are our two stinkers Caden and Asher....so adorable!
(Ash is obviously an aspiring model in this picture!)


Finally singing (kind of!). At least they look cute!

I don't have any pictures of Avery at Easter due to my camera mishap. I was so disappointed! I decided that I am going to redress her up so I can have a cute picture of her in her Easter dress and frilly headband...these are what they at least looked like!

Avery's dress was from Gap and had a little off-white sweater to go with it. She's not really a "girly-girl" so it worked well since it isn't all frilly and lacey. I love dressing little girls!

Hope you all had a wonderful Easter! He is risen!

Because I'm a little late on my cards...

This season is a crazy time of year for everyone...especially if you're a mommy, teacher, musician, wife, or director (worse, if you combine all of the above). Needless to say, December flew by in a whirl for me this year. We did order our Christmas cards on time (mid-December), but I have to finish stamping and labeling them. We're a little behind this year, like usual.

Here's a sneak peek at our card several days after Christmas. I hope to get a blog up about having this picture taken. It was done by a friend of mine, Erica, who is FABULOUS.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours. I hope you had a wonderful holiday season with Christ at the center.

Quote of the Day

"I hate this camera...God ended it!"

--Asher after he finished the pictures on the disposable camera he found with 7 pictures left.

On another note, if you like the way the blog looks now, you can thank my personal blog designer, Asher. He chose all the new layouts and pictures himself. With the economy the way it is, I'm thinking of making him available for house calls per a small fee to afford his diaper fix. I suppose I could just really focus on potty training and not break child labor laws.

Who doesn't love the pumpkin farm?

Last Monday my sister Janna and I decided to take advantage of the holiday (since we are both teachers) and take the kiddies to the pumpkin farm. We are trying to start family traditions while the kids are still young and like us...then in the future we can hold it over their head that it is tradition, and therefore they must go. Nothing like a little guilt trip.

We met up with Janna at The Apple Howler in Kenosha. It was a pretty good pumpkin farm, but wouldn't recommend picking apples there. Asher went on a "train" ride, led me through the corn maze, and made his own taffy apple. Avery had fun toddling around, and making faces whenever we put her in the hay. She is so prissy! We also enjoyed a hay ride and, of course, picking out some expensive pumpkins for our front porch. Now Mike has to carve them...I don't do messy things like that.

I'm not sure I'll be able to guilt them into doing this in the future:


Avery obviously didn't get the memo that the pumpkin is bigger than she is!


It wouldn't be fall without a tractor ride...


Or a kiddie corn maze.


We love Auntie! Thanks for going with us.

Fun in the Sun...More Picture Updates

We had a busy busy busy month of July. I love that month because everyone is in full summer fun. It also helps that it is my birthday month which means PRESENTS. Who doesn't love their birthday month?

We had a great 4th of July...which should have been posted long long ago. I know, slacker stay at home summer mom gets nothing done. Sorry people. My in-laws live right on the parade route so we always have perfect seats for the Vernon Hills parade every year. We started our festivities on the 3rd with me and Mike going to the Taste of Chicago and then watching fireworks on our friend's boat. We honestly thought we were going to get killed at the Taste. That is a blog for a later date I suppose when I finally have my will in place. Probably should get to work on that one. Let's just say while we were there, we did not move a one point for 20 minutes, saw a fight that involved a good 50 people, and almost were trampled my a mob of people running from what we found out later was a shooting right by US. I'm good on the Taste for a few years I suppose.

Anyway, here a few pictures from the fourth. By the end Asher looked incredibly patriotic with all his stickers. If only he could vote!


We then went to Target and got a Slip n' Slide and baby pool and all proceeded to have water fights...all of us over the age of 19 that is! We're all kids at heart.



I spent some quality time with my best friend (and PREGNANT, Yeah) Emily from Florida..


We chilled with Adrienne, the best haircutting horn playing summer babysitting friend that a girl could ask for!


And went to the Lake County Fair with Kristin, Aubrey, and Mr. Bartholomew. Asher is obsessed with our friend Kristin, which is good since she is going to help us out with babysitting next year. The Fair was fun. We saw our first tractor pull (which was loud, smokey, dirty, and kind of weird) and my first rodeo (which did NOT have bull riding. Come on people, I want crazy bulls not crazy HORSES).




I'll keep the pictures coming. I have several other events to post before SCHOOL STARTS! Boo. :)

Summer update in pictures

Happi over at The Berger Buzz gave a picture update of all their summer happenings. Since I am so random at blogging, I thought I too would do the same. Really, I just am not as creative as her and steal everyone's ideas...oh well.

We had a fantastic time at the Milwaukee Zoo with Auntie Janna. She even took Ash on their yearly camel ride...Here is one big backside (the camel's that is)



We attended my cousin's wedding in Georgia where I sang and Mike walked babies around.



We also danced the night away (and Avery fell asleep).


My Uncle T baptized me and my little sister Jessa in the pool at Howard Johnsons. I know, interesting place to have it. My Granny got very creative to make it happen! Something I should have done a long time ago. It was great to have someone close to me do it though. Don't worry, he's a pastor, so it is official. :)


Went to our first movie with my friend Jamie.



SOOO much more happened. I will post more pictures and bring us into July on the next post!

Sleeping children means I should be sleeping too!