Catapult

Jocelyn found a catapult at hobby lobby to build.  She was very excited to get it and put it together!

Her and Addy put it together and had a blast with it!

They put it out on the driveway and made targets.

They played with this for hours!

 

What to do with another week in Iowa…

When the girls and I got to Iowa…Eli was ready to head back to KC.  SO, we had to keep him busy so keep his mind off of going home!  The girls and I got to WDM just in time to join them at the aquatic center.  We had a great time on the lazy river, on the water slides, and swimming! 

We started off the first morning by having breakfast with Deb.  She was getting ready to leave to go out of town, so we wanted to spend some time with her before she left.

When Eli spent time with Mark and Deb, he helped them tye dye.  Look at these cute shirts!

Such a cute picture!

Getting ready to start our day at the zoo!

 

The kids got to feed the giraffes.  It was so neat to stand up close the animals.

We planned a family get together at my grandparents house while we were there.  It was nice to spend some time with my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins!  I also went and got my grandma VDB and brought her out there with us.  I am so lucky that my kids have been able to get to know my grandparents.  Such a blessing!

Even my grandma got into the pool – she never gets in the pool with us!

We had a good time! 

 

Eli’s week in Iowa

Eli had a good week!  I have pictures from my mom and I will get the pics from Melanie and Craig to post soon!

Riding on grandma’s gofl cart.

Getting ready to tee off.

By grandpa’s rock on the golf course.

Look at that fish he caught!

Eli and Ryder on a ride at summerfest in ankeny.

He went to the horse races with grandma, aunt jami and ryder. 

They got to go up close to the horse because Jami’s friend is a jockey.

Stay tuned for more pictures!!

Our week with the girls!

Eli spent his week up in Iowa with family at the beginning of July.  He left right after the 4th!  He was ready to have a week away from his sisters!  We had a good week with the girls too.  The played with friends, had sleepovers, went to the pool…!  There was one afternoon when Jocelyn was at a friends house and Audrey and I got to play some games.  We played Boggle Jr.  This is now one of her favorite games!  I am amazed at how well she knows all the letters. 

It really is a great game.  I am so glad that I got it down from the closet.  This kept her busy for almost an hour! 

She had fun spelling lots of new words.

On Friday night,  Jocelyn had a pizza party at church.  Brian and I had a date night with Audrey.  She got to pick what we were going to do.  She picked eating McDonalds and having a picnic at the lake.  So that is exactly what we did.  She was so tickled to have mommy and daddy all to herself!  We were really able to focus on her…it is amazing how much she has grown up!

On Saturday, I took the girls to have a picnic at the park.

Jocelyn  🙂

Audrey 🙂

the 3 of us

 

 

We also went to Deanna Rose Farmstead.  Best place around here to spend a day with the kids!

Audrey on the tractor with Joseph.

Don’t you just love her smile!

Audrey got to take a friend to the pool…she was so excited to have a friend at the pool with her. 

The girls and I left for Iowa on Wednesday to spend a week there and to get Eli!

 

 

 

 

 

 

4th of July

We had a great long weekend for the 4th of July holiday.  We started off on Saturday the 3rd by heading to a 4th of July parade.  The kids got lots of candy and Brian and I met lots of politicians ! 🙂

My 2 beatiful girls!

And  my handsome Eli…not sure what kind of smile that is!  I think he was trying to talk to me at the same time!

 

Later that day we headed to some friends family’s private property.  We were able to set off our own fireworks legally!  Yeah!  Eli was like a kid in a candy store…he got to hang out with a bunch of 12 year old boys and light of fireworks!  There was a lot of adult supervision though!

On the 4th, we decorated the kids’ bikes/scooters  for the neighborhood parade.

Eli’s decorated scooter.

Jocelyn on her scooter

Audrey on her bike…Jocelyn and I helped her docorate it!

All 5 of us!

Riding along in the parade

All the kids got bomb pops at the end of the parade.

Eli eating his bomb pop

Eli and his buddy Savannah – they are such good friends!

We went to a BBQ in the neighborhood that evening – they had a waterslide for the kids and lots to eat and drink too!

It stated to rain, but Brian and I still took the kids to watch the city fireworks.  The rain let off just long enough for the fireworks and then the downpour started again!

It was a good weekend!  We made sure to say a prayer over the weekend because we are so thankful for this wonderful country we live in with our freedoms that we have!  God Bless America!!

 

 

New recipe

I love to find new recipes and try them out for my family…just ask the kids and they will tell you that a couple of nights per week they will see something new on the table!  Sometimes it turns out not so great, but usually they are pretty good.  Last week, I searched for a taco pizza recipe.  I found several and after reading the reviews on them, I narrowed it down to one.  It was yummy!!  And everyone (except Eli) loved it too!

I really didn’t think about taking a picture of it until after we had started eating!

Doesn’t it look good??

So since then…

When we got back from Iowa, we started our week of VBS at church.  I was in charge of preschool games again this year.  I really love being involoved in VBS…such a great atmosphere for everyone!  All 3 of my kids really enjoyed their week and so did I!

We had Eli’s last 2 baseball games of the season and he played really well.  He is little nervous about playing fall baseball since he will be moving up to machine pitch this fall. 

We spent an evening at Sean and Abby’s house…much needed time with some good friends and good food too!

We met some friends at Antioch Park…wonderful park!

 

 

Audrey contemplating going down the pole on her own!

 

Jocelyn started cheer practice and can’t wait to keep learning all the new stunts they can do this year.  They start every cheer practice with stetching, sit ups, push ups, and a run.  We are so proud of her!  You can see it in her eyes how much she enjoys it!

We went to the zoo with the Brays.  We have been talking all summer about getting there and we finally did!

Riding the carosel…this giraffe didn’t move, so she had to move to a different on the nxt ride.

Eli  (Thomas and Savannah are behind him!)

Audrey and Thomas

Jocelyn and Addy

 

 

All 7 of our kids!

Audrey, Thomas, Eli, Savannah, Addy, Jocelyn and Joseph

Funny faces!

The Brays left the zoo mid-afternoon, but my kids wanted to stay a little longer!  SO…

we rode the train

eli and jocelyn

me and audrey

It was a very fun day at the zoo…

Then I had a much needed girls nite out at the movies!

Time to see Eclipse…it was fantastic!

 

 

June 18th

This day will always be one of sad memories!  More than sad…unbelievable gut wrenching…heart throbbing!!  June 18th, 2002 was the day that changed my life as I knew it.  I got that phone call from my grandpa while I was at work that my dad had a heart attack and that he was now in a better place.  What a blur of a day…

I have since then learned to count my blessings daily and thank god that I had my dad for as long as I did.  We have a Annual Memorial golf tournament for my dad at the country club.  We invite our family and friends to come out and spend the day together doing what my dad loved most…family, friends, golf and a few drinks!

My kids have always come out and spent the day out on the golf course with us.  Now that Jocelyn and Eli are old enough to play…it is fun to see!  I know my dad appreciates it so much…looking down on his grandkids enjoying the game he loved so much.

Eli, Jocelyn and Audrey with my dads memorial rock at the gofl course.

My mom with my kids

Brian and I with the kids

My family!

We had a great turnout this year.  The sun was out all day…a little hot,  but not too bad in the shade!

We always look forward to having this day every year to honor my dad!

 

Our week in Iowa…

I had planned on taking the kids up to Iowa for a week and Brian would come up to meet us on Friday morning.  So all day Monday, I was doing laundry, packing, cleaning the car, etc.  I took the girls to golf at 4 and was going home to load the van and get to pick up Jocelyn at 6 and get on the road.   I called Brian at 4:30 and said “Would it be possible for you to take the rest of the week off and go with us tonight?”  So needless to say, Brian went to talk to his boss and I rushed home to mow and get all the things done that needed to be done for us to be gone for 6 days.  We actually got on the road at 7 pm!  We didn’t tell Brian’s parents that he was coming, so it was a surprise to them when he walked in with us.  It was nice to have Brian with us!!

We started off the beginning of our trip at Craig and Melanie’s.  We went bowling, ate lunch with Craig at work, had ice cream at Maggie Moos, played in the backyard, and went swimming at their new aquatic center.

I am trying to help  Audrey bowl…

Jocelyn trying for a strike!

And Eli…bringing on the competition!!

Audrey taking Jocelyns picture

We then headed to my moms house for the next few days.

We went swimming at my grandparents house, had yummy taco pizza at Happy Joes, went out the cemetary to put flowers at my dads gravesite.  The kids also found an orange golf ball to put in the ground by the stone.

Audrey jumping in off the diving board

Eli and Jocelyn on the water totor…they loved it!  They were so excited to use it since they can’t use those things in our neighborhood pool.

Ryder and Audrey on it…Ryder would only get on it while it was out of the water!

 

Jocelyn golfing

Jocelyn took golfing lessons again this year with her friend Addy.  The lessons during the month of June and the last lesson they got to play a round of golf.  Brian even went out there with her on the last lesson to drive their golf cart around.

Jocelyn and Addy ready to start their first lesson.

Aren’t they too cute!

On the cart and ready to head out to the driving range.