Thankful

Though there are times when I might wish for something to be different about our house, there is never a time I'd wish for it to be located anywhere but on Lake Road! We have SERIOUSLY got the best neighbors! This summer has been the first one in which Caleb gets the freedom to come and go as he pleases. It is so sweet to watch him, and some of the other kids, bounce back and forth between houses and backyards for endless hours of fun. They ride bikes, play tag, climb trees, swim, and the list goes on and on. So much of it reminds me of my own childhood - when "playdates" wasn't even a word and kids just knocked on doors to see who was home and wanted to play! We truly are so thankful to have families with similar values living right near us that our kids can grow up with.

Growing Up is Fun to Do

Sometimes it's hard to accept the fact that my first baby is already over 6 years old. Though I don't always want to let go of the baby he once was, it is such a joy to watch him grow and gain independence. He has always been so eager to grow up and be able to do big kid things. Thankfully, he is a very trustworthy and responsible kid, so it's easy to encourage him in his desire for independence. His new passion is cooking breakfast for everyone. He has mastered the art of toast-making and LOVES being able to show off his skills in the kitchen. Now if I could just get him to do the meal planning, grocery shopping, and dinners, life would be good!

Zoo Fun

Having a rather cool summer has prevented us from doing a few things we'd like to, but it also makes for great days at the zoo. We are still lucky enough to have a zoo pass, so we like to get as much use out of it as possible. We have plenty of extra passes, so it's always nice to take along friends. Jacalyn, Alexa, and Zoey joined us for a fun morning. The kids all had a blast and we got to see quite a few animals. By the end of the trip, everyone was pretty tired and some good naps were taken that afternoon!

What Summer is ALL About

Days of endless fun, freedom, and time to play....

....lead to children who sleep like a ROCK!!!

The Lake (round 1)

There's nothing that says SUMMER more than a nice, long, 2-week trip to the lake! We love our home away from home and are thankful to have a nice enough Uncle and Aunt that allow us to invade their home for half a month! Our trip was somewhat of a three part vacation - the first half was just with TiTi, Grandpa, and Grandma....second was when TiTi left and Tyler came down....third was when family left and our friends joined us for a few days.

Part one was quite fun. The kids had a blast enjoying the lovely weather and time on the water. Grandpa and Grandma just bought a boat, which meant more fun at the lake. We took lots of rides, went out to lunch, had a picnic on the boat, tubed, and even got to water ski! We also enjoyed a few days in which our friends, Jack and Grace, came to hang out. Aunt Nancy enrolled Caleb in golf lessons, which he had a lot of fun doing for the first few mornings of our trip. Aunt Nancy also spoiled the kids with tons of Legos and craft projects that quickly became a highlight of the trip. She is definitely teaching the kids that there is no better place to be than at the lake!

Part two was more of the same, but with the excitement of having Daddy around. The kids took advantage of having someone else willing to take them fishing - by willing, I mean okay with touching a fish to get it off the hook (someday I'll be a big girl and do that, but just not yet)! Caleb, Leah, and Joel all did great with reeling in their own fish and each time they caught one was just as exciting as the first. Leah took awhile to work up the courage to reel in her own fish. For the first few days, she'd hand off her pole to Caleb, scream "I caught one, I caught one", and run around the dock in fear/excitement! Another highlight of part two was the chance to go out and celebrate our 9th anniversary kid-free! We got to enjoy a yummy dinner outside overlooking the lake and cherished the few hours of adult conversation!

Part three involved a visit from our friends, the Siebert family. Our kids loved the excitement of having friends from home at the lake. We spent a lot of time at the dock and got to sneak in a few boat rides when the water was calm (which isn't very often over 4th of July weekend). There was also plenty of relaxing done (as you can see by the picture of two VERY tired dads after lunch one day).

We certainly had a blast enjoying two whole weeks at our favorite vacation spot. It went by a little too fast, but thankfully we have another trip there soon!

9 Years

It's hard to believe how quickly 9 years have gone, but when you think about all that has happened in those 9 years, it is clear that we've made the most of every moment. I am beyond thankful for my marriage to Tyler and couldn't have asked for a better person to share this life with. In honor of 9 whole years, I'm going to list 9 of the reasons why I love life with him:

1. We look back and see all that God has blessed us with and know that no matter what He gives, our marriage is centered on Him. This is what allows us to take joy in every aspect of our lives together.

2. We are honest and real with each other, knowing that some days aren't always easy. Yet, even when we don't see eye to eye, we are good enough communicators that we work through it.

3. We willingly admit that our first years were tough, but it helped build an incredibly strong foundation. Getting married young isn't easy - especially when it involves the unity of two VERY strong willed and stubborn people!

4. We are a team. He's got my back and I've got his. This has been a huge help through some of the curve balls we've faced and it's especially helpful in raising three kids!

5. We are best friends and truly enjoy life together. We know the ins and outs of each other better than any other human on this planet and cherish the "realness" that exists within our friendship.

6. We laugh. We laugh a lot. We both know that we can't take things too seriously, and sometimes a good laugh is all you need!

7. We have established an insanely good "system" of life in our home. Everyone pulls their weight and we manage to end each day still feeling like we're ready to face the challenges of the next day.

8. We are similar in a lot of ways, but are still very different - and that definitely works in our favor!

9. We are still growing. Growing in our ability to put each other's needs above our own. Growing in our ability to communicate. Growing in our ability to forgive. Growing in our commitment that we made to God, to put our marriage above any other Earthly commitment we make.