Memorial Day - 2014

We spent Memorial Day at my in law's house enjoying their beautiful land and soaking up a lazy, sunny day.  I wanted to get some patriotic photos of the girls, but Emmy was too excited about her friends coming over and was not interested.  So, I just got a few of Elly... and Ama.

 When our friends, Brandon, Beth, and their kids Porter, and Lyla showed up, we ate hamburgers and watermelon, and the kids played around.  It took some coaxing for the dads to stop conversing long enough to get the pool ready for the kids and once they started, it took a while for them to decide where the best place would be to put it.  Finally, after a few trial and error areas, it ended up at the play set with the slide going into the pool.  

It was epic.

The kids had the best time sliding and splashing to the bottom and running back up the stairs to do it again and again.

I was excited to practice shooting in the midday light getting some action shots and getting some sun on my pasty self in between taking photos.

 

 

After taking a break from splashing, the Emmy and Porter (who are about two months apart in age) starting digging for earth worms.  Emmalyn has become quite the bug and reptile enthusiast lately.

 

 Then we decided to take a walk around the property to see the animals (this includes, two lamas, two alpacas, a pig, a wild turkey, chickens, roosters, Canadian geese and their goslings, and Guinea hens - we LOVE Ama and Bapa's house).  Brandon wanted a photo with his kids, but Lyla was not having it. Too much fun and no nap will do that to a two year old.

However, these two buds were happy to pose.  They had such a great day together.

 

 

 Before the fun ended, the kids (and adults) got ice cream cones and little Lyla was a happy camper!  She was too cute not to photograph.

I do know what Memorial Day is all about, and we did take a few moments throughout the day to acknowledge it and pray for those who have fought, are fighting, and have died fighting for our country, but I also feel like having a good time with people you love on days like that are what the men and women who fight for us are fighting for.  I LOVE my country and that I am able to have the choices, opportunities, and freedoms that I do and if we didn't enjoy them, then what are we fighting for?

Life Lately

Sorry for the hiatus lately.  Lots going on around here, as usual. 

Elana is now on the move.  She is very interactive and perceptive and so much fun, but the new found ability to maneuver to her desired location has me busy.

Emmy has been learning so much lately.  We've spent a lot of time at Caleb's parent's house (Ama and Bopa) watching the animals, catching tadpoles (which two weeks later were all frogs), swinging and playing outside in general until dusk.  Let the summer childhood memories begin.

Emmy also ended her first year in AWANA at our church.  We have been wanting her to come out of her shell some and the time with the kids really helped and she learned so much.  She continues to talk about the bible verses and stories she learned during the school year. She will be starting a gymnastics class this summer and going to three different vacations bible schools.  Trying to keep her busy so daddy has time to study, mommy doesn't go insane, and hopefully she can get out of her shell some more. 

I have been trying to take some time for myself.  Walking/running in the evenings, taking a mom's night out with my sister in law to catch the movie Mom's Night Out (highly recommend.  So funny and TRUE), 

watching Mad Men on Netflix, got a new hair do, and am trying to stick to a schedule so the housework, editing, and time don't get the best of me. 

Caleb starts summer classes next week.  We are both more than ready for this "season" in our lives to be over, to know what God has in store for our next and more permanent destination. 

The house hunting has been fun so far.  Caleb and I are pretty in sync with each other on what we are looking for and Emmy has even put her two cents in on a few of the houses we've looked at.  

 Now, I'm going to go to my pinterest and gander at my dream home before I get some shut eye.  Happy weekend y'all!