Christmas Pics

I know it has been awhile since I lasted posted, but I have been busy people. :) Anyway I know we haven't had Thanksgiving yet (or as Leighton has been saying "Turkey Day") but I couldn't resist posting this incredibly cute picture I took of my kids and my brother's kids a couple of weekends ago. Trying to get everyone to smile and look at the camera was worse than trying to herd a bunch of cats, but worth it. Enjoy and Merry Turkey Day!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Fall Around Here

We had a great time at the corn maze. This year it was Pirates of the Caribbean. Travis kept trying to get the kids lost but they kept finding us. ;)

We had tons of fun picking apples and pumpkins at the apple orchard!

Then we carved them!

Trick or Treat.

We Had A Slide-in

A few weeks ago we had a slide-in. A slide-in is kind of like a break-in but nothing gets broken. Let me explain.

We have a cat named Dotz who as Travis likes to say is an I.D.O.D. cat. (That stands for indoor, outdoor cat) So we usually leave our overhead garage door open a few inches for her to get in and out of the garage when she is outdoors.

Well I guess we left it open a little to far and had more than a cat get in the garage. Someone slid under the door and stole the DVD player out of the van. We were very surprised that Sat. morning when we got in the van. First, I noticed that all of the stuff from the console was on the floor. I, of course, ask the kids what they were looking for and they all denied getting in there. When Trav came out, as I was putting things back in, I ask him if he had been in there. As I said that I realized the DVD player was missing. Everyone was shocked! We had had the dual screen DVD player for a long time. But we were not ready to get rid of it. We have had to have it worked on because it stopped working once, and I had just gotten new cords because we were having problems with the sound and picture not working all the time. But we still used it. The cords didn't really fix the problem so it was probably on its last leg, but it sure made us all mad. And a little scared that someone had gotten in our garage and could have gotten into the house without much trouble. Needless to say I have installed an alarm on the house garage door and we make sure the overhead door is only open enough for the cat. Since it was not working the greatest I figure it ended up in the trash somewhere. :(

Luckily we have only went on a 1 1/2 hour car trip since then. So our next trip back home will seem even longer than usual. :( I bet you can guess what the kids have on their Christmas list already!!!!

L-man's 1st Day of Preschool (This Year Anyway)

*****Update: After Travis read this he said "Did you really try to cry?" To which I replied "NO! I was trying to be funny. I just didn't have any inclination to cry and that isn't like me." Then he read Denny's comment and said "Do you really think Leighton looks like me?" and proceeded to enlarge the first picture and say "Yeah he does look like me. Especially in this one where his hair looks dark." Just thought I would clear up some confusion at our house. :)

Finally, L-man's first day of preschool this year. They moved to a new building so it took awhile to get all of the state requirements met. We had to get a picture of the backpack too. Sorry I forgot to rotate it before I uploaded it. Now I can't figure out how to rotate once it is up here. :(

This is Leighton's friend Sarah and her friend Cade. They are all in the same class. Hope the boys don't fight over Sarah! All lined up and ready to go inside. Some of the Moms were crying, but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't squeeze out any tears. I guess I am getting to old. Even when I thought about the fact that this would be the last time I would take one of my babies to their first day of preschool. I guess the hormones are swinging the other way. Go figure.

Done with the first day. He is such a big boy. I can't believe this is my last year as a preschooler Mom. Boo Hoo. Just kidding. More like Yee Haw!!!!

Quips From the Back of the Van

Yesterday, my kids said some funny things. Usually I forget them and don't write them down, but today I thought I would share them with all of you.

Brenna "At least it is a nice day for a protest."

Zia "It sure is hard to keep track of 5 wiggly teeth."

Just thought I would share :)

Would You Walk Around Naked?

Did I get your attention with that title? God did this morning while I was reading in Isaiah. I read again the story of when God told Isaiah "take off all your clothes, including your sandals." Isaiah did as he was told and walked around naked and barefoot. Then the Lord said, "my servant Isaiah has been walking around naked and barefoot for the last three years. This is a sign -- a symbol of the terrible troubles I will bring upon Egypt and Ethiopia." Isaiah 20:2-3 Can you believe it? God actually ask him to take off all of his clothes. Not for the day, the week, or even a month, but THREE YEARS! I can't even imagine. How humiliating. Yet God ask him and he obeyed. How many times has God asked me to do something? I start, then get tired of it, and put my clothes back on. Can I be that faithful? Trust Him? Let myself eat some humble pie my friend Paula wrote about? Fix my eyes on Him and remember it's not about me and my comfort but His glory.

Later, in Hebrews I read... "For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are. Nothing in all creation can hide from him. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes. This is the God whom we must explain all that we have done." Hebrews 4:12-13. There was that word again. NAKED. God has called me to be naked. Not only before him, but with others as well. Exposed for what I really am. A sinner. Someone with bruises, bumps, fat, flaws... Open, honest, real... Seeking him, sometimes failing sometimes succeeding. Real.

Dear Father God, I praise you for your Word. Thank you that it can cut deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. Change my desires and thoughts to you and what you want. Help me be real and naked before you and others. May you be glorified in everything I do and say. In Jesus name. Amen

The Beltz Bean Dinner

Over Labor Day weekend we got the chance to head back home and go to the Beltz Bean dinner. I am not sure how long they have been having it, but Trav and I have been dating for 18 1/2 years and I think it was going on then. Trav's Great Uncle and Aunt, Dudley and Doris, started it at their house years ago and now it has moved to their daughter and son-in-law, Connie and Larry's, house. It is a big family reunion for the Beltz family. The first picture is of the big bean pot they use to cook the beans in out over and open fire. Larry is serving up a bowl to Dudley. We also have hot dogs roasted over the fire. Larry and Mike are cooking them in the next picture. Everyone brings something to share and we have a great meal.

Connie and Larry live out in the country in a beautiful home with a pretty little pond right behind it. Of course we couldn't keep the kids away from it. They all loved looking for frogs and messing around by the water.

Larry always goes out of his way to make the little guys welcome. This year he made a table just their size. They really liked that. They also had fun making a long train with the Styrofoam blocks. I didn't get any pictures of the big pyramids they were making and knocking down. I think we are getting close to the little kids out numbering the adults.

You never know what will be planned or just happen at the Bean dinner. This year the kids gave each other wagon rides. Many years they have had hayrides. Some that have even taking the crew through the Mc Donald's drive thru. One year jeep rides around the pond to look for bears was on the agenda. Another time an ice and water fight broke out. But every year stories are shared and memories are made. Brenna LOVES the Bean dinner (even though she wouldn't eat any of the beans). This year she said "This is the best Bean dinner ever". Thanks Connie and Larry for another great Beltz Bean Dinner.

1st Day of School

Yesterday was the first day of school for Brenna and Zia. Leighton had to get in the picture too. He can't wait for preschool to start next week. He would really like to ride the bus too, but will have to wait until next year. The girls like their new teachers and know a couple kids each in their classes. Brenna is excited because she gets to be a safety. I think it is kind of like a hall monitor when the kids are coming in and going out to the buses. She gets to stand in the hall and keep kids from running and stuff like that. The picture with the sign is a tradition I started when Brenna went to preschool years ago. I make a sign that says "1st day of school" and has the date on it. A couple of years ago I had to add what city and state we were living in so I would remember when I finally get around to scrap booking them in say 15-20 years. I am not sure how much longer Brenna will tolerate me taking the getting on the bus shot. But, at least she didn't say anything this year.

I always love this time of year. First, because of new school supplies. If you know me very well you know that I LOVE school/office supplies. I think that is one of the reasons I became a teacher, I could keep on buying school supplies every year! Now I get to buy them for my kids but, they want to pick out their own stuff and don't always want to get what I want to get:( A trip to Office Max or Staples is really fun for me, even if I don't buy anything. Which is really weird because I really like to buy stuff. Anyway the other reason is that we get back into a routine. Now if you have read any of my other posts you will know that I LOVE SUMMER, but I also like having a routine. So now we have to get up and get ready for school and I will have to take Leighton to preschool. Soccer practice, piano lessons and dance classes are all on the calendar and we have a routine. No more sleeping in and staying up late... no more staying in our pajamas all day (until we have a snow day)... no more going to the pool or the lake... no more sunsets at 9:30 p.m.... no more pack up and leaving for home without planning around all the kids activities... Wait a minute, sorry about that, back to the start of school... I like the routine of it. The kids going off and coming home full of what their day was like, homework, practice all that stuff. At least for a few weeks :)

My Heart Is Really Pumping Now!

Wow! While I was typing that last post Trav let the cat in. Well, she wasn't alone... she had a rabbit and it wasn't dead! Yikes. She let it lose and it hopped all around the house. Luckily it wasn't bleeding and didn't poop while inside. It visited the family room, then ran to the living room. She must have been an elegant little thing because she then visited the dining room. So she got to see all of the formal living areas of our house. Zia got a box and we tried to get her inside of it to get her out but she wouldn't get in. Finally in the dining room Trav was able to talk some sense into her and she went out the front door. But now the poor cat is still looking for her tasty dinner inside. She didn't see it go out. I'm so glad she didn't decide to dine in the dining room tonight.

What a Wonderful Weekend

WOO HOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We had a great weekend. Tim, Jen, Isaac, and Ezra came up for a visit and it was a blast. We stayed up late, slept in (oops), watched High School Musical 2, went to the zoo, played cards and games, gimped, made s'mores, went to Cabela's, played in the rain, ate, and laughed a lot. It sure was fun. Here are a few pics. We sure miss our friends. Thanks guys for coming. It really means a lot. Love ya.

Watching High School Musical 2 turned into a wrestling match!

The Toledo Zoo and playing in the COLD rain.

YUMMMMY s'mores and playing games.

Home again, Home again jiggity jog!

Here is the house!

Here is the crew!

And no it wasn't too much of a zoo!

We had a blast on vacation this year! Thanks Beth and Randy. It was a long drive but we broke it up and checked out the NASA stuff in Huntsville on the way down.

Highlights of the trip!

NASA and a Japanese Steakhouse in Huntsville

Twins!!!

Playing in the ocean!

Playing on the beach!

I will post more later. I am having technical difficulties!

Small Town Life

I miss small town life. Not that the town we actually live in is that gigantic but we do live within a 60 mile radius of probably 3 million people. So things are definitely not the same. Since we got to visit home this month we got to attend two city band concerts. Now Trav and I both played in the city band and so did his sister and dad but I didn't think I would really miss it that much when we moved away. But I do. Not really playing in the band but going to the concerts. They usually have an ice cream social and there is always the popcorn wagon... It is fun to sit and listen to the band, eat popcorn and ice cream and visit with friends.

And if you get to go to the band concert Friday night don't forget your blanket to sit on, some money for the popcorn and ice cream and dance a little bit for me.