July 4th

I know I am behind, but cut me some slack! I actually have some down time here while the movers are packing my house;)' I have to say if you have the option, it is definitely the way to go. Now I don't know if I would pay out of my pocket to do it, but it would be a tough decision! I keep asking to help out and they just tell me to relax!
Anyways back to the topic at hand..... The 4th of July! This year was a little different than past years, but fun all the same! We ended up going back to Ames to have one last weekend as a family there. They have a lot of things to do and we got to spend time with some friends as well. After we all got dressed in our jeans and jackets....ugh.....we headed out to breakfast as we didn't have any food in our house, before we headed to the parade. It was touch and go as to weather or not they would even be having it as it was raining, but since we were out and the parade was still going on we decided to brave it! It was about an hour shorter then usual, I am sure due to the rain, but we met up with some friends and the kids caught some soggy candy under their raincoats. I had my camera, but didn't get any pics in the rain!

That evening we had some neighbors over for a grillout and Kate got her first taste of corn ON the cob! As you can tell from the picture it was a hit!

Before we headed out to the fireworks Mackenzie took a tumble.....and I mean full out rollover on her new scooter. She was just going down the sidewalk and I looked up and she was rolling off the scooter. It isn't very dark, but in the picture above is one of the boo boo's to show for it. She scraped up her face and had bandaids all down her left side! I can report that she recovered just fine after she got her "High School Musical" bandaids on!

Then met up with some other friends for the fireworks in town! The girls had fun with the sparklers, snacks and....

.....Someone else (Brett) had fun with the glow sticks!

Here is what he really looked like!!!

I got several pics of the fireworks, but since you probably all saw them on the 4th, I'll spare you them again, but I had to put one of the girls favorite ones on here.....the smiley face! It was so cute watching Kate watch the fireworks....she would go "Whao"......and copy what we were saying!

SOLD!

We finally sold our house! Hallelujah.....praise the Lord! I guess all it took was for us to leave. Last week after a couple days of negotiating we agreed on a price that we are very happy with......the only sad thing is that I had to end up leaving them my fridge! God has always been so faithful and real to us in our housing situations and once again He shows us His mercy! No more showings!!! It sounds as if the couple will be a great fit for our house as well!

On the new home front......we might get to close earlier than expected. Like a couple days early, but every day counts when there is a lot to do! I had kicked around the idea of hiring a painter beings that every inch -2 closets (literally) of the house needs to be painted and I even got some quotes from a couple painters. When it comes down to the schedule and money we still might be the ones doing it. I kind of have mixed emotions about it....excited and looking forward to it on one hand, but then reality hits on the other side and I know I will get burnt out and it wouldn't be as professional looking! We need to do some shopping for appliances and living room furniture.....it is always a stressful time for me as I HATE making big decisions that will last for a long time!

So next week is going to be busy, but first we have some celebrating to do! We are going back this weekend to do a couple things around the house getting ready for the movers and spend one last weekend celebrating the 4th Ames style, although I have to say I would rather be in Chicago with my family on the annual 4th of July trip! 2 little kids and millions of people don't make a good combination!

Summer at G&G - Part 1

The girls and I get the privilege of staying with my parents in our transition. We have been having a lot of fun playing with different toys, having attention 24/7, new playmates and most of all being outside "on the farm!" Here is a few highlights of our 1st couple weeks:

We got here on Father's day and we had to laugh as we pulled into the driveway right behind my parents as they were getting home from a weekend trip! Couldn't have planned it even if we tried. We did a little celebrating with my Dad and Aaron! I am so blessed to have a Father that loved me enough showing us Christ's Love, and the example of what I wanted (and got) in a husband and father to my children!

Here is our traditional holiday pose...all of us pile on the couch. We missed you Andrew and Amy!

Mackenzie had to hurry and make Papa a card(a maze from a coloring book)!

We have spent many a night playing games around the table. Our family is a game playing family and I love it!

Playing with Aunt Amy has been a highlight. We have gotten to spend some time with her going to the pool a couple times!

Kate's favorite spot! She is so funny......she pulls people off the chair if she wants to sit down.

The good ol' slip-n-slide.... a summer activity that never gets old. The change in the weather from last week to this week is so dramatic that we haven't even been able to play on it lately!

Kate had so much fun watching Mackenzie go down. Every time she would chuckle and her whole body would just shake. You can kind of tell from the picture........we were laughing at her laughing at Mackenzie.

One of the funniest stories of "Part 1" is when we were outside and my little brother was out helping to set up the slip-n-slide and Mackenzie comes running to me......
Mackenzie: "Mom, Drew went pee in the grass and I tried to do it too!"
Me: "You What?!?!?!"
Mack:" I couldn't do it though"
So we had a little talk about how God made boys and girls differently and girls do NOT go potty outside! She then asked me "Is that why boys have things that wiggle?"
Me: (trying to muffle my laugh) "Yes honey!".....................What in the world!
I had to question my brother as to what happened and he said that she ran away and did not watch him, but knew what he was doing!
1 hr later:
I noticed that she had ran somewhere and was gone for a while, but didn't think much of it. I finally called for her and she comes running "Mom I did it, I did it....I went pee a little bit!"
Me: "MACKENZIE, what did I tell you? Girls do NOT go potty outside!"
I guess that is more of the country girl coming out in her! I have noticed it more and more since we have been here at my parents......a couple times she has went out to do chores with Papa...and just plain loves to be outside doing whatever!

We have also got to watch my little brother play baseball a couple of times, something that I feel I have really missed out on....watching him grow up. He was 2 when I moved away to college!

Our last days!

We are back......sorry for the long absence! Things have been a little busy around our house.....ok, so that might be an understatement! These were the last few weeks that we will be in Ames so we were packing it all in! I will just try and quickly highlight our happenings!
WARNING this is a long post!!
To go back 3 weeks....

Play dates with friends!

Small group going away party! They presented us with Hickory Park memorabilia! Click on the picture to see what the shirt says....it is actually really cute for a kids shirt from a restaurant. One of the best, most filling, cheapest, fastest places to eat west side of the Mississippi!

Since it was raining outside we new we needed something to entertain 6 little girls so we got beads and string to make "friendship bracelets/necklaces." (at the present time our small group has 8 girls and zero boys....the joke is we planned it!)

For those of you who watch IPTV you know who this crazy guy is! Dan Wardell is on his summer reading road trip and one of his first stops Ames. They had it at a park this year and Mackenzie was pretty excited. She brought a friend along and met some other friends there as well. He basically tells the kids this silly story, with much involvement from the crowd and then sent all 100 kids away with Kazoos! Thanks IPTV!

Here she is with Smiles the dog....the library mascot! Since when do libraries have mascots? She is never quite sure in the beginning about getting too close, but then after warming up they kept going back for more!

Perfect Games opened up just across the road from us and ever since we went to check it out she has been begging us to go bowling. We knew we didn't have much time left and rather than going on a weekend we decided that a week night would be much better.

We tried many different ways and she did pretty good for her first time. I think there was only one major stray ball. Kate sat in her stroller with a sucker while Mackenzie had a blast. Someday it will be so fun to all be able to participate in the family activities!

I am ashamed to say that of all of our years living in Ames we have never been to Rieman Gardens. I was planned a play date with one of my friends and I knew her little boys would probably be interested in the dinosaur exhibit that they had.

We actually got all the kids to look at the camera at the same time! They have a butterfly house that you walk through with butterflies just flying around you! Mackenzie was pretty sure that some butterflies landed on the back of her leg;)

They have some neat sculptures!

And the dinosaurs!

My good friends Beth and Wendi put together a going away party for us with all of our friends at a park nearby. It was so much fun to all be together, let the kids play and have a good ol' root beer float. I told them I was not saying good bye, but just "see ya later!"

Kate taking over daddy's spot!

Then on Friday, Aaron's last day of work in his office they had a going away open house for him! I took the girls over.....it was so nice to meet many of his clients and see his co-workers one last time. He really enjoyed the people that he worked with and will miss them a lot!

The night before we left we realized we had enough guys in one spot to move our playset to our neighbors yard. We decided that it was best to just sell it than try and take it all apart and move it. We are glad that little neighbor boy will get to enjoy it now!

The girls did their part in helping move the slide! Mackenzie was kind of sad to see it go, but Lori and Tony assured her that she could come play on it anytime she wanted! We feel so blessed to have gotten to know a couple of our neighbors the year and a half that we lived there!

We had told Mackenzie that before we move she could have her first slumber party! Now before you call me crazy I'll let you know that it went very well! We did normal slumber party things....played, watched movies, ate marshmallow popcorn and went to bed late! A couple girls came over for the evening, but opted to go home. It is so much fun seeing Mackenzie and all of her friends grow up and turn into beautiful little girls! Mackenzie is very into friends and will miss seeing them all the time! Like I said before it is not goodbye, but see ya later!

Well that about sums up our last couple weeks. Sunday was a pretty hard day as it happened to be possibly our last Sunday and our worship pastor and his family's last Sunday(We will miss you Kvernen's)! I say possibly because we have to go back to organize and pack a little before our movers come, but I don't know when that will be and if it will fall over a Sunday. Our church has been our family while we were there and have met so many amazing people. God has given our pastor such an amazing gift of teaching and preaching and we will miss that a lot. BUT we know that the Lord has another plan with a church family that we can fit right into!

Sunday we headed to my parents where the girls and I will be staying until the move. So it is not our final, final day in Ames as I said before we have to go back and move..... that will be coming up in a later post........ It's not "see ya later" yet!

7 Years

I can't believe we have been married 7 years today! Last night as we were going to sleep I leaned over and asked Aaron what he was thinking about 7 years ago that night?(Just so you know I really didn't get an answer) It's been an amazing life together and here is....
7 reasons why I would marry him all over again:
1. You understand and live out what unconditional love really means!
2. You are the best Daddy to our 2 beautiful girls!
3. You are an amazing provider and protector for our family!
4. You are a man that seeks after God!
5. You are handsome and hilarious!
6. God formed us for each other and I am so blessed to have found you!
7. You are my best friend and I couldn't imagine living this life with anyone other than you!

I love you!

Charity!

The other day Mackenzie and her friend (both 4 yrs old mind you) were out playing in the back yard when they came in in a deep theological debate over whether you should give money to poor people. Her friend was saying how you shouldn't give money to homeless people and Mackenzie was saying you should give money to people with no food and clothes. We have been talking with Mackenzie about our Compassion child and why we send money because he lives far away and we can't physically give him food. She has such a sweet heart and has brought up many times about her money in her piggy bank and how she wants to give it to the kids that don't have any food. So this is where she was coming from.....now her friend was coming at a different angle. She was saying how her bigger sister told her we shouldn't give money to homeless people, just things like "rugs" (I found out later after talking to her dad she meant blankets) because they might use the money for bad things.
Wow....So I explained to them both what the other was talking about and that they were both right, but that God does want us to help people that don't have nice things like we do.

"A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor." Prov. 22:9