Its Beginning to Feel a lot Like Fall!

The weather has been beautifully cooler, the school supplies are well-stocked and... football has begun! We have enjoyed the beginning of this new season. We traded our tank tops and shorts for layers. Our back packs are stocked, ready and waiting for the first day of school. And the college is buzzing with the excitement of a new year and we are buzzing with the excitement of a new season of FOOTBALL. So, if you need to find us, we will most likely be hanging around practice.
We really enjoy being a part of the Sterling College Warriors! Can't wait for another season to begin, but for these next two weeks, we are in for a wild ride. Chuck's gone most of the time so we adjust our schedules to take in as many practices we can and take as many opportunities as we can to hang out at the college with him. I was remembering back a couple of years when I wrote down the "top ten reasons we know it's football season" and thought I would share it again. :)


The Top 10 Ways We Know Football Has Begun

10. I fix hot dogs and mac & cheese for supper multiple times in one week.

9. I find myself having a one-sided conversation and/or answering my own questions.

8. When I see my husband awake, he's surrounded by a bunch of sweaty college boys.

7. A "date" is eating at the college cafeteria.

6. Our yard becomes a forest.

5. My children cry themselves to sleep because they miss their daddy.

4. I catch people giving me the "Oh, that poor single Mom" look when I take the four kids out in public.

3. I feel like it's bedtime at 7:00 in the evening.

2. I watch so much football, I start to dream about it.

And the number one way that I know football has begun...

1. We stock up on candy, noise makers, and other goodies because we can't wait for the first game!!

GO WARRIORS!!!!!

Illinois Vacation

Once again I find myself way behind in posting, but you're used to that, right? Thank you for sticking with me. :) I have the whole summer to catch up on, but for now I'll start with our most recent set of summer adventures, our trip to Illinois. The trip started early for Caleb and Aly. They got to ride with my mom on the train and spend a week in Illinois by themselves. They had a great time swimming, picking yummy Illinois sweet corn, meeting new friends, playing with their cousins, fishing with Pop, starting piano lessons with Grandma Bev and running in the town's fun run. They felt so special being on their own with their wonderful grandparents! I still hold the memories spent on my own with my grandparents near to my heart. Thanks, Mom and Dad for letting them stay with you and make so many special memories!!
After our 12 hour trip to Illinois, we were ready to lay low for a day. We stayed around the house and helped Mom & Dad get ready for my Grandma's estate sale. It was very hard emotionally, but a good time working together. After the work, the ladies hit some famous Princeton garage sales. Mom & Jessica are the "salin' experts" and they had a great one cased out for me. I ended up with three shirts for myself and ten pieces of clothing for the kids (nice stuff) and a few books and toys for $1.40!! Just about everything was $.10 and some $.05, (Old Navy, Gap, Children's Place, Nike...) so I was a happy camper!
The next day we headed to Lake Michigan to spend the day at the Indiana Dunes. We always have a great time swimming and climbing the giant sand dunes. I took some pictures, but they were on Jessica's camera. I'll share those when I have a chance.
Another highlight of our trip was getting to go to a Peoria Chief's Baseball game. They are the Chicago Cub's Minor league team.
The kids looked pretty cute all decked out in their Cubs gear.
Caleb was having the time of his life! It poured down rain most of the game, but that didn't dampen his excitement. He even got a foul ball.
Jake and Anna had fun playing with their cousin Cade. Jake and Cade are about 7 months apart and have really started becoming great friends. They would play outside for long periods of time having great adventures. They even had a hideout.Can you see both blue-eyed boys? Sometimes all we could see was the tip of the spear going back and forth in the flower garden.
My four cuties all ready for Church.
We spent some time at the local park. Princeton really is a pretty town. I miss the trees. Sorry Kansans!! ;)


We did have a great time. Thanks so much Mom & Dad!!

A Couple of Our Moments

Sometimes I wish I had a camera with me all day because you never know when something will come up that I never want to forget. I miss so many sweet moments, but I thought I'd share a couple I was able to catch.

SistersGrowing up, I always wondered what it would be like to have a sister, so I really love the bond forming between these two.

BuddiesJake and his little friend, Isaac. What a pair!

ChivalryJake helping Anna through a field full of wheat stubble to get to Daddy. So sweet!

New Every Morning

This is the scene I got to enjoy this morning as I walked around the town lake.

We are so blessed. Thank you, Lord.

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Aly's First Tooth...

...to fall out. :)

She missed losing it while she was in first grade by three days.

CHEESE!!

*Update*

And the second...
Two days later she lost the second. She's definitely lisping now. :)

Jake's New Trick

Jake's been having a great time riding his John Deere bike this spring/summer. He has been asking to learn how to ride without training wheels, so tonight Chuck decided to take them off and give it a go. :) He started going so fast I had time to grab my phone and run outside in time to see the second try.

Within 10-15 minutes, he mastered starting on his own. He has been the quickest of our three so far to learn to ride on two wheels.

Way to go Jakey!!

Mmmm Summertime is Here

One of our favorite proofs of summertime...

The little icecream shop right down the road has opened back up!