Hey Folks!

Hello! I finally found that adapter thingy! Yah! Thought I should get ya'll caught up so I sifted through photos of our summer and picked some of my faves. Scroll, scroll, scroll and scroll some more. Thats the drill with this not so computer-savvy chic. Highlites of the summer:

1. We Moved! During the most blistery hot weekend of the summer. To the country. 40 minutes from the U of I. We love it.

2. Will turned 10!

3. Sisters and Wilder came to visit

4. Experienced our first all day rain out 4th of July.

5. Went back to Kansas for Wilder's 1st birthday!

6. Max did slip n' slide for first time. We have hilarious video footage of this. We're talking "funniest home videos"type stuff.

7. Attended our first " pig roast" labor day celebration.

Enjoy all the photos! Sorry so many, but hey its been a while!

Max-just this morning on the way to school with a piece of granola bar stuck to his chin. Hmm. Did I get that off before he went in? oh well. Beautiful rainbow

Sisters visit


Sisters and our boys.


The Peters Boys/Men. I heart them all.


Tree climbing fun-Max almost made it. Hah!



Even the big boys had fun in Max's pool.

"Surprise lilys", "Naked ladies", or what have you.

The infamous walnut tree laying on the ground.

HHMMM-wonder what used to live in there!?

Max cheesin-duplicate style.
Sweet boy.

Max and me on the tree.

Lots of fun at the park.

THE. MOST. GIANT bug i've ever seen. In our firepit.

Crosby and Clapton Peters

Wilder excited about a kiss from cousin Max for his birthday

The beautiful Harris family.
Headed home from Gma and Gpa's house-Exhaustingly fun.

Max "playing" guitar hero. Check out that handwork.

Campfires in our own yard. Bye Bye bug. See previous photo.

Hello!

Where the heck is my camera to computer hookup thingy?! Sometime since my last post it has gone missing. I can not find it anywhere and I have pics

that I would love to share with you.

Meanwhile, we are enjoying our country home and working on
projects daily. We survived our first big storm out there but a 150 yr. old walnut

tree did not. We are sawing him down slowly and his piles of wood are beautiful!

Widdle anyone? Hi Daddy! This has also brought on endless hours

of entertainment for Max. "Whoolnuts"(Maxy says), sticks, and leaves to boot.

We acquired two kittens this past weekend. A black tortise female we named Crosby

and a gray/white male tabby we named Clapton. Music fans see where we got the names?

We went to the town of Paris to explore and visit the Farmer's Market

and came home with 2 kittys. Oops.

It was all Max's idea.

If you are wondering about Stephen's allergies, he decided to give it another try.

He has not had to use his inhalers yet. Praise the Lord.

Hopefully, I will find that adapter thingy so that I might share photos of the fun we've

had on the farm the past month. That or buy a new one. I think you can buy those right?

We've Moved to the Country Folks!!

Thank God I'm a Country Girl!

Now, don't get me wrong; if you know me you know I love to shop, enjoy fine dining, taking in the vastness of the skyscrapers(I've always been crazy about skyscrapers for some silly reason). I love visiting the city. Key word-visiting. But when it comes to everyday living, I'm a front-porch sitting kind of girl.

Stephen and I stumbled upon an ad. It read: "Peaceful, country home, ranch on 1 and 1/2 acres. " It was at a price that seemed to good to be true but we checked it out anyway and thank God we did. It needs a little TLC and is a work in progress but we were anxious to move in.

Its about a 40 min. commute to the Uof I but hey, don't the city folks do at least that every day in bumper to bumper traffic? Or on a stinky, crowded subway or L-train or whatever? Our commute will be of beautiful peaceful countryside. Truly theraputic.

So if you need some fresh air and a little relaxation and just want to "get away," you can come sit on my porch. I'll bring ya a nice ice-cold beverage and a cookie (probably store bought). :)

Front yard view

Oops, when you live in the country you can't leave your work boots outside or Mr. Toady might find a temporary resting place.


These beautiful tiger lilys are everywhere!

One of the side yard views

One of the neighbors barns. They have horses, a donkey, goat, dogs, cats.....

Front of house

Back of house

View into backyard.

And a couple of Max. I'll post some pics later of him playing in new yard. Favorite activity is finding sticks and throwing them in tall grass by creek.

Fate

The latest book I am reading entitled "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan," by Lisa See has a line in it that got me thinking. Lily, the main character responds to her friend, "You can't fight your fate. It is predestined." Do you think this is really true? It made me also think of the phrase, "Whatever happens, happens." And, "Whatever happens, happens for a reason." I also thought of the popular scripture in Jeremiah and also one of my very favorites, "For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." So does this mean that we should not worry or debate about "things" at all because they have actually already been planned out-whether bad or good choices/ decisions, wrong turns, detours ect.....Or does this mean there is more pressure to make the right choice because we don't want to choose something that is not a part of our predestined plan or fate??? Hmmm. Let me know what you guys think!!??

Pics from latest camping trip to Lake Shelbyville.

The New Adventures of a Stay-at-Home Mom!

As some of you know, I have been blessed with the opportunity to be a stay at home mom or "STAHM". I am feeling so excited, humbled and yes, a little anxious too. But, mostly, I am thrilled beyond belief. I have known in my heart that this is always what I wanted to do. Do I have other passions and desires-of course.(I actually have a HUGE list now of "things to do"-some Max and Mommy things, and some "Just Mommy" things too.) But, nothing is more rewarding or fulfilling than this. There is just nothing else like it. My little Max hugs and kisses and laughter are all I need. Being able to see him change and grow every day now is, just, well,the greatest! Enjoy the pics. Very random ones in no particular order.

BEAUUTYEE, BEAUUTE, BEAUTY

"Maxy have a new big boy bed!" says Max over&over&over&over

Max and Will at big bro Ed's hockey game. Cute.

Max blowing bubbles

Max and Momma catching some rays. This summer is gonna be sooo FUN!

Max is 2!

On March 2, Max celebrated his golden birthday. He turned two years old! We got a giant chocolate chip cookie and sang Happy Birthday. He opened a couple of presents and then later in the week, Gma Lila and Gpa Mutache and big brother Will were here to help us celebrate. We had a scrumptious chocolate elmo cake with vanilla ice cream and then opened more presents and more and more and more.....We were/are truly grateful that gma & gpa made the long trek from Kansas. They were a joy and blessing to have. Max is lucky he has such amazing grandparents. Thank you Gma Lila, Gpa Mutache, Gma Elaine and Gpa Richard. We Love You!

Mmmm! Max loved the little confetti pieces on his giant cookie!

All this sugar is intoxicating!

Hooray for Elmo and Big Bird! -Oops accidentally deleted the pic of the cake. Still new at this blogging thing, not a pro yet like my sister Mindy! It was super cute though.

Max and Gma Lila

So Good!

Dive In

Max playing with his new piano. FYI-he has giant hands

and long fingers. :)

Here with big bro Will

Watching Veggie Tales video with Gpa "Mutache"
a Precious Picture