Month: September 2014

Good Times

Thought I’d share a few photos from Labor Day Weekend. We had a wonderful time at the cabin and the lake with our friends. It’s always nice to get a break from the daily grind, and just relax a bit. (Although sometimes when I’m packing and making food, I’m thinking, they had better appreciate all my hard work :))

Some highlights…cabin2014 037Getting rides with the jeep and cart.cabin2014 008 cabin2014 009 cabin2014 014Out on the boat…cabin2014 016 cabin2014 018The boys had fun tubing..cabin2014 017_edited-1I love this one of Tristan 🙂 He absolutely loves water!cabin2014 023Jenna looks pretty excited too 🙂cabin2014 025We had AMAZING food. Really. I gained a few pounds over the weekend 🙂cabin2014 031Singing Father Abraham. Lots of motions involved 😉cabin2014 039 cabin2014 040Beautiful scenery…cabin2014 029 cabin2014 049 cabin2014 057A turtle and lots of fun by the creek, building a dam and who knows what else 🙂cabin2014 043 cabin2014 044 cabin2014 045

1. Jeep talks 🙂 2.Sweet Ashley 3. Devan having fun on the ripstik

Like always, it’s good to go away and good to come home!

Fall Sunset

We serve an awesome God!!20140923_191808I was wishing for my camera, but I was on the road, so I used my phone. I know I could take better pictures with my phone camera if I’d learn a bit more how to use it. Sometime I will 🙂 But this sunset was so gorgeous! Painted by the Master Painter.

 

Meulenbergs

Meet my sister and her beautiful family…3 irlsThe girls,so sweet! Olivia, Julianna & Ava misc. karen, cabin 184misc. karen, cabin 259_edited-1This one didn’t mind the camera 🙂misc. karen, cabin 260 misc. karen, cabin 217_edited-1 misc. karen, cabin 246 misc. karen, cabin 247_edited-1I snapped these when we were at the cabin a little over a month ago. When Karen asked if I would mind taking some pics, I said I would love to, but I feel like I have a lot to learn when taking photos with multiple people. Thankfully, she didn’t demand perfection 🙂 One thing that was quite annoying were all the gnats. Drove us crazy 🙂misc. karen, cabin 274I managed to get a few smiles from some boys that didn’t think pictures were necessary 🙂 Henry, Dirk, Hans, & Connor.boysmThis guys smile will brighten anyone’s day 🙂misc. karen, cabin 267_edited-1I have mixed emotions posting these pictures, because someone is missing from them. A freckle faced, blue eyed boy, who is forever safe in the arms of Jesus. I’ve watched my sister and her husband walk through the deep valley of grief, and I’ve wondered, how do they cope, how does anyone cope, with the loss of a child? I know they would say it was only by resting in the arms of a loving heavenly Father. By His grace.

And despite the grief they endured, they have been blessed as well. Many times when I look at their family, this verse comes to mind. Job 1:21b, ” the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord.”misc. karen, cabin 293 misc. karen, cabin 296_edited-1I look at my sister, and think, “how does she do it?”. I feel like I can’t manage my 4 children sometimes 🙂 But manage she does, and does it well. So in case you didn’t know it before, sis, you are on my list of moms that amaze me 🙂 I love you all!

I’m so thankful for the blessing of family!!

* I dedicate this post to the loving memory of Adrian James Meulenberg, who is forever in our hearts ❤20140921_112259

A Change of Attitude

My morning didn’t begin well. I first woke up very early to the sound of a mouse ( at least I’m hoping it was just a mouse, because it sounded like a large one) scratching inside the ceiling of our old farmhouse. Right above my head to be exact 😦 I grabbed a hanger, because it was close by, and hit the ceiling. That would chase him away. Dove back into bed. SCRATCH! AACH! Anyways, moving on. The school rush, children fighting,an unorganized, slow moving child, rooms that need electric hooked up so I can see (don’t ask :)), a missing phone charger and a dead phone. All minor irritations, but it kept building. Until I got snippy. And when what I was thinking popped out of my mouth, I realized how I sounded. Embarrassing to say the least. So I gave myself a pep talk. Out loud, so my children could hear, and wonder what is wrong with their mom? 🙂 But it helped, it really did! Because my attitude affects my family and those around me. And I know my patience level is very low. I am a work in progress 🙂 If you have any tips for me, please by all means, share them 🙂

So today, I decided to share some pictures that make me smile. Make me feel happy and blessed. Because I am. Truly!au 067 au 068 au 069A warm, summer evening, with a bit of rain. She looked so sweet playing with my sprinkling can.au 071 au 072 au 074May God bless you today !!

It’s here

It’s been in my thoughts the last week. I don’t want to admit it, but I must 🙂 It seems that fall has arrived,  folks. I am not ready to say goodbye to summer,  but yesterday I really felt that fall chill. I even gave in and bought a few pumpkins this week 🙂 Seasons come and go, & so I will be thankful, even though it may take me a bit of time 🙂

One of our fall jobs… digging potatoes at Dad and Mom.20140909_11275420140909_10381920140909_103828Tristan did really well with helping! Could it been the promise of some money? 🙂20140909_103850Crates and more crates…20140909_132732 20140909_130241This year the weather was perfect for digging! Dryer soil and lower temps. Makes the job easier 🙂20140909_130020I hope you have a great day! Maybe get out and enjoy the fall weather. You might want a sweater 🙂