A tenth anniversary is a good time to count blessings!

This is a gift I got from my secret pal yesterday as she remembered our tenth wedding anniversary...today! There are so many things to be thankful for each day, but this weekend I have been overwhelmed as I reflect on the blessing of the marriage that God has given us!
"When upon life's billows you are tempest-tossed, when you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done."
I have a wonderful husband who is a perfect fit for me! I am so glad that God directed our paths to cross eleven years ago. Ted was kind, patient, and determined to "win my heart"! He treated me like a princess...and he often told me I was one. Now...he treats me like a queen! And he is my knight in shining armor!
"When you look at others with their lands and gold, Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold; Count your many blessings, money cannot buy Your reward in Heaven, nor your home on high."
He is a gentle, strong man. I never have to guess where he stands on issues of life! That is one of the things that drew me to him...he knew what was right and what he was going to do with it. Some of those things were learned in difficult circumstances and made him what he is today by God's grace.
"So, amid the conflict, whether great or small, Do not be discouraged, God is over all; Count your many blessings, angels will attend, Help and comfort give you to your journey's end."
So many blessings in the last ten years...so many changes...so many challenges...and I am grateful for each one! We have a wonderful family with many precious memories because we waited for each other! So today...my heart is overflowing with love for my husband and praise to my Heavenly Father...He knew what a blessing Ted would be in my life!

We love our Uncle James!

Today, we have a party to attend! Uncle James is leaving for the Navy in a couple days! We will don our red, white, and blue and have some time together as a family. The kids have been asking "When is the party for Uncle James?" I am not sure they understand that he is going away for awhile...they might think it is a birthday party!? After all...there is cake!

We will miss our firefighter! He can build a good fire for smores! We pray for God's protection and leading in the coming days.

He is fun to cuddle with! He picks out fun gifts. He takes Teddy to the fire station and turns on his "blue light" for the kids to see when he leaves on an emergency call.

Now he is going to leave to go into the Navy and be "a soldier man", as Teddy puts it! We are excited to see what experiences he will have in this new chapter of his life! We love you, Uncle James!

Perks of being the owner's son...test drives!

Ready...set...go!
How fast can you go and not roll?
Big boys and their enjoyment of toys...is passed down to little boys!!!

Will the tooth fairy be able to find Ashlynn?

The "tooth fairy" has had "trouble" finding Ashlynn...lake, home, and now Grandma's! I am sure she will "catch up with her" tonight! Alisa "accused me" of forgetting because "I am the tooth fairy or Daddy is". I firmly pointed out that "I do not have wings and certainly your father does not have wings". A friend from church added, "There is nothing fairy about your Daddy...no way, no how!" We enjoyed a laugh and the look on Alisa's face!

Practice makes perfect...

Alisa has all the moves down!
Teddy has all the tricks!
Ashlynn watched them both!
And Grandma still has it! Everybody hoooo-la!

Remains of the flooding

This is the tree that I chained our pieces of dock to...I saved six sections but didn't realize what the force of the water, chain, and dock would do to the tree! Our neighbors said the water got pretty rough at times! Here is proof.

There are many such piles along the lake and river that tell of the power of moving water...sections of docks and trees tossed on shore...
You can see the water line on the trees...yes, the water was that high! It boggles my mind when you look at how big the lake is and try to understand how high the water was...all around the whole lake...many houses/cottages show the water line and destruction still!
There are big sections of land that "tipped over" with the trees and bushes. I forgot to take the camera back into the worst hit part of the park...it is almost too much to take.

At the lake, One the lake, and In the lake!

Some folks go for a Sunday afternoon drive...this is how we go for a Sunday afternoon drive...
...life jackets, snacks, and plenty of towels to keep warm!
...and don't forget the lifeboat!
...because we just might need to be rescued...
...from little giggling girls! Here Alisa is floating/swimming...if she put her feet down...the water would be to her thighs! Yes, the water levels have gone down quite a bit!

Prizes...and more prizes...

Teddy got to play BoxMania at VBS because he brought two friends from our neighborhood with him. He played a hard bargain and went for the box...a monkey that makes noise, a zucchini (ha ha), 3 Liter of pop, a dinosaur 3-D puzzle, and a squirt gun!
It is amazing to me what a little boy will do with a squirt gun...he found all kinds of things to shoot...here, it was bugs caught in spider webs. He amused himself for quite awhile. He is good like that...as long as no sisters are around to tell him what to do...or shoot at!
Last night (Friday) was the fun fair where kids can spend the tickets they earned...they played games, ate, and shopped for some neat things! Teddy will be launching his rocket, playing mini-basketball, playing crouquet, and balloon-sword fighting till it pops!
The girls...well, they have enough to keep them busy too while they try the 2 liter of Squirt for the first time! The girls brought visitors (one of the girls comes from an unsaved home and we are excited she wanted to come!)...but their names weren't drawn weren't drawn for the BoxMania game. As you can tell, they aren't suffering in the least and there is always next year! There were lots of visitors! We had a good turn out for VBS this year...and the kids all had fun! And the adults are tired to be sure!

What are Daddy and Teddy doing this afternoon?

Watching the Boone County Fair Tractor Pulls!

VBS Week

This little dinosaur detective models his craft project for his mother...but not with a willing heart! He had so much fun last night that he got sick in the bowl before falling asleep...I wonder how much fun we'll have tonight!?

Conversations with Grammy

"Alisa, how much money did the tooth fairy leave in the cup of blue water?" asked Grammy. "I got four quarters! That is a dollar!" answered Alisa.
"When I was little I got a dime...that is ten cents. And I could buy two fudgicles with my dime! That was a long time ago...things were cheaper then," explained Grammy. "Grammy, did you use a horse to get around back in those days?" questioned Alisa.
I was in the other room listening to Mom telling the kids stories of yesteryear...and I know a parent should not laugh at their children...but I did...and so did Grammy as she informed the kids that she wasn't that old!

Summer Fun

Third lost tooth...Alisa let her sister "pop it out" for her during lunch as it was causing her distress when trying to eat. I had her rinse her mouth with her water bottle...but...well...to put it in Teddy's words..."oooo, gross...it's blood water!" Lunch appetites were suddenly gone...there was lots of snacking at the pool later and lots of plans for how to spend the money that the tooth fairy would bring...and instructions that the fairy's wings would be blue!
How do you eat corn-on-the-cob with one tooth...corn will be all over the side of your face and hair! How do you eat corn-on-the-cob with two loose teeth...you don't...have Mom cut it off the cob for you!
Swimming fun...jumping, "diving" (it is all in how you hold your hands when you jump!), going under, floating, racing, whapping (what else are noodles for?), and roasting (baste often, turn every 20-30 min. till you...the Mommy and Grammy...are a nice golden brown!)
Taking a break under the porch while the thunderstorms rolled through...all we got was a sprinkle...while everywhere around us got the rain and wind and thunder! $1.05 of fun from the thrift store...a chalkboard and 1/2 box of chalk!