My poor neglected blog...

So I have a ton of pictures to update and all that, but I have been SWAMPED with a major revamping effort of organizing my family's life and our meals (a rotating menu plan) and our schedule and finances....oh and running out to the middle-of-nowhere to purchase our new-fangled-health-craze...raw milk. But we did squeeze in a lot of fun-times this past Labor Day Weekend...Jon took all 3 days off (YAY!!) and we went to the farmer's market, arboretum, dinner w/ friends, church, mall, and Anna Kate went on a "Daddy date" to watch the symphony in a park and JR went on a "Daddy date" to drive race cars and play lazor tag....and we did the token Home Depot trip b/c what fun is a long weekend w/out some home/yard-mainenance??? And then preschool and dance start this week...Anna Kate's last year before kindergarten...I've had several moments of weakness where I think I should homeschool b/c I will miss her sooo much when she's at school every day...but I just have to remind myself how much I LOVED my public school experience and I know she will too...and I'll never get those moments back to be w/ her when she's in school (the homeschool argument that kills my heartstrings), but she'll never get another chance to go to kindergarten or elementary school either.

Cleaning out clothes...

The kids are having a GREAT time w/ grandparents this week so I am here cleaning out their never-ending clothes and enjoying a clean quiet house that stays clean and quiet for longer than 2 minutes. I don't have anything else to say...but this is a pic from today...looks like fun!

Pine Cove ROCKS MY WORLD!!!!

We went to Family Camp at Pine Cove WOODS for the first time and it was AWESOME!!! Something about being around lots of folks 24/7 who LOVE Jesus just feels like a taste of heaven and we just felt so relaxed and refreshed as the counselors served us by caring for our kids.
We went with a Dr. Suess's ABCs theme for the Dr. Seuss night...

• I was F-Four Fluffy Feathers on a Fiffer-feffer-fef (obviously)
  
• Caroline was L- Left Leg Lazy Lion Licks a Lollipop (see the lion mane and lollipop?)
  
• Jon was H- Hen in a hat. Hooray! Hooray! (see the hat?)
• J.R. was S- Silly Sammy Slick sipped six sodas and got sick sick sick (you can't see his cute soda)
• Anna Kate was K- Kick a kettle Kite and a king's kerchoo (you can't see the cute kite she's wearing that she made and the crown is for the king)

and no one else dressed up really. But that's cool.

we met some crazy kids there named Trey and Grace ;)
Packing a family of 5 for a week was a beating...as usual...but I bragged to Jon on the way there that I remembered EVERY THING...when we got there I realized that I had forgotten any shoes for Caroline.
We went on my favorite lake in the world, Lake Palestine. The kids weren't too crazy about driving in the boat. I was really surprised Anna Kate did a little tubing. When Jon got out on the tube Anna Kate and J.R. both started screaming and wailing out of fear for him...when I skiied (sp?) they weren't nearly as concerned.
This pic of Caroline seems to reflect the general mood regarding the boat trip-disgruntled -- we'll leave them w/ the counselors for this part next time.
Rodeo night. So fun. Got to bust out (and out of - they were SOOOOO tight that I took them off right after the picture) my Rocky Mountains from high school. If you know what those are, then you are cool like me.
This was the adult banquet night...another night was a date night where they gave us the biggest cutest picnic basket ever filled with goodies and Jon and I put it in a canoe and went over to a horse pasture with an empty air conditioned little chapel on it and we just got some quality time together. Surreal. Priceless. So many good times together.

At one of the delicious meals that I did neither planned nor cooked...loved EVERY minute of that.Another day during family devotional time.
J.R. with his counselors named What-a-ticket (or "Ticket"), First Impressions (or "Presh") and Spinderella....Spinderella was a our family's Devo Counselor too. Super sweet girls.
Anna Kate with one of her counselors named Block Party. Anna Kate had such a blast in Wild Kids. She was the only one in her class that memorized the week's Bible verse by herself...it's really long...she must have elephant memory....or are elephants the forgetful ones? I can't remember obviously.
And Caroline with Nice Cream, Doppler and Good-2-Go...these girls were so sweet and I didn't have to change a poopy diaper the WHOLE week!!! When I worked at Pine Cove ten (yikes) years ago as "Flik"...I watched the kids Caroline or J.R.'s age so I knew my kids were in good hands :) I think Pine Cove will be my favorite place in the whole earth until the day I die. Such a treat to get to share it w/ Jon and my kids. I want ALL my friends to go with us to Family Camp next year...seriously, EVERYONE just let us know what week you want and we'll accomodate the majority :)

Oh and just have to mention our speaker for the week was Matt Carter, the pastor of Austin Stone. He talked about sin gave a gospel talk that was life-changing. I think I can connect the audio, but it's just not the same without the visuals he used. He's up there with my very favorite preacher Tim Keller and a new favorite I learned about this week David Platt. Can I just say that I love living today when the gospel is coming to life in churches with evangelical bleeding-hearts at the forefront that are willing to surrender their lives to change the world with the LOVE of Jesus instead of Christians just living the stupid American dream?

Cousin Clay's Wedding...

Last weekend our family went to Cousin Clay's Wedding in Ft. Worth...out-doors at the end of July...so it was pretty toasty...water bottles and these "fan" programs were essentials...but a super fun perk is that he invited our KIDS!!! Kids are a rare treat at weddings these days, but ours were soooo excited to go and I was excited too!!
But the reception was indoors -- phew!!!

And it was a BLAST!!!
Because Cousin Clay married a sweet and GORGEOUS girl named Cassandra that he met when Salsa dancing and her family is Hispanic so we got to celebrate with yummy Mexican food for dinner and a Mariachi Band!!!
Caroline LOVED it...immediately started dancing.
Anna Kate did not hold back her moves. She's been wanting a "dance party" for her 5th birthday for a while...I think a Mariachi Band would be a fun addition to any party, but I'm guessing that it would bust the budget.
But J.R. was skeptical...for a while...
The he cut loose too...


My Mamacita Bonita!!!! Love her.
LOTS of my fun cousins were there...this is not nearly all of them, but a few of my favorites ;) Jennifer, Katie and Elyse. Wow, nuts, looking at this pic I must have ended up with the short genes...or I need to wear heels...or not since they are one of my least favorite things in the world...THAT was a ramble, sorry.

tent trailer...

If your husband wanted one of these things, what would YOU say???

Our favorite things these days...

J.R. – cars, clothes, “I rescue you” (which to him means “I'm about to tackle you”…and then he will)

April – reading, a clean house and feeling cute (both are constantly eluding me these days...these might be vain favorite things, but at least I'm honest), yoga, Riondo pink Prosecco...I've only had it once, but it's the best wine I've ever tasted

Jon – learning (he's teaching himself Economics right now by listening to college lectures on ITunes University), family time

Caroline – dancing, accessories accessories accessories, putting on make-up...my makeup or markers work equally well for this in C's opinion

Anna Kate – princesses, rainbows, writing and drawing (She wrote her first story yesterday!! Here it is: Once upon a time there was a princess. She was so beautiful. One time she met a prince. The End. by Anna Kate)

Ty - eating his stitches out of his leg so we can buy him new ones

Houston - who knows? cats are such enigmas.

The Memorial Service...

I can't even describe the tremendous peace and healing I feel in my heart after the service. I had so much anxiety before the service that it would be super awkward and weird, but I just couldn't let my baby's life end here without this closure and I am so super thankful for the support of my Pastor and church family that made this possible.
Jon and I cleaned out this "compost" area before the service.

Our Pastor opened us in prayer.

Jon read some verses about how God creates life in the womb, we are members of God's family and God is the one who takes care of us.

Then our Pastor read Ps. 145:8-21...and we all read aloud verses 9, 13b, 17 and 21b.

Then Anna Kate read the letter she wrote to the baby.

Dear Baby ~ We love you so much. We miss you and wish you were here and I wish we were best friends. I wanted to name you Katelyn. I love you, you are so precious to me. Love, Anna Kate

Then I read a letter I wrote to the baby.

My precious child ~There is so much I do not understand. I do not understand why you were a part of our family for such a short time, but I pray that you know that we love you and are thankful for the time we shared with you. Your time here mattered. You reminded us how very fragile and precious each of our lives are…I want so hard to plan and control when life comes, and when it goes, but God alone is the Giver of Life and He alone allows life to pass in His perfect time. I wish you could have known the loving, gentle arms of your earthly father, and shared in giggles and laughter with your brother and sisters, but I trust that you are in our Heavenly Father’s care. You will always have a place in our hearts and we will not forget you. Love, Your Mom

Then Jon read a letter he wrote. It was longer and very personal.

We buried these letters with white rose petals that represented the body of the baby since we do not have it with us.

Then we sang The Love of Christ is Rich and Free.

Then we planted 3 rose bushes as a family...each rose bush was a gift from each of the baby's siblings. He's Always Been Faithful by Sara Groves played during this time.

Then Pastor Colin closed us in prayer and read II Cor. 5:6-8.

We wanted to do the service in our driveway and plant the roses here so that each time we come home, we remember that we are not home yet, but we are going home to live with our Lord and the Saints who have gone before us. The best is yet to come…

Our marriage has made it 6 years...

From our coldest moments...
To our hottest...

My best moments have been with you.

J.R.'s 3rd Birthday Bash at Pump it Up...

Arriving. Glasses upside down and underwear backwards...that's how he rolls.
Cutest pic ever?
Caroline kind of did her own thing.
I had the idea to have all the kids race their hotwheels (party favors) down this slide. Execution of this plan was touch and go.
The group...so fun...lots of church and preschool pals.
Happy 3rd Birthday J.R.!
Déjà vu? He did have a CARS party last year, too.
He's always loves them for as long as I can remember :)

Healthy cupcakes made of garbonzo bean flour...

So I got my heart set on having healthy, albeit yummy, cupcakes for JR's 3rd bday party since it was in the morning and I thought it would be a way to serve our friends (the parents of his guests) to not give their kids sugar and junk food. So the only recipes I found without refined sugar or artificial sugar were gluten-free so I went with a recipe from Babycakes that won "Best Cupcake in NYC." Then I spent a small fortune on the ingredients (things like arrowroot and agave nectar and garbonzo bean flour and coconut oil and such), much to the chagrin of Jon. After I made them and served them...I realized...something can't be healthy for you unless it's eaten (these weren't). However, I do hope to experiment substituting agave nectar for sugar in traditional cake recipes... P.S. Jon and J.D. were never able to get the icing to thicken.

A fun visit from dear friends...

Our good friends from UVA Law came to visit us and it was SOOOO fun as we hadn't seen them in a few years...WAY too long :) They have kids close to the same ages as ours and the same sex birth order!! I credit their oldest, Madelyn, with making me want to start a family. We got to law school and Carey was pregnant with her and about 20 wks along and she didn't even look pregnant, so I thought, "I can do that!" (and I thought it might be a great way to get out of my job). Oh how I knew absolutely NOTHING about being pregnant and having babies. But until then, I had thought that only Catholic and Morman friends could start their families before 30. I am so thankful to Madelyn for getting us going on that :)


The big kids chillin.
Anna Kate and Madelyn as baby friends...matching!!
Now they are big girls...
and love hanging out together :) They both love pink and princesses and being big sisters :)
We went to the Arboretum and it was so humid that a lot of the pics turned out like this :(
All in a day's work...gathering horse apples.
Caroline says, "What's up."
Fishing? Are you allowed to do that there? jk
Jon and J.D. "fixing" my healthy cupcake icing.
They added everything Google said could thicken something...the marshmallows didn't blend in as well. More on this cupcake befunkel (love those made-up words that work their made-up word magic). No pics of beautiful Carey...but here's her fun blog. You might watch out b/c they are VERY liberal and eat naked limes and their kids went nuts over our hemp waffles -- haha -- jk ;) (not about the hemp waffles though) love yall.