We're Still Here

Yes, we are still here!  My computer is so full of photos that I haven't been able to upload anymore.  I'm working on moving them to the external hard drive to free up space for MORE photos! :)  But in the meantime, I can't blog any photos.  And that just keeps me from blogging at all.

Since my last post, we have moved to Tennessee.  We are getting settled.  We love our house, neighborhood, church, everything is good.  We do miss our NC friends but we have plenty of room for them to visit us.  (hint, hint)

I'll try to get some photos up soon.  There are so many other things demanding my time and attention that I don't get to work on photos very often.  I will soon though...

Some of Our Heroes

Two people who will be missed when we move are Jamie and Michelle Wilson.  They have been B's Sunday School teachers since he was in Kindergarten.  B always looks forward to SS.  A huge part of that excitement is his teachers.  They love the kids and the kids love them.  They are heroes!

Michelle is also a nurse at our pediatrician's office.  I cannot count the number of times I've prayed on the way to a dr's appt..."please let Michelle be our nurse"...and she would be our nurse.

And on the times she wasn't our nurse, they usually ended up finding her so a shot or strep test could be administered with less drama than without her being there.  (Although one of our children, who will remain nameless, has kicked her in the past.  Thankfully, she forgives and forgets quickly.)

Michelle, B and Jamie

So THANK YOU Mr. and Mrs. Wilson!!!!

You are making eternal investments that will only be fully returned when we are with Jesus!!

(We're serious about y'all visiting us!)



So Long, New Life Camp

Today was the last day of camp for B.  They ate dinner there then we picked him up at his cabin.  All parents and campers were invited to the celebration.

 We arrived a little early so the boys had to pass some time.  They found the game "chopsticks" rather fun.  Mom, on the other hand, just doesn't "get it" as to what makes that a fun game.  But hey, if they're using math skills then just play all you want!

 Caleb, Ian and B - cabin mates all week

 Worship time

B and his CIT, John

(We couldn't find his counselor, Ryan, after the program.)

If you're in the Raleigh area, we recommend New Life Camp for any of your children who are old enough to attend.

Shopping and Rain

After dropping off B at camp, the girls and I had a couple of hours before meeting Dad for lunch.  So we did what we should have done - we went shopping!

I got each of them a new swim suit.  The idea was that I was buying a size too big so they would have them for next summer.

After lunch Dad took the girls with him and I went to get groceries.  When they got home, the girls did a "fashion show" for Dad to show him their new swim suits.  In the meantime, I got home then it started raining.  The next thing I knew...

 they were playing in the rain.  The tags were still on their swim suits!  Silly, silly girls!!

 See, I told you they are silly.

 And fashionable.

 And really, really sweet.  But they didn't melt in the rain.

The were singing in the rain.  Really singing, in the rain.



New Life Camp - Day Camp

The girls and I dropped off B at New Life Camp this morning for the first day of Day Camp.  He was so very ready for this week!  It will go fast but he'll have a great time, I'm sure.

 Walking to his cabin.  It's the one way back there.  (This camp still reminds me of Newton, TX!)

B and Ian were in the same cabin.  They will have plenty of stories to tell by Friday.



Typical Day at Faith

We're counting down our last few Sundays at Faith.  I thought I'd take a few photos before we're gone and I don't have any.

 H loves being on the KidzTown Worship Team.

 When did she get so tall?  Time is going by waaaayyyyyyy too fast!!

 View from the back of large group time.  Love to see all these kids worshipping together.

 I let H take the camera to Sunday School.  She captured lots of her friends starting with Alexa and Lizzy.

 Miss Jenna

 Mr. Sakoman (not sure where Mrs. Sakoman is hiding)

 Stephanie and H

Abby and Lizzy in the church foyer.

We've been at Faith for 7 1/2 years.  It has been a wonderful place to connect, grow and serve together with other believers.  We'll always have a special place in our hearts for our Faith family!



One More Time

Our friends, the Campbells, are leaving Monday for eight weeks of training before moving overseas to be missionaries.  Our children were happy to be on their calendar for a play date one more time before their departure.  While Ryan and Christy took their oldest daughter on a "date" for the day, Lizzy, Isaac and Lily came to play.  Abe got to stay with Grandma and Grandpa and get spoiled a little more.

 Nothing says "good times" like...

 popsicles and...

 silly faces!

 C, Lily and E have been friends for as long as any of them can remember.

 Isaac and B - big guys with big hearts.

H and Lizzy - having one more tea party (with the tea set Lizzy and Abby gave H for her birthday several years ago)

We have known the Campbells for six years.  We will miss seeing them at co-op each Friday (we won't be there either but that's another story) as well as at church.  However, we are very excited to see and hear all the ways God uses them on their new adventure!


It's not "good-bye".  It's "see ya' later"!!

Twister

Alexa and Ian had a sleepover at our house last night.  One of the games that got everyone involved was Twister.  They laughed and laughed and laughed.  The had it on the hardwood floors at one point and it was sliding everywhere.  They were quite funny to watch.  I finally convinced them that if they would go back upstairs to the rug, it would not slide.

 B was the "caller".  E, Alexa, H, C and Ian were in the game at the beginning.

 The final three.

The showdown ended when they both started laughing so hard that they fell over at the same time.

Good times, good memories!



Science Camp - Electricity and Magnetism

We arrived home from our trip just in time for H and B to go to science camp at our local library for the week.  They had class every afternoon 1-4pm with about 17 others students their age.  Our neighbor, Aubrey, was going as well so it was nice to carpool with her mom.  She and H made lots of good memories together too.

The topic this year was Electricity and Magnetism.  This camp is sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline and the best part...it's FREE!

They had a fun week and learned a few things along the way.

The last day all parents are invited to arrive 30 minutes early so the students can show what they have learned.

 It worked!  (See the light bulb.  It's shining.)

 Creating more circuits.

 "Now, this one goes here...."

 "Hummmmm...why is that barely lighting up?"  (We finally figured out that it was a bad bulb.)

 And even more circuits.  It still works!

They were having a magnetic car race.

One more fun week added to our summer adventures!

Cousins

We spent last night with Shawn, Heather and their children.  There was this great BBQ place that served some yummy brisket.  Heather and I went to pick up the food.  She kept telling me how much I was going to like it.  Boy, was she right!  It was like I was in Texas again.  That was a real treat for dinner!

The kids played and played and played.

Dad found a quiet place to work on his sermon for Sunday.

Mom and Aunt Heather just talked.  We're so good at that.  We've had lots of practice and we just keep getting better and better at it.

 Ava was all about being right in the middle of the action.  She and B had a good time rolling the ball to each other.

 I kept making "fish lips" at Ava so she would try to do it back to me.  Here she is trying again when we were wanting her to smile.  EK is in the bottom right corner and C is on the couch in the background.

 Ava and Uncle Brent are buddies.  He buys her IveyCake cupcakes.

All the cousins.  This silly face photo was the only one that has all eight of them where they can be seen.

L to R: B, Ethan, Ava, E, H, C, Mia and Ella Kate

Thanks for a fun 24 hours, Hanks Cousins!!  Let's do it again soon!



Diving

One the girls were comfortable jumping off the diving board and treading water, they started learning to dive.  They still have a great deal to learn but they are off to a good start.

 C would not dive off the board but she did go off the side of the pool several times.  She also swam to the bottom of the pool to get a diving ring.  Morgan gave her a push but she swam all the way down by herself.

 E was diving off the board many times.  She swam to get a diving stick one time but didn't want to do it anymore.

 I love the form in this photo! :)  Still not quite ready for the Olympics.

 H and B did not swim much the last evening we were there.  The twins had a blast with Miss Morgan all to themselves.  She's such a good teacher and she also likes to play as much as the twins do.

C was doing her "last thing" with Morgan before we went home.  She overcame her fears and was swimming like a fish by the last evening of swimming.

Thank you, Swanns, for sharing your pool with us!!  It makes being there much "cooler"!!



Swim Time

I had to run an errand this morning.  Dad took the kids to the pool.  Miss Morgan was there so he asked her to teach them to tread water (or "shred" water as C called it).  By the time I got to the pool, they were jumping off the diving board without anyone waiting for them in the deep end.

 Miss E

 Miss C

 Miss H

Aquaboy (aka our funny B)



The 4th of July

We were in Tennessee for the holiday again this year.  We spent part of the day swimming with cousins, J and O.  This was our first time to see O since her arrival to the USA in October.  I had prepared our four for her to be shy and not want to be around them.  I was wrong.  She was hugging and playing the entire time until she got tired.  Big sister, J, was soaking up all the fun as well.

 Swimming at the Swann's pool.  It's also known in our family as Miss Morgan's pool.

 We enjoyed another dinner with the Traughber's (that's Nana's side of the family).  The twins had some tickle time with their much loved Uncle Stephen.

 They even convinced Uncle Stephen to let them ride home with him.  They had such a good time.

And of course Dad had some fireworks for everyone to enjoy once we were all back at Pawpaw and Nana's house.