Camping at Petite Jean

The kids were super excited to get to go camping with Poppy and Grammy a couple weekends back.   We have been to Petite Jean several times, here's one of our recent trips.  The big boys went up on Friday and helped get the campsite setup then Adam and I brought Emerson and Ava Jane on Saturday after his baseball game. We set up the tent and chilled out for a bit then headed off to the trail.

There's a beautiful waterfall that we have hiked to, but this time we took another trail and enjoyed its more moderate intensity down and around to the rocky stream.

Grammy and Poppy had some walking sticks and the kids enjoyed playing with them so we stopped by one of the park stores and were able to pick up some for the kids and they were a huge hit as you can imagine, they were even turned into guitars at one point on the hike.

Being out in nature was wonderful, the fresh air, the sights and sounds of the birds, the need for lanterns and flashlights and the slower pace was a welcomed reprieve for the weekend.

The boys enjoyed the fire side time, especially Lawson.  

And we all enjoyed hamburgers and brats, beans and of course some smores.

Our time with the Heads was fun, the first weekend out with their new camper was a complete success.  We look forward to making more memories with them in the future.

Easter 2017

This year, we enjoyed several Easter celebrations. The first was with our new neighbors, we had a potluck dinner complete with an Easter egg hunt and egg relay races. We truly have some of the nicest neighbors and our kids enjoy playing together which is a real blessing.

Here's most of the kids on our street, this was the best group picture we could get.

Then Sunday we enjoyed worshipping our risen LORD with our church body.  Singing the songs, hearing the message and experiencing the presence of God is always awe inspiring and I again left grateful and thankful for Jesus' sacrifice for me.  He had the power to get down off that cross but instead He chose to endure the pain and all the shame so that I might have the chance at eternal security and life forever with Him.  I'm so thankful for the cross, and what it means for you and for me today and every day.  Mom, graciously hosted lunch at her home and the kids once again enjoyed gathering up all kinds of pastel colored-plastic goodness...some of the eggs even had money in them which made for a fun egg hunt for sure!

Aren't these the cutest little people you ever did see?!

Because He lives I can face tomorrow.  Because He lives all fear is gone.  Because I know who holds the future, and life is worth the living just because He lives.  He is risen, He is risen in deed!  I hope you too had a blessed Easter.