Ok...so you have to ignore the quality of the picture, and the ability of the photographer. It just isn't a gift:) But I can show off all that I've been doing this summer. Obviously it has something to do with food, and anyone who knows me knows that I love to cook (and eat) food:) My garden did so well this summer!! I was able to can spaghetti sauce, salsa, stewed tomatoes, and pizza sauce from my tomato plants. I had a few rows of green beans, and got a ton of cans. Blare has a gourd/pumpkin patch at the farm and this year we grew pie pumpkins, so I got 18 pints of pumpkin (from 1 pumpkin...it was huge!!). I was also able to freeze corn, peaches, raspberries, blueberries, black raspberry jelly, strawberry jam, and applesauce. (I didn't grow all of that!!) And a few more things that are on the shelves from last year include red beets, grape juice, tomato vegetable juice, and peach jam. I'm pretty sure that we won't go hungry this winter...I forgot about the big box of potatoes and onions from the garden, so if anyone needs anything...let me know, I would love to share!!

Refreshments

This past weekend a group of girls went to Michigan City for a "refreshments retreat" We had a wonderful time and really did feel refreshed! Thanks for all the wonderful memories girls!

I forgot to add this earlier. This is what I saw when I got home!! Blare and Madison made a poster for me that says..."Welcome Home Mommy!! We missed you" I thinks this beats flowers any day!!!

Wayne County Fair

This past weekend we went with Grayson and Tara to the Wayne County Fair in Ohio. We stayed with Tara's parents and had GREAT time. The girls did pretty well considering that they are all just 1 year apart from each other.

Blare, Grayson, Mark, & Deb stayed at the fair all day and took Madalynn on rides while Tara and I took Haleigh and Madison back for naps. We watched a horse pull during the day, and in the evening there was a tractor pull. I don't think I've ever seen so many people in one place!! I told someone if you would combine Wells county's 4-H fair and Street fair it would maybe be about half as big as the Wayne County Fair. It was such a great experience.Grayson, Tara, and Madalynn posing with their milk mustaches.
Tara's parents have a great set up for kids!! The girls loved playing with the toys on the back porch. We had such perfect weather... it was so nice not being as hot anymore.

We wondered how the girls would get along being so close to each other for 3 hours, but they did fairly well. Madison was a little grouchy on the way home because she didn't get enough sleep, but overall, I think they had a good time. Thanks to Grayson &Tara, and Mark & Deb for such a fun weekend.

Group Camp

For the past 11 years we have gone to the Group Camp at Pokagon State Park. Usually there are around 12 families that go and we stay in very primitive cabins. There is a big kitchen/living area and campground bathrooms. We usually go on Friday and stay through Monday, and the days are totally packed. Instead of boring you to death with descriptions of the whole weekend, I'll just use lots of pictures!!

Quite the intimidating site driving down the road...and this is just a few of the "kids"

We went to the Nature Center and Madison wasn't to sure about the turtle.

Alyssa and I have been friends for about as long as I can remember!! This year she was in a wedding and had to leave on Saturday...the weekend was not the same with out her.

The boys buried Madison in the sand and she loved it!!!

Every year we have a skit night, where anyone who wants to can do skit. This year Marcia had a game for a few of the parents. She gave them ingredients to make lemonade, but they had to do it in the order she said. The had to eat 2 packets of sugar, eat a whole lemon and then drink a full glass of water. The results were hilarious!!!!

On Sunday after church we had cardboard boat races. Each team had some duct tape, cardboard, and plastic. The rule was that you had to have a theme and dress according to the theme. Then we took them out the lake and raced them the the rope and back. This is the first team...The Vikings.

Noah's Ark

Rub-a-dub-tub...The winners!!!!

Mom and dad helped with the winning boat, and these beautiful lips were the prize!! Sorry mom and dad, I couldn't resist.

Travis, Tyler, and Lyndon went goose hunting on Monday morning and came back with 6 geese. Yuck!!!

We had such a great time this year, and we can't wait for next year!!!! (Thanks Pam for the tip!! I finally got more than 5 pictures posted at once!)

Gatlinburg

We were in Gatlinburg for this past week with Rex and Dan & Audra and their girls. We had a great time and did lots of relaxing!!

We went to the aquarium and watched someone feed the stingrays and Madison marched right up in front of the whole crowd and plopped down and watched everyone. It was really embarrassing, but gave us a good laugh.

We watched the Olympics every night, and Madison figured out the remote and thought it was the greatest thing. This is right after she figured out how to turn it on. We kept calling her our "little amish girl"

Dan, Audra, Ashlyn, & Abby.

We went on a trail, and on the way to the falls, we came upon a big group of people and figured out that they were looking at a momma bear and three cubs. I was REALLY nervous, but they were incredibly cute. We also saw them on the way back from the falls, and this time we saw them climb a tree, and then they came down and walked across the trail in front of approx. 25-30 people. This was probably the best part of the week.

Ok, so I can't figure out how to put more than 5 pictures per post... I need help, but until then, here's the rest of the vacation....

One night we all went Putt-putting, and the girls had fun playing together. Madison's favorite part was running and taking the balls as soon as we would hit it. We had fun anyways!!

Madison had a great time swimming, but got really worn out and cold, so she found the towel and laid down to warm up.

Every time we walked to town we walked past this bear and Madison wanted to go play on it. So the last night we stopped and she loved it!! We had a great week and were so thankful to be with family. Thanks Dad and Dan & Audra for all the fun!!!

Got Corn?

Yesterday, mom, grandma, Brent, Shane, and Blare helped me do corn. There was A LOT of corn and I was able to get 45 pint bags for myself, and 30 for Rex.

Madison loves corn on the cob. She ate 1 1/2 ears RAW...I think it looks disgusting, but she kept coming back for more. I'd hate to think what her diapers are going to be like today!!!

The beginning of the mess!

We cook all of the corn outside in a big turkey cooker, then to cool it off, we fill two coolers with cold well water and alternate them back and forth. We then have a long table set up with trays and knives, and bowls and cut it off and bag it all outside. It's great to be able to just use the water hose to clean everything up, and my house is still clean in the end. (actually it was still messy, but at least the corn didn't add to the mess!!) Anyway, this explains the picture, Madison found the hose when we were done cleaning up and she played with for at least 15 minutes. After a while she discovered that she could drink out of the hose. We had such a fun day!!