~HEATHER'S HIGHLIGHTS~: May 2017

~HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!!~

Here are a series of activities that we have done in the month of May. Life has been busy but good!

~Daddy and Moma stopped by for a nice visit.~

~On May 4th there was a piano recital held at GBS.~

~Kimberly, Sarah, and Mary played in that piano recital.~

~At the reception afterwards.~

~The next day Daddy took the girls out to celebrate their piano recital.

~And UDF was having FREE (Gratis) ice cream that day...so they got some ice cream while they were out too.~

~On Friday, May 5th, Michael and Beth and family came down and we had a nice day being together at our house. We celebrated Isaiah's birthday.
They brought these yummy cupcakes that Michael bought from a cupcake shop.~

~We used my cake stands to display the yummy cupcakes.~

~Little Joshua and Elijah.~

~Some of us girls~

~They bought pizza from Pizza Hut to go with the Hot buffalo chicken dip that I served.~

~Happy Birthday, Isaiah.~

~Then, because it was raining outside, we went to the GBS gym and played for awhile.~

~On Saturday, Kimberly, Sarah, and I ran to UDF to get our FREE ice cream and coffee.~

~Saturday night, Darla had a concert with the Cincinnati Community Orchestra.~

~This was the last night that Dr. Doan was going to be the director. He had been the director of CCO for 35 years.~

~Dr. Doan and his wife were presenting with a beautiful picture of them with CCO (Cincinnati Community Orchestra.) Here, Dr. Doan is showing the picture of the CCO group to CCO.~

~Here is that picture.~

~And my niece Darla is in it too.~

~Tasha and Abigail in the concert.~

~Abigail drawing during the concert.~

~Free UDF ice cream after church on Wednesday night...so like a ton of our church went. :-) ~

~Our family was asked to sing at a Spanish Rally and Phillip preached.~

~They served yummy food after the Spanish rally.~

~Dear Stephanie Smith Martinez (and baby bump) and I.~

~Kimberly and Sarah met some new friends.~

~Gram holding Abigail on Mother's day morning. Daddy was filling in at the Blue River Friends Church.~

~Daddy and Moma at the Blue River Friends Church.~

~We were Happy to get to spend the day with Gramp and Gram, (my parents!) ~

~Daddy and Moma in front of their sweet little place with which Jesus has blessed them.~

~The boys put up their hammocks outside Gramp and Gram's house.~

~Little Mary swinging on Gramp's swing he hung for the grandkids.~

~I love this little cup that Mrs. Vicky Thompson found at Goodwill for Moma.~

~These are the flowers we got for Moma for Mother's day.~

~We enjoyed a yummy meal at Daddy and Moma's house. Daddy and Moma made a ham, and Grandma's yummy potato salad, a fresh green salad, and limas. I made sour dough rolls and Kimberly made Elijah's birthday cake. An Argentine cake called a "Choco Torta."~

~A pic of Elijah from when he was tiny. Notice how INTENSE every muscle was in this pic. Not much has changed. :-)
I think I may have told y'all that they other day Elijah said that he wished he could invent a plug TO GIVE ME SOME OF HIS ENERGY!!! :-)

~Elijah's Argentine Birthday cake called a Chocotorta~

~Elijah turns 9!~

~Instead of blowing out his candles, we had Elijah use Gram's candle snuffer to "blow out" his candles on his cake.~

~Elijah's card and gift from Gramp and Gram.~

~Daryl and Laura and family gave Moma this beautiful Daisy for Mother's Day.~

~Gramp talking "survival" with the boys.

Later Elijah asked me if I knew who his "SuperHero" was? I told his that I didn't.

He said, "MY SUPERHERO IS GRAMP! HE KNOWS EVERYTHING!!" :-)

~Gram hasn't had the energy to take her winter village down yet...(I told her I was just leave it up. :-)
She will probably shoot me for posting these pics...But I love these pics of Gram and Little Abigail!!~

~Gram passing out candy to the kids before we left.~

~Abigail kissing Gram on her nose.~

~Such a sweet pic of Daddy and Moma as we pulled away.~

~Dentist appointments~

~Abigail's turn to get her teeth clean.~

~At Sams.~

~There was an Americana concert over at GBS that Brittany and Darla played in.
Brittany, Sarah, and Darla.~

~Abigail all patriotic laying on the grass outside of the chapel.~

~Us girls all patriotic.~

~The violin section...including Brittany and Darla.~

~Abigail wearing clothes that Mary had worn.~

~My fun Mother's day gift from our church. They always give great gifts.~

~The goodies in my Mother's day gift from church.~

~Elijah drew me this for my Mother's day card.~

~And for Mother's day Phillip is putting in my dishwasher.
And as you might recall...the girls made me these fun boxes for my kitchen. Kimberly built them and Sarah stenciled and painted them.~

~On afternoon, I took Noah, Elijah, and Mary to Eden Park and we got LOTS of schoolwork done. I would set the timer, and once they got so much school work done, they could have a fun break.~

~Just Keepin' it REAL! In the midst of ALLLL of the activities ...laundry doesn't slow down.
The other day when I took this pic...this Bible Verse came to me...
~In as Much as ye have done it to the Least of these my Brethren, Ye have done it unto me!~
Laundry doesn't seem like an important job, but it is a part of being a Helpmeet/Homemaker.
I've heard one person say that when they are scrubbing out the stains in their family's clothes, or folding clothes...they try to PRAY for each family member!~

~Our entry way. (Normally coats hang on the door behind the little table.)~

~It's fun to have a place to place my purse.~

~One Friday night on the spur of the moment we met Michael and Beth at Burger King. They insisted on buying our supper, and we bought dessert.
Here Elijah is directing the kids in "He's still working on me!".~

~Abigail and Joshua.~

~2 new babies at church. Katelyn and her little baby girl, and Brittany and hers.~

~On Monday and Tuesday, May 22nd and 23rd, our family went camping with several families from our church, and other friends.~

~Here's our food table at our camping spot.~

~Cute "little" Sarah with her 2 braids setting up the girls tent. (Kimberly had helped her, but I didn't get that pic.) ~

~Kimberly and Phillip clearing the ground of pokey things to set up our tent.~

~Mary and her bike. We got it at the Hobe Sound Thrift Store for $5.00, but it needed a new bell and basket. So, before we went camping, I got those for her.~

~Such a sweet little face after eating a smores.~

~Teen Volleyball.~

~Abigail sitting on A. Dee's lap trying to see Brittany Klines new baby.~

~Sarah and Darla's selfie while on their bike ride.~

~Sarah with Darla in the background.~

~Natasha, Laura, and I.~

~I brought fresh watermelon camping.~

~Daddy going to take Abigail on a bike ride.~

~Zack and baby Abigail Forsee.~

~Abigail tiptoeing to dry her hands at Sams.~

~She was tired in Sams, so wanted to lay down. So, the bag of cheese became her pillow. ~

~Kimberly and Darla had a violin recital. Here's how Noah, Elijah, and Abigail entertained themselves.~

~I LOVE my strawberry crate that Mr. Bardwell from LA made. It's my centerpiece right now.~

~I got some strawberries from Hobby Lobby for the boxes. And I threw in my yummy candle from Mother's day gift at church.~

~The other day Elijah got Abigail dressed and Mary did a BRAID in her hair. :-) ~

~I was stamping some Graduation cards...and when I went over to the sink to get a wet paper towel to wipe off the stamp, the stamp slipped out of my hand and landed on my dish drying mat. #stampin'gonewrong :-) ~

~I put this inside of Bethany's graduation card.~

~We drove over to UBC for our sweet friend Bethany Boardman's graduation.~

~She was the only girl in her high school class.~

~Singing with the choir. Bro. Glick was directing for probably the last time. :-( ~

~The Lord helped Bro. Daniel Stetler as he spoke about God looking for someone (s) to stand in the gap and make up the hedge. That God doesn't care where you come from, HE WANTS TO USE YOU!!~

~Bethany and Bro. Buckler.~

~Turning their tassels.~

~Bethany giving flowers to her Mommy.~

~A farwell for the Glicks.~

~And another dear lady teacher that has been there for years!!~

~Sarah, Bethany, and Darla.~

~Sarah, Bethany, and Kimberly. Sarah and Bethany have been friends since they were 3 or so.~

~Bethany and her sweet Mommy, Luann.~

~Pics of our kids with Bethany on her slide show. This is Bethany and Abigail.~

~Left to Right: Tiny Sarah, Kara, Tiny Bethany, and Kimberly.~

~Tiny Sarah and Bethany in AZ.~

~Kimberly, Kara, Bethany, and Sarah playing dress up in AZ.~

~Bethany and Sarah playing dolls.~

~Bethany, Sarah, Kara, Kimberly, and Mary in Uruguay when Kara and Bethany stayed a month with us (In Argentina) to study Spanish.~

~After Bethany's reception we went to Daddy and Moma's house to spend the night.
Kimberly, Darla, and Sarah at Gramp and Gram's house.~

~Praying together before we left Gramp and Gram's house.~

~On Saturday, May 27th, we had 2 graduation parties from kids from our church to go to. Here's Samantha and Sarah swinging together at Tyler's party.~