Camp!

This week we were able to volunteer as faculty for high school camp at Little Galilee Christian Assembly in Clinton, IL. From the time I can remember my uncle has been the dean at High School Main 1 week. I have great memories of being a "faculty kid" for a couple of years when I was young and my mom and dad were faculty at this week. Little Galilee has extra special meaning to me because during one of those weeks of camp I decided to give my life to Christ and was baptized in the old pool. Now my uncle is the camp manager and him and my aunt live at camp but he also still deans this week of camp. Last year, Hannah & I worked the week of camp but I was in and out a lot becuase Hannah was still nursing. This year we were able to all go work a week as a family and it was so much fun! We still stayed with my aunt & uncle at their house since Hannah is still pretty little but we were able to do a lot more. It was a fabulous week to get away from every day life and enjoy God's creation as well as be filled through worship and teaching. One of the sessions each day was going through the program "Walk Through the Bible" and it focused on the Old Testament. It was really awesome and I feel like I really learned a lot about the Old Testament. It was a really cool program. Overall, it was a great week of camp and I'm so glad we got to spend time as a family and introduce Hannah to Christian camping. I hope we are able to continue helping out.

Here is a picture of our camp "family."

Using Utensils

Hannah has been working really hard this summer at learning how to use her fork and spoon. Sometimes she still gets frustrated and resorts to her fingers, but overall she is doing a fantastic job. One of the foods we have introduced this summer is cereal with milk in it. It is quickly becoming a breakfast favorite and a perfect opportunity to practice with her spoon.

She also got to practice with a bowl of ice cream. Yummy! A summer favorite!

Another Friday Family Outing

We were able to enjoy one more Friday Family Outing before Tim starts his new job. We didn't want to spend a lot of money so we decided to go to Old Town St. Charles, Missouri to walk around and window shop. It was breezy and not to hot so it felt good to just be able to enjoy being together. Here is a family picture of us.

Originally, we were going to eat at one of the cute cafe's in Old Town, but the rain was coming in so we changed plans. We decided to head downtown and eat at the Old Spagetti Factory. This is one of my favorite places and it was the first time to take Hannah there. We had a lot of fun introducing her to a St. Louis favorite. Hannah and Daddy waiting for our food.

I think Hannah liked it -- you can see the spagetti mess left on her face and her digging into her spumoni ice cream!

Friday Family Outing

Last summer, Tim, Hannah & I tried to go explore something on Friday's because Tim's job allowed him to take some time on Friday's. This summer is going to be a lot different because in two weeks, Tim starts a new job. While this is very exciting for our family, I will miss these Friday's. We still have today and next week and we couldn't wait to go do something today. We chose Grant's Farm -- one of St. Louis' best family attractions! Grant's Farm is the land where the Busch family once lived and is now a wild life perserve. It is not only beautiful but has tons of things to do and see. One of the favorites is feeding the goats. Here is Hannah trying her hand at it. The worst part was that the goats eat so quickly that Hannah wanted to keep doing it!Hannah also got to experience her very first carousel ride! I think she really liked it!Here is Hannah and Daddy riding the tram back to the entrance. We had such a great day hanging out as a family!

Strawberry Fields Forever

Tim's family came here for part of the long weekend and we had a lot of fun! On Saturday, we took full advantage of a wonderful nearby site -- Eckert's Orchard. Eckert's is outside of Belleville and has so much to offer all year around. During the month of May, each weekend was Strawberry Fest. What is so cool about Eckert's is that you can go out and pick your own fruits and vegetables that are in season. We hopped on the tractor and headed out for some fresh strawberries. I wasn't sure what Hannah would think, but despite the rather warm day she loved it! I think this will be the first of many "pick-your-own" experiences at Eckert's!

Hannah with Mommy and Daddy getting ready to pick strawberries!I think I found a strawberry! Hannah loved looking (and tasting) the strawberries in the field.

The End is Near

Well, May is winding down and that means so is the school year! It has been a pretty crazy last couple of weeks and I am so glad it's almost over. Not only is it the end of my school year, but also my mom's -- and her last one ever! My mom is retiring after 33 years of teaching -- and over half of those teaching special education students. She has inspired so many people during her career, especially myself. I have lots of fond memories of going to school with her and eating at her on-campus restaurant. Tonight, we celebrated this wonderful accomplishment at a dinner and program that my mom's union puts on for the retirees. It was an awesome night filled with family, friends, co-workers, fun, memories, laughter and reflection. Congratulations Mom -- You are the BEST! My Aunt Jan, Grandma, Mom, Hannah and Me -- all former or current educators! Myself, Mom, Tim & Hannah
My mom and her partner in crime -- her aide Laquita who served the district for over 40 years!

Our Trip Out West

We had the opportunity to go to Arizona for a few days this past week. The main reason we went is because our dear friend Becca was getting married. I was her personal attendant and Tim played the guitar and sang before the service started. The wedding was on Thursday so I spent most of the day at the ranch helping Becca get ready. It was a beautiful wedding and we are so glad that we were able to take a few days off to help Becca and Greg celebrate. Here is a picture of the happy couple on the day they became Mr. and Mrs.!And here is a picture of Tim and I after the wedding. Our good friends Ethan and Christie were also a part of the wedding so we traveled together and were able to spend some time hanging out while we were in Arizona. We had all day Friday to explore before we had to leave on Saturday. We started they day in this cute local cafe for a very yummy breakfast. Tim was especially excited to eat...

Then we were off to explore the Sonora Desert Museum. The drive to get there was absolutely beautful. It was a great attraction and combined the desert wildlife and animals all in one place. Here is a picture of Tim and I at the museum.

You could totally tell that we are midwesterners because everytime we saw a cactus we were totally amazed at how they looked. At one point during the drive to the museum one whole side of a mountain was covered in a cactus forest. Although they almost look fake, they truly were an amazing sight.

After the museum, we went to a Spanish Mission that was built in the 1700s. It is on the edge of one of the Native American reservations and is still used today as a Catholic church. It was absolutely beautiful. You could see it from the distance as a bright white spot in the middle of the desert. I'm so glad that we were able to see it while in Arizona.
After the Mission, we did a little shopping and then met Tim's cousin's family for dinner (they were gracious enough to let us stay at their house while we were there). It was a great way to end our full day of sightseeing. We got up early on Saturday to start our trek home. It was a great little vacation and I'm so glad we were able to go! Congrats Greg & Becca - thank you for letting us be a part of your special day! We are so excited for you guys!