Second and Third Stop: Illinois and Iowa

From Ohio we drove about 5 hours into the middle of 'Illinois.  We got a hotel and hung there for the evening.  Goodwill and Culvers cheese curds were our evening fun.  I also made the kids take laps around the parking lot of the hotel for some exercise.  I'm sure onlookers thought we were crazy!  No exciting pictures from 'hotel Illinois stop'.

Next stop was Des Moines, Iowa, another 5 hour drive.  Steve's Uncle Michael and Aunt Karla and their family live there.  They have a very special place in our hearts and it's been years since we have  been able to spend time with them.  Michael has always been a source of encouragement and love towards Steve.  He also was the pastor who married us 17 years ago!  They have 8 children, 4 are still at home.  Our kids had a wonderful time reuniting and being together.  I always love spending time with their family, truly some of the most humble and loving people that I know!!

Zip line in the backyard.  How fun!

These 2 have a mutual love for green tractors.

Bedtime stories with Uncle Michael. 

Trick or Treat 2014

Trick or treat required very little of me this year.  We returned from Iowa the day before and other than purchasing Aaron his 50 cent Star Wars costume at a yard sale earlier this summer, I had given it no thought.  I love that my girls are creative and clever.

This is Claudia shocked and explaining to me who the Mad Hatter is.  Apparently I'm so deprived b/c I don't know the story of Alice in Wonderland.  

First stop: Ohio

The first pit stop of our trip was my brother's house in Ohio.  It was the longest leg we had to drive in one day and I'm glad we got that over with first.  We made it in really good time, even faster than Steve and I have in the recent past with a van full of kids.  Not sure what that says about my driving...or his need for coffee stops.

Only snapped a few pics while we were there.

Group coloring.

Josiah was very happy to be with his Drewy.  He talks about him all the time and couldn't wait to play in Drew's room with Drew's trucks.  

Not sure what's going on with Morgan and her faces.

Hello, Miss Flexible!!!

Iowa

My little corner of the blog world has been quiet for a long time.  I think I may be in one of the busiest seasons of my life!  Life with 5 kids all at home is quite full.  On top of that, 2 of Steve's brothers are getting married this fall so it's keeping us hopping.

Steve's brother Seth got married in Iowa this past weekend.  The week before the wedding, Steve needed to be in Nashville at a Pastor's Conference.  He had to be at the conference until the night before we needed to be in Iowa for the wedding.   It was not an option for our whole family to fly to Iowa.  Steve's brother who lives here in Lancaster offered to chauffeur us but he would need to drive through the night (18-20 hours one way).  I knew that Steve saw that as our only option for the trip home and I in NO way wanted to do that with a van full of kids twice in the same week!!  Hmmm...what is a girl to do?

After talking it through with a number of people, I decided that my best option was to leave early in the week, by myself with the kids, and take it slow.  I can't believe we made it!!  It took us 5 days, lots of trail mix, 20 hours of driving, lots of episodes of Adventures in Odyssey, some movies, one wrong turn, some tears...but we made it!!

Overall the trip went really well and in the end I'm so glad we did it!!  The kids did really well and it was good for us to have to work together as a team.

I took this picture at 7:30 the morning that we took off from home.

Buds

I love that she's sharing her headphones with him.

Happy Tubber

Claudia is 14

This post is a bit overdue.  Claudia was 14 back on Sept. 1st.  We just got around to taking her birthday pictures this week.  Like her father, fall is her favorite season so she was happy to wait to take her pictures!!

I can't believe how big my girl is getting.  In so many ways she is a young woman, so grown up I can hardly stand it!!  As much as I wish I could have her chubby little talkative 2 year old self back for just a day, I love the person she has become.  We are able to laugh at the same jokes, give each other hair and fashion advice, and generally enjoy each other.  We are alike yet very different and we like to bust on each other for that.

One thing that strikes me about Claudia at this age is that she loves people.  I often hear from others how pleasant and kind she is.  I think she has a love for others that radiates as she relates to them.

We love you dear Claudia!!