Hope you all enjoy these pics from another one of our favorite yearly events – Super Saturday! This year was extra special because Daddy at the last minute decided to forego his studies for the morning and come with us. Everything is more fun with him!
The girls all did great. Mckayla especially loved the horses.
Enjoy!
No hesitation this year
Not quite ready for the big slide; content to stay with Daddy and Mommy.Waiting for the beloved horsies.
Sweet smile after her first horsey ride
Bounce house!
*Side note: it took Mckayla awhile to get that bouncing here was actually okay…encouraged! But after she “got it,” wow, was she happy!
And my favorite for last….
My sweetie who is getting way too big, way too fast.
If you want to see the pics from last year, click here.
In light of today being the Kentucky Derby, I thought I’d try to get these pictures posted.
About a month ago Paul had the privilege of attending a conference in Louisville with some other members of the pastoral staff. The very next week, he had to return to Louisville to physically attend for two days a distance-learning class he was taking there to finish up seminary in time. He talked about the possibility of us going with him, and not wanting to be without him for two weeks in a row we jumped at the chance!
We had such a blast! It truly was a family vacation.
I don’t have pictures of everything, but I’ll share what I have and try to fill you in on the rest.
We really enjoy riding in the car together; mainly because Daddy is so fun!
Our first picture here is at a Dairy Queen. We actually just stopped to use the restroom, but by the time all of us girls were done, Daddy was waiting for us with ice cream. Yay!
Dairy Queen is always a good idea.
When we arrived at the seminary we discovered they had a hotel on campus with really good rates for students. Paul went in to look at the room first and came back warning me to think “dorm room.” But… it was absolutely gorgeous! Two separate rooms for us and the girls with a beautiful, big bathroom in between, what a treat! And the fact that we were on campus made the car situation super easy.
While Paul went to class that night, I took advantage of some girl time and ate at Panera Bread. It’s a very important lesson my girls needed to learn that when it’s cold outside you go to Panera and eat broccoli cheese soup. = )
Broccoli cheese soup at Panera. Only Mckayla was skeptical, but the bread won her over and Mommy didn’t mind finishing hers.
Actually before that, we found a park really close to the seminary and played there for awhile to get out some car trip energy. It was freezing and Mommy did not pack warm enough jackets. = /
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The next day our big adventure began. I looked online for stuff to do with kids. Parks, bounce house places, and typical kids museums were all options, but I thought, they could do that stuff anywhere. Since we were in Louisville, I wanted to do something special to that city. And then I saw it… Churchill Downs.
Long story short, we decided to go for it. And I’m so glad we did! We missed the official tour, but the lady at the desk called a man over, “Hey Martin, take ’em out to the track real quick.”
What???
So we got a private tour and didn’t even have to pay the fee! I was astounded. The girls loved it. It was so amazing to be there and to think of all the history that’s taken place. Sophia even put her hands in the dirt of the track. Needless to say, we were super excited to watch the race today and have the girls see why it’s so famous.
Here are the pictures; I’ll just comment below them.
I was a little unsure about driving in an unfamiliar city, but this sign made me feel better. Yay for google maps!This is it! This is really it! I guess I’ll just pull in and park as close as I can.
Gates and simulation at the entrance of the Kentucky Derby Museum.“Backstage.” Walking past the jockey’s quarters, seeing the names of the winners along the roof, the stalls where the horses are saddled…amazing.This is the tunnel the horses pass through when entering the track. And our sweet guide was trying to help Mckayla be in the picture, but……she didn’t think very highly of that. Poor man, he felt so bad. I had to assure him that she was fine and should be sweet when being helped. It’s still hilarious to me that that face was caught in the picture.Wow. The 140th race.The finish line.
A better shot of the winner’s names. Secretariat is towards the right. Triple Crown winners have their names in gold with a crown beside it.More names.
Hope discovered a name that she thought was very funny. “Behave Yourself.” It’s so fun having a kid who reads. = )
After the generosity of the lady at the desk, I wanted to go in the gift shop to at least buy something. These hats were at the entrance and the girls had a blast trying them on. You can imagine. After looking around the shop we settled on a Churchill Downs coffee mug for Daddy and a “Derby Time” sippy cup for the new little baby. Since they were the ones that missed out.
Gracie could not get the hat to stay up and show her face.Another try. Nope, no face.Trying to pose. It really was a delicate thing letting the girls try on these *very expensive* hats, trying to get Gracie to show her face, and take pictures!I like Hopey’s pose here. And you can see Sophia’s choice of hat a little bit better. Still no face from Gracie.At the front entrance is a memorial to Barbaro who is actually buried there.My very favorite thing of the whole place was seeing this quote from Eric Liddell on the memorial. How exciting to see our Creator God being glorified even in the midst of an industry where it would appear He is most often forgotten. The testimony of a past missionary for Christ and his God-given talents used for Christ lives on.
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Okay. Take a deep breath. That’s all of the Churchill Downs pictures, but there are more to come.
I researched online for best pizza place in Louisville and decided on this place which seemed to be a favorite of the locals.Oh my, Impellizzeri’s did not disappoint.The cheese bread, requested by Hope, was as big as Gracie and Mckayla!Chillin’ out with Dad watching Mickey Mouse after a long days adventure.
Paul was able to go to the Louisville Slugger bat museum on his first trip to Louisville, so being baseball lovers we were excited to go back with him.
The girls loved the big bat outside.
Getting ready to watch the opening show in the museum tour.Looking at bats that had been used by current famous players.Holding Derek Jeter’s bat.
Posing in the Looney Toons and Baseball room.Practicing their swings
Gracie’s expression in this picture is probably my favorite thing captured from the whole trip.
What a great idea to have a little room where kids could play, color, and swing at t-balls. And where Mommy’s could sit down! = )
After the bat museum we were off to the Creation Museum on the KY/OH border. Mckayla loved the dinosaurs! When we came up the stairs to the one dinosaur deck she looked around and said, “Whoa Mamacita!”
There was a petting zoo where we fed camels and where Sophia had a donkey bite her! Ouch! It didn’t break the skin and she didn’t cry, but it only confirmed Daddy’s dislike of animals and petting zoos and the like.
Probably our favorite thing in the whole place (besides the free stroller rental for Mckayla!) was the bug room. Or Dr. Crawley’s Insectorium, to be precise. Hope was in awe!
Sadly, this was the only picture I took in the whole place.
After the Creation Museum, we crossed into Ohio to drive through Cincinnati and see what we could see. What a lovely drive! Going through old downtowns is right up our alley.
For dinner we crossed back over the river and ate at a wonderful seafood restaurant right on the river. The sun set over the skyline of Cincinnati as we ate with our happy not-so-little family. In some ways I could kick myself for not taking a picture of that, but in other ways, it was almost too special for a picture. What a blessing to have a whole day to spend with just us, seeing and experiencing new things and just being together.
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The next day we stopped at Cracker Barrel for lunch on the way home. We always seem to go there at least once on a long trip. = )
Sophia wanted to take some pictures. = )There’s a little better. = )Loving the little rocking chairs.She did pretty good taking one of Daddy and Mommy.
Somehow I forgot to mention that after Impellizzeri’s Paul took us downtown and showed us where he hung out the week before. We got to see his hotel, the Yum! Center, Smashburger, and made a little visit to the Fudgery. Now that was some Yum!
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This was a lot of pictures! Thanks for sticking with me. I actually feel like I should have taken more, but I’m working on it. = )
We will remember this trip for a long time.
And I leave you with what I thought was one of the cutest pictures from the trip.
Because sometimes all you need to be cool is shades and orange juice. = )
Just wanted to say that we are still alive and well in spite of all blogging appearances. Life is clicking along as Paul heads toward graduation and we come to the home stretch of our first homeschooling year.
A few weeks ago we took a family ride on the coughs-colds-fevers wagon, and though we all feel much better, Dad and Mom are still going to bed quite early trying to fully regain our energy. = )
I’ve missed posting, and hope to start again soon. Just one more good night’s sleep. = )
Until then, here’s just one of the pictures waiting to be shared. There’s a lot more coming!
Spy Night for Awana. We may have gone a little overboard. These are actually after so the mustaches are starting to come off. Too much fun. Except that not many other kids dressed up so there were just three random pastor’s kids walking around like… thugs? gangsters? Spies! Not so subtle. = )
And there was one random nursery occupant with a mustache.Hope and Sophia got to go on a super special date with Daddy, so Mommy had the two little girls all to herself for a whole day! Of course we started with painting. And non-pajama clothing is totally overrated.
Beautiful Gracie.Proud of the final product.I really like hers. She went up and down the row of colors. So organized.Dinner at the counter while Mommy does dishes.
Painting fingernails and toenails also made the agenda.
Hope reading Charlotte’s Web to her “baby.”Waiting not-so-patiently for lunch. The face was too much, I had to take a picture.Taking turns stirring the pot while we make homemade yogurt.
I hope everyone is doing well! We love and miss you all.
Sometimes I read posts that try to encourage young mothers by contrasting the long-term influence, joy, and blessing of motherhood with the current state of walking around as a sleepless, friendless, spit-up crusted, hardly ever attractive-or-cordial-with-one’s-husband zombie.
Women are encouraged to take heart and embrace the mess of motherhood knowing that one day they will miss these precious years.
I often wonder if those reading who have not yet had children are terrified. “I won’t shower for days? I’ll have to walk around with {fill in the blank} disgusting baby substance all over my clothes? I will growl at my husband every day when he walks in the door? My toddlers will scream uncontrollably while I try to remember these are actually the best years of my life?” Where is the exception clause?
So I felt it incumbent upon myself to tell whoever might be reading that it is not always that way.
I personally don’t think I’ve ever gone an entire day without taking a shower. Sure sometimes I would have rather it been right when I woke up and it ended up being right before I went to bed. Yes, there were things that totally fell apart after I had my first baby -namely doing dishes, making meals, and keeping laundry clean. But I wasn’t that great at those things to begin with. And little by little after the initial “black hole” post-pregnancy time, things started to come back together.
*I call about the first six weeks after delivery the “black hole.” Simply because though life still clicks along and happens, I can never remember anything about it. You look back and wonder how anything got done, but know that somehow you did eat and sleep and bathe.
I know a lot of moms, young and old, who’s lives did not completely fall apart when they had a baby.
Will there be days that are hard? Yes.
Will there be disgusting things to clean up? Yes.
Will you be able to keep every up every personal and domestic habit you enjoyed before children? Probably not.
But will your days be characterized by less-than-human conditions? Probably not.
Now are there people who have a really tough time regaining a “new normal” after having kids? Who do feel like they can’t struggle to the top of messes and sleep-deprivation and schedule changes and sickness? Of course. And if that is what one finds themselves enduring, that person needs hope. And if posts like the above-mentioned help, then I am sincerely all for that.
But if you’re out there, about to have a baby… take heart. Don’t be freaked out by drama and “realism.” Yes, you’re about to face a challenging time of life. But it’s doable. It will look different for every person and family; every child produces unique joys and challenges. Chances are, sometime during the first few months, you will figure out how to venture out of the house with a new little one in tow. Perhaps there will even be a grocery trip or a meal made. You will discover with great joy that you’re little sweetie can lay happily in a crib while you get a shower. Or maybe they’ll be cool enough to sit in a bouncy seat in the bathroom while you sing your favorite tunes and scrub away. Maybe not, but you will figure it out eventually. (in most cases, people do!)
Motherhood is a privilege, a great adventure, and above all a gift. God gives grace and new mercy every day.
So from one very average, imperfect, “real” momma to another, you can do it; and if you haven’t “done” it yet –it’s not so bad. I highly recommend it. ; )
It’s only normal for people to wonder. And it’s only normal for us to wonder how they can’t see how much we love our all-girl life.
“How’s your husband do with that?” every last talkative stranger has asked.
“Actually, he loves it.” I reply. “He is king of the hill around our house. Those girls adore him.”
But when you know there’s another baby in your belly, and you don’t know what it is it yet, your mind does begin to wonder what it would be like.
Thoughts of ease, of keeping things how they are, of a new adventure, something totally new, of insecurity, of really dirty bathrooms… all run through your head.
But after five months of waiting, the time is finally here. Lord-willing, this morning we will find out if our newest little baby is a boy or a girl.
And this is how I feel about it:
First, I will just be happy to hear that sweet heartbeat and see that tiny baby moving around in there. We are not owed anything, and should we discover some bad news, it would be our place to give thanks for the joy this child has already brought and receive with trust and joy whatever plans God has for the future.
Second, if it was a girl… I would be so excited. I can’t say it enough, we love our all-girl life. Each one is so uniquely wonderful and adds so much to our family. Their love for their dad and for each other is enough to fill my heart to overflowing. I can’t even imagine the fun another one would add.
Third, if it was a boy… I would be so excited. And scared. And then excited again. What would I do with it? How would I talk to it? I have no idea!! It would be so much fun to figure out! I have a name that IÂ really love that we would get to name it. We would get to welcome a whole new set of toys into our home… trucks and dinosaurs and army men. We would have to figure out a whole new family dynamic.
So which one do we want? I’ll admit there have been times where I strongly wanted another girl and other times where I really wanted a boy; but right now… I really don’t care.
Every time I try to imagine either one, it’s just really exciting.
New little baby,
I can’t wait to find out what you are. But I want you to know that I couldn’t love you more if you were different in any other way. Your sisters are already crazy about you. And Hope, Sophia, and Mckayla will love you so much even if you are a girl. Just look at how much the older ones love Mckayla. And Gracie, bless her heart, if you are a boy… she will learn that not all boys are dirty and stinky and mean, she will love you very much.Â
Stay safe in there, okay? Your sisters all pray for you and your Daddy and I, too. We love you so much and can’t wait to see you.Â
Love,
Mommy
P.S. Enjoy the calm while you can, because once you are on this side you will be in for the adventure of your life! xoxo
I have a lot to do today. We have not been operating at full steam around here, but the chaos caused by daily life has kept clicking right along.
On the list would be to make more of a dent in the laundry, clean the bathrooms (gag), start thinking about a menu and grocery list for the week, and check the calendar to see when we’re scheduled to resume homeschooling.
We’re going to fellowship with some friends in the afternoon, so I almost began strategizing about how to accomplish my tasks by lunch.
But I want something about this New Year’s Day to be special for the girlies. My six and four-year-old are old enough to sort of understand the concept of “out with the old in with the new.”
So my idea is to ask them questions about last year, and see what their opinions/desires, even goals might be for the New Year.
You never know with kids; sometimes they’ll really surprise you.
Here are my ideas for questions:
*What was your favorite thing about last year?
*What was the worst thing that happened last year?
*What do you think you learned last year?
*What is one thing you really hope happens this year?
*What would you like to do more of this year?
*What part of obeying Daddy and Mommy do you think you should work on this year?
*How do you think you could be more loving to your family this year?
*How do you think we should try to help other people who don’t have as much as we do this year?
*What is something you would like to learn this year?
*Where is somewhere you would like to go this year?
*If you had a choice between Mommy reading to you more or teaching you music and piano more, which would you choose?
*What is one thing you want to work on this year?
*What would you like Mommy to do more of this year?
*What would you like Mommy to do less of this year?
*What do you want to pray for about this year?
This is a very rough, in-the-moment sketch; but I really want to try it!
Maybe this could be a sweet New Year’s Day tradition?
Here’s to resolving to spend time asking and listening in the morning!
Just wanted to highlight our favorite photographers today!
Dale and Jill Lempa of Lempa Creative have done photos for us twice now. Both times have been super fun and stress free – which is saying something when four little kids are involved! Best of all, we have amazing photos to remember these special years of our life.
My current header image is from them. If you know Hope, it captures her personality perfectly. Also, images for my About page and facebook page are from them.
I cannot say enough about how Dale and Jill work so well with children. They’re laid back enough to not stress everyone out and patient enough to get the shots that we all Mommy really wants.
While Mckayla was a little distressed over not being able to see Mommy and Daddy during a certain shot, they caught these of the older girls.
So cute, right?
Also, they listen so well to your ideas and really strive to give you what you want as well as adding in their own expertise and creativity.
Here are some links if you’re interested about learning more:
small steps, big picture 