Amish Country

Mom and Dad took us on vacation to visit Amish country the middle of June. We stayed at a WONDERFUL bed and breakfast in Paradise, PA in Lancaster County, Beilers Bed and Breakfast. I would highly recommend this to anyone visiting Amish Country. A couple with two school age children run it. They are wonderful. They were so kind to Emma letting them go into the part that is their home and play with their kids. Emma was still talking about Mrs. Barbie after we left. The Breakfasts that she prepares each morning are DELICIOUS. I am missing the baked oatmeal and fresh yogurt from a local Amish farm!! We started off our trip with a stop in Hershey, PA where we visited Hershey World. We took the tour to see how chocolate is made and then we went and got a Masters in Chocolate Tatsting (ha). I would not advise doing that....it is a waste of money. I would like to go back and visit the Hershey Museum...it looks like it would be worth the money. The tour is free and is really informative so I would definitely do that again but I would not pay to do anything else. It was still fun and we can saywe've been there". The following day we went to a few places in Amish Country, took a buggy ride and then saw a musical at the Sight and Sound Theatre. The next day we went all through Amish country visited stores, fed goats, rode on a train and got to see Thomas! Emma thinks she rode on Thomas but we didn't want to wait in that line so she just rode the train. She had a blast! That evening we had the privelege of eating with an Amish Family in their home. The food was SO fresh and so delicious. I actually enjoed english peas. YUM! There was a TON of food and every bit of it was wonderful...even the pickled beets. Saturday, we left to come home. On our way home we stopped in Gettysburg, Dad and Josh went to the Gettysburg Museum and Battlefield while Mom, Emma and I went to the outlets. We all enjoyed our time in Gettysburg! :)

At Hershey University

Emma is EXCITED about eating the chocolate! (even thought she doesn't look that way) A blurry picture of our "instructor" aka actor

Our chocolates placed in the appropriate boxes...yes we actually paid (or mom and dad did) $10 a person for 5 pieces of chocolate and a small bottle of water per person. Just think the amount of chocolate we could have bought for that amount of money.

These are the ways you identify the way chocolate taste. For example, the darker the chocolate, the more "woodsy" and "earthy" the flavor.

Emma was so excited about eating the chocolate that she even ate some of the reeses wrapper...she wouldn't wait for me to help her...surprise, surprise.

We rode a real Horse and Buggy...the crammed 7 adults and 1 child into the buggy. Lets just say our knees were knockin. Emma was VERY excited to ride in the horse and buggy. We went through an Amish farm and learned a little more about their beliefs.

Emma riding.

We went and had fresh made ice cream from fresh milk. So rich and so delicious! At that farm there was a bull dog and a peacock. The bulldog followed the peacock EVERYWHERE. It was really cute.

Baby Goat

Emma feeding it (yes she wanted to wear dresses alot)

She LOVED feeding the goats. It was too sweet.

Emma on the train.

Hangin out the window!

You have to ride the train "in style"!

"Classy Ladies" read books on trains.

and they wave at people as they pass

and they talk to their neighbors

AND the look forward to standing by Thomas The Train! :)

Thank you mom and dad for a wonderful vacation! :)

Josh is in Bolivia

Josh is in Bolivia with a team from our church. The arrived there late last night and are going into the city today to do some sightseeing, learning about the culture. etc. I have linked their blog here so you can keep up to date (if you wish). Please keep them in your prayers this week. http://www.missionbolivia09.blogspot.com/

Happy Birthday to You!

These pictures are NOT in the order that I wanted. Blogger is not letting me move them around like normally OR maybe it is my ANCIENT computer. It is 5 1/2 years old. Let's wish it well a little longer.

Anyways, these pictures are of Emma's best little friends Birthday party, Seth, who she affectionately calls "Seffy"!

Emma and Seth at the train...we had TONS of trouble getting Emma to go to the train and look through the window but when "Seffy" was there she had no problem.

All the kids at the train...of course they aren't all going to be there, they aren't all going to be looking and they definitely aren't all going to be smiling! :) Em at the caboose

Yes, Emma definitely ate Birthday cake and went running around the yar...I was chasing her to wipe her face and she thought it was a game.

A sweet friend from church...I thought this picture was too cute!

"Seffy" blowing out the candles with Emmas help...of course!

Happy Birthday Seth!

Emma playing on Seth's new birthday toy! The kids had soooo much fun!

Emma giving the Birthday Boy a hug...they are so sweet together...most of the time. :)

Sweet Seth

The kiddo's feasting! I think Emma ended up eating 3 cookies (because she would snatch them from others and 2 pieces of cake!) We stayed and helped them clean up. Emma fell asleep before we ever got home! She was worn out from all the fun.

Which One????

I need help. Which quilt should we choose for Emma's new big girl bed??

Choice 1

pink and green polka dots with scalloped edges

Choice 1 side 2

pink and green stripes, scalloped edges Choice 2 Pink, Green, Turqois polka dots on a green background, striped edges

Choice 2, Side 2, pink checked

Post your choice - Choice 1 or Choice 2???

Tantrums...

Last Thursday Emma was full of major tantrums and meltdowns. Seriously, from 4 - until she went to bed she was crying and falling down on the floor about something. I decided I would capture it on video. She wanted to go to "chickenflay" (chick-fil-a) but I told her we could not go because she was not listening to and obeying me so that made the tantrums even worse.

Here's the afternoon: "I listen Mommy" 'I listen Mommy" "No, No, No, NO!" "I want chickenflay, Mommy" I want chickenflay" "I be good mommy" I bee good Mommy" I listen Mommy" "I listen Mommy" "I no want time out" "I no want time out" All of this was repeated over and over and over and over again and not in a soft voice but in the most annoying whiniest scry (scream and cry). I was begging to be taken away.

Busy May...

May was a BUSY month with lots going on. On Mother's Day weekend I helped to give a baby shower for a friend at church. This blog is pictures from that. Tripp is here now, he was actually born in May. He is the same size as Emma was and oh so cute!!!! I enjoyed getting to hold him and love on him last week!

The stickers on the wreath had to be changed from June to May.

Mom...I made the bow ALL by myself...aren't you impressed! :)

Pictures of Wes and Krista when they were little. Who will Tripp look like?

The gift table!

The flower "gift" that Michelle made. She did an AWESOME job!

The punch table. Michele made little arrangements using her children's silver baby cups. Sooo cute. Alot of the flowers came from her garden. I'm so jealous. I wish I had half of the green thumb and decorative tallent that she does!

The food table. Lots of YUMMY food!

I'm so dissapointed I did not get a picture of us with Krista. She did so I will post them when she emails them to me. She is just a little busy now!

The Fillingims and Skaggs

One of my good friends, Emily emailed me earlier in May and said that her and her family were coming up to UNC to see her cousin graduate. I was so excited that it worked out for Emma and me to meet them for dinner in Briarcreek! Emily and I took a picture together but our eyes are about closed in ALL of them. I'm so bad about eye closing in pictures!!! So...I will just post the picture of their family. I wish we lived closer together!!! 12+ hours is WAY too far apart!

Thank you Mr. Ottoway for a yummy dinner!

Muffins with Mom

Sweet girl sleeping the night before "Muffins with Mom"

She HAD to go to sleep with her "farkuleys" (sparklys)

I took the morning of the Friday before Mother's Day off to go to Emma's school with her.

Emma and best girl friend at school, Alyssa Girl Talk I LOVE this picture! The kids helped to decorate the table cloth (so original). They gave their moms a handprint with a poem, a vase filled with hershey kisses and a handmade flower. Emma wanted ALL the chocolates!!!

Emma's Room

I have been wanting to participate in this each Friday but it seems like our house is never "clean" enough to take pictures of. I finally got in Emma's room to clean up and organize it. I decided I better take pictures of it! :) So...I'm linking my blog (a week late) to Kelly's Korner - one of my favorite blogs! So...below is Emma's room.

What you see from the hallway. Her room is tiny and crammed. She has no dustruffle on her bed because it was too long when we had to lower the matress. :(

what you see when you enter her room

She loves to sleep with "ducky he has to be positioned 'just right'! her bulletin board with pictures, cards, her birth announcements and bows The alphabet that is up all over the top of her room. I LOVE the pictures! I think they are awesome. One each picture there are usually at least three things that go with the specific letter. Right next to the door, above the light switch. When I found this I HAD to have it...it matches her room perfectly and I LOVE the verse. :) I'm confident HE has great plans for Emma. Her toys and shelves with keepsakes.

What you see straight ahead when you enter her room. Her little bookshelf and table. Her growth chart...it really isn't crooked...apparently I took the picture crooked. The same artist that did the alphabet did the growth chart. There are stickers for each year to mark how tall she is. I'm afraid she'll outgrow this growth chart really quickly. My grandmother (Gan) made this for me the Christmas before I left for China. I thought it would be neat to put in Emma's room. I need to work on the bow...I didn't do a good job with that! Behind her door she has dress up clothes, hats and bags. My aunt had her name done before she was born. We hung the flower garland on it because we couldn't figure anything else to do with it.

Thanks for visiting my room! :)

The Most Truthful Forward I've Ever Received! :)

Thank you Kelly! :)

God was missing for six days. Eventually, Michael, the archangel, found him, resting on the seventh day..

He inquired, "Where have you been?"

God smiled deeply and proudly pointed downwards through the clouds, "Look, Michael. Look what I've made."

Archangel Michael looked puzzled, and said, "What is it?"

"It's a planet," replied God, and I've put life on it.. I'm going to call it Earth and it's going to be a place to test Balance."

"Balance?" inquired Michael, "I'm still confused."

God explained, pointing to different parts of earth. "For example, northern Europe will be a place of great opportunity and wealth, while southern Europe is going to be poor. Over here I've placed a continent of white people, and over there is a continent of black people. Balance in all things."

God continued pointing to different countries. "This one will be extremely hot, while this one will be very cold and covered in ice."

The Archangel , impressed by God's work, then pointed to a land area and said, "What's that one?"

"That’s the State of Texas, the most glorious place on earth. There are beautiful mountains, rivers and streams, lakes, forests, hills, beaches and plains. The people from the State of Texas are going to be handsome, modest, intelligent, and humorous, (remember George Strait is from there) and they are going to travel the world. They will be extremely sociable, hardworking, high achieving, carriers of peace, and producers of good things."

Michael gasped in wonder and admiration, but then asked, "But what about balance, God? You said there would be balance.."

God smiled, "There’s Washington DC. Wait till you see the idiots I put there.