I LOVE these people!!! Our Life Group is made up of so many different personalities, ages and family dynamics, but it totally works for us. Each member has so much to bring to our discussions...serious or fun :) We laugh, we cry and we are there for each other through the highs and lows of life.

We had a fabulous dinner at the Vicker's home. We all had babysitters for the kids at our own homes so we could really concentrate on each other. (Did I mention we have A LOT of kids???) I took couple pictures that evening, but being the good hostess' they were I never did get the Vickers! And the Westerman's and Daniel's ended up not being able to make it:(


Josh and Kara

Kevin and Kim

Philip and Heidi

These boys are crazy

Chris and Amy

We had people making faces at us making us laugh

Chad and Laura

Table 1

Table 2

A fun time was had by all. If you look at the table pics, you can see our super cool elder team Ken and Marilyn Switzer that come to our group a lot. We enjoy there perspective on things and insight into the history of OC.

Baylor LOVES helping Jeff out in the yard. (She really just loves doing anything with her daddy period) They spent part of Labor day freshening up the front flower beds with some new color.

They had to take a lunch break in the shade

Time for some soccer!!!

Her daddy caught this shot, Is she beautiful or what?!?!

Jay and Baylor running after the ball

Nana and Uncle Jeremy came to cheer her on

Amy snagged this cute pic on her phone the other night at soccer practice...I love how much these girls love each other

The Flamingos have landed at the Nashville Zoo!!! Baylor and I went to check them out the other day w/ Lila, Ruby, Levi and Caleb

the girls were reading all about the newest attraction

Not the best pic, but it does show you a little sweetness along w/ one crazy gibbon in the background

These birds just fascinate me with their double beaks

Star Wars Exhibit

At the beginning of the summer we heard about an exhibit at the Huntsville Space and Rocket Center...Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination. We were very excited to share this trip with our sweet neighbors. Bailey, Cooper and Christian love all things Star Wars and Baylor plays along. There were costumes, mock ups of ships and droids to see. A show about robotics hosted by C-3PO and stations where the kids could test out the science behind some of the fun.

A land speeder

Storm Trooper costume with a small mock up beside it like they would have used when planning out the movie

a tie fighter

My little Coopie was about the same size as the Jawa :)

There was a magnetic lego station where you built a mini land speeder. There were tracks for you to test it out on and other parts to test magnetic propulsion

Here are Bailey and Cooper testing out their land speeder

Driving a land speeder

We were able to build our own working droid...you picked what kind of tires and other parts to put on the shell.

Then you went to different stations to program it and see if it worked

Baylor was cheering our little guy on

We waited and waited AND waited to go into a mock up of the Millennium Falcon cockpit

Christian was beyond excited when we went in. It was neat, but I'm still unsure it was worth the hour and a half wait

We loved seeing some of the characters walking around

even Baylor wanted her picture with a Storm Trooper (I do love how she is looking up at him to make sure he doesn't try to do anything to her)

We had a great time and it was made even more special by sharing it with the Gilreaths!!!

Back to School 2010

Time for 2nd grade already?!?!? I really can't believe my sweet boy can be that old, but here we are at the start of another school year. How could anyone one not fall in love with those eyes?!?!
We had to find the coolest bag. He wanted one to wear across his shoulders (some boy converted his backpack straps last year) and I found this super cool Star Wars one.

Posing for a quick shot with me:)

We are in Mrs. Sentell's class. I was a little bummed that not a single person from his class last year was on the list, but it didn't seem to bother him. One boy from church is in there and we are looking forward to knowing him better. If you look close at her middle you can tell Mrs. Sentell will be leaving us half way through the year to have a baby.

already working hard...he talks a big game about not wanting to do work, but he secretly loves learning. He is always trying to figure stuff out.

It was beautiful ALL day long until 10 minutes before the bus was to arrive. So who is the idiot standing out in a strengthening monsoon waiting to get a picture?!?! Me of course!!! Even if it's rainy I had to have my "getting off the bus" shot

and here he is rushing out into the rain

The next day my sweet girl was all ready for her Snoopy Day. OC has a tradition of letting the kids come "snoop around" their new classroom and meet the teacher. It makes me sad to think this could be our last one:(

Playing on the "big kids" playground

Our best friend...who knows what kind of trouble these two will cause.
This pic was taken just moments before a very un-fun event: Caroline got too hot on the playground (heat has been dangerously high here for the past couple weeks) and threw up all over her mommy and Mrs. Amanda's carpet :(

We are so excited for our year in PreK with Mrs. Amanda

They told us at Snoopy Day that her class would come in the front. I wasn't ready for that...my little girl going up those BIG stairs. She loved it

Getting ready for pick up

All of Mrs. Amanda's sweet kiddos-10 girls and 5 boys

World Vision Experience: AIDS

Over the past several weeks, I have helped work on a special event that is going on at our church. The World Vision Experience: AIDS brings Africa to you. The sights, the sounds and most importantly the stories. In the Experience you have the choice of four different children to follow. Once you put on the headset and step through the curtain, you are that child. Some of these stories are more graphic than others, but they all give you a real sense of what it is like to walk in their "shoes".

Christian and I went through Emmanuel's story. He was 3 when his story starts. He knows that his father died of "THE sickness" before he was old enough to remember. He lives with his brother, Fred, and mother in a small hut over looking banana fields. Around the age of 5 his mother gets very sick. Fred takes her many miles to a clinic to see what is wrong with her. The workers tell him she has "THE sickness", she has AIDS. They give him some medicine and tell him how to care for her. AIDS can affect so many people across the globe, but it is harder for those that live in poverty. Without proper nutrition, housing and medical care AIDS ravages through a person's body quickly and painfully. Emmanuel's mother dies.

Fred is now the care taker...he is 9 years old. After burying their mother, Fred and Emmanuel walk many miles to see their aunt. They hope she will let them live with her and her family. She does not. She is afraid they may have "THE sickness" and does not want them around. They travel back to where their mother is buried and set up a makeshift shelter to live in. With out much food or shelter the boys have a very hard time. Emmanuel becomes sick over and over again...Fred is afraid. He talks with a teacher in a nearby village and he learns what AIDS is, how it can be contracted, how he may help his brother. When he learns you can get it as a baby he insists they travel again--to a clinic. They want to know if Emmanuel is going to be like their mother or father. They want to know if he will die. After many agonizing minutes they find out he is well...he is negative!!! By the end of this story Emmanuel is 7 years old. A World Vision worker has come into their life. They live in a real house, have clean water and can go to school. Not all of these stories have a "happy" ending, but Emmanuel did.

Going through this with Christian was very special. He was sad and concerned for Emmanuel and Fred throughout the story. He was sad when their mother died, but was so happy when he learned Emmanuel did not have AIDS. When your story is through you enter a chapel area with pictures of Africa and the people who live there. Your headphones are playing quiet music, some scripture is recited and you are encouraged to reflect on what you have seen/heard. A basket of pictures is nearby filled with children that need your help. You are asked to take one and pray over them. We picked a little boy named Samuel. Outside the chapel is a wall full of children you can pick from to sponsor. Some people like to pick one near the birth date of their own child or or other special date. Christian wanted to keep Samuel...he said that's who he prayed for and that's who he wanted to help. We talked about all the things that are different in Samuel's life and how Christian could pray for him. We agreed that some of the money he might earn for helping around the house could help Samuel get food/water, clothes or books for school. We have prayed for him each night (even though C was quick to point out that Samuel lives on the other side of the earth and he is waking up when we go to bed--such a smarty pants). We look forward to writing him and getting to know him better over the years.

Christian's eyes were opened to another part of the world. He asked some hard questions, but we were able to work through the answers. He realizes a little more just how good he has it. He made the connection that Daddy's hard work at the office every week is what pays for his food, house and toys. He said he was glad Daddy did that for him. He is grateful that his mommy is here to help him, love him and teach him. I hope he remembers this experience for years to come...I will.