Daddy and Emalie

Jeremey loves it when he can get a baby to sleep with him. Emalie and Daddy took a nap on Mother's Day. Too cute!

Emalie has fallen head over heels in love with her Daddy. He walks in the room and she just grins and waits for his attention and then he talks to her and look out. Its smiles and giggles and she reaches out to have him hold her. It's just pretty darn awesome the love they have for each other!

Abbey's First Hot Air Balloon Ride

On Mother's Day weekend we go out to look at the balloons and pray to snag a ride. Jeremey rode first, then I got a chance. Luke, our pilot and I were discussing what was the age for riders. He said he likes them to be at least 10 so that if they have a hard landing they can handle it better. I thought to myself, boy Abbey will have to wait 3 more years before she gets to go up. The next thing I know, we are landing to switch riders again and Abbey is trailing Jeremey very closely as he gets back in the balloon. I tell her to get back and he says, oh she is going up. I quickly shoot a glance to Luke and he says that it is ok with him. So I hop out, and Abbey and Jeremey hop in. Quick little prayer is said to God above to keep her safe and up they go. This is the 3rd year our immediate family has flown with Luke, but he has been doing it for a very long time. I trust him wholeheartedly. He is an awesome pilot. www.freedomflight.org
Luke, Jeremey and Abbey ready to go up up and away.
Here they are getting low enough to touch the wheat.

Abbey after they got back to the airport. I asked how her ride was...AWESOME! She said.

The traditional champagne toast and history lesson about how ballooning first started and why pilots are called pilots! Then the first time riders get to drink champange. Abbey DOES NOT like champagne. She was also presented a certificate and special POW/MIA ballooning pin.

Our pilot Luke and Abbey after the ceremony.

First and Last

First Day of School

Last Day of School

First Day of School

Last Day of School

I am doing things so out of order I know. Things to look forward to:
Abbey's first hot air balloon ride
Cute picts of Daddy and Emalie
Soccer picts of Justy and Zachery
Natalie's program picts

We are celebrating Abbey's birthday this weekend so I don't know when I will get more posts. This way you can keep checking!

Emalie News:

• She is scooting backwards
• Moves forward, but not "officially" crawling
• Sits herself up from laying down on her belly!!
• Getting so close to cutting her first tooth
• Sleepin SO much better through the night
  
  

Sunflower Balloon Fest

Mother's Day weekend is our annual balloon fest. Our family for the past 4 years or so have been on the chase crew, and when we are lucky and there is a open spot in the basket, we get to hitch a ride! LOVE IT. I can not tell you how quiet and peaceful it is, and Luke our pilot is just the best! This is Jeremey flying with Luke. He could have got to long the time that he actually got to fly the balloon. He was very excited he got to fly it this year.
When I went up I looked back and saw some other balloons going up and some coming down. I think 6 or 7 ended up flying Friday evening.
Here is looking off towards Attica, just before we switched riders again. Luke took us pretty high this year, and I got to fly for about 20 minutes. The entire flight of the balloon was about 10 miles long. I think I have just as much fun chasing the balloon as I do riding in it.
Our shadow.

Daily Happenings

Just some shots of the day to day living in our house.

Couple things this morning.

I taught Abbey how to draw a star.

Natalie asked for breakfast blend coffee.

Zachery told me he had to poop and he did it on the potty!!

Emalie slept pretty good last night. Zachery the mechanic hard at work on the car.
I am sure if I hit it hard enough it will start!

Natalie at preschool with the baby quail that Sue brought.

Sisterly Love.

Emalie was done shopping!

Natalie and her tea party.

Picnic at the Lake

Two weeks ago, (where exactly does the time go?) we picniced at the lake. It was a GREAT day and saw some friends from Harper. The kids loved playing in the sand. Jonathon wanted to take Natalie down to the play area, which was the little beach by the edge of the lake. They tiptoed in the lake, I told Natalie don't get to wet. Well she "fell" and that was the end of it. Off came the clothes, Zachery saw and off came his too. They had such a fun time, and can't wait to go back!!! But Natalie the wise ole owl that she is suggested next time we wear our swimsuits!!! Zachery testing out the water.
Natalie and Jonathon splashing, before the big "fall"
And Miss Emalie just taking it all in! What a happy girl!

Happy Mother's Day

Mother's Day was Sunday and I am truly blessed! Look at what wonderful creatures God has graced me with to raise! I only pray that I teach them to know Him and love Him and turn to Him everyday. I AM SO LUCKY!!!!

A mama hen and her 4 chicks!

A mama hen and 1/4 of her chicks!

I was lucky enough to spend part of my mother's day with my mom. It is so nice to just spend time with her, and at the home that I grew up in. I just get so sentimental about home. It is only 25 minutes away and I still love going there! Maybe its the two residents there, the verdict is still out on that one! I have such a new respect for my parents, especially since we have 4 of our own just like they did. I think they did a heck of a job raising us, if I may say so myself!

A sidenote to Mother's Day is that I don't have to cook anything big for meals. We had sandwhiches for lunch and Amby made lasagna. YUM. Then we headed to see Nana for Mother's Day and missed dessert with her by 2 phone calls. Trust me, I am very disappointed. I hate to miss dessert! But we did catch up with them at her house and got to chat for a while before bedtime!

Happy Mother's Day to All and to all (especially mine) a Good Night!

Jetta Dawn

Can you believe that Jetta Dawn was a mom for the first time 7 years ago? She had her colt Rueben a few weeks before my baby was born. She got to come up to the house to ride with Abbey. Of course she got to ride a full grown horse in the back yard! I love how blue the sky is in the picture! Our horse girl!

Natalie even quickly braved standing by the horse to get in the picture!

Zoo pictures

To prove that we really did go to the zoo I will start with the animals. Lions, warthogs, gorillas and giraffes. I will let you know that I took more picts of the kiddos than of the animals! Are you suprised?

On Thursday we went to the zoo with Natalie's preschool and took Zachery and Emalie. A preschool friend joined our group for the day. Weather was beautiful!


Emalie really loved the zoo the first day, big smiles!!!
How cute, making sure Zachery doesn't run off!
Zachery got VERY EXCITED about the penguins! I got this picture in mid jump!
Girls and Gorillas!

On Friday, I rode the school bus up to the zoo with Abbey and her class. It is a long trip to Wichita with 40+ loud kids and a bus that drives 60-65! But I am very happy I did it. Nana brought Emalie up to the zoo late in the morning. The weather Friday was WINDY! I was in "charge" of 3 girls this trip. I was so scared I was going to lose one of them! But I didn't!

Wasn't I just here? De ja vue?
Future model!
Can you tell that Abbey loves animals?
Abbey, Madison and Mikayla. The girls took pictures at almost every sculpture they saw!