A Sweet Date Night

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If you have been around here for awhile, you know how much we value purposeful time together as a family!

And, by the way, thank you for being here!!

You all are so sweet to read this little blog of ours!

Anyway – this last week I mentioned to Blake that I would like to do one-on-one date nights with the kiddos again this summer like we did last summer.

Friday morning rolled around and I texted Blake saying I had a better idea – why not bring two kiddos on date night at a time instead?

He loved that idea and we decided to do it that evening!

I let the secret out around lunch time that Tate and Eliza were going on date night with us that night.

They were thrilled!

We headed to town to run some errands while we waited for Blake to text to say he could meet up with us.

We had packed a cooler for our dinner, but met Blake at the grocery store to pick out a few additions to dinner and some ICE CREAM, of course, of course!

We ate at a coffee shop.

These two were HILARIOUS.

Aren’t they cute too!??

Ok, then.

Blake had bought coffee for us at that coffee shop where we ate our dinner – and we literally threw it all away.

It was SO BITTER.

Since we were eating a from a cooler of our own in their coffee shop, we did not feel right about complaining about their coffee!

As soon as we were done there we headed to Starbucks!

Coffee for Blake and I and juice boxes for Tate and Eliza!

We shopped a bit (see Eliza’s cute new hat?) and then it was time to get those groceries.

Grocery shopping is the pits until you bring two seven year olds along with you!

Between listening to Tate and Eliza’s comments and questions as they experienced a bit of the world, to singing hymns with them in the van at the top of our lungs, to seeing their delight in the special attention they were receiving all evening – well, it was pretty much the best date night ever!

I sure hope we remember to make this a summer time tradition!!

Life is flying by, and it takes thought and purpose to do things like this!

Chad and Lane are up next!!

I CAN’T WAIT.

Father’s Day

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We really enjoyed celebrating Blake and David on Sunday for Father’s Day!

I love this photo of our leader with his seven arrows (and Clyde!) so much!

I wish I would have gathered David with his arrows for a photo as well!

The kiddos had fun picking out gifts for Blake and Addie and I had great fun making all the food!

We chose fish tacos with all the yummy fixings for dinner, and a chocolate strawberry trifle for dessert.

There were no leftovers, so I know the meal was a HIT!

After dinner it was time for gifts and cards.

Our precious Eliza.

She enjoys writing cards and notes to others.

I think this is her love language!

She wrote this card to her Daddy all on her own.

SO sweet!

After the gifts were open, we had dessert and just enjoyed being together!!

Chocolate smiles from Ellie Joy –

I tried to pay tribute to Blake on Instagram on Sunday by sharing with words what he means to us.

I could not find the words!

Chad told me I was having an “Insta-cramp!”

Ha, ha!

How do you find enough words to accurately describe a man like our leader?

He is self-less. One hundred percent of the time. Always serving others first and most.

He is driven, purposeful, and full of vision for our family and our future.

He is patient. In a way I have never seen in anyone else I know. ALWAYS patient.

He pursues me. Treasures me. Cherishes me. And each one of our children and grandchildren too.

Blake LIVES the way Jesus commands us to. In all he does and says.

He is inspiring.

He has been a father for 26 years now – and is still ALL in.

His children are blessed.

So am I.

I shake my head often as to why the Lord would give someone like me someone like him.

I am so undeserving!

But I am SO grateful the Lord did.

Blake, you are SO loved!

We do not celebrate you NEAR enough!

Happy, Happy Father’s Day, sweetheart!

Happy Father’s Day to the absolute BEST son-in-law as well!

A Cold Week of June

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Hello from chilly Wisconsin!

As I type this, I have on a big fleece sweatshirt and am wondering if we are going to need our furnace turned on again?

At least it is not raining today!!

We enjoyed our week despite the weather and did have some moments of sunshine that were delicious!

The kiddos signed up for the reading program at the library…which is really not a challenge for them, but it is fun to keep track of their minutes of reading to earn those free books!

My love of reading has yet to return!

I do not have much time to sit still these days – and when I do, I would rather enjoy watching the kiddos!

When we go to the library, we also stop at our Coop!

I bought some greens this week since our garden is not quite ready to eat from!

I am loving smoothies lately.

Especially green ones!

Don’t you love that photo above of Ruby curled up on the couch in the middle of all those books?

She has mellowed quite a bit lately!

She still has a lot of pup in her too, but she is not as rowdy as has been in the past!

That swing on our lower patio is my new FAVORITE place!

Eliza likes to swing with me a lot.

The movement is so good for her!

She took a nap in the crook of my arm on that swing one afternoon and it just filled me up so much!

While she was napping, I was watching Chad play hide-and-go-seek with Lane and Tate.

Buddy, I don’t think this is the best hiding place!

We use the moments of dry weather to work outside too.

My grounds crew is the BEST!

They keep the land looking good!

Thursdays we head to Briar’s place for dinner!

I make and bring dinner, and everyone else comes there after work.

It brings a lot of chaos to Kay – but I know she loves it anyway!

We try to leave their place in great shape before we drive away!

This past Thursday I made sloppy joe’s, which Ellie Joy calls “barbie – shoo!”

I love her!

They have new kitties at Briar’s place, and they are a hit with ALL the kiddos!

One evening last week we had a storm roll in and the clouds were SO majestic.

I took photos standing at the end of our driveway from right to left!

Date night this past Friday was a grocery run.

Not all our dates are glamorous!!

We just enjoy being together!

But this time we literally ripped the grocery list in two, split up and met back at the front of the store when we were done.

We were tired.

Really, really tired!

Saturday was a huge day for the pool project!

The guys got to work early and did not finished until late evening.

The water truck was coming late in the day and they needed to be ready!

First up was getting ready for a load of sand.

The sand was delivered before lunch!

I was snack support!

They ate half of a watermelon in two minutes flat!

Eliza and I went to a bridal shower in the afternoon, and when we got back one load of water had been put in the pool and they were waiting on the second load!

The sun had went away during the afternoon, the temperature had dropped to 60 degrees, and the wind was fierce.

These poor guys have quite the stories to tell of how they did not let that pool fly away as they tried to set it to fill it!

It involves tossing some children into the pool – just saying.

Blake is disappointed that it is not set perfectly square on the foundation they built – but I have to say I think it is fantastic!

Eliza and I had a wonderful time at the shower!

Kayla and Briar went with us too!

Just look at what she filled out for the bride!

All by herself!!

SO CUTE.

Yesterday we celebrated Blake and David – that will be up next!

I just got a text from Chad, who is out with his Dad.

Chad just got a JOB.

He starts in two hours. I’m not kidding!

Okay then, I can’t see through the crying in my eyes to type anymore!

Happy tears! And growing pain tears! All mixed together!

Stay tuned for a post of our sweet Father’s Day yesterday!!

A Lunch Date

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Do you remember when I mentioned on a previous post that I had written down some goals for our summer?

I look at that list often!

One of my goals was to have picnics and play at different parks with the kiddos as the weather allows.

Sunday night I looked at the forecast, went to find Blake, and asked if he could join us for a lunch picnic in a park near his office the next day.

I was surprised that he said YES!

This guy of mine is SO busy at work, and we are thankful he was able to do this.

My crew and I headed to town to run some errands Monday morning –

and then we stopped for some coffee – just to get one for Blake too!

It was the most beautiful day, even though it was pretty breezy and a little chilly!

We met up with Blake in the parking lot outside his office and headed to the park to play and eat lunch.

Just LOOK at that sky.

The playground was new and nice, but Eliza was terrified of it.

The tears came.

Blake tried to help her, but she wanted nothing to do with it.

Sweet baby.

Soon I set up lunch!

It was yummy and so fun to eat outside with our crew!

As soon as lunch was over, Blake and I sat side by side at that table watching the kiddos….and sure enough, Eliza was trying and trying to get over to the slide by herself.

Watching her determined spirit to overcome her fear filled me to the brim with emotion.

You guys.

I can’t help but think of her beginnings in life when I see things like this!

What the Lord has done and is doing for our sweet girl is breathtaking!

She never made it over to the slide, but she was smiling from ear to ear.

We were too.

Go, Eliza, Go.

You are SO brave and strong!!

You are an inspiration!

I still cannot believe that I get to be your Mama.

Sweet baby, my heart is yours, and I am SO very proud of you!

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