Fun Days

So our area hosts a big weekend every year with rides, parades, special events, sometimes fireworks (does every place with under 60,000 people do this? Maybe it's a Midwest thing?) Anyway, it's called Fun Days and we look forward to it every year.

People reserve spots for the parade 1-2 days in advance, the events are well attended, and the community just really gets into it.

Last night we met some friends at the Carnival and the kids loved it! And a fun moment for me? Feeling like this place, this town of 55,000 people is my community. It takes a while to feel like that but I realized it when my kids ran into friends, we stopped to talk with acquaintances and friends....this is our community and we have a place in it. 

Just like with anywhere you live, it has its imperfections but it still is HOME for this season of our life. 

Riding the train with their friend...so.much.fun :)

The Birthday Girl

There are perks to having a husband who works in healthcare. One perk? His schedule is very different than others and he often has days off during the week (the bad thing is when it comes to holidays and weekends and it seems like he has to work every holiday weekend but that's another post entirely!) Aubrey's birthday was on Thursday and Aaron had the day off so we had a very fun family day together.

I remember getting to pick a fun activity on my birthday every year so it's a little tradition we've started doing with our kids. We gave Aubrey some options and she initially wanted to do a waterpark but it was actually a bit cold (!?!?! July 2nd and it was cold! Crazy!) so her second choice was the Zoo! So very fun :) We are big Zoo lovers around here and with a membership, we can never go too often.

The Birthday Girl!



 We opened presents in the morning so the kids would have a little time to play with them before we headed off to the Zoo. Aubrey is all about princesses now....can you tell? :)

 Zoo + Cotton Candy=A good birthday!

 We got back a little late but eating cake was a must! The kids basically fell asleep eating cake because they were SO tired from their day!

 Happy 3rd Birthday, Aubrey. We love you and are excited for this next year!

When You Get to Do That Thing You've Always Wanted To....

I have always had this weird bucket list item: To dress up very differently than I usually dress and walk around a mall-seeing if people treat me different than usual.

On Wednesday night, our youth group held a massive game of hide and seek in the mall and we leaders got to dress up in disguise and walk around the mall. I went as this: 

It was SO much fun. I don't feel like I got treated much different (actually a little nicer?) but it was so fun....some of the kids looked right at me and kept walking because they didn't recognize me :)

Maybe next time I do this, I'll be more daring and see if I'm treated differently and I'll let ya'll know :)

Connor's Dedication

We dedicated Connor formally in front of our church on Sunday. We take our responsibility as parents seriously and use this opportunity to publicly announce that we will teach our children about the Lord.

Looking all dapper in his Sunday best

 Our pastor challenging and encouraging us
 



Connor grabbed the microphone during Pastor Greg's prayer and Aubrey ran onstage :) And somehow they did it so quietly that no one even noticed :)

My family

Us with the children God has entrusted to us. May we raise them right and not take the easy way out. May we have the courage to stand up for what is right even when it is not the popular view. May they see us loving God and serving Him. That was my prayer on Sunday.

Aaron's parents were able to make it as well

Connor with his great-grandma Julaine

Opening up sweet presents from family