Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Kentucky Trip!

We recently made the trip to Kentucky for Grandmother's 80th birthday... It was so nice to catch up and fellowship with family again! Joshua and Farrah, as well as Joanna and Jaley made the trip down from MI... so that was a treat, especially since it was a surprise for my grandparents! The only bummer was that we didn't all make the trip this time due to work and farm care...=( We stayed for just about five days, and had a wonderful and memorable time. Praise the Lord!

Unpacking our **very** crammed van! =)
We aren't there too long before getting out the card games!
When Joshua and Farrah showed up=))) poor Abigail was instantly surrounded with eager aunts and uncles who hadn't seen her since she was five months old... =) She wasn't quite sure what to think at first... looking right past Russell's "peace offering" observing him instead...
UNTIL... he found the winner toy! And they found the way to her heart=) LOL!
Tuckered out!
We ate at Chik-fil-A, and Abigail got to play on an indoor playground for the first time!
I so love getting to be her auntie!

Touring the Patton Museum...
And came home to a surprise party for grandmother!
Corn hole
And Hannah patiently learning/playing Catan with us=)
Joanna and Jaley came a couple days after we got there... it was sad Evan couldn't make it, but we were happy for what we got anyway! Jaley gave and received a warm welcome by her GREAT-grandparents=) {Sorry, if I could've gotten this picture half a second later, PaPa's hand wouldn't be blocking her face. =( }
Love this <3
We ate out at P.F. Chang's for Grandmother's birthday dinner!

Quite a jolly bunch=)
Sweet Jaley got passed around the table a lot, and was just as content and precious as ever!
Abigail wasn't quite so sure about all this...
Grandmother blowing out her birthday candle... And then she let all the little guys eat her dessert for her=)
Although Alayna couldn't be there, she made Grandmother an apron for her birthday!
Sunday afternoon we visited with more of Daddy's family!
Hannah and Jaley <3
Now Clara and Trevor got captured and whisked off to play a board game!=)
The best family pic I could get on self timer=)
Our last full day we spent with the Jones family! 
We met James's wife, Ruthy, and their three children for the first time! It was wonderful finally getting to talk with and meet them after hearing so much about them!

We always enjoy walking out on their dock, feeding and fishing for the fish!

Looong time friends!

YAY! Russell caught one!


Seeing Anna-Frances on the stairs reminded me of so many years ago, when the oldest four of us would run up and down them SOO excited to be "at the Joneses home again!"

Farrah asked me to take Abigail's ONE YEAR old shoot... it was such a bummer I forgot my camera, but I did my best with my phone=)



"Let me see that phone a minute, Aunt Savana..."
"There, don't you like my selfie?" {haha!} Don't worry, she's not THAT capable yet=) this pic just looked so much like she took it herself because she's trying to grab the phone=)

"Are leaves edible?"
Happygail.

The little's enjoying their supper together...

Sitting around a cozy campfire while eating dinner!

Girls will be girls no matter what, when, or where=)

Joanna and Ruthy, with Jaley and Alivia... the babies were born just over two weeks apart! <3


Two of my best friends!

And thus ended a delightful evening with some dear friends! Joshua and Farrah had to leave straight from there for home. Joanna came back with us and spent the night, before leaving for home the next morning. And then we said our goodbyes and made our way home after a short, but sweet little "vacation"!
 "O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker. For He is our God; and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand."
Ps. 95: 6-7a

Friday, October 26, 2018

Some More Northern Travels...

This past month, Bo and I had the privilege of flying up to Michigan for a friend's wedding, and a week with our married siblings. Since Bo is now a private pilot {YAY!}, he and a fellow pilot friend flew us in a little 4-seater to Orlando... and from there we flew commercially the rest of the way. We had a blast every single day. It was just an amazing trip! It seemed like the days flew by, until we were homeward bound again. But that's just how good times are. We played volleyball {a MUST with these friends=)}, helped decorate and prepare for the wedding, witnessed the wedding {of course!}, went to church, joined up at a park with lots of my siblings' in laws and played soccer till dark, worked on Joshua and Farrah's house that they bought to fix up and re-sell, Bo and the guys played golf, while I visited a friend and her new baby, Bo went to Traverse City to work with Joshua, while Farrah and I painted at their house they're re-selling {Scottville}, spent a couple days and nights with Evan and Joanna, went sight-seeing with Joanna, went to church Wednesday night, went boating and jet skiing on Ford Lake with our married siblings=), played ultimate Frisbee with Joshua and Farrah and some friends of theirs, went ice- skating {Bo's and my 1st time!}, and last but NOT least... had some nice long catch up/theological discussions waaay past midnight=) Enjoy the pics!

Sorry for the blurry photo. My phone couldn't focus in the dark=/

We unexpectedly had the pleasure of taking a friend along with us, who was also attending the wedding! Although it was our first time in a small plane, it was a great experience!

The view of the ground from so high was spectacular!

Ready to go!

Annnddd... my lil' sweetie didn't recognize us at first, but eventually gave me this shy smile as we were driving home<3

Lots of fun!


Abigail loves her dolly...

But more so, her DADDY! LOL=)

The morning that Bo made friends with his niece... {haha!}

This is Joshua and Farrah's house on the outside.

The beautiful reception room...

Farrah made the cake, and did a fantastic job!

The beautiful bride! I can hardly believe she's already married... such a special friend<3


Evan and Joanna, and Jaley!

The finished cake=)

Soaking in special moments with Honeygail...


The pumpkin fields were amazing... as far as I could see were thousands of them!

Ahhh, the cool temperature was PERFECT for soccer!

Bo, taking a moment to work on "favorite uncle" position... [haha!]

Looks like it's working! Although, she was smiling at me instead of him;)))

The house in Scotville from the outside.

Holding a precious new life... Joy Siefka!

Playing "Ticket to Ride".

"I got this, Mama!"

Farrah bravely standing on a step stool, leaning over the steep staircase to paint as far over as she could! =0

It was fun painting together!

At Evan and Joanna's... They have a HUGE, very nice room... perfect for hospitality for a crowd!
Joshua and Farrah took us there and stayed for supper! 

"Where'd you go, Uncle Bo?!"

The best I could do...=)
Precious cousins!

{SMILE!}


Preciousness kept smiling and talking away to me! She is SUCH a sweet and content baby... always ready to smile for whoever, and willing to be held by anyone!

The picture doesn't do this gorgeous sunrise justice...

Bo and I took turns with her=)


"Babies are a gift from the Lord; Children are His reward." -Unknown Author