Wordless Wednesday

Happy

I live for afternoons here. Yes, it can get a little crazy...I call it the "witching hour". You know? That period from about 4pm to 6pm when the kids let their hair down after a structured day and go a little WILD? This is "my time" with them. Pushing them on the swings, playing ball, watching them ride around the cul-de-sac with the neighborhood kids (playing mediator and nurse). Life has been soo busy lately...in fact, crazy busy. I'm overloaded with my online teaching responsibilities on top of being a wife, mother, maid, cook...well, you understand. At the end of the day, it's about my family. So here's a pic of Kate running around the backyard. Unfortunately, the boys rarely stop and let me photograph them. Besides, they're usually dirty and smelly.

10-10-10

The four months worth of hard work is done, but it doesn't mean I'm not a ball of nerves! I keep looking at my Participant Guide...and it's a strange mix of both excitement and anxiety. This week is nice and light as far as training. Jason and I take off early Saturday morning with my training partner (and neighbor), Amy, and her husband, Bryan. I pray for great weather in the windy city on Sunday. Whether or not I meet my 3:40 goal to qualify for Boston, I know it will be a blast in an atmosphere of forty five THOUSAND participants!

Daddy's Birthday

We celebrated intimate family style! :) Chinese for dinner (daddy's favorite) and Baskin/Robbins Peanut Butter & Chocolate ice cream cake for dessert.

Alldredge Orchard

Pedal cars are fun....until mom says it's time to let others have a turn. Poor Nick!

A PERFECT fall day...sun shining, blue skies, puffy white clouds, a breezy nip in the air. No better day for a trip to the apple orchard. This has become a favorite place for us...a quiet little orchard out in the country. Nothing fancy...but perfectly autumn.

Meet Tilly!

We were not in the market for a family dog....but...I really and truly think this gal found us. A friend and former coworker through Facebook posted pics for a friend of hers who found two older puppies who wandered on their ranch in Lamoni, Iowa. I saw this little gal's face and felt the urge to share with Jason. After instant messaging him all day while at work, we decided to go for it. We had discussed getting a dog in the past and we always had conflict about size and breed and coming myself from a home growing up with shelter dogs or strays, there came a sense of guilt with purchasing an animal. My heart belongs to the often neglected...mixed breed sweethearts. Tilly, as we have named her, came to us Thursday night. The kids were anxiously awaiting her arrival. I'm not sure they were even this excited last Christmas. Shy and cowering...she entered our crazy home and it's only taken a few days for her to warm up. She is gentle, playful, mindful and already house trained after just a couple of days. She is a lover. We feel so blessed. Welcome to our home of chaos and love, Tilly.

Fall Trip to the Zoo

Last weekend we took a quick trip to the zoo...mostly to check out the new Polar Bear...and ride the carousel....and the train. It is really impressive how much this zoo has transformed over the

past few years. The improvements and new exhibits really are amazing.

Nephew Will

We were so blessed to finally meet our little nephew Will! I told Jim and Tara that if I could be guareteed to have such a sticky sweet mellow boy like Will, I would have another baby in a heartbeat. I honestly don't know if I've ever seen a happier baby! Can't wait to see you again Will! (Aunt Emily is really hoping for an excuse~Boston Marathon~to come your way!)

Grandpa Votaw

While on vacation, Jason's grandfather passed away. Jason ended up flying from Norfolk, VA to K.C. on Thursday morning to attend both the visitation and his funeral. I will most remember his great sense of humor and his love for his grandchildren. It was especially hard for Jason to lose this amazing man in his life, but Jason holds close the knowledge that this was a man who served the Lord. If your a Christian, you know how powerful a statement that is.

Everett Votaw 1916 - 2010 Eudora
Mr. Votaw died Monday, Sept. 13, 2010, at his home. He was born March 31, 1916, in Eudora, the son of Irvin and Myrtle Hayes Votaw.Mr. Votaw worked as a farmer his entire life. He raised cattle, pigs and other livestock. Mr. Votaw took care of the land that he was born on for over 94 years. He was a life member of the Hesper Friends Church.He married Margarett H. Tennyson on Nov. 20, 1943, in Lawrence. She survives, of the home. Other survivors include two daughters, Marilyn Wilson and husband Larry, Eudora, and Gloria J. Kazmaier and husband Jerry, Clinton, Mo.; a son, Alan and wife Delores, Eudora; nine grandchildren, Stan Wilson, Steven Wilson, Jeff Kazmaier, Jim Kazmaier, Jason Kazmaier, Glenda Hamm, Darrin Votaw, Chris Votaw and Eric Votaw; and 19 great-grandchildren. His parents and six siblings preceded him in death.

OBX-Some details!

OUCH!

Finally getting a chance to throw more than just a photo collage on here.

We chose to drive to North Carolina this year...and began our journey from Liberty at 6:30am on Friday, Sept. 10th and made it as far as Knoxville, TN the first night at about 7:30pm. We awoke and drove through the misty and foggy Smoky Mountains the next morning and continued our journey east. The kids actually did pretty well all things considered. We arrived on the Outer Banks at just before 4pm. The kids immediately ran down to the beach and their uninhibited giddiness was absolutely contagious. Jonathan hadn't seen the ocean since he was two and Nick since he was 7 months old. This was Kate's first experience and although hesitant at first, she became a little sandy beach baby pretty quickly. We had AMAZING weather and were lucky our time there was sandwiched in between two major storms. Sandcastles, wading in the ocean, watching dolphins from our deck, BBQ, flying kites, collecting seashells...it was the perfect end of summer vacation. We also visited the North Carolina Aquarium and saw SHARKS...very exciting for the boys!