Final leg

We've had such a full summer and have made the best memories.  

I'm not ready to send these little chicks back to school just yet.

Here are just a few of the things we've been up to lately.

In this house we can entertain ourselves with playdoh for hours. And isn't homemade playdoh the best?  Here is Hayley organizing her creations in perfect little rows..

So orderly.

I was a leader at our church's girls camp this year. It was the sweatiest experience I've had in a while.  I swallowed my first bug, was stung by a huge wasp,  bitten by who knows what kind of bugs, and pooped on by a bird, but once I got out on the canoe with this fun lady.. all my camping troubles floated away.  This picture was taken just as we were setting out to start a water fight with the first year canoers.  You can see mischief in our faces.  Or maybe that's us trying to figure out how to steer our canoe.  

Tia would do anything to have her own puppy.  We aren't allowed to have them where we live, but if we did, we would have bought this one in a heartbeat.  I can't think of anything sweeter in the world.

Rita's water ice!

The best thing we've discovered out here.

Grammy and Grandpa Bret decided to come live out on the East with us for a couple of years, much to our delight!  (much much).  Actually it was my idea, and I am so happy they agreed to it.  :) They moved into an apartment complex that is just a 3 minute walk from where we live, and we've been loving every minute of our time with them.

Ty was so excited to help them move in.  

Grandpa Bret is just shy of the big 5-0 now.  We had a surprise party for him with a few friends of ours. It was such a fun time....and one of the few surprise parties that I've been to where the subject was actually completely surprised.  I'm still amazed that we pulled it off.

                                         

Out on the Chesapeake Bay trying her luck at fishing.

I guess it depends on what your definition of luck is....but she did catch something. 

 A beer can attached to some fish netting.  

Jordan ended up with a pretty decent catch too.  One of his hooks somehow found it's way into my left butt cheek.  

Ohhh did I howl.

 Beautiful Grammy and her little admirers

Do you see what is so hilarious about this picture?

It's a good thing I didn't eat like this while we were dating.  He would have run for the hills.

Heading back down to the beach this week, then off to Ohio next weekend.

We are so excited to see Jordan's parents and sister's family while we're there!

Jordan is away for a couple of nights at scout camp.  Sometimes when he's gone over night, I slip on one of his t-shirts so I can still breathe him in when I sleep...  Because I'm cheesy like that.

We had the chance to get away for our anniversary this year, thanks to Mom and Bret for being willing to take our kids overnight.

We made reservations to go ziplining...and reservations for a hotel room, but we decided to live in the moment for the rest of the time, and choose what we wanted to do as we went along.
It was the most fun and relaxing time we've both had in forever.  Until in the middle of our spontaneity, we ran into a truck.  Which then ran into another car.

It was the strangest feeling seeing what was ahead of us, and knowing we were going to hit hard, but not knowing how it all was going to end.

In those 3 seconds as our brakes locked and our car slid on the wet pavement, I was sure we were going to die.

I remember screaming "NO!!!" and then grabbing onto Jordan's shoulder with one hand, and onto to the door frame with the other.  I kicked my feet up onto the dashboard to brace myself, and then we hit.

The front of our car was in pieces

The inside was filled with smoke

 But we were still alive

and so was everyone else, and all was well.

I can't tell you how many times I've replayed that moment in my head and thought of all of the ways it could have ended differently.

We were so blessed that no kids were in the back of the vehicle that we hit...  So blessed that Jordan's airbag worked as it was supposed to, and that our dash hadn't crushed in....as my legs could have easily been broken in half.   Blessed that no injuries occurred, and that the other drivers were so forgiving.  Soooo Blessed that people were willing to go out of their way to help. 

Since it was pouring down rain during the entire ordeal, a very charitable policeman let us sit in the back of his vehicle until our tow truck and hotel taxi showed up.  

Since the 'accident' I have been told by a couple of people now that I drive like a Grandma.

I can't argue.  I drive 10 mph under the speed limit with my hands on 10 and 2 at all times.

 Safety First, people.   

It was difficult laying our Corolla to rest in that Pennsylvania junk yard, but we feel like he would have wanted us to move on,so last week we went ahead and purchased a 2006 Toyota Corolla.

She's beautiful and drives like a charm, 

(and plays something called 'compact discs' instead of cassette tapes.)

Feeling grateful for all of our blessings.

Happy Anniversary to my sweet, wonderful husband. 

Another year, another adventure. 

Like Mudder like Daughter

(Bad joke?)

This girl is so hardcore, 

she lost a shoe somewhere along the path and barefooted it the rest of the way.

We couldn't have been more proud.

But don't think we didn't strap her dirty little behind to the top of our van for the drive home. ;)

June happenings

On June 1st Jordan and I did a Tough Mudder.  

Unfortunately, this picture is the only proof we have.  

I'm the one toward the top/center wearing pink, and J is right behind me with the blue hanky on his head.

It was definitely one of the coolest things we've ever participated in.

Here is half of our team after the run, and all showered up.

A couple of friends have pointed out how funny it is that I always look like I'm 'posing' in my pictures.

Whatever, I don't even know what they're talking about.

Here we are at the Run or Dye 5k in Philadelphia. 

We had such a good time hanging out and getting dirty.

Today we both have sore throats from all of the dye that we inhaled/swallowed.

And when I blow my nose it comes out in all colors....but I'm telling you, totally worth it.

And these are just a few snapshots from our Father's Day 'celebration'.

Happy Fathers Day to an amazing Daddy.

We love him so much.

A day on the pond

 

Have you ever taken a paddle boat out on the lake?  

It's brutal, I'm telling you.  My buns are still on fire.

 I'll take a rowboat any day. 

Ty was loving being out on the water. 

I could tell, because he had his 'serious' face on the entire time.

I don't think either of us expected to get such a great workout from this outing.

I'd say it was the perfect start to our summer.

Library.

I've avoided going to the library for over a year due to the outrageous fines each of our accounts have accumulated.

I was sure they'd have a warrant out for my arrest by now.

This week on J's day off, we decided to show Ty what a library was, so that maybe in the future when his parents get their act together and pay up, he'll want to visit often and check out books like all of the other little children.

                                          

We sat and watched him play with the toys in the back corner of the library, while we avoided any interaction with the library staff.

While I sat there observing and snapping photos, I realized

it would probably be best to wear holey jeans when my knees aren't quite so frightening.

 eh?

 A couple of weeks ago, I had the girls make a list of things they wanted to do this summer.  Here is what Tia came up with.

I was especially amused with #5...which made me realize that

  some of our summer will be spent learning how to correctly spell the 50 states. ;)