What a Difference a School Year Can Make!

B’s first day of school in September…

B’s last day of school in May!

The comparison of these photos makes me want to press pause on B’s little life even more and leaves me wondering how he will grow next school year!

Thank You Lord for Ms. M and Ms. A and how they so graciously loved B this year…You have blessed our family through Your provision!

Happy Wednesday!

Be blessed.

Diaper Day

It’s official the thermometer is over 90 degrees! However,  I don’t feel like I can complain because we really did have an unseasonably cool and amazing spring…so goodbye cool weather…hello SUMMER!

In effort to joyfully embrace the heat, I turned the sprinkler on for B this afternoon…HE LOVED IT! (I didn’t have my act together enough to put his swimsuit on, we’ll get there at some point.)

 

I found this toy in the “dollar” section of our grocery store…B loved watching the water wheels work as I poured water down the spout…this may be the best $2.50 that I have spent so far this week.

B moved onto the swing when he lost interest in the sprinkler…

I love this photo…it so captures our precious little B.  I am left wondering how the Lord is going to use those little hands and feet…?

I really do love summer time and playing with water, it makes me nostalgic for my own childhood…so summer….please bring it on!

More Happiness on this  Tuesday!

Be blessed.

Another Adventure & the End of an Era

B and I were able to sneak one last lunch in with my dad before he headed back north about a week ago…our time was really sweet.

 

B even got to go on a walk through the Botanic Gardens with his Gram and Grandpa, I am not sure who enjoyed it more?

Before C and M’s adventure unfolded, C and I were able to celebrate a quick birthday breakfast at our favorite bakery.  The women who work at the bakery surprised C with a personal-sized pecan pie when they learned that it was his birthday.

For C’s birthday dinner, I took him to Tillman’s Roadhouse…it was a total treat…and FANTASTIC! (We would highly suggest it!)

Later in the week, after C and M headed off on their Arkansas adventure, B enjoyed some extra time with his Gram before the three of us headed to Kansas City for our own adventure to celebrate my cousin’s baby shower…

We met my grandma, aunt and cousins from Minnesota in Kansas City…all the girls (and B) were able to come together to celebrate!

B and his “cousin” A had fun playing together…the two are just three weeks apart…

They enjoyed taking a couple walks tandem in the stroller…

And then helped my cousin’s husband, D, sell items at the neighborhood garage sale…

B was quite fascinated by the calculator and masking tape!

D and my uncle B, took care of B and A while all the girls attended the shower.

This is a photo of all  the girls (plus B) before the Minnesota group headed home…it was a real treat to celebrate baby “L” and her mom with everyone together! (Unfortunately it doesn’t get too happen often).

After making the drive home, we met up with the “boys” and heard all about their big trip…I am continuing to thank the Lord for protecting them as they kayaked!

Before my mom and M headed home, we made one last trip to our favorite ice cream shop…

And then M’s Texas era came to a close…all packed up and ready to head North.  I really am excited for M’s new chapter that is opening, but selfishly am a little sad as I realize that he won’t be living in Texas anymore…it was a great run while it lasted!

Whew…! What a week! Continuing to be thankful for safe travel to Kansas and Arkansas!

Happy Tuesday!

Be blessed.

Praising God!

Last night and this morning, I have found myself praising God for His gracious provision and protection for C and my brother, as they went on their kayaking adventure...as stories from the trip emerge...I am so grateful that they were kept safe and grateful that they both had a fantastic time being outside experiencing God's creation!

Kayaking the Buffalo River (somewhat picture intensive, fyi)

Here is J and I about to put in at the Ponca low water bridge.  There was approx. 24” of airspace under the bridge at 2 pm on wed 5/19.

 

Here is J heading down the river for what looked to be a pretty uneventful float of the Buffalo.

Here is a view from our campsite (Jim’s Bluff).  Notice that we pulled the kayaks up a few feet as to make sure the river wouldn’t rise and reach them.  We knew it was supposed to rain that night, but figured a few feet above the river should do it.  We also tied the kayaks to the tree, thank God.

Here is the river the next morning for comparison sake.  It rose over 5 feet in about 10 hours.  Yes, the kayaks are floating.

Here is our campsite which protected us from a pretty incredible storm (thunder, lightening, and several inches of rain).

Wed. afternoon we got a hike into Hemmed-in-Hollow.  That is J and I at the bottom left of the picture.  The fall is 220 feet or so.  The tallest in mid-America.  I wont mention that I have rappelled it.  That would be borderline bragging. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpoeFpxDV6A)

Here is a view of the campsite from the river.             

Here is a view of the campsite the next morning.  We thought we were hearing that waterfall for most of the night and didn’t realize that we were actually hearing rain the entire night.

A waterfall and Romans is a great way to start off any morning.

More or less a view from where I was sitting in the previous picture.  When we were returning from our hike to hemmed-in-hollow, we saw two deer start to check out our tent.  We never saw them again.

Nothing like toasted bagels and peanut butter for a hearty breakfast.

J and I enjoying breakfast on Thur morning.

This is the creek that is fed by hemmed-in-hollow.  After the rain that we got, we just had to go check out the fall the next morning.  (I will post a video of the falls that morning, words wont do it justice)

I am going to pause here and apologize for not taking any pictures of the swollen river (did I mention it was 3 feet above flood level?).  J and I did get dumped once and the ride that we got to have (I say ride, it was more like a float down a torrent through a forest) was humbling.  We only went a mile before we got out and decided to wait a day before getting back on.  The first question we got when we pulled into Kyle’s Landing was, “how did ya’ll get on the river?  the NPS isn’t letting any one on.”  We answered, “yeah, that is probably a pretty good idea.”  We had 4 different groups come find us to ask us how we got on the river and how bad was it.  Needless to say, it was probably a very good idea we didn’t try the next 4 miles section of river at the rate it was flowing on Thur because even on Fri it was pretty hairy.

 

Just for a point of reference, when we floated in on Thur afternoon this pole was completely submerged.  The red part of the pole means that the river is in a flood stage, but the pole was covered as we came into Kyle’s Landing.  This is the pole on Fri morning.

This was a downed tree (did I mention that the river flooded and we saw carnage that was pretty incredible the rest of the float?) across the river.  I saw this as we turned an almost 90 degree corner and luckily we were both able to get to the gravel bar and not get sucked into the current.  There was about 2 feet of clearance and neither J nor I are that short.

This is the other side of the tree (which we did call the NPS to tell them about it at the next landing).

Obviously the river calmed down considerably on the lower part and it turned into a true “float”.

The river was flowing so fast (we did a 5.7 mile stretch in less than an hour Fri morn) we took some generous breaks.  And yes, a pfd can double as a pillow.

Yours truly cooking some supper at our campsite on Fri night.

J working on drying out some gear after an eventful Fri morn ride.

Like I said, it was a float towards the end of the river.  All told it turned out incredible.