Well, here I am again.  I want to try it one more time.  No promises that it will last, but I really like keeping track of my thoughts and the memories of my family this way. It really does help me to notice more of the little blessings in my life.   I have just spent the last hour looking back at the blog posts from the last several years.  Wow!  How my children have grown!  I have laughed and cried at some of the things that I have mentioned on here.  I don't remember everything that I have posted about.  That is another good reason to blog.  Another way to keep track of the "funny" things that happen here on the hill...such as...the other day-

 We are in full swing of the spring calving season- The boys were heading out to do chores and Jaden wanted to stay and watch the mama cow who was about to give birth.  My mom (who happened to be here) graciously offered to sit with her car (a.k.a. Gerti...that's another story for another day) running in the hay lot-outside the fence where the mama was in labor (those mama's are a little funny about you using their pain and suffering for your child's amusement...huh) and daddy and Jacob went on doing chores.  Libby and I came along right after the baby hit the ground so Jaden proceeded to reenact it for us.  Lord. have. mercy.  That kid is a handful.  Such is the life of a farm kid. They sometimes know too much and don't know when not to share what they know.  This also happened last year in his kindergarten class when he proceeded to tell his school counselor about bulls and their purpose.  Ugh.  What is a mama to do :)

yes I know these didn't post the way I wanted them too...I wanted the catching up post to post first but I couldn't figure out how to so...just pretend. OK? Thanks.

Wilson's travel North

A few days before school started we decided to pack up the bunch and head north-not sure where we would stop. We ended up in Minnesota and had a great time. It was a quick trip but a nice break from our hectic schedule. We drove by the capital....but didn't go in.

Actually, we didn't go in anywhere except our hotel and the Mall of America for a few hours. Like I said, we wanted to take a beak, so we checked into the hote,l and swam, and slept in, and ate breakfast at the hotel, checked out the mall, and rode a few fun rides while we were there, then headed back to the hotel for more swimming, watching TV, and goofing around. We didn't even get back out for dinner. We had pizza delivered to our room and it was yummy!! Isn't all food that is eaten in a hotel bed while watching a movie on TV?

3 cute kiddo's at the Mall of America

Who is that hiding in the middle?

J8 & Princess6 on the kiddie coaster

waiting in line for the bumper cars

better buckle up!

Watch out!

The lego store. pretty cool!

the princess looking at the American Girl Dolls
-no we didn't come home with one-I am mean, I know.

There were sooo many things to look at in there...it is every little girls fantasy, an entire store full of baby dolls, and they are all so pretty.

J8 patiently(??) waiting for his sister to finish looking at all those dolls

Lunch at the mall!

Cheesy Smiles!

We also went through the aquarium at the mall. It was awesome! probably my favorite part

This shark was swimming overhead. Sooo cool!

We had a wonderful trip and were all refreshed and ready to start the school year.

Catching up a little

Here are a few photos from this summer. One thing I have noticed is that when I am not blogging I am also not taking as many photos. I will try to do better but I am not off to a good start, yesterday was Princess5's-b-day (so she is now Princess6) and I forgot to take my camera. I think Gram took a couple pictures at school while I was passing out treats. I will try to borrow them if I can. ~By the way~ all of the children have now had birthdays and are now known as j8, Princess6, & j4. Why do they keep getting bigger??!!??

note---these photos are not in the order they occurred.

First Day of school

J8 going into his 3rd grade classroom

Princess6 going into her Kindergarten classroom

And then there was 1....who is kinda bored with mom.

J4's birthday Surprise! a gator-
and let me tell you...it can really go-you better stay out of the way

Chautauqua Parade-3rd Annual Alex's Lemonade Stand

Aunt Alisa got Married

yes, they shoved the cake in each others faces

It was a beautiful wedding and we all had a great time!

coming up next.....

OUR VACATION!!
(it is going to be a post of it's own-just because)

I am back!

I am gonna try my best to keep this blog updated again...I promise! I have really slacked off as of lately (since March). I found out I only have to go to class one night a week for the next 8 weeks then I am all done with classes and we have a month off before I start my practicum/student teaching. So since I only have to be gone 1 night a week I ought to be able to keep this up to date don't ya think!?!? Anyway...I will give it my best shot.

For now-

Here are Jaden's 4 year old pictures....

**WARNING**

Proceed with caution - these are so sweet they can't be good for ya. I am tellin' ya people,

my heart can't hardly take it - they are so stinkin' cute!

Happy Spring!

These Flowers are growing along the south side of Great Grandma Wilson's house. They don't get back before they are done blooming so I took some pictures of them this year to share with them.

We are all doing well. We are ready for spring to really be here with warm weather

all the time.

Yesterday we had several inches of snow on the ground but it is gone today with 60 degree temps. I wish the weather would make up it's mind. We have made a couple of new raised garden beds this spring and have planted some potatoes and lettuce but we are ready to get some other things planted! The kids are excited about gardening this year and hopefully they won't burn out about the time it is time to pick the corn and beans! I will try to update this again soon. My husband got onto me yesterday because it has been so long since I had updated.

But for now........

It is nap time, shhhhh.

Stress

I know it has been a while... Things around here have been a little ~ or a lot crazy. My grandparents have both fallen and broken bones in the last two weeks and I have been staying with them during the day-they are on the mend now and able to stay by themselves more. I am home today with a sick boy and trying to catch up on some things that need done around here. My Great Grandma Nina Hunt passed away last week, which was sort of a blessing because her frail little body was shutting down and she was suffering. It was very hard on her family to see her in such a state and she was ready to go home to be with Jesus. Jason's jobS are still keeping him busy for the time being but he has been told to prepare for a lay off from his St. Joe job in the very near future. He has been switched to a different shift right now and is working afternoons at St. Joe which makes for a hectic day on those days he has to teach. He leaves school and heads straight to his other job and isn't home much before midnight. He is home on weekends now which is a nice change. We know God has a plan, but during this tough time it is easy to loose sight of that and feel a little STRESSED!! I am taking a class on brain based learning right now and have really enjoyed the text book reading (never knew that was possible) and found it interesting the other day when I read this...stress is what occurs in your body as a result of your perceptions. Change your perceptions and change your stress level. Then today I came across the following on a blog I was reading.



Stress isn't a situation, only a state of mind. And my mind can choose the peace of God that passes all understanding....



Lord, cause me to abandon and abide. Even when things look just a tad bit tense around here... especially then!

(my three little blessings)