Landon is 4 today!!

at 08/31/09 10:28AM

Our little boy turns 4 years old today! We had a great time over the weekend with his birthday party! It was a car theme. We had each boy bring a vehicle they like to ride on or in. They got their vehicles ready for driving by stopping at the DMV station, the gas station, the Mechanic shop, the car wash and of course the tattoo shop. We decorated all the vehicles with streamers and balloons. Then, it was time for a parade down the street:) It was so cute to see all of them in a little line all cute and happy:) The big hit of the day was then a friend at church who brought his cool RoadRunner hot rod to take all the kiddies on rides around the block!! Here are some pics of our fun day! Happy Birthday Landon:) These will be some great memories in the years ahead!

Too cute! Happy 4th Birthday, Landon!

by kristindoula at 08/31/09 10:37AM
You guys always do the neatest things! I love it!

by kris at 08/31/09 10:44AM
Very creative!

by megan at 08/31/09 11:08AM
Oh!!! The party looks like it was adorable!! Great job!
Happy Birthday Landon!!

by nanna at 08/31/09 11:39AM
Very creative! Glad he had a happy day! Wish I was there to pester him!

by loveofjebs at 08/31/09 12:32PM
That's awesome! We may have to steal that idea or create our own variation of it.

by buddabignbald at 08/31/09 1:02PM
Happy Birthday, Landon! Love you! We had so much fun at the party! Joseph loved the wooden car, license plate and driver's license that Uncle Forrest made for all the little boys too! So cute! :)

by txwhittlec at 08/31/09 3:29PM
What a FABulous idea, Leah! You all did such a great job!

by cherri at 09/01/09 1:10PM
Cute

by im_a_texan at 09/01/09 10:18PM
Wow! Very creative and fun. Happy Birthday Landon!

by jaydon at 09/01/09 11:51PM
What a WONDERFUL idea!!! I am beyond impressed! Great, great job!!

by fog at 09/02/09 1:23AM
What an awesome birthday party!

by littlelamb at 09/03/09 11:02PM
Such a cute party theme! I know it was lots of fun for all the kids.

by saricbradley at 09/16/09 11:11AM
That looks like a great party! I am sure it will be one to remember.

by sunshinelove05 at 10/10/09 4:46PM

First day of school

at 08/17/09 3:42PM

Well, today was our first day of school for 2009-2010! It was Olivia's first day of Kindergarten:) So, now I officially have three students:) I am so happy that it all went smoothly and we got everything done we needed to! It is always a little sad to leave the summer break time and all the fun that goes with, but also fun to get onto our routine again and have fun learning new things. I'm excited for what the kids will learn this year and all the activities we have planned:)

Here are the pics:)

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2032229&id=1372767538&l=a23b8c2a2d

Have a great year!

by scline at 08/17/09 5:15PM
The pictures are so sweet. I really can not think of doing school yet. Summer has just begun here.

by jaydon at 08/17/09 9:32PM
Glad the first day went well.

by nugglefriendcuz at 08/18/09 8:46AM
I am so glad that things are going well! Olivia! wow! It is hard for me to think of her doing school when I can remember her being born! =)

by nanna at 08/18/09 10:24AM
Cute pictures. You have very cute kids. I'm shocked at how big your little one is, but I guess my little one looks about like that too. Crazy.

by missysnapp at 08/18/09 12:53PM
Hope you have a great school year!

by bzyabsma at 08/19/09 8:16AM
Sounds like you are doing well here at the beginning and ready for day 3. Yes, I love the schedule to keep daily. Much easier to keep everything accomplished. Hope that everything continues to go well!

by howcolwhit at 08/19/09 9:22PM

Fancy Dinner

at 07/20/09 8:45AM

Saturday eve., I went out to excersise and when I came back , some of the kids met me at the door and said that I couldn't look in the kitchen because there was a suprise. They asked me to take my shower then and to please get dressed up in a dress and jewelry and make-up. (bossy, aren't they?? :) So, I did. I even had a girly sun hat with a pretty bow, from our cutie older , lady neighbor next door. I put it on and my dress and jewelry and make-up (all the while the kids knocking on my bedroom door, wanting to know if I was ready yet:) and came out. They made me keep my eyes closed and they led me to the kitchen and let me open my eyes. They had the table set with a fancy table cloth, home-made name cards at each persons place, the good dishes and glasses out, they were all dressed up in dresses and bows and jewelry (Landon had a nice polo and khakis:) and they had all the left-overs in the fridge warmed and ready to eat. It was all so cute and so sweet!! It was a night I hope not to forget. I didn't take any pics, but my heart did:) It was perfect:)

Yesterday we went to Patterson, MO. Forrest helps to preach at a very small congregation there, every few months. It is about a two hour drive. We enjoy going to be with all the sweet older people there and to get to see the beautiful scenery. It is gorgeous country, everywhere! We are thinking of camping for the weekend on our next visit there. I also love the drive because I get to talk to Forrest for hours and there aren't many interruptions:)

The kids are done with the summer reading program, but have started over and are going for more prizes. We enjoy the reading and fun books. (The free Sonic slushies and ice cream cones help:)

We hope to go to another VBS this week. A "neighboring" church, Kirkwood, will be having theirs this week. We have lots of great friends there and love being with them all. The kids are excited. It will start tomorrow and go four days.

I still need to do lots of work in our school room. I have been procrastinating. I love the summer as much as the kids:) I plan to work on de-junking and organizing and putting away and getting out, more this week. We have one month left! Olivia will be starting this year:)

Our good friends, Brad and Alyson Hopkins, came over to hang out with us on Friday night. It was a lovely evening. Our kids have a lot of fun with each other. Our weather here has been more like fall. The kids all went swimming, but were all shivering...cracked me up. We had a fire and roasted marshmallows and made smores. It was fun to be with them as usual:) They are a great family.

I am doing a produce co-op for the first time. It was really cool. I get a whole big laundry basked full of great produce for $20....which is way cheap for all that was in there. Very fun:)

I miss the garden this year. It just doesn't seem right not having one. I feel like I'm doing nothing. It's weird. We will have to see what we can do next year.

Love to you all! God Bless your day:) ♥

6-25 of 25 comments « prev 1 2 next »

Great update! Your fancy dinner sounds like the best. Yeah, what were the leftovers? :)

by stitchinmom at 07/20/09 11:53AM
That is the sweetest dinner ever! And I love how your heart took pictures! One of my favorite blessings is our memory and the sweet, sweet things we can keep with us because of it.
I wish we could go with you all to get free slushies and ice cream...

by click at 07/20/09 12:44PM
a hug for Mariah*

by click at 07/20/09 12:44PM
a kiss to Sophia*

by click at 07/20/09 12:44PM
a smile to Olivia*

by click at 07/20/09 12:44PM
a squeeze for Landon*

by click at 07/20/09 12:44PM
a smooch to Cecilia*

by click at 07/20/09 12:45PM
and big bear hugs to you and Forrest!*

by click at 07/20/09 12:45PM
You have some very sweet kids!
I'm glad you had such a great weekend!

by angelad at 07/20/09 2:25PM
Oh my! You have just about the sweetest family ever! I miss you all so much! Reading this entire post reminded me SO much of the summers in St. Louis spent with your family doing a bunch of those things.
I miss the library! and the reading program! and going and getting prizes! =)
We were just talking about Patterson the other day and wondering how they were all doing! I'm glad that you all still go and visit there!
I miss going to Kirkwood and seeing everyone there! I miss going and being apart of VBS!
Most of all, this post has made me miss you and your wonderful family!
May God Bless you!
xoxo

by nanna at 07/20/09 5:29PM
Loved the fancy dinner story. The things Kids can think of. So precious.

by fog at 07/20/09 10:36PM
Awesome children! Sounds like a great summer!
I think I knew Brad when I lived in Indiana...if it is the same Brad Hopkins I knew.
I am with you ...working on organizing school things too! :)

by shawnsgirl1 at 07/21/09 11:51AM
Very cute fancy dinner! I thought you were going to say they made some fancy pancakes. ;-) Glad you are having a fun summer!

by txwhittlec at 07/21/09 3:21PM
Wow, sounds like a wonderful evening. I have been procrastinating also. Wish we could come visit. Maybe sometime in the future.

by nugglefriendcuz at 07/21/09 8:21PM
I loved the line, "I didn't take any pics, but my heart did."

I used to belong to a co-op and I loved it! I need to get back to it because it really caused us to "eat outside the box", or rather to eat what was inside our box, things we didn't normally eat. The one I used to belong to also came with two dozen free range eggs and two free range chickens. It was a lot more expensive than $20. It was around $100 every other week, if I remember correctly.

by matermagistra at 07/22/09 10:44AM
I wish we had a co-op here, I would love that.

Love your updates!

by becfie at 07/22/09 3:58PM
Sorry that I've seen this so late! How precious are children! They can do the sweetest things and surprise adults! You all will never forget this event! Life is being filled with many treasures!

by howcolwhit at 07/23/09 2:50PM
aw i love your kids they're all so cute :)

by iluvsunflowers at 07/24/09 1:01PM
That sounds like a wonderful surprise from your wonderful family! I know you deserved it!
Have a great weekend.

by bzyabsma at 07/25/09 8:33PM
How sweet!

by littlelamb at 07/29/09 2:59PM

Packing it all in:)

at 06/19/09 8:35AM

As usual, the summer is flying by. I can't believe that we have already had a month of break. We have done a lot in that one month. Here is a run down:
picnics
lunches with friends
sewing projects
Went to Indiana to visit Grandpa and Grandma Whittlesey
VBS
lots of swimming
picking strawberries
Uncle Josh and Aunt Karen and kids here for a visit from KY
Six Flags for a day with friends
Summer reading program
Zoo with friends
Jeb and Sheila Reeves and kids here for a visit
Picking blueberries and cherries with friends
Friends took the kids for a free movie day at the theatre
catching lightning bugs
AND promises of more fun to come:)
We look forward to having Grandpa and Grandma Hall and Aunt Hannah come next week for a visit!!

I had to give up the garden this year. I do have a couple of plants going, but that's it. I just can't afford to fight these animals this year... very frustrating!! I have joined a fresh produce coop. I am looking forward to that. I will also just get my "crops" from the local farms around here. It will just have to work for now.

Forrest went back to work this month!!! We don't ever know how long it will last, but we know there is nothing to worry about. God gave us work to do the whole time Forrest was "off". He is so good...beyond measure:)

Hope you all are enjoying your summer too!! Love to all!!

Wow, that sounds like a lot of fun! I love summer although the summer weather has not yet reached RI...hopefully soon!

by comade at 06/19/09 9:27AM
Sounds like a fun summer!

by littlelamb at 06/19/09 9:53AM
i think mom and dad hope to be up over the 4th of july holiday to visit carol and bert. hopefully your paths will cross at church! :)

by amyjane72 at 06/19/09 10:44AM
You've been busy! Glad you're having a nice summer!

by karatemom at 06/19/09 12:15PM
Sounds like a fun and busy summer! We look forward to seeing you all in July! :)

by scline at 06/19/09 2:46PM
We picked strawberries the other day with some people from the area (and the Williams. =))..We missed doing it with you!

by nanna at 06/19/09 3:54PM
Sounds like a blast! Esp. jealous/happy for you guys to visit with Jeb and Sheila! I know know much Sheila just loves you!

by kris at 06/19/09 4:00PM
Our summer has been crazy like that also. I need it to slow down some because I have a lot of projects around the house I need to get done before school starts. Glad Forrest got a job.

by nugglefriendcuz at 06/19/09 7:40PM
Fun! :) Glad your summer is going well.

by txwhittlec at 06/20/09 12:27AM
Sounds busy and Fun. So glad Forrest is back to work. Hopefully things will pick again for everyone. Love ya cuz!

by mommyx3 at 06/20/09 8:14PM
I agree, that the time just seems to fly by when there are so many activities planned during the summer months. Here we are almost to the end of June already! Keep enjoying all the rest of the summer days!

by howcolwhit at 06/20/09 10:51PM
The Reaves were just visiting with Norm and Barbara Jo a week or so ago, in Gatlinburg. Plus they'll be moving here in August, I'm looking forward to meeting them.

by bzyabsma at 06/23/09 10:08AM
oooo kevin will want to know about this coop. He would love to have a place for a garden. found out the hard way our ground is too rocky. glad your summer is going well!

by sweetpeas at 06/24/09 2:15PM
Looks like lots of summer fun. Here summers are way to short. I have a bunch of screaming girls in my front yard having a water balloon fight right now and it's only 71 degrees,that's a heat wave for us! I wish we had lightening bugs!

by jaydon at 06/29/09 12:21PM
Had such a great time with you guys! We are back in Mexico and hoping to be home by the end of the month. Tell the kiddos hello for me!

by loveofjebs at 07/05/09 5:16PM
Just saw a great pic of your family on facebook.

by nugglefriendcuz at 07/13/09 8:59AM

News

at 05/18/09 10:27PM

Our last day of school was last Monday, May 11. We are on "summer break"!!! We celebrated with a picnic and fun play day at the park:)

Working on sorting the kid's clothing again. Putting away fall/winter and getting rid of what doesn't fit or we don't need anymore. Went through the toys finally and weeded things out that we don't need. Now, we just need to have a garage sale...which I am planning now for a week from Wed..May 27.

We are planning on going home to Indiana either tomorrow or Wednesday!! I am totally looking forward to being there and just having my mind on different things:) Home sweet Home:)

Making lots of Amish Friendship Bread each week. It is too good!!

Planted some of the garden tonight. Hoping and praying the deer will leave us alone this year.

Excited about going strawberry picking very soon and making strawberry jam...we are totally out:(

Getting ready for VBS in a couple of weeks!

3-22 of 22 comments « prev 1 2 next »

So will your garage sale be on the Wednesday of VBS? We will eventually need to have a garage sale...when I find the time to go through all of our stuff! We love the Amish Friendship Bread! Hope your garden does well this year and let me know when you go strawberry picking! Would love to join you! :)

by txwhittlec at 05/19/09 12:46AM
Yay for being done! I'm sure everyone will enjoy the break. ;) And have fun picking strawberries. Wish we could do it together! ;]

by click at 05/19/09 6:18AM
Yeah for summer break! My garden is doing great this year. We have already gotten spinach and lettuce out of it. Everything else is growing great. That is way better than last year.

by nugglefriendcuz at 05/19/09 7:11AM
I wish that we could be there to garage sale with you all! =)

by nanna at 05/19/09 10:01AM
I am sure it is nice to be on summer break. Have a safe trip to IN. Also, have a great summer!

by bg at 05/19/09 10:40AM
Ohhh picking strawberries sounds like fun and they are so yummy! Sounds like a good beginning to a fun summer!

by scline at 05/19/09 10:40AM
I am trying to get Devon and Gabriel done this week! I'm sooo ready. I don't think we'll be picking strawberries this year. :( The stand down the road must have had something go wrong with the crop. I'm on the lookout for another one. Enjoy going home!

by stitchinmom at 05/19/09 11:50AM
Silly me! I thought you said a week FROM May 27th! :-/

by txwhittlec at 05/19/09 9:24PM
Wish I could see you while your here. :(

by mommyx3 at 05/20/09 10:20PM
Yay! Sounds yummy!

by shawnsgirl1 at 05/22/09 10:19PM
It sounds like your summer is off to a great start! Amish bread WITH strawberry jam= YUMMY!

by julied93 at 05/25/09 10:23AM
mmm I LOVE homemade strawberry jam! I've never tried to make it though...

by cherri at 05/27/09 11:55AM
How did your garage sale go?

by mommyx3 at 06/04/09 10:53AM
So much fun meeting you. I need to stay longer so we can go yard saleing together!

by jaydon at 06/08/09 8:02AM
kristindoula referred me to you. I am *probably* moving to the NE side of St Louis in Sept, when I will be 6 months pregnant. Do you have any hospital, midwife, and/or OB recommendations for the area? I am very willing to drive a ways for good care. Thanks! :) I may be in the area at the end of this month and hoping to find someone I like, so they won't have a problem accepting me later on. p.s. I am Tammy's-nugglefriendcuz-sis in law.

by bigdeborah at 06/08/09 6:03PM
^I don't know how natural I am hoping for yet but I am definitely wanting to use some of the 'unconventional' methods of labor...still researching...but I definitely want support who will be supportive of the natural methods I do choose. Also, don't want baby to leave room, don't want 'eye goop' put in baby's eyes...things like that. I realize most hospitals will put up a fight, but some will more than others so I am hoping to find one that will be ok with my "crazy" haha ideas. They can think I am crazy all they want, as long as they don't go behind my back to try to do something or put up a 30 minute fight about all my wishes :)

by bigdeborah at 06/08/09 6:11PM
Thanks so much for your help! I also really appreciate the offer to stay with you, but I will probably end up driving up early one morning and driving back to Louisville that night. I am scheduling this day around some other things, so right now that is really the only way I can do it. Thank you so much though...that is really sweet! It seems like I have met you and your husband; maybe I have just heard your names from mutual friends, but I really think we have met at some point. Did you used to attend church with any of the Willis family? For some reason, I am thinking that is how we met but it would have been years ago, so I'm not really sure. I also used to be a Halbrook, so maybe you know Jonathan or David, my brothers?

by bigdeborah at 06/10/09 2:05AM
Yes, when you've told stories about your kids I've thought often that my kids would love them! that would be a big bunch of kids: ;)

mmmm...amish friendship bread is too good! my mom figured out how to freeze the batter!

by ericsgal at 06/16/09 10:39AM
In Florida. Somewhere : ).

by im_a_texan at 06/18/09 10:39AM
Thanks about the picture!

by im_a_texan at 06/18/09 10:39AM

140-144 of 144 entries « prev 1 2 … 25 26 27 28 29 next »

Landon is 4 today!!

First day of school

Fancy Dinner

Packing it all in:)

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