Trip to Our Local Zoo

After trying two times previously to make it to the zoo, we finally got there for a family outing! Our local zoo is small but lots of fun for our kids. There are snow leopards, otters, snakes, bird area you can walk inside, a train to ride around in.

Gideon thought the goat was the most fun

Cutie pie children!

Gideon has definitely warmed up to the camera

Happy Chloe playing with keys

Family Camping Trip 2013

A few weeks ago we had the opportunity to go camping with our good friends Ian and Crystal for a weekend. We were crazy to do it seeing as we had seven children 4 and under. But we just went for it and it was so much fun! We picked a camp ground that had things to do there so that we wouldn't have to go far with our kids and they wouldn't get bored. So there was a pool, a playground and even mini golf. The kids had fun and we enjoyed time together. This was our first time not camping with Joshua's parents who always remember everything for camping and this was Ian and Crystal's first time camping as a family. So it was an adventure but we were prepared!

They had a train that rode around the campground a couple times

We went on a beautiful hike close by at Otter Dam that had a nice little waterfall...notice Gideon's new poochie lip look

Toddlers playing mini golf is really dangerous.

Ian and Crystal with their four little ones: Aria, Jack, Charlotte and Truett

How many trips across water does it take 4 parents to get 7 children? (New math word problem)

Chloe sleeping in my arms while we were walking around--so sweet!

Our cooking site

Joshua with his girls

Ian with his two little ones

Swimming at the pool

Family picture time

Memorial Day Cook Out

Sunday before Memorial Day my Dad came out with several of my siblings and we had a cook out...it was a lot of fun. They even helped me garden a bit before dinner.

 Matthew and Isaiah

 Isaiah and his Daddy

 Gideon and Benji

Cooking the food

Yummy

Miriam and Tirzah

Beautiful Spring

Raised bed turned into a digging area---best idea ever!!!

Prodigal Cat Returns?

Last week we had a cat show up that looks suspiciously like our little kitten that ran away over a year ago...has it returned? I'm not sure but I will say that the kids are ecstatic to have a cat! We have yet to officially name it anything other than kitty I think because we are afraid it will not stay. Meanwhile we enjoy the fact that it is here and loves the kids! Here is a post about the cat as a kitten: http://joshuaandstephanie.blogspot.com/2011/10/introducing-tom-and-huck.html

A Walk Up Memory Mountain...

This past week our family was able to go hiking with my sister Beth, my nephew Isaiah and long time friend Daniel. We hiked up Buffalo Mountain which has special meaning to Joshua and I as it is where he asked me to marry him! (If you want to see pictures from then--http://divided-heart.xanga.com/670354848/i-get-to-marry-the-love-of-my-life/ and yes Joshua is wearing the same shirt in both pictures because he calls that shirt his Buffalo Mountain shirt.) We haven't been up the mountain since right before Gideon was born. It was challenging hiking it with three little children but they were all troopers and did great! We made it to the top which has an amazing 360 view! We had a picnic up there and enjoyed all the rocks to climb!

Sister Beth and nephew Isaiah up at the top! Isaiah is no easy load to carry up a mountain.

Our little family...silly children!

Happily Married!

Playing on the rocks

Love the apple in his hand...such a Daddy...but isn't he so ruggedly handsome??? Love this man of mine!

Trampoline Time

On Friday night Bible Studies, I stay upstairs and watch our little munchkins! Last Friday Tirzah and Gideon discovered the trampoline and look at Tirzah's crazy hair! Chloe also got some time with Azariah who is a little bit older than her.