whew ...

What do S'Mores ... Floating Floors ... Hurricane Winds ... Pirates and Rolling Babies have in common? They were all a part of our very eventful weekend!

Friday:
We had fun with friends at the Kid's Connection S'More's party. We kept warm by the fire and roasted marshmallows ... Hayden ran around with Josiah, Aley, and Wilson ... Ellie and Lars snuggled with mommies, and we all went home smelling of smoke with thoughts of s'mores dancing in our heads. A delicious idea from our dear Christine ... try strawberry marshmallows ... it's like having chocolate covered strawberries over the campfire! Yum!

The Fire-Man

Hayden Proudly showing his S'More

Saturday: Saturday we were back at the church, only this time at the office for a work day. The flood in May that ruined the basement carpeting/office space right before we came was ready to be made new again, with beautiful wood flooring and furniture!

Basement Before (South Wall)

Basement After (Northwest Wall)

Sunday:
I have never been through a hurricane, but the winds in Rapid City today must be close. Our neighbors metal-frame canoe was in the pasture behind our houses with the cows this morning, and our rocking chairs were clinging to life hanging over our front porch.

The GREAT NEWS is that the sun is still shining in the midst of the chaos and 39-degree temps.

You know that you're supposed to be somewhere when your 5-year old is in tears on the way to the car after church because he thinks he'll fly away, but he gets into the car and says "Mommy, this place is super cool!" God is so good to remind us through our little guy that through every storm (even wind storm) and sunny day He is with us and is taking care of us. You know you love a place when despite it literally knocking you over, you're excited to call it home! David actually went golfing in the windy mess with his pal Dale ... it's a Sunday afternoon tradition, and apparently no wind can come in between a man and his golf game! :-)


Also ... there's tumbleweed here - lots of it ... it's not just in Kansas ... another fun treat for us.

Hayden went to the movies today with his buddy Kayla. They watched the Veggie Tales PIRATE movie at a theater downtown that has older movies for very cheap. It's great for them because they're both quite independent and seem to suit one another well. He has been talking about it for weeks and when I went to pick him up from their house, I had fun talking to her mommy and the kiddos had a hoot running all over playing - no screaming, no arguing, nothing but squeals of fun and the noise of the "bbq grill" where Hayden was making everyone bacon. Yummy! Haha!

In other exciting news ... our little girl has now been dubbed "rolley-polley!" She's going back and forth and clinging to teething toys like her mommy to coffee! :-) She'll be 18 weeks tomorrow and what a fast four and a half months it's been!

mmmm ...

Ellie LOVES to sit up and talk to her big brother!

That's about it. Whew! We need a nap!