Handsome Hunter

Hunting season is on again- grand total so far: 3 antelope- John is gone this weekend elk hunting, and every other weekend for the next 6 months is marked of for hunting of some kind! Let the madness begin! We miss you honey- see you next spring!

15 minutes before jury duty, John rushes home, trades out vehicles and heads to the courthouse!

Book Club Babes

Book club was this Tuesday night "The Time Traveler's Wife"- Kinda Weird, but pretty good!

Judy, Mandy, Me, Suzanne, Sarah, Jess, Candace

William's Birthday

We celebrated William's sixth birthday last month. All he wanted to do was have a party at the park in Thermop and go swimming- so that is what we did. It was just a small family party, and William invited one of his friends, but I think it was the best birthday we've ever had! He got a remote control helicopter and a bunch of other cool stuff!

William
Benjamin, Taylor, William

Field Trip

The kids and I recently took a field trip to the Pepsi plant with the Worland Homeschool Group- the best part- free pepsi fountian in the breakroom! No photos allowed inside the factory, but it was really interesting.

Wyoming Southern Big Horn Basin Young Republicans

John is the newly elected VP of the Southern BigHorn Basin Young Republicans, along with oour good friends- other officers Andy Degraw, and Amber and Tyler Greer. William thinks Politics are just as awesome as John does, this is definately the perfect group for them!

William reading his first sentence

William had such an acccomplishment this week- he read his first sentence all by him self- I was more shocked than he was! He has been doing so well with school, I'm so glad that I get to share all of these little accomplishments with him since were homeschooling now. John was home from work today week and played "substitute teacher"- he and William had so much fun! I know every parent thinks that their kids are the smartest ever- I'm the same way! Once William read this sentence, It gave him the confidence to try even harder, he's reading more and more each day- I'm so proud of him!

John's Deacon Ordination

This Month John was ordained as a deacon in our church. He's even taken on teaching Sunday School for the College Students (What a job!). I'm so excited that he is following God's leading in his life. His love for the Lord, and devotion to service makes him such a wonderful and supportive Husband and Father. What a special day to share with family and friends! I love you John!

L-R My parents Nana and Papa, Heidi, me, John, John's Parents Grandma and Grandpa, Front- Wiliam and Benjamin

Summer Fun

I can't believe I haven't updated the blog since Easter, I've really been neglecting it! Well, here is our summer in one entry!

The kids made a haul at a kids carnival put on by our local grocery store, best part- totally fun and FREE!

Our good friends Amber and Andy DeGraw had new baby Jacqueline- what a cutie!

Our kids at Tensleep fish hatchery, we made a couple of trips there, the kids love to feed the fish.

Heidi at Tensleep Fish Hatchery

William at Swimming lessons

Clifford comes to Worland! Heidi loved him, can't you tell?!

All Stars Dad and William

This summer, we all kept plenty busy! Vacation Bible School was the highlight of July- William, Benjamin, and I were in the Preschool Class, and John dressed up as Peter to tell the kids the Bible story each day. It was so much fun working together as a family to prepare the lessons and teach!

William and John tackled the T-Ball world this summer- William played on the Cardinals team, and John was his coach.

Family Reunion

We travelled to Brush Colorado for the Shade family reunion. John had a great time catching up with aunts, uncles, and cousins, and the kids loved the pool!

William, Benjamin, Heidi

Grandpa Bill with Brothers and Sisters

Easter Sunday

This Easter is extra special for me, it seems that everywhere I look, I can see blessing upon blessing. I recently gave my testimony at a Christian Women's Club here in Worland, and a teenage girl that was there made a decision to accept Christ- how amazed I was that God used me in such a way! John was recently elected chairman of the Republican Party for Washakie County, politics is a great passion of his. What an influential place that God has placed him, a place from which to shine the light of the Lord! The MOPS ministry is holding strong, and John was recently nominated to become a deacon in our church- what an honor and a blessing to serve God in our church and community. I am constantly amazed at how clearly I can see God's protective hand on us right now. With the economy unsteady as it is, and the newspaper each week listing more and more home forclosures, some of people we know- what a miracle it is that God has protected our income, and John is working at a job that he loves! The winds of change are always blowing, but what confidence we have in the Lord, confidence that come what may, we rest in his mighty hand!

Favorite picture of the kids- ever.

They are growing up so fast, it's hard to notice day to day, until I see a picture of them all together, I don't know where the time has gone!

Benjamin liked smelling the flowers at church.

Our yard- spring is here! The picture is deceiving- the rest of the yard is totally brown!

Egg Hunt

It was such a beautiful day, the kids got to hunt eggs outside for the first time EVER! It's usually cold and snowy, the nice weather kept them entertained all day re-hiding the eggs! The boys even hid them for me and John, I didn't realize how competitive we are- serious egg hunters I guess!

Teddy Roosevelt's eggs

Heidi and Daddy look for eggs, she was so sleepy- it was a short game!

Benny with his loot

A New Hair Do For Heidi Do...

Heidi has a new hairstyle thanks to William. He had cut most of the back off before I realized what was going on- thankfully, it was still pretty salvagable! All's well that ends well right?! It looks cute of course!

Karate Tournament

William and John had a Karate tournament a couple of weeks ago. William won a medal in breaking and self defense. He was a great sport, and we all had a great time cheering him on!

Padded swords

Breaking

Thanks Jess

"I will thank you with all of my heart, I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done. I will be filled with joy because of you..." Psalm 9:1-2

Thank you Jessica!

Happy Anniversary

John suprised me with an anniversary getaway this weekend. We left Friday for Red Lodge Montana, it was cold and snowy, but we still had a wonderful time! John is so good to stop and let me take pictures along the way, this is some of the cool junk we came across.

John

Happy Birthday Heidi!

Heidi celebrated her 2nd birthday this week, how time is flying! She fell so in love with Nanny's kittens in December, that we gave her a cat birthday. We had a great time at the community center with friends and family, she loved all her gifts, and of course loved being the center of attention!

We had the party a few days early on Saturday. On her actual birthday, daddy gave her a special gift, a little bird house with a secret compartment for storing tiny treasures!

She was great a blowing out the candles!

Karate Dog

William hasn't been very motivated a Karate practice lately, so his Sensei made a deal with him. If he worked really hard all week, Brian could come to class with him once. He made his karate debut on Monday- John said their was yellow hair everywhere by the end of class! It worked though, William had an excellent practice!

William, Brian, and Sensei

Morning in Meteetsee

Jessica Tharp and I took the kids over to the museum in Meteetsee last week- there was an Abraham Lincoln exhibit that William was really interested in seeing. Our picnic got snowed out, and we ended up having our luch inside the Cowboy Chocolatier- how convenient, we would've stopped there for desert anyway!

Me, William, Benjamin and Heidi

Look out behind you Jess!
Jessica and Beckett

William, Benjamin, Natalie, Heidi

Rabbit Hunting

John and William ended rabbit season with a bang- literally! We thought they just shot a super humongous cottontail- John figured out a few days later that it was a snowshoe hare- it was so big, I don't know how William was able to lift it!

Woof, Woof!!

We are so excited today! We've been dogless for about two years, and finally we have one again! The Greimsman family has had him since he was a puppy, but they don't have a fence and he keeps wandering off. We re-named him Brian- He's only a few months old, but is already a big dog! We saw him two weeks ago, but when we picked him up today, we couldn't believe how much he had grown! He's so well mannered and gentle with the kids, we think he'll be easy to train. He'll be in bird doggie boot camp before too long!