Our FL visit

Well I know that this post is way overdue, but I had to get some other stuff put done first. The day before we left Noah and I picked this gargantuan tomato from our garden.


Noah was the talk of the airport with the tiger wheely backpack that "Baga" gave him last Christmas.


When we got into the airport, my aunt came and picked us up which was such a blessing. The next day we went to Tampa to look at a car we were interested in buying (a Jetta TDI what we later did buy from someone else) but it was in terrible repair. I did however get some shoes that day that have alleviated all of the arch and heel pain that I was having on a daily basis. I am so glad I could make the investment because I am not in pain anymore.

The following day we headed up to Gainesville to the Searby Inn. This place has the best hospitality, I swear! They even ask what you would like to eat and who they should organize to come and see you while you are there. You couldn't ask for a more accommodating Inn! While there, we took a stroll up to the local consignment shop. We got Noah a few Gator things to sport while back in Iowa.


That afternoon we headed over to our favorite pizza joint, Satchels. Now if you have never been there, the scenery in and of itself is an experience. We had a great time sharing a meal with Joel, Jen and Evan. The boys even played well in the "little kitchen" they have for kids before the meal arrives.


Yep, you can enjoy your meal in the V-dub Van...


The coolest junk shop including trinkets from childhood...




Evan enjoyed his meal...Noah still looks hungry...somebody get that kid some more food before he eats his hand!


That evening the boys enjoyed bath time together. It is really funny because that weekend the Searbys went to visit the Whitlocks and took almost the identical photo of Evan and Isaac at the tub...

Looking at the same toy... thinking about sharing...

The next day we were honered to meet little Landon Bradford Williams born to Josh and Krystle Williams on Sept 16th...just in time for us to meet him! He seemes so teenie and I just cannot believe how little they all started out at some point. For pictures of Landon visit Krystle's blog...I didn't have my camera with me:( Jen and Joel hosted an open house for us and some of our friends got to stop by while we were in town. I actually got a picture of Kelly, Noah and I, so she makes the blog:)



Noah enjoying Baby Einstein on the Searby Inn couch.


We traveled back to Gramma's that night. The following evening we had a party to celebrate Mom, Gramma, and Aunt Barbara's birthday. Amy and Brilei came up and Mike, Helen and Julianne came over and joined in the festivities, too. The little ones had some much fun playing together. Noah even got included in on the playtime most of the time.
Happy Birthday!!!


Before Julianne arrived Noah and Brilei were looking for the other tiger...


Cheers!



I believe I will have some more of that!


Helen and Noah...in his Big Boy Undies!




I know these are a little dark, but still cute videos of them all dancing...

Humble like...

When we planted our garden, Matt planted some sunflowers for me. It was exciting to see them coming up. Then as they towered over Noah, he found a haven for playing while Matt and I weeded in the garden. I wish I had a picture of that...but I guess there is still some time to get one. When the sunflowers bloom, they look so tall, proud. But then there is a change in their demeanor. Their petals wither, their flashy appearance fades. What they are left with is the substance which life is made of. Something for future generations. Life to be given through the seeds which are yet to finish forming. A little of the parent passed on to the next generation, whether the offspring like it or not. I think it is an interesting paradox. The way that children either embrace or reject their innate part of self that will never change because it is something that was passed down without the permission of the parent or the child. I wonder what I am passing on that will not sit right with my children? Or will they be able to love who they are? That is my prayer for Noah, and any other child(ren) we have. Realization of the person they are even if there are parts passed down that are less than desirable.




The sunflowers eventually lose their boastful attitude and bow before their maker. I wonder when that will happen to me, I pray that will happen for me and my family.

jalapeño, oh no!

Well, no exciting pictures to display for this one, but you will probably be glad once I explain the title. Matt and Noah were picking in the garden the other day when I ran out to pick up a book for my Christ Life Solution class that I am going to be participating in. If you want to more about that check out their site. As I pulled through the driveway and shouted my goodbyes to Noah, I see him eating something... a jalapeño. The first bite, the bottom tip, he was fine with and actually liked. As I drove off, Matt continued to monitor the situation. He told Noah not to eat any more and sure enough just like any good two year old does, he did exactly what he was told not to do. Maybe that is why positive commands work better. Anyhow, he took a huge bite out of the side of the "b(p)e-no" (a soft b sound that allows some air to pass through as a combination of maybe a 'p' and a 'b'?) as Noah likes to call them, seeds and all. It was just a few seconds later when the consequences of his actions caught up to him like a wildfire sweeping through the forest. And I am not talking about punishment from Daddy...daddy figured he was getting his punishment from the capsaicin in the seeds, and was he ever right! He started to scream...I am not sure of all of the details as to what happened next because like I said I was on my way out when the events started to unfold, but Noah seemed no worse for the ware when I arrived back home.

I couldn't have been more wrong. That night around midnight, Noah started to whimper a little. I figured bad dream, no big deal, he will go back to sleep. A few minutes later, I heard a gurgling noise and then a loud scream. As Matt and I jumped out of bed, I said- he just threw up! Sure enough the smell confirmed my assertions when we reached the top of the stairs. It was off to the laundry with the tigers (stuffed animals Noah sleeps with every night and plays with every day), sheets, bumper pad, pillow and pillowcase, blanket, and onesie to boot. And back into the bathtub with Noah to try to ease the smell off of his seemingly stained with the stench, skin.

Noah proceeded to be sick for the next 2 hrs and I thought all was well after I rocked him back to sleep and laid him in his freshly laundered bed. Wrong again! About 30 minutes after laying him down he was at it again. So, we went through the routine again and this time I decided to sleep with him in my arms for at least an hour (~4am) and then another 2 hrs on the couch. When 6 am, and the rising sun awoke me, I drug Matt from bed to help me get the little guy back to his place of rest for the remainder of the morning. What an adventure from such a small, little, pepper... makes me wonder why they don't put warnings on those things?!?!

Tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers, oh my!

Well as many of you know, our garden has been quite prolific. Noah has enjoyed our garden so much that all of the weeding was worth it just to see him get excited about a "wed" -red- tomato or a "bee" -big- green pepper. These are the hauls from the last few days.

Just as a reference, that is a yard stick. The largest cuke is about 18 inches long. They filled a 5 gallon bucket with one or two across the top and a few sticking out.


These are the tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, green and jalapeño peppers Noah and I picked the day after Matt's 5 gallon cucumber haul.


These are the 2 peppers Noah picked that day, but they didn't make it back to the house.

Noah loves fresh green peppers and doesn't even mind a little dirt!

James and Nicole are married!

Last weekend Matt's little brother married his beautiful bride Nicole. Prior to the wedding, Noah and Dan had some work to do...

Dan wrote a song for Nicole and James and he sang it at their wedding reception. The first line and last line is "James Adlai and Nicole Marie, Noah and I wrote this song for thee."

The following day was the ceremony. James and Nicole waited to see each other until she walked down the isle. Noah was the ring bearer and did an amazing job at it! A little M n M goes a long way to get a 2yr old down the isle.

Can't live without sweet corn here in Iowa

Well, I guess I am becoming more like the local folk around here because I now refer to corn on the cob as "sweet corn" which is what everyone up here calls it...weird I know...but forgive them they are yankees;) -lol. This video pretty much says it all.

Daniel visits Iowa

When we arrived home from Gatlinburg, my friend Daniel Herman came up from FL. We had a great time hanging out and eating and hiking...and Daniel and I had a wonderful time quizzing each other on forestry stuff. We went to the Mississippi and Iowa's Pike's Peak. It was mine and Daniel's first time there. They had a bunch of humming bird feeders hung just outside of the park building and there were tons of birds at them. It was so neat because I have never seen a humming bird up so close!

The birds...

The river...

The trees...

The water fall on the hike...

Jenna washes off her feet after slipping and sliding in the mud.

Clarksville Parade- Youth center float.

Romeo and Noah look at the maps

Asher and Noah ride in the wagon before bible study starts. The look related don't they???

Other events prior to Gatlinburg...

Well many random pictures...

First, the beautiful peppers picked from our garden. They are on a salad plate, not a dinner plate.

Becky takes her first birthday bite...

she later gets frosting all over...hmmm I wonder if that has anything to do with the guys sitting behind her....?

Noah being goofy with his tiger...

Noah enjoys his first ever lollipop with the neighbor grandkids

Noah getting a push from the girls

Noah shows off his "big boy underpants" and the football that is on them. We haven't changed completely to them, but the first day he ever wore them he had no accidents all day! We have used them a few other times and have been relatively successful.

WOW I am behind!!!

Well I just loaded the pictures up from our camera and realized how far behind in the posting I am. On July 26th, we headed out to Gatlinburg, Tn to meet my mom for a little vacation.

The first day we were there, we rode this cable trolley thing to the top of the mountain. It was really neat except everytime we went over one of the big things that held the cable it dipped really quickly. I tended to squat down at that point and take cover! Noah seemed to enjoy himself though.

On the way up the mountain...

Noah stops to play in the fountain at the shops on top of the mountain...

On our way back down...

Great sleep after a long day!

The following day we had to go listen to a timeshare schpeel. The one good thing we got out of it was that the guy told us about a local BBQ restaurant that was the BEST BBQ beef I have ever had and some of the best BBQ sauce too. If you are ever in Gatlinburg and want good BBQ hit up the Flyin' Pig and you won't be disappointed. Just off the main drag, downtown Gatlinburg. Wish I would have thought to take a picture there...too bad, maybe next time.

The same afternoon, Baga took Noah down to the stream for a little dip. He had so much fun picking up rocks and throwing them into the stream. It was "hold wa-er" which translates to "Cold water" in Noahnese. And every rock he picked up, saw in the stream, or saw from the car while driving down the road were announced on volume 10- "Be wok" which once again translated is big rocks.

We also drove into the National Park and had a great time looking at the scenery, enjoyed a picnic lunch, and a few more beautiful mountain streams.

The last night we headed to a restaurant that had karoke and I got to sing three songs, I think. One of the songs didn't work so I cannot remember if I sang 2 or three. There were several VERY good singers there that night which always makes it harder to get up there, but it was a very friendly crowd to sing for so that was really fun.

Since I did not keep a journal, or do this close enought to the trip, I know there are good details I am leaving out, but with Matt gone for training and my mom in FL I don't have any way to retrieve those memories at this time.

For Katie

Well I know it has been a while since I have posted, but I am more in favor of real human interaction- ie: two way communication- as apposed to the one way communication that a blog provides. I had really been feeling isolated up here in corn country, but have had some great conversations with some friends this week which has been really nice! Katie wanted some new pics of Noah and I realized talking to her that we never posted Noah's 2 yr pics. So here they are...