Grant's Farm

Sweet pictures of a trip to Grant's Farm. It really was President Grant's farm, but is now owned and operated by Anheuser-Busch (yes,beer). Lots of fun animals from goats to elephants.

Spy Glasses

Asher's favorite toy hands down is legos! He made these glasses. I couldn't resist snapping a few photos.

4th of July Party

If your kids are anything like ours, they are always full of ideas. Most of Asher and Winter's border on bazaar and illegal, but every once in a while they come up with one that you think...we can make that happen. Back in January, Asher started talking about a 4th of July Party. The concept grew and took shape. We talked about it over and over and over. We had to say no to a few things like hot chocolate and a huge fireworks display, but we narrowed it down to a bike parade and a marshmallow roast. We invited everyone on campus plus more friends to join us.Asher and Dad making some perfect roasting sticks. Winter rides off to join the parade.

As the grand marshal, Asher surveys the crowd.

I love the look on his face here. It says, "My Mom and Dad love me completely."

Enough reflection, "Charge!"

Violet is along for the ride as usual.

You did what?

O.K. After almost seven years and three kids, we are still learning to let the ages of our children inform our vacations. We cooked up the idea to go camping in a trailer (piece of cake) for two weeks. It was great fun, but a huge amount of work and we cashed out after a week. The lake house is where we want to be...hot water, laundry facilities, black out shades, mommy and daddy's own room. Here is a glimpse into the adventure.

Our first stop was Indianapolis. We got to meet the newest Nottingham, Lincoln Samuel. We fell in love instantly. The girls spent a couple of nights at Josh and Marisa's awesome new house while the boys went to Richmond to pick up the trailer. It didn't end up being that simple...trailers never are.

We camped at Harden Ridge Campground. We were about fifteen miles south of Bloomington, Indiana in the Hoosier National Forest. It was a perfect spot covered in tall trees and close to the lake (Lake Monroe). My bff, Susan Hoffer and her two boys came down to join the party.
Asher and Jakin were in full color swimming in their skivvies.
The lake was flooded and the beach was completely under water. What adventure!

Of course it rained, so we found some alternative forms of entertainment

...a movie in the back of the van

...bowling at the I.U. Student Union.
I just couldn't resist these sequence photos. Jakin was amazed at the ball return.Asher was mesmerized by the animation on the electronic score keeper and Winter loved sporting her rental shoes. Bo had his mind on the cookie shop we passed.

We said good-by to the Hoffer's and hello to Aunt Pat. Pat is quite the camper and she joined right in with fun.

This is a group photo of interpretive class a ranger did one night. Asher and Winter learned about butterflies and made their own version to take home.

We had the honor of meeting a great great great aunt! She is 100 years old.!!! She was a babysitter for Mike's (Jeff's dad) father Fred Nottingham! Aunt Ethel is in a nursing home in Bloomington, IN. We visited her one Sunday afternoon. She sang some songs for our kids that she learned in Bible school as a little girl. Winter also sang to her. Winter's tenderness was beyond her years.

Nothing says, "Good morning!" like a campfire.

We did attempt some short hikes....very beautiful area. We found geodes. I was the most excited and couldn't resist a real field photo. We managed to crack one and dull our ax :)

We spent a day with Jeff's best friend from high school, Matt Bailey and his family. We went to a children's museum in Bloomington and had a picnic at a local park. It was really fun to reconnect with Matt and Tamara.

They had just acquired a new puppy, Henry. Violet couldn't keep her hands off.


Sawyer and Asher
Eden and Winter

Like I said earlier, after one week of roughing it, we realized accommodations with all the amenities are more our pace so we packed it all up and headed to the Nottingham lake house in Eaton, OH. We hung out at the lake and enjoyed some time with friends and family.

We did some creekin'

...and caught some crawl-daddies.

Violet and Asher are headed California in their fighter plane.

Violet is pretty sure she has had enough camping to last her till she is at least two.

My Best Cousin Emma

I just love these two together!

Asher at 6 1/2

In May, Asher graduated from Bible Study Fellowship's preschool program. He completed five years. It was very hard for him to say good-bye to something so special. That night at dinner we started a new tradition...the Courage Candle. Asher was the first recipient. He gave a short speech about time passing and the grass withering all while choking back tears. He went on a road trip back to Indiana with Dad! He stayed with Grammie and Papaw while Jeff went to a presbytery meeting. He helped Grammie with her visiting toad.
Grammie planned a trip to a friend's farm where Asher made friends with a pig named Larry and rode in giant tractor.