New Blog!!

Due to so many changes forthcoming in our growing family, we though a new blog address would be appropriate.

You can now find, follow, and share in our lives at The Fowler Family.

What it means to be cool...

Kevin and I were at Wendy's the other night when a semi-scruffy-looking young man walked in. On his back, he had a backpack, and sticking out of the backpack was a similarly-scruffy-looking white puppy. It was a cute sight. The dog was just chillin', and the man seemed pleasant enough. He walked up to the counter, and was informed that he couldn't be a patron, even at just the counter, with a puppy in tow. Understanding, he turned and headed out the side door.

At the table behind us were seated a young man looking to be around 13 or 14 with his dad, having dinner. As we watched, the boy jumped up and ran out the door after the guy who had so recently exited. It was all we could do not to stare in appreciative amazement as the boy offered to buy anything the guy wanted for him. His request was simple: two cheeseburgers. They threw in a drink, too. When the guy popped his head in the door to thank the boy's father for the food, the dad offered up the change from the $10 that had been used to buy the meal.

At the table on our opposite side that evening at Wendy's sat a young lady, probably 10 or 11, with her dad, out for a Friday night date night. We again marveled as we listened to them chatting, about nothing in particular, laughing and enjoying one another's company.

Today, at church, half way through the song set, I watched as a son of one of the larger families in the church, arrived, and scooted in to fill his seat on his family's allotted row. He's the fifth child of a family of nine, near 19 or 20. As he shuffled on a chair behind his mom, she turned to greet him, and he greeted her with a kiss on the cheek.

All are examples of children, willing to go against what is popular, "cool," or trendy to both honor their parents and honor and serve those around them. They have each been wonderful reminders that not every child is a texting addict, unable to have a real conversation with a living, breathing, person in front of them. And, personally, I think that's cool.

Baby Feet at 10 Weeks

Things are moving along just as we have prayed they would. My jeans continue to get tighter, and my appetite (what little of it has returned) continues to get bigger. We're scheduled for our 11-week appointment next Wednesday, but we had a fun moment at home last night that I thought I'd share.

When my parents were here a few weeks ago, my mom left a mysterious little box with instructions to open it at 10 weeks, no earlier, no later. Well, the 10 weeks mark finally arrived yesterday, and inside was a very tiny pin with silver baby feet on it--exactly the size of our baby's feet right now. The card she enclosed reminded me of how she wore this pin when working in the PDICU in San Antonio--the international symbol of pro-life. How special! I don't know how long Kevin and I spent just gazing at those little feet, imagining that a very similar pair are within me as our little baby forms.

I don't have a picture with me of the actual pin (I'd like to take one of the baby feet next to Kevin's feet--wouldn't that be funny!? :). But I was able to find some images online to share with you. :)

"For you created my inmost being;
You knit me together in my mother's womb..."
~Psalm 139:13

New Experiences

It's been a season of firsts for the Fowler family.

At the beginning of September, we celebrated our one year anniversary of attending Cornerstone Church of Knoxville. This church has been a blessing to us in fellowship, friends, teaching, and an incredibly warm community of believers that love the Lord and seek to make Him known in Knoxville.

A couple weekends ago, Kevin ran his first 5k with my dad, who drove down from PA with my mom just for the occasion. It was a neat experience to be there to support them and see them through to the finish line. We're hoping next year, we can all participate--it is, after all, a run/walk. :)

For my birthday last week, we decided it was time to purchase our first ever major furniture purchase--a chocolate brown, micro suede sleeper sofa that will replace the couch that my parents so graciously gave to us when we got our own apartment. We don't get the new couch delivered for a few more weeks, but in the meantime, we're working on getting it down to Vonore, where Kevin's parents have graciously offered to store it until we have a place with room enough for it.

Last, we found out on Labor Day (of all days), that I'm pregnant with our first child! This by far has trumped any "first" we've ever had. :) We saw the heartbeat a couple weeks ago, and our baby is a healthy little bundle with a heartbeat of around 150 beats per minute (normal for a developing infant, apparently). Should be sprouting leg and arm buds this very week. We won't find out for another couple months whether our baby is a boy or girl, but for now, we're just reveling in the amazing process that the Lord has begun within me.

This has led to another first for me--maternity clothes! I actually had to read up on how to purchase this new genre of apparel. You don't after all get a guide to buying clothes of this nature when that test comes back positive, after all. I did manage a few great buys at a consignment event today--5 maternity tops for $30!

One of the most common questions I've gotten asked of late is whether I have any food aversions. Unfortunately, the answer to that for the moment is everything. :P I have absolutely no appetite. The Lord has been gracious in regard to morning sickness, nausea and the like. I have had relatively little morning sickness. I've had waves of nausea, but most does not impede day-t0-day functioning. I could not have asked for this, and the Lord has been gracious to grant me what I do not deserve--relative ease during this time of apparent tumult and newness within my body.

I cannot promise more frequent posts. Energy is low and time is little for blogging. I will try to be better about my frequency. Life is exciting right now. :) We are grateful and we are blessed.

I hope this post finds your circumstances similar. :)

Birdies, Birdies, Everywhere!

So, the other day, we were sitting in the living room, and up flew a hummingbird. He flew to our porch, hovered for a few seconds, and off he went to conquer another day. Not one to let a great opportunity like that get away, I immediately (well, almost immediately) skittered out and purchased a hummingbird feeder. My hopes were slim that we'd actually attract something, but, boy, have we ever!

Needless to say, the nectar I mix more often than not attracts more than just hummingbirds...
And, as yet, I have not gotten a picture of the guys at the actual feeder--they're just too fast! But I did get a picture of this one. He seems to rule the roost. They're very territorial animals, and so we're constantly watching as no less than four of them war over our one feeder. I'm thinking it's time to invest in another one, huh?

Isn't he cute?
And, well, we've still got our own bird to contend with. He seems to be getting over his adolescent stage, as he's developed a habit of sitting on the back of the couch and nibbling at our hair, fluttering from perch to perch, or helping Kevin with his work. :)
Last, we're still on track to run our 5k. Though a weekend getaway a couple weekends ago put us off schedule a bit in our training, we did run 25 minutes straight on Cedar Bluff this morning. It's quite the humbling experience knowing that the people in their cars are probably laughing at me as I scuttle along down the street. Kevin is much more impressive in his running. :) We're scheduled for an October 2nd 5k run through downtown Knoxville. Should be fun! :)

This and That...Mostly That.

It's definitely been one of those months. After we got back from Europe, it took roughly two solid weeks for me to even feel like my body, mind, and soul had all landed on the same continent. For the weekends of those two weeks, we had company. Briley Hooper once again travailed the mountains of East Tennessee to visit us with Eva--always good times there! And, second, my very own father drove down our new car! But that's kind of a fun story...

When my parents moved to PA, they soon realized that a car without four-wheel drive would not bode well for its driver during the snow-covered winters of New England. They began shopping around for just such a car. In the meantime, Kevin and I had fully planned to drive both our cars (his a '93, mine a '99) until their wheels fall off. My parents then approached us with a proposition--sell our Nissan and buy their '06 Toyota Corolla. In a wonderful turn of events, we sold our Nissan to a dear friend of ours whose sister (who was her ride) just got married. We then purchased my parents car, and Dad drove it down just a few weeks ago.

Drives like a dream! We haven't, however, found a good name for it yet. Any suggestions? :)
In other news, our porch garden is just trucking right along. I must admit, I was a bit surprised that if I left what I thought were green peppers on the pepper plant long enough, they turned red. Is that normal? In any case, the tomatoes have been absolutely scrumptious!
Inject random comic relief here:
So, as stated in previous blog post, I returned from Europe with a renewed commitment to keeping our lives simple and clutter-free. It's quite the process--have you ever noticed how stuff just seems to develop a life of its own and multiply? Yeah, I know, that's a lame excuse. In reality, we bring stuff in and it only controls us to the level that we allow it.

In all seriousness, I'm learning a lot about appropriate levels of sentimentality. What is it that is truly irreplaceable and should not be given away and what can I take a minute and realize that if it was out of my house, I'd probably never even remember that I once owned it? It's a very fine line, and it takes diligence, structure, resolve, and most of all, the realization that, at the end of the day, it is just stuff.

Where is this mini-rant going? Well, we've got a fabulous guest room/study/piano room that I love having. The problem is that the closet therein had become a bit of a junk closet, something I told Kevin upon moving in that I wanted to avoid at all costs. It wasn't purposeful; it just happened bit by bit, box by box, file by file.

So, last night, around 9:30 at night, we did it. Together, Kevin and I cleared out the entirety of said closet's contents. We have a big bag of trash, two boxes ready for Goodwill, several items ready to be donated or sold on Craigslist, and lots of wonderful, beautiful space of nothingness!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present our closet! I love it!
Now, that that's done, we're moving on to the desk....

Lest you be concerned that all we've been doing is buying, gardening, and cleaning, we're also training for a 5k! I know, for those of you who run and exercise regularly out there, that's not that impressive (what's a wimpy 3 miles!?). But for us this is big news! We're two weeks into our training, and it's just starting to get to the point where I'm sorta kinda looking forward to it. :) The run is sometime this fall, probably October, and we have several others who have said they'd come out and run with us. Should be fun!

So, that's life in a nutshell. The highs, the lows, the plateaus. :)

Until next time!

By All Means, Travel!!

So.....we got back last night. It was a whirl-wind two-week trip to all the biggies in Western Europe (London, Paris, and Rome), and while I'm already planning our next trip (though not quite on that scale), Kevin's response last night to whether he was sad this one was over was, "No--I'm ready to be home."

And though I am already ready to be traveling again (just can't help that one), it is good to be back in the familiar, English-speaking land of America. I hope to post more pictures in the coming days, but for now, I've chosen one from each stop to share with you, along with some things that crossed my mind while we were across the pond. Hope you enjoy!

1. I can live on much less than I would have ever thought possible. While there's nothing wrong with keeping just-in-case things around (like that Galileo thermometer in case the actual thermometer goes out or something), simpler is better.

2. Souvenirs are nice, but by all means not necessary. I bought one really nice ring in each city we stopped in. And that was all. We bought a couple, well-chosen gifts for family, and that was all. I must have asked Kevin ten times if he was going to get something, and his response every time was, "The pictures are great souvenirs for me." What a fantastic philosophy!(from the London Eye, overlooking Parliament--the ONLY day it rained on our entire trip!)

3. Spend time (even if only a few days) in a place that does not speak your mother tongue. It's uncomfortable and awkward and very eye-opening (especially for us Americans who tend to think the literal world revolves around us).

4. Along with that, accept that the American way is not the only way. There were no "free refills;" we paid for tap water; we had to sit outside at restaurants because the owner wanted us to pay to use his air conditioning; and public restrooms were not always free. While the American in me cried "foul!" to many of these, it's not necessarily wrong. It's different. Appreciate the differences.(The Eiffel Tower, as taken from the second level of the tower, at night, looking straight up.)

5. One thing I was continually amazed at was how well Kevin and I enjoyed being with each other throughout the entirety of the trip. It's one thing to be married and spend the evenings and weekends with each other, but to spend 24/7 with each other is a completely different ball game. And I loved it.

6. It continually amazes me to see how big our world is, and yet, the Lord loves each of us and cares deeply about a relationship with each of us. Six billion is a lot of people, but not for him. I say that because it's very easy for me to limit Him to my human capacity. His ways are not my ways; nor are my thoughts His thoughts.
(The Roman Colosseum, Rome, Italy).

7. Be proud of your heritage. When we first arrived, I was so paranoid and self-conscious about being an American. I know our reputation is not always the greatest in terms of foreign relations, but we do hail from a great country that affords a lot of rights and freedoms not afforded in other countries. While respecting other cultures is important, I don't think it's any less important to value the parts of our culture that we are blessed to partake in.

Lord willing, there will be more pictures forthcoming. It sure was a trip to remember!

While the Husband is Away....

...the wife will play.

And buy produce.

Admittedly the rhyme needs work. However, while Kevin was in Gettysburg last week (I guess the prompt posting needs some work, too), I set to work. Along with our newly-acquired piano (which has already given me hours of enjoyment), I've decided to take up painting. For my first project, I tried a paint-by-gray-scale (instead of paint-by-number). It wasn't super impressive, so it will probably eventually go to meet its maker in a landfill of some sort (shh! Don't tell Al Gore--who will incidentally be at UT next week for an honorary degree...).

What I did learn, though, is that I'm pretty good at the abstract. Forget still life; abstract is where it's at! So, after several laborious hours that produced a thoroughly disappointing attempt at a masterpiece (the packaging lied!), I set my mind free and this is what I came up with:

(the one on the top)
You like? I do, too. :)

Then, I proceeded to my second attempt at abstract, which I like, but I'm not crazy about. It does make a nice, whimsical entry-way piece (complete with monogrammed letters spray painted by yours truly).

Last, I took my liking for the colors black and khaki, my talent of spray painting, and combined them on a third, larger canvas and came up with this:
And speaking of dreaming, I've got some to do pretty soon! :)

G'night!

P.S. If you're wondering where the produce of my rhyme is, I'll get around to it eventually. The pictures aren't loading properly and I don't have the patience to wait for them to.

Parakeet Playtime

While we're in fierce disagreement that owning a pet (dog, cat, bird, lizard...) is good "practice" for raising a child one day, I will admit that it is fun to have a little life around that we care for. His name is Optimus, and we brought to our home in the midst of a harrowing hail/thunder/lightning storm (and he consequently didn't move from his perch for 3 days afterward).

As we fast approach his one-year anniversary of being with us, I thought I'd give some glimpses into a day in the life of Optimus J. Prime.
For starters, this is the face that greets me every morning, as I remove the towel covering his cage.
Though he isn't really a morning bird, sometimes I can still get one or two chirps out of him before I leave for work.

Upon returning from work, we always try to greet him and ask how his day has been. For the most part, his days consist of water, play toys, and oatmeal (never knew this, but parakeets can eat a wide variety of human food, and this one can suck down plain, uncooked oatmeal like there's no tomorrow!).
In the evenings, we try to spend quality time with him. He's developing quite a love for technology.
As his wings have grown back, and he's been able to fly around and explore the apartment, he's made quite a few "friends" out of his reflections in various fixtures around our house. His favorite we've named Charlie, who resides in the ceiling fan of our dining room.
He also took quite a liking to his shadow recently as the sun streamed in.
It's not uncommon that we catch Optimus stretching his wings (pun intended) and attempting to add new skills to his already well-rounded set of skills like biting the hand that feeds him and playing with the food on his plate--er, dish. Today, we caught him perched (another pun intended) precariously. While I don't think he appreciated our laughter at his expense, I must give him props--I couldn't stand successfully with one foot on a ladder and another on a swing!
And while he can't talk, he does sing quite well. We've found the best way to encourage this singing is to play music he's fond of. Caedmon's Call and Casting Crowns are among his favorite bands to sing to.

And, finally, we've learned that though he can't vocalize his contentment, he can show us in other ways that he's happy. For example, when he puffs up and stands on one leg, he's showing us that he's happy right where he's at. :) See that little pink dot beneath his wing? That's one claw that he's curled under.
So, here's to another year with our little budgie! :)

A Fresh Start

I came across this picture the other day from our old apartment, and I thought I'd share it with you. It reminded me of the freshness of this season of a new year. It's never too late (or too early) to make changes that need changing; however, I'm reminded all the more at the beginning of a new year that our Lord is merciful, gracious, and ever-willing to help us on our way as we try to put bad habits behind us and trust and rely upon His leading.
Some areas I wish to grow in this year:

~Reading my Bible. Period.

~Eating healthier. (This will require lots of planning for days I'm gone from 8am-9pm!)

~The two-second rule--put away my shoes; hang up my clothes; rinse out my dish...

~More time with Kevin. Though we anxiously await a time when our family will expand, I want to cherish and pour into this time that is ours.

And that's all. That's all? I think that's enough for now, don't you!? :)

Lydia's Guide to Gift-Giving

I know what you're probably thinking.

"Gift-giving guide? Christmas was just two weeks ago--I've got eleven more months before I have to being thinking about gift-buying, and then I've got another month beyond that before the actual buying begins!"

And you're right...sort of.

You see, I've known for a long time that my love language was gifts. I love receiving gifts. I love looking at a gift received and thinking of the giver every time. I love being surprised by someone thinking enough of me to present me something. But even more than that, I love giving gifts.

I grew up with a mother who is an expert in the gift giving field, namely because she loves giving gifts, too. It gave me a great example to watch, and I thought, instead of waiting until right before Christmas when everyone is scrambling around trying to find that last-minute purchase, why not share what I've learned and observed along the way now?

Maybe next Christmas, you, too, can enjoy giving more than receiving! :)

1) Always be on the lookout. I've bought wedding gifts from Kroger and Christmas gifts at Cracker Barrell. No store is off limits.

2) Think practical. Most people don't need another snow globe lying around. That's why, with such a large family on Kevin's side, we've opted for some food options the past two years--everybody loves food!

3) Budget. I confess--this one is hard for me. I like shopping; I like spending money; I like buying things for other people. But if you decide on a dollar amount or even set aside a specific amount all year leading up to Christmas, you won't be in post-Christmas debt.

4) Keep a list. I tend to do this about two weeks before Christmas. I gather all the items I've been collecting throughout the year, and I write down who's getting what. That way, I won't chance that we forgot nephew number one when gifts are being exchanged (and, yes, before he saw his gift under the tree this year, he did come up and ask if we'd even brought one for him :).

And last...

5) Begin shopping now! I learned this one from my mom, and I must confess, it's my favorite. The day after Christmas was always when she would get a head start on next year's gift buying--fabulous sales and markdowns on items that won't be out of season when next Christmas rolls around. It also creates great stories to share with those you love about how when you saw their gift in the middle of June at a Lavender Festival in the hills of Tennessee, it just spoke their name to you.

Now, I realize that the true meaning of Christmas isn't gifts and stocking up on piles of loot. I do, however, relish the opportunity we have to bless our family (and sometimes friends) and share with them through gift-giving some of the bounty the Lord has allowed us.

May your 2010 bring the joy of the Lord!!!

Anniversary Flowers

Maybe you can help me...I'm looking for something. It's quite precious, as things of this nature are. I know I had it, but I just can't seem to find it. Maybe I misplaced it, but I have a feeling that maybe, just maybe, it's gone...

Have you seen the month of July? I mean, seriously, I have no clue where it went.

Hm. Strange.

Well, regardless, the arrival of August means I get to celebrate the day Kevin and I committed our lives to one another. It's been 1,467 days of wedded bliss, and I wouldn't change one second of it.

You hear all the time, "I just keep learning new things about him/her." I never believed it--even when we were dating, I was sure that I'd hit the point where he would bore me or (more likely) I would bore him...But we've not gotten there.

I'm daily amazed that Kevin chose me as his wife, and it only makes me love him more.

I was actually out of town when August 5th rolled around, but upon my return, Kevin had some beautiful red and yellow flowers waiting for me.

Here's to many more August 5ths!!!!!

Visits from Afar

It's been a hectic past couple of weeks on my side. Things at work have picked up tremendously, and so often it's all I can do to fall into bed at a decent hour. With that said, we've also had several visits from some very special people!

Back in June Len Turner (who's studying at Princeton Theological Seminary) and Laura Palmer (who's studying at Columbia Theological seminary in Atlanta) stopped in for a visit. These two ladies are much of what got me through college! I could not have made it as far, and I would not nearly have the GREAT memories I have without them. I'm so grateful for their friendship, love, support, and--most importantly--brutal honesty. Yay Termates! :-)

Just a couple weeks ago, Thomas and Stephanie Russell, also friends from college stopped by. We've missed them greatly since they moved to Arkansas recently. It was a quick stop-in, but we were so grateful they made a couple hours for us. It's been fun to meet up with them on the Wii's and play some competitive MarioKart. :)

And last, my cousin, Megan came down from Michigan with an interpretive dance group to perform at a church in Loudon, just a few miles south of here. I was sad I couldn't see her performance because of my work schedule, but they did let us steal here for a night. It was super fun to see how this young lady, who I've not seen since my wedding (almost two years ago!), has grown in the Lord and matured into a young lady. I remember changing her diaper!!! :)

After a pizza dinner, we spent the evening playing on the Wii. I think we played every sport on there (baseball, bowling, golf, tennis, and boxing) at least once. Kevin showed her how to play Baseball. :)

And that's out story these days! We've been so inspired by the traveling of others that we're embarking on a six-day trip on Sunday. Where are we going? Well, maybe you should just wait and see...But I can tell you that it's supposed to rain the ENTIRE time we're there, and most of what we had planned were outdoor options....We'll be sure to let you know how it goes! :)

Megan Came to Call...

What a treat!

Our dear friend Megan came over last night and not only graced us with her company, but also brought the fixin's for chocolate and strawberry crepes!  Oh, my gosh!  Talk about spoiled!

First, Meet Megan!

(those of you who were at our wedding will remember she told the story of how Kevin and I met--yeah, she's basically a celebrity to us!)

Next, Meet her delicious crepes!

Your mouth is probably watering already, and you can bet ours sure were!

Last, but certainly not least, we played some Wii...go figure!  Meg had never played one, and we were more than delighted to allow her the pleasure, because, well, they're lots of fun.
I think she liked it--what do you think?

Oh, the joy of friends, friendships, and MarioKart Wii!!! :-)

A Little Jean-ology.

According to Wikipedia, jeans are "pants, or trousers, made from denim [and they are] mainly designed for work..."

According to me, they're just darn comfortable! I could eat, sleep, and do just about anything else encompassed in a pair of Levi's (which is strange because I own multiple pairs of jeans, and none of them are official "Levi's")! It takes only seconds after I walk in the door to throw off my work attire and grab the closest pair I can find.

Where does this topic come from, you ask? Well, we went on vacation two weeks ago, and a load of jeans needing laundering has been laying fallow on our bedroom floor because we only had enough quarters for one load of laundry at the time, and, let's face it, underwear will just win that competition every time!

But I stopped by the bank the other day and got $40 worth of quarters (yeah, I know! we'll probably never run out now!), and this evening, my wonderful blue denim trousers were returned to me, and I'm excited.

So, I'm thankful to the youths of the 1950's who rejected what was common in favor of the casual, and I salute them! :-)
That's me in one of my most favorite wardrobe pieces: OVERALLS!! And it was taken with the tripod Kevin allowed me for my new hobby. I got it last weekend and I've been playing with it ever since! :) Maybe at some point I'll learn to include the rest of my head in the picture!! haha!

Point to Ponder

"What does it look like when the
blood of Christ governs the television and the Internet and
the iPod and the checkbook and the neckline?"

~Forward by John Piper

in: Maheney, C.J., "Worldliness." 2008.

Recipe for the Perfect Evening

Start with a good, home-cooked meal--one you know will be a hit!

Add some outdoors, 

and a table for two!

Then, spice things up with the one (or ones) you love, and you're good to go!

The Last 5 Days in 20 Pictures or Less...

Back in February, we decided to surprise my mom with a visit in March.  The plans were set, the tickets purchased, and then we just had to wait....But the time finally came, and she was just as surprised as ever when we showed up and sat down next to her while on a date with my dad. 

Following are some pictures from our trip.  Can't fit all 247 of them on here, but hopefully, this will give you the flavor of our time there.  

Wednesday, Day 1:

We took the train from Ft. Worth into Dallas.  Quite the sweet ride.

Dealey Plaza is famous for the location of JFK's assassination, but it's also where the very first homestead of Dallas was established.
Kevin in front of the second of two white x's marking the spots.

The crosswalk where history was made.

We couldn't take any pictures inside the 6th Floor Museum.  If you ever get the chance to visit, it's well worth it, albeit sobering.  By the end, I just had to leave the museum.  What a time in our nation's history...

Kevin's second time ever on a train on the ride back home.
We stopped to pay our respects to my biological father, who died when I was just a baby.  It was an interesting feeling to see the year of one man's death as the same year that gave me life.
Thursday, Day 2:

It seemed only right that the day after visiting where JFK was shot, we would travel through Austin on our way to San Antonio and stop at LBJ's presidential library.  

He is commemorated as a man who was forced into a job he didn't want, but in reality, he established many government programs that are still alive and running today (ever heard of PBS?).
We also visited the capitol building, where I met George W. Bush while on a 5th grade field trip. :)

Can't go on a vacation without a little Starbuck's!!!

On the streets of Austin.
Friday, Day 3:

After a day in Austin, we arrived in San Antonio late Thursday night and hit the ground running the next morning.

We took Kevin to the house I grew up in...funny, it seemed so much bigger back then....
He also got to see my old elementary school...which also seems to have shrunk.
And then breakfast at the Gunther House.  World Famous Sticky Buns and all home made (the flour is ground on the premises).
Long Live the Alamo--as well as the line to get in!

We decided to forgo the two hour wait to spend 15 minutes inside its walls, but we did get to see the museum on the perimeter.  

Can't visit good ol' S.A. without seeing the River Walk.  After a lengthy walk down it's bank, we had dinner at a little restaurant with...
...two of the most special ladies I know!!! I grew up with Leslie and Danielle right next door--and we spent hours at each other's houses playing anything and everything you can imagine!
With our Mammas.
Saturday, Day 4: 

Our last night there, my brother, Don, and his wife, Danielle, joined us for dinner.  It was the first time our family had been together since their wedding in November, 2007.  It was fun to see them!

And today is Day 5, of which I have no pictures only a sad case of let down that it's all over.  I'm so grateful to Kevin for allowing us this venture!  It was 100% worth the money, time, and energy put into it. :)

And that's it!

I would be lying to say that I'm glad it's over.  It's always sad to say goodbye to my parents, but I am very grateful to report that their house is sold and they are on their way to Pittsburgh, PA as of the beginning of May!  We're hoping our visits with them will be much more frequent! :-)

Hope your weekend was as fun as ours was!  

Now, it's time to recover... ;)