Quick Trip to Madison, IN (but not a quick post!)

This past weekend was a weekend we had been looking forward to, well most of it we had been looking forward to. Friday afternoon we headed south towards Madison but had to make a stop in Indy to drop off Colby with his dad. Colby has left for the summer and I ask for prayers on his behalf. This is the first time he will be gone as long as he will be. Two months! After we dropped him off we got back on the road and continued south.
Here is Miss Madi enjoying her soda while she sits back and also enjoys the ride. Our kids really enjoy road trips.
My spunky duo all the way in the back goofing off for the camera.
The navigator, isn't he so cool! Oh, and soooo cute!!!
Yea, the spunkyness didn't last long at all. After a long day (according to kid time) of waiting to leave, the emotions of dropping off Colby and being one less in our family, the kids zoncked out.
I think she actually read herself to sleep.
Ok, now seriously this is hilarious! This is however her normal vehicle sleeping position. I have many other pictures from other road trips of the same thing. I am kind of on a mission to take this picture every time we are road tripping so I can collectively scrap book them later. It's just too funny not to.
Now we couldn't leave out mom, so I handed the camera to Madi and she didn't do too bad for a 3 year old. Now, after driving for a bit we made it to Madison. We went and picked up grandma (Rodney's mom) and headed down town for dinner. We had dinner at the famous Hinkles which is a burger joint that has been around for ever (not sure exactly how long, ask Rodney). It was yummy. After eating some yummy greasy burgers we decided to take a walk up and down Main St. We headed toward the court house. Now about a week and a half before, the court house and capula had caught fire just as renovation on it was coming to an end in anticipation of the bicentennial celebration that is coming the weekend of June 6. This is devistating for many reasons beyond the fact that it isn't going to be at it's prime for the celebration. The cause is still undetermined as far as I know. They are attempting to salvage over 200 year old doccument that were in the basement of the courthouse which was flooded with 3 feet of water.

According to Rodney's mom, the capula had just been finished being painted gold when it caught on fire. I've seen this building before the fire and I am someone who LOVES old arcitecture and this court house was classic.

Earlier in the day before we arrived they had crane lifted the remains of the burnt capula off the court house roof and set it next to the building. WOW! Kim had said when she was there a few days before, she could still smell the fire/burnt smell of the building. We headed back to Grandma's to unwind and chat. This included basketball because Dakotah was so jazzed when he found out she had a basketball hoop.


Dad teaching Dakotah some basics.
And dad helping Autumn to make a basket.

The next day Rodney and I woke up and went to get doughnuts from the bakery down the street. Now yes, doughnuts are ordinary, but these are not. Rodney has grown up with these particular doughnuts and shared them with us ever since he could. They are huge and I wish I would have taken a picture of them. They have this yummy white icing and on top of that mini chocolate chips covering it. YUM! After a relaxing day hagning out at Grandma's we headed to Ponderosa for a gradution party which also became a family reunion in a sense.
Here is Hanna the graduate, Jessica and Chelsea.
Here is Autumn hanging out with Grandma Culver.
Now, Grandpa Culver also showed up which was an exciting thing for us. Madi every time (3) she has seen him will go to him, very shy about it but non the less she goes. This makes him very happy. It's actually a sweet thing to witness! When he left she gave him a smooch and he made sure that I knew about it cause it made him so happy.
Here is Grandpa Culver with all but 4 of his grandkids.
This is the kids, Grandpa Culver and Great Grandma Culver.
Now, the kids were able to get noise makers, but were instructed not to use them inside. Grandma Culver was being honory though and causing trouble. It was so funny.
Madi was so excited to be able to see her Mimi, as was Mimi so happy to see Madi.
Here is Randy/Grandpa Culver and his brother Robbi.
Hanna the graduate, opening her presents.
Here are my girls having a moment. How cute!

Memorial Sunday Fun!!!

Yesterday after church we were invited to go over to Winter and Jesse's house for some food, fun and fellowship. After eating lunch and watching a movie, we headed outside for a bit of fun. The kids jumped in the blow up castle while Rodney, Jesse and Colby threw around a football.
Madi has so much fun with Rachel and at times I wonder if she views her as a bigger size doll to play with. Madi will just try to pick her up, hold her, hug her and give her kisses all the time. It's kind of funny.
Autumn took a break to attempt to play football, but really ended up getting tackled by Colby and then tackled and tickled by her daddy.
Rachel even thought she would give throwing around the ball a try.
Colby loves football and was having a good time running around with no shoes.
Poser! HA HA! What a hottie.
Autumn was having fun flipping off the slide of the jumping castle and rolling down it as well.
Here are the Kidergarteners to be. They found out this weekend they will be in the same class together. YEA!
Ms. Rachel, so cute and so much fun! She did all she could to stay standing while the bigger kids jumped and stay out from under their feet.
I love to watch boys tackle, jump, bump and roll all over each other. It's so funny how tough they thin they are and try to be.
My Ms. Madi, so sweet and having a blast.
Thank you Lawson crew for a fabulous afternoon of food, fun and really.....family!

Fun with BAZ (Grandma, my mom)....

Well, there aren't that many oictures from our time with my mom, but here are the few we did manage to get. I do have to say we had such a great visit with her that I simply didn't think to pick up the camera much at all. I can't wait for her next visit and for her to move here. She is thinking in the next year or 2 hopefully.
Madi was funny about my mom. She asks Rodney and I about her grandmas, often and she was very excited to see one of them. When we picked her up at the airport, all Madi could do was stare at her and smile. It was like she was just admiring that she was real, and actually here with us.
Of coarse, Colby was just so darn happy to have his Baz to hug on and vise versa.
We finally had a bit of sunny weather and Marlin Faust came and tilled us up a 10x10 plot for our first garden that was inspired by my mom. She bought us all the plants and seed, her and I sank in some posts, wrapped some chicken wire around and planted away. It was fun and I look forward to the growth and fruit anf veggies it will produce for our family. I hope we do it well so we can do it many years to come.
One of our projects as a family was to make a scare crow for our garden, so I give you Stanley our scare crow. Colby was funny cause when we were finished with him, he ran away pretending to be scared since his last name is Crow. He's got such a great sense of humor, wonder where he gets it!!!???
Rodney was excited for this because it was the part he had a chance to actually participate. I don't have pictures, but a few days after these, he actually participated more in helping me plant the corn and pumpkin seeds after the ground dried out more. Also, he wrapped our sprinkler hoses around the posts and tied them on to make our own little irrigation system. It's kind of funny (good idea but funny) because it looks so not the way it should be, but my goodness it works great.
We all came in and played many rounds of UNO. I never won a hand......bummer!



After church, we headed to the airport all together to drop off Baz. We were all sad to see her go and when we came home Daisy just looked at her bed and sagged her head with a sad look. My mom let her climb up on the air matress and lay with her which we NEVER let her on couches or beds, so yeah my mom even spoils the dog! We miss ya BAZ/MOM!!!!

More Mushrooms!!!

Ok, another post about mushrooms because, these are enormous for us. Rodney and the boys went mushroom hunting while the girls and I headed to the airport to pick up my mom. They found 3 of the biggest mushrooms we have ever found. It was exciting not only because of their size, but because my mom had the opportunity to experience the fabulous taste these bad boys have. YUM O as Rachel Ray would say!

Summer hair cuts

I took the girls on Wednesday to get their hair cut for summer. They were both a bit tired of having to have the tangles brushed out, so they were very willing to go short which is what we like to do for the summer. It is not so hot and so much easier.
Here is miss Autumn with her bob and a clip to keep the hair out of her face. I would have to shave her head to actually make it stay our of her face if it wasn't for clips and headbands. Autumn's bob is cute and sassy, much like her.
Miss Madi hasn't gone short before, but has been asking for a long time to go short like mommy. She didn't get to go as short as me, but her little bob is just so cute. I think it makes her big cheeks look even bigger. I love it em.

Quick Quilt Update

In my last quilt post, I mentioned to keep an eye out for 2 particular quilts. Well if you read the post about the early anniversary, you will see the one I said was for a special man in my life....my hubby's buck quilt and the one for oe of the special woman in my life has been postponed. However, this past week I put this together (it isn't quilted yet though). This is a birthday runner that was easy and so fun to do. I look forward to when I will have it completed and begin using it on our table for our birthday parties. This runner is so bright and fun, it makes you feel like your already at a party.
I have recently made 5 baby quilts as well for a good cause and will post those pictures at another time. I have a quilt in my mind already to start for Colby hopefully in time for birthday number 9. Summer may lend me the time since the running to schools will take a break!!!!! YAY!!!

Early Anniversary

Ok so Rodney and I will be celebrating 4 years of our marriage on Wednesday, here is the thing we just couldn't wait that long for gifts. Ok, I couldn't. After asking for clues and hints, Rodney said he would give it to me this morning. He went to the car and brought in my gift to give to me and how excited was I when I saw a bag from Victoria's Secret and a box from Zales in that bag. I got my favorite smelling lotion and body spray from Victoria's (Love Spell, YUM) and in the Zales box you ask......I got a beautiful white gold, Diamond and Sapphire cross necklace. I got girlie stuff which was his point. He said he wanted to get away from the techie gifts (although I have enjoyed those as well). Ok, after that I couldn't wait to give him his second gift, I had been barley able to make it this far. The first gift I got him was our membership to the new YMCA in Wabash. The second, well looking at the picture below you will wonder what it has to do with our anniversary. For those who may not know from previous posts, this is Rodney's first buck ever. I took this picture and duplicated it in the best way I know and love.....through fabric.
I enjoyed making this and actually was brought to tears a couple times while making it because I was getting so excited to give it to him. It's hard to see the fabrics, but my favorite two were the ones that sparked my desire to do this. The creamy boarder is a fabric with darker brown fish and cross emblems and the outer boarder it a leafy hunting camo. This was an opportunity to try new techniques and I had a blast doing it. He loves it too by the way and is claiming that we will be turning the AC way up this summer just so he can use it. We both did very well with our gifts, but what is better than that is the four years we have conquered together by the grace of God!!!!!