2019

 So can you actually have a blog if you only post on it once a year? It's kind of funny looking back at pictures and having so many of some things and no pictures at all of other events. I covered the whole year in two posts (this is the second) - Hope you like pictures of kids :)

You probably know that the Mennonite Heritage Village in Stienbach is one of our very favorite places - we went a couple times this summer -

 This is inside of the windmill -

 On some special days, they have a petting zoo -

 The old threshing machine was running-

 The Heppner memorial -

 At the corn maze!

 Every time we went in the Granery, Grace wanted to play with the stuffed chicken :)

 The pigs are always so cute at the beginning of the year - but not by the end!

 Grace likes animals more than any of our other children.

 Another big event of our fall, was a trip to TN to visit family and friends and we did some hiking as well.

 I love this picture of our family - except you can't see Grace - she's in the carrier behind Aaron.

 The hike to Laurel Falls was paved, but still the longest and hardest one we did.

 We went to the aquarium in Gatlinburg with the extended family -

 We hadn't seen Aaron's older sister, and his nieces, and their families, for a few years, so it was really fun to catch up with everyone. Two of his brothers and their families couldn't come, but otherwise everyone else was there and we had several meals together. This picnic was at a city park and as we were leaving, a bear came and dug through our trash!

 Aaron and Aaron Joseph are on the other side of the tree :)

 This nature trail was a lot longer that the sign said it would be, which had me a little worried, but it was really pretty and not nearly as crowded as some of the other places.

 A scenic overlook - I love looking at the mountains, but I do not like driving in them!

 Aaron said this was a sycamore tree!

 On the bale mountain at the corn maze -

 Esther's 8th birthday!

 Julia's 3rd birthday!

 All the cousins on the bale mountain - in order of age -

 Merry Christmas! - In case you didn't get our Christmas card, this was the picture we used.

 This one actually turned out clear.

 We got this moose at a party several years ago - it sings an annoying song, but is one of the kids favorite Christmas toys - with the benefit that I won't cry if they ruin it.

 Aaron and I were out, and the drive was so pretty that we stopped for a picture.

 Esther was a shepherd, "Jeanette Isabella", in our Christmas program.

 Anna was the angel Gabriel -

 I'm not sure how well Julia sang at the program, but she's still singing the songs around the house!

 Julia opening her stocking -

 We went sledding Christmas afternoon -

 Aaron Joseph's 5th birthday! - As you can probably tell, we don't always do fancy birthday cakes - sometimes we'll just use something that we have on hand... but even though it was Christmas, Aaron wanted his own cake - and he picked out a mix and the round pan!

 Anna opening her stocking at my parents -

Aaron's mom mailed up some boxes :) One of the gifts was this puzzle for the family -

Spring and Summer 2019

 So hopefully I'll get fall and winter posted this afternoon also...This is Anna's 6th birthday (February). I've never done a birthday party for either of the girls, so I told them that we would do just one - we even made a horse shape cake:)

 The girls had a tea party and decorated cookies.

 Easter breakfast at church - according to family tradition, I curled the girls hair the evening before.

 My handsome little man :)

 We wrapped up homeschool co-op at the end of April and for part of the program, the kids "read" a book that they wrote together and illustrated.

 The girls went to AWANAs some as well -

 Grace started out the year a baby, but she's definitely in the toddler category now!

 Julia helped me out by feeding the baby applesauce :) She thought it was great fun!

 Some of us went to the mother's day brunch at my parent's church - Esther decided to go fishing with  Aaron and the guys.

 We got to go to three weddings this summer - they were all so much fun!

 Every year we plan to take pictures by our lilac bushes, but we never seem to remember at a good time! This spring I took some, but it was so sunny that everyone is squinting in all the pictures.

 Grace playing doctor -

 I had a couple different outfits in two sizes, so the girls got to match once and a while.

 Grace enjoying corn-on-the-cob, as did the rest of us :)

 We went to the aquarium in Duluth - I thought it would be a good occasion for everyone to wear their orange outfits!

 When the kids saw this ship in Lake Superior, their first thought was "Pirate ship".

 Esther and Anna -

 VBS at FFC - Sometimes the little kids just need a nursery break - me too!

 This was the first year that my older girls pretty much took care of themselves and even took the initiative to learn verses without me standing over their shoulder -

 One day even Aaron Joseph went off and ate lunch with his friends :)

 Anna working on verses with Libby.

 The girls and Elizabeth at another one of the weddings -

 Decorating is not my talent, but thankfully, some people are amazing at it and decorated our church for VBS - So exciting!

 Aaron working on his craft -

 Since we live downstairs, we have to be creative to make everything happen at VBS - This is our stairway which served as a classroom :)

 Family are so helpful! Sarah and Marie both came and helped in many ways!

 This is me teaching in the coat closest -

 VBS was just too much for Julia some days - Miriam was a great help as well- teaching, and holding the babies!

 A man brought his horses on the last day and gave wagon rides.

 There really were people there other than family...

 The next few pictures are all from 4th of July - the cousins had fun playing in the hayshed.

 Esther and Grace -

 Aaron Joseph -

 I'm not sure what game this was...

 Aaron checking out the corn maze float -

 The parade -

 Aaron, my husband that is, took a bunch of the cousins to the fenceline to pick juneberries.

 Grace :)

 Esther, Grace, and Anna at the church in TRF - the kids went to most of the week of VBS there as well!

 A lady at Cornerstone took care of Lily during the week and Julia tagged along.

 Our church did a block party/giving day at the park in town. A church from the cities, one from MO, Aaron's parents, and some people from our church all pitched in and did a ton of work to make it all happen.

 At the last minute, we were in the parade during fair week, so we pulled out an old banner, got some candy, and had fun!

 At the fair - Esther is into horses these days, so she was happy to pose for me with this one.

 We call any light green shirts we have our "mowing shirts" - because that's what Aaron wears most of the summer :)

 Anna at the fair -

 Grace and her car - I've never seen a baby with such a sense of humor as she has!

 The kids love to ride bikes up and down the driveway, and any time they can, they get Aaron to race with them :)

 Aaron Joseph has graduated from his tricycle -

 Another family picnic -

 It's so fun to see the cousins playing on the same swing set we played on - not very long ago!

 Grace's first birthday! (in June) This is in the morning -

 On the afternoon of her birthday with a new ball!