A day at the air show

We were able to spend most of saterday at the Manitowoc air show. it's smaller than the EAA, but the airshow itself is still very impressive. I think this F16 is one of our favorite warbirds!











It was a wonderfull time being together as a family and just having fun!

the fire chief of manitwoc let Johnny try on his hat and coat.

I think it looks very nice, but maybe a few sizes to large!

It was a little bit rainy but thankfully they did not cancel the air show!

Happy birthday to our biggest brother! Guess What!?! our biggest brother turned 28!!! Famous Amos, our loving, caring, wonderful big brother is always the one to have around when we got bored, there are countless times that he has led us into all kinds of adventures, like filling up a pop can full of gas and fastening it tightly to the back of our wooden contraption that we called a airplane then putting the two littlest siblings on to pilot He was about to light the wick when mom caught them and made them stop. (thank God for Mothers!) then there was the great "bee wars" ( guess who won!) or the great games invented like bop em on the bean with a rubber tangerine, (the objects used in this game were not really rubber, but a harder plastic, so it had the potential of being painful.) or the iky smell of fat burning, (this was much more fun than the last one, we played it quite often. I don't know why it had to have a name like that though!) and how could we ever forget Amos' army? or the traps in the sandbox? the bible plays he directed us to do bring back the most hilarious memories. I didn't really like the part of acting the pig though. and the cardboard "gardens really didn't taste good. and you know when we were suppose to be rocks? well, I never could hold as still as a stone, even if it was only for a few minutes. with his fun loving attitude, and all the adventures we shared we love our big brother very much and thank God for him. We love you Fame!

Hi to all,

sorry we haven't posted in so long. our computer crashed and it has taken sooo long to fix it. it is all back together now and working, (most of the time!)
as for pictures...well our now our camera is experiencing difficulty's. so until we operate on it to get the delete butten working again, we'll just have to tell you what's up.

Most of us have kept busy (very busy!) planting our garden. it's so funny to see different personality's as we work, some have a "lets work hard and get this done quick" attitude. (unless they think the job is to big or they just don't feel like working.) and the others who can slip into their own world rather quickly. goes something like this.

I see them working. good, lets keep it up.

the next glance in that direction shows you they are occupied as they work with a self told story. that's OK, I think. as long as they don't too caught up in it.

the next time however, I look and their they sit eyes wide staring off in space as the story reaches the climax.
then comes the reminder (hopefully gentle) which shakes them back to earth, to the garden, to the rows of beans behind and in front. O yes, we need to keep planting beans, even if digger digwiller is almost drowning in his well. (their new made up story!)

as of right now we have everything in except the corn and peppers. the peppers just because we didn't get around to it yet. and the corn, because of two legged chicken monsters. OK they are just regular chickens, but they are so nasty! they'll walk right down the nicely planted rows eating corn. since we didn't want to spend a good half of the day catching them, we waited till tonight and locked them up. tomorrow we should be able to plant without the fear of our work being undone.

I know this is not very exciting, just the joys and sorrows of everyday life.

Thank You Lord, for days spent working and learning together.
I am amazed at the way you make beautiful wonderful plants grow out of little bitty seeds. your ways truly are past finding out. I love you Lord!

To raise majestic mountion's, to cause the sea to roar,
to brush a crimson setting sun......

..... to make the eagle soar, To bring the new Born's

cry of life, the hope of every spring. These treasures are the pleasures of the king.
to see his people flourish to live in light of day,

To watch his children grow and know the wonder of his way's.
to feel the joy of ransom heart in all his mercy true,

These treasures are the pleasure's of the king!

Happy 25th Birthday to our dear, dear Sister!

Happy, Happy birthday Rachel!
We all love you very much and are so happy your our sister!

We all love your adventures ways! taking us for hikes, camping in the wood's (and as we do telling stories that make us shiver and snuggle up tight in our sleeping bag's hoping that the little noise we just heard wasn't a wolf trying to pounce down upon us and gobble us up.)

or the Wonderful games you make up, or the little op book's that you create for us , and the wonderful example that you are of a big sister.
All in all, we love you and are very happy to be your sibling's! we love you Teach!!

It's Spring!

Now It 's really begaining to look like spring!
the flower's are opening and the wood's ring with the sweet sound of bird's
singing.


the wood's are so quiet and peaceful.

God made such wonderful little creatures!
we tryed to get a good shot of this woodpecker but it hopped

around to much.

The Wood's are so pretty this time of year!
most of the Flower's are not open but, these look like they will be very soon!
Ezra and Debbie go over the creek.

watch your step!

Spring or Winter? And I thought Winter was over! oh well, lets just hope
all my plants are ok with all the snow.

"God has strategically placed you near some people only you can reach."

G. Wood

Happy Birthday!

Jedidah

always helpful and polite,

we love how you take care of Rachel

We love how you are a peacemaker

We love how you play with us

We love to see you listening to the Lord

We love your extreme sometimes painful honesty

An honoring and submissive spirit to authority

understanding the helpfulness concept.

and it a good thing you are, because otherwise you would'nt have gotten our Rachel!

We all love you Jedidiah and we're so glad your part of our family now!

This is but a journey, we are only passing through. and at the end of the road, when we cross that river and meet our Savior, folded in his embrace we will be finally home. let us not grow weary, but instead let us run with Patience the race marked out for us, so we may hear "well done thou good and faithful servant from our Lord."

water fight!
Yesterday it got up to 70, so the kids being hot got out the
hose's and had a big water fight! it was loads of fun, and
we were glad to get such nice weather!

Josiah and Ezra got all the way soaked, but had a great time!


See their friend's again!

Abigail and Debbie hooked up the water slide
and had lots of fun sliding down on it!

It's Spring!
The snow is melting, and the grass is just poking its head through the snow. this week we replaced the plastic on our greenhouse, so now it's all ready for all the garden seedlings we started in the house. now if we can just wait until after the last frost!
Abbie's birthday was a wonderful time! somehow we maneged to get most
everyone together to celebrate. What a Blast!
We love you Abbie!
Look who's enjoying the spring sun! I've just realized something,
about the family dog, either we don't walk him enough, or we feed him way to much!
Unpacking the food from our food co/op. yum!

Happy 12th Birthday Abigail!

Abigail with her big blue eye's that smile with mischief, loves to tell stories

and lead her little siblings into all sorts of adventures.

her ever present smile is a joy to us all,

she is very excited about hunting with the rest of us this year,

and is now a real book worm.

We love and thank the Lord for you Abi!

The Lord is great in Zion, and He is high above all the peoples.
Let them praise Your great and awsome name
-He is holy. Ps 99:2-3

The heavens declare the glory of God,

And the firmament showeth his handiwork.

Day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night

showeth knowledge.

There is no language, where their voice is not heard.
Psalms 19:1-3

its a Winter wonderland!!
wow! finally enough snow for sledding and skiing.
but winter just wouldn't be winter without...........

the every year bare foot race's........

..... and of course a wild game of hockey! (we did have one with

some friends but nobody took any pictures because

we were all to busy with a little black thing flying around!)

between working and playing we had a wonderful winter!

A beautiful sunset to end a wonderful day!

Our good friend Darleen came up from TX to visit us this last week. what a wonderful time we had! even though it was really cold out we were able to play some ice hockey, Which was lots and lots of fun!

Darleen and Eddie taking a brake form skating.

who's going to win this time?!
after a good game (that means the girls team won!) Not really, we only get that competitive some times!

Thanks for coming Darleen, we really enjoyed it!

Happy 2nd Birthday Noah!Noah with His Mamma (Amy)

the littlest big boy of the family is growing up! We love you Naoh, and thank God for blessing us with you! May you grow bigger, stronger and closer to the Lord this year.

TEXAS Wedding Reception

We all went down to Texas for Jedidiah and Rachel's Texas reception.

Guess what? It wasn't COLD!

Josh and Mr Waltman

Debbie and Ezra

Jedidiah

Rachel, is that you? I thought you were a bride!?!

We stayed with the Waltman family while we were down south.

thay are a very sweet family and we had lots of fun!

Joleen
Colleen

Bryce, you got hurt last time you did that.

Are you sure you want to do it again!?!

The Vande Hei Family