Lord Willing...

The Lord taught me a lot this month about making plans. I am naturally a type-A person who always has a list of things to do and a certain time frame in which to accomplish them.

(Hannah likes lists and post-it notes too!)
I am learning that although I make plans it is ultimately the Lord who directs my steps. Although you might not be able to tell from our pictures on this blog post, many of our plans for this month didn't turn out the way I expected due to sickness. (I didn't take pics of my family when they had fever, HFM blisters, double pink eye, coughing, and throwing up.) We officially renamed September...Sicktember

"You do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that." James 4:14-15

This would have been a GREAT bag to have had on our trip to ATL to meet my parents!

Twice, we found out (the hard way) that Benjamin gets car sick. 

I will never forget standing on the side of a highway at 1am with a scared, sick, naked, crying 2 year-old trying to find a change of clothes. It is definitely on the top of my list of things I never want to do again. We have never been so thankful for leather seats!

We took the next day just to recover from the car trip. 

I noticed Hannah felt warm and realized she had a high fever.

(Maybe I do take pictures of sick kids...when it's cute)

Once my parents arrived to Atlanta we were rested and had a fun time together. 

We spent a morning at the ATL aquarium

I would love to know what Hannah was thinking

Hannah "hanging" out with Mimi

Reading with Grandy

We even got to meet up for dinner with my cousin Merideth and her husband, Jared

My dad and I went to the Bodies Exhibit (highly recommend),

while Frank and my mom and the kids went to the Children's Museum.

Stopped at Cracker Barrel on the way home...you wouldn't even know that Benjamin had just thrown up ALL OVER FRANK an hour before this picture was taken. 

At least he waited till we stopped the car this time ; )

We were glad to get back home to rest and recover. 

There has been a lot of negative news surrounding Memphis this past month. I have lived here for over 10 years now and can genuinely say...I love my city! 

Our church made this video to highlight how we are a city of hope, a city of unity, a city of dreams, a city of faith. We are a city with the potential to touch the world.  #WeAreMemphis

"Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare." Jeremiah 29:7

Here are some of the fun things we have enjoyed in Memphis this month:

Botanic Gardens

Memphis Zoo

Riding the train

Central Library

Mid South Fair

Yolo!

You can't beat playing at home : )

"Daddy's home!"

We call this look "Lovie head"

It makes them giggle

Caught this sweet moment...

then Hannah decided to return the kiss but was not as precise.

Sometimes I look down and can't believe how much this little boy has grown! 

He has come a loooong way in enjoying playing with shaving cream - lol

10 Months and standing up on her own!

Although Benjamin prefers dirt, blocks, tractors, and trains...

he sometimes gets a soft spot and wants to "take care of the baby".

I'm trying my own "real food challenge".

Basically trying to stay away from heavily processed foods. I pay more attention to ingredient labels and try to only buy things that have 5 or fewer ingredients.

It's actually not as hard as I thought it would be. 

I have made some new recipes like venison steak gyros

We have been eating a lot from our garden this month too. 

Frank is using some of the land behind his work to grow corn and green beans

Got Corn?

Bush beans ready to be canned

Guest House Update:

This month Frank put up the siding and did a lot of painting.

 Only finishing touches left to go before the outside is finished!

Last nail

Like Father...Like Son

Benjamin has become very creative with his blocks this month - wanting to "build like daddy".

He did this one 100% on his own!

"Farm" for his animals

"If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulder of giants."

Isaac Newton

Frank's 7 month dessert strike is over. We celebrated with Muddy's cake.

(Yes...seriously 7 months of no sweets or carbonated drinks. 

Why? Just to prove to himself he could...and he did!)

...and now hunting season is upon us!

Just to clarify - I am NOT hunting...I have no desire to wake up at 4 am and sit in a tree. But we had a fun date night where Frank showed me the land on which he hunts. Riding on the back of a 4-wheeler was definitely an exercise in trust! Yikes!

Thankful to have two healthy kids again!

I found an old disposable camera and had it developed when I found this gem.

 Diane and I auditioned to be in an Oscar Mayer commercial back in college.

On that "note"...Happy October : )