Happy 4th of July!!

We celebrated 4th of July, and the hottest day of the year, at our church with family and friends!  Lots of yummy food, fun, fellowship and fireworks!

We Have a 4th Grader Now!

Well today is Gavin's last day of third grade.  When the school bell rings for the last time today, he'll officially be a fourth grader.  I can't even believe it!  These last nine years have flown by and in a blink he's grown so much.  He's such a sweet boy, but also a silly boy!  

Yesterday was awards day at his school and Aunt Stace took the day off work to go to them, along with his mom and dad.

He received three awards and a medal for Honor Roll, Citizenship, and Accelerated Reading! 

We are all SO PROUD of everything you are doing and accomplishing big boy! 

Stalking the Amish...

Well I've went and done it again...  #amishstalker

On Saturday over Mother's Day weekend, Shawn was at his parents, and I wanted to go up north to Amish country again.  I asked Beth and Gavin if they wanted to go and was thrilled to have the company!  

Our first stop was at McDonald's for the mandatory mocha frappes! And then on to Odon, Indiana.  It's an hour and a half north of us, and an added hour for the time change.  We got on the interstate around 8:30, and was in line for donuts at 11:00 a.m.  

After getting our donuts, we went into the little shop next door and then over to the Odon Locker for a few of my favorite grocery items.

After all that, it was time to commence with #gettingthecardirty!  And dirty it got, but inside and out.  

We spent quite a few hours driving around just enjoying the peacefulness of the Amish/Mennonite lifestyles.  I just love driving around looking at their beautiful homes and well kept yards.  Seeing horses and buggy's every where you went.  Following the paths of horse poop on the roads cause you knew a horse and buggy had been that way.  Seeing all of the laundry out on the lines because Saturday is apparently wash day.  Men out in the fields with their horse drawn tractors and plows mowing and getting ready for planting.  Little ones out playing.

But my absolute favorite, and a first for me, was happening upon this lemonade stand!  We pulled up and asked how much the lemonade was.  In the most sweetest and southern-est accent, we were told 75 cents a cup and that they had homemade cookies too!  We got two cups, chatted for a second, and then drove off.  That lemonade was good and was homemade!

I just love our backroad adventures.  You never know where they will take you!  This one took us to an Amish family's driveway!  

We stopped at a greenhouse so I could get some plants.  And then we stopped at a couple little stores.  After not successfully finding all we were searching for, we stopped for lunch at Knepp's and then headed towards home.  

For those of you that didn't know, this is what NOT SLEEPING looks like...

Who's ready for another roadtrip?!?

Our Back Yard Patio Expansion

I'm not even sure what prompted us to do this, but I'm definitely glad we did!  I absolutely love sitting outside when the weather is tolerable and just being at peace.  Granted I'm usually playing on my phone, but it's just quiet and peaceful.  Sure there is the occasional hum of the air conditioner kicking on or the giggles of the kids next door.  Well, and there is the constant barking of my dogs.  But there is just something about being outside in nature.  And it's totally not like me to be like this.  I think it's because I've been trying to become more "grounded".  You'll have to google it to understand! LOL!!

So here is a before...  Kind of a small builder's standard hodge podge of concrete and stones. 

And don't be janking on my half-painted back door area.  HAHA!

And here is the after with our new patio furniture and fire pit!

Thanks to my friend's Hazel and Trudy for recommending Pfingston's Concrete and to our friend's Tom and Michele for helping us haul that furniture home.  And I can't forget thanking our friends Brian and Jenn for driving by stalking our house at night when Shawn and I were out in the garage playing a game of twister trying to put the last few nuts and screws in the sectional...thanks for the extra hands Brian! LOL!!

Now, who wants to come over for hot dogs and sweet tea!

Travels to Indiana Amish Country

On Saturday's when we don't have any definite plans, I always want to venture out somewhere to eat.  We usually end up in Bowling Green, Louisville, Nashville, or somewhere in Indiana.  Today we decided to drop the Explorer off for an oil change and then we drove to Rose Hill Cafe in Newburgh for breakfast.  After that we picked the Explorer up and left Shawn's car for an oil change, and then we hopped on the interstate and headed an hour north to Montgomery, Indiana.  I dropped Shawn off at Country Oaks to play golf and I drove around for the next three hours on country roads looking for the Amish and trying to photograph their lifestyle!  I absolutely am fascinated with the Amish and their way of life.  I love their simplicity, yet hard work ethics.  They have some of the most beautiful homes with meticulous landscaping and yard decorations, and such large working farms.  Their horses are such beauties as well.  And they appear so friendly waving as you drive by them at their homes or in the buggies on the road.  After Shawn was finished golfing, we headed for dinner at the Gasthof Amish restaurant and then stopped in a little shop there and bought the most gigantic hanging plant basket ever!  Love taking little road trips and hanging out with my hubs!

See ya later Shawn!  Have fun golfing!  

I'm ready to stalk!

I encountered this little guy running along side a country road.  I'm not one to bring in strays, but he was so, so tiny and I had to contemplate him for a little bit.  I didn't know if he was a stray or belonged to someone.  I definitely didn't want to take someones pet.  He ended up running into someones yard and up by their house so I'm hoping he lived there.  

Oh be still my heart!  They were having a pony auction at Dinky's this afternoon!  Amish jackpot!!  Every Friday evening they have an auction and people say it's something else.  Since we have summer hours on Friday at work, Shawn and I will definitely be making a trip up there to partake in the festivities!  

I'm not sure what the purpose of putting plastic bottles on these poles is.  I've seen it around here too.  If anyone knows, please let me know and settle my curiosity!

Empty beer cases and cans are all over those country roads.  I'm thinking those Amish like to have a good time.  After watching Amish Mafia, I'm sure it's true! 

There are so many amazing horses and baby horses!  Such beauties!

This horse had a heart on him!<3 nbsp="" p="">

This guy had them packed in that truck!  There was 5 of them in the back, count the hats! 

I bought this hanging basket at one of the shops at the Gasthof Village.  This picture definitely doesn't do it justice as to just how big this plant is and how huge those geraniums are.  Those Amish definitely know how to grow plants.  I'll probably kill it in three days!