Thanksgiving

Well, its that time of year again! Thanksgiving is upon us! Wow, this year has really flown by. I am amazed each year as I get older how quickly time goes.

Well, this year I decided with Thanksgiving coming that it would be good for Cidney to learn why we celebrate thanksgiving and how it came about. So, for the past month or so we have been reading several different books about the pilgrims and the mayflower and the first thanksgiving.

Now, I remember learning about the pilgrims for the first time in first grade. I remember we even put on a little play for our parents at the Christian school I went to and I was dressed up as a pilgrim girl! :) I was wearing a white paper bonnett thingy that we had made in class several days before. I laugh as I think about it, cause I remember being SO shy and not wanting to be up in front of everyone. :) How things change when you get older!

I remember learning all about the pilgrims as I was growing up, but I have realized as I have been reading these books to Cidney, all that I really didn't understand. Being an adult you understand so much more. I really realized exactly what these people were doing so many years ago. They left their home in England, the only place they had known, and traveled to a new land. One that they had only heard of in search of religious freedom. That first winter after they arrived over half of the group died from sickness. Only 5 of the eighteen women survived. Now, reading all this makes me think that if I would have been there I would have wanted to give up and go back home. But the pilgrims continued on. To me, these people who founded our country, were brave, strong people who had faith in God. I really am amazed at all they had to go through and how hard they had to work to survive. They worked together and took care of each other. I am not sure if people are quite like that today.

Even though that first winter was terrible, they continued on and that following spring God blessed them with a huge harvest, an abundance of food. They were so thankful! "God be praised" Edward winslow wrote in his journal. They knew that God had helped them and provided for them. They were truly thankful!

After reading all this it makes me so thankful for this country we live in, for the brave people that worked so hard for this country over the years, how easy I have it now adays then people did long ago, for God in my life, for my family and friends and all that God has given me! I am TRULY thankful this Thanksgiving! :)

FCA Retreat-Coach Steckel

Ryan and I were able to go to an FCA(Fellowship of Christian Athletes)retreat this last weekend. Ryan just got involved in this program back in September. It is a great program! I wasn't quite sure of what the weekend was going to hold, but was excited non the less! A weekend away with my hubby?? What could NOT be fun about that??! :)
Thanks to Robby and Rachel and my mom for watching the kids, we were able to get away and have a great time!
Coach Les Steckel and his wife Chris were the speakers at the retreat. If you haven't heard of them(I definitely hadn't)he was a former NFL coach for many years. He also coached College FB and a couple years his son in highschool. He had been a coach for for 32 years. He and his wife have been married 36 years and were such an inspiration and encouragemnt to all of us coaches and coaches wives that were there at the retreat! They had such a testimony to tell, of all the ups and downs(he was fired many times in his career)in coaching, marriage and life! Such a great story and such a neat couple! We had a great time meeting them and getting to visit with them and hearing all about their life and how Christ is the center of all they do! We learned alot as a couple and I also learned ALOT more about football! I am pretty sure that was husbands dream couples retreat! Talking about football! LOL We were blessed and are so thankful we were able to go! :)


Ryan and I with Chris and Les Steckel

Awesome package that awaited us in our room when we arrived!

We truly had a great time! Ate too much though...that would be the only complaint! :) We were blessed and hope to be able to go next year! :)

FALL-My favorite time of year

This is my favorite time of year! The weather is beautiful, the leaves are changing and winter is soon approaching!! :) We have had a great fall. We have been able to do alot of fun things! We went to the zoo, made caramel apples, went to purdums and went on a hay ride to pick out a pumpkin, carved pumpkins, made cookies, went on a nature walk, picked and pressed leaves, watched how glass was blown and made into art, got all dressed up and went trick or treating, eaten tons of candy! Yes, it has been a busy, yet wonderfully fun fall!! These are just a few pictures of what we have been up to! Now we are looking forward to November and Thanksgiving! Happy Fall!!!! :)

My Kiddos

Cidney is my sweet little 5 year old girl!! She loves her family, loves dress up, is very dramatic(sometimes alittle too much:), loves dance class and her sparks class(Wednesday are by far the best day EVER, she says), loves doing school(she really does)and loves playing with her dolls! She is in Kindergarten this year and is doing really well! She is reading really well and is doing first grade math! She also started piano lessons this year and is very excited about that! So am I! :)She is my sweet little "princess" and I am SO blessed that she is in our family!!!!

Caden, my little mister, is 3 and full of life!! He is a busy little boy always trying to find some mischief to get into! :) He is a sweet little boy!!! He LOVES cars or anything with wheels for that matter! He loves to help out around the house. He will get the broom out and start cleaning, will help me do the dishes, put toys away, carry in the groceries....just about anything that he can help with he will! :) He is learning is letters and numbers and is writing his name really well now! He also loves doing "school" too! He is definitely all boy and it is so fun watching him grow!! I love my little man! :)

These are my kiddos!! :)

I'm here! Time to join the blogging world!

Well, I started this blog the beginning of the year, kinda got stumped and never went back....til now! I thought it was time to get back to it and join the blogging world! So, this is me and my family and our thoughts, plans, dreams, frustrations, and just plain LIFE here for all to see! I hope you enjoy this as much as I am going to! :) This will give you alittle insight into our life and journey in this world!