Shepherds, Sheep and A Savior

Several sweet ladies at our church worked on a children's Christmas musical for the worship service this Sunday morning.  It was just a sweet portrayal of the Christmas story from the perspective of the shepherds and a reminder that Christ came for all for all of us.  Meredith and her Daddy played the part of the angels that shared the Good News to the shepherds tending their flocks.

 Our littlest angel loved wearing her wings and being flown into the room by her Daddy.

 The children did such a wonderful job!  They worked so hard to remember their lines, sing their solos, and present the story with excitement and enthusiasm.

 It was a sweet reminder of the real Christmas story and why we celebrate the birth of our Savior.

 Will and I enjoyed every minute from the pew, humming and singing along.

Family Jet Photos

Veteran's Day Parade

Aaron's squadron represented the base by marching in the local Veteran's Day Parade.  It was a beautiful day, and the squadron families came out in full force to show their patriotic support.

They say military friends are a second family, and we've certainly found that to be true...  

Our vets, past and present, give so much, it's right to honor them.  Amidst our remembrance of them, Veteran's Day also has us mindful of the heroes on the home front as well.  

We are so thankful to have this military family,

and we don't forget the soldiers and airmen and their families who don't get the opportunity to celebrate the day together.

 We all stand side by side, serving and sacrificing to preserve this great nation.

 We are thankful for our hero and the generations of others who have bravely defended our freedom.

 Let freedom ring...

 and God bless, America!

Trick or Treat Party 2013

Once again we hosted our annual Trick or Treat party and had such a great time!  Just something about excited children dressed up so cute in their costumes, and enjoying being out and about with friends and neighbors. 

We served up our traditional Halloweenies (hotdogs) and had a bit of backyard fun before venturing out for candy.

We had such a great group of kids this year!  I mean, they're all just so darn cute!  And I couldn't believe we got this picture with everybody mostly looking in the right direction.  

After the photos, Will was off and running with his buddies, while Meredith was content being pulled in the wagon.  She was definitely all about the candy this year, though, so she wasn't about to miss adding treats to her basket.

 We all had a great time even though the nice weather brought out the masses.  We started passing out candy when we returned home and had given out all of it (350 pieces) in just 20 minutes!  That was giving ONE piece per person!  Apparently, I need to start stockpiling candy in July.  Oh well, Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween: The Wolf and Little Red

Teddy Bear Tea Party

Meredith's sweet friend, Riley had a teddy bear tea party to celebrate her birthday.  These girls were born two weeks apart and have been buddies since birth!  It's been fun watching them grow from cute babies into playful little girls.

 Everyone dressed up fancy and brought their favorite teddy bear.  Meredith had fun accessorizing with the pearl necklaces and feather boas Riley's mommy provided.

The mini-cupcakes were VERY popular with the little ladies.

Riley was so cute opening her gifts and getting so excited about the tissue paper.  Hehe! 

 She got a couple of princess dresses to play dress-up, and the girls and a great time trying them out!

 Such a sweet little afternoon!  Happy Birthday, Riley!

Dean's Farm Market & Pumpkin Patch

Aaron's been very busy at work lately, often having to go in on weekends, but we were able to squeeze in a trip to the pumpkin patch the last Saturday before Halloween!  This farm is in Wilson, NC and has so many great things for a family outing! 

We checked out the market first, which include tons of pumpkins, gourds, hay bales, and fresh preserves.  The kids had a great time exploring before we took a hayride around the entire farm.  They included a Spookly scavenger hunt, and Will had a great time keeping an eye out for his favorite square pumpkin as we rode along.

Enjoying our breezy, bumpy ride!

 First stop, the little pumpkin patch.  Each kid gets to pick a pumpkin as part of the ride.  Will and Meredith enjoyed making their selections, before climbing back in the wagon.

Next stop, the barnyard to see some of the animals.  Meredith squealed over the little goats, and Will made friends with the donkey.

Attempt number one at a family photo... someone was not happy about saying goodbye to the animals!

 But the fun continued with a tractor/"train" ride!  Will was pretty pumped to ride "Little Thomas."

There was a huge playground we didn't get a chance to explore, before we had to get back for a friend's birthday party.  But that will give us something to look forward to next year!  Happy Fall, y'all!