Gravity keeps holding me down...

unofficial Young Band marketing

ashes to ashes....
Nora was also out here but she was kinda hanging back by me. She asked me, very quietly, where we'd buried Gracie, her little doggie that died in July of 2011...the stone has since been picked up and moved. I showed her and she stuck close to me. We've also buried one of the boys' lizards out here...so I guess you could say we have a regular ol'  pet cemetery (or is it Pet Sematary?? never mind...scary movie reference). 

RIP Snappy

The Birthday Kids. Mel's dessert choice was Key Lime Pie.

Duncan wanted pie but got cake..that's what ya get kid!

Mel will turn 17 this coming Sunday (May 31)

Duncan turned 14 on the 26th.

so, these picture ledges from IKEA...I got them, not knowing where I'd even put them, as I have limited wall space in the lower level...I took down the jumble of stuff that was here (all very cool stuff) and waaa-laaaaa, a cool display wall.
those albums on the bottom shelf...ChatBooks. Quite the deal. I don't know about you but I don't develop pics nearly as much as I used to...if even once a quarter, and then it's only pix I may need for a project I'm working on. So ChatBooks takes your Instagram account and puts all the pix into 60 pic albums. I currently have over 30 volumes waiting...but I get them in 5 album installments monthly. You can speed it up but I chose turtle speed. it is such an affordable way to get some pics developed and into your house, and in album form, no less!! 60 pix for 5 bucks?? Yes, Please!!

Well good Thursday morning to you!!

I hope this posting on Livin' the Joy-filled Life finds you enjoying this lazy start to summer.

Around this house today, things are reasonably quiet...David, Will and Ethan are up in Ft Wayne, staying at our favorite RV park, Johnny Appleseed...to get some much much needed down time, biking, doing a really low key job in Marion (which is an hour south of Ft Wayne) and just doing guy things! Mel, Levi, Molly and I are keeping the home fires burning and loving springtime around here. Fall and winter are nice here, but spring and early summer are THEE BEST!! Each year, I love being outside more and more...turning into the perfect old lady, with my watering can in hand and dirty hands and knees.

The pool is up and running, even hosting a tree frog or two. eww. I can honestly do without this kinda thing but ya pick your battles, right? if you build it, they will come. eww.

Stay tuned for swimmy-type pix. We will be hosting my two nieces on and off this summer...my lil sis is doing photography for a local realtor so she works a lot more. We will get some much needed hang time with Piper and Nora.

On Memorial Day, the kids had gone up to the school playground, which is just across from our house. Ethan set his phone down to play some hoops with Dunc, left it there, remembered 15 minutes later that he'd set it down, walked back to get it and it was gone. After much searching and talking to some (guilty-looking) neighborhood boys about bringing it back if it was found or in their possession, they came home defeated and more than slightly bewildered. We suspended service and began a claim on a replacement.

Early the next morning, we heard a little frantic knock on the upstairs door. A little 9 year old guy breathlessly told us that he'd found E's phone on his friend's porch, grabbed it and ran it back to us...We were elated and praising the Lord for this fortunate turn of events. Tyler. We told him he was our hero (even knowing that he could very well have been the one that had it, but it doesn't matter. the fact is, he brought it back!), gave him $10 and thanked him! He came back to see if he could hang out with us later and to see if the phone was damaged..He's seriously so cute. He was with us till 9:00 that evening...came back yesterday to swim, eat spinach casserole with us and Levi is beside himself because he now has a friend.

We are thankful for Tyler and know that it's no mistake that he is in our lives. More on Tyler as the summer progresses, I'm sure!

Mel and Will's music is progressing....Natalie has taken some cool pix of them and Tom has also. If you haven't yet, you can follow them on Facebook (Young Band) and Instagram (@youngbandofficial). We are pretty excited about their future! (and definitely know that whatever comes, we will get to be a part!!)

Ok, time to get this party started today! I hope to be back much sooner than 3 weeks from now...fingers crossed.

May the Lord bless you as you go about this day.

Happy almost 47th month with Jesus, Jack Oliver Young...I miss you SO much. you know that.

Happy Mother's Day to me!

People watching at the Indpls Airport

selfies with some of them

then they steal my phone and do this, which is a-ok with me!

Here we are, at one of our favorite all time spots in Indy and even on this planet. I almost bit the dust
right before this was taken..uneven sidewalks and I don't get alone. As I "gracefully" dove toward anything (Mel), I had enough thought to grab ahold of her and I think she loved it. hahaha. I put on a good show for Mom's Day, folks!

another one of those things that we always have to do when we are at the canal.

Molly wants to join in but 1.) she's small and 2.) she's wearing a dress.

How's that, girl?

Paul, Cammi, Christy, and Austin

So glad we ran into the Kitchen Fam, so we could each take pics of each other! Thanks guys!

 I know it's been way too long since I last blogged and I'm really feeling bad about that.

 Although Facebook and Instagram seem like blogging, in a sense, they really aren't. Here at my blog, I'm able to journal and write as I would in a book. I'm not going to beat myself up for not blogging for two months or even vow to become a better, more consistent blogger. Then I'll just beat myself up even more, which is dumb.

So I'm here today and hope to be here more in the coming days, months...

I think that what overwhelms me is that there is so much going on, that I don't even know where to begin..I know I don't have to share it all or even most of it, but some of it's pretty daunting and it's kinda intertwined in the day to day so how does one blog when they really can't or shouldn't talk about what is going on?? Ugh.

Let me assure you, o faithful blog visiter, all is very well and I, and my family, are thriving, counting our blessings and safely tucked in the Lord's hands. We want for nothing and worry only a little bit. haha

As you can see above, our Mother's Day was very interesting. We attended church, where our pastor spoke very eloquently on honoring our mother's (alive or not), verbally, in our actions, and how that corresponds to our relationship with God. We then made a trek out to the Indianapolis Int'l Airport to take in some sights (I know that seems strange to some but David really wanted all of us to see the place)...we got 1/2 off Frappucinos (we all split them!!) while there, watched people (always entertaining!!), and watched airplanes land and take off. Next stop: the Canal in downtown Indy...one of our all time favorite places to be and apparently, now, everyone else in Indiana's as well! it was crowded but still so freakin' lovely! If you ever come to Indy and miss this place, I'll spank you! We ran into our friends, as mentioned above, and walked with them for a bit, took some pics, nearly tripped and busted our faces and had a wonderful time! (it was kinda hot for May 10th, but no one was complaining, except maybe Levi.)

We decided that Panda Express and Starbucks would be a lovely end to our Motherly celebration. Lovely Kacey gave me a Mom's special and we supped on our Panda on the front patio. We then rented "Unbroken" to watch and only got half way through....intensity and the promise of an early morning caused us to head to bed by midnight. All in all, it was a beautiful day and I'm so grateful for the gift and love of each child that God gave to me. Even though I don't get to take care of all of them here on earth, I know they are all right where they were meant to be. Weird to imagine what it would be like to have a bouncy, pesky nearly four year old little fella in our midst. I miss him.

I have so much more to blog but we have to leave for piano lessons in an hour so I guess I should get ready...Hope this post finds you doing well and enjoying this lovely spring.