Apples!

This past weekend was fall break, which meant we had friday off!!!

So, we decided to celebrate fall break by doing a bunch of "fall things," like...

apple picking!!!

Wedding Part 2

Finally the rest of the wedding photos! (Sorry family, it's been an extra busy semester!)


Look at that big smile! And that big suitcase! There's a guy ready to be married and on his honeymoon!






Meredith and her sister Melissa were AWESOME and babysat Abby and our God-daughter, Kelly for us during the ceremony. THANKS girls!!


Waiting to be announced at the reception


First dance- he gazed into her eyes the entire time. I can't tell you how it warms my heart to see my baby brother so in love, and with such a great girl!


Father/daughter dance. Mr.Whitlow is so great- having lived in a house with 6 (SIX!!) women for the last 20 years, he has the sweetest heart and a GREAT sense of humor. He even made a special trip to the store to buy a bottle and some formula for Abby for me. I think everyone was tearing up during their dance, knowing how special their relationship is!


Mother/son dance




Would you expect anything less??




We were all holding out breath, waiting to see if Dan would smash the cake in Katie's face. You see, the old, pre-married, single Dan DEFINATELY would have. But something happened to Dan the MINUTE Katie started to walk down the aisle. It's like he grew up in a minute! He ever-so-sweetly and delicately placed a small piece of cake in her mouth, no smashage at all. It was amazing.

Robin's Maid of Honor toast. I laughed so hard my abs hurt! (And boy did they need the work-out!)


Dad's Best Man toast




Katie's sister Lauren caught the bouquet!


Breakin' it down: (it just so happened that the Lentz's, Berlin's, Barnetts, AND the Hokie's in the house ALL love to dance... never a dull moment!)


Our god-daughter, Kelly- she's so cute!!!


Mom and Katie's mom Randi. LOVE IT!


Even Dan joined in on the Macarena!


Look how happy they are!!!

My sweet cousins Hannah, Kathryn, Bekah, and Sarah Berlin. They started dancing before everyone else, and didn't stop until they had to leave. The are my inspiration.

Poor Abby was SOO tired, but she still loves her Uncle Dan!

The old Tinkers Cove Road crew, minus Aaron and Charles. These people have literally known me my whole life. I have some great memories from those days when we used to live on Tinkers Cove!

Lentz family (my mom's side) portrait

And the true Lentz family. How I love them!

The Berlin's!!

My cousin Laura and I, who is like a sister to me!


Get these kids outta here!!



My best friend Cara, my hero... she took care of Abby a TON (like, practically the WHOLE TIME!) at the reception so I could enjoy being a bridesmaid. She walked with her when she was fussy, took her away from the crowds when she got overwhelmed, and loved on her as only a good auntie can. THANK YOU my life saver!!

What I Really Hope

What I Really Hope

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Written by Rocks in my Dryer:
A mother's hopes for her children are never far from her.

I've been thinking much these last couple of weeks, as the sky seems to be doing a bit of falling. I think of how higher gas and grocery prices will affect my family, of course, but I think of other things, too. I look at the failure we're seeing, on such a grand scale, and it reminds me of something much deeper. Cheaper groceries aren't the only thing I'm wishing for, where my kids are concerned:

I hope they learn that greed is not, in fact, good. That it messes with the heads of big-time CEOs all the way down to first-time homeowners, and it clouds judgment, often spectacularly so.

I hope that they pay attention in math class and learn that, whether you're a government or a regular Joe, if you spend more than you make, it never ends well.

I hope they learn that a happy family is a million times more precious than a big house.

I hope they learn that when times are good, your circumstances don't have to enslave you or define you. And that when times are bad, your circumstances don't have to enslave you or define you.

I hope they remember that America's version of "cutting back" is very different from that of the developing world.

I hope they learn that contentment is not something that accidentally happens to you, it is something you actively decide upon. And you lay hold of it, re-deciding every day that enough is actually plenty.

I hope they learn that, at the end of the day, our truest Hope will never be found in our bank accounts or our government. Insitutions sometimes fall. He doesn't.

one day...

This is what I want my pantry to look like some day:

There must be over 200 cans in there! Can you image, being able to feed your family through the fall, winter, and spring, produce that you harvested and canned from your own backyard throughout the summer??

This was my dream at the beginning of the summer when we did our first garden. We had great results- lots of green beans, zucchini and squash, heirloom tomatoes... but, alas, not enough to can. I am totally proud that our first efforts went well enough for us to go a few months without buying veggies from the store, but I still wish that we had gotten enough to can. I had visions of hommade spagetti sauce, green beans, all through winter.... oh well, there's always next year.
Except, we'll be moving.
So, the year after that!