Trip so far

Ribs and meat dinner
San Luis pier
Kristin's favorite burger joint
Waiting for our crab to be cooked

Walking in the park

I just love this pictures. They both looked so cute. 

A fun filled day

Wanted to share some of the fun we had today 

out at Morro Bay and Mantana De Oro.

Can you guess where Mera gets the climbing bug from?  We love going out to this beach because it's

so nice and so close to home, Mera can't get enough of the pebbles and rocks on the beach, and Kristin can't stay off the cliffs:-) 

Two little characters

Kevin and I have been so blessed w/all the thoughtful people who have given us clothes for the boys. THANK YOU to Daddy and Mama, Marian Graber, Tenille Hoffert(luv'n the cute vests!), and Beth Leppert. Their shoes are the only things from us! :)

Exercise...oh, yeah :)

Travis enjoyed riding his big wheels around the house in the nice 70 degree weather God blessed us with today!

I zoomed way in for this picture. Kevin(Kaleb is sitting in the kid carrier behind Kevin) and Allyson biked across the highway and up a gravel road.

Then Travis got to take the same ride...

Since only Daddy and Mama have been to our house(when are my brother and sisters going to come visit me?!) they are the only ones who know the lay of the land around our house. Anyway, I biked the same trek Kevin did...down the gravel road in front of our house, across the highway, up a gravel road, made a u-turn, back down, crossed the highway, and then back up the fairly steep gravel road in front of our house and into the driveway. After this long winter of hibernation, I found out I am completely out of shape! ...my legs felt like jello, and I was gasping for breath after biking up and down a couple of Iowa hills! I'm determined to whip myself into shape...Allyson commented she needs to as well...so, we WILL...together! :)

Cartoons of the Evening

Our 25 new babies!

Well, we got a call from the post office this evening that our batch of baby chicks had arrived there and needed to be picked up. So, Kevin and his brood of 3 jumped in the car, and off they went to bring home 25 baby laying hens...white Leghorn is their breed. Thankfully, we aren't keeping all 25...just 9. Since baby chicks are cheaper if bought in greater quantity, Steve Cope and Papa went in w/us on this deal and are taking the remaining 16 off our hands.
The kids like petting their soft fuzzy little heads...and there sure is an abundance of chirping going on around here! :)

Caleb's Birthday Dinner

We put candles in the banana pudding.

A friendly joust after hitting golf balls off the pier.

This shirt will be a hit among the shipbuilders in the area.

Some favorite pics of mine

Mera playing with sand on the beach
Kay and I on my last night there with her.
Meradeth dressed up like a pirate by her friend Cassidy and the boys.

Handsome fellows

Allyson's photography

This morning, my shopping buddy and I set out for the supermarket to get the groceries for the following week. Allyson, my shopping buddy, took along her camera and captured various moments of our morning such as...me drinking my coffee to-go from BP while driving to the grocery store, checking my shopping list, reaching up for a can of French Onion condensed soup, and then at last getting ready to swipe my debit card and purchase our buggy load of groceries. What a fun morning I had w/my best shopping buddy! :)

Do I HAVE to live here?

On Capitol Hill, a $1.7 million earmark for pig odor research in Iowa has become a big, fat joke among Republicans, a Grade A example of pork. But the people who live cheek by jowl with hog farms in the No. 1 pig-producing state aren't laughing.
They're gagging.

"You hold your breath and when it's really bad you get the taste in your mouth," said Carroll Harless, a 70-year-old retired corn-and-soybean farmer from Iowa Falls.

In Iowa, where the 20 million hogs easily outnumber the 3 million people, the rotten-egg-and-ammonia smell of hog waste often wafts into homes, landing like a punch to the chest.

To those who make light of the smell, Harkin extended an open invitation: Come to Iowa and take a whiff. The Associated Press

Considering the clean fresh crisp mountain air I was accustomed to breathing before moving to Iowa...I have to laugh at this article to refrain myself from exhibiting gloominess. :)

Smiley

Happy Birthday!

Hey, dear brother...I hope ya have a great birthday tomorrow! You are lucky to live close to the folks...so you're sure to get a savory meal fit for a king from Mama's scrumptious kitchen! I love you so much! :)

Winter Wonderland for Virginia

I wish I had some skiis!!!!

Sleeping angels :)

After Sunday morning service, we went over to spend the afternoon at Steve and Kelly Cope's home. The men went outside to look for sheds(deer antlers) on the Cope's 10 acres. They found no sheds but saw a big herd of deer!

We girls stayed warm inside snuggled under blankets, sipping coffee, and watching a movie...well, that is I watched the movie. :) The other two girls watched the back of their eyelids. We thank the Lord for good friends!