Strawberry Picking

We went out Strawberry picking. The weather was perfect and the strawberries were fabulous! For the next few days we had strawberries.... strawberry lemonade....strawberry cake...strawberry shortcake...strawberry salad...etc. : )

$129 BUCKS!

Joel came running in my office today yelling "Guess what Mom, I just got 129 Bucks!"

First Southern opened a new Branch in Wilmore and had a Grand Opening Celebration. They announced free food and the whole town of Wilmore appeared. Everyone from work, church, neighbors etc. were there. We had hot dogs & hamburgers listened to a band playing and visited with everyone. One of the bank employees said they had bought food for 600 and had run out, so they bought everything IGA had and were headed to Nicholasville for more food. (I'm telling you all of Wilmore was there).

Well, Paul signed the boys and himself up for a chance in the Money Machine and after I left to go back to work they called Joel's name. He got 30 seconds in there with all the money flying everywhere. Paul had coached him before he went in and told him to stuff his shirt just like Santa Clause. Evidently he did and he won the most $ out of the 3 winners. A Hundred and Twenty-Nine Bucks!

He is so happy and has already stuffed all the money in the piggy bank they gave him. Here's Joel in action.....

Cool Spider

Paul and the boys came across the coolest Spider today. They saw it get a Cicada then wrap it up for dinner. They were amazed.

Memorial Day Weekend

We went to Maryland to visit Mom & Dad for Memorial Day weekend. Saturday we spent most of the day just enjoying the day and each other. Mom & Dad took us to an Iris farm that belongs to a friend of theirs and it was beautiful.

Frank the Turtle

Before we arrived in Maryland Dad found a turtle and kept it for the boys to check out. They loved it, named it Frank, fed it, watered it, then Joel Painted it...

Then Mom & Dad took the boys (and Frank) out kayaking on the lake behind their house.

Guinness Book of World Records

Saturday night Mom & Dad took us to a Bowie Bay Sox game and the promotion for the night was free Kazoos to everyone who wanted to participate in setting a new record for the most people playing 'Take Me Out To the Ball Game' on kazoo. It was lots of fun and now we can say we're in the 'Guinness Book of World Records'.

Dover Delaware Capitol

Sunday we headed to Bethany Beach in Delaware. Since Dover was just a 1/2 hour out of our way we stopped by the Capitol to get our family picture.

Bethany Beach

Cindy is another friend of Mom & Dad's from work and she invited us to her beach house at Bethany Beach. We basically spent the whole day on the beach. The boys loved digging and running through the waves, Paul spent most of the day keeping an eye on Cindy's fishing poles, and Mom & Dad had fun burying the boys, playing catch, and just enjoying the grandkids at the beach.

Charleston West Virginia Capitol

We left for home Monday afternoon and stopped by the Capitol in West Virginia. Although you can't tell from our self portrait - W. Virgina has done their Capitol right. The whole Capitol complex was nice. We are going to try to go back there on another trip to see the inside as well. Joel keeps saying that this Capitol is his favorite so far and we keep telling him this one can't be his favorite - Texas comes first then this can be second - but he's not convinced. : )

Welcome Kayla

We've been blessed with a new niece. Kayla Isela McPherson was born today at 3:07 pm. She weighed 8 lbs 2 oz, and was 21" long.

Mural

Paul was asked by JD Walt (Dean of the Chapel) to work on a mural at the Seminary last year. He's been leading a team of seminary artists in designing, prepping, and now painting a 54 x 13 foot wall on campus. They primed it and painted the background in October but had to wait for the weather to warm up before they could pick it back up again.

All winter long Paul had been dying to work on the mural, so now that the weather's warm and the Spring semester is over he's been able to start working on it and he's loving it.

From top left: Blank wall; Primed; Sky/Dove backround; Paul with Sketches

Paddle Boats

We went out on paddle boats at Jacobson Park in Lexington. We rented two boats and got the workout of our lives! You can't tell from these photos but it was so windy that there were actually waves on this lake.

So Joel and I take off, oblivious to the wind, and man...we were going faster than I have ever gone in a paddle boat before. I couldn't believe the time we were making, until I turned around to see where Paul and Caleb were and realized we were going with the wind. Ugh. We immediately turned around and spent nearly 1/2 an hour working our way back to where we had just come from. : )

After we returned the paddle boats we headed over to the park and played for a while. Joel and Caleb loved the swing pictured below.

Bluegrass Clasic Stockdog Trials

We went to Masterson Station Park to check out the Bluegrass Classic Stockdog Trials. This competition is nearly identical to the one in the movie "Babe" and is one of the largest, longest-running and most prestigious trials in the country. We got to watch the top handlers from across the U.S. to Canada compete...literally...while we were there one of the top 10 in the nation ran his dog. It was really something.

Field Trip

Joel's class took a field trip to Louisville Zoo, and Caleb and I got to tag along. We had a great time and saw some great animals, but I thought you might enjoy seeing these animals...

This was an amazing goat. It was trained and did several tricks for us. Here it's waving for the camera.

When we got back from the Louisville Zoo we headed over to Abury's Spring Festival. We've gone to the Spring Festival every year but this one was the best by far! We started off with the bouncy house obstacle course....

then we headed for the Hamburgers, Cotton Candy, Sno-Cones, Spin Art, Corn Hole, Tug of War, Balloon Animals, Bouncy House, and Face Painting. And of course fun with friends.

Here's Joel with some of our neighbor friends working on some Spin Art.

Gratefulness

Every night when we put the boys to bed Paul or I will pray, then the boys pray. A common theme in my prayers is that we be grateful for all the things we've been given. Tonight when Caleb prayed he said, "Dear God, please help Mommy to be more grateful." Wow.

I never thought that I specifically needed to be more grateful but, of course, I do. Dear God, please let me be more Grateful.

Happy First Birthday Lexi!

Lexi turned one today

Clay's Birthday

We've marveled at the lack of birthday parties since we've been to Wilmore and have just assumed that it had to do with most/all seminarians being poor as dirt. So we were all excited when Joel got his invitation to Clay's birthday Party.

Here's the boys

Note: Joel is actually the same size as these boys...it's just that his favorite thing to do when a camera is pointed at him is to strike the craziest pose he can think of. Here he's practically doing a back bend. : )

Children's Choir at Church

Joel's Children's Choir sang at church today. They did such a great job and the song was a very fun song. They sang about lots of different animals and every time they sang about an animal one of the kids would hold up a puppet. Joel was the earthworm, and they sang about the iggly - squiggly worm which produced much laughter....needless to say Joel loved his part.

Joel's 2nd Art Show

When we talked to the local Library about having Joel's art in their Lobby (the show was for the month of April) the Director of the Children's department asked if he would be willing to put his art up in the Children's section as well. Of course we agreed, so this Month Joel is having another art Show.

For this Show Joel made four collages (from left to right): The Snake Mouse - Sand & Fabric; Space Colors - Paper & Paint; The Bird - Scrap Book Paper; The Monster - Paper, Plastic, Fabric, Straw, Foil, Bottle Caps.