This year the boys are both playing soccer at church again, and Cooper guilted Pat into coaching his team again :)

And then we did something we said we wouldn't and let Will play two sports at once, he is LOVING Y flag football, and was happy to be on the Packers....

Speaking of Will.... 7 YEARS!  What in the world!  Where did time go?  We had a fun week of celebrating his life.  He got his first set of golf clubs and was SUPER excited!

This 18month old is finally cruising, and figured out how to climb the swing set. 

 

Will had a nerf birthday party and Dad played the part of drill sergeant for our boot camp the boys went through before the battle.

This was a GREAT boys birthday party!  I think they all had a good time!

My first attempt at fondant, it turned out ok... one bite in and Will said the icing was gross :)  Butter cream is just so much better to tasting!

Our family with out BIG 7, 4, ad 18month old!  Will you are such a smart, sporty, sensitive, good older brother... we love you and we are loving see you grow in your knowledge of the Lord!

 

And then last weekend I got away to KC with these two girls... it has been seven years since the three of use have been together.  And we picked up like it was nothing.  I love them dearly.  I am sure we met the word quota that weekend for the whole city of Kansas City :) 

High school, college, and my life here in Indy... God has really blessed me with amazing friends who love the Lord and are there to support and challenge me, it is such a blessing.

Here is Cooper with his buddy Luke

And these sweet friends are sadly going to be moving soon.  I still can't believe it!  They were some of our first friends here and hold a sweet place in our heart.

 Will is playing baseball for the first year.  And unfortunately he likes it :)  I just think baseball is a boring sport... at least when the weather is nice you get to be outside!

Joel enjoying his first cone

 Mimi got to be at his first game...

 Joel started scooting on his bottom a month ago.  It is the funniest thing.  The kid can move across tile, hardwood, carpet, grass all without using his hands but his abs and hips :)  He is still such a sweet easy baby.... although he is giving us a run for our money with eating.... each meal is a gamble on what we can get him to eat!  I did NOT have this with my other two boys!  It is killing me!

Although now that we have been home for a few weeks Pat and I keep saying "were we really just in Germany?".... but YES, we did get to go to Germany JUST the two of us!  My sisters juggled our three children in Memphis for a week as they lived their normal crazy busy schedules with 7 children but had 10 instead :)  THANK YOU Alyson and Stephanie!

Mainz, Germany

Pats parents have good friends who live here and we really enjoyed spending time with them and having a home to get over our jet lag in :)


The city is right on the Rhine, we took a day to drive along the Rhine.  It was amazing how around every turn there was another castle overlooking the river.

Yes folks this is my scared of heights husband in a cable car above the vineyards! 
The first of many times he faced his fear on this trip. 
I think the bad experience the first time we went to the Eiffel tower has made him try to face it head on :)

Pat and I then headed off  (he LOVED the Autobahn :)) to Rothenburg.  We stayed in the above castle.

Pat thought I needed to wear this item from the crime and punishment museum... for quarrelsome women... and I pointed out it said couples too :)

It was a cute little town.  We stayed late one night for the night watchman's tour and enjoyed seeing the city very quiet.

On to Neuschwanstein in the alps.

And YES here he is again, on a HIGH suspension bridge above a rocky waterfall... I was proud of him... lets just say he didn't quite have this smile the whole time and he's not leaning on the railing because he wants to but out of need :)

Then on to Munich and the Hofbrahaus... the first time I have ever ordered my own beer!  I am a wine girl.  I got the radler (half beer half lemonade), it was pretty good, I could see liking it on the beach in the summer... still give me the wine.

We spent a VERY sobering day at Dachau.  It was moving to say the least.  An experience that would be good for everyone to have.  It was awful, sickening, well memorialized... just moving, I can't really explain it.  How do you wrap your mind around the fact that this REALLY happened, that people treated others this way.  What a sinful world we live in.

And one more shot of my husband doing it again... this time he didn't think his legs were actually going to move for him.  This was in a tower in Nurenburg, our last stop before we headed back to fly out of Frankfurt.

Pat and I had an AMAZING trip.  We have not done something like this since our honeymoon 8 years ago.  He earned a trip through work and because of several reasons we wound up just getting the cash and saved it until I was done nursing Joel.  We decided it was our 30th bday trip.  The boys did amazing for my sisters, Praise the Lord, Will actually balled when we had to leave Memphis :)

Baby Joel turned 1 today, I can't believe how fast the year has gone by!

Pat and I turn the BIG 3-0 this month.  Here is my homemade carrot cake 3rd year in a row!  (Note Coopers basketball jersey... it is the ONLY thing he wants to wear, night and day!)