Boatrides and Ice Cream Sundaes

14 people in a boat for 2 hours= FUN!

For this past Father's day, Joe and I were able to finally participate in the very popular tradition on the Hughes' side of the family, which includes renting a pontoon (sp?) boat for 2 hours and driving around the beautiful Apple Valley Lake.  The whole family is usually there...and it is quite the adventure, let me tell you!  The kids are enthralled (until the very end...lets just say a few kids get the fidgets when confined like that :) and all the men usually get a turn at piloting the boat.  Sun shining off the water, a breeze blowing across our faces, and the occasional splash of water from a buoy being tossed over the side of the boat.  Which is promptly followed by "Caleb!  Where are you?  Please don't touch that!  (sometimes Nathan's curiosity would get the best as well, and the splashes would start all over again)   It is such a blessing to be this close to the family and be able to experience these outings while the kids are still very young. They will be grown before we know it!  Even the babies had life jackets on, which didn't look too comfortable, but they were champs about it, and i think they even fell asleep!  After the magnificent boat ride, we went back to Mt. Vernon for ice cream sundaes at grandma and grandpa's house.  Joe and I ended up staying pretty late, talking with his mom and dad out on the porch.   It was one of those evenings where the bugs weren't out yet, the breeze was blowing just slightly, and the summer air was just right.  Perfect time to relax on the back deck and talk about anything and everything.  *Sigh*  these summer days are going to pass by so quickly.  My goal is to enjoy moments such as these...savoring their sweetness and looking forward to the next.  Thank you, Lord, for boat rides and ice cream sundaes!   

Family Visit

Last weekend my mom and dad, sister and her husband drove out to Ohio for a visit.  It was very fun to see them, and to show them around our new camp and new house.  We stayed up late friday night, talking, laughing, and eating muffins that looked more like cookies :) hehe.  Saturday dawned beautiful, and after a little continental breakfast, we loaded up in the truck and hiked around camp.  We enjoyed lunch in the camp dining hall, and then mom wanted to buy me a flower pot for our back porch, so we all drove to a nearby greenhouse to get some flower arrangements.  When we got back home that evening, the boys fell asleep in the living room watching one of our faves, "Rocket Man" and the girls sipped lemonade on the back porch while talking about life and painting toenails :)  I enjoyed the time so much...although it went by very quickly.  Joe started up the grill about 4:30 and we were eating a scrumptious dinner of grilled pork loin, fresh garden salad and baked potato  in no time at all.  Mom and Dad were so kind to bring out their hutch and beautiful shelf dad made us, which were both stored at their house in Milford.  Now, our house in Marengo is a bit more beautiful with these pieces of furniture.  I look forward to another visit sometime...hopefully this fall maybe?  I love my family very much...and did miss my brother Ben, who couldn't make it out.  Next time!  So, a wonderful weekend with great memories.  Thanks, Lord...for giving us such a loving family!

Munchkins at the zoo

All smiles...nothing but fun today :)

Goin' to the zoo, zoo zoo

The annual Hughes outing to the zoo was last week.  A fun day with the family, that's for sure!  Columbus has a great facility...we visited the lions, tigers and bears.  Plus a few others.  One of our favorite parts of the day was watching the kids experience each of the animals.  The wonder on their faces was so apparent..eyes lighting up, smiles creeping onto their faces, fingers clinging to the fence.  Lydia loved the Kangaroos.  Caleb, the monkeys.  Joshua, the bears and manatees.  Nathan loved the elephants.  Johannah was excited for the ducks.  What a wonderful day.  

All creatures great and small, out God made them all!

A day in the garden

I just got inside from planting a few new plants around the house.  Yesterday, Pam (my mother-in-law) helped me to pick out several perennials from their old house.  We had so much fun walking around the flower beds and picking out which plants to dig up.  She wanted to thin down some beds, so there is not so much to take care of, and invited me to come and gather whatever I wanted.  Talk about a blessing! I feel like I have just gone to a garden center with a gift certificate and come home with a car full of treasures.  It was rather funny when Joe caught sight of how many plants we had dug.  He proceeded to exclaim "I thought you were going to get a few plants.  This is not a few!"  I just smiled and giggled.  Tomorrow, work will not begin until 12:30 for me...I believe will spend the morning in the garden.  Smiling.  And digging...

A beautiful day....

Here are some pictures from Libby and Gabe's wedding (back in May).  We had such a wonderful time getting ready for the big day, and everything went great.  Beautiful weather, lots of laughter, a few tears, and wonderful memories.  It was a bit surreal, I'll admit, to think about my "little sister" getting married.  But she is not so little any more, she is a woman!  Who loves this man tremendously.   And that is a wonderful thing.  

My favorite part of the wedding was definitely the ceremony itself.  Pastor Chris gave an amazing message about love and respect within a marriage.  And as I was watching Gabe and Libby, I knew that these two would strive to do just that.  Love and respect each other, protect and trust one another.  It was a very touching time to even reflect on Joe and I and our marriage.  Do I respect Joe all the time....even if i don't feel "love" from him in certain moments.  Jesus tells me to respect Joe in love, lay my life down and basically 'crucify my flesh'.  Usually i find that if i do that, the outcome of the situation is much improved, as i have trusted in the Lord, versus trying to do it on my own.  

  So thank you Gabe and Libby, for already providing an example of the unfailing love of our Heavenly Father.  I am so happy for these two and the adventure they have begun together.  There is something so sweet about life with a companion, a best friend, a soul mate.