The Hubert Family 7

Cooling off in Baltimore

2011-06-17T10:06:00.001-06:00

After walking outside at Fort McHenry, we were hot and sticky. As we ventured out to the Baltimore Pier the kids noticed this fun fountain and we couldn't tell them "No."

After explaining that we did not have extra clothes and that they would have to air dry, they still jumped right in. Madison helped Savannah get used to the streams of water.

Do you think Tim was having fun?!

This little kid was cracking us up (no pun intended). His shorts got lower and lower the longer he played.

After this long, fun day it didn't take them long to crash back at Shauna's home!

Sunday trip to Fort McHenry

2011-06-17T08:09:00.000-06:00

A great history lesson was provided at Fort McHenry. The kids learned the valuable facts about courageous Americans that fought for our freedom.

I know the words to the Star Spangled Banner will carry a deeper meaning after visiting this historic place.

Day 3 ~ June 5th ~ Sunday Group Photos

2011-06-16T20:06:00.000-06:00

We could not get all dressed up for church and not get pictures!

It was a beautiful day, and the kids cooperated well.

From left top row: Grandpa, Lindsay, Sarah, Allie holding Jackson, Grammy.

Bottom: Madison, Savannah, Jason, Carson and Timothy

More shots from D.C.

2011-06-15T20:12:00.001-06:00

Shauna and I only made it for a few hours in downtown D.C., but my parents and the older girls made a day of it.

They also visited the World War 2 Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial and found my dad's cousin's name on the Vietnam memorial.

Day 2 ~ A day trip to D.C.

2011-06-15T12:49:00.000-06:00

My parents and the girls left early Saturday morning to stand in line to get free tickets to the Washington monument. When we received the call that they were successful, Shauna and I loaded the other 6 kiddos into her van and drove to the Metro. The kids thought it was fun to ride on the "train". I made sure we used lots of hand sanitizer....

They were all STARVING by the time we got to D.C. so out came the sandwiches and juice boxes.

Five in a row with Washington's Monument in the background. Some were happy picture posers. Some.....not so much.

We met up with Grammy, Grandpa and Allie, Sarah and Lindsay to wait in line for the monument tour.

A picture of the White House from the top.

Timothy, Savannah and I join the adventure

2011-06-15T10:36:00.001-06:00

The original travel plans did not include the little ones or me. But Shauna had the idea that we should hop on a plane and hang out with her and her kiddos for the week while the big girls enjoyed Washington, D.C.

Phil said, "Go for it." So we did.

Miss Savannah was excited as she could be to ride on the airplane.

And I couldn't resist posting this adorable picture of her. In Phil's words, "She is stinkin' cute!!"

Mr. Tim thought he had better check out the great deals in Sky Mall. And isn't he the handsome fellow?!

After a great day of flying, the kids were excited to settle in on the couch with Madison.

The big summer trip to Washington D.C

2011-06-15T07:30:00.000-06:00

Grammy and Grandpa's plan for a cross-country trip with the 3 oldest girls finally came to fruition on May 31, 2011.

They consulted the map and made their travel plans.

They loaded up the van and set out early.

Along the way they ate.....

...and ate.....

....and slept....

...and visited Great Grandma Helbert.

They hung out with Grandpa,

and relaxed with Grammy....

..and ate some more at picnic stops along the way.

They finally arrived in Maryland on Friday, June 3rd and were happy to meet their newest cousin, Jackson Pier.

The other 3 cousins (Madison, Carson and Jason) were excited to welcome them as well!

Ten reasons I haven't posted in awhile

2011-06-15T07:05:00.001-06:00

In no particular order:

1. Homeschooling 5 kids takes a TON of time.

2. I have a smart phone that I use more than my desktop computer.

3. A very full schedule of activities including swimming, dance, singing, AWANA and football.

4. The next post due is from a vacation with a HUGE amount of pictures to short through.

5. Respite and foster care have been keeping us busy - stay tuned for details.

6. A new pet has added to my responsibility list!

7. I hardly ever sit down.

8. I have been waiting for Missi and Shauna to post so I can link to their blog.

9. It's such a huge project, I am overwhelmed.

10. Did I mention time?

BUT....the time has come.

I will be posting.

All posts will be backdated.

I will get caught up.

Starting now - November 26, 2011.

Thanks for being patient and faithful readers.

Birthday Party Mania!

2011-06-13T12:52:00.000-06:00

I love having friends.

I love celebrating birthdays with friends.

I love surprising friends.

I especially like getting back at friends that surprised me the year before.

So, my amazing, sweet, fun, kind, and good-humored friend, Brenda, had it coming to her!! The poor thing ended up with 3 celebrations just so we could cover our tracks.

The plan: Anticipate that she is going to suspect a surprise if we don't plan something. Tell her that her crazy baseball schedule makes it impossible to plan a surprise. (this is true, but we still used it as an excuse).

The party she knew about: All we did was give her the date and time. She did not know guest list, address or details. (This didn't last long because we discovered that her mom, Karen, is too honest and talkative, especially when nervous about keeping a secret :-D). See pictures and details below.

The "surprise" plan and party: Karen invited Brenda over for a family dinner to celebrate her birthday - the Monday before her birthday. If Brenda suspected anything (which she did -- see above comment about Karen), we hopefully threw her off track because instead of jumping out from behind furniture, we all showed up after she was there.

The fact that this actually worked was a small miracle due to....baseball makeup games. Thankfully, a huge rain storm came and knocked out the power for awhile. The Robbins, Shellenbergers, Dicks, Henrys, Magees, Huberts, Bradleys and Szymczaks provided the perfect amount of electricity for an evening to remember.

Here some of us are outside of Karen's house. Don't we look sneaky?

This photo was snapped with my phone camera with no electricity. Those are some seriously BRIGHT candles....must be because there is 40 of them!

The other party: Like I said before, all we told Brenda was the date and time. A couple of us slipped and let her know it was at Teresa's. But besides that, she was surprised what we had planned.

Teresa and I decorated in black, of course. The bouquet of flowers on table was a fun idea I had to remind Brenda of all of our great memories together. Written on the leaves were 40 different memories of times we have shared and things we have done together. I had a blast reminiscing and I think she got a chuckle or two out of some things she had forgotten!

Teresa always makes present time a laughing occasion.

Brenda wasn't the only one laughing as she opened her presents.

After a wonderful Mexican Fiesta, we ate cupcakes.....

...and played Bunco.

We had 4 tables of 4 ladies each --- talk about a lot of laughter and talking! Dee definitely out-bunco'd the rest of us.

Karen must have been changing the rules....something she likes to do in the middle of a card game.

The "unplanned birthday event": Brenda's birthday fell on a Friday and the original plan was to be out of town for a baseball game....but, like the baseball plans previously, they CHANGED!! All of a sudden she was in town on Friday night and had no plans, so Pete and Brenda and Phil and I took advantage of a Friday night double date to Botechellis.

Happy Birthday x 3 Brenda!!!

It has been a busy season of birthdays. Another great friend of mine, Erin, gave several of us an excuse to have a birthday breakfast at Eggintons. And yes, Erin even ate her cake at 7:00 a.m.

And another surprise.....for the youngest birthday of them all - Kayla Horne. Her birthday fell on Wednesday which is the day we usually walk from 5:45 - 6:30 a.m.. While we were walking, her husband, family and friends snuck in and got breakfast ready. The only bummer was that Teresa, who planned the whole thing, woke up sick and couldn't be here for the surprise.

I made an excuse to get Kayla to come inside after our walk. Out jumped some familiar faces. She was definitely surprised!

Another 40th birthday surprise in June -- our friend Deb Magee. Teresa planned the party and even though Deb tried tracking down her husband to report a bicycle/vehicle collision, it was still a surprise!! Unfortunately I did not have my camera with me so this picture is from Brenda's party.

Happy Birthday EVERYONE! What a fun couple months of celebrating we have had.

Homeschool Track Day

2011-06-12T09:29:00.007-06:00

I am so thankful for the large homeschool community we enjoy in Casper. This was our second year to participate in the Homeschool Track Day. The kids were all able to participate in track and field events. Phil helped with the 5 year old group while I enjoyed the time to wander around taking pictures and visiting with friends from around the state.

I think this is the warm up time.

Yes, Savannah is wearing gloves at the end of May. That's Wyoming weather. Because of the overcast day, we didn't bother with sunscreen....BIG mistake. Everyone got a nice shade of pink. It was funny to go into church the next day and see some more pink faces!!

Tim had a BLAST!

Sarah had a great time also. She has not met a lot of homeschooled girls her age, so being in a group of several girls her own age was special for her.

The obstacle course.

We look forward to track day so we can hang out with the Schmidt Family from Laramie. Here they are - Todd and Nancy and the Nifty Nine. Allie and Bethany have been pen pals all year. A special treat was that my parents were in town for the get together as well.

Happy Mother's Day 2011

2011-06-12T07:42:00.002-06:00

Sunday is my favorite day of the week. Combine it with celebrating Mother's Day with my 5 blessings and it is extra-special!

Tim was very proud of the flower he planted for me at Sunday School.

It was a beautiful warm day!

We finished the day with a special Children's Chorale and Bel Canto concert. Allie and Lindsay sang beautifully and provided the perfect ending to a great day!

A peek into the daily happenings

2011-06-11T16:01:00.008-06:00

Tim and Savannah keep themselves entertained, both individually and by playing together.

Tim is getting his people and animals set up and ready for the battle. He is VERY meticulous with his line...and his little sister has been known to interfere every once in a while.

But, alas, they are close friends and know exactly how to stay cool-looking in the bright sun.

Savannah doesn't like to play pretend. She loves it! Heels go with any outfit and every basket, stroller, container needs to be overflowing with "stuff".

Having little ones in our home is so much fun!

A Singing Trip

2011-06-11T15:55:00.006-06:00

Allie's Children's Chorale trip this year took her on a bus excursion through Western Wyoming and Salt Lake City, Utah. They sang at many schools along the way and performed several times in Salt Lake City.

She had a quick breakfast with Phil before getting dropped off for the 4 day bus trip.

This was the first year I did not chaperone the trip. But she was in great hands with Brenda! Due to some unforeseen circumstances with another singer not going on the trip, Allie and Aly ended up having a room together by themselves (with Brenda, of course).

I dropped her off and snapped a quick picture on the bus just before they pulled out of town for a singing adventure.

Allie forgot her camera, and some of Brenda's wouldn't format correctly for this blog...oh well. One exciting thing the kids did while they were there was to explore the Olympic Training Camp. Here are the girls in one of the sleds.

This coming year will be a big trip to either New York or California -- stay posted for details and pictures.

Sleepy Eyes

2011-06-11T15:52:00.003-06:00

Now that Tim can read books to himself, he will lay in his bed at night with a stack of "Easy Readers." I went in to check on him one evening and this is how I found him.

Phil said he gets it honestly....from me :).

Happy Easter

2011-06-11T15:51:00.003-06:00

Our beautiful children...Sarah, Lindsay, Timothy, Allie and Savannah.

Who is that TEENAGER in this photo?! Seriously...it's incredibly hard to believe how big our kiddos are getting.

Infant for a month

2011-06-11T15:47:00.004-06:00

During the month of April, I helped out some friends that needed some temporary infant care. Check out this cute 6 week old baby boy...Griffin.

We all loved on him for 4 weeks. Getting used to having an infant around was tricky for a few days, but we adjusted quickly. The extra cash from this side job helped fund our trip to Maryland in June...more on that exciting adventure coming soon.

Workouts with Sarah

2011-06-11T15:42:00.005-06:00

So far there is no need to enroll Tim or Savannah in gymnastic or dance classes. Sarah saves me $$ by hosting classes at home....For Fffrrreeeeee (think Bedtime Stories).

When small group goes on forever...

2011-06-11T15:38:00.003-06:00

We host T Group (stands for Transformation) in our home every Friday night. It is something we look forward to each week. Being able to get together in a more inimate, relaxed setting with other like-minded families encourages our faith.

We begin at 7:00 pm with a study which is followed by prayer time. We try to wrap this portion up by 8:45 or 9:00 so that people can visit. Hosting T Group on Fridays makes late night gatherings possible. Some nights, everyone is gone by 9:30 pm. Other times it is well after 11:00 p.m.

One such late night, Tim and Savannah just couldn't stay up any longer. As I sat on the floor and talked with another gal from the group, they sat down also, but within minutes were fast asleep!

Praying for Life

2011-06-11T15:30:00.006-06:00

April 1, 2011 ~~ For as long as I can remember, I would consider myself a "pro-life" person. For me, the issue is very black and white: God's Word says, "Thou shall not murder". Period.

However, until recently, I have only been involved in pro-life issues by financially donating to the local pregnancy crisis center. A "timely" incident that I will expand on in a later post led me to have a deeper concern and compassion for women that have been lied to and are being led to feel that their only option for their unplanned pregnancy is abortion.

Allie did a fantastic report on this subject during the spring and as part of her research, read the book UnPlanned by Abby Johnson. Read it. It's amazing.

My heart was moved and my spirit was ignited to get involved at a deeper level. I was realizing that while the desire to save babies from death was a great goal, an even more important burden was to pray for the souls of these women, which would lead them to Christ.

Providentially while Allie and I were reading this book and she was doing her research paper, the National 40 Days for Life was underway. We started getting the daily emails with the praise reports of babies being saved from death as Christians prayed outside of abortion clinics such as Planned Parenthood. We decided that we wanted to participate in one of these vigils.

On Friday, April 1, three families from Casper traveled to Fort Collins, CO to intercede for babies scheduled to die in the womb on "abortion day". Thankfully there are no abortion performing facitlities in Casper but apparently a bus comes from Fort Collins to Laramie, WY periodically to pick up mostly college girls, take them back to Colorado to have an abortion performed and then transported back. This is a lucrative business; don't be fooled.

Sarah and Aly look up Bible verses and prayers for the mothers, fathers, babies and clinic workers.

We visited with the local organizer of 40 Days for Life. She had some amazing and also heart-breaking stories to tell us.

This was a peaceful, prayerful vigil but the director of the clinic was clearly bothered by the children praying and standing in front of the clinic. She came out twice with angry threats in her words and a look of hatred in her eyes that pierced to the core. Yet, we felt compassion for her. And more than compassion, we told her we would pray for her. As she walked away, I pleaded for God to break through her tough exterior and lead her to repentance just as he had previously done for many abortion clinic workers like Abby Johnson.

This was a special time for Kris, Brenda and me to experience.

In spite of the new vocabulary screamed from hateful mouths that our children heard on this day; in spite of the opposition from the church located to the rear of the clinic; in spite of the babies that died on this day....there was an incredible sense of God's presence as we stood in an invisible war and prayed the powerful, living, WORD OF GOD.

It may not have changed anything that we saw with our visible eyes, but it might have. One thing it did change was those of us who prayed and stood on behalf of lives that could not.

Our prayer for next time...more prayer warriors.

Going back in time a few months

2011-06-11T14:28:00.000-06:00

Here it is June 11, and I have pictures still unposted from February. Fortunately for me, I haven't taken a ton of photos the last few months of winter, but summer looks to be busy, so a-posting-I-will-go!

February 27:

The Marler family lives up on top of Casper mountain and since we've been to see them last time several years ago, they have added 4 children and 15 dogs to their family! Our kids had such a fun time riding snowmobiles and sled dogs.

I have no idea why these pictures are posting over here....

Sarah was in heaven with all these dogs.

That's Tim and Spiderman

Off to the sled races.

Savannah was perfectly content to hang out inside with the 2 pups.

It's Friday...but Sunday's Coming

2011-04-22T07:15:00.001-06:00

Reading and Baking

2011-04-19T05:30:00.003-06:00

I know, it's been a long time again with no posts. But I have some really good reasons. (At least I will do my best to come up with some by my next post.)

While you wait for some pictures and news on my relatively unimportant blog, can I encourage you to take opportunities this week before Easter to focus on God's Word, specifically the gospel accounts of the days leading up to Easter. Here is a schedule I found that incorporates the accounts from all 4 Gospels.

Sunday
The Triumphal Entry; Jerusalem
Mt 21:1-17; Mk 11:1-19; Lk 19:29-48; Jn 12:12-50

Monday
Jesus curses the fig tree
Mt 21:18-21; Mk 11:20-26

Tuesday
The authority of Jesus questioned
Mt 21:23-27; Mk 11:27-33; Lk 20:1-8
Jesus teaches in the temple
Matt 21:28-25:46; Mk 12:1-13:37; Lk 20:9-21:38

Wednesday
Jesus anointed
Mt 26:1-13; Mk 14:1-9
The plot against Jesus
Mt 26:14-16; Mk 14:10-11; Lk 22:1-6

Thursday
The Last Supper
Mt 26:17-35; Mk 14:12-38; Lk 22:7-38; Jn 13:1-38
Jesus comforts the disciples
Jn 14:1-17:26
Gethsemane
Mt 26:36-46; Mk 14:39-42; Lk 22:39-46
Jesus' arrest and trial
Mt 26:47-75; Mk 14:43-15:15; Lk 22:47-23:25; Jn 18:1-19:16

Friday
Jesus' crucifixion and death
Mt 27:1-56; Mk 15:16-41; Lk 23:26-49; Jn 19:17-30
The burial of Jesus
Mt 27:57-66; Mk 15:42-47; Lk 23:50-56; Jn 19:31-42

Sunday
The empty tomb
Mt 28:1-15; Mk 16:1-8; Lk 24:1-12; Jn 20:1-10
Mary Magdalene sees Jesus in the garden
Mk 16:9-11; Jn 20:11-18
Jesus appears to the two going to Emmaus
Mk 16:12-13; Lk 24:13-35
Jesus appears to 10 disciples
Mk 16:14-20; Lk 24:36-53; Jn 20:19-23

Here is a great activity to do on Saturday -- make cookies that will allow you to act out and discuss the Easter story with children in your church, family, or any group.

Resurrection Cookies

More pictures from Grammy's visit

2011-02-18T19:11:00.000-07:00

Grammy likes to take photos. The kids try to amuse her. But eventually the fake smiles come out....

The perfect little picture poser.

Savannah and Grammy enjoy a game of Trouble together.

A quick pose for Grammy.

Happy Valentine's Day.

Grammy took the little ones to the mall several times while I was doing school with the big ones. They were excited to bring balloons home this time.

An 80 degree temperature change!

2011-02-16T16:15:00.004-07:00

In Wyoming, one day the temperature can be this.....

...and then the next day it can be this!!

I think this is the first time Timothy has celebrated his February 16th birthday with a picnic and sand castle making.

That's how old I am!

I have taught my son well! Vitamin D - it's so good for the soul :).

Yes, even a picnic...in FEBRUARY.

Savannah had a great time playing with bubbles. It is always amazing how fast she can empty a bottle.

Timothy's birthday fell on AWANA night.

He was the clubber of the night and got to talk about his favorite things.

Savannah was delighted to be able to stay in his class for the entire night.

She had no reservations about doing everything Timothy did, including the games.

Timothy takes the game time very seriously.

Timothy Turns 5

2011-02-12T17:39:00.002-07:00

We celebrated Tim's birthday the Saturday prior to his actual birthday. He wanted things fairly simple. A batman cake and a specific list of friends.

Savannah and Uncle Jim. I am not sure how she ended up on his lap, because Tim is generally possessive of Jim.

The kids' parties are always a good excuse for us to visit with our friends.

David read Tim his card all by himself.

Avry and Savannah sat like little princesses as Tim opened a bunch of boy toys.

Grammy made it into town just in time to celebrate her first grandson's 5th birthday!

Timothy was super excited about his entire Bears outfit, especially the helmet.

This was taken immediately before the ridiculous tears by the birthday boy. Why? Because notice David's lips. He was helping Tim blow out his candles and according to Tim, that is absolutely, under no circumstances, acceptable, at any time, for any birthday.

I am sure that my son with remember to warn David of this when (if) he invites him next year.

That's real life, folks, and sometimes it's just not pretty.

Update: Tim walked by the computer right after I initially posted this, saw the photo of David blowing out his candles and said, "I should have told David you aren't supposed to blow out other people's candles."

Timothy writing his own "Thank You" notes. I think he had them written and delivered faster than any of the girls have so far!!

Happy Birthday, sweet boy. You have filled our house and lives with joy and laughter in more ways than you could ever know.

A Perfect Score Day Times Two

2011-02-05T17:09:00.000-07:00

We traveled as a family to Lingle, WY to watch Sarah and Lindsay do AWANA Quizzing. The quizzing event has two parts: an oral quiz and a written part. There are 12 questions in each section and it covers the content in their corresponding book.

As soon as the oral part is over, the judges announce if there are any perfect scores. We were so excited to see Lindsay accept her purple ribbon for a perfect score.

Her book 1 Cornerstone team also took first place overall.

Sarah also received a perfect score ribbon in the oral part....

...and in the written. Way to go, Sarah. (We found out later that Lindsay missed only 1 on her written exam!)

Tim and Logan stayed busy with Legos while their siblings were quizzing.

The whole Cornerstone team. Every single team took first place!

Our take home ribbons. We made a big deal to the kids about this because these ribbons represent way more than sports trophies, spelling bee victories or honor roll recognition. These represent the Word of God that has been read, studied and hidden in their heart. A treasure indeed. Good job, Lindsay and Sarah.

A Gracious Big Brother

2011-02-01T16:56:00.000-07:00

Savannah likes to be the "Mom". Timothy submitted to her request. However, I think climbing into the doll crib was taking this pretend game a bit too far. Savannah thought it was just fine.

Dry Erase Art Projects

2011-01-30T16:02:00.003-07:00

Tim and Savannah like to stay busy while their big siblings do their school work. Sometimes they do this in constructive ways and sometimes, well, let's just say they can be very creative using average, everyday household products.

Savannah always starts with a circle. And yes, she is still in jammies, and yes, they do not match. Welcome to my life.

Next some dots???

Look, it's a....person, alien, or a lopsided octopus?

Meanwhile Timothy worked on a portrait of our family.

Look, it's the Hubert family. I thought he missed a person but then he showed me that Savannah was being held by Phil and me. I am so glad we all have happy faces!!

AWANA Grand Prix Derby

2011-01-29T15:51:00.004-07:00

Each year our AWANA club sponsors a day of racing -- also known as the Grand Prix Derby. After Phil was talked into creating vegetable-shaped cars a couple years ago, he put his foot down and told the kids, "We are only making cars this year. :)"

Our friends, the Nachbar family, invited our whole family out for a day of carving cars and a baked potato bar for lunch. Their family of 9 plus our family of 7 had a super time getting ready for the derby.

Each kid drew an outline of their car on the block of wood from their AWANA car kit.

Sweet little Allison watched as the cars appeared out of the rectangle of wood.

Phil goes to work on Tim's car.

Timothy is so excited to watch the races begin and enjoys watching with his buddies Devon and Brennen.

Father and son waiting for their turn to race Tim's blue and orange car.

Lindsay putting her car in the start gate.

One of the races for Tim's car.

Surprise, surprise. Timothy's car won first place in the speed category for his age division. Phil and Tim's secret to the fastest Cubbies car? He has no idea!!

A fun football season

2011-01-23T15:35:00.000-07:00

It's been a fun year for the Hubert family (especially Phil and Timothy...okay, for me too) to follow the Chicago Bears football team. They made it to the final round of the playoffs and we watched their last game of the season at the Szymczaks.

All dressed in fan colors and ready to see if they can beat the Packers.

As much as Timothy loves to watch and follow his favorite team, he shakes losses off fairly easily. His response to their loss? With a semi-sad face, he said, "That's okay. They can try again next year." Then he ran off to play with Blake. Great attitude, son :).

Another cute Bears photo.

Sledding on the Bunny Trail

2011-01-19T16:23:00.002-07:00

It's no secret I that am a fair weathered gal. Warm weather is even better. Hot weather really makes me happy.

Snow and cold temperatures are great, however they are best while nestled indoors near my fireplace. But....I want to make sure my kids realize there can be a small amount of joy playing in the snow. It's not that I dislike the "playing in the snow part", but rather I dislike all the layers and articles of clothing that go along with it. Multiply coats, snow pants, mittens, scarves, hats and gloves by 5 and you get A LOT of pieces of clothing to put away at the end of an outdoor excursion.

Stay with me. I am getting to the pictures and the post.

After 8-10 inches of that beautiful white stuff fell recently, I told the kids to bundle up and get ready to go sledding.

Wow - Savannah's mittens even match!

This little guy is ready with rosy cheeks before even stepping out of doors.

Lindsay was the first to try snow angels in the backyard.

The bunny trail? Yep, just outside our back gate and across the walking path is the perfect sized slope for the wee ones. And....it's a quick trip back home to the fireplace and hot chocolate!!

Another person to read to Savannah

2011-01-12T16:38:00.000-07:00

Timothy loves his little reader books. He also loves anyone that will sit and listen to him read them. Savannah seems very content to let him read as long as he wants!

Glimpses of Joy

2011-01-05T15:29:00.004-07:00

Savannah is the queen of pretend. She is usually the "Mom" and I am the "Grandma". JOY!

She is quite the stylish shopper.

Tim likes to pretend also - not so much into playing house as fighting, though. Swords, guns, shields all equal JOY for him.

Watching the Chicago Bears play football this year brought us all some JOY. This is the one team he won't desert to cheer for another...even if they are losing.

A JOYful football face.

Extra JOY when the Bears are telecast in our coverage area.

Blake will not have much JOY when he realizes this evening of fin was captured on film and posted to my blog. I am a bit concerned to see a ball flying in mid-air and a sword being used as a bat!!

A visit from a fun loving uncle from Florida

2011-01-02T11:27:00.002-07:00

Jeannine, Larry and Greg visited us for a belated Christmas celebration. The kids had a blast playing with Uncle Greg and he seemed to enjoy himself as well.

Everything from Triominoes....

...to motorcycle videos on his phone...

...to Nerf gun fights.

As in Sheridan, this game lasted awhile and I found Nerf bullets for weeks afterwards.

Timothy quickly changed from gunman to a sword-wielding police officer. Notice his goggles still on...just in case.

A New Year's Celebration

2011-01-01T08:49:00.000-07:00

What happened to January 2011???!! I apologize to any friends and family who have checked my blog only to find....NOTHING POSTED IN A MONTH.

Hang on, because I have some catching up to accomplish today (well maybe not all today, but hopefully within a week).

For the past several years we have hosted a large New Year's Eve Celebration with friends from church. However, due to a wedding invitation, we gladly partied in a different location with newlyweds, Matt and Kayla Horne.

While Tim and Savannah enjoyed their overnight slumber party at the Crabtree's home, the big girls and Phil and I dressed up in fancy wedding clothes and braved the blizzard of the year to celebrate with Matt and Kayla.

Hanging with our great friends the Szymczaks made the evening even more fun!

Kayla had prepared all the fixings so everyone could make s'mores...right at the table. The kids especially loved this.

But there were a few adults that joined in on the action...like our "never-met-a-piece-of-chocolate-I-didn't-like-friend" Dave Shellenberger.

The beautiful couple with Allie.

Allie and Aly....otherwise known to Brenda and I as the "Alyies"

Happy New Year!

Jim made his first official party appearance with his new hip that needed replaced after the last wedding reception he attended.

The father of the bride, Dean, being as practical as ever!!

Following in Her Father's Footsteps

2010-12-31T08:05:00.001-07:00

Allie reached a major milestone on New Year's Eve when she sang a solo at a wedding. The bride, Kayla Dick, wanted Allie's young voice to sing as she walked down the aisle. YES -- the processional. To say I was nervous would be a huge understatement.

Allie did a great job and sounded beautiful. We were so proud of her!

Phil was also asked to sing. He sang a beautiful song, Center, as Kayla and Matt took communion and lit the unity lantern. I had to put the video in two parts due to the size.

Back up plan

2010-12-28T09:31:00.009-07:00

In case of illness, Phil had a contingency plan in place!

Christmas Evening Fun with Friends

2010-12-26T16:49:00.000-07:00

After a quiet afternoon of movies and naps, we continued to celebrate Christmas with some good friends. Dean, Teresa, Jordan, Kristy and nephew Matt, Kayla and Matt (less than one week away from their wedding), and Kevin and Erin joined us for food and cards.

Dean and Phil beat Teresa and I at Euchre and welcomed Matt and Kayla to the table.

Teresa switched to Sequence with the kids. Notice the yellow Nerf bullets behind them. Keep reading for all the excitement.

While Matt and I took on Kayla and Matt at Euchre, Phil, Dean and Teresa played Monopoly Deal.

I think someone is cheating on the other side of the table!

Another crazy game of Sequence.

Kayla and Teresa had recently had their nails done at Dean's insistence :)....so we posed for a nice hand shot, but not before Matt and Savannah could put their hands in the circle.

While the card games were going on, Tim, Jordan and Kevin were up to no good. Before we knew what happened, yellow Nerf bullets were flying everywhere.

What we have here behind the masks and the shield is two children in adult bodies!! We were laughing so hard at these funny boys!

Jordan is multi-talented. He can take a sword to the side and fire his gun at the same time.

Happy Birthday, Jesus

2010-12-26T16:46:00.000-07:00

Another tradition is to make a birthday cake for Jesus. This year the girls did 100% of it, including the mixing, baking, and decorating. We even lit candles and sang to Him.

A pottery present

2010-12-26T16:38:00.000-07:00

Lindsay received a new pottery wheel for Christmas and wasted no time in getting it set up.

After she got over the disgusting part of the process, she actually had fun.

Keep posted for finished products.

Christmas Morning

2010-12-26T15:55:00.000-07:00

On Christmas morning I got up early while the whole house was silent. I let the kids (and Phil) sleep in while I enjoyed the quiet and some good strong coffee. After the cinnamon rolls and casserole were ready, I woke up everyone to a yummy Christmas morning breakfast.

Sarah's eyes were bright.

Savannah was excited but took some time to fully wake up.

Timothy stayed close to the tree so he wouldn't be late for presents.

Christmas 2010 jammies picture.

Even Phil and I got new jammies and jumped in for a complete family picture.

Timothy was quite excited about his real mouth guard.

Doesn't he look tough in his new Bears jacket?

What was the surprise Grammy sent to the girls? Watch the video to find out.

Timothy loved his laptop from Grandpa Wayne and Grandma Sandy. However, he did NOT like sharing it with his sister.

And the police set from Grammy and Grandpa Dave was out of the paper 3 seconds before he was wearing it.

Savannah opened her shopping cart and promptly disappeared into her room to fill it up.

Allie and Sarah were thrilled with all their Christian CD's and iTunes gift cards. As parents, Phil and I are thrilled that they ask for Christian music as Christmas gifts!

More pictures from Christmas Eve

2010-12-26T09:30:00.004-07:00

In the words of Kevin Beckman...I could just eat these two up!! Savannah and her doll baby wore matching dresses. It set the stage for the rest of us to follow suit and wear different combinations of red, gray and black.

Our handsome son in his tie and vest.

Allie snapped this picture of Phil and me.

We continued our Christmas Eve tradition of opening jammies after church. Then we heard the doorbell ring and were surprised by this wonderful group of carolers. Megan (4th from the left) is a teacher at Phil's school and we have also gotten to know some of the other members of this neat Christian family. It was such a wonderful surprise and unexpected treat!

We finished the evening with breakfast preparations of cinnamon rolls and breakfast casserole.

Then we popped in one of the movies that the Szymczak family gave us in our Christmas gift bag. If you have not watched The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry, you must. It was an incredible, great family movie. There were tears from more than one of us!

A game of cards

2010-12-25T22:25:00.002-07:00

A favorite past time for all members of the Hubert family is playing cards. Whether it is Euchre, Uno, Monopoly Deal or Veggie Tales matching game, there's bound to be a winner, a loser, some laughter, and sometimes even tears.

Let the games begin.

Timothy and Savannah had their own game of UNO going on.

Like I said...sometimes there are tears.

But it all ends well with a little wrestling and laughter!

A story from a 3 year old

2010-12-25T17:50:00.005-07:00

I asked Savannah to tell me a story. Listen closely to her sweet voice and you can hear about a recent 911 emergency call.

Yes, our sweet, adventurous son, keeps us on our toes. Apparently while I was taking a shower he was playing with my locked phone. I bet you didn't know that a 911 call can be made by a locked phone without actually pushing the 9-1-1 numbers! It's true.

When I got out of the shower, I discovered my phone was in emergency mode, and I had a message from an unknown number. That number was from the Casper Police Department checking on a recent emergency call and hang up from this number. I tried calling back and telling them it was a mistake, but then...the doorbell rang.

It was a very nice police officer making sure our family was safe. She spoke very kindly, yet firmly with Timothy explaining when and when not to call 911. He listened intently with big eyes, and then he even told her he was sorry. It was so cute.

Never a dull moment at the Hubert house.

A Matching Christmas Eve Photo

2010-12-25T06:50:00.002-07:00

Merry Christmas from the Hubert Family. Watch for more cute pictures from this photo session.

A Very Special Birthday

2010-12-25T06:36:00.003-07:00

I enjoy reading Scotty Smith's blog which is comprised of prayers written by him based on a small portion of Scripture. I post this one on a very special birthday. Click here if you want to read more by him.

A Prayer About Jesus’ Birthday

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11

Dear Jesus, a most grateful and glorious “Happy Birthday!” to you. Though you have existed forever in joyful, intimate relationship with the Father and the Holy Spirit, this is the day we celebrate your coming to us and for us.

I join myriads of my brothers and sisters, throughout the world from every age, in celebrating the day angels “Harked!”… shepherds ran… and Mary pondered the good news of great joy which fills my heart this early morning.

Jesus, we praise you for being born in Bethlehem, the “house of bread.” We were a famished people, binge eating at many empty buffets, “spending money on that which is not bread.”But you came as the Bread of Life, and you brought the incomparable feast of the gospel to our souls. Now we are truly satisfied… now we are finally alive and we “delight in the richest of fare.” (Isa. 55:1-3)

We praise you for entering our world in the “town of David,” Israel’s much loved shepherd-king. But David was a mere hint and whisper of who you are.

Jesus, only you are the Good Shepherd—the one who laid down his life for his sheep. As surely as you were born in a stable, you were destined to offer your life for us as the Lamb of God—the perfect sacrifice for our sins. And now, alive forevermore, you shepherd us with relentless engagement and perpetual kindness. We are so well cared for.

Jesus, only you are the King of kings… reigning over and working in all things, for your glory and our good. You are the ruler of all the kings of the earth… setting them up and sitting then down at your sovereign discretion. No other kingdom, but yours, is everlasting. Knowing these things to be true, we have a peace which passes all understanding.

You are the long-time promised and much longed for Christ—the Messiah. We don’t have to look for another, for every promise of God finds its fulfillment—its unequivocal “Yes!” in you, Jesus. The joy this gives us is immeasurable.

You are the Lord—the Lord of all lords, very God of very God. There’s no threat to your sovereignty, of any kind. There’s no vexation, exasperation or consternation in you. This centers and settles us, Jesus, and makes us long for the Day when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that you are Lord, indeed, to the glory of God the Father.

Happy Birthday, indeed, Jesus. You are so easy to love and so worthy to be adored. Now, help us busy ourselves today with loving and serving the people you’ve placed in our lives. So very Amen, we pray, in your matchless and merciful name.

A Winter Wedding

2010-12-18T13:21:00.000-07:00

We attended a very special wedding for Sarah Putnam and Jonathan Olsen on Saturday. I know both families; in fact the groom is the son of our Pastor. We found a sitter for the little ones and the rest of us got dressed up and had a great time celebrating with friends.

The wedding and reception were held in an airplane hanger and the decorations were so festive.

Lindsay, Allie and Sarah all looked beautiful. I have to admit I got a little teary when Phil was singing as Sarah (the bride) walked down the aisle. I pictured my little girls all grown up and realized it is going to be just a blink before I am the mother of the bride!!!

The cakes - so festive and cute!

The kids' table: Sarah, Taylor, Kylee and Lindsay

Katelyn and Aly

Thanks Jim for joining the only picture of Phil and me that turned out. :)

What an amazing couple. They shared their first kiss ever after being pronounced husband and wife!

Sarah took some time out of dancing to hold the newest baby of our church - Anja.

Allie got brave and participated in the dollar dance. Doesn't she look SO grown up?!

Teresa trying to get a few tips from Cindy (aka Mother of the bride) as she will be the honored mother in a few short days.

A verrrrry tired mother of the bride.

Here is a fun line dancing video with a very special surprise near the end. My shoulders were shaking as I was capturing this, trying not to laugh out loud!

For a guy about to get hip replacement surgery, he is "busting a move" pretty good. :)

Singing Sisters

2010-12-17T11:30:00.000-07:00

Allie has sung in Children's Chorale for 3 years and this year Lindsay was accepted into Bel Canto, the primer choir for Chorale. Lindsay's first concert was held in conjunction with a Children's Chorale concert and the adult choir, Alla Breve.

Lindsay is the 4th one in the middle row from the left side.

Here are a couple videos from their rehearsal the night before the concert.

There was one African song that both Chorale and Bel Canto sang together. Here is Allie bee-bopping down the aisle.

Let it Snow!

2010-12-16T11:18:00.001-07:00

It was beautiful to wake up to several inches of snow. Timothy wasted no time getting his coat, boots and gloves on.

Hopefully we'll have a white Christmas too.

It's football season!

2010-12-16T10:32:00.000-07:00

We look forward to Sundays all week! It is a day of worship and fellowship at church and a day of relaxing with family and often friends enjoying football. It's the only time our TV is on during the week so we never feel guilty for enjoying 3 full games each Sunday. I play in a football pool with some friends which adds to the competition and fun each week.

To say that Timothy enjoys the sprot would be a huge understatement! His Chicago Bears football is with him the whole afternoon as he simulates the plays he sees on television.

This particular afternoon, he had way too much energy for indoors. Phil chased him outside to throw a few passes in hopes of wearing him out for the 2:00 pm game.

I am sure my mom is going to cringe at the sight of Timothy sliding into the "end zone"...in his church clothes :)!!

Random Shots

2010-12-13T10:24:00.000-07:00

A hand-me-down Halloween costume from the Ramage Family has turned Timothy into a "monster" most afternoons. He usually puts it on at random times and tears through the house chasing Savannah.

I snapped this photo on the way to church. I couldn't resist little Miss Piggy Tail, sunglasses wearing, cutie pie!

Come and Worship

2010-12-11T06:08:00.002-07:00

The name of Sarah's dance recital this Christmas was Come and Worship. What a special blessing to watch so many beautiful dances to Christmas carols and praise music. We love the Christ-focus and the scripture-emphasis at Beautiful Feet Academy of the Dance.

On coming to the house, they saw the child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped Him.
-- Matthew 2:11a

Sarah looked beautiful in her dance costume.

Speaking about worship...it was a delight to watch our church's Sunday School program filled with music, skits and hand bell choirs! My camera battery died but before it did, I was able to capture this short video of the preschool class singing.

Timothy and Savannah had glitter in their scalp for a week thanks to Lizz!

A Belated Thanksgiving Celebration

2010-12-10T11:21:00.002-07:00

Since our Thanksgiving plans to Laramie were canceled due to weather, it was exciting to spend a couple days with the other Wyoming Huberts -- Wayne and Sandy and Dave, Missi, Meg, Ella, and Jack. The occasion? They came to see the Nutcracker.

Phil's mom and step dad were both sick and unable to attend the festivities.

Grandma always brings the fun cereal.

The boys.

The kids spent much of the day just hanging out and playing together.

Look - Jack learned the "close the eyes for pictures" trick from Savannah.

Ya know what they say......

Sarah and Ella are two peas in a pod.

While they read, Allie, Savannah, Meg and Lindsay were busy in the kitchen making sugar cookie dough.

It was all Missi's idea...I bet she is making more cookies at home because she loves it so much!!

The cookies came out surprisingly soft for as much flour and handling they received.

Savannah played with this one piece of dough for quite awhile.

Her masterpiece.

If you look closely you can find a small corner of the cookie.

The finished product. I think all but 4 were eaten the very same afternoon!!

The cast comes off....

2010-12-09T11:51:00.001-07:00

We were counting down the days until we could get Timothy's cast off, mostly because it was beginning to, umm, STINK!

Let the saw begin. I think Timothy is worried his arm is coming off also.

And it's off!

Unfortunately, the one bone was not completely healed so the doctor recommended another 2 weeks in a short arm cast.

I think the reason the Bears lost the Patriot's game was because Timothy didn't want the blue stripe!

The Great Russian Nutcracker

2010-12-09T10:09:00.002-07:00

Sarah had an amazing opportunity to dance with the Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker. She was cast as the part of a mouse and had a great time practicing on several Saturday afternoons leading up to the performance.

Check out this bun! The local beauty school did buns for all the girls before the show.

On the day of the show, I had to drop her off at the front door of the Events Center at 12:30 p.m. for a show time of 7:30 p.m. I couldn't take any pictures of her in costume either before or during the show because that's the rule, and a money-making venture for them!!

Here is a link to a couple of the pictures.

Moscow group photo

Individual mouse photo

Because she was backstage, Sarah was the only one of us that didn't get to see the show. When the Casper DVD is available we will buy it so she will have a copy of her own.

After the very, long, exciting day! Good job, Sarah. We are proud of you.

Seasonal Dancing and Singing

2010-12-08T14:58:00.000-07:00

This has been a busy week with activities. Sarah spent all day Saturday dancing at nursing homes and at the mall. Her recital is Saturday the 11th.

Allie's annual Children's Chorale with the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra was the 5th of December.

Chicken butchering, plucking and more!

2010-12-06T14:28:00.000-07:00

Warning: This post contains some graphic images and is not for the faint of heart.

The Koslowsky told us it was that time again and to bring the gang on out to their house. I decided to let Phil go this time(with all 5 kids) so I could do some home school planning and help Teresa make some things for Kayla's wedding. I was so bummed to miss all the excitement, but thank goodness Phil came home with a lot of pictures. :)

Poor little guys don't know what's in store for them today.

Timothy really wanted to do one by himself. Not an option; but Mel did let him hold the ax.

Yeah...I know. Disgustng, but someone has to do the dirty work

Plucking time.

Even Savannah is unafraid to get in and pull a feather or two.

Again...disgusting! But who wants the claws attached to the chicken?!

Lindsay was braver than I thought she would be.

And finally - the gutting process.

I think this was as close to the process Sarah would get. She agrees with her mother....DISGUSTING!

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas...

2010-12-05T14:01:00.000-07:00

With our change in Thanksgiving plans, we had our tree up and decorated very early this year. Timothy and Savannah were especially excited to hang the ornaments.

But they needed to wait patiently while Phil and Allie untangled the lights.

A couple of cute kiddos ready for church.

Grandpa Larry and Grandma Jeannine took the family to The Wizard of Oz as a Christmas gift.

The finished tree.

Thanksgiving Day

2010-11-25T14:31:00.000-07:00

Due to the weather forecast of high winds, snow and sub-zero temperatures for much of Thanksgiving break, we decided to stay in Casper instead of travel to Laramie. The Szymcaks said, "Come on over! What's seven more people? Just BYOT." That's bring your own turkey :).

We arrived to find the most hilarious place cards compliments of Aly and Blake.

I know he needs a haircut, but his hair hasn't been that long for awhile now!

Self-explanatory.

I made fun of Brenda's when I saw hers. She sweetly smiled and encouraged me to continue around the table until I came to mine.

Ahhhh, now I get it.

Aly, Sarah and Allie are VERY ready for turkey!

Tim was inspired by Phil's name tag.

Lovely.

Not sure what Pete is doing but hopefully he didn't touch Savannah's finger that was in her nose.

It's just sparkling cider, Blake.....Is that a knife in Tim's hand?

The gravy master.

Lindsay is much happier after her belly was full.

Another picture with Savannah's eyes closed.

This time she really was asleep. She curled up in Brenda's lap as we were watching football and as they say, the rest was history.

TImothy's new bed

2010-11-22T14:25:00.000-07:00

Timothy retired his race car bed for a big boy version. This bed actually belonged to his Great Grandpa Helbert briefly while he was in assisted living. Timothy loves having a bookshelf and a place for his alarm clock on the headboard.

Nailing Jello to a Wall....

2010-11-21T14:00:00.001-07:00

...is as hard as trying to get Savannah to hold still and open her eyes for pictures!

Two different photo shoots, same results.

Finally! Eyes open and a smile.

Hmm...maybe Lindsay posing with her is the key!

Bye, Bye Pacifier.....

2010-11-18T13:44:00.000-07:00

I wish I could say we took Savannah's pacifier away at age 1 or even age 2, but I cannot tell a lie. That little piece of plastic made nap time enjoyable and very easy. But...all good things must come to an end at some point. So on her 3rd birthday (how cruel!), after talking it up for weeks, we took away her pacifier. Cognitively she was all for it, but emotionally, well suffice it to say it was a rather long week.

I would not and could not give in. Because if I did I knew the battle would be twice as hard the next time.

Bless her little heart for being very resourceful on her own. One day, I think day 2 withdrawals, she found a pacifier that was for her baby doll. We have never used this kind and I hadn't seen it for weeks in her room.

This is how I found her, curled up on the floor, asleep with her doll's pacifier turned upside down and as content as could be.

Happy 3rd Birthday, Precious!!

2010-11-15T10:23:00.000-07:00

NO. NO. NO. It is not possible. My tiny new baby that I just had yesterday CANNOT be 3. I refuse to believe it.

I agree with my sis-in-law lamenting her baby turning 2. Time seriously feels like it goes faster the older I get.

Since I am not helping with AWANA this year, Phil and I take advantage of the 2 hours and sometimes have a dinner date. Phil used his gift card from the Piers for his recent birthday to take Savannah and I to Outback. Savannah had already eaten at home so we ordered her an early birthday sundae. This was the one off of the kid's menu!

Savannah celebrated her birthday on Sunday, Nov. 14 with a few friends from church. Grammy had left her presents hidden in the basement. Savannah couldn't wait to open them!

Savannah knew immediately that she wanted a Dora cake.

"Can we please eat it now?"

Daddy's girl.

And Mommy's cutie-pie!!

Timothy's favorite buddy Uncle Jim came so that Savannah wouldn't get all the attention. They were still celebrating the Bears victory over the Vikings earlier that day. And yes, Uncle Jim even rooted for the Bears!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh. Adorable. Simply adorable!

This was the fastest present-opening ever.

She immediately took her dress off and put on her new princess outfit from Grammy and Grandpa.

Savannah couldn't wait for the singing to be done so she could blow out the candles.

Art and Football

2010-11-13T09:39:00.001-07:00

Timothy explained this picture as, "Daddy, Mommy and Timothy watching the Bears on TV beating the Vikings!"

Making Music Together

2010-11-12T07:46:00.001-07:00

We finally have a piano -- thanks to our super friends, the Szymczaks!! When they received her grandmother's piano from Pinedale, we had her piano moved to our house. The kids have loved it!

Although we haven't started lessons yet, they are using the books Brenda gave us and teaching themselves. Here is Timothy teaching Savannah chords.

...and showing her the correct way to read music!

Listen to them together...first it's music, then it's a slight argument that leads to laughing.

An expensive day at the park!

2010-11-06T13:38:00.009-06:00

UPDATE: I added xray pictures below.

On November 5 we headed to a local park to picnic and play. Shortly after we got there Timothy fell off of the balance beam and hurt his leg. He was dramatic about it for 10 minutes, recovered, and then resumed playing with his friends. About an hour later, he fell off a railing he was climbing on and started crying about his arm. I figured it was the same minor fall as earlier and I loaded the kids up for head home to take naps.

Timothy continued complaining about his arm so I put some ice on it and gave him some Tylenol. He fell asleep quickly and said later that it felt a little better. During small group he began complaining again, and although we couldn't see any swelling, it was clear that he was not using it at all.

The next morning brought more tears and we decided that it would be best to have it checked out. We went to Urgent Care as opposed to the ER and were blessed to have an orthopedic PA as the primary provider that day. Before they even took an xray of his arm, she told me she was fairly sure it was broken.

Timothy was very brave as he waited for the xray on his right arm. His left arm was still as strong as ever!

Sure enough, the xray confirmed he had a buckle fracture in BOTH the radius and ulna!! This is a side view looking at the radius. Just a little below his wrist the buckle can be seen.

This is a little harder to see but on the outside of each bone there is a bump where it should be totally smooth.

The PA put a temporary cast on his arm, made an appointment for us to get a full arm cast, and sent us home with our first ever broken bone.

Timothy came running into the backyard very excited to show off his blue cast.

As we waited to get the full cast on, Timothy looked through the options for colors. These two colors, yellow and purple, were definitely not an option (Vikings colors).

"Oh Yeah -- Bears colors!!" declared Tim.

How handsome is this little guy, even with a cast that weighs close to a 1/4 of his own weight.

Timothy's girlfriend Avry -- ahem--brought over a homemade get-well-cake.

Listen to Timothy share his story.

Temperature Changes

2010-11-05T16:21:00.002-06:00

We have had an ABSOLUTELY beautiful Fall this year! October was gorgeous and November started off still warm enough to rake leaves in a t-shirts.

This was a mid-day recess break for us one day.

While the big kids raked, Savannah played.

Hail balls.

and hail castles.

And a few days later.....it felt like summer again.

My Funny Roller Skater

2010-11-04T14:04:00.003-06:00

I was downstairs absorbed in teaching, and I came upstairs to check on Timothy. This is what I saw when I walked through the kitchen and glanced out the window!!

I am so glad he remembered all his protective gear for roller skating, but I guess clothes are optional!!

An extra long visit from Grammy and Grandpa

2010-10-24T17:17:00.001-06:00

Get ready for pictures!! Grammy and Grandpa were here for 2 weeks and had a TON of fun with the kids.

Timothy was excited to show Grammy and Grandpa how he could read.

A fun game of Twister with Tim and Savannah.

Sarge came along for the trip as well. I am not sure who was more worn out when they left - Tim and Savannah or Sarge.

Can you say spoiled?

Grammy watched several of Sarah's dance practices.

Tim gets Dairy Queen and Savannah gets watermelon?

My grown up girl.

Playing at Verda James park.

With Grammy.....

...and Grandpa.

Sarah can never pass up an opportunity to prance around the house...or the yard.

Grandma's girl - Lindsay.

Our family after church minus Allie, who stayed went home after church with a friend.

My sweet lil' cowgirl.

Sarah joined in the dancing fun.

Grandpa helped out with math!

Grammy had a great time teaching the kids Bible songs -- with all the motions, too.

The girls had a special night out with dinner at Olive Garden and The Sound of Music play.

While Phil and I were driving all around Chicago, my friend Brenda was driving Children's Chorale kids all over Casper. Allie's small group of singers came and sang to Grammy and Grandpa and the kiddos.

Timothy and Savannah dressed and ready for church with their Bibles in hand.

More group pictures....with Grammy.

...and Grandpa.

Timothy and Savannah singing one last song before Grammy and Grandpa got on the road toward Ohio.

Thanks to my mom and dad for doing such a great job watching, shopping, teaching, feeding, and playing with the kids!

Not too old for chocolate cake!

2010-10-24T17:04:00.000-06:00

When we arrived home we found that Grammy had baked a cake with the girls.

9+8+8+4+7 +1+1+1+1= 40!!

Happy Birthday, Daddy!!!!!!!!!!!

A Big Chicago Birthday for Phil

2010-10-20T16:10:00.005-06:00

The timing couldn't have been more perfect for a big 40th birthday present for Phil!!

It all began with a phone call from Phil informing me about a writing conference he wanted to go to in Chicago on the 21st and 22nd of October. After we hung up, my thoughts started racing, wondering if the idea in my mind could actually work.

Phil's big 40th birthday was on October 24, just 2 days after his conference was to finish. Phil's favorite team is the Chicago Bears and wouldn't ya know that they DID have a home game on the 24th!!

My parents planned on staying a week in Casper while I was in Texas, and I wondered if there was any way that I could talk them into staying for an extra week so that I could accompany Phil on his trip and add an extra couple of days for birthday fun.

Well..... as the title of this blog post suggests - it all came together perfectly!

We bought these tickets on EBay, which happened to be cheaper than any of the posted prices on other sites.

As we pulled up to our hotel, Phil noticed (rather loudly, I might add) the name of the street. This will mean nothing to those of you that do not take an interest in football.

While Phil sat in class and learned a ton of useful information, I had a VERY long, nice lunch with my good friend Christy that lives in the area.

If you know Phil, he can never pass up an opportunity to check out upcoming concerts. He discovered that Lincoln Brewster was playing in Illinois on Friday night. He bought the tickets THEN told me the concert was in Springfield -- a 3 hour trip away (one way). It was a fun concert but we both decided the one I chose the following night was the better of the two.

During my internet browsing I came across A Night with the Chapmans. I had just finished reading Mary Beth Chapman's book Choosing to See, which chronicled much of her life story as well as the tragic accident involving their daughter Maria.

After a concert trip 3 hours away on Thursday, we traveled to Indiana, although just an hour away, on Friday night. Phil was surprised to see Geoff Moore take the stage and perform a few songs with Steven Curtis Chapman.

On Saturday morning we packed our bags, returned the rental car and moved to our downtown hotel, The Palmer House. Phil found a great deal on this historic hotel. However, we had no idea we would be staying at the same place with Chicago's opponents for the game on Sunday -- the Washington Redskins!!

After I checked in, I was walking down the hallway to meet Phil out front and discovered a row of spectators and very large, well dressed men walking in through the roped off entrance. It didn't take me long to figure out that it was the Redskins' football team. I quickly snapped this picture with my phone of Donovan McNabb talking with a young fan.

Phil and I actually saw McNabb a couple more times as we wandered around the hotel.

From the balcony above, I zoomed in on Mr. Young's offensive game plan. :)

The view out our window.

We got up early Sunday morning and walked to a downtown church service.

After the church service, we finished our trek to Soldier Field. The weather forecast was for clouds and possible rain, but it passed over and the weather the entire game was BEAUTIFUL!

We were up in the stands fairly high, with a spectacular view of the field and the lake.

We were much too busy cheering for Da Bears to take pictures. Unfortunately the Bears lost by 3, but the game was exciting and a great birthday present for Phil.

While football is a sport Phil and I both enjoy, it's pleasures are fleeting and temporary; that is why I love to see players from both teams come together for prayer at the end. Tim liked that #22 Mattt Forte was one of the players praying!

We relished every bit of the experience and stayed until the stands were almost emptied.

Happy 40th Birthday, honey.

Early Monday morning we packed up, took a train to the airport and arrived in Casper by lunchtime. It was a great trip and an experience neither of us will soon forget!

Lots of True Women in 2010

2010-10-13T17:10:00.009-06:00

In 2008, I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Chicago with 5 other ladies for the first ever True Woman Conference.

When we received word that there would be three conferences held in 2010, I was excited to double the number that went the first time. Three of us that went in 2008 (Brenda, Deb and I) were able to go to Fort Worth and we were so excited to share the experience with 10 other ladies that had never been!!

On October 13th we piled into 3 vehicles and drove from Casper to Denver. The drive down was hilarious as we played "car switcheroo" and barely made the airport exit!!

After flying from Denver to Dallas/Ft. Worth airport, we met up with Melody who had flown in from Arizona. We had a limo waiting for us and we quickly loaded our luggage and continued our laughing all the way to the hotel.

Is that Erin or a movie star?

Lizz will thank me later for posting this picture. Just proof of our happy faces!

The group from left to right: Candice, Donna, Brenda, Jan, Melody, Lynda, Kim, Christie, Lizz, Jodi, Erin, Deb and Sharla. I was shocked to notice those tricksters in the back row up to their antics again!

Another group photo at the hotel was taken but this time we added a few more faces - Rachel and Ezra. We were so happy to spend some time with the Boaz family on Wednesday night and Thursday morning. Kevin was our previous associate pastor and had moved to Texas a little more than a year before. None of us had yet had the pleasure of seeing their newest addition, baby Ezra.

The conference began on Thursday afternoon and lasted through Saturday afternoon. Our brains and hearts were filled to over-flowing with all of the solid, Biblical, counter cultural messages on Biblical womanhood and various other topics.

We enjoyed the warm sunshine with our box lunches. Texans could save a lot of money by reducing the amount of their air conditioning!!

Our hotel was listed as a national historic landmark, and has welcomed many famous and important guests. None would prove to be more significant than President John F. Kennedy and the First Lady, Jacqueline. Using the hotel as a backdrop, the young President addressed the thousands who had gathered to catch a glimpse of America's most popular political figure. His final speech came minutes later in the hotel’s Crystal Ballroom where 2,000 attendees joined the President and First Lady for breakfast. In only a few short hours the Hilton Fort Worth hotel in Texas would go down in history as the place where President John F. Kennedy spent his last night.

One last group photo before heading back to the airport. So many of us were struggling by the end of the trip with "bad Texas hair"!!

This trip was so much more than a conference. It was not designed to simply teach and entertain, though it did both of these things. It was and is so much more than that. It's about a movement of Christian women who desire to honor God by living counter-cultural lives that reflect the beauty of Christ and His gospel to our world. It starts in individual hearts, then to the homes, then to the local church and into the community, ultimately impacting the world.

One of the statements from the Manifesto that sums up the mission of True Woman and is an aspiration for our ladies and our church is:

Mature Christian women have a responsibility to leave a legacy of faith, by discipling younger women in the Word and ways of God and modeling for the next generation lives of fruitful femininity.

True Woman has graciously posted almost all of the main and breakout sessions on its web page. There are many wonderful messages that are well worth listening to or downloading.

Fantastic Fall Photos

2010-10-02T21:01:00.012-06:00

An impromptu trip to Casper mountain on October 2nd turned out to be a great photo opportunity for me. Anyone that has more than 1 child can probably agree that taking pictures of kids can be a strange mix of joy and frustration!

I told the kids to wear casual fall-type clothes. I couldn't believe how well they looked together.

Our first stop and just a few steps away was this perfect split fence for the first group photo. Some days I am still in awe of the fact that after years of trying for one child, we have 5!!

Allie snapped this one of Phil and I.

Allie Rebekah - 13 years

Sarah Elizabeth - 11 years

Lindsay Gabrielle - 9 years

....and these two cutie-pies: Savannah - 2 and Timothy 4 years old.

The girls were walking up ahead of me. I hollered at them to stop and turn around. How great was this!

Timothy keeping all his sisters in line.

Our second group photo.

And more individual ones of each of the kids:

And

favorite

all.

Drum roll, please......

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the way this pictured captured each one of the kid's unique personalities!! Good job, kiddos!!

Don't be surprised if this photo resurfaces as a Christmas photo.

Cooling off at Ayers Natural Bridge

2010-09-25T15:33:00.002-06:00

This summer has gone on and on. It never got blistering hot, but rather it has stayed warm a lot longer than usual. Toward the end of September, we took a trip to Ayers Natural Bridge for a picnic. The kids had fun eating, playing and wading through the river.

Mother-Daughter Date with Sarah

2010-09-01T06:16:00.003-06:00

Sarah and I took advantage of an overnight getaway -- just the two of us. We played putt-putt golf, had a great dinner at Olive Garden and stayed overnight at a local hotel. We talked and laughed until late that night.

Because Sarah is generally so easy going and self-motivated, I don't always have as much in- depth interactions with her (aka she doesn't have as many discipline discussions as un-named other children.) It was a special treat for me to spend quality, relaxing one-on-one time with my 2nd daughter!

Unfortunately I forgot my regular camera and only had my cell phone, which doesn't take the highest quality pictures. The hot tub was right outside our hotel room door.

Thanks, Sarah, for a great overnight girl's trip!!

Our New Journey

2010-08-31T18:28:00.008-06:00

After educating Allie at home during her 6th grade year, we were motivated and convinced to home school all of the kids beginning in 2010. Lindsay and Sarah were excited to join this adventure, as was Timothy, who has no idea he's not "old" enough to be in school yet.

The most challenging thing for me to adjust to (or from) is the idea of "school" at home. My personality would be very tempted to transport "school" into our house and call that home school. I have read and listed to many wise home educators explaining the much bigger potential and opportunities by seeing home school as a lifestyle, something that happens 24-7.

Everything we do is education and the biggest benefit, by far, is the freedom to pour God's Word into these children that He has entrusted Phil and I with. This happens in math, science, history, English, during chores, activities, disagreements, leisure time and a dozen other ways.

It's no secret that I love being outdoors. So.........I learned quickly that we could accomplish much on a picnic table at the park AND Tim and Savannah could have a fun play date. And there's just something about lots of Vitamin D!

Never wanting to be left out, I came prepared with coloring sheets and paper for these two sweet things.

Timothy loves to learn. So many times I have to limit how many pages we can work on in a day because I do have 4 other children that need me :). He knows all his letters (both upper and lower case) as well as the sounds they make. He can write the letters, numbers and several words.

Yes, he is left-handed (like Sarah and Phil). In the last couple weeks he has begun sounding out words very well and reading simple sentences!! I anticipate him reading short books by the time he turns five in February.

Planning, planning, planning. There are parts of me that love this job and other parts that make me want to pull my hair out. I keep a master schedule in this daily planner that I LOVE! Then each week (usually on Sunday as I am watching football) I transfer assignments to each of the girls' planners. They are responsible for getting all tasks done each day before they can work ahead in any given subject.

I have a huge white board hung in the basement. It's 8 x 4 ft. We use it for everything and there is even room for Tim and Savannah to write on.

We begin each morning with a Biblical worldview lesson using Apologia's curriculum. I cannot recommend this series of books highly enough, regardless if you home school. It's a perfect tool for family devotions.

Allie and Sarah working on their memory verses.

Phil will even jump in occasionally before he leaves for work.

Sarah enjoys reading to the kids....helps lighten my load as well.

Allie helps Timothy and Savannah learn their days of the week, months and seasons.

This was from one of Sarah's assignments in her Botany book. She was learning about Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species. She was doing a hands on project using shoes.

Ultimately our goal as parents is not that our kids go to a great college to make a lot of money, but they love and serve Christ in everything they do -- from their jobs, to their homes, to their future marriages. At times, this objective is overwhelming but at all times we have Christ's mighty power working in us as we labor to this end. (Col.1:29)

Boating with the Kuhnels

2010-08-21T23:11:00.000-06:00

As soon as the giggly girls left our house after the sleepover, we packed our cooler and took off for an afternoon at Alcova lake. Our great friends, the Kuhnels, took us out for a relaxing day on their boat. And, yes, it is a big enough boat for their family of 6 and our family of 7!

Docked for lunch.

Life jacketed-up and ready to cruise.

The kids loved being pulled on the tube.

Sarah thought this was a pretty fun way to finish her birthday celebration.

I honestly have no idea what these too silly girls were talking about.

Notice how Avry is holding onto Savannah's strap to make sure she is safe.

I could have relaxed right here for several more hours!!!

Phil and Savannah look as relaxed as Timothy and I were.

Lizz and I had a blast on the tube with Tim and Savannah. They were totally secured the entire time, while Lizz and I were bounced, splashed and chafed!

Another August (mystery) Birthday

2010-08-21T15:38:00.007-06:00

Sarah planned her birthday activities weeks in advance, including the details. She wanted a mystery dinner complete with fun and surprises.

If you aren't familiar with this game, each child received a sheet of paper with choices for 3 different courses. They filled out 4 choices per course. The catch: they had no idea what each item represented as to the menu.

This is the master list, which none of the kids knew as they made their choices, including Sarah.

So, if Sarah chose the words mystery, sleepover, tie dye and ice cream, she would get spaghetti, spoon, ranch and a fork. She could not keep anything for the next course.

Here are the girls making their choices.

The first course. I loved the bread, jello and ice cream together!!

Kristy using her bread as a utensil for her spaghetti.

Larissa and Allie ran the kitchen.

Happy 11th Birthday to Sarah!

Next up -- Tie-dying T-shirts.

Candice and Allie helped with this project.

After a sleepover, the girls enjoyed muffins and fruit before heading home.

Not quite school time for us..........

2010-08-18T15:04:00.002-06:00

One benefit of educating our children at home was evident before we even started. On the first day of public school, we and several other homeschooling families ventured off to Alcova. It was still the middle of August and we weren't ready for summer to be over.

The Hilde, Kuhnel, Szymczak and Hubert families ready for a fun day on an almost deserted beach. He had the whole place to ourselves!

Lindsay, Jessi, Jaci, and Sarah content to sit and soak in some rays while Logan is goggles and ready to swim!

Look at these cute little buttons....Avry and Savannah.

Ahhhh...baby Zain made himself right at home in the sand and water.

Timothy mastered the climbing wall by the time we left.

This was an all day project...shall we call it art? The orange pieces on one of the castles are cheese-its.

Allie, Aly and Zain

Just the "Alyies"

We have a teenager!

2010-08-17T14:56:00.002-06:00

Allie Rebekah Hubert - 13 years young on August 17, 2010!

It seems like it is just not possible that the little baby I tried for 2 years to conceive is now a teenager!! Allie has been such a blessing to our family and she is growing into a beautiful girl(inside and out). The transformation seemed to happen almost overnight.

Homeschooling, swimming, singing and babysitting keep her busy, busy, busy.

Allie chose her dinner and dessert (cheesecake) on her birthday.

A couple days later she and two friends (Maddy and Aly) went out for a fancy lunch at Fire Rock. While they sat at one table, the moms (Sarah, Brenda and I) also enjoyed a nice lunch at a nearby table.

Next stop - pedicures.

Happy Birthday, Allie. No matter how old you get, you'll always be my baby!

5 + 6 = 11

2010-08-10T14:15:00.000-06:00

Hubert Family kids = 5
Helm Family kids = 6 (less 1 not here plus 1 extra)
Total = 11!

Christy and I met several years ago at Bible Study. We were very sad when they moved away to Denver and then even further away to Chicago. Since they moved away, she has had 3 more children and I have had 2. That makes for a busy, noisy house-full when we all get together.

Jaylee and Lindsay reconnected quickly and disappeared until lunch time.

The youngest 5: Savannah, Tim, David and Jonathan (the twins) and Mark.

A very practical solution to messy fudgesicles!

The older girls - Allie, Sarah, Sarah and Juliane (she was the extra)

Christy and I

August 6, 2010 ~ 16 Wonderful Years

2010-08-06T06:11:00.007-06:00

Phil and I had a great celebration of our 16th wedding anniversary. It started with breakfast compliments of the girls. They stayed up late and arose early to prepare an elegant breakfast for 2. The menu: Egg casserole, blueberry muffins, yogurt, grapes, coffee and juice! What a treat.

Later Phil and I went out for a very nice dinner, overlooking the river, then to the Ghosts baseball game and finally he surprised me with a night at a local hotel. Roses were waiting when we arrived. What a guy!!

Phil's dad and step-mom were returning Lindsay from a camping trip, so it wasn't hard to convince them to stay overnight. It might be harder next time though, since Timothy spiked a fever and poor Wayne did not get much rest. Thanks guys!

Silly and Sweet

2010-08-05T21:22:00.000-06:00

First up: Silly.

It just doesn't get any sillier than this!! I told the kids to grab some Q-tips from the bathroom so I could clean their ears. This is how they returned. I made them freeze until I could find my camera. This picture will resurface when they are older - I promise!

Allie was more than generous with her face mask cream.

Savannah kept sneaking a peek at Sarah and laughing, not realizing she looked the exact same way.

Timothy was not part of this original makeover session, but when he saw how much fun the others were having he snuck downstairs and helped himself.

Team loyalty confusion? No. Just a fun night of Packers vs. Bears at Uncle Jim's house. P.S. Bears won.....

SWEET:

I never tire of capturing photos of this little princess as she plays.

Even though we have some sibling disagreements, much more of the time is marked by togetherness. The big 3 are so patient and accommodating with the little 2, and the little 2 absolutely adore the big 3....usually.

Next stop.....Cheyenne

2010-08-01T20:49:00.002-06:00

With all three children and all the grandchildren together in the same state, we were able to have another party in Cheyenne with Phil's mom Jeannine and Larry.

If I haven't mentioned it before, the mere thought of group photos can cause one's blood to heat up (mainly mine) and the anxiety level rise as well. Having said that, these photos were relatively painless and even turned out cute! Thanks, kids!!

From L to R: Savannah (2), Lindsay (9), Ella (5), Allie (12), Timothy (4), Krystal (14), Mariah (5), Sarah (11), Tayler (10), Meg (7), Jack (1)

From oldest to youngest -- all in a line.

Allie and Krystal.

Lil' Miss Sunshine aka Savannah Grace

Happy Retirement, Wayne

2010-07-31T17:27:00.000-06:00

Grandpa Wayne has had a few retirement parties, but this one was special; all his children and grand kids were able to attend.

Dave and Phil chillin' waiting for the festivities to begin.

Lindsay and Sarah were excited to hang out with their cousin Tayler.

Self explanatory.....

Gary (Phil's sister's husband) and the oldest granddaughter, Krystal.

All the grand kids signed a special book to Grandpa Wayne. Even Savannah signed it "herself".

Phil and I enjoyed the gorgeous Laramie day and had a good time meeting some of Wayne's students and colleagues.

This is how Jack signs the book himself.

Family picture time: First up - Sandy, Wayne, Wanda (Sandy's mom) and Gregory

A dad and his children: Phil, Kim and David

Grandpa, Children and Grandchildren

Wanda, Wayne and Sandy and all the grand kiddos.

Wayne's students surprised him with a canoe. Every student's name, along with the dates they were advised by him, were engraved in metal plates and attached to the canoe.

Savannah and Meg take a break from socializing in order to color.

It's hard to tell from this photograph that Meg and Allie adore one another.

In a cabin, in the woods.....

2010-07-23T07:14:00.013-06:00

Our friends, the Dick family, invited us to their cabin near Laramie Peak. After spending a fun day at Douglas Water Park, we finished the final trek to the cabin....well almost.

Would you believe that we had just mentioned at the water park that the tread on the tires was getting thin??!! After ushering all the kids out of the vehicle (our 5 plus Kristy), Phil got to work.

Unfortunately, the spare would not drop down like it was supposed to. After over an hour of struggling, praying and sending Matt and Kayla (who had caught up with us by this point) to make a call to Dean and Teresa , a big truck pulled up beside Phil.

In a deep voice, that seemed familiar to Phil, said, "Need a hand?" Phil responded by asking this man if his name was Mitch. He replied, "Yes, " and the next thing I heard was Phil break into a high-pitched song to jog this person's memory. Mitch recognized Phil immediately and after a hearty hug and friendly greeting, Mitch helped Phil complete the job.

Mitch was a bouncer and bartender at a bar where Phil's band played in Laramie. Now he is a sheriff in Colorado. He almost passed out when Phil told him that he was a elementary school principal! The very cool thing about all of this was God's providence in allowing Mitch to show up just minutes after Phil prayed to God asking for help (Matt, Kayla and Allie were praying the same thing in Matt's car), and then Phil being able to share this with Mitch.

Kayla and the older 3 girls slept on the deck.

It was a bit chilly so all the girls are buried deep in their sleeping bags. Only one eye of Kayla's is peeking out from behind the blankets.

Timothy loved the fact that he could get up and put his shoes on with his jammies!

Kristy is serious about her hiking duds.

Ahhh...what a cute couple all ready to hike Laramie Peak.

Even when it's not moving, the four-wheeler was a lot of fun.

The girls...and Tim.

Sweet, precious Savannah.

A new way of hiking.

Sarah conquers the rock.

Their property is beautiful and the kids had fun running through the open fields.

Phil spent HOURS giving rides on Dean's four-wheeler.

Kayla was especially patient giving attention to all the kiddos.

Hair styling compliments of Lindsay.

Another extraordinary up-do.

Thanks Dean and Teresa! We had a super time.

In the Waters of Baptism

2010-07-11T21:26:00.004-06:00

It was a delight to watch our second daughter publicly profess her faith in Jesus in the waters of baptism.

Our church has implemented an extremely thorough baptismal guide in which a mentor (Phil) works through the material with the mentee (Sarah). In addition to making sure Sarah was Biblically prepared, the meeting times were a great benefit to father and daughter.

Our church also has the tradition of river baptisms. This summer the river was at a dangerously high level so extra precautions were taken. It also happened to be extremely cold as well!

In addition to meeting with each candidate individually prior to their baptism, Pastor Jack always takes some time to ask some individual questions on the day of the baptism. He also asks each person if they want to share a scripture of assurance. Sarah shared Romans 10:9:

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Having Phil be a part of the baptism is an added bonus!

Savannah thought it was a pretty great day!

Timmy Tries T-ball

2010-07-08T21:10:00.005-06:00

I still haven't decided if it was worth the money, but Timothy had a fun time playing his first organized sport.

An added bonus was Nick Kuhnel coaching and Avry playing along side him.

He just wanted continuous action that the field could not provide.

And this is what it looked like EVERY time a ball was hit - a dog pile.

The Hubert-Peoples-Pier Family Vacation Adventure ~ Part 17

2010-07-05T20:39:00.005-06:00

On the day we went up to Mount Rushmore, we spend a little time in Keystone. Shauna's family and Grammy rode down the mountain, each taking a Pier kid.

Weeeeeeeeeee

I think Grammy applied the brake too often because another Grandma-looking lady was right on her tail!!

And here comes Matt and Carson.

Time to leave - Savannah and Allie hang out on the porch while the vehicles are getting loaded.

One more time to feed the ducks before heading back to Wyoming.

The Hubert vehicle - starpped, loaded and ready.

The Pier van - stuffed to the top with kids, toys and luggage.

Many days, many pictures, and many memories on this trip!

The Hubert-Peoples-Pier Family Vacation Adventure ~ Part 16

2010-07-05T20:31:00.003-06:00

After the pictures.............

The Hubert-Peoples-Pier Family Vacation Adventure ~ Part 15

2010-07-04T23:02:00.002-06:00

And now the truth about the 100 out-takes behind the four acceptable photos :).

The Hubert-Peoples-Pier Family Vacation Adventure ~ Part 14

2010-07-04T23:01:00.003-06:00

Family photo time is always a peaceful, warm , calm time for us. Dressing alike is simple. Sitting still is always easy. Looking at the camera all at the same time - piece-o-cake! Just check out these pictures below.

(And if you really believe all this, the "out-takes" in the next post might cause a mild heart attack.)

The whole gang! Standing top L-R: Sarah, Jodi, Phil, Matt, Shauna, Jason. Middle: Lindsay, Grandpa Dave, Grammy Susan, Allie. Bottom: Madison, Timothy, Carson and Savannah.

Grammy and Grandpa with the grand kids.

The Pier family.

The Hubert Family.

The Hubert-Peoples-Pier Family Vacation Adventure ~ Part 13

2010-07-04T19:37:00.001-06:00

Mount Rushmore ~ Take 1

The original plan was to go up to Mt. Rushmore after church on Sunday. But....due to some bad weather and a small issue with Lay's Chips, the Pier and Hubert family ate lunch out of the back of our vehicles waiting for the rain to stop.

Mount Rushmore ~ Take 2:

The next day there was no potato chip dispute so all 3 families ventured back up the mountain and the skies were clear and blue.

It was so bright, Savannah had to wear shades.

I bet no one else has ever stood right in this spot for this exact picture!

Mom and Pop and Shauna and I.

The Pier family -- the kids are thrilled, can't you tell?

A side note: Phil has Timothy convinced that the Presidents' backsides are carved on the other side of the mountian!