Summer's Simple Pleasures!!!

Summer is a time for the rules to go out the door!!! Bedtimes are extended to almost indecent hours, cleanliness is an option since my kiddos are constantly dirty, clothes are also optional (my kids love to run through the waterhose sans clothes), and an afternoon outside creates lasting memories. As we try to milk the last bit of fun before summer is "over" and school starts again, my kids have discovered the joy of bubbles. Although Abby has played with them for years, having Micah mobile and willing to chase the bubbles is even more fun for Abby. Last week at the fair, Josh bought the kids one of the "Infinite Bubble" machines, which is battery operated and blows bubbles until the batteries are dead or the bubble solution is gone. I thought it was a good deal--$10 got the machine, two bottles of bubbles, and batteries....of course, last night at Wal-Mart I noticed the same thing for $4!!! Oh well!! Anyway, the kids and Josh were outside playing and I had to capture some pictures. Of course Abby thinks the world is her stage and as soon as she noticed me with camera, she started posing. But I did capture a few of her and Micah with the bubbles. I hope their childhood summer memories are as fond as mine!!! Enjoy the pics!!!!

Micah, our daredevil child, climbing up the ramp to the slide!!!

Abby and Micah playing nice together.

Abby BEFORE she noticed the camera!!!

Abby AFTER she noticed the camera!!!

Micah with the infamous bubble gun....there have been some arguments!!!

Our New Friends!!!

Josh has been blessed beyond our wildest expectations at his job and due to those blessings from God, he has won many incentive trips. One of those trips is called "Round Table" and it is only for agents and their spouse. He also won the trip last year and we were able to travel to New York City and had a wonderful time. This year the trip was to...drum roll please...VIENNA, AUSTRIA!!!! Wow!!! All Kentucky agents generally travel together. However, the week that Kentucky was attending the trip was the week of CATS testing at school and I didn't feel it was in my best interest to ask off during testing. So we opted to go with a different group (agents from Arkansas, Florida, South Carolina, and Virginia). The trip was scheduled for April. Enter the Icelandic Volcano. About three days before we were scheduled to depart, Southern Farm Bureau had to postpone our trip due to the volcano erupting in Iceland. The trip was rescheduled for June 24-July 1. Ironically, our sixth anniversary and my 27th birthday were during the trip!!! Anyway, we arrived in Austria on the afternoon of June 25th (Austria is six hours ahead of us and we traveled for about 18 hours). The morning of day two (June 26), Josh and I were in the breakfast room awaiting some information on our rental car (each couple was given a rental car to share for two days with another couple.) At our table was another couple that was scheduled to attend with the first group, but their daughter was getting married and they had to reschedule for a different week as well. Although we were not their scheduled car partners, we chose to spend the day with them. I truly believe all things happen for a reason and when God closes a door, He always opens a window. Not only was rescheduling to June easier for me (I didn't have to make lesson plans), hopefully easier on my parents (because Mom wasn't having to work at school and then come home to a toddler and a preschooler), but I think He wanted the Wilson's to meet David and Angela Rea. David and Angela are from the coastal region of North Carolina. David is a Farm Bureau agent and has been with the company for close to 30 years. Angela is a school psychologist. Immediately, we had something to talk about...and did we ever talk. We spent the day driving along the Blue Danube, touring the Melk Abbey, and eating authentic, Austrian cuisine. For the remainder of the week, we spent as much time with David and Angela as we could. We rode on the train with them to Salzburg, we ate several meals with them, toured the catacombs of St. Stephen's Cathedral, went on an evening carriage ride through Vienna, and talked....a lot. In addition to meeting David and Angela, we also met two other couples from North Carolina that were also unable to attend with the rest of the state. Anthony and Amy Reese live in the mountain regions of North Carolina. Anthony is an agency manager and Amy is a full-time mom. We also met Clyde and Ruth Fulk. Clyde is the Vice-President of Sales for NC and Ruth is the quintessential Southern woman. She is refined, thoughtful, sincere, and loving. All three couples made our trip memorable. Clyde and Ruth even invited us to a nice dinner with Anthony and Amy and David and Angela...we aren't even from North Carolina,(but we do feel a little adopted:). I never dreamed that we would have the opportunity to travel to Austria and experience the wonder of the country. I feel blessed that we saw the culture and history of a mesmerizing country. But the best memories I will cherish are those of our new friends!!! Thank you God for bringing us together!!!

Clyde and Ruth Fulk

Anthony and Amy Reese

David and Angela Rea

Summer is Half Over!!!

I don't understand where the time goes!!! I remember when I was a child, summer seemed an unending time of lemonade drinking, fun in the sun, no school, softball games at the ballpark, working in tobacco :(, spending precious time with the family, season of pure, uninterrupted fun. Those three months of summer stand out in my childhood more than the nine months of school. Summer seemed so long!!! Now summer is just short!!! The misconception that teachers get the summer off is untrue for all teachers, but especially agriculture teachers. Since school dismissed on June 2, I have spent three weekdays at home. I am not trying to complain, because our family is blessed that I have a job. However, I look at the toll this lifestyle is taking on me and my family and wonder "Is this the ideal family life that God wants?" I am really struggling with this "career woman" vs. "full-time mom" internal battle and as of late, the "Full time Mom" is winning the battle. I realize that there are plenty of children that come from a double income family that are fabulous students in the classroom, respectable children to others and themselves, and who will be wonderful adults. I would also like to say that Abigail's preschool and Micah's daycare are wonderful, loving places for my children to go and would recommend them to any mom. However, I think the struggle is starting to become so prominent that I want to be at home instead of at work. I was so looking forward to summer and now it is half over. The remainder of summer consists of FFA camp, teacher's conference, professional developments, county fair, and school starts in one month:(. It is astonishing at how fast the summer goes and I don't feel like I have spent any quality time with the kids (granted, I was on vacation without the kids for one week....but sometimes that is needed.) Perhaps, Lord-willing, I will one day be able to stay at home with this children. I will continue to pray.

Happy Anniversary and Happy Birthday!!!

Last week, Josh and I celebrated six years of marriage (June 25) and my 27th Birthday (June 26). We had the unexpected blessing of celebrating both events in Vienna, Austria. I can't believe that the first boy I dated in college almost eight years ago has been my husband and best friend for six years. Although marriages aren't perfect (and anyone that tells marriages are perfect are lying :) ), I have truly enjoyed these six years with Josh. We have been truly blessed. Two great careers, two great children, a nice home, and most importantly an understanding of one another (at least sometimes:) ). We have grown up together, learned from our mistakes...which we still make, learned to love, learned to enjoy the small things in life and realize the big things aren't always necessary. I love my husband, I love our children, and praise God for the blessings He has given our family.

I have also downloaded the pictures from our trip and have decided to share a few. Enjoy a few pictures from our trip!!!


View from the top of the North Tower of Stephensdom or St. Stephen's Cathedral. Of course to get this view, one must climb the stairs to reach the top....343 of them to be exact...arranged a narrow, spiraling fashion. We spent about half an hour at the top just to catch our breath...definitely out of shape:)

This it the view of the tower from the ground....did I mention 343 steps!!!

Josh and I on our way back from Salzburg...beautiful mountains!!!

Anthony and Amy Reese...eating lunch in Salzburg.

David and Angela Rea

I know this is a weird picture, but I though the place setting at the gala was so pretty...so I had to grab a picture:)

Josh and I at the gala at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna.

The Rea's and the Wilson's at the gala....we clean up pretty nice:)