SOCCER!!

We played a good game this afternoon. We won about 7-2, and Ben got to score. YAY!!!! Katie did as well, but she was called offsides. Oh well, it was a good shot. Then we hurried home to make it to play practice at church. And now we are at home again listening to Daddy read the Fellowship of the Ring. Goodnight!

I love boats. Which is good, because we spent all of yesterday in one. We went to Tennesee this weekend with Aunt Audrey and Company. Apart from renting two pontoon boats on Sunday and spending all day in them, we managed to catch absolutaly NO fish, and it wasn't due to lack of trying. Oh well, fish must be smarter than we think. =) I also got to taste my first persimmon, before it was ready. Anyone who has done this can relate to the taste. Yegch!

Fall is definitely here and most of the garden is gone until spring. I'm looking forward to snow etc. despite the blizzard we got last year. I certainly hope we don't get that again!

And then the strangest news: we sold our milk cow. A family near us wanted to start milking and so we sold Maggie to them. We still have a cow that we can start milking whenever we want, but right now we're excited about a break and demonstrated that by sleeping in as long as possible on Saturday, BECAUSE WE COULD.

Last Saturday we went over to a friends house to make applebutter, which is delicious, by the way.

Nathan is playng in the fire. Who would have guessed it?

Basically, you start a fire and put MANY gallons of unsweetened applesauce over it.

And then you stir it. And stir it. And stir it. For about 8 hours. Fun, right? But it is really, because you're there with your friends and you can talk or, if your lucky, you can let someone else stir and then you get to run around other places. =)

More of it cooking.

And then, when it's all done, you pour BAGS AND BAGS of redhots in it for cinnamon, which is yummifying.

And then it all turns red like this and you add sugar to taste. Voila!

Besides applebutter we have been into lots of school and soccer. This morning I took the PSAT, oh my. We'll see how that turns out in December!

Many Meetings

Happy summer everybody! We've had lots of things going on lately. Most recently we went with Grandmother to Nashville to visit Mama's sister and her family. Somehow we managed to get back with only one picture that I could find. Lettie is on top of the pyramid and below her is Ben( with no hands!?) and Nathan. Then Katie, Justin, and I. James is in the middle of a baseball game, which he won. We spent most of the time swimming and had a blast.














Before that we went camping with Daddy's brothers. Uncle Mark's baby girl, the adorably cute Grace found something funny and nearly rolled out of the chair.


























Clark.



















Katie, with her hand made pipe, and Patience.

Justice

Daddy and Uncle Marshall.

Ben displays his crawdad.

Honor

The creek was a big hit, of course!

Grace eats a jacket.

Katie and her big buddy.

Ben

Quite awhile before that we went to a coal mine and got a tour. Everyone was impressed by the big trucks.

Spring has sprung!

Mama and Daddy. :)

Beautiful Maggie. She's 14.

Happy Birthday Ben!! Well, we officially have three teenagers in the house now, Ben is finally 13. Love you Ben!

Ornery!

His favorite game. Ben is on the far right.

Two weeks ago our youth group had a pancake breakfast and we sent the money from it to Haiti relief groups. It was immensely fun and we didn't poison anything and very little burned! Just kidding, everything went well. Ben, however, decided to be lazy and stay home since it was his birthday and all.

Ketchup anyone?

And here is the Pancake Queen of the day!

Mary Had a Little Lamb

These pictures are mainly for Grandmama, because she loves lambs so much. Of course, none of thema re like seeing them in real life, but I hope they are enjoyed anyhow.

The Earth Spins On

Ah, hot tea, biscotti, snowy day, and the thought of soccer practice this evening. We started our indoor soccer season this weekend, after basketball ended Thursday night. Ben and Nathan's team came in third place, with lots of good games. Ben also got the Heart and Hustle award for his age level, so Yay Ben!

The snow has yet to melt, and we have several inches of packed ice over nearly everything. My aunt has posted pictures of her daffodils that are trying to make an appearance, we are no where near that stage yet. I just hope that this funny winter doesn't make for a weird spring so that we loose our crop.

Love you guys! -Hannah