{iPhone Rewind} :: January

Maddie made us a "New Year" sign

Enjoying chocolate covered pretzels leftover from our Community Group New Year's Eve party :)

Our friend C had a birthday party at Pinot's Palette, and we got to enjoy a morning of painting!

We had McCullough Christmas over Zoom, and all the cousins got to open presents while wearing matching sweatshirts that Aunt Lindsay made them!

Aiden got an orb for Christmas, and it has been zooming around our house {and getting stuck on the tops of bookshelves} all throughout the month.

We have started some computer adventures! Eli and Madde are learning to type, starting with the basics.

These are the days...

Granny brought some fun Bible books, and Aiden spent hours working on them :)

I had the opportunity to talk to our MOLO ministry about what it looks like to stay committed to spiritual disciplines as a busy mom. They were so gracious toward my lack of speaking skills, but I pray that I was able to share my heart and encourage the young moms in their pursuit of Jesus.

Miss Scarlett went on a mission trip to Jamaica and brought back some Jamaican money for the kids!

Waiting for fresh-baked cookies!

We got a little snow teaser early in the month

We had just finished reading about how Joseph had experienced repeated bad things in his life. Our next subject was cursive handwriting, and Aiden said that "this was the baddest thing he had experienced in his life." Haha. Tough life as a 2nd grader.

We also got a cold temp teaser...

Our church had a family game night, and the kids had a blast!

I will never get tired of this view...

Working hard :)

A little chess on a cold day

And some pretty flowers on a cold day :)

{iPhone Rewind} :: November

Aiden lost another tooth! He was so relieved because he actually swallowed this one {on accident}, but he didn't have to worry about it anymore!

Maddie studies our family calendar all the time. She has progressed to the point of pulling up a chair and taking notes haha.

Playing soccer on a beautiful fall day!

Bedtime reading of The Wingfeather Saga

Maddie asked to take a photo of the beautiful sunset :)

It's comfy weather!

Eli got to pick a prize in Sunday School, and he picked a Butterfinger for Papa. He asked if we could put it in "Papa's stash for when he comes to visit." Sweet boy :)

Science experiments are fun- yay! {except when they don't work- boo!}

We had a game night with some friends from church and the kids were introduced to Carcassonne.

Reading silly stories from Granny :)

We found a praying mantis in our neighbor's yard!

When the Christmas blow-ups reach the rafters, and the Grinch dances and sings...the errands Mom makes you run aren't quite as bad ;)

Diving into the world of The Wingfeather Saga

We celebrated Mike's birthday with fun cards and presents. We ordered pizza for dinner, since we were prepping for Thanksgiving, but you would have thought it was Aiden's birthday ha!

Erin and Laura Turn 40!

This past weekend, Laura came to Virginia, and we made a road trip to West Virginia for a little weekend getaway. We wanted a little girls' trip to celebrate turning 40! :)

We rented a cute little cabin in Canaan Valley, and the weather was gorgeous! We were lucky that the leaves had started changing colors, so the valley was awash in oranges and golds and reds. The tiny little ski towns were just that: tiny. So there was not much to see or do, but we walked around a bit to explore what we could, and we drove through Blackwater Falls State Park and Canaan Valley State Park. We ended up having to rent a Jeep because an AWD/4WD was required to access our cabin, so it was fun to do a little exploring in it.

We had dinner at the Canaan Valley Resort, and we showed up right at sunset with the deer grazing on the lawn! We returned the next day to walk around and explore some more, and just enjoy the beautiful day.

We hopped over the ski resort side, and took the ski lift to the top of the valley. We got to enjoy beautiful views of the whole area, and it was such a peaceful ride. We also got to enjoy some hot chocolate, apple cider, s'mores, and apple cider donuts at the end of the ride. It was the perfect fall activity!

Most of the time was spent chatting and catching up on life, resting, reading, and just enjoying the beautiful weather. It was such a sweet little getaway, and I am so thankful for Laura and her willingness to make the trek out this direction. Over 20 years of friendship, now spanning 2 states, and I am just so thankful. For all the life we have walked together, for the chance to enjoy a fall birthday adventure together, and for God's grace in our friendship.

The adorable sweatshirts Laura made for us!

Happy Birthday, sweet friend! Here's to our next decade! :)