owen's magic trick

Owen can do a magic trick!

Now, you see it...

now, you don't!

TA-DA!!!

In case you missed it with still pictures, watch the video!

Watch carefully, or you might miss it!

Papa, Grandma, & Nathaniel Visit

Papa Snack, Grandma O., and my nephew Nathaniel came to visit for almost a week over the 4th of July holiday. We had a great time...

...at home... There's a very good reason why we call him Papa Snack......hiking up Jockey Cap...
...riding to the top of Mt. Washington......catching the view at Cathedral Ledge... ...and hiking back to Diana's Baths.
We always love the visit!

happy birthday, papa snack!

Today, our Papa Snack turned 58...
and we had the privilege of getting to celebrate his birthday with him! Happy Birthday, Papa Snack!

8 years!!!!!!!!

8 years ago...

We officially joined our hands, our hearts, and our lives together. We stood before our Lord, our family, and our friends to make a promise to love one another no matter what - through thick and thin, through good and bad, and through love and dislike forever. We have been through a lot together...some good and some bad, some major and some minor, and some fun and some not-so-fun times...but we walked through it together. From going after careers to living apart for the majority of our first year of marriage, from leaving everything that we ever knew and moving to an entirely different state with a very different culture to buying land and building our home, from making a decision to care for a dog to starting a family, from losing our second baby to birthing and raising 3 healthy babies, from being there to comfort and to be comforted in the loss of loved ones to celebrating new beginnings and new life, from learning to set aside our differences to living a life that would be pleasing the Lord...we are walking together in this thing called marriage. There is no one else I would rather walk this journey with than with my husband. Nathan, you are one of the loves of my life and my best friend. You always know how to make me laugh. I'm so thankful that the Lord brought us together.

For our 8th anniversary, Nathan surprised me with planning a little one-night stay in one of my favorite towns in New England. We stayed at this gorgeous inn called the Inn at Thorn Hill located in Jackson, New Hampshire, while my parents graciously watched our 3 kiddos at home.

We sipped tea and munched on cookies in the afternoon. (Yes, Nathan is sitting in a chair in the bathroom...that's the room where anyone can relax the most, right?)
We ordered food off a menu that we had no clue what any of it was and ate a super fancy and delicious dinner. While eating, this big guy walked by for his usual leisurely stroll...

For dessert, we listened to the waitress name off all of these fancy desserts, and then when it was time to choose, Nathan ordered, "Reese's peanut butter cup blizzard please." :0) So silly!

We chatted on the porch while rocking in these chairs until it got dark.

Then, we watched the town's fireworks as they lit up the mountain-filled skyline.
What a memorable way to celebrate 8 years of wedded bliss!

4th of july

The 4th of July...my most favorite holiday!

We celebrated our nation's birthday by going to the parade in town! I love parades! Do you see Papa Snack in the background? (He was keeping her out of the hot sun and away from the loud noises of the parade.)
My nephew Nathaniel came up to visit with my parents. It was so nice to get to see him and spend some time with him.

Then, we headed over to the local park to join in their festivities. There was a little petting zoo there...

a cow train to ride...

a stage with live entertainment and tons of food vendors.

Later in the evening after Nathan got off from work, we took Ivy, Owen, and Nathaniel to see the fireworks while Papa and Grandma enjoyed a nice peaceful time at home with Letty.

Happy Independence Day, America!