Hard Work

Because I grew up on a dairy farm, I learned how to work.  Sometimes I wonder if my kids are growing up soft.  This was a good chance to harden them up a bit!  Our friends, Dave and Helen, graciously share their pool with us every summer, so we went over to help them with some weeding (Claire and I, that's why we aren't in the pic) and painting (Katie, Jenna, Micah).  Fun helping them out, and the best part was swimming at the end!

3/4 of the 1947s visit

My sister-in-law, Lea Anne, was in Ohio the week before our party, so she decided to drive 6 more hours to join in the fun.  So glad she and Boden and Heidi came!  They stayed another day and a half after the party as well.  Fun time for the kids to hang out.  They played games, messed around on the hammock, played Wii (to Micah and Boden's great enjoyment), and swam in the Stansbury's pool.  So nice that they also helped us eat lots of sloppy joes, cupcakes, and tortilla chips left from the party. :)

In the top photo, Boden and Micah were working together to make a list of something to do with the states.  I'm not really sure what it was, but they both were quite "into" it.  Both of them enjoy maps and lists.

My Baby Has Graduated!

She's definitely not a baby anymore! Dear, lovely Katie.  It's hard to believe she has graduated from high school, and yet-- it seems like she's been finished for a year already.  She finished 12th grade/freshman year in college with flair... on the Dean's List in the fall for 3.88 and on the President's List in the spring for 4.0 (and that's with 15 credits and doing her quiz memorization on top of that!).Because of her terrific grades, Blue Ridge has given her a scholarship for next year.  

We had an open house for her on Tuesday evening, 6-9pm.  Boy, was it exciting!!  (and nerve-wracking)  During the day we had a fairly extensive downpour, but it cleared off when we were driving to the park at 4pm.  Arrived and started setting up when we got a sudden storm which blew and dampened our supplies.  Then we dried things off and took a break.  Decided it might actually work out so we quickly finished setting up, esp once people started to arrive at 5:55!

The party was a fantastic success!  About 100 people came, many of the ones who have loved and supported Katie and our family over the years.  Mom and Lea Anne (who drive all the way from Ohio for this!) did a ton of work with serving food, dad and Chad did a lot of carrying and setting up, Don and Anita did a lot of decorating and buying balloons and baby carrots (since I had mistakenly cooked our first batch), Jenna, Claire, and Micah even helped a bunch.  Some church friends of ours live near the park, and they helped us out with a few items as well. 

We just feel so blessed!  Blessed that we have so many wonderful family and friends, and blessed that the party went so well.  I know God worked out that dry area for us because there were storms all around. 

AND, it ended with a BANG!  A hailstorm around 8:40 had us all huddling in the middle of the pavilion-- hail is LOUD on a tin roof!  We won't forget Katie's party. :)

Artistic Katie painted this sign and the one way down below.  She also had the idea of doing her cupcakes in the 2016 shape.  She frosted them and they looked professional!

Before the hailstorm, many kids and young people enjoyed the park area.  We had tennis and sand volleyball available, but the rain just before the party sort of dampened those ideas.

Can you see the hail below?  There were maybe 25 of us left at the party, and most of us enjoyed the excitement.

Happy Father's Day!

Yes, this is a funny photo to use when I'm posting about Father's Day, but, if you know Chad pretty well, you know it's appropriate. :) 

This was his very much enjoyed meal at Logan's on Father's Day when we went out with my mom and dad. Because of the things going on, we didn't get to do much, but I hope he knows his kids love him and I think he's a fantastic dad.  

So, how can I describe Chad Gregory Wingert?  He loves food, any food, including food that his family members laugh about.  :)  Loves desserts, esp COCONUT anything.  Enjoys keeping the vehicles up, esp keeping proper air in the tires-- it's just satisfying!  Very faithful about any birthdays and anniversaries because he has every date memorized.  I think he could tell you the date and year most of his cousins were born!  Makes cheesy jokes that keep us laughing.  Loves bike-riding and wishes he could do more, esp long distances on new trails in one direction. Addicted to maps and has them all in his head.  Would really enjoy more road trips.  Would be a stellar proofreader (maybe when he retires?) because he can spot a spelling error on a page within seconds. Still loves his job after 21 years and many ups and downs... thinks making the numbers come out right is the best thing ever. Plays games with the kids and plans trips and outings. Wants badly to read books but can't stay awake long enough to do it.  And (related to the last one) often works into the night because has too much to do in his full life.  Loves Jesus Christ and our wonderful church.  Keeps us all faithful. 

Happy Father's Day, honey!

Artists

Katie, Jenna, and Claire attended the IBC Teen Week (40th year we've had it!).  Really had a great time.  I think the only downer I heard mentioned was that Claire wished it didn't go so late.  7-11pm each evening. 

Great games, messages, small group times, contests, music, etc.  

Above, you see Jenna's entry into the sidewalk chalk contest, and then is Katie's 2nd place entry!  Really, I saw them all, and I would have given her first.  Of course, I'm a biased mother, :) but I think the first place person won just because they used a lot of chalk!

Tornado Warning

Yesterday we had a tornado warning (nice to get those alerts on my phone).  Such excitement around here.  Yikes.  I told the family I really should be paid overtime for that 75 minutes!  Mothering sure has its ups and downs.  Really, I was quite clueless when I was 25 and giving birth to our firstborn...  Actually, I think I knew I was clueless-- but I think that's another whole topic.

Katie and Jenna were already downstairs, so Claire and I went down to join them.  Claire was pretty panicky.  We just hung out in the family room for a bit, and then Jenna thought she'd go up to take a shower.  When I wouldn't let her, she started getting panicky.  Katie suggested we play Wii (good idea!).  When I was a kid hanging out in the basement during tornado warnings, we definitely didn't play Wii. :)  Jenna and Claire both still managed to be pretty upset while they played.  Micah and Chad came home in the middle of this.

We heard about a tornado touching down near church and maybe causing the accident on 81.  I know it's good for safety's sake to inform our kids about dangers, but it sure is tough riding the line to keep them from getting really scared/upset/etc.

End of Absolute

This is a photo of the girls that were on Jenna's Absolute Volleyball team (that Katie helped coach!) this year.  Our girls have been involved with this 3? years now.  Super coach, Jim Gross, meets at a school in Hagerstown on Friday or Saturday late evenings.  All the way from January thru May.