September wrap up

We had a busy and fun September this year! Lots of field trips, fun activities and time with friends. I can't believe the month is already over and I am having to think about Halloween and Thanksgiving! We recently had some friends from Farmville move down here to Clemson (yeah for old friends!!) and we've been trying to reconnect. This friend was diagnosed with Chiari Malformation Syndrome in the spring and then had surgery in May (2 months before she moved here!) and has been recovering ever since. Our family decided to support her and her family and participate in the first annual CMS walk. IT was so much fun hanging out with friends, getting exercise and just being outdoors.

Alley and Landon with their faces painted (before they went running…not a pretty sight afterwards!)

Old buddies re-uninted

The girls coloring before the start…these girls can't pass up an opportunity to color!

MC was totally serious about getting her face painted…;)

The girls have been OBSESSED with the CAT bus that travels all around clemson/central areas. Whenever we see one, they yell "there's the CAT bus!" or "It's the Bendy-bus!" (thats the double bus with the accordion middle). Since we've had an obsession for 2 years, we decided to plan a "field trip" on the bus. As it so happened, Sonic was having half-priced ice cream cones all-day and there is a bus stop right at the entrance…oh yeah! So, after we finished school for the day, we caught the bus (and it was the bendy-bus! My girls about died from excitement!) down to sonic. I had packed lunches that we ate and then we overindulged in fantastic ice cream. Afterwards we caught the bus back home. I think it was the highlight of the year for the girls:)

eating lunch as fast as possible so we can have our ice cream:)

Ice cream! Life is good:)

The ride back…all smiles!

Over the summer our small group went through training from a missionary family from India. We all felt that we as christians needed to step our of our comfort zones and really live out the gospel. The training was challenging, awesome and frightening. Learning to live outside your comfort zone and completely relying on God and his whispers in your daily life was such a freeing experience. One other couple, Andy and I spent some time with some people in a nearby apartment complex for a few weeks and we able to really share the gospel as well and start mentoring a few people in their new faiths. what an experience! I am completely humbled by God. We decided it would be a great place to do an out-reach….so one evening, our small group fed the whole apartment complex and just socialized with the tenants. Andy and I decided to bring Alley along since we had been talking to her about what we had been doing recently. She was so excited to be included:)

Here we are serving and socializing with some of them

Alley met a little boy from Iraq that was close to her age. She had a lot of fun playing with him and getting to know him. What was the most amazing thing, is that she told him about Jesus. We did not prompt her or tell her that we were going to be doing that. Apparently, after they had played for a while and were sitting down eating, she asked him if he knew Jesus. She then proceeded to tell him how Jesus had died on the cross for his sins and that all he needed to do was ask Jesus to live in his heart. I am not sure what else she told him, but I was amazed! She was so excited! We had a great time serving the community.

We had some of our favorite people visit us recently! Our best friends from Farmville came down for a quick day visit! They now live in Washington State and were down in SC visiting colleges for their oldest. We had a great time and just picked up where we left off in the friendship 3 years ago! We love the Sterlings so much and are excited for all the new things going on in their lives right now!

these are the babies of the two families. Born 3 months apart and both so incredibly cute, strong-willed and BUSY!

A REALLY fuzzy picture, but this lady here is amazing! I am so thankful for our friendship!!

the group, minus their 3 older kids.

We hit up the apple orchard twice this month! Once with Andy and then the last time with our homeschool group. We love apples!!

The girls and daddy watching as their apple doughnuts are being made…h-e-a-v-e-n!!

all smiles before their treat!

my sweet three….I love these crazy girls!

playing on the playlet as we wait for friends to meet us

Oh Alley...

and we are off! Thanks to Nate Gearles and his sweet girls, brooke, for joining us!!

Andy definitely got his arm work out in!!

the crazies

a little family photo op

I don't know whose kids these two are….?!?!

About two weeks later, we are up at the SAME apple orchard enjoying some more time in the f=trees with apples:)

MC cheesing it up

Lastly, We've been tailgating a lot this month. We happen to have an AWESOME tailgating spot this year (lets pray we get it again next year!!). A bunch of our friends have been joining us for some fun festivities before the game. We are all loving this opportunity to spend more time together and to watch football!

The before game crowd…lots of little kids running around…thankfully the husbands were herding the kids for this quick photo! 

The ones left for game time! Go TIGERS!!