a weekend in the country

we got away for a bit this past weekend.  i've blogged about our family farm before.  small, like super small, town in southern indiana where we have about 500 acres.  a place that i have been more times than i can come close to counting.  a place that i went through a phase of dreading to visit, but now, i cherish it.  i know it won't be in the family much longer and i am so thankful that C will have memories here too.

the cows and C are both very interested in each other.  they're so big and she's so loud...

on sunday, my little bro and his wife came up as well.  and they brought their newest addition...

sweet little hadley.  she's a precious little 8 week old puggle.  and you  just want to squeeze and snuggle and play with her non-stop.  C didn't know what to think of her at first.  she's a little crazier than our k-dog.  but, she warmed up to her pretty quick.

so did auntie jade...

 

we took a hay ride back to the woods too.  daddyboy helped uncle tom get everything ready.

 

 

aunt darcy and C got brave and decided to feed and pet a soon-to-be mama

it was a great slow-paced weekend with family.

and the clouds were amazing.  i couldn't stop taking pictures.

hope you had a relaxing weekend as well!

here's what i'm up to now...

the refuge for women 5K is this weekend!  not as relaxing as last weekend, but just as awesome! 

have a good one!!

insta-monday?

i love posting insta-friday, but recently realized that the weekends are when i instagram most.  so, i've decided to do an insta-monday post.  don't get your hopes up.  this probably won't be consistent.  but, i'm getting more into the swing of blogging again, so who knows!

C had her first project from school.  she had to fill in the little house with things about her.  family picture, things she loves to do, eat and play with.  she has been into Angelina Ballerina for a long time.  i love that she still loves it.  we also have Veggie Tales and Lion King, her at gymnastics or "ba-nastics", her with all her little friends, crayons, hotdog and mac & cheese, a family picture and buddy.  she loved helping me pick out pictures and glue them on.  and she LOVED calling it her project and turning it in to her teacher.  such a little girl.  very bittersweet.

on tuesday i just had one of those days.  where is starts out fine, but then it gets worse and worse.  well, it really wasn't that bad, but annoying enough that i felt very justified stopping to get a giant sonic drink when it wasn't happy hour.  sonic friends, you know what i'm saying?  i needed the sugar.  and it did made me feel better!  ;)

on wednesday, when the stress of tuesday had finally been dropped off, i went to our local ReStore.  i hit the jackpot on old windows.  there were so many for so cheap, but i only walked out with this one.  it was big and perfectly chippy.  then, the hubs added a plank of wood i had from when my mom's fence had to be re-placed.  this is how it turned out!  i'm kind of crazy about it...

this i dylan.  we rent our basement to him.  he's a younglife leader and UK student.  and everyone loves dylan.  i snapped this picture because i thought it was funny how both C and kona were on the floor with him giving him their undivided attention. =)

the weekend!  time for the hubs and i to head to cincy to celebrate my birthday!  and i kind of loved my outfit, so i decided to instagram it.  i don't do this often, but these red pants are so fun.  i couldn't help it!

shopping at anthropologie.  i loved SO much.  but why are they so expensive?  i went home with a cute mug and jar for the kitchen.  it's mostly just fun walking around looking and dreaming about stuff.  but i could have easily dropped a TON of money in there.  and of course i wanted these bowls.  but the hubs sweetly reminded me that we don't need anymore bowls....=(

eating at craVe.  very good, very cool place.  our dinner was awesome.  i was so full, but didn't want to stop because it was so good.  ugh.  good pick on the hubby's part and a definite recommendation if your in downtown cincinnati.

walking home from dinner.  a little better lightening.

good morning from downtown cincy!  i don't really think i'm this much of a city girl, but it was still fun to wake up and then walk to starbucks for breakfast.  and it was a beautiful morning.  kind of chilly and just perfect for sitting outside.  i look tired, don't i?

when we got home, we were greeted by a sweet little baby who couldn't WAIT to show me the birthday cake she helped make with her gran-jan!

what a great birthday weekend!

so, how was your week?  any fun instagrams to share?

and thank you for all the birthday wishes.  i'm 31 now.  30 was good.  i didn't mind turning 30.  and not that turning 31 is bad, it's just weird to think that i'm now IN my 30's.  i don't feel any older, it's just different.  but 31 will be good.  i am excited to see what God has in store for us!

ps - a random instagram from a few weeks back that i wanted to share:

the hubs and i got matching tattoos.

love 658.  deuteronomy 6:5-8 "love the lord your god with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength.  these commandments i give to you today are to be on your hearts.  impress them upon your children.  talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, while you lie down and when you get up.  bind them as symbols to your hands and tie them to your forehead."

this is what shaun and i want our lives and our family to be about.  love god.  all the time, everywhere.  we want to teach our kids this.  we want people to look at our lives and know that we love god because of the way we act and the way we love people.  we aren't perfect and never will be.  that's why we need a daily reminder.  we took verse 8 literally.  "bind them as symbols to your hands..."  at one time, this was done.  we just took a little different approach.

take THAT 31!  i'm not old yet!!  ;)

an instagram wedding

C got the privilege of being a flower girl again this past weekend.  and we were blessed and honored to be a part of this wonderful couples perfect day!

the couple made a hashtag for all instagrammers to post pictures of their special day.  such a great idea.  and i went nuts!  =)  it was such a beautiful location and perfect day.  we had a great time and C did an awesome job!

 "the hills are alive with the sound of music!"  i just couldn't resist.... =)

 

 C zonked out after she finally got to dance to about 10 songs.  she was such a trooper all day.

we had a awesome time.  it's so fun and amazing to see your friends grow up and get married.  i met fran about 6 years ago when she was a sophmore in college.  she was beautiful and fun and silly and energetic.  she is still that person today, and now a wife.  i am so excited for her and bryan's future.  i know bryan will love and take the best care of her.  and i know fran with keep bryan laughing and loved.

congratulations you two!  the cook's love you dearly.

Birthday #3!!!

i'm sure i've said this for the past 2 years, but i'll say it again because it's how i feel.

i can't believe my baby is 3!  3.  so bitter sweet.  i'm so excited and proud of who she is becoming, and sad that she seems to be growing up so fast.  my baby...

i instagrammed this the night before her birthday.  she still loves to be wrapped up in a towel and carried to her room, like a baby, after every bath.  i'll do it as longs as she asks...

we had her party the weekend before her birthday.  and all she asked for at her party was a tent.  so, i made one.  and we hung it the night before her party, after she has gone to bed.

yes, that's my thumb.  sorry....

the tent was a big hit!  i failed at getting any pictures of the kids in the tent, but by the shrieks and giggles we heard from inside the tent, i would say it was a big hit.  it has lights strung up and pillows on the floor.  it's really very cozy.  we decided to leave it up for awhile.  i love that she can continue to play in it.

 

it's very pink in there.

i had a lot of fun with the decorations.  i've been wanting to do something different with our mantle, so i took her birthday party as a jumping off point.  i found a 6 old frames from Goodwill, sprayed them fun colors, backed with with chicken wire, then used little clothes pins to hang some of my favorite pictures of her this past year.  now that her birthday is over, i'm going to re-paint the frames in colors that match the living room (green, dark blue & white), then hang family pictures in them.  

it's still very festive.  i still haven't taken anything down... =)

a few more pictures from her party...

funny story with the birthday candles - the first time, the ceiling fan was on and they went out before i got to her.  she burst into tears.  then, we quickly re-lit them, and all her little friends helped her blow them out for a 2nd time.  she was pissed.  looked at me with a very disappointed look.  so, we lit them a 3rd time and asked the other kids to not blow.  the 3rd time was a charm, and the birthday girl was finally happy!  shew!

 

of course i didn't get a picture of the table before hand.  fail...  here we are at the end.  and 1 piece of cake left...  oh well. 

the streetman/cooks 

since monday was labor day and we were all home from work and school, we decided to keep celebrating!  off to monkey joes!

 after i snapped this picture, C said "mommy!  i wasn't scared!"  haha!  

thumb again?  geez jade!

and then yesterday, her actual birthday, she was spoiled to the MAX!

donuts for breakfast with mommy!

ice cream after lunch with gran jan

a few more presents from mommy & daddy

dinner at a restaurant

then MORE ice cream (froyo) with one of her best buds maddie, simba & nala!

WHAT A DAY!

girl zonked out almost as soon as we got home!  i think that's a sign of a pretty good birthday!! =)

love this little girl so much.  i can't believe how much love i have for her.  she has changed our world for the best.  every day is different than the day before.  every day brings something new and fun and scary.  i love looking back at how much she has grown and changed.  and i love thinking about it too.  my baby.  growing up and turning in to a little girl.

happy birthday baby girl.  we love you TONS!!!