The Moores

The Moores

Today was a hard day for me...

We went to spend the beautifu afternoon with Mommom & Poppop Moore.

Poppop is now 90 and his health seems to be deteriorating.

Deteriorating... such a terrible word!!

As usual, he was in great spirits when we were there, full of energey and conversation.

The end of the trip brought us all to tears though.

I've never seen such a strong man brought to tears telling his great-granddaughters how much he really liked them and was sorry that he couldn't grow old with them.

I could see the hurt in his eyes as he said goodbye to us all today.

He brought up the subject of heaven and told the girls that he'd miss them until he saw them again there. I told him that they made me sooo happy to hear him say that he was going to heaven and he said "yeah... I know now that I am going to heaven." I'll NEVER forget hearing those words or seeing the smile through the tears that accompanied them.

Here's Mommom and Poppop with 3 of their great-grandkids, form Peg's side of the family.

Mommom (88), Jaylee (6), Poppop (90), Morgan (8 mos) & Jennibelle (4)

It was such a beautiful afternoon that after lunch we sat out on the patio and listened to the high school band play.

We thought that it was funny that Morgan always has her tongue out, just like Poppop More.

We missed it in this shot, but caught it in the shot below.

I think that it made his day, as he was the one that pointed it out.

This is how I remember Poppop... bent over picking up leaves or picking beans,
so I had to sneak in a shot!!

And THIS is so far, the proudest moment I have ever had...

Jenni was vrey concerned when she heard that Poppop was gettin golder and might not be going to Heaven, form our conversation earlier in the day.

So, she drew him a picture of Jesus on the Cross that says "Jesus is Real" and "I Love You".

When we were getting lunch together, she went outside to help Poppop, on her own accord and I could hear through the window her telling him that she wanted to help because "that is what friends do" and that he was her friend and then that she wanted him to know that Jesus is real because she wants to see him agina in heaven.

I'm so thankful that she is an open-book with her emotions because Jaylee & I are pretty much closed-books.

If there was ever a witness for Christ at Poppop's door... I think that Jenni was the most influencial today by just being herself and showing love.

LS Fair 2009

LS Fair 2009

Jennibelle got to go to the fair with her PreKindergarten class Thursday morning.

She had a great time with her friends but was very excited for the Pig Race that night.

Kids Express Preschool

Mrs Zaepfel's Class

4 y.o. Pre Kindergarten

M-Th

Jenni is in all pink, up top

Jenni is very social.

Here are her 2 Sophia friends.

She got to learn a lot about animals...

She learned that goats like Mums,

even though they are decoartions.

(Notice the Mums now on the ground!)

She watched a cow give birth.
Unfortunately, it was a stillbirth,
but she does not know that.
She says the Dr had to just take the baby away.
Of course, I cried.
That poor cow just stood there eatting throughout the entire delivery and never even looked up once.
I guess they weren't cursed with pain in labor, just us!!
When we went back later that night, her placenta was still just hanging there (Yuck!)
Here's a picture of her after delivery, b/c I was SHOCKED by the size of her utters!




We went back at 7pm with Jaylee & Jason for the Pig Race.
The pictures stink...
This year I concentrated on video taping it to get it to Seattle.
Mandy did my camera the best she could, but it's not a good one.
(Hint, hint... Bday is in 2 days!!)
This picture is of Jenni's group getting ready to go and all gresed up.
She's in the middle in all pink.
She ALMOST caught the pig...
technically, she did catch it b/c she had it by the hind legs but couldn't get it up into her hands.
So, she let go.
We are VERY proud of her bravery lately.
She is just a bundle of joy!!!
She ended up chasing her friend Julia for part of the race!
There were 3 pigs and it took close to 10 mins for the girls to catch them all.

This video is of Jenni's group too, but it's real hard to see her,

just fun to watch all the kids running.

At the end of this shot, she gets her hands on that pig, yet again!

The real video will be on it's way to Seattle Monday morning.

By the time Jaylee's group go tout there, it was completely dark and the still camera didn't catch any of it!

Here she is at her 2nd favorite exhibit... the baby chicks!

This year, Jenni was too scared to hold one, but she did pet Jason's.

Aunt Meg took Jaylee back to the fair the next night to see the horse activites since she didn't get to go during the day.

Fun times and good milkshakes!!!

A Good Day

A Good Day!!

I blinked...

Last year I learned that you can have your blog printed out, so I've been using the blog as a "diary" and a way to document and remember everything going on in our family.

So, I must open up and say to this computer page that

I CAN NOT BELIEVE THAT I AM AT THIS STAGE IN MY LIFE ALREADY!!!!

Jason says that it's my fault, that I shouldn't have blinked!!

How am I already spending Sat afternoons at my kid soccer games?!? How is my "baby" big enough to be running around a soccer field?

Unfortunately, my camera batteries died during Jenni's first soccer practice/game so I don't have still shots of Jaylee's first socccer game, but that allowed me to video tape Jaylee's game, and Iam so glad I did.

I knew that Jenni would enjoy herself but eventually get bored of an hour-long soccer session taking instructions, but I never would have guessed how much Jaylee LOVED playing, nor how well she did!! She was nervous all morning and on the way there she started acting in her Jaylee-bizarro-uncomfortable way. She offered to not start in the game, but after first subs, she never sat out again!! She ran the whole time, LAUGHED, SMILED, volunteered to throw the ball in, kick the kicks, tip off, heck, she even kept volunteering to do it for the other team!!! She was UNSTOPPABLE!!! And I am just sooooo happy that she had so much fun!!!! Enough rambling... bring on the pix...

Jason explaining the rules to Jenni right before her first 30min game started. She enjoyed the game, but REALLY enjoyed coming out for a water break!
Go Number 6!!! She just looks like a soccer player in her little outfit!
Another water break...
After her 3rd water break, she wouldn't go back in.
There's a HUGE playground next to the field and by that point she couldn't keep her mind off of it!

Think she liked it?!?
Jenni with one of her coaches...
Love the scenery...
Fall in Lancaster is sooo pretty!!
Jaylee watching (and cheering) for Jennibelle.

I can't believe my babies are this big already!!

I am very proud of the way the played today...

they tried their best, had fun, helped players out who had fallen, listened to their coaches instruction, thanked their coaches for snack, and were in great spirits afterwards...

this will be a fun way to spend our fall mornings!!!

Back to School 09

Jaylee Stringham

1st Grade

Elizabeth Martin Elementary

Mrs Louderback rm #107

Bus #70 and #121B

First Day 9/3/09

A little nervous @ the bus stop.

Pretty nervous in the yard.

Daddy ALWAYS knows how to talk to Jaylee when she's uptight.

Jenni waiting at the bus stop with Jaylee.
As soon as Jaylee's bus drove away, Jenni said "Are you gonna cry now, Mama?" 09/09/09
Jaylee wanted more pix... her 3rd day.
No longer nervous.
Waiting for the bus, enjoying a brownie!!

I think she looks sooo old and mature!

Maybe it's the cool jacket?

These sneakers were a back-to-school gift from Nan.

Nan added the charms and Jaylee LOVES them.

She told me to take a picture of them and put it on Craigslist so that Nan can quit her job and just have fun making sneakers for a job!!

Jennibelle Stringham

Pre-Kindergarten

Kids Express Preschool

Mrs Zaepfel

First day 9/8/09

Talking to Daddy on the phone.

She was not nervous at all...

very excited!!!

The girls liked getting ready together!

Jaylee kept saying she wished Jenni was 1 yr older so they'd be in school together THIS year.
They were both so proud of their long hair that they wanted a picture.

Love...

Nan surprised Jenni and stopped by to see her on her way in, so we got a rare picture of Mama with the kids!!

Jennibelle wanted to wear her "Giraffe Dress" again today but settled for another dress.

These are more pix on her 2nd day.

09/09/09

In front of her school. Jenni still does her POSE.

At her coat rack.

This is the "Back Pack Buddy" Jennibelle made on her first day.

Apparently, she is the only one in the class to add "pimples" to hers.

Our Evolving Yard

The evolving yard at 1720 White Water Rd

We have ALL been busy working on the yard.

We started on Fall of 2008 when we decided to pull up all of the mulch on the play area, with plans to plant grass.

Then in December of 08, we realized that our favorite tree out front was out of control and the roots were way too close to our house, as well as our neighbor's dreiveway.

So, Jason cut the whole thing down himself.

This summer, we missed the tree, but come fall, we will certainly NOT miss the tree!

(The kids might, but Jason and I will NOT)

Then over Easter weekend (2009) Grandma and Grandpa Stringham helped us fill in the play area with fresh soil.

We decided to hire someone to plant the seed for us, and could not be happier with the results.

Last year... we could NOT get weeds to stop growing up through the mulch!!

Even though we repeatedly added fresh mulch, it always looked dingy and old...

And today...

Here's a Shot Out to WiseGrass!!!

We could not be happier with thre results!

Now that it is not too hot in the sun, the girls pay out here all day, every day.

It was one of our best ideas!

This Spring, I busied my self with forming a flower garden along the back of the house.The girls planted some strawberries in the pot!!

For the before shot, look 3 pix up and notice the BARE back of the house.

And the after shot...

I cont'd the flower garden to the side...

(In Progress)

(After)

On MOther's Day we, (really I) decided that since Boop lived in Seattle now and the fence was a complete nuisance to mow around, we spent teh evening rippin git down. Before, teh kids had no real yard to play and run in...


Now they cover every square inch of the yard.

It looks a lot nicer too!!

This is the front... not too much has changed since 3 yrs ago when Jason and the girls chopped down the tall tree by the mailbox and I filled in the garden and planted a nice ground cover.


And one more shot of the back, since I had already uploaded it!