15 Years and Counting!

Wow, 15 years of marriage has come to a close!  Overall it's been a good 15 years.  We've had our ups and downs and trials and struggles for sure.  But it's great to be where we are at now and keep looking towards the future!  Even though 15 years is more of a milestone anniversary, with other goals we have going on we didn't plan anything big.  At all.  We did have one trip planned, then decided to try and go to Europe. We found round trip tickets to London for $250 each!!! But then I waited till the next day and the tickets were gone.  In the end we decided to go out to eat for our date.

Lee surprised me with flowers and chocolate!  I really wasn't expecting this, ha ha.  It was so fun!


Sometimes there is extra money in the kids' job money bag.  And sometimes I go through it to see how much and use some of it on groceries, ha ha.


Lee snapped this street view picture of where Clark goes to seminary.  Lee often goes running when he drops off Clark, or goes on a bike ride.


And our date!  We ate at Hank's BBQ, which is quite yummy!  I LOVE their pork nachos!!!




We went to the football game for a few minutes to see Clark perform at half-time. It was their best performance yet! Then hit up the grocery store for some ice cream. It was a fun evening and great weather.


Sooo, not a lot of drama, but that was our 15 year celebration!  We want to plan something big for number 20.

Field trip season started.  I went with the girls to JMU for a Challenge field trip about wind.  Haley is in Challenge but not Shanna.  It's so sweet because the Challenge teacher invites Shanna to join in on extra activities since they are twins. She doesn't go to the Challenge instruction during the day at school, but participates in after school things or field trips.


Look what we spotted Sheldon!


The kids had their own challenge to make a windmill and make one that could carry weight and wind up the weighted item.  Not sure how to explain....... The windmill had to turn and while turning also wind up an object connected by string to the windmill.




See the cup at the end of the string?  That had to be pulled up when the blades turned.





For our sister's weekend Stephanie gave us all a super fun goodie bag.  In it were actual ears of popping corn and instructions on how to pop it in the microwave.  It was so fun and so good! Shanna is buttering an ear of corn and next to her is a bag of popped corn, and the empty bag for the buttered ear of corn.  I need to get a few of these!  They are so fun!

Eagle Project in the Works (And Life!)

A big thing this summer has been Clark's Eagle Scout Project.  He did a bike drive to donate bikes to refugees to a local organization.  Clark teamed up with three of the bike shops in town, who offered their services to repair a few bikes and to be a drop-off location. 








Okay, random inserts during this time-line...a few of us surprised my friend Brittany on her birthday to say a little hello and bring some birthday treats.


One evening I took Anthon and Lizzy with me to see Clark's performance at half-time.  It was really fun and I treated them, and me and Clark, to cupcakes.




Anthon won these at a seminary game day!


Enjoying cousin time and nice weather!


Clark and Lee went on a whitewater rafting trip with the Bishop and some of the youth.  It was for the youth who read the Book of Mormon this year.  They had a great time!




While Clark was rafting we actually helped out at a fundraiser for marching band.  They often prep food for a "bingo night" and we did just that.  Helped get the food ready for dinner customers.


Lee saw this car one afternoon...see the small white sticker? "Financial Mistake".  Too funny and too true many times.


Okay, so lots of random inserts, but we will get back to Clark's Eagle Project.  One night for FHE we did a little service project for our friends and did a little yard work.


I had way too much fun buying groceries and other stuff online for my niece Ila.  They delivered it right to her door!  I even got to select a time good for her for drop-off.


Some of the goods...... Nice college apartment, huh!


She loves green!  And she needed some notebooks and the grocery store had those too!  Thanks for the fun pictures Ila!


Another fun Seminary treat.....Clark is doing a no-candy challenge and let me eat these.




We enjoyed the annual dutch oven cookoff.  Haley bought this apron for Lee for Christmas but he never wore it.  We brought it that night. 


My dish won third place!  I won a fire-starter set.  I made red potatoes with bacon, onion and blue cheese.  So good!


We had a great turn-out.


Some families camped at the church.  We just went home.


The next day was a service project and then Clark's bike clinic for his Eagle Scout.


Our ward helped clean along a little creek that runs through Harrisonburg.  Sadly we found quite a bit of garbage! Lee worked that Saturday and we met up with him later at Clark's clinic.


So Friday afternoon I saw a text from a lady who Clark has been coordinating his project with.  Clark told her he wanted to do a bike clinic to help show refugees how to do basic maintenance on bikes.  Initially we were going to do it in September but Clark emailed and said he wanted to do it in November.  Well there was a miscommunication and the lady texted saying she had people lined up for the clinic the next day.  Glup!  We had not prepared anything!  Sadly Clark was a school and I wouldn't see him till about 11pm that night.  The main thing on Friday was to find people to teach at the clinic.  Lee found two people, plus he always planned to help out.  After the service project on Saturday Clark and I (and all the other kids) went to the bike shops and a couple other stores to buy things for the clinic.  He gave out a little kit to each participant: bike lube, tire patch kit and a multi-tool.  We also bought some treats for after the clinic.  We had plenty of time at the church to set-up before everyone arrived.  Whew. 




One guy didn't show up, so there were two people showing different things.  One was Chris from Rocktown Bikes. 


Lee and Shanna also did some teaching.  We had about 4 or 5 refugees attend and then about 10 or so people from EMU's bike club.  They wanted to learn more about basic bike maintenance.






Shanna showing how to properly wear a helmet.


Gift bags....


Wow.  He got it done. Clark was able to get about 15 or so bikes donated.  He has to drop off a few more bikes, fill out the paperwork and earn 4 more merit badges and he can get his Eagle!.

Last of the randoms.....Shanna and Haley enjoyed a little campout with their dolls.






Lee gave away a Vera Bradley backpack at his office.  Shanna drew the name.


Lee bought these fun glow thingys that you shot up in the sky with a sling shot.  They are very fun.  The kids love jumping on the trampoline and shooting them up in the air.


Clark opened his first checking account!  He has a debit card and checks now.  Lee and I are giving him a certain amount of money each money to manage, plus he has his own work money. So far so good! 


Here are some of the bikes that were donated! 


A scout activity one night....  Cal is the assistant patrol leader for his patrol so he is well on his way to getting his Star Rank.




The kids found this "dab" in Mike Mulligan and His Steamshovel book. So funny.


Wow, summer is still going strong. Fall will be super busy. Things just keep on going!  I am hoping for a slower paced winter!