a week @ the BEACH

We are enjoying our final full week of summer vacation on the Isle of Palms (in South Carolina) with our family and friends!! It's been a 5 year tradition that we look forward to every summer. Spending time on the beach, eating at all the local seafood restaurants, shopping our hearts out and just hanging out at the beach house has been SO relaxing!! We're here with Kasey's mom and dad and another couple (and their family) that we've been friends with for a long time (Don and Mindy Daniel). Here are some photos of the kiddos!!

Leah & Lex waiting to eat at Sullivan's Restaurant.

Leah on her boogie board....future surfer??

Lex actually smiling on the beach (he didn't like the waves very much), but he enjoyed his swimming pool!!
Ashton, Justin, Matthew, Amber & Derek

another great day @ the creek

OK - here are a few more pics and some random, uncut video from our camp experiences so far!! Eli & Hannah's blobs (on the video) are the best!! And I think I got EVERYONE in the group picture this time (hehe)!! Hope all is well at home with you parents as well. Your kids are angels and they are having an amazing time. We can see God working so intently in each and every one of their lives. They've even been praying for YOU as we're here!! Keep praying for them - that they'll grow this week and that it won't just be a one-time thing. That God will do a serious "life change" within them!!

Our WONDERFUL kiddos!!

Hannah playing the boat game!!

Dara Jo & Aaron after a trip to the mud pit and then the lake!




A whole bunch of random, uncut clips of camp life!! ENJOY!

having fun @ camp...

Well - everyone is having a GREAT time at camp!! Here are a few photos to hold you parents over for a few more days. ENJOY!

Our group after CHECKPOINT time!

Doing our TAWH (time alone with God) in the sun!!

Luke schoolin' some boys on the court!!

Jim -Molly and Shawna ran FOUR miles today!!

a much needed "week off"

Well, we have REALLY enjoyed this "week off" as we have deemed it since we haven't had any church, school or family stuff to do. We've all four just been hangin' out at the pool and at home!! Leah went to MBC's Power Lab VBS this week and Lex grew a tooth =) Doug and I just sat back and relaxed most of it.

We are headed to Crossings at the Creek with our youth tomorrow and then to Isle of Palms with Mom and Dad the next week!! (Can't wait for that!!)

Below are some pictures of us at the pool, Lex's new tooth and Leah's lovely "I'm going to comb my own hair mommy" experience!!

Doug throws her SOOOOO high she nearly flies!!

Lex chillin' at Nana's pool!

Lex's new tooth!! FINALLY!!

This is the result of Leah's first time combing her hair all by herself!! She yelled at me from the bathroom "Mom....I'm going to comb my hair all by myself" so I thought...ok, you're 4 now!! Three minutes later she was crying!! Evidently no one told her you can't twist the comb in your hair!!

Here's a shot from behind!! It looks bad, but her hair is so fine it only took me a few minutes to get it all out!

Mission Trip 2008

We're finally home from our mission trip!! We had a great week on Dauphin Island (close to Mobile, AL). We stayed at and worked for a small church there on the Island called Dauphin Island Baptist Church. We did some work at their ministry center as well as for some folks on the island who were still suffering the effects of hurricane Katrina. We also worked with the Lutheran Disaster Response in Bayou La Batre, AL where we helped paint, mud and pick up scraps from a new roof for a 60+ year old man who has been living in his kitchen since the hurricane!! We did services for a rehab center for men and a assisted living facility in Mobile and we got to hang out for a while and do devo at the International Seafarer's Center in Mobile.

We even got to hang out at the beach and eat some great local seafood on Friday! Here are some pictures of our trip!! We have this week off and then we're headed for camp and then VACATION!!

PS Lex grew a tooth while we were gone!! =)

Our GROUP (before we left)

Doug speaking to the guys at the Rehab Center!!

Kasey getting ready for a morning of painting!
Although I think putting paint in a sonic cup is a sin (hehe)!!

Leah singing at the Assisted Living facility.

Our family (minus Lex) at the local seafood restaurant!!