The Crouch Family

28 Week Picture

2012-02-06T12:35:00.000-08:00

November/December 2011 Pictures

2011-12-29T18:38:00.000-08:00

I've been really slow about getting pictures up this fall. Sorry. Here are a few highlights from the last 2 months.

Joey's Birthday Breakfast Pancakes

Yummy, Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream Cake

Sleeping Soundly with Spidey safely tucked in with his Spidey Blanket

The kids enjoying Thanksgiving dinner with friends, Abby and Sam.

One of the many turkeys Joey colored for Thanksgiving

The boys made edible Hanakkias this year. I hear they were yummy!

Finding the Needle in Joey's Foot

2011-12-24T06:57:00.000-08:00

Joey had an exciting afternoon yesterday. I guess waiting to vacuum the living room didn't pay off this time. The poor guy managed to run over a sewing needle and break about 3/4 of an inch off in his foot. I'm sure you can spot it in his x-ray below.

This was our first trip to the ER with one of the kids in over 2 years. A record for us, I'm sure!

Joey was a real trooper through the entire ordeal. He was a little squirmy at first. The PA requested a "papoose" to restrain him, but ended up not needing it. It turns out that he's one of those kids that does better if he can see what's going on. He sat up and watched her clean his foot and give him a shot to numb it before cutting into it to get to the needle. He finally lost it when the needle from the shot was in his foot, but even then, he did better than we'd expected. He just hung on really tight to Rick while he yelled, "Oh! That really hurts!!! Mmmooooommmmy! Mmmmoooommmy!" over and over again.

It's a little tender today, but he's doing well hobbling around the house. We're just keeping a close eye on his foot; watching for signs of infection, etc.

Rick and I were especially thankful that it happened on a four-day weekend so the post was mostly shut down and we were in and out of the ER pretty quickly.

16 Week Photo

2011-11-10T08:37:00.000-08:00

Sukkot 2011

2011-10-18T12:20:00.000-07:00

We're smack in the middle of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) as I write this post. We've divided up our time between camping in the carport at home and camping at LETRA (Lake Elmer Thomas Recreational Area) on post with friends from our home fellowship, Wayne and Ceci. Here are a few pictures of our Sukkot experience.
(Once again, I discovered that I spent all of my time behind the camera. There are no pictures of me...probably just as well since my pregnancy belly looks more like weight gain than a cute baby belly. ha!)

The moon rising the first night of Sukkot

Camp sight at LETRA

The lake is right behind the tent.

Joey always has to have his picture taken when he sees the camera in use.

Josh decided to rig a pulley system up around their favorite climbing tree.

The goal was to give his little brothers a ride.

It didn't take Caleb and Rick long before they were "helping" with the process.

Luke was the first one up. He loved it!

Joey got a little ride too, but he doesn't really like heights.

So, his enjoyment was short-lived.

Joey loves to sit by the lake with Josh.

I think Josh likes hanging with his little buddy too.

I found a lot of "leopards" in this same position over the weekend.

Caleb is quite the trend setter.

I think they all agreed that this was not as comfortable as the leopards make it look.

My boys!

Luke and Joey played a lot of Qwirkle.

Wayne took the boys to the archery range and taught them how to shoot.

I gave it a try, but decided to leave it to the boys this time.

Josh snagged a jackalope for me.

Can you see the tarantula?

That's the only one I've seen this year.

I opened the back door of the van to find Joey like this.

He was trying to figure out how to dig through pillows and blankets

to find the "peppy-oni" rolls in the cooler.

Luke and Joey doing the traditional "waving of the lulav."

With the Oklahoma wind picking up last night, Luke, Joey and I

set up a "sukkah" in the living room.

They slept in that and I slept on the couch.

Rick, Josh and Caleb braved the wind and cool temps outside.

A few pictures from football...

2011-10-18T11:22:00.000-07:00

Caleb was number 77!

Joey loved going to see Caleb play!

Josh was good about holding Matthew, giving Nana a break for a bit.

Camp videos

2011-08-07T10:16:00.001-07:00

I don't know why the videos are "unavailable." I'll see what I can figure out and repost. Sorry.

Camp videos

2011-07-18T18:53:00.000-07:00

Luke and Joey both performed during the talent show at camp.

Joey does some beat-box, pretends to be a car and spins on his bottom.

Luke raps the Mario Brothers' theme song.

Matt Jacob and Pastor Keith McCall are his back-up "singers".

2011 Vacation: Part 3

2011-07-18T18:17:00.000-07:00

Cousins

Josh, Autumn and Caleb

We went to Family Camp in Defuniak Springs, FL.

I didn't take many pictures, but I caught a few moments...

I broke my toe while playing sand volleyball one evening.

I just love my pretty shoe.

Water balloon fight ended in a water-dumping fight.

After all of the camp clean-up was finished, we joined our friends

from our home church for a final meal before parting ways.

Luke and his buddy, Timothy

Sporting our camp t-shirts

(Bonnie, Grace, Carolyn)

One last picture before heading home...

(These kids love each other!)

2011 Vacation: Part 2 (Florida)

2011-07-18T17:39:00.000-07:00

The boys got a kick out of the signs at the Florida Welcome Center.

Joe Cool

First order of business was going to the beach.

We saw a lot of these crabs on the beach that day.

We brought the wii with us on vacation.

This was Joey's first time playing in nearly 4 months.

Words can't describe his joy.

This is a common scene in Al's backyard. I got a kick out of

all the wildlife that came for drinks here.

We visited Grandpa John and Grandma Lin after church our first Sabbath in Florida.

I don't know why Josh was sitting on Rick's lap,

but he really didn't want his picture taken.

Can you blame me for posting the picture?

Grandpa John and Joey

Grandparents and Grandkids

Fort Matanzas

We love going here!

Always so happy to have his picture taken...

"Mom!"(followed by a sigh)

Rick and Luke

Me holding Joey who bravely climbed the ladder to the top of the fort.

Rick slowed down long enough for me to get a shot of this tacky house.

Argh!

Rick and I stole away for a night in St. Augustine:

celebrating our 16th anniversary.

We had dinner one evening with Nana Heinig and the Husters.

Josh loves their dog.

Nana Heinig

Aunt Penny and Cameron

We also squeezed in a short visit with Menzo and Audrey.

They have been a special part of our lives for a long time.

Menzo, Luke Menzo, and Joey

2011 Vacation (Part 1: Waco, TX)

2011-07-08T15:38:00.000-07:00

Yes, We actually went to Waco, TX on purpose! After hearing about Homestead Heritage from some friends (thanks JD and Regina!), we just had to check it out for ourselves. We camped at an Army Corps of Engineers campground on Waco Lake. You can see the view we enjoyed from our campsite (below).

HOMESTEAD HERITAGE:

The grain mill was beautiful. We were surprised by how many grains they offered freshly-milled on site.

We spent a bit of time walking through their model homestead. I could see the wheels turning in Josh's head the entire time!

Cistern (below)

Green House

Joey thought these chickens should be as friendly as ours are at home.

The hand-made furniture at the wood-working shop was amazing!

I could have watched the pottery making for hours, but it wasn't the boys' favorite thing to see...

This was! Josh spent hours here. Caleb, the blacksmith was making a lock for the new cheese building the homestead is building. (The cheese there is absolutely amazing!)

Another shop that I spent time in...alone. Go figure!

I wanted to be in at least one picture from TX. Here Luke and I are trying to get in the sad bit of shade our lonely tree offered. It was windy, but it was hot!

Josh and Joey hung out on the beach together one evening. It was nice to see them having a good time together. I have no idea what they were talking about, but it held both of their interests for a long time.

We enjoyed the scenery and swimming in the muddy-bottomed lake, but the windy nights were no fun. You can see that Luke and Joey (below) were the only ones not bothered by the wind. We were up very early the morning we left. I was able to get some great pictures of the sunrise (above).

Rick got tired of trying to battle the wind while folding the tent. He eventually crumpled it up and shoved it into the tent bag...not the Crouch-Approved method, but it worked.

On to Florida...pictures coming soon

Praying Mantises

2011-05-19T12:25:00.000-07:00

Our friend, Ceci has passed on a praying mantis chrysalis to our family for the last 2 springs. She uses them for her classroom and seems to "accidentally" have an extra to share with our boys. I really didn't think we would be successful this year since the poor sack was knocked around a lot, even suffered a fall from the top of my desk yesterday. So, I thought Caleb was making stuff up when he told me to check out all the mantises that were in the jar this morning. Here are some pictures from their release to our garden...

Rick's Redeployment Day!

2011-05-19T11:30:00.000-07:00

Ready for Rick to come home

The kids helped decorate the van.

Luke was sooooooo excited!

Being silly....tension reliever

Like Father...Like Son

Waiting....

Waiting...

Where is he?

Still can't find him...

Finally spotted him!

Luke beat us there.

Sara is our awesome neighbor and volunteer photographer. Thanks again, Sara!

The Chapman family came to welcome Rick home.

Major General Halverson (Ft. Sill post commander) welcomed Rick home too.

Spring at Our House

2011-04-16T13:46:00.000-07:00

One of our Spring Chicks

Planting Our Fuji Apple Tree

Iris Bloom (one of many in our front bed)

Cooling off in the sprinkler with friends

Lettuce

Gala apple blooms

Fuji apple blooms

Dragon Tongue bean buds

Dragon Tongue beans

Pea blossom

Laundry

2011-04-06T19:22:00.000-07:00

Laundry never goes away. No matter how many loads I get done in a day, there is always more tomorrow. I like to think of it as job security. Even with Josh and Caleb doing their own, I keep plenty busy in the realm of stinky towels and unrecognizable stains.
For years, I have been aware of the down side to chemicals in laundry detergents and fabric softeners/dryer sheets. I have switched to "free and clear" brands, but the chemicals still abound. Since Luke and I have such sensitive skin and are both prone to allergies, I am careful with what products are used in our house.
Last year we tried making our own laundry detergent. You can find tons of recipes on line, but they're all about the same. We used Fels Naptha soap, baking soda and hot water. After a few washes, we noticed the clothes were not as clean and didn't smell as fresh. So, we went back to the old laundry detergents that, at the very least, got the clothes clean.
I just stumbled on soap nuts while searching for laundry detergent alternatives and we have used them for about 6 full loads of laundry now. I'm in love. They are so much easier to use than other alternatives I have found out there. They are comparable in price to what I was spending on the "free and clear" choices too. (Note that you can get about twice as many loads out of the load amounts listed) You just put 4 or 5 soap nuts in the provided baggie, toss them in the washer, load the clothes, start the machine and forget about them. The same nuts can be used for about 5 full loads before needing new ones. I bought the smallest option available just for trying and I know that I'll be ordering more.

With such great luck in the area of detergent, I decided to do some searching for alternatives to dryer sheets. I've been using the "free and clear" version for this too, but the chemicals in dryer sheets are terrible. People with asthma, eczema, psoriasis or who are easily bothered by chemicals really shouldn't use dryer sheets. Imagine how happy I was to find reusable dryer sheets that are simply specially woven cloth.

Here's a link to Amazon's store for:
Static Eliminator Re-Usable Dryer Sheet 2 Count

I have tried the vinegar trick, but found it didn't work and was too much trouble to make sure I caught the washer at the rinse cycle. The dryer sheets just stay in the dryer all the time and they work amazingly well. My only complaint is that the polyester soccer shorts were still a bit "static-y". Shaking them out or rubbing with a dryer sheet takes care of that right away. Not a big deal to me. They are supposed to last for "hundreds" of loads. We'll see just how long they last, but my initial reaction is that they are fantastic!
I'm really excited to have scored 2 wins in the laundry department. Since I know that I will never fully defeat the laundry monster, it's nice to know that I've at least tamed the beast.

(A little plug for those looking to save some money...I signed up for Amazon Mom which gives me three free months of Amazon Prime. That gives me free, 2-day shipping on most purchases. These items can be ordered through Amazon's baby store. With each $25 purchase through the baby store, I earn another free month of Amazon Prime. I can potentially earn one free year of Prime and enjoy the free shipping. And no, you don't have to be a mom to join. Grandparents qualify too!)

By the way, soap nuts and dryer sheets would be great for traveling too. There's no liquid to worry about and they take up very little space.

EPIC Yellow

2011-03-11T13:44:00.000-08:00

This is Caleb's first real attempt at stop motion movie-making.We didn't edit very well and you can see his hand a few times, but it is pretty good. He's done shorter movies, but he put a lot of time into this one and we wanted to share it with you all.

Caleb's Front Entry Painting

2010-12-31T14:40:00.000-08:00

Caleb needed a project.

The assignment: Paint the front entry way.

Here are the results (with a little touch up yet to do).

Before...

When Caleb got tired of Josh and me begging, he would let us help a little.

I think painting the grass was his favorite part.

Cloud hand prints and a measuring stick around the frame for recording their heights.

The (almost) finished project. The Hebrew says Shaddai which means God Almighty.

Better Late than Never

2010-12-28T12:37:00.000-08:00

For those who asked for Thanksgiving pictures...sorry I was so slow in posting them. We had a great time in Florida (aside from the stomach bug that 15 of the 16 of us had). We sure missed the Green family this year. Josh and Caleb enjoyed time with their younger cousins, but they really missed Conor, Collin and Aidan.

Here are the highlights.

We went a few days early so that we could spend some time with Al (aka Grandpa Crouch).

We went to the beach a few times while we were in Florida. One trip was with Al.

Caleb and Luke spent a lot of time setting up the dominoes.

We were blessed to go to church at our home church one Sabbath. Our friend, Laura brought her horses over for the boys to ride after services. Just one of the many cool things about being in the country.

Caleb with his "bestest" friend, Taylor and Jessie (Taylor's sister)

Josh enjoyed hanging out with his younger cousins.

Caleb and Lady (Grandma Lin's dog)

On our way to the beach with Jonah and Cate. Eve stayed home with her parents since she was the first to fall victim to "THE BUG."

Rick and Joey showing off their building skills at the Camenga Grandparents' home

Grandpa John and Jonah

Grandma Lin and Cate (Eve was still sick and didn't make the trip down to Cocoa)

Josh and Lady

Rick and Jonah

Luke, Joey, Caleb and Elisa waiting for the rest of us to go through the Museum

Joey (future DJ?)

Elisa, Kristin and Andrew trying out the pulley chairs

Joey and me

Andrew and Luke finally got one car moving...

Elisa wanted to try her hand at it too.

Let the invasion begin! One-by-one, we fell...

Friday afternoon...finally enough of us well enough to stomach some form of Thanksgiving "feast" and open "Thankful" presents.

Jonah sporting his new shirt that Aunt Grace made for him (a little too short). The girls' dresses were all too small so I had to bring them home to adjust.

All the kids up front for the children's message.

There Goes the Neighborhood

2010-10-31T08:52:00.000-07:00

We knew that we were blessed when we moved into this neighborhood, but we didn't realize how much fun it would be until this past weekend. Josh, Caleb, Rick and I climbed into our neighbor Sara's van with Sara and her son Caleb and off we went to Wichita Falls, TX. (Don't worry. Luke, Joey and Sara's other son, Brayden were left safely at home with our friends, Bethany and Josh.)

We got to see Sara's new house that she and her fiance had built (wedding in November!!!). Then we were off for the main event: The Make a Difference Tour! It was a lot of fun watching Toby Mac performing and bringing a God-filled message in a way that only he could. He's got way too much energy! We also saw Third Day, Jason Gray and Michael W. Smith. Max Lucado appeared a few times to share about his mission to make a difference in the lives of children in need.

It took a little while for the boys to warm up to the "audience participation", but they caught on and had a lot of fun too. I confess that I was feeling a little too old for some of it. I couldn't help thinking, if they just turned the speakers down a little bit...

Not to mention that I took a 2 hour nap the next afternoon.

I guess Sara hadn't had enough of us yet since she bravely loaded all four of my boys and her two boys into her van again on Monday. This time we headed north to the zoo in Oklahoma City. I think this is the first time Joey has been to the zoo and really enjoyed it. I let the boys take turns taking pictures. Some of these pics are of the zoo as Joey saw it.

The boys

I'm proud of myself for only posting one picture of the hippo.

Caleb and Caleb (so much alike)

My sweet Joey and a bear

One of Joey's views

Another of Joey's

Sara and Grace

The meerkats

Nemo lives at the zoo in OKC!

Caleb's football photo

2010-10-20T14:04:00.000-07:00

Isn't he handsome? He's having such a blast playing for Lawton Christian and we're having a blast watching him.

Caleb and Football

2010-10-04T17:40:00.000-07:00

Caleb has finally gotten his chance to play football this fall. He joined the Lawton Christian Elementary team and has absolutely loved every minute of it!
It's a bit demanding for the family since he has practice nearly every weekday evening, but it is fun for all of us to see him having so much fun. We decided to give him the chance since Sabbath conflicts only get harder to avoid the older you get. All of his games are on week-day-evenings.
Here are a few pictures from his first game (which they won 2-0). You can pick him out in most of the pictures (#13).

Sukkot 2010

2010-10-04T17:32:00.000-07:00

Our family just spent a week celebrating the festival of Sukkot, also known in the Bible as the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths. It was a first for us and we had a fantastic time. We met with our home fellowship (a Torah observant group that we have been meeting with since we moved to Lawton last December) at Tom Steed Lake and spent three nights camping. Our days were full of Bible/Torah studies and fellowship. The kids loved getting to know some of the other kids a little better and learning more about God's instructions for them. Josh and Caleb especially enjoyed the evening studies (which both surprised and impressed me).

Part of the fun for us was learning about some of the traditions that go along with Sukkot. Each of us took a turn waving the lulav. You can tell that Joey liked it when it was his turn.
We spent the rest of the week at home, sleeping in our tent in the back yard. We made each night special for the kids just by letting them stay up later than usual and having an evening snack as a family. Oh! It didn't hurt that they got a week off of school.
It has been a full year of studying God's holy days and Sukkot was a great way to wrap it up.

I only wish I had taken more pictures. The boys had so much fun riding their bikes and swimming in the lake. Rick even got to just sit and talk with the guys for a bit while I was in the ladies' Bible study.

Our Summer at a glance

2010-09-16T21:28:00.000-07:00

We had a very busy summer with 2 birthdays, a trip to Florida for Deep South Camp, Rick's graduation from BOLC, a trip to Missouri for the SDB General Conference and family visiting our home after Conference. We were so busy that I just didn't have time to keep up with posting. The following slide show gives you the short version of a very full summer.

Nick

2010-07-22T11:05:00.000-07:00

When Caleb went out to feed the chickens this morning, he found a baby squirrel on the ground. We looked in the cedar tree to find a nest, but didn't see one. After researching and discovering how demanding the care of "Nick" would be, we decided to find him a home elsewhere. Caleb was immediately attached to the little guy and so he held him in his little container until we found him a home.

We tried the animal shelter and rehab center on post, but they don't "do" squirrels. They referred us to a lady who takes in birds of prey for rehab. She was a very sweet, older French woman who spends her days taking care of injured animals, mostly birds. She assured Caleb that she has taken care of many baby squirrels and was getting ready to release one that she had raised from the same age.
Caleb left feeling like we had done the right thing.
I left feeling thankful for people who feel called to take these animals in. It was a sweet experience.

All the way from Morocco!

2010-06-23T13:38:00.000-07:00

I just got my birthday present from Faith. It is so pretty that I just had to post a picture of it on the blog. Thanks for finding something unique from Morocco for me. I love it!

A Pink Diaper

2010-06-23T13:34:00.000-07:00

I had a blast yesterday! Some of the ladies from my co-op got together and learned how to make cloth diapers. Since Alisha has been making them (and using them) for years, we met at her house for the afternoon. I was just planning to watch, but ended up getting to join in the fun. With four boys, all potty-trained, I'm not sure why I came home with a pink diaper, but I bet I'll find a good use for it some time.

The process is so much easier than I thought it would be, but I confess it was a little harder than Alisha made it look. I'm far from an accomplished seamstress, but I got it done. Surprisingly, it is more than just functional. It's cute!

Here are a few pictures of the process...

The Pattern

The water-proof lining

Got the snaps on...

Valerie's lining and soaker

Me trying to figure out which way to put the snaps on.

Our finished diapers.
I'm holding Alisha's youngest, Wesley.

Luke holding Sweet Wesley.

Medicine Park

2010-06-20T17:26:00.000-07:00

Rick and I took a few hours to ourselves this afternoon to celebrate our anniversary. We decided to go to Medicine Park since we hadn't been there yet.
We walked along the water and took some pictures of the birds, fish and turtles. There were a lot of people taking advantage of the waterfront to cool off. The high today was 99 and it felt like it!
There are a few shops and a bunch of old, cobblestone buildings strewn along the main street. There isn't a lot to Medicine Park, but we had a nice time just exploring a new-to-us place. We also had an early dinner at the Old Plantation. We went to Braums for ice cream after we got back to Lawton. (Good thing I'm off to walk the Trail of Death in a bit. I ate too much!)

Is it possible to be happier now than on our wedding day?

Taken from the not-so-steady bridge (a walk of faith for sure!)

Lake Elmer Thomas Recreation Area

2010-06-20T17:09:00.001-07:00

We took the boys to LETRA a few weeks ago. Josh and Caleb's friend, Tyler came along for the fun. It gets so hot here that we only spent a couple of hours there in the morning. We've learned that sunburn happens faster than you'd think here so we're trying to be sun-smart.
I enjoyed the lake with the "mountains" in the background. The water was the perfect temperature. There are also 2 water slides that the older boys enjoyed. Here are a few pictures.

Caleb, Josh and Tyler

Daddy and Joey trying to build a castle

Joey loved pushing this truck through the water.

Our handsome Luke

The Wichita Mountains to the north of the lake.

Win a free Berkey Water Filter System

2010-06-02T10:21:00.000-07:00

M.D. Creekmore over at the The Survivalist Blog – a survival blog dedicated to helping others prepare for and survive disaster – with articles on bug out bag contents, survival knife choices and a wealth of other survival information is giving away a Go Berkey Water Filter System (a $139.00 value)! To enter, you just have to post about it on your blog. This is my entry. Visit The Survivalist Blog for the details.

Memorial Day Weekend

2010-05-31T14:34:00.000-07:00

We finally took a trip to Oklahoma City with the boys on Friday. Rick visited the OKC Bombing Memorial and museum several weeks ago with his class. He was so impressed that he wanted to take the family back with him. We didn't take the kids through the museum, but we took our time walking around the memorial. There was a lot of thought and planning involved in the creation of the memorial; very impressive. I won't go into detail about it here, but you can read more about it here.

After visiting the memorial, we had lunch at Taco Bell (Hey! No judging. You try feeding four boys a filling lunch for less than $20 somewhere else.)
With a few wrong turns, we found our way to Will Rogers Park and Arboretum. Rick, Luke and Joey played at the playground while Josh climbed trees and Caleb and I walked through the arboretum and rose garden. I have proof that Caleb was in the rose garden (see above).
We also squeezed a trip in to Target while we were in the city. Lawton has 2 Super Walmarts, but no Target. I was in major withdrawals. Bonus was finding some things that I can't get anywhere else.
We have spent the rest of the weekend just relaxing and enjoying our time as family. This is the first long weekend Rick has had since he started school in March.
Rick made nesting shelves for the chickens yesterday. You can see that Joey "helped" him with the project.
I don't have any pictures for proof here, but I am excited that our garden is doing fairly well. It looks like we'll have some nice pumpkins later this year. I'll post some pictures soon. I'm having fun finding little bits of country living in the city.

Lap books

2010-05-10T17:07:00.000-07:00

Luke, Joey and I worked on lap books this morning. Luke made a book about honey bees and Joey and I put together a book on the letter "A".
Lap books can be elaborate, but we are just starting out and have made them as simply as possible. I use a manila file folder for the "book". My friend, Ceci, told me about a website that has a long list of free lap booking resources. You just click and print from the site. The library and Internet provide the rest of the information you need to fill in the blanks.
I have become an overnight fan of lap books because they are easy for me (the parent) and fun for the child. It holds their interest longer than any other project that we've tried and allows for them to have "guided creativity". It also provides a fun way to review material that they have learned and it offers an end-result that they enjoy sharing with others. It's a sneaky way of getting them to review the information repeatedly as they show off their work to siblings, Daddy and friends.
If you want more information on lap booking, check out www.homeschoolshare.com and click on the lap booking link. This site also offers some good unit study ideas.

Since it is Mother's Day...

2010-05-09T13:16:00.000-07:00

...I thought I would list the three best parenting books I have read (in addition to the Bible, of course). If you're looking for good, God-centered, parenting books then I have the perfect list.

1. "Have a New Kid by Friday" by Dr. Kevin Leman. This man is no-nonsense and cuts right to the chase. He encourages parents to quit counting to three and start taking action at the first instance of disobedience. He's got good, sound advice for parents of any age group. I absolutely love this book!!!!
2. "Shepherding Your Child's Heart" by Tedd Tripp gets right to the heart of the matter...your child's heart. So many times, as parents, we forget that we are to be molding and shaping our child's character. Mr. Tripp does a great job of refocusing our motives to achieving God-centered behavior. If our children are well-behaved, but their hearts are angry and resentful, then we are robbing them of a joyful childhood. This book helped me see the importance of firm, consistent and loving discipline.

3. "Don't Make Me Count to Three: a Mom's Look at Heart-Oriented Discipline" by Ginger Plowman. This one was recommended to me by a friend of mine here in Lawton who found it gave her realistic ways to apply what she had learned. It is an invaluable addition to any mom's book collection.
It acts as a wonderful companion book to "Shepherding Your Child's Heart" by expounding on real-life examples of shepherding in action. She does an outstanding job of relating, in a humorous way, to situations that any parent has experienced. The three best points from this book for me are:

1) Remember that my children are sinful and quit excusing their behavior for anything other than that; low blood-sugar, fatigue, rough day, etc.

2) Applying God's word while disciplining refocuses the child's behavior and keeps you mindful of your ultimate goal of leading that child to Godly living.

3) I'm not perfect either. I am sinful, make mistakes and am in need of grace. It is a humbling experience to go to my boys and tell them that I was wrong and ask their forgiveness. It gives each of them the opportunity to practice forgiving others and loving them in spite of their short-comings.

Spring!

2010-04-25T12:08:00.000-07:00

We went hiking on post again yesterday. This time we went with my friend Valerie and her two children, Ireland and Jake. We only had Luke and Joey with us for the afternoon since Josh and Caleb were at their first-ever air-soft tournament.
Spring is in full bloom everywhere you look now. Check out the slideshow below. It is nice to live in a place where we can get out and explore so often. (Rick was the photographer this time.)

2010-04-25T12:07:00.001-07:00

Elk Mountain

2010-04-03T14:50:00.000-07:00

We went to the wildlife refuge AGAIN today. It is one of those places that you could spend days in and still not see everything. We decided to hike to the top of Elk Mountain this time. It was just under 1.5 miles one way. Joey walked a good part of the way up, but Rick carried him most of the way down. I'm sure that I annoyed Rick and the boys some because I kept stopping to try and get some pictures of the little flowers and budding trees along the way. I just love Spring!
We saw the usual buffalo and longhorns, but got surprised by a large "lizard" on the rocks. We really are having a blast learning about all the different creatures and plants that Oklahoma has. It is a lot different that Florida and Washington. Fun!

2010-04-03T14:49:00.001-07:00

Flint Visit and the first day of Spring

2010-03-26T13:10:00.003-07:00

We had the best time with our friends, JP and Bonnie, last week. They drove up from Florida and spent a couple of days with us. Luke somehow got JP to play a game of Monopoly. I think they spent more time on that game than anything else while they were here.
We went to the boys favorite place, the Wichita Mountains, and did a little hiking. At one point on the trail we had to get off the path to avoid the grazing buffalo. Bonnie and I both got some good shots of the big guy.
On their second night here, we decided to try the restaurant at Meers which is just north of the wildlife refuge. We somehow made a wrong turn and got to see a lot more of the refuge than we had planned. This time through, we saw more buffalo, some longhorns, deer just coming out to graze and a bunch of prairie dogs. The "scenic route" was fun, but made for a late dinner for some very hungry boys.
The day after they left was the first day of Spring. It snowed ALL DAY! Josh and Joey got out for a while and had a little snow ball fight. The wind finally sent them back inside. You just can't tangle too long with the wind here. It never stops.
We got a few pictures of our favorite visitors to our bird feeder too. I have always loved cardinals, but I really appreciate them now. They don't live in Western Washington and I missed seeing them those two winters.

2010-03-26T13:10:00.001-07:00

Ok Go

2010-03-08T10:52:00.000-08:00

The boys and I get a kick out of this group's videos (even though I don't like all of their music). They are so creative and entertaining. Click the links in the following posts to see them on youtube.

YouTube - Ok Go - Here It Goes Again (The Treadmill Video)

2010-03-08T10:49:00.000-08:00

YouTube
- Ok Go - Here It Goes Again (The Treadmill Video)

YouTube - OK Go - This Too Shall Pass - Rube Goldberg Machine version

2010-03-08T10:28:00.000-08:00

YouTube
- OK Go - This Too Shall Pass - Rube Goldberg Machine version

Last weekend of February

2010-03-08T10:19:00.000-08:00

One of the boys' favorite places to go here in Oklahoma is the Wachita Wildlife Refuge. I've posted pictures of our family there before, but I have a few more to share. Rick took all four boys a couple of Sundays ago and they had a great time. Rick said that Joey walked the entire time. What a trooper.
We also enjoyed another sunny Sabbath afternoon at a local park here in Lawton. I love to go to this park because we can always catch a glimpse of a prairie dog. They are the neatest looking little creatures. I think I enjoy them more than the rest of the family. The boys just want to get up close and see if they can catch one.

2010-03-08T10:18:00.001-08:00

Afternoon at the park

2010-02-14T07:02:00.001-08:00

We took Luke and Joey to the park Sabbath afternoon for a little picnic and some fun. Josh and Caleb were on another camp-out with Scouts. Luke found a model cannon on the playground to climb on. He wanted me to take pictures of him being silly on the cannon (as you can see below). Joey was so proud of his ability to walk on the ledge around the playground.
We went for a nice, long walk around the park and saw some geese and prairie dogs. The prairie dogs are so fun for us. The one that Rick photographed below kept "barking" at us while we walked by. Joey thought it was fantastic!

2010-02-13T13:22:00.001-08:00

2010-02-13T13:18:00.001-08:00

Our First Ice Storm

2010-02-13T13:09:00.001-08:00

As most of you know (and some of you experienced), we just had our first real Oklahoma ice storm a couple of weeks ago. We were spared the loss of electricity, but the falling cedar branches tore the internet line from the house. We "suffered" a whole week without internet. Oh the drama!
It meant some extra work for Josh and Caleb in the back yard. Joshua could hardly wait to be allowed out to clear the debris. Caleb required a little coaxing, but he did a good job once we got him started. I think he secretly enjoyed the labor.
It was bitter-cold for several days which meant mom had to get creative with keeping the younger two entertained. We read and did crafts a lot more than usual. I can't say that being without our major mode of entertainment for a week was a bad thing.
But...we're really glad to have it back.

2010-02-13T13:08:00.001-08:00

2010-01-27T14:01:00.001-08:00

House pictures and OK update

2010-01-23T13:43:00.002-08:00

I took some pictures of the house and yard today for those of you who have been asking for them. Yesterday was a beautiful, sunny day and I wish I had taken the pictures then. Pay no attention to the yard...remember that it is winter. :) We have sprinklers that will liven that grass up in no time.
You can't see the storm shelter, but it is under the Suzuki in the carport. It just slides open and we climb on in. My neighbor told me that true Oklahomians (is that right?) hear the siren and run out in the yard to see if they can see the tornado before deciding if they should wake the kids. Sounds like seasoned Floridians in a hurricane to me.
We are planning to get some color on the walls in the next few weeks and update photos and frames. It's been fun planning. You can tell that Josh and Caleb wasted no time in getting settled in their room. Luke confiscated some of the few remaining boxes and has some sort of construction in the middle of his room that he claims is a bunk bed. I don't think I'd try it if I were you.
I fell in love with the windows in the family room. They let a ton of light in even on those cloudy days.
Another home school mom and I have decided to co-op our gardens this year since they are limited on what they can do on rental property. We decided to go with the square foot gardening method and are turning it into a big unit study for the kids. The older kids are looking forward to the project.
There's a perfect space between the garage and shed for putting a few chickens this Spring. Just another fun, hands on home school opportunity for the kids. The eggs will be nice to have too.
We have been attending a Bible study fellowship on Saturday evenings. They are a home fellowship that is loosely formed right now although they are working on having a more formal gathering time. We have enjoyed getting to know them and are happy to have found a group that fits our families needs at this time.
Josh and Caleb are active with Scouts already. They're on their first camp-out this weekend. Luke and Joey are making friends through the home school group and their "play rooms" that they attend while I'm in Bible study on Thursdays. I have been blessed to have met some like-minded home school moms that I've already gotten to go out with once. I am thankful for the many ways God is blessing our family. He has once again surprised me with meeting our every need; physical, emotional and spiritual.
Enjoy the pictures. I look forward to posting our progress. We're having a blast getting settled and making this place our own.

2010-01-23T13:43:00.001-08:00

Check out Caleb's new blog

2010-01-18T18:57:00.000-08:00

Caleb got himself a new camera with his b-day money and has started his own blog. Feel free to check it out. I'm sure he'd love to have your comments.
www.caleb-lifeasiseeit.blogspot.com

December and January so far...

2010-01-16T08:16:00.000-08:00

I posted a few pictures of the boys below. There are a few from Caleb's b-day dinner last night. Nothing too exciting right now. We've unpacked everything in the house, but we can't paint until we close next week (we hope). We'll take some pictures of our place after we've painted and finished decorating.
These are for those of you who keep nagging me for pictures.

2010-01-16T08:12:00.001-08:00

Our first Oklahoma Snow Storm

2009-12-25T06:18:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving 2009

2009-11-28T17:48:00.000-08:00

We just spent the week in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with my family. It is the first time in a few years that we have been able to join them for the gathering and I'm so thankful that we could make it.
I enjoyed watching my boys play with their cousins. I got to meet our youngest niece, Elisa and get some fun time with the triplets too.
It has become our family tradition to have a family Thankful gift exchange since our families don't get together for Christmas. Our boys were surprised this year by a group gift of a Wii. It's been a wish of theirs for a long time and it was awesome of my siblings to make that dream come true for them.
Rick took all of the boys over to the beach a few times this week. They had a blast digging in the sand, chasing birds and getting dirty. Rick enjoyed getting to be a part of that time with them.
We made cookies with the kids, cooked together, cleaned together and stayed up too late together. I am truly thankful that we got this time together and will miss Faith and her family since they will be moving over seas in December.

2009-11-28T17:45:00.001-08:00

November Florida-Georgia

2009-11-28T08:27:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures of our last few weeks. Joey got to celebrate his birthday with Grandpa and Grandma Camenga in Florida and with Daddy in Georgia. We managed to get a little time away at a campground the weekend before Rick's graduation. Graduation week was busy, but we had a good time. We're all happy to be finished with that stage of schooling and are looking forward to getting settled soon.
I'll post some pictures of our family gathering in Myrtle Beach soon.

2009-11-28T08:26:00.001-08:00

Washington through the Grand Canyon

2009-10-04T17:03:00.000-07:00

Below are a few pictures of the fun part of our trip across the country including the Redwood Forest, San Francisco, the Pacific Coast Highway and the Grand Canyon. We had a wonderful time on our trip. Rick and I soaked up each moment, knowing that we would be spending the next 12 weeks apart. We're nearly half way through and looking forward to the fun we'll have with family in November/December before moving to Ft. Sill. Enjoy the pictures.

2009-10-04T16:21:00.001-07:00

2009-07-11T20:28:00.001-07:00

The Farm and Vashon Island

2009-06-02T12:53:00.003-07:00

Our family visited the home of Ken and Marla Kowal this last Sabbath afternoon. They live about an hour from us in the mountains. It was a beautiful drive there and back. We enjoyed seeing their animals and exploring their historic property. The Burdicks drove out later in the afternoon and had supper with all of us. Josh and Caleb are going to stay in their camper next week and help Marla with the animals and chores while she recovers from foot and hand surgery. They are looking forward to it.

Sunday morning found our family on a ferry crossing the Sound to Vashon Island. We were in search of the bicycle in the tree that we first read about when Josh and Caleb were little. The boys were excited to finally get to see the bike. We even went to the Country Store, bought a copy of Red Ranger Came Calling by Berkeley Breathed and got Aunt Vy to sign it. It's one of their favorite books. Stay tuned for more of our adventures...

2009-06-02T12:53:00.001-07:00

2009-06-02T12:52:00.001-07:00

2009-06-02T10:32:00.001-07:00

2009-06-02T10:30:00.001-07:00

2009-06-02T10:27:00.001-07:00

A Poem by Joshua and Caleb Crouch

2009-05-24T19:03:00.000-07:00

Always Remember

Their stance is stiff,

their backs are straight,

as they salute their country's banner.

They look at it with reverance,

as they think of what it stands for.

They think back to those foreign shores,

where they fought in epic wars.

13 Stripes and 50 Stars,

Seargent's stripes and Captain's bars,

All these things are signs of,

loyal soldiers undying love,

for truth, justice, freedom of speech,

the pursuit of happiness and of peace.

God bless the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and Marines,

who daily risk their lives to keep our country free.

So this Memorial Day salute the soldiers fallen,

as the guns report, and the bugles keep calling.

FREEDOM IS NOT FREE!

2009-04-30T08:37:00.001-07:00

San Juan Island

2009-04-13T13:19:00.000-07:00

Rick and I spent the weekend away on San Juan Island, Washington. It is one of the islands in the Puget Sound that can be reached only by ferry, boat or plane. San Juan Island is just south of British Columbia.
We were a little disappointed that we didn't see any whales, but we still had a fantastic time and saw a lot of animals. The pictures don't do the beauty of the island justice, but we tried.
The island's historical boasting is being the host of the Pig War from 1859 to 1872. The only casualty of the war was a pig that the Americans killed. Not a shot was fired during this cold war and it ended with the Americans as victors. We visited the American Camp and the English Camp and all the points in between.
I especially enjoyed the lavender farm and its gift shop. We tried some lavender ginger cookies while we were there and brought home some lavender coffee for Jenny to try. We also walked along the rocky/log-filled beaches and stopped in at a vineyard/winery for a few minutes.
Rick and I were surprised to get a pretty, sunny day for our one full day of exploring. It was supposed to be cool and rainy all weekend, but we got lucky.
We stayed at Hillside Bed and Breakfast in Friday Harbor for two nights. We enjoyed getting to know the owners and staying in their home. We left the house each morning feeling well rested and filled to the brim with too much breakfast. We also enjoyed their famous banana chocolate chip cookies (yummy).We did not go hungry feasting on the island's various restaurant offerings. Fortunately, we got plenty of opportunities to burn some extra calories while we climbed hillsides and walked along rocky shorelines.
We are both thankful to our friends who helped make our weekend get-away possible. We brought Erin a bottle of wine from the vineyard, figuring that she might need a drink after spending the entire weekend with our four boys. I think it was a good sign that she didn't pop the bottle open as soon as we gave it to her. They all seemed to have a good weekend too.

2009-04-13T13:17:00.001-07:00

Cookin' up some fun

2009-03-13T20:47:00.000-07:00

When Josh and Caleb were younger, I would do a lot of crafts and baking with them. With four boys now, I find it hard to just get through the day doing what has to be done. There's not much time for those extra, special things like there used to be. Doing laundry and dishes for six of us can take up a lot of space in a day even with Josh and Caleb now doing their own laundry.
Driven on slightly by guilt, but mostly by a desire for Luke and Joey to not miss out on the fun things that Josh and Caleb got to do, we got busy in the kitchen this afternoon and evening. I reintroduced a recent tradition in our family of making challah for Sabbath-eve dinner. I have a wonderful recipe that I got from "A Family Guide to the Biblical Holidays" by Robin Sampson and Linda Pierce. It makes it very kid-friendly and easy to clean up.
The boys usually take turns helping. Luke got to help me this time. I usually do most of the mixing and separating then I take the bottom braid and he gets the top. Luke did a fantastic job, as you can see in the pictures.
I also dusted off Grandma Van Horn's old china and set the table with a REAL table cloth. I put my tulips in the middle and we lit our Sabbath candle. It was totally by chance that everything matched. Even the napkins!
Since we read the book of Esther (Purim was this week) this week, I decided we should make some Hamantashen cookies to bring to church tomorrow. I got the recipe from the same book as the challah. They turned out great!
This was the first time I've let Joey help in the kitchen and I was surprised at how seriously he took the entire process. He did really well and we got some good pictures of his first adventures in the kitchen.
All of the boys had fun making and sampling the cookies. I don't know if they were more excited to do something different this evening or that we made and ate something with sugar in it. Hmmm... Either way, it was worth the extra effort. I know that we made memories that will last far longer than the cookies will.
Enjoy the pictures.

Cookin' up some fun part 2

2009-03-13T20:46:00.001-07:00

While Daddy is away

2009-03-10T17:11:00.000-07:00

Most of you have already heard about Luke and his "incident" last week that led us to the ER here on post. After the six hours there, things went pretty smoothly and we got to have a little fun with the cool bandaging they gave us. I took some pictures for you all. I have some pictures on my phone of the actual "boo-boo". It has become quite the conversation piece.
We've had crazy weather the last week. In one day, we will see sunshine, rain, freezing rain, snow and hail. I guess if you don't like the weather you see out the window, wait five minutes and see what you think then.
Hope you enjoy the pictures.

What we do when Daddy is gone...

2009-03-10T17:10:00.001-07:00

2 months later...Caleb's b-day cake

2009-02-27T16:57:00.001-08:00

Play while we work

2009-01-12T15:30:00.001-08:00

December Snow Days

2009-01-12T15:15:00.000-08:00

We had a solid week of snow just before Rick's leave days in December. Because it is so rare to get this much snow, the post wasn't really prepared for quickly clearing the roads. So, poor Rick, had to spend a couple of days at home with us since driving to work was impossible even though he works just a couple of miles from the house. True to form, Rick took full advantage of the snow days and spent just as much time in it as the kids did. I'm only sorry that I didn't get more pictures of Joey's short trips out and Rick sledding. Those would have been good. They had a great time working on the snow fort. I think it was more fun to build than to play in.

December '08 Snow Days

2009-01-12T15:12:00.001-08:00

October and November at the Crouches

2008-11-23T19:18:00.000-08:00

We've enjoyed settling back into home life since our trip to Florida in September. I've put together a few pictures (below) for you to see what we've been up to.
Josh and Caleb enjoyed giving out baggies filled with candy and the gospel of John for Halloween. This was the first year they got to do anything for Halloween. They came up with the idea to use it as a ministry opportunity. We prayed for each of the kids/families that received the testaments. Who knows what seed we planted that someone else can water and God can grow?
Joey's birthday was simple, but he enjoyed it. He was trying to blow the candles out on the picture when he saw me putting it on the slideshow today. I think that was his favorite part of his birthday (other than the cake). As you can see, we had our buddy John over that evening. John's mommy, Jenny, made the cake for Joey.
Obviously, the little girl in the picture with Luke in our back yard, does not belong to us. Arielle is one of Luke's friends. She is also one of four daughters of my friend Cheryl. We enjoy having so many friends for all of us. We're very blessed.
Enjoy the pictures.

October and November Happenings

2008-11-23T19:16:00.001-08:00

West to East to West part 2

2008-10-11T18:34:00.001-07:00

West to East to West part 1

2008-10-11T15:51:00.001-07:00

West to East to West

2008-10-10T15:14:00.001-07:00

The boys and I survived our four-week adventure to Florida. More importantly, Rick survived four weeks alone at home while we gallivanted around Florida and soaked up some sunshine. It will be hard to summarize, with words, everything that we did. Hopefully the pictures will fill in the holes. I noticed that I didn't get pictures of some things that we did, but I still came home with over 200 pictures to sort through.

Our home base was Dad's and Mom's home in South Daytona where we did a majority of our sleeping, eating and playing in the back yard in the kiddie-pool that I scored at 75% off at Dollar General. We definitely got our $2.40's worth out of that pool!

My sister Faith flew down for our first weekend. She and I got to share a bed for the first time in many years. I think we got along better than we did way back when. We even stayed up and giggled a little too much one night. I'm grateful for that time. Thanks for making the effort to be there Faithy!

The boys and I were the perfect examples of "church hoppers," spending each Sabbath in a different church. Our first Sabbath was in Daytona Beach where our family attends. We enjoyed seeing loved-ones who knew Rick and me while we were growing up, were at our wedding and watched our family grow through the years.

Our second Sabbath was in our home church in Carraway. The boys and I stayed with JP and Bonnie Flint while we were there. We got together with our old home school friends for a birthday party and got to visit our old store too. Josh, Caleb and Luke spent a night at the Jacob's home in Jacksonville that weekend. It was good to be "home" with our friends and family there. We love and miss all of them dearly.

The following Sabbath we visited our newest Florida church in Edgewater, pastored by our good friend Keith McCall. This is a branch of our Daytona church so it was also like being home with family. What a blessing to worship and study with all of them.

We got to have dinner with Keith, Joanne and Alek one Thursday (the first night of Survivor) evening. I especially enjoyed chatting with them. Alek has grown up a lot since we last saw him. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures with them.

We took a trip, with "Grandma Jan" to visit the Bennett family our last weekend. They live about an hour from the Bradenton SDB church, so we stayed with them Friday and Sabbath nights. The boys had a blast playing with the girls at the beach, park and in their pool. I had a good time catching up and relaxing a little. They are such great hosts. Thanks Rob and Darlene!

We spent our last Sabbath afternoon near Bradenton (on the west coast of Florida) at the beach with friends, old and new (thanks for sharing your beach house Laura!). It was a truly beautiful Sabbath afternoon. The water was clear and calm. The weather was mildly warm and breezy and the fellowship was fantastic. Jan, the boys, Mike, Laura and I enjoyed hanging out at Laura's house after the beach, eating frozen yogurt and singing praise songs with Mike's guitar and Laura's violin. It was a spectacular day.

In between Sabbaths (can you tell that they are a highlight for me?), we crammed in a bunch of fun things with grandparents and friends.

Grandpa John graciously spent one of his few days off back at work so that we could see Kennedy Space Center. It was fun to see it through his eyes and catch his excitement over the space program. Grandpa John has met a few astronauts during his time working at KSC and was able to introduce us to Astronaut John McBride who gave us autographed pictures and sat and chatted with us for a few minutes. It was interesting to hear of his connections to Salem, WV and the boys' Great Grandma Van Horn's second cousin, Senator Jennings Randolph. What a small world we live in. The boys enjoyed the launch simulator and getting a personal tour of KSC from Grandpa. We really got royal treatment that day.

We spent a day with Grandpa Crouch, making our traditional trip to Fort Matanzas. It was fun for me to watch our two youngest children on their first trip to the Fort. Josh and Caleb, lovers of history, always enjoy going and learning more about this little, back door to Saint Augustine. Luke and Joey were excited about the boat ride to the island and climbing up and down the stairs and looking out peep-holes. It was a beautiful day, but the mosquitoes were out of control in the picnic area. So, we took the picnic to a little parking area south of Marine Land near the beach which is where the hotel Rick and I honey mooned in used to be. It was interesting to be there 13 years later with Rick's dad and four children. It was fun, but I had more fun there 13 years ago!

We visited the Aquatic museum in Ponce Inlet with "Grandma Jan" who drove us around quite a bit while we were there. She and I got to walk on the beach one evening and catch up a little without kids to distract us. I always enjoy time with Jan.

We especially loved our "down time" with Grandma Lin. The boys love their Grandma Lin. They got lots of lovin' and some snuggle time with her. I got to talk with my "mama" and do some Bible study with her. I know that our time went by quickly, but I soaked up each minute with Mom like a sponge. I am grateful that I go that time at home with her. Thank you Dad and Mom for sharing your home, space (we take up a lot of it) and time with us. We treasure that more than you know.

We had a blast getting to see my brother Johnmark, his wife Cathy and their beautiful children, Cate, Eve and Jonah. We had dinner with them a couple of times at their place and they made a trip over to Dad's and Mom's one afternoon too. The kids had fun playing the Wii and goofing around with the kids. We were even home in time to help celebrate Johnmark's 30th birthday!

I got to see my closest friend from high school, Bonnie while I was home. We ran into each other at Target while I was in Daytona. It had been a few years since I had seen or spoken with Bonnie. We made a point of arranging a play date (sort of) and had a nice time catching up. We didn't get to meet her oldest, but we met her four month old, Max. It's amazing how much we have in common after all these years.

I also got to stop at Down Town Disney (thanks Jan) to meet up with one of my college roomies, Melissa. I got to meet her beautiful little girl, Julia. We only got about an hour to chat, but it was enough for now. Side note: the pictures of the baby squirrels are from Down Town Disney. They fell out of their nest which was in one of the giant lego creations. They were very cute and we had a hard time keeping Joey from picking them up.

Our friends Anna, Scott and Tiffany made a trip down from Georgia for Scott's dad's surgery. Anna and Tif managed to get an afternoon with us at my parents' house. Again, we made good use of that pool in the back yard. Tiffany has grown a lot in the last year. Anna has too, but only because of the little boy they are expecting next month. I have some good pictures of Tif with the kids, but none of Anna.

Another old family friend, David Palmer, visited a couple of times from his home in Central Florida. We knew David when we lived in Tennessee MANY years ago (I was 5 when we moved away.). In fact, I think he used to babysit me. It was really nice getting to know him again. He's a great cook too!

Josh and Caleb got to spend a night with Uncle Dave and Aunt Hope Heinig (Rick's aunt and uncle). Uncle Dave took them to the shooting range and the target sheets are now proudly displayed on the boys' bedroom walls. They always have a good time with Uncle Dave and Aunt Hope (and the dogs).

Grandpa John, Josh, Caleb and I went to Deland for Uncle Dave Heinig's police retirement recognition. We briefly saw Uncle Dick, Aunt Penney, Cameron and Nana Heinig. We were sorry that we didn't get more time with them. We also got to see Grandpa Crouch one last time before we left the next afternoon.

Our trip home was long and exhausting! The boys got spoiled in Jacksonville by the pilots and flight attendants. Notice the pictures of Luke and Joey in the cockpit with the captain's hat on. They made the boys' day.

We met up with our Washington friends, Jenny and John, in Atlanta and flew home together on the agonizingly long, 5-hour flight to Seattle. I was glad to see Jenny and John again. They are so dear to our family.

Now we're back to the old routine. We're still "vacationing" from school for a little bit longer. I'm glad that I added that cushion so that we could ease back in. The boys might not need it, but I do.

We're especially happy to be back with Rick (aka Daddy). We missed him very much and are now enjoying his four day weekend. The sun even came out from behind the clouds for a little while this afternoon so that we could go to the playground. It is already pretty cool here and the leaves are quickly changing color. Fall is here in full force. So long sunshine...see you next year.

(I'm sure I've left out some things, so don't be surprised if there are some additional Florida-related posts later.)

"The Rick" Goes Racing!

2008-08-25T13:05:00.000-07:00

Rick had a blast going to the Kent track last week with his co-worker and friend, Curtis. Curtis won this "treat" in a contest and asked Rick to go along. He made the video for us and I have shortened it some. It's a little long, but gives the highlights of the day.

They rode in the cars with professional drivers and topped out at a speed of 125 mph. Rick really enjoyed the drifting. He came home with a goodie-bag of merchandise from their morning. I don't think we need to worry too much about him becoming a racer during his mid-life crisis, but you never know.

Seattle, live in concert!

2008-07-31T13:19:00.001-07:00

Snoqualmie Falls and Mount Rainier

2008-07-31T13:17:00.001-07:00

Home and Point Defiance

2008-07-31T13:09:00.001-07:00

The Tennessee Crouches Visit

2008-07-31T12:29:00.000-07:00

We just enjoyed a wonderful visit from Rick's brother, Nat and his family. I have three slide shows above for you to see a little bit of what we did while they were here. Rick actually created the Seattle slide show with pictures he took from his trip there with Nat. (His first taste of blogging)
Our first trip out was to Point Defiance Park and Zoo in Tacoma. It was a beautiful, sunny day. Mount Rainier, the Cascades and the Olympic Mountains were all visible from there. It was a real treat to be able to see both mountain chains in the same day.
We went to Snoqualmie Falls one afternoon and did more walking than we anticipated. The extra effort was worth the beautiful views we enjoyed. We spent some time in the town of Snoqualmie Falls where we climbed on (and Caleb climbed under) trains. We found an old fashioned candy and sandwich shop where we ate dinner. They had great vegetarian hoagies. Yum!
Our big trip out was to Mount Rainier. We can see the Mountain from post (about 50 miles away) on clear days. It was a great day for us to watch the mountain "grow" as we got closer to it. The drive there is on country roads that twist, turn and climb a lot. We all managed to get there without getting sick, but it was a test for a couple of us.
The views on the mountain are breathtaking. Not only is the mountain awesome, but it boasts waterfalls that plummet hundreds of feet, cedars that soar to the sky and creeks that wind up and down its rocky floor. It holds stories of nature and man that most will never know. It is truly amazing!
When we weren't out exploring, we enjoyed being at home relaxing and having fun. We adults had a couple of nights where we laughed so hard, we cried. Leigh Anne and I got to go to Bible Study one morning and out for coffee with my friend, Jenny one evening. Rick and Nat went Frisbee golfing with Curtis (Jenny's husband/Rick's co-worker) one morning as well as a trip to Seattle.
The cousins played hide-and-seek, card games and made a magic show for us to watch. They also made a "Wipe Out"-inspired course in our backyard that, surprisingly, did NOT end in a trip to the emergency room. Aaron and Joey had a good time together. We all enjoyed watching them become friends. Luke did a good job of fitting in with the older and the younger cousins. He had a great time with all of them.
It was a great visit for us. We're so glad that they made the effort to come see us. We miss them already.

Caleb's Baptism

2008-07-17T21:57:00.001-07:00

Meet Nelly and Addie

2008-07-17T21:56:00.001-07:00

At Home With the Crouch Family

2008-07-09T17:11:00.001-07:00

All-Church Beach Campout

2008-07-09T14:50:00.000-07:00

We spent the weekend of June 27-29 with our church family at their annual all-church-campout. The Seattle Area SDB church meets at the beach in Westport, Washington once a year to enjoy fellowship in a more casual setting.
Our family enjoyed joining them this year at Twin Harbors State Park, and hope to get at least one more chance to join them again next year. The weather was beautiful. We Floridians even got sun burned. When the sun doesn't shine 80% of the year, sunscreen is not the first thing on my mind. We'll remember next time.
Josh and Caleb really enjoyed the beach. They came home with more than 70 sand dollars! They also enjoyed meandering from campsite to campsite and mooching food off of everyone. Those boys did not go hungry.
Luke and Joey had a great time too. Joey was a novice camper and handled it like a pro. I think we'll be brave enough to venture out again with all the kids.

Joey liked to be held at the beach. The wind was still pretty cool. He did get down and play in the sand some and insisted on walking up the big hill (dune) on the path that led to and from the beach. Rick certainly didn't mind cuddling with the little guy!

Caleb and Ty Inabnit had a lot of fun playing in the water. They wore each other out which was great for us at bed time.

We had our church services between two camp sites Sabbath morning. This is a group of children listening to Karen Uhlich give the children's message. Josh and Duane Davis are on the bottom left. Luke is the one with the patriotic hat. Becca is sitting to his right. She is Karen's daughter and a great playmate for Luke.

This was our campsite. We shared a site with my second cousin, Levi Bond who drove up from Portland for the weekend. Luke and I are in the bottom right corner having a deep conversation. Duane and Joey are in the background, also having a deep conversation.

Just some pictures

2008-06-18T19:59:00.000-07:00

Josh working on his Father's Day project.

Ride 'em cowboy!

I don't know what to say about this. He just wanted his picture taken.

Look at that tower. I think there's some engineering in his genes.

Joey LOVES Mommy's chili.

Check out Caleb's hair cut.

Luke

2008-06-18T19:15:00.000-07:00

Living up to his name's meaning, bringer of light, Luke continues to surprise us with his ingenuity. On our way to bed one evening last week, Rick and I peeked in to Caleb's and Luke's bedroom to find Luke in this position.

We had a good laugh and got a good picture.

We're still not sure what motivated this, but it's not abnormal for Luke to come up with a crazy idea and figure out how to make it happen.

Due to an unfortunate event that led to washing his jammies and blanket AND cleaning the carpet, we told him that he was not to sleep on the floor anymore.

The next night we found him like this!

Q: What happens when you mix the Crouch sense of humor with the Camenga sense of humor?

A:You get Luke.

No, this is not a one time event in our house.

He's always running around with some sort of costume or crazy outfit on. I guess if you can't use the helmet for riding a bike yet, you need to find some use for it. We never did get a picture of him sitting down. I'm still not sure how he managed that. (Notice the safety goggles too.)

The Hunt for the Missing Lighthouse...

2008-05-22T10:14:00.001-07:00

Since Rick had Monday off, we decided to do some more exploring of the area. We found a lighthouse on the map, packed some snacks, loaded the boys in the van and took off. We made an unexpected stop in a Lowe's parking lot near Olympia when Joey decided he was car sick. Being pros at this parenting thing, we quickly cleaned up the car seat and Joey, and were off in no time.

After taking the scenic route (also known as the road less traveled), we stopped at our first destination, Burfoot Park. It had a beautiful trail that led to a beach on the Puget Sound. We got some nice pictures of the trail and the beach. We hoped to see the light house, but we soon discovered that it is quite illusive.

We packed the kids up again and drove around the area called Boston Harbor (yes, we were still on the west coast) trying to figure out how a lighthouse could possibly be this hard to find. Finally, Rick stopped and asked for directions and we headed back to the marina we had driven by a few minutes before.

Rick went down to the pier while I waited with the kids (they were tired of this little expedition at this point). A few minutes later, he returned with a big grin, shaking his head. We all went across the pier with him so that we could see the lighthouse. I truly had a hard time believing that this functioning lighthouse was barely taller than the little house it stood next to. In fact, it blended in so well with the houses that Rick had to point it out twice before I even saw it.

Although the light house itself was disappointing, we were quickly consoled by the Harbor Seal's appearance and a Blue Heron strolling by. Rick got some good pictures of each of them. If nothing else, our adventure made for a good story and, most likely, laughs for years to come.

Grace's Birthday Week

2008-05-18T19:16:00.000-07:00

This past week was very full and very busy. Rick spent Tuesday through Thursday in the field which meant that the boys and I were left to our own devices for celebrating my birthday. Tuesday (actual birthday), my friend, Cheryl had all four of the boys (she already has four girls of her own) over so that I could get out and do some necessary (and not-so-necessary) shopping at the PX and Commissary. Cheryl fed us all lunch and then we headed home for the afternoon. Joey's birthday present to me was a nice, long nap. In the evening, Jenny and John (her 2 year-old) came over and brought dinner along with flowers and a present. Jenny's husband, Curtis was in the field too.

Wednesday we went to PWOC (Protestant Women of the Chapel) Bible study. Josh and Caleb enjoy Wednesdays because that means they can see their friends in the home school room. Luke loves going to his "play room" and, honestly, Joey hates Wednesdays! He's very much a "mama's boy" and doesn't want to be left anywhere without me. I'd have to say that PWOC is the highlight of each week for me. That is where I have met all of my Army friends. It is a wonderful thing to be surrounded by Christian women who understand this life we now live.
Thursday brought a nice, sunny day that was actually warm! We met Cheryl, Jenny and Diana (and all their kids) at Spanaway park for some fun in the sun. It was a great way to spend the morning, especially when we were all anxious for Rick to come home later that day. Unfortunately, he didn't make it home until close to midnight, but we managed to hold down the fort without him for another evening.
Friday evening, the gals had a get-together at Cheryl's for my birthday. I felt a little silly having a birthday party since I haven't had one since my teens. Cheryl even made a birthday cake for me and everyone sang "Happy Birthday". We had pizza and watched "Dan In Real Life" (great movie). I can't believe how blessed I am to have such wonderful friends. It's hard to believe that I've only known them for a few months. I'm told that's the Army way of life. You jump in with both feet or you never meet anyone.

We decided to stay home Sabbath morning instead of driving the 45 minutes to church. We missed that fellowship time with our church family, but we enjoyed the family time after a few days apart. We had a nice, little service at home that Josh and Caleb lead. We attended Rick's Battalion picnic in the afternoon at American Lake (on North Fort Lewis). It was a good opportunity to meet some people he works with and talk with those I don't see very often. The boys had a good time playing in the lake and eating a lot of food.
We took Daddy to Spanaway park this morning and enjoyed another day of warm sunshine. It was nice to have another lazy day before the work week begins again. Rick gets tomorrow off, but the boys and I will be busy with school and the usual daily stuff. Rain is in the forecast for tomorrow again. It sounds like we'll have to wait a while for another sunny day.
On the plus side, my gardening is a breeze here. Luke's sunflowers are sprouting and the lettuce will be ready to pick in a couple of weeks. Josh and Caleb are still waiting for their cantaloupe and watermelon to sprout. We should have some tasty food this summer. Yum!

Seattle and Mount Ranier

2008-05-12T13:48:00.000-07:00

It only took us eight months to finally make a trip to Seattle. Rick and Grace made the short trek North to see the sights and brave the elements. We had a good time walking through the Pike Street Market. We even got to see the famous fish-throwing!
After the twenty-block "stroll" from the market, we arrived at the famous Space Needle. It is incredibly tall and impossible to capture in one photo. Rick managed to get it in two shots. We walked around the city center and took in all the sights and sounds. It is a beautiful city, but very busy and crowded.
For Mother's Day, the "boys" took Grace to Mount Ranier for the day. Although it was a balmy (note the sarcasm) 55-60 degrees at home, it was snowy, windy and cold on the mountain. We had a lot of fun exploring and learning about its recent history at the little museum. We had to end our exploration at Paradise because the roads were closed. We drove through a maze of giant snow walls, created by the snow plows, nearly the entire time we were in the park. We made a lot of stops on our journey to take pictures and enjoy the scenery.The waterfalls were absolutely breath-taking!
We're looking forward to another trip to the mountain this summer. We hope to see more of the park and a little less snow. Enjoy the pictures!