Church Garage Sale!

Well, the computer with the "Best Days of My Life" part 2 pictures has been turned off and this girl is too lazy to start it up as it would take a good deal too long. :) So instead I'm going to post about the Church garage sale our Church put on last week!! I hope y'all enjoy!!

In the beginning we set up, ate lunch and then consumed some homemade lollipops made by the Degenhart family...

As you can probably tell, they were quite enjoyable little blobs of sugar...

Mhhm.

(are you sick of lollipop pictures yet? :))

Meanwhile, Geneva takes a turn at the trampoline...

I'm not sure if she liked it or not.

Mel, Meli and Len appear to be having a relatively good time!

As do Nathan and Zach!

A few of the younger girls cleverly set up their own little booth! Did fairly well too! :)

*random moment for random self portrait*

Much laughter occurred...
And many smiles. :)


Mr. Sanford - the deacon who put the garage sale together!

I love this next one. :)

Looking at the wares!

Chatting!

Playing Apples to Apples at some point during the day!

And finally, eating dinner! (The girls were enjoying those carrots, methinks. ;))

All in all, it was a delightful day. :)

Best Days of My Life - Part One

This is just a little peak into my life and a few of my happiest moments in it that I wanted to share with y'all. I will admit that I don't have photo proof of all of the best days of my life. But I do have some, thankfully. And of those some, here are a few. :)

Oh, and this is the first installment of the series. The second one will be coming soon!

Having a smashingly amazingly incredible time with the Hector family, Tiff, Mel, Caleb and Melinda! On our trip from TN to IL we stopped in Nashville (among a BUNCH of other places!) on our way home and got a picture in front of the Grand Ole Opry!! Unfortunately, the gift shop was closed. :(

At Hannah Candler's birthday party we are talking to a good friend over Skype! He's in Japan and we miss him a lot!

That same friend's going away party!
Tiff, Mel, Meli and I sang a Military song for him. :)

CHRISTMAS!
Actually, this is us McD kids putting away the Christmas tree. You see, it's a rather large fake tree and it's a foldable kind (as in the branches don't come off...they fold.) so it was kinda difficult to fit in the box. So we all sat on it. Fit pretty well after that.

Len, Meli and I on Easter Sunday 2009!

New Years Day! 12:00! We did a "To the New Year" toast. :)

Me and my dear parents at my 18th Surprise Birthday party!
It was such a beautiful surprise! Thank you.

My "twin" Becca and I! :) <3>

We took a walk in the rain. Garr, Peter and I were the only ones with sense enough to wear a hat. :P :)

Enjoying the crisp late winter air!
That was such a beautiful day!

What?! You might think! Is Jessica Kneeling before Melinda?!

I can safely tell you. No, I'm not. Well, I am. But only because we're practicing for a play. :D

Having a hilarious and wonderful time with the Hector family at a mall in Nashville! This is us in front of a shark. :D

Love this picture! This was taken after Church one Sunday at the Christian Center (where we used to meet for Church before we got a building)! Look at Becca. Cracks me up every time. :D

Twelfth Night! We celebrated it with the Riggenbach family! We made King Cake and wore costumes and everything! It was VERY fun!

When Christa, Daniel and Joshua came to visit us.
*sniff* LOVE AND MISS Y'ALL!

Tiff and I in Jamestown visiting for the Jamestown 400 event!

FAMILY 2008!

This one always makes me grin. :D I was "Santa" and everyone sat on my lap and opened their Christmas Eve gifts. :D

Visiting my Sis and her husband in Texas the day after Joshua was born! I was so glad to be able to be there!! <3>

In Chicago for the "Messiah" concert with some of the Sanfords, Ashton and Anna! The Erber family so kind hosted us and we had an AMAZING time and great memories were made!

Me, Mom, Mimi, Christa and Joshua!

On the train ride up to Chicago with Meli, Anna and Mel. We were FREEZING! :-)

Peach Pickin' with the Bandys!

Our two families were interviewed by the BBC for a large family program they're having! It was quite the experience!

My amazing grandmother took Tiff, Mel and I to Chicago for the day by train! It was SO wonderful! Not only did we get to spend rare time with her, but we got to go shopping, see the sights, and just laugh, talk and have a good time! Thank you, Mimi! Love you!

The Bandy's came over one night and we had a BLAST (as usual! :))!!

4th of July 2009! It was so much fun!

We sing at a nursing home once a month and afterward we get ice cream. We used to get it at this little place called "Pinky's". Here we are waiting for our ice cream to come out and being our usual goofy selves! :D

The CPC Presbytery meeting will always be remembered fondly. :)
In this picture are the Hector kids, Davis kids, Pickle kids and McDonald kids. :-)

New Years Eve 2007. This was taken in our "shop" which we converted into a ballroom (Christmas lights, sound system and all!)
This is some of the Sanfords, Candlers and us. :-)

Second installment coming soon! Have a blessed week y'all!


In Christ Alone,

Jessica

Church Picnic 2009

This past weekend we had our first (to-be-annual, I believe.) Church Picnic! It consisted of Providence Church, a Church in Elk Grove, IL, a Church in Harvard, IL and a Church in Troy, MO.

We had an incredible and extremely blessed time catching up with old friends, meeting new ones, enjoying games and activities, laughing, singing, talking...you name it! :) It was an absolutely and completely wonderful time.

I wish pictures and words could properly capture the day so that I might share it with y'all...but unfortunately, that is impossible. So my meager captions and photos taken by several different wonderful photographers throughout the day will have to suffice. Enjoy!!

Mr. Candler and Hannah in the 3 legged race. er...something is just not quite saying "three-legged race" to me. ;D I think that the significant height difference created a slight problem. ;)

Dad and Emma! They walked most of the way, which would explain why Emma is still standing!

Mr. and Mrs. Erber doing a fabulous job there! :)

Rebecca and Ben Serven working together!!


Beth and Jonathan Ten Dolle doing the three-legged race!! :)

David and Jeremy...uh...having a fairly good time, I think. :)

Ashton and Grace. :)

Becca doing very well at the egg race!

The two redheads who did not do any of the relays. *shakes head* Shame on y'all! ;)

The most embarrassing relay of all. Who invents these games anyway? ;)

Dad doing the baseball bat challenge!! He was so dizzy!

"Can't the paparazzi at least leave us be while we eat? For crying out loud!"
Or
DEER IN THE HEADLIGHTS! ALERT.

Your choice. ;)

The Hymn Sing part of the day began!

The younger one's did a beautiful psalm! (William sang a solo. Y'all might say I'm biased, but I'll say it anyway: He. Was. Adorable. ;))

Elita and Hannah Candler presented us with a special song!

Some of us young people doing "It is Well With My Soul".

A boffer war is taking place at one end of the park...

And a baseball game on the other end!!



Let's go, Deacon! Let's go!

The "Harvard" team. :)

The Harvard team's cheerleaders! :)
They did an an amazing job with their cheering!! Though we beat them (*grin*) they were still enthusiastic and wonderful. And they *did* start the ingenious stomping...



The Morton team's Cheerleaders!
And did we yell/scream/stand/stomp/wave our arms about wildly! :D
I.LOVE.BASEBALL.
:-)

Mr. Sanford goes for the ball!

Mr. Erber hits the ball!

Aaron gets ready to bat...

And John Creath gets ready to run...

Ethan's up to bat...

And Aaron makes it home!

Both teams decide that even though Harvard beat Morton by ONE point, they will still be friends. ;)

Handing out the awards! The Candler family won 1st place in every relay!!

One of my bestest friends turned 19 this past weekend!! Happy Birthday, Meli!!

Because we're happy to be alive and so thankful to be so blessed! :)

Peach Pickin with the Bandys!

Hello y'all. Here I am again, with pictures too! :)

The Bandy family kindly invited us to go Peach Picking with them in a sort of nearby Orchard. It was a beautiful day to spend outdoors and the sky was a bright blue, some fluffy clouds and happy, smiling faces were below it! :)

We left the house at around 8:00am and arrived at 9:20-ish. We left immediately for the orchard and spent a good hour or two picking bushels of peaches. (Few bugs! Woo!) After we picked them and loaded everyone into the three cars we'd brought, Ashton, Emil, Grace, Caleb and I decided that some crazy music, unrolled windows, open sun roof and arm waving was in order. We spent the hour drive back to their house singing and dancing. It was hilarious. :)
We arrived back at their house where a lovely meal was prepared and we enjoyed a bit of fellowship and food. After a short game of "Truth or Dare" (which had everyone laughing!) we took a walk before going home.
It was a delightful time spent with dear friends and we are so thankful to the Bandys for their kind hospitality! Thanks, y'all!

And now for the pictures. :)

Handing out the cartons to fill with peaches!

William enjoyed picking the peaches!

So did Dad!

The little girls were pretty excited and worked hard to get those peaches perfectly picked. :)

Caleb takes a bite! The juiciest peaches any of us had ever tasted. Truly.

William preferred picking them to eating them.
He thought the fuzz on the outside was gross. Silly boy. :)

It looks like Caleb found a bug on one of the peaches and is showing it to Ashton. :D

We thought we'd start a band and call ourselves "The Peaches". :D
Ashton kept telling us we looked "peachy". :D

"i'm movin' to the country, gonna eat a lot of peaches..." :)

Ashton helping the farmer load up the truck.
Is that a knife I see on the guy's belt? *gasp* ;)

What could Mel have found in the peach tree?

Ashton pretty much loved his peach.
To death.
Or to stomach.
Whichever you prefer.

Emil sporting a peach. Looking...um...peach-ish?

I found all these peaches. They were so big and pretty.
They called me the peach queen. See that look of overwhelming humility at such a title being bestowed upon me?
*grin*

Emil began sprouting peaches out his ears. Or maybe they're just big earrings?

"Is that a beetle on my arm?!"

*SMILE BIG*

The truck loaded with some delicious peaches.

We decided to make Emil our slave.
We made him pick peaches for us.
*evil laugh*

(not really.)

The farmer started handing out wipes for our stick hands.
Great guy!

My parents.
Don't they just scream "Country" people?
I love it!
*grin*

Mr. and Mrs. Bandy looking pretty cute too. :)

The younger girls with big smiles!!

"I can take you for a ride on my big green tractor..."
*smile*
Doesn't he just look picture perfect on there?

Emil wonders why in the world there's a thing of folgers coffee on the tractor...?

Don't we look like naturals?
I'm telling you, I love being a country girl! :)

There is just something wrong with that picture...

Go Naomi! Go!

Having wayyyy too much fun bein' in the country. I love it!!

How many people can you sqoosh on a tractor? A lot!

"Look! We can balance!!"

To quote Edna Mode, "Kisses, Darling."

I think that the farmer's son thought we were tourists or something.
He looks a little freaked out over there.

My oh-so-adorable-country-lovin-farm-lovin-tractor-lovin baby brother.
Can you resist those irresistible eyes? :)

They look kinda small-ish to be on such big-ish machines, don't they?

"Drive, Baby!"

Chug-a-lug-a-lug 5 miles an hour, Em!
;)

And farewell, Bandy family!
*waves back*

One can't have a proper post without an always adorable picture of my little brother.
*grin*

Have a blessed and wonderful week!



In Christ Alone,
Jessica

Because nothing says summer like good friends, sunshine, laughter, soft green grass and lazy Sunday afternoons.

*smile*

*things that I love*


when the sun penetrates your skin causing a delightful feeling of warmness all over.

laying the grass staring up at the sky and thanking God for all His bounteous goodness.

wondering what life will be like 5 years down the road and hoping it holds happiness.

thinking how ridiculously blessed I am and how I don't deserve any of what I have. He is so good to me.

sunglasses. the big kind that look hilarious and when friends tell me how ridiculous I look in them.

singing at the top of my lungs and driving down the highway while Tiff teaches me how to let the wind carry my hand along.

wondering what friends are doing far away and knowing for a fact that I will see them again.

reading a Psalm and feeling the mercy and peace of the Lord pour over my heart and mind.

parents. they're wisdom and how they care enough about me to help me on the road of life. the older I get the more I realize how blessed I am to have them and the more I appreciate they're advice.

sisters. they're godly, gorgeous and galloping with insanity. Because I can't think of any I'd rather have then them.

brothers. because they're crazy and lovable and one of the most amazing things a sister can count herself blessed to have.

music. because nothing says "I'm alive" quite like it.

seeing fireflies dancing above the grass like little stars in the great blanket of darkness called "night."

people. 'cause I do.

babies. when they coo and giggle and cry and cuddle. they're a specialness straight from Jesus to us.

water. 'cause it ripples and runs and flows and just looks plain incredible.

life. it's God's gift to us and I never can tell where it'll take me.

what are some things that you love?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Picture post comin' soon. :)

Some pictures from days gone by...

Some dear friends of ours inspired me when they put up several series' of posts entitled "Through the Ages" in which they had photos of their family through the years. I was looking through our photo albums with my grandmother, and thought, "Why not do that too?". *grin*

Without further ado...

Here's Moosh and I ready to get Baptized. :-) I'm not really sure what Christa's doing in the baptistry, but I'm sure she had a good reason. :-D

Caleb was one of the cutest babies I'd ever seen. He drooled a lot though. :P :-)

I still, to this day, have no idea as to who is behind those sheets and blankets...

Look at that little girl...so patient with her little brother!
*grin*

Tiff was an elf in a Christmas play.
Doesn't she look cute?

Everyone has there dorky days. Right? :)

...and the guys.
(By the way, that's our Great Grandfather on Dad's side in the middle!)

*happy days are here again* :-)

Tiff and Moosh doing something at this little old fashioned village near our house.
Cute!

Christa and I with a friend and a cousin at our joint birthday party.
Those were the days...

Got bugs?

I think I'm attempting to get some sandals on his feet in this picture.

Our first house that we built...it's just about done in this picture.
Look at us! We make me laugh just looking at us! :-D

Dad and Me. :-)

Setting up the Christmas tree wears Dad out...

Dad and Mom in front of the Alamo in San Antonio!

Easter with the family!
That's all of us kids (Caleb on up) with our cousins, Lindsay and Kyle at Mimi and Papa's house!

Inside our "still being built" house! :-)

Abigail is born...and our house still isn't finished...

Dad and Caleb soakin' up some sun at Adventure Bay!

Maybe at some point I'll post some more (no promise's there!). Hope y'all enjoyed a little peek into our life!



In Christ Alone,

Jessica

A visit from some friends...

I was going to post about our trip to Chicago with my dear Grandmother, but Tiff already put together such a complete post on it, that I decided against it. You can read about our trip HERE. So instead, you get this post. :)

The Bandy family came over for dinner the other evening, and as usual, we had a good time with them. Crazy, but good.

The evening began with Shrimp and Vegetable Shish-Ka-Bobs among other foods.


The married adults (who were peacefully enjoying their dinner.) had no idea as to the happenings in the house...



We ate, drank and were merry, and them proceeded to clean the kitchen.



Well, some of us cleaned the kitchen anyway. :D

We cleaned while singing and dancing to the classic Beach Boys song, "Barbara Ann"...


Some people sang happily, some people planned mischief and some people looked just plain old worried!

Yeah, I don't know either.

After the dishes were done Tiff had an interesting idea...why not don some hats and get 30's era-ish pictures? Ashton so closely resembles Al Capone, after all. :P That went over rather...um...well.



We then quickly consumed some delicious Creme Brulee made by Tiff, and then headed downstairs for more strangeness...





The little ones did not want to be left out.



And the evening ended with smiling faces and happy hearts.



Aren't friends such a blessing?