Marshmallow Mateys

Campfire fun in the backyard. The kids got a little carried away with their marshmallows. Sticky fun!

Guess Who

My two little girls in the same dress, on the same stool, in the same back yard at 13 months old. You can sure tell they are related. What a couple of cuties!

Moment of silence

The scene: We are all sitting in the living room this Memorial Day talking about what it means to be a veteran and who we know that fought for our country. Jackson was jabbering away as usual mostly about the guns and knives that may have been used in war. Jordyn was combing her horses hair and Lucy was dumping water all over the carpet. We had talked about finding a local parade to go to. Jackson has wanted to see a marching band ever since he heard the Brad Paisley song "Online". There is a marching band playing in the background and he has been fascinated with seeing a marching band ever since.   watch video  It is a funny video but not completely child appropriate. So I searched for local parades "online" and after finding out that the closest one was 2 hours away we decided to see if one was being broadcast on television. Aaron got a little sidetracked in his search for a parade when he realized how many of his favorite war movies were showing today. Sweet Jordy, you gotta love her, when the television comes on all else stops. So she is engrossed in the movie "Battan" that Aaron has gotten stuck watching. All of the sudden she says, "Why are you watching this in mute." We laughed and explained that a lot of older movies had little or no sound. So we turned off the tv and observed a moment of silence for all the soldiers and servicemen who have bravely defended our country. Mind you it was a very short moment of silence. How long can you keep a 7, 5, and 1 year old quiet? Not much longer than a moment. 

 We sang the song God Bless the USA at church yesterday along with God Bless America and some other patriotic songs. They had a flag folding ceremony done by 3 Airforce ROTC Cadets and it was very interesting to hear the meaning of the 13 folds in the flag.

Flag Folding Ceremony

The flag folding ceremony represents the same religious principles on which our country was originally founded. The portion of the flag denoting honor is the canton of blue containing the stars representing the states our veterans served in uniform. The canton field of blue dresses from left to right and is inverted when draped as a pall on a casket of a veteran who has served our country in uniform.

In the Armed Forces of the United States, at the ceremony of retreat the flag is lowered, folded in a triangle fold and kept under watch throughout the night as a tribute to our nation's honored dead. The next morning it is brought out and, at the ceremony of reveille, run aloft as a symbol of our belief in the resurrection of the body of Christ.

1. The first fold of our flag is a symbol of life.

2. The second fold is a symbol of our belief in the eternal life.

3. The third fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veteran departing our ranks who gave a portion of life for the defense of our country to attain a peace throughout the world.

4. The fourth fold represents our weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in times of war for His divine guidance.

5. The fifth fold is a tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, "Our country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong."

6. The sixth fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that we pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

7. The seventh fold is a tribute to our Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that we protect our country and our flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our republic.

8. The eighth fold is a tribute to the one who entered in to the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day, and to honor mother, for whom it flies on Mother's Day.

9. The ninth fold is a tribute to womanhood; for it has been through their faith, love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great have been molded.

10. The tenth fold is a tribute to father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since they were first born.

11. The eleventh fold, in the eyes of a Hebrew citizen, represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon, and glorifies, in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

12. The twelfth fold, in the eyes of a Christian citizen, represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in their eyes, God the Father, the Son, and Holy Ghost.

When the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost, reminding us of our national motto, "In God we Trust."

After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington and the sailors and marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for us the rights, privileges, and freedoms we enjoy today.

Hi Grandma Balsbaugh!

Lucy has to keep in touch with Grandma while she is away, and she loves the pink cell phone.

Hi Grandma

I miss you too. Come home soon!

Oh, this feels good on my teeth that are coming in.

Track Star

Jordyn is following in her Grandpa Balsbaugh's and Mommy's footsteps to become the next Balsbaugh track star. She recently competed in a 9 school elementary track meet and did awesome. She is a very natural athlete. She placed 1st in the 50 meter hurdles, 1st in the 200 meter dash blowing away the competition by 8 seconds, 3rd in the 400 meter relay, 2nd in the javelin and 4th in the discus. What a girl. We were very proud of her.

Jordyn with her friend Maddy

Waiting to run her leg of the 400m relay

Go Jordy Go!

Lucy taking in the meet trackside

"I'm hot. When are we going to go? I'm hungry! I have to go to the bathroom. I'm bored. Why can't I play with Jordyn? Can I have more water for my squirt gun. " Jackson

You name it he had a complaint. I will give him the hot part though. The meet was on the hottest day of the year. 90 degree plus weather about melted us all.

Memories old and new

So here we are still at the old homestead in Adair Village. We have settled in to Dad and Mom's home nicely. We so enjoy their time when they are here and miss them when they are gone. The driveway where the motor home parks seems so empty right now. We try to earn our stay by helping out around here though and it has been so fun. Aaron has put up a brand new fence on the east side of the property, we have done a lot of cleaning up and out, and my favorite is the return of the garden in its past majesty. One of my fondest childhood memories is all the time we spent in the garden planting and playing. It has been fun to be out in the same garden preparing and planting it for this summer. Aaron built raised beds for me (and had dirt delivered that we had to transport to the beds) to make it easier and tilled where I wanted to plant and I got busy. After two weeks of hard work we now have onions, garlic, radishes, 5 varieties of peppers, eggplant, broccoli, 4 varieties of tomatoes, corn, green beans, cucumbers, strawberries, and blueberries. Whew, what a lot of work. Now all I have to do is keep it watered and fed, keep the bugs from eating it all and the cats from digging it up, harvest it at the right times and can some for the pantry. All this with a baby due in the peek of the season. No problem, right? 

One of the fun things about the garden has been having the kids help and seeing how much fun they have playing in the dirt and with the seeds and plants. 

Baby News

For those of you who don't already know, IT"S A BOY! Aaron is naming him and I think he is pretty set on Vaughn George after both of our fathers. Time is flying by with this pregnancy. I am already 5 months along. He moves around a lot and is a healthy little guy. Here's a first photo. I won't post the gender photo but as Aaron said, "Wow, he's well endowed."

With a knife to my throat!

Yes, it seems like a strange title but let me explain. Just about every day I have to hear from one family member or another that I am simply out of the loop for not having a blog. My mother is disappointed  that she can't see play-by-play pictures and updates on the kids while she is traveling. Janine and Jodi are hounding me to get involved in the brotherly/sisterly interaction that the blogging has created. And I am sure if I was more in touch with Jon he would wonder why I have not gotten on the bus. So here it is, my first blog. I read some of the other blogs and don't feel like I have the creative genius that my brother and sisters have so everyone reading will just have to be satisfied with simple words and lots of photos.