Hayrides and Pumpkins and Pictures, Oh MY!

Some of our most favorite people are homeschoolers, too! We welcomed in Fall together on a fabulous field trip...hooray!




Sometimes the pictures just say it all!!!

Yep, I'm Adorable!

It's my five month birthday photo shoot!!!

I'm getting pretty good at this! Actually, I smile all the time...momma caught this one on the first try!

Momma LOVES my chubby leggies!!! She tickles me and kisses me and squeezes me! Actually, it's kind of embarrassing, but she just loves my thigh and ankle rolls! And all this comes just from my milk! Momma says all the other kids started eating cereal and food by now, but I just love snuggling with my momma and my bottle! Maybe next month I'll try something new!

Sister insisted I have some pictures without my hat!

As for my usual super pleasant disposition, that pretty much hasn't changed. One thing has been bugging me, though. Ok, two. Can you see them?

How about now?

They haven't broken through, yet. I wish they would. Momma wishes they would. Daddy wishes they would. Brothers wish they would. Ok, everybody wishes they would! This is how I feel about teething:

But on a happier note, here is me live action trying to learn how to belly laugh. I talk talk talk and sing sing sing, but I just haven't figured out how to laugh yet. I'm a good tryer, though!



It's ok if you think I'm the cutest Josiah ever. Momma tells me that all the time!

Harford County---Celebrating Chesapeake Bay and Maritime Heritage


Some of Harford County's most beautiful places to visit also highlight the unique and lasting attribute that water brings to the county I call home.


Gun Powder State Park

This is one of the greatest places to enjoy water in Harford county if you want to spend the day at the beach. Not only do you get to swim, but you can also go kayaking, fishing, and picnic-ing. You can also go hiking. though I've never been hiking here, my brother has, and he liked it alot!


Kilgore Falls


As you can see, this is a real waterfall! It's such a beautiful area, it was even featured in the Disney movie "Tuck Everlasting". You can hike around the falls, and some people even jump off the top! I don't feel like trying it, but I do love jumping off the smaller rocks!


Havre de Grace Maritime Museum


There's not only fun outings, but alot of historic water places to visit. At the Maritime Museum you can find out about the unique history of waterman in our area. You can also learn about John Smith, the famous explorer, and his exploration of Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay. There is also a boat building school, which is pretty cool.


The Skipjack Martha Lewis

This is one of the most unique museums in Harford County because it is the only one that floats!!! I've never been, but I sure would like to! This would be a great way to experience firsthand what it would have been like to be a Chesapeake waterman! The Marth Lewis offers public and private tours and cruises depending on the season.

These are only some of the unique places we are able to enjoy here in Harford that highlights water and its history in our county!

Jonah Washburn
Citizenship in Your Community

16 years down.....

August 11, 1995

August 11, 2011

Eternity to go!!!

Four month smiles and fun!

Totally
Completely
Undeniably
In loveWith this little guy!!

Over the past month, Josiah has found his fingers, voice, and tongue! Get a load of this!


So super cute, huh?

And this one!


And one more for laughs!! (ours, not his)


These are a great representation of Josiah's personality! He is THE MOST pleasant baby I have ever met, and is just a complete little armful of love! Four months later, and we are still thanking the heavens for this wonderful blessing of joy in our home! Every night before I lay him to bed, I whisper into his fuzzy baby hair "Thank you for coming, Josiah. We sure needed you!"

Especially me.

Lights, Camera,...Music Man!

2011 Summer Camp #2....
Credits:
Catherine, Music Director
Kamberlynne, Mrs. Paroo
Christian, Marcellus
Jonah and Indy, School board (quartet)
Rebekah, Amaryllis
Briella (we were all shocked and amazed), band kid in last scene

Wait till you hear Rebekah's song!

Here she is with her "Winthrop"!

And now you might want some popcorn for the video clips!!
"If you don't mind me saying so", featuring Kamberlynne


"Goodnight my Someone" reprise, featuring Bekah (if you only watch one, this should be it!!!)



"Shipoopi", featuring Christian vocally, but keep your eyes out for dancing with Kamberlynne right after Christian sings, then Jonah with the girl in yellow, and Indy right beside him!


"Goodnight ladies" featuring Jonah and Indy


18 seconds of Briella....she's the one holding the flag and diverting her eyes! But she did it!!!!


5 weeks of camp this summer, plus Catherine, Kamberlynne and Christian leaped into the community big time with a show at the local Community College! "Bye Bye Birdie" opens for 6 performances in just over a week! Real Lights, Dressing Rooms, Back Stage, and someone besides Catherine running the audio!! Hooray! Hopefully we'll have some clips of that one, but for now, Music Man is in the books!!!

Blogging for the week...one post at a time!

Ok, so I'm behind. But guess what?!? I did 5 posts today, and figured out how to schedule them to post every couple of days! You know what that means? You won't get stuck reading all the catching up info at one time! Just check back every couple of days, and you'll see new smiles and new info for a whole week! So here we go!

Briella spent a lot of time tagging along in theatre camps this summer, so she and I went out on a mommy daughter date all by ourselves! Ellie got to be the center of attention, and we both loved it! I have to admit, I did have another motive as well. For those of you who know us well, you know we have a secret code name for Briella. Helen. As in Helen Keller. For those of you who know Ellie well, you know exactly why! With as much as she has to say at home and around people she knows, this darling girl is very very VERY timid around strangers. She gets this glazed over look in her eyes, becomes totally devoid of any emotion, is nearly completely unresponsive and barely talks to us. And until recently, will absolutely NOT talk to anyone she doesn't know. The good news is, though, after 5 weeks of theatre camp, she has started to talk to a very few...which is way better than it was! So on our little date, I took Briella out to breakfast in hopes that we could have a little chat about how sometimes we DO need to talk to strangers, like when there is an emergency or when you order food at a restaurant! So after our chat, Briella picked out her breakfast and we practiced her talking to the waiter and ordering. Things were going well... until the waiter came. And then there was Helen. Blank stare. Completely unresponsive. So I ordered for her. And I took a deep breath. And we chatted again. This time we talked about using our words to show good manners and appreciation. We practiced saying thank you for when the waiter would bring our food back, and I crossed my fingers and said a little prayer. Well, friends, it worked! It wasn't perfect, there wasn't eye contact, and for a minute I didn't know if there would be any words, either, but Ellie murmered an unmistakable "thank you for my food" to the waiter! She was so proud of herself-- and so was I!

The chocolate milk was worth it!!! Great job, Briella!

After our breakfast victory, Ellie chose feeding the ducks as our activity! It was a lovely day, and I couldn't help but capture the memories!

And one with momma!

What a super fun outing with my super big girl! I'm grateful in so many ways for this darling, and love to see her blossom!

As much as we love this girl just as she is, "Helen" included, it is a joy to help and see her grow and develop the wonderful attributes God blessed her with! One day we won't even be able to remember her over the top shyness in public...and we probably won't even believe that she was ever "Helen" at all!

Pretty as a Picture!

ummmm.....I mean handsome!

Josiah's 3 month birthday photo shoot...

The Good.

(just so sweet)

(those little fingers...*sigh*)

(oh, those toesies)

The Bad.

(nice slobber)

(wat'cha been drinkin, buddy?)

(that's just kinda creepy)

And the Simply Adorable!

That about says it!

(These pics were taken on our New York Trip at the Johnson Farm near Palmyra. I really am going to blog the trip...I am...sometime...soon!)

All American Smiles!

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!

Let Freedom Ring!

July 4th, 2011