Day Three..........BROADWAY!

Waiting for the train to New York City..........I know, I know...Jordan looks mad. She WAS mad at me for who-knows-what. Jaden wanted to be in the picture but didn't want to stand next to anyone, and Jaron had to show off his new transformer, so that's why you can't see his face. WOW! High maintenance!!!!!!!

This is outside of Penn Station in NYC, the train station Chris goes in and out of everyday. It's right next to Madison Square Garden. This was mom's very first time in New York City!

First ride on the subway!

Thankfully it wasn't crowded.

NYC hot dog.......had to have one :)

Chris took Jaden and mom on a tour backstage at the Majestic. Down in wardrobe, Annette dressed up the kids. Jaden is wearing the Phantom mask and coat, Jordan is Carlotta, the diva (very appropriate) and Jaron is also wearing a Phantom mask and his hat. I love it!!!!

On stage the chandelier was already covered up for the beginning of the show, but we got a little shot of it. Mom didn't realize the importance of the chandelier until she watched the show......she couldn't figure out why we were making her stand infront of it for a picture!

Mom and Jaden stayed to see Phantom while Chris, the kids and I went to see Wicked. IT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!!! I have wanted to see Wicked for a long, long time, and it was so worth the wait. The kids and I have been hooked on the soundtrack for quite a while, so much that we practically knew the words to all the songs. Wicked is on my list of most favorite Broadway musicals ever...Phantom, Wicked and Les Miserables. It was a magical night, truly magical!

This is the big dragon above the stage at Wicked. It was Jaron's favorite part :)



It is very true that once you have seen one Broadway musical you are hooked. It is one of the most exciting places to be; words just can't describe the Broadway experience. I am so thankful that we get to be a part of it, that our kids get to experience it, and that Jaden and mom got to as well! We are so proud!! We had a great, great night. Can't wait to do it again with other visitors :)

Day Two......Terhune Orchards

Granny and Jaden

Mom and Jaden arrived in Philadelphia last Tuesday afternoon to spend the week with us. We hit the ground running!!! The first thing Jaden and Jaron did when they got to our apartment was wrestle. They were so cute!!!!

Then we headed to the school for the end-of-year party that we had already bought tickets for. It had to be rescheduled twice because of all the rain.


Jaron got up to the top of this thing and didn't want to slide down with Jordan, so I sent Jaden up to help him. He didn't want to do that either! So the guy on staff went up to help him......when Jaron saw him coming he took off down the slide!!
He got off and said, "I did it!"

Jordan, Jaden, Jaron and Emily got front row seats for the magic show.

Jaden laughed the whole time! He really enjoyed the magician sneezing a donut out of his nose over and over again :)

That night the boys crashed infront of the TV playing video games.

I will have to post pictures of their visit a little at a time since we did alot of different stuff and there are lots of pictures!!!!! This was day 1.....watch for day 2 in the next few days. We had a great time, and as usual, we are already missing them!!!!!!!

Summertime????

Ok, we have made it to the pool 3 times since it has been open this year. We have only been there a few times because it has been raining ALOT! Sometimes it will rain all day and all night. I am definitely grateful for the rain, but the gloomy weather does affect my mood for sure. And I am not used to the weather being so mild in June...I don't think it has gotten above 80 degrees yet, but with all the rain, it is way more humid than I am used to also!!! These are pictures from our first trip to the pool. The water was pretty cold, but the kids jumped right in like they had never stopped swimming. They are so cute!!!!



Jaron and Emily had a great time getting a ride on the alligator from Emily's dad!

Cuddle bug!

We hit the pool today for a couple of hours, but had to leave because it started......you guessed it....raining! Oh well, we still had fun :)

On a side note, please continue to keep Candace and Wes in your prayers. I know there are many of us out there that would do anything to take this away and stop the sickness and suffering. I don't know what else to do but pray. Pray specifically, pray when I don't feel worthy to pray, pray when I don't have any faith, but just keep praying! They both need God to help them.

Strawberry Fields Forever

Another trip to Terhune Orchards to let Jordan pick her own strawberries. She decided she wanted to make strawberry shortcake....it was GOOD!

Summer Lovin'

Well, it's not quite like summer here yet, but we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of it! We check daily to see if the pool is open, and cross our fingers that it will be warm enough to swim when it is finally open. In the meantime, here are a few things we have been doing to enjoy our days and fill the time until school is out and laziness is officially ushered in!!

Jaron and I go to our library at least once a week. Most of the time it is for story time and to return and pick new books. Last week they had an Animal Friends show for pre-schoolers.
Of course, he loved it!

Chinchilla
Albino African pygmy hedgehog

Skunk....eeeewwww!

Ferret :)

Wallaby (small kangaroo)

Jaron got to pet the chinchilla on his way out.


Chris has been home with an aggravated herniated disk in his back. It was doing so well, not bothering him. But he has been super busy lately, riding different forms of mass transit (train, subway, airplane) and with some of the things he has to do in the show, it got irritated. Please pray for him!! It is getting better from all the rest he has been giving it, but he is ready to get back to the show, and his friends miss him alot!!!! Not to mention, they need him to perform! Anyway, he needed to get out of the apartment the other day for a while so we drove to the township next to ours and went to the wildlife preserve (The Plainsboro Preserve). It was very cool!

Jordan and Jaron petting our little froggy friend :)



This particular trail we took ended on a peninsula out on Lake McCormick. Absolutely beautiful!!




And we cannot keep ourselves away from Terhune Orchards, our favorite farm over in Princeton. Jaron got to go hear a few stories and pick strawberries yesterday. It has been a GREAT way to get him to try a new fruit!!!! And I owe Terhune for getting him hooked on apples...he loves them now because kids get a free apple out at the orchards.


Sweet boy!! I am going to seriously miss our outings next year. Ugh!!! I am not going to think about it right now!

As always, please continue to keep Candace and Wes and the kids in your prayers. They are doing pretty good, God blessed them with an incredible miracle, but they still need all of us to bind together in the name of Jesus. Prayer changes things, God will provide and take care of them, miracles happen!!!!!! Sometimes it seems like the struggles of life just won't stop, we all experience that, but with our faith in God and the power of the Holy Spirit we will overcome, we have overcome. Thank you for being so faithful to pray for Wes and Candace and Chris. I know there are many, many of you out there that pray for us constantly and I thank you. Please know that we do the same for you. We love you all!!!!!!