"rounds on the end and 'hi' in the middle...OHIO!"

My last weekend of freedom before starting work, Donna and I decided to go on a road trip and visit my sis, Lara, and her cute fam in Ohio.  These are some fun random pictures of the trip. We had a great time picking fresh raspberries and eating them right off the vine and enjoying the beginnings of the beautiful fall air. It was perfect.

Funny story: 

We passed many large semi trucks on our journey to Ohio and so I took the liberty to teach Donna how to chug her arm out the window to get the trucks to honk. It is one of America's favorite past-times on the road you know...or probably just my family's favorite and so I felt a huge responsibility to take her under my wing and teach her all the correct traditions so that she fits in on her next road trip. It is just so fun being with her and teaching her things for the first time because she laughs so hard and says "Americans are so funny."

A favorite moment of the trip:

Oftentimes in trips past, before the kids go to bed, I love to make up silly stories to get their imaginations running as wild as my own. So the second night I was there, I started to tell a story about a colony of ants (I know, not my most clever story) that was about to be taken over by an evil ant colony and it was up to the three of us to save it. In the middle of the story, I would say "Popcorn Grace, or Jack" and then it was left to them to continue the story from where I left off. So, continuing on... after we shrunk ourselves to be "ant-size," we set off to save the colony. When I popcorned Jack, he continued the story with us destroying all the evil ants with squirt guns filled with toilet water. Then, Jack popcorned Grace and the story was so nicely ended when (and I quote) "The nice Jesus ant came." 

It was so cute and so funny at the same time and I had to try really hard not to laugh. It was just so clever! Good job to her parents and Sunday school teachers for getting through to her on that lesson. Then, laying beside her that night before she fell asleep, I had to keep myself from laughing out loud at her perfect ending to the story.

Raspberry pickin' buddies...

Other cute story: 

This morning when I walked upstairs to eat Lucky Charms with "smarshmallows," I saw Jack and Grace and said, "Oh look, it's my favorite children." Then, later as I was getting ready for church, Jack came down all dressed so handsome in his suit to talk to me. 

He then said, "Remember when you said that we were your favorite children?"

Me: "Yes, I sure do."

Jack: "Well I will remember that forever."

"My favorite children" bring me feelings of complete happiness.

How to just let go and enjoy yourself...
Last favorite story: 

The last night Lara, Donna, and I had a girls night out that ended with Lara telling us the story of how she met and married her loving hubby.  Donna has never experienced American dating and weddings before, so we had so much fun talking about all the juicy details. She is such a hopeless romantic, like one may call me, so of course I loved adding fuel to her fire. But I did feel at a loss for words when she so hopeful asked if there are really boys here in America like "Noah" in The Notebook.

Look at that cute, happy boy. He smiles all the time and we love it every time. He is a remarkably good baby and loves to be held. 

It was such a fun get-away and we had a great time. Thanks Lara and Matt!

I know I get so cheesy about things like this all the time, but I just don't think anything in the world is meant to bring us greater happiness than our families. 

These pictures are brought to you by: Lara, Donna, Jack, Grace, Sam, and Katie. 

Sorry Matt! We didn't snap a picture with you! 

Simply Stated: the happiest story is the one that ends with Jesus.