Grandma and Grandpa visit!

Grandma and Grandpa got to come and visit for a week and we had lots of fun. Were so sad to see them go. The day after they left, Lincoln kept looking around the house for Grandma and and Grandpa.

We went to this fun little park in Plano that has lots of ducks.

 We spotted something in the water, at first we thought it might be a beaver, until it came out of the water...

we realized it was a nutria-giant rat! Gross!

We spent a day in the stock yards and Grandpa treated us to a train ride. Lincoln LOVES trains, I think this experience sealed the deal.

Pumpkin Patch in Flower Mound

Good Old Indiana

Our family braved a 16 hour drive trip-18 hours after you stop for food and potty breaks. The kids actually did really well and it was well worth the drive. We had a great time at Nana and Papa's.

Shumard Men: Papa (Larry), Damone, Blair

Nana and Papa got us a night at a hotel with a water park inside. I was so "cool" in Lydia's words. We had so much fun, and the kids loved being able to play with their cousins Britton and Cal. The town this hotel was in was a rural Amish town. We were seeing horse drawn buggies on the roads every two minutes. All the stores had buggy parking and we even saw men working on their farms with horse drawn plows. It was neat, they are such a fascinating people.



 Playing red light green light with Nana

Amish buggy

"Just chillin" in the hot tub

 Lincoln LOVED Nana's birdbath-can you tell?

 Crazy cousins- Cal, Kyler, Cooper, Britton and Lydia

 Trip to the Zoo

Lincoln loved these birds, he kept screaming at them. The birds would stop and stand dead still with their heads tilted listening to him.

Boys will be boys- especially when water and bugs are involved.

Called To Serve

My brother has been called  to serve an LDS Mission to Washington, Everett for two years. He leaves to the Mission Training Center June 8th and we are so excited for him. This last Sunday was his last time speaking in church and so we had gotten a plane ticket for me to go out there along with Lincoln (lap rider) and see him one last time. I was so surprised when the day before we were leaving, an amazing friend-you know who you are Sarah :) posted on facebook that she had four tickets to Utah the exact days I was going and wondered if anyone could use them. Uh yeah....I immediately called Damone to tell him and see if he wanted me to get them, that way our whole family could go and say goodbye to Todd. Needless to say we booked them and the trip was amazing. What a blessing.
I flew in and then a few hours later Damone flew in with the rest of the kids. We kept it a secret from everyone that they were coming. So when Damone pulled up in the driveway in a rental, my brother said, "Someone is in our driveway in a van." My dad got up to look and see who it was, while my mom was asking who it was and his reply was, "I think it looks like Damone" as he turned to look at my just as surprised look :) Then the sliding door slid open and out jumped Cooper, Lydia and Kyler. My parents were so shocked and Todd couldn't get over that all of us were there. It was awesome, it truly was a blessing for all of us to be there. The last time all my siblings, spouses and our children were all together was 6 years ago.
Todd spoke in church on the Atonement and the spirit was so strong, so many family came up to see him who I haven't seen in years. He will be one amazing missionary as he shares his testimony and the love he has for our Savior. Good luck Todd!

Top L-R: Lincoln, Damone, Cooper, Tanna, Grandma (Denise), Grandpa (Boyd), Todd, Ryan, Jamie

Bottom L-R: Lydia, Kyler, Hanne, Ylena, Cohen and Kaeden

 I love this kid!

We were also able to meet up with Damone's sister and her family.

Lincoln, Jovie, Lydia, Cooper, Ella, Mia, Kyler