Too much fun

Yes, it has been over a week again since my last post. I wasn't going to make you suffer, with a long and boring catch up post. However, we have had so much fun and have done too many fun things not to catch you up. Anyway it is more pictures than words, so that won't take you as much time to read the blog. So without further delay------here we go.


We toured our NEW school. It is beautiful and AIR-CONDITIONED!!


One of the new gyms.

We attended Swiss Days!!!

Spent time with my favorite niece and her family! (Just as note: Bre is my only niece. I have 7 nephews.)

Attended 2 parades in one week!!!!

Spent a great evening with some really good friends!!!!

Took in the Swiss Days fireworks!! Thanks Scott, Joni, Fred and Janet!!!

We also took in the dentist office; however, no pictures of that. And here is a question some of you might be asking--how many school supplies does it take to send 5 children off to school???

About this many!!!!!! Well I know it doesn't really take 12 boxes of crayons, but the prices are so great right now I always get extra markers, crayons, glue stick and color pencils.

Another great idea: with almost all the school supplies at really great prices it is a good time to buy gifts. A couple of years ago my mom bought Lyndsi a tote of craft stuff for Christmas. Lexi just asked the other day why she doesn't have one. I think and I going to fill one for her this year, but I going to get my supplies now.



Oh and finally I have spent quiet a bit of time watering flowers. Not as much as last year, but I still love to be out there watering, weeding and planning for what I should do next year.


OK that might qualify for the longest post ever!! I will just try to update more often. (Of course that is what I thought last week.) Have a really great weekend!!!

Lots going on. . . (Update)

Well the end of last week just got away from us. The weeks of summer are flying by. With the 4-H fair this week and Swiss Days this weekend, we find our summer days drawing quickly to an end. School starts in about 4 weeks. But let's not focus on that--let's look at the fun things we have been doing.

On Thursday, last week Lauren went with Matt on a road trip.

Matt is a back-up semi truck driver for a local furniture factory. He is allowed to take a passenger (they must be over 12). He goes usually just on shorter runs; however has taken in several overnights and on a couple of occasions even done a Wed-Friday run. Thankfully that doesn't happen too often.This was only a day tip. This was taken at 5:30 a.m. minutes before they left. Maybe that's why Lauren has that look on her face? Since Lauren is our Drama Queen, who knows?

Friday, Brier came for the day and spent the night. Landon, Brier and Logan spent most of their day making a movie. However, it is too large to upload for the blog. The boys are really into "stop-motion" moving making. I keep asking them to make me something to post. The highlight of the movie they made on Friday---my name is in the credits--food services Julie Lehman--oh well its a start.

Also on Friday, this really nice college kid that Matt worked with last summer came and gave us a demo on Cutco knives.

Kevin is studying at Purdue and couldn't find another part time job. So if you would like to help him out--just let me know I can hook you up. You just have to listen to his sales demo. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUY ANYTHING FROM HIM. He gets paid just to do the demo, so if you feel like doing a good deed you just listen to him talk and you have helped a kid earn money for college.

We have done a lot of campfire cooking this summer. The weather has been perfect for it.

So after supper (over the fire on Sunday eve). . . We have done this for several years and the kids love it. We set up our "hillbilly volleyball" net. Yes, it's our homemade net with a beach ball. The net is about the height of a badminton net so it makes it easier for the younger kids.

This year Matt made the court regulation size (I have no idea why?).

Yes, this pretty lame activity gives us hours of entertainment. We have had a lot of fun with it.

Check out Ubby trying to hit the ball--see they just love it. Lauren when she sees the camera--she has to strike a pose.

Well I even had pictures of our Saturday project involving our burn barrel -- well that will have to be another post. Have a great day.

3 things you may not know about me

Yes--I realize that yesterday was the big contest; however, I was so busy reading and commenting on every ones blogs I ran out of time to post my own. So after spending the time thinking about it and finally coming up with 3 things--I decided to go ahead and post. (Honestly I wouldn't have won anyway--I don't win contests very often (look that might be thing #4 you don't know about me.)

OK here we go:::::

1-I am not an animal lover!!!

OK--Murphy like this is OK but--Really I don't care to have the animal touch me. I don't mind talking to them when they are caged. (That might explain why I like to go to the zoo?) But I don't like when they smell, lick or touch me!! That would also explain why Tina is the perfect fit at our house!!

You see Tina is a cat that comes eats our junk and leaves. She runs away from our children and I have never touched her. Grandma Cathy tried once but Tina growled at her.

Sorry--I am having trouble just sticking to the list--now I think we are back on track. Some of you may know the next one--because one of you is in the picture!!!

Yes that's right I was a cheerleader for 6 years. I cheered for the red and white--GO JETS!!! Oh the stories--but that is another post. Don't you just love all that hair!!! By the way, I don't have a lot of pictures from High School here-I had to scan it from a scrapbook that I have; however, I just noticed that Petula isn't here--hey Pam was this our Junior year?

Last but not least. . .

3. Matt and I are members of The Gideons International. How many of you know what that is? I am sure you have all received a Gideon New Testament. That is right we are members of the organization that pass out New Testaments. Fifth graders, nurses, colleges out on the street. They place Bibles in hotels, motels and hospitals, Doctor's offices, Dentist offices, Crisis Pregnancy Centers and the list goes on. Actually there are Gideons all around the world. A great organization that is spreading God's word all across the world. If you have a chance check out:http://www.gideons.org/ChangedLivesVideo.aspx?source=video_kevin. This is one of my favorite testimonies--my favorite you cannot see on-line, and I am not sure if I could download the video somehow, but this one is a really good one. (This is definitely good subject matter for another post. Oh yes and if you don't have a Gideon New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs, a list of helpful scriptures and the plan of Salvation please contact me I can get you one.)

Well finally-I've made it to the end of the post. This was lots of fun. I really enjoyed learning 3 fun facts I may not have known about some of my blogging friends. Have a great day!!!!!

Road Trip

On the road again, but this time it was only a day trip. This time our destination was the Indianapolis Children's Museum, and we were not alone. Grandma Cathy, Stacey, Gwen and Brier ventured along with us. We had a full day of fun. The day started early--our house 8 a.m. We arrived in Indy in pouring rain and thankfully got to park in the Parking Garage. Here are some of the fun things we did:

Ubby dressed like a Dinosaur.

Grandma Cathy taking pictures. I think I see another scrapbook coming together.

Lunch--of course!! We like to pack our lunch--I felt a little crazy, however, we did have veggies and applesauce with our lunch--I didn't see many others eating fruits and veggies.

There is a new display called "Take Me There Egypt". This was a really neat place we could have stay in there for hours.


Lauren and me on the airplane to Egypt. Seriously they have a part of an airplane that you sit in and watch a 2 minute video. The seats actually move like you are in an airplane pretty cool!

Lauren in the dress up area. As you can see she is always ready to pose for the camera.

Logan all dressed up with no place to go!!!!!

Brier looking way to cool!!!

Now unless you have been there, you have no idea what they are doing. Most of you are thinking this group is a little strange, who knows what they are doing. But if you have been there you know that they are looking at this--from the bottom up!!!


Here is Gwen!! Saying cheese--

Another stunning shot of the group--note to the adults: Maybe next time we should pose for a picture. That way I have something better for the blog.


Boog on the the carousel--she asked all day to ride. When we finally made it to the top floor, you had to wait 20 minutes to ride. It was lots of fun!!



Here are all the kids in the Star Wars exhibit! You may have noticed that my favorite niece is missing from the pictures. Yes, we were very sad Bre was not able to join us. She is on a mission trip with her youth group. We hope that she is having a really great time. Pray that she makes it home safely.

We also saw the Planetarium--we were their in May and saw a different show. This time we saw Wonders of the Universe--I was really disappointed in this. It was totally Big Bang Theory. A real let down after being at the Creation Museum. And actually it was harder to see some of the things.However, the Magic Show was great, and if you are heading to Indy before July 31--this is a must see. It was a 1/2 hour show that was really neat.

It was a great time!! A very full day--we stopped in Muncie on the way home and ate and also took in a little shop (like we hadn't walked enough?). Great time was had by all.

As you can tell I like to plan things. What's next---I can't tell you--you'll have to keep checking in on us!!!

Lehman Test Kitchen

Last night for supper we decided to try making guacamole. Recently we had been to our local Mexican restaurant and Lauren tried the green stuff and really liked it. So last night when we were trying to decide what to have for supper--Lauren suggested trying to make our own guacamole. So we went looking for a recipe. We found one in our family cookbook--pretty easy Avocado, lime juice and salt. Then we thought it might need a little something--so we checked on-line for a recipe, changed it a little and came up with this:

2 avocados mashed

1 cup sour cream

1 small onion chopped

1 tsp Hot Mexican chili powder

2 cloves of garlic

lime juice

Lauren really liked it!!!

Lyndsi liked it too--you can see that is all she ate!! No, she did eat a taco after she finished taste testing the guacamole.

Logan and and Lexi--well that is at least a 2 thumbs down!! Everyone else seemed to think it was pretty good. Matt really liked it on his tacos. Next time we will cut the sour cream in 1/2 and we thought it could use a little more kick--so we going to try a little cayenne pepper--I think!!

So what's in your guacamole?

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!!

Matt was off all last week, so we had a lot of family time. We were home most of the week, however, we did venture away for a couple of days. Sounds easy but by the time you pack clothes, food and other junk for eight people for two days you wonder what you were thinking.

We were at the Creation Museum. If you haven't visited it yet, you really need to add it to your list of places to visit.

The place was wonderful. Almost too much information to take in--in one trip. The museum was great and the gardens were beautiful.

You know how it is you spend money to go see all these neat things and the thing the kids like most is the pool. Yes they had a great time swimming. The sweet lady at the desk in the lobby even let them in 15 min. before the pool open the next morning.

After a good hour in the pool, we headed out for another day of activity.

Day 2--Cincinnati Zoo!!!! We had never been to this zoo and it was a really nice one. Actually--it was large enough that we really didn't get the whole thing covered. It was a perfect day for the zoo over cast and cool. But the kiddos were kinda tired after the day before and I couldn't figure out why Lexi was hunger and tired when we arrived--I guess I forgot about the hour she spent in the pool before we left. OOPS!! We had a great time anyway.

Almost all the animals were out!! Isn't that a great shot of the cheetahs?

The flowers at the zoo and the museum were so beautiful and I don't which place had more beautiful gardens. We give both of these places A+ ratings and plan to return. (Of course we plan to return within the next year, all of you with a large family, understand that you usually just buy a year pass, because it is sometimes less expensive that way then if you buy a single admission.) We are planning to go back and take Grandma Cathy, Mike and Deanie and maybe Stacey, Gwen, Bre and Brier. (Hey guys, what do you think?) (Maybe they will comment?) Sounds like another road trip!!

This is me with our tickets to the Planetarium!! (With the year membership--you get in to the Planetarium free.) You should have seen the look on the ladies face when we handed her this.

If you are planning to visit the area I can recommend a Holiday Inn Express that is really close. They had a great free breakfast, toys at the pool and served fresh baked chocolate chip cookies upon arrrival. They smelled so good!!

I cannot wind up this post without a huge thank you to my camera guy

Landon--he took 95% of the pictures and did a great job. Maybe he'll make me a short slide show for later in the week or maybe he will post one of his amazing videos of Logan in the truck on the way. Keep checking in, you never know what is happening here at Life with the Lehman's.