A post for Nicole

We made this chain for you Nicole to count down the days til you get home and we're all one big happy family in Iowa again. On each chain we wrote something that we love about you that we're missing. From your vocal oppinion about gas prices to your white teeth! Every day when we rip one off we are hanging it on the mirror in the dinning room so you can read them when you get home. We miss you like crazy and the chain isn't getting short fast enough! We love you! And can't wait for you to get home! Be safe!
LOVE YOUR FAMILY!
Dad, Mom, Tiffany, Christopher, Timothy, Grace, Beth, and Aubrey

What the Chmelar's have been up to

Beth's Tenth Birthday! Happy birthday Bettey!

Tent revival meetings

Kid Fest with sheriff Dunbar

Laundry, laundry, and more laundry!

Farm Stuff

Lots and lots of bug spray. (To those of you who aren't in Iowa... the bugs are really bad!)

Setting up our pool!

Making music with new friends.

High waters

Send off parties for Nicole

Little big things we're going to miss about Nicole

- eating supper with her

- calling her 50 thousand times a day on the phone

- singing and making music with her

- eating m-n-m's togethar

- her great blog posts

- sitting next to her in church

- her great big sister ideas

- talking to her about the important things in life

- her great sisterly advice

- and much more

We're going to miss you Nicole!

Love you to China and back!

Flooding.

No, it's not a beautiful river along Interstate 80... it's a field completely immersed in water. 

Please be in prayer for people all across eastern Iowa...  as I mentioned on my blog yesterday, we have had so much rain and the rivers are overflowing.  Whole towns are being evacuated because of the rising waters.  Sunday afternoon, some of us went to Iowa City to help sandbag in preparation for all the water that is headed that way.  It was a great way to help out and be the hands and feet of Jesus.  Thanks for your prayers.

We helped out a restaurant and they fed us some awesome pizza and subs!!

We helped bag two huge loads of sand and then stack the sandbags all around the building... yes, I could feel every muscle in my back! 

We just have the awesomest, funniest dad ever!  We laugh and say he is such a goober! *smile*

Aubrey's Seven!!!

Anticipation...

" Can I hear what it is?!"

The Birthday Girl on the Birthday Bike!!

Yummy in my tummy!!!

- - -

We love you Aubrey!!!

Here Chicky-Chicky!

On Saturday we went to our friends to butcher our 25 chickens... it was our first time and it was quite the experience! 

Thanks Schlabachs!!

THE Crew

25 Chickens goin' to market

The stench in the van was terrible...

Our victorious-chicken-killing mom!

Preparing to pluck.

Icin' it down.

* * * 

Our freezer is now full of chopped and whole chickens... yummy, yummy.  You are welcome to come over anytime for supper.

Carpe Diem

THE GRAND OLE' PARTY

Saturday we kids walked for Jared Klein, a republican who is running for Iowa State House, in a local parade.  We spent more time preparing for the parade than actually walking.  Oh well, it was fun.

We were swimming in our XXL tee-shirts.

When I said swimming, I meant SWIMMING!!

God bless the USA!

***

HERE COMES THE BRIDE...

Tiff, Chelsy Bontrager and I played the music for a wedding in Cedar Rapids Friday afternoon.  Then we sped down to Washington for another wedding at six... the same night! 

Always... talking... always...

Joe and Charity... the most in-love couple I've ever seen!  (This is the youth pastor at our church and his now-bride)

Don't ask me why...

* * *

So here's a snippet of our weekend... and there's lots more to come!

We always have to remember to 'carpe diem' -- seize the day!