Diabetes Walk

Last Sunday after church Scott, Addalie & I went up to Wrightsville to walk in the Diabetes Walk. The weather was perfect! They closed down the Wrightsville Bridge & we walked across the beautiful Susquehanna River!



*our team*


They had lots of fun activities for kids. Even though A missed her nap, she was a happy camper!

Snack Time-

They had lots of diabetic-friendly snacks.

It was fun to be with lots of other diabetics & feel a common bond with so many people all at once. I've had diabetes for 11 years and it is *always* in the back of my mind. From first thing in the morning when I wake up to the last thing I am thinking about when I go to bed. Where are my sugars?? Are they going up? Are they going down? I just wiped up my kitchen floor...will my sugars crash? What did I eat & how is that food going to effect me in a few hours?? How will a stressful situation or just simply "crying" effect my sugars? When is my next meal? If I'm leaving the house, do I have sugar with me "just in case"? Not to mention trying to keep track of all my different supplies, prescriptions, insurance stuff & doctors appts. It is all consuming & even after 11 years, it can still throw me for a loop......or throw me onto the couch for a few hours...but it is in my life & God uses it to keep me reliant on Him & to be sensitive to others with physical limitations. His strength is made known in my weaknesses!

So all that to say, this walk meant a lot to me.

Thank you for those of you who supported me! & THANK YOU to Scott for walking with me. Scott, I know that diabetes affects your life too.....Thank you for taking care of me by searrrccchhhing (& paying) for good health insurance & for slowing down when I can't keep up! Your support means so much.

The Fair

Fair Season has come & gone already. (that was FAST!) Even though I am a bit behind, I wanted to post some pictures from the Lampeter Fair.

holding baby chicks.

Watching the kids catch the slippery pigs!

Scott loves showing Addie the pigs. He used to raise pigs when he was a boy & won "Grand Champion" at the Fair a time or two.

Little Baby Stoltzfus.....

....is due to arrive in just 6 weeks! We had so much fun taking pictures last week. I cannot wait for this little pumpkin to get here. (Isn't Mandi so photogenic?)

Newest Nephew!

Here is a sweet picture of baby Aaron! Click here for more.

Kansas

This past week we flew to Kansas to visit my Dad & Bev. We had such a great time! They completely spoiled all three of us! We have been wanting to get out there & decided that since Addalie is turning 2 in a few weeks (she will no longer be "free" to fly) we should squeeze this trip in. I was SO disappointed because I wanted to get a picture of Addalie with the pilot in the cockpit, but my camera was packed in with the luggage. We have TOTALLY taken advantage of the "kids fly free until 2 yrs. old" deal! This was Addalie's 5th flying excursion...& I figured out that with flight connections etc. she has flown on about 15 airplanes!! We are pros. Any traveling questions, just ask us! =) (not to say that we don't still have the occasional meltdowns....they are inevitable! However I think we are past the most difficult age to fly.) Anyways, on to Kansas........

We saw lots of these beautiful steers.

& some of these....(oil wells) my dad took us out to see some that his friend owns.



I forget the name of this game that Scott & I played one day as we were in a restaurant waiting for our food to come....All that matters is that I WON! (Scott & I are super competitive! So it's always hard on him when I beat him in something.)

My dad LOVES jalapenos & eats them plain!

My dad & Bev had a surprise for Addalie. A manicure!!! We went to the mall & even though she has never had a "real manicure" before, she acted like she knew exactly what was going on. She picked her own color. (the brightest pink she could find...typical)



Showing Talia her pretty nails.

& of course we couldn't leave the mall without riding a few rides. (I told you they spoiled her!)

One day Scott & I went to the Underground Salt Museum. We had to get on an elevator & go down 650ft. under the ground. Hard hats were required. I can be a bit claustrophobic so this was stretching for me, but eventually I was comfortable & found it very interesting. Kansas is where most of the salt that we use comes from. From table salt, to road salt...etc. (Morton Salt)

In the above picture (it's blurry cause it was dark down there) I am holding a black pack that was supposed to help us breathe in the case of emergency....

Scott holding a big chunk of salt.

Hollywood stores all of its films/movies down here. It is good because the temp. never changes & it is safe from natural disasters.

Another highlight was getting to see my grandparents. We had a yummy lunch with them one day. & then we got to see the greenhouses that they used to own (& I grew up running around in.)

At a yummy Mexican restaurant with the whole gang!

Thank you Dad, Bev & Talia for the wonderful hospitality! We had a great time & we have lots of good memories of our time in Kansas!!! We love you guys.

I can't believe..........

...that just last week it still felt like summer & my daughter was running around the yard barefooted...


blowing bubbles...


...& picking flowers!


And now, I am sitting here sipping hot cider w/jeans & a scarf on.....Autumn is officially here!

First Day...

*a picture that she drew on her first day!*

-of preschool!
Scott & I weren't intending to send A to preschool anytime soon...but things kinda just fell into place & it seemed like a good thing for her. Addalie is going to preschool at a local church in Strasburg 1 morning a week for 2 hours. There are only 4 other kids in her class, but she *LOVES* the interaction with them. (she is such a social butterfly & has been getting bored playing at home by herself all of the time.)
They do all kinds of fun activities both inside & outside. I look forward to helping in the classroom.