All Growed Up!

We here at the McPherson household are growing up!! Molly celebrated her 3rd Easter while Riley enjoyed her 1st one. Jon and I did some landscaping in our backyard and we have a pool!!!
Many people inspired me to garden - my neighbor boy growing corn, friends who mentioned it on blogs and my sister-in-laws helpful advice made it so we were ready to plant 24 hours after the bug infected me!!

Molly showing what she got in her Easter basket - Dora stickers, Dora tattoos, bubbles and CANDY!
Sisters! Molly's dress was given to us and when my mom and I were out shopping we saw a similar one for Riley and had to get it.
Seriously the kid had 2 speeds - run or stop. Her knees are a testament to the fact that the stopping part is not always successful as she flings her self on the ground.
Riley just chilling - happy to be left alone for a few minutes.
Riley supervising the planting of our garden.
We have a 4x4 square foot garden with tomatoes, pole beans, cucumbers, carrots, okra, melons, strawberries and corn. Should be fun seeing the things grow and eating from our garden!
Don't be jealous:)
And last but not least our POOL! Not an in-ground awesome pool but I guess much cheaper since there are not chemicals. It kept Molly entertained while I grilled and next time we might not go as redneck and actually put in her a swimsuit not her clothes - but this was faster tonight.

Easter Outreach

The other week I felt like God told me to do a neighborhood block party for Easter and once I realized we wouldn't be leaving town b/c of the ball and children's church I started planning. I found a bunch of games on the Internet and got 250 eggs and filled them with prizes and candy. The only problem is I am a wimp and didn't want to go door to door asking people to come so I taped a flyer on their doors and today Jon and I waited. After an hour the Morkens called so we told them to come on down and they did!! Neighbors started to trickle by and in total we had 4 adults come by and we got to know them a little and 3 kids came and played the games with us. Before the hunt we asked what they knew about Jesus and gave out some stickers. I would not say it was a total failure but looking back we have a few things we could have done different.
While we waited Jon and I played many of the games we planned to play with our new friends - it was not a good day for me as I lost in all but one - the egg drop. Molly loves Starburst and Riley napped through the entire time. Maybe our next one will have more people come out but at least we talked to a few more neighbors than we have in the past.
Riley doesn't fit in the basket like Molly did but she still got shoved in for the picture.
Can you see the joy on her face? I guess she thought it was still Maunday Thursday she didn't realize that tomorrow we celebrate Christ's Resurrection.
First time ever to make confetti eggs
The beautiful butterfly Molly
Still waiting - Molly thought it was torture to see the eggs and not get to eat the goodiesObviously not as good of a place to keep out of reach - this is how I found her after going in to check on Riley. Jon was thrilled that I had to get a photo before taking care of her - not!
The winning egg!
Jon's preparing his egg
The drop zone
My egg
The drop zone
We each had the same supplies - twigs, cotton balls and tape and my pink egg won, his blue egg fell apart which is why it is still in the nest
The hunt! Finally kids are here - 72 hot dogs, 40 brownies and 100 chocolate chip cookies a little overkill for 3 adults and 6 kids
Molly found 2 eggs then sat down and ate the candy and then the hunt was over.
Spencer collected them in his hat
Will only got ones with candy and left the others on the ground.

Formals and Fun Things!

Tonight we went to our first ever Brigade Ball (6 Battalions make up a Brigade) and it was not to bad. There was definitely some amazing people watching (really dress watching)! We had a family with a teenager girl watch both girls with the help of her mom and two younger sisters to entertain also. It was so nice to be able to go and know that Molly and Riley were being loved on and enjoying themselves. Jon and I loved the ball - between his love of small talk and my love of dressing up we were in our element:) I did have some good conversations with other ladies in our Brigade and sat next to a lady who is from Italy and met her husband when he was stationed there 11 years ago.
Finding a dress for the formal was not all that fun - I found one with my mom but the more I thought about it the less I liked the one I had bought so I took it back and found another one I liked a little more. So for my 3rd ball with Jon he finally got his wish - a dress without sparkles to get all over his uniform!
Note on balls - I guess society today doesn't understand a ball is a formal and you should try and look nice (maybe gasp classy??) and not show your entire body off to the world. I may not like dressing up but I would not go in overalls or a piece of lingerie which it seems some find acceptable. The good thing about being at a table with a lady from Italy, North Dakota and 4 of Jon's soldiers it makes you much less likely to talk about people but man I really wanted to make some comments. Another good thing - it wasn't anyone in Jon's Battalion that I had to make sure not to make a face when they walked by me:)



Fun things - a day at Fascinate U with the Morken family followed by a new lunch place and CUPCAKES!!
All the kids got sprinkles
Who taught that girl how to eat? It is like she is in a pie eating contest and not allowed to touch it with her hands.

Strong Bonds

The Military has a program called Strong Bonds where they give chaplains money to put on retreats to build up families and encourage single soldiers. Jon has had the privilege of running a few of these and I would tag along with Molly. While going with him was fun it was never a relaxing time of building up for us just making sure others refreshed and ministered to. This retreat was one just for the Unit Ministry Teams!!! It was awesome being there with other chaplains from the 82nd Airborne and their families and doing some AMAZING things!!
First the retreat was a Great Wolf Lodge which has a water park inside the hotel.
Second we played minute to win-it games as couples against others and Jon and I beat our competition!!
Third we had a session at an indoor race track and besides the crash I was involved in I was the second fastest lady (and I might have been faster than Jon even) on a one lap timed course.
Fourth Jon got some great material and was certified to use another set of material that should help him in counseling the many couples he meets with and will be a great resource for us.
Fifth we got some great family time.
Sixth we got to be around other families that are doing the same thing as us and we had some great times of learning from struggles and successes from them.
Seventh we got to be apart of a worship time we didn't have to do anything with (not even childcare)!

The McP's at Great Wolf Lodge
Dad I think we should go in there (this was before she knew there was a waterpark/candy/tons of kids to play with)!
Jon and Molly before the fun began!!
Jon with an oreo on his head that he shimmied down to his mouth to eat. We also knocked down cards, did a puzzle and launched marshmallows into each others mouth.
As the winners in minute to win-it we got a bottle of sparkling cider with two plastic wine glasses and a bag of chocolates. Here is Molly enjoying the sparking cider!
Notice Molly's mouth is wide open - this was right after she was changed into her bathing suit and saw the water park for the first time!!!
Jon, Molly and Riley - this was for a short picture. I took Riley from him right after this - we would all play in the water for a little bit and then Jon or I would take a break and sit with Riley. We also did tag team so we could go down the water slides - the Howling Tornado was AWESOME!!
Riley sporting her swimsuit
Doesn't she look like she loved being apart of the racing?
Jon and I dressed and ready to race!! Riley is just waiting for me to put her back in her stroller and leave her alone:)

Balance beams and fun times

Jon got an unexpected 4 day weekend so we spent a lot of time hanging out as a family. Sunday we came up with a fun project for Jon and Molly - to make a balance beam. $1.97 and an hour later we have a red and white beam of fun for all. Molly has enjoyed playing on it and I am pretty sure the other kids will also love it once they come outside to play:) Molly got to help sand and measure but Jon did all the cutting and hammering himself.
Riley in her diva prison suit
Riley supervising the woodwork - she was moved from the bed of the truck to the shade beside the house to keep her cool.
Molly showing Jon how to measure and do the math behind the balance beam
She thought he had learned enough to give it a try himself
Testing the finished product - good job to the master craftsman and her apprentice
Riley and Molly's baby. I was trying to get a photo of just Riley but Molly felt this baby needed a picture to.
Eating her apple from New Deli - AMAZING!! If you visit us M-F 10-6 we will take you otherwise you are out of luck (as we tried to go twice until we figured out the hours)
Happy sisters
Seriously mom stop taking my picture and FEED ME!!!

Jon is 30

Today Jon celebrated his 30th birthday!! Last night we had a movie night with popcorn and extended bed times for everyone. We watched Tangled which was really funny, Riley had a massive spit up during the middle of the movie so we had to pause it to give a bath and wash clothes and Molly fell asleep before the end but all in all it was a successful night.
Today we went and served with Operation Inasmuch (which is like clean up day at Welcome Week) picking up trash in a neighborhood and cleaning up as church groups and contractors re roofed houses. Serving with 2 kids has a different look than when we were in college but it was great to be able to do this as a family. Riley hung out in her stroller most of the time and Molly helped pick up the little (non glass or too gross) trash around. After serving we went to Buffalo Wild Wings for some lunch followed by shopping for church then craft time and a nap for Jon and Riley. Molly and I played outside and then went to Sonic for happy hour and came back in time to make pizza for Jon to eat dinner on the SPECIAL DAY Plate!!! No cake but chocolate chocolate chip cookies, a happy birthday banner and his present - The Pacific collector's edition (with all his free time he will be able to watch that and his Band of Brothers all the time:) )

Too much to celebrate only one day - the night before party!
What cleaning up looks like with little kids.


Riley and Titus supervising
Molly helping her dad
Birthday crafts - Dora, Jon's favorite, peel and stick sand art
Dinner on the plate!

Happy Birthday Jon!!