Happy Anniversary, Birthday, and probably Christmas to us...

Whoo, Hoo!! Yes, that's it!!

After using Chrissy's Cannon Rebel at the wedding, Chad and I fell in love. So...Sunday we went to Best Buy and my hubby suprised me with a new camera. As you can tell, I love taking pictures mostly of kids, family and landscape. I am so excited about my new "toy" and am still learning all about it. Hopefully my photography skills will only get better with time and practice, especially now. Thanks sweetie! You are the best husband and my best friend. It has been 5 years since we pledged to love eachother forever...I am so blessed to be spending forever with you!!

S~

Dad's 60th Birthday Party Down on the Farm!

You would never guess my dad is 60. Aside from the salt and pepper atop his smiling face, not much about him says he's moving into the AARP years. But, I guess the birth certificate doesn't lie. Anyhow, for those of you who don't live in or around Kentucky, we have been experiencing a bit of a mini-drought these last few weeks and some rainfall is most needed. Since we have been living on the farm, the weather and rain are very important bits of information when dealing with hay season. Anyhow, long story, short. Chad and I decided to invite everyone out to Hoene Heaven for a cookout on June 2 to celebrate Rocky's 60th birthday. Plus, Chad and I had just finished some remodeling to the house and wanted to show it off. So, we planned the food, set up the corn hole and even borrowed Todd and Lori's yard tents (for shade). Everyone arrived (eventually) and the heaven's opened up and the rain came...and came...and came. Yes, it rained the entire evening. Thank goodness for the yard tents even though the kids didn't use them. They played in the rain. Jaylen and Christopher were soaked to the bone and Carrington and PJ jumped from puddle to puddle. All in all, the day was GREAT! We so needed the rain and everyone had a fun time. Carrie and I are so fortunate to have a loving father. I see so many children who don't even know their father's so I know how lucky we are. Dad...I love you and hope your day was GREAT!!

Enjoy the pics!

i hope you dance...

S~

Time to catch up...

I know it has been a long time and I have way to much to say tonight...we just returned home from a wonderful week in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with all of our family and friends. Chad and I had a blast! We are pooped to say the least, but it is a good feeling. I promise to post some pictures and more information about Dad's b-day and our trip this week. By the way...thanks for reading our blog...feel free to comment anytime. Check back this week for some updates!!

In the meantime...i hope you dance!

S~

The Passion Pitt Reunited...

Looks like a Daddy's Girl!

Catching up...

Sweet Baby Addison


The Girls of The Passion Pitt
Reunited!

ha, ha! God has blessed me with some of the best friends throughout my life. What a great weekend with my college buddies. I can't believe it has been 12 years since the good old days at C-Ville. Football games, FCA, Stapp Hall, walking the campus mile, donuts at Bells Bakery, the Passion Pitt, the list could go on and on... All those memories make me smile and laugh out loud! Thank you Scott and Tiff for planning the cookout last night. You have a beautiful home and Chad and I had a great time and it was so good to see everyone. I am going to post some pictures, but unfortunately I didn't take the time to take many pictures because I was too busy eating and catching up. I can only hope and pray that we will continue to meet each Memorial Day weekend to visit and catch up and see how everyone's family is growing...who knows...maybe next year, you all can come out to "Hoene Heaven" and we can ride the 4-wheelers and watch the cows :-) Ha, Ha!!

I love Memorial Day...I love seeing the flag and red, white and blue...but I have to remember what Memorial Day represents and why we have it. As much as I love it, I wish we didn't have to have a day to remember those men and women who have given their lives to protect the way of life we have all become so accustomed to. Eddie...I didn't get to thank you last evening for doing what you do...so please take this little blog moment as me saying THANK YOU for serving this great country that I love and THANK YOU for protecting our freedoms because I know that FREEDOM is NOT FREE. My hope is that I can remember what the preacher said this morning about memorials to God...my daily reminder that God has begun something good in each of us (somewhere in Phillipians) and because he is a faithful God, he will carry that through. Anyhow, I didn't mean to get off on a tangent...just a few things on my mind tonight, I guess. Well, it is late and while I wish I could stay up and finish watching the movie Troy (BP in a skirt, enough said), but it is late and we have been painting all day and I am pooped! The laundry will have to wait until tomorrow...until next time...

I hope you dance...

S~

Fun Family Times...

It seems like all winter I have been locked up somewhere and now that the weather is nice, the sun is out and the breeze is blowing, the family get-togethers just keep happening! The first "outing" was for my husband's baptism at church. It was amazing and I am so proud of him. His mom and step-dad were also baptized. I forgot my camera and don't have any pictures, but there are some on my sister's blog at http://sunshinesavannahleigh.blogspot.com

The next get-together was on Mother's Day at Churchill Downs. This was our second year to celebrate Mother's Day at The Down's. This year was extra special and extra sad. Extra special because of my niece. I got to spend Mother's Day with her. It was so much fun. See some of the pictures...Extra sad because I miss my grandmother more than words can say. There are so many things I forgot to ask her about our family. There are so many days I just wish I could hold her hand because it always made me feel better. I miss her...

This past weekend was another fun family time! We celebrated the upcoming new addition to the Hoene family. Our new nephew, Brady. Thanks to Todd and Lori for opening their home to everyone in the Wright, Hoene, Black, Allen, Poole (I am sure I am leaving someone out) families. It was amazing! We had a lot of food and family bonding...corn hole, basketball, presents, did I say food?? Our family is growing and I am so excited about it. Brady will be here in July and that is already a full month for birthdays. Speaking of the Hoene's...we finally got to meet baby Dane Joseph. He is so beautiful and sweet. Misty, you are so lucky to be a mom and Chad and I are so proud of you.

So...is that what summer is all about? Fun Family Times? I hope so! Summer...here we come!

Until next time...I hope you dance...

S~

It's been a while...

*Thunder over Louisville*

Beautiful Fireworks...

What a handsome man...funny too!


I didn't even have a sore neck!

I don't look sunburned, but I was crispy under that sweatshirt!

Me and my shaaadow...

The Calypso

The sun came out after the storm...doesn't it always?

Easter at The Hard Rock Cafe...no bunnies there :-)

Lots of new condos and high rise hotels in the new and improved Panama City Beach!

We are smiling and the sun is out, but it was a bit chilly.

I love taking pictures of the sky...makes me think of Heaven.

I know...sorry! It seems like April came and went in the blink of an eye. We began April with a trip to the beach. The weather didn't really cooperate, but that didn't stop us from having a great time. Eventually the sun came out and the warm wind blew and of course, I got a sun burn. But, what would a vacation to the beach be without a little "crisp". My hubby, thought, managed to forgo the burn for a nice brown...so jealous! This year we stayed in a new condo complex and it was really nice. Panama City Beach has been around for a while so it needed some updating. If you haven't been in a while, well, you won't even recognize it!

What else have we done in April? Oh...my baby sister had a birthday and we celebrated at Tumbleweed on the River. It was really nice. I can't believe my baby sister is a mom and just turned 28. It seems like we were just kids waiting for the bus or sleeping on the floor on Christmas Eve trying to "hear" Santa come down the chimney :-) I am so blessed to have a sister. I can't imagine being an only child.

Then there was Thunder over Louisville. Chad and I spent some quality time together watching the airshow and fireworks. It was a beautiful day and I enjoyed every moment of it. My husband knows me better than I know myself sometimes. God really does make some ONE especially for us, doesn't he?

All in all, April was a great month. I am so glad we took some pictures to look back and remember it. Enjoy...

Until next time...I hope you dance...

S~

Another fun day at the farm...

This post is long overdue...in fact, Easter has come and gone in a chocolatey haze and I am just now getting to this post. About 2 weeks ago we hosted our life group from church out at the farm again for a fun social afternoon. Because the weather was unseasonably nice (a bit windy) we enjoyed burgers and hotdogs on the grill, Jessica's yummy potato salad, and vegitarian beans courtesy of Dacia. Everything was great! We even had an Easter Egg Hunt!! Sorry Jess...but Dacia and Kelly found the Golden Egg and were declared the winners. Maybe this will become a group tradition?? Wouldn't that be something to look forward to each year.

Chad and I are so blessed to be a part of this wonderful group. We thank God everyday for the wisdom and friendship of those people who have been a part of the group from it's inception. Some have moved on for various reasons...but all have had an impact on our lives spiritually and emotionally. You know...growing up, whenever anything bad happened I always knew my family could rely on our church family for support, prayer, food, whatever we might need. That was always such a comfort for me...my family. I can honestly say that for Chad and I our small, life group is that comfort.

We had a GREAT time on this day...making memories, hunting eggs, watching cows, grilling out, sharing life! Enjoy the pictures below...

Until next time...I hope you dance...

S~

Hunting for eggs...

Looking at the cows...