State Fair!

Yes, I'm still playing catch-up.  Will hopefully be able to post Thanksgiving, birthday and service project pictures this week-end.  Until then, here are some more fun outings from the fall.

We love the State Fair.  We are so blessed to live close by!  Everyone was excited to go and thankful some of our friends could go with us!  We went on a week-end to avoid some of the long lines.  Roger and Christopher were both able to join us in the afternoon.  

I was thrilled to learn about a booth that had gluten free fries!!!  They were yummy and it was so nice not to have to worry about what she was eating.  We also found hotdogs she could have thanks to the owner who went out of his way to find out this information for us!

Happy girl with her fries.

Food is always a highlight of the fair.  So many things fried!  LOL

We all enjoyed sampling various things!

One of our favorite sites each year is the Farm Fresh NC.  The kids each get a basket and "pick" fruits and veggies to fill it up.

They are given a bag of treats when the exchange their crops for "money".  They also played a nutrition game.  I was excited to see the new Food Plate (replacing the Food Pyramid) that we had just learned about.  Have you seen this yet?

We looked at the exhibits and enjoyed seeing the ones entered by friends.  This picture is one that Rebecca entered.

Oh, and the rides.  We learned last year that Eliana enjoyed rides!  Can you see the delight on her face?

Group shot.

Eliana is one the roller coaster with Daniel and her Daddy.  And she loved it!

Can't you tell?

Games and wining prizes.  Rebecca and Hanna both won a "Minion"

The vote for Family Favorite would go to the Bumper Cars.  Everyone (except Eliana who is not yet big enough) loves to ride these!

My girl that likes to twirl and spin - well, the oldest one - rode on this with her friend Hanna.  They seemed to like it - but I was glad to be on the ground.

When the sun went down, the temps really dropped.  We rode a few more rides.

Eliana slept.  Soundly.  Through the rest of the night!

I can't believe that Daniel is already big enough to be on this ride!

We ended the evening with treats.  Funnel cakes.  YUM!

and NC State ice cream.  YUM!  (You can also see Hanna's cute minion.)

We left just as the fireworks were going off.  (Yes, Eliana slept through this too!)  What a fun ending to a great day!

Some things are just fun to do year after year.  This is one of them.

Blessings

Leslie

Historic Alamance

This was a fun field trip we took last month to Historic Alamance for their Colonial Living Days.  They do a wonderful job with this event and I highly recommend attending if you are in the area.

We had reason for this outing to be even more special for us as we had friends join us.  Christopher's roommate, Joe, had his family visiting.  We met in August and really hit it off.  I was so excited that they were able to join us!  It was sweet to share our day together.  I wish I had gotten a good picture of all of us.  I also wish we had been able to hang out even longer as we enjoy them so much.

We learned about how cider is made and some of the children helped with the press. 

Then we tasted some fresh cider.  Yum!

We learned about the weapons that were used.  This was a demonstration of the rifle and how it worked.

The cannon firing came later in the day.

Its always neat to see these fired.  It was a little more sobering to think about how they were used though after watching the film reenactment of the battle that took place here.

There were a variety of stations around the site with various reenactors describing how things were done during the colonial time period.  Making candles.

Making yarn.

Writing with a quill pen.

How foods were cooked and the types of food that were eaten.

Reading more about the curing and storing of tobacco.  (Can you see the large leaves in the building in front of my boys?)

Blacksmith.  His tools were very interesting to lots of little hands.

We had a picnic lunch on site and then gathered for the firing of the cannon.  Can you see that one of my boys has prepared by covering his ears already?

Fun morning!  Its my favorite way to learn history.  History is fascinating.  Its stories about people and places.  I have loved learning more about the past and the people that made a difference in how we live our lives today.  Learning by watching, exploring and experiencing is a great way to make the lessons your own instead of something that gets lost in a book.  

More of the promised pictures - hopefully soon.  :-)

Blessings

Leslie

JDRF Walk

I'm still learning how to use my new computer.  I have posts from the last few days which are waiting on uploaded pictures.  We celebrated a wonderful Thanksgiving with my family - in a new location.  New traditions and memories and yet still wonderful times being with those we love.  We also celebrated a special birthday!!!  More details to come on a Sweet 16!

For now, I'll play a little catch up.  For any that have been here awhile, you know that one of our sons has Type 1 diabetes.  He was diagnosed when he was 9 years old.  I feel fortunate that we caught it when we did and that we live in a time and an area in which we have access to great information and medical care.

I'll be honest though - its still hard.  Type 1, formerly called Juvenile Diabetes, is an auto-immune disease which strikes primarily children.  They did nothing to cause this disease and they could have done nothing to prevent this disease from striking.  It is not reversible.  It is not possible to live without insulin.  It is not curable. . . YET.

It is a disease that never takes a break.  All those times that you just pick up food or want a snack and don't think twice about it.  Its just not an option when you are diabetic.  Finger sticks multiple times a day are a reality.  Callouses and marks cover his fingers and abdomen from so many stick for blood draws and his pump site.  

Adding in prepuberty also puts a whole new spin on things.  I've read that it is hard.  I am watching it and all that I've read is true.  His numbers can still be so erratic and from so many different variables.  We are all doing our best to "manage" his diabetes but there are times when it just doesn't seem like enough.  We have recently made more changes to his insulin rates and are seeing better numbers.  

Its the lows that really scare me.  Sometimes he recognizes them, but other times it is just a surprise.  Like this one. 

That wasn't the worst one though.  And it scares me.  I'm thankful that he has always pulled out of his lows pretty easily and quickly.  Thank you God.

For all that we have experienced and for the many, many others who are living this reality too - we spend one morning a year hoping to raise awareness and money in the Walk for the Cure!

This year, the weather was awful and our team was small.  The walk had about 3000+ in attendance.  (Maybe half of last years.)  I'm glad we were able to go and thankfully the rain mostly held off!

There were various booths that we visited before the walk.  Hair painting.

Moes was giving out free samples and t-shirts too.

And then the walk began.  I think it was a little longer this year than last.

We are thankful for friends who support us on this journey.  So many who have taken time to learn about this disease, cook foods that are helpful, encourage us and even walk with us.  Support comes in many forms and I'm thankful for all of them!

We enjoyed lunch after the walk.

We had fun despite the weather.

Being with friends always makes things better!

We picked up some extra food at the end of the event.  I wanted to take a gluten free sandwich home for Eliana (I loved that they had this option!).  Did you know that 10 percent of Type 1s also develop Celiac disease.  As it was nearing the end of the day, they suggested that I take an entire bag of sandwiches!  Soon after, Roger also found that they were giving away the regular sandwiches too and got a box of them.

It made for an easy supper for us - and for a great treat for my oldest son and his suitemates/friends.  :-)

At the end of the day, I'm glad we were able to do something positive.  I'm thankful for JDRF and its tireless efforts in working to find a cure for diabetes.  I hope and pray that one day there will be a cure.  I'm also thankful for the assurance of a life in heaven where there is no sickness and disease.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.  Revelation 21:4

Thank you for the encouragement that so many of you have offered me over the last few years as we have walked this path.  It isn't one that I would have chosen, but I trust that God will use it for good.

Blessings

Leslie