Remembrance Day Service at the Notre Dame

Paris

EUROPE!!!

In November we had the opportunity to take our first European Vacation! The trip centered around our good friends from Charlotte, Chris and Kirsten Furr and kiddos. The Furrs have been in France a little over a year now and are missionaries outside of Paris. The first day we were there they took us to a Chateau where there was chocolate tasting--yum! I'll try to show a smattering of our photos to give you an idea of what we experienced.

Cross Country Action

My cousin, Andy, runs cross country for Manchester College and we got to attend a couple of his meets this fall. We had a blast cheering him on and watching him win Conference. I got shots of my Uncle Dave and cousin, Becky, running to multiple locations to cheer Andy on-- what a supportive, dedicated family! We were so glad to get to be part of it.

Anniversary

For our anniversary we went to Muskegon, Michigan and attended a Gala on a WWII ship. The LST 393 was hopping with a swing band and folks dressed in 1940's garb. We had the best time dancing, eating, and exploring this vessel. We stayed at a Bed and Breakfast then walked along Lake Michigan the next day. It was a wonderful way to celebrate 7 extraordinary years together.

the Oreo cow

Night Swimming

Jonathan and my cousin, Don, decided they should swim across the lake in early October. It was a little chilly and by the time they got started, the day was ending. Jonathan swam first while Don rowed the boat next to him then when they got to the other side, they switched. I'm so glad Don's sister, Becky, came over for moral support because it was too dark to see them on the way back and without her sense of reason I would have jumped to the conclusion that they probably drowned.

Days Gone By

I love this little house. It sits across the lake from ours so I get to gaze at it daily and think about it's history. In 1941, before my Grandpa Eby left for the war, he took my Grandma Bee here for a weekend getaway. This little house has hardly changed since then. We have photos of him eating breakfast on the porch and her sitting on a large rock on the bank. After their kids were born, my grandparents took the family here in the summertime and my dad remembers sleeping out in the very same porch. His sisters remember the numerous tiny snapping turtles he would scoop up with a net while laying face down on the pier. At the end of the day he would release the turtles from his large metal bucket and watch them all walk to the edge then plop off the pier back into the water. It's hard to believe so many years have passed and so many memories have been made at this one little house whose look hasn't changed.

Beached Pie

We had the pleasure of cooking dinner for my Aunt Jeannine for her birthday. Now, we're not so much a cake family but we all really LOVE pie. So, naturally I wanted to put her candles on pie instead of cake. I went to the supermarket where they carry pies and baked goods made fresh by a local woman. I was excited to serve it to Jeannine... until I went to put the candles on it and realized that just under the top crust was a thick, fuzzy, layer of blueish-gray mold! What to do? I decided to light the candles and let her blow them out. Then I broke the sad news that we would not be able to actually eat the pie due to a mold infestation (in spite of the expiration date of 3 days later)! My aunt, being such a gracious and light-hearted woman just got a huge laugh out of it. And as every good hostess knows to do, I had an emergency backup plan: Beachy Bars in the freezer! (Which could go head to head with pie any day of the week. And I LIKE pie)!

Williams Family = Farm Family

One thing that's been great about living in Indiana is that we get to be there for the big events in people's lives. My Aunt Jean, Uncle Dave and cousins Becky, Don, and Andy had the most deserving honor of being selected Farm Family of the Year by the Agricultural Society. It was fun seeing such a humble family be placed in a position of high recognition. We have one of their newspaper articles on our refrigerator--front page, above the fold!

Of course, there's a bit of humor to be found in anything... Jonathan took advantage of a photo op at the reserved table where we sat with my other Aunt and Uncle, Linda and Steve. We've titled this pic "Faux Farm Family."

Shipshewana Flea Market

Oy, the Flea! Apparently this is the largest flea market in the Midwest, but our summer profits suggested otherwise. Yes, it was an experience... Jonathan and I ran a booth full of handmade items from various family members. My mom was able to be there with us for a time. We ate ice cream almost every afternoon (the 2:00 pick-me-up). And on Wednesday mornings I'd wander over to the Auction Barn to hear 10 different auctioneers rattling off their spiel at once. The chaos was equally insane and exciting! But we are admittedly glad to be rid of the flea and with sighs of relief, passed up our "first dibs" on the rental space for next year.

Around the House

As you may have guessed, the first photo here is of the Beacon itself, the place that draws us all together time and time again.
Next, you'll see a crop duster who flew low over the lake in the summertime to spray for mosquitoes. We couldn't help but wonder what we were breathing! Whatever it was, the mosquitoes seemed to still be around but the inchworms took a hit.

Two of these pictures are of critters living just outside our back door: a blue heron and a black squirrel. Now that the weather's cooling off we've also seen swans fishing off our shore.

This beautiful cornfield was my saving grace for a time! I struggle with finding my way around so for the first few weeks we were here everything was relative to the cornfield in my mind. To go to the supermarket or to my Aunt Jeannine's, I'd take a left at the cornfield. To go to the flea market where we worked, I'd take a right at the cornfield. I am now proud to say I can tell people where I live using both street names and directions!

One Last Pull

The Tractor Pull Winds Down

Time to sit back and watch as the big guns come out!

The Tractor Pull Continues

Red vs. Green: Aunt Jean supports her family by wearing IH colors and my cousin Kori cheers her husband on in John Deere Green. My cousin Don is pulling an antique tractor here that belonged to my Grandpa Williams--check out the wheelie! Kori's husband, Troy, is pulling a John Deere... he's the only color-confused one in our family. FYI, "IH" stands for International Harvester, the kind of tractor referred to by Craig Morgan in his country song, "International Harvester". He's not calling himself an International Harvester, meaning that he farms globally, as a certain sister-in-law of mine, (who shall remain nameless) Brodie, assumed. Ahahahahaha!

The Tractor Pull

The first three photos here are of my cousin Tyler, cousin Ross, and Uncle Steve (with Ross's son Gage riding in the cab). They are the official guys who level out the track for the pulling every year. I think they get free sandwiches from the Pork Tent (everyone's favorite eatery) for their services.

THE FAIR

The Elkhart County 4-H Fair is something I have looked forward to every summer that I can remember. The only times I've missed it is when we've been unable to travel back to IN for it. Myself, my sister, and all my cousins have been involved in 4-H and we are just one generation of many in our family who have participated in it. While my sister and I mainly did sewing projects, cake decorating, and baking, my cousins actually showed animals at their fair such as sheep, calves, pigs, goats and horses. One time I remember my cousin Tyler trying to show his pig by controlling it with a whip but the oinker was having none of it and took off around the ring. That's a pretty funny memory of mine, Ty running after a squealing pig... I don't think he was wearing his head-gear at the time--just had braces--but in my mind I see the head-gear. :) My sister and I actually did take our cats to our fair a couple times and my calico, Sugar, won best of show one year. I was really proud of her--her win was in no part due to my contribution, she was just a really great cat. This year we caught a little bit of the llamas being shown which was actually a costume contest where the 4-H-er and his or her llama had to dress alike. I was glad to capture a shot of this because it's just not one of those things people actually believe happens. The last picture of this set is of me and my cousin, Becky, at the Tractor Pull--an all-day event that requires it's own entry (perhaps the highlight of the whole fair for many) so more on that to come.

The summer was full of sunshine and relaxing days in the water. Here's Dad and me hanging out on the pier. Aunt Joy and Aunt Jeannine are taking the boat (the USS CECIL, named for my Grandpa Eby who built speed boats) for a spin. The time with family has been invaluable to me.

Soon after Jonathan left for CO, I helped my family tear down the old shed at my grandparent's place. It took our whole team to accomplish the task. Wally, John, Doug, Aunt Jeannine, Dad, and Aunt Joy are posing on top of the demolished shed. We were all just hammering out the nails and barn siding when we realized it was about to go. A light tap of Wally's hand and the whole thing toppled in one swoosh! Then the guys (with the leadership of my dad, the engineer) figured out how to haul the debris to the "Back 40" to burn. It was a day of huge accomplishment and light-hearted revelry!

First things first: putting in a mailbox! Jonathan roped Nate into helping with this project before the two of them left for the brothers' backpacking week in Colorado. We actually didn't get any mail for a few days after the box was up because the local mail delivery person didn't think anyone lived in our house.... ahh, small town life.

What in the World are the Whitleys up to?

HELLLLLOOOOOOOOO!!! Jonathan and I have decided we kind of stink at keeping people informed of our "goings on" so we have decided to make life simpler with a blog. (Thanks for the suggestion Kristie and Emma... we're following through just a few short months later)!

We have really been enjoying our time in the Hoosier state. In case you didn't know, I was born in the great state of Indiana where my parents both grew up. I have lots of awesome family members who still live here so Jonathan and I have frequented these corn-filled lands the past 7 years. The fam owns a lakehouse which my cousin Jil refers to as "the Beacon" because it draws us all back together again. This beacon, otherwise known as Twin Oaks Cottage: Pier 131, has been serving as a resting place for Jonathan and I for the past few months while we search for our next great adventure. Hopefully this blog will help you feel all caught up with the Whitleys!

(We know we're so incredibly interesting that your life will soon revolve around our postings).