Sorry Dad.....I know it's been waaayyyyyy too long since we've posted!!

Hello there everyone...what can I say..I know it's been months since we've added to the blog, and for that I am very sorry...especially to you, Dad!! Please forgive me!! Okay.....let's get started...we have lots to catch up on--don't we Dad???

The Winslow Wood Adventure!!

Our Camping Trip to Moose Hillock...06---the diary.....

Well...for our third annual camping trip with the Lowman's we decided on Moose Hillock...a Christian campground in Warren, NH. The Lowman's had been there before, but we never had. The Lowman's invited two other families that had adopted children as well...so it was going to be a good sized crew. This was our first official trip with our pop-up camper. We had to take two cars as Glenn's work van pulls the camper. Wow...what a lot of stuff we had. Anyway..our site was right on the river...it was so nice...the kids could go down there and play...and they were very safe. Moose Hillock is known for it's heated swimming pool with two water slides.Check out the website: www.moosehillock.com ..the kids loved that!! We thought the sites were nice and wooded, too...which was good!! We were all in the same area!!
Crazy thing about this trip was that Britt started driver's ed...so we had to bring her back and forth for two days...and Maddie and I had a wedding to go to...which was nice, but another thing, too. It was still tons of fun!! We had a weenie roast on our first night there..which was nice...and then Friday night we had a potluck dinner...we had wonderful things to eat all cooked outdoors...barbequed pork sandwiches and beans, hamburger casserole, pizza...it was yummy!!
I bought a dutch oven for this trip and we loved it!! So fun to cook. Glenn welded me a tri-pod device to hang it over the fire. Saturday night we had a dessert buffet which was yummy, too!!
Friday night we sat around and sang praise and worship songs....wow...that was soooo cool!! Anyway...we had a great time. Below is the slide show of the photos. Lifetime friends were made for sure!!!

Our Camping Trip to Moose Hillock!!

Our Super Star Birthday Girl!!

Maddie's 11th Birthday Bash!!

Well..it's hard to believe that our little girl is 11. Wow....we had a great day. She chose a huge chocolate chip pancake for breakfast, and hotdogs for lunch, and then we went to a Fisher Cats game in Manchester in the evening. We went with our dear friends the Robertson's. Before the game we went to the Puritan Back Room for a wonderful birthday dinner. A great time was had by all. Sydney slept over that night and then Abby Lambert came over the next day. Brittany made her specialty chocolate chip muffins for their breakfast, and they had a blast swimming in the green but much improved pool. Then a few days later we had a celebration with Grammy and Grampa and Matt and Miriam and Maggie...it was great fun....we had our dinner at McDonald's!! God has blessed us with Madelyn Swan Winslow, and we are so very thankful!!

Are We Pool People.???..You Decide!!

Our New Pool......The whole Saga!!!

Glenn finally said yes that we could save money in our envelope system for a pool. The kind that you fill the ring with air and then fill up the pool with water and the ring rises. Anyway...I priced them out for the size we wanted at about $379.00. So...we begin saving. I had $75.00 in my envelope and thought that maybe the pool would have to wait until next year as we continued to save.
Well...one Sunday morning after church, our friend Sonja mentioned that she saw a pool like we were looking for at a yard sale the day before. They were moving to California and had only used it a few weeks last year. They were asking $110.00 for it, but Sonja thought her husband would say yes to them getting it, so she talked them down to $75.00. That was Saturday. Sonja took us by the yard sale after church the next day. The yard sale was all done and they just had some free stuff beside the road. Sure enough...they still had the pool. They had paid $379.00 for it last year, and just really wanted to sell it. So....as any yankee trained by the master negotiator David Meserve ...I offered her $40.00....she thought for a bit and said..."sure!!"...and so....we purchased our dream pool...18 ft. in diameter and 42 inches deep...it really is true..God cares about the little things...big time!!
So...Glenn built a box to put it in, and we had a delivery of stone dust to pack it down and make it level. What a smart man I'm married to!! I thank God for him every day.

So...we get the pool set up and filling with water, but...Glenn's not happy with the progress from the hose...so he hooks up the hose to the pump in the basement to make it go faster, not thinking that he is completely by passing our water treatment tank....anyway... Glenn goes to prayer meeting with Brittany. Forgetting to put the plugs in the side. Grace noticed water flowing from the side of the pool around 8:00 that night....yikes!!! So I ran out and plugged it up as best I could. Then we added the proper chemicals to shock the pool and get it to the right levels. The next day we got up...and instead of crystal clear water...we had the equivelant of a rootbeer float....YUCK!! Then I discovered after much research that due to the iron content of our water, when you add chlorine to that...it turns brown like iced tea!! UGH....so we set off in search a metal sequestrant treatment for the pool, and to buy Maddie's birthday presents, too. When we returned home...I heard running water outside...and went out to find that the pool side had collapsed and water was running everywhere...we quickly took care of that...and added our new chemicals...as we were returning inside...Glenn said..."I'm not sure we are pool people!!"...still brown water...so we went to a pool store in Rochester and got a miracle thing called a "slime bag"....we ran the water from the pool through this...and over the course of a few days it took out the iron...enough so that we had good enough water for Maddie to swim in for her birthday a few days later. The water does look a bit green in the above slide show, but it was so much better. Now it's very clear. Glenn even rigged up his own water heating system.....oh that hubby of mine!! So...are we pool people....well..it sure has been fun!!!

Jon's pony ride part two

Coming around the corner is Jon's first pony ride!! Yeah!!

Jon takes his first pony ride!!

Here's Jon's first pony ride!! Part one!!

Pony rides at Strawbery Banke

Maddie and Grace take a pony ride. It's Grace's first!! Yeah!!

Strawbery Banke With the Family!!

On Saturday July 8th we all went to Strawbery Banke with Grammy Linda and Grampa Dave, too. We had a wonderful day with pony rides and a great cookout, and touring the wonderful buildings, too!! Thanks Grampa Dave!!! We love you!!






















One of the kids favorite places was an interactive building with games and a "real" old fashioned kitchen. The girls and Jon loved playing in that!!

Glenn Sees the basement for the first time!!

Brittany led Glenn downstairs when he got home to surprise him. We gave him the impression there was something wrong....he was really excited!! Well...as excited as a tired hard workin' carpenter named Glenn could be!! It was really fun!!

Jon's basement bike ride!!

Jon was so excited to ride his bike in the new and improved basement!!!

New Improved Winslow Basement!!!

Rollerblading in the basement...could it be true?? Yes!! Check out the new shelves Glenn built me, and all of the organization...now there is lots of room down there!! Room enough for some rollerblading!! Wow!!!

Grace's Crazy Cat Eli!!!

Here is Eli...taking a nap......Britt snapped this photo....It's his favorite napping place!!!

The Meserve's Remember Aunt Ginny

On Saturday June 10th we gathered together to remember the live of our dear Aunt Ginny. She was such a kind and loving woman!! A true picture of hospitality and God's love. Four of the five living Meserve siblings were present. Absent was Uncle Bob who was attending a graduation in Chicago. To the left is some of the other relatives there....including our cousin Wayne whom we hadn't seen in probably 30+ years. A wonderful time was had by all!!

The Winslow's go to StoryLand...What Could be More "EGGS" citing???

"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, and always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." 1st Corinthians 15:58

Maddie and Grace have a small egg business. They have been selling eggs since we got the chickens in February. They have a can that they save their money in. They tithe on it, save some in their account, and then save in the can. They had a dream of taking the family to Storyland. Well....they saved $95.00 in their can, and Daddy said we could go!! They paid for us all to get in!! They were sooooo excited. What a sense of accomplishment for them!! We had a great time!! Below are photos and then also some videos of things there!! It's truly a very "family" friendly place and we loved it!! Thanks Grace and Maddie!!
Grammie Linda came with us for the day, too!! We all had a great time!!

The Winslow Storyland Adventures

Merry go round at Storyland!!! The happy version!!

On Saturday June 17th Grace was honored at NHPTV for her award winning story..."America My New Home" We had a great time!! Maddie read the story to everyone there and many tears were shed. It's such a touching real life story!! Great job Grace!!! She was interviewed on TV and they had her say..."See the Difference!!"....watch for her on channel 11!!









Grace's NHPTV Awards Ceremony

Turn up the volume and listen to Maddie read Grace's award winning story. There wasn't a dry eye in the house!! Great job Grace!!

Happy 10th Birthday Gracie!!

"Our beautiful birthday girl!!"









We are so blessed to have Grace in our family!! We loved celebrating her first every birthday in America!! Grace had never had a birthday party before!! She was soooo excited!! Here is her menu for the day!!
Breakfast: Apple pancakes and bacon with fresh juice by Mom!!
Lunch: Hot dogs, cheese curls, canteloupe ("that green stuff with bumps on it"), kiwi, and heart shaped cupcakes with peanutbutter frosting!!
Supper: Spaghetti with meatballs, (and Grace had hotdogs, too!), salad, garlic bread, and chocolate chip cake and vanilla icecream!!

We had a "family" party in the morning with her breakfast. Glenn had the day off!! Yeah!! Grace was so excited to get a TV/VCR for the club house!! Then she had friends over for lunch and Brittany gave them tractor rides!! Then a family party for dinner, and a special gift of a little fridge from Matt and Miriam and Maggie!! Wow...they can now move into the club house!!


The table is all set for the dinner party!!

Tractor Rides by:Britt









The kids all love to be together!!
Grammie and the gang!!



Friends for lunch!!










"Mom's" in training!!! Grace and Maddie!! What great Mommy's they are going to make some day!!



Grace's gift pile!! Wow!!







Abby, Maggie, and Jon!!









Fun in the clubhouse!!


Grace and her beautiful birthday dress from Auntie Brenda!!












Grace's big surprise from Matt and Miriam......a little fridge for the club house!! Daddy and Matt bring it on up!!!