Running for Orphans

We had so much fun participating in our church's annual Soul 2 Sole 5k race that supports our orphanage in Uganda, Africa. This was Hartlee's first race...she did awesome! :) Of course, Cannon preferred holding someone's hand, so sweet Kayla ran with him. Shane actually ran also! Go Daddy! Mom and I walked the race and had a great time...my mom's first race also! :) So thankful to be apart of these sweet kids' lives in Uganda.


I just love her more and more everyday! :)


Cannon and Hartlee ready to race!

Supporting her big bro and sis

Kayla running with Cannon

Daddy and Hartlee racing for the finish line

October

Oh my! October has flown by! Probably due to many sleepless nights and foggy days...sometimes I feel like a walking zombie :) I've figured out that it takes me about 30 minutes just to get out of the house!...Three kids will definitely slow you down a little, but we are loving it. We are also LOVING the beautiful weather! So thankful for the cooler temps! Looking forward to the holidays...just love this time of the year!

The kiddos at the Pumpkin Patch here in Boerne...funny how the pumkins only lasted about a day because the kids were playing "catch" with them :)

Sutherlin is just so precious! Don't you love it how a baby smells after they have had a bath and a whole bottle of lotion rubbed on them! :)

Hartlee copies everything her "bubba" does...

Sweet sibling love :)

All dressed up for church! Thanks to Sutherlin's auties for all the great hand-me-downs!

Sutherlin Hope Menn

Yay!! Sutherlin is finally here! The delivery was so peaceful and we were so excited to welcome Sutherlin into our little family. She is precious and so wonderful...all 7 lb 15 ounces of her...so much fun to have a tiny little girl :) Much thanks to all of our prayer warriors!

Shane's 30th Birthday

My sweet husband turns 30 next week! We had fun celebrating with our friends and family at Mi Casa Tamales here in Boerne. Great music, good fellowship, and yummy food. Shane's big surprise was a new kayak...boy was that an adventure keeping a kayak hidden from him :) Thanks to all who helped make it a memorable birthday! What an amazing husband the Lord has given me! I pray we have many more celebrations in store.

Shane and his uncle Bryan

Shane's 1 request for his birthday :)

Surprise! A new kayak! I even found matching kayak lifejackets for Shane and Cannon!

Just another day at the Menn Casa...the kids love to dress up

Rainy day arts and crafts

The Big Race and Cannon's 1st Day of Preschool

Cannon got to run in a little kid's fun run before Coach's cross country meet in New Braunfels...of course, Coach had to run with him and hold his hand :) Cannon did a great job. He told his preschool teacher the day before that he was tired of playing on the play ground because he wanted to save his energy for his race and that he needed to stay hydrated...ha!...what a nut! I wonder where he learned that from???... Just like his mommy :)

Cannon's first day of preschool went well! He loves his new teacher Mrs. Sheryl and we are so excited his friend Davis is in his class. We only had a couple of tears, but he adjusted well and ended up having a really good day. He told one of the teachers, "my mommy was right, this isn't so bad after all"...sweet boy, I just love him and miss him when he is at school. Hartlee goes to "school" at Grammy's house and she is very proud of her lunch box that she gets to take with her :)

Summer Days...

We enjoyed watching the Geneva Eagles first game of the season! 6 man football is really fun to watch :) Coach did a great job coaching!

Two peas in a pod...Cannon was SO THRILLED to get a shirt like his Daddy...he wore it proudly to church :)

Hartlee is all ready to ride her bike! Sweet girl...she brings a smile to my face!

Gotta Love Grandparents!

We celebrated my brother-in-law, Ryan's, birthday this weekend with some really yummy BBQ and super crazy good cupcakes! Happy 30th Birthday, Ryan! Grammy and Coach got some great pics with the kids...gotta make room for 1 more soon! :)

Hartlee's 2nd Birthday

I know, I know...it's been way too long! I'll go ahead and blame it on the pregnancy and the fact that my USB camera card reader broke :( But, I'm back! I'll try to catch up with some pics!


Lots and lots of sprinklers in the backyard :)


Popsicle fun with cousins Makenna and Emma



So crazy, but Hartlee likes to put on layers of Cannon's clothes...I think she has 5 different pants on in this pic!

Cannon took 2 weeks of swim lessons and did awesome!

Shane swimming with the kids in Leakey at the family reunion

Happy 4th of July! Pam-ma made them matching outfits with their names on them :)

My little cuties :)

Hartlee's first haircut...finally :) She did so good!

Makenna's ballet recital...we were so proud of her!

Baby Taran and Aunt Michelle came to visit!

My big girl is potty trained!!!

Happy 2nd Birthday, Hartlee!!

The big birthday bash...CareBear style! :)

My little big 4 year old

I can't believe I'm actually typing that my baby boy has turned 4! It's amazing how fast time flies bye! I just have to say that Cannon has brought so much joy to my life. He is constantly cracking me up with his little one-liners that sound like a 19 year old in a totally hick accent. What a wise little spirit he has been given by God, and I pray the Lord uses his life to bring glory to His Name. I am grateful for the valuable one-on-one time Cannon and I got to spend before Hartlee was born...that time was so precious to me. I remember looking at him while we would lie in bed and he had just dozed off for a 3 hour nap and thinking that nothing in the world could be as cute as him. It's been so priceless to watch him interact with Hartlee and how he is the most protective big brother I have ever met in my life. From the first day he met her, he has been so gracious in loving and teaching her. I never once had to deal with jealousy from him towards her...what a gift. And, amazingly, he is just as excited about this next baby. What a precious, gifted, sweet boy the Lord has given Shane and I. We celebrated him turning 4 with a basketball birthday and the basketball pavillion here in Boerne. It was perfect and the kids had a blast. Huge shoutout to my friends Bear and Steve who dressed up as referees and played games with the kids :) And what a fun turnout of friends and family! We are so very blessed!

Jellystone

Ok, there is a fabulous rv/camping park near Canyon Lake called Jellystone Park...yes, like Yogi Bear and Boo Boo. My parents took our family over Spring Break and we had so much fun! Not only did the kids get to meet Yogi Bear, but there was also a HUGE blob trampoline, fun bicycle gocarts, arts and crafts, and a swimming pool. We didn't exactly "rough it" though, we got to stay in a cabin with a/c :) We played "candy bar bingo"...Coach won 8 candy bars! And we roasted marshmellows as well. I'm serious, anyone with kids definitely needs to check this place out! So much fun! Thanks Grammy and Coach!

Morning Sickness and 3oth Bday

I've missed out on so many updates because my computer isn't working right! Not fun! Well, I've also been super super sick from this pregnancy, so I haven't felt like doing much anyways. Huge highlight of the past couple of week was turning 30!!! Woohoo!! My family came in for the weekend and we had such a great time hanging out together...I am really just so thankful for my family. And, I still can't believe it, but my husband/family/friends actually pulled off a surprise party! I seriously did not know anything about it! I know Shane and Courtney worked really hard with all the details, and I'm so thankful for everyone that was there. I was super pumped to have my sweet friend Steph come in from College Station and stay the night! Priceless!! Something I will never forget is the incredible prayer time we had at the Loft during the party. There is nothing more amazing than sitting in the presence of God with all of the people I love the most in this world. And the letters that Courtney got together from all of my closest friends and family were absolutely unforgettable...each one touched my heart in such a special way...I am incredibly loved and blessed. So thankful for God's grace over my life!!