Christmas Announcement 2011

Yesterday we had Logan open up a mystery gift. She had to figure out what the gift was by the clues given in the box. Can you figure it out before she does?  Merry Christmas!

Logan 5, Luke 23 months

Logan's Makeover

Lo wanted to put on makeup today. Usually I tell her no because of the mess it makes. Today I said yes. She enjoy it. No....she LOVED it. I'm learning to not let the worry of "the mess" get in the way of doing things she finds joy in.

The finished product....

just like daddy...

 he wants to be just like his daddy. that would be wonderful. 

"i got this last part dad."

Cinderella and Mickey

It's the Mickey Mouse Club House....come inside it's fun inside. M I C K E Y....M O U S E

Thankful my Sis let us borrow this costume for Luke. My nephew Cody wore this costume many many years ago. Thankful she kept it. To say Luke thinks Mickey Mouse is pretty great...is a slight understatement.

Standing by Mickey's side  is our little Cinderella. We remind her often how beautiful God made her heart.

Our attempt at a family shot.... 

Happy Halloween. Hope you got too much candy like we did. 

Say Lolo (video)

Someday (soon) Luke will figure out how to say Lolo correctly. And when he does I am sure I will quickly forget how he once said it. So I thought we would capture the memory and store it.

Luke (20 months)

he makes me smile....

Luke's not a fan of cats. Or dogs. Or any animal that invades your personal space. This is the face he makes if he sees a cat. (or dog) This particular day it was Zeke, the neighborhood cat who thinks he lives with us. AND I think Zeke thinks he's a dog. Either way, Luke is not a fan of Zeke. This face makes me laugh EVERY SINGLE TIME.  I may or may not point out Zeke to Luke every time I see him just to see him make this face. Hope you like it as much as I do.

Something Different...

Last week our family needed a little change of scenery. So we took the train to a little town about 45 minutes away for a picnic in the park and some ice cream. It was the kids first time on a train so it was a new adventure. 

The kids looking out the window... enjoying the beautiful vineyards.

Our lunch spot. It's nearly impossible to get a picture with BOTH kids looking at the camera. 

The amazing ice cream. This was one scoop. Trav ordered Rocky Road and I ordered 

Cookies and Cream....

....and Lo ordered LEMON! Yuck. But she liked it. 

My Loves....

My attempt at getting a picture of Luke. My busy boy.

Sissy... 

My happy boy dancing. He does this a lot. Even when there is no music. We think he hears his own music. Thats ok Luke. We will dance with you. 

Logan's First Day of Preschool Year Two....

This was one year ago...

What a difference a year makes. I think she has grown a foot. 

Do you like Lo's "green" (every drop counts) shirt? She's bringing awareness to her PreK class. 

This year Lo is a Busy Bee in Ms. Debbie's class. 

Her Fancy Nancy backpack. Thank you Nana and Grandpa!

What did Luke do while his sister was at her first day of school???....he got into the Comet. He actually had a ball doing it. He's crying in the picture because Mommy sternly said, "NO, NO Lukie!" before I grabbed the camera. Silly boy. 

i heart summer nights

I love summer nights. Especially when we are in our backyard, under the stars and in our PJs.

Thoughts on Kade's Birthday....

This perfectly made little boy belongs to one of our close friends, Travis and Jessica Visser. You can read about their story here. They came into our lives suddenly through tragedy. We deeply love and cherish their friendship. They gave their first born son back to the Lord over 3 years ago. Today he turns 4. 

I didn't know Kade. I wish I did. The Vissers came into our lives after Kade was already with the Lord. But I still wish I could have held him. To hold him would have been to know him. To know his smell, his touch, to see his eyes, his smile...so when his Mommy talks about him, I would be able to recall because I had those moments of my own with him.

Even though I haven't had those moments.... he has still taught me so much about our Creator and His sovereignty.  

Kade's Mommy is wonderful. A drop everything for you in a moments notice type of friend. She knows God like I probably never will. She shows me how to praise the Lord because He is good in every circumstance. In ALL circumstance. Everyday.  

Kade, I selfishly wish you and Tyler were here with us and able to play and run around with all these crazy kids. But I know you don't. My eyes have not seen what you have and my understanding is so small in the vastness of the Lord. I am thankful and jealous that you are with Jesus and your eyes have seen. Happy 4th Birthday little boy. Thanks for teaching me so much. 

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

Swim Lessons 2011

The kids did swim lessons this year. We are around water so much that Trav and I make teaching our kids how to swim a priority.

Luke (18 months) and I did a Mommy and Me class with my friend Kim. Even though the first week of class was full of tears and screaming, it was a fun Mommy/Son time for us. Luke loves the water. I would definitely not call him a swimmer but he was able to swim underwater while holding his breath. WIN! He also learned how to jump off the step and side of the pool and kick and swim to me. He was so proud of himself. Luke was a hit in the class. Luke had a very "unique" style of swimming. He looked like a crazy man. His head and arms flailed everywhere while kicking. If I hadn't tipped his shoulders while he "swam" he would have done circles. It was truly amazing to watch.

Logan (4 1/2 years old) took 4 lessons at Amy Morris with Ms. Kelsey (which happened to be one of Trav's previous Math students). We originally weren't going to do lessons with Lo but half way through summer decided we should. She really loved it. She asks me almost everyday if she can take more swim lessons. I think we may have a little swimmer on our hands. She loves the water. Logan learned her first strokes this year. (Freestyle and another one I don't remember the name of...opps. She or Trav will remember...I will post later)  She also learned how to dive.  All and all, they loved it, and learned a potentially life saving skill. WIN! WIN!

Mommy and Me Class

Luke watching Logan

Freestyle

 Dive...

 graduation...

 Lo and Ms. Kelsey

My Noni...

I love my Noni. My 89 year old Noni. She is spicy. I think I got that from her. There is nothing better than an 89 year old Italian Grandma. If I ever need to feel loved, I just go see my Noni. There is never a shortage of love and loyalty there. I am (along with all her kids/grandkids/great grandkids) amazing in her eyes. We still go to her house for weekly Sunday dinners. Yep, she still cooks dinner for most of them. I know, amazing. (and yummy)

This particular day, after dinner, before baths, we turned the hose on to cool off. Someone convinced Noni to run with the kids through the hose. Then she decided she wanted to squirt the sweet, innocent little kids with the hose. She loved it. We loved watching it. I grabbed my camera.

I wish everyone could have a Noni. She is precious to me.

Check out her face!!! HA! 

  Her victims. (not really....they LOVED it)

Splash Park...

We have spent a LOT of time in water this summer. In fact, my fingers are permanently wrinkly. We have some great splash parks here in town. Its been a great way to keep us folks without pools cool and busy in this (sometimes) miserable heat. This particular day, I had my camera. My sister and her kids met us at the Park. It was a good day.

I still laugh when I see this picture. Whoever created this particular water attraction had a funny sense of humor. It starts really small and then an innocent child goes and playfully bends over to touch the small sweet trickle of water that is sprouting forth from the ground.... to be suddenly squirt in the face by a big surge of water. Luke got it right in his eye! Mean Mommy for waiting 5 minutes with my camera ready to capture.

 I don't think he minded much. He loved it!

Luke & Little Gym

This Summer we decided to enroll Luke in a Little Gym class. He loved it of course. Highlights for Luke...BALLS, bubbles, bells, BALLS!  Little man LOVES balls. He wasn't a fan of the group time but he loved the "exploring" portion of the class. He is Mr. Independent. Towards the end of the summer all he wanted to do at class was hang from the bar. Money well spent. 

Bells

Exploring...

 Sissy watching...

 BALLS....

bubbles....