Cheese!

Sweet Caleb. I'm thinking it may be time for me to get this boy's hair cut. think?

New Gracie Picture

I got a new camera for my birthday - the nikon d80!! i have been dreaming about this camera for years. (what an awesome hubbie!) i will be posting a ton of new pics in the days and weeks to come. here's a picture of grace that i took in her bedroom on a backdrop. cc welcomed!

Crazy Kids

Quote says, "Go sell crazy someplace else, we're all stocked up around here." jack nicolson "As Good As It Gets"; template by Kate Teague from "The Goods" kit; papers by sande krieger from 2peas "party on" kit; quote from designer digitals quote challenge by patti knox;

Family Reunion Pics

Emme and Aunt Debbie - can't you tell she's just crazy about her? and vice-versa!

Luke thinks Emme is hilarious and she loves to perform for him!

Luke and his cousin Emme - great friends.

Same picture, just black and white.

Gracie

I took this picture last night while we were out feeding the geese. I was taking pics with my telephoto lens on my d70. No matter how you look at it, the child is drop-dead gorgeous!

Me and my Baby!

Cameron took this picture of Caleb and I at the park last night. I haven't been crazy about pictures of myself lately, but this one I love!

Luka

I haven't been able to scrap much lately - something about this pesky little move. Which seems
to be hitting us much harder than the previous ones. But I took a moment out of my day filled with unpacking, organizing and painting, to create this layout, of which I am incredibly proud!

yet another ryan pic

Here's another one! (Hi, Hannah!)

New Pictures

Last weekend Nicole and I took Ryan out to take some pictures of him. I wanted real ones
that showed his character, but also his really fun side. Plus, I didn't want the kind of "little
kid" pictures that we've been getting for so long!
So here is one of the resulting images. (definitely more to follow):

Here is a layout that I put together tonight with this picture. I did it using a kit that I
purchased at www.designerdigitals.com. The designer's name is Jessica Sprague. She's
created this whole new layout walk-through series. This one was entitled, "Extracting a pattern to create an overlay". If you are at all interested in digital scrapbooking, check her out!

The journaling reads:

Ryan, I cannot express to you how I feel when
Ilook at this picture. You look so old to me, and
yet you are only ten! I try to tell you often what
a great kid you are and I hope you know that
when I say that, I really mean it. You are kind and
generous. You areso good to your siblings (most of
the time), & you are so much fun to be around!
I love you!

Ryan

PLAY!

Seriously dude!

This has to be one of the grossest things ever. The can pictured below is a crisco spray can - or should i say it used to be a crisco spray can. Cameron uses this stuff on his grill before cooking. However, this can was left outside all winter. I would have immediately thrown it away, but you know my husband, he decided that it was "fine" and put it in my cabinet. I pulled it out and was absolutely appalled by it. I told Cameron how gross it was, so he had to show me that it really wasn't that bad. As you can see, he pulled this disgusting nozzle off of the can and put it in his mouth!!

close-up of the nozzle and top of the can

oh yeah! this is the man i sleep with every night!
(i am so proud!)

you can barely even read the side of the can anymore!

I'm pretty sure this is mold growing on the nozzle.

Wedding Photos

Flower girl extraordinaire!

Back from Breck

So, we just spent four wonderful days in Breckenridge, CO. I got to spend some time wtih one of my best friends in the whole world, Jenelle. We had a blast. We laughed and laughed. She remembered stories that I had long forgotten and vice versa.
Cameron and the kids went skiing. Well, the kids minus Caleb. He got to spend the week at his grandparents' house. This was the first time skiing for both Grace and Luke. They were awesome! I will post some more pics next time.
Overall, I'm not sure who had more fun - I guess it depends who you ask!)

2007

Okay, maybe not the best picture I've ever taken, but very real. In the first place I have no make-up on today. Secondly, I am absolutely wiped out from beating the men at the "Battle of the Sexes" New Year's Eve party last night. Let's see, I believe I remember that someone was going to open up a can of something on us!) We had an absolute blast! I am seriously making this an annual event. (except Lauren S. may never come back to baby-sit - it was a little chaotic.)

But aside from all of that, the reason I am posting this not-so-great picture of me is to record what I look like at the beginning of 2007. To be honest, 2006 really took it out of me. I would say this was one of our harder years, but also a year of great blessings. God is so good. When I don't know what He is up to I can always come back to that. God is good.

To all of my friends, I wish you a very happy new year. I pray blessings over your families. I am so thankful for every single one of you. Here's to a fantastic 2007!!!

NEW YEARS EVE PARTY!

okay, so I hear that a challenge has been issued regarding a battle of the sexes
at our New Year's Eve party. Will the men never learn? It's not like we don't
beat them at everything else every day of their lives. But oh well, if it's a
challenge they want, it's a challenge we'll give them. I hear that the men are
coming with their "game faces on".
All I can say to that is ladies, come with a full out cute attack. Those jeans
that he loves? wear them! Any perfume that you wear that temporarily
disengages him? wear it - in huge quantities!

JUST KIDDING EVERYONE! (girls, wink wink)

Just come to have a good time.
Time: 5:30 - 11:30 pm (we'll watch the ball drop eastern time)
Date: December 31 (hence the name of the party)
Location: 1025 w. ward pkwy. I think all of you have been here, but it's stone meadows,
plainview entrance, first turn into division (park hill) takes you all the way here.
Who is coming - well, everyone who is invited, but not just some random passerby
who happens upon my blog! You don't come!

To sign up to bring something, either an appetizer or a dessert, just click on the little
"comment" below this. when you leave your comment, leave your name and what you are bringing then everyone else will be able to see it.
It would also be helpful to get a head count of children. In case you misunderstood the claim that "we have childcare taken care of" that simply means, bring your kids and let them create mayhem in my home. However, I have offered to pay Lauren Sweet to be in charge of little ones - ie my rotten two-year-old! (Lauren, if you're reading this he's an absolute angel, changes his own diapers, puts himself to bed, everything you could ask for in a babysitting job!)

All that being said, please come. It will be a ton of fun.

(side note: susan, if you happen to read this call me because we would love for you and your husband and your boys to come. I think the trouts are coming. i am out of town until the 30th, but i will try to find your number to call you. so you are exempt from the passer-by rule!)

One more thing: as you can see, my blog is a host of mindless information. It is my outlet for being a stay-at-home mom, which i wouldn't trade for the world. Scroll down and take a look at my scrapbook page of Luke. And continue to stop by. you never know what you'll find...

My Darling

Okay, so I may be a tiny bit biased, but is this not the cutest child you have ever seen? I seriously think if I took the girl to Hollywood she could be the next Dakota Fanning!
I found this picture today and just had to post it!
Have a great day!

Civil Disobedience

Since a friend of mine (Susan) was mentioning to me at our church crop last Friday that I never post anything on my blog, I thought I would tell a little story. I told this to another friend of mine who told me I need to write it down. I can't ever find a pen in this house, so I decided to just post it here. That way when I forget it in a week or so I can come back to it, and even if no one else laughs I will.
Recently we had guest visitors to our adult Sunday school class who are missionaries in an undisclosed Muslim country. After church while we were eating lunch I started to tell the kids about them. I think I was searching for that ever-elusive "teachable moment". Anyway, we were talking about what it would be like to live in a country where it was illegal to tell people about Jesus.
Gracie said, "but it's okay to break the law if you're obeying God, right?"
I thought, 'she gets it, she really gets it'. And I answered her, "absolutely. the Bible tells us that God is our priority and we obey His law rather than man's."
Gracie said, "wow, that would be so cool..."

and that in and of itself would make a beautiful story,
if she hadn't finished the thought with, "I've always wanted to break the law."
It's funny, she looks so innocent!
(I would just like to state for the record that this thought process obviously comes from her father's side of the family!)

Disney World Photos (part one)

Get Your Own! | View Slideshow

Luke Plays Soccer!

Now, in addition to running around to Ryan's football games and Gracie's soccer games we have added Luke's soccer games. I know, I know, it's all my fault for scheduling us like this, but which child am I going to say no to? Realize, of course that I am married to a bariatric surgeon who can quote the risks of childhood obesity off the top of his head at a moment's notice (not to my children of course), and you will see why our children are always playing one sport or another. Here are some pics of Luke at his first practice and at his first game!
PS - feeling much better on new meds!