Grow Me!

This is by far my most favorite photo I have taken.  It keeps things real and I must be doing my job right.  Not really, I am sad that I get this face so often.  I am never ready for defiance.  I don't know how to help this beautiful creature when she doesn't like what I have to say.  I am blessed and Thankful to have opportunities to grow as a mother.  I am Thankful that she is comfortable enough to show all her emotions with me, no matter how hard they are to handle...I am praying continually to help me grow (joyful, as a mother, as a wife, as a friend and a Christian) and to help grow my Children in the way of the Lord.  I see myself so well in this photo...Change me so I can be the example of Joy!

New Do's

My oldest daughter could no wait to chop her hair off.  She just wanted it short in what she called a "converted bob".  As much as I want her hair to grow, I couldn't tell her no.  She needs to decide what she likes.  I do like her new do but I am hoping my youngest wants long hair.

Thank you Mrs. Rachelle for a great new look!

My son also had his hair done...he sweated off the gel but still looks handsome....this is his check out my injury face...It looks so much worse the next day...but he finds it funny when he looks in the mirror...Oh Boys!

All in A Day's Work!

This is what happens when a Super Hero wears his mask too long.  His identity is bound to be found out.

This Super Hero fell during his daring mission from a towering sky scraper (aka...rope ladder at the park).

He happened to land face first and his mask helped to make this nice impression upon his face.

I was serious about the mask.  I am just thankful we left the cape at home or it could have been much worse.

*I just noticed how fitting his shirt is in the top photo... 

Twin Connection

Twins are so cool...Kids are so cool but to be able to see the differences in my boy vs. girl twins is amazing.  We really have been blessed beyond our means of understanding.  They are a lot of work esp. in the beginning but I find that I love it and would have it no other way...everything takes twice as long but again, love it!  Our son is all boy with a little "I'm okay with pink and babydolls" and our daughter is spunky and can "keep up with the boys".  They have their spats but are very very sad when the other isn't with them.  It is a beautiful thing.

Sibling Love

I love that for the most part my kids really do love one another.  They have their normal spats over things like "that's mine! Don't touch me and I want that" but they really do love eachother.  They don't like to be apart when one is away with a friend or our oldest is at a class.  It is a beautiful thing!  My children are beautiful and loving little beings!

I Miss Him

This one I call Husband.  He who loves and works to show love.  I miss him so!

He keeps me grouded and reminds me how important the little things are.

My best friend!

Love Love Love him!

Spitfire

As my mother in law put it last night...Here is my Spitfire...She is my youngest and is the one who keeps me on my toes.  How I love her so!

Help Me Ronda!

I was told before moving to Spain, that Ronda was a town I needed to visit. I was in awe at the massiveness of this bridge. Puente Viejo "Old Bridge" and Puente Nuevo "New Bridge" span across the canyon which serve as a main attraction in Ronda. Puente Nuevo towers 390 feet above the canyon floor. "New Bridge" is misleading as the bridge took 42 years to complete. It was completed in 1793. My family and I are loving all that we are learning and seeing in our adventures here in Spain.

My little girl, 3 years, traced her hand today for the first time. All on her own and rather well!

Kids in the Kitchen

Tonight my oldest daughter cooked dinner for us. Apple Chicken Curry.The Ingredients.

Chopped Onions

Garlic

Cubed Chicken

Curry paste

Soy Sauce

Coconut Milk

Apples, thinly sliced

Rice

PeasSaute Onions and Garlic in Olive Oil. Add curry, soy sauce and coconut milk.She's got the stance.Add Chicken and Apples.Prepare the rice.Add your peas.Say Cheese.Plate it up. We used cookie cutters to form our rice into fun shapes.

Set Table and Enjoy.



This is where my little one was while we were eating though...All was enjoyed by me but the kids were not too keen on the apples...I think next tart I need to use a tarter apple...It is a must recipe now...

What kind of mother thinks this is a good idea. In an attempt to make breakfast interesting and fun this morning, I had a stroke of brilliance. Let's make your daughter pink eggs. Red food coloring is unbecoming on your morning eggs just so you know. I have created a monster! I do not take offense and have never questioned why people ask me my natural hair color. It provides amusement to my life...I have found joy this morning in attempt to be "cool", I don't think this is something I am going to be able to achieve but hopefully I can continue to laugh at myself in the process.

Genes!

I don't know how it works but Genes are an amazing thing. God works his magic and we are so

wonderfully and uniquly made. How is it that my blonde blue eyed little boy looks so much like my

Dad, who happens to have brown hair and eyes. I am amazed and boggled.

I think my family will agree with me...I love my little "Dennis"!

Ice Cream

There is definitely a reason Ice Cream Cones were invented. They thought they were delicious and I was glad they were eating them outside!

A Hunting We Will Go!

My daughter is such a joy. She is kookie with a great spirit!

She loves to have fun and today she created a Scavenger hunt for me!

Her directions were cute,

And the prize wasn't what was behind the door it was Seeing how much joy it brought her to be creative and want to share with me, Just Mom!

Lil L. 5lb 15oz. Feb. 18, 2007 at 12:12pm
Lil M. 5lb 6oz 12:16pm

First Birthday

Second Birthday

We are 3!

Three years ago yesterday our Twins were born. The past three years have been full of fun, learning, busy-ness and change. We found out we were expecting June of 2006. From the beginning, the pregnancy was so different from that of our oldest. When we went in for our 13 week appointment and the Dr. tried very hard to tell us we were further along than we expected. I could not except this as truth, I knew something was very different. We met our new midwife at our 17 week appointment. She was and is so awesome. As she was checking our baby's heart rate, she tried to get a better angle to hear more clearly. She informed us that she felt there was more than one in there. In a split second our baby turned into babies. The ultrasound confirmed her suspision, there were two in there. I cried,over come with fear, joy and fear. At 20 weeks, we found out we were having a boy and a girl. We were so excited. Our oldest most of all. She was thrilled to be having a brother and sister at the same time. She actually predicted it, we asked what she wanted to have "a brother or a sister?" when we found out we were pregnant. Her reply "Both". I went into our 35 week appointment feeling a little different from the usual and asked our Midwife if she would check to see if anything was going on. Sure enough I was already dilated to 4cm. We went to Labor and Delivery to see if we were in labor. Not so, we were able to go home but we got prepared just in case. The following evening I was having pretty consistant contractions and decided it was to go in. We were admitted around 9 in the evening. After a relatively easy preganancy (aside from discomfort driving or lying down and the love of everything else of preganancy...I loved it) and about 19 hours after the onset of Labor, our babies were born. The first two years were fun and the third even more so...Complete sentences, opinions, conversations, riding bikes, trying so hard to be big all the while being my babies. We have moved overseas and they are picking up a little of the key words in the language.