Wednesday, December 10, 2008

December Happenings

Santa Claus came for a visit last week & here are some precious pictures from the visit:

Isaiah's a little hesitant about him, hence the hand in his mouth. Amazingly, Isaiah jumped up in his lap & noticed his gloves. Here's my precious kids - all together & smiling!

Here's all of our friends who joined us for the occasion. It was quite funny because Santa's been coming to our house ever since Colby was a baby. One family came last year, and the other family for at least 2 of the past years. They are all getting older, with the oldest ones being 7. I don't know how, but they had no idea, no idea who was coming over!
Colby's school put on a Christmas play this year. Here's C0lby waiting for it to begin with his class.
He's looking so grown up & handsome!
My mom took Colby, Abigail & me to the Polar Express train in a nearby town last Friday night. It was pretty neat. Abigail was so excited! They read the book over the speakers, served hot chocolate and cookies, and had the kids dance and sing to songs from the movie! We took the train to the North Pole & then Santa and his elves joined us on the train ride back home.

The kids and the conductor!

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Happy Belated Thanksgiving

We spent Thanksgiving with Dan's family at the ranch. Here's a picture of Colby and his cousin Ross shooting air soft and bb guns outside. Colby came in and in quite a sad tone said he had shot a bird... or it might have been a leaf.

Then, Ross actually shot a bird. They went a little further and tied it up - poor thing!

Colby had an awesome time with his cousin getting to do more grown up boy things for sure!
Abigail's poor hair - very static electricity prone!
The boys.

I got to go to Colby's school last Tuesday for his class' Thanksgiving feast. Everyone was dressed as a pilgrim or indian. They all looked very precious!

This month is already going by so quickly! I really love this time of year, seeing the kids so excited and looking forward to Christmas!

Monday, November 10, 2008

Balloon Animals

Last week we went out to dinner all together. It went amazingly well, and there happened to be someone there making balloon animals. We had him come over to our table & he made some incredible things really quickly with the balloons!

Here's Isaiah's Elmo! Colby has a Spiderman. The picture doesn't do it justice - it looked really amazing.
Abigail got a princess, of course - Arial, the Little Mermaid.



The man said he and his family of 10 children are missionairies living on the TX-Mexico border. I found their website: www.frownbusters.com
Have a great week!

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Seven Prayers for Seven Days

Since I've started my blog earlier this year, I've also started ready a handful of blogs. My friend led me to one: www.audreycaroline.blogspot.com It's pretty amazing. The woman who writes it is Angie Smith. Her husband is in the Christian group, Selah. She has 4 young girls, the last of which passed away a few hours after being born this past April. She has lots of good ideas on how to lead a better Christian life. If you have a few hours and some Kleenex you should read through her blog, you too will be hooked.

This past week she came up with "Seven Prayers for Seven Days." She challenged her readers to say these prayers over her children throughout the days when they were doing 7 specific things - and to do it every day for a week. The prayers are listed below. (I copied if from her website) I am going to try and do these throughout my upcoming days and would love to encourage you to do the same. I really like that she took specific verses from the Bible to create these simple and powerful prayers. She also mentions that she says the prayers outloud so whether consciously or not her children are listening to what the Bible and she are saying she and God wish for her children.

By Angie Smith:
If you are a mom (or have someone else you want to pray for specifically), I hope you will join me as I do this for the next 7 days. It struck me that I need reminders during the day to be praying over my girls, and I decided to choose 7 events in a day that would remind me to do so. Then, I chose verses that had to do with that time of the day (for example: as my kids are getting dressed in the morning) and then I put them on notecards.

Here are the events and verses I chose:
1. When they wake up: "Let the morning bring (child's name) word of your unfailing love, for she has put her trust in You. Show (her/him) the way (she/he) should go, for to you (he/she) lifts up her soul." (Adapted from Psalm 143:8)
2. When they are getting dressed: "Therefore, as God's chosen child, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Lord, help (him/her) bear with others and forgive whatever grievances (he/she) has against others. Help (him/her) forgive as the Lord forgave (him/her). And over all these virtues, help (him/her) put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." (Adapted from Colossians 3:12-14)
3. While they are eating: "Teach (child's name) the secret of being content in any and every situation whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. Teach (him/her) that (he/she) can do everything through him who gives (him/her) strength." (Adapted from Philippians 4:12-13)
4. When they go out of the house: "(Name of child), do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-His good, pleasing and perfect will." (Adapted from Romans 12:2)
5. While they are taking a bath: Lord, give (name of child) clean hands and a pure heart, and let (him/her) not lift (his/her) soul to an idol or swear by what is false. Let (him/her) receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God (his/her) Savior. Let (him/her) be part of the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob. (Adapted from Psalm 24:4-6)
6. When they are going to bed: "The Lord Your God is with you; he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, be will rejoice over you with singing." (Zephaniah 3:17)
7. While they are sleeping: "I pray that (name of child) will do everything without complaining or arguing, so that he/she may become blameless and pure, a child of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which he/she shines like a star in the universe as he/she holds out the word of life-in order that he/she may boast on the day of Christ that he/she did not run or labor for nothing." (Adapted from Philippians 2:14-16)

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Halloween Carnivals!

Yes, I apologize for not blogging lately. Somehow life has been busy! Here's a few pictures from the past month:

We went to a local pumpkin farm a few weeks ago & had lots of fun! It was really a neat place!

Here's Dan & Isaiah on the hay ride to the maze and pumpkin patch. Brigid & Colby on the pedal carts.
Isaiah enjoying the corn sand box!
Climbing up the hay pyramid.
Riding the cow train.
Our church had a carnival a few weeks ago. After waking Isaiah from his nap, he did not want to get into his costume. So, we just took him in his diaper & Abigail's boots he had put on. Thanks to Dan's great idea on the way, we stopped by the Dollar store to get a bow & arrow. So, he went as cupid! It got even funnier when he entered the costume contest. He got 1st place for the kids 0-5 years old!Colby went as Stich from Lilo & Stich. I think it was a pretty good find of a costume. I try to get good deals after Halloween from Disney's online store. He got 2nd place in the costume contest for kids 6-12 years.
Abigail posing as Princess Sleeping Beauty.
Here's Isaiah before we left the house with his Elmo basket.
We went to another carnival at the kid's cousin's school too. Here's my princess after some amazing face painting.
Here's Colby as Jack Sparrow with some pretty cool face painting too!
This time Isaiah agreed to get dressed up as Superman!Here's our dog, Gretchen on Halloween night as a witch. Amazingly, she didn't even mind the costume!

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Picture Update

Alright, get ready for pictures from this past month!
Here's Colby & Abigail with Zalen on Colby's birthday evening.
Colby happy with his birthday surprise!
Abigail riding on her birthday surprise!
Colby & Abigail had their birthday at Brush With Art.
Colby's very large 6 year old handprint.
Abigail's 4 year old handprint.
Isaiah very amazed with the paint 21 month old handprint.
My silly children after the party.
Isaiah sleeping on his daddy.
Our fair outing.
Isaiah dressed up like a cowboy.

I know it's kind of sad, but cute monkey. You hold out a quarter in her hand and the monkey comes by and gives you "five." Abigail also did this and the monkey took her money, licked his hand, and then gave her five.
The family birthday party this year at home! Here's Abigail with her great-grandmother, Mum.
Abigail with her Grandma Mary.
Colby with his flaming cupcake. I think this will be the last year to get that many candles on the cupcake!
My 4 year old princess.
Isaiah greatly enjoying the green icing.
Every year, a month or so before Halloween I like to give my kids their costumes. This extends the holiday a little and they enjoy dressing up! I like to order from Disney's online store costumes after Halloween that are really reduced in price.
Here's my Incredible children:
Princess Abby.
In my last entry I blogged about Isaiah eating a ton of bar-b-que one night. Here's how his precious face looked after enjoying the food!