She Can Write Her Name!

This is the first time Olivia wrote her name all by herself! I love the long "l".

Little Maestro

Carnegie Hall, here we come!

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Ode to Summer

Oh! How I remember the warm, bright days

Basking in the warmth of the sun's golden rays.

Here I would sit, for hours if I could

My arms were uncovered, my feet bare on the wood.

The children would play - they would swing, slide and splash,

Or maybe take a break and just lie in the grass.

Food always tastes better when it's cooked out-of-doors

I think of it and my frozen spirit soars!

What's happened to these children? They look a little sad.
They've forgotten how to move without five extra pounds of pad.


Come little birdies! Come back to play.
We'll warm up your bath and keep intruders at bay.

Winter- I know you're necessary, and you're created by God,
But it's summer I remember with thoughts warm and fond.

Chloe's Photo Shoot

These are some of Chloe's portraits at 8 months. Look at the next post down for info on the photographer.

Noah's Photo Shoot

These are some of Noah's portraits that we just got back. The photographer, Christi Nelson, is a friend of mine who goes to our church - she is wonderful! By the way, she is married to James Nelson, who went to Maranatha and sang in Madrigal about '94 or '95, I think. Small world!

Book Recommendation

May God give us eyes to see Him,

a heart to love Him,

and a passion to show Him to our children.

- Noel Piper

Treasuring God in Our Traditions

Probably a lot of you out there have read this book before, but I have just started it, and I am LOVING it! Its focus is not primarily on traditions, but on God, and how to bring Him into every aspect of family life. Very thought - provoking!

The Allure of Piles

There's just something about piles. Today as I was folding laundry on the floor I heard a little voice cry out "Look...a pile...let's JUMP in it!" And fun and frivolity ensued. There USED to be fun and frivolity after sweeping the kitchen floor. I have since put a firm stop to that! Now I can hear shouts of "salto!" (translated JUMP!) when they discover a freshly swept dirt pile in the kitchen awaiting removal to the trash can. You can see the influence of Dora and Diego on my children, as they practice their Spanish verbs on their beloved piles.