Ada Marie & Benjamin

Where did the time go?

2012-01-26T00:01:00.000-08:00

Today I was helping Mommy do laundry ... and all she could think of was me as this little baby.

I'm so grown up now!

Hard to believe how time flies by!

Joy of Reading

2012-01-10T06:03:00.001-08:00

Our kids are enjoying the new books and toys they got for Christmas!

As soon as I download from my camera,

I'll post some pics of our Epiphany/Three Kings celebration!

New Orleans Aquarium Trip

2012-01-10T05:58:00.000-08:00

After Christmas we headed to New Orleans for a day trip with the whole family. Our first stop was for shrimp po' boys and cheese fries. Then we enjoyed a day at North America's largest aquarium ... it truly is an amazing place! On the drive home we stopped & enjoyed dinner in honor of Grammie's birthday! It was a long day, but a really fun one!

Christmas Pics ... No Captions Necessary

2012-01-10T05:53:00.000-08:00

Fun Times

2012-01-01T06:37:00.000-08:00

Train ride through the festival of lights!

Oh Christmas Tree ...

2011-12-28T07:10:00.000-08:00

This year the kids have had so much fun decorating & redecorating the Christmas tree...
I can't bring myself to take it down!
We might just leave it up til Valentine's Day.

Culinary Tour

2011-12-28T07:00:00.000-08:00

Here is a culinary tour of the holidays for the "Phoodie's" out there

(a.k.a. people who love food & recipes!)

On Christmas Eve we had cinnamon waffles for breakfast

made in our circus waffle maker.

This is an elephant and a lion ... can you see it?

Christmas Day we had fresh fruit (blackberries, raspberries, bananas, & pears).

I also made Pinch-Me-Cake (a.k.a. monkey bread, pecan bread, or pull apart bread)!

It looks nice here, but due to a slight overestimation regarding the melted butter

the Pinch-Me-Cake immediately fell apart on the plate.
It tasted wonderful, but it should more appropriately been named

Fall Apart Bread! Oh, well! It tasted delicious!

We always have something different for Christmas dinner.

We've had ham, duck, goose, ribs, steak, etc.

This year Grammie baked a variety of quiches.

We had salmon & dill, spinach& bacon, spinach & ham,

and possibly some others that I can't remember.

They were all delicious!

We also had traditional Southern ambrosia salad

which is made with oranges, grapefruits, pineapple, cherries, & coconut.

I did not get a picture of them ... but Aunt Allene also made

flour-less chocolate cupcakes with dark chocolate ganache for

Uncle Carey's birthday, and they were absolutely divine!

It was a bit of a challenge this year being on Weight Watchers during the holidays,

but I managed to stick to my points plan for the most part!

I am very excited because I have now officially lost 45 pounds!

Merry Christmas to me! :-)

Gift Wrap :-)

2011-12-28T05:20:00.000-08:00

One of the traditions we enjoy is making our own wrapping paper.

Last year we cute shapes out of potatoes and used them to stamp plain paper.

This year Benjamin & Ada used my scrap-booking stamps & punch outs.

Ada also enjoyed using sparkling stickers!

Then we used ribbons to finish them up.

We had so much fun ...

and Benjamin went kind of crazy with the stamping! :-)

Daddy also decorated Mommy's present,

and I'm so sad that I didn't get a picture of it!

He spelled out "Kate" in sparkle stickers - it was very cute!

We only used items that we already had leftover in our house,

so this craft project cost nothing, but was lots of fun!

Another Attempt at a Family Picture ...

2011-12-28T05:17:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Highlights & Thank You's

2011-12-25T21:04:00.000-08:00

Christmas baking with Aunt Allene!

"a long winter's nap"

Where is Benjamin?

Hiding under the table ... so that he can play with his new train

from Grandma & Super Papak

... without interruptions from his big sister!

Sometimes, you have to get creative when you just don't want to share!

Fondue Crew

Attempt at a Family Picture

Ada's doctor kit & personalized lab coat made by Grammie!

Thank you Grammie & Gramps!

Benjamin also loves his tool set & puzzles!

very happy couple

These sparkle markers & coloring books were a huge hit!

Ada loved them too!

Thanks Cousin Patrick for a great gift!

Fun stickers from the big bag of stuff Aunt Allene put together!

Thank you Aunt Allene -

we plan on taking the bag you made on our next long car trip!

Ada absolutely loved her strawberry shortcake club house

from Aunt Joy, Uncle Joel, Caleb, Anya, & Daniel!

Thank you so much!

They also sent Benjamin's "Little People" bus which he absolutely loved!

... notice the loss of pants ... that's Benjamin! :-)

Thank you so much!

We also love the gifts from Uncle Michael & Aunt Rachel that we opened earlier!

Ada plays with her doll clothes every day,

& Benjamin makes sound effects for all of the tractors in his book!

Aunt Ginny usually buys us a family zoo membership for Christmas.

Since we are getting ready to move this year,

she gave us money to make several trips the Baku Zoo!

Thank you, Aunt Ginny!

Both kids also have some Christmas money from Oompak!

We will have to find a good way to spend it!

Thank you Oompak!

Beyond all the gifts, this Christmas was wonderful because

we celebrated the best gift, the birth of our Savior,

and we shared the joy that He brings with those we love!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve Highlights 2011

2011-12-25T20:23:00.000-08:00

On Christmas Eve in the morning ...

we skyped Grandma & Super Papak!

And we got to open the presents they sent for us!

Thank you for the "Little People" Ferris wheel & train!

We played with them all day!

And thank you for the matching dresses for me & my dolly!

I LOVE them!

I cried when I had to take them off for bedtime!

Christmas Eve we enjoyed a combination of traditions ...

We had fondue for dinner ... mmm!

followed by Jesus Birthday Cake ...

Aunt Allene made a red & green (cherry & pistachio) checkered cake!

Benjamin enjoyed some of the cherry!

Then we had a family talent show ... I think there is a video of this that will be posted later!

And then we had a treasure hunt for coins!

I was thrilled to fill up my piggy bank!

It was an absolutely wonderful day ...

filled with toddler/baby giggles & precious memories!

Merry Christmas!

We still LOVE our Turkish bathrobes!

2011-12-22T11:01:00.000-08:00

Making a List ... Updated Again

2011-12-19T21:00:00.000-08:00

This week we made the Rocky Road Fudge & a second batch of Oreo truffles this week which we took to our neighbors. We also whipped up some Snickerdoodles (cinnamon cookies) and Ginger Snaps which were not on the list because I needed something quick to take to a party.

I think we are going to wait until more relatives get here to make the Magi's Jewels & Christmas Mice. They are kind of fun to make with a group. We'll bake the Yule Log for Christmas Day and the Apple Pie for New Year's. Our Christmas baking has been so much fun this year!

I love doing it with my cute little baker side-kick!

So far we have also made Gingerbread Cookies ...

& Pumpkin Bars

& Hugs & Kisses

& today ...

White/Dark Chocolate Bark

& Oreo Truffles

We wrapped up some to give away with little photo tags that say

"from the kitchen of Kate & Ada Marie"

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Outfits!

2011-12-19T07:45:00.000-08:00

We love Collie Ollie Designs Children's Boutique.

They make the most adorable children's clothes!

But, you don't have to take my word for it ...

see for yourself!

Thanks Michelle!

I love them!

Murphy's Law of Pictures ...

2011-12-18T18:47:00.000-08:00

Murphy's Law 1: One kid in each picture will have a funny look.

Murphy's Law 2: Making kids smile for photos always dissolves into utter silliness.

Murphy's Law 3: Sometimes photo shoots drive you to have a spontaneous dance party!

Advent Calendar

2011-12-09T12:18:00.000-08:00

We have a "Christmas House" advent calendar that has a little treat for each day,

but this year I wanted to do an activity calendar as well.

Ada & I made this one out of colored paper & some punch-outs that I had.

Each little card contains a Christmas themed activity for that day such as an outing, a story to read, or a craft. I think we will make it an annual tradition, because Ada first words every morning have been, "What does the card say today?"

St. Nicholas Dinner

2011-12-09T12:11:00.000-08:00

One of our advent activities was to have a St. Nicholas dinner (St. Nicholas Day is Dec. 6), so we invited Gramps, Grammie, and Ompak to join us.

We hung our stockings, read the story of the real St. Nicholas (a pretty amazing guy), and did a coloring page of him giving bread to poor children. We also decided it was a good excuse to have a big Turkish meal ... since St. Nicholas lived in Turkey ... and any excuse is good!

We also gave the kids some coins (quarters) to give to someone in need like St. Nicholas did. This year we put them in the Salvation Army Christmas Kettle.

Ompak took the coloring page very seriously ... his picture was quite impressive!

We had a great time!

Christmas Cookies!

2011-12-09T12:02:00.000-08:00

One of our advent activities was to decorate cookies with friends!

We had such a lovely time & such talented little girls!

Benjamin was the self-appointed taste-tester!

Thanks!

2011-12-08T12:58:00.000-08:00

For Christmas Uncle Michael, Aunt Rachel, Alise, Marie, & Emma gave me clothes for my new doll. I love the clothes! They kept me entertained a good bit of the way home! Thank you so much! Merry Christmas! We love you!

Christmas Cookies w/ Cousins

2011-12-08T12:56:00.000-08:00

Another fun thing we did with the cousins was decorate Christmas cookies! Thanks guys! We made great memories!

Peddler's Village with the Cousins!

2011-12-08T12:45:00.000-08:00

One of the really fun things we did in Philly is visit Peddler's Village! It was so awesome! Here is a collage ... click to enlarge!

Thanksgiving & Festival of Lights

2011-12-07T13:44:00.000-08:00

Christmas Dresses

2011-12-04T21:39:00.000-08:00

Christmas Dresses ...

My Mommy has a fondness for them ...

First, there was this one!

Who can forget this cute picture?

And then ... there was this cute plaid number!

This year's Christmas dress will be revealed soon...

but while you wait here is this hilarious video of the Christmas Dress Dance! :-)

(Even back then, I had some moves!)

Year 6: Fancy Robes & Travelin' Shoes ...

2011-12-01T17:23:00.001-08:00

We decided to plan a big celebration in March ...

a belated anniversary celebration,

two belated 30th birthdays,

& an early graduation celebration to boot!

We decided to go away for four days to a cozy cabin in TN.

It was absolutely wonderful!

We sat in rocking chairs side by side

and enjoyed beautiful sunsets ...

We relaxed in the hot tub and looked at the stars.

It was a perfect retreat, and we came back feeling so energized & refreshed.

Ready for the year ahead that was packed full!

We graduated!

And this wonderful family came to celebrate with us ...

and so did this amazing bunch!

It was such a perfect week ... full of fun and festivities!

And then ... we hit the road ...

We got to visit lots of cool places ...

this dinosaur museum in Wyoming is

the largest active dinosaur dig in the world!

Garden of the Gods & Pike's Peak in Colorado

snow in the Big Horn Mountains

Beautiful Beaches & Sweet Memories in Seattle

We also visited friends in Oregon, Illinois, Ohio,

Texas, Virginia, North Carolina, & South Carolina,

just to name a few ...

It has been a tremendously fun year!

There have been difficulties, but overall the whole experience has definitely surpassed our expectations! We have been truly blessed by all of the wonderful friends & relatives we have visited! It has also been an amazing experience to go through as a family! I am constantly reminded of how grateful I am to have David with me on this journey. We have learned to work together better and understand each other better which is an incredible gift.

I am so thankful for these experience. God has been so faithful and good to us. We are better people than we were 6 years ago ... more committed to God and to each other, more grateful for the beautiful gifts He has given us, and more in love than we were when we walked down the aisle. I wouldn't trade these six years for anything ...

and I truly believe that the best is yet to come!

More Glimpses of the Week

2011-11-30T13:02:00.000-08:00

Aunt Ginny reading to the cousins ...

Cute Marie

Uncle David bonding with Emma!

All the turtles swam up to greet us at the National Zoo!

& Lots of fun on the playground!

Playing Catch-Up

2011-11-30T08:24:00.000-08:00

I apologize for the serious lack of blogging over the last couple of weeks ...

but we were having an absolutely wonderful time!

First, we visited Aunt Ginny in Washington, D.C.

It was a wonderful visit and we squeezed in a lot ...

the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum,

the Museum of Natural History,

the carousel on the National Mall

(a highlight for the kids)

& the National Zoo (& the pandas)!

We also just enjoyed the gorgeous fall weather &

the lovely walking trails along the Potomac.

Check out the progression of pictures above

as Benjamin & Daddy play hide & seek!

Then we drove up to Philly to spend

a week with Michael, Rachel, Alise, Marie, & Emma!

We had a fabulous time & here are just a few pictures with more to come!

Double Cuteness!

One more shot of everyone!

Year 5: New Beginnings

2011-11-24T12:39:00.001-08:00

To celebrate our 4th anniversary Ada stayed at the grandparents, and we did a mini stay-cation at home. On Friday night I made shrimp alfredo for dinner and we watched a movie. The next day David packed an amazing gormet picnic. We ate in the city center enjoying all the lovely Christmas decorations downtown and the gorgeous weather (in MS you can have a picnic and Christmas decorations at the same time!). The food was amazing, but my favorite part was that he had carefully packed little love notes throughout the picnic basket. It was such a surprise as I unpacked the food! Then we each picked an activity to do together. I chose the art Museum which was really fun with David because he could explain the various artists' styles and techniques to me. David chose mini-golf which I had not done since I was in high school. It turned out to be a blast, and we were able to just relax and be silly and laugh a lot! He beat me, but only by 3. ;-) We were very blessed, and the year ahead was filled with new beginnings ...

That was the year that we welcomed Benjamin into our family!

I will never forget the feeling of holding him for the first time. There are literally no words to describe it. I was overwhelmed with love for this new little person!

It was an amazing blessing to have Gramaw with us for the birth as well! (This is one of my favorite pictures ... ever!)

Grandma certainly made the transition home so much easier!

It was beyond wonderful to have her there to help out
& to join us in celebrating Benjamin's arrival!
It was also a very special time because she really bonded with Ada!
Since that visit, Ada has talked excitedly about "Gramaw" and
regularly asks to go see her in Tukrey!

We dedicated Benjamin to the Lord a few months later,
which was a very special event for our family!
We were so blessed to have Gramps, Grammie, and Ompak with us!

It was wonderful to be able to dedicate Benjamin to the Lord, but it was also a time when David & I were dedicating ourselves to the Lord again. During that year we knew that our time in seminary was coming to a close, and we struggled to hear God's voice and discern what the next steps for us would be. As we prayed about what to do, we gave ourselves, our marriage, and our family to the Lord once again. We found such peace when we were able to surrender ourselves and wholeheartedly commit to follow and serve Him. These months of prayer and seeking brought us much closer together as a couple, and renewed our calling. It was a tremendous blessing to see that God's plan unfold that year as we stepped out in faith. We feel so grateful for the way that God continues to lead us on this journey!

Next week ... Year 6!

We're thankful for our cousins!

2011-11-23T05:28:00.001-08:00

We just got back from a wonderful visit with our cousins, Alise, Marie, & Emma! Aren't they three of the cutest little girls you have ever seen?

We all had a lot of fun together visiting parks, baking & decorating Christmas cookies, making an Operation Christmas Child shoebox, and enjoying the lights and decortions at Peddler's Village.

We all played together really well & made many wonderful memories!

Many more pictures to come soon!

Here are the girl cousins in their matching "Hugable" shirts.
We got one for Anya too even though she couldn't be with us!

We love you Anya!!!

We have been tremendously blessed with an abundance of sweet little girls in our family!
So much to be thankful for!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Year 4: A Home of Our Own

2011-11-13T19:15:00.000-08:00

We celebrated our third anniversary by going out to dinner at Thai restaurant on the top floor of a highrise in downtown Baku. It was a lovely evening!

A few months later we returned to the US and bought our first home!

It was such an amazing blessing to have our own place!

I have never loved a home as much as this one ... it is absolutely perfect for us!

This is not just a house ... This is the place where we hang our stockings.

& ... This is the cozy corner for the tree decorated by little hands.

This is the red front door where we take pictures on the first day of school!

This is the place where we welcomed Benjamin home (more about that next week)!

This is the dining room where we have had countless family dinners.

This is the backyard where we have had so many pool parties & cook-outs.

This is the hearth where our kids preform regular talent shows!

This is the owl that Ada blows kisses to every night!

This is the kids' cozy book nook!

This is the kitchen where we make birthday cakes.

This is the office where David found his real passion for graphic design.

This is Ada's big girl bed!

This is the murral Daddy painted for the kids.

We settled into our home that year. We also settled into a new phase of life that included graduate school, spending time with family (near and far), and enjoying life in the USA. It was a year of relief, refreshment, renewal, and rest. God was so good to us! He knew exactly what we needed after all that we had been through. This was the year that our house became a home. Oh, and it was also the year when we found out that our trio would become a quartet!

Tune in next week for Year 5: New Beginnings!

Birthday Recap

2011-11-10T19:59:00.000-08:00

Year 3: Overjoyed

2011-11-07T07:25:00.000-08:00

At the very end of our second year of marriage,

we came back to the US to prepare for the birth of our first child,

I had planned to have the baby overseas,

but some medical complications changed our plans.

We went out to dinner to celebrate our 2nd anniversary.

I was only 3 days away from my due date,

and I still remember laughing that my protruding belly barely fit

between the bench and the table in the restaurant booth. :-)

And then, our lives changed forever, and our sweet little girl was born.

Our third year of marriage was filled with the overwhelming joy of being parents!

Watching Ada grow, and seeing each other delight in her was such an amazing experience.

We retruned to our tiny apartment overseas,
but having our baby transformed it into a home.
-
There was still plenty of stress,
but there was so much joy now too!

We laughed so much together that year.
And we celebrated each little milestone.

Ada was such a happy & smiley baby!

She made friends with strangers!
We suddenly found that everywhere we went we were met with welcoming smiles!

We celebrated our first Christmas as a trio.

Grandma & Super Papak came for a visit.

We made so many new local friends that year,

it was amazing all the doors that were open to us

now that we had a baby.

We were able to connect with other families which was a huge blessing!

We also found that our new home

had more fun activities than we had realized!

We explored all the city parks together!

And we enjoyed our cozy evenings at home together too.

Our apartment was still not an easy place to live in some ways,

but it came to feel more like a home because we made so many memories there.

I learned an important lesson that year ...

tremendous stress is tolerable when we have tremendous joy!

Next week ... Year 4: A Home of Our Own!

4th Birthday: Pony Rides

2011-11-05T16:38:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Ada's 4th birthday early today!

The party kicked off with pony rides

which were a big hit with everyone!

I really love this picture!

Sweet Alleah was so enthusiastic!

Nathan took it all in stride.

Savannah loved it!

I love this picture ... with the hood in his face & everything!

Benjamin loved it - such a big boy!

Jerad was pretty excited too!

More pictures to come!

Gramps

2011-11-04T22:30:00.000-07:00

Gramps came to the party from work ... Benjamin was so excited that he ran out to meet him! I love this picture!

Merry-Go-Round

2011-11-04T22:00:00.000-07:00

Next we took a ride on the merry-go-round!

LOVE this one!

Jerad is so cute!

Look at these cute girlies too!

Train & Garden

2011-11-04T21:30:00.000-07:00

Next we did the train ride,

which proved to be fun for the grown-ups too!

Such cute kids!

All-aboard!

So happy from the train ride!

4 Sweet Girls

Takin' a Walk

Stop and Smell the Roses

"The Fab Four"

... and the oh-so-cute fifth!

Off to the Children's Barnyard ...

Children's Barnyard

2011-11-04T21:00:00.000-07:00

The last activity was the barnyard petting zoo!

Here are a few pics of the kids enjoying the animals:

This one is my favorite!

Finally ... the FOOD!

2011-11-04T20:38:00.000-07:00

Then we all had a light lunch ...

I tried to have some French-themed food

that Madeline would have appreciated.

I baked ham and mozzarella mini tarts that turned out nice.

We also had turkey and Swiss cheese croissants

and fresh fruit: cantaloupe, grapes, and strawberries.

Yum!

Party Favors Bags

These included Madeline coloring books that I made

as well as crayons/colored pencils, a few small toys & treats.

Chowing Down

Ada doesn't really like cake, cookies, or pies,

so I wanted to find a dessert she would enjoy for her birthday.

I found this recipe on Pintrest.

Lemon flavored crepes are layered with whipped cream

and powdered sugar and then topped in strawberries.

David was kind enough to whip up the crepes & assemble the cake for us!

He did an awesome job & Ada totally loved it!

I also baked these double fudge bites ...

these were really rich ... and really yummy!

We also had vanilla cream puffs to go with the French theme!

Enjoying the food!

Food & Friends

Here are a few pics of the cake table ...

Gramps helped me hang up lots of red, yellow, and blue pom-poms!

Eli is serious about eating!

So was the little fire fighter!

The girls were a little less serious!

They had a good time!

The End

2011-11-03T16:50:00.000-07:00

This picture made my day - Ada's face while we sang "Happy Birthday"to her!

The kids (including Benjamin) really enjoyed running around and exploring!

I also brought some dress-up stuff for the kids too.

Alleah was such a cute Madeline!

Ada was too!

And she had to check out the tractor as well ...

Ada was so over-stimulated & excited,

that we waited to open the presents until we got home.

She received such lovely gifts, and she spent all afternoon playing with them!

A big "Thank You" goes out to everyone who came!

Thank you for celebrating with us,

and thank you for the amazing presents!

:-)

Safe & Sound

2011-11-01T20:10:00.000-07:00

Just a note to let you know that we got home safe & sound from our awesome trip to Virginia Beach! We visited a really cool aquarium & went to a fall festival! We also hung out with AMAZING friends! We will post pics soon!

Peek-a-boo - I see you!

2011-10-26T13:49:00.000-07:00

Our very talented Daddy whipped up these fun peek-a-boo's
for the Fall Party at Church out of some leftover paint & a roll of brown paper!

Arrrggghh! Captain Hook keeps laughing!

What a cute Scarecrow!

Howdy Partner!

Ada's special request ... Cinderella!

We had a lot of fun with all of them!

Thanks Daddy!

Year 2: "The Nightmare"

2011-10-26T11:29:00.000-07:00

Since we will be out of town over the weekend, I decided to go ahead and post this week's anniversary post reflecting on our second year of marriage.

Don't let the title frighten you ... but David & I affectionately refer to our

second year of marriage as, "The Nightmare" because it was ... well ... in a word ...

horrible.

The year started off just fine. We celebrated our first anniversary by spending a couple of nights in a really cozy cabin in the mountains of Tennessee. We went out for a fancy dinner & enjoyed a relaxing weekend.

Just a few short months after this, we moved overseas & everything fell apart.

Everything came crashing in on us: culture shock, terrible job, miserable living situation, incredible financial stress, broken relationships, pregnancy health issues, etc. We felt completely isolated & abandoned. Of course, we weren't abandoned. God was with us. But, honestly, it did not feel like it at the time.

Ready to get to the good part? Well, when I look back on "The Nightmare" now ... I feel really grateful that we never turned against each other. We were in it together no matter how bad it got. It felt like everywhere we turned we were attacked by something ... but we could always count on each other. We held on to each other, & we made it through that year. And, you know what? More importantly, God was holding on to us. I'm really glad we went through it all ... if we hadn't had such a difficult year, we would not have the marriage that we have today.

If we can come out of that year & still be in love ... I'm pretty sure we can handle anything!

Tune in next week for ... Year 3: Overjoyed!

Tricks & Treats Wk 6/ FFN

2011-10-25T21:09:00.000-07:00

We painted pumpkins!

It was really fun!

Benjamin took it very seriously!

I was going through a green period.

Benjamin was in a purple phase.

Then he decided to taste the paint.

Open your mouth ... it makes you paint better!

I was determined to paint my pumpkin

to look like an "apple" ... :-)

Benjamin decided to immerse himself in his work.

We also had a pumpkin-themed breakfast-for-dinner!

We had pumpkin waffles served with

hot fudge and salted caramel sauce.

We also had cheesy scrambled eggs & breakfast sausage.

Daddy was initially skeptical,

but he became a pumpkin waffle fan!

I also helped Mommy make these oatmeal pumpkin mini muffins

with a brown sugar glaze.

They were fun to make & yummy!

Bo Peep & the Sheep

2011-10-25T20:31:00.000-07:00

Tonight we did a little early "trick or treating" at Grammie & Gramps house.

We also brought a dessert to share with them!

They had a few treats for each of us!

We dressed as Little Bo Peep & her Lost Sheep!

Special thanks to Aunt Allene for sewing my apron & bonnet!

In case you can't see it, they have ladybugs on them (one of my favorite things)!

Also, special thanks to the M family for the sheep costume!

Mommy made a pumpkin cake.

It melted a little before we got a picture of it,

but it was very cute & yummy!

All the excitement made Benjamin kind of tired!

Good thing Ompak was there to give a sleepy little sheep a hug!

Birthday Card

2011-10-25T20:26:00.000-07:00

Ada recently received her birthday card from Grandma and Super Papak.
She went to work right away making them a card to send in reply.

This says, "I love you very, very much in my heart."

This is Ada reaching out to give Grandma and Super Papak a big hug!

How can this be?

2011-10-24T08:20:00.000-07:00

Can this be my little boy who

insists on running around pant-less,

eats dog food,

climbs on the furniture,

loves to wear hats & shoes,

dances with only his shoulders,

smiles at everyone,

says new words every day,

makes me laugh constantly,

& is absolutely determined to help me unload the dishwasher ...

Didn't I just bring my little boy home from the hospital ...

Wasn't that just yesterday?

Oh, Benjamin,

how we love you! :-)

We're so glad that you are ours ...

and every day is such an adventure!

Year 1: Honeymoon Memories (Week 1)

2011-10-22T13:00:00.000-07:00

Our honeymoon is definitely our most memorable experience from our first year of marriage. Of course, I don't mean to imply that it was all downhill from there. Although our first year had some ups & downs, it was mostly ups by far. It's just that it is hard for ordinary life to compete with two weeks of the best vacation imaginable. We just had such an amazing time & felt so completely and absolutely relaxed!

So, without further delay, here is our honeymoon...

We spent the first week at a lovely place called The Rose Hill Manor in Mt. Index, WA.

To this day, when we are stressed about something, we remind each other of the feeling of being there. It was absolutely amazing!

We sat in the hot tub with a lovely view of the mountains &

snow falling all around us ... it was magical.

We went for walks along the local trails ...

and enjoyed the glorious views!

We went skiing in Stevens Pass!

After a day on the slopes, we enjoyed sitting in the ski lodge sipping hot chocolate.

We stayed in the Honeymoon Cottage which was really charming and cozy.

Every morning a mouth-watering breakfast tray was left on our front step.

There were several breakfast options to choose from and they were all delicious,

but the thing we always talk about is the waffles!

I don't know what the hostess put in her waffles ...

(she said it was a secret family recipe)

they were heaven - light-fluffy-moist-buttery-amazing!

We have never found waffles that compare ...

they were just that good!

I wish I had more pictures of the cottage itself ...

it was really perfect.

Here are a few from their website of the garden:

The bedroom was lovely & had an amazing view of the mountains from the window!

After seven days there, we packed up and headed down the Oregon coast.

David kept telling me how beautiful it was,

but I really had no idea until I saw it for myself!

The Oregon Coast is absolutely breath-taking!

We also made friends with some sea gulls along the way ...

Publish Post

Well, the second week will have to be another post ...

this one is getting too long!

See Below: the Oregon Coast, the Lighthouse, & San Fransisco!

Year 1: Honeymoon Memories (Week 2)

2011-10-22T08:47:00.000-07:00

We had an amazing time on the second week of our honeymoon.

It was so much fun to wander down the Oregon Coast

with no schedule or plan ...

just enjoying the beauty around us!

We loved the rocky cliffs!

We pulled up to one lighthouse just 5 minutes before

the last tour of the season...

serendipitously!

The views from the lighthouses were so awe-inspiring!

We crossed into California & drove through the Redwoods ...

and then Napa Valley ...

We enjoyed all the scenery along the way ...

And then we came to San Fransisco!

We both love cities ... and this became one of our favorites!

We loved the beautiful parks downtown ...

especially the botanical gardens!

The famous Japanese pagodas were so beautiful!

We enjoyed all the tourist destinations

& the local food (particularly in Little Italy)!

It was an amazing trip that definitely surpassed our expectations in every way!

It was absolutely perfect, and I wouldn't change anything about it!

Many people say your first year of marriage is the hardest.

That was definitely not true for us.

Our first year of marriage was actually mostly wonderful.

Sure, there were some bumps in the road,

but overall it was a really great year for us.

We lived in MS for six months and started seminary with

no real plans except to take some classes while we had the chance ...

we soon discovered that we both LOVED it!

We also loved having our first little apartment which was tiny & old,

but also cozy & perfect for us at the time!

We studied together, cooked together, played games, & laughed a lot!

Then we spent six months in Philly at the sending base.

That was a difficult time for me in many ways,

but we got through it together & learned to take care of each other.

Also, this time gave us the blessing of being able to spend a lot of time

with David's brother & sister-in-law which was wonderful!

All in all, it was a very good year!

Footsie Pajamas

2011-10-21T07:47:00.000-07:00

Well, in the last 48 hours the temperature here has gone from short-sleeves to sweater-weather.
It is still very nice outside, but it does finally feel like fall!
We decided it was time to bring out the footsie pajamas!
-
Mommy actually got these pj's for the traditional Christmas Eve pictures,
but couldn't resist bringing them out early so that we can wear them as long as possible!

Happy Autumn! May your days be cozy & warm!

Autumn Collage

2011-10-19T20:46:00.002-07:00

Click on the collage for a closer view!

Tricks & Treats: Week 5

2011-10-19T20:03:00.000-07:00

So, now we are getting caught up on our tricks & treats! Last night we made button trees! Grammie donated a big bag of 30 years of extra buttons from sewing projects which inspired Mommy to find about a million fun craft projects with buttons on Pintrest. So, here is the first of what will be many button crafts!

Autumn Button Trees

The one on the left is Mommy's & the one on the right is Ada's. :-)

We also made Silly Face Cookies which are lemon sugar cookies that we decorated with faces. We used chocolate chips for the eyes, mini marshmellows for the noses, and a slices of apple for the mouths. I think the picutre is on Grammie's camera, I will try to add it soon!

Sweater Weather: A Silent Film

2011-10-19T19:54:00.000-07:00

I'll just nonchalantly reach over and check out these flowers ....

Um, me? No, I'm not picking any flowers!

What? You mean these flowers in my hand?

How did those get there? Here, you take them!

Look, it's my sister!

She always makes me laugh during photo shoots!

Check out this slightly Ompa-Lumpa-ish pose!

This look is called the "roller coaster" ...

And this is my personal favorite ...

the Karate Kid!

Tricks & Treats Week 4

2011-10-18T14:52:00.000-07:00

So, this week for treats we made pumpkin drop cookies ...

so easy & so good!

For the tricks we were doing lots of fun crafty stuff to

get ready for Ada's birthday party.

We made these treat bags for guests.

Party preparations are kind of taking over the house at the moment!

We also had a blast making these tissue paper pom-poms for the party.

I (Mommy) was only planning to make them in yellow and blue.

This was quickly nixed by the birthday girl who's philosophy is ...

the more colors the better! :-)

She will tell you her current favorite colors are red, pink, blue, yellow, and green.

As you can see, there are lots of colorful pom-poms going on!

These are so easy & inexpensive.

We made them out of leftover tissue paper from previous gifts,

so they didn't cost anything, but provided us with lots of fun!

6 weeks ... 6 years

2011-10-17T20:47:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time,

almost six years ago ...

A life together filled with love & laughter began ...

Wow. Look how excited we are ... and how young we look! ;-)

So, in about 6 weeks these crazy kids will be celebrating 6 years of marriage.

Over the next few weeks I'm going to highlight an awesome memory for each year of marriage!

Stay Tuned ...

"Year 1: Honeymoon Memories" will be posted soon!

Shhh! It's a secret! by Ada Marie

2011-10-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

People have been asking me what I want for my birthday.

I'm still at an age where I don't really have specific toys that I want.

So, Mommy has had to think a lot about what to get me for my birthday.

Rumor has it that Grandma & Super Papak sent me some birthday money ...

& Mommy used it to buy this doll named Evelyn!

When we stayed at Aunt Barb's house in Cincinnati,

she had some dolls like this & I totally loved them!

They each come with a book & another outfit.

I'm sure I'll love it!

Thank you, Grandma & Super Papak!

I also really playing with the doll house at Grammie's.

But, since it is really big & heavy, I won't be able to take it with us when we move overseas.

So, I heard a whisper that Gramps & Grammie ordered me this fold & go doll house!

I'm so excited! The furniture & family that I already have will go with it too!

Thank you Grmps & Grammie!

I'm getting very excited about my birthday this year!

Mostly I am looking forward to the pony rides & the cake!

Oh, and I'm also looking forward to singing the birthday song!

:-)

To My Ada Marie ... from Mommy

2011-10-16T18:46:00.000-07:00

Motherhood is amazing and yet mysterious ...

There are so many things I will never understand ...

Like how it is that I could have lived for 26 years before you were born,

and yet, now that you are here, I cannot imagine life without you!

Or how I know there was a lot of pain & fear surrounding your birth ...

but I can barely remember any of it because holding you for the first time brought me more love & joy than I had ever known!

And to think that there was a time when I had no idea what was going on inside that little mind of yours ...

and now I cannot fathom you without your personality ...

your bubbly, happy, silly, serious, curious, fun-loving, amazing self!

And most of all, how is it that I could have a daughter who is so different from me in so many ways: fearless, determined, uninhibited, hilarious, wildly-extroverted, incredibly compassionate ... and yet feel that you are literally the beat of my very own heart ...

I cannot believe that you will be having your fourth birthday soon!

I cannot believe it because it feels like just yesterday I was carrying you inside me...

& I cannot believe it because you have filled my life with more happiness than 4 years can possibly hold!

i carry your heart with me

(i carry it in my heart)

i am never without it

(anywhere i go you go, my dear;

and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling)

i fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet)

i want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)

and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;

which grows higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

e. e. cummings

Pumpkin Patch ... Sneak Peek

2011-10-16T00:20:00.000-07:00

Happy for a hug ...

Happy to be at the pumpkin patch ...

also, a really cute pic of waiting patiently for the wagon ...

;-) ... more to come!

The Slide: Mommy Can't Handle It!

2011-10-16T00:16:00.000-07:00

Are you sure you want to go down the slide with Daddy?

Yes, Mom!

Really?

Yeah!

But, it's so ... high!

Yipee!

Hurray!

It was so high! :-)

Petting Zoo Snapshots!

2011-10-16T00:08:00.000-07:00

Fair Food: Why is Daddy so happy?

2011-10-15T15:28:00.000-07:00

... because we are at the state fair ...

eating all the delicious & oh-so-fattening food they feature ...

Mmmm ... philly cheese steak ...

YUM!

Benjamin is more interested in people-watching than his corn dog!

Ada, on the other hand, ate hers ...

and then ate his too!

We had a super-fun time at the fair ...

more pictures to come of the rides & the petting zoo!

Fun Times

Madeline Party Preparations

2011-10-14T08:09:00.001-07:00

In preparation for my birthday, Mommy & Grammie made a Madeline costume.

We're going to have a costume booth at the party where kids can dress up as different characters from the book (Madeline, Miss Clavel, Pepito, and Lord Covington)!

I was so excited when I came out & saw the costume this morning ...

I tried it on over my nightgown!

We're a little limited on funds, so the costume was very cheap ...

leftover fabric from Grammie,

red ribbon from Wal-mart,

& straw hat from the thrift store.

I like it so much it may double as my costume for the Fall Festival this year too!

Swim Time

2011-10-14T07:04:00.000-07:00

We've enjoyed the nice weather these last few weeks.

The funny thing about living int he south is that

Oct. is still warm enough to swim outside!

The hose is always a big hit!

This picture really makes me laugh ...

if I can't get your face ...

I'll get your backside!

... protecting her face from the wrath of little brother!

both of them are laughing so hard!

I've got a turtle, and I'm not afraid to use it!

:-)

Lake Trip: A Few Snapshots

2011-10-13T18:56:00.000-07:00

Benjamin ... accessor-izor!

2011-10-10T07:20:00.000-07:00

I, Benjamin, love to accessorize ...

My favorite thing in the world is SHOES ...

I love my own shoes,

but I especially love other people's shoes!

I also love hats ...

And dressy shoes ...

And ...

Yes, these are my sister's panties ...

Not much else to say ...

I LOVE accessories!

:-)

Birthday Celebrations!

2011-10-10T06:46:00.000-07:00

Last week, Aunt Ginny flew down for a special birthday weekend celebration!

It was a big surprise for Grammie & Gramps!

We commenced the celebrating with a family tradition ...

birthday dinners at Keifer's restaurant downtown!

We love this place ...

the atmosphere is laid back & fun,

and the gyros are really amazing!

Benjamin & I love their kid's cheesy pitas!

Mommy thinks this next picture is hilarious ...

just look at my face!

I was a little annoyed at taking a picture ...

because I was busy directing and producing a play with my dolls!

Benjamin was in a more photogenic mood ...

Grammie & Aunt Ginny played along too ...

As did Daddy & Ompak...

Cheesy Pitas & Cottage Fries ... YUM!

I love this next picture ... isn't it great?

We did a lot of other fun things too ...

a walk in the Nature Center, a trip to the zoo, & a train ride just to name a few ...

more pictures to come!

Monkeys Up a Tree

2011-10-10T06:19:00.000-07:00

Tricks & Treats Weeks 2 & 3

2011-10-10T05:52:00.000-07:00

Sorry I (Mommy) have gotten so behind on posting our tricks & treats ...

Here is a quick catch-up version!

We made these fun necklaces together for one of our crafty projects!

We also made fun cards in the Raleigh Children's Museum when we were visiting the Clays!

These Weight Watchers pumpkin brownies ... oh my goodness!

So, you take all the dry stuff from regular brownies

... cocoa, sugar, flour (1/2 whole wheat) and

then instead of adding eggs, milk, & butter/oil ...

you add pumpkin puree!

They are delicious!

A hint of pumpkin and a smooth creamy texture!

And, they are way better for you ... way lower in calories & fat!

We loved them!

This was my birthday cake ...

also a WW recipe.

It is a carrot cake made with pureed

carrots & pineapples, applesauce, egg whites, orange juice, and

whole wheat flour!

No sugar, no butter, no oil.

Again - amazing!

This has definitely replaced my favorite carrot cake recipe.

It was so moist & delicious!

I iced it with a simple orange glaze.

Bonus: Ada loves helping me puree the carrots & pinapples!

More tricks & treats to come ...

We made some pretty cool finger paint fish last week (to illustrate the letter "F").

I just need to get a picture of them!

Welcome to the World Baby Emma Lynn!

2011-10-07T15:37:00.000-07:00

We are so excited to welcome Emma Lynn O'Donnell to the family! It was so fun to see you on skype today! Can't wait to meet you in person next month! :-)

Isn't she beautiful? Here is Emma Lynn with big sisters Alise & Marie!

So, so happy that they are in our family! What precious little girls!

Lots of love from all of us!

D+K+A+B

Family Picture Fun!

2011-10-05T13:24:00.000-07:00

A little cropping & editing to do ...

more to come!

Party Plans

2011-10-03T10:48:00.000-07:00

Since the next couple weeks will be pretty busy with trips to Georgia & Virginia, Mommy is working on preparations for my birthday party this week ...

She made some signs & decorated party favors for the guests.

Her favorite part is the decorations. Mommy is really into tissue paper because it is so cheap & easy to use. So, she has been attempting these ...

branches from the backyard + tissue paper flowers = really cheap & surprisingly pretty

Mommy already made some of these ...

very easy & fun.

My only comment is that I want more colors,

so Mommy is making some multicolored ones.

We might make some bigger ones too.

When I get a chance I'll take some pictures of the party plans in progress!
I am getting very excited about it!

I even invited Grandma & Super Papak on Skype.

They said they were too far away,

but I told them to just drive in their car.

:-)

Birthday plans are coming along ...

2011-10-02T13:15:00.001-07:00

We wish you all could be here!

Click on the invitation to enlarge it!

... and then came Benjamin!

2011-09-27T21:07:00.001-07:00

On Thursday mornings Benjamin gets to come with me to school!

Mommy got us matching outfits for our first day to go together.

Benjamin was mostly just excited about pushing around his monkey backpack.

My First Day of School

2011-09-27T20:55:00.001-07:00

I was so excited for my first day of "school" this year!

I couldn't wait to see all of my friends again ...

and use my new backpack and lunch box!

I was happy, so happy that

I couldn't stop dancing!

I love school!

Catching up on NC

2011-09-27T20:35:00.001-07:00

So, we spent a week in North Carolina with the C family!

We had a wonderful time & the kids played together really well!

We enjoyed visiting a Safari Zoo (see the baby monkey below)

and the Raleigh Children's Museum

as well as enjoying the park and the trampoline in their backyard!

Here are a few snapshots of our trip ... soon!

Family Photo

2011-09-27T16:20:00.000-07:00

Helllllooooo Out There!

2011-09-25T21:40:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

So sorry that we have been AWOL lately!

We will be back on track in no time.

Just wanted to let you all know that we haven't forgotten you out there in cyberspace!

Week 1: Trick & Treat

2011-09-10T20:03:00.000-07:00

Each week from now to Christmastime Mommy & I are going to do one "trick" and one "treat" together.

The "trick" will be a crafty activity of some sort, & the "treat" will be a fun dessert that we make together.

So, without delay ... here is week one!

Treat: Loaded Pumpkin Bars

These were so yummy we gobbled them up. I managed to get a picture of the last one before they were all gone! They have everything ... yummy pumpkin & cream cheese filling & a topping of nuts & chocolate chips!

Trick: Owl & Pumpkin Thumb-print Signs

- We used our thumbs to make pumpkins & add the wings onto these owls that we cut out of fun patterned paper.

We had so much fun making these & getting our fingers messy in the paint!

Tune in next week: button greeting cards & autumn apple tarts

Sweet Newborn Cuddliness

2011-09-10T06:33:00.001-07:00

One surprise of our trip, is that we got to see Grandma!

Her flight was delayed, so we got to see her too!

This is just a peak at a few professional pics of the family ...

They are so cute, I couldn't resist sharing a few with you!

How cute is this?

This one is my favorite ...

don't you just want to kiss those smiley cheeks?

We miss you Joy, Joel, Caleb, Anya, & Daniel!

Thanks for a wonderful time!

Birthday Bash - 5 Ways

2011-09-08T20:42:00.000-07:00

Since we don't usually get to celebrate our birthdays with our cousins ...

and they don't usually get to celebrate with us ...

When we kids came upstairs on the last night together the grown-ups had decorated

for a surprise birthday party for all 5 of us!

We were so surprised & excited!

We got to celebrate all of our birthdays together!

We had an Oreo ice cream cake & a present for each cousin!

Mommy & Daddy got Caleb a new boat lego set!

Uncle Joel & Aunt Joy got me cars: Lightening McQueen, Mater, and Francesco!

Mommy & Daddy got Anya some new beach toys & furniture for her doll house!

Uncle Joel & Aunt Joy got Benjamin a truck that goes by itself

& 4 new story books!

We also got Daniel a present for his "birth-day" ...

He was asleep for the party,

but I'm sure he will like his wooden

push-toy seal that flaps his flippers!

We think it should be a tradition!

Grumpy Old Troll

2011-09-08T20:19:00.001-07:00

On one of our walks we discovered a Grumpy Old Troll living under a bridge.

He told Anya she couldn't cross.

I tried to come & help her, but he said he was going to gobble us both up!

Luckily, Caleb knew what to do ...

he announced that he was the daddy Billy Goat Gruff...

& head butted the troll out of the way!

In & Out

2011-09-08T19:16:00.000-07:00

We just got back from a great visit with our cousins.

We had a fun mix of going to cool places

& just hanging out at home.

We enjoyed several trips to different beaches.

We picked wild blackberries ...

(I was cold, so I am wearing Mommy's jacket).

We also hung out at home relaxin'

& enjoying all the fun toys ...

or the toy box in Benjamin's case.

Of course, the best part was spending time together ...

... and making sweet memories!

Kissin' Cousins: Meeting Baby Daniel

2011-09-08T08:53:00.000-07:00

Hangin' with Baby Daniel ...

and his proud big sister!

Stack of kissin' cousins ...

& having fun at Green Lake!

more photos to come ...

Hmmm ... by Benjamin

2011-08-27T19:25:00.000-07:00

When I'm a little bit bigger ...

I'm going to figure out what this bouncy house

thing is all about!

It sure looks like a lot of fun!

Lots of jumping and laughing is involved.

Lots of giggling girls!

I'm sure when I'm bigger,

I'll get my chance to try it out!

Monster Truck Ride : Americana at it's best!

2011-08-27T19:19:00.000-07:00

Daddy, I want to ride that!

Are you sure? Yeah!

Here we go!

Climb on up ... Daddy will sit by you!

***

And off we went for our wild ride ...

High Fives!

I loved it! Other kids were crying, but I laughed & cheered the whole time!

I'm a brave little girl!

;-)

Living History: Lincoln Log Cabin

2011-08-26T11:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we visited Abraham Lincoln's family home ...

with the wonderful Miller family

(we love you guys)!

want-a-ride?

4 of the cutest kids. ever.

picnic lunch

even back then little girls loved dolls

peeling potatoes with Mrs. Sarah Lincoln

peek-a-boo in the root cellar

watching the pigs eat -- Benjamin's favorite part!

beautiful nature trails on the farm

After a morning of fun, it was time to go home ...

bye-bye everyone ...

... see you later!

Chuck E. Cheese

2011-08-20T19:51:00.000-07:00

The other night we had some coupons for Chuck E. Cheese.

So, we went & had a good time!

I love to ride the horse!

Benjamin prefers to watch!

He was in sensory overload!

We both LOVE the dancing game! We played it several times!

I was happy to have him accompany me on the space ride.

He was not so thrilled ...

He decided that he didn't want to go to outer space!

Get me out of here!

Family Fun Night

2011-08-20T19:49:00.000-07:00

Spinach & Ham Quiche, Salad, Banana Cream Pie + hanging out in the pool in the backyard :-)

New Dress

2011-08-20T19:35:00.000-07:00

Mommy made me this new sundress!
I love it!

Mommy & Daddy

2011-08-20T19:26:00.000-07:00

Aren't they cute?

Where's Patrick?

2011-08-11T21:04:00.000-07:00

Got milk?

Last month we went to the Children's

Museum with cousin Patrick.

He was a great sport & really got into playing with us!

Unfortunately, he was very good at avoiding the camera ...

all you can see is the bottom half of him!

Mr.Clean

2011-08-10T05:25:00.001-07:00

Travelin' Man

2011-08-09T17:07:00.000-07:00

"Call of Duty" Birthday Cake

2011-08-09T17:03:00.000-07:00

Per Daddy's request Mommy recreated a battle scene from the

video game "Call of Duty" for his birthday cake.

She even made oreo truffles (his favorite) for the barrels of amo!

It was a huge hit ...

& since it was made of brownies layered with raspberry filling ...

we all enjoyed eating it!

Makin' brownies

2011-08-09T17:02:00.000-07:00

Spaghetti

2011-08-09T16:56:00.000-07:00

I had my first taste of spaghetti on Gramps' birthday!

It was a big hit!

But it was messy, so it was a good thing I took off my shirt!

Beach Trip by Mommy

2011-08-05T18:52:00.001-07:00

We got back from Cincinnati in time for a quick day trip to Gulfport, MS with friends.

The beaches were recently reopened after being cleaned up from the BP oil spill.

The beach was actually really nice -- white sand, warm water, nice picnic area, and a really nice public beach house with restrooms and showers.

We all enjoyed it very much!

Ada, our little thrill seeker was determined to go as far out as possible!

Luckily, the water was only waist deep for hundreds of feet.

Benjamin really loved the water,

but also enjoyed digging and playing in the sand!

Unfortunately, I was so preoccupied with applying

and re-apply sunscreen to the rest of my family,

that I forgot to reapply it to myself.

Thankfully, it's not too bad, but I am a little pink today!

Anyway, it was worth it!

I owe these lovely collages to my friend Sara

Check out her blog http://mattmarshallfamily.blogspot.com

Cincinnati Trip Snapshot

2011-08-03T20:10:00.000-07:00

Click on the collage to enlarge it.

Catching up on Fiesta VBS

2011-08-01T20:09:00.000-07:00

In July we had a really fun time participating in Fiesta VBS

at Trinity Wesleyan Church in Jackson, MS.

Mommy was a helper in Ada's 3 year olds class!

Here is Ada making her friend Eli laugh during game time!

Make a Little Room

2011-07-26T22:13:00.000-07:00

Well, it's a good thing Anya and Benjamin are adding another place to the table!

And we might need an extra-wide crosswalk for our next outing!

And we are definitely going to need to find a bigger swing set!

(Yes, every swing in this picture is occupied by our family!)

Because ...

this sweet quartet ...

just became a quintet!

Welcome to the family Baby Daniel!

We can't wait to meet you!

Love,

Ada Marie, Benjamin, Mommy, & Daddy

More Food ... But this time it's healthy!

2011-07-19T06:12:00.000-07:00

fresh figs & blueberries from our backyard ...

whole wheat bagel + light whipped cream cheese

+ blueberries & figs

= yummy breakfast

grilled sweet & spicy chicken quesadillas

with homemade peach salsa!

healthy & delicious!

Daddy is not usually a fan of Mommy's healthy recipes ...

but he LOVED these quesadillas & peach salsa ...

They are definitely going to become a family favorite!

;-)

Look Out World!

2011-07-17T20:25:00.000-07:00