It's been a while....

One of the many picnic's in our front yard.

So it probably doesn't work to have a blog to keep people updated when the blogger hasn't posted on it in a year! Here are a few recent pictures of our kidlets...

a SpongeBob teaching moment...

So, many of you already know the recent obsession our kids have with Sponge Bob Square pants. Yes, I'll even admit to getting a chuckle out of the strange, goofy humor. All three of the kids shout out the theme song, "Oooooo...Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?" and so on...

Recently, while playing "Pirates" downstairs with Isaac and Nate, I noticed that my middle son was paying each of us off with his pretend golden treasure adding a statement like, "One dollar for you, since you're being so good!" I wondered, since this is NOT something that either Saul or I say to the kids, where in the world he had heard such a statement? So I asked him. He just sort of shrugged his shoulders and thought for a minute. Then he looked up at me with those big brown eyes and said, "Mr. Krabbs loves money." (Mr. Krabbs is a character in SpongeBob.)

"Yes he does," I said back to him. I went on to tell him that God says that the love of money is the root of all bad things, to which he replied "Why?". ( This is the kid who loves to hold onto money...loose change, dollar bills, anything. He has even been known to steel money from church. We are not sure how he managed that...we were just mortified when he told us where he got all the money that was in his pocket!) "Well...when you love money that means that you don't love God the most. God wants us to love Him more than anything, especially money. God wants us to use the money He gives us to help others in need." (I am always shocked when I have any response to these life-pondering questions!)

Nate asked me, "Do we give our money to help other people?" Well...we do, but probably not as much as we should! Pretty profound for such a little guy. Who would have ever thought that a silly cartoon could give such an opportunity?

a trip to the DENVER ZOO

A ride on the train

A picninc lunch in the lawn

A couple of lil' monkeys

So Saul and I decided (well, actually I decided and then talked Saul into it...) to get a membership to the zoo this year. Our thinking is that they are really at a perfect age to be entertained this way.

A few things we figured out...

Pack a lunch. And lots of snacks. The food is just too expensive and the lines are just way too long. (The kids can get down right angry when they're hungry!)

Bring extra sunscreen. Even though my husband and two of my kids were born with natural sun screen built into their skin, me and Isaac were not! It seems for the life of those pale, you can never slather on enough of the stuff.

Avoid the gift shop at all costs! We are always tempted into getting the kids something new from the zoo. But really, how many more stuffed animals do we need? My mom insisted on buying each of the kids the "special purchase of the day"...a large stuffed giraffe with huge googley eyes. Now I have them spread over my house, collecting dust...

Make a plan. I mean make it a goal to see just a few things. The zoo is just too big to see it all in one day. (Unless you don't have three kids you're chasing down, having to feed, and run to find restrooms, AND you start as soon as they open and stay until they close, and run like the wind from one exhibit to the next.)

Next time I want to make better use of the opportunity to teach the kids about God's Creation. Sometimes I don't think of those things until the opportunity passes me up...

HOG RIDIN'

The kids took a ride with grandpa on his Harley.

(All but Elaina - I wouldn't let her!)

The boys loved it. Nate didn't want to get off. He loved holding onto the handles.

I must say, it worries me more than a little that

my little adrenaline junkie enjoyed his ride so much.

my uncle the photographer

Cody called me up one afternoon to ask if my daughter, the super-baby model,

was available for a photo shoot. (He needed inspiration for photog class!)

Of coarse, any opportunity for more pictures of my baby!

He told me to dress her in a sundress and fix her hair.

Then we went to an open field and let her wonder around while he took nearly

100 pictures of her.

They turned out adorable! I'm so proud of my little brother!

Princess TuTu

I've been inspired.

My cousin-in-law, Amanda, always has the neatest ideas.

I don't know how she does it, but she finds the time and energy with three kids to make such wonderful things. I came across one of her Facebook entries for making tutu's.

Feeling brave and creative, I bought all the stuff to make one.

It took me nearly three hours, two rolls of toille, 3 yars of silk ribbon, 3 silk roses,

and a stiff neck to complete.

The next morning, I was so excited to put it on her. I chased her around the house trying to convince her to put it on. When I finally wrangled her down and slipped it onto her waist, she started to scream, pulling at the base trying to get it off. I did manage to catch a few shots of her in it. My favorite is of her holding her brother's transformer.

It's such a true resemblance of her personality:

pretty pretty princess meets rough and tough action hero...

New House - Finally!

Okay, so I have some catching up to do.

We've moved. Officially.

(Even though we've been here in Castle Rock for 6 months now.)

We love our new house. It's been a little crazy getting settled, but then again, our life is always crazy! They boys love their new room, but asked us where our (Me and Saul) bed was going to fit. When we told them we had our own room, they started to cry. Oow...so sad. Elaina is sooo much easier to watch here than at my Mom's. When we notice it's very quiet, we'll find her in her room, sitting in her pink fluffy chair and rocking a baby doll. So sweet!

Next on the agenda....backyard landscaping.

Fun in the Snow

Fun in the Snow

Isaac and Nate went out today to play in the snow.

It is so fun watching them. They are both so very different though. Isaac just loves the snow. He loves to roll in it, eat it, throw it, tunnel through it, and crawl ontop of it. Nate, on the otherhand, hates the snow. I mean, really, really, HATE'S it! He will spend the entire time outside whinning and complaining about being too cold, or not wanting to keep his gloves on, or being mad that the snow is getting him wet. "I just don't like it Mom!" he tells me. I basically have to throw him out there and tell him, "You are going to play outside today. I can't take another day of your wild energy in the house. Now go and try to have fun!"

Our daughter turned ONE!

I can hardley believe

how fast the year has gone by.

She brings our family so much joy.

And now she is walking.

Watch out world...

...here she comes!

CHRISTMAS PICTURES 2007

Here are our three

beautiful children.

It was quite an adventure to

get these two "good" pictures.

(None of them were exactly agreeable that day!)

Isaac's Pre-School

This is Isaac's teacher Mrs. Holmes.

We were all so excited that Isaac got to be part of this Pre-School before we moved. He really enjoyed it. Here are a few pictures of his time there.

A Visit to the Pumpkin Patch

Every year we go to this

great pumpkin patch where the

pumpkins are only a dollar.

We have really enjoyed taking the kids there.

We have sort of made this a tradition. For several years now we've gone with

our friends Patrick, Hannah, Nolan and Libby.

We usually finish off with a visit to the A&W rootbeer stand,

but this year we had a chili supper instead.

Our Beautiful Children

my daddy

One of the most precious gifts

From Heaven above
Is the gift of a daughter
For a Daddy to love.

-Dana Roberts Clark

Brothers

Brothers may fight;
but woe betides the one who dares to come between them!

-Carl Joseph Vonmoh

Party Pinata

Party Pinata!

SMILE!

There is nothing like a child's smile to
make all the chaos worthwhile.
-Connie Berry

little chef

Grandma gave the kids a kitchen set this summer. They all love to pretend to cook! Isaac always asks me "What can I make you, sir?"

Camping