Can't Get Much Better Than This

How could a gal ask for more?

I am blessed with a husband who is an incredible father to my children....

...and I have an equally fabulous father who still spoils me rotten!

O Be Careful Little Hands

"O be careful little hands what you do,

O be careful little hands what you do,

For the Father up above is looking down in love,

O be careful little hands what you do."

We make messes. Sometimes we are having fun and don't even realize the damage we are doing. Or other times we might make a huge mess all the while seeing the full picture of "damage" we may be doing.
But God. These two words are powerful. But God, who is lovingly watching us, tenderly scoops us up in His mighty arms and quietly wipes the mess away.
Sometimes the messes are easy to clean and disappear with promises to never let a mess like that happen again. Or other times the messes leave behind a small stain that will permanently mark the future picture.
What are my hands finding to do today, this week, this year?
Will I make mess after mess? Or will I strive to keep a clean slate and if I happen to stumble, will I be quick to tell God I'm done trying to paint this awful mess and have Him wipe it all away?

(Just a thought....these photos got me thinking....)

Just Imagine

Imagine your couch has just turned into a boat. Your oldest son is Jonah and your youngest son is "Dod". (this would be translated to "God" in the English language. But Landon prefers "Dod".") To top it off, you have just become a whale. As Jonah is preparing to make his jump into the cold, tossing sea, "Dod" comes running on the boat bellowing out to Jonah, "Say, I sorry!" Of course, he does like to have a little fun - "Dod" had no problem pushing, umm, helping Jonah into the sea. Later, as Jonah is in the belly of that whale, he prays to God and asks Him to get him out. As I(the whale -yes, I stepped out of character for a brief moment) tells him to say "I will go to Ninevah", Jonah tells me he "forgot that part". Countless times we played this. Along with David and Giant. Have you ever "just imagined" what it's like to be somebody or something else?

Below, Landon must be pretending to be a hairdresser. Funny how the boys loved playing with Morgan's toy at first -New and fun. Now it's old and boring.

Sometimes playing, imagining, and acting can be pretty tough on a big boy like Landon Reese. Here he is at the table eating his lunch...Well, he obviously is finished with lunch and it appears to be nap time! (Actually, all the packing we did just about wore him out. Schedule was crazy!)

Silver Stars in Paris

My mother (and a friend) were in charge of organizing and decorating the Awards Banquet again for our school. The theme was Silver Stars in Paris and pictured above is my sister and her "date" (as friends!)

My father made an incredible back drop see above (don't have pictures of the whole thing - wish I did!) I guess the picture below shows you what happens in our family when my father has pushed himself way too far and is lacking a large amount of sleep....!

It's moments like this when it truly is a magnificent thing to change your last name to your husbands...people aren't as quick to connect you to your um...truly...um...unique parents....
Em, get hitched quick! j/k ..love you both! (goofy or sane!)

Next Stage

We've said a sorrowful
GOODBYE
to this....

And an excited
HELLO
to this....

(Pardon the couch on the porch. It has since found someone to let it inside!)

Here lies the next stage (or chapter, if you prefer) in our lives. The trailer gave a good start - all 6 1/2 yrs. We have yet to see how many memories we can make at this new house we now call home.

...the good, the true, the tender -- these form the wealth of home.
Sarah J. Hale

Silly Snake & Sniffer Scrunching

Mr. Curious and Mr. Helper

Shawn and I sat amused while listening to Ethan ask question after question. Finally Shawn told him, "Ethan, I don't want you to ask any more questions right now." To which Ethan replied, "Why not?"

A friend was over in the office with Shawn one evening and I had made cookies for the occasion. Landon was an excited deliverer of the cookies. He hurriedly put on his shoes and grabbed the cookie plate and headed out. Once over at the office, Shawn greeted a finger-lickin' Landon. Shawn figured he ate one on the way over. Upon looking at the cookies, Shawn discovered not only chocolate chips in the cookies but rocks were also there! Thirty seconds later there was a knock on the door. Landon quickly exclaimed: "Hewere's ano-ver cookie phor yuuu. It was in the rocks!"