Happy Birthday Gabe!

Happy 6th Birthday Gabe! We love you!!!!

Thanksgiving Day 2 Pictures

Go here for more pictures!

Things Rylie wants to know

Do Octopus have noses?
Do Beavers bite people?
Does a Dog know he's a Dog?
Can I call my foot, "hand" because my toes are like fingers?

Thanksgiving Pictures

Happy Thanksgiving!

Bounty

Thou great and only Potentate,

Thou hast made summer and winter,

day and night;

each of these revolutions serves our welfare

and is full of they care and kindness.

Thy bounty is seen in the relations that train us,

the laws that defend us,

the homes that shelter us,

the food that builds us,

the raiment that comforts us,

the continuance of our health, members,

senses, understanding, memory,

affection, will.

But as stars fade before the rising sun,

thou hast eclipsed all these benefits

in the wisdom and grace that purposed

redemption by Jesus thy Son.

Blessed be thy mercy that laid help on

one that is mighty and willing,

one that is able to save to the uttermost.

Make us deeply sensible of our need of his

saving grace,

of the blood that cleanses,

of the rest he has promised.

And impute to us that righteousness which

justifies the guilty,

gives them a title to eternal life,

and possession of the Spirit.

May we love the freeness of salvation,

and joy in its holiness;

Give us faith to grasp thy promises, that are our hope,

provide for every exigency,

and prevent every evil;

Keep our hearts from straying after forbidden pleasures;

May thy will bind all our wishes;

Let us live out of the world as to its spirit,

maxim, manners,

but live in it as the sphere of our action

and usefulness;

May we be alive to every call of duty,

accepting without question

thy determination of our circumstances

and our service.

--Valley of Vision

Some of the things I'm thankful for . . .

Rylieism

Last night when we were watching "Dancing With the Stars" with Nana, Rylie saw a women with cleavage. She leaned over to me and said, "Mommy, that lady has buns on her chest."

Firsts!

The first first today was Rylie's first trip to the Dentist. She did so great. She didn't have any problems and the Dentist told her that she had pretty teeth! She was excited that she got a new toothbrush and a toy frog.

The other first was both Anna and Rylie had their first haircut tonight! Aunt Elisa cut the little "tail" off of the back of Anna's hair so it would be even. She was playing with Aunt TeTe the whole time so she didn't even notice that Aunt Elisa was cutting her hair.

Rylie has never had a haircut, but she was needing a trim, so Elisa cut about five inches off. I know it's not, but it seems so much shorter to me now! Rylie wanted it cut really short, like her Nana's, but we decided against it. Turned out cute anyway!

Tea Party

Rylie's friend Hannah turned four and had a tea party yesterday. Rylie was so excited that she was going to be able to go to a real tea party at a real tea restaurant. Since Anna was still sick, Auntie Pam took Rylie with her and Abby. Rylie had so much fun! She kept telling me that she got to drink tea out of a real tea cup and use a glass plate. She also got to eat "fancy sandwiches" and have a cupcake. When Pam dropped her off, she ran in the house and said, "I used my manners the whole time!"

Thank you Krista and Hannah for inviting Rylie to such a fun party!

How To Make Chicken Pot Pie (or not)

Ingredients:

Diced, cooked chicken

Can of mixed vegetables

Can of cream of chicken/mushroom soup

Pie crust

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

Try to entertain a sick, crying baby

Layer above ingredients in pie crust

Wipe inordinate amounts of snot from said crying, sick baby

Wash hands

Bake pie in oven for 50 minutes

Continue to try to console sick, crying baby for entire baking time

Try to fold laundry while holding crying baby

Have the folded laundry fall onto the floor and unfold itself

Try to get baby to eat something

Take pie out of oven, promptly drop it on the floor into the heating vent

Burn hand on oven

Listen to crying baby and now crying toddler

Assure toddler that there is other food in the house and she won't miss dinner

Comfort crying baby

Cry a little yourself

Call husband at work

Call nurse sister in law

Walk for two hours around the house with crying, sick, snotty baby

Give baby medicine that nurse sister in law brings

Put baby to bed

Eat Wendy's hamburger and fries

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Baking Time: 50 minutes

Crying Time: 5 hours

Enjoy!

Thank you Edi!

Our wonderful friend, Edi has been such a blessing to us for many years. We used to work together in the Youth group with the High School kids and now we work together in Puggles. She was Rylie's Sunday School teacher for two years and watches my girls for Mops and Ladies Biblestudy. We are very thankful for her and her ministry to our family and our Church family. When she found out that Anna was having a clothing shortage, she went out and bought her (and Rylie) big bags full of clothes! (It was quite Providential that she gave them to me the day that she did, because Anna had a diaper blowout and I hadn't brought any change of clothes for her!)
Then, last week, she suprised me with another three bags of clothes, including underwear for Rylie, socks and tights for both girls. This was such a blessing because just that morning I was stretching Rylie's socks to make them fit her, as her feet have grown. Here is a picture of what she bought last week. She bought the girls adorable dresses as well!
Thank you Edi! We love you!

Baby Mum-Mums

This is Anna's new favorite snack. They are called, "Baby Mum-Mums". My new friend, Carlee shared some of her son's with Anna and we fell in love. They are rice crackers with pureed vegetables ground in them. They are easily disolvable but don't make a mess like biter biscuits do. The best part is that she can hold them by herself and she feels like a big girl!

Second Cubbies Patch

(This was from last week, but I forgot to post it!)

I'm so proud of my Rylie girl (and Henry and Keegan, and all of the other Cubbbies that earned their patches). She has worked hard and earned her second patch! She loves Cubbies and is learning to hide God's Word in her heart!

Pictures from Patty's Birthday Party

Happy Birthday Patty!

Happy Birthday Mom-in-Love! We love you so much!!!

(I was going to write a post about how much she means to us, but it's just too emotional right now. )

Happy Brithday Bean!

Happy 8th Birthday Bryan! I can't believe our nephew is eight years old already! It seems like just yesterday he was born. For his party today we went to Chuck E. Cheese. Rylie, Gabe and Bryan had fun. Anna not so much. It was very loud and over stimulating for her. She had a pouty lip most of the time and didn't want to leave my side. The poor thing was also overtired. When we got home she took a three hour nap!
It was so nice to see Patty able to get out and enjoy the party. She is still very weak and in some pain, but she is so much better than she was. Praise the Lord!

Our Banana

Make a Smilebox postcard

Thank You!

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for Rylie's new bed and bedding! And thank you Daddy for putting it all together!

She loves it, when she snuggled all in, she said "I think I turned into Ariel!"