Fun with Black & White

I wish my two precious peanuts would stay young forever. I simply love where they are at right now. Dawson is walking and exploring his world more and more each day. He adores his sister, is giddy over his Daddy and remains my little man. Gabrielle's personality continues to develop into the young woman she will one day become. She is strong and independent, creative, & imaginative. Her love for Jesus is displayed in what she says and does. Her daily prayer as of the past month or more is "Dear Jesus, please help my grandpa to get better. Make his legs strong so he can walk again. Praise our food {I don't know why she asks to praise the food instead of bless it}. Amen. We are working through a 31 day devotional book on patience (something both mother and child need to improve on). She lives for her Tuesday and Thursday morning sessions at the Britain Center. She loves all her friends she has made in class. The short time she is there allows me to run errands or spend one on one time with Dawson. I am always excited to pick her up and hear about her morning. So my present wish list for Christmas is a device to freeze time. Anyone know where to locate one?

Ride On

Dawson received this Mator ride on toy for his birthday and he and Gabrielle both have spent countless hours already enjoying it.

You will have to excuse the fact that Gabi is bottomless

It is par for the course for her

Ride on little man!!

Rainy Wendesday

We spent our rainy Wednesday house bound (and I like it). We have been in our jammies ALL day (and I LOVE that). We have colored, read books, sang & danced and played with modeling clay, which is a new experience in our house. Other than eating, entertaining the kiddos & nursing my aching back (I DON'T love that!) it has been a relatively unproductive day.

This is the snowman Gabrielle created
Initially she stood the snowman next to a "log"

But soon decided that it was more appropriate to have miniature snow balls surrounding her snowman

My sweet {yet sassy} girl

Her audience of One!

Taco Soup

1 lb ground beef
1 small chopped onion
1 package ranch dressing mix
1 package taco seasoning
1 C water
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes with green chile
2 15 oz cans pinto beans
1 15 oz can black beans
1 15 oz can corn

Brown ground beef and chopped onion - drain
Add remaining ingredients and shimmer 20 minutes
Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream or chips/flour tortillas
I served my with Tastefully Simple Bountiful Beer Bread
VERY EASY and tasty!!!

That Kid!

Oh my child!! I think what I hear myself say more times than I care is "Please be quiet, brother is asleep." So today as we were making a co-effort of picking up her bedroom (post pep talk to be quiet because Dawson was in the next room sleeping) I hear those familiar words fall from lips yet again. Do you know what I heard back without one second of hesitation? "Mommy, I am loud because Jesus made me that way. I just talk loud!" Well ... that sure makes it forgivable then doesn't it? :0) She immediately started dancing around her room in nothing but her panties and tee-shirt singing Holy Moly Moly {Holy, Holy, Holy} along with the radio. I love that girl!!!

New "Toy" = New Tooth

Dawson's newest "play area" as of the past week is our bottom drawer in the master bathroom. He is a pro at opening it - child safety latch and all! He has emptied out the band aid box, shaken every pill bottle & found his new favorite toy {see below}.

He chewed on this toothbrush for an hour or more Thursday night and low and behold his 2nd tooth broke the skin. I know some of you are thinking nasty, unsafe, bad choice of toys BUT what makes him happy (within reason) makes Daddy and Mommy happy.

Billy Graham's Prayer

I'm not a big fan of e-mail forwards, but this one struck a cord with me.
Take a quick minute to read over it and see if you agree his prayer rings true.

Billy Graham's prayer aired by Paul Harvey...........................
DR. GRAHAM SURELY HAS A GOOD VIEW OF WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THIS COUNTRY!
'Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and Set us free. Amen!'

Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, 'The Rest of the Story,' and received a larger response to this program than any other he has ever aired. With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called 'One nation under God.'

A Day at the Patch

We took advantage of the gorgeous weather Saturday by spending the morning at the KC Pumpkin Patch in Gardner.

Gabi was so excited to be there. She couldn't wait to have her picture taken with the pumpkins. She is striking a pose (she is such a drama queen)!

The kids were the 1st customers of the day on the little tractor ride and took advantage by enjoying a solo ride. Gabrielle was so sweet with Dawson.

Awwww! That is my over cautious hubby you see there on the sidelines. He walked along side the wagon making sure his little man was safe and secure.


I think we hit every attraction. The kids really enjoyed "driving" the tractor and especially loved sliding down the beach slide (what Gabrielle called it). Gabi wasn't quite so sure about the maze. She liked navigating her way through it with a little direction from Mommy, but she was concerned about how quickly we would reach the exit and find her Daddy.

Just a pickin' and a grinnin'!!

Gabrielle's proud pick

For {Personal} Journaling Purposes

Mema and Papa once again gifted us a couple of hours Tuesday evening so we could dine out with our small group "family". I phoned to tell Mom we were in route home and she said she had something to tell me when we arrived. Our VERY imaginative 3 1/2 year old darling daughter decided it would be exciting to empty her bladder into a plastic Easter egg and then proceed to dump it into the toilet. She did it while standing on our micro suede couch (thank the Lord for both the 5 year treatment plan as well as for good - no great - aim!!). I sound like a broken record, but UnBelievAble!! I scolded Mom for not putting the little pistol into time out. She felt horrible that it happened as she was preoccupied talking with my sister-in-law on the phone getting an update on my father-in-law.