September 1st through 10th

Our updated family picture for our prayer cards.

This was quite the ordeal one Friday afternoon.

Believe it or not, the final shot we chose was only the 4th one we took - We weren't happy with it at the time (Simon's head is a little cocked to the side) but shortly into the loooooooong photoshoot, both kids ceased to cooperate ... 

We were bribing Simon with starbursts, so it ended up that in several shots he was chomping on red, gooey candy.  And Evie (2 hours past afternoon nap time - bad scheduling on my part) was only happy if she was holding both a clothes hanger AND a pacifier.  

Wouldn't that have been a cute prayer card picture?

Evie and Ava on August 30, 2008

I copied down a few funny, day-to-day comments over Labor Day Weekend.

This is what Matt said when he came in from watering the plants one morning,

"Look, this little chili pepper fell to the ground.  Our one prospect."

(We now have lots more prospects on our tomato and pepper plants)

When Matt and I were playing disc-golf, speed style, I missed (again) and Matt had to climb down into the drainage ditch.

He said, "I'll see you on the other side."

I said, "Just like heaven."

I cannot remember which family at GFA gave Evie these adorable pink converses! 

 They are too cute! 

(Evie was loving my necklace!)

We were in the front yard with my mom (She came over on HER birthday to get Simon to take him to the aquarium and to stay overnight for TWO nights!!!!!  Matt was willing to share, since it was Mom's birthday and all ... He really enjoys Simon and doesn't like to share him too much on the weekends!)

So, we were in the front yard, and this conversation happened.

Mom:  What's this big uncovered hole/pipe?

Matt:  Yeah, I've been meaning to call the city and get it covered -- I think I ran over it with the lawn-mower.  I'm pretty sure that's how the frog got into our toilet.

Me:  (Well I didn't say anything, but if looks could talk!!!!  I was thinking, you knew/thought that and you DIDN'T do anything about it!  I thought the frog was a freak incidence!!!!)

Matt and Simon over-seeing the ice-cream while we were visiting Tania's family on Labor Day at the Ranch.

Matt and I have been pulling some very practical applications from scripture lately.

My favorite of Matt's was one day when we were trying to decide to throw away some left-overs or not and he said that God's way is three days and under.  I'm not sure where he got that. I think he said it was from Leviticus and he deducted it from the meat/sacrifice laws.

And I was encouraged today when I re-read the part about how Mary and Joseph lost Jesus on their way back from Passover.  I don't feel so bad about the time we let Simon get locked in the van one night, and we didn't know where he was.  (long, long story)  I know it's a poor parallel, but still ... You'd think you'd keep really, really close tabs on the Son of God :)

One day at our home, I walked outside to see Matt with his bb gun (again.)  

He said, "I'm out of bullets.  I'm a horrible shot."

I asked, "What is it?"  (wondering what he was shooting)

Matt said, "A squirrel."

Addressing the squirrel he was at arms with, "Did I get you, buddy?"

Then, to me, "He's moving kind of slow.  It's a little game we play."

I was reading Matt a comment from Real Simple:

"The average person on Earth owns 62 Lego Bricks."

Well, then, we are below average.

As we were walking in one Saturday night to Prestonwood's Worship Service, Matt was carrying Evie.  I asked him how wet her diaper was (We were a little pressed for time in getting to church, and certain things had to slide).  He didn't know how to describe her diaper.  So I asked, "Is it so wet that they might call CPS?"  When we dropped her off, I couldn't help it, I confessed that she needed a diaper change and offered to change it before we went into the service. 

I was surprised to find at Cost-co that the Huggies diapers are actually a little cheaper than the store brand (just a little cheaper.)  

I was even more surprised to find out that I like the wal-mart diapers better (the white cloud ones).  The Huggies just don't last that long and Evie won't sleep as long at night if she is wearing one!

But, we now have a cost-co sized supply of Size 3 diapers to use up first!

Dad and Evie at the Ranch.

When we drove up to GFA one day, our friend Stephanie stopped to chat.

As Simon escaped from his car seat, she said, "You're free!"

Simon replied, "NO!  I'm four."

The other night Simon asked me to pray for him.

I started, "Dear Jesus ..."

He interrupted, "Momma, pray for God, too."

???

I started again, "Dear God...."

Simon encouraged me, "Yes, that's good.  Those two guys can help me.  Does God have feet?"

Pops received the privilege of carrying Simon around much of the time, including the last trek, all uphill!

At one point I trailed Dad and discovered his cell-phone on the path.  I asked for my reward and he said my reward would be that he wouldn't drop my son!

I am loving the Wednesday morning Ladies' Bible Study at Prestonwood.  We're studying the Psalms of Ascent (Psalms 120 - 134) by Beth Moore.

God really blessed me with the small care group to which I was assigned.  The class is fairly large (90ish) and they assigned us to groups.  I was really hoping NOT to be assigned to the young mom group.  Why?  I have so  many mom friends as it is that I wish I had more time for ... I was hoping for rich relationships with older, wiser women, to learn from them ....

And, I'm pretty sure no one in my group is younger than 50!  They are all so lovely, and I hope I can get to know some of them well and learn from them!  My small-group leader lives in my  neighborhood - about a tenth of a mile from us!!!!  (She's lived there for 30+ years)  I could literally walk to her home for coffee in the morning quite easily.  (And am invited to, also!)

A couple of the other ladies live near here as well, and several of the ladies taught at the elementary school right down the street for many, many years.  So, I feel a special kinship to them as I used to teach, too.  (Not as long, but, still)

And, what makes the study even better is that I'm doing it with my very best friend who is living in Afg.  We collaborate through email on our thoughts/lessons, and I send her the video notes from the video that we watch each week.  So, we're growing closer together, plus the repetition I get from sending her the class notes is good for me.

The first hour of class is facilitated by our teacher, with input from the ladies, etc, and then we have a ten minute break to fill up on coffee (again) or maybe go thru the beautiful brunch spread (again).  During the second hour, Beth Moore teaches us via video.

Speaking of Kellie (the friend I'm doing the study with), this is a picture of her that Matt drew on the doodle-pro.  She has a head-covering on an all.

Kellie, I know you read this blog, so you'll have to let me know what you think of this picture, and if I should hurt Matt in any way for you!

Evie in her playpen with Simon supplying the toys.

This proves the old adage that lots of stuff doesn't buy happiness.

Simon picking the guitar and Matt helping him with the frets.

Evie and Simon are doing splendid in their respective rooms during my Bible Study.  The Tim's Tots that Simon is involved is AMAZING.  I am so thankful for the teachers and the preparation and enthusiasm they put into the lessons.  Simon is really soaking it in.

And today, they gave the kiddos a Tim's Tot T-Shirt that I will have to be sure and take a picture of Simon wearing.

I laughed today (silently) when I dropped off Evie to her class.  There is a place to write in directions for the child, and I saw some moms had written "Nap 9:30-11:30"  Bottle at 10, etc.  I wrote, "Whatever you want.  (There's a pacifier and jar of baby food if you need it.)"

Also, I've learned a secret when it some to dropping off kids in a nursery or at someone's home --  Make them look cute.  Put on their cutest clothes, shoes, accessories.  It makes it a lot easier for someone to care for a cute child than one who has a cereal-crusted face and is wearing stained p.j.s   (Though I'm sure that will be me one day, especially since I'm writing that.)

Also, grandparents don't care how the kids look.  They'll just give them a bath, haircut, or buy them new clothes.  We even dropped off Simon one weekend at my parents with NO shoes - anywhere - and we totally scored a new pair of shoes for him!

Simon gulping down his smoothie that had Robitussin in it.  When he was little, I'd put medicine in his applesauce, but that doesn't work anymore.

The smoothie thing still works!

We've all taken turns at being under the weather, for what seems like ages now!

Simon celebrating MY Candyland victory.  I had a comeback right at the end.

This is hilarious.  This is Simon's work from Tim's Tots.  The lesson was on the miracle of the 5,000 being fed by the little boy's lunch ... I can imagine they had grocery sale papers and let the kids pick what they wanted to cut out and glue on the paper ... Well, they must not have been looking at Simon's very well -- He has a ham and two cases of beer on his classwork! 

Another thing that made me laugh today was Evie.  She kind of experiments with her voice, especially in elevators - I guess she likes the sound.  Well, we exited the elevator and were walking down the hall and she was still 'talking.'  A sweet lady stopped us (this is what made me laugh) and just oohed and ahhed over Evie's talking (noises) and said that Evie must be MUSICALLY INCLINED.  I waited until we were alone to laugh over that.  I don't doubt that Evie could be musically inclined (she'll get it from her dad), but it was such a random comment made with such firm declaration.

Simon and I had fun painting today.  I have discovered the secret of painting with Simon.  Brushes.  Lots of brushes.  I just open up every color and put a separate brush in each one, instead of expecting him to use the same brush and rinse it before putting it in another color.