Falling in Love with Fall

While it may merely look like Simon is playing a video game, he is actually engaging in a virtual playdate.  

Kellie's nephew is hanging out with Simon on Skype and was watching Simon play a game.  Kellie's arms were sore, but it was all in an honest day's play.

Things Simon has done/will do that Evie has never done:

sit happily in an IKEA or other shopping cart for hours on end.

Things Evie has done that Simon has never done:

Thrown a temper tantrum.

So, we are discovering what those are - a child will actually throw themselves on the floor and cry.  Interesting.

On Evie's plus side, she also does something else that Simon never did.  She will walk up to me and get in my lap numerous times a day.

What was I thinking almost ten years ago?

Rain Rain, go away.

Trying to find some ducks to feed ...

Oh, here are Simon's virtual playdate friends.

Terry and Marcus.

The extent of my fall decorating.

I wish this were part of my decorating.

This is part of the pumpkin craziness at the Dallas Arboretum.

I would love to know how many pumpkins are actually there.

If you are having trouble finding a pumpkin this year, may I suggest bringing a large, durable, empty tote to the Dallas Arboretum.  It can come in empty and leave heavy.  Just kidding.

Simon has been friend-starved lately (well, except for school which is a huge friend-fest to him.)   So, it was good to hang out with some GFA friends one night.

Kellie and Evie entertained themselves with a bottle of Windex.

Still wondering what I was thinking ten years ago.

The Arboretum has so many pumpkins that they just tossed a bunch of them into the fountain.

We had a breakfast date last Sunday and then we went to the Arboretum and wandered around.  It was a treat to go without lugging around a stroller, but we can't wait to take the kids this weekend and let them see all of the fun fall displays.

Now I remember what I was thinking ten years ago.

 

Sunday afternoon at Gigi and Pops.

I like how Tania is being a doting aunt and reading to Evie.

Seriously, a large tote bag is a great idea.

But, if anyone asks, it wasn't my idea.

But, maybe, you could blame it on this smooth criminal.

We look so innocent.

(Honestly, our pumpkin came by the way of Home Depot pumpkin patch --not thievery-- promise.)

Simon was in a surprisingly photo-happy mood.

"Run, John, Run the law commands,

But gives us neither feet nor hands,

Far better news the Gospel brings:

It bids us fly and gives us wings."

John Bunyan

Evie wasn't in a good mood, but I thought if the camera was slightly out of focus ....

Or if I stood far away from her ....

Or if I could snap a picture when she glanced away ...

Or, maybe, if Simon could make her laugh, ....

Or if her paci made her happy ....

Or maybe Simon could make cute faces and trick her into making one, too....

Or we could try having Simon looking pensive and then maybe Evie would reflect on her bad attitude and repent ...

And maybe the spookily festive yard next door could scare her into a smile ...

That didn't work.

No, Simon, even your cutest smiles aren't contagious today.

And your creepy smile isn't working, either.

Well... we thought if we tried all that, then maybe, 

we would end up with something better than this.

Evie Barking

This is the video of Evie communicating with the canines in our neighborhood.

A Cinematic Glimpse

Evie is intrigued by the boys fighting over the bread that was only fit for ducks.

They each wanted to be "The Keeper of the Bread."

Early October Update

Sorry I haven't updated in so long!

Here are some random pictures with captions.

Sometimes, instead of captions, I am writing some of Simon's prayers from his devotional book we just finished.  They are sweet and I want to preserve them somehow. 

This  is the picture Simon made for the child we sponsor through Bridge of Hope.

When Simon is at School, Evie enjoys exploring his room.

She is a little cute busybody.  She usually ends up selecting one of his books and sitting on his bed, "reading" to herself.

Matt scheduled out our Labor Day the night before and created this schedule for Simon.

8 am:  breakfast, cereal, color this sheet

10 am:  family tennis

note:  we're not sure if the others playing tennis thought we were great parents for encouraging them to be active ... or horrible parents for putting them in harm's way.

It was definitely good for making me hit more carefully .... and no one was hurt.

"Dear Lord,  Thank you for keeping me safe when I disobeyed and ran out of the store.  Help me obey.  Amen!"

Evie carrying her lunch tray.

Our lunches at home ... we were running ahead of schedule.

The cinnamon rolls before they were baked and iced.

These were for Kellie's 30th birthday breakfast last month.

"Dear God,  Thank you for the skies and the seas and the mountains and the rivers.  I love the whole earth.  My lips will glorify you because your love is better than life.  Psalm 63:33  AMEN!"

"Dear God, Some people might die.  Help them get back.  But you don't.  You keep them.  Please help them get back to earth."

"Dear Lord, help me not dream bad things.  Amen!"

"Dear Lord, Why can I not hear you or see you?  Please right now let me see you.  I want to see what you look like.  Then, you can go back up.  Amen."

Simon has the swine flu!  When I picked him up from school on Tuesday, he was running a 102 fever and even with lots of tylenol it was 103.7 during the night.

At the pediatrician's office the next day we had a flu test and strep test done.  The results were that he had the H1N1 virus.  

He is doing lots better - not aching and is moving along happily except for some severe coughing and some other unpleasant symptoms.

It is VERY contagious but so far we are staying pretty healthy.  We've had some very fatigued moments and felt yucky like our bodies are fighting it off .... Matt and I were talking about how we are in a pretty good position health

wise because we had been taking vitamins and going to sleep early the last couple of weeks in preparation for our India trip.

If we do fall ill it will be neat to see how God gives us the strength and grace to be ill and to be able to care for our family.

Oh, yes.  Didn't you have a Labor Day cookie?  

We were looking for an excuse to let Simon decorate a cookie.

Some new friends!

"Thank you for making everything; God I just love all the people you made.  My favorite man Timmy and everybody.  I love you God.  Amen!"

"Dear God, I don't know why you can see us, but I can't see you.  Why can I not see you?  Let me see you right now.  Amen."

"Dear Lord, Thank you for loving me for you love me when I'm bad.  Help me to be good.  Amen."

"Dear Lord, How did David buy the slingshot?  There are no stores in the desert.  Amen."

"Dear God, Why does he get sulk?  (the child in story that night was sulking)  Why does he get wise?  How do you have powers?  Make daddy be big and me too.  Help me be strong.  Amen!"

"Dear Lord,  Help me to love and be kind.  I'm sorry.  Amen."

Male bonding.

There was a turtle in our hall!

Karate + Nacho Libre

Interesting combo.

"Dear Lord, Why do you know about everybody?  Get all the kids wise fast like their moms and get them food.  Amen!"

"Dear Lord, Some people don't know how to read and walk on the water.  Will you show those people, maybe, one day?"  Amen

Evie wants to be doing what Simon is doing.

"Dear Lord, How can there be Bibles in every country?  I heard a guy does that in India.  Mom and Dad are going there.  That man may give them one, but they already have one.  Thank you God for baby Jesus.  Amen!"

"I catch two fish, but one time I caught one fish and it got away.  You are powerful, God, and I don't know why you are stronger than the sea, but it is really cool.  And God I need you to help Ollie get a job.  In Jesus Name, Amen."

"Dear Lord, I don't want people to go away.  I want everyone to be with me.  Amen."

"Thank you for letting me run in the sprinkler.  I love you very much.  Thank you for thinking of me.  It makes me feel good, special, and safe.  Say Amen with a dot and a line, Mama."  (exclamation point)

"Dear Lord, Thank you God.  Do you know what this is God?  It is a present.  It is love.  Amen!"

"Thank you God for the good things you give me like books, my mom, my dad, my sister.  In Jesus Name, Amen.

"Dear Lord, I don't love it when Jesus dies.  How did you get alive again?  I know, Jesus.  You are the best and you are strong.  I don't know how electricity works God.  How do you make it work?  O.K.  Amen."

This is Kellie and I attending Jim and Pam's wedding last night from 8-9 central time.

Kellie made wedding meringue cookies.  We also had coffee and some dessert wedding mints and trademark reception peanuts.

Matt is on the right here.  They were getting some footage for a GFA video.

Lorena is 5!

Hudson is 7!  They had a fun joint birthday at BounceU last weekend.

"Dear Lord, I just don't know India people or China people.  Please tell me their name.  Amen."

(this is where he starts developing his interrogative tone)

"Dear Lord, Can you please help the people that are sad?  Amen."

"Dear Lord, Help people that don't have food or cars or houses.  Give them food.  Amen."

"Dear Lord, Some people don't have lights or cars or anything in their house.  They don't have food.  Could you please help them?  Amen."

Some people don't have anything in their houses, or houses at all ... after reading Simon's prayers I feel a bit temporal including these pic.  But, a lot of people wanted to see the final kitchen.  Here it is.  

Windows trimmed.

Ventahood created and mounted.

a floor in the entry

We decided what to do with that empty space.

Our buffet/mirror combo (dresser)

a closer look

The kitchen in action!  

We've had a lot of company over and have met several new GFA families and staff ... but we're taking a break from having people over until we are positive we are swine-flu free. 

 (Note the hand sanitizer on the table.)