Rewind Part 3

 And stepping just a little further back in time, this Preciousness celebrated her first birthday.  The above picture was taken a day or two before. 

And here are a few shots from the "big" day.  We celebrated with balloons and cake and her siblings seemed more excited about all of it then she was.  :-)

Clara helping decorate the #1 cake.

We love you big girl.  You bring so much joy to our lives!!!!

Rewind Part 2

 Stepping a little farther back in time with more moments from earlier this fall.  We'll start with this snap of brother and sister cuteness.  :-)


Next up, we have Clara and Hil's outfits for Pioneer Days.  Every year, right before Thanksgiving our home school group has a special morning where the kids get to do pioneer type activities, dress up if they want to, and everything culminates with a lunch that Dad's and Grandparents can join us for.  Both kidos wanted to dress up this year.  Unfortunately, Clara was getting over sickness, and had to miss the morning activities and just go to the lunch.  Boy, was she bummed.  Still got to dress up though. 

Though he didn't take the entire get-up pictured here, he was still a very good looking cowboy. 

Our boy lost his first tooth and the second isn't too far behind!  Haven't found a "pause" button on any of these kids yet.  They keep growing up!

Have I mentioned before that Ittai likes to line things up?  It's not on obsession, just a cute thing that happens every once in a while.

Zoo Time

Another school day shot:

More sweetness:

A couple posts back, Stephen shared a video from a date he had with Clara and Hil.  The littles and I had our own meal out.  These next two were taken then.  

From our house to yours, goodbye just for now.

Rewind Part 1

Last night I FINALLY download a BUNCH of pictures off my phone.  I'm thinking to do a series of "rewind" posts that share some of these snippets of life over the last few months.  We'll start with some of the most recent ones and work our ways backwards.  Sound like a plan?  Ok, here we go.

Daddy and the two older kidos went out on some hunting expeditions, each of them on different times.  We didn't end up getting a deer, but both kidos got adventure time with Dad.

Ittai could have gone, but didn't want to.  Still looks awfully cute in his hunter orange.  :-)

This fun one is from a night when both girls accompanied me on a grocery shopping trip.  "Car carts" are pretty popular in this family

 Cuteness

Beautiful.  What an awesome Creator.

 And on the sunset note, Ittai has started noticing sunsets, and has called me to see them more them once. 



We were very blessed to enjoy special time with family over Thanksgiving.  Here's Clara and Hil spending time doing a craft with cousins and a friend day after Thanksgiving.  They had "Craft Friday" instead of "Black Friday".  :-)

And here's a little shot of  a school day.  Clara and Hil copying their memory verse and Ty doing a favorite of his: playing with play dough. 

Stay tuned for "Rewind Part 2"

Steak - Enjoying for no good reason

I don't know if it's from living in "The Beef Empire" of the world or what, but Hil just developed this craving for steak.  He really wanted a "date" so we could get some steak.  So we went and brought Clara with us.  There was no good reason, except to get a good piece of meat at Lonestar Steakhouse.  Check out his style......

-Stephen, Father of a Carnivore 

A Trip and a Birthday

Hello, at long last!  No, I haven't quit blogging.  It has been a full last two months!  I would be sharing pictures on this post, but alas, our USB ports are having driver issues... so, we'll wait on the pictures for now.

The biggest happening in the last while is that the whole crew got to take a long visit out to see my family!!!  Stephen got to be with us for a week and a half and the kids and I stayed for 3 and a half weeks!  The first order of business after arriving was to take a weekend trip 2 hours north of my family so Stephen could be in a buddy's wedding.  My dear sisters Amy and Melissa went along to help out with the kidos!  They were a huge help and it was a treat to have that time with them. 

Back in my home town we got to see friends and spend lots of time hanging out with my dear family.  We got to have one-on-one chats over a meal or tea and coffee, game times, chat and laugh times, shopping and photos with my sisters, and visit the beach!  Lord willing, once we get the USB port problem fixed, I'll plan to post pictures of our time!  A HUGE thank you to my family for all the special things they did for us while we were out there! 

My sweet Mom made the trip back on the train with me to help with children.  And of course, that was a major blessing.  She then spent several days here visiting!  Thank you, Mom, for the countless ways you blessed us!!!

We also had a birthday in this house recently.  Our precious Tirzah turned ONE, already!!!  We did balloons and cake, and her siblings were more excited about all this then she was.  :-)  Tirzah is quite the girl and brings us so much joy.  She is walking all over, but still with some of that "topply", wobbly "toddlerness".  She waves and says "Bahbah", and she signs and says "pease" (please).  She "sings" and claps and she also does a lot of mimicking.  Her siblings enjoy getting her to meow, bark, etc.  Super cute.  She has really been taking a liking to her Daddy.  Her current tooth count is 7.  We love that girl! 

I will sign off for now.  And will try to not let it be almost 2 months before the next post!

I mentioned in my last post that my brother David and his dear family was going to be coming for a visit!  They arrived safely after a long 7 or 8 hour haul.  We got to have two days with them and then they made the same long haul back.  It was such a treat to have them, and we had a very enjoyable time together!  Come again soon, guys!!!

I'm now here to show a few precious shots from their time here!

Life carries on busily here, full of blessings.  Today we'll be prepping and awaiting the arrival of my brother David and his sweet family.  It's been over two years since I last saw them. And I have a nephew to meet!!! 

The last while...

So, what's all been going on the last while around these parts?

Well,... here's a partial list:

This Mommy celebrated a birthday.  :-)

The kidos had a week with cousins in town!

We've been doing some school during the summer.

There have been get together with various friends and our home school group.

And our Ittai had a birthday.

It's been a full and blessed past month!

Here's smattering of pictures from the last couple months:

We did sponge curlers in "girlie's" hair.  She didn't like this outcome, but later, when it was calmed down, she liked it.  And days later, looking at these pictures she seemed to approve.

 

 

Precious boy with a super smile!!!! 

Another great smile.

 

 

 

 



Daddy got to drive a grain cart and help a friend out with harvest.  One day we went a long for awhile.  Both boys are in there.

 

 



Our sweet "Toothless-Wonder".  :-)

 

 

 

 

 

 



Birthday Boy (though not taken on his birthday)

 

 

 

 



 The Lion At Our Zoo Had Cubs!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Group Selfie  :-)

 

A Sweet Girl

 

 

Our Little Ittai At The Park...

 



And Little Sis, Also At The Park

Would Someone PLEASE Put That Poor Baby Down For A Nap!!!

My Girls