Now I'm Ready To Start My Day

Elias composed a new song tonight in the bath. He was singing it over and over for so long that I decided I needed to capture it on "film" (does film even exist anymore??). He had no idea he was being recorded.

Rome Wasn't Built in a Day...

...and niether was this playset! In fact, it took 3 days with 3 retired men who knew what they were doing! That goodness Adaryll and I did not attempt this feat on our own! We are SOOO thankful for Charlie, John S., and John B. for showing us true servants' hearts by giving up three days of their time to put this thing together! It is already bringing hours of enjoyment to both kids!!!

The finishing touch was the flowerbox- we HAD to choose Bluebonnets for it!

(Remember, we ARE back in Texas)

:)

He Is Risen... He Is Risen Indeed!

We had a great Easter this year! Elias attended the Good Friday service with us and began really asking questions and making observations about asking Jesus into his heart. His understanding of why he needs Christ in his life seemed to really blossom by reading about Christ's death and resurrection each night leading up to Easter (if you don't have "resurrection eggs", get some! It is a dozen eggs, each with a trinket inside that corresponds with a specific scripture. Ours began the first night with Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey and ended with the empty tomb). Elias decided he liked Good Friday service so much that he wanted to go to "Big Church" with us on Easter. He went again today. I am truly amazed at what he learned by listening to the sermon, and he has informed us both weeks that Tim Hawks (Our senior pastor) is his favorite part of Big Church.

Second T-Ball Game

Today was the second game of the season. Our boys actually made 2 outs in the first inning! (They play until the defensive team gets 3 outs OR the offensive team scores 5 runs, then they switch). I don't think there were any outs at all in last week's game! Here are 2 videos of Elias hitting and another of Elena cheering for him. What great memories we are making!

Elias' first at-bat of the day...

Elias' second at-bat...

What Up, Cuz?

My sister and her boys came for a visit this week, so we took the cousins out this morning to take some pics. How hard is it to get two 5 year olds, a 20 mth old, and a 5 mth old to all look at the camera and actually smile (really, even to just get everyone to look at the camera!!!)? VERY HARD! Still, we got some really great shots. Here are a few...

The Corner

Elena had her first (and, unfortunately, second) time-outs this week. I suddenly realized one day that she is old enough to know what we have told her not to do and to remember it from one day to the next. So, when she pulled files out of the drawer last week, one piece of paper at a time, I decided it was time for her to sit in the corner. I sternly told her to "Go sit in that corner" and she quickly did. I'm not sure why I was surprised she knew what that meant- she really understands way more than I give her credit for (thus her ability to manipulate me!!!!) And so began our first "time out". As she sat there pouting silently with tears welled up in her eyes, I had to take a picture. What was really funny was when she realized what I was doing, she put on this big smile and said "Cheeeeeeese!". Then I had to tell her sternly "You did not obey Mommy. You stay in the corner." Then she pouted again. I figured the time out thing would sort of lose its effect if she thought it was all about having pictures taken! So, after a minute or so, she said "Sorry" and we hugged and I forgave the filing mess. The pouting was just too cute to keep to myself though....

Gooooooooooooooo Mets!

Elias is playing T-Ball this spring. I can't believe he is grown up enough to play, much less understand the rules of, this team sport!! But guess what- he is! Wow, how time has flown! His team is the New York Mets, so both Adaryll and I are sporting Mets caps on Saturday afternoons for the next few weeks. This past Saturday was his first game, and the pics below are his first at-bat. You can see he proudly made it to first (and eventually scored!) The last picture is the whole team at the end of the game, hands all in- Goooooooooo Mets!

The Fruit of the Spirit

There is an old song that goes...

The fruit of the spirit's not a coconut,

The fruit of the spirit's not a coconut,

If you want to be a coconut

You might as well hear it,

You can't be a fruit of the spirit.

Cause the fruit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentless, and self-control. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Then it goes on to say that the fruit of the spirit's not a watermelon (in a deep, froggy voice) or a cherry (in a high, squeaky voice), a grape, a strawberry, etc.

We have a CD that April gave us that we have been playing over and over in the car for the last few weeks, and the fruit of the spirit song has quickly become one of Elena's favorites. She began by singing the cherry verse, squealing "cherry!!!" as high as she could throughout the entire verse. Now she also grunts "watermelon" during that verse.

Today she is wearing this adorable cherry outfit with ruffles of the bootie that was a hand-me-down from Tiffany in Indiana. I'm quite sure Chloe and Callie never got to wear this in mid-March, but it is supposed to be in the 90's today in TX, so Elena gets to wear it! It reminded me of the whole fruit-of-the-spirit song...