Season End

Hendrick was super excited about his final T-ball game...and pizza party...and trophy. Our slugger had a great season and is looking forward to next years "coach-pitched" ball. Baseball is officially his favorite sport!
We have all enjoyed cheering on the team this season - Great Job!!!!

Swimmers

We are so blessed to have wonderful friends who were generous in inviting our crew over for a fun evening of pizza, fireworks, trampoline, and swimming! We were so impressed with their 3 boys' amazing swimming abilities. Ours opted for flotation assistance - and had a ball! Burke especially enjoyed jumping off the diving board (he's a little fish)...according to Hendrick, Burke jumped 99 times!
We enjoyed being with you - thank you so much for a wonderful evening!!!!

Camp YoungLives 2009 - week 2

After 10 successful days of Camp YoungLives, our rocket ship has flown its last mission. Week 2 was a "blast!"
The kids learned more wonderful lessons from "Skyler", the space elephant (puppet) about our awesome God and His incredible plan. We learned how God's Word (the Bible) can make an Incredible Impact in our Lives, and were given a "Cadet Challenge" to "Learn it, Love it, and Live it!".
We have made beautiful butterflies (representing the change God can make in our lives), cut play-doh stars, created stargazers, flew airplanes through space (hula hoops), made the meteoroids hop with our parachute, and constructed flying cosmic comets. We have also feasted on star jigglers, "good stuff" (ooey-gooey chocolate chip cookies) and yummy space s'mores. Plus we learned new memory verses (Your word is a light to my path. Psalm 119:105), bible songs, and amazing space facts. Our God is Awesome!!!
We are already looking forward to Camp YoungLives 2010...

In Bloom - 28 Weeks

Sweetness

Maegli girl is now 17-months-old. She is full of personality and so much fun.

She loves to dance and sing; says "amen" ("meh") when we pray; enjoys playing "peek-a-boo" with Paul and Judy (Pat the Bunny); cuddles with her animals; roars like a lion; has a good arm for throwing ball; pushes trucks and adds her own "vrooom" sounds; has claimed mommy's lap; signs for "cat", "dog", "please", "thank you", "more", "all-done"; pulls-up to standing and cruises around the house; attempts to stand alone; loves to brush her teeth; has 12 teeth; likes to turn the pages of a book by herself; is very curious; makes necklaces out of everything; wants to play outside all the time; waves "hi" and "bye" very gracefully; weighs 18-pounds; desires to be included by her brothers in everything; lunges for daddy when he walks in a room; has the cutest giggle ever!
(Maegli has qualified for weekly physical therapy to assist and encourage her walking)
*We are so proud of our sweet girl!*

Party in Heaven

Camp - Day 6: today we had a re-cap lesson of the Salvation Story. We were discussing how God made our world "just right"...it's not too hot or too cold, too wet or too dry...the earth was created by God for us and it is special. His original creation was perfect, but then sin entered the world and it was changed. God had a plan - God made a way for us to spend forever with Him in His perfect Heaven. God loves us so much, He sent His Son, Jesus, to live a perfect life, die on a cross, and to rise again. Jesus came and took our punishment. This is the best gift anyone could ever give us...and it's a free gift. We can be God's forever child - we have to believe we have sinned, believe that Jesus dies to take our punishment, and that He rose again.

While we were talking about this, Hendrick interrupted with a beaming smile: "I know that!"...I told him he can make the decision to be a child of God when he is ready..."I want to do that right now!!!!".

After a very exciting (and thorough) conversation with my 5-year-old, lots of questions, bible reading and praying...He knows what is sin, why Jesus came to earth and dies, He wants Jesus to be his savior and that salvation is a gift. He knows God will be with him forever, and that He will get to spend eternity in Heaven (where he will eat apricots). Hendrick has been happily announcing "I am a child of God!" Hendrick is giddy with excitement!!! We are too!!!
Our son is a Child of God!!!!

In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. Luke 15:10

Sewanee River

Our family had a wonderful weekend trip to Sewanee, TN (the "Suwanee" in the song is in Florida) visiting sweet friends - who spend time at Sewanee University (The University of the South) each summer. We are so thankful to our friends for sharing their weekend and beautiful respite with our family -the kids loved playing with G and newborn Eme!
Sewanee is a gorgeous place - nestled in the moutains of south-eastern Tennessee. We enjoyed a day trip to Chattanooga and trip to the TN Aquarium; tour of the picturesque, cut-stone Sewanee campus; pizza picnic under the Sewanee cross with gorgeous vista and sunset; and a morning splashing in our hotel pool - what a treat! Thanks again to our friends for sharing with our family!

Fishin'

Daddy, you're a good catch - We love you Daddy!
HAPPY FATHERS DAY!

Splish Splash

With a heat index of over 105 degrees in Tennessee...a deck pool is a necessity! (And so much fun!)

Camp YoungLives 2009 - week 1

Week 1 of our Camp YoungLives has been a HUGE success! The boys have loved learning about God's perfectly designed universe...and taking "trips" in their space rocket.
This week we have focused on Gods awesome Love for us all, shown through the Bible, being the Book of Books; God's authority over all; and the incredible Salvation Story. We have constructed robots and telescopes, munched on yummy meteorite mash (puppy chow!) and blast-off bananas (chocolate covered!), learned incredible space facts, sang fun bible songs, constructed a solar system model, and so much more!
It has been a super fun and educational week. Hendrick wants camp to go on forever - Week 2, here we come!

Camp YoungLives 2009

We are so excited for Camp YoungLives 2009 - launching this week!!!!
This year we are gleaning inspiration from the Answers In Genesis VBS "Operation Space" curriculum...
We're having SPACE CAMP! We will be learning more about our great Creator, His World and His Word through fun games, crafts, science experiments, Bible lessons, cool snacks, memory verses, and field trips.
The T-shirts are ready to go...and tonight our sun room will be transformed into outer space (complete with stars, planets and rocket ship).
"let brotherly love continue"...3,2,1 - Blast Off

Our camp shirts each feature a different constellation (draco, big dipper, crux, lupus, leo, orion)

Take 2

One of our family's favorite items is the Sears $7.99 portrait package - we splurge once a year for each kid. At his birthday in April, Davis had an impressive mark on his cheek...so we thought we'd give it a little time to fade. This week was our 2nd attempt at a picture (the first time Davis wasn't playing along) and Hendrick was masterful at getting his little brother to giggle! The only mark, no pun intended, was a new bruise on Davis' cheek courtesy of our IKEA ottoman the night before. Perfect timing, Davis!

In Bloom - 26 Weeks

Thanks Babe

Thanks mommy for letting me play solo daddy tonight! I had a great time...

reading new He-Man comics with Hendrick,

watching my little lady look so graceful in her cloth diaper,

helping the boys learn how to play King of the Slide,

and, of course, teaching my children about hockey.

Cincinnati

Our family had a wonderful weekend visiting family and friends in Cincinnati. The kids enjoyed seeing their grandparents, cousins, uncles and aunts. We had a great fun-packed weekend with Winton Woods Parky's Farm playground, hiking, and pony rides; cheering on the Reds to victory over the Cubs in extra innings; and boating, fishing, and boating at Grandpa's lake.
Thanks to everyone for a very special weekend!