I *LOVE* Our Lil Family

I love this picture of us! It was taken while waiting in line at Universal Studios, at the Toy Story Ride. We all voted that it was our favorite ride of the whole trip. Fun, bright colors, loud laughter, spinning and shooting guns, it was so fun it was almost dreamy!

Waking up to LOVE from my Sweet Baby Girl.

This morning I woke up to a little bit of sweet LOVE in the air... From my Baby Girl.
Last night she wasn't falling asleep. She kept yelling down the stairs, asking what time it was, or when we would be going to bed, etc. Finally, as we were about to go to bed she came down and told us what was up... HER!!! She confessed that she was waiting for us to go to bed, and she asked if we would shut our bedroom door because she had some " things she wanted to do for us for Valentines Day, and there wouldn't be time to get it done in the morning before we got up." So, we let her! She tucked us in bed, and we closed our door, and I laid there thinking "wahhhh, she is growing up! Will she turn the lights out before she goes to bed? What if she pours us cereal for breakfast and has it waiting all night long for us until we wake up? Have I ever explained about food and milk needing to keep cold? What if she gets scared? How late will she stay up? Hopefully she won't turn the TV on this late at night." After a few minutes of worrying and wondering, I felt at peace, knowing that she is quite the responsible 8 year old. Instead, I laid there for a few more minutes listening to a little bit of clanking and moving around, shutting of doors and shuffling feet across the floor. I think I had actually just barely fallen asleep when she came in to tell me she was going to bed. Really, that was so neat of her to do that. And it felt good to trust her and look forward to the morning surprise!
Happy Valetines Day! I woke up to my fuzzy house slippers laying beside me, and a note that said...


And in each room was another note. So sweet! I had to take pics of the notes.



So while we were sleeping, our little blonde-headed, blue-eyed cupid was spreading love notes around the house for us to wake up to. I loved it! So sweet!

Sackin' Up Some Lunch

Well being snowed in for over a week makes a bunch of antsy kids. And antsy Mommas. But at the same time, being snowed in makes us realize how lucky we are to be warm. And protected. And full. And happy. Then you start to think about the people out there in this cold and snow who aren't so lucky or blessed. Those who have fallen on hard times, and even those who have made their own bad choices that have landed them there: homeless. And hungry.
So a few of us got together with our kids and made up sack lunches to give to John 3:16 Mission in Tulsa. We filled 200 brown paper sacks with a pbj, an orange, a swiss roll, a granola bar, and a bottle of water. Traci's kitchen table was full of kids making the sandwiches, and at the counter others of us were packing the sacks. Bryce was taking the sacks to the garage as we filled them.
Traci's husband said the people at the shelter were forever grateful on that cold day that he delivered a truck full of lunches. It was a great day of service. And a great day of lessons in thankfulness, blessings, and serving others.
ps. and I'll never tell whether or not I saw some of the kids licking their fingers. :)

SNOWMAGEDDON - 2011

Owasso Oklahoma got 21 inches of snowfall today, with reports of snow drifts over 6 feet tall! A for-really-and-truly- all out- reminds me of South Dakota- BLIZZARD. Wow!
Oklahoma's state Governor, Mary Fallin, is calling our town, "Snowasso, the End of the [snow] trail". Isn't that funny!?!?!
Us Okies aren't use to this kind of snow. Most restaurants and stores are closed. The roads and parking lots are completely covered and packed full of snow. The Owasso 6th Grade Center was on National News, showing the there was snow nearly up to the top of the building. It's crazy.
The kids were out the door before I even got out of bed this morning. Well, they had just gone outside as I walked out of the bedroom. Alan stayed home today so he bundled everyone up tight. It amazes me how kids can tough it out and play in that cold stuff! The girls lasted about 10 minutes, but Bryson wanted to stay out longer. A few minutes later he poked his head in and said "Dad! There's a fire truck stuck in the ditch!" Sure enough, it had slid off the road and was stuck. Alan bundled up and went out to help. He was out there for 30 minutes or so, trying to help them. They had an SUV that was trying to pull, while the guys got behind and pushed. But to no avail. They had to go get a bigger truck, so Alan came in to warm up. Eventually they got it out.

An hour or so later, the kids were all back outside again. This time Alan went with them. They ran around, played tackle, and then played a game of broom ball using a soccer ball and a few kid-sized brooms. It was hilarious. Needless to say, they were about FROZEN when they came in. Seriously. I had them strip down and get in a warm shower. They had a blast though!

I spent the morning in the kitchen. Cleaning, cooking, you know, doing what I love to do. I made soft chicken tacos and queso for lunch. We spent the afternoon playing games, doing some school work, and watching some "shows" the girls performed for us.

Now, off to make pot-stickers and Chinese food for dinner. Thank goodness we are staying warm and full. however, I can't hardly wait to be in our house, and to get a fireplace back! Soon.. very soon...






Wow Baby! It's COLD outside!!!!!



Charis didn't stay out too long... she came right back in a got her cute self dressed back up. Of course!

Jimmy-Time with, Jimmayyyyyyy!

Well, 4 days locked in the house during "Snowmageddon" will force a kid to get creative with playtime. Selah came up with her own show, called "Jimmy-Time With, Jimmayyyyyyy!" It was hilarious. Her and Charis, I mean, Johnny, would work on their show skits, and then perform for Mommy and Daddy. They made us laugh, and the choreography to their skits was purty darn good! They kept us entertained, fo sho!


Meet Johnny too...


And a one-time special guest star, Jilly...


And the remaining cast members, the stufties...