surveying the local managerie

or:

a trip to the ZOO. 

elephant mask
I think

WILD mask.... 
she couldn't reach the eye holes
so she just looked out the mouth

was such a sweet baby 
the whole morning!

YEP. this is HER instrument!

that's her LION face

hmmm.. not too ferocious 

she was excited about the lions
they were the only animal 
she wanted to see

But of course, the sun was at just the right angle to make picture taking of the lions horrible. But they had 5 cubs, and they were ADORABLE.

the SISTER TRIO on the DRUMS

[offertory practice? {LAUGHING HYSTERICALLY}]

seeing the tortoise 

also seeing the tortoise

"look at him, Mikalah.
He's HUGE"

and he was!

well, I told them all to smile
guess Mikalah was still trying to be a lion.

my silly girl

We had a wonderful morning at the zoo today with just me and the kids with Nana. It was not too warm this morning, though I was glad our plans were to leave around lunch time because the temperature was rising quickly!

For some reason I cannot get more pictures on this post, but they were just of some animals... nothing important like my kids silly faces. {smiles} But I may post some of them later. I was also trying out a new photo logo for my pictures. What do you think? There is a story behind it... for another time. I hear the game Clue, Jr calling my name.

Red & White. again

I got to wondering today just how long it has been since I began this blog. Mikalah will be 3 next month-and I remembered posting her baby pictures.... June of 08... just over 3 years ago. What a journey has been documented!

Here is a post from the end of September that year. Just before Mikalah made her debut.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Just some pictures from Sunday...

The girls were pretty in red and white...

All ready for church...Let's GO :)

current news: Mikalah has already outgrown the dress that Anya is wearing. and Anya will be wearing Kyria's dress next spring [?].... and now we have another baby besides the one expected at the time of this first posting.

Thank you for stopping by... 

again.

so long ago...

mommy and Kyria [3mo]

found her thumb...
like a certain little boy

around 7 months

love this one

Daddy's girl from the start

finding that I see
another baby in this face!

Looking through some old pictures this morning looking for nothing in particular... and found this face looking back at me. This little girl is now 7 years old and in second grade. She can read, loves numbers, and knows how to make a bottle for her little brother. I'd better not blink or the next face I see will be her walking out the door to a youth activity!

Kyria Esther, August2011

songs & smiles

Anya Ruth & choir class

O-B-E-D-I-E-N-C-E

9.18.11

[forgive my zoom adjustments!]

Kyria Esther & choir class

The Things I Used To Do

9.4.11

the work of Anya and Mikalah left to themselves

for, oh, about 5 minutes! 

not really sure. I think they called it the 'shoe road'

 notice the rug turned over-covering their dolls

[and these are not all their shoes. 

some are from the 'shoe box' where we keep shoes in the sizes between children]

and they play castle nearly every day!

yep, I'm ALL clean.

 [LOVE] this monkey!

you know when you're in a hurry?

and your children put on their own socks? 

[and you don't notice til you are sitting in church]

{sigh} 

makes this mommy's heart smile.

Kyria is doing wonderfully school. Her teacher gives them owls in a bowl as a reward for making 'WISE choices' and then picks one out at the end of the week for one of them to get a treasure chest prize. The more owls they get the more chances they have! and then they get a piece of candy for every owl they have on Friday. I am so excited and proud of my butterfly. She regularly has handfuls of candy on Fridays [8+ pieces]... and she loves to share them with her sisters... she tries to pick out pieces she thinks her mommy and daddy will like too. 

Anya & Mikalah normally play very well. [making castles and shoe boats-{smiles}]. Their imaginations often leave me wondering... about their father--they surely did not inherit the vast wonders in their brain from me. Anya is excited to know she will begin school next year. Mikalah is excited that it is almost her birthday [WOW. she will be 3!] Right now they are both 'cooking supper' and using those imaginations. Maybe I should compile a children's cookbook. 

Corban is now 14 weeks and growing, eating, sleeping, etc. He is such a sweet baby. He smiles so sweetly and will talk to you if you let him. He prefers to see my face for a few minutes before he will start his babbling. And I love it ALL.

9.11 remembered

This video was shown at our church this morning. There is not really anything I could say that has not already been said somewhere by someone. But I will continue to pray for my country, her soldiers, and those who grieve lives lost in this war-of which this attack was the beginning; and I trust you will pray as well.

May we remember to teach our children of our nation's Christian Heritage and the reason behind the attacks while still holding her freedoms dear. May WE who saw it happen never forget. 

And may God Bless America until He comes again.