Thrilling Western Stories Devotional

My parents gave us this devotional book by Dr. Bill Rice. He tells a story and then makes an application at the end. I was skeptical when I first started reading it. He was an evangelist and writing was obviously not his gift (as it is not mine! :) . . . anyway as we got into it the kids really enjoyed it especially Gabriel and Annalina. Ross did find them long towards the end. One day we even read 2. There were a number of things that I appreciated about this book . . . One, he had some very challenging applications (a fair amount were on salvation but there where other challenges too for those already children of God). Second, it showed the kids a time in history and a way of life they are not familiar with. Childhood was MUCH different then as was his way of life. When he was a YOUNG boy they would go off camping out in the wild with his friend on their own. He talks about saving up for his first gun and going out shooting with just his brother. He does have pretty neat stories. I did skip one devotional as it seemed pretty heavy for the kids but really over all we enjoyed the book. I may have the boys read this one their own sometime later down the road. He does an excellent job of encouraging to be a Christian set apart for God and not getting entangled in the snares of the world. I was really thankful to have read this.

From Snake to Slippers

A couple of blogs entries ago I had a picture of Annalina holding a snake and now here she is dancing in her ballet slippers!

Last night was her ballet recital at the Sunset Center in Carmel. That venue is used by famous entertainers throughout the year! She was so excited that her recital had finally come! They danced to a song from Swan Lake and she did and wonderful job and looked so beautiful!

We had to get costume pictures! She was really happy with her costume this year! She was excited about the tights because she had wanted the type that you can stick your foot through the end and not have the tights on her feet if she doesn't want too!

Flowers from Daddy and Mommy in honor of her recital work!

Terrible picture but I like it that it shows Annalina doing an excellent job of having correct form. She is the second one in from the left.

Annalina got to pick where she wanted to go for a special treat, also in celebration of her recital, and she picked a small ice cream shop we've never been to before in Pacific Grove. This picture of the 4 kiddos was taken outside that shop. Carson is cuddling with his sister.

This horse was inside the ice cream shop. Boy were we surprised when we got there . . . it was a hippy dive ice cream store! Weird, huh? . . . and the music was absolutely obnoxious. Annalina didn't want to stay in there and eat and actually none of us did. After we walked out Ross said "Only people that are not Christians would like that music." Aside from the promotion of silly liberal ideas and terrible music the ice cream was super good!!!! Not a place that we would go back to and support their promotion of liberal nonsense though.

I LOVE this picture!
The super hero, fireman, little brother is copying big sis!
TOOOOO CUTE!
The shirt Carson is wearing his Auntie Theo created with his initial on the front and a super hero cape with a lighting bolt velcro'd to the back! I thought that was a SUPER idea and a perfect gift!

"They make your soul dirty"

Yesterday Annalina was talking to me about plays, which is interesting because she has really only seen one play in her life but I think she was linking acting in general to plays. She was telling me that she thought people should be careful what parts they accept which of course is correct! Anyway, I was saying that some plays could be raunchy and I was explaining that meant really bad and dirty. Then she stated it so much better than me . . . she said "They make your soul dirty". Wow!! I was impressed and touched by her understanding of the effect of that which is ungodly . . . a dirty soul

Home Sweet Home. Our First Place of Our Own.

Many years ago when Babe was a boy about Gabriel's age he would sit on the floor of his home in Wisconsin with maps stretched out in front of him trying to figure out where the best place to live was and it was always someplace out west and he wanted to live in the mountains. Now that dream is coming true . . . a home in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Not only is it the excitement of a first home but the excitement of living a childhood dream. I am as thrilled as he is. For 3 years of my childhood we lived in Colorado and I LOVED it. Now I am back with my children and they can enjoy the majestic beauty of God's creation and breathe the mountain air. I remember what it would feel like in the mountains in the morning. The air was cool and invigorating and the scenery beautiful and peaceful.

The papers are signed and the movers come tomorrow to pack up our stuff. The kids are so excited and have been counting down the night nights. Annalina wanted to sleep on top of the boxes tomorrow night!

I am so glad to have a husband like Babe to share this with. What is a home without love? I find the experience of purchasing this home to be romantic as Babe and I live out our dreams together. There is something soul warming inside me. I can't wait to be in OUR home with MY LOVE. Call me a sap . . . but I feel what I feel.

I am thankful to my Heavenly Father for the blessings He seasons our lives with. Those things that warm the heart and draw your gaze upward to say "I know I don't deserve any of this . . . the loving husband, the beautiful children, our own home . . . , your love for me makes no human sense but thank you for seasoning my life with your love. Help me to be salt and light in this world for you. Amen."

Yah, Gabers!

Yesterday the kids finished up their last swimming lessons here in Monterey. Gabriel was THRILLED that he won the blue ribbon for most improved free-style swimmer! He took 10 seconds off his time during this class! Yah, Gabers! He works so hard!

Memorial Day at Naval Postgraduate School

Ross, Carson, and I cuddled up and
listening to the fun music. Ross was giving Carson a smooch!

We had such a super fun and relaxing Memorial Day at NPS. Our friends Flo and Grace came down for the day from San Francisco. On base they had such fun things for the kids to see and do. The kids got to hold and see different animals. One place they got to make musical instruments out of household items that were instruments I had never seen done before. Carson really enjoyed the instrument station too. After the fun things to see we grabbed a cookout lunch and had a picnic on the lawn and listened to patriotic band music, barbershop choral, and the Monterey Symphony Orchestra! So relaxing and fun!

Gabriel LOVES, LOVES birds so it was so fun to him to get
to hold this bird. Gabriel especially loves Toucans.

I like Ross's look on his face! He thinks this is pretty neat!

Carson was so quiet and LOVED holding the bird. I was surprised the man let Carson hold a bird and I know Carson appreciated it. Carson is so gentle with animals, not always his siblings though! :-)

I really like this picture of Carson.
He is not sure about it all but he enjoys the opportunity!

I wish I had gotten it on video but every once in awhile this bird would flap its wings and the kids got a kick out of it and would flap their arms trying to get the bird to flap its wings again.

Annalina is so funny. She loves creepy crawlies EXCEPT spiders which she is absolutely terrified of (so is Carson he doesn't like anything resembling a spider, like daddy!). Anyway, the snake guy was so impressed with Annalina's calm handling of the constrictor that he wanted to put us on a list to take in snakes needing homes because they needed people like that. NOT ON YOUR LIFE BUDDY! That is crazy to bring constrictors into homes with children actually its crazy to bring them into any home! He was a nice guy though and the kids thought it so fun. Gabriel passed on this activity! Don't blame him one bit!

Ross made me nervous,
he was not afraid of that snake unfortunately.

We had such a relaxed time with our picnic and then lounging in the grass listening to music.
Is was so, so, so relaxing! Wonderful!

Carson cuddling with Auntie Flo!

Gabriel got to control a robot used on the battlefield to pick up wounded soldiers that medics can't get to because it may still be to dangerous to get to them. Usually it would have a sled in back for the soldier to roll over on to be evacuated.

Carson LOVES fire engines and he was so thrilled
he really did not want out of the driver's seat!

These firemen were so kind and the kids enjoyed the
time they spent letting the kids explore the fire engine.

Gabriel's 9th Birthday!

My oldest baby is now 9 years old! Gabriel is a bright spot in our day. He is full of ideas and thoughts and loves to talk about them. Tonight he was showing me the drawing he had made for a robot since we had watched a show about robots the other night.

On his birthday we went to the resteraunt of his choice which was R.G. Burgers. It was fun to go there and we all really enjoy the food! Then we got to come home and eat cake and open presents. Annalina had purchased a wooden carved elephant for Gabriel at an antique store since he collects them. He really enjoyed his birthday and we all enjoyed celebrating it!