park playing

on fathers day, we met up with my family for dinner and then we found a park to play for a bit. 

park play after dinner is always a good idea. 

we all had fun....especially the kiddos. 

and of course i snapped some pictures. 

this boy....

honestly, i am still wrapping my mind around this whole we have a boy thing.

i mean...at this point it is not much different than the girls. sometimes i wrap him in his towel and he looks just like the girls (please note i did not say he looks like a girl....i said he looks just like the girls). :)

yet his personality is different.

jake is just so.....perfect.

he puts up with sisters in his face and running from place to place.

he is patient and sweet and serious and smiley.

we just love him.

jake has so many expressions right now.

some of this pictures crack me up.

oh jakey james. you are one of a kind.

happy birthday miss ellie

we celebrated ellie's 11th birthday a few weeks back.

it was a busy day....birthday pancakes, some new clothes, new carpet in the basement, and a sleepover. and then we celebrated her with our family the next weekend. 

needless to say she had a great birthday. 

all i will say is that she is growing up so quickly.

too fast even.

she has been with me for 1/3 of my life.

crazy huh.

life with ellie is good.

she made me a momma.

she made us parents.

oh goodness we have probably goofed up a gazillion times.

and she is turning out pretty good.

actually i think she is an amazing girl.

kind. caring. funny. competitive. thoughtful. hard working.

and we just love her so darn much.

happy birthday miss ellie jo.

son of the King

a couple sundays ago, jacob james was baptized.

we know God has a great big plan for our little man.

we are so blessed to be his parents.

to be his family.

to get to watch him grow and learn and trust Jesus.

and to laugh with him.

So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. 

Never be without it. Colossians 3:12-14. 

happy baptism sweet baby jake. God loves you. we love you.