HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!!!!!

The heavens opened...the sun shone through in rays so powerful it would pierce the darkest abyss...and there sprang forth a joyful sound so melodious and so profound, reverberations were felt for miles...

"We have Potty Training Success!!!!!!!!"

James 1:17"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

Thank you, thank you Lord!!!

Would you Pray with Me Today...?

We have been through and seen much in the way of trials lately...Maybe you know someone who's hurting or you're hurting yourself. Take heart in the Lord, for He is GOD!

James 1:2-3 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

I hope as you see this you will take a moment to pray for those in need, and praise the Lord for His complete and perfect control in all things.

Blessings

Snow Gear

After a day of shoveling and drying those two out, Eric and I figured if we're going to have much more of this we better get some proper snow attire for Little Bird. Off to Target for that...they were out of sleds...but Elena made due with Eric tossing her into the snow...she thought that was awesome. And again, I took pictures from the house...seriously, people, it's FREEZING!!!

Blizzard '09

So if you haven't seen the news, here's an update. It's COLD and it's BEEN SNOWING here. Can you tell I am thrilled beyond recognition??!? Elena decided it would be a good time to help Daddy shovel (she say's "shubble") us out so the two of them headed out in the heaps. I was not even remotely interested in that...yeah, I know, ya big wuss!...so I grabbed my hot coffee and stayed in my fuzzies and took pictures from the warmth of the house. Elena also had a great time lobbing snow and snow balls at Eric while he shoveled. Poor Daddy...

Some Favorite Shots of Florida Before We Go...

So until we are back again for our annual trip in May, we are posting a few pictures that are our favorites...the tree row on the golf cart path to Lake Sumpter (I always feel like I'm in a movie or a dream when we drive that), the golf cart (OF COURSE!), and Grampapa and Elena walking along...see you guys soon!

Pirates...ARRRGH!

Elena played at the Sumpter playground a couple times while in FL...they have a cute jungle gym in the shape of a pirate ship...Elena had a blast hollering "aaarrrgggh" a lot...hehehe.

Sumpter and Sea Birds

Here's some pictures out at Sumpter (one of the Squares)...it's so pretty, it looks like you're right there on the ocean even though it's about 2 hours away. :) Marilyn calls it her "Seaside". We had a fabulous lunch at the Lighthouse. YUMMY!

Christmas Morning

What a blessing to have Christmas with Mares and Bobby this year. I've been pretty spoiled to get to have that time with my family almost every year since we've been married, but since Eric's parents are in FL by then, this was the first time we went there. It was a great time. Sharing some photos of the morning...by the way, Bob opened a box of 100 peanut butter packets from Eric's older brother John for Christmas. Bob LOVES peanut butter...hahaha!

We pray all of you had a wonderful Christmas and remember that this is indeed a blessed day to celebrate:

"Though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:6-8

Christmas Eve

While Mare's and Bobby went to church...they had a candlelight Christmas Eve Service, and as much as we would have liked to go there is no child care so Elena would have had to sit with us (which all of you who have toddlers know would have NEVER happened)...we went to Sumpter Landing to see Christmas Lights, ate at Johnny Rockets and had dancing entertainment, and capped off the night with Haagen Daz before going back home. We even ran into a "Santa Claus" we'd seen tooling around in red shorts, t-shirt, Santa hat and a red golf cart earlier in the day (The 2 Squares have live music and food and drinks so they are always packed full of people dancing and visiting.) He stopped us to say Merry Christmas to Elena and gave her a candy cane...he had a real beard and everything! Cute! She wished him Merry Christmas then proceeded to follow him down the side walk continuing to wish him Merry Christmas and to "Have a good time! Bye bye, now!" Good times. :)

Hellllllooooooo FL!

We went to FL for Christmas with Eric's parents this year... leaving -2 degree weather to walk into a week's worth of 70 and 80 degrees was a Christmas present all it's own! Blessings! :) Here's shots of the day we fed the birds at one of the little ponds near Spanish Springs Square

Elena! Get up! It's time to get on the plane!

You'd think as much as Elena is all about going to the airport and going on planes that she would have hustled buns to get up the day we left for FL to visit Eric's parents...too much Christmas...hehe. She slept with George and Frogus that night. Eric and I were wondering if the stuffed animals would fight for seniority...

Bunny Wabbit...

Eric saw what looked like footprints out our back porch only to find they belonged to a VERY big rabbit taking refuge behind and underneath our outdoor furniture...I would have brought him in if he would have let me because it was so cold! Here's some shots of "Bugs"...