Giving Thanks...

for the precious gifts God has given to me. The greatest being salvation through Jesus Christ, my husband who is so good to me, my two sweet girls, our families, our church family, our group of friends, home.... where does the list end?
This Thanksgiving was different for us - with my mom and Aunt Coreen in CO seeing 3 tiny babies :) and most of Clinton's family either jetted or getting ready to jet to Australia. We had a wonderful day at Aunt Lou's with family and friends. Aunt Lou knows just how to add  little touches to make any occasion extra special, right down to hedge apples and buckeyes brought from Ohio to make my new s-i-l Bethany feel at home on her first holiday away from her family!
God truly is SO GOOD, so good to me...



So close...

to being done! This is the "frustratingly close" part, so I've been told by everyone else who has built or remodeled their home :) I have to agree, and add excitingly, frustratingly close! These finishing touches are the fun part for me. Right now we are waiting on the painters to come do the trim and cabinets. Until then there isn't too much that can be done. Hopefully within a month we can be in - just in time to settle in for the winter and enjoy some much-needed family time. I can't wait!

~ Leila Frances ~

We've been blessed with a sweet little girl... Leila Frances was born October 8 ~ and we are completely smitten :) Overwhelmed at the goodness of God, and so excited to have 2 girls that will always have a friend in each other...

While We Wait

The past few weeks have been filled with busy-ness and running around trying to take care of as much house stuff as possible before baby. But in with all the craziness I really wanted to have some fun time to spend with Emma before her little world changes :) So we've squeezed in what we could, and it always amazes me how NOT much it takes to make a child feel special - really just time with them...

to Baskin Robbins with Grandma Kinzie

to the park with Averi and Aunt Kristi

she is obsessed with the swings!

on a Sunday drive to the coast for Phil's Fish Market - gettin' mommy out
of the heat of summer to the cool ocean breeze. Great idea Daddy!



going shopping, have their phones and a friend; what more does a girl need?



Three Little Pigs is a real nail-biter... I never tire of this sight <3

"Wrap me Mum!"

she found this hiding spot in her new pink room

looooooves to color

having fun with Grandma Brubaker

Fancy Nancies for Averi's birthday party

It's that time again...

Harvest!
Always so exciting to start and so exciting to end :)

Yipee! Stucco!

Things are moving right along in our new house. The past few weeks have been stucco, insulation, and sheetrock. I'm dying to slap some paint colors up on those walls... patience patience. We've pretty much given up on being moved in before baby arrives, and surprisingly I'm OK (not good, just OK) with it. It's looking like the house will be ready about the same week as baby - and well, babies don't wait and are waaay more important! At this point I just want this baby to come!!!
All in God's time will be just perfect.

Camping 2011

At the beginning of August we escaped the heat of the valley for a week and headed to the coast for a camping trip. My mom and Aunt Coreen are professional, every-year Memorial Park campers - and they were gracious to invite us all over to invade their relaxation! And to make it even better my mother-in-law offered to let me use her swanky new, almost-as-big-as-our-house trailer. I was set!
We had a wonderfully cool time, complete with a bit of rain, lots of junk food, and family memories...

dinner the first night - before we get toooo grungy

early morning breakfast before sending the daddies home

Mmmmm can't beat Marianne's ice cream!

a critter in our camp stealing our cookies!

Aunt Marsha's first s'more ever

sweet cousins

even got daddy to sit on the beach with us!

love the sparkle in those eyes even when it is a very ornery sparkle ;)

pinch pinch pinch

going back next year a family of 4!