Pretty Little Princess

Here are a couple of pics of Jaci Breane, and Jaci with her daddy and her big brother Logan. Isn't she adorable? She has cheeks like Logan. I just want to give them big kiss. Logan looks pretty happy with his new baby sister, and of course Brent looks like a proud father. I am sure Jaci is already getting him wrapped around her little finger. It doesn't take a little girl long to get to her Daddy. Crystal is also doing well, and we are thankful and glad for that. Thanks, ReNetha, for posting the pics of our new niece on your blog, since Brent and Crystal are obviously too busy to keep the rest of us updated lol. I hope you don't mind that I borrowed them.
To see more pics, go to http://www.our365.com/webnursery/webnursery/Baby/BabyPageDirect.aspx?CID=0017715216
And make sure to sign the guest book to congratulate Brent and Crystal, or to wish Baby Jaci well, or just to let them know you stopped by. FYI, Crystal's niece, Kadie (ReNetha's adorable baby girl) is in some of the pics. She is the baby with hair! lol

Jaci Breane has arrived.

Congratulations to Brent and Crystal and Logan on the new baby. Jaci Breane was born this afternoon weighing in at 7 lbs 15 oz and 19 1/4 inches long. I will post some pics of her as soon as I get some. You can check their blog, too, for more information as they get the chance to post. I can't wait to see her, but since she is in TX and I am in CA, I guess I'll have too! Jaci, Aunt MeMe and Uncle Kev and your cousins love you very much and Logan, give her a big kiss for us, OK?

Back in School

Well, Delaney and Darilyn are back in school after 3 weeks off track. They were excited about going back because, as Delaney said, "We love school!" I really enjoy the year-round school more than I thought I would. And as for the girls, they get another short break at Thanksgiving in just a few weeks, so its all good!

Also yesterday we started Bible quizzing with them again. They are beginner quizzers and this will be the second year for both of them. Last year, Darilyn was the second youngest quizzer in the district, having just turned 5 at the end of December. And, even though she answered only a few questions at the tournaments, she memorized all of her verses (almost 200) and could reference them at 95%, just like her big sis. For those of you not BQ savvy, that means we mixed up all of the verses she learned and she could quote them perfectly within just a few seconds per verse. She and Delaney both did a great job and we were so proud of them. So yesterday they both learned the first three verses of Galatians. Today we'll learn 3 more and on and on it goes! I thought I would share a couple of pictures of them from last quiz season.

Delaney and Darilyn at their very first tournament

Their team took second

Eating Lunch

She likes her burger!

Yummy to my tummy!
All done!
We were eating lunch and I thought Denae looked so cute with her big 'ole hamburger. It was almost as big as she was! She has always been a good eater. Whenever someone watches her for us they usually comment on what a big eater she is. But, she runs it all off as she is constantly in motion.

Kids and heartburn

Delaney has been complaining of a burning in her chest since Thursday evening. It sounded similar to heartburn but without all of the symptoms I know I experience with it. So I wasn't exactly sure how to treat it or really what it was. After she complained again today (this makes the 3rd day she's mentioned it) I decided to call an advice nurse. We ended up going into the doctor who prescribed Zantac twice a day for 2 weeks along with no caffeine, no spicy foods, no chocolate, etc. He said that it is fairly common in kids and didn't seem too concerned. She goes back to she her doctor in 2 weeks and we will she how she's doing. I'm just trying to figure our what would cause a 6 year old to get heartburn. She's not stressed about anything and her diet hasn't changed at all. I was just wondering if anyone else has had this with their kids or if anyone one (Aunt Peggy or Aunt Shirley, for instance :) might know anything about it. I guess for now I will search the web and see what I find.

With Daddy's Help

We were eating out the other night and Dallas said the cutest thing. He was getting a drink when he looked at me and said, "Mama, I got my drink all by myself with Daddy's help!" He was so excited to tell me just how big a boy he was. It got me to thinking (uh oh!) about my relationship with my heavenly Father. So many times I just don't think I can do something or that I can't make it through a tough situation, but then He reaches into the situation and helps me out. Others looking on may say what a great job I did or how strong I must be to do such and such or get through thus and so, but I know that I did it with my Father's help. And no matter what, I need to always remember where my strength comes from and give glory to Him for all the glorious and wonderful things that He has done.

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Phillipians 4:13

100 Hits

Hey, I just noticed that my hit counter has passed 100! I know that's not a lot compared to the 10's of thousands of hits on other blogs, but hey, I try to celebrate even the little milestones! So, thanks to everyone who has stopped by.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

This little girl loves her daddy!

What a wonderful couple

Today is my dad's birthday and I wanted to wish him the best birthday ever. He has been a great dad and I love him so much. When people ask me what it was like growing up as the middle child (middle child syndrome and all of that) I always tell them that my parents made the effort to make sure each of us had our own special place in the family. My dad always called me his baby girl. He still does in fact! Dad, you have had a wonderful influence in the lives of all three of your kids, but as your baby girl, I want to say I love and appreciate you so much. Happy Birthday!!

Birds in the storm

While Dallas, Delaney, and Denae were all in bed sick, Darilyn was feeling a little lost and left out of all the attention. She was walking around outside and I decided to join her. We spent some time admiring the rain clouds that were coming up and the birds twittering about in the trees. We even took some pictures when we would find them. Something about the birds singing at the tops of the trees in spite of the cool weather and the storm clouds put me in the thoughtful mood. Sometimes our life has storm clouds blowing about and we know that a major, or maybe just a minor, storm is about to happen. But instead of worrying about what we can't change and fretting about what is out of our hands, we should spend our time singing and praising because God knows where we are and He is always there to help us. Besides, when I think of how many storms He has brought me through so far, why should I worry that He won't come through this time? He always has and He always will! Just a few thoughts I had while admiring the birds. Hope you enjoy the pics of Darilyn's and my birds. Maybe they will inspire you, too, to sing in spite of the storm!

Sick Days

Sorry I haven't posted in a few days. Thursday night Dallas woke up sick to his stomach. After that it was like dominoes. We each had our bout with the "sickness." Luckily it only lasted about 12 hours or so. I kept the kids seperated once they were sick, but they must have already been contagious or something, because they all had a touch of it. Denae was sick the longest with a little bit of an upset stomach, but she didn't have it as bad as the others. Anyway, we are all better now and hopefully will stay so for at least a little while!

California Railroad Museum

We took the kids to the train museum on Tuesday. It was a lot of fun. The kids had a blast. There were lots of cool things to see and do. If Mam-ma and Pap-pa would ever come and visit us, we could all go there. I know they like trains and such. HINT HINT! We could also ride the train. That would be lots of fun!

Delaney and Darilyn, best of friends

Delaney and Darilyn, may be sisters, but they are also the best of friends right now. Yes, like all siblings, they have their moments, but for the most part they love to play together and enjoy each others company. They are even in the same class at school! Their kindergarten/1st grade teacher commented the other day about how well they get along and how respectful they are to each other as well as the rest of the kids. That made me happy to hear! They are so close in size that I get asked all the time if they are twins. (The ground is uneven, so it is harder to tell in the picture.) Delaney use to get upset about that when she was younger. She didn't even know what a twin was, but having heard me answer the question so many times she would pipe right up, "NO. We are not twins!" Now, however, they just laugh when they over hear the comments of "Look at the cute twins." They act like they know a secret the rest of the world doesn't.

Delaney

Delaney is our little princess who is growing up into a young lady already. She is a daddy's girl and always has been, but she is a big Mama's helper too. She's very independent and self motivated and is making excellent grades in school. I really enjoy watching her pray and worship at church with tears rolling down her face as she tells Jesus how much she loves him. Right now she wants to be a teacher when she grows up, but past things where a "firegirl" and a tow truck driver! And this girl can be as ladylike as they come when she wants to be or trying to climb a tree if that's the present duty at hand. She is already writing short (very short) stories and amazes me with imagination. I love you, Delaney!

Darilyn

Darilyn is our little lady, or ladybug as she likes to be called. She is precious and so tender and sweet. She is all girl and loves babies and the colors pink and green. She likes to scrapbook with her Aunt Kathy and she loves stickers. She also likes to be my helper. She is praying to get the Holy Ghost now and most services she'll tell her daddy she wants to ask Jesus for the Holy Ghost. I know God will answer the prayer of a child's sincere heart. A few days ago, she looked at me with such a sweet expression and said, "Mommy, I love you and I am so glad Jesus made you my mommy." She is good for this mommy's heart! I love you, Darilyn!

Denae

Cutie pie!

Little Doll!

She was copying me. I bent down to get a better angle of her and she bent down too!

Denae is at that age where all her pics are adorable. I took these yesterday and couldn't pick which one to post, so I posted them all! She is really starting to talk now. She says baby and sippy cup, bite and want some, among other things. Her favorite thing to say is "Let's go!" as she tries to open the front door. Of course, she is a real chatterbox, so a lot of what she says is still unintelligble, but she'll get there! God definitely knew what he was doing when he sent this little angel to us! I love you, baby!

Dallas

Just chilling

Looking good, Cowboy

Tough Dude

I called Dallas a dude the other day and he made a big deal about not being a dude. That is until I told him dude was another word for cowboy, like a dude ranch. He thought for a second after that and said, "Yeah, I'm a dude!" He is growing up too fast, I think. Well, I think that most of the time! As you can tell, he likes to pose for pictures too, just like Presley! Dallas keeps us hopping, and I wouldn't have him any other way! I love you, little dude!

Train Wrecks and Toy Boxes

Okay, so the last couple of days have been full of cuts and band-aids. Sunday, Dallas threw a wooden train track, hitting Denae right below her left eye. She now has a slightly black eye and a cut. Monday, Delaney and Dallas were hugging and rocking back and forth. They lost their balance and fell, with Dallas hitting his forhead on the corner of a wooden toy box. This accident ended with a visit to the emergency room. His cut doesn't look bad now, thanks to the doctor and dermabond, but before it was puckered open with a hole in the middle. Appartently Dallas was a hit in the emergency department. One lady bought him a snack and an apple juice while Kevin and Dallas waited. And once they were in a "room", many of the nurses had to come by and check out the cute little three year old. Dallas loved all the attention! Anyways, hopefully that is it for us for a while.

A good friend of ours passesd away today. James Ruiz was an integeral part of the church we attended for almost 3 years in Oakland. He and his family ministered to us in so many ways, one of which was "adopting" our kids, as well as me and Kevin, into their family. Please be in prayer for his wife and two kids, a daughter (19) and son (15) as well as the church. He fought cancer along with some other issues for several months before being called on to his reward. We will greatly miss him, but know he fought the good fight and finished his course.

Denae and her Daddy

Denae was playing on the floor with her daddy tonight and I thought it was cute so I took some pictures. It's not often she gets him all to herself, but the other three were busy playing tea party (the girls) and trains (the boy). Both of them really enjoyed this bonding moment, and so did I!

Happy Birthday, Kevin

Kevin and the kids at a look out point overlooking Muir Beach, CA

Kevin and the kids at the beach at Marrow Bay, CA

Today is my husband's birthday and I wanted to wish him a great birthday and a wonderful day. He is a hard worker both in his secular job and the work he does as the Western District Senior Bible Quizzing Coordinator (boy that is a long title!) He is also a wonderful husband and daddy. You're the best and we love you!!

Good luck, Mom!

Just wanted to take a minute to wish my mom good luck on a big test she is taking tomorrow for Anatomy and Physiology. I know you'll do great, Mom! We'll be praying for you! Love ya

Every breath I take I take in you

I am in the office on my computer and my kids are straightening up their playroom. I can hear most of what they are saying and then they start singing the song, "Every Breath I Take I Take in You." At least I think that is the title. Anyway, the girls know most of the words but not all, and Dallas knows the tune and makes up the words. But they are all singing at the top of their lungs. It is both hilarious and touching at the same time. To hear my kids singing praise and worship songs from church as they play just touches my heart, but the words and phrases that don't come out quiet right are down right funny. Makes me wish the video on my digital camera worked so I could share it with you all!

New Bikes

We bought the kids new bikes this weekend. They all within the last 2 months learned to ride without training wheels, so as we had not got them bikes in a looong time, we decided it was time. It's also the beginning of a three week break from year-round school and we thought they would enjoy something new to do. I figure this will keep them outside more. Yeah!! They really are enjoying the new bikes. Darilyn is having the hardest time (like mother, like daughter lol). Even though she could ride her cousins old bike with no problem, because this one is new, she told me she has to "get used to it" before she can start by herself, turn, or anything else pretty much. But she'll catch on! Delaney on the other hand is riding around the house and Dallas just has no fear! Enjoy the pics! On a side note, when we were at the toy store trying diffent size bikes for the girls, the lady helping us mentioned that ofcourse the girls wouldn't/couldn't ride in a skirt (as that is what they were wearing athe time). Darilyn, whom was being helped at that time gave her a funny look, like "Are you crazy?" I thought it was pretty funny!

Gymnastics

Delaney and Darilyn went to a birthday party today for a little girl from school. It was held at a gymnastics studio. It turned out to be so much fun. On Saturdays the studio is closed except for parties, so only those involved with the party are there. And the 2 instructors really did a fanctastic job. They did several games all based on gymnastics and involving gross motor skills. The kids did tumbling on the mats and walking on different levels of balance beams as well as flips over a low bar. The girls loved it!! I will try to post some pictures later, but my camera seems to have contracted some sort of disease or maybe a devil. I'm not sure, but if it doesn't straighten out its attitude soon, I may be looking for a tall building or bridge to hurl it off of! lol (maybe:P)

Littlest Angel

Denae is my little angel, but lately she's become "the diva." She has learned that as the youngest of four, in order to be heard (and preferrably obeyed), you must scream. At the top of your lungs. It works, let me tell you. We are currently in the process of breaking her of this habit. Fun times, let me tell you. But, she is a doll and pretty funny for a one year old. She loves to play and act like her big brothers and sisters, so today she was "reading" a book to herself. Everytime she turned the page she said, "OOHHH!" Like it was a surprise ending or something. She has also begun calling me My-My and her daddy is Dy-Dy. And she loves Sunday School. In the picture above one of her little friends is sharing his cheerios with her. She is glad to accept. For such a little person, she is a BIG eater! Speaking of the precious little Diva, it is time for her to go to bed, so I must go for now.

Cowboy

Here is a picture of Dallas, my little cowboy. He loves to wear his hat and boots. He asks every time we are getting ready for church if he can wear his boots and "cowboy pants." If the answer is no, then the next best thing is his suit and tie. Quite the little pentecostal isn't he?