Kellen Micah

Kellen Micah is 9 years old today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

These are all very typical pictures of Kell. Never a serious one, Kell loves to laugh and joke ALL the time. He keeps our entire house in stitches most of the time and really makes life fun  :)

He has been wanting this bike for almost a year now....and was STOKED when we brought it out!!!!!!!!!

We had a wonderful little party with just the family...he wanted to go skiing with friends for his birthday instead of a 'real' party...so much easier on mom as well  :)

And I had to add my little Laz  :)

So sleepy....

It was so cute watching him try and pick up his Cheerios with the Hulk hands on!!! Okay, it was a tad mean so I took them off  :)

And the difference is......

Check THIS out :)

Ha! I found it quite amusing.

Thanks Nate and Courtney!

Hannah (and Nate and Court and the new baby) got Laz a little Curious George for Christmas. He LOVES it!!!  :)

Nathan and Courtney gave Josiah and I a gift card to Texas De Brazil...our favorite place to eat! Not only is there more food than you could ever eat but that food is DELICIOUS....like, Marriage Supper of the Lamb good  :)

Ready to go out on our date...no kids, just us!

Staring at the pretty ceiling. YES, the ceiling really is THAT pretty!

I tend to take pictures of food. Yeah. 

This was plate #1. 

Of 5. 

YES, f-i-v-e.

The all you can fit salad bar.

Oh....and the FANTASTIC drink! 

THANK YOU NATE AND COURTNEY!

Inauguration

The kids and I had school in front of the TV today!

I wanted them to witness history in the making...the first African American president of the United States.

Although we did not vote for Mr. Obama and we certainly do not agree with his politics, we do think that our country has come so far in the past 50-70 years and we are happy about that. And the Bible tells us that God appoints our leaders and we need to pray for them and treat them with respect. So that is what we are going to do.

This also gave us a great opportunity to talk history...racism, slavery, segregation, etc. My kids, who have only been exposed to such in very limited ways, were very rightly appalled. One of them cried and cried, overcome by the fact that one human could treat another so badly.

This led into a discussion about how God could allow this to happen...and what good has come of it. Great stuff.

All in all, it was a learning experience and something that, I hope, they will always remember.

Now...off to send some sort of petition to President Obama regarding the murder of innocent babies! I mean, why is there a difference between a person taken against their will and put into slavery and a person killed while in the womb?

More talk for another day.  :)

Excuse me......

.....call me crazy, but am I the only one who thinks that Mr. Obama is kinda stepping in a tad before his time? I mean, he is not the president YET, but he seems to be doing a lot of presidential stuff prematurely. Asking Congress to approve his stuff...BEFORE he is sworn in? 

Perhaps I am just not familiar with the 'transition' and when/how that takes place.

SO...is he jumping the gun? Is he just getting a running start? Is he overstepping his bounds? Please let me know!

P.S. the things he is pushing to get passed within his first few months are APPALLING. However, I am keeping my word and am going to allow him a grace period to prove himself. I am going to give him a chance. No matter how much I already disagree.

Our own Cowboy

My Baby is 5 years old!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5 years ago today, Presley was born into his Mommy's and Daddy's hands. We were surrounded by our fabulous midwives, Claudia and Debbie...as well as our dearest family and friends. The other 3 boys were right there as well to welcome their new brother!!!

HERE is the birth story in it's entirety. 

Laboring with my wonderful hubby and watchful midwife, Claudia.

The older 3 boys with Grammy and Moo-Ma.

The boys are holding up 4 fingers for 4 boys.

Little did we know that 4 years later they would be holding up 5 fingers for 5 boys!!!  :)

Moments after his birth.

Presley at 1 day old.

Fast forward 5 years!!!!!!!!!

Pancake breakfast!

A typical Presley face.

Presley wanted to go to 'the fe-ater' (theater) instead of having a party...so we went last night. Today the fam did gifts and cake.

He said, "I am 5 this time Daddy!!!!"

Yes, he got a piggy bank for a birthday gift. HELLO....we are Dave Ramsey freaks! Cannot start him to soon on his baby steps  :)

We asked him if he was a "how-boy" and he looked at us like we were insane. We had to explain that he called himself a HOWBOY for years before he could correctly pronounce Cowboy.

*sigh*

He is so old.

REI has the best deals. It is seriously my FAVORITE store!

Hulk cake, of course  :)