A boy and his frog

It was a good day.

Strawberries!

A couple of weeks ago we went strawberry picking. We had a great time and picked about 30lbs of berries. They were so good, but  I managed to corral most of them to turn into jam and freeze some for later usage. I made 24 pints of jam and had about 4 bags of frozen berries. YUM!

My helper was pretty great.

Though he did eat one for everyone he cut up. :) 

Play-doh Fun

The other day it was cold and rainy, so we made Play-doh. 

This is a "Levi Snowman"

This is a "Levi Snow Dog" 

He never ceases to make me smile.

standin'

Ruby pulled herself up to a standing position today!

Um. yea.

When did my baby get so big?

6 months and counting....

My sweet Ruby Q.

How on earth are you 6 months already? A half year has flown by in a blink of an eye. I can't believe that you're already growing so much. Your Papa said just today, I'm sad the baby stage is gone, but I'm excited to see who she becomes!! It couldn't be more true, baby girl.
Your personality shines more each day. You L.O.V.E. your brother. (I'll remind you of that when you're 13) You smile and laugh more for him than anyone else. You have such a sweet disposition, and are incredibly patient with Mama when she's trying to do 5 other things on her list before she feeds you. You're a trooper baby girl!

At 6 months you...

• Can sit up with ease
• Grab for toys while sitting (and not fall!)
• You're grabby period. You are constantly reaching for some toy or the cats tail to play with 
• You have found your feet and you will suck on your toes. It's pretty cute! 
• You're a crazy roller. You go back and forth all over the room to get to things! 
• You are trying desperately to crawl. You're starting to pull your legs up underneath of you.
• You got your first tooth! And you were so awesome, I didn't even realize it. You had a night of cruddy sleep and I just thought you were being a little fussy .. little did I know it was a tooth!
• You went on your first camping trip! you were a pro! 
• You go to sleep easily. 
• You wake around 6am. Take 2 (1 1\2-2 hour) naps a day, and go to bed around 6.
• You are squealing and talking more and more. 
• Your laugh is infectious.
• We have not started you on solids yet, but you are showing all the signs of readiness. I think Mama is going to have to cave soon. 
• On a good night, you are up about once in the night. typically around 2 or 3. 
• You start in your crib at night, but by morning you've somehow always finagled your way into our bed

We can't wait to see who you become, Rubykins. 

We love you! 

A Rug, A Lion, and A Monkey

One of the best things about going to family camp was the chapel times. The speaker for the adults was really good, biblically sound, and challenging. They also have "chapels" for the kidlets. I would akin this to Sunday School. The first time we dropped Levi off, we had to do the dump and run while he screamed approach. Not my favorite, but he was not interested in us leaving him in a strange place with people he didn't know. 

Enter Miss Lydia. 

Lydia was the teacher for his class, and a friend of mine from when we worked together at Camp many moons ago. She's just crazy enough for 3 and 4 year olds to L.O.V.E. her. Each session Levi came home with a new craft. His 2 favorites? A rug he got to color that said.. "God made Levi".. he even got to bring home markers because he was so enamored with the project he didn't want to stop. They talked about how God created the animals and God created them!

The second?  A Lion puppet. The story was about Daniel and the Lions Den and Levi is STILL talking about it. He's very into lions right now so that helped, but he keeps telling us about how the lions were going to eat them, and God said NO, and how Miss Lydia doesn't like Lions, and how he doesn't want lions to eat him... ahhh the theology of a 3 yr old.

At one point during the weekend he told us that Miss Lydia was like another Miss Amy. Miss Amy is his Sunday School teacher her whom he loves and adores. High praise from my 3 year old no doubt. 

Anyway, he made a lion.. pictured on the left... the last time they were together they kind of hodge-podged crafted I believe, and he came home with the puppet on the right... it's not a lion.. nope.

according to Levi it's a monkey...

no teeth and different ear placement I guess makes it a monkey.

 I love that kid.

I'm so thankful for a place like Barakel. A Camp where we can go, feel refreshed and renewed as a couple, as parents, and know that our kids are being well cared for. I'm thankful for the staff who've given of themselves to proclaim the Glory of God. 

What a ministry! 

Growin' Up

When did he go from this? 

To this? 

or for that matter, 

When did she go from this? 

To this? 

Feeling grateful and blessed.