Thursday, January 27, 2011

Babysitting and Lots of Cookies!

Well Alesha got the privilege to babysit two boys Jayden and Ethyn. All the kids love it when she babysits because we always play lots of games and have extra fun! It had just snowed a bunch, so we decided to go play in the snow and they had a blast. Then all the kids came in and had cocoa and ate lunch. After that we all made sugar cookies! Here are some pics of our adventures of the day.

Fun in the snow!


Snow angels! 


cocoa after playing in the cold snow.


Yum!


Getting ready to decorate homemade sugar cookies.


Happy Xavier


Say Cheese!


Look at those artistic kids.


Emily rolling out the dough

Very pretty


Each child got to make their own plate of 3 cookies.


Emily made this and it was a great idea!


Alesha (on right) and Emily's (on left) plates.


This was Alesha's idea, first you have the wedding bells,
then a heart, and then BANG! 7 kids haha :)



Overall we had a very eventful and fun day! Praise God for friends to come over and play!

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Fun Weekend

This weekend we went to Des Moines because dad had to go to ISOM (Iowa School of Ministry) so that he could do his classes and get closer to ordination! :) So while dad was at his classes, we (all the kids and mom) went to our grandparents' house. Some of the things we did, include the following: Cook Cheeseburger soup, paint our nails, build an amazing roller coaster contraption thingy, read. Alesha practiced the piano, and we visited with our cousins Eric and Luke and our Aunt Lisa! And, yes, dad did pass his test! :)


Caleb browned the hamburger for the cheeseburger soup


Philip's job was to separate 3 packages of cheese. 


Anna peeled potatoes.


Olivia cut the cheese in half. 


Caleb and Anna cutting the potatoes in cubes and Olivia cutting the cheese.



Me (Alesha) adding everything together.


Pouring in the half and half.



This is what the boys worked on while us girls did our nails!
It is amazing! It's a roller coaster that when you turn it on, the car goes around it.


By the way, they had worked on that before. They didn't complete that
in one weekend! :)


Evidence that Xavier really wasn't sleeping. ;)


Our nails! To clarify, since you can't see it very well, Olivia's are purple with 
glitter on top, Anna's is a zebra print, and mine (Alesha) are black french tipped 
with white polka dots. (Emily really doesn't like getting her nails done, so she read a book
while we did this) 

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, 
bearing with one another in love.
Ephesians 4:2

Sunday, January 2, 2011

The New Year!

2011 is here! Here is a look at some of the things that happened in 2010. In 2010 we bought a shuttle bus! On March 21st dad became the senior pastor at our church. That has been THE biggest thing that happened in 2010. It has been something that we needed to get used to and are still getting used to. But God is helping us get through this unusual and uncomfortable time. Another thing that happened in 2010 is we all went to Maine on a Missions Trip as a family, and with some people from the church, and we all had an amazing time. Olivia is potty trained! Praise the Lord! :) Xavier learned to walk and that has been such a cute thing to watch. My dad performed his first wedding in November. Alesha became the piano player at our church in February. And we completely transformed the way we do school, we switched to Switched on Schoolhouse. 



We invited some families to come over for a New Years party.


The ladies playing a game


Playing another game (we had a lot of time.)


The men playing a dice game.


Group game.


Xavier found a plastic container and decided to put it on his head.


Xavier being his cute self!

We hope that the Lord blesses you this year and we are looking forward to seeing what He does this year! 

“Stand up and praise the LORD your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting.”
   “Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.
Nehemiah 9:5