Monday, January 28, 2013

New Garage

Everyone has been helping with the garage project on our property.  Jeremy got a lot done over his Christmas break and it is almost fully enclosed.  This week the building lumber package for the house will be delivered to the garage and he'll start framing!



 We're up on the second floor of the garage, which will be the bonus room.  We're thinking about using it for a band room so the electric guitar and full drum set can be a little more, uummm, removed from the rest of the house.

 Anna, pulling nails.  The small building
behind her is the generator shed.  We're
thankful to have the generator, as we still
don't have electricity.

                                          My new-to-us Suburban, waiting for its new home.


                                     .The (dark and blurry) view from the second floor.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Joey Charlos

Josiah has found an intriguing new way to study.
Josiah has been enjoying taking some online classes this school year.

Anna found a willing student!

One day while grocery shopping at Fred Meyer, Josiah heard some snoring, peeked around the end of the aisle, and found this guy taking a catnap on a display recliner after enjoying a snack from the deli.  Ever the quick-thinker, Josiah loudly whispered, "Mom!  Quick!  Give me your phone.  I gotta get a picture of this guy."   We were sure our stifled snickering would wake him, but we were wrong.  It wasn't until an employee shook him that he awoke from his sweet slumber.


Isaac, Isaac...

Isaac and his good buddy Jaron got creative while wrapping a birthday present for a mutual friend.  (Boys are so gross...)  As the "story" goes, the recipient of the gift was the victim of Isaac's multitasking.  He never should have been wrapping the present while on the toilet.  (The melted chocolate and chopped peanuts looked quite convincing.)

Isaac and Jaron pose while bathing Dave, Isaac's guinea pig.


Isaac has been enjoying a new book he got for Christmas.

Ryley's Guitar

 Ryley bought his own first guitar just before Christmas!  He's been saving for one for quite a while and it was so much fun to go the music store together as a family when he picked it out.  A little over a week later, Ryley was able to use it to help lead worship at church.  He and Josiah were so blessed to be able to participate in Youth Sunday, which will occur several more times this year.
Up until he bought his own, Ryley has been using Jeremy's guitar (which Jeremy bought himself when he was 14).  We hope Ryley's lasts as long as his dad's!
He's been enjoying teaching Isaac some guitar chords.

Anna Elise

 Anna is 9 and is becoming a very busy young lady.  She has found a bosom friend in the last year and they have been making many memories and having a blast together.  Kailee and Anna are quite alike some ways and are drastically different in others.  I pray that their precious friendship lasts for a lifetime!
Kailee and Anna dressed up to attend a concert that Kayla, Anna's violin teacher, performed in at Christmastime.

Anna is LOVING and excelling in violin.  She has the best teacher ever, and just before Christmas she had her "graduation" as she finished Suzuki Book 1 and moved on to Book 2.  Kayla had a fun lesson planned for her, which included Anna teaching each family member (and some friends!) how to play a measure of any song of her choice.  Wow, was that entertaining!  Kayla presented her with a certificate and some lovely violin-related gifts.

Kailee and Anna have begun a girls' Bible study.  They meet twice/month and currently there are about 6 girls in attendance.  Kailee's mom and I oversee it, but the girls do ALL of the planning themselves.  They completely lead the study together and include an activity and a snack, along with the study straight from the Bible, in the two hour meeting.

They decided on calling it, "You With Jesus".

Here they are at our first planning meeting at Kaladi's coffee shop.

Friday, January 4, 2013

Anna's Recital

Just before Christmas Anna was invited to participate in a recital.  She was very nervous but did so well and her confidence was boosted by doing something hard and succeeding!
Our friend Nate came to watch Anna perform!

Mad Scientist

I took Anna to the doctor the other day and he ordered some lab work.  Anna and I took the specimen to the building, went through the door marked "laboratory", dropped it off, and went home.  When the guys got back later, Anna told daddy we had to drop off something for the scientist to look at.  I envision her visualizing a mad scientist with wild hair in his lab analyzing her urine.  She's been asking if the scientist has called yet to discuss the results.