Grace Baptist Preschool End-of-the-Year Program for Eden (AKA I Couldn't Think of a Clever Title)

This is our family's fourth consecutive year at Grace Baptist Pre-school, and we love it! Eden ADORED her 2 year old class this year, and her teachers Mrs. Leila and Mrs. Linda were AWESOME! Eden learned to recognize her name and her colors. (She can count too but only if she thinks you aren't listening.) She always got treasure box for good behavior (invariably she picked a Dum-Dum pop), and her teachers said she was a BIG helper. Most importantly she learned her blessing 'God Our Father, we thank you . . .' and that Jesus loves her! We are very proud of our baby girl.




Every day I'd say, "Eden, what did you do at school today?" And every day the first thing I heard was "Play Rachel and Max." That's him below - the first one - wavy blond hair. (She must have the hots for him or something.) And down the line Taylor, Eden, Bryant, ? (sorry I don't know her name), and Reagan. (I did also hear about 'play gym,' 'play playground,' 'sing songs,' 'draw,' and 'chapel.')




Here they are in their end-of-the-year program. (She's not quite as LOUD a singer as her older sister always was - ha! - but a good clapper nonetheless.)

Proud Momma . . .

Face painting afterwards . . .

The BFF Rachel . . .

GG and Pops . . .

Fishing . . .

Still a Daddy's girl . . .

Eli getting in on the action too . . .

It's a "buh" he says, ie bug.

So, Eden moves up to the 3s class, and Eli will start 2s in the Fall. I won't deny that I am EXCITED about that!! :) Excited that summer is here too! Woo hoo!

Friday Funnies

Here are a recent few:

While riding in the car with Eve and Mommy, Eden (3yo) says "I'm not talking to you Eve. I'm talking to Eden's self." (Well . . . of course . . . excuse us.)

And after accidentally letting the air out of a balloon Eden says "Look Mom! I blowed it down."

And classic Eden is "Buckle me out pease." Oh and don't forget about when she fell down on the 'com-cwepe' (that's like concrete but harder I guess).

Eli (21 months) must have learned his spatial relationships from her because he constantly says "Down" which means 'Pick me up please.' And now he says "juuu" which you might think means 'juice' but actually means 'May I have some chocolate milk please?'

Which to Eve (6yo) is so funny she is "laughing at the top of her lungs."

I love it!!!!!!!!! (And the spell-checker doesn't like this post very much! Ha!)

Dedications and Graduations Oh My!

So last Sunday, May 17th Eli got dedicated to the Lord at TrueNorth Church . . . thank goodness he was feeling better because he threw up on Mommy the night before. :)

Uncle Bart, Cousin Bryton, Pops, and GG were there for the big day.

I hope we don't have TWO sets of kissing cousins . . . ahem.

Hangin' out with GG . . .

It was also the last day of our Columbia County campus so a day of mixed emotions :(

With our great buddies David and Gayle . . .

and awesome Abbie!

Only missing 3 others in this gang . . .

And then yesterday we had Eden's 2yo Pre-school End-of-the-Year Program and today Eve's Kindergarten graduation . . . a big week! More pictures coming soon . . .

Can't Compete with Oreos

This is take 2 - the first version of this got deleted accidentally. . .uuuggghh.

So yesterday Eve declared "This is the best day of my whole life ever!" Although Mommy would like to think it was because I came up to her school to eat lunch with her, I think it really had more to do with this . . .



That is Oreo. He (she? but we'll just say he) is the school mascot. He lives in the school courtyard, and most of our previous lunch time visits included futile attempts to get Oreo to come out of his little home in the middle of a big bush. But today Oreo hopped out all on his own! And Mommy was the hero when I actually got him in my lap. (Photo courtesy of Eve Dennard - future professional photographer)



So Oreo got lots of attention and a really good back rub. Mommy really likes soft furry animals (i.e. NOT dogs - sorry), so I did have a moment of temporary insanity when I thought 'Maybe we should get a bunny for home.' Thankfully, I came to my senses before the question was actually asked by Eve. 'Well, maybe when you are in high school.' So clever, I know. I learned my lesson the hard way when I told her a few years ago she could have a guinea pig when she turned six. (Time sure flies - and a friend recently commented that Eve probably remembers being born! - Elephants got nothin' on her.) Thankfully, Eve opted for the book bag birthday present instead. Go figure. It was close though, and Mommy was a little worried.

Anyway, here she is in the courtyard next to the fish pond.



And here we are - my last school lunch with Eve as a kindergartner. Sniff.



Have a good summer Oreo!! Don't eat too many carrots! Hope to see you again next year!

Taken For Granted

How do you really live not taking things for granted? How do you treasure every moment you have of your life? with your spouse? with your children? with your parents? with your health? How do you constantly appreciate having a home? a job? food? clothes?


I don't know how.
I know I don't do it.
I know I should.
I know I try.
I know I sometimes do.
I know I've lost things.
I know I see other people lose things.
I know I could lose any one or all of those things that are so important to me at any time . . .


But I also know I can't live in fear of those things being gone. Things change. I KNOW God will carry me through ANYTHING that happens or that He allows, but how do I really take full advantage of every gift I'm given now? Right now. Today. Every day.


How do I live that truly thankful life? I say that I'm thankful. I say the blessing before I eat. But do I really mean it? Honestly, don't I take it for granted? And how can I be thankful for the dishes and the laundry and the sweeping and the vacuuming and the homework and the discipline and the shredded cheese all over the table and the stamps on the walls and the vaseline all over the place?


I guess what I'm really asking is how do I have the fullest most abundant life I possibly can. How? Hmm . . . wait a minute. That sounds sort of familiar.


I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

I know who said that. So is that the answer to all my questions? Is He the answer to all my questions? The 'how' is actually a 'who'? Jesus? I think so. I know so. Jesus. Jesus every day. Jesus every moment. More of him - less of me. More of Him in me. Change my thinking. Change my focus. Die to self. Pick up my cross. Every day. Every moment. Thankful. Not taken for granted.

I'll keep trying. I know I'll fail. I'm not perfect. But He is. Jesus.

The Price of Peace and Quiet

So sometimes peace and quiet is priceless . . . and sometimes it is verrrry expensive. Take today for example. The kids were so good all morning while Mommy and Daddy were getting ready to have a friend's baby shower at our house (which went very well I might add - Mommy actually COOKED!)

But then, Mommy and Daddy were REALLY tired afterwards, and Daddy's allergies were killing him. So Daddy laid down for a nap in the bedroom, and Mommy thought 'I'll just lay right here on the couch. They can't get in too much trouble right?' Well . . .

Part 1: Mommy suddenly wakes up from the couch thinking 'Did I tell Eve she could get cheese?' And in fact, I was correct because the evidence showed 3 children at the table and shredded cheese everywhere.

Part 2: Mommy locks herself in the office, so she won't kill the children. And then, a knock at the door and little Eden's voice 'Mommy, Eli's stepping on the walls.' To which Mommy replies, 'What? Eli's stepping on the walls?' To which Eden says, 'No! Eli's STAMPING on the walls!' Mommy jumps up to find not only walls covered in pink princess stamps but hands, arms, faces, legs and every other inch not covered in clothes.

So at this point, Mommy goes in to wake up Daddy . . . 'Sorry to wake you up, but if you don't help me I might kill the children.'

Part 3: After dinner, Mommy walking around the kitchen in her bare feet thinks 'What is that? I just cleaned the floor this morning.' And then discovers a trail of laundry detergent from the laundry room to the kitchen sink. So if our dishes smell like Tide and our laundry smells like Cascade - you'll know why.

Part 4: Mommy doing dishes and Daddy reading books to Eden and Eve on the couch. Mommy thinks 'Hmmm . . . I just saw Eli with his toothbrush - uh oh - that means he's been in the bathroom.' And correct again - Eli walks out covered in vaseline (AFTER his bath to get off all the stamps I might add).

So that was our evening from 5-8pm. I think they are in bed, and we are safe now . . . until morning and we can start all over again. Ahhh, the price of peace and quiet.

This Is Only a Test

Ok - so I am still testing out Picasa and Blogger.

This is Eli climbing up to the top of the ladder (by himself - my fearless son - Daddy followed because Mommy doesn't like to go to the ER on her days off!)


This is what happens when you leave Eli alone with a bowl of lasagna.



He's quite proud of himeself I think - and he also has no problem with his masculinity since he is sporting his sister's 'Cute as a Button' bib.



And hangin' with Daddy on the couch.



Ok - that's all for now. Thought I would try something easy before I tackle the thousands of pictures I took at DISNEY WORLD . . .