We had a fun time trying out a new recipe for tortillas...I didn't catch it with the camera, but Esther's face lights up with a huge smile every time we bake together, and the recipe is really good!  (thanks, Grammie for the fun magazine!) Also, I just love how girlie she looks holding her hands in that way!!
Esther is improving at her "rolling out" abilities!  (and no, I don't have a rolling pin yet!)
Gracie loves to watch, and sneak bites of dough!  I have to watch her closely- at one point I found her trying to shove an entire ball of dough in her mouth!  We won't be using these with guests!
Time for playdough...Gracie would also eat this if I let her.  

Sooooo.... 

This is me happy. 

two little fairies
Chasing each other up and down the ramp at church,

examining a lady bug for a long while, it was stuck to masking tape-- mommy to the rescue!

Last Saturday we had 4 teenage boys over to help convert the storage room into a livable space for Noah.  It is a slow process, but it was fun having the guys over.  One of them purchased a real whip while he was in leavenworth, and was truly excited about learning how to use it (not on others, just for fun!  He saw someone give a cool demonstration.)  This photo is of course staged!  Our Noah is the guy on the left, of the three in a row. 
The door and window getting framed in.

This was the color of our door. Once we realized we would constantly have to fight the urge of reciting the pledge of allegiance upon every entry, we removed the beautiful blue color.
For one day, our house and garage were the color of pepto-bismol. Yes, intense pink! We had the neighbors talking- they said so themselves (they were talking to me!)
My girl.
A little action shot. Note the intensity of my hubby's concentration as he tapes something.

This picture is from last winter, but I thought I would post it because ever since our first cold snap, Esther has been asking on a regular basis if it is going to snow. I am looking forward to playing in our own little winter wonderland again. Also, the pj's she is wearing in this photo are now snugly worn by Gracie. Oh how they grow...

For those of you who may not know yet, I have been doing some work from home for the children's program at our church. I am considered "part-time," and have the task of developing a team of leaders to minister to the kids and families at our church. The great part of the job is the flexibility- I am able to do 90% of the work at home, with very little interruption to my time with my girls. Don't worry- I will protect my wife and mommy time to the end!! Our staff at BMCC is wonderful and they recognize that family must always come first. I am in the middle of my second week, and am enjoying it! I know that it won't always be easy or convenient, (and you might read some blogs on that!) but I appreciate the opportunity to serve the families in our church and pray that in my own household I can continue to learn what it means to be a wife and mommy first and foremost.

If you are interested, I have added links to the curriculum and model that our church would like to emulate. Of course, resources and circumstances are different, but their curriculum is presented and packaged in a way that kids can truly relate to. One more thing that I love is that they believe parents are the best and biggest influence in a kid's life. I am excited to do everything I can as a facilitator to bring parents and kids together again, allowing the parents to be the spiritual leaders that they were made to be.