This is Jack Bower or neighborhood mini-horse. We like to walk down and say hi when we are getting a bit stir crazy in our little home. 

Hi Jack!

Baby Noah with his family (Steve, Jess and Ethan) in the background. It was cool to have two nephews dedicated at the same time. We were there for two families, I felt extra special.

Pastor Elmer had the pleasure of dedicating two of our nephews a week ago. This is JR getting dedicated with BJ and Justin in the back ground.

"Baby John" (BJ) and Baby John (JR) having a moment before the dedication.

It was a rough week at the office so we decided to take a family date to the skate park over in College Place. The girls enjoyed climbing all over the ramps. Gracie (as you can see) would follow Esther around.

I gave both of the girls rides, but as usual Esther enjoyed it more than Gracie... might be because Gracie and I crashed... who knows!

Gracie in her fun state of mind running around smiling showing off those picket fence front teeth.

Esther is comforting Gracie after she wrecked with Papa on the skateboard. Esther is good at consoling the hurting... she simply says "You'll be alright" with a smile on her face.

Sweet sister love.

The girls have really been enjoying tea parties.  I love how much they imagine when they are playing.

Gracie always says, "mmm, deyishish!"  She loves to share her "delicious" tea with us.

Enjoying the finished product- the joy is written all over their faces!

Isaac got a hankering for Chocolate chip cookies- and was more than eager to find a recipe online that had good reviews.  He even made them with the girls' help- what a sweetie!  I think I got the clue that he might appreciate having them around the house once in a while!

Amy and Esther looking out over some land we were exploring out past Dixie. It was a bit steeper than we thought it would be... and the growling that we kept hearing didn't help things!

deer (plural).

Today we decided to make some home-made wheat pretzels. As you can see we have the traditional pretzel shapes, a heart shape... Ike made Apple computers "command" icon, and a swirly pile.

We all had fun sitting around the table rolling out the dough... Or eating it as Gracie was. The final product was actually pretty good,  we gave them all a good sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar!!

As you may know, Esther loves her "curly" hair.  She talks about it, colors it during art time, and even protects it from the rain.  (One day we were going from the car to a friends house in the rain and she put her hands over her head and said... "Oh no!!  My Curlies!!")  As you may also know, her hair really isn't that curly.  It maybe has a wave at the ends.  

Recently I went in to check on Esther during her Quiet Time.  She was curled up on my bed with her blanket neatly laid beneath her.  As I sat next to her, she said, "I am waiting for my prince" with a great big smile.  As I wrapped her blanket around her, she politely informed me "my Prince is going to do that."  So then I had to ask,.... "are you going to marry your Prince?"  A great big smile came as she replied,  "Yes, when he comes and flies me to the castle.  It's ok, I will be safe.  He will take care of me."  

Esther was playing quietly on her easel. When she said "I spelt my name". We looked up and she has drawn the E and S, ran out of space and moved up and finished the rest of her name... A very happy moment for all of us!

This was supposed to be last, they are all clean post-bath...having fun in "the boat".

Esther put bubbles on her chin calling it her "beard" and wouldn't move her mouth when she talked, she would squeek words threw her tightly clinched jaw.

And Gracie with her goatee. It all started with blowing bubbles to facial hair.