Tribute to Daddy

This a little late, but I wanted to pay tribute to my wonderful husband and dad of our two beautiful girls (who look more like Craig than me). He has been mister mom while I am finishing my school year. He cleans, does laundry (folds and puts away), makes bottles, changes diapers and still has time to play with the girls and listen to his wife. Wow, what a guy; sorry he's taken!!! God is growing us together and showing us what it means to be parents and partners. One of my greatest joys is watching Craig snuggle with Rylie in her bed (there is always a lot of giggling, counting and singing). Happy Father's Day, I love you baby!

Flamy Camp

Rylie was so excited to go to Trinity Pines in Cascade this last weekend so she could see her friends Hannah and Gave (Gabe). Sadly Gabe was puking and couldn't come, but Rylie and Hannah had a blast! We had a wonderful time with all of the families from our church: roasting marshmellows, going on a nature walk, playing on the zip line and Craig and I trying to relive our basketball careers (with two crying children on the sideline). Not only did we have fun during the day, but also at night when we took a lovely drive around the lake at 3:00 in the morning (Rylie and Ella were both awake and ready to play- ahhhh). We were one big happy "Flamy"!!!

"Parenting Her Children at Home"

That is what the newsletter for my school said about where I will be next year. I'm not sure where I was parenting before, but apparently it wasn't at home. Craig and I prayed a lot and we are going to trust God and have me stay home with the girls next year!!!! This has been my desire and I have felt such a peace about resigning yesterday. I am so excited to possibly do a preschool for Rylie two days a week, go on play dates, clean my house, cook yummy dinners for my family and encourage other women. Please pray that we will continue to have wisdom and that God will use me in my kids lives and in whatever ways He chooses. Praise God for answered prayers!

Four New Friends

Jay and Heather celebrated their anniversary yesterday, so my mom and I hung out with their 4 wonderful kiddos and of course Rylie and Ella. There was a lot of laughter, cars lined up across the living room floor, board games, basketball, and dollhouse. We had fun making father's day crafts at my school and then all squeezing into a booth at Wendy's for lunch. All the kids chowed down on nuggets and frosties and the Mamas chugged Starbucks. It was so much fun getting to know them better and see how each kid is uniquely created by God. Thanks Hughes for sharing your kids with us!

Cousins and Campfires

We decided that it was a lovely night for charred hot dogs, grill cheese sandwiches and smores!!! Rylie tried her first smore and after two or three licks of the marshmellow, she handed it back with a disgusted look on her face and said, "This is yucky, mom." We sat around relaxing, watching the kids run around on the playset and listening to live music down the street. We had a roasting time and we could still smell ourselves the next morning.

What a Bumbo!

Rylie decided that Ella's new pink bumbo made a perfect hat! I found her walking around the house like this giggling.

True Obedience

When asked to eat her cheetos in the kitchen, she being the clever girl that she is found a way around it. As I am watching Oprah, I turn around to find Rylie standing on her pink stool peaking over the couch. She told me, "But mom I am right by the kitchen on my stool." Two year olds are so wonderful, thank you Lord!

Mother Mary

After several weeks of breastfeeding and crying (both Ella and me), we decided to make a bottle of formula Ella's primary food source. Her tummy seems to be feeling a lot bettter and it gives all the members of our family a chance to feed her from a bottle (mostly Craig in the middle of the night, so that "night Brenda" doesn't come out). This morning I was feeding Ella and Rylie wanted to help, so I asked her to get a burp cloth. She found the biggest one we own, that also happens to fit on her head. I told her she looked like Jesus's mother, Mary and helped her tie it around her chin. After we decided she was Mary, then Ella of course became baby Jesus. She wanted to hold baby Jesus and feed baby Jesus his bottle. She kept getting in Ella's face saying, "Hi baby Jesus; are you hungry?" Also, she insisted that she was not Rylie, but Mary and daddy was now Joseph. It is a new take on Jesus's early life.