God Bless America

Election Day 2012

 

This is what anyone traveling rt 24 in Bel Air saw at the intersection at Ring Factory!  Add a lot of waving and horn honking! 

This one is my personal favorite!  Teaching these little ones to stand up for something is why parenting is so essential in today's society!  I'm so grateful I get to do it!

God Bless America!  Land that I love!

I actually started to post these special pics a couple weeks ago after a beautiful church meeting on the importance of the Temple in our lives. The DC temple President spoke and encouraged everyone to take their children to the temple often. He said, "Let them touch the walls. Let them dream about entering. Let it become a part of them." Each year we take our children to get temple pictures with each of them at the east door. It has been a tradition from the beginning of our parenting, and continues to be a special and anticipated trip. Because of the love of our Savior, it is the temple that binds us eternally, and gives us the hope of being with all of our loved ones forever. Mariah is close at the temple, and I imagine her with us here. This year I made the pics into a book for our Sunday bag. I hope it turns out!

Click here to view this photo book larger

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The Cutest Easter Lambies!

Christ the Lord is risen today!
Alleluia!

Sons of men and angels say,
Alleluia!Raise your joy and triumphs high!
Alleluia!
Sing ye heavens and earth reply!
Alleluia!
Love's redeeming work is done! Alleluia!
Fought the fight the victory won! Alleluia!

Jesus agony is o'er! Alleluia!

Darkness veils the earth no more! Alleluia!"I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And he that liveth and believeth in me shall never die." John 11:25-26

Tears of love for our Easter Angel Lambie. Because Jesus is risen, Mariah will be, too! It is so very very hard to wait, we love her and miss her so much.

But one day, we will have only tears of joy when we sing "Where O death is now thy sting? Alleluia!"

What we did on March 23....Unbelievable!!

Because it doesn't matter how far behind I am blogging, when you go to the beach in March, it deserves to be heralded far and wide!!!!

sandy toes...one of the cutest things ever!

eating sand..one of the ickiest!

getting those toes-ies wet for the first time!

still posing for mom.....now that's love!

No problem posing here!

still a cutie!

impressive architectural skills!

impressive.....something????

Funnest part of the day....sharing it with my heart-sister and her family!!! Aren't they adorable! They visited for 9 days, and regardless of sleep deprivation, puking, kids everywhere, no schedules, and not enough exercise.....I would do it again sooooo fast!!! Thanks for taking your vacation with us, dear ones, it was such a blessing!!
And because babies at the beach for the first time are too adorable for just a picture,...

See what I mean!?!?!?
Oh, and did I mention this was in MARCH?!?!?!?

7. 8. 9

Because 10 is almost here!!!

7 Months
OK, this photo shoot was supposed to take place in the ginormous pile of leaves in our backyard.... but as soon as I set Josiah in it, he freaked out...he didn't like how it felt, he didn't like how it sounded, and no manner of cajoling was going to change his mind! So into the swing he went....
and he even smiled after the leaf trauma!

8 months
Of course December birthday pics always have to be taken by the tree...my favorite on I put in the Christmas post, but this first one is just captures perefctly the sweet disposition of our little treasure!
And he is all smiles for daddy!

9 months
I just love baby pictures in their jammies! Jeepers, creepers, I just love those peepers!

I can't resist a few smoochies!


Just this week my littlest prince went into size four diapers. Sniff, sniff. It just goes too fast, doesn't it?!?

14 yrs ago....

Then....
Now...
What makes the birthday boy happy?
A lot of this...

along with some of this...


What makes the birthday boy's momma kind of sad...
Last birthday:

This birthday:

Is all that growth really possible in just 365 days? I wonder what the next birthday will bring?!?!

Until then, here's to another year of enjoying the blessings that come from having this fabulous kid in our home! He's growing into a stalwart man before our very eyes, but while we've still got him we will continue to enjoy his quirky sense of humor, easy going personality, delightful big brother skills, and developing talents! We are blessed by our Christian Eli!

A post with only pictures of BRIAN!! (seriously!!!)

Every now and then, Brian gets "the itch" to grow a beard...and then within weeks he can't stand the" itchi-ness" any more! This time, we had some fun documenting his various looks! So here is Before, After, and all the in-betweens!

Before....MOUNTAIN MAN


After....BABY FACE


and all the in-betweens!

THE GOATEE


THE REDNECK


THE GUIDO


THE FLAVOR SAVER


Can you believe he actually not only let me take all those goofy pictures, but even encouraged me?!?!?!? I wonder if he'll ever ask me to take his picture again...

Twas the Season of Christmas....

Twas the Season of Christmas,and all through our days...

Rejoicing and happiness in so many ways!


Bright lights and laughter, family and friends...


Cookies and music, Merry wishes to send!



All celebrating that first blessed morn...


A sweet baby, our Savior, to this world He was born.


To bring joy and gladness, end sorrow and tears...
A promise of new life beyond counted years.


So no wonder the smiles, the joy, even glee...


On each face of our family we hope you will see!

May our hearts always be filled with the spirit of CHRISTmas!