Where I Come From (pt 2)

For Memorial Day my uncle came down for a weekend visit...we had such a great time cooking out and we even fit in a visit to B-more.  Here are some more picts from our day out!

This is down in the Inner Harbor...

behind the Chesapeake is the Rain Forest section of the Aquarium.

This Steel Drum band was rockin' it...

Mimi and Chloe posing in the lighthouse

This is the Constellation that usually docks in the Harbor

The Baltimore Aquarium...isn't it a pretty sight?  I love all the Dragon boats...

Our spot of Sunshine...with water to match her beautiful eyes!  :)

Snow day...minus the snow!

Alex had a "snow day" last week...but it was more an "ice day"! So we took advantage of his being home and did a craft project for Valentine's Day. Alex worked on his V-Day mailbox for school...to hold all his notes and candy. I am totally NOT a crafty person but I can do a little cuttin' and pastin'. :) We had fun so I thought I'd share...

Working together...

Happy together...

Almost there...

The final product...can you tell what Alex is into these days??!

(poor guys has 2 LOOSE FRONT TEETH,

they are barely hanging on and so they look like they are pushed out!)

Monkeys love Spring too! :)

A new leg for Chloe!

Some pictures to give you an idea of what Chloe's new leg looks like...the excitement in our house that night was too much to contain! :)

Chloe with "Dr. Ken"...she is wearing his dr's scrub hat with pride...who knows what effect these things will have on her future? Maybe she'll be a Doctor?? :)

Running like a Wild Child and having so much fun!

This leg just ROCKS...what more can I say?

Getting it adjusted...

Chloe runs with her new leg!

Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing - Share PhotosVideo of Chloe WALKING in her NEW LEG!! :)

Hey y'all! This is pretty exciting stuff...so hang on to your seats!! :) I had mentioned before in another post that I was thankful for God's PERFECT timing. Here is the story of just ONE of the ways God has shown us that in the past month or so. Providentially, my dad met up with some old church friends (Linda and Greg) at Goodyear...while chatting, Linda mentioned that they had a dear friend at their church who certified in Prosthetics. She had told him Chloe's story and he said he'd be happy to help in any way he could. That night, my dad came home and told me this and gave me the man's phone number. I was a bit timid at calling someone I didn't know and wasn't sure what to say...but I called and had a lovely conversation with a dear brother we now know as "Dr. Ken". What can I say? I know that God orchestrated this whole situation and at just the right time. We were really concerned for Chloe and her prosthesis...she was still walking on her toes and had quite a bend to her hip and knee. So, the next evening Ken came over and talked with us, met Chloe (she took to him almost right away, which is another miracle!) and really helped us understand alot about Chloe's situation and prothesis...things we had NO clue about before! It was a fantastic meeting...what has followed is simply a "God-thing". Ken has since then made Chloe an AMAZING new LEG, y'all! I can't even describe to you how Joel and I felt when we watched her walk almost normally in it for the first time since her accident in July. There were big smiles all around!! :) What Chloe has now for a foot is fairly new in pediatric prothetics and it's awesome...it gives her much more normal function and movement (like a rocking motion as she walks in a tennis shoe). The leg is pretty much the size of her other leg (the first prosthesis was at least 2x the size of her other leg) and it has alot less "layers" to it, hopefully cutting down on the heat factor for her. We just can't thank the Lord enough for dropping Ken into our lives...and we just can't thank Ken enough for his servants heart and willingness to be used by God to do great things in our Chloe's life. We are truly humbled and full of thanksgiving! :)

A rough day for Strawberry...

"You should have seen the OTHER guy....er, girl!" :-)

Pooper Scoopers R Us!

For SOME strange reason the local deer population has chosen our front yard as the BEST place to eat and "deposit". Unfortunately, this makes it difficult for the kids to enjoy the front yard! So this morning we decided to take matters in our own hands and rid the yard of the poo-poo! It required a "finder", a "bag-holder" and a "scooper". :)

This is what the kids thought of the deer poo-poo! :)

Deer poo-poo = $0

Shovel = $5

Payment for poop scoopin' = $20

Time spent with kids = PRICELESS :)

Awana Clubber of the Month :)

We're sooo proud of our Alex...voted "Clubber of the Month" at our church's Awanas! Pretty cool, we thought we'd share his picture with y'all! :)

Makin' cookies! :)

Alex got off early from school yesterday so I got this GREAT idea to make cookies together!! The kids LOVE to help out in any way they can and they LOVE making cookies...eating cookies! :) We decided to make Chocolate Chip cookies with the raspberry and dark chocolate swirled chips (if you haven't tried these babies...what the dear are you waiting for??)! They turned out DELICIOUS and Alex and Chloe did a great job at following directions and not getting their hands chopped off with the blender! Enjoy the picts!

If you make cookies...you GOTTA lick the beaters!!!!

Oh baby...that was good!

Ahh...three little chefs!! :)

Leaves of Fun 2!

SO FUN! :)

Brother and Sister having such a blast together! :)

Alex was SOO proud of his pile of leaves, we took a picture to show how BIG it was!

Leaves of Fun :)

Another VERY cool fall thing to do is to Play in the Leaves!!! I mean...can it get any better than that?? :) Alex and Chloe had a BLAST raking the leaves up, throwing them around and jumping in them. We had such beautiful weather this day that it was sooo wonderful to soak in the sunshine and warmth! Seeing Chloe and Alex laugh and play was true pleasure!! :)

Carvin' Punkins 2!

Alex and Chloe were FASCINATED by this whole pumpkin thing...it was SO cute!!

What a good Papa...making memories and having fun!

They loved this little "jack-o-lantern"...they wanted us to light it every night as their "night light"

They were SO proud of their pumpkin...how FUN being parents! We are SO blessed!! :)

Carvin' Punkins!

Ok, so I did not grow up carving pumpkins (I know, poor me!) but Joel DID...so he was the professional carver this fall and he and the kids did a mighty fine job on our little punkin! :) Thought I'd put some picts on of this fun little family time...

Chloe's turn to draw the "eyesballs" on Mr. Pumpkin

"Cutting it out"!! Ha! :)

All smiles these three!

Chloe...um, not a good idea sweetie!

Alex's turn to draw the eyes...I LOVE how he sticks his tongue out to concentrate better! :)