Latest Pictures

Thanks for my cool new jacket, Papa Denny! I love it!





Ruby is trying to stand up now. Paul was playing with her in the floor and she used him as something to pull herself up.




Ignore that slouchy woman in the background. I have no idea who she is.

Good Gifts

Our family has really been blessed by the effort we have made to eating well. I love baking all of our own bread, muffins and cookies from flour that I have milled myself and sweetening it all with honey. Cutting out artificial flavors, colors and sweeteners for my family feels good. Cookies for breakfast is normal around our house because the cookies here are healthier than most of the breakfast foods for sale.

This morning I was handing Nolan his muffin and I said, "I love giving you good things" (truly good, not just good tasting) and I realized that if I love giving good things to my children, how much more our Heavenly Father LOVES to give good things to His children. Not just material blessings in His good timing, but truly good things like the Fruit of the Spirit. He is holding these truly good and perfect gifts for us, we just have to accept them.

She Said "Mama" First!

Ruby has been saying, "Mama Mama" for four days now and it is so sweet. At first she was only saying it when she cried for me to get her out of her crib, so I thought it was a fluke. Yesterday and today she will look at me and say it over and over so I know it's for real. All of the other kids said "Dada" first and then called for me shortly after, but Ruby is my little sweetie.

Lily showed me that she can climb up onto the counter without any help or using a chair. She is growing up fast.

Happy Birthday, Emily!!!

My baby turns nine years old today! We went to an Italian restaurant where the waiter sang to her in Italian. Her growing up is bittersweet for me.

I love you, Emily!

Log Cabin Village

Today we went to the Log Cabin Village in Fort Worth. The weather is beautiful and it was a great day to tour the restored cabins. All of the cabins are from the surrounding counties. We got a few demonstrations and I think Emily would have loved to stayed all day.
Candle Making

Weaving Loom

Our favorite part was dressing up

I had to get in on it, too.

Impromptu Vacation

Our first stop was an overnight stay with our friends in Alabama. Tonya is so wonderful to open up her home to us. We had such a good time. Nine kids in a house and they were all so good.

We went to the park.

Lily and Lyra

Ruby's first time on the grass. Too bad it was Alabama grass.

Field Trip to the Firestation

Our homeschool group took a field trip to the Toccoa Fire Department. We learned about smoke detectors, got to see where they sleep in the fire station and, best of all, we got to get inside the fire truck!





The firefighter gave a demonstration of how he puts on his gear.

More Firestation Pictures

Such well mannered children

UT vs. UGA