1st post in over a year!!!

Wow, I can't believe it's been so long since I've posted! A lot has gone on this last year. We moved into a new home in West Pasco, WA. We are very blessed to have this home as it is our very first in the 10 years that Johnny and I have been married.

Baby #3 is due in January. We don't know what we are having yet but will post that as soon as we find out.

We are so excited to be helping my brother and sis-in-law start a new church here in West Pasco! Check out our website if you get a chance at http://summitlifenow.com/

Brody just had his 6th B-day and Cooper will be having his 5th in October. They are growing and changing so quickly.


Here's Brody at his B-day party with some of his cousins.

Blowing out the candles on his John Deere tractor cake. He wanted a lawn mower cake but we worked out a compromise.

Trying to hit the pinata with the golf club.

Go Audrey! Carter's turn was next and he busted the pinata on the 1st try but my pic didn't turn out.

Sadie and Cody on the teeter-totter.

Brody Learning to Swim

Brody has been taking swimming lessons and is doing pretty good. He's still afraid to put his whole head under water but he's getting closer to accomplishing that. Hopefully Cooper will want to take lessons soon. He has some bad memories of falling in the water. :-(


Here's Brody sticking with the girls, as usual.


This is a great wading pool for the kids!


Brody really liked his swim instructor, Sean. He was a great instructor who made it fun for all the kids and was very patient with each of them.

Foundation

Well, the foundation has been laid out for our new home. Just a few more months to go!

Fishing in Blue Mountains

We went fishing with Johnny's grandpa a couple of weeks ago in the Blue Mountains. It was a beautiful day and we all caught our limit!

We made it 3 1/2 years!

Cooper had his 1st ER visit a couple of weeks ago. Daddy's new bike was sitting upside down in our living room and Cooper was spinning the back wheel, stuck his hand in the brake and cut his thumb. In this picture he was just given a stuffed monkey as he was soaking his hand. He loves this monkey and has named it "Muh".


Brody was a trooper and waited very patiently in the ER. He sat in a chair hugging his stuffed hippo "Hippie" while Cooper was getting his stitches put in.


They're in!


Showing off the Go, Diego, Go bandaid.

Mercy for the Cowgirl Coffee shop

The other day I was driving in town and as I was stopped at a light, I heard my oldest son say, "Mommy, what's that girl doing over there with no clothes on"? "WHAT?!", I shouted, looking over to see what he was talking about. Sure enough, there was a girl sitting in a chair wearing a really skimpy bikini (practically no clothes on, right?) next to a drive-thru coffee shop. I don't remember the name of the drive-thru but it was probably something like Cowgirl Coffee or Bikini-Bottom Espresso. :-) Anyhow, this really upset me so I decided to do something about it. The next day I drove through and warned them (as nicely as I could) that if they didn't keep their half-naked employees inside their shop that I was going to make a complaint to the city and that I probably wouldn't have any problems getting other women and mothers to join me. To my surprise the employee was very nice, apologized and agreed that they shouldn't be doing that.

This was a learning experience for me because as I began to calm down from being so worked-up over what I had just done & experienced, I was convicted of the many things I see or hear every day that I don't take a stand for. If I can do something as easy as this why can't I stand up for my Lord and God when someone speaks ill of Him or says His name in vain. Hearing God's name in vain is something that is taken so lightly now and we have become so callous to it. Exodus 20:7 says, Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. I realize that we live in a sinful world and it's impossible to avoid sin but the Bible says that although we, as Christians, live IN this world we are not to be OF it. Romans 12:2 says And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

The more I began to ponder all of this I began to feel ashamed for not being more Christ-like to that gal at the coffee shop. Where was my compassion and mercy? At the time all I could think of was how disgusted I was. I need God's grace to help me see people's hearts as He does. People need the Lord and I need to remember that's why I am here...to be an example for Him and be used for the furtherance of His gospel. Thankfully, God forgives and He HAS offered his grace. Ephesians 2:8 says, For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

I'm thankful to be a child of the one, true God who shows endless mercy and always brings me back to the big picture. Are you a child of God?

Backyard View

I took this picture on Monday when it was so beautiful outside. We have a great view of the water and mountains outside our back window but there are a few obstructions to the view because of some trees. If you walk through the trees, this is what you see...so breathtaking. Praise God for His beautiful creation! Psalm 148