Winging It

Mike took the kids out and let them choose what model airplane they wanted to put together, together.  

Christian had the chance to work on his project first, while Michaela was at her Bible study.  Christian and Mike carefully took the pieces apart as they needed them, so that none would be lost along the way.

Christian wanted to do most of the assembling of the plane.  But he wanted Mike to be there, for moral support. 

He can really concentrate on a task. 

Michaela put her plane together the next evening.  Hers was a little less complicated, but no less fun.  She was quite excited that it was a "USAF-United States Air Force!" plane. 

Of course, once they were both assembled they had to fly them together.

They were very proud of their craftsmanship, and loved spending this time with their dad.  I'm sure there will be another project coming in for a landing soon.  We'll keep you posted!  (I know you're sitting on the edge of your seats...)

Winter Wonderland

As in, I'm wondering where winter is?  I hear it's headed here tomorrow, but as for today, the only signs of the season are the trees that look like this:

We walked over to the park today, and it was beautiful.  The kids and I were wearing short sleeves, and there was a breeze, but it wasn't cold.

I'm so grateful for weather like this...because it means that we are outside playing,  not inside getting antsy.

You'd think this was a very serious business by the looks on their faces.  Could they be more somber?

Here's our big girl.  She's going to be 8 soon!  I can't believe it.  I wonder if she knows how crazy it is that just yesterday I held her for the first time in my arms?  Will someone please inform her that she must stop this growing up stuff.  It simply cannot be tolerated. 

I guess that's one thing that's out of my control, huh? 

And our son, the middle child, hanging precariously there between two sisters.  Both little and big, a follower and a leader.  Hilarious and smart and sensitive.  My original monkey is what he is.  I wonder what challenges and achievements await this year-he'll be 6 soon!

And this little one...our delight.  We are all captivated by her.  She thinks she's as big as everyone else.  I wonder what is going on in her mind.  There's so much there.

A winter wonderland, eh?  Mostly the wonder part...

Lighten Up!

Here's what I want to know...and I'm sure the answer is really simple and some smarter people than me who are out there would roll their eyes that I am even admitting to asking this question, but how in the world am I supposed to order prints from my digital pictures, which seem to look great on the computer, but when I get the print made, it looks dark?  And it really depends on the angle from which I'm looking at the computer what the picture looks like, so it's hard to edit it anyway.  And when you bring the picture up on the screen at the photo printing place (wherever that may be) it's fuzzy and doesn't look like anything you would ever print much less pay for, but you think you have to take your chances.  And then when you get the print, you can't really tell if it's a good picture or not, because Photoshop has changed photography forever. 

For example, is this picture good or not?

And what about this one?

To me, one seems dark and the other really light.  But when I printed the one of all three kids, before I made the changes that you see, it was pretty dark.  I wasn't able to print a new version because the time got late, etc. 

Well, I just had to get that off my chest so I could breathe a little easier.  Maybe after you do it long enough, you just "know."  You get it.  You have a gut feeling.  I have a gut feeling, but it doesn't have much to do with when to stop fooling with the picture because it's finally right.  It has more to do with being full of brownies. 

Going Green

It's no surprise, considering all of the eco-friendly products, the emphasis everywhere on saving the environment, and the efforts we're making here at home, that Eliana, too, is going green.

That's probably not what you had in mind, is it?  We will reuse that paper though.  Does that count?

A Mixed Bag

I have to be honest...tonight ended on a slightly sour note.  Things were going along just fine, and then all of a sudden, minutes before bedtime--KAPOW, BANG, KERPLUNK!  Something ugly got a hold of us, and I sent the kids to bed all in a hurry so that I could go start a load of laundry and shed a couple of tears and then be just fine.  (Sigh)

They are in the bedroom now, quietly talking, while I sit here thinking about my own struggles as I try to be a good example for them and fail each day at least one (hundred) time(s)...  and at the same time I am thinking about how for the last two weeks they have been listening non-stop to Christmas carols, reading about them in some very neat books we have about hymns, playing so nicely together (today, for hours), and cleaning up after themselves.  I love listening to them sing along with the carol CD.  It makes my heart swell when I hear their sweet voices sing things like,"While shepherds watched their flocks by night, all seated on the ground...The angel of the Lord came down, and glory shone around.  And glory shone around."  And if you could hear the lovely music in the background, the bagpipes and other instruments along with their voices, you would know why it affects me the way it does. 

So, there are these two sides, right?  The wonderful, grace-filled picture of the children (even Eliana will dance and move her arms so sweetly to the music) singing praises to our Lord.  The nasty, crazy ending to an otherwise very pleasant day which leaves a bad taste in my mouth and makes me want to eat a brownie to get rid of it.  This just leads me to affirm my belief that, indeed, I need a Savior, and praise the Lord, One has come. 

Advent...a season of preparing.  I'm going to go tell them that I love them.