Noah's Question

So Mama tomorrow Daddy is going to his class with Jacob. And then he comes home and you and Abby go to the washing (baby shower), and then you come home and then we go to the wedding and then maybe we go to Tita's house.

Noah likes to know the order of events. I like the way he refers to the baby shower as a washing!

Noahisms...

Noah asks, "Mama are you going to get Nate's cake?", Mama says, "No, I think Tia is." Noah then asks, " O Mama can I go with her?", Mama says, "Actually Tita is going to make Nate's cake." Noah, "Can I help her make it?", Mama, "Tita will probably make it on Friday and you won't be there." Noah, "How do you know?"

Sniff, sniff

Noah read, How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight this evening. He obviously did this by memory. This is why we have them memorize scripture at such a young age, that is what their mind should be filled with.

Joshua & Dom

Joshua on a path towards Dominic!

Joshua

Noahisms....

On our way home from Temple Saturday Noah says, "Mama can you please pick-up that cup?", Mama answers, "No sweetie I can't reach."...."Daddy can you get the cup?", "I can't, I'm driving."...."Jacob can you get it?, Abby can you get?, Joshua can you get it?, Noah can you get it?, Window can you get it?".....insert Noah giggling!
He is exceptionally funny lately.

Jacob's explanation of Matthew 13: 18-23

We have been reading this portion of Matthew this week for devotionals:

The Parable of the Sower Explained
18 "Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."

Jacob's explanation: "It is like this, like a rainbow. As we obey the Lord and do His will then the burden we are going through will fade away as we grow older. When we die our burdens will be completely gone and we will be with Jesus in heaven."

A question from Noah

"Daddy when are we going to the moon?", before Daddy has a chance to answer, "Oh, right, we can't go to the moon because we are not astronauts."

Noah's Perspective, Part I

Daddy's bible

Jacob & Daddy playing Twister

Mommy is the "spinner"

Noah's fingers are in the shot

Abby passing through...

Some pictures from Longhorn Caverns in Burnet

The black shape in center is actually

a bat!

Jacob & Noah

After descending 80+ steps this is the
entrance to Longhorn Caverns.

A rock formation in the shape of a dog!
Do not touch! A woman touched it and the
result was a crack that broke it in half :{

More Noahisms

My name is not Noah, it's alligator, grrrr!

Noah

"Okay Mama I just have one more question....."

The Sweet Children

Just when you think Noah and Abby are enemies.....I overhear Noah say, "Abby do you want to sing 'Come Thou Fount' with me?" I take a peak into the living room and see Noah and Abby at the piano bench, Noah "playing" the piano and singing with Abby his favorite hymn, 'Come Thou Fount'.

Abby's vocabulary

Something very unfortunate has occurred! Abby's vocabulary has dwindled down to one word, "No". An innocent bystander may ask, "How are you Abby?", and the only thing she utters in response is, "No....(smile)."

Noah & Jacob

These are a couple Noahisms:

"Daddy I have my bouncy ball in my shoe and my foot!". (Mama then asks, "How does your foot fit in your shoe with your bouncy ball?") Noah says, "I have no idea."

"Daddy, Daddy I see the moon, I see the moon! I want to go to the moon! But we need a rocket to go to the moon! Right Daddy?!?"

These are Jacob- Did you know?.....

"Hey Nana did you know that I got to see the second law of thermodynamics in real life. Because when the van stopped working the transmission was gone, and my daddy has to pay $xxxx because of the transmission and the oil and other stuff."

Houston

We spent a wonderful weekend, albeit short, with the Marques family. The children very happily jumped to their hearts content on the trampoline. We surprised Margaret (a.k.a. Nani) with Sophie. Had dinner with many friends, new and old. We also had a blessed time singing to our Lord.
Thank you Margaret, Richard, Elena, Micaela and Carolina for your hospitality.

April Pictures

In April Margaret and the girls came down to visit while Tita was here.

We spent most of the time at Tita's new house: here are some pictures we took that day.

Mia...well, I think it was close to snack time...
This is what happens when Mica is alone with the girls in the back seat...

My ferocious Noah

Goofy Mia with a cookie

Nicole and Mia may look alike, but Nicole does not look goofy in this picture

Abby making a funny face!

Abby with her Mica

Sweet Sophie

To Houston and Back

This past weekend Nicole and I (and our combined 6 children) traveled to Houston. We packed in to our van, the girls were in the far back: Mia, Abby, and Sophie; the boys in the middle row: Jacob, Joshua, and Noah. The trip to Houston from Austin was filled with anticipation and excitement. We celebrated the soon-to-be arrival of baby boy Webb, we went folk dancing with the Pedersons (well the Pedersons did the folk dancing), and went to church at Grace (heard a great sermon, thank you Pastor Paul). The trip back...was not the same. There was more pinching, touching, taking, telling and crying. We arrived safely and as always can't wait until we can be with the Webbs again!

The Incomparable Elena!

We were blessed with having Elena with us for two weeks after the birth of Joshua. She cooked, cleaned, read books, did her homework, and made scones (yummy!).

A better group photo

Abby takes a turn at the wheel

Noah...Captain of the Boat

Noah & Abby on the "boat"

An attempted group photo

This photo did not turn out like I imagined.....

Abby enjoys some chocolate cake!

Abby is now a big sister!

Abby and Joshua two days after his arrival.

Daddy & Joshua

It's a Boy!

"Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate." Psalm 127:2-5
We are blessed with another boy, Joshua Ethan, 7lbs.
15 oz.

Labor Day!

Labor Day arrived! It was another great home birth experience with our wonderful midwife MariMikel Penn and her awesome apprentice Aleah. We were also joined by six other very special people: Jacob, Noah, Wendy, Margaret, Nicole and Micaela.

Diapers Arrived!

Nana was very generous and bought us some "All-in-one" cloth diapers, to save the new sweet child's bottom, our pocket book, and the planet! Abby & Noah quickly put the shipping box to good use.