Piano Baby

Mikey-Mikey Sitting Up

I LOVE THIS BABY! (it's a good thing he's cute, though)

Caroline says his eyes look like M & M's.  Funny Mikey.

Even Michael Has Homework Already!

Lauren and Michael

He's already doing fifth grade math!  Seriously, though, isn't Lauren just so cute doing her homework while holding Michael?  

We really like the new table, but the floor is not holding up at all to more regular use, just look at that!  Someday...

Two Boys

James and Michael

When I hold Michael (which makes it sound like I sometimes don't hold Michael--hah!), James likes to climb on my lap and say, "Two boys," in a very satisfied way.  (Someone help me, I still don't know how to punctuate properly; and I think I gave all my style guides away long ago.)   I think he's glad there are two boys.  I'm glad, too.

12 Years Ago

I love this picture.  After three years of waiting, we were finally married!  When the children see this picture they say two words:  temple and happy.  I think that just about sums it all up.  

12 years and five children and a whole lot of water under the bridge have given us more perspective and understanding.  We love the family we have created and look forward to seeing where it all leads.

A Small and Simple Thing

 

James Built a Temple

James tells me that this is a temple.  We've taken the children to visit the Los Angeles Temple twice since Michael was born. In August, just before Liffy was baptized, Lauren gave a us special tour of the temple grounds based on the tour she led for the primary back in June.  What a great experience that was for her.  I'm so grateful for inspired Primary leaders who had the older Primary children lead the younger children on the tours.  She learned so much about the temple from it, but the most important lesson she learned is that testimonies are strengthened when they are borne.  We enjoyed spending that afternoon at the temple with our family.  

Our Family (I promise we're all there)

On Steve's birthday we took a special trip to the newly re-opened Visitor's Center at the Los Angeles temple.  What a lovely place to spend an afternoon.  The Church has created a marvelous center for learning more about the Gospel and its purpose.  There were so many things to see and do, we're going to need to take a second trip!  

These early experiences with the temple clearly have an effect, since James now builds temples out of blocks.  I hope the time spent learning about the temple will carry my children through more treacherous stages of their life.

Look Out, Here He Comes!

Michael rolled from back to tummy today.  Mama's so proud!