Leighton's Baseball Team

Leighton's Baseball Team for the first season was wonderful.  We had a fantastic coach.  He was knowledgable and very kind.  He even treated the kiddos and their families to ice cream after our last game.  I was very impressed by that!  I guess I am pretty easy to please over here!  It is such a good reminder of how far generosity can go.  

The last few days have been beautful. The humidity went away and a light breeze came. We have been outside sooooo much, playing, eating lunch, and I even enjoyed a hot Caribou Vanilla Latte while out there! We love our backyard.

Helping Daddy Clean the Car

Leighton is a great helper. I'm sure Luke wouldn't have considered it helping since Leighton's shoes were dirty, but he really likes to be involved in helping whenever he can.Hair Cut - By Mommy

Leighton's hair grows fast, and when its long it gets very sweaty outside in the humidity. I have been asking him the past couple of days if he wants me to cut his hair. Yesterday Leighton started playing with his hair and then looked at me and said, "Leighton cut hair by self?" I didn't let him cut him by himself, but I did go in and get the shears to cut it myself. This was my 3rd attempt at cutting his hair and it was successful. I was so proud of it! Leighton liked it too! Much cooler!

Before ...

After ...This is what Leighton does when you ask him to smile! A fresh hair cut and a cute smile ...

Precious McCabe Updates

McCabe is such a sweet boy. He loves to put hige walnuts in his mouth and eat dirt, so he spends a lot of our outdoor time strapped into the wagon and getting wagon rides around the yard by myself and his big brother. You will see plenty of these in the videos posted below.

McCabe also had his year check up! The Dr said he had GREAT reflexes. It is amazing the things that make you proud as a parent. My baby's knee and foot reflexes astonished the doctor! He was 19 pounds, 15 ounces! This puts him in the 10th percentile for weight (officially a peanut!), and he was 65th percentile for height. Lots of shots and a cookie later, we were on our way home with a healthy boy.

Bathing Babies

McCabe got new bath toys for his birthday. These are such a hit. Leighton loves all water animals and loves that these swim and jump in the tub with him. McCabe loves to bite them and absolutely LOVES when one is stuck to his bald head. Intended for sticking to the wall, these toys work on McCabe's head too. He giggles everytime, putting one back up there when it falls down.

Baseball

Leighton and McCabe also like their new tee and baseball bat. Leighton is actually really good. He prefers it when Luke hits the plastic balls really high in the trees. Both plastic baseballs are badly dented, but still seem work well enough!

Playing with Quinn

Quinn came over Monday morning so Meg could take the twins in for their 9 month check up. They played baseball, played in the kid house, and even make a track around the yard (an exact track involving one hill, around the bird bath and in between the trees) to chase each other. The chasing consisted on Leighton in his Big Wheel/Motercyle and Quinn and McCabe followig close behind in the wagon, pulled my none other then myself! Lots of fun! Many Laps!

Here are two videos of the morning!

Great Midwife/Doctor Story

This morning I had a midwife appointment for the new boy! I was all set to go and Luke was going to stay home with the boys. Leighton got the saddest look on his face. He was fitting tears and was so hurt that he couldn't come to the check up with me. He asked very nicely if he could come to the doctor too. So Leighton came along with me to the appointment. I wasn't sure why he wanted to come when the alternative was playing at home with daddy and McCabe. As soon as we got into the car, he said, "Mommy feel better, Leighton go to the Doctor, get cookies, then come home to play with daddy and Cabe." You see, at Leighton's doctor check ups, they give him two small little cookies once he is done with his appointment. He apparently has a good memory and has attached cookies to the doctor which I've taken note of for future doctor visits, though I try really really hard to never bribe! I think he just wanted to come with Mommy so that he could get cookies. Or he wanted to come with me because he thought I wasn't feeling well and needed the doctor to make me feel better. Perhaps, he was along for support. Perhaps, he wanted me to get cookies. I know I sure wanted me to get cookies. Regargless of why he wanted to come, I thoroughly enjoyed one on one time with him. It is somewhat rare to have an outting with just one kid but I got to do it twice today! Once for my midwife appointment with Leighton and once for McCabe's one year checkup.

It is a sweet life that I live. I am so blessed! And although most of the pictures and stories are of the babies, my wonderful husband is a big reason when I am blessed too!

Eliza, Quinn, and Leighton

Dan and Meg Rude went out on a date, and Anna and I watched Quinn. Eliza, Quinn and Leighton were inseperable the whole night. They were all over the place. They did sit still for a water break on the step. It was so much fun

Best Buds

Quinn and Leighton are great friends! They really enjoy one anothers company. When I ask Leighton if he wants to go see Quinn, he responds, "Meg, Myla, Rex!" He adores their whole family! Actually, everytime we get in the car to go anywhere he says, "Meg, Myla, Rex!" Quinn must be too hard for him to say.

Meg and I enjoy getting to spend time together too!

Faithwalkers 2009: Changing Lives

Once again Luke and I attended our annual Faithwalkers conference. Traditionally held at Lake of Ozarks in Missourri, this year brought us a change of venue to Omaha, Nebraska. We outgrew the space that Tan Tar A resort allowed so we enjoyed a new location.

The theme this year was Changing Lives. Luke and I left incredibly refreshed and encouraged from the time. Truth, testimonies, and fellowship were all part of the wonderful expereince.

Though being a mother of 2 changes the dynamic of faithwalkers, I was greatly encouraged to attend. I tried to keep one ear open the messages from the children's room, but for the most part my encouargement came from spending much time talking with Meg Rude, seeing great examples of leaders in the faith, watching other moms raise their kids, worshiping the Lord, fellowship, eating meals together, and just being there to see the growth in size, the faith of individuals and the number of people the Lord has brought to himself in the past year.


Meg and I spent considerable time together. Leighton and McCabe played and ran around a lot. Meg did a lot of feeding the twins, Rex and Myla. And we all spent a lot of time enjoying the company of one antoher.

Quinn and Leighton liked to 'fix' the windows by using all the play tools that Leighton had.

They also enjoyed looking for buses and trucks.

Here we are in the Dining Hall. Leighton and Quinn are giving one another a 'pound'. Both of the boys spent a lot of time in their strollers with their siblings close behind.
Here are my adorable boys being good sports at the conference!
Here are a few priceless pictures of Leighton getting a little tired as nap time approached. So cute!


It was a great trip/conference for our family. Luke has continue to prove to be a great leader for our family as he has marched our family into the center of a local church, humbles himself to its leaders, and has commmited himself and our family to knowing the Lord more and more on a daily basis and through refresing conferences like this.

We look forward to the upcoming faithwalkers in 2010!