Happy Super Bowl

hi folks-- just wanted to raise awareness for orphans a bit... Tony Dungy, who's adopted a few kids w/his wife, Lauren, did this video for folks to show on Super Bowl Sunday a half-time. I love Tony Dungy--what a leader! (I'll put the clip to the right of this posting.)

Pics of our young man's big 4th birthday forthcoming-- happy winter!

ttfn, mb for WeThree

fall updates

hi folks,

Christmas time again and I'm realizing how far behind I am in updating this blog. Since I'm up at 4:30 this AM due to Sam, may as well at least post some new pics! Sorry for the delay.

These are in reverse chronological order as that's how I loaded them and I don't want to take time to fix it! :- ) Starting w/after we got the tree... daddy reading The Grinch to Sam, who decided "it's too scary" so I'm not sure they finished it!

At the tree farm--aren't these wreaths so pretty?
And this smile is pretty!
They have these great playground toys at the farm so Sam gets to romp while we wait for our tree to get wrapped up to take home...

Meeting another sailor on the gangplank.

Surveying the sea for other ships...

Guess this can be a car or plane--whatever they want. Clearly enjoying whatever it is... Next to our chosen tree. Wish the truck weren't there behind it--the guy just pulled up before someone took this for us. :- (

While they cut the tree down w/chainsaw.

Wandering around looking for the perfect tree-- honestly, it usually takes us 2 mins--we find one we like then look a bit just to be sure but usually come back to the same one. Anyone else have this experience? I remember walking for what seemed HOURS when I was a child at the Christmas tree farm!

Got it home and in the stand, lights on it and Sam helps w/the vacuuming. Decided he shd have his ski helmet on while vacuuming. Doesn't everyone wear helmets to clean? :- )

While I got decorations out, Sam playing w/some of his personal decos.

Helping around the yard...

Had a visit from the Stingles from Indy this Sept--Aunt Arlene came along as well and took most of these pics for us. A fun visit.

Grandma reading to Sam.
No visit is complete w/o a project for grandpa--our fan died while they were here so he and Bryan put a new one in. Tks, Grandpa!

A tender moment w/grandpa.Our good friends, Tom, Mel and gang, stopped by while aunt Arlene took pics-- that's Sam's bud, Mackenzie, on bottom right--she happened to be next door visiting her me-mom.

At Pop shop w/Stingle gang

The speeds of Sam--scootering...

and plasma car speed--at E's house. One cool car!

E and Sam, at his house-- 2 peas in a pod.

Bryan took this--Sam pretending to be Goliath, like the donut man on TV behind him. B was amazed that Sam cd put together a similar outfit based on what he had on hand, all by himself.Labor day weekend, we went south for reunion w/Norment gang--here's Sam w/some cute cousins!
Uncle Tom brought these "screaming monkeys" that you catapult thru the air. We must've had 30 of them flying around the back yard at one point. Adults and kids loved them. :- )
Merry Christmas, all--hopefully I will get back to posting in the new year!

ttfn, mb for WeThree

grateful living

Spurred on by stuff I'm reading and people I admire (TY, Melanie), we are discussing each night something for which we are grateful to God.

The M's have a tree of gratefulness spreading across their kitchen wall and when we babysat the other night, we were introduced to the concept of writing something nightly, then sticking it to the tree. I cdn't find leaves or flower petal post-its, like Melanie did-- I cd only find butterflies-- so, since we have a beautiful butterfly bush out our back door w/lots of blossoms and butterflies on it, we made a butterfly bush (on the fridge, since we haven't got wall space).

Here is our "Grateful Butterfly Bush" as it went up..

and as it is currently...

And here are some random shots of the summer activities--it's been a busy summer!

Neighbors and friends watching Franklin together one summer night...

Common sight on grass cuttin' day

Sam's 1st dentist visit--he was so cool, calm and collected!

Couple of days we got to watch our neighbor's son while she worked. Little Josiah loves Sam's antics, and Sam enjoys having someone to impress. Been fun for us to tell Sam that right now, at 5 mos, Josiah is Sam's age when he came home to us-- so hard to believe he was ever that small--wow.

July 4th in Marlton--our illustrious pastors ran a 5K for charity and we went to cheer them on.

Dressing like daddy [used to...]

Hanging out at Aunt Peg's pool a couple days--one was for her 80th bday! Sam made new friends there, Matt and Michaela, A. Peg's little neighbors on either side.

I love the action of this pic.

A Peg's party--mom, her buddy since nursing school, Peggy P and aunt Pam

A Peg's buddy, Grace, and A Peg

Sam sitting at the gate with "the elders," Uncle Tom and daddy. :- )

Church camping trip-- we have sooo much fun, even tho it rained and thunderstormed most of Monday... me-- I do all that planning, meal prep, packing, unpacking and laundry just for the fellowship and s'mores around campfires at night! :- )

Tom doing devotions w/the kids the morning it rained, before it started. Sam loves a chance to hold someone's ear.

These umbrellas, stationed at the M's campsite, were indicative of the day.

Our campsite was right next to theirs so Sam and Zachary got to play together the minute their eyes were open. Sam LOVES camping. :- )

We basically took over most of the beach at the lake at camp. So nice to have everyone hanging out together.

Bryan took some cool pics of the sunset one night and how it turned the trees to fire.

Looks like it could be Moses' burning tree!

Dinner w/our friends, the W's, meant a visit from another of Sam's little buddies, sweet Eden.

Thanks for dropping in on our summer --ttfn, mb for WeThree