Parenting done right!

These two are working on a 10 hour value project for personal progress (program through church). They decided to do one together. They are taking dinner responsibilities for 2 weeks. It involves meal planning, cooking and clean up. Tonight was day 2 but was another success. They picked breakfast for dinner from the Pioneer Woman... French toast with homemade berry butter.

This kind of parenting is happening all over the world, and more needs to happen, as evidenced by recent news events.
Thankful for deliberate parents!

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................... SUPER HANNAH!

Super Hannah!                                              
Defender of the defenseless.

....................Optimus Prime!

       Ian IS Optimus Prime!

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Ellie loves making Max laugh.

Remember when you could do this?

Me neither.

..

..
























On August 22, we celebrated our 35th high school reunion.

Here are 5 of our old sextet (consistent "I" ratings at contest...ahem),
Kathy Reeves, Joan Gordon, Rhonda Pruitt, Cathy Rowe, Jane Gordon.

Pam Burcham, you missed a FUN evening.

I'm up higher because I'm only about shoulder height when we all stand together, and, you know, enough is enough!


..

A CASTLE FULL OF MONKEYS







We celebrated Ellie's 3rd birthday on Saturday at
MONKEY JOE'S in O'Fallon.













I made her a princess castle cake.



















A party can never
have too many
balloons...

















...or too much cake...

...

Morton's neuroma-----GONE!
A few days with my foot iced and elevated, I'll be as good as new.

Phoenix July 2009

HOW I SPENT MY SUMMER VACATION






No sane person would go to Phoenix in the summer without a darn good reason.

I have 4.
Andrew, Traci, Ian and Hannah.

They asked for cousin Ellie, who was my shadow the entire time. Really.








I'm not sure why these goggles were bathtub toys and not out by the pool, but the girls enjoyed them just the same.













We swam every morning between 8 and 9 am. Ellie wanted to swim again that afternoon, but it was too hot for that tender skin to be out, so I told her, "How about if we swim AT NIGHT! WHEN IT'S DARK!!"

Her eyes got big, and she said, "That would be WONDERFUL!"













Ian was always cautious, and stayed right around the edge where he could grasp the side if need be. Earlier in the season he had an accidental dunk.






















Diego and Kai-Lan were the guests at Ian and Hannah's family birthday party on Monday night. Sweet!







Hannah was helpful while I baked. She spread the paper plates out-----aaaaaaalllllllll across the counter.

Ellie helped lick the beaters.

Ian turned 4,

Hannah turned 2.

Although Ian wanted Ellie there, sometimes the girls were very loud. He plays well by himself, and at one point went into his room and locked the door for some alone time.

He came out later covered with stamped tattoos.

Wish I had taken a picture.

Papi and I both had a fun time

'fwimming' the girls.

Hannah had a cold, so she spent

a lot of the time out on the pool

apron with a watering can, watering

inanimate objects. Like me.

I'm not sure why, but Ellie wanted me

to get this picture of her wet hair.

Oops! She tried to blow into

the water with her lips,

dunked her nose.

On Saturday was the BIG party at the

Bounce Jungle.

Ian and Hannah and

1,000 of their closest

preschool friends,

with their families,

attended.

Both Mommy and Daddy

enjoyed the slides with

the kids!

Traci always throws

an incredible party!

I couldn't aske for a

more terrific daughter-in-law!

Aprons

If any of you are apron lovers like me, you'll want to check out the giveaway at notquitejunecleaver.com. For some girls it's shoes, for me it's APRONS!

Blessed Babies

On Sunday, June 28th, we

were in Columbia for the

blessing of Max and Ella Grace.














The weather had been

ridiculously hot last week,

in the high 90's. Saturday

night we had a cold front

pass through, and Sunday

was golden! Low humidity,

high in the low 80's, just perfect.

Good thing, too. There were

about 40 people throughout

the day, dropping in for food

and fellowship.

Lynn and Clyde brought a

tent/pavilion, so many stayed

outside, and the kids played

in the big backyard.

Ella's gown was a Hesemann

family heirloom. Her great-

grandpa Ritterbush was

christened in it, as were

several cousins.

Doesn't she look beautiful

in her special dress?!

Her great-uncle Dale, and

cousin Edward blessed the

babies.

Ella was content during

the actual blessing.

By the time we

got home, she

was hungry and

tired, and let

everyone know it!

Max, handsome in his

blessing whites, was

his usual sunny self.

During his blessing, he

looked up at each man

in the circle, smiling and

trying to make eye

contact.

While Ella was having

a meltdown, Max just

watched her, as if to say,

"Chill, baby girl. It's

all good."

.

My New Hobby

I have a fun new hobby--- Cake Decorating!



I made this one for Steve on his February birthday. It is chocolate cake covered with home made marshmallow fondant. The candies are cake balls made of cake mixed with melted store-bought frosting, formed by hand, then dipped in light cocoa candy melts, drizzled with thin icing, then placed in mini-cupcake cups.

Unfortunately, by this time we had been having practice cakes A LOT! He asked for a pie instead. I gave this cake away.



This one was for my daughter Laura's
baby shower. I think they were chocolate
and vanilla cakes, and were covered in fondant.



The wacky 'fence' was made of chocolate.











These three were for my Grammeo's 96th
birthday party in January.



This was chocolate, with chocolate buttercream
filling.







The pink package cake was vanilla with
chocolate buttercream filling.


The red bow cake
was vanilla with
raspberry buttercream filling.






And nary a crumb was left.








.

.

.......











So this is why Ella eats every two hours--she wants to catch up to Max!

















Ella Grace-----or Ella Grande?

Her pose is classic. She's copying Michael Flatley in Lord of the Dance!







..

...


When my children were small, our picture-taking was done on film that had to be sent away in the mail to be developed! (gasp! the dark ages!)







Or, we had them professionally done at WalMart. (snort!)



So, these old pix of my babies are not always perfectly reflective of their actual beauty, but are good for comparisons with their own beautiful offspring.



I've spent lots of time with Ella Grace, and can see her Mommy in her (but mostly her Daddy).






Ian has his Daddy's bright-eyed smile, inquisitiveness, love of music, and empathy.



Ellie has her Mommy's...ummm....


...coloring. And snuggle-ability. And take-charge attitude.








.

PLAYHOUSE!

I found this wonderful playhouse
on craigslist for 1/4 the price of
a new one! WooHoo!

I always wanted a playhouse when I was little. Now my grandbabies have a fun place to play outside when they come to visit.




As you can see from both photos, Ellie insisted that the proper pose was with one foot up behind.

She wanted to take a picture of me with that pose inside the playhouse. I had to explain that I would fall over if I tried. She said, in her best encouraging voice, "Yes, Gran. You can DO it!"

I couldn't.