This main page focuses on our family-life through photography and stories. In the links below you will find other aspects of our life including: “Journey to Joshua” which chronicles our adoption, “An Eagle's View” which is Charley's photo journal containing nature shots and sights from our travel, and "Scrappin' Like Crazy" which is Marianne's crafty website.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Lots of Catching Up!!

Well, I realize that I am pitifully behind in our blogging and decided to throw common sense to the wind as far as housecleaning and get some pics on here. Well, as I unloaded the camera cards I realized just how bad it really is because I had forgotten some things we have done!! So here it goes!

New haircut due to the fact that our shower is broken and it was cheaper to cut the hair than call the plumber. It was too hard to wash my long locks in the kitchen sink or bathtub.

Joshua at his preschool Easter party.

The mad dash for eggs.

It was starting to rain but this did not seem to bother the hunters!

All the moms and dads chasing with cameras, trying to get the perfect shot!!

Best friends!

Showing his findings, he was quite excited. This was his first egg hunt!

Erin had some good finds too!

Pizza party inside.

All that hunting works up an appetite.

At school they had a morning called "Donuts with Dads". They made ties for their dads and brought their bikes or scooters to school and rode out on the parking lot.

Such fun times!!

For arbor day we went to a booth in town that was giving away free trees. We picked out an Oak tree and planted it in our backyard.

Joshua was digging along with his Papa.

It was definitely hard work!

The first Saturday in May brought some crazy storms, even a tornado which sent us scurrying to the bathtub with Angus and Starbucks in tow. We had no damage, but just 1/4 of a mile from our house, these are some things we found the next day!


These people had parked their trucks under this tree to protect them from the projected hail storm. No hail damage at all!! OOOOOPS!!!

Trees cut and moved off of the road by the bulldozer.

There had been so much rain that these huge, old, trees toppled, roots and all.

This is a mile down the road from us.

Same house a week later.



More toppled trees.


This is Joshua helping me while I sweep!

Joshua had taken out ALL of his toys and dumped them on the kitchen floor. It took him over an hour and a half to clean it up. Charley kept coming in and checking and then leaving him to his work. At the final check, this is how he had "put everything away". Hilarious!

This is Joshua's teacher Mrs. Shayna. He is leading the pledge to the Bible.

Here they are praying before their snack time. Too funny that they all layed down to pray!

Joshua getting his hair cut.

Celina is the greatest!!

Our new riding mower. It was just a bit much to mow 2 1/2 acres with a push mower. We were never quite able to get caught up!! Joshua loves this one because he gets to help Papa!!



Wednesday, April 1, 2009

March is OVER!?


Well, here it is April 1st and we have not posted anything during the month of March!! So I will do one big post for the month!!

The month has flown by, probably because during Spring break week, Joshua and Marianne went to California for a week! What fun.

The kids played soccer in the back yard!

Jacob was Joshua's new hero!

He showed Joshua all kinds of new tricks!

Michaela was the shooter, booting the ball between the "goal posts" AKA the boys' legs.


We went to Monterey and Carmel for 2 days. Joshua just loved the sand at the beach.


The kids did lots of digging.


Joshua was so into all the sand had to offer!

Jacob was digging to China.

The waves became the next fascination, chasing them and then running from them.





It was so fun to watch and photograph!! He was so thrilled.


Michaela was loving it too. She has gotten so tall and more and more beautiful!!



Regina and Mom chatting on the log while they watch the kids.


Oma and her grandchildren.


Beautiful Carmel! Love the Monterey pines.


A few sealions hanging out.


Looks like maybe he was a bit disturbed by the visitors.


Catching some of the warm sun.


California Cutie Pie


Sweet kids!!


Flowers in Pacific Grove.


One of our favorite spots. Pacific Grove, where Charley and I spent one of our honeymoons.





What a beautiful place!!


Charley and Joshua playing in the box that our treadmill came in, while I am inside assembling the thing!!

What a great box!!


Ahh, the spring sunshine!


Well, Angus found a bunny nest under our wisteria bush and we were able to rescue 3 of the bunnies.


They were so very tiny!!

Soft and cuddly.


Charley and Joshua took them to the animal hospital who has a lady who rescues animal babies, rears them and releases them back into the wild!

Bye bye bunnies. We enjoyed having you, sorry we also have a terrier who loves bunnies too!!