Thank you Aunt Amanda & Uncle Matt!

JoeAnna's favorite puzzle is this seemingly difficult one of the 50 United States. She knows where almost all of them go just by either the shape or by one of us telling her the name of the state! It's pretty amazing to watch her put it all together.

Saturday Morning Fun

So, this is my first post (this is Rob) and I'm excited to share with you a craft Joe and I did this morning.

The day started with me going to a men's Bible study at the Church. When I got home, it was Cara's turn to go to a Bible study with our Pastor's wife, Rasha. Fortunately, Graham was sleeping when Cara left, so I only had to keep Joe occupied for a couple of hours. I don't know how Cara does it day in and day out. She is a strong woman.

After going through some options with Joe on what she wanted to do, she settled on plato. So I propped her in her high chair and we started sculpting masterpieces. I got the idea to start making body parts out of plato (Nothing like Michelangelo's "David". This is a G rated home). What transpired was the pictures you see above.

We had a really good time.

yesterday

So I absolutely love Fridays! Rob's day off and we try to spend it as a family. Yesterday was no exception: we were up and at 'em and out of the house before 10am, we shipped a package (an item we sold on ebay - woo whoo), went to the library, stopped at the church (can't be avoided :) ), tried to get our licenses (but forgot our marriage license - weird, but we were turned down), went back home for lunch and naps (Graham took yet another 3 hour afternoon snooze!!), went back to the Osceola County to get our licenses (we were only able to get mine, ask Rob), SONIC for dinner (yum!!), the church again (see previous comment), and then home for baths and bed for the kiddos, and popcorn and a movie for Rob and me.

so it's official - I am a Florida resident!

Kids part 2

Kids in their natural state :)

This is kinda long so beware! (It's mostly on here for gmas and papas!)

love your brain

so not to long ago i was watching a special on PBS where this doctor/brain specialist was giving a list a 10 things to do to "love your brain" and it was interesting because he had actual brain scans to prove his message. basically, positive thinking actually heals the brain and bridges the gaps and conversely, negative thinking creates literal holes and gaps in the brain. So, my take away from that show - be happy or accept having swiss cheese for a brain.

It was easy to think positively on Friday, September 4th! (First, it was Aiden's birthday!! Way to go buddy - 7 is the perfect number!) Also, it was the first time at Disney World for 75% of my family! Rob had been there before, but JoeAnna, Graham and I were able to see it for the first time. It was a blast and blasting hot too. :) JoeAnna is such a sponge. She doesn't show a lot of emotion about things, and I just took that to mean that she was unimpressed about things or that she was still too young to really experience Disney. Not true. She talks about her experieces every day. She still wants to ride Dumbo again, and she asks everyone she talks to if she can ride that ride again. She doesn't want to ride the Tea Cups again... I think because Graham got to ride that too and that is his claim to fame and she doesn't want to share the spotlight... She is just starting to notice that he gets his own attention, but so far she is happy for him.

Today she laid down next to him and asked me to take a picture of them side-by-side. She is really starting to like her picture taken - not in a "I'm a ham" way though. I wish I could truly capture how she talks to me. She starts conversations, asks legitimate questions, and she is very witty.

I found the first lizard in the house. In JoeAnna's room. It was a baby. I was so freaked out. I stayed calm. I now walk lightly. I don't like lizards inside. Ugh. At least it wasn't a cockroach. Please pray that doesn't happen again. I can't handle the thought of things crawling on us while we sleep. I will handle any gross bug during the day... it's the thought that they are there at night.

Well Mom T. and Rick left this morning. It was so nice to have family visit. And now it is on with life as usual - and usual is still in the defining stage. Please pray for us to be a faithful family. We are so blessed here in Florida.

Pictures to come!!

Another side-by-side :)

This comparison is a little uneven because Graham is in his third month and JoeAnna is in her fifth month seen here.

They are so loving to one another; I wish all of you could see them playing together now. I can sit Graham in the "bumbo" type seat (borrowed from my handsome nephew William!) and JoeAnna will "make dinner" for Graham in her kitchen. Basically Graham ends up getting a lap-full of plastic food. It's super cute. He is an easy going, generous giggler, and JoeAnna displays a great balance of big sister/playmate and mother/protector.

More later!

Name that baby (2 photos), by cara thompson

I'd like to share my Snapfish photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.

JoeAnna singing a short prayer for pizza!

JoeAnna loves to sing "Thank you Father" which she learned from her cousin Carter :). She knows the whole thing, but she often shortens it to just the basics as seen here. We were having pizza at the church in the gym with Rick, Randi, Tessa and our family. JoeAnna loves being at the church!

Saturday, August 22nd

This is Graham before he really figured out that he wanted this stuff. He ate his first meal with purpose on August 28th.