One of My Favorite Prayers

Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury,pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.


O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

-Amen
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sydney Digs Santa!

Shyness is not a word in Sydney's vocab....especially when it comes to Santa. She had no problem taking this picture, at her SISTER'S classroom Christmas party. Ironically, Riley refused to pose....

Daddy's Girls....!

My friend Tasha told me about this app for my iphone, Instagram. You take a picture w/ your camera phone and then can add different effects to the photo through this app. I took a few while sledding on Christmas day, and I kinda like how they turned out! The girls had a blast-and I really like the picture of the 3 of them with the horizon behind them!

Never Grow Up!

Is it that time of year already? Two birthday cakes, two parties & two girls getting another year older! Time does fly.....does life have a 'Pause' button?

 

 

Rockstar Cowgirl

This year, both Sydney & Riley wanted "Tangled" cakes. I found this idea online, kinda improvised and came up with my own version of a tower. Turned out decent...at least it passed the little girls' princess test. So we did Sydney's 4th birthday party at a store downtown called Rockstar Cowgirl- it is a jewelry and bead shop. The girls each got to pick a strand of beads they liked & a pendant to go with it. This party was actually an absolute blast! The kids loved making their necklaces & Syd had a very memorable birthday!

 

 

 

 

Rockstar Cowgirl

These girls even color-coordinated their beads! They amazed us all at how well they did!

 

 

 

 

Rockstar Cowgirl

 

 

Riley, has it been 6 years since we had you? Already?

My sweet, lovable Riley Jo Jo (she does not like me to call her that by the way)....she turned 6 & lost her first tooth all in the same week! She wanted to have her friends all come to a swimming birthday party again this year. And she also wanted a "Tangled" cake, although not "exactly" the same as Sydney's. So, the towers are the same, but if you notice, they are a bit different...at any rate, her party was very fun! The kids had cake & ice cream, opened presents & then swam all that sugar off!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Swimming

I have tons of swimming pictures, but haven't downloaded them all. Here are a few of them though, and once Riley figured out that she is now tall enough to go down the waterslide, it was GAME OVER...I don't think I saw more than a blur of her the rest of the time, as she ran past me to go back up for another ride down!

 

 

 

First Day of Kindergarten!

Riley was VERY excited to go to school today. She was up before the alarm clock & was more than cooperative in getting ready on time. Needless to say, she was thrilled that her BFF from preschool & dance is also in her kindergarten class, and they even had their places at the same table....which worked out wonderfully for them. I told the teacher that I thought the seating arrangement may only last a few days though----So, I wanted a picture of Riley with her teacher, Mrs. Elder. Riley has this whole SHY thing going on. I'm not sure if its true shyness, or just an act...but at any rate, she would only take a picture if Kelsey would go w/ her. When I picked her up today, she said "I LOVED IT MOM!" Great day!

 

 

 

 

Girl Pictures!

My mom, being the excellent photographer that she is, took some pictures of the girls on this past Saturday. She had a great idea to take the photos in these fields, and then also by some Sunflower fields. The pictures turned out so cute! I love them, thanks mom!

Park County Fair 2011

It was a ~HOT~ one, temperatures in the mid 90s today as we ventured out to the fair, with Grandma! The girls loved to see all the animals and go on the rides. It was a great way to spend a Saturday in July. Thanks for going with us Grandma!

 

 

 

 

Family Fishing Day!