Let's pause, and reflect...

An interesting quote I found by C.S. Lewis.



Puts things in real perspective. I mean, we spend so much time taking care of our bodies, then we spend a bit of time a day, or week, on our soul as an after-thought. It should be the other way around.

 

Have a good weekend.

Sam

P.S. Another snow post coming soon. =]

Hey, Buddy, wanna pick some snowberries?

After a very cold first half of Jan, but with only slight sprinklings of snow that didn't stick, we got a very warm last half. It nearly got up to 80* one day, so yes, I mean warm. But this morning?

SNOW! Woo-hoo!

Last time we had snow, Jack wasn't a big fan, but this year he really enjoyed it.

The moon was still out at 9:00am

Momo taking a picture of the mountains

Snow ice cream! Yum!

The kids loved it

Sam
P.S. We're going to try and only put movie quotes as our post titles from now on. Anyone know what this one is from? =]

That's a Strange Place to Put a Piano

If you have ever heard Jessica's Theme you will agree with me, it is a very beautiful song. Our friend Jesse Ormand has a beautiful rendition of it below. This is Risa's favorite, and she likes his cover even better than Jon Schmidt's!


You should visit his website; jesseormand.com. He has a lot of very beautiful arrangements. We really enjoy listening to them and hope you do too.

Have a beautiful day!
Mari

P.S. Kuddos if you know where the post title came from! ^-^

P.P.S. I think the word beautiful is simply . . . beautiful! Don't you?

Our oldest sister was born this day many years ago.
Risa is extremely loyal, devoted, and compassionate toward others and their feelings. She is conscientious and responsible, and very much a needed part of our family. Risa is quiet and unassuming, and filled with a large number of facts. She often surprises me by knowing so much, she's like a living Wikipedia sometimes. =) It may have to do with the fact that she is an avid reader, and is often found with a book.
She has a great work ethic and is very responsible. Since working with our Dad (he is a construction worker) he has said that she has worked as hard or harder than any young man he has had work for him. She is ready to accept responsibility for the many things that need to be done, but she is also very patient with her sisters who *ahem* are often leaving, her recently cleaned areas, a mess. Risa constantly lends me stability through her excellent commonsense-and-wisdom-filled perspective.

Risa is a supportive sister,

a sympathetic friend,

a gentle daughter,

a modest and hardworking young woman,

and a shining example.

She lives the meaning of her name as a clear bright light for all to see, glorifying God through her quiet acts of service.

Happy Birthday, Risa, we love you!

Little Children

Have you checked out the date today?
12-12-12
Pretty cool, right?
I don't have much to post about, but I couldn't not post on 12-12-12! =)
What better to write about than kiddos? Doesn't the thought just bring a smile to your face?
    Having little children around, little siblings to be more specific, is so great. It changes life completely, just about everything is done slightly differently if you have little siblings, but it is one of the greatest blessings to be able to be around loving little boys and girls all day. If you don't have young children in your home let me tell you, you definitely may have some funny quirks that you will never learn about until you see them imitated by a child.

Let me tell you a little about what the children in our family are up to these days..

SquiRe

SquiRe has been trying to perfect his hand stands (and "kung fu").

      SquiRe has been quite the big brother, trying to instruct his little siblings as much as possible. This morning I over-heard the three younger siblings arguing over a toy.
     Squire told Goldilocks, "I'm trying to be the peacemaker. Cuz if you let me play with it now, then later when I'm doing school you can have. So we'll both get it."

This is a picture of SquiRe and his goatee, just like Dad's but made out of suds.

 

      SquiRe really loves animals, and knows more facts about most of God's creatures than most kids his age. The other day I was playing 20 questions with him and he asked for a hint. Normally I don't give hints but I thought of a way to give him a hint that would never help him. I told him the animal was an isopod and he guessed it right away! He impresses me a lot.

Ephesians 5:1- "Therefore be imitators of God as dear children."

 

Goldilocks

     The other day I walked into the living room and Goldilocks and Jack were sitting with my school books on their laps and with a giggle Goldilocks told me, "I'm doing chemistry!"
     "I do maf!" Jack added.

This is Goldilock's' favorite dress up dress. Probably
 because it looks most like a wedding dress, her favorite
 type of dress. [This is a picture from the "princess
 photo shoot" I said I would post about.]

     She loves to be a lady, and adores all things princess-y. Sometimes before bed she would ask me, "Mari, am I a princess?" Now that she is confident she is a princess she says "I am a princess." and asks me "Mari, are you a princess?" Of course the answer is the same. God in heaven is my Father, and He is King of kings.

Matthew 18:2-4- "Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

Jack

     He was singing "Jingle bell, jingle bells, jingle bell" and Mom asked him, "Jingle bells, Jack?"

     He replied, "Yeah, Mom, all da way!"

     Later he was playing knights and dragons with SquiRe and they pretended dragon wanted to eat them. "Stop!" Jack yelled.

     "I can't, I'm hungry." SquiRe said in a dragon voice.

     "Jesus help you!" Jack retorted.

 

     Once again you can see an example of how little children imitate. Jack is a happy worker (yeah, he is happy he's just... camera shy) putting away laundry because he sees his daddy and mommy (and bigger siblings) being happy hard workers every day. (He really does love to help clean dishes and do laundry.)

     Jack is getting so big he can now ride his big brother's old bike.

     One thing you will hear from Jack a lot these days is "Peez, do it!" or "I do it mine-self!" This morning he was sure he could button his pants, he worked on it a very long time and if he thought I was going to try it he would tell me, "Almost dare."

Jack buttoning his jacket all by himself.

 

     Psalm 127:3-5 - "Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

 

     I hope you are having a great 12-12-12, and if not, I hope these pictures and stories made it a little bit better. I'd love to hear any cute little children stories you have! Please comment and share them. =)

          ~Mari

   

Give Thanks

"For the Beauty of the Earth"
A beautiful hymn (interestingly combined with The Man From Snowy River) we hope you enjoy this Thanksgiving:


:

Last night I read Psalm 107. It is a long one but a favorite. I hope you find time to read it this weekend:

 

¹ O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

² Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;
³ And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.
⁴ They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.
⁵ Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.
⁶ Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.
⁷ And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.
⁸ Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
⁹ For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.
¹⁰ Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;
¹¹ Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:
¹² Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.
¹³ Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.
¹⁴ He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.
¹⁵ Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
¹⁶ For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.
¹⁷ Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.
¹⁸ Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.
¹⁹ Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.
²⁰ He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
²¹ Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
²² And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
²³ They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;
²⁴ These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.
²⁵ For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
²⁶ They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
²⁷ They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end.
²⁸ Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
²⁹ He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
³⁰ Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
³¹ Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
³² Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
³³ He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground;
³⁴ A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.
³⁵ He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings.
³⁶ And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation;
³⁷ And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase.
³⁸ He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.
³⁹ Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow.
⁴⁰ He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way.
⁴¹ Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.
⁴² The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.
⁴³ Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.



Risa