Grandaddy Phil's Visit

Last weekend, we had my dad come and visit us for a few days.

While he was here, we made a trip to the Children's Museum,

played at the pool, and went to a Houston Texans football game.

At the children's museum...ready to paint...or wash his hands!

In the forensic lab at the Children's Museum

While at the Children's Museum, we must go grocery shopping too!

His first item to pick up was ice cream...go figure!

"Mom, you want a chicken?"

Texans game!

Thanks for visiting, Grandaddy Phil!

Grayma & Graydaddy's Visit

Last week, we had a great time with Jonathan's parents in town.

They came in for a few days, and it was so fun to have them around.

That Saturday, we went to a Lowe's Build and Grow clinic, 

and they built a schoolhouse picture holder.

This picture cracks me up...Graydaddy & Brayden,

both working hard with their tongues sticking out.

While they were here, we got to celebrate their 40th anniversary!

...with sombreros and all!

Thanks for visiting, Grayma & Graydaddy!

Happy 30th Birthday Jonathan!

The BIG 3-0 is here for my hubby, and I'm so excited to celebrate the big day with him.  It's really hard to believe we're 30...well, I'm not there quite yet, but my bday is just a week away.  I am so thankful that I get to walk through life with such an amazing man!  He is such a great husband.  He loves the Lord with all his heart and desires to live for Him and make His name known.  I am honored that God gave me a man like him.    

 He is such an incredible Daddy.  He loves to play with Brayden

and teach him what it means to love Jesus and live for Him...

to grow in wisdom and stature and favor with God and man.

Jonathan truly brings fun into our home; he is a kid at heart.

I love that he loves to have fun and simply enjoy life together as a family.

Happy 30th Birthday, Juan!

Tabletop Tapestry 2011

This year for our women's event at church, we had Tabletop Tapestry with a twist.  Instead of just decorating the tables, everything we used for decorating was donated to one of four amazing organizations.  Free the Captives was the organization that our table donated toward.  Free the Captives is an anti-human trafficking organization based here in Houston.  They work with at-risk teenage girls to help prevent or rescue girls who are or have been susceptible to being trafficked.  I pray that God uses these donations toward their freedom from this awful problem that is so rampant (yet somewhat hidden) here in the U.S.  They asked for art supplies which will help toward art therapy with the girls.

The centerpiece is an 'art cake' made of wrapped 

boxes surrounded by lots of fun art supplies.

Around the table was a rainbow of hundreds 

of circle punched paint chips.

Composition journals covered in scrapbook paper

 Marshmallow pops in a vase covered with colored pencils

 The place settings were blank canvases with paint and a paintbrush
Rainbow printable nametags & notes

 I made placecards of index cards held up with a crayon

 The chair backs were covered with rainbow crepe paper

 It was so great to have my mother-in-law, Dixie, there with me

for the event.  I was so excited she got to be a part of this night!

 Alison and me

It was such a fun night!  I'm excited to see what all God

does through the ripples of what happened at Tabletop this year!

What a Fun Summer

This summer has been so much fun having my sister, Amy, living with us.  We were sad to say 'goodbye' to her yesterday, and we'll definitely miss having her around our house everyday!   It was such a memorable summer, and I'm so thankful that we had that time to get so much closer and for her to be a part of our lives here.  

The Dragon Egg

What to get a 3-year-old for his birthday could be a million dollar question.  A toy. Matchbox cars.  A stuffed animal. Clothes.  A ball.  Lots to choose from in a toy store. However, for our high school ministry summer intern, Zach, the option of a gift came from quite a creative imagination.  He arrived at Brayden's party carrying an egg.  It was, indeed, an egg from his refrigerator...but he quickly explained to the kids at the party, that this was a DRAGON EGG.

Yes, a dragon egg.  He told Brayden...and his little friends...that if he planted the dragon egg in our yard, that in awhile, it would grow and hatch into a dragon! They LOVED it! They ran around to every adult at the party sharing the exciting news that Zach gave Brayden a dragon egg. They all wanted to hold the dragon egg.  They wanted to inspect it to see what this special dragon egg's features were.  They were fascinated.  

And, yes, after the party, we went out in our front yard, and Zach helped Brayden dig a hole and bury the dragon egg.  It is 'growing' in our yard, and Brayden frequently asks how the dragon egg is doing.  He told me it will be a white dragon but that also resembles the dragon in 'How to Train a Dragon' movie.  Go figure.

Thanks, Zach, for a memorable gift.  It was a hit!

Brayden's Superhero Birthday Party

CALLING ALL SUPERHEROES!  

We need your help to save the day!

Join us at Brayden's secret lair 

to celebrate his special day.

Hope you can fly in and join us!

30x40" canvas I painted for SuperBrayden

that hung above the food table.

Superhero balloons

One-Two Punch with glowsticks

Superhero coloring sheets were set out for the kids to color.

Our birthday boy...

...blowing out his candles!

"Every superhero needs a mask!"

Masks were cut out from stiff felt

with elastic tied through holes on the sides.

Time for pictures!

A lot of our friends are hosting Chinese students

this summer in an exchange program they do at our church.

It was fun to have them at the party!

Even baby Emersyn got a mask!

Zach brought Brayden a "dragon egg" for his birthday.

More on that in a later post...

Jonathan had to get in on the superhero action...

flying around the lawn.  I love that he's a kid at heart!

"Should I let my balloons go?!"

He changed his mind really quick!

Spiderman PEZ dispensers

"You've saved the day!"

Super-Brayden

It was a Super Day!