Renaissance Fair

I guess this has been sitting in the edit box for the past month considering that we went a few weeks ago. Oops.

We spent a beautiful day at the Renaissance Fair. It had to be the best one ever. The kids really enjoyed the costumes and weaponry. Kaleb got to hold this guy's staff.

We watched a glass blowing demonstration. It still gets me how they do it. The results are beautiful. If I tried to do it, it would probably be a blob.

Can't go to the Renaissance Fair and not see Jousting. Okay, well we have done that atleast 4 times in the past. We finally got to see it. The purple horse was a little lazy. It would barely cantor. I guess he was having a hard time getting into it. Maybe because he wasn't winning.

We really thought this would be a job for our friend Aaron considering that he is the only person we know who can ride a unicycle.

100 Days of Practice!

Daphne and Kaleb earned their medal in Violin for practicing 100 days in a row. This was Kaleb's first time, Daphne's third. Kaleb's music greatly improved by practicing every...single...day.... For a while before he committed to practicing 100 days we thought he was going to give up playing the violin for a while. But he committed, along with Daphne and they persevered. We had a couple late night scales when they almost forgot! Whew! I am really proud of them as well as their violin teacher, Shari. She is such an inspiration to the kids. She cracks us up almost every lesson. She can be really funny. You would have to sit through a lesson. It would be alot easier than explaining. Shari is an extremely talented individual. We are so blessed that the kids have been able to study violin under her.

Happy 13th Birthday Jared!

Wow! Jared is 13. And he is sooo 13 too. He doesn't know when to stop teasing...his feet are huge...he knows how to push everyone's buttons...I mean everyone's...he eats your food when you aren't looking. He manages to get someone else to make his lunch 4-5 times a week. He usually just waits to see what Daphne is going to eat and then "gets" in on it. Nice. He gives great piggy back rides. He is a great builder with Legos. Very detailed creations. He loves History. He knows more about the wars than I do. I love that. And he isn't afraid to inform you or correct you regarding specific details. He is kind hearted. He is a great brother and very close to Kaleb. I love their relationship they have with eachother. Something to be protected. He has a great smile. I just love those dimples! He is a Star Wars Fanatic. Is there anything he doesn't know about Star Wars? It is even his favorite section at the library. He is my "right arm". He is always the first person to help out when called for. Even when he doesn't want to do it. He taught me to "let go". He showed me that you could put him to bed clean as a toddler and wake up with a dirty face. I learned that a little dirt doesn't hurt anyone. He taught me to love the color blue. Jared is very proud when I say that he "taught me everything I needed to know about being a parent". He really did. I learned to go to a different ER room each visit, and how to wait patiently for the plastic surgeon as I look at my beautiful son smiling with a gaping wound on his upper lip before the age of 3. He has been a wonderful son. I love watching him mature into a young man. Who would have thought that this tiny baby would grow up and soon be taller than his mother. Lord help me! Jared and his favorite people. Rachelle, Kaleb and Doug. They helped celebrate his birthday today with a few games of laser tag followed up with birthday pizza and cake. Yum! I think it turned out to be a great day!
Jared at 3 months! Did I say I love those dimples? Just makes you want to kiss them. When he was born the nurses kept coming in to see the baby with the "golden hair".
Jared at 6 months with his little doggie that is presently worn but well loved. He was just so darn cute. He still is!

Field trip to the Phoenix Zoo!

We had an awesome day at the zoo on Friday. The kids were happy to be out doors running and climbing. Visiting with friends. The weather was absolutely beautiful! The animals were all out basking in the sun.
Here are some of the Cornerstone kids.

The zoo has this new ray exhibit. It was cool because the kids could reach in and pet their backs as they flew by. It surprised me that Victoria didn't want to touch them. She just watched with her arms folded.

This is a really cute little spider monkey. They are always cute until you see them mark their territory. You don't really ever want to stand under a monkey. They are cute but unpredictable.
Two Cutie Patooties. This was the first time that Kaleb, Victoria and I ever went somewhere like this without Daphne and Jared. They had their drama class that afternoon and decided that it would be more fun for the little kids if we didn't have to rush back to get them to their class on time. It turned out to be a great day. This was really neat. We haven't been to the zoo in a really long time. (Well, atleast the Phoenix Zoo. We have gone to the Albuquerque Zoo a few times this past couple years. ) They installed a "check your speed thing". We spent quite a while there while the kids all took turns trying to out do eachother. I think the bigger kids were really expecting to run faster than 10 mph. I thought it was pretty good but they thought for sure that they could run faster than that. Victoria ran 7 mph and Kaleb ran 8-9 mph.

Hitching a ride.
Zach and Kaleb being swallowed up by a giant clam. That is if you can actually be swall0wed by a clam.Who can resist a ride on the carousel.

Victoria was very proud of herself. When we got in line she announced that this was going to be the first time that she was going to ride all by herself. I explained to her that she had to meet the height requirement. She was very excited when the man said she was tall enough. And that was the first thing she told Daddy when she saw him. "I rode the carousel all by myself!" I love it.

Creation Beanbags

Victoria has been learning about Creation and Adam & Eve the past week. I found this great idea on one of the websites I frequent. These are Creation bean bags. I made two sets. It was just easy to cut it out that way. So I am giving one set to my friend Kelly. She doesn't know it yet. So Kelly if you see this before I give them to you...one set is yours. :) I tried to use really soft or textural type fabrics. Daphne helped me dig for what I had and find the rest in the fabric store. She found the fish scales. The opposing fabric is really super soft like bird feathers. The last one with the ric rac is a pillowcase for when God rested. See if you can figure out the rest. I like finding fun ways to learn. In our house, you can never have too many bean bags.

Psalm 20

I had something awesome happen to me yesterday morning that has really made a difference. I was feeling a little overwhelmed with juggling the hats and meeting all the kids needs. And feeling this way first thing in the morning is not good. So I sat down on the floor next to my bed and pulled out my Bible and decided that I would just open it and read the first line that comes into my visual field. My eyes literally fell on Psalm 20. It addressed every single one of our family needs in just one Psalm. I couldn't believe it. And the rest of the day...was awesome. Nothing could bother me. And the best part was I had the mental and physical energy to stay one step ahead of each of the kids. Mostly Victoria. I have never thought it possible to stay ahead of Victoria. God is so good. It was a miracle and exactly what I needed to hear. I have read it several times since then and have read it to Kirk and the kids for words of encouragement. I love how God works! In case you haven't read it lately...here it is.

Psalm 20

May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion. May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings. May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests. Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed; he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we rise up and stand firm. O Lord, save the king! Answer us when we call!

I love the part...some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we rise up and stand firm. It reminds me that I can stand up to the enemy on a daily basis through the Name of God. And the way our world is today, I definately want God ahead of me showing me the way. It reminded me that I can't fight the battle alone. I can only succeed with the help of God before me. It also reminded me that God knows what hardships we have everyday. He knows what we need and what we don't need. This passage brings security to my heart that we aren't on our own surviving. We are living with a loving Heavenly Father in our hearts. How awesome is that!

Mud Boys

Kathy, do you remember this? (Aunt Carol, you would be proud of me, I learned how to use our scanner) This is Wind, Levi, Seth and Blake when we had a family reunion in Zion Nat'l Park. Now these boys are all grown up and on their own. Seth is married to a beautiful girl, Jessica. Blake is in his last year of High School. I remember cooling off in the river. Daphne was 5 and Jared was 2. I turned around and saw these soaking wet boys rolling in the dirt. It was hilarious. My kids would never think to do it. I think that is why it was so entertaining. I remember looking at Kathy and she just looked back like everything was normal. Great memory!