Wedding Surprises!

Tucson, AZ was a sunny warm place to be for Melissa's wedding this past weekend. While the snow started falling and the tempuratures started dropping in Billings, we flew out for the warmth sunniness of Arizona. Great timing!

Madison and Breanne did wonderful as Melissa and Ben's flower girls. They were mini princesses and cute of course. Aliya again cooperated for a family picture...or not. The ceremony was beautiful and the setting perfect! We enjoyed much time with Derrick's family.

While we were waiting for pictures before the ceremony...SURPRISE! Madison pulled out her front tooth. I didn't even realize it was loose. Somehow, by the grace of God, she didn't get blood all over her dress. Love that new toothless grin.

Breanne just grinned at the happenings...After standing for the ceremony, the girls were rewarded with princess ring pops! What a deal.

The reception included lots of kissing and a blast dancing.

We left the 70 degree balminess of Arizona for the fridged zeroness of Montana. It sure was fun while it lasted!

Barb, Sue and Audrey...the sisters.

Dress Rehearsal...

How could I ask for more?

Lord, I am humbled and honored all at once! Tonight is a night that I never want to forget. Tonight, on our way out, I made mention to the girls to look at the moon, it was in a perfect crescent shape and thought they might enjoy that. As they marveled, Madison said, "That is so cool how God made that!" Wow! Not just, that's cool, whatever. She realized that the moon, the creation, is a gift from God. Talk about a life being transformed by the renewing of her mind (Romans 12:2). I was brought to near-tears, humbled that God chose to bless me with these three little lives that are daily increasing in their knowledge of Him. And honored to get a glimpse of the transformation going on in their hearts. You are so good to me, Lord!

Fall Memories

We have 3 princesses in our house now! Aliya tried on Breanne's old princess dress and it was just a bit too big, but when they're only enough to want to wear the princess dress, then they are officially a princess. (Although, see does make a really cute piglet too!)

We have had a fabulous fall with gorgeous weather. We even got to walk home from school today. Our new school routine includes bathing in the morning so we can have more quality family time at night. This last week, the girls have had a blast cramming into the tub together at once for a bath. Not sure how clean they get, but look how cute they are cuddled up in their towels after their bath. Madison and Breanne can be so wonderful at including Aliya in their play. This week they've been encouraging Aliya to be silly, "Aliya, do a funny thing."

Aliya is always just a step behind her big sisters. She wants to get dressed in their room and when they drew on their jack-o-lanters...so did she.

Even Grandpa Verlyn got in on carving Madison's pumpkin. He cut out the mustache and daddy did the rest.

We had some last minute visitors for Halloween. Grandpa and Grandma made a quick trip out to trick-or-treat with the girls. It was a fun weekend of shopping, drinking yummy lattes, playing games, carving pumpkins, crying over a Vikings loss and of course trick-or-treating with the Eknesses (Faith and Grace).

P.S. We have enough candy to last 'til Easter...

TFFAAo

Der Tothfae

I thing that I swoloud my tooth.

Love, Madison

(followed by a sketch of the tooth fairy)

I can't believe the tooth fairy these days. This is the second letter Madison has written to the tooth fairy in place of an actual tooth and she still got a dollar!

Surprise!

Derrick's officially an old fart! (Not really, but it's fun to tease him!) He got to spend his birthday hunting with a friend and when we came home, we surprised him with a small party with friends. Man that was a lot of candles on one cake! (Good thing for me he doesn't bother with candles on my birthday.)

We were fortunate to have Lucas and Kelly's family visit with us this past weekend. We actually didn't DO too much. The kids had a great time playing and we did get to the Corn Maize and took them to Red Robin for dinner on Friday night.

Aliya loved the cow ride while others enjoyed the slides, mind puzzles, duck races and of course the maize itself. It's always a fun fall event!
Aliya was so torn because she couldn't possibly carry all the corn she found on the ground. She sure tried though.

Last week, I got to take Breanne on a date. She experienced her first strawberry malt from Dairy Queen which she may like better than an icecream cone now. We then went shopping for shoes to wear with her flower girl dress and finished up, our cameras in hand to take pictures at a park on the Yellowstone River. This is my favorite picture. What a doll of a daughter I have!

Madison and Breanne have been learning about initiative this month. Specifically last week, we talked about when someone has a need, don't wait for someone else to do something about it. I came up with (what I thought was) a great idea of picking up trash in the ditches on Alkali Creek Road. Breanne thought that would be boring and Madison wasn't sold either. So later that afternoon she says, "Mom, we could have a lemonade stand!" It has been a gorgeous fall, I'm sure our neighbors would love a bit of lemonade.

We wanted to give it away, but everyone kept trying to pay them. Breanne was getting so frustrated, she didn't even want to flag cars down anymore because she just knew they would want to pay for it. The money they did make, they brought to church for the Immerse campaign (getting our city's pool in the ground.) What giving hearts! We were fortunate to have Bella (a girl down the street) join us in sales and deliveries.

Check

Gorgeous weather this fall has allowed us time to finish projects up around the yard. Check one more thing off the list as we finish up painting the deck, painting the cement foundation and touching up paint around the house. We had our first frost (October 12). I'm relieved to be finished watering flowers and eager to get my tulip and daffodils in the ground.

We had some friends over to wipe the dust off the cover of Rock Band (not much time for that in the summer.) The kids (and Derrick) are all so into it. However, for a brief time, we thought the Wii was broken, so we got Monopoly out and played. I'm thinking the kids actually like Monopoly better than the Wii. Good times!

Let the good times roll

Grace, Breanne, Faith, Toby, Aliya, Madi and Karissa...what a crew!

After everyone got home on Friday afternoon (Derrick had been gone all week) we were finally able to open birthday presents with Aliya. She of course loved her toys, but was most excited when she'd get new clothes. Immediately the clothes she had on would come off and she had to wear the new ones. She's such a girl!

We were able to have family friends over on Friday night for a birthday celebration for Aliya. It was fun for the kids to play and we did have a pinata for the kids to break open.

It was our first pinata and was a success.

After birthday cupcakes, the kids played hide and seek and eventually made their way outside to the garage where the adorned our floor with magnificent pictures of fairies drawn with sidewalk chalk (complete with pixie dust mind you). It was a fun evening to spend reconnecting with friends.

On Saturday, my neighbor claims I cracked the whip on Derrick and we finally finished our landscaping project around our house. (It only took 4 years from start to finish, oh well.) We're pleased with the finished project. The yard is so green, with the wonderful weather we've had this year. It was nice to pull the hammock out today and enjoy it for a while...ah, fall!