glasses...

We are putting together a photo booth for my dad's retirement party and found these little babies at World Market to add to the props:

 Yep, we nailed it!

Make N' Break

Over christmas we were introduced to this game:

 We have been having fun playing each night this week...

 Eden loves watching the timer and playing too!

chocolate pastry twist

I saw this dessert on Pinterest and had to try it.  It's easy and delicious...

 Eat it right out of the oven.  If you have to wait, heat up slices for about 15 seconds.

 We are HUGE fans!  I can't wait to try it with Nutella and Reese's Pieces! 

ABCmouse

Our school recently partnered with ABCmouse.com for a grant that has a program for reading advancement.  Ryder has been looking forward to this reading program ever since it was mentioned in his class and they have been learning all their sight words.  This last week the program launched.

 He was so excited about it and to see his confidence go through the roof when after his first try, he read the whole book.  We know it's just the beginning, but watching this kid, who LOVES to read books together, read books on his own... it's just amazing.  He is so excited!

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After reading the book a few times, it was as though he was bouncing off the walls with enthusiasm, so they had a lightsaber battle to burn that energy:

All that to say, life is moving forward and it is good...❤︎

Go Broncos!

Yesterday, the Broncos beat the Patriots and are going to the Super Bowl!  Ryder can't even handle it...

 He is such a Peyton Manning fan...

 Watching the coach interviews...

 Running around the house "practicing" Super Bowl plays...

His enthusiasm is contagious. ❤︎

We have a fan...

Over the summer, we vacation in Oxnard. During that week, the Dallas Cowboys have their training camp, and our guys always go to check it out.  The conversation always comes up about "Who is your team?"  Ryder has kind of gone back and forth from Green Bay, to the Bears, to the Seahawks.  A few months ago, Ryder came to us, very seriously, and said that he had finally picked his team:  The Denver Broncos.  When we asked why, he said, "Well, have you seen them play?  They are really good and they have Peyton Manning.  Remember that book about him.  He's my favorite and the Broncos are his team."

I thought back and the first library book that Ryder had checked out from his school library was this one:

I must have read this book 20 times while it was in our house that week.  So because of this library choice, this is my 5 year old:

His Mia even made him a special Broncos blanket:

I'm not biased, but I have to say that he has to be the CUTEST Broncos fan ever!

We also take game days every seriously in our house:

(And by serious, I mean we support Ryder as he cheers like a maniac for his team)

tiny airplanes

I came into our room the other day to this scene:

Eden was having the best time and laughing so hard.  Kit was just throwing her up and she was pretending to be an airplane, and they were having the best time.  It reminded me of when she was so little and he would do the same thing, and she would respond the very same way.  My goodness, how time flies.  I will cherish these moments for as long as we can get them...❤︎

Time, you are welcome to slow down...

Get outside!

This last Saturday we spent the morning on a local trail by our house.  We LOVED it!  It reminded me of one of our favorite trails in Fullerton.  

 It felt good to be outside, watching the kiddos climb trees, collect sticks, all while Kit and I talked, holding hands and divvying out snacks as needed...❤︎ 

planning for adventures...

This last weekend we applied for passports for Eden and Ryder.  We are going to Mexico in February and thought it would be a good time to get them for the kids.  Our prayer is that we are stepping into a season with the kids where traveling will be happening more. Though we don't have other big international travel plans made, knowing that the kids have their passports will make travel planning easier.  So we headed to the old Santa Ana court house.  What a beautiful building!

We then had to celebrate with lunch at the 4th street market place, where we ate tacos and noodle bowls and played Jenga!

It's funny how something as small as getting passports for the kids has me so excited!  We don't know what they are yet, but adventures are coming!
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Today Kit leaves to speak at a conference in Tennessee and he will be home late Friday night.  We always miss him when he is gone...

Martin Luther King, Jr.

I am so thankful for this man's life.

His words and his legacy have had a profound impact on our lives and we are grateful for him...

These are some of my favorite quotes from this amazing man:

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"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.  

Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

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"The time is always right to do what is right."

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"No one really knows why they are alive until they know what they'd die for."

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"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter..."

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"Life's most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?"

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"If you can't fly, RUN.

If you can't run, WALK.

If you can't walk, CRAWL.

But by all means KEEP MOVING!"

Rain...

Eden got a new umbrella for christmas, and with all of the rain that we have had, it has been getting so much use and creating some really sweet moments:   

Brothers's and sisters...

" To the outside world, we all grow old.  But not to brothers and sisters.  We know each other as we always were.  We know each

other's hearts.  We share private family jokes.  We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys.  We live outside the touch of time..."

~Clara Ortega

How thankful I am that these two have each other!❤︎

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Also, this rain brought a reason for us to start our first fire in our fireplace:  

We have all been snuggling and reading books and enjoying all that this time of life offers!