Saedi's Snowy Birthday!

What a special 2nd birthday for Saedi! Her best friends came over for a morning play date, lunch (chicken pot pie, pineapple, & cheese...all her favorites), and then a feast of a monkey-shaped chocolate cake with yummy peanut butter frosting. That afternoon the snow began to fall, and after dinner we attempted a trip to Cold Stone Creamery for ice cream. The weather was so bad, though, that they had shut down early. The snow continued falling through the night and we woke up this morning to 6+ inches of beautiful white fluff on the ground. Brooke & Meadow came over for sledding & hot chocolate. What a delightful treat!






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Our Newest Addition

Proud Ellie and her new best friend, Jack.

2/3 of the sleepers of the family.

Saedi alone with Jack only because she feels safe in her car :)



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Garbage in Garbage Out

I'm a music junkie and this song goes along with a new challenge our family is starting...scripture memorization! Over Christmas, my sister-in-law, Carri, was explaining a really cool Bible scripture memory system that their family uses. So, I ordered it a few weeks ago and our family has started it this week. Riley and I have a packet of Fighter Verses and the girls have a packet of Foundation verses (both bought here) The packets come with an explanation on how the program works, in regard to how to memorize & retain the scriptures. Of course, memorization has tons of benefits, but we're most excited for our girls that "If the word of God dwells richly in them, they have wise counsel with them at all times. In addition, God's word is so much more powerful than our words; it will protect them from the attack of the enemy." (p10 of Handbook) And by Riley and I working together on our own verses, we're modeling the importance of memorizing God's Word but also, "They are verses that give us a word of cousel...feed siritual growth as the Holy Spirit brings them to our minds...are promises of God...witness to unbelievers...give us a ready defense against our enemy...will have the Word of God to defend us." (p14-15 Handbook). So, truth in truth out...we're ready to transform our minds!


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Happy Birthday Riley

Happy 31st Birthday, Riley! Riley's birthday was on the 5th, but I'm weeks late blogging about it. Ellie made his birthday cake with her new easy bake oven. We spent a quiet evening at home while he opened his gift, ate turkey, lemon poppyseed bread, and his special cake from El. Last year Riley deployed the day after his birthday so we're so very thankful to start this year out together!





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Our New Floor!

Last weekend my Dad came down from Ohio to help Riley put in hardwood floors in our house! Jesse Moon came to help most days as well. The guys worked all day from 7-midnight and what a phenomenal job they did! In the meantime, the girls and I escaped to Atlanta so we wouldn't be in the way. We stayed with Steve and Jenny (my younger brother and his wife) and spent time at the Children's Museum, Ikea (of course), and lots of playtime at the house. And to top it all off, my roommate from China, Jennifer, whom I haven't seen in over 5 years, drove up to meet me at my brother's house and it was a fun reunion. The girls and I left for Atlanta Friday morning and then drove back to Clarksville Monday morning where we walked into a beautiful "new house"!!! We love the floors and couldn't be happier about the color, style, and price!









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