Playing With My Camera Today

Oh, C3PO

This just cracked me up.  It is not uncommon to find little toy men or robots, etc., strategically posed around our house.  It happens almost every day!  I just had to chuckle when I came across C3PO tonight waving at me in front of the Ten Commandments.



I got a new camera!!

WOO HOO!!!!  I'm ecstatically thrilled and anxious to take pictures! :)  I snapped these of the boys as soon as I got home from the store with my camera.  I'm on a learning curve with a new camera, but I'm liking it very much so far.

John was playing with the boys on the trampoline and I just loved this picture of him laughing! 

These are some fall flowers in our front flower bed... 



Morphed Homeschool Lesson

Yesterday we were studying food chains and decomposers in our science lesson.  We were marveling at how God's creation is a natural recycling system.  We are often in awe of God as we learn new things in school that shows His creativity and thoughtfulness to us.  And then, (with boys) this somehow turned into a discussion on how to build the best outhouse.  As they were each explaining their designs - some rather ingenius, I thought - John happened to walk by.  So, he got in on the planning too.  (If we ever have to live without plumbing, I think these guys have our potty needs covered!)  Then, this discussion ended up with all of us in the bathroom getting a plumbing lesson from John.  That was practical school!  No, we didn't have time to draw out our food chains, etc, but I have a feeling that they learned a lot more this way.  And I was reminded about how grateful I am that John works at home and is available to join in on things like this!!

Oh, and I've just got to write about our "mmmmmmmmmmm, mmmmmmmmmmmmmm" moment last night!  For Pow Wow time (that's our evening family devotion before the kids go to bed, usually complete with snacks and work rewards, etc - fun!) we all settled in the living room where John had built a glowing fire.  It was our first fire of the season - always a fun event at our house!  It was actually cold enough for a fire in October this year!  Then almost everyone curled up with one of our (numerous, John would say) soft, cozy blankets and listened as John read to us the next chapter in the Kingdom Series by Chuck Black.  (Awesome books!)  It was really cute to hear all the contented sighs and sweet comments about how great this was.  And it was!  Thank you, Lord, for such sweet times together!

New Digs for the Rabbits

I'm back!  My shoulder surgery went well and I'm recovering quickly.  I seem to be ahead of schedule with the recovery and I'm so grateful.  My guys have been WONDERFUL through the whole thing.  John is the best husband in the world and the boys have learned so many skills - laundry, cooking, cleaning, etc - and they are so helpful.  It's really been fantastic.  I don't think I would ever just "choose" to have surgery, but the benefits it has brought to our family have definitely been worth it!

John has been working on designing and building a new rabbit hutch for our two rabbits (Sneezer and Thumper).  It's really a very clever design - great job John! - and it will make caring for the rabbits easier, too.  The boys were so excited when it was finally time to move the rabbits into their new home.  We took a break from school and they got to watch the rabbits check out their new digs.

Here are the boys with the new hutch...

Moving the rabbits...

Watching the rabbits...



Shepard is 6!

Happy birthday, precious son! 

It's so much fun to celebrate with Shepard.  He just oozes excitement and gratefulness.  We had such a fun day!  After finishing all our chores, we went to lunch at Chuck E. Cheese.  It's been a long time since we've been there...  and it was fun!  I got a few pictures with my phone while we were there...

Then Shepard got a Starbucks treat...  he was beaming!  He drank the whole cup before we got home!  And then what else?  Yes, another cookie cake!  They couldn't create the design Shepard requested (a Halo helmet) so they just put the Halo logo on there instead.  Sweet Shepard thought that was just great.  He is easy to please and I admire that about him.

Gift Time...  finally!  We decided that Shepard set the Wasson record for fastest gift opening.  He blazed through it, but still managed to be grateful for each gift.  He got his very own DS and he was so excited!

Then it was over the river and through the woods...  to Grandmother's house we go! 

The boys are staying with my parents for a couple days while I have my shoulder surgery and begin recuperating.  Then they are on to Ken and Shelley's for a couple more days.  I'm so grateful for our family and friends who are so willing to help us out. 

The Lord has brought me an overwhelming peace about the surgery.  I'm not anticipating that it will be easy, but yet I feel an "unnatural" peace.  It's not really explainable, but I know it's from the Lord.  I've heard other people talk about feeling that way, but I'm not sure I've ever experienced it myself quite like this. So, here goes!  The joy of the Lord is my strength... 

Me and Will

Finally!  I got a picture of me and Will together!  I've been trying to get one for over a year!  I have a picture of myself with each of the boys and I really wanted to get a good picture of me and Will before my surgery this week and before Will got any older!  So, John snapped this after church today and I really love it!

Recent Photo Shoots of the Boys

Celebrating Shepard's birthday with the Wasson Clan

All of the Wasson family was together today for a GKS meeting and that was a great opportunity for us to celebrate Shepard's 6th birthday.  He was really excited about his cookie cake with the Clone Trooper on it.

Shepard with his cousins...

And here he is with some of his birthday gifts...



Josiah's Playing Soccer

I think this is Josiah's 7th season to play soccer!  He really enjoys it and it's fun to watch him play.  This is John's first time to ever coach soccer - he's the assistant coach - and he's really a great coach.  Coaching seems to be so natural for him.  Shepard decided that he wasn't interested in playing this year, so he's having fun watching Josiah play this time.  Shep seems to rather play on the sidelines instead.  Will loves all sports with a ball and is eager for his chance to play.  For now, he manages to make a new friend at every practice and game.  Here's some pictures from today's game...