family – Page 32 – Gracious Rain

April 17, 2012April 19, 2012

The New Kid

A new baby is such an adventure for everyone involved–mom, dad, sister, Aunts, Uncles…and cousins.

Now, Lily–she wants to hold this little man all day long just to touch his soft hair and tell him over and over how cute he is. Which is good because everyone needs a little mama-type cousin. It makes things better somehow.

But Beckham–well, he’s more of a watcher. Content to be near-by and just close enough to make sure all is well.

Which is good because everyone needs a big protective, brother-type cousin.

It make everything perfect somehow. Don’t you think?

*****

Happy Birthday Jillian!

April 12, 2012April 11, 2012

A Few Things…

that melt my heart~

A little lady-bug in a brand new, fluffy dress, finding a magical, Easter picture book in her basket…the same one I had when I was a girl.

The book that just might change my world a little bit…or a whole lot.

The little Jiff-kitty that would love to help me with the chicken project. Heh, heh.

Seeing that my sweet-faraway boy knows how to dye Easter eggs, without a mom directing traffic…

even in Siberia.

A simply-divine Easter treat–with the right brand, that is–which only April and I fully appreciate. YUM!

These gentle, tender souls who do their “jobs” and behave all day long…just for the promise of holding a little, mushy, sweet baby cousin.

Finding the tea cups from my long-since, packed-away dishes, just in time for some warm Peppermint tea with…

real, live, honest-to-goodness honey from my daughter’s dear friends, who raise their own bees. Heavenly!

Having a pile of lightly salted peanuts right near the computer, as a more rational, welcome replacement for the Mini Eggs–and the sugar buzz–that have been kicking around here for the past few weeks.

Those squishy little baby toes that belong to that soft, fluffy baby. Kissable. :}

What about you? What melts your heart today?

April 9, 2012April 6, 2012

First Fire

Normally, we wouldn’t be getting the fire pit out until after Memorial Day. You know, when it magically becomes “barbeques season.” Who makes up these rules anyway?

But Daney-boy came over with a nice, fresh bag of marshmallows and inspired us to be complete and utter rebels. Out we went in the dead of night to toast those little beggars. Oh, and I was ready too. I had a lovely package of Fudge Striped cookies–my personal favorite for making Blondie S’mores…instead of graham cracker/candy bar ones.

My favorite–that is–until I had my marshmallows toasty brown and ready for their new cookie/chocolate sandwich, and I quickly tore the package open and found…

this.

Looks like SOMEbody took a hammer to my package of cookies…or threw them on the ground…

about a hundred times. Obviously, dark and sinister forces were at work here. Who could do such a foul thing? Who could we call for help? Sadly, I’m not aware of any Broken Cookie Task Force at our local police department so we were pretty-much hung out to dry there.

Luckily, being the stalwart, sturdy mountain folk that we are…we came up with a plan B…

that…involved…

oh, FINE…

graham crackers. Pfffft.

Sheesh.

April 7, 2012April 5, 2012

~Meeting The Babe~

:}

April 3, 2012August 17, 2017

April Conference 2012

This weekend we gathered everyone together to listen to the LDS General Conference. Now that our family is growing–by leaps and bounds it seems–there’s quite a lot of …ummm… character to the group.

Ahem...thanks, Jillian.

We listen to inspirational messages from church leaders and listen to beautiful music.

Even the little kids will watch and draw pictures in their new notebooks for awhile.

Some of us take notes and some of us just relax and absorb it all.

Of course, I have to crochet or the Earth would flip off it’s axis. But I do set my hook aside long enough to jot down a quote or two. That’s a fine balance–wouldn’t you say?