While the cat's away...the mice will play!

It was a great treat for me to be able to attend a ladies' retreat up at Camp Pinewood this weekend. I shared a cabin with my mom, sister and niece. (How cool is that?!) The food was great; the weather perfect. Our speaker reminded us that it is impossible to live the Christian life on our own strength. "In Him (God) we live and move and have our being. Acts 17:28" I was convicted again of my need to surrender to the Lord on a daily basis. It was just an all-around encouraging time of being together, praying, singing, and hearing testimonies of God's work in people's lives.

Meanwhile...back in Meridian...Marc was in charge of the girls for a little over 24 hours. And what a 24 hours it was! In that time, they went to Boondocks (TWICE!), out for pizza and ice cream, and watched "Space Chimps" at the Reel theater in Nampa. Needless to say, the girls didn't have any time to miss their mommy.

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Clarification on the last post: Yes! We're really expecting another baby ... it's not just Sierra's wishful thinking. I'm only 6 weeks along, so it is still very early. The anticipated due date is somewhere at the end of May. Please pray with us for a safe pregnancy. WE ARE SO EXCITED!!!!

Family Portrait by Sierra (Age 4)

Mommy....Sierra....Ally....Daddy

(But hey! What's that in mommy's tummy?!)

Bushwhackin' and Hot Springin'

We welcomed the fall season with a beautiful day in the mountains. My Grandma Cook came to Idaho for a visit this last week, so Marc took the day off from school on Monday so that we could all go up to the cabin together. It was perfect! The sky was overcast, but not rainy. The shrubs and aspens were beginning to change color. And the smell of pine was thick! As usual, we crammed a lot into the short time that we were there. It was a wonderful way to spend time together as a family.

Four generations!

Sisters on the swing set that Grandpa built.


Sierra is always picking any berry that she can find.

I love this one!

Sierra, Ally and I went on a crazy hike. We bushwhacked all over the place and ended up climbing boulders just to get back to the road. I was really afraid, but couldn't let on to the girls. All the while, Sierra wore Grandma's pearls and carried her pink treasure box. On the trail back to the cabin Ally said, "Beautiful day, right Mom?"

Baking sugar cookies in Grandma's kitchen!

The girls LOVED the hot springs just up the road from the cabin on the middle fork of the Payette River.

Future Rocks Stars

We had a fun day with the Berggren kids at our house on Saturday. With heavy rain coming down most of the day, we had to get creative indoors. An all-out jam session broke out in the evening. Thanks to Grandpa and Grandma Mouser we had plenty of instuments for everyone! Marc and I enjoyed these future stars:

I Can Sew!

Last Saturday, my friend Kelly co-hosted a Sewing Bee for several girls my age. (We're still "girls" right?! Women just doesn't sound right. Anyway...) The whole afternoon was terrific! Everyone brought delicious appetizers to share and there were cute door prizes for each of us. There were three projects to choose from, complete with illustrated directions and a plethora of materials to chose from. I chose to make the small table runner...the least threatening of the three projects. Mind you, I was banned from my mom's sewing machine as a young girl because I always jammed it up. (At least, that's the way I remember it.) I didn't even know how to "thread a bobbin" until last week. Susie came with me and we had a hilarious time trying to figure things out. I was quite proud of my accomplishment that afternoon and now am excited to try something else!

Then and Now

What a difference three years makes.

August 2005

September 2008

"Annie Big Eyes"

Savannah Jane has developed a new nickname among our side of the family. It is "Annie-Big-Eyes." She is such an inquisitive little girl. She loves to watch everything that is going on around her and always opens her eyes very wide as if to see better. Sierra and Ally just can't keep their hands off of her...literally!

Annie-Big-Eyes gazes at the camera.

Sierra and Ally were more interested in their cousin than the animals at the zoo.

Does this girl look like her Daddy or what!?!?!