Friday night as a family

I think this is my 4th post today which is probably a record for me.  So if you haven't read about our Easter Sunday and you care, keep scrolling down.

Just wanted to share a few pictures of our afternoon and evening together.  I love my family :-)

 we went to the library this morning so Benjamin spent a lot of time reading his new books!

 this is often the view I have of my little guy reading!  He read stories while Daddy BBQ'd chicken and Mama finished the rest of dinner.

 don't blame me if my house is messy....it's not my fault!

 having car races around the kitchen!

 he kinda went crazy after dinner!

 he kept doing crazy dances and jumps and rapid feet movements!

 he's been really into laying on different surfaces and sliding around lately

 hiding from Daddy behind the couch, waiting for him to come chase me!

 uh oh!  He caught me!!!!!!!

 this is their favorite game.  Daddy pretends to be asleep with Benjamin's Floppy.  Benjamin comes and steals his Floppy back while Daddy is sleeping....

 Benjamin runs away because Daddy wakes up and chases him saying "Give me back my Floppy!!!"

Run Benjamin Run!  He usually runs away to find Mommy and be "safe".  Daddy catches Benjamin, then laugh and tackle each other.  Then the game starts again.....and again....and again.

I love Friday nights at home with my family :-)

New way to deal with solicitors!!

I forgot to document this funny moment!  We are constantly getting calls from solicitors, or random 1-800 companies and it's really annoying.  So we decided to try something different....

we let Benjamin answer the phone!!

Oh man, it was hilarious.  Peter and I were silent as we listened to Benjamin babble while the phone was on speaker phone.  The woman on the line said "Hello?  Hello?"  Benjamin talked and babbled.  The lady giggled, then said "Is your Daddy there?"  Benjamin babbled.  She said, "is your Daddy there?"  Benjamin just kept babbling.  We were dying laughing.  Then Benjamin started pushing all the buttons on the phone.  Eventually the woman just hung up.  It was seriously too funny.

I think I found a new way to deal with solicitors.....have at em Benjamin :-)

A bit more randomness

Okay, I think I'm almost caught up with blogging, so here's the last of the randomness that has been our week.

Monday was low key because Peter's Dad wasn't feeling really well and the weather was kind of dreary.  The boys mowed the yard and almost finished building our first raised flower bed while the girls cleaned house a little bit, did laundry, etc.  We were going to go out to eat that evening but decided instead to stay in and watch a movie together.  They ended up still leaving Tuesday morning despite our best efforts to get them to stay longer(just teasing, we know you needed to get home!)  Benjamin just had a blast chasing his Poppy with a lightsaber all around the living room, and forcing GongGong to read book after book.  Though I'm pretty sure they both didn't mind at all.

Tuesday afternoon I cleaned up the house, then went with our EPIC group to the Silver Ring Thing.  It's an organization promoting abstinence in teens and although there were some parts of the show that I felt weren't entirely appropriate or genuine, there were parts that were really great and the Gospel was really clearly presented.  I know that it gave our girls a lot to think about and I pray that God uses that night to open dialogue between our girls and that they will choose to remain pure before the Lord, and for some of them, choose to know the Lord personally and accept his forgiveness in their lives.

Wednesday I celebrated with one of the girls in EPIC because she passed her GED math test!  Nothing says celebration like Mexican food and an afternoon at the park so that's what we did.  She came to hang out with me for the rest of the afternoon so I taught piano lessons then we just hung out until small group that night. 

Yesterday I wasn't feeling great, I think I've caught a bit of the cold Benjamin has had so we ventured out to Safeway for milk and fruit, but vegged most of the rest of the day.  Benjamin has been napping SO much lately because I think he's growing and getting over a bit of a bug.  On Tuesday morning he was acting tired so I asked him if he wanted to go night night at 9:30am and he ran to the stairs!  It was hilarious.  He slept hard and I had to wake him up 2 hours later for our lunch date.  Wednesday he was acting tired and when I was changing his diaper, I asked him if he wanted to go night night and he very clearly said "YES!"  I thought it was a fluke so I asked him again and he very clearly said "YES!"  So I put him down and he slept 2 hours and 45 minutes.  Craziness!!!  He must just need the extra sleep right now.  He's soooo stinkin cute while he's sleeping.

out cold!

Tomorrow our girls group is doing the High Ropes course at Tadmor, the christian camp nearby.  I'm a wee bit nervous because me and heights don't mix but it should be fun and I'll be home right after lunch.  One of the girls in our group is staying the night with us so that'll be fun.  I'm definitely feeling like God is really working in our girls and I'm excited to be able to be used by Him in it all.

Tonight we're having a stay at home date night I think maybe with a movie?  We'll have to see what we can find....I know the new Narnia is out on DVD, so maybe that one?

Oh yeah, I just decided yesterday to make a last minute trip to San Diego!!!!  I'm leaving next Saturday for a week and I am SOOOO excited to see these little munchkins....

I haven't met baby Mandy yet and I'm really looking forward to it.  Benjamin is going to have an absolute BLAST playing with his cousins, I can't wait to hang out some with Anita while Nate's gone, and yeah, the San Diego sunshine isn't bad either :-)

So am I caught up?  I think so!  Life just seems to be at a fast pace right now, but life is just really good.  I also think my parents are buying a house which is insane and means we'll probably make a trip at the end of the month to help them move.  SO excited!!! 

Here's my cutie in his Ohio State t-shirt (Thanks Aunt Jen!!!)

I have a strong feeling he really might be a lineman in the future :-)

Easter Sunday!

Easter is one of my favorite Holidays because it's the celebration of our risen Savior.  A celebration that death could not hold Him in the grave, but He is now alive in Heaven after paying the atonement for my sins.  If that doesn't make you want to shout "Hallelujah!", I don't know what will.

We didn't have fabulous weather on Easter Sunday but it could have been worse (and often is in Oregon!).  We celebrated with our church through singing and listening to God's Word, then we headed home.  We had a light lunch because that evening we went over to Jeremy and Kristen's for dinner.  Most of our small group couples were there along with a few others and it was a great feast of smoked ham, potatoes, rolls, vegetables, and lots of dessert.  We enjoyed spending time with our friends and Peter's folks were gracious enough to come along too....I think they had a good time as well! 

Of course Benjamin wasn't really in the picture taking mood (are any almost 15 month olds EVER in the picture taking mood?) but I tried to snap a few because he was oh so cute in his little suit.  (Thanks for the suit Auntie Amanda.....even though it was 18months in size, we were praying that Benjamin wouldn't pop any buttons, ha ha ha!)

 looking like a little stud in his suit!

 his attempt at a baby GQ expression

 CHEESE!

 oh Benjamin, you are just adorable

 Poppy, Benjamin, Peter, GongGong together for Easter 2011

 we didn't get a picture with us all smiling at the same time.....oh well, these will have to do!

we are truly blessed!

He is Risen!  He is Risen indeed!!

Poppy & GongGong Visit.....Silver Falls State Park

I know, I KNOW!  I'm sooooo behind on blogging.  I'll do my best to catch-up!

Last Thursday night, we were so excited to have Peter's folks (Poppy & GongGong) come to visit!!!  They made the drive over from Washington and we were so glad.  We ate a new recipe (chicken enchilada ring) for dinner and it was really good.  It was just good to catch up.

Friday, Peter had to work but we were able to enjoy the nice day and took a beautiful walk at the local Christian school up the hill from where we live.  It was a low key afternoon and then we headed to our church to attend a Passover Sedar dinner.  Peter and I have done a sedar a few times before but it was fun to share it with our whole church and parents, and was really fun (despite having to entertain Benjamin!)  Benjamin did pretty good but was a little "off".  He ended up waking up at midnight later with a fever, poor guy.  Mama didn't mind holding him for awhile, but I wished he was feeling better.

Saturday was just gorgeous outside.  We packed up a lunch and headed to a state park we've been to before that's about 45 minutes from us, Silver Falls State Park.  We wanted to take a different route at the park then we'd done before, there's a total of 10 waterfalls in the park and last time they were here, we saw the first 3, I think.  Anyway, it was just beautiful out and it was so nice to enjoy the day together.  Benjamin loooooved being outside and I think it was really good for him to get some fresh air.  Here's an insane amount of pictures, but I want to remember everything :-)

 two of my favorite people!!

 the park is just so pretty!

 Peter got the most exercise lugging around the 28 pound little man! :-)

 I loved seeing the signs of spring.....finally!

 wish you could hear the soundtrack of the beautiful water!

 Klingler boys hiking along!

 this waterfall was sooo loud!

 such power!

 you're actually able to walk behind 2 different waterfalls in this park, it's really fun

 photo op behind the falls!

 you can see the walking trail behind the falls where you're able to go

 my little family :-)

 SO pretty

 there's definitely not a bad angle in this park!

 I could just stare at him all day long, I love my little guy!

 chow time!  Benjamin was a wee bit distracted, ha!

 freedom from the backpack.....run!!!

 sweet boy

 teaching Benjamin to not hate walking in the grass

 my handsome hubby

 unfortunately, Benjamin had no fear and nearly walked right into the water several times.  I'm sooo in for it!

 what mom?  I'm a good swimmer, I promise!

 trying to get Ben to throw rocks in the water.  He just took off the other direction with the rocks in his hands as though he had the greatest present ever!  Funny :-)

 he was loving all the extra attention :-)

We finished with a little extra playtime at the park before heading home for the evening.

We enjoyed dinner and a new show they introduced us to that evening once we got home.  I helped a girl from our EPIC group with studying for the math portion of her GED test so it was a bit of a late night for me.  Boy, oh boy, I'm glad I'm not in high school anymore, ha!  We all headed to bed to get some rest before waking up to celebrate the day our precious Savior rose from the dead!!!

More to come, soon.....

Another weekend gone!

These days just go by sooo quickly, especially the weekends.  Friday night was game night for our EPIC girls group complete with nachos (yes!).  We had a great time with all the girls playing Taboo and Scattegories and we had one of the ladies in our group share her testimony.  It was really brave of her to share how God has worked in her life and it lead to some really great discussions with the girls and a very clear presentation of the Gospel.  Oh, how I pray for those girls to know Jesus!!!  It was a great night but super late since I didn't get home until 11:15 which is way past my bedtime.

Saturday was a low key day spent working around the house.  We made Benjamin do his weekend chores of course!

He is obsessed with vacuums and brooms.....hey, I know how to raise em!

Peter worked on the built in bookcase which is looking amazing!  It's getting so close to being done and I'm so proud of him for his hard work.  It is definitely weird to actually see something in that "weird hole" next to the fireplace.  I painted and painted and painted some more.  I'm soooo close to being done with all the doors/trim/window sills.  My arms just ache but it's looking good even though it's not perfect.  We made a quick trip to Home Depot and tried a new yogurt place which was tasty.  I took Benjamin with me to a chili dinner/pie auction at our chuch for a missions trip some members are going on to Ecuador this summer.  Peter had a few hours to work, I had a full belly of chili, Benjamin played with his friends, and I came home with an apple pie.  A great night indeed :-)  Then I came home and yep, you guessed it.....painted some more.

Benjamin wanted to wear a hat like Daddy when we went to Home Depot

(hmmmm, do you think they look alike???)   :-)

Today was church this morning, and I snapped a quick pic before we left even though Daddy couldn't get Benjamin to smile while he was using the camera, the stinker!

We ate KFC buffet for lunch and worked some more on our projects while Benjamin napped.  We took turns entertaining the little guy and it was just a nice productive day at home.  I think we're going to put in a frozen pizza and watch an episode of Shark Tank and maybe an Undercover Boss?  Perhaps with a slice of apple pie?? :-)