Happy Birthday Dad

Happy Birthday Mike! We shall not disclose the number of years your presence has been blessing this earth (because then everyone would know how old I am, too) and will instead just follow Christopher Robin in saying "Many Happy Returns." May this be just one of many, many more to come. We love you.


Andrew was sure that Daddy really, really needed this game system for his birthday.

Lenna made him a tie.

Rebecca picked out this Elmo shirt for him.

And I made him this display box for his Air Force Memorabilia.

We had strawberry cheesecake with lots of candles.

And the smoke detectors didn't even go off!

Like herding kittens

Ran across these shots of my mom trying to get a picture with her grand kids. Couldn't help but giggle.

Just stand here for ten seconds and smile.

What if I hold you?

How about if you get to stand by your brother?

This is quite a workout!

Everybody try to look happy.

Hey, tear yourself away from the view and turn around please.

Glasses off please, and don't forget to smile!

Your ten seconds are up.

I'm Outta here!

Take what you can get.

Winter Wonderland

Friday afternoon we had a special treat from Mother Nature- snow! I know those of you north of us are probably sick of the white stuff, but it is a rare happening here, so we were determined to make the best of it. After nearly three hours of window checks it finally started snowing. We made do with as many layers as we could and headed out.

Happy to be in the snow!

Poor flowers. Didn't stand a chance!

Don't worry, I have four-wheel drive.

If I stand here with my tongue out long enough, a snowflake is sure to land on it!

I was pretty sure this was going to be it. Lenna was scraping every flat surface trying to gather enough for a snowball or two- one for the freezer and one for her brother's back.

Angels in the outfield.

Still waiting for that snowflake! I figured we were done here. I took everyone in, put on dry clothes, warmed them up and was prepared to watch the snow the rest of the night. It kept snowing, and then daddy came home and wanted to play. So everyone got dressed again and went back out.

Those snowballs were three seconds from hitting me.

Mom, I have a hard enough time walking on dry ground. Just pick me up already!

Trying to pile snow into a snowball for a snowman.

Daddy steps in with some snow-rolling lessons.

Adding some eyes.

Thanks for the lift, Dad.

We love the snow!

Lenna insisted on going back outside just once more before bed. She was so afraid it would all melt by morning! So she took one lap around in her pjs and robe. This was the last stop, she is starting to feel a little chilly!

The snow was still there in the morning. Mike took some nice pictures of our yard.

Lenna with our southern sled- a storage tote lid. Worked like a charm!

I said several prayers asking for those power lines to hold out. They pulled through for us. I love the snowy trees. Makes it feel like home, with no shoveling required!

Happy Valentines Day

We made some of these. Well, not those exact ones- those are Martha's- but mine looked similar. I didn't take a picture before we gave them all away.

I made this for Andy one morning before school with a glue gun and a sharpie. Nothing like 10 minutes notice to throw together a boy-ish V-day shirt.

Love Becca, who thinks she is a kitty.

Love Lenna and Andrew, who are once again on equal footing in the holiday wardrobe department.

I hope your day was wonderful.

We Luv You Bunches!!

Our Song- Bet'cha can't keep from humming along

No, not that song. A little too young for me, though I really like singing along to it when it comes on the radio.

Our couple song, the one we must dance to every time it comes on - but we don't actually have one. Not even a wedding song. Yes, we danced at our wedding but it was the song chosen by Mike's brother because we didn't have one picked out in advance. However, after all of that we do have several songs that could be "our song."

So in honor of Wordfull Wednesday, and the upcoming holiday, I am going to take a little trip down love song memory lane!

First stop, the late 90's. There are a handful of songs that always take me back to a crepe-papered church gym or balloon-adorned high school cafeteria every time they come on the radio. Even though we didn't even know each other in high school, Mike and I were in the same grade and had similar memories attached to the same songs. Not including the pop songs that are "must sing and dance along to," here are some of those songs:
Celine Dion- "Because you Loved me," "My Heart Will Go On," Falling Into You." This seemed to be her decade for sappy love songs.
All 4 One- "I Swear"
Bryan Adams- "Everything I Do"
Whitney Houston- "I Will Always Love You"
Jewel- "You Were Meant for Me"
Savage Garden- "Truly, Madly, Deeply"
George Strait- "Check Yes or No" OK, so not a dance song. When I was in high school a secret admirer left a note for me on a windshield with these lyrics. Made my summer.

OK, I think that is enough high school. My palms are sweating just thinking about it.

Some of my favorites from college:
Hootie and Blowfish- "I Only Wanna Be With You"
Shania Twain- "From This Moment"
Cake- (not a nice band, but for this one song)- "Stick shifts and Safety Belts"
Sister Hazel-"All for You"
Abba- "Dancin' Queen"
Sixpence None the Richer- "Kiss Me"

Then I got married, and my whole perspective changed.
Our Wedding song: Shania Twain- "From This Moment"
And I danced with my dad to this song: Bob Carlisle- "Butterfly Kisses"

And now that we are of the old and married sort, I have a new list. My list takes a turn toward country when it comes to marriage songs. They seem to sing about home and family a lot more than other genres.
Sarah Evans- "Perfect" Describes the comfortable, casual relationship we have around here
Lonestar- "Amazed", Faith Hill- "Breathe" These two describe the not-so-casual relationship we have around here
Lonestar- "Front Porch Lookin' In", Phil Vassar- "Just Another Day in Paradise" Perfect family songs
Landon Pigg- "Coffee Shop" I heard this song on a diamond commercial a few Christmases ago and loved it. Mike searched the World Wide Web for several hours until he found the artist and lyrics for me. Nothing else of his is any good, but I still love this song.

Brad Paisley- "Ticks" The song that made us both come out of the closet as country radio listeners after arriving in Georgia. We both came home the same day and said "I heard the funniest song on the radio today!" And then we had to admit to the other that we had crossed over to the other side and started watching GAC together.

Jim Brickman- "Love of My Life" Mike and I went to a concert of his for our anniversary a few months ago. Our first "grown-up" date with no kids in a very long time. Mike wore a tie, I wore heels, and it was a wonderful break from normal life. We actually didn't know what songs Jim Brickman sang, I only had an instrumental CD that I liked. We were pleasantly surprised to hear a few familiar tunes- even if we were the youngest people there.

So there you have it. A glimpse into the musical history of the Cross family.

CTR

Last night's FHE lesson, presented by Andrew, age 5.

"Today we are learning about choosing the right."

"During this lesson we will play a game. If it is a good choice, stand up, if it is a bad choice, sit down. Stealing chocolate from the store. Playing with your sister. Hitting your friend. Not hitting your friend even if he hits you first. Going to church instead of staying home to watch the big football game. Sharing your toys. Hitting your little sister. Saying how cute your sister is and giving her lovies. Very good."

"OK, now I want everyone to tell me what they think Heaven is like. We will start with Mommy, then Lenna, then Daddy. "

"We all used to live in Heaven before we were born. Then we came down and were born. And now we have to choose the right before we die. Why do we have to choose the right? "

Lenna- "so that we can make good choices and go to the Celestial Kingdom and. . . "

A, "Wrong! So we can go back to live with Heavenly Father again!"

Andy shared his testimony of choosing the right: "I am happy when I choose the right, because then I don't get in trouble. And Heavenly Father is happy when I choose the right, and Jesus is happy, and mom and dad are happy, and our family is happy, and I am happy! I always want to choose the right. Everyone should choose the right."

Followed by a song, a scripture (randomly open the book and point), a prayer, Mickey Yahtzee, and cookies and milk.

Thank you to Andy's primary teacher for preparing him to teach such a great lesson! I guess he was actually listening in between random comments and rolling on the floor and standing on the chair and playing with his tie pin and drawing pictures.

Better Late than Never

Remember this post? Well, I finally was able to throw something together for my little princess. It wasn't what I had originally planned thanks to some scheduling conflicts but we made it work.

A surprise slumber party with a handful of her good friends. Mike took her out running errands after school while the guests arrived just in time to shout "Surprise!" Followed with secrets, giggling, cupcakes with too much frosting, presents, movies, and sleep- sort of.

Next year, I promise to throw in the same year as the birthday itself.