Sunday, April 18, 2010

Full Of Surprises

This girl can shoot some hoops!

She gets some lift too!
More lift!She may be under 50 percentile for height but it doesn't stop her from swishin'em in. Her dad asked her a few weeks ago if she wanted him to lower the backboard and hoop?  Her reply was,"No!" Now we know why. :)
 I found these pictures on my camera last night. Yup, my little camera thief was at it again. I am very impressed with Jaden's photo shots also!!!


Oh yeah,  I'm cool!

I love how my two girls spend such sweet time together!

Thursday, April 15, 2010

More Birthday With Cousins

Some more Birthday........... with cousins Marissa, 8 and Christy 20!
On Easter we had a little more birthday fun with Jaden and her cousins!
Jaden requested a strawberry cake. So I made a pound cake and she had
strawberry/blueberry shortcake. This little girl loves her strawberries
although the blueberries are her favorite!                                                                                                                         
My big brothers ROCK!!!!!!
They know just what this girl likes!!
Thanks Desiree! You did an awesome job helping my big brother Chris by picking out these cool cars!! You know us girly girls like our cars!
 
Nice ride Kevin! "Mom can I have one of these when I'm big enough to drive?" 
Our neighbor stopped and chatted with us when we were out walking. He sold his old 'Vette and bought a new black one and she asked if she could have a car like his when she is big enough! Yikes, she is only 5!!!!! (going on 20) ;)

Sunday, April 11, 2010

The Stone Was Rolled Away


Oops! I am a little behind on posting.     
                     I found one!!!
 
Sarah had a good time!
Happy Resurrection Day!  We went up to my visit my brother and his family for Easter. The girls decorated eggs with their cousins. We made Resurrection cookies. Then tried to get our night owl Jaden to sleep. Her five minute nap during our two hr. drive is all it takes to reenergize this child! Finally a little after midnight, she was asleep, (sigh). We all were up and ready to leave for church by 8:30. 
                                                      


We had a beautiful Resurrection day celebration!


                
Church service was very good. Afterwards, they had a little egg hunt for the children.  Later in the afternoon some of us were sitting outside relaxing and enjoying the beautiful weather when the ground seem to start moving underneath my chair! :- o  I looked at the people sitting with me and saw no reaction, so I thought maybe the extra shot in my Starbucks was too much, causing a caffeine overload. I felt like I was on a boat feeling the waves in the ocean. Yet I was sitting on a chair on a cement patio! Suddenly someone from inside the house yelled, "Earthquake!!!" I jumped up, relieved that I wasn't losing it! I could see the chandelier swaying back in forth and my SIL's mother said, "That is why the house felt like it was moving! (I never experienced an earthquake living in Az) After everything calmed down I just kept thinking about the women who were rushing to the tomb to see Jesus and their concern about the stone blocking the entrance and how were they ever going to move it?  They asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?"
 Mark 16:3 
 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and  going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. Matthew 28:2  But when they looked, up they saw that the stone had been rolled away. as  they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. 
"Don't  be alarmed ," he said. " you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. 
Mark 16:6    

Being Sarah's first Easter, and living here only three and a half months, I wanted to make sure she had some understanding of what Easter is really about (since it has become so commercialized). Also growing up in China she believes that God is just a myth and a fairy tale. I loved using visual aids and hands on technique when I was teaching the 5/6 year olds in Sunday School. So I do the same with the girls. The week before Easter I had the girls make their Resurrection eggs. We went over what was going into each egg. First with Chinese/English children's bible stories, then with Sarah's Chinese/English NIV Bible.  Jaden loved talking about the items that went in the eggs and the bible verses. Even though Sarah is 14, she seemed to enjoy reading and putting the items in each egg. When I would ask the next day what was in the eggs from the day before she couldn't really explain it due to her lack of English. But Jaden would explain each one we had done! :)

Friday, April 2, 2010

Happy 5th Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                         Happy Birthday Jaden!!!!!!!!
Little breakfast surprise!


Blowing out candles on her Strawberry/Banana pancakes! Don't you just love that hair do? :) I can't believe she is already 5!!! My baby girl is growing up way to fast.
 My sweet girl you have brought so much joy into our lives. You are miss personality plus. I love how you always say this to me, it is my turn to say it to you....... I love you all the way to Jesus' house and back!
  
  More Birthday fun to come........................  

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Spring In The Desert

Tohoono Chul Park

Many of these flowers grow wild along the mountain sides. Sarah likes the flowers that look like a daisy.
 I like the pink ones that look like a bell or a trumpet.

          Woke up to these hot air balloons flying over the house last Saturday.          
  Yup! Sarah has seen her first rattlesnake 4 1/2 ft. long sporting 14 rattles. We were about to pull in our driveway. So we stopped and let the girls take a good peek at it.(I should have taken a pic!) Poor girl didn't even want to get out of the car after we parked in the garage.
I usually walk while the girls ride their bikes. Sarah wasn't sure she wanted to do this anymore. I just told her we have to be very aware of our surroundings even in our backyard. Jaden said, "That's ok I will just run it over for you." :-o "No way!"  

Javelina (wild pigs) too! Sarah is probably
wondering what kind of place did we bring her to live!?!   Awwwww........ some cuteness! Baby Quails in a planter.