Summer Hail Storm

Bruce made this cool video from our trip to the old family cabin in the Pecos Mountains last summer. You've got to love New Mexico; you never know what you're gonna get!

My Mornings

This is where I sit and read and pray, sipping coffee and enjoying the pellet stove (because you fill with pellets and push a button!). Mornings don't get any better than this. This book is amazing.... I love getting to know my One and Only in new and deeper ways. And I enjoy the thought-provoking questions with lots of room to write.



I absolutely love running now since it's so beautiful out here! It's more like jogging at a slow pace, uphill. This road is part of our property and goes along our grove and up to a much more beautiful grove above it. It is much steeper than it looks, and I've worked up to jogging up and walk/jogging down 10 times. It takes about an hour. I doubt if it's the 5 miles I was running before my treadmill died, but it's MUCH harder and TONS more fun. The dogs help help motivate me too because they stare at me during my quiet time... just waiting...


I got these running shoes before we moved, and I'm wishing I bought cross-trainers instead. :)


And there go my running/hiking companions! They always explore the first time up and then stay close after that.


Isn't Hunter regal looking? If I haven't mentioned it before, I LOVE him! He runs so close to me, that his legs have actually gotten tangled up with mine, tripping me. He's learning to stay about 6 inches away.


He loves to be out here so much, he's smiling!



Diego is taking care of business and hunting for something... probably his favorite fruit! As you can see, our trees need some serious TLC. They weren't watered for over a year, but avocado trees are extremely resilient and bounce back well. I can't wait until they look like the grove above us!



The boys eat SO many avocados... it's crazy! They leave the pits, but eat the skin. Seriously, though, their coats are beautifully shiny. So eat your avocados!


Almost to the top...



This is my view from the top of the groves, where I often watch the sun rise. I always feel like singing, "The hills are alive....." These photos don't do it justice.


And here we go, around the bend...


... and down the hill again.


I'm pretty sure Hunter has another avocado. :)

Friends

We threw together - literally last minute - an hors d'oeuvres get-together with a few of our friends a couple weeks back. It was a fun chance to have people over who hadn't seen the place yet... and just celebrate. Will and I are blessed beyond measure with the friends we have.... guys and girls God has hand-picked for us, and we are thankful. Here are a few of those friends! We had a wonderful evening of catching up and talking about what God is doing in all our lives.


A beautiful couple: Allen and Julia


Another beautiful couple... Kimberlee and Steve


And another! Eddie's eyes are a little closed, but what a gorgeous picture of Carri!

Random

The kids lovin' on Diego.



Aunt Cindy and Uncle Scott sent Christmas presents late, and we had fun opening them at dinner one night. I couldn't resist my girl in her boa - especially the belly button. (I can't remember what happened to her shirt...)



We all love to get dirty and work outside these days. Sulli even enjoyed helping the family move tree limbs and branches away from the house (and sweep leaves) after Daddy spent an entire day on the roof with a chainsaw! He worked so hard, trimming oak tree limbs off the roof. Our porch is literally built around 2 giant oaks, so this will entail constant upkeep throughout our lives. SO worth it, though!


Ahhh... a job well done.



The boys love to play baseball down by the creek.


This is one of my favorite things about having a girl.


The sounds in the country are spectacular... especially the chorus of frogs croaking... morning, noon and especially night! This little guy was hanging out on our back patio outside our bedroom the other night, next to Will's tool box. Isn't he cute?

Christmas #3, 2010

Will's parents came to visit us mid January; it was great to see them. The timing was perfect because Grandma was going through a particularly hard time. We were worried about her health for a couple of weeks, so it was really special that her son and daughter-in-law were around to boost her spirits. She is doing better now, though her mental health still seems to be deteriorating.





Mama Jude and Papa Jim brought us lots of nice furniture for our elder care home - and Cindy's old bedroom set for our Sulli! NO MORE CRIB!!! What a blessing.... finally we could begin to put her big girl room together. Look how thrilled she is.... Thank you, Mama and Papa J!

Christmas #2, 2010

Mom and Dad drove out to spend New Year's with us and to celebrate a late Christmas. It was SO wonderful to have them! They were so sweet to make the long drive, especially with Mom's recent sciatic injury; I know sitting in the car for so long must have been torture! When they got here, we had an amazing time with them. Dad worked outside on the property almost the whole week, helping Will immensely! And my Mom, in pain, helped me with indoor jobs. She shouldn't have been doing anything, but she CAN'T do nothing. Thank you both for all you do for us; I love you so much!




Here are the "big" presents from Nonnie and Popsie: Sulli's horse corral, complete with horses (which, BTW, she named "Cami" and "Summer") and really awesome cowboy boots for each of the boys! (And how could I not throw in the pic of my girl's hat and mittens??)




How I love my beautiful mom! She and Sullivan are the most special girls in my life.



Little Sulli was a little under the weather, but she got lots of extra love.