Time To Say Goodbye

Our pastor preached his last sermon this morning, and then was honored and roasted tonight. It was emotional and funny at the same time, but in the end, leaving the church tonight was hard...knowing we will probably never see him or his family again.
Danissa withheld her emotion, as normal, until we got into the car and then bawled the entire way home. Ethan said it was okay because"he still loves Pastor John and Pastor John still loves him". But just hearing Danissa crying the backseat made me cry all over again. We wish Pastor John and his family the very best but it is so hard to let them go.

A Date....Dad-style

Mike took the older two kids up into the mountains to go "4x4ing" today and for a picnic lunch. They ended up in a place with so much snow that they ended up hiking to the top of wherever it was they were trying to get. The kids had a blast and were very excited at how dirty the truck got. They were covered in mud after the hike, but loved every minute of it and I think that Mike did an awesome job today!
This is the view at their final destination overlooking Lake Wenatchee.
And this is an old mining shaft they found along their hike.
Nex time, I am definately going to have to arrange a babysitter so I can tag along!

Cohen

When I pick up the twins from daycare, there has been more than once that I've had to hit the gas to miss getting hit, trying to get out of their driveway on a 35 mph corner. Not fun.
Well, today, when I went in to get the twins I didn't get the safety gate clasped all the way. I went into the kitchen and was talking with the daycare gals. All of a sudden, I realized Cohen is missing. Where's Cohen?
I ran straight for the door knowing Cohen runs straight for the street and there he was...entering traffic and I'm 25 yards away.
I went running for him almost stumbling face first a couple of times yelling so loud that I later turned around to find the entire daycare watching.
A car was coming around the corner and I was so far away...Cohen was lined up with the passenger front bumper and the car was coming so fast...I just started yelling "NO NO NO!" Thinking it was already too late. That's the most horrible thing I have ever witnessed...thinking my son had no chance and I was too far away to do anything but watch.
The car swerved just in time and just barely missed him...even with the swerve, I have no clue how it missed him without an angel just "putting a bubble around him", as my mom said. I cried for a good hour and then still off and on, trying not to picture it.
The worst day of my life...I thought I had lost him.

Bee-ed Off

This year, for some reason, I have clover growing all over my yard. I'm not sure what encouraged their existence this year, but they they are here despite me. And with them comes the pretty little clover flowers which brings busy bees.
In the last week, three of the four of my kids have been stung by bees and I have had it. First thing after work tomorrow, I'm buying something strong and I'm going to hopefully kill ALL of them. SOOOO frustrating!!!

Makeup and Mud

Little girls put on makeup...
little boys put on mud.

And while we're on the subject of pictures of Cohen...I took this one a couple weeks ago and just loved it.

And while we're on the subject about little girls and makeup....(Danissa 4 years old)

And while we're on the subject about little boys and mud....(Ethan- 2 years old)

Mini-Dada

We were at my parents visiting last night and Mike was playing Wii-Golf. Cohen was watching him, then went and picked up a remote, and started swinging at the same time Mike did, standing the same way, direction and facing the TV. It was so cute! Just one of those moments I wish I had a camera or camcorder or both with me!

Grandparents Day at TRA

Kuddos to all the grandparents that attended Grandparents Day at TRA! It meant a lot to the kids and they were so excited to share their gifts and performance with you. It really was special. I'm sorry I only have this one picture but since I was at work, I didn't get much opportunity. I'm counting on the pictures that they took to be shared and enjoyed and I'll post them as soon as I get them. Thanks for coming!

Mikes Humor

Mike is so funny...sometimes his view of things just cracks me up. So here's the lastest funny story...
I try to get the kids to visually understand how big god truely is. So I told them to imagine that he is wearing a blue shirt with clouds emboidered on it. It's his shirt we see covering the entire sky...he's so big, we can't even see all of him at once...just a piece of his shirt. (However, he can also be so small he can fit in our heart...)
So the other day, the clouds made a weird pattern and I just stared at them. I said "Mike, it looks like God just stepped all the way across the sky with a waffle tread on the bottom of his shoe. He said "Well...I guess God stepped in poop today..."
LOL...so funny!

Just Another "Summer's Com'in" Day

A few days ago, my sister (Teri) and her family came over for dinner and games. The kids had a blast playing in water and getting dirty and we had a good social time ;) Here's the kids eating dinner on the backporch in undies and swimsuits ;)

Independence Much?

How much independence is too much independence? In two year old terms...? Chezney is starting a new thing where she wants to get her cup out of the dishwasher, get the lid and the stopper, put the stopper into the lid (which takes about five minutes) get a chair, push it over to the sink, turn on the water, fill the cup, get down from the chair with full cup in hand (which leaves her cup practically empty), and then proceeds to put the lid on by herself. As I speak, my kitchen floor is soaked, which is fine since it is the dirtiest it's been in a really long time...it could use a good soaking...but still. Grrr!

Danissa's Bedtime Comments

Two topics Danissa brought up at bedtime that one) I thought was cute and 2) I'm sure my dad would appreciate:
1) Danissa says to me: "Mom...I hope Jesus comes back when I'm alive so that I don't have to die and I can just go to heaven holding your hand."
2) She said "The reason I love papa so much is because he always reads to me and because one time he told someone that he'll snuggle me anytime I want to."

Baptism Sunday

All my nephews and one neice were baptized today. Mike went to the nephews baptism and I went to the neices baptism and then the BBQ for the nephews baptism and then we both went to the church to hear the condensed version of everything that was accomplished with the mission trip to Nigeria and then a visit to the hospital to see my setp-father-in-law. I wish we could have been everywhere at once, with what a busy day it was, but it just wasn't possible with four kids, two of them being two, and needing naps, and all. But it was a fun, perfect Sunday for baptizing!

Blowing Raspberries

Cohen got out a pot lid and started trying to blow raspberries on it, which started a raspberry competition between father and son. Then Cohen wanted to see the anatomy of a human throat...LOL!

More Archives at Work...

Mikes baptism in 2004 & The twins dedication (no audio)

Just for Fun

I posted a Wish List on the right side of the screen =) You can click on the things listed and be taken to an external site that shows the exact item. I thought it was just something fun to put on here. I'm sure I'll add more as time goes on and I think of things ;) Most of them are the "bigger" things we just can't afford to get right now, and I want to keep on the list so I remember them! =)

Family Movie Night

This is what we look like on a typical movie night. I take the spot next to Danissa. I love nights like these...

Midnight Flowers

Mike pulled over on the way home from work in Plain and picked these flowers off the side of the road for me last night. How sweet is that?!?

Time Out At Grandpa & Grandmas

My parents watched my kids this weekend, as I had mentioned in a previous blog. Well, mom just blogged a picture that I had to share too...the twins had a rough start to their Saturday and ended up both in time out. LOL. Is that cute, or what?

"Goodnight" Competition

When I was little, I always said "goodnight" to my mom last. If I heard anyone else say "goodnight" to my mom after me, I had to say it again, because mine had to be the last one she heard.
I think it's hereditary.
The twins both think they need to be the last one to say "goodnight", so it becomes the Battle of the Goodnights around here. Crazy kids!

Yard Sale Score

When Mike and I went yard-saling on Saturday, this is what we ended up with. The kids love it and for $10 bucks...who can argue?!

A Few Portraits With Titles *lol*

Picture featuring Danissa Farr entitled: HIDE N SEEK

Picture featuring Ethan Farr entitled: JUST A BOY

Picture featuring Chezney Farr entitled : WARDROBE MALFUNCTION
Picture featuring Cohen Farr entitled: CURIOSITY

Photo Monday

I Can Only Imagine- Mercy Me

This is a great song so I'm posting the lyrics and I'm going to have the song playing in the background of my blog even though I'm sure most of you have heard it =)

I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk
By your side

I can only imagine
What my eyes will see
When your face
Is before me

I can only imagine
I can only imagine

Surrounded by Your glory,
what will my heart feel
Will I dance for you Jesus
or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence
or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah,
will I be able to speak at all

I can only imagine
I can only imagine

I can only imagine
When that day comes
And I find myself
Standing in the Son

I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever
Forever worship You

I can only imagine
I can only imagine

Surrounded by Your glory,
what will my heart feel
Will I dance for you Jesus
or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence
or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah,
will I be able to speak at all (2x)

I can only imagine
I can only imagine (3x)

I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever,
forever worship you
I can only imagine

Mothers Day

Aside from the comment I posted in the blog below, today was a pretty cute mothers day...aside from the fact that the only mother I didn't talk to was my own. *sniff*

The kids "woke me up" with breakfast in bed (After Mike came in and told me that this was going to happen so I can't get up yet...) Then I was given the small things they made at school. Very cute! I know that when they get bigger I will miss those small things...it makes me want to get out the construction paper and make something for my mom. LOL.

Then we went and delivered a few mothers day gifts and then went to Mikes grandmas cabin for a BBQ. Very fun! Heres' my gifts...Ethans was a magnet, and the other three were cards. Danissa's butterfly (with her head on it!!) opens into a card. It had us cracking up...so funny!

Cement-Cloud Monsters

Before I tell you what happened...picture the little character in Charley Brown that always had the dust cloud following him...multiply that by 1000...so that if you even touch him, you have to wear a face mask to keep the soot out of your mouth and that is what I dealt with today...but double...because I have twins.
They got into a bag of powdered cement. Chezney had it covering her so bad that I could have built a cement-castle on her head. Have you ever tried to wash cement out of hair? I thought it might break it felt so brittle. Those two!

Peace and Pictures

My parents took the kids (ALL 4!!!) over night so Mike and I hit dinner, the movies, and dessert all before midnight, went home and slept through the night, got up and yard-saled, and then went out of town for some time with friends and got to do some baby pictures while visiting, too. Sooo much fun!
Kudos to my mom and dad for dealing with four busy kiddos! I appreciate it so much! Here's a picture from the session with the tiny baby born just last Sunday!

The Lone...Eater

It never fails. If it's dinner time,
everyone eats,
everyone leaves...
except Cohen.
That kid has an appetite that leaves him lingering at the table long after everyone else has gone back outside to play.
By the way, the orange plate was his...not the yellow one...

Ethans Prayer

Ethan has been talking for quite some time about asking Jesus into his heart but every time I try to have a conversation with him about it, he gets distracted and can't focus so I figure...it's just not his time, right?
Well, tonight at the dinner table, I served the kids, then dished up my own plate and sat down with them (Mike was at work). Ethan said that we had forgotten to pray, so I said, well..that's okay...we can pray at bed time.
Nope. Ethan wanted to pray NOW. So then he proceeds to use his dinner time prayer to ask Jesus into his heart all on his own, without any questions or discussion ahead of time. That just is sooo Ethan. All in his own time without any parental consult.

The Neighborhood Bike(/Scooter) Club

(At least...the ones my kids are allowed to play with...) This is what we call "the alley". It's the private easement parking area next to our house (which we actually don't park in because we are one of the few homes here with an actual driveway). It gets very little traffic now that some neighbors barricaded one side and other neighbors park their car in the other entrance. Now it's normally a pretty safe place to play (with the exception of a few recent move-ins).
Ethan, Pheobe, Austin, Andrew, Felix, and Danissa...all good buddies (this picture was taken just a few short minutes before the picture in my previous blog...) Not pictured are another three girls and one boy from one family that also play with them occationally but do not actually ride bikes or scooters...

A Neighborly Phone Call

Ethan was down the street playing with some neighbors. Mike recieves this phone call from the boy in the neighborhood that Ethan is playing with (9 years old):

Mike: "Hello?"

Austin: "Umm...this is Austin. I was wondering if Ethan can get dirty..."

Mike: "Well...how dirty?"

Austin: "Umm...he's pretty much covered in mud."

Mike: "Well...if he's already covered than he may as well keep on playing...."

*I went down to investigate and knew Ethan well enough to bring my camera.....you can't really tell, but his shirt and pants are COVERED in mud, as well as his brand new shoes...

A Little Team Work

We are finding out that there is no longer a "safe place" for anything in our house. No matter how high...they will reach it. Mike left his piece of cake on top of the computer desk for safe keeping...

Cohens sharing the wealth with his other half...

Can't you just imagine him saying "Say "awww" Chezney..."

A Slippery Trip to Costco

Mike and I have just about had it with the older two of our kids lately, but Mike more than me so I thought I would take them down town with me and keep them out of his hair for the day, and just maybe this would prolong their little lives.

We went to Costco, where the kids "helped" me unload my cart to check out. I kept reminding them to be gentle, and reminded a little firmer when Ethan slammed the dish detergent onto the belt and a little bit spilled out of the box. Then came the finale of the shopping trip (mind you there were other small things that they did throughout the store that were driving me crazy...)

Before I knew it, they were unloading my four Rotisserie Chickens (WHOLE chickens) out of the cart. Ethan picked it up over the edge of the cart, and over Danissas head where he dropped it, it broke open on her head, spilling chicken goo as it went, and then THWAP onto the Costco floor. I just stared...

I dug my hands into the greasy chicken, picking it up the best I could...asked for paper towels which the cashier got out and put on the floor instead of in my hands...so I made the best of it and got on the floor and cleaned.

Now...I have about ten people I know that work there....do you think they would let all that happen without drawing attention?!?! NOOOO....

How pleasant!

Nigeria Update

Sounds like things are going well in Nigeria! They were able to assemble and hand out over 60 wheelchairs today and it was broadcast to the people that it was in the name of Jesus Christ that these chairs have been donated. The event got a lot of publicity and all of it was in honor of God. So great! What a great example that gives to the people of Gods love for them!

After all of that, Nathan got a chance to go play soccer and wiffle(sp?) ball with the Fulani kiddos. How fun!

(my brother is in the blue shirt and red shorts...=)

Apple Blossom Parade

We headed down to the parade this morning... and I quickly found out that my camera was missing a memory card, but oh well! My sister-in-law joined us with two of my nephews...man they are cute! It was so funny when Justin got away and briefly joined one of the marching bands! LOL...he's a crack up.
After they left, we decided to let the twins have a try and being out of the stroller. Cohen sat in a chair really well, and so I decided to let Chezney off my lap and into her own chair. That lasted about 3 minutes. Then she started dancing with the band, testing her limits with the sidewalk/street line, and finally joined the kids that had been allowed off the sidewalk, causing Cohen to push the limits as well. Finally they started really pushing it and we put them back in the stroller and packed up just in time to see the last bit of the parade go by.
I have to say that it was really fun watching their reactions to the horses and Chezney just waved and waved when the Petco dog and cat went by. She LOVED them!