Monday, March 29, 2010

It's a . . .

GIRL!!!

Seriously . . . did you think it wouldn't be?

We're all thrilled!

Except Raleigh, who kind of wanted a little brother. But she says she's excited still. And Choobies has her very own picture of her new little sister-to-be.

I am relieved, and Dallas is our very own Mr. Bennett (Pride & Prejudice) . . . well, almost.

Dearest Jenny


(It's terrible how tired we both look in this picture, but I had just arrived after a 4 hour road trip to Nashville + a temple session + Dramamine, and she had just finished watching our kids for 3 hours!) But I digress . . .

Dearest Jenny,

This summer I need you to come down to see me so that we can lay out on the roof of my parents' house and get really burned! I mean tan!

And then we will check to see if Rikki is taking a nap, and if she is, we can do swan dives on top of her, giggling like wild hyenas!

Don't worry! I'll make my famous popcorn, and we can drink red Kool-Aid and have vanilla ice cream with chocolate chips in it!

Then let's spend the night out on the basketball court in the boat. I promise Jess won't scare us. He'll be in Bangkok! (Right where we need him - on the other side of the world!!)

Then in the morning, we'll go boating with Nate and company and do some amazing tubing tricks. And some other unmentionable things that will be sworn in a pact of secrecy to outlast even one more summer! (Okay, maybe we'll tell our husbands. If they won't tell!)

Really, please come! I miss your LAUGH!

And maybe we can jump on the trampoline with Jo, too . . .

Love,

Dionne

Friday, March 26, 2010

My Latest Favorite


Bad lighting, bad photo. But this is our whole family's newest favorite thing: a bouquet of peach tree and pussy willow branches that have unexpectedly FLOWERED right here on our kitchen table! We love it! And it is HUGE - about 4-5 feet tall. Thanks, Mom and Dad, for the branches. (Our kitchen smells so fresh and peachy.)

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Meeting Our New Baby Cousin, Emerson

"Behold, I came into the world not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance;

"the whole need no physician, but they that are sick;

"wherefore, little children are whole, for they are not capable of committing sin;

"wherefore the curse of Adam is taken from them in me, and it hath no power over them;

"And after this manner did the Holy Ghost manifest the word of God unto me;

"wherefore, my beloved son, I know that it is solemn mockery before God, that ye should baptize little children.

"Behold I say unto you that this thing shall ye teach --

"repentance and baptism unto those who are accountable and capable of committing sin;

"yea, teach parents that they must repent and be baptized,

"and humble themselves as their little children,

"and they shall all be saved with their little children.

"And their little children need no repentance, neither baptism.

"Behold, baptism is unto repentance to the fulfilling the commandments unto the remission of sins.

"But little children are alive in Christ, even from the foundation of the world;

"if not so, God is a partial God, and also a changeable God, and a respecter to persons; for how many little children have died without baptism!

"Little children cannot repent; wherefore, it is awful wickedness to deny the pure mercies of God unto them,

'
"for they are all alive in him because of his mercy.

"And he that saith that little children need baptism denieth the mercies of Christ,

"and setteth at naught the atonement of him and the power of his redemption.

"For behold that all little children are alive in Christ, and also they that are without the law.

"For the power of redemption cometh on all them that have no law;

"wherefore, he that is not condemned, or he that is under no condemnation, cannot repent; and unto such baptism availeth nothing --

"But it is mockery before God, denying the mercies of Christ,

"and the power of his Holy Spirit,

"and putting trust in dead works."

Moroni 8: 8-12, 19-20, 22-23

Grammy & Grandpa Bear Come for a Visit

A few weeks ago my mom and dad came up to see Madeline's school musical. (More on that to come.) Afterwards, before they left, Choobs spent some quality time with "Grandy" and "Bo Bo." What fun!
Puzzles . . . Choobs' favorite.






Come again soon!

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Attempted Family Photos

Obviously not professional . . . and we weren't dressed and ready to take pictures. But we were on our way over to the school, and the sun was out. Such a beautiful day to snap a few photos.
Here's what we ended up with:









Somebody always ends up crying . . .