Pirates, Soldiers, Old Timers, Babies

Blogger has a new format and so my pictures are a little out of order, but it'll work. The above picture is of Esther  - a little over a year ago.

This is Anna - taken this morning. She found those wonderful fingers!

Anna all dressed up in her "sunshine outfit" and ready for church.

Does any one have any sympathy? Maybe Esther takes after me!

 Pirates - Esther had a little run-in with the coffee table. Hence her new vocabulary word for the week - pirate, along with onion :) (she's actually learning new words everyday) It's healing up just fine though and because of her eyebrow it's hardly noticable now.

 We took a 24 hour trip to GA to see Benjamin graduate from basic training - It was so nice to get a chance to see family! I looked at the faces of the people marching by and couldn't find him...

 We realized after it was over that Benjamin was in a demonstration that we just missed...You can see more picture on the M. family blog.

 Esther wasn't scared of him at all :)

They had all of the state flags on the base - we found MN.

 Uncle Bruce and Anna -

 My 25th Birthday -

 One of our neighbors loves to garden and gave us these pink roses.

 Esther now likes to watch me wash dishes and see the bubbles. She also helps me carry laundry around the house and helps her dad water the garden :)

Everyday life...Some people graciously gave us money when Anna was born and we used some of it to get this stroller that can hold two. Something we didn't realize we needed until we were out and about with two babies.

Anna likes to look at lights and ceiling fans.

 She has a big smile!

 The stroller all assembled. I think it's going to work well.

 In our town, they have a community celebration called "Old Timers Day" that includes a parade. Our church had a float this year and handed out invitations to a Revival and VBS.

They did a great job with it and I think everyone had a good time.

 Getting in the theme with an old sewing machine and butter churn -

Some weekends Aaron goes out to his parent's property and helps them with the garden and yard.

Old and new - we're having special meetings at church this week with former Pastor Roger Freeman (great preaching and great music) and so there was a potluck on Sunday. I made Strawberry Glaze Fruit Salad, one of the very first things I ever made (age ten or so) and tried a new recipe for Raspberry Truffle Brownies - they taste great, but got all crumbly. If I make them again, we'll try a different recipe for the brownies themselves, put a little less chocolate or milk chocolate in the filling and wait overnight to cut them.