Our Family Pictures (finally)

Our family pictures....finally. We have never taken professional family pictures before. What's more is I'd be hard pressed to find one decent picture of all of us together so we were very excited when we saw our beautiful pictures taken by Rachel Clarke, a local photographer here in Wheeling. Her photography was impressive in it of itself, but she is only a junior in high school (homeschooled). She posted some of the many pics on her blog. Thank you Rachel!...view her post here: 

Photographie is Felicite: Wheeling, West Virginia Family Photography | The M...: Hey everybody! I hope your Christmas was wonderful in every way. :) And nooooow... Meet the Mick's. (Isn't that fun to say?) This Past...

All About Ava: then & now

Oct 2010


Favorites:
Fav Color: Orange
Shape:square
Dinosaur: pterodactyl
Movie: Toy Story
Animal: Zebra
Flower: Dandelion & Sunflower
TV show: Cat in the Hat
Sport: walking around to find Rainbows
fun things: buying shirt with skateboard @ Ross, Christmas (excited about Asa's airplane)
Place: swapmeet
Music: Uptown CD
Favorite brother: Asa
Song: ABC's (Asa's favorite too) and twinkle, twinkle
Food: macaroni
Dessert: little ice creams
drink: capri suns
book: ABC
Toy: Woody
Stuffed Animal: Dounut (cat)
School SUbject: shapes
Word: CAT
Bible character: God

Now Aug 2011


Fav color: Black
Dinosaur: pterodactyl

After Ava cut her and her brother's hair! (can't see full effect)

Movie: Wild Kratts
Shape: square and diamond
animal: zebra, giraffe, Tasmanian devil, cheetah
Flower: roses
TV show: Wild Kratts
Sport: Soccer
Fun things: run like cheetah, jump like kangaroo
place: church, Bob Evan, and park
Music: Cov kids' music
Brother: Asa
Song: Cha, cha, cha Fiesta from VBS
Food: macaroni and canned pears
Dessert: strawberry sunday
Drink: strawberry tea
Book: her books about animals and a book about cowboys
Toy: ?
Stuffed Animal: Big dog & Grrr
School subject: everything!
Favorite word: rockstar
Bible character: Jordan river : )
Bible Verse: Joshua 1:9 Be strong and courageous and do not be afraid...
Bible story: all of them, Wedding story (Jesus' first miracle, water into wine)

The Big Two!

So...little behind...as always, but Asa turned 2 on May 18th! And he has certainly grown into his whole two years of age, going from the struggle of realizing his new independence to FULLY embarrassing it! On the morning of his birthday, I found him drinking from the almond milk carton in the living room, all smiles, saying, "mmm. mmm!" What a way to start off his two year old year. There seems to be something funny and terrible everyday, being covered in paint or making the bathroom sink overflow, finding all kinds of new things to climb, oh I missing funny one's I know it!!!  the list goes on...and I watch the boy constantly!..well, except the the occasional bathroom break and coffee refill...

His birthday was so fun and totally unplanned...sorry...but don't tell him, he did not notice at all! my mother and father-in-law drove up from Charleston to help us finish moving in and have a bbq at Wheeling park with my sis, nephews, and niece. Asa LOVED the Schrader Environmental center at the park...and its free! He loved the puppet stage and coloring and all the buttons to explore in the kids room, but he ADORED the snakes and creepy crawly things! I didn't even know of his love for reptiles!!! ..uh, or they amphibians or something. You'd have to ask my daughter. We finished off with cake. always a favorite of my sweet-toothed son.

Happy Birthday Asa!!!

Asa: 1st year in review...sniff...

Happy...uh...late, late 2nd birthday Asa!!!...since I can't find my camera (though I do have birthday pictures on my sister's camera) here are some pictures of Asa's first year! Nothing like a child's birthday to make you get all teary-eyed! Second year coming soon!!!

Come out of the Cave

Photo credits

The other day I read a question: "What was the date of the Civil War?" .....uh...uh.....[insert crickets chirping] Ok, ok, I admit I don't remember a lot from school. I figure I will get a 2nd and 3rd chance when my kids go to school. Right? I do remember literature more than dates as it turns out...though still kind of rusty. When I heard the song, The Cave by Mumford and Sons, I heard hints of the cave analogy by Aristotle...again, please don't critique my intelligence...but Aristotle asked if we are in a cave simply seeing shadows casted upon a wall of the real thing or maybe the object casting the shadows were just copies of the real things themselves. I think their is something intrinsic that knows we were created for more. Created to serve a Creator. Created for more that's intended in this world we see.In God's Kingdom in heaven there are things that we have only had a glimpse of. I've been hearing the words "Life Saving Gospel" swirling around in my head. "Life Saving!" True Life. Something more real than our own heart beat. It's pretty exciting really, until I think about how God commanded us to GO preach the gospel to the ends of the earth...then I get a little more timid. I don't even know where to begin honestly. Anyways, getting back to this song...I think its pretty amazing...especially the line about coming out of the cave Walking on Your Hands...the idea of God's Upside Down Kingdom...its opposite of what the world deems "logical"...and what we so often deem as logical. The last shall be first. We are meant to glorify God, not ourselves. We were meant to give, pour out ourselves, not gain. Dye to ourselves only to TRULY live. Become a Servant as Christ and then you will find Freedom. All sound like one big oxymoron, but couldn't be more truthful. I think that's pretty amazing. As for the American Civil War? 1861-1865. I heart Wikipedia.

A walk in the park

one of Ava's favs...."the bouncy things"

noth'n wrong with being a tree hugger