Cornelius Chronicles

This week was Loyd's 9th birthday!  Happy Birthday son!  I do have one question though.  How did that happen?  Time is slipping by faster than I can mark it sometimes.  It's a funny emotion for a mom to have a child's birthday come.  At once it is fun to see you grow and mature and grow more and more into the amazing person that you are, but on the other hand it is sad to see my precious funny baby, and toddle, and little boy slip away in time.  I am so thankful for journals, and family movies, and pictures, and the promise of the resurrection when everything will be returned to our memory perfectly and I can remember with perfect clerity every adorable giggle, mischievous smile, demand for kisses and hugs, and precious snuggles.  Loyd, you are growing into such a wonderful young man.  You are kind and compassionate.  You are a leader and always willing to play and care for your younger brothers and sister.  You are an example of service and unchecked love.  Yo

Dustin took Loyd, Xavier, and Maeve on the Stake Fathers and Sons Camp Out this year.  They camped at Pine Gully Park in Seabrook, TX again this year.  It's a nice park/mini campground next to the water.  It's just a 20 minutes drive from our house; so nice and close.  They had a BLAST walking trails, finding wild bunnies, playing Star Wars using light sabers made out of sticks with their friends, determining who the real Kind of the Mountain was (Loyd said he was the winner), eating lots and lots and lots of s'mores, and "sleeping" in a tent.      Exploring the local trails     After a full afternoon of playing and exploring in nature the crew settled into a traditional camping dinner of Chick-Fil-A while Dustin set up the tent and got the fire started for s'mores.  The other dads came to camp prepared to eat too.  They brought such camp dinner classics as Taco-Bell, McDonald's, and Domino's Pizza.  It's nice to see time hono

We've been having lots of fun with preschool crafts lately.  Here are the beautiful Valentine butterflies we made at Helen Hall Library.  So pretty.  :)      And this is what happens when we get a little too carried away with our artistic endeavors.   *****   Fun at the park with friends.  Yea!!!  ***** Yea!  I love it when I catch the kids reading to each other.  Owen totally saw Xavier relaxing on the couch, so Owen grabbed a Star Wars book (one of their mutual favorite interests of late), shoved it into Xavier's hands and demanded, "Book!  Read!  Book! Read!" Xavier kindly obliged his little brother's "request" and they happily snuggled and learned about how to become a Jedi together.  I love having little boys, despite what I might say to the contrary on occasion when they are climbing my walls and wrestling at church.  :) 

 Xavier showing off their Duplo Lego creations of awesomeness  Look, our cactus has ears!  Experimentation with selfies - Oh help us when the teen years descend! A beautiful winter Texas Sunset from our backyard.

Owen with Gorilla Feet - these are his own fashionable slippers Owen has decided he needs to see what if feels like to walk in everyone's shoes. It's pretty fun to see him clomping around the house or in the backyard in a pair of shoes that are clearly too big for his little toddler feet.  Got to love his perseverance in either his quest to find the perfect pair of shoes or to become more empathetic with his family by walking a mile in their shoes.  ;)  Too cute!  Owen Sporting a pair of Rebekah's purple Sunday shoes, sans pants.  Trying out Loyd's stylish school kicks while enjoying the beautiful February sunshine.    Clomping around the backyard in Daddy's well worn shoes.  Those are some big shoes to fill, but I think my boys will be up to the challenge, especially, if they follow in their great Daddy's footsteps.  :) ***** And, just because she is so cute and these bunny slippers are so silly, here's a silly shoe shot of Maeve

"Going to Visit Friends" - notice the rainbow and all of the happy smiles. :) Maeve has been quite prolific with her art of late.  We find her all of the time scratching away at a new piece of art.  What I love the most is how much concentration and thought she puts into each picture.  I love that they all tell a story and just vibrate with her cheerful, quirky energy.  They are masterpieces of love and I just can't help but proudly show some of them off.  :)  "Turtle Family" - signed by the artist "Rain" - can you find all the people with their umbrellas and the great faces each of them are making? :) "Piano Lesson Day" - This picture shows what everyone does while they wait their turn for their piano lesson. "Happy Monster 1" The "Happy Monster" pictures are the most autobiographic for Maeve.  She thinks she is a silly monster too.  I love that her monsters have one front tooth, just like Maeve!