The Buzz from the Hive

change.....just is

2010-06-15T19:48:00.002-05:00

Well, no matter how much I think i will do better at the blog thing... I just never hang in there. Yet, not willing to give it up! We'll just see what happens.

As always, much has changed since my last entry. I believe it is called life. I am not going to attempt to recap all that has taken place in the last few months, but many of the things you would expect have taken place. The kids have grown, learned many new things, and keep our lives an ever exciting adventure. We are looking forward to a fun summer. Hopeing we find time to go to the pool, have a few picnics, see some movies, take a few trips.. all the fun stuff summer should be filled with!! Hopefully I will be able to post some pictures and share a glimpse into our life.

I hope that all of you have a great week and will check back to see what all is going on. If you notice "too much" time has gone by without an update, you might give me a nudge...

Jen

Happy Birthday Samuel!

2009-12-07T22:06:00.002-06:00

Today is a special day... December 7th is the day I became a mother. December 7th is the day Samuel Ross Dunn entered this world. In seven short years, that very special little man made a great impact on the world around him. In seven short years he taought me so much. My life was forever changed the day he arrived. It was also forever changed the day he left this world. The seven years and one day in between were filled with tears, laughter, lessons, and joy. The four years that he has been gone have been long and hard. I know though, that one day I will again see my beautiful blue-eyed little boy. One day he will take me on a grand tour of Heaven, and tell me all about the things he has seen and experienced there. For now I can only do what I can to keep his memory alive and honor his life.

December 1

2009-12-01T23:04:00.002-06:00

December is here with all of the hustle and bustle that goes with the Christmas season. It can leave you so stressed out and, if you are not careful, drained of any of the joy that is suppose to be part of the season. This year we have committed to focus more on the real reason for the season. I want to make sure that my children realize God's gift of Jesus is the whole reason - not just for the the season, but the reason for everything. I also hope we can teach them that the "other" things we associate with Christmas -love, peace, joy, kindness, generosity - are not just about Christmas, but rather Christ-likeness. They are the things we should strive to show everyday, not just for a season...

Knocking at My heart

2009-11-17T22:40:00.001-06:00

Knocking at My heart
Hammering me on the head

I love the way my Father can drive a point home, over and over and over. Of course, I admit that if I would listen and learn my lessons a bit more quickly, maybe He would not have to be so repetitive… but that is another topic for another day. Today I just want to look back at a lesson He has taught me over the last several weeks and be thankful for the fact that my Father loves me enough to care and take such an active role in my life.

Hannah’s Prayer
Then Hannah prayed and said: “My heart rejoices in the LORD; in the LORD my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance.
“There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.
“Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the LORD is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed.
“The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength.
Those who were full hire themselves out for food, but those who were hungry hunger no more. She who was barren has borne seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away.
“The LORD brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up.
The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts.
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor.
“For the foundations of the earth are the LORD'S; upon them he has set the world.
He will guard the feet of his saints, but the wicked will be silenced in darkness.
“It is not by strength that one prevails;
those who oppose the LORD will be shattered. He will thunder against them from heaven; the LORD will judge the ends of the earth.
“He will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.”
I Samuel 2:1-10

Isn’t that just the most beautiful prayer?
I was awestruck at the depth and sincerity Hannah displayed. I claim to love the LORD, but do I express such adoration – ever?

Over the last several weeks, my Father has really been dealing with me about my heart condition. I must admit that my heart has been grieved, angry, selfish, and just plain mean at times. I have been convicted for this and am not proud of the thoughts and feelings I have harbored. I am blessed to have a Heavenly Father who loves me enough to show me how I have acted, yet still forgive me and tell me He wants better than that for me. He also has shown me that the first step is to desire Him above all else, to want to engulf myself in worship and praise of this amazing God who loves me in spite of myself. I NEED a heart like Hannah’s.

A new direction

2009-11-13T22:44:00.002-06:00

I apologize for how long it has been since my last post. I have been missing my blog, but life has a way of happening and filling up my time. I know many, if not all of you can relate. There is so much that has happened in the last several months, it will take more than one post to catch up. I hope to post a series of posts over the next several days so that I can fill everyone in on the happenings in our lives. Trust, though, that everyone is well and God is good and we are enjoying the adventure.

tonight I wanted to share something that my Father has laid on my heart recently. Actually it would be more accurate to say He has been hammering at the door of my heart with this lesson...Which direction in life am I and my family headed?
It all started when a Friend posted a comment online regarding an ad she had seen that made her stop and think... The jest of it was this," The opposite of poverty is not wealth. The opposite of poverty is enough." Well, let me tell you, that thought hit me right smack in the face!! I have not been able to get it out of my mind since reading it. I have been so willing to indulge in self-pity-parties and roll around in the "woe is me" muck, that I had began to see myself as poor and deprived. How ashamed I am to admit that! It is disrespectful and dishonoring to my Father. You see, i am rich beyond measure and I have an inheritance awaiting me that is beyond compare. I am a child of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!! My wealth will be weighed upon Heavenly scales, not according to earthly standards. I am not only talking about the riches that I will one day have in my eternal home. I am also talking about the riches my Father has bestowed upon me here in this life time. I am not poor by any stretch of the imagination. I have more than enough...

For the rest of the month, I want to share the many things I am thankful for...

Tonight I will begin my list of gratitude.

I am so very thankful for a Heavenly Father who loves beyond measure and provides generously for both my needs and my wants. He loved me enough...

I am also thankful for a wonderful, Godly husband who loves me and honors me everyday. I am so blessed to have a husband who loves my Father more than anything and who models a loyal and abiding faith for me and our children. Roscoe is my best friend and my soul mate. I have no doubt that my Father created him specifically for me.
Ok, it is time for me to head to bed. It has been a long day, adn tomorrow is already full of plans and adventure. There is so much more I want to share with you, so please join me tomorrow for part II.

2009-07-11T16:32:00.004-05:00

We had a busy and fun 4th. We went to Crowell, TX for Roscoe's uncle's 75th Birthday. It was really nice to spend time with quite a bit of his family. The kids got to shoot fire works and had an absolute blast!!! (Pun fully intended!!)

Rachel: (The one with the sparklers is my current favorite of her...)

Noah learning to set off fire works. Don't worry there was an adult close by at all times!!

Well, I have to run. I have to get everybody cleaned up and ready. We are having family pictures made this evening....

reynolds family reunion

2009-07-08T21:39:00.006-05:00

For those of you who are not related.... sorry!!

I AM a REAL princess, you know!!

2009-06-07T20:36:00.005-05:00

R: I am a real princess, you know...
Me: Really? Why is that?
R: Because I like to wear dresses - ALOT!!

Rachel's goal for the day was to perfect the "Princess Twirl". I think she has it down, don't you?

Here are a few more from our impromptu shoot in the front yard:

One more. This is my favorite from the session:

She is growing up so quickly. I just nearly can't stand it...

FRAUD!!!!!

2009-06-05T18:09:00.004-05:00

OK... 7 weeks ago we thought we were getting two sweet PUPPIES - we were wrong. We are the proud owners of two sweet, lovable miniature horses!!! When we took Thunder and Storm in for their first checkup and shots they weighted 11 and 14 pounds,respectively. Last week (4 weeks later) at check up #2 they now weigh 25 & 28 lbs.!!! That is 14 pound each!! They are eating about 50 pounds of dry food every 2-3 weeks. Oh my!!

We have been busy as ever around the Dunn Hive. Noah is out of school for the summer. He ended the year on a super high note! He scored 100% on both the Reading and math portions of the TAKS. He had the highest number fo AR points in his class, and managed to pull off all A's in both grades and conduct. He also managed to have perfect attendance for the whole year. We are very proud of him!! Here are some pictures from the last day:

I am taking a summer class during the first summer session. It is a micro-computer applications class. It is going to be fast and furious!! If you are so inclined, you might pray that I make it through without losing my mind and maybe even pull out a decent grade!! :0)

We are heading to OK next weekend for a Reynolds family reunion. The kids are looking forward to getting to camp out at the farm and play with some extended family. It is going to be a lot fun. Hopefully I will return with some fun pics.

Well dinner is about ready adn we still have gracoery shopping to do. I hope everyone has a great weekend!!

Life...and then some!!

2009-04-28T20:29:00.003-05:00

It has been way too long since I have updated this blog!! So much has happened sinice I last posted. Let's see if I can recap our busy and crazy life!!

We suffered some sad losses. Frankie Jo, the sweet chocolate lab we were blessed with was hit by a car after she got out of the yard. We were sad and still miss her. She was a sweet and good dog.

On March 15th, Ellen, Roscoe's mom, went home to be with the Lord. She was a tough little woman and she ran a good race and fought a hard fight. We miss her greatly, but are comforted by the knowledge that she is out of pain and is in the presence of her Lord and Savior. We would ask that you continue to remember our family as we are still working to get her estate settled.

As most of you know, I have returned to work full time. I enjoy my job, and it has been good for all of us. We are still adjusting to the "new normal. The kids are doing well. I think that we are leaqrning to appreciate the time we have together a bit more now days. Soon, our routine will take another direction as the kids get out of school for the summer and I start taking some classes. I am tqaking a mcro-computer class during the first summer session. I am a bit nervous after being out of school for so long. i just pray my mind is still capable of absorbing and learning... We'll see!!

The kids are doing great! Rachel is outgrowing everything!! She is getting taller each day and turning into quite the "big girl". She just recently celebrated her birthday, turning 5 years old!! Where has my baby girl gone?
Noah is doing well in school. He made a 100% on the TAKS reading test. He was very excited and we were very proud of him. Today was the Math portion. I am sure he did very well. He, too, is growing by leaps and bounds. It is hard to believe he is 9 years old, and will be in 4th grade next year!

We have two new additions tp our family! Thunder and Storm are two of the cutest little Malamute-Lab mix puppies!! We are enjoying them and eager to watch them grow. We took them for their first puppy check-up yesterday. At 7-8 weeks old they are already good sized dogs! Thunder weighs 11 lbs. 1oz. Storm wieghs in at 13lbs. 15oz. Here are acouple of pictures of our new babies. I hope you enjoy them!!

Life as we know it...

2009-03-07T09:59:00.002-06:00

has definitely changed for the Dunn household! It has been a big adjustment in our home! Some of our new "craziness" is permanent, some not so much so.
My job is going well. I am catching on and should have a pretty good grasp on it, I think before our other teller takes off a couple of days following Spring Break. April will be hectic, though, as we have a new cashiering system coming on and then summer early registration starts. I am really enjoying the work so far. This week I took care of a lot of the "housekeeping" (paperwork) and the benefits package is going to help us SOOO much. I am still thanking God every single day for opening the doors for this opportunity!

Please continue to remember Roscoe's family in the days ahead. Ellen is still in the Hospice Center and continues to decline each day. I am sure that the Lord is close to calling her home. It will be sad for us, but she is ready. We talked just last month about how good it will be for her to "go home". She will not hurt anymore, and she will be with so many that she loves - her mom and dad, Ernie, Sam... As I said though, it will be sad for us and we will miss her. Pray for Roscoe. There will be a lot of responsibility placed on him to take care of settling most of Ellen's affairs.

Today will be spent taking care of quite a few chores. Rachel and I are about to go grocery shopping and much of the rest of the day will be spent doing laundry, dishes, etc.

By the way, does anyone have any advice on how to keep an 85 lb. lab inside the fence?!?! Frankie Jo has decided that she does not belong in our backyard. She climbs the fence and spends most of her time on the front porch. Last night she tried to follow me when we left to run to McDs. My biggest fear is that she is going to get in the road and get hit. That would absolutely devestate the kids. Any suggestions?

OK- gotta run and get things done! Hope everyone has a great weekend!!

2009-02-25T08:21:00.004-06:00

This picture represents my blessing for today. I am blessed enough to live in the greatest country on earth. Not only that, but I am privileged to live near a base that is home to many of the heroes who protect that country every single day!! When we first moved out here, the sounds of the planes was a major annoyance. Now, we have gotten used to it and the days they aren't flying seem overly quiet. It may be crazy but I have come to find a certain comfort and security in the noise of those planes flying overhead. I also feel fortunate to count among my friends many who either have served or are currently serving in our military forces. I would like to take a moment to express my personal thanks and gratitude for all that you sacrifice to protect my freedom. As i have often heard, "Freedom isn't free." I know that our lives would be so different if it weren't for you. You are my heroes!!

This picture is also representative of a common sight around our home. As summer begins to approach sunflowers will pop up all over the place. They are one of my favorite flowers. Somehow they always seem to remind me of God's wonderful creativity when He made this earth and all that is in it. Isn't our God good?

Today we are moving pretty slow around here. Last night was a late, long night. My mother-in-law, Ellen, has taken a decline. She is not eating or drinking right now. Hospice is doing all that they can to keep her comfortable. Roscoe was over there until very late (or rather very early this morning) trying to do what he could for both his mother and his sister. His sister has taken very good care of their mother, but is having a hard time accepting that she just is not really going to get better. If you would, please remember our family in prayer throughout the coming days/weeks.

I will spend much of the day getting ready to go back to work. I start my new job tomorrow. I am looking forward to it!! After our "trial run" in January I can be confident that the world will not come to an end because I am working again. Actually, I think it proved to be good for us in many ways. Today, however, it means there is a small mountain of laundry that must have some attention. Also, a few errands to run and some phone calls to make. I suppose that all means I must get up and get busy! I hope you all have a wonderful and blessed day!

HI Ho Hi Ho... It's back to work I go...

2009-02-24T13:07:00.003-06:00

Today it is official!! I am now the new Teller II at MSU. I am so excited!! This job is truly a blessing and an answered prayer. There are so many things that are good about this. I have to thank the Lord. I mean in a time where so many are struggling to find work, this job has all but fallen in my lap. God is good.
I start on Thursday morning. If you happen to think about it, you may send up a few prayers that all goes smooth for us. My working means we have to find a routine schedule. Otherwise life becomes mass chaos!!

Introducing Frankie Jo

2009-02-21T22:22:00.003-06:00

We would like to introduce you all to the newest member of our family.... Frankie Jo!
She is a three year old chocolate lab. She is just as sweet as you could want. We are all totally in love with her!!!

Sad news

2009-02-16T17:10:00.002-06:00

We have some sad news today. Max, our beloved and loyal Heeler/Husky Mix, passed away last night. We are not sure exactly why or how. When we returned home from church last night we were not greeted by his familiar bark and Roscoe knew something was wrong. He went to check and found him. We are sad to lose such a sweet family companion. Max was a beautiful creature with an equally beautiful personality. We could not have asked for a better dog for the kids. He never bit or tried to hurt any of us. He never realized he "grew up" and left puppyhood. He had an abundant amount of energy and affection for everyone. Max was special to us for many many reasons. He leaves us with a heart full of memories.

2009-02-12T09:08:00.004-06:00

We have had a fun week!! Friday night/Saturday we cooked another pig. My Grandpa thoroughly enjoyed himself!! The kids had a great time playing together and the adults all seemed to enjoy visiting with one another. At the end of the day we were all tired, but it was a good tired!!

Last night was our church's SweetHeart Dinner. The food was good, and the company was even better! I have to just say again how blessed we are to have such a wonderfully loving and supportive church family!! The kiddos had a good time as well! Noah got to spend "quality time with his best bud -J.R. Rachel had a good dose of "Blond time" with Abby, so she thought it was all good!! At the end of the evening they gave out door prizes and Roscoe and I each won a box of chocolate covered cherries....Yummmmmm!!!
Speaking of the church, now I have to finish getting Valentine's ready for our children's party on Saturday. We will be delivering valentines to one of the local nursing homes. Then we will return to the church to have a pizza lunch. Since the boys won the food drive challenge, the girls will be serving them their lunch. Needless to say, Noah and J.R. are excited about that!

Here is a picture of my sweet mother-in-law:

Doesn't she look good? She is at home with Hospice Support Care. So far, she seems to be doing pretty good. We would definitely like to say thank you to everyone for all the prayers you have all offered on her behalf. God has definitely made her more comfortable and is making the time we have left with her much better. Thank you to all of the prayer warriors we have in our camp!!!
The cell phone drama is our story for the week. I have the same phone I received when we opened our cell phone account waaaayyy back in September of '05!! Well, there isn't really anything wrong with it, but I just want a new one... So, I call and the company says you were eligible a long time ago for an upgrade. I go in and get a new phone. They didn't explain and I didn't realize that it would extend our contract for 2 more years. Since I don't pay the bill, that isn't my call to make - besides, we are thinking about going with a different company when our contract is up in a few months. So, I take the new phone back and they "un-renew" the contract. In the meantime, Princess Rachel has taken possession of the "old" phone. She decided it needed to be cleaned up a bit and drops it into a sink full of water. Fortunately, we carry the insurance on it, so we filed a claim yesterday afternoon. The replacement phone will be here today... note to self: NEVER let Princess R "take care" of things such the computer, cameras, phones, etc.. They may end up cleaner, but.....

Fortunately, I had already emailed some pictures that I did not want to lose to myself. Here are a couple of old, but treasured pics:
My sweet Sam...

Sam, Rachel, and Noah outside Chili's - October 2005

January is already gone?

2009-02-01T23:24:00.003-06:00

It seems like I was just starting to count my blessings at the beginning of the month and now the month is gone!! Life has been as crazy and hectic as ever - maybe even more so - but it is good!! January brought several changes for us. I went back to work - at least temporarily. i was offered a temp job in the business office at the college. I am really enjoying it and am praying it will turn into a permanent position. It has really been a good thing for all of us. The kids have adjusted very well to the the change. Rachel loves her babysitter. Noah really enjoys her as well. She was a true God send. She has two boys that go to Noah's school, so I am able to just meet her there in the mornings and drop both kids at one time. She stays at the school with Rachel on Tues and Thurs for speech. Like I said, the kids both like her and I can feel good that they are content and well cared for while I am working.
Working 40+ hours a week has made us change our routine a bit, but it has helped us implement a stricter schedule and routine which is good for us all.

One thing I would ask everyone to pray for is Ellen, Roscoe's mom. She had an episode a couple of weeks ago with seizures. The ER visit revealed another recurrence of cancer, this time in her hipbone. She was transferred to the Hospice Center. There, they were able to get her pain under control. She is doing some better and will be going home tomorrow. She will still be under hospice care, but she is happy to be returning to her house. She is still very ill and very much in need of prayer. Also, pray for Roscoe as he tries to help care for his mom and family during this time..

One of the fun changes that came in January was a new hair cut! I went a couple of weeks ago to get a hair cut and told the girl to do "whatever" - I just wanted something different and updated. This is what I got:

I love it!!

Well, I have ot go!! Tomorrow is Monday and the beginning of another work week!! I hope everyone had a great week!!!

Today's bleesing:
God's generous provision
I am so blessed to know that God always provides what I need and what my family needs. Although I may whine and complain about hamburger instead of Rib eye steak, I still have more than enough satisfy my hunger and nourish my body. I have a warm bed, a roof over my head and clothes to wear. God is good!!

Today's blessing:

2009-01-04T22:03:00.002-06:00

Today's blessing is my church home. We have been so blessed through Emmanuel Baptist Church in so many ways. We have found a loving church family that has taken us in, loved us, and given us a safe place to grow and heal. I am amazed at how God has blessed this church in so many ways! We are a growing congregation and it is so fun to be a part of a growing church!! The congregation is one of the most diverse groups of people that I have ever encountered! We have retired ministers, missionaries, retired military, bikers (Christian Motorcyle Association), and our pastor is even a retired police officer!! There is always someone interesting to talk to and something new to learn about a brother or sister in Christ!! Oh, and speaking of our pastor, Bro. Bill is simply the best. He has only been preaching for a little over three years, but God has truly blessed him and is blessing his ministry. He preaches God's word with confidence and strength. He has a true pastor's heart and his love for his congregation is so apparent, and his love for the Lord is even more visible. He has been a real blessing and encouragement to us. Then there is Bro. Billy, our worship minister. He is one of the most talented men I have ever met. He can play anything - and I mean anything- on the piano. I love to hear him sing, and he is always sensitive to the spirit of God in leading our worship. He also teaches iur adult Sunday school class and does a terrific job!!
Well, I could go on and on, but I think you get the idea... We love our church home!!

Today's blessing

2009-01-03T22:25:00.002-06:00

Today's blessing:
My family!! Both my immediate and extended family.I have the best husband in the world, not to mention some really terrific kiddos!! I love them with all my heart. I also have a family that is unique in every respect. They certainly make life interesting!!!!

Happy 2009!!

2009-01-02T09:43:00.002-06:00

Well, it is a say late, but Happy New Year to everybody!! I hope all is well and blessings abound in the new year.
We celebrated rather quietly. We stayed home, ate cheese dip, and watched a movie. (I picked up the movie, Dunston Checks In from the $5 bin at Wally World - it is REALLY cute!!). After the movie, Rachel crashed, but every one else toasted in the new year with a glass of Sparkling Grape Juice. Then we all headed to bed...
Yesterday Grandpa and Del and Joanne and Samantha joined us for a dinner of Black-eyed peas, fried cabbage, and ham. It was good food and even better company. It was a great way to start the new year.
Today Roscoe had to work. Rachel and I are going to go eat lunch with him. Then i just plan on working on getting the house back in order and working on laundry. The weekend is the end of Noah's Christmas break, so we need to get back into the swing of things. We have a birthday party to go to tomorrow, and then we will try to just hang out and have a bit of family time. Sunday will be busy with the usual church activities.

Something I REALLY want to concentrate on in 2009 is recognizing my blessings rather than whining about my percieved problems. So, for as long as I can, I am going to try to post at least one blessing a day.
Today's blessing:
My savior- without God's love and the saving grace of our Lord, my life would be totally hopeless and pointless. But because of the gift Jesus has made available to me, I have hope, purpose, adn peace in my life. I pray that all those I love will have/find that same peace in the new year!!

updated pictures of the munchkins!!

2008-12-29T13:38:00.003-06:00

Well, I finally took the time to get the kids in the studio and take a few updated pictures. They actually cooperated and I got some great images!! Here are a few of my favorites:

Ho Ho Who?

2008-12-18T21:57:00.004-06:00

It has been a VERY busy and hectic week. I hope to have time to update the blog this weekend. I just had to share a couple of quick pictures!! Tonight was Noah's program at the school. It was a Christmas program - so guess who made an appearance!? Rachel was thrilled to see the jolly ol' man!! Too bad Roscoe "missed" seeing the man in red...

Does he look at all familiar?

A fun song for the next 12 days!!

2008-12-12T20:09:00.000-06:00

I thought this was funny!!

Where has 2008 gone?!

2008-12-03T11:37:00.002-06:00

WoW!! Can you believe it? Christmas is in 22 days and 2009 begins in less than a month. I just don't quite know where the time has gone. Lots has happened since I last updated the blog. Rachel no longer attends HeadStart. We have put her in Speech through the early education program. She goes up to Noah's school twice a week and works with Ms. C. In the last few weeks since we changed, we can already see a lot of improvement and we are very pleased with her progress. Rachel is missing being with other kids her age, so I think after the holidays we are going to put her in a Mother's Day Out one or two days a week.
Noah is doing great! He got new glasses a few weeks ago. His eyes had gotten considerably worse over the last year. They had to put a prism in his right lens. He is doing much better about keeping up with them and wearing them like he is suppose to. He is now in the Gifted/Talented Program at school and is doing really well. He seems to enjoy the extra challenge. Right now they are working on reports about wild animals. I thnk his choice of animal was the lion. So I am sure we will all be laerning everything there is to know about lions soon!!
Roscoe is still working to get the engine change in his pickup complete. Hopefully it will be done soon!! I am ready to have my husband home on Saturdays for a change. He is getting excited about finishing it up!! My husband's favorite toys are his vehicles!! :0)
We had a nice Thanksgiving. It was a fairly quiet day. There is so much to be thankful and grateful for!! We also ate lots of turkey and dressing and pumpkin pie!!YUM!!

We are now gearing up for the holidays!! We bought our tree Sunday evening. It is not decorated yet... That will probably happen this evening. The whole downstairs smells so good!! That is the best part of a "REAL" tree!! I am also going to try to get new Christmas pics of the kids today or tomorrow. I will post those as soon as I have them ready!!

I hope all are well!! I will try to do better about updating the blog! Pics will be posted soon!!
Have a great holiday season!! Have fun, and remember the Reason for the Season!!

Fall is nearly here!!

2008-10-21T23:21:00.002-05:00

The weather the last several days has been gorgeous! Today was really nice and cool! I love this time of year. I can't wait for the leaves to start changing.

We have had a busy several days! Roscoe is still working on his pickup on the weekends. i hope it is ready soon! This past weekend I got to shoot a wedding. The bride was so calm and it was a lot of fun to shoot! Watch the photography blog for a sneak peek soon. This week we are getting ready for the Fall Carnival at Kate Haynes. Then, next week, we have a Fall Festival at the church. The kids are really looking forward to them. We are ready for all the fall festivities! Last night we harvested seven pumpkins from our garden. After loading them in the wagon for a few pictures, we picked the ones we wanted to keep. Then we loaded the rest in the car and delivered them to friends - Alissa, Paige, J.R., and Abby!! (I'll post pictures tomorrow!!)

Well, I finally have a home studio!! I am excited and hope this will get me motivated to really get on the ball with the photography business!! If you want to have family pictures done for the holidays - NOW is the time!! Give me a call to book a session!!

That is about all that is going on right now!! It is late and I am headed to bed!! I will try to add pictures tomorrow! Good night!!

Catching up!!

2008-10-09T22:59:00.004-05:00

Wow!! Where has the time gone? I can't hardly believe it is already nearly the middle of October! Time just seems to fly by lately.
The kids are settling into their new classes. Noah has an awesome teacher this year and he really seems to be enjoying school. We recieved his progress report yesterday. As of right now, he has two 96s, a 99, and a 100. I am really proud of him!! He is reading up a storm and making steady progress in the AR program.
Rachel is learning and growing so quickly! I don't know what I am going to do with her... She is really trying to stretch her wings and testing the limits on a regular basis!! LOL! Right before school started she decided she wanted her hair cut short. I cut it one night and we all just love it. It helped make her hair look much thicker and healthier. It is also just a lot easier to take care of!

Life has been busy and hectic, but over all it has been good. Roscoe has started on changing the engine in his pickup. He is excited about that and has been working hard on getting it completed. We have also been busy at the church. We recently started a children's d.t. reograms called P.A.W.s (Princesses and Warriors) Seek and Learn. I am responsible for it. We are concentrating on teaching the kids that because they are Princesses and Warriors in Christ they must have a higher code and expecctation of behavior. We are also spending a great deal of time learning basic and age approriate Bible skills. We are working through a book, How to Study Your Bible for Kids. It is a great book. Noah is enjoying it very much. More importantly, he is learning alot about how to study the Bible. He is also hiding God's word in his heart. The memory verses are pretty meaty adn he is conqueroring them like a champ! In the last few weeks he has memorized 2Timothy 3:16-17, Titus 3:1, Luke 15:7, and 1John 3:10.

I have spent quite a bit of time lately working on the house! Tremendous gratitude and thank yous go to my friends Tiana and Sandi for all their help!! Today we cleared out what used to be the downstairs playroom. It will soon be transformed into my home studio!! I am SO excited! If you are thinking about having pictures done, please give me a call! The studio will be up and running very soon!

We are looking forward to a family get together here in a few weeks. Then it will be full fledged holiday season. I am starting to think about the holidays and making a few plans. We are doing a Christmas mini-musical at Church. I am sure there will be many activities that will fill our calender in the months to come!

It is getting late and tomorrow will be busy as usual. I am heading to bed. I will close with some updated pictures of my two most favorite subjects!!!

Here a few of the kids from a recent session:

Here are a couple of pictures of Rachel and Noah:

the final Swim Lesson

2008-07-14T16:55:00.004-05:00

Well, the kiddos wrapped up this summer's swimming lessons this morning. They had a lot of fun and may have even learned a few skills in the process!! Here are some pictures from today final sessions:

rachel took the Water Orientation Class

Noah was in the Advanced Beginner class:

An amazing book

2008-07-12T09:03:00.003-05:00

Last week I read the most amazing book! (Thank you to my friend Judy for reccommending it!) I would encourage ALL of you to read this book. It is a fictional story, but I promise it will have a profound effect on you. It really made me realize how we try to view God through a box and tend to place so many limitations on Him, especially when we can not understand "why" things are taking place. This book has been an important factor in my renewed desire to truly know God more! Without giving away the plot, I still would like to share on of my favorite "Ah-ha moments" from reading this book: the main character in the book is having a conversation with Jesus and the dialog turns to how hard it is to be "like" Jesus. Jesus goes on to explain that being "like" Him is NOT what He desires of us - what He wants is to for us to let HIM live THROUGH us!! Wow!! Am I guilty there!! I have tried so hard in and of myself to do what I think Jesus would want - you know - WWJD... and so often I feel I am spinning my wheels and simply fall short... How much easier is it to step back and instead of trying to do it myself, allow Jesus to LIVE through me. To me that is such a liberating realization!! So.... go out and buy the book and read THE SHACK!! You won't regret it!!!

Alright, the advertisement is over!! LOL! We are having a laid back Saturday morning. the kids are watching cartoons and I am spending a bit of time on the 'puter. Roscoe has gone over to Al's to work for the day. He is anxious to "earn" this engine and get to work on his pickup. He had hoped to do a honey harvest this evening, but after checking the haves last night, he feels it will be a few more days!

Todays "Get Real" list:

1. I HATE alarm clocks!! I am an incurable night owl and, as such, am not a morning person! So, I admit that, unless I have an appointment or some other commitment, I do not normally get up in the mornings with my sweet hubby.

2. I tend to spend way more money on Rachel than Noah. Those cute little girl clothes and hair thingys and jewelry are just so fun!!! I have said for a long time that the Lord was so wise to only give me ONE girl - for so many reasons!!

3. I pout! Period.

4. I place place too high expectations on myself too often... then feel like a failure when I can not maintain them.

5. When I start a good book, I will do nothing else but read until it is finished...

Have a great weekend everyine!!

Can you "GET REAL"?

2008-07-10T22:34:00.004-05:00

I found a blog through another blog of a friend of a friend...

Confused yet?

...anyways, there was a challenge posed to "get real", to admit those things about life that fall so far short of perfect. The idea is to help encourage our friends and loved ones and brothers and sisters realize they are not alone. Sounds good, right? But it can be scary to admit those short comings, even those they "might" know about!! But it can be a bit liberating as well! So for the next few posts (at least) I am going to include a "Get Real" list. Why don't you get on board and join me!! As the original blog said, we can learn to be OK about it not all being OK.

So here goes my first list:

1. I love my children and my husband and my life, but sometimes I feel I have lost "my" identity - there are days I want to just be Jennifer, not "So-and-so's Mom" or Roscoe's Wife... fortunately those days are few and far between and usually very short lived!!

2. All too often I speak before I think and sometimes I end up hurting someone I care about without meaning to.

3. I tend to be very insecure about way too much... the list is too long to make, but trying to get over what other's might think is way too hard for me in so many areas of my life.

4. I have two definite addictions - chocolate and the computer!!

5. I hate staying at home all day. Even if it is just to run to Stripes to get a Dr. Pepper, I need to go SOMEWHERE!!!

OK - that is the list for today...

We have been very busy for the last week or so! We have had swim lessons and the kiddos are doing great!! Noah has finally conquered his fears and goes off the diving board and down the slide into the deep end without a second thought!! I am really proud of him!! Rachel on the other hand, has developed a new found fear of "drowning" and won't hardly jump in the pool. She will float all over and dog-paddle all over the pool. She just won't jump in... we have two more classes left- we will see what happens!

We had a great 4th of July!! We went to Derry's farm up in OK. The kids had a great time and we had a wonderful, private fireworks show. It was really nice to see family that I had not seen in a very long time and to become reaquainted!! Here are a few pictures of our fireworks.

I was really pleased with the way the pictures came out! I try each year to capture the magic of the 4th of July fireworks and feel this was my best effort yet!!

I did learn one BIG lesson on our trip: I am way too old to sleep on the ground, even inside a tent!! We WILL be purchasing an air mattress before our next camping trip! LOL!

Well, I am off to bed! Tomorrow will be a busy day: swim lessons, lunch with Roscoe, running errands, trip to the pool for the afternoon, meeting with a client to view a wedding venue, then hopefully some family time tomorrow evening. I hope you all have a wonderful and blessed end of the week!

They discovered FireWorks!!

2008-06-29T21:02:00.003-05:00

Well, it finally happened!! Noah and Rachel had their first up close experience with fireworks! Ever since the stand across the street opened, Noah has been begging us to get something. Last night we gave in and bought about $10 worth of stuff - sparklers, smoke bombs, etc. - all pretty mild stuff! So, here are a few pictures of our evening!!

Recent Happenings!!

2008-06-17T18:33:00.005-05:00

It's summertime, and while life has been a bit more relaxed, it has still been busy. We have spent days at the pool, gone to the library, attended a family reunion and just had a lot of fun in general. Noah is enjoying the reading program and activities at the library. He has already turned in his first log for 5 hours of reading time and has already logged an hour on his second log sheet. Rachel is enjoying her dance class and thinks she is quite the ballerina princess.
Here is one of my favorite shots from the Reynolds family Reunion this past weekend. Rachel definitely has her own unique way of eating watermelon!!

We really enjoyed the reunion. Roscoe had a good time exploring the farm and found a real treasure in his eyes. Here are some pictures of an old car the used to belong to my cousin Butch:

I thought they turned out pretty neat! Roscoe actually liked these in black and white. We may be going back up to the farm for the 4th of July, so hopefully I will get some more fun pics. There are all sorts of neat old things to photograph up there!

Have a great rest of the week! I will try to post again before the week is over!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

2008-06-09T19:41:00.002-05:00

Today is my Mom's 59th birthday.
She has been near my heart all day, and my awareness of her being "gone" has been very acute. That being said, I also realized today that Mom is more "with" me than ever. I see her in the strength and independence my children possess. Those are both traits she taught me and I have tried to pass along to my children. In ways I may have been TOO successful. I see her in the way I view my husband and how I appreciate the things she loved so much about him. I also see her in myself. I sometimes joke about turning into my mother, but I would consider myself blessed if that were actually the case. I find myself saying and doing things and thinking afterwards, "That was something Mom would do!!" Sometimes it is surprising, sometimes it is inspiring! My Mom is a wonderful, loving lady who taught me so much about life and loving your family and friends. I look forward to the day I will see her again and have the chance to thank her for all she taught me and just to say, "I love you, Mom." For now, I send this simple wish - "Happy Birthday, Mom!!"

Busy week!!

2008-06-05T22:31:00.003-05:00

We have had a busy week!! Monday the kids and I ran errands and then went to the swimming pool. Tuesday we went to eat lunch at McDonald's with my friend Tiana and her three girl. From there we went to the library for their YoYo demonstration (needless to say, we had to go buy yoyos before the day was over!!LOL!) Yesterday was spent playing with cousins and just kind of hanging out. We also baked some peanut butter cookies which we took to church to share. Today we had the cousins here again. Rachel also attended her first dance class this afternoon. she really enjoyed it and is excited about going back! Let me tell you, for 45 minutes of entertainment, you need to watch a preschool dance class in which half of the girls are first-timers!! It was quite humorous! I did manage to take a few pictures and am sharing them here in a slideshow. Please forgive the quality of the images - they were taken through a window with a film over it that made it hard to see through. My camera had to be set at ISO3200, so the pics are very grainy/noisey. BUT - they are what they are : memories of Rachel's very first dance class!

Tomorrow, we are planning to visit Roscoe at lunch, go to the bank, and then go hang our at the pool for a while! Oh, and I am hoping to squeeze in a quick trip to the farmer's market!! I am so wanting some fresh tomatoes and a canteloupe!!
So, that's about it for our first week of summer vacation! I hope everyone had a great week!!!

School's out...school's out...

2008-05-30T14:57:00.005-05:00

We did it!! We made through our first year with both of my kiddos in school!! Rachel graduated from the HeadStart Center last Friday and Noah finished up 2nd grade today! It is hard to realize that Noah will be in 3rd grade and Rachel will be in Pre-K next year. Why do they grow up so fast?! It just seems like yesterday we were picking out baby names and thinking about starting our family.

Rachel had a great year and learned so much! She made a lot of friends and really enjoyed the social side of being in school. Here are pictures of her on the first and last days of school:

Noah had a very successful year! Today at the 1st and 2nd grade awards assembly he recieved several recognitions - "A" honor roll for the entire year, "A" conduct for the entire year, and Reader Hall of Fame (he completed 3 grade levels- 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, and began Nonfiction tests) for our Accelerated Reader Program. I am very proud of him! He worked hard and made straight "A" for the entire year. Yay, Noah!!! Now to relax a bit before gearing up for third grade. Next year will bring a few challenges and changes - our third graders begin changing classes as well as take their first TAKS test.
Here are Noah's pictures from the first and last days of second grade:

I think tonight we are going to celebrate the end of a great year - maybe dinner at our favorite place and then a $2 movie (Horton hears a Who). I hope you all have a great evening. Watch for snippets of a busy active summer from the Dunn family!

My treasures, my joys....

2008-05-26T22:03:00.003-05:00

Just thought I would share a couple of shots from today! Summer has arrived! It has been sunny and hot the past few days. The kids are ready for the pool! I am too!! Just a few mmore days before the official start of our summer vacation...

My little graduate...

2008-05-26T10:31:00.002-05:00

Rachel graduated from her HeadStart Center on Friday afternoon. They had the cutest little ceremony. They sang three songs, including "What a Wonderful World". Then we went inside for cake and punch and to watch a slideshow of pictures from the year. I am looking forward to a fun summer with both Rachel and Noah. Next year Rachel will attend a "dual-enrolled" HeadStart Pre-K at Huey Elementary. She is growing up so fast!!

Next week, Noah will have his awards ceremony at Haynes, so I should have some "end of the year" pictures of him to share!

Maybe Yeager's Not So Useless...

2008-05-23T10:02:00.003-05:00

Maybe... just maybe...Yeager might redeem his "useless" status by letting me use him as a subject. I have been trying to "break in" my new 30D. (By the way, I think I am in love!!LOL!) The kids are sick of me and take off running when they see me with camera in hand. Not Yeager though!! He will let me take all the pictures I want - as long as I don't insist he wake up or sit up!! So here are a few of our Useless Yeager!

These were taken with my 30D w/ my Tamron 28-75 lens. I am getting used to the camera and am LOVING it!!

We have a busy weekend ahead of us! Today, Noah has field day at school. I am going to pick him up early so he can go with me to Rachel's graduation from HeadStart. Then this evening we have a Block Party at Kate Haynes (Noah's school). Tomorrow we have Roscoe's BeeKeepers' Picnic. Then of course, there all the other things to get done over the weekend, and then church on Sunday... but it is all good, and should be some good family time!!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!! I will try to post some pictures from the weekend's activities soon!!

America's Got Talent: Terry Fator - What a Wonderful World

2008-05-17T21:52:00.001-05:00

We love this!! Terry Fator is so talented and this is just a sweet song!! I hope you all enjoy it as much as we do!!

Doin' the Happy Dance

2008-05-16T21:35:00.005-05:00

I am soooo excited!! I finally got the opportunity to upgrade my camera. I found a great deal on a refurbished model. It came today and I think I am in love!!! LOL! The poor kids have been cahsed around for most of the evening. For now I will just post one of each of them!!

Oh!! I forgot to share news about the newest member of our family - well for a little while anyways! I would like for you all to meet Fisher! He is a Lab-mix (I think) who had to find a new home very unexpectedly last week. He is a really sweet, overgrown (about 100+ lbs) baby boy. So far he and Max get along alright. Max is pretty willing to share his yard, his food, even his swingset. The pnly thing he isn't too sure about sharing is Roscoe!!!

Laura Ingalls or Nellie Olson

2008-05-15T13:05:00.002-05:00

So, here is the story:
We were having an "old-fashioned" day at church a couple of weeks ago. I decided to make R an old-fashioned, Little House on the Prairie style dress. Of course, I was remembering how sweet Laura and her sisters looked in their dresses on the show - which was one of my favorites as a child. When I had finished it and we were out on the porch taking pictures, I asked Roscoe, "Doesn't she look like she belongs in Little House on the Prairie?" His response - "Yeah, she makes me think of Nellie Olson." Can you believe it? Humph!! Anyway - here are a few pics of my little prairie princess!

It's MOM'S Weekend

2008-05-10T09:53:00.002-05:00

Well, in case I don't get around to posting it tomorrow - Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful women/mother figures in my life. You are all very special and mean so much to me!!

Here is my all-time favorite UTube video. anita Renfroe is hilarious and I think captures Mothering Young Children in a nutshell!! If you have seen this you will want to see it again. If not, you will love this... Enjoy!!

Bitter-sweet blessings

2008-05-01T21:00:00.002-05:00

Yesterday afternoon I pulled out my good ol' film Rebel to laon to a friend. I had not used that camera in nearly four years. When I got it out, I found there was a roll of film in it. I shot the last few frames and dropped the film into my purse. This morning I took it in to have it developed. The pictures were from a fun day at Crockett during Sam's kindergarten year. The pictures were not the greatest quality, but it was a sweet memory. It was good to see images of my sweet little man laughing and having fun with his friends. I miss so much, but I know he is laughing and having a wonderful time in Heaven and I will see him again and be with him for eternity!! I also know he is with the one and only One who could love him as much as Roscoe and I. So... here are a few glimpses of the sweet blessing I recieved today.

My little man

2008-04-30T13:38:00.002-05:00

Since I have posted so many pics of Rachel lately, I thought I ought to share one of Noah. He isn't as camera crazy as Rachel. Actually, I usually have to beg, plead, and bribe to get a good picture of him. This one was taken yesterday on the front porch. I was just lucky - this was the only one he let me take!!

He is growing so quickly! He loves Cub Scouts, reading (especially nonfiction), Pokemon and Digimon, and riding his bike. Noah has a sweet spirit and gets very frustrated when he can't do something perfectly - the first time!! Anyhow, he is growing up and I just know one day soon I am going to look up and my sweet little boy is going to have turned into a young man!!

A Stitch in time...

2008-04-29T16:25:00.002-05:00

Well... maybe! I have been continuing to work on Rachel's summer wardrobe. I have really enjoyed sewing for her. She is so funny! She will ask, "Did you make this for ME?" Then she gets so excited and dances around and then wants to put it on - right then!! Oh, I know, I know - enjoy it now, because I am certain it will change soon!

Here are a few pictures of Rachel in her latest "Mommy Creation":

Testing a new program...

2008-04-24T12:08:00.001-05:00

Hey there! I am trying out a new program for creating preview slide shows. You can then post them to YouTube. I wanted to try and see if I can manage to then post them to my blog...

Thinking about blow-flowers

2008-04-23T13:43:00.004-05:00

I was thinking about "blow-flowers" this morning - otherwise known as dandelions. When I was a kid, it was so much fun to find a dandelion that had gone to seed and see if you could blow all the fluff off in one breathe!! My kids seem to have inherited that same delight. Sam especially loved this - it was one of his favorite things about spring/summer! With that in mind, I have to tell you a quick story! Roscoe has been so diligent in visiting the cemetary and keeping every possible weed off of Mom and Sam's graves. Last year they really looked nice. The other day he went out there to check on them. When he got home, he came in and said, "You're not going to believe this!" When I asked what was up, he told me that Sam's grave was "covered" with dandelions! They had not bloomed yet, but they were definitely there! I had to laugh! I found a little humor and joy in the situation! It just seemed to "fit" the essence of my sweet, mischieveous Sam to have a blanket of flowers that everyone else thought was a weed - he loved them!

OK - don't worry!! I know Sam really did not have anything to do with them being there!! BUT - I could just hear him complaining about Roscoe pulling them up before they became "blow-flowers"! It was a good reminder to me. Sometimes there are weeds in my life that I can't seem to get rid of!! That tends to irritate me to no end! This reminded me, though, that sometimes, if I wait long enough, the weeds will turn to "blow-flowers" and bring me a little joy!!

Have a great day!! Remember - watch for the blow-flowers!

Thoughtful musings of a crazy busy Mom!

2008-04-21T17:09:00.003-05:00

Life just seems to fly by lately. Between school and church and scouts and family get-togethers and garden planting and... well, you get the idea!! We seem to have "stuff" going all the time. I really try to enjoy it as I know these early years will be gone all too soon. There are times, though, that it can all be a bit overwhelming! but we are hanging in!

It is hard to believe the school year is nearly over. Today Rachel came home with information about "graduation" - oh my!!! Next year she will be at Huey for the Head Start Pre-K. I was really hoping she could go to Haynes next year, but that did not work out. One more year, and then my kiddos will be in the same school! She already knows the name of her new school and is looking forward to making new friends.

Noah has been working hard on his Pine Car for Cub Scouts. Our Derby is on May 10th. I will be sure to take and post pictures!! He is really excited about it!!

We had a really busy weekend! Saturday we had Samantha, Sara, and Matthew here all day. It was a beautiful day so they played outside most of the day! Roscoe finished tilling the garden, and Saturday evening we planted some tomatoes, broccoli, banana peppers, bell peppers, pumpkins, and watermelons. We already had onions, garlic, and brussel sprouts growing. We need to get our squash, zucchini, and cucumbers in. Rachel and Noah's favorite things to "plant" the other night were WORMS!! They had more fun putting some red worms in the garden....

Sunday was busy!! After a.m. church we went for Grandpa's 74th birthday party. Rachel and Noah enjoyed playing with their cousins! Then we headed back to church to see ELVIS!! We had an Elvis impersonator and his band come do a concert of Elvis Gospel music. It was alot of fun! We had a full house and everyone seemed to enjoy the show!

This week is shaping up to be as busy as any!! Tonight is Cub Scouts, tomorrow I take my dear MIL to the doctor in Arlington, Wednesday night is church, Thursday night is a fiesta for Rachel's school, Friday is Friday, Saturday we are going to Ft. Worth to get some bees out of our pastor's MIL's house, and then Sunday is church. Then it all starts over again!! But that is our life! (See why I say "crazy busy"!)

Finally, I just wanted to share some thoughts that I have been pondering. In Sunday School we are studying I & II Kings. We have been talking about Solomon the last few weeks. Of course, we have studied about how he requested wisdom and God granted it and so much more. Yesterday, though we discussed some of Solomon's not-so-wise decisions. We talked about how he did not destroy the high places and how paganism ran rampant - even in Solomon's own house. Of course, God then told Solomon how after his death God would take the kingship away from Solomon's son. Then we we looked at the choices Reheboam made, you can see the lasting repercussions of Solomon's actions (or lack there of). When the people asked Reheboam to be a "servant-king", he wisely asked for time to make his decision, but then look at the counsel he sought!! He spoke to the elders, and then to the young men, but he NEVER sought the Lord's counsel!! Then, he foolishly chose to listen to the counsel of the younger men. Now, here are my thoughts on that:
1. If Solomon would have provided his children with clear examples of serving and worshiping the one true and living God, then maybe Reheboam would have at least considered requesting the Lord's counsel when faced with a major decision.
2. If he had grown up being taught about the love and faithfulness of God, he would not considered being an oppressive, cruel king instead of a loving servant-king.

Now, that challenges me as a parent! I need to be sure that my children view our faith clearly. They need to know decisively what we believe and why. I do not want our beliefs to become all mixed up with non-Christian, ungodly beliefs just for the sake of "tolerence". That way they (hopefully) will know what direction to turn when faced with tough life decisions.

OK- I am done for now! But I just wanted to share with you a few of the thoughts that were laid on my heart while looking at the life of the wisest man that ever lived. There is no doubt that God granted him great wisdom, but in his humaness, Solomon still made mistakes! I don't know about you - but boy, can I relate!!

Hope you have a great week and I pray God will reveal His bleesing for you each and every day!!

Rachel is 4!!

2008-04-16T17:42:00.002-05:00

Well, my girl is 4years old now! Sigh... she is growing so fast. Today was pretty out, so after school we put on her "birthday dress" and went out for a few quick pictures. She even took a couple of her own with her own (new) digital camera! (Thank you, Aunt Joanne!). After church she chose McDs for her birthday supper. We had her bday party week before last. It was alot of fun. I will post pictures soon. For now, I hope you enjoy these from today!!

Spring is here!!!

2008-03-27T17:29:00.002-05:00

I just love this time of year! The weather is warming up (it was 92 today! :0) ), the plants are starting to grow again, and there is just a fresh start feeling in the air!
The kids were on spring break last week. When you add in the bad weather days they were also given, they had an 11 day break!! Over that time, we had cousins and freinds over and had a fun time!! On Sunday, we went to Aunt Joanne's after church for a family get together and Easter Egg Hunt. What a great day!! There were 12 kiddos there and many adults. It was a great family get together.

Rachel and Noah headed back to school on Tuesday. So far, their week has been good. I think they both were ready to see their friends and get back into routine. It is hard to believe there are only a couple of months left in the school year. Summer will be here all too soon!

Noah got his report card on Tuesday!! Once again, he did a great job!! All A's with the lowest grade being a 97... he worked hard and we are very proud of him!!

As for me, I am currently on a sewing kick. In the last week I have made Rachel 4 dresses and a jacket, and I have made myself the cutest little tote bag with frogs all over it! Tomorrow I am suppose to make Noah some pj pants with race cars all over them. I will try to post some pics of the kids in their new outfits soon!

Well, I am off to get some chicken ready to go on the grill. It is a beautiful day and we are going to enjoy it!!

I hope you all have a blessed day and enjoy the fresh beginnings spring brings!!

Happy Birthday, Noah!!

2008-02-22T17:54:00.002-06:00

EIGHT IS GREAT!!

Well, at least that is what Noah has been telling me all day!

It is hard to believe that my little man is growing so quickly. He still has the sweetest smile and is so smart he scares me sometimes. He definitely keeps Roscoe and I on our toes. One of the recent lessons we have been trying to teach him is self-control. Roscoe was telling him, "If you do not control yourself, someone else will control you." Good advice, right? Well, Noah, showing a perception beyond his years comes back with, "But don't we want God to control our life?" So, now we are having discussions on God-control vs. Self-control and how they work together. Although, it definitely keeps me challenged, I am so proud of how intune Noah is with spiritual concepts. He is still young child, but in many ways has a greater understanding of the Christian faith than some many times his age!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LITTLE MAN!!

Happy Valentines Day!

2008-02-14T11:49:00.003-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day!!

I wanted to take a few quick moments to wish all of you a Happy Valentine's Day! Noah and Rachel were both so excited to go to school today to share their valentines with friends and teachers! I remember how much fun those school day valentines were.

As I was thinking about Valentine's Day, I couldn't help but be awed by the recurring realization of how much our Father above loves us! He gave us such a precious gift when He gave His son for us. That is so amazing!! Then, He continues to show His love for us by blessing us with family and friends to love and who love us. Isn't my God so great?!?! I hope that today each of you experience not only the love from you sweet-heart, family, and friends, but also the love of a God who loves you beyond imagination!!

Have a wonderful day!!

2008 is off and RUNNING!!

2008-01-26T19:53:00.000-06:00

Princess Rachel

The card says, "Sometimes you've got to kiss a lot of frogs... ...before you find your prince!"

My little man:

Wow! Whare has the time gone. It seem like just yesterday we were ringing in the new year. It is hard to believe we are already a month into 2008! Before we know it we will be welcoming in 2009.

Life has been as crazy and busy as ever. We have already been to 3 birthday parties in as many weeks. Noah is already starting to make plans for his and Rachel asks everyday when her birthday is.

Both Rachel and Noah have enjoyed being back in school and both are doinig exceptionally well. Rachel is working on visually recognizing many letters and her speech is improving daily. Noah made straight As on his recent report card. As a matter of fact, his lowest grade this go-round was a 96! We were very pleased and are very proud of him. He is reading well into the 4th grade level and is a walking encyclopedia on many subjects.

I have spent most of the month concentrating on my photography business - regrouping and refreshing many things. It has kept me very busy. I have also been working on improving my skill. Unfortunately, Rachel and Noah are my most common victims, ummm, I mean subjects. Above are some our most recent images. I hope you enjoy them. If you would like, please leave a comment and tell what you think!!

Time flies!!!

2007-11-26T14:17:00.000-06:00

Where has the last month gone? I can't hardly believe that we are less than a month from Christmas! I am trying to get in the groove and start preparing for the holiday. I also hope to help Noah and Rachel realize that Christmas is so much more than presents under the tree and treats in their stockings...

The next days and weeks will be wild and crazy, but I will try to do better about posting and keeping everyone up to date with the antics of the Dunn family.

One of the first things to do in preparation for Christmas is to take pictures for our card. I have posted a couple of shots from our recent shoot. These are NOT the pictures that will be on our card, but I thought you might enjoy them anyways!

Hope you all have a fun and meaningful holiday season!!

the QUEEN Bee

2007-11-01T13:27:00.000-05:00

Last night, as we were trick or treating, Rachel told me she wasn't just a bee, she was the QUEEN bee. How fitting, seeing how she definitely has the Queen Bee attitude!! Noah dressed as a Bee Keeper. They were so cute! It was a joy to watch them as they enjoyed a treat of childhood. Now, we just have to hide all the "bee food" they collected...

Cub 'N' Pal 2007

2007-10-29T17:25:00.001-05:00

Here are a few pictures from Cub'n'Pal. I hope you enjoy them! We had a great time!!

Fall is on it's way!!

2007-10-17T12:22:00.000-05:00

OH! I love the cooler weather we have been having. I think fall, at least what little we have, is my favorite season of the year. I look forward to the changing leaves, the cool nights, and all the fun activities that come at this time of year. Watch over the next days and weeks... I will post about the fun things we are planning... We have a camping trip, pumpkin patch visits, fall carnivals, and more!

My children, my treasures...

2007-10-04T16:23:00.000-05:00

Recently I gave my photography class an assignment for a shoot - treasure. It got me to thinking. What would I call "treasure"?

Of all the things I have been given in life, my children are my most precious and treasured gifts. There are so many lessons that I learn each and every day just because I am a mom. I learn so much through these innocent little lives. They are always bringing me to new realizations and new perspectives. The most fun I have is often in playing chase around the yard or a board game. The most content feelings are often in an hour spent "snuggling" on the couch and watchng t.v. together. My family is the anchor that the Lord has provided for me to help me stay focused and centered in this world. Those days come when I feel so down and discouraged that I just want to quit, but then I go pick up Rachel and she is so thrilled to see her mommy, or I go to get Noah and he can't wait to tell me he made a 105 on the spelling test I helped him study for. I recognize the Lord's voice telling me, "For right now, for this moment in time, they are your reasons to hang in there. I gave them to you and it is your purpose to raise them in My ways and to teach them about Me." At those times I am renewed and refreshed and filled with both peace and joy. They are my children, they are my treasures...

Life in the hive...

2007-09-28T17:16:00.000-05:00

The kids were out of school today for a staff development day. It was nice to get to sleep in and not be rushing to get here or there before a certain time. We slept in and then just hung out, watched t.v. and "loafed" all day. Of course, Monday morning will be back to reality. Already on the schedule: Matthew will arrive around 6:15a.m., I'll take the kids to school at 8ish, my photography class is at 11a.m., pick up Rachel at 3, pick up Noah at 3:30, PTA meeting at 4:15, Cub Scouts at 6:30, fit in errands and such.... Yeah, I think we deserved a day off!:-) Don't get me wrong! I am not complaining- life is good and I enjoy all that we are involved in, but it was nice to have a day where I had no deadlines and could just enjoy being with my two most favorite kiddos! We had a great time!

This moment in time...

2007-09-20T19:59:00.000-05:00

Wow! It has been such a busy and crazy week. And next week is looking to be the same. We seem to have so many irons in the fire of life - Cub Scouts, school, PTA, Building Bridges, Bees, yada yada yada. We have to be really careful to be sure we prioritze and put first things first. So far, we seem to be O.K. Noah came home today with a 105% on his spelling test and Rachel did well with the Potty Thing at school for the second day in a row. Isn't it funny? With all that is going on, it is the little victories that are the most meaningful each day and are the greatest stress relievers. Noah's mood has been good all evening and Rachel is so proud of herself that she has stayed dry (and clean) and in panties all evening as well. Who knows what tomorrow will bring, but for right now, for this moment in time, all is good in my world.

The Wheels on the bus...

2007-09-17T21:43:00.000-05:00

go round and round,
round and round.

Rachel has been going around the house singing this since the first day of school. She is loving school. My little social butterfly loves being with all the other children in her class. She is learning so much and is really blossoming and growing at an amazing pace.

Bees, bees, bees...

2007-09-14T21:54:00.000-05:00

I was so proud of Noah yesterday!
Noah, Roscoe, and I did a presentation for Noah's 2nd grade class about bees, bee hives, and bee keeping. Noah did a great job and seemed quite comfortable in front of the whole group. He shared many facts about bees. We also showed the kids a bee hive and even let them taste some honey from our own hive. It was alot of fun!!