Dinner Out with the Kiddos

Last night we ventured out for a "Family Fun Friday" evening with the kids. I say "ventured" because mom and dad failed to pay attention to the weather and drove our family out into the middle of a pretty significant thunderstorm. Sooooo, we got a little wet in the process, but as you can see from our pics, it didn't dampen our spirits. A little Chilis goes a long way with us (ok, Cole had McDonald's chicken nuggets, but he did eat some of mom's fries). We finished off the evening at home with some games and giant cookies. Fun stuff.

Flowers and Things

We've got some really nice flowers blooming around the house these days. We didn't plant them and really haven't done anything to sustain them--that's probably why they look so nice! Just thought I would share this with you. If you're a horticulturalist (or would that be a botanist - I don't know), maybe you can tell me what they are because I haven't a clue!

On to other things, I was reminded through some devotional readings this past week that we have an enemy who is very strategic in his plans to move us away from God. One of his most potent strategies is to get us focused on what we don't have. It worked well in the Garden (See Genesis 3) and its pretty effective today. No big sermon here, I just thought I would encourage you to take some time this week to stop, look around, and soak in all the God has put around you (much like our flowers). Take some time and make a list of all that you do have, and then thank God for those things. You might even share the list with the people that mean the most to you (because they'll be on it!). Don't let Satan steal your joy because of what you don't have. Rejoice because of the things you do have.

Saturday, In the Park

Well, today is a beautiful day in Arlington. The sun is out, there's a breeze blowing...a great day for getting outside and on the move. And that's just what we did. Jen and I took the kiddos to a nearby park for some bike riding, picnicing, playground fun. I finally took out my new mtb for the very first time (the old legs are a bit out of shape I must say). I opted to ride to the park while Jen and the kids took the Highlander. We met at the park, geared up, and hit the trail--literally.

About 5 minutes into the ride, Cloe suffered a colossal crash. She took a downhill turn a LITTLE too fast. You can check the pics for a shot of her trail rash. She was overheard later bragging on her war wound to another girl at the playground. All is good, but it ended our trail ride.


After that, the kids had a good time playing on the playground. We packed away some lunch, played some more, and hit the road back home. My legs are still burning from the final hill by our house! For the rest of the day we plan to take it easy, do some chores around the house, and get ready for a day of worship tomorrow.


Check out the rest of the park pics below.