dress up time for the princesses

pink cowboy boots and sandals
look at those cute tu tu's! (sp?)
tadaa!

piggy tails

our first double french braid

obviously I did not put her in these poses!


not bad for the first time

(okay, so I am enjoying having a little girl, can you tell?)

pictures

look at that static hair!
what a cutie!

isn't that sweet!
Caleb couldn't figure out why his spike is the littlest!

Caleb's quote of the week

Mrs. Rider, Caleb's teacher, sends a newsletter home every week. Included in the newletter is a "quote of the week" from one of the students in the class. So, of course, every week I read them (they are hilarious) and wait to read Caleb's quote.

Here it is:

The students really enjoyed making necklaces with Fruit Loops. Some couldn't resist eating a few as they worked. Caleb S. said to a friend, "Your necklace is long, but I will catch up with you, because you sure like to eat them!"

what a day!

We started with breakfast, followed by the usual haircuts from dad. Just the boys, no haircuts for Micaiah yet. Then we got ready to go to the Indian Hill high school musical, In the Woods. Of course, Caleb wanted to wear his coat and tie. They had a special one act matinee for kids. It was only $15 for the whole family to go, they had coloring activites before the show, meet the characters after the show. The show was a mixture of fairy tale characters with a new plot. They only performed the first act, about an hour and a half, with an intermission. Caleb, Elijah, and Micaiah sat through the entire thing, enjoying every moment of it! It was a lot of fun!

We came home had lunch and daddy and Elijah went to run a few errands while Caleb and I worked on his reading/writing. then Caleb and daddy chopped up our 30 foot tree branch that fell off our tree during the ice storm two weeks ago.

Tonight I went out with some friends to the Chris Tomlin/Matt Redmen concert with speaker Louie Giglio. It was excellent. I walked away with the reminder to embrace surrender. Surrender to God's best for my life. Not what I want, but what He knows is best for me. It was a good reminder and so encouraging that I can rely on Jesus to help me through the days and life's decsions.

A great day.

great pics from back in Dec.

how do you like our homemade train! not sure how the engineer got the middle seat?
hard to see, but this is Micaiah's first pony tail, at 15 months!
auntie amy in australia (as we refer to her) and uncle damian with the kiddos
ashlei, amy, and me. this is our annual...we are together in one place let's take our picture..photo
my aussie sister! ohh, I miss her so. why did God have to make Australia on the other side of the world? there is plenty of room in the Pacific Ocean for Him to have put it a little closer to the states, don't you think?

pictures

there is a entire couch, they love to be close!
Caleb dressed Micaiah the snowgirl
and Elijah the snowman

he is listening AND learning

yesterday Elijah and Caleb were playing and Caleb was not sharing.

E: but remember God says we need to share with one another and Caleb is not sharing!

WOW, on Monday afternoon I took Elijah out to run a few errands, we called a date, read lots of books the book store and headed to Starbucks for some chocolate milk before heading back home. One of the books we read was on sharing and how God wants us to share with one another.

he just soaks it all in!

Sleeping Beauty

a few weeks ago Caleb's preschool had an outing to the Arnoff Center to see a professional ballet for only $5 per ticket! so we decided to go as a family. Caleb loves to dress up so we all got really dressed up! the kids have very fancy hand me downs. Caleb wore a suit coat and his favorite bob and larry tie, elijah wore a collared shirt and a vest, and micaiah a suit dress. they all looked stunning, sorry no pics. Micaiah was conked out by the time we got back home. and of course, we forgot to bring our camera. well, anyways the boys loved it!! they watched 2 hours of a ballet with daddy as the commentator. Elijah talks about it all the time and wants to go back! it was a fun experience!

this is hilarious!!

we went to the ballet last week to see Sleeping Beauty, I will if to blog about it later, I forgot.

so this morning we are getting ready for church

Elijah: mommy are we going to the ballet, the one with the monsters, not the girls. Do you know which one I am talking about? (Sleeping Beauty had what Elijah called monsters come onto the stage dancing when they cast the spell)
me: yes I know which one, but we are not going there today we are going to church
E: but mom do you know which one I am talking about?
me: yes I do, Elijah you crack me up
E: yeah I do, right there mom (and he points to a wrinkle in my forhead!)

more sledding

aren't they cute!
as Peter pulled them up the hill, I took pictures and video, laughing hysterically as first Caleb fell out, the Elijah layed on his back and then Micaiah layed on Elijah's belly. It was hilarious.
Micaiah just chilling out (no pun intended)
Amy and Micaiah going downt the hill
Elijah was a quite daring! He had a great time! look at that face

sledding!

Micaiah's first sledding experience! she loved it!
here we all are! can you see us?
Caleb pulling his sled up the hill! way to go muscles!
two peas in a pod, i mean sled!

they are soooo sweet, and soooo funny!

I enjoy my kiddos sooo much! they seem to always make me laugh and smile. I can't believe how much joy they bring me.

Elijah always says, I love you when you say it to him, and recently he has begun to look into my eyes and say, I love you. What a sweetie. He is so darn cute!

During the winter I keep the recycle bins next to the back door so I can just toss the stuff out the door and into the bin. So, the other day Caleb grabs the milk jug out the fridge, pours himself a glass of milk, finishes off the jug, opens he door and pitches the jug out the door! I just laughed histerically! I am so grateful he wanted to put it where it belongs when it is empty, but I'm not sure if he knew it goes in a bin and not out the door. (of course the back porch is a mess and I don't always get it in the bin every time:o)

I am really enjoying teaching Caleb to read and doing devotions togehter with him. We have all enjoyed making Valentines for everyone under the sun! If you didn't get one it is probably because I stink at mailing things, not because they didn't make you one. sorry.

Caleb and Elijah are playing while Micaiah is sleeping and they keep pretending to sneeze. So when I turn around and look at them they are saying pepper makes me sneeze, they put it up to their noses and let out a big sneeze. only it is not a pretend pepper shaker it is a pretend green pepper!! (laughing out loud)

my Valentines

well at about 3:00 on Valentine's Day, I called Peter, and a few friends to let them know I got the best Valentine's Day present every!!!! Micaiah took a two hour nap!!! she always sleeps for 45-60 minutes, usually twice a day. I am hoping she is switching to one nap, that is one nap with an actual extended amount of time for me to do stuff!!! yesterday back to one hour nap, but today she is already at 90 minutes, yipeeeeee!

but my best Valentine came later...Peter took me out on a wonderful date. We went to dinner and topped it off with a nice chat at Starbucks. We had a wondeful time and I got a very very special present! I don't like to brag, so I thought my blog was a good place to share. I know those of you who read would want to know (or at least I will pretend you do). so, Peter designed me a very special necklace, now I am not big into jewlery so I was quite shocked and nervous to get it. The necklace is absolutely beautiful, but not the best part of the present. It is a agua marine stone in the shape of a tear drop with three diamond baggets (sp?) under it. The best part is the thought that went into it and what it represents. The blue tear represents the love that has grown through the tears of our fathers, our love can withstand any trials that may come, and finally a recommitment to leading me spiritually (the Bible refers to washing of th word). The three diamonds are the products of our love, Caleb, Elijah, and Micaiah.

I have the best husband in the whole world! thank you God for such a wonderful man.

great books, from a non-reader

okay, so I don't like to read, I find it a waste of time, because I have such a "productive" mindset, if you want to call it that? but whenever I sit to read a book, I do enjoy it.

so a few months ago I read, Francine Rivers, Redeeming Love. A book everyone should read, especially women! It is SOOOOOOOOO good! hard to put down!

and now I am working through two books, both small and about very specific topics.


The Treasure Principle, by Randy Alcorn. about joyful giving. excellent

A Grace Disguised, by Gerald Sittser. the best grief book I have read so far, excellent!

and Caleb and I are going through a great devotional for preschoolers: Devotions for Preschoolers, by Crystal Bowman. really short daily readings with Scripture, prayer, and application.

that's all for now.

trying to decipher what God is teaching me...

my mind keeps going and it won't stop! so here goes my random thoughts.

I just keep thinking, where does God want me right now? what am I to be doing with my life? In so many different aspects.
I have been out of my women's Bible study since Micaiah came home, it was just too much, she wasn't ready for the childcare provided, but she was too old and noisy to sit quietly and not distract everyone while we studied. I plan to go back on Tuesday and am sooooo looking forward to it. To being around my friends, to learning and studying again with a great group of women, to be challenged and encouraged by them, and to lean on them when I need to, to know they are praying for me, I am ready to be back!

I used to teach 4/5 grade girls sunday school, lately over the past 4months I have been in the nursery to help Micaiah adjust, she's doing great so I don't need to be in there anymore. If I could choose, I would like to serve in the 3 year old class, but I don't want to be Elijah's teacher, simply because he benefits so much from having a different teacher. soooo, where do I go? I used to lead the women's Bible study I am in, but I am eager to be lead rather that lead at this point.

I think I want to be a part of something that get's women connected more, coffee on Sat. mornings, girls nights with my friends, mom's groups, but how would a mom's group be different than our Bible study full of mom's? something? we are in a couple's small group and I love that!!

my great friend Shelley sent me these verses, I love them! great timing shell!

be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I'm asking God for one thing, only one thing: To live with him in his house my whole life long. I'll contemplate his beauty: I'll study at his feet. That's the only quiet secure place in a noisy world. The perfect getaway, far from the buzz of traffic. Psalm 27:4-5

How grateful I am to know my fathers are there now!!

and today my little flip calendar says,

And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Romans 10:15

How am I to know I have been sent of God? First, by the realization that I am utterly weak and powerless and if I am to be of any use to God, God must do it all the time. Second, because I know I have to point men to Jesus Christ, not get them to think what a holy man I am.

WOW!!!!

and of course, Caleb going to kindergarten? Elijah going to preschool? I really want Caleb to get connected to some of his classmates he goes to school with.

on and on and on, gotta run.....

(Peter's dad) Art's obituary

Art Sutton
February 6, 1937 - January 25, 2007
Ralph “Art” Sutton, 69, of Batavia, died at his home on Thursday, January 25, 2007 surrounded by his wife, Rita and their children, Amy, Peter and Christopher. He was born February 6, 1937 in Grand Junction, Colorado, the son of Ralph A. and Beatrice (Rule) Sutton
Art was a graduate of Westminister College in Salt Lake City, Utah. He had served in the United States Navy. Art and his wife, Rita moved to Batavia 29 years ago where they have raised their family. He was a member of Valleybrook Community Church in Elburn. They were members of First Baptist Church of Geneva until they joined the team to assist in planting a sister church, Valleybrook Community Church.
Throughout his life, Art was devoted to the Lord and to his family. His life was spent for others and he freely expressed his love. He was known by his family for his legendary pancakes, his love of golf, his big bear hugs, for never saying an unkind word to or about anyone, his generous spirit, his unconditional love for others, his love of football especially the Bears and his love for Sammy, his faithful dog. For the past 13 years, he hosted a small men’s group at 6:00 A.M. every Saturday. They met around the coffee pot to read the Bible and pray. His many tax clients became personal friends, devoted to him.
Art is survived by his beloved wife of almost 33 years, Rita; his loving children, Amy (Jeff) Clark of Batavia, Peter (Jocelyn) Sutton of Cincinnati, Ohio, Christopher Sutton of Aurora; his grandchildren, Brandon, Megan and Timothy Clark, Caleb, Elijah and Micaiah Sutton; his sons, Bob, Rick (Michele) and Scott, all of Salt Lake City, Utah and his grandchildren, Lindsey, Van, Zack, Noah, Tyler and Paxton and one great grandson, Kade Sutton and his sister, Annette (Marvin) Mitchell of Sacramento, California.
Art was preceded in death by his parents.
A visitation will be held from 4:00-7:00 P.M. Sunday, January 28, 2007 at the Norris Funeral Home, 100 S. Third Street (3 blocks west of the Fox River and 1 block south of Rt. 64) St. Charles.
The funeral service will be held at 10:00 A.M. Monday, January 29, 2007 at First Baptist Church of Geneva, 2300 South Street, Geneva with Rev’s Brian Smith and Peter Sutton officiating. Burial will be in Westside Cemetery in Batavia.
Contributions in Art’s memory may be made to the family, 100 S. Third Street, St. Charles, IL 60174.

On Tuesday January 23, we decided it was time to head back to IL once again to be with Peter's family. We arrived Tuesday evening. Art had been in a coma since Saturday afternoon. We spent two days at his bedside, giving our good bye hugs and kisses. On Thursday evening I took the kids over to Amy's house to get some energy out and to watch Amy's kids so she could go visit with Art for awhile. While I was there with all the kids, Rita, Amy, Chris, and Peter were at Art's side as he peacefully took his last breath. Chris asked a friend to come over to Amy's to watch the kids and I joined the family just shortly after his death. I got in the car to head to Peter's parents home, thinking I would burst into tears, and all that came out was, thank you thank you God, thank you. Art had suffered so much since his diagnosis of stage 4 bone cancer in late August. I was grateful he was finally at peace and excited for him as he entered heaven and met Jesus! The tears came, but we all seemed to be so overwhelmed with excitement for Art and relief that he was no longer in pain. On Sunday evening the wake was attended by over 400 people, most waited over an hour and a half, and on Monday morning Peter, Amy, Jeff, and Chris, as well as a few of Art's friends spoke at a beautiful sending off and farewell. Tuesday, Rita wanted to take the kids to the zoo. It was 10 degrees, and the wind chill was below 0. We had a nice time though, and only saw indoor exhibits. It was therapeutic for Rita. She is doing very well, though she misses Art very deeply.