The Powers Pics - Fall 2007

It is that time of the year again where I make several (emphasize SEVERAL) attempts at our yearly family picture. I also try to take a few shots at . . . .oops, I mean of the kids for their scrapboxes (I highly doubt I'll ever get them in a book. At this point I think I am just handing them boxes full of pictures when they leave home. They can sort through them on their own. I have too many pictures! They say the best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time, but the problem is that I can't stop feeding the elephant. He keeps growing!).

Anyway, back to the pictures. Here is a "few" of my favorites from our fall 2007 collection:

The preacher

This is too funny not to share.

We have been bringing Owen into church with us for a while to get him used to sitting in church. He is quite a wiggler, so imagine my surprise this morning when he walked behind the stool and declared, "Dood Mowrning and Wewcome." I really didn't think he payed attention to what was going on around him.

Now imagine my alarm when he started preaching:

(All of these sentences came one after another in no apparent logical order - apparently he was preaching without his notes! I recommend reading them out loud to help with interpretation. They are written in 2 year old lingo!)

"Dod pushed over the truck and went in da airpwane."

"Dod gave me more toffee (interpreted as coffee)."

"Dod didn't drink water and didn't dwaw on the tarpet."

"Open and obey your Bibles and don't det out of church."

"Dod dot a needle in His foot."

"Dod said to dwink toffee!" (picture him pounding the pulpit. . . er stool with this one! I think I could even imagine a few "Amens" coming from his imaginary audience. ;0)

AND THE GRAND FINALE . . .

"This is my Bible. If you want it you tan buy it."

So where do you think he is getting his theology from? His father? I was a bit surprised that he didn't take up an offering. Hopefully there is some grooming planned before he actually takes on a church and gets paid for this!

Happy Birthday, Grandpa

Happy Birthday, Grandpa Powers!

From Carra Goose:
I miss your cats because they are getting chewed by Bandit.
Happy Birthday, silly Grandpa!

From Mikki Doodle Bug:
I miss you very much.
Can't wait to see you at Christmas!
Happy Birthday, Grandpa.

From Brice:
What up?
I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday.
You are the best Grandpa in the world!
Oh, and did I mention that you are the funniest too?

From Owen:
I want to go your house.
Happy Birfday, Pampa!

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

God has truely blessed me, and my whole family with the best man... ever!
You are not only our daddy, but you are our friend, laughin' buddy, jokester, leader, and example! You have shown us how to love, laugh, work hard, and most importantly how to love God! Thank you, daddy, for everything you have given us and mostly thank you for you!
I love you very much! Happy Birthday!

My boys

God has given us the gift of many emotions. With this post, I think you will experience more than one:

First:

No, really it wasn't funny. It was naughty! Okay, it was kinda cute . . . after all I did take a picture before I washed it off. Another minute. Another mess.

And Second:

Brice officially has yet another pet . . . he calls him Templeton . . .













And yes, it is a rat . . . .

(I'd be interested to know what emotion that conjured up . . . ;0)

Apparently rats make the best pets because they are intelligent, can be trained and don't bite as much as hamsters and gerbils. Not only that, he was cheaper.

Hopefully they eat better and have a greater resistance to rocks being thrown at them than Brice's previous pets.

Now I just have to find a rat-sitter by Christmas . . . any takers? (If no one volunteers, I may just have to leave him with the neighbor . . . Okay, Donette?)

Delirious

This week Owen spiked a fever ranging from 103-104 degrees. At first we greatly enjoyed the sweet, compliant child that emerged in spite of the raging fever, but then he became a bit delirious and then it was comical.

He would be sleeping (seemingly) soundly and then would suddenly sit upright, look around and say things like, "I was in the bus under the water."

Buff would ask, "Oh, and what were you doing there?"

"I was mowing the grass."

Or he would divulge information such as, "My daddy goes outside naked," and then lay back down and go to sleep. (My friend's response was, "Well, his name is Buff . . . .")

Other times he would appear to be telling a story, but it would have no logical order. "I went downstairs and swam in my shwimming pool and the dog ate my sandwich and the bird was in the sky."

"Oh, really? When did this happen?"

"Yeah, then we went to church."

Lest you worry about the child, the fever is gone and he seems to be back to normal. He is back to screaming for chocolate milk and tormenting his sister.

I think I liked the delirious Owen better!

Photo: Yep, those are his underwear. If you want to know how the potty training is going - take your cue from this picture. . .

Apple Orchard

We made our yearly trek to the apple orchard with a couple of friends - and lo and behold, who did we run into but Ryan and Ruth!

It was a gorgeous day - perfect apple picking weather. Everybody else in the state of Illinois and Wisconsin thought so too. I have never seen the place so busy. It has gotten to be such a big production that I'm not sure we'll venture out there on a Saturday again.

Here are some of our memories:

Waiting to go picking!

This is Owen's "mad scarecrow face"

and his "silly scarecrow" face

and his "happy scarecrow" face

This is the result of my attempt to get all four kids together for a nice fall family shot . . . . No, I don't know where the other two went. (I think Owen is on the other side of the tree).

Hey, now why didn't I think of that? Can't you just sense the silence?