Bronco Sunday

The day we look forward to more than any day of the week.    Fire up the Traeger and get ready for a little Bronco football.

Everyone gathers in the living room and is cheering for every play.     It gets loud and crazy.      

Lots of balls are thrown throughout the game as the boys make the winning catch over and over again.

The little kids don't always watch the game but they love being part of the action.

I love that the Broncos brings us all together.   We gather around each other and enjoy the afternoon together and that seems to be the important thing.

Children's museum

The boys had a few days off school.   Grandma wanted to do something fun.  "Seize the day" she said. She suggested the Children's Musuem.   I wasn't so sure.  I had mountains of laundry to fold.  But, In the end, Gma won and we loaded in the car and headed into downtown Phoenix.   And you know what?   She was right.  We had a really good time exploring the Museum.

I love this picture of the play structure.  The boys loved playing in here.  Eli crawled way to the top and announced to everyone that it was "Eli's Container". He let everyone pass through only when they said please. 

Gracie was to little to climb way up to the top.  She tried to follow her brothers but was more content to hang at the bottom. 

Owen loved the giant playground.  He could have stayed all day running up and down the structure. 

We had three more floors to explore so we convinced the kids to keep exploring. 

Gracie found the craft section. She found horses to make and walls to paint.   Oh she loved it!

There was also a music room and lots more to explore.  

 

The Pizza oven.  Gracie had so much fun in the kitchen.  She spent over and hour making me pizzas and shopping in the market.   

While Grace cooked the boys found a noodle maze with Grandma and Pop and spent time running around and getting lost.

Don't you love the art on the ceiling.  Forks, spoons, and utensils. 

We soon got hungry and I decided to try a southern home style restaurant in downtown  Phoenix called Mrs Whites.   This I must confess was quite an adventure.  When we ordered drinks we found out the only thing they had that day was bright red Kool-aid.  I'm not sure that my kids have ever had Kook-aid and of course they loved it.   All except the huge glass that Grace spilled all over the table.   The food was delicious fried chicken, black eyed peas, and corn bread.   It was the kind of place you remember forever.  The kids will never forget that all the customers wrote on the walls and there was a picture of Mrs White who started the restaurant.   It was an experience! 

Amazing Grace

My sweet Grace is 3 today.

Everyday she amazes me.   I love her free spirit.   I love her messiness.   I love her all things princess and pink.   I love that she wears party dresses and wrestles and sword fights with her brothers.

  From the moment she arrived I was amazed.  Amazed that God's plans are always so much better than mine.

Because deep in my heart, I always wanted a little girl.   I secretly dreamed about having a daughter.   As each little boy arrived my secret wish was tucked deeper in my heart as I embraced being the mommy of boys.   My heart opened and grew with each one and I was content to be the mama of boys. I was so excited for another little boy.   I didn't know any different and it felt so right.  Yet, God knew and caught me by surprise.

 

 She arrived with all things pink and I adored her.   What were we going to do with a little girl?  We were all a little tentative except Owen.   Owen adored Grace like nothing I have ever seen.  He held her and loved her like only a big brother could.   Their connection was instant.

 As she grew we were all amazed.

 Her smile brightened every room.   No one could ever be grouchy when Gracie smiled at them with those two bottom teeth.   From the moment she could walk she was running after her big brothers.  Never slowing down because she was too little.

 

 Always in a dress as cute as could be!!   You never knew Grace was just a toddler.  To her she was just one of the boys.

 

 With energy and fire and life.  Grace changed our world.

 

 

 Happy Birthday, princess Grace.   Never forget that you are God's gift of amazing grace to each of us.

 

Three

Grace Marie Dahl is celebrating her 3rd birthday.  She is celebrating with all things princess and pink and sparkly.    My little party girl has been talking about her princes cake for months.  Waiting for the day she could blow out all the candles and open her presents.   It was so fun watching her last night with all her friends at her party.

"Grace, how old are you?"  everyone would ask.   Without missing a beat she would tell everyone "I am 4".   So funny.  I think my 3 year old just wants to be 4!

Secretly, I want to keep her 3.   I want her to keep dreaming about princesses and wearing party dresses everyday.    

We were so blessed to have so many come and celebrate with us.   We had the party at a park in our community and it was so fun!

From the moment we arrived Grace kept running up to me saying "Mom, it's not time for cake yet."  "Right?" She was so patient waiting for that moment when she could have cake.  And, when it was finally time she was so exited!!

Happy 3rd birthday, sweet Grace.   We love you very much!

The unimaginable moment

 

 There was more beauty in these 4 days that words can ever express.   4 days that would have never existed without the unimaginable.   The unimaginable that doesn't go away.  The unimaginable that changes everything.   The unimaginable that we will never understand

Yet, it led us to this cabin hidden in the trees and it allowed us inside to love bigger. 

We do things that we wouldn't have considered before.    We rent cabins.  We fly and drive across many miles.  We take time and we learn how to savor each moment.

 We suddenly know what is important.   We know how we want to spend our time.

This moment and all the moments to come are cherished more deeply.

And we share with our kids.   Not in words of knowing but by being together.  

In this picture perfect place that God created for us. 

A place so beautiful it takes our breath away.  Even out the picture window of the living room.

 Because this is where the normal everyday moments become sacred.

 Because this is where the normal everyday moments become sacred.

 Moments enjoyed by the edge of the river with a rod in hand.

Or on the top of mountain where nothing else matters.

So, I leave you with this one last moment.   This moment that was captured and speaks 1,000 words.  The unimaginable moment that changes everything.