Sugar and spice...

...and everything nice, that's what little girls are made of!

Check out Madison's expression... she is just too funny!

This little one is a living doll!

Happy times at church!

Ladies Day Out

Randy was good and brave today when he babysat for Brandon, Austin, and Luke. They went out for pizza and went to the Aviation Museum in Farmingdale. And even though the boys were so very good for him, Randy is asleep on the couch even as I type this...

Clockwise from the top - Randy, Austin, Brandon, and Luke.
Luke - ADORABLE! He'll be two on February 10th.


Brandon and Austin horsing around in the living room.

Snow, glorious snow!

Here's our darling girl catching snowflakes on her tongue!

Today I went to the dentist...

What'd you do?

And then, he kissed her!

Us with the CEO!

Here we are with Scott Tomer, CEO of Your Travel Biz. I had a toothache all night and ended up at the dentist all day today. Hopefully my tooth will be okay and I won't need a root canal. We'll see what the rest of the weekend holds. For now, Advil is my best friend.

I'm glad it's Friday

We're going to PF Chang's to eat (I've been savin' up my appetite for this one!) For those of you who've never been there, PF Chang's is THE very BEST Chinese food restaurant on Long Island. It's not your typical Chinese fast food - more like a really nice American Restaurant (think Cheesecake Factory) with absolutely delicious Chinese fare! Randy's taking me, Abbey, and Melissa there for dinner. Then we're driving into Queens for a YTB (Your Travel Business) meeting. We're expecting over 1,000 people. By the way - YTB's stock is over the $4 mark. Check out the presentation - this company is very worthy of your time. I'll post pictures sometime tomorrow morning. See you then...

Us

Randy and I out to lunch at Chili's this past Saturday. Even though Saturday is just about the busiest day of our week, we always try to do something fun together between all the running around and errands. I can hardly believe that our 27th anniversary is just around the corner!

Adorable...

The "Cuppycake Song" has made its way around the internet for years now. I've heard it so many times, but never did I see the actual clip of the one who sang it - until now that is. Enjoy!

Blog worthy

Every now and again, I will read a quote that really seizes me. Here's one of them:

"Learn to write your hurts in the sand and to carve your blessings in stone."

An excellent piece of wisdom, I think.

Maddy was here.

Here are some pics of the sweetest little girl this side of heaven. Check out Abbey's blog for two more adorable shots.

Abbey's charge

9 am, Thursday morning. More pictures tonight!

The Great Commission

Our beloved missionary, Nathaniel, carrying out the Great Commission in his country. We love you so much, Bro. Nathaniel.

This picture really grabbed me when I noticed the little child staring straight into the camera, with no one else noticing the photographer. Children are like that, wherever you go.
Hungry to hear the news of a Saviour.

More from Frank and Gina's house.

Got pets? Our friends have 4 birds and one dog named Butchie.
Randy with their giant macaw. This bird's beak can bite into your finger with 400 pounds of pressure! Yikes...
Here's Barry. He's a friend to all.
Abbey and Daniella, two very beautiful girls!
Franky and his bird.

At Frank and Gina's

Frank and Gina's computer CRASHED on Saturday. Randy, Abbey, and me made an emergency run to their house in Nassau County to see if there was something (anything!) Randy could do to help. Nothing (not anything!). The computer needs a new main board. Frank and Gina (gracious as they are!) invited us to stay for dinner - and what a dinner we had! Thanks for the great time guys!

Consulting about the computer. Frank's expression tells the whole story.

Gina's 100% Italian kitchen. Look at that tray of ziti! And can you see the sausages behind it? YUM!

Frank helpin' out with the cheese.
Dessert with Mary and Gina!
The perspective from my end of the table. (I know, I know... the image is dark. I didn't have my camera on the proper setting.)

January 5 - Long Island NY

UNBELIEVABLE!

The story goes like this...

Several years ago now, I bought Randy a Stetson for Christmas. It was something he always wanted and it made me so happy to give it to him. Then it happened; he lost it. It was lost for two Christmases and I decided it was time for me to buy him a new one. And so I did. Just as I knew he would, Randy loved his new hat and has been wearing it with pleasure ever since December 25th. On December 29th he went to a friend's house to help him fix his computer. "Nice hat," said his friend. "I have one almost exactly like it." I think you can figure out the rest of the story as shown in the following picture. I'm wearing the "lost now found" hat and Randy's wearing his new one.

Look how they've grown!

Our Sunday School kids on the last day of 2006.

MYSELF...words of wisdom for the New Year

MYSELF - by Edgar Guest
I have to live with myself, and so,
I want to be fit for myself to know;
I want to be able as days go by,
Always to look myself straight in the eye;
I don’t want to stand with the setting sun
And hate myself for things I’ve done.
I don’t want to keep on a closet shelf
A lot of secrets about myself,
And fool myself as I come and go
Into thinking that nobody else will know
The kind of man I really am;
I don’t want to dress myself up in sham.
I want to go out with my head erect,
I want to deserve all men’s respect;
But here in this struggle for fame and pelf,
I want to be able to like myself.
I don’t want to think as I come and go
That I’m bluster and bluff and empty show.
I never can hide myself from me,
I see what others may never see,
I know what others may never know,
I can never fool myself – and so,
Whatever happens, I want to be
Self-respecting and conscience free.

She's a cowgirl!

Here's Madison wearing Randy's new Stetson and proclaiming her new title of "cowgirl."

And I mean she's SERIOUS!

Ringing in the New Year!

We had a great at the Johnston's home on New Year's Eve. What a great party we had after church! We at lots of great food, played games, and rang in the New Year with confetti poppers and horns!

Here's our gracious host, Jeff.
Here's our excellent hostess, Cheryl.
And here are their three kiddos. Justin
Josh
Melissa
Thank you all for your kindness to us as we rang in 2007! We love you.

New Year's Eve dinner with Barry

Randy had soup and salad and Barry had a burger,
I had soup and salad and Abbey had 1/2 a burger (Dad enjoyed the other 1/2)
And Barry paid the tab. Thanks so much Barry! What a great time we had with you.