"Bigs" and "Littles"

10 Guarenteed Predictions for the New Year

With all the problems the World is facing, it can be unsettling to the mind. 

Today, I will share with you ten predictions that are true!

1. The Bible will still have all the answers.

2. Prayer will still be the most powerful thing on Earth..

3. The Holy Spirit will still move.

4. God will still honor the praises of His people.

5. There will still be God-anointed preaching.

6. There will still be singing of praise to God.

7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people.

8. There will still be room at the Cross.

9. God will still love you.

10. Christ Jesus will still save the lost when they come to Him.

Isn't it great to remember who is really in control,

and that "the Word of the Lord endures forever." ( 1 Peter 1:25)

 

By: Unknown Author

Fun at the Museum

We visited the Denver Museum of Nature and Science the Monday after Thanksgiving, and enjoyed a Biblically Correct tour of the Prehistoric Journey exhibit.  Lots of "art," very little science (fossils).  We also enjoyed the T-Rex exhibit, and had a close encounter with a tyrannosaurus rex!!!

A New Baby Doll

Josiah surprising Mama with his new baby doll.
(I think Daddy helped with this prank!)

This will be one for the scrapbook!

The rest of August (an overview)

On a rock, in the Big Thompson River

On the rock

Viestenz-Smith Moumtain Park (along the Big Thompson River in the Thompson Canyon)

Great Grandpa w/ two of his seven Greats

Fashion Week in the Baxter Home

What's sweeter than a sleeping baby?  Probably a smiling one!

Mommy strikes again- raw zucchini "chocolate" milk shakes
(chocolate in the kids' minds- let's hear it for the carob powder!)

Okay, well- I did cheat.

A little whipped cream and a chocolate chip or two on top completed the illusion.

Here the kids were creating their own breast pumps. 
The pumps had specific noises, and Silas informed me that his also had an outlet
for the bad enzymes that his body sometimes makes.
That's what you get when mommy does breastfeeding support from home,
and then has a baby to nurse!

More cute kid pix... (couldn't resist!)

Someone got a little tired of taking pictures.

The definition of precious.

Ian likes to stroke the back of his head.  He did that in the NICU, too.

More from August...

2-year old with marker
(the reason Crayola makes washable markers!)
Also an attempt to undress...

Children in the pantry... (or the results thereof!)

Catching up from August...

Ian snoozing in his bassinet during his week stay in the NICU for hypoglycemia.

Our NICU room- one of three that makes it convenient for a mommy to stay with her baby.  He had a "cubby" spot like the other babies during his first couple of days.  How's this for a news flash, though- if you have a baby with low blood glucose after birth, the pressure will be on to give formula.  Formula stimulates the production of insulin, which can further lower blood glucose.  Colostrum and breast milk, however, don't stimulate insulin production.  Ironic?  I think not.  It's a system masterminded by God! 

Discharged at one week and a day.  Praise God for answered prayer!

Home sweet home (one's own bed always feels better than the one at the hospital!).

Fresh-Caught King Salmon... in a Colorado Sink???

Really, and truly???  Is that actually fresh-caught Alaskan KING SALMON in our sink?  In land-locked Colorado?  No, it couldn't be.  Could it?  Look at that pretty skin...

Believe it or not, it really is: caught near Kenai on Thursday, flown into Colorado on Saturday by a nice guy named Rob.  Ate two-thirds of it on Sunday with family.  Mmmmmm... so tasty!  Gotta love the occasional good deal on Craigslist!  The rest of it is now snug in our freezer, waiting to be eaten along with the Sockeye that came to town with the King.

Also from July 2... Mutton Busting!

What is mutton busting, you might ask?  Well, you take your small-sized person (age 3-6), strap a helmet on the head and a protective vest around the torso, and stick them on the back of one of these...

 

Okay, not really since that's actually beef, not mutton.  These are the mean things that get ridden in the actual rodeo.  Let me tell you, they are one ugly bunch of animals!  Here's what the kiddos ride for mutton busting:

Signing up is easy and free; simply show up early and get your name on the list.  (Okay, somebody has to fill out a liability waver, of course, but that's not too painful).  Amelie thought she might have enjoyed riding a sheep, however, Daddy and Mommy thought that getting tossed (okay- jounced) off from the back of such an animal might be a little upsetting for her.  Silas, however, was definitely up for the challenge!

Here he is, purposefully striding toward the chute in his gear (all 34-1/2 pounds of him, plus an extra couple pounds of helmet and vest).  I think the sheep is trembling... (but probably not from fear!).

The people running the event try to match the kids to the sheep- bigger kids get bigger sheep, and smaller kids get medium-sized sheep (no lambs allowed).  Silas got an average-sized sheep. 

Here he comes- clinging to that thick, matted wool for all he's worth!  The sheep basically makes a mad dash from the chute down to the other end of the arena where it is chased through a gate into a holding pen with all of its friends.  Its rider hangs on for all he/she is worth, and usually gets jostled off somewhere along the way.  The really small guys got the benefit of the "clown" holding on to the sheep's wool as well as the seat of their pants.  He'd run with the sheep down the small arena, and then pull the kiddo off, unscathed.  The clown, joking with the announcer, noted that he had once had the opportunity to do some bull riding, but it didn't work out so well because none of the rodeo clowns were willing to hold on to the haunches of the bull and the seat of his pants!

Announcer: Ready to go again?

Silas: Yes!!!

Silas made it about half-way down the sanded arena, scoring an 82.  He was pretty happy about this, since the winner scored an 86.  I'm not sure how they do the scoring for this event, but I'm pretty sure it's a bit more relaxed than the scoring system used in the PRCA events!  He came up wearing some sand, but didn't have it falling out of his helmet like some of the other kids.  Looks like he came away with a pretty good 5-year old adrenaline rush, though.  He's already looking forward to next year's event!

From July 2...

We took the kids to the Greeley Stampede (a fair and rodeo event).  It's supposed to be the largest 4th of July parade and rodeo in the U.S.  We skipped the parade this year, but took the kids on their first rides.  We all rode the Ferris wheel (that was the only ride really appropriate for a pregnant mama).  You can see the looks on the kids faces... and while it doesn't show in the picture, Josiah ended up squeezing/pinching David's arm for much of the ride!

 

Silas was a little unsure about what to think.

David took Silas and Amelie on the bumper cars.  Silas (note the look on his face) was out to get everyone while David sat back and pushed the "go" pedal for him.  Amelie was more comfortable sitting back next to Daddy, giggling and content to let him drive.

They got to enjoy a few other rides, as well, and Josiah took his first trip around on the carousel.  He thought that was pretty neat.

 

He told us he couldn't wave; he needed to keep his hands on the handle bars of his 4-wheeler.

Amelie, however, had no issues whatsoever with driving one-handed in order to wave.

Just because God made it so...

"If a multinational company developed a product that was a nutritionally balanced and delicious food, a wonder drug that both prevented and treated disease, cost almost nothing to produce and could be delivered in quantities controlled by the consumers' needs, the very announcement of their find would send their shares rocketing to the top of the stock market. The scientists who developed the product would win prizes and the wealth and influence of everyone involved would increase dramatically. Women have been producing such a miraculous substance, breastmilk, since the beginning of human existence..."

 

-- Gabrielle Palmer, in The Politics of Breastfeeding, London: Pandora Press, 1988, page 1.

Colorado's "Monsoon" Season

We are having a monsoon-like pattern of weather here in Colorado- unusual for this time of year.  The meteorologists say it is because of warm moist air being directed our way from the Gulf of Mexico.  It's meant a lot of evening/night thunderstorms and deluges of rain.  Here are some photos of the weather over the Denver area, taken by Aimee's brother, Aaron.  It's supposed to last through this week (along with upper-90 to 100-degree temperatures...).  Ketchikan looks pretty good... summer highs in the upper 60's (maybe 70), and no tornadoes!

Lightning over Denver, CO

Funnel cloud over downtown Denver.  This is what you call a tornado warning!  To my knowledge, this one didn't touch down.

 

 

Clouds over the Amalgamated Sugar Company in Brighton, CO.