Homosassa Wildlife Park

Our staff team got away this past weekend for a little retreat to celebrate the summer. We spent Friday morning walking around the Homosassa Wildlife Park. It was the perfect amount of park - short boat ride, a few animals, a manatee show and then lunch! I realized when we got home that we actually did not get any pictures of the zoo part just these - oh well!

Around the House

Madison is so resourceful - who knew this beach chair would double as a great seat for her scooter!

Ash actually let Madi hold ger for once without pitching a fit!

Father's Day Prayer

A little Father's Day prayer...ok this will be the last one for a while....

More Prayer

I never saw this "tractor" on the beach but I am glad she was thankful for it!

More Prayers

I love how Madison has been catching Daniel take these videos- ha!

Prayers

Daniel and Madi had just returned from a morning prayer walk where they actually did not pray but instead just looked at things outside - I love that she realizes they forgot to pray on the prayer walk!!

Kid Prayer

Kid prayers are the best!

Happy Father's Day

I think all our cards home to our dad were late but I did manage to get Daniel some special treats from the girls. Madi wrapped them up in a really cute plastic, CVS bag and tied them (kind of) with a pretty ribbon. She loved helping him open them because she knew he would share the "gems" with her - sour patch kids and swedish fish - we also threw in some ink pens to mix things up a bit becasue Daniel has been on this new kick of trying to find a pen he really likes. Madison colored him a really nice card - you can see her name on the right side of it in the pic!

Daniel really is doing a great job with the girls. He loves geting down on their level and playing with them, reading to them, training them in obedience and loving on them often! He is also quick to look for opportunities to serve me when it comes to them whether it's carrying one of them when I am exhausted or giving consequences when I amd "done" for the day and cannot handle another whiny, complaining attitude. Working so closely with college students, I hear so many stories of dads who were never there physically or emotionally, or were there but were physically or emotionally abusive. It breaks my heart because it really does effect the way they view God and themselves and others today. I am grateful Daniel is committed to being there for our girls and loving them as best he knows how with God's help.

PS How much does Madi continue to look just like her daddy????

Clear Water

You would think after living here for a month we would have some pictures of us at the beach but yesterday was the first day we actually remebered our camera. Unfortunately Ash was not really up for a photo shoot. We will keep trying. On other news, Madi will now play in the ocean by herself and swim. It is sting ray mating season down here right now so she knows to be careful and do the "stingray shuffle" in order to avoid them but everytime she steps on a shell she says " aw, I just stepped on a sting ray" - I think if that ever really happens she will know the difference pretty quick! She is also doing amazing in the pool and is swimming completely under the water for several seconds sometimes while kicking and pulling her arms out of the water like she is doing freestyle - we are so proud of her progress and courage!!! Her head is in the bucket because Daniel found this awesome snail shell and they were trying to get it to come out so she could hold it. Today she dumped all the water out of the bucket and it has died and smells terrible on our front porch - I am hoping Daniel will take care of it when he gets home in a bit!

Girls

We had a Pirate/Ninja Dance Party last Saturday for the students. Madi was not up for dressing up but she did randomly agree to wear this thugged out bandana???? She loved dancing with the students and was really sad when we had to leave because she had a potty accident on the floor after numerous reminders to go potty when she felt it coming.

Pants on the Head

"Pants on the Head, Pants on the Head
Lookin' like a fool
With your pants on the Head"

Clips

Leave it to Madi to go from one extreme to another - first it is no hair bows, clips, etc and now she wants ALL of them! The other night when I asked her what she wanted to do with her hair she told me she wanted lots of clips in it. She brought me an entire handful and was set on having me put them ALL in her hair. I was not exactly sure what to do with them or how to do them for that matter so I did the best I could - here is the result. The foil crown is leftover from the students who were doing creative skits to ask the girls on project out on dates.

Steps

Well, Ash finally decided to try and walk at least few steps in those awesomely chubby legs yesterday...hopefully more will follow soon!

Piggy Tails