Let it Snow, let it snow, let it snow!!

The past week has been quite unusual for the Tri Cities....likely over a foot or so of accumulated snow with temperatures ranging from -3 (not wind chill either0 to 20 degrees. We are going to have a warm front come over us with temps in the 40's.....wow, we might have to take out the bikinis!!

Zach making extra money.....helping shovel snow....I did it just to burn

a few extra calories!! Stating in my head, 123...baby weight

must go!!

Pausing for a second to strike a pose together.....

Bad Morning Hair.....

Oh, the many wild hair days for Luke! His hair is definitely his trademark and in the morning, it can be quite crazy.

Here....you can see his wing in the back....

Sporting the twist in the front....

And the torpedo look...

It amazes me that even with this out of control hair, he can still be so darn cute. We have had a blast with Luke the past few weeks. He is growing into having his own unique personality!

Growing Up!!

My little Luke is growing up and getting cuter by the day. I put him in an outfit that was Zach's when he was a baby. The hood covered his hair and all you could see were his chubby little cheeks. It was the first time I really felt like he really looked like Zach. People have told me that and I did not think so, but today it showed. It is interesting that they can change in looks so much over time....anyway enjoy the pictures.....

Smiling for the camera! I absolutely love this pj outfit. He looks so grown up and adorable in it.....
Sliding down the slippery leather chair......

Cheese dog smilin'

Just staring....

I have the most adorable pictures of Luke's "bottom" after this bath,

but I will NOT post them because I am afraid of

child predators...sorry, but my line of work does

this to me...

Look, I can stand up against the ottoman now and I love it.....

Ben Stein....

Chris is far right (and proud of it)....I am moderate.....this election was so much about dollars and figures....for our family it was completely about morals and the hope that God's biblical principle are not forgotten!!

PLEASE READ!!

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning.
Commentary.

My confession:

I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, 'Christmas' trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu. If people want a preacher, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her, 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Katrina). Anne Graham (Lotz) gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'

In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.' Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing yet?
Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.

Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not then just discard it... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.

My Best Regards, Honestly and respectfully,
Ben Stein

Chris and Tiffany follow up with:
AMEN.....
I LOVE THIS.....
May God bless my family and yours.....we MUST keep GOD alive in our daily lives!!

Sidebar.....

I have started a section of my blog called Letters to my Boys. I want to write letters to the boys in my life, including my husband and two children; Zach and Luke. I did not want this to be a part of my original blog and will put it instead as a link on my sidebar. Please feel free to write comments to these postings as I will be saving them to a disc and giving them to our children so they will always be able to treasure the memories of their lives.

I am very excited about this and thankful God has instilled this idea within me as I believe it will be a precious gift for our children.

Letter to Zachary.....

Zachary,
I miss you immensely at this time. Chris is at work and I am here with Luke, watching him sleep through his video monitor. I read so many letters tonight of mommy's who have lost their children. I wish so badly that I could have you for just me. I know this is selfish because you have a wonderful father and I must share you because it is the right thing for you....it's still hard as I want you to always be with "our" family. I cannot imagine the pain that I have put you through having to go back and forth among your parent's homes. You are blessed to have great step parents....Chris loves you as his own. He considers having two sons, you and Luke. It still breaks my heart that you are away from me right now.

I pray that God will show you strong marriage through Chris and I. I pray that you will witness the way love should be and you can be the best husband and father to your (future) wife and children.

You are still my little man!! I am saddened by you growing up sometimes but in the next moment I am so proud of you and all that you have overcome. You are such a good, funny, intelligent, kind boy and I am so proud to have you!!

Love, Mommy

Da, da, da, da, da.....

My little boy began saying dada.....and this is the sound I have heard for the past 30 minutes straight. He says it soooo clearly.....still no sign of mama......