Christmas PJs

We took the kids to Overland's Christmas Farm tonight where the whole farming village is lit up with 2 million lights. The kids loved it! It was COLD so we got hot chocolates and warm cider. The kids rode a christmas train, and we saw horse-drawn carriages, a model train village, a candy shope, a kettle corn shope, a big bonfire where we warmed our hands, and an antique toy barn where a Santa listened to the kid's LISTS of things they wanted for Christmas. It was a great night. To top it off, the kids were surprised by Nana and Papa's traditional Christmas PJs and they were SO happy and snuggly with them on tonight. Thanks NANA AND PAPA!!!

Happy Birthday Uncle Dan!!!

Happy Birthday Dan! We are SOOOO glad you were born (Um..TWENTY TWO years ago!!)

Reasons we love you like crazy...
1) You're a hard worker.
2) You genuinely care about what we say when you ask us how we are.
3) You are thoughtful and courteous.
4) You love us, and you show it by trying to be around whenever we come over.
5) You are really good with the kids and seeing you with them makes us so proud of you.
6) You are the best beach buddy and movie buddy John had growing up.

We can't wait to see you next month...

Love,
John, Chelsy, Mary, Scotty, Zach

Blessing just for me...

I had a BIG sectional test scheduled for this morning. It was in a class that is particularly hard for me because the teacher is unorganized and throws out random comments that we need to connect with things he said a few minutes ago - and it's cardiology - which is a deep subject anyway.

I studied as much as I could over the weekend and didn't really cover all the material I wanted to because I was really trying to understand and not just memorize. Well, I took off Sunday and didn't study, even though I knew I needed to, because I have always tried to avoid studying on Sunday - my grades are always better when I keep the Sabath Day holy. I prayed last night and had a very good prayer, probably the best, longest prayer I have had in years. I asked for His help to magnify what I had studied and help me to be able to cover the rest of my material before the test. So I got up at 10 min to 3am and went to school to study for 3 hours before the test...I quickly skimmed everything and made flash cards to quiz myself, but i barely remembered what I studied. I was really scared. Then - my teacher came in and said that the tests won't print out and asked if we could take the test in a few days instead... I knew without a doubt that Heavenly Father intervened for me. I could feel it! I still have to put in my time studying, but he answered my prayer and helped me have time to "cover all of the material before the test".

He hears our prayers. I testify of that...

John

Scotty & Mary

Zach Pics

Zach loves to sit at the piano with me and will come running from any room in the house if he hears me playing. This kid loves music!

Halloween in Pennsylvania

These kids had so much fun at Halloween...We painted pumpkins for Family Home Evening, and took the kids Trick or Treating from animal to animal at the Zoo in Pittsburgh a few days before the actual trick or treating on Halloween.

But my favoite part of this holiday was seeing the kids getting candy especially Zach, who learned to say "Thank You" at every house we went to. He was SO tiny and running from house to house - so cute. He was just DELERIOUS with JOY to be getting all that candy!!

Mary was a good witch, and she kept complementing people when they gave her candy! She was in such a good mood, and grateful, that she kept telling people "Ohh! I love your sweater...and your stairs in the house look beautiful!" She was cute. However, Scotty, dressed as Superman with muscles, didn't like waiting for her to chit-chat at every house, so he let her know she was wasting time! Zack was a little pirate.

Mary's Birthday!

Mary had so much fun on her Birthday! She wanted an under the sea party so we had fish floating on invisible string, fishing for prizes games, caribbean limbo, and fun leis from Hawaii to wear. I used my Halloween costume of Jack Sparrow to be the host and Chelsy had really fun decorations and treats for everyone. Mary got a book about drawing cartoons step-by-step, which she LOVES and uses almost every day! And from her Nana and Papa and Grandma and Grandpa Shipp she got a dress for church (pic to come) and a pet paradaise with all sorts of cute little animals.

Thanks for her fun birthday presents!!

Summer Break Trip to Grandma and Grandpa Shipp's House

Summer Break Trip to Grandma and Grandpa Shipp's House

This trip to see Grandma and Grandpa was amazing! Grandma and Grandpa Shipp are such WONDERFUL grandparents and take such good care of us when we're there. Our kids had fun being read to by Great-Grandpa Shipp and Chelsy and I loved staying up late and watching movies with him because he always has the FUNNIEST comments to the movies!!

We went to the boardwalk and to the Adventure Aquarium in NJ where we got to pet SHARKS and other sea animals! We also visited the "Please Touch! Children's Museum" were the kids had a lot of fun running from exhibit to exhibit.

Update for my friends at 21C...

We take vacations when I have breaks between semesters, since I don't have a job to keep me busy, and we visit my parents in NJ about 4 hours away. We have been to the beach a few times, and we have a lot of fun visiting children's museums, aquariums and zoos, and amusement parks. It's a good way to re-charge before the next semester starts again.

Zachary's Birthday

Zachary turned 1 on May 9th... he went to town on the cupcakes Chelsy made.

More Park Pictures...

Kids Mowing with Dad, Zack at Gma + Gpa Shipp's, at the Park near our house.

Marvelous Mary and Magnificent Mom (Chelsy)...

Our little baby Zack has been very sick with some sort of stomach virus or something. He has been throwing up all day - for about 5 days. Then Mary and Chelsy got it too. It's really hard on a mom to have three kids to take care of, two kids sick, and feeling sick herself...but my wonderful wife did it all. It was hard on her, but she pushed herself! That day, Mary, pale and tired looking, jumped off the couch and said "Mom! I know what I forgot!!" When Chelsy asked what it was, Mary said "I forgot to pray! Heavenly Father will make me feel better..." So Chelsy got Scott and Zack in the room and they all listened as Mary said the prayer for them to get better. Ahh...the faith of a child is so refreshing! It brings tears of gratitude to my eyes to think of the miracle it was, that almost immediately after her prayer, Heavenly Father blessed her and Chelsy to feel like normal. The tears come because I am so glad to know that He is indeed watching over my family, and keeping them healthy...but even more, that He saw fit to answer the prayer of a little five year old who REALLY believed that He would answer - and He did it in a way that Mary could recognize. Mary asked for a PB & J sandwich and she didn't throw up again - which Chelsy pointed out was a direct answer to Mary's prayer.

The faith of a child...