She likes the 4 star hotel.

Isabella really liked the Hilton. She discovered that it came with robes, which she thought was pretty cool. Here she is after a bath showing off her fancy robe.

Happy New Year!

We brought in the new year this year in Tulsa with Grandpa Roger and Grandma Carla. We had a great time up there and it was great to see my dad in the short time he was back in the country. The first day of 2007, we drove to Dallas for our annual Dallas Winter Conference that went from the 1st to the 7th. We stayed at the Hilton and the kids enjoyed having their own room.

Zach and Daddy at the hotel.

Isabella loves to ask mommy to give her a "Piggy Ride-Back."
Here they are having fun in our room.

Fun Lights

There is a place in Warsaw, IN where the lights are synchronized to music that comes in on the radio. The woman who lives there gives out cookies to those who come and watch. Isabella, her Grandma and I went to see them earlier this week. Click the play button to watch a little movie of them in action.

Arms up!

Zach has taken to putting his arms up while he's eating and waiting for everyone else to do the same. He does it, then Liza says, "Arms up!" and she does it and Belle too. If I'm around I'll join in too. Zach thinks it's great.

Thursday progress

Here are pictures from Thursday night.






This house is about 5600 sq feet. The average house in our neighborhood is about 1700. It's just a bit out of place. :-) We left early Friday morning, so I won't have any more pictures until we return to Austin on the 23rd. Sunday morning they did the reveal ("Move that bus!") but we didn't get to see it. Be sure and watch for the Austin show coming up next spring on ABC. When we find out when it will show, I'll post it here.

Homemakeover update

They tore down the house on Tuesday and by that night they were pouring the foundation. We found out from a friend that it took longer for the cement to harden than they expected so on Wednesday they were running 7 hours behind schedule. However, you can see that even running behind they were going super fast.

Here are pics from Wednesday morning when they were starting on the first floor:




By Wednesday night they had made amazing progress:

Zach thought it was pretty cool.

Extreme Makeover "Our neighborhood" Editon

This Sunday we started seeing barricades on the streets near by and police guarding the entries. We saw all kinds of trucks and stuff and as I looked at it all, I told Liza, "this must be Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" Sure enough, it is them and they just knocked down a house about 4 blocks down from us today. It's a house that Liza and I pass by almost every time we go walking. It's so crazy to see these people that we watch on TV right in our own neighborhood.

Liza took the kids today to see the demolition. Here are a few pics from that:

Here is Ty Pennington, the host of the show.

This is Paul, one of our favorite designers doing an interview during demolition.

Liza got there in time to see them clearing up the rubble after they knocked the house down.

Isabella watches as they clear the rubble. She wasn't too sure about the big noises...

It didn't take them long to get it all cleared away.

Zach wasn't real sure what to think either, but he had a good time.

We all went back this evening about 6:30 and they already had the foundation prepared and were bringing in sand. By Wednesday morning, they'll have the foundation poured and start working putting up the house. It really is an amazing process they have worked out!

Sitting and standing

Zach has some happy news to report. Last week while hanging upside down with Daddy, he discovered (with Daddy's help) that he has TWO new top teeth! The left middle tooth is coming in and the one to the left of that one. So, when they come in he'll be a little lopsided. :-)

He is also full out crawling everywhere now, sitting and playing, and pulling up on just about everything.

Playing in the kitchen.

Standing by the couch.

"I'm ready for my closeup dad!"

Making a cake

Isabella had fun helping mommy make a cake for our UT Christmas party the other night. You can tell from this picture that her favorite part is liking the beater....

Story from Thailand

This is a letter than came from one of our students from our region who is doing a one year mission trip to Thailand. It was so encouraging I thought I'd share it with everyeone:

From Amanda, in Chiang Mai, Thailand:

After a nice sort of relaxing week, we spent the next 4 days at our LTI camp. The camp’s theme this year was “More than a follower.” The camp had a total of 239 students from all over Chiang Mai. Of 28 students that were not Christians, 17 of them decided to follow Christ while at the camp. The students studied “To Live, To Die, and To Gain.” The focus was about living your life for Christ, and not just following him, but also sharing your faith with others. There were classes the students went to learn about sharing their faith. The 3rd day of the camp, the students got an opportunity to go out into the town and share their faith with the people who lived there. The students shared with 246 people, and 90 of them decided to give their lives to Christ. The impact these students had on this community was amazing! The students were moved as well. For many of them, it was their first time ever sharing their faith. I had the opportunity to see the students on the last night, all on their knees, praying to the Lord, that they may be able to reach all of Thailand with the gospel. It was the most moving thing I have ever seen. To witness that many students earnestly desiring to see their families, neighbors, and friends come to know the love of the Lord as well was incredible.