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.

Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

Last night we finished putting up our tree. Isabella really enjoyed it. It's taken us all week to finish because we can only work on it after Zach goes to bed and before Belle needs to go down. So, Sunday we put on the lights, Monday we did the garland and Wednesday we did the ornaments. Isabella got to put a bunch on and had a great time. We did discover, however, that when we were done there were about 10 ornaments in a very small space at about eye level.


Every time she would pick up an ornament, she would say, "Where it go?" and then, "Oh, right there." The finished tree. She was quite proud of herself. When we were done, she decided to have some hot chocolate with mommy.

I'm pretty sure she got more on her than in her. :-)

Fun on the farm

On the way back from Houston after Thanksgiving, we stopped to visit some freinds and supporters at their farm in Brenham. Isabella and I went out with the kids to take hay to the cows.

Isabella gives the 6 wheeler a try...

Isabella and I in the back of the 6 wheeler.

Isabella and Mommy go and pet the hoarse. He was very friendly.

In other news, Zach has started pulling up on things like our new dishwasher. On Monday he pulled up on the coffee table and thought he was cool. Then promptly smacked his forehead against it. He didn't think that was so cool. :-)