Frog Prince

Jonah took the girls fishing at the neighborhood pond.  His favorite thing to do is fish for bullfrogs.  You take a red bobber and wiggle it in the water.  Something about the color is so fascinating to the frogs that they can not help themselves but swim after it.  This frog that the girls named "Bob" actually swallowed the bobber and was scooped up in a net and brought home.  Jonah egged the girls on to kiss it.  Although they weren't afraid to hold it, neither really wanted to put their lips on it.  Jonah got Stella to hold the pose and just after the picture was taken, Adrianne pushed the frog into her lips!  What a pesky sister thing to do!  The frog only had to live in our pool for about 5 minutes before it was determined that he would never survive being manhandled by the girls and so he was set free.  This frog after all, was only a frog.

Fire Ladies

We went to visit Daddy at work.  I do love having pictures of the girls at the fire station.  It will be really cool if one day, one of them becomes a "fire lady" as Stella calls women firefighters.  They are so proud of their dad.

Little Firecrackers

 

I've finally become brave enough to attempt taking pictures on the manual modes on the new camera.  It is a challenge to me to try to look to see how they are turning out and make the necessary adjustments while keeping my "subjects" happy...in the mood...present (Charlotte just crawls off).  I thought these turned out pretty cute even though the perfectionist in me is disappointed that I didn't even think to get matching outfits for the girls.  I mean, hello, how many more years do I have where I can convince the sisters that dressing alike is cool?  It is only 4th of July people (really just reassuring myself).  Man do I have 3 beautiful girls!

 

Among the very best

I know this is the time of year when everyone says generic statements about how their husband is the best dad and I love hate to brag, but I have to say that this man, Jonah Lang is truly that.
He is not just a great man as evident by even just the moment I met him.  He was kind, funny, respectful.  He instantly sought to be a peacemaker in my family.  True story, on my grandmother's deathbed she took my hand and said to me: "Becky, I just want you to know how much I love Jonah."  Those were her last words to me.
He has always been a hard worker and has done whatever it took to support our family.  I have always been impressed by his humility.  Even working jobs I felt were beneath him when times were tough. 
He is a hands on dad.  Dancing, tea parties, little house on the prairie play...taking our girly girls fishing and hiking, dirt digging.  He is a rock star to them and they yell and holler when he gets home from work.
The most impressive thing about Jonah is that he is a lover of me, which I know is a very difficult job at times.  He is ever patient with my stubbornness and my sassy moods.  Here it is, 11 years after our wedding and he is still in full pursuit of my heart (He already has it, but shhhh....I'm enjoying the chase).
What did I ever do to deserve this man?
Happy Father's Day to the real World's Greatest Dad!

Miss Piggy

Oh Charlotte... you're hair is amazing.  You are way way ahead of the sisters in the hair department.  I have to hold you with my legs while I attempt to brush that sweet little red fluff into cute little pig tails.  You are the cutest baby on the planet.

Solo

 

A few weeks ago, our Mama Cat had 6 kittens.  One died right away.  Then she disappeared into the forest with them and we didn't see them for a month.  Last Friday when I came down in the morning to get Adrianne ready for school I heard the sound...tiny meowing coming from outside.  There she was a tiny kitten sitting alone on the back porch.  I had no choice but to leave her there.  I was hoping that Mama Cat was just out bringing the other kittens back up too.  So for several hours the poor thing cried and cried.   Finally I gave up and went to the vet for a bottle and kitten milk.  It was a frustrating process trying to get her to eat and I would say that I was in a losing battle.  The girls were so delighted by the kitten's arrival but I warned them that we would do our best but even then the baby kitten might not live.  There is nothing more distressing then hearing your 4 and 6 year old praying with eyes squeezed shut and hands folded that Jesus would help their kitty.  The next morning the Mama Cat was back on the porch.  I brought her in to the kitten, but she didn't want to have anything to do with her.  She would just hop out every time I put her in.  So I held her down so the baby could nurse.  When Jonah got home from work, he followed the Mama down in the forest to see if he could find the other babies.  He did manage to find her "nest" and there they were, all dead.  We've been able to continue to catch the Mama and make her nurse to the point where is now willing to do it on her own.  The girls are calling the kitten "Rosie" but Jonah wants to name it Solo since it the single survivor.  Don't you love the crazy eye smile Adrianne has?

Kindergarten Graduate

Adrianne Dianne Lang is now a Kindergarten Graduate.  When I informed her I would be crying at her ceremony, she sighed, rolled her eyes and said: MMMOOMMMAHHHH! in a very 15 year old girl way.  Her amazing teacher, Mandy Seibert, said it best when she related their growth to the metamorphosis a caterpillar goes through to become a butterfly.  This year I have watched my little girl grow and change and transform.  I am so proud and am in wonder that she once was this tiny dancing toddler and now is a confident happy child.  A first grader!  Holy Cow!