My Parents...Published Authors!!!

Many of you know that my parents have a full-time marriage ministry called REAL LIFE ministries. Over the past twelve years, they have gone from Illinois to Michigan to California to Colorado...from full-time jobs to full-time ministry. They have taken many big steps of faith as they have followed where the Lord has led them.

They have been working on a marriage book for the past few years and it is finally published. I have a copy of it, and it's just fantastic. If you are looking for a great book on marriage, this is the one you need! Seriously. If my endorsement is not enough to sway you (which it should be!), check out the endorsements from Josh & Dottie McDowell (Campus Crusade for Christ), Dick & Dee Eastman (Every Home for Christ), Dr. Gilbert Bilezikian (co-founder of Willow Creek Community Church), or Ben & Lauretta Patterson to name a few...

Check out their ministry and website at http://www.reallife.us.com/. You can order the book directly from the website.

Congratulations on the book, Mom & Dad! I love you and am so thankful for both of you.

Chicago Here We Come...

The kids and I headed down to Chicago this past weekend to visit family and celebrate my sister Cate's graduation. She just finished her Masters in Social Work at UIC. She also found out that she won the PACT fellowship in Boston. Only ONE social worker is placed each year, and she got it! We are so proud of her! Way to go miss Harvard fellow!
Curt drove down on Saturday (after winning the first annual Amy Winter Memorial Golf outing...way to go, babe!) Andy, Al & Amanda...I wish we could have all been there. We can't wait til next year!

It was great to visit with my Gram, my aunts, uncles and cousins and of course my mom and dad. We even fit in a trip to the zoo. Too fun!

Gracie & Pop Pop...

Gracie and Nonie...

I made Gracie a tutu!

Tiny dancer...

Gracie & Daddy

Gracie's new outfit. She thought she was quite the supermodel!
Stealing Auntie Cate's shades...
Checking out the Rhinos at the Lincoln Park Zoo...

When we got home...Joel had his very first dentist appointment. He did fantastic! The dental hygenist was very sweet to him and let him play with the water squirter and air blower. He thought it was great. She was actually able to do a cleaning on him which is more than we expected. She said he was amazing for a three-year-old! As we were driving home, he was flossing his teeth in the back seat telling me how important it is to keep your teeth clean!

Feeling Better and Tulip Time...

Well...it's been a good few weeks and a bad few weeks. On one hand, both the kids ended up with nasty ear infections. Gracie even had a perforated ear drum (poor baby!). We were supposed to fly out to Dallas on Saturday to visit Colleen and Trey, but that trip got cancelled. So, we were seriously bummin' over here.

On the other hand, the kids are starting to perk up. We even got to head over to Tulip Time and meet up with Auntie Cate and her friend, Tracy. It was a lot of fun. The kids loved seeing Cate, and I tried to get some good tulip pictures. We love Auntie Cate!!!

We also had some fun playing over at Nik's house today with the kids. Here are Joel and Layla checking out a rolly poly bug that was desperately trying to get away from them. He finally fell down the crack in the driveway...lucky bug!

Here is the J-man in action! We were teaching the kids how to play hop scotch. They were having lots of fun. Niki had them hopping on one foot, skipping, walking like bears...all kinds of fun stuff. Before we knew it, it was time to come home for naps. Time flies when you're walking like a bear. Um...Nik, can you and the girls come over every day?

And here is Joel on his new bike (thanks, Nonie & Pop Pop). He thinks he's really something! He loves riding down the driveway. Going up is another story, but he'll get it down pretty soon.

Hope you are all having a wonderful week! I am looking forward to visiting with all my EG family this weekend at Cate's graduation party!