Keeping Up With the Joneses

Evan's Magic Mountain Trip

2010-09-23T16:55:00.000-07:00

Every year, Evan takes a trip to Magic Mountain in Southern California for his birthday with a group of friends. This year, he made some videos of their time in the park.

X2 Ride from Evan Jones on Vimeo.

Goliath Ride from Evan Jones on Vimeo.

Ta-Ta-Ta-Tatsu from Evan Jones on Vimeo.

A Summer of Change

2010-08-09T16:30:00.000-07:00

This summer has been eventful, to say the least. It has brought quite a bit of change for our family. Of course there is the obvious: Anna came home to us on May 5th.

But the changes continue: Evan will be leaving LifePoint Church due to budget constraints. Although, he has not received a paycheck in several months, we put off looking for work until September. We don't know where God intends to put Evan next, but we are certain that He asked Evan to make this sacrifice. We are also certain that we were asked to defer his looking for a job until September. In the meantime, we continue to be blessed by the amazing provision of God. A check we weren't expecting came in. A mother who burries us under mountains of diapers and formula, saving us hundreds of dollars. The fee to complete Anna's adoption was lower than expected. In spiritual and relational matters He continues to provide: great friends, wonderful family, and a strong marriage.

Another change is that Bobby will be starting preschool in just two weeks. It's overwhelming to think our baby boy is already at that point! It does mean a financial sacrifice for us, but we know it is well worth it to challenge and shape our bright little boy.

Finally, Lauren is about to take her leave from us. Her time in our household has been precious. She is such an amazing woman of God. And her help during this tumultious summer has been truly a gift from above. She may be moving out soon, but she will forever be a part of our family.

What a Difference 8 Weeks Makes

2010-07-08T20:50:00.000-07:00

It hardly seems possible that we brought our baby Anna home just a few short weeks ago. Of course, in our sleep deprived haze, it also seems like eons ago. . . ;)

Anna is a little over eight weeks old.
She now weighs 9 lbs, 5 oz.
She is 21 1/4 inches long.

Gottcha!

2010-06-04T18:18:00.000-07:00

A selection of photos of others taking pictures of us throughout the month of May:
UL: Bobby, with his toy camera
UR: Steven, at Taylor Creek
LL: Bryce, at Taylor Creek
Middle R: Amber Terhune, taking professional photos of the whole family
LR: Amanda, at Marla Bay

First Movie: "How to Train Your Dragon"

2010-05-12T17:15:00.000-07:00

In all the hub-bub the last two weeks, I neglected to timely post about one of the most important events in a young man's life: his first official trip to the movies! While we were in Phoenix, visiting Cassandra's family, we took Bobby to seek "How to Train Your Dragon" (in 2D -- because, really, what 2 year old can leave those glasses on?). Cassandra's cousin Jeanette joined us for the adventure.

He seemed to really enjoy the movie until, in the middle of the climatic battle scene, he fell asleep from a sugar coma. Even weeks later, he's still asking to see "Dragon movie." So, we figure we'll probably buy the dvd as soon as it is available.

Overwhelmed with Gratitude

2010-05-12T12:37:00.000-07:00

One week ago today, we brought home our new baby girl. In the last 10 days, we have been truly overwhelmed by the support of our family, friends, and church. Case in point:

This is the ginormous pile of gifts received from Evan's family and Women of Grace this week. And, it's not even all of them: it doesn't include cases (cases!) of diapers, wipes, formula, or hand-me-downs which I already got to put away, and the dresser we were given for her clothes. It also doesn't include the significant number of gift cards we have received to meet our families' needs.

We really can't thank you all enough. We are blessed beyond measure, and not just because all of our material needs have been and continue to be met -- but we are blessed with what is most important in this world: loving children, family, and friends.

Thank You. You are truly our cup of blessing.

"Never lose the opportunity of seeing anything that is beautiful; for beauty is God's handwriting -- a wayside sacrament. Welcome it in every fair face, in every fair sky, in every fair flower, and thank God for it as a cup of blessing."

--Ralph Waldo Emmerson.

Bobby Meets Anna

2010-05-07T10:25:00.001-07:00

Bobby meets Anna from Evan Jones on Vimeo.

Bringing Home Baby

2010-05-06T08:53:00.000-07:00

"Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, 'The LORD has done great things for them.' The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy."

Psalm 126:2-3

It has been an amazing whirl wind of a week. Although we started the adoption process last summer, we had about 48 hours notice that our little girl would be coming home with us. As Evan has said, this is so frakked up only God could have thought of it!

Anna Karis was born on Sunday, May 2d at 1:41 p.m. She was 5 pounds 8 oz, and 18" long. Just one of the many (many) signs that confirmed this was the right choice for our our family was that Dr. Steven Arcangeli delivered her -- the same man who delivered Bobby. Another irony? Although she spent her days at the nurses station, when we were debriefed on her care before discharge, it was in the same room that Bobby was born in.

Birth mother signed the consents to adoption yesterday around 2 p.m. Birth dad should sign next week. We were able to pick her up yesterday around 4 p.m. It took about an hour to go through discharge process, meet with a lactation consultant, and sign the adoptive placement papers. It was so smooth, we were honestly surprised at how quickly it went!

We then took Anna back to meet Bobby, where big brother presented her with a present (thanks John and Tamy), tried to help feed her (emphasis on the try) and then proceeded to promptly ignore her. Except for the gift, it's pretty much been a repeat of that this morning.

She seems like a real laid back baby. But she's a cuddle bug. Doesn't like to be set down for any period of time. After trying to sleep in bed last night, Cassie cuddled up with her in the living room lay-z-boy chair for a solid 4 hours sleep. She's got a real set of lungs on her, and will let you know when she's upset, but she honestly seems more laid back than Bobby.

We know this entry is a little later than expected, and that some of you wanted calls last night, but we didn't get home till almost 7:30. Then our primary focus was on the adjustment of our children. So we plan to call you over the next few days.

But life doesn't stop: Bobby has his first dentist appointment in just one hour!

Home Study Approved

2010-02-25T15:26:00.001-08:00

Just an update: We are now homestudy approved!

Adoption Update #2

2010-02-03T08:54:00.000-08:00

Almost immediately after posting our last update, our homestudy visit was scheduled. The social worker came out yesterday, inspected the home, met all three of us, and did Evan's individual interview. Cassandra's one-on-one interview should be later this week.

Adoption Update

2010-01-28T13:58:00.001-08:00

One of the questions we are consistently asked these days is: what's the progress on the adoption process?

Well, not much.

We started the paperwork on September 1, 2009. We completed and submitted it in November -- including references, physicals, detailed financial and medical records, and a detailed personal history. Our FBI background checks were received by the agency in December.

And now we wait. We must still have a home visit and face-to-face interview with the social worker. Due to her schedule, she has not attempted to schedule it yet. We are hopeful to get it scheduled in the next 2 weeks. Unfortunately, it is beyond our control when she can come and visit us.

After the homevisit, the study should be quickly completed and we would be eligible for a match. Once we are home-study approved, we can list with any adoption agency we wish and wait for a placement. Which could take 3 weeks or 3 years.

So, as of right now, we are no closer to completing an adoption then we were in the last 2 months. It's frustratingly slow, we know. But we also know that gestating a baby takes 9 months -- and we're only in 5 months.

Thanksgiving/Christmas 2009

2009-12-28T08:50:00.000-08:00

The holidays have been very different for us this year than any year before. We actually spent both Thanksgiving and Christmas at home, pretty much alone. In 17 years of being together, we have never had that before. It was really nice, but we aren't likely to do it again for a very long time!

Thanksgiving plans were hijacked by a horrible head cold, preventing us from travelling like originally planned. So, we ended up watching footbal and having tritip that day. Our friends Laura, Jevon, and Seth joined us for a proper Thanksgiving meal on Friday night.

In the first week of December, we went Christmas light hunting with Deana. We were impressed with just how beautiful so many of our neighbors make their houses. One house (the lights pictured above) is actually set to music, with video. It's really fantastic.

For Christmas week, Evan participated in 5 candle-light Christmas Eve services and 3 regular services at church. Understandably, he's a little beat right now. They call it a "ministry hangover."

On Christmas Day, we enjoyed a quiet morning together. Bobby's still enthralled with his kitchen set, Buzz Lightyear, and color wonder coloring book. We had a good dinner with Evan's mom, Deana.

Merry Christmas All!

Christmas Invite Video

2009-12-21T13:47:00.000-08:00

I (Cassie) swear I will update photos soon with Christmas and Thanksgiving. But, until then, here is a recent video that Evan made:

Christmas Invite from Mark Marsella on Vimeo.

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T14:22:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin Carving earlier this week.

More Pictures by Bobby.

2009-10-19T20:51:00.000-07:00

An Apple a Day

2009-10-04T20:32:00.000-07:00

We had Bobby's 2 year check up last week. He's now 29.2 pounds and 34 3/4 inches tall.

Some useless facts:
Americans eat approximately 29.2 pounds of processed apples, per capita per year.
It's also the weight of an Apple iMac Desktop with a 20" Display (packaged).
Bobby loves apples and ate 2 whole Gala apples (with skin on) today.
Gala apples make up 20% of the American apple market.
Apple doesn't sell a 34" monitor -- but Sony Wega does.

Inaugural Hike

2009-10-03T15:23:00.000-07:00

Here are pics from our inaugural hike with the new backpack that Evan's mom bought us. We drove down to Grover Hotsprings (about 1/2 hour south) and took the trail towards teh waterfall. We didn't quite make it to the falls. We'd never been on that trail before. Once we hit the river, we knew there was no way we were crossing it with Bobby on Evan's back. But we had a great time walking around, hiking up rock formations, and climbing rocks for about 2 hours before we headed home.

Thanks, Deana!

Interested in some of what we're doing?

2009-10-01T09:28:00.000-07:00

Are you interested in getting an idea of what Evan and Cassandra do? Check out these links:

LifePoint Videos: These are the weekly sermons at our church, where Evan is the Media Director. He is responsible for ensureing that services are recorded, edited together, and published not just on the website, but as podcasts and for cable television.

Women of Grace (Mondays): This is the Bible study for women that Cassandra coordinates. Currently, they are working through a workbook that she wrote called "Victory! A study in the End Times."

Adventures (Part Trois)

2009-09-27T20:55:00.000-07:00

Remember Bobby's adventures in eating? Here a couple of snap shots showing his continued adventures. He can now do a whole container of yogurt all by himself. It's a little messy -- but it's independant eating!

He'd also become a bit of a tech-expert, as can be seen by the very first photo he took by himself. I find his choice of framing the subject as so avante garde! You saw it here first, people: the first photograph ever taken by the future artiste Bobby Jones.

Alvin is evil!

2009-08-15T18:40:00.000-07:00

"A frickin' tree tried to kill me!"
--Evan

Yesterday, in Tahoe, while having lunch, Evan got brained by a pine cone while walking with the boy. It was a good sized pine cone, but disappointingly it only weighed 10 oz. It felt heavier than 10 oz when hitting Evan in the head, ear, and shoulder. No signs of a concussion, but Cassie is on the lookout.

Some Fun Facts:
The oldest tree in the world is the Bristlecone Pine Tree in Arizona.
Some pine cones can grow to 10 lbs!
Squirells prefer pine nuts over acorns.
Pine cones make great crafts, including wreaths and a toy cow (by sticking sticks in for legs).

Adventures in Eating, Part Deux

2009-08-10T21:12:00.000-07:00

Bobby is graduating to the next phase of eating: silverware, plates, and sitting at the table.

He's not 100% yet, but he's working on it. The desire to put his feet up on the table wars with the desire to sit at the table instead of the high chair.

He also really enjoys pizza. Loves to eat it like a big boy, no matter what the toppings. This was a garlic, peperoni, onion, green pepper, and mushroom pizza. He ate it all!

Mud Swallows

2009-08-10T21:06:00.000-07:00

We have a couple of visiters on our front porch. A mommy birth and 3 chicks. Welcome!

Some of Evan's Videos

2009-07-30T22:28:00.000-07:00

Some examples of Evan's recent work:

The video introducing CVC's staff and is Evan's best work (I think). He conceptualized the entire thing, as well as filming and editing it. Unfortunately (because of copyright concerns), I can't embed it here. So you will need to follow this link.

Giving Hope is the church's capital campaign. Evan produced this video to help give the church an update on the progress.

Giving Hope from Mark Marsella on Vimeo.

This skit was done by our Junior High Youth, filmed and edited by Evan. It's hilarious!

Elijah and the Bears from Mark Marsella on Vimeo.

The Free Zoo

2009-07-28T20:10:00.000-07:00

Last week, while killing time in Reno before picking up Cassie's mom at the airport, the three of us went to PetCo and discovered that there is a free zoo inside! We had the best time. Who knew that looking at the pets in the store would be like going to a zoo for free?!?

Bobby was especially fond of the mice. He like to watch them run on their hamster wheel. When they would escape back to their igloo/habitats he would pound on the glass and say in a commanding voice, "Out. Ride!"

Fish were a big hit too. We found Nemo's and Dory's. He doesn't know who that is (yet), but they were beautiful all the same.

We learned how to squawk like parrots and canaries. He pointed at these and said, "Home." We had to explain that the kitties wouldn't like the birds and so we couldn't bring them home. Perhaps the truth is closer to this: th kities would like the birds, too much. Yum!

Bobby's First Time Swimming

2009-06-14T21:34:00.000-07:00

(Right click to see full size, formatted for use as computer wallpaper.)

Bobby's 18 month Stats

2009-06-11T11:34:00.000-07:00

(At Liam's birthday party, May 2009)

Oh how much Bobby has grown in just one year! Today, he measured 34 1/2 inches tall and 24.6 pounds. That means in the last year he has grown 5.5 inches, and put on 5.6 pounds.

Consider:

The average ream of letter-sized paper (500 sheets) is about 24 lbs, the same weight as Bobby.
The female Candian goose generally weighs between 5.5 lbs (the amount Bobby has grown this year) to 12 lbs (about 1/2 his current weight).
A large exercise ball (i.e. a balance ball) is the same height as Bobby.
Red Vine ropes are also the same height as Bobby.
If Bobby were a sack of quarters he'd be worth $492 -- $112 more then last year.
At that value, he's 22.7% more valuable today than last year. A pretty good investment since inflation is only at 3.8%.

Djembae (Dim-jay)

2009-05-24T16:16:00.000-07:00

Evan had a first this weekend! It was the first time he played in the band during weekend services. That's him on the drum on the end. It's a djembae drum -- a tribal drum. He's played at mid-week events (Equip U, Kid's Breakout), but this was the first time he was invited to play during weekend services.

Bobby came to the worship set during service this morning. He really enjoyed it. Lots of butt wiggling and clapping. And, every once in a while, he would see his daddy on the stage. He'd suck his breath in, point, and squeal. When Pastor Mark (far left on the guitar) began the greeting, Bobby whipped around, pointed and said "Marrrrr!"

Disney World -- Day 4

2009-05-16T19:26:00.000-07:00

And Even More Epcot. . .

I swear we were going to try to get going early this morning, but our legs just couldn't handle it. So, with another 10 a.m. wake up, we meandered over to Epcot. Once there, we headed over to Future Land and tried "Soarin'" It's a complete replica of the ride in California Adventure (like, oh, 90% of the Magic Kingdom, Tower of Terror, and a few other rides). So, while we enjoyed it, we wasted a chunk of the morning riding something we'd riden many times before.

That left us just enough time to book it back to the Japanese Pavillion, where we had reservations for Tapen Edo based upon the recommendations of one of Cassie's old high school friends. (Who, wierdly enough, Evan's coworker Dave Swearingen also knows from his time as Worship Pastor as the Baptist church in Elk Grove -- small world. . . . pun not intended.)

We highly enjoyed the tepenyaki grill before heading over to the USA pavillion. We happened upon it at the perfect time to enjoy a 1976-era color guard show, an accapella singing group in the White House rotunda, and "The Amercian Experience," an animitronic drama recapping American history. (Which, I will so be comparing to the Truth Project lesson 10 on the American Experience.)

Then we headed back through Morrocco and France (sampling some food along the way), on our way to the next park.

Hollywood Studios

We didn't get to completely tour this park on Thursday, so we returned there -- knowing we hadn't finished Epcot, but also knowing that we needed days to do that. At Hollywood Studios, we did Star Tours (yep, it's the same as at Disneyland) and the Backlot tour.

Unfortunately, the park was closing early, so we returned to our hotel room. Satisfied that we got in as much of Disneyworld as we needed for our first trip, but also absolutely certain that it would take several more days to experience it all.

All in all, we have truly enjoyed our time together but we're ready to go home. And we have that much more appreciation for Disneyland. DisneyWorld was great -- but dollar-for-dollar DisneyLand has it beat!

Disney World -- Day 3

2009-05-16T19:01:00.000-07:00

Epcot, Epcot and more Epcot

After another late start (ah the joys of sleeping in), we headed to Epcot for the entire day on Friday. Although walking distance from our hotel, we choose to take the water ferry -- to both enjoy the view and save our legs.

The ferry dropped us off right between the UK and France on the World Showcase. (We landed in the Channel!) Since it was mere minutes before the World Showcase opened, we decided to stick around and have breakfast in the France pavilion, under the shaddow of the Eiffel Tower.

After that, we headed back into Future Land where we rode the sole roller coaster, Cassie got her face painted, and we baked on the heat sink that is the courtyard in front of the Epcot Globe.

Then we headed up the east side of the World Showcase. Evan really enjoyed Norway, where he continued his tradition of trying new foods on vacation. Lefsa -- a buttered tortilla sprinkled with cinnamon sugar -- is a new favorite.

By that time, it was after 3 p.m., so we headed back to the hotel for a break. We returned around 7 p.m. We decided to split a dinner in Morrocco -- where Evan finally admitted that a gyro isn't bad (but still doesn't like Tzaziki); had desert in Italy (gellato); and split a second-dinner in China. (Evan: "What are we, hobbits?")

While noshing on our gellato, we had a great view of Illuminations, the fireworks show. Evan drooled over the LED screen/globe, and pyrotechnics.

We ended the night late, limping back to the ferry, and crashing at 1 a.m.

WDW -- Day 2

2009-05-14T18:53:00.000-07:00

Evan: "It tastes like lawn." After drinking wheat grass, apple, and kiwi juice.

Animal Kingdom

After a late start, we spent the first portion of the day at the Animal Kingdom. As we entered the park, a couple who was leaving gave us a set of Fast Passes. This enabled us to ride Expedition Everest twice. We, of course, also did the Safari, among other things.

Hollywood Studios
As thunderstorms rolled in, we moved over to Hollywood Studios. (Yes, of course, it rained -- we are on a honeymoon, aren't we?) Once there, we learned the valuable lesson of making reservations for dinner as we couldn't get in for dinner anywhere.

We ended up riding the Rockin' Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror before heading back to the hotel for dinner. At the hotel, we had a dining experience at the on-site 5-star italian restaurant. Cassie did a first: telling the waiter and chef to choose. It was an awesome dinner, well worth the leap of faith.

DisneyWold -- Days 1

2009-05-14T18:44:00.001-07:00

Day 1 -- TravelingOur flight from Reno to Nevada was on a small twin, prop plane. Evan's response? "What are those things on our plane?!?

This is the view from our hotel, the Walt Disney World Swan. We have a balcony overlooking a alligator-infested lagoon. No, literally, the boat ferry operator told us that the lake had alligators in it!

Once we got settled in, we went to dinner and saw the new Star Trek movie. Awesome! Totally loved it. We finally crashed at 1 a.m., Florida time. Only here in Florida does Cassie even have the chance of keeping up with Seth, Luke, and Lauren.

Mother's Day

2009-05-10T20:20:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day!

This picture is of Bobby, yesterday. The church had a petting zoo, and (as you can see) Bobby really enjoyed it!

Bobby wanted to go to the Thrive conference with us so badly that he was determined to drive Deana's van there. (April 29, 2009).

A belated picture of Bobby in his Easter suit. He is actually saying "cheese!" (April 2009).

2009-04-03T10:51:00.000-07:00

Since this blog has been neglected lately (blame facebook and health emergencies), Cassie appologizes by offering pictures of the family:

Bobby with a red balloon as we prepared for our church's ministry fair. March 14, 2009.

No idea when this was, but isn't he beautiful?

Poppa and Bobby. January 2009.

Cassie and Bobby. January 2009.

Surgery

2009-04-02T15:00:00.001-07:00

As some of you know, Cassie had a hysterectomy last Monday, March 23rd, following an IUD injury and complications from her endometriosis. Although the timing was sudden (this all came down in under 3 weeks), pathology reports indicate that her uterus was petering out and that a hysterectomy was likely going to be needed in the next 2 years, anyway.

She had her post-op appointment today and everything is going well. The doctor has encouraged her to begin slowly returning to her normal schedule, taking physical activity at a pace she feels comfortable with. It may be another month before she is fully back to speed.

Thank you for your support and prayers.

Toddler

2009-02-20T22:25:00.000-08:00

We have officially entered toddler hood.

Or, so say the daycare people, who officially moved Bobby into the "young" toddlers room (16 months to 24 months) today. He will now enjoy class time with crafts, letters, motor skill development (i.e. coloring), songs, etc. from 9 to 11 a.m. when he is at daycare all day. The room looks great, but Cassie is having a hard time coping with the fact that her baby is no longer a baby.

The full transition to the toddler room will happen in about a month. For now, to make mom feel better, he stays with the toddlers in the morning and goes back to the nursery in the afternoon.

B curled up with our ever-patient, ever-loving cat Mara. No, seriously. He was lying on her and she was loving it.

Playing with Laura's beanie last night. She wore him out. Bless you, Laura, we didn't have any wake ups.

Teddy Bears and Shoes

2009-01-13T11:50:00.000-08:00

Bobby has adopted his first love: the St. Jude's Children's Hospital teddy bear that Evan bought Cassie for Christmas. He just love the thing! He randomly hugs it and sighs heavily, walks around with it, and carries it to bed. It's just too cute.

He's also decided that he just can't stand shoes. (This isn't a shock since he is Evan's child.) We started trying to keep shoes on him about 10 days ago. He has gotten quite adept at removing his left (and only his left) shoe whenever he gets the chance. It's really funny to see him toddling around with one shoe!

Job Study Starts Monday

2008-12-31T10:37:00.000-08:00

We've Got a Walker!

2008-12-31T10:25:00.000-08:00

Bobby took his first, stumbling steps in the middle of November. While at Tamy Sabo's house for Growth Group (Bible study), he was playing with her son's cars. Standing at the toy box, he turned around and saw a red car he wanted. He took three strong steps before -- bam! -- he fell flat on his butt. He was frozen for about 10 seconds, as shocked as we were.

He's now walking across rooms and carrying toys. He's learned to turn and slow down. He will grab onto furniture or walls if he needs to be stablized. He can walk over things (like toys, parent's legs, and the bottom support to our baby gate).

He is figuring out where to go when he walks. For instance, when picked up from daycare yesterday, he walked right out of the nursery and across the lobby/play area to the check in table. (He got lost at that point, but mainly because there were some loud kids distracting him.) Last night, he also walked from the living room to his high chair for dinner once he saw mom put out his plate and drink.

Pretty cool, huh? Next up: he'll actually be able to hike with us on our hikes!

Christmas 2008 (Parts I - III)

2008-12-25T20:53:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2008 is in 4 parts for our family.

On the 23rd, we celebrated Christmas with Evan's grandparents and mom. We enjoyed a relaxing dinner before opening gifts. Evan had to teach Bobby about wrapping paper. It took Bobby a little while, but once he caught on there was no stopping him. He wanted to open everyone's gifts!

Until he found his new Elmo toy, from Evan's grandparents. He was so enthralled with Elmo that it distracted him from everything else.

On the 24th, Evan worked all three services at church. Cassie went to the 4:00 service. We opened Christmas Eve gifts -- which weren't too exciting. Pajamas all around!

On Christmas Day, we woke up to snow! A true white Christmas as the flakes fell steadily all morning.

The highlight of our morning was Evan's big gift for Cassie: an iPhone disguised in a jewlery box. She was totally surprised.

For dinner, we went to Evan's aunt and uncle's (The Watson) in Carson. Braving the icey road, we drove in the turkey -- which Evan baked. At dinner, Bobby had his first bites of noodles -- an Ernst family tradition. (For you Girouards, think orange jell-o salad.)

As you can see, Bobby just loved his noodles!

That was pretty much it. Due to crabby baby and bad weather, we came home (sorry Biggs). Then Bobby and Cassie napped for several hours while Evan played with his new Blu-ray DVD player.

Tomorrow, Part IV: Gifts via video conference with Cassie's parents.

Belinda Grant Photography

2008-12-22T20:07:00.000-08:00

Last month we had the chance to have professional photographs taken with each of our families. Here are the photos with Evan's family:

Upper: Deana and Evan
Lower: Dick, Jan, Bobby, and Cassie

Deana and her boys.

One of the rare smiles we got out of Bobby that day.

And a rare smile from Evan.

For photos in the Carson/Minden area check out Belinda Grant Photography.

Thanksgiving in Phoenix, Pt. II

2008-12-11T22:15:00.000-08:00

Phoenix for Thanksgiving, Pt. 1

2008-12-07T21:51:00.000-08:00

For Thanksgiving, we went to Phoenix to visit Cassie's family. We were there a week, taking a day to drive each way. Bobby traveled really, really well!

On the Friday after Thanksgiving, we went to the Phoenix Zoo with Cassie's brother and his family: Steven and Amanda, and nephews Bryce and Parker.

We got to see the elephants (below), the giant tortoises (Bryce's favorite), monkeys, and wallabys.

Bobby even got to right a lion!

In the kids' area of the zoo, Bobby got to pet a real goat. We also saw sheep, roosters, and a yak! We also gave our condolences to the the turkey, who probably lost some relative that week. (It was Thanksgiving after all!) Then, the 7 of us picknicked by the river. Beautiful. And only made better by the strolling peacocks.

The last thing we did before going home was visit the "African Savanah." Giraffes and Xandus and other things we can't name, O my! Then it was off to buy post cards and souveniers. (And, for Amanda, kettle corn.)

Saversaurus

2008-11-10T08:22:00.000-08:00

Hey all! I'm back with an update on my fantabulous birthday gifts. Mommy says I made out like a bandit -- whatever a bandit is. I've really loved all the clothes and, especially the books. Books are one of my favorite things!

Mommy did take me last week to something called a bank. I crawled all over the lobby while the nice bank lady did some paperwork. When it was all over, I got this nifty folder with a dinasour on it. Mommy wouldn't let me have the toys though -- something about me being too little for a pencil, sharpener, ruler, and lollipop. Ah well, I still got a saversaurus kid's bank account out of the deal. So, thanks to all my contributors.

2008-11-03T07:47:00.000-08:00

"This is Church!"

--Pastor Bill Hybels, Willow Creek Community Church

We experienced true fellowship this weekend while helping a dear friend move. It was everything church is suppose to be.

On Saturday, a group of 4 men from our church helped our friend (a single mom) by literally moving everything she owned in about 8 hours flat. These four men -- including Rob Sweiker and Danny Muerle (and the others who I see all the time, but don't know their names) -- apparently help people move as their ministry. What an awesome ministry.

They were amazing. But when you think about the time and sweat they put in, you have to realize these are the same men who work or volunteer to take care of the church facility. By helping our friend move, they were delaying their ability to clean up the church after our Harvest Festival and prep for Saturday services. Which brings me to Dave Henry: according to Evan, Dave was at church all day, cleaning by himself, while these men helped our friend. No complaining about cleaning up after hundreds of kids, he just did it knowing that his co-workers/co-volunteers were working elsewhere that morning.

And, of course, there is Laura Murray who spent her entire Saturday helping with the move, cleaning, and unpacking. She gave of her time -- time she could have spent with her son, her family, or working on her homework (as a single working mom she's getting an MBA!). Just amazing.

On Sunday, Dave's wife, Chandra Henry, was at our friend's old house helping her clean. (Yikes!). So, Dave sacrificed on both days!

Evan and I helped about 2-3 hours each day, as much as we could with a rambuncious Bobby underfoot. We had to leave early yesterday when he started to melt down, but if things went right, one single mom with 2 kids completely moved out of a 4 bedroom house, and had it cleaned, in 2 days flat -- because of the fellowship of believers around her. That's what church is about. And I am amazed by God's working in the hearts of so many people to make it happen.

*The few names I listed here are the ones I could think of, but I know the church network goes much deeper. Wendy Panke, The Jacksons, The Sainteys, The Spohrs all had a big hand in making the last 2 weeks work for our friend. You guys are all amazing.

Hiking for Halloween

2008-10-31T20:56:00.000-07:00

Halloween really isn't our thing. We hide from the hoardes of sugar-fueled kids. So, instead of staying home today, we went out hiking. Yes, it was snowing at the mountain tops. Yes, it was raining and cold. But we went to Grovers Hot Spring Park outside of Markleville, CA, anyway.

We took the nature trail hike around the perimeter of the meadow. The picture above is from the bench just off the paved road through the camp ground. It was a brisk, but beautiful hike. Bobby even got in on it -- pointing which direction we should go at several forks along the way.

(Bobby has done this hike before -- while in mommy's belly, during the Fourth of July camping trip with our Life Team. Ah, the memories.)

We ended up skipping several Halloween events due to Bobby's delayed nap schedule, but we briefly stopped by the Harvest Festival at church. Bobby's Yoda costume was a hit. We stayed about 30 minutes before it became overwhelming for the little guy. Then we went to dinner, getting home after 8 p.m. and missing most of the gangs of costumed chocolate-seeking minions.

So Ends Our Second Halloween.

(This picture is from a few weeks ago as we were hiking the Luther-Faye Trail off Foothill Road.
Apparently, hiking is just exhausting for the little guy.)

Bobby's BIrthday

2008-10-20T12:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Bobby's Birthday! Can you hardly believe it -- he's one!

We did a costumes optional party. As a (completely geeky) family, we dressed as Han Solo, Princess Leah, and Yoda. Bobby actually kinda liked his ears by the end; it was his robe that bugged him. It was way too big and didn't let him crawl easily.

We had friends and family over at the house for presents and cup cakes. It was a short birthday party, but lots of fun!

Bobby then got to have a second cake at Grandma Jan and Boppy's house. So, lots of swag and two birthday cakes -- it was a good day!

Women of Faith

2008-10-06T10:06:00.000-07:00

Cassie attended the Women of Faith Conference this weekend in San Jose, California. This is an energizing women's conference aimed at seeking or spiritually young Christian women. There were some amazing performances from Mandissa (American Idol), Nicole C. Mullens and her back up dancers, Anita Renfro (stand up comedian), Louis DuArt (stand up comedian and impersonationist). Patsy Clairmont was, as always, a rip-roaring hoot, and Sandi Patti shared her personal testimony of depression and hospitalization.

There are still a few dates left this year. (Notably, one in Phoenix.) And, of course, they are doing conferences all next year -- including in Sacramento and Phoenix.

I didn't attend the pre-conference, but a good friend did. She said that the pre-conference was extremely powerful and much more in-depth than the main conference. She loved the pre-conference so much she bought tickets for next year already.

Click here to Learn More!

Happier Thoughts

2008-09-30T10:49:00.000-07:00

Sierra

2008-09-26T16:56:00.000-07:00

In Memoriam
Sierra Wynter Jones
2001 -September 26, 2008

We put our beloved dog, Sierra, down this morning. She was seven years old. As a puppy, she was infected with Valley Fever. Although eventually cured, the fungal infection attacked her heart and did permanent damage. She has suffered a heart condition ever since. In the past two weeks, she began to suffer heart failure and muscle loss; treatment was ineffective and we decided to put her down.

Despite her heart condition, Sierra was always a bouncy, happy, puppy. She loved everyone, and always made you feel special and loved. She was such a good dog that we often took her with us where ever we went. While Evan ran Indigo, she went to work with him every day. She loved to hike with us.

Her favorite food was terriyaki chicken. In the first year we had her, while we were living in Phoenix, Cassie was marinating several froze chicken breasts in terriyaki sauce on the kitchen counter. When we came home from work there was no sign of them except for a perfectly clean tupperware container and a few splatters of terriyaki sauce on the upper cabinets. She had devoured the chicken and licked up every last drop of sauce.

Litmus Test

2008-09-18T08:44:00.000-07:00

Everyone has their litmus test for picking a political canidate to vote for. It's that one issue that rises above all the others in importance for you as you evaluate whether you want that person in office. For some it's abortion, the economy, or the war in Iraq. I (Cassie) would like to propose a litmus test few think about but that I think has much longer impacts on the country than a simple 4 or 8 year presidential term:

Who do you want sitting in the U.S. Supreme Court?

Supreme Court Justices are nominated only by the President. They are confirmed by the Senate. They serve for a lifetime, not just 4 years. Some Supreme Court Justices have sat on the bench for more than 30 years! Consider the impact that a justice has on the national body of law during his years of service! As a 1/9th vote, he can and does make major changes to national law with the stroke of a pen. In comparision, your Representative to Congress only has a 1/435th vote, and your Senator only a 1/100th vote.

Take for example retired Chief Justice Rehnquist. Chief Justice Rehnquist served for 36 years (1971-2005). During his time on the bench, he participated in some of the landmark cases of our time: Roe v. Wade, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, Gore v. Bush, and (of course) the Clinton impeachment. In the last 40 years, the Supreme Court has determined that: certain forms of abortion are constitutionally protected; that the government can take your property and give it to private interests; that your Miranda rights should stay intact; and your right to a jury trial on any fact that would increase the amount of time you'd spend in prison. Since the early 1900s, the Supreme Court decided: to remove prayer from school; to desegregate schools and other establishments; that you had certain rights you had to be informed of when you were arrested; and that a person has the right to decline medical treatment if they are mentally competent to do so.

These are not small issues! The Supreme Court has dictated some of the minutia of our lives: the control of our body (regarding declining treatment, or abortion); our property rights (search and seizure, ownership of firearms, government takings); our interactions with police (search and seizure, arrest standards, Miranda rights); our interaction the courts (standards of proof); our interaction at schools (prayer, desegregation). . . The list can go on and on.

Ask yourself, how much good (or damage) can McCain or Obama do in 4 years? They can do a lot simply by picking the next Supreme Court Justice. President Bush selected 2 replacements this last term and has swung the court from moderately liberal to moderately conservative. Five of nine justices are currently over 70, and the two most liberal (Stevens and Ginsburg) are very close to retirement. The upcoming Court is likely to consider issues of gay marriage, stem cell research, scope of warrants and wire tapping, school reform, and a myriad of other issues.

I am not the only person who has identified this very important, but rarely discussed topic. See USA Today article from this summer. Or the New York Times. Or Boundless, a publication of Focus on the Family.

Whether you are a Democrat or Republican, this is a vital issue. I encourage you to carefully consider this point as you investigate your pick for President and Congress.

Pearly Whites

2008-09-15T08:05:00.000-07:00

Well, our illnesses have morphed.

For Bobby, it has resulted in 2 teeth in 3 days. And he has another one on the way. We've taken stock in Orajel.

For Cassie, it has resulted in bronchitis. Apparently you actually need sleep to recover from simple colds. Who knew?!?

Evan has been a real trooper -- doing most of the childcare for the last several days so Cassie could sleep and get better.

Yet Another Round of Illnesses

2008-09-09T09:07:00.000-07:00

Sore Throats

and

Head Colds

and

Congestion

Oh, my!

We've been suspiciously silent because, well, it physically hurts to talk, walk, or pretty much do anything. Two weeks into a round of viral colds, each of us has suffered. And, unfortunately, we've passed it on to unsuspecting co-workers and relatives. (Sorry, Grandma Deana!) It should (. . . er, better) pass soon.

In the meantime, we have nothing exciting to report.

From crawling to standing -- UPDATED

2008-08-30T08:35:00.001-07:00

Well folks, it didn't take me long to go from crawling to standing. I can even shuffle a few inches while standing -- Mommy says it's "pre-cruising." Then she mutters something under he breath about Bobby-proofing. She's too funny!

I've also cut my first tooth. Boy, did that suck. But I got this neat little white nub out of the deal. It feels funny. Unfortunately, I'm suppose to get many more of them. Am not looking forward to that at all.

We got a Wii Fit!

2008-08-27T10:33:00.000-07:00

Lead Where You Are

2008-08-11T09:25:00.001-07:00

Evan and Cassandra had the opportunity to attend Willow Creek's Leadership Summit at the Rock Church in Spanish Springs last week. This is our second year attending. It is a great conference where leaders around the world, in religion, missions, and secular business, share some of the things they've learned with other leaders. Some of the highlight's include:

Chuck Colson: Don't pander. Lead.
Craig Goeschel, LifeChurch.tv: Failure is not an option. It's absolutely necessary. If you're not failing, then you aren't growing.
Catherine Rohr and the Prison Entreprenuer Program (pep.org): At age 31, she is running a multi-million dollar prison rehabilitation program that has graduated and equipped 400+ felons for successful reentry after years of being imprisoned. Her program has a single digit recidivism rate! Age and gender simply don't matter in how effective you can be for God.
Gary Haugen, International Justice Mission: If you want your leadership to matter, it has to matter to God. What matters to God? The World, and justice for the oppressed.

Garage Sale -- Part Duex

2008-08-11T09:23:00.000-07:00

The garage sale went really, really well. We were praying for about $500 -- half of Cassie's fall tuition. And, after tithing, we got $469! God is good.

Garage Sale -- August 9

2008-07-30T08:24:00.000-07:00

As some of you may know, Cassie has enrolled at Tozer Seminary in Redding, California, this fall. She will be taking intruductory courses for a seminary degree through distance learning. In anticipation of the cost of tuition and books, the Joneses are going to do a garage sale on Saturday, August 9. Please pass the word along -- the more people that show up, the less of a student loan that will be needed.

Caught in the Act!

2008-07-17T20:06:00.000-07:00

Dangerously Close

2008-07-15T21:53:00.000-07:00

Well, folks, I am dangerously close to crawling. I get up on all fours now and rock back and forth. I even lunge for toys that way, and I've done a few combat crawls. Mom and Dad keep trying to get a picture of me like this, but I keep telling them no. You just won't get to see it till I get it perfect. After all, I don't want to disappoint my fan base.

Apocolypse

2008-07-11T08:54:00.001-07:00

The smoke from the Northern California fires continues to pour into the Carson Valley with apocolyptic effect. Views of the mountains have been veiled -- or downright blocked -- on and off for three weeks. The last two days, the sun and moon have been blood red at times. Beautiful, but creepy.

(Photo courtesy of the Nevada Appeal.)

Random Church Musical

2008-07-03T13:44:00.001-07:00

More examples of the amazing work that CVC's Creative Arts Team does:

Our friends Kirsten and Steve Wilson wrote the script and music; performance rights are available at Kirstenwilson.net.

Seth Gardner, Dramatic Guy, is a member of our life team. This just adds to his memorable rolls as Superman and snow-making angel. The announcement guy, Roy Conover, is Cassie's supervisor through Adult/Women's Ministry and a member of our music team. The sound guy is Dave Swearingen, Evan's good friend and co-worker. And, of course, there's Pastor John who (against his better judgment) participated in this musical with relish.

Finally, Evan cut and edited this video!

Welcome Parker!

2008-06-23T11:19:00.001-07:00

Brother Steven and his wife, Amanda, just delivered their second son: Parker Bennett Girouard. They already have his own blog for him -- a match set with Bryce's blog.

Congrats to the Girouards South! We're so happy for you!

Adventures in Eating

2008-06-20T08:14:00.001-07:00

Flits & Twitters

2008-06-17T08:44:00.000-07:00

Cassie is trying out Twitter. Twitter is a social networking site/program that allows users to do short updates by IM, phone, or on the web. If you look to the right, you'll see Cassie's Twitter "badge" which will show updates throughout the day. We'll see how this experiment goes.

Father's Day

2008-06-16T07:45:00.000-07:00

The boys both had their first Father's Day! For a guy who didn't want kids, Evan has really blossomed as a dad. We love him that much more for it!

Eight Month Check Up

2008-06-12T12:29:00.000-07:00

Bobby continued to grow like a weed. At today's eight month check-up he weighed 19 lbs, and was 29" tall.

Compare:

Since he was born, he's grown 10 inches (about the length of a sheet of paper).
If the average woman were to grow her hair 10 inches, it would take about 2 years!
Laying Bobby end to end, it would take over 209-million Bobby's to circle the circumference of the globe.
In comparison, it would only take about 1.6-million Bobby's to go from Minden, Nevada, to Tempe, Arizona.
At 19 lbs, Bobby is the average wieght of a female bobcat.
If Bobby's was a sack of pennies, he'd be worth $34.47.
If he was a sack of quarters, he'd be worth $380.00. (But we all know he's priceless, right?)

2008-06-09T22:25:00.000-07:00

Before Bobby was born we bought a package of four professional photo shoots with Belinda Grant over the course of the year. Above are samplings from the two shoots we've had so far. On top (the black and white outfits), are photos of us from May 2, 2008; on bottom (red and gray), are photos from December 14, 2007. The money we put down about 8 months ago is really some of the best baby-related money we've spent.

In Memoriam: Sylvia Evans

2008-06-04T09:56:00.000-07:00

My (Cassie's) Aunt Sylvia passed away this week after an 8-9 year battle with breast cancer. Aunt Sylvia was a beautiful woman, vibrant and full of life even as she struggled through chemotherapy, exhaustion, and the loss of her hair. She raised four incredible children, who themselves are strong individuals: Jeannette, Theresa, Ryan, and Krystal. She was married to Tom Evans, and together they ministered for the Lord as pastors for the Nazarene Church.

There are many wonderful things that can be said of Aunt Sylvia, but I think her enduring legacy of children and grandchildren who walk with the Lord is the most important thing she left behind. For those of us in "the next generation," her testimony to Christ has shaped our lives so that the things she has taught us will be passed on to our children, even those children not yet born. I look forward to worshiping at the foot of Christ with her in the future.

Psalm 78 (NIV):

1 O my people, hear my teaching;
listen to the words of my mouth.

2 I will open my mouth in parables,
I will utter hidden things, things from of old-

3 what we have heard and known,
what our fathers have told us.

4 We will not hide them from their children;
we will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD,
his power, and the wonders he has done.

5 He decreed statutes for Jacob
and established the law in Israel,
which he commanded our forefathers
to teach their children,

6 so the next generation would know them,
even the children yet to be born,
and they in turn would tell their children.

7 Then they would put their trust in God
and would not forget his deeds
but would keep his commands.

Some Random Family Photos From This Month

2008-05-31T16:39:00.000-07:00

Blog Round Up

2008-05-28T13:25:00.000-07:00

I (Cassie) have decided to try and do a regular shout out to some of our friends and their websites or blogs. These are people who we know personally, and who are doing things that are interesting to everyone:

Kirsten Wilson - Tear the Curtain: The beautiful comments of an artistic mind. Some of our favorite blog entries include "Food Court Musical," and "Lifethwacked." Watch out for Kirsten as an up and coming writer and speaker! She is available as a speaker and to do training.

Katrina Welch - Photography by Katrina: Professional photography from one of the ladies in our growth group. She has three blogs, but this one highlights her photography business. Her work is beautiful. Check out the recent portraits of the Wilsons. The picture below is from her blog. If you're in Northern Nevada and need some professional photography, we would definitely recommend her.

Plague!

2008-05-19T19:56:00.000-07:00

Our house has been attacked by the plague. Hazards of a day care aged child.

In the last three weeks, we each had the stomach flu, each had some form of a head cold (with flaming sore throat), and . . . here's the kicker. . . Cassie now has pink eye! Talk about your run of bad luck. We're bleach wiping, airing out the house, changing linens, and washing our hands till they're dry. Hopefully this will finally rid our house of the ick.

(Not Quite) Sitting Pretty

2008-05-11T13:30:00.000-07:00

Look at me! I'm almost sitting. As long as someone (or something) just slightly supports me when I'm sitting, I can now sit up while I play or eat. Mommy and Daddy will even let me sit unsupported, now, but I start tipping over within a few seconds. Mommy says I'm ready for a real high chair now. Me? I'm looking forward to zooming my cars around the floor.

(Notice the great quilt I keep playing on? Daddy's Aunt Anita made is specially for me! I play on it all the time. It's great to play on when we're in the back yard on the grass.)

Six Month Check Up

2008-05-01T10:50:00.001-07:00

Bobby had his 6 month check up today. Here's the new deets:

28 inches long (He's over 2 feet tall!)

17 lbs 12 oz (He's more than doubled in weight!)

Holy cow. We may be in need of a new car seat soon.

Miracle

2008-04-25T15:14:00.000-07:00

Miracles happen every day, its just that most people don't see them. Today, we had a miracle of sight,

Since shortly after Bobby was born, Cassie's vision has steadily declined. In November, the doctor noticed a leak requiring treatment but we delayed treatement because Cassie was breast feeding Bobby. At her check up in February, the doctor told her in no uncertain terms that she had to have an Avastin injection and we scheduled it for today -- to give Bobby time to wean at around 6 months old.

This week, several groups of people have been specifically praying for Cassie's healing -- Women of Grace, our growth group, our parent's Bible study, other friends and family. Even 5 year old Shelby Griffiths (Jamie's daughter) was praying to God for Cassie's eyes because Cassie's "afraid of the dark." Just yesterday, Cassie got an email from Jamie that she was praying that Cassie would wake up this morning miraculously healed. Cassie asked a group of family and friends to pray around 9 a.m. PST time today, in conjunction with a prayer meeting at Jen Graysheild's house.

Well, God answers prayers and He does it in powerful ways!

During the routine eye exam (prior to the scheduled injection), Cassie's vision tested at an incredible 20/50. This is a significant improvement over her last test, and the best her vision has been since March 2006. In reviewing old emails, this is the best her vision has been since her diagnosis. And, in God's wonderfully ironic sense of humor, the last time her vision was this good was after her first Avastin treatment.

This was not a subtle miracle. Cassie's vision literally improved over night. The doctor characterized it as a "miracle." There is no scientific explaination. God answered ours and your prayers. Praise Him!

"And [Jesus] stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

'The Spirit of the Lord is on me,

because he has anointed me

to preach good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners

and recovery of sight for the blind,

to release the oppressed,

to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.'"

Luke 4:16b-19 (quoting Isaiah 61:1-2)

Redeem Your Firstborn

2008-04-23T13:20:00.000-07:00

"Redeem all your firstborn sons."
Exodus 34.20b

This weekend we took the very important and serious step of dedicating Bobby to God and the Lord Jesus Christ. With the support of nearly 40(!) family and friends, we committed before them and before God to raise Bobby in a Christian home and to help him enter into a meaningful, saving relationship with Jesus.

Dr. John Jackson, the senior pastor at our church, facilitated a sweet and short service where we dedicated Bobby. Our dear friends, Steve Wilson and Jeanne Hounsell led us in song and worship. Pastor John focused on one of Cassie's favorite sections from the Old Testament:

"Attention, Israel! God, our God! God the one and only! Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that's in you, love him with all you've got! Write these commandments that I've given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night."

Deuteronomy 6:4-7 (The Message Paraphrase).

We take seriously our obligation to speak about the One True God at every opportunity with our son. We are to talk about it all the time, whatever the setting, so that he never goes one day without knowing God. It is our sincere prayer that the Holy Spirit grant him the incredible gift of faith now so that he can grow up strong in his knowledge and relationship with Christ Jesus.

Thank you to each of you who came and supported us on Sunday. We were truly touched by the turn out. We were stunned by how several of you sacrificed to come. We really didn't expect such an outpouring of love and support from so many people.

Squash

2008-04-21T17:51:00.000-07:00

Rice cereal is so passe. I mean, c'mon, it's just so boring and bland. I finally convinced Mommy that she had to let me eat something different. So, while Nana was here this weekend, we tried this orange goo that they told me was squash.

Eeeew. It was orange. It was goo. And, eeewww! But, on second thought, I should really give it a second chance.

And, I did. It wasn't so bad after all. In fact, I had it for dinner for two nights in a row. Mommy says we'll try peas next.

(As a side note, I got dedicated this weekend. Mommy says pictures on our camera didn't turn out. So I'll have to update you all after Nana and Great Grandma Jan send us their photos.)

Playdates

2008-04-15T19:21:00.000-07:00

The last couple of weeks, we've had the neat opportunity to spend more time with Cousin Gracie (11 months) and Aunt Cathy. When they've played together, the kids seem to really enjoy each other. Gracie really loves to share her toys with Bobby.

Cathy has been gracious enough to take Bobby for 2 full days the last 2 weeks. Can you imagine having 2 children under 1? I can't, and yet she seemed to have real fun with them both.

Gracie also really loved hanging out with the dog. Sierra gets a kick out of the kids because they are on her level. The cats, you will notice, were no where to be seen. Cowards.

Bobby also got to hang out with Cousin Isabelle. She dropped by with Uncle Larry before getting a daddy-daughter date with him.

Lions and Tigers and NAB! Oh, my!

2008-04-13T10:10:00.000-07:00

Evan is off to the National Association of Broadcasters Tradeshow in Vegas this week. The show offers training and information that he can use in his position as Media Director at CVC. Last year, he went and received some valuable training with the software the church uses.

Last year, Evan went just after we announced we were preganant. In his wanderings, he ended up at the lion exhibit at the MGM Grand. He bought Cassie and OLP (n.k.a. Bobby) a stuffed lion. Now, a year later, OLP is finally big enough to be playing with that lion! And, apparently, OLP really loves the lion.

Have fun on your trip Daddy!

My Jesus, My Savior

2008-04-10T20:36:00.000-07:00

Gotta give props to American Idol for using the unedited lyrics tonight as the final 8 sung "Shout to the Lord."

Praise God! The most watched show in the United States actually acknowledged Him!

And kudos to Producer Richard Curtis -- the screen writer of Four Weddings and a Funeral who has an active ministry in outreach. He founded Comic Relief, Make Poverty History, the Live 8 Concerts, and . . . you guessed it . . . was instrumental in starting American Idol Gives Back. And, he's also a Christian. We had the opportunity to see him at Willow Creek's 2007 Leadership Summit. Praise God for putting him in a position to reach out to the poor and oppressed!

We would encourage you to download this performance, when it comes available, from Itunes. Support the charity of American Idol Gives Back, but also vote with your wallet. Tell Fox and American Idol that you appreciate this type of programing and that you will reward them for it.

First Solids

2008-04-04T11:17:00.000-07:00

I am back with yet another amazing story to tell: I just got my first meal of solids! It was a little messy, of course, but I really liked cereal.

I liked the cereal so much, I tried to feed myself. Couldn't quite get the ceral into my mouth, but the spoon was yummy. Daddy wouldn't let me hold the bowl, though.

Mommy and Daddy were very impressed. By the end of the meal, I was opening my mouth for the spoon and everything. I've been telling them for weeks I was ready to eat. I don't think they beleived me. . . . Or maybe they just weren't ready to take this big step with me till now.

Time Capsule

2008-03-26T13:45:00.000-07:00

This blog is an interesting time-capsule for our family. We've been posting here for a little over one year.

Last March we announced that we were pregnant using a horror-movie type trailer.
In April, our cat Grace had quite the adventure outdoors.
In late June and early July, the Angora Fire devasted hundreds of homes in the Lake Tahoe Basin. We were fortunate to help our friends in need and used our blog to keep other's informed.
September was a busy month: Cassie's baby shower, Curtis' wedding, and Grace's passing.
October was busy, too: buying a new car, (of course) Bobby's birth!, and an unplanned trip to the hospital.
December had Imagine Christmas.
In January, we had a real blizzard and Bobby found his voice.
And in February, we branched out to other's blogs.

Since starting this blog, we've lost a beloved pet but gained an incredibly flirty and happy son. We wonder what adventures and miracles the next year will hold!

Memories by Catherina

2008-03-18T15:46:00.000-07:00

While in Phoenix, we had the opportunity to take professional pictures with Cassie's family. Amanda's best friend, Cathrina, is a fantastic photographer. She took these photos. Her website is memoriesbc.com and she is available to take photographs in the Phoenix and Maricopa, Arizona areas.

Cassie, her mom Esther, and her sister Amanda.

Back row: Cassie's Dad Larry, Amanda, brother Steven, Evan, Cassie, and Esther
Front Row: Bryce and Bobby

Cassie, Bobby, and Evan

2008-03-17T19:28:00.000-07:00

We went to Phoenix last week to visit Cassie's family and attend her dad's 65th birthday/retirement party. It was (of course) Bobby's first time on a plane. He did wonderfully well on the trip -- better than his parents. We were a little flustered by the amount of stuff a baby needs for 1 week. Thankfully, Cassie's sister Amanda pretty much cleared out her nursery to furnish Nana's house. Bobby is very grateful for the loaner of a pack-and-play, swing, bouncy seat, mat, and toys, toys, and more toys!

Bobby enjoyed spending the week with his Nana. He especially enjoyed it when she read to him. Cassie loved having a shopping partner. She and her mom did some serious damage at the mall.

Cassie's mom spent months planning the surprise party for her dad. Over 40 people attended to honor Poppa's 65th birthday and retirement. The party had a Rat Pack theme, complete with sound track supplied by Cassie's brother Steven (above left). Her cousins Seth and Caleb (also pictured), Jeanette, Bob and Carol, and one of her best friends Heather also attended.
At the party, there were lots of new friends for Bobby to meet including Cousin Bryce (2), Ellie (1), and Travis (1). Evan and Cassie took turns hanging out with Bobby on the grass in the backyard.

Bobby really enjoyed his time with his Poppa, too. He really got a kick out of Poppa's beard and funny faces.

My First Hair Cut

2008-03-02T23:14:00.000-08:00

Mommy says I'm getting to be a big boy! So big that we had to get my haircut yesterday. Yeah, I know I'm only 4 1/2 months, but my hair was really long!!! It covered my ears and the back of my neck. And I couldn't do my favorite style: a faux hawk.

The stylist lady, Miss Tara, was really cool. She got down on my level -- literally her knees! -- to cut my hair. She let me hold the razor, too. It BUZZZED. Coool.

Mommy held me in her lap throughout the haircut. Daddy went too, although there's only this picture of him. I really liked the backwards cape. Mommy and Daddy keep telling me, "No capes for you, Darling!" but I think they're really neat.

Snow? What's Snow?

2008-02-28T19:23:00.000-08:00

Bobby had his first snow day. Outfitted in a cozy blue snow suit from Grandma Deana, he hung out in the snow for about 10 minutes last Sunday. He seemed a little disconcerted, but the dog was certainly enjoying the playmate!

We have a Wii!

2008-02-26T15:27:00.000-08:00

Guest Appearance

2008-02-25T09:39:00.000-08:00

Bobby made a guest appearance on Pastor Steve's Blog: http://www.resourcinglifechange.com/wilson/Steves_Blog/Entries/2008/2/22_baby_got_iMac.html. Don't know about you, but I think he looks a little weirded out by the Mac. PC all the way.

*Cassie ducks and runs away. Trying to avoid Evan's, Steve's, and all intelligent computer user's wrath.*

Lunar Eclipse

2008-02-22T15:24:00.000-08:00

Evan caught a beautiful picture of the lunar eclipse earlier this week.

2008-02-18T16:49:00.000-08:00

Cassie's birthday was this Saturday, but Cassie and Bobby have been battling a cold. We didn't do anything exciting. The extent of our celebration was a lemon cake at Bible study. (Why not chocolate you ask? . . . Well, then you haven't been reading Cassie's blog at www.cassandraj.blogspot.com.)

Since Evan's been hogging the camera (major project at work), Cassie is just now uploading pics from Superbowl. Here's Laura teaching Bobby how to eat our LED Christmas lights.

And here's Devon holding the baby after sticking out and watching the game with us. She did our mid-game food run as a way to escape the boredom. Thanks for the chocolate, Dev! (That was before Cassie had sworn it off for Lent.)

Cousins Abound

2008-02-06T16:51:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to our family members:

Josh, Belinda, and Liam - They welcomed baby girl Ayla into the world this weekend! After a long, hard pregnancy, everything went well and everyone is home safe.

Steven, Amanda, and Bryce - They are awaiting delivery of baby boy Parker in June/July. They found out this week that Parker was a boy at their sonogram. Check out the announcement at www.brycegiro.blogspot.com.

Three Months

2008-01-24T21:54:00.000-08:00

I'm taking one out of my cousing Bryce's book. That's right, folks. Heeeerreee's Bobby! As you can see, I am one handsome boy. Mommy says she's biased, but that still doesn't mean she's wrong. I'm a whopping three months now. I am so old!!!! I mean, I can hold my head up and everything. I've even taken to lounging around in the club chair.

But all that work is simply exhausting. I can't possibly be expected to sit upright without a good nap. After all, the kitties get to sleep all day -- why not me? Mommy and I usually get in one good nap together during Daddy's football game on Sundays. Mommy thinks that will be ending soon; she says there's only one game left this season. Something called a "Superbowl?" She says its more fun to watch the commercials then the game. I'm okay with that. Commercials are fun. Bright, shiny lights!

Bobby's Song

2008-01-12T22:56:00.000-08:00

Digging Out

2008-01-05T08:12:00.000-08:00

If you haven't heard, the Sierra Nevada have been burried by a blizzard. Yes, an actual blizzard. It's not so bad down in the foothills (where we are), areas of the valley got 18" snow last night. Evan measured 7" in our back yard. Another storm is expected tonight.

Happy New Year's!

2007-12-31T21:20:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2007

2007-12-30T17:01:00.000-08:00

Christmas this year was somewhere between hectic, peaceful, and running around with our head cut-off. On Christmas Eve, Evan did media for all three candle light services. When those were done at 8 p.m., we headed to the grandparents (like normal) to open gifts. Normally, we open gifts then have a late dinner. We had a problem this year, though: Bobby. With Bobby, it took about 3 times as long to open gifts. Of course, it was also about 3x as much fun! Here he is in the bouncy seat from G-Grandma and Boppy. He's just fascinated by the twirling lights, dancing monkeys, funky music, and vibrating seat.

We were up so late on Christmas Eve (well past midnight) that we slept in past 9 a.m. Last year we'll get to do that, right? It was difficult even getting Bobby up to open his presents. Here he is, sleeping soundly on his playmat next to the unique stocking that Nana made him this November.

When we finally did get him awake, he was most intrigued with the gift wrapping. His favorite thing all morning was the silver ribbon and silver ball ornaments from the outside of a package. It was like watching a cat bat at a toy.
After opening presents at home, we made a late appearance at the Ernst-Watson family Christmas dinner. Cassie brought her family's traditional orange jello salad, which has fast become an Ernst-Watson favorite too.

After dinner with the Ernst-Watson clan, we went over to the Biggses and enjoyed a quiet dinner with the Biggses and Gosses. Bobby enjoyed getting to see cousin Gracie again, and Evan had the opportunity to show off some of his video editing to the family.

By the end of Christmas, all three of us were wiped. But it was certainly a first Christmas to remember.

Getting Ready For Christmas

2007-12-23T20:20:00.000-08:00

Normally, we get out all the Christmas decorations around Thanksgiving. We were a little delayed this year, but the whole family has finally gotten in the Christmas spirit:
Evan finished putting up our Christmas lights.

In between baby naps, Cassie finally finished the tree and wrapped gifts. I swear there are more gifts this year. I wonder why?

Even Mirax is enthralled by Christmas. (The beautiful arrangement was a gift from dear friends Ron and Marianne.)

And, of course, Bobby is preparing for his first Christmas -- thanks to a festive bib from Nana and Grandpa.

What a Difference Two Months Make . . .

2007-12-23T20:17:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of Bobby's first bath, at 2 weeks old.

This is a picture of Bobby's bath this past week -- at 8 weeks old. It's amazing to see the difference! And look at the cute Pooh ears! Isn't he precious?

And don't forget that he's smiling now! In the last week, he's become very interactive. He's using noice and facial expressions to communicate now. Nothing is cuter than when he's opening and shutting his mouth while cooing in an attempt to tell you he's hungry. (It's the early warning sign. Ignore that and you get not-so-cute screaming-purple in record time.)

I'm Back

2007-12-17T12:41:00.000-08:00

Cassie started full time work again today. Bobby is enjoying time with his daddy, Great Grandma Jan, and Grandma Deana over the next two weeks. Once school starts again, he'll get to spend time with Miss Hillary and the Maalouf clan.

Cassie's also going to start updating her other blog (cassandraj.blogspot.com) as she pursues weight loss and a healthy lifestyle. She returned to Weight Watchers about two weeks ago on her doctor's orders to start loosing weight. Fortunately, in the last month, her blood pressure has significantly dropped as she has lost weight and began moving more. Right now, she is in the normal range for blood pressure, and she has been able to cut her prescription medication in half.

Christmas plans are to attend CVC's Candlelight service(s) and dinner with Great Grandma Jan, Boppy (Grandpa), and Grandma Deana on Christmas Eve. We'll spend the morning at home together before spending the balance of the day with the Ernst-Watson Clan.

Winter Wonderland

2007-12-09T12:15:00.000-08:00

Nevada in winter can be absolutely beautiful. We finally had our first snowfall this past week. Nothing brings me peace like the absolute quiet of a frozen world (so long as I am warm). It really gives you the time to stop, breath, and recognize the awesomeness of God.

Bobby, too, likes winter. Especially when he's wrapped up an warm Bundle Me -- lent to the cause by our good friend Hillary.

The weekend wasn't just a winter wonderland outside. This weekend our church, CVC, also had it's Christmas musical drama, Imagine Christmas. Evan -- among many, many others -- worked long hours for several weeks to bring this phenomenal dance, drama, and music production together. The set included a balcony dressed as a cloud; an ariel ring (for an ariel dancer), 40+ foot trees, and lighting effects galore.

Bobby at 7 weeks

2007-12-08T11:00:00.000-08:00