Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Pillow Fights!!

One thing the kids enjoy is wrestling/pillow fighting with Daddy. Aleah has started copying Samuel a lot recently and insists on taking her shirt off to wrestle, as well as showing off her muscles like Samuel.
Here are two funny videos of Samuel and then Aleah copying.
NOTE: NO CHILDREN WERE HURT IN ANY WAY IN THE MAKING OF THESE VIDEOS!!!!

Quick update.

Okay, there is so much to add to the blog but this week has just been mad!!!! (English term for crazy)
Here's a quick run down of what every one's been up to:
DEAN - enjoying not going to classes for the first time in 6 year! Looking for part-time work. Getting the new term started with the youth ministry etc. here at the church.
KRIS- enjoying not going into work on Mon/Tues. Organizing the home/children with school and all the various activities. Getting the playgroup going again (with the help of a fantastic team!). Getting Sunday School up and running after a long summer break. I have now been asked to go into the kids' school and lead singing assemblies + choir one morning a week- so I am busy thinking that through.
ABIGAIL - enjoying being back at school with friends, piano practice/lessons. Getting very excited about her birthday on the 18th (hint, hint) BTW - We are planning a CHOCOLATE PARTY...fun!
SAMUEL - enjoying being back at school, getting used to being in the upper part of the school, piano practice/lessons
ALEAH- getting used to not having her brother and sister around all the time, LOVING Barney and Friends...when she's allowed to watch it. Enjoying having a lot more 1:1 time with Mommy.

Other bits and pieces...just in case any of you haven't heard the news yet....Dryden Baby no. 4 is a BOY!

Welcome Home!

Dean arrived home yesterday after being away for a week at a youth Bible conference. He was sorely missed by us all, especially after spending 4 weeks together it was a shock to the system not having him around. The kids made a great welcome home poster for him (see photo).

I'm sorry I haven't been very active at blogging recently, but now that Dean is home - hopefully I'll have more time and energy to do some blogging. I've still got LOADS of photos from our trip to show so watch this space.

**Please pray for Dean as he has an essay due on September 1.

I have also added a link to a fantastic blog for Christian women. I discovered this through reading some of the books that this mother and her daughters have written. Some of the books I have read are...'Girltalk...conversations for mothers and daughters' and 'Shopping for Time'. I have ordered a few more of their books and look forward to reading them as well as checking in on their blog often. Hope all you ladies enjoy it.

From Dean!

Hey did you see the blue moon tonight? Well I did and that told me that it was time to put something up on the blog! I'm having a great time with family in the US and today's activities merit a blog entry (I had to wait until Kris was in bed though because it involves her!) Anyway I occasionally like to try my hand at a game of golf and opportunities come my way over here (my brother in law plays) so today I got to play but the suprise that I have for you is that Kris came with me! There was 4 for of us in total - Robbie, Kelli, Kris and myself. (Kris has never swung a club before let alone played a full 18 holes although she did beat me and the Kids at crazy golf the other day) Well I thought she did a great job here are some pics - there are videos that I will try and upload soon. Oh and by the way - yes the carts were awesome fun!

Birthday Fun

Thanks to everyone who 'facebooked', emailed, etc with birthday greetings. I had fantastic birthday...albeit very tired-after driving straight through the night from Virginia to Florida! Dean bought me a new digital camera, a few items of clothing, and all the kids made cards.

We stopped in at my brother's house in Orlando to spend some time with him and his kids before we went back. The kids had a great time playing together. We spent time at their complex's pool and later found a park that had a sprinkler and water fountain splash area.

We went out for dinner at Cracker Barrel and later to Coldstone Creamery for Ice Cream. Dean and Sammy were the only ones who could finish there ice cream!

(Abigail and Isabella in the back of Uncle Donnie's convertible!)

We are back in St. Petersburg now, and settling in for the last week.

I must say it is HOT here...but I'm not complaining!!!!!!!!!

US History

We have been visiting my brother JJ and his family in Virginia this weekend. He has recently moved here to start a new position in the US Coast Guard. On Saturday we attended the US Coast Guard picnic day to celebrate the birthday of the Coast Guard. It was fantastic! They really put on a good spread! There was plenty for the kids to do, lots of great food, and the kids even got to watch a CG helicopter land and sit in the helicopter...I'll post some pictures when I can.
Yesterday we attended Capitol Hill Baptist Church. We enjoyed our visit there. (Our new Pastor at Twynholm has just come from this church) After church we did a quick change of clothes and started our hike through the D.C. area. We saw the Capitol Building, ate lunch at the Native American Indian museum, went on a carousel ride, walked through the Air and Space museum, dashed through the 'Dinosaur Museum', went into the Smithsonian to see the Jim Henson - Muppet Exhibit, walked up to the Washington Monument, walked past the White House, then walked to Union Station where we got the Metro back to our car which was parked near CHBC.
We made it back home finally around 8:30 and we were all exhausted!
I will post pictures when I can...I've got to go and get ready for today's excursions!!!