The beach

I've been meaning to post this for a while. These are from our Thanksgiving trip to LA, last year! I thought it would be a nice anticipation of summer as the weather gets warmer as well as a nice contrast to all the snow.

Because as much as the boys and girl love the snow, they also love the beach!

And the waves!

And we love to make sand castles. Actually, we love to make ditches and walls more. It's always fun to see how long our creations can survive the waves.

Deuteronomy 6:4-7

I try and be sober minded with the boys and girl when we memorize Scripture. Especially this passage as we talk about the Word of God and how to love Him everywhere we go and all the time. But sometimes, you just can't get rid of the giggles.

Of course, it doesn't help when your older brothers are planning a sneak attack.

The 3rd time is always the charm...actually, it was really the 5th but we didn't need to see every attempt!

Deuteronomy 6:4-7
⁴ “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! ⁵ You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. ⁶ These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. ⁷ You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.

Yosemite

Recently, we took the boys and girl to Yosemite. It was our first time (except for Sandy who went in college).

Once we got there (getting there was a whole different story! Always remember to bring chains...), it was GORGEOUS! The splendor of God was singing from the mountains and skies and waterfalls. This was a perfect spot with El Capitan to the left, Half Dome straight ahead and a waterfall to the right.

It was a quick trip so we just did a little bit of hiking. Or strolling at times.

We saw Half Dome up close.

And Mirror Lake - do you see the reflection?

It drew Andrew into some deep reflection himself...

Sandy took plenty of photos.

Everyone got a turn.

Yosemite Falls was raging. Because of all the rain this year, all of the waterfalls were really going. It was impressive.

We rented a house in the woods. It was very picturesque.

Emery and Matt managed to pile up enough snow to build a miniature snow man.

And do some sledding.

It wasn't fast but it was boss.

It's always more fun sledding together!

Yosemite ended up being a great trip.

Snow days

Living in Benicia, we obviously don't see much snow. But in other parts of CA, there's a ton! Especially this winter. So we decided to take a trip up north to visit our good friends the Paytons.

Emery especially has been wanting to play in the snow, and she got her wish. Snow was falling with a bunch already on the ground.

She also got to hang with her good friend Hannah. Finally! Some girl time for the both of them!

Nothing like some fort building girl bonding time.

That's Matt tucked away in all that jacket. He started with a small snow ball...

Then he got it a little bigger...

And then it got even bigger...he looks kinda lonely way out there, doesn't he?

Then Micah came over to help out. I think the boys were building their own bunker under the trees.

At some point, everyone might have attacked Andrew.

All in all, it was a GREAT trip. Tons of snow and tons of fun. Thanks for having us Payton family!

Ephesians 4:29-32

Ephesians 4:29-32
²⁹ Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. ³⁰ Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. ³² Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

Psalm 86:11

This one's a lot shorter than Psalm 103. And even though Matt froze on this one, he's good at memorizing too. He's got Psalm 103 down also.

Psalm 86:11 Teach me Your way, O Lord. I will walk in Your truth. Unite my heart to fear Your name.

Psalm 103

Bless the Lord indeed!

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
² Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits;
³ Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases;
⁴ Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
⁵ Who satisfies your years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.

⁶ The Lord performs righteous deeds
And judgments for all who are oppressed.
⁷ He made known His ways to Moses,
His acts to the sons of Israel.
⁸ The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.
⁹ He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
¹⁰ He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
¹¹ For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.
¹² As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
¹³ Just as a father has compassion on his children,
So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.
¹⁴ For He Himself knows our frame;
He is mindful that we are but dust.

¹⁵ As for man, his days are like grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
¹⁶ When the wind has passed over it, it is no more,
And its place acknowledges it no longer.
¹⁷ But the lovingkindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him,
And His righteousness to children’s children,
¹⁸ To those who keep His covenant
And remember His precepts to do them.

¹⁹ The Lord has established His throne in the heavens,
And His sovereignty rules over all.
²⁰ Bless the Lord, you His angels,
Mighty in strength, who perform His word,
Obeying the voice of His word!
²¹ Bless the Lord, all you His hosts,
You who serve Him, doing His will.
²² Bless the Lord, all you works of His,
In all places of His dominion;
Bless the Lord, O my soul!