Boy and Dog

"Majestic Skies" ( pics I took from last night's skies)

New Fire

Yesterday another fire broke out. This one was only 5 miles from our house. It looked like a bomb had gone off, and the sky filled with plumes of dark purple and orange smoke. It was a bit surreal. These are some pics from our driveway.

Baby Lincoln

This is a link to my sister's blog. You can see the awesome new gift God has brought to their family. I will post pictures of our kids with their new cousin soon, but until then, here is the link, to see little Lincoln.

http://www.myburnsfamily.blogspot.com/

one more of the strange sky before the storm

picture by Pete...

A storm, fires, and smoke!,

We have been burried in a cloud of smoke all week, due to 100's of fires that started in our county after an entire day of lightning storms saturday. It was an amazing light show, and we sat humbled and awed by God's power all day as we watched lightning strike in our own back yard and all around us. For the first time ever, I saw lightning hit something. It was amazing as an entire roof illuminated when it struck. We were grateful for a safe house. We are safe from fire danger, all though the fires are raging in all of the surrounding foot hills 10-20 miles away. Here is a picture I took coming home to our house. When we come up the hill, the smoke gets so much more dense than it is in the center of town. The other picture is of the sun which appears bright orange all day despite the look of being in a San Francisco fog. The first pic is of the sky before the storm hit. You could tell something was happening. It was a little erie!

One More with Michael and Cooper

Cooper- Our new Puppy

Meet Cooper- our new puppy! He is full of energy at times, but mostly very mellow and very much a lover. He loves to cuddle up in our laps. We have been crate training him and it is going great. He loves his "bed" now and goes in on his own. So far only two accidents in the house which were largely due to Alex feeding him WAY to many "fiber filled treats". Anyways, here he is!

106 degrees???? What?

It was HOT today! 106 degrees to be exact- and it's not even summer yet. I have a feeling we're in for a hot one this year! We set up a little pool out back tonight.

Where there's water, there's entertainment. I dragged them out at 8 to get them ready for bed, but who feels like sleeping when it's this hot. They definitely are ready for school to end this year!

a few baseball shots from this week

The first couple pictures are of Michael bunting, then Alex at 2nd base and then last....the cheering section! Go Yankees!

A few more pics from Great America...

Great America May 2008

The twins turned twelve, we celebrated 13 years, it was mothers day,,,,enough reason to celebrate??? We headed down to Santa Clara to Spring Fest; Some of our favorite artists where there; Kutless, Switchfoot, Barlow girl!!! They were all great concerts, but our favorite was Barlow Girl- what an incredible testimony those girls gave. It was so much fun. The kids loved the roller coasters and nothing was too scary to try. ( I can't imagine feeling that way!) Michael and Pete even did the "Drop Zone", where you free fall 300 feet down-YIKES! Upside down, hanging from the top, or bottom....they did it all! I was the photographer/videographer for the day- maybe I'm getting old! I will never forget watching my kids have so much fun this weekend! Yeah for Play Time and Family Time and Worship Time! We needed it!

More Birthday Fun....

Michael and Allie turn 12- Yikes!

Michael had a slumber party and Allie had a pedicure party- different nights! What a crazy weekend. Imagine 7 boys with pots on their heads acting out a Monty Python skit. Although girls aren't as tame as everyone thinks!!!

a thought from my heart....

The foundation of our life is designed to be first, firm and foremost in our Lord. We can say that God is the ground we stand on, but undoubtedly that ground will become what we labor for and love most.

If we treasure or value the people, plans and passions of this world, more than we treasure or value the pursuit of pleasing our King, than we anchor our feet into ground that shifts, breaks and can disintegrate underneath us.

It has been through the pain and trials in my life, that God has exposed the many layers of foundation that I had chosen to place underneath me; the sin of putting my primary hope in something or someone other then Him. When the ground I stood on, and walls I leaned on fell, it was then I felt the pain of standing on a shattered foundation (or life)

If we stand first on the foundation of our Father, then the storms can rage and the winds can blow, but our ground will be firm and we won’t falter in our faith. We can lose our happiness, but never our Joy. If we have lost our joy, we must ask ourselves what we had put our hopes in.

How is it possible that when we know the source of security and eternity, we invest our lives and hearts into the unstable and temporary?

We must constantly ask ourselves what is the anchor we hold to first.

We must love first our King
We must follow first our King
We must root only in our King,,,,,all other ground is sinking.

Then and only then, can we say with confidence and peace, this:

If today, I were to lose all I know in this world, I would still have more than I could ever deserve and need.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Matthew 6:19-22

Getting Air

The boys seem to always be looking for ways to be more impressive...bigger, higher, faster, whatever it is, it always seems to make me more nervous. Here they are practicing some of their stunts while I got some weeding done.

Alex taking a swing....

Alex had a lot of fun at this game too. You should have seen his face, when coach told him to take the mound and help close. He was shocked. This was the first time he's pitched live. He did great and had a wonderful time. I was biting my nails, rather than clicking the camera.

Michael from the plate....

Michael threw a great game this last weekend, with 12 strike outs. It was a beautiful night and felt good to be back on the dirt field for a night game!

Allie at her game last thursday....

Next to most softball players, Allie may look a little on the tiny side, but his girl can send the ball way out there, and she packs quite a throw from Center( her favorite position). This game, she was most excited about her slide into home, but the photographer was too busy watching.

opening day for Baseball Season 2008