Beckie's Visit Part 2 - Butterfly Pavillion

One of the fun things we did while Beckie was here was we went to the Butterfly Pavillion.  I've been before, but Mary never had.  I got so many good pictures, I've had a hard time deciding which ones to add.

Look how tickled (and a bit nervous) she is over the creepy crawlers.

 Petting a starfish

 Looking at fish

 Butterflies everywhere!

 Goofy photo!

 Happy times!

 Check out that close up (taken with my cell phone!)

 Beautiful girls!

A turtle sun bathing

 Fairy Friends

Beckie's Visit Part 1

I'm a bit behind in my posts.  I wanted to be sure to record my sister Beckie's visit to Colorado in July.  It was so good to see her and Mary just loved seeing her cousins. 

I love this picture of Beckie holding Jonathan.  She is super close to delivering her own baby boy soon.  Jonathan will have a boy cousin on each side to play with!  How great is that?

 Sheri and Mary play really well together.  Isn't this picture cute?  This was after a fun outing to the spray park.

 I love this pic of the kid cousins gathered together.

Here are some pics from a family dinner/birthday celebration for Beckie
 at Cat's house.  She and Aaron just got chickens!

This pic has a few people you may not recognize . . . Hannah's fiance Joseph (I'll post a better pic later), Emma's friend Grant, and Hannah and Emma's cousin on the Robinson side, Lizzie who came out this summer to help nanny.

 Emma.

 What kid doesn't love birthday cakes and candles?

 Jeff and Jonathan

And here are some pictures from a hike we did at Roxborough State Park. It was so beautiful! Who knew that it was so close by?

Isn't she pretty?

This happy duo just celebrated their first wedding anniversary!

 My Dad fancies himself a photographer.  : )

 "Sisters, sisters, there were never such devoted sisters."  Except we are missing Jennifer in this pic.  : )

 Catherine and Jonathan.  Catherine looks pretty here I think.

 Miss Sassy Pants with a hiking stick

More to come!

Labor Day at Chicago Forks Picnic Area

Labor Day ended up being really fun.  The Murray's are lucky to have people like my sister Jennifer and her husband Scott who always find a fun place to go on holidays and happily let the rest of us crash their party.  Monday was no different.  We all drove up to the mountains - just about 1 hour away - and hung out for several hours at a beautiful spot called Chicago Forks Picnic Area.  Jeff sat this one out, but I really wanted to take advantage of my brother Ivan being in town.  So I was happy to make the trek up with my two kids.

Here are some pictures (I tried to get at least one pic of everyone). . .


Aaron and his monster marshmallow ready to be made into a s'more.

The Gang

Some of the beautiful scenery - though it doesn't look particularly pretty here - it really was.  And the rushing stream sounded so pretty.

 Aaron and Cat and Blue (such a well behaved, sweet dog) and Mary

 My Dad and Ivan

Mary is really lucky to have really awesome aunts and uncles.  Scott in particular really has a way with Mary.  And she just eats it up.

Emma and Howard

Joe - the cousin that all the younger cousins want to be around.

Uncle Ivan is another favorite of Mary's.  He recently discovered Mary was much more fun to play with than a year or so ago. 

Sweet boy chewing on his hand (He does that a lot).

All snuggled in with Aunt Jennifer.  His lower lip looks like Jeff's here I think.

Me and my big sis, Jennifer.  I realize I don't look very good here, but Jennifer sure does!  So it is worth posting.

And one more of my Mary.  I think this is how I always think of her - happy and carefree and beautiful.

Hope you had a fun Labor Day too!

"I Will Sing and Speak Praises"

Today Jonathan was blessed in church.  The ordinance was done by Jeff and he gave Jonathan a very nice blessing.  It was a beautiful day and I felt very blessed in my life. 

One thing that I enjoy about singing in a non-church choir is the beautiful sacred choral music we don't really get to sing in church.

Today I was singing these scriptures from the book of Psalms throughout the day and wishing other people could experience them as I have.

"This is the day that the Lord has made.  We will rejoice and be glad in it!"

and

"The Lord is my light and my salvation.  Whom then shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my song.  Of whom then shall I be afraid?
Though an host of men were raised against me, yet shall not my heart be afraid.
And though there rose a war against me, yet shall I put my trust in Him.
Therefore will I offer in His dwelling an oblation.
With great gladness.
I will sing and speak praises unto the Lord"

and

"Make a joyful noise to the Lord. 
Serve the Lord with gladness.
Come before His presense with singing
Allelujah!  Allelujah!"

Psalms is probably my favorite book of scripture.

Okay.  Here are some photos from today.  If you are on FB, you've already seen them.

"We are a happy family."

Such sweetness.

Family and friends who came

Me and my little boy.  Isn't his outfit so cute too?

Jovial Jonathan

Seriously?  Could he be any cuter?