Always making me smile...

So, Joaquin thought it was sooo funny to take the nipple off his sippy cup and suction it to his face! And, I have to admit, it was pretty hilarious! He was running around all day and Elijah kept laughing, pointing, and yelling "ipple face! ipple face buba!" I tried to catch him in action but he is pretty fast!

Elijah also decided to show off his new "I can dress myself" skillz by grabbing mommy's undies out of the laundry and putting them on over is shorts. So, this morning was a joyful start to the day with my little panty wearin' and nipple face boys! :)

Hill Family Reunion 2010

We had our yearly Hill Family Reunion a couple weekends ago at the Moody House. It was so wonderful to see everyone and hear what is going on in every one's lives. Most of us that used to sit at the "kids table" are all grown up now and the term "kids" is now used to reference my two boys. Every summer my mom's brothers and sisters, my mom's parents (Namama and Grandaddy Bill) and all the cousins try to get together for at least a 3 day weekend.

The past few years my mother has hosted the event since their house is large enough to handle the crowd. We always stay up late playing games, eating tons of sweets, and reminiscing. The mornings are full of babies running around and the "adults" having coffee and tea outside under the trees while the older kids sleep late into the afternoon! We all gather together for cooking meals some even put on their jogging shoes and go for a run around the small town of Moody. And, I know I didn't do it justice by my short description, but it really is a blast and such a special time of celebrating family. Here are a few pics from last weekend.

Brice, Sarah, JB, Carol, and my mom at one of the lunches

The crew sitting down for our last meal before everyone headed their own ways.

Catherine (I snuck in some candid shots when people didn't know I was taking them) :)

Sarah and Elijah playing legos

Carol often played chef

Ali

Bryce

hanging out during the afternoon

Brett

Elijah taking his legos very seriously

the weekend includes lots of dog bonding too!

everyone brings their pooches to play

JB's dog-- Issa

hanging out in the kitchen...why is it that everyone always congregates in the kitchen? no matter how big the rest of the house is?

my sweet mother, the hostess with the mostest

Buddy showing Elijah his camera tricks

Ian and Joaquin playing around on the couch

boys boys boys...

Ian, Joaquin, Bryce, Elijah and Brett

bigger boys

Bobby and Grandaddy Bill

Namama and her two girls, mom and Carol

MiMi and Elijah

Uncle Bobby and Joaquin

Breakfast outside

lego mania!

MiMi and Joaquin on the scooter

Em on the backyard swing

kids in the pool + people on the swing + dogs in the yard + people lounging = a good time

Elijah loved the sprinkler

Bryce keeping Joaquin entertained in the baby pool

Video Tribute

It has been quite a while since I have posted anything. Sorry about that. Summer gets so busy and crammed with activities! I picked up the flip this morning to catch a video of Joaquin playing with Joni and when I was uploading the video I realized there were a lot of clips on the camera that I had planned on sharing on the blog and never did. So, this is a catch up video blog entry. :)

These first two films are from Noah's 2nd birthday party, back when they were still living in the states! They rented one of those big blow up slide and jumpy things and the kids were playing on it all day!
This next one is from our time in Mexico when Uncle Stu taught Elijah his fancy dance!

Here is our fourth of July pop fireworks in the backyard. The boys loved it, and so did Joni for that matter!

This one might take a bit of explaining... you see, Ian and I made up a little brush your teeth song that the boys love. We say, "We're gonna brush our teeth on the--left, left, left, left, left, left, left--on the right, right, right, right, right, right, right, in the front, front, front, front, front--ALL of Elijah and Joaquin's teeeeth!" So, when Daddy and I are home to give them a bath together it is a tradition to brush our teeth when we are drying off and putting on our jammies. Daddy does a little beat-box and Mommy sings. One night Daddy decided we needed to video it to save the memory. So, here is our brush your teeth song for your viewing pleasure. :)

This video is from the carousel the boys road at the miniature golf place for my dad's birthday. They had a blast!

And, finally, this is the video I took today that started all this video tribute nonsense. It just wanted to capture Joni and Joaquin playing in the house since it is something they always do. He gives a nice wave hello to all you watching the video too!

Happy Birthday Dad!!

Today is my father's birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!

Yesterday, mom, Kellye, and I planned a secret little day for Papaw. Dad knew we were doing something for his birthday, but we didn't tell him what we were doing and we didn't tell him who would be there. It was a total surprise that Kellye was waiting at a Putt Putt Golf course to celebrate! (For those of your that don't know my dad's sister, Kellye, check out her website: www.kellyegray.com. The schedule of a jazz artist is always busy, so we were so excited that she was able to be with us that day!) So, Ian, the boys, JB, mom, Kellye and I were all there to celebrate with dad.

Let me just say that my father is an amazing man! I am so blessed to have had him as my dad in this life! He is the most encouraging, uplifting, genuine person I know. His spirit just permeates any room he is in and people just grow when they are around him. He can't help it; he is just that kind of guy! God has definitely set him apart in this life!

All in all, the kids had a blast running around the putt putt course, and when it got too hot outside we headed in for some fun inside. After the golf we all had dinner and a relaxed time to catch up. Dad was totally surprised by the whole affair and we had a blast! Here are a few pics from yesterday:

Dad blowing out his candle after dinner!

Elijah on the carousel

Joaquin LOVED riding on the horses!

The birthday boy actually won the putt-putt tournament!

Joaquin and Elijah got some good golf practice in!

Ian and Joaquin getting their golf clubs ready. The tiny clubs were so cute!

Here is a pic of the whole crew before we played miniature golf. Dad, mom, Elijah, me, Ian, Joaquin, John, and Kellye! We had a blast!

Joni's new swimsuit!

Joni's New look

I took Joni in to the pet groomers to get her nails clipped because she scratches the boys sometimes by accident. When I was explaining the situation to the groomer she said they had a solution to that problem; fake nails! I thought she was kidding and totally laughed it off till she went over to the shelf and pulled off a package of plastic nail tips! Oh my gosh! I couldn't believe it! 20$ to put on these "fake nail tips" that last 2 months! They are freaking awesome! I told her I didn't care what color they were so when I arrived an hour later to pick up Joni I found her all done up in a purple ribbon to match her purple nails! It is hilarious, and she hasn't even tried to take them off. I secretly think she likes them. She keeps jumping up on my legs to put her nails close to my painted toes to make the comparison! :) And, honestly I don't know why I didn't do this sooner! You can't even hear her paws on the wood or tile floors and it just feels like soft paws when she jumps up on you! I don't have to worry about her playing too rough with the boys and she doesn't snag the carpet upstairs! AND SHE LOOKS FREAKING CUTE!

Joaquin's Baptism, Blessing and Dedication

Some of you may remember, but it was about a year ago that Elijah was dedicated to the Lord in the San Gabriel River. It was an amazing day filled with God's spirit. He even sent a hawk to circle above us a few times as an obvious symbol of His presence. So, it was only fitting that Joaquin would be dedicated in the same place.

After Elijah was born Ian and I were talked and talked about what to do about a dedication. We belong to a rather large church and baby dedications are done in a less personal way. So, we knew we wanted to do something different.

I have been told many times by my father the story of our personal dedications. My father took my siblings and I out under and particular tree that he prayed under often and it was there that he prayed over us and personally dedicated us to the Lord, one by one after we were born. I always thought that was so beautiful and Ian and I wanted to do something similar with our boys.

I have also always loved the biblical tradition of the blessing. Before someone passed away, they would take each of their children and grandchildren and bestow a particular blessing on them. It was in this spirit that we decided to dedicate, baptize and bless our children.

A few months after Joaquin's first birthday Ian and I decided it was time to formally dedicate, bless and baptise him. This past Sunday afternoon there was a beautiful, cloudless sky over the San Gabriel River. The sun was scorching, but we expected no less since Joaquin's middle name is Sol! We took the boys in their diapers into the shallow water where there is a limestone passing that is easy to cross and performed our small but sacred ceremony.

Ian and I both laid our hands on Joaquin and voiced out loud our individual gratitude for him, dedicating him back into God's hands as His child, and we let the Holy Spirit lead our words as we gave our individual blessings of hope for his future. Then Ian took him a bit further out and we baptised him with water to represent a clean, renewal of life. It seemed like such an appropriate symbol for children, so pure and clean and honest.

It was so incredibly special to us and we are so grateful that our little Joaquin Sol chose Ian an I as his parents. In the words of the great poet Kahlil Gibran:

Your children are not your children.

They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.

They come through you but not from you,

And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,

For they have their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies but not their souls,

For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,

which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them,

but seek not to make them like you.

For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children

as living arrows are sent forth.

The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,

and He bends you with His might

that His arrows may go swift and far.

Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;

For even as He loves the arrow that flies,

so He loves also the bow that is stable.

We love you, our little sunshine!