Snuggle Time with Daddy

Here's a happy bunch!

Noelle's Misguided Theology

Noelle has 2 CD's that put Bible verses to music. She has listened to them since she was 1 and she loves to sing along. Unfortunately, she doesn't get the lyrics correct all the time, which makes for some huge theological blunders.

Actual Lyrics:
"Let the little children come, Let the little children come
And do not forbid them, And do not forbid them..."
Noelle's Lyrics:
"Let the little children come, Let the the little children come
And do not forgive them and do not forgive them..."

Actual Lyrics:
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son..."
Noelle's Lyrics:
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only forgotten son..."

Noelle's first day of school!

Noelle started preschool today. She'll be going to Calvary Christian School Tuesday and Thursday morning. I never thought she'd go to a school where she was required to wear a uniform, but isn't she cute!?!

In front of the Preschool house

Noelle's teacher, Mrs. Duty

My Hoodlums

The girls and I went grocery shopping yesterday. Noelle decided she wanted to wear her sun hat to Kroger which guarantees that Sadie will want to wear her sun hat to Kroger as well. I didn't see any harm in it but they were quite the pair when they donned their sunglasses in the back seat of the car.

Sadie's still working on proper sunglass placement!

God's Slpendor Outside Our Window

We greatly enjoy nature and it's especially incredible to see God's creativity and splendor up-close. This is the first year we've had a hummingbird feeder and we've had a great time watching the hummers dart in and dart out.
This is also the first year we've planted sunflowers. They truly are as vibrant in real life as you see in pictures.
"Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare." Psalm 40:5

female hummingbird (no 'ruby' throat)

male hummingbird

morning glory, in full glory

sunflower

Spence Happenings

First of all, we're totally in love with the new-carpet smell. I feel like we just moved into a new house. If we could blog a scratch-and-sniff sticker for you to experience it too, we would.

Secondly, while Brad and I were busy moving all our furniture out of most of the rooms, Sadie was busy in the kitchen. At one point we stuck our head in the kitchen to check out the sounds we heard coming from there. There we found Sadie taking the silverware out of the dishwasher and putting it in the silverware drawer. (Isn't she brilliant?)
The silverware was dirty. (okay maybe not brilliant, but at least cute.)

Yesterday the girls and I had leftover baked potatoes and green beans for lunch. After lunch I noticed a good bit of potato chunks and green beans on the floor. I moved the chairs aside to sweep up the food when Sadie discovered the treasure I was about to sweep up. She picked up at potato chunk, looked at me and said, "Eat?".
Since I knew the food was from lunch (today's lunch and not yesterday's) I figured it couldn't hurt so I said "Okay," and she proceeded to pick up the prime morsels from the floor. Not to be out done by her sister, Noelle runs to the scene. She shouts "Hey, I want some," and joins Sadie in the floor feast.
This just goes to show how much Sadie enjoys eating and how much Noelle hates it when Sadie has something that she doesn't.

New Carpet is In!

There is still furniture in the garage, a layer of 'carpet dust' over all our furnishings and my muscles ache from all the moving BUT our house is full of wonderful, new carpet. We praise God for a smooth installation, the resources to have it done and the pleasure of enjoying the finished project.

Before - obviously (eww!)

After - Horray!

A comparison of the old and new carpet

Old Carpet in Noelle's bedroom


New carpet in Noelle's room

New carpet in the living room

The carpet is California Berber and we got it from Hadley's. We were very happy with our service there.

Sadie's Words

It's so fun to hear Sadie try out new words. It's such a joy to have her tell me a word in her 19-month-old language, have me guess a dozen things until I get it right, and see her face light up because mommy finally figured it out.
Sadie does not say "Mommy" or "Noelle." (Apparently she doesn't feel the need to honor me in that way just because I gave birth to her and have nurtured her everyday since - not that I'm bitter or anything). However a few nights ago we were trying to get her to say "Noelle."
So we would say "Sadie, say Noelle. Noelle." (we hoped repeating it would help it stick) She looked at Noelle and said what sounded like "Butt." Noelle took it very well and said matter-a-factly "Well, I do have a butt."

New Carpet!!!

Tomorrow is a big day in the Spence household. Tomorrow we're getting new carpet installed in the whole house. This is something we've talked about since the day we moved in -- 5 years ago -- and the time has finally come.
Since our kids have outgrown the spit-up stage, we thought it would be a safe time to invest in new carpet. Don't worry, we think we got a good quality carpet that will handle the occasional spit-up from your kids. I wouldn't be surprised if God allows one of our kids to stain it the first week, just to be sure fresh, spotless carpet isn't an idol.
Check back later in the week to see some before and after pictures!

A Big Wonderful Mess

What do you with leftover pudding and popsicles sticks? Make a great big wonderful mess.

Noelle decided even she needed a bib.

One-upmanship Prayer Requests

I'm not sure if the kids in Noelle's Sunday School class try to out-do each other with prayer requests, but I recently overheard this conversation as Noelle was playing "Sunday School."

Noelle as the teacher: "OK, raise your hand if you have a prayer request."

Noelle as child #1: "My mom can't hear very well."

Noelle as child #2: "My mom can't hear OR talk very well."

Noelle as child #3: "My mom doesn't have legs."

"Wholesome" Reading

This summer we've started reading chapter books to Noelle. I started with books I remember reading during my childhood, deeming them appropriate for a young listener. We've read the first Little House on the Praire book, a few Boxcar Children books and we just started a Betsy Tacey book (I didn't read this as a kid, but they were recommended to me and Meg Ryan recommends them in "You've Got Mail" - very credible, right?). All of these books were written several generations ago and it amazes me how much the English language has changed in the past 80 years. Here are some translations I've had to make so Noelle knows what I'm saying:

• "queer" = "strange" (I'm surprised how common this word use to be) "queer dress," "queer noise," "queer look" etc...
• "gay" = "happy"
• "Mrs. Ray was moved by the entreaty." = "Mrs. Ray was moved by the question."
• "..two starched petticoats which were buttoned to a muslin underwaist over woolen underwear." = "...two starched petticoates...over underwear." (I'm just thankful I don't have to know what this is)
• "To please the little boy named Tom she let them all speak pieces." = Uhhh.. "To please the little boy named Tom she let them all say a poem."

And the one that stumped me the most.......

• "Betsy flew to the closet, but she could not find her pussy hood." = I have NO idea.

Zoo with the Pitners

We just returned from a great day at the Cincinnati Zoo with Joy, Jett and Ella Pitner. It was hot, but it was fun!

Noelle and Sadie having a "Giraffe Encounter"

Jett and Noelle in the Rainforest Mist

Sweating Sadie and a monkey

Hanging out with some Gorillas