Read with me

Come next to me little ones and we will read a good book. So that is what you do when your back hurts, you get a heating pad, a cozy blanket and read great classics to your children. I love reading to the kids, and they love to hear stories.
I love the illustrations of these two classics!

I really love these older versions they are amazing.

Noah's best night ever

Noah with Mimi stuffig boxes for Operation Christmas Child
Ellie with her box for a little girl Ages 2-4; she put a puppy, a baby, crayons, all things little girls love.

Look Mommy ,No hands!! Here we are with Grandadd at his church

Daddy and Elijah stuffing his box full of little boy goodness.

At the end of the night at Ellie's party at Grandadd and Mimi's we walked right over to Grandadd's Church and stuffed Christmas Child boxes. The kids had a blast, and wanted to do it "again and again" We have done this every year, but they just had the greatest time, I think because they were with their grandparents!! Noah whispered in my ear at bedtime that it was his "best night ever". He has such a heart to serve. I love them all.

Elfed Ourselves

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Chapter TWO

Enjoying the attention of a b-day song.

The little boys = Trouble

Andy and Anne's new baby, Gauss

Ellie's favorite Grandadd

This week-end we celebrated Ellie's 2nd b-day at Mimi and Grandadd's house.

Ellie was enjoying the day, and her eyes dazzled as everyone layed affection on her. She was so proud of herself when she played "princess" dress-ups, and when we sang Happy Birthday. I hope that I can raise this little girl, to grow in to a beautiful young woman.

My sweet little girl is growing so fast, she is such a joy. I love her so very much. She is such a cuddly, loving little mommy. She loves to care for her babies, and her brothers, and Mommy and Daddy. I am so happy to have her as my little girl. I love the way she wrinkles and crinkles her nose, when she is being silly, or thinks that anything is funny. I love how she talks and talks....(you have no idea what she is saying but she is very intent, with hand gesture and body language as to get her point across.) I like how she says with a squeal of delight "Like that"!!

She is a true Daddy's girl, I am so excited that she has a Patrick, who loves her so very much. I see that she is vivacious, and passionate about things, the boys are more laid back and subdued. Ellie is so dramatic and is the one..when daddy comes home she runs at him faster than lightening and jumps into his arms, and covers him with kisses, and is laughing, and so full of joy. The boys want to be hugged and cuddled like that as well, but they are much more shy, and withdrawn.

Ellie is really enjoying being a little sister, she loves her brothers so very much and tries to play with them always, and I love how they accommodate her, by allowing a "princess" or "mommy" or something in their story line of that days play.

Ellie loves to bake, play dress-up, and play tea, she is planning on inviting Daddy to a special tea this week-end, (We have begun setting this up), they are dressing up and meeting upstairs in her little bistro.

Ellie at two is such a joy, and I am incredibly thankful for her.

A Box of Happy

When I was discussing giving thanks with Elijah, Noahy and Ellie, they specifically named their grandparents first Mimi and Grandadd, and Nina and Paw Paw, they very much love them. They can't wait to spend time with them. Elijah and Noah then said "school", and other family members aunts, uncles, cousins...But the thing that all of them mentioned was "dwawh" what Ellie says for coloring. They all love to color so much, in fact they do every day, maybe up to 4 times a day. They love art. I am so amazed that God has given them the love of Art, I hope that I can cultivate it in them. Each one of them is seriously very good artistically, it blows me away. I enjoy watching them "dwawh" Happiness is a bright box of crayola crayons.

Congrats to Carmi and Corree

This is Coree and Josh it is so small because I stole the picture from face book. They have been together like 8 or 9 years, they are gaining on Pat and me. Congratulations on your first Wedding Anniversary! Love you!

Here is Carmi's engagement photo she looks so beautiful! Congrats Carmi!

Here is props to the photographer (since I posted her photo)

http://www.blog.claryphoto.com/ Her photography is beautiful!

Carmi and Corree were two very good friends of mine during college we were very close I practically lived with them, dropping in on them when ever I wanted, Corree and would work out together, Carmina and I would always have these deep conversations with each other, and Pat would tease them and they would just laugh and laugh! We would always eat together, and of course do Pine Street together. These girls were so fun, caring, encouraging we just always had a blast together. I met them through Pat, he was friends with one of their boyfriends, and then we just became this amazing cliche in College it was Jay and Carmi, Coree and Josh, Me and Pat, and Zartie and Matt, and sometimes this kid named Doug, and a girl named Erica, we just had such fun with each other. I love these girls like sisters. Well they went off to study abroad working on their graduate degrees and we lost contact. It is a shame... however, I am so happy to have found them yesterday. I mean these girls were even in my wedding that is how close we were!

Storage Palooza.....

Check out what I got for Christmas from my parents....Are they not totally awesome they are to store all of our toys, which are everywhere we do not have a play room in our house as most families do and things were in baskets here there and everywhere. It is so nice to control the toy situation. I am hoping to get a play room eventually for now it is just a dream. Thank you Mom and Dad!!

As for the toys on top.... those are some of our favorite (special toys). The Noah's Ark was handcrafted by Pats maternal grandparents, Coodie and Grandpa. Grandpa has past and is

with the Lord now, and Coodie is going to be celebrating her first Wedding Anniversary soon. We love you Coodie. Congratulations!

The other toy is a big fish with a little Jonah that pops out, our neighbors Jane and Jerry gave this to the kids they love it.

I delight in the labour of love put into to these handmade toys, and the people who made them. The ark was origianally Patrick's when he was little and they refinished it and filled it up for our kids 2x2.

Jack and Jennifer tie the knot

We had such a great time at my little brother Jack's wedding. They were married November 8th at St. John the Baptist, in St. Louis. My parents hosted the Rehearsal dinner at the St. Louis Fire House, and Imo's Pizza catered the event, with all the St. Louis style food you can eat, they had a Cardinals theme, they first met at the Cardinals game.

Elijah, Noah and Ellie did an amazing job I was so proud of them!

Wine for the whining

Today's Soundtrack at the Lloyd House

Mooooommyyyyy, I want some juuuuuuice...

I don't wanna go to sleeeeeep...

I have to go to the baaathroooooom...

Ellie tooooook my toooooyyeee.....

Oh boy, I think I going to have to enjoy a glass of wine with Patrick this evening, and enjoy some grown up time.

Pneumonia Blues

Our poor little buddy Noah is struggling with pneumonia right now, in the midst of being a ring bearer. He continues to be very lethargic, and wheezy, and tired. He has a nebulizer, and we are giving him medication to help control the symptoms of the pneumonia. Noah was born with RSV. and has struggled with breathing/Allergy problem's. When he was a baby they gave us a nebulizer, and we have pulled out from storage and he has had his aspirator treatments again. My heart hurts for him.

For the Beauty of the Earth

Rockwoods Reservation is such an amazing blessing here it has a diverse amount of plant and animal life as well as springs, caves, and rock formations. Cool, moist, north facing ravines and lush creek bottoms contrasting with the nearby arid, rocky ridge tops, and south slopes. The terrain is reminiscent of the Ozark hills. Our trip was an incredible experience. Go out and enjoy it but hurry, it is in all of its glorious splendor. Here is a picture of the Tortoise and the fast little hare

Check out the view, amazing

finding little creatures on the trail

Up the hill to a Golden forest

scuffing through the crunchy leaves

Elijah chilling out above us

Family devotion time, it was the perfect spot

checking out the moss

Ellie was sizing up this log that had fallen on some rocks she totally wanted to go up

Mossy rock caves were so awesome

Looking up to the heavens

Running after our little darling whom is not afraid of anything

This is a huge boulder, that my sweetie scaled.

Such a clear, gorgeous day

This is view we saw coming back down from the cliff

Stack of rocks

The boys came across a little limestone bridge, left from the mining area of the trail. Of course they climbed up on it.

Yes more caves not discovered.

Little Ellie Faith leaning on a tree drenched in the rich golden sunshine, on crisp cool fall day. I felt Gods presence surrounding us it was amazing.

I love this pic of Elijah he leaned on the tree, and I looked over at him, and it was mesmerizing so I quickly shot his picture.

Family Picture in the midst of the excitement.

Investigating the caves, we had a blast scaling this cave and crawling around inside. It was so hot up here, but once around the caves entrances it was very cool. We ran into another hiker with his two little girls who took our pic. We also took their pic and emailed to them.

Mossy cool limestone wall

Halloween Party and Recital

Batman Cody, batman Andrew, and Astronaut Elijah

Buzz, Astronaut, and Batman
Ellie with her cousins Grace and Joseph-obi one

I apologize for the video, the quality is poor, and Ellie was next to me, and I was trying to watch her at the same time.
Noah is in the first row on the left of snow white, and Sam is second in the first row. Elijah is the third row back in the center.