The Best View

While we had some spectacular views from our house, the best view - by far - of the weekend was not at the house...

More than anything, I believe that good prayerful parenting involves the dream that your child will marry a person that is of good character. You pray that this person will treat your child with respect and kindness and that being with this person will bring out the best in your child. You pray they will have a life full of love and fun - that they will have a strong bond and that they will be wholly devoted to one another. 

You pray mostly that this person will love the Lord with all their heart, body and soul - for that is the true foundation of a lasting and loving marriage that honors and glorifies God. 

On Saturday, July 30, 2011 - our prayers were answered for Ashlee when she married Jonathan.

The second best moment of the weekend was watching Doug with his daughter - he was the perfect "Father of the Bride". He was the perfect balance of pride, sentiment and humor. I however, was pretty much all sentiment - it was so beautiful to see this...

 While Doug & Ashlee were dancing - the littlest daughter absolutely held back as long as she could....but could not stand daddy dancing with Ashlee on minute longer 

 Ashlee is the perfect big sister - she was so gracious in sharing her special daddy moment with her little sister. She and Becky share such a bond and Becky and Katie are so blessed to have such an amazing big sister! 

 They are just so beautiful in this picture....

We are so blessed that God answered this prayer for us. It is such a privilege to welcome Jonathan to our family - and to watch as these two amazing people of God begin to build their life together - a life that is truly rooted in His Word and will bring honor and Glory to the One who made it possible.

We love because He first loved us

1 John 4:19

A Room With View

We have been so blessed this past weekend to have the most wonderful accommodations. WE rented a house about 10 minutes away from Jon & Ashlee's place - and to say it had a view just does not do it justice.

This is the view looking up from the beach to the house..

and then the view from that long deck! 

 the side yard

 the back yard

 the front yard - it is so green and lush; there is a creek in the front (you can see the little bridge in front of the shed)

 Inside - just as awesome as the outside 

 Sunset over Puget Sound with Mt Rainer in the background - 

Pretty sure I could stay here a good long time...ahhhh......

A different beach

As is no secret if you have ever even only visited our blog just once, my girls love the beach. WE are up in the most beautiful Pacific Northwest for a very blessed event (more on that later) - and have rented a house on the sound. MY girls discovered that there is more than one kind of beach...

ON the path down to the beach - it's a beautiful setting! 

Grandpa Yingling is in town for the most blessed event - and he joined us on the outing. 

Where is the sand???? 

My treasure hunter soon discovered the joys of this kind of beach - 

- with a little help from her grandpa! 

Much fun was had....

More Catching up - Sunday

Sunday, we had a busy day. It started with Ryan's birthday party at Camelot. It started with games; Becky is not a very good skee ball player - but she sure enjoyed it! 

 Pizza after the games...

 ..then onto the highlight of hte day - her first miniature golf game! 

 The gang getting ready to head out to the links!

 Mom giving Becky her first golf lesson - it has been awhile, but some skills came back! 

 Gifts from the goody bag....

 After the party, we headed home for some swim time with mom and dad in the pool. 

Between the theatre and the birthday party and the swimming - it was a very filling weekend! 

Catching Up - A Theatre Experience

On Saturday, some of the Lucky Mommy's got together for a dinner theatre performance of Cinderella - it was actually lunch, but that's an incidental detail. There was a coach set up outside the hall for photos, so we thought to take some when we got there - 

It is so nice to FINALLY have the girls a bit older - it's not nearly as much of a fight to get them to all look at the camera and smile all at the same time! 

They served us a lovely luncheon, and then before the performance started, called all the children up who had gotten dressed up for the occasion onto the stage - our girls were the littlest, so they got to be in front (plus one of the mothers might have told them to make sure they got in the front.....) 

I loved this - when they were done, Gracie took charged and got all her friends together & off the stage...so sweet.

After the show, Cinderella and Prince Charming sat patiently and took pictures with all the kids. Now - what is wrong with this picture? Throughout the entire play, Gracie and Becky were quick to point our where the discrepancies were between the movie and the play. 

However, once the actual meeting of the princess took place - all previously discussed issued were quickly forgotten

They were so gracious - each girl got her individual picture and then they took the time for a group shot.....

...a real, full group shot!  

It was a great first theatre experience for Becky - and I am pretty sure we will be doing it again!