Psalm 139:13-16

Naomi or Abigail Elizabeth Russell

(we haven't decided which we like better)

Titus David Russell

For you formed my inward parts; you wove me in my mothers womb. I will give thanks to you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are your works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.

Psalm 139:13-16

These are from my 30 wk. ultrasound. Titus weighs in at 3 1/2lbs. and Naomi weighs in at almost 4lbs. They are both doing great. They are both head down, which makes mommy very uncomfortable. Especially when they both decide to stretch at the sametime. My blood pressure has been beautiful, my swelling very little. I am blessed with a very good pregnancy. Although uncomfortable of course I don't have anything worth complaining about.

This is the way you wash the dishes!

Yes she is in need of hair cut!

The longer Mark's hair gets the more Maddie looks like him.

Mark showing Maddie how to rinse the silverware.

Rinsing the silverware...a very important job!

Maddie has become a very big helper, well she's learning how to be a big helper if nothing else. Helping with dishes = getting to play in the water while looking like she's helping. She is starting to pick up her toys when asked all by herself, she's helping to clear the table, going potty by herself (although this can get tricky for an almost three year old), she gets ready for bed all by herself. Meaning she gets two books, gets in bed, and starts reading by herself without Mark and I going with her. She has definately started acting like the three year old she will be in a couple of weeks. Maddie came in the kitchen and told me something I didn't understand, but her tone sounded like it wasn't very honoring. So I asked her if she was talking rude or if she was using a honoring gentle tone, she looked at me in all seriousness and said; Mommy, what are you talking about. One of those moments where I probably shouldn't have laughed, but I couldn't help it.

Are You Ready

Mark got a new cell phone, with the new cell phone he got a bunch of cool ringers. One in particular Maddie has claimed as her song. She asks Mark frequently if she can listen to Maddie's song, which is really called are you ready. I've never heard it before but Maddie thinks it's great and dances like crazy when she hears it!

Cookie Helpers

Mmmmmmm!!!!!

Mark and Maddies idea of helping is by testing and tasting the cookie dough. Maddie likes to taste it as it's in process, starting with the butter/sugar creaming, and then tasting it as each ingredient goes it. She agrees that sugar is definately good. Every time she eats it she says; "I love, I love sugar. It's yummy!" Mark and Maddie were lots of help cleaning the spatulas, spoons, and the bowl!

Giving my heart to Jesus

I have been singing a song I learned when I was working at a day care. The song goes,(to the tune of skip to the lue my darling) heart heart giving my heart. Heart heart giving my heart giving my heart to Jesus. Lost in sin now what do I do, I'll give my heart to Jesus. Going to heaven how about you, giving my heart to Jesus. Maddie has a shapes game, one of the shapes is a heart and out of the blue she started singing this song! Praise the Lord that at the age of three she is singing a song with the gospel clearly in it! Work on her heart Lord Jesus!

Last days of Autumn

check out the hook thingy

It's almost as tall as me.

Look mom I found a fun metal pipe!

The look of a curious almost three year old.

Hanging out in the back of Bahpa's truck!

Check out those facial wrinkles! That's intense apple eatting.

Eatting one of Bahpa's apples from his tree.

We had a beautiful weekend! We couldn't have asked for better weather, well we could have, but we were very thankful for the warm weather we did have. We took advantage of the great weather and had a fire, hot dogs, and smores at Bahpa and Mahma's! With all the running around, fresh air, and good food. Maddie fell asleep on Mahma's lap. Something that rarely ever happens!

Trick or Treating with the Cousins!

Nothing better after a long day!

Finally chilling with Daddy and reading!

Maddie and Noah relaxing after trick or treating on

Emmy and Tim's bed watching Wallie. I think this is funny because Maddie is

reading a book and watching tv...something Mommy does all the time.

Esther and Owen chillin watching tv.

Much Better! Being warm and comfy is much better than trick or treating!

Owen all bundled up warm for the trick or treating!

They had to learn the art of knocking then backing up so

the person could open the door.

Her and Noah had to take turn ringing door bells

which might have been the funniest part of trick or treating

Maddie knocking on the first trick or treat door of the night.

The big smile I got after telling her to say princess.

Regal Princess Maddie Sitting on her Throne.

Check out the tongue of consentration.

Noah was Thomas the train and looked fabulous! Very Handsome.

Princess Maddie running through the leaves!

We had a fabulous time on Halloween. We met a Emmy's house first and then made the rounds to Great Grandma's and do some other relatives. Then we did the traditional trick or treat rounds that Kelly, Emily, and I use to do when we were little. We finally made it back to Emily's with lots of candy in their bags. Tim made a great goolosh and we had some warm garlic bread. Perfect after a night of trick or treating. The best part of the night was spending it with family. It was wonderful to be able to trick or treat with my sisters and their kids! When Maddie tried her dress on she asked me were her glass slippers were. So I let her wear her fancy white dress shoes. They have now become her glass slippers and she asks me if she can wear them frequantly.

God's Amazing Creatures!

http://paradoxoff.com/files/2008/04/zorse-1.jpg

This is a zorse. A zebra crossed with a painted horse. Training a zorse is often harder than training a horse because of the natural and stronger flight instincts of the zorse. Such amazing creativity!

Salvation Conversation!

I was putting Maddie to bed tonight and we did her same routine. She reads by herself for a little bit, then Mark or I go in and read one or two books with her, pray with her, then I sing to her. I sing scripture mostly. John 3:16, Phil. 4:13, Acts 16:31, along with other scripture I come across that has a tune. I was singing Acts 16:31, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved". I put Maddie's name in the you spot and she said; "no Maddie be saved". I said; "Maddie it's important that we are saved". She said; "but why". I said; "because God knew that Daddy, Mommy, and Maddie would never obey enough. So he sent Jesus down to earth to die for us". She said; "but why"? I said; "because he loves us so much". "But why" she said. I said I don't know, I said let's pray and ask Jesus to show us tomorrow how much he loves us. Then I said Maddie does Daddy love you. She said; "yes". I said God is a daddy too and he loves you very much. She then started to grap the air and I asked her what she was doing. She said she was grapping Jesus and then she would put her hand to her chest. I asked her if she wanted to take Jesus to bed with her and she said yes. So I tucked Jesus and Maddie into bed! I kissed her goodnight and then prayed our conversation would penetrate her heart and become real to her. Did she understand what I said? I don't know? Will she remember it in the morning? I don't know that either. I do know I am thankful God is even now working on her little heart, prodding questions, helping me by giving me answers and guiding me to pray with her when I don't know the answers! Praise the Lord that He is working on my little Maddie's heart!

Mark and Maddie Time!

For some reason Maddie was intrigued by the dust on the side of the guitar

and she kept trying to blow it off.

Maddie thinks Mark's dramatics are hullarious!



I love the joy on both of their faces!

We had the guitar on it's side and she said it's too big,

so we layed it on her lap instead.

When Mark layed the guitar on her lap and she started playing

I had to capture the moment!

Maddie loves Mark's guitar and asks Mark to play it quite often. She has permission to play it by herself if she'd liked, but usually prefers Daddy to play it with her. We figured since we have it out in the open it made more sense to teach her how to strum and play it carefully than to make it off limits to her. Plus it instills a love of instruments in her and makes it not the forbidden fruit in the room she has to touch. I also love the time that it allows Mark and Maddie to have together. She has started to dance to daddy's playing! Hopefully her love of music will continue as she gets older.

When Maddie asked Mark to play his guitar she started playing with him, but then apparently dancing was a lot more fun.

Cup Cake Fun

Yummy!

Our finished product! Notice the chocolate on Maddie's upper lip.

Apparently Maddie lives by the saying a little dap will due you. Because she'd barely put on any frosting and then put on a pumpkin.

We chuckled at this cup cake Maddie smashed pumpkin into the cup

cake like it was a crater.

Taste testing...a VERY important job!

Grandma gave her pumpkins to put on the cup cakes and we had sprinkles,

but she prefered the pumpkins of course!

Maddie helping me frost the cupcakes. We had to teach her you don't lick the cup cakes before you frost them!



Maddie and I made cupcakes this week. Maddie did more tasting than anything but that is one of the most important jobs! It was fun to have her help with the whole process. Learning what a spatula, stirring spoons, measuring cups. Lots to add to her vocabulary. It was fabulous mommy and Maddie bonding! Mark didn't mind the finished product either.