Max Lucado's One Hand, Two Hands

Caleb loves Max Lucado's children's books (the Pancanello series) so when One Hand, Two Hands showed up on BookSneeze (where I get free books for reviewing them on my blog from Thomas Nelson) I was super excited. But this book is just okay.
The pictures are super cute, though I was confused why a big bear showed up, in second reading I realized that her stuffed animals came to live.
The thought behind the story is wonderful: there are many ways to use our hands that are practical, fun, loving and kind. But the rhyming was awkward; the situations not always applicable to preschoolers whom I assume this book is aimed at due to its layout. "Squish cheese, ooey, pooey???" The list at the end is nice but rather random.
While my girls (almost 2 and 4) most of the time sit through it, the first time through Lydia didn't even know they were still talking about hands.

The beach

Its been over a year since we have been to the beach as family. Caleb's high school friend's wife's parents (or you could say our friends' parents) have a beach house on Bolivar Peninsula and we all went there for the weekend. 13.5 people (5 under 3.5 years) in two bedrooms-I didn't sleep much, but in spite that it was an AWESOME trip. I felt so alive and happy and enjoyed my kids as we splashed in the water and dug in the sand. We had a great time after we put them to bed and played a board game and just chatted and the food was awesome too. Four years ago when I was pregnant with Lydia we went to the mountains of Colorado with this same wonderful group.
Memories-
6 minutes into our 5 hour drive, Lydia said-I am getting tired of this long long trip!
The Ferry Boat-climbing to the top and seeing dolphins
Gloria did not eat sand this year (and never pooped on the beach-a mom's simple pleasures).
Both girls would just run into the water. And Gloria would lay on her belly and say I'm swimming!
No lasting sunburns! Lydia and Caleb stayed at the beach for over 8 hours on Saturday, and no melt downs or craziness with the kids. The happy and sun protected family!
Lydia's second favorite thing to do-build a sand castle with Kellaura. (first was splash in the waves, though she was disappointed she never saw a mermaid!
Daddy caught a crab!

Playing in the car waiting for the ferry, the cars to each side of us had bunches of little girls who entertained ours.

Friends!!

Okay I am going to be super lame but I am way behind in blogging because we had such an awesome summer.
Caleb went to Maryland for two weeks for a science teacher training and I was at home with the girls so some friends from HS and their kiddos came to visit and we had a grand time. Check out the pics on my facebook or their blogs (on the side-Michael & McCulloughs). They did such a good job with pictures and insights that I won't try and compete :)

Play time!

Our list of summer fun included Jumpy Gym a huge room with blow up bouncers but Lydia's favorite thing was the high heels. We also went to see Jonah (Gloria stayed home with Daddy) and lunch at Chuck E Cheese (next time we'll just get Cokes & tokens!) We were so busy the rest of the summer we had to jam all the fun in one week!

One Texas and one British Police officers
Loving on dogs at the splash park.
playing on Daddy's Itouch (she is an addict) on the top bunk (she likes that a lot too) at the beach. There was a sign that said-Relax and Enjoy. And while the kids were supposed to be sleeping. Nick walked in to see Lydia sitting in this pose and pointed at the sign and said-that sign says No getting out of bed!
More sister Itouch fun!

Billy Graham Book

Billy Graham His Life and Influence by David Aikman was a great book about a wonderful man. I was looking forward to a light biography and was surprised how thick it was, though once I started I read it quickly (I get free books for reviewing them at Thomas Nelson’s Book Sneeze). The book focuses on his influence, meaning how Graham has affected American culture and religion, the world, politics and especially the Presidents. It is divided by topics instead of chronological order, and it is amazing to see how Graham really did change the world as we know it, yet remained a godly humble man who, while desiring all to like him, truly loved Christ and preached him whenever he had the chance. While admiring the man, Aikman was sure to point out his mistakes (mostly being occasional wrong, offensive, silly remarks) though the short ending chapter about his family speculates their troubles being to his absence as a father. It was also amazing to see the changes in Graham’s own view of the world and how to express his faith. I got to see Billy preach at the very end of his career and recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the man but mostly how the man influenced our world today.

PS. The greatest thing I learned in the book was that even Ruth Graham regretted reprimanding her children too sharply!

Cousin Fun

Back-Lydia, Nathanael. Front-Zoe, Sophia, Xavier, McKenzie, Abigail, Gabriel and Gloria!

While we were gone to London the girls stayed with Matt, Heidi and cousins, then with my friend Laura and then to Grandcamp. The last night there cousin Jonathon came. Then more cousins picked them up and brought them to Caleb's mom's house where all the Harris cousins were together. We all fit around a dinner table and in a backyard pool :)
We had a great time but are glad to be home.

Outdoor girls

Caleb and my dad caught a big catfish!

Caleb and his brother took Lydia and Sophia up the river in his boat. They tried on their lifejackets and enjoyed sitting in our driveway!