tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24092660853074200162011-07-07T23:05:50.967-04:00Welcome to the Capricious Chronicles of the Convivial, Contemplative Cole Clan! (That's the l-o-n-g title.) Our blog exists to keep our family and friends updated through pictures, stories, thoughts, and various other blurbs (in short, anything we deem worthy of sharing), and our ultimate goal is to bring glory to our Great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Family, friends, and visitors are all welcome, and we look forward to your comments (if they're nice, of course). Hope you enjoy!Liznoreply@blogger.comBlogger1201100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-6765744095031593402010-06-16T09:06:00.001-04:002010-06-16T09:39:08.789-04:00

Below the OakDoes the stately oakin its Autumn grandeurarrest, silence, and invokea sense of rapt wonder?Does its intricate leaf,rich in death, provokepraise and heighten beliefin the God who spoke?Does its lofty height inspirepeaceful humility?Do you unconsciously admireits graceful sublimity?If you gladly offer praisefor the beauty of the tree,think, ponder, then appraisethe source, the root of

Liznoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-67545733819217226162010-06-14T09:00:00.004-04:002010-06-14T09:20:03.358-04:00

We're celebrating 7 years of marriage today! "Happy Anniversary" to my wonderful Michael and "Thank You" to my wonderful God.

Liznoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-32490696983577130962010-05-24T17:08:00.004-04:002010-05-24T22:22:05.413-04:00

Viviane had been singing "Jesus Loves Me" before the arrangement and performance of this Farm Song Medley. That should explain the beginning. I've gotten loads of good laughs out of this one :-)

Liznoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-56502937334176694032010-05-24T16:57:00.002-04:002010-05-24T17:00:41.058-04:00

Viviane LOVES this baseball hat that her cousin Micah gave her...she also thinks cows are pretty neat. So, wearing the hat to go on a walk with Daddy to see cows made her day!

Liznoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-66804247587848213922010-05-16T19:34:00.007-04:002010-05-16T19:41:22.704-04:00

Here's our big 5-month-old!

Liznoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-12633365892336800692010-05-04T19:11:00.002-04:002010-05-04T20:38:25.722-04:00

MColehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04715856866947836089noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-29536559628235137612010-03-18T10:11:00.000-04:002010-03-18T10:11:59.621-04:00

We love you, sweet Viviane. You are truly a gift from our kind Heavenly Father! Have a wonderful day celebrating your 3rd Birthday!

Liznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-79216789306955375552010-03-15T21:27:00.001-04:002010-03-15T21:28:04.313-04:00

Liznoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-6926179388434676722010-03-15T21:23:00.001-04:002010-03-15T21:24:41.674-04:00

Liznoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-82881741072199340392010-03-15T21:19:00.001-04:002010-03-15T21:21:35.964-04:00

We've got to do SOMETHING to entertain ourselves in the van!

Liznoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-41724678470077508322010-03-09T16:00:00.001-05:002010-03-09T16:03:14.296-05:00

After our Sunday meeting in Sumter, SC, we thoroughly enjoyed a beautiful Monday at Swan Lake. The weather was gorgeous and so were the swans and the lake.

Liznoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-38062236235660489952010-03-09T15:49:00.000-05:002010-03-09T15:50:18.458-05:00

Viviane loves to stand on her stool and "play" with Adeline while she's in her crib. It's so cute. Viviane tries to be a little too helpful sometimes, though, so I try to protect Adeline from her kindness :-)

Liznoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-17968431749090698332010-03-09T15:27:00.000-05:002010-03-09T15:28:26.684-05:00

The day after Valentine's Day (which shows you how late I am in posting this :-) ), we got to make another fun excursion into IL to visit dear friends. We were privileged to meet Olivia Karis Hanson just one day after her arrival into the world, and we also had a wonderful time with Jeremy and Anouk, Joy, and Bob. Thanks, everyone, for making time for us again! We love you all!

Liznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-21397161487143664762010-02-15T17:13:00.001-05:002010-02-15T17:17:40.347-05:00

Liznoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-3927615025926575402010-02-10T14:36:00.000-05:002010-02-10T14:37:23.640-05:00

Alot has happened in the last month, so I'm doing a quick "catch up" post. We're settling into life with 2 precious girls (still not getting much sleep, but it will come eventually, right?!) We've started our traveling schedule again...we've taken just 2 weekend trips so far, but we're leaving Friday for a 2 1/2-3 week trip.Here's a quick summary of the collage:Row 1: Pics 1-6--Michael took a

Liznoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-68870473624898537362010-01-21T19:18:00.000-05:002010-01-21T19:18:56.030-05:00

It's hard to believe our little Adeline Elisabeth is already 1 month old! Saturday was the big 1 month birthday, and we took these pictures yesterday. She brings so much joy to our family and we praise God for her!

Liznoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-63819522629238387772010-01-06T17:08:00.000-05:002010-01-06T17:08:48.222-05:00

(Okay, so we actually took a family photo in the hospital, but I didn't want to claim it as the first official :-) )

Liznoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-62541674297692253182010-01-02T16:14:00.000-05:002010-01-02T16:14:53.304-05:00

Liznoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-79637924184190194662009-12-23T15:58:00.002-05:002009-12-23T16:45:39.160-05:00

MColehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04715856866947836089noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-16648472892639336982009-12-23T15:24:00.003-05:002009-12-23T15:57:49.508-05:00

Viviane took advantage of a beautiful day to express herself in art . . .to do a little yard work . . .and a little play.We thank the Lord for the gift of beauty, energy, and life.

MColehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04715856866947836089noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-4710002596196856552009-12-17T20:49:00.003-05:002009-12-17T20:57:31.565-05:00

MColehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04715856866947836089noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-47912392999333223342009-12-16T17:11:00.002-05:002009-12-16T17:18:46.428-05:00

We appreciate everyone who has been praying for us and who has contacted us about how things are going. Liz is still in labor. She's been very courageous and tough through some very intense labor. Presently, she is resting after having received an epidural. She wrestled with this decision, but the Lord guided us to the right decision. The epidural has allowed her to relax which has helped her

MColehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04715856866947836089noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-6513725132627463272009-12-16T07:02:00.003-05:002009-12-16T07:07:45.784-05:00

We checked in about 1 hour ago and Liz is now being questioned and prepared for being induced. As you can see, she can't stop even when she's been put into a hospital bed! :) Really, she is just checking out my work on a birth announcement. We'll keep you posted throughout the day.One neat thing is that the nurse in the background was involved with Viviane's birth. We appreciate the continuity at

MColehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04715856866947836089noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-15246835290725971272009-12-12T14:28:00.004-05:002009-12-12T14:41:11.340-05:00

Viviane LOVES helping with things around the house (for which her Mommy and Daddy are very grateful!). We're trying to include her in all kinds of things, and one of the things she most enjoys is putting the silverware away when we're (well, mostly Daddy right now) emptying the dishwasher.

Liznoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-32700847220929408342009-12-06T21:37:00.000-05:002009-12-06T21:38:13.040-05:00

The Lord graciously provided through a special gift from one of our supporting churches for Michael to purchase a Macbook recently! We're thrilled to be "crossing over" to the Mac world and look forward to someday being undivided in the Mac/PC realm--2 Macs, I mean. (Who knows when that will happen, but for now we have a united spirit even though a divided computer ownership :-) ). It really has

Liznoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-53081545944259827882009-12-05T20:34:00.000-05:002009-12-05T20:35:02.207-05:00

...given by Daddy! Michael did a great job trimming up Viviane's hair to even it out and give it a little more bounce and "life." It looks so cute! (But, of course, I'm a little biased about my cute little girl :-) )

Liznoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-82345306946115202202009-11-28T19:58:00.000-05:002009-11-28T19:58:42.066-05:00

Liznoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-50871700425063234422009-11-27T18:28:00.003-05:002009-11-27T19:00:36.517-05:00

For obvious reasons, I've been thinking the last couple of days about what I have to be thankful for. Every moment I live, I experience so many blessings from my Father above. For instance, as I'm sitting here typing this, Viviane is standing by the coffee table humming in her cute little way, and she just looked at me a couple of minutes ago and said, "I love you, Mommy." Now, THAT is something

Liznoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-6298619002789109132009-11-24T22:10:00.000-05:002009-11-24T22:10:55.225-05:00

My dear husband is absolutely the BEST! Do you know what he lovingly did tonight that I could not do in my very pregnant state? He gave me a pedicure! That's right...a pedicure. And, I must say, it was a very good pedicure at that :-) He's one sweet fella, and I'm so thankful to the Lord for blessing me by allowing me to marry him. Thank you, Michael, for being so loving. I love you!

Liznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-84205813390749011382009-11-22T19:43:00.000-05:002009-11-22T19:43:53.642-05:00

Viviane got to experience lots of Fall Fun while we were in IL! Mr. Tom carved a beautiful leaf design into a pumpkin one night (sorry, no picture of the finished product, but I assure you, it looked great!), and Daddy took Mommy and Viviane on a wagon ride at one of hosts homes!

Liznoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-69940028414900290262009-11-18T20:02:00.002-05:002009-11-18T20:39:06.244-05:00

We had such a good time with friends and packed lots of exciting adventures into our month in Illinois! Here are a few more fun things we got to do while we were there:At the home of one of our Sunday dinner hosts, Viviane got to hold precious little kittens for the first time! She LOVED it! The biggest challenge was keeping her from squeezing them to death :-)We visited a still-functioning grist

Liznoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-62557531455982017402009-11-11T22:05:00.000-05:002009-11-11T22:05:23.383-05:00

In the previous post, "Fall Fun!", I failed to include a picture of dear Joy, the woman who made the orchard trip possible. Thanks, Joy!

Liznoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-71994592819950712792009-11-11T22:02:00.000-05:002009-11-11T22:02:13.491-05:00

Saturday morning Viviane and I got to enjoy a fun time at an orchard in Rockford with Joy McCarnan, Jenny and Elijah Thompson, and Bonnie Ruth Farmer. We had a blast! There were animals to feed, grain to play with, pumpkins to look at, and of course, donuts and apple cider to partake of :-) Thanks, Joy, for getting us all together and treating us to a fun time!

Liznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-87504892549239936202009-11-06T17:50:00.000-05:002009-11-06T17:50:55.000-05:00

Yesterday we enjoyed a beautiful day with Brian, Johanna, Stefan, and Baby Girl Hanson in the quaint town of Galena, IL. We got to tour one of Ulysses Grant's homes, eat a delicious lunch at Vinny's Italian Restaurant (yummy garlic bread!) and Johanna and I window shopped in several neat little shops along Main Street. We topped the day off by hitting 2 chocolate shops (yes, 2, and, yes, you're

Liznoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-5024149722080189012009-11-03T12:46:00.002-05:002009-11-03T12:51:17.459-05:00

On the way to Rockford, IL, a couple of weeks ago, we got to enjoy a few hours in downtown Indianapolis, IN (I grew up about 40 miles NE of Indy, so I was feeling a little nostalgic about the whole thing :-) ). We walked around Circle Centre Mall and then toured the Capitol Building. We topped off our time by getting Steak-n-Shake to go (one of my favorites!!).

Liznoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-40430750613542305602009-10-21T16:55:00.001-04:002009-10-21T16:58:03.595-04:00

We're currently having deputation meetings in Illinois, and some of the moms from Morning Star Baptist Church here in Rockford were so kind to invite Viviane and me to join them for a play date yesterday. We started at Barnes & Noble for a story and craft (necklaces made out of pasta and fruit loops :-) ) and then made our way down to a spectacular play place for kids in the mall. Viviane had a

Liznoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-62525557039471265452009-10-05T22:09:00.000-04:002009-10-05T22:09:52.039-04:00

Viviane and I thoroughly enjoyed a trip to the Wichita Zoo with Jenny and the kids today! (The men stayed home and worked while we played:-) ) I think the funniest thing Viviane said from her stroller was "Come here, Parrot, and sit on my lap" as we walked through the South America section. Thanks, Aunt Jenny, for treating us to a fun time at the zoo!

Liznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-22782513599513590442009-09-17T17:28:00.000-04:002009-09-17T17:28:44.455-04:00

We had tons of fun with Jenny & Lance's family at the Kansas State Fair on Monday! Viviane LOVED the rides in Kiddie Land, and her cousin Micah was sweet to ride with her on the ones Daddy was too big for :-) We enjoyed seeing the winning pumpkin (I think it was over 800 pounds), having a picnic lunch, riding rides, and eating funnel cakes--YUMMY. Jenny and Lance spoiled us by treating us to all

Liznoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-55133156996979662452009-09-16T11:38:00.000-04:002009-09-16T11:38:23.862-04:00

Happy 33rd Birthday to my sweet husband Michael and wonderful Daddy to Viviane and "Baby Girl on the Way"! This picture was taken just 2 days ago at the Kansas State Fair--Viviane and Daddy rode the carousel together :-) Viviane, Baby Girl, and I all hope you have a wonderful day, Daddy! We love you!!!!

Liznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-59875406865451505762009-08-10T20:50:00.003-04:002009-08-10T20:54:32.734-04:00

After our singing and prayer time tonight before bed, Viviane sat on the ottoman, looked straight at Daddy and said, "We're going to do your devotions now. Can you say I Corinthians 13:4?" I'm glad she's listening during morning family devotions and actually remembering some of what we do :-)Then, after we tucked her in and I said "Goodnight, Babes," we headed down the steps from her attic room

Liznoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-66780476254452051992009-07-21T09:53:00.004-04:002009-07-21T10:38:13.012-04:00

MColehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04715856866947836089noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-54678181107173721752009-06-18T21:39:00.006-04:002009-06-18T21:58:33.246-04:00

On Tuesday night, we had a wonderful double date with our dear friends and coworkers, Tim and Ruth Bixby. We enjoyed dinner at Olive Garden and then dessert afterward at Panera Bread. This was one of our last hurrahs with Tim and Ruth before they leave for France next Wednesday, so we were grateful to the Lord for the time with them. Here we are, the Double-Daters: Meanwhile on the homefront,

Liznoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-55486926671873027492009-06-15T22:26:00.003-04:002009-06-15T22:30:57.641-04:00

Hmmm--what would you call it? A resort? A palace? Not sure, but we had fun building it!

Liznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-27502974398592096762009-05-31T17:38:00.000-04:002009-05-31T17:38:42.471-04:00

Here is one of the promised pictures showing our exciting news!!! God has blessed us immensely with the news of Baby Cole #2 on the way. The estimated due date is December 19. We're grateful to the Lord and trusting Him for safety for both Liz and Baby.Sorry for the delay in posting the pic. We had technical difficulties with our scanner, so I actually had to take a picture of this picture (not

Liznoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-90080371382201083402009-05-29T16:20:00.001-04:002009-05-29T16:21:57.477-04:00

Pictures are coming soon! Hopefully tonight :-)

Liznoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-69872586695994370032009-04-30T14:43:00.001-04:002009-04-30T14:45:36.830-04:00

Shaun and Pam have a good bit of wildlife in their backyard. Viviane has been especially thrilled with the brown squirrels (she calls them squirlts). One day this past week I took her outside to let her run off some energy. We noticed a squirrel in the next yard over. Viviane called for the squirrel to come over--and it did. She vacillated between interest and fear as it drew nearer and nearer,

MColehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04715856866947836089noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-3672682152479707992009-04-28T15:46:00.000-04:002009-04-28T15:46:14.854-04:00

Just taking a quick break from the work of the day to post this funny photo. Tally loves to sit on Shaun's shoulder. She'll even sit there as Shaun walks around. Although I can't really picture Shaun as a pirate, this photo makes me think of a pirate with his parrot on his shoulder. It has been great to be around Shaun. His enthusiasm is refreshing and we've had some really good conversations.

MColehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04715856866947836089noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-62547648288477903912009-04-27T15:19:00.003-04:002009-04-27T15:32:32.518-04:00

On Saturday, Shaun and Pam took us to Moraine State Park for a picnic and fun time in the sun. The weather was gorgeous, the company was great, and the park was gigantic. We ate our supper with the lake in view. The lake gleamed in the sunlight and provided us with a constant breeze. To Viviane's great delight, we also ate within sight of the playground. The thought of playing stole her appetite,

MColehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04715856866947836089noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-12891869124152349622009-04-27T14:31:00.002-04:002009-04-27T14:41:56.515-04:00

On Friday, April 24, Liz and I took Viviane out to a park near Shaun and Pam's house. The Lord has given us beautiful weather, so we decided to take advantage of a little spare time that we had. Viviane had a ball on the playground equipment. She surprised us with how adventurous she was. She went through the tunnels all by herself and slid down a pretty tall slide (with Mommy's help of course).

MColehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04715856866947836089noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-53380196109760831412009-04-23T08:14:00.002-04:002009-04-23T08:21:17.529-04:00

We made it to New Castle and we are being spoiled by Shaun and Pam! They have been so kind to us. They fixed up a space in their basement for us to use while we base out of their house during our trip to Western PA. Last night we had a good time visiting with them and then we attended a service with them at the Alliance church in town (one of the two they are thinking about). Afterward, we spent

MColehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04715856866947836089noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-36531824506037510402009-04-16T17:49:00.000-04:002009-04-16T17:50:02.156-04:00

Viviane started sleeping in a "big girl bed" on Monday night, and she really likes it! We decided to start her on the trundle part of the trundle bed so that she'd be closer to the ground :-) We've had a few rough times during the night and little tumbles, but overall, she's done really well and seems to be enjoying the "freedom" of a real bed. Our little girl is growing up!

Liznoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-61438670139999417762009-04-15T21:39:00.000-04:002009-04-15T21:39:50.822-04:00

This past weekend, we got to take a short trip to GA to visit Mamma and Pappa, Michael's grandparents. We had a wonderful time and are so grateful to the Lord for the relaxing visit He allowed us to enjoy with them. We love you, Mamma and Pappa!

Liznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-64128488534011657712009-04-13T21:16:00.002-04:002009-04-13T21:25:43.823-04:00

We're praising the Lord that last Friday, April 10, was Michael's final day to work at UPS! We thank God for providing for us partially through UPS for nearly the past 5 years, but we're excited to now be able to focus all of our attention on deputation and getting to France.We had Dunkin' Donuts on Friday morning to celebrate and then I surprised Michael with a breakfast date this morning to

MColehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04715856866947836089noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-52816913823066044592009-04-13T21:10:00.000-04:002009-04-13T21:10:52.647-04:00

"He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!" What a blessing to proclaim those words as a body of believers yesterday as we gathered at CPBC to celebrate Christ's resurrection. The Lord blessed us with a beautiful day to rejoice about our beautiful Savior!We had a house-full for the afternoon to continue our celebration. I failed to get a picture of everyone, but we fit 17 people into our little house for

Liznoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-47381410623170331392009-04-13T20:41:00.000-04:002009-04-13T20:42:17.787-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, we got to have Micaiah and Miriam over for a few hours, and boy, did we have fun! We read books together, made Play-doh creations, had arts and crafts time, and squeezed in a picnic AND a tea party! Oh, and Viviane got to wear Micaiah's hat and bandana. A fun time was had by all. We can't wait to do it again, M&M!

Liznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-63095232362877569082009-03-20T20:45:00.000-04:002009-03-20T20:45:34.675-04:00

Liz's involvement in LMC gave me some time to spend with Viviane, so we decided to go to the park. The weather was beautiful. Viviane enjoyed the swings and the slides very much. Then we headed to the pond to see the ducks. As we walked Viviane chanted "See-the-ducks!" over and over. It was great! We saw lots of geese and a couple of ducks at the pond. Then we headed to the "Island" where we saw

MColehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04715856866947836089noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-14255076383884116792009-03-18T14:35:00.003-04:002009-03-18T15:03:04.540-04:00

It's our sweet little girl's 2nd birthday already! Time has flown by...it's so hard to believe she's all toddler now! Viviane is truly a blessing from our Heavenly Father, and we praise Him for His goodness in giving her to us! He has blessed her with excellent health and development these first 2 years, and she brings such joy and liveliness to our home.On Saturday, we celebrated with a family

Liznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-30241297345381724972009-03-09T14:00:00.002-04:002009-03-09T20:17:18.222-04:00

We drove up to Charlotte last Sunday just before the big snow storm to visit Nana and Poppa for a couple of days before heading to Asheboro, NC, for a missions conference. What a beautiful winter wonderland we saw Sunday night and Monday morning! Nana and Poppa had a snow day on Monday, and Michael's sisters Amy and Alicia (along with her kids Zack and Emilee) came over for part of the day.

Liznoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-57349732349660649042009-02-25T14:25:00.000-05:002009-02-25T14:26:20.640-05:00

Liznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-15009403080556814452009-02-18T09:25:00.003-05:002009-02-18T09:53:53.519-05:00

We finished up our Valentine's Week with a fun-filled Valentine's Day. I started off the day by surprising Michael with breakfast at Dunkin' Donuts. (Earlier in the week, he had said he knew where we were going, and I knew that he knew it was Dunkin' Donuts. But then he had jokingly guessed that we were going to Waffle House, so on our way to Dunkin' Donuts, I pulled into Waffle House first. [

Liznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-27516080828437968642009-02-14T11:51:00.005-05:002009-02-14T12:18:02.240-05:00

Yesterday's treats were....More "Cupid Cupcakes" and a Dr. Pepper for Michael:A Chick-Fil-A chicken biscuit for Liz:And a Valentine's balloon for Viviane: The Valentine's Day fun has already started today--I surprised Michael with a breakfast treat this morning, and he has a surprise planned for the afternoon/evening! More on that later.Happy Valentine's Day to all of you!!!!

Liznoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-70817917482510244932009-02-12T15:02:00.003-05:002009-02-12T15:18:40.050-05:00

Michael got cards from both his girls today: And Liz got McDonald's French Fries!!! (Notice the carton is empty...once again, I couldn't wait long enough to take a picture before digging in :-) Also notice the theme connecting my Valentine treats: they're all health food.)

Liznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-11318317517909800382009-02-11T16:24:00.004-05:002009-02-11T16:41:37.081-05:00

Liz's treat from Michael: (Mocha Frappuccino--YUMMY!)Michael's treat from Liz:(Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting)

Liznoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-47806750583396709002009-02-11T10:55:00.000-05:002009-02-11T10:56:07.950-05:00

One of the churches we were recently in graciously gave us a Cracker Barrel gift card, so we decided to use it Monday night for a family outing! Viviane had lots of fun coloring, playing the peg game, and riding the rocking horse in the Cracker Barrel Store. And we ALL enjoyed the yummy food (and I thoroughly appreciated not having to cook for the evening :-) ).

Liznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-4356042498310739242009-02-10T16:30:00.005-05:002009-02-10T16:41:15.710-05:00

Viviane and I greeted Daddy with a sign on the front door this morning:(Please excuse the strangely placed exclamation points. This was part of a "Happy Birthday, Daddy! We love you!!!!" sign, and we just "recycled" part of it :-) )And Daddy brought home a Krispy Kreme doughnut for Mommy! Yum, yum!(Notice the box is empty because I couldn't even wait long enough to take a picture before eating

Liznoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-70145237827585829262009-02-09T12:03:00.000-05:002009-02-09T12:03:34.443-05:00

Hannah & Erin Hurst (with the expert assistance of Donna Bixby) planned a smashing 50th birthday party for their mom, Judy, and we were privileged to attend it this past Saturday night. (The Hursts are some of our dear friends from church.) It was a wonderful time of celebrating the life God has blessed Judy with! Today is Judy's official birthday. Have a wonderful day, Judy! We love you!

Liznoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-24743536580308205702009-02-04T15:19:00.000-05:002009-02-04T15:19:26.836-05:00

Viviane and I had a great visit with Mrs. Gowan today. She so kindly pulled out toys for Viviane to play with (Viviane especially enjoyed the teddy bear and little puppy and the miniature red tricycle). Mrs. Gowan is such a sweet lady, and we love her dearly. We are grateful to God for giving us the joy of spending part of our morning with her!

Liznoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-76102558365694738752009-02-03T17:30:00.004-05:002009-02-03T17:39:25.978-05:00

Thanks to all of you for praying for Viviane's appointment with the allergist this morning. It went very well, and we are so thankful to the Lord for granting grace and strength. Michael was able to get off work early and go with us, so having the calming presence of Daddy was a huge blessing (especially to Mommy :-) ) Viviane was a little "trooper" and only cried a little--what a big girl! The

Liznoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-17322839751937817762009-01-31T09:09:00.000-05:002009-01-31T09:09:57.776-05:00

...not the wizard :-) Seriously, Viviane possibly has a nut allergy, so we have an appointment with an allergist on Tuesday morning. Please pray for Viviane (and her mommy :-) ) as I've heard that allergy tests are no fun. We'd appreciate your prayers that the Lord will comfort Viviane and help her to handle the discomfort/pain during the testing, that He will enable me to be a comfort to her

Liznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-18795284143950059632009-01-27T16:24:00.003-05:002009-01-27T16:38:22.618-05:00

Barnes & Noble on Saturday......and the park on Monday!

Liznoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-62286869843727216122009-01-22T14:26:00.004-05:002009-01-22T14:58:50.049-05:00

Today was our second time to attend Lap Babies at the library, and it proved to be a fun experience again! The theme today was "Music and Mother Goose," so we had fun clapping and singing along. Well, at least I clapped and sang--Viviane mostly observed :-) But she did seem to enjoy watching the other kids and she especially liked the time between the 2 programs when we chose new books and read

Liznoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-48958156005152149252009-01-21T08:36:00.000-05:002009-01-21T08:37:08.972-05:00

We enjoyed a little bit of snow for a little bit of time yesterday :-)It was lots of fun walking around in it and then enjoying hot chocolate afterward.

Liznoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-39380486245333831182009-01-19T10:26:00.000-05:002009-01-19T10:26:57.925-05:00

Last Thursday Michael took Viviane down to Cleveland Park for some afternoon fun (and so that Mommy could get a projectdone :-) ) Viviane had tons of fun and Daddy got some great shots of her playing! When they got back home, Viviane got to play outside a little longer with Micaiah and Miriam and was very sad about having to come back inside :-( She LOVES playing outside...which won't be

Liznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-22320581681474944922009-01-15T14:30:00.000-05:002009-01-15T14:30:29.014-05:00

My friend Tammy from church told me about a program at the public library called "Lap Babies," so Viviane and I joined Tammy and her daughter Anne for "Lap Babies" today! We had a great time singing, hearing stories, being around other Mommies and Babies, meeting a couple new friends, and reading and checking out some new books!!! Viviane also got a couple of stickers which was a big hit. We

Liznoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-30116563663474718132009-01-14T16:49:00.006-05:002009-01-14T17:05:24.031-05:00

Viviane and I had some fun outside today with the Bixbys' red wagon that Micaiah graciously offered for us to borrow. (Thanks, Micaiah!) Viviane thoroughly enjoyed riding around in it for quite a while; however, I failed to capture that part of the joy because my camera batteries died. She also had a great time pushing the wagon around the parking lot. Oh, the fun one can have on a sunny January

Liznoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-37504307079051332552008-12-16T17:57:00.000-05:002008-12-16T17:57:38.977-05:00

We've been enjoying our tree for a couple of weeks now. We had a great (and very cold!) time making the trek to Home Depot to pick it out. And as you can see from the middle set of pictures, I had some very valuable decorating help from Viviane :-) And now we get to sit back and enjoy the finished product!

MColehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04715856866947836089noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-67077217733174162352008-11-26T10:32:00.000-05:002008-11-26T10:33:18.236-05:00

Liznoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-83671436362866691692008-11-10T10:27:00.006-05:002008-11-10T11:48:44.959-05:00

Well, alot has happened in the last 3 1/2 weeks, so I'm going to do a general "catching up" post. We've been on the road for 2 missions conferences and leave again tomorrow for another conference in Charlotte at the church where Michael grew up. So, here's our last few weeks in a nutshell: Missions conference at Morningstar Baptist Church in Rockford, IL:First Row (L-R): 1. The Millers, our

Liznoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-31086453608310503782008-10-15T14:09:00.002-04:002008-10-17T10:51:21.501-04:00

Here's the waterfall, me walking back to the boat soaked (followed by Michael who is probably wondering whether I'm laughing or crying :-) ) and yours truly on the tube! For the full story, see the post below, "Elder Retreat Weekend."

Liznoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-86078516683588943302008-10-15T14:00:00.000-04:002008-10-15T14:00:58.671-04:00

The men went down to a borrowed lake house on Lake Keowee Friday night and had a profitable time of meeting and planning. They spent a few more hours meeting together on Saturday morning and early afternoon, and then the FUN began :-) (Well, I'm sure their meetings could be defined as fun also...just not the same kind!) The families trickled in throughout the afternoon and there was opportunity

Liznoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-10859823486187220512008-10-15T10:04:00.000-04:002008-10-15T10:04:41.683-04:00

Weekend before last, Michael and I got to go on a date AND visit both of our sets of parents! My niece Claire was a Munchkin and Poppy in Wizard of Oz down in Anderson, so Mom and Dad Mann babysat Viviane Friday night while Michael and I went out to dinner at Matty's Downtown and then enjoyed the play. After a nice breakfast and visiting with Mom and Dad on Saturday morning, we headed up to

Liznoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-30414683847902433322008-10-03T11:17:00.007-04:002008-10-03T11:47:08.062-04:00

Michael painted Viviane's room last week and did an awesome job! It's now a nice, warm, cozy tan with crisp white trim, baseboards, and doors. I told him it's currently my favorite room in the house :-)Here's my man in action:And here's the finished product:We're also grateful to the Lord for providing a trundle bed for a really good deal. Its versatility makes it a great guest bed since the

Liznoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-64144270512806889982008-09-30T14:05:00.002-04:002008-09-30T15:02:40.615-04:00

...nor any drop to drink!" I awoke this morning at 1 to the sound of running water. My first thought was "Is someone in our house?!" so I jumped out of bed to figure out what was going on. (And what would I have done if it HAD been someone in our house? Hmmm...didn't think about that at 1 AM!) I walked into the hall and found water spraying out of one of the pipes under the bathroom sink. I ran

Liznoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-22565654491715068952008-09-23T14:24:00.000-04:002008-09-23T14:24:37.666-04:00

Viviane had fun giving Daddy his birthday gift last Tuesday night, but I think she wanted to keep it for herself! (See picture on the right.) Grandma and Grandpa Mann joined us for a small dinner celebration for Michael's birthday, and we all had a good time!

Liznoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-44275095786331130472008-09-16T17:37:00.000-04:002008-09-16T17:39:19.727-04:00

MColehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04715856866947836089noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-40222273182046449172008-09-16T13:55:00.003-04:002008-09-16T14:00:25.205-04:00

Viviane and I got to have lunch yesterday with my friend Sarah. It's always a pleasure to spend time with her and talk about what God is doing in our lives. Hope to see you again soon, Sarah!

MColehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04715856866947836089noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-71742179785149962172008-09-09T20:03:00.000-04:002008-09-09T20:03:34.372-04:00

Liznoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-6043988242747944232008-09-01T13:48:00.003-04:002008-09-01T13:54:37.085-04:00

Last Saturday morning we took a little family excursion to Downtown Greenville and had a great time. Viviane loved walking everywhere! It was a cool morning, so we really enjoyed our time at Falls Park on Reedy River and then ended our family fun with a picnic lunch and a short trip into Mast General Store on Main Street.

Liznoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-74945015607907891722008-08-30T11:33:00.000-04:002008-08-30T11:33:40.441-04:00

Liznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-980400588249415442008-08-21T19:51:00.000-04:002008-08-21T19:52:37.713-04:00

Liznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-72710980333450954612008-08-20T13:48:00.000-04:002008-08-20T13:49:01.949-04:00

...wear it! (Or, in Viviane's case, wear it even if it doesn't fit :-) )

Liznoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-38767895681325855282008-08-19T14:02:00.003-04:002008-08-19T14:16:13.335-04:00

I'm not sure if this was pre- or post-"proposal," but I snapped the picture just when Micaiah and Viviane were both tickled about something (of course, Viviane was probably laughing only because someone else was :-) ). I reached back into the July 4th "archives" to have something new to share, but I promise more recent pictures are coming soon!

Liznoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-86264228546203530732008-08-01T20:55:00.000-04:002008-08-01T20:56:01.411-04:00

Viviane enjoys spending time with me while I'm fixing my hair, and she's starting to learn to use a round brush on her own :-)I think she probably needs a smaller-sized brush, though.(For all those wondering, yes, I do have a hairbrush sticking out of the top of my head.It's supposed to give a little "lift" to my very fine, flat hair :-) )

Liznoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-44014013431762288652008-07-23T14:31:00.001-04:002008-07-23T14:34:34.321-04:00

Last Friday night after dinner we went out for Cole Family Fun Night. We started by eating yummy doughnuts at Krispy Kreme and then walked around downtown Spartanburg. Viviane enjoyed being free from her stroller around the fountain and grassy area near Morgan Square, and we had fun reading the paper with that man who is always sitting on the bench across the street from the fountain :-) We

Liznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-16336574663378587432008-07-17T10:04:00.004-04:002008-07-17T10:15:37.348-04:00

My sister sent me this Willowtree figurine "Sisters by Heart" for my birthday. I absolutely love it!Thank you, Jenny. You are my dear friend and my sister, not only by blood, but also by heart. I love you!

Liznoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-41388957763925750872008-07-16T16:31:00.002-04:002008-07-16T16:37:21.668-04:00

In relaying my birthday adventure yesterday, I forgot to share that Michael surprised me with these beautiful flowers before we went out for the adventure. Aren't they lovely? And isn't he sweet?

Liznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-10495411395433676252008-07-15T09:36:00.004-04:002008-07-15T09:52:51.730-04:00

Yesterday, I turned the big 3-0. Yes, that's right, I have entered the wonderful world of the 30's. Michael called me yesterday morning after he got off work at UPS and told me to be ready at 4:30 and to dress in "business casual." (I put Viviane in the closest thing she has to business casual...a lavendar-and-white-striped onesie with cute little crocheted cap sleeves and a matching lavendar

Liznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-63325731867519049192008-07-14T11:04:00.000-04:002008-07-14T11:05:29.526-04:00

I thought this picture was too cute...looks like Micaiah is proposing to Viviane :-)I'm hoping to have 30-something years before a true proposal comes Viviane's way.That will give me lots of time to train her on proper social etiquette--that it's reallymore acceptable to leave your baby doll at home.P.S. This is no attempt to prophesy about Viviane's future husband :-)

Liznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-84655419383140245712008-07-12T10:32:00.000-04:002008-07-12T10:32:55.833-04:00

Viviane thinks playing with Daddy is oh-so-fun...especially when he tickles her!

Liznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2409266085307420016.post-23976307657637488622008-07-10T08:22:00.000-04:002008-07-10T08:22:56.430-04:00

Viviane loves to "read" her books. Michael found her one day pulling her books out of the cabinet in her room. This is now a fairly regular event in our house. (Although, yesterday she seemed more interested in pushing the Play/Pause button over and over on her CD player that sits on the same shelf as her books.) Anyway, back to books: first thing in the morning, she usually points at her book

Liznoreply@blogger.com4