life, and a little more

Easter 2009 Slideshow

Apr 12

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[slideshow id=3098476543646035966&w=426&h=320]

We had a great Easter.  To see the above pictures in full resolution, check out my Smugmug gallery here.

My Kids

Apr 05

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I love my kids.  Let’s get that straight right now.  They know how much Cindy and I love ‘em, but today I was filled with gratitude out how much they love EACH OTHER.

We had a busy Sunday.  My In-Laws celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary (huge props to them!) and Hannah had a birthday party to attend.  Cindy was at AT&T Park watching the Giants play ball and I got to be the chauffeur hauling kids around.  After all was said and done, we all got home around 6pm and were all pretty tired.

In spite of that, my three kids, ages 14, 12, and 10 all decided to outside and play jump rope together.  Nothing earth shattering or mind blowing, but it made me so darn proud of ‘em.  I love the fact that they get along (for the most part!)  Of course there are the mandatory sibling bickerings, but they actually enjoy each other’s company.

God has done a good work here….and I’m glad he has let me be a part of it!

Rebekah

Mar 23

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My Bekah

My Bekah turned 12 this weekend and I can not believe who fast those 12 years have gone by.

When she was first born, she was nothing but cheeks and hair.  She would waddle over to you and give plant a big juicy kiss on your face.  As she grew older she literally wrote, colored or scribbled on every wall of our house.  It was at that point we knew she’d be a creative one!

As she grew, so did her vocabulary.   She started writing awesomely descriptive stories and still hasn’t stopped.  My favorite one was written when she was in the 1st or 2nd grade.  She wrote about a beautiful butterfly that loved life but hooked on drugs and ended up dying.  It was so matter of fact!

Now she’s in 6th grade and growing up too fast!  She is still writing and playing piano as well. She loves people, especially little kids.  Most importantly, you can see Jesus shining through her!

Bekah, I’m proud of you!

First Day of School 2008

Aug 18

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[slideshow id=576460752336558234&w=426&h=320]

Well, school started today (Hannah started last Wednesday, but we cheated and took her pictures today too!)

Three kids in three different schools!!  Wow!  I thought I’d be freakin’ out really bad with a high schooler and a Jr higher and a 4th grader, but I’m actually super excited for them.  Each one is on a new journey and it is God has given me the privelege to help guide ‘em through it!

Jesus, please watch over them and keep them safe and their eyes turned towards you!
—————-
Listening to: Monk & Neagle – More Than That
via FoxyTunes

Another 4th of July come and gone..

Jul 05

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[slideshow id=576460752335104748&w=426&h=320]

Father’s Day Goodness

Jun 16

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I had a great Father’s day today! My kids rock and they know it!

But I got an extra special surprise at church this morning! They had sponsored a contest for kids to write a small essay about their dads and my darling daughter Bekah wrote a nice story about me and she won!

Here is her essay:

My Dad

My dad, hmm let’s see. I guess the best place to start is the beginning. But first, let me tell you about me. I am his second (and favorite) daughter. My name is Rebekah, I am 11 years old. I will be a Cruickshank Tiger next year. Oh yeah, and I love to write stories.
Anyway, my dad has been there since the beginning. Putting a smile on my face, he was there, always there.
His dry sense of humor, (sorry dad, but you know it’s true) and his great personality, are only a few of the great qualities of my dad. He is very tall, and so whenever we play basketball as a family, we always want to be on his team. After all he is like 6 feet 3 inches, so it’s like a total advantage. He was also on the basketball team in high school. (you rock dad.)
Well he also helped me learn how to ride a bike. That was a fun experience. Telling him not to let go, even though he did. Falling off into the grass. Running off, mad at him for letting go, and you know the rest.
But my dad isn’t perfect. He can’t hear out of one ear. He can’t smell, which I’m not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing. He is lucky when it comes to stinky things. (cow fields, diapers, dog “stuff”, etc.) But he is terribly unlucky when it comes to good smelling things, (flowers, cornbread, cookies, etc.) but I still love him.
My dad does snore, but there is a reason, he has sleep apnea. I’m not quite sure what it is, but I do know that it means he has to use a machine at night-time. (I think it’s an oxygen machine)
Also, on every birthday, if there is school on that day or not, he sends us balloons and candy or a teddy-bear. I used to think it was kind of embarrassing to walk into my classroom with a big bouquet of balloons, but now I don’t. It’s from him and I think it’s special.In fact I like to wait on every birthday for the teacher to tell me to pick up something from the office. I know it’s the balloons. And every year I walk up to the office with a smile on my face, then I proudly take it back to my classroom.
But when it comes to all the things i talked about, they don’t matter and I don’t care at all. Just having him as my dad is the best reward. But I do love him so, so much. I will cherish every moment I get with him. He is extraordinary ( in a good way) and I like him that way. He is an awesome father, but not just a father, he is also a great friend- and a great person- to be around. I love him and hope to stay close to him all my life. (my mom is great to, but this is my dad’s story.) There is just one thing that I have to say to everybody, including my dad:
I love you so much dad. Thank you for all that you do for me to make my life worthwhile. I love you and thank you.

Written by,
Rebekah Latronica.

Isn’t that just so awesome! I mean, my entire house can burn down and my much loved Mac could go up in flames but as I long as I have love like that, it is all I need!

Thanks Bekah! I love you very much!

2008 School Awards

Jun 06

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[slideshow id=576460752333687300&w=426&h=320]

I know I posted Hannah’s Awards, but Bekah and Nathan finally got theirs too!  I’m so proud of all 3 of them!

Peterson Elementary Award Ceremony

May 30

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[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=RuegPGYrRY8]

My Two Great Kids

May 23

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I posted a blog entry the other day praising my oldest daughter! She is awesome and I love her very much.

But I have two more totally great kids as well. Bekah is going to be in 6th grade and Nate is going to be in the 4th grade. I love them bunches and have some things of theirs to share too.

Bekah is our family’s literary genius. She loves to write and wrote the two following poems. Click on the links to hear her narrate her own poems:

Snakes

Long Dark Shadow

At school, her teacher has let her and her friend Hadely create a claymation video, which is below.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kjl4IRtUhKc]

Nathan is a budding writer as well. Below you will find two of his stories. The first one is a fiction story about meeting a friend.

click here if you need a larger version

The second story is an opinion piece. Who would’ve known that I spawned such environmentally aware children?

click here if you need a larger version

I am so proud of all three of my kids and I want to brag on all of them because they are all so awesome!

Kid's Spring 2008 Pictures

Apr 01

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[slideshow id=576460752331865438&w=426&h=320]

If you want to see more of their pictures, visit my flickr page!