Link Raiden Gardner

Little Link came into the World on Thursday, June 20th at 12:20pm. 8lbs 8oz - 21 1/2 in long.

Picture of mommy and lil Link right after birth. 

Daddy thinks the new bean should be named chili bean.  Lol. However mommy bean isn't sure yet. Any

Suggestions?  Here is a picture of Green Bean and Pink Bean with new baby bean.  We are thrilled and beyond excited for baby beans arrival.  We praise God for a safe delivery and for the health of baby bean. God is so good!!!!!

Daddy Day....Flag Day.... and Everyday....

What an amazing almost 7 year Journey it has been with Daddy and I.  The kids and I are so thankful for a loving, VERY patient, hard working daddy - who loves us and provides for us all in so many ways. 

We love you Daddy!  Happy Daddy Day!

Also to my Dad...  God has put our family in a new place this year with Dad becoming an Elder of our local church.  (Which for those who follow along ...this is a voted position by the church... not one that a man chooses to do as a career for his life)  One place that we would rather sit back and watch someone else's family be in.  But by God's grace we pray that we can become stronger as a family and be who God needs us to be.  Thank you Dad for being an amazing father who taught us right from wrong.  "Be Positive"  is the biggest thing you have ingrained in our head over our life time.  I am so THANKFUL for your positive example over so many years of my life.  Have a great fathers day...

Also to Sam's dad... who passed away a couple months after we were married.  I never really knew you.  But the one thing I know is that you have an AMAZING son - that we are so proud and thankful for.  In respects... we thank you for molding him into a man. 

I should have broke this into a couple post...

But here was to Flag day this past week....

 I never like to be on this end of the camera...

especially when I am nine months pregnant...

39 weeks as I type... with my scheduled date on Thursday...

but I also realize I have NO photos with me and the kids...

so I took one for the team... (Ha)

 My lil cuddle bug.

 My lil' BIG girl...

 Pink Bean did a great job with getting a picture of Daddy and I.

 No crying pictures for this photo op... which is a first....

 But the kids had lots of giggles and MOVEMENT for the pictures....

 I pray all of you all have a WONDERFUL week.   

Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want:

for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.



Easter Hop Along

Long lost update from Easter Good Friday hop along day with the Hartzler cousins. Last year we did a hop along event day for the kids at Easter time.    So again on Good Friday we planned a hop along day for the kids. The theme this year was "JESUS".  Each stop we did a letter and had a game or activity for the kids.

You can click on this link to view last years...

http://sjgardner.blogspot.com/2012/04/good-friday-040611.html

First stop was "J" at Grandma Hartzler house.  This was J for Jesus. Grandma served the kids a bag of gold fish, had the kids sing songs about Fishers of men, then she had a pool full of fish for the kids to go fishing in. 

Here is the Hartzler Cousins at the First stop...

Being Fishers of Men....

Lil Green Bean just wanted to sit in the pool... he wasn't sure about all the fishing...

Next Stop was the Steiners.  Julie had the letter "E" for teaching the kids about Easter.  Julie hid the resurrections eggs in her basement.  The kids had to find the eggs and then pieces from inside the egg in order of the how the story went.  This was a great game for ALL the ages of kids.  Julie served the kids fresh squeezed GRAPE juice.  It was amazing! 

The kids putting the story in order...

Green Bean had a little tea party with Grandma H. while the kids play the game. 

Next stop was at Grandma Bonnie house.  We provided an Easter Lunch pale and have the letter "S" for stone and we talked about the stone being rolled away and Jesus resurrection. 

Here are all the girl cousins...

Here were all the boy cousins...

had to share of us always trying to take pictures of everything :"o)

Grandma Bonnie made ham and cheese sandwiches made out of tie die Easter bread, then we filled plastic eggs with food.  One with Grapes, One with Pretzels and One with M&M's, Yogurt Stick and a water bottle.  Grandma Bonnie even made cute little chicks with everyone names on them for each seat. 

Here is another picture of the group..

Then we had the kids roll a stone across the floor and have a race to who could roll the stone away the fastest.  This was funny to watch... but the kids did great.

Next stop was Aunt Joanna's.  Here the letter was "U" for U can teach others about Jesus.  Joanna had the kids play "Jesus" just like Bingo.  She had lots of facts to teach the kids about Jesus and how they can share with other.  The playing pieces were M&M's and the kids enjoyed EATING and playing. 

Another picture of the game and group...

Last stop was at the Baltic's.  The letter here was "S" for know your Scriptures.  Here Aunt Amy taught us a song to help us memorize a verse.  The kids did a great job at singing and learning along. 

Then we finished up with Yummy ICE-CREAM sundaes...

and... the kids got to go outside and walk around the baby sheep.  Which is always a hit with the kids.

Here is lil Walter.  He didn't play to many games... but he did get to come along the Hop Along.  His mommy said he wasn't rolling over and when we looked up.. he had rolled over on the table.  Always a first for everything! 

Here are some of the kids with the baby ba-ba. 

We had a great day with the kids and hope that each year they will at least remember one thing about Jesus and how important he is in all of our lives. 

TV ....

Don't really realize what your kids don't know until u take them to a restaurant that have large screen TV. Mommy was craving chicken wings so we headed into town for dinner. Green Bean was amazed at the dog show on tv .... Here was his reactions .....

Yes he was even barking out loud. We were eating in such peace that we didn't even notice that the lil guy exploded everywhere and that it was all the way up his back.  Needless to say I evacuated quickly with Green bean as I carried him off to the side so that I wouldn't cover myself in his mess and retreated to my car (which was the farthest parking spot available since Daddy is also trying to help mommy along with going into labor) to begin cleaning the lil guy up.  While daddy sanitized the high chair and me leaving green beans binky and blanket with daddy by accident...  I attempted to clean the "now screaming" kid up.   Out of breathe before I even reached the car I started to tackle the explosion.  Green Bean is still screaming and I am changing him out of the back end of the SUV when I got this bright idea to start singing him his favorite song. "This lil light of mine". In the mean time a little old man walks by and is shaking his head at me with Green Bean still screaming. I wasn't sure which part the lil old man was not agreeing with 1. My sons bottom hanging out   2. I had no control and my kid wasscreaming his   head off   3. My singing!  But at this point mommy was done. Totally kicking myself and wondering why I didn't listen to Daddy and order wings to go.   

Has this ever happened to you????   

Summer time....

Do I ever love these days.... where a simple cheap pool will give us HOURS and HOURS of entertainment this summer.  Soon my kids will grow... and the lil things will be to lil for them.  So DO WE ever LOVE LOVE LOVE stepping out the back door into our lil kiddie pool. 

 However... we are also waiting patiently for the new arrival of BABY BEAN.  Green Bean is a mommy's boy and he is not liking how mommy is a not a big fan of holding lil Green Bean all the time with her ever so growing belly.  As Pink Bean will say "Mommy if you are having a little baby... why does your belly keep getting bigger and bigger and BIGGER!"

ps... thanks to all who follow along.  It is soooo neat and fun to hear people say they drop in on our blog. ;o)