The World Series

I'm delayed in posting this partially because life's been too crazy but partially because my heart's had to heal a little bit after the Rangers devastating World Series loss.  I still don't really want to think about it...but it was a memory all the same.  The rest of my family (my sister and her family, my brother, and my parents) were there but we did all we could to cheer them on from our living room.

Travis has always been a die hard Astros fan but since marrying into a Rangers family, he has loved them like his own as well! :)

I have followed them since I was really little.  I have so many memories of watching games with my dad while he taught me the game of baseball, not to mention the pitching rotation, the batting order...there was a time in elementary school that I had it all memorized.  It's a sweet memory with my daddy.

So in the midst of our crazy lives, we tried to take time out to watch our Rangers!

Homemade pizza and a picnic in the living room.

Then there was Game 6.

Trav is the kind of sports fan that likes to see every pitch, hear every comment, etc.

So I knew the kids and I we needed a project.  Thankfully we had one...it lightened the mood (a little!) around 

here in the midst of the devastating game!

Ellie helped me cut sugar cookies.

This is an amazing cut-out cookie recipe by the way...you don't even have to chill the dough.

It's the Sudan's recipe--I'll go ahead and post it here since the holidays are just around the corner!

Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

2 T whipping cream

2 T vanilla

1 teas almond extract

3 cups flour

1 1/2 teas baking powder

Preheat oven to 325.  Cream butter and sugar.  Add egg, whipping cream, vanilla, and almond all at once.  (Mixture will probably curdle)  Add dry ingredients.  Roll out  and cut out cookie dough.  Bake for 8-15 min depending of thickness of the cookie.  (Dough can be frozen)

 

Then we made baseball cookies!

 

Baseball with pillows for bats (during one of the earlier games when things

were a little less intense around here!)

 

Sadly...despite the rally caps.  We coudn't pull the through for a victory. 

But we're all getting over it...and we still love you Rangers!!

Birthdays Birthdays and more Birthdays!

So we love to celebrate birthdays around here...and in the last month 5 of the 9 

of us on our team have had birthdays.  Not to mention another girl in our church that we through a party for!  Emily has made lots of cakes, we have written lots of cards, we've sung Happy Birthday over and over again.  It's been a fun time to let people know how much we love and value them in our lives.

After mine was Emily's.
We had yummy brownie sundaes in parfait glasses for her b'day!

Here we were celebrating John and Adam.
(whose b'days are one day apart)

Emily is definitely our resident cake maker.  She's the best
at it and they are always decorated perfectly.
So, you might guess that I actually made those two
boring looking cakes below!  (though they tasted delicious)
John requested a chocolate cake w/ peanut butter frosting
Adam, a reeses peanut butter cup ice cream cake.
Both of them--

After the guys was Rebekah's b'day party at our house...

carrot cake with cream cheese icing!  (another yummy one, Emily!)

Rebekah, Canela, Ellie Grace, and Ellie Joy

Then the most recent one was Andy's.  Look at this sign John

made for him.  Do you see the "happy birthday"??

The "glowing" couple! :)

(and for the cake...chocolate with raspberry filling and ganache)

Happy birthday, friends!  We love celebrating you!

And while it's been just over a week since Andy's b'day extravaganza, we have another birthday party here tomorrow night for my friend, Lauren!  Always a party at the Phillips house!

Lots more from our time with the Littles

The rest of our time with the Littles was so fun.

They are actually really close to everyone on our team so that was fun for everyone.

The guys have been especially close over the years.  One night after Lifegroup they had a "guys" night on the back porch.

I may not post pictures of it here...but I'll say it involved Settlers, lizards (in a cup going into someone's mouth!), a another certain someone being thrown into the pool (but not with out at 30 min fight).

Emily and the kids and I were all in bed through most of it, but we did hear the hysterical laughter.

Here are some highlights from the rest of the trip: 

One morning after the guys took the kids on a "run" to get donuts!

I can't remember now how many times Seth had In-and-Out when he was here...

maybe once every single day?

One morning we got to go and swim at the Stroupe's heated pool.

It was so fun and relaxing.

Emmy is in the float and Kristen is holding Lydia.

Look at that face!!  Such a beautiful baby.

Emily and Gracie

Emily and Lydia

Because Seth is the worship leader at CFCF in Boston, and because he's an excellent guitarist, he and Ellie always hit it off (because she LOVES to play the guitar).
A couple of things they have in comon:
They will both just pick up a guitar and start playing any time of the day!
They both have a pick in their pocket at all times!

Love Ellie's face here.

We did a lot of hanging out around the house...so there was a lot of time to 

just "play" with baby Lydia. 

Is that not the sweetest face on Lydia?

Yes, I think Sarah Grace is giving Lydia a sherbert!

Gracie LOVES baby "Ydia"...she always wanted to be close to her and

when she couldn't find her she would walk around the house saying,

"Baby Ydia?"

Having Jesus time/Playing with Baby Lydia

(notice how Ellie is trying to protect her by holding Emily back!)

Literally the center of attention.

(not sure where SG's clothes are?)

Baby Emily is called "Baby" a lot around our house.

But while Lydia was here she got a new nickname...

"Big Baby"

My girls still call her that some even after Lydia has left...

The last day they were here we all loaded up and took them on a tour of campus.

Emily wanted a pic by a cactus.  Sometimes I still think it's 

crazy that we live in the desert.  Cactus are just normal

for my kids now.  Strange.  But I love it!

This is a good example of how we normally all get around (especially if it's 

just me and the girls.)  This is how we went around campus.  E is a good 

sport about having the seat that's not quite as comfortable!

After a campus tour and lunch at Fuzzy's we headed over to the courtyard of a hotel
on Mill to get some pics.

All things considered, the kids ALL did great and we got some great pics.
My sister had gotten my girls these matching dresses and coincidentally Emily had gotten
the same dress for Lydia...so it was fun to get matching pics.

The best ones...
(Emily really doesn't ever want to just "sit"
so to get her to stay put was a challenge!)

And the bloopers...

Can you tell Lydia's mommy is a layed back mommy??

Her 8 week old in the hands of a 3 year old 

(but a 3 year old who has had a LOT of practice)

Sorry, Lydia!

All the girls!!

Amazing...everyone is looking and we didn't have any help!

Way to go kids! :)

I think this one is so sweet of E and Lydia.

One more pic before they loaded up to leave.  

Daddys with their baby girls.

 They had a red eye out so we were able to leave my girls with their favorite babysitters

(Nana and Kiki) and go out to dinner before they had to leave.  

Such a fun evening.  We had dinner and walked around downtown Scottsdale...

My sweet friend.

So fun to get time with her and watch her with Lydia.

She's an amazing mommy.

 A little far away...the guy taking it wasn't fully understanding

that he could get closer!

He just couldn't resist one more In-and-Out on the way to the airport.

Thank you, Littles for coming and seeing our life here.
Thank you for letting us meet Lydia and spend the week with her.

Thank you for being so interested in our city and in what God is doing here.

Thank you for liking it here--even with the heat!

We can't wait for your next visit!!
We love you!