A brand new week, all crisp and new. :)

It's so easy to dread Mondays, but today I just feel kind of excited about a brand new week, all sparkling new.  Well, technically, it started yesterday but it was a good start yesterday, too. :)

Yesterday was Matt & my third week leading our adult/teen Sunday School class at church.  We're going through Dave Ramsey's The Total Money Makeover book, and it's been good so far.  We sit on stools up front wearing little earpiece microphones (not nearly as "scary" as regular mics!) and talk through the book, workbook and our PowerPoint slideshow.  It feels sort of high-tech, but cozy at the same time, too.  Seems that when you're talking to friends from church, it's really not so stage-fright inducing. :)  

And we need the extra incentive to keep working at *our* total money makeover, too... nothing like being the people up front to keep us on track, huh?!?

We did some cleaning on Saturday, so everything feels nice & fresh.  A good way to start out a new week.  

Which incidentally, I need to get started on.  The kids are awake and starting to get crazy.  And there's breakfast to be made and bread needing to be started, if we're going to eat it at lunchtime.  So I'd best be going.  

But first, I'll put up a few photos from our weekend...

Marissa with her favorite-dog-ever, Zoe.  We were going to go to the dog park, but as soon as we got to the parking lot, Zoe lunged against the chain collar, which gave way.  After I grabbed her by her regular collar, which she slipped out of, I decided we were *not* going to be able to go to the dog park until we got a new chain collar.  It has been ordered on ebay and now we just have to wait...

Marissa

Naomi in her ever-so-stylish get-up (wearing my flip flops, to boot!), helping clean up the back yard yesterday afternoon.

Naomi, David & Matt working in the back yard yesterday.  We're SO wishing we'd planted winter grass this year... it just looks so brown. :(

Our new Facebook profile photo.  Something different, just because.

Marissa was hard at work cleaning & updating their room this weekend, and here is one side of the room.  LOVE the colorful paper snowflakes! :)

The bunkbed side of the room after the definitely-more-horsey transformation.  :)

Jesse & Marissa :)

Looks like Marissa is getting in touch with her cowgirl side. :)

Last night, while we were watching a movie, Caspian quietly crept up and lay down near Zoe while she was sleeping.  For all his batting with his paw, running away and "growling" when she wants to play with him, I think deep, down inside, he really likes her.  :)