From now until 1/31, at ArtsCow.com, get TWO 8X10 canvas prints for $7.99, shipping included! Just upload your photos, select your two canvas prints (same photo or two different ones), and use the coupon code B1F1CANVAS8X10 at checkout!

We’ve already taken advantage of the offer to take a bunch of portraits of the kids and print a bunch of canvas prints of these:

Who?  Well, our littlest one, of course, who just passed the 14 month old marker!  She’s not quite walking yet, but yesterday managed to climb up and back down a footstool by herself with a little assist from a nearby table.  The following sequence was taken discreetly, til the last frame:

A couple of weeks ago, the boys went to bed for the evening in a different bedroom for one reason or another… which happened to have a baby monitor.  So I decided to listen in on their quiet settling down to sleep (not!).  Join me for this amusing clip…

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It’s hard to believe that my baby just turned one.  It seemed like yesterday that she entered the world with much drama and shock.  It’s been a wonderful year with our sweet Bethany and I look forward to many more years with her.

Here’s the highlight of her birthday celebration today:

Bethany wearing her princess hat:

Bethany opening a present:

While we were busy chatting with our guests, Bethany pulled up on the coffee table and helped herself to someone else’s cake.  Sugar makes her very happy!

In our last installment you met our little hobbits.

But wait… there’s more.

I was originally cast as the “Lord of the Dings.”

But we were unable to find a costume of a large fiery eye mounted on a high tower.

And besides… that Sauron guy was mean.

So we went another direction, seeing as Lois had a bunch of spare fabric from making the children their “fellowship cloaks.”

Meet me, this time as “Strider” (a.k.a. Aragorn, son of Arathorn), as we attended a local church’s “Harvest Festival” with the kids fully donned as hobbits:

And showing off the very warm cloak with full hood (who needs a Snuggie blanket?!):

Next year, methinks we’ll work on adding some more costuming (like an authentic-looking leaf brooch) and cast our little Bethany into the whole crew.  Lois says the easiest would be casting her as Gollum, we could just give her a loincloth and we’re good to go!

And maybe my lovely wife as the lovely Arwen.  We’d just need some really prominent elf/Vulcan ears.

Most of are you are familiar with the epic trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings.  And of course, Peter Jackson made movie history with his grand movie rendition of the tale in three great productions.  The primary characters in the tale are four simple hobbits from the Shire thrust into a great saga of good against evil in Middle Earth:

This year, in the spirit of LotR fare, as enthusiasts of both the books and the movies, we offer to you our Halloween-costumed “hobbits” in this year’s production of The Lord of the Dings, starring:

Matthew Ding as Peregrin “Pippin” Took (as the tallest and most impulsive of the four)

Andrew Ding as Meriadoc “Merry” Brandywine (as the most sensible or at least sensitive of our children)

Emmaline Ding as Samwise Gamgee (cuz she loves to help around the house)

Calissa Ding as Frodo Baggins (cuz she’s least likely to lose the “precious” ring around her neck!)

(click the above to go to a full-sized image suitable for the average LotD fan to use as a desktop background =-p)

The kids gleefully tromped around the mall this morning barefoot.  Most shoppers looked at them with amusement, but one store employee, obviously a LotR fan, inquired as to why their feet weren’t hairy! =-)

OTHER CAST AND CREDITS

The Lord of the Dings – Evers

Costume design and production – Lois

Here are a few more photos from the “set”…

Cheerful hobbits grasping the hilts of their daggers:

Not quite forlorn “Frodo,” Calissa attempts to feel the inner angst of her character:

Donning hood and cloak, the hobbits offer the “monster faces” by which they plan to frighten any Nazgûl that may threaten to either harm the Ringbearer (or take their candy):

Jim Elliot, a missionary who was martyred at the age of 28, once said, “Wherever you are, be all there.  Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God.”

This quote summarized my grandpa’s life.  All of his life he toiled endlessly for God, even to the very end.  He lived a life of discipline, faith, devotion, and love for God.  He lived his life purposefully and solely for the glory of God.  I am privileged to have known him.  He was also the one who introduced me to God.  My grandpa introduced me to the greatest thing in this life and the next, and for this I am forever indebted to him.

One of my fondest memories of my grandpa was how he loved my kids, his great-grandchildren.  Every time we have been blessed with a new child in our family, he would come to visit and give the baby a red envelope.  Another fond memory is how he loved to have pizza with us at our house.  He wasn’t so much there for the pizza, but rather, it was a pretext for coming to see the children eat and play.  I’m very thankful that our entire family was able to see him 11 days before he passed on to eternal glory.  All the kids were able to hug him and see him one last time.  Even though he was in a lot of pain then, he was all smiles upon seeing the children.  Even though we miss him dearly, we are comforted by the fact that he now dwells in a place where there is no more pain or suffering, but of heavenly delight and joy.  I miss you, Grandpa, and I look forward to the day when we shall meet again.

Grandpa holding our two-week old Bethany:

Grandpa sitting with the kids after a pizza dinner:

Our family with my grandpa, 11 days before his death:

The following video depicts highlights of my grandfather’s life and ministry.