Exciting News From the Pingels

We have some exciting news at the Pingel house...no it's not any baby news, stop asking!! Maybe next year.

Ben called on Friday to tell me he had a meeting with the boss. He came home and told me he is now the Assistant Manager/Marketing Director at Thrifty. Yay! And we thought this job would be a temporary until he got something "real"...haha. It turned out to be a big blessing. So with the new title they gave him $300 "just because", so I let Ben fulfill his lifelong dream of getting a Wii. So we have spent the last few nights becoming skilled at tennis, bowling, and baseball. And may I say, I KILLED Ben at bowling.

The charger for our camera finally came in the mail today. Yes, we had to order a new one because we have a way of losing our valuables...anyway, we finally have some pictures to post of the children. Remember that time a few posts ago when I said I had pictures worthy of winning cutest baby contests? Well, the wait is over people! Enjoy!


Brandon wearing his first tie!


Our little poser.


I don't have much to say about this one, it's just cute!


A cute picture of Rachel and Brandon together...but look below for the miracle that is photoshop.


Yes these are from the picture above, and Ben enhanced the background with a summer picture from our trip to Manito Park. Hope you enjoyed our new pictures. There will be more to come...as long as we don't lose any vital parts to the camera again!

Hot off the Press

Ben decided to make a video today- isn't he great? This is random footage of the kids over the last two months. We wanted to give you a peek at what our lives are like with Rachel and Brandon every day. Enjoy!

A Conglomerate of Photos

Guess who took a tumble down the stairs today? Yup, the same flight I broke my foot on. We're simply going to have to ask Ben's parents to move, or at least tear down that flight of stairs! The camera doesn't really do his bump justice. Ben thinks it's hilarious that he has a goose egg (not that he got hurt) and calls him Mr Bumpy.

Mommy doesn't find it quite so funny...it's more like sad and depressing to me!

Rachel loves playing dress up with Aunt Katie. So here is Cowgirl Rachel. Yee haw!


Brandon loves water bottles. They are the best toy ever apparently.


Rachel doesn't nap before church anymore, so by the time it is over, she is wiped out!


Case in point...


Mommy getting her daily dose of chocolate ice cream...mmmm.


Rachel showing off her fetish for shoes.

Ben just being....studly :)


Well, we still can't find our cord for the camera. Thank heaven for camera phones!

A Child's Prayer

We were all getting ready for prayers at Ben's parents' house tonight, and as we were struggling to get Rachel to be reverent we noticed Brandon doing something with his arms...


We were quite surprised to see him folding his arms! I had wondered if he was folding his arms for the last few days, but thought it coincidental. Now our suspicions have been confirmed!

He seems to be growing so fast now, and shows so much of his personality. He jabbers all the time now and is a hoot to be around. We love our little Brandon!

Where is my cord?!?!?

So I have been wanting to do a blog update for awhile. The trouble is I can't find the cord to connect the camera to the Mac...so the pictures I want to post are trapped on the camera and so far there is nothing I can do about it! I am deeply troubled because I had cute pictures to post. We are talking pictures that could win "Most Beautiful Baby" contests! Oh well, one day they will be posted, by jingo. Let me just say when Grandma and Grandpa came to visit a couple of weeks ago, Rachel and Brandon got some new church clothes...:)

Since I can't post any pictures I will end with a funny story. Yesterday the kids were playing upstairs while I cleaned downstairs. I started getting a diaper bag put together so we could go to playgroup. After awhile I realized my keys were nowhere to be found! I frantically searched the desk and anywhere that I thought they might be. The thought occurred to me that one of the kids might have wandered off with them. So I went upstairs and found Rachel and Brandon sitting upstairs with piles of books and toys all around. Without any hope whatsoever I said, "Rachel, do you know where mommy's keys are?" She looked at me and starts jabbering one of her nonsensical sentences, but it ended with the word "shirt". I went over to investigate. Sure enough I found my keys hidden inside her onesie. I had a good laugh about that one.

This is what I believe: Jesus Christ is my Savior

I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior. He died for us, He suffered for us, and He loves us. I know that when we put Him first in our lives, everything else will fall into place. I say I know it because I have seen it.

This is what I believe: Families are Eternal

I wanted to share with everyone what I believe. This is the first in the series.

I know that families can be together forever. It's so much more than a cute phrase; it's comfort, reassurance, and strength to me and my family. As Elder Holland says, it wouldn't be heaven without those we love.