The Days of Elijah

Christmas Memories 2011

2011-12-25T16:17:00.000-08:00

Here is Elijah about to build a Gingerbread House. He looks pretty confident, and why shouldn't he...? This is NOT his first Gingerbread construction...!

Here is Elijah Building and decorating a Gingerbread house. This is getting to be a family tradition, too...!

Hey, what's going on here...? I was wondering whose teeth marks were on the roof... Elijah explained that he was just performing a little 'quality control', making sure that his work was satisfactory for the rest of the family. We have always tried to teach Elijah to do his best, pay attention to detail, and tirelessly put others before himself. Here he is doing what he was trained to do. I am very proud of that boy that he would sacrifice and risk his own body and personal safety in an effort to make sure the Gingerbread house was safe and fit for his family to consume it. Honestly, it brings tears to my eyes. Thank you, Elijah...!

Christmas Day 2011 has many fond memories... All in all it was a fun, peaceful, relaxing day...! Daddy was up first and made some coffee and also prepared our 'family tradition' rice crispy treats... Rice Crispy Treats are a VERY GOOD family tradition if you ask me...! You should try it...!

Elijah awakened about 8:30 AM, came into the kitchen and exclaimed: '...IT'S CHRISTMAS...!' Mommy came in shortly after that. We all had a group a hug and said a little prayer together wishing Jesus a Happy Birthday, and praying blessings over our family and friends. The next thing we knew, Elijah was directing the present opening ceremony with great enthusiasm...!

Elijah looks on while Mommy opens a gift he got for her. Elijah spent a lot of time and effort organizing, making, and wrapping gifts for Daddy, Mommy, and all the kitties...

Here's a sweet photo of Daddy and Elijah with presents Elijah prepared for Daddy.

These Lego's were presents from one of my tennis students. Rob wanted to get something really special for Elijah. I think you can tell by the smile on Elijah's face that the Lego Star Wars selection was a VERY good choice...! THANK YOU, Rob Mullins...!

Watching Elijah open presents is a real treat...!

We bought his little elf ear hat on Christmas Eve..

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Elijah inspects a gift closely...

The Lego Bat Man DS Nintendo Game... A much anticipated gift...!

Elijah helps daddy open another present. Elijah did a good job directing the present opening ceremony.

Cars 2 Movie... This is a VERY good present for Elijah because daddy hasn't seen this one yet...!

Here is Mommy with some of the presents Elijah wrapped and gave to her. Sweet.

Our Christmas Tree ~ Elijah really enjoyed decorating it. Our family tradition is to decorate the tree on Thanksgiving evening...!

Elijah gave me one of his old light sabres as a gift. In this photo he is showing me how to use it.

After all the presents were unwrapped, Elijah wasted no time building a Lego'

Elijah also got some Master Yoda slippers. Mommy and Daddy think they go well with his elf hat.

Elijah also found this cool camouflage hat in his stocking...!

____________________________________________

Praise God for another Christmas. Our family recognizes that the true meaning of Christmas is a celebration of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ coming to earth as a precious little baby born of the Virgin Mary. We believe Jesus lived and died for our sins. We also believe that HE will one day return to this world to Judge the quick and the dead. To all our family and friends who may view this post, we love you with the love of Jesus and wish you a very Merry Christmas, and an even happier New Year...!

To Elijah: Mommy and Daddy love you very much. We are very proud of you. We hope as you look back on these posts over the years that these photos and commentary will keep today's Christmas Spirit alive in your heart and perhaps one day you will go through these photos with your own family recalling these precious moments. This sweet family memory is our legacy to you.

God Bless You, Son. Merry Christmas, Elijah.

Love,

Daddy and Mommy, December 25, 2011

Elijah ~October 2011

2011-11-10T06:35:00.000-08:00

October was a good month... And it was made even better by the fact that our family started a daily bible reading plan to read through the bible together in six months. We are a little over two weeks into the plan now and it is going great. Elijah Loves our Bible time and he is learning how to read by reading the bible. Oh it is the sweetest sound my ears have ever heard: to hear Elijah's sweet voice proclaiming the Word of God...! Here are a few photos from October...

These photos were taken back on Oct 20 during a home school group field trip to Dewberry Farm. At six 'and a half' years old Elijah sure has grown up this year...!

Wow... This sure looks like fun... If I would have known they had go carts there I would have made plans to attend... ~ 'Daddy'

Scary Face

2011-10-09T16:15:00.000-07:00

Summer 2011 ~ Random Photos with Connor

Here's a random photo from this summer. I asked Elijah to tell me something about this photo and he said he and Connor were taking pictures of each other. I like this photo...~Daddy

Spring Training

2011-10-04T05:42:00.000-07:00

Oh this sweet little boy is growing up...! The photo properties say this photo was taken March 20, 2011. The date of this blog post is nearly seven months since the photo above was taken, but I remember the day disctinctly. It was a Sunday afternoon and I had just bought you a Big Plastic Baseball Bat from Wal Mart and we were conducting batting practice with wiffel balls and tennis balls. The weather was gorgeous. It was a really nice spring day.

I told you a story about how my brother John and I used to play tennis baseball for hours in our back yard when we were kids. Ahhh... That brought back fond memories for me, too. That's the cool thing about getting married and having children, Elijah. ~We parents get a chance to re live our childhood all over again...!

I want to start playing baseball with you more... Especially to work on your throwing. There's nothing more fun than a father and son playing catch. Well, except playing tennis, of course...!

Sunday Morning Breakfast

2011-10-02T09:08:00.000-07:00

Elijah, one family tradition I am sure you will always look back on with fond memories is our Sunday morning family breakfasts.   Most Sunday mornings Daddy will get up early before the rest of the family and make fresh coffee and prepare some delicious nutrition to get our day off to a good start.

This morning I made mommy and myself a delicious spinach and tomato omelet and I made you a BIG breakfast taco.   Your taco consisted of scrambled egg whites, baked tator tots, a little grated cheese, and of course: Ketchup...!    You said it was delicious.   ~Mommy and I enjoyed our omelets, too...!

Of course, the reason it tastes so good is because of the 'secret' ingredient I put into every recipe... (love)

As I close this latest post I am looking out the window at a gorgeous morning...! What a beautiful day the Lord has made...! I am rejoicing at how blessed this family is to have each other, and to have Jesus as our Lord and Savior...!   God is Good.

Love,

Daddy

MASTER YODA SAYS...

2011-09-30T06:27:00.000-07:00

Regretfully, I haven't posted on this blog since April, 2011, and I was quite infrequent in my postings prior to that, as well. Hoping to get caught up going forward and will try to be more diligent in my efforts to chronicle significant moments from Elijah's childhood.

Where should I begin? Well, everyone is sure to be remarking about the 2011 weather patterns for some time. So far this has been the warmest, driest year I have seen in my entire life!

One of the big events of the summer was transitioning Elijah's brother Connor from high school to college. Much of the family's focus this summer was on Connor and getting him settled in to Texas A & M by the end of August. Life at home is very different without Connor. Elijah misses him. Now we eagerly anticipate Connor's occasional visits home from College Station.

Elijah's summer consisted of lots of tennis, and lots of Star Wars activities. We watched Star Wars movies and Clone Wars videos. We played with Star Wars Legos and Star Wars Action Figures, We also enjoyed some Star Wars Video Games, and colored in Star Wars coloring books. Daddy's personal favorite activity was re enacting famous Star Wars Light Saber Battles.

This fall Monica is Elijah's first grade teacher at the 'Chadwell Home School'. She is also teaching a lite schedule of art classes. Daddy is busy with coaching tennis and trying to get fit enough to play some tournaments by the spring of 2012. Daddy is also looking forward to the day when he and Elijah can begin playing 'Father~Son' Doubles Tournaments together...!

Over all, It was a good summer. Going forward, I will toggle between recalling a summer memory or reporting a current event. Hope this blog is a blessing to all Elijah's family and friends as I chronicle the Life and Times of the Days of Elijah...!

Note to Elijah: Mommy and Daddy love you very much. We consider you to be one of God's biggest blessings in our lives. I hope when you are grown up you will remember all the times we talked about the importance of 'family', and how a family sticks together, loves each other, and helps each other. I hope that you remember Mommy and Daddy always talking about how much we love Jesus and how we want our family and our lives to honor Him.

Elijah, you are a shining star that brightens everyone's day...! It is an awesome pleasure and privilege to be your Daddy...! And as Master Yoda says: May the Force be with YOU...!

Love, Daddy

Elijah's 'Creation'

2011-04-27T07:40:00.000-07:00

Elijah has several passions and one of them is building LEGO sets. This particular model is from a 'creator' series and can actually be made into three different creations...

I love how creative Elijah is with toys like these. He can work on these things for hours...!

Elijah at Thanksgiving Tennis Camp

2010-12-06T06:02:00.000-08:00

Elijah passed the time during the Thanksgiving holiday by playing tennis every day. Here he is hitting a one handed forehand because he did not want to put his trail mix down.

Here is another photo of 'Smiley Boy' still holding his trail mix. Elijah plays tennis about three or four times a week in various home school classes. He has many friends that play tennis including his best friend: Eli Lintleman. Tennis is more of a social thing and father - son activity for him at the moment. But at five years old he is 'pretty good' for his age...!

I am very proud of him...! ~(Daddy)

2010-11-26T04:22:00.000-08:00

Elijah absolutely loves this scripture verse and video... We listened to it for hours yesterday... It was a good Thanksgiving.

This was our first Thanksgiving as a Vegan family. We went to FBC West Columbia for their first annual Community Thanksgiving dinner. It was all delicious. It was difficult for me to pass up the Turkey and gravy but I was 'good'... except when it came to desserts... I'm sure the small piece of pecan pie I consumed had real egg in it but Monica and I decided it's ok to splurge on dessert once in a while...!

The rest of the day we just hung out home and enjoyed each other's company.

I'm sure this will be a fond memory for Elijah...!

Five Years Old....

2010-07-29T04:51:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Elijah's fifth Birthday yesterday. I took a cool video of him opening his presents but it is just slightly too long to post here on blogger. I will post it some where else later today and just provide a link later.

All in all it was a wonderful day. At dinner last night Elijah asked if we could schedule another birthday for him today...!

Dear Elijah,

As you look back on these blog posts I hope these photos remind you of what a cool day yesterday was. Turning five years old is a very significant event and it was a huge blessing to be able to share that day and those precious moments with you. Your Mommy, Connor, and I love you very much. And you have many, many other friends and family who love you, too.

Happy Birthday my sweet boy...!

Love, Daddy

The Jedi Days....

2010-05-11T08:32:00.000-07:00

Here are a few photos of Elijah practicing his Jedi Light Saber moves. Notice he is also wearing one of his favorite Clone Wars t-shirts... Elijah really does have a huge passion for Star Wars.

We also have a few Red 'Sith' light sabers too fo Elijah to practice against...

Gardening 2010

2010-05-10T20:13:00.001-07:00

We took a break in our gardening to enjoy some ice cold watermelon... We hope to be harvesting our own watermelon in about three months...!

We have started our Garden... Wish we would have started a month earlier but the car accident put us a little behind schedule...

Random Photos from Spring 2010

2010-05-09T13:12:00.001-07:00

Elijah is working on his groundstrokes; primarily his forehand. At this point he does not care for backhands although he hits his backhand pretty well, too.

I love this photo with Elijah and his shadow... Elijah hits 'The Modern Forehand'

Elijah and his buddy Bryce O'Quinn have a lesson together every week.

Bryce loves tennis as much as Elijah. I have had reports that he sometimes takes his racquet to bed with him.

Bryce is a right hander and is just now transitioning to a one handed forehand, although he is showing a 2 handed follow through here...

Message to Elijah...

2010-04-29T05:46:00.000-07:00

Dear Elijah... I have been thinking about you a lot today. Then a scripture verse passage, Matt 18:1-6 came to my mind...

Jesus said we need to be humble like little children to get to heaven. I was thinking that your example will be a light to us all... “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Matt 18:3..... And then in verse 18:4 Jesus says: Whoever humbles himself like this child shall be the greatest in Heaven!

Elijah, I don't think we are going to see any proud, arrogant people in heaven.

Here is my prayer for you this morning, my son.

Please Lord, give Sam Chadwell a heavy dose of humility today! Help me to model for my precious son what he models for me know... Childlike faith, hope, and love. Innocence. Humility. Bless Elijah. Guard his heart, my King I thank you for my sweet family. I love you, Lord. In Jesus' name I pray... Amen...!

The Perfect Bounce of the Ball...

2010-01-31T19:34:00.000-08:00

Here's a funny photo that was taken in November of 2007... Juast came across it as I was reorganizing the desktop on my computer... The ball bounced up right as this phot was taken. It kind of reminds me of the old Jack in the box commercials... -Elijah will have no clue what I'm talking about but everyone else will...

By the way, I realize it's been way too long since I last posted on this blog... But I'm back into a regular routine trying to capture memories for Elijah so he will always know what his childhood was like and how very much he is loved...!

Elijah's Tennis 2007-2009

2009-11-27T22:50:00.000-08:00

I was clearing out my photo albums on my computer and came across some older pics of Elijah when he was just getting interested in tennis. Wow... It's amazing how much he's grown in just a couple of years. The past few weeks he's wanted to come to tennis classes with me alot.

At first it didn't go very well and he was a distraction to the class. Tonight, he played in a group class with the 'BIG KIDS' in Bay City and had a fantastic time... He did a pretty good job waiting his turn in line and picking up balls, too... GOOD JOB, ELIJAH...!

November 2009 -He wants to play all the time...!

January 2007

January 2007

December 2007

October 2007

October 2007

2009 County Fair Photos

2009-11-27T06:35:00.001-08:00

Here's a Big Boy with a BIG BOY BURGER...! Elijah ate almost the whole thing!

The Petting Zoo is always a fun thing to do...

And of course the rides are one of the most fun things to do...!

Elijah got to ride boats, trains, cars, motorcycles, you name it...!

For more photos visit this link:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2038687&id=1504181661&l=9578a51df5

Tennis with Elijah

2009-11-16T06:36:00.000-08:00

Gotta keep the hydration up...

Sneaking up on 'Puggy'

Ball Collection

Nice Concentration, Elijah... Your Daddy wishes he could watch the ball like that!

Catching up With Elijah Oct 2009

2009-11-10T06:04:00.000-08:00

Mommy and Daddy, Oct 2009 -Working on converting the garage into Monica's art studio...!

Connor snapped this photo of Elijah wearing one of his favorite Star Wars shirts.

Here's Elijah at the 2009 Brazoria County Fair Petting Zoo

Another Summer Time Photo

2009-10-25T07:04:00.000-07:00

Elijah likes to ride his tricycle during ball collections....

Some Random Photos of Elijah -Summer Fun...!

2009-09-09T05:58:00.000-07:00

Making eggrolls was one of daddy's fondest childhood memories. We introduced this activity to our family schedule of events recently and had a great time. The result was delicious, too...!

It was fun teaching Elijah how to make eggrolls. He has eggroll making talent, that's for sure. We all enjoy eating them afterwards...!

This fun photo was taken at the end of July following a tennis camp moring at Rustic Oaks Park in League City. There were some older children in the camp who had never fished before and Elijah was teaching them how to cast...! It was a very fun morning...!

Elijah has very good casting skills for a 4 year old. We already have many fond memories of fun fishing trips and quality father-son time...!

Star Wars

2009-08-24T07:44:00.000-07:00

Here's a photo from Padawan Jedi Training Camp at Space Center Houston in July 09

Elijah was a little nervous to be so close to Darth Vader. At least we had a light saber for protection...!

Working in the Garden

2009-08-11T04:18:00.000-07:00

We planted a garden this summer... Lots of flowers for mommy. Catnip for the Kitty's, Watermelon, corn, tomatoes, cantelope, asparagus, and pumkin. The garden flourished for a while, but has wilted under the extreme heat we've had this summer.

Still, this was a good and fun project for father and son. We'll definitely do it again next year and try to start earlier in the year...!

My Little Jedi

2009-08-10T04:36:00.000-07:00

Here's a sweet photo of Elijah wearing his Jedi uniform. The uniform and light saber were birthday presents from Grandma Judy and Grandpa Arno. Oh how Elijah loves Star Wars..!

Elijah is now 4 years old. Wow... Where does the time fly...? These have been the best four years of my life....! -Love You, Elijah.

-Daddy

A Fun Day at the Beach

2009-06-18T19:59:00.000-07:00

Daddy is trying to take more time off this summer for family activities. Here's some photos of our recent trip to Matagorda Beach. It was our first fun event of the summer...! I taught lessons in Bay City all morning and then Monica and Elijah came up and met me. We got a few snacks from HEB and then some sandwiches from Subway and we were all set...!

There's nothing like Ice Cold Watermelon on a hot day at the beach...! Mmmm....

Elijah really put away a lot of Watermelon that day. Here's another action photo of him munching down... He's wearing his favorite 'Finding Nemo' swimsuit and sitting in his Go Diego, Go beach chair

Here's one more watermelon photo with Elijah's beach toys in the background. We did try to build a sand castle, but spent most of our time playing in the water.

Here's a fun photo of Elijah and Daddy playing in the water. We're going to make a tradition out of going to the beach in the summer. I want to eventually take the family to some beautiful beaches in Mexico and maybe one day even Australia....!

Elijah and Daddy July 2007

2009-04-28T05:29:00.000-07:00

Here's an old photo of Elijah and Daddy playing tennis back in July 2007. Notice my pony tail... Wow... That does seem like a long time ago...!

Easter 2009 Photos

2009-04-14T22:00:00.001-07:00

Elijah had a great time searching for eggs on Easter Sunday. The weather was rainy earlier in the day but the sun came out after lunch and it was an absolutely beautiful afternoon...!

Random Pics of Elijah

2009-04-06T16:34:00.000-07:00

Here's Mommy and Elijah being silly...

Here's a self photo of Elijah. What a cutie!

More Pirate Party Pics

2009-04-02T06:46:00.000-07:00

Elijah awakened this morning saying how much fun the Pirate Birthday Party was... I was confused at first because that Party was back on Feb 14, a little over two weeks ago... Anyway... that gave me the idea to post the rest of the photos from the Party... I'm looking forward to hosting some kind of fun party for Elijah on his 4th birthday this summer, July 28...! Wow... That's only four months away!

Here's a group photo of the pirate party taken at First Baptist West Columbia

Pirates and their parents... Elijah is devouring a pirate cupcake along with Keegan Coburn to his left... Danyel Lintleman is the Pirate Mommy Host in the white shirt...!

Here's the Birthday-Boy Pirate: Eli Lintleman

Wearing Connor's Shorts

2009-04-01T04:15:00.000-07:00

Elijah loves his brother Connor very much. When Connor decided to be in Boy Scouts, Elijah had to have a cub scout shirt to be like Connor. As you can see he's wearing his Cub Scout shirt in the photo below.

This is a funny photo where Elijah decided to put on a pair of Connor's shorts. Sometimes he tries to walk around in Connor's or Daddy's shoes, too. I love it when he does that. Hey, he did a pretty good job matching colors...!

Elijah's ABC's

2009-03-26T19:02:00.000-07:00

I think some of those letters might belong to Monica!

OK, he's kinda 'hamming' it up in this photo...

This is my favorite photo of all... Sigh, what a Sweet Boy!
Is it just me, or does Elijah look much older in that photo...?

A Pirate Party

2009-03-25T07:01:00.000-07:00

On March 14 Elijah attended a 'Pirate Party' for his friend Eli Lintleman's birthday. It was tons of fun... Elijah makes a pretty good pirate, I think.

Elijah Chadwell, March 14, 2009

There's nothing more fun than smashing a pinata full of candy...! -Looks like a good party to me.

Exploring a New Playground

2009-03-24T04:54:00.000-07:00

At first Elijah didn't want his picture taken, but he changed his mind very quickly... We really liked this playground in Richwood off of FM 2004. One neat feature it had was a big canopy over the play area....

We love playground slides. In this photo Daddy is pretending to catch Elijah as he slides past. This day is a precious memory for mommy and daddy of a relaxing Saturday afternoon just enjoying each other's company and being kids again.

Thanks Elijah, for bringing so much joy into our lives. Mommy and Daddy love You very much and consider you a precious gift from God..! -Daddy

Medals and Dum Dum Pops

2009-03-23T03:15:00.000-07:00

Elijah loves to wear tennis medals and he also loves dum dum pops. These photos capture him in a multi tasking moment...!

Yesterday was a really fun day. The weather was fantastic and Elijah and Daddy played tennis in the driveway using our pee wee tennis net.

Three Generations Using Laptops

2009-03-22T06:45:00.001-07:00

Here's a photo taken in early March 2009 when Granma Judy was visiting. We have here three generations of laptop users... It is amazing to me how proficient on the computer Elijah is at three and a half years old... Daddy not get his hands on a computer until he was sixteen years old because computers hadn't been invented yet. Computers were not really a part of Daddy's life until the late 1980's. Daddy did not own a computer of his own until 1995. And he got his first laptop in 2000.

Elijah's first computer was Daddy's old refurbished Dell Inspiron.

Strawberry Cake

2009-03-21T06:33:00.000-07:00

Elijah and Daddy recently baked a strawberry cake together. Elijah helped with the mixing and the decorating of icing and sprinkles. It was a very delicious cake and did not last very long...!

Elijah loves to help out in the kitchen and really loves to BBQ with daddy, too...! One of Elijah's favorite things to do is to sample the cooking to make sure it is good enough for the rest of the family...!

Note to Elijah...

2009-03-09T05:29:00.000-07:00

Dear Elijah,

Sorry that Daddy hasn't posted any new pictures in awhile. It's been an incredibly busy past month. Your Grandmother has been visiting the past two weeks and just left for the airport this morning. It was very nice having her visit for a bit.

You have very nice grandparents who love you very much, Elijah.

There's nothing extra special to report except that we all love You very much. I'm going to work on doing a better job of posting photos this month...

I'm also trying harder to just slow down my schedule so we can have more family time together...

I love You little buddy. And can't wait to see you tonight when I get home from work...

Bye for now... Love always,

Daddy

Happy New Year Elijah...!

2009-01-22T06:35:00.000-08:00

Dear Elijah,

Happy New Year my son...! I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while but Your daddy has been busy lately. The photo above is one of my all time favorite photos of us to date.

We got a new digital camera recently so I'll be able to post some updated photos soon.

Elijah, this is a crazy time in the world right now. Our country has just elected a President who is going to change our American way of life completely. I'm not sure I'm going to like any of the changes.

Your mommy and I are standing strong in prayer for You, our president, and our country. We are going to do everything we can to see that You grow up with the kinds of freedom and liberty that we grew up with as children.

Elijah, I cherish every moment with You. I love You very much and hope that You will treasure these blog posts as you grow older. It is a joy and a privilege to take time to compose these messages to you and post photos of Your growing up years.

I wish my mom and dad would have taken care to preserve my childhood memories in some way.... But oh well... This is Your time and Your Blog.

I pray that God richly blesses you in the New Year Elijah Chadwell...!

Love Always,

Daddy

A Random Birthday Photo from July 2008

2008-12-22T07:00:00.000-08:00

Here's a cute photo that I never had a chance to post... Look for many more updates between now and the new year... I want to clear out my 2008 photo albums, file them away and start focusing on 2009 very soon...!

A Message to Elijah from Daddy

2008-12-03T06:25:00.000-08:00

Dear Elijah,

Hey I love this photo. You took it of yourself. Nice job. It was a little blurry but I fixed it up with microsoft office picture manager.

Oh how you are growing up...! You have recently started getting up in the morning an picking out your own clothes and are dressing yourself most mornings...!

At three years and four months old you have really started to take a keener interest in art. You are always making pictures and coloring. You also love to put together puzzles.

This is an exciting time for our family because we just put up the Christmas tree last night. It looks beautiful in the front window... We'll have to post some photos of it soon.

We just had a very nice Thanksgiving and we enjoyed a fun trip to the State Park near our home where we saw about seven alligators...! Daddy has recently started a new job and is very happy with it. Mommy is, too..!

You continue to be a bright shining star in many lives Elijah. You are loved very much...!

Being Your daddy is one of the greatest joys of my life!

Love always,

Daddy

Daddy's Glasses

2008-11-22T21:47:00.000-08:00

I've got to be careful leaving my glasses laying around...

Elijah and Daddy's 'New' car...

2008-11-20T02:46:00.000-08:00

Elijah used to love my old green 1997 Jeep Cherokee, mainly because daddy would let him ride in the front seat with him as we would drive around Columbia Lakes to the tennis center. (I know that's terrible grammer...)

But now we have a car daddy always wanted to own: a 1989 Jeep Grand Wagoneer. It's much more roomy than daddy's other jeep, and built like a 'tank'...!

Elijah REALLY likes the Wagoneer...! It's in pretty good condition now, but we plan to fully restore it and hopefully Elijah will be able to drive it when he gets old enough to drive...!

Cutie Pie...!

2008-11-15T06:17:00.000-08:00

Here's a cute photo of Elijah doing what he does best... Being Silly. He is such a sweethart...!

Elijah's Tennis Friends

2008-11-10T04:19:00.000-08:00

Here's a precious photo of Elijah with his two friends Laura and Webb Baugh. This photo was taken at my fund raiser tennis event for Elijah's school, The Master's Academy of Fine Arts, Lake Jackson. Laura and Webb are Elijah's class mates.

Some Tennis Videos of Elijah from Earlier this Summer

2008-11-07T21:42:00.000-08:00

The Future Of America

2008-11-05T06:01:00.000-08:00

Here is a photo taken on Elijah's Third Birthday. Mommy prepared a delicious chocolate cake that was decorated with a 'Go, Diego, Go' theme. That was a very happy day for this family...!

Dear Elijah,

Today we're waking up to a time that is not as happy. Last night our country held it's national elections and I believe that the majority of voting Americans have turned their backs on God, the Bible, and all that this family holds dear.

I'm not sure what kind of world You are going to grow up in but always know that Your mommy and daddy stand for life, traditional family values, and believe that the Bible is God's Holy Word and it's laws are the ones that we are going to honor.

We believe that You and Connor are the Future of America and that God has big plans for you. We love You and are lifting You up and covering You in prayer every day.

Love always,

Daddy

Chuck E Cheese

2008-11-03T05:01:00.000-08:00

Elijah had his first trip to Chuck E Cheese yesterday after church. We went for a friend's birthday party. Everyone had a great time... The food was very good. There were games and rides... We'll probably be back again soon...!

Note to Elijah...

2008-10-30T09:02:00.000-07:00

You are growing up so fast... I feel so blessed that I have a flexible work schedule and can help mommy and spend precious time with you at special events. Today I am going to be one of your teachers at the Mini Master's program. We are going to learn about a musical instrument called a 'Baritone'....

You love going to school and learning. You are very bright for your age. I can't believe how well you can use a computer already...

You are one very special young man and Mommy and Daddy Love you very much...!

Love always,

Daddy

Looking back about a year ago...

2008-10-27T06:12:00.000-07:00

Elijah's self portrait from November 2007...!

Elijah and Daddy Christmas 2007

One Year Ago...

2008-10-23T08:57:00.000-07:00

This sweet photo was taken when Elijah was taken on Oct 9, 2007... Elijah's little Nemo over alls are way to small for him now, but he still enjoys to waer his big floppy giraffe hat...! What a cutie!

Elijah Can Dance...!

2008-10-16T07:42:00.000-07:00

Here's a cute video Connor took of Elijah back on August 2, 2008. I didn't even know that I had downloaded it to my computer. This will be a favorite for years to come...! Turn your volume up a little to hear Connor's commentary...

Last night Elijah and Daddy did something fun we haven't done before... First, we took some flashlights and went frog hunting. I remember enjoying to catch frogs when I was young. We only caught one frog last night but we'll try again before it starts to get too cold. I'd like to catch enough frogs one evening so we could have a frog race or some other fun game.

After frog hunting, Mommy gave Elijah a bath and then we built a tent and went camping in the family room. The only problem is that after about 30 minutes Elijah started missing mommy and evacuated the camp. Oh well, the camp was fun and we'll try it again. I'll try to take some photos next time.

Elijah's Tea Party

2008-10-15T06:24:00.000-07:00

Elijah decided to host his own tea party and invited all his stuffed animal friends over for a little get together. He's already showing signs that he has the spiritual gift of hospitality...!

Elijah, Daddy and The Big Fire Truck...!

2008-10-13T04:50:00.000-07:00

Here's a photo of Elijah and Daddy playing with his new peddle car on his third birthday.

This past week we had a very special adventure: -Elijah got to ride a real fire truck... Daddy did, too. It was lots of fun...!

A very nice fireman was driving though Columbia Lakes checking the water pressure on the fire hydrants and just happened to stop right in front of the tennis shop while we were working. When we went out to say hello he offered to give us a ride...

Elijah was very excited. (Daddy was, too)....! We drove around the hotel and Elijah even got to sound the fire engine's siren and horn...

Afterwards the fireman encouraged Elijah to study hard in school and said that when Elijah grows up he should join the fire department because they were looking for good men.

Elijah said... OK...!

Big Boy Bed

2008-10-05T14:35:00.000-07:00

Elijah loves his new bed decorated with cars motif'...

Hey, Where are my glasses...? Missing My Sweet Boy...

2008-09-25T22:36:00.000-07:00

Dear Elijah,

You and I had a nice day today. Mommy had to teach an art class this afternoon so I took you to lunch at Mulligans and we enjoyed a delicious hamburger and fries while reading some of your favorite books together. After that we just hung out together. You helped me pick up some of your toys and also prepare for my tennis classes.

We went to pick up Connor at his bus stop which is one of your favorite things to do. You love those big yellow buses and can't wait to ride on one, yourself! I had to leave you with brother while I went off to teach classes of my own this evening. Sadly, you were already asleep when I returned home this evening.

Unfortunately, I have to leave early in the morning for a weekend trip that will keep me from home for several nights. I want you to know how I ABSOLUTELY HATE to be away from you, mommy, and Connor.

I miss you already. And I hope that we never have to be apart like this again. I love you so much, Elijah. Of course, you know that because I tell you all the time. And when you tell me that You love me too, that's the sweetest sound my ears just can't get enough of...!

Well, it's late and I have to get a few hours sleep before I need to get up and make the final preparations for my trip so I'll close here.

Hey, maybe mommy can read this message to you while I'm away. Elijah, I'm looking forward to seeing you again real soon. And when I get back we can play a game, go for a walk, read, or whatever you want to do... -Just You and Me...!

Bye for now and Love Always,

Daddy

Digging for Fossils

2008-09-25T07:19:00.000-07:00

Elijah, Monica, and Connor dug for fossils at Dinasaur Park outside of Dallas, during our evacuation. It was fun and a welcome diversion from Huricane Ike.

Dinosaur Park

2008-09-21T06:44:00.000-07:00

Elijah really enjoyed his trip to Dinosaur World in Rosewell, Texas which is just outside of Dallas. It was a fun excursion and we want to go back again soon because we did not get to see all the sights in Rosewell due to our time restraints.

Fishing With Daddy

2008-09-18T04:13:00.000-07:00

Here's a fun photo of Elijah and Daddy fishing at Matagorda beach back in May 2008. That was back on Mother's Day as I recall... I remember that we were worried that we might get our car stuck on the beach but that didn't happen. YEA... Elijah is using his 'Finding Nemo' fishing rod...

Coaching Elijah...

2008-09-05T09:34:00.000-07:00

Here's a photo from back in January, 2008 when Elijah and I were practicing. He loves to run around on the tennis court with us...!

Elijah's Sunglasses

2008-09-04T06:16:00.000-07:00

Elijah loves to wear sunglasses. He has several pair. These are from his 'Sun Dog' collection. He also has some cool 'Go Diego, Go' sunglasses, too.

I'm sad to report that Elijah is feeling under the weather today. He started coughing in his sleep about 1 AM and slept very restlessly the remainder of the night last night. I decided he shouldn't go to school today. So it's going to be Elijah and Daddy spending the entire day together today...

While I hate that Elijah is not feeling well, I do welcome the opportunity to get to spend more time with him... We're watching morning kids shows right now and will spend some time reading later.

The big news is that we rescued a stray doggy yesterday and will probably give the doggy a bath later this morning and let them play together...

More on our 'rescue' mission and the 'adoptee' later...!

Elijah's Other Two Favorite Things To Do...

2008-09-03T10:59:00.000-07:00

Here's a cute photo taken earlier this year when Elijah and daddy were playing golf near the tennis center. Elijah is holding one of Daddy's clubs in this picture but he has his own 'Elijah-sized' putter and loves to tap the ball with it...

In this photo Elijah is waving 'Bye-Bye to the fishy he just caught. (We are a 'catch and release' family).

And what is Elijah's FAVORITE thing to do...? Why tennis, of course...!

Elijah Playing Pool

2008-08-31T22:05:00.000-07:00

Elijah had a great time playing pool with his friends a few weeks ago. Pictured in the photo with Elijah is Kourtney K.

Elijah's Ping Pong Adventure

2008-08-28T07:21:00.000-07:00

Elijah plays an 'agressive' style of ping pong. He is shown here taking a forehand on the rise in a fun competition with his friends Becca and Kourtney.

Elijah and Brad

2008-08-27T19:41:00.000-07:00

Here's a nice photo of Elijah and our good friend Brad Burt. We all went to watch a local tennis tournament together the day this photo was taken...

Tennis Shop Photo

2008-08-19T05:38:00.000-07:00

Here's a cute photo of Elijah in a tennis cart at the pro shop. He's wearing one of his favorite outfits: Camo shorts and Bugs Bunny button down shirt... -What a sweetie...!

I take Elijah to work with me frequently. Now that Monica has started her art career again we're trying to strike a balance of Elijah's home schooling and our work schedules. I'm very grateful that my job affords me the flexibility to be able to have Elijah with me on the job just about any time...!

Elijah Video -Driving the Fire truck

2008-08-15T07:53:00.000-07:00

Here's a cute video of Elijah first learning how to drive his pedal car fire truck. The steering wheel is extremely sensitive...! He's pedaling it more now on his own power but still prefers a little push from mommy, daddy, or brother...!

Fire Truck

2008-08-13T06:30:00.000-07:00

Elijah just loves his bright red fire engine...! We were taking a drive to the tennis center in this photo... Tomorrow I'll post a short video of our trip....

Elijah's Tennis Lesson Video -Ball Collection Time

2008-08-11T07:03:00.000-07:00

Here is a short video of Elijah at one of his tennis workouts... He definitely has all the enthusiasm and energy a coach could ask for. I love at the very end that he is having such a good time and is so pleased with himself that he spins around and around for joy and even claps for himself...!

Elijah has really started showing a strong interest in tennis as the summer has drawn to a close. I'm looking to spend a lot more time in programming for 3 and 4 year olds this fall...

My Sweet Little Boy...

2008-08-06T04:03:00.000-07:00

Dear Elijah,

Here is a sweet photo of you with your blanket and little tennis bear. I just want to take a moment to write to you about how much your mommy and brother and I all love You! You are the sweetest little boy in the whole world...!

Love always,

Daddy

Boy in the Bag

2008-08-03T20:08:00.000-07:00

Elijah climbed into a grocery bag from Whole Foods recently and this photo opportunity was just too good to pass up...!

This could be the start of a new 'Boy in the bag' series....!

Link to Mommy's Blog

2008-08-02T17:32:00.000-07:00

Dear Elijah,

Mommy posted a bunch of photos and commentary about yours and Connor's birthday on her blog...

Love, Daddy

Cute Face...

2008-08-01T06:07:00.000-07:00

This isn't a birthday photo... But it's such a cute pic that I wanted to use it today. I'll resume posting birthday photos in the next few days....

Yesterday was a big day for Elijah... We converted his bedroom into a 'big boy bedroom'. He now has a full size bed... The only problem is that he had such a full and busy day that he fell asleep in the family car last night during a short evening trip so Monica and I had him sleep with us. He'll be trying out his new bed for the first time tonight...!

Another Milestone passed.... Elijah is definitely growing up...!

More BDay Photos

2008-07-31T04:02:00.000-07:00

Here's some photos of Elijah on another fun ride. Elijah had such a fun time. But what really made it special is that our whole family was there. Elijah especially loves doing things with Connor...!

Here's a photo of Elijah hugging brother Connor....

Connor barely fit in this ride...

Elijah's Birthday Video

2008-07-30T05:53:00.000-07:00

Dear Elijah... I posted one of your birthday videos on my personal blog. Click this link to watch yourself ride your fire engine for the first time...! -Love, Daddy

Elijah's Plane Trip

2008-07-30T05:01:00.000-07:00

Here are a few photos from Elijah's Big Day...! Elijah and Mommy flew the planes at the Board Walk in Kemah. Elijah was thrilled. We'll definitely go back to Kemah again sometime soon...!

Face Painting in Kemah

2008-07-29T05:42:00.000-07:00

Elijah had a shark painted on his face in Kemah last night as we went to the Famous Boardwalk for a special birthday excursion. We rode many rides, had a nice dinner and enjoyed a very memorable birthday.

Elijah is three years old now. He really looks a lot older than that (to me) in this photo. Happy Birthday Elijah...! I'll be posting more photos soon and I'm sure your mom will post on her blog, too...

Bye for now... -Love, Daddy!

Happy Birthday Elijah...!

2008-07-28T03:45:00.000-07:00

Dear Elijah,

You are three years old today. Wow...! I can't believe it's already been three years since you were born. I remember the day of your birth so vividly. It was and will always be one of the happiest days of my life.

Happy Birthday Sweet Boy...! We all love You very much and look forward to celebrating this milestone with You...! We thank God daily for your presence in our lives. You are a great blessing to us all...!

Love always,

Daddy

Good Chocolate Cake, Mmmmmm....

2008-07-27T13:50:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos from July 18. Elijah was enjoying some of brother Connor's birthday cake... Tomorrow Elijah will celebrate his 3rd birthday and he will be enjoying his own cake and lots of cool presents...!

Wall e

2008-07-04T18:24:00.000-07:00

We took Elijah to see Wall-e today. It was a very good kids movie... I'll probably take him to see it again, and we'll definitely buy the DVD. Elijah Loved it...!

Precious Moments

2008-06-09T04:20:00.000-07:00

Dear Elijah,

Here's one of our favorite things to do together: Read Stories. I just love this photo. Every moment with you is a precious moment, and I want to spend every moment I can with You.

I love you very, very much...!

-Daddy

Elijah, Sam, and Jim

2008-06-05T04:12:00.000-07:00

Here's a nice photo of Elijah, Daddy, and Daddy's good friend, Jim Monts. This picture was taken at a Saturday morning family tennis drill at Columbia Lakes. Elijah looks pretty comfortable on the court, doesn't he...?

Easter 2008

2008-05-01T06:34:00.000-07:00

Elijah had a fun egg hunt in our back yard after church. Then we went fishing and Monica caught her first fish...! Connor had his best friend Jimmy come for a visit. It was a very nice family day..!

Elijah at the Zoo

2008-04-30T08:54:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month Monica took Elijah to the zoo with some home school friends... Here's a photo of Elijah and his good friend, Abbie Tiemann

Elijah at the track meet...!

2008-04-08T04:47:00.001-07:00

Connor Wins by a 'nose'... Oh how Elijah loves hanging out with his older brother...!

Here's another fun photo of Elijah at one of Connor's high school track meets. The trampoline mats are in the background. As you can see he's having very fun time. He loves to do anything that Connor is doing...!

Dear Elijah,

You are growing up so fast. These are such precious times. I'm cherishing every moment with you watching you experience things for the first time. You are a great blessing.

Love, Daddy.

Golfing With Daddy

2008-03-12T07:35:00.001-07:00

Here's one our favorite activities besides tennis and fishing... It's Golf...! And Elijah has his very own kid sized putter that our golf pro David Garver gave to him...!

Fun Times...

2008-03-11T03:46:00.000-07:00

Dear Elijah,

We haven't taken a drive in the big red boo boo car in awhile. I miss that. Is it a sign that You are growing up...? I can't believe that you are going to be 3 years old at the end of June. That's not too far off...! You are growing up fast. But I praise the Lord that I have the flexibility in my career to spend more time with You than other dads get with their children.

I just wanted to post a quick photo and tell You how much I love You, Elijah. Mommy loves You, too. -And so does Your brother, Connor.

As you look back on Your life and wonder what it was like during your growing up years, know that it was good. Even when there seemed to be madness and chaos all around us, You made us smile. You made us laugh. You really helped us make a family, Elijah. Thank You, son. You are such a blessing!

Love always,

Daddy

A quick note To Elijah...

2008-03-07T04:25:00.000-08:00

Dear Elijah,

Just a quick note to let you know how much I love You. I was telling your mommy today one of the most difficult things I have to do every day is leave the house and go to work because I miss you guys so much. Pretty soon You'll be big enough to go to work with me all the time. I can't wait for that.

I don't want this message to be too long but I just wanted to also make a public mention that at 2 years and 9 months old, you have decided that you don't want to be called 'Boo Boo' any more. You prefer to be called 'Sweet Heart'...

So, 'Sweet Heart' it is...!

Bye for now. Daddy Loves You very much...!

-Daddy

Elijah's Blanket

2008-03-04T05:33:00.001-08:00

Elijah has several blankets. This is one of his favorites. It was made for him by one of our home school friends when he was born. Notice he's holding two of his favorite stuffed animals, a US Open Collector Bear and a baby giraffe.

Elijah's Little Friends!

2008-02-27T03:53:00.000-08:00

Elijah recently called together a meeting of all his little friends. He's sitting in the middle riding on top of his favorite rocking horse looking proud as can be! What a sweet heart!.

Worn Out...!

2008-02-26T08:09:00.000-08:00

Elijah went to bed early and slept throughout the night last night. He was very tired from a big fun day with daddy. We went on a picnic for lunch and brought our fishing poles with us for fishing afterwards.

We found 'our special spot' along the lagoons under a big tree at the front of the country club property. We pitched our blanket and enjoyed a feast of tuna sandwiches, fruit, cheese, crackers, and some m and m's.

We caught a big turtle, a catfish, and a sunfish, but we let them all go. The catfish was the biggest fish we have caught to date... about 3 lbs...! Elijah had never seen a catfish before and he was a little scared of it!

After fishing we read some books before heading home. All in all it was a good, fun day!

One funny thing did happen, though. At one point I had taken my shoes off so my feet could relax a bit and that was big mistake, Elijah threw one of my shoes in the water...! I had to walk home (about a mile) in a sopping wet shoe...! Thanks a lot Elijah. My shoe is still wet nearly 24 hours later!

Daddy Time...!

2008-02-25T04:18:00.000-08:00

Dear Elijah,

I consider Monday my favorite day of the week because I get to spend extra time You.

Mommy has art classes in the afternoon and so You and I have from about 11:30 AM until about 3:15 all to our selves. The weather's supposed to be gorgeous today so I'm sure we'll do some fun things outside this afternoon. I think today we'll just go for a long walk. And I'd love to go fishing today, maybe find a new fishing spot that we've never fished from before... Of course, we can go to the playground, and play golf or tennis... What ever -you want to do is fine with me. I'm very much looking forward to Elijah-Daddy time!

Love Always,

Daddy

Diaper Man Tennis Super Hero

2008-02-19T19:50:00.000-08:00

These photos were taken on a hot afternoon in September...! Elijah's going to be very mad at me for publishing his diaper-man tennis photos one day but I can't help it... He looks so cute....

My Best Friend!

2008-02-18T04:30:00.000-08:00

This sweet little boy told me that I was his best friend a few days ago...! He said, 'Daddy, you're my best friend!' That was such a touching moment. It was one that I will never forget. I am so grateful to have this blogsite to perserve memories like this one.

While every post is a treasured memory, today's post really stands out as a great moment for Elijah and I...

Dear Elijah,

I just want you to know that you are my best friend, too.

You are a tremendous blessing to your mommy and I. We both love you very much...!

Love always,

Your best friend, Daddy

Gonna Miss My Boo Boo...

2008-02-07T04:14:00.000-08:00

I think I've posted this photo before but it's such a sweet picture that it deserves to be posted again. I just love the look on our faces as we snuggle up togethere while mommy takes our photo...! Unfortunately, today I have to take a trip out of town for a conference and will be gone for a little over 24 hours. That really isn't a very long time but I'm going to be miserable not seeing my dear sweet baby boy until tomorrow evening.... Eljah, in case you haven't figured it out yet, your daddy loves you very much!

Playing with Mommy

2008-02-06T05:33:00.000-08:00

In this photo Elijah and Mommy enjoy a fun time at the tennis center with a box of puzzels while Daddy was working...! Eljah really enjoys puzzels. Daddy really enjoys having his family close by while he's working!

Thomas the Tank Engine...

2008-02-03T20:08:00.000-08:00

Here's one of Elijah's new favorite Characters and his website...

http://www.thomasandfriends.com/usa/games.asp

Big Ol Turtle

2008-01-29T20:38:00.000-08:00

I just came across this photo. I had it saved on my desktop and never got around to posting it. It's from a fun day out at the Houston Zoo with Elijah's buddies from First Baptist Church this past fall. Elijah is sure one happy boy...! And why not? The zoo is fun. .

Oh well. As you can see, Elijah loves going to the zoo. I enjoy it, too. We'll have to go again, soon....

First Tennis of the New Year...!

2008-01-28T05:14:00.000-08:00

Elijah and I enjoyed some court time earlier this month at our '1st Sunday of the month' tennis social. We havenlt been able to enjoy much tennis other than that because the weather has been really bad lately. I'm hoping we can get on the court a bunch this week...!

One of My Favorite Photos

2008-01-25T02:56:00.001-08:00

I love this Photo. It's a sweet photo of two brothers enjoying a fun moment together. It's a photo of what family is about: time spent with each other, sharing, mentoring, and fellowship.

I am so happy and grateful that Connor and Elijah love each other. I did not have that kind of relationship with my brothers growing up. I don't think my father had that kind of relationship with his brothers growing up, either.

Praise the Lord it appears Elijah and Connor are breaking generations of Chadwell family barriers...! We are so Blessed!

Elijah's Catch of the Day...!

2008-01-23T20:43:00.001-08:00

Elijah loves to go fishing... We actually try to go fishing for a few minutes just about every day, weather permitting.... This is the fifth fish Elijah has caught in his life... I'll quit keeping count pretty soon. I think this was the biggest fish Elijah has caught to date...

Next time it warms up we're going to experiment with some different bait and see what happens. There are some enormous 30-40 lb fish in the lagoons around the tennis center. We see them all the time. We just call them 'Big Fish' I can't wait for the day when Elijah poses with one of those monsters...!