Fall 2011 Pictures

Some of you lucky few out there received Christmas cards from us. That was before one of my children spilled water all over the remaining "to go out" pile. Bummer. So I apologize to those who felt like they were missing out. I just couldn't bare the thought of buying more cards from Costco to be unsatisfied with. Why oh why do I keep going back? Cost I know. The color is AWFUL!! I must do something different next year...

Anyhow here are some pictures from a little November session in the park with my kids.























These already feel outdated to me. They grow SO FAST! Oh how I love them... I am one blessed mama.

San Francisco

Last month Chris and I had the privilege of visiting our friends The Kurth's & their recently planted church, Christ Church. Toby asked Chris to come preach for him as Rebekah was nearing her due date. I was grateful for our friends and family who took our kids for a couple of days so I could travel with Chris.

We arrived Friday afternoon and from there got a non-stop weekend tour of San Francisco from Toby. And Toby if this church planting thing doesn't work out for you, you could easily have a job as a tour guide :) We toured the city Friday and had some amazing food. Actually lots of amazing food. I believed I gained a few pounds that weekend :) On Saturday we drove to Napa Valley and had breakfast at the most amazing place! I'm still craving that omelet! Then we headed out to Beringer Winery, where we got a personal tour from Toby's dad. Apparently tour guiding runs in the family. We felt so blessed to have such a tour and learned more in that day then in our entire life about wine. It was also this tour that pushed us over the edge to favor red wine more then white.

Sunday was a great time of worship with Christ Church. It was encouraging to see all the ways God has blessed them. They have recently been given a building to use in the city & partnered with the church that was meeting there to spread the Gospel!


Toby is also preaching through John like Chris is at Grace Church. So Chris was able to step in and prepare a message in John that he will be able to preach in a month at our church. He preached his message on the Glorious Future that Awaits us. Heaven. I am eager for our church to get to this part of John as my heart was greatly encouraged.

By far the best part of the trip was seeing our friends and catching up with them. We are grateful for their hospitality and I am eager to see more of San Francisco one day!

It rained almost the entire time we were there but I was able to snap a few pictures in between downpours!


I was happy to see a trolley as that was the extent of my knowledge of San Fran


Some amazing views that are just a short walk from their house!




Before breakfast:


The wine country


barrels of aging wine





Thank you Toby & Rebekah for your hospitality & showing us a wonderful time! It's been such a blessing to be on this church planting adventure with you all.

Thievery & Airport Greetings

Last week Chris traveled to Maryland for a preaching practicum with Sovereign Grace Ministries. The kids and I spent a few days in Gilbert and a few days back at home hanging out with our friends Megan & Jedidah. Megan's husband was also out of town at the Sovereign Grace Songwriters conference. We were grateful that Sovereign Grace worked these conferences out to fall on the same week so we could be without our husbands together :)

Well as in usual Daukas fashion, what's a week with hubby gone without a little drama? No strep throat or car fires this week. Nope. This week my hubby's face made it into a police line-up for fraud. I got to see the paper line-up myself! Pretty crazy! Monday morning as Chris was leaving for the airport he came out to find our cars were rummaged through. It appeared as if nothing was stolen so he went on his way to get to the airport on time. Well apparently he had an old license or something in his car cause later that day a Christopher Daukas showed up trying to cash a check in his name with a stolen checkbook. And this Chris had ID to prove he was Chris. The stolen checkbook came from another car that was broken into that morning and when the police ran Chris' name and address he knew that Chris was either a thief or victim. Chris' brother also happens to be a Police officer in the area and was able to get a hold of Chris & I to confirm that we were indeed victims not thief's. Times like these it's helpful having a cop in your family. Jeff served us heroically that week helping me fill out fraud paperwork and directing me who to call while Chris was out of town! So far the guy hasn't been caught and he hasn't posed as Chris again. Praise God! Meanwhile we've been working HARD to get our garage organized so we can fit our cars in. As serious as this, is I still think that line-up of guys with Chris' face on there has got to be used somewhere :)



The kids were so excited to pick up daddy from the airport on friday. They each made special "daddy" signs or in Rylee's case "DAID" signs. We spent the afternoon at the kids PE co-op and headed straight to the airport. They were so adorable with their signs. They held them up from the moment we got in the car, the walk to the elevator, the walk to the security gate (where we learned we missed him) down the elevator to baggage claim. You should've heard the "ohh, ahh's, how cute!" as we walked EVERYWHERE :)


Rylee was the first to spot Daddy and abandon her sign post :)







This weekend we travel to San Fransisco to visit our friends The Kurth's. Chris will be preaching at their church plant on Sunday morning! Pray for safe travels and no drama while we're gone :)

On and Off Again

I was editing some photo's of Rylee the other and day and found this one. This pretty much sums up my daily battle with her. So Frank & Nancy, Scott & Jessica, let this photo serve as a reminder of all the fun times we had in Disney,searching for rylee's shoes that she had kicked off somewhere in the park :-)

Costume Cutness

In the spirit of our Disney trip the kids all dressed up in their favorite Disney attire for tonight's festivities

Princess Taylor:


Trevor as Buzz Lightyear, To Infinity and Beyond!

The wings light up and everything!


And last but not least- Rylee as Tink



Notice Taylor's smile... number two feel out yesterday :-)

Disney Pics- Day One

Well we have returned and rolling slowly back into normal life. Disney World was amazing. Having no memory of being there I finally "get" what makes Disney World so much different than Disney Land. A place I DO remember. I couldn't get over how much land Disney owns and how much there is to experience.

I am overwhelmed by the amount of pictures I have to share and well at this point no creative way to present it. My mind and body are still recovering from the week. So hang with me as I post some pictures over the next couple of days.

We spent our first day a Magic Kingdom. It's the only park you have to take a ferry or monorail to get to. We arrived just in time for the opening ceremony. Mickey and others arrive on the disney train, sing a little song and declare the park open while throwing mickey confetti at you. The kids loved it and yes I cried. I was caught up in the "magic" of it all :-) Walking down main street the castle came into view. Pictures do not do this castle justice!




Taylor's face was priceless and pretty much stayed this way for the remainder of the week.


We were blessed to have gone with Disney experts. Chris' twin Scott and his wife Jessica as well as Chris' parents have these parks down to a science. In a matter of hours we had rode over six rides with the longest line lasting less than 10 minutes. Without them Chris and I would've wondered around aimlessly the first day!

Rylee & Trevor were our "thrill" seekers. Both amazed me all week with their fearless spirit. Taylor, not so much.

Trevor is sitting next to Chris. I assure you Rylee & Trevor take after Chris with their thrill seeking attitude. I had to practice my deep breathing exercises while Dumbo took us higher and higher! All the while yelling "THIS IS FUN" for my two year old's sake sitting next to me :-)





Taylor preferred calmer rides such as It's a small world and Peter Pan. She did get a little crazy with the tea cups though!


We ended our first night with a spectacular firework show over the castle- and yes I cried again :-)


After the first day and all that we did, I couldn't believe we still had seven more days left! My feet weren't to sure they could believe it either!

Sweet Moment

We had a backwards day this week. Rylee, my barely two year old, played in her crib for an hour and a half never falling asleep. Just as I had given up and got her out so we could run some errands Trevor, who never naps, had fallen asleep on the couch.

Rylee walked out and said "Oh Trevor's Sleeping" in her cute high pitch Rylee voice and leaned over and gave him a big kiss on his check. It was precious.

God's Fireworks

We didn't get to see many fireworks last night. It was stormy & windy with some lightning where we were and the ones we did get to see were way off in the distance. Which wouldn't have been so bad if I had not been building up fireworks at the park for the past few days! Someone remind me next year to check the weather before the 4th. Oh well it was a great chance to walk the kids through trusting God even when we're disappointed.. and maybe, well, walk myself through the same thing :-) That being said we still had quite a show! One the Lord gave us...



For your steadfast love is great above the heavens;



your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!


Let your glory be over all the earth. Psalm 108:4,5

Meet Luke

I finally got to meet my new nephew Luke! They live on the other side of town and it's been just way to long since we've seen them. They graciously invited us out for a b-que. The kids had a great time. Trevor just loves Ethan! They were so excited to see each other and played perfectly for over an hour. Seriously we never heard from them and when we'd peak in they were just playing together laughing. Since Trevor may never have a brother I'm so thankful for all the boy cousins he has. Here's some pictures from our time.





They had a rousing water gun fight together!