This will be untitled.

I think I would like to pass the family blog baton on to... someone else.

Maybe Allison.
[Help us out, woman.]

I noticed that we haven't posted since September!

This is a very pathetic state of things.

Well, Andrea turned 18 last month.
She is now my only adult sibbling.



Happy Birthday, roomie!
(Cue the confetti.)

: * : ' :  * : ' : * : ' : * : ' :
: ' : * : ' : * : ' : * : ' : * :

: * : ' : * : ' : * : ' : * : ' :

[I'm sorry I missed it in the blog world, and that I'm too lazy to do a cool post now. But, I did post all your senior pictures... I think that counts for something. Plus, check out that internet confetti I just typed up.
Also, you just whacked me with a neon green pipe. That hurt a little bit. So, now we are even.]

In other news:

Catching Up

Wellll it's been awhile, but I can say that we've been busy!
So to make up for the lack of posts on my part, here's a big one looking back at a few highlights of the last few months in the Fountain Home.
 

We hosted a baby shower for a sweet friend in... July? who had her 10th child just a few days ago. We got to hold the baby 3 hours after she was born. =)

Putting the finishing touches on the fruit torte.

Her friends and family. =)

Outline, outline, outline, paint, paint, cut, cut, snip, cut, cut, cut.

Daddy turned 46! We had some friends over and had a great day. Happy Birthday, again, Daddy!

One of my mom's aunts was visiting from California, and my mom's brother and his family were in town from Tulsa as well. We had everyone over and celebrated Aunt Esther's birthday.

And The World Looks On In Amazement

as it discovers that a family in Colorado has invented the next Olympic sport.

Extreme Stroller Stunt Riding.

Observe these two talented young athletes.

Fun. :-)

Happy Birthday to You!

Happy happy birthday

From all of us to you!

We wish it was our birthday

So we get presents too!

Happy happy birthday!

May all your dreams come true!

We wish it was our birthday

So we get wishes too!

Andrew Thomas Fountain was born on August 9, 1999 at 5:59 p.m. Since then, he has grown into a wonderful, loving, sweet, sensitive, hardworking little brother, and we all love him sooo much!

Happy birthday, A.T., and may you always have a deep and abiding love for the Lord! May He continue to bless you all the days of your life!

Andrea's Senior Pictures!

 Andrea and I went to a park last week and took her senior pictures.

I'm happy with how the turned out!

She is so beautiful, inside and out.
And I don't care how cliched that sounds.
Best sister I could have ever asked for!

New Pictures

I finally updated that sidebar to your right. It seems like everyone's changed quite a bit!

More pics:

She. is. way. too. cute.

Andrea's New Blog

This is Andrea speaking, ladies and gentlemen, and I am here to inform you that I've made my own blog! (Hold your applause)
So! If you'd like, you can drop by. In fact, please do. :-)
http://www.anotherfountaingirl.blogspot.com/

A Project

   

I took this, this, and this,

and easily made

this

(below),

To Our E-mail Subscribers

Hi, everyone!
We just wanted to ask that when you receive an alert from us, if you would please visit the blog instead of reading it from the e-mail. That way, you can leave comments here, instead of sending them to our e-mail.
Thanks! =)
Hope you're enjoying this blog.

Sewing at Grandma's

SUPRISE! It's Allison. You may not know me because I have only done one blog. Yet I am here!

The last blog I did was that lame bird blog.

Well, I hope this entertains you as much as Andrea and Amy's blogs entertain you.

The other day Mommy, Amy, Andrea and I went to Grandma's house to learn how to make a nightgown. Now you have to understand that we have never EVER read a pattern before, besides my blanket patterns.

So we had a lot to learn. Grandma was very nice to have us over and teach us. When we were all younger Grandma used to make us dresses, and little shorts and stuff. She still makes dresses for Abigail and Anna. I thought reading patterns was going to be amazingly hard, but it wasn't. I guess we picked an easy pattern or something. It was a really nice little activity.

The Silent Whistle

A little girl in the schoolyard
Watched John get kicked and hit
And wanted to tell the teacher
But her earnest tongue she bit!
She couldn’t, for the life of her,
Speak up for poor John’s sake
So she kept her head down quiet
And watched as John’s spirit brake.
Afraid, she was, to tell the truth
And didn’t quite know why.
She’d rather watch her friend get hurt
And shut her ears to his cry.

Good Times with Good Friends

Allen, Amy, and I went to the CHEC conference this week. I was sitting with Rachel, who had one of the Youth Vendor tables. She was selling lovely little tissue pouches and hair ornaments, with which I was absolutely smitten. I’ve never seen such charming designs! I shared the table with her, selling coloring books. Sitting in a plastic chair at a small table for three days straight may not seem like great fun (unless, of course, one has Rachel for one’s companion), but some good friends showed up and sat there with us, and we had a grand time.


I showed up with only a dollar to my name, a crate full of coloring books, and a box of colored pencils. The dollar I promptly squandered on a pencil sharpener, which we actually put to good use coloring some books that had water damage. Hailey and I then decided to do a sociological experiment, which consisted of asking

Footprints in the River

I wrote this for some of my very best friends who I will cherish and remember always.
I love you guys. :-)



Travelling down this watery highway
Of a memory never made
Making footprints in the river
That are swiftly washed away.

Hear the whispered song of water 
As it shapes the pebbles smooth
Watch the sun dance on the river
Or the white rays of the moon.

Only footprints in the river--
Is that what I'll someday be?
Only footprints in the river--
Just a memory of a dream.

Our Back Yard

I like it. =)

Just A(my)'s Blog...

If you haven't already, please stop by my blog! =)

www.justamysblog.blogspot.com

Leaving Neverland

Avery turned thirteen recently. He has officially joined the ranks of teenager-hood, thus upping our numbers to the hideously enormous sum of five. And do you know what follows?


The majority of the Fountain children are teenagers. Not cool.

I don’t want us to grow up. When you grow up, you leave. It’s hard to realize that someday we’re not all going to be the Fountain Children any more. We won’t even be the Fountain Adults. We’re going to be “those kids of Ann and Andrew’s who all got married and have their own families now.” We won’t really be brothers and sisters any more. I mean, we will, but not every day. We won’t share bedrooms. We’re not going to eat our meals together. There’s not going to be the loud, jostling, cheerful racket around the dinner table, and we won’t be sharing silly stories about bowling last night. We won’t be tickling and teasing each other all the time. We won’t be in the same house as each other. Not even the same neighborhood, probably, and maybe not even the same state.

Jungle Gym

We got our playset up today! Two industrious gentlemen from Rainbow Play Systems very graciously consented to be stared at by five eager children for two hours as they labored to reassemble the jungle gym. They were rewarded by a plate of chocolate chip cookies, which they mistakenly believed to be funnel cake when they smelled 'em baking.

The glorious result is pictured below.

                                             

Just Some Random Pictures With A Cowboy Hat

He had no idea I put the hat on him.

April Showers Bring...

April Blizzards??
Yesterday, I woke up and it was utterly gorgeous, perfect weather outside. It had rained the night before, the smell of rain was lingering and everything had greened up... it was so beautiful! Everyone had to take a short break from school to play outside and soak in the sun.
Today, I woke up, rolled over, looked out my window, blinked twice and rubbed my eyes to double check- it was snowing. haha I love Colorado.

Here are some random pictures I've taken in the past month.

I was trying out an experiement with cupcakes and... well, it didn't work out. I was attempting a recipie from Taste of Home that involved filling the cupcakes. They actually didn't turn out too badly, but I had planned to give them to our neighbors, and they weren't quite good enough. So I turned the cupcakes, the fillings, and some leftover icing over to Anna and Abigail to do what they would.

Loving the Prairie

This is my Father's world

The birds their carols raise

The morning light

The lily white

Declare their Maker's praise.

This is my Father's world!

He shines in all that's fair

In the rustling grass

I hear Him pass

He speaks to me everywhere!

   

I love our new place. I never thought I would love the prairie, but I truly do.


    To tell the truth, I rather dreaded moving from a town to a more country-ish area. I’ve grown up in towns. In a town, whatever you want is always close. Your neighbors are all right squished up against you; Safeway is right down the road; you can walk to the library. It’s reassuring to know that you are never from help, friends, or comfort.

    In a town, the houses are coldly quiet, staring disapprovingly at you as you walk past. The roads are lifeless black asphalt that is starkly unchanging no matter how far you travel on it. Gardens are well-behaved patches of subdued colors.

It's been a year.

Last April was the beginning of a series of life changing events that took place over the past year. (And the changes are still rolling in!)
It was the month we closed our second Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory store. The first one, we closed in February, shortly after Valentine's Day.
Many of you know the story, so I won't go into details again.
But those stores were such a huge part

Sparring

(To My Impatient Friends... =P )

So on my birthday, the boys decided that instead of "jumping rope," they would spar. It was pretty fun to watch.

I don't think anybody escaped without an injury that night, including those of us who didn't spar. I have a small scar on the side of my face from the night. haha! It was a fun time...

So, without further ado, here are the video clips you've been waiting for.
(Thanks to the Adams for some of the videos.)

Our Wonderful Parents

Happy 21st Anniversary!

Happy 16th, Little Brother!

(I don't care if you're taller now..)

I miss babies.

I miss babies. Aidan isn't a baby anymore; he's close to four years old now, more little boy than baby. He is so much fun, and he is so cute, but it just isn't the same.
I miss making silly faces and seeing that goofy baby-smile. I miss putting my hand on the small chest and feeling a tiny heartbeat. I miss the little hands banging tunelessly on the piano keys and watching the entire body wriggle and dance in sheer delight at the music.

Abigail turned 8!

March 16

Jumping Rope

When we had a few families over that are good friends of ours, and all the parents heard that the boys were "jumping rope" in the basement, this was not what they were expecting...

A Very, VERY Belated Happy Birthday

It took me three months to realize that Amy did not have a birthday post, and I am sorry. So here is a short one.

Our wonderful AMY ELIZABETH turned nineteen (!) on January 23 this year. We celebrated her birthday with some families from church. The party was lovely, even though many of the guests went home with minor injuries (there was some sparring in the basement: watch for those videos later) .

Amy, you have been an incredible example to all of us younger ones. You are a wonderful sister, and I love you so much. God bless you, Amy!

Gift Baskets..

Last Friday and Saturday our church put on an "Economics Conference." About 170 families (800 people) came from about 25 states and as far as England and Canada to be encouraged and see things from a Biblical point of view.

Our family was commisioned to put together some gift baskets for the speakers. I think we made 10 small and 2 large. It was a nice project to have. I think they turned out pretty well!
This is a small:

A Very Overdue and Very Merry Christmas Post

I know, I know, it's been forever(ish) since I last posted on here.
And now that I finally do post, it's a late post, to boot!

But it's better late than never, right?

Anyway, we had a wonderful time celebrating Christ's birth.

I can't believe Christmas was 2 whole months ago! At that point, we were mostly unpacked and were able to decorate our house. We were so happy about that. The tree got moved around a few times until we figured out the perfect spot for it in our living room. Sadly, it wasn't until after Christmas that it was placed there.

We spent our Christmas Eve in our favorite, usual way; with our grandparents at their home.

These are a few pictures I took near their house on our way over, from inside our moving car.

Eggs, Eggs, Eggs

Abigail, Anna, A.T (I should just refer to him as @ to save time) and I hardboiled some eggs and drew faces on them with Sharpie markers. They turned out pretty funny.