3 Russell Moose

More Katana

2012-01-09T14:12:00.000-08:00

Katana
(Kah-Tah-Nah)
Japanese word for Samurai Sword

Bathing in the sunshine

Her ears slick back as I approach. It seems she is still intimidated.

But this is what she does as she receives a little loving.

Sparkle

2012-01-08T22:00:00.000-08:00

We called her "Sparkly" as a toddler.

She adds charm and twinkle to every situation.

And now she has some twinkle of her own.

And those sparkly pink earrings only add to her charm.

Grief

2012-01-08T21:50:00.000-08:00

Grief.

If it wasn't personal, grief would be a fascinating study for me.

When we told the kids they had to say good-bye to Rocky, each one reacted very differently.

Mckenna screamed, over and over, "No! This can't be it! No, not Rocky!" Each cry pierced our hearts.

Gabriel made vows: "I will write his name in every book. I will make sculptures and pictures of him."

Juliana mourned quietly, saying over and over, "This is so hard. It's hard to understand." She slept with pictures of him for days, tears slipping quietly from her eyes.

Daniel and I went through each of those emotions, though not at the same time.

Sometimes I wanted to reverse time, start all over, have him again; I mourned in disbelief that this could be the end. I would have done most anything to hold him once more.

Sometimes I wanted to keep on being miserable, fearing that if I stopped crying it would be like forgetting him, or letting him slip away.

And then it just hurt, a deep hurt that left me crying myself to sleep and waking up already sobbing. I have not experienced that before, and it just hurts.

Our previously planned trip to Disneyland for 2.5 days went a long way in our healing. Only I cried while we were there, knowing what was to come when we got home. And sure enough, walking into an empty house put Dan, Juliana and me over the edge again, and we all mourned fresh that night.

So Friday, we did what anyone would do (maybe?). We got a puppy.
And Monday we hope to get another one.

Katana, 7 months

And our sweet new girl, Katana, has somehow squirmed, kissed, and wiggled her way into the hole left in my heart.

But I still miss my Rocky. And it requires effort to choose to move forward and not want to stay in the past.

Rocky, 10 years

And while he was a part of our family for 12 wonderful years, and saying good-bye was so very hard, he was only a dog.

Tonight I know loved ones mourning sick children, lost jobs, failing marriages, and other life altering trials.

So tonight I pray for my loved ones who are grieving. And I realize that my dear Rocky has once again taught me a lesson that will help me to help others, and I remain forever thankful.

Goodbye my Faithful Friend

2012-01-02T00:06:00.000-08:00

How do you say good bye to a loyal, faithful friend?
How do you comfort three heartbroken children?
How does 12 years go by so quickly?

He loved us so completely. From 6 weeks into our marriage until 12 years and 13 days in, Daniel and I had the greatest dog ever. And now he is gone.

I had no idea it would hurt this much.

As we held our aching children and cried together, Daniel reminded us that this world is not as God originally intended. It is fallen, cursed because of sin, and everything is affected. Even the best dog cannot stay young forever. I know he loved us. He knows we loved him. And I long for a perfect world once more, where sin has no grip.

And best friends don't die.

Thank you, my loyal Rocky, for teaching us that just being together is a reason to be joyful, and that life is better lived with exuberance and faithful love.

Rhino

2011-12-27T04:23:00.000-08:00

This is Rhino.

Juliana got him as a gift when she had surgery.

She takes him everywhere.

On a Tuesday she announced his birthday was in 2 days.

Wednesday night we were told again: Rhino's birthday is tomorrow!

Thursday morning she bounced on our bed: "Mom, Dad, come say Happy Birthday to Rhino!"

All day throughout school and chores she asked what we could do.

Finally, I offered to let her make cupcakes.

Rhino ate dinner with us.

We sang to him.

We ate birthday cupcakes.

It was ridiculous.

Jules was ecstatic.

We have warned her this was a one time deal.

We shall see about that.

Ice Skating

2011-12-27T04:18:00.000-08:00

I am not Mom of the Year.

As if my kids didn't already have enough reasons to proclaim this, the fact that I got around to a birthday party for Mckenna more than two and a half months after her birthday cements my failures.

Late though it may have been, Mckenna loved every minute of her celebration.

I took her and 3 friends to a new ice skating rink, and though they were all new (I brought a friend along to teach them), they persevered and ended up loving it.

Christmas in Pictures

2011-12-27T04:10:00.000-08:00

On Christmas Eve the kids waited patiently to open one gift before we headed to Christmas Eve service.

They each opened a new Bible and Bible cover, and they were all so thrilled.

I have to mention--all those presents, except maybe 5, are for next weekend, and cover 22 people.

In Gabriel's already super cool room, Daniel hung the punching bag my parents gave Gabe last week at our early celebration. Now his room is even better. All 3 kids are really benefitting from it and they have even made up Ninja games to go with it :o)

Our stockings, hung with care over the fireplace, made by my wonderful mom. However, as one of our pastors said, in the desert we don't wish for a white Christmas, but for 70 degrees and sunshine. So our fireplace holds candles, not logs.

Conversations at My House

2011-12-18T19:08:00.000-08:00

"I want to be a mom!"
"You have to get kids in order to be a mom. And you have to get married first!"

"Mom, when I grow up, if I have 20 kids, will you babysit them all."
"Absolutely!"
"Great! But, how would we get there?"
"You would need a special bus."
"Cool!"

"I'll babysit your kids when we grow up, but only if they are good." (One kid to a sibling)

If this wasn't so hilarious to me, I might be concerned.

In case you are concerned, keep in mind that they have 7 younger cousins with 2 more on the way, 2 little boys they call cousins, and countless little kids at church that consider my kids their best friends, including one who calls the girls "Friends" and Gabe "Boy." Every few weeks we go to someone's house where there are only littler kids, and my kids "baby-sit" while the mom and I talk.

This isn't actually that weird of a conversation.

Passing Years

2011-12-11T19:36:00.001-08:00

Last regular season soccer game in U-10.
First Piano recital.
Cookies from scratch by herself.
500 page books.
Mother's Helper jobs.
Sharing shoes with me.
French manicures.
Belted Sweater Dress.
A new ring with a real stone.

Is it just me or is time flying by?

Thank you dear Lord for a most beautiful daughter inside and out. I am unworthy and so very grateful.

It's Here

2011-12-02T00:34:00.001-08:00

The Holiday season is upon us. Oh yes, it is.

In true to Carlee fashion, I started Advent activities with the kids (meant to be a daily countdown/reminder) early, and yet I am already behind. That's just how I roll.

In case you are looking for an easy, meaningful Advent idea, I am using Truth in the Tinsel. We read a Scripture passage and make an ornament each day, and the kids get to hang their ornaments on a ribbon in their rooms.

We also ~~are reading~~ will be reading this very sweet book about Benjamin Bear's travels to the Christ child that my dear Grandmother sent the kids last year. Each day Benjamin follows the star and meets up with a new character. My sweet mom helped me prepare an ornament for each story that corresponds to that day's character. It will be incredibly fun to do each day...you know, once we actually start. Hopefully by December 3rd.

We are giving gifts to 2 special people: A 3 year old girls whose father is in prison, and a teenager taking care of himself and 2 siblings. What a privilege it is to bring a little joy to 2 such young people. We went shopping tonight--some pink-princess-ballet stuff for the girl... and a Pre-paid Vis@ for the boy. Not as fun to shop for, but certainly to be appreciated.

As of this moment (as in just a few moments ago) I have no essays to grade in my house! Woo Hoo! That is always cause for excitement. I have had 6 sets since late Sept. That's 900 essays in 8 weeks. I remain grateful for my job this season!

Moving on, because that quantity of essays gives me a headache to think about.

December is sure to be packed: 2 regular season soccer games remain, our first piano recital, church programs, my parents here for our Christmas together, parties galore...all slated to end with Daniel's whole family here for New Year's Eve. I am planning a fun, laid back yet super cool "Christmas on New Year's" here and having a great time doing it.

Yes, December has come in full force, and I plan to enjoy every minute of it.

Racing Day

2011-11-26T00:51:00.001-08:00

Here's a progression for you:

Daniel decided to run 2 miles every Tuesday night.

Mckenna decided to go with him.

Mckenna thought it was hard, wanted to quit.

Daniel and I decided she shouldn't quit.

Mckenna's friends run 5k races.

Mckenna decided to run a 5k.

Mckenna and Daniel trained harder.

Mckenna and Daniel ran a 5k.

There have been tears, arguments, and pain, but most of all victories. And on Thanksgiving both Daniel and Mckenna ran their first race. Not only did they finish, but they took 1 minute per mile off the best time she had ever run (from a 9 min 40 second mile to a 8 minute 44 second mile).

Before the race started {all smiles}

Our beautiful backdrop

The first {of 3} times they ran past us

The second time {she's working hard}

Cheering Sqaud

Coming down the last leg

Sprinting to the finish line

Their time {27 minutes 9 seconds}

Somewhere around 25 minutes I was already teary eyed and getting anxious to see them, even though I wasn't expecting them until about 30 minutes. When I saw them at 27 minutes, I started crying hard. I am so proud of my runners! And I am so thankful that my daughter (and the other 2) has her incredible dad. He never would run a 5k on his own--he runs for fitness, but has no need to race. He did this for her, and what a gift that is!

Perspective

2011-11-14T22:43:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow morning, bright and early, Juliana will have a small surgery. A cyst grew on her lip and has grown and grown for months. It's time to take it off. A 40 minute procedure is what we face. General Anesthesia is my biggest concern.

And yet, it's nothing, really.

Daniel put into words what I have been feeling: I cannot imagine having a truly sick child.

Our small surgery in a nice surgical center with a doctor we really like is a cake walk compared to dealing with pediatric cancer or weeks or months at a time in a hospital.

This little procedure pales in comparison to chemo, scans, major surgeries, or months of trying to diagnose.

And our lives are cush compared to the circumstances sick people face in so many other countries.

So while my heart is heavy, waiting for the moment my little girl wakes up from anesthesia and I see her bright blues; while we are letting her sleep with us in our bed and we bought her popsicles at the store today; and while I have prayed many prayers over her sweet sleeping form tonight, all the more my prayers are with every family that faces my worst nightmare as their everyday reality.

If you want to help out families in need this Christmas, check out this caringbridge site and donate to Kate's Crazy Cool Chirstmas. And prayer for peace, comfort and mercy for her and her family.

Coach

2011-11-05T01:13:00.000-07:00

My life is an assortment of roles, most of which I have chosen and love.

There are the relational ones:

Christian.
Daniel's Wife.
Mckenna, Gabriel and Juliana's Mom.
Rob and Cyndi's Daughter.
Daughter-in-Law and Sister-in Law (although to be honest we usually leave off the in-law).
Friend.

The functional ones:

Pastor's Wife.
Student.
Teacher.
Essay Grader.
Sunday School Helper.
Volunteer.

And the funny ones:

Science Clown.
Little Horse.
Short Order Cook.

I am still adjusting to a new one: Coach

It's not new, not really, but right now everyone seems to use it as if it's my name. Sometimes they have to say it twice for me to realize I am the subject of their calling.

Famous UCLA coach John Wooden said, "A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment."

I have discovered how difficult this really is.

I have made players cry this season. One of them I made cry twice.

I have pushed players to the breaking point.

I have over corrected at times.

And this is little kids' soccer :o)

But he also said, “Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.”

And I see so much potential in my players. And soccer is only a fraction of that potential.

I see little boys who can be respectful, tough, and fun all at the same time.

I see little girls who can learn to listen, to work together, and to enjoy sports.

I see young women who can focus, run complicated plays, share the burden, and be disciplined.

But I don't see any of that coming naturally. It all must be taught.

That is the task of a coach, and it is humbling.

So when I am not hanging out with my kids, relaxing with my hubby, enjoying being at church, or, of course, grading essays, I am watching soccer drill videos, working on my line-ups, and praying for my players.

I see potential for greatness.

I want to see growth.

Quick Update, As Usual :o)

2011-10-23T20:01:00.000-07:00

What I would love to spend hours reading

What I actually spend hours reading

Let's compare again...

That stack is approximately 600 essays. I am about halfway through!

And if that makes your head hurt, you are not alone. My head, fingers and eyes hurt. However, as always, I am thankful for this amazing job that allows me to earn money and be HOME with my babies. I also work for great teachers, and I have gained valuable skills plus work history. All of that is good stuff!

----------------

My mom found this active, exciting way for me to test Gabe on his spelling words.

I printed the letters he would need (including multiples) on sticky notes, and alphabetized them.

I would say a word and he would run from the table to the wall and spell the word, one letter at a time, with the notes. He loved it and I see the benefit over sitting still and writing his words--something he is not too fond of. :o)

--------------------

And, just for fun and for my own record keeping, the living/dining room (known as the pretty room because the kids are not supposed to make messes here!), which is almost done. We have curtains but no rods to hang them on, and a rug that is not out yet.

The white door is the front door, and the windows look over the porch and yard to the street.

We have only purchased one piece of furniture out of everything you see. Can you guess which one?

Beautiful couch given to us, leather chair a friend found at a garage sale, beautiful coffee table from Grandma's house, and our fantastic wall unit given to us by someone who no longer could use it. Yes, it's a hodge podge, but we like it that way :o)

My great grandparents' table and desk (in the corner) and our awesome black China Hutch. I love having my family's furniture in my home!

The black piece is our purchase. We lived in a small, 2-bedroom apartment for 9 months with a kitchen that had maybe 4 cabinets. We found this black "bookshelf" unit at a furniture store going out of business and got it very reasonably. I still love it. My mom put the table decorations together for fall--they are so fun! And the eyes on the wall--it's my new favorite thing. Daniel snapped this picture of Gabe on our trip and I just love it. It's a wrapped canvas, 16x24", and I could stare at it all day long!

LIttle Bit of This and That

2011-09-28T00:47:00.000-07:00

Homeschool is in full swing.
Soccer has officially begun.
Church activities launched 2 weeks ago.
Essays arrive by the hundreds.
Blogging gets a back seat, as usual.

So, here we go with an update; pictures included.

Juliana's best buddy from church lives very close, is using the same charter school and same curriculum as we are, and is only 6 days older. Okay, that last part didn't really matter. Those factors, and the fact that her mom has been super flexible, have meant the girls have actually managed to get 2 school days together--once at our house and once at theirs. That's close to miraculous for me.

Apparently at her house they kicked butt on school--math pages and phonics pages galore, plus memorizing AWANA verses. At our house, ahem, we played with shaving cream and food dye. It was science, and art!

See, we even found out what happened when we mixed colors. We just did it in a bag full of shaving cream!

Gabe's room. It rocks. And it is done. Racing Stripes with Clone Wars stickers on one wall.

Coolest bed ever across the room.

A place for wrestling medals and Marvel calendars, plus books and games.

And the sports wall is completed with a football player sticker and a Basketball hoop for a laundry basket.

I have been called a plethora of names lately: Crazy, insane, nuts, super-Mom, even stupid.

I was even told to iron my cape before I hang it up at night.

As if I have time to Iron.

It stems from this sport I love; the same sport that my kids now love: Soccer

Who wouldn't want to coach this adorable player? My favorite things about her team are the hair ribbons I made them all that they adore, and the fact that snack is the best part of soccer.

And here is our little man playing defense. He is hilarious. My favorite part of coaching his team is that the boys all keep perfect score, even though it is non-competitive and we "don't keep score."

Mckenna's games start this Saturday. I am enjoying the challenge of coaching kids who can really learn the sport and improve. Her team is young and small, but filled with spunk and determination. Mckenna, on the other hand, grew inches this summer and will be our rock star goalie and long legged forward. She is also taking piano lessons and loving it, plus running 2 miles every Tuesday with Daddy.

Last week I caught this guy. We got out our ladybug habitat and brought him inside. Appropriately the kids named him Priest. A few clicks of the keyboard revealed he is a carnivore. 3 nights in a row of catching spiders and watching him devour them were bad enough, but when he started boxing the little lid on the top of the enclosure, as if he was thinking: LET ME OUT OF HERE! we decided to let him go.

Little Charmer lost 2 front, bottom teeth. Of course, she just looks more adorable.

2nd Grade Vocabulary

2011-09-20T14:43:00.000-07:00

"The sawyers waited for the flood waters to abate."

Me: Gabe, what do you think abate means?

Gabe: Well, it flooded and they needed the waters to go away so they could drive in the Rain Forest. So they are waiting for the water to disappear. So...it must mean "go up into the clouds" because when water evaporates it goes back into the clouds so it can rain again... Or, maybe it means "to soak in," because some of the water soaks into the ground.... ORRRR, maybe it means "flow to the river," because in the Rain Forest the water flows downhill into the river....

Me: Right........... Well, actually abate means "to go down or recede."

This is my challenge. I love it.

Roadtrip 2011, Part 4

2011-09-13T17:32:00.000-07:00

Thursday, August 25

Way back when Kenna was small, I heard about this fantastic family Hotel called Great Wolf Lodge. I checked it out, and then tucked it away in the back of my mind for when the kids were older. When Daniel and I started researching our trip, Great Wolf Lodge came to mind and lo and behold, there was one on our route. Yippee! (as Meg would say; love you Meg! :o) So we packed up, said some tearful goodbyes (well, I got teary as we pulled away at least; our fellowship with Meg and Jeremy was awesome and we have no idea when or if we will see one another again this side of eternity. I am still cherishing the time we had), and headed to Grand Mound, WA.

Miles Logged: 89
Total: 2,152

If asked, my kids will tell you this was the best part of the trip. Check out the pictures, and understand we were able to spend 12 hours in this indoor water park attached to the lobby of the hotel for the cost of a 1 night stay, and their answer will not surprise you.

Also understand that on my top 10 list of things I DESPISE are: Public Swimming, Chlorine, and Water Parks. I *might* qualify for Best Mom Ever award.

In our room was a Kids Log Cabin with bunk beds and a 3rd bed, plus their own TV and very fun murals on the wall. Even though the room was expensive for a night at a hotel, it was cheap compared to visiting a waterpark and staying in a hotel, and much cheaper than any So. Cal amusement park. We brought PB&J, bread, milk and cereal and took advantage of the mini frige and free coffee in our room. That way we only had to leave the waterpark for a few minutes to re-charge. ;o)

One thing we have worked on consistently with Mckenna is for her to set realistic expectations; all too often she gets a very elevated picture in her mind about how something will be, and when it is less than she expected she crashes down and sometimes ruins the event for all of us. I get it, because I feel that way sometimes too. At bed time the night we were there she told me, "Mom, I tried to keep my expectations low so I wouldn't be disappointed. But this....well, I couldn't have been more excited to have something be better than I hoped for. This is beyond my wildest dreams! Thanks Mom!"

Like I said: Best. Mom. Ever.

(Until the next day, that is; you know how that goes).

Friday, August 26

When we were sufficiently wrinkled and water logged, we showered, got dressed, ate our sandwiches, and piled back into the car. A few days before I realized we would be headed through Portland, where some of my favorite Youth Group kids now live, and we put a quick plan together to meet up.

We had the absolute blessing of seeing 4 former students (plus 1 awesome spouse), and spending a few hours with them at a park, before we got back on the road. Many times in ministry you spend hundreds of hours and many years pouring into students and encouraging them in their faith and their lives. Rarely do you get to see more than a glimpse of what they become. I got to see 4 young women (and 1 awesome spouse) who live and breath the love of the gospel of Jesus Christ. To God be the glory for the things He has done in and through them! To Him be the praise for the encouragement to me their lives are!

A few hours and a quick local burger (there is something very cool about eating what has been grown right in the community!) and we headed back down to Rogue River, back to Grandma's house. We pulled in at 11:00 pm.

Miles Logged: 371
Total: 2, 523

Roadtrip 2011, part 3 (Updated with Mileage)

2011-09-05T07:30:00.000-07:00

Sunday, August 21. All too soon it was time to be on the road again. This time we headed west for our friends who live outside of Seattle. The scenery changed into tall, snow capped mountains and dense pine trees, and I knew we were close. A 5 hours drive grew to 7 when we sat parked on the highway while an accident was cleared, but hugging our dear friends and meeting all 3 of their beautiful children was worth the wait.

Miles Logged: 326
Total: 1,892

Monday, August 22. Jeremy headed off to work and Meg took us to see Snoqualmie Falls. It's a short drive from their house, then an easy walk up a path, and the view is stunning!

Sweet Katie, 2, looks in on her baby sister Kara. I have never met a 2 year old (well, maybe one of my nieces) who can talk at 2 like this girl can. One time she was upset about something, and I asked her if she wanted some grapes. She told me, "First I am going to cry, and then I am going to answer. WAAAA!" It took all of my strength to not laugh out loud!

Kara, is a miracle baby in many ways. Diagnosed with serious problems in utero, one of which would have been terminal without the great intervention she got, Kara (and her Momma Meg) was the object of our prayers for months. And here she is! 5 months old with the sweetest disposition and most eager smile. We LOVED holding her, learning how to feed her, and marveling over the great things God has already done in her life.

Connor, 3.5 and delightful, loved playing with the Russell kids, who introduced him to rolling down a hill. Right after we left he asked his mom if he could come to the Russell's house to visit. We wish you could Connor!

Of course Gabe does things MMA style.

On to a railroad museum we went. The kids were more interested in the walk and the dandelions, and Meg and I cherished the time to talk, while Daniel read the signs that detailed the various cars and their usage,

We headed into Seattle, hoping to go the Aquarium, but instead walked the pier and treated the Seagulls (and ourselves) to fries at Ivars.

Miles Logged: 88
Total: 1,980

Tuesday, August 23. Technically this was the first day of school. We brought along our history CDs and notebooks, plus took educational field trips almost every day, in order to get school in on our trip. This day's adventure was blueberry picking at the base of a gorgeous mountain.

It says 7 and a quarter pounds in case you can't read it, and $14.32, which is less than half what I would pay in CA.

Miles Logged: 5
Total: 1,985

Wednesday, August 24. Back into Seattle we trekked, without Meg and her precious family this time, and we started at the Flagship REI. Definitely a very cool store.

It fits, right?

We also got to visit with my uncle at his office in Seattle, and my cousins at one of their homes. It was delightfully wonderful that after not seeing each other in years, we can pick right back up where we left off. I truly wish we lived closer--they are my only cousins and I love them dearly! For their privacy I am not posting any face pictures of them or my beautiful First-Cousin-Once-Removed, who was only 3 weeks old when I met her, but here are a couple silly ones we took while messing around.

When we reluctantly left my cousins we headed for a very quick stop at Pike Place Market. Meg was making her famous (to us) homemade pizza, and we were not going to miss that! OF COURSE we stopped at the first Starbucks, and I let Mckenna order her first coffee drink.

And in our travels we found the famous fish market where the guys throw the fish to one another when it's ordered--as seen in Sleepless in Seattle and other movies.

Our view as we left--a ferry I rode on many times in my youth when I would visit my cousins, with a beautiful sky full of clouds we rarely see as desert dwellers.

Miles Logged: 78

Total: 2,063

2011-09-04T19:17:00.000-07:00

Two months ago, my baby turned 5 years old. How time flies.

She has been using her adorable little girl voice to say the funniest and most profound things.

Because this blog is primarily in place of a journal for me, I have to get these down before she is all of a sudden 6.

When she spills or makes a mistake: "I am such a mess!"
Looking at her legs: "I am such a chub!" We tell her that about her baby pictures, and assure her that she is in fact perfect just the way she is.
Looking in the mirror: "I have lots of bimples." {Dimples}
Studying her arms intensely: "I have 6, no 7, freckles. You have like a million, mom."
When Mckenna snuck into their room: "Kenna! Did you teleport?"
When she has a problem: "Oh dear, that's a problem."
At sunset, every night: "Mom, is it Sun Down?"

Jules has her first loose tooth, and her excitement is over the top. Since Gabe and Kenna are constantly losing teeth, Juliana is sure it must be the coolest thing ever. At least 5 times a day she wants me to check her loose tooth, and she tells everyone who will listen about her loose "toof."

Homeschool 2011-2012, part 3: Gabriel

2011-09-03T22:13:00.000-07:00

How is it even possible my son is going to be a Second Grader? Second Grade!

Daniel always says that Gabe makes me look like a great teacher. He is a quick learner, a great memorizer, and an eager student. He excels in math but is also a great reader, except he has inherited or learned a unique trait from his father: guessing at words. They both have an uncanny ability to insert a word that fits the context and starts with the same sound as the word which is actually printed. It's wrong, but truly remarkable.

Fall 2011

Math
Curriculum: Teaching Textbooks 4. Yes, he is doing math 2 years ahead. He could probably do more but eventually we would run out of things to do. It is a blessing and challenge.
Goals: Keep up with him.
Bonus: Same curriculum as Mckenna, spent last year's school money on it.

Language Arts
Curriculum: Moving Beyond the Page. I bought this 2 years ago for Mckenna, but halfway through 2nd grade she went to public school. It's a fantastic curriculum, and very challenging, which I think will be good for him. He is reading: Charlotte's Web, Poppy, One Day in the Tropical Rainforest, The Whipping Boy, 50 American Heros, Sarah Plain and Tall, and Iggie's House.
Goals: Get him to write longer, neater, and more complex sentences and paragraphs.
Bonus: Already own it. Difficult curriculum which I think he needs. I have used it before and am familiar with it.

Science
There is science in his language arts curriculum, but like his big sister Gabe loves science.
Curriculum: Moving Beyond the Page; Answers for Kids
Goals: Further develop his love for science and facts; expand his horizon into new areas of science (you can only study dinosaurs and the ocean for so many years....)
Bonus: We already own it all.

History -- US History (same as Mckenna)
This is where I have my fun. My kids LOVE history so we spend a ton of time on it. But while we are studying history we are also studying philosophy, geography, reading, science, etc. because we take history chronologically and study the people, inventions, thoughts, and changes of the time.
Curriculum: Story of the World Vol. 3. This is my favorite History curriculum and we will use it to keep up on what is going on in the rest of the world while America is being formed. If you buy it you must buy the CDs and Activity Books--they are amazing. Early American History, a Literature Aprroach. Gabe and Juliana will use the Primary Set and Mckenna will use the Intermediate set. Essentially, this curriculum offers good, quality literature that lets students read their way through history.
Goals: As True Blue Americans, this year feels like the culmination of our studying. I have no idea what we will do next year! We started with the earliest recorded history and have worked our way to Christopher Columbus. Now we get to discover what makes our nation so unique and wonderful. I want my kids to fall more in love with America while at the same time understanding their responsibilities as citizens.
Bonus: You guessed it: Free! I am borrowing E.A.H. and I used last year's school money to buy STOW 3. Oh yeah!

P.E.
Gabe is playing AYSO soccer this year (his second year), and once it is over I hope to get him involved in either golf, water polo, or martial arts, depending on practice days and times.

I need to make a decision about handwriting. His printing is atrocious unless he is actually trying to write neatly, but he really wants to learn cursive. Do I make him work on his printing, teach him cursive, or teach him how to type?

RoadTrip, Part 2

2011-09-02T20:00:00.000-07:00

Thursday, August 18. Bright and early we checked out and headed down a path we had never traveled. Up the 5 freeway, take a right before Portland, and trace nearly the entire northern border of Oregon before turning North to Spokane, WA. A jaunt to the east, and suddenly we’re 60 miles from Montana and from Canada.

Miles Logged: 678

Total Miles: 1,544

Friday, August 19. There is only one excellent reason to travel so far north on our Road trip. Auntie Kris, Uncle Ben, and our sweet baby nephew Elijah moved to “South Canada” in May. Walking through their town, which is a throwback to times where you walk to and through town, we discovered we weren’t so far off by calling it South Canada. There were many Canadian flags and even a sign affirming the connection.

After we perused the shops and ate at a pub filled with local food and hand brewed Ale and Rootbeer, we visited the beach, or at least an Idahoan version of the beach. In a mall made from wood that was once a bridge, we stumbled upon a fantastic idea: free craft material for kids. My 3 artists were thrilled.

"We saw the Statue of Liberty, Mom, and we didn't even go to New York!"

3 Mooses with their beloved Auntie

Miles Logged: All on foot.

Total Miles: 1,544

Saturday, August 20. Apparently it is mandatory to pick huckleberries in Idaho. I thought it would be mandatory to dig up some potatoes, but that is only in southern Idaho, I learned. I have picked blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries; huckleberries provide an entirely new challenge. Sparsely populated bushes and loose dirt means milk jugs are just the thing to hold the berries--WHEN you lose your footing you don’t lose your entire crop.

Up to the resort for another locally grown lunch at the bottom of some ski slopes and a picturesque opportunity for photos.

Baby Elijah is adorable, busy, and oh so fun

Miles Logged: 22

Total Miles: 1,566

RoadTrip, Part 1

2011-09-01T00:02:00.000-07:00

I set out to write daily blogs about our 15 day vacation.

I also set out to complete that task in a few days.

The two are incompatible.

How about we go with sections of our trip? Yes? I agree.

---

Sunday, August 14. After Daniel preached in church, ran a crazy meeting, and then played basketball, we set out for my parents’ house. Fortunately for me, we had decided only to pack clothes for a week, a cooler of food and drinks, and a few toys and school material for the kids.

Easiest road trip packing ever.

Miles Logged: 156

Monday, August 15. We pulled out at about 6:00 am, and we managed to not stop again until we hit Woodland, CA, just north of Sacramento, or about 5 hours later. As we pulled into Costco for gas, lunch, and a bathroom break, the gas tank dinged the empty warning sound. Perfect timing.

We made it into Rogue River, OR in time for dinner, and managed to check something off my bucket list: Eat at a Sonic Drive-In. I was utterly unimpressed.

After a little time with Grandma we checked in at our hotel, went swimming, and then slept.

Miles Logged: 680

Total Miles: 836

Tuesday, August 16. After a hotel breakfast and a quick swim, we picked up Grandma and headed to Grants Pass, OR. The Glass Forge was our first stop, and well worth it. Very talented, incredible glass blowers who make all kinds of things. The kids were impressed AND they didn’t break anything. A quick lunch and we checked in at Hellgate Jet Boat Excursions. My 86 year old grandma is the coolest, and she took us on a crazy jet boat ride: 18 miles down and back up the Rogue River to Hellgate Canyon (where River Wild with Meryl Streep, among other films, was shot). Our guide was hilarious and expert; he could spin our boat in wild 360s and take us from zero to 55 mph and back to zero in seconds. We saw 2 Bald Eagles, a fawn, and many osprey. Excellent trip.

Miles Logged: 30 (plus 36 on the River I am not going to count)

Total Miles: 866

Wednesday, August 17. We returned to a creek we had re-discovered the night before. It’s also the place of many of my childhood memories. Dan and I relaxed on the bank while the kids collected rocks. Mckenna spied an old ladder and rope swing, and then the real fun began.

Hewn from old planks and hung by a chain it took effort and ingenuity to maneuver.

But she prevailed!

Pondering her next move

She jumps!

Gabriel definitely likes to keep up with his daring big sister, but more cautious genes made their way into him than into his 2 sisters combined. With a little encouragement from Dad, and a little help from his sister, Gabe also found his way to the top.

“It’s not pretty under there!” he exclaimed as his head emerged from green water.

Turns out his fear came more from the unknown of the deep water than the height of the ledge.

The next time she climbed up, Mckenna used a stick to get the rope, and spent the next hour swinging and dropping into the water.

1 day of travel and 2 days in Oregon with Grandma were a great start to our Roadtrip.

Up next: Visiting family in Idaho

Blessing of a Niece

2011-07-21T20:58:00.000-07:00

Oh my sweet Jadelyn!

We had the absolute privilege of having Jadelyn spend 2 nights and 3 days at our house. We also had the blessing of Grandma Gail coming for 2 of those days. At one point I called Jadelyn's Mommy and told her I understand why she is exhausted on a regular basis. Jadelyn is busy, smart, fast, and stubborn. But she is also sweet, tender hearted, caring, and pure cuteness. She regularly checked to make sure her cousins were taken care of, and she was very quick to share. Quite the combination!

I took very few pictures, though I hope to get some more from Grandma Gail, but these tell a piece of the story of how much these cousins LOVE each other. One morning Mckenna helped Jadelyn get dressed. She picked a bright blue shirt and jean shorts. All 3 of my kids changed their clothes in order to match their cousin. I'm not sure where Mckenna was for this picture.

Later this day I took them all to Costco. It was busy, and at times they had to walk single file in front of my cart. Everywhere we went people commented on my "line up." :o)

Feeling Excited...

2011-07-08T21:34:00.000-07:00

I LOOOOOVE coffee. It doesn't take knowing me for very long to figure that out.

I just signed up on Spotted Fox where they have a deal for a $20.00 Starbucks card for $10.00. But...I waited a couple minutes to actually buy it, and enough people had signed up under my link that I got my Starbucks card for...

$1.00.

Now that is a good deal!

So click one of the links to Spotted Fox and sign up, please! I want more deals like that! Thanks!

Homeschool 2011-2012, part 2: Mckenna

2011-07-03T12:44:00.000-07:00

Mckenna is going into 4th grade, technically. However, she is all over the board academically. She is doing 4th grade math because she does not like math, 4th-7th grade literature, 5th grade grammar, and a challenging science curriculum. My overall goal with her is to foster independence and self-government.

Fall 2011 -- Mckenna

Language Arts
This is always a diverse group because she is not single focused.

Curriculum: Abeka Language B (5th grade) for Grammar; Veritas Press Comprehension Guides for Reading Comprehension and Writing (variety of 4th-7th grade levels), including: Anne of Green Gables, Narnia Series, Robin Hood, and Little Women; The Phonetic Zoo for Spelling; Daily Paragraph Editing and Explode the Code for drills and review.

Goals: Increase Reading Speed and Comprehension; Buckle down and complete a grammar course that is workbook based (we have gotten by with online courses and learning through reading); Increase spelling awareness.

Bonus: My wonderful friend had the teacher guides to Abeka and let me borrow them; we already have The Phonetic Zoo from our school funds last year, and I used the end of her school money for the comprehension guides, daily Paragraph Editing, and Explode the Code. I only had to buy the workbooks for Abeka. Total out of pocket: $23.00

Math

Curriculum: Teaching Textbooks 4. I can't recommend it enough! Calculadders for Multiplication and Division Drills.

Goals: Other than math goals: No fights over math.

Bonus: I had school money left over last year to purchase the whole set, and Gabe is using it also!

Science

Curriculum: Answers in Genesis: God's Design for the Physical World

Goals: We get to study Heat and Energy, Inventions and Technology, and Machines and Motion. So fun! But my goal is for her to become more independent in science so she can really take off and learn as much as she desires. Also, I hope to get around to more experiments with her by planning AHEAD (novel concept, I know).

Bonus: Hand me Down! Free Books including the teacher's guide! I did spend $7.00 on the printed worksheets and tests.

History -- US History

This is where I have my fun. My kids LOVE history so we spend a ton of time on it. But while we are studying history we are also studying philosophy, geography, reading, science, etc. because we take history chronologically and study the people, inventions, thoughts, and changes of the time.

Curriculum: Story of the World Vol. 3. This is my favorite History curriculum and we will use it to keep up on what is going on in the rest of the world while America is being formed. If you buy it you must buy the CDs and Activity Books--they are amazing. Early American History, a Literature Aprroach. Gabe and Juliana will use the Primary Set and Mckenna will use the Intermediate set. Essentially, this curriculum offers good, quality literature that lets students read their way through history.

Goals: As True Blue Americans, this year feels like the culmination of our studying. I have no idea what we will do next year! We started with the earliest recorded history and have worked our way to Christopher Columbus. Now we get to discover what makes our nation so unique and wonderful. I want my kids to fall more in love with America while at the same time understanding their responsibilities as citizens.

Bonus: You guessed it: Free! I am borrowing E.A.H. and I used last year's school money to buy STOW 3. Oh yeah!

Music

Piano Lessons with a fantastic teacher who teaches theory, reading music, and fun songs.
Definitely not free, but worth every dime.

PE
Soccer
Swimming

ART

Curriculum: Discoveries in Art

Goal: Actually get some artwork done. We struggled with this last year other than making trees out of their handprints.

Bonus: Left over from last year

Homeschool 2011-2012, part 1

2011-07-02T12:43:00.000-07:00

It's Summer! And while for most people that means a break from school, for homeschool families it means time to gear up for next year. It helps me to put my plans on paper, so for anyone who is interested, here is what we have planned so far.

Summer 2011

Latin
Curriculum: Latina Christiana 1 By purchasing this from a homeschool family who didn't use the books, I was able to get 2 books and 2 CDs for $20 including shipping. I also bought the teacher's manual and the flashcards for another $20.00.
Goal: Gain vocabulary skills by memorizing Latin derivatives (ora - to pray or speak; amo - to love); Gain a better understanding of language by comprehending that verbs are conjugated (amo, amas, amat, amamus, amatis, amant); build a foundation for learning another foreign language such as Spanish or French.
Bonus: Listening to Gabe try to say the Latin words :o) ; refreshing my own Latin.

Reading
I am incredibly blessed that all 3 of my kids love books. Sometimes I can't get them to stop reading at night or while I am trying to talk to them. Since I choose most of their books for the school year, and since I control what books come into our house in general, they choose what to read all summer as long as they read. I too have had some time to read!

US Geography (States)

Curriculum: Road Trip USA Written by a homeschool mom, and easily worked for K-6 graders, this $18.00 download is fantastic. We have only made it through 3 states because we are having so much fun doing each activity that comes with each state, like making Blueberry muffins for Maine.

Goal: Gain a general idea of where each state is, how the USA is broken up into regions, and what is produced in the different regions.

Bonus: Studying the animals found in each state and famous people who were born there.

Experience
In keeping with the US States we are studying, we are taking a road trip! It looks like this:
California to Oregon (13.5 hours) to visit my grandmother and one of Daniel's best friends from childhood.
Oregon to Idaho (12 hours) to visit Kris, Ben and Elijah (Daniel's sister)
Idaho to Seattle, Washington area (6 hours) to visit dear friends and my aunt, uncle and cousins
Seattle area to Grand Mound (3 hours) to stay at Great Wolf Lodge for a night
Washington to Oregon (6 hours) to see Grandma again
Oregon to California (13.5 hours)

Along the way we plan to see or do one or two things in each state that represent that state, such as river rafting in Oregon and the Space Needle in Washington.

Other
Mckenna: Soccer camp and Piano Lessons
Gabe: Marital Arts (now that his cast is off!)
Juliana: Swimming lessons

This summer reminds me why I love Homeschooling.
1. We can do many subjects all together. Mckenna can simply go deeper, and Juliana can play independently when we are doing things she can't do.
2. We can tailor our learning to fit our lives, and vice versa. Are we traveling because we are studying states or studying states because we are traveling?
3. It's fun.
4. There is no 3 month break to turn their brains to mush.

2011-2012 coming in part 2

Welcome to the Carribean

2011-06-25T20:32:00.000-07:00

We have amazing friends. That's all there is to it.

Look at what they did to our room!!!! I keep going back into the hallway to make sure this is my house. I feel like I have stepped through the wardrobe.

Malcolm!

2011-06-21T11:14:00.000-07:00

The "Mini Suite" I mentioned a little while ago is currently occupied.

While Daniel's "baby" brother Tim is looking for a teaching job having just finished his credential, he and his beautiful wife Ellen are living with us. Of course, along with them comes the charming, coy, smart, goofy almost 8 month old Malcolm. Oh, how we love having a baby in the house again. Oh, and his parents too.

My nephew is a quirky kid. That's the best description we can come up with. He plays funny games with me, thinks my kids are the best things ever (well, except for the dog, he is #1 in Malcolm's eyes), and is almost always very even keeled. And then there are the funny things that set him off. Like his mom feeding him peaches (the HORRORS!), someone besides his family saying hello (it's horrible I tell you), and of all things, his mom trying to take a bite of food when she "should" be feeding him. He cracks us up every single day.

No one doubts they are related :o)

We start em young on wrestling

Watching a movie together

So sweet!

The summer is going to fly by!

Gabriel's 7th Birthday

2011-06-15T14:07:00.000-07:00

Images of my water breaking, our trip to the hospital, an emergency C-Section, and a dreaded blood transfusion are vividly clear in my mind. So how can it be that my baby son is SEVEN years old?

With MUCH fanfare Gabriel turned 7 last week. On Thursday, June 2 Gabe emerged from church with a very swollen thumb. He didn't cry or scream, but simply told us he had gotten his thumb all swollen. 2 appointments, X-Rays, and a week later it was still bruised and crooked, but less swollen.

So off we went to a hand specialist, who informed us it broke all the way down the thumb, through the growth plate. Even untrained, I could see how crooked the bone was on the X-Ray. Yuck. I wasn't thrilled with the options the Dr. presented: cast it crooked and it "should" straighten itself out in the next 2 years, numb it and straighten it, or put him to sleep to straighten it. I asked if he would be willing to try to straighten the bone with no anesthesia, since Gabe's pain tolerance is incredibly high. He gave it a trial run, and Gabe was okay, so he agreed to do it. The Dr. and I both put on gloves, and he put a cast on Gabe's arm and thumb as quickly as possible. I held Gabe's face while the Dr. put the casted thumb under the X-Ray and then he yanked and torqued and pulled and twisted. For about a minute he worked and worked to get that bone to straighten. Then he pressed the cast all in nice and tight, and we compared before and after X-Rays. It was MUCH straighter. The whole time Gabe simply sucked in deep breaths, and I encouraged him to breathe deeply and relax the best he could.

When it was over, it looked to me like the Dr. was in more pain than Gabe! He told Gabe that once a Marine passed out while he performed the same fix on him, and that Gabe is the toughest boy ever.

The nurse was also impressed, as was I!

So here is my birthday boy with his red cast. He wanted Orange, but red was the closest we could get :o)

For His birthday dinner we had Orange Chicken and Orange Juice. And dessert was Carrot Cake and Orange Sherbert! Love this kid!

Mckenna's Turn

2011-06-15T00:24:00.000-07:00

Juliana had her turn spending a few days with Auntie, Uncle and her cousins, as I bogged about here.

A couple weeks ago after they came out to celebrate Gabe and Juliana's birthday, Auntie asked if Mckenna could go home with them this time. When Mckenna heard she said, "Just let me pack." :o)

Joanna has become an incredible photographer, and I just loved the photos she sent me throughout the 4 days Mckenna spent helping her with Jadelyn and Kody and enjoying being with them.

They spent much of their time at a very cool park with a Pirate Ship playground.

Kody the Cannon Ball!

No, they are not sisters!

Seriously? My auntie heart melts at this one. He is so stinking adorable, and loves to smile and laugh! Oh, and he is gigantic! He might pass up his cousins who are 2 and 4 months older than him!

House Blog

2011-06-15T00:12:00.000-07:00

I made it back to my blog before an entire month had passed. That might be just shy of miraculous. :o)

We have moved into a home we own, added 3 temporary members (more later), and dealt with a very broken finger (also, more later).

As you can see, blogging is low on the priority list.

Without further delay, here are some before and after pictures of our wonderful new home.

Family Room from the kitchen

Living/Dining Room

Those are the only 2 rooms we kept the same. There is a dark sage/olive green in the kitchen and family room, and a brown in the living/dining room. I don't adore the color, but it's certainly something I can live with. My amazing friend painted the baseboards with a fresh coat of white and cleaned the carpets.

All the other rooms were dirty and primer white--as if they had never been really painted (the house is only 4 years old).

Girls' Room (with some friends playing in it!)

Gabe's Room

Laundry room full of supplies
All the ceiling fans were missing, so Daniel and some friends installed 6 fans.

Master Bedroom

We had INCREDIBLE help from our church family. People came and painted, cleaned, and moved us. We accomplished so much because we had such incredible help.

Gabe's room, finished. This is his orange wall (he wanted an entire orange room!).

The view from the hallway. I LOVE how this turned out and thanks to my friend Rhonda I now know the trick for perfect stripes every time.

The Girls' room!
There are only butterflies on this wall, but the blue on the bottom goes throughout the whole room.

Master room. I am working on a beach theme in here...and some insanely creative friends are helping. I cannot wait to reveal the final look (it's not done yet!).

A cubby in our room.

Towards the front of the house is a mini "suite." It's a separate bedroom and bathroom, that isn't near the rest of the bedrooms. We painted it a soft, neutral tan and don't have a vision for this room just yet.

It's hard to explain how blessed we feel to own this home. When we left Riverside, we left a dream home. And while this house will need some work (the backyard is a sand pit, and that's it), it is perfect for us and is ideal for all kinds of ministry. The Lord has been so good, so faithful to us!

Important Qualities for Success--by Mckenna

2011-05-14T00:43:00.000-07:00

In studying Dr. Suess, Mckenna had a brief writing assignment: List three qualities you think are important for success in life, and explain why you picked them.

1. Scripture. I think Scripture is important in life because without it you can easily get lost.
2. Bravery. Bravery is important in life because you need it in hard times, both physically and emotionally.
3. Perseverance. I think perseverance is important in life because with it you can challenge yourself and make yourself stronger.

The next assignment was to pick three people from history whose shoes you want to walk in for a week.

1. Helen Keller. I would like to be Hellen Keller for a week because that would help me control my frustration. During that week I would work on being slow to become angry and on my sign language.
2. Eve. I would like to be Eve for a week because it would be wonderful to live in a perfect world and walk with God. During that week I would talk to God and ask some questions.
3. Laura Ingalls Wilder. I would want to be Laura for a week because it would be a different experience to be the middle child and to be an adult at a young age. During that week, for fun I would fish and pick berries.

I love the insight into my little (big) girl's heart and mind I get to see in her writings. She is thoughtful and wise beyond her years.

Juliana and Jadelyn

2011-05-10T14:09:00.000-07:00

Apparently, 4 years and 11 months old is plenty big enough to sleep over at a cousin's house. Juliana is usually very hesitant to go anywhere without mom, dad or a sibling, but when her sweet cousin asked her to come stay at her house, Jules said yes. We had *hoped* having a big kid around would give Jadelyn someone to play with and therefore give Kyle and Joanna a little bit of a restful week. But, being the fun auntie and uncle they are, I am not sure they are getting a real break, since they are having too much fun with their little blondies.

And don't forget Kody! I am MADLY in love with this little boy! Pretty sure he is loving having another "big sister" to love on him!

Our only concern about this whole thing is are we ever going to get her back?

Always a Mother

2011-05-08T13:58:00.000-07:00

The past few weeks I have found myself calling my mom more and more. The busier it gets around here between homeschool, church life, sorting and packing, cleaning, and preparing to move, the more my mom's consistency has been like a spring of fresh water to me.

Through the years we have become friends, there is no doubt, but no matter how old I get, I find I still need a mother. And while I am grateful that she values me and seeks my advice, I am more grateful for the constant source of love that she is.

Lately Mckenna has grown into her age, meaning she thinks I am ridiculous and annoying sometimes. She doesn't often want to do what I ask, and she is short tempered. I can be tempted to get my feelings hurt, but then I think of my mom. She has been subjected to the worst of my short temper, the harshest of my cruel words, and the least of my small quantities of mercy. And yet, she loves me. In words, in deeds, in gifts, she loves me.

I remember when I got my driver's license at 16 years and 1 day old :o) My mom was actually quite thrilled. See, I was a very active teenager, always needing transportation. From school to soccer practice, to the YMCA, to guide dogs, to ASB meetings, to Clubs and volunteer activities; and then I started coaching and refereeing soccer too--she was truly a taxi for years! And now my own kids need constant rides to their acitivies, and it wears on a person. But I don't remember my mom ever complaining. She never made me feel bad for all my activity. Even when I came home from track practice in a hypoglycemic shock and yelled because dinner wasn't ready, she just took care of me. So I don't complain either, and I don't resent my kids' busy-ness, because I had a wonderful example.

And now I get to see my mom as a grandma, teaching my kids her skills, discovering and supporting their individual interests. What fun we have as 3 generations spending time together!

Thanks, mom, for all of it. The older my kids get, the more I realize what it took to be my mom, and the more gratitude-filled I am.

Dedicated to our BFFs

2011-04-28T17:29:00.000-07:00

Mark (my BFF) and Audrey (Dan's BFF)...

We come up with some AMAZING plans together...

You are INCREDIBLE parents...

We go to COUNTLESS weddings together...

You make ADORABLE children (for us to spoil rotten)...

We RAISE our kids together...

We CELEBRATE together...

And we TRIUMPH together...

Bye, Bye, Winkie!

Through it all, we have been TOGETHER.

Thanks for over a decade (over 2 decades for the men!) of true friendship.

Here's to many more years of memories!

We love you so much!

It must be our favorite thing to do

2011-04-24T21:45:00.000-07:00

The past few weeks have found us spending increasing time at Lowes. A few of our trips have been for seed and top soil to fill in some brown spots of grass. However, the kids and I have also spent many hours in the paint and lighting departments dreaming of customizing our own home. Lord willing that dream will come true in a few short weeks.

First they looked at the paint samples, then they made a game out of them :o)

We have been in escrow for a little over a week, but because we love and respect our landlords, who are also dear friends, and because they were out of town for the past 10 days, we have kept it somewhat quiet until we could tell them in person. Now that they know (and because they are awesome they are super excited for us!) we can shout it out!

Before we talk about the new house, I thought it might be interesting to recap our past. For a recap in pictures, look to right and click {house} under the labels header.

December 1999: Daniel and I got married and moved into an adorable rental house in Twin Peaks, CA. It had 56 stairs from the driveway to the front door. It was cute until I was pregnant, in the winter. Then the 56 stairs just got scary.

February 2001: We bought our first house! 1070 sq. feet including the apartment downstairs we rented out (miss you Donna and Kris!), and we loved it more and more each year as we transformed a mountain cabin into our home. Plus, we had the greatest neighbors! All of our kids came home to this house, and 3 wonderful people lived with us in it at various times. It holds countless memories.

October 2006: We moved in with Daniel's family so we could put the house on the market. Let's be real, 1070 sq. feet, 6 people (his sister lived in the apartment), and a dog are not a great combination for showing a house to potential buyers.

December 2006: We moved to Valencia with my family to finish Daniel's last year of seminary. My parents graciously allowed us to take over the back of the house in exchange for some projects around the house, and Daniel was able to go to seminary full time.

January 2008: Riverside Apartment! We loved that little place and our family grew so close in our tiny space. There was nowhere to hide.

July 2008: Riverside House! In so many ways this was a dream house--a pool and a great kitchen led to countless meetings and parties at our house. We learned the joy of our home being open to others all the time and ministering to anyone who came through our doors.

November 2009: We made an unexpected move to the mountains, where Daniel was helping a church run a youth group. We listed our Riverside house and, thank the Lord, it sold in 5 days.

January 2010: Back to Valencia, to wait on the Lord for where we were to serve next.

June 2010: We moved to the desert and to our incredible church home. 11 months later and we are still so stinking thankful to be here. We love our rental house, but the deals are too good to pass up, so...

May 2011(?): We hope to move into our new home, and we hope to stay for many, many years.

This will make 8 moves in 4.5 years. It must be our favorite thing to do!
What we are most excited about:
The neighborhood. Every time we have driven through the community there are people out and about, and tons of kids everywhere!
The location: Nearby some wonderful friends, close to the church (6 miles), and with a mountain veiw.
The layout: A bedroom and bath in the front, with 3 more in the back. Perfect for having guests or live-ins.
The size: Bigger than anything we have lived in, we are actually concerned we won't be able to fill it up! It's truly perfect for our family of growing kids as well as for small groups and parties.

Here's a preview of one of my favorite rooms:

I see cooking parties in my future

Not every room is in as good of shape (and the back yard is a literal blank slate), so we will have a good amount of work to do. That said, getting to put all our construction skills to use sounds wonderful; now hurry up and close!

Recent Happenings...

2011-04-23T14:12:00.000-07:00

Summer is just around the corner...right? I am anxious for a few months that are less harried and have fewer responsibilities.

Meanwhile, between grading a whole lot of essays (hundreds and hundreds), homeschooling, church responsibilities (which, in a good way, are growing and growing), and friends, we have been joyfully busy.

Our Mom's Group had an Easter egg hunt in my dear friend's backyard.

The kids had an incredibly fun time.

Jules and on of her best buddies

I asked this cutie pie to show me her favorite egg, and this is what she did :o)


They are still best buddies!

A few weeks ago, Daniel and his AWANA staff held a pinewood derby style race

The kids loved it and it reminded me of when my dad and I did this with our YMCA group.

Mckenna is supposed to be attending a horseback riding camp, but the owners had some personal issues and have canceled or postponed it. We are waiting, hoping she gets to go, along with her good friend Courtney.

And that is all there is time for!

Book Review: Paradise Valley

2011-04-20T00:47:00.000-07:00

I went through a Beverly Lewis phase, reading tons of books about the Amish. Why are they so fascinating? Perhaps because I visited an Amish community in Pennsylvania as a child, bringing home a faceless doll as a souvenir I wanted to learn more about them; however, that phase passed years ago and I sold all my Beverly Lewis books. Dale Cramer writes a similar story--historical fiction about the Amish--but in a very different and intriguing fashion. Paradise Valley traces a family's journey to a new country as a result of laws regulating their children's schooling.

Just as some politicians would like to severely limit a parent's right to homeschool their child, legislatures have a times throughout American history regulated how the Amish educate their families. When a law passed that required children to stay in school until at least 16, and father's who refused to comply were jailed, a small group of Amish families chose to make a long and uncertain journey to Mexico where education laws were scarce, if in existence at all. This is the story of Paradise Valley.

Cramer's writing style is enjoyable, and the subject matter was a welcome variation from other books in the same genre, but this book will not be put on my shelf of books to read again. It was a simple story, something to read without much effort or thought, though the characters were interesting and their integrity was consistent and sacrificial.

*Legal Stuff: I received this book for free in return for publishing a review. All opinions are my own without further compensation.

A New Reading List

2011-04-15T12:38:00.000-07:00

The last time I posted about books the response was tremendous. It was this post on Parenting Books and many of my friends and siblings were having babies at the time. Likewise, many conversations recently have turned to books--books for moms, books for men, books for kids, books for Christians, books about kids, books for homeschool, books about homeschool....you get the point--so here is what I have read and plan to read, as well as my kids' reading lists. I have not read them all, and I do not necessarily endorse them all, so if you want actual recommendations other than what I write briefly here, please just ask. Also, if you want to borrow one, ask, and if we can loan it out we will.

The Christian Life:

Slave: The Hidden Truth about your Identity in Christ
Adopted for Life
Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations (Mckenna and I are reading it together--we love it!)
Evangelism in the Early Church
On Being a Servant of God
The Obedience Option

Marriage:

The Most Important Year in a Man's/Woman's Life(we used this book to spark discussion during pre-marital counseling with a sweet couple, and it is excellent!)

About Homeschool:

When You Rise Up (R.C. Sproul takes a Covenant approach--I am not in full agreement, but there is great stuff in the book)
A Thomas Jefferson Education (I am very interested in this, but I am an ecclectic homeschooler meaning I pick what is best for each kid each year, rather than subscribing to one system of education)

For Homeschool:

Mathematicians are People Too
Usborne Book of the Human Body (I am in charge of this book...it's quite thorough :o)
Magic Tree House books (PLUS Research Guides. I get them from Thriftbooks.com for $3.95 a book or less. Then I use MagicTreeHouse.com to get some worksheets and project ideas)
Story of the World Volume 2 (We have the book, the CDs and the Activity Book. I cannot say enough good things about this history program)
Buliding a Winning Curriculum from Vision Forum. (I do not subscribe to everything at Vision Forum, however, there are some great tools. And it's where Gabe's Bow and Arrow are from, and I could easily build my kids' gift wish lists from it!)
The "Adventures In" series from Good Times Travel Agency. (These books are hilarious and educational.)
Marguerite Makes a Book (Love this beautiful book. We found a recipe for paint from her time and illustrate our own pages too. So fun!)
Parables for Kids

Mckenna:

The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes
Three Cousins Detective Agency
American Girl books
Ballet Shoes
The Story of the Treasure Seekers
Treasure Island
Aesop's Fables
Julie of the Wolves
Little Women
Secret Garden
Homer Price
Misty of Chincoteague (LOVE this book!)
Jane Eyre
Stuart Little
The Cabin Faced West
The Chronicles of Narnia
NKJV Bible for Early Readers (full Bible in larger print)
American Girl: A Smart Girl's Guide to Manners (every girl needs this book!)

Gabriel:

Magic Tree House (see above)
Star Wars chapter books, which Grandma Gail finds cheaply at her used book store
Boxcar Kids (all 20 something of them--Mckenna read them too)
God's Little Warrior Bible (not my favorite bible ever)
Dr. Seuss--Gabe's sense of humor is definitely developing!
Books on Sharks, Dolphins, Snakes or History

Juliana:

Little House books (with my help, she can't read them herself)
Early Readers
Phonics Readers
Fancy Nancy
God's Wisdom for Little Girls
God's Little Princess Bible

For Review (I get them for free and review them):

Paradise Valley by Dale Cramer (very good if you like stories of the Amish)
Now I Walk on Death Row

Some Books Daniel has read the Kids at Night:

Swiss Family Robinson (Hands down our favorite book, and so much better than the movie. Definitely find an original copy or a copy of the original. The new versions lose a lot)
Ender's Game (with parental editing)
The Chronicles of Narnia (all of them)
The Hobbit
The Biography of Eric Liddell: Something Greater than Gold
The Fellowship of the Rings

My next adventure:

The American's: The Colonial Experience
The American's: The National Experience
The American's: The Democratic Experience

We will use Story of the World, Volume 3 next year, and see what is happening in the whole world during the time that America is beginning to develop. However, since Mckenna will be a fourth grader and has not specifically studied American History (we take a chronological approach to history), and because there are incredible resources around here for American history, we are taking on the history of our nation. Since it is my worst subject in terms of having a timeline in my head, and really understanding what went on, I need to brush up! These books look enjoyable AND educational for me.

Before and After

2011-03-28T23:29:00.000-07:00

Before we had kids Daniel and I would drive for hours, for fun, just to be together and go somewhere we wanted to go. We would wander around Home Depot, Best Buy, furniture stores, and ritzy malls not to shop, but to dream. Long drives meant long talks, and meandering through the shops could take hours. In the times we did nothing our love and our friendship grew.

Today we set out on an adventure with the kids. There were five stops on our list: Drive around a neighborhood we might like to live in, donate the massive quantity of clothes and toys in the back of the car, pick up our check from our realtor (as in, our offer was not accepted), Target and Costco.

The first 15 minutes of driving around the neighborhood were fun, especially since at every turn Juliana shouted out, "I want to live here NOW!"

After those first 15 minutes, things headed downhill.

I have to pee!
I'm hungry!
When are we going to Costco?

Then the self-entertaining began.

This is a skill my kids possess in great measure, but it's neither a quiet activity nor a gentle one. They played: Who can rip the shoe off someone's foot, who can get the hidden sticker out of someone's shirt, and how many songs can we sing at the same time?

At this point I asked Daniel if we lived in a 3 Ring Circus.

Target was fine--they each carried something and we let them browse the toy aisles for a long time--and Costco is always great fun, especially when free samples and frozen yogurt are involved. But by the time we got home, a full 3 hours later, we were all wiped out.

I looked over at my husband, scarcely able to remember when it was just the two of us, and admitted, "I thought this would be fun."

"I am having fun," he said. "This is good."

It is good. Even though before we had kids we had time to simply drive, wander, and dream, now we have cuddles, giggles, and silly games. Before we had quiet, organization, and time; now we have small hands to hold, large messes to enjoy, and the loud, magical sounds of happy children.

And while I am glad we had our children young, since we will still be young when they are gone, I don't wish those days would come quickly, for I am enjoying just being their

Jadelyn Turns 3!

2011-03-24T23:58:00.000-07:00

So many of you prayed for my niece Jadelyn in January when she was suffering from seizures in the hospital. Not only has she been seizure free, but she is doing great. Praise God!

We spent last Saturday with Jadelyn and her new brother Kody, along with other cousins and their parents. A fun, relaxed time was had by all.

What can I say about this picture of the birthday girl? Oh My Goodness she is too cute.

Mckenna made this cake for Jadelyn

Playing with her new playdough.

"Happy Birthday to YOU!"

As long as I moved and sang, Malcolm laughed and smiled (4 months old)

Jules jumping on Jadelyn's new trampoline

*side note: Juliana got an adorable new haircut--framing her face but still long in the back. The little tiny "alfalfa" hairs you see sticking up on top: she cut those herself :o)


The 3 youngest cousins. Left to Right: Malcolm (4 months), Elijah (2 months), Kody (3weeks) We have been triple blessed!

Lovely

2011-03-23T18:08:00.000-07:00

My oldest friend (as in I met her in 1st grade, not as in she's 103) wrote a great post on discipline--and overall the necessity for it. She recognized the developmentally appropriate behavior of her 2 year old, which she called limit testing--more commonly known as "No, NO, no, NO, Mommy, NOOOO!"--and the developmentally appropriate response for an adult in charge of said 2 year old. She lamented the lack of developmentally appropriate adults in charge of children and the obvious yet rampant consequences of rewarding bad behavior by simply redirecting the miscreant to another activity.

She recommended flogging with a wet newspaper.

I heartily cried out AMEN, sister!

It reminded me of our new hairdresser who told me that the best kids take no work at all. You either get a good apple or a bad apple, said he.

I told him he clearly does not have kids;

then I told him he never should.

Then I got to put it all to the test.

Lovely

(code for: I hate it when that happens except I don't use words strong enough to express said hatred so I will use the word Proper Southern ladies use when they detest something).

One of my darlings has decided to have a strong opinion on EVERYTHING and express that opinion LOUDLY.

Geez, I have no idea where that comes from.

After many warnings over the past few days, this particular offspring took it to a whole new level by deterring a sibling from choosing a prize out of the treasure box that was "inappropriate for their age." (That is code for: I-want-to-pick-it-next-time-so-get-your-grubby-hands-off.)

So, while the very hurt sibling happily played with their treasure box selection, the opinionated one had a little cooling down period (code for: Sit on your bed with no toys or books and think about what you have done while I get a piece of dark chocolate and a cup of coffee and decide not to evict you).

Then I allowed the creative parenting juices to flow (code for the brilliance that gave Juliana our 10 year old dog for her 4th birthday after she begged for a pet of her own, and that connected Gabriel and Juliana to each other at the wrist until they could get along. We're talking good juices people).

Then Daniel came home and added some creativity of his own.

Here's the final punishment:

3 days of Dad picking out all articles of clothing.

That is not code. It's just torture.

The goal is that each time this child is tempted to be bossy, they will look at their clothes and decide if it's worth it to express a strong opinion on something that is none of their business. We are hoping they decide it's not worth it.

But, on the off chance that fashion a la Dad is not a strong enough deterrent, we have some other tricks up our sleeves (and that is code for this kid had better shape up because the juices flow freely these days).

Stream of Conciousness

2011-03-17T22:46:00.000-07:00

Quiet house tonight save the movie I have playing. Funny how a loud movie sounds quiet to me.

Many thoughts swirl in my mind. Some are worth writing down, others are for the confines of my mind. There alone is a victory for me. Self-control in my words, and not saying whatever I am thinking.

We took our annual trip to Red Lobster for my Dad's birthday last Friday. Mckenna got her usual order--King Crab Legs. Gabe and Jules tried shrimp. One thumb up and one down. Mom and I shared some different dishes, including Lobster Spinach Artichoke Dip. Yum. Daniel ordered his norm, except we tagged a Lobster tail on to his steak and potatoes for Mom and me. We asked for it to be on a separate plate. It wasn't.

Today he worked from home, dopey from the Benadryl he took last night to combat his allergy to shellfish. Apparently just a little Losbter juice on his plate is too much.

Picture from my phone, yikes!

We took over the Jr. High group at church this week, and for the next 16 months give or take. Huge commitment, but one we are excited to make. Each week from now until April Daniel is teaching on one day of the Passion Week of Christ (shout out to Bookman!). Daniel is an insanely gifted teacher.

House shopping tomorrow--it's our third trip out. A little discouraging, but patience is the key virtue in this adventure. God knows what we have and what we need, and He has always provided.

I made my crazy cinnamon rolls yesterday to be baked this morning for my dear friend's son's 17th birthday. Of course we got some too. They take a good 4 hours to create from scratch, but oh are they worth it. Usually they are for Thanksgiving only, maybe Christmas. We had one this morning, and then again for dinner with scrambled eggs. Why not?

The kids and I are finding creative ways to work out since it's 90 degrees here this week. Biggest Loser videos came out of the cabinet on Tuesday. 45 minutes of squats, lunges and constant movement. It's Thursday and walking still causes me problems. So does standing up and being touched at all from the waist down, even by sweet child hands. Gotta do it again tomorrow. I have great compassion for those who struggle to walk.

Going to meet my newest nephew on Saturday, and cannot wait! Oh my goodness I just want to snuggle him. Kody, get ready, cuz Auntie is coming! It's Jadelyn's birthday party that day. My sweet, sweet niece who is a fighter and a gentle spirit. I talked to her on the phone the other day, and oh how she melts my heart. It's hard to imagine she is nearly 3.

Oh the joy these 2 faces bring me!

We spent a wonderful Saturday with Dan's brother, his wife, and their 3 kids. We do not see them often enough, and it's very sweet when we do. Daniel bonded with our niece, Lizzie, and I got to play and play with 1 year old Audrey. We don't get much time with 4 year old Michael--he and Juliana are nearly inseparable.

3 of my treasured girls came for a visit over the weekend. One I met as a Jr. Higher; in fact, along with "Juli J" she was the first student I met in Lake Arrowhead. Then she ended up being my next door neighbor for 6 years. The other 2 amazing young women I met a little later, but spent countless hours with. They 3, along with a few others, are testimony to Daniel and me of the importance of Jr. High Ministry. I love the ladies with my entire heart--they are daughters and sisters to me, all in one. Thank you Lord for sending them to me the week we started Jr. High Ministry!

I spoke with my beloved Grandmother today for at least half an hour. I am so thankful for her. She is 85, and her mind is sharp. Her dad's stayed sharp into his 90's, and I feel the same will be true of her. She is a strong and determined woman, who loves her own 3 "kids" as well as my 3 kids so very much.

Off to grade papers and wash dishes--the activities of my evening since Benadryl has taken over my hubby.

In the Eye of the Beholder

2011-03-06T09:31:00.000-08:00

A little boy's version of art

Artistically Arranged


Artfully Photographed

2011-03-04T10:24:00.000-08:00

Mckenna found a hummingbird nest outside her bedroom window

For weeks we laid on Juli's bed and marveled at the tiny size. The kids called the eggs "Jelly Beans."

And finally, our two white Jelly Beans hatched!

Two more perfect hummingbirds entered the world right in our backyard.

Sweet Sleep

2011-03-02T22:23:00.000-08:00

Our Sweet Sleeping Girl

All curled up, warm, with Bunny


Exhausted after a steamy shower

Daniel took these photos back in January when we were all sick. On Juliana's worst day, she desperately needed a steamy shower to clear out her sinuses. But it all proved too much, and she immediately fell asleep.

2011-02-18T19:23:00.000-08:00

It's funny when and how old hurts pop up.

We went house shopping today.

We came home excited about a particular house. More than any house we have lived in this house fits our interests, personalities, and our family. And it's a whole lot of house for a great price.

Yet, for whatever reason I looked up our old house that we sold a little over a year ago. That was a home we loved. It was beautiful, and being home was a treat for us. When we took vacation time, we stayed home because our house was that relaxing.

This house has at least as much possibility of being that kind of retreat. It also has everything we need to entertain, hold small group meetings, and homeschool.

And yet, as I looked at the pictures of the built in Daniel custom built to hold the kids' toys, books, and puzzles, at the flowers we planted, at the tile Daniel and I put in on the floor and around the fireplace, at the paint colors, the kitchen counters, and the pool where so many family memories were made, I had a hint of sadness.

But God is good, and the overwhelming thought we have is gratitude to Him. The character we developed in our time of hurt and hardship is priceless.

And so is the place we have come to call home.

This church, this valley, these friends...this is home. And this is so good.

So we are praying about putting an offer on the next house to call ours. We are excited to be here, in this place, for a long, long time if the Lord should allow. We are thrilled to be a part of a healthy, thriving, loving church. And we are forever thankful for the hard times and the good times. In fact, the hard times make the good times ever better.

Our Future Home?

2011-02-14T11:19:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day holds no special, romantic meaning for us. My husband buys me flowers, takes me on dates, and shows me love regularly all year long; it's in my best interest to keep it that way rather than condense it to one day in February. Plus, the first 7 years of our marriage we were with our closest 100 youth group students on Valentine's Day, usually camping in tents in the rain, and rescuing those who didn't bring their rain flap. Uber Romantic.

But one year sticks out as the epitome of my lack of caring about February 14th, so I dug through the archives, and here you go:

So today I went out and about by myself. We are going to a super fancy party on Saturday, and the dress I am wearing requires certain special undergarments. (This is me, trying to be appropriate with my choice of words). So I went into a certain store in the mall, which is known for it's pink striped bags. Let's call it Veronica's Mystery, if you catch my drift. If you don't, I am probably being appropriate for your sake.

For some reason, there were a ton of men in there. There were few women.

This is a store I have been in 2-3 times a year for many years. I know this store, it's a girl's store, and if there are men they are usually with a woman.

It was so weird.

I couldn't find what I needed, so I asked a cute little girl (yep, I am old. Store employees look like cute little girls, not peers) for help and she was great. Very helpful. The biggest bummer is that nothing was on sale. Nothing. No deal on anything.

I wandered around--something I can do sans children--and made my way to the very long line, full of men, who were alone. The employees upfront called for a back-up cashier. Odd, that's never been needed before.

So strange. What is going on?

The man in front of me was a typical guy. He was probably 35ish, had a wedding ring on, had clearly just come from work. He had an old school hair cut, seemed a little out of shape, and he was clutching his intended purchase tightly, wadded up in his hand. He was an odd shade of red, and I swear at one point he was sweating. The line took forever, as each purchase was carefully wrapped and placed into the infamous pink-striped bag. The man in front of me picked up a bottle and absent-mindedly read it. He startled, and quickly set it down. Hmm, how to word this... it was massage oil that would not harm a person's digestive system.

He and I ended up at cash registers right next to each other, awkwardly close together for any store. I saw his purchase. Now, there are some beautiful things in this store, things I would not mind owning, but generally find to be too expensive for the length of time they are worn. This one he chose, not so much. It was peach (really, do they make peach clothes any more? I thought those went out in the 80's) and had old-lady lace. No joke, I think he either dug deep because the rest of what is in that store really is not that flattering on someone who has had a few kids recently, or he grabbed the first thing he saw that didn't make him pass out and ran to the line.

I was so bewildered. Then he was done, and his cashier said, "Happy Valentine's Day."

I dropped my wallet. No joke, and all the contents spilled out. It wasn't such a bad thing, it gave me a moment to compose myself.

It's Valentine's Day. The one day a year our usually peaceful, pleasant store is invaded by awkward, uncomfortable husbands who are trying to do the "right" thing. The one day a year that there is no sale, too few checkers, and tension you could cut with a butter knife.

Once I recovered my belongings and stifled my laughter, I finished my purchase, off-handedly commenting to the young checker (seriously, can they hire 13 year olds, aren't there child labor laws?) that they "sure were busy today." She rolled her eyes, and said:

"Yeah, tell me about it. Last night I was supposed to be out of here by 11 and I didn't leave until 12:15. I can't imagine what tonight will be like."

It was already 4:00. I sure hope those guys get their shopping done soon.

I made my way through the crowds of men-who-looked-no-woman-in-the-eye, and headed for my car, as that was my last stop. As I excused myself through another unusually long line of people, this time forming a line outside a store, I glanced up at the sign. "See's Candy." Geesh.

Dan, if you read this, let's agree to never, ever celebrate Valentine's Day. You are my love 365 days of the year. And, promise me, honey, that you will never go into Veronica's Mystery, because I do not want a peach old-lady nightie, and men's brains turn into mush, clearly, when they walk in only one day a year. Love you babe.

2011-02-05T15:37:00.000-08:00

I'm feeling quite accomplished.

3 cars now have clean carpet and seats, including their floormats.
Inside area rugs are clean.
6 dining chairs and 8 barstools, also clean.
And the stubborn spot on the carpet where Gabe dumped an entire smoothie--clean.

I got my $30 worth out of the Rug Doctor I rented.

Now, we hope the car sells for a good amount of money.

If it comes down to the upholstery, it should sell high.

I just hope they don't care about the scratches my grandmother added to the bumper :o)

Football...

2011-02-02T18:24:00.000-08:00

I have been a loyal Raiders fan since I was very, very young. I went to games with my dad, and those are priceless memories. They left LA in 1994, but I remained loyal. Even more interesting, I married a loyal Raiders fan.

But now I ask my team: What have you done for me lately?

And the answer is: NOTHING.

So I am in search of a new team.

And I am open to suggestions.

Here are the criteria:

--good
--fun to watch
--not dirty
--not known for scandal

Anyone?

What Love Looks Like

2011-01-31T23:16:00.000-08:00

The feelings of Love change and grow, swell and recede, soar and glide.

The choice of Love should always remain steady or grow.

My husband chooses to love; he has taught me again this week what Love Looks Like.

Love looks like sleeping alone in the extra bed so a sick child can sleep with Mom.

Love looks like going to a grocery store everyday while his family is sick to pick up what we need (even if it's ice cream and a movie we need).

Love looks like doing every single load of laundry in the whole house so I can start my week fresh.

Love looks like emptying the dishwasher, loading it, and emptying it again.

Love looks like finding the four warmest blankets in the house and cocooning me in them when I had chills so bad I could not get warm.

Love looks like making hot dogs and chicken nuggets for dinner 4 nights in a row seem fun and adventurous.

Love looks like going to work everyday, coming home at lunch so I can sleep, and then coming home and working hard around the house.

Love looks like worn hands, tired eyes, sore muscles, and long nights.

Love looks like the bluest blue in his eyes that smile at me still.

And Love lives here.

Time on my Hands is a Frightening Thing

2011-01-29T23:53:00.000-08:00

Since I have been sick, I have had some extra time. We have done very little school, I haven't cooked, we've done basic clean up (read: my kitchen floor is filthy but that house is picked up), and I haven't left the house since Monday.

MOST of my extra time has been spent sleeping, snuggling with other sickies, and sleeping. Or thinking about sleeping, or trying not to fall asleep again, or making tea.

But tonight, I got to bed early, without a sick kid with me, and after I talked to my mom on the phone, I still had some energy.

And grading papers didn't sound too fun.

But, I have some sore muscles from being sick, and I had a hard time getting comfy.

So I decided to make a hot compress.

What to use, what to use....

My MIL made some a few year ago--towels sewn into tubes filled with rice that you heat in the microwave. I LOVED mine, but 8 moves later and I can't find mine.

Sniffle, sniffle.

So, I decided I needed something cotton, and something to keep the heat.

And I chose Daniel's least favorite socks, and Oats.

Here you go, another tutorial:

Put the sock in a jar and stretch the top over the mouth to make it easy to fill.
Fill the sock up with Oats (or rice or dried beans).
Tie a knot in the end.
Heat it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.
It will be hot, but shake it or otherwise distribute the heat, and apply.

Relief.

You're Welcome.

Should Have Chosen the Pukey Kid

2011-01-29T18:51:00.000-08:00

I just learned how to unclog a toilet properly.

Seriously.

Daniel has always been the toilet unclogger.

But given the choice of dealing with the screaming, coughing-so-hard-she-puked, delirious-from-the-Albuterol child, or un-sticking the toilet that was not only stuck, but then used while stuck...

...I chose the toilet.

I am an optomist.

I had a fever.

I was delirious too.

And I had already been helping the child for an hour, and would get her back clean and fresh this way.

Or so I thought.

Anywho...here's an ungraphic tutorial for you.

{Because you can insert your own graphics of what the water looks like in a toilet that was clogged up all day and then used. Repeatedly. Despite warnings not to use it.}

1. Squirt a few squirts of dish washing soap in the toilet.

2. Pour a lot of hot water in the bowl. Fill the bowl about 3/4 of the way up. Use hot tap water, not boiling water. Boiling water can crack porcelin (no, I don't know from experience).

3. Let that all sit for about 10 minutes. Or 20. Or long enough to rescue your husband from your unreasonable, dizzy, unreasonable, grumpy, sick, unreasonable 4 year old.

4. Grab your plunger. If you don't have one, buy one. Today. Your toilet WILL get clogged.

5. Insert the plunger into the commode. The hole on the plunger should make a seal with the hole that the stuff goes down when you flush.

6.Slowly and firmly push down on the plunger. Then slowly lift it up, without breaking suction, and push down again.

WARNING TO THE NAIVE: Should you decide that I mean fast and furiously instead of slowly and firmly, you will need a shower and lots of laundry detergent when you are done. Because everything will be covered with whatever it is you were plunging. Trust me.

7. Repeat steps 5-6.

Once it all drains out, flush a few times.

Then disinfect the toilet and the entire bathroom, and possibly yourself, if you didn't heed my warning.

If you are me, climb into bed with previously mentioned sick child. Get woken up once an hour with her coughs.

In desperation, Google "cough relief."

Decide to try Vick's VapoRub on her feet plus socks.

Sleep for a few hours in peace.

Seriously.

------------------------------

Why this method of unclogging? Soap makes things slippery, and has surfactants which make water wetter--loosens and breaks down materials. And, it takes away the odor. Hot water can more quickly disintigrate some things that might be stuck. Lots of water means more pressure on the clog. Slow and firm plunging with a seal between the bowl and the plunger means water is being pushed in and then sucked out, which should work to dislodge whatever is stuck.

THE END

For Good Reason

2011-01-28T10:57:00.000-08:00

I am conspicuously absent, I know.

That's because I have body aches, chills, fatigue, a sore throat, chest congestion, and a mega headache.

Plus 2 girls with the same symptoms.

In other words, the FLU has struck our family, hard, and we are laying low.

Because we don't have the energy to do anything else.

Dinner

2011-01-15T18:36:00.000-08:00

In case you didn't know, I have a (semi-pathetic) Cooking blog. I am trying to get back into posting on it :o)

Check out what we had for dinner at: 3moosemunch.blogspot.com

I recommend the Southwest Turkey Burgers, Stuffed Zucchini, and Salsa Chicken with homemade Refried Beans.

Pure

2011-01-08T23:34:00.000-08:00

Pure Joy. Pure Sweetness. Pure Awe.

Meeting our new cousin/nephew was pure wonderful bliss. He is perfect.

One Great Day

2011-01-07T22:46:00.000-08:00

So many good things today, I can't even fit them all in one post.

I spent 3+ hours with this little girl today

She is not this little anymore, in fact she is almost three years old. But since this remains one of my favorite pictures of all time, I thought I would post it.

It sure beats the pictures of her hooked up to monitors from the hospital this week.

I wish I could report that Jadelyn is 100% herself. I can't.

However, her cheerful, smiley, content, fun, goofy, silly, wonderful self peeked out this afternoon, and I will take that.

By the end of our time together she was showing us some of her favorite tricks. One of them was closing all the bedroom doors so the hallway has almost no light. Then she says, "Dark," and giggles hysterically. I must admit that our tolerance for her game is less than hers; nonetheless, it was quite amusing.

She found it funny that I sat on her window seat because that is her time out spot. She let me know that.

She put her doll--JuJu of course, "Big JuJu" in fact--in the doll stroller and led all of us around the house and backyard. She invited each of us by name.

She asked for Chicken Dinosaurs and ate them gladly.

These things, though they may seem small, are amazing for a little girl who has been through so much.

She is resilient, tough, and strong. She is smart, beautiful, and compassionate. She is feisty, pensive, and loving.

She reminds me of her mom.

And I love her with my whole heart.

Next up: Meeting my nephew!

An out of order Milestone

2011-01-06T21:19:00.000-08:00

Honestly, I still am struggling to care about everyday things, including blogging. Between Juliana's nasty cold/bronchitis/ear infection, a new nephew I have yet to meet, and of course Jadelyn's scary 5 days in the hospital, the mundane holds little appeal.

That said, a very exciting thing happened this week, and I want to remember it forever.

My son drank his first glass of milk. EVER.

We knew he was lactose intolerant at only a few weeks of age. He slept on his stomach at 2 weeks old, against common medical advice, because it was the only position he could actually sleep in; he was 4 weeks old when I cut dairy completely out of my diet, and his discomfort decreased dramatically. When he started taking some formula, the only one that worked was soy. Once he took one bite of ice cream and immediately threw up his entire dinner.

But 2 years of daily smoothies, fortified with pro-biotics and live cultures, plus age and overall health...and my son can drink milk. Even more incredible: he likes it!

2011-01-04T01:43:00.000-08:00

Have I mentioned that Joanna is pregnant, due in about 2 months with a baby boy? It makes sleeping at the hospital even less appealing, but she has not complained. No one is complaining about anything. We only care that Jadelyn is okay.

I just wanted to share this picture of Jadelyn (and her daddy). I love it. She's such a happy girl. Oh, and she wears rainboots everyday, with every outfit. She has a few pairs, and she loves them. I saw some zebra striped ones at Target, and they made me think of her.

It seems as though she had a small seizure Monday night. They are in the hospital again tonight. Not sure what other tests they can run; so far everything has come back showing nothing.

----

Juliana is sick, and getting worse, not better. We head back to the dr. tomorrow. I feel incredibly grateful for my nebulizer, which allows my baby to breathe, and the humidifier, which makes it more comfortable for her to sleep. We discovered we can play 2 games of Princess Go Fish in the time her breathing treatment takes.

Today we read books all morning. Gabe and I started and finished 2 Magic Treehouse books. He was so happy! The girls played with Play-Doh for at least 7 hours. They made all kinds of wonderful creations I wish I had photographed. Kenna and I braved the cold for soccer practice, and then stocked up at Costco.

----

Please don't stop praying for Jadelyn, Kyle, and Joanna.

Update on Jadelyn and the Baby

2011-01-03T13:24:00.000-08:00

Oh those eyes, and that pouty lip.

Jadelyn is still at the hospital. She had a total of 5 seizures on Saturday, none since then. She's not eating much, and isn't feeling too great either. She had to be on oxygen on Saturday and Sunday, came off it, but went back on it Sunday night. I am not sure about those details, but I know that when she had seizures in the past she stopped breathing, and once her grandma performed CPR. They have her on anitbiotics to ensure that the cold she had last week really clears up. But, they are sure the cold did not cause the seizures--she ran only a low grade fever. Being sick can make her more susceptible to seizures though.

My kids made her the sweetest sign: We love you, Jadelyn! With xoxoxo around the border. Like me, they just want to do something. Anything.

We are praying also for Kyle and Joanna, Daniel's sister and her husband. They have held steady at the hospital with their sweet girl, but are exhausted, and feeling sick.

In good news, my nephew is going home today! He has some jaundice, so they are taking the light home with them, but all is well. So excited and thankful for him to be here safe and sound!

I only have cell phone pictures so far. Here is Elijah!

Thanks for the support and prayers!

2011-01-01T23:22:00.000-08:00

Today has been a banner day. What that even means, I don't know, but it fits.

My nephew was born today. 34 hours plus of labor, and my very tough sister in law delivered a perfect baby boy. We prayed yesterday and through the night (we woke up a lot...dumb cat), and he is here and wonderful, and Kris is doing great.

Around the same time, my other sister in law was calling 911 because Jadelyn had 2 seizures. It's been over a year seizure free, and she was weaned off her anti-seizure meds months ago.

So while we are welcoming our newest precious addition to our growing extended family, we are also scared out of our minds for sweet Jadelyn.

You know the rhetoric we all tell our kids: "Life isn't fair;" I think I will stop saying it.

I told that to Mckenna today when we had to cancel fun dinner plans because the littles are sick and I am trying not to be.

I told it to the kids when we cancelled on our friends coming out here for a visit for the same reasons.

But I hate it. Because this is not fair, and that's not a good enough answer.

If you knew my niece, you would know she is the most charming, adorable, observant little girl.
You would know she takes the cutest pictures in the world, she loves garbage trucks, and she names all her dolls JuJu after my Juliana.
You would know that I have convinced her to point to me when asked, "Who's your favorite auntie?" and that her lip pouts when she thinks.

She is my first niece, and holds a place in my heart so dear, so close...I can't imagine what her parents are feeling tonight, because my own heart is broken.

Family is a funny thing. We don't always get along perfectly, sometimes we annoy each other. And yet in times like this, all of that disappears, and we just love. I want to be there with them, in that room. There is nothing I could do that they are not doing...nothing...but somehow being together sounds right.

So tonight I just pray. I thank God for a healthy new nephew, and beg Him for answers and help for our girl. And that has to be enough.

Mckenna, Juliana and Jadelyn in their matching jammies

Peaceful, Unified, and Thankful

2010-12-28T23:34:00.000-08:00

Assumptions are the termites of relationships.

~Henry Winkler

Relationships are complex, and often fragile. I have failed to protect certain relationships, and it has shown.

Assumptions on both sides have built walls...no, have dug chasms, that just a few days ago seemed impossible to bridge.

Praise God for doing the seemingly impossible.

Today I am exceedingly thankful for repaired relationships.

However, forgiveness is a tricky thing. Whether or not there has been a heartfelt apology (there has!), hurt tends to linger in dark corners, looking for any scrap of old assumptions, like a hungry, scared, rabid old dog.

I wish I was like God in that I cast the transgressions of others as far as the east is from the west. I wish I could say, "You are forgiven," and hurt, pain, and ways of thinking would disappear. I wish I could forgive and truly forget. It sure would be easier.

But, alas, I am human.

And therefore, I must work at forgiveness.

Let me be clear here. What and who needs forgiving is not the issue. The one who has hurt me has wiped the slate clean, has sought and received my forgiveness. Our relationship is mutually restored. Hallelujah! Amen!

But, the cause of many of the issues was wrong thinking about one another. It is years of built up resentment, bitterness, and inaccuracies. Wasted years. How tragic. The filter through which I run our conversations and interactions must change--that is what is difficult.

This is ONLY a reflection on me.

Colossians 3:12-16: "Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience..."

Because I am a child of God, I can put on these things. To me it seems apparent I need to take off the opposites: coldness, cruelty, arrogance, impertinence, impatience.

"...bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive."

It's so simple, and yet so hard. I have hurt God more times than one could possibly count. But I revel in His grace and forgiveness. I want to be gracious and forgiving, so others can revel too.

"And above all these put onlove, whichbinds everything together in perfect harmony."

That is what I seek in relationships: perfect harmony. Not perfect agreement, as in we can only be friends if we agree, but perfect accord, or a lack of discord. Ironically, this comes through being able to respectfully disagree, being honest when one is hurt, and enjoying each others similarities and differences--this is something I have failed at. But no more!

"And letthe peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were calledin one body. And be thankful."

Peaceful, unified, and thankful. This is my new filter.

The act of forgiveness came easy for me. I wanted things to be good, so when given an opportunity to make them good, I took it. So did the other party, gladly and willingly.

The process of forgiveness is long and hard, since it requires changing my thinking. But with the strength of God, the discipline to not even let my thinking go down old paths, let alone words or actions, and the mutual desire to grow together, I have no doubt that the next years will not be wasted.

"I will speak ill of no man,

and speak all the good I know of everybody."
- Benjamin Franklin

Gabe's Christmas

2010-12-25T11:12:00.000-08:00

If there is anything that a man can do well, I say let him do it.

Give him a chance.
~Abraham Lincoln

I strongly desire for my son to be taught how to be a man. There are far too many boys masquerading as men in our world.

I am not the best candidate to teach him.

Afterall, I am his Mother. His Father is excellent at this job. But I am the one home with my son all day.

Still, I can inspire him to do manly things.

So, in a moment of either sheer genius or insanity, I bought him a bow and arrow for Christmas.

A real one. And 2 bales of hay to shoot into.

The look on his face made me 90% sure it was genius, not crazy.

If the cat gets shot, or arrows start flying over the 10 foot wall and into car windows, I reserve the right to change my initial opinion.

And so a new adventure in becoming a man has begun.

Other Christmas Happenings

2010-12-21T22:59:00.000-08:00

Grandma C and Papa Rob came out, bringing massive quantities of Christmas Cheer.

We decorated Gingerbread Houses. Mckenna's was very cute. Juliana's was very full of candy. Poor Gabe, his icing just would not stick, so all his candy has slid down to the bottom.

Saturday night we trekked to a Living Nativity. I had low expectations. It far exceeded them.

Taking pictures of the nativity wasn't feasible--it was super dark, and it went very quickly. But we used the camera to pass the time.

A funny thing about Jules...she won't let anyone kiss her on the lips because she's not "Mawied." She's super affectionate, but has her own set of rules about kissing. We don't mind, it will serve her well to keep those standards, but it means none of those cute pictures of kids and parents kissing each other :o)

The Fourth and Fifth Days of Christmas

2010-12-19T20:25:00.000-08:00

On the fourth day of Christmas
Some secret friends gave to me
4 sparkling ciders
(3 candy canes)
(2 Christmas Crafts)
and a piece to the nativity.

{And I forgot to take a picture}

But....

On the fifth day of Christmas
Some secret friends gave to me

5 GOLDEN THINGS!

(4 sparkling ciders)
(3 candy canes)
(2 Christmas Crafts)
and a piece to the nativity.

How completely creative!

The Third Day of Christmas

2010-12-19T19:14:00.000-08:00

On the third day of Christmas

Some secret friends gave to me

3 Candy Canes

(2 Christmas Crafts)

and a piece to the Nativity

And as if that isn't enough, they also gave me this beautiful card holder. And, it's in my colors :o)

If I am being honest, which I am, I don't really know what to say. This has blessed our family beyond words, and daily we are overjoyed to find out what package will arrive on our doorstep.

Someone's been Baking...

2010-12-16T13:43:00.000-08:00

...and it's not me!

Our friend Courtney came over with cookies to decorate!

Mckenna made this tree...and we thought it was fantastic!

Mckenna also volunteered to bake and decorate a cake for a ministry at church. Either she has watched too much Cake Boss, or we have a little Baker on our hands!

The Second Day of Christmas

2010-12-16T13:29:00.000-08:00

The First Day of Christmas was pure fun. The kids (and the grown-ups) were in such surprise to find gifts on our front porch that we just giggled. Now I feel pure awe. I cannot believe how creative, thoughtful, and wonderful our friends are; and we don't even know who they are!!

On the Second Day of Christmas

Some Secret Friends gave to me

2 Christmas Crafts

And a piece to the nativity.

Gingerbread house, Christmas Frames to make, and a little Lamb

As if that was not enough, there was a second bag, with 3 coloring pages with a Partridge in a Pear tree and this adorable ornament.

I'm going to post the days together, so here is our second, second day of Christmas

There were 3 M&M fans (with candy of course!). In the picture behind the fan is a lolipop Advent Tree to count down the days of Christmas, given to Gabe at church.

And here's the 2nd ornament, with 2 Turtle Dove. SOOOOOO cute!

The First Day of Christmas

2010-12-14T09:17:00.000-08:00

I guess it is the first day of Christmas, though I never would have known if this hadn't shown up on our doorstep this morning

The note says: On the First day of Christmas
                        Some Secret Friends gave to me
                        A piece of the Nativity
                        (and also a gift card for some groceries)

Of course the kids are so excited! And part of the fun for me is trying to figure out who it is!

What is Good News?

2010-12-12T23:52:00.000-08:00

A conversation from this morning merits a break from grading papers so I can get this down before the impact fades. For privacy for those involved, and because I don't know how much I can say, details are intentionally vague.

A mom and daughter walked into the courtyard at church this morning where I check kids in for Sunday School. I doubt they are aware that before they had gotten news this morning, they both dressed in nearly all black, the color of mourning, but it seems appropriate now. Teary eyed they came to my table, and then the tears turned to sobs, and the sobs to weeping.

When we candidated in May one of the things that stuck out the most was a family preparing to send a beloved son to war. I recall intentionally talking to them, out of the hundreds of people there, and letting them know we care, we are thankful for his service, and we will pray. I have gotten to know this family more over the past six months, though I have never met the son who has been in the middle east all this time.

The daughter--sister to the solider--flew across the country this summer to help another soldier rehabilitate after being hit. Her brother had introduced them (through email and mail of course, since both soldiers were deployed), and when he came home wounded she flew to his side and cared for him in what must have been his darkest hours. She is now engaged to this soldier, to this friend of her brother. Her brother's greatest wish was to get home in time for the wedding the end of this month, but it wasn't looking likely.

After today it looks like he will be home for the wedding, but not the way anyone wants him home.

His company has not been living at a base, but in alternative housing closer to where they need to be to accomplish their mission. They have been in a place known to be dangerous; today that danger came to them.

8 men were struck with some kind of explosive while in their temporary home.

6 died.

This family's son called this morning. He is one of 2 who lived.

It puts a whole new perspective on what we consider to be

good news.

He didn't want to worry his mom, but his tone of voice and his choice of words let her know that while he is "okay," he is not okay.

While I don't want to share any details, his physical wounds are many, and potentially life-altering.

I can only imagine that his emotional wounds are far greater.

As I stood there and cried and prayed with this mom and sister of a now wounded soldier, it struck me that he lived. In a moment of explosion strong enough to kill 6 men, he lived.

What will he do with that life?

What will I do with that life?

What will you do with that life?

2010-12-11T21:38:00.000-08:00

3 posts half written in my queue.

3 sets of essays needing to be graded.

3 visitors in 3 weekends.

3 kids needing to finish strong in homeschool before break.

3 shut-out games for my little goalie.

3 hours of alone time coming up on Wednesday.

3russellmooses.blogspot.com ignored.

Sorry

Thankful Challenge, Day 29

2010-12-03T09:41:00.000-08:00

29. Daniel. Yes, intentionally redundant, again. He affirms, supports, teases, enjoys, inspires, teaches, instructs, corrects, holds, upholds, and most of all loves me. He is, by far, the greatest dad I know, and others have affirmed that as well. He knows me inside and out, he knows our kids at a level so deep he can pinpoint the way they learn, grow, and think, as well as their personalities and needs. When he comes home our faces light up and the energy level in the room dramatically increases. His hugs and kisses can fix any problem, mine or the kids, and his sense of humor, while sometimes frustrating in its dry nature, can make us smile even if we are upset.

I love, love, love the man I married, with a deep and long lasting love.

Thankful Challenge, Day 28

2010-12-02T01:26:00.000-08:00

28. My kids. I know, it's redundant, but I really am. I nearly bled to death after Mckenna was born, twice. I could have missed all these years. While I was pregnant with Gabriel we got some very bad ultrasound results, both for him and for me. Those issues were all resolved, praise be to God, and even the emergency C-Section was less traumatic than it could have been. And Juliana, well, we weren't planning on another one so soon, and the doctors weren't sure we could have another one. So even though the pregnancy and delivery were relatively smooth, she is a miracle baby too.

So daily, even when I am angry or discouraged, I am more thankful than words can describe for my 3 treasures.

I'm so excited!

2010-12-02T01:18:00.000-08:00

Can you guess why?

Not because we have our decorations out for Christmas {although I do love them}.

Not because the house is relatively clean {though that is so wonderful and rare these days}.

Not because there is finally symmetry surrounding the china cabinet {oh, but I love symmetry}.

sorry the picture is crooked!

But because my Cafe Press wrapped canvas came {and it is beautiful}.

More art and photos have been hung recently as well...

This frame from Melissa that makes me both cry and smile...

And some old favorites of my sweet girls right outside their room.

Our house is feeling more and more like home {and that's a good thing}.

Levitations

2010-12-01T14:39:00.000-08:00

Not as in floating in air, but as in

...Isaiah, Jeremiah, Levitations, Ezekiel, Daniel...

We haven't had the heart to tell him the book of the Bible is called Lamentations. Levitations is just so much more adorable.

Thankful Challenge, Day 27

2010-11-30T13:02:00.000-08:00

27. My Role. Not my job, but my role in my life is pretty amazing. Today I was a chef, a bike mechanic (twice), a seamstress, a handy-woman, a teacher, a house cleaner, a professional organizer, a piano accompanist, and wiper of tears.

As I made each person their individual breakfast and then lunch, I was thankful for healthy bodies and fresh food to eat. As I inflated bike tires and tightened down handlebars, I rejoiced watching all 3 kids ride up and down the street, just like my brother and I used to do; I look forward to long bike rides and the day I can say, "Just go for a nice long ride." While sewing the last few buttons on a homemade advent calendar, I took delight in the little things, for that is what my kids do. Hanging hooks in the bathroom to hold cute animal towels reminds me that life is made up of simple joys. Teaching my kids math, reading, spelling, the Bible, history and science means I control what goes into their heads and hearts, and for that opportunity I am grateful. Organizing the school room and the guest closet I am beyond thankful for the many, many books we have been given and the company we have on a regular basis. Playing piano along side my daughter fulfills a dream I have long had, even when we disagree over tempo. And hugging a little body whose knee has been bruised or whose finger has been smashed gives me a moment to bring comfort to my dear children, and there is not much greater.

Yes, there are many who believe I have not lived up to my potential. It's one of those lies I talked about a last week; one I believed once too. But for me, personally, this is greater than any job, greater than any contribution to society; it is pouring into the family I love with my whole heart.

For this I am thankful.

Thankful Challenge, Day 26

2010-11-29T09:31:00.000-08:00

26. Health. Although various issues have plagued us--like Gabriel's stomach troubles and his and Daniel's allergies (which I don't think are allergies at all) to all antibiotics--we are an unusually healthy family. We have had our scares--when I nearly bled to death at 2 of my 3 deliveries, all 3 kids' broken teeth or split lips, and Daniel's broken leg--but they are not long lasting issues. In fact, 4 out of 5 of us have not seen a doctor in over a year. Because we haven't needed to. Even when we get colds and such, we stay home and use natural remedies like humidifiers, hot tea, extra vitamin C, and rest, and we get well. And for that I am incredibly thankful.

The Joy of Christmas Cards

2010-11-28T15:57:00.000-08:00

Every year I wonder if it's worth it to go through the time and expense of Christmas Cards. Every year I make and send them.

Receiving cards is wonderful--I love to catch up on peoples' lives and see pictures of growing families. We hang them up and use the cards to pray for people all year long. I would not want to deny anyone else the joy of having my kiddos' faces on their friges! :o)

This year I am thrilled to be using Shutterfly. I have used them before, and have never been disappointed in the number of choices I have or the quality of the cards. They are having a fantastic Blogger Card Promotion, and I plan on using the 50 free cards I will receive, plus buying more. {Click Here for details on the Blogger Promo} This year there are more choices than ever. I am having a hard time choosing between traditional Christmas colors, fun unusual colors, and the ever classy black and white.

Let's play a little game. With so many great designs, it's hard to choose which design to use!

Which design do you like the best?

With Love Chartreuse

Scrapbook Style Sage


Retro Plaid

Click any of the names to see these great designs and many more.

I haven't made my final decision on what card to choose...it's so hard!

The most important thing for me is that there are plenty of spaces for pictures. Occasionally we have done one big family picture, and that's it, but this year we have so many great kid pictures, I want lots of spaces to put their cute faces.

Someone always give my Mother in Law a calendar--and this year it needs all 8 grandkids!


I Love this one!

For those of you who never get cards out in time for Christmas (not naming names...you know who you are!), Shutterfly also has adorable New Year's Cards like this one:

Love it!

Oh and if you want a Christmas card from us with our faces so you can remember us throughout the year, make sure I have your address. You KNOW I want one from you :o)

Thankful Challenge, Day 25

2010-11-27T16:59:00.000-08:00

25. My nieces and nephews. Words cannot describe the joy I find in the role of Aunt.

Thanksgiving day, all of the Russell side gathered to celebrate. Mckenna and Gabe got to play with their 3rd cousins, whom they see once or twice a year. We hardly saw the kids...they simply played, with no fighting, and very little trouble, for 2 solid days. There are 3 boys, all full of energy and fun, and my kids adore playing with them.

Also there were my 3 nieces, Jadelyn, Lizzie and Audrey, and my 2 nephews, Michael and Malcolm. I was intentional about spending some time with each one.

Malcom is almost 1 month old. His parents knew they would have a hard time removing his sweet, sleeping form from my arms. They were right. Holding him is pure peace, and I got lots of holding time in.

Audrey is 9 months, and a charming, easy going, sweet smiley girl. She acts much older than her nine months, and is so fun to play with. It was fun to see her and then go shopping for her for Christmas, knowing what she would enjoy.

Lizzie is 2 years, and often slow to warm up to others. But on her daddy's lap she blossomed as I talked with her, tickled her, teased her and helped her finish her turkey dinner. She has the most beautiful hair and loves all things girly.

Jadelyn will be 3 soon (seems impossible) and is the most delightful little girl. Her pouty lip and huge eyes make it hard to say no to anything--charm oozes from this one. She is so smart, very determined, and to the credit of her parents easy to correct when she goes astray. Of course, she acts like a perfect angel for me, so I don't really know what they are talking about when they say she acts badly :o) We spent countless hours talking about the trash truck and calling him on an old cell phone. She even demonstrated her knowledge of modern commmunication when she texted the trash man! We read books, got dressed, ate lunch, and talked about her soon to be baby brother all day. It was bliss.

Michael is nearly 4, which also seems impossible. He is constant smiles, and barrels of fun. He held onto a construction truck with a scoop all morning, asking to go back outside. I bundled him up and took him out, where immediately he scooped snow into his truck. So clever! Michael sat next to Juliana at Thanksgiving dinner (which meant he sat next to me), and was extremely polite and brave. He took a little bit of everything, and with each bite proclaimed it was good or, "I like it!" with enthusiasm. His parents let on that they had been working on that with him, and boy did he show off what he has learned!

I have another nephew, Harvest, who lives across the country. Although we only see him once a year at the most, I am so thankful he is part of our family. He is a mere 4 months older than Mckenna and they have grown up together in many ways.

We also have 2 more nephews on the way--one due around Christmas and one in late February/early March. We cannot wait!

I could never post about nieces and nephews and exclude 2 boys who are constant sources of joy in my life. I love them every bit as much as if they were family. Hayden and Noah belong to our dearest friends, and I laugh out loud whenever they are around. Hayden is 1 year younger than Juliana to the day. They are the best of friends, and also double trouble whenever they play together. He is smart, creative, determined, fast as can be, and all boy. Noah is his counterpart. At 15 months he has had a bit of a rough time--an eye surgery, then an emergency surgery to undo the first one because of an allergy, and a third surgery to redo the correction. But true to his nature he has handled it all with ease. He is easy going, quick to giggle, and very easy to please.

For nieces and nephews, I give thanks.

Thankful Challenge, Day 24

2010-11-25T00:59:00.000-08:00

24. On this day, the eve of Thanksgiving, I feel like I should have something profound to say. There are so many things I am thankful for--the list goes on and on in my mind--but choosing things to name is difficult. How do I put into words the profound gratitude I have for my life?

So tonight, rather than be profoundly eloquent or sappy, I will say this:

You.

I am thankful for you, my blog readers. Although I write this blog as a journal, as a way to record and remember, I love that others come along on this journey with me. Thank you for reading, thank you for commenting, thank you for caring about my life.

Thankful Challenge, Day 23

2010-11-23T10:44:00.000-08:00

23. Children. A world without children would be lacking in color, joy, and light. I love my children, you all know that, but I love children in general. They see the world so differently. They are more innocent, open, and honest than adults. They find joy in small things. And they are so darn adorable! With 2 Soccer parties over the weekend, and AWANA tonight, I will see more than 100 children in the span of 4 days. And while I have moments of insanity trying to corral them all, in general they are pure joy.

Thankful Challenge, Day 22

2010-11-21T23:49:00.000-08:00

22. Truth. We live in a culture of relativity. Modern philosophical thought says we cannot truly know anything for sure, and there are certainly no absolutes. While I understand that this seems like a totally new and fascinating way of thinking to those who are thinking it, history does, in fact, tend to repeat itself, and this type of thinking is associated with other eras--indeed, philosophy tends to be cyclical.

But there is truth, and equally importantly, there are lies.

I have bought into lies. I have believed family, friends, the news, politicians. I have heard statistics, reports, and studies and trusted them to be factual. Sometimes I was wrong to believe them.

Although I originally thought I would climb onto my soapbox and rant over a few lies I have believed, instead I deleted any of that sort of writing.

The important things I am thankful today is that there is absolute Truth--it does exist, and we can know it.

Thankful Challenge, Day 21

2010-11-20T23:02:00.000-08:00

21. Traditions. If you know me well, you will know this is actually quite amusing. I am a tradition breaker, to an extreme level, and I often get made fun of for how much I would rather work to change a tradition over just doing something the same way it's been done. However, there are a few traditions that are so worth it to me.

Last night, this afternoon, and tonight, because Grandma Gail has been here to help out, Daniel and I have taken each of our 3 kiddos out on a date. They picked either a place to eat or a treat depending on what we needed, and then we went shopping. We don't really buy presents for our kids. Last Christmas we bought them one: a Nintendo DSi for them to share. And that was their first Christmas gift from us. This year we are getting them each a few small things for their stockings, and one gift each that's practical, but that is it. Instead, after we take each kid out for a treat we shop for the other 2 kids.

Incredible things have come of this tradition.

First, the lesson of thinking about what someone else would want is one that's hard to learn for small children, but is being reinforced each year. Consistently they buy something for a sibling that the buyer has no interest in...and it's hard for them to do. But so good.

Second, the discipline of keeping a good secret. Enough Said.

Third, the joy on their faces when their sibling opens a gift they bought. Priceless.

Fourth, the ability to bless their siblings with personal, fun gifts.

There are so many more blessings that come from these times that make it my absolute favorite tradition of the whole year, but it all comes down the memories we build both on the dates and on Christmas morning, as well as the hopefully life long joy of blessing one another.

Thankful Challenge, Day 20

2010-11-18T23:53:00.000-08:00

20. Teaching. I have accepted, finally, that I am a natural teacher. I'm not saying I am necessarily good! But I am saying that I do it without thinking. I love to teach, and I have opportunities to do tons of it! I teach my kids, obviously, and in a way they think is fun. We don't own a single textbook--everything is done through great literature and hands on experiments. I teach a writing class to high schoolers, and have 2 requests to teach it for pay next semester! I teach through grading papers in my comments and corrections. I teach at CBS by being well prepared in my lesson and sharing what I have learned. Apparently I teach more than that, maybe even in my sleep. This is a way God has gifted me, others find it useful, and I feel thankful for the opportunity to share what I know.

Thankful Challenge, Day 19

2010-11-18T23:49:00.000-08:00

19. Days off. They may be few and far between. They often include company, a few chores around the house, and even some schoolwork. But, when Daddy is home from work for a whole day, we are all happier! Friday is such a day this week, and we cannot wait!

Thankful Challenge, Day 18

2010-11-18T14:49:00.001-08:00

18. Our House. Not having a home of our own made us think long and hard about what we wanted. Then we realized it really did not matter the size, layout, or color of our next home--we would be thankful for just about anything! But as He always does, God provided above and beyond our dreams. This house we are renting is perfect for us. Large living spaces for both playing and hosting small groups, a room for the girls, one for Gabe, and even a spare room for guests (and all the homeschool stuff!), and a good sized backyard for the kids to play in. There are so many bonuses to our home, I couldn't even begin to list them. And though I can honestly say that I learned to truly count home as wherever my family is, I am thankful for the this great house to call home for now.

Thankful Challenge, Day 17

2010-11-18T14:37:00.000-08:00

17. CBS. Community Bible Study has been huge blessing to our family this year. Although there are things about it that are not my favorite, there are so many great things to outweigh the negatives. My 3 kids attend a homeschool class there, with students their age and teachers who are excited to teach them, and who make it fun and personal. We also spend hours in the Bible each week preparing our lessons for the next week, and that accountability is extremely helpful for me. New friends round out my experience, and for CBS I am grateful.

Thankful Challenge, Day 16

2010-11-18T14:34:00.000-08:00

16. My Mac. I admit it. I like my computer a little too much. I would love to say that I could go a whole week and not miss it--but that would be a lie. I try very hard to not get too attached to this silly piece of metal, but honestly, it's a wonderful tool in my life. From staying in contact with friends to finding great resources and helps for homeschool, this one piece of equipment serves a whole lot of purposes. I am reluctantly thankful for my Mac.

Thankful Challenge, Day 15

2010-11-17T00:04:00.000-08:00

15. Memories. What would life be like without memories? You, for instance, probably have no idea what is truly happening in this photo of my awesome husband:

But Mark, Audrey, Daniel and I do know. And it's funny. I know we were hiking to Juli J's wedding. I know it was nuts, freezing, windy and gorgeous. I know we chose the hard way. I remember wondering if that was a good idea. I also remember Mark and Dan seeing a perfect photo op, and Mark climbing around the rock to shoot Dan pulling this move. See how his hand and feet are wedged into a crack? That's how you climb a crack in a rock if it's a vertical climb. Which this is not. When I saw this picture that Audrey posted, I laughed out loud because I remembered. And I am thankful for memories.

Thankful Challenge, Day 14

2010-11-16T14:30:00.000-08:00

14. "My" Students. Being a pastor is a lot like being a dad...Daniel is always concerned for the spiritual growth and needs of his flock, and the concern never goes away. Likewise, being a pastor's wife is a lot like being a mom; I have a strong need to nurture and feed my girls, even those who are not specifically under my care. Letting go is nearly impossible. If my girls have a need, I want to fill it. If they have a hurt, I want to fix it. If they experience a joy, I want to celebrate it. I love them with all of my heart. The most incredible thing about the past 5 or 6 years is that they have developed into friends. They bless me more often then I bless them, and when they are walking with the Lord my joy is complete. I will never stop praising God for the groups of girls He has given me.

2 Loves

2010-11-14T10:04:00.000-08:00

I watched the movie The Last Song tonight. Rather than rant to you how much I generally do not like Nicholas Sparks movies, or debate Miley Cirus's ability to take her sitcom skills to the big screen and move past her Hannah Montana persona, I want to share the lyrics from the song at the end.

In case you are super behind on movies, like me, this movie has 2 concurrent plots: young love with significant obstacles, and dealing with divorce and death. I absolutely sobbed for the last 45 minutes, and I am not a crier generally, especially at movies.

That's When I Look at You:

Everybody needs inspiration
Everybody needs a song
Beautiful melody, when the nights so long

Cause there is no guarantee
That this life is easy

When my world is falling apart,
when there is no light to break up the dark
That’s when I look at you
When the waves are flooding the shore and I
can’t find my way home anymore
That’s when I look at you

When I look at you
I see forgiveness, I see the truth
You love me for who I am

Like the stars hold the moon
Right there where they belong

and I know I’m not alone

****
Read the Bold section again, and feel the depth of trust, the shelter from the storm found in the eyes of the lover.

I have not one but two such loves.

My husband is my shelter from the waves of the world. He loves me, protects me, cherishes me, holds me up. When the waves flood the shore Daniel rescues me, gives me shelter.

I had an issue a couple a weeks ago when I was in a situation that made me uncomfortable. I told Daniel about it, and asked to come with me the next time I had to be there. Of course he did. Later he told me he wasn't sure why he needed to be there. "You were fine," he said, "I didn't do anything but sit there."

Just knowing you were there made everything better, I told him.

I knew I was safe, protected, not alone.

****
When there's no light to break up the dark, That's when I look at you.

My light in the darkness is Jesus Christ. When I look at Him I see forgiveness and Truth. He is the only One who knows every single thing I have done, everything about me, and Loves me for exactly who I am. He is the ultimate lover of my soul.

How blessed am I to have two loves.

2010-11-13T23:33:00.000-08:00

One of the recurring questions I am asked is how we kept hope during Daniel's time of unemployment. When you understand that 250 pastors applied to the job Daniel now has, and that we heard numbers that high at every church he applied to, you can see it is not an unreasonable question.

The truth is, we did get down.

The truth is, we felt fear.

The truth is, we investigated other options, because we wanted to be prepared.

But we did not lose hope.

I told the following story at a woman's Bible study last week where I was asked the same question. We all had tears in our eyes, especially me, by the ending.

The week Daniel left the church was Mckenna's birthday week. We faced sudden unemployment, and serious hurt and pain from how that happened. We un-invited everyone but family for Mckenna's party, and we asked for help with the food. Of course our families pitched right in.

Gabe consistently made an odd request that week: He wanted Cheez-Its.

Gabe is lactose intolerant, not a big fan of Cheez-Its, and rarely persistent about any food other than fruit.

But his request, and knowing I could not fulfill it, made our situation very real from the start. We were buying only necessities, and eating the same thing all week to save as much money as possible. Cheez-Its are not really on my approved list anyways, and they were a luxury, therefore I could not buy them. It made me feel horrible.

My Mom arrived early for the party, and brought the food she had told me about--some canned vegetables and fruit to fill out our pantry and fresh fruit for the party. We had discussed on the phone all she was bringing. I had never mentioned Cheez-Its--like I said, that's not the kind of food I feed my kids, and we did not need it.

As I unpacked the brown grocery bags I felt extremely thankful for some provisions to help see us through as we figured out what life would really look like. I felt thankful to God and to my parents.

And then, there, in the final bag, was a red box.

A big red box of Cheez-Its.

I can only imagine how my face looked at the moment, but it was too private, too much between God and me to say anything.
-----

Later that night I cried as I told Daniel what had happened. Tears ran down his face too. God loves us so much He provides for a child's desire, and brings peace to a Momma's heart.

It set the tone for the trial ahead. As we made decisions, as we packed our beloved home, as we sold things, stored things, and moved things; as we said good-bye, as we left somewhere we loved, we had peace that God was in the details. He not only knew what was in store for our lives, He cared down to the details.

It's funny how something like a box of crackers can show Love. But in that moment of pain turned to wonder and joy, no writing on the wall could have told me any clearer: God loves me, He will take care of me, and He knows what I need. Amen.

Thankful Challenge, Day 13

2010-11-13T21:30:00.000-08:00

13. Soccer. I know it sounds funny to feel thankful for a sport, but if you spent one day with me at the soccer fields you might understand. Over all other sports, soccer is in my veins. Playing it is as natural as breathing for me, but coaching has both required a whole new level of understanding and uncomparable joy. Today Mckenna's team won 3-0, against a team ranked significantly higher than they were. They deserved the win, they worked hard for it and did everything I have taught them, but more importantly they played real soccer, and they loved it. Having my team win as a coach far surpasses the joy of winning as a player. I am thankful for the ability to run, kick, throw, and dribble. I am thankful for the time with my kids. I am thankful for health, fun, and being outdoors. I am truly thankful for the game of soccer.