The Joy of Today

Our 22 most favorite Christmas books

2011-11-16T14:40:00.000-08:00

It is November 16th, and we have had Christmas music playing in our house nonstop for the last week. We have two local radio stations that start their Christmas music the beginning of November, and I figure if they can play Christmas music before Thanksgiving then I can listen to it. We've also been snuggling up to some favorite holiday movies, AND.... I am pleased to say that this weekend I will be 100% done with my Christmas shopping. I know! Eat that, holiday stress!

Anyway, one of my most favorite parts of Christmas is getting our Christmas book basket down from the closet and putting it on the fireplace to be enjoyed by our whole family. A friend recently asked about our favorite Christmas books, so I thought I'd share them here.

And as a side note, now is the best time (around here anyway) to put Christmas movies on hold at the library! I just filled up my requests list last night. :)

Alright, here are our fave books, in no particular order:

1. How the Grinch Stole Christmas
If I could only have one Christmas book aside from the Bible itself, it would be this one. Hands down.

2. The Polar Express
Another classic. You've probably heard of it.

3. This Is the Stable
A sweet little telling of the Christmas story.

4. The Gingerbread Man
This is such a fun book to read. Jim Aylesworth's is my favorite version of this story.

5. Snow
From one of our favorite authors, this book is so beautifully written. It's not about Christmas but it is about, well, snow.

6. Snowmen at Night
Another one that's less Christmasy and more snowmanny, this a charming story about what snowmen do while the rest of us are sleeping. She does have another book called Snowmen at Christmas, but Snowmen at Night is my favorite.

7. The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree
Introduced to us by Cutzi, if memory serves. Ruthie's papa is at war, so it is up to Ruthie and her mother to bring home the town's Christmas tree. Wonderful story.

8. The Legend of the Candy Cane
Every year I try to add a new book to our Christmas collection, and The Legend of the Candy Cane is this year's choice. The new shop owner in town uses a candy cane to describe the miracle of Christmas.

9. Bear Stays Up for Christmas
Who isn't charmed by these Bear books? In this one, Bear wakes from his long winter sleep just long enough to celebrate Christmas with his dear friends.

10. Christmas in the Manger
A cute little board book of the Christmas story.

11. The Snowman
The classic wordless tale of a boy whose snowman magically comes to life. I challenge my kids to take time to really study each picture.

12. One Wintry Night
In eleven precious chapters, Ruth Bell Graham takes the Christmas story all the way back to creation, giving account of all the Bible stories which point to our need for the coming Savior. I absolutely love the way this book is written... it is truly captivating. Perfect for reading one chapter a night before bedtime.

13. A Little House Christmas Treasury
A compilation of all the Christmas chapters from the Little House books. This is a beautifully bound book with full color illustrations.

14. The Night Before Christmas
The classic poem set to beautiful illustrations. My dad has read this book aloud before bed every single Christmas Eve for as long as I can remember.

15. Merry Christmas, Big Hungry Bear
It's safe to say that The Big Hungry Bear and the Red Ripe Strawberry is the most well loved picture book we own, making this Christmas story an automatic favorite.

16. Merry Christmas, Curious George
A favorite of my kids. George goes out to choose a Christmas tree and ends up bringing delight to the children's hospital.

17. The First Christmas
A nice, straightforward version of the first Christmas that can be read in about ten minutes.

18. Christmas Day in the Morning
Originally recommended by Stacy, this is a sweet story of a boy who gives his father the best Christmas gift he's ever received.

19. Frosty the Snowman
The Frosty song lyrics are accompanied with charming, nostalgic illustrations. You can't help but sing this book. :)

20. Wenceslas
A retelling of the tenth century king and his page who set out on a cold winter's night to help a poor man and his family.

21. Good King Wenceslas
I couldn't decide which Wenceslas book is my favorite, so I'm listing them both. :) This is a wonderful book put to the lyrics of the song, with lively illustrations.

22. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
This is one of my most favorite books ever, and one I find refreshingly honest and highly entertaining. We read it out loud at least once every year, and the ending makes me cry every single time. I'm compassionately endeared to the "horrible Herdman kids", and revel in the beauty of watching these poor neglected children hear the Christmas story for the very first time.

Happy reading!

Halloween 2011

2011-11-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

Time for the annual Halloween blog post! To be honest, it's well after midnight right now and I'm on a sugar high. Let's just say I made sixteen poor choices this evening.

Anyway.

For starters, I've mentioned in the past that my mom loves Halloween and she always comes bearing gifts for the children which usually include some form of disguise. This year: witch hats and mustaches. You can't wear your witch hat without a solid mustache, that's what I've always said.

Maizie didn't know what to think about this.

We were making our sexy faces in these photos. Let's just say... mission accomplished.

Oh yes.

And today, on this All Hallow's Eve, Jace and I enjoyed the company of one brave fireman and two beautiful princesses.

We went trick-or-treating with good friends from our neighborhood, and then came back to our house to warm up with hot apple cider.

Our crew.

Maizie bossing Beckham around.

Me and my buddy, Benjamin. He very much wanted to see a picture of the awesome spider on his face.

Maizie held Beckham's hand and dragged him around all evening.

Feeding Beck a chip.

And a good time was had by all. :)

Read-alouds from the 2010-11 school year

2011-10-27T10:13:00.001-07:00

Reading books out loud to my kids is pretty much my very most favorite part of our school day. Theirs too. In the cold weather months we snuggle under blankets, hopefully with candles burning. In warm weather, a picnic blanket in the sun is our spot of choice.

This year we also discovered the wonder of audio books. These have revolutionized our long car trips in ALL the right ways. Thank you my sweet Jesus for audio books!!! So a number of the books on this list we listened to on CD.

(And can I just tell you that we recently started the Little House series??? I have been ever so patiently waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting for Delaney to reach an age where I thought she would really appreciate these precious books, and we are so there. She loves them. Jack loves them too... there are just enough hunting stories to capture him. :) Maizie doesn't sit well to listen to them but she's picked up an enthusiasm for all the characters. Every night after we read I have my own little Mary and Laura sitting in bed and chattering excitedly about their dolls, Charlotte, Nettie and Baby Carrie. I am positively beside myself.)

Anyway. Here's our list from last year! We enjoyed them all. Jack and I are also beside ourselves with the Narnia series. He's been begging and begging to finish them, so my plan is to alternate Little House and Narnia books from here on out until we finish both series. I can't even tell you how much I love the Narnia series. My excitement over our read-alouds is officially out of control. Moving on.

2010-11 Read-Alouds
Paddle to the Sea
A Lion to Guard Us
The Magician's Nephew
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (a MOST favorite annual read)
Pippi Longstocking
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
The Moffit's
Mr. Popper's Penguins
Nate Saint biography by the Benge's
The Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson
Mary Poppins
Rabbit Hill

Do you have any favorite read-alouds from the past year??? I'm always adding to my list. :)

Chapter books for boys

2011-09-29T16:00:00.000-07:00

I've recently come across a few people looking for chapter book suggestions for boys, so I thought I'd post the list of books Jack read during the 2010-11 school year. These books are great for kids who are ready to move beyond the level 3 easy-readers. (Jack was six when he read these, but they would easily be enjoyed at any elementary school age.)

A word on how I approve books for Jack... I most definitely do not read them all the way through before I give them to him. I give them a light skimming at best, mostly just to check for bad attitudes and make sure the books are free of big brothers who complain about what pests their little sisters are. (My son can figure that sentiment out just fine on his own without the added reinforcement... trust me! :)) Mainly I rely on good, trusted book lists. Some favorites are Ambleside Online, the 1000 Good Books List, and Honey for a Child's Heart. I also use book lists from wonderful bloggers such as Kendra, Stacy, Lindafay, and Elizabeth.

Jack enjoyed all of these books! Many of them he read multiple times. Please feel free to add any of your own favorites in the comments section!

Happy reading!

Jack's book list 2010-11
The Magic Treehouse series by Mary Pope Osborne (#2-28)
The Boxcar Children series by Gertrude Chandler Warner (#4, 5, 6, 16, 22)
The Encyclopedia Brown series by Donald J. Sobol (#1, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11)
The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
Ralph S. Mouse by Beverly Cleary
Runaway Ralph by Beverly Cleary
Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary
Ribsy by Beverly Cleary
Socks by Beverly Cleary
Henry and Ribsy by Beverly Cleary
The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
Stuart Little by E.B. White
The Alligator Case by William Pene Du Bois
Freddy the Detective by Walter R. Brooks
Babe by Dick King-Smith
Tippy Lemmey by Patricia C. McKissack
Gooseberry Park by Cynthia Rylant
The Littles by John Peterson
Pippi Goes on Board by Astrid Lindgren
Pippi in the South Seas by Astrid Lindgren

My first quilt!

2011-09-26T14:39:00.000-07:00

I made a quilt! These are not words I ever imagined myself saying. I sewed some rice bag warmers a couple years ago for Christmas gifts, but other than that my last encounter with a sewing machine was over a pink elephant pillow in Mrs. Sager's seventh grade home ec.

My mother-in-law is an excellent seamstress, and quilting is her passion and forte. I knew I would love the creative process of quilting, and she was kind enough to come to my house during nap times to give me lessons. The end result is a twin-sized quilt that we will use as a picnic blanket.

I'm really happy with how it turned out and it's a darn good thing because I don't know when I will EVER have time to make another one of these things. It took forever! It was super fun to make though and I love how bright and colorful and cheery it is. Blankets and grass and sunshine and picnics are some of my favorite things in the whole wide world, so I trust that this quilt will get lots of use in the years to come. :)

Me and Delaney after we finished the very last ties:

Ready for picnicking:

And this is how it looks when wrapped around something cute:

From my journal this morning

2011-08-26T07:40:00.000-07:00

I love it when God takes familiar passages of Scripture and makes them fresh. As I've wrestled this past year with low energy, I often feel that my parenting is coming up short. This bit of instruction from today's Face to Face reading gave strength to my mama heart.

From 1 Peter 5 which addresses elders and young men... applying the instruction to my flock at home. :)

"...Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen."

Notes from my journal:

Serve my family today not because I have to, but with a willing heart.

Do not domineer over my children, but rather be an example to them.

Cover my whole self with humility, because God opposes my pride, but gives grace when I'm humble.

Whenever worry or doubt over my parenting or the kids starts to creep in, don't sit and stew on it; take it immediately to God, knowing that He cares deeply for me and my family and will work His best in spite of my weakness. All's grace.

Be alert and watchful over my children, because someone is constantly seeking to devour them. Likewise, watch my own heart carefully, knowing that even the most subtle sinful thoughts are intended as a means to my end.

Remember that all suffering is followed by strength and restoration. I can count on it and look forward to it.

Classical Conversations

2011-08-24T15:07:00.000-07:00

What follows is a wordy explanation of how we’re overhauling the way we do school this year. Not really a total overhaul… I guess you could call it a light overhaul. Mini. Pocket-sized. Anyway.

I first heard about Classical Conversations a number of years ago, and after talking with some friends who did it last year, Jace and I started looking into it. So for those who are interested, here’s Classical Conversations in a nutshell.

It's a tutoring program which follows the classical philosophy of education, with a purpose to know God and to make Him known. The Foundations program (age 4 thru 6th grade) places a heavy focus on memorization in order to learn the “grammar” of each subject. Subjects include history, geography, English grammar, Latin, science, and math. The kids also memorize all 160 of the Veritas Press history timeline cards in chronological order.

Local CC communities meet once a week (for 24 weeks) for “community day” where the kids are split into classes and a trained tutor creatively introduces the new memory work for that week. In addition to learning and reviewing memory work, they also do a science experiment and an art or music lesson, and every week each child gives an oral presentation in front of their class. Parents stay in their childrens' classrooms, as it is also the role of the tutors to give parents ideas on how to teach the material at home. CC runs about three hours, with an additional hour to eat lunch together and run around in the gym. When we’re at home the rest of the week we work on our memorization, expanding on what we’re learning as much as we want to. Parents are still responsible for choosing their own language arts and math curriculum. Most of the moms I've talked to say they spend about 20 minutes a day on CC memory work.

The memory work rotates through three one-year cycles. Each cycle focuses on either Old World history, New World history, or U.S. history. The other subjects correlate with these time periods when applicable. For example, we’re in Cycle 3 this year so our kids will be learning U.S. history and geography; anatomy and chemistry; English participles, irregular verb tenses and clauses; and for Latin we’ll be learning to translate the first chapter of John. Then three years from now we’ll do all the same Cycle 3 memory work again.

Okay, perhaps that explanation was a wee bigger than a nutshell.

So we’re super excited to give it a try! I’ve heard it said by many homeschooling pros that it takes time for moms to figure out how they homeschool best. I’m glad to have had that in the back of my mind the last couple years, because it has definitely taken me that long to find my groove. (Hopefully I'm almost there???) The biggest reason we started looking into CC is because I think it will really benefit me to have some accountability... a little something that forces us to stay on track.

The nice thing about Foundations, however, is that it only comprises a fraction of our total schoolwork, so I still have plenty of breathing room to be flexible and spontaneous with the rest of our schooling. I’m a little bit tied down but not completely tied down. As Miley would say, it’s the best of both worlds. And yes, I do own the Hannah Montana movie. My girls can watch it when they’re 28, but Jace and I happen to enjoy it.

And there you have it! Our official First Day of School is a week from Tuesday. Half of me can't wait, and half of me wants to lie on the floor and whimper for awhile. I’m super excited for school to start and I really do love fall and candles and sweaters and pumpkins and slippers with my whole heart… but… the sun is my first love and I'm never ready to say goodbye. Here’s hoping for more than a few school lessons by the kiddie pool. :D

(To see a sample of the Foundations curriculum guide, follow the link on this page where it says "Click here to read a sample".)

How I manage to homeschool

2011-08-22T12:17:00.001-07:00

On any given day I have about twenty ideas for homeschooling blog posts rolling around in my head. I wish I had time to actually write them all, but this morning I came across a quote that simply and wisely answers the question I am most commonly asked about homeschooling: "How in the world do you do it?!"

Perhaps there are some for whom homeschooling comes easy. Let me start by saying that I am not one of those people. I get an A for enthusiasm, but execution is always a challenge.

I know many people who have wrestled with the decision of whether or not to homeschool. Can I do it? Am I knowledgeable enough? If I spend all day every day alone with my kids will we all come out alive? What if there are holes in their education? What if they turn out to be socially inept and dorky? What if they won't listen to me? What if they have bad attitudes?

All very valid questions, and all questions Jace and I have grappled with ourselves. I'm certainly not minimizing the need to have a few practical puzzle pieces in place before stepping into homeschooling... however... there is one foundational truth that is imperative to nail down and embrace before you get so overwhelmed by the nitty-gritty that you decide homeschooling's too big for you and give up even thinking about it. And three weeks into the school year when I'm in the throes of it all and am hit over the head once again with the fact that homeschooling's too big for me too, I can't cling to a schedule or a curriculum or an incentive system. But I cling every single day to this:

"The only way of receiving supplies of spiritual strength and grace from Jesus Christ, on our part, is by faith. Hereby we come unto him, are implanted in him, abide with him, so as to bring forth fruit. He dwells in our hearts by faith, and he acts in us by faith, and we live by faith in or on the Son of God."
-John Owen (via Randy Alcorn's FB page)

Homeschooling tests my faith every day, every week, every year. Truly... in my eyes there is never enough time in the day to get everything done, and I rarely have the energy to do it anyway. But last summer as I was planning for the upcoming year, sweating over how I would manage additional schoolwork and a rambunctious two-year-old, God brought me to the story of the boy with the five loaves and two fish which Jesus used to feed over 5000 people... with food to spare.

Why do I doubt that God can do this miracle of multiplication in our little days at home? Why do we fret over all the questions? God supplied everything those people on the mountainside needed, with leftovers that exceeded the offering, and all that was required was for one little boy to give God all that he had. And that is what God said to me last summer, and continues to say day after day after day:

"Jodi, just take whatever you have, and give me all of it."

Nothing less.

And nothing more.

Last year as I managed not only school, home, and the aforementioned wild toddler, but also some unexpected health issues, there were some days when my prayers looked like this:

"God, what I have today are three cranky children with one cranky mother, a body that's so fatigued I can hardly remove myself from this bed, and hormones so unruly that, untamed, could cause some serious damage to the souls of the people in this house. I have absolutely nothing more than this to give you today, but Lord, I give you all of it, and I trust you to take all that I lack and turn it to all that I need."

And He does. And He will.

Strength comes in releasing the misguided notion that I need to do God's part. That I need to "find a way" to fight through my fatigue... that I need to "figure out" how to change my kids' stinky attitudes... that I need to "work on" my sinful habits. Nonsense. There is one place to bring those things and that place is the feet of God. My part is faith, receiving the strength that God promises to give, and obediently choosing to follow as I sense Him leading me throughout our day.

I've never had a "homeschooling fear" that God hasn't ended up providing for. And the beauty is that because we've trusted Him with the unknown, we also have some amazing stories of how He's creatively answered our prayers, thereby revealing Himself to us in ways so personal, so powerful, and so sweet. All for His glory, and all by His grace.

If God is pulling your heart to homeschool, don't let fear of the unknown hold you back! Believe that He can do what you can not, and then act on that belief. Wake up every morning and give all that you are and all that you have to Him.

"'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.' Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me."
-2 Corinthians 12:9

"Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God."
-2 Corinthians 3:5

"And without faith it is impossible to please God."

-Hebrews 11:6

Letter to Maizie on her 3rd birthday

2011-07-25T10:04:00.000-07:00

Dearest Maizie,

I can't believe my baby is turning three! How does one even begin to describe my Maizie Jay? People say it of you all the time… “She has so much personality!” It’s so true! You're so expressive that we could sit and watch you all day long and be thoroughly entertained the whole time.

You love Curious George, and the two of you truly have much in common. You’re both tiny, fun, always into mischief, and so adorable that we just can't help but squeeze the living daylights right out of you.

You choose to wear dresses or skirts every day, especially favoring your pink tutu and black leotard, which you call a "loolie". You also get very excited to wear your pink tights, which you call your "pinkie pinks".

The things you most love to do are play with our special school puzzles, read books, sing songs (your favorites are the ABC song, My God is So Big, and Stronger), watch Richard Scarry videos, eat spaghetti, nurse, play dress-up, pretend you’re a princess, and play "mama" with Delaney.

When you and Delaney play mama, one of you is the mama and the other one is the honey. It is a very common occurrence in our home for you to call, “Mama!” to which I respond, “Yes Maizie?” only to have you point at Delaney and say, “No! I’m talking to that mama!”

You love to make little “houses” for yourself. Sometimes you move into our one kitchen cabinet that’s mostly empty, needing only to remove the rice cooker before you and your dolls and toys can fit. Sometimes you go behind the chair in the living room and prop two pillows on top of each other to make a wall. Sometimes you just pack a bag and sit in the coat closet with the doors shut.

We are often told how verbal you are, and it is both fascinating and hilarious to hear all that goes on in your little mind. You do this stream of consciousness thing where your little mouth just runs and runs and your thoughts seem both nonsensical and brilliant all at the same time. You add “-ie” to the end of your words. Books are bookies. Cups are cuppies. Clothes are clothies. Blankets are blanketies. It’s adorable.

You are SO funny. Seriously. Even at such a young age, you say the cleverest little things that get us all laughing. You don’t fish for laughs… your sense of humor just comes naturally. It’s one of the ways we know how smart you are.

You’re also super goofy. You’ll sit at the table, and regardless of whether anyone’s watching, you’ll stare straight ahead and start making a long series of funny faces and gestures. It cracks us up every time!

You are the busiest little person I know. You truly do not sit still unless you are asleep or ill, and you are constantly getting into things you should not be into. (Twice this week you have opened the refrigerator, taken out an egg, and dropped it on the floor. “Oops, Mama... I cracked the eggie.”)

You're also one of the most affectionate little people I know. You have to give us all a hug and kiss before you go to bed, and we often get many more than one of each… “Now another kiss. Now another hug. Now another kiss…”

You are very friendly, always saying hi to people and offering a hug and telling them all about some very important bit of your life. As a result, you charm yourself right into the hearts of pretty much every person you meet. People tell us all the time how much they just love you, and… yup… it makes my mama heart swell pretty much right out of my chest because I love it when others know and appreciate and enjoy my Maizie the way I know and appreciate and enjoy her.

Maizie Jay, you are such a treasure, and my biggest prayer for you is that you will know just a small fraction of how much Jesus loves you. That this would be the knowledge that all your other self-knowings flow down from. You are His, baby girl. As your mama, I know you better than any other human on this earth, but Jesus knows you infinitely further still. I’ve never counted the hairs on your head. I don’t take note of every single time one of those silky blonde strands falls out. I don’t have every nook and cranny of your body, heart and soul memorized. He made you for His own glory, so He can enjoy you and you can enjoy Him. Know Him and enjoy Him, sweet girl.

Daddy and I are so proud that you are our daughter. I love you fiercely, my precious May-May.

Love,
Mama

“…there is nothing you can want, there is nothing you can ask for,
there is nothing you can need in time or in eternity,
there is nothing living, nothing dying,
there is nothing in this world, nothing in the next world,
there is nothing now, nothing at the resurrection-morning,
nothing in heaven
which is not contained in this text —
“I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
~Charles Spurgeon

(A video of Maizie on her 3rd birthday. Music can be paused in the right sidebar.)

Train ride with my boy

2011-05-31T17:50:00.000-07:00

Jace and I love stealing our kids away for special one-on-one dates. Thanks to our awesome homeschool co-op and the super fun opportunities it offers us, Jack and I got to enjoy a memorable day doing an Amtrak school trip. We took a round trip train ride to Seattle, with four and a half hours to explore the city once we got there!

The night before our excursion, Jack was so excited that he actually put himself to bed a half hour early because "the sooner I fall asleep the sooner it will be tomorrow." And the next morning he woke me up 15 minutes early (at 5:45) and whispered, "Hey Mom, just giving you a 15 minute warning." I absolutely love that kid. :)

Playing cards on the train:

A picture Jack took out the window:

Waiting for the monorail:

Lunch at the Space Needle:

A rare moment when his face was not squished against the window:

It takes 47 minutes to make one rotation. Just enough time to get some responses. :)

Watching the International Fountain and eating snacks:

We had time to walk to Pike Place before heading back to the train station, and Jack made friends with a mounted police officer.

Other favorite memories of our day together:

:: Running through the fountains at Seattle Center with my boy, holding hands, splashing, and laughing.

:: I actually got us on all the right buses. Miraculous.

:: The weather forecast right up to that very day was promising rain, which was a huge bummer since we had a lot of walking to do. Instead our entire time in Seattle was completely sunny and warm. Once we were back on the train, literally before the train even left the station, the clouds rolled in and it started pouring. Thank you Jesus for holding the rain just for us!

:: Snuggling close on the train ride home, and watching a movie on my iPhone.

:: Knowing that Jace and the girls were enjoying their own special day of going out to tea, playing at the park, and watching Tangled in the theater.

Jackaroni, thank you for being an eager adventurer, a constant source of laughter, and the funnest boy I know. I love you, my son!

Thankful (3.9.11)

2011-03-09T13:45:00.000-08:00

Continuing to count His endless gifts...

162. Spinning the kids so fast that none of us can stop laughing

163. Gigantic platters of pancakes

166. The wooded ravine on our property which offers hours of adventure and make-believe to my boy

169. Protection when a 9x13 glass Pyrex dish (sitting on a burner) exploded one foot in front of my face. Glass shot out all over the kitchen, shards of it absolutely everywhere- in front of me, to both sides of me, even behind me- but because there had been a baking sheet over the pan, not a single piece touched me. My shirt and pants did not have even the slightest fragment of glass on them.

178. Sabbath days of rest

181. A family game of princess Go Fish

183. Furniture moved around so all five of us could gather around the coffee table and still sit comfortably

Do you just love that creativity??? Mmm hmmmm....

186. An Auntie Jaime who plans extra special princess sleepovers filled with lots of thoughtfulness and love

192. The early morning sounds of little girls playing Ring Around the Rosie

196. All the ways they make me smile

202. The ability to create an environment where good habits can be learned (at least we hope :))

A rousing game of What Time Is It Mr. Fox. The littlest one was cheating.

203. That initial feeling of stepping into a hot shower when you're really cold

204. There's something satisfying about washing dishes by hand

207. Jack sang his reading lesson today and had us both laughing

208. A daddy coloring kitty cats and flowery hats

Thankful (2.28.11)

2011-02-28T17:09:00.001-08:00

Continuing to count His endless gifts...

133 | The way my Delaney Girl says "sank you"

134 | The way snow falls on a tree, remembering every branch

Looking out our front door.

137 | The way the inside of the house is lighter when the outside is covered in white

138 | Hearts covered in white reflect light in quite the same way

139 | The sound of snowballs hitting the house

140 | Little kids in snow bibs

This little girl LOVES the snow.

141 | Jack's cute little face bent over his schoolwork

142 | His blonde eyelashes

146 | Box full of sharpened pencils

154 | Tiny girl in fairy wings and clown hair

155 | Oh how she melts my heart

157 | I got to marry the hardest working man in the world

160 | Taking a cape my mom sewed when I was a little girl and fastening it around the neck of my own little girl

161 | "Delaney! Let's put on a show! You'll be a princess and I'll be a man flying around in a plane and Maizie will be your daughter!"

Who is this tall lanky thing that reaches halfway up my freezer and thinks he's too big for front teeth?

The (current) rhythm of our day

2011-02-24T14:16:00.000-08:00

I have a reluctant relationship with schedules. I adore the order and efficiency they afford, and yet I am a total fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants girl at heart. I want the order, but I don't want to be tied down to it.

However, in this season of raising and homeschooling young children, it is ever apparent that a) my kiddos thrive on routine, and b) without some sort of structure I am capable of wasting an atrocious amount of time. Our latest rhythm is working really well for us, so I thought I'd share!

I realize this schedule appears very neat, tidy, perfect and pretty, but mind you, that is the case because I am so naturally undisciplined and distracted. Our schedule is not the law; it exists as a tool to keep us on track when I start wandering aimlessly through our day, and God gets all the glory for anything functional that comes from my scatterbrained self.

6:30- My feet hit the floor
My alarm starts going off at 6:00, and at 6:30 I start my workout, then shower and read my Bible. The kids are allowed to watch a couple cartoons when they wake up.

8:30- Breakfast and chores
At the breakfast table we talk about our Proverb of the week and do some memory work flashcards (catechism, verses, history facts, and Spanish). I also try to share something that stood out to me from my time in Scripture that morning. After breakfast everyone does their chores, usually to some fun music.

10:00ish- Morning lessons
In the mornings, Jack does his math, handwriting, and language arts. For the girls, I have a bunch of educational toys and puzzles that are reserved just for times like this.

11:00ish- Activity or errand
If I have a quick errand to run we do it at this time, otherwise we might play a game, do some exercises, or set out play dough, watercolors, etc. Oftentimes the kids just play on their own.

12:00- Lunch
As soon as Maizie is done with lunch, she and I read books together, and then she's off to nap time.

1:00- Nap/rest time
Maizie goes down for her nap, and the bigger two lie in their beds for a 30 minute rest time. (D rests in my bed since she and Maiz share a room.) I like that this gives Delaney an opportunity to fall asleep if her body needs a nap.

1:30- Afternoon lessons
This is when we cover all the rest of our school subjects, including preschool for Delaney.

3:00ish- Free time
Free time for all! I encourage the kids to go outside or ride bikes in the garage. If they really need time apart, I send them to their separate rooms for an hour to have quiet play time.

5:30- Dinner
We greet Jace when he gets home from work, and after dinner I clean up while Jace plays with the kids, gets them ready for bed, and reads them their Bible story and bedtime books.

7:30- Kids in bed
With any luck, the house is clean when the kids go to bed and Jace and I can relax and spend time together.

10:00- Lights out

I find that I typically change our schedule every few months, as our family dynamic is in constant flux. And not to worry... there are still plenty of days that our whole schedule is thrown out the window in favor of crazy spontaneity. :)

Thankful (2.21.11)

2011-02-21T11:46:00.000-08:00

Continuing to count His endless gifts...

85 | Playing tag with Delaney today and laughing so hard I could barely breathe

97 | A naturopath who helps me find the root of my ailments, and treats the cause rather than the symptoms.

98 | Snow! Even though it only lasted 10 minutes, what a beautiful 10 minutes they were!

101 | Hello Kitty socks that rarely find a way off their owner's feet, so loved are they

104 | A few AMAZING days with Jack since cutting out gluten. I'm astonished.

109 | Windows that let outdoor air in

114 | Our nice slow mornings... workout, shower, quiet time, cartoons, hot breakfast, chores, lots of time to talk and enjoy each other... I just love our mornings

121 | A tiny braid sweeping down alongside big blue eyes, soft chubby cheeks, perfect little mouth

122 | A friend to drive to bible study with every week

123 | The gift of A, our newest child to the disability ministry

127 | Morning snuggles with my baby girl

128 | Little finger gently poking my face... "Boop. I push your nose. Boop. I push your mouth."

130 | Knowing that all things are possible with God.

Weekly meal plan 2/19

2011-02-18T21:43:00.000-08:00

Saturday and Sunday: Lettuce tacos with taco meat, pico de gallo, avocado slices, and salsa verde. (We're painting the kids' bedrooms this weekend, and I'm doing lettuce tacos both days to keep things simple. I have big batches of meat and pico already made up. We simply use lettuce leaves in place of a tortilla, and they're super duper good! This meal is a favorite of my kids.)

Monday: Roasted chicken and steamed broccoli over brown rice, with a coconut curry sauce (cooking a whole chicken)

Tuesday: Salad with leftover chicken, and a fruit and cheese plate

Wednesday: Salmon, roasted butternut squash with rosemary and balsamic vinegar, and a spinach salad

Thursday: Hot dogs, rice mac & cheese, and steamed broccoli (leftovers for me and Jace)

Friday: Paleo shrimp alfredo over spaghetti squash, and a green salad

Breakfast options: Scrambled eggs, egg muffins, hot quinoa cereal with applesauce and cinnamon, grain-free/sugar-free chocolate zucchini muffins, green smoothies, fresh fruit

Lunch and snack options: Sandwich fixings in lettuce wraps, cobb salad, egg salad with brown rice crackers, sweet potato fries, brown rice cakes with almond butter, fruit crisp with whipped coconut milk, fresh fruit and veggies, nuts

Weekly meal plan 2/12

2011-02-12T12:12:00.000-08:00

Saturday: Date night! Kids get a sack dinner to eat at the babysitting night at church.

Sunday: Garlic beef stew and a salad

Valentine's Day: ♥
Breakfast: Heart-shaped coconut flour pancakes with red berry sauce and homemade turkey sausage | Lunch: Meatballs with marinara for dipping, red bell pepper slices, and pink smoothies | Dinner: Heart-shaped paleo pizza (with spinach, grilled chicken, red bell pepper, olives, red onion and garlic salt; plain cheese for the kids) and a strawberry spinach salad | Dessert: No-sugar berry and pear crisp (in a heart-shaped pan) with stevia sweetened whipped coconut milk

Tuesday: Cod baked with lemon, butter and herbs, mashed sweet potatoes, and roasted brussels sprouts with shallots (w/o the sugar)

Wednesday: Jace at the Blazer game; kids and I will eat leftover pizza and salad

Thursday: Hot dogs, rice mac & cheese, and steamed veggies

Friday: Breakfast sandwiches (grain-free biscuits, turkey sausage, eggs and raw cheddar), green smoothies, and a fruit plate

Breakfast ideas: Hot quinoa cereal with applesauce and cinnamon, coconut flour pancakes, green smoothies, scrambled eggs, turkey sausage, fresh fruit

Lunch and snack ideas: Grilled chicken and homemade barbecue sauce, quinoa with leftover chicken and veggies, chicken salad in lettuce wraps, taco salad, brown rice with peas and butter, hard-boiled eggs, brown rice cakes with almond butter, coconut flour cranberry muffins, fresh fruits and veggies, nuts

Valentine's Day links

2011-02-11T08:15:00.000-08:00

:: I thought this was a great post on marriage. Have I mentioned a time or twenty that I love Ann Voskamp?

:: Sugar is banned from our house right now, so I've been praying for creative alternatives to holiday candy for my kids. This adorable download is perfect, and I actually think my kids will love having their own discretionary pieces of fruit. Arrange them in a basket with a couple little gifts and I think we'll have a winner. Thank you God for creative help!

:: For Valentine's Day dessert I'm planning on a no-sugar fruit crisp in my heart-shaped cake pan. I'll probably stick to low sugar fruits like berries and pears, and use this recipe and this recipe for inspiration.

:: Valentine BINGO... another fun printable. They suggest using conversation hearts for markers. Cute!

:: Some poetry lesson plan ideas. We wrote Valentine's Day haikus in school this week. I love them. :)

:: Every year my kids look forward to making their mailboxes and hanging them on the fireplace. Let the mad frenzy of "mail making" begin.

:: Another one of my goals for the year is to be intentional in teaching my kids good manners. My creative friend Ginger did this activity with her kids last year, and we're going to do it too! What I love most about this project is how they centered it on teaching their kids that good manners are a way to show others you care. Since we'll already be talking about love on Valentine's Day, I thought this would be the perfect time to introduce our manners project. I'll milk the valentine excitement by writing our manners on little hearts, further emphasizing that manners are a way to love and respect others. Ginger's follow-up post is here, along with their list of 43(!) manners. Thank you Ginger!

Happy Valentine's Day to all!

1000 gifts, and the reason I'm counting

2011-02-08T06:04:00.000-08:00

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
-1 Thessalonians 5:18

One of my goals for the year was to start a gratitude journal. This is something I've wanted to do for a long time ever since reading about the Thousand Gifts List at Ann Voskamp's blog. It's a list of one thousand (or endless) gifts that God gives you, written down day by day, as they happen.

There are two reasons I'm starting this list.

#1: The discipline of seeing God

For me, this list isn't only about giving thanks; it's about learning to see God. To recognize Him in everything. The Bible says every good gift comes from God, and yet there are so many "small" gifts that I pass by every day without recognizing the One who made them just for me. The song of a bird... the smell of the grass... every single kiss my baby girl plants on my lips... It's about noticing the endless little love notes God leaves me throughout the day, and praising Him for each one.

#2: The act of rejecting fear

Fear has been an unwanted companion of mine for a long time. I have this tendency to fixate on the bad things that could happen. Two problems here: One is that they are things that are not happening. God calls me to fix my mind on things that are true, and worrying about what might happen is the same as thinking on things that are untrue. The second problem is that in focusing on things that are not true, I'm missing the things that are. I've found the best answer to fear is thankfulness. By thanking God in all kinds of circumstances we begin to know Him more... to see beyond those circumstances... to realize that even if our world turns upside down, His hand doesn't stop giving good things.

We wonder whether God still performs miracles, and yet we are utterly surrounded by them. So every day I am counting His gifts, jotting down the ways He cares for me.

I truly can not write fast enough.

(I decided to make my list in the format of a visual journal. It's a journal of our days, a place I can spill creativity, inspiration, and thanks in the never-ending story of God's gifts lavished upon our family.)

Just a few:

6 | Hot water in my shower

9 | Even though my kids bicker often, I'm so thankful we get to learn how to work through every little quarrel here in our home

12 | Soft cozy sweaters on cold days

16 | Garbage service

20 | Sheets to wash

21 | Dishes to clean

22 | Little hands and faces that are sticky because they were enjoying plentiful food

27 | The way my girls sweep their hair out of their faces

31 | The fun of making my home pretty, however I like

42 | Farm fresh eggs every Sunday

69 | A tiny girl in cowboy boots sitting in my backseat singing The Little Drummer Boy... in February

73 | Two sisters who take turns pretending to be mamas to each other

76 | Hubby who takes the day off just to be with us

79 | The pretty green flesh of an avocado

81 | A precious smile that now has its top two front teeth missing... very few things are cuter to me

83 | Handwritten notes to the Tooth Fairy which accompany every lost tooth and always read the same: "Please don't take my tooth. Thank you."

Weekly meal plan 2/6

2011-02-06T07:24:00.000-08:00

Sunday: Superbowl party... I'm bringing green chicken chili with kale

Monday: Leftover chili and a salad

Tuesday: Salmon, asparagus wrapped in prosciutto, and a chopped salad with quinoa

Wednesday: Southwestern egg scramble, sausage, and fresh fruit

Thursday: Hot dogs, mac and cheese with rice noodles, and steamed broccoli (leftovers for Mom)

Friday: Almond meal chicken nuggets, rice salad, and fresh fruit

Saturday: Leftovers

Breakfast options: Eggs, green smoothies, grain-free chocolate zucchini muffins, hot quinoa cereal with coconut milk and cinnamon, fresh fruit

Lunch/snack options: Meatballs with homemade barbecue sauce for dipping, taco salad, brown rice with veggies and coconut curry sauce, rice cakes with almond butter, deviled eggs, raw cheddar cheese, nuts, fresh fruits and veggies, stevia sweetened pumpkin pudding

Weekly meal plan 1/30

2011-01-30T15:37:00.000-08:00

I'm loving my new grocery shopping system. Our old system involved hammering out our shopping on the way home from church on Sundays, but because we try to be intentional about resting on Sundays, this was never an ideal arrangement.

Under the new routine, I wake up early on Saturday mornings, pick my friend Kristin up at 7:30, and the two of us do all our grocery shopping together. By the time I get home (usually shortly after 9:30), Jace and the kids have finished breakfast and we're ready to start our day! I love finding creative ways to steal time with friends, and this has taken a dreaded chore and turned it into something I genuinely look forward to. Efficiency at its best!

Here's what we're eating this week...

Sunday: Crock pot chicken and quinoa (again) and a salad

Monday: Cooking a whole chicken and serving it with brown rice and steamed broccoli

Tuesday: Chicken and vegetable soup with homemade stock, and a cheese and fruit plate

Wednesday: Salmon, roasted asparagus, fresh fruit, and deviled eggs

Thursday: Hot dogs, mac & cheese with rice noodles, and steamed broccoli
Thursdays are our busy nights with gymnastics and our church's kids program, so this is our standard Thursday dinner. I buy our hot dogs at Trader Joe's... all beef, no nitrites, hormones, etc. and they taste great! I can't eat this meal, so I usually have leftovers.

Friday: Swedish meatballs-- grain-free meatballs over mashed cauliflower, with gravy and cranberry sauce (gravy thickened with arrowroot powder)

Saturday: Leftovers

Breakfast ideas: Green smoothies, scrambled eggs, broccoli quiche, coconut pancakes with blueberry sauce, paleo cereal (drawing inspiration from this recipe), and fresh fruit

Lunch and snack ideas: Chicken salad, brown rice with veggies, brown rice cakes with almond butter, egg salad on toast, leftovers, fresh fruit and veggies, and nuts

Weekly meal plan 1/23

2011-01-24T20:07:00.000-08:00

Meals around here have looked way different the last several months. I've temporarily undergone a major change in diet to deal with some health issues, and I'm slowly changing the family's diet as well.

My diet has looked a lot like the paleo diet (with even more limitations if you can believe it), so most of my meal inspiration comes from paleo sources. Everything I've experienced recently has really made me reevaluate the way I feed my kids, and I'm gradually switching us all over to a high protein/high veggie/low grain/no sugar diet. Think Nourishing Traditions with some paleo throw in. :)

I have a number of paleo friends out there, and one dear friend who is my partner in candida-fighting crime, so I thought I would attempt to post my meal plans with a little more frequency. Here's what we're doing this week!

Sunday: Crock pot steak fajitas with pico de gallo and avocado (on corn tortillas for Jace and the kids) and a chopped salad (cabbage, spinach, red bell pepper, pear and red onion, all chopped fine and tossed with homemade mayo, a squeeze of lemon, sea salt, and fresh cracked pepper)

Monday: Crock pot chicken and quinoa, and a chopped salad
We had this tonight and it was a hit with the whole family. This is sure to become a favorite Sunday dinner. I used four chicken thighs... and don't even think about skipping the butter!

Tuesday: Grilled chicken, brown rice (with butter, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper), and steamed broccoli
I've started buying Kerrygold butter, which is made from grass fed cows... you can find it at Trader Joe's or any natural food store.

Wednesday: Chuck roast in the crock pot, mashed cauliflower, and a salad

Thursday: Hot dogs, mac & cheese on rice noodles, and steamed broccoli (salmon and broccoli for Mom)

Friday: Dinner at our friends' house

Saturday: Meatloaf, mashed cauliflower, and steamed broccoli

Breakfast ideas: Scrambled eggs, coconut berry smoothies with spinach and kale, coconut flour pancakes (thanks to Cutzi for the recipe) with blueberry sauce, peanut butter on TJ's brown rice tortillas, oatmeal with applesauce, fresh fruit

Lunch and snack ideas: Grilled chicken with paleo BBQ sauce, hamburger patties with sliced tomato and avocado, tuna salad on spinach and cabbage, brown rice and peas, brown rice tortilla with peanut butter and banana, PBJ, deviled eggs, no-sugar chocolate zucchini muffins, fresh fruit, fresh veggies, almonds

Jack & Delaney's goals

2011-01-05T20:28:00.001-08:00

As we were talking about goals for the new year, Jack (6) and Delaney (4) made some lists of their own. Their goals were totally unprompted, and I thought they were too cute not to share!

Delaney's Goals
1. Save enough money to buy a baby.
2. Not to lose dollies or water.
3. Try not to break other people's things.

Jack's Goals
1. Kill spiders.
2. Only speak kind words.
3. Not be mean to my sister.
4. Not to watch TV so much. (He said to me, "Kids love to watch TV, but I don't want to watch it that much. I want to stay healthy." Hilarious considering this child would literally glue himself to a television set if I let him.)
5. Not whine so much.
6. Run some more.
7. Try not to break other people's things.
8. Draw a little more. ("...to exercise my hand and keep it all worked up.")

I love those kids. :)

Goals for 2011

2011-01-01T20:58:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

We enjoyed a wonderful Christmas season with family and friends, and last night we rang in 2011 (at 12:00 Eastern time) with sweet potato fries, candy, sparkling cider, and great conversation about our hopes and goals for the new year.

As sad as it makes me to pack up the Christmas decorations at the end of the year, I love the way it connects with my heart's desire for newness in the year to come. Simplify. Focus. Narrow life down to those things which are most important, and then go after them.

Goals excite me! I have 18 on my list, and I do not necessarily plan to attack all 18 at once. My goals give a framework to the places I'd like to go this year, and I savor the knowledge that all things are possible.

These are my goals for 2011!

1. "Only speak words that make souls stronger."
(These words are courtesy of Ann Voskamp at Holy Experience. ) I'm really committing to this. I've been a bit sharp-tongued lately, and I'm rather fed up with myself. I laminated three of Ann's printable cards and posted them on my bathroom mirror, on the window above my kitchen sink, and in my car. I also have a list of speech-related verses I'm planning to memorize.

2. Memorize two passages of Scripture per month.

3. Read at least one new non-fiction book per month that focuses on growing my faith, marriage, motherhood, etc.

4. Keep my bedroom clean.

5. Go to a hot yoga class.
I know I would love hot yoga, and it would be so good for me. I've researched all our local studios, now I just need to go! I have no idea how I'd find time to go regularly, but my goal is to at least try it once.

6. Remodel the bathroom, thereby putting our house in a position to sell.
Not that we're planning to sell. We just want to be ready if an opportunity presents itself.

7. Stay on our budget all year.

8. Start a gratitude journal.
More on that here!

9. Start writing letters to each of my kids on their birthdays.
I've seen a number of mamas who do this, and I love it. I would love to write a letter each year that not only records how the child has grown, but offers wisdom and instruction... something I hope they would treasure when they're grown.

10. Give my kids more verbal praise than verbal correction.
I don't ever want my kids to doubt that I think they are awesome, amazing, wonderful, stupendous... that I am CRAZY about them... that I am their biggest fan. Correction is essential, but I want praise to outweigh it.

11. Focus on teaching the kids manners.

12. Keep up with the laundry.

13. Paint, redecorate, and organize the kids' rooms.

14. Pray faithfully for ways I can serve others.
I'm often discouraged over feeling like my responsibilities at home are so all-consuming that I don't have the reserve to serve others. Two things I know: 1) My responsibilities at home are of highest priority. 2) If I ask God to provide creative opportunities for me to help carry the burdens of those in need, He will!

15. Pray faithfully for laughter.

16. Use a prayer calendar to pray faithfully for my kids.
Right now I'm thinking of using this calendar. I want to laminate it and hang it in my shower.

17. Have the house clean by 8:00 every night so Jace can just relax, and he and I can spend time together.

18. Hold onto tasks loosely. Always be willing to lay them down in order to invest in my family and build new memories.
People are more important than tasks. Enough said!

Wishing you all the best in 2011!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T14:02:00.000-08:00

"For all that has been... thanks. For all that shall be... yes."
-Dag Hammarskjold

For those who are busy cooking and could use some fun resources to occupy your kiddos, here are some links that have come in handy around here.

FREE download of The Legend of Squanto from Focus on the Family Radio Theater. (The retail price on this is $22.99!)

Three interactive modules from Scholastic, which include a tour of the Mayflower, daily life as a Pilgrim, and the first Thanksgiving.

Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Maizie's favorite song

2010-11-01T15:49:00.000-07:00

I can't help but post this video of my Maizie Jay singing her favorite song. This child has more personality than my little heart can handle.

Here's the translation. It's the chorus of Stronger by Hillsong...

"You are stronger
You are stronger
Sin is broken
You have saved me
It is written
Christ is risen
Jesus, You, are Lord of all"

(You can pause my music in the bottom of the left sidebar.)

Merry Autumn Days

2010-10-28T08:57:00.000-07:00

If you were to open our poetry book these days, the book would probably naturally fall open to pages 92-93, where all the fall poems are printed. My favorite right now...

Merry Autumn Days

'Tis pleasant on a fine spring morn
To see the buds expand,
'Tis pleasant in the summertime
To see the fruitful land;
'Tis pleasant on a winter's night
To sit around the blaze,
But what are joys like these, my boys,
To merry autumn days!

We hail the merry autumn days,
When leaves are turning red;
Because they're far more beautiful
Than anyone has said.
We hail the merry harvest time,
The gayest of the year;
The time of rich and bounteous crops,
Rejoicing and good cheer.

-Charles Dickens

******

Some photos of our merry autumn days...

Few things seem more perfect than a beautiful, round apple fresh off a tree.

Tomatoes, basil and onion from the garden, ready to be roasted for marinara sauce.

First day of Monday School!

Picking out pumpkins at the farm near our house.

Color.

Fliers Jack made for his new business.

Putting out fall decorations.

Hay ride!

My mom really likes Halloween, and every year she comes bearing gifts.

One of my favorite fall photos.

Dinner.

Our co-op did a field trip to the pumpkin patch. I didn't think this corn maze would ever end, but was well worth it thanks to the company of sweet friends.

Yet to be carved.

Autumn acrostic poems.

We hail the merry autumn days!

"Get out the way of me and my crew crew crew"

2010-10-22T09:38:00.000-07:00

We like to have random dance parties. I've found it's the most effective way to clean the house. Also useful for infusing energy, inducing giggles, eliminating cranky pants, and having fun. :)

You can turn my music off in the bottom of the left sidebar. Oh, and please ignore my singing.

First week of school!

2010-09-07T14:09:00.000-07:00

We officially started our school year last week! We began a bit early in order to afford ourselves several fun weeks off here and there throughout the year.

I took time this summer to plan, print, and prep for the entire year, and our first week went really well! There are definitely some kinks in our schedule that I need to work out, but I knew that would happen. After a couple weeks of trial and error, I'm confident we'll find a good rhythm for our days.

As much as I looooove summer, I really love fall too. The weather's been cooling off around here, and it feels good to get back into a routine. Every morning we eat our breakfast, do our chores, light our pumpkin-nectarine candle, and cozy up to the table with our school books. These are the things that make my heart so happy. :) Sure there are also many frazzled moments where we get behind "schedule" and kids squabble and whine and distract, and Mom gets overwhelmed and cranky. But we move on and try not to get stuck there.

Here's an overview of what we're doing in school this year, in no particular order:

Circle Time: Pray, review our Proverb of the week, review our Spanish words of the week (5-6 words or phrases per week), sing our hymn of the month, and practice recitations (poems or passages of Scripture that I select for the kids to memorize). We end Circle Time with child training. (No, I don't think my children are dogs. This is our time to practice cheerfully obeying mama and showing kindness and generosity to siblings. It's like a game for the kids... they love it. It reinforces good habits and usually sets a great tone for the day.)

Language Arts: Mondays and Wednesdays Jack reads a story from his Pathway reader, and then does the corresponding worksheet. On Tuesdays and Thursdays we do a reading lesson together from The Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading, and then he does two or three pages from his Handwriting Without Tears book.

(We started using The Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading last year and I really like it. It doesn't have any bells or whistles, but the lessons are short, simple, and thorough. The way I like to approach reading is to offer kids some simple phonics instruction, and then start putting real books in their hands asap. Bob books are a great place to start. I also highly recommend Handwriting Without Tears, especially if you have a child who doesn't enjoy handwriting practice. Jack used to be one such kid, but ever since we started HWT last year, it has become one of his favorite things to do in school. He almost always asks if he can do more than his assigned pages.)

History: We're using Mystery of History this year, and so far I love it! We're going to take two years to go through Volume 1 (Creation to Christ). Two times during the year we'll take a break from MOH to study American History, using selections from What Your First Grader Needs to Know, as well as a bunch of great library books that I've already previewed. (Can I just tell you that I'm learning so much about history right now? It's such an added bonus!)

Math: Mondays and Wednesdays we do math with the first grade Rod & Staff math book. I do a lesson on the whiteboard, and Jack does a worksheet.

Mechanics: One of the things I love about homeschooling is that we can study the things that most captivate my kids. This summer I asked Jack what he wanted to learn about, and I knew exactly what he would say. "I want to learn how cars work." So that's exactly what we're doing! I bought a great book called How Cars Work. Every Tuesday and Thursday we read about a different car part, and then Jack narrates back what we read, writes his narration down, and draws a picture above it. He loves it. :) Jace is great with cars, and he intends to give Jack a lot of hands-on experience this year.

Weekly Subjects: These are the areas that I only want to cover once a week. Mondays we do Art Study. We spend six weeks on one artist, and every Monday we look at a different painting. We study it, discuss it, and also learn about the artist's life. Tuesdays we do a Composer Study. We spend 10 weeks on one composer, listening to various pieces, moving to the music, and learning about our composer. Wednesdays we do a narration page. I read the kids a short story (right now we're using Aesop's Fables), they narrate back what they heard, I write their words on the bottom half of a sheet of paper, and then they draw a picture above their narration. Thursdays we go for a nature walk.

Preschool: Miss Delaney is my little preschooler this year. She is included in circle time, history and our weekly subjects, but I also spend a bit of time with her each day on her own preschool work. We're doing a letter-of-the-week study right now. Each week we talk about our letter, learn it's sound, and read books that showcase words beginning in our letter. She'll also spend the year working on an All About Me book, an alphabet book, and various fun worksheets. When I need to work alone with Jack, I have special preschool toys for the girls that I reserve just for school time.

Read Alouds: I searched many reading lists this summer and previewed a lot of books before coming up with our own reading list for the year. (Many of my book ideas came from Ambleside Online. Their preschool/kindergarten list is here, and their first grade list is here.) We'll be reading poetry, classic literature, biographies, magazines, and lots of quality picture books and chapter books. This is everyone's favorite part of the school day. :)

And there you have it! If we were to do everything listed above start to finish without any breaks, I would say that we spend two and a half hours per day doing school. Maybe less.

I think the schools around here had their first day today. It's always such an exciting time! Wishing all of you a happy school year!

Summer, Fear, and Joy

2010-08-29T19:58:00.000-07:00

And just like that, a summer goes by! This summer has been wild for us. A bizarre conglomeration of difficulty, joy, weakness, and fun. Unique to say the least.

The afternoon of May 3rd, our 10-year-old niece was hit by an SUV while she was getting the mail. When 90 pounds of little girl meet three tons of Chevy Suburban at 40 miles per hour, you do not expect a favorable outcome. She was immediately transported to the hospital by Life Flight. It was a flight she was not expected to survive. They put her in a medically induced coma while we waited for the brain swelling to go down. Five days later she underwent an incredibly high risk surgery to fuse the top four vertebrae of her spine. Then it was a waiting game to see how much function she would regain; how much damage had been done.

I wish I could find adequate words to explain what a miracle it is that she survived. I could write for a week about all the reasons why it doesn't make sense that she's still here. And not only did she survive, but today, nearly four months later, she's walking, talking, and showing us remarkable amounts of cognitive ability and personality. Three months ago I sat daily next to the bed of a lifeless sleeping girl, holding her hand, reading her Charlotte's Web, and wondering if this was as good as it was going to get. This afternoon that same little girl snuggled up next to me in my chair, eating ice cream and showing me her silly bands.

We got to watch a miracle this summer. I have never felt so small. And God has never felt so big.

The icing on the cake, and what might possibly be the most glorious contradiction I'll ever encounter, is her name. My sweet little niece laid in an ICU bed absolutely covered in tubes, alive only with the help of machines, her fate a gigantic question mark. She spent nearly three months in the hospital. I've never experienced such a bitter fear, and I can't even attempt to comprehend what that bitter fear felt like in the shoes of her mama and daddy.

But her name... is Joy.

The last four months have been such a whirlwind that I truly do not feel like I have had time to process and unpack everything that has happened. I know there are lessons to be learned through all of this, but I can't quite put words around them yet. However, one simple truth that did ring freshly true for me was this:

Fear robs us of joy. The two can't coexist. And I don't want to pitch my tent on the side of fear.

Just in case this wasn't made quite clear enough to me, for the three weeks which immediately followed the accident, this is the billboard I passed every single day on my way to the hospital:

And just for fun, here's a quick video of what Joy was up to last weekend. (You can pause my playlist at the bottom of the left sidebar.)

Needless to say, this summer was busy on a number of levels, and even though it was a difficult summer, we did enjoy a lot of fun times together. And because I really did sit down here tonight to write a recap of our whole summer, here are some favorite pictures:

Dinners in the backyard:

Playing some hilarious games of charades:

Handsome boys:

Family hike:

Weekend of sweet refreshment with even sweeter friends:

Silly faces with Joy:

She was trying so hard to resist eating that rock:

Beautiful bike ride with the husband:

Early morning runs through the sprinkler:

Celebrating the beautiful wedding day of our dear friends:

Vacation at the lake with my family:

Backyard camp-out with friends:

Showing off her freshly manicured nails:

Eating blueberries:

Sitting around the campfire:

Nothing spells childhood days of summer like traipsing through the woods with your rubber boots, a dress-up hat, and your weapon of choice:

And there you have it. This summer will forever be remembered as the Summer of Joy. :)

Whole Wheat Chocoloate Chip Waffles

2010-06-01T10:33:00.000-07:00

I've been working on a post pertaining to what the last four weeks have been like for us, but at this point I don't know when or if I'll get around to finishing it. Stay tuned I guess. In the meantime? Waffles.

This recipe was heavily adapted from my Betty Crocker cookbook. I use 2 parts whole wheat flour and 1 part white, but they're very good with 100% whole wheat. Makes 12 7-inch waffles.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Waffles
3 eggs
2 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. unbleached white flour
3 c. milk
3 T. melted coconut oil, or butter
1/2 c. ground flax
2 T. rapadura, or white sugar, or brown sugar
2 T. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 T. vanilla
1/2 c. mini chocolate chips (optional)

Whisk wet ingredients and dry ingredients in separate bowls, and then stir together until just combined. Or if you're lazy like me, just throw everything in one bowl and hope for the best. Cook according to your waffle iron's instructions.

Farmhouse

2010-04-14T13:50:00.000-07:00

I've been looking at floor plans lately, and I found this farmhouse that I can't get out of my head. Wanna see?

I like looking at floor plans.

Okay, photos of the house follow, but here's the main floor. I would finagle the laundry room and bathroom in order to make an office "nook" where that closet is, and then wall in a small guest bedroom right behind it. It would work. Trust me.

Here's the second floor. It would all be up for rearranging.

There's an option of a third story bonus room. Which we would want if we were to build it. But the house is 3000 square feet with the first two levels. Finishing the third would bring it to 3700. That's more house than we would be hoping for.

Okay so here's the outside of the house. I wish there was some landscaping and more curb appeal in this photo. And for crying out loud, some color. You have to imagine that stuff in.

And don't think for a second that I wouldn't try to paint this sucker barn red.

But in the end I'd probably stick with the classic white. I'm curious about your thoughts on the metal roof.
Living room:

Dining area:
I adore this kitchen. Especially that big long butler's pantry.
I love white cabinets. In this kitchen I would put glass doors on all those cabinets along the wall of the sink.

Master bath:

What do you think??? It's purty, ain't it?

All images courtesy of houseplans.com.

My newest helper

2010-04-13T16:57:00.000-07:00

Just because you're under three feet tall doesn't mean you can't do chores!

Does this extra help in the kitchen save me time?

Sure don't.

But I'm hoping it will pay off several years from now. :)

Sunday

2010-04-11T21:45:00.000-07:00

The verse that stood out to me the most this week was:

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men."
- Colossians 3:23

It seems like my most productive days are often my most discouraging, because at the end of the day I look around at everything that still hasn't been tended to. It's a bit discouraging to work really really hard all day and then look back and realize you barely made a dent. I tried to remember Colossians 3:23 this week whenever I would start feeling overwhelmed or joyless.

My friend Ginger is reading Passionate Housewives Desperate for God by Jennie Chancey, and she shared some favorite quotes from the book right here. A couple that were especially pertinent to me this week:

"Often we don’t view our daily activities biblically. We wrongly believe that the more mundane the task, the less significant it is to God. … each one is a holy act when it’s done as unto the Lord."

"Instead of seeking to make a name for ourselves or be 'important,' we need to thankfully embrace the fact that God works through humble people, small steps, and what the world considers insignificant and often thankless work. "

My kitchen floor may be littered with Cheerios, but it's holy ground. I can only hope for the grace and humility to remember that, and be joyful.

Menu Plan Monday- April 5

2010-04-05T13:26:00.000-07:00

The Asian turkey wrap filling over shredded cabbage was a huge hit last week. I made some peanut sauce and drizzled it on top as well. Yum. It's definitely being added to our regular rotation, and I froze the leftover meat in portions to use for lunches. I love cabbage (it's just so crunchy!) so I was able to stretch the meat sauce a lot. Just stir the meat and cabbage together, and drizzle with a little bit of peanut sauce.

I've still got the cooking bug, so I'm trying some new things again this week.

Monday: Spring rolls with peanut sauce for dipping, steamed broccoli, and fresh fruit

Tuesday: Barbecue chicken pizza (bbq sauce, mozzarella cheese, chicken, red & green onions, chopped tomatoes) and a salad. Trying pizza dough from this book, and hoping my pizza looks like this when it's done. This pizza might be the reason I need to open the expensive bottle of red wine Jace got from a client for Christmas.

Wednesday: Chili in the crock pot, and a salad

Thursday: Baked potatoes topped with leftover chili, and steamed broccoli

Friday: Scrambled eggs, sausage, fresh fruit, and cinnamon rolls

(It's Backwards Day at Friday School so I thought this would be fun for dinner.)

Saturday: Hot dogs, stove top mac & cheese, and a raw veggie plate

Sunday: Spaghetti, salad, and whole wheat bread

For more menu plans, go to I'm An Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday- March 29

2010-03-29T11:10:00.000-07:00

Monday: Fish, ginger rice, and fresh fruit

Tuesday: Kate's Asian turkey lettuce wraps (I'm serving the turkey filling over shredded cabbage instead of wrapping it), leftover ginger rice, and fresh fruit

Wednesday: Taco soup in the crock pot, green salad, and whole wheat bread

Thursday: Leftover taco soup, steamed broccoli, and whole wheat bread

Friday: BBQ hamburgers, corn, and fresh fruit

Saturday: Family party

Sunday: Easter
We're going to see what's left over after the party on Saturday, and I told my MIL I'll fill in the blanks for her.

For more Menu Plan Monday, visit I'm An Organizing Junkie.

Repentance Box

2010-03-16T10:58:00.000-07:00

I loved this idea that I originally read about from Elise, which she borrowed from this post by Ann. So I wanted to pass it along as well. :)

We made this box today by wrapping an empty cracker box and cutting a slit in the side. Next to the box is a pail of pens and blank pieces of paper. From now until Easter, those pieces of paper are available for the members of our family to write down (or draw) wrong things we have done, and slip it into the Repentance Box. The things we've written do not need to seen by anyone other than our own selves and the Lord. (Although, like Elise, I've told my kids that if their offense is against another person, they need to make things right with that person before putting it in the box.)

On Easter Day we'll celebrate Christ's victory over sin by building a fire and throwing our whole Repentance Box, sins and all, into the fire. What a great picture of God's words in Isaiah 43:25, "I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake, and I will not remember your sins." It sounds like the other ladies started this with the Lent season. We're hopping in late, but something tells me three weeks will be more than enough time to fill our box. ;)

I love creative ideas like this that teach my kiddos valuable lessons in a way that they think is fun. The Repentance Box was an exciting arrival in our home this morning, and Jack and Delaney sat at the table for a half hour, drawing on slips of paper and placing them in the box. Although they are not required to share their submissions with anyone else, I do believe that 100% of the things they wrote were offenses they had committed against each other.

I feel like those two have been at each other's throats so much lately, that it was actually really touching to watch them.... little hands drawing an offense, matter-of-factly announcing what it was, asking their sibling for forgiveness, and then praying with eyes shut tight as they slipped the paper in the box, "Lord I'm sorry I did this. Please help me do better."

It felt good to tangibly "release" sins, knowing that what we placed in that box was going to be burned up for good, never to be remembered again. I had my own things to place in the box today, and it did my heart well to remember that Christ conquered my sins two thousand years ago. He does not desire that I stay tied to them.

Many blessings to you all today!
xoxo

And we have ourselves a broken leg.

2010-02-19T16:12:00.000-08:00

Timeline...

Last Thursday: Delaney hurts her knee at gymnastics doing tuck jumps on tramp. We know it's more than a "boo boo"; it hurts badly whenever she moves it.

The next day, Friday: I take her to the doctor. Doctor says at this age it can take a few days before injuries will show up on an x-ray. We're told to bring her back in a week if she's still not walking on it.

Five days after that, Wednesday: After a week of Delaney not wanting to walk on her bad leg, I schedule a doctor's appointment for the next day. That night she finally starts taking some wobbly steps. I'm encouraged, and consider canceling the appointment.

The day after that, Thursday: We take her to the doctor anyway, and as I watch her hobbling around the waiting room on both legs, I wonder why I'm even there. Doc orders x-rays, we drive to the imaging center and have x-rays done, drive back to the ped's office, look at the x-rays.... definite broken leg.

Sheesh!

The pediatrician sent us to the orthopedist, who took even more x-rays, and then they wrapped my little three-year-old's leg in a hard cast, toes to hip. By her choosing, the cast is BRIGHT orange. :)

She was so amazing. We spent over four hours at all these various medical offices, and not once would you ever have guessed that this kid was being treated for a broken leg. She was all smiles the whole time. Kids amaze me. She even felt up to lunch at Red Robin after her cast was put on. I, on the other hand, feel like I could sleep for a week right now.

She'll be in her cast for three weeks, and then it will likely be another 2-4 weeks before she can go back to gymnastics, swim lessons, etc. We have a surprise trip to the Great Wolf Lodge booked in two and a half weeks, which we're now considering canceling. No biggie I guess...at least the kids don't know about it.

Now I'm off to try my hardest not to spoil this little girl to death. (I think Jace and I would give her just about anything she asked for right now.) Although a broken leg does call for some spoiling, don't you agree? ;)

This picture reminds me of a sci-fi movie where that machine suddenly comes to life and gobbles my daughter up.

Lunch:

Signing his sister's cast:

On our way to buy leg warmers for that cold leg:

Sisters:

Hanging out at the park with the A's. I've been trying to brainstorm fun things Delaney can do with a broken leg. One of her biggest passions in life is swinging...perfect broken leg activity. I think we'll be making lots of trips to the park in the next few weeks. :)

Sunday

2010-02-13T19:22:00.000-08:00

The verses that stood out to me the most this week were:

When God sent manna from heaven...

"The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. And when they measured it by the omer, he who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little. Each one gathered as much as he needed."
-Exodus 16:17-18

"Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD."
-Deuteronomy 8:2-3

"I remember my affliction and my wandering,
the bitterness and the gall.

I well remember them,
and my soul is downcast within me.

Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."
-Lamentations 3:19-24

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness."
-2 Peter 1:3

Sunday

2010-02-06T23:01:00.000-08:00

The verses that stood out to me the most this week were:

"Remember the former things; those of long ago;

I am God, and there is no other;

I am God, and there is none like me.

I make known the end from the beginning,

from ancient times, what is still to come.

I say: My purpose will stand,

and I will do all that I please.

From the east I summon a bird of prey;

from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.

What I have said, that will I bring about;

what I have planned, that will I do."

-Isaiah 46:9-11

Sunday

2010-01-31T00:23:00.000-08:00

The verses that stood out to me the most this week were:

As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"

On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

-Matthew 9:9-14

The Message translates that last verse like this:
"'I'm after mercy, not religion.' I'm here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders."

"I'm after mercy, not religion."

Menu Plan Monday- January 25

2010-01-24T14:31:00.001-08:00

I just realized this week's menu plan is rather soup heavy. Suits me fine...it's been awfully cold and wet around here lately.

Monday: Bean soup (my friend Sarah made us lunch last week and was kind enough to send me this recipe), whole wheat bread, and a salad

Tuesday: Italian chicken, sweet potatoes, and sauteed veggies

Wednesday: Spending the night with friends

Thursday: Quesadillas (cheese, black beans, chicken, avocado, and green onions), steamed broccoli, and fresh fruit

Friday: Salmon, fried rice, and a salad

Saturday: Grilled cheese, cream of tomato soup, and fruit salad

Sunday: Vegetable noodle soup, and whole wheat bread

Go here for more menu plan ideas.

Sunday

2010-01-23T22:16:00.000-08:00

The verses that stood out to me the most this week were:

"And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces."

-Matthew 7:3-6

Menu Plan Monday- January 18

2010-01-17T22:46:00.000-08:00

Monday: Baked potatoes and chili (leftover from tonight), and steamed broccoli

Tuesday: Veggie enchiladas, wild rice, and green beans

Wednesday: Leftover veggie enchiladas, refried beans, and sauteed veggies

Thursday: Italian chicken, sweet potatoes, and steamed broccoli

Friday: Friends here for dinner; I'm making lasagna and they're bringing the rest

Saturday: Burritos (refried beans, chicken, avocado and salsa), brown rice, and corn

Sunday: Taco soup, salad, and corn bread

Happy New Year!

2010-01-10T15:10:00.000-08:00

I hope you're all enjoying the return to routine after the holidays. We took the Christmas decorations down this weekend (finally) which is always a little depressing. But I do love re-organizing, setting some good goals for the new year, and enjoying the feeling of starting fresh.

I'm determined to hit school hard for the next three months. I wasn't very consistent with Jack's schoolwork this fall, and I need to get my booty in gear. Winter is a good time to be productive anyway as I really don't mind building a fire and just staying home all day. :)

I know many of you face uncertainties going in to this year. I sincerely hope this year will be so rich in unexpected blessings for you. I read this verse this morning and appreciated the depth of its truth.

"You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound."
-Psalm 4:7

Love to all :)
xoxoxo

Christmas Eve in their new jammies:

Jack and Delaney were so excited on Christmas Eve that they snuck into bed together. My sister and I used to do the exact same thing.

Great-Grandpa's chair was Maizie's favorite place to be on Christmas day:

We rang in the new year with board games, junk food, and great company:

Celebrating our nephew's 6th birthday with a super fun trip to the snow:

Sunday

2010-01-09T22:01:00.000-08:00

The verses that stood out to me the most this week were:

"A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult."
-Proverbs 12:16

and...

"Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice."
-Proverbs 13:10

Sunday

2010-01-03T12:21:00.000-08:00

"God's readiness to give and forgive is now public. Salvation's available for everyone! We're being shown how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life, and how to take on a God-filled, God-honoring life. This new life is starting right now, and is whetting our appetites for the glorious day when our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, appears. He offered himself as a sacrifice to free us from a dark, rebellious life into this good, pure life, making us a people he can be proud of, energetic in goodness."

-Titus 2:11-14, The Message

Holiday notes

2009-12-20T23:19:00.000-08:00

It's 11:15 on Saturday night and I have sweet potatoes in the oven. As soon as the sweet potatoes come out, the pumpkin cheesecake goes in. So far it's looking like I'll be up until 1:30 am. Then I will likely have to set my alarm for 3:30 am so I can put the cheesecake in the fridge after it cools. We got home late from a caroling party our neighbors had, but it was well worth having to stay up late to finish my baking. We love our neighbors. God hand-picked them for us. Time with them is purposeful and just plain good.

Anyhoo, while I'm sitting here awake until 1:00, I'll tell you random things about our holidays.

1. Out of the previous five holiday seasons, I have spent three of them in the earliest weeks of pregnancy. (I am not pregnant.) Even when I'm not pregnant I still feel slightly nauseous during this time of year because every sight, sound and smell of the holidays triggers that sense that I might vomit at any given moment. Has anyone else experienced this?

2. I bought an old hardcover library copy of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever on Half.com and have been reading it to Jack. I loved listening to this book as a kid, and I still love it just as much.

3. We saw Santa.

4. We drove to the snow.

5. We took the whole month of December off from school so we could bake cookies, watch Christmas movies, wrap presents, and read Christmas books. All the important stuff. ;)

6. "Born that man no more may die." That line from Hark the Herald Angels Sing keeps playing through my mind. I'm praying those words would never sound ordinary.

6. We made pancakes in the shape of snowmen.

7. We made these paper chain Christmas trees at the beginning of the month to count down the days until Christmas. I made the paper strips too wide on Jack's and it turned out much too chunky. So I trimmed them for Delaney's tree and then hers turned out quite slim. I actually think I like the chunky one better.

But then again, I'm rather partial to chunky things.

Sunday

2009-12-19T00:43:00.000-08:00

The passage of Scripture that stood out to me the most this week was:

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."
-1 Corinthians 13:4-8

"Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."
-1 Corinthians 13:12

I am fully known.

Black eye

2009-12-17T22:42:00.000-08:00

Jack and Delaney were in their room this weekend playing a "throwing game" where they threw toys back and forth to each other. All was well in the throwing game until Delaney took an accidental Matchbox car to the face. Screaming ensued, but it was nothing Daddy, the Grinch video, and a bag of frozen corn couldn't fix.

On the Good Ship Lollipop

2009-12-14T15:31:00.000-08:00

Just a cute video of the song we learned during "L" week. Today this little girl is sporting a nice big black eye after an encounter with a flying toy car over the weekend. I'll have to post a picture of it. At least she knows how to make a black eye look cute. ;)

(My music playlist is at the bottom of my left sidebar if you need to pause it.)

Sunday

2009-12-12T18:29:00.000-08:00

The passage of Scripture that stood out to me the most this week was:

"My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires."
-James 1:19-20

Great Wolf Lodge

2009-12-10T14:41:00.000-08:00

As soon as we finished the Jingle Bell Run on Sunday, we hurried home, quickly packed some bags and ate some lunch, and started off for the Great Wolf Lodge. Our homeschool co-op occasionally organizes trips to the Great Wolf Lodge, which affords us some pretty sweet discounted rates.

It was our first visit, and we had a blast. As we were putting our coats on to leave at the end of our stay Delaney looked at me with pouty eyes and said, "Mommy, I want to stay here forever." And I assure you, the lodge has enough activities to indeed keep her occupied forever. They also give you every opportunity to spend a small fortune during your visit, but there are more than enough "free" activities to keep your family plenty busy.

Every room has a microwave and mini fridge, so we got groceries at Safeway and ate meals in our room, with the exception of a cheese pizza from Pizza Hut, and more than one or two visits to Starbucks. (Both located inside the lodge.)

We can't wait to go back. :)

They had it decorated so pretty for Christmas:

Doing a puzzle. They have a large selection of board games and puzzles you can check out.

Maizie and her daddy, hanging out in the Cub Club:

There's a Clock Tower show every night at 8:00, followed by a bedtime story:

And if you go during Christmastime it snows in the lobby after the Clock Tower show. :)

Story time with Rowdy the Reindeer:

They do a Wolf Walk in the mornings where they walk around learning about different forest animals. Every time the lady asked a question or asked if anyone had a question, Jack's hand immediately shot up. (Regardless of whether he actually knew the correct answer, mind you.) He's that kid.

The wave pool:

Every ten minutes or so this bucket dumps a ginormous amount of water:

My little fishie:

I have more pictures of the lodge and our trip posted here. :)

Jingle Bell Run

2009-12-08T17:37:00.001-08:00

My sister and the kids and I did the Jingle Bell Run this last Sunday. It was SO COLD. Thirty-four degrees and windy. We went into it all excited to make this a new Christmas tradition, but by the end the kids were miserable because they were so cold. We'll have to see whether we do it again next year. I happen to believe anything is possible with proper planning. ;)

Jaime and I did the 5k, and Jack and Delaney did the 1k Kids Run. Our frozen tushies aside, it was a very fun and festive event.

Our crew:

Jack coming in to the finish line:

Laney Lou Who ran the whole 1k without stopping:

With our friends Mandee and Ryan. Not sure what I was so incredibly happy about in this picture:

Maizie Jay was so bundled up I don't think she moved once the whole time:

The start of the race:

Me and Jaime at the end of the race. She looks awfully perky. I look like I can't breathe.

Back home where it was warm:

After the Jingle Bell Run was over, Jace and the kids and I packed up and headed to the Great Wolf Lodge. We had a blast. I'll be posting those pictures as well. :)

Sunday

2009-12-05T22:29:00.000-08:00

The passage of Scripture that stood out to me the most this week was:

"For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful,
Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace."
-Isaiah 9:6

Thanksgiving weekend

2009-12-02T22:32:00.000-08:00

My nephew Grant. Thanksgiving breakfast was at our house this year:

Delaney and my niece Joy have taken to presenting some dual charades during our family get-togethers. This one was a picture frame:

Thanksgiving dinner:

Little turkey:

Tree hunting:

Helpers:

The family:

My girl:

Helping Dad cut the tree down:

Boots:

Hot chocolate and Christmas cookies while Dad ties the tree to the car:

Helping Dad put the lights up:

My boy:

Christmas decorations:

The nativity I've had since I was a little girl. I think I posted a photo of it last year too. It's my favorite Christmas decoration. :)

Our tree. Jace and I think it's our favorite one yet. We're suckers for the lonely sparse trees that sit in the back of the lot just waiting for someone to love them. Every once in a while when we pay for our tree they'll take one look at it and say, "We'll go ahead and knock ten dollars off for that one."

I have more pictures of our weekend posted here. :)

Advent calendar

2009-11-30T21:35:00.000-08:00

When I was very little, a family friend made this advent calendar for me. Isn't it adorable?

Along with the calendar, our friends gave me a toy barn, and each day during the month of December I got to open a different farm animal. My mom continued the advent tradition, and every single year my sister and I would have random little gifts to open on the days leading up to Christmas.

When I started having kids of my own the advent calendar made its way to my home, but I couldn't quite muster the creativity (nor the energy) to come up with 25 different pocket-sized gifts each year. However, a couple years ago I decided to incorporate our advent calendar into some advent Bible readings.

Using this article by Focus on the Family, I came up with 25 passages of Scripture, printed them onto green cardstock, and stuck a Christmasy sticker on the back. Each night in December I tuck a card into a pocket, and my kids can hardly wait to find their card and read their Bible verses when they wake up in the morning. Works for me!

Some of the readings from that Focus on the Family article were a bit lengthy, so I shortened the passages to hold the attention of young children. I'm linking to a PDF version of my advent reading cards below, in case anyone would like to see them or use them.

We had such a fun Thanksgiving weekend. Our tree is up, our Christmas decorations are out, and I have lots of pictures to share if I ever get around to it. :) Happy Christmas wishes to you all!

Download advent readings here.

Sunday

2009-11-29T23:55:00.000-08:00

The passage of Scripture that stood out to me the most this week was:

"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our 'God is a consuming fire.'"
-Hebrews 12:28-29

Sunday

2009-11-21T21:21:00.000-08:00

The passage of Scripture that stood out to me the most this week was:

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."
-Hebrews 12:11

The New American Standard version puts it this way:
"All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. "

righteousness + peace = worth it

Cool

2009-11-17T20:19:00.000-08:00

A few months ago one of the senior editors of Disney's Family Fun magazine contacted me to see if they could buy the rights to the popsicle stick Christmas tree craft I posted on my blog last December. I agreed and we went through the rigmarole of mailing paperwork back and forth, after which I was simply told that IF they used it I would receive a check in the mail, and if they didn't use it I would receive a smaller check in the mail.

As a side note, I've actually looked through this magazine a couple times at my OB's office, and I honestly think it's the best "parent" magazine I've seen. They feature crafts, activities, etc. that real people would actually do.

Anyway, yesterday I received two free copies of their Holiday issue in the mail...

And inside...

Isn't that cool?! And the world of blogging gets stranger still. :)

Sunday

2009-11-13T23:20:00.000-08:00

The passage of Scripture that stood out to me the most this week was:

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."
-Hebrews 12:1

Thankfulness

2009-11-09T10:24:00.000-08:00

It's a "My Story in Photos" week at I Heart Faces, and the theme is Thankfulness.

These are some of the things I am thankful for.

Seasons:

Silliness:

My garden:

Being mama to my kiddos:

Morning coffee:

Reaching goals:

Growth in the desert places:

Girls:

Laughter:

A good man:

Nine years:

The ability to teach my children:

The freedom to go new places:

The beauty of where you've been:

Mommyhood longed for:

Order:

Library books:

Best friends that God puts right over the fence:

Chaos...both external and internal. Because without chaos I might believe I can do life by my own strength:

The fact that God's plans are always better than ours:

Halloween 2009

2009-11-03T23:10:00.000-08:00

I spilled a glass of water on my laptop over the weekend, so I've had to wait a few days to post these pictures. All is well now after a good three days of airing out.

From our traditional photo session at the park:

As you can see, we spent our Halloween with a police officer, a skunk, and Superman. Not Superwoman, mind you. And not Supergirl. Delaney made it very clear that she wished to be Superman.

The skunk did not enjoy this photo-taking experience:

Our crew started out trick-or-treating in the historic downtown district of our town:

As one can imagine, Jack did a lot of traffic control this particular evening. He stood on this corner for quite some time blowing his whistle at every car that drove by:

I love Silas's face in this picture:

Trinity and Delaney:

Happy trick-or-treaters:

The highlight of Jack's evening:

After that we hit the neighborhood and the kids had a blast running up and down the streets and hitting most of the houses two or three or four different times. :)

I'm not sure which I enjoy more...the cute costumed children, or the buckets of candy the cute costumed children clutch. Pretty sure it's the candy. Those buckets currently reside in our pantry where they taunt me day in and day out.

More pictures can be found here. :)

Sunday

2009-11-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

The passage of Scripture that stood out to me the most this week was:

"Be completely humble and gentle."
-Ephesians 4:2

Wishing you a blessed Sunday! :)

Bats and pumpkins

2009-10-30T09:51:00.000-07:00

Jack was looking over my shoulder as I was browsing the latest from The Crafty Crow, and he saw this garland. Instantly he wanted to make bats. So I drew up a stencil, and we made bats!

It was very important to Jack that these bats have "spooky faces". But then he became worried that Daddy would come home after work and be scared when he saw the bats with spooky faces. So he made a sign for the front door to serve as a warning.

I was dying from cuteness at this point.

In this picture he's pretending to be a news reporter, reporting on "bats in the house".

I never have to take that sign down, right?

Tonight we carved pumpkins and watched It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Or...I guess I should more accurately say that Jace carved pumpkins and the rest of us watched It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. We always idealize the family pumpkin-carving experience. The kids spend a whole month looking forward to it, and every year when the big event arrives, they quickly draw their jack-o-lantern faces, take their token scoop of pumpkin guts, and then disappear until three and a half hours later when Daddy tells them to come look at their masterpieces. Love it.

After looking at my kids in these last few photos, I need to mention to you that today was Mismatch Day at Friday School. See?

I hope you and your families are finding some good excuses to cozy up at home and enjoy these fall days. :)

Majesty

2009-10-25T21:34:00.000-07:00

Resonating from our worship this morning....

Majesty

Here I am, humbled by Your majesty,
Covered by Your grace so free.
Here I am, knowing I'm a sinful man,
Covered by the blood of the Lamb.

Now I've found the greatest love of all is mine,
Since You laid down Your life, the greatest sacrifice.

Majesty, Majesty.
Your grace has found me just as I am,
Empty handed but alive in Your hands.

Here I am, humbled by the love that You give,
Forgiven so that I can forgive.
Here I stand, knowing that I'm Your desire,
Sanctified by glory and fire.

Now I've found the greatest love of all is mine,
Since You laid down Your life, the greatest sacrifice.

Majesty, Majesty.
Forever I am changed by Your love,
In the presence of Your Majesty.

Majesty, Majesty.
Your grace has found me just as I am,
And I'm nothing but alive in Your hands.
Majesty.

-Lyrics by Delirious

Covered. Alive. Forgiven. Sanctified. Changed.

Sunday

2009-10-24T23:08:00.000-07:00

The passage of Scripture that stood out to me the most this week was:

Jesus prayed...

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

"Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

-John 17:20-26

From the Matthew Henry commentary, on this passage:

"Those words, I in them, and thou in me, show what that union is, which is so necessary, not only to the beauty, but to the very being, of his church. First, Union with Christ: I in them. Christ dwelling in the hearts of believers is the life and soul of the new man. Secondly, Union with God through him: Thou in me, so as by me to be in them. Thirdly, Union with each other, resulting from these: that they hereby may be made perfect in one. We are complete in him."

Wishing you a blessed Sunday! :)

First hair cut

2009-10-22T22:33:00.000-07:00

Delaney's hair was starting to get a little scraggly at the ends, so at the ripe old age of three, she had her first haircut. I didn't really take anything off the front, just evened things out. Pretty cute if you ask me!

This is the best picture I have of her hair when it's dry. Do you love her outfit? Do you like how she repurposed her skirt? Apparently I don't buy her enough tube tops.

Into everything

2009-10-20T21:13:00.000-07:00

I told you, my Maizie Jay is quite literally into everything:

Menu Plan Monday- October 19

2009-10-19T10:22:00.000-07:00

We've been hit with some unexpected expenses this month and have determined not to touch our savings account, so this week I'm slashing my grocery budget and trying to pull as many meals from the pantry and freezer as possible.

So last week I tried this new recipe for Thai chicken fettuccine and loved it so much I'm repeating it this week. I was skeptical because I've had bad luck in the past with these sorts of Thai-inspired recipes that aren't actually made with authentic Thai ingredients. But this was good, and very easy. I used whole wheat spaghetti instead of fettuccine, and I'm going to keep it that way. Yummers.

Monday: Roasted cherry tomato marinara sauce with crumbled chicken sausage over whole wheat spaghetti, peas from the freezer, and homemade whole wheat bread

Tuesday: Halibut, wild rice, and an acorn squash from my neighbor's garden (I adopted their garden when they moved)

Wednesday: Veggie burgers on homemade hamburger buns, and sweet potato fries

Thursday: Thai chicken pasta, and green beans

Friday: Whole wheat chocolate chip waffles, and green smoothies

Saturday: Salmon, quinoa, and corn from the freezer

Sunday: Friends for dinner
I'm providing the soup and bread. (Rustic Italian tortellini soup...again. I told you it's my favorite right now.) :)

For more menu plan ideas, visit I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Sunday

2009-10-17T23:04:00.000-07:00

The passage of Scripture that stood out to me the most this week was:

Uhhh...the whole book of Ephesians. I've been trying to read it multiple times this week.

Our church is spending the next several months on Ephesians, and the man who taught in our mini-church class the last two weeks gave an overview of the book that was pretty awesome. Among other things, he talked about how the core characteristic of God is that He's relational, and how our calling is also relational. There were about fifty things that stood out to me from his teaching, but one of the verses he focused on that keeps coming back to mind is:

"Be completely humble and gentle."
-Ephesians 4:2

After he read that verse he said, "I don't know anything that makes for a more functional relationship."

I've been chewing on that a lot this week in the context of my own relationships!

Wishing you a blessed Sunday :)

Evidence

2009-10-15T13:08:00.000-07:00

(You have to have read my post from yesterday to fully appreciate this.)

I stepped out of the shower this morning and this is exactly what I saw:

I am telling you, Maizie is into everything right now, and if you leave her unattended the first two things she will go for are the dish soap and the tampons. I am seriously considering giving in and buying childproof locks for the first time in my life, especially considering that the dish soap fetish poses a safety concern and I just don't want to find a place to move it. I only need two locks. One manning the dish soap, and one manning the tampons.

But between you and me? Even with as many feminine hygiene products as I had to throw away today, it was almost worth it just to hear my tiny little Delaney shriek as she poked her head in my shower, "Mama! Maizie has your tampoos!" "My what?" "Your tampoos!"

This is why my house is always a mess.

2009-10-14T15:13:00.000-07:00

This morning I got this hare-brained idea to vacuum the carpet. I only vacuumed our living room and family room, and yet during the four (maybe five) minutes it took of actual vacuuming, my family managed the following:

Delaney started jumping on the furniture, which she knows she's not supposed to do. Discipline ensued.
Maizie snuck into the cabinet under the kitchen sink and started sucking on the dish soap bottle.
Jack and Delaney engaged one another in near constant squabbles, all of which resulted in shrieking.
Delaney colored all over her mirror with a red marker.
Maizie snuck into the bathroom and dumped an entire box of tampons onto the floor.
Jack flung his stuffed monkey up in the air, which landed in a houseplant.

All for clean carpet.

Sunday

2009-10-10T23:40:00.000-07:00

The passage of Scripture that stood out to me the most this week was:

"Hatred stirs up dissension,
but love covers all wrongs."
-Proverbs 10:12

Wishing you a blessed Sunday :)

Sunday

2009-10-03T22:10:00.000-07:00

The passage of Scripture that stood out to me the most this week was:

"The end of a matter is better than its beginning,
and patience is better than pride.
Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit,
for anger resides in the lap of fools."
-Ecclesiastes 7:8-9

And a few verses later...

"Wisdom makes one wise man more powerful
than ten rulers in a city.
There is not a righteous man on earth
who does what is right and never sins.
Do not pay attention to every word people say,
or you may hear your servant cursing you-
for you know in your heart
that many times you yourself have cursed others."
-Ecclesiastes 7:19-22

Do not pay attention to every word people say...
Do not be quickly provoked...
Patience is better than pride...
I myself have cursed others...

I'm so thankful for the wisdom of the Lord.

Happy Sunday!

Waahhhh!!!

2009-09-27T15:48:00.000-07:00

That's me crying because yesterday we let my mom and dad take this boy:

On one of these:
To go here:

For five days.

Several months ago my mom and dad asked us if they could take each of our kids on a one-on-one trip to Disneyland after their 5th birthdays. We're missing the boy like crazy, but it's really a win-win-win. Jack is obviously going to benefit from the generosity of my parents, my parents feel so blessed to be making this special memory with him, and Jace and I get to enjoy some focused time with the girls.

It's funny how different the atmosphere of our home is when you subtract one active firstborn from the equation. This weekend has been very...quiet.

Once Jace goes back to work tomorrow, the girls and I will take advantage of our smaller collective size to enjoy such things as coffee dates, shopping trips to the mall, going out to lunch, cleaning the house, and turning all our garden tomatoes into spaghetti sauce for the freezer.

In other news, I put out all our fall decorations this week and I'm already getting started on some homemade Christmas presents. Yay!!! I love this time of year. :)

Sunday

2009-09-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

The passage of Scripture that stood out to me the most this week was:

"Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'

And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.'"

-Matthew 7:22-23, NASB
(emphasis mine)

First day of Friday School

2009-09-25T18:04:00.000-07:00

This year I registered our family in a local homeschool co-op which I feel so blessed to be part of. Every Friday morning we go to Friday School, which starts off with chapel for the whole family and then transitions into classes for the kiddos, all taught by parents. Classes are divided into three blocks and once kids are in first grade they move from room to room to take classes on everything from reader's theater to bugs to colonial life to creative worship to sewing to Mythbusters...and the list goes on.

My favorite part of Friday School however, is that each parent is assigned one free block out of the three, and during your free block a coffee cart awaits, along with yummy snacks, comfy chairs, and fun people to talk to. It's amazing how 45 little minutes of hot coffee and encouraging conversation can leave you feeling so refreshed.

It's safe to say we're looking forward to going back next week. :)

Sunday

2009-09-19T23:33:00.000-07:00

The passage of Scripture that stood out to me the most this week was:

"When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified."
-1 Corinthians 2:1-2

I resolved to know nothing...

...except Jesus.

I want to say the same about myself.

Happy Sunday!

First day

2009-09-14T21:49:00.000-07:00

What first day of school would be complete without a first day of school picture? I showed the kids the ASL sign for the letter H, which quickly became our homeskool gangsta sign. Maybe we'll try for a more traditional picture on our first day of co-op. (Delaney was cracking me up in these. I think she might have a calling as a rapper.)

I started our calendar and 100 chart, did a reading and handwriting lesson with Jack while Delaney played with a preschool toy, introduced our unit study on the sun, went outside and had the kids walk blindfolded as well as in the sunlight, discussed how Jesus is the light and why we don't want to walk in darkness, and read the kids a few cool books. (All of which took a little over an hour.)

And Maizie Jay made sure her presence was known by screaming her little head off until she (thankfully) agreed to an early nap time. I'm going to need to experiment with ways to keep this little one happy and out of trouble in the mornings.

It was a good day. :)

School year pre-funk

2009-09-13T21:10:00.000-07:00

The K Family Homeschool is kicking it into high gear with our first official day of kindergarten (and preschool) tomorrow, but the last week and a half we've been enjoying a little bit of pre-funk.

Our kindergarten curriculum includes a two-week introductory unit on Creation and I modified it, taking seven days to complete just a few of their activities. We've also been doing some other fun stuff, all in the name of gettin' stoked about school.

Here's what we've been up to...

Each day we learned about a different day of Creation. By the end of the week the kids had each made their own Creation Book. (I did not ask them to pose like this.)

We made sure to spend time outside every day observing and appreciating what God had made on each day of Creation:
We did a nature walk to collect leaves and flowers which we later pressed:
We used those pressed leaves and flowers to make covers for our Nature Notebooks, which we'll be using often throughout the year:
Delaney will be doing preschool at home, using the same Letter of the Week format I used when Jack was three. So in celebration of the alphabet (using this inspiration), we made these pancakes:

We also took advantage of our "gettin' stoked about school" week to purchase and organize our school supplies:
To top it off, Jack and Delaney started their new gymnastics class:
And lest you should be impressed that I've been able to accomplish all of this, here are some disturbing images of things that have fallen by the wayside these last two weeks:

Just keepin' it real.

Sunday

2009-09-06T00:00:00.000-07:00

The passage of Scripture that stood out to me the most this week was:

"Let your eyes look straight ahead,
fix your gaze directly before you.
Make level paths for your feet
and take only ways that are firm."
-Proverbs 4:25-26

The New King James Version puts it this way:

"Let your eyes look straight ahead,
And your eyelids look right before you.
Ponder the path of your feet,
And let all your ways be established."

Ponder the path of your feet... Firm... Established... Yes.

Happy Sunday!

Slumber par-tay

2009-09-03T11:25:00.000-07:00

Slumber parties are way cooler when your mom goes with you, don't you think? Well I do.

We had a super fun girls slumber party last week at my sister's place with her roommates, my friend Megan, and Megan's daughter Bailey. We pulled out all the stops: eating pizza, painting fingernails, doing each other's hair, making friendship bracelets, staging photo shoots, eating treats, and watching the Hannah Montana movie. (Which I personally loved, by the way.)

It was such a fun night, and Delaney felt like SUCH a big girl. I loved sharing that time with her and these marvelous ladies.

Delaney's first time having her fingernails painted. Bailey was our expert nail painter for the evening:

Delaney brought all her bobble ties to share:
Auntie Jaime made cupcakes in honor of Delaney's upcoming birthday:
Fun with the self timer:

No one told Delaney to make this face, thereby making this my favorite picture ever:

Dance party:

Getting ready for some Hannah Montana fun:

Delaney turns three

2009-09-01T22:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we celebrated three years with our precious little girl. Let me tell you, that girl was excited to turn three...she's feeling pretty big right about now. :)

It was a humbling day. We genuinely had such a fun time celebrating our little girl, and yet our minds kept coming back to our friends who had just lost theirs. I'll be honest...questions abound as I talk to the Lord about this one. And yet I continually find myself remembering that there's so much I don't see. I know His ways are bigger than mine. I know this life is a blink of the eye compared to what's to come. I know He is good.

He has been so good to give us three years with our Delaney Girl. There aren't words adequate to describe how much she delights our hearts. She is silly and fun and she loves to help people. Her favorite thing to do is pretend she's a mama. She names all her baby dolls Maizie, and recently nicknamed one of them "Chank". (No idea.) She keeps us on our toes, and she is a gift.

The dinner Delaney chose for her birthday included hot dogs, macaroni and cheese, fruit, and green beans:

People just kept showing up to celebrate with us!
Maizie put Delaney's new hat on her head and wore it the entire time we were opening presents:
Delaney got a new dollhouse!
Getting hugs from Mr. Greg. I love how little Delaney looks in this photo. Also love the nice shot of her new cowboy boots.
Last but not least, the carousel birthday cake:
Happy birthday Delaney Leigh! We love you so!

Brielle

2009-08-31T13:14:00.000-07:00

I am so truly thankful for those of you who have been praying for Baby Brielle...you were one of hundreds called upon to petition for her sweet little life. After 22 precious and miraculous days, Brielle is now with Jesus. She overcame so much in her 22 days on earth, amazing her doctors left and right. She was a fighter for sure. Now she is perfectly healed and cradled in the arms of her Maker. Our prayers continue to pour out for her mommy and daddy. Thank you for your concerns for her, sweet friends.

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
-1 Corinthians 4:18

Sunday

2009-08-30T00:00:00.000-07:00

The passage of Scripture that stood out to me the most this week was:

"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.... Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another."
-Romans 12:10-11, 15-16

Happy Sunday!

Brielle

2009-08-28T08:39:00.000-07:00

Dear friends, would you take a moment to pray for a baby girl named Brielle? She was born three weeks ago with a heart defect, and after many days of various procedures, she is right now being weaned off the machine that makes her little heart beat. We love Brielle and her family and want to ask as many people as we can to pray for this sweet little life. We are asking God for a miracle. Thank you!

Attack of the killer pinkeye, otherwise known as our vacation

2009-08-25T17:17:00.000-07:00

"Killer" might be too strong a word. Even still, I have dealt with enough freaking pinkeye over the last two and a half weeks to last me a lifetime, thankyouverymuch.

Two and a half weeks ago, Jack and Maizie both woke up on a Saturday morning with pinkeye. No big deal, it started going away on its own. We were supposed to leave on Friday for a week-long trip to Bellingham that we look forward to all year long, and I was just happy the pinkeye would be cleared up by then.

Wednesday afternoon I came down with pinkeye in my left eye. Four hours later Maizie gouged me with her fingernail in my right eye. Super. I spent the next two days with a patch over one eye and vision that was blurry at best in the other. We left for Bellingham on Friday morning. Saturday morning Delaney got pinkeye. Sunday my mom got it. Tuesday Jace got it. Friday my sister got it. We also found out that before leaving town, we passed it on to our friend Ryan. *Sigh*

Needless to say, we only saw a fraction of the people we were hoping to see in Bellingham.... a huge bummer since the whole reason we go there for a whole week is to visit friends.

The bright side is that being stuck at home did afford us some restful quality time with our family, and the time we did get with friends was very fun and refreshing. Highlights included s'mores with Josh & Sarah (& crew), the fair with Justin & Cutzi (& crew), Xochi Maia's baptism, dinner with Rob & Val, and hanging out with Alyssa and the kids. Another huge plus was that Jace's red itchy eyes forced us to buy him new glasses, which he looks totally hot in.

Even still, pinkeye can pretty much bite me.

Here are the helpful things we learned when dealing with the dreaded conjunctivitis:

Wash hands like crazy. If there are kids in the house, set a timer for every 30 minutes and wash at every beep.
Remove all hand towels, and put a roll of paper towels in the kitchen and every bathroom.
Replace victims' washcloths and pillowcases after every use.
If you like using homeopathic products, try Euphrasia and Belladonna. Euphrasia is more traditionally used for pinkeye, but I personally had better results with the Belladonna.
Costco cake makes everything better.
Whatever you do, don't let anyone touch their eyes!

Delaney's obsessed with swings right now, and got to spend a lot of quality time at the swing set at my parents' house.

Trying to manage both Jack and her doll:

My girls:

Playing in the dog house:

My cute hermanita:

Riding bikes at our favorite park:

Maizie Jay:

Running:

Watching the train go by:

I didn't get any fun pictures with friends except for about a thousand shots of the adorable and ever-so-dear to me Kyler Cruz:

Sunday

2009-08-23T00:00:00.000-07:00

The passage of Scripture that stood out to me the most this week was:

"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."
-Colossians 3:2

Happy Sunday!

Sunday

2009-08-16T00:00:00.000-07:00

The passage of Scripture that stood out to me the most this week was:

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will."

-Romans 12:2

Happy Sunday!

Vacation pics- Part 3

2009-08-06T14:14:00.000-07:00

I promise this will be the last of my long and drawn out series of vacation posts. (If you've actually read through all three of these posts you must really really love us.)

So we got to our campground at Lake Tahoe, intending to spend five nights there. The weather was sunny and low 80's during the day. Perfect. At night? High 30's. Not perfect.

We bundled up, zipped sleeping bags together, and Jace and I each took one of the big kids to snuggle with. The four of us were fine, but our poor Maizie Jay was waking up with a runny nose and icicles for fingers. And because I bundled her up so much, she couldn't roll over or really even move at all while she was sleeping. She was not a happy camper. (Pun totally intended.)

So after our Eagle Falls hike, we drove into Tahoe City to check out hotels. And in yet another total change of plans, we checked into a great little place for the next three nights at a very reasonable rate. (All in all we canceled nine nights worth of reservations for this vacation, and got all but $20 refunded. We were very thankful for that!)

This was the view from our room. Right on Lake Boulevard, and right across the street from our favorite ice cream shop. :)

I love this bike path. I only got to ride my bike once while we were there, but it was so worth it. I was smiling the entire time.
Future cyclist:
Fun with a bathroom mirror:

Playing at the beach:

We had so much fun in our little four-man raft:
Beach bums:

Our second hike at Tahoe was a 2 miler to Eagle Lake:

Our destination:

We found a secluded little spot to have our lunch. It was so pretty there!

We'll always we remember where we were the day Michael Jackson died:

Finally we hit the road again and headed for home. This little girl was not happy about being woken up for a potty break:

But her crankiness was quickly forgotten when she saw her baby sister:

Maizie was such a trooper:

And that concludes our marathon vacation post! It's safe to say we have fallen in love with Lake Tahoe and can't wait to go back again. Anyone want to join us???

I Heart Faces- My Story in Photos: The Summer Edition

2009-08-03T13:48:00.000-07:00

I Heart Faces is hosting another week of "My Story in Photos", this time highlighting things your family loves to do in the summer. Without a doubt, my favorite thing to do in the summer is spend the day at the lake. I love being outside, and have a basic philosophy that if you put me in water, I'm happy. Combine the water and the great outdoors with some good food and fun friends, and you've got a perfect day!

Jace and the ladies playing at the splash pad. Maizie got her new legs this month, and she was toddling all around just loving the water.

Some nice people at a nearby picnic table offered us a bunch of their leftover birthday cake. Um...yes please.

Mr. Caleb, slowing down for a quick snuggle:

Delaney Leigh, talking on Daddy's phone. If memory serves, she was calling Seattle to talk to Princess Boy about reading books:

My girl:

My boy:

My baby:

I love how tiny she looks tucked under her daddy's arm:

Eating dinner:

Roasting marshmallows over the coals:
I could just grab this little watermelon...

...and eat her right up.

Friends.

Vacation pics- Part 2

2009-07-31T21:59:00.000-07:00

Thanks for your encouraging comments on my last vacation post. :) Camping with little people is definitely different than camping pre-little-people, but we still love it. We just have to adjust our expectations a lot. It doesn't really make for the kind of vacation that's super relaxing. But still lots of fun. :)

Our idea to take a road trip this summer came into being this spring when we were making the five-hour drive back from my hometown, and talking as we often do about how much we love road trips and how much we look forward to when our kids are old enough to take on a road trip. And then it just kind of donned on us, "Why not now?"

So we brainstormed all the easiest snacks and meals to eat on the road, packed lots of books, brought the training potty in case of an emergency, remembered to take lots of breaks, and held on very loosely to our "plans".

And really, I think their little ages were almost kind of perfect, because at this age they're so easily enthused. Our vacation was just one long string of adventures, and as long as Mom and Dad kept a good attitude, our kids would for the most part follow suit.

So here are some more photos that Hubby rescued off my hard drive. :)

I neglected to include these photos of the Painted Hills in my last post. We stopped to see these on Day #2 of our drive to Tahoe. They were amazing. This is the type of thing I love about road trips. We totally weren't planning to stop here; just happened to see the sign and said, "Hey, lets go there!" It put us twelve miles and at least an hour off our course but it was so worth it!

For all you science nerds:
Some time past the Painted Hills we drove by this tree that was absolutely in the middle of nowhere. So. Random.

We finally made it to Tahoe! It is so beautiful there.

Exploring the beach at our campground. It was gorgeous and not at all crowded. There were even a few big trees on the beach so we could put Maizie's pack'n'play in the shade. Perfect.

Our first day in Tahoe we drove around the lake a bit and did some sightseeing. We had our lunch at this great little playground:

My kids have seriously never been filthier:

Each day we would do something fun and active in the morning, have lunch, and then spend the rest of the afternoon at the beach. So our second day there we did a 3 mile hike down to Vikingsholm and Eagle Falls. Our kids were definitely pooped by the end of that hike! But oh it was pretty:

Maizie Jay asleep in the Ergo:

Vikingsholm:

You had to pay for a tour and we weren't interested. So I snapped a couple pictures through the glass:

Right as we started up toward the waterfall Delaney had to go to the bathroom, so Jace said he would take her and catch up with us. In the meantime, Jack and Maizie and I took a wrong turn and hiked half a mile in the wrong direction. OOPS! Fortunately we caught up with Jace and D fairly easily.

Nothing like hiking your heart out in the totally wrong direction:

Stopping for a rest to let Jace and D catch up with us. (It took me a looong time to consider that I'd taken a wrong turn.)

We finally made it to Eagle Falls:

Laughing baby

2009-07-28T20:04:00.000-07:00

I'm still waiting for all my files to be transferred off of my hard drive. In the meantime I pulled some files off Jace's camera and found this cute video of Maizie laughing.

If the laundry pile in the background impresses you, please know it was only in its beginning stages at that time. Who has time for laundry when there are babies to be tickled?!

The boy turns five

2009-07-25T22:39:00.000-07:00

A trip to the zoo with your whole family...

plus a ride on the zoo train...

plus your requested birthday dinner of chicken nuggets, organic spaghetti-o's, corn on the cob, and watermelon...

plus presents...

plus lots of people who really love you...

plus one "forgotten" gift waiting outside for you...

plus a monster truck ice cream cake made with love by your mother...

...equals one happy five-year-old.

Happy birthday my sweet Jack!
We love you so much!!!