The Girls Are Reading This

Carys has begun to read this blog.  I originally intended this blog to inform our extended family of our comings and goings and share special photos since we are so far away from everyone.  I still intend to use it in that way but since we are expecting many changes in our house, I'm going to open my heart up to them today.

Dear Children,

I want you to know that I love you so much, all of you no matter how busy our lives are or how much I fail at motherhood.  My life is being laid down to love you (which I do so imperfectly), to provide for you, and pour God's truth into you, but it is not my effort that will matter.  I entrust you to the will of God and his plan for your lives, you are his.  Each of you are a special, unique blessing from God.


My prayer is for all of you to know how much God loves you, to know and believe in Christ Jesus and to walk with him all the days of your lives as he is the Good Shepherd and the Light of the world.  I pray you will have freedom, "...where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom" (2nd Cor 4:17).  I pray you believe "the fear of the LORD leads to life: then one rests content, untouched by trouble" (Prov 19:23).  I pray that you "love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your mind, all your strength" (Deut 6:5).  I pray that you will "trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding: in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight" (Prov 3:6).  I pray that you "keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'" (Heb 13:5).  I pray that "as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.  Bear with one another and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you and over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity" (Col 2:12-14).  I pray that as you experience christian suffering, you believe God and are not "...surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ so that you may be overjoyed when his Glory is revealed..." (1 Pet 4:12-13).  I pray that "whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" (Col 3:17).

There are so many more unspoken prayers, but I will continue to pray God's word for you and our family and those He has put in our path.

Love Mom

Better Than Disneyland

Our Family camp experience was better than Disneyland.  We had bible study, fellowship with some members of our church family and fellow family campers.  The kids were able to do an abundance of outdoor activities that we have never done and I did not have to cook or clean dishes.

Happy Birthday Helen

Helen had a great birthday party.  Helen loves to cook with me and I thought it would be a great idea to invite her friends to cook with her for her birthday so we had a party in the kitchen.  The kids decorated cupcakes, made cookies and made their own smoothies.  Helen requested a fish theme so they decorated fishbowl cupcakes.  This party gave me a lot of inspiration how to do our own kitchen party at home although we'll have a few less people.  Happy Birthday Helen!  We love you.

The kids worked together to catch a butterfly.  They gave it a name that I can't recall.  This butterfly did make it out alive, a spring miracle for sure.

Spring 2012

Spring came and went.  Carys and Poppy's birthdays, tulips, planting seeds and hiking in the cool weather.  We are ramping up for swimming, popsicles, bike rides (well maybe not me:) and sprinkler days with BBQ.

Cooking Again

Well, I'm always cooking but not always with the kids. We had a really special time today, not without our fusses but the kids were all high participants in dinner tonight and it was such a huge blessing. This afternoon Walker and I made zucchini meatballs. This evening the girls each made a dish, Carys made a wheat, barley, sweet potato stir fry (aka Tabby special) and Helen made sweet potato latkes. It was all so yummy and the kids really did enjoy eating the dishes they cooked. I did not take photos b/c we were cooking the dishes together and I wanted to concentrate on getting all the ingredients in:). Just needed to document this, it's been so long since we were all in the kitchen cooking and fussing away.

Been too long...

I know it's been too long in case anyone is still reading this, sorry for the absence. We've had a fast paced 2012 and I don't see it slowing down either. In case you've nt heard through the grapevine,we're expecting baby number 4 in September. We've had 3 birthdays already and Helen's is coming soon. Our Winter was so unbelievably, wonderfully warm that Spring has been so enjoyable. Looking forward to an awesome summer!

First Big Snow 2012

Cullen has been taking the dog and kids to the forest preserve lately in the warm weather but a few times in the snow. This time I joined them with coffee and my snow pants I was toasty warm. We are trying to have more fun outside and get away from computers and TV. It's been great for the kids to wander around. They still find things to fight over like who's going to pull the sled or ride down the hill first but they can cooperate sometimes.

Challenge

"Poppy" Book 2 in the Poppy Series by Avi

Carys is in the gifted reading program for now. She is challenged to maintain reading and writing skills but also she is given special projects. She had to develop a board game based on the Poppy series books. She needed a bit of guidance mostly because her great ideas were too big for the short time we had left on Christmas vacation. Here we are testing it out.