Merry Christmas!
12/25/2019
Merry Christmas!
Happy Birthday, 6 year old girl!
12/16/2019
My youngest daughter has just turned 6!
Our tradition involves letting the birthday child choose the meals for their birthday, so breakfast was homemade cinnamon rolls! She also loves pizza and ramen noodles.
We skyped with Grandma K in Wisconsin, so that she could watch the birthday girl open the gift she'd mailed.
A Mrs. Potato Head!
Now we have a whole Potato Head family - so fun!
We went to Build-a-Bear to create "Shimmer."
But one of the best parts of her birthday is having her birthday twin Addy come over! They share a birthday and are great friends. They dressed up like princesses and we decorated Christmas cookies together.
They had a gift to open together too. Having a birthday twin is great fun!
She received a fancy red dress from Grandma R, which she immediately put on. She remains a girly girl who loves all things beautiful, shiny and bright, glitz and glamour.
There were other gifts to open from mom and dad and other siblings.
Here is her older sister with her gift. The biggest gift she received were two goldfish. She'd been asking for these for quite some time. She named them Goldie and Long-Tail. She received some aquarium decorations as gifts then from her siblings. One was a castle, which she loved.
Here was one fun gift - an easle with a chalkboard and dry erase board (that's magnetic too). She also received a big girl bike (no training wheels).
This girl's birthday is the last one to come during the year and it's hard for her to wait. But we try to keep it just as special in the way we celebrate, just like the other birthdays in our family. This year we waited to decorate for Christmas (Jesus' birthday) until her birthday was over, so she was not overlooked.
There have been some gorgeous sunrises lately. She woke up early enough on her birthday to see this one so I snapped a picture of her taking in the scene. Her heart loves all things beautiful. She told me for the first time recently that she cried looking at something because it was so beautiful.
And just like that, she's growing up!
Oldest boy turns 12
12/6/2019
My oldest boy turned 12 this week!
He requested his favorite foods for his birthday, so we enjoyed: pancakes for breakfast, cheesy noodles for lunch, better with butter chicken and fake potatoes, and of course birthday cake for dessert!
Because we had a crazy schedule on his birthday, we carried it over to the next day as well. He had his favorite hashbrowns for his second birthday breakfast!
Grandma K in Wisconsin mailed him his gift and then we skyped with her so she could watch him open it. He loves to create with Legos so this was a great gift for him.
He received a spy kit from Grandma R. He was really excited about this gift. He also received some fun slime from Aunt Karen and from his older sister.
Here he is getting ready to open a gift.
It's a big one. What could it be?
He received a drone and a spy pen.
He was excited to receive some Jonathan Park CDs (these are audio dramas, similar to audiobooks). He's enjoyed some of this series, but not quite all of them yet.
This year for each of the kids' birthdays, we went to Build-a-Bear for them to create a birthday bear. His bear is an Air Force bear wearing dress blues and named Monty.
A few highlights from this boy's life this year:
He took his first airplane ride;
He went hunting with Grandpa K (for turkey and deer);
He listened to over 400 hours of audiobooks;
He's started attending BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) with Mom (and the younger siblings) so we're studying the book of Acts together
12 years old! Not a child but not an adult.
Happy birthday, son!
Another co-op semester wraps up
11/26/2019
Last week our fall semester of co-op wrapped up. Our co-op lasts for 12 weeks in the fall, takes a long break for December and January, and then resumes for 12 weeks starting in February. This schedule works really well for us, as a co-op and for our family personally. We always enjoy co-op for those 12 weeks but are also ready for a break as the semester ends.
My 16 year old daughter took Chemistry (what a relief for me, to have her taking this class with a more qualified teacher and with other students who struggled as much as she did), Show Choir, Study Hall, and US Presidents. Her Show Choir class performed at the final program. Here she is with a few of her friends.
My 11 year old son had some very easy classes this semester: Games, Gym, Arts and Crafts, and Math Puzzles/Games.
My 5 year old daughter loved her K-1 classes: Music, Gym, Mercy Watson, Dance.
Her music and dance classes both performed on stage, which she loved.
And she has a best friend, Addy, at our co-op that she just adores. They also share a birthday, so their relationship is extra special.
My 4 year old son was in PreSchool. Here he is with his class at our final program, singing Jesus Loves Me. So dapper on the bottom right! I didn't realize until they were all on stage that there are only 2 boys in the class amongst all those girls!
My 2 year old son was in the Nursery.
This was my second semester co-leading the co-op with two other moms. Both of them have been leading for many years, but this is still fairly new to me. It is beginning to feel more comfortable as time goes by.
As a co-op, we memorized the first half of Psalm 103. We plan to memorize the second half during our spring semester. I do love the fact that Scripture memory is part of our group's values.
Each semester is a time of giving, of receiving.
Of learning, of growing - for moms and children!
We love our co-op!
Just a Day in the Life
11/25/2019
Here are a few pictures of life here recently.
My 11 year old son spent a week in Wisconsin this month, deer hunting with Grandpa K. He enjoyed the time away but we were glad to have him back home.
This little girl loves to look pretty (she differentiates between pretty and cute now. Cute is too childish so she doesn't want to be told that she's cute, but she just glows when she is told she looks pretty or beautiful). So we sometimes set her hair in curlers on Saturday nights so she'll have some curl on Sunday mornings.
The curl doesn't show up a lot, but it's there.
She took her first selfie not long ago.
The kids were asking if we could make some pumpkin pies recently. So one morning I had the energy to tackle it, with my three little helpers stirring the flour for the crust and helping measure ingredients for the pie filling. Homemade pumpkin pie goes quick at my house!
This little boy found a marker and wrote all over himself, his crib, his wall and his dresser one afternoon. Here's got the magic eraser to help clean it all up.
The two little boys together. They basically wear the same clothes now. The one is a big 2 year old, wearing size 3. The other is 4 years old, but can wear size 3 or 4. In my mind, they are a bit like twins.
Super cute. I just love kids in hats.
While we're remodeling our bathroom, the little kids have taken some baths in the kitchen sink. A fun adventure for them.
My oldest daughter really loves Wednesday night youth group at our church. Here's her 11th grade girls group (and their fearless leaders) at a recent women's gathering.
Days are so full of activity, noise, and chaos. Yet I know that the days are passing quickly. So a post like this forces me to slow down a little and see the little things I'm likely to forget and to realize how blessed I am to spend my days with these people!
Pure Joy
11/1/2019
I took this picture a few weeks ago, of my three littlest kids enjoying a jumping pad. They loved this so much!
I can't help but smile at the pure joy on my daughter's face.
Such delight.
Such elation.
When was the last time I experienced such delight?
Do I even allow life to move me any more? I sense that I don't, at least not very much. This is an area of growth for me, to be more aware of emotions and more secure in expressing emotions.
So I make this picture my computer desktop background to remind me of that joy can be found in the journey of life.
Faces of a Small Group
10/18/2019
Small group.
What do you think of when you hear those words?
For us, our small group is the place where we are known, loved and cared for. I'll pepper this post with pictures from our small group over the last 2 years.
Just as each family is different and each church is unique, so it is with a small group. Made up of unique individuals, each small group will be different.
So this is what our small group looks like, somewhat. And it may or may not reflect what any other small group is like.
Our small group meets together weekly - Thursday nights. Right now, we host the group in our home. It works out well, as we have young children that we can put to bed as needed (before or during group time), since we're in our own home. Another benefit is that we have kids in multiple stages, so we have toys and games and baby gear and a changing table - all of which can come in handy when inviting other families into your home regularly.
Our group is small. We usually have 3-5 other families join us, half of whom have children that come along too.
It is this group that goes deeper in relationships.
Our church is large, but in any church setting, it is beneficial to have closer friends that you actually "do life with." We call that a small group. The people who actually know you more than as an acquaintance. The people you'd call if you had a need. The people who will be praying for you if you ask them to. The people who would rejoice with you, mourn with you, just do life alongside you.
Practically, we hosted a baby shower for one family as they welcomed baby Moriah. Romans 12:15 reminds us to "rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn."
We helped a family with packing and moving during a season of transition. The Bible tells us in Galatians 6:10 "as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially those within the household of faith."
We take meals to one another when there's a need, like a new baby or surgery recovery. We are commanded to "carry one another's burdens" in Galatians 6:2.
We check in with each other during the week, to encourage and pray for one another. The Bible tells us in Hebrews 10:24 to "spur one another on towards love and good works."
We are told to make every effort to add to our faith and to grow in Christ-likeness, that our lives may not be unproductive and unfruitful (2 Peter 1:5-8). So we spend time weekly discussing and applying what the Bible says.
And we just enjoy time together, whether it's a play date at the zoo or a double-date or a backyard picnic.
For us, small group is a lifeline. Friends who are like-minded in their faith and desiring to live out their faith.
We are so thankful for these people and the way God has used small group in our own lives. What a gift!
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