this moment in time

It's so hard to find time these days to blog, but today I'm trying.  Here's a glimpse into my children's lives in this busy season of one in elementary, one in junior high, and one in high school!

Micah: relishes playing trumpet with great improvement shown with no braces, found soccer was not for him, enjoying high school with band and lunch his favorite times of the day, two more months until driver's education begins, pizza, youth group, missions-minded, hugs, delightful, cowboy hat, black or gray, technology class, misses homeschooling, music

Rachel: writing, writing, writing!, stuffed animals, braces, Siberia and Siberian Huskies, cousin Anna, cell phone, art projects, broken toe, tacos, chocolate, youth group, worship team, piano and clarinet but "mom please can I stop playing clarinet?," science classes at the discovery museum, little girl turning young woman

Josiah: school is awesome!, science and astronomy, dogs and cats, pizza, Star Wars, library, reading books, Garfield and Calvin and Hobbes, music, embracing every day with enthusiasm, turquoise, making friends, loving Jesus, hugs, archery, Playmobil, growing up in so many ways

soccer!

It seems I must give equal time to all 3 kids tonight, so my addition for Micah is this: he made the JV soccer team at West.  Go Wildcats!  There are several home games this season.  Feel free to come cheer him on!!

wisdom in pictures

 

The most popular person is always the one who brings the food.

 

There is nothing like silence and reflection to refresh the soul.

 

Follow in the path of someone wiser, but don't be afraid to be yourself in the journey.

 

Looking up can give a whole new perspective.

 

There are discoveries if you just dig for them.

 

There is no limit to what you can do with cardboard boxes, stuffed animals, and imagination.

 

 

 Play is always more fun when in the company of others.

new addition

Cats are like potato chips...you can't just have one.

 

 

Meet Legolas (Lego for short), our 16 week old male tabby.  He is as sweet and affectionate as can be.  So far Prisma is not amused.

family fun!

Every summer, Eric's family chooses a day or more to spend together doing something fun.  Some years we've done as little as watch the fourth of July parade and fireworks in Rockford (the best we've seen in Illinois!), others have meant something a little more involved.  It seems like every few years we end up at an indoor waterpark in Wisconsin Dells.  After doing this since our kids were quite small (there was a time Micah was the only one of our three around), we have come to treasure these times.  My oldest niece and nephew are now young adults, and finding a date we can all be together is getting tougher.  It's a blessing when it happens!

 

 

This year we had a small picture of how wonderfully God redeems.  Last time we were at this hotel in the Dells, Josiah was having the toughest summer of his life.  He was miserable the entire time, terrified of being in the water and overwhelmed by the sensory stimulation.

 

As you can see, this time was quite different!

 

Our youngest niece in this family is 9, and is having a great time with her uncle!!

These two girls are only 9 months apart.  I like to say that A was our inspiration for having Rachel. :)  They were overjoyed to discover that they had matching swimsuits and were often mistaken as sisters.  Inseparable, those two!!

 

Rachel conquered the Hurricane!

 

Getting ready to disembark so they can go again, and again, and again.  I've been on this ride once and will never go again.

 

Favorite spot to congregate: the hot tub!  Micah moved too fast to get many good pictures of him.  He rode every slide there was to ride.

 

Grandma is watching in the background.  In all the years they have treated us, she's barely made it into a swimsuit.  Eric's parents give me a whole new appreciation for what it means to have a blast watching others have fun.

 

That blur is Josiah, who worked up courage for a waterslide just his size.

 

Again, and again, and again.

Josiah and spring

 

It's been that kind of spring, which happily means the drought of last year seems to be fading, but sadly means we have seen dear friends struggle with flooding.  And of course it means that even the nice shoes are now muddy!

 

He's got farmer in his bloodline.

 

Apparently farmers don't eat vegetables, but maybe growing them ourselves will be a new motivation.

 

Now that he's discovered he can read, he has opted for a daily dose of the best literature he can find: Calvin and Hobbes.

no arguing that point

 

"My dad is the best dad in the whole wide world and no one I repeat no one can change that!"-Rachel

 

Happy birthday to the best dad in the whole world, at least at our house.

remembering GG

Because today was her birthday.  How I wish Josiah could have known her!  They would have loved each other.

 

She was Eric's grandma, the kind of grandma who always had candy in her cupboard, games on the table, and a bed ready for anyone who wanted to spend the night.  She loved the kids, and they loved her.  I can't count the number of times I saw her with a child on her knee playing "ride the horsey," or a baby in her arms.

 

And of course, we all loved her bubble bread.  And teased that she had probably burned it.  Because she did, once, long before I knew her.  I feel privileged to have the recipe in her own handwriting.

 

 

Bubble Bread

 

24 frozen rolls thawed out at least 2 hours (She always used Rhodes rolls)

Melt 1/2 stick margarine/butter

 

Dip rolls in butter, sugar, and cinnamon.  Stagger rolls in angel food cake pan.  Let rise about 1 1/2-2 hours.  Bake at 350 for 40-45 min.  Turn upside down on plate to cool.  Frost with powdered sugar frosting.

 

For a gluten free version, I'm going to try using Pamela's bread mix for the rolls, and will update if it works!

two in braces

 

Though we are hoping one is almost done!!

Spring Break!

 

And no, I didn't take this picture a couple of months ago to share now.  I took it about 5 minutes ago.

 

March 25, and we have 9 inches!

life around our house..or around the rink

There has been a recent marriage and now the feasting has begun.

Three very different children with very different interests and abilities, but all three have enjoyed ice skating lessons.  After four weeks of lessons, this girl no longer grabs the wall all the way around the rink--that's progress!!

Pretty much what he looks like in person, too...a blur.

 

And of course, the class clown.  He's really doing well, too.

 

I sit, watch, and marvel at the privilege God has given me to raise three precious children who are growing up way too fast.

Simple Woman's Daybook

 FOR TODAY: March 5, 2013

Outside my window...it is snowing and blowing.  We have had more snow in the past two weeks than the rest of winter combined.  My youngest is loving every minute he can get outside to play in it.  We're not sure how the robins and geese feel.

I am thinking...about ways to address my children's hearts.  As a homeschool mom I've found it is easy to focus on academics and behavior, when godly character is the pressing need of a child's development.

I am thankful...for a dear friend who moved back into town after six years of living out of state.  What a joy to reconnect with this sister in Christ, and in front of the gluten free section of the grocery store to boot!

In the kitchen...the piano that sat in it for two days has been moved.  We can no longer tap out a tune while grabbing the mustard.

I am wearing...as much purple as possible.  For me, it's the new pink.

I am creating...a picture schedule for Josiah for his afternoons.  He loves to look at the next thing on his list and do it himself.  As I'm trying to work with the older two then, I love it as well.

I am going...on a field trip with Eric's sister's family next week.  When my 19-year-old niece asked if we wanted to be included in her spring break plans, we jumped at saying yes!  We are learning the gift of watching two of these children becoming young adults.

I am wondering...what God wants me to be when my children grow up.

I am reading...Smart but Scattered.  I'd never heard of executive functioning until the past couple of months, but have become better educated.  This book has so many great ideas for helping kids organize themselves and their responses.  Maybe it will help me organize myself, too!

I am hoping...we can understand and help Rachel with her digestive issues.  Prayer needed here.

I am looking forward to...starting a Bible study on Ecclesiastes.  We'll start next week, if it will stop snowing on Tuesdays.

I am learning...to stop focusing on what my children can't do and instead stand breathless at what God has done and is continuing to do in their lives.

Around the house...new carpet!  Josiah named it Fuzzy.  Thus the reason the piano was in the kitchen.

I am pondering...summer.  Our plans have never been so up in the air.  Wondering what God has in mind!

A favorite quote for today...

Never be sad or desponding,
If thou has faith to believe;
Grace, for the duties before thee,
Ask of thy God and receive.

Never give up, never give up,
Never give up to thy sorrows,
Jesus will bid them depart;
Trust in the Lord, Trust in the Lord,
Sing when your trials are greatest,
Trust in the Lord and take heart.

-Fanny Crosby

One of my favorite things...is teaching science to my kindergartner.  He thinks cells are oh so cool.  He is oh so right!  We are studying the human body.  I am marveling at what a young man told me recently who was homeschooled until high school: the body is the pinnacle of everything God made.  It is an awesome endeavor to study it, as it reveals God's creativity as nothing else in His creation.  What a thought!  And we can't even begin to talk about the study of the soul since that won't go under a microscope...

A few plans for the rest of the week: science classes at the Discovery Museum.  Rachel is giddy about the weather class as her current plan (aside from dog breeding and teaching) is to become a storm chaser.  Josiah is going to learn about magnets.

A peek into my day...

peek at the week

Josiah has figured out he can read, really read!!  What a magical moment! One morning I sent him up to get dressed and discovered him a few minutes later, in bed reading, only half changed.  Here he is sharing a story with Nana and Poppa at bedtime.

Some surprises in the new way we are doing school: Josiah loves the fingerplays and acting things out.  On this day he chose 5 stuffed animals and labeled them with the names of family members.  Then he chose an activity for each "person" to do based on what he knew they were interested in.  Here is "Micah" doing his schoolwork.

This was my favorite: "Daddy" and "Mommy" cooking together.

We had a little Valentine's party.  Rachel had already bought herself some crafts from Hobby Lobby with a birthday gift card and enjoyed making a sun-catcher.

 

Josiah made two Valentines, one for Daddy and one for his friend J who lives next door.

 

 

Announcing...the Clippers!

 

I either need to buy a better camera, or take better pictures, or both.  But had to capture a few shots of Micah playing Upward basketball.  His team has been so much fun to watch this year.  They work so well together.  Micah scored his first basket last night, but prefers to play defense and pass the ball off to someone else for a basket.  (He's the blurry one with the ball!)

His height is definitely an asset!  I did not realize how tall he had really gotten until I saw him out on the floor with other boys his age.  Makes it easier to grab those rebounds!  It will be sad to see the season come to an end.  As far as we can tell, it may be the last time Micah plays organized basketball.  But soccer is calling his name for high school...

In Rachel's words...

Creative, fun, right-brainer, silver and black, horses, scars everywhere, imaginative, dogs, hates needles, poet, artist, thinker, writer, smiles, Legos, dragons, loves holidays, reader, decorator,  hamster, crafty, love to make up my own things, tough, and stuffed animals.

New year, new look

New glasses,

New teeth...well, eventually.

And to remember...

 

Stockings,

 

 new soccer uniform,

 

an airplane, of course.

 

She didn't need a present!

 

 

A terrific birthday sleepover.  Ask Micah how much pizza he has eaten in the past week...

Christmas hymn redux

Josiah:
Hark the herald, angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn king,
Pizza on earth and mercy mild..."

Micah: (from The 12 Days of Christmas)
"Five days til Christmas, the wait is killing me..."

in his words...by Micah

8th grader, 13 years and 353 days old, homeschooler, devourer of books and pizza, EWO youth groupie, soccer goalie/defender, basketball player, trumpet & piano player, Tolkien fan, Lego Master, dusty old fossil lover, card gamer, video gamer, one year till driving permit, and Apple warrior against the forces of Android.

Sent from my iPod and iPhone

a moment in time

Josiah: kindergarten, smiles, snuggles for Mom first thing in the morning, all things science, playing stuffed animals with Rachel, heartfelt prayers to God, pumpkin pancakes and spaghetti (no sauce!), read alouds, stubbornly determined to have things his way, soccer and gymnastics, Rush Hour games and Imaginext, the color green, airplanes, figuring out how things work.

Rachel: 6th grade, red and black, avoids dresses, theater, creative mind, diligent, making cookies, everything animals, taking pictures, gymnastics, American Girl, outdoor genes, clarinet to piano and back again, hands-on learning, reading, American history and Abraham Lincoln, making others smile, thoughtful, surprises on our pillow, fiction, friendship, keeping room neat, longing for Yellowstone.

Micah: 8th grade, 13 going on 23, almost as tall as mom, paleontology, texting (but not a lot), trumpet and piano, devours books, Cedine Ministries, music, silver, skin-tight warm up shirts, soccer and basketball, science, algebra, world history, nonfiction, loves kids, childcare at church, Euchre, serving others, youth group, Wii, eating pizza, independence.

Just for fun, here's a link to another glimpse from several years ago.

having a party

Saturday was Josiah's birthday party.  Airplanes was an easy theme to choose for this boy.  The camouflage decor was a Walmart find I was not expecting but thankful to discover.

 

 

Setting the table after an evening and morning of saying, "No, it's not time to do that yet."  It's finally time!

 

Rachel brought this cake pan home from a 4-H auction knowing how much Josiah would like it.  I debated a lot about what kind of cake to make, and finally decided to do Cha Cha's coconut flour recipe.  I knew how that one would turn out!  The frosting was another story, a bit on the drippy side.  We tried pureed spinach to turn it green.  The flavor was fine--you are adding it to sugar and margarine, after all!  It really matched the camo decorations but one boy eyed it suspiciously.  "Are you sure that cake is good?"  He did try it, and the other two devoured either an entire piece or frosting only.  So really, I think it was a hit.  The rock candy rocket thrusters are almost invisible but were so fun. 

 

Two of the little boys Josiah invited burst through our door shouting "This is going to be the best party EVER!" No pressure regarding those high expectations.  It looks like they might be enjoying themselves, though?

 

Sorry about your head, Eric.  Other than that, I love this picture.  Especially M's face!

 

Micah crushed up the rock candy so everyone could have some.  Root beer from Whole Foods was another special delight.

 

Then for the best party ever moments.  I had all kinds of ideas in mind, but flying paper airplanes was first on the list.  Eric was the master designer and let the kids pick out their model from a book.

 

Oh, how they loved it!  And the weather...a perfectly warmish November day.

 

The boys came back for more and more.  It kept Eric busy.

 

And sent Eric to the roof to fetch airplanes off several times.  We didn't even get to anything else on my list, the boys had so much fun.  They flew planes for an hour and a half!

 

It was the best party ever, and the simplest one we ever hosted.  Happy birthday, Josiah!!  Just a few more days until the real thing.