Eli's Halloween Project

I have to share this cute and fun project with you! We made a lacing plate that creates a spider web! First, Eli painted his hands (which was wildly popular) and made overlapping handprints on a white paper plate. After the paint dried, I aded eyes to his "spider." With a hole punch we added holes around the edge of the plate, including one coming from the top of the spider. A strand of black yarn creates the web, which can be laced over and over to create new and different webs (and increase hand coordination). So simple, so quick, so fun!

And, most of all, he is SO proud of his little spider!

Birthday "Weekend"

What a weekend we have had with our 10-year old! She started with birthday pizza with Grandma Kathy, Great Grandma and Great Grandpa on Friday night.

Then, the Haunted Hill Run. The whole family and more participated! Megan ran the 1-mile fun run with her cousin Evan. They had a great run, and it looked like they had so much fun!

Emily ran with her friend, Ellie. Both of them had great runs!

 Then we had some friends and family over for a wiener roast. The weather was nice, the food was good, the company was great. 

The evening ended with ice cream cake and punch (there was TOO much sugar at our house), a lively and competitive game of hide-and-seek, a tough game of Farkle, and the Cardinals' World Series game.

Thanks to all who were able to help celebrate our "double-digit" girl!

Happy Birthday, Emily Rose!

Is it possible? 10-years of joy already?

Emily, I can't even tell you how much anticipation your dad and I had to meet you the first time. Finally holding our first miracle from God was the most amazing and emotional moment.

We have so many wonderful memories with you ...

... the time you beat me and your dad at your first game ever of Monopoly. And you did it with the cheapest two properties on the board!!!

... watching you fall in love with all animals. You will always be our "animal whisperer."

... watching you learn new skills. You have a determination that drives you to keep going and never give up! And I have learned that some things you learn best on your own, without Mom's help.

... getting to the top of the St. Louis arch to hear you loudly announce, "So this is what Chicago looks like!"

... your passion for world missions. 

... how you are Eli's second mother! 

... the first time you saw newborn Megan. You thought she was YOUR baby. You peeked in her mouth and announced, "No teeth!"

... your ambition! 

... your amazing ability to avoid viruses, even when the rest of the family is sick.

... helping you tinkle on the side of the road to Burlington during the flood. Our lane of traffic is stopped and we don't know how long it will be until we can move again. Of course, as soon as I get you out of the car and pull your pants down, our lane of the highway if opened and we hold up a long line of traffic as you cheerfully moon them all!

... listening to you play the piano.

I don't know what I would do without you, baby doll!

We love you!!!

9 months

Frozen Fruit Cups

This one of our family favorites. It is one of the few foods that will keep Eli sitting at the table for 20 minutes, and it gets requested by the girls more than any other recipe. It is time-consuming, so plan for some quality time at your kitchen counter. But it is well worth it! And what a wonderful treat to fill the freezer with!

Frozen Fruit Cups

2 c. water

3/4 c. pineapple-orange juice concentrate

3/4 c. lemonade concentrate

1 can pineapple tidbits, drained

2 firm bananas, slice and quartered

1-1/2 c. grapes, halved

1-1/2 c. quartered strawberries

1-1/2 c. peaches, cubed

Bring water and sugar to a boil, stirring. Remove from heat and add concentrates until dissolved. Set aside juice to cool slightly. In a large bowl, combine all the fruits and put about 3/4 c. in each plastic cup. Top each fruit cup with juice. Cover with foil and freeze.

These do freeze hard, so we set them out on the table before a meal so they thaw slightly before we eat them, or microwave for about 15 seconds. Otherwise, we play "archeologist" trying to dig out fruit treasures!

My Idea of Menu Planning

Menu planning. 
We all have to do it in some way or another. 
Well, unless we actually ENJOY the kids asking, "What's for dinner" at 5:00, and having to answer, "That's a good question!"

I used to use a more traditional menu plan. It was a calendar that I would plan out daily meals. It worked ok, but I realized that I had trouble sticking to it. 

Some weeks I could deliver the meals to the table exactly as they were scripted on paper. But other weeks, we would have one or two busy days and it would throw off the whole menu. I might be too busy (or not home) to get the meal preparations done in time to get it cooked. Some days have interruptions (many of them welcome) or an impromptu trip to the park. Some days as it was time to start meal preparation I would realize that the meat was still frozen. And so, I became frustrated with my menu planning.

I decided that I needed a more flexible menu plan -- one that allowed for interruptions, busy days, and my mistakes. 

Now, instead of laying out a calendar of meals I make a list of meals for the week. (I am careful to make sure there are some quick meals on the list.) At the bottom of the page I include vegetables, side dishes, breads and desserts to choose from. I purchase all the groceries needed for the week. Each day I browse the list and decide what will work for that day. I cross off the meal as I use it, and freeze as many leftovers as possible. Who doesn't love an already prepared meal just waiting to be thawed out??

It has worked for me!!! What works for you?? 

Basket Cleaning

We don't have a huge house, but it is spread over three floors so toys get strung out all over during the day. It seems as if I can spend a lot of time picking up toys every night. The thing that frustrates me most is coming into our bedroom after a long day to be welcomed by a room full of toys. 

I don't mind that the kids play in our room. In the summer, oftentimes it is the only room in the house that catches a nice breeze. But, I still don't like a room cluttered with toys. As hard as I try, I cannot be at peace with a messy room. 

After many failed attempts at reminding these little people to carry their toys off to another room, I put a basket in our room. At the end of each day all the toys and books go into the basket. Then, on Saturday, we carry the basket through the house and return the toys to their homes. 

So far, it has worked for us.

On Saturdays (when I am attempting to do a good pick-up of the house -- the remains of a week of toy-shuffling and school projects), I take a laundry basket from each room. I start in one room, and, as I clean, I put things in the basket that don't belong in that room. Working from room to room, I put things away that are in the basket. This "basket cleaning" has saved me SO much running around, up and down steps.

Now, if only I can figure out how to get the laundry to fold itself and put itself away!!!

What works for you? What makes your cleaning easier?

This is What Happens . . .

. . . when your farm-loving 9-year-old kidnaps 

your camera.

Ready for the Pool

Pride.

Pride. 

Can't the preacher talk about another sin? One that isn't so personal. Ok, one sermon is enough, but two weeks in a row? Let's move on to something that isn't as convicting.

Pride is a sin that can tempt me. Not that I have a lot to be proud of, but Satan can make me THINK I have a lot to be proud of. It is a sin that is not always evident on the outside. For a time, it is a sin that can be hidden.

I can become proud. I try to keep a humble attitude. But, there are days where I struggle and give into the temptation of being proud. 

I want to have a household that runs smoothly, with all the laundry put away, all the toys picked up, all the nutritionally-balanced meals served promptly at designated meal times. 

I like to have time for a run in the morning before Matthew goes to work, and then end the day with a nice yoga or aerobic routine. 

I want to have lesson plans written out two weeks in advance, books ordered from the library and materials for projects organized before the week begins. 

I want the school day to run smoothly, with extraordinary organization, good attitudes and a hunger for learning.

I like to have time in the afternoon while Eli naps to study my Bible and then work on one of the many, many unfinished projects that are waiting for my attention.

I want to have 10 minutes of uninterrupted conversation with my husband when he comes home.

I like to have a shower!!!!! (How many of you busy moms can relate??) 

And, when I do have one of these rare days where everything seems to fall into place, my head hits the pillow and I start reviewing the day with Matthew, telling him of all things that went right with our day at home while he was out. And the craziest thing happens -- I think to myself that I must be a wonderful wife and mother, homemaker and teacher. I think I must have it all together. When in reality, I was just the recipient of God's incredible grace. I take credit for ALL the wonderful gifts He gave me to bless my day.

So, what does the Bible say about pride and arrogance?
Proverbs 8:13 

¹³To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.

Proverbs 11:2
²When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

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

Proverbs 16:18
¹⁸Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 29:23
²³ A man's pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honor.

Isaiah 2:11 

¹¹The eyes of the arrogant man will be humbled and the pride of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.

1 Corinthians 13:4

⁴Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

So I am going to work on having a quiet spirit, an attitude of humility and a heart full of gratitude for God's innumerable blessings.

Harvest is Here

Fall.

Vibrant colors decorating the trees.

Falling leaves.
Scarecrows. 

Apple cider.

Apple orchards.

Wiener roasts.
Sweatshirts.
Pumpkin patches.

Harvest.

Some years there is more anticipation than others to see how the crops will turn out. If the weather has been ideal, expectations are for an abundant harvest. If the weather over the spring and summer were too wet or too dry, many prayers are said over the precious seeds in the ground. Harvest is a great surprise. It could yield worse than expected, or it could (by only God's grace) surpass expectations.

I used to love late nights with my favorite farmer. In this season of our life, I tuck the kids into bed and catch up on cleaning, ironing and reading while waiting for him to come home, sometimes looking out the window to see the brightly-lit equipment making laps up and down the field outside our house. 

Eli's first solo ride in the combine. 

This is a busy time of year, with lots of trips to the field delivering meals, and dropping off and picking up youngsters who are taking their turn having quality time with their dad. It is filled with equipment repairs (unfortunately) and trips to town to pick up parts. It is exciting and sometimes more eventful than hoped. 

And, although it seems like I have filled the water jug enough times to sustain a camel in a trip across the Sahara, and made enough sandwiches to feed a professional football team, harvest ends as soon as it begins. The equipment is put away, the lunch boxes and water jugs are retired for the season and WE WASH THE DUST-COVERED VAN!!

And then we celebrate Thanksgiving, full of prayers of praise to our God, who has filled the bins and provided more than we deserve, more than we need.

They Call Them The Terrible Two's!!!

The time has come. 

The clash of wills.

The battle for control.

The tantrums.

Anything can trigger one.

Some people call them the "terrible two's." And, I admit, some times can be described as terrible. There is nothing pleasant about a toddler performing a class-act, head-turning tantrum in public. 

Eli has arrived at the "trying two's." His new favorite phrase is, "I don't want to obey." Such honesty. 

But, I prefer to call them the "trying two's," partly because this is one of my favorite stages of raising children (although we haven't navigated through all the stages yet)! 

Why, you might ask? The tantrums are frustrating and embarrassing! TRUE! I am amazed how they begin to absorb and learn EVERYTHING around them. Every day is filled with curiosity (sometimes destructive curiosity) and wonder. They begin to associate cause and effect. They realize that letters printed on a page have meaning. They see that all people are different, but have an overwhelming ability to make friends with ease. I love this age because, despite the tantrums, these little people are FUN and ENTERTAINING!

The girls and I have been studying the virtue of patience. Our study hasn't really spoken to me -- it has SCREAMED at me! 

James 1:19 tells us that we should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. 

What a lesson for me because I often am quick to speak.

Sometimes when the girls come to me with a grievance against her sibling, I am quick to declare judgement without hearing both sides of the complaint. 

Sometimes I speak out of anger and have to ask forgiveness. 

Sometimes I forget that a single spoken sentence of wisdom can be more memorable than a 5-minute lecture.

Sometimes I forget that the only thing in this world that I have control over is me, and my reaction to the people and circumstances around me. So, when my precious toddler decides to throw his little body on the floor at the library declaring that he will NOT put the trains away, the only thing I can control is how I react. 

I pray for patience with this boy who, five minutes later, will have us in stitches as a result of something he says or a funny face he makes. He will have me beaming with pride as he offers to share with others. He will amaze me with the newest fact he has learned! 

And, in the blink of an eye, he will be a man!

12:1 Run

You know what is better than running a half-marathon? Running a half-marathon for a great cause. 

I can say this about the course -- it was HILLY! But, when I think about the desperation felt by parents as they watch their children die from water-related diseases, an entry fee, 12 weeks of training and sore legs the day after are nothing.

Congratulations to Anna for setting a PR on a tough half marathon race course, and finishing 3rd in her age division!

Finishing strong! Matthew finished 4th overall with a PR, and finished first in his age division in the 10k race. I finished 1st overall in my age division, and 26th overall in the half marathon.



Here is more information about the 12:1 mission.3.575 million people die each year from water-related diseases.
Less than 1% of the worlds fresh water (or about 0.007% of all water on earth) is readily accessible for direct human use.
Without food, a person can live for weeks. Without water, you can expect to only live a few days.Every 20 seconds, a child dies from a water-related disease.
In 2010, the 12:1 Run raised enough money to purchase 70 chlorine producing units. Each unit produces enough chlorine to clean water for 5,000 people for 5 years. Sixteen units were sent to Haiti, one was sent to India, while four units saved lives in Bangladesh. In March, one unit went to Russia, and twenty-four more units went to Haiti. Two months later, twenty more units travelled to Haiti, one was sent to Cameroon, Africa. And finally, fifteen units saved lives in Burundi, Africa.

During the 2011 12:1 Run, money was raised to send six water units to Cameroon, Africa. The country of Chad received twenty units, while Honduras received two. Tanzania has ten water units coming, and Zambia has twelve. Burundi, Africa is receiving a new well. Sierra Leone is also receiving six chlorine producing water units.

Proceeds from the 2012 race totaled $30,000 and enabled a contribution in that amount to the Harmony Bible Church Compassion Ministry; the funds are designated specifically for use in taking clean, safe drinking water all over the world. That means potentially 500,000 people will gain access to something they have never had before – clean water – just this year! Nearly half of the money has already been used to deliver water units to Ethiopia (20 units), Haiti (10), Chad (10), Sierra Leone (6), Philippines (4) and Pakistan (4) and Congo (1). Plans are in the works to send more units to Sierra Leone this year, and some high school students from the area delivered more to Haiti this summer.


Are you interested in helping next year? The 12:1 run is scheduled for October 3, 2014, and they offer kids' races, a 5k, a 10k, a 15k challenge and a half marathon. You can be a part of the solution!!!

Field Trip to Harvestville Farm

We discovered a new favorite farm not too far away from home! After only an hour in the van we pulled into Harvestville Farm to play for the afternoon and pick out fall pumpkins. The kids had so much fun, and I am convinced they would still be there if I had not told them it was time to come home. Although it doesn't cover a huge acreage, there is a variety of activities to keep the little ones entertained.

Unfortunately, we spent so much time here that we missed the apple orchard. It was closed before we got there. No worries, though. I have a feeling we will be back in the area soon!

I can never get enough of these photos.

The jumping pillow -- a great place to wear your kids out!

These riding toys were a lot of fun. You actually power it by moving the handlebars back and forth. 

Now, that is a TRICYCLE!!

Emily can't resist sitting in a saddle, even if the horse isn't real!

The little man took his turn in the saddle too.

Eli wasn't quite tall enough to work these toys. Same concept as the other riding toys -- you prop your feet up and power it and steer it with your hands.

The duck races were very popular. Eli spent a LOT of time here. It is a cool contraption, I admit. You put your ducks in the tube, pump the water to push them down the tube and they come out the end of the tube in front of you. Then, you repeat the process over and over and over and over again until your mom finally carries you off to the CornPool.

This is SO much better than a sand box. I am considering filling our sandbox with corn next year.