I'm way behind on life in general, so it stands to reason that my blog has been neglected of late. Rather than try to re-hash what our family has been up to over the last couple of weeks, I decided to take some time to spotlight each of our sweet kiddos this week. Today is Charis's day.
A recent highlight for Charis has been her re-entry into the world of drama! I took her to an audition for a local youth theater production a couple of weeks ago, but she wasn't selected for any parts. This, I felt, was actually a good thing, since the rehearsals would have eaten up three days a week and performances will run December 4 - 13. Additionally, all the main parts likely went to older kids (they wanted ages 8 - 18), so it would have been a lot of time and effort with little return.
So, though she was a bit disappointed, Charis took the results in stride and continued on her merry way. Last Friday, I nearly threw the paper out without looking at it, but I ended up flipping through the Life section and saw on the last page that there was an open audition for Oz: The Musical, and that they would be casting about 100 local kids to be Munchkins or flying monkeys. Charis and I looked at the web site, and she decided she'd like to try out. Since I had a stamp club meeting Saturday morning, Ted took her downtown for the audition. They put the kids in groups of 18 to teach them some choreography and part of a song, then had them perform in groups of 6. Nearly 200 kids auditioned over the course of the weekend, and Charis was one of the ones who made the list!
We're very excited for her opportunity to get some experience and have fun doing something she loves...without having to spend so much time in rehearsals! There will be 2 rehearsals plus the dress rehearsal the week after Thanksgiving, and then the performance weekend. I think we can deal with that!
Charis continues to enjoy her piano lessons and has progressed really quickly. She is teaching herself a number of songs from my old piano books, and I love hearing her play hymns and Christmas carols while singing along very loudly. She enjoys going to music rehearsal with me or Ted and has made quite an impression on the other members of the worship team. I can't wait until she can perform in church someday!
In school, Charis is learning division and has picked up on this very quickly. I attribute this partially to the fact that she learned her multiplication facts so well (thanks, in part, to Timez Attack). She has recently begun writing more on her own and has completed some fun creative stories. She has asked--and I have agreed--to have her own blog so she can share her writing with others, and I hope we can set aside some time before too long to set this up. For those who are interested, we can give you an invitation to her blog, as it will be private.
And of course, Charis stays busy with her own crafty creations. She spends way more time in my stamp room than I do. :-) It's always amazing to see what she comes up with!
And now, a few last tidbits about Charis:
Favorite foods--Chicken pot pie, spaghetti pie, lemon chicken, yum!
Favorite colors--Red, white, and blue
Favorite animal--Horse
Favorite activity--Oh, boy. Crafts, singing, and spending time with my family.
Favorite subject--I think it would be language arts.
What I want to be when I grow up--A seamstress.
November 09, 2009
November 07, 2009
Farewell to a Dear Friend
A beloved friend has said goodbye to life in this world, victim of one too many beatings. Though we mourn her passing, it is now time to recognize the contributions she made to our family. A helper and support through the long days and wee hours of the night, with us from the moment we brought our first newborn home until recent days, we bid a fond farewell to...
...the Boppy. May she rest in peace.
...the Boppy. May she rest in peace.
November 03, 2009
Harvest Festival
The weather warmed up a bit on Halloween, allowing us to get to church for the Harvest Festival without bundling everyone up. Lucan had had a good nap in the afternoon and was pretty good-natured throughout the long evening. We first enjoyed an hour of family worship time--it was fun to watch Kenna sitting with the big kids on the floor, doing the motions and trying to sing along with the songs. Then there were games, bounce houses, nachos, a hayride and bonfire with s'mores, and way more candy than any one family needs. Which reminds me...I need to make appointments for us all to see the dentist...
Kenna Funny
Kenna walked in on me when I was going to the bathroom and declared, "Mommy, you have blue pull-up on!"
Shhh. Don't tell. ;-)
Shhh. Don't tell. ;-)
October 28, 2009
October 25, 2009
Renewal
God is awesome.
Whenever I get in a funk, He pursues me and gently shows me His glory in a way that brings my eyes to Him instead of myself. And sometimes He just overwhelms me with His goodness.
After a cold, rainy, blustery day during which I felt I wasted precious time away from my family, I was feeling a little blue. (A long day after only 5 hours of sleep probably contributed.) But my outlook improved dramatically during our evening of fellowship with a family from church, Aaron and Jennifer and their 4 sweet children. Aaron is one of the pastors on staff, and he and Ted had the opportunity to visit while Ted was out here house-hunting in June. Ted felt a connection with Aaron and had been wanting us to invite their family for dinner. We finally set a date but ended up rescheduling twice because of our illness. So yesterday was our time to get together. Normally I would not have planned to host a family on the same weekend as a squadron function, but we figured we'd rather go ahead than have to postpone it anymore. Besides, I really didn't have to do much for the squadron party other than show up with one little craft.
And I'm so glad we had the D family over last night! We had an absolutely wonderful time of fellowship. The kids played together well (they have 3 girls and one boy, ages 4-8), and we enjoyed getting to know Aaron and Jennifer. We also got to hear about Aaron's recent missions trip to Cuba--we knew other people from the church who went as well but hadn't really heard any reports yet.
We couldn't believe over 3 hours had gone by when they were loading up the van and getting ready to go. We're already looking forward to our next chance to get together with them!
So, frustrating day...wonderful evening. :-)
And this morning started out so much better...I'm so thankful for God's mercies which are new every morning. For one thing, sunshine!! For another, Ted and I woke up early enough to have our hot tea and quiet time, plus pancakes, plus get everyone ready for church early! Ted played guitar this morning and took the girls with him to rehearsal, and I followed with the boys after nursing Lucan. Our "Visionary Parenting" class was amazing--very good fellowship and ideas along with the teaching time. We've been attending since the last Sunday in September (aside from our sick day), and we're finally feeling like we know the other folks in the class. We only have another 1-2 sessions left, but we may form a small group community. Ted and I have done a lot of parenting classes, workshops, books, etc. But it always seems that God shows us something new and challenges us in a new way no matter what we're doing. I'm so thankful for the opportunity to be in a place where we can receive encouragement and support from other believers in a more intimate setting. Between this and our growth group on Wednesday nights, it seems as if Ted and I have been able to plug in just where we need to be at this time.
Then the church service was also amazing! Awesome worship time, wonderful teaching--I just can't wait for heaven. :-)
We had a quick lunch at home (extra spaghetti pie from last night!), then packed everyone up to go to Col. H's house for the Halloween party. Shane and Denise don't have any kids yet, but whenever God blesses them with children, they will be amazing parents! They LOVE to host gatherings, and they LOVE kids. They went all out for this party, and the kids had a blast. Since we don't really go out of our way to "do" Halloween, I appreciated that there wasn't anything yucky, just lots of good fun. Charis helped me put together a little pumpkin project, and we brought stuff to add to the card-making venture. Kids decorated bags for their goodies as well. Then there were a couple of games, a pinata, and lots of sugary stuff to eat and drink. It was so gorgeous outside, too, a perfect day for a fall party!
All in all, it's been a great Lord's Day! My time of rest isn't quite over, but I do need to start thinking about our school week, making checklists for the kids and getting my mind in school mode. I hope the good weather holds so we can get out and do some fun things!
Whenever I get in a funk, He pursues me and gently shows me His glory in a way that brings my eyes to Him instead of myself. And sometimes He just overwhelms me with His goodness.
After a cold, rainy, blustery day during which I felt I wasted precious time away from my family, I was feeling a little blue. (A long day after only 5 hours of sleep probably contributed.) But my outlook improved dramatically during our evening of fellowship with a family from church, Aaron and Jennifer and their 4 sweet children. Aaron is one of the pastors on staff, and he and Ted had the opportunity to visit while Ted was out here house-hunting in June. Ted felt a connection with Aaron and had been wanting us to invite their family for dinner. We finally set a date but ended up rescheduling twice because of our illness. So yesterday was our time to get together. Normally I would not have planned to host a family on the same weekend as a squadron function, but we figured we'd rather go ahead than have to postpone it anymore. Besides, I really didn't have to do much for the squadron party other than show up with one little craft.
And I'm so glad we had the D family over last night! We had an absolutely wonderful time of fellowship. The kids played together well (they have 3 girls and one boy, ages 4-8), and we enjoyed getting to know Aaron and Jennifer. We also got to hear about Aaron's recent missions trip to Cuba--we knew other people from the church who went as well but hadn't really heard any reports yet.
We couldn't believe over 3 hours had gone by when they were loading up the van and getting ready to go. We're already looking forward to our next chance to get together with them!
So, frustrating day...wonderful evening. :-)
And this morning started out so much better...I'm so thankful for God's mercies which are new every morning. For one thing, sunshine!! For another, Ted and I woke up early enough to have our hot tea and quiet time, plus pancakes, plus get everyone ready for church early! Ted played guitar this morning and took the girls with him to rehearsal, and I followed with the boys after nursing Lucan. Our "Visionary Parenting" class was amazing--very good fellowship and ideas along with the teaching time. We've been attending since the last Sunday in September (aside from our sick day), and we're finally feeling like we know the other folks in the class. We only have another 1-2 sessions left, but we may form a small group community. Ted and I have done a lot of parenting classes, workshops, books, etc. But it always seems that God shows us something new and challenges us in a new way no matter what we're doing. I'm so thankful for the opportunity to be in a place where we can receive encouragement and support from other believers in a more intimate setting. Between this and our growth group on Wednesday nights, it seems as if Ted and I have been able to plug in just where we need to be at this time.
Then the church service was also amazing! Awesome worship time, wonderful teaching--I just can't wait for heaven. :-)
We had a quick lunch at home (extra spaghetti pie from last night!), then packed everyone up to go to Col. H's house for the Halloween party. Shane and Denise don't have any kids yet, but whenever God blesses them with children, they will be amazing parents! They LOVE to host gatherings, and they LOVE kids. They went all out for this party, and the kids had a blast. Since we don't really go out of our way to "do" Halloween, I appreciated that there wasn't anything yucky, just lots of good fun. Charis helped me put together a little pumpkin project, and we brought stuff to add to the card-making venture. Kids decorated bags for their goodies as well. Then there were a couple of games, a pinata, and lots of sugary stuff to eat and drink. It was so gorgeous outside, too, a perfect day for a fall party!
All in all, it's been a great Lord's Day! My time of rest isn't quite over, but I do need to start thinking about our school week, making checklists for the kids and getting my mind in school mode. I hope the good weather holds so we can get out and do some fun things!
October 24, 2009
Wasted Time
Today has been one of those days when I feel like I've been spinning my wheels and getting nowhere. I was up until midnight last night--I had a blast with some of my downline members doing a shoebox swap and visiting. It's been awhile since I had some good girl time! Charis did the projects with us, and I provided 2 projects for everyone to make instead of one. After the ladies went home, it was nearly 10:30, and I needed to get Lucan to nurse one last time unless I wanted to get up in the middle of the night. He was sleepy, which meant a really good, long nursing session. I decided to watch one of the webinar tutorials on the new My Digital Studio from Stampin' Up! so I can finish my certification program by the deadline of the 31st.
So, when all was said and done, I was crawling into bed at midnight next to a snoring Ted. Four hours and 57 minutes later, Lucan was crying to be nursed again. Sigh. When he wakes up at that time, he's pretty much ready to be awake for awhile, so I watched another webinar (I've been procrastinating on this, can you tell?) in the kitchen (love my new laptop!) while doing dishes and keeping an eye on Lucan, who was rolling around and eating his toys.
The goal was to leave the house by 8:40 a.m. so I could be at the commissary right at opening time to get the groceries for the next couple of weeks. Charis had planned to go with me, since I needed to stop by Michael's on the way home to exchange something and she wanted to use her birthday money.
Well. I pulled up to the gate and realized my military ID was not in my wallet. Some frantic moments later, Ted confirmed that I had left it in my pants pocket from when I had taken Lucan to his check-up, the same day I got hit with the flu. I pretty much came home and died to the world that day, and obviously I haven't been on base since!
So. On to Michael's instead of grocery shopping in the early hours before the mad crowds hit. The good news is that Michael's is absolutely NOT crowded on a Saturday morning, but I don't particularly enjoy browsing around there for very long. I tried not to rush Charis, but all I could think about was that I had to go home, get my ID, and head back out again!!
Charis was relieved to not have to do the grocery shopping with me and escaped to the basement where she happily worked on her new projects from the craft store. I drove back to base, where it seemed that every active duty and retired person within a 50-mile radius was doing their grocery shopping. Sigh. So, not only did I waste all that time making the trip twice, but the actual shopping took probably twice as long because of all the traffic in the aisles and waiting in line to check out.
This afternoon has been exciting...putting away groceries and cleaning the house, LOL. Then I tried watching a video for the parenting class Ted and I are taking at church--we were assigned to each watch one geared toward "fatherhood" and "motherhood." Unfortunately, I spent a lot of time trying to get the video to load only to find out that it wasn't working--not on the laptop, and not on Ted's Linux computer. More wasted time. Grrrr.
But we do have something fun to look forward to this evening: We're hosting a family from church for dinner tonight. I'm looking forward to the fellowship, although I'm exhausted and ready for a day of rest...but tomorrow is full as well. Our squadron is having a fall/Halloween party at the boss's house, and I'm providing one of the crafts for the kids. (That's what I worked on early this morning after my kitchen duties!) Ted leaves early for church to play guitar with the worship team, so it is looking like it will be a loooong day, and I can already tell Monday is going to come way too soon!
Sigh! I hate it when weekends seem to slip through my fingers, especially when I woke up so early...you'd think I'd be feeling like I accomplished something after being up for almost 12 hours by now! I'm praying God will renew my energy...I definitely am in need of His strength right now.
So, when all was said and done, I was crawling into bed at midnight next to a snoring Ted. Four hours and 57 minutes later, Lucan was crying to be nursed again. Sigh. When he wakes up at that time, he's pretty much ready to be awake for awhile, so I watched another webinar (I've been procrastinating on this, can you tell?) in the kitchen (love my new laptop!) while doing dishes and keeping an eye on Lucan, who was rolling around and eating his toys.
The goal was to leave the house by 8:40 a.m. so I could be at the commissary right at opening time to get the groceries for the next couple of weeks. Charis had planned to go with me, since I needed to stop by Michael's on the way home to exchange something and she wanted to use her birthday money.
Well. I pulled up to the gate and realized my military ID was not in my wallet. Some frantic moments later, Ted confirmed that I had left it in my pants pocket from when I had taken Lucan to his check-up, the same day I got hit with the flu. I pretty much came home and died to the world that day, and obviously I haven't been on base since!
So. On to Michael's instead of grocery shopping in the early hours before the mad crowds hit. The good news is that Michael's is absolutely NOT crowded on a Saturday morning, but I don't particularly enjoy browsing around there for very long. I tried not to rush Charis, but all I could think about was that I had to go home, get my ID, and head back out again!!
Charis was relieved to not have to do the grocery shopping with me and escaped to the basement where she happily worked on her new projects from the craft store. I drove back to base, where it seemed that every active duty and retired person within a 50-mile radius was doing their grocery shopping. Sigh. So, not only did I waste all that time making the trip twice, but the actual shopping took probably twice as long because of all the traffic in the aisles and waiting in line to check out.
This afternoon has been exciting...putting away groceries and cleaning the house, LOL. Then I tried watching a video for the parenting class Ted and I are taking at church--we were assigned to each watch one geared toward "fatherhood" and "motherhood." Unfortunately, I spent a lot of time trying to get the video to load only to find out that it wasn't working--not on the laptop, and not on Ted's Linux computer. More wasted time. Grrrr.
But we do have something fun to look forward to this evening: We're hosting a family from church for dinner tonight. I'm looking forward to the fellowship, although I'm exhausted and ready for a day of rest...but tomorrow is full as well. Our squadron is having a fall/Halloween party at the boss's house, and I'm providing one of the crafts for the kids. (That's what I worked on early this morning after my kitchen duties!) Ted leaves early for church to play guitar with the worship team, so it is looking like it will be a loooong day, and I can already tell Monday is going to come way too soon!
Sigh! I hate it when weekends seem to slip through my fingers, especially when I woke up so early...you'd think I'd be feeling like I accomplished something after being up for almost 12 hours by now! I'm praying God will renew my energy...I definitely am in need of His strength right now.
October 22, 2009
A Day with Kenna
Welcome to a typical day with Kenna, during which you may find her...
...stripping paper off the crayons, a new addiction that may eventually require intervention...
...slathering anti-itch cream on herself and then trying to wipe it up with every single tissue in the box (bad Mommy for letting Charis keep the cream in her bedroom)...
..."helping" prepare Lucan's cereal...
...or finding and cuddling a worm.
Ah, the simple joys of being a toddler.
...stripping paper off the crayons, a new addiction that may eventually require intervention...
...slathering anti-itch cream on herself and then trying to wipe it up with every single tissue in the box (bad Mommy for letting Charis keep the cream in her bedroom)...
..."helping" prepare Lucan's cereal...
...or finding and cuddling a worm.
Ah, the simple joys of being a toddler.
Birthday Time
It's that time of year again, time for our fall birthdays! Charis is now 9 years old--her last year of a single digit age. Arden is 6. We had a "fall family fun" party again and invited new friends and neighbors and had a blast. There were 4 families who were able to come. It was a low-key event, since we were coming off two weeks of flu at our house. Certain things had to give...instead of hot apple cider, we had juice boxes and water bottles. Instead of making iced pumpkin cookies and a homemade birthday cake, we bought the least cheesy-looking fall-themed cake we could find at Sam's Club. But no one cared--everyone was too busy jumping on the trampoline, decorating a pumpkin, eating potluck dishes, or getting to know someone new. And that was the whole point. :-)
To see more pictures, you can go here.
October 16, 2009
Quick Update
Well, we've ended the week fever-free, thank God. Charis's rash was pretty much non-existent today, although she did find a small spot that itched on her side this evening after not having any rash problems since yesterday. But since her fever had disappeared by yesterday morning, I haven't been terribly concerned; the cortisone cream and children's allergy medicine seemed to keep it in check.
Lucan's fever has also been gone since yesterday, though he's still having a lot of drainage that needs cleared out before he can nurse. Thankfully, though, he IS nursing. We've had two sessions today that haven't been as great...but the other times he has nursed well on both sides. The times he hasn't nursed well, of course it has been my right side that he rejected; I don't know if there's a whole lot I can do to restore the milk on that side, but I'm trying with the pump!
Kenna has continued to deal with her nose issues as well, which includes chapped skin under her nose and on her cheeks from wiping snot all over. But she was considerably happier today than yesterday, though she did have her moments.
So, all in all, we are almost on the other side of this. Everyone else is pretty much back to normal, praise the Lord!
Lucan's fever has also been gone since yesterday, though he's still having a lot of drainage that needs cleared out before he can nurse. Thankfully, though, he IS nursing. We've had two sessions today that haven't been as great...but the other times he has nursed well on both sides. The times he hasn't nursed well, of course it has been my right side that he rejected; I don't know if there's a whole lot I can do to restore the milk on that side, but I'm trying with the pump!
Kenna has continued to deal with her nose issues as well, which includes chapped skin under her nose and on her cheeks from wiping snot all over. But she was considerably happier today than yesterday, though she did have her moments.
So, all in all, we are almost on the other side of this. Everyone else is pretty much back to normal, praise the Lord!
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