tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12790995484762558812023-11-16T02:41:23.878-08:00STONE SOUPWife to 1. Homeschooling Mother to 10. Servant to the Most High God.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger190125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279099548476255881.post-36744724059745711872015-03-12T22:05:00.001-07:002015-03-13T22:39:07.075-07:00Along Comes SpringI remember Hannah telling me about one of the Little House on the Prairie books, The Long Winter. In that particular year for Laura Ingalls and her family, the winter seemed to never end. The book did an excellent job of depicting what it was like for them and how difficult it was to cope.<br />
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Then came spring. Buds, green, birds, dirt, warmth, people.<br />
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And don't you just feel it every year, as that icy snow melts, the fog clears up, the first crocus pokes its way up through the softening ground. You hear the birds again, hopeful in their songs. You smell...what is it?<br />
<br />
LIFE.<br />
NEW LIFE.<br />
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God, who is the master mind behind the seasons, wins my affection over and over again each year, as I marvel at His handiwork, His attention to detail, His timing. <br />
Just when we were growing so weary of the dark and icy cold, and have become quite certain that we will be inside this house with our 42 children for the REST OF OUR LIVES...along comes spring.<br />
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And so it is, in the seasons of our personal lives. Those winter seasons, where we cannot seem to see which way is out. Where the struggle drags on. Where the demands far outweigh the resources. Where the questions outnumber the answers.<br />
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And then, one day...<br />
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You feel it. Something is lighter, warmer, better. <br />
Your husband is fully recovering from his cancer surgery.<br />
The argument with your young adult has turned into a sweet time of tears and forgiveness.<br />
You have the courage to move forward where you once were afraid.<br />
You find someone new to minister to.<br />
Your Lord lifts your head with His sweet hands and you remember how wonderful He is.<br />
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I find it amazing how the physical seasons not only allow for growth, harvest, and rest in the natural world, but they demonstrate to us that we are not alone in our own seasons. The Creator of Heaven and Earth is on the throne. His view is grand. His resources endless. His mercies new every morning.<br />
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Ask of Him. He will walk with you.<br />
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If you are in a good season right now, rejoice!<br />
If things are difficult, hold on. Let the trials complete their work in you. Let them bring you to the Wonderful One. <br />
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Spring will come.<br />
And it will be sweet!<br />
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The One who made it all will bring you spring.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279099548476255881.post-3390479379976534562015-02-18T10:15:00.001-08:002015-02-18T17:33:14.503-08:00Surprised by Love<br />
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Sometimes life takes you by surprise.<br />
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In January, the surprise was the closing of our church of ten years. We were sad and in shock, wondering how things would unfold in the months to come.<br />
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This month, my husband was told he had a baseball-sized cancerous tumor on his kidney. No symptoms, no clue. Just a very timely CT scan, looking for kidney stones. Surprise.<br />
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I tell ya, though, there is something that has surprised me more than these.<br />
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That is the love of others. And what is has done for us.<br />
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This month the kids and I are memorizing Bible passages on LOVE. You know, Valentine's Day and all...And I suppose I am learning right along with them.<br />
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God has a way of covering so much more than just the immediate need, does He not?<br />
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He is softening this independent heart and teaching it His ways. I didn't see this coming.<br />
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The texts and calls and emails that flooded my phone directly following the news from the Doctor.<br />
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Our ten beautiful children, who stand ready and willing to help out or to drop their plans for the good of their Dad (and the good of us all).<br />
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The meals that just showed up at our door, before Kenny even had his surgery scheduled.<br />
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The overwhelming amount of offers to watch our children, help us clean, give us rides, run errands for us.<br />
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The filling-up of my children for four to five days, by three dear families, as we farmed them out during our hospital stay.<br />
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The dear friends who sat with me for hours in the waiting room, keeping me comforted and encouraged.<br />
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The visitors, who drove out to Aurora just to see their friend and pray for us.<br />
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That softness in me, that completely took over the minute I saw my husband of 22 years lying face-up on the gurney, white as a ghost. A softness that has been missing for the last few years, as the demands of raising a family have taken over.<br />
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And as more meals pour in, some from people who have more than their share of trials at the moment, I find myself wondering if maybe I haven't missed out these past years, as I insisted on carrying my burdens alone. Independent people are like that, you know. I can DO this! Just watch...<br />
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It's difficult to receive. Humbling. Awkward even.<br />
Especially when you're out of practice. When you really don't mind being the Lone Ranger. When life is constantly busy, noisy, demanding. And you just have to do it. And do it well.<br />
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I told Kenny he reminds of George Bailey in 'It's a Wonderful Life', when all the money he needs, and more, pours in at the end, just as he needs it.<br />
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I often overlook the scriptures on love. Let's read about DOING something! Funny, but our current scripture is 1 Corinthians 13. Love DOES. It SHOWS. It ACTS.<br />
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The people in our lives are DOING. They are SHOWING. They have ACTED.<br />
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And it seems, by this, they are allowing this Mama a lovely view into the world of the love of God. A view I have not often let myself see. <br />
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The scriptures are coming alive to me, as I see them up close and personal. You can talk about loving one another all you want. But living that love is where the power is. Meeting the needs that you see. Working as the hands and feet of Jesus. His body, caring for itself.<br />
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It's a beautiful thing.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279099548476255881.post-1965193818092612462015-01-18T14:47:00.000-08:002015-01-18T14:47:38.563-08:00Closing the Door<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Where to begin...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It has been hard this past week to hold back the tears. And this morning, Sunday morning, it is impossible.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Today is the last day our little church will meet together. We have closed our doors. And it is painful.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Almost ten years ago, after being on a Foursquare church plant for five years, Kenny and I decided that it was time to find a church that was a better fit for our rapidly growing, home-education-based family. And we settled in a place that was filling up with beautiful, messy, real families. Families like ours. Kids ran around in second-hand clothing, and Moms stayed home and taught them and shopped for bargains and searched for ways to run their homes better. Both parents grew in their knowledge of the Word and in their love for God. My children, for the most part, didn't have to act or put on a different face on Sunday mornings. They just hung out with their wonderful friends, and soon, we all became family. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Many seasons have passed since those first days. Some breathtakingly sweet. Some unbearably painful. Pastors and friends have come and gone and come again. We have learned so much. Grown up so much. Some of our friendships are lost. Some are still breathing, but barely. Many are rich and vibrant. The fear-filled parenting and wife-ing is falling by the wayside, and life has come into my home again after so much trial and error. The fantastic joy of teaching my children at home is returning to me, after years of discouragement and confusion. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And our friends at church...we knew there was change in the air. One by one we saw our numbers decreasing, and we knew. But still, we had hoped, perhaps enough will not move on. Perhaps we will all remember what we have here, in our little congregation. We had hoped. But this morning, as we sat around, facing each other, or not facing each other, as was my case... It was hard to look. We shared our thoughts, and we came to a conclusion. Really, the conclusion had already been made. We're closing up shop. This church started by one man named Scott and finished by another, was moving on. And I just can't stop the tears. Because this is my family. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I know many say that we will always be family, and I know that is true. And I know many say that we are a part of the world-wide Church of our Lord Jesus, and I know that is also true. But, still. This was where our older children grew up and are growing up. These were the ones who encouraged us, and called us forward in our journeys. They pitched in, in time of need. And they graciously received our giving as well. This was where we knew we were not alone, and our family size wasn't weird-it was normal and fun, and our quirky, bumpy ways were fine with everyone else. And their quirky, bumpy ways were fine with us.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So here I type, sorrowful for us all. And dreading the changes. Watching my children weep today was the worst. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And yet...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The sun has now come through the clouds outside, and it is near-blinding me with it's light and it's warmth on this winter day. And somehow, under all the sorrow and uncertainty, I find hope. And I find great comfort. Not in my circumstances. In the goodness of my Lord. My Lord is alive and well and He will not forsake us. He sees us, hears us, and walks with us. He will answer our prayers, and lead us onward and upward. He will provide for us. He will show us the good in this new season that has come our way. He will teach us to comfort others in their time of loss. And as we walk forward, uncertain and raw, I believe He will also give to us a fresh vision for the days to come. Perhaps something we had never even thought about before.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort." 2 Cor. 1:3</span><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279099548476255881.post-9838306213386667272014-11-26T14:31:00.002-08:002014-11-26T14:33:42.913-08:00Our Day at Four Mile Historic Park<br />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVraB798r7WDdATEvgz8Q1MeH8k1vpzMbZlvnR4jtRq92ju3QYluWRFQdbkVU2u3rVew4Bov0KSY5Z7ydNPA6Rg9qzlQ5Z0hQAx0_3VxrNIsZL4DH6xTErTqQ3ThbS2x4SmairaY_HMNlQ/s1600/four+mile7.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When my mom was here, we took the kiddos up to Denver and visited <a href="http://www.fourmilehistoricpark.org/">Four Mile Park</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The day was cool and clear, and we had a lovely time walking around the grounds, and spending too much in the old-fashioned gift shop. My mom wasn't sure how far she would want to walk that day, but you know, those cute little Grandchildren have a way of getting her to do just about anything. And so she walked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> It really was a quiet, beautiful day, and we all enjoyed getting out before the temperature dropped.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Another small pleasure this side of Heaven.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The kids took turns teaching in the one-room schoolhouse</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The girls loved these old-fashioned desks!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Miss Sarah at the blackboard</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This was so neat- the Emancipation Proclamation written to make the face of Abraham Lincoln </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">We got to play Indian inside this teepee</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Grandma and the wagon train!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I love this picture...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijye0ajvXyYSKld5kB-Zi1MNxBttobCTrFIZMOQJcSjdocEapYyIbHGiRmSqsGN_rKMbbitbDEMrOS_-J3fAmSx2b5TXbfhcMPKQxpEeD3g1DVptdQKoHhvmjIRYEBz-bVPOzTt6OQjSaC/s1600/four+mile11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijye0ajvXyYSKld5kB-Zi1MNxBttobCTrFIZMOQJcSjdocEapYyIbHGiRmSqsGN_rKMbbitbDEMrOS_-J3fAmSx2b5TXbfhcMPKQxpEeD3g1DVptdQKoHhvmjIRYEBz-bVPOzTt6OQjSaC/s1600/four+mile11.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Add caption</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">And what's a trip to Denver without a stop to <a href="http://www.bonniebraeicecream.com/">Bonnie Brae's Ice Cream</a>??!!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">If Emma could live on ice cream, she would!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This mini-cone was the cutest thing. </span></td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279099548476255881.post-84567748351635644852014-11-22T21:11:00.001-08:002014-11-22T22:12:21.032-08:00Mid-Life Ponderings<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I love to learn from other people. I am a watcher. A soaker. A gleaner. I love learning. I love history, because I learn from people. I love scripture, because I learn the ways of God and I see the paths we can choose from. I love people's stories, testimonies, struggles, and triumphs.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And here I am, in mid-life, after 21 years of marriage, and 20+ years of raising children and building friendships and church life and homeschooling. I see where we get the term 'mid-life crisis'. I think for me it's more of a mid-life assessment.I am looking around at people my age, looking at my own life, too. Thinking and figuring from the past, and wondering about the future. And through it all I see some wonderfully relieving and life-giving things that I have learned and am learning.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have learned that hating my weaknesses doesn't make me get past them. I really really wanted to be that lady in the book who just gets it, and tells everybody else how to do it well. And yet I keep being me. And somehow after all these years I am loved more than ever.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have learned that I am not that perfect-looking lady in the book, on Pinterest, behind the amazing blog. And that if I focus on her, I will never become me. And I won't become her, either.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have learned that I really do love God. That although He may have many things to teach me and much dross to purify me of, I do love Him very much, today, as I am.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have learned that being a good supportive wife isn't about me. It isn't about trying harder. It isn't about looking the greatest or being the best at something or just getting it right. It is about simply loving and respecting this man today. And tomorrow. And the next day. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am learning that clutter steals. Be it junk piles around the house, overly complicated vacations, celebrations, and holidays, or noise from other people's or the internet's way-too-loud opinions, clutter is just that. Not much of value, just noise and distraction.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am learning that being simple is wonderful. Mother Theresa once commented on how insecure Western parents are. True. Trying to keep up with our own choice of Joneses, making sure we are not knocked off the band-wagon, desiring to keep ahead so we don't fall behind. It's wearying. Simple is awesome. Reading to my children as the chimes ring happily outside is so very wonderful. Feeding my young adults piles of home-cooked food - just Mom's cookin'- does so much more than fill their bellies. Slowing down and listening to people and taking more time to read my Bible and pray and smiling at these faces I get to be with for this time. Simple.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am learning that the fumbly-bumbly two-steps forward one-step back way I do things isn't going to keep my family from succeeding. That those wonderful people who tell me to follow their ways aren't always right. They are convincing, and strong, and organized. But not always right.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am learning to trust the One Who is worthy of my trust. Does He hear me? Yes. Is He holy and righteous? Yes. Does he know how to help me and my family and everything else I bring to Him? Yes. Does He comfort and heal in His time? Yes.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And I am learning, perhaps most importantly, what it means to have my Lord be the 'Author and Finisher' of my faith. It means that He writes my story. And yours. That all those times I was pulling my hair out because things were NOT going right, He was guiding, directing, allowing, molding. That my plan for this family isn't anything compared to His. It's so very hard to let go. So very hard. But I find no other path to Life than to trust my Author.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Loving this learning in mid-life...Sometimes hating it too. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Looking forward to the next decades, Lord-willing, of watching and figuring and hoping and learning. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And hopefully, along the way, teaching it too.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279099548476255881.post-50544243755631793022014-11-22T14:21:00.000-08:002014-11-22T14:21:57.719-08:00When the Weather outside was Frightful...<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My Mom came to visit for two and a half weeks this month. We switched bedrooms around, cleaned bathrooms, planned meals, and scrubbed kids for her arrival.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">While she was here, she just really blended in. She listened some mornings as we learned about missionaries in India, or memorized scripture, or figured out math problems. She shared nice meals with us and funny *creative* meals. She shopped with us, went on a field trip with us, and enjoyed those very chilly, snowy days inside with us.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">During the snow days, we had the whole family here, minus Joey. We made homemade hot chocolate, read books, worked a nice big puzzle with Danny, and painted ornaments and village houses. The village houses are an ongoing project that I must have started just about a hundred years ago. We are always buying new houses, finishing un-done ones from years past, and touching up those that we 'can't believe we painted that way'! Sammy and Hannah surprised me this year with a few new ones, and they are now quietly awaiting the rest of their paint for Christmas!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA2_DksgGvU5HsNwetGzqt9uQFc5oZbKPhOvqS9q3apJw06ZJfAr1I0FUXeg2nrwSuBKBhyphenhyphen9hcgibjxzAgbOgWOe0cCFRs6oc8NmKJBoiB_AMrk8tQdp2m43XNeOATZbhNSaD4xZ1D0z1R/s1600/paint1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA2_DksgGvU5HsNwetGzqt9uQFc5oZbKPhOvqS9q3apJw06ZJfAr1I0FUXeg2nrwSuBKBhyphenhyphen9hcgibjxzAgbOgWOe0cCFRs6oc8NmKJBoiB_AMrk8tQdp2m43XNeOATZbhNSaD4xZ1D0z1R/s1600/paint1.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Emma's Masterpiece</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Snowflake Painters!<br />Still too young for the houses, they dressed up a stack of cardboard flakes for the windows.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Creative minds at work</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279099548476255881.post-73351527775082548782014-11-02T21:43:00.000-08:002014-11-02T21:43:00.205-08:00Caramel Apple Pops<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Easier-To-Eat and Funner-To-Make Caramel Apples</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Quartered apples with craft sticks poked in, dunked in melted caramels and cream...<br />Bowls of toppings and chubby hands to 'woll dee apple in!'</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Good Friends with Matching Hair</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSq3YMlwDH9GSfcWqqkj_b2CyxT16d09ZKbJrZ-1pLdPXoC5MqzTMsnQ_tsAJ8aVd8SRkjFDMOpjz2-S1etXEAMjFaa8ws_Gfyv_AaXYym_GM3KULP2oMlUiHhQV2H9FHnoD51mt6Qvp78/s1600/apples3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSq3YMlwDH9GSfcWqqkj_b2CyxT16d09ZKbJrZ-1pLdPXoC5MqzTMsnQ_tsAJ8aVd8SRkjFDMOpjz2-S1etXEAMjFaa8ws_Gfyv_AaXYym_GM3KULP2oMlUiHhQV2H9FHnoD51mt6Qvp78/s1600/apples3.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Pretty Older Sister with Little Brother smiling intensely at his apple pop</span></td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279099548476255881.post-33177685867861124572014-11-02T21:23:00.001-08:002014-11-02T21:23:25.339-08:00Ask, Seek, Knock<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Prayer-life, intercession, seeking the Lord; whatever we call it, it has always been a part of my walk. I suppose that is normal for a believer in Christ. But as I mature, it is becoming as vital to me as the air I breathe. I know I have much to learn about reaching up to God, staying diligent with my petitions, being willing to wait or perhaps accept an answer I didn't request, giving credit where credit is due when comes that sweet, wonderful reply from this most wonderful God that I cannot see with my eyes, nor hear with my ears, yet</span><b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i> I know</i></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>He is</i></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I love my Blue Letter Bible App. So yeah, not all technology is evil, I suppose. This app lets me search for passages, phrases, and words in any translation. Many sleepless nights I sit holding my little iPhone, searching and soaking, marveling and being filled with hope once again. Because sometime life can get rough, even when it's still good. And we need answers and comfort and direction. And He is just so good to give it all to us generously. I so love typing in a word like 'trust' or 'love' or 'salvation' and just having a host of wonderful scriptures fill my screen. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Recently, I have been pondering the scriptures with 'prayer' in them. This can be a tough world to live in sometimes. And my list of people to pray for just keeps growing. As I fill my days with meal plans and toilet cleaning and history lessons and science co-ops, I often wish I could do more for those 'out there'. And I know someday I will do more, as my babies grow up. But today, and hopefully all days, I can pray. And I pray to One Who truly hears, Who truly has all wisdom and understanding, love and compassion, judgment and mercy. And there is really nothing in the world more precious to me than that knowledge that God is alive, and Almighty, and working His wonders in me as I look up to Him and ask Him for what we need.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here are some sweet scriptures on prayer that have fed my soul in this season.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*<b>Continue earnestly </b>in prayer, being <b>vigilant</b> in it with thanksgiving;* Col. 4:2</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*The effective,<b> fervent</b> prayer of a righteous man <b>avails much</b>* James 5:16</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the LORD; And my prayer went up to You, into Your holy temple.* Jonah 2:7</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, <b>continuing steadfastly</b> in prayer* Romans 12:12</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is His delight.* Prov. 15:8</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer, nor His mercy from me!* Ps. 66:20</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And after the Lord's Prayer, Jesus talks of a man needing bread for a traveler. He goes to his friend's home in the night and asks for the bread. The friend is already in bed with his family and does not want to be troubled. But he will give the bread because of his friend's <b>persistence</b>. Then Jesus speaks the well-known words, "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The highlighted words have got me thinking. I remember going to the mall with my friends as a teenager. In front of one store, there was a short wooden statue of Buddha, and you could rub his belly as you made a wish. Do I also pray to God like that? Quickly, as I am passing from one thing to the next? Hoping He answers me, but being okay if He doesn't, because I really just don't want to take the time to ask?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I know I am still green-ish in my understanding of God and prayer. But these past few weeks, I have witnessed answer after answer as I have called out to Him, hoping in His goodness, Sometimes it feels like labor, because I love the people I pray for so much! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I do know this - He is alive and He will help us if we ask. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Is there something in your life that is unresolved, troubling, painful? Then ask, and seek, and knock. And don't stop, because<b> He never runs out of anything</b>. He is not offended at our need. Like the woman at the well, He knows it all anyhow. He never tires of our asking. Hard for an introverted mother of many to imagine not being tired of people asking! I am always rationing things around here, and I <i>might</i> even lock my door for some quiet every once in a while...But hallelujah He does not tire! His door is always open! He is ever-ready to receive His people and their requests.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.* 1 Peter 5:7</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279099548476255881.post-77833712292072365822014-10-28T16:44:00.002-07:002014-10-28T16:44:52.630-07:00Child's Play<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When our older kiddos were in grade school, I used to take them on all kinds of field trips. You know, that is a real plus to homeschooling. You choose the place, the day, the lunch, the time frame. You choose if you go alone or with other families. You see what you want, and then you all go home and nap. It's really a sweet deal. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One of our favorite places back then was the Denver Nature and Science Museum. This place is huge. And despite the overbearing evolutionary junk, it was a nice place to spend the day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> But as the boys got older, I started finding myself sandwiched between the ever-changing needs of adolescents and the fatigue of being pregnant and caring for newborns late into my thirties. You know, teenagers up at night, wanting to eat and talk...Babies up early in the morning, wanting to eat and talk...So naturally, the field trips got put on the shelf. Not intentionally, mind you, just sort of, out of necessity. So I could <b style="font-style: italic;">breathe.</b> And sleep. And manage my ever-growing family without loosing my mind. Which didn't really happen. But at least I tried.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Well, I am mid-forties now. I most likely will not be having any more babies. And I have graduated two young men from high school. Kenny has taken over much of Sammy and Tommy's schooling. And I find myself itching for something more enjoyable than hauling older kids to speech and debate tournaments and co-ops and jobs all over the state, you know so they can work and make <i>their own money</i>...With <i>my</i> gas. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I digress...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So, at the beginning of this school year, I started putting together a wish list of sorts. For fun things to do. Outdoor walks, learning days, company tours. And the Denver Museum once again made it's way back onto that list. Because it had been too long. And...it was a free day.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6wNx9vrjwrRoF4eScNTrcING7i1N3EN6m87e-sESjfmid5sh-n7M6x4oE3mxlSMMve2gnxxEihFwR9eSHtQ9movh96H1MuhxuH0z9lgffqIFXlfqlXor7iI872h3VKyba-2otfPB7llFe/s1600/blog+204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6wNx9vrjwrRoF4eScNTrcING7i1N3EN6m87e-sESjfmid5sh-n7M6x4oE3mxlSMMve2gnxxEihFwR9eSHtQ9movh96H1MuhxuH0z9lgffqIFXlfqlXor7iI872h3VKyba-2otfPB7llFe/s1600/blog+204.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">"Wow, Mom, that dino-sword is WAY taller than me!', says a very excited two year-old.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Green girls at the Space Odyssey</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsw92SF30FhX6Y1bfFDAAkmttLR6yQF3n7G2We2SH3Byxg1lys68va0MZbvsgIBlIIfzNPEVu8I-FuI91eYQRrVUxD4QGa_zcOeR8kd7GTxVrYIttqnWzcofH6ldzVIPbuwhoTYhKjdYtT/s1600/blog+210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsw92SF30FhX6Y1bfFDAAkmttLR6yQF3n7G2We2SH3Byxg1lys68va0MZbvsgIBlIIfzNPEVu8I-FuI91eYQRrVUxD4QGa_zcOeR8kd7GTxVrYIttqnWzcofH6ldzVIPbuwhoTYhKjdYtT/s1600/blog+210.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Pretty cool deep-sea divers</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Lunch Time! As we ate, we found ourselves talking about and drooling over the idea of BBQ ribs and such...Perhaps because our lunch consisted mainly of fruit and nuts!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhyphenhyphenXjd_wuFHaLl5UwPoY8PBgCZzTKbZ97QQMmXfACte61zqveHDgvB_lqZ28PwsxO-p2fmvRhyDVaY0p2x5gNgLcDQrbQtnt4T36AkwaMeFSIEml_TuPj2HI5UJ6jtN1voysSO08fBSnB/s1600/blog+202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhyphenhyphenXjd_wuFHaLl5UwPoY8PBgCZzTKbZ97QQMmXfACte61zqveHDgvB_lqZ28PwsxO-p2fmvRhyDVaY0p2x5gNgLcDQrbQtnt4T36AkwaMeFSIEml_TuPj2HI5UJ6jtN1voysSO08fBSnB/s1600/blog+202.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Digging for Fossils</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTB1uCLmoqquY5ZUfvvNn2SBLHvRFCKgB2Pm7wnbq1Cy4cIkJWHwUsCZN9D8jSnHUmXbyroy_56wenbUEc4oFbnGTpt1uSSCtj2Z3zyj9HzJABVwyj1FEh6yA5LdocDmyJ-qPY2LZx9e1p/s1600/blog+203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTB1uCLmoqquY5ZUfvvNn2SBLHvRFCKgB2Pm7wnbq1Cy4cIkJWHwUsCZN9D8jSnHUmXbyroy_56wenbUEc4oFbnGTpt1uSSCtj2Z3zyj9HzJABVwyj1FEh6yA5LdocDmyJ-qPY2LZx9e1p/s1600/blog+203.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The BEST water table I have ever seen. I wanted to take it home with me!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtg0WB9HNOfof2LrM3NZI0AxwfjSV-DSXr9sPhhOLytX4whX3MU8a2M-iOptzjmd4gPD4dkHsukngSqSGNOkH8lwEUNwaEGt966nCkQt0PuR7YQ1c1wgAk3CrRsRfPBa1VG9KpFcXktAre/s1600/blog+205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtg0WB9HNOfof2LrM3NZI0AxwfjSV-DSXr9sPhhOLytX4whX3MU8a2M-iOptzjmd4gPD4dkHsukngSqSGNOkH8lwEUNwaEGt966nCkQt0PuR7YQ1c1wgAk3CrRsRfPBa1VG9KpFcXktAre/s1600/blog+205.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Michael loved building these critters, until another little person wanted to 'share' the pieces. Michael looked at the boy, dropped his toy, and walked off disgusted, muttering to himself.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRndGI2nlE-ImIWYiB1-6eqNePUYYXzDqjKB7hPFF8KW9bIfrGyyygSNu19WnFpncKIPRwFtUsAocwhmIlMCWmwlnxZwN7mFo5Tb6wQl5K6xADEDItyw7TZSXcO8FfRjQvF05Z4gQU_vI/s1600/blog+212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRndGI2nlE-ImIWYiB1-6eqNePUYYXzDqjKB7hPFF8KW9bIfrGyyygSNu19WnFpncKIPRwFtUsAocwhmIlMCWmwlnxZwN7mFo5Tb6wQl5K6xADEDItyw7TZSXcO8FfRjQvF05Z4gQU_vI/s1600/blog+212.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">At lunch, I kept seeing Sarah put her hand down toward the ground, ever-so-sneakily. So eventually I took a peek under her chair and found these poor unwanted pecans lying on the floor. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSax6tieYElo1WAM_TV-Sfvg5VpXs9JYApaysuLK9Ik0bq8mVUd8z0nl-Emk2oKspTWr7aHC_hIc4TpSShbsnN60xjAL4_WqNiHp-ZUxFBngcIV-RWrHkghM8DyBAOr9FoiaJmq7pvx9mQ/s1600/blog+208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSax6tieYElo1WAM_TV-Sfvg5VpXs9JYApaysuLK9Ik0bq8mVUd8z0nl-Emk2oKspTWr7aHC_hIc4TpSShbsnN60xjAL4_WqNiHp-ZUxFBngcIV-RWrHkghM8DyBAOr9FoiaJmq7pvx9mQ/s1600/blog+208.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This water vortex really kept Sarah's attention. She just kept saying, "Mom, we have <b>got </b>to get a family pass to this museum!"</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_7jZH9sJ2nPC0QO8BD1Rk4Xgznpke6SlWmWHDYvEJr7Ekoi1QYko9Du_u0CCrQMMD64y18MBImRFRiB2rkIT3pjFcjzh00DSA59D7T8xHYI-BKLRLNDDUrMsLZcNgZ2lezKXzhZew9LR4/s1600/blog+207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_7jZH9sJ2nPC0QO8BD1Rk4Xgznpke6SlWmWHDYvEJr7Ekoi1QYko9Du_u0CCrQMMD64y18MBImRFRiB2rkIT3pjFcjzh00DSA59D7T8xHYI-BKLRLNDDUrMsLZcNgZ2lezKXzhZew9LR4/s1600/blog+207.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Engineer in the making.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUxpPdZxo6pjasJnE8-u93JN2lKfNQRVNUVsJqr2fmkLwpaIjChqgB6SEEGvH0phCWlDIJH7ADhn7paFwY9EWR2wGZC2fekmygO2dSWnoLW0Rzm4ux0khAK1PCs5WUVSbvmE3uNTnuL9Jn/s1600/blog+206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUxpPdZxo6pjasJnE8-u93JN2lKfNQRVNUVsJqr2fmkLwpaIjChqgB6SEEGvH0phCWlDIJH7ADhn7paFwY9EWR2wGZC2fekmygO2dSWnoLW0Rzm4ux0khAK1PCs5WUVSbvmE3uNTnuL9Jn/s1600/blog+206.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Michael didn't get the point of these over-sized Tinker Toys. Then he walked over to a video demonstration, and came back, victoriously putting them together!</span></td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279099548476255881.post-717282831461607792014-10-03T11:04:00.002-07:002014-10-03T11:04:43.358-07:00The Comfort of Tradition<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Traditions and familiarity are important.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That savory aroma that brings you back to the comfort of your Grandmother's kitchen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The gentle hum of the neighbor's lawn mower on warm summer afternoons.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The children's story book you read over and over and over until the cover was hanging by a thread and the jam-covered pages almost smiled at you.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The same Christmas treats, baked every single year; even though you add in new recipes, you will never not make the tried and true.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That list of favorite hymns that brings you back to your childhood church, as you stood right in the middle of your quiet, gentle, towering parents, soaking up the richness of the human voice reaching out to God.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">New school supplies and clothes. And a lunchbox. Every year.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The changing of the seasons, cold to warm to hot to cool and back to cold again. Just like clockwork.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Your Mother, always in the kitchen taking care of the family after you trudged home and fell on the couch after a long day of school.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The well-worn places in your Bible, calling you over and over to stop and read and be refreshed and filled by His thoughts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">These things are comforting. They speak without a word. They are the invaluable sights and sounds and smells and feelings that have gently shaped us, year after year. They are the traditions, the familiar traditions that seem to possess a priceless ability to calm us and keep us grounded.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Every fall we have a celebration in our home. Because Mom adores this time of the year. And now my family does too. We decorate and cook and light candles and have our once-a-year fall feast. We find comfort in this tradition with each other. Danny even made sure he was off work for it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Joey got a care package with chowder soup mix, candy corns, and apple cider mix. But boy, was he missed. First year without him.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk7518o2mpfpyzp8HnPey3aK8Auh0vKg6P3jBWS6eoo-8V_ocYffUbu5rWaC7lUYPW-TSejAchuWI8v2wwkb9PQ0yqDk-Sz3JEfq-5nLWE8pf01qQpmEvZgCYlZTb-igF4WR2hl2ZzsUNy/s1600/blog+126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk7518o2mpfpyzp8HnPey3aK8Auh0vKg6P3jBWS6eoo-8V_ocYffUbu5rWaC7lUYPW-TSejAchuWI8v2wwkb9PQ0yqDk-Sz3JEfq-5nLWE8pf01qQpmEvZgCYlZTb-igF4WR2hl2ZzsUNy/s1600/blog+126.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Whether Thanksgiving turkeys or Autumn leaves, our children's little hands have graced craft projects like this one for almost 20 years.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMxSqAwYWa0zNoKMdDpbnjN8I0z5X1Z-lbRCAy3nkvC6XjFn3YRyV4zDyqx4PJuyOxtO3AD42cipN1Up9xqrewWTjJ6rJWomk1qH5Ym5Tvvi2SCBfQDEfuzjYhAu9vajYrkIFztq-WKjdk/s1600/blog+133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMxSqAwYWa0zNoKMdDpbnjN8I0z5X1Z-lbRCAy3nkvC6XjFn3YRyV4zDyqx4PJuyOxtO3AD42cipN1Up9xqrewWTjJ6rJWomk1qH5Ym5Tvvi2SCBfQDEfuzjYhAu9vajYrkIFztq-WKjdk/s1600/blog+133.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">My lovely daughters put most of this together before I even got a chance to.<br />We don't' have a tablecloth long enough, so we just use a small one for a splash of color. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcgUFEonZsPBTBmHS2huyYL7YyMuVvzQ5P215BRzOyJyBzvEUuUP5ej9ULYKBK2LPCCyYZQMYCBxd2CeTu6GrArxkYcmSsqhxY9TegeHy4WzJ5ZchVAifF0nPvCLGsz-fl9B6G6MJW6REz/s1600/blog+125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcgUFEonZsPBTBmHS2huyYL7YyMuVvzQ5P215BRzOyJyBzvEUuUP5ej9ULYKBK2LPCCyYZQMYCBxd2CeTu6GrArxkYcmSsqhxY9TegeHy4WzJ5ZchVAifF0nPvCLGsz-fl9B6G6MJW6REz/s1600/blog+125.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Like our new fall goblets? Emma and I found them at our grocery store for 75c a piece. Maybe someday I'll have real crystal instead of the cartooned-woodland-creature theme, but I'm not holding my breath!<br /> Clam chowder, real apple cider, apples with caramel dip, and candy corns are the menu each Autumn. I know Dr. Atkins would not approve, but it really is yummy. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And besides, it's tradition.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279099548476255881.post-56821346452002827172014-09-30T12:38:00.001-07:002014-09-30T12:38:10.989-07:00Harvest Day at Miller Farms<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7BFkxCdXqOFv7kESHDj7_3LKg9AWdblTaMxUd85Q0BMkX8Hj3uTnHemu2O9V8Okk-Z4t4yCy5xSI9ThGvIYJJwq7i0qx5f41o0W-Rs0VM8zdIrW-RrvEcOC3guCPHtzLxFl0HRzhHM-iz/s1600/blog+103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7BFkxCdXqOFv7kESHDj7_3LKg9AWdblTaMxUd85Q0BMkX8Hj3uTnHemu2O9V8Okk-Z4t4yCy5xSI9ThGvIYJJwq7i0qx5f41o0W-Rs0VM8zdIrW-RrvEcOC3guCPHtzLxFl0HRzhHM-iz/s1600/blog+103.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Growing up in Oregon, one can get pretty spoiled. I remember spitting our watermelon seeds of the high deck in the summer only to find lovely little plants growing down below a few weeks later.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Not so where I live now. Semi-arid, short growing seasons don't lend themselves to abundance unless you're willing to put in a lot of time and effort.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So when my good friend Tabby called and asked if we wanted to join up at Miller Farms for the day, we jumped on it. And we are glad we did. Good friends, brilliant sunshine (we all came home sunburned), wagon rides through the farm to pick our own produce, and a corn maze to boot.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It was a lovely day with people I love, in country I love.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Not bad for a Pacific Northwest Snob.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">It actually got quite hot; close to 100 degrees. Toward the end of the trail we had run out of water and were borderline *unhappy*. One of the kids cracked open a watermelon they had picked and passed it around for a drink!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ellie's celery was bigger than she was!</span></td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279099548476255881.post-83444849044198786722014-08-28T21:46:00.000-07:002014-08-28T21:46:26.203-07:00The Sargents are Back to School!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Happy Sigh.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When the last two years of your life have utterly and completely worn you thin and it's almost summer and you know you won't have much to give your sweet home-schooled children come fall if you don't take a really really long break...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You take that break. In the middle of graduating your second son from high school and throwing him two goodbye parties and celebrating three special birthdays and having two cars bust in the most expensive ways so that you are a serious Taxi Mom for many days...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You take that break.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And so then, when the end of summer rolls around, and you are pulling out those wonderfully familiar history books and math books and science books, and you are piecing together schedules and lists to give your bee-hive some <i>sense of order</i>, you find yourself being very glad that you took a break. Even though your kiddos were certainly almost *bored* some days, although we aren't allowed to use the word *bored* in this house...because boredom is not an option.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And then...when that first day of school does roll around (TODAY!!) you find yourself happy sighing through the day. Because you love what you do. You love your children. You love the books and the new school supplies and the lists. You love the simple questions that turn into complex conversations. You love the sweetness of your younger ones and the growth in your older ones. You love giving them God's Word as seeds in their hearts. You love actually planning your meals again (yeah, not so good this summer on that one....) You love order, even when some may not think that what we do is orderly,<b style="font-style: italic;"> to us it is. </b>You love the fact that while you are still learning, you are not a newbie anymore.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Oh yes, you definitely love that one.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Thankful for this sweet day.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Happy sigh.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_l-3O-LFunmKipfePvDIQ-UWao6MBa7AXvhyphenhyphenhxzu2EoJiluKl-7o_-c3yegsiCDBVoJlIO3KCvqk-opnHno0rf8n_-Fj0-3JYvlE6WS_w8fXhl5VbxiuR4xh4qduQ0iGyhun09N8kt_vI/s1600/school2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_l-3O-LFunmKipfePvDIQ-UWao6MBa7AXvhyphenhyphenhxzu2EoJiluKl-7o_-c3yegsiCDBVoJlIO3KCvqk-opnHno0rf8n_-Fj0-3JYvlE6WS_w8fXhl5VbxiuR4xh4qduQ0iGyhun09N8kt_vI/s1600/school2.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">No, I did not give my children bags full of candy to celebrate the first day of school.<br />And no, they did not eat all of that candy in one morning.<br />And no, we did not have hyper-activity issues this afternoon. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqo5S7sAe2jhzIJKcqgShnmcYNwRtYgzBOBJSVS7sUZHGXelzMEFjqa57rJhFyk0XavepRDOeWG2BKNe3hRhFFMUgHr6INqAYc-AemstQLLtm4WSvSOvv4g45VVVjDC_3ni7qWLHXaWz-j/s1600/school5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqo5S7sAe2jhzIJKcqgShnmcYNwRtYgzBOBJSVS7sUZHGXelzMEFjqa57rJhFyk0XavepRDOeWG2BKNe3hRhFFMUgHr6INqAYc-AemstQLLtm4WSvSOvv4g45VVVjDC_3ni7qWLHXaWz-j/s1600/school5.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Not sure why Pictionary Man is in this picture, but the kiddos enjoyed their goodie bags nonetheless.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8EcFwa99-oOTj2IR0e98ShepzNyqxgRxRMn2SxMdCn7tqXrE7U2yjop_n1rPsZUYU60uNU8a1ZhI7mnPfBDlBR9w4teczOwzEN5yM2jpR9g23ytECP0jN9W3KgZIuFaQzdKeemVLe02b6/s1600/school8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8EcFwa99-oOTj2IR0e98ShepzNyqxgRxRMn2SxMdCn7tqXrE7U2yjop_n1rPsZUYU60uNU8a1ZhI7mnPfBDlBR9w4teczOwzEN5yM2jpR9g23ytECP0jN9W3KgZIuFaQzdKeemVLe02b6/s1600/school8.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdMLrjv8-4KuqRDUv8YiBPhS2v3ijcoQXYs_8zlaeN4B5pzz58j940Cze_QJf6dTRoVcrKAaMd3iRvV2ra-QXi1VqPYkMGIOQsWoD82G3LeKKi1MJHkcx9UwEmnFGtON8CtM94Kxun_WXM/s1600/school9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdMLrjv8-4KuqRDUv8YiBPhS2v3ijcoQXYs_8zlaeN4B5pzz58j940Cze_QJf6dTRoVcrKAaMd3iRvV2ra-QXi1VqPYkMGIOQsWoD82G3LeKKi1MJHkcx9UwEmnFGtON8CtM94Kxun_WXM/s1600/school9.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ready to Learn</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7iBA8XwqIOHObHeoEXRtVcKcwhe_Imec6svOo8-E3HhToZcoIATUcgLmpU74jEeoapqFZpeoyxVoFXoa2T6PEkLJD8Tyxu4jkRnD8OvpyHs0rKg9XtBKwy_Wl8QytIO8jXyKJoOAwAJZr/s1600/school6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7iBA8XwqIOHObHeoEXRtVcKcwhe_Imec6svOo8-E3HhToZcoIATUcgLmpU74jEeoapqFZpeoyxVoFXoa2T6PEkLJD8Tyxu4jkRnD8OvpyHs0rKg9XtBKwy_Wl8QytIO8jXyKJoOAwAJZr/s1600/school6.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ellie was pretty excited to be starting some kindergarten work!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV4IjP3lY8InmLNW4S-CZccH4m6cDumKpqcJ2-kuTchX1cwsvHDJ1NcFJ-aO55Qgv7_K4Berib_Waw4-eZOjcXaLUQIKwVyAmplzLhd2qtwFmGDfVM_rt-LfENtuAPT5ltF56chhLh8vlA/s1600/school3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV4IjP3lY8InmLNW4S-CZccH4m6cDumKpqcJ2-kuTchX1cwsvHDJ1NcFJ-aO55Qgv7_K4Berib_Waw4-eZOjcXaLUQIKwVyAmplzLhd2qtwFmGDfVM_rt-LfENtuAPT5ltF56chhLh8vlA/s1600/school3.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9TZ37aX_GQ7aCIo7XppyjvfGziI4v4_1TZMcvMdaNMlePfigEgQ4bs6MH1rAu_iivD1oN-XLtdEZ4NzTYcs9JiY6tmRYMX2HOrFr6Evt0nUucJB8peqUvDd1q0sZ5bVf2WdVhhdmPnbL-/s1600/school4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9TZ37aX_GQ7aCIo7XppyjvfGziI4v4_1TZMcvMdaNMlePfigEgQ4bs6MH1rAu_iivD1oN-XLtdEZ4NzTYcs9JiY6tmRYMX2HOrFr6Evt0nUucJB8peqUvDd1q0sZ5bVf2WdVhhdmPnbL-/s1600/school4.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy7h7DH4RF1ROge8Upn4XOJIMkdXkAp9P_J5MEs3tIguJ3YvUAq5Ig35JRMSDoO-eS6zdlwPq7JWUEozKSO7KIj0kRzqtNQM4ahlZ3rlOttPLfvQs28_ITAPUmIEd3dBVj7HhsIHN46Mkd/s1600/school10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy7h7DH4RF1ROge8Upn4XOJIMkdXkAp9P_J5MEs3tIguJ3YvUAq5Ig35JRMSDoO-eS6zdlwPq7JWUEozKSO7KIj0kRzqtNQM4ahlZ3rlOttPLfvQs28_ITAPUmIEd3dBVj7HhsIHN46Mkd/s1600/school10.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">And another tooth lost to boot!</span></td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279099548476255881.post-11610559136931477662014-08-21T21:57:00.000-07:002014-08-21T21:57:22.554-07:00The Last of Our Summer Days<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Summer is winding down around here...Grandparents arrive tomorrow morning. The temperatures are heading toward the 70's. And the children and the school books are itching to get re-acquainted.<br />Soon we will be switching from salad to soup. From free time to study time. From T-shirts to hoodies.<br />Once more, one season gently lessens and another takes its place.<br />Once more, we get to see the handiwork of God. In the yellowing of the leaves. In the cooling of the breezes. In the falling of the apples. In the routine replacing the romping. His invisible hand amazes me. Every season, it amazes me. </span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQMgVIF2bKKhPz1iefxe0RE5OQExiEqdUmtHPq9j-uiKmdDZumCl02Qo-r8lEWg5FuH9cmfFwOmANXYV9RQIveWGabeIJmALYyr4D14kjgJv30avrHlVY52DZJilVKjUBss61Zqexx4va3/s1600/Aug2+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQMgVIF2bKKhPz1iefxe0RE5OQExiEqdUmtHPq9j-uiKmdDZumCl02Qo-r8lEWg5FuH9cmfFwOmANXYV9RQIveWGabeIJmALYyr4D14kjgJv30avrHlVY52DZJilVKjUBss61Zqexx4va3/s1600/Aug2+1.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">August 2 was our One Year Anniversary for buying this home.<br />We celebrated with tres leches cake and writing more blessings from the last year to fill our jar.</span></td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279099548476255881.post-47052541120049649132014-08-19T09:07:00.000-07:002014-08-19T09:07:54.739-07:00To Camp or Not to Camp?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Last weekend was our church camping weekend up in the Rockies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I grew up camping. My husband did not. And he still wonders why we would want to subject ourselves to all that stress just to see some trees.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So, we have never gone camping.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am a firm believer that a wife should not nag her husband. Not a perfect example, but a firm believer!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">However...I really wanted to go with the church. Because when your children get invited each year to go with other families and you just sort of...stay home...it's not very fun.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So...Kenny was kind enough to take us down for an afternoon, to check it out. To see if he even liked it one bit. To see if he would even think it might be possible to load up our crew and head down for a few days next August.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Man, the drive was amazingly beautiful. Pike's Peak on our left, trees all around, 75 degrees, bright blue skies. <b>God is amazing!!</b> Therapy for this Mama.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We spent the day fellow-shipping and playing cards and walking around.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And perhaps, just perhaps, we might be back next August. With the church. And a camper. And all the hassles. And all the beauty.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Because my husband didn't <i><b>hate</b></i> it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'll keep you posted.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Emma took Sarah and Ellie up to the Dragon's Eggs.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Love the hands in the pockets. And the rubber boots. Michael lives in those boots!</span></td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279099548476255881.post-56050306355977449622014-08-16T21:25:00.000-07:002014-08-16T21:25:03.929-07:00He Has Wings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's a strange thing, saying goodbye. Part of you wants to put it off just a little longer, most of you wants to get it over with.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Last weekend, we drove Joey out to Kansas City where he will attend a ministry/music school for the next four years.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You don't really know how much you love someone until something changes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As he is looking forward, his Mama and siblings spent some time looking back. Back to his childhood, his growing into manhood. Back to where all the children were younger and things seemed simpler. Back to the time it seemed nobody would ever really leave home. Because when you home school, you are just about always together. Kind of like one giant living thing. With many, many mouths.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We got him settled into his wonderful new place. He has a family to live with. A warm family. A family with eight older children. A family who home schooled. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">He has a roommate. David is kind and happy and quiet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">He has good neighbors. He has a good school.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">He has the Creator of the Universe.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">He has wings.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdAScmSvSOzhUf1hbZs-CKBhFqWetMCWEBhY-ImjIirjytR0KSe8rmU9bZQnAywTAnbyCnbPVhs29NStncLG1FDt2KHFqFf_hbJwJaRHLdro4hwJ8IoCqu-5IJl58J9qmD203-8tOTm3lV/s1600/blog+98.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdAScmSvSOzhUf1hbZs-CKBhFqWetMCWEBhY-ImjIirjytR0KSe8rmU9bZQnAywTAnbyCnbPVhs29NStncLG1FDt2KHFqFf_hbJwJaRHLdro4hwJ8IoCqu-5IJl58J9qmD203-8tOTm3lV/s1600/blog+98.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Joey at his High School graduation, complete with two cool bro's.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtgulCyVp4jBs6sV3PWZaXCglkqiD3-US4W9btOjDAEqJc7tb63f-5JzmXmNFlEroFmUezntlZlXFKAFtm3hOZPUx7rz9x4H3LWEuXl4wk2lkgGCnbzBucZmmHPfagIWhAKmJgmWBO7jIV/s1600/DSCF2259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtgulCyVp4jBs6sV3PWZaXCglkqiD3-US4W9btOjDAEqJc7tb63f-5JzmXmNFlEroFmUezntlZlXFKAFtm3hOZPUx7rz9x4H3LWEuXl4wk2lkgGCnbzBucZmmHPfagIWhAKmJgmWBO7jIV/s1600/DSCF2259.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Joey and Sarah, climbing the Castle Rock, on the 10 siblings' last full day together.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Kenny and I, heading down our driveway, taking Joey to school.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpQ-bXQujCvG7ayDoAy_blzmCU6EFGIIcP1F1cqjTxyuGkI_5ZLM2VK_yZc6snxF1aUKRulXYiNAEQaMQPGFhFJJe7Q5xbPLQDFboM3tJAt6acj0zdvzUuSHGbm-fUE2bXNi-aQKGG7-Gp/s1600/DSCF2324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpQ-bXQujCvG7ayDoAy_blzmCU6EFGIIcP1F1cqjTxyuGkI_5ZLM2VK_yZc6snxF1aUKRulXYiNAEQaMQPGFhFJJe7Q5xbPLQDFboM3tJAt6acj0zdvzUuSHGbm-fUE2bXNi-aQKGG7-Gp/s1600/DSCF2324.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Little Mikey, waving goodbye.</span></td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279099548476255881.post-76535644010444765572014-07-29T20:46:00.000-07:002014-07-29T20:46:08.136-07:00We Have One Out of His Teens!!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijU5RTl9lzFoJBofprFpUh_ArL2nxQZu_TzQc2E61RMdHm9xQVKTxMQD2gKnP2P_pGz1vBBJ0VARn9LGDmTETnbVZu7BVjL0VfNWda1zEMjJbECDPKHVtkZBReIcw0_2I5Em72daHMepRK/s1600/danny2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijU5RTl9lzFoJBofprFpUh_ArL2nxQZu_TzQc2E61RMdHm9xQVKTxMQD2gKnP2P_pGz1vBBJ0VARn9LGDmTETnbVZu7BVjL0VfNWda1zEMjJbECDPKHVtkZBReIcw0_2I5Em72daHMepRK/s1600/danny2.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Daniel Stephen, our very first child, turned 20 last weekend. He's just a great guy. His name means "God is my judge". When he was younger we used to tease that he got it mixed up and thought it meant "I am the judge of my siblings!"<br /> We celebrated with a meager 30 people. It seems that our tradition of having just one family over for dinner is now long-gone.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Young men's minds amaze me.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2IdxRRVaX0U0b9jt0Y8wt2zLrGI-v4whpwMk4CGDhfbo2hkl5uba2VzoDqRFRQV2TqTXRbgYn0fcIt0Xi89hTC3tQF1Qz4vP1gxr6xu3Ue8uQ57HALot2hgEJQ5B9QkRFq0kVBNTTx8ZE/s1600/danny3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2IdxRRVaX0U0b9jt0Y8wt2zLrGI-v4whpwMk4CGDhfbo2hkl5uba2VzoDqRFRQV2TqTXRbgYn0fcIt0Xi89hTC3tQF1Qz4vP1gxr6xu3Ue8uQ57HALot2hgEJQ5B9QkRFq0kVBNTTx8ZE/s1600/danny3.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Funny faces with cute little sisters!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJNGQkGr4PjVY7_Tdt7Nu-873nd9nkzxEmzKqTEo4mjnTnFvND44S3WMcinrci6HMnnUWTj0XcAIHJFteIE0egIaJ2i7ZnrjuKzsMFARr5SLrY1EBDrnDnIxV5dgsALiFRb_pc6dgH-Qb0/s1600/danny4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJNGQkGr4PjVY7_Tdt7Nu-873nd9nkzxEmzKqTEo4mjnTnFvND44S3WMcinrci6HMnnUWTj0XcAIHJFteIE0egIaJ2i7ZnrjuKzsMFARr5SLrY1EBDrnDnIxV5dgsALiFRb_pc6dgH-Qb0/s1600/danny4.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">We had literally piles of food -and per Danny style, it was the same fare as every year...Burgers and ice cream pies. One friend bought six bottles of Vernor's ginger ale for the birthday boy. Danny loves the stuff, and so did my Grandpa Robert, who Danny reminds me a lot of.<br />The jar full of birdseed was a gift from me. When Danny was ten, I made a bunch of I Spy jars for the guests. I filled the jars with a mix of birdseed and small trinkets. Then tied on a tag with lists of the trinkets to find in the jar. There were extra guests that year, and Danny gave his jar to one the guests. I promised I would give him a new one. And it took me another ten years, but I made good on my promise! This new jar not only had trinkets, but gift cards as well!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Chocolate-Oreo-M&M Pies. Not a crumb was left for the next day.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Emma and her buddy, celebrating Danny!</span></td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279099548476255881.post-26748230601151917892014-07-26T14:28:00.000-07:002014-07-26T14:28:19.900-07:00Potty-Training Tales<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">How can you tell we are potty-training? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Just look at these pics...</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-bDdIgfs7WxkFU_wYT59tJrq5opps8RXKOxzyK6tBkQ8P5ABzCK5WHp1F8IhZzy5zX32yEPZLFsaDpcce9V47NrHniT5XM84s92NgZa5adBCqA2FKbX8uUJIKT-d8hy2sI6Wfl8ekKNOn/s1600/PT2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-bDdIgfs7WxkFU_wYT59tJrq5opps8RXKOxzyK6tBkQ8P5ABzCK5WHp1F8IhZzy5zX32yEPZLFsaDpcce9V47NrHniT5XM84s92NgZa5adBCqA2FKbX8uUJIKT-d8hy2sI6Wfl8ekKNOn/s1600/PT2.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">A stack of books on the bathroom counter to keep him busy...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiESEqN2I510ZI-C0ytwV_Z0gvd_nFnLsWqu5Xg9DEgr0MFYZ0hfwr1k2H_wBvNfIMA7w43PifkN7lHMxstCX24q4Quw53sXpfj62ksD7uwQlxm5UTQFWKp0PdF8xjmoSjAuZ2NpvFM-cRo/s1600/PT4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiESEqN2I510ZI-C0ytwV_Z0gvd_nFnLsWqu5Xg9DEgr0MFYZ0hfwr1k2H_wBvNfIMA7w43PifkN7lHMxstCX24q4Quw53sXpfj62ksD7uwQlxm5UTQFWKp0PdF8xjmoSjAuZ2NpvFM-cRo/s1600/PT4.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Crackers and cheese, and plenty of water...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_MkRK1y5hx6PgHLttlkU4rgAF7mKtEIRVko3haBXUhGMNmXa06KkQXQ0O1rYwFuDurm56FhL07bCImr8ttt3sEiBQuA_pE-kWJ6JzV1TvPGrtrEELuzbMtscFpE8-yGCEjFSFDfP9prZW/s1600/PT1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_MkRK1y5hx6PgHLttlkU4rgAF7mKtEIRVko3haBXUhGMNmXa06KkQXQ0O1rYwFuDurm56FhL07bCImr8ttt3sEiBQuA_pE-kWJ6JzV1TvPGrtrEELuzbMtscFpE8-yGCEjFSFDfP9prZW/s1600/PT1.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Strewn clothes in the bathroom...Apparently someone was in a hurry...</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This morning Michael walked into my room, with nothing on except a shirt. He was holding his underwear, and it was obvious he had messed them before taking them off. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mom: Uh, Mikey, did you go p**p?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mikey: Yup. (with a cute little smug smile)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mom: Um...Okay, well, where is the p**p?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mikey: (still smiling) Oh... I will go look for it.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(seconds later, from the hall) I hear "Oh! Here it is!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mom pulls out hair and grabs the paper towels.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279099548476255881.post-30800583917461847772014-07-26T12:43:00.000-07:002014-07-26T12:43:42.360-07:00Nate Goes to the E.R.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When your big family van starts smoking and the mechanic tells you it will be $850 to fix it, you go to plan B and figure out how to get 4 of your men to their places of work, each in a different city, with only two cars. Then, when your husband's Subaru freaks out and the mechanic tells you it will be $1,500-$2,000 to fix that, you sigh a little and suck it up and realize you will be spending the rest of your summer as a taxi driver. Juggling children of all ages. In 90 degree weather. With no air conditioning in the car. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 car x 4 workers x 4 different cities = Taxi Mom.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And when you have two weeks to get everything ready for your son to go to music school in Kansas City- your very first child to leave home- and everyone is weepy and his housing situation has changed at the last minute and you still need to get your school books and plans together for your remaining children and your littlest boy is only <i>sort-of</i> getting this whole potty-training thing and your third son wants to change his plans for his early college just when you had decided on them then you may find yourself thinking that this. is. a. lot. But you can handle it, because it's your life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Then, on park day, when one of your boys has your only car in Denver, and two boys are in Castle Rock, and one boy is at a friend's an hour away (just about near Kansas!) and another boy is down the road at a friend's, and your husband is working on getting a ride to a church men's meeting, you might be a little surprised to get a call from the friend down the road telling you that your 8 year-old just broke his arm.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And when you hear his crying in the background of the phone, your start to cry yourself. And when you climb into your friend's car and sit next to your little boy, you kiss his fuzzy head and look reassuringly into his eyes and you think, "You know, all that other stuff will take care of itself. This is what I'm doing. I get to comfort this little guy all evening." And the rest of the night you get to be his best Mom. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I think that's the best thing in the world.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0v94ZfjN1S02mfNsUjnjk5pjFAxUs7FAuU5-bA5ZnP8bYykxbO1vKW71-EEUVD6EOhdZjfCSpwSRFWG9154VVN5gAyLMdnODBWgql7N3LUynVIkxQTk1M5G_paL0Tm_o1DJ3sdAzwl8o/s1600/ARM2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0v94ZfjN1S02mfNsUjnjk5pjFAxUs7FAuU5-bA5ZnP8bYykxbO1vKW71-EEUVD6EOhdZjfCSpwSRFWG9154VVN5gAyLMdnODBWgql7N3LUynVIkxQTk1M5G_paL0Tm_o1DJ3sdAzwl8o/s1600/ARM2.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Nate didn't even fall off the trampoline. He fell on it. Problem is, his arm was under him. And he had been bounced very high before he fell.<br />He was so tough in the ER. I was really proud of him.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOgrCQTU372qshusDD-1iJ-eNpCraYBsWdXxeWNHZrKTaDZZku3QMTLQJuQZAfG73xOKxbXDCEIxwUZH7fNYCrlwOVLSdXjwc9trtqTaaUowWcEsVSitgOOXNVQzv16duOY9JjgRzhPzus/s1600/ARM1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOgrCQTU372qshusDD-1iJ-eNpCraYBsWdXxeWNHZrKTaDZZku3QMTLQJuQZAfG73xOKxbXDCEIxwUZH7fNYCrlwOVLSdXjwc9trtqTaaUowWcEsVSitgOOXNVQzv16duOY9JjgRzhPzus/s1600/ARM1.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Waiting for the green light to go home. He was pretty loopy here. His eyeballs were just not doing normal things. And in between saying loudly, "This is weeeeeeird!" he would look for me and ask for me. And I was right there, rubbing his fuzzy head.<br /></span></td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279099548476255881.post-79081400543895370282014-07-21T07:33:00.003-07:002014-07-21T07:33:51.670-07:00A Summer-ful of Hummus<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hummus is kind of a big deal these days, in case you hadn't noticed. It's pretty much everywhere, and most definitely in the Sargent home. We find it to be a healthy alternative to Ranch dressing for dipping all kinds of veggies and corn chips. Lately, I had been picking up the large-ish sized tubs at Costco. But I started to notice that, while quite delicious and convenient, they are a bit pricey and disappear so very fast with my older boys (ahem, <i><b>Joey</b></i>) so I ventured out last week and made my own. YUM. And CHEAP. And maybe even HEALTHIER...Nothing added to keep it fresh in the store.</span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpbfL-EZ5g2P0Stlj8md2zXgZSHDd4P9MNO9-VmkOs-DQxJi9GLtzkJnrB7jieP3UjIYXKIW2lBB3BQ4fPJTbXOsxeo-f_scw0myL12Es60MLGlci55-ltlJ-jCmxvAjd-LIeS5GHrG5es/s1600/hummus1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpbfL-EZ5g2P0Stlj8md2zXgZSHDd4P9MNO9-VmkOs-DQxJi9GLtzkJnrB7jieP3UjIYXKIW2lBB3BQ4fPJTbXOsxeo-f_scw0myL12Es60MLGlci55-ltlJ-jCmxvAjd-LIeS5GHrG5es/s1600/hummus1.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I know, kind of a gross photo, right? I probably could have wiped the bowl out before taking the picture. But most likely there were children vying for my attention at this very moment. Or some sort of something like that.<br />I bought dried garbanzo beans in bulk for 99c a pound, probably about 3 pounds. I soaked and then cooked them in my crock pot overnight and kept the liquid in them to add to the hummus. When the beans were cooled the next day, I processed them in batches, adding to each batch minced garlic, sea salt, coarse-ground pepper, cumin, lemon juice, and onion powder. I made up this recipe, so everything is to-taste. I know tahini is a usual ingredient, but I forgot all about that until it was too late, so I just didn't use it.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixq-aBWUuwe3gy7xnKb1yHBwgO0ZC1w8cNaJ9XmOl-oPRMepZNE4FmSkNcLm4H0Eov8nTgw92_G-Lr0U4ww8q60tXeu5WC3qKbH_0HX6SdSWWfn1YV2-MCCy6E6aqUhPE8V91BKIzydNWo/s1600/hummus2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixq-aBWUuwe3gy7xnKb1yHBwgO0ZC1w8cNaJ9XmOl-oPRMepZNE4FmSkNcLm4H0Eov8nTgw92_G-Lr0U4ww8q60tXeu5WC3qKbH_0HX6SdSWWfn1YV2-MCCy6E6aqUhPE8V91BKIzydNWo/s1600/hummus2.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The hummus turned out really tasty. And all this for a little over $3.00! I try to keep food bins filled with some kind of cut-up veggies in the fridge for quick snacking. The yellow container here went in our fridge to replace my Costco brand hummus. And the six containers with blue lids are now in my freezer for later! As someone said when they saw these stacks, "Wow! We have a summer-ful of hummus!" </span></td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279099548476255881.post-73099632260515082662014-07-15T20:46:00.001-07:002014-07-15T20:46:39.722-07:00There's a Magician in the House<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpf_8MyMUUosjaiLiYSsQkoJTdsBDictJPYkbE2iUF21KIkdADXUlu5nW4AI_RWpTERb-JCiJagjlMsUBE66XxbEoBPDJbL2Ni6MfyAxz8CwEhZIgokZcutmRXT_LH3zKYtjtb4Xgkc0_g/s1600/blog124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpf_8MyMUUosjaiLiYSsQkoJTdsBDictJPYkbE2iUF21KIkdADXUlu5nW4AI_RWpTERb-JCiJagjlMsUBE66XxbEoBPDJbL2Ni6MfyAxz8CwEhZIgokZcutmRXT_LH3zKYtjtb4Xgkc0_g/s1600/blog124.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ever heard of the Jack of All Trades, Master of None? Well we have a son who is the Jack of All Trades, Master of Many. He loves all things, and does them well. Sometimes he even thinks he <u><i>knows better than I do when it comes to cooking</i></u>. *clear throat*</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQetJaKNXglBNcPEVGAqjfzh4ciJpnAySJqP4NRjgn1k9DOzT0Fmb3zl9mS591WwXzU2fLBSO9IIInB0GPHmjSbgbvdlL3uhLBdYmjf1AwbHXd3KzChzQBxAfSHLNRBkixyufn_2cfA2Ap/s1600/blog126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQetJaKNXglBNcPEVGAqjfzh4ciJpnAySJqP4NRjgn1k9DOzT0Fmb3zl9mS591WwXzU2fLBSO9IIInB0GPHmjSbgbvdlL3uhLBdYmjf1AwbHXd3KzChzQBxAfSHLNRBkixyufn_2cfA2Ap/s1600/blog126.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Here he is, performing magic tricks at the dining room table. I'm not a huge fan of magicians, but even Tommy entertains me. And isn't his audience just about adorable....</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOVLJxbCmK6Qs6VMBlwxwsMw81UlTVUEr-OLIM0LwYmgQ8bmDZaUJGVeoDfwuzbXXGycC_Gkbpy8fOxCch1EBZtvDfD9GOhA6I6adGAG_19UsGp227PSEPDjIe3izEsWEpNqdyziBo8Pz4/s1600/blog125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOVLJxbCmK6Qs6VMBlwxwsMw81UlTVUEr-OLIM0LwYmgQ8bmDZaUJGVeoDfwuzbXXGycC_Gkbpy8fOxCch1EBZtvDfD9GOhA6I6adGAG_19UsGp227PSEPDjIe3izEsWEpNqdyziBo8Pz4/s1600/blog125.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Absolutely Mesmerized! </span></td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279099548476255881.post-18591692962191983382014-07-15T20:44:00.001-07:002014-07-15T20:44:39.295-07:00Sweet July Girls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Our two youngest girls share a birthday month. Eliana Hope and Sarah Elizabeth turned 5 and 7 and made this Mama very happy at getting to raise them, but kinda sad at their leaving baby and toddler-hood. It is a strange place to be, watching our older kiddos start to leave the nest, and not be adding to the baby population anymore...A new season for me, that's for sure!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Hannah and Emma had fun decorating the table for the girls party. We invited friends from church over, and between our two families, there were just twenty-one people. That's kind of our life. Two or three families and the house is full!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ePl5JqZw7KEgx4A_8xY4MARLYlCoipLPEPDmBaR2CIRIV6_uJxzthIMp3PIZ1nKZAVPax8u8RLlEab8G3B8LkAjCTTA9czEEjw4zhhCORJ2g0gRygRzO2s75Owf00b1MxItMYW2ofAyg/s1600/birthday8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ePl5JqZw7KEgx4A_8xY4MARLYlCoipLPEPDmBaR2CIRIV6_uJxzthIMp3PIZ1nKZAVPax8u8RLlEab8G3B8LkAjCTTA9czEEjw4zhhCORJ2g0gRygRzO2s75Owf00b1MxItMYW2ofAyg/s1600/birthday8.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Being July, we went for a bright, summer theme. You know, bouncy balls, pinwheels, bubbles, and glow-sticks for dark. You been reading the weather reports lately? Yeah, the flash floods are HERE. But as my kiddos always say, 'It's okay. We're good at Plan B'. And we were.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg2xXnpIp-M6bM1-cBG0OQpgc_ftv4YVczaPWOWU7TNfj9d9JrYJF0oaqrFVldjeUimPLYvoyIxLsICtNK_WgmBhsUbfv7AeyIddoRdSqJ9QmNpIpCCqrkvZ_V-AmIcCGteRqc7kRRj7cP/s1600/birthday9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg2xXnpIp-M6bM1-cBG0OQpgc_ftv4YVczaPWOWU7TNfj9d9JrYJF0oaqrFVldjeUimPLYvoyIxLsICtNK_WgmBhsUbfv7AeyIddoRdSqJ9QmNpIpCCqrkvZ_V-AmIcCGteRqc7kRRj7cP/s1600/birthday9.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Just about adorable. Sarah was old enough this year to get her own Bible for her gift. It really is a good one, and she's mighty proud.<br />Next up...Danny turns 20!</span></td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279099548476255881.post-52066656761532796152014-07-06T13:42:00.001-07:002014-07-06T13:42:14.572-07:00Hippie Independence Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I love the Fourth of July. I love reading about our nation's beginnings and our Founding Fathers. I love the flag and the fireworks. And this year, I loved the band that performed at our church party. The hosts of the party have never really left the '70's, and so came this year's worship band, "Apollo 13". Lots of fun. I wonder if George Washington would approve...</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3G5DIjxElhrY9_Pda3MuBi93nihhfsQv7CaOsy7n9gNx6WL89rSSK5ruXCX54j3r1Y6VlIZtJLr_Yby6PzqwH07Mja7oWLRrxkfbeI_q8BlHqszLeB-7UHP6z5gtdVmvdKK7EKrxqpfie/s1600/4th8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3G5DIjxElhrY9_Pda3MuBi93nihhfsQv7CaOsy7n9gNx6WL89rSSK5ruXCX54j3r1Y6VlIZtJLr_Yby6PzqwH07Mja7oWLRrxkfbeI_q8BlHqszLeB-7UHP6z5gtdVmvdKK7EKrxqpfie/s1600/4th8.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Sammy is on drums, Kenny on keyboard, and Joey in electric guitar. I think they ran out of '70's costumes, because, um, I don't remember rainbow wigs being the style back then.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk2lInoRmgLJ3f1P-7GLzXJNJdWFjF_7hNcbf28m3uAUa0Lwk1hO3Hsx7s_3p0cnUJCyYHubjW_uu62NpyfyPmvXHmX9kXrpOczIXekILBsOhpPiXM9wPvLgAn_IEIIem0179u6OXNHU8d/s1600/4th7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk2lInoRmgLJ3f1P-7GLzXJNJdWFjF_7hNcbf28m3uAUa0Lwk1hO3Hsx7s_3p0cnUJCyYHubjW_uu62NpyfyPmvXHmX9kXrpOczIXekILBsOhpPiXM9wPvLgAn_IEIIem0179u6OXNHU8d/s1600/4th7.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Our Host and friend, Mr. Lusk</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJBi4SD6t-iGihDKkYCG5TR5EV4qcs_o60FfGNnSzsEsizomCM9k4pE1ui2NY5HzROPPfDcuWT4ZqPpTulrxKblPi4UjAmK60z7v2B9iPJmz-h2hn2bYuUZY5FqsmM4aeSEXi_M_JUa7LD/s1600/4th5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJBi4SD6t-iGihDKkYCG5TR5EV4qcs_o60FfGNnSzsEsizomCM9k4pE1ui2NY5HzROPPfDcuWT4ZqPpTulrxKblPi4UjAmK60z7v2B9iPJmz-h2hn2bYuUZY5FqsmM4aeSEXi_M_JUa7LD/s1600/4th5.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Our Realtor and friend, Mr. Hirsch</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcONCWVzXUGO8z_Nw3iPo1zOka_l3SiSZxQnwbgo09A09kgDnJ4ozzWykcVhu3okymbX_cVwEb5spvQ8ZIG1W19y9XZ7cFEtudOmlBPDGDtwoyggBAOr8luU6cD8DxYu86qiH61d5dsIss/s1600/4th1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcONCWVzXUGO8z_Nw3iPo1zOka_l3SiSZxQnwbgo09A09kgDnJ4ozzWykcVhu3okymbX_cVwEb5spvQ8ZIG1W19y9XZ7cFEtudOmlBPDGDtwoyggBAOr8luU6cD8DxYu86qiH61d5dsIss/s1600/4th1.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Joey always wanted a clown wig...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSgbkuQgLq1-37AyEYujVIiEYxGZxC1-zEXYaVFx0TLauw25yS4sL6m5al5W6UfGAf6d1xfdxmpMGu8nIugAsmxiPJ7EfH3NOQyb71GuI9OANbo2KrcCWb_6zLcVQKYF8f4WySvui7V19j/s1600/4th9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSgbkuQgLq1-37AyEYujVIiEYxGZxC1-zEXYaVFx0TLauw25yS4sL6m5al5W6UfGAf6d1xfdxmpMGu8nIugAsmxiPJ7EfH3NOQyb71GuI9OANbo2KrcCWb_6zLcVQKYF8f4WySvui7V19j/s1600/4th9.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Happy Independence Day!</span></td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279099548476255881.post-33393370359953911512014-07-05T14:24:00.000-07:002014-07-11T07:20:18.865-07:00The Birthday Princess<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Eliana Hope</b> had her 5th birthday last week. When we were expecting her back in 2009, it was kind of a tough season for us. Lots of hard changes at church, at Kenny's work, and at home. I just remember feeling alone and overwhelmed for a while. As we anticipated the birth of our 8th child, we looked at names. And we chose Eliana because it was so feminine, and because of what it means. <b> "God hears us and answers"</b>. Through our easy seasons and our tough ones, He is attentive to his people. Just like a father with his children. And isn't that just so comforting? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For Ellie's birthday, we had homemade pizza and garden salad and lots of PINK cupcakes. And she got the "prettiest" cupcake of all. And that was the best part, so we hear.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4x3GdeyAd-cMIy6Xm6JdPTqZYPq0euE_EOxyB4MLr1Ks-SJBjRozy-nYRgjp66kwHT2khXMBxiyqw5rzQkwNQWu_xy6LFzKiypSDfNVlZPbHyWFc4w9YqzA1zI3fMj-0ZKhFSZw_Lxc48/s1600/birthday6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4x3GdeyAd-cMIy6Xm6JdPTqZYPq0euE_EOxyB4MLr1Ks-SJBjRozy-nYRgjp66kwHT2khXMBxiyqw5rzQkwNQWu_xy6LFzKiypSDfNVlZPbHyWFc4w9YqzA1zI3fMj-0ZKhFSZw_Lxc48/s1600/birthday6.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">It's time??!!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk43eJMCsmnWcK2XNerF1wdine6ALKcQaG76pe4OJ1er7Vihz_O3Oay4HcvTbpD-FnPaEtvceDVYGq5ET27IPhZf4SlBuAXE7WxPpUrYy55HBcQHs-LyZMT4IH4Vr65eE4FV7klmN3P1EW/s1600/birthday7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk43eJMCsmnWcK2XNerF1wdine6ALKcQaG76pe4OJ1er7Vihz_O3Oay4HcvTbpD-FnPaEtvceDVYGq5ET27IPhZf4SlBuAXE7WxPpUrYy55HBcQHs-LyZMT4IH4Vr65eE4FV7klmN3P1EW/s1600/birthday7.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">All GIRL</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wuECi2-376phdfxHfytA5tx5HjFlHN1K1V23u1JO-2_uNP2WsWm3cgleOBNAGBZY28QLDJxni7q_0ChcO6AIQBaRiV6HsCSgjoDbcJpmQ4VTMKjAF08J19eyvLFP9LTgJ8s84oh-zwBm/s1600/birthday5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wuECi2-376phdfxHfytA5tx5HjFlHN1K1V23u1JO-2_uNP2WsWm3cgleOBNAGBZY28QLDJxni7q_0ChcO6AIQBaRiV6HsCSgjoDbcJpmQ4VTMKjAF08J19eyvLFP9LTgJ8s84oh-zwBm/s1600/birthday5.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Party Train! Complete with adorable birthday girl, fun older sister, and potty-training little brother, still in his undies. If he only knew...</span></td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279099548476255881.post-38051796011929605982014-07-01T09:32:00.002-07:002014-07-01T09:32:56.335-07:00How a Super Hero Sleeps<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrKT8u8v75kuX7_Xo5ViDgI-FPg59IZqueO8rBcfV9ki0Bz5p3yJjEIuSFTCEpnXCnOCe1lZJj0GuWUkWmA4dOonki3crH5VEQ50dTa9-qj_SNb-bYOXzy9ICeS1uuJr8lKCT88lCBEY3W/s1600/hero1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrKT8u8v75kuX7_Xo5ViDgI-FPg59IZqueO8rBcfV9ki0Bz5p3yJjEIuSFTCEpnXCnOCe1lZJj0GuWUkWmA4dOonki3crH5VEQ50dTa9-qj_SNb-bYOXzy9ICeS1uuJr8lKCT88lCBEY3W/s1600/hero1.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279099548476255881.post-6221569584273504862014-07-01T09:25:00.000-07:002014-07-01T09:25:06.915-07:00Twenty One Years<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">June 20th was our twenty-first wedding anniversary. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Twenty-one years of growing up together. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Twenty-one years of 'How can I help you?' and 'I'm frustrated' and 'I'm sorry' and 'I'm glad I married you'.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Twenty one years of morning sickness and late-night babies. Potty training and weed-pulling. School planning and book-reading. Meals around the table and quiet dinners out. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Twenty-one years of walking forward, new ideas, fresh seasons.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Twenty-one years of asking questions, praying for direction, discerning what looked like the good path.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Twenty-one years of fatigue and struggle, rest and triumph.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Twenty-one years of building friendships with some really great people.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Twenty-one years of a house full of noise and full of life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On our anniversary I was praying for a good idea. I was worn-out completely and could only think of dinner. And my husband was the same. Late in the morning, some friends from church called and offered free tickets to the Denver Botanic Gardens. They were also going to celebrate 21 years, but as my friend Janell said on the phone, 'We do not <u>necessarily</u> want to spend the evening with you two!'. Agreed!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Kenny and I tried a new Italian restaurant, which was very yummy. The Gardens were wonderful, and were like therapy to this Mama's soul. And we wrapped up the evening at a quaint little ice cream shop. With our friends. They decided to share some of their anniversary with us after all!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ahhhh...and Sigh.....Who but the Lord could make such beauty?</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Isn't life sometimes like this cactus? All dry and prickly, but then comes something beautiful?</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">As the sun started to set, these beautiful glass sculptures started to light up all around. It was so lovely.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0