Post 1: Tylan’s Kindergarten Graduation

Tylan is done with Kindergarten! He graduated last night. 

They sang cute songs and recited their Bible Verses.

Destiny was so proud to get to run the video camera tonight.  Paxton thought it would only be fair if he would get a turn too.

I love how it slid down his wrist, but he just kept at it!    

   Ty’s teachers handed out the neatest awards, each child had an award that matched a Candy: Life Saver, Whopper, Smarties etc.  Tylan recieved the Mr. Goodbar award, for being a good friend to his classmates.

  They had a video interviewing each Kindergartener about their favorite part of the year.  Tylan’s favorite was Recess, and Bible Stories, Samson in particular.  Why? Because he is STRONG!  What happened to Samson? He knocked down the building where they worshiped other gods.

  See that right hand picture below, we call that “The Ty Face” not sure why he does it, but there is was in all it’s glory on the big screen mid interview!

  Can’t believe my big boy is already done with half day Kindergarten. Thinking about him being gone all day in First Grade makes me want to cry!!!!!!!

Head to post 2 today for some yummy Peanut Butter Brownie Bites! ~T

Weekend Fun: Parties, Graduates & Hair Loss Edition

  May is just the craziest time of year, isn’t it?!

  Seems like a very popular month for Baby Showers, Bridal Showers, Family photo shoots, and lets not forget all the end of the year school stuff and Graduations!  Not only did we go to multiple graduation parties this weekend, but we hit a darling Woodland themed Baby Shower as well.

These girls went ALL out!  I, of course, came straight from church/lunch without my camera, but here are a few shots with someone elses……

Check out the cream cheese almond hedge hog, and those red things are mushrooms. Well, they are mozzarella cheese sticks with half a tomato on top. The dots are ranch dip! SOOO Cute and soo yummy!

They had a Onesie Decorating Table! Everyone had so much fun making flowers and trees, tractors and hearts out of iron on fabric that someone was going to iron for us later.  There were some fabric markers available, too.  I don’t have photos of my kids creations, but they did a great job!  Ty did a grass, tree and sunshine scene, Destiny did a woodland theme with a mushrooms, 2 owls and a hedge hog. Hers had a big heart on the back, right where Emerson’s little buns will go.  Cute!  Avery did a big yellow cloth sun that said you are my sunshine around its perimeter, with Love Avery on the sleeve.  Paxton just ran around! ;)

  Check out my “4 little Fergusons love Em” onesie. Baby’s name is Emerson, Emmy for short, but Em is going to have to count on this onesie. I couldn’t fit more letters on! haha 

                                                                          Front view and Back view 

The Mommy and Daddy to be! 

Also this weekend…..

                               Avery, graduated from Christ Care Preschool. Big girl!  

  Last preschool stage event, Avery had a lot of anxiety and cried the whole time.  She was sooo brave this time!  Smiling and doing ALL the actions! :)

Sweet friends

  Ty graduates from Kindergarten tonight.  WHAT!?  How is that even possible?
Such a sweet baby….

It makes me want to cry to think of him at school all day next year.

All this stress is making me lose my hair…… 

  Ok, not really. I made me lose my hair, like 8 inches of it!  I have had looong hair for a lot of my life, like back in High School Days and my early marriage years.

  This is when Destiny was 3 and I was in my early 20′s, long curly hair, almost to my waist.

But the more kids I had, the shorter it got…..

I cut off a foot and a half of hair when Ty was born, and kept it a bob for Avery, who came 17 months later:

I grew it out again until Paxton.  Hello, 10 pound Baby in AUGUST!  Goodbye, hair!

  I always like long hair best, and promptly grew it out again.  I found a shoulder length style I LOOOOVED, and have been trying to get my hair to do this look again for 2 years:

Not happening. 

  It’s like my curls changed shape?!  Crazy.  So, I just wore a ponytail or braid, EVERY SINGLE DAY.  Blow drying and flat ironing it takes 35 minutes. Yeah, not in the Mommyhood Morning schedule!

  So rather than kick the dead horse any longer, I decided to call it what it is and whack it off. With some major thanks to my BFF for her moral support, and my amazing hair dresser, who always works her magic on this massive mane of mine!

Ack! Here it is, new hair! 

I am still getting used to it, but I love it. I feel like I’ve lost 10 pounds!  I have never had it this short in the back, and it feels GREAT!

  I keep reaching up to fix a ponytail that is no longer there.  Any bets on how long this will last until I grow it back out?  I am giving it 8 months based on my previously mentioned hair cut history.  We have a strict 4 and no more child policy at this house, so it sure won’t need to be kept short due to pregnancy anymore! haha

  Hope you had a great weekend!  I have some fun and delicious posts planned for you all this week.   :)

~T

 

 

Paxton’s Born Again Birthday!

    We try to pepper our conversations around here with talk of the Lord, choosing today who you will serve {Ty says, you have to pick if you are on God’s Team or satan’s team} and the promise of an eternity in Heaven.  As a result, all of our children have had a very clear concept of Heaven and Hell from toddler years on.  Some people believe that this is too early for them to grasp Salvation and all it means, and while I agree that yes, some concepts are larger than their capability, I will never ever walk away from the chance to pray the Salvation prayer with a child who comes to me with NO prompting, and begins to ask about it.  The matters of the heart are the Lords, not mine, to judge.

  We have been talking a lot more about death and life, Heaven and Hell lately, since my Grandpa passed away.  It was no surprise then, that on my way to preschool from the backseat, Paxton was talking about Jesus and Grandpa up in Heaven.

  “Jesus up in Heaben…..”

Yes, buddy He sure is.

  “Jesus in my Heart?”

No, not yet, but someday you will ask Him in your heart.

“Jesus in the kids’ hearts?  And Mommy & Daddy’s hearts?”

Yes, your brother and sisters have asked Jesus in their hearts. And Mommy & Daddy too…

“I asked Jesus in my heart….”

No, not yet, someday when you are big.

“Paxton ask Jesus in his heart?!”

Yup, someday you will ask Jesus in your heart.

  After a few more minutes of talking, I realized he wasn’t going to drop it. 

Paxton, do you want to ask Jesus in your heart?

“Yeah, I DO!!!!”

  Ok, then repeat after me:

Dear Jesus,

Dear Jesus….

Please come into my heart to live, please forgive me for my sins and be my Savior. Amen.

He repeated after me beautifully, and with pounding heart and teary eyes, I caught his glance in the rear view mirror and told him how PROUD I was of him!  That he was a CHRISTIAN now!  And that Jesus and the angels were having a Born Again Birthday Party in Heaven.  That God wrote his name in the Book of Life, and that meant one day, he would get to go live with Jesus.

  We get to preschool to pick up Avery and he runs right up to her teacher Miss Melissa and tells her his big news….. 

“Miss Lissa! Jesus in mine heart!!!!!”

    Miss Melissa and Avery were so excited for him! We couldn’t wait to come home and call Daddy and tell him the good news. 

  Later that afternoon, Paxton woke up from naps and raced out to remind us all again that he had Jesus in his heart! He was so proud to tell Destiny when she got home from school, too.

  Here is a video of him telling us about it again over dinner…….

Please excuse the food in his mouth. Mommy has bad timing!  :)

   To commemorate this great event, we write the children’s Born Again Birthdays on the calendar, so we can honor and celebrate them again and again.  Sometimes we do a Born Again Birthday Cake for them all to share in the smack middle of all their special days {cause that’s a lot of sugar!}, other times if we are having a special dessert anyways, then we will do individual celebrations, complete with candle.  You can decide those family traditions as you go, we just want them to remember and honor that special LIFE changing day forever. 

Helping to lead your child to Christ is such a big moment, excited but kind of daunting too.  Is there a right or wrong way to do it?  What if we mess up, does it count?  All normal questions, with simple answers:

  Want a simple way to help your children understand Salvation?

Try the ABC’s…. {From our Bible School curriculum 2 years ago}

A Admit we are sinners.

B Believe God sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins.

C  Claim Jesus as Lord of your life. This means you act different from the world, and show God’s love to those around you in all you say and do. 

   After our children have accepted Jesus in their hearts, we tell them that the Lord has washed their hearts clean from the ugly “weeds” of sins.  (this gives a good reference point later, when our children tell a lie, that a weed grew in their heart when they told that lie.)  The only way to get that weed out, is to say sorry for their sin to their Heavenly Father, and He’ll clean it out and make it beautiful again.

  The second thing we talk about, is that God has opened His BIG book, called the “Book of Life” and has written their name in it! That means someday, when Jesus comes back for us, or when they die, they are welcome into Heaven.  WOW, how exciting!

  Then we tell them that the Angels are dancing and having a Praise Party up in Heaven.

Why?

Well, they are celebrating a Born Again Birthday!  Because today you were Born Again, fresh and clean without sin.  Not in your Mommy’s tummy, but in your HEART, a new life in Christ this time!

  Once our children become Christians, they are also allowed to partake in Communion at Church.  After so many years of being passed by, this is a big deal at our house!  We make sure they understand, it’s NOT snack time, it represents the body and blood of Jesus, and the life He gave so they could have eternal life.

I am one proud Momma of 4 little born again believers, who put their trust in a really BIG God, that they now all serve as their Lord and Savior.

Praise His name!

~T

I didn’t have a blog back in the year of Destiny’s salvation story, but you can click on the other children’s names to read their Born Again Birthday stories…..

Destiny, almost 3: June 30th, 2006
Tylan, age 3: October 20, 2010
Avery, age 2: November 11, 2010
Paxton, age 2 1/2: May 15th, 2013

 

A Day of Remembering…..

  My Grandpa’s funeral was last Saturday, May 4th, it already seems like a lifetime ago.  I decided this weekend, that I was ready to go through photos and share them. 

    I haven’t been to many funerals in my life.  I thought the viewing would be hushed and quiet, and that my kids may not be welcomed there for long.  It was amazing to me how LOUD and joyous it actually was!  Even the funeral director came up to me and said how they loved families like ours, that had hope and peace and even JOY in the midst of sorrow.  He said he could tell we all really loved and enjoyed each other.  From a man who deals in death? That is a real compliment!

  I only have pictures from the afternoon, when I went to set up the Memorial Table for Grandpa.  I wanted it to represent him down to the tiniest details, so we did everything from his Bible and magnifying glass, to the combs and hair clips he used to control his wavy hair….

  Of course we included his rocks and beautiful creations from them, his cologne truck & hammer that have been on his dresser all my 32 years, and his Lemonhead candies.  The clock was set to the exact time he left this world for Paradise.

  We had pictures of our Scooter Parade, which was displayed with his red suspenders, and we couldn’t forget his famous Golf Club-Turned-Walking Stick…..

Dale brought the kids right after school pick up. I wanted them to have a few private moments to see their Great Grandpa for the last time.  They were a teeny bit anxious to come in, wondering what they would see.

They all lined up in front of the casket….

  After a few moments of quiet, Paxton says:

Gwandpa in HEABEN wiff JESUS???????????  {Grandpa in Heaven with Jesus?}

He RAAAAN up to me to tell me again, Louder this time, where his beloved Grandpa was:

Gwanpa Up der, in Heaben! 

  You can’t tell me children cannot understand death, because I watched it happen in the most peaceful, beautiful way last week.

  Bright and early the next morning, was the burial.  It was SO freezing cold, like 32*!  Not Spring-like weather at all, we bundled up as best we could.  I was honored to be a pallbearer, along with 7 of the 8 cousins.

  See that photo of Paxton? Top right of the above collage.  That is “Grandpa” Glen, he is the husband of our beloved “Gramma” Esther, who went to be with Jesus just 8 hours after my Grandpa.  It was wonderful to have him here to pay tribute to Grandpa in spite of his own grief and loss.

   Inspite of the cold wind whipping around in the tent, it was a beautiful little mini service out there at the grave site.

  I loved when the Pastor laid his hand on the casket and said something about how,

“Our Heavenly Father knew when Maurice would come into this world and take his first breath, but he also knew the exact moment he would leave this world and take his last breath.”

  That is so comforting!  Our lives are carefully planned out, every moment from first breath to last. 

You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.  Psalm 139:16

The children were very curious about how the box with Grandpa’s body in it would go down into the ground, so sweet Grandma agreed to do it right then.  The emotions of that moment played out beautifully on her face….

Goodbye for now, my love, goodbye for now…..

   Then it was time to head across town to have the Memorial Service.
So many Godly men stood and spoke of the life of my Grandpa and the impact he left on them!

   The Grandkids had a chance to share…..there was much laughter, and many tears shed from that pulpit.

I said:

  When I think of Grandpa, my mind goes back to my memories of him when I was a child.  His rough hands gave the best back rubs, I remember the jingling sound of the ever-present keys on his belt, as he took his jaunty steps, hurriedly out of the room.  The way he hopped onto his black bike that he rode all over Glencroft.  The whistle that always slipped with ease from his mouth as he worked.

  But over the years, my fondest memories have changed, grown in ways I never imagined, as I watched my Grandpa become a Great Grandpa to my 4 children.

  I will never forget the way his eyes would light up when they’d come piling into the room, each one taking their turn to give him a hug.  I loved how he asked about school and their day.  How he begged them to come visit again soon.  How he’d get out his rocks and tell what each one was.  How he’d tell them story after story about when he was a little boy, never irritated when they begged for MORE.  And the songs, oh how we loved the songs he sang. “Up Up In The Sky,” “My Mommy Said” and “Mousy” are now passed down to the next generation of children.

  But my favorite memory of all was our Scooter Parade, we did it several different occasions.  He would bundle up so he could ride around and around the block with my kids. He and Pax on his electric scooter, the others on their bikes and trikes.  I don’t know whose grin was bigger, theirs…….or HIS. 

  Memories of my grandpa will live on, echoing through the walls of my home when laughter rings out, in the rock collections in the children’s treasure boxes, in the bedtime songs we sing, and always, always in our hearts as his life and legacy will live on in the memories of my children.

   I want to take a minute, and give them a chance to tell you about their Great Grandpa…..

My brave kiddos came up on stage, proud to tell everyone about this special man in their lives:

Destiny: He always told the best stories!

Tylan: I like that he is fun and he shares his rocks with us.

Avery: I like his smile!

Pax: Grandpa is in Heaven running with Jesus!

I finished with this:
We know that good-bye is never really good-bye, not when you have the hope of Jesus.  Goodbye is really just “So long for now.”
                         So we say So long for now, Grandpa, so long for now……

   Isn’t that the beauty of our faith and Salvation in Christ?  The knowledge that we WILL see our loved ones again, in a beautiful, perfect and joyous place!

  I know this is long, please remember this blog is the story of my children’s lives, one I want them to be able to reference and read and remember one day.  Before I go, I have one more thing I want to share on here.  I worked many, many nights on this video slide show. I stopped counting hours at 16, but the important thing is, it came from my heart.  It was how I dealt with my grief and the many, many tears I shed while making it and editing it.  This was my way of showing my love and respect to my Grandpa, and I’d be honored to have you watch.

Blessings to you today,

~T

 

Weekend Fun: Mother’s Day Edition

  I hope you all had a WONDERFUL weekend and Mother’s Day!  I spent my first Mothers Day ever, at home with my family.  Dale usually works at his mom’s restaurant on Mother’s Day, helping her with her Mother’s Day Buffet, as his gift to her.  I head home after church with our kids and the cousins, and have them nap and or play until about 2. Then, we go up to eat the leftovers with the family. It is a great tradition, and something we have just always done.  But this year, Dale asked off.  He decided this Mother’s Day, he wanted to be home together.  It was amazing and I felt very pampered and special!

   So, the day started with sleeping in.  I didn’t even know I knew HOW to sleep in anymore!  I photographed a wedding reception Saturday night and got home late, so it was almost 9:00 before I woke up. NINE!  Do you know how late that is around here?  Church started at 9:15, so there was noooo way we were going to make it.  

  They brought me breakfast in bed, as they have in years past. I am making it way easier on them, because this is my breakfast now: a nutrition drink! Mmmm.   

 Then I opened presents; a card from Destiny, a key chain from Ty {not pictured} and a sun catcher from Avery.  Oh, and Tulips from Dale! They are in a giant Ball Jar and just gorgeous! {use your imagination, it’s too dark to go take a picture now}

  We just hung out and had a leisurely morning together.  Dale spent an hour and a half in the kitchen making lunch.  LOOK at it, oh my goodness, he did amazing….

Steak, Rosemary New Potatoes, with sautéed Asparagus & Morel Mushrooms.  For dessert he and the boys made a PIE!  Mmmmmmmm!

{Psst, I will be blogging the pie this summer! It is delicious!}

  Nap time was spent editing photos and making Destiny some ribbon flip-flops, and then we headed to the Zoo.  So fun!

New Dino Dig exhibit, super cool!

Oh NO, a T-Rex is eating my children!

  Do you see the spider web in the next collage?  I have a picture on this exact Spider Web {middle left} with my cousins when I was a kid!  I told the kids to “Be a spider,” and they did the SAME hand actions I was doing in my old picture too. Crazy cool!

Too bad I can’t find it, or I’d share it with you.  :)

Destiny and Pax were NOT feelin’ the tarantula exhibit.

My little Prairie Dogs….

Check out this amazing tree! The blooms grow right out of the trunk and branches.  Our Creator is SO creative!!!!!

  After the zoo, we headed to THE fountain.  I say THE, because this is where Dale and I came after our first “group date” to the movies as friends.  We sat on a bench in front of this very fountain and he put his arm around me.  I leaned forward, out of his reach, and said, “Do you put your arm around ALL your friends?”  Haha, sassy girl! 

Needless to say, I feel in love that summer, and the rest is HIStory.

  Papa John’s had a BOGO pizza deal, so we grabbed a couple Larges and headed to the park for a picnic.  I had already packed waters and carrot sticks because I was hoping this would be our supper plans.

Check out that Mom on her husband’s Smart Phone in the center picture above.  WHAT is she thinking?  Shouldn’t she watch her childrens EVERY MOVE at the park!?  {haha!}

   Dale and I were cracking up when he took that photo. I really was messaging a family member, but then quickly put it away to run and play with the kids.  See? It’s all about finding a balance.  RIGHT!? :)  I even had on the same hat as in the Dear Mom On the iPhone post, too!  Oh the irony.

Last, but not least, the older kids had FIVE free Ice Cream certificates from Braum’s that expired in June, so who were we to let such a good deal go to waste?  Ice cream treats for everyone!

  The kids were beginning to think this Mom’s Day stuff was pretty good for kids too!

 

Being a Mom is messy, its hard, and sometimes I want to pull my hair out.  But most days, I walk around my home with a song in my heart, because THIS is what I have dreamed of my whole life…….  The good days are great, the bad days are exhausting, and the rest just fades away in the sticky fingered glory of it all…….

Hope you had a Happy Momma’s Day!

~T

Pictures Tell the Greatest Stories…

Once upon a time, there was a mischievous boy named Paxton.

  He was such a good, pleasant little boy, but he just seemed to get himself into messy predicaments.

A LOT.  

  Case in point, yesterday at Hobby Lobby.  If you follow us on Facebook, you already read about this.  Here was my status update:

Oh my goodness, whose naughty child is throwing ribbon spools and watching them roll at Hobby Lobby while mommy’s back is turned?
Oh wait. Mine.
{SIGH}

Yup, that would be my Paxton.  He told me as he cleaned them up that they were “Truck Tires”.  I made him apologize to the clerk and got out of there asap.  My other kids NEVER did this kind of thing, I don’t even know where to hide when he does this stuff.  Someone on Facebook suggested I hollar, “Where are your parents?”  Haha, I liked that one! :)

 

   So on the particularly lovely day that this next story takes place, Paxton and his family were spending some time together walking around the Fairgrounds.

  They had a lovely time, but before he knew it, it was time to head home!  

   While Mommy was helping Avery with a mini crisis in the car for TWO STINKIN’ SECONDS, Paxton found an opportunity to meander over to a giant mud puddle. 

It was a lovely puddle.  And it seemed to be calling his name…..

Hey Paxton….

Paxton!

PAXTON! COME HERE!

“Are you calling meeeee, Giant Mud Puddle?”

I mean, WHAT is a boy to do?

Oh wait, that’s right….

WALK RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT WHILE DADDY AND UNCLE DAN WATCH.

 You all, I am all about Puddle Parties, but not in nice clothes away from home! :)

Pictures tell the greatest stories, don’t they?

~T

Not Your Ordinary T-Shirt Scarves

I LOVE making things and being crafty!  I don’t always have a lot of extra time to do it, or honestly, most times, I’d rather stick my nose in a book.

  However, when I came across a bag of GORGEOUS material I had purchased last May for t-shirt scarves {I was planning on making a bunch over the summer, yeah right!} I knew the time had come to put it to good use.

T-Shirt Scarf Time!

  There are a couple ways to do this, most people use old t-shirts that are lying around. That is great!  {Unless you are like me, and have a lack of t-shirts in your closet due to your extreme Girliness….just sayin!}

  I tried Goodwill but their shirts were $2 a piece and had very little usable material below the graphics.  I did find some non-graphic Tie-dyed shirts from there one time, that I loved.  I made them into Infinity Scarves found here. So, it can be done!!!!!

However, I decided to purchase that stretchy t-shirt material at the Fabric Store instead.  It came at a pretty penny, anywhere from $6.99-12.99 a yard, and the flowers and poufs anywhere from $3-9, but I wanted to give it a go.  If I ever do this again and sell some, I am afraid I am going to have to get my costs down.

  So when you buy a yard of fabric instead of using t-shirts, it requires extra steps:

  1) You can sew the yard of fabric in a tube shape with your machine.

Or

2) Simply knot it after you cut it to create the circle necessary for loops. 

 

I learned to sew on my Mom’s Mean Machine JUST for this purpose, and it’s a real time saver.  All those knots took hours!!!!!!

Another time saver is using a roller vs. scissors.

  I used to hand cut each strip with my scissors, but now, sweet Dale cuts the fabric folded over itself, on a big cutting board with a roller.  I love sitting out in the living room with him in the evenings while he cuts and I create.  :)

  There is a tutorial on how to make the actual scarf part here at My Blessed Life.  I don’t have the know how to record and upload a video for you all, so just watch hers. She did a great job!

Don’t forget to hide the knots or sewed parts with another strip of cloth wrapped around and knotted underneath where it won’t show on the neck:

Here are some of my finished scarves:

  Happy Creating!
~T

A note from Tonya: Thank you to those who have asked if they could buy some scarves! I am SO SO honored! :)  However, I am selling them at a Craft Fair next weekend and need to keep a nice stock pile until then. That being said, if you see one you love love love, leave me a comment or email me a description of your favorite. {daleandtonya@msn.com}  I will tell you if I have more materials for that scarf, or if I plan to make that one again for your future order. Thanks!

More T-shirt scarf posts here:

http://4littlefergusons.wordpress.com/2012/02/27/t-shirt-scarves/

http://4littlefergusons.wordpress.com/2012/07/24/t-shirt-scarves-the-perfect-gift/

 

A Hospice House Piano Party

  Destiny had her first Piano Recital this weekend, called a “Piano Party”!  Her Great Grandpa Beckler, whom she is very close to, just got moved to the Hospice House.  Naturally, if he couldn’t come to her Piano Party, she was going to need to move the Piano Party to HIM.

  Hospice House was amazing and so supportive of the idea!  It was such a special day, one none of us will soon forget.

Time to start the show!

Destiny did GREAT and if she was nervous at all, she hid it well!  She stood to introduce each song by name before playing it…..

  After, she was rewarded with a Certificate from Aunt Kasey, aka The World’s Greatest Piano teacher, for completing her first set of piano books.  She was so excited! :)

As a bonus, Destiny and I got to play our two duets together.  Chopsticks and Heart & Soul, she can do bottom or top hand, and we have had so much fun playing these together.

 Not to be left out, Avery wanted to play a song that Destiny has been teaching her from the front of the book.  Such sweet sisters!

We spent the rest of the morning together right into lunch time, hanging out and playing cards.  Lunch out then home for naps. 

We had so much fun and I am so thankful we have family near by!

I loved watching these tender moments between my Grandparents…..

  Paxton was VERY tearful this time about “Gweat Gwampa sick. He die.”
{Great Grandpa is sick, he is going to die soon….}

  I was blown away by the the level of understanding. He knew something wasn’t right with his beloved “Gwampa” who now stays in bed. 

  We explained that Grandpa was sick, and that he would go see Jesus soon. 

“Jesus? In Heaben?” 

Yes, and Grandpa is going to have a NEW body and be healthy, so he can run around with Jesus. 

“I go to Heaven and run with Jesus too?” 

Not yet buddy!  You stay here with Mommy, then someday we will all go see Jesus and Grandpa in Heaven.

  Later he runs up to me and says, “Gwampa run in Heaben with Jesus wike dis….” and he took off running in a big circle around the room with a big smile on his face.

  You are exactly right buddy!  You are exactly right…..

What a glorious day that will be! 

No more sorrow, no more pain….

  We sure love you, Grandpa!

~T

 

Weekend Fun: Tractors, Trailers, & Traditions

  Did you all have a great weekend!?

Ours was busy, but fun.  It was warmer than it has been, thankfully the ice is melted and we are enjoying 50’s and 60’s again.  That means there are LOTS of chores to do outside in preparation for gardens, our up and coming cow purchase, and even some branch clean up from that yucky ice storm.

  God answered a really big prayer of ours, and provided Dale’s father, Don, a beautiful camper trailer to live in while he goes through chemo.  If you follow us on Facebook, you know he has stage 4 cancer and we are asking God for a miracle.  We did a family photo shoot that I will share with you on Thursday, so you can “meet” him then. 

 This camper is nice and big with a slide out, open kitchen and living area, washer & dryer, nice storage areas, including 3 closets, tub-shower and more.  Way nicer than anything we had found before, and exactly in the price range that was set.  A TOTAL God-thing to say the least!!!!!! 

  We are going to clean it good, and get him moved out here soon, so I can help care for him, if necessary.  Or, at very least, check on him now and then.
He lives in another town, but had recently purchased the acreage right next door to us, in hopes of building there someday.  Soon we will move his camper over there.{First we have to hook up water and all that.} It will be so fun to have Papa right next door!

  This Weekend was also the MCC Sale.  It’s a Mennonite event that raises funds for disaster relief all over the world.  They auction off beautiful wood crafted items, tractors, bikes, campers, marble sets, and gorgeous handmade quilts from the local Mennonite ladies! 

We love to watch the ladies make Pysanka, Ukrainian Easter eggs. 

  Of course the MCC Sale offers amazing German food, like Vereneke {pronounced Verenika} and ham gravy, zwiebach, cherry or pluma moos, borscht, and bonne berogi.  My friend Stephanie, posted this photo of her supper on Facebook, she said I could share it with you today. 

  This is the traditional German meal, dubbed “The Feeding of the Multitudes” at this particular event. There is a reason it’s called this, cause you all, the line seriously goes the entire walkway in front of the building, and down as far as the eye can see.  We have never braved it with the kids!

   We typically go as a family after school for snacks of some Vereneke to share, along with meat, crackers and Cheese Curds! {aka Squeaky Cheese}

Due to the SPECIAL nature of this oh-so exciting yearly event, I let everyone pick one sweet treat. Oh, were they excited about that part!!!!!!!

  Destiny was clever and waited until the VERY end of our time there, to pick some Kettle Corn and eat it on the way home. {no pic} She said she chose that because it lasted longer than other sweet treats.  Like I said, CLEVER! :)

  The other kids thought she was nuts, they didn’t want to wait at ALL! 

  There are some Amish girls there that make the most melt in your mouth AMAZING fresh-baked Cookies and Whoopie Pies you have ever tasted! 

Paxton agreed!  Last year I wouldn’t let him have a Whoopie Pie, but I did find some sweet photos of him eyeballing it! He was SO little last year.  My baby is growing up! 

Lets just say, that he thoroughly enjoyed his first Whoopie Pie!

   I grew up in the Mennonite church, and have gone to the MCC Sale every year as long as I can remember!  I hope my kids have fun memories of us doing the same.  I wrote more about this Sale and what great things they do with the money they raise last year and even the year before that!!!!

 I am SO predictable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hopefully you aren’t tired of me blogging about this yet.  :)

 

  After that we walked around and did some of the kids activities before heading home for bedtime.

   The next day, I got to go BACK!  Dale was sweet to stay home with the kiddos, so I could go with my BFF, Kasey, for GIRL time!  That never happens anymore!

  Isn’t it funny how you can go the same place twice, once with kids and once with out, and it’s like a whole NEW event!?  We had so much fun sitting at the auctions, visiting and eating, and we hardly knew what to do with ourselves, not taking kids potty or doing head counts. No photos of our girl time though, I was off the clock! lol :)

  This weekend was also Dale’s 32nd birthday!

He didn’t have any big requests, so we made him his FAAAAVORITE Lemon Pudding Dessert, which we have EVERY single year on April 14th.  

  Hey, its creamy, its good, it reminds me of Spring, and it’s better than his other choice:

PLAIN chocolate cake drowned in milk.  

NO frosting at all! WHAT????

Cake without FROSTING!?!?!?!

Forgetaboutit.

  I’ve never officially blogged this lemon dessert, or typed it out on Tasty Kitchen, because I think EVERYONE already has it.

Yes? No? Maybe? Let me know, I’d be glad to share it soon.

  Tonight, I am making him Man Casserole for supper since last night was Sunday Night Snack Supper.  This casserole is one of his favorites! Looks crazy, tastes amazing.

  We don’t do much for grown up birthday’s at our house, we have so much to be thankful for and really don’t have any thing we “need”. 

Simplicity makes me happy, and it really is the little things that mean the most……like being together!

  Happy Monday!

~T

10 on 10

Welcome to 10 on 10! Where I take 10 photos {ha!} on the 10th and share them with you on the 11th day of the month.  I only do this when a) I know I will be home a good portion of the day and b) when the 11th doesn’t fall on Weekend.

Here are the instructions:

Take a photo every hour (for ten consecutive hours, if possible) on the tenth of each month. Document a day of your life and find beauty among the ordinary moments. Then share your beauty on the 11th! Please be sure to use the photo below on your blog post, and link back to mine, so we can all share in the fun.

The gal that I originally linked up to, is no longer blogging her 10 on 10’s, so I am a lone ranger. If you ever want to try, follow the instructions above, add in this picture to your blog post, then share in the comments section, so we can all visit you!

If you are interested in seeing past 10 on 10’s you can go here!

Good Morning to my Sunshines!

Uh, it’s pretty safe to say, that SPRING has left the building as of last night!!  Nothing like going from 74* to freezing over night.

Good thing we didn’t plant yet!

 Nap time projects included, getting Creamy Colorful Ham & Veggie Soup made, packing up some homemade whole wheat rolls and making this Strawberry White Chocolate Lasagna for a family from church with a NEW precious baby boy!
This recipe is coming, I want to tweek it a bit, but its one I made up based on a non strawberry, totally chocolate one I saw go across facebook last week.  It’s photographed, now I just have to type it out and schedule it.

I had an appointment after that, so Great Grandma came to babysit.  Here they all are, up from naps and playing “Thief” with her.

  My mom brought Destiny home from school. She was struggling to remember all her afternoon chores, so here is the reminder that lives on her locker….

By the time I got home from my appt. and supper delivery, the evening just flew, so no pics were taken, Oops!

But here is bedtime….

I was going to get a pic of the boys too, but look who woke up when I snuck in….UH OH! Time to get outta here!

I love how he picks which toys can sleep at the end of his bed…..

A little snack while I blog, hot tea and Dale’s famous popcorn.  :)

Happy 10 on 10!

~T