Eight Is Great!

Happy Birthday, Jesus

Nothin' says, "Happy Birthday, Jesus!" more than a ton of Legos, a bunch of Nerf guns and a few remote controlled cars! I hope your Christmas was blessed!

Come on in!

Boys! Hurry up and let's get the house ready for all the bloggers on the Christmas Tour of Homes. I'll need your muscles! Okay, bring the Lego Advent calendar into the hallway. Set it up next to the Advent banner and our little nativity scene from Grandma. Who is going to open the little window? Okay. Now that Dad has the tree in the stand, how 'bout some Decorating Super Heroes? While you guys do that I am going to put my little Santa on the piano.

I'm going to look for the tree skirt while you get the new train going, Sam.

The tree skirt is under the tree and I put a little snowflake ribbon on the tree. I think the tree is ready! Aaron, will you set up the kids' nativity scene in the living room?

Here is the North Pole scene for you to put up, Dave and Sam.

Hey, kinda looks like Santa and the Baby Jesus were neighbors...

Sam, I brought this new Playmobile nativity from my classroom. Will you put it on the lamp table in the living room?

Aaron, will you add these cards to the card holder? Here are a few new signs to hang.
Aaron, when you are done with that book please put it in the Christmas book bin.

Dave, put the Christmas stuffed animals in the basket.

Sam, let's find a place to put your Jesus candy cane. And how 'bout Aaron putting the wreath on the door? Everybody outta the dining room... breakables!
We're going to need some treats on that new Santa plate, Dave.

Our guests might enjoy a chocolate cupcake with chocolate ganache and white chocolate cream cheese peppermint frosting. Okay, I think we are ready. Honey, will you turn on the outside lights? Let's welcome our guests. Smile, boys!

Merry Christmas, Friends.
May the love of Christ warm your hearts

this Christmas and all year!

Christmas Tours Past...

Christmas 2007

Christmas 2008

Post-Christmas 2008

Christmas Tour of Homes

The boys are busy decorating for Christmas. Come back later and I'll show you around!

Start Your Engines!

Sam is home from school today with a fever. His fever broke early in the day, so we've had a relaxing afternoon. I knew he was feeling better when he asked for a lunch and some XBox. I even offered to play. Now, how come I am the one with the driver's license, but he wins every racing game?! The last game I was having such difficulty even keeping the car on the track that he offered to wait at the finish line for me. After a few minutes he politely suggested that he finish the race for me!

Decorating...

This is the way we clean the house,
Clean the house, clean the house.
This is the way we clean the house,
So we can decorate for Christmas!

The Turkey Pokey

You put your right wing in. You take your right wing out. You put your right wing in and you shake it all about. You do the turkey pokey and you turn yourself around. That's what it's all about!

Left wing...
Right drumstick...
Left drumstick...
Wattle...
Stuffing...
Tail feathers...
Whole turkey body...

Enjoy the day! May God continue to bless you. He has blessed me. :)

Is This Thing On?

Tap, tap, tap. Is this thing on?
Phew... life has been zipping along and where have I been?
A few days ago I was thinking about my sweet friend that lives in Ohio, Janet. Janet and Peter lived across the street from us when we lived in Ohio and they were the Best Neighbors Ever. In last year's Chirstmas card she told me how she kept up with us on our blog. And it occurred to me that she must think we have fallen off the edge of the earth! Janet, we are still here and I will give you a quick update! I hope all is well with you.

Chris is still loving the life of pastor. Nothing really new there, but he is a steady and sure kinda guy. And a great pastor. :)

Aaron is 9. He is in the fourth grade. I have decided that fourth grade is the year of more homework. He loves Lego and has started to listen to music like a teenager. "Country music," he says.

David is almost 8. His newest thing is that he loves science experiements. He even has refused a hair cut so that he can look like a mad scientist. A few weeks ago he was making his own toast (I was folding laundry) when he tells me, "Mom, the toast didn't pop, so I used two forks to get it out." AGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH! Don't do that or you will have mad scientist hair!!

Sam is 6 and he is loving sports. The boys just finished a season of basketball today. Of all the boys, he loved it the most.

I'm doing just fine. I've gone back to work. I'm teaching k-4 at the Lutheran school where the two older boys go.

Pretty busy, if you ask me. I'm really tired, and our house is a zoo, but we are good!

Kitchen Meme

I've been doing a lot of baking lately. Bake sales, parties, company. Whatever the occasion I have been digging for a recipe to try or to whip up. Lately my favorite thing to bake is cupcakes. As in just about everything, there are whole blogs devoted to Cupcake Love. On one blog, The Busty Baker (ladolvicita.com) I found this Getting to Know Me Quiz and I knew I'd have to copy it here! David with a chocolate marshmallow cupcake.

Getting to Know Me!

Metal or Non-stick? Metal and I love parchmant paper when making cookies.
Cast iron or Stainless? Stainless.
Cutting board: Wood or Plastic? I have one of each.
Knife: Carbon Steel or Stainless? I don't even know.
Kitchen Aid or Hand Mixer? I love my Kitchen Aid! I've even given her a name, Matilda. Matilda the Mixer.
Cooktop: Gas, Electric, or Induction? Currently I have electric. Now if only I could go back to a smooth top...
Side-by-side, Freezer on top, Fridge on top? A side-by-side that I am constantly struggling to get all of my stuff into.
Apron or Whoops? I'd love to be an apron girl. I really want one. Hey, my birthday is coming...
Mashed Potatoes: By Hand, Ricer, or Mixer? Usually I mash potatoes by hand, but I have been known to use the mixer once in a while.
Sandwich or Wrap? I like a good wrap, but I'm good with a sandwich usually. And I love subs.
PB& _____? Whatever kinda jelly is in the fridge. Usually some strawberry preserves.
Pancakes: Syrup or Applesauce? Syrup! Ever put syrup and brown sugar on your pancakes? My friend Jen taught me that. Pretty indulgent, but I'm worth it!
Cakes: Scratch or Mix? Usually by scratch, but I keep a good stash of mixes. There are lots of cupcake recipes that start with a mix.
Chili: Beans or No Beans? I'm okay either way.
Napkin: Cloth or Paper? Lots of paper, but I'm thinking about buying some white cloth ones and keeping them out in a pretty rectangular basket. Anyone know where I can buy a bunch of them for cheap?
BBQ: Takes the whole weekend to make or Take Out? Take out.
Chicken: White or Dark? WHITE. I'm pretty adamant about not wanting any part of the chicken other than the breast.
Ice Cream: Cone or Dish? Waffle cones or a dish. Bring it on!! Aaron with a chocolate chip cookie cupcake. (Yellow cupcake with a cookie baked in the bottom and chocolate chip buttercream.)

Pastor's Kids...

So, as Sunday Morning Worship protocol goes, whom should you discipline first? The boy fashioning his worship bulletin into a twisty "screwdriver" to be used in an attempt to disassemble the pew OR the boy silently strapping on your chunky bracelet and "webslinging" pews 1 through 5?

The Blond Family

A few weekends ago we went to a National Park in the middle of Coconut Grove called, The Barnacle. It is a small park and it is home to the oldest house in Dade county that has never been moved. You can tour the home and boat house and run all over the lawn and gardens.

As we were leaving the park (because it was closing time) one of the members of our party had to use the bathroom. We had already passed the bathrooms, so I asked the Park Ranger if we could go back and use the facilities. She said, "Sure." Then she got on her radio and said, "I've got The Blonde Family. They need to use the bathroom."

I guess that is us. The Blonde Family.

As we were leaving The Barnacle my Father-in-Law called. We were telling him about the park and Coconut Grove and he asked what Coconut Grove looked like. So.... here you go, Dad. I don't have any pictures of The Barnacle, but here are a few shots of Coconut Grove.

Crowded, trendy shops and restaurants, lots of cars, not so much parking, cute blonde kids...

(It really is a fun place to look around. People watching is very good here. Not so picturesque as you walk back to your car snapping pictures.)

Ashes...

Last Wednesday was Ash Wednesday- the beginning of Lent. As part of the Ash Wednesday service ashes were applied to our foreheads to remind us of who we are. And just who am I?

Here are the words from the bulletin,

Created by God ("Remember that you are dust..."),

Mortal ("...and to dust you will return"),
On a journey of conversion ("Repent and be faithful to the Gospel"),
Part of the body of Christ (the smudge on our foeheads proclaims that identity to others).

I took a picture of each of my boys with thier foreheads marked with a cross of ashes. I think I'll keep these photos for just those days when I need reminding that my boys are on loan from God and that Jesus died to take away thier sins. (Mine, too.) Hard to get all worked up and upset with my child of God, isn't it? Exactly my point! (Eternity with these clowns is going to be very exciting!)

May it always be evident that we are part of the body of Christ even when the "smudges" are gone.

I'm here...

Really I am. Ever feel like you are spinning the plates and spinning the plates and... Well, I know you get the picture. In addition to the packed life we lead I have started leading a Beth Moore Bible study (Esther) and I've been substitute teaching a bit.

That, and the cleaning lady quit. ;)

These pictures were taken at a recent afternoon with some family friends and their go-cart! Here is A going for a ride.

Our friend, S and the helmet to protect his head...

D loved it! But you knew he would!

Now in order to get a ride, you had to wait in the little chair. And that rule applied to EVERYONE...

WFMW: Prayer Journal for Kids

Just yesterday my boys and I were talking about prayer journals. I used to make these for my students when I was teaching kindergarten. So, I offered to make the boys one and they were very excited. I took a piece of paper and drew lines to divide the page into four quadrants.

Each square was for a specific prayer request:

Draw and/or write about something for which you are thankful.

Draw and/or write about someone for which you would like God to bless. (Sick classmate? A favorite uncle? A friend that is traveling?)

Draw and/or write about something with which you want God to help you. (Trouble getting up on time? Hard time with math? Having trouble keeping your hands to yourself?)

The last square is for anything else the child would like to pray. Another thankful prayer. Another person in need of a blessing. An opportunity to ask for forgiveness. (This can be really unclear for kids under about 7. They can usually point out others' needs for forgiveness, but not always their own.) Or just something they know about God.

(The "draw and/or write" makes this an easy activity that isn't about handwriting or perfection.)

Once the squares were finished I helped them actually pray what they had drawn and/or written. It works for us!

Check out Rocks in My Dryer for more Works for Me Wednesday Tips!

WFMW: Save on Your Telephone Bill

Here's a quick tip that worked for me last week. Call your phone company and ask if you are getting the best possible deal for your family. I called and there wasn't anything else they could offer me, but she reduced my bill by $5 a month just for asking. Easy. Painless. $5 off.
Leave a comment and then head on over to Shannon's blog for some more great tips!

Makes My Monday: Baseball Season

Here's the photo that "Makes My Monday." The boys started baseball in January. Here are their feet... before they got dirty!
For more Makes My M0nday fun, head over to Cheryl's blog,Twinfatuation !

WFMW: Chocolate Milk

Wow is my world busy! Church, Baseball, Cub Scouts, and school activities have kept us very busy, so this week's Works for Me Wednesday Tip is very simple. Every week we buy two gallons of milk. (Don't you?) We open one gallon jug and squeeze an insane amount of chocolate syrup into the jug. (As long as I am sugaring them up I choose Hershey's lite.) Replace the cap and shake it up. Yum. Now, when you open the fridge you can either have white milk (not like anyone chooses to DRINK that, mind you) or you can shake and chug some tasty chocolate milk.

Chocolate-y, milky goodness without the mess of pouring, squeezing and stirring. And I don't have to watch anybody try to drink out of the glass with the spoon still sticking out. "You'll poke your eye out with that!!"

Now, that really works for me.

Head on over to Rocks in My Dryer and find out what other great ideas bloggers are sharing today.

Headache?

The boys recently started a new season of baseball. S is playing t-ball on a team and D and A are playing baseball on a team. Last week S and I were sitting in the stands and he asked for a treat. We wound up with a bag of popcorn. When the older boys finished their practice D came over and asked, "Did you get that at the concussion stand?"

Makes My Monday: No Training Wheels!

I'm cheating a bit here because usually Makes My Monday is one photo that "makes your day". Well, I couldn't resist putting up three pictures today because this past weekend all three boys gave up thier training wheels. All three boys on the same day! How cool is that?!

For more Makes My M0nday fun, head over to Cheryl's blog, Twinfatuation!

Happy Birthday, Sweetie!

Recently it was Chris' birthday and we celebrated with a little blueberry birthday pie. God's blessings to you, God's blessings to you...