Merry Christmas dear friends

For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness", made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:6

Random December

Saturday was 56 degrees.

Sunday was 19 degrees, however most of the day was much colder than that!

We are headed to the mountains to see the Titko's for a few days!

Our family is enjoying Little House in the Big Woods. Emma and I get to do an overnight in the Big Woods with our book club later this week.

I will pack and unpack three times between now and Christmas.

Soulpersuit is doing an open group for Christmas. Check out the blog for some quiet contemplation over the next weeks.

Do you follow the blog called Sycamore Stirrings? I'm not sure how I happened upon this blog, maybe through the Craft Crow. Now, their family has just moved to Luxembourg. All of the curiosities are soo familiar. They just visited the Trier Christmas Market by train. I have to admit, I'm feeling a bit envious.

I'm really wanting to just jump right into all the randomness and enjoy...

May my lips overflow with praise.

Ps. 119: 171

Another Snowy Day

The Thanksgiving Day Parade

Ethan was playing with my ceramic Thanksgiving set a few days ago. All the pieces were lined up in a great little parade.

I dug this picture out of the photo album for Emma to look at from when she was two years old. She was lining them up in the same way Ethan did this year.

Did you know that Psalms 120-134 were sung by pilgrims on their way to worship in Jerusalem?

These Psalms, the songs of ascent, are called such because you have to walk UP to Jerusalem from just about everywhere.

Jerusalem, well-built city,

built as a place of worship!

The city to which the tribes ascend,

all God's tribes go up to worship,

To give thanks to the name of God -

this is what it means to be Israel.

Psalm 122: 3-4

Where are you headed today in this journey? How are you preparing your heart as you go? Happy Thanksgiving my friends!

Where I blog from

A few days ago, Marie asked, "Where do you blog from?" This is a great question, because just like she mentions, I picture each of you in my head and hear your voices as I read what you have to say. Sadly, at this point, I haven't been in most of your current homes. I tend to picture some random place with your furniture (that I can remember).

I was about to post the picture above which is where I blog. After rereading Marie request, and a little nudge of honesty, I decided to add the second picture.

This is the real story. Our "office" which is open to the whole main floor is where our catch-all desk, crafty stuff and homeschool books and supplies live. Someone is almost always beside me chattering away and working on something. Right now I can hear Blue's Clues and Ethan (in his room upstairs) calling for me to come get him.

You are tagged - where do you blog from and what happens around you in that space?

Driver's education: Starting the Car

Let's hope he doesn't get the urge to try the real thing.

A Walk in the Park

Book Club: Roxaboxen

Each month something wonderful happens around here - Book club!


Over the last year, our little group of 6 girls has read, thought, talked about and participated in unique activities involving the book of the month. Some of the books have been Winnie the Pooh, Peter Rabbit, Molly's Pilgrim, The Christmas Day Cat, Betsy-Tacy, Rechenka's Egg, Miss Happiness and Miss Flower, The Gardener, A Little Princess... I know there are more and just can't think of them right now.

Roxaboxen was up this month. Emma and I have been reading this book for a few years, always grabbing it when we see it at the library. At first glance this is a book of neighborhood children from another era keeping themselves busy with imaginative community-building. But what I have really loved about this particular group of very experienced homeschooling moms is that they are not at all willing to settle for just reading a nice little story. (All together, these moms have 65 years of teaching experience - 1 year and 3 months of that experience belongs to me!:)) Every month we cover plot, setting, characters and theme. This seemed like a lot for my little kindergartener. I was wrong. As a first grader, Emma is able to identify just about all these areas in most of the books she reads. What I can't wait to see is how this will affect her ability to read the Bible as an older child.

So, Roxaboxen, a short picture book afforded us the opportunity to learn about the life of children in 1915, characteristics of the Arizona desert, understanding how a memoir is different from other types of non-fiction and how we can use our imagination to glorify God by doing the job He created us to do. We also studied the author, illustrator and little about folk art. That leaves the door wide open for me to cover many, many areas this month as we review.

I love homeschooling and am deeply thankful for the opportunity to teach my girl.

(Roxaboxen building in process)

Weather Update

Yesterday, about the time of the crazy girl picture, the temperature was around 75 degrees. We awoke this morning to cold, freezing drizzle and a high of 35 degrees later in the day. By Saturday, the forecast says 60's again. It's difficult for a girl to know how to dress herself in the morning.

Who let's their kid dress like this?

I do love the creative mind of children.

Operation Christmas Child

National Collection Week is November 17-24.

Have you packed a shoebox?

Find out how at Samaritan's Purse.

Will you please pray for two of my friends?

Nicole's brother died a few days ago. Her family is in the midst of taking care of all the funeral and burial arrangements and really just figuring out how to survive this. Nicole's dad passed away about the same time as my mom, which still feels amazingly fresh some days. Some of you may know the Spellman's from the early Schweinfurt years. Nicole and her family are really in need of your prayers tonight and this week.

Today my friend Amy and her husband Rob left Guatemala without the little boy that are hoping and planning to adopt. They met Geovany about a year ago and have been visiting him this week. Please pray for them as they left him in the orphanage today and are still waiting for paperwork and courts. Rob and Amy have been our friends for about 15 years. They showed Rick and I sweet hospitality when we were so lonely in southern CA.

Please pray with us for our dearly loved friends.

What do you know about miracles?

I have some questions. Do you believe that miracles can be ordinary events? I mean, does the miraculous have to be unbelievable or can it be something that happens everyday?

The dictionary says a miracle is a event that appears inexplicable by the laws of nature and so is held to be supernatural in origin or an act of God.

Does the birth of a child defy the laws of nature? What about breathing? When we include or exclude the ordinary from the miraculous does it make the miraculous more or less believable? Could it be that we don't really believe in miracles because we do not see them for what they are?

I'm not sure that came out right....What do you think?

What a nice way to greet the day

The kids and I ate at Panda Express tonight. Rick is still gone. I'd hate to see what our eating habits would be like if he left for a whole year.

Emma says, while taking a bite of her orange chicken, "Mom, this place is delightful!"

Today she is thankful for fun time with her family and her book that helps her draw animals and her crayons.
I'm thankful for the twinkle in her eye when she's telling me a story.

My body is driving me crazy! Finger pains every night, my eyes get itchy every once in awhile, leg pains in bed. Life is so horrible at this point.
~Emma 6 1/2 years old

Tonight she is thankful for fun with her brother. I'm thankful that she is thankful for him.

What a great girl. She makes me crazy. I'm sure thankful for her.

I'm also thankful for chips and cheesy rotel. (Sorry, Rick, we're eating all the yummy junk food while you are away.)

My camera gets hijacked now and then. Its interesting to see what pops up when downloading pictures.

Look how happy the raccoon and squirrel are sharing the acorns.

How nice to see the world through my girls eyes. I'm thankful for the little surprises that coming with being a mother.

Tonight I'm thankful for ...

...a warm home.
...a dishwasher humming in the background.
...a sewing project ready to cut out.
...a boy in bed.
...a girl almost there.
...a very dear husband (who is sadly far away tonight.)
...a life that is saved and sealed in Jesus.

Have a good evening dear friends.

I Love This Boy.

He really likes to giggle. Giggles that come from his belly.He kind of just does his own thing. The way he wants to do it.

He can be a bit of a messy eater. Silverware can get in his way.
He throws a pretty good tantrum. But can finally be persuaded out of them.

He's very serious about his pictures. And persistent.

And loves to read. In an active sort of way.We must have been bored before Ethan. And boring.
I'm So Thankful For This Boy. All of him.

I'm thankful for a quiet morning, quiet music, worshipful Psalms and a yummy drink. ~Paula

Mom, I'm glad for my dogs (those would be stuffed). I'm going to need more for Christmas since I can't get a real dog. ~quoted from a slightly thankful Emma.

One of my family's very favorite snacks is Banana Blueberry Bread. The recipe I use comes from the Betty Crocker cookbook (I got it as a wedding present.) Fifteen years ago when I started using this recipe it was because I had ripe bananas and this was the only banana bread recipe I had. Now its a well-loved recipe. Half the loaf is usually gone before it hits the cutting board! I'm thinking that my daughter will be asking for this recipe someday. Today I'm thankful for yummy banana bread.

Tonight, Emma is thankful for the seasons.
Banana Blueberry Bread

Cream together:
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened

Add 2 eggs and stir until blended.

Add 3 to 4 medium mashed bananas and 1/3 cup water.

Stir in 1 2/3 cups flour, 1 t. baking soda, 1/2 t. salt and 1/4 t. baking powder.
Stir just until moist.

Carefully stir in one cup of either fresh or frozen blueberries. Pour into greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Let your glory be over all the earth

Rick: I'm thankful the Jeep isn't leaking coolant anymore!
Paula: Thank you Rick for making hamburger helper tonight.
Emma: I'm thankful for the world.

Last year for christmas, one of our gifts was a membership to the Museum of Nature and Science. Taking advantage of that today we visited the planetarium. After exploring the planets, moons and other bits of flotsam throughout our solar system, the narrator of the show concluded that the earth is the only place that can foster life. That is always nice to know from a scientific standpoint, but, oh. my. maybe a bit of an understandment. Huge balls of gas and chunks of metal pass by and then EARTH floats into view. Vast BLUE oceans, deep vivid GREEN continents, WHITE swirling clouds - is there any question that earth is significantly different from the others?

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,

and let your glory be over all the earth. Psalm 108: 5

I'm thankful for home. ~Emma
I'm thankful that God's word is living and active in my heart. ~Paula

A wooden bowl on the kitchen table... Papers, pencils...

our place to hold the blessing that we count this month.

So Thankful Together

Looking back over October, there is much that fills my heart with gratitude:

Living in the middle of Colorado!

The fun phase of my family's life.

A place to sit back... watch... and tuck it all into the corners of my heart.

A garden that served us well - both to look at and eat.

Traditions that tie it all together.

Rick turned 39 last week! Yikes, is that middle-aged? I didn't even take pictures of the momentous occasion.

I'm contemplating joining Beth in her attempt to post everyday for a month. Emma and I are working together to count our blessings between now and Thanksgiving. We'll try to do that in this spot as we work together.
Now that I've actually written it - it sounds a little daunting.:)