THE

What is real love?

2011-03-01T21:17:00.002-06:00

The Love Dare Day to Day: This Week's Dare:
Begin praying this week: "Lord, teach me what real love is and make me a loving person."

I pulled up the ipod feature on my iphone, picked the play list I wanted, hit shuffle, and what song should be first? JJ Heller's "What Love Really Means."

I don't know what else to say about "love," but just that I've said the above prayer from The Love Dare Day to Day several times today. I do want to know what it means to be a loving person who is sharing real love with others. I want to love my husband more, my kids more, my neighbors more. I hope that I can show God's love to others through my actions and words. Do I dare pray that they will see that I'm a Christian by my love?

Do you think you have more to learn about what love is and how to love others?

And as I finish this post, what song JUST came on, you ask? Matt Maher's "Hold Us Together." :)

T minus 41 1/2 hours...random thoughts

2011-01-12T17:17:00.001-06:00

Today's goal...have meals prepared for Trav. So far I have reminded him to take out ground meat for me to brown and I printed coupons and made a grocery list. Maddie has her first piano lesson tonight and then we're going on a date tonight, which will include getting groceries. Oh, the joys of being a 7 year old girl who loves to shop!

I loved my Religion in the Humanities and Ethics classes today. The lecture (by the same teacher) happened to cover the same material, a huge advantage to those of us (6?) who are in both classes this semester. There was great discussion and it wasn't all done by me, as has been the case in some classes. I'm a little worried about what catch-up work I'll have to do when I return as I won't have a ton of time to work on it while gone and I won't have internet at all. Yikes! I'm trying to get a leg up on some of it. I do have two flights each way with a lay-over of two hours on the way out and three hours on the way back, so I'm hoping to make a dent then on the readings/notes.

My prayer right now is for courage for myself and ease of conversation with the individuals we will meet. I'm also praying over a friend who is considering joining us. He would be able to be picked up with someone who is driving from Canada, though weather forecasts aren't good.

JB decided to quit orchestra. This makes me really sad. I would like my kids to be able to play as many instruments as possible, knowing that they don't have to make a career with any of them, but rather that they have passion for the music. He wasn't having passion, which saddened me, but was the reason I finally gave in to letting him quit. I wish it wouldn't have even been an option and we could have gotten him through his valley of boredom. It wasn't that he couldn't play, cause he had ability, but he had no desire.

I need to find my suitcase after the grocery run and start packing. Hoping my sleeping bag and pillow don't take up too much room and I can pack some clothes. I found some good finds at Goodwill and Savers last week including two pair of shoes which were expensive when they were new and still have plenty of life left in them, but because I got them cheap, it's no biggie if they get ruined. Speaking of getting ruined, so far the weather forecast is calling for rain in the area of FL we are going to for Sunday night through Tuesday. UGH!!!

Okay, that's it...on to the tasks at hand!

Tuesday

2011-01-11T09:12:00.000-06:00

I started classes yesterday for this semester. Wow, I'm gonna be tired on M-W-F. I'm attempting to chalk it up to having eaten left-over turkey twice yesterday, but pretty sure I'm gonna be tired every M-W-F. I work at the elementary school first thing, go to 3 back-to-back classes and then back to the elementary school for the end of the day. I should be able to grab a bite to eat after my last class, but that may be different each day if I have to talk to anyone on campus or run an errand. I will be ever so thankful for my T-Th when I have one late afternoon class.

I'm off to Florida in only 3 days. That sounds like a really short amount of time now that I see it in print. I've been so used to saying "the 14th" or "next Friday." Guess I should find my suitcase and start packing. I'm worried about fitting what I need in one suitcase and having it come in under weight. Since this trip isn't about looking good, I'm less worried about the things that will go on me than I am about having to squeeze my sleeping bag and pillow in there. This could be a challenge.

I wanted to share a devotion that really helped me in making the final decision to go. We used this book for some family devos after watching "Evan Almighty" some time ago. I don't believe we made our way through the whole thing. I came across it recently when unpacking and set it somewhere I'd see it often. On Christmas Eve morning as I lay in bed, stressing about how my kids were going to behave that day after having two days on non-stop fighting with each other and Trav and I, I decided we had to sit down that morning and do a devotion as it has been some time since we have done that.

The book is, "Evan Almighty Devotional," by...um, I don't know who it is by, but it's published by Youth Specialties.

Chapter 13 Decide/Do

"No not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." James 1:22

"Evan has a skeptical retort to God's invitation to build an ark. 'SHEEP!'

Too bad the guy didn't know what you know. Like these facts:

Doing good is at the top of God's to-do list.

When God Almighty interrupts your normal, it's an opportunity not only to respond with enthusiasm but also to live close to him.

Even though your world abounds with problems, God intends to fill it with life - life in all its fullness.

God's endless mercy makes him worth trusting.

You are God's masterpiece, perfectly crafted to do the good things he mapped out for you long ago.

Noah isn't the only human being who's received a crazy assignment from God, yet the call to servanthood might be the weirdest command of all.

Don't think that you have to start doing good by building an ark, because small is the new big.

God wants you to dream big - but do real deeds.

Doing good isn't an extra you can choose or lose. It's an essential part of who you are to be.

With the stack of reasons why doing good matters so much, you have a head start on Evan. Yet you face the same choice he faces. Are you ready to change the world - even when it seems crazy?

You can probably sort God's expectations of ways you should act for good into a couple of lists. There are deeds you believe make sense - and deeds too weird for the real world. There are people you want to help - and those you'd prefer to avoid. Or places you would be eager to do good - and others you'd rather pass up.

Those objections might should inside your head. Yet God's call to do good isn't quiet, either. You hear it in his unambiguous Bible commands. Or from somewhere deep inside, you sense right and wrong, intuitively discerning what God wants you to do. Not only that, it's tough to ignore all the things that everyone on the planet knows are good, and we are to "be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone" (Romans 12:17).

So you have a choice: To build - or not to build. To start the construction project God has planned for you - or to let evil prevail. There comes a time to say, "Here we go," pop open the crate of tools God has laid on your doorstep, grab a mallet, and commence pounding. In every opportunity to do good, you have a chance to say back to God not "SHEEP!" but "You want to change the world? So do I."

It's your decision.

BE A DOER

All your life you've heard slogans such as "Just Do It" and "Dare to Stay Off Drugs." But God doesn't just toss around slogans. He speaks to our minds, encourages our hearts and wraps us in his care. And God has an even bigger, all-encompassing word that hits us right where we live: "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it say" (James 1:22).

We can't claim to be doing good if we just hear God's calling and do nothing about it. In fact, when we come to understand all that God has to say about doing good and yet stay unengaged, we're acting downright ridiculous. Here's how the book of James puts it: "Those who listen to the word but do not do what it says are like people who look at their faces in a mirror and, after looking at themselves, go away and immediately forget what they look like" (James 1:22-23).

So back to that choice. That decision you get to make. Now that you know all that you do, are you ready to tell God you want to be his agent for good in the world? Not that you've used those exact words. Or that you've gotten a badge or a shiny superhero unitard. But have you ever said something like what you heard back in the second chapter of this book, a pledge like Jesus made? He said, "Here I am. Ready. Willing. Let's go." Those aren't words to utter once or even once in a while. It's a prayer you can breathe every moment of every day as you look for whatever God has for you to do.

You can say those words now, and say them again and again. When you do, God knows that you're eager to change the world every chance you get - even when it seems crazy.

HERE WE GO

You might agonize that if you dedicate yourself to doing good, God could leave you high and dry. You might end up like Evan, standing on the deck of a mighty ark, declaring that a flood is imminent, not seeing a drop of rain fall from the sky. You might find yourself shouting to heaven, "Is it too much to ask for a little precipitation?"

If those thoughts put you on edge, go back to what God says in his Word. Right after God tells us we're acting absurd if we gaze in a mirror and forget what we look like, he gives us this promise: "But those who look intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continue in it - not forgetting what they have heard but doing it - they will be blessed in what they do" (James 1:25).

Whatever difficulties you face in doing good, God will equip you to deal with them. (More on that as you read on.) And rest assured that whenever you listen intently to God's commands - and act on them - God will have your back and empower your efforts."

Pretty cool huh? I know there are neigh-sayers to what I'm doing. It sounds a little radical to go live in the woods with a couple of hundred strangers, serve them meals and just be relational with them. I think that is my ark, so I will follow Him. I may or may not be in a similar situation in the future. I pray that I won't stop asking Him to lead me and for me to have the courage to go where He sends me, to provide for our family while I'm gone and when I'm back, to use me as He has gifted me.

So, Friday is only 3 days away. I am nervous for the flight as it will be the first time I've flown since Trav's mom died and I had to leave a youth mission trip 2 1/2 years ago. I'm nervous because my ears are really sensitive to changes (driving through Pennsylvania this summer was not pleasant). I'm nervous because I will be living in the woods with hundreds of people I don't know. I ask God to give me His words to say, His love to share. Will you join my prayers?

Noon-ish

2010-12-21T12:23:00.000-06:00

Isaiah 1:16-20

NIV

16 Wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds out of my sight;
stop doing wrong.
17 Learn to do right; seek justice.
Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow.

18 “Come now, let us settle the matter,”
says the LORD.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.
19 If you are willing and obedient,
you will eat the good things of the land;
20 but if you resist and rebel,
you will be devoured by the sword.”
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

The Message

16 Go home and wash up. Clean up your act. Sweep your lives clean of your evil doings so I don't have to look at them any longer. Say no to wrong.

17 Learn to do good. Work for justice. Help the down-and-out. Stand up for the homeless. Go to bat for the defenseless. Let's Argue This Out

18 "Come. Sit down. Let's argue this out." This is God's Message: "If your sins are blood-red, they'll be snow-white. If they're red like crimson, they'll be like wool.

19 If you'll willingly obey, you'll feast like kings.

20 But if you're willful and stubborn, you'll die like dogs." That's right. God says so.

Today...

2010-12-21T09:01:00.003-06:00

We got snow yesterday and I believe it's still snowing lightly now. We haven't had as much as some areas south of us over the last few weeks, but I am happy this storm finally gave us some.

Our big kids have their last day of school before Christmas break. I helped them assemble treat bags with homemade goodies and homemade magnets for their teachers and gather enough mini candy canes for their classmates. Instead of gluing little beads in our magnets like the ones I found in Family Fun magazine, I printed mini pictures of my kids and random shapes/pictures. I looked at bead ones just now on their website and I think I want to make more.

Izzy has a friend over to play. This is something that has been needed by her and her parents for some times now. It keeps her busy and gets us out of the pattern of, Izzy does something destructive/very naughty, we feel like failures as parents because it's never ending with her...REPEAT!

Trav shoveled at the preschool and is now snow-blowing the driveway. I fixed a rip in a pair of jeans quick as it had gotten bigger than when I bought them. Oops! I have to find my iron still from when we moved a couple of weeks ago. I couldn't even tell you where I kept it at the old house as that's how much I use it. But, I have to sew a quilt today that I'm making my dad for Christmas, so I HAVE to find my iron TODAY!

Oh, and amidst all my frustration, searching, wondering, trying to decide how much is too much, when to say when, when to keep fighting, where are You leading me God (from my post last night, er, this morning since it was midnight), I'm fasting today. I don't do this often enough as a way to listen to God. When I do do it, I feel so connected with Him. I caught a little bit of someone talking last night from YouTube and he mentioned that fasting is mentioned in the Bible but we rarely do it. Whack! That totally slapped me across the face. So that's that. I'm fasting today, hoping I'll open my heart and ears to what God is saying to me.

Letting it all out...

2010-12-21T00:02:00.002-06:00

Hypocrisy

Here it comes.
I want it all out. I sometimes want out of Christianity.

Christians are ridiculed for being hypocrites.

I wonder when people talk about church if they are talking about the church they go to or if they are talking about The Church. I struggle when they are talking about their church and not His Church. Are there boundaries? Should there be?

I feel God has a distinct purpose for me. I don’t believe He wants me to be a quiet, go with the flow, dress my best on Sunday mornings Christian. Yes, I do occasionally dress my best on Sunday mornings. But it’s not to fit in, it’s because that is what I want to wear that day. That sometimes is my best, and other times it’s my best ripped jeans, because that’s what I’m comfortable in that day. Am I a hypocrite on the days I dress nice?

I don’t want to live a stale, run of the mill, with the grain of the wood Christian existence. I want to push the limits, but only because I think that’s what Jesus would do. I think He would challenge many believers to go outside of their comfort zone, to reach out to the dirty man, to help the neighbor in need even if he doesn’t live next door and your family has know his family for generations.

Recently I was approached with a service trip that would bring me out of my comfort zone. No opportunity to dress in my Sunday best, much less shower. I considered cutting my hair super short because I wouldn’t have the opportunity to shower for a week or more. My husband disagreed with my talk of cutting my hair. I felt God pulling on my heart, telling me, “Go where I send you,” and to follow Him.

I hurt when I don’t feel that I can go because of finances. With my husband on full disability and myself in school full time and 4 growing kids under our roof, there often is too much month left at the end of our money. Still, God provides, right? I struggle to know if I am following His call or the desire of my heart. But then again, if it is the desires of my heart, doesn’t God grant those too? Or not? When to say when and when to say no and when to say go… I get scared sometimes, like I did last week reading about a previous trip that was taken. I got scared and worried about what God would ask of me. I tried to brush it off. But I thought, can I do what He asks of me with full surrender? We will be blessed financially when it comes time for me to go on this trip so that I could pay for it all on our own. But it will be a little late in the game, so the costs for the flight will be much, much higher. Is this what God is asking me to do? To sacrifice a little more to follow Him? But what about my family? Is He asking them to sacrifice for MY heart’s desire? So that I can be gone a very long time from them to serve others? Is this His calling for me to set an example or am I being selfish to do that to them? I requested funds from two different sources, one a congregation’s mission board, who said they would provide approx. 1/8 of my costs, and the other a different congregation’s foundation, who said, “no” because it doesn’t fall under their mission to further their congregation and programs.

So where does this leave me? Frustrated, broken hearted, feeling abandoned by God…after all, I asked Him to provide financially so I could serve others. And lastly, guilty, for being frustrated, broken hearted and let down. How dare I. How dare I ask local churches to support me financially when it’s for something as out of the box as going to serve homeless people, travelers and others who would probably never set foot in a church. How dare I get upset that they wouldn’t want to help pay for my plane ticket when they will probably NEVER see any benefits from my trip. How dare I think that this trip is about me gaining some experience working with people who are different than mid-westerners. How dare I leave my family for that long. How dare I spend money that could be saved for a rainy day (as I was told by one “friend” to do if we had a little extra rather than go on a trip similar to this). How dare I miss my college classes, as they are so valuable to my education towards receiving my social work degree.

I’m at a loss of what to do. Do I fight to find other funding, though I have no idea where from? Do I suck it up, and use up money our family could use to go? Do I lay down and see it as another opportunity lost? Do I give up my dream of being a different Christian and be the hypocritical one I’m probably seen as anyway, because heck, if I can’t get the “regulars” to see it differently, maybe it isn’t different after all and I’ve been deceived, and fighting a losing battle all along? Do I surrender, AGAIN, to God to provide? At what point do I say enough is enough and lay down, roll over, let the “have not’s” have the last say? Do I pick up my sword and shield and defend what I believe is truth? When should I give up? When do I let them have it the way they want it? What do I do in the mean time? When will they, someone, anyone, who could maybe sway them, come around? Will I always be fighting this fight? Will church ever become about The Church and not our church?

What would Jesus do?

Heavenly...

2010-09-24T12:05:00.006-06:00

Here's the deal: Enter to win an ERGO performance baby carrier: http://www.heavenlyhold.com/pages/contest.htm ISN'T THAT A GREAT DEAL? You can also find them on FB at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Marietta/Heavenly-Hold/46816267621

Things that make me go hmmm...and just some randomness

2010-09-04T21:20:00.003-06:00

and

Not Me Monday/You Say It's Your Birthday!

2010-08-23T12:43:00.005-06:00

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blogto read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Well, here goes...
First off, I have not been neglecting my blog for, uh hum, months, and now only choosing to write when it can get something (a.k.a. enter for a prize). How completely selfish would that be? Because, well, it's SO NOT my 30 birthday today! I would never publicize that kind of info for the masses to read.

I did not start college today, well, come to think about it, I did not attempt to start college today seeing how I missed the message as to the fact that classes don't officially start until 3:00 today. I did not get a sitter, drive to the campus, find my (dark) classroom, walk away, text my husband some useless nothing, walk back to my (dark) classroom, walk to a different seating area, call my husband with something useless, walk AGAIN to my (dark) classroom, walk back to the second seating area, start a conversation with someone I didn't know about how I might be loosing it, get informed that some classrooms had changed, go to the computer lab and try to access my classes only to be told that I had been deleted, walk back to my (dark) classroom, find an adult I knew and asked only to be told I don't really start until tomorrow. Oops! (Oh, and I didn't search the house and vehicle to only come up with 1 pencil for me to take with me to my first (unofficial) day of school! Guess I gotta make a Target run!)

After that, I DID NOT go lay in a tanning bed for 8 minutes. (Please feel free to refrain from any cancer comments on this post.)

I did not have lunch with a (guy) friend and laugh really loud in a public place, cause well, I do not laugh loud...ask any of my youth! They can testify to the fact that my laugh is so soft and quiet, just like me!

And finally, I am NOT SUPER DUPER excited about my birthday present from my husband...A NEW (to me) BACKPACK! He won it on ebay and it will arrive in 4-11 business days. It's so cool, brown plaid! Okay, okay, truth be told, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO GET IT!

Giveaway - The I Hate to Cook Book (2 Winners) Ends 7/31

2010-07-31T15:40:00.000-06:00

Giveaway - The I Hate to Cook Book (2 Winners) *Ends 7/31*

NOT ME MONDAY

2010-02-22T08:53:00.002-06:00

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have
not been doing this week.

I am not dreading going to my office this morning since it's 10 degrees and -3 wind chill. Nope, not me, cause I'm a tough Minnesotan with thick skin. I would not rather stay in my house all day today. Regardless of any itching for Spring I may be having, I can handle the cold whipping in my face, on my hands and around my collar. I'm not wishing that my meeting, the only reason to leave my house today, would get canceled, postponed or otherwise rescheduled.

I am not going to fill the rest of this post with a boycott for prayers for our friends the Thackers. They have been "waiting" since the earthquake in mid-January to bring home their precious Reese from Haiti. Last Friday Sarah flew to Haiti to bring her son and 4 of his friends to the US to their families. Sarah's husband Dave is in Florida awaiting their arrival. PLEASE, PLEASE read their story and be praying for them as things have turned crazy there and Sarah has been separated from Reese and the other kids. http://www.thethackerpack.blogspot.com/

Not Me Monday

2010-02-08T16:11:00.002-06:00

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Well, in my attempt in eating healthy this weekend I did NOT made up a new chili recipe that included {tofu} and bulgur wheat and I of course TOLD my husband of the creation before he consumed it. What kind of wife would I be if I didn't tell him of the goodness he was eating? I truly loved it.

I am NOT thinking that I've had too much sleep lately. We have four kids and recently moved, so that would be totally crazy. I should be so sleep deprived I can't think straight. I have NOT had long naps for 3 days in a row with either Izzy or both girls. I did NOT stay up (after Trav fell asleep) last night by myself until nearly 1:00 AM because I wasn't sure if I could fall asleep. I did NOT watch Fireproof for the most part by myself, cause that would be kinda weird.

Disclosure...THIS DID NOT HAPPEN: Me: "Are we gonna do something for Valentine's Day?" Trav: nodded the affirmative Me: "What?" Trav: shrugged shoulders Both: BUSTED OUT LAUGHING *I have no idea what that was all about, but to say that it makes me feel old, like we have no clue what we are going to do for Valentine's Day, so of course haven't done anything to get a sitter cause we don't know what to tell her about times. Will we do something? Probably, maybe, who knows! Will it be last minute? More than likely, if we are lucky enough to get a sitter.

It's a snow day here, and while my eldest three kiddos spend close to 4 hours outside in the snow while Iz and I napped for most of that, I'm NOT still looking forward to BUNCO tonight! I mean, really!

Not Me Monday

2010-02-01T11:27:00.003-06:00

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Here I go:

I was not feeling guilty about not having posted to my blog since December 21st! And realizing it is now February 1st, I did not think, "I wonder if it even matters anymore." Upon realizing that it does matter to me, I did not commit to blogging this Not Me Monday post today with the hope that I will post something else before next Monday.

Being gone all of last week (6 1/2 days to be exact) I was not totally convicted of how I typically react to my children and their behavior. I did not take the refresher of "Discipline is teaching" to heart and have been trying to be more calm. I am NOT nervous that this is a short season and that I will go back to being a total crab. Overall though, my week was refreshing (when I wasn't be convicted) and I did NOT think that I would love to live in the big city, knowing my husband would probably go into convulsions at the mention of that desire.

I'm most definitely not toying with the idea of being a vegetarian. I have not been restricting my meat intake recently while trying to decipher what God intends for me. I did not pick up the book, "Skinny Bitch" and I am NOT thoroughly enjoying reading it. I am feeling NO guilt for the crap that I've put in my body and am not vowing off soda, among other things. (I don't think I can go vegan, however, as I love my grilled cheese and I buy my eggs locally!) I did NOT feed my family veggie stir fry with {tofu} yesterday and it most definitely not make me want to go and buy more tofu and plan my meals with it!

And finally, in my attempt to be more healthy, I have NOT committed to limiting my coffee intake! AH...WHAT HAVE I DONE!

Not Me Monday

2009-12-21T00:36:00.006-06:00

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

First off, to clear things up, it is not 12:36 AM! If there is any indication that it is, then this posting must be linking incorrectly to the clock. First of all, I never stay up too late. Second of all, I did not get sidetracked on Facebook after having completed my newsletter pages over an hour ago. And third of all, it just couldn't be so...man, did I mention how NOT tired I am right now?

I did not update the picture on my blog header yesterday, and while I was not guessing which one it was from the small icons, then leave the picture up there even though it's kind of a goofy picture of our youngest. Frankly, she is a little goofy, so I thought maybe, just maybe, oh, I mean...I did not think that it fit her perfectly. Did I mention how NOT tired I am?

As Izzy currently usually calls any doll or stuffed animal her baby, I will not be using that to my advantage come Christmas. I will not remind her that she got a baby today (a.k.a. stuffed reindeer holding a blanket someone from church gave her) in a couple days when she doesn't get the baby she asked Santa for, specifically the baby that cries and crawls, like the Santa @ story-time suggested to her last week and reassured her that they had plenty of at the North Pole. And NO, I'm NOT bitter towards that Santa and I have NOT thought about calling my local public library 3 times in the last week to complain that Santa suggested a ridiculous toy to my child.

And no, I'm not tired, thanks for asking.

Have a GREAT Monday!

Giveaway! Not from me, but just as good, right?

2009-12-18T10:15:00.002-06:00

Have you heard? Have you read?

AH!!!! MckMama and a friend are giving away both Lighthouse 2 and Photoshop...check it out http://bit.ly/77wy3u

I can't believe it! How GREAT would my pictures look if I was able to have those two programs at my fingertips! Check it out and comment on her blog post to get entered to win!

Not Me Monday

2009-12-14T14:54:00.002-06:00

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.
Here we go again...this is such good therapy!

At 6:54 Sunday evening I did not think to myself, "24 hours from now we'll be at Bunco, kid-free!" That would never has crossed my mind, cause our bedtime routine always goes off perfectly, uneventfully and with calm voices. And I would never wish I could skip it!

I didn't make a mistake and pick up a shift Saturday night which made it impossible for me to go with to the boys' bowling tournament 1 hour and 45 minutes away. Even though I knew where they were going, I wouldn't totally think the tournament was only 1 hour away, in the complete opposite direction. This did not leave Trav to have to venture out on his own for the day, GPS in hand and hope he found it since the internet said the bowling alley didn't exist. Nope, not me, cause I have all our plans worked out so that we would never have conflicts.

I have not put off washing Izzy's blanket for a couple weeks now. I would never let her use her white blanket that she so beautifully decorated with markers one day, as she never would think to color on anything that she hasn't asked to color on first and especially when she was supposed to be napping. She didn't make adorable tracings of her hands on the blanket, which of course didn't play a role in my lack of desire to wash it. I wasn't somewhat a tiny bit disappointed when it all came out after one wash so that there wouldn't be evidence of it for the long term. Nope, not me, cause I know what is okay and what isn't okay, and it isn't okay for her to do stuff like that. Come on, she's 3!

Not Me Monday

2009-11-30T10:14:00.003-06:00

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Yesterday, on Sunday, the great day of rest, I did not take that to a new level by sending Travis to my parents' house with our 4 kiddos. I did not then head off, laptop in hand, to my favorite place, Cafe 116 and work for 3 hours. I did not, on more than one occasion, find myself chuckling out loud while reading something, due to the fact that I had my ear phones in so I could listen to Christmas music, and halfway oblivious to the fact that I was in public. That would be awkward for others trying to drink their latte or visit with their tablemates. And once I arrived home, I most certainly did not think to myself, "Heck, I don't need a vacation...that would require babysitters, packing, money for plane tickets and hotel rooms...I just need my kids to go on vacation for a couple of days."

While working yesterday, I did not post our list of thanks from Thanksgiving to my blog...3 days after Thanksgiving. That would be pointless, since the "official" day of thanks was over.

I did not wonder what on earth I would do with a cloth diaper set if I won one from MckMama's giveaway. I did not go to the website and check out the said set to see what it all contained. Nope, not me, cause our youngest of four has been out of diapers for nearly a year and that would be not only a waste of time, but totally weird.

Our Official Thanksgiving Day List of Things to Give Thanks For...

2009-11-29T14:48:00.002-06:00

What are we thankful for?

Becky: Today I am thankful for my husband and kids and our health. For the moments when I hear my husbands voice, though brief. For our warm beds and the food we will share with so many today. For my children's teachers. For my God who forgives me when I fall short and for the opportunity to have a job sharing His message with youth and the opportunity to make an impact on His Kingdom.

Izzy: To serve people (we are going to serve a meal @ the Salvation Army), going to bed, helping people and God.

Maddie: Mom, God, Jesus, my friends, animals, all people, Dad, brothers and sister.

Zachary: everything

Justin: lots of stuff, like EVERYTHING

Travis: My family supporting me with my voice condition. My wife and our kids.

Not Me Monday

2009-10-26T10:25:00.004-06:00

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

What do you know...it's Monday...a.k.a. (not)confession day!

Last week I did not buy a bag of Halloween candy with no intentions of any of it being used for said holiday. I did not proceed to eat kit-kat after kit-kat until the bag was almost empty. I have no intentions of finishing it off today, because no bag exists on the shelf in my bedroom closet.

I was not thrilled that all 4 of my kids played Polly Pockets during church yesterday, just for the fact that they were quiet and were getting along. I was also not a little happy that the sanctuary was quite full when we arrived and we had to go into the balcony. We always arrive on time to church and all four of our kids pay close attention to every detail of the service. I also did not love the fact that my 8 yr. old was singing the last song quite loudly, in what another person might think was a kind of sassy tone. I would never allow that to happen as someone might take offense to his version of the song, and we are proper church attendees.

And lastly, I did not sit in my bed last night and watch multiple episodes of TV via online and not get proper rest. I would never stay up late to watch meaningless TV and I most certainly did not cry on more than one occasion, because I know it's not real. I would never get wrapped up in a story line that closely.

Not Me Monday

2009-10-19T09:17:00.006-06:00

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Well, folks! Here it is...my non-confessions of the week.

I did not sit on my bed last night, watching TV online from last week while eating 3 caramel bars. Nope, not me, because that would be overindulging, and I don't do that. I most certainly did not then go and put the rest of the pan in a container and put them in the freezer except for 4 little slivers for the kids. That would be crazy to think that I would get three big bars and they would each only get a half of a bar.

I have not worn a bandanna type hair cover the majority of the time lately. Not me, cause I promptly rise every morning prior to my kids waking and shower, so there would be no need to cover my head.

I do not have approximately 3 baskets (and possibly on box leftover from moving) in different parts of the house all housing assorted socks, some of which are matched, some of which are unmatched. I do not spend time almost every day digging through said baskets in order to find my children socks to wear. I have not told my 6 year old daughter on more than one occasion that it is okay to wear mismatched socks to school so that I didn't have to go through the dreaded task of attempting to find a matched pair. And I most certainly did not think to myself this morning, while trying to find two socks for her, "I wonder if I posted on Facebook that I would hire someone to come sort all our socks, if I'd get any takers. Because I would really pay someone to do it." This most certainly was not a confession that I'd never tell my husband. Also, this isn't the second time I have referenced my issue with socks in a Not Me Monday post...(don't see December '08 for a picture!).

Thinking....

2009-10-13T21:44:00.003-06:00

I'm feeling a little, I don't know...thoughtful, I guess would be the only way to describe it. MckMama (www.mycharmingkids.net) is talking all month about cancer and donating hats to kids with cancer and also those who have donated their hair to be made into wigs. Well, Maddie and I did that last Summer, it being her first haircut. She donated 11 inches and I donated 10. I think it's been put on my heart to do it again, and since I haven't had a haircut since then (June '08), I'm well on my way. Here are some pictures as a refresher of our cuts...

I've also been thinking a great deal about our former neighbor Janet, who has lost her battle with colon cancer. I knew she wasn't well and about a week and a half ago I found out she was on hospice. Tonight I just found out she died last Saturday and the funeral will be on Thursday. Her and her husband and just sold their house after it being on the market for over a year so they could down size. They have three grown boys, one still in college. I'm hoping Travis and I can make it to the funeral. I've also been hearing about ladies gearing up their walk for a cure teams for next year already and I see the work on the cancer center in town each day. Man, I've just been surrounded by these thoughts. I think that is why I have decided to donate my hair again. Maddie wants her hair cut short again like in the picture above so I said after her school pictures she could get it cut...pictures were Monday and she has an appointment on Saturday. Does anyone want to grow and donate their hair with me?

Not Me Monday

2009-10-12T13:01:00.003-06:00

MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

So, on this snowy Monday, I have not failed to be prepared and have not put off buying my kids' snowboots. I did not send them to school today with snowpants and rubber boots, because their little toes might get cold, and if they come home today and declare that their toes were cold in boots, I would not break into sermon and tell them that they lived, their toes are still intact and there are people without a home who live outside at night without any (rubber)snowboots.

I did not fail to follow through with my husband today and make sure we were on the same page before leaving the room. When I told him Izzy was going in the tub and I needed to go clean at the dance studio and then went to check my e-mail, he apparently assumed I was finishing the bath process. Our wonderful, youngest, energetic, playful, no-fear child, after much yelling for me, was not found in the tub full of suds from the 3 partial bottles of soap/shampoo/what-have-you that she dumped into the tub. I did not have to then shower her before removing her from the tub so as to make sure enough of the soap was off of her so she could be clothed.

I have not been struggling ever since school started with the whole waking our kids up vs. making sure they have enough sleep to stay healthy. Today was not at least the third time I have not been able to wake them in the last month and a half. I did not then hurry us out the door so as to attempt to get them to school (3 different ones) and not be too late. After drop off, drop off and drop off, I was then not greeted with my 3 year old saying, "Mama, can you please get me something to eat cause my baby is SOOO hungry."

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-08-09T19:33:00.003-06:00

Okay, so I would like to start this post by saying sorry to anyone who attempts to read this. I haven't posted since December. I hate not knowing the ins and outs of making it look the way I want it. So, I am posting this in hopes that I will win a blog make over from www.onceuponablog.org She is having her 2nd Anniversary and will be giving away some blog make-overs, and oh how I need it!

Er...Wednesday!

2008-12-03T11:38:00.013-06:00

Thanks to Meghan for turning me on to Not Me Monday from www.mycharmingkids.net

So, to start off, this is NOT a picture of my living room floor, strewn with 6 trizillion socks, which I did not get sidetracked from while attempting to sort.

When working on laundry, I did not find half of a hamper full of clean, partially folded laundry in JB's room. He would never do that...and I most definitely did not have harsh thoughts about him, and don't ask my sister because I did not call her and utter the words, "You may have one less nephew at Christmas" and "He's lucky he wasn't home today."

I most definitely did not spend half of my morning looking for scotch tape so Maddie and I could wrap her preschool Christmas present that she doesn't need for 2 1/2 weeks.

I didn't find my missing box of check books in the place that I've looked 6 times in the last 3 weeks.

While putting snowman decorations out in my kitchen, I have not had to relocate dirty dishes, piles of paper and I have not set them on top of stuff that doesn't belong on my kitchen counters, nope not me.

And lastly, I have not bribed Izzy with food multiple times to go potty.

Update

2008-10-31T07:15:00.003-06:00

We went to Trav's eval at MSU on Tuesday and I guess it went well, for lack of a better description. They asked a ton of questions and had him say some different things. Then the student superviser had him working on some breathing. They asked if we had any questions so I rattled off what I read on-line to see if it was solid info, and they confirmed everything. We were told that we should keep botox as an option, but they are hopeful that therapy will help since the oneset was only 6 weeks ago. People that the supervisor has worked with have been 3 or 10 years post diagnosis. Trav went to therapy yesterday and is scheduled twice next week. The other thing that we asked at the eval is what the frequency of the disorder is...the supervisor turned to the students and said that that is something they need to find out so they know the answer, and while they didn't have a number to give us, did say that it is very rare. That's about all I know. Please keep him in your prayers that therapy will be sucessful.

Day Trip

2008-10-27T22:55:00.002-06:00

Well, I guess you could call it that. Tomorrow is the big day that Trav goes to MSU for his speech eval. He's working now (11:56 p.m.) on the train, should only be a couple more hours. I'm not sure yet if he'll work in the morning. The girls and I will go to Bible study and then they will be off to a friend's house for the afternoon. Trav's appt. is at 1:30. He already has an appt. for therapy in FF on Thursday and we are thinking he'll go 2x a week; not sure for how long. I'll post anything we learn tomorrow.

Miss Maddie Turns "5"

2008-10-17T07:26:00.004-06:00

Our Miss Maddie is 5 today. Wow...that's so crazy to me. I had to scan some of her scrapbook pages just to have baby pictures.

This morning I found them sitting on Izzy's bed (Zachary is at a friend's house) reading books. We had her open her presents from us...a jewerly box from Zachary, Justin and Izzy, and a Bitty Baby from Mom and Dad...named, "OLIVIA." She's been carrying her around since she opened her, with a huge smile on her face. She even named off every thing that Olivia is wearing. It's so cute. Trav should be home from work any minute and then we'll be getting ready and going to the museum for a tea party!

Busy Izzy

2008-09-30T11:34:00.002-06:00

Izzy had a blast going to Shover when we went to get Maddie's hand print done. Izzy made herself at home and played non-stop while we waited and then during the whole hand print process.

Shover Celebrates 75 Years

2008-09-30T11:22:00.005-06:00

Shover Nursery School will celebrate 75 years in March, so there was a rock dedicated and set in cement at the school entrance. Since Maddie's class will be a part of the 75th graduating class, they got to put their hands in the cement as a remembrance. The kids sat so quietly and waited their turn to get their hand sprayed with cooking spray and then place their hand in the wet cement. Miss Jessica started things off and then the morning class did their prints one one side and the afternoon class put their prints on the other side. Then they put the class year in the cement. It was really fun. The next day Maddie had school we found her hand print and she matched her hand up to it. Of course I ended up posting the pictures in the wrong order, sorry.

J.B.'s Field Trip

2008-09-30T11:18:00.005-06:00

I was able to go with Justin's class to Prairie Wetlands. The goal was to tag Monarch's, but we didn't see any. It was cold, wet and pretty windy. We did see another one that was similar, but not a Monarch. Justin got to be part of the demonstration where they showed the kids how to catch a butterfly. He wore a petal collar and was a flower.

Another Lost Tooth

2008-09-30T11:17:00.003-06:00

Justin finally got his other front top tooth out. He looked so cute without both front teeth. They are already starting to come in.

A Prairie Good Time

2008-09-30T11:11:00.004-06:00

Zachary goes to The Prairie Wetland Learning Center every morning for half of his school day and is then bussed to Cleveland Elementary. We went out and met his teacher and saw his classroom on open house night. He enjoys getting to be outside each day and see animals. They got to help tag monarch butterflies and put bands on wood ducks. They have also learned a lot about different wild grasses and skimmed the pond with nets to see what creatures live there. The other pictures are of Maddie and her friend Olivia and they were practicing their arm farting.

Football with our friend Austin

2008-09-30T11:07:00.004-06:00

We played Zachary's friend Ethan's team one Saturday morning and his little brother Austin absolutely loves Izzy. He always tells me that he thinks my baby is cute. He's been saying that for about a year and a half now.

Football Mania

2008-09-30T11:01:00.003-06:00

We haven't had too many cold mornings. One day of rain, but the rest have been really nice out.Zachary is on the gold team this year and loves every minute of it. His coaches are really good about moving the players around the field so they get to try different positions. He usually plays most of the game staying on the field for offense and defense. He has his stiff arm down and will use a spin move on occasion and if he can get away from the pack is a strong runner. He also has a heart that won't quit as he is known to run to the opposite side of the field to try to get up field if the side he started on is blocked. He has practice on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and then plays on Saturday mornings.

Friend Time

2008-09-30T10:59:00.002-06:00

Our friend Lance was over one day to play with us. He played kitchen with the girls. Then I ran Maddie to school and came back and Val and I Cricut-ed (not sure if that is a word). Poor Lance didn't think much of a nap at our house. Thankfully he napped after he got home.

First Days of School

2008-09-07T17:54:00.003-06:00

The boys started school on Tuesday. They had been anticipating it for a couple of weeks and were so excited that they day finally arrived. Justin is in 2nd grade and has Mrs. Hjelman, who was my 1st grade teacher 21 years ago and Zachary has Mrs. Davis out at Prairie Wetlands in the mornings and Mr. Goos at Cleveland in the afternoons. Maddie started preschool at Shover on Wednesday.

Olivia Turns 1

2008-09-07T17:50:00.004-06:00

It was Olivia's 1st Birthday this last Thursday and we helped her celebrate at her party last Saturday. She lit up when she saw the kids. They, of course, argued over who was going to hold her and in what order. We gave her a frame that said, "I am a Child of God" and a little people van. She loved them and got some other totally awesome toys. The funny part was she got three things I had looked at for her but decided on other things. She is getting really good at walking too.

We're off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz!

2008-08-15T10:28:00.007-06:00

I had a Mom's Night Out with Val and Amy on Wednesday. We went to Don Pablos to eat and for a drink...and no, I really didn't drink two margaritas at the same time...yes, two, but one at a time. Then we walked over to A Center for the Arts and watched the Wizard of Oz. I knew a couple of people who were in it and EVERYONE did a great job. The cast lined the sidewalk after wards so you could see them all up close. We had so much fun.

Olivia

2008-08-15T10:18:00.006-06:00

Cousin Olivia had a weekend without Mom and Dad. They went to a volleyball tourney in Wisconsin and then went back to Duluth and celebrated their 6th anniversary on Sunday. Olivia came to spend the weekend with the different grandparents. Our kids were talking about going to Grandma and Grandpa Anderson's to see Olivia for a whole week. Zach took time helping her practice walking and walking and walking.

We also went to the lake for a little bit. Izzy loved it that she got to sit in Maddie's seat and Olivia sat in her seat. Oh, how we wish we saw more of her!

Enough Said

2008-08-07T12:40:00.005-06:00

Thank you, thank you, thank you to our friends The Johnsons and The Metcalfs for watching the girls yesterday so Trav and I could chaperone the youth trip. Val had some cute pictures of the girls in the tub with Lance. Hallie probably had her hands so full she couldn't even think of picking up her camera. Once again, I apologize for anything Izzy got in to at your houses! Hope you didn't have to vaccum or sweep too much.

Valley Fair

2008-08-07T09:13:00.011-06:00

Well, I thought we were heading to Valley Fair with about 40 people, but in reality it was 84. We had a great time. It was beautiful outside. It was warm, but not rediculously hot. There was plenty of shade and usually a light breeze (which would be why my face is sunburnt today). On the way down Justin ended up in the back row with some older kids. Needless to say, he had two bags of chips on the drive. Zachary's friend Matthew hung out with us for the day.

The boys tried to get a look at the rollercoaster while we were in line.

They were hot so they went on The Wave. I took pictures and got a mist.
All four kiddos need to get to be early tonight!

J.B. Looses His Tooth, Finally!

2008-08-07T09:09:00.004-06:00

Justin's left front tooth has been loose for awhile now. I always say that it looks like he's been in a brawl because it's worn a little crooked and it was loose on one side so it overlapped his other front tooth. It looked just crazy. Well, he finally just got down to it and pulled and pulled and pulled until it came out. It bled a bunch but he was okay with it. He looks so cute without a front tooth, as if he wasn't cute enough before.

Breck Pool

2008-07-28T08:02:00.003-06:00

We went to the Breck pool yesterday afternoon. It was nice and warm out and we had a blast. The kids played and played and played and swam and swam and swam. We went and ate with our friends Val and Lance afterwards.

Pirate Party

2008-07-28T07:57:00.004-06:00

Justin had his party on Saturday afternoon/evening. I made the treasure chest cake and almost threw the thing out Friday night with frustration, but I'm glad I didn't as it turned out wonderful. His friends came over and we did a pirate craft and then went out to the spinkler. I had envisioned that taking a large amount of time, however the kids weren't really impressed by it, so it soon turned in to playing on the swing set and an impromptu baseball game.After that they came in and ate pizza, we had cake and opened presents. Then we spent the last 45 minutes playing downstairs. All in all it went really well.

Happy 7th Birthday Justin Curtis!

2008-07-25T07:50:00.005-06:00

HappyBirthday George! (everyone asks if that is his middle name, no, it isn't...it has just always been his name.) I can't believe 7 years ago J.B. decided to come into the world in only 1 1/2 hours. Almost brings me to tears. We will be having almost a dozen friends over tomorrow to celebrate Pirate style. He is our family's care giver and makes sure everyone is okay. He plays really well with Maddie still, he's always looking after Izzy and he tolerates his brother most of the time. He really isn't a huge sports guy...he will watch but isn't addicted to playing like his brother. He loves to play with his friends and ride bike.

Happy Birthday Travis!!!

2008-07-24T08:32:00.003-06:00

My Honey turns 31 today! Happy Birthday Bun! Just over a month ago we celebrated 10 years together. I thank you for each and every day. You are so wonderful to me and our 4 beautiful children. I'm so sorry for what you have gone through these last couple weeks. I love you soooo much. I can't wait to see what the next 10 years hold for us, old man!
Here is a picture of the day he came home from the hospital. His brother Jack is exactly 1 year older, and we're pretty sure this is the only picture where Jack is bigger than Travis

Times of Old

2008-07-21T21:14:00.004-06:00

We came across these old pictures of Travis and his older brother Jack. The joke of it is that Travis is way bigger than Jack, so Trav always says that in these pictures Jack was pumpin' him up, and it worked. Notice that Trav has no shoes and only one sock on, Jack has two socks and shoes on and there are 3 shoes sitting next to Travis. I think we'll always wonder about that one.

A Little Bit of Trouble

2008-07-18T08:44:00.003-06:00

Well, if things get quiet around our house, you better go find Izzy. It can mean any number of things...like, she got in to a box of food we brought home from Travis' mom's house and had spices and other related powdery substances all over the kitchen floor, and the evidence was all around her mouth...I've never even thought to see what cream of tarter tastes like plain. Here is what I found one day when it had gotten too quiet. Izzy was in the cupboard!!! We no longer keep the oatmeal down there as we have vaccumed up too much oatmeal.

Locks of Love

2008-07-18T08:38:00.002-06:00

Some time last fall, maybe, we turned of the TV and the Today show was on and they were cutting peoples' hair in NYC for Locks of Love. Maddie and I watched it and we decided we were going to do it too. So, we finally had our day on June 26th. It was Maddie's first haircut and she was soooo excited. She would ask me almost everyday for about 2 weeks when our haircut day was gonna be. I cut off 11 in. and she cut off 11 1/2 in. I'm finally gonna get them in the mail today. We're lovin' our short do's!

4th of July

2008-07-18T08:29:00.003-06:00

Here are a couple of pictures from the 4th of July weekend with the cousins. I have a ton of pictures from the lake, but here are pictures from up at the house Friday night after supper. Uncle Brad played guitar (Izzy played air guitar!) and there was a baseball game in the happening. We never ended up with pictures at Christmas of all of the Anderson grandchildren, so we got a couple this time around. The other picture is of Jeremy reading to Izzy. He still thinks of her as a baby, but with his height (he's 9, one month older than Zachary, and almost as tall as me) Izzy doesn't mind.

Thank You

2008-07-11T10:08:00.002-06:00

Thank you to everyone who have called, brought (or will be bringing) food, sent e-mails and most of all prayers in the last couple days since Travis' mom died. I think one of the boys said it best yesterday morning when he said, "It seems like a dream, like it's not real." The kids were with a friend yesterday afternoon and we started in on Vicki's apartment. Then I brought the kids out to my parents' and they spent the night and are there all day today. We will be going at it again all day today since Travis' siblings are still in town. The funeral is tomorrow at 2:00 with a reception to follow at the Elizabeth Community Center. A lot of people have asked if there is anything they can do...I brought it up to the Travis and his siblings last night and nothing came up, so just keep praying for healing right now. God bless all of you. Beck & Trav

Some More S'mores, please!

2008-06-27T14:35:00.003-06:00

We had S'mores for dessert last Sunday at Grandma and Grandpa's house. It was Izzy's first S'more, so she had a disaster, just as if it was cake on her first birthday. My family is so good about flattering me when I take pictures. Nice big open mouths for the pictures!

Busy Izzy

2008-06-27T14:30:00.004-06:00

Here are a couple pictures of Izzy from the soccer tournament in Fargo. One is from Friday, when she had her hat on and the other one is of her and her godfather, Jim. She hasn't seen him for quite awhile, but plopped herself in his lap, just the same. Thanks to spending so much time with her daddy, she is very comfortable with guys.

Soccer Tournament

2008-06-27T14:14:00.006-06:00

Last weekend we spent Friday and Saturday in Fargo for the Tri-City Soccer Tournament. We stayed at a hotel (which was an experience in it's self, lets just say we ended up staying for free!) so the kids got to go swimming. We also went to Scheel's. Zachary's team played 3 games (1 Friday and 2 Saturday) and although they lost all of them, they played with their hearts and weren't upset over the final scores of the games. Zachary played goalie in the second half of all three games and LOVED it! At Scheel's we needed to get him some socks and then he got some goalie gloves that he used on Saturday. We also picked up a couple things for school clothes. Izzy was really interested in the faris wheel, but she is far from big enough to ride on it, so we tried to go by it really fast so she wouldn't linger. She was so tired that she was in rare form anyway. We retired to the hotel for the evening to watch "Night at the Museum" on HBO. Zachary is really good at goalie and they all cheer each other on so much. They are a great, young team and so fun to watch. It's been fun as parents going to the games as well. Maddie and Justin stayed with some friends for the day on Friday and then they went with Grandma Vicki over night and for the day on Saturday. Izzy came with us and was a trooper in the heat, although on Saturday she tried running on the field more than once, so during the second game was mostly confined to my lap. We used our umbrella and tons of sunscreen and drank tons of water.

Father's Day

2008-06-27T14:10:00.003-06:00

I tried to get pictures on Father's Day, but Zachary had just injured his wrist, so wasn't very cooperative. Then on the half-way decent one, Izzy decided that she was going to be a goof ball. Oh, the joys of picture taking with so many kiddos. Then the other picture is of my brother Brad on his first Father's Day with his little girl, Olivia. Check out her intense eyes!

There were 3 in the Bed...

2008-06-27T14:04:00.003-06:00

Well, a couple of weeks ago we had some bad weather but the kids needed to get to bed. So, I put Izzy in the pack-n-play in Justin's room and then pulled out the hide-a-bed and lined the other three up. Well, as you can see from the pictures, Miss Maddie is used to sleeping in a full size bed alone, while the boys sleep in twin beds, often with each other.

Growing Up

2008-06-27T13:56:00.004-06:00

Miss Izzy isn't a little baby anymore!!! We threw the paci away almost a month ago and then we graduated to a big bed the next week. We have the intentions of buying the boys loft beds, but it will have to wait a little while longer. So, we took the top bunk off of Zachary's bunk beds for the Big Girl. She was trying to be very helpful, but had to be removed from the area a couple of times. She stayed in her bed for the first week, but since then she usually takes her naps on the floor by the door. She finally falls asleep after knocking on the door and hollaring "Mommy" for some time. She is doing just fine, even though Mommy is a little sad every time she puts her Big Girl in her big bed, with no paci.

Zachary's B-Day

2008-06-27T13:48:00.005-06:00

This year we celebrated Zachary's 9th Birthday a little late. The last weeks of school were so busy so we decided to wait a little bit and then he invited some friends for a party at the YMCA. They played kickball in the gym, ate cake, opened presents and then we all went swimming for a while. It was great to be able to have so many of his friends there and it was really reasonably priced. Justin is saying he wants his party there and Zachary is already saying he wants his party there again next year. I guess it was a huge hit.

Zachary Boyd, Goalie

2008-06-10T20:59:00.003-06:00

Here is Zachary during warm-ups for soccer getting ready for his position @ goalie. He helped his team win their first game that day.

Maddie's End of Year Party

2008-06-10T20:56:00.003-06:00

Maddie has loved having Miss Deb for two years. Here are pictures from her end of the year party that they do every year for parents and friends. I actually had jury duty that day, but was done in time to make it to see her and her friends.

Field Trip to Zoo

2008-06-10T20:48:00.003-06:00

Trav helped me out one day by taking my place to go on a field trip with Justin's class to the Zoo in Whapeton. I even got him to take some pictures! Here's the crew he was in charge of for the day.

Duluth

2008-06-10T20:35:00.006-06:00

We haven't been to Duluth since Maddie was almost 1! So, almost 4 years later, we made the trek to visit Autie Steph, Uncle Brad and Cousin Olivia over Memorial Day weekend. We went to the zoo and saw a couple big ships. It was a ton of fun and we can't wait until we go again! Oh, but we'll make sure we bring a lot more warm clothes.

Mother's Day

2008-06-10T20:27:00.004-06:00

We spent Mother's Day at my parent's house and Brad and Steph and Lil Livi were there too. I've always seen these cool scrapbook pages of Mother's Day pictures but haven't had any pictures to scrap, so I made a point of having pictures taken with each of my kids and then with all of them.

Cuddling with Olivia

2008-06-10T20:19:00.004-06:00

Anyone who knows my kids knows that they love babies. Well, little Miss Olivia is no exception and because she is our cousin, she gets swamped immediately when she comes in to view.

A Little Bit of Trouble

2008-06-10T20:14:00.005-06:00

Here are pictures of Izzy when I was finally able to put a pony in her hair. Now we can do two, but she won't keep them in. She can even get the rubber binders out. That girl has skills. Another skill she has is demonstrated in the other pictures...coloring on everything but what she is supposed to, paper! Here she had decorated her feet!

Dance

2008-06-10T20:10:00.004-06:00

Maddie was in dance this year and loved it. Since she has a Fall birthday, she wasn't able to be in the 4 year old class that went all school season. Instead she had two 8 week sessions. It did allow us one year without the dance recital, although I do look forward to it in future years.

Where is Summer?

2008-06-10T18:58:00.002-06:00

I'm on the verge of officially begging for 100 degrees! I looked at the forcast and it said a chance of rain every day for the next week. That does not make me happy. Earlier this evening I was even thinking, "Oh I hope it is supposed to be nice Friday...we might be able to go to the pool in Breckenridge." And it definitely was hopeful thinking.

We have started the summer bustle even though the weather isn't cooperating. Last week Maddie had VBS and LOVED it. Justin managed to sneak in as a "helper" a couple times during the week as I kinda just hung out at church and got some work done. The boys each started ball two days a week. Both boys continue with Tae Kwon Do two days a week and Zachary continues with soccer practice two days a week and games on Saturdays. He is offically a goalie and is in his glory. I did have to break it to him last week that soccer and football seasons are one in the same. He didn't have any comment. Maddie started gymnastics this week two days and will go to school on Thursday mornings and Justin went to school today and will go two days a week. Zachary also has strength training two days a week. We didn't do golf for Zachary or swimming lessons for anyone...dispite their desires.

Wow, where is spring?

2008-04-11T08:53:00.002-06:00

We've had two school closings in on week, Monday and Friday. Oh where oh where has Spring gone? Monday was okay because there was a ton of snow and the kids got to go outside and play twice. But today is just rediculous. It's cold out, a super strong wind and all icy. There is no fun in this. The kids are watching a movie, which I'm sure will happen again today.

Izzy is expressing herself on the last day she can be called 1! I was trying to get her diaper changed and she was pouting in the corner, not wanting to come by me. I was on the phone with my sister as I told Izzy she isn't 2 until tomorrow and my sister commented that she thought Izzy had the 2 thing down. More and more I have to agree. Last Friday she figured out how to open doors so we had to buy some of the white knobber things that go on the doorknobs so she can't open them. We have them on the outside doors and the two storeroom doors. As if it wasn't a chore to keep up with her before, now she can get in to the kids' rooms, so I constantly have to know where she is so that she's not in one of their rooms.

Our Puppies Are Safe @ Home

2008-03-14T17:16:00.002-06:00

Well, I bailed out my kids for the first time, and hopefully none of my human kids will ever need it done. Plus, I'm thinking it might cost quite a bit more to bail out a human, though I can't say from experience, so I'm not sure. Our silly puppies must have run all night as they have been crashed out on the livingroom floor since noon, when we got home. We had a little family talk about them being in their outside kennel and when we need to ask for help when getting them out. Thankfully they were just bringing them in to the Humane Society as I called, so we avoided un-needed (and the cost of) shots and they kindly put them on the same paper for bail fees, so we got them back with only one fee instead of two. Darn dogs had me balling this morning. Talk about them being a big part of our family. We're glad they're home and safe.

Our Puppies

2008-03-14T09:12:00.003-06:00

Molly & Hulk
Please be praying for our precious puppies. Yesterday Justin, well, I'm not sure what he was trying to do, but I think he was trying to let just Molly out of their outside kennel, and they both got out, since Hulk is HUGE and super strong and strong willed, and they both took off. We haven't seen them since. We are very worried about their whereabouts and pray that they will come home safely.

Update

2008-03-14T08:57:00.002-06:00

Well, we're still dealing with the random illnesses. Zach came home yesterday with a low grade fever. We have to take him in for a throat culture this morning. I'm thinking my two week lingering cold is now a full blown sinus infection. I'm still going at it though...worked Tues. & Thurs. this week, have a packaging day this afternoon for Kids Against Hunger and I go straight from there to set up for the Scrap/Stamp day that is from 9 am - 10 pm tomorrow. I'm thinking, early to bed tonight and a giant nap Sunday. Trav stayed home today so I didn't have to put the sitter at risk of getting sick. The kids are growing like weeds, I need to go through all of their drawers and take out the too small stuff. They come out wearing some interesting combinations somedays, too small one one end, and still growing in to on the other. Good times.

Oh Where Oh Where Have the Boyds Gone?

2008-03-10T16:07:00.003-06:00

Yes, we do still exsist, some days better than others. The batteries in the camera are dead and I haven't had a chance to look for the charger. I just had to put a picture of a flower on to help remind me that Spring will come. We've had a couple of random illnesses lately, but nothing major, and up until a couple of weeks ago, we hadn't been sick all school year. Maddie is still obsessed with playing kitchen and all her babies. Izzy is trying her best to keep up with Maddie and climb on everything, write on (including the computer) everything, and keep the dogs in line. Justin pretty much goes with the flow. He goes between playing Barbies with Maddie and hungin with Zach. Trav is working like crazy. A couple of guys were sick last week and one welcomed a baby. I try to keep things in order, but my house doesn't look like it. BUNCO is tonight!!! I'm trying to get things in order for a Scrap/Stamp event for PTO next Saturday that I'm a vendor at. I'm waiting for my order to get here now. It's always so fun to open my boxes. It is supposed to be a beautiful week. I was well done with the cold temps. On to spring!!! I'll try to post some pictures soon. Gotta find that charger!

Well, Here's the News

2008-01-24T13:27:00.000-06:00

Well, here's the news for us! We have decided to adopt a baby. Trav was convinced that we were done with four kids, so had a little procedure done last year. Well, then about 11 months later he decided Izzy is getting big and he wanted a little one. So, we start our journey, with God as our lead. We ask for your prayers and support as we go through this process. We have our first meeting for our homestudy next Monday. With two more to follow, it should take about 6-8 weeks. Then we get our family on "the list." It could be as soon as a couple months or as much as a year. We are adopting domestically and are willing to take a boy or a girl. We'll keep you updated.

We Love Our Baby Livi

2008-01-24T13:22:00.001-06:00

Cousin Olivia gets plenty of attention when she is here. Who could blame us for smothering her, she's so darn cute. She usually needs a down day to sleep when she's done with us. Ah, is life.

Justin Looses His First Tooth

2008-01-24T13:18:00.001-06:00

Justin had a big tooth coming in behind a baby one and it was really starting to hurt him. We kept encouraging him to wiggle it all the time. Trav tried the door trick, which worked for Zach, but it was a no go. When I left for work I told him to put Ambasol (sp?) on it and when it gets numbed up, yank it out. It worked!

My Brother is the Naughty One

2008-01-24T13:14:00.001-06:00

We saw these shirts at Wal-Mart and we just had to get them. They are so funny. They say, "MY BROTHER IS THE NAUGHTY ONE!" Sorry Iz, they didn't have one small enough for you!

Christmas Time

2008-01-24T13:02:00.001-06:00

Olivia is checkin' out what Santa brought her! OOO...good stuff.

Izzy loves her Little People house. And she's sportin' jammies from Grandma and Grandpa.

Maddie got a Vikings jersey, in pink of course.

Justin looks on as Zach opens his Disney Mix Stick (MP3) and Jam Stand.

I don't thing cousin Jeremy will ever outgrow Legos. We got him a Mars Mission set.

Christmas 2007

2008-01-24T11:01:00.001-06:00

I am finally blogging some Christmas pictures. These are from my mom, as my camera batteries are charging, so there will be more. Everyone was at our house after church on Christmas Eve. Then we go to Grandma and Grandpa's in the morning for brunch and Santa presents.

Baking w/ Grandma

2007-12-19T11:32:00.001-06:00

Grandma Anderson took a day off of work to come over and bake with us. Maddie wore her chef hat (we couldn't find her apron) and was a wonderful help before she had to go to school.

The boys got a chance to decorate a couple of cookies when they got home from school.

Izzy almost fell asleep eating.

Gingerbread Houses @ Shover

2007-12-19T11:26:00.000-06:00

The Annual Gingerbread House making at Shover lived up to it's tradition of adorable houses and kids snitching lots of their candy decorations to eat.

Decorating the Christmas Tree

2007-12-19T11:17:00.001-06:00

Trav and I went and got our Christmas tree on a snowing Saturday morning. Finally on Monday the kids were able to decorate it. They had a blast and I only had to rearrange a few ornaments that had been clustered together. Our tree is significantly smaller than usual, so it is absolutely packed with ornaments.

Fun, Fun, Fun Times

2007-12-19T11:06:00.000-06:00

Miss Maddie got her ears pierced while we were there. She was really brave. She had a couple of tears after but no sound came out.

Jonah, Maddie and Izzy gave us a little concert full of songs and dance.

Zach and Jeremy played a game of Monopoly.

Trav ended up on the bottom of the monkey pile. Surprise, surprise!

Crazy Kiddos!

Kiddo Craft Time

2007-12-19T11:00:00.000-06:00

Trav and I were quite often the supervisors of all 6 kids as Beth and Charles worked. We let the kids go wild with a tote of craft supplies and then we had to vacuum when all was done. It did keep them occupied for a very long time so all was well.

Thanksgiving Dinner

2007-12-19T10:56:00.000-06:00

Our beautiful table with all the fixins!

Road Trippin' to Crystal Lake

2007-12-19T10:29:00.001-06:00

We went to my sister's house for 8 days the week of Thanksgiving. Here we are getting ready and on the road. 10 hrs. there, 12 hours back!

Zach got a black eye right before we left in a scuffle on the bus.

The Chaos!

Halloween

2007-12-02T18:46:00.000-06:00

Okay, I know it's ridiculous that I haven't posted Halloween pics yet, but here they are. This is a picture of Justin as in the later pic you can't see him as he's dressed all in black. He started the day as a magician but decided to be a robber instead. I wasn't in the mood for an argument. We went to Bethel church for pizza, games and Trunk-or-Treating. Izzy is paired up with her friend Malachi and Maddie with Adi. Better mention Zach, he was a mummy.

Olivia

2007-12-02T18:44:00.000-06:00

Livi (or Ole as our kids call her) had her echo and it showed no signs of any problems. Not sure if they were just seeing how first parents would handle stress for a week, but praise to God for giving us this healthy baby.

Good Outlook

2007-11-11T19:49:00.000-06:00

Livi had her echo Friday and although they don't get the offical report until Wednesday, the tech told Steph not to loose sleep over it. It was a huge sigh of relief for them and us. More and more we are hearing about others who have heart murmurs so that makes us have a sense of calm about the whole thing, especially now that she's had her echo. Thanks for all your prayers.

More Info

2007-11-05T18:17:00.000-06:00

From what we'ver heard, up to 75% of people have heart murmurs. Brad and Steph are not seeing it as something to stress about until the tests would indicate that there is something wrong. She has the echo-cardiogram on Friday.

God's Precious Gift

2007-11-03T08:40:00.001-06:00

Please be praying for my brother Brad, his wife Steph and their 2 month old baby girl, Olivia. Yesterday she had a check up and they detected a heart murmur. She will have an eco-cardiogram next week. I will update our blog with the results.

Shover Halloween Fun

2007-11-02T18:56:00.001-06:00

Izzy and I went to Maddie's school to help with their Halloween party. I went as an Applebee's server, complete with balloons and kids cups. I know, I'm super creative. Izzy and her buddy Malachi checked out the computers. What a cute bunch of kids.

Olivia's Baptism

2007-11-02T18:49:00.000-06:00

We helped celebrate Olivia's baptism last Sunday. She shared her special day with her cousin, Gavin. Steph's sister Amber and her husband Seth had a little boy just a couple of weeks after Olivia was born.

4th Annual Pumpkin Carving Party

2007-11-02T18:39:00.001-06:00

We hosted our annual pumpkin carving party on Sunday, Oct. 28th. Staying with tradition, after carving and much playing outside (don't forget football) we huddled inside, washed hands in warm water and enjoyed chili and many other goodies. We tied with last year's number of 35 people in attendance. Can we top that next year?

The Newest Addition to Our Family

2007-10-31T10:47:00.000-06:00

This is Miss Molly. She joined our family over a month ago from the Humane Society. She has grown so much. Her and Hulk play so good together and they get their puppy energy out as Hulk is only 11 months himself, but HUGE!

We Live!

2007-10-31T10:43:00.000-06:00

Sorry for such a long absence. We have had computer troubles. The laptop needs to be seen by Dr. Brad (my brother) so we are suffering through working with our ancient desk top. Then the other day I couldn't remember our log-in info as the laptop automatically logged me in, so here we are. I have so much to upload...I'll try to do some now and save some for tomorrow so it's more manageable.

Sweet, Sweet Baby Girl

2007-09-11T19:08:00.001-06:00

Here she is: Baby Olivia! What a honey!

Practice, practice, practice...

2007-09-09T22:22:00.000-06:00

Brad and Steph were home a couple of weeks before Olivia was born. Brad practiced by reading to Izzy and Steph practiced by painting Maddie's nails. ~We're still waiting for pictures of the little honey!~ I'll share as soon as we get them.

Maddie did some belly watching.

Olivia gave us a show.

Izzy practiced being "nice." We're still working on that one.

Miss Maddie

2007-09-09T22:06:00.001-06:00

Miss Maddie was so excited to go to Shover this year for preschool. She was able to check it out this summer and loved to go see Miss Jessica. She will go there Tu-Th afternoons this year. She went to Kinderstart with Miss Deb last year, and will go there this year M-W afternoons, starting tomorrow.

All decked out, including her camo backpack, three bracelets (they're actually hair binders) two necklaces and pink tye-dye crocs. She's a girly girl.

Posing with the flowers. Once again, girly girl.

Maddie and her friend Sophie, all ready for school!

Maddie and Miss Jessica

First Day of School

2007-09-09T22:01:00.000-06:00

Apparently we are raising some tough boys, because no matter how many pictures I took, I couldn't get the boys to give me a nice big smile. I guess when you're 8 & 6 you're too cool to smile for your mom for "first day of school" pictures. They were excited to go back and had a great first week.

Football Mania

2007-09-09T21:52:00.001-06:00

Zach has been talking about being in football for over a year and now he finally is able to put his gear on and make some tackles. He's played 2 games and even though they haven't won either of them, he's having a blast. His first game, on Labor Day, was super hot and now this last Saturday it was super cold and raining. That's football in MN for you.

Half time at the first game.

These pictures are from practice.