Sunday, November 25, 2012

Family Time



Tonight we began an advent focused family time.  On our last date Dan and I came across a book that we thought would be a good fit for our family. 

The first lesson was about anticipation for the King to come.  The people of Israel waited hundreds of years for the Messiah.  There was a great object lesson with a bottle of pop and the kids truly anticipated what would happen...it was fun to watch them get so excited!

After that as we were sitting and talking about how the King would bring hope, joy, peace, light and love to the whole world...Dan asked which of these wouldn't the people be anticipating or what wouldn't they want the King to bring and Seth raised his hand and said peace.  We asked him why wouldn't you want peace?  His response, "because like cutting people in half, we want them go be together not in pieces". Note to self: preschoolers think piece, not peace...quite a funny family moment!  The question was meant to be answered with we would want all of those things just as the people of Israel anticipated...though with Seth's definition, I would agree, I wouldn't want 'piece' either.  :-)

If you're interested, here's the book: The Family Book of Advent


I tried to research the author to have a better understanding of her background, but I didn't find much.  After reviewing most of the book though, we felt it would be a great tool to use to spend quality time as a family focusing on Truth, in a way that is fun, as we anticipate Christmas and the celebration of our Lord's birth.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

19 years...

19 years have past...I still miss you more than words can say, yet the sharp pain is gone and in its place is an ache for you to have experienced and seen all that has happened in the last 19 years.  

As I reflect back on all those years I wish you would have been able to...

- stop me from dating some of the boys that didn't meet your standards
- be a part of my sporting events in high school
- see my high school graduation
- drive me to college
- shake Dan's hand the first time I brought him home (I know you would have liked him right away)
- answer a phone so I could just hear your voice when I missed you in college
- talk to Dan when he wanted to ask your permission to marry me
- walk me down the aisle and give your baby girl away...I really missed you then
- see me graduate from college
- shortly after graduation hold my first baby, I would have loved to see you hold Josiah
- give Josiah a ride in your semi, he would have really enjoyed that time with you...just like I did
- hold Alayna when she was born, I'm told she looks just like me
- celebrate with us when we bought our first house
- share in our shock and excitement at finding out we were pregnant again with baby #3
- come visit and see our 2nd house
- hold Seth when he was born...he would make you laugh and I would once again see you run in your cowboy boots :)
- encourage us when we took the step to become foster parents (you picked up lost and abandoned people along the side of the road when you were trucking...I can see how your heart would be burdened for for lost and abandoned kids too)
- experience all the holidays with us as our family has grown from 1 grandchild to 10...11 with our foster daughter...you would enjoy that
- share in the everyday happenings...I think I miss that the most... 

No matter how many years pass by...I will always miss you.  I'm thankful for your legacy.  You were a man of character who loved the Lord and loved your family.  I will forever be thankful to the Lord that I was blessed with a great dad for 13 years...not everyone can say that.  Not all dads are wonderful and though I didn't always appreciate you when I was younger...being a parent now has made me thankful for you and for how you parented us.   

Saturday, November 10, 2012

I'm not a photographer


The first 9+ pictures I took on the first day of school proves that I am not a photographer!  Bad lighting, unnoticed reflectors, poor background choice, serious red eye issues...and the list goes on!


Thankfully I got one decent picture out of the bunch to remember his precious preschool face.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Preschool?! Really?!

Today my baby went to school for the first time.  He has been a bit nervous about going.  Anytime we talk about it he changes the subject.  This morning we talked about how at supper time he will oftentimes tell me when I make something new that he doesn't like it...though he hasn't even tried it.  I asked him, "What happens though once you try it??"  His response, "I usually like it".  Yep, so the same applied with preschool.  I told him to try it and if he really didn't like it, we'd talk about it afterward.  Partly because I'm not opposed to homeschooling and partly because I had a pretty good feeling that he'd really like it.  

When I went to pick him up after school he was grinning from ear to ear.  One perk of having preschool at the high school is that we get to see daddy more often and today we even got to have lunch with him!!  He had a lot of fun and is already looking forward to tomorrow.  It's official...my baby is growing up...tear...tear...

Thursday, November 1, 2012

My 'baby' is 5?!?!

Seth, you turned 5 years old on Tuesday of this week, October 30.  It's a miracle that I did NOT cry.  Not only because you are a boy now, not a baby (although that alone really could have done me in!), but because of how you have grown in many areas of your life in these 5 years.  It was not long ago that I wondered if we'd ever be out of the biting phase and yet here we are 2 years later and I don't remember the last time I worried about you biting.  You have grown...God has done a great work in your life and you are only 5...I can't imagine what He has in store for you future my sweet boy.  

You have the most diverse personality.  You are my super affectionate, lovey dovey, sweet with words little boy...and yet you are ALL BOY in so many ways.  When you play, you play hard.  You are rowdy, you love to wrestle, run, jump, bike, climb...all things little boys enjoy...and yet you'll sit on my lap afterwards, look me in the eye and say, "Mom, you're the sweetest" and then give me a great big hug and kiss.  I LOVE that about you!  

When you were a baby, as soon as you had hand control you loved to play with my hair (then it felt more like pulling then playing though!), now at age 5...you still love the feel of my hair on your hands.  You'll touch any girls hair and love the feel, but then you'll play with my hair and let me know that mine feels the best.  I wonder if someday when you are married your wife will ask me if you've always done that. :)

On Tuesday I made it your day completely!  I knew it would be my last time to celebrate your birthday and have you all to myself and I enjoyed every minute of it...and you did too! :)  

On Sunday we celebrated at Grandpa Holder's


On Monday night we opened your presents so you could play with them all day on your birthday!  You got some from us, some from Grandma Hacker and some from Grandma Kiedrowski.  
What a fun night!!





To start your birthday we had breakfast at Boppa's Bagels...yum!  For lunch (I forgot to take a picture we were having too much fun) we went to Space Aliens with your friend Nathan and his mom Nadine.  We ate, talked, played games and had a great time!!

For supper you picked pizza so we had pumpkin shaped pizza and cupcakes quick before heading to watch Veggie Tales Live!

You were pretty excited and the show hadn't even started yet!!



Sitting on dad's lap singing and dancing to the music!

And just so you know that I do actually participate in these family fun moments...you and I.  My sweet, sweet boy.  I love you more than words can say.  You have tested my parenting ability, humbled me more than I thought possible, and yet...your sweet face warms my heart each time I see it.  I am SOOO thankful that the Lord knew what was best for our family and blessed us with you.  You know how to push the buttons of your siblings and yet because of your sense of humor and way with words they can't stay mad at you for more than a minute and they look forward to seeing you after school each day and they love being with you.  You are loved my sweet boy by your family and most importantly by the One who made you.  Hold tight to Him...He won't let you down!

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Football fun!


In their 'nerd' outfits...silly boys!






Having a dad that's a principal means going to sporting events. Usually we have fun at the events, but last night was extra fun.  The kids took turns going onto the field and the boys enjoyed that, then the girls enjoyed being on the field and they were given pom poms and enjoyed being cheerleaders for a little while.  All in all it was a fun family night and an added bonus...the Packers won!
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A rare quiet Saturday

A quiet Saturday morning doesn't happen every week, sometimes we're away from home or we have other plans...lately we've been having foster care training on Saturday's.  Today we enjoyed our morning relaxing and playing games...sometimes we just need to have nothing on the calendar and it's good for me to remember that.

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Thursday, October 4, 2012

A snowman making kind of day...

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Thursday, September 27, 2012

Pumpkin Painting

We had a fun night painting pumpkins!  Why don't we carve pumpkins?  Carving pumpkins with kids = mom and dad carving intricate drawings...so no, we are a non-carving family.  :-)  Painting was a lot of fun!

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Monday, September 10, 2012

Do you like the look?

Seth decided to fix my hair tonight while I was braiding the girls' hair.  He was so proud of his creation!

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Thursday, September 6, 2012

Being together

At the end of the school day a little boy looks forward to his siblings coming home.  Though he can't read he has chosen to eat his snack and sit close to his sister while she reads for fun.  It is total sweetness to me. 

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Four Eyes

Having glasses is much cuter and cooler than it was when I got them in 6th grade.  Seriously, ’4 eyes’ have never looked cuter!  She is quickly getting used to wearing them and I appreciate how careful she is with them...hopefully it continues!

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Monday, August 27, 2012

Another Lake-Filled Weekend!

We enjoyed a fun weekend at my brothers lake cabin.  My whole side of the family was there which fills their cabin up quick!  The kids have a blast playing together and no matter the temperature they were ready to jump in the water.  I love that cousins = friends!






Thursday, August 23, 2012

1st Day of School

Today was the first day of school for 3 out of 4 kids.  We have a 5th grader, 3rd grader and a 2nd grader.  All BEYOND excited for school to start.  They were excited to see friends and all three love math and science.  It's the first year Josiah and Alayna could ride the bus together.  It's also the only year, until they are seniors that they will be in the same school together.  It was fun seeing their excitement...until they left...then my little man was crushed to see his best friends all leave on the bus without him.  Thankfully we've had a fun day and soon we will walk to the bus stop and greet them with hugs and listen to all their stories about their first day of school!

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Saturday, August 18, 2012

Family Filled Weekend

Friday night we had a double date with Dan's sister and brother in law and we enjoyed riding a surrey bike through Lindenwood Park and great conversation as we hung out.

Saturday we hung out all afternoon and then took in a Red Hawks game and each kid made it in the big screen and they greeted Hawk Eye before we went into the game.  It was a fun and memorable night!

Tomorrow we will enjoy going to church together and then we will say good bye until next summer most likely.  It's bitter sweet...

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Tuesday, August 14, 2012

A glimpse of God's heart?

As I type this I'm listening to my daughter sing along to worship songs...she is a monotone not so great singer right now, but oddly enough I love listening to her.  I wonder if that's how the Lord hears us...He loves the sound of our heart, not the sound of our voice....

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Monday, August 13, 2012

Do you see what I see??

We went to the eye Dr today.  The whole family got their eyes checked. Josiah is far sighted, but at his age that will hopefully correct itself.  Seth also is far sighted and it's possible he will need glasses in the next couple years.  It was his first time at the eye doctor and he thought it was pretty fun!

Alayna is far sighted along with her brothers, but twice as much as Josiah.  She needs glasses for school and reading.  We picked out her glasses and they are ADORABLE...much cuter than my first pair...though they are purple just like mine were.  :-)  She's not thrilled with the idea and she was worried about being teased.We read "You are special" by Max Lucado tonight and it was just what she needed to hear.  After that, she realized how many people/friends wear glasses and she was excited about them.  We will get them just in time for school to start.  Hopefully her excitement will continue!

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A weekend away!

Dan came home from work Thursday with great news...after a long week and some late nights, he had Friday off!  We were able to leave earlier than expected and we headed to his dad's lake cabin.  Our family of 6 in their RV...it was a great time away.  Four wheeling, boating, tubing, skiing, fort building, roasting marshmallows and overall time away.  It was great!  Our phone died Friday night and we forgot a charger so I only have pictures from Friday, and honestly, I loved not feeling pressure to capture family moments for my kids to have...it's not natural for me at all!!!