Giving Thanks

Our Thanksgiving day weekend was spent in Oregon.  It was filled with joy and good memories and many reasons to give thanks. 

 Thankful for parents that love and care for us, who desire to spend time with us, and love to have us near.

Sleighbells Christmas Shop

 Thankful for good memories, hot cocoa and candy canes, a daddy's love for his girls, and Christmas surprises.

 Thankful for togetherness, snacky food, games around the fire, and Christmas movies.

 Thankful for my man whose heart is to bless, blisters that heal, a yard to take care, and God's beautiful creation.

 Thankful for music and the joy of listening to our daughter.

Glockenspiel Restaurant

 Thankful for traditions, cheese fondue, and little German towns.

Zoolights, Thanksgiving weekend

Thankful for crisp winter evenings, beautiful lights all aglow, holding hands as we walk, singing songs, and silly nicknames.

But most of all, we are thankful to the Lord for blessing us with a family to cherish.

Good Words

As a stay at home mom, who sometimes wonders, "Is any of this important?", the dishes, laundry, toilets, vacuuming, etc. etc. etc.  My husband helped me realize, with just four little words, that it is appreciated, and it is important.  The four words he spoke, not to anyone, but just because, were, "I love my home!"  Those four words make it all worth it!  They make me realize that sometimes the seemingly unimportant can make all the difference in turning a house into a home.  In creating a place we want to gather instead of avoid.  Those are good words.  "I love my home!"

The First Snow of the Season!!!

 Sunday, a day of rest.  A day to recover from the craziness of the week and recharge for another.  This Sunday however, we were in for an even bigger treat.  Snow began to fall!  Only November 21st and already a beautiful white blanket began to powder the ground and trees!   So, out came the winter gear.  Snow bibs were tried on and SURPRISE!, they still fit.  Boots were moved down to the next child in line.  Stocking caps and scarfs were put in place and we headed out for our first snow walk of the season.  Hand-in-hand with my man, we sauntered down the sidewalk, as the children skipped ahead singing joyfully, and talking excitedly of the closeness of Christmas.  There was plenty of snow for angels, snow men, and a little mischievousness.  After pictures were taken we headed back to the warmth of the fire, cocoa with candy canes, and a wild game of "Trouble".  This was simply a beautiful day!

Breakfast Daddy Style

Breakfast this morning was exciting and new.  Seth emerged from the kitchen with a pad of paper and pen and began taking orders for breakfast. He shared the days specials with us, and asked if we would prefer pancakes with strawberry syrup, maple syrup, boysenberry syrup, peanut butter, whip cream, or if we would like the harvest special.   Eggs were offered and which type desired, scrambled or sunnyside-up.  "Can I cheese those up for you?", he asked.  Seth collected our orders, even including our drinks, and began cooking.  Each dish was made special, complete with marshmallows smiling brightly, and breakfast was delightful.

The girls were thrilled!  After eating they disappeared upstairs. Some time later they returned in a noisy chorus.  Flags flying, signs made, and music playing in thanks for daddy's special treat.  It was a great start to our day!

Daddy is a special gift to our family, and he helped this day begin with smiles! :)

What I Love About My Man

This weekend Seth and I celebrated our 12 year anniversary!  We traveled to Leavenworth, WA, for two nights and three days.  We had a blast eating at yummy restaurants with great atmosphere, miniature golfing, Christmas shopping, hot tubbing, and being together just the two of us.  We were so blessed!  However, it was after our weekend on the drive home that I realized, once again, what I truly love about my man.  He knows how to bless me with his words.  Driving home he said that he loves spending time with our girls, and our family, but what he likes most is being with me.  Just me. 

My heart melted all over again.  I love my man!

Two Many Questions

I have noticed something lately.  I ask too many questions.  That is, one too many.  I always pair my questions together asking Seth two things at once.  "Do you want to stay up a little longer or are you tired?"  "Do you want lasagna or enchiladas?"  "Do you want me to cut your hair now or later?"  "Are you feeling better or does your head still hurt?"  All these questions are fine by themselves, but when the answer is given, it gets a little tricky.  "Yes." or "No."  That is usually the answer I receive, yes or no.  Not both.  One or the other.  So when asking the question, "Do you want to stay up a little longer, or are you tired?" and receiving a "Yes" response, I still have no more information than I did before asking the question.  Then I wonder, did he hear the first part of the question or only the second?  I guess the only answer to that is "Yes." :)

(Now, we catch ourselves doing this and we chuckle.  It is amazing how many times in a day these dual questions are asked!)

Genes, Interesting Genes!

Just a quick glimpse at why I turned out the way I did.

Yes this is my family.

My parents are the noses on the right.

My Sister. What beautiful white teeth!

My brother and me.

And yes, even my husband.

And I have to ask, is it any wonder that these are my children?

Oh, what interesting genes!

Aren't they supposed to skip a generation?! :)

Spanking Spoons for Sale!

Early the other morning, Zoie exclaimed quite cheerfully, "Mommy, I have a great idea! We can sell all the spanking spoons and make a hundred dollars!"

Lessons Learned

In Sunday School today my girls learned about Nehemiah and how he took the initiative to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem. They learned the importance of taking the initiative in their own lives to do what needs to be done, instead of leaving those tasks to others. (I was there teacher today, so I remember the lesson vividly.) At home, what struck me, was how well they had listened to what was taught. After playing outside, they were asked to bring their toys in and get ready for supper. What they did was even better. Not only were their toys taken care of, but they also decided to clean the garage. They ran inside to share with me that they saw something that needed to be done and they did it! "Just like Nehemiah!"

I love knowing that my girls listen when they are taught important lessons. But what blesses me even more is their heart to then take what they learned and put it into practice. And with a spring in their step and a smile on their face.

Fearful Nights

Why do children fear coming into their parents bedroom when they cannot sleep? Why would they rather pull sheets up over their heads and pray for sleep to come, instead of finding comfort from the ones the Lord has given for their comfort? Seth and I were asking ourselves these questions after finding out that Adalie had spent a night fearful and wakeful. We tried to encourage her that she could always come to mommy and daddy at night if she were afraid again. And then Seth added, "We'll let you stay up and have icecream and watch a movie!" As soon as this came out of his mouth, I stated my concerns about this idea as Adalie headed off to inform her sisters of this new information. Well, as you would guess, the next evening, both Adalie and Kylia stood in front of us ready for fun! We sent them back to bed with a few revisions to this plan and thankfully it worked! We didn't hear from any of them for months. Last night however, after the girls had been in bed for two hours, Adalie came down with a BIG smile on her face unable to sleep. With all the love in his heart daddy asked, "Do you want to watch a movie and eat some icecream?" Adalie beamed! Throughout the next 45 minutes she exclaimed again and again, "This is the best night ever!" When the movie ended she went straight to bed and we didn't hear from her till morning. All the next day, as she looked at me with a twinkle in her eye she declared again, "Wasn't that the best night ever mom?!!"

Creative Minds

We received a package in the mail the other day which contained something that I was thrilled to be receiving. We got a copier, fax, printer, scanner all-in-one machine for our homeschooling exploits and I was giddy with excitement to see what all it could do. The girls found themselves giddy with excitement, but it was not over this lovely machine, simply the box it came in! :)

BFF

Seth and I were in bed last night reminiscing. We were talking about our college days, our friends, our crushes, or lack of them (due to the fact that I was madly in love with Seth almost immediately), and the fun times we had. Seth was my best friend in college and that still holds true today. He was the one guy I could talk to about anything, and we talked constantly. I didn't care what I ate around him, because he didn't care. He made me laugh, and yes, cry ( remember those crushes from before?). We danced together, raced each other, took romantic strolls in the rain, and just enjoyed being in one-another's presence. Today, almost 12 years into our marriage, we are still best friends. I love my man. I love the conversations we have had lately as we are falling off to sleep. I love that he will always be my BFF.

Fun in the Pool ?!?

Could it be time for a pool?Nah! Buckets are way more fun!

Praise the Lord for Friends!!

We love our friends! After being gone for a month, recuperating at the Himes' homestead, we returned home to find this sign flying in our living room, and our refrigerator stocked. Did I mention that we love our friends! The Gilbaughs and Belmudes blessed our socks off with their generosity. The girls were squealing when they walked in and the smiles were flowing as we instantly felt loved and welcomed back to our house. This was a moment to remember!

The Day Daddy Became an Art Project

Paper can be used for art projects. Felt and fabric can be used for art projects. But daddy? How can a daddy become an art project? Well, it happened to our daddy one week ago. We went to the doctor and came home with a bright orange canvas for the girls to decorate. And they were thrilled! Crayons, markers, and pencils were brought out and the fun began. Within moments daddy had become a beautiful piece of art.

Zoie's Thoughts

I love my Zoie so much! The statements that come out of her mouth delight and amaze me!

This last month, while in Portland, Zoie and her sisters were able to go camping without mommy and daddy. They had Grandma and Grandpa all to themselves. While there Adalie and Kylia had a chance to go fishing. They both caught a fish. Adalie was quite happy to return the fish to its home. Kylia on the other hand wanted to show daddy. So, the fish was brought back to the cabin and put in the sink. At that moment, massage therapist Auntie arrived and had a fabulous idea. She suggested a picture be taken of the fish instead of taking the entire fish home to daddy.

Kylia was thrilled with the idea and the picture was quickly taken. Then with fish in hand, Auntie ran the fish back to the lake with the girls following close behind. As she held the fish under the water, waiting to release it till she was certain the fish survived its time on land, Zoie declared, "Auntie, you don't have to give it a massage!"

Oh, I love my Zoie! I love the way her mind works. I love how she looks at the world. And I love her imagination and the way it brings a smile to my face so quickly.

All the pictures in this post have been taken by Zoie and show a bit of how she looks at her world.

Something Brown and Yummy?

Zoie came out of the bathroom the other day with panties in hand. "Mama", she declared, "there is something brown in my panties." And then with all sincerity, "Maybe it is chocolate, . . .

or brownies!!"

Oh Zoie, I sure do love your creative mind.

(By the way, Mommy took the panties away quickly. You never know what could have happened next.)

The Shoot

Two days after Seth's accident, he had a shoot scheduled to interview Karen Kingsbury. Without the ability to move, he had to call in reinforcements. To the rescue came our friends Mark and Tiffany, and Amber's boyfriend, Justin. (We love our friends!)

The night was amazing! Our crew did a great job of setting up the equipment and filming. The interview went beautifully, and Seth was able to film the interview which made his night.

We got to know Karen's family, whom we fell in love with. We were invited to stay for dinner. And by the end of the evening we felt more like family than a film crew. As we were heading to leave, Karen opened her book closet to Tiffany and I. We were given boxes and told, "Fill 'em up." We were in heaven.

What I loved about Karen and her family was their passion for the Lord, and the way they lived that out. It was evident throughout the evening, and made me thankful to have gotten a chance to live life with them for the night.

Bad Volleyball!

We came to Portland for a birthday party two weeks ago, and now two weeks later, we are still here. Why, you may ask? Seth spiked a volleyball. That is all.

Unfortunately, in the process he came down cock-eyed on his ankle, broke it in three places, dislocated it and tore the ligaments in between. (But, I have to tell you, he scored the point and our team was winning. There is always good that can be found amidst the bad. :)

To continue with the good, once back home from the ER, Seth asked if he had sworn in his pain and I answered with a hearty, "No! You are growing up honey!"

As Seth was being wheeled out to the ambulance, he asked me to run and get the girls. He wanted them to know that daddy was okay. Kylia was pretty upset. She had already had a traumatic evening. About an hour prior to this new drama, daddy had been working on getting out a tooth, her very first tooth, and now, to top off the night, daddy was hurt. Seth gave all three a hug, reassured them he would be fine and asked them to pray for him. Then at the ER he apologized for the accident. (Silly nut! I'm not broken!) His heart was for his girls and for me and I love him for that.

Now, it has been a few days, and I have to admit the pain has not always been fun to deal with, but just this morning Seth asked, "Have I been nicer with my words lately? I've been trying really hard." I've noticed you've been trying honey, and yes you have.

It's never easy for a wife to see her husband hurting, (Believe me, I know. I got light headed and nauseous three times in the course of the ER night.) but it is nice to see growth happening amidst the pain. I love my man, and I love to see God use every situation for his glory.

Blessed

Adalie told me this morning, "Mom, I'm going to get out two picture Bibles and my big Bible and read to my sisters. Because they need to learn about Jesus too." I thought that sounded super sweet but then quickly forgot all about it and hurried about my morning.

The girls were playing outside and I noticed they had gotten really quiet, so I headed out to check on them and make sure everything was okay. As I peaked my head around the corner, there they were, all 3 of them sitting on a blanket, and Adalie reading the Bible to them.

The blanket was placed perfectly in the one strip of sun shining through in the morning, Kylia and Zoie very intent on what was being spoken. Mommy's heart was blessed.

Adalie, you are right, your sisters need to learn about Jesus too. Thank you for sharing Him with them.

Nicknames

Seth and I are very thankful for the names we were given. We were blessed with names that had meaning and something to strive for. Seth means "Appointed, young warrior", and April means "Blossoming, pure lily". But there was one thing both of our names were missing. We have no nicknames. You cannot shorten Seth, and I don't care for April shortened. (I'll let you figure that one out.) So, it was with great care that we named our children.

They each needed a name that had significant meaning. Adalie means, "God is my refuge, noble and gracious", Kylia means, "Lovely praise", Zoie means, "Life of faith". But they also needed a name that could be shortened if that desire ever arose. Adalie could be shortened to Addie, Kylia could be shortened to Kylie, and Zoie could be shortened (or lengthened) to Zo, Zo-Zo, Zoinaders, etc.

As you know, with nicknames, they cannot be predetermined. Sometimes names are discovered. Certain events can give one a nickname. And at other times they are given by a 4-year old sister.

Zoie has been called a number of different nicknames since she was born. The most popular being "Zo" and "Zo-Zo". So I guess it would make since that she now calls her sisters . . .

"Ad" and "Ky".

These are not nicknames that Seth and I had ever thought of. Most likely, they are not ones that we would have chosen. Yet, there they are,

Ad, Ky, and Zo, three little girls, with nicknames given, just like Seth and I had desired. Well, sort of. :)