Christmas

This year was an especially memorable Christmas because Ryan and Sarah were able to fly east to be with us.  And since her family is less than an hour away they could go back and forth as schedules allowed for large and small gatherings. 

Here are some pictures from our time together.

The pillows my mom made for each of the grandkids (Liam was napping.)

We promptly declared it naptime...but alas it was short-lived.

My mom also made doll clothes for the girls.  She used material left over from my prom dress for this one!!!

We made Mom & Dad work for their gift--they both love Words With Friends, so it was fitting.  :-)  Can you guess their surprise?

Hangin' out.

Bein' silly.

The girls (plus a few of the boys) gave us a little concert and nativity reinactment.  Absolutely precious.

Our family picture session.  I'd say we got some good ones in the 5 shots we took.  That's about all this crowd will sit still for!!! 

 

And during Ryan and Sarah's visit to our home we shared lunch, played games and pulled out Natalia's new Ed Emberly Thumbprint drawing book and made cards.  Adam pretty much cleaned up in UNO as always.  And it was really nice that Pete had off work and could enjoy their visit too.  :-)

 

  

Multitude Monday #9

It's been awhile since I've posted a Multitude Monday...a recounting of God's faithfulness and blessings in this season.  I am so thankful that though I desire to honor Christ, his love for me is an unchanging love, and not dependent on my performance.  He is faithful, even when I'm not.  THIS is true mercy and grace, and it makes me want to please him even more.

Things have been hoppin' in our household.  School is well underway, but some of us are still adjusting.

Picking up where I left off...

123.  Physical health.  It is so easy to take for granted a body that functions properly.

124.  Group exercise class at the local rec center.  I've been going twice or more a week for Body Pump.  It's weight training set to music, and it works each muscle group.  I definately feel stronger, especially in my legs and lower back.

125.  25 lbs. gone!  It took 5 months but slow and steady wins the race, right?  I'm aiming for 15 more by the end of the year. 

126.  Discounted clothing for my kiddos and turning a profit through the Weeusables Consignment Sale this week.  Just in time too because they both had outgrown nearly everything in their closet!!!

127.  Spiritual encouragment through the men and women in our Care Group and church.

128.  A dinner date with longtime friends--sans kiddos!  We figured out that we hadn't done that since starting our families 7 years ago. 

129.  Spontaneous squeezes and sweet whispers from my kiddos.

130.  Input for how to better steer my child's strong (STRONG!!!) will through H. Clay Trumbull's book "Hints on Child Training".  Though originally published in 1890 it is remarkably current--some things just don't change!

131.  Cool mornings!

132.  New people joining the Mom's prayer group for our elementary school.

133.  Our new church building!  We've officially been meeting there since the beginning of August.  After 30 years of paying rent, we now have the space for greater ministry and service.

134.  Patched drywall!  Seems silly, but after a year of having a hole in our living room ceiling (due to a mysterious roof leak) it is now fixed and awaiting a coat of paint.  Hurray!

135.  A benign test result.

136.  Adam doing an awesome job during his first trip to the dentist! 

137.  A steaming cup of coffee and a few minutes of quiet solitude.

138.  Book Club.  I just love it!  It challenges me, refreshes me, and is a once-a-month repose in this season of my life.

139.  Upcoming fall festivities--my favorite season.

140.  Homemade applesauce.

141.  Marigolds still in bloom.

142.  A great year of pastured poultry production!  Favorable weather for the most part, better equipment, and plentiful customers.  Our last batch is finished in a week.

143.  A prayer that reorients my heart when I'm foolishly self-reliant..."Jesus, please help me.  Because otherwise I can't be helped."

144.  My mom.  :-)  A trusted confidant, friend, source of wisdom, helper...I could go on and on but the screen is already blurry from the tears welling up!

145.  My hard-working husband.  I am particularly thankful that he has a job that allows him to be at home with us early in the evening, that he's willing to help Natalia with her homework despite the grading and lesson plans awaiting him each evening, and that he is a "hands on" daddy.  Love you, hon!

Just Another Day...

...of enjoying the uniqueness in my two babies.

My blue-eyed, independent, competitive, attention-lovin', service oriented girl...

...and my brown-eyed, detail-oriented, sensitive, action packed, affectionate boy.

Thankful to be their mama.

Multitude Monday #8

It's been over a month since I've posted for Multitude Monday. And while life has been quite busy these last few weeks and I've put my blog on the back burner, God has been so good to give us all we need and more.

Multitude Monday is about intentionally fixing my eyes on God's blessings, big and small, whatever the season, whether life is good or the road has been rocky.

106. A successful consignment and purchasing experience at the Weeusables sale, end of September. I was able to find everything I needed for Adam, who is growing like a weed, so believe me there was a list!

107. A date night and a day trip with my man. So thankful for uninterrupted time with him!

108. Applesauce in the freezer! I was alittle more ambitious this year, bought 3 baskets, did it solo, and netted 38 quart jars. We like our sauce!

109. Connecting with old friends.

110. Building upon new friendships.

111. An autumn snowfall!

112. Finishing our 5th and final batch of chickens. My freezer is stocked!!!

113. Shoo fly cake. Great paired with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream and a mug of strong coffee.

114. Restored health. Our whole family had colds for about a week.

115. Sunshine-filled, crisp autumn days.

116. Witnessing another baptism at church yesterday morning. My faith is always stirred, my heart always full, my cheeks always wet with tears. Thank you, Jesus, for giving me eyes to see my need for a Savior.

117. A new-to-us entertainment cabinet for a great bargain. No longer is our bulky TV, DVD and VCR players, and accompanying stuff piled onto an old kitchen table in the basement.

118. An additional upright freezer--another provision from the Lord. Friends of ours were downsizing and asked if we were interested. It couldn't have come at a better time!

119. A very handy and hard-working husband. Our water heater kicked the bucket last week and my hubby once again saved us alot of money by doing the work himself.

120. Time away from our everyday...just the four of us. Literally. There was no one around except for a deer and some squirrels.

121. A successful shopping trip to find new jeans for myself. I loath shopping for jeans. Quite honestly I don't enjoy shopping much either. But, my one and only pair of jeans got a rip in them so I was thrilled to find 2 pair on sale with an awesome coupon to boot!

122. Our care group from church. They are such a means of grace in our lives. And boy, do we have alot of fun together!

Multitude Monday #7

It's been 3 busy weeks since my last MULTITUDE MONDAY post...much to be thankful for!

Multitude Monday is about intentionally fixing my eyes on God's blessings, big and small, whatever the season, whether life is good or the road has been rocky.

91. Protection from the devastating effects of Hurricane Lee. My hometown saw major flooding and a lot of property damage. Even loss of life. Thankfully we were spared, but oh my--I've never seen water like that.

92. Aside from Lee, we've had a pretty easy transition into Pete and Natalia's school year.

93. Getting to know the parents of Natalia's classmates as we wait together for pick-up.

94. Especially excited to connect with one particular mom, a Christian who lives in our neighborhood!

95. Walking home from school and hearing about Natalia's day.

96. Having my youngest brother Ryan and his fiance Sarah here for the week. They leave today (sniff, sniff) but we loved the time we got to spend with them.

97. A plethora of tomatoes, peppers and onions made into V8 juice to can. Will be super tasty in those wintertime soups and stews.

98. Shepherd's Pie. Recipe will be posted sometime this week. :-)

99. A new pair of silver earrings.

100. Having my family over for ice cream last night--our final chance to see Ryan before he returned to sunny CA.

101. Dinner with longtime friends, the Zimmerman's. We take turns hosting each month and always look forward to catching up on each other's busy lives. Ken and Lisa have been there since the beginning of our married life (our anniversaries are a year and a day apart) and there's something very special about that!

102. New sermon series on the book of Revelation. So appreciate our pastors and the way they serve us each week.

103. Going to a movie matinee with my mom. She and I both read THE HELP last year and wanted to see it on the big screen together.

104. Reading THE PRODIGAL GOD by Timothy Keller as a part of my quiet times lately. So good!

105. The smell of autumn in the air. It is by far my favorite season. I'm invigorated by the crunchy leaves, brisk mornings, brilliant earthy colors, and the flavor of cinnamon.

Multitude Monday #6

Multitude Monday is about intentionally fixing my eyes on God's blessings, big and small, whatever the season, whether life is good or the road has been rocky.

Picking up from two weeks ago...

73. Celebrating Pete's 39th birthday! My parents brought over cheesesteak subs and we all enjoyed an evening at the Lancaster Barnstormers game. It was a perfect night weather-wise...the calm before Irene.

74. A chance to meet Natalia's Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. L. and an early peak at the classroom last Thursday. Today is her first day and she is so very excited!

75. My mom's help in canning peaches last week. I got almost 3 dozen quart jars in the end, but was fighting a sore throat, heavy head and all over aches that left me feeling pretty wiped out. Having mom there helped me power through it, but I fell into bed at 8:30.

76. Herbal supplements and ibuprofen combined with good rest have warded off whatever it was that wanted to kick me around.

77. Jen & Scott and their kiddos ensuring that our kids had a GREAT time while Mommy & Daddy were at the ballgame. Adam didn't want to come home!

78. An evening with Josh & Lydia Moser and their boys. We've really enjoyed getting to know this young family from church.

79. Protection from Hurricane Irene. We didn't lose power or have any close calls with tree limbs or flooding.

80. That Natalia got the teacher and Kindergarten time slot we requested.

81. That Adam plays well by himself. I think he will really enjoy his time alone with Mommy while Natalia is at school but be excited to welcome her home too.

82. A new (used) car! Pete traded in his Saturn for a 2001 burgundy Subaru wagon, pretty much a copy of our green 99 except it's stick.

83. Beef in my freezer!!!! It's been a long 2 months without it. We wasted no time in pulling out a steak for Pete's birthday last Saturday!

84. Cooler summer days. A refreshing end to summer in my opinion.

85. A weekly prayer group for the moms at Natalia's school. I'm really looking forward to meeting these ladies!

86. Homemade buttermilk waffles.

87. A new school year at Manheim Central High School for my hubby. Today is his first day with students.

88. For the many sources of encouragment and Christian co-workers Pete has at work.

89. A morning spent with my childhood friend Melanie and her children. Starting in first grade we rode the bus together, pitched tents for backyard sleepovers, played "the 5 W's" game, and confided secret crushes. In high school we were in many of the same classes and read each another's minds across the orchestra stage. It was so much fun reconnecting with her again!

90. Caprese Salad. I love tomatoes in cooked dishes, but don't care for them raw (such as in a sandwich or salad). This is an exception though! Love the blend of herbs and spices, vinaigrette and fresh mozarrella on top!

Multitude Monday #5

Multitude Monday is about intentionally fixing my eyes on God's blessings, big and small, whatever the season, whether life is good or the road has been rocky.

Picking up where I left off last week...

60. Reconnecting with old friends face-to-face yesterday. We only see them once or twice a year, but we treasure their ongoing friendship. Thanks for making the trip up Jones family! (Posting some pictures tomorrow.)

61. Continued summer work for Pete.

62. That Adam has officially kicked his Nuks to the curb. (It's been over a month, and occasionally he'll ask for one, but after attempts to ween him off of it at bedtime we accidentally lost all of them and decided they were lost for good...and it worked!)

63. Natalia's cardiologist appointment last Friday yielded no new treatment...and that we got through the visit. She hasn't been on any medication since this spring when we had that 2 month trial (and it was definately a trial for all of us). Despite her being very uncooperative for the first 45 minutes of the visit, she turned on the charm for Ms. Jo who does the echocardiogram. (I think it was the new location, doctor and nurses coupled with Natalia's medical history and tendency towards drama--she WOULD NOT let them touch her despite my preparation and best efforts.) Ms. Jo is a familiar face and not only is she great at her job, you get to watch a video while eating a lollipop during her 1/2 hour procedure. *sigh* Thank you Lord we don't have to do this often and Natalia is healthy more often than not. So many struggle with much worse.

64. Natalia's new cardiologist seems to understand and be receptive to our past concerns.

65. That our Batch #3 chickies are healthy and thriving. They are 6 days old today.

66. Celebrating my Grandpa Stauffer's 86th birthday this past weekend. His birthday was actually in July, but 27 of us were able to get together on Saturday evening at Grandpa and Grandma's home. That he is still with us, doing so well with his physical therapy, and leaps and bounds from how he was faring a few months ago is truly a blessing and answer to prayer.

67. That I made out like a bandit shopping for Natalia's back-to-school clothes at 3 local consignment shops and ROSS! 4 pair pants, 4 shorts, 6 tees, 3 long-sleeve tees, a fleece hoodie, a skirt for church, and 2 pair of shoes for $68. (I had $22 credit at one consignment shop.) This daughter of mine outgrew her entire wardrobe all of a sudden! All but her raggedy "farm" clothes... which I decided wouldn't quite make the cut for Kindergarten. This was such an answer to prayer.

68. An insightful, heartfelt, and well-written book entitled "Washed and Waiting" by Wesley Hill. I originally was introduced to it on Tim Challies's blog. Homosexuality is an issue that some people I know and love have struggled with, and I wanted to wrestle with the issue to better understand what Scripture teaches and how to lovingly relate to them. Challies writes, "[Hill raises] questions the church needs to be willing and equipped to answer. We have to be able to do better than “Homosexuality is wrong.” And that’s what this book is all about." Please read his review--it is very good and biblically sound. You can find it here.

69. RAIN! It's amazing what a little rain every now and then can do!

70. Homegrown tomatoes, potatoes and peppers.

71. Warren Boettcher coming to preach at our church yesterday morning. Pete and I always enjoy hearing him speak. Warren is senior pastor at the Sovereign Grace church in Marlton, New Jersey and provides direction for our pastors at Crossway as well as a few other S.G. churches in the region.

72. "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace" ~Ephesians 1:7 I have never fully confessed my sin, been fully sorry for my sin, though I've sought to live as Christ would want me to. I am so thankful that my redemption is not according to the richness of my sorrow over or confession of sin. It is according to the richness of his grace. My salvation is dependant on Christ alone.

Multitude Monday #4

Multitude Monday is about intentionally fixing my eyes on God's blessings, big and small, whatever the season, whether life is good or the road has been rocky.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

46. Safety for Pete on the job site this past week, and that the nailgun missed all the important stuff in his thumb. (Gives me the shivers just thinking about it!)

47. Educator's Open House Day at Cherry Crest Adventure Farm and Strasburg Railroad. We got to enjoy both places as a family last Friday.

48. COLD, clean drinking water...as much of it as I want. I'm reminded of how many people in this world would consider that a luxury.

49. A stack of new (used) books from amazon that I couldn't get from my library.

50. Having the Coleman family for dinner last night.

51. Getting to walk around the site where our church building will be constructed in the coming months. They are still blasting and moving dirt around, but it is finally starting to feel real!

52. Sermons available online. I love that I can take a second listen.

53. Homemade lemonade.

54. Frozen chocolate-dipped bananas on a stick.

55. My children belting out silly songs.

56. A fresh haircut (AND a color...I told you I'm no purist!)

57. My mom and the many times she gladly watches the kids while I have an appointment or errand.

58. Cheering on my uncle, cousin, and friends who play in a local church softball league. It's like a family, high school, and youth group reunion in the stands!

59. A successful photo shoot with the kids.

60. Sweet corn from mom and dad's garden in my freezer...and having Nina along to play with Natalia and Adam while we worked.

Multitude Monday #3

Multitude Monday is about intentionally fixing my eyes on God's blessings, big and small, whatever the season, whether life is good or the road has been rocky.

Picking up where I left off last week...

31. Our marriage. We just passed the 11 year mark at the end of June and will take some time before the school year begins to celebrate. We've hit rough patches along the way, but the last 6 years have been particularly sweet as God has grown us and surrounded us with many godly examples and sources of counsel. I am so thankful to be married to my best friend.

32. Creature comforts--I so often take them for granted. A clean (indoor) bathroom, safe drinking water, a house with central air, cars that function, ceiling fans, electricity, high-speed internet, green grass to run around in barefoot (and an association that mows it), grocery stores, washing machines...

33. Heather @ Sit A Spell--she challenges me and I so appreciate her candid thoughts about loving and caring for the poor, whether it's right where we are, or in the mission field as her young family has been this past year in Haiti.

34. Homegrown tomatoes. Tonight I'm trying out a new recipe: Double-Crusted Tomato, Onion & Bacon Pie. Can't wait!

35. Friends coming for dinner tonight. Besides the Tomato Pie, I'm dishing up the Spinach Quiche I posted the recipe for in June.

36. Summer employment for Pete. He had 3 days of framing work last week and it looks like regular hours might be possible until he returns to school in late August. A definate answer to prayer!

37. Visiting with college roommates/friends yesterday. Carolyn, her daughter Julia, and husband Eric, drove up from VA earlier this weekend and came to church with us. Karla and her family and Shelley-Ann joined us later in the afternoon.

38. Our local library. For a small town it's a great little library. And by borrowing from other branches in Lancaster County it's rare I can't get a hold of what I'm looking for. Right now I'm re-reading THE OMNIVORE'S DILEMMA--this time taking notes. Should have done that the first time.

39. Summer reading program. Pretty soon we'll fill up the kid's 30 book slots and get our tickets to Strasburg.

40. Tiki torches for the flowerbed. On sale at ACMOORE for $1.50 each! Hopefully they'll help to keep the bugs away from our deck area in the evenings.

41. Dates on the calendar with 3 couples we've wanted to reconnect with or get to know better. What's funny is that ALL the men are named Josh!

42. A solution for our truck conundrum. Since starting our pastured poultry operation last year, we've been borrowing my dad's truck alot (not counting the other household/yard projects that we've needed it too!), and going back and forth on whether we should replace Pete's car with a truck. But buying a truck that could fit the kid's carseats in the event of an emergency was out of our price range...and we don't want a gas-guzzler if we can help it. SOLUTION: a hitch on our Subaru wagon and a trailer from Pete's dad that just needed some assembly.

43. Vibrant, gospel-centered worship with other believers. I so appreciate the songwriting and composing gifts represented in Sovereign Grace Ministries, their incorporation of hymns, and especially our particular church's worship leaders.

44. Getting to watch THE KING'S SPEECH with my husband. We had tried to see it when it was in the theatres but tickets were sold out by the time we got there. I ♥ films with Colin Firth. He is such an excellent actor.

45. My family. Life is messy because we're human and we sin, but I am so thankful that time with my family is not characterized by discord, tension, or indifference.

Multitude Monday #2

Multitude Monday is about intentionally fixing my eyes on God's blessings, big and small, whatever the season, whether life is good or the road has been rocky.
Picking up where I left off last Monday...


16. Meadow Tea. I was able to make a double batch of concentrate to freeze thanks to a nicely packed 2 quart of leaves from my mom's patch.

17. An excellent message yesterday morning from Doug on GOD'S UNBREAKABLE PURPOSES from our current series GOD BEHIND THE SEEN: the books of Esther & Ruth. I am so thankful for our pastors, their humility, their wise leadership, and the way they work hard to teach us well.

18. Natalia asking to pray before our meal the other night, and the sincerity and thoughtfulness of her words. It was one of those moments that really encouraged our hearts as parents.

19. Walls going up in our basement, separating the storage space, "play area", and my extra pantry shelves. When you see your son rearranging your quart jars of peaches all over the basement, you realize the hanging sheet ain't cuttin' it anymore!

20. Daisies. These flowers never fail to make me smile.

21. Books that ask hard questions and provoke introspection. MADE TO CRAVE by Lysa Terkhurst is doing that for me right now. I blogged about my struggles to eat and care for my body in a manner that glorifies God here. Her book has just been EXCELLENT! I posted about the book before, but I'll say it again--I love her Biblical, pull-no-punches, truth-spoken-in-love approach. And she's hilarious to boot.

22. Slowly but surely...8 lbs. lost. Happy to be a work-in-progress, rather than "stuck" and discouraged.

23. Re-discovering the LITTLE HOUSE series with my daughter. Sometimes I read, sometimes she listens to the books on CD from the library, but oh how I loved these books as a girl.

24. Our Care Group from church. Love and treasure these folks who are committed to live life along side of us. Time spent with them = priceless encouragment and laughter.

25. Free tickets to a Lancaster Barnstormers baseball game.

26. A homemade butter churn that works like a charm! Take a 1 gallon glass jar w/metal screw on lid (a hole drilled through it), a power drill, drywall mud mixer rod, and fresh cream from our neighbor's miniature jersey cows, and presto! Better than paying at least $250 for an electric butterchurn!

27. Feet that don't ache! Why did I ever wait so long to wear shoes that properly supported and cushioned my heels and arches?!

28. Our silly children and the joy they bring to our home. Yesterday my son displayed his love for Sesame Street on two different occasions: counting and laughing like THE COUNT during prayertime at church (!!!) and wondering why Mommy was telling him he couldn't eat his stir-fry with wild abandon like COOKIE MONSTER at the dinner table. My daughter and her endless imagination, especially when it comes to horses.

29. Cooking and recipe websites and blogs. What would I do without them?! We would be eating grilled cheese sandwiches, omelets, and spaghetti every night for dinner.

30. New neighbors. A single mom and her 2nd grade daughter just moved in a few doors down. Natalia is thrilled to have a girl to play with!