Thrill Ride

I love rollercoasters!  The higher and faster the better.

 

However, now that I'm approaching middle age (WHAT?!?!?!!) and have more than my fair share of gray hair, I have one qualification.  It has to be a smooth ride.

 

Well, we were given 2 free tickets to Hershey Park in August and since my husband wants no part of a rollercoaster, I was free to find a fellow thrill ride enthusiast.

 

I took my younger brother Joe and we started the day off right, with Fahrenheit. 

 

 

After following it with Storm Runner and Great Bear, we went on the Super Dooper Looper for old times sake.  This was the new coaster when I was a high school senior!!!  It had an upside down flip!!!  LOL.

 

We were about to make a Fahrenheit sandwich to end the day but the lines were too long by that point.  But, the lines provided much opportunity to properly catch up on each others lives.

 

Thanks for sharing my love of thrills, Joe!  It's no fun riding coasters by yourself.  Next time we need to go to a park on the West Coast for a sibling trifecta.  Are you game, Ryan?

Game Changer

I alluded to a major change in the works in yesterday's post.  Well, it's possible anyway.

 

In the spring Pete and I suddenly found an auction property for sale just 2 miles away from our current house.  It needed major work but had plenty of land and lots of possibility.  It being an auction meant everything needed to happen in reverse with our finances, and it seemed a long shot.  Quite frankly, we knew that if this was finally the property the Lord wanted for us, he'd have to perform a miracle.  And, at the same time, we knew we'd be fine with staying where we were if it didn't work out.  And it didn't.  :)

 

That all happened around Memorial Day, right as school was wrapping up and we were definitely ready for some summer vacation!  Honestly, it was a relief not to have to deal with a move this summer.  And I really do love my little house.

 

 

Fast forward 3 months.

 

We're on the real estate market rollercoaster again.

 

This time it's a regular sale we're looking at and it is 10 times better than the other place!  In fact, it has e.v.e.r.y. single thing on our wish list and is move in ready.  It needs some TLC, but nothing that is overwhelming.

 

We're still in process though, and it's hard not knowing how this will all work out.  BUT, we trust that God has our ultimate good in mind, He sees the big picture, and we can trust and rest in the knowledge that He will accomplish his sovereign will.

 

In the meantime, we're trying to sell our house.  If anyone is interested, leave a comment with your name and email and I'll send you a link with more info.

 

 

To be continued...

Back to School

Well, I meant to post this 2 weeks ago--life got interrupted (more about that in tomorrow's post).

Better late than never...

 

We had a great, low-key summer.  Definately not as exciting as some years, but Pete had steady supplemental work which was a blessing.  We had a number of days at home together and were able to tackle some remaining work projects.  And the kids got to go to two different Vacation Bible School programs (one at the beginning and one at the end of the summer), and Natalia went to Day Camp for a week, which was a new experience.

 

I don't feel like I got anything accomplished, but that's what this new season is for.  :)  I now have a 3rd grader AND an AM Kindergartener.  Momma's going to have no problem figuring out how to use those few hours solo. 

 

We had 2 first days of school due to a shortened parent and child intro to Kindergarten yesterday.  But, we took pictures both days to commemorate the occasion properly.  (It's much different when you actually wear a backpack, Adam informed me.)

 

 

 

 

My, my...they are growing up fast. 

Update in Pictures

Once again it's been several months since I've posted anything on this blog.  But that's life and I've never pretended to be a full-time blogger.  However, here are a few pictures and events I wanted to share. 

 

Some are simple everyday shots of my kiddos like these, taken back in February.

I sometimes call her "Freckles", which she thinks is a cool nickname.

 

I like this one a lot.  It reminds me that they aren't always pestering one another.  ;)

 

In April Adam was the Student of the Week at Preschool, so I took this shot for his poster.  He just seems so grown up lately.

And here they are hunting for Easter eggs at Mom and Dad's.

 

 

 

Part of the double rainbow over our neighbor's farm.

 

The end of May wrapped up Preschool for Adam. 

Here he is with his friend Calle just before their graduation ceremony.

 

He was so cute walking across the stage for his diploma.

 

With his teacher Mrs. Miller.  We think the world of her!  :) 

 

This just makes me laugh out loud! 

 

Our annual Stauffer Camping Weekend in late June. 

 

We celebrated the kids' 1/2 birthdays over Independence Weekend with Pete's mom and her friend Tom, my parents, and my brother Joe's clan.     

  

 

A highly anticipated outfit for Natalia's doll, made by my mom.



 

And lastly, some good ole' summer days at home.  

 

 

 

Book Club Titles for 2014

Last night we had our selection meeting where we nominate and vote on 12 new titles for the upcoming year.  It is always such a lively and laughter-filled evening and I come home jazzed--a slew of "extra" titles to add to my personal reading list. 

I just love how this group gets me to read things I wouldn't ordinarily pick up, they make me think and evaluate more deeply, and though Christians, we are still quite diverse in our backgrounds and perspectives.  And I love that.

I'm listing these by the month in which they will be discussed, along with a brief description.
Let me know if you've read any of these and what you think!  (No spoilers though, please.)

MARCH
The Ditch Digger's Daughters by Yvonne S Thorton
(Memoir; the importance of education, hard work and family values)

APRIL
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
(Classic; 1890's, morality, narcissism, the soul)

MAY
Brat Farrar by Josephine Tey
(Mystery; British, impostor, inheritance)

JUNE
An Invisible Thread by Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski
(Non-fiction; busy sales executive meets 11 yr. old panhandler)

JULY
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
(Young Adult Fiction; German girl and her foster parents, books, hiding Jewish man, surviving WWII)

AUGUST
In The Shadow of the Banyan by Vaddey Ratner
(Autobiographical Fiction; 7 yr. old girl, coming of age, Cambodian civil war)

SEPTEMBER
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
(Fiction; foster care, San Francisco, the meaning of flowers)

OCTOBER
The Girl With No Name: The Incredible Story of a Child Raised by Monkeys by Lynne Barrett-Lee and Marina Chapman
(Biography; child trafficking, human-animal relationships, Colombia)

NOVEMBER
Still Alice by Lisa Genova
(Fiction; college professor, early onset of Alzheimer's)

DECEMBER
Crazy Busy by Kevin DeYoung
(Christian Living; getting to the root of busyness)

JANUARY
One Light Still Shines: My Life Beyond the Shadow of the Amish Schoolhouse Shooting by Maria Monville
(Memoir; wife of Nickle Mines shooter, God's redemptive love)

FEBRUARY
Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo
(Nonfiction; society and culture, urban poverty, India)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And just because we debated long and hard over this one, (but no one had read it), anyone have anything to say about Watership Down by Richard Adams?  All we know is that it is 520 pages, and an adventure fantasy about rabbits.  :) 
Let's just say some of us were seriously intrigued by that description, and others of us were laughing hysterically!

Birthday Girl

Just as with Adam's birthday post last week, preparing this one for Natalia is an exercise in thankfulness.  It does not take long at all for a rush of emotion, (and tears) to come and my heart is washed afresh in gratitude.

Not only that I have children--that is miraculous--but that I have THESE children.  And in particular THIS child. 

Oh boy...gotta' grab a tissue.  :)

My earliest pictures of my little "sweetpea", as I quickly dubbed her, were not like the typical pictures parents take of their firstborn.  Mine included lots of wires, tubes, and gauze, yellow hospital gowns and poor lighting.  I didn't care.  I still don't.

Her scar will forever be a sweet reminder to me (and I hope to her as she grows) of God's kindness and mercy.  She is a gift, just as God's grace is a gift--one that is undeserved and cannot be earned, just received with open arms and a heart desiring faith.

Natalia, you are precious to me.  In every little thing that makes you YOU, I marvel at God's wisdom in giving you as my daughter, and me as your mama.  I oftentime feel so inadequate, but that too is by design.  ;)

January 2006, about 1 1/2 weeks old
(a few days after heart surgery)

April 2006, 4 months


December 2006, 1 year old

June 2007, 1 1/2 years


April 2008, 2 years (Cousin Morgan is 3 and Avery is 1)


December 2008, 1 week short of turning 3

August 2009, 3 1/2 years

May 2010, 4 1/2 years


March 2011, 5 years


July 2011, 5 1/2 years


August 2012, 6 1/2 years

August 2013, 7 1/2 years

December 2013, 8 years old

Natalia, I love you and am so proud of you. I hope this birthday is extra special!

Happy 8th Birthday!

Christmas Eve

I wanted to post some pictures from our Christmas Eve with Pete's mother.

She was gracious and allowed me to host her for a noon meal instead of us going to her house late in the day, as we have for the last 13 years.  Now that our kids are older we wanted to go to our church's evening Christmas service.  Switching things around made that possible.

Our traditional Polish (meatless) Christmas Eve feast:

Barszcz (red beet soup served hot) with mini mushroom pierogies
Garlic and Dill Tilapia
2 kinds of European style bread
Pickled Herring with Onions
Polish Vegetable Salad
Deviled Eggs and Dill Pickles
Nalesniki (Crepes stuffed with mushroom or dessert-style with jam and sour cream)
and Cheesecake served with strong coffee

It's a lot of work preparing for meals like this, but pulling out the special china and teacups, and enjoying these traditional dishes means alot to Pete and his family, and it's a part of his heritage I hope our kids appreciate and continue as first generationers.