Melissa's Memories

New Year, New Experiences

2012-01-24T20:47:00.000-08:00

We love Manna Cupcakes in Downtown Lebanon. Took a break from our school day and surprised the girls with a trip to enjoy a sweet cupcake. I wish I would have taken their picture of their faces when I told them I was taking them here... priceless.

Daily Grammar in the car while taking turns for piano.

One of our favorite traditions of the Christmas Season- we go to Christ's Church in Mason, where our neighbors attend. We look forward to this musical/play production every year!

Incorporating art with our Bible story

Could my neice be any sweeter?! Addison Jean. God does amazing things. (And Katie and Brian make beautiful babies!)

This is just what swimmers do... drives me crazy.

Testing solar cars at Cincinnati Museum

Learning about Animal Adaptations

Creating music through symbiosis

A real elephant's foot....

Our January in a wrap!

Christmas fun!

2012-01-17T21:07:00.000-08:00

Why I let my posts go so long, I don't know, but here is a re-cap of December. Sad I don't journal more, but surprise, surprise, one of my resolutions... here's the Holidays (although it doesn't do it justice)

Ellie and Morgan, Morgan and Ellie...

Emily spent her allowance on Shoebox

Sewing hats for local hospitals...

Emily's spa time...

Annual Christmas baking

Landon at Boonshoft

Annual Gingerbread Houses

Hope everyone had an amazing Christmas! Love you all!

Snapshots of Christmas

2011-12-23T12:11:00.000-08:00

I read a blog the other night where she snapped pictures throughout her house for her to remember Christmas in 2011. I loved the idea, so here is a taste of our lives on Christmas one very quiet night as the girls were sleeping. It was actually very special as I went around and tried to capture our lives in the here and now- so different than 10 years ago or even 10 years from now. It was fun to reflect on each picture, and smile with each memory it brought.

Above is Handy the Elf, our version of Elf on the Shelf. This is our 2nd year with him, although he was an imaginary elf for my sister Katie, as she was growing up. He always left her notes and a special gift on Christmas, and now he watches over my girls, and the girls are truly mesmerized with the magic of it all.

A special place where we hang cards, but also have a Santa's bag that my mom made that holds cards and letters. I love both places, because I find the girls pointing and reminiscing about different families hanging on the wall, and also sitting on the recliner sifting through the Santa bag reading through cards and letters.

I love our new tree. It's nothing extravagant or special, clearanced after Christmas at Hobby Lobby a couple years ago. It has ended a cussing daddy unstringing tangled lights, only to find them burnt out, and it only comes in 4 or 5 pieces! Before we had a tree that came from his parents and you could see the metal pole all the way down. Although this tree is artificial, I grew up with a real tree that filled the house with such a wonderful smell. I am sacrificing the smell because of my two girls tree allergies, but it's pretty cute in our corner of our living room.

I love this table, because it holds gifts that family and friends have gotten us.


This is a homemade advent calendar where you move the star and count down to Christmas... I got it in a family gift exchange and I love it!

The front of our fridge. Cluttered, but pretty symbolic of our lives. A Bible quote the girls memorized a few weeks ago, a magnet Ellie talked me into shopping the other day, a countdown from a gift from a neighbor, a printout from pinterest, and a magnet that says pray (hard).

My favorite. This is my view from the kitchen sink where I pretty much live. The fish I've come to like that stares at me as I'm doing dishes. We tried to put it on the shelf in the keeping room, but we forgot about it for about a week, and it was still alive. So here it swims. A frame and poem of Sandy, my mother-in-law, whom I miss terribly, more than words. The mini clay figures of our family that Erika made for me. They make me happy.

To the left is the Tastefully Simple spice rack I bought for myself for my 15 year anniversary. Rob bought me flowers, and they were never delivered, so this is what I bought instead. Use them everyday. :) Instead of dead flowers. The frame is holding a picture of this years Christmas card and Rob finishing his marathon. I've always wanted under the counter lights, but this counter light is as close as it's ever going to get.

Emily's make-do Christmas baking cupboard, right up above where she helps me bake. When we went to build this house, our builder realized that we didn't have a pantry in our plans- so we had to squeeze it in our mudroom. This cupboard we've made for the holidays, is perfect and so convenient!

Nan's card holder she painted when I was a baby. I tease her and tell her I don't want to be fighting over it when she dies, so I was taking it now. I know, dark, but it's one of my favorite things from mom. The plant is from my "sisters" at church that sent me this when my grandpa passed away the same weekend when I gave a retreat at church. I hope this plant lives forever.

My girls have been amazing this year. They are going through their rooms and giving their sisters and family gifts that are very special to them. They are writing poems, sewing, making clay pieces and so many more surprises. love that!

This picture of Em is taken so many years ago, but my favorite of her with Santa. He was at Walgreens one year, and he was pretty amazing. I could replace the pictures of each of them, but it would be taking away part of their childhood- and they are so precious!

This is a cup from the girls' piano Christmas party, and behind it are the boxes that have yet to be mailed to Operation shoebox. The girls researched who and where they wanted to spend their money for someone at Christmas, and after watching the videos on their website, they were so touched and very willingly spent their chore-earned money on children who may only receive this one gift ever. What a priceless experience for them at their age. There are so many sad things out there, but this was perfect for them.

The unfinished gingerbread houses because we ran out of icing, and i've yet to make some more.

Ellie made these :)

Merry Christmas!!!!

Blessings Abound

2011-12-02T19:06:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving at Mom and Dad's

Peyton, my nephew, doing Erika's job (we tease Erika because she would be a vegetarian if we let her- so she was a bit queasy watching Peyton)

Rob's Dad loves his grandkids- how sweet is this?!?

Rob's brother and his dad getting ready to dig in!

The kids made a sign for Rob's cousin, who is very sick with cancer and in the hospital. We took a picture and sent it on our phone to hopefully warm her heart a bit.

Rob's grandma and I

I love Thanksgiving. The food, the family, the friends. We are blessed and often do not see it because we are looking for things to show up in our lives in a different way and when they don't, we complain that life has cheated us or passed us by. Yet, everything that comes to us is a blessing. Sometimes it comes in a more difficult form, to assist us in seeing the good that is in our lives. Sometimes I need a gentle reminder from above to awaken me to what is needed. An issue with a friend reminded me to practice compassion, forgiveness and acceptance. Losing grandpa last month reminds me to embrace every day, to love our family like there may not be a tomorrow. Nothing is wasted. Nothing comes without a meaningful gift attached, even if it seems hard to believe. This year I am reminded to appreciate what is in our lives rather than pouting about what is not, and see how much life seeks to help us grow spiritually.

I found this lovely blog with printable gratitude signs. They are beautiful and profound quotes that help you to reflect on the importance of giving thanks and to Who we should be giving thanks to. Enjoy!

http://spirituallythinking.blogspot.com/2011/11/gratitude-printables.html

Indianapolis Museum

2011-11-17T15:11:00.000-08:00

This digital slideshow generated with Smilebox

Before Rob ran his 26.2 miles, he took the girls to visit the Children's Indianapolis Museum. They had a ball!

A Legacy

2011-11-17T13:51:00.000-08:00

The picture I took on my way to the retreat as Grandpa was only hours from Heaven.

You would think that with me writing on this blog for the last 2 years, I would know how to scan a picture, but obviously I do not. :)
A year ago last September, we went to church, like any other Sunday. Reading the bulletin on the way home from church, a women's retreat captured my attention. Thinking to myself: a night away and to make some SMOY friendships is just what I need. I thought- even better, I'll call my sister Julie, to go with me so we can catch up and "hang out."
The next week, we are unloading our sleeping bags from our cars, only to sleep on air mattresses in the school classroom at church. An hour later, as we are sitting at different tables, we find out that this time next year, we are the lucky ladies to be giving the retreat!
Here we are, a year later, a bit wiser, and a whole lot closer (to each other and to God), and don't regret one minute of it. After the retreat, we met a couple times a month and then weekly towards the end to prepare for the retreat. The friendships formed, the power of prayer, and the amazing presence of the Holy Spirit were just a bit of what we experienced together. What a legacy of women I was given in my life. I thank God for allowing me to cross paths and hopefully form lifelong friendships with my new "sisters."
The weekend we were to give the retreat, my grandpa passed away. He had been in and out of the hospital for the three weeks prior, but he is such a strong man, we still had hope he would pull through again. The God who held Grandpa as a young man, through all his years of farming and through those years of loss and struggle. The God who pursued him all his life and gave him grace when he faltered. The God who blessed him with a beautiful family and 90 years to enjoy them.
Grandpa was a dignified man, and he died a dignified death. That moment at home at mom and dad's with Hospice, we experienced the peace that comes from righteousness in Christ. Grandpa's death has been a powerful reminder that I will one day be the one in that hospital bed. The way I live my life matters, the choice I make affect generations to come, and I want to go out the way Grandpa did. With peace and faithfulness and complete trust in Jesus, to carry my from this life into the next. What a legacy he has left.

2011-11-08T21:21:00.000-08:00

Running Defines Rob

2011-11-06T19:41:00.000-08:00

Create a slideshow design

It was so euphoric watching Rob cross the finish line. 26.2 miles. Every bit of it. Months of training. We were so thrilled to spend a weekend in Indianapolis to cheer Rob on as he ran his first marathon. The outpouring of compassion and spirit that individuals gave to 12,000 runners who tackled the marathon was amazing. It took faith and courage to accomplish running this marathon and he did it! We are so proud of him!

Trunk or Treat

2011-10-30T18:04:00.000-07:00

Trunk-or-Treat

Our First Time Ever

A Blast!

School with Friends

2011-10-29T11:56:00.000-07:00

We mixed it up a little bit and a couple friends brought their schoolwork over so they could work together. They worked great and were pretty creative in learning together. They played a scrambled states game and practiced flashcards with states and capitals, they played a fun critical thinking game during lunch that was hilarious, and watched brainpop and quizzed each other. Days like this are so much fun and watching the girls so excited about learning is awesome!

A Day in the Life of Homeschooling While our neighbor's are on Fall Break!)

2011-10-26T17:54:00.000-07:00

Homeschooling on a day where our neighbors are on Fall Break, turned into a mini-school at the Glover's- and we had a blast! Three neighbor girls came over and they watched Ellie's video lesson on math and asked if they could do it too. I adapted the lesson for their level, and it was so much fun- I taught one how to add and subtract with a number line, and the other how to regroup. Then they helped Ellie work on her research project, which was on penguins.

Emily working on long division...

Emily and her Geography...

Emily researching using the ipad... we love it!

Time for lunch!

Sadie's a bit bored during the school day...

As I was carrying the camera upstairs to take a picture of Emily and her dolls, I couldn't resist taking a snapshot of our lives at the end of a day. Such a reflection of our day: Erika's towel from swim team that she carried in and that's where it was left, we got "boo'ed," (one of the girl's favorite things-I'll blog pics later), our library books on the floor, Disney World Book Emily is researching, A Heaven Book I've been reading to the girls- we had to say good-bye to my grandpa last week, bedtime snack, a plant from the ladies in my group at church that I just went to a retreat with over the weekend. Our lives at a glance.

Emily is my Mother Theresa. Out of my three girls, she struggles with falling asleep the most. Since she is reading Harry Potter series, for the second time, reading does not help put her to sleep. Her favorite thing to do is say the Rosary. She dedicates each decade to different people, which is so sweet. I brought her home this book and she loves it! It takes her saying the rosary one step further with reciting the Mysteries for the different days. Most mornings, I wake her with her rosary in her bed with her.

Caesar's Creek

2011-10-26T05:13:00.000-07:00

It's funny how you can turn a little "gym time" into a whole science and history lesson! We took advantage of this beautiful day and went to Caesar's Creek. We only gave ourselves about an hour, although we could've spent all day there! The girls loved the trail and reading about how the Shawnee Indians (which they are learning about now) walked on the same land they were walking on. They read about the deciduous forest on a sign in the woods and were thrilled because we had just learned all about that! I love days when there are so many teachable moments and learning and fun overlaps!

BATS!

2011-10-24T17:00:00.000-07:00

Learning about vampire bats- Emily is supposed to be the pig, while the teacher is the vampire bat, and it is licking it's blood. The boys in the group were fascinated with the idea of vampire bats, and the teacher wanted to clarify any myths so they will not fear them as much.

Katelyn was not so sure of seeing a live bat up close.

They were fascinated!

Poor little dead bat...

Exploring the History museum after our Bat Program...

We can't wait for the rest of the year's programs. To see the Cincinnati Museum's Schedule:

http://www.cincymuseum.org/educators/homeschool

Can't Stop

2011-09-27T23:33:00.000-07:00

I can't stop. I tried, but it's just not happening. Since I decided to quit blogging (in July) I've taken exactly 12 pictures. Yikes. Not happening. I need my pictures, it's my release, my validation, my reward, to be able to go back and see. See that it's all worth it. Every bit of the tears, sleepless nights of planning, more importantly- researching. YES! It's all worth it, every bit of energy.

Holding on to the last days of summer... in the first week of school.

Fun Times

2011-08-25T20:55:00.000-07:00

Free slideshow customized with Smilebox

As we embark on our new school year, I thought it would be energizing to watch a slide show the girls helped me create at the end of our last school year. It is a recollection of some of our outings and fun times that homeschooling enabled us to do, and I thought it was perfect to remind us of our blessings before our new year begins. It really got Ellie excited, because she was in school last year and she is looking to all the memories she gets to make this year with the girls.

summer stuff

2011-08-12T23:05:00.000-07:00

The girls had the opportunity to attend a History Camp in Lebanon and gained a whole new appreciation of life and death. This year's theme focused on Cemeteries and the life behind those left behind. They learned amazing facts and the teacher is a retired teacher at Lebanon,; he taught them everything to know about lebanon and the surrounding areas. We visited the biggest cemetery in Ohio, amongst others, and it was such an eye-opener to the amazing lives people lived before us, giving us the opportunity to live the way we do. An amazing camp.

a peck of erika's room (taken from erika's eyeview)

fun times, sleepovers are the best!

SMOYFEST, our church festival (entertaining themselves while Rob and I worked at the festival)

Cork took them to the zoo one weekend, at it's absolute hottest, but they somehow held in there!

I'd have to say; Erika has some amazing talent in taking snapshots!

A crocheting lesson- mom needs washcloths! :)

Dale Hollow

2011-08-09T18:44:00.000-07:00

Customize your own slideshow

BFF's

2011-07-29T07:47:00.000-07:00

Riley, Lily and Ellie. We had playdates, birthday parties, they went to school together and carpooled. They have known each other since they were infants. Riley, Lily and Ellie. BFF's forever.
And then Riley moved to California. We made her a scrapbook and exchanged emails. They will skype occassionally and they exchanged Christmas and Birthday presents in the mail. They send each other pictures of themselves on our phones.
Last week, they surprised us by coming to visit. The girls were ecstatic and giddy. They danced, giggled, shared stories. It was precious. Like they hadn't spent any time away from each other. Just like old times. Friendship is a beautiful thing.

2011-07-28T20:16:00.000-07:00

As hot and humid as these evenings have been, we couldn't resist pulling out the giant sparklers and letting the girls experience life at it's greatest! :) They twirled, danced, spelled their name in the air, and life seemed so grand with these humungous sparklers! I love watching them as they fade into their own little world as they watch the sparks twinkle in the night.

2011-07-28T20:09:00.000-07:00

Each day I try to accomplish something small in regards to my mess of a home. It's funny how we always look forward to the summer so we can get some things done, and then these summer days fill up and fly by! Today I accomplished cleaning off the counter that seems to get dumped on several times a day. It looks so nice... but somehow as one part of the house gets cleaned, another accumulates more junk!

Homeschool planning and my church group seem to consume every sitting-down moment I have.

Oh well, there's always tomorrow...

ST. Margaret of York Festival

2011-07-25T20:33:00.000-07:00

This year Rob and I were a little more involved at our church festival. After going to church the week before and hearing how there were 1600 shifts over the weekend, and 900 still needed filled, we didn't hesitate to dedicate some of our time, and with the girls being older, they were a big help! It was sticky, sweaty HOT, but it didn't slow down the dollars bills being spent! There were lots of games played, rides ridden, food eaten, and bands danced to.

I have such fond memories of my church festival growing up, but it was so much smaller. We knew every family and we all went to school together. Dad worked Bingo and we raced in sack races. I can't believe how old-fashioned/ancient that sounds. But it is so true. Part of me misses that. It seems now everything is so massive and you have so many choices as to churches and schools, that we've lost a bit of that personal ownership of a place. But as we've grown to love our church and the community that takes pride in it, we place more of an emphasis on being more involved and that is all it takes.

What I saw of the girls this weekend reassured me, though, that there was nothing they felt was missing. They didn't know any different. They were loving life. Isn't that what it's all about?! Sadly, this picture is all that I took of my phone, it being one of their favorite memories watching Miss Ohio dancing and singing onstage, and then being right there for signed autographs and pictures. She was so nice and took her time with the girls- fun times!

The Fourth

2011-07-05T22:53:00.000-07:00

Finding life in the everyday...

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!!

End Of School Year

2011-06-23T14:41:00.000-07:00

Erika needing some company to help her work...

An experiment on brain reflex

Making homemade soaps, lotions and shampoos in our elective class

Detectives

2011-06-04T19:19:00.000-07:00

At our co- op this week they made fingerprints and determined observed them to see if they have an arch, loop, or whorl. They learned that the ridges in their dermis form fingerprints, which are all unique. They were amazed when they compared and learned that God made their fingerprints like no other fingerprints in the world. Even identical twins have different fingerprints. Even if you cut your finger deeply, your fingerprint will grow back exactly as it has always been. This is because fingers are created deep in the dermis. They learned that everywhere we go we leave our fingerprints on things because of the oil and sweat glands. Cool stuff!

Where Did The Year Go?!

2011-06-01T12:51:00.000-07:00

Heading off to First Grade!

So excited to ride the bus! (But mommy ended up carpooling with some neighbors, because the bus ride was an hour each way- 2 hours is too much time on the bus, if you ask me)

The girls loved coming to help at the class parties. They were like little teachers- Mrs. Englert wanted them to stay for the day!

Mrs. Englert was our angel in disguise this year- she is an amazing person. She has a heart of gold and we were blessed for Ellie to be in her class- she went above and beyond to meet Ellie's needs.

Papaw loved hearing her book she wrote for Young Author's Night- this book is a keeper!

Singing at her musical... she played the xylophone also

The girls wanted to get something special for Ellie since they felt like she missed out on so much with them during the school year. They bought her a summer shirt and gorgeous extensions. She about flipped out- she was ecstatic! They made her a sign that said "Welcome Home." After this year and lots of reflection and praying, she is going to be homeschooled next year as well. Ellie will do great wherever she is- and she's very excited about next year. I am so thrilled with my year with the girls, we are already planning next year and what we will do the same/different. I think her face says it all. :)

Memorial Day Weekend

2011-05-29T22:34:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time a mommy takes her two girls to the library and then to the Ice Cream Parlor for lunch. She is feeling tired and sticky-hot carrying her third baby in her belly- yet ecstatic for the life ahead of her. Mommy is trying to pass the time while they are impatiently waiting for their house to be built and living with her in-laws. As they are looking over the menu, the mommy notices a family with their head bowed in prayer about to eat their simple little grilled cheese sandwiches in front of them.

That mommy is me and I say a little prayer myself that I want to meet that mommy. Two girls with her and pregnant as well. Months later, while we are admiring our house being built, we notice two girls and

their daddy playing in their front yard, which made us even more excited for our move. Our old neighborhood had all boys. As all fairy tales have a happy ending, I realized that we were building in the same neighborhood as the family that I absolutely adored at the Ice Cream Village that day. And we've lived Happily Ever After... :)

Dana and I immediately connect- we graduated in the same year- she went to Lebanon and I went to Edgewood, so we knew some of the same people, we both taught, and we both grew up with the same kind of country-simple-living upbringing. We each had three girls the same ages, with two husbands with the same interests, and there is not a day that I don't thank God our paths have crossed.

We've made so many great memories together- cookouts/swim parties like these, as well as an annual lake trip (no kids) where we just relax and just "be." So thankful for the Cropper family, where great memories are made!

2011-05-29T22:12:00.000-07:00

Nothing like kicking off Memorial Day weekend with two pool parties in two days! Saturday we got together with the gang from our high school years. We have been on vacations and have had lots of family grill-outs, as well as lots of fun (without kids) nights. We have so much fun together, we can be ourselves without any worries. Our kids have grown up together and we are in awe just how much they change from one time to the next. We feel so lucky that the kids get along so well like they've not lost any time together since the last time they've seen each other.

Dulle Memorial Tribute 3.wmv

2011-05-17T22:09:00.000-07:00

Need...sun!

2011-05-17T21:49:00.000-07:00

Really, REALLY need these skies, or I'm going to lost my mind- yes- the rain is starting to affect my moods and I am REALLY grumpy- needing Vitamin D and the girls to be able to get outside and run without stomping through a water-saturated yard- ugh!

Yet, I look at these smiles and tell myself that this is all I really need (and the sun to peek through for a bit and stay awhile)

Boat Races

2011-05-15T15:26:00.000-07:00

We had a drizzly, yet fun day at Grant Park for the Indian Princess Boat Race. Comparable to the Pinewood Derby for the Boy Scouts, the girls receive a boat kit with pieces of wood and a few rules and let their imaginations go.

The girls had a blast in the creek, but this year was colder and muddier than we are used to.

Erika won two awards- one for the boat's physical appearance, and she also won in the race.

Em won in her age group for the race.

Rob is the Indian Princess Chief this coming year, and this is our tribes' event that they are in charge of.

Rob getting ready to announce the awards

Erika's boat is the Eiffel Tower boat that is about to win- she helped her Dad at the finish line.

Feeling so blessed to celebrate in these memories after a pretty sad week, when the officer lost his life trying to protect the community. What a loss. Making the most of everyday is what it's all about.

May in Progress....

2011-05-13T20:04:00.000-07:00

My sweet beautiful niece on her First Communion day... Angelic. You can look into her eyes forever and ever....

she's alive and loved....

Working on a paper engineering project....

working on a historical research project

....growing up...

where my dad asked my mom to marry my mom.. (they built this gazebo in honor of them_ not really, the gazebo wasn't there when dad asked her to marry him outside of Golden Lamb, now it is a monument in lebanon!--- pretty cool!!!)

One of our favorite places in Lebanon, Manna Cupcakes

One of our favorite people in the whole world, Dana, lived here with her husband, Spencer Cropper. A Historic home.

Daddy showing offf

just another one of erika's crazy pieces...

a cutie

my girls are obsessed with chocolate...

A Henri' Matisse project

Grasshopper Dissection

2011-05-06T16:01:00.000-07:00

Science has been a favorite this year for the girls, but when I told them they were going to Boonshoft to dissect a grasshopper, there were some mixed emotions. Emily was excited about it (although I don't think she was picturing the grasshopper to be so big) and Erika was very sure she did not want to partake in tearing limbs off of an insect. Once they were immersed in the lesson and learning some amazing things, they knew they needed to dig in, in order to learn more and see first-hand. Since we are learning about the Human Body at our co-op, they were able to compare and contrast a lot of traits between humans and insects- what a memorable experience!

Girls with the Camera

2011-05-02T14:17:00.000-07:00

Through the eyes of the girls.... ( I don't want to journal on any of these pictures, because the girls took these pictures and I found them in their file. I think the pictures speak for themselves... love them!)

2011-05-02T13:37:00.000-07:00

As much as the fam is together, we have so little pictures we take with all 5 of us together. Here we are at my Aunt's on Easter Sunday, loving that we were able to sit outside and play for a couple hours before the rain came again.

Ellie was so darn cute as she scrambled from one place to the next just looking for the eggs that were visible, not wanting to stop long enough to really search :)

Em and cousin, Kayla, both in casts :(

The kiddos- they have so much fun together!

I love this picture of mom and dad

What an awesome Easter we had! There were so many times where I felt Sandy's presence during this Holy Week. With Good Friday and mourning the death of Jesus, yet rejoicing in His Resurrection, I have the same feelings for Sandy as she is looking down on her granddaughters celebrating in their Easter memories.

Videos and Articles About the Death of Osama Bin Laden

2011-05-02T08:46:00.000-07:00

Videos and Articles About the Death of Osama Bin Laden

Happy Easter!

2011-05-01T20:18:00.000-07:00

Are you serious?! That is all the pictures I took on Easter morning? Pretty embarrassing. This year we had to do things a little differently. Rob has gone through the lengthy but well-worth it process of becoming a Catholic. It is a 9 month class, and he was blessed enough to have a mentor come to our house on Saturdays, since Rob travels during the week and couldn't make the meetings. Joe was definitely sent from above- we learned an amazing amount of the church's history as well as insights from Joe that are better than any book I could read. He would stay about 3 hours each week, and the girls adored him as much as we did. Holy week was an amazing experience for Rob, as he went to Good Friday and witnessed a sad, yet eye-opening Mass, had his first Reconciliation, and received his First Communion. The Easter Vigil, which is when he was recognized, was from 9-midnight. My dad, Rob's dad, Erika, Emily, and I experienced the beautiful night as well. It was just too late for Ellie- there was a celebration afterward and the girls didn't get to sleep until at least 2 in the morning. Ellie stayed at Aunt Katie's and the Easter Bunny was nice enough to come to her house for Ellie. Lucky Ellie got to have two egg hunts, because the girls waited for her to have theirs. I color-coded their eggs this year, and the bunny hid them accordingly- they had a blast! just wish i had the pics to show it :) Happy Easter!

Good Friday

2011-05-01T20:02:00.000-07:00

Our Good Friday Tradition has been to dye eggs with all my sisters- it's a big to-do and a huge mess, but the kids love it! This year, my sister, Laura, that usually hosts all the fun, went to New York to visit her in-laws- so Aunt Katie's it was!

Alex's face was priceless as he pulled the egg from the coloring

Erika took the longest and never died out- she loved it!

Ellie was so patient, which was wonderful to witness because those moments are so far and few between :)

Emily loved writing sweet messages on all of her eggs

Landon wanted his fist in all of the cups and thought all the eggs were balls

Ellie was in absolute Heaven, as she got her first cuddles from Landon

Landon is definitely well-loved- we can't get enough of him!

Landon figured out how to open his eggs, but got so mad when he couldn't put them back together...

1st Egg Hunt

2011-05-01T19:43:00.000-07:00

The older the girls get, the faster they are! You would think by Erika and Emily's age, they would slow down, but that is not the case! Our neighbor has an annual egg hunt, and we were so excited to make it to our first one in the seven years we've lived there! They usually have it in the backyard to make it a bit trickier, but with all of the rain, it was a washout. It was going to be canceled, but with all the eggs already stuffed, and cupcakes made, they just had a free-for-all in the front yard. The kids were not disappointed at all! They just ran faster and went through more buckets! They were giddy as they opened the eggs and found all kinds of surprises- even silly bands! We are so blessed to have such awesome neighbors!

National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

2011-04-12T19:18:00.000-07:00

Today was the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War, so we thought it would be perfect to visit the Freedom Center in Cincinnati. Of course, so did 300 other students from Columbus :) We still had an amazing time- it was educational, enlightening and inspiring.
There was so much to see and absorb, we easily spent 3 1/2 hours there, and could've stayed longer, but head to head home to get Ellie.
We can't wait to bring Ellie and Rob back to learn even more!

We each used individual ipods, which the kids were very excited about,and programmed the number at each station we visited. This quilt was a beautiful story told of slavery through pictures.

There were poems, letters, and quotes displayed all throughout the museum- we were touched by so many.

This was a Slave Pen, a 177 year-old building discovered on a farm in Kentucky and donated to the Freedom Center. It honors the memory of all those who were enslaved.

The girls were experiencing what it was like for this slave, Henry "Box" Freedom, that traveled in this box in order for him to experience freedom. We were excited because we had actually read the book about him!

This was the kids favorite parts. It was a safe house where they listened to their ipods and they had to choose a hiding spot and then it would walk you through the pros and cons of each place, then tell you if you made it or if they were able to hunt you down.

I wish this turned out better, it was a poem that was displayed on the cellar steps that talked about how scared, dark and wet it was, and how they prayed the were with a slave conductor, and not a slave catcher.

This was a movie- pretty scary and very realistic, which made you feel as if you were really there! You developed such an apathy of what the slaves went through to risk the life of freedom. We will not take our lives for granted for a long time! It was a very humbling, revealing, shocking, inspiring and emotional experience. You can get an app if you visit www.freedomcenter.org.

Can't give it up...

2011-04-11T21:22:00.000-07:00

Just when I think I am going to let go of another thing I selfishly love, I realize how much I love documenting what's going on in my life, and don't want to give it up just yet. It only takes a few minutes each day, I can do this, and I want to! This summer, though, I want to look into blurb, which will not only blog, but turn it into a book for me when it is "full." When life slows down a bit, I will look into that. I am the old-fashioned kind of person that still loves the idea of holding a book in my hands, whether it is a scrapbook or a book I'm reading for enjoyment. Now that we have our ipad, you would think I would go digital and read my magazines and books on that. My dear friend, Nicki, just told me she read a book on her phone. Guess I need to get with the program... Anyhow, here's what's gone on with our life for the past month or so.

Emily working on a drawing in our co-op

Mrs. Morales teaching our kiddos how to become an artist...

Drawing a still-life using light and shadow- it's harder than it looks!

Erika and her model brain

Making a neuron chain

Erika and her doodles on the driveway, one in each box- cheers up these gray days!

Erika took this of our hydrangea just getting ready to pop up...

The girls' creations...

Robby and I were able to go to the Bahamas for 3 days as a Rewards Trip for his work- The most amazing place! I am so in love with that man. :)

The girls made cake pops- Erika's newest obsession- she follows the Bakerella blog... need I say more? Erika writes occassionally on her own blog, check her out- I follow her, just click on her link off to the side of my blog

Our favorite place to take a break- Manna Cupcake, down by the train in Lebanon. YUM, mini cupcakes.

Sadie checking things out...

Our favorite place, Montgomery Inn- we took the girls to the Boat House and had an awesome view by the window... perfect way to start out our spring break!

Ellie's lost both her top front teeth and I could just eat her up! Too cute!

All in a Day's Work

2011-03-08T19:47:00.000-08:00

Ellie is running this funky virus where she has a headache, stomach ache and sore throuat, but only has a fever at night. I kept her home Monday, and she dosed on the couch for an hour with rosy pink cheeks, then did great the rest of the day, only to falter and feel bad again last night. I sent her to school, even though she had a fever last night, against my own will, but she was doing ok this morning and she has missed so much school from her asthma. The nurse called and said Ellie had no fever, but a stomach ache, and she just wanted to let me know, but it is in Ellie's best interest to keep her at school. So I did. And I hated that feeling. When I picked her up, she asked why I didn't come get her. I had to give her the "That's Life" talk. Somedays you just don't feel great, but you just have to get your "game on" and keep on. She was ok with that. :) This picture is Ellie working on Math (she did school with me all day, since I had to teach the girls), and she learned to tell Time. She had a blast, it was so much fun! This age is great, because you are learning new things everyday that seem so monumental to them. So neat.

Whenever I need to make Erika happy, I go to www.deepspacesparkle.com, and find a project for her. Today she needed something to look forward to after math, so we made these very cool oil pastel portraits from http://www.deepspacesparkle.com/2009/01/modigliani-inspired-self-portraits/. We watched a beautiful video of some of his paintings, and some were nude, so we had the discussion of lots of artists paint nude paintings. The girls were so grossed out. Erika asked, "Why are they all women?" I look at her and say, "They're all men that feel they need to paint nude portraits..." Just food for thought :)

This was the quietest night I remember in a long time. Kind of nice, it was raining out, and we had a long, but fun, evening at their yoga class at the Y, then Ellie's Theater class at Dancekids. The girls are on their 7th and last book of Harry Potter, and I had to capture this moment of them both reading at dinner. I have to tell them to stop reading, when they are punished, they are banned form their books, the other day, Emily played hide and seek with some friends and hid so well just so she could read and she knew they wouldn't find her... I have no idea what will ever keep their attention as much as these books, thinking about C.S. Lewis. We'll have to see.

Mommy's shoes, skyping and Wacky Wednesday

2011-03-04T18:40:00.000-08:00

Can you believe that is my shoe Ellie is wearing? ! My girls are obsessed with walking around the house in my shoes. They love playing school and house in them. Today Ellie decided it would help her write better when we were doing her homework. Too cute!

Testing various juices with iodine to see if they contain Vitamin C at our Science class.

Working on drawing realistic pictures

Emily finally got to skype with her friend that moved last summer to Canada. She misses her so much, but seeing and hearing her on skype helps. The conversation was priceless. They talked about the weather and time differences, school, and Ellie came in and showed them how her tooth was loose and wiggled it for them- her face was up against the computer, she showed her the dresses they were going to wear to the Father/Daughter dance they have tomorrow night. It helped Emily feel reconnected- sometimes they would just not say anything and just smile at each other.

The girls had Kayla, their cousin, spend the night and they set up a spa. They dimmed the lights, had battery-operated candles, played classical music and rubbed me all over- heavenly!

The girls gave Rob a little more "rough" back massage- they were a bit more wound up for him! They did have fun rubbing lotion on him and putting hot compresses on his head. It was hilarious!

It was Wacky Wednesday this week for Ellie at school. She was soooo excited and went all out! I was proud of her, because my other two were a bit more reserved on their Wacky days in the past. Right before I dropped her off, she squatted on the floor of the van, and said, "I can't do it- I can't go in! What if nobody else is dressed up, what if they tease me?" She was so nervous and I just told her if anyone says anything just smile and tell them it's Wacky Wednesday. It was only for her class, so others were not wacky as she saw them outside walking in. She bravely stepped out, and gave me the cutest smile ever. When I picked her up, she started bawling. There were only two others in her class that did it and they were just wearing a hat. Even her teacher didn't dress up. Ellie said she would never dress wacky again, even if it was Wacky Wednesday. It broke my heart. One of the disappointments and learning experiences of growing up....

Daddy's Quick Birthday Moment

2011-03-03T14:19:00.000-08:00

The girls wanted woken up early so they could see Rob before he left for the rest of the week. It was his birthday and Ellie had made him a book that she had been working really hard on. I loved watching them interact so early in the morning and sharing such a sweet moment together. (Considering that was the only gift he got on his birthday) He had a long day on the road: he drove to Columbus, Kentucky and then Chicago all in one day, and on his birthday!

February Fun

2011-03-02T14:28:00.000-08:00


Ellie entertaining Rob with a game of "In a Pickle," after his knee surgery.

We were able to help in Ellie's classroom for the Valentine's Party

Ellie's teacher, Mrs. Englert

Erika went on a Wyldlife retreat with some Academy friends for a weekend in February

3rd Annual overnight at Emily's Academy teacher's house


Air Force Museum with Dad for an Indian Princess Outing

Since I haven't written in a while, and I feel like if this sun didn't come out like it did today, I was going to curl up into a ball. But it did, and I'm back at it. Maybe I'll be more motivated to take some more interesting pictures. There are so many moments that go by that I think to myself, "I wish I would've captured that... " I'll try to be better!

my creative one

2011-02-19T20:12:00.000-08:00

she took most of these pictures her self, i especially love this one

Never a part of the room untouched with one of Erika's projects. creativity is her middle name, love that in her. these are only a few of her crafts in just the last couple weeks. limitless. what a gift.

Who Knew?!?!

2011-02-17T21:58:00.001-08:00

You have to check out Tim Hawkins on YouTube, he is so funny! I was supposed to go to a convention with a couple friends and he was going to present one night, but unfortunately I'm ditching my friends. Rob won a trip for work and I get to tag along, yeah! Anyhow, here's a good laugh--- by the way- we're breaking the trend on this homeschool thing!

Letting Go

2011-02-17T20:25:00.000-08:00

Ellie made this picture for her neighbor, Riley, that recently moved to California. She misses her so much and it seems like everytime she wants to skype with her, the times just do not coordinate with California time. They write back and forth a lot, but with this warmer weather, all ellie can think about is riding down the street to see her friend, Riley. She asked me today if she could just go sit on Riley's empty swingset to help remember her friend.

Neighborhood swim at Riley's house

Their last day together; Ellie, Lily, and Riley, neighbor friends, lots of memories together. They were all newborns when us mommies met, they have been together for the last 6 1/2 years.

skyping together across the United States

Love you, Erika!

2011-02-17T20:20:00.000-08:00

This free slideshow design customized with Smilebox

Love you, Em!

2011-02-17T20:11:00.001-08:00

Free picture slideshow personalized with Smilebox

Happy Valentine's Day, Ellie!

2011-02-17T20:03:00.001-08:00

This free picture slideshow generated with Smilebox

Journey Back in Time...

2011-02-17T19:00:00.000-08:00

We had a bit of cabin fever and needed to break out of our house for a change of scenery, so we headed to SunWatch Indian Village. The girls took an Indian Weaving class, while I sat outside the room and shhh... read.

It was our fist time there, and as we drove along what seemed like a desserted path that followed along the Great Miami River, we came across an 800-year-old American Indian village.

This is a mini replica of the village that is actually re-constructed right there at SunWatch. We learned that the indians devised planting and harvesting schedules through a complex astronomical system charting the sun's alignments.

Erika was thrilled when she saw this display, because she had actually seen how scientists do this on "How It's Made." (below- I took her picture a couple weeks ago, because I thought I would walk in and see her watching i-carly or something lame, but instead she was watching the Discovery Channel, yeah!--- so I had to take a picture! Who knew that she would see an example of what she watched and apply it to something we are learning about!)

They traveled back in time by examining the villagers' tools, houses, customs, games and other aspects of their everyday lives.

They explored the fundamentals of archaeology and saw original artifacts unearthed during the site's excavations.

i know, don't ask what's on em's head... you gotta love her!
I hope the girls walked away after they shared in a culture that helped shape this region while they broadened their knowledge of American Indian traditions.

Lazy Days

2011-02-17T18:17:00.000-08:00

I love Sundays like this...

2011-02-07T22:39:00.000-08:00

bring it on, groundhog! i'm ready for spring!

2011-02-07T11:51:00.000-08:00

The only thing better than watching my nephew for the night is having three "little mommies" helping me! The girls were ecstatic when my sister Katie let us keep Landon for the night. It was like playing house with a real live baby! They fed him, read books, made a fort, gave him a bath, and even changed him! The best part of the night was cuddling all night and just feeling those little baby feet snuggle up next to me. Can't wait until next time!

Vegas Style

2011-02-05T19:24:00.000-08:00

Nothing like taking pictures with your phone in Las Vegas for my girls. I promised them pictures. What kind of pictures do you take in Vegas for your girls to see?! Well, here is what I gathered: I still had a lot of explaining to do, and they didn't even see anything! So here is my verbiage to the girls:

"Eeeew, what is that?!"
"Well, that's a snake, and people paid that man to have their picture taken with it."

"That's the Eiffel Tower, sort of."

"That's Elvis, not really."

"Look at the ceiling/sky- there's going to be a thunderstorm in a minute, sort of."

H&M is one of Erika's favorite stores in Chicago, so had to take a picutre for her

"This is kind of like a waterfall on the side of a hotel...."

"This is our giant sundae we ate without you" (tears)

"This is a giant white chocolate lady" (more tears)

"Just some glass on a ceiling in a hotel." (trying to sound like I'm bored)

"Feeling very guily at this point: "Um, Daddy took me to his favorite restaurant, Smith and Wolenski's." (sobs)

Erika: "Is that Kelly?!?!"

"And Mike?!?!?!?"

"The end. So, yes we had fun, but do you believe me girls, that I missed you?"

In with the New

2011-01-30T11:16:00.000-08:00

No more pretending to press a piano pedal.

No more pretending to touch extra keys.

No more downloading a metronome app on the ipad to keep the beat.

No more wobbly, uneven keyboard.

We finally bought a Digital Grand! The girls never really complained about what they had, but we've known we've needed one for a while. They were struggling to play their songs because they didn't have enough keys or a pedal. Now they look forward to practicing, and they sound beautiful! They have a musical in May and they are playing a duet of Annie, "Tomorrow." Can't wait. So far, Erika and Emily are taking lessons, eventually Ellie will end up taking some kind of musical lessons, just haven't figured out what yet. I'm picturing her holding an electric guitar, or just rocking the stage with her voice.

Having fun on our snow days with the piano boxes.

Math- good times!

2011-01-14T20:26:00.000-08:00

Em and math. She loves it, thank goodness, because Erika can't stand it. thankful they balance each other out. Emily pulls it out first thing in the morning and is finished and has it graded before I get home from taking Ellie to school. Erika on the other hand, groans, whines, cries, and pulls her hair out and then is bribed to do her math. Thank goodness, there is a DVD with a teacher to help teach the concepts so Erika isn't yelling at me.

Here's Em using math to make rectangles to find factors. She is excited because she was doing double digit multiplication that was getting pretty hard for her because she doesn't have her multiplication facts memorized. A new lesson, a fresh attitude. that's what it's all about.

Wrestle Time

2011-01-14T20:17:00.000-08:00

I can't believe these pictures. The last time I took pictures of them wrestling was about 4 years ago when we were on vacation in Miami, Florida. I distinctly remember it because they are some of my favorite pictures. Now the girls are big and they are all grown up. They don't fit on the bed where they used to wrestle, and sadly, Em wasn't here tonight to wrestle with them. somehow, I got in on the match and Erika is as strong as I am. Really, maybe stronger, with my broken elbow that won't heal. Still, a memory.

Teaching my Children

2011-01-14T19:49:00.000-08:00

There's so much in life to teach my girlies. The curriculum is endless. I came across this recently and added some of my own. Some I can even hear my Mom saying to me. Here are a handful of basics I hope they carry with them:

You can't change people.

Men like it when you ask them to open the jars.

Make lists. Lots of them. And check them off as you get them done. It feels good.

If you're in a contest, you have to find a way to be different than everyone else.

Laugh and the world laughs with you, cry and you cry alone.

It's just as easy to fall in love with a rich man as a poor one, Elizabeth. (this one made me smile)

In a fire, cover your mouth and nose with your T-shirt while you crawl out.

When someone is drowning, don't jump in after them. find a branch.

Life is too short. go for it.

There are plenty of great colleges within a three hundred mile radius from home.

Talk. Communicate. Let others hear your voice.

About Me.

2011-01-14T19:19:00.000-08:00

I never thoughtt I'd be married to my teen age crush, the mother of three girls ages 6, 9 and 11 or be a stay-at-home mom and be homeschooling. In my former life, I was a Type A, first born, A student who became a kindergarten teacher as an adult. And now here I am.

My life is full of personal growth and a determination to focus on the positives in life even when I'm trying to make lemons at every turn. And my story is far from over.

Being a mom to our children is one of my most prized roles. Parenting is my passion. I have other passions, too. Like loving my husband, living my life for Jesus, and keeping family and friends as my priority.

I'm a work in progress. I'm trying to figure out life, one day at a time. This is my life. My blog. At least the parts I choose to share.

When someone learns that we homeschool their typical responses are "WOW!" or "I could never do that!" On very rare occasions I receive comments about the big "S" word (socialization) or about testing. Then of course there are the people that are very interested in why we homeschool. there is of course no quick and easy answer to this question. It just works for us. for now. We will take it year by year. The path that God has taken me has taught me not to worry about tomorrow. It's in His hands. It all works itself out.

I look at homeschooling as a lifestyle, an extension of my parenting, not purely an educational choice. I am not always as patient as I would like to be but children often bring out the best and the worst in us. I have enjoyed seeing that light bulb go off when they get something. I love knowing just where they're at and what kind of learner they are. I've enjoyed truly learning about the girls and who they are as people. I am forever in awe at how amazing the human brain is and how my children think and learn.

My children teach me something new every day and I wouldn't trade this time with them for anything. I am thankful I am able to stay home, as that is not the case with so many of my friends. I think the biggest lesson homeschooling has taught me is to slow down, cherish each moment because children grow so fast and to just enjoy each phase.

Air Smooches

2011-01-14T17:54:00.000-08:00

Daddy was gone this week after he'd been home the last couple weeks for Christmas. We missed him lots. Here's Ellie sending air smooches to Daddy. We're a smooch-y bunch.

Ellie. You've gotta love her. She'll make you laugh. And cry. And I am so thankful she's mine. Just go ahead and say a prayer for me now. And tomorrow. Because she's Ellie.

I love my time alone with her driving to school. She isn't afraid to ask me anything and we talk about a lot. For a 6 year old. Like recess, and kids in her class who go to red everyday (that's bad...), fires, daddy, she shares favorite books she's read. And lots more, you name it.

In the beginning of the year, she rode the bus to and from school, but was riding for over 2 hours and 15 minutes a day. She wasn't getting home until quarter til 5, and all she talked about was the big 5th graders that got in trouble that got to sit up front with her. Needless to say, I take/pick her up now. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

When she started school, she had a difficult time. A really hard time. She would cry for hours at night, crying herself to sleep, praying for me to keep her home with me and her sisters. She visited the nurse's office several times a week, and they quickly figured her "home" sickness out, giving her little sympathy.

Each morning I sent her off to school, we would kiss each other's hand and she would hesitantly walk into school, looking back at me with those big brown eyes, several times. I would ask myself, what was she thinking right now? Does she get hugs from her teacher? Is she smiling lots at school? We never dreamed she would have these difficulties, because she is such the social butterfly and always wanting to go, go, go!

She slowly adapted to the long day and looked forward to going to school each day. We still exchange kisses on our hands to get each other through the day, and she still glances back and smiles at me. With a little wave and sometimes she would even blow me a kiss as the traffic guard would shoo her on.

The last couple times I've noticed she hesitated to kiss me in the van before she hopped out, and would be looking outside to make sure no one was passing by when she kissed me. This morning, she looked at me and pecked me quickly on the cheek and hopped out. And looked back maybe once. You might think this is a good thing, but I'm struggling with it. No more little girl. I'll just have to sneak kisses in her sleep. Whenever I can. Because her kisses are the best. :)

Winter Fun

2011-01-12T23:19:00.000-08:00

Paper Engineering at our co-op

Lunch at Ellie's school

Helping Papaw snow blow our driveway, kinda (see ellie, walking behind?)

Sadie licking off Ellie's snowblowing venture

Papaw filling in for daddy and playing wii mario cart for the first time EVER!

Builiding at COSI

Cookie Swap

2011-01-03T14:43:00.000-08:00

It has become an annual tradition for the last four years to pick a couple favorite cookie recipes, bring all the ingredients we need, and bake lots of goodies together! The kids come and go to help in shifts, as they are also happy to play together. After dividing up our cookies, we have tons to sample on for the next couple weeks. Yum!

Boonshoft

2010-12-07T18:15:00.000-08:00

We bought a membership that will get us into Boonshoft, COSI, and Sunwatch Village for the year. I hope to get our money's worth out of it. We went to COSI's Titanic Exhibit and they loved it! Today we went to Boonshoft for a science class, and they had a great hands-on experience with learning about the stars. They were told to pretend they were on a ship lost at sea, and to use the stars and the degrees with longitude and latitude to locate just where they were in the sea in order for them to be rescued. They did great!

These pictures above are from Boonshoft and Taking Care of the Oceans Exhibit. They had to walk through a maze, answering questions, and taking certain paths depending on your answer. Activities were located throughout the maze.

All in a Day

2010-12-06T18:12:00.000-08:00

The days fill up so fast. My days with the girls have been great, I love that we could go on all day and still want to go on! There is so much on homeschooling out there, it is overwhelming. I have a group of friends that we get together with and some great learning and fun goes on, but I know there are so many families out there that I almost feel like I've limited myself because there's not enough time in the day it seems, to venture out and do more. We've gone to the YMCA a few afternoons to let the girls swim, and there are tons of families there where the kids are all in this couch area where they are working on their schoolwork and moms are visiting, but the opportunity hasn't quite presented itself to meet anyone.

I had to share a few snapshots of a typical day. The first one is of Em making some of her lunch on her own as I am probably throwing in a load of laundry of getting something "important" around the house done. They are getting to be pretty self-sufficient at their noon meal. I love watching them "round out" their plates, getting in all the colors they can or trying to complete their food pyramid.

We also love the computer! The girls are taking a foreign language and keyboarding, and we will get on live webcasts (above) on Thanksgiving, but we also love to work on various skills like math, watching videos on Discovery Education, and writing responses to Time for Kids.

On Thursdays, we go to a coop with three other families. Our afternoon is centered mostly around Science, and then we do an elective. so far the kids have been sewing corn hole bags, drawstring bags, cutting ornaments with a scroll saw and drawing. In Science, we are learning about the Human Body. Emily M. leads it and she is a chemical engineer, which is awesome, because the kids are learning so much! On this post, we drew blood and found out our blood type. They were so brave and so interested!

I know how blessed I am to have the opportunity to be home with my girls and now even have the chance to be teaching them all that I can. All in a day.

Electricity Out

2010-12-01T16:43:00.000-08:00

It was really dark in the Glover household last night when the lights went out. We lost our electricity last evening, there was a horrible accident on the hill of the road we live off of. We made the most of it by finishing dinner in the dark... and leaving the dishes for the morning...

Reading by the lantern light...

Daddy in the recliner... sleeping

Here sit the dishes waiting for me in the morning... where is the dishes fairy when you need it?!

We all cuddled up in two beds and stayed warm until the electricity clicked back on this morning. Thinking I could do without electricity, with a candle and a book more often! Just need the dishes fairy to visit. Please pray for those that were in the accident last night...

Writing Stories

2010-12-01T15:15:00.000-08:00

Erika and her Character Helper Templates in front of her as she writes her story. Check out her shirt- Go BGSU! :) Sometimes we get dressed for school :)

Emily and "one of her ways" of reading her book for Social Studies. Last night she finished (after lights were out and I was asleep) and she came down and hugged me and said, "I'm crying happy tears, I finished the book- it was so good. Not happy because I finished the book, but happy tears, because I loved the ending."

Today the girls worked really hard on their stories. They filled out a template that helped them develop their characters. It worked really well and they are doing great!

December Fun

2010-12-01T15:03:00.000-08:00

It's December! We thought we'd go visit winter!

BFF'S

2010-11-26T22:28:00.000-08:00

Barb and I at her 40 something....

still trying

2010-11-26T21:31:00.000-08:00

still trying for that christmas photo...

So Thankful

2010-11-26T19:29:00.000-08:00

Thankful for Rob's mom's summer sausage recipe... and the memories of Christmas with Sandy

Skyping with Ellie's neighbor friend from California, that just moved. A little broken-hearted- but skype is a great thing!

Uncle Randy's 40th (thankful he's 40 before me!)

Playing catch the mouse and vacuuming at the same time- can't beat it.

Polar Express, the night we put our Christmas up, still trying to figure out the movie. I totally get the book.

Finishing up the top of the tree, (some things never change: (with lil' Em and her pants- absolutely priceless)

Watching Polar Express... and believing in the MAGIC!

"Let's skype!"

2010-11-23T21:57:00.000-08:00

Having a friend move away is tough. Ellie's good friend and neighbor, Riley, moved to California, and Emily's friend, Erica, moved to Canada. They have been writing back and forth and anxiously await a letter in the mail daily. They love exchanging pictures, stickers, and sweet words scribbling BFF's at the bottom of each letter. We are trying to help with some of the sadness by letting them talk on the phone some, which is really cute for a 6 and 9 year old. They talk about favorite colors, what they are learning about in school, what they want for Christmas, among other various topics. We took it a step further and let the girls skype together, which was absolutely priceless! We were worried that it might make them miss each other more, but they were adorable together! They got there American Girl dolls and showed them to each other and talked about their hair and outfit. Sometimes they would just stare at each other and smile. To end their conversation, they both kissed the computer. "Let's skype tomorrow!" Yes, besides the good ole' letter writing which skype could never replace, skype might be a good thing to help with some of that heavy heart stuff!

(will figure out post at some point...)

Heavenly Weather

2010-11-11T18:32:00.000-08:00

This week has blessed us with the most heavenly weather in the history of mankind. It's just so comfortable... like an old sweater, with enchanting morning frosts, afternoon cool calms and evenings with just enough chill to call for hats and quilts...

Thankful

2010-11-02T17:17:00.000-07:00

November is here, ready or not! This gorgeous weather is a daily reminder of all that we have to be thankful for. My hopes is to find in each day a bit of gratitude and a thankful heart.
There are many things that I am grateful for, however for this initial post, I will share that I am deeply grateful for the main man who gave me this incredible life, God. It is through Him that I am able to do anything!

BFF's

2010-10-25T20:28:00.000-07:00

3 friends since birth having to say good-bye to 1 is not easy by any means.

Ellie, Lily, and Riley were all born within 6 months of each other and being neighbors, and their moms being great friends, their friendship was inevitable.

Playdates, carpooling, neighborhood and birthday parties only brought these three closer together. I could listen to their giggles and stories all day, and never tire. They were three peas in a pod.

Now Riley moves to California tomorrow and Ellie is beside herself. "You can be penpals!" I tell her. "We'll go visit her someday." She gives me that look, like that is just not good enough for me.

Riley, you will be missed, sweetie!We promise to write, email, call. BFF's forever! (Karen, you know I miss you already) :)

Oil and Water

2010-10-20T12:50:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of things about raising 3 girls that scare the crud out of me. Good old Mother Nature, for one. We might as well just put a huge sign on our front door saying, "Enter at your own risk!" And driving... ugh. This one makes me feel all panicky if I dwell on it too long. Erika, yeah, I'd trust her behind the wheel... but Ellie? Uh, let's just hope they raise the driving age to, like, THIRTY! Let's see, what else? Oh yes. Boys. 'Nuff said. Oh and I can't forget just the sheer amount of money it's going to cost us in the end- proms, car insurance, college, weddings, etc. etc. etc.

Just thinking about it makes me feel a little panicky.

But there's one thing in particular that weighs heavily on my mind more than all that above. The one thing that I worry about, constantly think about, pray about and probably drive Rob crazy talking about. And that one thing is my relationship with each of my girls.

It's so easy finding things out there about the relationship between a daddy and his daughter, or a mama and her boy. Mom's and daughters? Like oil and water.

We give birth to these precious, innocent, dependent little souls. And we spend the next 18 years teaching them how to fly, so that ultimately they leave the nest. And I don't think any mother, looking down at their precious sweetie tucking them in at night and saying prayers with them, anticipates or looks forward to letting go and letting them learn from their mistakes.

"Let go and let God." That's my motto. At a recent retreat I went to, after having experienced the best confession I've experienced (is there really such a thing?!) I left with the message, "Be still and know that I am God." That's good, I need that.

So how do you get there? What needs to be happening in a home to foster a safe, close and intimate relationship between a mother and her daughter? How do you ensure that you are not a helicopter mom (one that hovers)? These are the questions I'm dwelling on these days.

2010-10-18T18:30:00.000-07:00

Indian Princess:

1. Girls get really dirty and don't change their underwear for the weekend.

2. Girls play in the fire with their dad.

3. Girls learn silly songs and chants around a campfire ("The Moose")

4. laugh and giggle with their friends until the wee hours of the night.

5. Experience the outdoors from morning until night with their dad, without their mom telling them what to do, and always seem to be just fine.

Dairy Farm at the Kelly's

2010-10-11T21:46:00.000-07:00

OK, so I thought I grew up on a farm! I have quite the memories of farm life with cousins on our farms with the horses, goats, sheep, pigs, gravel pit, New Holland Store, Gravel Pit, combining, baling hay, and so much more. A few weeks ago, we visited a Dairy Farm. The girls saw hands-on milking the cows, stirring the manure and fertilizing the fields, how the crops and combined, where the corn goes, where the milk goes (once it's milked) and so much more! What an amazing moment in these small hours of our kiddos in their lives- only hope they remain!

Disney On Ice

2010-10-11T20:37:00.000-07:00

What an awesome night! My sweet friend called me and told me she was going and wanted me to get tickets with her- it was her first girl after 3 boys- and I had been doing this "princess thing" for years. So when I asked my girls, Ellie said she didn't remember ever going, and Erika said she'd love to go! So we ordered tickets, (lots of dollars later) and had soooo much fun!

Em's 9th

2010-10-11T20:28:00.000-07:00

Posing with mom and my sweet sis Kate

Making wishes for her sweet 9th birthday with everyone she wanted at her party (her family- how sweet is that?!?!)

Opening gifts (and watching football game)

trying to retrieve kites out of trees- it was pretty cold, but all the cousins had so much fun playing outside!

(Really wishing I would've taken more pics, but with a splinted arm, makes it kinda difficult)!) :)

Emily... I Wish I Could Give You Everything

Another year has passed. I look at you and wonder where the time has gone. You have grown and matured into a beautiful little lady; you are a precious and essential part of my life.

My pride in you is unsurpassed, and the happiness that you bring to me is unending. You are like a precious gift that keeps on giving, and you have fulfilled my life in unique and wonderful ways.

I know that I can count on you, for you are helpful, dependable, and trustworthy. Your smiles and laughter light up my life, and there's no one else I'd rather spend time with.

May your birthday bring deep happiness to you, like you have brought to me. May you have peace, love, faith, a sense of humor, and an optimistic attitude.

May you appreciate and notice all of your blessings and find joy in all of the wonderful little things life offers. I wish that I could give you everything you could ever want, and guarantee you health, safety, and joy. But all that I can promise you is my love -- unconditional, complete, and forever.

I love you, Emmy, with all my heart!
Love,
Mom

A Taste of Fall

2010-10-11T20:02:00.000-07:00

Went to the park in the afternoon to sit under a tree and finish schoolwork (look at how amazing that tree is we sat under) and then to take a few spins on the playground, before heading home to get our Ellie-belly.

Em's Birthday Gift

2010-10-11T19:55:00.000-07:00

The girls are having lots of fun making smoothies from Nana's birthday gift for Emily!

The Work of Faith

2010-09-27T22:38:00.000-07:00

I went to a retreat this past weekend and I can't begin to tell you what I got out of it. First of all, I have never been to a retreat, so I had no set expectations. But then I got there and experienced it, and loved every second of it. One of the women that went that I had met on a couple other occasions, received a mustard seed encased in an antique glass bulb on a chain. I asked her about it and she said, don't you know the story about the grain of mustard? I stupidly said no, and she went on to tell me the story.
How crazy is this?! I ordered a subscription for my girls to receive every other week from church for them to refer to and as we were reading it, we came across the story of the mustard seed. Pretty cool how God works.

In the Bible, the disciples ask Jesus to give them more faith. He goes on to tell them that if they had a tiny bit of faith, even the size of a mustard, that they could command a great big tree to move! When God made my girls, they were no bigger than a mustard seed and then they grew and grew! Then, as they are growing, faith makes them grow strong in love and to work hard to live like Jesus. These are my seeds.

Can't quite figure out how to "twist the pictures" when I scan them, but here is my group for my retreat that gave me a whole new perspective in life (I pray meeting with these dear new friends, my faith continues to refresh and renew throughout each week.

Beyond Words

2010-09-27T22:01:00.000-07:00

Miss Rob's Mom, and my grandparents, beyond words, this year. 4 years. Eternity at times. To have them back for one more hug. Just one.

2010-09-27T21:54:00.000-07:00

The girls having fun with experiments, giving presentations and hanging with friends at our co-op on Thursday afternoons.