Posted in The life and times of my family

I'm a couple of weeks behind but here are pictures of my new 16 yr. old!  We celebrated by having some of her friends over for dinner and a movie.  They watched Night at the Opera starring the Marx brothers.  It's satisfying knowing that we've educated her in the finer things in life.    Now, for your viewing pleasure and my mommy brag, my dd! 

Dec. 9, 2007:

Sweet 16!

Posted in The life and times of my family

Today my dh and I celebrate 15 years of marriage.  It has been hard a lot of years but God is faithful, even when we're faithless.   I expect that the next 15 years are going to be much better!  God is working miracles in our relationship everyday!  It is only through His strength that we can do this.  I'm glad I'm married to my guy!  He's taught me so much about myself, about life and about love. 

Posted in The life and times of my family

Here's my menu for this week:

Mon.: ham and bean soup

Tues.: turkey with fruit sauce and rice

Wed.: chicken with noodles

Thurs.:Thanksgiving dinner (menu tbd tomorrow night when we get our box from church)

Fri.:turkey soup

Sat.:leftovers from Mon.

Sun.:leftovers from Fri.

Posted in The life and times of my family

I've decided to participate in Menu Plan Monday this week.  Here's my fabulous plan for the week.

Mon. Buffalo chicken over rice
Tues. southwest chicken and bean tacos
Wed. chicken and gravy over potatoes
Thurs. ham slices with cranberry sauce
Fri. eat at church
Sat. chicken in some sort of sauce (to be invented on the fly) over pasta
Sun. Ham and black beans over rice

Posted in The life and times of my family

We had a ladies brunch today at church and on the way my truck made a very scary sound.  I'm no mechanic but I knew enough to get off the road.  I eased over into the right lane and pulled into a parking lot.  It has been temporarily repaired and it needs a new U joint.  That's a $10 part and so it's affordable.  Throughout the whole ordeal I had no idea how we were going to get it repaired but God was still revealing His tender mercies and care to me.  Here are the things He did for me, even before I knew how it was going to get it fixed.

1.I was planning to take the freeway but dh called and wanted me to drop some stuff at work. I took surface streets instead.  If I'd been on the freeway I may have lost control of the car when the rod broke and been in an accident.
2.I had the cellphone with me. I don't always take it as it's really dh's phone.
3.I was able to move it off of the street and into a parking lot so no towtruck expenses.
4.Our friend, Jordan was able to come pick us up and since I only had the girls we all fit in his little car.
5.I had decided to just go home and give up on the ladies brunch but Jordan misunderstood so we went to church.  While there I shared my struggles with the other ladies and the church secretary took it upon herself to call Jack, a member who mechaniced professionally for years.
6.Jack was going to be passing where our truck was and had time to stop by and take a look. 

It's still parked where I left it, I'm not comfortable driving it but Jack was able to get it driveable again, PTL!  Jordan will take dh to get it tonight after work.  Meanwhile, I'm praising my Father in Heaven for caring for me.

 

Posted in The life and times of my family

Our family is proud to announce that dh AKA Daddy is the proud recipient of an Associates of Occupational Science from Colorado School of Healing arts with certificates in cranio-sacral therapy, neuro-muscular therapy, sports massage and trauma touch therapy.  That adds up to a total of at least 2000 hours of training in massage therapy, enough to practice anywhere in North America.  We celebrated at his graduation on Sunday and followed it up with a quiet get together for friends at our house afterwards.  We're rejoicing that 2 1/2 years of hard work and sacrifice has resulted in a succesful finish to his education.  Praise the Lord for His faithfullness to us throughout this journey.  Here is a picture of the proud graduate.

Posted in The life and times of my family

Dd has been home for almost a week now and we've started to get back into our normal routine.  She worked really hard and had some fun.  They were careful with the budget so the kids were able to go to the San Diego zoo on their way home from Mexico.  The hardest part of the whole experience for her was the camping.  Especially the 2.5 gallon showers and the horrible outhouses.  These aren't your garden variety outhouses like we have in many parks in the U.S.  They were just wooden benches over a hole in the ground that wasn't as deep as dd would have preferred, blech!  The AMOR camp is in an industrial area of Tijuana.  She camped within shouting distance of a large refinery.  Not exactly a stellar first camping trip.  We've tried to explain to her that camping is much more pleasant then that here in Colorado.  She was amazed at how many little cultural things she was already familiar with in spite of the language barrier.  She was a great barterer in the market and was able to help her friends figure out what the drinks were.  We quite often drink Jarritos here so it wasn't at all foreign to her.  One thing that really surprised her was that when they returned to the U.S. the border patrol didn't even look at their passports.  They asked if everyone was a citizen and after receiving an affirmative response they were waved right through.  I'm glad she had this experience.  I think she had a chance to really find out what she's made of and a chance to grow some too.  Now she's on a mission to influence her youth group in a positive way.  What a blessing she is to us!

Posted in The life and times of my family

My 15 yr. old dd is in Tijuana, Mexico right now.  This morning the crew got up and headed to the work site to begin constructing a house for a needy family.  The house they're building is insufficient by American standards but it's a vast improvement for the family that will live in it.  Most of the families that receive AMOR homes live in the dump outside of Tijuana.  The homes consist of four walls, a cement floor and a simple roof.  I'm not sure if the homes have doors or just doorways.  The family works alongside the visiting crews and then after the home is completed they prepare a meal to thank the many people who built their home.  There is a certain level of risk in eating these meals (they certainly don't follow the food safety rules we do here) but dd has all her shots and won't be drinking the water.  I continue to pray that God will teach her and protect her as she goes through this experience.  I'm so grateful that she's able to have it!

Posted in The life and times of my family

Helen said "please" this morning!!!  She's taken quite a long time to begin talking but over the last 6 months or so has slowly taken off.  She now has about 20 words in her spoken vocabulary and is gaining new ones very quickly.  This morning when it was time for breakfast she said, "peace" while she made the sign for please!  I was thrilled.  Now when she wants something she urgently rubs her tummy (the sign for please) and repeats, "peace, peace, peace."  Sooooo cute.

Posted in The life and times of my family

Happy birthday to Helen!!  She turned 2 on July 8.  Here she is with her cake the night before.   She doesn't know it but her daddy helped her blow out the candles.  Doesn't she look pleased??  She is truly a miracle. 

Posted in The life and times of my family

With all the life that's been happening around here I haven't blogged for a few months.  A lot has happened since I last updated.  We've had several birthdays.  The oldest is now 15, our little guy is 4 and I turned 35.  Summer is in full swing around here.  That means school is often interrupted by camps, trips to the library and other craziness.  It also means that I'm responsible for 6 children during the day, instead of 5.  I continue to plug along on my sewing projects and my garden.  Dh is now working at two different spas and is thrilled to finally be using his training for work.  I've been reading some interesting books and planning out the rest of dd's high school curriculum.  I also spend a lot of time shuttling ds back and forth to Boy scout functions.  He's obtained his tenderfoot and the rank of scout.  He's working hard to earn his second class.  He heads to Boy Scout camp on the 8th of July.  The same day that his baby sister turns 2.  I was able to attend the Friday night general session of the CHEC conference.  Ken Ham from Answers In Genesis was the keynote speaker and he was wonderful!  I left inspired, encouraged and grateful for the blessing that homeschooling has been for my family.  God continues to bless and teach us in ways that constantly surprise me.  I pray that He is training me up for His work.

Posted in The life and times of my family

Matthew received his Arrow of LIght last month.  That is the highest honor in Cub Scouting.  He earned 18 of the 20 activity pins.  That's more then anyone else in his pack!   He then bridged over to Boy Scouts.  I'm very proud of all of his hard work.  Here are some pictures from the special night!

Mom pinning ds's Arrow of light patch on:

My handsome Boy Scout!

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My paternal grandfather passed away yesterday morning.  I have wonderful memories of his and Grammy's  many visits to my childhood home in CA and the summer my sisters and I spent with them.  He was always ready to tell silly jokes and play silly games.  I can't eat lemon drops without thinking of him.  He and grammy drove all the way to south TX from central MI to visit dh, my children and I when they were in their 80's!  No one else in our family would have attempted that trip.  They have always made my children feel treasured and when my oldest was born out of wedlock I was given loving grace, not judgemental unkindness.  His was a life well lived for his Lord.   Grampy, you'll be missed

I've removed the last names for my family's privacy but I wanted to share this to honor and remember my grampy.  This is his obituary along with some side notes from my uncle. 

Leo Forrest ______
May 7, 1913 - Feb. 14, 2007

Consumer of good food for more than 93 years.

Leo, age 93, of Shepherd, Michigan, passed away Wednesday,
February 14, 2007 at Masonic Pathways in Alma, MI.

Dad had been suffering from congestive heart failure and his health declined quickly after this past fall season. On every visit with Dad, no matter how weak he felt, even our last visit on Saturday, he always lit-up to see his grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Leo was born on May 7, 1913 in Shepherd, MI, the son of Herbert and Katie. He married Rose  on August 7, 1939 in Lincoln, Maine. Except for two years in the forties, Leo was a lifetime resident of Shepherd, MI. Leo was preceded in death by his parents; his sister Elva who passed away May 8, 1993; and his son, Eric, who passed away in Long Beach, California on September 27, 2005. He is survived by his wife, Rose; son, Brian of Lansing, MI; Eric's children, Judith (Bryan), Deborah (Matthew)  and Rebekah (Jerry) ; Brian's children, Nathan of Fairbanks, Alaska,  Jennifer of Detroit, MI,  Benjamin (Erin) of Lansing, MI, Elizabeth (Habacuc)  of Santiago, Chile; and 10 great grandchildren.

Leo became a member of the Orchard Ave. Church of Christ in June of 1925. Most recently, he and Rose fellowshipped with the Westlawn Church of Christ. Through the years he was active as a teacher, organist, deacon, and elder.

For 72 years, he was active as a Life member and also a Past Master of the Salt River Masonic Lodge #288 of Shepherd, MI. He was a Past Worthy Patron of the Eastern Stars. He was active with the Shepherd Hook and Trigger Club. Recently, he became a member of the Union Veterans of the Civil War as Past Commander.

Dad enjoyed his last "Plow Days" with The Greasy Fingers Two-Cylinder Club, an affiliate of the National Two Cylinder John Deere Club.

BLANCHARD, Mich. — Putt, putt, putt … the sound of two-cylinder tractors broke the morning silence last Saturday as about 30 members of the Greasy Fingers Two-Cylinder Club worked a field at Roger McCarthy’s farm in Michigan’s Rolland Township near Blanchard. ...The day’s participants ranged from toddlers, young couples and retirees to 93-year-old Leo of Shepherd. Leo enjoys the camaraderie of the group. “I’ve got an H and a ’45 B war-time tractor. It’s kind of an oddity,” he said.

Leo was also a member of the American Legion and a Life Member of the
National Rifle Association and the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association. In 1925, Leo joined the Boy Scouts and from that time, almost a continuous 60 years, he served in various capacities for that organization. He served as an Assistant Leader, Scout Master, and regional representative. He was awarded the Silver Beaver and Wood Badge. Both of his sons earned the Eagle Scout rank with Palm and attended a National Jamboree. After graduating from Shepherd High School in 1931, Leo worked several years for Shepherd Hardware and Implement, as a John Deere mechanic and set-up man. He served three years in the State Troops and had a tour of duty in the US Army. Following his discharge from the military, Leo worked for Lincoln Pulp and Paper in Lincoln, Maine for two years. Returning to Michigan, he took employment in St. Louis at Michigan Chemical, later named Velsicol. He retired in 1975.

Both Leo and Rose enjoyed traveling together and did so from the time their children were very young. The four of them covered much of the continental United States, Canada, and Alaska. Leo and Rose continued to travel after their
retirement.

Here he is in January with my uncle, two of my cousins and the newest great grandchild.  What a heritage!

Posted in The life and times of my family

It was a blizzard and a big one!!  We got about two feet of snow here in the Denver suburbs.  We were quite trapped in our house most of Wed. and all of Thurs.  We spent two hours shoveling snow this morning and were able to get the car out this afternoon.  I sure miss my AWD van.  The little bitty hyundai we're borrowing is terrible on snowy roads!  Top that off with making two trips when the family goes somewhere and we're pretty homebound still.    In spite of the hassle, I love the snow!  This year's blizzard didn't beat the St. Patrick's day blizzard of 2003 but the timing wasn't great for those who are traveling.  There were over 4000 stranded at the airport and many stranded at the Greyhound station, downtown.  The malls and roads are insane as everyone hustles around trying to finish up their shopping.  I've lived through two blizzards now!  I think I'm a Coloradoan now, lol!  Here are some really cool pictures!

The overhang on Thurs. night:

Here's the overhang the next morning!  It's hard to tell, but it grew!

This is our driveway and under all that snow is a car!

Here's a picture of our neighborhood covered in white.

Posted in The life and times of my family

He's decided to quit.  Dh has decided to quit working at the salon.  He has been offered work at his old company which will be very flexible and provide a reliable income.  He decided that, ironically, working as an independent massage therapist wasn't allowing him enough time to really hone his skills.  He's also still in school and is preparing for some very heavy science coursework in the next two quarters.  He can't work for nothing all morning (many days he has no massages which means no money),  go to school in the evenings and work a second job to bring in money.  Something had to give.  He has gained two regular customers through the salon.  He will continue serving them by providing in-home massages for about what they were paying at the salon.  I've tried to be supportive but I'm also relieved.   We hope that once he has his AOS he will be even more attractive to chiropractors and other places that provide actual employment rather then sub-contract work.   I'm so glad I worship a God who never changes because everything else does, constantly.

Posted in The life and times of my family

OK, he's not may baby and hasn't been for 8 yrs. but I can't believe how quickly the years have passed.  He's turning into a young man!  I'm so proud of who he's becoming.  Many nights I come to say good night and he's buried in his Bible.  He is so willing to play with his little brother and he is working so hard to complete all 20 webelos pins.  He's not perfect but he's got a great heart and I'm so thankful that the Lord blessed us with him 12 years ago. 

Posted in The life and times of my family

Today we celebrated Sarah's birthday.  She turns 8 on the 22nd.  We invited a few friends over for cake and a pinata.  The girls played together, hit the pinata, ate cake and then Sarah opened her presents.  She got a Veggie Tales DVD, a ken doll (two of the same one, lol) and a tin with a picture frame on the lid.  She informed me that it was perfect for her because it's pink, girly and says, "princess".  Sarah means princess and she certainly lives up to her name.  She had a good time and it cost us about $25. 

Posted in The life and times of my family

After 16 months Helen is finally starting to walk.  She made her way down the hall on her 16 month birthday.  She still shows a strong preference for crawling but is making more and more attempts to walk.  I'll be glad when she's walking.  I'm getting a little tired of the black knees on her pants!  She's so cute when she's walking.  She scrunches up her face and concentrates sooo hard.  It's really fun to watch.  She's always so proud when she makes it to mommy!   I'll need to get her some shoes as soon as possible.  She can't walk around in stocking feet when we're out "on the town". 

Posted in The life and times of my family

Our van has gasped it's last breath.  We're now without transportation again.  The motor is blown from being without oil so often.  The oil leak was so bad we just couldn't keep up in spite of how hard we tried.  It's supposed to rain most of this week which means no income.  Dh's current job is refinishing decks and you can't do that in inclement weather.  He's still looking for a permanent position in massage therapy but with no vehicle it's harder to get to interviews and he certainly can't drag his table or chair to places to give massages.  I don't know what God is planning to do in these circumstances.  I hate not knowing.  I like being in control.

Posted in The life and times of my family

Ds and I made brownies today and replaced the oil with shredded zucchini.  They taste really good.  They aren't chewy and dense like the original recipe. You can't taste the zucchini. They are very moist and cake-like.  I prefer chewy but these were very good.  I used a little whole wheat flour also.  I'm working on improving several of my favorite recipes with whole wheat flour, egg substitute and other modifications.  Next time, I'm going to use more whole wheat flour and less zucchini.  I would like to have them come out chewier.  My next baking project is zucchini muffins!  I love stuff like this and the weather is nice and cool for baking.