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Wednesday, January 30, 2013



Good Bye Sweet Friend

11 years ago Dave and I went car shopping because I was pregnant with our oldest son Odin. He had a Jeep Wrangler that he really LOVED but I convinced him that a Jeep was not the best car for a family. We went to look at the Honda CRV but as soon as I saw how many kiddos could fit in a Honda Pilot we bought one. We bought it new and it was a little more than we could afford at the time but we looked at it like an investment and we made it work. We paid it off pretty quickly.
Our Honda Pilot was a 2003 and I loved that car. We drove it some many times to so many different places. I cannot say enough about how great of a car it is. I loved it and we put over 201000 miles on the car and had barely any problems. I think we did some transmission work when it hit 100 thousand miles but that is about all except regular stuff.
Well on Thursday night Livy and I were driving back from Sheboygan and the engine light and a bunch of other lights started flashing and the car started to drive rough. I could not get the car to run right. I called Dave and he told me turn around and take it to the dealership. Dave got in our van loaded with the boys and met me there. We left it overnight and the next morning they called Dave to tell us the transmission is totally shot. They think it will cost us about $6000 to fix which is more than the car is worth so we have decided to send it to a scrap yard instead.
What a mess. Dave is totally confused about what to do next so pray for us for wisdom on what to do. We will have to buy something we just don’t know what to buy and how much to spend. It has been so nice for us not to have a car payment but I think we have no choice. We need a 2nd car.
Very sad day for me. 
Lots of singing, crying, praying, and 5 kids were brought home in that car.
 We took so many adventures, getting groceries, trips to the doctor, the store, family vacations, holiday drives and more. 
Goodbye Pilot. 
We will miss you. 

Monday, January 28, 2013

Happy 8th Birthday Jonah

You will always be our little miracle


you look like Gabe in this picture


we love you so much and are so blessed to have you for a son
you have such a big heart for others
you love people
you are funny and sometimes just plain old foolish and giddy at the same time
you love to help and are very giving



this is one of my favorites 
3 round little heads
3 years apart
Olivia you were not actually eating the popcorn but it looked cute in front of you


you love bugs
books
you love playing with your action figures
(whoever sits by you needs a shield from the spit when you play)
you have some intense battles
your a great story teller
you ask some very serious and hard questions
you love to dance
LEGOS are your absolute favorite
 you love being a brother


this is the robot cake we made for school


this was the ninja turtle cake for home





thank you for all the birthday wishes, gifts, cards and prayers
we are truly blessed.....

Friday, January 25, 2013

too funny not to share
I just had too....
this little man has been smiling like crazy lately 
but he has been inconsolable the next minute
he has had non stop diarrhea for almost 2 weeks
and since Saturday he has been screaming throughout the day like he is in some serious pain
we already did a round of stool samples last Friday
nothing showed up
so we went back into the Dr. yesterday and let me tell you
I was so thankful my mom offered to come with
it was a crazy morning already but having her there was a huge help
Odin and Jeremiah were with too
We got there by 8:30 and I fed him and then they checked him out
the whole time he is laying on the table laughing and smiling
within an hour of us being there  he started screaming until his face was beat red
his little lips quivering and his back totally straight with his legs straight as a board
I couldn't even bend his legs
 they needed to get an ex ray
so I sent my mom to target with the kiddos to get Jonah's birthday gift(it was the only day we could do it)
by the time they got back  we were done with the ex ray
it makes me laugh some of these people in the waiting room that have the nerve to say things to me when he is screaming his head off
I was (Gabe was really)aggravating some people I guess
on the other hand
the nurses kept walking by and would stop and rub his head and say how cute he was 
 I just kept walking up and down the hallway
we got back into the room and went over the ex ray
all is good
so we need to take more pooop samples but try to catch the poop before it hits the diaper
I started to laugh thinking
how am I going to do this
should I put a funnel under him or what
 she told me to use syran wrap in the diaper and then just poor the poop out into the vials
then she also wanted me to change the formula  for 2 days and come back today and check him out.
so has anyone ever used syran wrap in a diaper?
how funny is this going to be was my first reaction
so my gracious mom applied the first coat 
I couldn't stop laughing
Gabe had the funniest look on his face
 it kind of worked but there wasn't much poop and it was so liquidity it comes right out of the sides and onto the diaper
so we kept trucking along at this procedure and got what we could
(mind you my wonderful brother and his 2 kiddos came yesterday for a visit)
I needed a lot so by the time I went to bed last night it was accomplished
the other thing the Dr. asked me among the  gazillion questions was
how does he sleep?
 great during the night...no screaming at all
he only gets up 3-4 times which he has always done
a light bulb moment occurred
he rarely eats during the night, he just needs to be re situated and that's it
BINGO!
It is clearly digestive issues going on
As soon as you feed him within an hour he is screaming like a mad man
sooooo say a little prayer for our little monkey 
I hope that it is something simple
thanks for being part of our daily adventures!  


Tuesday, January 22, 2013

 I never knew....
this homeschooling thing would be so much fun
we  are having a blast
and I love out time together
 
 Odin, Gabe and I are home for a short time then Jeremiah joins us at about 11

 We have increased our math assignments 
so he can do 2 a day
they were getting to easy
so I wanted to push him a little harder

we have added typing every day

he helps me prepare dinner
 
he makes his lunch along with Jeremiah's
 
we have made a dinosaur skeleton out of marshmallows and toothpicks

we have made a scroll




we have made Greek pottery

we have studied the 12 tribes of Israel 
 
we have just finished studying about Greeks
and learned a lot

I never realized how much I would learn and how much I have forgotten
 
we have done a bunch of fun Science projects

wrote 2 book reports

we have just finished up learning about Ludwig van Beethoven

we have learned how silk is made
Odin thought we could start making it at home until he actually studied how it was made

 Odin had just finished reading 
 A Triumph for Flavius 
  Flavius s father returns from war and presents him a captured Greek nobleman as a slave. Even young Flavius recognizes this man s dignity and his right to live freely. The love of one boy can change the course of another s life.
 When Odin finished the book he  put it down and cried
he was totally touched and moved by this book

best of all he is loving helping me at home with his brothers especially the baby
he is constantly asking if he can take care of the baby while he reads or does his work.

this boy never wants to get older 
he wishes he(along with everyone else)could stay young and little forever
 
it is so cute


and this little man lights up when Odin comes by
 

Monday, January 21, 2013

Voices

silence the voices from speaking into your lives
god's saying can I increase your capacity
the more I stretch you
the more I increase you
the more I can pour into you
god wants to do exceedingly, abundantly above and beyond
but he is only limited by our capacity
but the capacity of our churches is so small because we pray for revival but we don't want to stretch and grow and do the work of serving because you only spell revival one way
work
we need so many people to come out of the prayer closet to do a whole lot more
sew, give, grow
and God will be able to do a whole lot more
it might not be a weight but it might be a sin
the more milder you make the label ........the more potent you make the poison
what we have done in this society has made the label more mild that we are killing a generation because they don't understand what sin does
so that you can't  put the only anecdote
to sin which is 
the blood of Jesus Christ
the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ
cut it away
because it's holding you back
god wants you
to step into his promises
today's success is tomorrows journey
he's preparing you..... for what he already had planned for you in the future

move out of your past

Christ  
called you out
to take you in!

it's for freedom that Christ set us free
freedom requires a lot of maturity and a lot of change

awesome notes from an awesome pastor...Christine Caine

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Gabe
  
sleeping on daddy





he is getting so big already
we are into 3-6 months clothing
he sleeps so much better than the others did
he only gets up about 2 or 3 times a night
still sleeping in the swing
loves his brothers and sister
all the kiddos are still helping whenever they get the chance
which is awesome
he is a pretty happy and easy baby overall
we are so blessed

we are enjoying our last day with Grandma Mimi today...FUN
and fixing a broken washing machine...not fun

We love you all and are so grateful for you!

Monday, January 14, 2013

a slight dusting
all of our kiddos love to bake and help in the kitchen thankfully
Olivia and I were making pancake batter 
we make the dry mix ahead of time and then just store it for when need it
(this is a 6 cup container)
I went to change the laundry and all of a sudden I hear MOM and a slight giggle
and then Olivia comes running
I am really sorry mom she said
what happened I said as I am walking back into the kitchen
Well I was shaking the pancake batter and the top wasn't on all the way
needless to say we just lost all of our 6 cups of pancake batter we just made and there was a slight dusting every where in the kitchen
It was like someone threw flour in the air with a fan on
I had seriously had to laugh because I totally did not want to clean this mess up!  
Everyone pitched in and we were done in a jiffy.

Saturday, January 12, 2013

too cute...not to share
so other day I went to get the kiddos early from school
we had some places to go 
so I left Odin home with Grandma Mimi, Jeremiah and Gabe
I told him to wake Grandma Mimi up at 1:45 and I even set the timer to remind him
so then we could go when I get home with the other kiddos.
So I get home  at 2:15 and Miah and Grandma are still sleeping together
and the baby is moved and awake and in a different outfit
I asked Odin what happened to Gabe and why are they still sleeping
WE GOT TO GO!
Well, Grandma Mimi looked so peaceful and sweet I did not want to wake her
and the baby pooped and peed all over so I changed him and his outfit.
Ok, I started laughing and then thought about what a great job he did and how proud I was of him...
You will make a good husband and daddy someday!
I love you Odin! 

Friday, January 11, 2013

Jeremiah
Happy 5th Birthday
oh my golly
where has time gone
you are seriously growing before our eyes
you are so delightful and fun
and can make everyone smile with your infectious smile 
this is what happens when I am not looking
BUSTED



he likes to make hideouts around the house


this seems so long ago


telling stories
reading books
snuggling


pirates
swords
dress up clothes



wrestling
playing outside
games



my mom put his gift in this box and Jeremiah was totally fine with getting a box a cereal
we had to tell him there was something else in there





thanks for the fun card Auntie Annie


all he wanted was a Jesus cake...no laughing at my Jesus
my frosting decided to run everywhere
but Jeremiah loved it

We are so blessed!
Thank you for all the birthday gifts and phone calls!

  

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

good old handwritten thank you notes 


we always try to have the kiddos write thank you notes for everything....
it such an easy task of teaching them how to be thankful and grateful for everything God has blessed them with
I am not a techy kind of person
  so I still think it's great to get something handwritten
they love to personalize them

these were for a family 
that raise some sheep
 

Grandma Mimi arrives today.....

Monday, January 7, 2013

trustworthiness
“Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing” (Proverbs 12:18).
I have been working on this verse with the kiddos lately
because some of them just seem to have harder days than others.
Just like we all do
In this hurried life we put so much emphasis on what we do and the accomplishments we have or our kiddos have
We fail to notice the seeds of change within ourselves
I try to ask myself if I am growing or eroding often 
 A wise women grows in becoming trustworthy

Being a trustworthy person is someone who can be relied on and  someone worthy of confidence. This character trait is visible  in the area of our speech.
 Are we worthy of others’ confidences?
 Are we known for our encouraging words?
I know I am not all the time
It is hard to control that tongue of ours sometimes
 Do we bring people up when they are down?
 Do we let our own burdens and concerns become an excuse to not filter what we say?

A trustworthy woman pays attention to how she speaks. 
She chooses her words well, knowing she can speak words of life or death!
 
“Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing” (Proverbs 12:18).


To grow in trustworthiness, start with your speech!

Thursday, January 3, 2013


GABE
2 months already
wow..it is going so fast
he got his first shots 
and has plenty of colds to boot
it's so hard keeping the germies away with all the other kiddos in the house
He is almost 12lbs
doing good
getting up 2-3 times a night
the kiddos still cannot get enough of him
i love it  


                                                          
                            thank you for the cute outfit Schroeders
                    he looks like an old man and I love it



                        We love you so much and are truly blessed.....

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

                                                             Come join us this
                                   Saturday at 6 pm
                              Sunday at 8:45 or 10:45 am at
                       Word Of Grace Community Church


                                   We are so excited...please join us!
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