Fall Catch Up

I know I am so behind on my blog!! My life is just full and busy! So, here's a quick update...sorry no pictures! I am getting the cord to plug my camera into my computer very soon, and then I will be able to post pics too. :)

So, the biggest news here is that I had my ultrasound last week, and we are very excited to be expecting another baby Girl!! She was moving around a lot, which was fun to watch, but the still photos are kind-of fuzzy. I'll try to post one soon. The Dr. asked if I was sure about my dates because she looks big. I said, yes, I'm sure and all my babies are big on the ultrasound and tend to weigh 9-10 lbs at birth. :)Princess Ladybug is so excited to be having a sister!!

We mostly stay busy with school, which is going well this year. Dino Dude still loves to read, and is reading far above a 3rd grade level (he finished the entire Harry Potter series in about 6 weeks!) So, if you have any suggestions for good books for an 8 year old boy, please tell me!!

Karate Chopper is having a blast practicing for the Christmas program at church. He loves to sing, and is teaching all the hand motions to Princess Ladybug. What a fun big brother.

I am so loving Wildcat's big, changing personality!! He is usually pretty quiet, then when he has something to say he just shouts it out and it's usually so funny! He loves to make his brothers and sister laugh!

I think that catches you up...hopefully I will blog again before Christmas. ;)

Crochet Queen

In my "spare" time, I have been crocheting a lot!
Last week, I made a sweater for Princess Ladybug. I was so proud and excited when all the pieces fit together, and then when it fit her!! Yay! What an accomplishment!
Stamp N Stitch is having an Open House in November (look for more details soon!!); so I've been busy making hats, scarves and soap cozies for that too!
A couple weeks ago I had the privilege of teaching crochet to a group of 10 women at my church. It was so much fun for me to share with them one of my favorite pastimes!
I think I really love to crochet because I am making cute, fun or beautiful things for people to wear or use. I get joy out of knowing I'm making something useful and beautiful.
You can see some of my products on www.stampnstitchshop.com

Summertime Fun

We had a fun Summer...can't believe how fast it went!!
We rode bikes...

Wore our swimming goggles...even when NOT in the pool!

We enjoyed our homegrown tomatoes...eating them like apples!

and, we had a lot of fun raising Milo, the mantis...
from egg sac until he died just last week. :(

First Peek

Yesterday was my 13 week appointment with my midwife. Because I feel so big already, and twins run in my family, she took a quick peek via utrasound. We got to see our ONE baby moving around, doing flips and such fun things. So, here's a picture that Dr. Kate took. The legs are on the left side of the picture, the two white lines; and the head on the right side of the picture, with and ear on the top. So, if you're one of those people who can see the baby in the picture, Great! If not, just know that Baby #5 looks healthy and active.

What a blessing to be expecting another baby. I am feeling very emotional and grateful today. I think that hearing the heartbeat for the first time and then seeing baby on ultrasound has done that to me. You'd think that this being my 5th pregnancy I wouldn't be so emotional about it, but I feel even more so...

Children are a blessing from the Lord!! Psalm 127

Updated Name...

Just a quick note...Cutie Pie is growing up and changing so quickly that it seems like he needs a bigger boy name. So, even though he's still sooo cute, he will henceforth be known as...

WildCat

He is so passionate about everything! I tell him we're having mac&cheese for lunch, and he hops around yelling "yea! mac & cheese!". Princess Ladybug lays on his Lightning McQueen pillow, and he passionately yells, "no!! mine queen pillow!"

He is a joy to have in our family and I am loving his big personality. :)

I survived!

Do you ever have one of those weeks, where you get to Friday night, and you think, "Wow!! What a great week. I really accomplished a lot. I feel like such a great wife, mom, friend..."?? Well, this was so NOT one of those weeks for me!

I have dinner group friends coming over tonight. I have been so exhausted and sick this whole pregnancy, that I've barely been maintaining my housework. So, I knew last weekend that this week would have to be a cleaning week for me. I thought, "If I start on Monday, and just clean about one room per day, I can have all the cleaning done without wearing myself out!" So, that was the plan....

I should know by now not to make plans!!! Late Sunday night, Cutie Pie woke up crying. After just a couple minutes, I went to check him, to find that he was Very Warm! So, he had a fever, and refused to sleep back in his own bed. I, the pregnant one who is burning hot all the time, got to sleep with a feverish baby snuggled up to me on one side and a cuddly hubby on the other. (Not to mention the yellow lab on my feet or the cat by my head!!) Are you laughing at me??

Okay...to shorten up the story...I spent all day Monday holding a sick baby and dishing out Vitamin C to all the kids! Tuesday, Cutie Pie was still not feeling well, and I spent most of the day holding him again! So, my "all week to clean" turned into just a few days. Add on top of this the fact that my hubby got home late Tuesday, was gone Wednesday evening, and left Friday after work and won't be home until just before dinner! AAAAAAA!!! *that's me screaming* :)

But, I survived. The dishes are done. Laundry is (almost) caught up. The floors are swept. Furniture has been dusted. Bathroom is clean (thanks in part to hubby). Kids are well (thanks to God who answers prayers!)

Now, I'm off to make my Chicken Kiev. Maybe I'll start planning next week...maybe not!

Update on Baby #5

So, I thought I'd just let everyone know that my first appointment went just fine. There is really nothing to report...it's too early to hear the heartbeat, otherwise everything seems fine. I did have to have blood drawn!! I so hate needles. If you saw me giving blood, you would probably think I was about 5 years old; seriously, I have to hold back the tears! I am just such a big baby about it. :)

I am just over nine weeks along, so I am now counting down the the fun middle trimester. I really should not complain about morning sickness, because I know some of my friends get it much worse than I ever have. But, it is just no fun to wake up feeling naucious, and continue to feel that way all morning! Besides being sick, I really love that my tummy is slowly expanding. I love that Steve says I'm glowing. (I don't even care if it's true or if he is trying to make me feel better!)

I will keep you updated as we progress toward my due date: March 3.

Children are a blessing from the Lord. Psalm 127

Catching up...

Okay, Okay!! So, two friends said to me today that I need to blog again! So, here I am catching up on a month of not blogging.

First of all, the main reason I haven't blogged in so long is that I am just sooo tired!! I guess being pregnant with #5 will do that to a person! I have been more sick than I remember being with any of the other pregnancies, but maybe I've blocked it out. :) I am so thrilled to be expecting another baby. What a blessing children are, and I am awed to think God would entrust me with another of His children. So, I am due March 3, and I see my Midwife for my first appointment tomorrow. Will let you all know how that goes.

So, I have also just been busy with fun Summer with my kids. We have enjoyed our new sprinkler in the backyard, ride bikes often (sometimes just the kids, sometimes as a family), and we have a lot of work going on in and around our house. Right now, we are getting a new roof. As you may remember, our tree fell onto our house the beginning of June. So, now we get a brand new roof. Yeah!

Last weekend was the big Three-Oh! for me. :) Actually, turning 30 didn't feel like that big of a deal. I feel like I've accomplished a lot, changed and grown, and made some pretty great friends in my 20's. So, a few things that happened in my 20's that I feel blessed by...my marriage, 4 children, friendships, where I'm at spiritually. The more I see marriages falling apart and hear how difficult they can be, I realize how blessed I am to be married to a loving, godly man who works on our marriage with me and God! As I hear about people who want so desperately to have just one baby, I realize how God has blessed me with 4 beautiful healthy children. (Don't tell Dino Dude or Karate Chopper that I called them beautiful!). As I thought about the friends who were at my birthday party (or wished they could have been there), I realized God has given me a great circle of friends who encourage me to be more like Him! And, God continues to bless me with the hunger & time for His Word!

Okay, enough catching up. I promise I will try to be better about blogging!! And...pictures as soon as possible! :)

The Flood

The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;
the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.
Psalm 29:10

I came across this verse as I was reading through Psalms this week, and thought it was so fitting! We have had a lot of flooding here, in Wisconsin, complete with road closings, destroyed basements and such! If you watch the national news, you know there is flooding in Iowa, Illinois and Missouri as well.

*The sun, just NOW, completely went away, and I hear thunder Again!!*

Well, as sick as we all are of the rain, and especially the flooding!!, it is a good reminder to me that the Lord is enthroned over the flood! He is in control of everything. He sees it all, and cares for His children. Now, I am not saying that we then have the right to be angry when our basement floods, and we lose earthly possessions that are meaningful to us! We do need to remember that He is on His throne, and stay Kingdom-focused.

Well, I have to Run make sure the boys put their toys away in the backyard....see ya!

Friends

I don't know exactly what it is, but lately I've been thinking a lot about how blessed I am to have Friends. Okay, lets all join hands now and sing..."and friends are friends forever if the Lord's the Lord of them..." Okay, that is enough singing for now. :)

Seriously, though, I have a great little circle of friends who love me, care about me, help me and most importantly PRAY for and with me! So, here's my little tribute to them....

My best friend here on earth truly is my Handsome Hubby, but I'll fill a whole post about him later, because we just celebrated our 10th Anniversary...but he is so fun to be around. He makes me laugh, even when I'm in a bad mood. And, he makes me want to be more like Christ!

My friend who I've known the longest and love the most is my Mom. She is a pleasure to be around. She is my friend I go to for advice on parenting, marriage, and life (because she's lived through more than my other friends who are mostly my own age!) We just recently went out to Caribou Coffee, and we never run out of things to talk about. I would not be the woman I am today without her. Thanks, Mom!

I have a few friends who are my Call Any Time Friends. You know, the ones I can call when I'm having a really bad day, and I don't have to pretend like everything is okay. They are the ones who told me I needed help when I was feeling really down and dark after Ephraim was born. Maybe I should call them my Life-Savers!! These are the friends I Don't clean my house for before they get here, because I know they don't care (or they'll help me do the dishes!)

I have a group of Dinner Group Friends...this is a really fun, encouraging group of friends, both girlfriends and their husbands. We have been getting together once a month for nearly 8 years now, and I look forward to the food and fellowship every month. Our conversation very often centers around God's word, and how it applies to what we're going through right now. I love them all, and miss them when they (or we) miss a dinner.

Then there's my creative friends...these are my friends I meet with to scrapbook or stamp with often. I always feel more creative being around them, they inspire me to make better scrapbooks & stamp more elaborate cards. While we are creatively working on our projects, we often chat about how our lives are going. It is that connection, sharing in their lives that interests me even more than creating together! I am so looking forward to a weekend away with them in just a few weeks!!

Next, I have a group of friends I've gotten to know through church. We each have 3 or 4 children, all under age 10! Last Fall, our 4 families went camping together, and had a great time (despite freezing!!!). We enjoy time spent together, help each other out when needed. We've drawn closer through girls nights and girls weekends. We've prayed for each other through miscarriages and difficult pregnancies. We give and take advice on parenting and marriage. They each make me want to be more like Christ in different ways...submitting to her husband, so gentle with her children, patience in difficulties, showing love and grace,....and now one of them is moving far, far away! You will be missed!!

Lastly, I have my "Practically Related" Friends...these include the women married to my distant cousins, and my soon-to-be Sister-In-Law. We may not spend large quantities of time together, but I always enjoy time spent with each of them. They are godly women (some of whom I've seen grow into just that!), and I so enjoy seeing God's hand working in their lives as they've become wives and moms.

So, to all of my Friends, I say Hurrah!! and Keep up the Great Work!! Keep pressing on toward the goal...to be more like Christ in every aspect of your life. You are doing a great job as wife and mom. Keep it up! And, you are a wonderful friend! Love you all!!

Storm Damage

It has been storming here a lot lately! Last week it rained off and on all week, but I wasn't expecting any seriously bad storms. With my two youngest children napping, I took the opportunity to take a shower! I had just finished when I heard the tornado sirens, so I quickly turned on the T.V. to see what was happening. The meteorologist was telling us about all the severe thunderstorms, flooding and tornadoes in the area. I had to wake two napping children, and get all four of them to a safe spot in the house. I continued to watch the weather to see if it was necessary to get to the basement. Suddenly the rain just stopped and the sun was shining! How strange!?! I continued to watch to see what would happen...just as suddenly as it had stopped, the rain, wind, thunder & lightning picked up again. The rain and wind was so strong, I could not even see the house just across the street. I could see huge branches blowing off of trees and into the street. Then, there was the loudest burst of wind I've ever heard. I rushed to the basement with my children faster than I knew was possible. After just a few minutes the wind died down, and I heard my doorbell ring. Leaving the kids safely in the basement reading books, I went to my front porch to find 5 of my neighbors there asking if we were okay. I was puzzled by their concern, and told them we were fine. They quickly informed me that the tree in our backyard had fallen on our house.

While all this was happening, my hubby was on his way home from work, praying for the safety of our family. He even specifically prayed that we would be safe if the tree fell. (!!?!!) God is so good to us, and faithful in protecting His children. God truly protected us, as the tree fell in the 10-foot space between our house and our neighbor's house, with minimal damage to our roof and the neighbor's picket fence. After seeing the tree, Dino Dude told us that he could really see how God had protected us, because there was no other way the tree would have fallen there! Thank-You, God that you strengthen the faith of Your children through the storm!!

When the storms of life come, it's easy to focus on the wind, rain and lightning. Just don't miss the opportunity to see God's mighty hand working through the whirlwind!

Stamp N' Stitch

Just a reminder...check out www.stampnstitchshop.com to see my crocheted hats, and my friend's beautiful stamped cards!

Also, check back soon for some *new* crocheted items like Soap Cozies, perfect for putting your bar soap in, and scrubbing away. ;)

And, I will soon have Baby Blankets also!! If you or someone you know is expecting a bundle of joy, you can custom order. They take me about a month to make, so order soon!

One last note...Are you interested in Learning How To Crochet? I have been asked if I would teach, and am considering it. Let me know if that's something you would enjoy. OR, if you already Crochet or Knit, would you enjoy getting together on a regular basis (maybe once a month?) to crochet/knit together?

Updates from a Busy Mom...

Okay, so my friends keep "bugging" me to update my blog. :) I just feel like time is flying by lately. I hear that happens more as you get older (I do turn 30 in a few weeks) and as you have children ( I have 4 of those running around!)

Since I last blogged a lot has happened....our entire family spent 2 and a half weeks in California with my wonderful Mom-in-Law. Even though the reason for our trip was Grandma's funeral, we had a great family vacation and did a lot!
Big Basin, Redwood Forest
Grass Valley (where Grandma lived in a log cabin for the past 30 years)
Empire Mine State Park (where they used to mine gold)
6 hour hike up to the top of Mission Peak (just Daddy and the two older boys)
Ladies Tea at Mom's church
3 day trip to Napa Valley to celebrate 10 years of marriage (just Hubby & I!)

...We finished up school for the year, with the last day being a trip to the Zoo!


So, now we are looking forward to a fun Summer Break! Hubby just switched to "Summer Hours", which means he has to get up at 4:30a.m. to be at work by 6:00!!, but he gets home before 4:00 every day. That leaves a lot of fun family time before bedtime. We have enjoyed some family bike rides; Dino Dude and Karate Chopper both have their own bikes and love to ride, Princess Ladybug got a new "bike" that tows behind Daddy, and Cutie Pie rides on the back of my bike. It is very fun!
We are hoping to do some camping over the Summer, though our weekends are filling up fast!

This Saturday, my baby brother is getting married to a wonderful, fun girl he's been dating for 5 years. I am so looking forward to their wedding, and seeing 2 of my children as Ring Bearer and Flower Girl. :)

Well, this is already longer than I planned...more soon!

Praying God will continue to bless and protect you all.

A Life Well Lived

If you are hoping for an uplifting, encouraging post...just quit reading my blog right now. It has been a very long week for me, and today I am sad. That's such a little word to try to express how I'm feeling. Just a month ago, I blogged about my dear Gram who passed away one year ago. Today I am mourning the loss of another Grandma. She and I shared no DNA, not "technically" related. Yet, I loved her from the moment I met her in December, 1997. You see, she was actually my Hubby's Grandma. There is not nearly enough time for me to tell you all about who she was or the kind of legacy she leaves behind. She loved Jesus; enough to smuggle His Word to hungry Christians in China decades ago. She loved her two children, and always spoke highly of them. She loved the same man until the day he died. She loved to laugh, and to make others laugh. She had more stories than anyone I ever met!

The first time I met her, I was newly engaged to her only grandson. She and my Hubby had a wonderful relationship; talking, laughing, crying and sharing life together. I remember spending New Year's Eve with her 1998, in her log cabin in Northern CA. Six months later, she was here for our wedding. I remember thinking how beautiful she looked in her blue-purple skirt and jacket. She told me the skirt was supposed to be knee-length, but went to the middle of her shins because her legs were so short.

The summer of 1999, when Hubby and I found out we were expecting Baby #1, Grandma did everything she could to try to send us the rocking chair she got when my Hubby was born. It turned out to be quite expensive to ship a rocking chair across the country, so she bought us one here instead! I have rocked all 4 of my precious children to sleep in that chair.

Last Christmas (2007), Grandma and my Hubby's Mom flew here and spent 2 wonderful weeks with us. Just days before flying, Grandma began to feel very week. She was told that she needed a blood transfusion and would continue to get worse and need more transfusions. So, we spent two weeks enjoying what we were sure would be our last time spent with Grandma. The day after they arrived, Mom needed to do some last minute shopping, but Grandma was too tired. Cutie Pie and I stayed home with her; he quickly warmed up to her, and loved her almost immediately! The rest of the two weeks, if he didn't know where she was he would yell "Bea" until he found her. More than once, he tried to help her stand up from her chair!

So, today, I celebrate Grandma and a life well lived! She will be missed, but she is undoubtedly in the presence of our Lord and Savior!

Armed & Ready...

Are you armed and ready for the day? There's a battle to be fought today, but it's not against flesh and blood (your battle is NOT with your kids, husband, neighbors, extended family or even the dog that makes you chase him back into the house in the rain [sorry, I am a bit off the subject!]) Seriously, our struggle is against the powers of this dark world. Are you armed and ready?

I have had a tough couple weeks, and yesterday I began my day with a pity party. My entire family has been sick for almost two weeks now, and I am the one who takes care of them. Don't get me wrong, I really cherish the extra snuggle time I get with Cutie Pie when he is sick because, at nearly two years old, he is usually not in my arms anymore! I enjoy caring for others; it is Who I am, who Christ made me to be. After two weeks, however,I am exhausted! Throw in a little PMS, lack of sleep, and a sink full of dishes; and I am cranky! I know some of my friends don't believe I ever get cranky ;)


This morning, God said to my spirit, "Arm yourself for this day!". So, naturally I think of Ephesians 6:10-20
Belt of Truth
Breastplate of Righteousness
Feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the Gospel of Peace
Shield of Faith
Helmet of Salvation
Sword of the Spirit
Then, in verses 18-20, Paul uses the word PRAY 5 times! "Pray in the Spirit...all kinds of prayers...keep on praying for all the saints...Pray also for me...pray..."

I pray that if you don't know Him as your personal Savior, if you've never given your life over to His control, that you would do it today. (Read Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, and Romans 10:13). For those of you reading this who have that relationship already, I pray that you will be ARMED AND READY for this day!
This passage is one we talk about fairly often in our family, so I told my children to see if they could each find something to represent the different parts of the armor...these pictures show what their creative little minds came up with. Aren't they so cute?

Road Trip

Handsome Hubby called home the day before Good Friday, and said he had to go out of town the following week for work, and we should all go.

My first thought was "4 kids, 6 states, in 5 days? The week after Easter, and just before 2 children's birthdays? No way!!"After some convincing from my Hubby, we quickly packed up, found a place for the Dog, and left on Easter (after church, family time, and baskets!). We drove to Springfield, IL(state #2) for Sunday night. Monday, it was through Missouri (state #3) to the N-E corner of Arkansas(state #4). We stayed there until Wednesday morning.

Here's Cutie Pie, ready to get in the hotel pool, wearing his Spidey swimtrunks and Spidey vest!

Dino Dude and Karate Chopper do many things together, including sychronized jumps into the pool! 1-2-3-JUMP...cannon ball! **SPLASH**
The best part of being in a hotel (according to the kids!), is the pool! We were able to spend time in the pool Monday evening and Tuesday morning.

Princess Ladybug loves the water! She enjoyed jumping into the pool, holding her breath, and getting ready...ready...ready...GO! :)

A very close-up of Karate Chopper, in his goggles. He's got a face you just have to smile at!

Wednesday, we drove back through MO and IL, into the southern part of Indiana (state #5) and northern part of Kentucky (state #6). We stayed with our good friends who live in IN, just a half-hour from Louisville (where Hubby spent Thursday, for work). As you can see in this picture, our friends have 4 children also, the same ages as our Blessings.
We had a wonderful visit with them, as usual!

I am really glad we all decided to go, as we had some great family time in the car and at the hotel. God provided opportunities for us to bless one another, and others; and we were blessed by our friends' church family! What a blessing to be part of His Family!!!

Toddler Tantrums...

Cutie Pie is almost two. Even if I didn't know when his birthday was, I would know he is about two years old by the way he is throwing tantrums every few minutes. This is indeed my 4th time entering the Terrible Twos, so you would think I'd have some magic formula figured out, right? Wrong!!! This week has been really rough on me, with him screaming and crying so much more than "normal"....it got me thinking about how often I throw tantrums because I don't get my way. Okay, I very rarely throw myself on the floor and kick and scream, "No! No! No!". I do, however, throw little tantrums to God when things don't go MY way! My latest one was just 20 minutes ago...

"God, it is so not fair that you are sending snow this weekend!
You know we have an Easter Egg Hunt planned for Saturday.
And, you know it has to be outside..."

See how very two year old I start to sound?!? Just like my Cutie Pie, I begin to think that everything revolves around me and my desires! Then there are the times I begin to really whine...

"I have had such a rough day. My two year old is throwing tantrums.
My daughter doesn't say anything without whining.
Karate Chopper cannot express himself without hitting.
Dino Dude does nothing but complain about his schoolwork.
The dog is so naughty. The cat had a hairball.
The husband is always late from work.
I have the most thankless job ever.
I wish I could just run away..."

Once I start on this path, it is so easy to just stay on it, and the further I go, the further I stray from God. I start out with truth. "I had a rough day." It is also true that my two year old is throwing tantrums. After that the truth begins to be stretched. Maybe Princess Ladybug can be whiny sometimes, but not everything she says is a whine. When I get on this path, I begin to use words like "always" and "never". Then, my focus shifts completely on myself and how terrible my life is!

Alright, before this blog becomes the most depressing thing you've ever read, allow me to let you in on a little secret. There is a way to quickly jump off this path and get back on track with God. Paul tells us in Ephesians to put off the old, renew your mind, and put on the new. Eph 4:29 says, "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up..." When my thoughts begin to be ones of "woe is me, my kids always..., my husband never..."; that is when I jump off that path, and instead begin to build them up with my words and thoughts. Have you ever tried to whine about someone when you are focused on the good in them?

God, Thank-you that I have 4 beautiful, healthy children.
Cutie Pie has such a fun, silly personality.
Princess Ladybug is so full of love for those around her.
Karate Chopper is full of joy and compassion.
Dino Dude is gentle to people and animals.
Handsome Hubby serves and leads me to be more like you.
Thank-you for the house full of life: people and pets!
Amen.

Hosanna!

Hosanna! Blessed be the Name of the Lord!
Every Palm Sunday, our church has the Preschool-age classes sing a couple
songs in "big church", while the elementary-age classes walk throughout
the sanctuary waving palm branches. I think it is a wonderful worship time!

Here is Princess Ladybug, with her 3 year old class.
She is the one in the pink polka-dot dress.

Karate Chopper and Dino Dude, waving their
palm branches. KC pauses to smile at Daddy
with the camera!

Despite what it looks like in this picture,
Princess Ladybug really did enjoy
singing in "big church"!

John 12:13

Grandma

One year ago, on March 17, 2007, my Grandma left her life on this earth for a better one with her Savior. So today, I'd like to share some memories with you. Forgive me if words are misspelled or sentence-structure imperfect; it is difficult to see the computer screen through tears.

Most of my childhood memories of Gram include my cousin, Kim, who is less than a year younger than I; and my sister, Crysi, who is a year younger than Kim. Growing up in the same small town where Gram lived, we spent much time at her house...

Crysi, Kim and I would often put on socks, and choreograph elaborate "skating" routines in Gram's kitchen; with Gram watching and cheering us on. Then, we would need a snack from all that fun; usually it was chocolate milk in our Nestle bunny cups or Pudding Pops. Many times fun at Gram's house meant finding her high heels and dresses to put on; we put on many, many fashion shows, starting in her bedroom, and slowly making our way down the steps into the living room. After all this fun, we would need to relax in a blanket tent, made between chairs in the living room.

The only scary thing about Gram's house was the Bear that lived in her basement. My uncle was a big scary man, with a bigger beard than anyone else I knew! We were terrified enough of him that we refused to go into the basement. Now I look at my gentle, not scary-looking uncle, and wonder how we could have been afraid of him.

In more recent years, there were great memories too. Every Easter Gram & Jerry would host an Egg Hunt for her great-grandchildren, and step-grandchildren. What fun to see her out in the yard, helping my 2 year old find eggs for his first egg-hunt.

A few years ago, I took Gram with me and my kids to an apple orchard, where we spent the day just having fun, and enjoyed lunch together. Speaking of my kids, they really loved G.G. (Great-Grandma)! They have some great memories of playing in her yard and house. One example is the time she was feeding a chipmunk on her back deck, from her HAND!! Yep, the chipmunk "Chippy" would scamper right up to her and take the peanut from her hand! The boys thought that was great!

Okay, enough remembering and reliving for now. Thanks for listening. And, if you still have a Grandma, call her Today!!! (for me.)

Introducing...

Hello...after some encouragement from friends, I started a blog (with a different site :p)...so, here I am starting a blog *again*...

We are using code names here so let me introduce everyone...

Here is my family...Handsome Hubby and I have been married for nearly 10 years. He is my supporter, encourager, and servant-leader. I thank God for giving me such a wonderful man with whom I am spending my life. Psalm 128

...Dino Dude is almost 8 years old. He loves to learn, and is often found reading. Right now he is reading the 6th book in The Chronicles of Narnia, The Silver Chair. He has also been fascinated by dinosaurs since he was a toddler, and would like to be a Paleontologist when he grows up. :)...

...Karate Chopper is my 6 year old son, who loves to be on the move. His passion for life is evident in all he does, from learning to read to doing karate. He enjoys playing make-believe with his brothers and sister; from super-heroes to spies...

...Princess Ladybug, my only daughter, is going to be 4 years old in less than a month. She enjoys all things girly, from dolls to dress-up, then jumps right in with her brothers! She has her own sense of style, which usually means layers and COLOR! She enjoys doing whatever I am doing, whether cooking, cleaning or getting pretty...

...my Baby, Cutie Pie, is going to be two years old very soon. He has such a big, wonderful personality already. He loves to try to do whatever his big brothers and sister are doing...sometimes succeeding, and other times just being the one to get hurt. He is still my baby; just don't tell him or he will respond, "No! Big Boy!"

...then there's me, Crochet Mom. I have a really great life, but work really hard at keeping my focus right...God, family, friends, home... The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer. (Ps 18) I spend much of my time Homeschooling Dino Dude in 2nd grade, Karate Chopper in Kindergarten, Princess Ladybug in Preschool and Cutie Pie in just basics like colors... In my spare time, I love to crochet! I've gotten to a point where I hate sitting still without a crochet hook in my hand! I have just started selling some of my crochet hats, scarves and other items! yea!

...well, that's enough of an introduction for now! I really hope this blog will help me stay in touch with loved ones near and far!
Ephesians 3:20-21