Eyes Wide Open

Gramadel Visits

2010-12-22T21:18:00.002-06:00

Each Thursday we have the privilege to spend some time with my wonderful grandmother, Gramadel. She treats us to fast food and comes to visit for about an hour each week. I love that time with her. It is often chaotic as my house usually is, but I am so thankful that she comes. She loves to hear about anything that we want to tell her and thrives on her turn to hold the baby. He is already getting a bit big for her to hold, but he gives her the sweetest smiles and kisses. What a blessing to get to spend this time with such a lovely woman. It is a highlight of my week.

Tree Decorating 2010

2010-12-22T20:58:00.006-06:00

The Partridge Family Christmas is our traditional music that we listen to while decorating the tree. It makes me smile and makes my heart happy. I love decorating the tree, getting out all of the ornaments and talking about when we received them and from whom. Usually everyone is excited and the participation is great. This year I got a fir tree. I have always had a pine. There were not many to choose from when I went, but I like it because it is TALL! I love watching Bo pick up one of the youngest children and letting them place the star on the tree. It is a bit crooked, but I just love it! All of my paper is lime green this year. It has been a great week. We have wrapped gifts, visited with friends and family, baked cookies and candy. I appreciate the break to move at a slower pace and enjoy loved ones. My house, tummy, and heart are full and I am very thankful to the Lord for the abundance of blessings.

George & Lily

The finished tree

Here goes the star...

Yea George!

RandiKate got out her pointe shoes and danced around a little.

This picture says a lot about my girlies.

Sisters!

George was pretty serious about the task.

Charlie helped with higher ornaments.

The little ones were so excited to help and the ornaments are a little "bottom heavy"

Everyone getting in on the fun!

Chandler and Bo in Cuba

2010-12-22T20:48:00.003-06:00

Chandler had a wonderful opportunity to go with her Daddy on a mission trip to Cuba. They were there a week. She got to use the Spanish and everyone was impressed with her ability. She even did some translating for the pastor! She was impressed by how little they have and how much they wanted to share with her. She came home with gifts from them for our family. How humbling.

That's What It's All About

2010-12-12T08:17:00.003-06:00

While in PA we decided to take the kids roller skating. It has been years since I skated! It was so much fun! The kids were asking Daddy to build a skating rink in Bartlesville. Haha! No thank you, but it sure was fun! We even did the Hokey Pokey!

Uncle Shawn helping George

Go Charlie!

Do the Hokey Pokey!

Fun time with our cousin Bryce!

RandiKate celebrate's 12!

2010-12-12T08:03:00.003-06:00

October 4th my sweet RandiKate celebrated her 12th birthday. How can that be possible? We were traveling and had the rare opportunity to share her birthday with Grandma Barb and Pap in PA! Gma and RandiKate always enjoy baking together and this was a special treat! The best word to describe my 2nd born is "delightful." She loves to help with the little kids and has even started to baby sit a little. She is super fun to take on errands and is preciously thoughtful.She hasn't lost her little "red-head" personality, but we enjoy this girl! RandiKate enjoys ballet and is learning to be up on pointe this year.

A Time to Laugh

2010-12-11T12:20:00.004-06:00

Yesterday I "just so happen to" get the chance to visit with a few friends that are soothing to my soul. The kids had bowling and I spent some time visiting and laughing with a couple of women. One of them has 11 children, one has 8, and the other "only" 4. We told kid stories, talked about how each is different, how differently one parents the first and subsequent others. Nothing monumental occurred, but I felt understood, loved, refreshed. I am thankful for moments like those.

NUTCRACKER Dec 2009

2010-04-08T09:42:00.007-05:00

The Nutcracker Ballet is a wonderful tradition in our town. Each year the kids and I (and much of the rest of Bartlesville) get dressed up on Sunday afternoon to go watch the production. The ballet allows students from all local studios to try out and participate. They practice hard for about 10 weeks to get ready for ballet. This was the first year that any of our children participated. Charlie was a child at the party and also a page. RandiKate was a soldier and a trumpeteer They had a great experience!

Chandler's good friend Rachel was "Clara" one of the stars of the show

RandiKate with the professional ballet dancers. What an experience for her!

Ms Charlotte is the artistic director and the one that makes this all happen.

Charlie and some of the boys

Charlie in his page costume. He and his partner pushed "Clara" in her sleigh.

RandiKate as a Trumpeteer

Emma Cone and RandiKate in their soldier costumes backstage

John Cone played "Fritz" this year next to Rachel. He and Charlie killing time backstage. These are their party attire costumes.

RandiKate Dances

2010-04-08T09:32:00.004-05:00

We are so thankful for our local dance studio Stage Art Productions! RandiKate takes ballet, jazz and tap classes once a week and looks forward to her time learning and with friends. In December, we enjoyed their Christmas: More Than a Story production. I so appreciate that I don't have to worry about whether or not the costumes, dance moves, or music will be inappropriate for my girls!

She and one of her closest friends Emma. Good friends are priceless in our life!

Easter 2010

2010-04-05T13:19:00.004-05:00

I have been looking forward to Easter Sunday. I love the season, remembering that Jesus conquered death and has risen! I enjoy the time together with family in church worshiping together and then afterward playing at Grandma's farm. This year my plans were thwarted a little. Because of sickness, George and I had to stay behind. Bo took the kids to church then out to Grandma's. Grammy & Pops, Ben & Stacy (and kids), Summer (and kids), Jim & Connie (and kids) all had a wonderful time together. When they came home, my older kids took something from each of their baskets to put in eggs to hide for George. It was a proud Mommy moment! He was so happy to hunt eggs! He said, "Do we get to use guns?" Yes, this is Oklahoma!

Lily Hunting eggs at Grandma's

Grandmadele and some of the grandkids and great grandkids

Our Six Sweeties

George and Lily are the best of friends

NEWSFLASH

2010-03-14T12:32:00.000-05:00

We are WAY too busy!

Surprise Playset

2010-01-14T16:21:00.002-06:00

We received an amazing gift this week! Some of our dear friends are moving and asked us if we would like to have their playset! They knew it would be loved and well used! We are all so excited! We are thankful for a little warmer weather to be able to play outside!

Late 4th of July Post

2010-01-10T19:39:00.003-06:00

We spent the 4th at my parents. It was a great time!

OOOOOH! What can I do with all of these explosives???!!! Be afraid!

COUSINS make the best of friends!

She did NOT enjoy all the noise!

Decided to watch from inside as well!

Trick or Treating

2010-01-10T19:19:00.004-06:00

We live in a small neighborhood and it was a perfect night to walk around and visit with the neighbors. We had a couple of friends over also! Many of the houses were decked out with kids friendly activities and costumes. My favorite was the H1N1 couple dressed in pink pig suits.

What a cute pirate!

A bunch of gifts!

Visiting with her friends.

Dinosaur man showing off his loot!

We enjoyed treats with our friend Buzz!

Awesome Boys!

Fall Was A Whirlwind!- George's Birthday

2009-12-15T10:28:00.004-06:00

It has been so long since I blogged. So much has happened since Lily's birthday. Now we are steadily approaching Christmas, I thought I should post a little something.

August 24th was George's 4th birthday. He is such a joy to our family! He makes us laugh every single day! He tells me often, "Mom, I love you SUPER BAD!!" Usually, he is the first one to greet me in the mornings. He likes to spend time snuggling and drinking coffee together before the rest of the crew are awake. He really is an amazing kid!

He and Lily play so well together. He loves to ride his bike, sing, and climb on anything that I will let him. I am letting his hair grow out again. I really love it long.

Aunt Stacy helped me make his shirt. It hays "Happy Birthday to ME" in Latin. They have been learning Latin in Classical Conversations and he had his class on that day, so we thought the shirt was appropriate for the occasion.

Cruz loves George and she loves to make birthday cakes! She made this cake Tres Leches cake for him. She has been babysitting for us since George was 6 weeks old. She is a gem and part of our family!

Lily's 2nd Birthday

2009-08-22T13:22:00.006-05:00

Isn't this the cutest blanket you have ever seen? My mom got it for Lily for her birthday! It is called Swankie Blankie and it is perfect for Lily! She loves it!

Happy Birthday Sweet Lily! She is such a fun personality! She is usually happy to give a hug! She loves to swing, jump on the trampoline, ride in the wagon, and swim in the pool. Her favorite things to eat are eggs and she asks for milk all day long! She is starting to put words together. I just love little two-year old vocabulary! She says "OOsh" for George, "Aqua" for water, "Wuv u" for love you. She calls RandiKate "Kates" and she melts each of hearts with her sweetness! We love you Lily Adele! Here are some pics from the fun filled summer! Don't miss the video at the end. It is Lily's gymnastics debut! :-) We are having so much fun with this little doll!

With her friend Hudson

Cruz loves Lily and made this cake for her birthday

With her best friend George

With Daddy

Monkey trying to open the frige

Simplicity, Joy, & Blessing

2009-08-14T22:55:00.005-05:00

One of our hopes when we left 2 years ago for Costa Rica was to figure out how to “simplify” our lives. What exactly does that mean? What does that look like in our culture? We learned quite a bit about what it looks like in another culture. The average person in Costa Rica lives very simply. The focus culturally is on relationship. Just because the house isn’t perfect or you do not have much, doesn’t mean you can’t have guests. But, it may mean you may need to ask them to bring their own chairs or dishes. Everyone we met was very hospitable and daily had guests in their home to share what little food they had.

Simplicity as defined by Richard Foster in Celebration of Discipline “sets possessions in proper perspective. Asceticism, on the contrary, finds no place for a ‘land flowing with milk and honey’ Asceticism finds contentment only when it is abased. Simplicity knows contentment in both abasement and abounding (Phil 4:12)” One of Foster’s suggestions is “to learn to enjoy things without owning them.” If someone owns something and is willing to let you use it, then be thankful for the opportunity, without having to have one for myself.

Although, we have much to learn on the subject, this became real for me this summer concerning the swimming pool. I very proudly call myself a “pool rat”! The kids and I have spent almost everyday for 10 summers at the swimming pool at the local country club. When we returned from Costa, Rica we decided not to renew our membership. I have always said I would love to have a pool of my own, but it is not the season for that either. I wondered if we would have a local pool to enjoy this summer. Well, the blessing has come from dear friends. Laura Robertson’s parents Gary and Janet Rix gave us a “standing offer” once a week at their beautiful pool. So, rather than just doing our own thing at a public pool, we have had the chance to build relationships with friends while they practice hospitality. They always made us feel welcome and assured us that they loved hearing all of the noise coming from the back yard! We hope that in turn, we have been a blessing to them as they have been to our family! Thank you Mr. & Mrs. Rix for your hospitality and generosity. It has brought much joy and been greatly appreciated by this family! May you continue to be blessed!

Grace Baby Home

2009-07-11T15:41:00.005-05:00

While we were in Costa Rica, we had the privilege of becoming friends with the directors of the new Grace Baby Home in Tijuana, Mexico. I would like to share...

Grace Baby Home

John Va-Did

2009-06-24T20:07:00.003-05:00

John Va (long A)-Did, that is what George calls him. You may not know him very well. You have to try pretty hard. You have to spend a good amount of quiet time in his space to get to know him very well. He is my quiet child (unless he is hurt, but that is another story). He just turned 7 and weighs a mere 44 pounds. I promise I feed the child, he is just growing straight up rather than out right now. I was able to get a few good pics of him the other day at the park.

I love each of his freckles! He has the most amazingly colored hair!

He is the only one of my children with these beautiful green eyes!
I love these pictures with the sweat on his lip and his dirty little fingers.

Sometimes, he makes this shy smile when someone says something nice to him.

He is also totally goofy and hilarious, if you listen.

I love this kid and I can't wait to see what he becomes someday!

Tornados and a Foreign Country

2009-05-19T14:38:00.005-05:00

Funny story....
We have the chance to have our friend Gabriela with us in our home for 5 weeks. She is from Costa Rica and has not ever been out of the country, barely out of her small village. Well, the first day she was here she and the kids went to my parents house in Arkansas. 10 of the grandkids were there along with my SIL Stacy and my parents. The tornado sirens went off. Grammy and Aunt Stacy decided it was time to get into the closet under the stairs. So, everyone is rushing around getting things together to get under the stairs. 10 kids, 3 adults. Then Gabriela shyly looks over at Chandler and whispers, "What are we doing in here?" Can you imagine what she must have felt? These crazy Americans in this big beautiful home all cramming in under the stairs!

Then 2 weeks later we were here in our house when the sirens started again. I was outside taking pictures of the clouds and laughing how in Oklahoma when there is a tornado everyone rushes outside on the front porch to see the action. So, back we all go under the stairs! Bo told Gaby that this is only the 2nd time in 10 years that he has been under the stairs and poor thing, she has been under twice in 2 weeks. She has been a little scared, but as you can see from her smiles, she has been a good sport!

Costa Rica Quiz

2009-05-19T14:08:00.006-05:00

Here are a few unusual things from Costa Rica. The object of the game is to name that thing and you get extra points if you can guess its purpose or use. Email me at kipplyn@thesummers.com with your answers and the winner will receive a pound of real Costa Rican coffee. Have fun!

#1 is a group of 3 pictures that tell the same story

#2 We also have these in the US, but they have a different use.

#3 common household item (pic stolen from other Tico blog)

#4 What is it?

#5 What is it? What do you do with it?

#6 What is it?

#7 What is it? What is its purpose?

#8 What is it?

Hacienda Tayutic

2009-05-19T13:49:00.005-05:00

We had the opportunity to go to a beautiful place in Turrialba for a dinner with friends of the mission. Many of our friends from Tuis had not seen such beauty even though they live only a few miles from here. The Hacienda Experience is a beautiful hotel and restaurant that you may want to visit if you ever make it out that way.

Lily with her friend Chandler (named after ours)

Boys will be boys wherever we are!

A beautiful site for a wedding!

George enjoying playing in the beautiful gardens

Lily with a dear friend Karla

We couldn't resist a family photo with such a beautiful view (but George can resist anything)

Easter in Costa Rica

2009-05-19T13:12:00.005-05:00

Easter Sunday was a lovely time in Costa Rica. It is so interesting to be in a Catholic country during Easter. On Good Friday, there was a huge processional of people walking through the town following a statue of what looked like Jesus carrying His cross. They were very solemn chanting and singing as they walked. I hoped there would be a celebration through the streets on Resurrection Sunday, but there wasn't.

On Easter Sunday we got the privilege of witnessing some baptisms. The interesting thing about it is the number of adults that were baptized. Because many of them were raised Catholic, they had not ever been baptized. These adults had made decisions to have a personal relationship with with Christ and desired to make a public profession of their faith through baptism. Many of the young girls dressed in white and threw flower petals in the river where baptisms were held. It was a beautiful and joyous site!

Our neighbor and beloved friend Mireya.

Happy Birthday Chandler

2009-05-19T12:28:00.007-05:00

March 21, 2009

Could it be? Our first born child, the one who helped fulfill my dream of becoming Mom, has turned 13 years old! I love to look back at our children's baby books during their birthday month. With Chandler, I am reminded of how God provided for us. I believe her birth story is full of miracles and God's love and provision for us. She was born to a very sick Mommy at 35 weeks, but thankfully, the end of the story is a good one. (and not quite the end) Sometimes it seems like yesterday she was just a little two-year old talking like she was 10! She is developing into such a nice young lady. She is a joy to my life. We spend a lot of time together. It is one of the perks of homeschooling. I stop often and try to "freeze" these moments. I wish I wouldn't forget any of it. I know it will be soon when she is all grown up. I am thankful for all of the time we have. Chandler is very good at doing what is expected of her. She likes to have a list and she will complete it. She still loves competing in gymnastics and works very hard! I have been most proud of her willingness and determination to learn Spanish. In the fall of 2007 when we took her away from this comfort zone, I was a little worried about how she may adjust. After a short time of being homesick, she jumped right in and conquered the language! Her ability has truly floored me! I am thankful that I have her to translate for me if needed!

We had her first ever birthday party sleep over to celebrate. We are so blessed with amazing friends that we can share life with. She is very social and loves to be with her friends and extended family! When we visit my parents house, I often find her just "hanging out" with her Pops. She likes "all things purple" and would rather do the laundry than the dishes! :-) She loves to play games with Grandma Barb and is a big help with the younger cousins, even though she would prefer to sit and talk with the adults.

Grammy and Pops, Uncle Ben & Aunt Stacy and their family came to help us celebrate at Grandmadele's house too!
For her 13th birthday I asked some friends and family to contribute to a blessing and prayer book. She asked me not to make a big presentation for her, so we just gave the book to her as a gift. I know that she will treasure it for years to come.

We have high hope and expectation for her to continue to be responsible and respectful as she seeks to serve Christ throughout her teen years. She has asked me lately, "What is the big deal about being a teenager? Why do people always act like when I get to be a teen, I will suddenly be hard to deal with? What is the big difference between 12 and 13?" Interesting thoughts Chandler! :-)

We love you and are so proud of who you are becoming!

Picture description: Winning 1st place in gymnastics age 9
Visiting David Gosset with Daddy age 7
Chandler age 6 with her siblings
Aunt Stacy, Grammy, & Chandler 2009
Chandler's blessing book

The Evolution Of Hair

2009-05-11T18:56:00.009-05:00

George's hair has always been something of an issue in our family. I thought I would share a bit of it....

How can we forget the beautiful head of hair he was born with?

George March 10, 2009

April 28, 2009

May 9, 2009 (after personal haircut)

May 11, 2009 (Hair is now extinct) :-)

Kenzie's final day

2009-04-16T12:11:00.002-05:00

Kenzie left us last week on Thursday. We had a wonderful opportunity to spend some time with a nephew that we rarely see. It was fun to get to know him better. By the end of the trip, he was speaking Spanish with confidence and wishing to stay longer. These are pics of his family and his day of graduation from his Spanish studies here at the school. We were sorry to see him go. Especially, the boys enjoyed getting to play with Kenzie! He is missed!

Kenzie with this Tico Family

Daniel was Kenzie's teacher during this time here.

Kenzie is a tall kid! But seemed even taller here in a country full of short people! :-)
This is his Tica Mom on the day he left.
This is in front of our house with a view of the mountains.
Hope to see you soon Kenzie!

RandiKate dances in praise

2009-04-16T12:07:00.003-05:00

On Palm Sunday RandiKate had the opportunity to share a worship ballet. We are so thankful for the Christian dance studio that she attends in Bartlesville. Stage Art Productions is a wonderful place where they teach the children to glorify God in all aspects of life. Kristy Hewitt is the director and teacher that choreographed RandiKate's dance. Then, RandiKate was also asked to participate with some of the other girls in the church in a Costa Rican National dance. We are so proud for RandiKate. She did a beautiful job in the dance and in glorifying God.

RandiKate with the Costa Rican girls

Birthday Celebration

2009-03-27T11:08:00.006-05:00

On Sunday, we had a birthday celebration for John David, Chandler and me at the home where Kenzie is staying. We had a great time. We thought we would have a time to rest before our afternoon church service, but we forgot how long a party lasts here. When there is a birthday party (any gathering for that matter) in Costa Rica, you better come hungry and you need to pace yourself. The food was still coming off the grill after 3 hours.

My beautiful wife Kipplyn and Arecely.

Andres on the grill and the boys in the hammock being attacked by the smoke.

Charlie, Kenzie and Jeremy

George and Warren

Tommy, Joshua and John David

Lily, Britany and Randi Kate

2009-03-23T10:37:00.001-05:00

Kenzie Travels with us

2009-03-22T16:25:00.002-05:00

Our nephew Kenzie is spending 3 weeks with us in Costa Rica. He enjoys playing the guitar and has been playing for us some while he is here. This is Kenzie with Costa Rican kids and our kids in the boys bedroom.

Mexican Play Pen

2009-03-10T11:52:00.003-05:00

Why didn't I think of this before???

Beach Fun

2009-03-10T11:43:00.002-05:00

Lily Swims

2009-03-10T09:56:00.004-05:00

Lily had such a great time in the pool. The first week she had a little trouble balancing the floatie suit, but she quickly mastered it and was swimming all over! She was very happy with her new freedom!

Wish You Were Here!

2009-03-04T21:01:00.002-06:00

This may be my favorite place on earth.

What to do with all the old shoes...

2009-01-23T14:07:00.007-06:00

We head out soon for our next trip to Costa Rica. We are so excited to get a chance to visit our friends there. I keep up with a lady from the area who does some very tangible work for the indigenous children in the area. She helps them with education, clothing & shoes. I wrote to her and asked if there was anything that we could bring to her. Here is what she replied to me:
"HI, We would love to have your children's old shoes. Our rural kids range from toddlers up to about age 15. We can find feet for every size. We always need white uniform shirts, navy pants and skirts. Sweatshirts are in great demand as well, it is cold up in the mountains. We wear sweatshirts to bed most every night. Our rural and indigenous neighbors are not so lucky, they are cold." Ginnee

If you find that your children have outgrown their shoes or sweatshirts and would like to send them to the children in village. Please get them to me by March 15th. I will be happy to take them for you.

I pray that we will be given many more opportunities to love and serve people during our time in Costa Rica.

RandiKate at our Christmas Craft Workshop with the local Tico children Christmas 2007

Deee-lish-LA!

2009-01-14T08:20:00.004-06:00

George is at that wonderful age when he says all kinds of precious and hilarious things everyday. Yesterday he said "Mommy, this is Dee-lish-LA!" He is always telling me how much he loves me and how pretty I am. All I can say is, "This boy is DEE-LISH-LA!!!!"

Me vs The Fly Lady

2009-01-06T16:46:00.006-06:00

I really love things to be organized. It doesn't keep me awake at night to know that my closet or not organized, but I do like it. I just seem to have trouble keeping it that way. You know my mom IS The Fly Lady. (isn't she pretty?)
She is great to teach me all kinds of organizing tricks! But, I am always at war with The Fly Lady inside me and my lazy other side. So, I thought I would share a couple of real life examples I found in my own house....

Not so Fly

Fly Lady

Fly Lady

Not So Fly

PS. BTW....I am so happy being blonde!

Happy New Year

2009-01-05T22:23:00.003-06:00

I have finally come out from under my piles of paper to say Happy New Year. I was recently possessed by Martha Stewart, Aunt Annie & The Fly-lady all in one weekend. I spent the entire weekend organizing our piles of paper all over the place. I actually baked home made biscuits and pizza! I have to do something with all that flour. It won't make it until next December will it? Maybe tomorrow we will make play-dough. Tonight when Chandler returned home from gymnastics, I gave her brownies to celebrate back to school. She said "Mom, did you bake again?" Nope, Aunt Annie left me and these were from a box, but it is the thought that counts right? We had a successful day returning to our schedule and I am exhausted! It feels better to enter a new year with all my ducks in a row.

We Baked!

2008-12-29T16:39:00.004-06:00

Just before Christmas, I bought some flour and we baked a few cookies for the neighbors. It was a huge mess, but it was fun!

We Wish You A Merry Christmas!

2008-12-24T15:24:00.002-06:00

John David & George sang a few songs with their Sunday school classes. George was just a step behind the others. We all enjoyed it very much. Merry Christmas to all of you!

One Cup Of Joe...

2008-12-18T23:27:00.007-06:00

I really enjoy a good cup of coffee (or two or three) each morning. I have been thinking lately about how in Costa Rica this is the end of harvest season for the coffee beans. For a couple of months, men and women work from sun up to sun down picking berries (cherries) off of bushes. They make about $0.60- $1.50 per basket of cherries. They average 8-12 baskets per day.

Here is a bush full of cherries...

Here is a Costa Rican man picking...

Cherries in the basket...

You have to break open the cherry to find the coffee bean inside....

One of the hazards are the poisonous snakes and spiders that also enjoy the cherries and the bushes! Yuck! The pickers sell their baskets to men with trucks who take them to the processors to be pealed,roasted, packaged, & shipped- then right to my kitchen.

I really enjoy my cup of coffee in the morning. Now, I really appreciate it too.

Can we stop the growing?

2008-12-09T13:54:00.002-06:00

Just yesterday, this was her....

Tagged..7 Random Things About Me

2008-11-08T21:32:00.002-06:00

7. I am an addict... Coca Cola, Facebook, Travel.. There is probably more, but I don't want to share.

6. The 4th of July is my favorite holiday

5. I don't like to fly

4. I love to watch professional golf on tv

3. I know the words to rap music

2. I like to move... I am not discontent or wanting more. I just enjoy the change, the process, the excitement

1. I don't bake (I don't even have flour in my house. Sorry Annie and Laura R)

I tag Stacy, Leslie, & Becky C

Cutie Kids, Costumes, & Candy!

2008-11-02T19:21:00.004-06:00

We should have Art Class more often

2008-10-28T18:10:00.004-05:00

We enjoyed our time in "art class" today. The kids worked on making a stormy sky with water colors. I think they did a great job! Even George got in on the fun! I guess it wouldn't be Oklahoma without a tornado.

Little League Baseball

2008-10-28T17:55:00.005-05:00

I really do love to watch Charlie play ball! He is so passionate about it! He is always completely there, into every moment. He plays hard! Wins hard, loses hard! As far as I am concerned, he is the cutest kid out there!

This was his first season at kid -pitch. He enjoyed trying his hand at it!

He often plays 2nd base. He is great at hustling to make a play!

Charlie and his buddy John

JibJab Fun!-

2008-10-23T14:31:00.002-05:00

Thanks for helping me waste the day away Courtney!

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

A Day At The Farm

2008-10-17T10:08:00.008-05:00

During this time of year, I am highly tempted to move out of my neighborhood into the country. It is so beautiful and peaceful. I love how great the kids are outside! Boys need to be outdoors! Girls need to be outdoors! I have to remind myself how brutal the country is in the winter. :-) Here are some pics of the kids visiting Grandmadele at her "farm" We were excited to share it with friends too!

Lily Adele & Grandma Adele

Boys playing always turns into wrestling!

Chandler & Lily

RandiKate & Emma

George

You Be The Judge....

2008-10-13T15:49:00.001-05:00

Why do we judge each other? I have been thinking about being judgmental lately. Because I like rules, part of me is drawn to legalism, but then I recognize it and run. I think it is such a dangerous place for a Christian to be. To sit in judgement over another person. Actually, it is particularly ugly that we do it to each other, fellow believers. We have all felt it- from strangers, friends, family. I don't like the way it feels to be judged, so why would I do that to another person? Do I actually think that I have the authority to judge another? I heard a pastor this week teach from Luke. He called it The Woe of Hypocrisy. The scribes and the Pharisees were making up laws for all the regular people to follow. These laws had to do with agriculture and things that didn't affect the scribes and so, it would be easy for the leaders to follow, but impossible for the rest. That is what we do. We feel "called" to a certain ministry, or value, or way of life and it is very fulfilling. So, why then, wouldn't the same thing be RIGHT for the person next to us? We set up our own set of "spiritualness laws" that are easier for us to follow and then sit in judment over everyone else. He said, in one fell swoop we condemn others and commend ourselves. Really, we are all quite different. God speaks to us is many different ways. None of us has the exact same set of circumstances. So much plays into how we respond to life and how God uses each of us. Most people that I know truly seek His will and desire what is best for their family and life. I want my children to remember me as a person that loved other people, not someone that was always critical of others. Just because someone is doing something different than I am doing, does that mean they are outside the will of God? I am not talking about the major things that Christians agree are outside His will. I mean the dumb things are split us up, like whether you work or stay home, whether you homeschool or not, how you parent your children, whether you have them or not, how many children you have, how you allow God to use the gifts He gave you...etc. the list could go on and on. I know we are all different parts of the body of Christ. I hope that I am the kind of friend that is loving and encouraging wherever you may find yourself. I am blessed with friends that are serving God, their families, and others. Few of us are called to the exact same life. I am officially laying down my gavel. If you sense me pick it up, take it from me and hit me over the head with it, please.

Funnies from George

2008-10-13T08:39:00.004-05:00

We went to the library on Friday. He ran through the building screaming "When do we go to school?..... NEVER" hee hee. Yes, I know he needs a hair cut. If you look closely, you can see he tried to work on that a little himself. I can get lost in those eyes.

Need A Good Laugh?

2008-10-09T09:39:00.005-05:00

OK, I have to post a little plug for The Pioneer Woman. Do you read her blog? She just makes me laugh. I just can't help myself. Rumor has it, she is from Bartlesville. Anyway, if you need a good chuckle. Take a peek. Oh, she has some amazing photography too. www.thepioneerwoman.com

Big Girl!

2008-10-04T16:26:00.003-05:00

Randi Kate was very excited last night to receive real pierced earrings from Daddy and me. We went first thing this morning to Claire's to have it done. She was all smiles and giggles! She has wanted to get her ears pierced for a long time! I can't believe how grown up she looks! Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!

Too Cute to Resist!

2008-09-08T16:18:00.003-05:00

Piper Palin President 2044

Happy 3rd Birthday George!

2008-08-28T08:35:00.004-05:00

Sunday we celebrated George's 3rd birthday. We were still recovering from sickness, so we didn't have a birthday dinner or anything. Cruz and her family brought a cake and gifts for George to open. Last week we celebrated at my parents house for six August birthdays in the family. It was a fun time! It is hard to believe that it has been 3 years since we welcomed our George into the family. What a precious baby. He is definitely our child with the most energy! He keeps me on my toes and keeps us laughing (or crying) all of the time! Almost daily, I have something funny to share about what George says.
This week it is this:
Mommy: "George, pick up the blocks"
George: "OK, Mommy"
10 min later
Mommy: "George, pick up the blocks"
George: "OK, Mommy"
10 min later
Mommy: "George, if you don't sit down and pick up the blocks, I am going to have to spank you"
George: "OK, MOM.... (singing) clean up, clean up, clean up, everybody do their share.... Mommy?
Mommy:"Yes George?"
George: "Barney doesn't spank" :-)

Here are some pics of The August Birthday Party! George's birthday and Lily's first cake...

Our First Week

2008-08-22T15:26:00.004-05:00

Well, we have completed our first official week of school. It didn't go quite as I had planned.

Monday- the lady that I had scheduled to help me with the little kids was sick and couldn't come. It was fine, but teaching is a little more difficult with a 1 year old and a 3 year old on your lap all day.
Tuesday- Lily woke up at 3am throwing up
Wednesday-I thought we were well so we went on with...Activity day! It was fun, but we were all exhausted after an entire day out! Then Lily started throwing up again that night!
Thursday-Day went pretty well. I mistakenly added a trip to WalMart and a trip to the barber in there. Then by 5pm George was lying on the bathroom floor throwing up too
Friday- John David woke up at 4 am throwing up and he and George have been sick all day.

I have experienced many different emotions this week...
thrilled to have my children home with me
frustrated at times with everyone
tired of vomit
thankful for hot water, front loading over-sized washer/dryers and a husband that can handle a little vomit clean-up
exhausted from little sleep
I learned that our daily life may not be as neat and tidy as I would like, but we got our school work done together.

Life can be hard, but God is good all the time.

2008-08-17T13:12:00.004-05:00

Last night I watched as Pastor Rick Warren interviewed both Barack Obama and John McCain. I really enjoyed it. I found it all very interesting. I appreciate Regular Guy's thoughts on abortion and Obama. Thought you might be interested in reading it too. When we were in Costa Rica, we had a couple of opportunities when people would ask us about abortion. They were shocked and overcome with disbelief that the US actually allows such a thing. Even those of us who find it sad and horrible have become somewhat desensitized to the fact that the US has killed over 40 Million babies since Roe v. Wade. It should ruin a person's day to hear such a thing...

Happy 1st Birthday Princessa

2008-08-05T11:27:00.005-05:00

This week our littlest sunshine will be one year old! Amazing! I remember so clearly this time last year. We were all excited to meet the new sister! Her labor and delivery was perfect almost dreamy. Of course, I remember it was painful, but with it brought such a blessing!

She is such a fun addition to our family! She smiles so big we wonder if her face will break! She squeals loudly too! She gets excited to see all of her siblings! Her job in life right now is to survive George's "help." Does she look like RandiKate? Here is RandiKate at one year.

A few things she is doing right now:
Has 4 top teeth
Stands alone
Walks holding on to something
Waves bye-bye and hi
Says ma-ma & da-da
Climbs stairs and comes down too
Rides forward-facing in the car seat
Drinks whole milk
Likes "real" food better than baby food (smart girl)
Sleeps 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon
Sleeps 8p-7am at night

She is joy in all of our lives! Our princess.

"The Tiddie Park Is Willy Fun, Mommy!!"

2008-07-30T21:29:00.012-05:00

George's actual words. I love 2 year olds. The Kiddie Park just has to be one of the greatest places on earth! All kinds of little rides, perfect for kids under 5! I remember when we used to come visit my grandparents and would go there on occasion. It really is a special place. Only 25 cents for most rides and it is a barrel of fun!

This week some of the big kids are away at camp and John David is enjoying being the biggest! We are having fun with him and the other "littles." Amazing how easy, no uh, different it is to have only 3 kids. *wink*

JD has had a chance to have some friends over the past 2 days, too. It is a treat for him because it seems like there are not many boys that were born in 2002. At least not around us. Clayton Holley went with us tonight! It was fun to have him! He and JD had a ball making a mess with the snow cones and ice cream cones and then looking at themselves in the "fun house" mirrors!

They even let parents ride!

Chandler's First Kiddie Park Ride 1998

Lily's First Kiddie Park Ride 2008

"Where The Last Train Ride Is Always Free"

Even More Summer Fun

2008-07-20T13:59:00.002-05:00

I love our town. Really, I do! I think I have pictures of all of our children in these very swings. Lily may be the first one that loves the rush that a swing gives you! I love these pics of my 2
little babies!

Visit to PA

2008-07-20T09:18:00.004-05:00

Happy Birthday Charlie

George and Cousin!

All the Summers Cousins

Lily and cousin

Grandma Summers enjoyed visiting with Lily too

We had so much fun visiting Grandma Barb and PapPap in PA! Bo's brother #2 and #4 were there with their families too! We celebrated Charlie's 8th birthday and Gma's too! It is always good to be with family!

Visiting the D Family in PA!

2008-07-20T09:07:00.006-05:00

All the girls!

Look at all those kids!!! Can you believe the big boys???? Who are those handsome young men??

The girls were so thrilled to spend some time together too!

The D's living room style dining room is sure to make one feel comfortable!

The men chatting on the porch on a beautiful PA spring afternoon

We had such a wonderful time visiting our friends! If you know my friend, you know she is the queen of hospitality! I have always said that if you give her a box of bisquick and some frozen lemonade,she will whip up an amazing 4 course meal, and make you feel like you are at home! Thank you friends for always welcoming ALL of us, like it is no big deal! We enjoyed our time of visiting! There is nothing like old friends! (not that you are old) LOL! :-) It felt just like old times! Your turn to come see us!

More on the Summer

2008-07-20T08:37:00.007-05:00

Kissing Cousins (Yes, this is Arkansas)

Sunny(my brother's daughter) and Lily having fun at Grammy's and Pops' House

RandiKate and "Fun Aunt Stacy"

George and Walker (my brother's son) had a great time playing in the pool

My "baby Kate" and Mommy

Lily is trying to stand and walk! She is almost a year old!

Our Summer In A Nutshell....

2008-07-19T22:26:00.006-05:00

After we arrived home from Costa Rica we quickly headed out to PA to visit family. Along the way we visited some other friends and family. It was a long trip, but we were happy to get to see everyone.

We moved about a week after we returned from our road trip. Bo and I were on a mission and got all but 3 boxes unpacked in only 3 days! Way to go Honey! You're the best!

Charlie started out the summer with a great time of baseball season. I love evening at the baseball field! He especially enjoyed fishing with Cortland and Uncle Jim
Chandler stays busy and fit with gymnastics
RandiKate loves to swim and help with the babies!
George is potty training and keeps me on my toes
Lily weaned at around 10 months and is working on important life skills like sleeping through the night, climbing stairs, walking, cutting teeth, etc.
John David best enjoyed his time with cousin Sawyer in AR playing StarWars Xbox, watching Star Wars, Star Wars Wii, or even resorting to pretending Star Wars...

We spent the 4th in Fayetteville and then decided to camp out there for about 2 more weeks!

Get ready for all the pictures of summer!

Blogger-schmogger.......

2008-07-18T21:48:00.003-05:00

What do we call this? "Blog-ship"? "Cyber-friends"? or just plain "Stupid"? I have recently been thinking about all of this blogging (when did that word become a verb?) that has been happening in my life and in the life of my friends. I really enjoy reading blogs and hearing all of the details of life. I like the "wisdom exchanges" that happen and all of the funny stories along the way. It is easy to write out events one time for all of the world to see if they want. Honestly, it is a sorry excuse for a friendship. Sometime last week I swore off blogging forever. My level-headed husband encouraged me that it is not all bad and that it is actually a great way for long distance friends and family to keep up with our lives and a good way to write out thoughts or ideas. Dalene eluded to this in her last post. All of our ears still work and we are still able to speak, so why not pick up the phone? Is blogging so much less threatening? or just easy? This outlet should not replace sharing our daily lives "for real and in person." I am sorry that it has at all. I hope to actually see all of you very soon!!!

Two Little Monkeys

2008-07-02T20:45:00.005-05:00

Two Little Monkeys Jumpin' On The Bed......

One Fell Off & Bumped His... FACE!

In the words of our dear friend, Parker "Not a good idea, guys"

3 stitches later and missing swimming on The 4th,
lesson learned
(One can hope, can't she?)

Planning

2008-07-02T08:27:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite things to do is plan my schedule for my upcoming school year. I have always been really good at "procrastination by organization"! When I was in college I had really great notes and notebooks that were organized in some new fangled way each semester. I couldn't figure out why all the information didn't just jump right into my head and then back onto to my test paper. I have brought a little of that into adult life with me. I LOVE to get ready for the school year. I love school supplies and school books! I always have very high expectations (of myself) and purchase more curriculum than any one I know could possibly complete! Most of the time the curriculum I buy is pretty well planned for me, but I always have a few things to add. I use very sharp pencils and spend about a week sometime in the summer making wonderfully organized plans for all of my precious blessings. This year, I have found a new planner that I am excited to try! I will give me a place to organize all of our schedules (including outside activities, drs apts, etc) in one place! It is from The Old Schoolhouse Magazine that is one of my favorite homeschooling resources! They are having a contest to win one of these new planners. My prayer this year is that I will be wise when purchasing and planning for our school year, and that I will point my children toward Christ and learning what He has planned for their lives.

Refreshing

2008-06-28T19:51:00.000-05:00

The last 2 days I spent at my parents with 2 of my friends. It was such a nice time to get away and relax a little. I am always thankful for times like that to relax and renew and hopefully to come home a better mom than I left. Even though it wasn't scorching hot, I enjoyed every minute of it. I enjoyed some
one- on-one time with Lily. I really enjoyed getting to know my friend Courtney a little better and, of course, enjoyed time with an old "golden" friend (Christy). It is hard to find someone that is better at her than relaxing and enjoying company! Oh my goodness, I just went to download the pics from the weekend and found only ONE on my camera. I guess I took all of them with Christy's. So, she will have to send them to me.

The whipped cream on the sundae....
When I arrived home, I was greeted with dinner cooking on the stove and 3 clean and organized garages!! Amazing! My husband and kids are great! God is good! Thank you family for a little time for me!

The Invisible Woman

2008-06-17T12:32:00.000-05:00

I don't know who wrote this- some anonymous email. But, this is for all of my "cathedral-building" friends out there! I hope to be building a couple myself.

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?' Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom.

Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?

Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from

England

. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a hair clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: 'To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.' And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.'

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'You're gonna love it there.'

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Game of Tag....

2008-06-08T18:25:00.000-05:00

This is a little friendly blogger game.

The inquisition...
1. The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.
2. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
3. At the end of the post, the player tags 5-6 people, posts their names, then leaves a comment in their respective blogs to let them know they've been tagged.
4. Let the person who tagged you know that you posted your answers.

Questions...
1. What were you doing 10 years ago? I lived downtown in my Grandmother's apartment. We had lived in B'ville for 1 year. Those were the days of women's Bible study and play groups for my little girl.

2. What are 5 things on your to-do list today? 1.Unpack 2. Unpack 3. Unpack. 4. Unpack 5. Unpack

3. What are some snacks you enjoy? chips & salsa or sour candy

4. What would you do if you were a billionaire? Hmmm..... lots, but mostly help Bo with his ideas

5. What are 3 of your bad habits? I should ask my husband that one....not putting things away where I found them, going outside barefooted, eating peanut butter out of the jar

6. What are 5 places you have lived?
1. Bartlesville, OK
2. Fayetteville, Ar
3. Plano, TX
4. Jackson, MS
5. Little Rock, AR
6. Tuis, Costa Rica

7. What are 5 jobs you've had?
1. Nurses aide
2. Kanakuk Counselor
3. Preschool Teacher
4. Fragrance Model (you know, those annoying people that spray you when you walk in Dillards?)
5. MOMMY!

8. What is currently playing on your IPOD? I don't have one, but I listen to Chandler's a lot.... Casting Crowns and Spanish Worship music

9. What are the last 5-6 books you've read? Love & Respect by Eggleston, The Treasure Principle by Alcorn, When You Rise Up by Sproul, Jr, Making Room For Life by Frazee, Family Driven Faith by Baucham

10. Who do you want to tag?
Stacy
Marci
Laura R.
Chandler

Ironing.....

2008-06-02T14:58:00.000-05:00

Last weekend I decided to do some touch-up ironing for our church clothes. This is pretty unusual for me because I don't iron much. #1 I don't buy clothing that needs ironing & #2 I don't often iron it even if it needs it. It has always been a little joke in our family. Once, when Chandler was about 3, we took her to her Sunday school class, there was a plastic kitchen set with an ironing board and she said "Mom, what is this?"

Ok, so this time George walks up to me and says "Mommy, what cha' makin'?" hee hee. THEN, RandiKate comes around the corner and says in her most dramatic hysterical voice, "MOM, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY DRESS???!!!"

....... I guess ironing is not witnessed much in my house.

Cute

2008-05-30T18:33:00.000-05:00

8 and 80

2008-05-22T11:03:00.000-05:00

Charlie and our "Pa-Paw" share the same birthday. This year Charlie celebrated 8 years and Pa-Paw celebrated 80! Most of my Dad's side of the family in south Arkansas got together to celebrate! We had a great time seeing many of the cousins that we haven't seen in years!Happy Birthday Charlie! My first born boy! By the time I had my 3rd child, I had relaxed a little bit and really learned to enjoy my babies. We were so excited to have a little boy! Charlie was the happiest little toddler! He is still so much fun to be around!

His biggest love is baseball! He loves to watch with his dad and loves to play any time! This season he is especially enjoying playing on an undefeated team! I just love to watch him play! He loves the game and almost always knows what is going on! He runs on and off the field with excitement and is always happy to be there! He can't seem to get enough of it! Of course, Bo loves coaching him and the time they spend together playing and watching!

Charlie is a great big brother to his 2 little brothers! Here is a picture of all of the boys (before the haircuts) We are blessed to have him in our family and I look forward to seeing what plans God has for his life!

Happy Mother's Day...late, as UNusual

2008-05-14T10:09:00.000-05:00

Ever since we returned from Costa Rica, I cannot seem to get anywhere or do anything on time! I have always prided myself in being on time, but I am afraid we have turned into one of those big families that is always late! Maybe it is our recent "Latin influence", maybe it is that "I have always prided myself", or maybe I don't know... anyway, Mother's Day....

I am so blessed to be the mother to 6 children. Of course, they are beautiful and amazing, but I would love them even if they weren't. We had a great day with THE mother (my Grandmadel) and my aunt, uncle, cousins, etc. So I want to say I am thankful for the best job on earth, mother. What other job can you eat PB&J everyday, play in the park, read Dr Seuss, build train tracks, sing Miss Mary Mac, have "friendship talks", get genuine hugs and kisses and work for people who (usually) think you are the greatest person on earth???!! I wouldn't trade it for anything!

I am blessed also to have a wonderful mother who taught me so many things. She taught me how to properly load a dishwasher, fold a towel, change a diaper, organize a cabinet (all of which I don't do much of) So, the most important things she taught me are to love the Lord and seek Him, be His friend, love and honor your husband, cuddle and laugh with your children and that motherhood is the most important job out there- nothing is more aspiring. Thank you Mom, for the confidence in that! You are the best!

I am also blessed with a wonderful "mother-in-love"! Bo's mom is a wonderful example of how to be a good mother-in-law! Her servant's heart and positive attitude are an inspiration to me and I am sorry that we live so far apart!

Thank you Lord for my blessed life!
The ones who call me "Mom"

Make a declarative statement!

2008-05-14T09:12:00.000-05:00

Children's Museum & Tuis Classroom

2008-05-08T17:45:00.000-05:00

Well, you can't see Lily, but I like this picture of our family in front of the Children's Museum in San Jose, Costa Rica. Joel and Krista went with us and Joel takes cool pictures! We had a really good time!

This is one of the outdoor classrooms from our school! Very cool way to study! There is an amazing river that runs close and a lot of tropical wildlife!

OK, So, He's Not A Razorback (or a Sooner)

2008-05-06T10:40:00.000-05:00

Most of you probably think it is better that he not be either, but Tim Tebow (quarterback for the Florida Gators) is the first sophomore in history to win the Heisman Trophy. What is more impressive than all of it, is his story you must read. Guess what else is so interesting? He is a Christian, was homeschooled, and lived some time in the Philippines (which means he didn't play football on the local team from the age of 4?) How is that possible? Well, from what I read he is a Godly young man that inspires me. I think maybe his parents would also. Hope you enjoy his story.

Lily-Kinz

2008-05-02T16:22:00.000-05:00

WebKinz, & The Love of God

2008-04-26T08:21:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was "Spend $10 at Hallmark and receive a FREE WEBKINZ." My children have some Christmas or Birthday money they have been saving and wanted to take advantage of this deal. Well, everyone except RandiKate. She had already spent all of her money. So, yesterday I took all 6 of my children into the Hallmark store in the mall. Each one had $15 to make a purchase. RandiKate was a little sad, but seemed to be having fun with everyone else deciding which animal to choose. When Chandler went up to the register to pay for her Webkinz, she let RandiKate pick the free one and decided to give it to her. This was such a sweet act of kindness for her sister, my heart was beaming with pride. A few minutes later a lady came up to the counter and because she was making a purchase of $10 or more she was able to choose one of the free Webkinz also. She asked Chandler which one she liked the best. Chandler told her and the lady GAVE the Webkinz to Chandler!!! We couldn't believe it! I almost fell over. Not often do we so quickly get rewarded for acts of kindness, but today Chandler did. I thought it was such a sweet thing from the Lord to show a little bit of Himself to my 12 year old.

Girl Talk on Grace

2008-04-24T18:31:00.000-05:00

This is from Girl Talk Blog. My friend Katie in PA introduced this blog to me. I have really liked it. Thought this entry was good for where we are right now...

Click Here- Girl Talk On Grace

Voz Que Clama Mission

2008-04-21T08:28:00.000-05:00

This is a video about the ministry in Tuis that serves the indigenous people of the area. Each day we walked through the mission and were greeted by the residence there. It brings tears to my eyes to see these precious people again and the thought of the profound mission they have there. I am really excited for the new building to be built for this mission.

Love In Spanish

2008-04-17T21:58:00.000-05:00

You know how we use the word "love" for all kinds of things? "I love my car, my hair, my house, that necklace" Well, in Spanish they use the word for "want" in place of the word "love". It doesn't really fit with what we understand as the word for "want" For example, if you really like your car you would say "Yo quiero mi carro" Literally translated means "I want my car", but actually means "I really like my car" (I know this to be true in Costa Rica. It is possibly different in other places) Even for people that they like, they use the word for "want". There is no sexual connotation like in English, it is just the word they use. The word for love "amor" is reserved for your spouse, kids, or parents, and eventually for close friends. They just don't use it for stuff or "kinda-friends". Novel, huh? and btw "Te Quiero Mucho!"

Goodbye To Ava

2008-04-16T08:50:00.001-05:00

Yesterday Bo and I went to the memorial service to honor the short life of Ava Milagro. I returned home only a few hours too late for the honor of meeting this special baby. That is pretty disappointing. The thought of what my friends went through the last few months is overwhelming, and seems to push any other problem into the category of trivial. I am so proud of them; first, for choosing LIFE for their child. There is a story to be told of the amazing blessing that Ava has been to her family and to those surrounding them. Is it safe to say that most babies with this condition do not get the chance to be blessings? Because her parents chose life, God was able to use this small weak child to bless an entire community. I am so blessed to call these people my friends. Everyone really stepped up to the plate to serve this family during a difficult time. Everyone involved had the eyes of Christ and loved this precious baby. I stand in awe of the grace of God when we need it and I am humbled to be called friend by such amazing people who allow God to use them and to love through them. I am grateful.

OK, So what next?

2008-04-09T16:44:00.001-05:00

Well, we are home. Now what? Everyone asks this question. It is weird that I don't have an answer. I am so glad to be home! I am so happy for hot water, carpet floors, eating without fear- but, I feel like I am in a bit of a fog. We have seen and experienced so much and life here went on- business as usual. It is as if I am standing outside of a fast-moving merri-go-round trying to figure out how to jump back on. Everyone is yelling at me to take their hand and they will pull me back in........ I see all of my dearest friends and family there, and it looks like fun, but I am not sure I want back on. Is there a merri-go-round that moves a little slower? Maybe I will just stick to the swing-set across the park. I have so many jumbled thoughts that I can't figure out how to put them into words. I learned so much in Costa Rica and really enjoyed our time there as a family with little to do. Life just strolls along there. I love that. But I must admit I did have my share of being completely bored out of my wits! I know I want to spend more time with my friends and family. I also want to use our Spanish somehow. I want to be more focused on relationships. The big question is HOW???? How do I live here in this culture that God has put me in and slow things down? I'll let you know if I figure out any of the answers. I want to write more about our time in Costa Rica and sort of an end to that story (if there is one). Maybe those thoughts will come soon.

More Big Family

2008-04-06T21:37:00.000-05:00

One of my great friends had a baby today. This is her 6th (crazy, I know) Well, they are all "K" names... this new little blessing is named Kipplyn Grace. What a sweet honor to me. She is a doll. All of the other "K's" are so excited to welcome a new best friend. I read a blog tonight a little about big families that I find interesting... thought you might too.

Big Family Thoughts

Headed Home

2008-04-01T14:35:00.000-05:00

Hi! Well, we are finally in San Jose. We must have said goodbye to 100 people in our house yesterday. Everyone was very sweet. We feel loved and exhausted! My brain is full and there is so much to digest. We are going to the national children's museum tomorrow and then our flight leaves Thursday afternoon. We are excited to be home! See you soon!

My big girl is 12 years old! How is it possible?

2008-03-24T09:55:00.000-05:00

Chandler and Grammy in San Jose
Friday we celebrated Chandler’s 12^th birthday. She is such a blessing to us and to everyone she meets. We have always said she is “going on 20” because of her maturity. She is a big helper with her siblings and we enjoy spending time with her. She is a bit of a social bug and has many friends (everywhere she goes). This weekend we traveled to Arenal Volcano. We went to a place where they have natural hot springs and pools from the volcano. They also had waterslides and we enjoyed our time there. Chandler is not really one for heights or fast adventure, but she is always going to try it at least once! She is a good sport! Honestly, I was a little concerned about her before we came to Costa Rica. Because of her age, I was worried that it would be harder for her to learn the language. It was difficult for her to leave her friends and gymnastics, and I knew she would be homesick. Well, the first few weeks were a little challenging, but she jumped right in and made friends. She studied hard and had a desire to speak to her new friends and now her ability to speak the language is really incredible. I am so proud of her!

Why are we leaving earlier than planned?

2008-03-24T09:53:00.000-05:00

A: Spanish is so easy, we have learned all there is to learn

B: A person can only handle so much fresh fruit

C: With temperatures everyday from 72-82 degrees, the weather is just too perfect

D: It is boring having someone cook every day for us

OK, no, just kidding…. We just know our time here for now has come to an end. We have had a wonderful experience and God has shown us so many things. We look forward to seeing everyone soon.

Happy 12th Birthday Chandler!!!

2008-03-21T11:01:00.000-05:00

Chandler turned 12 years old today. She said the only thing that she wants for her birthday is a phone call from family and friends. She also wanted a visit to the local internet café to post on her blog and send a few e-mails. If you would like to call her, our cell phone number (dialing from the US) is 011-506-8-319-4739. If you have ECG for your long distance service your bill will be cheap. There are no guarantees if you use another provider (actually, your friendship or familial status may be called into question if you use another service). I added the number in the blog because all phone numbers in Costa Rica changed this week. Each cell phone now begins with an 8 and each land line begins with a 2. This number will only be valid for us until the 1st of April.

We are in La Fortuna, Costa Rica this weekend for a little getaway. We came to see an active volcano that regularly has lava flowing that is visible at nights. So far in the 24 hours that we have been here, there has been thick cloud cover over the area and specifically over the mountain. We hope that the weather changes before we leave on Sunday. We brought our neighbor, Mireya, with us. She has lived her entire life in Costa Rica but has not seen the majority of her country. She was very excited to come on this trip. We'll update more with pictures and a better description before we leave.

Happy 6th Birthday John David!

2008-03-17T19:22:00.000-05:00

John David with his best friend, big brother Charlie

John David (also known as JD, Juan David, and Juan JD) celebrated his 6th birthday on Sunday. He had two parties on the same day. John David is such a sweet boy. He is quiet in groups, but easy to talk to one on one. He is very creative and enjoys coloring and drawing. He has a bit of quiet mischievousness about him. To steal the words of his Aunt Summer “he is so stinkin’ cute!” Each morning he comes to me to find Lily and spend some time with her. He is a blessing to our family! It is hard to believe he is already 6 years old! And, by the way, we have decided to come home April 3rd! Can’t wait- See you soon!

John David is blowing out the candles on his cake

A birthday photo with the guys (and Maria)

JD is ready for a jam session with George´s guitar

JD has a new teacher, Andres. He really enjoys the class and they have fun building things while he learns Spanish.

JD with his new wooden helicopter

More Lily Pics

2008-03-15T11:30:00.001-05:00

This is Lily with Maria. Maria is a precious 10 year old girl that loves to hold Lily everyday!

Lily has quite a personality. Look at that sad face!

She has started to enjoy the Johnny Jump Up that we brought for her to use. She also enjoys it when her brothers and sisters push her in it like a swing!

Lily is 7 Months Old

2008-03-15T11:02:00.000-05:00

It is hard to believe our precious “Lily-kins” is already 7 months old! She is such a doll with quite a personality! She squeals really loudly while clinching her fists when she is frustrated! She is about to take off crawling any minute now! I have to keep time for the little girls in the neighborhood who fight to get to hold her each afternoon. George calls her “Hilly” and helps entertain her alot of times too! Seidy and our neighbor Mireya have grown especially attached to her and are already talking about how sad they will be when we leave. It has been such a blessing to have people around us that love our kids while we are away from home.

Expectations

2008-03-13T09:50:00.000-05:00

Recently I had a few days feeling very grumpy. I found myself frustrated with all of the people around me. I began to think and pray about this and ask myself, “What is it that I expect?”. I realize that I came into this trip with a set of expectations. I thought that, somehow, by leaving our life in the US, things would change- my children would get along better, serve each other (and me); my husband would suddenly know all I needed and respond accordingly. We would leave the constant bombardment by media and influence of peers or culture, leave the hustle and bustle of our lives and become so aware of others that we would miraculously be less selfish, more holy, and concerned for everyone else. Maybe my children will stop constantly begging for more “stuff”. As I write this, I realize how completely ridiculous this sounds. These were not consious expectations that I wrote down and hoped for, but the truth is, they were (or are) my expectations. So, what now? Sin is everywhere-even here in the beautiful tropics. It can’t be escaped. My children still fight, my husband still needs a few clues into my psyche, and we are all still quite self-focused. I know the Lord has taught us many things and we will leave here different than we came, but I am not sure what that will look like exactly. It all has me thinking about what a great influence “expectations” have on our lives each day. Often they can affect my entire day, my behavior and my responses to my family. I guess, if I can realize that my problem is un-met expectations, hopefully, I can change my attitude and appreciate more my time here (and everywhere).

Turrialba Volcano

2008-03-08T17:10:00.000-06:00

Our volcano has been acting up a little lately. It has been smoking some here and there and one day the people who live up close to it had to leave for a little while. No one expects it to errupt with lava, who knows... it makes pretty pictures.

The Engineers visit CISA

2008-03-06T07:58:00.000-06:00

Joshua, Brad, Steph, and Ali

We met a group of four young people at the school in Tuis before our trip to the beach. They are engineers and if I remember correctly, three of them are civil engineers and the fourth is a ???? engineer. They spent two weeks at CISA in an intensive Spanish curriculum. Each of them is volunteering 6 months of their time in a valuable ministry called EMI. We were only able to spend a short period of time with them, but we enjoyed it. Joshua was kind enough to provide some information about their organization and the projects that they are currently involved in.

Message from Joshua:

EMI is a non-profit Christian design firm that provides architectural and engineering services for other Christian ministries around the globe. Most of our work consists of designing schools, churches, orphanages, and medical clinics in third world countries. EMI’s headquarters is located in Colorado Springs, with international offices in India, Uganda, and Costa Rica as well as a second sending office in Calgary, Canada. The purpose of our international offices is to intentionally invest in the region, network with other Christian ministries and potential clients, and become experts in local design practices. The Costa Rica office is brand new, having moved from Guatemala City last fall. Right now we have two staff engineers and four interns, with two or three more families set to join us within a year. You can read more about EMI at www.emiworld.org.

This spring we are working on two projects – both of which are located in Guatemala. In late January through early February, we recruited two teams of volunteers and spent a week at each project – surveying the sites, meeting with the ministry directors, and developing our design.

Our first project was a training and development center for Agros International (www.agros.org). Agros is a Christian ministry that is working to break the cycle of poverty in indigenous communities by helping people acquire land, providing basic services, offering education and training, and coordinating economic development. Much of their work is focused on the Ixil region in northwestern Guatemala – a region still recovering from a brutal civil war which ended 12 years ago. In order to effectively serve these communities, Agros is in the process of building a center for training and development outside the town of Nebaj. Agros requested EMI’s services to review their master plan and design a carpentry workshop. When our team arrived, we found that Agros had purchased a beautiful piece of land; however, it was very hilly, leaving little flat space to build on. Our challenge was to use our engineering sense to locate all of the proposed buildings within their difficult site.

Our second project trip was at Casa Bernabé (www.casabernabe.org), an orphanage just outside Guatemala City that houses approximately 160 kids. Due to problems of corruption, the country of Guatemala has recently changed their adoption procedures, effectively stopping any adoptions out of the country, and creating a higher demand on orphanages. Many of the children at this orphanage are not necessarily orphans, but have been either abandoned or abused by their parents. At Casa Bernabé, the kids live with house parents in eight different homes, separated by age and gender. Since 1996, Casa Bernabé has provided the children with education at an on-site Christian elementary school. However, the current facility is inadequate to handle all the kids at the orphanage. Our project was to design a remodeled school building with a new second floor, as well as update their site plan and provide recommendations for their wastewater treatment system.

Now that we’re back at the office in Atenas, Costa Rica, our job will be to complete the design of these two projects, including construction plans and a design report. It is an incredible blessing to have this opportunity to use our engineering training to help all of the incredible ministries in this region.

Our Trip To Playa Conchal

2008-03-01T10:26:00.000-06:00

What an amazing week. When I walked into the house where we were going to stay, I was completely blown away! I have not EVER seen anything like it! It was huge and completely amazing. I can't even describe it properly! Pops has outdone himself again! We even had our own private pool with a beautiful view of the ocean. This is a long way from Tuis! We will post a slide show of many of the pictures soon. We all had a wonderful time of refreshment and Grammy and Pops completely spoiled us! It was great to get to spend time with them and it is hard to let them go home without us! Now we are on our way back to Tuis and 2 more months of time here in Costa Rica.

Tico Trivia

2008-03-01T10:22:00.000-06:00

Anybody know what this is??

Baby Ava Milagro

2008-03-01T07:05:00.000-06:00

February 27 I got news that my friend Rachel had her sweet baby that had been diagnosed not to make it through the birth. We have all been praying for a miracle for baby Ava. The miracle for all of us is that she is still alive and was able to go home with her family. The likely diagnosis is trisomy 13. This causes a whole gamete of problems that I won't go into right now. It is not really my story. We continue to pray for their family during this time. I hurt for all of my friends who are there and aching for our sweet friend who will only be allowed a short time with her child. The day she was born Chandler asked me if there was a chance still for Ava to live. I said sure. God can do anything! After about 1/2 of the day had passed I realized that Chandler was not eating and I asked her about it. She said she wanted to fast and pray for baby Ava to live. What a precious thing for my 11 year old to have the desire to do and a sweet expression of love for this family. It is hard to go through painful times, but even more, it is heart-wrenching to see your children hurt too. Baby Ava's big sister is a dear friend of Chandler and just as I hurt for my friend. Chandler hurts for hers. My baby girl is getting big.

Happy Birthday To Our Family Matriarch!

2008-02-19T14:09:00.000-06:00

Grandmadele, Lily, & Chandler when Grandma visited us in Costa Rica

My grandmother Adele turns 88 years old today. Right now she is enjoying herself in Cancun Mexico. I believe it is her 35 year to visit there! She is an amazing woman that I admire very much. She has 5 children, 15 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. She has many friends and enjoys living her life. Through all that life has brought and all that she has seen, she has remained a constant in many of our lives. We all know we can always count on Grandma! Even through mistakes and problems, she has shown love to each of us. She may be the most laid-back person I know. Not much seems to "ruffle her feathers" I love so much that she continues to grow and learn in her life. She uses the computer for email, has a cell phone, and travels all over the world! She is always excited for someone to announce there will be a new baby in the family! She appreciates life, loves family and the Lord. Thank you Grandma for all of your love and for allowing us to share in your life. When I grow up, I want to be more like you!

Ground Hog Days

2008-02-14T16:09:00.000-06:00

When there is nothing else to play with….

One of my favorite things about being here is that my children have finally learned to play outside with nothing more than stick, rocks and a lot of imagination. This is a picture of John David and Charlie in a “fort” that they built. They had a great time building it with some friends.

Sorry we have not posted much lately. We are in a little bit of “Ground-Hog Day” right now. We don’t have much interesting to say….more of the same

I miss hot water, my bed, friends & family!

I love having someone to cook delicious food for me everyday!

I buy amazing fruits and veggies at unbelievable prices!

Learning to speak Spanish is REALLY HARD, but we are learning!

The kids are great and amaze me every day with their ability to learn the language!

My parents will be here next weekend for a week at the beach. I am sure we will have lots of pictures and stories to share. Hope you are surviving your winter!

It is a little chilly here today (around 78*F) Kick me later!

Happy Valentine’s Day

Slideshows online

2008-02-03T11:10:00.000-06:00

Here is a list of photo slideshows that we have available to date. You need to have a Snapfish account to view them. The account is free.

Costa Rica – January 2008

Costa Rica – December 2007

Costa Rica – November 2007

Canyoning in Costa Rica (January 2007)

Gymnastics – Panama (December 2007)

Thanksgiving 2007

Birds of Costa Rica

Flowers of Costa Rica

The Black Sand Beach in Panama

2008-02-01T08:04:00.001-06:00

Our White Feet On The Black Beach

Chandler and Mommy

George enjoyed the sand!