Snow Days

Today is the third snow day we've had this year, meaning school is canceled!  So what does that mean for us?  Well, one it's been cold, and two we've gotten to have some additional family time together.  Some has been hunkered down indoors and some has been spent in the great outdoors enjoying the snow!  I personally enjoy the warmth of being indoors, but when the kids wanna play, out we all go!  The snow pants are a little tight with this pregnant belly I might add.  One day I wore Lee's and it was quite hilarious! 

 

We went sledding one day at church because our church is located on top of a big hill!  After every run Klara did she would say, "Do it again!"  She's our adventurous little one and loved it! 

 The girls also enjoyed what we call "natural" shave ice!

Will there be more snow days in our future???  Who knows, but I guess we'll try to make the most of them! 

The Peace of Black Friday

Our Black Friday was exceptionally peaceful!  We avoided the chaos and spent the time at home with our family decorating for the Christmas season.  It seemed especially special (can I say that?) because last year we didn't do much because we were traveling, including not getting a Christmas tree.  So today we spent time "enjoying the moment" I guess you could say.  No long lines, no stress, no going into debt, just good ol' fashioned family time.  And please don't get me wrong, if you went I do not judge.  I have gone before and have done the whole shopping/waiting in line thing.  I guess this year especially, every time I find myself wanting (I wish we could have this or that), I start thinking of those in the Philippines.  Those who are now on their 3rd or 4th week of canned food and sardines, who are rebuilding their homes, and just want to drink fresh water.  Everything after that seems a little less unneeded.  So here's our start to this Christmas season!  May yours be filled with Peace (not the skipping out on Black Friday kind of peace), but the Peace of a baby boy in a manger - who died for sinners like you and like me!

The baby is a...

Hawaii

Lee and I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Hawaii for a week with my boss, Carl!  He was speaking in Hawaii and invited us along to help with his speaking engagements, but also have some down time.  Our 10 year anniversary is next June and we decided we'd take the opportunity to also celebrate early since we'll have the new baby at that time.  We stayed in a missionary apartment one of the churches Carl was speaking at owned.  It was very nice and we had the most amazing hosts, Pastor Frank and April!  They were so very kind!  They took us places, told us great places to visit, and we just had good fellowship with them.  It was great not only having the opportunity to do ministry together (which is one of our favorite things), but just also be together with no distractions.  Ok, the weather is pretty nice too.  We actually only got to the beach twice, as in sit on the beach and just relax.  Well, I relaxed the guys did some boogie boarding, and boy did they have a blast.

Highlights?  I would say hiking Diamond Head, boogie boarding, seeing a surfing competition, seeing sea turtles on the beach, hanging with Frank, April, and Carl, eating Malasadas (the most amazing donuts), but honestly the best part was seeing people who wanted to rededicate their lives to Christ and be bold for Him in their faith.  That was the coolest part.  So glad I get to be part of an amazing ministry!   

Here's just a few pics from our time there! 

Discussions & Veterans Day

We knew when sending Isabel to public school we would come across teaching that did not line up with our Biblical beliefs.  However, we decided when things did come up we would discuss them and learn from them.  Today was one of those moments when reading her reader about Dinosaurs, it talked about the dinosaurs of course being millions of years old.  We got to discuss why we as Christians don't believe that and talk about what the world believes, and why.  It was a really good discussion.

In that same reader was a vocabulary word she was suppose to "hunt" for.  The word was "enemy."  I asked her first if she knew what that meant.  I assumed she would say something like, "The dinosaurs had enemies or predators."  To my surprise, she said yes.  She went on to explain how in the Bible the Israelites & Philistines were enemies.  It was really cool how our discussions both times were brought back to the Bible and what God's Word says.

Back in October (it seems so long a go) the ministry I work for hosted it's first ever conference, called the Hope Conference.  It had really great apologetic teaching and I still feel blessed to be part of an amazing ministry that wants to share the Hope of Jesus Christ.  In conjunction with the conference there was also a special kids program.  It was GREAT!  If you are ever looking for a great kids program to go along with your conference, contact J & Y ministries!  My girls got to attend and they loved it.  They teach the kids all about creation from a Biblical perspective, and make is SO fun for kids with games, puppet shows, and balloon animals.  She brought up some of the things she had learned there in our discussion tonight about fossils.  It was really pretty cool.

Props to my husband who created the awesome stage design for the Hope Conference

J & Y kids program

Today her school also celebrated Veterans Day.  The kids could invite family members who were Veterans to represent them at the celebration.  Isabel invited my dad, who served in the Navy for 11 years.  It was really a special ceremony!  They honored the veterans, had some kids recite poems, and we even sang "God bless America."

Papa & Isabel

A special moment when all the active duty & veterans saluted the students

I'm thankful for Isabel's school and the things she is learning there.  I'm thankful for the Biblical truths we can hold on to.  And because of our many veterans, I'm thankful for the freedom we have in this country (unlike many).     

Fall Traditions

We have a few what I'd call family traditions we do every fall, or at least try to.

1.  Going to some type of pumpkin patch.  It's not the same patch every year, but we try to embrace the fall season and all the pumpkin patch has to offer - pumpkins, animals, face painting, corn mazes, fire pits, etc.  This year we went to one not too far away.  As always it was a fun adventure the girls loved!  Add in some friends and it makes for a wonderful day!

 

2.  Annual small group pumpkin carving contest.  This is such a fun tradition.  I'm not even sure how it really started.  I remember the first year it was just a small group of us that got together to carve them.  From that it's grown to a fun event.  Lots of creativity is put into it each year and it's always a fun time. 

 

 

We had a special bonus treat this fall when we got to take the girls to Disney on Ice for FREE!  A dear friend of ours had given us three tickets.  Lee was planning to take the two older girls for a special daddy/daughter date.  Then, come to find out I WON tickets from the girls dentist's office!  WOW!  So our entire family got to go and we brought a few friends along (aka birthday girl friend)!  What a treat!  I was so glad Klara got to go, even though she won't remember it.  She LOVES Minnie Mouse and it was SO fun watching her in awe as she saw all of the different characters.  She clapped to the music and danced along too.  The other girls of course loved it too.  Our girls dressed up like princesses, except for Klara who insisted on being a ladybug.  This probably won't become a tradition, but definitely a memory we can enjoy! 

Looking Back - July

What a great day to look back at July.  It's Lee's moms birthday, and a big chuck of our July was spent with her!  Lee's parents came to the states for the month of July and we got to spend a two solid weeks with them!  It was wonderful!  We also had some friends come along for a few days to see the great sights of Western Michigan.  It was fun having them there and showing them all the things we love about my hometown.  The weather was practically perfect and it doesn't get any better than being only a few blocks away from the beach.  Add in some extra family that happened to be in town and we had a wonderful time!     

 

As an added bonus, Lee arranged for a two day getaway from us, as a birthday present to me.  When went back to where we got engaged 10 years ago.  It was fun to be back.  We went back to the restaurant he proposed in.  Although the restaurant had changed, the building was the same.  We really enjoyed the time together, and the girls loved their special time alone with Lolo & Lola!

Ana also turned 4 and we had fun celebrating her!  She decided to celebrate by getting a pedicure with her friend Kate.  It was a special super girly treat.  What can I say, she likes getting pampered like her momma.