Life is happening even though it may not appear as such out here in the world of blog. Here are some random things that are going on in the Stunz household.
Tommy bought a new desktop computer today. No, not a Mac. We're just not that wealthy! But it is fast, or at least it will be when Tommy gets home and unloads it and hooks it all up. What a pain to transfer stuff this is going to be. We've had this old Dell for about twice as long as a typical computer life span is supposed to be. It has like about a 30GB Hard Drive, 540MB Ram and our new one has 6GB RAM and 750GB Hard Drive. I think that's quite an improvement and although still lame by some peoples standards, we are out of the dark ages. We also get a printer with WIFI so we can print from our laptops somewhere else in the house. I think I'm most excited about that. It also has a 22" flat screen monitor. That's almost as big as our tv. Not really but it's big and small at the same time. Our current monitor takes up the whole top of the desk.
Jakeb finished Algebra 2 today!! He's on to Geometry now. We had hoped to finish A2 in one semester but it wasn't all that easy. We're hoping to finish Geometry by the end of the school year but it may take him into the summer a little to finish. Jakeb's brain works more like Tommy's and Tommy liked Geometry a lot more than Algebra so maybe Jakeb will find it easier. Overall, Jakeb is doing great in school. I appreciate them both being willing for us to all learn together.
Anna is doing super great in school. By my recent calculations, we're ahead in several of her subjects so we're slacking off a bit in those so as to not finish them in March and beefing up lessons in a couple of other subjects that we weren't so ahead on. We're also getting to do some cool science projects and stuff.
Jakeb and Anna both have now been officially accepted to International School Singapore. We were sweating that one out for a little bit because Jakeb was in but they didn't have a spot for Anna. Her going to a different school would have meant two different school calendars. That would have messed up vacation plans for sure. Anyway, our small group prayed, and I'm sure that's what did it because early that week we got the email saying that they had a spot for her and to send money quick before it got snatched up. So we did. Well, the company did. We can't afford a Mac, we sure can't afford this school. Jakeb is super excited because ISS High School requires students to have a Macbook. So we will be purchasing one of those from the school program when we get there. That way it will be loaded with the software that he'll need. That purchase is on us. Ouch!
Tori got another hole (she already has two from birth) in her nose on purpose and it has a cute little sparkly thing sticking out of it. She waited all of 5 days after her 18th birthday to go get it done. We are totally fine with it and it looks cute. She loves it! I think people are mostly shocked and it's fun to watch and hear about the reactions from all of those people that think we're stick in the mud, traditional people that must be crazy with anger and shame at the thought of our daughter doing that to her body. Now when she gets the bamboo stick through her lips, we might go a little whack.
I got a massage on Friday. It was okay for the $39 intro price but there's no way I'd pay $65 for one which is the regular price. Plus, it messed up my hair and makeup and I had a line on my forehead for about 30 minutes and Tommy and I were going on a date.
Our house is STILL for sale. I know, it's only been 3 weeks.... but I really hate making my bed and keeping the house clean. We showed it yesterday and I wasn't ready. Anna and I flew through the house and got it ready. I ended up putting a laundry basket full of dirty dishes in my trunk on the way out the door. It was pretty funny! One couple is very interested but they have to wait until May or June to close which works perfectly for us but we certainly aren't going to hold it for them without a solid contract and financing. Another buyer has it "on her list". She didn't like where the a/c unit is placed. That's crazy. Like we're going to move an a/c unit. I don't like it there either but I never once thought that it would be reasonable to move it somewhere else. It is where it is.
The move to Singapore is happening and every day I experience little "deaths". Little things that are depressing and make my heart hurt. But also every day, there are new "life" things happening as well. This is proving to be the challenge we expected but we have to focus on the adventure or it will most definitely pull us under.
Speaking of new life. there sure have been a lot of babies being born lately. And even more to come soon. Congratulations everyone! So exciting and so glad it's not me. :) I'll just borrow yours.
Oh, and...
Tori's truck dances when she shifts gears. We're not sure what is up with that but Tommy's working on trying to figure it out. It makes for a rather comical ride. If you need a good laugh, ask her to come take you somewhere.
Anna didn't know the name for one of the seas in Geography. She knew it started with an "M" and that it was a long name. I always tell her to never leave anything blank, to at least try. So, the Mediterranean Sea is now the Miscelleneous Sea. :) Miscelleneous is one of her spelling words this week and she spelled it correctly. Good girl!
Jakeb is going to turn into a pecan pie. He's found that he loves them and eats a piece every time he's at work.
We ate Persian food the other night on our date. We love that place! The owner is from Syria, her husband is Iranian, the chef and the waitress or Spanish. Did I say we love that place? :) The owner made her special ice cream for couples on Valentines Day and even though it was a day early, she gave us some for free for our dessert. It was interestingly good. It was a vanilla ice cream base with crushed pistachios and rose flavoring. Not something I'd ever crave but we were happy to have the experience. It kind of tasted like eating perfume but in an ok way. Weird.
Then we went to The Dessert Gallery on Post Oak for some real dessert. Oh my!!! It took me three days to eat my piece of cake and the kids even took a few bites.
This is probably the last blog post I'll type on this piece of junk, antiquated computer. Yipee!!!
Well, that's it for now. My brain is sufficiently purged for a day or two.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Blogs We Like - Singapore
By now, you probably know that we are preparing for our move to Singapore in June or so. We have been preparing for this move since last summer and have been following some blogs to help us find out what's there, what's not there and see the sights.
Below are a few blogs we like a lot and thought we'd share in case you want to read up or see some beautiful photos. Often, these bloggers travel and post stories and photos from other locations. We pretty much have our trips all planned out by using these blogs. They often post things that they have no idea how helpful the information was to me as I've been able to read between the lines. We've learned a lot about what is there and what is not, what to expect, etc. We have even been able to connect with a couple of them. The country of Singapore is small (smaller than Brazoria County) so I'm hoping to get to meet a few, if not all, of these bloggers once we're there. We appreciate them all taking the time to share their journey with us. It has been a most helpful blessing!
http://millysmix.blogspot.com/ This one is my (Andrea's) favorite since she posts things from a family perspective.
http://www.oureverydaythings.com/ This is my NEW 2nd favorite. She takes some beautiful photos and is also family oriented.
http://seenthisscenethat.blogspot.com/ Mostly pictures he takes of destinations, parks, etc. in Singapore.
Enjoy!
Those of you who aren't wanting to hear much about our move to Singapore, here's your warning and now's your chance to remove our blog link from your reader. (Although I hope you won't.) Moving to Singapore is quickly becoming a major focus of where our family is headed and what we are doing so it will be hard to blog without the topic of Singapore showing up. :)
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Bella-Full Dog Treats - In Full Swing
Anna, our 2.5 weeks away from being 10 year old daughter, began making dog treats to help her brother and sister pay for their trip to Kenya this summer. Here's the post from her official launch.
She's done quite well! She started making them just before Christmas and has raised right at $200! She has the process down and does almost all of it by herself except for the hot oven part and some of the packaging (which is totally cute, btw). She measures, she mixes, she cuts them out, etc. And she has fun doing it. It's so fun to watch her work. When Tori and Jakeb go to Kenya this summer, a piece of Anna will get to go too because she had a part in it. Inspiring!
If anyone wants to order some or order more, let us know.
Monday, February 09, 2009
Helpful Homeschool Links and Information
I've been needing to put this together for a long time to share with a couple of friends and also just to have all of these links documented somewhere. I got most of these from trusted homeschooling friends and we stumbled up on a few of them on our own.
If you're going to homeschool, whatever you decide to use, be okay with making adjustments to make it fit you and your child. You're probably not going to find anything that is perfect. However, Teaching Textbooks for math comes pretty darn close! That is my all-time favorite and I can't say enough good about it!
In most communities, you can find homeschool groups to join that enable you to network ideas and also participate in field trips, etc. There are also many co-op options in most areas. Just takes a little digging. The internet might just be your most valuable tool! We haven't participated in the groups or co-ops but they are always an option for something you might not feel comfortable teaching. For me, one of the downfalls of homeschooling is that I lack passion in teaching particular subjects. A trained and educated teacher might have been able to make Julius Caesar come alive for Jakeb or Alegbra 2 be fun or come up with a much better science or history project for a 4th grader. But since I'm not knowledgeable about those things (and other things) I almost feel like my kids are sometimes missing out. This is out-weighed, however, by many, many other benefits.
I'm sure this is not a comprehensive listing. When I think of or run across other helpful information or links, I'll post again. If anyone reading has anything to add, please feel free to comment.
My main pieces of advice for homeschool parents are:
1) If you're married, both husband and wife need to have a strong committment and dedication level. This has been a very challenging year for me (and fulfilling!) but without Tommy's support and help, I would definitely have gone bonkers! If you're single, make sure you have some type of support from grandparents or close family and friends or a homeschool group. It would be so hard to do this alone!
2) Be sure and physically look at your curriculum choices if at all possible. Either at a store or at a friends house. We were headed in one direction with Anna but when I physically saw it, it was absolute chaos on a page and would not have worked well for Anna's learning style at all! Saved us a ton of money!
3) Remain open minded to new ideas and techniques. If something is not working, be willing to try something new.
4) Be flexible but not so flexible that your kids think they are in control and can do whatever they want.
5) Relax every now and then, ditch the lessons and have fun being with your kids! Instead of reading about clouds in your science book, go outside and look at them. What a treasured time!!
Links we've actually used:
http://freetypinggame.net/ This site is tons of fun for the family to play with each other!
http://www.multiplication.com/interactive_games.htm Anna struggled with her multiplication tables at the beginning of the year. She knows them well thanks to this and some other fun math games we found. We love the Jump Start software games and I also found a music cd with the multiplication tables put to classical tunes. She HATED it but it was incentive to learn them when I told her that when she learned them all she wouldn't have to listen to it anymore. :)
Snagfilms (You can find some documentaries here that are hard to find. This has been helpful to enhance history and science lessons.)
The Homeschool Store This is a great store in Houston and the only one I've been to. They have a lot of new and used stuff. It's stuffed from wall to wall so bring your Starbucks and plan on staying for a couple of hours and you might consider leaving your young kids with grandma or a friend. You'll need to be able to focus if you're going to research. They do have a video corner and they welcome kids, of course.
Homeschool Tracker (LOVE this! I could not stay organized without it. I make my lesson plans on this and enter grades. It tracks attendance and spits me out report cards. Wonderful tool! We used the free download since we only planned on homeschooling for one year. I'm sure the one you pay for is much better if you don't mind paying for it.)
A Beka We used this for most of Anna's curriculum. I have some major issues with how "King James" it is but we just made our own adjustments. It was our fall back since we used it when we homeschooled Tori in the 4th grade. I couldn't find anything else that I was happy with so we went with A Beka again. It's laid out well for non teachers such as me with handy lesson plans and answer keys and such. I particularly liked the core subjects in these - History, Science and Language. The reading program has been very helpful for her and she has improved considerably. Anna really enjoyed the science and we liked how it brings our history and creation back to the Creator. Math was okay but we ended up switching to Teaching Textbooks.
Teaching Textbooks (math) My FAVORITE math. We use for Jakeb, Algebra 2 and Geometry. We even switched Anna from A Beka to this mid year. It's awesome for the student and the teacher!! Only starts at 4th grade right now, though.
Rosetta Stone for Homeschool They have a great setup for tracking the kids lessons and grades for homeschool use. You can buy one and the whole family can learn. Can only be loaded onto one computer.
Apologia We used this for Jakeb's chemistry. A challenge but great curriculum. The chemistry home lab kit is even available.
BJU Press We used their World History for Jakeb. We love how it's built around the bible. Very intense, though, and covers a lot of material.
Rainbow Resource This is a one stop shop for homeschool curriculum. We ordered most of what we needed from here when we got started. Their prices are good. It's also a good place to go dig around and see what other curriculum options are out there that you may not be aware of.
Amazon They actually have a lot of homeschool stuff. We order Jakeb's history from Amazon to utilize the free shipping over $25 option.
Christian Book Distributors Same here. Good resource to price compare.
Progeny Press This is what we've used for Jakeb's literature. You can order age appropriate books and a study guide to go with it. I'm thinking of getting one of these for Anna to finish out her year and have something different to do than A Beka. They are very reasonably priced. We also used this for Jakeb's Poetry. He didn't like it but it was a good study.
Wordsmith (Creative Writing) We used this for Jakeb. The A Beka writing program, Penmanship and Language A, was fine for Anna.
Vocabulary from Classical Roots We used this for Jakeb to prepare him for SAT. It's laid out well but is a challenge to teach. He has learned a lot, though, that will be helpful for him when taking the SAT.
Analogies 2 We got this for Jakeb also to use to prepare for the SAT. Again, it's not fun but necessary.
Recommended links that we didn't use:
Kid Test I totally meant to use this and forgot about it until now when I was going through all of my emails to get these links. I may still go do this for Anna & Jakeb to see if they're on track. It's not free but I can't remember how much it is. Maybe $25 or something like that.
Dive Into Math
HEP Bookstore Homeschool Store in Houston. This store offers SAT prep courses and other helpful classes like how to make your student's transcript and such. Great resource but I haven't needed it. I did get some great info from their website when we began though from the FAQ's page. You should definitely check that out!
http://www.bravewriter.com/
http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/
http://www.sonlight.com/
http://www.mathusee.com/
UPDATE
Here are two more links for some good science project ideas that I found. I actually pulled several easy ones to try this week for Anna's study of matter, air and weather but there are lots of others there for young and old kiddos.
http://www.hometrainingtools.com/articles/acat_science-projects.html
http://home.howstuffworks.com/science-projects-for-kids-weather-and-seasons13.htm
UPDATE 2
This is a great resource for parents of children with learning disabilities or issues. They also have a resource for homeschool support. Check it out!
http://www.thewoodlandslearningcenter.com/
If you're going to homeschool, whatever you decide to use, be okay with making adjustments to make it fit you and your child. You're probably not going to find anything that is perfect. However, Teaching Textbooks for math comes pretty darn close! That is my all-time favorite and I can't say enough good about it!
In most communities, you can find homeschool groups to join that enable you to network ideas and also participate in field trips, etc. There are also many co-op options in most areas. Just takes a little digging. The internet might just be your most valuable tool! We haven't participated in the groups or co-ops but they are always an option for something you might not feel comfortable teaching. For me, one of the downfalls of homeschooling is that I lack passion in teaching particular subjects. A trained and educated teacher might have been able to make Julius Caesar come alive for Jakeb or Alegbra 2 be fun or come up with a much better science or history project for a 4th grader. But since I'm not knowledgeable about those things (and other things) I almost feel like my kids are sometimes missing out. This is out-weighed, however, by many, many other benefits.
I'm sure this is not a comprehensive listing. When I think of or run across other helpful information or links, I'll post again. If anyone reading has anything to add, please feel free to comment.
My main pieces of advice for homeschool parents are:
1) If you're married, both husband and wife need to have a strong committment and dedication level. This has been a very challenging year for me (and fulfilling!) but without Tommy's support and help, I would definitely have gone bonkers! If you're single, make sure you have some type of support from grandparents or close family and friends or a homeschool group. It would be so hard to do this alone!
2) Be sure and physically look at your curriculum choices if at all possible. Either at a store or at a friends house. We were headed in one direction with Anna but when I physically saw it, it was absolute chaos on a page and would not have worked well for Anna's learning style at all! Saved us a ton of money!
3) Remain open minded to new ideas and techniques. If something is not working, be willing to try something new.
4) Be flexible but not so flexible that your kids think they are in control and can do whatever they want.
5) Relax every now and then, ditch the lessons and have fun being with your kids! Instead of reading about clouds in your science book, go outside and look at them. What a treasured time!!
Links we've actually used:
http://freetypinggame.net/ This site is tons of fun for the family to play with each other!
http://www.multiplication.com/interactive_games.htm Anna struggled with her multiplication tables at the beginning of the year. She knows them well thanks to this and some other fun math games we found. We love the Jump Start software games and I also found a music cd with the multiplication tables put to classical tunes. She HATED it but it was incentive to learn them when I told her that when she learned them all she wouldn't have to listen to it anymore. :)
Snagfilms (You can find some documentaries here that are hard to find. This has been helpful to enhance history and science lessons.)
The Homeschool Store This is a great store in Houston and the only one I've been to. They have a lot of new and used stuff. It's stuffed from wall to wall so bring your Starbucks and plan on staying for a couple of hours and you might consider leaving your young kids with grandma or a friend. You'll need to be able to focus if you're going to research. They do have a video corner and they welcome kids, of course.
Homeschool Tracker (LOVE this! I could not stay organized without it. I make my lesson plans on this and enter grades. It tracks attendance and spits me out report cards. Wonderful tool! We used the free download since we only planned on homeschooling for one year. I'm sure the one you pay for is much better if you don't mind paying for it.)
A Beka We used this for most of Anna's curriculum. I have some major issues with how "King James" it is but we just made our own adjustments. It was our fall back since we used it when we homeschooled Tori in the 4th grade. I couldn't find anything else that I was happy with so we went with A Beka again. It's laid out well for non teachers such as me with handy lesson plans and answer keys and such. I particularly liked the core subjects in these - History, Science and Language. The reading program has been very helpful for her and she has improved considerably. Anna really enjoyed the science and we liked how it brings our history and creation back to the Creator. Math was okay but we ended up switching to Teaching Textbooks.
Teaching Textbooks (math) My FAVORITE math. We use for Jakeb, Algebra 2 and Geometry. We even switched Anna from A Beka to this mid year. It's awesome for the student and the teacher!! Only starts at 4th grade right now, though.
Rosetta Stone for Homeschool They have a great setup for tracking the kids lessons and grades for homeschool use. You can buy one and the whole family can learn. Can only be loaded onto one computer.
Apologia We used this for Jakeb's chemistry. A challenge but great curriculum. The chemistry home lab kit is even available.
BJU Press We used their World History for Jakeb. We love how it's built around the bible. Very intense, though, and covers a lot of material.
Rainbow Resource This is a one stop shop for homeschool curriculum. We ordered most of what we needed from here when we got started. Their prices are good. It's also a good place to go dig around and see what other curriculum options are out there that you may not be aware of.
Amazon They actually have a lot of homeschool stuff. We order Jakeb's history from Amazon to utilize the free shipping over $25 option.
Christian Book Distributors Same here. Good resource to price compare.
Progeny Press This is what we've used for Jakeb's literature. You can order age appropriate books and a study guide to go with it. I'm thinking of getting one of these for Anna to finish out her year and have something different to do than A Beka. They are very reasonably priced. We also used this for Jakeb's Poetry. He didn't like it but it was a good study.
Wordsmith (Creative Writing) We used this for Jakeb. The A Beka writing program, Penmanship and Language A, was fine for Anna.
Vocabulary from Classical Roots We used this for Jakeb to prepare him for SAT. It's laid out well but is a challenge to teach. He has learned a lot, though, that will be helpful for him when taking the SAT.
Analogies 2 We got this for Jakeb also to use to prepare for the SAT. Again, it's not fun but necessary.
Recommended links that we didn't use:
Kid Test I totally meant to use this and forgot about it until now when I was going through all of my emails to get these links. I may still go do this for Anna & Jakeb to see if they're on track. It's not free but I can't remember how much it is. Maybe $25 or something like that.
Dive Into Math
HEP Bookstore Homeschool Store in Houston. This store offers SAT prep courses and other helpful classes like how to make your student's transcript and such. Great resource but I haven't needed it. I did get some great info from their website when we began though from the FAQ's page. You should definitely check that out!
http://www.bravewriter.com/
http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/
http://www.sonlight.com/
http://www.mathusee.com/
UPDATE
Here are two more links for some good science project ideas that I found. I actually pulled several easy ones to try this week for Anna's study of matter, air and weather but there are lots of others there for young and old kiddos.
http://www.hometrainingtools.com/articles/acat_science-projects.html
http://home.howstuffworks.com/science-projects-for-kids-weather-and-seasons13.htm
UPDATE 2
This is a great resource for parents of children with learning disabilities or issues. They also have a resource for homeschool support. Check it out!
http://www.thewoodlandslearningcenter.com/
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Pray for Jason.....Pray for Segera
Jason Culverhouse has already begun his 100 mile run in Huntsville this morning. He should be finishing around mid day tomorrow. Please pray for him and all of the other runners out there this weekend. It's quite an undertaking, mentally and physically.
Jakeb and Tommy will be two of the fortunate ones to get to pace him at different legs of the race. Jakeb will be running with him around dark tonight for around 6-10 miles and Tommy will run with him in the wee hours of the morning for about the same mileage. Pray safety for all, clarity of mind, no injuries and most importantly, for support/sponsorship and awareness to be raised for the children of Segera and Kenya.
Our family is going and we are so excited to get to be a part of this. I'll be posting pictures when we get back.
Here's our original post on this for more information about Brightpoint and why Jason is running for two days.
Jakeb and Tommy will be two of the fortunate ones to get to pace him at different legs of the race. Jakeb will be running with him around dark tonight for around 6-10 miles and Tommy will run with him in the wee hours of the morning for about the same mileage. Pray safety for all, clarity of mind, no injuries and most importantly, for support/sponsorship and awareness to be raised for the children of Segera and Kenya.
Our family is going and we are so excited to get to be a part of this. I'll be posting pictures when we get back.
Here's our original post on this for more information about Brightpoint and why Jason is running for two days.
Friday, February 06, 2009
REALLY Inspiring Video
Ok, here's another video I ran across and found inspiring enough to share with you. The love a parent has for his/her child is always inspiring to me.
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Proper Etiquette
(she must be messing with her nose ring!)
I've been thinking alot lately about proper blog, facebook and email etiquette. For me, for my kids, and maybe for you. :) I was thinking of coming up with my own list of do's and don'ts but since I'm lacking a creativity and time these days I decided to google it and see what happened.
I found some good stuff out there and thought, "Why reinvent the wheel?"
This link on blog etiquette or blogtiquette as it is apparently called is awesome! I'm even adding it to my reader, I think it will be a fun one to keep track of.
http://tipjunkie.blogspot.com/2008/05/blog-etiquette-or-blogtiquette.html
Here is an article on facebook etiquette I found interesting.
http://quarterlifecafe.honadvblogs.com/2008/08/04/the-new-facebook-etiquette/
And here is a list of the top 26 email etiquette rules. I love #6! and #8. #11 is my absolute favorite though. I hate to be left wondering....
http://email.about.com/od/emailnetiquette/tp/core_netiquette.htm
So go read them. Make your kids read them. Send this to all those people who send you all that junk. :)
And, let me know what your favorite etiquette rule is. Maybe you've got one that's not out there. Maybe it's something I do (or did in this very post) that you'd love to call me out on. Now's your chance! Please share...
Update: Here's one more link I found. Maybe the only one you'll need. She's got TONS of etiquette links listed including Twitter and My Space and others. http://communityorganizer20.wordpress.com/2009/01/12/social-media-etiquette-roundup-understanding-cultural-norms/
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
House FOR SALE
In our preparations to move to Singapore, we've been selling and getting rid of a lot of stuff lately. Haul after haul to Helping Hands Hospice and to the dump and some to other people to clutter their homes. We've been ruthless in our culling of things that aren't memorable, don't need, don't fit, don't want to store or are just flat out junk. We had a ton of junk!Our house is by far the largest thing we are trying to get rid of. We'd like to get rid of it soon so we can get that checked off the list. And... we'd love to get it into a bidding war and sell it for well over the asking price. One catch, though. We haven't a clue where we'll live until June if it sells quickly. How's that for flying by the seat of our pants??? Maybe we can live with you???
The realtor.com ad link is below if you want to see pictures of our clean house. We're missing Jakeb's room cause he was painting it when Kim came to take pictures. But it's the cleanest teenage boy's room you've ever seen! If you know someone interested in buying a 4 bedroom house that's in pretty good shape (we think), tell them to call Kim Caldwell at American Realty, 979-297-5555.
By looking at the pictures online, I think I'd want to buy it!
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/709-Centerway_Lake-Jackson_TX_77566_1106469217
BTW - I'll be strategically placing some of Jenny's business cards around. Since our home is pretty much a jhintze photography gallery, maybe I can send her a few clients when people come to look at the house.
Monday, February 02, 2009
It's the end of the world as we know it.....
I know that's a song cause I can hear the tune ringing in my head but I haven't a clue who sings it or if it's even a decent song. Oh well.....
That phrase rings in my head because it really is the end of the world as we know it around here in the Stunz household. Here are a few reasons why:
1. Tori has graduated high school and her daily schedule is almost completely her own.
2. Tori turned 18 yesterday and has officially entered adulthood.
3. A FOR SALE sign is in our front yard and a lock box is on our front door knob.
4. Our house HAS to stay on the ready for realtors at all times (what a stinkin' pain!).
5. Plans for moving to Singapore this summer are in full force (so much to think through!!).
6. The "pull away because I don't want to hurt" process seems to have begun in our church relationships and in some of our friendships (on both sides of the fence). It's natural but it's still painful to experience.
7. Jakeb is about to turn 16!!! Watch out....
8. Anna is about to enter the double digit age.
9. Bella's dog house is not bright neon yellow anymore. I made the kids paint it because although it was fun, it wasn't very appealing to potential buyers in photos on the internet.
10. There are no more major remodeling projects to be done around here. Just a few minor items to take care of. I guess I'll have to read a book. Can't do anything else cause the house will get dirty.
I'm positive that's not a comprehensive list but it's off the cuff. The end is just an opportunity for a new beginning, right? I'm not wanting to wish it all over because we've got a really great life right here and right now. But when you know that something is ahead, it almost seems like it would be easier to just rip off the bandaid and get it over with.
That phrase rings in my head because it really is the end of the world as we know it around here in the Stunz household. Here are a few reasons why:
1. Tori has graduated high school and her daily schedule is almost completely her own.
2. Tori turned 18 yesterday and has officially entered adulthood.
3. A FOR SALE sign is in our front yard and a lock box is on our front door knob.
4. Our house HAS to stay on the ready for realtors at all times (what a stinkin' pain!).
5. Plans for moving to Singapore this summer are in full force (so much to think through!!).
6. The "pull away because I don't want to hurt" process seems to have begun in our church relationships and in some of our friendships (on both sides of the fence). It's natural but it's still painful to experience.
7. Jakeb is about to turn 16!!! Watch out....
8. Anna is about to enter the double digit age.
9. Bella's dog house is not bright neon yellow anymore. I made the kids paint it because although it was fun, it wasn't very appealing to potential buyers in photos on the internet.
10. There are no more major remodeling projects to be done around here. Just a few minor items to take care of. I guess I'll have to read a book. Can't do anything else cause the house will get dirty.
I'm positive that's not a comprehensive list but it's off the cuff. The end is just an opportunity for a new beginning, right? I'm not wanting to wish it all over because we've got a really great life right here and right now. But when you know that something is ahead, it almost seems like it would be easier to just rip off the bandaid and get it over with.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Inspiring!
This is a couple of years old but it just crossed my path. I thought it was well worth sharing and immensely inspiring!
Enjoy.
Enjoy.
Glass half full, half empty or sideways?
Philippians 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Life as we know it in the Stunz household is about to be turned upside down and sideways. I have choices to make daily on how I will respond to situations that arise. I have a choice as to how I let things affect me and how I respond to them. (Philippians 4:4-7) Sometimes I make the wrong choice but, to my credit, I have made some right ones along the way.
So there are a couple of ways I can choose to look at the glass. Full – optimistic to a fault. Half full – realistically optimistic and generally content. Half empty – pessimistic. Empty – totally unhappy with life and anything and anyone in it (these people are downers). I try to be a "half full" kind of gal but I have to consciously choose to be. Half empty or empty just can’t be an option or I’m going down and I’ll drag others down along with me.
OR… I could look at things as half full and sideways. Here’s a picture of a fraction problem that Anna did in math recently. I really like this perspective. She is our optimistic, sideways thinker!! I wish I could be more like her.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Running for Segera
Next weekend our family is headed to Huntsville for an overnight camp out. Even though we LOVE camping, we probably wouldn't choose to camp in early February but my parents are loaning us their camper and a friend of ours is running 100 miles for a cause that we are head over heals in love with. He's running to raise money and awareness for the needs of the children of Segera in Kenya where our daughter went last summer and where she and our son will go this summer. Tommy explains in more detail why Jason is running this super-human race on his blog and how you can participate should you want to. So you can read the details here.
I'm anticipating incredible things to happen in Huntsville, Texas next weekend and I'm pumped that our family gets to be a part of it. Not to mention we're getting a cool t shirt!
These are the links for my facebook note in case they don't come through in the feed.
Tommy's blog: http://trechoagon.blogspot.com/2009/01/100-miles-for-children-of-segera.html
Brightpointe Ministries: http://www.brightpointforchildren.org/ (click on Jason/100)
I'm anticipating incredible things to happen in Huntsville, Texas next weekend and I'm pumped that our family gets to be a part of it. Not to mention we're getting a cool t shirt!
These are the links for my facebook note in case they don't come through in the feed.
Tommy's blog: http://trechoagon.blogspot.com/2009/01/100-miles-for-children-of-segera.html
Brightpointe Ministries: http://www.brightpointforchildren.org/ (click on Jason/100)
Sunday, January 25, 2009
It's All About Tori - Part 7
Well, 7 is the number of completion so I think that this will be the last post in this series. Jakeb and Anna will no longer be ignored as they kind of have been over the last week or so as we got ready for graduation and party stuff. Thanks for being so gracious and understanding, Jakeb and Anna! You're time will come!
Tori's graduation party yesterday was great and many family members and friends came to celebrate with us. We had TONS of good food and desserts. I put together a video scrapbook of her life and we watched that several times throughout the day. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out and we got some good reactions - a few laughs and a few tears. I used right at 200 photos and put some meaningful music behind them. It's too long to post anywhere so if you want to see it, you'll have to come over or I'll sell you a copy for "only $129.95 with $6.95 shipping & handling". College money...... :)
A highlight for me was surprising Tori with a close friend from her younger days when we lived in Spring. I love surprises (giving, not receiving) and it was fun to see the look on Tori's face when she saw her.
Throughout these graduation festivities, I think Tori was humbled and understands how blessed she is to have family and friends who love and support her.
Throughout these festivities, I have been reminded once again of some things that are important:
*Time spent with those you love and those who love you cannot be replaced or recaptured.
*Every once in a while it is good to gorge on fajitas and desserts.
*Choices that we have made and the choices to be made really do matter.
*Wherever you are, be all there, but always be open for change.
*One is never too old to get help from her mom. (My mom scanned about a million pictures for me for the video.)
*Laughter is incredible and we don’t do it often enough!
*Take lots of pictures/video and keep them organized.
*When someone loves your kids, it’s better than them loving you.
*Pappasito’s chips and salsa are the BEST!
"Ok, I'm ready for the video!"
Fun Gifts
Tori & Megan (childhood friend)
Well, movin' on... Not sure what we'll write about next. We don't have very much going on right now. At least not much that some of you will want to read about. :)
Tori's graduation party yesterday was great and many family members and friends came to celebrate with us. We had TONS of good food and desserts. I put together a video scrapbook of her life and we watched that several times throughout the day. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out and we got some good reactions - a few laughs and a few tears. I used right at 200 photos and put some meaningful music behind them. It's too long to post anywhere so if you want to see it, you'll have to come over or I'll sell you a copy for "only $129.95 with $6.95 shipping & handling". College money...... :)
A highlight for me was surprising Tori with a close friend from her younger days when we lived in Spring. I love surprises (giving, not receiving) and it was fun to see the look on Tori's face when she saw her.
Throughout these graduation festivities, I think Tori was humbled and understands how blessed she is to have family and friends who love and support her.
Throughout these festivities, I have been reminded once again of some things that are important:
*Time spent with those you love and those who love you cannot be replaced or recaptured.
*Every once in a while it is good to gorge on fajitas and desserts.
*Choices that we have made and the choices to be made really do matter.
*Wherever you are, be all there, but always be open for change.
*One is never too old to get help from her mom. (My mom scanned about a million pictures for me for the video.)
*Laughter is incredible and we don’t do it often enough!
*Take lots of pictures/video and keep them organized.
*When someone loves your kids, it’s better than them loving you.
*Pappasito’s chips and salsa are the BEST!
"Ok, I'm ready for the video!"
Fun Gifts
Tori & Megan (childhood friend)
Well, movin' on... Not sure what we'll write about next. We don't have very much going on right now. At least not much that some of you will want to read about. :)
Saturday, January 24, 2009
It's All About Tori - Part 6
Well, Tori did it, she has it and now it's time to party! She successfully completed her grade school days and has her high school diploma. Way to go, Tori!!! I know we've said it before but I'll say it again just in case you missed it. I can't imagine how we could be any more proud of you.
NOW, it's time for a party. We're having a few friends and family over today to celebrate with us. And as is appropriate when you're having a party, the laundry room floods. Not a little spill over but a flood. The whole drain from the washing machine came unscrewed and the water had no where to go but all over the floor and everything that was on the floor. It was about an inch deep covering the entire floor. Luckily, I kept it from going into the kitchen but it did manage to get out to the garage and make a little river. Tommy and Jakeb are out running 10 miles so they won't be back for over an hour so after a little breakdown and throwing down every towel I own, through tears, I called my dad and he brought over his wet/dry vac. It was awesome! Totally sucked!!! :) (Yes, I said, "sucked" because that's what it did.) Definitely adding it to my list of things to buy someday.
Thanks, Dad, for saving the day!
Clean up is done and we're ready to partaaay!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
It's All About Tori - Part 5
Here is another thought from Tori's Pawpaw that came in about Tori's life so far.
You hear a lot about "style" but not much about "substance". Tori has handled good times and bad on her way to becoming a fine young woman with a solid balance of both. Character counts. It always will.
PawPaw
I've laughed and I've cried so much over the past few weeks. I'm grateful that there has been a measure of both. Tori's graduation ceremony is tonight. She'll walk to receive her diploma that she has worked so hard for over the last 13 years. She'll be in her cap and gown looking so grown up and beautiful. We'll be proudly watching with friends and family. I'm pretty sure I'll be tearing up alot.
You hear a lot about "style" but not much about "substance". Tori has handled good times and bad on her way to becoming a fine young woman with a solid balance of both. Character counts. It always will.
PawPaw
I've laughed and I've cried so much over the past few weeks. I'm grateful that there has been a measure of both. Tori's graduation ceremony is tonight. She'll walk to receive her diploma that she has worked so hard for over the last 13 years. She'll be in her cap and gown looking so grown up and beautiful. We'll be proudly watching with friends and family. I'm pretty sure I'll be tearing up alot.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
It's All About Tori - Part 4
So here are a few thoughts from family and friends to add to the series of Tori posts. Enjoy and thanks to those of you who helped make this post so great! If more come in, I'll be sure to post them.
Tori, as you go from one stage in life to the next, you will….blah blah blah… Hey Toto, You know that as I've watched you grow from the fuzzy headed, cutie patooty, playing with the gerbil ball in the bathtub, to the incredible young lady you are today…I have to sit down just to take it all in. You and I have shared some great times and I look forward to many, many more with you in the years to come as you grow even more and become even more awesome than you already are. Gal, God has such incredible plans for you and to watch you follow them is a blessing to all of us. But, I can only speak for myself when I say, "HEY FRIGID-EAR, GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF THE REFRIDGERATOR"! I love you with all my heart and I will always be here for you! ALWAYS!
Love, Ollie
Let's see....How about a silly poem?
Tori with the pixie ears,
Tori with a tiny rear,
Mumbles her words half the time,
What isn't mumbled is often whined,
Smart as a whip, sharp as a tack,
But still a blonde and that's a fact,
Stunning beauty to behold,
And she has a heart of gold,
Now that kid is all grown up,
Driving around in her own red truck,
Congratulations, you've done well,
And I hope you never go to jail.
Love, Jenny
A few things I've learned from Tori:
That taking medicine can really be entertaining.
That it's not cool to drive a large, loud truck with the generator running.
Give a girl an empty whopper wrapper and you never know what you might get in return.
That chocolate and new shoes really do help heal a broken heart.
That a very proud aunt can cry like a baby just because her very special niece is growing up!
Geez! Thanks, Tori.
Edie
That taking medicine can really be entertaining.
That it's not cool to drive a large, loud truck with the generator running.
Give a girl an empty whopper wrapper and you never know what you might get in return.
That chocolate and new shoes really do help heal a broken heart.
That a very proud aunt can cry like a baby just because her very special niece is growing up!
Geez! Thanks, Tori.
Edie
Aaron's Top 5 things he likes about Tori :
5. Freaks out easily when touched by feet.
4. Key member of the Stunz family singers.
3. Allows Kenyan babies to pee on her.
2. Does what she says she will do.
1. Loves God and loves people.
4. Key member of the Stunz family singers.
3. Allows Kenyan babies to pee on her.
2. Does what she says she will do.
1. Loves God and loves people.
Friday, January 16, 2009
It's All About Tori - Part 3
Things we’ve taught (and didn’t teach) our daughter…We DID teach her:
To sleep through the night. This was a particularly difficult task at the age of 2 when she thought it was ok to come crawl in bed with her totally exhausted and mostly unaware parents. We had to make up our minds, not hers. (great advice from my wise sister)
To share. Or to take turns which is the politically correct term these days. Also learned at the age of around 2 with her friends Shelbi and Emily. Man that girl could throw a fit! Shelbi and Emily could too for that matter. :)
To love God. We didn’t force her, though. We simply did what we could to guide her towards Him. She accepted Christ at the age of 5. We wholeheartedly believed she understood her decision. I think it’s safe to say that we were right.
To question. To question God and her parents, teachers and others who are teaching her anything . With respect, of course. Also, to question her faith. Periods of doubt will come. Embrace them and figure it out.
Seek wise counsel. That would usually be her parents. Ha! She has done a great job of finding a few, others, besides her parents, that will offer wise advice and encouragement.
To love others. Friends may come and go. Some have stuck pretty strong but friends are still no guarantee. Family is always there so “play nice”! And spend as much time with them as you can.
To love all. God created everyone. Every race. Every color. Every stage of life. Every human that walks the earth. He loves them all and so should she. And she does.
To nurture. She will be such a great mommy someday. I’m not sure if nurturing is taught or if it is inherently wired. But she’s got it. She understands and loves kids and they love her back!
To work hard. We don’t do lazy in this household. She knows how to clean the kitchen and scrub toilets. She knows how to clean her room and can do it at the speed of light.
To get dirty. She can certainly be a girly girl but she also loves to camp, hike, and doesn’t have to take a curling iron and make-up. She will avoid porta-potties if at all possible, though.
To do your best. Perfection is not attainable nor expected. Set the bar high but be realistic. Hopefully those around you will be realistic too.
To know and use your gifts. She has a pretty good handle on who she is and who she was created to bef. She knows her abilities and talents and she is aware of her limitations.
To serve. To serve locally and around the world. The doors for serving and helping others are always open and she’s more than willing to walk through them.
To play hard. She loves to laugh and have fun.
To cuddle. With her mom and dad or little sister on the couch watching a good movie. She’s never too old to do that!
To dream big. Nothing is impossible! Cliché, maybe, but it’s true. Go for it, baby.
We DIDN’T teach her:
How to sleep until noon! Not sure where that came from… She certainly got over that problem she had when she was 2. Maybe we taught her too well?
To fold fitted sheets. I’m pretty sure I’ve failed as a mom here. My mom tried to teach me but I can’t fold those stupid things so I wasn’t even going to begin to try to teach my kids how to. Just roll it up in a ball and stick it in the linen closet. Better yet, just wash it and put it right back on your bed.
To be grumpy in the mornings. That really only happens when she wakes up before noon. I will be warning her future husband and children for sure. No real conversations before 10am or so.
To love healthy food. She would much rather eat Hot Tamales (the candy). Tommy fixed me a wonderful dinner one year for my birthday and she cried through the whole meal. She knows how to eat healthy, so one day, maybe…..
To be adventurous. Well she is adventurous in some ways but she certainly loves the comforts of things she is accustomed to. She can take adventure in small doses. Can I just say, “Hong Kong Mall”???
To clean up puke. She is already telling me that I’m taking care of my grandkids when they get sick.
To make straight A’s and 4.0’s. Maybe it is genetic somehow but she is sooo smart and it seems to come so easy. I know I didn’t or couldn’t have possibly taught her that. Maybe Tommy did when I wasn’t paying attention.
I'm positive there are other thing we have taught her and didn't teach her but all in all, we've done good with this kid!
Tommy’s post yesterday made me cry. I’ve done a lot of that lately and I’m sure there’s plenty more to come. Happy tears because we’ve somehow, by the grace of God and a lot of hard work, done a great job with Tori and she is an amazing human being. Sad tears because things are changing and she’s grown up. She’ll always be my baby girl but it’s time for her to go out and live her life – her way.
But I’ve also done a lot of smiling lately. So many memories as I’ve reminisced through videos and pictures of Tori’s life. If the videos weren't all on ancient vhs format I might post a few. I may still if I have the time to transfer them over to this century's technology. But let me just say that Point of Grace had a big influence in her younger years.
She hasn’t really had a choice before whether she would spend her days with us or not. She now has a choice. I’m pretty confident that she’ll choose us every now and then and I’ll be incredibly thankful for every moment!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
It's All About Tori - Part 2
We walked around the Hospital parking lot still trying to decide what we were going to name our first child. We had no idea if it was a boy or a girl so we were throwing around different names again. The contractions got bad enough that Andrea would have to stop occasionally. We went back inside and the nurses announced that we would have a new baby soon. They put Andrea in a hospital gown and we kept doing laps, inside the hospital halls this time rather than outside in the parking lot.
As labor progressed I was fascinated by it all but there were also times that I lost focus. Andrea wanted me to watch the monitor and tell her when the contractions were coming, when they had peaked and when they were over. One time she felt pain coming on and saw I was watching ESPN on TV and she sternly told me, “You’re not watching!”
The end of labor is such a frantic thing. The room is busy with motion of doctors and nurses and the pain of a mother. In no time at all Tori came into the world. There was a moment of silence that seemed to take forever where the world stood still and I watched Tori take her first breath. Then she screamed and all at once I felt a flood of emotion I did not know I was capable of. First I realized what a miracle it is for God to breathe life into a human. Then the doctor handed me this little baby girl and the magnitude of the responsibility of being a dad was real to me for the first time.
As I look at my daughter today I feel another wave of emotion I was not prepared for. The emotion of releasing the arrow and letting the child I have been responsible for be free to be an adult and find her own way in life. I do not doubt that Tori will do well. She is more mature and ready for what is ahead than I was at her age.
I am not the kind of parent who wishes for the past. I like our past but I also like where we are in life as a family and I enjoy watching my kids grow up. Although Tori is not moving out of the house any time in the next couple of days or weeks, when she does set out on her own I will miss being in her orbit everyday.
Tori I am proud of who you have become. I have written that in your birthday cards the last couple of years and I mean it. You are who you are partially because of me but also in spite of me - and that is a good thing.
As labor progressed I was fascinated by it all but there were also times that I lost focus. Andrea wanted me to watch the monitor and tell her when the contractions were coming, when they had peaked and when they were over. One time she felt pain coming on and saw I was watching ESPN on TV and she sternly told me, “You’re not watching!”
The end of labor is such a frantic thing. The room is busy with motion of doctors and nurses and the pain of a mother. In no time at all Tori came into the world. There was a moment of silence that seemed to take forever where the world stood still and I watched Tori take her first breath. Then she screamed and all at once I felt a flood of emotion I did not know I was capable of. First I realized what a miracle it is for God to breathe life into a human. Then the doctor handed me this little baby girl and the magnitude of the responsibility of being a dad was real to me for the first time.
As I look at my daughter today I feel another wave of emotion I was not prepared for. The emotion of releasing the arrow and letting the child I have been responsible for be free to be an adult and find her own way in life. I do not doubt that Tori will do well. She is more mature and ready for what is ahead than I was at her age.
I am not the kind of parent who wishes for the past. I like our past but I also like where we are in life as a family and I enjoy watching my kids grow up. Although Tori is not moving out of the house any time in the next couple of days or weeks, when she does set out on her own I will miss being in her orbit everyday.
Tori I am proud of who you have become. I have written that in your birthday cards the last couple of years and I mean it. You are who you are partially because of me but also in spite of me - and that is a good thing.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Houston Half Marathon 2009
I know I said the posts would mostly be about Tori. This one includes Tori but I found the picture below and it spurred this post.
Our family is all about to take part in the Houston Marathon somehow. Anna is running in the kids run on Saturday, Tori and I (and my sister, Gwen) are walk/jogging the Half Marathon and Tommy and Jakeb (and my brother-in-law, Mike) are running the Half Marathon. I'm not sure I'm ready for it but ready or not.....
I found this picture from Tommy's first or second Houston Marathon (the full 26.2). Tommy's not in it. I was spectating and waiting around for Tommy to come around the corner and snapped this picture. I had forgotten about it and thought it was funny. You see all kinds of funny stuff at the marathon from the spectator view and the participator's view. I like both views. If you participate, though, you get a "free" t-shirt!
Perhaps these two young ladies ran their share of marathons back in the day.....
Our family is all about to take part in the Houston Marathon somehow. Anna is running in the kids run on Saturday, Tori and I (and my sister, Gwen) are walk/jogging the Half Marathon and Tommy and Jakeb (and my brother-in-law, Mike) are running the Half Marathon. I'm not sure I'm ready for it but ready or not.....
I found this picture from Tommy's first or second Houston Marathon (the full 26.2). Tommy's not in it. I was spectating and waiting around for Tommy to come around the corner and snapped this picture. I had forgotten about it and thought it was funny. You see all kinds of funny stuff at the marathon from the spectator view and the participator's view. I like both views. If you participate, though, you get a "free" t-shirt!
Perhaps these two young ladies ran their share of marathons back in the day.....
Monday, January 12, 2009
It's All About Tori
Tori doesn't like it when we tell her that and it's even worse when we start singing the worship song, "It's all about you...", but for the next couple of weeks, if I have the time, my posts will probably be mostly about Tori, in a good way. She has two final exams left in her high school career and she's finished. She will walk and receive her diploma next Thursday. She will also turn 18 in just a few short weeks. I can't believe it!
She has done so well in school and continues to amaze me in her academic acheivements and motivation. She's just a well-rounded kid (excuse me... young woman) with a souped-up brain and it all seems to come so easy for her. She got a lot from me but I know she didn't get her smarts from me. She must have got that from her dad. I was one that "had potential". :)
She has done so well in school and continues to amaze me in her academic acheivements and motivation. She's just a well-rounded kid (excuse me... young woman) with a souped-up brain and it all seems to come so easy for her. She got a lot from me but I know she didn't get her smarts from me. She must have got that from her dad. I was one that "had potential". :)
Tori, your Dad and I could not be more proud of you! You are an incredible young woman who loves God, owns her own faith and are a productive contributor to society. This has been our goal in raising you from the start and we feel we have acheived great success. You are loved beyond what you could ever imagine!
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
My liver is fat!
Well, I went for my year and a half checkup a couple of weeks ago. I went to get routine lab work done along with another ungodly test that I will leave to your imagination.
My iron is always low. I've given blood twice in my life, and neither time went so well. I couldn't even give blood for my own daughter's surgery a few years ago. I've been taking iron for all this time (give or take a few months when I got lazy).
My iron is in check now but she told me I had a fatty liver and my cholesterol is just over where it should be. They did some further tests to make sure it wasn't Hepititis or something and that all came out ok.
Turns out it's probably just the 30 stinkin' pounds I've gained over the last year and a half. Guess I got lazy with more than just my daily iron intake.
DANG!
Not only am I fat on the outside, I'm fat on the inside! That's just wrong!!
I hate New Year's Resolutions. They are only a set-up for failure for me. So I'm not doing that.
I just need daily discipline. I'd rather clean the kitchen than exercise.
I'm walk/jogging the Houston Half Marathon in a week and a half so I'm not totally unhealthy and lazy. I just weigh too much.
Why am I putting this on our family blog, you ask? Well, it's sort of an announcement to my kids that I'm really going to clean out all the junk food in our kitchen and we're going to start eating turkey and twigs again.
My liver needs to lose weight!
Why does food have to be so fun and discipline have to be so unfun???
My iron is always low. I've given blood twice in my life, and neither time went so well. I couldn't even give blood for my own daughter's surgery a few years ago. I've been taking iron for all this time (give or take a few months when I got lazy).
My iron is in check now but she told me I had a fatty liver and my cholesterol is just over where it should be. They did some further tests to make sure it wasn't Hepititis or something and that all came out ok.
Turns out it's probably just the 30 stinkin' pounds I've gained over the last year and a half. Guess I got lazy with more than just my daily iron intake.
DANG!
Not only am I fat on the outside, I'm fat on the inside! That's just wrong!!
I hate New Year's Resolutions. They are only a set-up for failure for me. So I'm not doing that.
I just need daily discipline. I'd rather clean the kitchen than exercise.
I'm walk/jogging the Houston Half Marathon in a week and a half so I'm not totally unhealthy and lazy. I just weigh too much.
Why am I putting this on our family blog, you ask? Well, it's sort of an announcement to my kids that I'm really going to clean out all the junk food in our kitchen and we're going to start eating turkey and twigs again.
My liver needs to lose weight!
Why does food have to be so fun and discipline have to be so unfun???
Christmas letter from Mercy
I'm a little behind in getting this posted but I need to finish packing up Christmas 2008 to get ready for our 2009 adventures.
We got a letter from our "daughter", Mercy, from Kenya just before Christmas. She wrote it to us before they left the US to head back and some sweet person from the Daraja Choir mailed it to us. Receiving it was definitely up at the top of my Christmas highlights list. I wanted to put it on our blog because it's getting packed up and I want to have it posted somewhere so this post is more for me than it is for you. My blog post, my perogative.....
Here's a picture of it. She's quite the artist! She is so animated and fun and her "all over the page" and "fill up every bit of white space" art expresses who she is completely. I love it!
I think you can read what it says if you click on it to enlarge.
She prayed often while at our house and her prayers are what I remember the most, besides her need to dance constantly. :) She prayed for God to "bless the work of their hands, O Lord." It moved me every time she prayed that. I was so glad that she included that in writing in her letter. Such a sweet girl. We are so blessed to have her in our lives.
We got a letter from our "daughter", Mercy, from Kenya just before Christmas. She wrote it to us before they left the US to head back and some sweet person from the Daraja Choir mailed it to us. Receiving it was definitely up at the top of my Christmas highlights list. I wanted to put it on our blog because it's getting packed up and I want to have it posted somewhere so this post is more for me than it is for you. My blog post, my perogative.....
Here's a picture of it. She's quite the artist! She is so animated and fun and her "all over the page" and "fill up every bit of white space" art expresses who she is completely. I love it!
I think you can read what it says if you click on it to enlarge.
She prayed often while at our house and her prayers are what I remember the most, besides her need to dance constantly. :) She prayed for God to "bless the work of their hands, O Lord." It moved me every time she prayed that. I was so glad that she included that in writing in her letter. Such a sweet girl. We are so blessed to have her in our lives.
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Homeschool Remodel
We've done alot of home remodeling over the past few months and now it is time for a homeschool remodel.
We started homeschooling Jakeb and Anna this school year, 10th and 4th grade respectively, and can I just say that the last semester was quite a challenge for me. Not only do I not know how to teach Chemistry or Algebra 2, we had to deal with a few personality differences 24/7 and a very busy routine for me, especially over the holidays. I knew it would be challenging but didn't expect it to be as challenging as it was. Not knowing what the heck I was doing didn't help any either. Tommy has helped a lot and is extremely supportive. He helps Jakeb with the Chemistry and Algebra and has great discussions with Jakeb over certain History lessons. He also will sit and do spelling words and read to Anna at night. Afterall, this was our decision, not mine, so we're "all in this together". Are you singing? (High School Musical for those of you who don't have a 9 yr old daughter)
When we started, we got a free download of a lesson plan and grade tracking software which is wonderful and did the best we could with ordering the curriculum we thought would work best for each kid. We talked to a few trusted homeschooling parents/friends and they gave us tons of advice and information and then we jumped in.
The daily lesson plans and trying to "go by the rules" was seriously stressing me out but I didn't know how to fix it. Overall, it's been good and I have no regrets but over the holidays, knowing our lives are about to go into warp speed with a pending overseas move and our oldest daughter graduating from high school, I needed to come up with a better system. I can't tell you how much thought I've given to their education because it is such a huge responsiblity. With all of the frustrations and challenges, we've thought and thought and discussed and discussed and even shed a tear or two. We've tried many different things and some things worked and some things didn't. Maybe by the end of this year, I'll have it figured out but somehow I doubt it. I think it will continue to need updating. Remodeling your home is a never ending process, right? So is parenting and everything that comes along with it. You can't keep doing things the same way all of the time. You have to be flexible. For someone who likes consistency, this is difficult.
But, I'm ditching lesson plans and ditching going "by the book" for the most part. Some of my close friends and family reading this are gasping aloud, I'm sure! I followed the rules to a tea and it drove me crazy. We used the same curriculum to teach Tori when we homeschooled her in the 4th grade and since we didn't know any better, we didn't purchase all the lesson plan books. We just went through her books and learned the stuff page by page. She's graduating a semester early and is close to the top 10% of her class and pulling a 4.0 in her college classes simultaneously, so it didn't screw her up any.
We've ordered some new curriculum for Anna's math from the same place that Jakeb's Algebra 2 and Geometry came from. I LOVE IT!!!!! Teaching Textbooks is a wonderful math program for a non-math oriented teacher mom. It was a crazy idea to switch mid-year but again, all the lesson planning was driving me bonkersand I wasn't confident that I was teaching her what she needed to learn. Anna was doing Abeka and it's okay and she did well. So well, in fact, that I gave her placement tests and figured out that she was ready to move on to 5th grade math! This is the kid who didn't know her multiplication tables when we started in August. I guess I'm not that bad of a teacher, huh? Since we're starting a new curriculum, she'll probably go into the summer to finish but she loved it so much yesterday she did two lessons and wanted to do more! Jakeb is finishing up Algebra 2 in a little over one semester and will go into Geometry and finish that up early summer.
I've also restructured the daily lesson plans to weekly so I don't have to get up at 5am every day or stay up late to get ready for the next day. It's ready for the week and it will make the kids have to be more disciplined in working on their own. I'm still up at 5am but I'm not doing lesson plans.
I have a refreshed outlook on our homeschool adventure. I'm sure there will still be challenges but I'm not stressing over lesson plans - today.... They'll still learn the material, and I'm pretty sure they're actually learning more than what they would in public school. Besides that, Anna has gained an enormous amount of confidence in her reading and testing issues and that give us much joy.
I'm excited about this homeschool remodel and it's not near as messy as our bathroom remodel was.
When we started, we got a free download of a lesson plan and grade tracking software which is wonderful and did the best we could with ordering the curriculum we thought would work best for each kid. We talked to a few trusted homeschooling parents/friends and they gave us tons of advice and information and then we jumped in.
The daily lesson plans and trying to "go by the rules" was seriously stressing me out but I didn't know how to fix it. Overall, it's been good and I have no regrets but over the holidays, knowing our lives are about to go into warp speed with a pending overseas move and our oldest daughter graduating from high school, I needed to come up with a better system. I can't tell you how much thought I've given to their education because it is such a huge responsiblity. With all of the frustrations and challenges, we've thought and thought and discussed and discussed and even shed a tear or two. We've tried many different things and some things worked and some things didn't. Maybe by the end of this year, I'll have it figured out but somehow I doubt it. I think it will continue to need updating. Remodeling your home is a never ending process, right? So is parenting and everything that comes along with it. You can't keep doing things the same way all of the time. You have to be flexible. For someone who likes consistency, this is difficult.
But, I'm ditching lesson plans and ditching going "by the book" for the most part. Some of my close friends and family reading this are gasping aloud, I'm sure! I followed the rules to a tea and it drove me crazy. We used the same curriculum to teach Tori when we homeschooled her in the 4th grade and since we didn't know any better, we didn't purchase all the lesson plan books. We just went through her books and learned the stuff page by page. She's graduating a semester early and is close to the top 10% of her class and pulling a 4.0 in her college classes simultaneously, so it didn't screw her up any.
We've ordered some new curriculum for Anna's math from the same place that Jakeb's Algebra 2 and Geometry came from. I LOVE IT!!!!! Teaching Textbooks is a wonderful math program for a non-math oriented teacher mom. It was a crazy idea to switch mid-year but again, all the lesson planning was driving me bonkersand I wasn't confident that I was teaching her what she needed to learn. Anna was doing Abeka and it's okay and she did well. So well, in fact, that I gave her placement tests and figured out that she was ready to move on to 5th grade math! This is the kid who didn't know her multiplication tables when we started in August. I guess I'm not that bad of a teacher, huh? Since we're starting a new curriculum, she'll probably go into the summer to finish but she loved it so much yesterday she did two lessons and wanted to do more! Jakeb is finishing up Algebra 2 in a little over one semester and will go into Geometry and finish that up early summer.
I've also restructured the daily lesson plans to weekly so I don't have to get up at 5am every day or stay up late to get ready for the next day. It's ready for the week and it will make the kids have to be more disciplined in working on their own. I'm still up at 5am but I'm not doing lesson plans.
I have a refreshed outlook on our homeschool adventure. I'm sure there will still be challenges but I'm not stressing over lesson plans - today.... They'll still learn the material, and I'm pretty sure they're actually learning more than what they would in public school. Besides that, Anna has gained an enormous amount of confidence in her reading and testing issues and that give us much joy.
I'm excited about this homeschool remodel and it's not near as messy as our bathroom remodel was.
Monday, January 05, 2009
Bella-Full Dog Treats - Going Strong
Anna began making Bella-Full dog treats last month to help fund Tori & Jakeb's trip to Kenya this summer. Tommy and I are providing all the supplies so all of the proceeds from the treat sales is being split between the two of them.So far, she's raised over $100 in less than a month!
You should see Anna cookin' in the kitchen! She's awesome!! She's able to do everything by herself except get the pans in and out of the oven. She does the measuring, the mixing, the rolling out, the cutting, EVERYTHING!
If you'd like to order some (or some more), or you know someone who does, please send them our way. We're not real keen on the idea of shipping though, so you'd have to be real special for us to ship. :)
Also, if you've already ordered some, let us know how your dog liked them. So far, we haven't heard anything legitimately negative. I say legitimately because one customer said their dog wouldn't eat them at first but that's because he normally gets to eat pizza and waffles and stuff that their kid throws down. So why would he???
Jenny made the "business" card for her. It's cute! Thanks, Jenny!!
Sunday, January 04, 2009
Good day at church!
Tori and Jakeb got to do a song in church today. Tommy preached on being content, a not so popular topic that he made entirely tolerable and one that we are personally learning a lot about in this stage of our lives.
They sang Brandon Heath's song, "Don't Get Comfortable". The lady in front of me obviously had better things to do than listen to my kids.
My husband and children are incredibly gifted and talented and I'm thankful they were able to use their gifts and talents this morning. It was a good day at church.
They sang Brandon Heath's song, "Don't Get Comfortable". The lady in front of me obviously had better things to do than listen to my kids.
My husband and children are incredibly gifted and talented and I'm thankful they were able to use their gifts and talents this morning. It was a good day at church.
Coraline
Tommy has been reading Neil Gaiman's book, Coraline, with Anna. The movie comes out in February and we will definitely be going.
Gaiman also wrote Stardust (one of our favorite movies) and some other really great stories. What an imagination this guy has.
Gaiman also wrote Stardust (one of our favorite movies) and some other really great stories. What an imagination this guy has.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Here's Christmas 2008
Well, here's my first shot at making a video. A few disclaimers... It's a practice run for Tori's graduation video I'm working on. I'm sure there is better software out there but this is what I've got. Some of the pictures were taken with my video camera - not recommended. It's probably a little lengthy for non-family readers, maybe even some family members, but feel free to take a look at our wonderfully whacky family if you've got about 6 minutes and 19 seconds to spare.
It's "a little dicey in the middle, but that finale... WOW!" (Charlie & the Chocolate Factory) Ahhh... I got two of my favorites in, Johnny Depp and Harry Connick, Jr.
It's "a little dicey in the middle, but that finale... WOW!" (Charlie & the Chocolate Factory) Ahhh... I got two of my favorites in, Johnny Depp and Harry Connick, Jr.
On The Home Front
We've got a lot going on right now and it won't be slowing down any time soon so I probably won't be posting much this week. Sure as I say that, though, I'll be inspired and have 20 posts a day.
Anyway, here's what we've got going on:
*we are finishing up our bathroom remodel
*packing up Christmas and other stuff we won't be taking to Singapore to put in storage in an effort to declutter/stage the house
*doing other necessary house fix-up items
*putting the house on the market asap (tell all your friends!!)
*working on Tori's graduation video (HUGE project considering she lived her first 10 years or so before the digital photography age)
On that note, if I figure out how to put music behind the pictures on the video program I'm working with for Tori's grad video, I'll be posting a Thanksgiving and Christmas video this week just to catch up. I'm sure you're on the edge of your seat in anticipation.....
Have a good week and a Happy New Year if I don't make it back to blog world before then.
Anyway, here's what we've got going on:
*we are finishing up our bathroom remodel
*packing up Christmas and other stuff we won't be taking to Singapore to put in storage in an effort to declutter/stage the house
*doing other necessary house fix-up items
*putting the house on the market asap (tell all your friends!!)
*working on Tori's graduation video (HUGE project considering she lived her first 10 years or so before the digital photography age)
On that note, if I figure out how to put music behind the pictures on the video program I'm working with for Tori's grad video, I'll be posting a Thanksgiving and Christmas video this week just to catch up. I'm sure you're on the edge of your seat in anticipation.....
Have a good week and a Happy New Year if I don't make it back to blog world before then.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Merry Christmas!
This Christmas has been great! Relaxing, fulfilling, lazy, and great! I'll post a photo slideshow soon, still haven't even done that yet for Thanksgiving, but here's one we took today of our family. We normally stay in our pj's on Christmas day for as long as we can stand it. Some of us can stand it longer than others. The shirts we're wearing are from Compassion International and they say "Please" in different languages. In an effort to spread the message to "please help fight hunger" a portion of the price of the shirts goes to the Global Food Crisis Fund and hopefully helped provide food for someone or two. We like the shirts and have enjoyed spending our lazy Christmas day in them.
Hope your day was relaxing, fulfilling, lazy and great too!!
Hope your day was relaxing, fulfilling, lazy and great too!!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Christmas Tale : The music coming from the house
On Christmas Eve, the king invited the prime minister to join him for their usual walk together. He enjoyed seeing the decorations in the streets, but since he didn't want his subjects to spend too much money on these just to please him, the two men always disguised themselves as traders from some far distant land.
They walked through the centre of the city, admiring the lights, the Christmas trees, the candles burning on the steps of the houses, the stalls selling gifts, and the men, women and children hurrying off to celebrate a family Christmas around a table laden with food.
On the way back, they passed through a poorer area, where the atmosphere was quite different. There were no lights, no candles, no delicious smells of food about to be served. There was hardly a soul in the street, and, as he did every year, the king remarked to the prime minister that he really must pay more attention to the poor in his kingdom. The prime minister nodded, knowing that the matter would soon be forgotten again, buried beneath the day-to-day bureaucracy of budgets to be approved and discussions with foreign dignitaries.
Suddenly, they heard music coming from one of the poorest houses. The hut was so ramshackle and the rotten wooden timbers so full of cracks, that they were able to peer through and see what was happening inside. And what they saw was utterly absurd: an old man in a wheelchair apparently crying, a shaven-headed young woman dancing, and a young man with sad eyes shaking a tambourine and singing a folk song.
'I'm going to find out what they're up to,' said the king.
He knocked. The music stopped, and the young man came to the door.
'We are merchants in search of a place to sleep. We heard the music, saw that you were still awake, and wondered if we could spend the night here.'
'You can find shelter in a hotel in the city. We, alas, cannot help you. Despite the music, this house is full of sadness and suffering.'
'And may we know why?'
'It's all because of me.' It was the old man in the wheelchair who spoke. 'I've spent my life teaching my son calligraphy, so that he could one day get a job as a palace scribe. But the years have passed and no post has ever come up. And then, last night, I had a stupid dream: an angel appeared to me and asked me to buy a silver goblet because, the angel said, the king would be coming to visit me. He would drink from the goblet and give my son a job.
'The angel was so persuasive that I decided to do as he said. Since we have no money, my daughter-in-law went to the market this morning to sell her hair so that we could buy that goblet over there. The two of them are doing their best to get me in the Christmas spirit by singing and dancing, but it's no use.'
The king saw the silver goblet, asked to be given a little water to quench his thirst and, before leaving, said to the family:
'Do you know, we were talking to the prime minister only today, and he told us that an opening for a palace scribe would be announced next week.'
The old man nodded, not really believing what he was hearing, and bade farewell to the strangers. The following morning, however, a royal proclamation was read out in all the city streets; a new scribe was needed at court. On the appointed day, the audience room at the palace was packed with people eager to compete for that much-sought-after post. The prime minister entered and asked everyone there to prepare their paper and pens:
'Here is the subject of the composition: Why is an old man weeping, a shaven-headed woman dancing, and a sad young man singing?'
A murmur of disbelief went round the room. No one knew how to tell such a story, apart, that is, from the shabbily dressed young man sitting in one corner, who smiled broadly and began to write.
(Tommy found this story on Paulo Coelho's blog. Based on an Indian story translated from the Portuguese by Margaret Jull Costa)
Keep dreaming, keep hoping because one day, the KING will be coming.
Merry ”MasChrist” from the Stunz Family!
P.S. Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE Christmas music?
They walked through the centre of the city, admiring the lights, the Christmas trees, the candles burning on the steps of the houses, the stalls selling gifts, and the men, women and children hurrying off to celebrate a family Christmas around a table laden with food.
On the way back, they passed through a poorer area, where the atmosphere was quite different. There were no lights, no candles, no delicious smells of food about to be served. There was hardly a soul in the street, and, as he did every year, the king remarked to the prime minister that he really must pay more attention to the poor in his kingdom. The prime minister nodded, knowing that the matter would soon be forgotten again, buried beneath the day-to-day bureaucracy of budgets to be approved and discussions with foreign dignitaries.
Suddenly, they heard music coming from one of the poorest houses. The hut was so ramshackle and the rotten wooden timbers so full of cracks, that they were able to peer through and see what was happening inside. And what they saw was utterly absurd: an old man in a wheelchair apparently crying, a shaven-headed young woman dancing, and a young man with sad eyes shaking a tambourine and singing a folk song.
'I'm going to find out what they're up to,' said the king.
He knocked. The music stopped, and the young man came to the door.
'We are merchants in search of a place to sleep. We heard the music, saw that you were still awake, and wondered if we could spend the night here.'
'You can find shelter in a hotel in the city. We, alas, cannot help you. Despite the music, this house is full of sadness and suffering.'
'And may we know why?'
'It's all because of me.' It was the old man in the wheelchair who spoke. 'I've spent my life teaching my son calligraphy, so that he could one day get a job as a palace scribe. But the years have passed and no post has ever come up. And then, last night, I had a stupid dream: an angel appeared to me and asked me to buy a silver goblet because, the angel said, the king would be coming to visit me. He would drink from the goblet and give my son a job.
'The angel was so persuasive that I decided to do as he said. Since we have no money, my daughter-in-law went to the market this morning to sell her hair so that we could buy that goblet over there. The two of them are doing their best to get me in the Christmas spirit by singing and dancing, but it's no use.'
The king saw the silver goblet, asked to be given a little water to quench his thirst and, before leaving, said to the family:
'Do you know, we were talking to the prime minister only today, and he told us that an opening for a palace scribe would be announced next week.'
The old man nodded, not really believing what he was hearing, and bade farewell to the strangers. The following morning, however, a royal proclamation was read out in all the city streets; a new scribe was needed at court. On the appointed day, the audience room at the palace was packed with people eager to compete for that much-sought-after post. The prime minister entered and asked everyone there to prepare their paper and pens:
'Here is the subject of the composition: Why is an old man weeping, a shaven-headed woman dancing, and a sad young man singing?'
A murmur of disbelief went round the room. No one knew how to tell such a story, apart, that is, from the shabbily dressed young man sitting in one corner, who smiled broadly and began to write.
(Tommy found this story on Paulo Coelho's blog. Based on an Indian story translated from the Portuguese by Margaret Jull Costa)
Keep dreaming, keep hoping because one day, the KING will be coming.
Merry ”MasChrist” from the Stunz Family!
P.S. Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE Christmas music?
Saturday, December 20, 2008
"Don we now our gay apparel. Fa la la la la la la la la"
Ok, I have Anna's permission to tell this story BUT she said only if no one comes up to her and asks her where her gay apparel is or who Don is. Deal? Please honor her in this or she'll never let me tell another one of her funny stories again!
So, my neice, Erin, and my sister, Colleen, are planning/hosting our annual Cousin's Christmas party this year. Erin designed the invitations and we got it, read it, put it on the table for future reference, time, gifts, charity, etc. This was about a week or so ago.
Yesterday, Anna and I are in the kitchen making dog treats (we've been doing that alot lately) and here's the conversation that went down.
Anna: she says with hesitation "Mom, what does g. a. y. spell?" Ok, I take a deep breath and pause for a minute to think about how the best way to respond to this question with 9 yr. old lingo.
Mom: "Well, traditionally, it means cheerful or joyful but today it usually has a much different meaning." (or as my neice, Erin, puts it - Christmas sweaters and merry)
Anna: "Oh, I thought it meant like two guys and two girls." She says with relief in her voice.
Mom: "Well, that's what I meant by today it has a different meaning."
About this time, it occurs to me she is talking about our party invitation - thanks, Erin! :) The light bulbs come on and I now know how to explain. Breakthrough!!
Mom: "But in the Christmas song it just means cheerful or happy. And it's probably not a word you want to use much of, really. Just use the word 'happy' or something like that. Okay?"
Anna: "Okay. Who's Don?"
I could stop here because it's funny enough as it is but there's a little more. We went to look at the invitation so I could make sure she is not confused. I asked her to read the front. Here it is:
Anna: "Don, we now are gay- and I don't know what that last word is."
We both laughed pretty hard.
fa la la la la la la la la.......
So, my neice, Erin, and my sister, Colleen, are planning/hosting our annual Cousin's Christmas party this year. Erin designed the invitations and we got it, read it, put it on the table for future reference, time, gifts, charity, etc. This was about a week or so ago.
Yesterday, Anna and I are in the kitchen making dog treats (we've been doing that alot lately) and here's the conversation that went down.
Anna: she says with hesitation "Mom, what does g. a. y. spell?" Ok, I take a deep breath and pause for a minute to think about how the best way to respond to this question with 9 yr. old lingo.
Mom: "Well, traditionally, it means cheerful or joyful but today it usually has a much different meaning." (or as my neice, Erin, puts it - Christmas sweaters and merry)
Anna: "Oh, I thought it meant like two guys and two girls." She says with relief in her voice.
Mom: "Well, that's what I meant by today it has a different meaning."
About this time, it occurs to me she is talking about our party invitation - thanks, Erin! :) The light bulbs come on and I now know how to explain. Breakthrough!!
Mom: "But in the Christmas song it just means cheerful or happy. And it's probably not a word you want to use much of, really. Just use the word 'happy' or something like that. Okay?"
Anna: "Okay. Who's Don?"
I could stop here because it's funny enough as it is but there's a little more. We went to look at the invitation so I could make sure she is not confused. I asked her to read the front. Here it is:
Anna: "Don, we now are gay- and I don't know what that last word is."
We both laughed pretty hard.
fa la la la la la la la la.......
Friday, December 19, 2008
I don't have to...
teach school for 2 weeks!!!!!
I've never been the mom that is dreading the kids being out of school or is ready for them to go back. I'm their mom and I had them because I wanted them. Things get messier and definitely more chaotic around here when they're all home but I love having them home - as long as I get some "me" time every now and then and everyone knows when it's time for that ......
Two of our kids have been with me day in and day out this year since we are homeschooling so them being out of school isn't going to change things around here. And our other one, Tori is about to graduate so she'll be in an out of the house for work and college and starting to live her own life.
I do have alot of papers to grade and entries to make in our free homeschool software (which is great btw) to catch up on but I don't have to plan assignments or think about curriculum and ...
... I DON'T HAVE TO TEACH SCHOOL FOR 2 WEEKS!!!!!
I've never been the mom that is dreading the kids being out of school or is ready for them to go back. I'm their mom and I had them because I wanted them. Things get messier and definitely more chaotic around here when they're all home but I love having them home - as long as I get some "me" time every now and then and everyone knows when it's time for that ......
Two of our kids have been with me day in and day out this year since we are homeschooling so them being out of school isn't going to change things around here. And our other one, Tori is about to graduate so she'll be in an out of the house for work and college and starting to live her own life.
I do have alot of papers to grade and entries to make in our free homeschool software (which is great btw) to catch up on but I don't have to plan assignments or think about curriculum and ...
... I DON'T HAVE TO TEACH SCHOOL FOR 2 WEEKS!!!!!
Swords for Christmas
"I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." Matthew 10:34
When I read today's entry in My Utmost For His Highest, it struck me (no pun intended) pretty hard. I guess because it's Christmas time and we are thinking of Jesus as happy, joyful, soft and sweet in a Silent Night and Away In A Manger kind of way. But we aren't so much thinking about a warrior baby Jesus with a sword in his hand armed and ready to fight with us and fight for us. At least I wasn't. Until now...
This verse totally applies to Christmas if we are going to celebrate Christ's birth for the real reason He came. If we could have peace without Him, true and eternal peace, why did He bother? Maybe Christ didn't come to bring us peace exactly, but He did come to bring us the sword of reconciliation and redemption to cut deep and rid us of all the bad parts that keep us separated from the Father, which will eventually bring us peace - eternal peace. Yeah, I want that.
Anyway, I struggle with peace at times. I'm mostly peaceful and mostly confident that God is in control but I often hold on to things that I'm not willing to give up or just don't think about giving up because I'm too busy and I lose my focus. In comes the sword...
Today's My Utmost entry says:
"People want the blessing of God, but they can't stand something that pierces right through to the heart of the matter."
"If we could be truly happy and moral without Jesus, then why did He come? He came because that kind of happiness and peace is only superficial. Jesus Christ came to "bring... a sword" through every kind of peace that is not based on a personal relationship with Himself."
Today's entry also says that "If a person cannot go to God, it is because he has something secret which he does not intend to give up - he may admit his sin, but would no more give up that thing than he could fly under his own power."
So today, I ask myself these questions. What am I holding on to that I won't let go of? Am I getting a sword in my stocking?
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Bella-Full Dog Treats - Official Launch Day
This is Anna, Bella and Karat. (Karat passed away a couple of months ago. Anna likes the vegetarian treats because they have carrots in them.)To catch up on what this is all about, you'll probably need to read this post.
Market testing is complete!! Bella likes them and is still alive. Even Jenny tried one of the vegetarian treats and said they weren't bad. She kind of started acting a little funny after but I'm not sure it was related to the dog treat. :)
So.........
Anna is ready to begin helping you make your dog sit, stay, speak, roll over or just love you with her homemade and healthy dog treats. She is only going to make the vegetarian treats and the peanut butter treats at this point. The meaty ones were sort of gross and they have to be refrigerated because of the meat in them so that would make them a pain. Bella did like them but as Jenny put it, "A dog would eat a shoe!".
The treats are made with whole wheat flour, non-fat milk and other real stuff. She will sell them for $8/container. She will be giving the money she makes to help Tori and Jakeb go on their mission trip to Kenya this summer. If you want some for your dog for Christmas, please order SOON!
(quarter shown for size - supposed to be funny...)
I'm sure this is the beginning of something really cool.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Doggie Treats - Never underestimate the power of a 9 yr. old and a blog post.
Yesterday I posted about the doggie treats that Anna is starting to make to sell to help Tori and Jakeb (her big sister and brother) fund their trip to Kenya this summer. She's already got orders coming in and we're not even sure how much to sell them for or if our dog even likes them yet. On top of that, Jenny gave her a "shout out" on her blog so who knows where this will end up going. We have such great and supportive friends and family!!
Here's the story behind why Anna wants to do this.
Tori went on her first mission trip to Kenya this past summer. She was changed and fell in love with that region and the people there. She knew she would be going back. Jakeb couldn't go for various reasons but is going this year. Tori and Jakeb are both working now, Kohl's and DJ's, not so they can blow their paycheck and have stuff but so they can save for Kenya. And they are doing just that. I'm so proud of them and how disciplined they are.
Anyway, Tori's pictures and stories moved Anna deeply. She loves her big sister and saw the joy and pain in her heart. The joy of what she had experienced and the pain of not getting to be there now. She has thought through several different ways to help her get back to Kenya and then the doggie treat idea came up. Obviously, Anna is too young to go on this mission trip but Tori's experience there changed her and she is committed to helping Tori and Jakeb go this summer. In helping them go, she kind of gets to go too. What a great kid!!
She does have a name for her "business" - Bella-full. And her marketing tag line is "My dog Bella likes them and yours will too!" She even found a really cute pictures on the internet she wants to use.
Bella is our dog. Bella means beauty or beautiful thus the name "Bella-full". I think it's pretty clever.
So, more to come real soon on the three types of homemade, healthy treats she plans to make and how much they will cost. We are really in the earliest stage of figuring this out right now. We will try to keep the price very reasonable because we know if it's too much you won't buy them but we need to charge enough to cover the cost and have some left to give to Tori & Jakeb. We don't plan on shipping them but might would be persuaded if the price is right. :) We also don't plan on getting a tax number or anything for this, is that illegal? Not sure... I guess we'll figure that one out.
This should prove to be a fun and great learning adventure for Anna and our family.
Here's the story behind why Anna wants to do this.
Tori went on her first mission trip to Kenya this past summer. She was changed and fell in love with that region and the people there. She knew she would be going back. Jakeb couldn't go for various reasons but is going this year. Tori and Jakeb are both working now, Kohl's and DJ's, not so they can blow their paycheck and have stuff but so they can save for Kenya. And they are doing just that. I'm so proud of them and how disciplined they are.
Anyway, Tori's pictures and stories moved Anna deeply. She loves her big sister and saw the joy and pain in her heart. The joy of what she had experienced and the pain of not getting to be there now. She has thought through several different ways to help her get back to Kenya and then the doggie treat idea came up. Obviously, Anna is too young to go on this mission trip but Tori's experience there changed her and she is committed to helping Tori and Jakeb go this summer. In helping them go, she kind of gets to go too. What a great kid!!
She does have a name for her "business" - Bella-full. And her marketing tag line is "My dog Bella likes them and yours will too!" She even found a really cute pictures on the internet she wants to use.
Bella is our dog. Bella means beauty or beautiful thus the name "Bella-full". I think it's pretty clever.
So, more to come real soon on the three types of homemade, healthy treats she plans to make and how much they will cost. We are really in the earliest stage of figuring this out right now. We will try to keep the price very reasonable because we know if it's too much you won't buy them but we need to charge enough to cover the cost and have some left to give to Tori & Jakeb. We don't plan on shipping them but might would be persuaded if the price is right. :) We also don't plan on getting a tax number or anything for this, is that illegal? Not sure... I guess we'll figure that one out.
This should prove to be a fun and great learning adventure for Anna and our family.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
My kids eat doggie treats!
Anna is trying to start making doggie treats to sell to help Tori and Jakeb go to Kenya. She's going to try some vegetarian treats, some meaty treats and the ones she made yesterday are made with peanut butter, whole wheat flour and milk and a little baking powder. She rolled it out and cut them into little shapes with small cookie cutters that we bought. Some of them were shaped like dog bones but the others are Christmas trees, hearts, bells, and angels.
So she's making them and Jakeb walks by the table and takes a bite. He thought they were spice cookies. They're made with stuff that's edible but they taste kind of bland. He looked very puzzled and then we told him they were Anna's dog treats and he immediately went to the garbage can.
I made Anna eat one because she needed to know what they tasted like if she was going to sell them.
Then Tori just told me that when she came home from work last night at 10:15, she saw what she thought was a cookie and ate one. Those were the overdone ones that didn't make the cut and we just hadn't thrown them away yet. She thought it tasted disgusting but she swallowed. I'm laughing out loud when she tells me this and immediately the blog post was born. She then saw the recipe laying out for the doggie treats and the bag with the others in it labeled "pb" for peanut butter and put two and two together. She's a smart one.Bella (our dog) liked them alot! So if you want some, call Anna. If you buy some, just keep them away from your kids or they may start barking.
Moral of this story: Don't eat stuff off the counter until you know what it is because it might be dog food!
"Ringing" in the Season
Anna and I got to ring the Salvation Army bell on Thursday. Not sure if you remember Thursday or not but it was pretty darn cold! The day before, we had gone to Walmart to get some things and saw that they were ringing the bell in the walkthrough area and not outside. I had told Anna earlier in the week that we were going to freeze our buns off when it was our time but then when we saw them inside, I wasn't concerned. Obviously, because we didn't take a jacket, gloves or anything. We were dressed for cold weather but not for arctic! The lady before us moved the station inside, and we happily began ringing the bell. Until... about 30 minutes into our 2 hour timeslot, the mean Walmart guy kicked us outside. I understood but it ticked me off. In all of the Christian, Christmas spirit I could muster told him he needed to stop talking to me because it was patronizing. We grudgingly and grumpily moved outside. Tommy came and picked up Anna when he got off of work. It was just too cold for her to be outside. It took me about 10 minutes or so to find my smile. I was shivering so much I really didn't have to put much effort into ringing the bell. It kind of rang on its own. I later found out that the previous day people all got to ring inside! The nice manager must have been on duty that day. How unfair and what a uncharitable thing to do to kick a coatless, gloveless mom and 9 year old girl out to the curb! All in all, I'm glad I did it. I got to see alot of people, raise alot of money for a good cause (people seemed to feel sorry for me so I think they gave more), and I survived.
Then, because I love ringing the bell so much, I signed Tommy and I up for Saturday! It was a bit warmer and quite pleasant. The bucket was so full that I kept having to shove the money over to the sides of the bucket so people could put more in. I was struck by how things are seemingly so grim in our economy and especially down here with what Dow has done, that people were still able to be generous. It's so much fun to watch the kids put a few coins in. Good job, parents! They aren't sure what they are doing but you are teaching them, even in small ways, that they can be generous. It's also fun to watch the people avoid "the bucket". They won't make eye contact for anything and alot of them resort to talking on their cell phone as if I'm going to judge them for not putting a quarter in the bucket. I love watching people. We also saw a lot of people we knew. I even got a "beautiful" necklace from a guy wearing his Christmas spirit from head to toe (including a red and green "Red Man" chewing tobacco cap).
As I said, he was dressed from head to toe in red and green. Red house slippers, green pajama pants, a dingy white thermal shirt, some type of funky belt and a navy blue terry cloth bathrobe belt around his neck and then tied into the sides of his belt. And the Red Man cap. He came over to us and stopped. Set down his Bucee's mug and took off his cap. Then he took off this long rope necklace that had several things wrapped, tied, twisted into it. One of those things was the necklace that apparently he was planning to give to me. It took him a long time to get it untangled out of there. He didn't say much. We watched and waited and I was hoping the whole time that Tommy was prepared to protect me or chase him down if he tried to steal the bucket. Anyway, he simply said that we were doing a good thing and that the bell ringers deserved a reward. I mentioned to him that it looked like that necklace was in there good. He said that he meant it that way and it was intended to stay there until it found it's rightful owner. ME! I thanked him, he thanked us again and he went on his way. Interesting story and pretty unresolved. Who knows what God is doing sometimes, right? I don't think I could begin to figure this one out. I do know I'm keeping the necklace. Not sure if I'll ever wear it, but I'm keeping it.
So, I got to ring the bell with my husband and daughter, see alot of people we knew and tell a whole bunch of people thank you and Merry Christmas and alot of them told me Merry Christmas back. We smiled and waved at a ton of kids and they smiled back and looked all impressed that the bell ringer people noticed them. Good times!!
We won't be here next year to ring the bell at Walmart - maybe we'll get to in Singapore. If you haven't done it before, it's so easy and pretty rewarding - you should! You may even get a necklace from Mr. "Red Man" Christmas!
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