Videos of Sillines!

The boys have so much fun after dinner--that's our family time. Here are a couple of clips of the madness--don't worry, they're both short!

and here's a link a video of Sam showing off his dance moves. Jon likes the show Sid the Science Kid on PBS and there's a kid who always dances and says, "I'm a rockstar!" Sam has apparently picked up on it, b/c anytime I say "rockstar" (which isn't that often!) he dances and nods his head! So funny! :)

Feasting Fun

I just started a new blog with recipes...cruise on over and check it out. Also, send me your favorite recipes to try--it'll keep the site going!! :) www.makingfeastingfun.blogspot.com The site explains why I started it...enjoy!

15 crazy days

Life has been a little crazy around here. A very good, enjoyable crazy, but crazy none the less. ~It all started a little over two weeks ago with a visit from my oldest, dearest friend, Shannon and her family. They came on a Sunday afternoon and stayed until the following afternoon. We crammed as much fun as we could into our time. That included euchre--at which Greg and Pete thoroughly womped us--a trip to the pumpkin patch, and taking care of our combined four children. It was great spending time with them.

~The next day, Pete left for Toronto for a business trip. He returned on Friday afternoon.

~That evening his closest friend and roommate from college, Josh came with his family. I love getting to spend time with them as well. While they were here, the guys golfed, we took our kids to the park, Kim and I hit the outlet mall, and again a round of husbands beating wives at euchre. (I may be the weak link here...hmmm?) We had a wonderful time, as always, hanging out with the Browns and hope that we can do it more often. :)

~The next day, Pete's parents were in the area, so they came over for the afternoon and stayed for dinner. We love being near enough for them to drop by for a few hours every now and then. It was great to see them.

~Last Wednesday, Pete's aunt and uncle and their daughter came to stay overnight. They are just beginning to be involved in a really neat ministry at OSU called International Friendships. They came and had dinner and shared how God has led them to this ministry. It was such an encouragement to both Pete and I to hear how God is still working all things together for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose. It was also fun to see Jon playing with their daughter who is 4. They had a blast together.

~This past weekend our church had a Bible conference on the life of Christ. We didn't attend all the sessions, but really wished we had. The main speaker is a man named Dr. Doug Bookman. He has so much knowledge and wisdom about the Jewish culture, scripture and the life of Jesus. There were so many little insights that just helped me to cherish my Savior more. They haven't uploaded the sessions to the internet yet, but when they do, I will post a link--it will be worth your time to listen.

~Sunday, we had our pastor's family over for lunch. They have five children and it was so fun having them here. I had never cooked for that many teenage boys at once, and was afraid that my meal wouldn't quite cut it. However, Christa's Spanish Rice Bake came through and we actually had leftovers!! Amazing! :) And everyone loved it.

In the course of 15 days, we hosted three families overnight, had two other families over for meals, and Pete was gone for nearly 4 days. It only figures that I would get a cold now, doesn't it! :) I really enjoyed almost every minute of having people here--it's just the way I'm wired. However, I am thankful to have a week or so off. Tonight we're just having leftovers!!! :)

Jonisms

Real quick, so I don't forget, some things heard around here lately: I said, "Mommy loves the Backyardigans!" Jon: "I..uh, Jon loves the Backyardigans too!" at the park to a complete stranger/parent of some child: Jon: "Hi, my name is Jon. I'm from Ohio!" while playing catch with a football with me and Sam: Jon, after catching three in a row, "Wow! My daddy will be SOOO PROUD of ME!!" after being rude to me: Me: "Jon, should you talk to Mommy like that?" Jon: "no..." Me: "Come here so that we can talk about it, please." Jon: "I don't wanna talk." (and runs to his bed) (this is significant b/c this is the only time he doesn't want to talk!) driving to his buddies house, J: "I don't see any signs of his house yet!" after talking w/ Uncle Scott on Skype on the computer: J: "Is Uncle Scott still in our computer, Mom?" lastly, one of our favorites can't really be captured in a blog, but I'll try my best: while listening to a Bible songs CD in the van: CD: "Praise Him, Praise Him all ye little children...God is love, God is love..." (sung) Jon, in a sing-songy voice, but definitely talking, "Praise HIM, Praise HIM all d little chilDREN...God is LOVE, God is LOVE" Pete and I wonder if he might be some sort of worship leader in the future...it's so funny to actually hear him!

Spurgeon this evening

This month has been so full and I have much to share, but for now I'm just going to share Spurgeon...his words are so filled with truth. I LOVE the passage from Habakkuk that he ends with and the line directly after it, too. Hope it encourages you! "God, my maker, who giveth songs in the night." -- Job 35:10 Any man can sing in the day. When the cup is full, man drawsinspiration from it. When wealth rolls in abundance around him, any mancan praise the God who gives a plenteous harvest or sends home a loadedargosy. It is easy enough for an Aeolian harp to whisper music when thewinds blow-the difficulty is for music to swell forth when no wind isstirring. It is easy to sing when we can read the notes by daylight;but he is skilful who sings when there is not a ray of light to readby-who sings from his heart. No man can make a song in the night ofhimself; he may attempt it, but he will find that a song in the nightmust be divinely inspired. Let all things go well, I can weave songs,fashioning them wherever I go out of the flowers that grow upon mypath; but put me in a desert, where no green thing grows, and wherewithshall I frame a hymn of praise to God? How shall a mortal man make acrown for the Lord where no jewels are? Let but this voice be clear,and this body full of health, and I can sing God's praise: silence mytongue, lay me upon the bed of languishing, and how shall I then chantGod's high praises, unless he himself give me the song? No, it is notin man's power to sing when all is adverse, unless an altar-coal shalltouch his lip. It was a divine song, which Habakkuk sang, when in thenight he said, "Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shallfruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and thefields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold,and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in theLord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." Then, since our Maker gives songs in the night, let us wait upon him for the music. O thouchief musician, let us not remain songless because affliction is uponus, but tune thou our lips to the melody of thanksgiving.

Pictures

We had the boys pictures taken at Portrait Innovations in Dayton on Saturday. Here are the results: