The Family

Last weekend we went up to Branson and spent the night at a hotel with an indoor water park. We had won a nights stay on the radio sometime over the summer so we thought now that the weather is cooler it would be great. Unfortunately we forgot to take the camera. :( We also went to Silver Dollar City the day after the water park. We bumped into some friends from Harrison and they offered to take out photo so we lucked out! We had a great time the weather was cool and it was perfect for enjoying the Harvest Festival. Our hotel was lots of fun too. The kids loved the water park. No big surprise there though, they are both water babies. Our room also had a small room inside it that had a set of bunk beds and its own tv. James was thrilled with this. He slept on the top bunk with no issues and Ellie on the bottom and she didn't fall out either even thought there was no railing. She did hop out and wander around once and awhile though. :) Sometime during the night our fire alarm began to chirp. This was a bit of a buzz kill. It would chirp 15 min. then be quiet 15 min. We didn't unplug it because we were afraid that maybe it would cause trouble for the system if we did. So the next day we were all a bit tired. That was the only hitch so I'd say that's not bad for a free vacation.

Whole Wheat Donut Day

Every Friday our local donut shop has whole wheat donuts. You are thinking why take a perfectly good piece of junk food and adulterate it with wheat flour? It may seem like a terrible idea but I love them! I love that I can make a huge splurge and pretend to feel good about it because it is somewhat healthier for me than it would have been on Thurs. :) The texture it great and the taste is the same so there's not even any sacrifice, I actually like them better this way. So once every six months or so I get to experience this whole wheat "goodness" and today was my day. Sweet husband.

Shopgirl

This time of year I am always reminded of a quote from You've Got Mail. Its when they are chatting online before they've ever met and Meg Ryan ask Tom Hanks " Don't you just love New York in the fall? and Tom Hanks replies " It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address." I love fall and this is my exact sentiment. I love to see all of the leaves falling and then having their little tornadoes in the street. Pumpkins and Mums and all the things that go with them just make me happy. I start planning Thanksgiving and thinking about making Christmas presents.

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I think of quotes from You've got Mail all the time actually. So much of me really reminds me of Meg Ryan's character Kathleen Kelly. I even had the Meg Ryan hair cut for years. Here are a few of my favorite quotes.

I think of this every time I go to Starbucks:
Joe Fox: The whole purpose of places like Starbucks is for people with no decision-making ability whatsoever to make six decisions just to buy one cup of coffee. Short, tall, light, dark, caf, decaf, low-fat, non-fat, etc. So people who don't know what the heck they're doing or who on earth they are can, for only $2.95, get not just a cup of coffee but an absolutely defining sense of self: Tall. Decaf. Cappuccino

The reason this is so funny to me is because it is so true. I always feel so good about knowing what I want and who I am when I ask for my Tall Vanilla Brewed Iced Coffee in a Grande cup.

This post proves the point of why I identify with this next one.

Kathleen Kelly: Sometimes I wonder about my life. I lead a small life. Well, not small, but valuable. And sometimes I wonder, do I do it because I like it, or because I haven't been brave? So much of what I see reminds me of something I read in a book, when shouldn't it be the other way around? I don't really want an answer. I just want to send this cosmic question out into the void. So good night, dear void.
The next one just suits me. Its something I would think. Except for that hats are not usually a mistake. The mistake lies in not wearing the hat. We let them hang in our houses getting covered up in dust when we should just grab them and wear them because who cares if anybody else thinks its a hat day, everyday is a hat day.

Kathleen Kelly: Once I read a story about a butterfly in the subway, and today, I saw one. It got on at 42nd, and off at 59th, where, I assume it was going to Bloomingdales to buy a hat that will turn out to be a mistake - as almost all hats are.

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Joe Fox: Well, let me ask you something. How can you forgive this guy for standing you up and not forgive me for this tiny little thing of... of putting you out of business?
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For a long time when somebody hurt me deeply I would think about the last few sentences of this next line.


Kathleen Kelly: Well... if he's not here, he has a reason, because there is not a cruel or careless bone in his body. But I wouldn't expect you to understand anybody like that. You with your theme park, multi-level, homogenize-the-world mochaccino land. You've deluded yourself into thinking that you're some sort of benefactor, bringing books to the masses. But no one will ever remember you, Joe Fox. And maybe no one will remember me, either, but plenty of people remember my mother, and they think she was fine, and they think her store was something special. You are nothing but a suit!

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I always think of this when someone says that something isn't personal. Because I really think this is true.

Joe Fox: It wasn't... personal. Kathleen Kelly: What is that supposed to mean? I am so sick of that. All that means is that it wasn't personal to you. But it was personal to me. It's *personal* to a lot of people. And what's so wrong with being personal, anyway? Whatever else anything is, it ought to begin by being personal.

In All Things Give Thanks to God

Yesterday the Bible study that I attend started its third year. We study through the school year and take a break during the summer. I had been aching to get started again because it is through this study that I have grown the most profoundly in the past. This year we will be studying Life Management for Busy Women by Elizabeth George. This study is focused on young mothers and wives and balancing the many tasks that are set before us in a Godly way realizing that without God it is all useless. Our leaders, Jan, in particular are very good at pointing us to Christ and showing us what its all for and how blessed we are to have these duties. Its odd to find this large of a group of women engaged in building each other up in the Lord rather than comparing lives, status, abilities etc. and tearing each other apart piece by piece. (Women are so good at that)
Yesterday our prayer was focusing on giving thanks to God in all things. This was timely for my life. I suppose we can always have a good dose of it, but sometimes its a little more dear. While I've done fairly well to remain faithful in our most recent trial its still very easy to become fearful that God may not be paying close attention with all He has going on and that maybe He won't fulfill His promises in time. I know this is ridicules, but we think in human terms and we want God to answer our prayers in our time. I found the verses to be a big encouragement. One in particular I felt as if He really was speaking directly to me. I've become a lot more "mystical" for a lack of a better term if you will lately and I'm not going to apologize for it. Our prayer leader had a paper printed out full of verses on being thankful to God and she had each woman read one. I usually hate this but today it was very useful to me. My verse was Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;. Our pastor had this on his answering machine for months and I think even preached a sermon about it but the version of the Bible he was using said "Be Carefull for nothing" instead and it just didn't click fully until yesterday. The 21st Century King James says "Fret not about anything," which works for me as well. Anyway it just felt like God was hitting me on the head saying " Stop worrying, keep talking to Me I'm going to take care of you." I can't believe it was just an "accident". So I am going to be not just thankful but thankful to God in all things.

Tupperware-Lanette den Hollander Harrison, AR

What 's your favorite piece of Tupperware? I have to say I think it is almost impossible to narrow it down but I will do my best. My favorite Tupperware timesaver is..
the Quick Chef. I have been loving making fresh salsa from the tomatoes that we are getting from the garden. I throw all of my ingredients in and a quick turn or two later chop, chop, and I'm done. Yep awesome, great for just chopping veggies for casseroles etc.

My favorite Tupperware money saver is..These are the Fridge Smarts. They are for keeping your produce fresh. They are awesome because we eat a lot of fresh produce but were always throwing stuff out that went bad before we could eat it. Now I hardly ever throw stuff out. I've had lettuce last 6 weeks. Yep its really true :)


And finally my favorite storage container is the Rectangle Cake taker. I make cupcakes all the time now cuz I can actually store them with our ruining the frosting.

So these are my faves what are yours?


Also Just wanted to let you all know that I now have my own web site if you'd like to visit it click here. If you'd like to be added to my Tupperware Sale e-mail list let me know and I'd be happy to add you to it.

Happy Birthday Baby! James that is

James turned 3 today. He is the sweetest child and continues to steal heart. Last week when I asked him what he wanted for his Birthday he thought a few min and then said "A Birthday Cake!" I asked if he wanted anything else and he said, "Nope just a Birthday cake!" The sweetest kid I tell you. I wanted to get him something big for his birthday but ended up getting him two small wooden toys from TJ Maxx. Yesterday while he was napping on the way home from visiting white water we stopped at Dollar Tree and got him 3 helium balloons and a cool pack for boo boos that is in the shape of a hot-wheels. I hid the balloons till he went to bed and then tied them to his chair and wrapped his presents. This morning he got up we sang Happy Birthday to him, then he ran out and saw the balloons. Both children squealed in delight. We let James open one present now and will do the others when everybody comes for dinner after church. He opened the hotwheels cold pack and was so excited and so thankful he taught me a real lesson. Hopefully never again will I think that I need to get them anything more than love. He would have been happy with just a cake and then the cold pack was a huge bonus. I love that kid!

Leaving the Hospital to come Home.

About 8 or 9 Mo.

1st BirthdayCamping on our first family Vacation May '08 20 mo old2nd BirthdayThis summer being the ham he always is.He made this hat at the Library story time on Mary Poppins day.The cake the little man was asking for.

Let Them Eat Cake

This weather has me in the mood for posting. Its the exact same weather as when I came home form the hospital almost 3 years ago with my sweet little bundle of James. I always get really happy and peaceful when the weather turns like this and reminds me of those few weeks after he was born. Before I tear myself away and start the labor of my day I wanted to some pics of the cake I made yesterday. I made it for my friends little girl for her birthday. It really was fun. No major accidents and it turned out almost like I hoped. Ok, off to fold clothes for me.

First Pigtails Etc.

Here are a few pics from this past week with a little bit of an update on us.

Tim had knee surgery last Friday. He had some torn cartilage removed so he has had this week off and on Mon we went up to Branson Landing for some shoe shopping.Ellie's first Pig Tails!She is quite sure she is really something!When we went to the Landing we visited Ben & Jerry's. Ellie is a huge fan.James is just a big ham.

Ellie enjoying Daddies affection and the company of Hopper and Sea horse. Oh and would you check out her snazzy new sandals from Grandma. They are her favorite shoes.

We had a Bistro Party in our backyard on Sat. It was awesome. Lots of great friends...

...and food.

Pics For Bahma, Nina, and Oma

Here are a bunch of pics of the kids taken over the last month or so. We went camping for two days a few weeks ago. It was so much fun. Ellie fell in love with smores and James fell into the fire pit (Ellie got the better end of this deal) Very providentially James only got a few minor burns, if you look on some of the pics with the gold fish you can see his hands bandaged up. We've been busy with all of you regular summer activities and loving it! Ellie's !st Birthday is next Tuesday. It doesn't seem that long. Grandma sent a surprise for James and Ellie. They were both very impressed!

Check out Ellie's festive new bow :)

We cleaned out the pond in our backyard and Ellie had to test the water. As it turns out she tests the water very similarly to the way I did when I was a child. She would have loved to be submerged if I had let her.

She can now point to her nose and mouth and says thank you.

Here she is so pleased with herself because she is learning how to get out old stains out of her new hand-me-downs.

Can't figure out why Daddy is eating her smore (look closer for her hitler smore stach)

Goldfish we bought from the marina as a distraction from his burns and to put into our pond. Apparently Nemo is in that bucket.

Ellie is a big fan of the Radio Flyer

Napping on our bed in the camper

Mo and Larry

Tim was teaching James how to kick the ball and he was loving it

Thumb+Hopper what more could Ellie want?

Bubbles, James and Ellie both love bubbles.Tim too for that matter. :)

She is such a sweet little girl. She's always happy, just so contented. Even though she's been teething a lot. She now has all but one of her 1yr. molars. A total of 11 teeth.

Riding the flying elaphants just before Bahma left for Florida.

I actually got him wrangled down for a pic with me. He is really developing a big imagination. I don't know why I am surprised. I apparently had a very large imagination when I was a child too. Still do I guess. Pretending is a big part of every day here.

Showing me his favorite of the planters that he helped me plant.

Tea Party etc.

We finally have a new camera, not a fancy shmancy one like we used to have but this will do just fine and it does have accidental insurance. This sounds like I didn't mean to purchase this insurance but I assure you I did. I've been so happy to have a camera again. I have been somewhat puzzled on how to download them but I'll do my best. Here is a smattering of what has taken place since we got the new camera.

James makes the best tea.

Ellie makes the best faces.And messes..Naps are fun..And Cute

James loved helping clean up after the ice storm

A bad pic of their room post visit to Ikea

James does this a lot and Ellie isn't always so sure about it.

Boy does this ever bring back some embarrassing memories. :)