Bella's Photoshoot

Bella had her two-year pictures taken with Katie DeBoer. She just recently started a photography business and does a fantastic job! Check out her blogsite at katiedeboer.blogspot.com or her website at katiedeboer.blogsome.com.

We had Bella's pictures at precisely the right moment. She's so clumsy that she has constantly had bumps and bruises on her face . . . she was finally flawless for her pictures! Then, the day after her pictures were taken, she took a tumble down the stairs (again) - and what do ya know? She has another lovely bruise on her head!

A Spring Day

These 60 and 70 degree days have been amazing! It's so nice to do things out of the ordinary for March like having picnic dinners and drawing pictures with sidewalk chalk!

It's a Miracle!

Wow! It finally happened! High Speed Internet! I thought that we would have the old dial up ball and chain forever, but after several months of research, phone calls, pulling cable to the wrong pole and being forgotten about . . . we have dial up no longer!

All I have to say about that is WOO HOO!

* I can actually watch the video feeds from my fellow blogger's sites
* I can upload pictures to my blog in less than 30 minutes (more like 30 seconds)
* I can move from screen to screen easily instead of baking a batch of cookies while I wait for a screen to load.
* And, most importantly, I can talk on the phone while I'm on the internet.

I actually sat and watched American Idol last night with my laptop on my lap . . . and could browse during the commercial breaks - AMAZING!

Who knows? I may even be inclined to blog more than once a week now!

Happy Birthday Bella Boo!

Helping to make her "Happy Birthday Cake"

Eating the "Happy Birthday Cake"



I can hardly believe it! My little Bella Boo is 2!

It brings about an amazing array of emotions - from happiness to gratefulness to a bit of sadness.

Happiness for the health and strength she's been granted. Not everyone is blessed with a healthy child.

Gratefulness for the privilege of raising her. There was a time we didn't think we'd have the chance to play the role of mom and dad. Her name, Bella Grace, means beautiful, undeserved gift - and that's just what she is!

Sadness for the loss of babyhood. No more diapers. No more needing mom - "I do it!". No more onesies.

Bella brings us so much joy and laughter! We are so grateful to God for his tremendous gift to us in her!

Home Sweet Home?

Last week I had the opportunity to go to the Willow Creek Children's Ministry Conference with 5 of my ministry team leaders. A great time was had by all - even despite the Chicago traffic on the way home!

It was wonderful to get away for a few days . . . from housecleaning, laundry, kids and all the other things that are part of the daily grind. However - why is it that when you finally take some time for yourself, there's always h-e-double hockey sticks to pay for it when you get back? It seems like it takes two days of recovery time for every day I was away! I've been home the last two days trying to spend some quality time with the girls, only to be hit, kicked, bitten and yelled at . . . what's up with that?

On the bright side though, my mind is spinning with ideas and improvements to bring to the Children's Ministries at my church!

I guess it was worth it then!

Crabby Bear Syndrome

In our house, when you're having "one of those days" you get refered to as a crabby bear.

Well, I think I'm suffering from the Crabby Bear Syndrome (also known as PMS).

Do you ever notice that when you're crabby, you have this uncanny ability to make everyone around you crabby too?

The last few days have been miserable around our place. I'd like to blame it on Faith's strong-willedness (is that a word?) - because that's an easy thing to fall back on . . . but the bottom line is - "When Mama ain't happy - ain't nobody happy!" The kids just have a way of absorbing the negative energy, and giving it right back to you!

I had to apologize to Faith this morning, cuz' I was yelling at her all morning (granted, she couldn't have been moving any slower). I know - while I'm being nasty that I'm being nasty - but it doesn't seem to stop me. I just keep on-a yellin'! Ugh! I'm tired of being cranky!

So how do you fight the crabby bear that lives within you?

The sunshine is helping . . . a little bit . . .

A Month of Birthdays

I flipped over my calendar the other day, and was amazed at how many March birthdays there are amongst my friends and family members - over 15! Apparently June/July are busy months for getting busy, if you know what I mean!

In honor of all of these wonderful people, I am posting the best birthday cake frosting recipe I know! That way, ya'll can share in the birthday fun!

3/4 c. Crisco
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1 1/2 T Dream Whip (dry)
1/2 t. almond extract

Cream above ingredients together, and then whip until light and fluffy.

Then add half at a time to above mixture:
3 1/2 c. powdered sugar (1lb)
1/4 c. water

This recipe keeps in the frige for about 3 months if in an airtight container. It's great to add food coloring to for decorating.

You won't find a tastier recipe anywhere!

Happy Birthday to all those born in March!
Michelle and Joy - March 1
Jared - March 4
Jackie - March 10
Amy and Brian - March 13
Joy - March 14
Shelly - March 15
Bella - March 17
Chase - March 18
Kent - March 22
Will - March 25
Jed - March 26
Michael - March 27
Tina and Joelle - March 30

And This Is Love . . .

As many of you know, we've had significant challenges in parenting our daughter Faith. She is a strong-willed child that has given us a real run for the money over the last few months. Mike and I have read a number of books and even saw a child psycologist a couple of times to learn all we could to help Faith be successful in life.

Well, one of our strategies has been implementing a job chart. This is a concrete way for her to see what she has to do, and gives her the ability to do various things without being told 150 times to do so.

Anyway, for every job she does, she gets a magnetic circle to put on her chart, and for every circle she receives, she gets a nickle at the end of the week. We take 10 percent of her earnings and put it in her church purse, 40 percent goes in her piggy bank to save, and the other 50 percent she can put in her shopping purse to spend on what she wants.

She's been carrying her shopping purse EVERYWHERE! She's so proud of all the money she's earned, and she's saving it "for something big." Who knew she'd be so motivated by money!

Last night she took her shopping purse with her to the bathroom . . . she decided to count her money while "going" and had a terrible accident! She dropped a nickle in the toilet! TRAVISTY! There was the nickle - sunk all the way to the bottom - lying dormant amongst the pee and poop. What to do?

I, being the tough-love mom that I am, told her she needed to get it herself. She dropped it - she can get it. Well, this caused a huge erruption of tears, snot and drool. Mike and I couldn't help but laughing . . . it was quite humorous to us. Not to her though!

Finally, Mike, my hero of a husband, stuck his hand into the pee and poop filled toilet to retreive the nickle . . . is that love, or what? He's a much better parent than I am!

So, if we ever pay you in cash for something, you may just receive the infamous "poop nickle".