our day to day

So, I lied. I have one more post to do before we go out of town. I love reading other people's blogs to get ideas on what they do with their kids at home, like with chores, spiritual training, etc. So for what it's worth, here is what we came up with for this summer. If it gives you an idea or encourages you in some way, then it was worth posting.

I wanted a chore chart that was reusable. One that you don't have to print every week or that is no good after you've filled it with stickers. So this is what I came up with. Small pockets stuck with magnets to my refrigerator. One holds all of the chore sticks for each child and you move them over to the other when they are finished. I like it and that way the boys can see what they haven't done for the day. I have been amazed at how well Judah dusts and how good Elijah is at folding laundry. I really thought I would have to go back and re-do a lot of their chores, but NO, they've pleasantly surprised me! They get a small allowance at the end of each week.

Jason and I also picked one memory verse per week this summer for the weeks that we're not out of town. On the first day, we talk about what the verse means and why it's important to us today. We practice it each day during our Bible time at lunch and if they can say it to me on their own each Friday, they put a sticker on their chart. If the chart is full at the end of the summer, they will get a special prize (we are still deciding on that :-).

We are doing one devotional a day during lunchtime before working on our memory verse, and we are using this book. I couldn't get the picture to turn, sorry. They are very simple and short and then we talk about what that devotional means for us today.

I also had this BRILLIANT idea that I have not followed through with yet. I thought one day a week this summer, we could think of something to do FOR someone else or TO HELP someone else. So far, this has NOT panned out because of unexpected events and lack of planning on my part. I am determined to pick this up in July. Ultimately I know that we are just planting the seed in their hearts and that GOD is the one who will water it and make it GROW!

For your viewing pleasure, here is Judah saying one of his Bible verses. Elijah is a little more camera-shy, but maybe I can get him saying one later this summer. Excuse my LOUD baby voice...I guess I still talk to him this way...lol. :-)

finally made it to a game

I can't believe it's this late in the season before we've made it to a Ranger's game yet! We usually go at least once in April or May, but on June 20th we went with our great friends, the Shaw's, to our first game of the season. We had a blast! I realized it was Judah's first game since he was an infant and he LOVED it! He did great through the whole game and was very mesmerized by everything he saw, ESPECIALLY the cotton candy! :-)







It may be a little while before I post again. Next week the boys and I will be at camp all week, my birthday is on Tuesday and we'll hit 1 year on the wait list on July 1st. So I'll have LOTS to post about when I get back!

happy father's day

WE

LOVE

YOU

DADDY!

summer spectacular & haircuts

So our church's annual Summer Spectacular (aka: a VERY hyped up VBS) was this week. This year was about Noah: God Keeps His Promises. The boys had fun and we enjoyed the 3-night broadway style musical. I am always amazed at the time and effort that goes into this week! Here are a few pictures:

My husband is a dork. :-)

This ark was built around the sign-in table at the front doors: amazing!

Oh, you noticed their hair is shorter! That's something we did this past weekend. And Jason and I did it ourselves to save some money. I decided if I butchered Judah's hair then we would just buzz it all off like Elijah's, but it turned out pretty good I think.

My 7 and 3 year old cuties!

Elijah is now at Camp of the Hills with my mom for his first of 3 trips there this summer. This equals HEAVEN to him! :-)

My heart is very heavy this week. One of my dearest friend's dad passed away very unexpectedly on Monday morning. It has been a week of a lot of heartache, grief and tough decisions for her. Please pray for Lori and her family, especially tonight and tomorrow during the visitation/funeral and in the days/weeks/months ahead.

A Great Way to Help

Have you ever thought that you would LOVE to make a difference in the life of an orphan but don't feel like God is calling you to adopt? I believe God does call ALL of us to help the poor, orphans and widows, but that looks different for everyone. Here is a GREAT way to help! Some friends of friends, at THIS BLOG , founded an organization called His Chase. They are very passionate about orphans and about Rwanda, and are in fact in the process of adopting from there. Their family is taking a trip to Rwanda this summer to love on the kids that are being helped through their organization, but they are lacking in funds for some of the children's basic needs. Read below what I took straight from their blog and pray about giving just $50 to help these precious children with things that we take for granted all the time. What an honor that we as Americans are able to partner with God all the way across the world. All details of how to donate are below, and feel confident that your money is going straight to the kids.


"We have entered the 50 day countdown to our big trip this summer! And, with that comes our next big challenge. We have dreams of this orphanage being "made new" and want to see these children thriving in every way.

But, we need 300 people to help us do this.

Our goal is to have FIFTY days of FIFTY dollars!

We need 300 people to give FIFTY dollars in the next FIFTY days to change lives at Noel!

What will your $50 do, you ask?

It will provide MEDICAL ASSESSMENTS for every child at Noel.

It will provide PERMANENT MEDICAL RECORDS that give them an identity and a future.

It will provide much needed FORMULA for infants.

It will provide DEVELOPMENTAL CAMP for toddlers.

It will provide SPORTS EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES for school age children.

It will provide HYGIENE ITEMS AND A PILLOW for an older girl or boy.

And, you know what ELSE?

If we raise this money in the next FIFTY days, we have a generous matching donor who will be giving $10,000 to the efforts this summer!

Did you read that?

Another $10,000 will be given after 300 people donate $50!!!

If all of this happens---and we know it will---we would have another $25,000 for the children of Noel. EVERY SINGLE PENNY goes directly to their care.

Will you help us? Be the first of 300 to change a life forever.

Be the first of 300 to tell a child in Rwanda, Africa that their life matters.

Join us for FIFTY days of FIFTY dollars by clicking HERE to donate."

Happy 30th Birthday Jason!

We love you Jason/Daddy! This post is for you!
Happy 30th Birthday - now you're as old as ME! :-)

On Memorial Day weekend, Jason's parents threw him a small party at their house.

Most of the action took place at their swimming pool
and on their new deck!

Old friends - now they are both literally old! :-)

Last weekend, I managed to pull off a HUGE surprise! I had been planning this with Jason's parents for several months. Thanks to their generous gift, Jason was able to enjoy a whole weekend at a lake house with his dad, brother and closest friends. He had no idea when his dad and friends showed up at our house last Friday to take him for the weekend! He was shocked! I handed him his already packed bag and they were off for a weekend of fishing, kayaking, swimming and hanging out!

Thank you Gary, Brad, Bill, Blake, Lanny and Micah for spending a weekend away from your families to make Jason's 30th so special! And Clabe, you were missed!

Here is Jason on his actual birthday (June 7th) with his boys and the carrot cake cupcakes I made him with homemade cream cheese icing. Yummy!

We hope we showed you just how special you are to us and how much we love you for your birthday this year! Happy Birthday!

Last Day of 1st Grade

so proud

we were so proud
to see elijah walk across the stage at his 1st grade awards program

he was so proud
to look at his awards with his friends

judah was so proud
to be with his big brother at his "big school"

we were SO PROUD
that elijah got the only "Most Helpful Student" award in the 1st grade!

elijah and i were both so proud
that he pulled the other front tooth on his own at his class party that day

elijah, you make us proud and we love you!

if your tooth is already loose...

just do a little play fighting with your dad,
maybe he'll accidentally knock his knuckle against your loose tooth,
and then it'll be ready to come right on out of there!

tooth #4 (this one's twin) should come out any day now;
then we'll have a true snaggle-tooth on our hands.
at least he's a cute one!

eleven

Enough said.