Addendum to last post

This year has been full and I'm disappointed I didn't do a better job keeping up towards the end.
One of the events of this year has been a new fellowship group. We meet every other Sunday and share a potluck-style meal, singing, an activity that corresponds to a short message and prayer. We've incorporated this same thing with the time we spend with my family. It has truly been a blessing.
Isaac has continued to play soccer and is in his 2nd year of piano. He also had a Lego robotics class he took this fall. He has had a buddy for school this fall as I home schooled a friend's son. You'll notice on one of the pictures, he had the opportunity to feed a hawk who was being trained by a novice falconer.
Abby and Mimi continue to do gymnastics and this year Abby is taking a class and learning how to play a recorder. Mimi is officially in Kindergarten and loving it and can't wait to read.
Levi is growing so much and is energetic, fun, and a hand full. He can get into his car seat by himself and does so much better on road trips.
All of us are growing and allowing God to build and reshape us into His will. Looking forward to what God has in store for us all. Praying for an abundant dose of his Spirit to fill our lives.
God bless you all and have a blessed New Year!

2009 At a Glance

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

The Big 40!!

Yes, this post is a little late in coming. I have to admit, this birthday hit me a little harder than in the past.
John and my friends and family really tried to make it special.
My family had a fun Sunday celebration for me. John and the kids gave me a very special day filled with gifts and adoration. Our dear friends the Wests watched the kids for 24hrs. so John and I could "get away".
My dear friend Kim took me on an overnight camping trip complete with surprise party and gift of a horse (my biggest dream). I still have friends taking me out for coffee and dessert and lunch. John says I'm having the birthday that keeps on giving and I'm loving and appreciating every bit of it.

School Days, School Days Good Old Golden Rule Days....

Yep, here are my annual "first-day-of-school" pictures. I am home schooling a friend's son who is the same age as Isaac. He was sick today so I'll have to have "make-up" picture day for him :D
We started the year off with my kitchen, living room, family room, and hallway floors torn up to make room for solid, recycled pine floors. Needless to say, I do NOT do well with chaos and upheaval.
The kids have all handled it in stride especially since we are just doing the bare minimum of math, language arts, and reading.
This year my goal is to RELAX!!! Not literally mind you. Although, I would if I could. I just feel the Lord is calling me to take a step back, look at everyday through His lenses (not my checklists/lesson plans) and delight in these kids.
God is trying to get it through my head that it is my head (thoughts) that get/s me into soooo much trouble. If I want to have a good day than I need to Phil 4:8 think instead of my habitual, glass 1/2 empty thinking.
If God places me on your heart, please pray this for me this year. I want to see a difference and I especially want my kids to reap that difference.

Make a Smilebox photobook

Make a Smilebox photobook

Less than a decade and he could be gone!!!

Isaac is 9!!!
I can't believe how fast the time goes. There are days when it seems to dragggg on and then there are times (like birthdays) when you realize how quickly it passes.
John took the day off and we spent it pampering our eldest.
He is such a wonderful boy.
I love how he is so spiritually sensitive. He is caring and devoted. He is artistic and bright. He is gentle and tender and he is very human as well. Here are some picts.

Isaac and all his "loot"
Isaac wanted me to make a fighter plane cake (LOL!!!!) He drew his own on the cake because otherwise mine would have been an UFO :D
Hot Air in action!!!I don't have any pictures of the combined birthday party of Isaac and his cousin David at my folks house. The wonderful Mommy forgot the camera :( They all had a blast though and it is always good to get together with the family.

Five is Alive!!!

That would pretty well sum up the newest 5 yr. old to the family. Mimi turned "5" on Mar. 26. Yeah, I know, I'm a little behind the 8 ball getting it posted.
She knows that her day comes after Levi's so EVERYDAY after his I had to answer, "So, how many more days until my birthday?" Very difficult to explain time to a child who still doesn't quite have the concept. Since we do have 2 birthdays in Mar., there was a lot of celebrating going on.
We tried to get together with family Sunday the 22 but my folks decided against it due to weather. So, at the suggestion of my awesome uncle and aunt, we headed down to Fresno and celebrated at Chuck E. Cheese. (I forgot my camera but hopefully will get picts from my uncle).
Then, her day FINALLY came on Thursday and I crammed it full of fun. First, I took her to Time for Tea, a very Victorian tea house, for the first time. We went to a friend's house where she let the girls ride her horses. After Daddy got home, she opened her presents, ate her special dinner, and had cupcakes and ice cream.
The following Saturday (Mar. 28) we had a small picnic and bike ride at Woodward Park with some dear friends who have adopted my kids for grandkids :D.
Mimi deserved every bit of the fun and attention. She is such a gentle, giving, sweet-spirited little lady. In true "Mimi-fashion" she readily shared her new doll and color wonder pages with Abby and Leapster with Isaac.
She is such a joy and I'm soooo glad I homeschool because I couldn't bear sending that sweet little peanut to public school.

April Fools Dinner!

I'm not big on April Fool's. Maybe it's cause I've only heard of people playing kind of "mean" tricks on others. Maybe it's because I'm just too serious for my own good.
Well, last night I tried to break out of my mold (a little). I made a fun April Fool's dinner and I think I will continue this as a tradition in the Rumohr home.
We had meatloaf* "cupcakes" "frosted" with mashed potatoes, apple "cole slaw", and sugar cookie "french fries" with raspberry "ketchup". Needless to say, it was a big hit.
*Just a little disclaimer on the meatloaf for those of you who think gross. This is the BEST recipe I've ever had, I got it from my paternal grandma who had gotten it from her aunt. It's cheesy and moist and delicious.
Just look at those faces.

My Baby is 2!!!!!!

Levi turned 2 on March 13. I am still in a fog. The signs of his age are very evident so I can't deny it any longer. He talks up a storm, he is EVERYWHERE, he plays "ledos" (legos) with his brother and loves "big trucks", he loves to have "Dada ree" (Daddy read) and he constantly calls for Abby. He and Mimi are even beginning to play better and better together.
He reminds me a lot of Abby and yet he is uniquely his own. He tests the limits far more than any of the others have, still takes WONDERFUL naps, and shows his mommy lots of love and "tisses" (kisses). Sometimes I think how easy life would be if Mimi was our baby, but there is no question the life this little guy has brought to this family.

Stoned!!

Wait a minute, it's not what you think!!! For those of you who don't know or haven't heard, I have kidney stones on my left side. I found out March 2 and yep, it's been 2 weeks Monday!!!
We found out that one of the stones was close to 1cm and blocking the ureter so I went in on 03-12-09 to have Lithrotripsy done (they try to blast the stone using sonic waves). I had to be put out and the procedure lasted about 1 1/2 hours. The doctor ended up putting a plastic tube (stint) in that goes from the kidney to the bladder and he could not tell if the stone had submitted to the blasting.
All that to say that as of today, I haven't passed anything substantial. I'm supposed to go back in a couple of weeks and if nothing has happened then I don't know what the next step is. Please pray that I pass them!!! I am managing the pain but have to take some pretty heavy duty pain meds that make me sleepy and out of it. The kids are enjoying their very loopy and laid-back mommy I'm sure. I just want to feel better.
I'll try to post more later about my sweet little baby turning 2!!!

Kitchen Remodel

Here are the picts from our kitchen remodel. I'm sooo blessed. I LOVE it!

These are before (right after Dave tore out the coat closet/pantry) that you can just barely see behind John and I at Thanksgiving
Here is the after.

Ski Days!!

I coordinate skiing for a homeschool coop that I'm a part of. My sole purpose for doing this is so that my kids can ski at a discounted price. They are all doing amazingly well. Miriam went on her first lift this last time and she is soooo adorable. Isaac is a little speed demon and you can hear me saying (more than once) "It's not how fast that determines how good a skier you are but how in control!" Abby is awesome and she is gracious enough to let me tag a long with her as she gives me all kinds of encouragement, "Good job Mom, you can do it, try to go a little faster." Yep, thanks Abs for not making me feel like an idiot. I have to take lessons just to try to catch up to them. It is a blast though. Here's little Mimi and Abby on the beginner hill "Turtle"









There Miriam goes with her instructors down Bruin. Her first time on a lift! This is Isaac going under our lift. I didn't get any of him on the bigger hills because I was concentrating soo hard on getting myself down in one piece. :D






Abby, Isaac, and I are on the chairlift to the 2nd hardest hill "Rabbit"


This is what it looks like when you first get going down the hill. :O
Wasn't it a gorgeous day? The resort had gotten snow over the weekend as well as a couple of inches the night before. Hope we have more of those days and I hope I can keep up!

PLEASE PRAY!!

Last week we were informed of something that pretty well rocked our world. I'm afraid I can't go into any details. I could really use some prayer, though. I'm needing to not allow fear to take over. I'm needing to remember God is God no matter what circumstances take place in our lives. I'm also needing to guard my heart from anger, bitterness, and hate. I'm needing wisdom as to where to go from here.
I was at church on Sunday and broke down. I'm able to keep very busy in the day-to-day and not deal with things, but on Sunday... well that's a different story. Sunday is our Sabbath, it is a day where we intentionally slow down to honor, reference, obey and fellowship with God. As I sat in church and sang, all that has happened came rushing in like a flood and I was faced with all the above mentioned struggles. As I sat in my Father's lap, lifting up praise to Him out of obedience alone (void of positive emotion), I wrestled and chose to try to surrender.
Please pray w/ and for me that this "thing which Satan intended for evil, God would use for good."

Christmas Break 2008

Let's see if this works!

My dear sweet cousin from VA suggested I try a slide show to save a little time in posting. So, now after about an hour of trying to figure this all out, get my email verified, download and write this, we'll see if it works! Here goes...

How To Find Time?!

Any suggestions on how to find time to post? I can't seem to do it and sooo much time goes by and then there is sooo much to post. Maybe tonight I'll have some time to post about the holidays and New Year. Could use any suggestions. :D