Taking a break for awhile

I have been so frustrated with our computer.  I don't know if it is our connection, the computer, or what but every time I try to download it takes forever!!!  One of the reasons I began this blog in the first place was to keep long distance family and friends up-to-date on what we were doing and pictures of the kids as they grow.  I'm not one of those bloggers who feels the need to journal or work on my literary skills on here.  Because I don't have the time to wait for the down/uploading of pictures and videos, I've decided to sign off for now until something changes.  If and when that does happen, I'll send out an email letting y'all know we're back on track.. 
Until then, all is a gift,

Cari

Been awhile!

Hi Faithful Few.  I know it's been awhile since I've posted.  Summer hits and all goes helter-skelter here.  If I can be patient enough for these darn downloads to happen, I'll be catchin' y'all up on the fun we've had this summer.
Stay tuned!

Freedom Facts for Friday!

“…there is nothing you can want, there is nothing you can ask for,
there is nothing you can need in time or in eternity,
there is nothing living, nothing dying,
there is nothing in this world, nothing in the next world,
there is nothing now, nothing at the resurrection-morning,
nothing in heaven
which is not contained in this text —
“I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

~Charles Spurgeon

Wordless Wednesday -Last Week in Pictures

Abby's last choir performance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

checking out our camping spot there's still a lot of snow!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Making cookies

A lifetime friend and his family visit

 

 

Enjoying a meal with old and new friends

Tiny Talk Tuesday

When my oldest daughter was about 3 she noticed a daddy-long-leg spider on our sidewalk.  She yelled for her daddy and said, 

"Daddy, look there's your long legs."

Multitudes on Monday! June 6, 11

360. peace retreats for oldest
361. self-parenting
362. being teachable
363. back-flips landed
364. sweet gymnastics teachers
365. great recital
366. little ones trying their best
367. working with friends
368.children helpers and blessings
370. Abs thinking of baby brother
373. beautiful weather
375. horrible weather
377. working in hail
378. exhaustion
379. warm fire
380. cozy bed
381. cuddling with Mim's
382. I's silly kisses
383. stranger seeing Jesus in me

Freedom Facts for Friday!

Do not let your hearts be troubled.  

Trust in God;  

trust also in me.

John 14:1                                                       

       

 

Freedom Facts for Friday!

"Effective spiritual, emotional, and social training in the lives of our children [has] to be both intentional and planned."
                           Susan Clarkson from her book The Ministry of Motherhood

Spring 2011 Piano and Gymnastics Recitals

Abby nailed her back flip.  She was the only one other than teenagers that could do a back flip.  Mimi is the first one out of the tunnel and the smallest one in the group.

I'm very proud of how everyone ended the year!

Wordless Wednesday May 6-24

I have A LOT of catching up to do with end-of-the-year field trips, recitals, etc.

Patiently waiting for their piano recital performance

Levi and "best fwend" that he's only met one other time

 

Mimi and Abby's finale at their gymnastics recital

A very Happy Mother's Day

 

A fun field trip to the zoo 

 

 

                            

Abby's choir performance

 

 

 

 

Tiny Talk Tuesday

When my oldest was 5 this is what he told a firefighter who was telling the homeschool group about the importance of fire alarms, 

"I know our batteries work in the fire alarm at home 

because every time my mommy cooks

it goes off."

Everyone got a tremendous kick out of his very solemn and serious response.

A little disclaimer here, when the oven was on, it would smoke because of things burning in the bottom from overflowed dishes NOT because I was burning things. ; )

Multitudes on Monday! May 17-22

328. fellowship and feasting

329. new, cheery plants

330. anticipation of a date

331. a thoughtful sister-in-law

332. love-words to nieces through children's books

333.  glad for my marriage

334. happy to still be in love

335. family fellowship childcare

336. the greens in the new hostas

337. nothing stolen from left-behind purse

338. colors of spring

339. colors in pre-dawn light

346. Amy reading to the kids

350. creek's cascading cacophony

352. Royal Wedding church fun

354. kiss on the cheek from dear old one

358. last week of school

Freedom Facts for Friday!

"The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One." 

Can't remember where I saw this quote.

Tiny Talk Tuesday

 

Daddy pointed out the In-N-Out Burger palm trees that cross.

Levi's response,"Aw, they're lovin' each other Daddy."

He hugged himself as he said it.

Multitudes on Monday!

309. Blessed Truths spoken to my soul through my uncle
310. Seeing ugly and being repentant
311. Look of Daddy-love from my brother to his first newborn girl
312. Newborn nursing
313. Full, dark head of hair
314. Easing into the day
315. Sustenance for a day absent of sleep the night before
318&19. A drive to get away and then having a home to come back to
321. Love-made gifts
322. Planting time
323. Pizza out
324. Rest and "time-off"
326. New plants to plant

Multitudes on Monday!

281. rainbow colors on counter

282. walk/talk with a friend

283. A's tenderness to littles

285. better computer time management = more time

287. lunch outside

289. children singing to christian radio in the morn

295. quicker wait

296. grocery-unloading elves

297. I learning hard how to cook

298.  grass cuttin', bird singin', sun sparklin', plant gardenin', morning

300. fresh insights in the Word

301. I's attentiveness and comprehension of Biblical Truths
302. a whole day outside
303. fun cousin time
304. Forks' burgers
305. plants given, livin' and plantin'
306. Strawberry Hill has begun
307. answered prayer- replacement chickens and a rooster gifted

All is a gift!

 

Freedom Facts for Friday!

"The fullness of joy is in the choice."

                                                                                                     Beth Moore

Justification defined simply is 

God's forgiving sinners, and

treating them as if they had 

never sinned.

                                                                                         Catechism for young children

Passion Week in Pictures

Wordless Wednesday

Coloring Eggs

Seder Dinner

Sue reading Easter stories

Egg Hunting

Freedom Facts for Friday!

This is a beautiful song I heard on the radio.  It is by Sidewalk Prophets and the lyrics are so perfect for this Good Friday

You Love Me Anyway

The question was raised
As my conscience fell
A silly, little lie
It didn’t mean much
But it lingers still
In the corners of my mind

Still you call me to walk
On the edge of this world
To spread my dreams and fly
But the future’s so far
My heart is so frail
I think I’d rather stay inside

But You love me anyway
It’s like nothing in life that I’ve ever known
You love me anyway
Oh Lord, how You love me
How You love me

It took more than my strength
To simply be still
To seek but never find
All the reasons we change
The reasons I doubt
And why do loved ones have to die?

But You love me anyway
It’s like nothing in life that I’ve ever known
You love me anyway
Oh Lord, how You love me

I am the thorn in Your crown
But You love me anyway
I am the sweat from Your brow
But You love me anyway
I am the nail in Your wrist
But You love me anyway
I am Judas’ kiss

But You love me anyway
See now, I am the man that called out from the crowd
For Your blood to be spilled on this earth shaking ground
Yes then, I turned away with this smile on my face
With this sin in my heart tried to bury Your grace
And then alone in the night, I still called out for You
So ashamed of my life, my life, my life

But You love me anyway
Oh, God… how you love me
You love me anyway
It’s like nothing in life that I’ve ever known
You love me anyway
Oh Lord, how You love me

Cambria and Father/Daughter Ball

Wordless Wednesday

April 11-17/11

Passion Week Activities

e-warp-wife.blogspot.com">

 

To prepare our hearts further for the advent of Easter 

we will be doing  some extra activities.

Here's our list:

Sunday- We were out of town so missed an opportunity to do something.  We had a time of  visualizing

              Christ's triumphant arrival into Jerusalem and discussed what we would've done if we had been there.

Monday- We try to "bless" Him through "blessing" those around us.  We usually make a small inspirational craft

                to give to our friends, family, and neighbors.

Tuesday- We will make Hot Cross Buns.

Wednesday- We will walk The Stations of The Cross, an Episcopal church nearby has a beautiful trail with 

                     markers to "map out" each stage.

Thursday- We will host a Seder for my side of the family

Good Friday- We will have a foot washing ceremony and time of reflection and repentance.

Saturday- We will dye eggs and make a Christ candle.

Sunday- After church, we will go to my folks' home and share a meal, we will hide the Resurrection Eggs and 

             rejoice that HE HAS RISEN!

Multitudes on Monday!

213. Fun and time with friends 

 215. children playing tag

218. a runaway 13 y.o. back

221. In-N-Out

223. Everyone sharing

224. A beautiful beach day in Cambria

226. a teenager escaping waves

228. girls' dressed for a ball

229. handsome Daddy escort

230. Mommy +sons+teen time

232. generosity of strangers made family by marriage

235. just enough gas

239. Daddy calling back and saying,

"I see Christ in you".  

First time EVER hearing those words

Freedom Facts for Friday!

" It is not what happens to us

that matters

as much as 

what happens in us."

"We do not always have the freedom to choose the roles we must play in life,

but we can choose how we are going to play the roles we have been given.

Choice is the key."

Gerald L. Sittser from

A Grace Disquised

Time4Learning 30 Day Trial

I've been invited to try Time4Learning for one month in exchange for a candid review. Time4Learning can be used for homeschool, afterschool and summer skill sharpening. Be sure to come back and read about my experience.

Thirsty Thursday

Thirsty: 1. parched 2. desirous of something

Is there anything you are thirsty for today?  

Something specific that ultimately would lead to a more spirit-filled you?

I am thirsty for time management advice

in regards to the good, bad, and sometimes ugly

time I spend on the computer.

I am so encouraged by many of the blogs and sites I read

yet i find myself spending wayyyy toooo much time on here.

If anyone has ideas or suggestions I would be so grateful 

(I'll even list you as one of my thousand gifts : D).

Wordless Wednesday

Levi "measuring up" w/whale baby

Isaac and a penguin friend

Pictures taken b/t April 1-10, 2011

Monterey Bay Aquarium

Mimi LOVES turtles

Abby, Levi, and Mimi checkin' out flamingos

Our home school hosted a ballroom dance with lessons and all.

  

 

Mimi on her belated birthday tea w/Daddy.

 My uncle and aunt had a pre-Easter egg hunt and potluck

 because their granddaughter wouldn't be out for the official one.

Lent activities

Titus 2 has long been a mantra in my heart.  I so wish the Body saw what an important mandate it is for us all to be mentored and to mentor.  When I happened on to this site and saw "Titus 2s Days" I was so excited at the possibility of hearing about and from other women who have this same desire.  So, I will be trying to add this activity to my list on Tuesdays.
During this season of Lent, I will humbly offer things that our family is doing to enrich and prepare our hearts for Easter.  I hope this will be helpful to others.

Every morning, during breakfast, we read through a couple of devotions.

The first one is called 

"How Many- A Book of Daily Lenten Devotions for Children and Their Families" by Arden W. Mead

There is a "How many" question and scripture reference that leads to a part of the redemptive story.

We have also been doing
Ann Voskamp's "Trail to the Tree" Easter Devotion .
You can download it from here .
Finally, we have been memorizing
"The Catechism for Young Children with Cartoons" by Vic Lockman
His website is www.viclockman.com
May God bless your Tuesday.
Make it a great day!

Multitudes on Monday!

Turning the Ugly to Beautiful through perspective.

188. lessons in patience-stopping at every stoplight, road work, etc

189. seeing life and love instead of the mess

190. restlessness that forces a perspective change

191.siblings constant struggles forcing creative discipline

192. first time grace for dog's mess

202..disability embraced and accepted

204.  losing Saturday to gain service

Freedom Facts for Friday!

God doesn't love us because we are good,

but

God will make us good because he loves us.

                                                                                                     C.S.Lewis

 Our revelation of our cynicism [in and about the Church]

will be our revival

                                                                                                     Beth Moore

The Joy of God's Presence

A few thoughts from one of my Lenten Devotions by Henri Nouwen.

Verse: Is. 49:13

Joy and laughter 

are the gifts 

of living in the presence of God

and

trusting

that tomorrow is not worth worrying about.

Where there is much time 

life can be celebrated.

...the problem is

the absence of free, 

open

time

when God can be encountered in the present

and

life can be lifted up in its simple beauty and goodness.

AMEN?!

Blogiversary Give Away!

My friend over at victoryrd.blogspot.com is doing a giveaway to celebrate 4 yrs. of blogging.  She is a gifted writer and an encouragement to read.  Good luck!

Wordless Wednesday for March

The Hunt!

 I've said this to a few people lately, "If I wasn't looking for it, I would've missed it".  That is how I feel about this pursuit of 1,000 thanks.  There are days when the "hunt" really isn't that difficult.  All I need do is open my eyes and they're all around me.
This last week my friend and I took the kids (all 4) to Monterey Bay Aquarium.  All you have to do is have eyes to see and the blessings abound.  I also was fortunate to attend a Beth Moore conference Friday night and Saturday morning.  Being with 6500 other women learning about and praising God can really get the thankful juices flowing. 
There are other days when I have to consciously direct my attention to the hunt.  This Sunday, I awoke to the flu.  Let me tell you, I'm not a very good sick person.  I tend to feel sorry for myself, angry at what is NOT getting done, frustrated at the lost time and expectations I had for the day, well you get the picture.  However, this time was slightly different.  Because of "the hunt", blessings were everywhere. 
Just a little insight into where my "list" originated this week.

153. a friend's distraction and then deferment of frustration at missed turn

 154. warm sun cool ocean breeze

156. life-size images that strike awe in child gazes

160. child-like frivolity of sea otters

162. a "misplaced" child, reminder of my not-from-the-sea treasure

165. silky sensation of ray swimming by

169. toddler at the end of himself, reminders that I'm not "home" yet

170. April Fool's joke leading to time savored not wasted

172. voices of 6500 women lifted up to Him

175. the awesome, incredible, heart-felt beauty of the Lord in this place

177-179. get- well love-notes, banners, bouquets, and son helping to bring order out of chaos

180. a wonderful man who "runs" things so I can stop

POWER!!!

Power can be something we strive to possess or it is something that "fuels" our life (as in electricity).

This last week I had neither.

 

I rarely have the first kind of power anyway but I (as well as most of my fellow Americans) have become quite dependent on electricity.  This last week (from Sunday 3/20-Sunday 3/28) I experienced a life void of electricity. 

Let me tell you, it was tough!  

 

Add to that that we were displaced from our home because of the threat of falling trees as well as my third's 7th birthday and you can probably surmise the hectic, helter-skelter, scattered week we had.

A friend of mine asked how I felt being like Ma Ingalls; my response, " Ma Ingalls would never have had a freezer full of food to keep cool on top of all the other things."

All that to say, you'll understand where my "Multitudes on Mondays" list originated out of this past week.

125. wee hour evacuation

126. snow silent before cracking, splitting-wood sound of trees and branches falling all around

127.  house spared

129. snow entertainment

134. shared mommy woes

137. outage at the end of the month rather than the beginning after monthly shopping trip

140. birthday blessings at Best Western

141. dear friend braving the storm to bless birthday girl

142. restored power!!!!!

Power

Chapter 6 What do you want? The place of seeing God

Ann describes a time when she "ran after the moon" literally.  She reminds me to look at creation to see the creator.  Creation is NOT the Creator but it is a reflection of His beauty.  Do I take time to notice? 

I live in one of the most beautiful spots with National Forest at my backdoor.  I have lived in this area most of my life.  For the most part, I don't take it for granted. 

I love the peace and serenity that comes with mountain life.  

I love that we have four distinct seasons.  

I love that my children can go outside and see tons of stars and name it "A night of Abraham".

I love that on any given clear night we see God's watercolor painting in the sunset from our deck.

I love that our "noise" is crows cawing, 

doves cooing,

frogs croaking,

crickets chirping,

roosters crowing, and

dogs barking at the deer.

I have NEVER chased after the moon.  I can't relate.  I don't play well.  I don't do childlike.

Therefore, I had a difficult time getting "into" this chapter.

  The thing that I most related to was at the end, I just love her vulnerability to be real because I've written these very words in my heart.

" The world I live in is loud and blurring...

...these kids lean hard into me all day

to teach and raise and lead and 

I fail hard and 

there are real souls that are at stake and

how long do I really have to figure our how

to live full of grace,

full of joy--

before these beautiful children fly the coop 

and my mothering days fold up quiet?

How do you open the eyes 

to see how to take the daily, domestic workday vortex and 

invert it into the dome of an everyday cathedral?

PRAYING WITH EYES WIDE OPEN

is the only way to pray."

Ugly-Beauty

37. constant need for discipling
38. attitude adjustments
69. bagel with butter side down on clean floor
84. bad attitude at Bible time
93. dirtied floor from friendship's abundance
94. grouchy girl
95. uninvolved parents/grandparents
99. opportunities to choose forgiveness
100. opportunities to choose humility