My Baby Turns 2

I can't believe it has already been 2 years since God graced you to our family. You have been a constant joy to us, Alli, and we love watching you turn into such a little girly-girl. I cherish watching you play dress-up, caring for your babies and making pretend meals for your daddy and me. You have grown into quite a social lady, although you still know how to be shy and how to bury your head into mommy's shoulder when you want to. You are going to be a "go-getter" and afraid of nothing, I think. Those traits are from God and can be used to His Glory, or for your own. We pray that you come to cherish Christ and to seek to spread His Fame.

We love you, Allison Keona. Happy 2nd Birthday.

Lessons from sewing, part 2 . . .

All cutting and sewing of fabric should be performed while children are sleeping or being watched under the careful eye of their other parent, leaving the seamstress free to concentrate. Otherwise one will inadvertently cut with the wrong measurements or cut in the wrong direction, thus rendering fragments of fabric that are useless. Unless, of course, one is extremely creative and can make new projects out of the scraps.

(and if you fall in that category, leave a comment - because one who posts such advice might need it herself)

Lessons from sewing, part 1 . . .

. . . the seam ripper is my best friend.

Storm Front

We've had a weekend of crazy weather. Thunderstorms, hail, tornadoes and flash floods have all gone through our area over the last two days and the forecast for this week doesn't look much better. Dan took this picture tonight just minutes before we got hit with thunderstorms again. He emailed it to a local TV news station, we are waiting for the 10 o'clock news to see if it's featured!

It certainly isn't hard to see God's handiwork in the fury of the storm. Even though this weather can be dangerous, I always pause to thank Him for such beautiful signs of His power. No matter what happens in the storm, I know Whose hand controls every cloud.

Looks like Someone knows her birthday is coming up . . .

Yes, that's an American Girl doll catalog. You know, the one's with $100 dolls. I think she will need to wait until she is older than 2 before we invest in a doll like that!

5 Things

Five Things About Me Meme
Morning Rose tagged me to do a Five Things About Me Meme.


The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.
Each player answers the questions about themselves.
At the end of the post, the player then tags five people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read the player’s blog.
Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.


What were you doing five years ago?

1. I was finishing up my first year of teaching 4th through 6th grade at a private Christian school.
2. Dan and I went to Maui on our first exotic vacation!
3. I was pregnant with Elijah.
4. We travelled to Washington state to attend Dan's brother's wedding.
5. I was enjoying my first summer vacation not working! (I have stayed home since ending that school year)



What are five things on your to-do list for today (not in any particular order)?

1. Finish laundry
2. Research sewing machines
3. Try to get the house back to normal after a crazy weekend with houseguests and cookouts
4. Finish watching "Becoming Jane"
5. Did I mention all the laundry?

What are five snacks you enjoy?

1. anything chocolate
2. cheese and crackers
3. ice cream
4. fresh strawberries
5. chips and dip

What five things would you do if you were a billionaire?

1. Give most of it away - it would consume me.
2. Redo our kitchen and basement, or . . .
3. Move to a home on the lake.
4. Travel, especially to foreign countries where we know missionaries.
5. Invest and live off of the interest (okay, that's Dan talking)

What are five of your bad habits?

1. Worrying
2. Being critical
3. Being obsessive compulsive about things
4. Wasting time
5. Picking at scabs. Disgusting. I know.

What are five jobs you’ve had?
1. Shoe salesman at Sears
2. Telecounselor for MBBC
3. Pharmacy tech
4. Manager of health and fitness club (anyone who knows me will find this very ironic.)
5. Teacher

What five people do you want to tag?
1. Sarah
2. Gretchen
3. Karen
4. Tina
5. Elizabeth

Healthy Eating?

I'm not sure these 2 recipes fall under the strictest definition of healthy eating, but if you are trying to avoid hydrogenated oils and MSG, then they definately help you do it. Since it seems all pre-packaged food has one or both of these nasty ingredients, I say cut it out where you can and then you feel a bit better when you indulge in Ritz Crackers.

So here are 2 make-ahead mixes that help you on your path to healthy(er) eating . . .

Taco Seasoning
2 tsp instant minced onion
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp crushed dried red pepper
1/2 tsp instant minced garlic
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Combine all ingredients in small bowl until evenly distributed. Store in a foil bag or plastic container in a cool, dry place. Use within 6 months. Makes about 2 T. Use 2 T for every pound of ground beef.
*I triple this recipe and it fits nicely into an old spice container. Then you always have it on hand when you need it.

Buttermilk Pancake Mix
2 c. dry buttermilk powder
8 c. flour
1/2 c. granulated sugar
8 tsp. baking powder
4 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. salt
Combine, stir with whisk until evenly distributed. Makes 12 cups and use within 6 months.

Pancakes: 1 egg beaten, 2 T. oil, 1 cup water, 1 1/2 c. mix. Combine egg, oil and water. With wire whisk stir in mix until blended. Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in more water for a thinner batter if desired.

Really? The Office?

I was shocked as the next alum, but laughed anyway. Dan and I have told almost everyone we know about this video, and this seemed like the easiest way to direct them to the link. Enjoy!

The Admission's Office

Bitten

I've been bitten by the sewing bug. It all started out so innocently. I had a mounting pile of clothes that needed mended, and my #1 seamstress had just had a baby, so I decided to try to tackle some of them myself. Only I didn't know what I was doing. This realization led me to ask my good friend Debbie to teach me to sew. You know, just simple stuff like hemming pants and maybe a decorative pillow or two.

Well, after surfin' the web to get some project ideas (after all, to learn to sew you must have projects) I was so overwhelmed and excited at the sewing possibilities that I went kinda crazy. Debbie lent me her machine and I went to town. Here are a few of the things I have made so far . . .

This was my first project. Seeing how simple it was caused me to want to try something more challenging.My first handbag! Okay, okay, I realize it is small, but I did it, and that makes me very happy. I tackled this one on my own, with the help of this great tutorial.
Did you know that you can buy these dresses on the bolt and all you have to do is stitch up the back, hem and attach straps? Alli was very excited to try it on. I'm still deciding what to do with the straps. Alli also desperately needed a belt since even toddler pants are low rise now. This was easy-peasy, so I made one for myself, too.

I found this idea on www.Joann.com. It's an organizer that hangs on the back of your car seat for the kids to put their books and toys in. This is Elijah's (obviously) and I am currently working on one for Alli.

And I have some baby gift ideas, since our church is continually reproducing, so I should stay busy for a while. Dan is excited and very supportive, but is worried that I might get burned out. Who suffers from burnout when there are such a plethora of good ideas out there?

Baby J

This little guy was so happy! We didn't have to work too hard to get some great smiles out of him. He has an infectious laugh. How can you resist this?

I'm loving this one. See those two bottom teeth? They just embody a classic baby picture.

By the way, have you ever noticed that taking a baby's clothes off almost always results in pure happines? This was fun. What can be better than spending time with friends and making their babies smile?

2 Cute Babies!

Before I left for the week, I got together with my friend Sarah, who has her own nine-month-old and babysits another one! I had so much fun trying to follow these two around to get some pictures. They both are extremely happy and busy! So here is a sneak peak of baby A for her parents, baby J's pictures will come tomorrow.

I hope you love them! I know I do!

While the Cat's Away . . .

Apparently this is the mouse's idea of "playing" . . .

You see, we knew we had some carpenter ants at the front of our house, and apparently they love damp wood, which we had because of a gutter problem, so they decided to feast on our cedar siding, as well as the infrastructure beneath.

Dan thought they had damaged just a small area (like 2 or 3 boards) and thought he would take advantage of the time I've been away to complete a couple of projects. Needless to say, this one is gonna take a while.

**Aaahhh - you gotta love owning a home**

Shop till you drop!

Remember when I mentioned that I would have a post on a new company I found,
peas&carrots? Well, here is that promised post! I first heard about this great company when my friend, Summer, took pictures for their marketing. After drooling over their bags and fabrics for long enough, I decided to purchase the two products that I loved the most:

The Quick Change - great for running around town. It holds 3-4 diapers and wipes and is perfect for when you need changing supplies with you, but you don't need to cart around a whole bag. I love it! And I love the fabric, which you get to choose! And one of their unique handbags - they offer 6 different styles, all available to customize with your fabric choices. I really could have bought all of them!

Well, shortly after I recieved my purchase in the mail, peas&carrots unveiled a new little product, the "zippy," which you can get in the matching fabric for your bag. Now how cute is that?!?!

Check out their site - you will definately find something you love, even if you don't have a baby anymore. The bags make great purses, and she also makes some stuff for older kids, too! Not to mention the baby shower gift option . . . Leave a comment and tell me what you like!

Enjoy!

Sentimental

There are some monumental moments with your child that you just don't forget. The first time he crawls, her first word, the first time they say "I love you."

This is a picture of Elijah helping his daddy put up his big-boy bed. He moved into it just a month shy of turning 2. I was pregnant with Alli, and because of my complications, could no longer lift him and so we decided he was ready to sleep in a toddler bed.As you can tell, he liked it instantly and we had no problems with the transition.Well, after putting up a toddler bed in Alli's room about 2 months ago, when we had house guests with a 4-year-old girl, she has wanted to sleep in it. Dan put her to bed in it a couple of times, and she fell asleep with no problems, but I wasn't ready for the transition, so I went back in after she was asleep and moved her into her crib. I guess I was being a bit sentimental and I wasn't willing to move her before she was 23 months, the same age that Elijah was when he moved.

Well, this weekend my resolve to wait wavered a bit, and so we allowed her to sleep in her big-girl bed to see how she did. Of course she did fine, even though she is only 21 1/2 months old, so today I took down her crib (wiping tears as I type) and rearranged her room. Here is the result, with Elijah christening her bed with her.

The complete picture:

Now I just have to decide what to do with this:

Should I put it in the closet? I don't want to lose the storage, but she is getting too big to change up there, and too heavy to lift! Or is it ok to leave it out, even though she is a "big girl" now? Any thoughts?

Big Brother

Elijah is a good big brother. He plays with his sister, shares toys (with a little encouragement), and does an excellent job at keeping me posted if his sister is getting into trouble. He gets visibly upset if we start to walk away and Alli isn't following us and he is always concerned that she will get hurt or left behind.

So when he discovered Alli playing with his safety scissors yesterday, he was rightfully upset that she was holding a dangerous instrument with which she might become injured. But instead of reporting the problem to me, as is protocol, he proceeded to try to take them away from her by himself. Alli responded as most 21 month old's do, and commenced screaming. This further aggravated Elijah and by the time I entered the room he was physically hitting his sister in a desperate endeavor to wrench the scissors from her grip.

All of this in an attempt to keep her from hurting herself. What a good big brother . . .

A Few Updates

I have been itching to update my blog a bit, but I want to add some of my own photographs in the header and such, which I haven't had the time to do! So instead of completing all the changes at once, I added a few new elements that would be fun for you to check out.

1. I've added links to 3 friends - My brother Kevin, my friend and cherished babysitter, Elizabeth, and Sara's Art House. Check them out!

2. I've also added a section for fun sites I like to visit. Although I could probably write a seperate post on each site, I will save you from that now and just direct you to check out the sites.

My world was opened up after I discovered Etsy, so for all of you looking for unique gifts or products for yourself or family, Etsy is all hand made, so meander around a bit and get creative!

Farmgirl Fare has some great recipes and fun pictures of farm life. Read up on her profile to better understand what makes this site so cool.

Splitcoast Stampers isn't new to most of you stampers out there, but if you are looking for inspiration, there is no better site!

And Peas & Carrots - well, let's just say that I should have a post about this fun company soon. I'm waiting for a handbag and quick change to come in the mail, and then I will share!

That's all for now. Let's hope my tulips that Elijah and I planted last fall will come up and they will aid my new blog design.

Respectable Sins

I just finished reading Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges. We had Jerry at our fall Bible conference last year, and this book was his newest release. I promptly bought it, and then began hearing how convicting it was from my friends who read it right away. I knew that I needed to read it, but kept putting it off in favor of books that wouldn't be so painful to read!

Well, painful it was. It seems that Mr. Bridges doesn't name a single "respectable" sin that I don't struggle with. The term "respectable sins" comes from, of course, those sins which we tend to forget are sinful, or that we tolerate in an air of pride because we don't commit those BIG sins that the rest of the world does. We don't commit adultry, we don't lie (at least not overtly), we aren't guilty of assult with a deadly weapon, but we do act selfishly, we are discontent and we sin with our tongue daily (at least I know I do).

J.I. Packer endorses the book with this quote: "Read this book - we need to - and be ready for a gentle surgeon's sharp knife." And that is exactly how I percieve this book. Bridges literally "cuts to the chase" and names our pets sins, shows how abhorrent they are in the sight of a Holy God, and encourages us to confront them, confess them and turn away from practicing them. But the amazing way he does this is worth pointing out: he doesn't only preach to the reader, he uses his own life to show how he often struggles in the same way. He points us continually to the Cross, the only source of true repentance and forgiveness, and continually reminds us that the faith that saves us is the same faith that will sanctify us. In other words, we DO have the power to say no to sin, we DO have the power, through Christ's sacrifice, to change our behavior and to battle those respectable sins.

It is a book worth owning, and reading more than once, to remind us to constantly be searching our own life for "respectable sins." I'm still recovering from his surgery, but thanking God for an author who speaks the truth, even when it hurts.

Easter Breakfast

One of the traditions our church has on Easter morning is to eat breakfast together before the service. It is a wonderful time to fellowship with one another before we worship together.

I'm always looking for great breakfast dishes that are quick and easy to prepare, and I found this recipe a few weeks ago. You fix it the night before and then only have to pop it in the oven the next morning. I thought you might like to try it for your family on a special holiday, or just a relaxing weekend.

Apple-Stuffed French Toast

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, cubed
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
1 cup chopped pecans
12 slices Italian bread (1/2 inch thick)
2 large tart apples, peeled and thinly sliced
6 eggs
1-1/2 cups milk
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Caramel sauce:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 Tablespoon light corn syrup

In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter and corn syrup; cook and stir over medium heat until thickened. Pour into a greased 13x9 baking dish; top with half of the pecans, a single layer of bread and remaining pecans. Arrange apples and remaining bread over the top.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, cinnamon, vanilla, salt and nutmeg. Pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes until lightly browned.
In a small saucepan, combine the sauce ingredients. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened. Serve with French toast.
Yield: 6 servings.

Beyond the delicious breakfast, we had an encouraging sermon about preaching the gospel to ourselves - not only the sacrificial death of Christ, which we usually focus on, but His resurrection, without which, according to I Corinthians 15:14, "our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty." What an excellent reminder.

I hope all of you had a wonderful Easter!

Doggie Blogs

After reading this, Sadie seriously contemplated obeying her herd instinct in starting a blog, but decided it would interfere too greatly with her sleeping, eating and barking.

Inspired by Sara, I tried to create pigtails out of Alli's wispy, fine, baby hair. Yes, I know they are small and I realize they only stayed in for about 5 minutes, but at least she has enough hair now that I can try!Sooner or later, sweetie-pie, there will be enough for me to make a girly-girl out of you!

10 Products That Make My Life a Little Better . . .

(in no particular order)

1. My Mary Kay Timewise 3-In-1 Cleanser. I start and end every day with it, and have never used a better product.

2. My dishwand. You know, the tube with a sponge attached that dispenses dishsoap as you wash. I can't remember the last time I filled a sink with water and used a washcloth. It makes for quick clean up for the dishes that can't go (or won't fit) in the dishwasher.

3. Curl refiner hair product. Either Aveda's Be Curly or Redkin's Curl Refiner. Scrunch it in after the shower and my curls stay soft and frizz-free all day. It makes my hair routine take all of 2 minutes.

4. Huggies baby wipes. How did I live without these for so many years? Not only do they clean up after a diaper explosion, but they wipe dirty faces, clean stamps, and remove makeup. What other all-purpose product does this?

5. Carmex. The original, made in Wisconsin product.

6. Tropical Twist Trident. Tasty gum that freshens my breath when needed. My purse is rarely empty of this product.

7. My Kitchenaid mixer. I use it more than I thought I would!

8. Music by Sovereign Grace Ministries. When I listen to music, one of their CD's is almost always my first choice. I haven't heard many other artists whose lyrics are so rich and theological.

9. Berres Bros. Coffee. What can I say - I like Starbucks, but NOTHING beats a hot cup of Highlander Grogg.

10. Settlers of Catan. I haven't tired of this game and haven't met many people who don't love it as much as Dan and I do. We have stayed up late too many nights playing with friends and never regretted it. Wanna come over for a cup of coffee and a game?

Pride and Prejudice

I know that this may shock some of you, but I just recently saw, for the first time, Pride and Prejudice. I saw the stage production in college (and promptly forgot the story) and I have never read the book. So when I found out that Masterpiece Theatre was running the complete Jane Austen, I decided to DVR them all and catch up to my womanly notions that I should be at least familiar with her writing.

I watched the "classic" version first, the A&E and BBC one with Colin Firth as Darcy. I am glad I did, because if I had seen the newer version first, I probably would not have wanted to sit through the 4 hour version. Boy, am I glad I did! It was wonderful! I disliked Darcy at once, instantly rooted for Jane and Bingley, and felt exactly as Lizzie did in every scene. I couldn't ask for a better movie.

So just for kicks, I decided to rent the 2005 movie starring Kiera Knightly and went into it, I must confess, a bit biased. I knew it would never top the original. And so I wasn't disappointed. Although, it did a good job of condensing the plot to only 2 hours, it missed all the nuances that were so obvious and necessary for a complete story.

Instead of completely dismissing the Kiera Knightly version, let me give you a more detailed response to it:

1. For starters, it did a better job showing the disparity of wealth between the Bennet family and Bingley and Darcy. I didn't get that in the original.

2. Kiera Knightly does well in a strong female role, but couldn't convey the gentleness of Lizzie, or, quite frankly, the beauty. She kinda looked like Cinderella before her transformation for the majority of the movie - dirty and unkempt. Her sisters looked more formal than she did.

3. The only time I believed Kiera as Lizzie was when she was telling off Mr. Collins when he proposed and Darcy after his first offer.

4. Colin Firth as Darcy was much more believable. He was mean and snotty and softened just enough for the viewer to change their mind about him. The actor who portrayed Darcy in the latter of the films (sorry, I couldn't find his name) was too soft from the beginning and came across as almost pitiable. I never once disliked him and kinda felt sorry for him. Although I will concede that his softening at the end of the film was a bit more endearing.

5. Jane was definitely more beautiful in the 2nd film, although I thought Bingley looked like Conan O'Brian.

6. The 2nd film cut so much of Mr. Wickham's storyline that I neither embraced him nor hated him. He was an ancillary character that didn't matter, which is a shame, because I whole-heartedly fell for his lies in the longer version.

7. I did enjoy both actresses who portrayed Mrs. Bennet, although they portrayed her quite differently. Both versions were believable.

8. I was intent on liking the 2nd Mr. Bennet, but he wasn't around enough to enjoy and he garbled most of his memorable lines.

All in all, if you weren't familiar with the first movie, the second wouldn't be bad. In fact, it received really good reviews. But I will side with most P&P fans and take the first version any day!

*By the way, I am aware that the BBC version is not truly the original. But come on, has anyone actually seen the Lawrence Olivier version? These 2 movies are the most well-known productions of the story. And yes, I will also read the entire book now. I know I did this backwards!

This article really hit me. I've been hearing this message a lot lately, and it has me thinking. What radical thing am I doing for Christ? The author states:

The American Dream has permeated this nation, but it has also spilled across the oceans to all nations of the world. Everyone understands the American Dream, and he pursues it with all his might. While we are familiar with seeing images of desperate Cubans endeavoring to land makeshift rafts on the beaches of Florida in their pursuit of this dream, many Americans are no different. They just look better in the pursuit. But under the cover of well-clothed, well-educated, well-cared-for Americans is a relentless pursuit of the same idea—a better, richer, fuller life than what I am currently experiencing. The pursuit leaves every player exasperated for one simple reason—it’s not the way God intended us to live.
God gives us strong admonitions to live for another world, another country. Our mode of operation is to be that of a pilgrim, not a consumer. When pagans compare our lives to theirs, we should look like idiots in their eyes. But I’m afraid most of the time we look pretty normal. We should have different economic strategies (kingdom giving), different time schedules (acts of mercy; times of personal, family, and corporate worship), different family priorities (parenting God’s way, time together), and different pursuits (kingdom of God, glory of God, people of God). However, I’m afraid that when the lives of most Christians are examined, they make complete sense to the average pagan. Materially, we have houses, cars, retirement plans, and five kinds of insurance so that we can have “risk-free” living. When it comes to our time, we spend more time having fun than serving the poor. We spend more time playing with our toys than meeting as believers, provoking one another to love and good works. I’m afraid that our diversions have become our delight in America. When it comes to what we live for, I’m afraid we display Babylonian desires for the latest and greatest . . . just like the pagans.

I know that my mind is more often occupied with how to make life more comfortable for my family, and specifically, me. I know that I spend a lot of time dreaming about what we want to do someday, and it usually involves a house on a lake more than a shack in Africa.

I'm not sure what to do with all these thoughts, though. I realize there are going to be earthly pursuits that don't, on the surface, look like kingdom pursuits. But I also realize that my heart is what matters, and sometimes those earthly pursuits give a window of opportunity to bring about kingdom goals. That time we hired someone to drywall our basement? It led to some great conversations about church and living for Christ, and has established a relationship with a guy that still exists today.

Not everyone will give up their job like the author did, but we all must be willing. So my question becomes, how do you live a radical life for Christ, while still working a 9 to5, having a family and having responsibilities elsewhere?

What do you think?

Our Alli

I feel like I've posted a lot of pictures of Elijah lately, and hardly any of Alli. Granted, his birthday was a few weeks ago, but I thought I should post about my little baby girl, who is definately not a baby anymore! She is almost 20 months old, and a joy to our family. She wakes up every morning wanting to give big hugs to her brother, wanting a bow in her hair, and wanting to eat! She giggles and smiles like she realizes how cute we think she is, and has a will stronger than iron. She wants to do everything Elijah does, which includes coloring, helping me cook, and running from her daddy when he plays monster.

Her 2nd birthday is just a few months away and she already wants to sleep in a big bed. She LOVES other kids and is quite social, except when they try to play with one of her favorite toys! She follows the "big kids" around and tries to mimic all they do. I can't wait to see what things she will try outdoors when it (finally) gets warm!

We adore you, Alli. And we are enjoying every moment that God is giving us with you!

The Complete Look

Here it is . . .The framed skeleton keys in the shadow boxes look small in the picture, but I think they fit perfectly in the space. I am very happy with the result!

And because Elijah couldn't stand to have me snapping a picture without him in it . . .
Nothing like the friendship between a boy and his dog (although Sadie is really just tolerating him here!)

Tagged

My friend Karen tagged me to write 3 sentences from page 123 from the book nearest to me. Right now I sit next to Dan's Bible and C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity, and I think I'll do the book, since pg. 123 in the Bible falls in Numbers, in a very wordy passage!

So from Lewis:
1. "Nearly all those evils in the world which people put down to greed or selfishness are really far more the result of Pride."
2. "Pride is competitive by its very nature: that is why it goes on and on."
3. "If I am a proud man, then, as long as there is one man in the whole world more powerful, or richer, or cleverer than I, he is my rival and enemy."

Now I tag Crazy Mom, Rachel and Tina to do the same. Have fun!

Abridged 14 Days of Valentine's

Last year, my friend Rachel described how she lavished gifts on her husband for the first 14 days of February to show her love for him, and to focus on giving, rather than receiving on this Hallmark holiday.

I decided then and there that I would do the same this year. However, lack of planning found me midway into February with no gifts given. The old adage says late is better than never, right? and so I focused on an abridged, 7 days of Valentine's instead.

I have tried to surprise Dan with a little gift every day, including his favorite candy, a fun conversation game, a musical card (I can't fight this feeling anymore . . .), and other various gifts. Today I left chocolate-cherry kisses in his car, as well as taping homemade Valentine's that the kids made on his steering wheel. And to remind him all day long that I love him, I am cluttering his email inbox with love song lyrics and Scripture verses about love. And when he gets home tonight, he will see the heart-shaped cookies that the kids and I will make and decorate today.

An abridged version, but fun nonetheless.

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

2007 Children's Book Picks

This past year found me reading more, and subsequently, visiting the library more often. I hadn't made it a habit to go to the library, partly because Elijah was stilled enthralled with the Zempel family library and also because Alli was small and napped most of the day. But as she got older, we started making a trip to the library a "must do" every couple of weeks, and Elijah's world opened to new books and the wall of videos, of which he was allowed one choice each visit.

At a loss as to what books I should be reading to my then-3-year-old, I found a list that the library suggested for picture books and we started checking out the past Caldecott winners. Without a doubt, we really loved the list the librarians recommended, and were a bit disappointed in the Caldecott books, mostly because the stories didn't captivate Elijah like some others did.

So without further ado, here is our list of favorite children's picture books from 2007 (that is, the year we read them, not the year they were published):

10. The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster (the 2006 Caldecott Medal Winner)

9. Any of the Froggy books by Jonathan London

8. How Are You Peeling? by Saxton Freymann

7. I Stink! by Kate McMullan (definately a boy's book. On the downside, now Elijah loves to talk about eating garbage.)

6. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin (I will admit that I don't get this book, but both Alli and Elijah loved it - I guess it is the rhymes.)

5. Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae

4. Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type by Doreen Cronin

3. Strega Nona: An old Tale by Tomie De Paola

2. Bed Hogs by Kelly DiPucchio

And the number 1 book that we loved from 2007 . . . which I bought to give Alli on her 2nd birthday . . . whose author lives in Wisconsin . . . and also happens to be the 2005 Caldecott Medal Winner is . . .

Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes

It is the story of a little kitten who mistakes the full moon for a bowl of milk and spends all night chasing after it. So adorable and fun. A must-add to our family library.

What are your favorite picture books?

Shameless Plug

I don't think I've ever mentioned it here before, but I sell Mary Kay Cosmetics. I've been a consultant for a little over 2 years, mostly because I LOVE their products! Well, they have a new product on the market that I absolutely adore. I just bought their Mineral Powder Foundation and I am amazed how well it works. I have always been a liquid foundation girl, prefering light to medium coverage (depending on my complexion on any given day) and have always been pleased with MK's medium-coverage foundation. But I ordered the new mineral powder to try it out and I will rave about it here.

It goes on ultra-light, so you can barely feel it. It blends beautifully, giving my skin (which is, by no means perfect) a silky-smooth look and feel. And the great thing about the mineral powder is that it is actually good for your skin! It offers buildable coverage, so you can wear it as light or as heavy as you like, and all in one jar. No need to buy different foundations for different coverage!

Okay, so I think I have made my point. I am very happy with this product. So here is my offer to you, my loyal readers. If you are interested in ordering, contact me via this post, and I can work with you to determine the color choice you would need. Then I will ship it to you FREE OF CHARGE, which is always my offer to out of town or state customers.

If you are looking for a great foundation, you must try this! The foundation is 18 dollars, and for 28 you can get the foundation and specialized brush for application in an attractive black bag. You must order by contacting me, since I do not have a Mary Kay website.

Have a BEAUTIFUL day!

Project

I'm not a crafty person by nature. Most of what little I create is an exact reproduction of something I've seen elsewhere. So a few years ago I saw in a catalog a set of framed skeleton keys and decided that they would look great in our bedroom and promptly ordered them. A few days later I received an email saying they were backordered and it would take an additional month or so before they shipped. Over the following weeks, I kept getting emails that pushed the date back further and further. Finally, impatient with waiting, I cancelled the order and went on with my life, never really forgetting the piece.

So fast forward probably 4 or more years, I was in Micheal's the other day and found skeleton keys in the scrapbooking aisle and instantly the memory of those beautiful framed keys sprang to my mind. I bought 2 packages (about 3 bucks a piece) and started formulating my design. A trip to IKEA last week helped me find the exact shadow boxes that would work . . . and I already had some Stampin' Up scrapbooking paper that I thought would complement our decor . . . and Voila! . . . I finally have those framed skeleton keys that I ordered so long ago.

I'm pleased with the result and anxious to hang them on the wall. I made 4 of them, 2 for either side of our bed, I'll try to post pictures when they are up. All in all, I feel rather surprised with my do-it-yourself attempt at craftiness, but don't expect it again anytime soon.