Darren gets just as many smiles out of Eden as Ella does!

Oreo Truffles

We made these really yummy oreo truffles from bakerella's blog on Saturday. We had lot of fun making a mess and sampling our creations. Ours were not as pretty as bakerella's but they sure were tasty.

Crush 1 package of double stuff oreos in food processor. Add 1 package room temperature cream cheese and mix until it becomes like cookie dough. Form into balls and place on a lined cookie sheet. Place in frig until firm. In a double boiler melt 1 package Meijer brand white chocolate bark. Using a toothpick dip oreo balls in the chocolate. Place back on cookie sheet and place in frig to set.

Christmas Gifts

If you are looking for unique gifts for someone special this Christmas check out the Etsy shop at www.etsy.com and look at designer DriKab for adorable hand made bags and KatinKapinka for great jewelry and clothes. If you know me, you know that I heart any type of bag for carrying things. DriKaB bags are the cutest bags I have seen in a while. If I could figure out how to post a picture of it I would.

Quote of the Day

"If we could understand everything God does, then He'd have to be a small god--small enough to fit in our little minds."

~ Randy Alcorn ~

Mondays

Mondays were always the most difficult day of the week for us....the weekend is over and another week begins. Now that our kids are older and school is getting more fun, I actually look forward to Mondays. Every Monday is our Home schooling Co-op day. I go to bed Sunday evening with the house tidied up, the kids clean, I have showered and lunches are made. Monday morning we get to have a relaxing, yet still a bit chaotic breakfast-I do have three kids under 6years of age and a new born, together with our ABC bible devotional. The kids love this book. It has a bible verse for each letter in the alphabet and has a cute story that incorporates the bible verse and is easy for my kiddos to relate to. After everyone is "fed" and dressed we are off to Co-op for the day. I love that my kids are able to participate in such fun biblical classes and at the same time be with me. I love that I get to witness them hit milestones in their learning. I love that I get to witness my kids making new friendships. I love that I don't have to wonder about how their school day was because I was a part of it.

Now for all you home schooling Moms, or Moms with multiple little ones not yet in school, you know what it is like having kids at home 24/7. It is a blessing, but with the blessings comes a not so tidy or on most days clean house. HOWEVER, on Mondays I get to come home to a house that has not seen a spill or catastrophe all day. I don't have to cook and make a mess in the kitchen because we are either having left overs from Sunday or something is ready for us in the crock pot when we get home. Yes, Mondays are now one of my favorite days of the week.

Bath time

Decorating for Christmas 2008

Stimulating

Most of you know that I have a thing with painting furniture and accessories black. I painted this painting a few months ago and it is one of Eden's favorite things to look at. The high contrast is very stimulating to her. She really likes to lay on the couch and look at it. She smiles and even giggles at it. I guess she knows that her mama is not the best artist.

My hubby

Isn't my Husband handsome? There is something about him when he is holding one of our new little ones.

School

Here is Ella practicing her writing and memorizing her bible verse for school. While she was working on her writing I was working with Graham. He really enjoys school time when he gets to play with the counting vehicles and pattern beads. Right now we are working on his colors, patterns, sorting, and matching. Darren is at preschool on our home school days but next year he will be doing Kindergarten with us. While Ella and I finish school when Darren gets home from preschool the boys usually play. There is a picture in the slide show of an example of a secret club that boys make in Darren's room or sometimes on stairs. Ella joins in on the secret club making after school. What fun it is to share in my kids play and their learning.

This year for Halloween we went to Chucky Cheese. The kids didn't have much fun last year tricker treating. Every time Ella saw a bride or princess they would turn around with blood on the face or something scary. We only made it to a few houses and we had to force them to go to them. So, this year we decided to have fun. The kids had never been to Chucky Cheese. They had a lot of fun. You can see in the pictures that the boys were a bit unsure of the singing Chucky and his friends. We don't have many pictures of Ella. One of her friends from Co-op was there so she was busy.

Saturday Mornings

Every Saturday morning Darren wakes the kids up at 7. I know, we are crazy for waking them on a weekend but any of you who know Darren, know that he is an early riser. So, they all pile in the front seat of his truck with their PJs on and head to the bakery to pick out a fresh bagel for breakfast. Sometimes they pick me a sweet something and bring me breakfast in bed. You can see in the picture that Graham has to be transported to the bakery in one of the toddler carts. Do I have a sweet family or what?

Your cheeks are so cute I just want to squeeze them!!

Your cheeks are so cute I just want to squeeze them!!

Sick Days

We have all had colds for weeks now. Eden's has lasted the longest at 4 1/2 weeks. Needless to say we are not getting much sleep. We have been stuck in the house for a while, so for fun Daddy set up his tent in the basement. The kids have had tons of fun reading books, playing blocks, pretend playing and watching a couple movies in the tent. The tent has been hours of fun. I think it is going to stay up all winter.

Trip to Huesten Woods with the Baldwins

Baldwin in a Bowl

When our new baby is around four or five weeks we take a picture of them in a salad bowl that we have and hang the photo in our bathroom. Here is the lastest Baldwin in a bowl.

Your neighborhood friendly firefighter

Twins

Maybe he has more than one twin

We were at Miami's Huesten Woods swimming a couple of weeks ago. I love this picture. Ella and her Daddy look so much alike.

Like Mother like daughter

It seems just like yesturday that my Mom was putting curlers in my hair, now I have a daughter of my own.

Encouraging verse

Zephaniah 3:17 (New Living Translation)

For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”

Qoute of the Day

"Every time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something a little different from what it was before... either into a creature that is in harmony with God, ...or into one that is in a state of war with God. Each of us at each moment is progressing to the one state or the other."
~ C.S. Lewis ~
Mere Christianity
May I use every opportunity during my day to joyfully serve my God

Quote of the day

"One reason we are so harried and hurried is that we make yesterday and tomorrow our business, when all that legitimately concerns us is today. If we really have too much to do, there are some items on the agenda which God did not put there. Let us submit the list to Him and ask Him to indicate which items we must delete. There is always time to do the will of God. If we are too busy to do that, we are too busy."

~ Elisabeth Elliott

My prayer for this week

Dearest Lord, may I see you today and everyday. Though you hide yourself behind the unattractive disguise of the irritable, the exacting, the unreasonable, may I still recognize you, and say: "Jesus, how sweet it is to serve You."
(Mother Teresa).
This week our pastor was talking about Gratitude and thankfulness and he said quite a few things that hit home with me. One of them being that my children are a gift, an IMPERFECT gift. Through the irritating, whining, patient testing, yet sweet, loving, and amazing memory making times, my Lord is revealing my Strengths and my Weaknesses. Through my children(my little imperfect gifts) the Lord is revealing where I fall short and where I have grown as his child. I can enter each opportunity with my children saying to myself(and them), "Jesus, how sweet it is to serve You."

sisterhood

Ella is such a great big sister to Eden. She has gotton the first smiles out her little sister and is quick to rescue her when she begins to cry. In the morning when I have to take a shower Ella holds Eden on my bed. Ella tells me,"Mama I know that it is going to take you a long time in the shower, but that's ok, I can hold Eden forever."

Ella and Darren have learned how to ride their bikes without training wheels. Darren took off first. Ella wasn't about to be shown up by her little brother, so as soon as her training wheels were off, she was too.

children's Museum

Uncle (AKA Uncle Andrew) and Aunt Lindsey took our kids to the museum a few weeks ago. The kids had a great time and I had a day to catch up on some much needed rest.