It Has Been Forever...

... since I have posted anything on this blog! Here are a few highlights...

Summer fun -playing in mud and water. It just doesn't get any better!

Haley's friends from her Sunday School class had a cookout and overnight. Such a fun and sweet group!



Off to Colorado for a vacation. We spent some time with G&G L.

Horse back riding in Colorado. This horse's name was Hope!

Rafting with some great friends - the Monroes! Always fun to be with them!

Rafting the Arkansas River - a highlight for sure!

We had to leave the Colorado camp a little early and missed the famous and much loved "pancake toss." This is where they actually toss the pancake and you have to catch it on your plate Then there is a table of calorie-laden toppings to put on your "catch!" Andy was so nice to make it up to the kids by doing one at home!

Getting ready to catch their pancake....

The kids doctored them up just the way they liked them.

They looked a little disgusting to me :-)

Off to school for Caleb in late August. His first year of "official" school - kindergarten! Hope misses her bro!

Haley going into 4th grade.

Travor going into 5th grade. Could not get him to smile. He really does like school!

An unsuccessful attempt at this (sigh!)

Happy 11th Birthday Travor!

Harrison and Trav had a b-day party together. They do not remember also celebrating their baby showers together eleven years ago :-) but Kara and I do! Time flies!!!

Happy Birthday Dad!

This past Sunday we had a surprise birthday party for my dad's 60th birthday! It was so fun!

Haley on "look out" for Grandpa and Grandma's van.

Surprise!!!!!!

Tables full of friends and family.

The kiddos got the hot seats on the front porch :-) They did not seem to mind.

Miso from Korea and Evelyn from Germany were visiting my aunt again. It was fun to have them there. Our kids love them!

My two aunts in the kitchen, making everything run smoothly.

Precious friends. Kevin and Dix and Denny and Bonnie.

Andy and the two Daves :-)

Bill and Patsy.

Cute picture of Dave and Brenda that Caleb actually took.

It was fun to be with my parents friends. What precious friendships through many years! I know several of dad and mom's friends prayed for me at different times in my life and my parents prayed for their kids too. I feel like the bond goes on now into Andy and my friendship's with many of their children and then with our kids ( their grand kids). What a rich blessing!

Thank you Jesus. You are the bond of these relationships!

A skit by the Thomas clan ~ always a good time.

Dean the "nursing home director."

Ray and Marcia played by Adam and Lexi as they admit "Ray" to the nursing home!

Happy Birthday dad! I am thankful for 60 years of your life and 33 years in my life with you. I love you and mom and am very blessed to have you as my parents!

Happy Father's Day!

To one of the best dad's ever!! THANK YOU for your love and dedication to God and our family. We love you!!

Happy Father's Day!

He is so good!

My Bible Study group had a few weeks before we break for summer to fill after our last study ended so we went through the book of Hosea. I must say, I really enjoyed it. I feel kind of morbid admitting it because it is shocking and sad what happens to Hosea's wife, Gomer.

But the redemption...it is beautiful! For Gomer, for the Israelites and for me. I am so thankful that God redeemed me from my idolatrous and adulterous ways!

I have been reading on into Joel. Again, a similar message. God laying out what is going to happen if Israel does not repent. I guess what I find so hopeful is that God LONGS to show them compassion but He cannot until they recognize their need for Him, until the agree with Him about their sin.

I can "get" that a little as a parent. There are times that I SO want my child to make the right choice. I do not want to give them the painful consequence, I long to be compassionate, to have fellowship with them.

It has been good to read these books and search my heart for sin. It is interesting that Israel, in both Hosea and Joel, forgot the Lord and turned to idols during times of prosperity.

I was thankful for these verses today as they reminded me of the salvation I have been given in Christ:

Rend your heart....Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love and he relents from sending calamity.

I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten....and you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has worked wonders for you...then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the Lord your God and there is no other.

And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved... there will be deliverance. (Joel 2:13, 25, 32)

The Art of Raising Boys

I have been revisiting my books are raising boys. Girls have their complexities but, for the most part, I get them. Boys are sometimes a mystery to me. I came across this article on Family Life's Mom Blog and it was really good for me. Here is the link if you are interested...

http://www.momlifetoday.com/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=npISKUOtFmG&b=5769961&ct=8117289

Pictures...

No particular reason for this pic, just thought it was cute.

Caleb's "Gotcha Day"was in March so Andy & I, the kids and my parents celebrated by going to a Korean restaurant in Champaign. It was really good! Caleb LOVED it. I am not sure he really liked all the food but it seemed really important for him to try it. Here he is holding up kimchee which is pickled cabbage. He ate it and said he liked it but the look on his face said something different :-)

These two are always up to something!



Travor's feelings about Korean food. Not a fan. He is your pizza, taco, basic kind of guy.

Hope liked the food.

Since Travor had built the Sears Tower (now called the Willis Tower) for his Valentine's project, we thought it would be fitting to go up to Chicago and visit it over Spring Break since the kids have never been there.

Riding the Metra in from the burbs.

Hope looking over Chicago from the Willis Tower.

Standing 108 stories over the city of Chicago in the "ledge" which is a glass enclosed overhang on the side of the Willis Tower. Kind of a weird feeling when walking on it.

A Perspective of Women from Grade School Boys...

Travor had some of his friends over from school this afternoon. I listened in to their conversation at lunch and thought it was too cute!

One of the boys: "(name of a girl at school) likes me."

Another boy: "That is the problem with girls, why do they have to like us!? Why didn't God just make boys?"

A more compassionate boy: "Well, God did make them from part of the man"

Boy: "Too bad they came from us! I wonder why God did not just go 'poof' and make them instead of from us."

Another boy: "Have you ever noticed that all the names of girls come from a man's name? Like

'woman,' man is on the end and 'female,' male is on the end?"

That is when I interjected and said, "Do you know what man said when he saw the woman after God had created her?"

Boys: all ears

Jill: "WOO! MAN! WOO! MAN! WOO! MAN! Get it? Woman. That is how women got their name. He thought she was beautiful!"

Boys: {bitterly disappointed at the thought} said"oh brother." and "awkward!

I will *gladly* remind these boys of this conversation when they are 16! I would guess the perspective will be a bit different ;-)