tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13055623139124850532024-03-13T09:31:47.741-05:00vintage mommyJennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530332005314466736noreply@blogger.comBlogger249125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1305562313912485053.post-41517711478927613002015-12-31T12:26:00.001-06:002015-12-31T12:31:45.984-06:00hello and happy new year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I realized that I had not posted anything in 2015, I thought, "How could this be?"<br />
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Last Sunday night, I had a difficult time falling asleep, so I grabbed the ipad, went out into the living room and turned on the Christmas lights. I spent hours scrolling back through this blog and an older family blog. I couldn't believe how small my children once were, and how many crafts and fun activities we packed into our days. Life seemed busy then, but it was simple; although, you couldn't convince me of this back then. Some days I think I would much rather run around and chase 4 active toddlers than sit in one place and play judge and jury with 4 emotional pre-teens. :)<br />
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Reading these old posts made me grateful. It reminded me of how the king in the book of Esther called for his annals in the middle of the night when he couldn't sleep. He recalled, then, how his life was saved by a man who had not been rewarded for this good deed, which led to the saving of an entire race, the Jews. Nothing this drastic happened last Sunday night, but it put wind in my sails and lifted my head to say, "Thank you," to Jesus.<br />
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Our children are growing and are wonderful. Jared will be 13 in a few days. He is an avid reader and enjoys computer coding. He's very grown up and responsible, but he still enjoys playing with his siblings. I love this balance of very grown up, but still very boyish. He likes to sit and chat with me and Phil. I hope this never ends. Caleb is 11 1/2. He is my tenderhearted one. He's a peacemaker. He has a good sense to know when someone is sad. He's never in a hurry to walk through a room, so he's able to perceive the needs of others when he passes through. He adores his brother and the two of them can easily get lost for hours in our Lego world downstairs. Sweet boy! Gracie is 10. She is full of life and she loves to play with her brothers. I would say she's a little tomboy, but everything she owns is pink, and she enjoys playing dolls, Calico Critters and house with her sister. She is so good with little ones, too. She adores babies and toddlers and many of our friends are very thankful for her little mommy-helper ways. Lily is also 10 and she is becoming more and more a little version of me. While her sister and brothers run around outside, she would much rather be in the kitchen with me. Like Gracie, she also helps our friends with their little ones, but instead of playing with them, she will plan a day of themed activities, snacks and songs for them. We do differ in the fact that she is very artistic and can often be found drawing and painting or making everyday objects out of paper.<br />
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In many ways, this year has been one of the most difficult years for me, but the lessons learned are invaluable. I think I can sum it up with the word 'expectations.' I realized a few things after I turned 40...and this is in no way supposed to be a complaint...just an observation. When I was in my 20's, there was LIFE ahead of me--new teaching career at 23, new husband at 25, new baby at 29. Everything was new and there was excitement in the unknown. Then came the 30's, and while there were still new things on the horizon, like new babies, new houses, new cities, and the new venture of homeschooling, I was becoming a little more confident in my roles, and this made life's changes a little less hectic for me. And now 40. I have grown to appreciate the perspective this decade is giving me. It's helpful in raising children. I've learned that somethings just don't matter or need to be addressed. I have found that I can spend my entire day saying "Stop!" to some of their annoying pre-teen habits, or I can just laugh with them and tell myself they probably won't still be doing these things in 10 years. I am choosing to spend my emotional energy elsewhere so I can preserve relationship with them in these upcoming vital years. Would you want to spend your days with someone who constantly scolded, "Stop!" while you're being fun and playful?<br />
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So the word 'expectations.' This is where I don't want to sound hum-drum, but my realization is that THIS, right here, right now, is my life. It's not a bad one, by any means, but it is THIS. The past 2 decades I told myself, "Someday...'this' will be, or someday 'that' will happen." Hope was on the horizon in the not-yet. I know I'm not the only one to have felt this way, to have hope in things of the future. But when you get to [possibly] the middle of your life, you realize that Heaven is, in fact, the not-yet. Anything I wait for or craft down here will always fall short of what God has prepared for me in eternity. Is it wrong to look ahead at 20 and hope for wonderful things in life? No. But I think I have had the tendency to let disappointments and hardships almost shock me. Like they are intrusions to what I am trying to create in my little world. Instead,<i> </i><b>the reality is that this is not Heaven</b><b>.</b> The disappointments and hardship are the reality of this sin-cursed world, and the intrusions are really the blessings and times of joy that God filters through my days and years to remind me that something beautiful is ahead. <b>He remembers I am dust and that a life filled with earth's harsh realities would crush me.</b> It's the little glimpses into the Heavenies--laughter, saying hello and not goodbye, times of worship, unbroken fellowship, peace with those with whom we dwell, feasting--these are the things that bring me the greatest joy. I have grown to appreciate these blessings more and more. They are gifts from God. How can we make it through these last days without them? Life would crush us.<br />
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Do you know this hymn, "I've Found a Friend"?<br />
It's a gem.<br />
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"I've found a Friend, O such a Friend!<br />
All power to Him is given;<br />
To guard me on my onward course,<br />
And bring me safe to Heaven.<br />
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The eternal glories gleam afar,<br />
To nerve my faint endeavor;<br />
So now to watch, to work, to war,<br />
And then to rest forever."<br />
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This will bolster me in the coming years; these eternal glories that gleam afar, and not what might be or should be here on this earth. I pray this will help me be a better wife and mother in the coming year.<br />
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Happy 2016, and may Jesus, this very Friend, to whom all power is given, guard you and keep you on your course this year.<br />
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<br />Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530332005314466736noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1305562313912485053.post-77249633109142579832014-10-28T16:35:00.000-05:002014-10-30T22:53:17.532-05:00on turning 40 {my autumn}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last October Phil and I saw Sara Groves in concert. Something she said that evening about having recently turned 40 has been swirling around this head of mine. She said if life was divided into seasons, then she was entering her autumn. If I translate this to: "my life may be half over," then I'm left in shock and wonder how I let this sneak up on me! But when I remind myself that autumn is, in fact, my very favorite season, I can enter into this new decade with a heart full of wonder and celebration.<br />
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<b>Here are a few reasons I love autumn:</b></div>
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<b>The leaves and their beautiful colors</b></div>
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<b>A season focused on being thankful </b></div>
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<b>Harvest as a reward for labor and toil</b></div>
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<b>Anticipation of Christmas, which to me is the crown of the year</b></div>
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<b>Feasts and family</b></div>
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Where we lived in Minnesota, there were mostly deciduous trees and shrubbery around us. During the summer, I felt like I was living right smack-dab in the middle of a giant green bush. Day after day seeing only green was a bit on the boring side, honestly. But then came October! In preparation for a typical long and cold Minnesota winter, everything around me seemed to wake-up, not die. And that huge stretch of green trees and bushes outside my window was now showing off shades of bright orange, yellow and red. <br />
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Did you know that these colors are a tree's true colors? The green we see is only its food/energy that hide or mask its leaves' true colors. In its preparation for winter, we see a tree's true colors emerge. <br />
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Last October, autumn served as a beautiful backdrop for what God was going to do in my heart upon turning 40 in July. As I drove around town and soaked in these gorgeous colors, I thought about my 20's and 30's, and how 4 children later, I could say that my "summer years" had been very fruitful years. I have labored and toiled in raising my children--certainly I'm not through yet, but <i><b>I am starting to reap a sweet harvest of seeing my children know and love Jesus.</b></i> This is my season to look back and be thankful; thankful for the things God has done in my life; thankful for His faithfulness in rescuing me and my precious family in hard times.<br />
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There is beauty in every season! But I can look back and see that in my "green" time, I sought to match up and blend in with everyone else around me. I seriously didn't see it this way back then, but now I do. I compared my own mothering skills and even my children with others...it was like living right smack-dab in the middle of a giant green bush. :)<br />
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I see evidence daily that my youth is fading. I don't want to lament or grieve this; is it crazy to say that I want to celebrate this? These colors emerging from the green of summer remind me that change is good--even breath-taking! Imagine hiking in the fall and as you come 'round a bend, you see a bright, red maple. Do you gasp? Do you smile? Yes! <i><b>And I am celebrating each color around every bend and turn in my life. It's all beauty. It's all evidence that Jesus was there during my spring and during my summer.</b></i> I'm celebrating that His image has been stamped upon my heart and that His presence has filled all of my days and all of my nights. I pray that it is His beauty, His very image, that is emerging from me in this new season.<br />
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<br />Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530332005314466736noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1305562313912485053.post-59461738339225708802013-11-18T23:18:00.001-06:002013-11-20T14:24:59.958-06:00birthday girls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My girls turned 8 today. I'm not entirely sure when this happened, but
it did. All 4 of my kids have graduated out of their booster seats.
This feels strange to us. The girls are 8 and the boys are 9 and 10. No
one in our home is 'little' anymore.<br />
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At bedtime tonight, Gracie mentioned that I was hugging her this morning right as she turned 8 [at
10:48]. "You hugged me <i>between</i> 7 and 8 years old, Mommy. That's a special memory for me," she said.<br />
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And
when I tucked Lily in, she asked, "Why can't we ask God to start our
day over?" I couldn't agree more. It was a perfect day!<br />
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Phil made them special pancakes for breakfast. We did our schoolwork, then we headed to the American Girl Store for a little birthday tea party.</div>
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We ended the day with cake, presents, skype calls, face time and phone calls from many of you who love these girls, too, and helped to make their day so special!</div>
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Happy Birthday, Sweet Girls! </div>
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<br />Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530332005314466736noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1305562313912485053.post-14753965944200820202013-11-02T00:41:00.000-05:002013-11-02T22:48:53.287-05:00november already?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A beautiful day on Lake Superior in Duluth, MN</div>
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All I can say is that we have dear family and friends. Many of you have chimed in recently to ask, "Where in the world have you been?" I figured I had better update the blog. :)<br />
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The fall has disappeared before my very eyes. I still have lots of pictures to post from our summer vacation! Maybe I'll get to that someday, but for now, here's a quick recap of what we've been up to:<br />
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<b>August</b><br />
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After our stop in D.C., we drove up to the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York to spend a few days on Keuka Lake with Phil's parents.<br />
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We stopped by Niagara Falls on the way home.<br />
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<b>September</b><br />
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School, our weekly Friday homeschool group, AWANA and piano lessons began.<br />
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<b>October </b><br />
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A trip to Iowa<br />
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A wonderful visit from 2 of my former second grade students (who just turned 20!)<br />
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A trip up to Duluth to see the North Shore, the Aerial Lift Bridge and the beautiful fall leaves. I must say, Duluth is now one of my favorite cities. It's up there with Seattle. <br />
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Both of my sisters flew out to visit from Alabama and California. We spent a few days exploring Minneapolis and spent the longest time walking around in the cold trying to locate the Mary Tyler Moore statue. Fun!<br />
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A surprise visit from friends from Oregon with lunch and a meet-up at the Mall of America<br />
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Phil's sister flew out from California to join our family on our road trip down to Kentucky to visit the Creation Museum. This place was amazing! Even more so--our kids were AWESOME, enduring 15 hour days in the car.<br />
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A fun day touring our State Capitol building and seeing the giant Lego display of the Capitol there in the lobby.<br />
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So that's what we've been up to! We look forward to celebrating a few birthdays this month. Half of us have November birthdays. The girls will turn 8 on the 18th (this I CANNOT believe!) and Phil will be 40 something on the 27th. :) <br />
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<br />Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530332005314466736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1305562313912485053.post-9563382276436800772013-08-30T00:55:00.001-05:002013-08-30T00:59:39.017-05:00school days<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We're gearing up for school at our house. This year we'll have two second graders, a fourth grader and a fifth grader! Where has the time gone?<br />
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I'm excited that we've joined a homeschool group here in the area. It's an<i> a la carte</i> program that allows me to pick and choose classes for my kids. This semester I chose Art, Writing (Institute for Excellence in Writing), Science, and Classical Memory Master. The classes are taught by former or retired teachers. The church where we meet allows parents to check out books and materials from their extensive church library.<br />
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Here's a list of what we're using this year in school; all textbook names are links:<br />
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<i><b>Second Grade</b></i><br />
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<b>Math</b>--<a href="http://www.christianbook.com/horizons-math-grade-2-student-workbook/9781580959469/pd/12055?product_redirect=1&Ntt=12055&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP" target="_blank">Horizons</a><br />
<b><a href="https://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/BookDescription.aspx?sbn=95842" target="_blank">Phonics</a>/<a href="https://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/BookDescription.aspx?sbn=95656" target="_blank">Language</a>/<a href="https://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/BookDescription.aspx?sbn=95613" target="_blank">Spelling</a></b>--<a href="https://www.abeka.com/HomeSchool/" target="_blank">ABeka</a><br />
<b>Reading/Literature</b>--<a href="http://www.sonlight.com/?t=1&utm_expid=159661-17.XPjkLOj5TKaa_lhmroHr_Q.1&utm_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sonlight.com%2F%3Ft%3D1" target="_blank">Sonlight</a><br />
<b>Handwriting</b>--<a href="http://www.christianbook.com/dnealian-handwriting-book-2/9780673592156/pd/592156?event=CF" target="_blank">D'Nealian</a><br />
<i><b><br /></b></i>
<i><b>Fourth Grade</b></i><br />
<br />
<b>Math</b>--<a href="http://www.christianbook.com/horizons-math-grade-4-student-workbook/9781580959865/pd/12057" target="_blank">Horizons</a><br />
<b>Language</b>--<a href="https://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/BookDescription.aspx?sbn=98752" target="_blank">ABeka</a><br />
<b>Reading/Literature</b>--<a href="http://www.sonlight.com/?t=1&utm_expid=159661-17.XPjkLOj5TKaa_lhmroHr_Q.1&utm_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sonlight.com%2F%3Ft%3D1" target="_blank">Sonlight</a><br />
<b>Handwriting</b>--<a href="http://www.christianbook.com/dnealian-handwriting-book-4/9780673592170/pd/592170" target="_blank">D'Nealian</a><br />
<b>Spelling</b>--<a href="http://www.christianbook.com/spelling-workout-level-d-student-edition/9780765224835/pd/522483" target="_blank">Spelling Workout</a><br />
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<i><b>Fifth Grade</b></i><br />
<br />
<b>Math</b>--<a href="http://www.christianbook.com/teaching-textbooks-math-5-rom/pd/9950033?event=CPOF" target="_blank">Teaching Textbooks</a><br />
<b>Language</b>--<a href="https://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/BookDescription.aspx?sbn=134996" target="_blank">ABeka</a><br />
<b>Reading/Literature</b>--<a href="http://www.sonlight.com/?t=1&utm_expid=159661-17.XPjkLOj5TKaa_lhmroHr_Q.1&utm_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sonlight.com%2F%3Ft%3D1" target="_blank">Sonlight</a><br />
<b>Handwriting</b>--<a href="http://www.christianbook.com/dnealian-handwriting-book-5/9780673592187/pd/592187?event=CF" target="_blank">D'Nealian</a><br />
<b>Spelling</b>--<a href="http://www.christianbook.com/spelling-workout-level-e-student-edition/9780765224842/pd/224842?product_redirect=1&Ntt=224842&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP" target="_blank">Spelling Workout</a><br />
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<i><b>Combined Subjects</b></i><br />
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<b>Bible</b>--<a href="http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/easy_find?action=Search&Ntk=multiple.series&Nso=1&Ns=product.published_date&Ntt=Children%20Desiring%20God" target="_blank">Children Desiring God Series</a>: <a href="http://www.christianbook.com/gods-names-sally-michael/9781596382190/pd/382190?product_redirect=1&Ntt=382190&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP" target="_blank">God's Names</a>, <a href="http://www.christianbook.com/gods-providence-sally-michael/9781596387140/pd/387140?event=CROSSBOX" target="_blank">God's Providence</a>, <a href="http://www.christianbook.com/gods-promises-sally-michael/9781596384323/pd/384323?event=CROSSBOX" target="_blank">God's Promises</a>,<br />
<a href="http://www.christianbook.com/grandpas-retelling-the-biblical-story-redemption/starr-meade/9780875528663/pd/52866X" target="_blank">Grandpa's Box</a> by Starr Meade<br />
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<b>Science</b>--Answers in Genesis: <a href="http://www.christianbook.com/gods-design-life-three-student-manuals/pd/401259?event=CPOF" target="_blank">God's Design for Life</a>,<br />
<a href="http://www.christianbook.com/my-nature-journal-adrienne-olmstead/9780967245911/pd/724601?product_redirect=1&Ntt=724601&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP" target="_blank">My Nature Journal</a><br />
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<b>History and Geography</b>--<a href="http://www.christianbook.com/world-vol-2-middle-revised-softcover/susan-bauer/9781933339092/pd/339092" target="_blank">Story of the World Volume 2</a><br />
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<b>Character</b>--<a href="http://www.christianbook.com/home-economics-for-schoolers-level-1/9780979244629/pd/244629?dv=c&en=google-pla&kw=homeschool-0-20&p=1167941&gclid=CMOJi4q2pLkCFbE7MgodjWoA3A" target="_blank">Lessons in Responsibility for Girls</a>, <a href="http://www.christianbook.com/lessons-responsibility-for-boys-level-1/9780979244605/pd/244605?product_redirect=1&Ntt=244605&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP" target="_blank">Lessons in Responsibility for Boys</a>, <a href="http://www.christianbook.com/character-trails-learning-walk-paths-righteousness/marilyn-boyer/9780977768530/pd/768530" target="_blank">Character Trails</a><br />
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<br />Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530332005314466736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1305562313912485053.post-85059632216011801852013-08-29T22:18:00.001-05:002013-08-29T22:24:00.890-05:00last days of summer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our family just got home from a wonderful trip to Washington, DC, and Upstate New York. Living here in the Midwest has made it so much easier to travel to all the places we've wanted to take our kids. Nine states in 10 days--awesome!!! My only complaint would have to be all the toll roads. I really, really do NOT like toll roads.<br />
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Vietnam Memorial</div>
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We toured the Smithsonian Museums and Galleries, which are all FREE! We gasped when we saw this!!! My girls and I have always loved Degas' Dancer sculptures and his paintings of ballerinas. <br />
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We loved seeing Seurat's pointillism up-close! </div>
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This is the kitchen of Julia Child. Her real kitchen was moved into the Smithsonian!!!<br />
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There are so many other things I'd love to share that we weren't allowed to take pictures of like the flag that flew over Ft. McHenry in 1814--our Star Spangled Banner, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Magna Carta. So incredible.<br />
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Lincoln Memorial</div>
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The kids noticed that we've lived in the 3 states carved right over the doorway.</div>
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<br />Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530332005314466736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1305562313912485053.post-59940785333068670472013-08-04T19:24:00.001-05:002013-08-04T19:24:44.453-05:00walnut grove<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On our way home from DeSmet, we drove through Walnut Grove, MN. We loved visiting Laura's beloved dugout from her book <i>On the Banks of Plum Creek</i>, the museum and visitor center, and eating at Nellie's Cafe.<br />
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I get choked up every time I think about this...here's the church bell Pa helped to buy at Christmas time with the money he had saved up to buy himself a new pair of boots. Sniff-sniff. Oh, Pa.<br />
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Here I am touching the mantel used in the Little House television series! Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530332005314466736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1305562313912485053.post-46610634369058686862013-08-04T19:14:00.003-05:002013-08-04T19:26:39.231-05:00plum creek<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The site of Laura's beloved dugout in her book<i> On the Banks of Plum Creek</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laura's "Big Rock"</td></tr>
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The table land above the dugout</div>
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Wading in Plum Creek, just down the hill from Laura's dugout. She would have followed this same path to play in the creek.<br />
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The dugout caved in years ago, but its depression remains. We loved standing here imagining the family's ox and how his foot went right though the grass roof into their home.<br />
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In keeping with our literary theme, we played Pooh Sticks on the bridge<br />
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<br />Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530332005314466736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1305562313912485053.post-47135602254264084562013-08-04T18:59:00.002-05:002013-08-04T19:27:51.142-05:00silver lake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sadly, but true, this is Silver Lake. It was drained years ago to provide more farmland in the area.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Originally, the Surveyors' House was out here, but then moved into town years later</td></tr>
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Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530332005314466736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1305562313912485053.post-41634140361362547252013-08-04T18:56:00.001-05:002013-08-04T19:27:09.619-05:00pa's trees<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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And now I get to write about these trees that I obsess about. :) Pa's 5 cottonwood trees. He planted them on the homestead right away for a wind break--one for each member of the family. The reason I love them so much, is that this grove is the one thing man doesn't need to restore, or refurbish in order to preserve its legacy. As we toured many of the original buildings, much had to be done in order to make them safe and meet building codes. Furniture replicas were brought in so we could see things as they would have been. But these trees...these are <i>the</i> trees.<br />
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The grove is now a memorial site with this plaque affixed to a rock at the top of the hill<br />
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<br />Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530332005314466736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1305562313912485053.post-4922720379538349962013-08-04T18:43:00.000-05:002013-08-04T19:28:22.161-05:00the ingalls' homestead<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the highlights of our trip was visiting the Ingalls' Homestead, just outside the town. There were many great activities for the kids, but I was taken by the landscape, its openness, and how the sky changed so many times throughout our day. I loved walking where Laura had once walked.<br />
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pumping water from the well</div>
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making corncob dolls</div>
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making rope</div>
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walking to church through the cornfield--this was Phil's favorite part of our day</div>
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Headed up a hill to an old church. While inside, the kids played church and I sat at the piano and played the hymn, "O God, Our Help in Ages Past." It seemed fitting.<br />
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Tidying up a dugout</div>
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And cleaning the claim shanty</div>
Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530332005314466736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1305562313912485053.post-66984747662512385802013-08-04T18:26:00.002-05:002013-08-04T19:28:58.696-05:00ingalls' gravesite<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Difficult to make out in this picture--the grave marker of Charles Ingalls<br />
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Laura and Almanzo's baby boy</div>
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"Baby Carrie"</div>
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I guess I never knew her name was Caroline</div>
<br />Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530332005314466736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1305562313912485053.post-12434676142581105442013-08-04T18:20:00.002-05:002013-08-29T22:33:09.481-05:00de smet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Ingalls family lived on their homestead only 7 years. Pa built this house in town on 3rd St. and he and Ma and Mary settled here. He became very involved in the community and with local politics.<br />
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This is the old bank on the main street that was renovated and turned into a bed and breakfast. We stayed upstairs in a room called Laura's Loft.<br />
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Across the street from the bank is the site of Pa's building where the family spent their Long Winter. His building was moved back into the alley and then dismantled and the lumber used for other buildings around the town. <br />
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This is the site of Almanzo's building, where he stored and hid his wheat in the wall.<br />
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The building with the red store front is the original Loftus Store.<br />
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<br />Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530332005314466736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1305562313912485053.post-39875947989162883442013-07-26T21:31:00.003-05:002013-08-04T19:30:30.653-05:00the surveyors' house<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society of De Smet has done a wonderful job preserving the buildings and grounds where Laura and her family once lived. <br />
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In her book, <i>On the Shores of Silver Lake</i>, Laura and her family moved to De Smet, SD, in 1879 and spent their first winter living in the railroad surveryors' house. We were able to go inside and tour this house which Laura considered a "two-story mansion." No one on the tour is allowed to take pictures, but if you've read her books, I'm sure you can imagine it just as Laura saw it, because she's such a descriptive writer. In fact, every place we visited last week was exactly how I imagined it to be. When we drove through this little town back in January, I didn't even need a map to find my way around. I felt as though I had been there before.<br />
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On this same site are 2 other buildings. One of the buildings is a replica of the Brewster
School, in which Laura took her first teaching job. The other building (which you can see in the left hand corner of the picture above) is the public school that
Laura and Carrie attended.<br />
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The school building had been turned into a family residence. When the historical society bought this building, they removed several layers of wallpaper from the walls and found the original blackboards beneath.<br />
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Outside the Brewster School</div>
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Sticks of hay, just like Laura and Pa made in their lean-to during the Long Winter.<br />
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Right across the street from the Surveyors' House is the Ingalls-Wilder Park. I loved that the picnic tables have red and white-checked tablecloths on them--just like Ma's. </div>
Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530332005314466736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1305562313912485053.post-83905862110761719442013-07-24T22:31:00.000-05:002013-08-04T19:30:02.587-05:00a little dream come true<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last month, Phil planned a little trip to take me to visit the Ingalls' Homestead out in DeSmet, SD, and to see Laura's dugout site in Walnut Grove, MN. </td></tr>
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Phil is so good to me. Remember <span style="color: #38761d;"><b><a href="http://vintagemommy.blogspot.com/2013/01/little-townhouse-on-prairie.html" target="_blank">my first prairie homestead experience</a></b></span> and how we got stuck in the snowbank? He's such a good sport to drive me all the way back out here!<br />
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So, if you're not a big Laura fan, I apologize. You might want to check back in a few weeks, because I have LOTS of pictures to post! Seriously, this was a dream come true for me. The entire time we were away, I kept saying to myself, "I can't believe I'm walking where she walked!"<br />
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The first day we arrived, we checked into a bed and breakfast on the main street in town that used to be the old bank. It was right across the street from the site of Pa's building and store in <i>The Long Winter. </i><br />
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That evening we drove out to the homestead to attend the annual pageant. This year they performed<i> Little Town on the Prairie.</i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We went on a wagon ride before the play and I took this picture of the 5 cottonwood trees that Pa planted--one for each member of his family. I'm a little obsessed with these trees. I couldn't stop taking pictures of them or talking about them for that matter. I'll probably mention them in every post. You've been warned.</td></tr>
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A little snow cone break during intermission </div>
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More to come...much, much more. :)<br />
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<br />Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530332005314466736noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1305562313912485053.post-63893015575891240972013-07-24T22:03:00.000-05:002013-07-25T00:52:22.425-05:00california<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last month our family flew to California to spend 3 glorious weeks with our extended families. Phil and I are very blessed to have both sets of parents living just minutes away from each other.<br />
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The first week we were there, the kids attended VBS at Gramma's church and Phil and I took off and headed to the coast for 4 days. We rented bikes and rode around town to lunch, the farmer's market and dinner.<br />
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Our final week was spent enjoying our annual Cousin Camp! We order Cousin Camp t-shirts and the cousins get together for a week of fun at Gramma's house.<br />
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This year they enjoyed a giant water slide, a bounce house, movie nights, a trip to the California Coast, go-cart and tractor races, roasting marshmallows, a scavenger hunt, a talent show, and putting together a care package for a cousin who is serving overseas in Afghanistan. <br />
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We love the ocean! We've been blessed this year to be able to say that we've seen both the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans this year. <br />
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We made really cool tie dye t-shirts with sharpie permanent markers and rubbing alcohol. You can find a tutorial<span style="color: #073763;"><b><a href="http://www.happinessishomemade.net/2011/07/01/sharpie-tie-dye-shirts-tutorial/" target="_blank"> here</a></b></span>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Go-cart races!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530332005314466736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1305562313912485053.post-55671085482937705142013-07-16T21:59:00.003-05:002013-07-25T00:55:59.543-05:00summer days<div style="text-align: left;">
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We just got home from a 3-week long family
vacation in Sunny California. I have a ton of pictures to sort through
and several to post, but for tonight, I'm just saying "hello, and happy
summer!" </div>
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We're enjoying lazy summer days around here while trying to get back into a routine and adjust to Central Time. </div>
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Here are a few things that made me smile today:</div>
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Sunflowers on my kitchen window sill</div>
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Lily's outdoor painting station</div>
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Gracie speeding along with the vacuum cleaner--look at her go! </div>
Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530332005314466736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1305562313912485053.post-49110600001355111162013-06-19T00:42:00.000-05:002013-06-19T01:01:06.299-05:00christy nockels concert<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Christy Nockels so sweetly spending time with my Lily</span></div>
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I'm a crazy mom. Crazy! We have VBS at church this week, which means early mornings and long days. So instead of tucking my kids into bed early, what do I do? I drive 2 hours north to a <span style="color: #0b5394;"><b><a href="http://www.christynockels.com/" target="_blank">Christy Nockels</a></b></span> concert and get home 3 hours past their bedtime. Was it worth it? YES!<br />
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We had such a wonderful evening. We got there early and were able to find seats in the front row! The only negative was that Phil had to work and miss the concert. The kids were excited to go, too, but Lily has been floating around and checking our calendar every day since I told her we were going. In recent months, she's come down to breakfast with handmade name tags taped to her shirts, saying things like, "Today I'm Christy Nockels" or "Today I'm JJ Heller." <br />
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Music is so powerful! One memory after another came flooding back to me as Christy sang her songs tonight--all revealing times where God has graciously pulled us through things like<b> <a href="http://vintagemommy.blogspot.com/search?q=three+letters" target="_blank">Phil's accident</a>, med</b> school, moving, losing a job, needing to sell a house that we worked so hard on. I never realized how much a part of my life her music has been. It was like listening to a soundtrack of my life. <br />
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After the concert, we went out to the lobby to see if she would sign the CD that we brought from home, but they didn't think she was planning on coming back out. Just as we were getting ready to leave, her husband, Nathan, approached us and said, "I saw you kids up there in the front row tonight worshiping along with us." And they were. They knew so many of the songs and sang right along. It was precious. We asked if Christy was coming back out, but he said no, because their kids were with them and they had a long drive to the airport. He motioned to us to follow him as he led us backstage and we got to meet Christy (we were the only ones)! She was so sweet to my Lily. She got down on her knees, gave Lily a hug and asked her questions like, "Do you like to sing, too?" She signed our CD, and then asked if Lily wanted a picture. My camera battery was dead (of course!), so she called over to their tech guy who took out his phone, took this picture and then emailed it to me. We felt so spoiled. I've never seen a happier little girl!<br />
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<br />Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530332005314466736noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1305562313912485053.post-15196177767569303852013-05-25T23:21:00.002-05:002013-05-25T23:21:46.759-05:00around the world in 60 days<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qN-KAM7xuJA/UaGIESn4EeI/AAAAAAAADaI/XDr6lsaSxdA/s1600/Itinerary_Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qN-KAM7xuJA/UaGIESn4EeI/AAAAAAAADaI/XDr6lsaSxdA/s320/Itinerary_Cover.jpg" width="237" /></a></div>
Do you get Focus on the Family's <i>Thriving Family</i> magazine? I was so
excited to see what was in their summer issue! Beginning June 2, you and your family can travel <b>Around the World in 60 Days</b>! <b><a href="http://www.thrivingfamily.com/Features/Magazine/2013/around-the-world-in-60-days.aspx" target="_blank">C</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">lick here</a> </b>to download
this colorful map, passports, stamps, itinerary and devotional guide.<br />
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Each week you'll visit a different region of the world and learn about a few of the countries in that region. There are Bible verses, things to pray for, crafts, activities, and sometimes recipes included in the daily entries.<br />
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I hope you do this, too! It looks like so much fun. Happy travels!</div>
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<br />Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530332005314466736noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1305562313912485053.post-75377578454657674912013-05-19T01:47:00.000-05:002013-05-19T02:39:19.518-05:00life {the newly-condensed version}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o0ozgAsvTn0/UZhds-3r3fI/AAAAAAAADX4/_WYq1H19Ll0/s1600/Orlando+2013+851.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o0ozgAsvTn0/UZhds-3r3fI/AAAAAAAADX4/_WYq1H19Ll0/s400/Orlando+2013+851.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Yes, this is an ocean and we still live in Minnesota. :)<br />
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After being landlocked and covered in snow since January, we decided to take our spring break in sunny Orlando, Florida. Apparently this has been an atypical, long winter for Minnesota. We had snow fall even up to a week and a half ago.<br />
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We had a<i> wonderful </i>time together. Even though our days were long with lots of walking in the heat and humidity (to which we were NOT acclimated), the kids did great. They were real troopers and such a joy! One of the highlights of our trip was staying with Phil's cousin and family for a few days. <br />
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So here's a run-down of our lives these past two months...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fun at Epcot!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Kilimanjaro Safari in Disney's Animal Kingdom</td></tr>
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Disney World</div>
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Disney's Hollywood Studios</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kennedy Space Center</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We went on a few field trips with the homeschool group from our church and visited an old village where the kids attended 2 hours of school in an old schoolhouse.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another field trip included digging for fossils near the banks of the Mississippi River. We found <b>lots</b> of coral, seashells and trilobites. Imagine--right here in the Midwest. Evidence of a world-wide flood!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ww2CUXGolaY/UZhZ1alt_xI/AAAAAAAADWo/vHGjPWSSYxU/s1600/photo(5).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ww2CUXGolaY/UZhZ1alt_xI/AAAAAAAADWo/vHGjPWSSYxU/s400/photo(5).JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first Minnesota Twins game and the kids' first baseball game. We had such a great time! The boys probably enjoyed it a bit more. The game was super long and the girls kept getting distracted by all of the vendors about half-way through. </td></tr>
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And last, but not least, today was race day for the kids! Our city hosts a "Marathon" for kids by having them keep track of 25 miles of running, biking or walking for 2 months, and then running the final 1.2 miles on race day. Unfortunately, it POURED rain this morning. And I believe this is an understatement. It was loud and torrential. About 30 minutes after we arrived, the race was canceled, due to lightning. So we went to Super Target instead and did our final 1.2.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530332005314466736noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1305562313912485053.post-89334606094406905832013-03-29T22:26:00.002-05:002013-03-29T22:26:25.711-05:00sweetness all around<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yL5vtEQAN_Y/UVZNsLO-9bI/AAAAAAAADU4/ObhOnkTQhsQ/s1600/March+2013+033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yL5vtEQAN_Y/UVZNsLO-9bI/AAAAAAAADU4/ObhOnkTQhsQ/s400/March+2013+033.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of sweet stuff going on around here. I just LOVE this. Lily redecorated one of her little boxes. Look what I found inside...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G2EhKOZkWJ0/UVZNrlj9VhI/AAAAAAAADUg/0SiXdsGHpxM/s1600/March+2013+032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G2EhKOZkWJ0/UVZNrlj9VhI/AAAAAAAADUg/0SiXdsGHpxM/s400/March+2013+032.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When I asked her about it, she said, "He's my treasure." I could hardly stand it!</td></tr>
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And here's a little song that she wrote yesterday called, "Hug Jesus." Talk about melting a mama's heart.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the things I love about my kids is that they truly are one another's best friends. I love to catch them snuggling on the couch. Caleb is such a good big brother.</td></tr>
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"Brother and Sister" </div>
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Brother is happy with his toy airplanes; sister is happy with her purse and her lipstick (?)</div>
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Preparing our hearts this year for Easter has been so special. Each year, I watch my kids grow in their understanding of how and why Jesus came to rescue us. Sometimes I think they "get it" more than I do and it overwhelms me.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And to add to the sweetness around here, we made Easter shortbread to share with new friends. I had to make a double batch, because I knew that my request of, "Please don't eat any. They're for tomorrow," would never fly with Phil. In order to do this, I had 6 sticks of butter out on the kitchen counter tonight. SIX! This should be illegal. </td></tr>
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But it's so worth it! It's <b><a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/342398/basic-shortbread" target="_blank">my favorite shortbread recipe</a></b>, hands down. Tomorrow we'll dip them in chocolate. I promised Lily I would wait for her. :)Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530332005314466736noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1305562313912485053.post-27634901821709725242013-03-25T23:25:00.000-05:002013-03-25T23:25:27.534-05:00waiting for spring<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">from the archives...<span style="font-size: x-small;">life in oregon</span></span></div>
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Lately I've been so lonely for our animals and have wished that I could slip my boots on and go hang out in the field with them. It's partly spring fever.<br />
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I know deep down in my heart that spring will be here before I know it. It just doesn't feel like it. As I drive around these parts, I love seeing the vast prairies
covered in snow and dotted with an occasional silo on the horizon. It's
so peaceful. But as the snow begins to melt here in Minnesota, what lies beneath is the shabbiest bit of landscape I have ever seen. Sorry to offend, Midwesterners. I was told that your spring is breathtakingly gorgeous, because everything here dies in the winter. And so I wait in anticipation to see your spring give birth to life and color all around me.<br />
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Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530332005314466736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1305562313912485053.post-68538226219793711532013-03-20T22:52:00.000-05:002013-03-21T01:48:09.714-05:00pursued<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last weekend I had the privilege of attending the <b><a href="http://www.setapartconference.com/" target="_blank">Set Apart Conference</a></b> in St. Paul, MN, where Ann Voskamp was one of the keynote speakers. One of my dear friends from Spokane flew out here for the occasion with her so-beyond-cute 7 month old baby girl.<br />
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Were we ever blessed! Ann's sessions were filled to the brim with truth and encouragement. I could go on and on, but here's one thing I've been chewing on this past week...<br />
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She introduced me to the Hebrew word <i>radaph</i>. It means "to pursue, to chase, to attend closely upon."<br />
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It's the word David uses in Psalm 23:6 when he writes, "Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow [<i>radaph</i>] me all the days of my life." The first time this word appears in Scripture is in Genesis 14 when Abram heard that his nephew, Lot, had been captured. He wasted no time. He was up and after that nephew of his lickedy-split! <br />
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I had always imagined God's goodness and mercy following me around in a sort of "Don't worry, I'm right here. I've got your back" kind of way. But it's a little more intense than that. He <i>pursues</i> me with goodness and mercy.<br />
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Ever since we've had sheep, passages like this in Scripture have really come alive to me. I get this whole pursuing thing. One day last spring, my sweet Caleb went out to the field to check on his sheep. He came running back to the house in tears, because a few of his sheep had gotten out and were running up the road alongside the irrigation ditch. We managed to get them back into the field--all except for our ram. Oh, this ram! He and I became good friends that day.<br />
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I took off and ran after him. I didn't follow him, by any means. No, I took off in hot pursuit for this guy.<br />
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<b>{Radaph}</b><br />
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He ran and ran and turned at the bend in the road. When he heard the other sheep bleating in the distance, he tried to get to them by lunging forward and jumping into a ditch full of blackberry brambles. Down he went, disappearing into the brambles. I ran back to the house to put on a long-sleeved shirt and my rubber boots. I looked all over the garage for gardening shears, but all I could find was a small pair of wire cutters. I know. I know. But it was all I could find.<br />
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I spent about an hour and a half down in that ditch in an effort to cut my way through to him. He was scared, I could tell. He kept lunging forward, moving deeper and deeper into the blackberries. I found myself saying to him in frustration, "Just be STILL!" Then I had one of those light bulb moments.<br />
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<b><i>Just be still.</i></b><br />
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I had lots of time down in that ditch to think about this, trust me. You know, all the times God says to <i>me</i>, "Just be still," and I'm not. And then I lunge forward because things are taking too long, or because I get scared. But I love that He still pursues me. He lunges forward, too, right after me. He doesn't have a sorry pair of wire cutters, either. He pursues me with goodness and mercy.<br />
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Oh, and the timing of it all! Not by coincidence, I was 2 days away from Good Friday. Two days away from Passover, and here I was in the thicket with this ram of ours. A sobering reminder of the ram God provided for Abraham in Isaac's place and the reality that Jesus, the Lamb of God, was sacrificed in my place. I was speechless. I've been wanting to write this down for about a year now, but it was all too deep for me. Not until I heard Ann speak this weekend did my thoughts start to form words.<br />
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As Easter approaches, it's all I can think about--our ram in the thicket and this beautiful picture of being pursued by my Good Shepherd.<br />
<br />Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530332005314466736noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1305562313912485053.post-10582162096329631902013-03-18T21:17:00.000-05:002013-03-18T22:30:05.842-05:00grandma<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">My Grandpa and Grandma in Downtown San Francisco, walking home just after they had sold their car to buy things they needed.</span></i></div>
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She loved Patsy Cline, Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra and Joe Montana.<br />
She loved living in San Francisco.<br />
She loved dancing with my Grandpa in her kitchen.<br />
She's my Grandma and she passed away late Saturday night.<br />
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After I got the call, all I could do was lay in my bed, clutch the phone and stare off into the darkness.<br />
I couldn't cry. Not until my little sister called me at 2:00 a.m.<br />
Then I felt a few tears run down the side of my face.<br />
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I'm not quite sure how to grieve yet, because I am truly happy for her.<br />
She was in so much pain, hardly being able to breathe. <br />
My Grandpa died almost 5 years ago and she's been so lonely for him.<br />
They were married for 60 years. Sixty years!<br />
I know she trusted Christ as her Savior, so to imagine her with Jesus, not in pain and with the love of her life <span style="font-size: small;">makes me truly happy.</span> <br />
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My Grandma was Italian and she made the best mostaccioli.<br />
The first year Phil and I were married, she hosted Thanksgiving.<br />
We had the usual antipasto--olives, salami, pepperocini, cheese and foccacia bread--then came the salad, and then Grandma's mostaccioli.<br />
Phil ate and ate and ate. I don't blame him-- it's good stuff!<br />
But then out came the turkey and all the fixings.<br />
I'll never forget the look he gave me, as if to say, "What?!"<br />
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"Didn't we just eat dinner?" he asked.<br />
"No." I said.<br />
"Then what did we just eat?"<br />
"Um, that was the pasta. We're Italian, remember?"<br />
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Pasta with every meal. Pasta<i> </i>with<i> every</i> meal.<br />
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So tonight I made mostaccioli for my little family.<br />
I thought about Grandma as I boiled my noodles and stirred the sauce.<br />
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I also thought about the wooden plaque she hung above her stove in every house she lived.<br />
In fancy blue letters it said, "There's no Sauce in the World like Hunger." <br />
Yes, and there's no pasta in the world like Grandma's.<br />
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<br />Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530332005314466736noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1305562313912485053.post-35493871041229696562013-03-15T14:40:00.000-05:002013-03-18T21:34:30.377-05:00social injusticeI've had a little fire lit under me recently. It's a little spark, but the more I think on it, the more passionate I become about it. It's the whole social injustice movement. I'm a Christian, and I believe I have a responsibility to be the hands and feet of Jesus and to care for the hurts and the needs of others. Mostly this comes naturally to me, because I'm a mom. To prove it, I have 5 or 6 boxes of band-aids under my bathroom sink. Hello Kitty, Tinkerbell, Cars, Scooby-Doo--take your pick. I don't like suffering and I want to help fix anyone who suffers. But here's what is troubling me--more and more mainstream Christian authors and musicians are popping up with a cause to alleviate and/or abolish social injustice and human suffering, but when I visit their websites, or hear them speak on the radio, I hear about providing clean water or putting an end to human trafficking. Rarely do I hear or read anything about sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with any of these people.<br />
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As we approach Jesus' return, the human condition is moving along a continuum from bad to worse. Christians all around the world are rising up to show compassion to those who are suffering; but truthfully, the BEST thing we can do for those who are suffering is to point them to Jesus Christ--then offer clean water to drink and help to make sure they're safe.<br />
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Here's what concerns me. I feel like this movement, this good cause, is shifting us over a few degrees into dangerous territory. There's a lot of time, money and emotion being spent on ending human suffering right now and I think this is very clever of the devil. Just 1 degree off and we end up far from where we set out to be. He knows this, and it's easy for us to be fooled in this area because Scripture encourages us to help people in Jesus' name. I just wonder what would happen if our time, money and emotion was spent on sharing the Truth of the Gospel first, and then focusing on meeting physical needs. I don't want to sound insensitive to those who don't have clean water to drink, but it's more important that they be given Living Water, as Jesus said in John 4, so that they may have eternal life. It's more important that those caught in the horrible web of human trafficking be set free from sin's power so they don't have to suffer for <i>eternity</i>.<br />
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These influential Christian authors and artists have more power than they know. Their cause is good. But their passion and energy are wasted if they are meeting only physical needs of the people. This past week, I kept thinking about what Paul wrote to the Galatians.<br />
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<span class="text Gal-1-6"><sup class="versenum">" </sup>I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—</span><span class="text Gal-1-7" id="en-NIV-29065">which is really no gospel at all."</span><br />
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He rebuked the Galatians for sharing another gospel that was not <i>the</i> Gospel. <b>This good cause is another gospel</b> if Jesus' loving sacrifice and the hope of eternal life take a backseat to ending suffering here on earth.<br />
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God help us not to be so caught up in this social injustice movement that we fail to see that these suffering people have <i>souls</i> and not just bodies. They need eternal life. They need Jesus.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530332005314466736noreply@blogger.com7