Yearly Archives: 2015

Holidays, Project 365

Happy Valentine’s Day

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Tim surprised me with a lovely evening out last night. Saturdays are often crazy in our house these days with VERY frequent teen overnight guests, kids who like to go to youth group, and other activities, so, Tim was clever to pick Friday (Valentine’s Day Eve) as our date night. A long drive in our Valentine Red car, a thoughtful movie, and some delicious Mexican food, what more could a girl ask for?

Presents from Daniel and David

Presents from Daniel and David

This morning, on Valentine’s Day itself, I slept in. Ah, it was wonderful. When I finally meandered downstairs, Tim told me David and Daniel were off on a secret mission. Shortly after they walked in with a Venti Americano and beautiful red roses for me and pink carnations for their sister Sarah. Such thoughtful boys!! They win the prize for sure.

You're never too young for flowers and chocolate on Valentine's Day!

You’re never too young for flowers and chocolate on Valentine’s Day!

Following my family’s tradition, we love to celebrate Valentine’s Day with little gifts for each other. Tim usually buys something sweet or special for the girls and I buy for the boys. The sun was shining today, and we were all glad for a lazy morning.

Daniel loves his Vanilla Clusters from Trader Joe's.

Daniel loves his Vanilla Clusters from Trader Joe’s.

I think David knew what his gift contained.

I think David knew what his gift contained.

Dark chocolate for my Sweetie!

Dark chocolate for my Sweetie!

Since it was my turn to take a picture and write today, I couldn’t resist a search on the blog for old Valentine’s Day posts. It turns out Tim and I both like to write about Valentine’s Day. In 2014, Tim shared how Sarah gave him the best Valentine ever. And I blogged in 2007, during our first Project 365, about all our Valentine gifts & God’s LOVE. And how could I forget our romantic Valentine trip to Leavenworth in 2010.

Of course, not all Valentine memories are sweet. In painful, recent history, was the holiday I was far away from Tim and the kids. In 2011, I spent a month (missing both Valentine’s Day and David’s birthday) in Minnesota with my mom at the hospital bedside of my beloved father. Tim, ever the thoughtful husband and son-in-law, had flowers delivered to our hotel. Sigh. Little glimpses of God’s creation and beauty in the midst of our deep, deep sorrow. When we are weak and mourning, we need those around us to bring care, comfort, and sometimes beautiful flowers.

Beautiful Valentine flowers

A bouquet for each of us.

Oh the tears we cried that February.

Oh the tears we cried that February.

Looking through these old posts, savoring the pictures of our family over the years, and thinking about God’s blessings in our life, I remember why we blog. We want to capture the tapestry of all that God is doing before our eyes, around and through us, amidst the pain and the joy. These simple posts we share are like a living, growing journal of our family. As the Psalmist David cries:

I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all that you have done;
I ponder the work of your hands.
I stretch out my hands to you;
my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Ps 143:5-6

Happy Valentine’s Day 2015

Project 365 – Day 45
Kathy

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Kathy, Project 365

Old Fashioned

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In honor of Valentine’s Day, I wanted to take my sweetie out for a date. One nice thing about having lots of children — your wife tends to be a pretty low-maintenance date — I can take Kathy pretty much anywhere if I’m willing to talk.

I settled on the movie Old Fashioned, which opened today. It was hard to find — only a few theaters in Washington are showing it. We had to drive up to Tukwila (about 40 minutes away).


Amber and Clay from the Old Fashioned movie.

The premise of the movie is that the young man (Clay) has rejected the superficiality of the ‘dating scene’ and is seeking to adhere to some ‘old fashioned’ boundaries in the way he treats women. For example, he won’t be alone with a girl (unless she’s his wife) which makes for some awkwardness when he needs to repair Amber’s stove (he gives her a blanket and an umbrella and has her wait outside while he works on it). Of course, as the movie unfolds, we find that both Clay and Amber are reacting against some pain in their past relationships.

We were a little late leaving home, and then there was an accident on I-5, so we missed the first few minutes of the film. I think it started pretty slowly, so hopefully we didn’t miss too much. It was an odd movie — strangely paced, and a bit gloomy for a fair bit of the time. I liked it, though, and it ended pretty well — I recommend it as a good date movie (some irony, there) if only for the discussion it may spark.

My Valentine

My pretty Valentine — she’s not usually this blurry, but hey, this IS Project 365, so you have to take what I have.

Afterward, we wanted to get something to eat, so we found a Mexican restaurant in the mall not far from the movie theater. Unfortunately, the entire population of Western Washington was also there (at the restaurant, not at the movie) and so we rapidly decamped. We found a much quieter restaurant close to home and finished the evening there.

All in all, it was a lovely chance to get away together. I’m so very glad that my Valentine is still my best friend, after 22 3/4 years of marriage.

Project 365, Day 44
Tim

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David, Holidays, Project 365, Sarah

Nutella Valentine Mailbox

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Each year our homeschool co-op has a fun Valentine’s Day party. The halls or sides of the gym are lined with creative Valentine Day boxes – from small paper bags covered with hearts to large Dr. Who’s Tardis. Last year we made a tall Starbucks cup out of a laundry basket with a pvc pipe wrapped in green paper as the straw.

And we won a prize, oh yeah we did.

This year we decided to make something chocolately and silly in honor Tim.

A Nutella Valentine’s Day Mailbox

We started with a tall rectangle laundry basket – it was the perfect shape. We searched and searched for brown paper. Who knew that would be the difficult aspect of this venture. We went to The Dollar Store – no brown poster board or table cloths. Next, on to Michaels – no brown poster board or table cloths. Next a trip to Target. We looked again. Nothing. Seriously? Seriously? I suggested Good Will for a brown curtain or random piece of fabric. David thought maybe Hobby Lobby. Sigh. We’d already been to Michaels. Thankfully all of these stores are close by.

Laundry baskets are versatile - useful in so many ways!

Laundry baskets are versatile – useful in so many ways!

Of course, this was AFTER a long day of school, mentor visits, Trader Joe’s shopping, science projects and cooking at a friend’s house.

We decided we’d try Hobby Lobby and, if we couldn’t find anything brown, we’d switch to silver wrapping paper and make a large diet Coke can. Sarah didn’t want us to give up, but David and I needed a Plan B. Ha.

Hobby Lobby proved to be a treasure trove of BROWN products. Who knew! First we found a package of dark brown napkins on clearance. “I think we can wrap the laundry basket in napkins if we have to,” I told the kids. At this point they were ready to agree with anything just to get started. “Mom, you do realize it’s almost time for dinner and we haven’t STARTED making this?”

What’s your point, children? Dinner can wait, we have a mailbox to make! There are prizes on the line here.

After napkins we stumbled on 12×12 pages of scrapbook paper in the PERFECT shade of brown. We gathered enough to cover the basket and matched them to the napkins (just in case). Before checking out, we wandered around the store a little longer. In the clearance section, in the back aisle we found a collection of poster size paper. What color was on the bottom of the stack?? Beautiful brown. And on sale. Hooray. Jumping up and down in the middle of Hobby Lobby is totally normal, right?

We (okay I) designed some Nutella Valentine Day cards and printed them out. Sarah organized them all and then David taped a Pixy Stix to each card.We’ll put them into the mailboxes tomorrow during the party. We didn’t have the time to make homemade Nutella brownies or cookies, or the funds to buy little Nutella single packs for all 69 families (or the 167 kids) at our homeschool co-op. Even I draw the line at some point.

Homemade Valentines are so much fun!

Homemade Valentines are so much fun!

While the boys played computer games, Sarah and I wrapped the basket in the brown poster board. Using some leftover foam board, we made a lid (cutting a hole for Valentines and treats). Sarah divided a piece of white poster board into strips, drew on lines and fashioned an edge to our lid. After taping it all on, we printed out Nutella logos and even found a place where we could request personalized Nutella labels. The kids kept exclaiming over the tape, “Mom, this tape is amazing! It works so well.” Oh dear, I guess that Dollar Store tape we used at Christmas was NOT the best. LOL.

Sarah and David's personalized Nutella labels.

Sadly we are out of real Nutella.

Finally we were all done. So festive! We were all pleased with the final product! Maybe we’ll win some sort of a prize this year. I hope the kids will share it with me. ;)

The final product!

The might be a big enough Nutella jar even for Tim!

Project 365 – Day 43
Kathy

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AWANA, Project 365

Weary Wednesday

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I was sitting in a comfortable chair, just starting to consider the prospect of going to bed, when Kathy dredged-up that fateful question:

“Did you take any pictures, today?” Kathy is a lot more committed to the Project 365 thing than I am, but we’ve divided it so that I ‘own’ all odd-numbered days.

I forgot that it was my day to blog. Feeling rebellious, I tried to weasel out of my responsibility.

“I don’t think I’ll blog. I’m too tired.” I tried (and failed) to keep a whine out of my voice.

I am always tired on Wednesdays. I get up early on those days to meet with my prayer and accountability group (we assemble at 6 a.m. at a local Panera’s). After work, I hurriedly get ready for AWANA, and then I’m “on” as a Drama leader and coach for the next several hours.

By the time I get home around 8:45 pm, I’m beat.

Three of my favorite dishwashers.

Three of my favorite dishwashers.

Fortunately, the kids wash any dishes that need to be washed, although tonight it looked like David got saddled with most of the work.

One of the reasons I am especially tired after AWANA is that I try to remember the kids names and some of their birthdays. With more than 80 kids in the Sparks and T&T programs, this gets pretty challenging. Last year, I had about 40 kids in the T&T program, and by the end of the year, I had their names and birthdays pretty well down. This year, not so much.

I write the kids' names and birthdays down in this notebook, but it doesn't seem to help, much.

I write the kids’ names and birthdays down in this notebook, but it doesn’t seem to help, much.

If I can’t guess their name (or if I consistently know their name, I switch to birthdays) then I have to give them a wooden nickel, which they can redeem for a can of soda. They pretty much swarm like piranhas around me after Council Time, and greatly enjoy it when I forget their names. I keep meaning to sit down and memorize the list of kids, but some of them consistently slip through the cracks of my memory.

Project 365, Day 42
Tim

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Daily Life, Project 365

Sunshine Amidst the Gray Day

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The sun was out today! It’s hard not to celebrate. Maybe shed a tear or two.

Quick break from the math test to smile for a picture.

Quick break from the math test to smile for a picture.

I always wonder if people in other states (namely those in the south and south west) mark their days in an opposite fashion to WA residents.

“I remember we had a nice cloudy morning two weeks ago.”

Is that what someone in Phoenix or Sacramento says? Even in February, one of WA’s typical months of rain and gray days? Do they look at the 10-day forecast longingly, hoping for a break in the relentless sunshine?

Of course, my kids love the rainy weather.
Sigh. Born and bred Washingtonians.

“Mom, don’t you love this foggy, gray day?” And this without any trace of sarcasm. “Maybe it will rain later,” they say to one another hopefully. What is a sun seeking mother to do? Punish them? “Go to your rooms!” That doesn’t work; they just happily snuggle under covers and read their books.

David and Marco find a cozy spot.

David and Marco find a cozy spot.

When they were little, the children all thought it was summer if the sun peaked out from the gray blanket of winter skies.

Flip flops and shorts appear.

“What are you doing?” I would ask.
“Um, hello, the sun is out.” (The DUHHH was implied)
“Yes, but it’s January and cold.”
“I don’t think so, Mom, look” (pointing helpfully out the window), “the sun is shining.”

How could I argue with such logic?

My kids are pure sunshine in my life!

My kids are pure sunshine in my life!

Perhaps the gray days of Washington or the bone chilling cold of Michigan and Minnesota (family homes) or even the blistering hot of warm climates all serve in part to remind us we live in a fallen world. There is no “perfect” home this side of heaven. One day. One day those who love Jesus will dwell in a new city.

The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. Revelation 21:23-24

Can’t even fathom that. Walking by the light of God’s glory. Oh my.

Until then I will enjoy the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. And I will learn from my sweet children, who delight in both the rain and the sunshine.

Project 365 – Day 41
Kathy

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