A List Maker's Life

Best of Grams & Best of Women

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sun, 01 Oct 2017 20:43:00 +0000

Last week I said a difficult goodbye to my first, and best, friend - my grandmother. I am thankful I had the opportunity to share a few of my favorite memories at her funeral. Wanting to be sure I have a record of these words for years to come I am posting them here as well.

Today I have the privilege of reminiscing with you about the most supportive, generous, and gracious Gramma Anne. Neither of us ever wanted to cry in front of other people and we’ve been told it gets kind of ugly, but she is worth it so forgive me if I do as I share just a few of the lessons I have learned from her.

Gramma was a librarian. She taught me to love books and reading. As an elementary age child I spent hours with her at the library checking in, alphabetizing, shelving, and marveling at the words and artwork inside books. As a college student, most every phone call home started with one of us asking for a review of the latest book in hand.

When it came to the kitchen, Gram taught me that recipes are just suggestions and the results when you Oops the vanilla in the oatmeal crispie cookies are much tastier than the results of Oopsing the Lawry’s in the Chex mix.

Nick, and I learned from Gram early in life how to ring in a New Year with a major scene and how to casually downplay it when mom and dad came home.

After taking a watercolor painting class, Gram did her best to teach me her techniques. Her painting advice, “When it doesn’t look quite right, just ‘throw it on the floor’.” A new perspective can make anything look a little better.

As a momma to 4 myself, I realize Gram taught me, by example, to say “Why Not” instead of Why? “Why not?” Go ahead and place a $15 dollar bid at the estate sale on a HUGE piece of furniture neither of us can move on our own? “Why not?” Let’s head down to the sewing machine to make itty bitty doll clothes for your clothespins to wear. How about we also twist and bake some curly hair for their heads.” As I parent I also hear her voice in my head when I say, “No fighting in the living room. Please, just be kind to one another .”

If someday Kevin and I are blessed with Grands of our own I hope to remember Gram’s example to deliver hot meals on doorsteps and fairy notes by mail. Hang the kids artwork all over the house and hang bundles of lavender from the rafters. Let the kids treasure hunt in my jewelry box and my nature collection. Fill the wooden shoes. Keep “just a little something” in the closet, and a jar of treats right where the kids always know to find them.

She taught me to show up, to be there for my family, to celebrate each other, to listen, to eat dessert first, to offer the “nice” pie with good coffee on the pretty dishes, and to leave the crust.

She taught me to broadcast good news. Gram would talk up the latest and greatest adventures and accomplishments of her grandkids , often to our embarrassment. However, one of my best thoughts today is of her coffee kletzing with her own mother to catch up on a whole generation’s worth of good news.

She taught me to sing in church, identify right from left, ride a bike, and operate a television remote. Oh wait!. ... Perhaps those were her subtle lessons teaching us all not to take ourselves too seriously and ask for help when it is necessary.

She taught me I could love Jesus with all of my heart, love others unconditionally, and still not love the republican party. ;)

As anyone who ever spent the night at her house could attest to everyone needs at least one more blanket added to their bed sometime in the night to stay cozy. In fact, there is not much an extra blanket, homemade chicken soup, a boo boo fan or an excessive amount of rubber bands can not fix. These healing memories also remind me that some of the most beautiful moments together come from our most brutal days.

This past week I have been thinking, I wish Gramma would have taught me how to say goodbye. Then I realized, she did! She always sent me out the door with an affirmation of who I was and what I meant to her and then would take her place at the window to wave me down the driveway. So, I will try to do the same. Gram, you are the best of Grams and best of women. We love you.

2016 Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sun, 01 Oct 2017 20:37:00 +0000

We has chosen the word PEACE as our 2016 family focus.

Less noise

More peace

Less arguing

More peace

Less control

More Peace

Less television news

More peace

Less worrying about tomorrow

More peace

Less late nights

More peace

2015 Predictions Reviewed

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 12:56:00 +0000

On New Year's Eve we like to review the hopes, wishes, dreams, wonders, and predictions from the year. Here were the predictions the kids shared for 2015. It is always interesting to see how they turned out and even more fun to hear what they think is to come for the new year! For today, here is the cliff notes version of our year in predictions reviewed.

Gabe I will not get yelled at by my teachers at my school

Gabe does a whole lot of yelling about going to school every morning, but he puts on all his best manners during the day at school. He has done a wonderful job transitioning to the unexpected as he joined his siblings in their elementary school this year for Young 5s, instead of heading back to his favorite nature preschool for one more year. He is making friends, adapting to an all day schedule, learning so many things, and impressing his teachers with his sweet smiles & silly sarcasm.

Maybe I will eat goldfish at school for snack

I am quite certain Gabe has consumed more than his fair share of goldfish during snack times at school so far this year!

Gibson
We will play with the new toys we got from Christmas

Gibson loves to create, play, and imagine! His animal collection is still his all time favorite toy to pick up and play with on a lazy Saturday.

We will build lots of Lego projects

Gibson loves Legos. He has been lucky to receive several great Lego sets as gifts in the last year. We have discovered, however, he likes to sit back and direct as we put together his Lego projects so he can play with them when they are finished.

I will make more new friends at school

This dear 1st grader has so many friends at school this year. It is such a joy to walk down the same hallways with him each day and be greeted by his friends with a "Hi! Gibson's mom!" Gibson's friends have also been kind to take Gabe under their care as they introduce him to all things elementary school.

I don't think I will play soccer again, but maybe baseball

We could not convince Gibson to give soccer a try again this year, even though his first season was a success. He enjoys watching Anne Hope's soccer and Gavin's baseball, but prefers to cheer from the bleachers next to his grandparents (and their ball game treats) than to be on the field. He did start taking piano lessons this fall and is catching on quickly. He loves to impress us with the songs he has memorized.

Anne Hope
We will get the movie Annie when it comes out on dvd

Of course! Annie and Inside Out were definitely favorite movies for our 9 year old this year!

We will want to go to Florida again this year for Family Forward, but we might not be able to

Our family didn't travel to Florida this August after all, we were really missing our Family Forward friends! With our new school schedules and responsibilities Labor Day weekend just wasn't a possibility for traveling to our favorite theme park.

Gavin
After very low gas prices, in 2015 the prices will hit an all time high shocking everyone

It has been interesting to see Gavin's interest in following the gas prices as they continue to fall. He is always asking if the prices are as low now as they were when he was born, when we were born, etc.

The Tigers will win the division, be in the play offs, but not win the World Series

Honestly, I have no clue how the Tigers did this year. I guess I feel like the guys talked more about being disappointed with game scores than celebration, so no division win? Regardless, Gavin LOVES baseball. He enjoys both playing the game and watching as many games as possible. Going in to his own baseball season he was pretty sure he didn't want to pitch again this year, however when his coach put him back on the mound he did a great job.

I think I will have to go to the dentist for something big this year. Braces??

As much as Gavin would love to have braces, he still has way too many baby teeth that need to pop out. Being in middle school he is pretty sure some level of maturity is measured by the amount of metal in one's mouth.

How to Train Your Dragon book 12 will come out this year.

Gavin plowed through this book as soon as it was released. He is also enjoying many new series he has discovered in the last year. He loves to read and takes a book with him everywhere he goes. Love it!

Katie
Taking classes to renew my teaching certificate will kick start my dreams for what I really want to be when I grow up

One of our family's most unexpected surprises this year was the job offer to return to full time teaching in the same school our children attend. When I resigned from teaching 10! years ago to be home with our babies, I was quite sure my return to education would be in some capacity outside of the classroom. However, I am teaching Kindergarten this year and REALLY enjoying it. Kinder kids grow and learn so much, so quickly. They are so full of JOY and expectation. It really is the best way to spend the days. In addition, it is an amazing blessing to be able to see my own children throughout the day - to eat lunch with them, play with them at recess, and appreciate my fabulous 4th grader and her helpful friends volunteering in my room each afternoon.

More natural remedies and less doctor visits (one can hope...)

We are all loving our oily remedies around here. Being back in the classroom has proven I need to build up my immunities to the sniffles and coughs again, but it is nothing a little thieves, oregano, and RC hasn't been able to help.

Santa's Workshop Exposed '15

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 01:25:00 +0000

Since all of our holiday gifts have been given, I was excited to share what we mixed up in our Christmas workshop this December.

Anne Hope and I put together several pedicure sets with Peppermint Foot Scrub and Stress Away Foot Soak. The small wooden scoops we found on Amazon made these packages fun to wrap up together. I found them to be kind of adorable.

We also mixed several rollers of "calm" and cuticle oil to add to theme of a relaxing pedicure.

Kevin has been incredibly creative with pallets in our home in the last couple years. He has built keepsake boxes, walls, ceilings, playhouse, and bookshelves with pallets. There are also plenty of pallet scraps hanging around our garage, so Anne Hope and I painted up some special nativity sets.

Our family is pretty hooked on our essential oil goodies, so it was also enjoyable to mix up our favorite roller bottle recipes in a sampler box to give to others.

For a couple of the special guys in our lives I also mixed an essential oil shave gel, aftershave oil, and beard balm. With Idaho Spruce and Valor it smelled fantastic and hopefully the benefits will extend beyond just the comfort of a good shave.

We also cooked and packaged many, many batches of Thieves & Peppermint or Orange & Clove candy. The Orange/Clove is delicious in a cup of hot tea or cider. The Thieves is very soothing on a scratchy throat.

Do you give any homemade Christmas gifts? What were the projects in your workshop this holiday?

Wishing You a Merry Christmas...

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 24 Dec 2015 19:30:00 +0000

...and the thrill of Hope for the New Year!

Christmas Spiced Candy for Cider

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 20:41:00 +0000

Alternatively Titled: The post where I skip over 7 months of family happenings to share a yummy idea you may want to try.

On the hunt for more oily inspiration, I recently attended a make & take class hosted by a fabulous and creative friend. She had experimented with essential oil cough drops, as have I, but didn't love the texture of the final product or the taste of the honey. She decided to try an alternative, adapting a family rock candy tradition into thieves candy. The outcome was delicious. While fighting bronchitis and strep throat in the last several weeks we made several batches of the thieves candy to soothe our throats. The peppermint and thieves taste was a bonus! This is not an all natural, all healthy recipe by any means. Yet, it is so easy to make and works better for us than the other cough drop alternatives we have tried.

Beside the fact I am out of Thieves and waiting on an auto ship, I wanted to try adjusting this recipe to make a stir in spice mix for our Christmas Eve cider. I have been loving a clove and orange blend in the diffuser this month, so that is what I chose for our holiday cider flavor. Cinnamon Bark would probably be another great addition to this recipe.

Begin by measuring the following ingredients in a sauce pan:

3- 3/4 cups of organic cane sugar

1-1/4 cups light corn syrup

1 cup water

Bring ingredients to a boil, gradually, stirring continuously. Boil until the temperature reaches 300 degrees on a candy thermometer. Take off the burner to cool slightly. Continue stirring to monitor how thick the candy is hardening. When you can not cool any longer and still be able to stir through the mixture it is time to add your essential oils. For the spice cider stir in I used 30 drops of orange, 10 drops of nutmeg, and 15 drops of clove. Just s note: you might want to experiment with ratios to personal taste. I started with equal parts clove and orange (15 drops each) and 5 nutmeg. It didn't taste strong enough to flavor anything even though they tasted good on their own. When the oils are stirred in pour the mixture on to prepared 9x13 pans (two per batch). I spread about 1/4 inch of powdered sugar over both of my trays before I started.

Let the candy cool and harden completely. When it is hardened, pick the slab off the tray and gently tap it against a metal spoon to crack into small pieces.

Package the final product or store it in a container until you are ready to sneak a few to just enjoy as is, or to drop into your hot water, cider and tea for a delightful infused flavor.

Yum!

Sublime: A Simply, Citrus-y Mom's Day Surprise

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sun, 10 May 2015 03:10:00 +0000

My mom is subLIME!

ORANGE you glad we have each other?

I love your ZEST for our family.

Last year Anne Hope and I hosted all of the neighbor girls to create a special gift they could surprise their mommas with on Mother's Day. Their moms never suspected we were crafting, hot-gluing, and arranging flowers instead of our usual hide-and-seek or Disney Headbands games.

A few weeks ago the oldest neighbor friend asked if we had a new Mother's Day gift idea for this year. Just like that - a tradition was born!

We brainstormed several ideas, took inventory of the craft supplies we had on hand, and picked up a few fresh linen towels at the store.

Supply List

~White Tea Towels

~Citrus Fruits Sliced in Halves

~Citrus Colored Fabric/Craft Paint

Looks like a slice of sweet, summer sunshine to me!

Essential Oils: Flavored Lip Balm

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 08 May 2015 02:24:00 +0000

Lately, when Anne Hope has friends over instead of asking for a craft project she requests an oil recipe. During our last playdate we were excited to give this raspberry lemonade lip balm a try! Gather beeswax, coconut oil, frozen raspberries, and the citrus essential oil of your choice. Our sweet ladies chose citrus fresh when they couldn't decide between orange and lemon. We also prepped three 4 oz. glass jars with label stickers.

The lip balm mixed up quickly and tasted delish on the lips. The color wasn't quite as pink as the girls were hoping for, so perhaps we could have added a few more berries. This would be a fun last minute pamper mom gift to put together before the weekend and needs only a starter kit oil!

Essential oils have changed the way our family cleans, cures, cooks, and copes with day to day stress...and the way we craft :)!

Mini Mural Studio

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sun, 19 Apr 2015 21:56:00 +0000

Have you ever been to a "wine and canvas" event? There is great studio in our area that serves snacks and drinks while giving the step-by-step directions for paintings. The patient instruction, and wait time for painting, makes every participant feel like a professional artist by the time they finish.

Last year for her birthday Anne Hope had a special date with Gram to Brush Studio where she painted a whimsical flower print for her room. She loved the experience and was very mature about following along.

On her list for Spring Break activities Hope wanted a repeat visit to the studio. However, it wasn't a great fit for the boys or our time. With a little creative thinking between mom and dad we were able to make her painting dream come true, with a friend, in our home.

Using some cut pallet pieces, shelves from an old cabinet in the garage, and chalk board paint Kevin created easels for the experience. Anne Hope brainstormed a painting she would like to make. I made a model of the painting to teach the step-by-step instructions. The girls followed along enthusiastically mixing, blending, sponging, and brushing.

They were both pretty excited about their final pieces.

We are excited to have the easels, brushes, and plenty of paints to repeat on a rainy summer day. In fact, I might ask Kevin to build three more easels so the boys can join us next time!

What favorite experiences or events have you tried to re-create at home with your family?

Essential Oils: Easy Peppermint Fudge

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 13:58:00 +0000

Anne Hope and I have been prepping to teach a Girl Scout troop a bit about the benefits of essential oils. We have put together several fun activities, a short slide show, and 2 great make & takes for the girls to mix. It seemed the only thing missing was a yummy snack. With a quick modification to a quick and easy fudge recipe, we have a delicious oily treat to share.

The directions really are simple:

1. Melt a full bag of chocolate chips.

2. Stir in a jar of frosting.

3. Add essential oils for flavoring.

4. Pour into 8x8 pan

5. Let set & cut to serve

I did use chocolate frosting this time, but when I make it again I will use vanilla instead for a creamier taste and a little lighter color. I think it would also be delicious to try this recipe with white chocolate chips and orange essential oil.

We are going to serve our Chocolate Peppermint Fudge with a citrus flavored ice water. Hopefully the tastes don't clash too much and give the girls a good idea about some of the ways essential oils could be used in our food too.

While I was feeling brave about mixing essential oils into our food, I also added a couple drops of lemon oil to our favorite hummus recipe. Yum! What have you cooked/baked with essential oils?

Lego Minifigure Storage Solution

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 15 Apr 2015 02:08:00 +0000

Last week I posted this picture of an almost complete project with the hashtag #boyproblems. My friends with children between the ages of 8-11 immediately recognized which mess we were hoping to organize with this creation.

Gavin has been carefully collecting all of his Lego minifigures in rows along the ledges in his bedroom to keep them from losing little hands, swords, and hats in the big box of Legos. It worked to keep them from getting lost, but made it very difficult when it was time to dust his shelves.

To prep for this project we counted out the favorite figures he wanted to display and dug through the Legos for enough 2x2 squares for each of those. There were a few bigger characters that required 2x4 Legos. We picked out a few extra 2x2's as well since his collection continues to grow.

Then we headed to our favorite Hotel Furniture Outlet. They warehouse and sell furniture and accessories that have been taken our of hotels when they are remodeled. It takes some careful examining and searching through the stacks but we have repurposed many of these items for projects around our home. In this case we bought a large framed painting and the deal of the week was Buy 1 Artwork, Get 1 Free.

We cut through the backing on the frame and popped out the art work. We wrapped the existing piece in a slab of butcher paper and secured it back in the frame. It took a little bit of dry erase marking to be sure we had the blocks measured out in even rows, but we arranged the pieces then wiped the marker off once everything was glued in place. The 2x2 lego bricks are directly on the glass. The mini-figures easily snap on and off their platforms for easy play or storage.

Gavin was excited to arrange his favorite minifigures and hang them on the frame. Seeing how it came together inspired Anne Hope to organize all of her favorite Lego Friends ladies and their little accessories. She chose to paint her frame, mixed a color she liked, and even ironed a piece of fabric she found in the scrap box to use instead of butcher paper. We didn't have enough pink 2x2 bricks to finish her board right away, so we are waiting for our $4 ebay order. As soon as they arrive we will glue this baby together and hang it in her room as well.

I love it when the kids' creativity and my need for organization collide to make a fun and functional project!

How do you store your Legos?

Do you kids like to keep sets together or do they all end up mixed in one big pile?

"Owie" Spray

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sat, 11 Apr 2015 01:01:00 +0000

Our family has been benefiting significantly from many different essential oil blends in rollers, lotions, and sprays. With the kids playing outside more often again, riding their bikes, and practicing baseball we have plenty of opportunities for cuts, scrapes, and road rash. This all purpose "owie" spray is our new solution for quick relief and healing.

I am looking forward to sharing other blends as we try them.

Are you using essential oils?

Spring Break Sensory Bubbles

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 03:14:00 +0000

This simple, soapy sensory activity was fun for all ages. A dab of dish washing liquid and a little water met the Kitchen Aid and grew, grew, GREW! We filled our mixing bowl with three different colors and then scooped the foam into cake pans for some good, clean play.

Happy Easter '15

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 03:19:00 +0000

Won't you take this cup from me
Cause fear has stolen all my sleep
If tomorrow means my death
Pray you'll save their souls with it

Let the songs I sing bring joy to you
Let the words I say confess my love
Let the notes I choose be your favorite tune
Father let my heart be after you

In this hour of doubt I see
Who I am is not just me
So give me strength to die myself
So love can live to tell the tale

Let the songs I sing bring joy to you
Let the words I say confess my love
Let the notes I choose be your favorite tune
Father let my heart be after you

~Needtobreathe, Garden

Happiness...Look for It

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 14 Jan 2015 21:54:00 +0000

Morning Groove, after the kids load the bus, with a group of the sweetest ladies with the best moves.

#SheReadsTruth: well written studies, the app, my rotating lock screens. Love.

Virtual dress shopping with mom on Mikarose and eShakti in anticipation of a summer wedding.

A four year old boy who finally lost his fight against an afternoon nap 7 minutes after my 2 hour conference call ended.

Researching natural recipes for health and beauty products using Young Living Essential Oils. Fun stuff! Leave me a comment or email if you want to hear more.

An inspirational and encouraging Beachbody coach who has motivated me to be consistent for the past 60 days...even if I still think protein shakes taste like dirt.

My songs of the day (so, far they are my faves of '15). You know, the ones you set on repeat instead of shuffle. Repeat mode brought to you today by All Sons and Daughters, Called Me Higher & Taylor Swift, Out of the Woods.

Scheduling a creative outlet birthday outing for myself. Want to meet me there?

Thick cream wool in an arm knit infinity scarf to keep me cozy when the temps are below zero.

Blue Man Days at our kids' school. Their music teacher is an even bigger fan than Gabe is ;) and she has quite a week of highlighters and black lights planned for them!

What is bringing you a warm smile on this chilly January day?

P.S. None of these links are sponsored, that is just so 2012. HA!
No seriously, they are all just for fun.

#oneword 2015 : Listen

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sun, 04 Jan 2015 04:14:00 +0000

Listen
to hear one another

Listen
to hear your parents

Listen
to hear your body when you've eaten enough, when you've given your all, and when you need to rest

Listen
to hear without bias

Listen
to hear God break your heart for what breaks His and to recognize the next steps He wants you to take

Listen
to hear constructive feedback and make positive changes

Listen
to hear with your heart because there is often more to what a person is saying than just the words they share

Listen
to hear music encourage and inspire

Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. James 1:9

In 2014 we focused on JOY.
Do you choose a word for the year?
What is your word for 2015?

With open doors, an open mind, and open ears,

Predictions for 2015

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 01 Jan 2015 20:54:00 +0000

Perhaps the result of long standing college traditions and rivalries, or maybe it really is the calendar, heading in to odd years my #1 prediction is always "Brace Yourself!" In my mind the odd ones always seem to require more peace. Anyway, our predictions for the year aren't overly clever or diverse. We watch very little tv and try to avoid news we aren't very in tune with the whos and whats up and coming, so they are primarily family focused this year. Still worth recording if only to give us something to look back on at the end of this year!

Gabe
I will not get yelled at by my teachers at my school
Maybe I will eat goldfish at school for snack

Gibson
We will play with the new toys we got from Christmas
We will build lots of Lego projects
I will make more new friends at school
I don't think I will play soccer again, but maybe I baseball

Anne Hope
We will get the movie Annie when it comes out on dvd
We will want to go to Florida again this year for Family Forward, but we might not be able to

Gavin
After very low gas prices, in 2015 the prices will hit an all time high shocking everyone
The Tigers will win the division, be in the play offs, but not win the World Series
I think I will have to go to the dentist for something big this year. Braces??
How to Train Your Dragon book 12 will come out this year.

Katie
Taking classes to renew my teaching certificate will kick start my dreams for what I really want to be when I grow up
More natural remedies and less doctor visits (one can hope...)

The possibilities are endless. What do you think will happen in '15?

Peace,

2014 Predictions Reviewed

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 21:03:00 +0000

Gabe
~We will get a dog.
Mom still says "Never!" Dad is becoming convincible.
~I will visit daddy at work As often as possible.
Gabe and Mom enjoyed Friday lunches with him at Phelps and Gabe sweet talked his favorite Hope sitter into many Thursday lunch visits too!
~I will ride in the plow truck
The early 2014 snow offered many opportunities for Gabe to ride along as Kevin plowed.
~I will scare all the trick or treaters with my costume .
Well, I guess he may have surprised a few with his Mr. Potato Head routine.

Gibson
~Someone will build a toy Hagrid
We were able to visit Hagrid at Diagon Alley.
~We will ride in a plane
Mom did for work, but the rest of us haven't flown yet.
~We will get another baby
We welcomed a sweet baby boy into our home and loved him as our own until his momma was ready to care for him again. We will look forward to doing more of the same in the coming year!
~Uncle Nick will get married
Oh! It's coming. Looking forward to a 2015 wedding.

Anne Hope
~Daddy will give lots of kisses
Of course!
~Gavin will wipe off all the slurpy ones
Well, yes!
~Our family will go to Florida again
We were so thankful to be part of Family Forward at Universal Studio Orlando again.
~Maybe we could go to Boston
No trips to Boston this year, but we sure would love to take the kids back to Boston sometime.

Gavin
~I will get a drum set and take drum lessons
Not yet, dear Gavin has been so patient as he preps for the drums with piano lessons.
~The One and Only Ivan will be made into a movie
That would have been neat. We will have to keep watching for it in the future.
~I might get new DS games for my 10th birthday
Yay!
~Anne Hope will win the Derby Race
She did. Cheered on by her brothers.
~The prince of England will become the king
Nope
~We will see a tobyMac concert
Not a single tMac concert for us this year, but hopefully we will catch one next year.

Kevin
~Some of the kids will switch schools
All 4 started at new schools, in new districts, this year
~Gibson will learn to ride a two-wheeler
Yes!
~The Tigers WILL finally win the World Series
Shoot.
~The Red Wings will not make the playoffs for the first time in over 20 years
I was wrong
~We will meet a lot of new people
I think so
~Gibson will start soccer
He enjoyed playing and it made for busy Saturdays shuffling between soccer fields.
~It will be a LONG winter
Seemed eternal.
~Republicans will pick up the house and the senate
again

Katie
~Kevin will finish the basement
He made amazing progress. It is all framed. Bedroom 5 is in. The library is great. The bathroom is plumbed. 2015 will be a year of finishing down there.
~American Idol ratings will go back up and be family friendly enough for our kids to watch again
Not sure about the actual ratings, but our family all enjoyed the updated American Idol.
~After saying so long to Helen DeVos Childrens Hospital and their specialist we will be happy with Gabe's care at U of M and a new advance in medical equipment/procedure will make life easier for Gabe
We are so thankful for the exceptional care Gabe receives from the whole team at U of M. It makes the long drive worth it!

Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 24 Dec 2014 15:42:00 +0000

True Hope has come, and it is for all of us! Wishing you a Merry Christmas

Scenes From 935

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 08 Dec 2014 03:44:00 +0000

Preparing for the holidays we found ourselves with many projects in the kitchen. One December evening I was perched in Gram's kitchen sink carefully hanging 2 Turtle Doves and a Partridge in a Pear Tree in the panes of her windows. Nick was wrapping gifts when a piece of tissue paper flew out of control, connected with a candle, and started quite a fire. The three of us were in quite a tizzy as we hustled to put out our flames. By the time our parents came to pick us up all was calm again and Gram quite brightly mentioned that we only had one "major scene."

How was your day? Did you have any major scenes?

At the dining room table we spent countless hours with watercolors. Nature scenes, fall leaves, flowers, tress, and the occasional angel were our typical inspiration. When the colors didn't blend quite right or a leaf looked too unruly Gram would advise, "Just throw it on the floor!" We would laugh, I would throw it, and we would move on to something else for awhile. Until the next glance down when the unusual blending would actually appear to be quite lovely and the unruly leaf a unique addition to an otherwise generic floral arrangement.

If it seems beyond repair, look again from a new angle.

In the top drawer of her dresser, along with the jewelry collection I was fascinated by, Gram kept the magical Boo Boo Fan. On summer nights my legs would jump and itch after a full day of playing making it very difficult to settle down. As she opened the fan and began to recite our made up fan chant I would slowly fall asleep.

Winds from the West, Cool Breeze from the East...take your mind off it.

Watching Sesame Street in the living room we contracted a serious case of the giggles as Bert and Ernie sang their song. There's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza. There's a hole in the bucket. Dear Liza, a hole! Oops, I lost... Oops, I spilled... Oops, I forgot... All of those statements would forever be answered with, "So, fix it dear Henry." Because once Liza and Henry were in the conversation we could surely find some humor in the situation.

SOOOOO? Fix it dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry. Just fix it dear Henry. Just fix up the hole.

935 is more than just a house it is a collection of a million moments and many of my best memories. This weekend the house stands empty. Gram's thing have been moved to her new home or shared with ours. Later this week Melissa, my best birthday present ever, will sign the papers and move in to the house I can easily say was/is my favorite place on Earth. I am certain she will fill the walls with laughter, love, and cut lavender bouquets. And, hopefully throwing this on the floor tonight will help this little hole in my heart to stop leaking from my eyes.

With what shall I fix it dear Liza, dear Liza. With what shall I fix it, dear Liza? This hole.

School Birthday "Treat" Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 15:02:00 +0000

Our kids really look forward to celebrating birthdays at school. It is important for them to pick just the right thing to pass out to the friends in their classrooms. The two oldest begin searching Pinterest months in advance to plan what they will share.

Last June Gavin wanted s'mores for his treat and wasn't sure how to manage the fire for the marshmallows since of course a bonfire isn't allowed at school. He was pretty pleased when we came up with an alternative that tasted just as yummy. S'more Trail Mix made with Golden Grahams, mini marshmallows, and chocolate chips. His birthday was the last week of school so we packaged the mix with "All Things Summer" subway art-ish tags. I would have expected a classroom full of 4th graders to munch these in fist fulls, but many of them dug through their bags to build 1 mini s'more at a time.

Both "little" boys celebrated birthdays already this fall. In their new schools they are asked to bring non-food party pass outs. On a hunt for inexpensive trinkets to give Gabe's class we came across a 90% off summer clearance aisle. These little octopuses are intended to be pool diving toys. Gabe and I had recently enjoyed reading Octopus' Garden together and he thought these guys looked like fun additions to his animal collection. We bought enough for his whole class and made birthday tags to attach for delivery day.

"I am glad to be swimming in the same school as you."

Since starting Kindergarten Gibson has been obsessed with writing numbers, reading numbers, adding numbers, and occasionally thrilling an audience with the multiplication facts he has memorized. We came across a package of 30 new tangram puzzles in a thrift shop and had to grab them for his classmates even though I was not quite sure at the time how we would work them into a birthday theme. It didn't take long to come up with a tag idea making this gift fun for his classmates and appropriate for celebrating a 6th birthday.

Anne Hope is already brainstorming non-food ideas for her February celebration, but first we need to come up with "22 Things" for the kids' classroom Christmas stockings!

Suggestions anyone?

Designing Christmas Photo Cards: Pear Tree Greetings

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sun, 16 Nov 2014 02:17:00 +0000

Disclosure: Pear Tree Greetings offered A List Maker's Life gift credit to try their holiday greeting card design and printing. The following account of my experience with their service is based upon this gift. Any opinions included here are my own.

When it comes to holidays I am a "one at a time, please" kind of gal. Thanksgiving deserves its full attention before all of the Christmas decorations and shopping begin. Based on the displays in every store we visited during today's errands, I may be one of the only people still holding out, with one little exception...

As soon as our fall family pictures are taken I can NOT wait to design and order holiday photo cards.

(singing)

For the first purchase of Christmas,

my true love ordered me

photo cards from Pear Tree Greetings

Pear Tree offers a fantastic selection of including religions Christmas, vintage holiday, and modern holiday designs. In addition, there are New Year's designs for those who prefer to send greetings after the Christmas mail rush. Many cards include real foil accents to give traditional designs and bold fonts extra shimmer! If you intentional shop for something unique the banner greetings may be of interest. Those who enjoy writing holiday letters will appreciate being able to incorporate extended text in several Pear Tree designs.

In the past I have used my own photo editing program to design a card, saved the image, and dropped it into a blank template provided by the printer. With Pear Tree there were so many options to love I chose to use their design program exclusively. It may have taken me a bit longer as I arranged and re-arranged different pictures into multiple layouts. So much fun! I typically prefer simple designs with only one large photo, yet as you will see Pear Tree offers unique options for incorporating many pictures in one card.

This design process also offered options for font, message, artwork, and color within a pre-designed layout. I loved the freedom to chose a design knowing any text could be edited and rearranged. This isn't always the case with online printing services. Even the color of the text could easily be adjusted. My Saved Projects page filled quickly. Narrowing down my selection was the most difficult part of the ordering process. However, Pear Tree offers orders as small as 20 cards per design making it possible to order 3 different projects within our budget. As a side note, the price per card does go down with larger batch orders.

Our lovely cards are printed, shipped, and hanging out in their box. I peek in on occasion to admire the print quality, fun colors, and sweet smiles. My next mission will be assigning which designs will be headed to which mailboxes. Followed by addressing. Lots of addressing.

But.
First, we are going to enjoy celebrating Thanksgiving!

Do you mail photo Christmas cards? Have you placed your 2014 order yet?
I want to hear about it!

Is your Christmas tree already up?
Lets not talk about it!
(wink)

Hospitality: What Does It Mean to You?

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 20:03:00 +0000

A favorite painting has been displayed in each of our homes since we were married. When it was professionally framed we chose a saying from Hebrews 31:2 to caption the art work. Maybe we are entertaining angels unaware. The notion of hospitality has always intrigued me.

Early in our marriage attended a class where experienced women mentored young married women on the importance of prepping our home, hearts, and dining table to welcome others hospitably. Every week we were treated to the most delicious meal plans, cooking tutorials, delightful conversation starters, and beautifully set tables. It was really quite a gift and I looked forward to opening my home so graciously someday when our dining room table and grocery budget could accommodate the demands of proper entertaining. Hospitality took on the form of event planning in my heart and mind.

Pinterest served to raise the bar higher. Setting a great thematic table and using only photo worthy serving dishes became an important part of my expectation for inviting others to visit. Someday we would be ready to play " hostesses with the mostesses," but for the moment it was too much to try to keep my counters cleared, desserts in the freezer, groceries on hand for the three course menu plans I filed away from my class, and seasonal place settings ready at all times. But, if I am truly hospitable that would all be in place for any one who might happen to stop by at any time. Right? The reality was our small home didn't have enough table space to even invite our parents to dinner and good luck finding 8 matching glasses to set a lovely table.

I gave myself permission to believe someday was acceptable, after all hospitality isn't my gift.

Yet.
¹²Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Romans kept reminding me to pursue it.

And.
8 We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth. 3 John opens our eyes to the importance of inviting our small group in even if all 16 kids have to snack on a giant picnic blanket on the living room floor.

Last fall we found ourselves in a difficult situation when our house sold faster than we could make a decision on a new home. We were welcomed as a family (of 6!) by a couple who could easily have considered us strangers for the little they actually knew about us.

Yet.
They shared everything.

And.
They always welcomed our conversation. With their limited "free time" they made us feel like we had all of their attention as we worked through figuring out the next best move for our family.

My view has shifted. Hospitality doesn't require a party planner, a table cloth with candles, 8 matching forks, or the perfect dinner playlist. It might just be an open door, attentive conversation, eye contact, and an environment intentionally created to feel a bit like home. It may look like chai tea and dress up clothes at the table - a table which isn't loaded with appetizers and (gasp!) might have breakfast crumbs under it.

It is not my gift can not be my justification. Our family is wrestling with what it means for us to practice hospitality. We are considering how in addition to being a haven for relaxing and refueling for our children, how our children might recognize the importance of welcoming others to relax and refuel in our home. We don't know how it will look, but we are looking for opportunities to practice true hospitality. We want to expect less of our house, our food, and our decorations. Instead we want to expect Love to show up.

"Bo Do Bleep" in a Minion Mayhem Suite: Loews Portofino Bay Hotel Kids Suites

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 30 Sep 2014 03:33:00 +0000

Typically when we travel as a family the accommodations get the short stick in the budget. We search online deals and group marketing sites for the least expensive rooms we can find and cross our fingers they won't be too bad when we arrive. Just another reason why we especially look forward to Family Forward. In addition to amazing entertainment, delicious dining, quality programs, and great people we know Loews Hotels can not be beat! The attention to guests, thematic experiences, and comfort of the rooms is like no where we have ever stayed before.

During this year's Universal Orlando experience our expectations of a great hotel stay were far exceeded when we were gifted an extended stay in an upgraded suite. Kevin and I were thrilled for the kids to be able to sleep in Gru's rockets and live the movies even while they were dreaming.

"Authorized Minions" are welcome to a virtual tour of the newly renovated Kids' Suite at Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando Resort.

The vault-like entry door separating the rooms raised the "kid thrill-o-meter" even before they stepped foot into their half of the suite. Just beyond this door the carpet is inlayed with a minion welcome mat and true to size minion decals create silly scenes all over the walls.

Tucked into a cubby on one side of the room, Gru's large steel desk offers a perfect place for studying park maps, plotting out adventures, and putting together toys collected as souvenirs. In each corner of the room is a unique industrial looking lamp.

Sleeping accommodations in the minion room included two full size beds. The bright yellow bedding was embellished on the ends with throw blankets made to match Gru's notable grey striped scarf and bright blue throw pillows which serve as a reminder of Loews commitment to making even the littlest guests feel like "1 in a Minion." The attention to details is remarkable!

The other side of the room holds an oversized, red chair designed to replicate a chair from Despicable Me. Our kids didn't spend much time relaxing in it, but they sure did enjoy reenacting movie lines as they spun dramatically from back to front.

This particular suite included access to a small balcony over looking the water - a great spot for watching the water taxis scoot back and forth between the hotel and parks. The kid sized table and chairs is ideal for snack time or a room service breakfast.

The suite isn't all about the kids though. Parents will appreciate the serenity of the décor and the king size bed in the adult suite. This room also had a small table, an oversized foot stool, and a pull out sofa bed.

There was something amazing about being able to close the door on our minions and their bed jumping mayhem, while we enjoyed a quiet moment and a diet coke in our fancy glasses.

Cheers to the perfect balance of excitement and relaxation all in one great suite!

There is more than one Minion Mayhem Kids' Suite at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel. After looking at pictures from another Family Forward attendee it seems important to mention the rooms are not exactly alike. The two suites I have seen have many of the same delightful details, but the layout may be a bit different from room to room.

#ohmeoflittlefaith*

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 18 Sep 2014 02:03:00 +0000

Just a few days shy of his 4th birthday our littlest babe took his first steps into the big, wide adventure of preschool. His back pack has been stuffed and hanging next to the others since the 1st of September - the promise of, "yes, you do get to go to school this year too!" and the reminder of "how many days until school starts?"

"There will be tears tomorrow, " I warned Kevin. Certainly not for Gabe though. His smile couldn't have been bigger as he finally took his turn posing for the back to school mamarazzi.

A bit tentative upon his arrival at Little Hawks, Gabe wasn't interested in any more photos by the school sign. He needed to find his hook, his name, and his tag.

While his teachers prepped him for our goodbye and offered him many opportunities for getting involved in activities Gabe became a frequent momma hugger. I was concerned this was the precursor to a crying fit. I bent down to let him know face to face he would have a great time and I would be back soon. He spoke first, "One more hug mom then I need to go play." Gabe was as worried about me being alone as I was worried about him being safe and happy. This is where I would have expected my tears to come. I smiled and walked to the car.

Talk about feeling lost. Gabe and I have probably spent more one-on-one time in his 4 years than I've spent with all three other kiddos combined. Thank goodness for my scheduled appointment to fill the morning's hours. The nurse asked how my kids were doing? How old are they now? Is everyone in school? This may have been when I expected tears, round two. I smiled and told her all about Gabe's exciting first day of school.

Walking in for pick up I watched as Gabe waited patiently for his name to be called for dismissal. He jumped up and ran to me for another big hug.

"I got a book order. We went on a hike. I saw fish. I played with Ms. Carlee. I have friends named Isaac, Valentine, and Axel. We had chocolate milk and strawberry cereal for snack. I painted. I want to show you the birds..."

On and on he went, right there in the school coat room, answering all the questions I typically ask the big kids when they arrive home from school without being prompted by my actual questions. Still chatting as we headed out the door he froze in his tracks "I forgot to say goodbye. I have to go say goodbye." He popped his head back in the coat room and in his loudest, happiest voice shouted "Goodbye teachers. Goodbye friends."

Then the two of us hopped in the car to head home for lunch.

"I Love School, Mom!"

I smiled and those most expected tears fell at the most unexpected moment.

*Taken from my back to school post on FB.

There were many heavy days in 2010, before I met him face to face, when I worried and wondered how our newest babe's firsts would look and feel for both of us. Today was another "more than we could ask or imagine" day. Gabe had a wonder full first day of school! #ohmeoflittlefaith