Have you ever?

Have you ever tried to put a red crayon through the dryer with your laundry load of lights only to find large red splotches all over your clothes? We did today. Not on purpose, of course, but we did nonetheless. It also created an artwork of color in our dryer barrel. Like looking into a kaleidoscope.
Lots of goo gone. Oxyclean. Soaking and soaking and soaking. Most of our clothes are salvageable. We were thankful that this load was almost all pajamas or socks. Crayon is much worse than chapstick. Burts Bees or cherry!

White Chocolate Macadamia Choas...

I had a victim friend come over yesterday to help me with my share of our latest fundraiser. We are making homemade cookie dough by the quart to fill orders collected last week. My selected dough was the white chocolate macadamia nut. 29 quarts! An afternoon of dual kitchenaid stand mixers humming along. Lots of chatter from the 5 children. Lots of laughing from the two barely sane mommies. Two semi-used 25 lb bags of flour. Stacks of egg cartons. Boxes of white chocolate chips. A large Tupperware bowl FULL of macadamia nuts. Bag after bag of brown sugar. Box after box of butter. A newly revived appreciation for sticks of Crisco as opposed to the bottomless tub we used. Four hours later, we were cleaning up the mess and staring at the towers of finished product! It was a long day, but so enjoyable. I love my dear friend. And I love being done with large projects!

Silent reminders...

On the ride home from dropping Calla off at school, I told Amelia I loved her. She responded, "I love you, too, Momma. I'n not be naughty for you today, K?" I teared up. I know she means to be good, but her curiosity almost always wins out.
My own conscience was also pricked. Her response - I will obey because I love you - reminded me of how often I do not obey the Lord even though I say I love Him. Shouldn't my love for Him drive me to a desire for obedience? And I too often fail. Because my flesh wins out all too frequently. Too tired. Too frustrated. Too emotional. But just like me and my little two-year-old blessing, God is willing to forgive me and love me just the same.
So will I fail today? Yup. Will Amelia act naughty? Yup. But we are both thankful for love. And paper towels.

Another first...

Thursday was our Parent/Teacher meetings with Calla's teacher. It was a first on this side of the desk. Parent/Teachers were always nerve-wracking for me as a teacher. The anticipation of what confrontations just might happen. It was too much. However, I relived those same butterflies when preparing to sit down as a parent. What was she going to say? All good things...I pray. Does Calla talk too much and disrupt the class? Does she have a sassy attitude? I know she is doing well academically. But more important to us as parents is how she is responding to a new authority in her life while we're not around.
No worrying necessary. She is doing well. Our meeting lasted all of 10 minutes. She is completely acclimated to the classroom and the work. She is obedient. (I insert a silent "woohoo" here!) She is just starting now to get too comfortable and chatting a little more in between lessons.
And then there's the chasing boys at recess thing. But that one is still boggling me...

Sometimes...

I wonder how it is that I keep my sanity.
So that I don't allow some of you to believe that maybe Amelia's antics are letting up in recent days, I will relay to you some of the things that happened in the last few days.
Saturday was a water adventure to say the least. Amelia found new delight in the water fountain and was soaked down one side of her body from the top of her head to her knee. Later, she had a bathroom mishap while I was in a meeting at church. I went home and got her change of clothes. No biggie. Accidents happen. About 7:30, I was in search of her because she had been unaccounted for during the last few minutes. She was found in the ladies restroom with her cousin. They had emptied the entire bottle of soap - onto each other and the floor. Then proceeded to attempt to rinse it off. Could I get that mop AGAIN please? When disciplining her, I realized she had also wet her pants. AGAIN. Too much fun being had or the running tap water?? That was my breaking point. Pack up our things. Get a ride home for Cory. Put a plastic bag on the carseat. Give a bath. Straight to bed. Chalk one more day done on the "Momma log."
During my "computer time" this morning, Amelia retrieved the toothpaste and had it squeezed into a large mound across her rug. Pink. Sparkly. Dora toothpaste. At least it smells yummy.
She also soaked her outfit today during an impromptu hand-washing session in the downstairs bathroom. The night culminated with yet another bathroom accident. Maybe I shouldn't say that the night is finished yet. She is still awake, leaving room for one more...

Precious memories...

Today my dad has been gone from this earth for 5 years. It seems like yesterday, and yet it feels like forever. I miss him every day. I miss having him during "grandparent moments." Birthday parties lack his jokes being murmured quietly in the corner. My pictures lack his glowing smile. My heart longs for his company. I miss him. But I am thankful that he is in my memories. I have him on videos. On portraits. Every time I have a special remembrance of him. A location. Or situation. Or line. Something that brings him back to full life. Sometimes I see him in me. Sometimes I see him in my kids. And I am thankful. I still have him in my heart.

Matchbox Derby 2008...

I officially completed my first fundraiser in charge!
What a relief it is to have that "first one" under my belt! It was a huge success. More profit than previous years. Fairly smooth in running. And everyone had a great time! There are always some modifications to be made, and those have been noted for next year. But I can actually say I am looking forward to the Matchbox Derby 2009! That's a great sign...right?
I am so grateful for a group of people around me that are so willing to volunteer. There is such an atmosphere of service in our church and school. What a blessing that is!

Something new...

If you are a fellow sufferer of severely flaky dry winter skin, I have found something unexpected that actually works for me. I was too excited not to share my little treasure. Calla and Cory questioned why I had my jar of baking soda in the bathroom. I read in a magazine...isn't that a great way to explain things? Take a little baking soda into your hand and rub it into your skin. Use a wet washcloth to gently exfoliate. Then rinse. It is wonderful! And it's been in my cupboard all this time. And at the risk of sounding like an infomercial, "Try it! It really works! I will spare you the, "It changed my life" line.

A child's productivity displayed...

Amelia and Calla both had their own individual projects going on this lazy Saturday morning. Amelia was constructing a "really, really big tower!" While Calla was re-stacking the toilet paper rolls after she opened the package and they scattered across the floor. Amelia saw Calla's handiwork and had an average 2-year-old thought. "All things that are stacked up are fair game for knocking over..." She went bowling into them and knocked every one down. Calla, my emotional little love, fell to pieces right along with her stacks of t.p. She was so heartbroken. She immediately reprimanded Amelia. "That was not kind. You need to not do that ever again." As she stacked the rolls back up, her little mischievous sister stood watching. With a twinkle in her eye that did not go unnoticed. Calla looked to her, through tear-stained eyes and said, "Don't knock them down again. And stop standing there looking at them like your gonna knock them down!"

Revival Choir...

I love to sing. I never was able to master playing an instrument. I did give piano a try. Twice even. But I can sing. I enjoy singing. I have been singing alto in the choir since the 7th grade. I know most hymns by heart. So when it was posted that our Revival Meetings would have a choir, I immediately signed up. The evangelist brought a music director with him. Doyle Robertson. What an amazing man with an amazing gift! We meet a half an hour before every service and learn a new song. This has been a test of my abilities. Stretching my boundaries. I cannot sightread. Not well anyway. I know music by "street smarts" alone. I could pick out notes and name them if given sufficient amounts of time and a #2 pencil. But this crash course has been challenging to say the least. Our choir, most nights has consisted of 10 people. 4 sopranos. 2 men. 4 altos. I have a voice that carries naturally, but I have depended on a stronger alto to cover my botched notes while I drop out for a note or two. That is not going to happen this week. When I drop out, you can hear it. When I sing a wrong note, you can hear that, too. But I have learned much from our director. He has been very informative. Very encouraging. Very precise. Down to on-the-dot promptness. I am also learning that the purpose of a choir is to begin a service of praise. I need to remember that people are not there to see if I hit the right notes (though it does help) but are there to hear from the Spirit of God.

Revival Meetings...

Our church began revival meetings on Sunday morning with Dr. Rick Flanders. We actually began preparation for them last Friday when a group of members came together to pray for revival in the hearts of those in our congregation and beyond. Saturday was a choir rehearsal for the "Revival Choir." Then we came to Sunday and hit the ground running.
Each message has been such a challenge to me personally. Sometimes I feel the need to be refueled. I am often out of services because of a ministry God has called me to serve in.
Our church is also in a "transitional" time. Transitional for us, but God has a plan for this flock. Our pastor resigned from the church in August and is already busy serving in his new congregation. Our newly comprised Pulpit Committee has been meeting biweekly and has called our first prospective pastor to come in November. We are united as a congregation. We are excited for what God has in store for Faith Baptist Church. But we are thirsty. Hungry. In need of revived growth.
In due time...God brought us Dr. Flanders.
The time had been established almost a year in advance. God's timing is perfect!
Two of the thoughts that have struck me square in the face:
Sunday a.m. - God never he said He would not give us more than we alone could bear. There are plenty of examples to be given of people burdened beyond what they could bear. He does promise, however, to give us the grace to bear it. We must turn to Him. He also promises we can do all things through Christ.
Tuesday p.m. - As a lesson from Job, we cannot be fully used of the Lord until we are able to say, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him." We cannot always know why we go through a trial. It is not for us to even reason. We must know that God is in control. And we must be able to say whatever He has for us is what we desire, no matter what the circumstance. The Lord giveth and taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

A novice photo shoot...

So, I decided to try my hand at taking the girls pictures myself. I got several great shots, but not many that would be "close-ups" for frames for family. It was a gorgeous fall morning and the girls humored me for over an hour. These are some of my favorites. Let me know what you think.

My mom came to town...

I always look forward to spending time with my mom. We don't see each other too often anymore. This visit was to commemorate our milestone birthdays this year. I turned 30 in September and she turned 50 in October. All too often our visits are chaotic and rushed. But when she comes our way to visit, we spend a little more time relaxed. We were even able to steal away on Friday for some shopping and long car chats. We are never at a loss for conversation. She loves me and loves my kids. She can give encouragement to me in so many areas. She is always able to say things that boost my confidence and make me happy. I had a wonderful visit. I love my mom.

The Tooth Fairy...

Since Calla lost her tooth, I encouraged her to write a letter to the tooth fairy explaining why there was no tooth in the glass. I came home from my shopping trip to this adorable note.

From Calla
To the Tooth Fairy
(You can also see the "usual card" mistake at the top...Happy Bi -no,no-)

The inside reads:

I through(sp)my tooth away Tooth Fairy.
Make this card be the color of your wings.

Cory tried to discourage her that the water would change but not the card, but she still wanted to try. This Tooth Fairy simply left her "print" on the paper the same color as her wings. A purple heart. Yep. The water turned purple. Calla bounded down the stairs this morning to see if the Tooth Fairy had made an appearance.

"Purple water, Mom! and she colored on my paper, too! She even left me four quarters. I can't wait to lose more teeth!"

Job well done, Purple Tooth Fairy!

Belly-buttons and baby teeth...

Today was an eventful, uneventful day. Amelia was coloring pictures for various family members in the dining room this morning. Her new-found treasure is markers. She is only allowed to use them if an adult is near her. So throughout the morning she would call out, "Momma, you still down here?" Yep, I'm right here. Waiting to see if it is at all possible for this two-year-old to use markers and NOT make mischief. Several minutes passed without incident. She even brought her papers to me for inspection. On the last picture she also revealed the art on her arm. I cleaned her up and put the markers away. Several hours later, I spied some more marker on her tummy. She had colored in and around her belly button with green and red marker. Possibly getting into the Christmas spirit early?


Calla has had her first wiggly tooth for several weeks. She has been wiggling it with her tongue and had it completely tipped forward as of yesterday afternoon. Cory tried to pull it out, but it was still tucked away pretty tight. When I picked her up from school, she covered her mouth and said she had something to tell me. Her new nervous habit is covering her mouth. Being the ever trusting and confident mom, I thought she had gotten a "star" taken away in class. She relayed the story of losing her tooth at lunch. Yeah! Your first "Momma tooth is coming!" (as she has dubbed them.) I have been itching to put a fun Tooth Fairy practice into play in our house. One delicately lifted from the Tackeberry clan traditions! However, my daughter swallowed her tooth! She didn't even realize it was gone until she went to wiggle it with her tongue and felt a gap instead of a tooth. Upon further investigation, she realized she bit into something hard at lunch and spit it out into the garbage. "Don't worry, Momma. The tooth fairy still found Ella when she swallowed her tooth. She even got 5 doughnuts for it." It somehow isn't the same without the tooth...

Crazy days...

There are some moments in life that you instantly think, "This will be a funny moment someday."
A dear mommy friend reminds me that I need to respond, and not react to these daily situations. It is amazing how often I have to repeat that phrase to myself. Amelia seems to keep me in constant supply of "stories" to tell. She is mischief. Curious to a fault!
Her recent antics include markered art on a friend's shoe rack. Emptying a full sippy cup over the couch cushion. Lip gloss doubling as hair gel. That was this week alone. And today she decided to try momma's makeup. Mascara all over her face. Unfortunately, she did the entire thing while soaking in the tub. My makeup bag was completely submerged. Most of it is ruined. Eyeshadow doesn't take well to bathing. So, react or respond.
Take the bag out of the water and slowly remove it's waterlogged contents. Wash the two-year-old's raccoon eyes with a soapy washcloth and console her when it stings.(a small lecture on cause and effects was inserted here!) Get her out of the tub and resume with the rest of the day.
One day out of the few that I have with her. She's a little girl. She is learning from these experiences. It is up to me to make sure that she is learning the right lessons.What to touch and not to touch. But also, what reactions, umm - responses, we have to daily situations.
Now, how to hone that little girl's curiosity into a workable talent...

Waiting for the other shoe to drop...

I had just been talking out my thoughts to a dear friend about this eerie feeling I had been having. Sometimes I am amazed at how the Lord will prepare our hearts for something even weeks in advance. The verse rings true...He will not give me above that which I can bear. I believe he prepares us first, and then walks us through the trials. How important it then is to be in close communion with the Lord before the trials come.
Our newest turn of events came this week Wednesday. Cory was called to a mandatory meeting and told his company is closing down. 60 days. It is relieving to know we are in the hands of the One who owns the cattle on a thousand hills. The One who cares for even the sparrows. The One who watches the lilies grow. God loves us. He only has our best in mind. Unfortunately, His thoughts are not our thoughts and we do not know what the future will bring for us. A new job, for sure. When, we are uncertain. Where is another thought. For now, we rest secure in knowing that His way is perfect. Please pray for us that we will be good stewards of our finances in the meantime. That we will be able to seek the Lord's direction in the following weeks. That we continue to trust in His plan.

School...

The white backpack with red hearts.

The cupcakes.

Calla and Miss Brill.

Calla and her classmate, Ella.

Calla and her cousin, Abby Grace.

I have been through my fair share of the first day of school. But the first day of school 2008 has, by far, been the hardest. I have been anxious for this day since my niece went to school last year. It reminded me that Calla's turn was coming.
In August, we took the garage sale money we made and went school supply shopping. A few weeks earlier, I had asked her what kind of backpack she wanted to find. "Maybe, a white one with red hearts. Or a white one with pink flowers with yellow middles." Yikes. Could we possibly be more generic. Purple. Pink. Nope she was set. Well, she miraculously found a white backpack with "burgandy" hearts on it. She was in love. It is the size of a small toddler, but she had to have it. Hopefully it lasts her quite a few years, or her tastes last quite a few years. We filled it up with horsie folders, pink erasers, a Hello Kitty lunchbox, and a fun Strawberry Shortcake pencil box from Amma per request.
Well, yesterday, it came as planned. Calla was so excited that she leaped out of bed and was fed and dressed within a half an hour. I made cupcakes for her to share with her class. She put her heavy backpack on and reluctantly posed for a few photos. Off to our very first day of school in the Cory Veldman household.

The lake...

The cutesie cheeks shot.

The kids' awesome sand volcano, with aide from Aunt Amie.

The missed shot.

Poor Neil. I gave him a run for his money.
Eventually, I turned to start throwing to Cory to let Neil catch his breath.

We are blessed to live so close to Lake Michigan (or Michigan Lake, as Calla calls it). Yet, we never seem to make the 10 mile journey to the lakefront. This Labor Day, we took the family out to the lake for dinner. We met Cory's brothers and their families for an evening by the water. I will preface the next few statements with the fact that I did thoroughly enjoy myself. However, I do know why we don't frequent the beach. I hate eating outside. Especially if there is sand involved. I also loathe wearing a swimsuit, especially around people plan to ever see me again. Lastly, I have a strong fear of deep water. There are stories to be told about this fear, but I'll leave those to Cory. He so delights in my weaknesses. But, my fear is magnified when it comes to my kids. The thought of them near the water...anyway.
The kids played with the dads in the water, so that fear was squelched.
I didn't go swimming, and the swimsuit remained tucked neatly in my dresser drawer. Dislike #2 was pacified.
There was a decent amount of sand in my food during dinner, but two out of three ain't bad.

County fair...

Our annual tire picture. Check out the growth since last year's shot.

Katie's horse.

The "big kid" rides. That's Calla in the center with two girls from church.

Bliss in a cup.

Granpa Cratchet from the annual puppet show.

It was a beautiful Labor Day weekend for the County Fair 2008. We decided Saturday would be our "day at the fair." We walked from end to end. All the barns. All the exhibits. A lot of the freebies. Too much of the food. Everybody has their favorite part. Amelia loves the cows. Calla loves the horses and the rides. I like the exhibits and the smiles. Cory likes the food. Ok. We all like the food.
This year, we spent a great deal of time at the horse stalls. Calla couldn't get enough. We met a young gal from the school who was showing her horse. She let Calla pet it, feed it a peppermint or two, and hold its bridle. We also watch the jumps and then toured the other barn as well. Hours of time with the horses. She is so anxious to join 4H so she can ride, too. Luckily, kids have no sense of time. She has to be seven before she can join. That's a lifetime in kid years.

Humor of the best kind...

One of the wonderful things about my dad's family is our heritage. My grandmother was English. Her humor was dry as a bone. It is awesome to see this humor remain in so many of my family members. Dad was king of the one-liners. So, the wedding brought together some relatives from the other side of the pond. One of my greatest moments of the trip was standing in a circle with relatives. Everyone taking turns with their best jokes. I will try my best to remember some of them correctly. Please note, these are best and most hilarious, when spoken with a British accent.

Why did the elephant paint his toenails red?
So he could hide in the cherry tree

Why did the elephant paint himself blue?
So he could hide in the bowl of blueberries

There were two fish in a tank.
One said to the other, "You take the wheel. I want to try the gun."

What is yellow and extremely dangerous?
Shark-infested custard

The trip...

Last weekend, we took a long trip to Michigan. My cousin was getting married and there were lots of festivities to be had. We had some new technological toys for our trip. Cory found free trinkets once again. He ordered himself a GPS and a portable DVD player for me. It sure made things a little less dull. The only kink...yep, there was a kink...the girls' headphone cables weren't long enough. They were constantly having to readjust their headphones. Calla had a little extra annoyance from a little sister's wandering foot that mysteriously found its way toward her headphone cable, continuously! Our 6 hour trip once again took us 9 hours. It is inevitable for us. The trip home was a breeze. We were right on schedule. Chicago traffic was uncharacteristically light. And Uncle Jim kindly bestowed NEW DVDs for the girls to watch. We even stopped at an outlet mall before heading through Milwaukee. We did arrive home in the reoccuring 9 hour marker, though. We had to stop for dinner...

Happy 60th birthday to my father-in-law...

We had a surprise birthday get-together at my brother-in-law's house. My father-in-law turned 60 this year and we decided he needed a celebration.
He is a wonderful example to those around him and deserves a little recognition. He also needs to know just how much he is loved.
We invited friends and family to gather and surprise him. A sign posted at the first intersection leaving his subdivision was the first hint. He knew something was going on. I believe the words he spoke were, "I wonder what else those boys are up to?"
We had an enjoyable afternoon. And I think Dad knows we love him!

So much to say...

The truth of the matter is...I have a lot to say. I just don't make the time to sit down and say it. I will often think, "I should blog about that." So once again, I will catch up my blogging world on the adventures of August.

Happy Anniversary...

Just wanted to publicly show my hubby how much I love him. My complete match.
Happy 8 years, Cor! I love you.

New, yet old, resolutions...

I know it isn't January, but there is always room to make new resolutions. Mine came at the beginning of June. I have begun to realize how quickly my 30th birthday is approaching and I would like to be in better shape. I want to start moving more. Simple enough, right. I am trying to walk as much as possible. Park days. Friends' houses. Cory and I even took the girls biking this morning. We were graciously offered a tag-a-long bike from a church member so we tried it out today. Calla's forty-some pounds were felt during those treks uphill. Otherwise, it was a lot of fun. And we got moving...on a Saturday...in the heat. Now I have to keep it up.

Simple Pleasures...

Ahh, the Easy Bake Oven! An ingenious way to make little girls squeal with excitement and moms sigh in annoyance. A tiny little packet of dough. Lots of flour to prevent sticking, Six or seven nickel sized cookies. Thoroughly pleased children and a large mess to clean up for the supervisor. We generally avoid bringing out this toy, but Calla had Chrissy over for the afternoon and it was begged for. They loved every minute. I, on the otherhand, spent most of the time away from the table. I get a little anxious watching the messes being made. The cookies came out without a hitch. Unless you count the hole in the plastic tablecover that said supervisor made while dropping a hot "pan" of cookies. No cookies were lost in this incident...