Cicconeland

Happy Valentine's Day 2011

2012-02-14T19:05:00.001-06:00

Started with breakfast

Party with Caleb's class

Post supper workout

Not pictured...the man who made it all possible! Thanks Timmy, my tallest valentine!

Trader joes test run

2012-01-31T12:24:00.001-06:00

We finally got to tryout trader joes. I wasn't overly impressed, but also was pushing a screaming, yet adorable, baby girl!!

They gave me stickers for the kids & Josiah put one on the sleeping baby.

On the lookout for daddy

2012-01-30T16:39:00.001-06:00

After a weekend in Chicago for a conference, daddy is due home any minute & the friendlies are waiting!

He made it & the giggles ensued!!

Smiles

2012-01-28T09:36:00.001-06:00

We dropped daddy off at the airport this morning, then a quick stop at McDonald's on our way to the club. Samantha is all smiles in her cute bow!
Caleb enjoyed a 'snack'!
Josiah enjoyed the play area most!

Samantha's 1st tea party with her brothers

2012-01-24T19:12:00.001-06:00

Samantha got this cute tea set from Tim's auntie June at Christmas time. Her brothers opened it up for her today & wanted to have a tea party before bed. I'm sure this won't be the last tea party they attend with her.

Josiah has been playing with Samantha all day

2012-01-24T13:28:00.001-06:00

Today, Josiah decided he really wanted to hold & play with his sister! She liked most of it.

New glasses

2012-01-18T16:38:00.001-06:00

They ordered the wrong color, but caleb is very excited about the change

I will support her...no matter what!

2012-01-17T08:45:00.001-06:00

Cute hand me down outfit from my niece, Emma. It was a gift from me to Emma, I didn't realize it would make it back to me! If Samantha decides to cheer...I'll support her, but believe me, I'll strongly suggest a different sport often. :)

It's winter?

2012-01-10T15:47:00.001-06:00

winter picnic

while daddy's away

2012-01-07T17:40:00.001-06:00

samantha enjoys her bottle @ Jack in the Box

while daddy's away

2012-01-07T17:39:00.001-06:00

josiah enjoys his cheeseburger & oreo shake @ Jack in the Box

While Daddy's Away

2012-01-07T17:38:00.001-06:00

caleb enjoys his long desired triple cheeseburger @ Jack in the Box

Ciccone Family 2011

2011-12-05T13:48:00.001-06:00

The annual Tim Ciccone Family Christmas Tree hunt & cut turned into an entire Ron Ciccone Family photo shoot, with our student of ours, Hananiah, who is a Jr. in our student ministries @ Hillcrest.

samantha

2011-11-17T11:00:00.001-06:00

samantha is into the taste everything stage!

6 Months old & Faulous

2011-11-16T20:14:00.001-06:00

Samantha is sitting up all on her own & is able to pick things up & get them into her mouth, she has to see how everything tastes!

These days are all about multitasking & laundry is no exception. Samantha enjoyed a ride in the basket with the clean clothes & then asked me for 1 more ride! Love her!!

Gramma & Grampa were able to come down to visit in late October. Samantha is enjoying Grampa's smile & conversation.

Samantha enjoyed her 1st bonfire in the backyard.

samantha & her hair bow

2011-11-03T14:58:00.001-05:00

all ready for her 1st flight!!

4 Months Old, Large & in Charge

2011-09-10T14:45:00.000-05:00

At 4 months old, Samantha is weighing in at 18 lbs. 5 oz. and her little cheeks and legs are proof!

She is a happy, smiling, giggling little girl who LOVES your attention. She'll talk to you as long as you'd like, just keep eye contact and smile in agreement so often & she's all good.

Her brothers are giving her lots of attention and just love reading her books or showing her new toys. Her favorite toy right now is a pink shiny rattle. She's learning to hold it, but especially likes it when you shake it for her and she can watch.

Our 3 Kiddos, all in row. Samantha IS wearing a hairbow!

So Beautiful

One of My favorites so far

Sitting with a flower from my garden


So pretty


Samantha's Aunts are the Best

Reading over daddy's shoulder


Great shot of those rolly polly thighs

samantha & her hair bow

2011-08-31T17:28:00.001-05:00

Samantha's biggest hair accessory yet!

Family vacation to Michigan 2011

2011-08-09T14:36:00.001-05:00

Me, the handy dandy navigator/food distributor/referee/feeder/pillpw fluffer, will insure everyone gets to their desired destination in comfort & as easily as possible!

Family vacation to Michigan 2011

2011-08-09T14:33:00.001-05:00

Our trusty driver, Daddy, will get is there safely.

Family vacation to Michigan 2011

2011-08-09T14:31:00.001-05:00

After some encouragement, Josiah too has fallen to the pillow!

Family vacation to Michigan 2011

2011-08-09T14:28:00.001-05:00

Eat & Sleep, that's what sweet Samantha likes to do on road trips!

Family vacation to Michigan 2011

2011-08-09T14:22:00.001-05:00

6 AM has caught up with Caleb & he's zonked!

Smiling Samantha

2011-07-30T14:17:00.000-05:00

words aren't really necessary for this blog post, but being a girl of many words, when it comes to my sweet kiddos, I'll say a few things!

Samantha is a sweet baby girl - still not fussy & still adorable & delightful

Bless you!!

She continues tolerate her big brothers, with all of their noise, hugs, kisses and attention.

We are all enjoying her giggles & smiles

Caleb likes to count how many smiles he can get each day.

She's a beauty

weighing in at 13 plus lbs, she's eating awesome & sleeping even better. Samantha has started to schedule her naps from about 830-1130 and then 2-5, going to bed for the night about 8 and sleeping most nights until at least 5, then back to bed after eating until about 730. She's EASY!!

Oh my goodness, she can make me smile, giggle and just be at peace while feeding her, holding her, or just sitting still looking at her. She's angelic!

Happy Adoption Day, Samantha Maria Ciccone

2011-07-13T21:23:00.000-05:00

It's amazing to believe that our 3rd adoption process is finalized and complete. God has been so good as He has walked with us through the decisions, situations and opportunities that have come our way during this waiting time for our sweet girl.

She is officially a Ciccone & in the wise words of a dear friend, she has been Cicconeized during her Cicconeization ceremony, July 8, 2011!

The day began with an early morning travel to Topeka for her 9 AM hearing with Judge Yoman. Our attorney, Samantha, and our social worker, Sharon, met us at the courthouse. Our friends, Nate & Kirsten, with their 3 boys, followed us to Topeka and were our supporters at the hearing too. It was great to have friends there, experiencing the final steps to Samantha's adoption journey.

Tim was called to the stand to give testimony to our intent, understanding and desire to adopt sweet Samantha Maria & I was brought to tears of joy, as he acknowledged our love and joy to have Samantha in our family.

I had to laugh when our attorney was asking Tim the questions on the stand & one of them was something to the effect that, 'do you understand that Samantha will have all the rights and privileges as your other adopted and biological children and will be entitled to receive your inheritance?' I think Tim looked over at me & smiled, cuz, we always joke that our inheritance is our children! :)

The hearing concluded, we took the pics with the judge, visited in the hallway with our attorney & social worker, and said our goodbyes for now.

We then headed to a long time Topeka greasy spoon, Hanover Pancake House.

We filled up a long table with all 10 of us & enjoyed a great brunch before heading home.

It was a great day and we are thrilled to have the process final and Samantha as our daughter - she is a joy already!

Caleb's crafts

2011-07-11T15:35:00.001-05:00

Caleb's little dude he made today! I love his creativity!!

Samantha takes her nap well!

2011-07-04T12:44:00.002-05:00

sweet baby put herself to sleep for naptime! That's my girl.

Samantha's 1st 4th

2011-07-04T10:28:00.003-05:00

Happy 4th of July! Samantha's 1st Burley ride & her 1st 4th too!

Samantha's 1st 4th

2011-07-04T10:28:00.001-05:00

Happy 4th of July! Samantha's 1st Burley ride & her 1st 4th too!

Samantha sleeps well

2011-06-30T07:31:00.001-05:00

samantha went to bed when the boys did last night & slept last night from 830-1 & 130-7! she is an amazing girl!!

Josiah entertains his sister

2011-06-27T18:59:00.002-05:00

Josiah entetains his sister!

One step closer...

2011-06-22T13:13:00.002-05:00

official documentation recieved today of samantha's placemement with us, her parents! I am continually blown away at God's provision for our family. glory to Him for the smooth adoption process.

Samantha Maria Adoption Hearing Set

2011-06-20T18:29:00.001-05:00

July 8th is our court date in Topeka, to finalize Samantha's adoption! Praise God for our sweet daughter & a smooth process!

Loving our family of 5

2011-06-10T23:02:00.000-05:00

A friend at church was taking photos for a new church directory & was so kind as to shoot us up a bit!

Ciccone Family of 12!!

Josiah's 4th birthday move!!

2011-05-31T16:39:00.000-05:00

Josiah is 4 - February 26th that is... from maria mommy on Vimeo.

Happy 7th Birthday, Caleb!!

2011-05-29T15:08:00.000-05:00

I remember the days when I thought people with 7 year old kids were....I don't know, just had old kids. They were my age, so it wasn't old that I was thinking, I just couldn't imagine having a 7 year old. Well, now I have a 7 year old & he is amazing & boy do I love having him. Caleb is an amazing big brother, a compassionate friend & a sweet son.

Caleb had a great 7th Birthday and when Tim was asking him about his day, before bed, Tim asked, Caleb - did you have a good birthday? Caleb responded with an astounding OF COURSE! He then when through the list of fun things we had done and the great decorations the 'birthday fairy' had done in the night. It was very sweet to listen to him recount the days events as he gave us big hugs and told us thank you. Those are the moments we, as parents, wish we could bottle up to listen to throughout the years.

We are excited about what this next year has in store for Caleb.

Samantha Maria Ciccone - May 8, 2011

2011-05-15T09:44:00.000-05:00

Oh what a beautiful baby she is.

She arrived as a sweet Mother's Day gift to me @ 3:26 pm, born in Topeka, KS, weighing 6 lbs. 4 oz., 10 fingers and 10 toes. She's healthy and beautiful. Her delivery was quick and smooth. She has a perfectly round head and has been eating, pooping and sleeping right on schedule with her age.

Moments after Samantha was born

Samantha's first bottle

Family of 5

Big brother

Josiah tries to help feed his sister

cuddled up in a blanket great gramma darsie made

We were able to take her home from the hospital just 24 hours after she was born. All the necessary paperwork had been signed, the judge had awarded us temporary custody and the Dr. had cleared her for a healthy baby release to go home.

Since we got home, she has been easy, relaxed and doing everything she should be. Her cord fell off today, so, we don't have anything to be 'concerned' about or watch any longer. Exciting things for an infant!!

stories with auntie lori

stories with mom

napping with auntie lori

Auntie Kirsten comes to visit

She's had lots of visitors, including Auntie Lori, who drove down from MN for a day. We are looking forward to Gramma Pam & Grampa Rod coming to visit next weekend, followed by The Ciccone Clan the following weekend, then Auntie Lori, Uncle Bryan and her cousins the next weekend. The fun is never ending!!

Big Brothers watch over her

We love her to pieces and look forward to the many years of smiles she will bring. Our Sweet Samantha!!

Baby Update...

2011-05-03T15:42:00.000-05:00

We just got word this afternoon that baby girl Ciccone will be arriving Sunday, via induction, at the latest. She is progressing toward delivery, as of today's Dr. appointment. So, we are getting ready!!

thanks for you prayers!!

Baby Girl Ciccone

2011-04-27T15:39:00.000-05:00

Hello, world!!! The Ciccone family is growing again...we are superbly excited to announce that our Baby GIRL!!! Is due to be born May 12, 2011! Stay tuned for late breaking news & updates as we have them. We NEED your continued prayers through this process. So, thank you in advance! Love you all.

This is not a picture of our baby girl, but this is a picture of how old she is & how developed she is this week.

We can't wait to meet her!

I felt like I was talking to God - in loose terms

2011-04-06T21:48:00.000-05:00

Funny story today...
After meeting Tim & Josiah @ Chick Fil A, to drop off Caleb & then head back to work, I headed out of the parking lot to the light, waiting in a line of about 10-15 cars to make a left turn at the light. So, I waited patiently, as all the other lights changed & the cars continued to line up behind me, until there were at least 50 plus cars all waiting on this light. Finally, after being patient for 4 minutes, I decided it was time to take action!

Some of you might think I jumped out of the truck, ran up to the stoplight & fixed it! Nope, not today. I went to my maps app on my handy dandy iPhone & searched for...'Traffic', hoping to find the phone number for the man behind the curtain who operates the traffic lights in our city.

I was amazed that it pulled up the location & phone number for the City's Traffic Control Division! So, I called....AND somebody answered! Whoa!!! She was super kind, listened to my calm description of where I was & what was happening. She transferred me to the correct person, who also listened to where I was & what was happening, she asked a few questions about what was happening. Then she says 'oh, yes, I see the long line of traffic & it looks like your light is being 'skipped''.

At this point, I am feeling amazed that I actually was able to find the right place to call, got to speak to someone & now she was 'looking' at me & the situation. AMAZING!! So, she says that she will be sending out a tech to repair the problem. I said, 'Great, will that take a while, should I turn around & get out of this line, or will this be an instantaneous fix?' As she is responding, the light turns green, we get a green arrow & I tell the lady on the phone, 'Hey, It's green, it's working...Did you do this, or did it just fix itself, sorry to bother you'. She responds 'I just did that' - I then start, mildly, freaking out on the phone to her and telling her she's amazing & all these people that are now on their happy way, are thankful!

Instantly I felt like the hero of all those people & was laughing at the fact that they, of course, should all be thanking me for being brilliant & looking out for them. They just went on their merry way, without so much as a smile! AT LEAST nobody honked at me.

I feel a sermon illustration coming on about the many things that God does every day in our lives and in the lives of all people, that no one notices or realizes that God is in control.

That's my story of the day!

What you got?
--Maria

Josiah is 4 - February 26th that is...

2011-03-21T13:55:00.000-05:00

We celebrated Josiah's birthday this year while being on a high school retreat in Colorado.

So proud to be 4 & loves his cookie cake!

Josiah was bashful for his 'happy birthday' song, which was song by our students that were on retreat in CO with us.

silly man

adorable

For Josiah's birthday, we flew, as a family, to Colorado, where Tim was speaking at a high school retreat, PowderBurn 2011.

We spent the 1st night in a hotel in the Denver area. Always a nice treat!

breakfast @ the hotel

swim time in the morning

browsing at the pet store

the tired birthday boy as we drove up the mountain.

bunkbeds @ the camp - Yeah!!

playing in the snow with new friends

Josiah borrowed a headlight flashlight & loved it. It's the simple things!!

Helmets on, ready for tubing

Josiah LOVED tubing. The faster the better for this 4 year old!!

the magic carpet ride up the hill was a hit

Josiah loved that Dad pulled him in his tube & preferred the head first ride.

Here we go - video...

Mommy & Josiah

Warming by the fire after some fun tubing.

Sweet thoughts from Caleb

2011-02-22T22:50:00.000-06:00

We (Caleb, Josiah & I) were driving down the road today & we saw a little car...Here is the conversation that followed:

Caleb: Mom, What kind of car is that?
Me: A Smart car.
C: No, What KIND of car is that.
Me: A Smart car.
C: No, it has to have a name like a Windstar or Explorer (he pays attention to the cars we've had, I guess).
Me: It's a Smart car. That's just what it's called. Sure is small, isn't it. Do you think we could fit in there?
C: Well, I definitely think we could fit in there, but Big Tall Laurie sure would have a tough time. She'd have to duck down really far.
Me: You are right, Caleb. It would be more difficult for her, wouldn't it?
C: Yah, I don't think she'd like that.
Me: You miss Big Tall Laurie?
C: I do.
And we were on to the next topic.

Big Tall Laurie is a sweet friend of Caleb who lives in Michigan & has clearly made a lasting impression on his life. She is a great friend and was such a great support to us when we lived there until Caleb was 3 years old.

Happy Valentine's Day 2011

2011-02-15T11:50:00.000-06:00

Snow Dayz!! Even in KS or is it Only in KS

2011-02-02T21:42:00.000-06:00

Grampa Rod & the boys built a snowman this past weekend - before our latest snowstorm

Josiah is a super shoveled

Sledding at a friend's house

So, growing up in Minnesota, we dreamed, prayed & hoped for a snow day & day off from school. I honestly, don't remember ever getting one, but I do remember a couple days we were sent home early, but it was some amazing heavy snow that was coming down at a rapid pace.

Caleb is about ready to shovel the driveway by himself! He likes it.

Caleb sledding

This week's snowdump

Keeping this in mind, you can understand my surprise for Caleb to have had 4 snow days already, his 1st year of school. I'm not complaining, because I love having him home, but none the less, when we wake up in the morning & there is no snow on the ground, but school has been cancelled he night before!

The boys grabbed ski poles to walk through the snow

after over 2 hours of shoveling & playing, the driveway was cleared & the boys were snowcovered.

I completely understand why they do such things, here in the 'south', but it is still cause for chuckle in our house. So, we shovel with joy & enjoy the excitement of snowy road driving. It's a great time to go to the grocery store, Costco, Lifetime Fitness...run errands for friends who grew up in the 'south'. Today was a fun day just like that! I laughed as we were shoveling the driveway & Tim is snowed in @ the Hyatt in Chicago. Convenient! However, this is the 4th snowfall of this season & he has been around for the others. I actually let him do the shoveling for one of those.

Shoveling is a favorite pasttime, but today, I was wishing for my snowblower. I Love Snow!!!

More Quotables...

2011-01-19T14:14:00.000-06:00

Josiah & Daddy:
As we are leaving Lifetime Fitness the other day, a car in front of us does not follow the signs that say 'Do Not Stop', as you are leaving the road out of the parking lot - it's like most mall entrances - one direction of traffic always has the right of way. The conversation went like this:

Daddy: Come on Lady, you don't have to stop, keep movin'
Josiah: Dad, why is that Lady always in front of us?
We are both silent for a moment...
Mommy: Yah, DAD...why IS that LADY always in front of you.
Daddy: Laughing Oh, Son, I'm not sure!

The rest of the drive home was filled with laughing and realizing just how many times Josiah must hear Tim say those same words on any given drive. Josiah's ears are sharp!!

Josiah!!

2011-01-17T20:58:00.000-06:00

Sweet Josiah

Josiah had me (and Caleb) in stitches the other night. I can't remember the identical conversation, nor would it be nearly as funny in print, but I am contemplating setting up a video camera to record his in-depth, mature, conversation skills.

Josiah's swimming skills continue to amaze and frighten us. He now swims the length of the pool with ease & he is very in control & confident in the pool. Time for swimming & diving lessons!!

Josiah's mannerisms, body language and hand gestures remind me of myself in many ways & it's really funny to see them mimicked in a 3 (almost 4) year old.

Josiah found great joy in the singing 'cowboy' Santa lately - I'm happy to report it is now packed away until next year, but we enjoyed the singing and dancing from our Josiah.

I captured Josiah in his Sunday School class a few weeks ago - they were a wiggly little group!

Cute none the less, as with all stages, I wish I could bottle up 3 years old.

We are happy to be back at Lifetime Fitness & getting fit & doing lots of swimming!! Thanks, Dad!!

Quotes of the Day

2011-01-03T15:38:00.000-06:00

Josiah - "Mom, want to come see my big Poop?"
Maria - "No thanks, Buddy - I'm good."
Josiah - "But Mom, you like to see my Poop!"
Maria - laughing "Alright, you got me...let me see the poop". wiping his buttocks "Wow, that's a big one, Josiah, is that all you have, just one big log?"
Josiah - exasperated sigh "No, Mom, there was another little one, but it's hiding behind the big one."
Maria - "Great, Josiah. Ba Bye, Poop" flushing

Maria - "Caleb, how was your 1st day back to school?"
Caleb - "Great, everyone had new shoes!"
Maria - chuckling "That's cool, must be a great Christmas gift for Kindergartners."
Caleb - "The new boy from Africa is named Isaac."
Maria - "Cool, did you talk to him?"
Caleb - "Yah, we played monsters together."
Maria - "That's awesome, way to go, buddy!"
I'm very proud of Caleb that he played with and helped make the new boy feel welcome - Way to go, dude!

Lake Tahoe Vacation 2010

2010-12-09T20:56:00.000-06:00

Lake Tahoe 2010 Vacation

Word's cannot express the joy and peace we felt while we were on our first family vacation to Lake Tahoe. Out of the kindness of their hearts, a couple at church gave us a week in their timeshare. We had a fabulous time being together as a family.

We were able to find a couple great places to sled. The boys loved going out the doors of the 'cabin' to play in the snow and sled (dangerously) down the hills by the cabin. Caleb has the skinned chin to show for it! Ya know, it's just not fun unless someone gets hurt, right?

One of our days, we drove out to visit my grandparents and aunt & uncle about an hour and a half away from our cabin. It was so great to see them & where they live.

Our entire trip was fabulous & we would jump at the chance to do it again!

Living Simply so others can Simply Live

2010-11-23T12:31:00.000-06:00

Happy Almost Thanksgiving! These pictures are snaps from Halloween, and unrelated to the post below, but they say kids & puppies get people's attention & honestly, who doesn't love to see a picture?

This is a great post, given to me, second hand, from a friend of mine in MN, Corrie Luebke.

It speaks to what I often times am struck with and believe to be true. Not everyone will agree, but that's ok. It's still a good challenge.

Living Simply so others can Simply Live

The Waiting....

2010-11-10T07:27:00.000-06:00

This morning, we prayed, kissed, cried & sent Dad into the hands of his surgeon, Dr. Tell & his expert team. Dad will be having his heart surgery (triple bypass) today @ Mercy Hospital. Surgery starts @ 730 a.m. & as we are waiting, I thought of the Dr. Suess book - Oh The Places You'll Go...this specific section.

You can get so confused

that you'll start in to race

down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace

and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space,

headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.

The Waiting Place...

It's nothing spiritual, or even profound, but it's what popped into my head.

We have been & are encouraged by all your prayers & comments.

Kijabe, Kenya - Phase 2 of our adventure photos

2010-10-27T20:54:00.000-05:00

Click on this link to go to the Flikr site, if you wish....
Phase 2 - Rift Valley Academy, Kijabe, Kenya

Africa Adventure - Photos of Phase 1, Korr Kenya

2010-10-26T19:49:00.002-05:00

Check out the link to my Flikr Photostream for all the photos... Africa Adventure, Phase 1 Photos

outside the Propst home (bathroom behind me)

Alicia, Claire & Maria on our walk to their' adoptive Mama's Min

Tim & Maria with their adoptive Mama in front of her Min

Maria giving pounds to the kids in the Gobp (village)

Just a sweet girl with Maria, she attached herself to me during Cultural day

Laura Propst, Ameena and Maria in front of Ameena's house

Jim & Laura Propst, Maria, Lynn & Nick Swanepoel

Kijabe, Kenya - Phase 2 of our adventure is complete....

2010-10-18T13:55:00.000-05:00

So, Our Adventure continued, on to Rift Valley Academy on Tuesday, October 12, 2010...

The School Bus, with Tim posing for a picture opportunity

We were picked up at the Mission Aviation Fellowship Hanger by the RVA school bus & we were joined by 16 students who were returning to school after their semester break.

My view out the side of the bus

Of course, the photos do not do the traffic, nor the congested nature of the roadways justice, but trust me, the on coming traffic was extremely close.

Notice the thumbs up for the 'Muzungu' (white people)

One of the towns we drove through on our way to RVA

I had the exceptional privilege of going to 'the valley' with JanaMead, Jeanne Brennan & their friend John, a Kenyan National, who works with widows in the valley, encouraging them through food distribution on a random basis. I had the delightful opportunity
of meeting these widows, some of their children they are supporting, which was anywhere from 3-9 children. We brought them food, some needed $$ to pay the school fees for the children who had been sent home because they hadn't paid their fees & we prayed for them. What an honor and delight to meet these woman who work so hard and love/care for these orphans.

Cows & goats were in the middle of the road in the IDP (internally displaced people) camp in the Rift Valley

View of RVA from the Valley...

Rift Valley Academy is the group of red roof buildings

I got to go to the Village Market (shopping mall) just outside of Nairobi with Jana Mead and Jeanne Brennan & their 2 friends. They were a part of a Quilter's Guild @ the Mall & I went shopping @ the Masai Market with Jeanne - she was my bartering encouragement. I had a blast!!!

Masi Market @ Village Market

On the way back from the Market, DeeAnna insisted on getting an ear of corn from the vendors along side the road - I thought it was average tasting at best, but certainly did not miss the opportunity. The most entertaining part of the experience was watching the vendor play chicken across 2 lanes of traffic to get the corn to us. He was successful, so it was all good...well except the corn.

Field corn...on a stick? Well, it's actually just the stalk they don't remove, but nonetheless - an experience.

More to come - gotta get photos from Tim's camera too.

Korr, Kenya Update

2010-10-13T04:04:00.000-05:00

We have some down time right now as we wait for our transport from Nairobi to Kijabe today. So, I'm excited to give you a brief look into where we've been since Wednesday, October 6.

Our flights getting to Nairobi were great. Long, but great. Our stops were minimal in length & I believe we went through security at least 5 times, but never left the airport - we were the most secured fliers in the sky~!

Waiting for our flight out of London Heathrow - Thursday 8 AM London Time, 4 AM our body time.

We arrived in Nairobi without a hitch & sailed through the Visa line at a snails pace, but with no hiccups.

Waiting in the passport line @ Nairobi airport - Thursday, October 7, 930 pm, Kenya time, 130 pm body time - minimal sleep!!

Our sleep @ the Mayfield was brief, but it was sooooo nice to stretch out for a few hours & have a nice shower before heading to Korr.

Our room @ the Mayfield Missionary House - we slept from about 11 pm until about 6 am (Tim a little less).

We lightened our load, leaving most luggage at the Mayfield and went to the Mission Aviation Fellowship hanger to board our plane to Korr.

Tim in front of the Mayfield Missionary House, our backpacks ready to head to Korr - 745 am.

Whoa...this is our plane.

Our plane to Korr -Tim's taller than the plane & the pilot commented on how we were @ MAX weight!!

We were packed in, no doubt - had to hold my backpack on my lap, I'm ready for the adventure. I just kept telling myself, 'It's just like riding in a go-cart'...

The flight was amazing and smooth, with lots to see because we were so low flying.

Village in the Korr area, we are getting close to landing in Korr

Typical Rendille woman, carrying her sticks and collecting as she walked. These are possibly part of her Min (hut) she is building/repairing in her Gobpe (village)

The student's feet. All the students had shoes, although some very worn & all very dusty/dirty.

Tim speaking to the students in Korr during a session.

Playing 'Me - Switch'

Tim had a fun time trying to instill the concept of not cheating during the game.

Tim walking into the darkness of Korr -it's hard to capture darkness with the camera.

Riding in the back of the truck was much cooler than riding in the cab. I loved it!

Tim a.k.a. Mr. Dessert Man, ready for any adventure

Kids @ the cultural day, they loved having their picture taken and then looking at it on the screen.

Can you find Tim? These are our students, dressed in their cultural clothes & beads for cultural day.

Maria with the girls all dressed up in their beads for cultural day.

This little girl attached herself to my side for the day.

Tim, just being Tim with one of our students in Korr.

Africa in 5, 4, 3 days...

2010-10-03T22:41:00.000-05:00

Our Immunizations are complete...And, we leave Kansas City on Wednesday @ 120 pm - so the itinerary says!

The above picture is where we are headed the morning after we land in Nairobi.
The below picture is what our flight from Nairobi to Korr will approximately look like.

This picture is of the 2 most precious little children that God has given me & I will be praying for them unceasingly while we are in Africa & they are in the capable, loving arms of our family.

Please pray for them too!

Here we are, the 2 that are headed to Africa. Please remember us in your prayers.

We will be in Africa October 6-21, 2010

Where do you put things for safe keeping????

2010-09-13T18:19:00.000-05:00

Tim told me to 'write this down', and my blog seems to be the best place to do so.

Silly bands have entered our world & both boys are excited about them, to say the least. Caleb bought them with some birthday money we found the other day & he has been generously sharing with his brother...This is a good thing!

this is a picture of the 'mystery' shape silly band

The other night, I told them both to take them off before bed - they just look too tight & I didn't want their hands to fall off over night. So, they did & went to bed.

In the morning, circa 6:45, our Caleb gets up happy as usual and wonders to the bathroom to go potty and get in his shower. As he's getting to the toilet, he reaches in the front of his underpants & pulls out a hand full of....Silly Bands!!!

So, I says to the boy, I says...Caleb...what, how, why are there silly bands in your underpants? He smiles cleverly and replies, Mom, I just didn't want to lose them. Good idea, son. Now, give them to me & get in the shower! Ok, Mom.

His first purchase of silly bands

Immediately, I run downstairs to tell Tim about the hilarity that just took place. He too busted a gut laughing and admiring the cleverness of our 6 year old! Gotta love that kid.

Kindergarten, Here He Comes...

2010-08-19T21:26:00.000-05:00

There's no doubt that Caleb was excited for his 1st day of school, when he came running into our room just before 7 AM. He was so excited to jump in the shower & get the routine started. He had requested pancakes for breakfast & had one giant pancake - plate size! He didn't quite finish it, however, and told Tim that he left a bit on his plate because he didn't want to have a fat tummy for Kindergarten. :)

The cutesie bulletin board - Dr. Seus & Mickey Mouse, very Kindergarten. The students' artwork will be displayed here throughout the year.

He found his desk (which he had chosen during PT conference on Monday) & began to soak it all in.

The cubby, of course!

I drug Tim out of the room, well, at least I was the one to say...Let's go! Caleb was comfortable & happy, which made me excited to leave him & hear about his day later.

So, off I went to work & Tim/Josiah off to church for some work.

We met back @ home to get to school promptly before 11:05 pickup time & waited anxiously for our big Caleb to come bouncing out the entryway doors.

In true Caleb style, he did not disappoint & came grinning from ear to ear out those doors & went sprinting to his dad & Josiah...I was across the parking lot, but got a running hug as well.

It was a fabulous day & Caleb gave it a for sure to go back again! This is the beginning of a bright school year for this young lad.

Lake Quivira 2010

2010-08-16T17:30:00.002-05:00

Here are the boys, swimming off the dock @ Lake Quivira. We had a great night swimming with our high school students @ the Lake!

Caleb swam out to the raft, by himself...

And here he goes, jumping off to swim back in...

Publishing House movies

2010-08-03T11:52:00.000-05:00

Tim's book being bound and the cover glued on from maria mommy on Vimeo.

The Final Machine from maria mommy on Vimeo.

Family Portrait from maria mommy on Vimeo.

Hot off the Presses....In Transit by Tim Ciccone

2010-08-02T16:26:00.001-05:00

We all went down to Nazarene Publishing House, home of Barefoot Ministries, for the printing of Tim's book.

This is one of the artists & he let the boys draw on his MAC drawing pad.

The tour was like being in our very own Mr. Rogers episode. We got to see all the steps of how they publish books & this was the day it was Tim's book!

We are so proud of our Timmy! Nice work, babe - you've worked very hard & this is very exciting.

4th of July Movie

2010-07-29T16:38:00.002-05:00

July 4th Weekend 2010 KC from maria mommy on Vimeo.

July 4th Weekend

2010-07-24T21:44:00.000-05:00

The weekend began with the Munter Clan arriving & we headed out to a Guy Fieri's bbq place he visited here in KC...RJ's Bob B Que - Delish.

Caleb Loved the Ribs!! - Notice the sauce on the cheeks

We headed out to Youngs Pool for most of the day, Saturday - Everyone had a blast!!

The kids were playing DunkORama with Uncle Bryan...

We found this great place to go watch a Free outdoor movie, but the movie was cancelled cuz of portential rain, so we hung out and ended up seeing some fireworks!

Our annual neighborhood parade was fun, once again - 2 years ago, the Munters rode the parade with us too.

Nate/Kirsten & their kids joined us on the 4th for a BBQ & fun times outside!

Tim grilled up a mean grill of beer brats & a delish pan of beans.

Caleb & Emma drew a fabulous Flag on the driveway

We had a great 4th of July weekend & loved having my sister and her family here to celebrate with us.

Caleb's Baseball Skills today...

2010-06-19T21:44:00.000-05:00

It's exciting to see Caleb develop his baseball knowledge and skill set this season.

He is very tuned in to where the play needs to be made while he's on defense.

Today he got to play first base & right field. Tim was the photographer & caught this play Caleb made to get the batter out @ 1st!

Caleb is 6 Years Old!

2010-06-05T17:28:00.004-05:00

Caleb's 6th Birthday, May 26, 2010 from maria mommy on Vimeo.

Mothers Day!!

2010-05-09T21:06:00.001-05:00

Mother's Day is great for many reasons:
Reflect upon our Mother's & smile
Enjoy the day with our own children
Dream about the children we will have
Rejoice with our friends around us who are great Mother's

My Mother's day was filled with some of the things I love:
Breakfast in bed - delivered by my boys & surprised with breakfast as I came out of the shower (I love surprises)
Church with my boys
Stories with my boys
Lunch with my boys - grilled by my hubby & my Caleb
Naps - Alone!
Outside fun playing tennis with my boys

What a fabulous day & a joyous reminder of how sweet life is as a mother of 2 boys!

Car Accident

2010-05-03T21:15:00.000-05:00

So, we had a absolutely wonderful morning! The boys & I went to church for our MOPS steering committee brunch, which means we get to drop the kids off @ church & head to a restaurant, just the moms, for a great brunch together. It was fabulous, energizing & refreshing for us all.

On the way home from church, we had a meal to deliver to one of our MOPS team members that couldn't come because of a sick child....So, we are driving down the road & all of the sudden cars were driving across my lanes of traffic!

Not sure why I didn't notice the seemingly, red? light...could it have been the conversation I was having with Caleb? Maybe the guy who annoyingly went around me because I wasn't speeding enough? Was it too sunny? My mind was not where it needed to be, so - I smashed into a 2003 Honda Pilot...

Both vehicles are pretty damaged & LinDan auto was my 3rd phone call, once I realized I needed a tow & wanted my car to go there for repairs...pretty sure I can't tackle this one on my own.

I don't quite recall my initial reaction, except after I hit the lady & 'got her out of my way'?, I proceeded through the intersection & to the side of the road to get us out of the way. I threw on the flashers & ran back to make sure she was alright. She wouldn't roll down her window, but said she was o.k., so I ran back to my van & the boys...Not sure what happened next, but I think I got back in the van, called 911 & got the police on their way. Then, I ran back to the woman & told her I called the police & they told us to get out of the intersection, so she moved her vehicle to the parking lot. I was so confused...what do I do next? My boys are o.k., they were just sitting in the van...not even crying. I called the insurance co., that's what you're suppose to do, right? At this point, I begin moving the debris out of the road - a few people honked at me! Seriously? My lands, people.

I then looked at the boys in the van & the traffic that kept having to go around our van & decided, they were probably safer out of the vehicle - Duh! So, I got them out & we headed over to the sidewalk until the police officer came & told me what to do next. His name was Dan & he was very kind, patient & watched the boys, while I went to get my paperwork out of the van. Turns out he's a north-easterner. Tim shmoozed with him a bit & he was so sweet with our boys who were star struck a bit.

Tim happened to be in the middle of an emergency @ church, so I called & left him a voicemail, which I guess was odd, because I was crying & apologizing & told him I hit a lady...He was thinking pedestrian. He called me back as soon as he could & was there by the time the tow truck arrived. In the meantime, I called my friend with the Biggest car I know...Kirsten to see if she could come get us? I wasn't sure if that's even what we needed, but none the less, she was willing & able, with the help of a neighbor to watch her own kids.

So, as the boys & I sat there, waiting for the police I held them tight & cried, just thinking about how thankful I was that my mistake had injured no one. God protects us & made us get safely through this lapse of responsibility on my part. Once they tired of my squeezing, they found a couple sticks to combat with & they were having a ball.

So, as Tim & I have been processing this together & he's been listening to me work through the emtion of the accident, we really feel at peace with whatever happens. Certainly, we are not concerned about the car. It was the nicer of the 2 we had, so we kept full coverage on it - Thank the Lord for that good decision.

Many things to be thankful for today!

obedient children
a husband who has a great perspective
fabulous friends who are already holding me up in prayer & in tangible ways
a loving, Heavenly Father who knows our future & has the best plan for our life & seemingly likes a challenge!!

Stay tuned for all the God has in store!!! - We Are

Adoption Profile!!!

2010-05-01T15:23:00.001-05:00

So, here is our Adoption Profile...missing a couple pictures on page 4 (they're coming this week). This is what birthparents will look at (along with a detailed 'report' about us, written by our adoption supervisor) & determine if we are the family they are looking for to raise the child or children they are carrying. Pray that this profile is viewed soon, by the right birthparents.

Thanks for your support & prayers!!

Garage Sale

2010-04-28T21:03:00.000-05:00

Prep work for the garage sale - we had fun, sorting through all the amazing things our friends donated to our Garage Sale!!

I named Laurey, Garage Sale Director - she was amazing at organizing & coordinating our help. She was the mastermind behind fitting everything creatively into the garage!

I went through the entire package of stickers - 306 of them!

Kirsten's confused as to what Laurey's talking about....bags? how much??

We've got BAGS coming out of our ears!!!

The only thing I could do was Price, Price & Price...the rest was too overwhelming & much better handled by our 'garage sale director', Laurey A Kiehne

So, at the end of Saturday, I don't know how many people we had through our garage, but it was NON stop on Friday & a little slower on Saturday with the rain.

Grand Total for the weekend:

$2,000.00 plus

I am still selling things, daily via Craigslist.

Thank you to all our donors & helpers, we could not have done this without you.

Caleb's 1st Loss

2010-04-15T21:28:00.000-05:00

Our sweet 'baby' lost his first 'baby' tooth.

Los Angeles 2010 with Hillcrest Student Ministries

2010-03-30T14:16:00.002-05:00

3:15 A.M., March 14th - Alarm clock goes off - I jump out of bed (afraid of oversleeping & missing my 4:15 A.M. shuttle for my 6:30 A.M. flight). After a nice shower, clean clothes, some toast & tea to go, my Shuttle Van to the airport arrives!! Nice conversation with my first stranger of the week, a nice young man, in KC on business, traveling back home to Denver (my stop on the way to L.A.)

On the flight to L.A., I was able to listen to a book Same Kind of Different as Me, a story of a modern day slave, who gets himself free, but with nothing to his name, finds himself homeless & eventually seeking assistance via the local mission. This was a great insight into the world we were going into on Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles.

We lived in South L.A., in a warehouse type building with no windows...it was safe feeling! I was so happy to have a bed to sleep on and indoor plumbing, so it was just great. I enjoyed being a part of the neighborhood and feeling like we were really living among the people of that area. Just to make us feel a little more at home and a part of the city, we were just across the street from the commuter train, which started about 6 a.m. every morning.

Our daily schedule included heading downtown to walk the streets, work with the local missions, hang out with the children of the community in their after school programs, enjoy the different areas & ethnicities of the city as well as some of the great things that L.A. has to offer.

Annie, was one of our friends that we met & were able to have lunch with one of our days. She was a sweet lady, who found herself living on the streets, after being evicted from her apartment when it was renovated & turned into up scale condos. She's a mother, grandmother, sister and friend to many. We enjoyed our time with her & her friend Frank. They prayed with us before we left them, we prayed that Annie would be able to get a new battery for her wheelchair (hers had been stolen) & that Frank would 'get around to' getting his new glasses that he needed.

I also met & got to talk with a man named LK (Long Kane) @ the diner where we ate lunch with Annie. He is an articulate man, born & raised in Georgia & had come to L.A. to pursue his writing passion. He was kind & moved his composition book so I could sit next to him in the diner. I loved chatting with him & he was kind enough to chat with this mid-westerner.

This makes me think of my buddy, Ronnie, the newspaper stand worker who asked me to run across the street & get him some scrambled eggs for breakfast. He kindly put the $2.25 in my hand & said (in your best southern drawl) have them cook them lightly, you know, throw them on the griddle, stir them & take 'em off...quick like. I smiled, ran across the street, ordered up the eggs (for which I had exact change) & ran them back to Ronnie before they got cold. He thanked me & I ran back to catch up with the rest of our group. I later walked by Ronnie's stand again & he asked to have our picture taken by his friend, an aspiring photographer in Los Angeles.

We shared breakfast with Vern one morning, the same morning I brought eggs to Ronnie. Vern has been back & forth between Georgia and L.A. for the past 15 years. Most recently he came to L.A. to bury his mother & has no desire or reason to go back to Georgia. He is a master carpenter, but also loves his alcohol, so he has, unfortunately drank his family away & his most recent wife is doing time in a CA prison for killing her most recent husband. It was great to talk with Vern about his life & his belief in God.

Our opportunities to serve were amazing & focused around the people of L.A. We were able to serve @ the Midnight Mission on skid row by doing a bit of food prep (chop/chop) & then serve the approximately 500 people who come through their for 3 meals a day (we served lunch)

One of our ministry opportunities came in the form of helping 'Sister' Luz & her International Missionary Outreach unload/load/unload & distribute this van full of clothes & food. The van is loaded/unloaded/loaded/unloaded every week, as she receives many donations that are brought back to her house, which is full to the ceiling, with donations of food/clothing/household items. So, we got to help her do a part of that work that she does every week. It was amazing & a little overwhelming to see that amount of stuff she had to manage & turn around. Here we are rehearsing for the service we would lead @ the Filipino Cultural Center with Sister Luz - she's on the far right of this picture.

Driving in LA was a blast & makes me realize just how many people do NOT live in the MidWest. Coming back to Kansas City driving, I was thinking...'where is everybody' & 'these parking spaces are HUGE'. Funny the things we realize when being thrust into new adventures & circumstances.

We were able to go to some great spots around the city for our nightly debriefing time. This was a time to reflect on the events of the day, as a large group, and talk through what we had experienced as our 2 separate groups. So, Tim & I's groups were together during this evening debrief, so we got to see some of the great sites of the city together. This is a picture of us @ the Water Courts in downtown L.A., beautiful park area, overlooking the city & surrounded by skyscrapers.

Another night, for debriefing time, we went to the Griffith Observatory great view of the Hollywood Sign views overlooking the city & the skylines of LA, Hollywood & Santa Monica - you could really see the massiveness of the city from up here...just another eye opening experience.

We had a great time reenergizing and unwinding with a visit to the Santa Monica beach as well. This is a picture of me with our Freshman girls that came on the trip. What a great week hangin' with them & working together.

Our final day @ the CSM housing site, we took a group photo in front of the mural that is painted inside. I guess we kind of covered it up, but it's a mural of the city & the faces of the many different people that live in L.A.

Josiah is 3

2010-03-02T12:13:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday, Josiah....on February 26, Josiah turned 3 years old!!!

We started with the Birthday fairy visiting the night before Josiah's birthday, while he slept. She decorated his door & around the house.

Birthday ice cream with Gramma, Papa, Uncle Steve, Uncle Tom, Auntie Beth & Cousin Clark.

Caleb was so excited to help make Josiah's birthday cake. Josiah helped too & enjoyed the beaters after too.

The finished product, complete with a 'Josiah' action figure!!

cuddling with Laurey while lunch gets ready.

Kirsten, Will, Jay, Ty & Mckenzie came over for present time, cake & ice cream. Josiah loved having some friends over to 'help' open gifts!The birthday prince

daddy was the gift opener helper...be sure to read the cards!

Laurey helping Josiah open his gift from her. She painted a plate & bowl with his name.cool robot & bumblebee pj's from gramma & papa

cool dude sunglasses from Gramma (the sunglasses queen)

The grand finale gift from Mom & Dad...Spiderman skateboard with helmet & pads to match. Now he's really ready to brake a leg!!

So much fun while Dad's out of town

2010-01-28T14:51:00.000-06:00

So, Tim's been at the annual Covenant Connection/MidWinter conference for Covenant Pastors, but that hasn't stopped the boys & I from having a little fun!!The boys played in the muddy yard...check out the boots, Auntie Lori!!

Long baths alone so everyone got their own play time!!

Date night - we were headed to a concert, but when we got to the venue, we were literally a 'day late & a buck short', so we headed to Crown Center for some Sheridan's Custard!! Yummo...

New Underpants for Mr. Josiah, who decided he was done with Diapers...Fine by me!!Test driving lawn tractors @ Sears, what a great way to pass the time!

A little hat fashion show in the women's department of Sears, Why not? I did not take any pictures of the bracelets they found, or the dance moves we broke out in the aisle, but you can use your imagination for those!

Yes, I was there chaperoning these 2 yahoos as they ran through the almost abandoned Metcalf South shopping mall. What a great place to let loose. Now, if we could only get them to allow bikes in there...now that would be fun!

I noticed a crooked tooth in Caleb's mouth on Monday...this picture doesn't really show you, but it is the bottom middle one on his right (our left as you look at this picture). We laughed pretty hard when I 'freeeeaked' out about it & made Caleb promise that it would NOT come out until Tim got home. He still thinks it's funny to tell me it's gone & watch the look on my face. This also began the tooth fairy questions. No, Caleb, the tooth fairy is not real. He then asked me to make sure that dad & I give him money for his teeth then! Smart little dude...an afternoon @ the Peterson's while mom went to the office for a few hours. the Peterson's have 5 kids, the youngest of which is Caleb's age & they are buds. The older siblings love Caleb & Josiah & they all have a blast when they get together.

And finally...Caleb making some delicious chocolate chip cookies as a treat for Dad when he comes home tonight. The boys are excited to have daddy back & that they get to stay up until he gets home!!! Hopefully that is on time.
Another successful week of Dad being gone, but we are so happy he could go and spend the week with some much needed encouragement, conversation & learning. We love you Daddy!!!

All in a days work...

2010-01-15T22:15:00.000-06:00

With manual in hand...Maria took to the minivan and changing out the alternator.

The project began on Monday & was complete with a running van on Thursday! Sounds like brakes on the truck are the next try for this new, aspiring mechanic!!

On another fabulous note...My husband is amazing & continues to bless my socks off. So, I came home from work on Wednesday & he was outside cleaning the snow and water away from the driveway as it was melting quickly. He greeted me sweetly & told me there was a surprise upstairs for me. I thought it would be my sweet little boys ready for kisses, but no, they were sleeping soundly for their rest time. He directed me to the kitchen, so I thought, oh the dishes must be done..No, wrong again...He had Baked a Cake - his newest baking endeavor, Peppercocker cake with a carmel drizzle sauce. It was delish & a sweet surprise.

The moral of this story....Maria is now the auto mechanic, working in the garage & Tim is the household chef! This is not necessarily a role reversal, as Tim has never been in the garage working on the cars & Maria has never been in the kitchen baking, but none the less, we are both enjoying the new challenges we are finding in our lives.

Funny Sayings of Josiah & Caleb

2010-01-14T09:59:00.001-06:00

This will be an ongoing post...

January 13, 2010...Caleb says to his brother, Josiah...'You can't be in the newspaper'. Josiah responds...'Why not?'...Caleb responds...'The government says you can't be in the newspaper'.

Where does this come from you might ask? Well, I had just got finished telling/explaining to Caleb that he & I were going to have an appointment with a woman about him being in magazines (modeling). So, in true big brother fashion, he was taunting his little brother saying that Josiah couldn't be in newspapers (magazines). Great minds - I love to see them at work.

January 13, 2010...Superheros at work. We had Joshua & David, the superheros of the house, seeking out all people with bad intentions. All of the sudden, unsuspecting mommy is ambushed with shouts of...'Get her, Joshua...we are superheros and need to protect our planet from these evil girls'. Quite offended, as the sweet little mommy, putting away the clothes of these 2 superheros, I turned on them! The chase was on & Mommy did prevail. Their capes were no match to my supermommy strength.

Santa Clause is coming....to Town!!!

2009-12-25T12:31:00.000-06:00

Well actually, he came to our neighborhood.

Here he comes....

We waited outside, playing in the yard, in hopes that St. Nicholas would pass down our street. Then, low & behold, here he came with not reindeer, but a caravan of a convertible playing Santa music, Santa, not in his sleigh, but in the back of his red pickup truck. He was a jolly old man, with plenty of cheer and candy canes for the boys! What fun it was to see him pass by our way.

Merry Christmas, Santa & Thank you!

You can take the boy out of Michigan....

2009-12-11T13:21:00.000-06:00

But you can't take the Michigan out of the boy!These are the words that kept going through my mind, as Caleb & Josiah were outside the minute they got home & shortly after our first snowfall began. Caleb kept saying, mom, I've Got to play in the snow & today, he asked if this was the last day the snow would be here. Truth is, you never know when it will come or go & he has learned quickly that you MUST enjoy it while you can. So, every available minute...he's out there, with his brother close behind.

All bundled up & ready to go!!!

The cutest toddler on the block - warm in his 1980's winter gear, thanks to our Michigan friends!!

And today...I was a little worried - didn't want to take anyone to the dr. for a broken something. But...It went off without a hitch & looked really fun. There were all giggles and smiles, so must be good.

Then inside for a warm up with delicious homemade hot chocolate - Seriously, best stuff I've ever tasted! Yummo...

Thanksgiving with the Ciccones

2009-12-08T11:00:00.000-06:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend, starting with a friend, Becky, arriving Wednesday & blessing us with her giggly joy.

The cooking & preparing began Wednesday night with a few make ahead sides & dishes....Yummy!!

Thursday we rolled out of bed with the boys and ate a nice breakfast, then turned on the Macy's Thanksgiving day Parade! I love the parade & the sound of the parade in the background while preparing the Thanksgiving feast.

We planned to eat about 330, so the 19lb turkey went in the oven mid-morning. Delish smells!!

Our friend, TJ arrived early afternoon to enjoy football with Tim and to hang out with the boys until our Feast was ready. TJ brought over a delicious pie for us all to enjoy after dinner.

The boys napped early, then we got ready and enjoyed our delicious Feast. It was all yummy & we enjoyed being able to share the day with our friends & family.

Josiah enjoying his special drink for Thanksgiving! Bottoms up...

So many things to be thankful for this season, as we now anticipate and are getting ready for the birth of our Saviour!

Happy Thanksgiving...

Happy Birthday Mom!!!

2009-11-11T07:59:00.000-06:00

Halloween - in a nutshell!!!

2009-11-01T20:00:00.000-06:00

Halloween 2009 from maria mommy on Vimeo.

Josiah loves pudding

2009-10-26T18:15:00.000-05:00

This is Josiah...having pudding for the 1st time? March, 2009

I ran across these pictures today & just thought they were typical, cute little boy.

Good to the last drop....both the pudding & the boy! Can't get enough of Josiah's lovin' - He's got the best squeezes and sweet pats!!

A Few Days....

2009-10-15T22:54:00.000-05:00

So, our internet went down on Sunday, and we just got back up and running today. The coolest thing is...I've gotten quite a few things done during this involuntary vacation from the cyber world we all love.

In order to document this occasion, I thought I'd take a break and BLOG!!

Hope you enjoy...

Here is Caleb's 1st night of our Church's Wednesday night programming for 4 year olds - 4th grade, it's new this year and called KidsCrest Connect. During their 1 hour and 20 minutes at church, the kids sing their Bible verses, play games & have a snack. Caleb comes home 'jazzed' about something new each week & we are loving all the Scripture we are memorizing through song. This is the link to the website that has the songs we are all learning - check it out!!
Seeds Family Worship

I asked the boys, Caleb & his buddy, Will (whom we carpool with to Wednesday nights) to strike a pose and give me a thumbs up....this is what I got~ Nice work, Boys!!

We always ask the boys to wash before they eat anything, or when they come in from playing outside - so, this day was exceptionally cute, as big brother, Caleb, helped little brother, Josiah, reach the sink!

Clearly, Caleb was a little dirty or wet from playing in the hose, as he became pantsless once entering the house! Gotta love boys...

This was our 1st Monday of MOPS - Josiah had a little bit of a rough start, but got in the groove, obeyed & had a great morning.

Caleb was trying his hardest to encourage his brother to just smile for mom and the camera - he's usually a great encourager for his brother.

It was a great day and this year has been new and exciting with MOPS & Moppettes!!

Please don't grow up, Boys!

Signs that Grampa & Gramma were here...

2009-10-02T22:26:00.000-05:00

Happy Children - because Grampa played lots of games & read lots of stories. because gramma made goodies and found treasures at a garage sale. because they got to go to the cider mill for a hayride, apples, pumpkins, corn maze & Pancake Breakfast!!!
Treats hiding around the house - mom always leaves behind goodies. treats in the fridge, pantry, dining room table decor, well stocked shower! oh yes, and a well stocked laundry room!
Tired children - can't believe how much the boys sleep after gramma and grampa leave! 3 hour naps? Yippee....
New Books - nobody reads it like Grampa does - we've all been told that by Josiah & Caleb. Gramma says 18 is the # of times they read the new book. It's a hit!
Sad Children - asking where gramma and grampa went & when are we going there to visit - they want to drive down the 'bumpy road' to gramma's house!

Thanks for coming to babysit for the weekend, Mom & Dad - we all had a great time.

Muskegon Vacation 2009

2009-09-08T21:14:00.006-05:00

Where to begin?
So, we stayed with the always wonderful, ever exciting, Hale Family!! We were within walking distance to the beach, so every morning...we walked to the beach, well at least the boys, the puppies & I.
We had a fabulous visit with the Gordon's @ their cottage.
Big Tall Laurie came out for some play time.
Caleb & Claudia dug an impressive hole! Josiah practiced his 'Karate Kid' moves on the beach.

Family Vacation Summer 2009

2009-08-19T22:07:00.005-05:00

Wow, what a great week in MN days filled with....

water skiing as soon as we touched ground at my parent's lake in MN!

Horsein' around with Grampa rod in the lake

Hangin' with Papa @ Uncle Steve & Stephanie's

Going to the county fair with Gram Pam & Gramp Rod

Our 1st stop - rest stop in Story County, Iowa!

Como Park & Zoo with Gramma Gloria.

Super fun times, with our super great family.

Blessings

2009-07-06T21:20:00.004-05:00

After a fun day hanging with my boys and celebrating Tim's birthday, I am once again struck with the many blessings that have been given to me in my life.

I am not always keenly focused on these blessings, or maybe don't always see them as blessings, but that doesn't change the fact that they are just that!
God has given me the life that He knows I need and can handle.

I am extremely thankful for all that I have been given in this life and the experiences God has allowed me to have.

Silly Face Supper

2009-06-27T08:03:00.003-05:00

Just for fun...we had silly face supper, complete with banana eyes, nose and mouth, raisin irises, sausage ears, chicken hair and scramble egg beards.

Summer - Take 1

2009-06-21T22:18:00.003-05:00

With this week's forecast, we are definitely into summertime!

Here are just a few pictures of our latest adventures. Obviously, this is just a snipit of what we've actually taken, but gives you an idea of what's goin' on!

Daddy's out of town this week, mission tripping with our Freshman in CO. So, we'll be sure to have more adventures this week while he's out workin' his little buns off!

Caleb gets some serious lookin' air while slip n slidin'

Josiah tries to keep up with ALL things his brother does, unfortunately, this often means owies for the little guy!

The boys enjoyed their first watermelon of the summer. Caleb has been asking me to buy one for the past 3 months, at least! They both thought it was an awesome treat.

Caleb is a TBall SuperStar!!

2009-06-18T07:57:00.001-05:00

http://vimeo.com/5183058

Check out our movie!

Used my Bug Vac!!!

2009-05-02T15:27:00.003-05:00

Hee Heee, Heee - (evil laugh)

I got to use my new bug vacuum yesterday, that I got from Tim for Christmas. It is the COOLEST toy that every woman needs. Tim got tired of coming home to cups placed on spiders or bugs that I had found throughout the house on any given day. So, for Christmas, he found this bug vacuum.

Bascially, what happens is, you suck up whatever pest has dared enter your home, and it travels down the tube to it's electrifying death!

That's right, it gets electrocuted at the base of he tunnel. I love the power that it gives me over those little pests.

Fun Weekend with The Grands

2009-04-22T18:32:00.003-05:00

So, Tim and the boys drove up to MN last Thursday morning. The boys got to spend a day with Gramma Gloria and Papa, getting haircuts and teeth cleaning. They loved every minute!!

Then they got to spend a day with Gramma Pam and Grampa Rod at the lake, playing with their cousins, swimming and hunting muskrats.

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T15:23:00.003-05:00

What a great day of hope and remembrance.

We had our friend Stacey Ernvall here visiting in town from Chicago.

Saturday night we went to our Easter service at church, and enjoyed the festivities that are all about Christ rising from the dead - Glorious! I love Easter, such a great time for hope and reflection on what God has done for us to give us this great life we live for Him.

We enjoyed a scrumptious, traditional Easter lunch, complete with our china. I love using our china.

Our boys are adorable in our eyes, and I love any opportunity to catch them in all their greatness!

Snow Storm - Woo Hoo!!!

2009-03-28T21:15:00.006-05:00

So, we went outside to play in the snow - best decision all day. We had a great time and loved every minute.

We took refuge in our fort - it was a little windy.

Snowball fight!!!

Our sweet fort

King of the snowball

- he thought this was pretty cool until he fell off backwards - oops, good thing all his warm gear padded the fall, he was just mad that he fell off.

Notice...there is a snowman on the left - he's blind, but has pretty flowered arms, because our trees are already budding and flowering, but only the snow puppy has eyes! He's on the right.

I pulled Josiah around the yard in his sled - the snow was too sticky to really slide down the hill, but he always loves the ride.

My cute snow babies! They are so handsome.

Caleb & Emma Ride

2009-03-28T20:26:00.001-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ty1Jj6YuNzg&feature=player_embedded

My Birthday Week

2009-03-23T10:30:00.006-05:00

My birthday began with breakfast in bed, prepared by my lovely sister, delivered by my sister and our 5 children, along with a beautiful rendition of Happy Birthday Maria/Mommy! Then they all left me alone - in peace and silence to enjoy my delicious breakfast. Wonderful!!

Next it was off to Dr. Johnson's for an adjustment. The boys and I had our monthly visit, and Gramma Pam and Grampa Rod got to see first hand the miracle of how the boys jumped right up on the table and lay face down 'assuming the position'. :)

From there, My parents, the boys and I headed out to the Arboretum/Botanical Gardens just south of us about 15 minutes. I had heard this place was awesome & huge, so we went to check it out. The day was beautiful, so we all enjoyed being outside and walking the paths, looking for animals, and plants. Caleb especially liked reading the signs about the animals and plants. We could have spent a few days there, but opted for a few hours and a few miles of walking instead. We'll be back, for sure!

From there it was home for lunch and naps, then mom and dad stayed home with my boys while I went out with some girlfriends (regrettably we forgot to take pictures).

The next day, Tim came home from his week long TN trip, and Caleb & Gramma Pam made me a birthday cake, so we sang and ate cake again! Like I said...it's my birthday week. :)

It's my Birthday Month

2009-03-02T20:19:00.004-06:00

Party Time!!!!!

I'm not sure when it began, but sometime ago, my sister and I started celebrating our birthday month...probably because we don't usually get to actually celebrate our birthdays on the actual day we were born, but rather sometime around there, could be February, March, April...ya never know, sometimes Easter jumps in there and it's us and Jesus raising from the dead all in one celebration. Do we have egg flavored cake then? Ish!!

Anyways, March 1st kicked off my birthday month & I couldn't have been sicker, so today, I texted my dear sister a happy birthday month message - I was feeling much better and felt more in the partying mood. So, we're off & I'm so excited to see what this month has in store.

My sister is so organized, when she had her first child, My sweet Jeffrey (now almost 10 years old), she spaced his birthday just perfectly in line with ours. So, Lori comes first, having her birthday March 13th, then Me on the 19th and Jeffrey finishes off the month of March on the 25th...way to go big sista, we're all 6 days apart - nice job!