Visit to Missouri - April 2008

- Jessica -

In April, Daniel, David and I got to spend several days in Missouri with my parents. Here are a few highlights:

1. We had lunch with my Grandmother and Grandaddy, my mom's parents, in Illinois on the way. As always, it was great to see them, and this time I took my video camera and recorded the inside of their house. Grandmother narrated much of the time, telling where she got different pieces of furniture, paintings, etc. Very special!

2. We got to spend a day with my very dear friend from 2nd grade, "Miss Laura Graham," as Daniel affectionately says.

3. The boys wanted to wear "swim caps" in Gramps and Grammy's tub! Ha!

4. Daniel really likes looking like Gramps!

5. The boys enjoyed their first not-by-mom haircuts! Debbie has cut my hair since 2nd grade, and my brother was about Daniel's age when he started going to her! :-) She still cuts Mom and Dad's hair - 23 years later!

6. I was very thankful for a visit with my Grandma Anderson, my Dad's mom.

7. Mom and I worked hard getting ready for a MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) meeting at church on Friday. Mom does lots of organizing and communicating to keep this fantastic ministry running smoothly, and I was privileged to be the speaker this month, "Keys to a Heart of Hospitality." Very special to be a part of this encouraging group!!

Thanks, Lord, for a trip that was overflowing with evidence of Your grace and kindness! What a gift!

Daily Life - May 7, 2008 - Snoring

- Jessica -

I want Daniel and David to learn many many things from their dad. But this request was a bit too far! ;-)

Tonight when Joseph was putting Daniel to bed, Daniel called from his room, "Dad!"

Joseph, from in the hallway: Yes, Daniel?

Daniel: Can you teach me how to snore?

Shaklee

-Jessica -

I have been using Shaklee cleaning products, vitamins, and suppliments for several months and I am very thankful for healthy (and often cost-effective) alternatives! http://Shaklee.com Want to learn more? Want to try some?

"Couponing"

-Jessica -

Did you know that "coupon" can be a verb? To me, "couponing" is the act of acquiring, cutting, organizing, and using coupons in conjunction with local sales for rock-bottom prices and major savings! I started doing this in the last month and we are viewing it as a small part time job - the money we save are our "earnings"!

There is a web site that charts store sales and combines them with newspaper coupons for maximum savings. http://thegrocerygame.com/ Check it out and let me know if you want to talk about it.

My friend Becky also has a blog dedicated to helping with couponing and the grocery game. http://littlecabinsavings.wordpress.com/

Daily Life - March 2008

-Jessica-

Allow me to introduce you to the honorable "Sir Daniel," a knight at Rachel Kimbell's princess birthday party. What a valiant dragon-slaying guy!

Bikers? Swimmers? Skiers? Soccer players? Basketball guys? Football men? Runners? I never know until a given minute which sport they are pusuing, but they definitely love their athletic outfits!! They would wear a "sports" outfit everyday and everywhere if they could!

A Little Taller

-Jessica -

Daniel is walking a little taller today. We occasionally go to a "Parent's Night Out" that the seminary hosts. It is great! Childcare at the Rec Center and an evening for Joseph and me! Last night Daniel was put in the big gym with the 4-6+ year olds, though he is 2 months shy of being 4. To his mom, he looked like a little guy in there, but he his favorite teacher from "motor skills" (Mr. Jeff) was there to look out for him.

As we left, they were getting ready to play Daniel's first ever game of Dodge Ball. That has to be a turning point in a boy's life, doesn't it?! I mean, the goal of the game is to throw balls at people! That is like a dream! ;-)

When we picked him up, I said, "How did it go?" His reply was, "Great. Nobody ran over me!" We have high expectations around here.

Daniel's other highlight was running on the track above the gym with his class. Very cool!

The Gravy Song and Green Bean Muscles

-Jessica -

Two Daniel quotes that make me smile ...

1. We were singing together as a family (we do this occasionally - I play the piano and we all sing a hymn or two). We finished "Nothing But The Blood" and Daniel said, "Can we sing the gravy song?" He repeated, "Can we sing the gravy song?"

Do you know the gravy song? I bet you'll sing it this Easter season - "Up from the grave He arose ..." :-)


2. Last night we were eating fresh green beans (among other things) for dinner, and Daniel said slowly and dramatically, kind of shaking his head in disappointment, "Mom, you should have made cauliflower. I wish you had cooked cauliflower."

Mom: "Why?"

Daniel: "Because it will make me strong!"

Dad: "Green beans will make you strong, too."

Daniel, delighted at this new information: "I'm going to eat green beans and cauliflower every day so I can be strong ... like a man!!!" (Flex your arm muscles and scrunch up your face as your read "strong ... like a man!!")

When I served the left over green beans for lunch today, he asked if he could have all of them, so he can be "really, really strong!" (Again, flex your biceps and scrunch up your face as you read this to feel a bit of his desire! I'd just like to have the energy to flex as dramatically as he does! :-)

Halloween Miscommunication

- Jessica -

On Halloween we were out front when a neighbor walked by. She casually asked Daniel if he was going "trick or treating"? He didn't know what she was talking about, so he politely avoided the question and we went on with our day.

Later in the day I heard Daniel say under his breath, "digger training, digger training." Finally he asked me, "Mom, are we really going to digger training?" I replied as many moms would, "Oh, that would be really neat, wouldn't it?!" (By they way, in our house, a "digger" is a generic term for construction vehicles - excavators, loaders, bulldozers, etc. - all of which Daniel has really liked for as long as I can remember!).

Still later in the day, Daniel asked Joseph about "digger training." Joseph was understandably confused. Daniel said emphatically, "Dad, the lady walking by our house this morning asked me about it! She asked if we were going to 'digger training!' Do I really get to go to digger training today??!!"

Trick-or-treating == Digger training

I hear the similarity! We laughed and he laughed, and we all agreed that getting candy from our neighbors was a good 2nd to digger training! ;-)

Daniel and His Guitar 2

- Jessica -

We like to play with musical instruments on our date night. (Not Joseph and me! The kids we watch when it is our turn to babysit!). Everyone picks one, we sing one verse of a song, and then everyone switches instruments. I think we sang Joy to the World 10 times last time we babysat! ;-) Anyway, after opening his guitar at Christmas, Daniel said, "Now date night is going to be REALLY fun!!!"

Last week he shared his guitar with his friends at date night for the first time. One boy, Eric, asked Daniel, "Where did you learn to play so well?" Daniel replied confidently, "I just watch Mr. Stam!" (Mr. Stam is our church's music director and definitely one of Daniel's favorite people!) I pray Daniel not only learns to play the guitar from Mr. Stam, but also gleans his heart for worshipping the one true God!

Here's Amazing Grace ... Can you play it any louder or faster??

Daniel and His Guitar

- Jessica -

Daniel was very very excited to get a guitar for Christmas, so now he can play like Pappap (Joseph's Dad) and Mr. Stam (our music leader at church). Until now he has used various items such as an umbrella as his guitar. But now he has the real deal. And he loves it!

Get ready for his version of Holy, Holy, Holy ...