Charlie's Skating Party

"We were SO excited and happy to get to help celebrate our cousin Charlie's 10th birthday today at his roller skating party!!  The best part was how surprised Charlie was when he saw us there, since they hadn't known we'd be in town!  The kids just looked like they were having tons of fun being together and skating! It was a blast!  Happy 10th birthday Charlie!!

After the skating party, Eric and Marti invited us over for ice cream with every imaginable topping to choose from.  Oh my YUM!  The kiddos (okay, all of us!) enjoyed that!

Then Grandma and Great Grandma invited us to supper at DQ on the way back.  We didn't have ice cream again, but enjoyed the fact that Great Grandma did! ;)  She is a dessert-lover, for sure!  

It was really nice to get to spend a day with the Lopshire side of the family!!

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"Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God..."

- 1 Peter 2:17

Back to Caching

Hooray!  The kids are on Spring Break!  The kids, of course, did not sleep in this morning, so we packed up and headed for Indiana to see our family there, wishing Daddy could take some time off and go with us.

The weather today was absolutely gorgeous, in the 60's and sunny!  We had 21 geocaches along our route stored in my phone, and tried 9 of them. 

-Have a Ball in Gilman-

We had stopped at this wonderful park in Crescent City twice before and hadn't found the 'cache.  Sylvia suggested where it might be, and Annah found it this time!

-Heritage Park-

We had tried to find this cache (-Ready, Aim....2-) last summer too, but hornets kept us away.  Today, we found it easily, and Sylvia decided to drop her travel bug (-Traveling Toy Tales-) here.

At this stop, Annah heard the clue and took off running.  She was right...found the cache right where she assumed she would!

-Stop for a spell-

Since the kids have been old enough, they always comment when we pass through this spot--what they like to call, "The Tree Tunnel."  It is a short portion (a few miles maybe) along Highway 24 outside of Logansport.  This time of the year is the least awe-striking, with no green leaves, or colorful gently-falling leaves, and not even any snow--just bare branches.  It is much more magnificent at other times of the year, but it is always interesting to us the way the branches reach in toward the road up high.

We found these next 3 geocaches in backwards order because of where we parked, but it didn't really matter. They were all 3 in a wooded area near a mining pit of some sort, and it was a fun kind of hike over fallen limbs and near a ravine.  It was a beautiful day for it, and we enjoyed about a half hour or more clambering around to find the caches and enjoy the beautiful area.

Caeden heard this clue and scrambled down to find it quickly!

-Pit 3-

Such fun times exploring today!

-Pit 2-

There were some thorns we encountered, but we stayed safe.

-Pit 1-

After this stop, the kids were just anxious to keep driving and get to Krampa's & Gram's, so we decided to be done geocaching for the day.  We arrived at my parents' about dinnertime, and Gram made sausage stew--one of our very favorites.  We don't have a lot of plans for the week except relaxing and hanging out--hoping the weather stays nice.

Daddy, will you snuggle with me?

Jeremy has been working like crazy lately.  The kids like to have him around more than he's been able to be, honestly.  But, when he is home, he is conscious to do special things with the kids.  

Since the kids and I are leaving for Indiana tomorrow for their Spring break, he came home as early as possible this evening, and we all snuggled up and watched a movie.  (Nanny McPhee, which we all enjoyed, actually.)  

Now, Sylvia is our resident snuggler, and she had already given Daddy a snuggling mandate yesterday. So, she claimed his lap for much of the movie.  But, after she got up for something, we were all kind of surprised when Caeden grabbed a blanket and asked him, "Daddy, will you snuggle with me?" 

 Well, he certainly didn't pass up the opportunity!  

(Caed is every bit a wiggly 6-year-old, and rarely settles in for a long snuggle!)  

So, it was a precious moment that had to be captured!

"Fathers, do not exasperate your children; 
instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord."
- Ephesians 6:4

Leprechaun Hunt

Caeden's class had a special kind of scavenger hunt today--a leprechaun hunt!  The little leprechaun left clues on little paper clovers (one for each student in the class!) all over the school!  And, when they got back to their classroom at the end of the hunt, they discovered the ornery leprechaun had left their room in a bit of a mess!  But, he also left each of them a pencil and a chocolate coin!  They were all so absolutely adorable and excited!  (I should have taken video!)  

Take a picture; it'll last longer!

"Take a picture; it'll last longer!"  Remember when a kid would say that when they caught you staring at them or looking at them in a strange way?  I used to think it was so rude!!  Now, I think it is actually pretty wise advice!  I take a lot of pictures, and I'm so glad for the memories they induce when I look back through them later!  My brain alone could never hold all those great moments without an image to help it remember!

Okay, so, this may seem unrelated, BUT...My goal for today is to go through a bunch of the kids' things and choose as much as possible that they don't need anymore.  I have an appointment at the resale shop, and we need to de-clutter our home and our lives!  (Who doesn't, right?!)  So, I went through Sylvia's and Caeden's spring and summer clothes this morning, and took out all the 5T's and 6/6x's.  It was fine...not a lot there.  I can part with the sweater poncho Gram gave us 5 years ago.  I went through toys and books, but only found a few they aren't still enjoying.  No big deal.  We don't need the wipe-off book that helps us learn to write anymore.  We are moving on and letting go!

Now, I do have admit that I am partially a total yahoo (You got that conflict of terms there, right?)  when it comes to going through my kids things to decide what to get rid of...  Today, it was the VHS tapes that got me.  Oh, I know it's definitely past time to get rid of VHS tapes!  The world has almost moved past the next best thing (DVD's), now that we have DVR's, Blu-Ray and streaming Netflix, Hulu, and every TV network posts complete shows online!  My family is not up with all those things (We do have DVD's and streaming Netflix, but that's as up-to-speed as we get.), but we have come to terms with letting the DVD's go.  At least, I thought "we" had...

I had asked Jeremy last week if he thought it was okay to take all of the tapes to the resale shop.  We do still have a working VHS player, but it has been at least a year since we made use of it or any of the tapes.  So we decided that, yes, it was time for ALL of the tapes to go.

But today when I went in to quickly pack them up, they looked at me like I was throwing away pieces of my children's lives!  Maybe I should choose just a few to keep around for the sake of nostalgia!  I mean, Annah wanted that Wiggle Bay video more than anything for Christmas one year!  The Charlie Brown tapes are classics!  My grandma gave us the both the Arthur and Country Mouse & City Mouse series.  Veggie Tales and Larry Boy influenced our belief systems AND made us laugh at the same time; that's priceless!  How can I just get rid of these?!  They are hours and hours of good friends that have become part of our lives!!  I was now in tears thinking about this!  (See...partially a total yahoo...that's me!)

Oh no...are their childhood days over if they never watch these again?  Okay,  get a grip Taryn!  We haven't used these in over a year; we're not going to use them again at all, most likely! Time to get rational again.  The tapes have to go.  It's just time.  We still have lots of DVD's.  Selling the tapes doesn't equal ending the childhood days.  (Thank you, Lord, for sending rationality when I was heading over the crazy edge!)

When I think through it, I realize that I really want to remember are the moments and days I spent together in our home with my children watching while we watched these videos...The way they would snuggle up to me and smile and giggle and sing along with them...repeat the stories and lessons they learned back to me...the tiny versions of my kids sitting in the living room or curled up in my bed watching, learning, growing every second.  These videos remind me of those times.

So, how can I remember each of those videos and the lessons and moments and memories they created for us?  Take a picture!  It definitely will last longer than my mind worrying about forgetting them!  AND, the best part is, a picture takes up a lot less space!

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

-Matthew 6:19-21

Rock Climber

Sylvia's friend Ella had her birthday party today at Upper Limits, a local rock-climbing gym.   The girls and I were already in town for their violin teacher's baby shower, and the two parties were right down the street from each other.  So, Annah and I were there to watch Sylvia try rock climbing for the first time.  She was excited to try, and didn't seem nervous at all.

She did a good job climbing!  Each child at the party got 2 tries climbing as high as they could with a harness and a staff belayer.  I think Sylvia got a little nervous once she tried climbing high.  She went up a fair distance on the slanted wall, and probably 10'-12' in the straight-up 65' silo.  She said it was really fun though, and was glad to share Ella's birthday celebration with her.  (They were literally born 2 days apart!)

It was a fun new experience--even after I greatly hesitated signing the waiver!  (Apparently, I should have signed it without reading it, I was told.)  Um, hello...the gym holds no responsibility for injury, paralysis, or death, even upon staff member's negligence!  Ugggghhhh...You can bet I watched to be sure Sylvia was not in a situation where she could be greatly hurt.  Whew!  It actually was pretty cool to see her climb.

"If they say to us, ‘Wait there until we come to you,’ we will stay where we are and not go up to them. But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ we will climb up, because that will be our sign that the LORD has given them into our hands.”

- 1 Samuel 14:9 & 10

Hearts at Home 2011

My wonderful friend, Dawn, asked me if I wanted to go to the Hearts at Home National Conference with her this year.  I hadn't gone to the conference part since 2008, and I knew she had never gone, so I was really glad to go!  It was the first time I've gone since my kids are all school-age, so it was a different perspective for me this time--but still great!

The featured speaker was Jennifer Rothschild, who is very beautiful, funny, talented, and inspiring.  She talked about how she lost her sight when she was 15, and demonstrated that even though it might not be well with our circumstances it can be well with our soul.

For our first two workshops, Dawn and I both heard Bob Waliszewski, from Focus On the Family.  Yep, he's the guy you hear on the radio doing the PluggedIn Movie Reviews.  It was so great to hear him; his ministry has been a huge blessing and resource to our family!  In the first workshop, he talked about music, movies, TV, and video games--what Jesus would do.  He had some great scripture references, research statistics, interviews and quotes--all were so affirming that these are such critical areas in our lives!  His second workshop was about practical principals of discernment for our children/families in these areas.  Oh, some great tips!  I waited around after this session to talk with him about a situation that we recently had regarding movies that I didn't know how to resolve.  He was very helpful.

I was a bit late to my next session, but it was fantastic!  Dr. Kathy Koch of Celebrate Kids, Inc. talked about parenting strong-willed children.  She was so interesting and had many great suggestions.  I had requested her other session about multiple intelligences, but didn't get into it.  So, I bought her book, How Am I Smart, and look forward to reading it.

My last session was one I wished I had heard 10 years ago.  It was with Shelly Radic, the current CEO of MOPS.  She talked about building the circles of relationships (immediate family, extended family, acquaintances) to support your family.  I feel like I have worked through these things over the past 10 years, and it wasn't such new information for me today.  Still, it was a good workshop.



In the afternoon, worship was led by Katie Eck.  And, of course Jill Savage spoke.  I always feel like I identify well with her, and really enjoy hearing her speak.

During the evening break, Dawn and I decided to stay there on campus and grab some bagel sandwiches.  It was sooooooo great to have time to talk about our families and challenges and joys with them.  We went back to the resource center in the ballroom and each bought a couple things and took note of books and items to purchase later online.  (I totally want to get a shirt from www.myhusbandrocks.net!)

The Moms' Night Out portion of the day was SO fantastic.  Jennifer Rothschild spoke again, there was more worship time, and then Chonda Pierce had the entire auditorium full of moms rolling!  Oh my goodness, I didn't expect her to be THAT funny!  She also shared a very poignant message about how she became clinically depressed about 5 years ago when she hit menopause.  She shared how she thought she had dealt with her many huge life circumstances well, but that accepting help from her family, pastors, counselors, and doctors (Her "Verizon Network," she called them!) during this time and entering a mental hospital to get her body and mind help with the right diet, rest, and medicines for her was the best thing she ever did.  What a brave, beautiful, hilarious lady she is, and what a complete joy it was to hear her!  I had to spit out my gum so I didn't choke on it, and laughed so hard I almost couldn't breathe at more than one point!  God bless that lady!

Wow, my heart is refreshed, and my mission as a mom and servant of Jesus is reaffirmed after this day!  It is such a huge blessing that this conference is right here basically in my back yard.  The Hearts at Home ministry has definitely made many huge impacts in my life.  And, I'm so glad I could share this day with a fantastic friend.  Dawn's family and mine do a lot of life together these days, and now we have more tools and resources to use to boost each other up.  Thank you Lord!

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."

- 1 Thessalonians 5:11

A New Christian!

Tonight after Quizzing, the kids came into the sanctuary for the Family Prayer Party service, and Pastor Todd had them all sit in the front row.  I was nervous about Caeden behaving, because I knew I would be sitting behind the piano on stage for most of the service.  So, I told him that the grown-ups behind him would be watching over him, making sure he was being good.

As the service began, I leaned out to see Caeden talking.  But then, our friend Adam--who is almost 11--leaned over to him and said something and he got quiet and listened.  After a bit, I was able to go sit by Caeden and he was more attentive and still than I've ever seen him in a service.  I was especially glad, because this was a more solemn service than the usual Wednesday evening Prayer Party since it was Ash Wednesday.  So, there were lots of scripture readings and responsive readings, and he was actually paying attention!

During the service, Pastor Todd said that if anyone wanted to know for sure they were a Christian, they could pray right then and tell Jesus they believe in Him, ask Him to forgive their sins, and commit their lives to him.  I noticed Caeden was praying, eyes closed, and looking intent.

I was asked to be the first to take communion so I could get to the piano and start the music for the rest of communion.  All of our kids have taken communion before, and I know they understand what it means.

Later in the service, we were given the opportunity to take ashes in the mark of the cross on our foreheads to outwardly express that we identify with the suffering of Christ on the cross.  I knew we would have this option, and had talked with the kids about it before coming to church.  They all said they were excited to take the ashes.  (In fact, none of them wanted to wash their faces; they wanted it to stay!)

As the service ended, Adam and Caeden came up the stairs to me at the piano, and Adam said, "Caeden has something to tell you."  Caeden looked at me in a serious and excited way and said, "I confessed my sins to Jesus!"  Of course I jumped up from the piano and hugged him and cried and told him how glad I am that he chose to have Jesus come into his heart!

Then, Caeden said he wanted to tell everyone, so we went around the church finding people he knows well to tell!  He told Miss Kim, who congratulated him, and I told her how Adam had been so good with Caeden during the service, explaining things to him, and helping him to listen.  We told Mr. Troy, who gave him a hug and told him how proud of him he was, and that he would be there to help him grow in Jesus.  He told Miss Suzy, who is his biggest fan already.  ;)  And, he found Pastor Todd, who was so excited to hear his decision, and to know that Adam had helped Caeden understand that it was easy to confess his sins to Jesus.  Everyone was glad to share in Caeden's excitement, and they all encouraged him to tell everyone he knows about Jesus.

So, on the way home, I asked Caeden if he had prayed the prayer asking Jesus to forgive him and live in his heart during the service when Pastor Todd said we could pray it, or if Adam had helped him.  He said, "Both."  Adam had asked him if he wanted to confess his sins to Jesus, and led him in a little prayer to repeat after him.  (Praise God for this 10-year-old who understands the simplicity of salvation and can connect with a 6-year-old to make it clear to him!!)

Caeden doesn't remember that he asked Jesus into his heart when he was a tiny little 3-year-old boy, and that's okay, because tonight was a big conscious decision for him--one he'll always remember!  He kept saying he wanted to write down the date somewhere so he would never forget it.  So, we came up with the idea to make a sign and take his picture on the day he asked Jesus to be Lord of his life!

Of course, he had to tell Daddy his amazing news as soon as he got home!  I've never seen him get out of the car and run inside so fast in his life!

THEN, we had to make the sign right away and get the picture...

We hung the sign on the bulletin board in his room in a spot where he can clearly see it.

Lord Jesus, THANK YOU for saving us from our sins!  Thank you for the salvation you provided for us with the cross!  Thank you that my children don't have to question where they will spend eternity, and that they have each chosen to live with you at the center of their lives!  Thank you for your unconditional love!  Thank you for your faithful servants, our church family, who love you and love us and aren't afraid to speak your name and share about you!  Hallelujah!


"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
- 1 John 1:9

Can't Stop Reading

While I was in the kitchen last night, Sylvia came running to me and said, "Mommy, it's so exciting and amazing; I can't stop reading it!  I don't want to!"

Praise the Lord, she was talking about her new Bible!  She is reading in Matthew, and is excited to read the stories of Jesus for herself!  Please Lord, help her keep this hunger for your Word all her life!

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

- Psalm 119:105

Sylvia's [actual] 8th birthday

Today is Sylvia's actual 8th birthday!  She was a little bit upset with me before the day came, because I chose to work as a vocal judge for our state high school solo/ensemble contest most of the day.  But, she was okay with the arrangement of having her slumber party a week early, spending today with Daddy, and going out to dinner as a family this evening.  (Ahem...yeah!  Milk it, Sylvia...drag that birthday out as long as you can! ;)

So the report I got was that they all relaxed together all day long.  (It was supposed to be an all-day snuggle for Sylvia and Daddy, but she said he lasted "about 5 minutes" of the snuggle part.  I'd guess it was probably longer.)  They said they watched all 3 Tinkerbell movies, as well as Ice Age.  Daddy gave them peanut butter sandwiches and oranges for lunch.  And, they all managed to get showers before coming to the restaurant.  It sounds like they all enjoyed their day of relaxing together!

Sylvia chose Biaggi's for her family birthday dinner.  She said this was because she loves pasta, and she loves to color...and you can color on the white paper they cover the white tablecloths with at Biaggi's.  ;) (Not the same reasons I would choose Biaggi's, but I didn't complain!)  

Sylvia wanted cheese ravioli, but they didn't have exactly that on the kids' menu.  Our wonderful server arranged for her to get some cheese ravioli with marinara sauce and pesto, and we thought she would love it.  When it came, the pesto was a beautiful bright green color, and it scared her to death before she would even try a bite.  She did try it, but I think she had already made up her mind it wasn't her style before it entered her mouth.  (Jeremy and I both thought it was fantastic.)  Anyway, we had plenty of food on the table, and Sylvia had some of my tilapia, some of Annah's pizza, and some of Jeremy's asparagus and was happy as a lark.  The kids all had these incredible raspberry sorbet sundae's with chocolate sauce and whipped cream...oh my!  It was a lovely meal!

Once we got home, everyone got into their comfy clothes, and Sylvia could finally open her presents!

(She chose her wildest pajamas, but I didn't want to ask her to change...so I turned a few of the pictures to black and white instead.)

She opened the gift Gram & Krampa sent first.  She says she is saving most of her money to put towards her first opportunity to go to church camp this coming summer.   She is very excited!

And, she was super excited about the present...!

Squinkies!!  These are the big rage in our house (and apparently the school too) right now!  Totally thrilled, Gram & Krampa, thank you!!!!

Sylvie said, "Oh it's so pretty!" when she opened the card from us.  She said that Daddy always does such a good job picking out cards (which he does), but this time I picked it out!  I'm glad she liked it.

The girl is in the horse phase right now, and loves to play with her online horses at www.bellasara.com.  She loves these Mommy & Baby Bella Sara horses!  They are so cute; the baby horse's head tips up and the mommy horse bends down so they can kiss.

Sylvia has been asking for a "real" Bible for months now.  She has some great story and devotional Bible books, but she wanted to be able to read real, entire stories out of her own real Bible.  I got her the Adventure Bible, and she is already thrilled with it.  She opened it up and gasped and hugged it.  

It has maps, devotional spots, Q&A sections.  She is starting in Matthew and reading right along already.  I'm SO glad my girl has a hunger for the Word of God!  

Oh, oh, oh, beach Barbie and Ken!

AND a Barbie CAR!!!  This gift was a big hit too, and she had actually asked for it.  Apparently, the girls have been using a step stool as a pretend car for their Barbies.  Nothing wrong with pretending, but oh man is this exciting!  She even noticed there are Barbie-shoe cutouts in the rims, and zebra-print seats!

All the kids busted out the Squinkies and opened each one up and inspected them.  They could play with them for hours!

Annah and Caeden gave Sylvia a Webkinz red squirrel.  Sylvie is excited to get back on Webkinz World website.  She named the little cutie Maple.

It was fun to watch the surprise and joy on her face as Sylvia opened each gift.  It is a lot of toys, but she is a girl who really does play with her toys...as much as she possibly can!  I know they will all get a lot of use and enjoyment.  She is also a very appreciative girl.  She thanked us repeatedly as she opened the presents, and continues to.

We love our sweet Sylvia Claire!  Hard to believe she is EIGHT already, of course, but she is growing so beautifully--inside and out.  She is truly precious to us!

"From birth I have relied on you;

you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.

I will ever praise you."

- Psalm 71:6 (NIV)