a-z tag

We just returned from visiting the Dykstra family in Wisconsin. I have some fun pictures to post later. We also just got back our family photos from the best photographer ever, Megan Quist Photography and they turned out awesome! Thanks, Megs! I can't wait to post those later too. Blogging about anything significant lately has been at the bottom of my "to-do" list, but I did get tagged recently by Sara so here goes...

A. Attached or single? attached....and head over heels....

B. Best friend? What is this? High School? :) I have several close girl friends. I am thankful. Very, very thankful.

C. Cake or pie? depends on the occasion, the type of pie, and the thickness of the frosting on the cake.

D. Day of choice? Wednesday

E. Essential item? eye liner

F. Favorite color? kelly green, olive green, red

G. Gummy bears or worms? neither

H. Home town? Kalona

I. Favorite indulgence? jeans, coffee (I indulge myself daily with that one), turtle cake

J. January or July? July

K. Kids? Jeneva (5) and Jude (12 months)

M. Marriage date? 07/28/2001

N. Number of brothers and sisters? 2 younger brothers - Michael and Matthew

O. Oranges or Apples? Grapefruit

P. Phobias? very small tight places

Q. Quotes?

"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond comparison." 2 Corinthians 4:16-17

“We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” ~C.S. Lewis

"To know Christ, this is Life!" ~Elisabeth Prentiss

"Gratitude is past-oriented dependence; faith is future-oriented dependence. Both forms of dependence are humble, self-forgetting and God-exalting. If we do not believe that we are deeply dependent on God for all we have or hope to have, then the very spring of gratitude and faith runs dry."
~John Piper (A Godward Life)

"I bet as I grow bigger, my tastebuds will grow bigger too and then I will like mushrooms." ~Jeneva (4)

R. Reasons to smile? God's grace

S. Season of choice? anything warm

T. Tag 1 person: Kristy

U. Unknown fact about me? Whenever this question is asked, I always blurt out the whole 6th finger story......why can't I think of anything else? I always feel like everyone knows everything already. So, for lack of creativity......I was born with 6 fingers on one hand.

V. Vegetable? corn on the cob

W. Worst Habit? inconsistency

X. Xray or ultrasound? I was just about to make a comment about what kind of crazy question is this when I realized that these are all alphabetical questions. WOW! I missed that one. I guess I would choose ultrasound.

Y. Your favorite food? Mexican, Indian, Thai

Z. Zodiac sign? Cancer

random family update 2

These random updates work better now than real blog posts. So, here goes....

~Jude's two words are "hi" and "goot" (while pointing)
~Jeneva likes to "legato" and "staccato" while listening to classical music. She finally pronounces "classical" correctly. She used to say "plastical".
~I am making bracelets for the craft boutique this weekend. Fun!
~Steve is taking Jeneva on a "date" tonight.
~Jude still just likes to crawl and not walk.
~I just finished the book A Thousand Splendid Suns. Read it.
~We are still visiting and applying at various schools. I'm glad for the choices!
~No major home improvements going on right now. Hallelujah! I'm not saying that there's nothing to be done. Oh no. There's plenty to be done, but nothing in the works. No messes.
~I filled up my gas tank for $1.73. Woohoo!
~We have the greatest small group evah!
~Jude has a mouth full of teeth. His favorite foods are peas and sausage and raisins. Odd.
~Jeneva's favorite is Wheat Thins dipped in Hummus.
~My favorite thing to eat is what other people make.

That's all I can think of right now in this five minutes that I spared to write this post. Nothing too exciting....just normal life I guess. For that I am THANKFUL! If I don't post in the next week, Happy Thanksgiving!

a mocha i will drink, but anoka i prefer to drive through

Yesterday, Jeneva brought my friend who was visiting, a mug with hot liquid in it and said "I'm bringing you Anoka." (If you aren't from here, Anoka is town 20 minutes north of us). :)

my five year old

Is it possible that I have a five year old? She just looks so grown up!

much too young

Jeneva: Ethan asked me today if I would want to marry him someday.

Me: Well, what did you say?

Jeneva: (shrugging her shoulders) Well, sure. But I think Papa might want to marry me too. I'd probably rather marry Papa.

demolition first birthday cake

I can't believe he turned one on November 1! This year went by so quickly.

Jude's golden birthday was on a Saturday. It doesn't get much better than that. Michael and Megan and Grandma and Grandpa Stutzman celebrated with us. We missed Matt, hence the missing person in the family photo.

Can you tell what the cake is? Uncle Mike was the decorator. Yes, Mike has many talents. Cake decorating apparently is one of them. I decided against the three dimensional cake this time around. Jeneva's was too complicated and caused me much stress.

goin' in for the kill...

"Oh my. This is the best. Sugar. I love it. Why hasn't anyone fed me sugar before. This is the most fun I have have my WHOLE life."

"What? Do I have food on my face or something?"

"The destruction could continue into the night....if it weren't for my mom and her obsession with clean floors."

Fistfulls of sweet goodness.

Oh yes, and there were gifts too. Jude got some very nice toys and clothes. I shop thrift stores for toys and clothes, so it's kind of fun to get "new" stuff too!

"I've got the coolest dad, EVER and I think he likes my tool kit and goggles more than me yet."

Happy Birthday, Jude! We love you tons and tons and thank God for your life EVERY DAY!

mystery photo

Take a guess...