Anna's Recital

Just before Christmas Anna was invited to participate in a recital.  She was very nervous but did so well and her confidence was boosted by doing something hard and succeeding!

Our friend Nate came to watch Anna perform!

Mad Scientist

I took Anna to the doctor the other day and he ordered some lab work.  Anna and I took the specimen to the building, went through the door marked "laboratory", dropped it off, and went home.  When the guys got back later, Anna told daddy we had to drop off something for the scientist to look at.  I envision her visualizing a mad scientist with wild hair in his lab analyzing her urine.  She's been asking if the scientist has called yet to discuss the results.

Christmas 2012

One of the Christmas presents I gave Jeremy was a blog book.  It is awesome!  It is our entire blog in book form, with a hard cover, complete with pictures and posts.  I'm so excited for this resource and it inspires me to begin blogging again.   We love that we have a sort of family journal that we can hold in our hands and turn the pages.  Last night, on Christmas, the kids took turns picking out certain posts to read aloud to everyone...a walk down Memory Lane.

A favorite Christmas tradition is to give the kids new jammies that they open on Christmas Eve.

Each year the kids draw names among themselves. This year was different, though, because since they worked this summer, everyone had their own money with which to shop!

Josiah got Anna a Fur Real Pet.

Isaac got Ryley a cable for his guitar/amp and a hat (not shown).

Ryley got Isaac a Nerf gun and table-top pinball game.

Anna got Josiah a North Face Hoodie.

One of Anna's favorite presents is her Own! Pink! Bb gun!

This was the first Christmas that the kids had their very own, hard-earned money to spend on others.  It made for an incredibly special time for our family.  I loved hearing them discuss how excited they were for someone to open a present and be so surprised.  They didn't focus on what was under the tree for them.  Each person was able to experience the full joy of giving and receiving.  It seemed to be a much richer experience.

And LOOK!  They got each of us some COOL presents!  They all did seriously awesome in this regard.  They bargain-hunted, coupon-clipped and placed bids to get exactly what they'd chosen for us, even buying not-too-matchy sweatshirts for mom and dad.

The Latest Coke Bro Film

It's been an emotional day full of roller-coaster-like ups and downs but I'm so glad I got to end it in such deep laughter!  I love my kids.  I love my life.

Click this link to watch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJdH1lgnQ9w

Is He Calling You?

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:  to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."  James 1:27

Recently, God has called our family to specifically "look after orphans" by bringing some of them into our family.  This is only one way we believers can honor His Word regarding orphans (and widows, and the needy, and the unbeliever...).  Over the years our family has participated in this instruction from the Bible in various ways.

The Creator's beauty and creativity can be seen in the way He works through His people to care for those in need of His love.

Much like a call to the mission field, God has called us to adopt.  Much like missionaries called to the field, we cannot do this alone.

Has God placed this type of ministry on your heart?  Are you unsure of how to jump in and be a part of His movement in the area of orphan care?  


As we answer His call for our family, we need help.  Sadly, many kinds of adoptions are staggeringly expensive.  The astronomical price of adopting from Ethiopia has been the biggest hurdle I'm working on overcoming.  Our adoption(s) will cost roughly $30,000.

We believe God doesn't ask us to do the impossible...alone.  The mission we are on looks impossible for us and we are so excited to see how the Lord is going to enable us to do this.

Can we be so bold as to ask you to consider helping Him use our family?  We are seeking people who can participate in one (or more!) of three areas:

1.  Much prayer is needed.  Will you pray for our project?  My heart quickens as I push away fear of the finances required.

2.  Much creativity is needed.  Do you have any ideas on ways we can pull these funds together?

3.  Much funding is needed.  Are you in a position to financially support our project?

Asking for any kind of help is never easy; no one likes to do it!  I believe God is working on building faith in us and humbling us through this journey.

If after prayerful consideration you find yourself answering "yes!" to any of the above, please send us an email letting us know!  jsand4kids@yahoo.com

We are excited as we anticipate sharing the amazing things God does in this next stage of our lives.

Until the end of my life becomes the beginning of my life I sit at His feet, busily worshipping by serving.

"Whatever you've done to the least of these you've done unto Me."

God has asked our family if we're willing to open our hearts and lives to some of His children who desperately need love and physical and spiritual nourishment from a family who will be theirs forever.

  We have said, "yes".


                                                                                                                                                 

Over the last few months we have begun the process of adopting two children from Ethiopia.  Stand by for further updates...

Kale Smoothies=yum!

The last time I was at Costco I grabbed a big bag of organic baby kale.  It's pre-washed and, like everything at Costco, comes in bulk.  I don't love cooked kale, but I figured I'd find a way to use it.  I love that it's high in iron, calcium, vitamins K, A, C, fiber, etc...
So I've been experimenting with various smoothies in our Vitamix.  Our favorite so far:

1/2 cup (or so) frozen Alaskan wild blueberries ;-)
1 organic apple
1 organic carrot
1-2  organic banana(s)
1 kiwi
2 Tbsp flax oil
1 large handful of kale
About 1/4 cup water
A sprinkling of stevia (if needed)

Although I've been making and drinking them daily, I needed to preserve the kale, as I wasn't using it fast enough.  Typically kale is blanched before freezing.  For various reasons, I didn't want to blanch it so I scoured the Internet for information on freezing without blanching.  With the Internet, perseverance pays off; if you look long and hard enough, eventually you'll find what you want to read. ;-)  I read that it's not necessary to blanch so I tried freezing it in a pillowcase (advice from the old days).  It's worked really well, although I haven't steamed it, as we use it raw in the smoothies.

Word Nerd

I learned long ago what a word nerd I am.  Writing is a fun hobby for me and as I look back over years of journaling, I realize that I often use a $50 word where a $5 word would suffice.  Recently as I set a new goal in my writing,  I enjoyed breaking the very goal I was attempting to set.  I love irony.

"I should use acceptable, abbreviated words where appropriate and applicable.  (Alliteration is an appreciated appliance.)"


Looking back over what I'd written with fondness and satisfaction, I noticed a pattern.  Almost every word beginning with an "a" has twin second and third letters.  AHA!  Now I realize that I'm not only a word nerd, but a number nerd as well!  Balance is beautiful.

Fun: Cubed

 Today, three of the kiddos and I talked about cubed numbers.  This topic followed our recent discussion on square numbers.  While I was in the shower, the THREE kids created the cubed number 27, which is the product of 3x3x3 (or 3x3=9; 9x3=27)

I recognized the challenge they had in working on one cube together, instead of individually.  Teamwork is such a beneficial skill, but one that my kids struggle with!  Today they succeeded, and there were not even any fistfights. ;-)

 I asked them why working as a team can be so helpful.  They each offered their opinion and then we talked about the biblical concept of "one body, many parts".  I asked them which part of their body was more important.  They discussed their thoughts, eventually concluding that we can't place any higher importance on any one part...of a body, a church body, or a family.

Then we discussed the verses found in Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, "Two are better than one because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down his friend can help him up." (Numbers are everywhere!)

Sacrificial Love

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing." I Cor, 13:1-3

Lately, as I've asked Jesus  how I can be more effective for His Kingdom, He has answered me with two simple words: "love people".  Why is such a simple concept so hard for me to live out?  For one, I recognize that in order to love someone in a way they feel and accept love, I need to think about them and how they're wired.  Loving someone in a way I understand and receive love may not reach them at all.  They may never even know I'm trying!  I am challenged with the task of giving in a way the receiver understands and can accept.  My offerings are nothing without love.

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love." 1 Cor. 13:13

Sacrificial Love-
"This is how we know what love is:  Jesus Christ laid down His life for us.  And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers." 1 John 3:16

What will I sacrifice today, in order to love someone?  Love is an essential factor in a relationship, but until sacrifice is required, it's almost meaningless.

Even the Sparrow has Found a Home

We have experienced some challenges lately.  I'm so thankful for God's work in my life, for as I recognize the familiarity with which I face these, I remember my past reactions to such concerns.  Almost always worry was the best word to describe my response, the kind of worry I feel most acutely in the very pit of my stomach at the very cusp of waking every morning.  I've prayed about this issue over the years.  Some struggle to set aside worry as they attempt to drift off at night.  I struggle at the other end of sleep, and I hate it.  I've asked God to help me eradicate worry altogether, adding that,  at the very least, could He please help me relocate it to any other part of my day??

As a chronic Over-Thinker, I've tried to find balance in the way I deal with troubling circumstances.  I classify myself not as an optimist, nor as a pessimist, but as a realist.  I attempt to live neither in denial (optimist!) nor under a perpetual cloud (pessimist!).

Naturally, when faced with a difficulty in life, we mentally scramble to consider someone else who is going through a bigger difficulty, so as to gain "perspective".  Then we tell ourselves, "Quit your whining!  It could be so much worse!"  I have decided that I disagree with this method.  Validating our emotions, thoughts and feelings while navigating a trial is so important.  I coined a non-eloquent phrase years ago: "No one else's trials can invalidate my suffering."  (I know, I know- it contains a double-negative.  But I've never been very good at math. ;-)

Often, we Christians feel compelled to label everything a blessing.
 I've come to the point where I view that as being just plain dishonest.  Yes, life is stuffed full of blessings, beginning with the very first breath I draw upon waking.  And God does promise to bring good out of every trial, even turning our mourning into dancing!  Amazing!  But hard times are not in themselves blessings.



Today as I was flipping through my Quote Book (in which I record important words I want to retain forever), I stumbled upon a good reminder from one of my very favorite books, The Sacred Romance, by Curtis and Eldridge.

"Pretending that life is easier and more blessed than it really is hinders our ability to walk with God and share Him with others.  Faith is not the same thing as denial. Blessings come...tend to be infrequent, unpredictable, transient...our journey is shaped more often by dragons and nits- crises that shake us to the core and...troubles that nag us to death...Are they tragic events and random inconveniences, or part of the plot through which God redeems our heart?"

Even the sparrow has found a home...

And therein lies the beauty of trials. Not only are they tests God uses to show us where we are in life, but they provide an invaluable opportunity for us to flee from fear, worry, and run straight to Him, laying our burdens at His feet.  How lovely is His dwelling place!  "Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young- a place near your altar."  (Ps. 84:3)

No Apologies! and The Launch of a New Blog!

I stop myself short of apologizing for being such a lame "blogger".  I wrestle with the idea of being online a lot, and as I remember back to my days of keeping the blog current, it seems I was always on the computer.  There are so many things we try to stay caught up on in life that lately the thought of broadcasting my thoughts into cyberspace feels a bit silly and unimportant.

BUT:  My kids really need a reason to write.  As much as I dislike change and technology, it's happening all around me; if I want my children to thrive it's likely that I need to recognize that fact and use it to our advantage.  I'm not into having them write with the idea that writing is the end, but the means to an end.  With that in mind I encouraged them to start up their own blog. I think they'll be so much more inspired and excited when I announce, "OK!  It's Language Arts time!" They launched their own blog once before while we were in the house-building mode, but between the generator system and satellite Internet, we were rarely able to get their posts published on the blog.  It was too discouraging to continue then, but circumstances have changed and we're at it again!

Ryley is taking online high school classes this year, so he's writing up a storm, for REAL reasons, as the means to an important end.
Josiah is very technology-minded.  Not only will he enjoy having a purpose to document his thoughts, he'll LOVE being to change formats, fonts, import things, etc...Plus, we have now completely switched over to the Mac (laptop and desktop) and it's just plain fun to play with! He's already written his first post and imported a picture from the web (which I've never even done before).
Isaac and Anna will bring their own personality to their blog.
Check in every now and then; I bet they'll update theirs much more often than I update this one!
www.thecokecrew.blogspot.com

His and Hers

His and Hers Blueberry Buckets:
Can you guess whose is whose?
(Hint: Upon arrival at home, I am the one who does all the cleaning/processing of the berries!)  Admittedly, though, Jeremy is the faster picker...

We got only 5 gallons this year, in about 4 hours of picking.  Usually we get around 10-12 gallons but this year we were busy enough to fit in only two short trips up to pick. Although the kids LOVE playing around in the weeds, rolling down the steep hill and wrestling, and "calling in" marmots with their whistles, it's fun that we now have one full-time berry picker in Ryley. Anna was a big help this year too.  She loves to pick till she's bored, then she catches up with the boys to play.

Be Still

"Instead of glorifying two-fisted fighters in the John Wayne tradition of American folk heroes, Christians would do well to sit still until the power of God is manifested in their Christian activities.
   Churches need to develop the quiet disciplines they have lost- practices such as

• contemplation
• fasting
• listening
• meditation
• prayer
• silence
• Scripture memory
• submission and
•  reflection.

   Many Christian leaders are caught up in secondary issues that sap their time and energy...
  ...In the years I have lived and worked in the United States, I have watched believers and whole congregations get caught up in all kinds of similar [aforementioned] crusades and causes that, while not necessarily bad in themselves, end up taking our eyes off obedience to Christ.  And in this sense, they become anti-Christ."  -Revolution in World Missions by K.P. Yohannan

I'm reading this book and was reminded and convicted that while action is a necessary part of living a Christ-like life, silence, solitude and stillness are vital in order to receive God's direction for our lives.  How are we to receive our "marching orders" without choosing to listen?

Dang Quesadillas



 Dang Quesadillas (name stolen from Napoleon Dynamite) are one of my family's favorite (vegetarian) dinners.  I created the recipe years ago in an attempt to creatively use the many zucchini from the garden. 

In a large bowl:
*Shred zucchini (I use about 7-9 for a dinner for 6)
*Add two cans drained and rinsed black beans
Salt fairly liberally and allow to sit for a bit.

Meanwhile, saute in butter:
*Chopped onion
*Sliced mushrooms
*Red, yellow or orange pepper (or not.  Sometimes I don't have any...)

Squeeze zucchini/bean mixture with paper towel to remove excess water from zucchini. (The salt helps draw out extra moisture.)

Add sauteed veggies to zucchini mixture. 
Stir in
*Pico de gallo (or salsa, if I don't have any prepared)

Brown both sides of small corn or brown rice tortilla in oil in pan. 
Spoon mixture on top. 
Sprinkle with cheese.  (Cow, sheep or goat all work well!)

Keep warm on cookie sheet in oven set at 200 degrees until all are prepared.
Serve warm, garnished with fresh cilantro (unless your husband, like mine, hates cilantro.  Then omit his only if you want to be nice...) and fresh chopped tomatoes.
My kids like theirs served with a dollop of sour cream.
ENJOY!

Note:  The other night when I made these I had leftovers of the veggie mixture.  I saved it in the fridge and the following night I cooked up some chopped chicken in a skillet and mixed this in.  After adding more pico de gallo and several other seasonings (whatever was handy...) I served it over rice.  I think it was even better the second time around!

Persevere

Don't you just love the English language?  I do.  I love words.  They're so intriguing.  Look at the root of the word 'persevere'.
 
Isn't it
so telling? 
so appropriate?? 
so...validating???

Persevering has been deeply on my heart lately.

Big Weekend!

   This was a fun, long weekend for our family.  Friday morning at 7:30 Ryley took his Boy Scout Swimming Merit Badge test at the Palmer Pool.  The test took about an hour and a half and was quite rigorous.  He was also required to write a test beforehand, which was checked by the counselor.  This is his second Eagle-required badge to have earned.  
    Later in the day we went up to Mr. Moore's house (our Scoutmaster) who held the annual Turkey Shoot.  The boys camped overnight with the boys from their troop, as well as another troop who joined them.  Saturday was the day of the big event.  Isaac, Anna and I got there at about 10:00 so I could help Mrs. Moore with the food and prizes.  The events in the contest were: Archery, Slingshot, Tomahawk, Big Bore, Shotgun, and .22.

There was a winner of each event per age group.  Josiah was the winner of Big Bore for his age group. There was also a Runner-Up and a Grand Champion.  Ryley was the Grand Champ. for 2011!  This is no easy feat, as there are some sharpshooters in our troop!  Mr. Moore has been holding this event since 1995 and Ryley is the youngest scout to win the whole "Shootin' Match".  It's quite an honor, as, in addition to the prize he won (including, yes, a turkey!), he also won a trophy and the privilege of having his name inscribed on the plaque Mr. Moore has with the names of all winners from years past.

 Isaac and Anna were also invited to participate.  I didn't get around grabbing pictures like I wanted to, but I had to snap this one of Anna.  She threw the tomahawk, worked the slingshot and fired the .22.  She marked a near-bullseye on the .22 and tallied up the points in the tomahawk throw, but I like this slingshot picture best, not only because she landed the marble in the hanging can, but because she is wearing "make up".  Her baseball coach painted this on her at Friday night's game and she wanted to leave her make up on to show her biggest brothers. 

Pretend Play

I love that my 9 year old son and 7 year old daughter have not outgrown pretending.  Today, after our family book-learning time, I found them "working".  Isaac is the banker and Anna is the mailwoman.

Oops!  I was mistaken; he's not a banker, but has a much cooler profession. He's a secret agent.  How did I miss the sign on the door??

Now, Why Didn't I Think Of That?

Each Spring we enjoy planting little bitty seeds and watching them sprout inside plastic trays filled with soil.  The whole process is quite cumbersome, actually, as I scour the house looking for flat surfaces which I drag over to the sun-lit areas and wrestle plastic wrap in the attempt to keep those trays covered so the soil won't dry out too quickly.  This year I decided to change all that.  For a mere $50 I am now the proud owner of one of those ugly indoor greenhouses.  Spring will be transformed from here on out.

I also stumbled across an article which suggested planting seeds inside egg shells!!  WOW!!

 We eat a lot of eggs around here so it didn't take long to save quite enough shells and cartons. This beautiful, sunny afternoon we planted some seeds inside them.  After they sprout and the soil in the garden is ready for planting, we'll take the shell, soil and plant, all-in-one, and plant it directly into the soil.  The egg shell will provide nutrients to both the roots and the soil. 

                                     Now, why didn't I think of that??

Copy-Cat Lara Bars (gluten-free! dairy-free! corn-syrup free!)

Have you tried the Lara bar?  There are several varieties from which to choose.  Although I haven't tried them all, my favorite so far is the Peanut Butter and Jelly bar.  As a gluten-free family (for 9 years now) and health conscience mom, I am always on the look-out for healthy packaged snacks and treats.  There aren't many. 

 And in the rare event that I find something, it is usually astronomically priced.  I've only bought a few Lara bars, and only when on sale (buy-one-get-one-free), but my kids and I love them.  I love the fact that they contain very few ingredients,  (the pb&j version only has three!) which made them very easy to make.  I also love that they are high in fiber and protein.

All you need to make your own is:

peanuts                                Mix them up in a Vita-mix and squeeze into bars!
dates
dried fruit (I used cherries)