2008/11/27

Happy Thanksgiving!

We love you all so much!  Rejoice with your families and friends over the glory of God, His mercy, His unfailing love to His people, His sacrifice in giving us His Son.   We are so not worthy of such a sacrifice, and yet he still gave.

Truly, there is so much to give thanks for.  


2008/11/21

Bathing Babies



Alright, I know that kids in the bath tub are only cute to their parents, right?  Well, be patient because I think that the grandparents will really enjoy these and maybe a few of our friends....

In our home it's just so easy to put a bunch of kids in the bath... kind of like putting a bunch of veggies in the pot right??  Maybe not so much.  The little girls think it's fun to have Silas in the tub with them, because he acts like a wild man.  Silas is always the last to get out and he really enjoys his alone time at the end; he runs back and forth, back and forth.  I was able to get him on his last jaunt.

Please pay no attention to the color of that bath water... What do you expect when you put veggies in the pot... err kids in the bath?

Did somebody say Chowda?

Alright ladies get out your big pot and turn on the stove.  I made a New England Fish Chowder for dinner last night and it was hailed as, "Excellent."

Feeds 8 Reynolds with soup left for lunch the following day for yours truly:)

4 slices of thick bacon~cut up into bits
2 Tbsp. Butter
2 Med-Large Onions
1/2-3/4 tsp. Thyme
2 bay leaves
6-7 small-medium potatoes
water 

White coldwater fish such as Haddock (I got 2 packages from Walmart for 4.47 each)  So if you half this meal it's not quite the splurge.

2 cups of cream or a can of evaporated milk.

Go ahead and make some french bread too, because this broth is awesome!!

Heat your pan of med-low and toss in the bacon.  Cook and stir til it's golden brown, add the butter, the onions chopped, thyme, bay leaves to the pot with the bacon and its fat (don't even think about getting rid of it) and saute` stirring occasionally until the onions are soft, but not brown.
Add the potatoes and enough water to cover them up.  Turn up the heat and cook those taters til they are easily pierced and released by a fork.  Reduce heat to low and season generously with freshly ground salt and pepper.  Add the fish fillets and gently cook until white throughout, this won't take long, maybe 10 minutes, mine cooked just a bit longer because they were still partially frozen.  Lastly add cream, gently stirring in and season with more salt and pepper to taste..

This was so good, Colby just looked over my shoulder and said, "Are you posting that recipe, it's so good!"

2008/11/20

Being Sober Minded

As you all know, Colby is our first born child. He is a sweet reminder to us of God's Sovereingty through sin, redemption, and the joys of marriage; not to mention parenting. His due date was on Christmas Day and he came to us 3 days later, December 28.

There is a family at our church who like us was expecting their first born child, a son, on Christmas Day. We just celebrated him this weekend with a baby shower. God called this child from his mother's womb a bit early, on Monday in fact. She gave birth to a beautiful little boy. However, he isn't able to breath on his own and his kidneys will never function. They are cysts and this dear little child is going to die soon. The doctor's have given an estimate of 3-7 days. I have wept over and over again for these dear people. God has seen them through in a most remarkable way as they haven't turned from Him, nor lost faith. Rather, their testimony has been so great that the doctors and nurses are marveling at them, wondering how they are able to carry on without fear and anger.

God's Sovereignty is something that never ceases to amaze me. In all things, no matter how awesome or how sad, He is there and has designed it. I am sobered and humbled that we've spent such sweet time with our own children. Sometimes forgetting how dear they are and how I don't deserve this time with them.

Please pray for this couple to continue to adorn the gospel and to have Faith. Please pray especially for the mom as she is going through a painful recovery. Thank you sweet family and friends.

2008/11/18

What Christie Didn't Show You from the Ball...



That is, "How Christie got her groove back" (and her friend Melia too), by participating in that particular line-dance which I could never quite figure out.  I was proud of the wives for having such a good time, yet prudent and gospel-adorning in their behavior.  From juggling homeshool, dinner on the stove, chasing our little sharp toothed pet white bunny with the steam vac, to remembering how to have fun  and dance the night away, I am pretty impressed by the diversity and wide life-spectrum of my little woman.  Good medicine, I think, for the excellent housewife of 115 Mag Place.

2008/11/15

Croquet or Go Inside!


What to do on a lazy day off?  Play croquet of course!  Jake had an extra long weekend, last weekend that is, due to the Veteran's Day holiday.  He and the kids became seriously involved in croquet match.  I say serious, because any event that involves competition at our home can become very serious.  Particularly as the kids have grown a touch older, and their respective strength and abilities have increased.  A simple game tends to evolve into a championship event, and there will only be one champion, no ties, no rainouts, no do-overs, unless you're Lou Lou who manages to get 4 swings to everyone else's 1 swing...  During the match I insisted on a picture, I told the family to be serious at first, you know, everyone smile and say cheese for the camera, and then the old, okay just be yourself... Here's what transpired.  Even Salt got into it!


Happy Birthday Marines!


We celebrated the birthday of the Marine Corps last night by going to a Ball.  We had such an enjoyable time.  Jake was stunning in his Evening Field Dress Suit.  We took along our very dear friends the Thomases.  For Jake and I, it was the most enjoyable ball we've attended.  The company of good friends really made the entire evening such a treat.  I told Jake that I wouldn't leave until they played the Electric Slide, so he requested it for me and I got to dance.  It was fun!  

The D.J. also played our song and we danced together as well.  What a treat to slow dance with my man.  This was the first ball we've celebrated in 5 years together.  It was such a special occasion to us.    

2008/11/11

Happy Veterans Day!

To those who serve, to those who have served, and to those who have stood behind those who have served.

2008/11/07

Big News

Or not so big, just my belly.  It turns out the big lump in my stomach is mostly residue from previous babies.... We are about 12 1/2 weeks along and my due date is May 19.  This is great news because Jake, more than likely, will be home from Iraq.  What a relief to us.  Thank you all for your prayers and thoughtfulness toward us!  

2008/11/06

Excited

So, I just have to say that I am so excited for my sonogram tomorrow.  You'd think by now that that sort of thing would be growing old and I'd tire of it.  Of course not!  To see a little life kicking around inside of the body is so amazing.  Knowing that this little person is an eternal being, created for the Glory of God.  It's an absolute miracle.  

My curiosity is also getting the best of me at how far along I really am.  The baby moves every day.  Reminds me of being pregnant with Libby.  She moved around all the time.  So much in fact that when she was born there was a "true knot" in the umbilical cord.  At some point she had managed to form a loop, swim through it and secure a, "true knot."  The midwife said she had only seen a couple of those.  Now that we know Libby it's far from being unbelievable.  She's as busy as a bee so to speak.  


2008/11/05

Silas


He is so active right now.  I had forgotten how busy little boys can be.  He is very particular these days.  For example, he can't stand footed pajamas.  It drives him bonkers as soon as I start putting them on.  He turns up his little pug nose and kicks and has a fit.  Also, he can't stand the feel of grass on his feet.  It's become mine and Jake's most favorite way to trap him.  If we sit him on the lawn, he'll stay exactly where we put him, holding up his little bare feet.  He just doesn't like how the grass feels to him, he's got some kind of sensory thing going on.  He will just stay put until somebody comes to rescue him.  It's so cute.  He's throwing great fits now as well.  He got upset at church on Sunday and threw his shoe ACROSS the aisle and it hit one of our senior members in the ankle.  I was humiliated.  So obviously the moral of the story is that I need a lot more sanctification based on my humiliated response...  Silas on the other hand might just be ready for the paddle!

2008/11/04

Libby and Louisa

Lately, at least since the weather has turned cool, you will find me downstairs during school hours.  The kids follow me of course and we turn to the smells and delights of the kitchen.  Everyone parks around the table with their work and Louisa moves front and center to the island.  There we do math and phonics.  She is so funny and still loves learning.

Libby on the other hand prefers to wear these lovely protective ear covers.  She enjoys tuning out what I am saying.  No really, I was milling flour and Colby brought these out so he didn't have to hear the noise of my milling machine.  Libby just thought she was cuter with them on.

2008/11/02

May the Farm Be With You

Farm

Because I'm strange and don't use coupons... and because my boys love Star Wars

2008/11/01

BRV

Well, I dropped off Jake and Colby at the curb of the Coastal Carolina Airport in New Bern this morning around 5:55.  Kind of early for a Saturday.  Of the three of us I seemed to be the one lacking motivation.  Colby was comical in his packing and Jake and I were reminded we don't fly often.  Colby was wearing a Survival Fanny Pack, complete with water bottles, books, games, and a knives.  Oh yes, knives.  He asked Jake if he was bringing his knife.  Jake said, woe, no, you can't board the plan with a knife.  Colby is old enough that authorities would be unmerciful if he tried to smuggle that thing on board.  

B.R.V.  That's the new Acronym for the Big Red Van

Also, I went to the Doctor yesterday.  He is estimating that I am somewhere around 14-16 weeks pregnant.  Jake and I are somewhat relieved because we will deliver the baby here, or I will.  He will most likely still be in Iraq when the bundle gets here.  The doctor I saw was a breath of fresh air.  He was pleased to see that there are people who love large families and he also gave me a most excellent response to the baby.  Saying that I don't deserve this child, the baby is a gift.  I affirmed his statement and told him "I know what I deserve."  It is hell. Without question.  Only the redemption of Christ has enabled me to receive anything good.  

Next Friday I will have an ultrasound to firm up his thoughts..