Happy Birthday Ted

Happy 27th Birthday Ted! 

What a joy and treasure you are to us!

 

We had a pleasant treat tonight. 

Grandma and cousin Michael joined us for Ted's dinner.

27 years ago all of Ted's grandparents were at the hospital

visiting him.  He was very tiny and in the special care nursery.

But look at how strong and healthy he is now! 

Thanking God for our Ted.  We all love him so.

Someone special was born on this day

My father-in-law, Kevin's dad, our children's granddad was a treasure of a man.

He was very loving, kind, thoughtful, sweet, funny, tender, strong, . . .

I could go on and on.

He was so dear to us, and we miss him very much.  He never got to meet his three youngest grandchildren, and he never got to see most of his grandchildren grow up.  He has missed out on so much in this life of his beloved family.  Dick died young in 2002 at age 72.  That makes us sad at times, but the time he did have here on earth . . .

. . .he lived to the fullest. 

He was a loving and faithful husband, a devoted father, and a doting grandfather.

At every family gathering, Dick could be found playing with the kids.  Playing basketball, drawing pictures, playing hide and seek . . .

Or just holding the little ones.  He loved his family, and he was crazy about his grandchildren.

Happy Birthday Dad, Dick, and Granddad.  You are always close in our hearts, and we will never forget you.

Some winter goings-on

Elijah working very hard on writing his letters

That sweet face just melts my heart

Celebrating 100's day with their collection of 100 things

Philip explaining how his new creation works

Mother/daughter tea party at Aunt Ruthie's Tea House

Beautiful young lady

Our hearts are breaking today . . .

We had to put down our beloved dog Soccer.

He was fifteen and had been failing for some time now.

Soccer was such a love.  He was the best furry cuddle bug ever.  He found us about thirteen and a half years ago at our local park next to the soccer field where Ted played  (hense the name "Soccer")


We put up signs and called vets and humane societies, etc. to try to find his owner.  We even put an ad in the newspaper in case a family was looking for him.  No one claimed him.  One lady called and said, "He isn't my dog, but if you can't find his owner, I would love to have him."

I replied, "Thank you, but if we can't find his owner, I think he is home already."

And he was!  For over thirteen years.  The vet thought he was already 1 1/2 years old when we found him, so that means he lived to a ripe old age with a family who loved him dearly.

He captured our hearts all those years ago, and we will always love and miss him.



New "Family Business"

Our littles peeking out from behind the Pampered Chef boxes delivered

from our first party!

Funny thing:  Kevin has always dreamed of hosting his own cooking show, perhaps on a cable show or something like that.  He even used to kid around with a friend who also wanted to host his own show - a tool time kind of show.  They used to joke that Kevin could be cooking and suddenly need something like a kitchen island or a table.  The camera would pan over to Chad quickly making the needed item. 

Ha,ha!!

But that silly show never came to be.  Instead, Kevin and I are beginning a Pampered Chef business - a "family business"

Kevin is the pretty face who demostrates the products while he cooks.

I am the business end of things. 

It is a perfect match, don't you think?!!

If you ever need some Pampered Chef items, hop on over to our website:

http://pamperedchef.biz/kevskitchen

We would be glad to help you!! 

Let it snow, let it snow, let is snow

We enjoyed a little snow over the Christmas break . . .

The kids and the papa had a blast! 

The mommy stayed in and exercised in the warm living room while occassionally peeking outside to see the fun. 

It was a "win, win" situation for everyone concerned!

What is happening over break

Happy New Year to you and your family . . .

This new year is off to a wonderful adventure for our family.

Ever since God amazingly blessed our family with our three youngest children from China, I quit my full-time teaching position in a public school and now stay home to homeschool our littlest treasures.

After some adjustment period in homeschooling,

we all love it!

But, that meant we had to do without my full-time pay, and that has been a little interesting at times, especially having adopted internationally three times since then!

But God, . . .

He is always, always faithful.

Kevin and I have both run successful small businesses to help offset the lost income, and God has provided.

Even though my business eventually stopped and Kevin's surged, it has been tough schedule wise because the kids and I don't see Kevin very much.  He is either working at school full-time as a teacher or doing lawn work and painting.  That means he doesn't get very much down time or even time with his family.  This schedule has been difficult for all of us.  We miss Kevin, and he misses us!

We have prayed for a better solution to this dilemma for some time now.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago when I attended a Pampered Chef party and came home to share about it with Kevin (who has always had a desire to have his own cooking show!)

Long story, short . . .

We have opened our own Pampered Chef business together!  It will focus on our strengths - Kevin will do the cooking show each time (he is a bit of a ham), and I will handle the business side of things (I am a classic type A personality).  We are perfectly matched!

Tonight is our first cooking show, and we all are so excited about the possibilities of this business!

Practicing his "cooking show" last night for the children

The audience was a tad unruly! 

Hopefully tonight's audience will be better behaved!!

Could you pray for our new adventure?  If this works, it will be so much fun to run a business together.  We are very excited about this business and definitely feel it is a "God" thing!