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THE FINE PRINT
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January 01, 2011
October 25, 2010
Faithful Eyes
"It is in her own home that warmth of heart and openness of hand are first to be shown. It is as wife and mother that a woman performs her most sacred ministry. Her hand wipes away the teardrops when there is sorrow. In sickness, she is that tender nurse. She bears upon her own heart every burden that weighs upon her husband. No matter how the world goes with him during the day, when he enters his own door he meets the fragrant atmosphere of love. Other friends may forsake him, but she clings to him with unalterable fidelity. When gloom comes down and adversity falls upon him, her faithful eyes look ever into his like two stars of hope shining in the darkness. When his heart is crushed, beneath her smile it gathers itself again into strength."
~~J. R. Miller, Home-Making
Lord, continue to carve away the sharp edges that jut out and scrape, wound or irritate the soul of my beloved husband.
May I always bear the burdens of my beloved...
May he always enter his home to find a pleasing atmosphere of love...
May I always bring hope to him...
May I always be a source of encouragement and strength to him...
May he always look into faithful eyes...
~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
October 25, 2010
October 21, 2010
October 19, 2010
Are you good enough.......?
Heaven.
Heaven?
Heaven?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You goin' to Heaven?
??
You good enough to get in?
??
Give to others?
Sacrifice for others?
Serve others?
No stealing.
No murder.
Nothing too bad, right?
~~~
I make some mistakes but I am pretty good at heart. I don't mean any harm.
I do my best.
October 12, 2010
Ah! what would the world be to us...
...If the children were no more?
We should dread the desert behind us
Worse than the dark before.
What the leaves are to the forest,
With light and air for food,
Ere their sweet and tender juices
Have been hardened into wood,--
That to the world are children;
Through them it feels the glow
Of a brighter and sunnier climate
Than reaches the trunks below.
~~ J. R. Miller, Home-Making
~~~~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
October 12, 2010
Music: Simple Gifts
October 07, 2010
..another year with my beloved..
I remember the very day that I realized that I was falling in love with this man...
:0)
We married October 3rd, 1992.
18 years of marriage...
I am so thankful for my dearest Aaron.
I love him so tremendously that there simply are no words to truly express it.
"Perfect harmony cannot be forced in a day, cannot indeed be forced at all, but must come through gentleness and perhaps only after many days. There must mutual adaptation, and time must be allowed for this. The present duty is unselfish love. Each much forget self in devotion to the other. Each must blame self and not the other when anything goes wrong. There must be the determination on the part of both to make the marriage happy and to conquer everything that lies in the way. Then the very differences between the two lives will become their closest points of union. When they have passed through this process of blending, though it may for the time be painful and perilous, the result will be a wedded life of deep peace, quiet joy and inseparable affection."
"Pride must have no place in wedded life. There must never be any standing upon dignity, nor any nice calculation as to whose place it is to make the apology or to yield first to the other. True love knows no such casuistry; it seeks not its own; it delights in being foremost in forgiving and yielding. There is no lesson that husbands and wives need more to learn than instantly and always to seek forgiveness of each other whenever they are conscious of having in any way caused pain or committed a wrong. The pride that will never say, "I did wrong; forgive me," is not ready for wedded life."
"When the wedded life is ruled by love, then the bridal wreath remains fresh and fragrant till it is laid upon the coffin by the loving hands of the one who survives to close the eyes of the other; and the wedding music and the peals of the bells continue to echo in tones of gladness and peace until hushed in the sobbings of sorrow when the singers sing in dirges and the bells toll out the number of the finished years."
J. R. Miller, Home-Making, Chapter 1
Perhaps the Lord will allow us another 18 years together on this earth.
I would be so blessed...
Truly forever honored to be Mrs. Aaron Klause
I love you Aaron.
~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
October 3, 2010
Music: Legends of the Fall; It's Always You
September 24, 2010
Daddy and His Girls
My dearest husband often makes dinner on the weekends. He is a fantastic cook! The girls so enjoy making meals with him!
Darcy has beautiful curly hair and this was her first fountain! Hehehe.... I pulled it all up into a tiny little "tail" on top of her head. :)
I love to see the smile on my husband's face when he is visiting with or playing with his children. It brings tremendous joy to my heart.
And.....oh, how these four little girls adore this man!
~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
September 24, 2010
September 21, 2010
September 09, 2010
Little Girls...Busy Days
The days are busy around here! I haven't taken time for blogging in a while.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Just a few photos of the summer...
Darcy at 8 months. She is so sweet...
Kennedy & Addison are the dearest of friends.
Darcy & Addison
Addison, Kennedy & Bailey plopped down on a swing at Garden Ridge one day and what a cute picture it made!
Addison & Kennedy making baby food for Darcy.
Darcy vacuuming ... or piddling with it anyway. ;0)
~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
September 9, 2010
July 29, 2010
Red Kool-Aid & Royalty
Question: How many times do you have to mop the floor after an entire pitcher of red Kool-Aid is spilled on the dining room floor??
Answer: I do not know yet. We have mopped the floor eight times already and the floor is still sticky. Perhaps I can let you know tomorrow.
~~~~
Kennedy and Addison are constantly pretending something throughout the day. This afternoon Bailey and I are sitting in the living room learning about the life of Claude Monet. Addison has been helping me with the mopping sessions and cleaning the dining room furniture. Kennedy looks up from her farm and sees Addison mopping (again) and suggests that they play Princess and Her Servant. Kennedy will be the Princess and Addison can be the servant since she is mopping anyway. Kennedy props herself up all princess-like at the dining room table while Addison mops and checks regularly on the progress of her servant.
In the meantime, Darcy crawls into the dining room to play with a basket of her toys. I have just checked on her and she is just piddling.
Then I hear this:
Kennedy: Servant Addison, please close the back door since The Royal Dog already came in.
Addison: I can't. The Royal Big Baby is in the way.
---Hehehe---
Bailey and I peer over the back of the loveseat and giggle...
Hehehe....
...."the Royal Big Baby is in the way"....
Hehehehe....
~~~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
July 29, 2010
Music: You Are My Sunshine
July 26, 2010
Mr. Huckleberry
He is the last pup remaining...
I will be sad to see him go.
I have worked with him daily since his littermates left. He was terribly uncertain of the leash and the first walk we took him on. He stayed right beside Sadie and was a bit confused by it all.
But he got the hang of it pretty quick.
He has grown into a handsome fellow... ;0)
Here is he only a few hours old.
He arrived backend first and I noticed his funny markings immediately. :)
He will make a good dog. He does well with the children. He had to learn how not to pummel Darcy like she was a littermate. He no longer nibbles her ears at his leisure. He has done his potty business outside since he was able to walk. He is still learning to ring the bell on the back door to let us know he needs out. He is currently learning how not to jump when he is excited to see us. He sleeps all night in his kennel from 10 p.m. until around 6 a.m. And he does love his kennel...I leave the door open and that is where he lays to nap.
Sadie and Mr. Huckleberry.
~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
July 26, 2010
July 23, 2010
July 20, 2010
Such joy...
Darcy Cheyenne at almost 8 months old.
The time is flying by too quickly!
She is such a sweet little girl. She crinkles her nose when she smiles. Her giggles are truly like music that sweetens our days.
She started crawling just days after turning seven months old and within the next five days she was pulling up. I kept telling her to sit right back down as she was just too young to be on her feet!! She is becoming quite agile on her feet and pushed forward on her little push walker this Sunday afternoon. She made it from the living to the dining. When I saw it and said something, her Daddy was up in a flash looking into the dining hoping for a glimpse of seeing those tiny feet in action.
My heart was overwhelmed...tiny little feet and sweet smiles...and the twinkle in her father's eyes...
I am so thankful for my Darcy Cheyenne.
~~~
posted Mrs. Klause
July 20, 2010
Music: Who's My Pretty Baby
July 06, 2010
Teacup Tuesdays -- Summer Fun
My Mother is always on the lookout for "the perfect" teacup to send to us. Sometimes one will arrive in the mail and othertimes we will get one for each of us. Mother is so dear. The teacups have purpose or personality. :) A cup and saucer will look to her like it just fits one of us and that will be the one she sends. Or sometimes it is a teacup and saucer that are just unique that she thinks we would enjoy.
Most recently...
Flip-flops and teacups... :0) How fun.
~~~~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
July 6, 2010
Music: Do-Re-Mi
June 17, 2010
Five Waggly Tails
The puppies will be ready for their new homes soon. The children are terribly sad about this. They will lobby to keep one of the dogs. :-)
They will be small dogs. Momma is an Italian Greyhound (these are small!) and Poppa is a toy Manchester Terrier.
```````````````````````````
This is Mr. Huckleberry.
He is a sweet dog. A good eater. Not yappy. He really likes to play with his brothers. He likes to cuddle.
``````````````````````````````````````````````````
Here is Sgt. Tibbs.
I like Sgt. Tibbs a lot. He likes to come and cuddle. And enjoys a good romp with his brothers as well..
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````
This is little Bella. She is the smallest but the one with the most spunk. She is not yappy but if someone has something to say it will be one of the female dogs. She likes to run and pounce. So far, she is the fastest...the girls keep trying to set them up to race. Hehehe...
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Col. Buckshot. :0) He is the biggest fellow. He is a snuggler as well. He has a tendency to follow or find me. He is often first one to fall asleep after eating and playing.
```````````````````````````````````````````````````
Last is little Cupcake.
She is spunky like Bella.
Cupcake really likes to play.
````````````````````````````````````````
The children have played with the dogs since they were about 24 hours old. They have been held, cuddled, rocked, loved, wrapped in blankets, squeezed a little too hard and Darcy has even pulled tails and tasted a few ears. ;0)
A few random photos of the pooches:
Above: Mr. Huckleberry & Cupcake
Sgt. Tibbs came in from outside yesterday morning and curled up for a nap in Darcy's lap.
Addison crawled out of bed yesterday and went straight to take care of Bella. She made her a little bed and covered her up.
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
You can see other pictures of the puppies here:
And pictures of Momma Dog here:
~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
June 17, 2010
Music: How much is that doggy?
June 15, 2010
Wanted - Homemaker
"We've learned that our children will pick up many kinds of ideas from the atmosphere we provide in the home. What do we need to insure that this atmosphere inspires them on to the kinds of things we want them to learn? First, someone loving needs to be home to make it a home. We are living in a career-minded, materialistic culture that depreciates the role of the mother. But the fact is that mother is the irreplaceable foundation of a home.
During World War II, when America was imprisoning Japanese families in camps, a reporter stepped up to a little Japanese-American girl waiting at a train platform. "How does it feel to be without a home?" the reporter asked. "Oh," replied the little girl, "we have a home, we just don't have a house to put it in."
~~A Charlotte Mason Companion: Personal Reflections on The Gentle Art of Learning by Karen Andreola
~~Chapter 6, The Atmosphere of Home, Page 51
~~~~~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
June 15, 2010
June 01, 2010
No way..
I have seen the village....
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...and I don't want it raising my child.
~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
June 1, 2010
May 19, 2010
Pictures of the Puppies
Mr. Huckleberry was born first. He likes to sleep on Sadie almost all the time.
His spots are funny.
~~
This is Sgt. Tibbs. He "belongs" to Bailey. She likes him because he looks most like Sadie.
Sgt. Tibbs standing up tall and strong.
~~~
Addison had her name picked out weeks ago. This is Bella.
Addison sure likes to hold Bella.
She was born third. She is quiet and calm.
~~~
The children were insistent that their father get his very own puppy. He said, "I want a male."
Daughter: "Daddy, Daddy, what will you name him?"
The Daddy: "Buckshot."
Col. Buckshot
He is the biggest, strongest and most quiet pup.
~~~
Here is the baby. Kennedy picked her out. She is very sweet and likes to cuddle.
Kennedy named her Cupcake.
~~~
There are more photos of Mother Sadie and her pups here.
Stay tuned...we will post more pictures as they get bigger. The pups will be moving to other homes when they get bigger. If you are in our area and interested, please let me know at mrs.klause@hotmail.com
~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
May 19, 2010
Music: How Much Is That Doggie
May 18, 2010
1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5...
Mother Sadie and her five pups. It was a long and tiring night for Sadie.
The first puppy was quite a surprise to her. :) She was not too sure about the second one but by the fourth and fifth, she was an expert. She seems to be a good momma dog and leaves their little den only to run to the potty and grab a bite to eat.
Kennedy regularly brings food and water to her and she nibbles and laps in the comfort of her den. :)
They are situated in a box in our living room behind one of the chairs. I placed a card table over the top of the box and then put a sheet over the top of the card table so they have secluded place in the family area.
The children decided that they wanted to each have their very own puppy to name and take care of while they are with us.
This is Mr. Huckleberry. He is "mine" and was born first. He likes to sleep on Sadie's neck....
....or draped over her back leg...
:)
Today we will try to get good pictures of all the puppies.
~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
May 18, 2010
Music: How Much Is That Doggie In The Window
May 12, 2010
...and have not charity, I am nothing...
1 Corinthians 13
1Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
~~~
posted by Mrs. Aaron Klause
May 10, 2010
Matters of Motherhood on Mondays - Buckle up!
We are trying to tidy up our habits when it comes time to go somewhere in the car. It is not unusual for us to take forever too long to get everyone settled into their seats and buckled. It is not unusual to find Kennedy and Addison have simply moved their conversation from the house to the van without bothering to buckle up... Or they are busy looking through a purse or bag while still unbuckled... Or someone is showing someone else something nifty... Or someone is crying because they cannot buckle today (but they could buckle yesterday!).
:0/
I do think that our habits can be improved from this point but I also think that if I had been able to look into our future when Bailey was little, I would have started then in creating better habits when it was time to buckle up and leave.
Now...we walk out the door saying:
"Get in! Sit down! Buckle up! Sit quietly." :)
I have to remind the girls that we need to hold the chitter chatter and the stay focused on just getting in the vehicle and settled into the seat and putting their seatbelts on properly. Older sisters are to help younger sisters. Different people are in charge of different doors.
--- Come on now. Who else out there has had all their children pile into the vehicle and buckle up and not a single door has been closed. Hehehe... ;0)
~~~~
It doesn't seem like a big deal. It is time to go, take the children to the car, buckle up and leave...
:)
This is an area that I would have been particular with the habits of the children had I have known that my lack of habit teaching would create problems.
Such is life.
Live and learn.
The more mothering I do, the more I try to look ahead one year, three years, five years, ten years, 20 years into the future. I try to see how our current actions, behaviors and habits will "play out" in the lives of my children. What habits are being passively formed due to my lack of specific direction?
:)
~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
May 10, 2010
April 30, 2010
Darcy, too!
After lunch today Addison found a rolly polly bug. Everyone gathered on the back porch to observe and piddle with it. Darcy got to go as well. Bailey plopped her down on the porch and they all took turns making the little critter roll up into a ball.
It must be fun to be the fourth sister in the house! :0)
~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
April 30, 2010
April 28, 2010
Work About The House Wednesdays - Keeping It All Clean & Tidy & Organized
Keeping the house, yard and garage all clean and tidy and organized...
Ha ha ha ha ha! :0)
We try.
Here is how we do it at our house...
Each day of the week we have areas of the home that are our focus for the day. That area is to be cleaned and all the clutter piles cleared up. If reorganization or changes need to be made, we do it on that day.
Mondays - Kitchen, Living Room, Sitting Room & the dog's things
Tuesdays - Laundry Room, Children's Bedroom
Wednesdays - Playroom, Pantry, Supply Closet (this is the catch all that has everything from board games to storage boxes)
Thursdays - Master Bedroom, All Floors
Fridays - Bathrooms
Saturdays - Garage, Vehicles, Yard and Schoolroom
~~
This is very helpful in keeping us focused. I am one that has a tendency to want to randomly clean out areas of clutter. This actually makes more messes for me as I interject extra work into my days. Ultimately and truthfully, it causes a lack of focus and incomplete projects. My sweet husband calls it a sickness. Hehe... :0)
In all seriousness, I so desire to be a good steward of our home and to teach our children to be good stewards, to be organized and to be able to follow through with things.
~~
Saturday was a wonderful day of laboring together as a family. The grass was mowed, the weeds cleared from the front flower beds, about 1/4 of the garage was tidied up, both vehicles were completely cleared out and cleaned! Yippee! This Saturday we can tidy another 1/4 of the garage and see about getting rid of those Clutter Monsters that have creeped into our little schoolroom.
~~
"Let all things be done decently and in order." ~~I Corinthians 14:40
"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." ~~I Corinthians 10:31
~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
April 28, 2010
April 26, 2010
Matters of Motherhood on Mondays
Matters of Motherhood...
I have not been a mother for very long. Little over nine years now...as counted from the time I was actually blessed with the gift of motherhood. :0) That would be 37 weeks prior to the birth of my eldest.
This little blog began as mostly a way to communicate with family that lived far away and to serve as a bit of a journal. It has changed over time and is now very much a journal for my children.
~~~
I often think of things, typically small things really, that I might have done differently as I watch my girls go through their days. My children are young and we work daily at creating good habits with cheerful hearts as well as lacing the hours with God's word.
After talking with a lot of other mommas, I believe our days are just like other homeschooling families. Some days we travel through our days with a clear forward momentum. Everyone is working together, things are getting done, small character training opportunities are found all day long, school is done, meals are cooked and cleaned, chores are accomplished, little ones learn as we go.
THEN...we have days where we seem to be either taking constant steps backwards... Well, truthfully, they feel more like taking a step backwards and then falling firmly on your back. :0/ Those days where we struggle to get everyone dressed and ready within an hour because there are constant "character training opportunities". :) That phrase sounded better in the paragraph above! Days where we seem to go from one part of our day to the next leaving huge messes behind and where we have one crisis after the next.
~~~
{sigh}
And such is life...
We all have good days and rough days. There are mountaintops and valleys for all of us.
My children are young and I believe that training of their habits and their hearts is paramount. I have, over the years now, begun to look at child training a bit like whittling. Whittling is a slow process. My hand holds the knife to carve but mother and father must humbly seek the Lord to guide the direction of the strokes.
Now with four children in our home, I see even more areas of their hearts that need a finer and more careful strokes.
I see little things and big things that need to be changed and refined. Hindsight is often 20/20. I cannot go back and change but I can redirect our paths as I learn more and continue to lean upon the Lord.
~~~
Perhaps the Lord will see fit that I might see my grandchildren grow into adults...perhaps not... Even if I am granted that earthly privilege, I would never be able to recall the details of the days. And so, that has become the primary purpose of this little blog...
...to be a journal of my learning and growing as a wife and mother...
....so that my daughters might live and learn from my journey....
So, on Mondays, I shall purpose to make record of specific matters of motherhood.
You are welcome to join me if you like...
:0)
~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
April 19, 2010
April 21, 2010
Work About The House Wednesdays -- We finally perfected our pancakes!
We have been working to perfect our pancake recipe for a couple of years now. We make adjustments each time we make the pancakes.
We have had a tasty recipe but had trouble getting the cakes to fluff up as much as we wanted them to. We have added more baking powder and less and added and taken away baking soda...we have changed the egg ratio and made adjustments to the flour...we have even found a secret in adding Sprite or 7-Up as part of the liquids to fluff them a bit....
But...we still could not get a FLUFFY pancake. Or at least as risen and fluffy as we desire...until today...
Bailey typically prepares the batch of pancakes on her own. Today she wanted to mentor her sisters a bit in the process so she was kind of teaching them a bit helping them measure and such. Darcy and I sat nearby enjoying warm milk and hot coffee.
I knew that instead of the 15 minutes it would take me to whip up a batch or even the 30 minutes that it takes Bailey to make cakes for breakfast....it would surely become at least an hour project for us. We lost only one glass bowl in the process due to slippery butter fingers (literally, she had butter on her fingers). ;0)
Once the batter was ready and the griddle was heating, I went over to peer into the bowl to see how it looked. Batter seemed too thick. I reviewed the recipe with Bailey. I watched her measure a cup of milk but I did not see her add the additional 1/4 cup. We talked the recipe through and found that only that 1/4 cup milk was left out. I suggested that we not add the additional milk but see how the cakes turned out. She was hesitant as she has spent the last year really learning to cook and to bake and she often will get discouraged with her mistakes. I encouraged her saying that they would taste just fine, it would only be the consistency that would be affected. I suggested that they may turn out more fluffy with the thicker batter. She was willing....
! ! ! !
I wish I had a picture. The were so fluffy and quite tasty. They did not make lovely round cakes as the batter was thick and not really pourable...more "plop-able". ;0)
We finally perfected our pancake! There was cheering at the breakfast table this morning and further scribbling on the recipe card.
~~~
It is a regular handwriting assignment for Bailey to complete a recipe card. She has started her own recipe box of those recipes that she wants to keep in her hope chest (that we do not yet have) to take with her to her own home. I think she and her children will treasure reading and preparing recipes written in the crooked strokes of a little girl. :0)
~~~
The Klause's Perfect Pancakes1 1/2 cup flour
3 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
1 cup milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons melted butter
In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients. Make a well in the center and add all liquids. Mix until smooth.
This makes a small batch. Perhaps 12-14 4-inch cakes..
Sometimes we will triple or quadruple the recipe and cook the cakes and then freeze the rest for later. You can put them into the toaster from the freezer but we prefer to set them into the fridge or out on the counter to thaw some and then reheat in the oven, microwave or toaster.
~~
Let us know if you give our recipe and whirl and what your family thinks. :0)
~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
April 21, 2010
April 17, 2010
At the beauty shop...
...waitin' for Momma to get her hair cut...
:0)
This was not posed. They just plopped themselves down in a line to wait.
We live in a small town and the lady that owns this little hair shop has been cutting hair in this tiny town for 54 years. We had a wonderful visit there.
There was a woman in her 70s getting her hair done when we arrived. She was called Punkin. Just as my hair was being finished up a lady named Dorothy arrived, also in her 70s. She was the fourth of seven sisters. Having four little girls there with me brought about stories of Dorothy's childhood. Within a few minutes of Dorothy's arrival the phone rang.
It was a woman calling for Dorothy. :) Her sister. She was calling so that the lady at the hair shop could let Dorothy know that coffee was ready and she should come on over after her hair was done. Oh, and by the way, has anyone seen Punkin? Nope. Dorothy says she hasn't seen Punkin today. Oh but the lady at the hair shop reports that she just finished Punkin's hair about 30 minutes ago.
...in walks Punkin...
She saw Dorothy's car and came to tell her that she picked up donuts and was headed over to have coffee with a sister. :0) Three of the seven sisters so far...
Oh how my girls just loved watching all of this! I tell the girls all the time that God has given them their very best and closest friends...their sisters. I have explained that friends will come and go in our lives but their sisters will always be there. Sisters are such a blessing from the Lord and those relationships are to be built and cared for and tended carefully over the many years.
I tell the girls stories all the time of all that I remember of my Mema Simpson and her sisters.
I tell the girls that it is their sisters that will be there when they are married and when they have their babies ... when husbands are without a job or when children are ill ... when the news of terminal illness arrives or tragic accidents happen ...sisters will comfort them as they say goodbye to parents and husbands and children ...
I pray my girls will become dear and lifelong friends.
I hope that when they are old and grey that Darcy has the coffee ready and waiting...
Kennedy arrives with a bouquet of fresh cut flowers from her little flower garden in the backyard...
Bailey brings over some muffins to nibble...
Addison brings in the quilt that they are all working on together...
~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
April 17, 2010
April 01, 2010
The Secret of A Beautiful Life
"There lived once a young girl whose perfect grace of character was the wonder of those who knew her. She wore on her neck a gold locket which no one was ever allowed to open. One day, in a moment of unusual confidence, one of her companions was allowed to touch its spring and learn its secret. She saw written these words ---"Whom having not seen, I love." That was the secret of her beautiful life."
~Author Unknown
~~~
That was the secret of her beautiful life.
That...
Her love of Christ.
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. ~Matthew 22:37-38
I pray that the husbands of my daughters might have to seek the Lord completely to gain her attention.
~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
April 1, 2010
March 31, 2010
What do you do with your junk mail?
Kennedy and Addison have today's grocery advertisements, a piece of white paper, a glue stick and a pair of scissors. They are hunting for each letter of the alphabet. This is a great exercise for Kennedy. She is a highly kinestethic learner.
Darcy is enjoying her swing and the chatter of her sisters.
Bailey is reading about butterflies.
~~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
March 31, 2010
March 25, 2010
..in loving and caring for our own children..
"God has so constituted us that in loving and caring for our own children the richest and best things in our natures are drawn out. Many of the deepest and most valuable lessons ever learned are read from the pages of unfolding child life. We best understand the feelings and affections of God toward us when we bend over our own child and see in our human parenthood a faint image of the divine Fatherhood. Then in the culture of character there is no influence more potent than that which touches us when our children are laid in our arms. Their helplessness appeals to every principle of nobleness in our hearts. Their innocence exerts over us a purifying power. The thought of our responsibility for them exalts ever faculty of our souls. In the very care which they exact they bring blessing to us. When old age comes very lonely is the home which has neither son nor daughter to return with grateful ministries, to bring solace and comfort to the declining years!"
* excerpt from Home Making by J. R. Miller, Chapter 4 The Parent's Part
~~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
March 25, 2010
February 11, 2010
Snow! :0)
We have snow!
The girls are terribly excited and hoping to go out to play soon.
Darcy and I will stay inside all cozy and warm and have hot chocolate waiting for them. :)
~~~
I will post snow pictures later today. A snowman is sure to be built!
~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
February 11, 2010
January 05, 2010
Our Little Darcy Cheyenne
Sweetly sleeping...
We took this one just for her Daddy...wearin' her Wranglers.
So sweet. She is a beautiful and pleasant little girl.
Mother Klause & Little Darcy Cheyenne
.
What a precious gift. I am so thankful for this wee little girl.
~~~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
January 5, 2010
December 18, 2009
I am trying to put wrinkles in my skirt...
The Broomstick Skirt
~~~
I have three of these.
I have never mastered the care of the broomstick skirt. So, I went on a search (a short one) this afternoon to see if I could find some answers.
I have tried the washing, twisting, knotting, tying and the impossible task of putting the wet, twisted mess into the leg of a pair of pantyhose.
None of these things has worked so well.
So...the search began...
...
...
...
I found a new technique. Well, new to me.
Apparently I need to microwave my skirt!
I'm serious.
Read it yourself: Crinkling Your Broomstick Skirts
I am going to give it a try.
I will let you know how it goes.
:0)
~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
December 18, 2009
Music: Come Bless The Lord
December 16, 2009
Pie Crusts - 2 very different recipes
I am going to try a new recipe for pie crusts this year. I hear that using two forms of fat make for a more flakey crust as the shortening and butter have two different melting points and somehow that produces the flakey-ness. ??
***
I posted this last November. Both pie crusts are tasty. The second one does produce a more flakey crust. If you have a food processor, the second recipe is MUCH easier to make.
***
Here is MY STANDARD PIE CRUST RECIPE; it makes four pie crusts:
4 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons sugar
1 3/4 cup shortening
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/2 cup water
Combine dry ingredients; cut in shortening until mixture is uniformly coarse. Combine egg, vinegar and water. Gradually add to flour mixture, stirring until mixture forms a ball. Divide dough into four equal parts. Roll dough out on a floured surface; cut into circles. Place waxed paper between individual crust circles; place on a cardboard circle or baking round to maintain shape. Freeze 2-4 hours and then place into freezer bags OR place the crust into pie plates and then pack into plastic freezer bags.
NEW PIE CRUST RECIPE - MAKES TWO PIES
This recipe is much easier to make than the one above.
Place butter and lard in freezer for 15 minutes. When ready to use, remove and cut both into small pieces.
In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour and salt by pulsing 3 to 4 times.
Add butter and pulse 5 to 6 times until texture looks mealy.
Add lard and pulse another 3 to 4 times.
Remove lid of food processor and "splash" the surface of mixture thoroughly with water. I just dip my fingers into the water and then splash the water into the bowl.
Replace lid and pulse 5 times.
Add more water and pulse again until mixture holds together when squeezed.
Place mixture in large zip-top bag, squeeze together until it forms a ball, and then press into a rounded disk and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Remove dough from fridge and place between two pieces of wax paper. Make sure that you dust each side of the dough with a bit of flour.
Roll the dough into a large circle. Remove the top piece of wax paper.
Place your pie pan upside down on top of the circle of dough and then flip everything over. Remove the bottom layer of wax paper and press your dough into your pie pan.
Poke holes in the bottom of the dough with a fork.
~~~
If you need to bake the crust before you fill it, poke holes in the bottom with a fork and bake at 425 until golden brown (about 15 minutes).
Otherwise, just fill your crust and bake according to your pie directions! (That dot <---- won't go away!)
~~
I haven't tried it yet but I suspect we will be able to put the crust neatly into our pie pans and then freeze (crust in the pan) for our Christmas pies.
:)
~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
Originally posted November 26, 2008
December 12, 2009
“The eyesight of faith produces, in the man who possesses it, a calm and quiet frame of mind.”
~~ C. H. Spurgeon, Volume 54, Sermon #3117
December 11, 2009
"Once upon a time, men...
..wore the pants, and wore them well."
There are a couple of blogs that I visit daily (kind of like some folks read the newspaper daily).
Yesterday I saw an advertisement from Dockers that started with that "Once upon a time" sentence above. I wasn't sure if what I was reading was actually from Dockers so I went to see for myself...
Here, you read it:
Just because our society is what it is today...
...does not make it right or best.
~~~
Did you have trouble reading all the small words? I did.
Is this better?
"Once upon a time, men wore the pants, and wore them well. Women rarely had to open doors and little old ladies never crossed the street alone. Men took charge because that’s what they did. But somewhere along the way, the world decided it no longer needed men. Disco by disco, latte by foamy non-fat latte, men were stripped of their khaki’s and left stranded on the road between boyhood and androgyny. But today, there are questions our genderless society has no answers for. The world sits idly by and cities crumble, children misbehave and those little old ladies remain on one side of the street. For the first time since bad guys, we need heroes. We need grown-ups. We need men to put down the plastic fork, step away from the salad bar and untie the world from the tracks of complacency. It’s time to get your hands dirty. It’s time to answer the call of manhood. It’s time to wear the pants.”
~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
December 11, 2009
Music: From My Front Porch Looking In
December 10, 2009
I love the way their minds work!
Descriptions from a three-year-old...
"Mommy, when are we going to have those cooked eggs with the pudding in them?"
ALSO KNOWN AS deviled eggs.
~~~
"I like chocolate rocks!"
ALSO KNOWN AS milk duds.
~~~
"Mommy. look at all those hay marshmallows!!"
ALSO KNOWN AS round hay bails.
:0)
~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
December 10, 2009
Music: Three Little Birds
December 04, 2009
Without Words
“When you pray, rather let your heart be without words than your words without heart.”
~~~ John Bunyan
November 21, 2009
Darcy Cheyenne Klause ~ ~ His Reward
Darcy Cheyenne Klause
Born on Tuesday, November 17th at 11:39 p.m. (on her due date)
7 pounds 5 ounces; 20.5 inches long
~~~
Big sisters seeing her for the first time.
~~~
Big Sister Addison holding Darcy Cheyenne. She just giggled when she saw her. Kennedy did the very same thing the first time that she saw Baby Addison.
~~~
Kennedy holding Darcy Cheyenne for the first time. Kennedy has so looked forward to Darcy's arrival.
~~~
Bailey holding her for the first time. There is a good possibility that Bailey will not put her down for months. :0)
~~~
My parents cooing over their newest blessing.
~~~
She has been very alert and content when she is awake.
Her hair is very dark brown like my mother's hair; so dark brown that you have to look close to decide that it is brown and not black.
~~~
Daddy is getting me ready to go home!
~~~~
Darcy Cheyenne's sisters were so very happy to have her home.
~~~
Little Darcy was known of before the world was created...and knit together by the very hand of God. What an amazing miracle.
I am so thankful for this wee child.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. ~~James 1:17
Mommy & Darcy Cheyenne
Psalm 127
Except
the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the
LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.
~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
November 21, 2009
Music: Pretty Little Baby/Big Snow in Salzburg
November 19, 2009
The Tapestry
Recently while visiting with three of my sisters (in Christ), we were discussing our paths in this life...the things in which the Lord allows and how each of those things draw us nearer to Christ. I mentioned that so often what is happening does not make sense to us...whether it be in the timing or the events or the place or sometimes just the entire situation makes no sense to us. We were encouraging one another in our faith in the Lord and how not understanding does not negate obedience to our Heavenly Father. I mentioned that it must be the love and mercy of the Lord that does not allow us to see it all at once. I suspect that we simply could not bear the load.
The full truth...
The full degree of His glory in the situation...
The full burden of our own sin...
The complete forgiveness that envelopes us...
The total sacrifice that was made for our sins...
The amazing mercy that is being showered upon us...
I see our lives much like a tapestry. We see our lives from the back side of that tapestry. There are colors here and there and stray threads and stops and starts that make no sense. The back of the tapestry is almost like a blurred image. As soon as we get comfortable with being pulled this way, suddenly our thread is cut in half or twisted tightly into a knot. Sometimes the thread gets pulled so firmly that it breaks into two pieces.
I believe that the reality and the truth is that we have no ability to totally conceive how amazing and wonderful our lives will appear when one day we stand in Glory and the Lord turns the tapestry of our lives around and we see the front side. Perhaps it will all make sense...the timing, the things denied, the things that never made any sense, the hurt, the disappointment...
Or perhaps we will never see the front... Perhaps we will fall on our faces before our Creator and the things of this life will never cross our minds again.
The tapestry seems to help me see that I do not need to understand. I do not need to see the front. I need to ensure that I am daily lying the thread of my life out before the Lord. I just need to trust the hand that weaves me through the eye of the needle and have faith in the direction in which the thread of my life is being pulled. Know that the twisting, breaking, cutting and pulling is simply what is best and what brings God glory.
"But you will imagine that it is best that He should at once enable you to see clearly. If it is, you may be sure He will do it. He never makes mistakes. But He often deals far differenly with His disciples. He lets them grope their way in the dark until they fully learn how blind they are, how helpless, how absolutely in need of Him. What His methods will be with you I cannot fortell. But you may be suret hat He never works in an arbitrary way. He has a reason for everything He does. You may notunderstand why He leads you now in this way and now in that, but you may, nay, you must believe that perfection is stamped on His every act." ~~Elizabeth Prentiss from Stepping Heavenward~~
Proverbs 3
1My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
2For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
3Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
4So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
5Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
7Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
8It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
9Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
10So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
11My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
12For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
13Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
14For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
15She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
16Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
17Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
18She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.
19The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.
20By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
21My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
22So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
23Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.
24When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
25Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.
26For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.
27Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.
28Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
29Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
30Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.
31Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
32For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous.
33The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.
34Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.
35The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.
~~~~~~~]
posted by Mrs. Klause
November 19, 2009
November 17, 2009
Teacup Tuesdays - Drinkin' From My Saucer
I've never made a fortune
And it's prob'ly too late now;
But I don't worry 'bout that much,
I'm happy anyhow!
And as I go along life's way
Reapin' better than I sowed.
I'm drinkin' from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed!
Haven't got a lot of riches,
And sometimes the going's tough;
But I've got loving ones around me,
And that makes me rich enough!
I thank God for His blessings
And the mercies He's bestowed.
I'm drinkin' from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed!
I 'member times when things went wrong,
My faith wore somewhat thin;
But all at once the dark clouds broke
And light peeped through again.
So, Lord, help me not to gripe
About tough rows I've hoed.
I'm drinkin' from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed!
If God gives me strength and courage
When the way grows steep and rough,
I'll not ask for other blessings;
I'm already blessed enough!
May I never be too busy
To help others bear their loads.
I'll keep drinkin' from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed!
Author: © Jimmy Dean
~~~
:-)
~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
Originally posted: July 10, 2008
November 16, 2009
First Attempt :0)
A few weeks ago Bailey and Kennedy decided that they wanted to surprise me. I listened carefully from the stairwell so that I could still monitor the goings-on but I left them to themselves.
Bailey had found a recipe in a party book for muffins so they gave it a whirl. The muffins were very pretty but they were yummy.
The icing...
...well, it was a different story...
Here is the recipe from the book:
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla
** We did not have lemon juice so a substitution was made and this was the recipe that was invented (by my 7-year-old and 4-year-old:
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup vanilla
:0)
Yes.
You read that correctly.
One-half cup of vanilla extract.
The icing was more like cream that you drizzled onto your muffin.
It was exceptionally sweet.
It did not taste bad at all; actually tasted fine ... in very small quantities.
~~~
I truly enjoyed my muffins. What a sweet surprise from my girlies.
~~~
It made for some wonderful discussion between Bailey and I later on that day concerning rules of cooking...particularly as a beginner...
1. Always check to make sure that you have ALL of the necessary ingredients on-hand BEFORE you begin your recipe.
2. No substitutions until she is a more experienced baker. Any substitutions must be approved through Mother. ;0)
~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
November 14, 2009
November 14, 2009
The Two Mothers
The Two Mothers
A lady was calling upon a friend whose two children were brought in during the call. As they talked together the caller said eagerly, and yet with evidently no thought to the meaning of her words, "Oh, I'd give my life to have two such children." And the mother replied with a subdued earnestness whose quiet told of the depth of experience out of which her words came, "That is exactly what it costs!"
~~~ Unknown
~~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
November 11, 2009
November 13, 2009
November 11, 2009
A few thoughts for the days to come...
The sounds of a newborn baby will soon fill our home.
It is a bittersweet time as are all the 'big steps' in a wee one's life. For Momma to savor the time that is lingering yet look so forward to the time that is arriving...
...their first tooth...
...rolling over...
...sitting up...
...their first step...
Such is the birth of a little one... To savor those last moments of holding the gift of life within the womb. I can remember waking in the nights following the birth of the other children and finding them missing from within me. It was an odd feeling of loneliness to miss their rolling and tumbling yet so amazing and so wonderful to be able to stand at their cradle and watch them sleep.
~~~
~~~~~~
I have written and "post-dated" a few thoughts for the next many days as I am sure to be busy with the blessing of this new child soon...
~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
November 10, 2009
November 10, 2009
Teacup Tuesdays - Tea Time Ideas
It has been some time since I posted regular Teacup Tuesdays. :) Perhaps I can return to that soon.We still have tea regularly at our house. Typically in the mornings.It has been several weeks since a tea party has been spread about our dining room table though. :0) The girlies really like to set up a nice tea party as a surprise for Mother.
I thought I would brainstorm a few very simple tea time ideas since the days will be soon be so busy with a new little one.
~~ Midnight tea. Perhaps that would make for a lovely memory with this wee little girl for a few weeks until she is sleeping mostly through the night (optimism..you know it).
~~ I often enclose a teabag when sending a thank you note or a card to friend. I will have a few 'thank yous' to send.
~~ When we are with Mother, we like to hit the local thrift stores to see if we can find a treasure or two. Lovely old linens or little bud vases are easily found in thrift stores for just pennies. Perhaps Mother and the girls can find us a new pretty while she is here after Baby Sister is born.
~~ The holiday season is nearing which means that peppermint sticks will be in abundance. Time to pick up a bag next time someone is at the grocery store! The children just love to stir their tea with a peppermint stick.
~~ Perhaps we can build a few tea parties over the next many weeks around our favorite little picture story books? I'm thinking teatime in the afternoon will correspond nicely with an afternoon nursing. ;0)
~ The Tale of Peter Rabbit - Kennedy's stuffed rabbit can join us and we can read the book while we sip our tea.
~ The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy Winkle - I think little girls might like to roll some napkins and pin them with some of my wooden clothespins. Bailey or Mother can read the book.
~ Baking Day - The girlies can gather a few cookie cutters, the small rolling pin, the biscuit cutter and the whisk to put into a basket for a centerpiece and we will have Daddy or Amma (my mother) pick us up some cookies or a pie at the store.
Hmm... That will take care of a few tea parties after Baby Sister is born! Sounds enjoyable for all. :0)
~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
November 10, 2009
November 09, 2009
A Mother's Prayer
A Mother's Prayer
The sweetest sound heard through our earthly home,
The brightest ray that gleams from heaven's dome,
The loveliest flower that e'er from earth's breast rose,
That purest flame that, quivering, gleams and glows,
Are found along, where kneels a mother mild,
With heart uplifted, praying for her child.
~
The stream of tears can never cease to flow
Long as life's sun shall shine on us below;
And many angels have been sent by God
To count the tear drops wept upon life's road;
But of all the tears that glow, the least defiled
Are when a mother prays beside her child.
~
Because it is to mortal eyes unseen,
Ye call it foolishness, a childish dream,
In vain, ye cannot rob me of that thought,
That legend with such heavenly sweetness fraught,
That blessed angels have for ages smiled
To see a mother praying for her child.
Anonymous
~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
November 9, 2009
November 03, 2009
14 days and counting...
Me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pregnant Me.
Oh...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wait!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
:0)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That is the broad side of a barn!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hehe...
~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oh yes, this is pregnant Me. :0)
I just feel as large as a barn. ;0)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
:0) Just poking fun at myself. I really do love being pregnant....even the tough days....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our wee tiny baby is due to arrive into our arms in the next 14 days!
The girlies are terribly excited! Addison asks most often, "Will I get to hoed Baby Sit-rw today?"
What an amazing miracle and blessing to carry each child, an eternal soul, that has been knit together by the very hand of our Creator.
~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
November 3, 2009
Music: Who's My Baby/Ladybug Picnic
October 30, 2009
Fall Camping Trip
In September we took off to a neighboring state to camp for a few days.
Immediately after arriving, we promptly went to explore our camping area. We camped in a cabin; it is hard to totally rough it with three children ages 7 and under and momma 7+ months pregnant :0). Below our cabin about 50 feet was a creek.
~~~
After hiking down to the creek, we climbed back up and walked a ways to find another portion of the creek that we could cross. The girls stopped to build a small dam out of rocks. Daddy showed the girls how to build their dam, which rocks to select and how to travel safely on the rocks across the creek. Momma sat on the creek's edge watching.
It was inevitable...one by one, the children slipped and lost their footing falling into the shallow water. It didn't stop their dam-building at all. Daddy just smiled as we watched Addison plop bottom first and soak herself almost entirely. :0)
~~~
We returned to our campsite to drop off our bug houses and gather a few items to go and search for firewood. Kennedy is watching her Daddy gather what we need.
~~~
Kennedy is gathering kindling.
~~~
Daddy went down our little 50 foot cliff to tie ropes to a small log and the girls and I pulled the log up the cliff to our campsite. Then Daddy climbed right up the cliff..all the while little girls giggling and excited as they watched Daddy go suddenly from the bottom to the top.
~~~
Campfire lit...smores to follow... :0)
~~~
The next day we went to one of our nation's oldest state parks. We found a waterfall, spotted a few deer and all kinds of insects and lots of gorgeous trees with their leaves just barely floating to the ground.
~~~
The trail that we walked was beautiful...
How blessed I am!
My beloved husband of 17 years and my precious children...
~~
~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
October 30, 2009
Music: Legends of the Fall
October 21, 2009
Giggle with me??
A 30-second glimpse into our school room...
Bailey is correcting her handwriting as I am reading from The Little Duke. It is the story of Richard the Fearless (943-996) who became the Duke of Normandy at age eight.
Kennedy is painting with water onto a nifty reusable picture that becomes colored as she swipes the wet paintbrush.
Addison is coloring a picture of a horse.
~~~
One moment, there we are, productive and everyone working wonderfully on their assignment.
Then....
...it goes like this...
Mother Klause (reading): "All through the meal, the Duke and his Lords talked earnestly of the expedition on which they were bound to meet Count Arnulf of Flanders, on a little islet in the river Somme, there to come to some agreement, by which Arnulf might make restitution to Count Herluin of Montreuil, for certain wrongs which he had done him."
Mother Klause (explaining): "Restitution means..."
**Suddenly water flies into Mother's face.**
Mother Klause: "Kennedy, please do not turn your soaked "painting" upside down onto Bailey's reading log. You are working with water so you must take care not to get your things near any paper or books."
Kennedy: "Oh! I'm sorry Mother, I will be more careful."
Mother Klause looks over to see that Bailey has misunderstood her handwriting instructions: "Bailey, you were correct in capitalizing the proper names, you will need to go back and fix that."
Bailey: "Oh, Momma! I didn't know I was erasing what was right and making it wrong!"
Mother looks up to see Addison squatting in her chair with a colored pencil hanging from one nostril: "Addison, please remove the pencil from your nose and sit on your bottom in your chair."
:0)
Addison: "Yes ma'am."
~~~
Hehehe...
Thought you might get a giggle out of 30 seconds of our day.
~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
October 21, 2009
Music: The Lonely Goatherd (from The Sound of Music)
October 15, 2009
"God's Word says..."
Addison is 3, Kennedy is 4. They are 16 months apart.
They love one another dearly and are the best of friends. They play so well together. They truly enjoy one another's company.
However, when they do squabble....whew....DO THEY SQUABBLE!
:0)
Yesterday morning the girls are getting ready for the day and I am putting books on the shelf in the library (all on the second floor and all rooms are open to one another). I hear Addison tell Kennedy, "Kn-dy, God's Wo-rwd says you awe not to be wude to you-rw sist-rw!"
Translation: Kennedy, God's Word says you are not to be rude to your sister!
:0)
I turn, trying not to laugh, to see the two facing one another at the top of the stairwell looking seriously at one another.
~~~
Over the last year, I have learned that God's perfect Word, the two-edged sword, will truly pierce right into the hearts of the children. God's Word changes us. Why would it be any different for our children? Why do we feel some overwhelming need to water down scripture for our children? It makes sense that we speak His Word directly to our children.
Taking the wisdom of someone quite dear to me, I made myself some note cards so that I would always have God's Word in-hand, I set forth about this time last year to correct and teach the children in the moment(as the anger, laziness, lying, impatience {name the sin} was actually occurring) with the words of our Creator instead of my own words. I also set forth to encourage the children with the Word of God when I saw Christ-like behavior/words in them.
God's Word is amazing... The Sword Is Sufficient
~~~
So, yesterday, we sat down to talk about what God's Word says about being rude to your sisters.
:0)
~~~
posted by Mrs. Klause
October 15, 2009
Music: Word of God Speak
