Back to Normal

Things are getting back to "normal" around here, whatever that is. The girls went back to school this afternoon. Christmas break was long!!! But it was good to have them home. We got lots done and it seemed like Bethany's wedding was only weeks instead of months away, but we wanted to focus on it and get as much done as possible before she went back to school. It's hard to keep on a good school schedule with Brennan, though, when the girls are here. But now it's just school, basketball and church activities. Well, theoretically, anyway...

This is for Christina...

Well, I suppose there may be others too, but she asked...

A Quick Trip to MN

We spent a quick 3 days in Minnesota this past week. Bethany was in her friend's wedding. (Klarissa Snow - a roommate from her freshman year). We were able to stay with Jason & Beth Stamper, and had a good time. Beth is a wonderful wife, mom, homemaker, cook, decorator, etc., etc. (Jason is wonderful, too!!) It was neat to be able to see them in their home, with their kids. The hard part of having extension students is knowing they are only temporary, but what a blessing to see them serving the Lord elsewhere.

Jonas Stamper

Brooke with Ella Stamper

Bethany with Amy Brumbaugh

Bethany with Klarissa

It's Official!!

Joe suprised Bethany on Christmas morning, she thought he was still in Michigan. This is Joe getting into the box, which was the first present

Bethany opened.
Later on Christmas night, we went to Marinette and Joe and Bethany went down by the waterfront in Menomonee and he proposed there. (She said yes, by the way!!) They are planning a July 14th wedding.

Rain

Joe sent me this picture of Bethany today. I LOVE IT!!!! And yes, it rained here yesterday and all night last night...in December...in Wisconsin. What's up with that?

Aaarrrgghhhh!!!

The other night we got home late from a basketball game and apparently my camera was on the seat and fell in the driveway when I got out. So...is it too obvious to state that the next morning when Scott left, it got RUN OVER!!! So, I will do what Beth does and ask for help from the masses...what should we replace it with? Something CHEAP, but what is the best we can do for cheap? (Perhaps Abram would have some insight here?) Anyway...all that to say, no picture of our tree that I just put up. (Oh, and Beth, sorry...no help here for grandparent gift ideas (unless they like soap!!!))

Sixteen!!

Today Brennan turns 16!! I just wanted to share a few pictures of him...I know he'll be thrilled!! Happy Birthday, Brennan!

Brennan & Brooke (Nov. 1990)

Bethany, Brennan & Brooke (1991)
Wakeboarding during a camping trip this summer
This spring in Florida
This is a picture that Brennan took of himself in our church parking lot.

Update

Well, it's been awhile since I've posted. So, here's the update...
We had a great time at the basketball tournament at Northland a week and a half ago. The team didn't do too well, 1 win, 2 losses...but, it's a young team and they know what they need to work on. Here's a pic of Brennan warming up.

It was good to see Mark & Jen while we were there. (And our girls team was glad that their girls team was there, too!!) I couldn't find them when it was time to leave, so "Bye, it was good to see you!!"
Thanksgiving day was spent eating dinner with my sister, Cheryl, and her family. My mom came up from Green Bay. Then we went to Scott's sister's house for dessert. We had two of Brooke's friends from Northland with us for the weekend. Kevin, from Canada, and Greg, from Guam. We went shopping in Appleton the day after Thanksgiving, but didn't make it to all the early morning sales. We were lucky to get out of here by 10 a.m.!! We had a good time and found some good deals (mainly at Goodwill). On Saturday I had my final Craft Show for the season. It was a great show!!! So, now it's back to the normal routine.

My sister Cheryl, husband Eric and their kids - Bobbi (& husband Aaron), Andrew & Dawn.

This is us!!

The Weekend

This weekend did not end up being what I had intended, but, oh well. I was supposed to be in a craft show and the kids were supposed to go to a hockey game in Green Bay. It ended up that the roads were nasty, so no hockey game, and then we had a funeral, so no craft show. But it was a good weekend, church was good and we learned about serving each other. It was a good message.

Joe and his brother, Peter were here for the weekend, and for some reason Joe ended up doing jobs with rubber gloves - weird. First he worked on our laptop that died...and he didn't want to get shocked. Then, for some off the wall reason he died Brooke's hair. Bethany spent lots of time working on her paper for Corinthians. Brennan & Peter just wrestled and did all sorts of crazy stuff with my exercise ball. (Sorry, no pictures of that!)

Lots of stuff...

It's been a busy week or so. Just lots of stuff - nothing too exciting. Brennan finished Driver's Ed this week, so we are so thrilled that we don't need to be running him there any more. On Tuesday (Brooke's and my birthday) we went up to Northland and saw the play "Papa". Brooke did makeup for the play. It was pretty good. This week I'm just doing lots and lots of soap, candles, etc. getting ready for a few shows. There's a big Teen outing tomorrow night, (hockey game in Green Bay), so we'll probably have some college kids staying here for a night or two. Also, a funeral on Sat...
Next week we'll be at Northland for 3 days for a basketball tournament. I'm looking forward to that, it's always fun. Mark & Jen will be there, so it will be neat to see them. Anyway...this is normal life (as opposed to Ladies Conferences and weekends in Door County!)
Here's a pic of the girls from the last Artist series. Brooke's date is just a friend :)

Here are some pics!!

Cheryl - The Living Room
View from our balcony (on the calm day)
Westwood Shores (our room - far right, 2nd floor)
Sturgeon Bay - looking out towards Green Bay (the bay not the town)
Sunset on the not calm, but not windy night :)

Door County Weekend

I had a wonderful time in Sturgeon Bay with my sisters for 4 days and 3 nights. We didn't keep to much of a schedule - just did some relaxing, reading and a little shopping. The condo was right on the bay and had a wonderful view. There were severe wind warnings one night, so the wind really whipped across the bay and the whitecaps were neat to watch. I've been trying to get some pictures up, but so far...no luck. I'm not sure what the problem is. I'll try once more and then again later if it's still not working.

I'm Back!!

This is the Osthoff Resort where the Ladies Heart Conference was held. It was a beautiful resort. The building was huge!! We had two suites and fortunately the one that I was in wasn't too far from the sessions. The other suite was practically in another town.
On our way there, we spent some time shopping at the mall in Appleton. Edie and Carol enjoyed the massage chairs. It was pretty funny. But actually, the chairs were really something. They not only massaged your back, but your arms, feet, legs...well...Edie was certainly relaxed.
Here's the whole group. We had a great time. The sessions were wonderful. The main speaker was Holly Stratton (whose husband is president of Clearwater). She was really good. We all had a great time and enjoyed the time we were able to spend together.

I'm going away for the weekend!!!!!

Thursday I'm heading to Northland's Ladies Heart Conference. There are actually 11 of us going from our church (plus my mom from Green Bay). I am looking forward to it soooooo much. I've only missed it two times since they started it and last year was one of those times and I am so ready for it again!! I am super excited about the group of ladies that will be going and am praying that I will have a chance to get to know some of them better and be able to minister to them. Today Donna Stefanski & I went to Christopher & Banks and both got a new outfit for the weekend. Can you believe, she had never heard of the store before? (I have nearly a whole store in my closet!!)

THEN...the next weekend my sister Connie from IL is taking my other sister, Cheryl, and me to Door County for 4 days!!!! The wonder of it all never ends!!! Brennan is thrilled with the "no school for teacher's restoration days." I shall be diligent to take pictures so all three of you who read this can share in the excitement.

A Good Read...

I just finished reading this book. It's about a woman who was at work at the World Trade Center, Tower 1, 36th floor, when the terrorists attacked. It's difficult to read all that she experienced inside the building while trying to escape. The pictures that we watched on TV during the event couldn't show us how compromised the buildings were on the inside - even from the 36th floor on down.
Let me just share a passage from the end of the book:

"He (the Lord) gave me peace but left this thorn: that I never shared the gospel with my friends. I never loved it enough.
You see, I didn't expect that one day I would be the one left standing in a crowd of hundreds taking their last breath. I didn't know that my words would be the last words that someone else would ever hear.
I never knew life could make such demands.
I didn't expect that searching eyes would search my soul looking for answers and wanting to know "why me."
I never understood the accountability that comes with truth...I never accepted the responsibility that comes with real love.
And so I have learned that my life does not belong to me. I understand now how words exhale life, and I will never again hold my breath for so long a time as this."

A very thought provoking, exceptionally well-written book.

Picture of the Week #3

Here's a picture of our wonderful Amy Brumbaugh trying to spice up gym night for the girls (along with Steph & Brooke). Some of the younger girls never want to participate in the gym night activities and just stand around, so Amy decided to make cookies with them tonight. We are sooooo thankful for our great college kids. I don't know what we'll do when we don't have a Brumbaugh any more ): I guess the next generation is on its way, huh?!!!!

Brrrrrr!!!!!!!

It actually SNOWED today!! This morning when I brought Brennan to Driver's Ed it was 24 degrees!! I don't think that I am quite ready for winter. Surely we will have some more warm days. Right?!

Picture(s) of the Week

This has always been my favorite picture of my kids. I can remember the day so clearly! They are kneading out dough to make soft pretzels. Brennan is happily persisting at the task at hand, just plodding away..."We're supposed to keep on doing this, right?" Brooke is having a ball, but very keyed in on the camera and making sure that she is noticed (somehow Brooke ALWAYS gets noticed). I can hear her, "Take a picture of ME, mommy!!" Bethany, of course, has her dough already rolled out into a proper rope shape and is making sure that everyone else is "OK" and doing what they're supposed to do - AND she has her nails polished!!
This picture is one of the most recent that I have of the three of them together. It was taken in March at Downtown Disney in Orlando. I think Brennan has grown a few inches since then. WOW...time sure flies & YES, we've been having fun too :)

It's all about Brennan

Whenever I'm shopping I always end up buying something for the girls at school (or at least it seems that way - especially to Brennan). He'll say, "Oh, it's all about Bethany" or "It's all about Brooke." (In a teasing sort of way, of course). Then he says, "I see how it is." So this post is "All about Brennan."

Yesterday we went over to my Uncle's cabin about 20 minutes from here and he did some wood-turning on his lathe with Brennan. He's given Brennan several lessons so far, and it's been lots of fun. I have been searching for a "hobby" for Brennan for quite some time, and this just turned up!! Especially now that he's the only one left at home it's good for him to have something constructive to do! Here's some of the stuff he's made:Here he is working on a bowl with my Uncle Harold in the background.

Well anyway, he's growing up so fast and he's such a good kid. (In my opinion!)

Picture of the Week

I'm going to try to post a "Picture of the Week". Perhaps something new, perhaps something old...we shall see!! Today's picture is from church this morning. It's our Northland Extension Team '06-'07 singing "Complete in Thee" for special music.

We had a great day at church. The Lord is working!! Most of you know that a few years ago our church went through some hardships & trials. Several families left. Today one of the families came back and very humbly asked to be part of our church family again. They exhorted the rest of us to take care of offenses, sin, etc. before we find ourselves wandering in the wilderness and wondering how we got so far in. Then we had communion. It was all very refreshing, moving and healing. I hope that you all had a great day of worship.