Monday, October 31, 2011

Happy Reformation Day, Happy Harvest Day, or ...................

Happy Halloween.  For us today is just a fun day to dress up, eat lots of candy, and hang out with our good buds, team mates, and neighbors the Moorheads.
  
Anakin Skywalker



Batman

All the kiddos together!

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Week 8 : Zucchini Boats

I know this isn't a sweet treat but now I can't remember if I said that I was only going to do desserts or if I was going to do whatever new recipes I wanted to try. These didn't turn out quite as tasty but I think that's my own fault...........I used oregano instead of whatever spice the recipe called for.  I also think my zucchini's were bitter.
But here's Jojo being a good sport and trying out mommy's experiment.
He's my little food critique...........he said the zucchini boats were just
o.k.  Go here to see the pin on Pinterest.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Fall Decor

I wish I had more fall decor in my home but the stores here in Russia don't really sell any.  A lot of times I find real nice do it yourself ideas but there are usually one or two items I can't find here.  But thanks to Pinterest I found an idea that I could do myself!!!  I was real happy with how it turned out also.  I plan on buying a couple of more clear vases to make more.

It's also a real economical craft.  I already had the vase and ribbon.
The total cost of buying the candle and the beans = $6.00 and I 
have enough beans to make 2 or 3 more!  Here's the original pin

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Hell!

Last night Jojo and I had a conversation about H-E- double hockey sticks.  We were talking about heaven at first.  He asked me if he would be able to see Jesus in heaven and if he would also meet Jesus' disciples.  He then wondered if the disciples were going to share all their "stories" with him about what it was like when Jesus was with them.  He also reminded me that only people who love Jesus and know Jesus go to heaven to which I wholeheartedly agreed.  Then his little face began to change and his eyes got real serious and he asked "Where do people go who don't love Jesus?" Since he was in bed already, I didn't necessarily want to go into detail about hell.  First of all I don't know if he can totally grasp the idea of eternal punishment since he can't even grasp the idea of eternity in heaven.  Secondly, I didn't want to scare him.  And lastly, I didn't want to scare him into a false profession of Christ.  I simply told him they go to hell where they will have to suffer and that one day Satan will also be sent there.  He then asked if they will have a chance to change their mind and then go to heaven .  I told him no and that made him sad.  We continued to talk about heaven and Jesus.......and then he was ready to go to sleep!

Today I've been thinking about our conversation a lot.  I wonder at what age most parents tell their children about hell?  Obviously it depends on the child's maturity . I also realized that all of the children Bible story books that we have never mention the topic of hell. I can't even remember when I first learned about hell.  I do remember being terrified of hell and praying a "prayer" every night so that I wouldn't go there!  As a child I used to have nightmares of me falling into a pit of fire but even that wasn't enough for me to truly repent!  All I know is that these kinds of conversations cause me to examine my own life!  Am I being a good testimony to my sons?  Is my life leading them to Christ?  Am I being faithful to train them in the Lord in every single aspect of their lives?  And am I daily pleading with the Lord to save both of my sons one day!?





Friday, October 14, 2011

Fall is Here!

I've been meaning to get outside with the camera to take pictures of the boys in the Fall foliage.  Today I finally brought my camera along on the way to the grocery store. 


Since we've moved to Russia I have slowly come to appreciate
Fall.  I've always been a Summer fan and that's probably because
in California there is no true Fall.  So, it's that time to start baking 
with apples and pumpkins, sweater weather, and shorter days!

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Week 7 - Pumpkin Scones

This was my very first time making scones.  They turned out great aside from the fact that the bottom was burned.  I think my oven may be a little too hot or maybe I should have just watched them better.  The glaze is what really makes these scones so tasty.  The boys loved them too and they tasted fresh the following day. 
Click here for the recipe.


Sunday, October 9, 2011

New Guest

We have a new guest in our home for the next couple of weeks.  Daddy and Nathan love him but mommy and Jojo aren't very thrilled.  We are pet sitting for our friends who are pet sitting for our teammates the Klassens.  Does that make sense? 
This hamster has captured Nathan's heart.  The first thing
Nathan does when he wakes up is to go greet him......he 
says "Good morning little guy.  Are you awake?".  



I am not sure what the hamster's name is.  I think it's Theo but
we have renamed him.  The first day we got him, the boys
named him Sandy.  The next day his name got changed to
Sammy.  Then it was changed to Rhino.  Now they call him
Apple Rhino.  Jojo wants nothing to do with Apple Rhino and
neither do I really.



Thankfully Jon likes the rodent but bad news for me is that Jon
leaves in a couple of days on a trip and he'll be gone for 10 days.




Thursday, October 6, 2011

Week #6 - Oreo Cupcakes

When we were in Spain this summer I was so excited to see that there were Oreos in the grocery stores. I think the boys definitely got their fill of this popular American treat.  I brought back two packages of the cookies hoping to find a good recipe to use them.  So, of course I searched on Pinterest and found this great recipe and since it was my sweet friend Christina's birthday a couple of weeks ago and since I'm such a horrible friend that we didn't celebrate until this past weekend I decided to try them out. 
Happy belated birthday to one of my dearest friends.  I often
think I'd be lost without her in Russia and guess what?  I will
be since she and her little family will be moving to Ukraine soon.







Christina and her sweet baby.






Wednesday, October 5, 2011

For All Have Sinned

During lunch after church on Sundays we always ask the kids how their time was in Sunday school.  Jon and I are especially curious since Sunday school is in Russian and the boys have a very limited understanding of the language. Thankfully though the boys are very familiar with Bible stories since they have learned them all at home plus it also helps that Sunday school is taught visually with pictures and a felt board. This past Sunday Jojo learned about Cain and Abel.............a story which he is very familiar with.  After he shared with us that Cain killed Abel by chopping his leg off (I have no idea where he got that from) we then went on to talk about sin.  Jojo defined sin for us and Jon asked him if we are all sinners to which Josiah replied "YES"!  Nathan was not very happy to hear that we are all sinners(he has been taught this by us already) and proceeded to tell us that his Sunday school teacher was very nice and that she was not a sinner!!!  He was absolutely heart broken that we would call his very nice Sunday school teacher a sinner.  I think that most people are offended by the word "sin".  I'm thankful that we have the opportunity to teach our boys that they are great sinners.  I just pray that one day they will see the great need for a Savior!

Sunday, October 2, 2011

A Boy's Best Friends

1. Mommy's iPad
2. Brother's stuffed animal
3. His very own "gun"


Saturday, October 1, 2011

Week #5 - Apple Braid Bread

Yesterday we had wives' group at our home and I baked this bread  that I found on Pinterest.  I was a little scared to try it but truthfully it was super easy.  I am awful at getting my idioms right and yesterday I told my husband "Today, I've reached a new plateau in my baking!" He looked at me strangely and said "Ummm, I think you mean you reached a new level!"  DUH!!!!

The directions said to cut the strips on the baking sheet but I 
found it much easier to lay a piece of baking paper on the table
and cut the strips directly on the table.  Then I braided it and 
lifted it up onto the baking sheet. Using a pizza cutter also
makes it super easy to cut the strips!


I actually made 2 of them and between all the women and my
boys there are only 2 more slices left!