The Present~

Happy New Year - 2010!!

2010-01-06T22:37:00.003-06:00

I realize it has been a long time. I kind of got caught up in the whole facebook thing. I have had many thoughts of updating this blog, but it takes so much more time and effort. The last thing I want is something that takes up more of my time and energy. So, what to do?

Here is a picture of earlier today.

Guess who is turning ELEVEN years old?!

2009-08-20T21:20:00.007-05:00

BABY BEN!!

DOB 9-13-98

3 weeks old
5 months old

9 months old

13 months old

14 months old

He still makes me a proud momma!!

Disney World!!

2009-06-25T21:32:00.050-05:00

6 days in 4 parks!!

Here are the unedited snapshots! Captions are to come later!

The High School Reunion!

2009-06-14T21:43:00.003-05:00

20 years!!

Me, Juli, Sahar, Michelle

The Porter Patriots!

Tara, Todd, Tammy, Todd, Amy, Matt, Mindy, Susan, Renee,Christy, Kiersten

What a blast! What a blast from the Past!!

The Dance Recital!

2009-06-04T22:00:00.009-05:00

Sydney's dance recital was held at SM North HS.

She performed a tap dance to "Singing in the Rain" and a jazz dance to "Soak Up the Sun".
She wanted to pose for the pictures, so here they are.

"Get a picture of me walking away" she said.

I was wanting to get more pictures of her, but she was getting tired, so I said, "Look there are lockers, just like in High School Musical. Pretend you are Sharpay." Here she is!

And another...

When we got to the waiting room, no one was there yet so she took advantage of it and began dancing and spinning around the entire room.

Then she was done!

A great little dancer!

Happy (?) Memorial Day!!

2009-05-25T21:03:00.027-05:00

Well, we started off towards the "Kabin" on Saturday after Ben's piano lesson and Sydney's swim lesson. We met up with my mom and got some KFC to take for lunch! Mom wanted to stop at Cabella's to look for some t-shirts and pants, so we stopped on our way. When we got there, Ben, the gentleman that he is, opened the door for us to go in. As he did this, he caught his toe on the bottom edge of the door and proceeded to do this to it!

Actually, this is what it looked like after we visited Urgent Care and the doctor turned his toenail around and glued it back down. First, I thought that I would just clean it and wrap it and we would be good to go, however, I knew I had to take him to a doctor when I couldn't recognize the bloody, mangled parts.

So...

We tried again on Sunday after church! Success! Here are some snapshots of our day at the "Kabin" with family.

Sydney and Dave fishing.

I can't believe she can cast already!

Kir-Kha-Beth Kabin

Riding on the Dingo with Baxter up front!

Dave and Ryan fishing.

I think I caught a dragonfly in the picture. See the big black blob just to the right of them?!

Dave and Mom in Scott's cabin.

Ben practicing on the stilts! Doing very well - even with a bum toe!

Just a swinging!

I think Sydney took this picture.

The pool was not ready for us yet!

The cousins, and a stump!

Now, at home on Monday!

Abby!

Sydney wished to do my nails for me. She removed all the polish from my toes.

And then worked on my cuticles.

Dave and Ben played with army men, Lincoln logs and Indians!

Then the x-box...

baseball!

Sydney and I took Abby for a walk...

...to our favorite pond nearby.

And that is it!

Happy Birthday Sydney!

2009-05-10T19:45:00.006-05:00

Whee!

Run For Mercy 5K!!

2009-04-18T16:16:00.010-05:00

The Run For Mercy was this morning at 8:00am. Would you believe me if I told you that it started raining at about 7:00am and stopped at 7:55am?! We ran through puddles, but no raindrops. Then, when most people were finished running, around 9:15, it started raining again!

Thanks be to God!!

My friend Michelle ran with me, for a while, then took off without me.

It's okay, I've gotten over it! Haha!

Here we go!

Yea! The finish line!

Catching my breath!!

My wonderful family!

Yummy Chris Cakes!!

Go to www.oceansofmercy.com to find out more about the ministry!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-15T22:04:00.018-05:00

Thankfully, the Saturday before Easter, the weather was beautiful!

I went running outside to prepare for the Run For Mercy that is April 18!

After my run we decided to dye Easter eggs! Here we go!

Don't ask, I don't know! I asked Sydney if I could take a picture of her with her new white bunny and this is what she did!

Ben decided to make a rubber egg with one of the hard boiled eggs. We soaked it in vinegar for a couple of hours and then he wanted to see how bouncy it was. He took it out back and tried bouncing it on the patio.

It looks more like the story of Humpty Dumpty, than a rubber egg!

So sad! Maybe we didn't soak it long enough?!

We found these little treasures to give to my nephews.

Look carefully! All I can say is that boys like this kind of stuff!

See the tasted pieces off to the side?! Yuck!

For dessert, I made, what I like to call, "Fruit Barfait". It is drained fruit cocktail, vanilla pudding, and crushed up cookies, brownies, or pies. Mix it all together and there you go!
The vote is in! Two thumbs up! Yea!

Happy Easter! I hope you all had a great time with your family and/or friends, celebrating the fact that Jesus conquered the grave!

Halleluia!!

Ben "Andrew Jackson" Stadler

2009-03-22T20:05:00.007-06:00

Ben's 4th Grade Class prepared a "Wax Museum" as a venue for the students to share information about the famous Americans for whom they researched and wrote reports. Each student prepared a 2-3 minute speech as though they were the famous American. Then, each student stood still and wore a button, for the spectators to press, in order to hear the speech. All of us spectators roamed around pushing their buttons and listening! It was fun!
Ben chose Andrew Jackson, the 7th President of the United States of America.

He has not yet been activated.

Poppy came to see him!

Ben was in the middle of his speech, for someone else.

Gramma came to see him! Deactivated again.

And of course, Sydney and I had to have our pictures taken with Andrew Jackson! Sydney was so impressed with it all! Ha!

Fun!!

FYI - the stickers that Poppy and I were wearing were "visitor" passes to get into the building. Gramma slipped right past them!

Look Ma' No Training Wheels!!

2009-03-22T19:39:00.007-06:00

We took Sydney's training wheels off and went to the empty parking lot down the street from our house and she gave it a whirl!! Success after a few tries! Wahoo!

Ben is really learning the concept of saving his money for things he really wants. Recently, he saved enough money to purchase roller blades from Target. So, when Sydney was learning to ride without training wheels, he was mastering roller blading!

Fun! Love it!!

Run For Mercy - 5K

2009-02-25T21:28:00.004-06:00

I'm going to participate in the Run for Mercy again this year!

This run benefits "Oceans of Mercy" - an organization which provides for the children orphaned by AIDS, in South Africa.

Here is the link, if you are interested in learning more! http://www.oceansofmercy.com/

Ben - The Artist!

2009-02-25T21:20:00.004-06:00

Ben's abstract self-portrait was selected by his teacher to hang in the DeSoto School District Office for the month of February!

Yea! Ben!

Valentine's Day is Coming!

2009-02-07T16:59:00.004-06:00

Valentine's Boxes and Valentine's Wishes!

Winter weather in Kansas is for the Birds!

2009-02-07T16:48:00.006-06:00

Out my front door!

As I was sitting inside, I kept hearing strange noises on the roof and outside.

When I looked out, this is what I found:

The Holidays!!

2009-01-04T21:35:00.021-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

My newest little cousin!! Welcome Amara!

Sydney and Anna

Alex and Ben

The Cousins and our kids!

Merry Christmas at Crown Center! Ben's School Choir is performing!

It's beginning to look like Christmas at our house too!

YUM!

Christmas Eve - Open one gift and read the Christmas Story!

Christmas in Texas - with the Stadlers!

Katie and Sydney

The Stadlers
Dave, Ana, Bill, Michael, Trish

Ben shooting the BB gun

Awesome trees!

A Chocolate martini to bring in the new year!

We wish you all the best in 2009!

Another Taste of Thailand - June 2008

2008-12-17T22:04:00.004-06:00

Hey, here is a slide show that was put together of our trip to Thailand in June 2008.

Enjoy!

Click below!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJ7F88DdmwI

Oh, the memories!

Here is the link to the whole trip!

I think I will be going back again in September 2009!

(God willing!)

A Salute to Our Veterans!

2008-11-09T19:28:00.013-06:00

Ben's school had their 4th grade program last week in honor of our Veterans. Here are some clips!

This is a piece called, "If You See a Monkey"...Trad/arr.Solomon

Ben is standing in the back, playing the slow beat.

This is a piece entitled, "We Remember"...Jacobson/Huff

This is a piece entitled, "America, the Beautiful"...Bates/Ward

I'm thankful to be an American!

Guess Who Lost a Tooth?!

2008-11-04T21:22:00.003-06:00

Sydney Lost her first Tooth!!

Sunday, November 2, before church, I had the privilege of pulling Syd's tooth out. The good news was that it was hardly holding on by a thread, so it came out fast and easy!! Just a little blood!

Happy Halloween!!

2008-11-04T20:53:00.008-06:00

Pumpkin Carving Night!

Some fun things!

2008-10-20T20:58:00.050-05:00

Ben had his 10th Birthday!!

Sydney learned how to drive! Ha!

Mom and I went to the Lake of the Ozarks to help celebrate my cousin Jeana's surprise birthday!

Cousin Tom and Me!

The beautiful cake!

Aunt Jeanne, Aunt Ruth, and Mom

Aunt Jeanne and Uncle James

Will and Jeana (aka birthday girl)

Mom and I did a little sight seeing before leaving town.

Here are some carp in the lake!

Bagnal Dam - which created the lakes

Ben had a Tae Kwon Do tournament!

He competed in forms...

...and board breaking

Hi-yah!

A silver medal!

A day in the trees at Gramma's house!

SME's 50th Anniversary Celebration - Lancer Day Parade!

The Homecoming Football Game!

A great 'knight' to remember!

How Time Flies!

2008-08-22T22:32:00.031-05:00

Here are the things that have been keeping us busy!

Sydney's Dance Recital in May! She danced to the song, "Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room" from a disney movie.

I took Thursday's off this summer to spend time with the kids, and one day we went to Science City, located in Union Station.

Sydney was baptized in the pond at our church in early August.

We went to a Royals Game! Royals vs Red Sox - We won!!

Syd loves to take pictures!

Syd wanted us to wear our hair the same way!

Then Dave took the kids to Texas to see his parents.

This is what you get when you put a 9 yearl old boy in the car for 8 hours!!

The first day of school for Ben - starting fourth grade!! We walked up to the school together!

Sydney had her Kindergarten Open House the same day!

Sydney's first day of Kindergarten!

I wonder what she is thinking?!

Two proud parents of two wonderful children!

...and there was our summer in a nut shell!

A little more Thailand!

2008-07-26T17:16:00.006-05:00

One night Saman played the guitar as all the girls gathered around to sing. What a happy place!

Here is a video from inside the cave area.

When we were in the hills, we stopped at Ploy's house for lunch. After we ate, the Grace House girls sang some Thai Christian songs. You will see Ploy's mother and her two little brothers, Bang, our translator, and Steve, from our team.

That's all for now!

More Sights and Sounds of Thailand!

2008-07-23T22:49:00.004-05:00

This is a clip of us driving by Pua Baptist Church and then up the street to Nok and Saman's house. Lots of bamboo trees!

Here is a clip of us going through the vegetation to get to the cave!

Here are the women working in the rice fields. Just before this clip, they smiled, waved and said "Sawadikah"!

Thailand June 14-25 2008

2008-07-13T22:27:00.044-05:00

Take a look - I have added some more notes!!

It is clear to me that this is going to take longer than I have available tonight to add my reflections and descriptions for all the pictures. So, you may check out the pictures, but remember to come back to read what I will be adding! I will probably add a few videos too! Thanks for your interest and prayers!

Well, I apologize for taking so long to post. Life has been very busy with out of town guests and the Fourth of July weekend. Now life is slowing down a little - time to reflect and share my trip. It was just a great as my first trip in September 2007. There were a lot of similarities, yet some differences. It was wonderful seeing the people again! Mindy E., Nok, Saman, Noi 1, Noi 2, Jeri, and all of the precious children!! Here are some pictures and reflections! Hope you enjoy!

Here is a picture of our group - John, Kathy, Marlene, Barb, Dan, Wayne, Steve, and Schaun. We were waiting for another plane. We were in the airport in Bangkok enjoying coffee and blueberry muffins!

This is a very nice restaurant that we took Mindy E. and Jeri to, as a "thank you"for all their hard work and great hospitality!

This is a very spicy fish dish and very crispy pork.

When we arrived at Nok and Saman's house, I noticed this bulletin board full of all of the cards that my family and small group members from church had sent to the Grace House girls! It is fun to see and feel the connections and relationships growing!

Here is a picture of the Grace House that sits adjacent to Nok and Saman's house. Currently, there are 20 girls between the ages of 5 and 15 living there. Saman recently built the shelter over the clothes lines, to help the clothes get and stay dry during the rainy season.

Here are the girls new bunk beds, which Saman built. He said that when they were lying right next to each other on the mats on the floor, they were having problems with lice. The bunk beds have helped with that problem!

Here is Nut's bed. It was so special to see that she had posted the picture of Dave and Ben, that we had sent to the Grace House, right above her bed! I made sure to let Nut and all of the girls know that we pray for them all every night before we go to bed!

Here is where Manee sleeps. She, too, has pictures of us posted above her bed. She also had some artwork of Sydney's hanging beside her bed!

It was so fun spending time with the girls. Here is Nut, Manee and Jiib.

When we first got to Nok and Saman's house, the girls were still at school. We had to patiently wait for them to come home, to see them! Nok explained that when the girls get home, they have to immediately take a shower before seeing us. So, we stood out front, watching them run up the driveway, and back to the showers. They had great big smiles and would wave to us as they passed by. Nok came to me and said that Nut had asked for special permission to come say "hi" to me before showering. Nok allowed her to! When we saw each other (Nut and I) we exchanged smiles and she came running to me with open arms! I picked her up and said, "Sawadikah! Sa bai dee mai?" She looked at me with amazement in her eyes and replied, "Sa bai dee kah!" She understood me! Then, I set her down and she ran off to get a shower! Only moments later, she was showered and back, ready for the evening!

Here is a picture of Nut teaching me how to write in Thai. She is a very good teacher - very patient!

When we went up to the hill tribes, we met Nut's father...(Unfortunately, he blinked!)

...and mother, and two younger sisters. They are a very nice family. They had us into their house and served us some 7-up! They are one of the very few Christian families in the hill tribes.

Me and Manee!

Here is the school for the hill tribe children.

Just a cute little boy - playing with the dogs!

This is Fha and her family. Fha just recently became a Christian and was baptized. Her parents have been very supportive of her decision. They too, would like to accept Jesus into their hearts and be baptized, but they are "stuck" right now. Fha's mother does not want to be disrespectful to her mother (Fha's grandmother), who is Buddhist, so they said that they are just waiting for her to pass away and then they will make their decisions.

This seemed to be a common issue among the families we visited. Several people we talked to said that they were willing to accept Jesus into their hearts to become Christians, but that there was somebody in their lives that would be upset if they did, so they were waiting. They all seemed to use the term, "stuck" in reference to not being able to proceed with their decisions.

After visiting many hill tribe families, we went on a little hike into the jungle to find a cave in the mountain. My camera was not able to get good pictures - sorry!

Here is one picture of me before I got too far down in the dark part! There was a waterfall running down and around the boulders, so it was pretty loud and misty!

Kathy and I were responsible for planning lessons and activities for a group of non-christian children at the Chiangklang Church, where Sakjai is the pastor.

Initially, Sakjai planned for the event to occur between 4pm and 6pm, but when he realized that none of the parents would probably allow their children to attend, he rescheduled it for 2pm-4pm and wrote a letter to the schools to see if the teachers would bring the children - like on a field trip to the church?!! The teachers were very cooperative and ended up bringing 65 children!!

This was something that I had been struggling with since before we even left Kansas City. I kept on trying to get something planned, but I just kept getting stumped, or "stuck"! I knew that we were going to play a few games - not a problem! I also knew that we needed to teach a very quick and subtle lesson about God, in order to plant a seed, but not scare anyone away - not a problem! But what was the problem? I could not get it to come together.

So, Thursday morning, the day of the event, we had nothing planned. Kathy had done so much - collected resources and materials for games - she was totally providing the necessary items, but, we just didn't have a plan - still!

While we were doing a few loads of laundry and trying to come up with a plan, it finally happened. I finally did what I had not been doing all along. I gave the whole thing up to God. I surrendered to God and gave him the authority over the task - I let go, and let God! Then I understood why I couldn't make all the plans in KC, I didn't know the needs of the children and community. After letting God take over, Kathy and I looked at each other in amazement and started writing God's plans! Then the lessons were centered around the common issue we learned about the day before in the hill tribes - their being "stuck".

The two ladies on the left are the teachers from the public, Buddhist school. Then, there is me and Mindy E, the resident missionary, and Noi 1, our translator. We were singing fun "get to know you" songs!

This is when Kathy and I were leading the children in a game of Body Part Bingo. The lesson that accompanied this game was: God made you, just the way you are. You have your own special laugh, interests, gifts and talents, and God has a purpose for you. God wants to live in your heart. (In a nutshell!)

Then we played a game in which the children were to try to get a balloon from one end of the church to the other without letting it hit the floor. The tricky part was, they each had to keep both of their feet on a piece of tape on the floor - as if they were "stuck"! They had to reach to hit the balloon, without moving their feet.

This lesson went something like this: Sometimes in life we go through difficulties, where we feel frustrated, and upset. It is those times that we need to turn to God, as he will help us through them. He will keep us from feeling "stuck" in difficult situations. (Again, in a nutshell!)

After all of the games were over and the children were leaving, Mindy called me over to a group that wasn't leaving yet. She said that they were interested in asking me some questions. She translated for us. First, they wanted to know more about me, so I told them that I am a teacher and a mother of two children - Ben 9 yrs and Syd 5 yrs. Then they asked me why I came to Thailand. I said something like this: I came to Thailand to play games and have fun with you, and to share God's love with you - and to make sure that you know that the living God created you and that He loves you very much and wants to live in your hearts - so that He can help you through the tough times!

Schaun, Sakjai, John, Dan, Wayne and neighborhood children with Steve on the front row - in front of the Chiangklang Church.

This was a true "Good Samaritan" story! We were on our way to the market one evening and we saw this man (in the yellow shirt) lying on the cement bench. He looked like he was passed out. Mindy said that if he was still there when we came back from the market, she would check on him. We came back by about 1 hour later, and sure enough he was still there. So we pulled over and Mindy, Steve, Schaun, and Dan got out of the van to check on him. He was drunk and had thrown up all over himself, so Steve took out his wet wipes and began cleaning off the man's face. Mindy talked to him about what had happened. Apparently, he had gotten very drunk and was driving home on his motorcycle, when he noticed that he could not drive safely anymore. So, he pulled over to sober up. He had been lying there for about 5 hours when we found him. Mindy offered him a ride home, he accepted, and Schaun drove his motorcycle home for him. When we got to his house, his family knew that he was drunk and they were very thankful for us bringing him home.

Just a picture of worship at Pua Baptist Church. Saman is playing the electric guitar and singing! Notice the fans!! Very hot and sticky!

These are some of the children of the church and community that are lined up to attend the special church service in which we performed the "Everything" skit, and Schaun gave the sermon.

Before the service began - Jiib, me, and Nut!

Tak and I spotted each other across the room and smiled and waved. Once we were able to get up from our seats, we met and gave each other a big hug! It was great to see her again! What a beautiful girl! She became a Christian around Christmas time last year, and remains to be one of the few at her school that do not bow and sing praises to Buddha anymore. She says that it is becoming easier to stand strong in her faith and not be afraid to be different from others!

One day, Kathy and I provided art activities for the girls at the Grace House as well as for the children in the neighborhood. We spent all day at Nok and Saman's house creating! Here are some pictures of the day!

Sidewalk chalk in the street!
The children were instructed to use the art materials in any way they wanted. Here is what they created!

Nut made a pig out of foam dough!

Foam dough creations

At one point in the day, we read a few books about Jesus. (We did have translators there to help us!!) Then, we passed out simple English books for the kids to read with each other. They did very well and enjoyed helping each other read!

This is the restaurant we ate at one evening. I had some awesome cashew chicken!!
Here are the gals that translated for us throughout our time in Pua and Chiangklang!

Bang, Noi 2, and Noi 1

As we were driving down the road, we noticed these women working in the rice fields. They are hand picking the rice. This was a moment that I, once again, realized just how easy we have it in America!

Happy Memorial Day! May 26, 2008

2008-05-31T20:59:00.018-05:00

How do we celebrate Memorial Day? Many people visit certain veteran memorials, and many people visit the grave site of loved ones.

We did neither.

Ben mentioned going to the Liberty Memorial downtown, but Dave and I thought there would be way too many people down there as they were having a ceremony, remembering all the veterans of all the wars. They even had one veteran attend that fought in World War I! He is 107 years old!

We didn't visit any grave sites, since I am unsure of where in the cemetery my grandparents and great grandparents are located.

SO...

We made memorial day a day for us to remember in the future!

It was a rainy day, so outdoor activities were not an option. We had to be creative! The kids love to build forts with the couch cushions and blankets, and hardly ever get to, so, this was the day!

Sydney and I built the fort while Dave and Ben prepared the grill and 'hamburgers ranchero'! After the fort was complete we all helped to prepare a complete lunch. Burgers, hot dogs, cucumbers with ranch dressing, chips and cantaloupe. Then we ate our lunch in the fort!

Here are some captured moments!

The Fort ~ The aerial view (from the kitchen)

The Fort ~ The land view

Food Preparation

Grilling in the sprinkling rain!

Burgers Ranchero ~ Hamburgers with onions, oregano, salt and pepper mixed in; cheese melted on top; add salsa and serve on a warm tortilla. Yum!

Dining in the Fort!

Our little outing~ The Bass Pro Shop

Since it stopped raining, the kids enjoyed some sidewalk chalk!
Ben created a landscape picture of the ocean. Complete with boats, waves, sharks, and, surfers.

Sydney drew a picture of herself and Ben, and labeled it.

At the end of a long and memorable day, we had very long shadows!

A trip to Thailand again!

2008-05-23T22:04:00.014-05:00

I just wanted to let you know that I am headed back to Thailand again. I am traveling with the same group I went with last September, to the exact same place. We will be supporting Saman, the pastor of Pua Baptist Church in providing for the young girls who live in the Grace House as well as reaching out into other communities to share the Gospel. We will be leaving on June 14 and returning on June 25. I will try to post and entry from there, however, it may be difficult to have access to a computer. Remember these kids...and please pray for them.

Saman is reading from the Bible in preparation for the baptisms.

Nut is being baptized, with me assisting.

Manee, with her family who still live in the hills.

Here are some of the students at the school in Pua.

The Grace House Girls!

If you would like to pray for them by name, here are as many as I know: Nut, Manee, Fah, Mai, Goi, Mae, Carrot, Jib, Kibzee, and Pron. Some of the other children from the Church are: Gluay, Joy, Toon, Tak, Jo, Bic, Fame, Garn, Ben, Dan, and Pooh. The Missionaries that we will be working with are, Mindy E. and Geri.

Here are some of the girls from the Abba House in Chiang Mai. King, Wa, Kob, and Da.

Please visit http://www.abbahousefoundation.org/ to find out why these little girls need to be protected. We will be visiting the Abba House again this trip, if time allows.

See my posts in Sept, Oct, and Nov for the last trip to Thailand.

Sydney had a birthday! April 30!

2008-05-11T22:31:00.010-05:00

We celebrated Sydney's birthday at a cool place called, "Young Chefs Academy"! Here are some photos of the kids ...

Decorating their Chef hats!

Each child added a 1/2 cup of flour, to help make the dough.

Sydney, the Birthday Girl, got to put in the rest of the ingredients...

Then it was time to flatten the dough. Each child had their own lump of dough.

Next came the sauce, cheese, and then pepperoni!

While the pizzas were cooking, she opened presents!

Yummy pizza!

And a Hannah Montana chocolate cake!

I can't believe she is 5 now! Whew!

Hello Spring?! Hopefully?!

2008-04-27T22:37:00.019-05:00

We went out for a bike ride/walk/run today to enjoy the beautiful weather. Although it was partly-sunny, the breeze was still chilly. It was only about 55 degrees F.

Here is the horse we call Jack. He lives about 1/2 a mile from our house.

Arriving at our destination...

Releasing some extra energy!

Wheee!

A beautiful partly-cloudy sky!

And, trees still missing leaves. We have had a long winter!

Crossing the bridge to the other park!

Syd's second time ever to go down a fireman's pole, by herself!

Some signs that spring is here!?

A gorgeous Redbud Tree!

Ben wanted to capture the sounds of all the bird calls.

Listen closely and you will hear many birds!

Sydney, enjoying the springtime.

Syd: "Mom, these are wishing flowers! Guess what I'm going to wish for?"

Mom: "What?"

Syd: "Can I say it out loud?"

Mom: "Ummm?"

Then, off she ran, again!

Ben gave me directions on this next photo. He told me to take the picture of just his face and the "Wishing Flower" and then make the picture black and white. So, here it is!

I think he may have an artist's eye!

What a great time spent with the kids!

Run For Mercy - 5K - April 19, 2008

2008-04-19T22:27:00.008-05:00

Okay, I have been casually training for a while, and now is the day to apply it all.

I was running/walking the 5K in 45 minutes. My goal was to do it in 30-35 minutes.

Today, I ran the 5K in 35 minutes, 23 seconds!!

Here are the pictures of the very cold morning!

(Cloudy and about 42 degrees with a cold wind! Ugh!)

It all started at 6:45am by drinking some hot "Refresh" tea at Starbucks!

...and a little hangman with Ben!

There is the start/finish line!

Putting on my official number! - 610 -

Ben was cold and tired , I was cold and nervous, and Dave was cold and volunteering!
Dave handed out free coffee at the Starbucks table.

8:00am - It's about time to go - getting the ipod set! My music of choice - Nick Lachey!

I finished - cold, sweaty, tired, proud!

I did it! My first 5K! I feel like I will probably do it again, sometime!

Ben's Green Belt Test - 3-29-08

2008-04-19T22:16:00.005-05:00

Ben is showing his blocks.

(on the left)

Ben is showing his fall.

Ben is preparing to break the board with his round house kick!

Ben passed his test and is now a Green Belt!

Yea, Ben!!

Happy Easter!

2008-03-25T21:37:00.012-06:00

We always have an early morning Easter Egg Hunt in our house before attending Church.

Go, Ben, Go!

Keep looking, Ben!

Are you watching Abby?!

Go, Sydney, Go!

Yea!

Now, to Church...

Ben fled when the camera came out of my purse!

After Church, we went to Gramma's for lunch.

Happy Easter and Hallelujah!!

Family field trip to the Ice Rink! (3/15/08)

2008-03-25T21:20:00.005-06:00

Ben is feeling more comfortable on the ice now!!

Doing some fancy foot work!

Although Sydney is getting better each time, she still likes the security of the wall!

The update: Ben and Mindy still going strong,

Dave and Syd, well, um.....

...where are they?!

Run For Mercy 5K - April 19, 2008

2008-03-11T21:19:00.007-06:00

Warming up!

Schaun Colin, our Missions Pastor at Westside Family Church established Oceans of Mercy in South Africa (http://www.oceansofmercy.com/) several years ago. Since then, there have been Run For Mercy 5K/10K Walk-Runs in our city. This year, I decided to sign up to (hopefully) run the 5K!! I figured that if I couldn't go to South Africa with our church mission trip, I could at least contribute to the cause by joining the run! So, here are some pics of me in training! Ben and Sydney enjoyed taking pictures of me!

Feeling good!

So far, I am jogging/walking 3.1 miles in about 45 minutes! I'm trying to get down to 30-35 minutes!?! We'll see!

Ahhhh! Ben's School Music Program!

2008-03-06T21:25:00.009-06:00

The Third Grade Classes Present:

Ben is coming down the red carpet with a fine clock upon his chest! Stylish!

Ben was singing in the chorus. (Top right)

The Hickory Dickory Dock Clocks go tick tock!

Ben's artwork was on display for viewing after the show.

Pretty cool, huh?!

Guess Where I'll Be In June?

2008-02-28T22:24:00.002-06:00

I'm Going back to Thailand!! I will be travelling with many of the same people from last year and we will be revisiting the same people in Chiang Mai and Pua! I'll fill you in with details as I learn them! Wahoo!

Lunar Eclipse - Feb. 20, 2008 - 8:30-9:00pm

2008-02-24T13:16:00.010-06:00

I stood out on my front steps every ten or so minutes to take pictures of the progression.

It was about 8 degrees Fahrenheit - sooooo, cold!

It started turning an orange color as it became completely covered.

I just realized that I need to change the dated on my camera - It really was the 20th!

TIME

2008-02-09T11:43:00.001-06:00

Time heals all wounds.

Time stands still.

Time after time.

Time gets away.

Time will tell.

Time flies.

Budget time.

Waste of time.

Just killing time.

Not enough time.

Some things stand the test of time.

Nothing new here - just spending time - living life together.

Taking a Walk Around our Neighborhood

2008-01-27T18:55:00.000-06:00

Here are some of our findings during our walk/ride around our neighborhood!

A tiger cat roaming around.

Construction Zone!

There's a lake!

Checking the ice by throwing in big rocks.

Walking very carefully on the ice!

Where did they go? Look closely!

....and a cement/rock pile!

A Painting by Somjai - September 2007

2008-01-10T21:34:00.000-06:00

While I was in Thailand, I had the opportunity to watch elephants paint pictures. At the end of the show, I purchased one and brought it home. Finally, I was able to get it framed. Here is the painting that Somjai, a 15 year old elephant painted in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

The paper used for this painting has great texture, as it is made out of elephant dung!

Now we have to find a place to hang it!!

Here is a clip of one of the elephants painting!

Check out my blog posts from Sept. and Oct. to see more pictures of my Thailand trip.

God willing, I will be going back in June! (Yipee!)

Happy New Year! 2008

2008-01-10T21:01:00.000-06:00

What will the new year bring?

I think Ben's face sums it up!

Excitement and hope, along with some anxiety and fear.

Excitement for the opportunities, hope for the best, anxiety about the possibilities, and fear of the unknown.

So, here are some words that I rely on...

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Happy New Year to you all!

May you have a blessed and fulfilled year!

Christmas Eve & The Classic Christmas Day Pictures!

2007-12-29T21:15:00.000-06:00

We are starting a new tradition this year. We are reading The Christmas Story (published by Standard Publishing), which is a very simple story of Jesus' birth along with felt board pieces. The kids place Mary, baby Jesus, Joseph, the wise men, the star, the animals from the manger, etc. on the corresponding pages of the story. They really enjoyed participating in this activity! Matter of fact they had an argument over who got to place Mary on the page.

(It looks like Ben got to this time!)

"Away in a manger..."

And...

Merry Christmas!!

You may notice that Ben is dressed and his hair is already combed?! Yes, his morning began at 6:00am, asking us if he could go ahead and get in the shower. We told him it was too early and try to go back to bed until 7:00. At 7:00am promptly, Ben got in the shower, out by 7:10, dressed by 7:11, hair combed by 7:12, and ready to wake Sydney up. So, we did.....and the rest of us.... are still in our pajamas!

Sydney kept reminding us that we needed to get Abby a Christmas gift. So, we got her a box of Milk Bones! Sydney was very excited to give them to her!

And, Abby was excited to receive them!!

We went over to my sister's house for lunch. There, the cousins played together and we were able to see Gramma!

After a wonderful lunch, we celebrated Jesus' Birthday with brownies and mint chocolate chip ice cream!!

Then the gift exchange!

Merry Christmas everyone!

May we all feel gratitude towards God for sending Jesus to teach us how to live peacefully with each other, and providing eternal life for us with him.

Hallelujah!

It's Sculpey Time!

2007-12-28T23:15:00.000-06:00

As we were talking about what kinds of gifts we should get for some people, Ben reminded me, "Remember Mom, it isn't the gift that is important, it's that it comes from your heart." Having said that, he decided that we should make gifts that are meaningful for others. So we went out and bought some "Sculpey", then proceeded to create!

We made some with cookie cutters, and then made others freehand.

After baking them, we painted them!

A butterfly~

A horse~

Here are some of the meaningful Christmas Gifts we created!

Walking in a (Kansas) Winter Wonderland!

2007-12-28T22:34:00.000-06:00

As Kansas heard that winter was coming, she decided to call in the freezing rain.

Thankfully our trees are young and small enough to withstand the weight of the ice that built up on the branches.

Next came the SNOW!! (About 3 to 4 inches) And I mean BIG snowflakes!!
The snow was very crunchy - with the ice still underneath!

They are ready to sled!!

And here they go!!

The Sledders...

The Sliders...

And...

My Sweet Little Snow Angels!

After about 45 minutes, it was time to warm up.....

AHHHH!

Making Christmas cookies at Gramma's!

2007-12-11T21:31:00.000-06:00

(I took these pictures with my new phone. Not the best, but they will do!)

Okay, so we didn't make the cookies from scratch, but we did make the icing from scratch! Confectioners sugar, water, vanilla and food coloring! They were beautiful and yummy!

Another priceless experience!

A quick and easy clean up, too!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas!

2007-12-06T21:35:00.000-06:00

Time to put up our Christmas Tree!

The kids helped me while Dave was at work! He was so sad to miss the tree trimming event! (not!)

Ugh!

Sydney was in charge of hanging the ornaments low on the tree!

Ben was in charge of hanging the ornaments high in the tree.

It was Sydney's turn to put the star on top!

And I was in charge of decorating the mantle.

And finally,

Ahhh! ...and the stockings were hung on the coffee table with care...

...since the stocking hangers kept falling off the mantle!

T'is the Season to look for signs of Christmas!

2007-12-06T20:53:00.000-06:00

Candy Cane Lane!

Fa la la la la...

...la la la la!

Here is the house on Falmouth! This man has been decorating like this for over 30 years! He adds a little every year!

This is his garage!

Santa and Rudolph coming out to see their guests!

Ben, friend, and Sydney

The Country Club Plaza Lights!

Here is what's been happening in KC!

2007-11-20T18:21:00.000-06:00

We celebrated Ben's 9th birthday in September!

OCTOBER

We visited Louisburg Cider Mill and picked out some pumpkins!

We played hand games with Manee while she was in town.

November

I'm cutting up the pumpkin to cook, and then make pumpkin bread for Thanksgiving!
Don't worry, Abby is not getting in it!

My favorite turkey and native american!

Ben made these hats at school!

Sydney is ready to help make the pumpkin bread now!

Stirring the spices...

And then the bread is done! (ha,ha)

After we cut the pumpkin up, we cooked the seeds, and ate them.

Just a little pumpkin seed art on the kitchen table!

Some More Thai and "Juicy Stuff"

2007-11-04T20:26:00.000-06:00

Well, it has been a while I realize. I have been quite busy catching up to the American way - race, race, race then hit the pillow! Hopefully I will be able to finish adding pictures of the trip and add my "Juicy stuff" - or my thoughts, reflections, and learned concepts - before getting tired and having to go to bed!

This is the place we stayed in while in Chiangklang. Courtney, Kathy and I shared a room again!

Here is our room! We had to walk down the sidewalk to get to the restrooms! Very nice accommodations!

This is the view from our room door. There is a farmer tending his cattle. There is a rooster out there somewhere - I heard him most mornings!

One evening, Pua Baptist Church hosted a bonfire in the front yard of the church. We roasted marshmallows, cooked some kind of mini hot dogs, and little balls of pork!

On Sunday, after worship, Saman lead the baptisms. About 15 kids were baptized.

I assisted in baptizing Nut...

...and Goi! How cool was that!

Saman, the Pastor of Pua Baptist Church, and his wife Nok take care of about 19 girls in the Grace House. (With the help of a house assistant,too.) These girls are between the ages of 5 and 14 and used to live in the hills. Most of them are Hmong and, with the permission from their families, were brought down to the town of Pua, to have the opportunity to attend a better school, and a Christian church. The girls are able to visit their families every week or so, and enjoy doing so.

This is the Grace House - located adjacent to Saman and Nok's house.

This is where the girls sleep. They roll out the mats and hang the netting over them to keep the mosquitoes off of them.

Here are all the girls' cubbies.

Here is their kitchen. The little pots are where they cook their own rice, over burning wood.

One day, we went up to visit some of the girls' families in the hill tribes.

Here is Mai and Sapropon singing in the van.

Here are the rooftops of the homes in the Hill tribes.

As we walked from home to home, praying for each of the families, we passed by this large white building, which is their school.

This is inside one of the homes. This corner of the home would be considered the kitchen.

We kept walking for hours! Up and down the little dirt trails between all the homes.

Here is a monkey! He was on display at the National Forestry .

We took a break for lunch. We ate barbecued chicken, sticky rice, and I can't remember the rest!

Beautiful view!

This is Manee. She is the oldest girl in the Grace House, and a real sweetheart! She helped me learn to count in Thai! Manee just recently came to KC with Nok and Saman to visit our church. It was lots of fun. We were able to get together several times!

This is Manee's home.

We went in and visited her family. Here parents were happy for her to be coming to America.

Still more walking!

One day we taught English at the school in Pua.

Here are the students eating lunch.

Washing out their dishes after eating!

After teaching at their school - Manee and Nut found me and we exchanged big hugs! I'm not sure of the name of the little girl on the right!

Then we had Pad Thai for lunch - Yum!

That is all I can do tonight - I promise more - again!

By the way, I may be going again in June! Please pray for me and my family as I prepare to make that decision.

More Pictures of our Mission Trip in Thailand

2007-10-06T21:55:00.000-05:00

The "Kansas Team" Going to Thailand!!
September 16 - 28, 2007

Mindy(not Sydney),Kathy,Wayne,Barb,Courtney,Schaun,Marlene&John

My first meal on China Airlines!

Breakfast!

After approximately 20 hours of travelling, we were on our last flight from Taiwan to Thailand. Here I am with tired eyes - and only about 5 hours of sleep!

Only about 5 more hours to fly!! Wahoo!

Then what appeared out my window?..........

It's finally Chiang Mai, Thailand!!

Here is the room Kathy, Courtney and I shared, in the Abba House.

This is the vehicle in which we travelled all around town.

We passed these beautiful rice fields on our way to the Drug Rehab Center.

This is outside the building (of the drug rehab center) in which we sang and played games.

Eating the "mypet" (not spicy) lunch at the University! It was good, whatever it was!

I'm feeding the elephant a little Thai cucumber(?)

There were many billboards like this one of the King and Queen of Thailand all around the city. They really do love their King. He has been King for about 50 years?!(I think)

Here are pictures of the Buddhist Temple or as they call it a "Wat".
Notice Barb taking her shoes off before entering. Not only must you take your shoes off, but you must make sure that if you sit down inside that your feet are not facing Buddha. Sitting on your knees and feet (like you are kneeling) is the proper way to sit.
Various Statues

People were coming with roses, candles, and incense to kneel and pray (I'm guessing).

Then they would walk around the large gold monument with the roses between their hands.

We visited a Hmong Village up in the mountains, as well.

The market area

Homes

A beautiful garden!

Thank you to all of you who have supported me through this trip!

Don't worry, there are still more pictures to come!! Enjoy!

Love ya,

Mindy

Howdy Y'all! I'm Back in Kansas!

2007-10-01T22:33:00.001-05:00

Sorry it has taken so long to post. I have been traveling for many hours, and jet lagging for many days!! Here is some more of my trip! It was amazing! I hope I am able to convey the magnitude of the trip through the pictures and anecdotes.

Picking up from where I left off - the elephant park...

This is the Abba House in Chiang Mai, Thailand. This is a safe and happy place in which about 30 girls live.

It is customary in Thailand for everyone to take their shoes off before entering homes. So, here are all the girls' shoes!

One evening, the girls in the Abba House performed for us. It was so neat to see them worship with all of their hearts, inspite of the difficult lives they have already lived. These girls have found joy and refuge in Jesus Christ, even in the sinful world we all live in! Halleluia! They did a great job singing songs in English, as well as signing.

We split up into groups and worked with the girls on their conversational English. We spent about one hour each night just talking (in English) and getting to know each other. At one point in time, I noticed that they were working on their English homework, so I just helped them with their homework. The girls were so kind and welcoming, it was easy to feel comfortable - even though there was a language barrier!

One morning, we went to worship with the people living in a Christian drug rehab center. We sang and played games and had a great time! It was an awesome moment when I recognized the tune to the song they were singing in Thai. "This is the Day That The Lord has Made" - All the way around the world, they are praising the very same and uncontainable God that we praise in America! With the very same song! Wow! This is a clip of another song, praising God, in Thai.

While we were still in Chiang Mai, we visited the University and ate lunch there. Then we visited the Buddhist Temple up on top of a mountain. I felt such a feeling of sadness as I watched people bringing offerings, bowing down to, and worshipping empty idols.

After a few days in Chiang Mai, we took 6 hour van ride to Chiangklang, which is a city very close to Pua. We stayed in Chiangklang, and drove just 15 minutes into Pua to work with the Pua Baptist Church. We led some disciplship classes and games for the children attending the weekend retreat entitled, "The Joshua Camp".

Pua Baptist Church

My friend, Nut, and me!

This is a clip of some of the girls performing (in Thai) for Sunday morning worship.

One night the English and Life Skills Class took us out around town for a field trip. My little group went shopping! Then we went back to Nok and Saman's house for dinner. The students prepared dinner for us! It was fun and yummy! They have great hospitality skills!!

Toon and Kathy enjoying the chicken/egg/noodle/leafy vegetable dish!

Mindy and Tak enjoying the chocolate cake!

Some words and phrases I learned in Thai:

Sawadikah - Hello (from a female) Kopkunkah - Thank you (from a female)

Sawadikop - Hello (from a male) Kopkunkop - Thank you (from a male)

Numbers- 1= neung, 2= song, 3= sahm, 4= see, 5= hah, 6= hok, 7= jet, 8= bad, 9= gao, 10= seep

That is all for now - I promise there is more to come!!

Mindy

We're in Thailand!!

2007-09-20T03:53:00.000-05:00

Hello! We have been so busy I have hardly had a chance to sit down. Except in the plane ride over here! We arrived tuesday around 1:00pm, which is 1:00am your time. We drove to the Abba House and got situated. Then the girls came home from school and we met them for dinner. There are 32 girls living in the dorm and Courtney, Kathy and I are staying in one of the dorm rooms too. After dinner, we divided up into groups and helped the girls with conversational english. The girls are so beautiful and fun! Wednesday morning, we got up early and went to a Christian Drug Rehab Center. We particpated in their worship by singing and praying with them. Then we played some games! After that, we went to the University for lunch! I have no idea what I ate! I just told them that I wanted it to be "mypet" that means not spicey! It was very yummy! After our bellies were full, we went to visit a Buddist Temple. Wow - pictures are to come. I don't have that memory card with me now. Then we went up the mountain some more to visit a Hmong village and market area. Some beatiful handcrafted items!! Then we came home and had dinner at the Abba House and participated in worship with the girls! Amazing! They sang for us in English and Thai and presented a few wordless skits. Very good! Kathy and I shared our testimonies with the girls - with a translator. Then we ended the evening with our team meeting. Got to bed around 11:30!

This morning, we were on the bus to the elephant park for some fun! We sat on, rode on, and got kissed by elephants! Then we took an oxen cart ride, and then a raft ride! Another amazing day! God has created a beautiful world for us!! Yeah God!! So now I will try to post some pictures!

I'm Going To Thailand!

2007-09-09T20:44:00.000-05:00

Time is flying by! Tonight marks one week until take off!

I have had many anxious moments, but thankfully they are followed by feelings of peace. I know God is with me and calming me down each time. I also know that as soon as we are prepared to be agents of God, and about to make a big difference, that is when Satan works to pull us down. I am praying hard for God to keep me close to him and keep me from feeling overwhelmed and lost. Spiritual warfare is so real and I am living it. Thanks to God, I will make it through with flying colors - I have faith!! Again, thanks so much for your prayers, I am feeling them!!

I have been packing for about one month now and I think that I am almost finished! I checked the weather in Chiang Mai and it looks as if the trend will be 88 degrees F with a heat index of about 92 degrees F. The forecast predicts scattered showers for most days with 60% chance of rain each day and 70%-90% humidity! Ugh!! I predict great hair days! Ha!

Since my last post with the itinerary, things have changed, as promised! Apparently, the programs that we will be involved in maintain very flexible schedules! So we will not really know what we will be doing every day, until each day is over! How is that for letting go of control?!

We did change the last part of the trip. We will be leaving Pua and heading for Chiang Mai the afternoon before our flight, so that we will have a night to stay in Chiang Mai, before getting up and flying out.

I think that I will have access to the Internet while I am in Thailand, so I will plan on making entries. Please keep checking my blog each day to see what's going on! I am also going to try to hook my camera up to the computer and post some pictures, if possible! Wish me luck or send me instructions of how to make that happen!!

Please remember to pray for my family while I'm gone. Dave is already planning on watching lots of movies each night, after the kids go to bed. Ben and Sydney keep telling me they don't want me to go. Although they know why I am going, and the importance, they still want their Mommy. Ugh, that pulls at my heartstrings! I am expecting many tears at the airport, many of which will be my own!

Thanks to you all!
Here I go!
Mindy

Time to Catch Up! Some Recent Pictures!

2007-08-27T20:56:00.000-05:00

A Taekwondo Class!

Master Ha allowed Sydney to participate in class!

Ben's First Day of Third Grade! Doesn't he look Happy?!

Sydney's First Day in the Rainforest Room at JCCC

Playdough & The Writing Center

Thailand Mission Trip Update!

2007-08-27T19:13:00.000-05:00

Well, where do I begin?! So much has occurred since my last entry. Let me begin by thanking all of you who contributed to my trip because it is now paid for in full. $2.000! I am still accepting prayers though! I am very excited, however the fear of the unknown creeps up on me every now and then, but I am able to relax when I remember the good old saying, "Let go and Let God!"
I have met the rest of the group going to Thailand, and they all seem very nice, with the added benefit that 5 of the 7 of them have already been serving in Thailand before! I feel comfort in knowing that they know where we'll be going and what we will be doing!

Here is a brief itinerary of our trip:

Leave KCI Sept. 16 @ 9:55pm ~ Arrive in Chiang Mai, Thailand Sept. 18 @ 1:00pm

Sept. 18 - Arrive at the Abba House, Meet the girls who live there and help them with conversational English. Hopefully, make it to the Night Market for shopping!

Sept. 19 - Perform skit and share testimonies at a Drug Rehab Prison. Take a City Tour of Chiang Mai. Conversational English with the girls, and Wed. Night Worship

Sept. 20 - Rest and Relaxation - Visit the Elephant Camp and ride an elephant, Conversational English with the girls.

Sept. 21 - Ride in van to Pua (6 hours) Meet children at the Joshua Camp

Sept. 22 - Joshua Camp - Lead discipleship sessions with the children for 4-5 hours (games, crafts, activities, stories...)

Sept. 23 - Worship - Joshua Camp

Sept. 24 - Visit the Mong Villages - all day - Teaching English modules to children and Discipleship for adults

Sept. 25 - Pua English Camp - 8:30-3:00 (games, crafts, activities, stories...) - Evening with Dorm Kids

Sept. 26 - Pua English Camp - 9:00-12:00 English Modules

Sept. 27 - 5:00am Ride in Van from Pua to Chiang Mai - Fly out of Chiang Mai 1:55pm.

Sept. 28 - Arrive at KCI at 8:00am!

By the way, Pua is east of Chiang Mai, almost to the Laos border.
The time difference is about 12 hours ahead of KC.

Thanks for all of your support!
Mindy

Family Vacation to Texas!

2007-08-10T18:07:00.000-05:00

Here are some pictures of our time in Texarkana, Texas! We drove through Missouri and Arkansas to get there! Here we go!

First we had to take Abby to the Dog Hotel!

And they are already reading!

After 9 hours, we finally made it to Grammy and Paw-Paw's house!
Grammy, Paw-Paw, Cousin Katie & Aunt Trish

The kids (Sydney, Ben & Cousin Matt) did a little swimming in the backyard...

...a few puzzles...

...and games...

...and marbles!

One day, Sydney and I went with Grammy to get pedicures!!

Sydney chose a hot pink color...

for both of us!

We took the boys to the movies to see, "Underdog"!

Then we all went to "Magic Springs & Crystal Falls" amusement & water park in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Then it was time to head home, back through the Ozark Mountains!

New Thailand Mission Trip Update!

2007-08-10T17:39:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to keep y'all posted! Here is an email I received from my church, regarding my upcoming trip!

"Great news! For this year’s Thailand trip, we’ve received a blessing of a $500 scholarship for each participant! This is a special situation that is not available for the other trips. Also, we got the airline tickets for a good price, so we’ll let you know soon what the total trip cost will be. And we’re also scheduling a team meeting for maybe Sunday, August 19th at 12:30, but we’ll confirm that soon as well."

I have not heard anything since that email, I'm still waiting to hear a total amount due for Aug. 19!

I also wanted to let you know that the dates have changed. I will be leaving on Sept. 16 instead of Sept. 19, and I will be returning on Sept. 28 instead of Sept. 30!

I am getting excited, and thanks to your prayers and support, I am not feeling as nervous anymore! Yeah!

Thanks,
Mindy

Ben's TAEKWONDO Yellow Belt Test - July 21, 2007

2007-07-30T21:00:00.000-05:00

Go Ben!!

He did earn his Yellow Belt!!

All the Masters did a demonstration for us! Wow!

No Field Trip today - A rainy Monday! 7/23/07

2007-07-29T22:03:00.000-05:00

Ben read a book from the library entitled, "Jalapeno Bagels" and requested that we follow the recipe in the back of the book and make them! So here we go!

In goes the flour, salt, sugar, water, yeast, and chopped jalapenos.

Knead for 12 minutes! Then let the dough rest for 10 minutes!

Next, cut, roll, and shape into circles.

After letting the dough rise for 1.5 hours, we had to boil each bagel for 15-30 seconds.

At last, into the oven they go for 10-15 minutes!

And there you go, 4 hours later....Jalapeno Bagels!

They were pretty yummy! Especially with cream cheese!

Field Trip # 6 A day at the "Kabin"

2007-07-23T13:40:00.000-05:00

We went to the Kabin with Gramma and a friend named Daniel.

July 16, 2007

Walking up to the pool!
Sydney goes in slow!

Ben goes in Fast!

Sydney would go on the slide if I went with her!

After swimming, we had a cherry-pit spitting contest!

And made lily pad hats!

Summer Sky Out My Backdoor!

2007-07-14T23:34:00.000-05:00

This all took place between 8:00pm and 9:00pm!

Awesome!

Fourth of July - Celebration!

2007-07-14T19:59:00.000-05:00

We celebrated the 4th of July at the "Kabin" with family! It was hot and muggy, and of course, it had to rain for a little while!

Here is "Kir-Kha-Beth Kabin" built by my Great Grandfather in 1929!

It was named after family members, or versions of family members' names!

One of Gramma's favorite pastimes is finding lilies and lily pads in the lake!

Gramma is showing Sydney the proper techniques of lily pad hunting!

Ben is modeling one of the many uses of lily pads!

Dave and Ben went on a ride around the lake on the dingo. Or as Sydney calls it, the "Bingo"!

When it started raining, Syd felt the need to dance. (In the rain!)

As she got quite wet, she asked if she could put her swim suit on.....

...and then cousin Anna joined her!

We did a few little fireworks, poppers and of course, the growing snakes!!

Happy 4th of July!

I'm happy to be an American!

Field Trip #5: Tour of the Plaza & Loose Park

2007-07-14T09:47:00.001-05:00

July 9, 2007

We packed our lunches and headed out for the Plaza in order to find all of the fountains. Unfortunately, the hot, humid, summer day got the best of us, so we cut the tour short!

As soon as we got to this fountain, Ben read the little plaque. It mentions tossing a coin in and saying a prayer for the sick children at Children's Mercy Hospital. So he asked if we could do that, and of course, I said yes. Ben got on his knees, said a prayer quietly to himself, then tossed in a coin. Sydney sat for her prayer, then tossed in the coin!

It is so humid you can see the haze in the air! Here was fountain #2!
Beautiful Brush Creek!
And this was the last of the fountains for the day! #3! After fully viewing this fountain, Ben shared his observation: "These fountains are much bigger up close."

When we looked closely at the waterfall, we noticed a green foamy substance in the water! Then we noticed the not-so-pleasant smell! Yuck!

Lady Churchill & Sydney

(I think Sydney looks a little like her!)

Ben remarked, after I took this picture of him, that he made his facial expression the same as Churchill's!

Sure enough!

Off to Loose Park!

After walking, sweating and complaining a little, we made it back to the car. No one wanted to eat at the park, so we sat in the car (air conditioning) and ate our lunches in the parking lot!

The good ol' midwest weather! If you don't like the weather, just wait a minute!!

Playing quickly, before the rain set in!

It began to sprinkle, so we headed for the shelter. We noticed the beautiful flowers while we waited for the rain to subside!

Sydney loves dancing in the rain!

Ben found some walnuts on the ground (No science experience can be passed up!) so he worked on rubbing the outer green part off, while waiting for the rain to fade away. He remembered that people use walnuts to stain wood so, he tried to stain the concrete pillar!

When the rain stopped, just a few minutes later, we ran over to the pond to check it out!

When the lightning began, we decided that this field trip was over!

We took our metal umbrella and left the pond!

Nothing better than to end a day with ice cream!

Another Thailand Trip Update!

2007-07-09T15:06:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends and Family,

I am sorry to say that I have not heard any new news about the trip yet. I am happy, however to let you know that I have paid my next payment that is due next week on July 19. Now I just need to pull together another $1,000 - $1,500 by August 19 and then my trip will be paid in full! Again, thank you all for your contributions and prayers! As time draws nearer, the more anxiety I am beginning to feel about traveling, missing my family and friends, sleeping conditions, cleanliness, and the general fear of the unknown! I do keep singing the song by Matt Redman, "You Never Let Go" and that keeps me going!! Hope you all are doing well, catch you later!

Mindy

Field Trip #4: Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead & Clay Cafe

2007-07-02T22:11:00.000-05:00

Experiencing old water pumps!

I had the pleasurable experience of baiting the hook with live worms...
...so that Ben could fish!

(Syd wanted to have nothing to do with the worms and fishing!)

Now, to feed the baby goats!

Ben has quite a love for animals and the great outdoors!

Sydney, again, chose not to participate, until I held the bottle. Then she put her finger on the end of the bottle to "help"me! (Ben is working on his photography skills!)

Got Milk?!

Ben is panning for gold! Or mining for gems! Or just looking for treasures.

After Sydney watched Ben uncover beautiful gems, she decided that she wanted to participate in this activity!
She took off with great determination...

...and success!

Cooling off and Rinsing Feet before departure!

Clay Cafe pictures are here!!

Ben chose a dragon to paint, and Sydney chose a flower!

Sydney painted with great concentration....

...and so did Ben!!

As Ben was painting, he paused for a moment and said, "Oh! I'm just stressing about what color to make the wings!" I gave a few suggestions, none of which were any good apparently. Then he looked up at me, smiled, and walked over to the racks of paint. He, joyfully, came back to the table with the gold bottle of paint!

Sydney was proud of her work!

(She painted 95% of the flower, and I helped about 5%! )

It was another great Monday!

Then we went home and took naps before dinner!

Field Trip #3: Kaleidoscope

2007-06-29T22:03:00.000-05:00

The Artists!

They are using Q-tips to paint with glow-in-the-dark, melted crayons, under a black light!

(My flash ruined the black light effect.)

The Explorers!

Ben made a picture for Sydney, then turned it into a puzzle by sending it through the jigsaw press!

Sydney decorated her crown with markers!

Summertime fun!

2007-06-21T17:25:00.000-05:00

Experiencing "Bubblicious Ink'd" gum!

Swimming!

Sydney thought the swim cap was pretty neat!

(However, not so functional!)

Sydney also thought the goggles were fun!

Ben is preparing for the summer olympics!

Field Trip #2: Chinese for Lunch & Ice Skating!

2007-06-21T16:51:00.000-05:00

This week we enjoyed Orange Chicken and Sesame Chicken. Ben loves Hot and Sour Soup, so he ate that while I ate the Egg Drop Soup. Sydney opted out of the soups! Half way through our meal, Ben suggested that we get chopsticks to eat with. So, he and Syd went up and asked for them. Here are pictures of their attempts! The food was delicious. The experience was fun!

With our bellies full, it was Ice Skating time! Ben has ice skated a few times before, but this is Sydney's first time. She was quite excited to do it until she tried to walk in her skates.

With some encouragement, and reminders that "Princess Annika" ice skates, Sydney took to the ice!

I think they will be in the Olympics soon!!

After 2 back breaking hours....

...it was time to go home!

Field Trip #1: The Kansas City Zoo

2007-06-12T21:51:00.000-05:00

I was given the opportunity to take Mondays off for this summer! So, here are pictures of us at the KC Zoo, last Monday. We arrived around 10:30 and departed around 2:30. We had a great time! The weather was wonderful and the company was priceless!

10:30 am - off to see the tigers and red pandas

The Red Panda is Ben's favorite!

Here are some wild animals I couldn't identify! HeHe!

Our first camel ride, ever! This is what life is about!!

Sydney really wanted to feed the goats.

She began by calling them to her, "Goatees, goatees!". Then, as they approached she would throw the food at them, because she was too scared to let them eat out of her hand!

Just taking a break!

Taking the tram out to Africa

The the walk was getting long, the momentum was slowing.

Sydney requested to see the lions. Although she was getting tired and I had to carry her, or give her piggy back rides, she insisted that we go find them. But then, before arriving at the lion's den, she hesitantly asked, "Will they be in a cage?"

There were 9 lionesses lounging around!

Ben picked out the one that looked like she was smiling as she was napping and said that he liked her the best!

Our day is coming to an end!

That is the end of the KC Zoo trip! Two tired little kids, and one exhausted momma!

New Thailand Update!

2007-06-02T14:05:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to let you know that the total contribution amount now is: $1,410!
You are amazing! Thanks again, everyone!
God is good, all the time! All the time, God is good!
Mindy

Keeping Busy!

2007-05-31T21:04:00.000-05:00

Ben played basketball in the winter,

(back row on the left)

And is finishing up soccer this spring!

Gramma & Ben at the soccer game

Sydney & Poppy after her dance recital

Thailand Mission Trip - Update

2007-05-26T23:37:00.000-05:00

Dear Family and Friends,
I am going on a mission trip with my church to Thailand in September. http://www.westsidefamilychurch.com/ We will be conducting Vacation Bible School for children in an orphanage and ministering to the people in Pua, Nan Province. The trip is expected to cost between $2,500 and $3,000, and from your donations, I have already collected $1,155.00!! Wahoo! Thank you so much for your donations as well as your prayers! I have so enjoyed receiving notes of encouragement from you as well!
I believe that my church will begin having meetings in June, regarding the details about the trip. I will fill you in more as I learn more.
Thanks again,
Mindy

Hello Family and Friends!

2007-05-14T21:54:00.000-05:00

Here is what we have been doing!

Swimming Lessons at the YMCA!

Tae Kwon Do & Dance