The Rhoderick Family Adventures

Fall Photo Shoot 2010

2010-11-10T14:44:00.000-06:00

It's been a while

2010-10-06T12:56:00.002-05:00

So sorry I have been away from my blog so long. I guess I should catch everyone who reads/cares up to date on what is going on in our lives.
*we moved into a new home in April 2010 and are loving the home, space, neighbors, and in town living.
*we got a new puppy named Khloe in April as well just a couple weeks after we moved into our new place. She is not so little anymore. Khloe keeps us busy, active, and laughing (most days). Some days we find ourselves wondering what in the world we were thinking! We love our fluffy little angel as Jakob calls her and really wouldn't have it any other way.
*We spent the summer enjoying neighborhood life. The boys got to be really good friends with several children that live close.
*Jakob started 4th grade and likes his teacher really well. We have had some academic struggles and are sorting all that out and hoping to get some help for our son really soon.
*Jaden started 3rd grade and got the teacher that he was hoping for. He has many great friends in his class and is doing really well. Getting A's and B's without much effort. We can only imagine what his grades would be like if he put forth an ounce of effort. We are very proud of him though.
*Jameson is in Pre-School 3 days a week and is having so much fun!!! He loves his teacher and the new friends in his class. We are working with him on writing and coloring because those are the things he struggles with.
*Jakob and Jaden are playing football for the Little Indians and having a complete blast. They are surprising us with how aggressive and talented they are on the football field. There team is improving an they are really exciting to watch. I am going to be sad when the season is over.

So that brings us up to date. The things on our plate for October are DISNEY WORLD!!!! We cannot wait to share this experience with our sons. I have not been to Disney World since I was 7 years old and I remember that time like it was yesterday. What a wonderful childhood memory! Jaden and Jameson will be flying on a plane for the first time ever and they are totally excited about that. I will be sure to post pictures of our time there. Until next time and hopefully that won't be so long this time.

Family Update!

2010-04-11T19:45:00.003-05:00

Well, hello everyone!!! It's been a while. Life has changed quite a bit for us in the past week, let along 2 months since I posted last. The biggest change is that we have moved into a different house. We spent the last almost 5 years in our home and finally decided to move into town closer to the school and friends. It has been a huge adjustment from living out on our own with tons of privacy to a neighborhood with half a million kids zooming everywhere. Jakob, Jaden, and Jameson are learning neighborhood ettiquite slowly. Learning that our rules are the ones that matter and not what every other child on the block is doing. Learning to actually look both ways before just darting out into the road on bikes and scooters. Those are some things that you sort of don't have to worry about when you live out on acreage and don't have to worry about ever being on the road. We are enjoying the extra space in the actual house though. Each boy has their own room and they are loving that. I am enjoying my garage which we have never had in our married life. It's the little things!

Another big change is coming on Saturday, April 17th. We are going to be welcoming Miss Khloe the Old English Sheepdog into our home. We can hardly wait to go pick her up. We have all the shopping done in preparation for her arrival and are hoping that she fits right into our lives. I will try to keep this blog updated better in the coming months. Until next time....

One Week

2010-02-10T21:17:00.002-06:00

Yesterday was one week since Bailee passed away. It seems like she has been gone for so long. We continue to miss her so much. I miss her climbing in bed, underneath the covers to warm up my feet while I sleep. I miss her curling up next to me on our chair while I surf the internet. I miss her begging to go outside to get some fresh air and check out her neighborhood doggie friends.

Jakob wants to find a new route to church so we don't have to pass the vet. Jaden doesn't want any beds unmade b/c the bumps underneath the covers remind him of Bailee. Jameson asks without thinking when we walk in from being gone, "Where's Bailee?"

We will be getting another puppy this Spring after we move, but nothing will replace our sweet Bailee girl.

Bailee Jo

2010-02-03T21:06:00.003-06:00

We lost our sweet, lovable family 4-legged family member yesterday. (Feb. 2nd) It was a sudden loss and one that has left us all sad and lonely!

Sunday evening came with Bailee running around the living room chasing a tennis ball that was being thrown. She was acting her normal self. During the night on Sunday night Matt and I both heard her moaning and groaning. We weren't sure what was wrong but when we woke up early Monday morning we noticed 2 large piles of vomit. Bailee was really lethargic. Not interested in eating, drinking or moving for that matter. She continued to not act herself for most of the morning. I called the vet and they told me to bring her right in. The doc took blood and checked her over. She said that nothing looked out of the ordinary with her physically, but they would call me with the results of the blood test. Later that afternoon, the results came in. Bailee's liver was not doing well. Dr. Beth wanted me to try as hard as I could to get her to eat and drink. She said if she continued on the same path to bring her back in. So Tuesday came and she still would not. She started spitting up stuff and continued to just lay lifeless. Tuesday evening she was laying on our chaise lounge chair and I noticed there was a large mass on her groin area. I felt around and it was not right. Matt took her back to Dr. Beth and the results would not be promising. Bailee had a strangulated hernia. The best thing to do for her at that point was to lay her to rest. So at around 6pm on Tuesday night February 2nd Bailee was put to sleep. It was a sad time for all of us and we are still trying to figure out how to be in our house without her. The place feels so cold and lonely! Jakob and Jaden are taking it really hard. Jameson is still too young to understand. He keeps asking where she is and where she is sleeping. Matt and I are struggling. She was almost 11 years old and we miss her so much. It still just doesn't feel real to us that she is actually gone.

Bundled up!

2010-01-28T11:36:00.002-06:00

This was our first snow day of the school year. Jakob and Jaden were dying to get outside to and although they didn't last long they had fun! It was super cold out there! Jameson thought he wanted out so we bundled him all up and opened up the sliding glass door. The wind whipped in and hit him square in the face. He quickly said "Nevermind!!!!" He was perfectly content for the rest of the day to stay inside and warm with mommy.

Christmas 2009

2010-01-28T11:17:00.002-06:00

Yes, I am just now blogging about Christmas. I am going to try to get back up to date with all of our activities! We stay so busy that at times I forget to even pull out my camera because I am just taking in whatever is going on and trying to really enjoy it. After it is over and I have no pictures to show for it I am sad. So I am going to try to be better about pulling out the camera and at least capturing something. Anyway, this is our own personal family Christmas that we celebrate on the day the boys get out of school for Winter Break. This year for some reason it didn't work out to open gifts on that Friday night so we didn't make the boys wait. We opened gifts on Thursday night instead. All 3 boys were thrilled with what they recieved and were very thankful!

On Friday night we sat down to watch one of the boys new movies and about halfway through the movie our Christmas tree fell to the ground making a huge mess and breaking one precious ornament. Had we waited and opened gifts on Friday night it would have ruined everything! We spent the rest of the evening getting the mess all cleaned up and tryed to get our lovely tree back up. It however would NOT go back up and we didn't trust it at all so 13 days after putting our christmas tree up it was hauled to the back porch. It was a really beautiful tree and we were happy to have it for the time that we did. A new tree stand is top on the priority list for this next Christmas and we might not go quite so big this next time!

HIghlights from Thanksgiving

2009-11-30T11:41:00.002-06:00

safe travel to Iowa
meeting my new cousin Katie adopted from China
spending time with my grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, mom, dad, and brother
watching my Uncle Bob with my boys! He taught them so much and is so patient.
YUMMY FOOD!!!!
Christmas shopping for our boys on Black Friday with Matt.
playing Dominoes with Aunt, Joy, Aunt Jeri, Uncle Jim, mom, Kyle, & Matt
watching all 3 boys take a ride up high in Uncle Bob's Cherry Picker!
having so much fun that I didn't even have a chance to break out my camera!!!!

Halloween Costumes 2009

2009-11-12T14:09:00.002-06:00

Jaden as Indiana Jones with our buddy Cody dressed as Peter Pan!

Jakob dressed as Luke Skywalker and below is our little Yoda! (yoda costume hand made with love by his Nana) We just weren't quite ready for our little guy to wear a big boy costume yet and he wasn't fitting into the baby ones anymore. Ok, Ok.... MOMMY wasn't ready for Jameson to be in a big boy costume yet so Nana made him one. The big kid Yoda just wasn't nearly as cute!

More Pictures from Dresden

2009-11-12T14:05:00.002-06:00

Dresden, Ohio Trip

2009-11-12T13:55:00.003-06:00

Kari tapping away to finish off.

Mom weaving away!

Our Group of 27 ladies!

My mom and I took a long over due trip back to Dresden, Ohio for some quality time together. The last time we took this trip was in November of 1998 just months after Matt and I were married. It was so much fun that we have been talking about re-visiting ever since. Finally almost 11 years later we made it back. A lot had changed with the little town of Dresden. The economy had gotten the best of this little town and lots of the shops were closed down. The shopkeepers were thrilled to see our tour bus arrive and opened up their stores at times just for us. We also visited the Longaberger Home Office which seemed much larger the first time we visited. Kind of funny how that happens. It was still as cool as ever. The Homestead was new to us and we got to shop in the Factory Store and scored some great bargins there. Mom and I also made our very own Longaberger Baskets just as we had done in 1998. This time with more selections on colors and extra features. We had a really great time!

September Pictures

2009-10-22T20:34:00.002-05:00

Jameson using his 3-D Chalk that he got for his birthday!

The 3-D glasses that came with his sidewalk chalk.

My oh so photogenic children totally thrilled about stopping to take a group picture at Monkey Joes!!!

There we go! Jameson cheesing for the camera at Monkey Joes!

I know that I haven't posted pictures in a really long time. These pictures are from September. My camera's battery went kaput and so photo taking came to a hault. We are back in business though just in time for my shopping trip to Dresden, Ohio with my mom. I will be sure to post them when I return.

October 15th

2009-10-15T13:47:00.002-05:00

Today is a special day to me. It is Infant Loss Awareness Day! Many women that I know, myself included have been forced to endure such a painful thing when we have lost our children. I hope that you all will remember those precious babies today. Those that we didn't get to hold and those that we only held for a moment. We had hopes and dreams for their little lives! They are safe in the arms of our Father in Heaven. Thank you Jesus!

We remember them today, but as a parent who has lost children there isn't a day or moment that goes by where I am not thinking of my precious children. Sometimes it feels like I am the only one who does remember them because they were mine and I was the one that carried them. I hope this is not the case. Please say a prayer today for all those mommies and daddies who have suffered such painful losses.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalm 139:13-16

Gratitude List

2009-10-12T09:50:00.002-05:00

I got this idea from my friend Betsy. It is a great way to count our many blessings even when life seems so mundane sometimes.

1. I am grateful for the cooler weather, and my boys going out to play football in the yard with daddy!

2. I am grateful for a wonderful group of friends that love me just the way I am.

3. I am grateful for an afternoon tea party with those lovely ladies!!!

4. I am grateful for my church family and all the little ones that I minister to.

5. I am grateful for my Bailee and the fact that she is getting better on her medicine.

6. I am grateful for my husband who works so hard to provide for our family!

August and September Update

2009-09-11T15:33:00.002-05:00

Well I have officially been away from my blog long enough. I really need to update this thing and get back on track. Pictures will have to come later, but at least I can let you know what has been happening with our little family.

The boys are back to school which you know from my earlier post. Jaden is doing wonderfully and seems to be doing fine with his teacher. The past 2 days he has been on yellow for behavior which is odd for him, not at home, but at school he is usually on his very best behavior. Thursday for talking during a Math Test and today for allegedly playing with soap in the bathroom which he will go to his grave denying. Nothing too major, but we don't want to make a habit of this. :) Jakob on the other hand has been struggling since day 1. Poor guy, just hasn't been able to get his feet on the ground this year. He has been having trouble staying attentive while Mrs. Mondy is teaching and his organization skills are lacking so far. His grades are really rough too and we aren't even through the first month. Matt and I will be meeting with his teacher this coming week to see what's going on. By the way, the only reason I mention this is because he will not be reading this blog! We try never to compare the academics of one child to the next because it just isn't fair. They each learn differently and are completely separate individuals. We are hoping we can get this all figured out.

The end of August our littlest member of the family turned 3! He has been such a joy to us for the past 3 years and keeps us giggling with his personality. We celebrated his birthday with many friends and family members with a fun pool party. That party was also to celebrate our oldest child Jakob too. He will be turning 9 on Monday the 14th. That is equally as hard to believe. Seem just like yesterday that we were welcoming him into the world at 6 lbs. 12 oz. What a little tiny baby he was and is now about 70 lbs and almost as tall as his Nana.

Matt will also be celebrating a birthday on Sunday the 13th. I am sure his celebration will consist of a weekend full of FOOTBALL!!!! We love this time of year. In other Matthew news...he recently started a part time job with a contract on base, General Dynamics. He is working an extra 20 hours a week some weeks it is 4-midnight a couple nights a week. The off weeks he works from 3:30-7:30am all 5 days. He is still trying to get his sleep schedule all worked out, but seems to be doing really well with it. Just a few more classes left toward his degree and about 6 more months left in the Air Force and our lives will be changing again.

and the momma of this busy crew :

Homework duty with the older boys in the evenings.
Playing with the youngest member during the day!
working at church a couple days a week
trying to keep my house in order and meals prepared in the evenings.
volunteering at school with whatever needs to be done.

So that is life in the season that we are in!

First Day of School

2009-08-25T19:03:00.002-05:00

August 20th, 2009 Jakob started 3rd grade and Jaden entered into the world of 2nd grade. It has been quite an adjustment already and they haven't even made it through a full week yet. Jakob has more subjects this year and also stays an extra hour at school. That has been weird seeing Jaden show up at home without Jakob. Not sure I really like it, but next year they will both be doing that.

The Game & Open House

2009-08-19T13:46:00.003-05:00

Jaden in his 2nd grade classroom for Open House

Jameson trying out Jaden's desk!

Kira & Jameson at The Game!

Jaden at the top

Jakob stopping for a picture!

On Tuesday the 18th we went with a big group of friends to Glen Carbon, IL to The Game. It is a fantastic place to spend the afternoon. Lots of climbing, sliding, and swinging takes place here. I got a great workout climbing through with Jameson. He let me take a break to go climbing with Kira. It was a great way to spend one of the last days of summer vacation. Thank you to Ora for setting it all up. We had a blast!!!! Tuesday night we went to Jaden's Open House to meet his teacher Mrs. Porter. Jaden is going to have a wonderful year and he is looking forward to 2nd grade!!!

Science Center

2009-08-19T13:41:00.002-05:00

Daddy took Monday the 17th off so that we could spend one last family day together before the big boys started back to school. We went to the Science Center and had so much fun! The boys are making the train go, playing the laser harp, and standing in the dinosaur footprint. We wish daddy could have every Monday off!

2009-08-19T13:36:00.002-05:00

Grayson, waiting on the parade to start!

Mommy & Jameson enjoying the Homecoming Parade. Jakob and Jaden marched in the parade with their Cub Scout Dens, but my camera battery went dead before they got to us. These are the only pictures I got. After the parade we went over to the park and the kids got to go to ride on the rides with their friend Grayson who stayed the week with us.

Summer Fun @ the Pool

2009-08-19T13:32:00.001-05:00

We have spent a lot of time this summer swimming at the pool on base. We meet up with our friends there and everyone has a very fun time.

Our 11th Anniversary

2009-08-19T13:27:00.002-05:00

Matt and I celebrated our 11th anniversary on July 25th, 2009. We had a fabulous dinner with Matt's parents (who also celebrate their anniversary on the same day) and Charlie and Vicki McGee at Charlie Gittos on The Hill. The food was wonderful and the company was great too. It was a good day!

Grandma Great

2009-08-05T22:41:00.002-05:00

This letter came from my Great Uncle Pete and was written about my Great Grandma Fagen. What an inspiring woman she is!

Family,

Today we are in Hoonah, at Icy Strait Point. It is a very cute Alaskan village. This port is limited to one ship a day and today it was Radiance of the Seas day. It is home to the Zip Rider, the world's longest zip line. It is over a mile long, drops over 1300 feet in elevation and you reach a speed of 60 miles per hour. As expected, I rode the Zip and had a great time. However, the real news is that a record was set today for the oldest woman to ever ride the Zip.Charlotte Fagen (91 years old) rode the Zip and broke the previous record set by an 88 year old woman. They took pictures of her and made an announcement on the bus ride to the top where she received a rousing ovation from the other thrill seekers on board.Word had spread all over the island like wild fire about the 91 year old lady that was going to ride the Zip Rider.At the launch pad they were expecting her and treated her like royalty. It was an exciting and exhilarating ride. When we got to the landing zone there were people all over cheering and clapping. It looked like press row with all the cameras clicking. From then on, everywhere we went on the island, people would stop us and say how great it was or how inspiring it was, or that when they grew up they wanted to be just like mom. We both got Zip Rider tee shirts and the bartender at the Landing Zone restaurant offered her a free shot of whiskey which she refused. So instead they provided a round of sodas for our whole group and a bottle of water for mom.This attention continued when we got back on board the ship with people congratulating her and telling her that she was the talk of the entire island. (Which she was). People we met on the plane to Vancouver told us that they proudly told others that they had met her when overhearing conversations about mom.Going back in time, yesterday when I told mom I was going to ride the Zip Rider and explained to her what it is, her eyes lit up and she said it sounded like fun. So I told her if it was accessible for her I would go with her. Some others were not so sure it was a good idea and expressed as much to mom. She finally put that discussion to bed when she declared that she should be allowed to have some fun in her life too.While the discussion was over, that didn't stop the hand wringing and worrying that was going on behind the scenes by the thrill seeking, record breaker's daughters. Worries about snapped necks, pulled out shoulders and all sorts of possible injuries. Thankfully, like most things we worry about, none of those worries came true.Finally, it was truly a beautiful, fun, memorable day in a fabulous location and we were all glad to have been part of it.More later.Love,Peter, Sarah and Andrew

4th of July in Lake St. Louis

2009-07-06T13:12:00.001-05:00

4th of July rain

Jakob hit the firework jackpot at Grammie & Grandpa's!

Zoo Fun

2009-07-06T13:05:00.002-05:00

Jakob holding elephant poop! (btw, it was varnished so that it was safe to hold if that makes it any better) :)

Aunt Kari & Jackson's favorite ELEPHANT!!!!! (look at the back legs-so cute)

My Big Boys!

Cousins-Jackson Jacoby, Jakob, Jameson, & Jaden waiting to see the penquins.

Mommy & Jamey Lukas

4th of July Weekend

2009-07-06T13:00:00.002-05:00

outside the zoo

Aunt Jenn, Uncle Jason, Jackson & Jacoby

Us in front of the All Star Arch!!!

Cousins!!!

On our way to the zoo. July 3rd, 2009

Jameson and Jacoby!

2009-07-01T23:07:00.003-05:00

Aunt Julie & Jameson

Playing basketball and doing quite well!

Jacoby driving the car.

Jameson and Jacoby got in on the action too!

Jackson's 6th Birthday

2009-07-01T23:01:00.003-05:00

Jaden bowling!

Jakob on the Frog Hopper!

Jaden on the bumper cars!

We went to Indiana this past weekend to celebrate my nephews 6th birthday! We had a blast at Gatti-Town. Thank you for inviting us Jackson, we had so much fun!!!!

Crocodile Dock VBS 2009

2009-07-01T22:53:00.002-05:00

We completed our 3rd annual Vacation Bible School at CrossPointe and it was a success! The kids enjoyed themselves and the adults made it through the week without any major issues. Vacation Bible School is always a fun and rewarding time of year for us, we get to reach out to the community and minister to children in an exciting way. Here are some highlights from our week.

Chocolate Strawberry Pie

2009-06-25T21:50:00.004-05:00

So, I made a yummy pie for some friends tonight and it was delicious! I wanted to include the recipe for all of those who were interested in making it. The recipe came from a wonderful place called Miss Aimee B's Tea House in St. Charles, MO. If you are ever in the area it is a great place to eat.

Ingredients: Oreo Cookie Crust, 1 cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 (8oz) cream cheese, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 Tsp. vanilla, 12 oz Cool Whip (thawed in refrigerator), 1 quart fresh Strawberries, 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Filling: Melt chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler or in the microwave, cool slightly. Beat Cream Cheese until light and fluffy with electric mixer. Add brown sugar and vanilla, mix well. Add chocolate to the cream cheese mixture. Mix Well. Fold in the cool whip. Mix again. Spoon filling into the crust. Smooth out top. Cover tightly and chill at least 8 hours.

To finish the pie, wash strawberries, pat dry, and cut lengthwise into 1/8 inch slices. Arrange around the outside edge of the pie. Make a second row, overlapping the first. Continue overlapping rows until the pie has been covered. Heat the 1/4 cup chocolate and drizzle over the berries. Chill and Serve the same day!

Tornado

2009-06-09T20:19:00.003-05:00

Yesterday evening was an eventful one. I had plans to paint some Vacation Bible School props with a friend so my family headed into Mascoutah to grab a bite to eat at McDonald's before I was to meet her. We ordered our food and the manager came out and said that she was locking the doors because a tornado had been spotted and was headed our direction. She said we could either leave right then or come to the back and stay put until it passed. So we trotted our family of five to the back of the store and into the deep freeze! It was a nice June day so were decked out in shorts, and flip flops and needless to say we were FREEZING! The staff was nice enough to offer us all jackets and we waited out the storm. When we were released we found golf ball sized hail and some minor damage to our cars. I had decided it probably wouldn't be a good idea to keep my plans for painting at church so we headed home to find our road completely closed down because the tornado had hit right there. Not knowing what we were going to go home to we got closer and just saw more devastation. Our home was in perfectly fine shape when we arrived Thank God, but we were without power. We checked on Bailee, who road the storm out alone and then headed to Matt's parents for the night. It is now Tuesday evening and we do have power at our house now. We feel very blessed to have a home to sleep in because there are many around us who don't.

Jack & Jameson

2009-05-27T19:42:00.001-05:00

Jameson and Jack on the train at the transportation museum. My grandparents are in the background!!! :) I had to throw this picture in because I just got it from my aunt via email and thought it was too cute to leave out. He was Jack's buddy that day. It was super cute!

My youngest son!

2009-05-27T19:35:00.003-05:00

Falling asleep in the middle of the floor because he fights naptime now has become somewhat common for our little Jameson. He will be 3 at the end of the summer and has already decided that he is just too big for some things. Although his little body is still telling him that he needs this mid afternoon nap to make it to bedtime without too many meltdowns. Jameson also decided that Memorial Day would be the perfect day to start Potty Training. We have left the house several times since then with nothing but some cute little underwear on and have held our breaths waiting for the dreaded accident. There hasn't been one yet. He even napped today without a diaper and did very well. This thrills both Matt and I because we were so ready for this day and he hadn't been up until now. I am so glad this is "his" idea and he is doing fabulously!

Cub Scout Dens

2009-05-19T08:34:00.001-05:00

Jaden's Den 13

Jakob's Den 4

Cub Scout Crossover Bridging

2009-05-19T08:23:00.003-05:00

Jakob is a bear scout!!!

Jaden is a Wolf Scout!!!

Monday night, May 18th Jakob was promoted into a Bear Scout and Jaden was promoted into a Wolf Scout. We are so proud of all the things they accomplished this year.

Transportation Museum

2009-05-19T08:12:00.005-05:00

Jameson riding the train! Jameson and Kaden playing in the rocks.
Jakob, Rachel and Jaden looking cute!
Grandpa & Grandma Kerkove taking a rest.
Cousins posing for a photo-op. Kaden, Rachel, Jakob, Jack, Jameson, Jaden & Nate.

Last weekend we spent time with my Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins, and Grandparents. We always have a ton of fun when we are together. Jakob, Jaden, & Jameson love their cousins Nate, Jack, Kaden, and Rachel. We enjoy any chance we can all be together with them. On Friday night we went to the hotel they were staying at and swam in the pool. Saturday morning came and we had some fun at the Transportation Museum in Kirkwood. It included and tram, trolley, and train ride and a fun tour. We got to walk in some famous trains that have appeared on the big screen. It was a fabulous day!!!

Wisdom Teeth

2009-05-08T17:27:00.002-05:00

Well I got my wisdom teeth yanked on Thursday at 1pm. The process took about 15 minutes and I was totally out of it the whole time so that was really great. They gave me some awesome pain meds, but have been trying not to use them because they make me so sleepy. I have been dealing with the pain pretty well. Just wanted to give you all an update! I hope to be eating "real" food sooner rather than later. Jello, Pudding, and soup is not my diet of choice.

Jacoby Deacon Turns ONE!!!!

2009-05-05T16:50:00.001-05:00

End of April FUN!

2009-05-05T16:42:00.001-05:00

Jameson using a Longaberger Basket Liner as a hat!

Dressing up as Crazy Superheroes!

Celebrating Nana's Birthday!!!! April 28th, 2009

Having a blast at the Michael W. Smith/Steven Curtis Chapman concert with my sister in law, Alysia. April 25th, 2009

Family Pictures

2009-04-13T10:37:00.002-05:00

Easter Fun

2009-04-13T10:14:00.002-05:00

Happy Easter

2009-04-13T10:07:00.003-05:00

Here is an excerpt from a wonderful children's Bible...

They nailed Jesus to the cross.

"Father, forgive them, " Jesus gasped. "They don't understand what they are doing."

"You say you have come to rescue us!" people shouted. "But you can't even rescue yourself!"

But they were wrong. Jesus could have rescued himself. A legion of angels would have flown to his side-if he'd called.

"If you were really the Son of God, you could just climb down off that cross!" they said.

And of course they were right. Jesus could have just climbed down. Actually, he could have just said a word and made it all stop. Like when he healed the little girl. And stilled the storm. And fed 5000 people.

But Jesus stayed.

You see, they didn't understand. It wasn't the nails that kept Jesus there.

It was love.

Cardinals Game

2009-04-08T14:08:00.005-05:00

Our family received 4 free tickets to the Cardinals/Pirates game last night from the Cub Scouts. Nana and Papaw stayed home with Jameson as the game didn't start until 7:15pm and it would have been way too late. We set out on the Metro Link and climbed the stadium to the very top, literally!! We bundled up in our coats, gloves, and scarves because it was a brisk night. The Cardinals won the game and we had a blast!

Kari's Daybook

2009-04-08T14:02:00.003-05:00

Outside my window~ uncut grass my van
I am thinking~ I need to go blow dry my hair and put some make-up on.
I am thankful for~my boys and all that they bring to our family.
From the learning rooms~ to take every thought captive!
From the kitchen~ there are dishes to be done, but all in all it's not too bad.
I am wearing~ jeans, a sweater and my new Premier Jewelry!
I am creating~ Jameson's scrapbook exclusively. I am trying to get caught up!
I am going~ to dinner with my family and then to a staff meeting this evening.
I am reading~ The Bible...Revelation to be exact.
I am hoping~ for a fun and relaxing Spring Break starting this afternoon.
I am hearing~ my littlest singing in his bed trying to get to sleep.
Around the house~ toys, toys and more toys. We need to pare down!!!!
One of my favorite things~ spending time with my husband after the kids go to bed at night.
A few plans for the rest of the week~ Thursday spending with my boys, Friday friends are coming over to play, Saturday spending the day with my sister-in-law, brother-in-law and nephews, Sunday spending Easter Sunday with my church family and then going to my mom and dad's for Easter Lunch!

The past week in pictures!

2009-04-02T10:35:00.003-05:00

Jakob and Jaden playing Bakugan while Jameson watches on.

Daddy helping Jameson carry the paper towels in from our grocery trip. He is such a great helper!!!

Having fun with friends and MOON SAND!!!!

Jakob waiting to be baptized on Sunday March 29th. We are so proud of his decision!

Birthdays!

2009-03-29T22:49:00.002-05:00

Well the 26th of March I celebrated the big 3-0 birthday! It was a fabulous day on Thursday and Matt took the day off to be with me. My good friend Ora watched Jameson and he was thrilled to get to play with Sara and the other Averett kiddos. Matt and I went to Bread Company for breakfast and then to an early movie. It was so relaxing. On Thursday night we went to Jeff and Theresa's (Matt's parents) for my birthday dinner. It was a my favorite meal complete with Shrimp Alfredo and Key Lime Pies. Yummy!!! On Friday night we had a Family Movie Night. The plan was to rent Bolt, but it was totally sold out so we settled on Beverly Hills Chihuahua. It was a very cute movie and we all enjoyed that. Jaden also opened his gifts from us, which he was thrilled about.

On Saturday we traveled over to Missouri to spend the day with my family. My mom had set up a wonderful luncheon at Miss Aimee B's Tea House in Old St. Charles. It was such good food and awesome friends that joined us. That evening we grilled out for Jaden's birthday. Uncle Jim prepared some awesome food and we topped the evening off with an Ice Cream cake that was to die for!

Finally, Sunday the 29th came and this is Jaden's actual birthday! We went to church this morning and had a meal with our church family. Then we went and watched Jakob and Alysha get baptized which was totally a wonderful moment. Back to Nana and Papaw's house to have Jaden's birthday dinner complete with Hamburgers/Hotdogs, Mac n' Cheese, Watergate Salad and Ice Cream Sunday's. This was all Jaden's planning!!! It was a very fun weekend of celebration. Jaden is thrilled to be 7 and I am handling my new number 30!!! Thank you to everyone for all the Birthday Wishes. It has been a great weekend.

I've been tagged

2009-03-28T22:32:00.002-05:00

Stop what you are doing right now and take a picture of yourself. No prep work allowed. You must take the picture exactly as you are right now...you may not go put on makeup or brush your hair or change your clothes. After you are done tag 5 more people. Esther, Michelle, Neri, Tammy, Betsy and anyone else who would like to play along you are tagged!!!

This is me...ready to go to sleep!

Stellan needs our prayers

2009-03-25T09:46:00.001-05:00

Pray for Stellan

2009-03-24T14:49:00.003-05:00

I am asking that anyone who reads my blog to get on their knees in prayer for this precious little baby boy, Stellan. You can click on the button (My Charming Kids) and get all the updates, but basically Stellan was diagnosed with SVT in utero and seemed to be completely healed. 4 months have gone by and he is now in the hospital fighting for his life. I have been following this family's blog for over a year now and feel like I know them personally. Please pray for Stellan and his family. We know that the Lord is hearing our prayers and will answer them according to his will.

Bittersweet Celebration

2009-03-23T14:12:00.002-05:00

Well, Jaden doesn't actually turn 7 until Sunday the 29th of March, but we sort of sped up the party b/c his best friend is moving. I had to break the news to Jaden last week that Grayson's family was moving back to Springfield, IL after only being here since August. His family had lived in Springfield for 10 years and just didn't adjust well here and saw an opportunity to move back "home" and jumped on it. Jaden, however, was heartbroken!!! He had decided quite a while back that instead of having a traditional birthday party he would rather do something fun with just Grayson. So we picked Grayson up on Saturday afternoon and headed to the theater to see Race to Witch Mountain. After the movie, they were able to play games before we left which was a real treat because that rarely happens. After that they were anxious to get to our house for play time!!! They broke out their Nintendo DS' and played games, jumped on the trampoline, built some really awesome Lego Star Wars ships, and just all around enjoyed each others company. Grayson slept over and they camped out in the living room. The boys wanted to savor every last moment so Grayson joined us for church on Sunday morning and then we met up with his family for lunch before they headed out of town!!! It was sad to say goodbye, but they are only a couple hours away so we plan to get the boys together again soon.

Monkey Joe's

2009-03-18T10:50:00.002-05:00

We met our cousins, Kate and Kyle for a fun evening at Monkey Joe's. The kids always have a blast when we get them together, which is not nearly often enough. We only live about 15 minutes away from each other, but life gets in the way and we rarely see them. Mary and I are hoping to change that! It was fun catching up and seeing the kids run and play together. Jameson had a hard time because he was struggling to keep up with the big kids. It's amazing what a difference a year makes. Kyle turned 3 in October and he was doing a great job getting around. Kate was very helpful with Jameson and was guiding him around so he felt included too. Thanks for the fun time guys!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2009-03-17T16:56:00.002-05:00

Fun Day with MOPS

2009-03-17T11:52:00.003-05:00

Jameson and I had a very fun day with our MOPS group yesterday! We went to Troy, Illinois to Great Skate. They set up the skating rink with all sorts of fun bounce houses and obstacle courses. It was fabulous because the children were all preschool age so none of them were in fear of getting run over. They also got to bring bikes, scooters to ride around on. The mommies also got in on the action and took many trips up the wall with our 2 year olds hanging on for dear life. I am rather sore today, but not as much from that as from the Bungee Run!!! I thought it looked like so much fun to put this vest on with a bungee cord attached to the end of it. The object is to run as fast as you can and once the resistance hits you see how far you can make it go. There is a measurement in the middle of the 2 lanes. So, Kari the graceful ones takes off running and once the resistance hits that bungee cord flung me straight back and my glasses flew off my face. It was quite a sight I am sure!!! Needless to say, I think I gave myself whip lash and my neck is feeling the effects of the wise choice.

We then went to McDonald's for lunch with some of our friends. Nap time was super easy! Jameson went without even a wimper! I was exhausted too. It was a really fun day and we are hoping to go back to the Great Skate and do it again sometime!!!

Big Time Boo Boo

2009-03-12T14:34:00.002-05:00

Well this morning as we pulled into our drive way from taking Jaden to school after he missed the bus the excitement began. I was focused on the Waste Management truck at the end of our driveway. They didn't seem to be taking our trash, but were just sitting at the end of our driveway. I was sort of concerned b/c we really needed our trash taken. There was a lot of trash! It couldn't wait another week. So I was looking down at the end of the road. Jameson was supposed to be headed toward the house. At the last second he reached back into the van as I SLAMMED the sliding door...right on his hand! It closed, latched...for what seemed like a whole minute Jameson stood in silence as his hand/thumb was IN the door. I opened it back up as quickly as I could and then the screaming began. It immediatly was bright red and purple! I took him in and grabbed a bag of frozen veggies and put that on there while he was screaming anyway. I was only able to do that for maybe a minute or two. His hand in the knuckle area by his thumb started to swell a lot, turned bright red and was really hot to the touch. I called his pediatrician and told him what happened. He suggested we come in and get it checked out. He let Dr. Cleveland touch and squeeze all around it without any trouble. But if I even looked at it wrong he was in tears. hmmmmm! Anyway...moving right along. They sent us down to X-Ray and took 3 pictures. There was no break, which was a huge blessing. The doctor was surprised by the look of it that it wasn't fractured. They wrapped his hand up in a tiny little ace bandage and told me to keep it like that for a couple days. He said it would help with the swelling. Mommy, of course feels horrible!!!! What a day!!!

Mothering is Tough!

2009-03-09T16:15:00.002-05:00

Mothering is the hardest job in the whole entire world. There are many days when I wonder..."Am I doing these kids any good by being their mom?" I feel like I say the same things to them over and over and it still doesn't sink in. I try to teach them the love of God and show them by example what it means to actually LIVE as a Christian and not just spout off that I am one! Sometime's I feed into trying to rationalize with them by explaining why I am telling them certain things to do. I also sometimes feed into the arguments that they try to have with me when my answer is NO! I have been trying really hard to not get into that trap and explaining to them how disrespectful it is for them to act this way. It is a constant battle and I realize that I am not meant to be their best friend in this season of parenting. If I do my job correctly, that part of our relationship will hopefully come. I have a strong desire for them to respect me and the way that I acheive that respect is through discipline. Children long for this type of discipline so that they know boundries and are secure in life. They have to know how to follow rules or they will be in for a life of serious trouble because our world is full of laws to obey...or else. The thing that I have been forgetting in this tough parenting process is something I was reminded of today. I need to be asking God for wisdom each and every day for how to raise these 3 boys. They each have different needs and personalities and the only way I will know how to raise them up to love the Lord is to ask HIM for wisdom! He promises us that he will give us the wisdom that we ask for. So I just need to remember to daily ASK for it!!!!

James 1:5 Is any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks he must believe and not doubt because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

Blue & Gold Banquet

2009-03-07T15:50:00.003-06:00

Jakob and Jaden were recognized last month for all their Cub Scout achievements. You can see all of Jakob's belt loops that he received for doing all sorts of different activities. Jakob earned his Wolf Scout badge and Jaden earned his Tiger Scout badge! They have thoroughly enjoyed this year in Cub Scouts and plan to stick with it for a while longer. We are so proud of them.

Photo Fun

2009-03-06T14:59:00.003-06:00

Okay Betsy, here it goes. The name of the game is to find the 6th picture folder and the 6th picture and post it!

This is Jaden at Keesler AFB in Biloxi, MS. He is at the Wood Park!

Let's see what you've got Ora, Esther, Tammy, Michelle, Neri, & anyone else who'd like to play along!

Thoughts from Jameson

2009-03-03T12:22:00.005-06:00

Sorry the video is sideways. I thought for sure that I changed that before I uploaded it, but it didn't work. It took so long for me to even get the video on here in the first place so I am leaving it. Don't forget to go down and pause the player so that you can actually hear Jameson!

My Brothers and Family

2009-03-02T09:49:00.001-06:00

More Ordination

2009-03-02T09:44:00.002-06:00

Senior Minister Charlie Mcgee and Associate Minister/Family Life Counseler, Jeff Rhoderick signing my certificate.

Signing my Certificate

2009-03-02T09:40:00.003-06:00

Those signing my certificate are...Brian Harris (high school youth minister), Rick Kerkove (my dad), Donnie Sanders (Jr. High youth minister), Gary Bryant (long-time family friend), and Jim Bradley (my uncle).

My Ordination

2009-03-02T09:31:00.002-06:00

Sunday, March 1st was my Ordination into the Children's Ministry. It was an awesome service filled with people who mean so much to me. In these pictures, I am with my cakes that Bonnie Tucker made. She also made our Wedding cake and they are totally awesome!!! The others are from parts of the service...laying on of hands and the charge into the ministry.

Mardi Gras

2009-02-23T10:17:00.003-06:00

Pictures: Mardi Gras 2004 in Biloxi, Mississippi. Jakob 3 1/2 years old and Jaden 2 years old.

Family update UPDATED!

2009-02-23T09:36:00.003-06:00

Matt will NOT be deploying for 6 months!!!! He met with his specialist and Dr. Watson wrote a letter stating that he was unable to do what requires for mobility. I am so thankful!!!! Matt is trying to stay active for health purposes, but in no way is his leg 100% healed. Please keep him in your prayers as he does experience knee pain when running or kneeling. Jakob, Jaden, Jameson and I are just thrilled that we don't have to be without our daddy/husband for any length of time. It just isn't the same without him!!!!

The pictures posted are where Matt is NOT going!!!!! :) Believe me, as lovely as it looks, he is thrilled to be staying home in chilly...okay COLD Illinois too!!!

The Tye Dyed Iguana

2009-02-20T10:38:00.002-06:00

The Cub Scouts visited an Exotic Reptile store called the Tye-Dyed Iguana for their Go-See-It on Monday night. They had fun roaming around looking at all the creepy, crawly, big and slithery reptiles!!! The boys were able to meet Lizzy the Iguana and saw first-hand how sharp their claws can be as they dug into a mans neck as he was showing them. OUCH!!!

St. Louis Symphony

2009-02-20T08:03:00.002-06:00

Jakob got the opportunity to go to St. Louis Symphony today and see a Winter Concert with selections from Harry Potter, the Magic Flute and also songs from Disney's Fantasia. It should be really awesome and I am hoping he is on his best behavior!!! All of the children were instructed to wear dress clothes for the occasion. Jakob came home yesterday insisting on wearing a tuxedo!! I talked him down to a shirt and tie, being that we don't even own a tuxedo in his size. He looked great as he was leaving. I made him wear his coat even though he said it would ruin his freshly ironed shirt. We also practiced some hand shaking because he said he was going to meeting some very important people. :) Hopefully all goes well.

Spoil Mommy Day!

2009-02-17T13:52:00.003-06:00

President's Day was such a fun day. Matt and the boys had the day off and they decided it would be a "Spoil Mommy Day"! So we headed to St. Louis on Watson Rd. to a Pizza Place called Happy Joes. When I was growing up in Iowa it was my absolute favorite pizza place and I crave it regularly!!! They have a Taco Pizza that is to die for!!! I recently discovered that we had one close by and was thrilled. the bonus is that they have a game area for the boys. They earned tickets and divided them up between the 3 of them and ended up very happy with their winnings. We then headed to the St. Louis Galleria, which I had never been to. I was thrilled to take a peek in some really cool stores. Pottery Barn Kids, White House Black Market, The Brighton store and many others. It was a fabulous day and even though it was a "Spoil Mommy Day" I think everyone had fun!!!

Jaden was baptized!!!!

2009-02-15T15:40:00.004-06:00

Praise the Lord! Jaden Matthew Rhoderick was baptized into the family of God and we could not be any happier. Pictures to follow soon.

Update on Family

2009-02-11T11:34:00.002-06:00

Well the month of February has proved to be a very exciting month so far. I guess exciting might be a good word.

We'll start with Matt...last Thursday when he came home from work as I was standing at the stove cooking out dinner he breaks it to me that in May there is a really good chance that he will be deployed for 6 LONG months! My stomach immediately knotted up and I couldn't even eat. Our family has done a 6 month deployment before and I know we would all survive, but that doesn't mean I want to do it again. We are most concerned about the kids. Matt is doing everything in his power to get out of it, but it looks like it might be inevitable. We are praying for God's Will to be done and if that's him leaving we will get through it.

On Sunday, March 1st I will be Ordained as the Children's Minister at CrossPointe Christian Church. I am really excited to have that become official. It is an honor to serve the Lord in this way. The youth group that we have so far is filled with children that have a strong desire to be a part of the family of God and want to learn all about the Bible. It has been very exciting to see these young ones make decisions for Christ.

Which brings me to my middle child Jaden! He will be baptized on Sunday by his daddy. He has been asking to be baptized for a good year and we have been just taking the time to talk to him and make sure he was ready for such an important decision. He is ready to make Jesus his Lord and Savior! We are thrilled!!! In other Jaden news...he just got over having the Chicken Pox. A mild case of them, but the chicken pox none the less. He was out of school from Wednesday to Tuesday and was happy to be back.

Jakob's news is that he is battling the flu. He woke up on Tuesday morning and had gotten sick in his bed. He continued to be sick ALL DAY on Tuesday and into the evening. He made it through the night and seems much better today! We kept him home today to make sure that he could keep food down and could regain his strength. He was pretty weak from all the events from yesterday!

Jameson has been a little trooper through all the sickness going on around him. We are hoping that he can hold out and not get what we think is probably inevitable. The boys just can't stay out of his face. They just love each other so much. We have been working on potty training with him. He is showing interest and has been wearing underwear most days when we are at home. He has yet to keep them dry for an extended period of time, but his interest is enough to make us happy.

So that's the news and it's only the 11Th! It can only go up from here RIGHT??????

Clam Chowder Anyone?

2009-02-09T17:14:00.003-06:00

Tonight's dinner was Homemade Clam Chowder and Apple Crisp with Vanilla Ice Cream, of course! The recipe for the Clam Chowder came from a wonderful lady at our church. She so generously shared her own personal recipe with me and I was a little intimidated to try it out because hers is soooo delicious! I tried it this evening and it turned out just right. I got rave reviews from each member of my family. :)

Cook 1 package Bacon until crispy
Cook onion in bacon grease until tender and drain
Peel and cut up about 5-6 potatoes cover with water
Stir in one cup of flour, add bacon, onions and 1 stalk of chopped celery.
Cook until potatoes are done- stirring often!
add salt, pepper, and thyme to taste
1/2 package of velveeta
2 cans of clams (do not drain)
8 oz. sour cream
HEAT & SERVE

Let it Snow!

2009-02-04T15:05:00.001-06:00

Upward Basketball

2009-02-04T15:00:00.002-06:00

This was Jakob and Jaden's first Upward Basketball game. They are having a blast playing and have improved so much since they started playing ball a couple years ago. Jaden is such an awesome defender and Jakob is shooting the ball very well. Go Jayhawks!!!!

more sledding pics

2009-01-28T20:50:00.000-06:00

Snow Day Fun!

2009-01-28T20:46:00.003-06:00

On our second snow day of the week we dug ourselves out of the house to join our dear friends The Hadley's for a sledding day in their backyard. We had an absolute blast sledding and spending time with friends!!! What I learned from today: MY FAMILY NEEDS SNOW PANTS!!! Wet jeans are NO FUN!!! It was totally worth the numb toes, and wet clothes though. (sorry the pics are so small)

Kari's Daybook

2009-01-26T13:21:00.005-06:00

I got this idea from my friend Crystal and wanted to share my day book with you all.

Outside my window~ 3 acres of land that I love...

I am thinking~ That I need to open my Bible and read some while Jameson is napping.

I am thankful for~ Jesus, my husband, and my boys

From the learning rooms~ I am learning to sew, learning to put others before myself, learning to be patient and kind every day.

From the kitchen~ is cleaned...I swept floors, mopped and the dishes are in the dishwasher.

I am wearing~ my work out clothes still...Jameson wasn't very cooperative this morning so I didn't even break a sweat!!!

I am creating~ my children's scrapbooks and cards to share with others.

I am going~ to make time for the Lord each day.

I am reading~ The Bible cover to cover.

I am hoping~ for a home of our own one day soon.

I am hearing~ silence which is wonderful.

Around the house~ laundry to be done, clothes to be put away, and carpets to be vacuumed.

One of my favorite things~ my husband!!!

A few plans for the rest of the week~
*cooking homecooked meals for my family
*buying fabric to make a room divider for Jaden's room.
*keep de-cluttering my home.
*Ladies Bible Study

Iowa Family Pics.

2009-01-24T14:39:00.003-06:00

My family
Grandkids and Great Grandkids
My Grandparents
The whole group!
As I posted before, we traveled to Iowa for Christmas 2 weekends ago and got a whole group photo done. This was the first time in about 3 years that we were ALL together.

Klondike Derby

2009-01-20T15:09:00.002-06:00

The Cub Scout Pack meeting for January was the Klondike Derby. Each Den was a town and they had to complete a challenge using team work and travel from town to town getting their passports signed off on. Jaden's town taught the boy's about recycling and Jakob's town was called Code Town. They had to figure out the code and complete the challenge which was folding the flag. It was a lot of fun and interesting to watch the leaders emerge when trying to complete the task. Some of the other towns taught first aid and tying knots.

Pinewood Derby

2009-01-20T14:52:00.006-06:00

Jakob's car crossing the finish line in first!

Jaden's Lightning McQueen car crossing the finish line.

Daddy taking some weight off their cars so that they don't get DQ'ed! :)

This past weekend Jakob and Jaden raced their cars in the Pinewood Derby. Their cars did very well and it was very exciting to see them cross the finish line. Jakob and Jaden's car's both averaged about 215 mph which was in the middle of the pack. The fastest car went 230 mph if you can believe that!!! It was crazy. Daddy is already trying to figure out what to do different this next year!

Learning something new everyday!

2009-01-15T16:31:00.002-06:00

We sure do learn something new everyday in this house. Today Jameson is learning that it isn't always wise to repeat the things that he hears his brothers saying to each other to mommy and daddy!

Jameson: Can I have a sucker? (Asking for about the 16th time)

Mommy: No, Jameson we are going to have supper really soon. You don't need a sucker right now.

Jameson: (growling) You are making me really MAD!!!

Just use your imagination for the end of that conversation!

Jameson's new horse

2009-01-13T13:25:00.002-06:00

Nana found this treasure of a horse for Jameson and he absolutley LOVES it!!! He was riding on his new horse today and I thought I would capture the moment. He is truly our little cowboy! His horse collection is growing and we might actually need to get a real barn to keep all of his barnyard animals in.

Upward Basketball

2009-01-13T13:20:00.003-06:00

Basketball season is upon us and we are way excited!!! Practice has already started and Jakob and Jaden's first game is the last Saturday of the month. They will have 8 games, each on Saturday mornings. Let me know if you would like to come see them play and I will get you the schedule and location.

CORRECTION* Their first game is NOT the last Saturday of the month, but is January 24th. I forgot that the 31st is a Saturday as well.

Pinewood Derby Cars

2009-01-13T13:13:00.002-06:00

Jakob and Jaden will be participating in the Cub Scouts Pinewood Derby race on Saturday, January 17th. They are very excited about the race and are just sure that their cars are going to win!!! Here are some pictures of the boys painting their cars, with a little help from mommy. :)

Christmas in Iowa

2009-01-12T07:47:00.002-06:00

Was a complete blast. We had so much fun with my side of the family. Getting together at my Grandparents beautiful home with people everywhere! Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, grandparents, great grandmother, brothers, parents, sister in law, nephew, my own family, and other family friends made the weekend so fun. Friday night we got to Iowa around 8pm and it was COLD. Later that night the snow started to fall. We were playing games and eating of course!!! :) On Saturday morning we woke up to a white coat of snow all over the ground and the roads. Jakob and Jaden were thrilled!!! Puzzles were put together with my Great Grandmother threatening to turn the table over with frustration!!! :) Board games and Wii Bowling was fun for those of us who aren't much help with 1,000,000 piece puzzles. We got a group picture of all of us on Saturday morning b/c it was the first time in a very long time that we were ALL together. My cousin Travis and his girlfriend Erin were able to come from Arizona this year. He hadn't been back to Grandma's in like 3 years. It was really good to see him and meet her. On Saturday night we did something different after the kids opened their gifts, the adults did a White Elephant or Dirty Santa gift exchange. There was LOTS of laughter and I think everyone ended up with something they were excited about. We had a $5 limit so some of the gifts were duct tape, homemade beef jerky, many flashlights, 20 questions game, candles, and fuzzy blankets.

We headed home on Sunday morning after eating way too much homemade ice cream on Saturday night. After 5 hours of traveling we took Jakob straight to a birthday party at the bowling alley and went to Cornerstone Christian Church to celebrate 2 baptisms. Then we came home and CRASHED!!!!!!

A Big Thank You!

2009-01-08T18:00:00.003-06:00

Just wanted to tell all of my dear friends THANK YOU so much for the Birthday Wishes for Jillian. You all are so thoughtful and I appreciate that others remember her. Jillian is a part of our family even though we only were able to hold her for a moment. She left a lasting impression on our whole family that we will carry through until we see her again. Thank you again...I treasure all of you.

Happy Birthday Jillian Gayle

2009-01-07T10:42:00.003-06:00

The song playing in the background is sort of grainy and I realize that. It is the only copy of "I will Carry you" that I can get a hold of so far. It is an amazing song! I just wanted you all to know that it's not your computer speakers crackling! Happy Birthday Jillian!

2009-01-06T07:55:00.003-06:00

Our daughter Jillian would be celebrating her 4th birthday tomorrow the 7th of January! I cannot believe it has been 4 years since she went to be with Jesus. The pain of her not being with us is sometimes too much to bear. There are good days and bad, but not a day goes by that I don't think about her and what we would be doing with her. In December of 2004 when we found out that a little girl was going to be joining our family we were soooooo excited. I was elated. Jakob and Jaden were so enthusiastic about the dresses, bows and all the new things that were about to happen. At the beginning of the New Year 2005 everything came crashing down. It was very hard to handle and at times didn't think I would make it through. Jakob and Jaden saved my life in those months after she past away. I had to keep living for them if not for myself. I also knew that Jillian was with Jesus and in a much better place. The Lord brought me comfort and peace and many friends to be there for me even when I didn't know what I needed. Michelle and Amy were there for me in the evenings after the kids would go to bed and Matt would be working the night shift. We would sit, talk, and watch movies. I just needed them there to be with me so I wasn't alone.

It is really amazing how I could carry someone in my tummy for 21 short weeks and have such a bond that can never be replaced or broken. I cannot wait to see her in Heaven and spend eternity being with her.

Happy New Year

2009-01-02T12:56:00.002-06:00

I just wanted to wish everyone a very Happy New Year! My resolutions for 2009 are as follows...to read the Bible to completion in chronological order and to get my house ORGANIZED, free of clutter and things we do not have any use for. Those 2 things don't seem so hard huh? Well, with 3 little boys running around and a crazy life that is full of activities these things are sure to bring me a challenge. I am up for the task though and am determined to do them.

I can do EVERYTHING through him who gives me strength! Philippians 4:13

Pictures from Friday Night

2008-12-22T14:14:00.000-06:00

It's Christmas at the Rhoderick house!

2008-12-19T15:17:00.002-06:00

It has been our tradition since the kids started school that we do our own personal family Christmas the day that they get out of school for their holiday break. It is a great thing for the boys to look forward to on the Friday before Christmas. Tonight after daddy gets home I am making Potato soup for us. We will eat Christmas cookies, drink hot chocolate, open our gifts, play with our gifts, then watch a Christmas movie while we eat popcorn! Our children know the true meaning of Christmas as a time when we celebrate Jesus' birth. The birth of our Savior who would come to the earth, be born in a manger, live a perfect life and die a very painful death on the cross for our sins! Thank you Jesus for your mercy and grace! We will live our lives to serve you each and every day.

Ice Day

2008-12-15T17:12:00.003-06:00

The boys were out of school today, but you could barely call it a "snow day"! We had very little snow, but slick icy roads that made getting to school a little too dangerous this morning. It was a mere 14 degrees here so we stayed in and tried to stay warm. Our trampoline had a sheet of ice on the surface that Jakob and Jaden were interested in ice skating on. I thought that sounded a little too dangerous and wasn't interested in a trip to the hospital so we just stayed indoors. Hopefully if we have another snow day it will be more fun for the boys to be outside playing.

Jameson by our tree

2008-12-10T19:39:00.001-06:00

Our little man was trying out his new jammies and riding his horse in front of our lovely Christmas Tree!!!

I would die for that

2008-12-08T15:02:00.003-06:00

I saw this emotional and powerful video over at my friend Crystal's blog Serving God and Family. I thought I would share it with you all. The music video hit very close to home for me as I spent many years wondering these very same thoughts. Would God bless me with a child of my own?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqfGqOx2iDQ

If someone can help me figure out how to insert the video into this post that would be AWESOME!! :)

Hustle and Bustle

2008-12-06T22:09:00.002-06:00

The holiday season seem to be in full swing. We are running around like crazy people trying to get shopping done, attend all the parties, and just plain enjoy this time of year. On Friday night the adults at our church had our annual Christmas party! It was a wonderful night at our local German resturaunt Roemer Topf. The food was amazing and the company was pretty great too. We did a White Elephant gift exchange and Matt and I ended up with some pretty interesting gifts. Matt's selection was some hand soap and a bag of Cheetos, and mine was a gift set that had Reindeer Poop and Magic Reindeer food in it. The children were all taken care of at the church and they had a complete blast playing together while the mommy's and daddy's enjoyed some grown-up time.

Saturday was the Santa Parade down Main Street. The Cub Scouts got to be at the tail end of the parade with the most important guest of all... SANTA CLAUS!!! Jakob was walking along side Santa's sleigh and Jaden was riding right up in the sleigh with the Jolly fellow himself. Daddy was pulling the sleigh with some crazy antlers on his head. As soon as the Santa parade was over we went to church and had the Children's Christmas Party. We told the story of Jesus' birth as the kids put the pieces to the Nativity Scene in place, played some games, make a christmas ornament and decorated gingerbread houses.

Bath Time

2008-12-03T14:44:00.003-06:00

Jameson has a new-found fear of bath-time. He used to love getting into the tub with his brothers and taking a warm bubble bath. Now it is more of a fight. Poor thing, he truly is afraid of being washed and I can relate. Getting water in my eyes when my dad would wash my hair was an all out battle when I was young. Anyway, so for a couple days now he has been saying he did not want a bath and I had been the nice mommy and was letting him get away with it. The time had now come that not bathing him was just wrong and it had to be done!!! So we attempted it this morning and he cryed the whole way through. The funniest part of the whole experience was him putting his foot up out of the water and saying " Wash my toe, Wash my toe" He was trying everything to avoid the inevitable head washing! Jameson did survive bath time and I am sure it won't be without a fight before he agrees to get bathed again.

2008-12-01T13:42:00.000-06:00

Papaw & the grandboys

2008-12-01T13:35:00.001-06:00

More from the tree farm

2008-12-01T13:30:00.001-06:00

Tree Farm

2008-12-01T13:21:00.003-06:00

Friday morning was our annual tree day where we pick out our Christmas Tree for the 2008 holiday season, decorate it and make Christmas cookies with the boys and their cousins Jackson and Jacoby. I was set on a tree that was tall and slender so that it would be a little easier to decorate and wouldn't take up quite so much space in our living room. The one we ended up with is about 8 ft. tall and with the snowman on top touches our ceiling. It is a beautiful tree and is all decked out and ready to go. Jameson is enjoying all the ornaments and thinks they are more like toys than pretty things to look at.

Thanksgiving with The Rhodericks

2008-12-01T13:10:00.002-06:00

We had a fabulous Thanksgiving. This particular year we did not do any traveling which was such a relief after many years of driving all over God's beautiful creation. We got to just relax and stay home. Thanksgiving dinner was spent with Matt's parents, grandparents, sister Jennifer, Jason, Jackson, Jacoby, Aunt Julie, Uncle Gary, cousins Lisa, Zeff, and his girlfriend Michelle, cousins Mary, Brian, Kate, Kyle and all 5 of us, of course! We had loads of food and pretty much ate ourselves silly!!!

Oreo Truffles...YUM!

2008-11-21T07:52:00.003-06:00

I found this recipe on one of my favorite blogs to stop by and check out design ideas. The Nesting Place is a fabulous place to go when your motto is "It doesn't have to perfect to be Beautiful!". So, this is what you'll need to make Oreo Truffles.

1 pkg. (1 lb. 2 oz.) OREO Cookies, finely crushed, divided 1 pkg.
(8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
2 pkg. (8 squares each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted
Make It
MIX 3 cups of the cookie crumbs and the cream cheese until well blended. Shape into 42 (1-inch) balls.

DIP balls in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover melted chocolate can be stored in tightly covered container at room temperature and saved for another use.) Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs.

REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm. Store any leftover truffles in tightly covered container in refrigerator.
Kitchens Tips
How to Easily Dip Truffles
To easily coat truffles with the melted chocolate, add truffles, in batches, to bowl of melted chocolate. Then use two forks to roll truffles in chocolate until evenly coated. Remove the truffles with forks and allow excess chocolate to drip back into bowl before placing truffles on prepared baking sheet.
Special Extra
Sprinkle truffles with colored sugar or sprinkles in addition to or in place of the cookie crumbs.
How to Soften Cream Cheese
Place completely unwrapped package of cream cheese in microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 10 sec. or just until softened. Add 15 sec. for each additional package of cream cheese

Go Indians!

2008-11-20T15:34:00.000-06:00