We have been busy as "bees" with celebrations lately. My daughter's 3rd birthday was on Easter (April 12). Since we knew most folks would be out of town that weekend and our preschool's spring break started the weekend before, we opted to have her birthday celebration on the 18th. We went to Blue Jay Point Park and had a great time. Many of her preschool friends and our family came. She got tons of princess stuff. Her birthday "theme" was a mish-mash of stuff but totally fit her personality. I had Go, Diego, Go plates, napkins and cups from my 5 year old's party a few months ago and she loves that show. So, she says she'd like to have a Diego party. Well, I get to the store that I bought the Diego stuff orignally to finish out the other items I needed (such as table cloths, more plates, loot bags) and can't find it, of course. So, she decides to go with a generic Princess theme. So, we had Diego and princess stuff. Her loot bags contained bubbles, princess stickers and Hot Wheels fruit snacks. If this party didn't say "Tom-Boy Princess" I don't know what does! Her dad made her cupcakes. I usually make the children their birthday cakes but this year just seemed busy and so my husband took that over for me! They looked excellent!
We celebrated her party the day before my birthday (April 19). My daughter's birthday and my birthday are a week apart and I LOVE that! I've always called her my early birthday present. My husband and I went out to dinner and a movie. My husband and I have this tradition of making each other birthday cakes. One of the first cakes he made me, he asked me to pick it out. I told him I wanted a "funfetti" cake and he almost panicked until I told him all the colors are in the mix....just follow the directions. Well, this year I tried my best to stump him, make him sweat, raise his blood pressure by telling him I wanted a marble cake. He didn't even bat an eyelash. He did an excellent job....it looked all marble-y...perfect! (and yes, you counted correctly, my husband DID make 2 cakes in 1 weekend...for his girls!)
Before the fun-filled weekend started, my husband brought home oh, about 1200 more mouths to feed. No, we aren't opening a soup kitchen. He is starting his newest hobby: beekeeping. Last year, my husband had 20 odd trees removed from our yard and started a vegetable garden. He's also trying to have an orchard with peaches, pears, apples, figs, etc. Well, deer came through and despite all of our best efforts, they ate the fruit of his labor. So, this year, up went an 8 foot fence. We have decided if the deer can jump over THAT fence, they've gotta be Santa's reindeer! So, he wanted to add a beehive to this project in the hopes that we can get some honey starting this fall, perhaps make some candles, chapstick, soap, etc. for gifts for Christmas (eventually) and most importantly making sure the fruit trees get pollinated so we can get some fruit if not this season then perhaps in the next. As soon as I can figure it all out, I hope to have a video of the bees going into the hive (really cool sound!) and perhaps a few pictures of the bees too on my blog.
There's more fun stuff planned for the Schmidt family next month! Stay tuned!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
Gardening
I was reading my devotional book for mothers this evening and the devotion for today inspired me to put it in my blog....well at least an excerpt. It ties really nicely into my previous posting with "planting the seeds of faith" in my children. Here it is:
"My job was to plant the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God, not we, who made it grow."
1 Corinthians 3:6
"It's easy for us to get frustrated when, after diligently planting seeds of righteousness in our children and watering those seeds with prayer, we don't see green sprouts emerging through the dirt. It's easy to wonder where we went wrong. But we have to remember where our job ends and God's begins. He promises that, if we are faithful to sow seeds and provide regular watering, He will be faithful to bring increase.
-Renee Gray-Wilburn"
"My job was to plant the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God, not we, who made it grow."
1 Corinthians 3:6
"It's easy for us to get frustrated when, after diligently planting seeds of righteousness in our children and watering those seeds with prayer, we don't see green sprouts emerging through the dirt. It's easy to wonder where we went wrong. But we have to remember where our job ends and God's begins. He promises that, if we are faithful to sow seeds and provide regular watering, He will be faithful to bring increase.
-Renee Gray-Wilburn"
Sunday, April 5, 2009
The Greatest Gift
Some of my earliest childhood memories are of going to Wilson (an hour away) with my sisters and parents to visit my grandparents. My paternal grandfather passed away when I was 2 and my paternal grandmother lived with her youngest son. Many times during these visits, my sisters and I would make our way to my uncle's bedroom. He always had what seemed like the latest technology and so it was quite fun for us to have him show us his newest gadget.
He also had a microphone and tape recorder...something that looked like it belonged in a recording studio. He wrote and sang gospel music and recorded his songs himself. Many times during our visits he would set up the microphone and tape recorder and my sisters and I would have a good time recording ourselves.
There were several times during these visits that we talked about God, Jesus and heaven. I don't know what prompted me to ask him questions. Perhaps it was just simply that I felt comfortable with him. He always showed us lots of patience and I always appreciated how he shared his faith with me through answering my never ending (and sometimes hard) questions. Looking back, I realize that he was planting the seeds of what is now my faith today.
Over the years, my faith has come to be so important to me. This has never been more true than during my darkest times. When I didn't know what to do, which way to go or who to turn to for help, I turned to God. It was my faith that saw me through these hard times. It is my faith now that helps me look back on those low times and see the positive things...the ways I've grown, the lessons I learned, the blessings I was given even if it was but for a moment.
In January, 2008, I was given the opportunity to tell him that I am a Christian today because of him.....through his patient and loving way he shared his faith with me. I was about to let the opportunity to tell him this pass me by, as I am a shy person by nature. But something in me told me to say it....that he needed to hear it. Three months later, a year ago this very night, he passed away due to congestive heart failure.
Many times in raising my children I question whether what I'm doing with and for them is truly in their best interest or mine. I've been taking my children with me to church for going on 3 years now and I'll admit there are times that my children are dragging their feet. It is during these times that I feel discouraged as a mother....am I doing this for them or me? Then I think back to my story of my uncle and I realize that I am doing this for them AND me. For myself, I am nurturing the faith that I now have. For my children, I am planting the seeds of faith in them now. It's up to them to nurture them and allow it to grow in whatever way they are going to grow, if they grow at all. They will reap what I sow. As my children grow up there will be lots of things they will face, good and bad. I am giving them the spiritual tools they will need to see themselves through the storms of life that they will encounter.
I wanted to end this post with a poem. I don't know if it really had any personal connection with my uncle. I just vividly remember seeing this poem on a plaque on his wall in his room. As a child, it didn't mean much to me but through the years, I grown to love this poem. The poem is "Footprints:"
In Loving Memory
Marty Webster Pender
January 24, 1951 - April 6, 2008
He also had a microphone and tape recorder...something that looked like it belonged in a recording studio. He wrote and sang gospel music and recorded his songs himself. Many times during our visits he would set up the microphone and tape recorder and my sisters and I would have a good time recording ourselves.
There were several times during these visits that we talked about God, Jesus and heaven. I don't know what prompted me to ask him questions. Perhaps it was just simply that I felt comfortable with him. He always showed us lots of patience and I always appreciated how he shared his faith with me through answering my never ending (and sometimes hard) questions. Looking back, I realize that he was planting the seeds of what is now my faith today.
Over the years, my faith has come to be so important to me. This has never been more true than during my darkest times. When I didn't know what to do, which way to go or who to turn to for help, I turned to God. It was my faith that saw me through these hard times. It is my faith now that helps me look back on those low times and see the positive things...the ways I've grown, the lessons I learned, the blessings I was given even if it was but for a moment.
In January, 2008, I was given the opportunity to tell him that I am a Christian today because of him.....through his patient and loving way he shared his faith with me. I was about to let the opportunity to tell him this pass me by, as I am a shy person by nature. But something in me told me to say it....that he needed to hear it. Three months later, a year ago this very night, he passed away due to congestive heart failure.
Many times in raising my children I question whether what I'm doing with and for them is truly in their best interest or mine. I've been taking my children with me to church for going on 3 years now and I'll admit there are times that my children are dragging their feet. It is during these times that I feel discouraged as a mother....am I doing this for them or me? Then I think back to my story of my uncle and I realize that I am doing this for them AND me. For myself, I am nurturing the faith that I now have. For my children, I am planting the seeds of faith in them now. It's up to them to nurture them and allow it to grow in whatever way they are going to grow, if they grow at all. They will reap what I sow. As my children grow up there will be lots of things they will face, good and bad. I am giving them the spiritual tools they will need to see themselves through the storms of life that they will encounter.
I wanted to end this post with a poem. I don't know if it really had any personal connection with my uncle. I just vividly remember seeing this poem on a plaque on his wall in his room. As a child, it didn't mean much to me but through the years, I grown to love this poem. The poem is "Footprints:"
Footprints
One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand. One belonging to him and the other to the LORD.
When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of his life.
This really bothered him and he questioned the LORD about it. "LORD you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me."
The LORD replied, "my precious, precious child, I Love you and I would never leave you! During your times of trial and suffering when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."
Carolyn Carty, 1963
In Loving Memory
Marty Webster Pender
January 24, 1951 - April 6, 2008
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