Mother's Day 2012

We has such a wonderful Mother's Day!  I was feeling particularly poorly for a few days...and doing way too much...and bemoaning the fact that my old camera had broken...yes, it was old and only 7 mexapixels...but I LOVE pictures/memories so it was very important to me...and lo and behold....I opened a new camera for Mother's Day!!! (with 16 megapixels and 10x zoom!!!)   So very excited!  Thank you to my precious family for giving me a very, very special Mother's Day!  I love you all so much!

My precious children....

As Anna says "snuggle hugs" with my Peony...

My only son...growing up so very fast!

Our graduate of the year!!!

My first born, all grown up daughter...

with Grandma Ro Ro....

With my mom....Grammy!

Love this one of my mom and I...

It rained all day...a chilly, steady rain...but Anna brightened every minute!

The kids loved checking out the tons of fish and tadpoles in Grammy & Buppy's pond...the rain didn't stop them!

two grandmothers...honored for Mother's Day.....

Easter memories 2012...

We had such a wonderful, rich in blessings Lent and Easter!  Along with devotions, we read aloud a new book called 'Aman's Adventures'.  What a powerful testimony, scripturally accurate and wonderfully told adventure of Jesus' last days, told thru the eyes of a young man.

We, of course, had a wonderful time celebrating with special family as well!  Lots of special traditions that mean so much to our family!

This is 'syrek'...pronounced "sidetz" (phonetically) ...it is Slovak Easter cheese.  My grandmother and great-grandmother always made it symbolizing the richness of a relationship with Christ.  So as my daughters and I made it, we talked about that very thing...about their great-grandmothers...about carrying on traditions....

The 'rugged' cross my husband and son made together...

Beets with horseradish...called 'hrin' in Slovak...

Our "Lamb" cake...a tradition that my mother started when my sisters and I were little girls...

Paska...Slovak Easter Bread.  Tradition says to place all of these things, along with hard boiled eggs,  ham and kielbasi into a large basket, usually covered with a special, embroidered cloth and take it to be blessed in order to break the Lenten fast.

My sweet nephew, Ty, at his Easter play...

My beautiful mom and step-dad....

"the granddaughters"....beautiful girls!

My sisters and I....

The "boy cousins"....

Ron and his beautiful Aunt Peppy....so sweet....

cousins Ronnie & Michael...'angry birds' for Michael's 9th birthday...

Jill and I

Sweet cousins...Mia and my Anna...

Aunt Peppy and Uncle Joe....lovebirds....

Hunting for (and finding) eggs...

My blessings...Meghan, almost 19, Sara 16, Ronnie 10 and Anna 7

Our family....my greatest blessings!

Catching up...

Try to play "catch up" on this blog...I've really waffled about WHY I blogged...and what I missed when I didn't blog...who read it, and what it means to me...in trying to simplify our lives...stay off the internet more, while utilizing the laptop...I think I've found that I missed this little space...writing my thoughts and journaling our lives.  

So I think this little blog is going to be a little bit different...I would like it to be a photo journal...sort of like a family photograph album...instead of thinking of themes or topics to blog about...each one will be simply be dated for each day...makes it much simpler for me.

Also...I'm turning off comments...one of the things that used to bother me was remembering to 'look' for comments...and I was terrible about responding...but I love to get emails, so if any of you would like to jot me a little note thru email, you can find that under my profile. I DO answer email. (smile) 

So...back to journaling for our family...I hope that someday my children and grandchildren will look back on this and smile...especially when they hear the stories about their crazy "Baba".  (that would be me, someday...)

This young man captured my heart this year!  This is our dear friend, Howard....he stayed with us for a little while this winter.  How blessed by the Lord we were to have him with us!  He's now a part of our family!

Hunger Games...midnight premiere...'nough' said?!  

Lots of losing teeth...growing up and doll playing for Miss Anna....

Our hero!  Ronnie custom designed his own Lego Hero for his birthday...lots of designing and building going on this winter for Mr. Ronnie....

More updates as I get to them...then simple journaling of our days.....~Sue~

Break time....

Break time again....way too much living...obeying...humbling...sacrificing...loving....caring going on around here...may you all be abundantly blessed right now in the season that you are in.  ~Sue~

Birthday Blessings...

My wonderful (only) son turned 10 last week...and after 'days' of celebrating...he is one happy boy!  For some reason, 10 just seems so much older than 9 to me....he seems so much older.  I can catch glimpses of the man he will become....as I pray for guidance and wisdom to raise him up according to the Lord's will for his life.

He is so loving...creative, brave, tough, tender, sensitive, smart...and He loves the Lord.....he loves His word....and He gets it....in an amazingly mature way...his insights are dead on...Oh, how I look forward to watching the Lord's will unfold for his life!  To my son....Ronnie, you are loved so very, very much!

My wonderful son!

Family celebration....

Ronnie's gf birthday cake...and his constant sidekick, Anna!

Cool Lego and Ninjago birthday!

Ronnie and Caleb...they could be twins!

Sisterly love for a "Ronnie" sandwich!

Cousin Ty, Ronnie and Anna...the 3 Muskateers!

January Joy....

Words that have been going thru my mind lately...joy...amazing grace...intent...being present in the moment....it has become a challenge...what used to be natural...now has to be intentional...I almost said that 'we've become a nation of....' but let's be honest...I have become distracted...'escaping' when I need a little peace and quiet.  Internet is so quietly addictive...it's always there...it is visual...it allows us to 'visit' minutely...and provides instant knowledge at our fingertips...and for a person who loves to read...to research...this can be addictive.  I say addictive...and yet, I am on all "good" things...keeping in touch with friends and family...reading devotionals, homeschooling, cooking and organizational articles/blogs...but I am finding for me...that thinking that I would only be on for "one minute"...turns out to be a restful (but totally disconnected and distracted 30 minutes)....so convicting...as I pray for the Lord to help me to re-focus on Him...my family...the basics of my life before the internet entered it...so I am praying for help in being 'deliberate'...using the good...not taking my attention away from my family.  I've been challanged....and the peace that I suspect I will find will be so worth the self-denial and self-discipline (that I've sorely lacked).

I'll be focusing on Grace...and Joy....and Gratefulness....I've always documented my blessings in pictures...as long as I can remember...and that will continue here.  Might be daily...might be a month...when led by Him...but I will be counting my blessings at home...getting back to basics...in our home...and in my heart.

Looking for the joy in the unexpected...and joining with the many other women counting it all joy...over at Joy Dare    ~Sue~

Precious friends....and new life!

So grateful for our church...His word...and getting back to the basics...

Parenting...with Grace...

curling up in warmth....focusing on Him...

Joy of family...little cousins....

Hiding God's word in our hearts...

Just because...I love watching them...

Antique bowls...filled with good fruits...

Kefir smoothies...because they make me happy!

Blessings of a full fridge...and a new one...only the 2nd one we've gotten in  22 years...

View from my deck...awe-inspiring...sunset...winter sky...