tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52729800947174264022024-03-13T22:03:17.336-05:00The Brey FamilyStories from the kids' early yearsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger398125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5272980094717426402.post-12449484985108215382017-06-18T21:30:00.000-05:002017-10-27T21:54:30.727-05:00An E&E first: They made me Father’s Day s’mores.<p>During a Father’s Day bonfire, Heidi suggested to Ethan the idea of making his father a s’more. Not just any s’more, Ethan thought; he made me a double-marshmallow triple-chocolate s’more. That’s a lot of gooey goodness! And that was before Eliana overheard the conversation and quietly went about making her own s’more for me. After enjoying all that goodness, despite the name, I didn’t want “some more”.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5272980094717426402.post-46126032129178017892017-06-13T21:30:00.000-05:002017-10-27T20:25:19.942-05:00An Eliana first: She used glowworms as a light source to find glowworms.<p>She’s creative and resourceful: Once she had put some of the brighter glowworms in a jar, she used their light to help her find others that didn’t stand out a clearly.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5272980094717426402.post-32978728142312385442017-05-17T17:30:00.000-05:002017-10-27T20:13:54.907-05:00Another Ethan first: He played Ultimate with the big kids.<p>Ethan has a natural talent at throwing a Frisbee. He lets go mostly crisp, level passes that lead their target well. He also has a solid ability to react to and catch the disc. He tried out those skills today when he joined in on a pick-up-game of Ultimate with my friends and me. He was the only person under 20 on a field that must have seemed huge to him. He had a lot to process with many bodies moving quickly around, but he adapted well. He had several fine plays and enjoyed the experience, looking forward to more to come.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5272980094717426402.post-18521872523824698642017-02-02T16:53:00.000-06:002019-05-25T04:03:24.574-05:00An Eliana first: She fed the sled-eating tree.<p>This year Eliana has full confidence to tackle the backyard sled hill by herself. There is a gently sloped, wide-open diagonal path, with a long flat bottom, which makes it about as safe as sledding gets while still being fun. The only exception is a solitary cherry tree, about the same age as Eliana, whose six-inch trunk seems to posses magnetic powers. Fortunately, it’s near the top of the hill, so while it did literally stop Eliana in her tracks, it was only for a moment.</p> <p><img style="border: 0px currentcolor; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; background-image: none;" border="0" src="https://i.imgur.com/CQGn5Ei.jpg" width="644" height="484" /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5272980094717426402.post-72232523838792783892016-12-26T14:25:00.000-06:002019-06-17T15:36:08.283-05:00Upper deck independence<p>The Christmastime visit with my parents included a trip to a live exhibit on Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Taking the train made it an especially fun adventure for the children. On the Metra, they rode in the upper deck. Ethan and his cousin Arron rode in facing seats. Eliana found a seat by herself where she could be a big girl – and as it turned out, also peak down at some reassuringly familiar faces.</p> <p><a href="https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNrktd6SJ83lcQRVAXLpBrQ77kQM8vTX016b7t8bOY2KCM9NmVXj6nOouAYE-ziOw/photo/AF1QipNQZbjcnEfRF4ZTH25H9a4cBaCxuZ5uM0rdpvrL?key=RmR3Mjdic0NCWFd4MlNFdkdScVdFSUZxSU1fMFlB"><img style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" src="https://i.imgur.com/GuOYQYb.jpg" width="350" height="226"></a><a href="https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNrktd6SJ83lcQRVAXLpBrQ77kQM8vTX016b7t8bOY2KCM9NmVXj6nOouAYE-ziOw/photo/AF1QipMVnmKpoPnscaWY_sCONFPBvRYiglJPJam4buA9?key=RmR3Mjdic0NCWFd4MlNFdkdScVdFSUZxSU1fMFlB"><img style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 6px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" src="https://i.imgur.com/KQCd0d2.jpg" width="285" height="226"></a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5272980094717426402.post-70385737603253090072016-10-28T16:05:00.001-05:002019-06-17T15:38:17.892-05:00He slices; he dices.<p><a href="https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNrktd6SJ83lcQRVAXLpBrQ77kQM8vTX016b7t8bOY2KCM9NmVXj6nOouAYE-ziOw/photo/AF1QipNd4y-C_FKSllZHt6Z5rAt9pIUk1dsfmp0rgSiu?key=RmR3Mjdic0NCWFd4MlNFdkdScVdFSUZxSU1fMFlB"><img style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 6px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" src="https://i.imgur.com/UVrOVcN.jpg" width="240" align="right" height="239"></a>If it involves a sharp blade, it’s fun, not work. Whether it’s the chef’s knife or apple corer, there seems to be something satisfying about the artistry of apportioning food into bite-sized morsels. Even when Ethan just wants to eat an apple, sometimes he just takes bites, but other times thin apple slices call his name.</p> <p><a href="https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNrktd6SJ83lcQRVAXLpBrQ77kQM8vTX016b7t8bOY2KCM9NmVXj6nOouAYE-ziOw/photo/AF1QipO6PsE74-BY7bJhr4KZhfOa40JSAE2JH1DFgK41?key=RmR3Mjdic0NCWFd4MlNFdkdScVdFSUZxSU1fMFlB"><img style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" src="https://i.imgur.com/wcHW9O1.jpg" width="644" height="508"></a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5272980094717426402.post-7291927388257506752016-10-27T18:33:00.000-05:002019-06-17T15:39:09.497-05:00An Eliana first: She designed a pumpkin carving.<p><a href="https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNrktd6SJ83lcQRVAXLpBrQ77kQM8vTX016b7t8bOY2KCM9NmVXj6nOouAYE-ziOw/photo/AF1QipMtoxTlRG2kXdoyPQ0k1vDI6Cnx52obbNZeLP91?key=RmR3Mjdic0NCWFd4MlNFdkdScVdFSUZxSU1fMFlB"><img style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" src="https://i.imgur.com/ljMXLpX.jpg" width="240" align="right" height="231"></a>After Eliana drew her pumpkin carving vision of a baby dolphin swimming on the water, she didn’t feel ready to copy her drawing onto the actual fruit. She asked me to do that for her and along the way incorporate some artistic liberties, including tweaking the shape and adding a second dolphin.</p> <p>It was a fun challenge, but looking back I wish I’d asked her if she’d rather use her picture. A pumpkin-stable design based on her original concept would have been ever so cute.</p> <p><a href="https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNrktd6SJ83lcQRVAXLpBrQ77kQM8vTX016b7t8bOY2KCM9NmVXj6nOouAYE-ziOw/photo/AF1QipNpcMTZKxct0CX07P_W2RheTwB6oSTrdR7qLCT9?key=RmR3Mjdic0NCWFd4MlNFdkdScVdFSUZxSU1fMFlB"><img style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" src="https://i.imgur.com/VXIlHHK.jpg" width="644" height="484"></a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5272980094717426402.post-82899279213433438832016-10-25T18:06:00.000-05:002019-06-17T15:39:33.458-05:00Tasty division tables<p>Ethan is getting started on learning his fives division. For today, I told him to look up or figure out the equation on each of his flashcards. I thought he’d want to cut them up right away, but he decided on a tastier way to track his progress for this initial pass: every right answer equals one sourlicious raison to enjoy.</p> <a href="https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNrktd6SJ83lcQRVAXLpBrQ77kQM8vTX016b7t8bOY2KCM9NmVXj6nOouAYE-ziOw/photo/AF1QipNshoeNf0V52XwBoa-8RIlS45JeWvlKZm7zB3Ws?key=RmR3Mjdic0NCWFd4MlNFdkdScVdFSUZxSU1fMFlB"><p><img style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" src="https://i.imgur.com/EU7qxxY.jpg" width="644" height="484"></a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5272980094717426402.post-6529478444113202082016-08-31T19:45:00.001-05:002019-06-08T05:18:07.767-05:00Another Ethan first: He zapped me in laser tag.<p><img style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" src="https://i.imgur.com/fAGGMJ4.jpg" width="240" align="right" height="131">We took advantage of a slow time at the arcade for a one-on-one round of laser tag. I had the edge on long distance hits, but Ethan managed to get in plenty of his own. When he did, he was tenacious, sticking right on me, ready the instant my equipment reactivated to rack up another hit. As laser tag goes, it was quite a battle. When it was over and the scores were announced, Ethan was thrilled to hear that youth had triumphed over experience.</p> <p><img style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" src="https://i.imgur.com/oDZHcKU.jpg" width="644" height="857"></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5272980094717426402.post-17334036061771778432016-08-19T13:32:00.000-05:002019-06-08T05:20:15.085-05:00An Eliana first: She treated herself to bicycle beverage service.<p>Camping comes with tasty treats, including portable drinks. What better way to experience your orange juice or chocolate milk than on a midsummer’s bike ride around the campground?</p> <p><img style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" src="https://i.imgur.com/gMHdaau.jpg" width="644" height="484"></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5272980094717426402.post-37307981777706676472016-07-15T18:19:00.000-05:002019-06-17T15:40:15.153-05:00Another Ethan first: He started a campfire.<p>Simply practicing with the hatchet and saw might have been entertainment enough for his first camping trip, but Ethan really lit up when he piled up and ignited some paper, kindling, and logs, to start our dinner fire.</p> <p><a href="https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNrktd6SJ83lcQRVAXLpBrQ77kQM8vTX016b7t8bOY2KCM9NmVXj6nOouAYE-ziOw/photo/AF1QipOuwibsTXzl9NEKTHoERLeFtzT6zBf6o1sw5Xr-?key=RmR3Mjdic0NCWFd4MlNFdkdScVdFSUZxSU1fMFlB"><img style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" src="https://i.imgur.com/dP9Z6BT.jpg" width="644" height="484"></a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5272980094717426402.post-67940746350908028502016-06-25T14:40:00.000-05:002019-06-17T15:40:52.001-05:00Beating the odds together<p>At the Cedarburg Strawberry Festival, Ethan and Eliana each took a turn at spinning the wheel, with a chance to win a stuffed firedog or a temporary tattoo. Only a few firedogs had been handed out all day. They each walked away with one, a 1 in 1,369 chance.</p> <p><a href="https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNrktd6SJ83lcQRVAXLpBrQ77kQM8vTX016b7t8bOY2KCM9NmVXj6nOouAYE-ziOw/photo/AF1QipMk87IrxFmGEfi7wR6pm1l-31OB4tQVfawLz40a?key=RmR3Mjdic0NCWFd4MlNFdkdScVdFSUZxSU1fMFlB"><img style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" src="https://i.imgur.com/1GeXxGc.jpg" width="644" height="573"></a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5272980094717426402.post-84158353197668840772016-06-19T14:00:00.000-05:002019-06-17T15:42:00.084-05:00Another Ethan first: He spent a week at camp.<p>It was his first ever week away. Ethan missed home but enjoyed the adventures of summer camp much more. His stories afterward matched his personality: made plenty of friends, shot well in archery, loved the water, and poured nearly all his spending money into treats.</p> <p>Ironically, had I given him just three more dollars, he would have spent it all on a hydration backpack from the Trading Post instead of candy. He was delighted when I bought the practical souvenir for him anyway. Even though I can’t imagine buying that much candy for myself, a part of me is inwardly glad at the way it worked out.</p> <p><a href="https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNrktd6SJ83lcQRVAXLpBrQ77kQM8vTX016b7t8bOY2KCM9NmVXj6nOouAYE-ziOw/photo/AF1QipPm7qEsHUwvASt2tQcorHBKo600rz-8ptvNGKJj?key=RmR3Mjdic0NCWFd4MlNFdkdScVdFSUZxSU1fMFlB"><img title="Camp Anokijig" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Camp Anokijig" src="https://i.imgur.com/Q8aW0f3.jpg"></a><a href="https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNrktd6SJ83lcQRVAXLpBrQ77kQM8vTX016b7t8bOY2KCM9NmVXj6nOouAYE-ziOw/photo/AF1QipMyPNqRoX9t5hujCybO-lCZTHXQn4pX47KvNW6t?key=RmR3Mjdic0NCWFd4MlNFdkdScVdFSUZxSU1fMFlB"><img title="Eastman Lodge at Camp Anokijig" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Eastman Lodge at Camp Anokijig" src="https://i.imgur.com/5ndP5F0.jpg" width="408" height="306"></a><img style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 8px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" src="https://i.imgur.com/P7Vr3Vc.jpg" width="227" height="303"></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5272980094717426402.post-2057415924615118422016-06-05T14:58:00.000-05:002019-06-17T15:42:31.378-05:00An Eliana first: She vacuumed the carpet.<p>No prompting required – she saw the vacuum and just wanted to pitch in.</p> <p><a href="https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNrktd6SJ83lcQRVAXLpBrQ77kQM8vTX016b7t8bOY2KCM9NmVXj6nOouAYE-ziOw/photo/AF1QipNB82S-KrEwIbIM6V4i1eiiMbMLSdiRC1QNX-TL?key=RmR3Mjdic0NCWFd4MlNFdkdScVdFSUZxSU1fMFlB"><img title="Eliana vacuuming" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Eliana vacuuming" src="https://i.imgur.com/oUlpRNs.jpg" width="644" height="481"></a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5272980094717426402.post-73207799193997120932016-06-04T12:19:00.000-05:002019-06-17T15:42:56.555-05:00An Eliana first: She caught a fish.<p>Her cast wasn’t far reaching: the hook and bobber dropped straight down from the end of the rod into the pond. But the fish were hungry for that worm! There were several candidates vying for the dubious prize, of which one of the biggest proved successful – for Eliana at least.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNrktd6SJ83lcQRVAXLpBrQ77kQM8vTX016b7t8bOY2KCM9NmVXj6nOouAYE-ziOw/photo/AF1QipOrfSBQi7zG9oK4sP1WonOuRvTcE3WYF6FQ3gLh?key=RmR3Mjdic0NCWFd4MlNFdkdScVdFSUZxSU1fMFlB"><img title="Eliana caught a fish" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Eliana caught a fish" src="https://i.imgur.com/YrChr1k.jpg" width="644" height="227"></a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5272980094717426402.post-58303785485391757562016-05-26T18:25:00.000-05:002019-06-17T15:44:00.337-05:00Another Ethan first: He tilled the earth.<p>Ethan was heavy enough this year to turn over the soil in the garden, especially with the help of a good rain the day before.</p> <p><a href="https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNrktd6SJ83lcQRVAXLpBrQ77kQM8vTX016b7t8bOY2KCM9NmVXj6nOouAYE-ziOw/photo/AF1QipNjd5w-NOXVOKye65GIaJhlyAOepMSkmfhU-U7r?key=RmR3Mjdic0NCWFd4MlNFdkdScVdFSUZxSU1fMFlB"><img title="IMG_3918" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_3918" src="https://i.imgur.com/4vJj80A.jpg" width="644" height="518"></a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5272980094717426402.post-49721170512850225662016-05-22T16:28:00.000-05:002019-06-17T15:44:25.941-05:00Another Ethan first: He wiped out surfing.<p><a href="https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNrktd6SJ83lcQRVAXLpBrQ77kQM8vTX016b7t8bOY2KCM9NmVXj6nOouAYE-ziOw/photo/AF1QipPLPWa54diA5iqAO6ivb4q6Cy0CPffOlds1IrB4?key=RmR3Mjdic0NCWFd4MlNFdkdScVdFSUZxSU1fMFlB"><img style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" src="https://i.imgur.com/59XEtpR.jpg" width="644" height="466"></a></p><iframe height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/169002047?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" frameborder="0" width="640" allowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5272980094717426402.post-85242997748193375872016-04-22T19:34:00.001-05:002019-06-17T15:44:41.525-05:00Tracking inventory<p>Eliana has a great sense of where things are – not only her own toys, but anything else she’s seen. She asked me today what I was doing, and I told her I was looking for the charger for my phone. She knew right away: “Daddy, it’s in your pocket.”</p> <p><a href="https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNrktd6SJ83lcQRVAXLpBrQ77kQM8vTX016b7t8bOY2KCM9NmVXj6nOouAYE-ziOw/photo/AF1QipO4kDjwkkzqT50TbIDa3p6w2roXhu2y21WzcgCj?key=RmR3Mjdic0NCWFd4MlNFdkdScVdFSUZxSU1fMFlB"><img title="Eliana found my phone charger - in my pocket!" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Eliana found my phone charger - in my pocket!" src="https://i.imgur.com/mi3Efbt.jpg" width="644" height="484"></a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5272980094717426402.post-27323855238297685062016-01-16T21:11:00.000-06:002019-06-08T06:52:33.181-05:00Another Ethan first: He destroyed the ice on which he stood.<p>When Ethan is motiviated, he’s a hard worker. In this case, he was giving all he had to his attack on the thin ice beneath his feet. Worst case, he was risking a soaker, but in the end he remained dry. So no life lesson learned this time – just the hilarious memory of Ethan’s enthusiam in attempting to take out his own footing.</p> <p><img style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" src="https://i.imgur.com/MN9vQyx.jpg" width="644" height="857"></p><iframe height="361" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/156797857?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" frameborder="0" width="640" allowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5272980094717426402.post-54682154175482443152015-12-20T20:53:00.000-06:002019-06-17T15:45:03.375-05:00Another Ethan first: He discovered the secret of Bruce the Spruce.<p>Every year, the kids get to talk to Bruce the Spruce, our friendly area talking Christmas tree. I don’t tell the children anything untrue about such mysteries, although sometimes I play dumb a little. This year, Ethan didn’t ask me anything; he explored for himself. What secret did he discover? Sorry, but it’s a secret.</p> <p><a href="https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNrktd6SJ83lcQRVAXLpBrQ77kQM8vTX016b7t8bOY2KCM9NmVXj6nOouAYE-ziOw/photo/AF1QipObSLsM9ea6XR6Q5brY6qWfrXE7n1oIAcpvf4o0?key=RmR3Mjdic0NCWFd4MlNFdkdScVdFSUZxSU1fMFlB"><img title="Ethan discovered the secret of Bruce the Spruce" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Ethan discovered the secret of Bruce the Spruce" src="https://i.imgur.com/tjdEhHP.jpg" width="644" height="645"></a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5272980094717426402.post-64673576147452545922015-11-28T14:24:00.001-06:002019-06-17T15:45:28.329-05:00The fruits of skimping on planning<p><a href="https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNrktd6SJ83lcQRVAXLpBrQ77kQM8vTX016b7t8bOY2KCM9NmVXj6nOouAYE-ziOw/photo/AF1QipPIyPc1SCmvxcnvJ8AD6lyFaJr7aJyXSEaDTNYN?key=RmR3Mjdic0NCWFd4MlNFdkdScVdFSUZxSU1fMFlB"><img style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" src="https://i.imgur.com/DjWjwHm.jpg" width="244" align="right" height="184"></a>Ethan’s favorite activity at the Thanksgivings get-together was playing table tennis. He’s old enough now that his natural athletic skill allowed him to do reasonably well. I’d been thinking about getting a ping pong table for home, once Ethan was old enough to play with me, and was looking forward to the visit to my parents’ cabin as good test. Ethan “passed”, so I picked up a table from Sam’s Club on the way home.</p> <p>I knew that the table would be a close fit for the minivan. I knew that it could fit four-foot-wide plywood, so I wasn’t too concerned. Worst case, I figured I’d have to unbox it in the parking lot to make it fit, although I was really hoping not to have to. The box turned out to be about half an inch too big when stuffed in at an angle. I couldn’t load it myself, but I didn’t even need to ask for help from the store because three well-built ladies happened to see me initially attempting to load it and were happy to amuse themselves by helping me. With two of them pushing from behind while I finessed and pulled from within, we wedged it in. I closed down the back hatch to with in a few inches, tied it down, and was off.</p> <p>Extracting the table was just as fun, and the part Ethan got to enjoy in particular. I cut open the outer box and gave the accessory boxes to the kids to carry into the house. To push the table boards out, I needed Ethan to use his shoulder to force one end of the tables to the upper corner of the van. I removed the seat that Eliana had ridden home in so that I could use push the boards out with my legs. It worked, but it wouldn’t have without Ethan, and he knew it. I think it meant a lot to him knowing that he was contributing in such a significant way.</p> <p>Table setup was mostly uneventful – only a few minor injuries. Ethan learned that plastic parts have a way of jumping out of their bags and attacking you if open them with too much force. :-)</p> <p><img style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" src="https://i.imgur.com/gV5IAdo.jpg" width="644" height="413"></p> <p>I think it was funny how Eliana wanted to dress fancy for putting up the Christmas tree afterwards, but Ethan was content with pajamas. :-)</p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5272980094717426402.post-42487461712867457322015-11-10T08:05:00.001-06:002015-11-10T08:05:38.693-06:00Remembering his three-year-old world<p>Ethan and Eliana woke up early this morning, so I took them over to where they could see Venus, Mars, and Jupiter rising in the east, shining brightly and especially beautifully in the sun’s pre-dawn glow. Ethan then looked over our street and gave me some insight, as he occasionally does, into how he remembers his earlier childhood. He pointed to a couple trees and told me that when he was three years old, he thought that the entire world was the space from our house to those trees. How funny it seemed to him now!</p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5272980094717426402.post-20240003760702721622015-10-10T13:41:00.000-05:002019-06-17T16:36:58.608-05:00An E&E first: They carved turnips.<p>It turns out that if you drill a hole in a turnip, it has a carving consistency quite like a pumpkin’s, although the children had to keep their designs simple to fit the size. Ethan saved his elaborate cat face for the pumpkin.</p> <p><a href="https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNrktd6SJ83lcQRVAXLpBrQ77kQM8vTX016b7t8bOY2KCM9NmVXj6nOouAYE-ziOw/photo/AF1QipPc2Zx4hZUtUr2UdaYpLLHXZSU_9ZHeMCGT1can?key=RmR3Mjdic0NCWFd4MlNFdkdScVdFSUZxSU1fMFlB"><img title="Carving pumpkins and turinps" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Carving pumpkins and turinps" src="https://i.imgur.com/b4i70nq.jpg" width="644" height="364"></a></p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5272980094717426402.post-87492731054884780052015-10-03T19:00:00.000-05:002015-10-03T20:24:48.519-05:00An Eliana first: She found contentment through faith.<p>A soft, whimpering cry drew me to Eliana’s room tonight. When I asked her what was the matter, she told me that she would die soon. I’d noticed over the last couple weeks that she has been grasping pieces of what death is about. It was the perfect opportunity to share with her how God has a plan for her life, and lots of work for her to do, like being kind to her brother and parents, being a helper, likely loving her husband very much and making him very happy. When she’s done with all the work God has for her, probably after a long time, that’s when God will decide it’s time for her to die. It’s like going to sleep, only when she wakes up, she’ll see Jesus in heaven and be with him forever. It will be the same for me when I’m done with all God’s work for me, and so she’ll get to see me in heaven, too.</p> <p>Eliana’s four-year-old emotions are fragile, but her faith is unquestioning. She immediately found full contentment in the knowledge of God’s eternal plan.</p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5272980094717426402.post-36945827304814200372015-10-02T18:00:00.000-05:002015-10-07T11:35:17.183-05:00A well-timed allegory<p>We’ve been reading <em>Prince Caspian</em> from the <em>Chronicles of Narnia</em> for a devotional. Often it has spilled over into a bedtime story because we didn’t want to put the book down after dinner. Lewis’ allegories often bring up spiritual conversations. Sometimes, like today, they tie directly into questions already on the children’s mind.</p> <p>Ethan came home commenting about how few children at school are interested in following Jesus. That evening, we read about the reaction of the Telmarines after Aslan’s army swept over the land. Some accepted Aslan’s invitation to join him, but many did not. What in their hearts motivated their choices? Did Aslan specifically call some to himself? These questions helped Ethan grapple with his own question at his seven-year-old level and a further trust for God’s sovereign election.</p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com