137

...the heart rate of our newest addition at 7 weeks.

Hunter's 7th Birthday Interview

Hunter, what did you just have? 

Ice Cream.  

No, I mean a special day you just had?

My birthday...

How old did you turn?

7

Am I old enough to have a 7 year old?

No.  *laugh*

What is your favorite color?

Purple...no.  *laugh.*  Golden

What is your favorite game to play?

The throwing game.  Where we throw it in the trampoline.  

How do you play that game?

Um, you throw it and whoever gets 200 first wins.  Whoever loses, you get to go out and throw.  

How do you score points? 

By catching it.  

How many points do you get each time you catch it?

Whatever the thrower says.  

What do you want to be when you grow up?

A football player.  No wait.  Not that.  Why are you writing that?!  *Laughs.*  (He's reading everything I write!)  Okay, okay, okay...

Go sit on my bed where you can't see the screen.  (He goes over and crawls to the corner where he can still see it.)

Okay, what do you want to be when you grow up?

A boxing guy. 

A boxer?

yeah, a boxer!

What do you like best about Blake?

He knocks my teeth loose. 

Hunter, come on, tell me the truth.

Um, he plays games with us.  

What do you like best about Silas?

Um, He taught me how to say I love you in Amharic....

What about Graysen?

She plays marbles with me.

What do you like best about Mommy?

You take care of me.

What do you like best about Daddy?

He helps me up when I fall and get hurt.

Who is your favorite person in the whole world?

Grammie.

What is your favorite animal?

That's so hard...let's see, a cheetah

What is your favorite place to go?

Rainforest Cafe

What is your favorite food?

Oh, that's a hard one...maccaroni and cheese and fish sticks.

What is something that you would like to do this year?

Play in the snowy!

What things do you like to do around the house?

Play board games.

What's your favorite one?

Monopoly.

What's your favorite chore?

All chores stink, so I don't have one.

But if you had to choose one, what would it be?

laundry.

What makes you sad?

I don't know.  When I get hurt?

What things make you happy?

When I get to go on trips with Grammie!

Do you know how much I love you?!

As many blades of grass in the whole world!!

Back Blogging: Beach Vacation, Saturday and Sunday

 I shared some of my favorite beach pictures a while ago, but I really want to do a good job of documenting this vacation, because it was such a good one!!!  So, I'm going to try again and go day by day with my favorite pictures!  This was Saturday and Sunday - the evening we left and our first day there!

The snow we were leaving!

Saturday was Lincoln's birthday...this was the candle in his birthday pizza right before we left!

Eating at I-Hop as soon as we got into FL

First time on the beach!!!

Daddy's birthday celebration

News from this week

It's been a big week in our household!  Lincoln and I definitely spent more time in God's Word than we have in a long time, and that was fabulous!!  I think we'll make it much more of a priority - less time on the computer I'm sure.  We read lots of amazing stories (Lincoln got a kick out of Genesis this week!), and were challenged on several things as well. 

I've got a lot to update on...I started back to work on Monday.  That's taking some getting used to, but my kids had a fabulous babysitter Tuesday - Thursday, so that helped tons!  Lincoln took Hunter to a baptism class on Monday night and he had a cavity filled on Tuesday.  It was birthday week here in our home!  Hunter turned 7 on Friday, so I have his interview, and his birthday party to write about.  He also went on a mini vacation with Grammie and Papa this weekend to celebrate his birthday!  Last night I went to The Muny with my Mom and Sister (our birthday present from Kara!), and there are lots of lovely things to tell about that.  All of that, plus the normal craziness that comes with being in the Redburn Household...hey, crazy is good, right?!

There have been lots of other things happening, so get ready...lots of posts coming your way!

Batik Boutique: another great company!

I am taking a week long hiatus from the computer to try to drown out some of the noise of my life and focus on hearing God a little clearer.  I will be back on Monday!

Ash 

Remember when I introduced you to Sseko Designs?  

Well, Heather at Sit a Spell has another company I'd like to introduce you to!

Batik Boutique

Here's Heather's post:

"We're truckin' right along here on our search for socially responsible shopping options. Are you book-marking these companies?  Wouldn't it be the coolest to buy all our Christmas gifts from companies doing so much good?  Wouldn't Christmas feel a lot more rich as we follow in Jesus' footsteps...helping to set the captive free as part of the way we celebrate the birth of the ultimate liberator?

The next company I'd love to share with you is the Batik Boutique.  Although the company is new, I've known the owners for a long time.  Take a look at what they are doing in Asia to provide women some hope and a chance.

Noor was sitting on the floor in the government-sponsored apartment with her youngest child playing in her lap. Her husband makes just over $1 an hour, and in a city like Kuala Lumpur that’s not enough to make ends meet. She wants to do something to help them have enough food each month, but her options are limited because she takes care of their six young children. While she sat contemplating her situation, her sister-in-law knocked on the door.

Noor invited her into her apartment and then heard how The Batik Boutique is hiring seamstresses. Even though she taught herself to sew before she was married, Noor only had only made clothes. She called Amy anyway and within a few days she was trained and able to begin making some of the batik products. Over the next few weeks, she learned to make new products and worked while her children slept. Through orders we receive from our website, Noor provides enough supplemental income to have enough rice on the table and to pay her children’s school fees and supplies.

Not only is this business helping Noor with her physical needs, but it also gives her a chance to see how a business can be run following the principles of the Bible. This includes fair pay, treating people with love and respect, and helping the needy with such things as employment and donations from the company’s profit. Such a view into the lives of those who follow Jesus is rare for a Muslim like Noor.

The Batik Boutique is a new company offering women’s accessory and children’s products made from batik fabrics of Southeast Asia."

Heather is giving away one of their bags...hop over to Sit a Spell to enter!

Blood Water Mission: Done!

My two week "water only" challenge is done!  

(remember my kick off?)

I'm pretty proud of myself, I was almost completely successful.   

(I added white, skim milk in the second week.)  

I weaned myself off of caffeine, and hope to never go back!  

(The headaches were rough the first week, I won't lie!)  

I was blessed to have several others come alongside me and do it with me.   

(Thanks Shelley, Brittany, Nikki, Cheryl, and Linda!) 

Cheryl even told me that she thinks she will continue on and keep donating the money she used to spend on bottled water to Blood Water!   

(Yea Cheryl!!)

I'm proud to say that we raised $177.00!

 (Can you believe 6  people would've spent that on drinks in just two weeks?!)

Remember this?

The average life span of an Ethiopian is 55 years.  

(Which is actually only 160 / 191 countries!  I found this website very interesting.)

That means we just gave three people water for their whole life, plus some!

Daddy Date: Hunter Edition

After Graysen's date with Daddy, the boys were very anxious for their turns...how to pick who's next?  They decided (on their own) that they would go youngest to oldest since Graysen is the youngest...so, Hunter was up next! 

 

They went to the river, got a cool soda in a glass bottle, got ice cream, and went to Grandma's house to play football in their huge front yard!

Hunter had a great time, and I know Lincoln really enjoyed spending one on one time with his first born child!!

Princess Camp

This month Graysen got to attend Princess Camp at The Dance Studio. 

It was full of dancing, crafts and, of course, Princesses!

 

Graysen's friend Bailee came too!  They enjoyed spending time together!

 

The boys were even good sports...they played War and Go Fish in the waiting area for an hour every morning!

At the end of the week they put on a small performance for us, of course, I cried.  

Dear Basketball

Dear Basketball Season,

As I'm working on the school calendar for the 2011-2012 school year I'm reminded once again of one reason why I don't like you. Yes, you're still officially 3 months away, but you've already started taking over our lives with open gyms, summer shootouts, and camps, so I feel as though I can talk about you...now, in July.


Games. Yes, I don't like you because you involve games. Games played on important dates in my family's lives, and there is no skipping you, calling in a sub, or rescheduling you. You are, when you are. Boo.

Dates like the first game of the season: November 28th, more affectionately referred to in this house as Graysen's birthday. You take her Daddy away to either New Haven or Potosi that night. I don't like you.

Or February 10th: Claire's birthday. Again, Daddy will be in St. Clair, not home celebrating Claire's birthday with us.

February 14th: Valentine's Day. Nah, we're not a "typical" Valentine's Day couple, but we do like to celebrate it as Family Love Day. A day to celebrate our family's commitment to love one another unconditionally. Daddy will be coaching a game against New Haven that night.

(Note: We thought we would celebrate May 22nd [the day the boys came home from Ethiopia] as Family Day, but we don't like the idea of drawing more attention that they have not always been a part of this family...no reason to set them apart anymore!)


More? Okay, how about February 24th? Silas' birthday. On his second birthday with our family, Daddy will be coaching a game against Cuba.

And...although you're not on the calendar, sometimes, depending on how good the team is, you play a game on my wedding anniversary, February 28th. Then I REALLY don't like you.

So, basketball, I'm willing to admit that there are some positives about you...maybe I'll talk about them later in the year, but for now, I'm going to focus on some bad things about you...just for today.

Williams Reunion

Lincoln's maternal grandmother's side of the family has a family reunion every year over the 4th of July.

This year Lincoln wasn't able to go with us, and we only spent two nights there, but the kids and I did sneak down for a little bit, and we packed in a lot of fun while we were there!

Uncle Shawn gave Blake his first grilling lesson.  He was pretty good at it!  Of course now he thinks he can do it all by himself and makes Lincoln a nervous wreck, but he's learning and helping this summer!

We spent HOURS in the pool!  Now that the boys can swim by themselves we enjoy ourselves so much more!!

There was a lot of sitting and visiting as well...

Ping Pong was a favorite while we hung out in the hall...

Can you see how sweaty Hunter was?  It was SO hot outside, and he was working playing hard!

And we got to love on family members...

We had a good time!  Thanks for organizing the reunion each year, Marcinda!