Mi familia!

My sister, Lisa, hosted a family dinner a couple weeks ago. My Aunt Margaret and Uncle Mike were visiting from North Carolina. It was a great evening!

Lots of yummy food and lots of great ladies to help get everything ready.

It was fun for cousins to get together and play-- don't see each other often enough!

Not sure if food or fellowship was a the focus of the evening.... both, I think. There was certainly lots of great conversation!

The weather was perfect for being inside or out... I think we spent most of our time outside.

Wonder if they practiced posing the same?!?!? :)

Four cuties!!! Molly VanHorn, Bridget Woltje, Gracie VanHorn, and Mariah Woltje

Most all of the relatives who live around here were able to attend that evening.

Highlight of the evening? Dunkball! Wonder if Uncle Frannie's muscles were hurting the next day?

Such a blessed evening. Wish they could happen more often. Good food, better conversation, and great memories!

Going Zooey!!!

I know everyone thinks I’m crazy, but it really is fun to take all of the kids to the zoo! We always try to go in early June while the weather is still nice.

Outside the zoo; l-r: Skyler, Kaden, Lee, Sam, Bridget, Katelyn, Noah, Mariah, Abby and Kinsley

One of two bald eagles at the Topeka Zoo. Not sure if this one was 'Liberty' or 'Spirit'.

The waterfowl were eager for us to feed them, though we did not. This little guy bit Noah's shoe!

The kiddos had a hard time pausing long enough to catch everyone looking, but I didn't think pic was too bad!

The giraffes were a favorite-- probably because they were easy to view and didn't scurry and hide when we approached.

Little girls giraffe-gazing!

The kids were in awe of the flamingos. They thought it was very funny that the birds sleep standing up and on one foot, no less!

We enjoyed a picnic at Gage Park. The kids love the tables that were 'just their size'!

Another fun experience! We called them teeter-toters (not sure if that is what they are), but I remember having a blast on these as a little girl-- glad to see they still have their appeal!!

Miraculously, there were no casualties!

What trip to the zoo/park is complete without a train ride?

It was a fun day for all! And naps were very successful that afternoon!!

Take Me Out to the Ballgame!

Ball season has started and our family has caught baseball fever!!! Kaden and Mariah play on the Denison Bears 4-7 year-old co-ed team, and Noah is playing– for the first time– on the 8-11 year-old team! This is exciting since this age group keeps score and there are actual winners and losers.

Mariah is a pretty good little hitter. She prances around the bases after she hits– it is pretty funny! She fields with great enthusiasm, but can’t throw very far yet. All the same, she is loving experience!

Mariah, standing in the outfield, with Aunt Mary.

This is Kaden’s third year playing ball and, for the first time, he really seems to be ‘into it’! It probably helps that he knows he’ll move on to an older age group next year– pretty exciting! Kaden is a really good hitter and a very good fielder. It’s a real joy to watch him play!

Some of the teams we've played have had a TON of players, our team-- Kaden included-- has done a good job of paying attention even during extended fielding times.

Noah started off the season with a severe case of nerves. At the first game, he hit a foul ball that smacked the top of a van parked near the field. That really seemed to shake his confidence. During the second game, he was still playing tentatively, but in the most recent game, Noah finally seemed to shake off his nerves! He played four of the six innings and made it to first base twice. It was an ‘overtime’ game and, unfortunately, Whiting handed the Bears their first loss of the season, 9-7. But it was such a good game and our boys were good sports! Hopefully, the rest of the season will bring great success!!!

A little bleary, but this is right after Noah hit his foul ball at Circleville field!

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Miss Bridget– number one Denison Bears Fan! The ballgames are purely social experiences for her, but she has fun and cheers for her siblings. She also suckers pop and candy off of willing family and friends! ;)

Future Denison Bear!

Hit the Road, Jack…

This happened a few weeks ago, but Kaden was ECSTATIC to lose his first tooth! He realized it was loose on a Tuesday or Wednesday and by that Friday, he had pulled it! This is a great contrast to big brother, who begrudgingly loses his teeth– it takes Noah months!!! I suspect before too long, Kaden will have lost more teeth than Noah.

‘A flute without holes, is not a flute. A donut without a hole is a danish!’

That’s a quote by Chevy Chase from Caddyshack… anyway…

In the time since we’ve remodeled our kitchen, I have rediscovered my love of cooking… Jason has discovered it, too! He came home one day with a recipe for homemade donuts. So I decided to give it a shot!

Cookin' up some fattening, yummy homemade donuts!

We do not have deep fryer, though I think we may purchase one soon! But a wok did the trick. The secret to great donuts is the proper oil temperature! I tested out my oil on the donut holes. I think I had half a dozen or so casualties! :(

Check out that texture! They were VERY yummy!!!

The entire family really enjoyed this recipe, though it took much longer to complete than I had originally estimated. Next time, I will roll the donuts out the night before and then let them rise. All the same, I certainly wasn’t sorry I attempted such a challenging project!

I made LOTS of them!!! And donut holes, too!

A Walk in the Park

I had the opportunity to go with Kaden on his fieldtrip this Spring. So fun! We went to a Stephen Fite Concert at TPAC and then spent the better part of the afternoon at Shawnee Lake. A stop by Sonic for ice cream on the way home made for an excellent day… I love being a 1st grader!

At TPAC... Kaden was playing 'taco' in his seat prior to the concert!

The teachers managed to pause 90 7 year-olds long enough to snap a few pictures!

Kaden loved the stellar playground at Shawnee Lake! The mammoth slide and the fireman's pole were his favorite.

We had such a fun time. I love going with the kids on fieldtrips!

He is Risen! He is Risen! He is Risen… FOREVERMORE!!!!

Easter. It ties with Christmas as my favorite holiday! What I love even more is that when I asked my children what Easter was about, the three oldest told me: “It’s about Jesus dying for our sins and rising from the dead 3 days later…” Bridget said: ‘JESUS!!! I love Jesus!’ I was pretty satisfied with those answers, after all, I’m not sure I would have given that kind of answer at 4 or 6 years of age!

This year, I decided to close the daycare on Good Friday so that I could have a day at home with the kids. Jason took part of the day off, and it was just a wonderful family experience! The following evening, we went over to Lanny and Sue’s for supper and an Easter egg hunt.

Bridget was all smiles when she located her pretty yellow Easter bucket!

Mariah found hers and was ready for the egg hunt!

Noah was the third bucket finder!

After the others found theirs, I teased Kaden that maybe his was under a rock... of course, he had to check!

Since Kaden's our climber, Grandma stashed his up high!

On Easter morning, the kids were a little blurry-eyed and not too sure about getting up at 6:15 to go to Sunrise Service, but it was a gorgeous Easter morning– not too cold, pretty clear and what better way to celebrate Jesus’ Resurrection than scripture reading, hymns, and fellowship with dear friends. Also, the kids perked up pretty good for the breakfast that followed! It was delicious! Then, home, to get ready for Sunday School and Worship Service. The kids were feeling pretty spiffy in there Easter clothes, and Jason and I didn’t look too shabby, either!

My beautiful Easter babies!

After lunch, we had an Easter egg hunt at home, which was also fun… Lots of fun– though I might have gotten carried away when I filled 120 eggs… :D Tons of fun! The following weekend we enjoyed an Easter gathering at my folks’. Such a great celebration and time of family togetherness. I’m so thankful God gives us excuses to celebrate! Far better, still, I’m thankful for the Resurrection!

Another one bites the dust!

Noah’s gonna have to convince his front teeth to do some growing if he wants to eat corn-on-the-cob this summer!

His other top one is loose and I suspect he’ll lose before too long!

Party at the Woltje House!!!

For those of you who don’t know, Noah and I have back-to-back birthdays, which usually results in one weekend of March being a non-stop party (in some form or another). This year wasn’t any different! :)

I closed the daycare down and shipped my own kids off for the day on Friday, March 19th. Mom and I went to Topeka and shopped for the day, had lunch with my favorite sister and bought presents for Noah… One of these years, I’ll get his shopping done early and spend a whole day on JUST me! (Theoretically, anyway.) Friday was a ton of FUN!

Saturday, the 20th (my actual bday) was a snowy, cold mess… it was also the first day of spring– awww, the irony… I spent most of the day cooking and baking for Noah’s party with grandparents that night. This is not a chore for me, as I love to cook, and as an added bonus, while I cooked, Jason and the kiddos cleaned the house– SCORE!

Noah opening the basketball he'd been begging someone to get for him.... obviously, he loved it!

That boy was BORN a football fanatic!

Some pretty intense 'wish-consideration' going on in this picture, I think.

I made myself a banana cream pie. It was very yummy. :)

As a sidenote, Jason and I did go out– just the two of us– a couple weeks ago to celebrate my big day– the big 2-8. We ate at Old Chicago, meandered about Topeka window-shopping and recreating those pre-children days, and ended the night with some Coldstone and a little X-box gaming. It was– quite honestly– one of the best night’s I’ve had in a long time… God has blessed me greatly!

28 blessings on my 28th birthday

1.   I’m thankful to have been born in the USA. I don’t understand why I was not put somewhere else in this huge world, but I am so thankful that God put me here…

2. I’m so thankful to have been raised in a Christian home. If I had not been, I may not have known Christ until a much later age… maybe never at all…

3. I’m blessed to have a wonderful husband, who loves me in spite of my faults and maybe a little bit because of my quirks! :)

4. I’m blessed to have a son who challenges me to parent creatively and to look at life as an adventure.

5. I’m blessed to have another son who so endearingly reminds me of his father, who can quote every movie he’s ever seen and any book he’s ever read.

6. I’m thankful to have a daughter who is brilliant, thoughtful and reminds me– to my chagrin– of God at every inopportune moment— like when I’m angry!!!

7. I’m grateful for my other daughter whose laughter is like sunshine, who is tenderhearted and tenacious… all four of my children are just amazing!

8. I’m blessed to have an older sister who encourages, advises, and anchors me… surely she is a gift from God!!

9. I’m thankful for a dear friend who listen to my frustrations, share my concerns and gifts me with laughter!

10. I’m grateful for my church family. Their prayers, support and fellowship are beyond description!

11. I’m thankful for my natural optimism– a true gift of God– hoping where all is lost, loving where there is only despair, keeping me afloat in a world of deep, dark waters.

12. I’m thankful for my love of music! Life is happier with a song in your heart, lyrics in your mind and a rhythm in your body…

13. I count my heritage as a blessing– I love my grandparents dearly and would have loved to have known the many amazing individuals who make up my family tree.

14. I’m thankful for Sundays! A day to relax, reflect, and learn more about God.

15. I’m thankful for my love of home and hearth… a cozy afternoon on the couch, a boisterous meal around the kitchen table, a rousing game of soccer in the backyard.

16. I’m grateful that spring has almost sprung! I love the change of the seasons and think that a ‘rough’ winter only makes us that much more appreciative of Spring!

17. I’m blessed by my great love on literature… I will read, write, and expand my horizons– I can travel anywhere, be anything, and dream any dream– God, I thank you for this gift!

18. I’m thankful for laughter. It eliminates tension, lightens hearts and clears away sadness. I’ve been blessed with much laughter in my life!

19. I’m thankful for good health. So much pain and suffer due to physical, mental and emotional illness. I have been very blessed.

20. I’m grateful for quiet moments. At the end of a busy, crazy day…. early in the morning before anyone else wakes… I love the stillness that surrounds me at these times!

21. I’m thankful for flowers… they serve no ‘true’ purpose in this world, except to beautify it. Lord, thank You for creating such a beautiful world!

22. I love picnics on warm afternoons– a true blessing is a lazy afternoon noon, enjoying time with the family.

23. I’m grateful for babies– hope of  new life in a world that is sometimes utterly hopeless.

24. I love dates with my husband! We’re both tremendously busy, but what a blessing it is when Jason and I can get away from everything for just a couple hours!

25. I’m grateful for family gatherings…. Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Fourth of July… each one is special– I love them all!

26. I’m thankful for the love my children show for God. I love answering their spiritual questions, listening to their spiritual thoughts and praying for their spiritual development.

27. I’m thankful for a great and loving God, whose thoughts of me outnumber the grains of sand on the seashore, who knows the number of hairs on my head, who cares for each one of the sparrows– how much more will He love me?!

28. I’m grateful for the life I’ve been gifted. I’ve done nothing to earn or deserve it. It is a gift of God, a blessing from the Lord. I am so blessed!

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