We made the trip to Houston’s First Baptist Church tonight to see their annual Christmas celebration program. This year Alicia and Katrina were in the choir, and Alicia pulled double duty by playing percussion in the orchestra too.
Here’s a pic from Kevin’s iPhone. I was completely amazed at the show, and if you ever get the chance to go, or MAKE the chance to go, take it!
1 comment December 10th, 2010
Today the CBS kids sang songs for the Moms. I was holding Carlee and taking this picture of Kennedy with my iPhone. Kennedy did great and sang very well. If I ever learn how to put videos on the blog, I’ll show you one.
1 comment December 9th, 2010
We took down the Thanks calendar and put up the Christmas calendar. There’s an object that goes into the pockets each day. I have a file with the story that we read every night and add just a little bit each day.. but i can’t find it? I do have a paper copy, but it’s not even exactly what I’d like to say.. so, do you have any help for me with the text for the story of Christmas? I could probably write something from Luke 2, but if it was already out there I’d love to find it.
2 comments December 3rd, 2010
I took a picture of Kevin reading The Jesus Storybook Bible. I very much enjoy this version of the Bible – the subtitle is “every story whispers His Name”, and I love love LOVE that on so many different levels.
This pic was taken during dinner, but I’ve been trying to read them a Bible story during lunch. I have had a hard time with lunch lately – we come home after picking up Colby from school [he's done at 12:30], and no matter how many snacks we eat in the morning, everyone is tired and starving (including me). It also seemed like once I got everyone’s lunches ready, the kids were ready to get down from the table and I hadn’t eaten a bite of food. And that left me frustrated and even more hungry, so here’s my solution:
- kids decide what they want to eat – I will give them 2 options but they cannot change their minds once they’ve picked.
- kids get out the accessible ingredients (ex. PBJ, fruit, chips).
- Mom gets out ingredients/food that needs to be heated in the microwave; kids punch in the numbers.
- Mom finishes assembly and plates food.
- kids wash hands (or go to the sink so I can wash their hands).
- kids set the table (plates, cups + water, napkins and silverware if necessary).
- kids get out the Bible and decide which story to read. One kid gets the Bible, one kid picks the story, and one kid gets to turn the pages or see the pics first (didn’t think we’d need this rule, but everyone wanted to do the same job, so I had to split it all up.)
We sit down, we pray, the kids talk to each other while I eat, and then I read from the Bible after the first 5-7 minutes of eating. It has helped us be more on the same page, so to speak, and eat lunch together, not in shifts.
And, notice how many of those things are the responsibility of the kids? And I haven’t had many arguments about who got more food or got to pray first or whatever else they might choose to complain about; plus, I get to actually eat food with my kids before they need to sleep! Now, I need to figure out how to get them to make their own PBJ…
Add comment November 29th, 2010
I can’t believe I made it almost all the way through November without posting about our daily thanks calendar. I ordered this from Pottery Barn Kids last year.
The kids have written some pretty hilarious things, but mostly this year they’ve been thankful for Disney World, for Mom & Dad (and siblings!), and for things like food and their trampoline. It’s so neat to hear how they are thankful, and I think that comes from asking them to say “thank you” and to really mean it. The sweetest child is a thankful child, I say.
And, here’s a close-up on the cute details of the calendar. This is just an idea for giving thanks – you don’t have to buy this calendar in order to be thankful! Make your own felt calendar or make a thankful tree or keep your notes of thanks in a jar. You’re also not limited to the month of November to give thanks either. Be thankful continually!
Add comment November 28th, 2010
It has been said that the busiest time of the year at Walt Disney World is the week of Thanksgiving. We can personally vouch for that statement. Crowd levels on my iPhone app (touringplans.com) were 10 out of a possible 10, and it was strongly encouraged that we avoid Magic Kingdom on this day because all Saturdays at the Magic Kingdom are absolutely crazy. However, it was our last day at Disney and dad & Alicia’s only full day to go to MK, so we bit the bullet. It was very nice that I was in a scooter, because I got to bypass most of the lines and bring 8 people with me on the ride. Otherwise we would have spent all day in lines.
I still love the lights on Cinderella’s castle. It was worth all the lines to see that again. Took this pic while waiting for the parades to start. I also love the Main Street Electrical Parade. An oldie but a goodie. And, the fireworks show with Tinkerbell flying through the air down Main Street.
We managed to ride every ride we wanted to hit (we hit all the kids’ rides the first day), and we even got to take Colby on a few more roller coasters – Splash Mountain (twice!), Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Space Mountain, to name a few. He did great and it was a lot of fun to get to share that with him. Kennedy, on the other hand, was ONE INCH too short to ride all the rides. (The minimum is 40 inches and she rests at 39.) However, other Disney pluses are their rider swap program and the availability of kiddie playgrounds close to the ride’s entrance. It made things a lot less stressful.
Kevin also got to see one of his friends from high school who now lives in Orlando. Ryan and Kristan were really nice and hung out with us, even though the crowds were crazy. They tell us they live about 15 minutes away from Disney World, they have season passes and they visit about once a week. I think I would too. And, I think another trip is soon in order so we can stay with them the next time we visit – but NOT during Thanksgiving week.
The last ride we rode was Aladdin’s Magic Carpet ride (during the fireworks show, Adventureland & Frontierland is empty, so we took advantage). Here’s Kevin & Kennedy waiting for our turn to ride.
While waiting, we also met a cast member [employee] who was from Texas A&M. It really is a small world after all.
Here’s Colby, wearing the glow necklaces I brought from home. Also a good idea I had – the kids liked wearing them and I could find them easily in the big crowds we experienced. (Sorry these are so dark – it was like 11:30 pm.)
The very last thing we did, before waving goodbye to Main Street and the train station at the Magic Kingdom, was to redeem all of our snack credits on our meal plan. We chose a Disney Dining Plan so we could do some of the character experiences without having to pay an arm and a leg for each one. We pre-paid for all our meals, park tickets, and our room, and we showed our room key to the wait staff and they’d take credits off our meal plan. So, we paid for one sit-down type meal, one fast-food type meal, and one snack per day. But we hadn’t used all the snacks every day – we just got a few as we needed them and then packed our own snacks. And there’s no redemption back – you use them or you lose them. So, we had to find room in our suitcases for about 9 bottles of water, 5 bags of chips, and 5 bottles of orange & apple juice.
We left the park close to midnight to catch a bus back to our resort. Then-
12:30 am – back to resort
1:30 am – pack up everything for flight back home in the morning (er, a few hours…)
2 am – sleep
3:45 am – wake up!
4 am – have suitcases ready and “wake up the kids” (they actually slept on our shoulders until the airport)
4:15 am – bell services comes to take our luggage back to the main lobby
4:45 am – Disney’s Magical Express comes to take us to the Orlando airport
5:15 am – check in with skycap
6 am – go through security (in a wheelchair for the last time)
6:45 am – Airport McDonald’s breakfast
7:15 am – check in at the gate, Belle change Carlee’s diaper while we save them a seat on the plane
8 am – flight home!
We got to Houston at 10:30 am, even after a quick stop in Panama City, FL. Even though the flight was super early, I was glad to be back home before the craziness of Thanskgiving weekend travel hit. We didn’t have much traffic going back home from Houston, even after stopping for some Mexican food for lunch (well, Tex-Mex, but what else is there?). I was also glad we checked in early with skycap, because everyone who checked in later didn’t get their luggage when we arrived in Houston. There was an entire cart of luggage missing.
All in all, I can’t complain about our trip; I mean, we went to DISNEY WORLD!!! The happiest place on earth! :) There are definitely things I would change, such as not being in a walking boot (although it had some definite advantages). I had an incredible time. I’m blessed that we were able to go with my parents and my sisters. It was a great family experience that truly engaged every single one of us. I don’t care if it is “mainstream”, Disney does it big and does it right. I loved loved the trip and had a lot of fun planning it. All that time was well worth the effort. The kids also can’t stop talking about it and I can’t wait til we can do it again.
1 comment November 27th, 2010
This morning was our monthly leadership lunch fellowship at CBS. I thought these were pretty, even though they were paper.
Add comment November 9th, 2010
I love our church’s option for obtaining Halloween candy. We went to the Trunk-or-Treat celebration, which ended well before dark, and our kids were able to participate in a wide variety of activities without being overwhelmed with crowds.
I’m so thankful for all the people who volunteer their equipment and talents for my children’s entertainment.
PS – Colby was Woody from Toy Story, Kennedy was a Barbie princess, and Carlee was Tinkerbell. And Kevin was the photographer. Or, an Aggie fan.
Add comment October 31st, 2010
Our CBS lesson this week was about Jacob’s favoritism toward his son Joseph. We also could have shown some favoritism to the kids in our class today – there were only 4 present out of 12! So, Kelsey and I got to do Every activity we imagined, including tracing a 3 year-old child and drawing a multi-color coat on him.
Here’s Kennedy’s contribution to the coat.
Add comment October 28th, 2010
Add comment October 27th, 2010
I blogged about this concert and effort last year. Here’s the link to Blood:Water mission, which tells a better story than I could try. I love this mission effort in so many ways, but I’ll let you read about them.
Tonight’s concert featured Derek Webb and Shane & Shane. Here’s a pic of Derek Webb.
I was too busy laughing at Shane & Shane to get a pic of them this year. They were hilarious.
Add comment October 22nd, 2010
On Thursday mornings I get to teach the 3 year-olds in Community Bible Study. [Kennedy is in my class, and Kelsey is my co-teacher but I put her in charge of crafts since that's not my forte.] One of my goals this year was to do something different each week to teach the lesson.
Today’s lesson was about how God told Abraham that he would have as many children as there are stars in the sky. So, I used masking tape to make this star on the floor. We sat inside the star, we walked the lines of the star, we sang “Twinkle, twinkle, little star”…. It was a fun day at Bible study.
Add comment October 7th, 2010
Tonight we met Tim’s sister Kindell – the kids immediately put her to work reading them Clifford books.
And, we got to celebrate Kelsey’s 21st birthday tonight – we put candles in the brownies I made and we sang Happy Birthday to her… Carlee Really sang, then blew out the candles! No pics of that from me, but Kevin got a few on his camera.
Also today Tim & Kelsey moved their membership to our local church (instead of their hometown church). Kevin and I were blessed to introduce them to our church family.
2 comments October 3rd, 2010
“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. [New Living Translation]
My grandfather believed what Jesus said in these verses and I believe with all my heart that he is walking with Jesus right now. John was his favorite book in the Bible, and our preacher did a fantastic job of preaching about Jesus losing his great friend Lazarus. Today we laid my grandfather’s earthly body to rest in the ground, but we know that on Sunday night he woke up in Heaven with a new mind and a new body, neither one troubled with Alzheimer’s.
[By the way, the extended Stephenson family has a tradition of taking pictures of their dead inside the casket. Personally, I think that's a little creepy. This was about as far as I could go.]
Also – I took Colby to the funeral today but not to the viewing last night. He kept asking to see Grandfather’s body, but Kevin and I agreed that it would not be a good idea. Colby and Kennedy have had a lot of questions about Heaven and death.
In talking about death, we have been really careful to NOT use words such as “tired” or “sick” or “asleep”… because they get tired, sick, and fall asleep. Instead, we presented it as, “Grandfather’s body was so old and worn out; Jesus had to give him a new body in Heaven.” Colby initially reacted by saying, “I don’t want him in Heaven; I want him here with me!” :(
The past few days we’ve been driving by Hudson Creek (Alzheimer’s facility) and Kennedy will say things like, “That’s where grandfather lives, but now he’s not there he’s in Heaven.” AND “Grandfather is in my heart, just like Jesus lives in my heart.”
1 comment September 29th, 2010
Also found at theeagle.com until October 28th, 2010.
October 25, 1931 – September 26, 2010
Dr. Eddie R. Stephenson, 78, passed away Sunday, September 26, 2010 at Hudson Creek Alzheimer Care in Bryan.
Funeral services are set for 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, September 29, at First Baptist Church in Bryan. Interment will follow in Rest-Ever Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, at Memorial Funeral Chapel in Bryan.
Dr. Stephenson was born October 25, 1931 to Elmore and Emmie (Flynt) Stephenson. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War. He fell in love with Henrietta Blanchette at the ripe age of 18 and married her at 19, with children soon to follow. He fell in love with chiropractic when he was a little boy and his mother had back trouble and became a Chiropractor when he was 23.
Dr. Stephenson along with his son was the owner of Stephenson Chiropractic; he worked at his practice until his health started to fail him in January of this year. He was a member of the Texas Chiropractic Alumni Association and Texas Chiropractic Association. Dr. Stephenson was a member of First Baptist Church in Bryan and the Business Men’s Bible study. He and his wife spent months at a time doing missionary work, traveling all over world including, Brazil, Russia, Romania, Hungary, Estonia and California. Dr. Stephenson was also a member of The Shriner’s and the Brazos Union Lodge.
His hobbies were more numerous than his children, and ever changing but there was usually a good book involved, a horse, or a camping trip and sometimes all the above. Dr. Stephenson was a participating member of the National Cutting Horse Association for ten years. He loved listening to music, hunting, fishing and being outdoors, raising cattle and watching a good western on TV.
He fell in love with Jesus as an infant, when his parents would tell his Bible stories. The last great and most important love stayed with him throughout his life, and he was never ashamed to tell of how God changed his life. If you knew Eddie Stephenson, you knew how much he loved His Lord. Other than Jesus, his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren were the twinkle in his eye. Being honest with his emotions, they never had to guess whether he was proud of them, they knew he was! He loved his family, his profession, and his Savior Jesus Christ.
Dr. Stephenson was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Lazell Cihal and Ellene Rivers; brothers, Dr. J. E. Stephenson and Richard Ted Stephenson.
He is survived by his wife, Henrietta Stephenson of Bryan; sons and daughters-in-law, Dr. Ted and Jackie Sue Stephenson of Bryan, Terry and Jeanie Stephenson of Rockwall, Bill and Debra Stephenson of College Station, Phillip and Susie Stephenson of Bryan; daughter, Charlotte Stephenson of Bryan; brothers, Joe Stephenson of Houston, Louis Stephenson of Ganado, Dr. Stewart Stephenson of Bryan; sisters, Delila Petersen of Boone, N.C., Virginia Mosley of Waller; grandchildren, Jenna Grubbs and husband Kevin, Alicia and Katrina Stephenson, Natalie and Victoria Stephenson, Aynsley, Brent and Chase Stephenson, Heather and Alexandria Stephenson; great-grandchildren, Colby, Kennedy and Carlee Grubbs and numerous nieces and nephews.
Condolences may be left at www.memorialfuneralchapelbryan.com
3 comments September 28th, 2010
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| « Jan | ||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | ||