Soul Carving

When we first moved into this home, I knew I wanted to update the toy kitchen for our kids. Our family was growing and I was excited to have more space available. So for Christmas that year, I was delighted to score a sturdy wooden set, including a stovetop and oven along with a fridge. I liked that they were painted a bold red and green respectively -- nothing considered too girly for boys to play with. I also loved that they don’t sport any brand name logos or characters. They look “real”. A few Christmases later, we added new dishes (from the local secondhand store, of course), and we spruced up an old wooden table with spray paint to go along with the oven and fridge.  Just recently, I realized our silverware collection had dwindled, so I surprised the kids with a new, realistic looking set. But I lamented that the kids had no drawers to store them in. It seemed odd to put them in the cupboard next to the oven, and keeping them in the refrigerator was out of the question! ...

     My kids, like most, love to play dress up (though my teen might prefer the term, "cosplay"), and they do it on a regular basis. So they're usually planning Halloween costumes well in advance of October. And by that I mean that while they are enjoying their candy on Nov. 1st, they start discussing what they want to be for next year!      Last September, when our 9-year-old son said he wanted to go as a referee, we decided to order an inexpensive costume through Amazon. Halloween was drawing nearer. Princess costumes arrived for two of our girls, but somehow, the referee package went missing. Only a week left before Halloween. Time to get thrifty.      I'm no seamstress. Lucky for us, our neighbors who were moving out had just gifted us a collection of long-sleeved shirts in assorted colors. There was a white one in his size. I purchased a couple rolls of black Duck Tape and got to work.       I didn...

       I was invited to a Cookie Swap with friends from my neighborhood. It came in the midst of several other party plans, so on the morning of the event, I realized I still had not prepared the requisite 2 dozen treats and recipe to share. I didn't feel like baking and doubted I'd have the time to anyway. And with a house full of children, I didn't want to rush to the store for ingredients. I purused the pantry looking for inspiration. The night before, we had hosted our annual Campbell Christmas Concert and still had lots of snacks left over. I saw two bags of pretzels and wondered if I still had any candy melts stashed away with the cake decorating supplies. Sure enough, I found an unopened bag -- green. I thought I could work some magic with these and the half-eaten package of candy canes. An hour later, I had a festive tray of treats to share, and several children munching happily on a pile of rejects. Sweet success.       ...

       Days pass too quickly with a newborn in the house. Baby is already 2 months old, and Richard's first father's day as Daddy to 8 munchkins has come and gone.         I knew I'd need to keep things simple for our traditional father's day photo shoot. I didn't even end up adding any clever catchphrase to the finished print this time. Featuring so many little faces didn't leave much room for a punny slogan.         I thought I was being efficient when I decided we'd take the pictures outside at a park during our regular outing to the library. We wouldn't be making an extra trip because we already had books due, plus, we'd be able to do it without Richard seeing -- something harder to do now that he works more often from home.         But that morning with laundry to fold, a kitchen to clean up, and text messages about potential scheduling conflicts flying back and forth, I was begi...

       I fall more in love with my husband each time I witness his loving interactions with our children. Seeing his obvious interest in and affection for them deepens my trust in his love and devotion towards me. It's truly a miraculous and beautiful thing to behold. While it may appear tragically rare in today's world, fatherly love is an inspiring source of strength, comfort and wisdom. My husband's selfless motives, his energetic patience with, and tender consideration for his children, really blow me away. I can't get over it. And I thank my Heavenly Father for it, as it serves as a heartening example of what Divine fatherly love looks like.        Every year for Father's day, the kids and I find a creative way to express our appreciation for this fabulous guy, through our traditional father's day photo-shoot. Remember my first attempt? Then there was the Superhero collage and the Sports-Star themed session . As I pondered what theme to us...