My Stiles

Just a few family photos

2011-08-06T02:31:00.000-04:00

Fall 2009

Summer 2010

                                                                         Fall 2010

                    It has been quite a while since my last post. Here is a new one, small though it may be.
                    I see that blogger has improved while i was away, i like all the new blogging "for dummies"
                    options. I started a Link List, check it out :)

Little Vikings

2009-10-16T17:43:00.001-04:00

A little addition to the dress up things.
A Captain Hook mustache will be next, I think.

Fourth of July

2009-07-06T11:16:00.000-04:00

Fishing, a Picnic, a Bike/Hike, a Party and a few Fireworks.

Dave wading to the pier that was broken:(

The boys waiting to get over to the peir.

The fish were biting, but they kept stealing the worms.

Silja

A nice bike ride in the woods.

A pause to pick the raspberries!

Fireworks at the Ditmyers.

Silly Boys.

Sunday Morning

2009-03-26T14:44:00.000-04:00

Arnstein and Silja cuddling while mommy was getting ready for church.

First little dress and tights.

Benjamin's Birthday

2009-03-22T16:23:00.000-04:00

Here's the Birthday Boy:

Being Silly:

Opening Presents with all the cousins:

The Big Hit of the Party - A Log:) Uncle Brett made him blocks made of tree branches, and everyone loved playing with them. We want more of them already!

And..... his rocket cake:

Thank you everyone for making his day special!

Cider Mill

2008-10-31T10:03:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago we enjoyed a trip to Three Cedars Farm with the Andrews and the Bzovis. Our camera batteries were dead, but thankfully the Bzovis shared some pics with us.

ROLLY POLLY FISH HEADS

2008-10-31T09:51:00.000-04:00

On our last camping trip we were priviliged to borrow a fishing boat from a friend from church. While we were mostly just releasing everything, the last morning Dave kept a couple and we took them home. The boys had fun watching as Dave prepared them and they enjoyed eating them. As you can see, they also got quite a kick out of the heads being cut off and were happy to show them off!

The Scone Recipe

2008-09-23T20:32:00.000-04:00

My Version (of course) of the Moosewood Cookbook Scones:

1/4 cup sugar

2 cups pastry flour - or all purpose flour or 1/2 n 1/2 whole wheat & all purpose.

1 Tbs baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup blueberries or dried fruit of choice

2 lg eggs

1/3 cup oil

1/3 cup milk

Optional: mix 2 Tbs sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon, brush scones with egg and then sprinkle cinnamon mix on top before baking

*****************************

Mix dry ingredients, Beat eggs and mix them with other wet ingredients, Stir together dry and wet mixtures till combined, fold in fruit, turn onto floured surface and pat into a circle (approx 8 in diam), cut into wedges and place on stoneware (or cookie sheet)

Bake at 400 for about 15 minutes

Enjoy!

oops!

2008-08-27T09:25:00.001-04:00

O.K. so i have already bought a few (new) things, but nothing major:

*Life vests for fishing - they were on sale for $2.50 - 5.00 and they are not listed on craigslist much cheaper

*Camping toaster - again couldn't get it cheaper used - it was $2.50

*A colapsible hanging fruit basket - another 2.50 item that I have looked all over for and finally saw it a Walmart!

*Plastic tubs for organizing my craft things in the basement. I did not put an exception into my compact for these but I should have cuz I have never seen anyone offer up their storage tubs for sale.

*I didn't anticipate potty training prizes in my compact, either: only a couple here, some matchbox cars and an aligator golf game for the "big prize" - potty training is TOTALLY worth the OOPS!

Now I'll get back to getting rid of stuff instead of accumulating it!

Arstein's "catch"

2008-08-19T13:00:00.000-04:00

When given a bug net to catch some bait for our fishing trip in Wolverine, Michigan Arnstein quickly caught a ROCK. He seems so happy with his efforts:)

Who Even Likes Chocolate Cake Anyway?

2008-08-04T07:44:00.000-04:00

BENJAMIN DOES!

Running on Biodeisel

2008-08-03T07:08:00.001-04:00

The van is officially running on Biodiesel (B95 at the moment). We are mainly powered by waste oil from several Detroit firehouses. Provided they don't ALL go on low-fat diets we should be good for a little while now:)

My Compact Pledge

2008-08-01T17:26:00.001-04:00

So here is my Compact Pledge for the next three months - I am expecting to keep this up longer but let's not bite off more than we can chew, right? Nothing NEW, except:
-Consumables: food, medicine, hygeine
-Underware/socks
-Bedding
-Gifts, if neccessary
-Materials for Repairs or for Homemade Items

My focus will be donating/selling our unneeded things and then using the space this affords to properly keep the things that we really do need to store; fix or toss the broken items we have laying around the basement, making more food from "scratch" and buying handmade/original work for gifts or giving "clutter-free" (per fly lady)gifts.

Camping at Green Lake

2008-07-30T09:46:00.000-04:00

We had a mostly fun time on our camping trip in July (minus the rain, loud neighbors, one boy's refusal to sleep at night, and a subsequent trip to the doctor for infected mosquito bites). Benjamin caught his first fish (and told some fellow campers that he had to throw it back because it was too big:) and the glow sticks were a big hit!

Little Viking Boys

2008-07-28T08:25:00.000-04:00

Felted Viking Helmets - What cute creations Auntie Laura thinks up!

My Christmas Present

2008-01-17T15:56:00.000-05:00

Here are a couple pictures of my cradle board. It was a gift from my parents that they got in New Mexico, during their last trip to visit Mel at Immanuel Mission. I really like it and so do the boys - they wanted to be in the picture, and I obliged. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

Trying out a Video Post

2007-10-15T23:24:00.000-04:00

For a while there Arnstein really like to make "zerberts" anywhere he discovered they could be made, be that the kitchen floor if necessary. This was from quite a while ago, but I just wanted to try out this video option:)Seems to be taking quite a while... Still waiting... Here we go.

Ranch Dressing

2007-09-10T13:16:00.000-04:00

Here is our family's new favorite ranch dressing. I found the recipe on recipezaar.com, my favorite recipe search site.

Ranch Dip and Dressing Mix

4 tsp Onion Powder
2 TBS Parsley Flakes
4 tsp Salt
2 tsp Sugar
4 tsp Pepper
3 tsp Garlic Powder

Blend all ingredients well. Store in an airtight container.
Use 1 TBS mix with: 1 cup sour cream = DIP
1 cup buttermilk & 1 cup mayo = DRESSING
(adjust milk/mayo to change consistency)

This will make 12 batches.

Just a few summer pics

2007-08-13T14:32:00.000-04:00

Spring Cleaning

2007-03-19T13:56:00.000-04:00

I am so looking forward to Spring. But not "spring cleaning". I had to laugh when I read in my Martha Stewart Living (my gift subscription, thank you Rachel Pridemore): " There are few rites of spring more satisfying that the annual clean." How Martha:) But this time at the end of winter and the begining of spring IS a time of cleaning out the old and dusty and preparing for the new and fresh. Spring cleaning of my soul is even more difficult, though, because it is never pleasant to shine the light on parts of myself that I like to pretend are not there, much less stir up the dust bunnies by cleaning out. Like spring cleaning, the pleasant part is after the job is done. But the job MUST be done. Isn't it interesting how death comes BEFORE life. It really is that way, - Winter before Spring, Christ's death before our new life, the seed dies to give life to the plant, and we must continually die to ourselves to live lives of communion with the Lord while we are here on earth. John 12:24 -- Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies it remains alone; but if it dies it bears much fruit. -- Of course, as a mom my thoughts go to the pains of labor that we are willing to go through for the sake of what it will bring about. I think of Romans 8, when Paul speaks of all creation groaning as with labor pains, waiting for redemption and that "not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies... but if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait paitiently for it... And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose," So I am thinking this spring how we as believers are continually being made into His likeness, but that it requires our own death on a daily basis until ultimatley we will see His redemption, which even all creation is groaning " as with labor pains" for. Remember that "it is the REFUSAL to die to self that makes me miserable" -Tom Harmon , not the death itself. The death brings about new life, just like the seed must die to bring forth "much fruit".

2007-03-09T13:26:00.000-05:00

I had fun making a cute centerpiece for my nieces birthday last November. I made the flowers and butterfly from Eric Carle's "The Lamb and the Butterfly". The flowers were made out of tissue paper and the butterfly from foam sheets. I particularly liked making the sunflower and the honeysuckles. I am always thankful for my husband when I do projects like these as he usually spends the time with the boys so that I can devote undivided attention to the task at hand.

Viking Party for Arnstein

2007-01-29T14:41:00.000-05:00

We all had a fun time at Arnstein's first birthday. The cake was fun - the symbol on the mast is his monogram in runes - and he seemed to like his first taste. As you can see, everyone had fun helping him open his presents! Benjamin is already talking about the "Castle Party" that he would like for his birthday. Thanks to everyone who helped out, we really had a nice time:)

Hangin' at the crib.

2007-01-14T20:55:00.000-05:00

Big Brother Benjamin Has a Birthday Coming Too!

2007-01-09T21:06:00.000-05:00

Countdown to Arnstein's First Birthday!

2006-12-19T13:31:00.000-05:00

2006-12-16T14:30:00.000-05:00

Click on the link to see our little elf!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?userid=b6ce972dafe19c6abea677fG06121610

Verse for the day

2006-12-05T15:19:00.000-05:00

Can you guess which one of us this is? ;)

2006-11-20T15:46:00.000-05:00

You Are An INTJ

The Scientist
You have a head for ideas - and you are good at improving systems.Logical and strategic, you prefer for everything in your life to be organized.You tend to be a bit skeptical. You're both critical of yourself and of others.Independent and stubborn, you tend to only befriend those who are a lot like you.
You would make an excellent scientist, engineer, or programmer.

What's" Your Personality Type?

Notice this says I PREFER for things

to be organized, not that I am good at

KEEPING things organized. Yes, Martha

Stewart Magazines are my kind of excitement,

alas, I am still figuring out how to keep my home

neat and tidy longer than a few hours at a time.

... I am seriously begining to think that the key

is to stay out of the house!!

Creating Fresh Air

2006-10-18T13:29:00.000-04:00

This year's theme at Mothers Of Pre-Schoolers is Fresh Air. Our verse for the year is John 10:10 I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. For our craft this month I needed something fast and easy to fit into the time available for our meeting. Sooo, we made fresh air. For our homes, that is. We put together some home made "febreeze" using essential oils, water and a little baking soda to help deodorize. We also took home some cinnamon and cloves to simmer on the stove. Here are some of the ideas for simmering spices I jotted down: Add apple to the cinnamon and cloves for an apple pie scent. (a good use for that apple that got lost in the back of the fridge) Substitute an orange peel for the apple and add a little vanilla. Really, many combinations of spices can be used and they don't have to be whole, ground spices work well too. I think that this method works faster than candles, which I also like. All you have to remember is to add more water when needed. Now the only problem is that Dave thinks I have been baking when he comes home after work, and finding out that it is just smelly water on the stove is a little dissapointing.

Camping in the rain.

2006-10-10T13:48:00.000-04:00

Here are a few pics from our camping trip to Port Austin on the weekend of October 1st. Benjamin looks like he was having fun, don't you think? It was wet. It was cold. It was fun! Thanks to Heather Bomgaars for sending me the digital photos:)

What am I doing with my life?

2006-10-09T20:55:00.000-04:00

Three Things I have been Thinking On
1. I have been meditating on John 15:1-17 recently. This was prompted by reading a little booklet by Warren Weirsby called Five Secrets of Living, on the verses above. "Life is your most precious possession. Don't take it for granted. Right now, you are either wasting your life, spending your life or investing your life." The "secrets" mentioned are not misterious, but the reality of the progresssion that flows from knowing God to ultimately living a fruitful and abundant life .
2. I am increasingly aware of being my own worst enemy when it comes to happiness and peace. Tom Harmon..."it is the refusal to die to self that makes me miserable". I am more often than not runing around in "Overthink". How is this refusal to die to self? God is not a God of confusion, I overthink because ultimately I struggle for control. This can really make me miserable and I am learning to give this to God because I usually have a difficult time shifting gears on my own efforts. Back to the Vine: I am a branch, a branch does not produce fruit by struggling, but by ABIDING IN THE VINE.
3. Luke 10:41&42a "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. I have heard this story so many times, yet it was so new when I read this a few days ago. I let myself get worked up over so many LITTLE things because I am not focused on what is really important. I am often thinking about too many things, and trying to get done too many tasks at once. It is difficult for me to remain calm when I am on my own agenda and it goes awry, but any situation is so much better when I just abide. When we abide we WILL produce fruit. It seems too easy but really thats because I have been too focused on results and not on fruit. Bearing fruit is really so much simpler, easier, more peaceful, happier... maybe being called a fruitcake is a compliment!

Feel FREE to Help

2006-08-30T13:29:00.000-04:00

You can help feed the hungry all over the world at no cost to you! Well, if you think time is money then it will only cost a few seconds. Go to www.thehungersite.com and click the "Help Feed the Hungry" button. Each click results in about 1 cup of staple food donated to America's Second Harvest and Mercy Corps. This is done via the advertisers on the site. So feel free to click away. It'll only cost a few seconds of surf time. Luke 3:11.

Crop Circles?

2006-07-29T13:44:00.000-04:00

Dave and I recently took a trip to Arizona to visit Immanuel Mission. From the plane we saw huge circles of crops - not circles in crops. We asked my uncle, who we were visiting, about them. It turns out it is agreat way to grow crops, especially if you need to conserve water. Just have a central sprinkler and only grow plants where the water reaches and there you have it - a crop circle. I am such a square, I have always gardened in rows!

testing one two three

2006-07-29T12:36:00.000-04:00

As Benjamin likes to say, Ready, Set, Dough!