The Graduate

The reception came before the actual graduation. We had had JP's the day before and it made graduation day so much easier and more relaxed so we tried it again and it worked out beautifully. We had a nice flow of traffic through the front door and into the living room where we had her video, photo albums, and awards and then into the kitchen/dining area where we had the food and drinks. We set up three tables in the kitchen and two on the deck. It was so beautiful many people made their way outside and hung out on the deck and around the fire pit.

The food was simple yet tasty: Potato salad, Doritoes (regular and cool ranch), fruit salad, mixed nuts, barbecued meatballs, and a variety of desserts. They were easy to keep stocked and were slightly different then food found at other graduations. For those who had many receptions to attend the different options were a nice change. Since it was warm, we kept the drinks simple: cranberry pomegranite punch and water. We noticed a number of people preferred water and have seen a tendency towards simpler drinks at other gatherings as well.  We had the tables with Kezia's awards and scrapbooks set up in the living room with a video of her senior pictures playing in the background. It was fun to see people look through her scrapbooks and to remenisce about years gone by. They pass far too quickly and without the photo memories some of the good times and funny happenings would be forgotten.

Thanks to the lack of wind we were able to decorate the tables outside as well and people were able to soak in the sun along with good conversation and time with friends.

                                                  

The graduation ceremony contained more than just the handing out of diplomas. The band played of which Jericho is a part. Mr. Langholdt does a fantastic job with our high schoolers and it is always a pleasure to hear the band play.

The graduates came entered, the band played, and then the media department played a video of the seniors. There were two pictures of each one focusing on some memorable moments from their senior year. It appears kezia is posing for the camera as she tries to study and one of her in the lead role as Annie in Annie Get Your Gun! She had a lot of great memories from her time in high school and even made the salutorians speech with her middle school antics.

Tirzah accompanied the choir of which Kezia is a part. I am sorry the photos aren't better the lighting was really funky since it was so bright and sunny outside and it came through the windows and skylights.

Kezia with her diploma. We are so proud of her and her many accomplishments in high school. It will be fun to see what her future holds as she continues her education.

Kezia with Oma and Opa (Jeff's Parents)

Kezia with Mom and Dad

Kezia and the family. This was taken just days before JP left for training. We were so glad graduation was "early" this year so he could be a part of the festivities. If it had been the following week, like it usually is, he would have been gone already. So we were thankful for the early event even though it fell on Mother's Day.

Kezia and Grandma and Grandpa (Lori's Parents)

Another has successfully navigated high school and we have hosted a lovely graduation weekend. I will recuperate from this and am taking copious notes as I will have to do it all again next year for Tirzah.

Celebrating accomplishments as we live, love, and laugh,

Lori

The Help

The storm last night brought down trees. So today help arrived to pick up the fallen trees and clean up the yard. Jeff's folks arrived with a chainsaw in hand and set to work. Richard sawed logs like it was his job and had one tree after another in manageable pieces to be loaded on the flatbed trailer brought over by Dave Kooiker. Mike Kurrle and his two little boys came over to lend a hand throwing branches on the flatbed. The little boys worked with my younger kids picking up a myriad of sticks around the parsonage and church yard. They had a good time for a while. Figuring out how to pull the wheelbarrow was a trick and fun to watch! But with all the help, all three trees were cleaned up in no time. Thank you to everyone who lent a helping hand.

Richard sawin logs.

Everyone's watching Dave maneauver his truck around the yard.

Kezia showing off her very impressive muscles gave Mike a helping hand with that log.

Justus throwing another log on the flatbed.

It looks like Dave and Richard are having a chainsaw competition! Terry didn't want to be in the picture as he was only here for the firewood and wasn't "helping." It looks to me like he was being helpful so he's in!

It looks like three guys are telling Dave what to do, but really they are all getting ready to take another load of trees to the city tree dropping off place...which was very busy today.

Isaac thought it would be helpful to hold the wheelbarrow still while it was being filled! :)

After dumping another load, Selah and Noah push the wheelbarrow back.

 

Kezia, when not lifting the big heavy logs, picked up the little tiny sticks.

Jadon picking up sticks and filling the wheelbarrow...again.

The kids had as much fun on the ladder as doing anything else. Seriously, Gracia does not need this much help.

So thankful for helping friends as we live, love, and laugh,
Lori



My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Before and After a Storm

A Storm rolled through our little corner of Iowa tonight. We'd had a couple of hours at the pool and then gone to a graduation reception when the sky started to darken and drops of rain started to fall. The kids didn't want to go since there were friends and bouncy houses, but we insisted and got home before the rain came to heavy. I ran Justus to a friends house and on the way home noticed a change in the temperature and shift in the wind. The sky turned a sickly green color and the winds raced across the prairie bending trees low. The clouds opened up and the rain came in sheets. Falling so thick one couldn't see three feet away.  I got in the house and ordered the kids downstairs. As I followed behind, I heard what sounded like a train coming and practically pushed my daughter down the stairs. She did not understand my urgency and gave me a teenage girl "look." Once safely downstairs we watched the from the basement windows as the sugar plum fairy lilac trees danced low to the ground; bending and straightening and bending again. Peony petals flew across the yard. The storm raged for only a few minutes and then the rain slackened, the wind abated, and the sky cleared temporarily.

The train like sound I heard as I rushed the kids downstairs was the toppling of the tall grain bin
and one of the two smaller ones. I am so thankful they only fell and did not get carried
on the wind like giant metal projectiles~they could have done some serious damage.



Jeff and Selah planting cucumber seeds in the garden a couple of weeks ago.
The grain bins standing tall in the background.



Prom 2012. The tree on the right is now completely gone. Torn of the stump and carried left across the road without doing any damage to the other two trees which would appear to have been in its path.

You can just make out the 2 inch stump left to mark where the other tree used to be.

The closest tree on the left will have to go now. Earlier today it was a healthy thriving tree. Now it looks like this...

Branches are torn and the entire tree will have to come down.

Lastly, one of four apple trees was torn up. Roots are coming up as well.
I have not witnessed such power up close and personal.
 I have only seen photos from those who've walked through much worse~
homes lost, lives taken, and livelihoods destroyed.

I am thankful for God's protection and for His mighty display of power. Even the winds obey His commands.

He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?” Luke 8:25

 

Seeing God in the storm as I live, love, and laugh,

Lori

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

More Common Sense 4x6 Photo Card Ideas!



`1) Frames: drop shadow frame: black
2) Effects: Dark Edges
3) Focal Zoom
4) Text: Special Elite

 I have had a great time coming up with new photo card ideas with PicMonkey. After coming up with Thank You cards for Kezia I wondered what other types of cards could be made. I stayed with Thank yous for a while but then branched out into see you soon and end of the season cards. Check out these ideas. The beauty of making your own cards is how inexpensive you can get them. If you need a large number you can use the free prints coupons and if you are just getting a couple you can put them on your flash drive and print them out at your favorite retailer for a few cents at a time. This is a great way to personalize your message delivering a word of thanks along with a photo memory!


1 major tip: Do NOT change the original size of the photo and it will print as a 4x6. IF you change the size of the photo by cropping edges or using an effect/frame that changes the picture you can still print it as a 4x6, but you will have a white edge around it and you will have to edit the photo when ordering to make sure you do not cut off any important parts. You can do this by viewing the print and selecting preview, then adjust cropping, and then custom crop (these are the shutterfly steps...other photo places have similar steps)

1) Effects: Urbane
2) Frames: Drop Shadow dark brown
3) Textures: Papyrus #5 turned
4) Overlays: Paper Scraps #4 and enlarged so it will fit across the bottom of the photo.
5) Text: Bilbo Swash Caps

1) Effects: Okay, I can't remember what I did to get this effect. I used a series of them to change the photo to black and white and get the grainy look along with the dark edges, but I cannot duplicate it...I should have taken notes!
2) Frames: Drop Shadow gray
3) Overlays: Labels #12 turned and Pushpin #3 turned a darker yellow.
4) Text: Didact Gothic for the words and Sue Ellen Francisco for the signature.
This is one of my favorites.

1) Frame: Drop Shadow changing the frame to brown

2) Effects: Cross Process, Dark Edges, Sepia

3) Textures: Papyrus #6 Lighten

4) Overlays: Paper Scraps #4 darkened and then #2 given an orangy tint to match the photo, and a butterfly sticker added to tie the pinata in the picture and the text together.

5) Text: Chelsea Market changed the color to match photo.

I thought this would be a fun keepsake for the team and coach from the season.

1) Effects: Cross Process; Urbane
2) Frames: Drop Shadow dark brown
3) Textures: Weave #6 I thought this looked like the texture from a basketball! :)
4) Overlay: PaperScrap #4
5) Text: Impact

1)  Effects: Boost and then Orton
2) Frames: Drop Shadow blue
3) Overlays: Paper Scraps #2 color changed to blue
4) Text: Schoolbell 

Making memories photographically as I live, love, and laugh,

Lori

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

When Opportunity Knocks!

I am linking up with The Gypsy Mama and Five Minute Friday. This weeks word is Opportunity. I'm ready to write for five minutes flat and see what pours out! If you want the opportunity to join in the fun, link up with The Gypsy Mama and then check out what others are writing about.

On My Mark...

Get Set...

Write...

It's room moving day! The boys are moving downstairs and the girls are moving back up. The "little" boys, who insist I must stop calling them that, are excited to have their own rooms and Selah can hardly wait to share a room with  Gracia...only because she's never shared a room with a little sister is she excited about that! :) Not to mention, Gracia needs to move out of our bedroom! So it's a bonus all the way around.

The last couple of days have been rainy and the kids needed something to do...or so I told both myself and them. So the time was ripe~the opportunity was upon us~ The Great Bedroom Swap began. We did this about a year and half ago and the kids had enjoyed the switch, but the boys always complained of being too hot and the girls...well they kinda liked having less parental supervision in the basement, but numbers wise this works out for the best.

Nevermind that we painted a couple of the downstairs bedrooms pink this past fall and will have to unpink them, but with the cheap paint options at our local Ace and Menards in the city we'll be able to have more manly rooms in no time.

What a treat to rearrange not only living areas (which I like to do on a biyearly time table) but bedrooms as well. It just seems like you get a deeper kind of clean that way...plus a new space if you are one of the bedroom movers.

I am so thankful for all the space. The number of rooms in the parsonage is incredible and the ability for most of my children to have their own room is a miracle...a good old fashioned miracle. The tale of how God brought us here is a miracle in and of itself, but this house was a special bonus. I am so thankful for room to breathe with nine children and room for guests! :)

Done.

Rejoicing in His Goodness as I live, love, and laugh,

Lori
My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Think Quotes It's Friday: JUMP

I love quotes. When looking for a quote, I disappear for hours on Quote Garden, Think Exist, Quotation Page, or Quote Land in search of the pithiest saying on the web.

Out of my passion comes~ Think Quotes; It's Friday.

A day where I share one of my favorite quotes on a photo background.

If you would like to join me:
1) Place a photo and quote on your blog.
2) Link back here and invite others to join.
3) Please click on the person who signed on before you and encourage them on their blog.
4) Add your blog to the linky tool below!
I can't wait to see your favorite quotes!

Jump at the opportunities as you live, love, and laugh,
Lori



My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Common Sense Guide to Graduation: Invitations/Announcements

If you have money running out your ears, but are short on time than skip this article and just have your photographer come up with three options and order them from him/her...it will save you a lot of time...and cost you an arm and a leg.

For everyone else, I have included some 5 common sense tips for making your own professional looking graduation invitations/announcements.

1) Be sure that whoever takes your child's senior portraits will sell you a CD and the rights to your child's photos. You can avoid this by taking them yourself or enlisting a family friend who has some photographing abilities~digital cameras make this possible. Many photographers today will give you a CD for a fee so be sure to ask. You might have to ask up front as this could change the amount of editing they do on the photos if they know you are going to order them yourself instead of from them. I realize much of this depends on your child and what he/she wants for senior pictures.

Our first born didn't want any so we just snapped a few of him while having our family pictures taken that year. It worked our great for all of us. Our second one wanted reasonably priced professional photos and we found a local photographer who works out of her home and does beautiful work and was willing to sell us the CD and the rights to the photos. Child number three is a senior model for a studio and will get credit towards her portrait purchase based on the number of referrals she sends their way. So far I have had three children go through this process and each time has been different. I know of other families who go to the same photographer for each one. As a side note, my children paid for their own pictures so that affected where they went and what they spent!

2) Armed with your child's beautiful senior portraits, decide who you are inviting and what type of invitation/graduation announcement you would like. There are many options out there on many different photo sites: shutterfly, snapfish, winkflash, mixbook, picaboo, and a host of others. Shutterfly is my current favorite because they allow me to stack coupons,  give free storage of my photos, have great offers/coupons/deals, excellent quality, and wonderful customer service. Do your homework, find out which one works for you. Also remember to watch for Groupons which can give you fantastic deals on photobooks, cards and such.

3) Shutterfly

a) Invitations

b) Announcements

c) Wallets

d) Prints

4) PicMonkey--Edit your photos to look/say/feel the way you want them to.

I enjoy messing around with my photos on PicMonkey. There are a number of photo editing tools out there: find the one that works for you and play with your pictures turning them in to a work of art...for free no less and then use them to commemorate special occasions.

5) Vistaprint--offers great deals on business cards. Making a business card invitation can be a very inexpensive way to invite alot of people for a minimum cost. We were able to get 250 cards for $10. Kezia handed these out to friends at school, people she worked with at the fitness center and other sundry places you might not want to send a formal invitation. I also cut the picture part off about 50 and used them as picture confetti on the tables.

There are a lot of great ways to make invitations for the graduation ceremony and reception. Be creative. Think outside the box.

Having fun with creative savings as I live, love, and laugh,
Lori

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com