A short, but sweet visit

Yesterday we had a wonderful, but short visit with my dad and Annie. They stopped in Vegas on their way to Seattle with my grandpa's car. My dad picked up all the kids from school while Kayode and I visited with Annie at the condo. Annie made a huge pot of homemade spaghetti and meatballs. The kids (except Sade who doesn't like spaghetti anyway) love her spaghetti. Annie made so much that I think we have leftovers enough for at least 2 or 3 more dinners. Sade and I had Christmas Cantata rehearsal last night at church, so we didn't get as great a visit as the boys did. They stayed and hung out at the condo with Papa and Grandma Annie. We love it when they visit. The kids and I were very sad that the visit was so short this time, though. It was good enough to tide us over until Christmas, hopefully... and definitely better than nothing!

**Side note** I'm really mad that my pic of Sade and Papa turned out all blurry and the one good pic I took of Derek and Papa I accidentally deleted!!! UGH!!

"Beautiful" day Fourteen

Well, it's the end of my two week look into something "beautiful." Dele comes back tonight, it's Halloween, there's no school for Nevada Day, and it's starting to look and feel a little more like fall (at least in the upcoming forecast). This is my new tablecloth and pumpkin candle I bought that makes our house look, smell and feel a little more "beautiful."

"Beautiful" Day Thirteen

I don't know the last time I bought something for myself. A while back a dear friend of mine gave me a Sears gift card to say "Thank you" for helping her. I decided that since I'm going to Connecticut next weekend I should probably have a coat to stay warm since it's probably colder than here in Vegas. As I was walking out of the store, this clearance purse rack caught my eye and so I ended up with a new coat and purse! Aren't they just "beautiful?" I'm so excited to use them, I can hardly stand it!

The Simple Woman's Daybook ~ Day 3

For today, Wednesday, October 29, 2008...

Outside my window... beautiful blue sky.

I am thinking... about getting my house clean and how to get my oldest to actually study

I am thankful for... God's grace.

From the kitchen... Halloween cereal mix, clean cupboards.

I am wearing... jean capri's and a t-shirt.

I am working on... scrubbing down the kitchen.

I am reading... The Love Dare still... 40 days worth. I'm planning on starting Twilight, hopefully today.

I pray... for safe travels for Dele and my mom and her husband on their 50 day road trip.

I am hearing... music from the computer, squeaking toys that Kayode is playing with, cartoons, and the washing machine.

Around the house... piles of things that need to be put away as I clean.

One of my favorite things... my new coat and purse I bought the other day for my trip to Connecticut.

A few plans for the rest of the week... Today: Youth Choir and Pioneer club; Thursday: My dad and his wife will be here to visit until Friday, Praise Team Rehearsal, Christmas rehearsal; Friday: Halloween, Trick-or-Treating with the kids, No school, Pick up Dele at the airport; Sat/Sun: Enjoy Dele's company before he has to go back to work.

A picture thought I am sharing with you...

"Beautiful" Day Twelve

It's fun to surprise my kids... and last night I did just that! While Derek was resting and the other three kids were outside playing, I made these "beautiful" caramel apples drizzled in chocolate for dessert. When they came to the kitchen for dinner and saw the treats, they were so excited! The smiles on their faces said it all! They're all so appreciative of the special little things I do for them! I love to see their beautiful smiles when they are surprised and thankful!

"Beautiful" Day Eleven

These flowers are a gift from Kayode. Each day, on our way back from the taking Ayodele to the bus, Kayode asks me to stop & close my eyes. Every time he hands me 1-3 flowers as if it's his first time. He loves it when I act surprised! I love it that he thinks I'm special enough for flowers every day!

"Don't Dig a Hole"

So this morning the Children's Choir sang at church. Ayodele and Kayode practice with the choir every Wednesday night. Boy, they were much more enthusiastic on Wednesday! They told me it was because they knew they would get pizza after singing on Wednesday and they didn't really "feel like" singing today. Besides being so darn cute, I think honesty is why God loves the little children! :)

Making Halloween Cookies

This morning Kayode and I baked sugar cookies in the shape of ghosts, pumpkins and bats. Kayode loves to help. He stirred and stirred! He ended up with egg and flour all over himself! Ayodele helped for a little while, until he got distracted by something else going on in the house. Once we got the dough done, I rolled it out and Kayode helped cut out the cookies. After dinner, I made frosting and we sat down to decorate. Derek even frosted a few cookies, but wouldn't let me take a picture of him... 15 year olds... what do you do with them??? Anyway... the kids were so cute! We bought special Halloween sprinkles that the kids had fun using on the cookies, too. We only cut out 5 bats, so we each decorated our own... you can see below all of the "fancy" bats! Once we were done frosting, they had to choose which cookie to eat! Decisions like that are never easy! Each of them finally chose a cookie and devoured it... so they must have been good!

Jen's bat cookie

This one belongs to Derek... see the 'D'?

This would be Sade's.

Ayodele likes the frosting and sprinkles!

Kayode uses the splotting technique!

"Beautiful" Day Ten

These cookies are so "beautiful." Kayode and I (with Dele's help) made them today and with the all the kids help, we decorated them. Our hard paid off! They taste and look "beautiful!"

"Beautiful" Day Nine

Last night we went to the Westwind Drive In Movie Theatre in North Las Vegas. We saw High School Musical 3 and Beverly Hills Chihuahua. It wasn't the movies or the drive in that was beautiful, it was before they even began. The "beautiful" moment was when all four kids were getting along and playing football together. I tried to get a picture of it, but it was just too dark and they were too far away. For the most part they get along, but like most families we have our days when it seems like everyone is bickering about something-or-other! It certainly is nice to have a night out when we are all having a good time!

"Beautiful" Day Eight

This is something Ayodele colored at school the other day.

I found it in his backpack. I think it's a beautifully colored pumpkin!

"Beautiful" Day Seven

Just for this morning, I am going to step over the laundry,

and pick you up and take you to the park to play.

Just for this morning, I will leave the dishes in the sink,

and let you teach me how to put that puzzle of yours together.

Just for this afternoon, I will unplug the telephone and keep the computer off,

and sit with you in the backyard and blow bubbles.

Just for this afternoon, I will not yell once, not even a tiny grumble when you scream and whine for the ice cream truck and I will buy you one if he comes by.

Just for this afternoon, I won’t worry about what you are going to be when you grow up, or second guess every decision I have made where you are concerned.

Just for this afternoon, I will let you help me bake cookies,

and I won’t stand over you trying to fix them.

Just for this afternoon, I will take us to McDonald’s and buy us

both a Happy Meal so you can have both toys.

Just for this evening, I will hold you in my arms and tell you a

story about how you were born and how much I love you.

Just for this evening, I will let you splash in the tub and not get angry.

Just for this evening, I will let you stay up late while we sit on the porch and count all the stars.

Just for this evening, I will snuggle beside you for hours, and miss my favorite TV shows.

Just for this evening when I run my finger through your hair as you pray. I will simply be grateful that God has given me the greatest gift ever given. I will think about the mothers and fathers who are searching for their missing children, the mothers and fathers who are visiting their children’s graves instead of their bedrooms, and mothers and fathers who are in hospital rooms watching their children suffer senselessly, and screaming inside that they can’t handle it anymore.

And when I kiss you good night I will hold you

a little tighter, a little longer.

It is then, that I will thank God for you.

c. 1999 Sally Meyer

The Simple Woman's Daybook ~ Day 2 ~

For today, Wednesday, October 22, 2008...

Outside my window... trees blowing in the wind on a backdrop of pure blue sky.

I am thinking... about teaching eleven 4 year olds in Pioneer Club tonight.

I am thankful for... our families health.

From the kitchen... lunches for school.

I am wearing... my comfy, cotton, light green PJs....yes, again... I love them!

I am working on... a Soduko puzzle.

I am reading... The Love Dare still... 40 days worth. I've got a couple other books I've started, but just can't get into them.

I pray... for my 94 year old aunt who fell recently that she'll recover.

I am hearing... faint music, Sade getting ready for school, footsteps, cartoons on TV and the kitty playing with paper she found.

Around the house... Halloween books and decorations that need to be put up.

One of my favorite things... my quilt that Donna made for me for singing & playing at her husband Glen's memorial service. He used to rock Ayodele every Sunday in the nursery... he reminded me so much of my own grandpa.

A few plans for the rest of the week... Today: Meeting at Durango HS, Youth Choir and Pioneer club; No set plans for the rest of the week other than church on Sunday.

A picture thought I am sharing with you...

The beautiful sunrise we see in Las Vegas.

"Beautiful" Day Six

"My heart is steadfast, O God;

I will sing and make music with all my soul."

Psalm 108:1

My piano is so "beautiful" to me! It is now and has always been my quiet place where I can go and make music with all my soul! I thank my grandma for giving me her piano when I was 8 and my parents for taking me to piano lessons for so many years! Because of them, I have a place to go and be! I love playing for the Contemporary Service at church every week... the piano has truly been and continues to be a "beautiful" part of my life!

"Beautiful" Day Five

Okay, so I missed a day... but today's "beautiful" is our kitty, Mayleen. She is so beautiful and mischievous! This morning I placed our mail on the couch so I could read through it and she decided to lay and play among the magazines. This is her after chewing through several of our new magazines. She's still beautiful to me, though!

Yummies....

After cleaning out our pumpkins on Saturday afternoon, Sade took all of the seeds, rinsed them, coated them in oil and salt and baked them for a little over an hour! They turned out to be some of the best pumpkin seeds I've tasted in a long time! We've made them in the past before, but usually we overcook them and they taste yucky! She did an awesome job!

Sunday after dinner I decided the house was finally cool enough to bake the apple cake I've been dying to make since Saturday when we brought the yummy apples home. The cake turned out beautifully. It's almost a cross between a cookie and a cake. It turned out much different than I remember it being before... more crumbly this time... but still hits the spot!

Fun Carving Pumpkins

Once the boys had their pumpkins, they couldn't wait to get home to carve them. I made them wait as long as I could... about 2 hours! (I did get a nap in that short time, though!) While I napped, the boys drew their pumpkin faces onto paper so we would know how to carve them. Sade couldn't wait to get her hands into the pumpkin. She loves the feel of the goop inside. The boys on the other hand, only wanted to use spoons! Sade and I convinced them that getting the inside clean is much easier when you use your hands! They ended up doing a pretty good job!

Once the pumpkins were clean, Ayodele drew his design on the pumpkin and decided to try out the pocket knife daddy gave him to cut the mouth out. The knife wasn't strong enough, so it cut his finger...not bad, just a little blood! Then he let me cut the rest of it! Kayode wanted circles and ears... not so easy with a knife and Sade didn't care!

Too cute and way too much fun!

"Beautiful" Day Four

"It was planted in a good soil by many waters, that it might bring forth branches, and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a goodly vine."

Ezekiel 17:8

Our trip to Gilcrease Orchard

Today Sade, Ayodele & I drove up to North Las Vegas to Gilcrease Orchard. We wandered up and down the rows of pumpkins trying to pick out the very best ones! Sade was the first to find hers... it was actually the first one she saw. Ayodele finally found a good one, carried it around for a while, then changed his mind when he found a similar one that was bigger. Kayode's pumpkin took a little longer. Once the bigger kids found theirs, they were trying to help Kayode, but he wanted to find and pick his very own. We finally stopped trying to help and low-and-behold, Kayode found the perfect pumpkin.

After the pumpkin patch, we walked down through the apple orchard and picked a few apples. They are crunchy, sour, good and scrumptious. On our way out of the orchard, we bought some already picked pears and some homemade apple cider.

Who knew there was a real working farm in Las Vegas of all places!

"Beautiful" Day Three

Aren't they "Beautiful?" My children are so precious to me! I hope they all know how wonderful I think they are. Dele left for Nigeria early this morning and these pictures were packed in his suitcase for his family. I realized, last minute of course, that it might be nice for his family to actually see pictures of their grandchildren, niece & nephews. I took these pictures outside our front door, uploaded them to the Walmart website and picked them up on my way home from rehearsal. Thank goodness for one hour photo! :)

Derek...

Determined, eager, ready, energetic, kind

Sade...
Successful, amusing, delightful, enthusiastic

Ayodele...
Amazing, young, open, delightful, energetic, loving, eager

Kayode...
Kind, adorable, young, outstanding, determined, enthusiastic

"Beautiful" Day Two

Although this isn't a fabulous picture, this is truly "Beautiful!" It is a Royal Doulton floral bouquet. It sits in my china hutch which is very close to my computer, so I enjoy it's beauty often. It is especially important to me because of who gave it to me... my Grandma Staniford. She is the best grandma in the world!!! I miss her very much, especially after being with her the year we were up in Marysville. We talk weekly, but it just isn't enough! She is caring, beautiful, strong, dependable, and loving (just to name a few). The kids love spending time with her, too. Before we moved back to Las Vegas, she took each of the three older kids on a special overnight... just her and each of them one at a time! How special! They still talk about their special sleepover with Great Grandma! This porcelain flower bouquet is just one way I can daily remember all of our wonderful times together until we can have another moment to share. We love you, Grandma!

"Beautiful" Day One

With Dele leaving in a few days and the seasons changing, I thought I would challenge myself to find something "beautiful" each day and include it here on our family blog. Today's "Beautiful" is a tree right outside of our apartment. It's a reminder that even though we live in Las Vegas, fall is upon us. It's hard to see, but the leaves on the tree are two different colors, and with the pure blue sky as a backdrop, I truly thought this was a sight to be seen. I look at it every morning after taking Ayodele to the bus, but didn't see the "beauty" of it until today!

The Simple Woman's Daybook...

Okay...you're probably saying, "You, of all people, are not a simple woman!" My husband would agree! :) But, I do try to appreciate the simple things in life. While skimming through the blog-o-sphere yesterday, I came across a wonderful blog called "The Simple Woman" with a wonderful idea...simply enjoying and reflecting on the simple things in our life that we often take for granted! The concept of this is to start out your week reflecting and focusing yourself on the simple things, but I find I need regenerating mid-week, so I'll be surrounding myself with the "simple things" mid-week and hopefully these ideas will let me see God's blessings each day!

For today, Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Outside my window... a beautiful sunrise, blue sky and green trees.

I am thinking... about my two older kids and their recent outbreak of headaches. I hope we can figure out what is triggering the headaches so we can avoid getting them, if possible.

I am thankful for... my family and friends that love me!

From the kitchen... homemade pancakes!

I am wearing... my comfy, cotton, light green PJs.

I am working on... or at least starting to think about Christmas gift ideas. I have hundreds of pictures that need scrapbooking, so I should be working on them!

I am reading... The Love Dare (from the movie Fireproof) with Dele. We each got a copy so we could read it and work on our marriage before, during and after his trip to Nigeria. A definite "must read" for any couple!

I pray... that my mom and Dick are safe on their road trip and that Dele has a safe trip to Africa.

I am hearing... the hum of the computer, the ticking of our clock, airplanes overhead, and the creaking of beds which means someone is waking up.

Around the house... lots of cups... somehow we always end up with lots of used cups sitting around!

One of my favorite things... chocolate!

A few plans for the rest of the week... today: Replace brakes on my car, Children's Night at church...choir and classes; tomorrow: Praise team rehearsal & my first Christmas rehearsal; Friday: Dele leaves for Nigeria for two weeks to see his family that he hasn't seen in three years; Weekend: no plans yet, other than church, maybe I'll take the kids to the farm to pick apples and pumpkins!

A picture thought I am sharing with you...

This picture was taken by my mom and her husband on their "Around the USA in 50 days" trip. How amazing to me that someone could ingenious the idea of carving a man and his horse out of the side of a mountain. This is only the beginning of "Crazy Horse," but how wonderful it is already!

A beautiful gift...

Sade and the Alleluia Choir sang their "famous" Lifesong at church this morning. About 15-20 members of the choir showed up to sing at 8:30 and again at 11 am. They had the congregation on their feet before they were done! What a blessing these kids are, worshipping God in such a wonderful way! Sade has been blessed with a beautiful gift and I thank the church for allowing her to share it!

Our Wednesday Nights...

Wednesday nights are a busy night at our house! Derek is usually exhausted from football practice and gets home around 4:30, Sade gets home around 3:45 after Seussical rehearsal and school and Ayodele arrives home at the same time as Sade (either Dele or I pick them up). We have to rush to get homework done and leave for church no later than 4:45.


Wednesday nights are Children & Youth Education Nights at church. From 5:30-6:30 the kids have choir. Ayodele and Kayode participate in the children's choir which is now up to 30-35 kids ages 4 to 3rd grade. They sing at both the 8:30 and 11am services usually the 3rd Sunday of each month. Sade sings with the Alleluia Youth Choir which is grades 4-12. They also sing at both services usually the 2nd Sunday of the month. Next week they are singing "Lifesong" from the musical they just performed and Sade's going to sing the solo at the beginning.


From 6:30-6:45 the kids get to eat a pizza dinner. The older kids meet in the Fellowship Hall and eat and the younger kids eat in "Creation Station." They get 2 slices of pizza, apples and water to drink. Usually we feed about 25 kids and 15-20 youth. We go through lots of pizza!!


From 6:45-8:00 the youth meet for what's called "Wednesday Night Teens." Our church has "Youth Group" on Sunday afternoons, but it's basically the same idea. Sade loves it, especially since I won't drive her back to church on Sunday afternoons... it's just too far away with the price of gas! At the same time, the younger kids gather for Pioneer Club. We currently have three groups: The Scooters - ages 4-K (which I co-teach), the Voyagers - grades 1 & 2, and the Pathfinders - grades 3-5.


I'm not exactly sure how I got reeled into helping. Maybe it's because I drive the kids over for choir and I accompany the Alleluia Choir and sometimes the Children's Choir, too. I guess they decided we needed to be more involved this year! So, I said I would help and that I'd teach the little guys! What was I thinking? A room full of 4 & 5 year olds? We actually have 11 of them! They are so smart, and know so much already about Jesus, it's a blessing to work with them! Even though I don't work out of the home, I'm exhausted by 8pm. I don't know how the other teachers do it after "working" all day!


Tonight was the 4th week, which meant they earned their first badge! We've been learning about the bible, so they earned their "Our Special Bible" badge. I think we learned tonight that as long as you keep the activities moving (and have lots of them), they are better able to pay attention. We filled in a chart on the white board (they got to draw), the other teacher and I acted out a bible story, we played a clapping game, we drew pictures, made chariots, recited our memory verse, "Your Word is Truth - John 17:17," made scrolls to remember our memory verse, made chariots out of cookies and pretzels and passed out their badges... all in one hour!!! They were awesome!

I'm exhausted even before I go, but once I'm there I am so blessed by the knowledge and love these little people have for Jesus that it is so worth every minute I spend planning and the hours I spend recuperating!

Making breakfast

This morning as we were getting ready for church, Dele decided he needed to make us breakfast. We continued to get ready and he went to the store, bought some yummy food, came home and had Ayodele help him prepare our breakfast! What a treat! Usually I make some pancakes and call it good, but this morning we were treated with scrambled eggs, bacon and hashbrowns. Thank you for a great breakfast!