Autumn Bucket Lists

Autumn is definitely  my favorite season with all the beautiful colors, crisp weather, shorter days leading to more comfy evenings wrapping up with fuzzy blankets and sweater weather, sipping apple cider and pumpkin spice lattes. Making endless meals of soups and casseroles for my family.  I love lists, creating lists and checking off list – It really is a passion of mine. Last year I started creating bucket lists to help celebrate the holidays and this year, I though I would take it a step further and create bucket lists for each of the four seasons along with each of the holidays.  I wanted them to be simple, yet visually appealing. I created a basic template – one that could easily be changed each year to try new projects.  The one on the left was our 2013 Fall Bucket List.  I took that same format to create my template. 

        Our 2013 Fall Bucket List                                            Our 2014 Autumn Bucket List

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Here are some of the items we have included on our Autumn/Fall Bucket Lists: You can click on the picture of the Bucket List to see an enlarged version of the list.

Here is our Halloween Picture Bucket List.

  

List with Trick or Treat option                     List with Book “Too Many Pumpkins”

Some of the items that we have completed are:

Hang Fall Decorations and Wreath

Make Candles out of Candy Corn

Make Owl Cupcakes

Make paper pumpkins

Make Dinner in a Pumpkin

Read Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White

Make Fall Pretzel Treats

Make Fall and Pumpkin Shaped Muffins ( Recipe)

Make Ghoulish Delight Dessert

Make Peeps Hot Chocolate ( Recipe)

Make Candy Corn Fruit or Jello Cups (Recipe)

We love finding fun and simple ways to celebrate the seasons of life and those special days of celebration.  Having Bucket Lists helps to focus on these special memory making moments.

~Enjoying Autumn

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Happy Birthday Golden Girl

 Today is this girls birthday -

Today we celebrated having 15 wonderful years with our golden girl.

Her name was handpicked by God – Audriona Rose

Audri means “noble strength” – and our golden girl has a strength that she has not even seen the capability of.
Ona means “one, sweetness, favor, grace” – She was the favor and grace of the Lord that blessed us with the sweetness of another daughter (don’t get me wrong I love all our 4 boys prior to her- they are a tender gift to this mamas soul, but her sissy Brittaney and I were in need of some girly sweetness and she was an answer to our earnest prayers.)

Rose means, well “rose” – and flower or of the flower blossom (when talking about flowers the rose generally means “I love you” and our golden girl was an “I love you” from God to this family.)

She was born on a beautiful September day – one filled with excitement and anticipation…

and she came into this world gracing us with her sissy’s “twin”  looks and her mama’s wacky toes – one a gift of beauty and one a gift of uniqueness.

Today as we celebrate her day of “birth” – we celebrate who she is.

                                     

Beautiful and Unique

                         fifteen  fabulous and fun facts about Audriona

1. This girl  has a natural beauty that people have gasped at.
2. This girl has a quick wit sense of humor.
3. This girl can solve a pictionary clue in record time.
4. This girl thinks of  details behind the details in planning.
5. This girl is creative and makes her own accessories.
6. This girl has a deep love for family and friends.
7. This girl is confidant and strong.
8. This girl  is highly competitive.
9. This girl is thoughtful and giving.
10. This girl is the best organizer.
11. This girl loves to bake.
12.This girl plays a mean chess game.
13. This girl always has a project in the works.
14.This girl is diligent and hardworking.
15. This girl is a gift of girly goodness.

Happy Birthday my beautiful, golden girl.  You bless this mama every single day with your grace and beauty. You keep me organized and focused. You are my gift of girly goodness.

I love you~

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Happy Birthday Angel Girl

  Today is this girls birthday-

She is officially a teenager at the age of 13teen.

She was born 1 day premature and had to spend the first 24 hours hooked up to a breathing machine in an incubator to make sure her breathing was steady. 

But that day-

this girl rocked our world and those around her with her presence and stole our hearts.

We named her Angelina –

because she was our message from God – a message of completion – a message of  joy, hope and restoration to a season of deep intense healing.  A message that she may not fully understand herself, but her Heavenly Father and her earthly parents did.  As her daddy would call her, she was our “earthly angel.”  

When this girl was in the womb -

It was spoken over her that she would be a “joy bringer – a prayer warrior”

When this girl was a baby-

people continually stopped and look at her –

she would just smile or look at them or extend her hand to them…  and they would share -

how she brightened their day,  how they were struggling and she brought them joy, how they needed that smile or that touch.

they would comment on how she made them feel joy – just her presence – her eyes and her smile brought the “joy of the Lord.”

When this girl was a child -

She always asked if we could pray-  when someone was hurting or in need. If she saw someone hurting or struggling she asked if they needed a hug or would befriend them.

Now that this girl is a teen -

we celebrate why she is not only a gift to us but a gift to this world she came to bless.

    13teen ways Angelia is a gift to the world

1. This girl  is a joy bringer.

2. This girl explodes compassion.

3. This girl is a prayer warrior.

4. This girl is unique and eclectic – and her own person.

5. This girl has a wild and amazing imagination.

6. This girl is the best nurse.

7. This girl loves to sing.

8. This girls heart feels deeply.

9. This girl hugs and loves with passion.

10. This girl is all in or all out (this balanced mama loves her all or nothing kiddos)

11. This girl is a tender friend to those in need.

12. This girl radiates the beauty of the Lord.

13. This girl is a world changer.

Happy Birthday my earthly angel -

You bring joy and love and tenderness to this mama’s heart and bless me more than I could ever bless you~

Thank you for being YOU~

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This Man

  This Man and I are celebrating 29 years of marriage~

We did not start out as “best friends”  like so many couples share about -
           but  after 29 years of marriage he has become the one friend,
                                    that knows me better  than any other.


He knows my quirks and I his-
  He has seen and shared the good,  the ugly and the in-between     
places of my personality –
  and yet he loves me more  today  than he did 29+ years ago,


And the intensity of the way that he looks at me still overwhelms me.


After 29 years -   he’s the one I still want to hold on to,  going through this life’s journey.
     he’s the one that still makes me smile, laugh and stick my tongue out at.

          

After 29 years these posts ring even more true

28 Years of Marriage
  27 Years of Marriage

Happy Anniversary, Babe – You're still the one for me.

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The Power of the Resurrection

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 

They found the stone rolled away from the tomb but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.

In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them,

“Why do you look for the living among the dead?

He is not here; He has risen.

I have been pondering these words all week…

… “Why do you look for the living among the dead?”

How often do we look for the living among the dead…

  Seeking things that do not bring life

     Looking for fulfillment in things that only bring more emptiness…

               as if dead things can bring life…

     when all along the living one… the resurrected one…  is the only one…

  to bring life to those dry places…      those thirsty places…

                          those dying and dead places…  

His resurrection life is the only thing that fills…  He is the only one that fills…

                                         those empty places…

And Yet…

sometimes we live in the in-between place…

    that place between His resurrection and the power of His resurrection…

               that place of knowing  He is alive and the place of living in that truth… 

^{After he had resurrected -}

Jesus said to His disciple, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”  And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

His very breath of life…   covered them… 
        He filled them with His presence… Life giving salvation… eternity set in them

But before He send them out…

He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.

  Imparting and reminding them of all He had taught them…

                 …head knowledge now becoming heart knowledge

…the living word not only living with them           …but now dwelling in them.

And yet…

He gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.  For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit… you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

The Disciples were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.

Perhaps the same two men who stood in the tomb…  Who asked the simple question 

“Why”

                  “why do you look for the living among the dead?”

“Men of Galilee,” they said…

    “Why”

“why do you stand here looking into the sky? "

“This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

the disciples were living in
                               the in-between place…

that place of knowing the living resurrected Lord… yet waiting…

….waiting for His resurrection power…

So often I stand there… waiting… waiting for my Savior

                … waiting for His power

                           …waiting for His strength

…living in-between the resurrection  …. and the power

50 days after the dead sprung to life….

    50 days after death’s sting was won…

            50 days after the Resurrection and the Life bought victory for all mankind…

the promised power was received…

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.  Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.  They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Resurrection life received…           Resurrection power given…

    life that gives us the power to manifest Jesus

        life which gives us the ability to live victoriously

Jesus called them  out of that in-between place…

Jesus calls us out of the in-between place…

that place of complacency…

that place of apathy…
   that place of just getting through the day...

         that place of fear

            that place that brings death

He says…  
"I am your resurrection and your life…
believe and receive ME  and LIVE…

live fully… I came and died and rose to give you life...  to the fullness ...    
                           when you live in Me
you have no need to fear…  my perfect love covers it
        you have no need to just get by...  to believe things will remain dead... 
                            the power of my resurrection covers death...

live in my resurrection life…          Live… in the power of the my resurrection…

Living in His resurrection Power~

repost and edited from: http://chellsenclan.blogspot.com/2012/04/in-between-place.html

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Celebrating Easter

  Celebrating Easter 2014

With Easter right around the corner, I wanted to share some of the ways we have celebrated from the past. Some of these are traditions we have kept from year to year, or have found ways to refresh from one year to the next.  Later this week I will share some newer ways we are trying to bring in  to our family celebration ways to celebrate family time and Jesus in this Easter Season.

   Making Pompom Chicks

Aren’t these adorable~

  Making S’more Kits

A fund way give gifts to classroom buddies or just for a fun snack at home~

  Peeps Casserole

We love this fun dessert

 One of Our Easter Menus

  Resurrection Rolls

We make these every year, they are so good.

   Christian Passover

Celebrating with a Passover Meal brings new meaning and depth while reflecting on one of the Biblical Celebrations from the Old Testament.

 Easter Banners and Subway Art

For every holiday I love to decorate our mantle with banners and subway art. This is a small inexpensive way to bring celebrations to life.

  Resurrection Eggs

Tell the story of Jesus through Resurrection Eggs,  each year we find a new version and share this together.

Enjoying  family and celebration~

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Hope–Jonathan Speaks

The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. ~ Lamentations 3:25-26

This past year we had to get rid of our VHS player and most of our VHS videos.  Not because it did not work any more, but because this boy, loved to watch the same scenes over and over and over again.  It was not that this was so terrible annoying at times that made us decide to remove these items, but that it was causing some behavior issues in our sweet boy.  He did not want to stop watching those same movies and those same scenes over and over and over…

And when we would try to stop him it would put him into a meltdown.  A good ole’ fashion temper tantrum.  So for our sanity and his - we removed the VHS player and videos.  Now these videos sat on top of our entertainment center in these ugly plastic containers that were once part of an old plastic storage unit.   After we got rid of the videos I put those plastic containers out in the garage and each day I would find those empty containers back on the top of the entertainment center.   This went on for weeks and months - we were finally able to get it down to one empty plastic container that sat there…     read the rest of the article over at:      Jonathan speaks~

May you be blessed~

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Happy Golden 25th Birthday - Nick

 

 

Today we celebrate my oldest son’s birthday…

               my giving son is 25. 

                         25 on the 25th… his golden birthday

                  25 golden years of being this boys mama…

I share about how he changed our life forever here:

             Celebrating our Oldest

As I re-read this post, I am reminded of his consistency as a friend, a brother and a son…

          A man that is steadfast and faithful…       Encouraging and giving…             creative and gentle…

My giving son has started his own blog…   here was his entry on his turning 25…

25 Years Young

Since I started a blog I feel as if I should have some sort of an introduction; an “about the author” if you will. Since I’ll be turning 25 years-young on the 25^th of this month, I figure a list of 25 facts about myself might be a good place to start. Some of these you may know already, others maybe not. I may even use some of these “facts” as topics for my blog in the future. (Hmm…) So here we go!

1) I was born on Saturday, February 25^th 1989; child 1 of 8 to David and Kathey.

My dad and I.

2) I have a stuffed panda bear named “Duh.” When he was given to me I couldn’t pronounce the two syllable word “panda”, I could just say the second half of the word, “Da.” That’s how he got his name. Duh currently resides in my sock drawer with his best friend, Patch the stuffed Dalmatian.

Me, My dog, Prairie Dawn, Duh, and “Fake Duh.”(more on him later.)

3) My favorite book as a child was “Goodnight Moon.” To this day it is still one of my favorites; along with “Where the Wild Things Are”, “The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe”, and “The Sneetches.” (Yes, I know those are all kids’ books.)

4) My favorite movie as a child was “Fievel Goes West”, the sequel to “An American Tail.” I also had a Fievel Mousekewitz stuffed toy.

5) The 5 people I look up to the most are Jesus Christ, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., C.S. Lewis, Bono, and my sister Brittaney.

Brittaney and I.

6) As a child my dream job was to be a lawyer. I thought people who wore glasses, and carried around briefcases were cool.

7) Barney the Dinosaur came to my 4th birthday party. Here’s proof!

Barney, Me, Mum, and Brittaney.

8) When I was Middle-School I was really into skateboarding and “rap-core.” (Remember P.O.D., Pax217, and early Linkin Park?)

9) I’ve never had a girlfriend.

10) My favorite genre of fiction is fantasy. My favorite characters are Reepicheep the Mouse (The Chronicles of Narnia), Gandalf the Grey (The Lord of The Rings) and Tyrion Lannister (A Song of Ice and Fire).

11) My favorite TV show as a child was “Darkwing Duck.” It was a spin-off of Disney’s “Duck Tales.” One Halloween my mom made me a Darkwing Duck costume.

Brittaney and I… I mean DARKWING DUCK!

12) My favorite comic-book superhero is V. from “V for Vendetta.”

13) I’ve always loved the Beatles.

14) Paul is my favorite Beatle.

15) I share a birthday with George Harrison.

16) Despite popular opinion, I believe it was actually John who broke up The Beatles.

17) I started collecting vinyl when I was 15; before it was cool. (Kidding, it’s always been cool; hipsters just weren’t around yet.)

18) My favorite album is U2’s “Joshua Tree” and I currently have two copies of it on vinyl. (If you submit me a one paragraph explanation on why I should give it to you, I just might.)

19) I didn’t start drinking coffee till I was 19, and I haven’t stopped since. What can I say, I like coffee. (And coffee mugs!)

20) I was homeschooled since 2^nd grade.

21) My youngest brother, Jonathan is autistic. He has inadvertently taught me so much about tolerance, acceptance, and love.

22) My favorite movie of all time is “Monty Python and The Holy Grail.” (And I will quote it if the opportunity arises.)

23) I’m currently on staff as an intern at Antioch Church on the Rock.

24) I am currently carrying a Nerf gun in the trunk of my car. It is to protect myself from the other interns, who also carry Nerf guns in the trunks of their cars.

25) Finally, I love reading. I firmly believe that if you don’t enjoy reading it is because you haven’t found what you like reading yet.

Me, Myself, and I. #Nofilter

You can check out my giving sons blog at:

@nickchellsen

Happy Golden Birthday Nick~

 

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Jonathan Speaks

So often the Lord has spoken to me through this special guy…
It has been on my heart for some time to start a blog that shares these messages. 
So I introduce -  Jonathan speaks~

The eyes are the window to the soul - This saying stems from a passage in the Bible, Matthew 6:22-23. “Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar.” This blog is an attempt to speak through the eyes of Jonathan, an autistic boy, who does not speak with words, but through a life that is lived fully with eyes wide open in wonder.
Check out the introduction page:

 About Jonathan

and our first entry:
     Fullness of Joy
This really is a labor of love and growth as we continue to learn more about autism and our Heavenly Father.
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My Funny Valentine

The other day, the hubs and I went into town (now that we live out in a rural area, we have to go “into town” to do our shopping – love that!!!), to have my contacts on my old phone put onto my new one. We decided to make it a Valentines Date.  Over the years we have not gone out “on” valentine's day because of the chaos and because having “many” children did not make it an easy task, we have chosen to celebrate as a family.  But, he does sweet little – and sometimes bigger things to let me know he celebrates our love.  He is a romantic at heart.


We had such a wonderful night, we went to Chipolte to eat, went shopping for a new camera for me – my valentines present from him. It was a wonderful night, spontaneous (like he is) – just spending time together was wonderful, (did I say wonderful enough). What stood out the most to me from the evening, was how much we laughed.  As I pondered this, I thought about how 28 + years ago, this man met and fell in love with this girl, a young girl who took herself way too seriously.
     
Through the years he has taught me the importance of finding the humor in life, with his quick wit and his love to laugh.  As I was reflecting on this, I remember an old song called “My Funny Valentine.”


"My Funny Valentine"

My funny valentine
Sweet comic valentine
You make me smile with my heart
Your looks are laughable
Unphotographable
Yet you’re my favorite work of art


Is your figure less than greek
Is your mouth a little weak
When you open it to speak
Are you smart?


But don’t change a hair for me
Not if you care for me
Stay little valentine stay
Each day is valentines day

so in honor of “my funny valentine” – I dedicate this song (with some changes) to you,

My funny valentine –
      You are my sweet comic relief from life’s harder days,
             Your love makes my heart smile.
                   Your looks and quick wit continue to make me laugh,


You’re more handsome today than the day we met,
      The image of your gaze is etched deeply in my heart,
                You are my favorite work of art…


Even though the years have molded our figures into a different shape,
     and you do not always have the words to speak,
            you are still the most handsome, smartest man I know – you are my Daveipedia.


I love you just the way you are,
     your love and grace, for me, bring me joy,
            You’re always by my side -
and each day is Valentines Day with you


I want you to know “my funny valentine” that my love for you has grown longer, wider, deeper and higher with each passing year and your love for me has strengthened me and made we the person I am today –because of you, this girl has developed a sense of humor, learned to lighten up a little more and learned to laugh at life a whole lot more…  I haven’t totally arrived in that area (still take myself too seriously), but I look forward to many more funny valentine days with you.




When I think of the wisdom and scope of his plan, I fall down on my knees and pray to the Father of all the great family of God—some of them already in heaven and some down here on earth— that out of his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you the mighty inner strengthening of his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts, living within you as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love;  and may you be able to feel and understand, as all God’s children should, how long, how wide, how deep, and how high his love really is; and to experience this love for yourselves, though it is so great that you will never see the end of it or fully know or understand it. And so at last you will be filled up with God himself.      Ephesians 3:14-19



Happy Valentine’s Day~

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