Forming Tradition

Christian and I would agree that for the last two years we have done Christmas well with our children. By that I mean, we have begun to make a family tradition on how we walk through the story of Christmas with them. They are still very young, but we have thoroughly enjoyed taking on Advent as a family and not just something Christian and I would do once we had tucked them into bed. A couple things that were tremendously helpful for our family were the Little People Nativity set and The Big Picture Story Bible. The entire month of December we would re-inact the story of Christmas using those little figures, week by week leading up to the birth of Christ. Sometimes we would wonder if they were really getting it, but the repetition did nothing but help. Before we knew it I would find Jonas or Jude under the tree with the Little People re-inacting the story themselves. Click.

However, it’s Easter, an even more important day we celebrate, that we felt we needed to improve on communicating to our children. So again, with the help of some very useful tools, we have begun to form an Easter tradition with our children this year. Our kids Bibles that we read to them on a day to day basis are, The Big Picture Story Bible by David Helm (for Jude) and the Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones (for Jonas). Both are great children’s Bibles we would highly recommend. For this week, we have just been using David Helm’s version since we are walking through the story with both the kids.

We have started with Genesis and the reason why we need a Savior in the first place. (For future I think we would like to start on Palm Sunday and use the entire week to tell the story starting from the beginning.) We really do feel like Easter sneaks up on us and before we know it we haven’t really talked through it with the kids. With the help of Noel Piper and her book Treasuring God in Our Traditions we have made another visual for the boys. You make play dough and form an Easter mountain. This was our first year trying out her idea and it has been a success- minus our “mountain” looking more like a cake. (We will be gradually adding the water next time.)

With two sticks and twine we made a cross, and found a perfect rock for the opening of the cave from the backyard. We hope to improve our mountain as the years continue, but this is this year’s product. Both boys are starting to get it, and I’m not sure who might be enjoying it more, them or us. Starting to think and talk about Jesus’ death and resurrection with our kids days before Good Friday and Easter gets us excited, and hopefully begins to open their eyes to the wonder and majesty of who he is ALL the time.

One more thing that I decided to start this year is taking those old torn up Bibles we have around the house and cutting out passages. Start by cutting them into strips and wrap them around plastic easter eggs with Mod Podge, then coat them with Mod Podge to hold together. It was something I did at Christmas as Christmas ornaments and thought “why not the eggs too!” They’re fun to look at up close and see parts of Scripture tattooed all over them.

Enjoy the beginnings or continuing of tradition making with your family…

Josie

Our little girl was born at 3:29am on January 31, 2012. Her small little body so fragile and warm, her tiny features soft and delicate. As I look at each of my babies for that first time I’m caught up in what mystery they are to me. Here I’ve been carrying them closer then I ever will for 9 months, feeling every movement, hiccup, kick they make, but they are just as much a mystery to me that very first time I hold them close. There is an unknown that can’t be explained.

She is our third child but first girl. A week late from her given due date, and a labor unlike her brothers, she reminds me she is her own person. I can’t help myself but wonder what adventures lie in wait with her. To think she was so unexpected to me, such a surprise… all things come in his time. 

Goodmorning Autumn!

 

A cool, foggy, very Autumn-ish morning. Our little home smelling of pumpkin pancakes, cheesy eggs, and fresh cooked bacon, tea, and coffee brewing. Pumpkin candles are lit. It is a good morning, and our traditional weekend family breakfast has begun. We all look forward to it. A special treat for all… as this has become Daddy’s time to bring us great pleasure with his always warm and delicious breakfast. Always different, and always enjoyed. I find him busy in the kitchen, very comfortable and very well acquainted with everything he needs… that makes me smile. I walk into the family room, turn on some music to get the rest of us going, to which Jonas quickly follows up with, “I want the guitar”. And so I grab my guitar and he “plays” along with some Phil Wickam for the moment.

Jude sits in his chair eagerly waiting for something to eat, and we get him started with the first batch of pumpkin pancakes… to which he eats and plays with, and to eventually be found more on the floor then probably in his mouth. Before you know it, breakfast is ready to be served. We all sit, indulge, and are gratefully thankful for a new Autumn morning given once again to enjoy together.

DIY: Chalkboard

I have a very hard time stopping myself from the “crafting itch” that I get just about multiple times a day. You may be like that too… what a gift it is to create!

So an easy DO IT YOURSELF that I was recently inspired to do, was with an old mirror that I had picked up as a freebee from a next door neighbors garage sale a couple years back. I had oftened wondered, as I passed it sitting there now in my garage collecting dust, what I was going to do with this cute mirror that was worn and tired but had much potential.  Then it came to me how we have NO chalkboard in our home! And we must! So off to the store the boys and I went to get us some chalkboard paint, and the pictures will tell you the rest.

Before. So very cute a mirror but so very worn

Paint purchased and on to the project! It did take about 4-5 coats of chalkbaord paint over the mirror to look complete

In between waiting for the coats of paint to dry on the mirror I painted the frame blue

The next day it was complete and hung in our kitchen, and we’ve been quite pleased with our finished product

And to finish… two darling boys that daily keep me company and who I just ADORE! Happy crafting!

On the homefront…

Well before you know it September is here, and Jonas always kicks off the first day of September with his birthday. He turned three this year. And for us parents, we always can’t believe our child is another year older when it comes around again. Not only does our own age sneak up on us as the years continue but then we have children who grow up just as fast! Well Christian and I agree that turning three has definitely been our most favorite of birthdays for our children so far. He actually knew it was happening and he looked forward to his party. He had 3 requests: 1. A giant bounce house 2. Mama make him a Lightning McQueen Cars Cake 3. Kids must come. All three happened and were a success! And what a JOY three has been for us thus far. Certain BIG battles we had with him for most of his 2 yr old year have become less of an issue though still very much there. We are quite proud to see him think and our words of instruction settle in. I’m glad to say that we’re beginning to see our hard work pay off!

On another exciting note as our family is growing…we are also having Baby Burkhardt #3 join our family come January! As you can imagine, three children 3 and under will be QUITE a lot of work. And believe me it was much to our surprise that this little one would join our family so soon, as we were not quite expecting it either. However, so very grateful the Lord has changed my heart and would consider me worthy to take on yet another little one, much less a little GIRL! From never having a strong desire for a daughter, to wondering why I had been so afraid in the first place? It was His doing in showing me what a privilege it would be to be able to model for her what a godly, honorable, feminine woman would look like… and with that thought in mind, I began to actually pray that God would give us a little girl if that would be the very best for our family. And so He has… and we are all quite excited about the idea and how it will change the dynamic of our home.

With that being said, there are always changes going on about us, and so with Fall just around the corner may you enjoy these very last few days of summer.

Sweet Reunion

 

Tucked away in the Adirondacks of New York… we slowed down, took in the pleasure of the clean, crisp mountain air, a picture perfect landscape, and the thrill of having no unnecessary distractions. It is here we would retreat for a week. Always a sweet reunion to be with them, and yet I catch myself caught between bittersweet emotions from the start, because I know this time together will come to a close. Does it have to end?

There is nothing quite like seeing the joy on your mothers face when she greets her grandchildren for the first time… in a long time.  Too long for her that is…

The pleasure your father receives when his grandsons still remember him, as if they know there is something extra special about family.

The proud Uncles and Auntie you have made your brothers and sister, who can’t get enough love from their nephews, and use much of their time playing and entertaining them; and still find the time to entertain the rest of us as well.

How we laugh together!

I think the hardest part for me is the understanding that I will miss out on some of the big occasions in their life, and they in ours, because there are thousands of miles that separate us. It’s the fact that my boys are growing up faster then I can keep up with, much less my own family, who see’s them now and again. And sweetest and most difficult of all, how much fun we always have together that always makes it hard to say goodbye.

Yet my heart is still and full when I remember that the distance is what HE has for us now. How meaningful it makes us want to be with our time of sweet reunion.

So it here… in the Adirondacks of New York, that we made more memories together… laughed, played, loved, shared, listened, learned, celebrated, and even made new friends together.

These are some of the people I treasure most dear… this is my family.

here comes the sun…

summer is here! and school is out, though it doesn’t quite affect our family like it will a couple years from now. However the shear pleasure of knowing that there is freedom from class schedules and mandatory reports and deadlines, brings a sense of fresh air to our hearts as well. We love what seem to be longer nights because the sun still shines at 8pm. I love seeing and hearing kids home, not just at 3pm but all day.

We love a good evening walk, when the day begins to cool down and the sun still lights our way. Full days at the beach when we come home sun kissed and exhausted. Filling up the kiddy pool on a daily basis to cool off and watch my boys splash around. More meals outdoors. Being eco-friendly and using the clothesline twice a day, because the clothes dry so fast these days! Sleeping with our windows opened. Little bare feet.

 The beginnings of new life right outside our back door… a Linnet bird laid two eggs in one of our candle holders several weeks ago, what a gift as we watched and waited for the babies a couple weeks later.

These are just some of the many pleasures of our summer thus far. What joy there is to be found in every season created… enjoy this summer!

…say, “apple”

 

 

pictured: our friend Dan Leidenfrost (employee of apple) and jonas (lover of apple products)

on fathers day…

Meet Christian… a son, brother, lover of God’s Word, communicator, hard worker, perfectionist, quick picker-up-er of music lyrics, a creative individual and a very special man to us in this family… my boys’ father… my husband. There is much to be said about a good father, one who leads his family, is committed to and loves his one wife, and desires to teach and model for his children what an honorable man is suppose to look like. In one short sentence, this is my husband.

Christian and I have much to be thankful for when it comes to our own father’s. Both of our father’s are hard working men, have joyfully supported their children, and one that I think stands out more now then every before because so rare … they have stayed married to their one wife, our mother’s. Though imperfect marriages, like all, this commitment shouts volumes, and one I am quite thankful they have modeled for us.

Though this holiday, like Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day, holds no real significance on it’s own, it is special to stop, think, and remember our very special men. Happy day to you!

:weekend in the woods:

A winter morning, shifting beams of sunlight peaking through the trees

Dusty, romantic, quiet here as we wander along the path

We chase a few pebbles that we kick along the way

The hush of the forest covers us, a certain reverence for the silence keeps us from speaking to loudly

Sheltered beneath the Pine trees and all their splendor

We pause, I must capture this moment and tuck it away in my memory

We move on… but I’ve caught it