While my sweet husband teaches Lucy how to use a bottle, I will be resting on a blanket and watching the waves. Pray for Lucy to learn quickly! The only thing wrong with this picture is that bird!
Biblestudy is almost over:( April 20, 2009
This spring I have been in a biblestudy that has been studying the book of Judges, a very sad period in the life of Israel and yet one that is full of God’s mercy and love for his people. Our teacher, Jennifer, wrote the study and did an incredible job of asking the hard questions, knowing her Old Testament history, and encouraging personal application to our hearts.
In addition to our study, we read Dale Ralph Davis’ commentary Such a Great Salvation. Somehow he is able to help his reader digest the enormous themes and lessons that are in Judges, while still being easy to read and at times funny. You just wouldn’t expect that in the study of Judges.
Our fall study was Joshua so it has been so nice to walk through those books back to back and learn so much. thanks to all who had to prepare so well for these studies. I hate when biblestudy is over 
Love birthdays! April 20, 2009
I have had the best 36th birthday. It has been a little overwhelming. It started with a delicious brunch at my friend’s house. I loved getting to sit and talk for a couple of hours with great ladies around an amazing table of goodies. Then Eric, me and all the girls went to the Bloomin’ Festival in Cullman. It was a great art show. There was such variety and quantity. I always look methodically through all the booths and then go back to what I just couldn’t stop thinking about. Well this time, I also had birthday money! So Daddy and Marian, many thanks for my present- I LOVE IT 
This awesome pillow caught my eye and the fun of it is that it has extra fronts that you add. I also selected the fall theme:
And then I am waiting on the “Z” that I ordered for when it is not a holiday. I just love it.
It was a beautiful day and we had a great time being outside.
The night ended with a super fun date with Eric to see Cirque de Soleil. It was Awesome. We had so much fun. And many thanks to my mom who babysat for all of these things. That was a HUGE present
And lastly, we had a great family party today after church. Emma made me a special birthday hat.
I cannot believe how much fun everything was and I feel extremely blessed to have such sweet family and friends. Can’t ask for more than that for your 36th birthday.
Easter April 15, 2009
This hymn brings me to tears every time. Last verse of “The Power of the Cross” ~Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Oh, to see my name
Written in the wounds,
For through Your suffering I am free.
Death is crushed to death;
Life is mine to live,
Won through Your selfless love.
FINAL CHORUS:
This, the pow’r of the cross:
Son of God—slain for us.
What a love! What a cost!
We stand forgiven at the cross.
I am so very thankful for Christ’s death and resurrection- and the privilege to stand forgiven at the cross. Easter was a great day. We loved our morning worship and were able to enjoy an afternoon of friends from church and our neighborhood. The rain stayed away for the most part, and there was an abundance of food. I wish I had had an extra hand to be able to take pictures of the fun. I hope your Easter was a wonderful one and filled with love and joy.
My kids love sugar April 14, 2009
Easter reminded me how much my kids love sugar.
Cord loved his doughnut at the Easter Egg hunt on Saturday. And that chocolate bunny is on stand by to be his next snack
Emma found a prize egg at the hunt and won peeps.
Lucy, who can’t eat sugar yet, had to settle for her stuffed bunny ears.
Lucy’s bump April 11, 2009
This is what Lucy looked like with her bump on her head from her big fall-
I can thank Donna for having a camera at nursery and taking great care of her while I was at church Thank you! And now Lucy is all healed up and ready for Easter.
Easter Activities- Part 2 April 8, 2009
Cookies, Cookies, Cookies…
On the way home from church last week, we were reviewing our Easter greeting,” Christ is Risen. He is risen Indeed!” Olivia begins with,”I have an idea!” Usually this is an idea that has an awesome motivation, but could be difficult to carry out. This time her idea was to share about God’s love by making cookies for the neighborhood and making a label that says the Easter greeting we have been learning. I know God uses children to motivate us to do things we wouldn’t normally do. So on Monday Emma helped me make them (she LOVES to cook) and we iced them and decorated them as best we could. Yesterday, we took them around the neighborhood. The kids loved running up to the doors and handing the cookies out and wishing everyone “Happy Easter”. It was like Halloween in reverse!
I will say we had some really strange looks from some neighbors and that the cookies didn’t always make it to the door in whole pieces. I ended up shouting from the street that I hoped they tasted better than they looked and” Happy Easter!”
Easter activities- part 1 April 8, 2009
Once again, my friend Becky has encouraged and inspired me to think creatively about child rearing. This time it is about Easter. She posted about a link to a website that was giving away a free download of an Easter activity book. It had lots of ideas, and some I liked better than others. I needed a kick in the pants to help me get my children thinking about Easter and what we are celebrating. We selected several activities that could help our children (and us) prepare our hearts to worship and celebrate Easter.
The first activity we did was a nature walk in which the children found things that represented parts of the Easter story. Emma and Olivia gathered sticks to make a cross, red berries to represent the blood of Christ, water that represented when Christ washed the disciples feet, a rock to represent the rock that was in front of the tomb, and a white flower that represented our hearts washed clean because Christ lives.
Some ideas go better than others (and sometimes my attitude is worse than others) The next activity we decided to do was to eat by candlelight. We wanted them to remember that Christ is the Light of the World. Dinner is never an easy time in the Zellner household. Two babies are usually crying and needing dinner, baths, and bedtime. The older two are usually very patient while we attempt to eat together, but throw in a time of learning or acitivity and the whole thing unravels. The candle was lit, babies were fussing, and Eric was attempting to read a passage from the Bible. Emma is wondering just how close she can get to touching the flame and reminding me that it isn’t that dark in our kitchen- she can still see, Olivia is wanting more apple juice, and mommy is losing her patience. I am trying to tie it to their children’s church lesson about the dark cloud of sin that covers our hearts before Christ and how his work on the cross allows that darkness to be removed and light to reign. I eventually blow out the candle and say- “Girls, can you just stop and learn how Christ is the light of the world?!” Not too pretty. Thankfully mommy’s impatience is a lesson in itself that we ALL need this Savior that has come! Surprisingly, the kids have asked if we could eat by candlelight again and seem to remember why we are doing it- thanks to our good God who works in spite of me.
We have learned the words to Christ Our Lord Has Risen Today, learned the meaning of the word Alleluia, and learned the refrain,” Christ is Risen. He is risen indeed!” This one is one of my favorites because the babies raise their arms above their heads when we say it. I am praying that the kids are able to hide something in their hearts that makes them grateful for our Savior this Easter.
Costco with 2 under 2 April 6, 2009
I love the double seat up front! Today they loved sitting next to each other (that is not always the case!) I wish Target had this!
Lucy- 10 months April 6, 2009
Lucy bug turned 10 months old and she is still a little peanut to us! Over the past couple of months, she has done better with her tummy trouble. The medicine she is on has made that area of her life so much better. She is still not gaining weight very well, so we have a follow up weight check next month. Pray that she learns to take a bottle and that she will add more calories to her diet!
We are so thankful for her and for the surprise that she was. The big girls have learned to be such a help- they get down on the floor with her and sing or play with toys and she is so happy. Cord calls her “lu lu” and does a funny little “lu lu” dance for her. She has 4 teeth now, but isn’t eating anything with them
