Ed and Carley Family

Our kitchen remodel has begun!

2012-02-03T05:51:00.001-08:00

Pics from the Cabin...

2012-01-10T04:54:00.001-08:00

Stand Firm

2012-01-03T17:24:00.001-08:00

Hopefully I'll someday soon get to post a few pictures from our recent trip to my parents' cabin in the U.P., but for now let me at least document the moment I knew that all the craziness (i.e. the Packing, the 9 hour drive) leading up to the trip had been worthwhile...

Riding in to the cabin, we have to take snowmobiles because the road is usually impassable by car due to all the snow, so my cousins had built a sled seat to cart a bunch of us in at one time and just for fun... Well, my maiden voyage in the sled was ever so slightly terrifying for nervous me. I will say that it was snowy, I was facing backward, slipping around on a seat and trying to hold onto Jake and Trey. Also on the sled were my mom. Claudia, and Sam. Pretty precious cargo. We seemed to be flying over the bumpy ground and I began to freak out (loudly enough to be heard by all the children and my mom on the sled over the roar of the snowmobile pulling us). So Jake yells to me, "Mom, stand firm!" It was from a Bible verse we had learned this fall. I was momentarily calmed, we did slow down, and we made it in just fine. Afterwards, Jake said to me, "See Mom? The Lord did save you."

Bible memorization put to good use!

Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see how the Lord will save you today." (Exodus 14:13)

If Sam Joined Guns N Roses

2011-12-22T21:36:00.001-08:00

...and was really happy about it...

A (Chicken) Tender Nutcracker

2011-12-22T21:24:00.001-08:00

Claudia came up with this idea after polishing off her Burger King chicken tenders one day... Unfold the container and color it in as shown. Voila! A (Chicken) Tender Nutcracker!

Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow

2011-10-25T19:12:00.000-07:00

This past gorgeous, sunny-yet-cool Sunday, Ed and I comfortably sat 24 of our Kastelin family members, including 2 of our beautiful children (Naughty was napping), my parents (just back from a vacation to ITALY), my bro and sis-in-law (Naughty #2 was also napping), my sis and bro-in-law (just celebrated their first anniversary), three aunts and uncles (one couple of which will become grandparents for the first time early next year, another of which will celebrate Christmas in Hawaii with their 2 sons, and the other spending their winter traveling the world to visit kids and grandchildren, wheelchair no problem), 6 cousins (all healthy and loved and enjoying various stages of life), and my 90-year old grandparents who will fly to their Florida home for the winter this Friday, all into the dining room of our new home for an early Thanksgiving celebration.

Gabbies Granola Goodness

2011-10-13T09:23:00.001-07:00

OK, so it's really Carrie's recipe, but I couldn't resist the triple alliteration in the title. Plus, Gabbie did make it at our house for us first, so Gabbie's it is. My kids gobbled this down like...well, certainly like nothing else containing walnuts, sunflower seeds, and milled flax seeds. They loved it and I didn't even have to add chocolate chips.

2/3 cup honey
1/2 cup oil
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
4 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup nuts
Whatever else - I did 1/2 cup sunflower seeds and 1/4 ish cup milled flax seeds

Melt first 4 ingredients together in saucepan. In separate bowl, mix rest. Add wet mixture to dry and mix. Bake at 300 degrees for 25-30 min. The longer, the crunchier!

Hwelcome to the Hwangs!

2011-10-11T04:20:00.001-07:00

Our new home! Our new address!

1188 Harbor Point Drive,
Norton Shores, MI 49441!!!

Our Forever Home? Well, no, we're still looking forward to that. But we love this Temporary Home!

My Forever Home

2011-06-25T03:00:00.000-07:00

I have been dreaming of my "Forever Home" for years now. Don't get me wrong, I love our present house because Ed and I designed and built it together and our babies were born here. I love our neighbors and looking out over a pond. But it doesn't feel permanent to me for whatever reason.

Ed and I have very different views of houses and what we like which is why we ended up building this one 8 years ago after 2 years of arguing over existing houses in the Holland area. Never did I think we would end up in Muskegon, but the Lord brought us here and it is where we belong. Muskegon gets a bad rap, if you ask me, and so we are committed to it because I love an underdog. And don't tell Ed, but I plan to add so many children to our family that we will boost Muskegon's appeal by populating it with adorable, well-behaved, intelligent, God-loving, contributing members of society. All brainwashed to grow up and reside in the same town they were raised in, very close to their mother.

So for the past few years, I've been keeping my eyes open and bombarding Ed with arguments as to why this is a great time to move despite the fact that our current home's value has plummeted. (We'll make it up on the other side! Duh!) But no down payment is no down payment and so we've been in our house for longer than we intended. Finally, last week, I convinced Ed to just look at a couple houses with me.

I found a 4,000 sq. ft. monstrosity and knew it had to be mine. We saw it and began conniving as to how we could afford it. It was a foreclosure, so it WAS a good deal. Something inside me was telling me it wasn't right (the Holy Spirit maybe? ya think?) But I silenced that little voice and forged ahead with working out the details as to how we could make it happen...

It sold the next morning as we were considering what kind of an offer to make.

I was crushed until I sat down later that day to read my daily devotion. This is the passage I was up to:

Woe to you who add house to house

and join field to field

till no space is left

and you live alone in the land.

The Lord Almighty has declared in my hearing:

"Surely the great houses will become desolate,

the fine mansions left without occupants..."
Isaiah 5:8-10

And then my BSF lesson led me here:

...the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants...Leviticus 25:23b.

It reminds me of that Carrie Underwood song, Temporary Home, I think it's called. I've been searching for my Forever Home, trying to wheel and deal and argue and plead for some giant house for our family to "rattle around in" as Saskia puts it. But the fact is, I KNOW where our Forever Home is. It is in Heaven with the Lord God Almighty. We are merely passing through here on our journey home. I am doing a disservice to my children by teaching them to become attached to any earthly thing. Of course I want a place for us to call home here on Earth that feels right for many, many years, but the Lord tells us that all this will...burn in the end.

And so my perspective and my terminology have been changed. I'm still looking for our next home, but it really will still only be a Temporary Home. Who knows what plans the Lord has for us and where He will lead us? I never expected Muskegon, but His plans are always better than mine. Take a look at THIS real estate listing:

"Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth.

The former things will not be remembered,

nor will they come to mind.

But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create,

for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight

and its people a joy.

I will rejoice over Jerusalem

and take delight in my people;

the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more.

Never again will there be in it

an infant who lives but a few days,

or an old man who does not live out his years;

he who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere youth;

he who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed.

They will build houses and dwell in them;

they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

No longer will they build houses and others live in them,

or plant and others eat.

For as the days of a tree,

so will be the days of my people;

my chosen ones will long enjoy the works of their hands.

They will not toil in vain or bear children doomed to misfortune;

for they will be a people blessed by the Lord,

they and their descendants with them.

Before they call I will answer;

while they are still speaking I will hear.

The wolf and the lamb will feed together,

and the lion will eat straw like the ox,

but dust will be the serpent's food.

They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,"

says the Lord.

Isaiah 65:17-25

Now THAT is what I call a Forever Home.

How I Welcomed Ed Home From His Most Recent Absence

2011-06-23T20:14:00.000-07:00

Don't worry - it's not what you think. Ed's love language is candy.

The Case of the Missing Hotdogs

2011-06-22T19:50:00.000-07:00

I watched my nephew, Trey, last weekend. While putting together another gourmet meal (corndog muffins), I went to add the hotdogs (yes, I use a recipe that calls for hotdogs) and noticed 2 of the hotdogs were missing from the countertop. I peeked into the playroom to find this:

That is Sam and Trey, dressed in their diapers alone, very happily eating cold hotdogs. I'm not sure I should be admitting to this style of parenting (or babysitting, for that matter), but I'm fairly confident that less than 5 people will actually read this.

Oh, and for the record, my corndog muffins were delicious. They taste exactly like Pronto Pups. Sask, tell Molly I not only use recipes that call for KETCHUP, but also those that call for HOTDOGS. The recipe for the cornbread is below, just make the batter, pour into muffin pan, and add 1/3 HOTDOG to each muffin cup. Gourmet? No. Delish? Oh, yes.

World’s Best Honey Cornbread
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
4 eggs
1/2 cup honey
1 1/3 cups milk
2 1/3 cups flour
1 1/2 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup corn meal
1 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cream sugar and butter. Add in eggs, honey and milk and mix well.
Mix together flour, baking powder, corn meal and salt. Mix dry ingredients with wet ingredients carefully. Do not overmix. Batter will be lumpy.
Pour batter in greased 11×14-inch baking pan. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown.

This recipe was found here: http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/01/worlds-best-honey-cornbread-recipe.html© Copyright 2011 Money Saving Mom®. All Rights Reserved.

Bye Bye iPhone

2011-06-15T19:24:00.000-07:00

I was just getting attached to my iPhone and had it on my to-do list to learn how to upload pics directly from my iPhone to my blog so I could keep this up a little better.

Well, that's not going to happen after this morning's Sam debaucle: he dropped my iPhone into the toilet -- while Jake was relieving himself. Sam then brought it to me, dripping wet, and Jake informed me what had happened. Jake was delighted. Ed tried to revive it, but it seems that the pee-pee did it in. Add it to the list of things Sam has dropped into the toilet: air freshener, hair spray, massive amounts of toilet paper, several bouncy balls, cat food, and my toothbrush -- I'm just glad no one retrieved that one w/o telling me.

Good Morning, Grandpa

2011-06-05T11:00:00.000-07:00

This post is for Dad/Grandpa, currently recovering at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore after receiving a bone marrow transplant from Super Ed.

We try to begin each day with breakfast (well, we always do breakfast) and a Bible story and a prayer, and you, Dad, are always in our prayers. So each morning, remember that this sweet and sleepy face is thinking of you!

We love you, Dad! Now hurry up and come home!

Pep Talk

2011-03-14T19:45:00.000-07:00

Jake and Claudia were headed over to the our beloved neighbors, the Tiesmas, today. As always, I reminded them of a few ground rules, a pep talk, if you will: pick up after yourselves, remember your manners, and share the toys. I don't know that these pep talks ever actually make a difference. Carrie assures me that my kids are great at their house, but Claudia usually comes home and, when asked if she thanked them, gets a little sheepish grin and admits that she forgot. But Jake had an idea today. "Mom, how about you write each rule down on a piece of paper and I can hold them and look at them to remember!" He was so proud of himself and hopeful that this idea, THIS one, would help make the difference for him... So sweet, then his eyebrows furrowed and he remembered, "But I can't read." Oh, how I love that boy! And then he suggested Claudia could periodically read the notes to him, but, alas, I sent them over without written reminders and hoped for the best.

Sam's First Birthday Party

2011-02-27T19:24:00.000-08:00

How can I convey the joy I felt today? I'll let these pictures speak for themselves...

An Excellent Way to Spend the Super Bowl...

2011-02-06T21:10:00.000-08:00

I've been sucked in to Picasa. Have you tried it? It's fabulous and free and provided me with hours of entertainment tonight as I goofed around and made our new blog header instead of watching the Super Bowl.

A Wedding Slideshow

2011-01-31T05:37:00.000-08:00

Want to see what occupied much of our time this past fall? Click on the link to see a slideshow of Katie & Joe's wedding...beautiful! password: elms

http://phrene.com/viewing/?slideshowID=132763

Oh Sam, how we love you...

2011-01-13T18:55:00.000-08:00

Your full set of teeth, your chunky cheeks and chin, your naughty little grin. Why must you be so stinking cute? It's making it very difficult to discipline you when you climb the stairs, splash in the kitty's water, and bite your mommy's shoulder. You are so...HAPPY...and we love you!

Sometimes I just have to record the conversations I overhear...

2011-01-11T10:42:00.001-08:00

Claudia: Jake, you're in my room. That means I have to give you a test.

Jake: Okay.

C: Do boys like princesses? [These questions come in rapid succession.]

J: Yes.

C: Do boys like makeup?

J: Yes.

C: Do boys like dolls?

J: Yes.

C: Do boys like Transformers?

J: Uhhh...no.

C: Do boys like Batman?

J: No.

C: Do boys like Star Wars?

J: No.

C: Do boys like birthdays?

J: No.

C: Do boys like rats? [This one threw me off.]

J: No.

C: Okay, you can stay.

Must document Halloween

2010-12-07T08:50:00.000-08:00

Sam stinks at carving pumpkins!

But he makes a cute cow!

Ooh, what a handsome Batman! And creepy spider!

Add Princess Frankie and Spidergirl Molly, and with that Sam is done.

Funny what we can learn about ourselves by listening to our kids...

2010-12-06T17:36:00.000-08:00

Claudia and Jake's new game is "Mommy, Daddy, and Baby." And it even includes Sam! Yes, Sam takes his role very seriously as "Baby." Last time they played, Sam really gave them a run for their money because he kept running away. He was eventually given a time-out for the rest of his life.

Claudia also takes her role very seriously as Mommy. Today she was very concerned (eyes brimming with tears) because "Daddy" was supposed to be watching the baby but he wanted to do so from the couch. She absolutely could not leave the baby with him unless he watched Baby the way she wanted him to. What a control freak.

Meanwhile, Jake was insisting he could watch the baby from the couch on his phone because his phone can show everything.

Where do these kids get this stuff?

Look who's getting bigger!

2010-11-11T17:45:00.000-08:00

And I'm sorry, but could he BE any cuter?

An Extreme 4-Year Old

2010-08-03T10:00:00.000-07:00

Jake turned 4 a few short weeks ago and celebrated in a number of extreme ways, from go-karting at Craig's Cruisers to water-skiing at Pickeral Lake. Like his Daddy, he is usually successful at whatever he chooses to try -- as I stand by watching with both pride and terror. (Yes, I did jump out of the moving speed boat when he dropped off from his first water-skiing experience, and I'm not ashamed of it.) We are proud of our little boy for so many reasons. Jake can be incredibly sweet and kind, usually willing to share his last piece of candy, let Claudia have her way, and lend his beloved Nemo to a friend (as long as she doesn't put it in her mouth). He gives us many good laughs and gives us a run for our money - especially when he's tired and can't control his naughty impulses any longer. He is a Mommy's boy, and I love a good cuddle with him, even if it does mean that his thumb still goes immediately to his mouth. He's a sucker for pop, candy, and soft fabrics, and he plans to be a dirt biker when he grows up. He's our middle child and I hope we parent him in such a way that he realizes the strenths God has given him and chooses to use them for His purposes.

Looking cool with Daddy at Craig's Cruisers

Go-Karting - "That made me really, really tired."

Water-skiing - Jake got up on his first try and skied like a champ!

Trey Turns 1!

2010-07-13T09:54:00.000-07:00

Now this is how you eat cake! My nephew, Trey, turned 1 a few weeks ago. He actually needed some coaxing to get started, but then he grabbed, smashed, smeared, and, oh yeah, ate it like a champ. I came across this picture today and had to share...Happy Birthday, Trey!

A Good Influence

2010-07-01T16:37:00.000-07:00

That Frankie Kendziera. She is a dear little friend of ours and just about the sweetest 4-year-old you're ever going to meet. In fact, Saskia (Frankie's mom) just posted on her blog about Frankie's kindness and I was just thinking how I need to pray for this quality in my children because it doesn't seem to come naturally. To any of us, really, I don't mean to beat up on my kids. But after spending the day with Frankie and the Kendzieras today, literally a minute after they left, here's Claudia and Jake's conversation...

Jake: Claude, want to play with me?

Claudia: Sure! What do you want to play?

[as you're replaying this in your head, be sure to give my kids the highest, most polite voices you can imagine]

Jake: I don't care! We can play mermaids! Or whatev! [YES! He said WHATEV.]

Claudia: Mom, what do YOU want us to play with?

Me: I don't care, guys. How about these building sets?

Claudia: Oh yes!

Jake: Ooh yeah! These are the best toys EVER!

Maybe that doesn't seem over-the-top wonderful to you, but believe me, after the bickering we've had the past few...weeks...this conversation made me stop in my tracks (is that the saying?) and immediately get on the computer to document it. Bless you, Frankie, for rubbing off on my children today.

Plus, I just went upstairs to look in on them. I got this whole post out and they're STILL building nicely alongside each other. Hallelujah! And on that good note, send them to bed!

Quick, post something!

2010-07-01T05:55:00.001-07:00

Quick, the kids are watching their morning cartoons! Here are a few pics to document, in some small way, our past few months!!!

The first swim of the year at Nana and Papa's. I had to double check the date of this swim, but just as I suspected, it was the earliest ever -- April 5!!!...which is why the kids are in their undies...I did not expect the kids to be swimming over the Easter weekend!

One of my favorite pictures from Florida this year - Sam with his great

grandparents. What a blessing to see my grandma, age 89, holding my son! And

just outside the picture, other adults getting ready to catch him JUST in case. :)

Florida was a much-needed break for Ed, and it showed. Here, he's

leading the kids on a lizard hunt while singing AUDIBLY (a rarity for him).

And this is what Ed spent most of his time doing. Meghan said it best,

"Ed's been holding on to that baby like somebody's going to take him away."

The whole family, still on speaking terms, after a week together in Florida.

We spent Mother's Day with Ed's parents this year. And we got a pretty good

picture! Quite a feat! It's just Sam who's not looking at the camera. And who

can blame him? He can't be expected to lift those cheeks up!

Claudia chose to have her friend, Haley, spend the night for her "birthday party" this year.

They also went to a carnival with Ed and came home with these beautiful princess faces.

Sam is 100 days old! It's a Korean tradition to celebrate this milestone in a

baby's life. Look at that face! Ooh! I just want to kiss it! And kiss it! And nibble it!

Thank you, God, for this beautiful 100-day-old child! How could I

NOT want another one? And another? And another? Somebody stop me!

Guess I Won't Update My Blog Today...

2010-06-21T13:55:00.000-07:00

I had high hopes of quickly updating my blog and getting some pictures of 4-MONTH-OLD Sam on here. Claudia and Jacob are playing superheroes, shooting arrows around the house while dressed as Batman and Robin. I thought this would entertain them for a while, but Claudia just asked if I wanted to play too. I said no, I wanted to get this done a minute. She responded that I could just be the Mom who's busy all the time. Oops. Better go play...

A Flash (or a Twinkle) from the Past

2010-03-30T11:36:00.000-07:00

I came across this video of Claudia singing "Twinkle, Twinkle" at 2 years old. It's hard to remember her at this age...I'm encouraged to take more videos! Enjoy!

One Month Old!

2010-03-17T10:47:00.000-07:00

Sam is a month old already, and what a great baby he is. I know life will probably get more difficult as he becomes less of a sleepyhead and then, eventually, mobile (yikes). But for now, the transition to 3 has been great. Thank the Lord Sam is a good baby! Here are some pics from our photo session...

And here's a look at our other kids at 1-2 months old for the sake of comparison...

Most people comment that Sam looks just like Jake, but I definitely see some resemblance to Claudia too. We love our newest addition!

Just had to document this...

2010-03-16T15:49:00.000-07:00

Jake loves to dress himself in the morning, and he loves to pick out his clothes the night before. Normally, he just sets them in a pile all ready to go, so that at 6:30am, he can jump out of bed and jump right into his chosen dirt biking or superhero shirt... The other night, however, when I went in to check on him before going to bed myself, I found he had taken some extra care in setting out his clothes for the next day...notice that even his socks are hanging under the window. I cracked up. And then gave him an extra kiss. And then went to get the camera.

Jake the Jokester

2010-03-12T09:26:00.000-08:00

Jake and Claudia enjoy making up "jokes" sometimes - I use the term loosely. Here's Jake's best attempt at a knock-knock joke just a few days after Sam was born.

Jake: Knock Knock

Me: Who's there?

Jake: Glad

Me: Glad who?

Jake: Aren't you glad you're not pregnant anymore?

Guess I mentioned my feelings on this subject a few times!

Samuel Stephen JooHo is Here!

2010-02-17T22:00:00.000-08:00

Our beautiful baby boy was born Wednesday morning (4am), Feb. 17. He arrived with a vengeance - just a little over an hour after we arrived at the hospital. Everything went great. I am happier than ever to have him here. Praise God for our newest blessing!

The "big" kids were thrilled to meet their new baby brother. They were also, however, thrilled with their new wallets from Aunt Meghan and said several times, "Can you believe we have our own wallets?" Does that make them easy or hard to impress?

Proud Nana

Proud Papa

Proud Grandpa and Grandma

She Won!

2010-02-13T19:30:00.000-08:00

You have to look VERY closely, but Claudia has lost her first tooth! The adult tooth was already halfway in behind it before she'd let that baby tooth fall out, but she finally did it. And she won! We had a little contest going - which would be first...the baby or the tooth?

D-Day

2010-02-12T04:42:00.000-08:00

My due date. February 12. I honestly cannot believe I am still pregnant. I really thought that with this third child, my body would know what to do, be in tune with MY desires, and be early. Seriously, if you would have told me a month ago that on Feb 12, I'd still be pregnant, I'm not sure I would have survived the news. I do not know why, but this pregnancy has just been rough for me emotionally. I am trying to enjoy these last few days, but instead just find myself questioning why God is having me wait. And wait. And wait. I am doing a terrible job of trusting in His timing.

Plus, my sister left for a week in Hawaii this morning. Why couldn't I have delivered her new niece/nephew while she was here this past week? Why, why, why? Last week, I felt like at the end of each day, I could recognize a gift God had given me that He wanted me to have before the baby came. This week...I don't know...I feel like everything is done. I don't need anything more than to deliver this baby. But I had the thought that maybe God is waiting on ME to do something. Last week at BSF (Bible Study Fellowship), we were asked if there was a Biblical truth we have "learned" this year but have not yet put into practice. I looked through my notes from the past year, and found one: I have a testimony. Am I willing to share it? Well, here's a bit of it...

This past Christmas, Ed surprised me with the most wonderful gift a wife could ever ask for. If you know our story, you know that Ed has never been a believer. When we got engaged, of course we discussed the differences in our beliefs. Ed promised to always accompany me to church and to raise our children in the faith should anything ever happen to me. Rather naively, I thought this was good enough. I figured that...I don't know...through osmosis or something, being around Christians in my family, friends, and church, would naturally lead him to believe as well. Well, 10 years of marriage later, 12 years of being together, and that had not happened. I was always grateful for his support in my faith, but this fundamental difference between us was difficult, to say the least.

So after opening presents with our family of 4, we were sitting around eating pizza. Ed told me he had one more gift for me, but wasn't sure how to give it to me, so he was just going to tell me about it. Oh no - what did Ed, the big spender, do this year? "I've decided to become a Christian," he said. Tears, thanksgiving, shock, questions from the kids... It was amazing, and continues to be as we enter into new conversations and an intimacy we have never shared. And because of God's perfect timing, a few weeks later, as I was questioning why God waited 12 years to claim Ed, I learned at BSF that God's delays are not denials. They are for His glory. I was never quick to tell others that Ed was not a Christian, and allowed most people to assume he was since he was always at church with me. Truth be told, I was a little ashamed for not obeying God's instructions to believers to marry other believers. But through the years, through Ed's honesty (always), and with my sharing it occasionally, more and more people prayed for Ed. Maybe once. Maybe many times. One friend shared that not a month before I told her of Ed's decision, and after knowing herself for 5+ years, she had decided to share Ed's story with her daughter and had committed to praying with her for Ed's salvation. And a few weeks later, I was sharing with her that Ed had become a Christian. I should have told more people. But I am grateful that whoever was involved in praying for Ed received this answer to prayer. I know that my faith and that of many others' was strengthened in receiving this answer to prayer. So would I have chosen for Ed to become a believer 12 years ago? Yes. But I know that in having us wait, God was glorified and the blessing was greater than if the years of waiting and sharing had not happened. After all, I'm now sharing this "testimony" on my blog, right?

So why am I again having to wait for something I want so badly? I don't know. Maybe God wanted our family to have one more week together with just the 4 of us; maybe He wanted Ed and I to enjoy one more date night (which we did); maybe the baby needs more time to develop; maybe God just wanted me to think about Him a little more this week and to share something of my relationship with Him here on my blog. I may never know the reason, but I trust that this "delay" (in my mind, it was a delay though I know I'm hardly overdue) will also be for His glory.

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

The (Rare) Joys of Shopping with Kids

2010-02-08T04:35:00.000-08:00

Another funny quote from Jake...

The kids and I were at Target the other day. Looking for some nursing "gear," we went down an aisle of bras. Jake scrunched up his face, pointed at them, and said, "What are those? Booby traps?"

The Gender Issue

2010-02-01T16:44:00.000-08:00

As my due date rapidly (actually, painfully slowly) approaches, we often ask the kids if they think the baby will be a boy or a girl.

Claudia has remained very diplomatic and never wants to commit. "I don't mind either way," is often her response.

Jake has gone back and forth between a boy and a "ghoul." However, his latest response was the best. "I think it's a 'ghoul' because I don't feel a penis in there."

Time will tell!

Batman and Robin

2010-01-11T16:39:00.000-08:00

Gotta love it! They actually play quite nicely together when running around the house shooting bad guys!

A Peek at Christmas

2009-12-25T16:23:00.000-08:00

These are very late in getting posted, but here's a peek at our Christmas...

At my parents' house, the annual "family" shots. (Not sure why family is in ""...I guess b/c Katie and Joe aren't QUITE a family yet. But they will be that much closer 10/16/10 when they tie the knot!)

I'm not sure if my kids have ever appeared to love each other so much! This was the obvious choice for our Christmas card...

And that'll have to do it. I didn't take near enough pictures this year!

Halloween

2009-10-31T17:38:00.000-07:00

Halloween was a while ago, but I wanted to finally get some pics of my adorable Buzz Lightyear and Jessie the Cowgirl from Toy Story. The kids had tons of fun, managed to stay warm, and got enough candy to satisfy us all for a few weeks. :) Thanks to our faithful candy-hander-outers again for manning the door while we all got to go out Trick-or-Treating!

Cabin Dirtbiking

2009-10-09T18:02:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics from our recent trip to my parents' cabin WAY up north in the U.P. It was COLD up there this year!

It's snowing! We're all still in our pj's, but Mom convinced us to get a quick photo in the first snowfall of the year. Brrr!

Yay for Big Bay (t-shirts)!

Uh, Dad? Aren't you forgetting something?

That's better!

Jake LOVED to dress up in Daddy's dirt bike gear!

...and rarely took it ALL off...

Crazy Jake

2009-10-05T09:17:00.000-07:00

Jake and I went outside to try to capture some of his "dirt bike" tricks that he's been working on all summer. He LOVES to ride his bike, and he is so proud that he can do it without training wheels. Usually, if someone asks him how old he is, he responds, "3, and I can ride my bike with no training wheels." Ed is loving Jake's favorite hobby - I am still wondering why we are encouraging it... :)

Riding with one hand...

Riding with "no hands"...(you have to look closely for this one)

Riding with "no feet"...

Standing on his back pegs...

I would have taken a video, but I dropped our camera in Lake Michigan this summer and didn't realize it for about 10 minutes... :)

Labor Day Weekend

2009-09-06T05:21:00.000-07:00

We did it! We had a wonderful Labor Day Weekend while squeezing 8 adults and 2 kids and 1 baby on my parents' boat. Many would call that crazy, but it was really just crazy fun!

enjoying a snack on the bow...

Despite the cold water temps, Claudia swam every day!

Can you see Baby Trey? He is adorable!

Claudia helped Papa clean the boat.

Jake and Nana snuggle in the sun.

Katie and Joe warm up on the swim deck (thanks to sun and a little wine)!

Claudia's First Day of Kindergarten

2009-09-02T05:36:00.000-07:00

Claudia started school today! She has been counting down and was soooo excited! Although it was hard to see her go, her happiness did make it easier to say goodbye. After much thought, prayer, debate, etc, we decided to send her to Muskegon Christian. Her schedule is great - all day Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and home Tuesday and Thursday. We are so proud of our Kindergartener!

Jake Pees in the Potty!

2009-05-08T04:40:00.001-07:00

No more explanation needed! It's day 7, and he's still doing great!

Tulip Time 2009!

2009-05-08T04:21:00.000-07:00

We have a little tradition going with Aunt Meghan and Uncle Steve of seeing a Tulip Time Parade, running around Centennial Park (tiptoeing through the tulips), and riding a few rides at the carnival each year during Tulip Time. This year, we couldn't help but think of next year when their little baby will be joining us! Next year, we've also committed to finding Dutch costumes (or making them???) for the kids...we'll see how that goal turns out!

See what Jake was doing during the parade? Driving his dirtbike through the tulips, of course! (No tulips were harmed during the filming of these pictures.)

Claudia kept her Dutch hat on almost all day! Preschool this morning included!

The yellow tulips were our favorite this year.

Jake's version of Heaven.

Ooh! A video! I've never tried this before...fun! And Claudia was sure having fun on this roller coaster!

At the end of the day, the ferris wheel was the favorite part for Claudia. Jake first answered cotton candy, then switched it to the ferris wheel.

Spring Showers

2009-04-30T04:44:00.000-07:00

I found these raincoats for about $2 at Target, and they've been inspiring us to get out and play...even in all this rain!

Okay, so you can't tell that Claudia was having fun in her raincoat, but she really was.

Finally! Some new pics!

2009-04-25T05:19:00.000-07:00

Where does time go? I was doing so well with this blog for a while, and now it's been about 6 months since I've added anything!

Well here's a quick entry: I took an amateur photography class this spring and here are some of my favorite shots...

I love that boy's smile!

And of COURSE I was trying to focus the flag and have Claudia blurred!

Oh, the fun of a trampoline!

A Fairy Princess and a Pirate

2008-10-31T18:29:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics from our fantastic Halloween. I say fantastic now that it's over. That last hour before trick-or-treating begins is always so stressful...at least in our house! I'm trying to get the kids to eat something, bribing Jake so I can get him into his outfit without him taking it off, and the biggest feat of all - attempting to take a picture of the kids that captures how adorable they are together. Whew! But so worth it - the kids had a great time.

We even got a picture with all the neighbors - all the kids smiling? no way. But at least they're all present! Well, almost all - where's Luke???

Our candy-hander-outers

And thank goodness the Tiesma kids came over earlier that day to help with the carving of our pumpkins or they probably wouldn't have gotten carved this year!

Our Trip to Kansas

2008-10-19T18:18:00.000-07:00

The kids and I got to go on a road trip to go visit the Ciccone family! Tim was out of town for the week (as was Ed), so the timing was great for Maria and I to spend the week together with the kids. She kicked my bootie into shape by bringing me to her gym everyday. I also got a tour of the city and we took the kids downtown to a great kids' crafting place. Of course, the best part was just spending time together and catching up! I miss them!

Pumpkin Picking

2008-10-13T11:32:00.001-07:00

Our family enjoyed a day at Lewis' Farm Market in New Era with the Nannenga family - picking out pumpkins, jumping on a giant pillow, riding the Booberry Express, and maneuvering through a corn maze. Oh, not to mention the petting zoo where Ed made a new friend! What a great fall day (except for the temp, that is - I think it was near 75 degrees! Way too warm for me in October, as all who know me are aware)! The kids got to pick any pumpkin they could carry!

Cousin Kelly!

2008-10-05T19:26:00.000-07:00

Jake and Claudia finally got to meet their first cousin, Kelly Soo Bin Hwang! Ed's sister, Jane, and her husband, Jong Ho live with their 11 month old daughter, Kelly, near DC, so we don't get to see them much. The kids took to Kelly right away and she enjoyed them as well! We had a great weekend visiting with them at Ed's parents' house in Kalamazoo.

Hope's Homecoming 2008

2008-10-04T19:12:00.000-07:00

Ed and I had a chance to return to Holland for Hope's Homecoming this year. Ed's 10 year reunion! Wow! Here are some pics of us with our old and dear friends.

Dorian sisters - Rachel Haveman Eriks, Kerri Langerak Allen, Jodie Manning Talluto, me, Beth Rathbun Bruns, Jen Grieme Haaga, Kara McGillicuddy. And say a prayer for our sister, Nicole McClain and her family - the McClains and Liechtys. Nicole was supposed to be there this weekend but was killed in a car accident on her way. Hard to imagine the loss her family and close friends are feeling...she was one of the most fun, energetic, and inspiring people I have known.

Chris Caldwell, Natalie, Chris Riker, and Ann Caldwell

Jeff and Amy Holloway

Ed and I

Tara Porter and her family

Casey (preggers!) and Steve Coy

Claudia's First Day of Preschool

2008-09-09T19:08:00.000-07:00

Claudia started preschool this week! We have had a countdown going for the last two weeks in anticipation of the big day - outfit ready, backpack hanging by the door - and she loved it! As her Mommy, I have been dreading the day, but I held back my tears and was just happy that she was so excited. She came back and told us she played outside in the sand, had a snack, and painted. Already I feel I'm not getting enough information from my child!

I can't believe God has already give us four years at home with our girl. Guess it's time for us to share her!

Summertime!

2008-09-05T19:26:00.000-07:00

Is it true? Is summer over? Here are some pics and highlights!

and yes...here is an elephant on Pere Marquette Beach...

Michigan's Adventure, Take 2

2008-09-02T19:36:00.000-07:00

I came across these pictures and just had to share Jake's first experience on a "rollercoaster" -- the Frog Hopper...too funny!

And, he was ready for another ride!

Jake Turns 2!

2008-07-27T21:00:00.000-07:00

Our little Jake turned 2 this past Sunday, July 27! We love him so much. He is adorable, mischievious, quiet (mostly), loving, and easy going. He knows that he is 2, but now he likes to say he's "two HALF!" Little stinker - already trying to grow up too quickly. God gave us such a precious little boy!

We had a party with our family to celebrate. Jake woke up after his nap, and we brought him downstairs to his party - I think all the balloons, people, presents, etc, kind of overwhelmed him because he was pretty quiet...He perked up and enjoyed his day though. Here are some highlights...

The cake! Jake's Great Grandpa (age 87!) was a baker and makes all of our family's birthday cakes. Isn't it cute? We are so blessed to have such special cakes at each of our special occasions!

Here's Jake with his Great Grandparents...

Opening gifts - we made the mistake of letting Jake open his gift from Claudia first - two little "launchable" motorcycles. He would hardly let go of them long enough to open anything else! But here's a cute moment with Daddy...

Claudia also enjoyed all of the presents and had some difficulty letting Jake play with them first!

Nana cheered her up...

We ate a good dinner all together - Ed's parents, my parents, Great Grandpa and Grandma Kastelin, and Uncle Steve and Aunt Meghan were all able to celebrate with us. We sure missed Aunt Katie (on call in Grand Rapids) and Aunt Jane, Uncle Jong, and new cousin Kelly (who live in D.C.) - wish you were here!

Jake loved his new Harley Davidson scooter!

Jake's 2-year-old Photo Shoot

2008-07-25T05:30:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to post a few quick pics from Jake's 2-year-old portrait session. My cousin, June, from June Kuiper Photography - you HAVE to check out her website at junekuiper.com - is fabulous as you can see from the pics below. Jake did a pretty good job getting his pics taken that day, though it was tough to get his thumb out of his mouth!!! But June was at our house for a whole morning, so she was able to capture a variety of moods! There's also a couple pics of Jake and Claudia together below - now THAT was a challenge. Getting a good pic of 2 kids under 4! But she did it!

Anyway, isn't he a little peach? I just love those cheeks. I can't believe he is going to be 2. It has gone even faster with him than with Claudia! He is such a little BOY now. He LOVES motorcycles, candy, and pop (hmmm....sound like any other boys in our family?) and is naughty, naughty, naughty! But I like to say where Claudia is naughty in a way that makes me want to pull my hair out, Jacob is naughty in a way that just cracks me up. He is just such a little stinker and loves to test the limits. But he is so fun! And he has even become a bit of a cuddle-bug in the last 6 months! Something I've never really had! AND, he usually prefers Mommy! This year has been great with our little Jacob Eddie.

Michigan's Adventure

2008-07-04T06:07:00.000-07:00

We decided to brave Michigan's Adventure on July 4th and it turned out to be a great decision! The lines weren't bad at all and we had a great day! Our family of 4 went w/ my parents, Katie, and her boyfriend, Steve Swistak. Plenty of help with the kids, though we all enjoyed watching them so much, we really stayed together most of the day anyway!

Father's Day

2008-06-17T10:36:00.002-07:00

This year, we had a great Father's Day, celebrating with the Boss side on Saturday at a Tigers' Game in Comerica Park (they won 12-7!)...

...then celebrating with the Hwang side Sunday, where our KIDS ended up with a pretty fabulous gift (how did THAT happen?)...

...then celebrating at home (and later Whippi Dip for ice cream) with just Daddy.

What great FATHERS we have in our family! THANK YOU! WE LOVE YOU!!!

Father

2008-06-17T10:36:00.001-07:00

Montreal Girls' Trip

2008-06-04T18:07:00.000-07:00

Whew! What a May I have had! After returning from my family's cabin, I (Carley, not Ed!) traveled with my mom and sister to Montreal for our first ever girls' trip. We had a riot! We hope to do it again in another 5 years or so...The weather was NOT very cooperative - rain EVERY day, for MOST of the day, so we felt the go-ahead to shop, shop, and shop some more! We also met some very interesting and friendly people. We were expecting the opposite and had been forewarned that this French-speaking city may give us the cold shoulder. To the contrary, the store clerks we met LOVED us! This may have something to do with us being very good customers, but still! We ended up knowing several store clerks by name, taking pictures with them, being offered PRIVATE tours, given items for FREE, offered peanuts, cookies, and to be made coffee, subject to MANY personal stories, invited on a mission trip to Haiti, and even had DINNER with our favorite new friend, Mary. It was crazy. We all decided we had NEVER been in such a friendly city! We feel we owe it to these people to go back to Montreal someday just to visit them again! And our giggling fits...oh, words cannot explain, but we found ourselves in uncontrollable fits of laughter on several occasions. It was just way too much fun. Sounds crazy, but I can hardly wait to be 35 when I'll hopefully be able to embark on another girls' trip like this one!

Cabin Fun

2008-05-28T18:57:00.000-07:00

We just returned from a terrific Memorial Day weekend at my parents' cabin in the U.P. with our family of 4, my parents, and Steve and Meghan. We usually make it there twice a year, in the fall and winter. It has been a while since we had been there in the spring, so we weren't prepared for the TICKS and BUGS the spring apparently brings! We got used to regular tick-checks (sang that Brad Paisley song often), and whole-heartedly enjoyed an extremely ambitious hike, a.k.a. geo cache, many fantastic dirt bike and ATV rides through the woods, delicious food, and great company. The kids were terrific - LOVEd the rides we took - don't tell the authorities, but Jake and I would sit in the front seat and Claudia and my Mom in the back. It was a blast!

And...Ed set up the camera for this next picture...

Claudia's Princess Party

2008-05-28T18:31:00.000-07:00

Claudia turned 4 on May 21! We celebrated with a Princess Party for her and even Cinderella showed up! It was so much fun to see her interact with Cinderella and the other princesses we had invited. She loved it! And we love our little princess so very much! Claudia is fun, outgoing, smart, inquisitive, easily frustrated, emotional, and so very, very cute! She says some great stuff - at the party, it was all about Meijer and telling Cinderella what a great store it was. We'll definitely be watching for Cinderella in future grocery shopping trips!

My Sister the Doctor!

2008-05-10T12:27:00.000-07:00

My sister, Katie, graduated from Michigan State College of Human Medicine! That means she is a doctor! After 4 years of dedicated study, we had a wonderful celebration for Dr. Katie! My Dad had the honor of robing her while my Mom, Grandpa and Grandma Kastelin, Aunt Mary and Uncle Jim, Steve and Meghan, and Ed and I watched. Then, we all went out for a fabulous dinner at our family favorite, Bistro Bella Vita, in downtown GR. Good work, sis! Also graduating that day was her boyfriend, Steve Swistak! Just think of all the free medical advice we'll now be entitled to!

Tulip Time

2008-05-07T12:16:00.000-07:00

The kids and I enjoyed Tulip Time this year with Uncle Steve and Aunt Meghan. We enjoyed the parade and REALLY enjoyed the rides at the carnival! Getting close to naptime, the kids "posed" with the tulips in Centennial Park. There isn't much Dutch in their outward appearance, but their new Dutch hats helped!

Florida

2008-04-16T11:56:00.000-07:00

So many of my ambitious, creative, and over-achieving friends have blogs for their family and friends to visit, so they finally peer-pressured me into starting one...

And for my first entry, our Florida Spring Break for 2008! Unfortunately, Ed was not able to go with us because he was in New Jersey for his job training for Johnson & Johnson. :( We missed him terribly, but the time went by much quicker in Florida than it would have without him at home!! So, the kids and I made the drive to Florida with the help of my wonderful sister, Katie.

(She is going to LOVE that picture!) She did GREAT in the car with the kids, entertaining, feeding, peace-keeping, while I did the driving. The kids actually did quite well in the car. We did a 16-hour driving day, slept at a hotel, drove for another 8 hrs, and made it to Bradenton, FL, where my grandparents live. We then rented a house on Anna Maria Island with my parents and Katie's boyfriend, Steve, for 10 glorious days of sun, fun, and relaxation!!!

Well...mostly relaxation...the first day there, we had to take Claudia to an Emergency Room because she was having trouble breathing - turned out she had the beginnings of the pneumonia and possibly asthma/allergies...we'll see... And Jacob kept us all from relaxing TOO much by waking us all up by 7:15 am each morning, demanding choos and dirchees (treats and cookies, if you haven't spent much time w/ him lately). The kids kept us busy in the mornings and evenings, but they were FANTASTIC at the beach. They were so much fun! Claudia is a little water-girl, and Jacob just enjoys wandering around, picking up rocks (not shells), pointing out birds, and digging in the sand. After 10 days of fun in the sun, we actually were beginning to be ready to go home. The drive home was not quite as fun as the drive there, but it never is. It was good to get home, but, wow, what a great spring break we had this year! Thanks to my family for taking care of the 3 of us without Ed!! Can't wait for next year!

5/2/08
by Ed and Carley
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