Family Fun Day: The Ice Arena

We headed to the ice arena where Isaac plays hockey for a glow-in-the-dark skating night, and I can't tell you how much fun we had!

Isaac loved showing his dad his moves.

Zoey learned to run on the ice... that girl LOVES to skate.

Elijah didn't want to leave the ice.

Jacob and I cuddled to keep warm.

All in all, a very successful day with the family.

A house full of boys...

This weekend we had 16 boys spend the night.
I have no idea what we were thinking...
but seeing Isaac's face the entire night made it all worth it.
Can't tell you how much cups of coffee we drank, but we made it through.
Thanks to everyone who made his 7th birthday one to remember!
Special thanks to my mom who took Jake for the night and Aunt Nina for making the amazing cake and taking Zoey. We couldn't have done it without you!

7 years of this....

From this...

To this....

Happy 7th Birthday to our eldest son.

You make us beam with pride.

Favorite Food: Mac-n-Cheese

Favorite Movie: Wreck-it-Ralph

Favorite Scripture: John 33:17

Favorite Toy: Star Wars Legos

Favorite TV Show: Rescue Bots

Favorite Candy: Anything Chocolate

Favorite School Subject: Gym

Favorite Sport: Hockey

one of my blessings.

 

 Just thinking a lot today about the blessings of the Lord.

Psalm 127:3

 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.

I'm not sure if that's a strength or a weakness.

 

Me: "Zoey, I have to write all of your strengths and weaknesses on your Kindergarten application. For your strengths I put creative, makes friends easily and helpful, what do you think I missed?"

Zoey: "I'm a good kisser"

This school has no idea what they are in for.

 

this has been a long week... and it's only monday.

It's funny.... kind-of.

My 1st grade son has a debit card at school that the kids use to get hot lunch. We decided at the beginning of the year that he could pick one hot lunch a week and would bring a packed lunch to school the other days. I just put $30 on his card right after the Christmas break. He only picked 2 hot lunches that he liked this last month ($2.70 each), so I knew he should have plenty still left on his card... still, my OCD wouldn't leave me alone until I checked the balance to make sure.

I was shocked to find that he only had a little money left.

I saw a link that I could click on that would show me an itemized list of what the card had been spent on.

Unbelievable.

Ice cream sandwiches. Twix Bars. Cookies. Ice Cream Push-Ups.

I had NO idea they even had a concession stand in the cafeteria, much less that the kids could choose to spent their debit card money on it.

Needless to say, Chris and I had a conversation with Mr. Money-Bag-Sweet-Tooth this weekend.

Then....

My daughter tells me that she used my ENTIRE personalized stationary to practice writing her name. She started crying when she saw my mortified look instead of anticipated pride. 

Thank you, Denise, for the wonderful stationary.

I had a hard time using it a lot because I loved it so much and would only save it for letters to the teacher, or special lists.... go figure.

oh, you know... just hanging with Chris Osgood.

Today Chris Osgood (former Red Wing Goalie and current Goal-tending Development Coach) and some of the Red Wing Coaching staff came to pay a visit to Isaac's hockey practice. It was so much fun to see these guys run the drills for the kids. Isaac had a lot of fun... and so did we!

Chris Osgood and Jim Bedard giving the players a pep-talk

Future Red Wing

Oh, you know.... just hanging out with Osgood watching the game.

I might have been a crazy fan... I think I embarrassed my husband.

Keith McKittrick getting the players ready to run drills

give.

 

Today was one of those Sunday morning services that hits you right where you need it. I was challenged so deeply to be more generous, give more freely and to not hold back from sacrificing for others. My husband is amazing at this. He gives until it hurts. He's the guy that will pay for another tables dinner at a restaurant, or have me anonymously send a needy family in our church some money in the mail. When he gives, even out of our own need, he is quick to remind me how blessed we are, and how it is our job to bless others. I am learning a lot from him... how to listen to the prompting of the Lord, how to be quick to give, and why it is important that we see it as giving the Lord. So my challenge this week= give to someone who can never repay... and give as unto the Lord.

{brain dump} session VII

February is almost over.

I still have my Valentine's day stuff in a laundry basket ready to set up.

I will put it away tomorrow... along with the new things I bought on clearance.

I'm sure I'll use it all next year... or the year after that.

I am the only one still awake in this house tonight.

I am in the middle of a TV spy series.

I am now thoroughly convinced I could be a spy.

It doesn't seem that hard.... except for the sneaking in places to plant bugs.

That would give me serious anxiety.

I already have enough anxiety just trying to sneak in my kids rooms at night to cover them without them waking up.

I could never be spy.

the name book.

I love "The Name Book" by Dorothy Astoria ever since we started using it for CFL each year. I was looking thru it this morning at my sister's house and was reminded of why we choose the names of our children.

ISAAC Christopher Bunk

Language: Hebrew

Inherent Meaning: Laughter

Spiritual Connotation: Child of Promise

Scripture: Genesis 21:6

God has made laughter for me;

everyone who hears will laugh with me.

ZOEY Loren Bunk

Language: Greek

Inherent Meaning: Life

Spiritual Connotation: Delivered

Scripture: Psalm 91:14

Those who love me, I will deliver;

I will protect those who know my name.

ELIJAH Christopher Bunk

Language: Hebrew

Inherent Meaning: The Lord is my God

Spiritual Connotation: Spiritual Champion

Scripture: Proverbs 3:6

In all they ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths.

JACOB Christopher Bunk

Language: Hebrew

Inherent Meaning: Supplanter

Spiritual Connotation: Benevolent

Scripture: 1 John 2:17

And the world is passing away, and the lust of it;

but he who does the will of God abides forever.

I have the book right here, so if you would like me to look up the names of your kids, comment here and I can get the information to you.

i might be getting slightly old.

So I just realized this last month that one of the friends I grew up with almost since birth, and his wife, whom I have been friends with since junior high will have a daughter in Legacy this summer. WHAT????? I was working in Legacy when she was born, how did this happen? I put my arm around her last week and she was as tall as me, and now she will be coming to our youth retreats!

Olivia, Chris and I back when Liv didn't roll her eyes at my crazy dancing.

Champions For Life

Here is the current Champions For Life Kids' Camp video.

I choke up every time I watch it. I am blown away at the way God has used a vision/passion my mom had decades ago to touch so many lives.

Champions for Life Kids Camp

from Sue Pace on Vimeo.

"...but an encouraging word makes it glad." Proverbs 12:25

I had a really great talk with my sister recently about encouraging the younger generation. Ever since, I have been looking for opportunities to pour confidence and encouraging words into my little ones on a daily basis. The fact is, I have people encouraging me every day... building me up and pushing me forward. I desire to be that for the loved ones God has placed nearest and dearest to me. I love that Valentine's Day is coming up because I am finding lots of cute stuff to help me in my new endeavor! Here are some inspiring scriptures that are a great reminder:

"Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down,
but an encouraging words makes it glad."

Proverbs 12:25

 "And we urge you, brothers and sisters...encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else."

1 Thessalonians 5:14,15

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up,
just as in fact you are doing."

1 Thessalonians 5:1

"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another."
Proverbs 17:17

What do you do to bring encouragement to your household?

*** Ironically, as I was typing this post, my husband just walked into the office and completely drowned me in encouragement. Seeing how much that built up my spirit after a very taxing day, gives me even more confidence that I need to be doing that very thing for my children. ***

brother and sister

These 2 fight like crazy.

They fight over who is gets to ride the "car" and who has to ride the "firetruck."

They fight over positions on the couch.

They fight over who touched who, who said what, and why I ALWAYS take the other person's side.

They fight over food.

They fight about toys, trinkets and coloring books.

They fight about games, videos and even spots at the table.

They are brother and sister.

Then something in the air will change....

A miracle will appear from the clouds of glory....

A distant angel will sing the Hallelujah chorus....

and I'll hear them laughing, playing and truly enjoying each other.

I take those moments to hide behind corners and doors to get a glimpse of what it is truly like to have a brother and sister relationship... and I thank God they have one.

and in all things... session 43

Things I am thankful for on January 24, 2013...

1. Isaiah 61:1-3
2. My nieces and nephews... seriously, I have mad love for those little ones... and I love my "aunt lori" title.
3. Maybelline Baby Lips- it's not as expensive as my favorite stuff, and it works almost as good! (only $3.99)
4. My church family- I seriously love those amazing people, and am so privileged to be able to serve God beside them!
5. Re-Discovering songs that transitioned me from "life with God without kids" to "life with God with kids"... I walked the same hallway, prayed the same prayers and sang the same songs over and over.
6. Snow
7. Little baby hands that like to grab mine periodically throughout the day.
8. The trust I can have in the Lord, knowing He is the One who will heal my family.
9. Laughing with my husband through the trials of parenthood.
10. Powerade, Infant Advil, PediaSure, Nebulizer, Prayer.

his hero web.

songs and smells

Songs and smells both bring back vivid memories for me.

Today I heard a Jason Upton song that I haven't heard in years.

It was a song that I would pace and pray to while Isaac, my week-old newborn baby, slept in his crib. Through tears I would ask God to guide our family.

6 years later I am praying the same prayer, with much more confidence!

What are you praying for this year?

Pray to this today:

i think we found her true identity.

Meet Pix E. Flutters.

Proud of my 1st Grader

Isaac: "Mom, I asked everyone at my table at school today if they knew Jesus. They all said that they did, so that's good... Remind me tomorrow that when I get off the bus I am going to go upstairs and spend some time praying to Jesus during the fast."

It's times like these that I feel like all the hard work is paying off....

or that's God's grace really IS enough.

Psalm 18:2

This has been my verse for this week.

It's going up on our scripture wall so the kids will be reminded every morning they wake up that God is near.

You can find more amazing Typographic Verses HERE.

he might be her favorite person in the world.

my lil girl loves to cuddle.

They asked me if they could watch a movie while the babies slept.

I walked in a minute later to this....

Then she heard me moving and looked over.

That's the face of a sister who doesn't have a brother that likes to cuddle very often!