2 Quilts Later

Ben gave me a sewing maching for Christmas! I was a little afraid of it at first, but determined to put it to use. So the easiest project to start with . . . a blanket. Ben bought fabric for a blanket that he thought Daila would like. He bought it after I had sewed (with a little help from my mom) a flannel blanket for Daila for preschool. I tried to do it in the same way as my first blanket, but one fabric was flannel and one was a silky . . . something. But it turned out alright. Not my best work, but hey . . . it was my first independent project.

Well I've just finished my second independent project (even though it was the first project I started). I tied a new quilt for Ben for his birthday. I just sewed up the edge today. Better. Still not there yet. But I'm learning so much.

I guess I'll start on a quilt for Janae. Her blanket is getting pretty old. It will give me a chance to put what I've learned to the test. And if it's not perfect . . . we'll try another quilt for Anna. LOL

You may think I'm crazy, but its the easiest way I know to learn how to sew. And the cool thing about getting a new sewing machine is that it came with two DVDs! How cool is that?! So I've got some tutorials to watch and I'll be hemming denim and making skirts in no time. And one day . . . as Ben is eager to inform me . . . I will have 3 wedding dresses to sew. (Mother help me . . . literally.) haha . . . my mom is an amazing seamstress. Pretty stressed out at the moment, but amazing. So I told her that when the girls turn 16ish, we had to start sewing their wedding dresses. They would be old enough to know their style and be close to their adult size and that might . . . MIGHT . . . give me and my mom enough time to learn/teach/sew a wedding gown.

Anyway . . . I'm excited to be sewing. Discouraged by the imperfections but encouraged by the lessons I'm learning through experience. Wish me luck! :)

Tofu

I never thought I would be one of those girls who counted every calorie . . . but I've been doing just that for nearly two weeks now. And you know what? . . . it's not all that bad. I'm grateful for everything I've learned. This experience has helped me learn more about food, myself, and my habits.

But this isn't a post motivated by success and happiness. *dun dun duuun* I am sooo frustrated. And I'm tired of feeling hungry. I think I have some emotional ties to food. So it's weird working those out of my system too. Basically, the way I'm feeling now is if I can't eat what I want, then it doesn't matter what I eat (as long as it fits within my calorie allotment). And it's easier to eat that way, really, because as soon as I "splurge", my body says "hey that was really good. I remember that stuff and I want more of it." Then it's harder to go back. So I'm through with splurges. (We had company over for dinner, so I saved up calories so I could eat what everyone else was having. Turned out that wasn't such a good idea.)

I remember overhearing a teacher in the lounge at lunch one day. Her friends made some comments to her about her lunch because she was having plain tofu. And she said, "Well sometimes you just eat for nourishment and this is one of those days." I remember thinking, "I never eat just for nourishment; I want to enjoy my meal. It should taste good. I could never do that." Well I'm on the verge of becoming the tofu girl. If I can't have what I want, and what sounds good to me at that moment, then it might as well be tofu. You think I'm being sarcastic or catty? You think I'm bluffing? Try me. Apparently I have two settings: care too much about food or couldn't care less.

But I'm not happy, Bob. Not happy. I sure could use some words of support. Or even a few recipes (400 calories or less). We had baked catfish tonight; only 145 calories per serving. It was tasty. I guess I'm just missing some of my old foods. More than anything, I'm missing some of that freedom. Want a bagel? Eat a bagel. Want some peanut butter? Eat some peanut butter. Well I'm not getting any younger. So it's about time I take control of my health and lose some weight. That's something I sure won't miss.

Life is about choices. I wish it was easier to make the right choices. *sigh* But I also know that making that right choices makes me stronger. So. I WILL make the right choices about my health and I'm determined not to give up. Even if that means only eating tofu. Bring it on.

"Excuse me, Guys"

So here is the background to this story:
Yesterday the girls went to the Primary's annual "Meet Your Teacher-Pajama Party-and Breakfast" activity. In addition to the usual "meeting your teacher" stuff, the Primary presidency also gave the parents and children the expectations for the year, the new program theme, etc. So our Primary will be using journals and the kids got to decorate a small journal to bring with their scriptures on Sundays. Anna and Janae both have their own set from their baptisms and with all the talk about "bringing your scriptures", Daila has decided she needs her own too. So we gave her a blue, soft cover Book of Mormon to keep in her bag with her journal.

Now at our house we read the scriptures at the dinner table as we are finishing our meal. Daila is usually done first and doesn't stay for the whole time, but tonight she came back holding her scriptures up high. "Hey!" she says excitedly (as if this was a new discovery). "After we eat, we read our scriptures!" (And she leaves her mouth open a bit because this is a pleasant surprise for her.) So she climbs back up to the table with her scriptures while Ben is reading and says that we will "pass it". Obviously she will expect a turn. Ben helps her read a scripture or two at the end and then she's off to the playroom.

While we're all in the kitchen clearing the table and loading the dishwasher, she comes in with her scriptures and says, "Dad, what does this say?"
He says, "where?"
"Allll of this," she replies moving her hand across both open pages.
So I peek at the chapter heading and say, "Oh that's when Samuel the Lamanite teaches the people and he is on a wall. And the people are trying to shoot him with bows and arrows but he has faith and the Lord protects him and he doesn't get hurt."
She makes a comment or two about that story and then flips to a different page. "What's this say?"
"Oh I like this part. That's when King Benjamin teaches the people and he is in a tower and all the people are in tents listening to him."
"And he goes . . . " (She starts kicking.)
"Well, no, because he is old and nice and the people are listening really well because they are ready to learn. But there is another story about a missionary called, Ammon." (See I'm thinking she wants some action, right?) "And Ammon has to cut off some men's arms because they are trying to steal the king's sheep!"
Daila's eyes go wide and she gasps (just the reaction I was hoping to elicit) but then she puts her lips together and with a hand on her hip she says, "He needs to say, 'Excuse me, guys. Please give me my sheep.'"

Yes, well, that's a lesson for another time.

A New Year Newsletter

A Year in Review:

An Interview with the Voelkel Family

What was the most memorable event for you in 2009?

Anna: When I got my braces.

Janae: Being baptized!

Daila: Santa came! . . . Mom? Is he coming tomorrow again?
Ben: Nothing really sticks out . . . it was fun getting together for UFC fight nights this year.

Linda: Definitely our "Girls' Trip" to Nauvoo.
Name 3 new things that happened to you:

Anna: 1. I got braces. 2. I won Student Council. 3. I got $50 from a writing contest.

Janae: 1. I have the same 3rd grade teacher that Anna had. 2. I read the whole Book of Mormon. 3. I started playing the violin.

Daila: 1. I like Miss Diana's. (Daila's OT--she was diagnosed with sensory intergration disorder.) 2. I go to school. (Incidentally, she is our only child who has attended formal preschool.) 3. I give a talk at church.

Ben: 1. I've been at Express-Scripts for 5 years. 2. I cut down the oak tree out back and refinished the porch. 3. I took 3 classes last semester and passed.

Linda: 1. I taught PreK summer school. 2. I taught a long term 4th grade position from Aug-Oct at the girls' elementary school. 3. I taught 4th and 5th grade science for 2 weeks.

What was your favorite celebration? or biggest accomplishment?
Anna: When I said the pledge to a bunch of these people. (Ritenour Board of Education--they gave her a certificate.)

Janae: My celebration was on Sunday, because we did a play about Jesus at Grandma's house.

Daila: The Polar 'Spress Train at school with Miss Caitrin. We got a ticket and a donut and a bell!

Ben: oh geez . . . umm . . . It was fun to see Daila grow so much from her therapy.

Linda: I really liked getting the clutter out of the playroom. It's not really a holiday, but it was a cause for celebration. :)

What concerns did you have?

Anna: ummm . . . I was worried if my headgear was going to hurt.

Janae: I was only worried about if we didn't get any snow.

Daila: a flower (What can I say . . . she's 4.) :)

Ben: Today's economy. Linda's dad's health. My dad's recent heart episode.

Linda: Oh I worry a lot. *chuckle* I guess my biggest concern was for my mom and dad because of my dad's deteriorating health. If he continues to build anitbodies toward the blood he recieves, he will need platelet transfusions instead. You can only have one donor with platelet transfusions, so we will need a donor with blood type O- who is a close match. (I think most of my siblings and I are O+.)

Tell us one thing you've learned from your experiences last year:

Anna: I learned that helping is important, because it gets work done faster.

Janae: I learned about Jesus through my baptism, because I know that my sins would be washed away, and I would get the Holy Ghost, and I would be a member of the Church. And that He would forgive me.

Daila: puzzles

Ben: Family comes first. Everything else can wait.

Linda: "Nothing in life is so hard that you can't make it easier by the way you take it." Pray for the strength and wisdom to take it all in the proper perspective.

As we reflected on last year, we've been reminded of how full and blessed our lives are. It is our prayer that your family will find the same satisfation in life this year by treasuring your memories and milestones, no matter how small.

Happy New Year! May God continue to bless you in 2010!

The Voelkel Family

Ben, Janae, Anna, Linda, Daila

Holiday Highlights

Christmas Magic

The easel Ben built for Daila.

The Santa Daila kept hugging at the elementary school's Christmas Shoppe.

Daila enjoys the easel.


Daila all dressed up.

I haven't felt too talkative lately and even now I'm finding it hard to get myself to talk (hehe type). Here are some holiday highlights:

Ben had the whole week off! Yay! I worked at the girls' school on Monday for the music teacher, who was busy getting ready for the Christmas program that afternoon and evening. Then Ben and I spent Tuesday out together. It was a perfect day. I went to the class Christmas parties Tuesday afternoon as a room mom. Wednesday was an exhausting and rewarding day. I enlisted Ben's help to clean and organize the playroom. We boxed up one box of toys that the girls have out grown, but I wasn't willing to part with; had 3 bags of toys for a yard sale/Goodwill; and 2 bags of trash. I'm very proud of myself. The girls were a little concerned to see some of their favorite things go, but they are just as pleased with the end result. The playroom is much easier to play in and keep clean now too.

We also finished reading the Book of Mormon as a family after dinner on Wednesday! The girls were so proud. I challenged them to put Moroni's promise to the test (Moroni 10:4) by praying individually to know whether or not the Book of Mormon was true. We talked about how to do that and what to listen/feel for as an answer. After describing what the Spirit feels like, Anna piped up and said, "I've already done that. I know its true." Janae had a few more questions though. She wondered, "what if I don't feel that?" So we talked about that too. But a couple of days later, Janae came to me and said, "Mom I was thinking about what you said while I was singing I'm Trying to be Like Jesus and tears came to my eyes." I asked her if she thought it was the Spirit and she nodded then ran to me with a big hug.

Thursday was spent baking cookies and sidedishes with my 2 super baking helpers. We had Josh and Lindsey Voelkel family over and Katie and Gabriel Novak family too. So it was a fairly traditional Voelkel family Christmas Eve. But we did combine some traditions. The missionaries came to share a message and I loved that. After our guests left, we had our usual family night by the light of the Christmas tree. We took turns choosing songs to sing and stories to tell. Ben told a great story . . . the girls always look forward to his storytelling, he's so animated . . . and we started and ended with a prayer.

Christmas morning was also started with a prayer and I like that new tradition. We thanked Heavenly Father and aknowledged Him as the source of all our gifts/blessings before we opened the presents. This was the first year the girls went shopping for the family with their own money. It made a huge difference on their perspective. And it was a lot of fun to see the treasures they chose for each of us.

We spent the rest of the weekend with our Hamblin family in Sullivan. I enjoyed spending time with my mom and dad. It's hard on me to see my dad getting so weak. He gave a great talk on Sunday, although he had to lean heavily on the podium, he made it all the way through. And after going home to rest during the remainder of church, he was able to return for Trevor Hamblin's baptism. But all of that wore him out too much and he had to ask John to read the Nativity story in the scriptures for our traditional Nativity play with the grandkids. But Mom still had him bear his testimony to the family before we closed the gathering. He is learning a lot of spiritual things and he is determined to share as much with his posterity as he can. It makes me emotional so I think I'm going to close this post for now. So much for not having much to say. ;-)

We had a very enjoyable week and a perfectly content Christmas. I plan to get a newsletter together this week before we return to work and school. Sort of a new year newsletter instead of a Christmas card. Stay tuned . . .

Seeing Santa

The Spirit of Christmas

Christmas Reminiscing

Creches and Carols 2004: Just Anna and Janae. I wasn't even pregnant with Daila. They are so small and sweet and innocent. More like the Christ child, more like the angel, more like the sweet mother Mary. My favorite parts of this photo: Janae's hand gently cradling the baby Jesus' head. I think she wanted to pick Him up. Now she is learning to let Him pick her up through tough times in life. Anna looking upward. Her stance tells a lot about her personality. She still looks upward, eyes always toward eternity. Such a precious picture that has captured a phase of childhood that I will not easily forget.

Creches and Carols 2009: Oh how they've grown! They are still like the sweet mother Mary, pondering spiritual things in their hearts. They are still like the angels, heralding the Savior's mission by cultivating their divine nature. And everyday they try to keep their feet on the path that leads them to Christ. I'm so very proud of my sweet angels! Merry Christmas! And God bless us, everyone!