You Must Watch This!!!

Merry Christmas!

Tried to order Christmas cards this year and my coupon code would not work. Instead of paying $6, I would've had to pay closer to $60, so I decided that this would be a year I would just do my greetings online. Jake had a black eye at the time and we aren't all looking in the same direction, so maybe it's for the better anyhow.

The Ernst 5 wishes you all a very, Merry Christmas! "T'was a humble birthplace, but oh, how much God gave to us that day! From a manger bed what a path was led, what a perfect, holy way!" Thank you God, for the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ!

Skin Color Unhappiness

Oh, I am falling so behind in my blogging once again. And I was doing so good for a couple of months. I will play some catch up when I get a chance, but today is quite busy, as will be tomorrow. But this conversation with Claire on our ride home from preschool was too good for me to risk my bad memory losing it. Just a bit of info to let you know why she said what she said...there are many families from Sudan in the building she attends preschool in, as they have ESOL classes upstairs. Many of them have preschool aged children, therefore Claire has become friends with them.

Claire: "Mom, I want to be black."
Me "You mean you want the color of your skin to be black?"
C: "Yes!"
Me: "But God made you with lighter skin."
C: "But I waaaant to be black!" (on the verge of having a little hissy fit about it).
Me: "Well, I'm sorry but we can't change the color of your skin."
C: "Yes."
Me: "How? How do you think we can give you black skin?"
C: "With black paint."
Me: "But it will wash off when you take a bath."
C: "But I want to paint me black."
Me (picking my battles): "Ok, we can paint your hand black sometime soon."
C: "And my arm and my other arm and my legs and my belly and my face...all of me."

So, don't be shocked to find pictures on here someday of my blond-headed Claire with "black skin."

An Interesting Journal Entry

*Taken from my written journal December 9th, 2010*

"Something just happened that, to my knowledge, was a first. Dan fell asleep during a Colt's football game while I stay up to watch it! Crazy, I tell you! This is the girl who couldn't stand football just a few years ago. I tell you what, Dan has slowly infected me. Thankfully, the Colt's won against the Titan, 30-28. This is a very good thing, considering Dan proclaimed to the Facebook world after the last game that Manning should be benched. They are 7-6 now. Yes - I am even impressing myself with my football facts! *And now I can name many of the Colt's players - not just five.* For fun, let's see how many off the top of my head at 5 minutes till midnight. Peyton Manning, Joseph Addai, Jacob Tammie, Gary Brackett, Edgerrin James, Pierre Garcon, Dallas Clark, Jeff Saturday, Dwight Freeney, Adam Vinatieri, Austin Collie, ? White, Reggie Wayne

*A couple of years ago Dan's standard for me being a true Colt's fan was based on if I could name at least 5 players. I passed the test!*

Losing My Mind

Sometimes, I feel just like Kevin (our pumpkin man who comes to visit every year) in the above picture. Especially today...with all the nose wipin' I've done with Claire yesterday and today, I now, am feeling yucky. I was supposed to meet a friend at Panera this morning. I completely forgot. Doh...I hate it when I do stuff like that. Even when I am well, though, sometimes I feel like I have the memory of someone twice or more my age. It is quite frusterating. Any tips? I'll take them. I even had the Panera meeting on my calendar...I truly do blame that on me not feeling well though.

Anyhow, here are some late pictures of Kevin coming to life again. We had Ashleigh's help this year with stuffing him. A good time was had by all. And now it's already time to say good-bye to Kevin until next year.

"In Everything, Give Thanks"!

What I've been thanking the Lord for today...

*Dan's new job!
After being unemployed for a year, Dan reported on base for his first day of work last Monday! It has been so neat to see how God provided for our family over the course of the year. While I had my moments of anxiety, I can say in all honesty, they were moments. The Lord gave me a supernatural peace! We were blessed by so many people in so many different ways. And I am just so thankful for the journey of going through this experience.

*Medicine
While on that first day of work, Dan felt miserable. You see, the cold bug decided to target our entire family and he had perfect aim. Throughout the last three weeks, one or more of us has been doing battle with this bug. Dan was able to start antibiotics last Tuesday, and while the rest of last week wasn't too great for him, he is doing much better now. Lydia was feeling particularly crummy last Wednesday and was devastated that we had to stay home from pie and praise service at church. Our trip to Indy for Thursday was a possible no-go, too. After some discussion with the Indy Ernst's, we decided to go (sans Dan, who had to work on Friday). And now Claire is the sickie in the house. *Also, very grateful for the pharmacist at Meijer who filled up another bottle of antibiotics for Jake (for a returning ear infection). After only taking 2 doses of it, it fell on the floor, cracked open, and $38 worth of medicine was wasted.

*Water

The Children of the World (International Children's Choir) came to our church this past Sunday evening. They came about 10 years ago and I remember it being so touching. I was excited for our kids to get to see them and they held their attention the entire time. They sing with such joy even though they have been through so much. Here is a blurb from their pamphlet..."this inspiring group travels across the U.S. for 10 months, putting a voice and face to the desperate needs of children whose lives have been devastated by civil war, famine, poverty, unclean water, and preventable diseases." I take so much for granted, I know. Clean water is one of them. I go often to fill up a cup with filtered, clean water from my refrigerator without thinking anything of it. According to World Help, "six thousand children died today from water-related illnesses." This truly saddens my heart. Every year, we get a catalog from Samaritan's Purse. This year, we were trying to decide which ministry to give to. There are so many needs...clothing, food, shelter, other medical needs, schooling, etc... But truly, after seeing the faces and hearing a couple of these kids stories, I believe we have our answer. If you are interested in helping out this cause as well, go to http://www.causelife.org/ to learn more about what you can do to save the life of a child by helping to provide clean drinking water.

*Life

I have life on the brain right now, as I just found out the gender of Sarah Beth and Matthew's first child. Lydia and Claire are happy that the number of girl cousins will be a bit more balanced now! Congrats again, SB and Matt!! Can hardly wait until April to meet my little niece...ooh, I love the sound of that! And of course, I am eternally grateful for my new life in Christ! I am reminded of pastor's message in which he talked about how the Lord created us and then bought us back!! How great the Father's love for us!

A Gift, A Cookie, An Answer To Prayer

I have been participating in the 30 Day Giving Challenge, as mentioned in a previous post of mine. It has been neat to see how the Lord leads. I believe God is directing it all, but some days the gift seems more obvious than others. There have been a few days where I have just prayed, "ok, Lord...not sure about today. Please make it clear." And He has. Today was one of those days.

I woke up wondering. Got the kids fed and ready for school. Dan drove J and L to school and I took C with me to take Ashleigh to school (the little girl we watch on the weekend nights). After I dropped her off, I decided my body needed some caffeine after a fun, but late-night filled weekend at Becky's. I am out of creamer, so I made a run to Tim Horton's (they are, after all, my favorite coffee place). There were 5 cars ahead of me, but still, I decided to wait. While I waited, I started wondering again. What could I give today? A car drove up behind me and the thought came to my mind to pay for her order. But seeing as I was scrounging for change to pay for my cup of coffee, I scratched that idea. About this time, C started fussing that she was hungry and needed a cookie. I replied with a "you already had eggs and an orange for breakfast; you don't need a cookie." The sin nature in her decided to rear it's ugly head as she continued to plead and beg and pine away for a cookie. I told her, "Tim Horton's doesn't even sell cookies." Donuts and muffins and bagels, yes, but I never had seen a cookie at TH. She finally quiets down just in time, as it was my turn to place my order.

"Would you like to buy a cookie for one dollar that goes directly to Children's Hospital?"

Whoa! How cool was that? I did have enough change for an extra dollar; I have a dear place in my heart for Children's as I have known patients there and the dear nurses who care for them. And not to mention, my youngest child desperately wanted a cookie. Of course, I told her she was going to have to "earn" her cookie with some good girl behavior, so she did not get it right away.

I just thought that little beginning of my day was too cool to not share! A buck is not a huge amount, I know. But the clear direction from God was!

Random Thusday Thoughts

*Shopping
Took Claire to the mall today to get a birthday present for one of Jake's buddies birthday party on Sunday. I don't normally shop the malls, but the store, Game Stop, was where I was headed for a couple of previously owned games for his DS. His mom had given me the idea, as his games were stolen. Anyhow, I was amused at Claire's wonder at all the different mall discoveries. She paid special attention to the manikins in the store displays. We also had some fun looking at the puppies in Fetch and a little lunch at Chick-fil-A w/ a freebie coupon I had. Two other 'musts' on her list was to hit the little play area and of course, take a round trip on the escalators. I admit I am a people watcher, so while Claire played, I took note of the people around me. There was the teeny, petite mother on one side of me eating her Larabar. Then there was the mom on the other side of me who nonchalantly watched her son bully another boy repeatedly. Hello... mom of bully,how about taking some action? Of course, I also had fun watching all of Claire's peers (minus bully boy). One little guy in particular made me giggle. Claire and 2 other girls were in a car and the boy ran up, climbed on the windshield and exclaimed, "How about some boy on your window?" Don't know if this a new pick up line or what? We stopped into Old Navy on the way out so we could use the potties. Claire, once again, got distracted and I caught myself saying something only a mother probably would..."Ok, say good-bye to the manikins so we can leave."

*God cares about the details!
It's been a few months now that I have been Becky-less. I miss my friend...a lot. I am so glad I get to go and spend some quality time with her this weekend. Leaving tomorrow and I can hardly wait. And while she can never be replaced, God has given me a new friend. Makes me think of the poster that used to hang in my room at my parent's house that said, "Make new friends and keep the old; one is silver, the other gold." Sabrina and her family just moved here from TX right about the same time Becky and her family relocated. And guess what...she has 5 year old twin boys, just like Becky. How cool is that? She also has the sweetest little girl who is in my nursery and is a miracle baby (her story is also one that shows God cares about the details). Sabrina joined Ladies Premiere and we have gotten to know each other the most during our talks on the treadmill! So, thank you God, for the Becky's and Sabrina's in my life!

*She said what?
Sometimes I race the kids to the van and do the ol' "last one there..." routine. Claire has picked up on it, only in her version, it goes, "the first one there's a rockin' egg!"

*York, PA
Just a shout out to my brother and his family's place of residence. Was feeding my kids a bedtime snack of Stauffer's animal crackers and saw on the giant container that they are made in York! Speaking of those Yorker's, I am super duper excited to get to spend some time with them next week!

*The ugliness of man (and woman)
Dan and I went to the Goodwill outlet this morning while Claire was in preschool. The Goodwill outlet is huge and most of their pricing is determined by weight (other than clothes, furniture, and a few other items). I have never seen what I saw today, which I'm told is an everyday occurrence. When the store is ready to bring out a new supply of stuff, they ring a bell and wheel out these huge bins. People line the area where the bins will be brought and they are ready. Sometimes the poor people bringing them out can barely get there before the chaos ensues. Arms were flying and bodies were bumping and well, you can just picture the "gimme" mentality. I know everybody in that line does not fit that category, but you can definitely tell the ones who do. Dan and I were able to snag a few Christmas presents while there but I can't say what they were since the kids read this.

*A sweet closing
Claire is standing beside me and I need to read the kids some Farmer Boy and get them in bed. I asked her if she wanted to say a few words, so here ya go.

"I love you. I love you. I love you. Fishies in the tank. And an animal called Beary (who happens to be lost). Toothpaste tooty. Love you to the neatest states. Animal cracker with pop and sdfhodihsodhfsd (my way of typing gibberish). Talking to Mrs. Balter and Mrs. Hamsik (her teachers)."

Guess she had some pretty random thoughts as well!

Trick or Treat Night

Two kitties and Darth Vader getting ready to head out...

Score...king size candy bars at one of our first stops!

Lydia ran into her friends from preschool, Peyton and Jasmine...how fun!

Happy Birthday, MuMaw

Happy Birthday, Mom! (In case you may be wondering, no, our kids do not call their Grandma by the name of MuMaw... I lovingly came up with the name...don't remember when or why, but it stuck).

I can't put into words what my "mamma" (what I used to call her in my childhood days, living in the South) means to me. My words come up short every time. How can you sum up feelings you have for one of the most important persons in your life? When I became a parent, I learned many things (and still am, for that matter). How to swaddle my baby, different ways to burp, discipline techniques, understanding that each of my children is unique and special in their own way...the list could go on and on; some of it trivial, some of it very important. One of the biggest lessons I learned was something called perspective. Now, I get all the sacrifices my parents made and the daily challenges they faced. One of those sacrifices my mom made was to work in a Christian school and make a lot less money than she could have in order for me and my siblings to attend a Christian school with the discount she earned.

Another lesson my mama modeled to me was a generous heart. My mom has a passion for giving to others. She truly finds pure joy in being able to give to someone, whether it is a meal or an airplane ticket. And she is so creative in how she presents those gifts. She is just as excited to watch the blessing unfold as is the person who receives the blessing.

Unconditional love...that would be another trait I think of when I think of my mom. She loves with every bit of her being. She is very demonstrative in how she shows that love, just like her mother.

So, Happy Birthday Mumaw! I heart you very much!

Random Thursday Thoughts

*I have been making it a priority to get back to the gym. Last week, I went 2 days. Today marked the 3rd day I've gone this week. I know it is because I am just starting back up, but man, it has been wiping me out. And that's with me even trying to start slowly. I have some personal goals which seem pretty "far out there." But, I keep reminding myself that progress is made inch by inch, pound by pound. Just to give myself a little pat on the back...I have not touched the candy stash since the day after trick or treat night. I think I had 5 treats and that was it. Now if I could only break the coffee craving...

*The other day as I grabbed the last couple of eggs from the carton, my eyes did a double take. For this is what I was pleasantly surprised to see...

Pretty interesting place to discover a verse of Scripture!

*I really enjoy writing. I have a few book ideas in my head, but the thought of actually dedicating time to try write them seems overwhelming. I find this to be true of myself...that I doubt myself before I even try. I really don't like that about myself. I need a boost of confidence, I suppose. That, and a quiet place to think; now there's the real challenge.

*One topic that I could write about...the things you experience and the words that come out of your mouth that could only be true of a parent. Here are a few recent ones...

"I just don't have much sympathy for you. Bobby pins don't belong on people's lips."

"Find another job then...I don't want snot all over my dishes." (After Jake was complaining of having to keep washing his hands while doing the dishes because of a runny nose).

You know your a parent when...

-you drop your daughter off at preschool, turn the car back on, and start singing along with Elmo. It takes you about a minute before you realize you are alone in the car and can stop torturing yourself and turn on some 'real music.'

- your laptop has a Cinderella sticker planted smack dab on the front of it (This was true of my friend, Tess).

I would love to hear some of your "you know your a parent" moments...whether from a few days ago or years ago. Go ahead and post a comment to share and help me be encouraged that I'm not alone...that other people's kids cut their lips with bobby pins, too.

Claire Turns 4!!!!

So, this year Claire could not decide what kind of a party theme she wanted. She went from Clifford to Elmo again to Polly Pockets. Those are some of the ideas she verbalized. Finally, I was able to lock her into a kitty cat theme as this is what she was dressing up as for Halloween. We had her party the day before her actual birthday and invited family and close friends. It was a lot of fun and Claire was all smiles!We borrowed this Fur Real stuffed kitty for part of the decorations from my Grandma Kanost. However, she had to be turned off as she was freaking out Mrs. Tuey, who happened to sit in the seat the kitty was facing.

Here is a shot of all the kiddos. We didn't get a picture of them all in their costumes, but here are some that I did...We had Lydia as a matching kitty....Noelani as Queen Esther...

Travis as Batman (who got a hold of Jake's storm trooper mask)...

Tine as Spiderman (chowing down on some sloppy joe)...

Ashleigh came as Spiderella, but wanted to be kitty cat, too.
There were also 5 other kitty-cats, although I'm not sure you can see our whiskers. Uncle Matt and Aunt Sarah Beth dressed up as lovebirds...oh wait...they are lovebirds. This was a fun group of peeps and let me tell you, there was a lot of laughter that night. In this particular pic, they were laughing at something....

she said. (Had to include this, mom, for memory's sake).


First on the agenda was to eat supper.Next, we made a craft...messy, but fun!

Mrs. Tuey even got in on the action...the art lover that she is.Then, we played a game called "Scamper." It was simply a song on a cd that I borrowed from my former co-worker. There is one cat (that is who I was in the above pic) who is sleeping, while the mice (the rest of the players) are quietly sneaking around looking for food. The music is slow until a bottle drops and the cat wakes up. Then the music speeds up while the cat chases the mice. Silly, but I knew the kids would love it, which they did!Claire's turn to be the "old tomcat." And then we had a 3 legged tomcat give it a go.

Next, Claire opened up her presents...
while her onlookers watched behind the line of tape. Time for cake!

Blowing out the candles!

That was demolished pretty quickly.

Just a silly shot to throw in the mix.

We love you so much, Claire Danielle. You make us smile every day and we are so thankful God put you in our family.