Whisler Clan

2008-10-01T14:43:00.002-04:00

You all know about my new couponing hobby. My new favorite store is CVS. I try to do the CVS challenge hosted by Kingdom first Mom. This week I had a great time thanks to some Extra Care Bucks from last week.

Transaction 1

1 pkg Pampers Easy Ups

2 Cover Girl products

used:

1.50/1 pampers coupon

$1/1 Covergirl product

B1G1 Covergirl product

$10 CVS ECB's

Out of pocket $4.28

Transaction 2

1 Gillette Fusion Razor

used:

$4/1 Fusion Razor

$5.79 ECBs from above Transaction

Out of pocket $0.49

Earned $5.00 ECB's

First Day of School

2008-08-22T13:48:00.002-04:00

Aaron started the '08-'09 school year today. What's different this year is that Maddy started as well. She is doing 3 days a week. She was so excited to start school and she had a great day. We are so thankful for a school that we know will help us grow her in the knowledge of God.

Our Anniversary

2008-07-22T21:22:00.003-04:00

Aaron and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary on Monday. We got home from our Florida vacation on Sunday then on Monday we dropped the kids off with Grandma and Grandpa and took off for Cincinnati. We went to a Reds game and spent the next morning sleeping in and walking at the Newport river walk.

It's hard to believe that Aaron & I have been married for 7 years. So much has happened in that time. There are so many reasons I love Aaron, but mostly for his leadership and love for God and our family. I couldn't ask for a better husband/father. The Lord has truly blessed us!!

The Swingset Guy

2008-07-03T12:43:00.002-04:00

http://www.wishtv.com/Global/category.asp?C=25955&nav=menu35_11

Aaron works with Scott Ice putting together swingsets and fences. They were taped by WISH-TV as a promo that hopefully will bring in more work in the future. Thanks Michelle for posting the link. :)

Flower Girl

2008-06-23T06:45:00.003-04:00

Maddy was the flower girl in Aaron's cousin's wedding on Saturday. I was a little concerned with how she would do, but she did beautifully. She did everything that she was asked to do. It was a memorable day. I had so much fun being with her on Friday and Saturday experiencing her first wedding with her.

My New Hobby!

2008-06-19T13:59:00.005-04:00

My brand new addiction is most definately couponing and the Grocery Game. My friend Trisha got me thinking about how I can save money on groceries and household items so I began researching. Turns out, there are a lot of ways to save on those things. I joined The Grocery Game (great site by the way) and started cutting coupons and getting them off the internet. This is an example of how I am saving. I got all these things for $1.36 plus tax bringing my total to $2.44! WOW!! Can you see why I'm addicted?? :)

http://www.thegrocerygame.com/

http://www.moneysavingmom.com/

2008-06-19T13:53:00.002-04:00

Maddy loves to help in the kitchen and Aaron enjoys baking so they make a great pair. Aaron and Maddy made banana bread the other night and it was delicious. What great memories that will make!

Settlers of Catan

2008-06-13T13:36:00.002-04:00

We had a good time last Sunday night after church with some of our friends playing a game of Settlers. I lost badly but still had a great time. Vince was declared the winner. Micah had a good time rolling the dice and stacking the "blocks" for Sean.

Great Day To Be Outside!!

2008-05-29T21:58:00.003-04:00

Our "singing rock"

It was beautiful today so we took advantage of it and spent a lot of time outside. Maddy and Micah had a great time running around the yard. We have a rock in our backyard that has become our "singing stage." Maddy gets up on the rock and gives us a concert and Micah has tried it as well. He can't balance on the rock yet, but he sits on it and tries to sing. It is so cute!!

At the Farm

2008-05-29T15:04:00.004-04:00

Allison and Alex took Maddy and Micah and Nicholas to the farm on Monday afternoon while we relaxed. They had a good time feeding the sheep, horses, and dogs. They are a lot braver than I would be around the horses!

Memorial Day 2008

2008-05-29T14:53:00.003-04:00

We had a really fun day on Monday! We had lunch at Aaron's parents house with his family and our good friends. We then went to my mom & dad's for the afternoon/evening. Greg, Katie, & Anna were able to come down. Maddy was so excited to be able to play with her cousins. We were excited also for the free babysitting she provided while we got to visit with Greg & Katie, Thanks Anna! We love getting together with them but don't get to very often. We can't wait for this summer's vacation together!

Conservatives vs. Preservatives

2008-05-04T15:39:00.003-04:00

I have been studying through the book of John. I came to the passage in chapter 8:24-34 where Christ has just healed the blind man who had been blind from birth. I can imagine how irritated that man would have been having been asked 3 or 4 times by the Pharisees, "Who healed you?" He finally asked the Pharisees, Do you keep asking me because you want to know him as well? Well the Pharisees took offense at that question because "we are of Moses." Warren Wiersbe says in his commentary: "The Pharisees were cautious men who would consider themselves conservatives when in reality they were 'preservatives.' A true conservative takes the best of the past and uses it, but he is also aware of the new things that God is doing. The new grows out of the old. A preservative simply embalms the past and preserves it. He is against change and resists the new things that God is doing. If they really understood Moses, they would have known who Jesus was and what He was doing."

On a side note, the ESV does a great job of putting the blind man's response to the Pharisees in great conversational form. (See vs. 30-33)

Just Hangin' Out

2008-05-01T21:21:00.002-04:00

It was a beautiful day today! We spent a lot of my day off outside working in the flower beds and just hangin' out. Maddy wanted to get up in the tree so we had a great photo op. I love spring!!

"O Church Arise"

2008-04-29T15:45:00.003-04:00

Recently, God has given me an unusual burden for our church. God is teaching me that I need to pray fervently for our church and its leaders. Not only is my local church important, but the church of Jesus Christ as a whole needs to "arise and put your armor on!" I have recently been introduced to a new hymn which puts so perfectly our responsibility in this area of our lives.

"O Church, Arise"

O church, arise and put your armor on;Hear the call of Christ our captain;

For now the weak can say that they are strong In the strength that God has given.

With shield of faith and belt of truth We'll stand against the devil's lies;

An army bold whose battle cry is "Love!" Reaching out to those in darkness.

Our call to war, to love the captive soul, But to rage against the captor;

And with the sword that makes the wounded whole We will fight with faith and valor.

When faced with trials on ev'ry side, We know the outcome is secure,

And Christ will have the prize for which He died—An inheritance of nations.

Come, see the cross where love and mercy meet, As the Son of God is stricken;

Then see His foes lie crushed beneath His feet, For the Conqueror has risen!

And as the stone is rolled away, And Christ emerges from the grave,

This vict'ry march continues till the day Ev'ry eye and heart shall see Him.

So Spirit, come, put strength in ev'ry stride, Give grace for ev'ry hurdle,

That we may run with faith to win the prize Of a servant good and faithful.

As saints of old still line the way, Retelling triumphs of His grace,

We hear their calls and hunger for the day When, with Christ, we stand in glory.

Playing With Friends

2008-04-27T21:14:00.002-04:00

Saturday morning the kids and I went to the school playground with our friends, the Romanos. We had a good time together. It was chilly outside for the end of April, but we had fun none-the-less.

Fun outside

2008-04-12T20:59:00.003-04:00

We had a great time playing outside this week when it was so nice. It's amazing how much fun a slide outside can be for kids!

Couples Retreat

2008-04-07T20:38:00.003-04:00

Last weekend we had a church couples retreat in Indianapolis. We had a lot of fun playing games and fellowshiping with our friends. After the retreat on Saturday, we went with the Romano's downtown and spent some time walking along the canal. It was a beautiful day and the canal area in Indy is beautiful as well. We had a really good time with our friends!

Spring is Coming!!!!

2008-03-14T12:56:00.001-04:00

It's hard to believe that less than a week ago, we had 4-5 inches of snow on the ground and I posted pictures of us playing in it. I am so thankful that we were able to go outside and play. Maddy isn't in any of these pictures because she said it was still too cold (but she came out later and loved it).

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-03-14T12:55:00.001-04:00

Snow Much Fun!

2008-03-10T12:15:00.001-04:00

Bath time!!!

2008-02-27T07:52:00.003-05:00

I think that Micah's favorite pasttime is taking a bath. When he hears the water he gets so excited and repeats the word "bath" until I put him in the tub. I guess I should enjoy that while it lasts, right moms of boys :)

Making a Fort

2008-02-27T07:47:00.002-05:00

I haven't posted for a while. Since Christmas, our family has had the sick bug. Right now, Praise the Lord, we are all healthy and hoping for spring to arrive.

Since we've been stuck inside, we have had to find some things to keep us occupied, and what could be more fun than a fort!!

Habegger Christmas

2008-01-12T11:40:00.000-05:00

My family tells me that I have been very negligent in my blog posting :) I have yet to put on pictures from Habegger Christmas so here they are. On Christmas day, our family got together in the afternoon to celebrate. We opened presents, ate, opened presents again, and then played some games together. We had a great time! We are so thankful for our family and the Christian heritage that we have. Praise the Lord for a wonderful holiday season and for his unspeakable gift of His Son.

Check out my Slide Show!

2007-12-31T12:31:00.001-05:00

Christmas 2007

2007-12-31T10:49:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas to all!! We had a great holiday together as a family. It's so much fun now that Maddy is old enough to understand more what Christmas is all about. She loves the songs, stories, and all that Christmas entails (presents of course). We spent Christmas eve with Aaron's family and Christmas morning at home. We had a great day! Praise the Lord for sending His Son to be the Savior of the world!

Christmas in Tipton

2007-12-20T11:44:00.001-05:00

We made a hurried trip over to Tipton between Christmas Tree performances for Christmas with Aaron's cousins. The kids each got to open a couple of presents, so they had fun.

Playing in the Snow

2007-12-12T07:55:00.000-05:00

We had our first snow last week and Maddy and Micah were so excited to get out in the snow. They went out first at Grandma's house with Allison & Alex. Maddy said that she had so much fun "snowballing Micah." I got them all bundled up at home and went outside (Thanks Michelle for the snowsuit for Micah!) The first snow is always so much fun!

Our Christmas Tree

2007-11-26T07:51:00.000-05:00

I love Christmas time! We decided that Saturday was about the only day we had free to put up our Christmas tree. Things will be getting very busy for us with the Living Christmas Tree, ballgames, and school programs so we took the opportunity to put it up now. Maddy was very excited to help decorate the tree this year and Micah loved the lights and glass ball ornaments (He only broke 1 of them). Every time he sees the tree now he gets excited and says "TEE!!"

Stealing daddy's breakfast!

2007-11-21T12:04:00.000-05:00

Micah is a short little guy, but what he lacks in height, he gains in his ability to climb. He has become our little climber for sure. I have to remember to push in all the chairs around the table or else he will be up on the table. He's a spunky guy, but I can't imagine him being any different. I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and is truly thankful for all that God has given us.

Playdough Time

2007-11-19T10:27:00.000-05:00

Maddy is getting better at playing by herself. She had a ball the other night playing with playdough. It was fun watching her.

Baking with Daddy!!!

2007-11-15T14:33:00.000-05:00

Maddy loves to "help" in the kitchen. Aaron was making some pumpkin pies for a reward for one of his classes and Maddy was right there ready to lend a hand. It is always so much fun to hear her squeal with delight when she gets to "help."

Getting Cold Outside

2007-11-08T10:13:00.000-05:00

Well, I think the cooler weather is finally here to stay. The leaves are falling and we now have to bundle up to go outside. I really love the fall weather. I love sweaters, jackets, hot chocolate, and fires in the wood stove. The only down side is that the cold winter weather is just around the corner.

2007-11-07T07:53:00.000-05:00

Someone at work sent me this story and I thought I would share it with all you moms who like me, sometimes feel frustrated with what you have to do everyday as moms. I hope it encourages you as it did me.

I'm Invisible
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of
response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room
while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store.
Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm on the phone?"
Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or
cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head
in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm
invisible. The invisible Mom.
Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you
fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?
Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human
being. I'm a clock to ask, "What time is it?" I'm a
satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney
Channel?" I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30, please."
I was certain that these were the hands that once held books
and the eyes that studied history and the mind that
graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared
into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going,
she's going, she's gone!
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the
return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back
from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the
hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at
the others all put together so well. It was hard not to
compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my
out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that
was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a hair clip and
I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I
was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a
beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this."
It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't
exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her
inscription: "To Charlotte, with admiration for the
greatness of what you are building when no one sees."
In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And
I would discover what would become for me, four
life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:
No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no
record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives
for a work they would never see finished. They made great
sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their
building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw
everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to
visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a
workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was
puzzled and asked the man, "Why are you spending so m uch
time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by
the roof? No one will ever see it." And the workman replied,
"Because God sees."
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into
place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I
see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day,
even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've
done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is
too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building
a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will
become."
At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it
is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for
the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote
to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective
when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people
who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to
work on something that their name will never be on. The
writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals
could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few
people willing to sacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell
the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving,
"My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies,
and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and
presses all the linens for the table." That would mean I'd
built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to
want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to
say to his friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there."
As mothers, we are buildi ng great cathedrals. We cannot be
seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very
possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we
have built, but at the beauty that has been add ed to the
world by the sacrifices of invisible women.
Great Job, MOM!

One Fun Farm

2007-10-22T12:49:00.001-04:00

This past Saturday was such a beatiful day that we decided to take the kids to One Fun Farm in Farmland. The kids had a great time seeing the animals, playing on the slides, running in the hay maze, watching the pigs race, and picking out pumpkins. Micah's favorite thing was touching the pigs noses and Maddy's favorite was everything!! We will have to make this trip a yearly tradition.

Michael Cole

2007-10-21T19:19:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, my cousin Michael came to visit before he takes off to Japan to work in a hospital over there as a navy nurse. We had a good time catching up with him. We were glad that he got to spend some time with the kids while he was here. Have a great time in Japan, Michael!! We love you!!

Reading Time

2007-10-04T12:38:00.000-04:00

I am so thankful that Maddy loves books. I have such a hard time making myself read even though I would like to. She loves to sit and look at books or have us read to her. It always is such a precious time.

funny old women

2007-10-03T14:06:00.001-04:00

This video just made me chuckle. I thought I would share it with y'all. Hope you enjoy!

Baseball Time

2007-10-03T10:52:00.000-04:00

Maddy found her baseball hat and bat the other day and wanted to play baseball. Micah got in on the action and just laughed and laughed. You just can't help but smile and laugh when you hear a child's laugh!

Playing outside

2007-10-03T10:42:00.000-04:00

Now that Micah is walking pretty well, we have fun going outside to play. Maddy found a pile of leaves to kick around and Micah, well he just found lots of things to chew on. It is so funny how different the two of them are! Micah is all boy and just loves the dirt, and Maddy has never liked being dirty. Praise the Lord that he makes us all different!

Maddy's 3rd Birthday

2007-09-12T10:01:00.000-04:00

What a Ham!!

Cowgirl Maddy

Maddy's purple butterfly cake

Uncle Phil, the party animal!

Uncle Greg, Anna, & Maddy

Micah & Burt

We finished out our birthday extravaganza last Sunday with Maddy's birthday party. Her birthday was on September 8 and we had a party in Indianapolis at Greg & Katie's house and then we had a party at our house with the Whisler clan on Sunday night. Maddy happened to have a fever both evenings, but that didn't dampen her spirits. Some of her gifts included a couple of dolls, a cowgirl hat, a leap pad, and a new kid size picnic table that her Uncle Alex made for her. I would have to say that mine and Aaron's favorite gift was new music to play in the car! We had a great 2 weeks with all the birthdays, but I'm glad that they are over for another year.

Micah's 1st Birthday

2007-09-02T17:45:00.000-04:00

Friday was Micah's first birthday. I can hardly believe that a whole year has gone by and my baby is now walking and is not considered a baby anymore. I praise the Lord for the last year and the things he has taught Aaron and I. I am looking forward to seeing how Micah grows in the next year. We love you, Micah!!

2007-08-29T20:08:00.000-04:00

We made cookies the other night and Maddy enjoyed cleaning up after me. I wasn't brave enought to let Micah help.

Look Out World!!

2007-08-29T18:58:00.000-04:00

Micah started walking on Tuesday. He made it before his first birthday. Look out world!!

Little Picaso

2007-08-17T07:52:00.000-04:00

Maddy has discovered a hidden talent. Okay, maybe not, but it is now one of her favorite things to do. We put one of daddy's old work t-shirts on her and set her at the big table so Micah couldn't get into the paint. She had a ball!!

Fun With Friends

2007-08-15T07:25:00.000-04:00

Friday night we didn't have anything going on and I wasn't on call at work. Since those two things are such a rarity, we decided to have some friends over for dinner. Andy and the Romano's came over and we had a great time together. The kids played and created a huge mess in Maddy's room! They had a great time and it was fun to see them playing so well together. It is great to have Christian friends and fellowship.

Haircuts

2007-08-13T09:53:00.000-04:00

Mommy and Micah took a trip to get their haircut on Friday. We decided that we should take a picture of the new doos.

Into Everything!!

2007-08-13T09:44:00.000-04:00

Micah is definitely more adventuresome than Maddy ever was. Maddy used to stay in whatever room I was in, but Micah likes to be on the move. He has developed a knack for climbing and getting into everything!

Railbaron Game

2007-08-13T07:39:00.000-04:00

About two or three times a year, Aaron likes to get his "railbaron groupies" together for a rousing game. These games take about 6-7 hours to play, which is why they only play two or three times a year. The winner from the last game gets to wear "the hat." This game ended with Aaron retaining his hat till the next game. It's fun to be with friends!

Messy, Messy, Messy!

2007-08-05T09:05:00.000-04:00

Maddy's favorite meal is spaghetti. The other night, we combined it with corn on the cob which is her other favorite food. Together, it made for a messy meal. It definitely warranted pictures.

2007-08-03T15:17:00.000-04:00

Buddies!

The kids had a great time swimming in the pool once the water got warm enough. We also got a bike cart for Christmas that we just now got to use. Micah wasn't so sure about the whole thing at first, but then he decided that it wasn't so bad.

At the farm

2007-08-02T08:00:00.000-04:00

Anna spent the week with Grandma & Grandpa, so we got to spend some time with her as well. Aaron took Anna and Maddy to the farm where his sister keeps her animals. The girls had a great time and Anna got to even ride a horse. Allison asked Maddy if she wanted to ride and her adventursome answer was "um, no thanks."

Vacation 2007

2007-07-31T14:38:00.000-04:00

We had a great time a few weeks ago on our family vacation. We went to Aaron's 2nd cousin's lake house in Arkansas. It was a long trip with a 10 month old but we made it. It was beautiful and fun to be with family. Maddy loved the lake (even though she didn't swim in it) and the zoo. After we got home, Aaron and I went to Louisville for a couple of days. It was great to just relax!

2007-07-31T14:28:00.000-04:00

This is my first attempt at blogging. We'll see how often I do this.