Kellso Collage

Happy ‘Thanks’-giving

To be thankful implies that we are saying ‘Thank You’…  Instead of the gifts, let’s focus on the Giver of every good thing!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Jenna

The Portland book…

This last March, Matt and I were blessed with a trip to Portland to celebrate our 11th anniversary.  The trip was a bonus for a very difficult February at work to say ‘thank you’ for a job well done.  We enjoyed the gorgeous, rainy (but not TOO rainy) weather, eating at delicious restaurants, visiting friends, and mostly just reconnecting as 2 adults who have the capacity and ability (though not often the opportunity) to finish thoughts, sentences and conversations.  It was so fun….

The book itself is crafted out of a cigar box.  On the cover is the title (Our weekend in Portland) and a silhouette of Mt. Hood etched into the red paint.  I applied wax and Perfect Pearls glitter all around the back and up around the cover.  I love the ‘Pulp’ look to the back-it is a map of Powells bookstore-a giant used bookstore in the heart of Portland where we spent much of our time. (Nerds!)  When it comes to collage, if I see a scrap of paper or a little metal doo-dad, I never throw it away.  It always seems to come in handy sometime!  The inner cover of the cigar box features a fork I ‘twisted’ a few months ago, and now finally found a use for.  It now displays a list of the restaurants we visited on our trip.  Each page of the book is a pocket, containing an insert that coordinates with each page.  Featured in the book are our trip to the Portland Japanese Gardens, Stumptown coffee roasters, the Pittock Mansion, and the Beverly Cleary Tribute Fountain.

I have entered this book as my submission to try out for Mystic Paper’s design team.  I was very purposeful in my choice of what project to submit.  As always, I want each of my crafts to be personal to me and my loved ones.  I hope the thought that goes in to each project is meaningful to us long after it is being admired and observed by others.

Happy Birthday Noah

The same hair, always!

I can not believe that my baby boy turns 4 today!  After years of struggle and heartache, on June 25th, 2005 my little ‘medical miracle’ baby came into our lives.  It was almost humorous watching everyone who came and visited us that first morning enter the hospital room with glassy red eyes- a lot of happy car crying took place that day! (Oh, don’t think we didn’t notice!)  Even after clearing the giant hurdle that was Noah’s pregnancy, we had no idea of the humor and joy this little guy would bring to our lives.
As Matt often claims, Noah is not only the funniest kid we know, he is the funniest person we know.  A couple of months ago, from the back seat of the car, I hear Noah singing- “Smoke, smoke, smoke, smoke-smoke, smoke-smoke.  Smoke, smoke, smoke, smoke-smoke”  to the tune of the famous guitar riff from ‘Smoke on the Water’.  What 3 year old knows that song?
One evening when my parents were babysitting, he turns to my mom and says “Bepah?”
“Yes?”
“I love Jesus”
“Oh, me, too, Noah!”  I know at this point in his life, he was just trying to sound precious, but Matt and I pray every day that someday that would be his true heart cry.  I pray every night for them before bed that God would be, even now, softening their hearts and drawing it towards a desire to love and obey God.  Oh, I do pray!  Noah, we love you so much!

Edie the little rascal…

Well, girls may be sugar and spice and blah, blah, blah, but there is certainly never a dull moment around here with this little girl. You’ll notice that these messes are both ‘cosmetic based’, (she is OBSESSED with the bathroom, no big surprise), but they are messes nonetheless. Never a dull moment!
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D’oh!

Get yer motor Runnin…

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Noah
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My niece, (2nd cousin, technically), Sophia

I have been painting like a fiend, but the most fun painting I’ve done recently is our new road. Noah so often wants to go out and ride bikes or scooters, but he isn’t quite old enough to be out by himself, even with Jonathan. It is also difficult for me to just sit outside and watch with Eden. We have an RV pad on the side of our house that has never been used for anything except for leaf dumping by nearby trees, and I have been wanting to put it to good use for a while. We got it all cleaned up, then I painted the road on the cement with oil based paint. The boys love it, and Eden is having a blast out there as well with her playhouse. Jonathan can even open up the gate and ‘venture out’ onto the drive way or sidewalk if he needs a change of scenery and Eden is inside. Everybody wins!

I hope to paint a stop sign and a yield sign somewhere on the cement at some point, when I have a moment to breathe!

Sad news….

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I received word last Thursday that my Uncle Eddie had passed away. It was quite a shock, seeing as how he was only in his mid-50′s. I was sad, of course, but mostly my heart broke for my cousins Melissa and Peter, and for the loss in their, and their daughters’, lives. When I look back on memories with him, I think mostly of laughter, I mean, falling out of my chair laughing my butt off kind of laughter! He was funny, and he always made a visit to the kids table during family get-togethers. “…if you are among the very young at heart…”

I brought a pasta dish to 2 family get togethers last year (I’m so creative!) that my Uncle loved… here is the requested recipie in the original e-mail I sent to him:

This is Jenna

Super easy, and I always appreciate writing a recipe for someone I know will understand my ‘recipe language’. Missy is included in this!

Greek Discovery Dinner

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Well, Matt and I got to enjoy time with fellow believers at Discovery Dinner this week. We can only hope that others are as blessed by this ministry as we continually are!

I made Greek food for dinner again, and tried something different for dessert. It’s Baklava ice cream topping. Basically, it’s an adaptation of Baklava filling on top of ice cream. As my brother, David, put it: “So, you made the most delicious part of the Baklava without all the annoying layers?!” Yes, indeedy.

Here’s the recipe, it’s an original!

1 cup pistachios, or Walnuts, chopped
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup honey
2 T water
Splash of fresh lemon juice(1/2-1 tsp)

Toast the nuts and the cinnamon until warm and fragrant. Add liquid ingredients and bring to a gentle boil, and boil until syrupy in consistancy, about 3 minutes. Serve warm over ice cream and enjoy. Opa!

Tagged!

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I didn’t even realize that Sarah had tagged me at the end of her last blog entry… I had even been thinking that it was a fun idea, and had previously looked up ‘the 6th picture in my 6th album’ and was excited to share it! Well, truth be told this is the 7th picture, but the 6th is exactly the same, except out of focus. It is the first time Matt held Jonathan, when he was just a few minutes old. Awww! They both look like babies!

I tag Alexis and Janet.

Happy Birthday, Isaiah!

I finished this Scrapbook page last month, and in honor of Isaiah’s 4th birthday, I thought it would be the perfect time to share!

This is one of my all-time favorite pictures. It was taken nearly 2 years ago one week after Christmas. The entire Biederbeck family got together for a big group picture. Many pictures of the grandkids were taken, of course. Some of those grandkids were more cooperative than others! We got past Noah’s tears, and at one point Jonathan was holding Nathan with his arms around Noah and Isaiah, Isaiah decided to go in for a hug with 5 month old Nathan and…magic! From the “help me!” look in Nathan’s eyes, to Isaiah and Jonathan’s joy, and Noah’s confused bemusement, I love everything about this picture! Alright, enough gushing.

The first 4 grandkids on that side of the family were these 4 boys. There was a time we were certain there would be ONLY boys in the family…but a small batch of 2 girls has followed this crew in the last 2 years. I love it that way! When I look forward to the next 15 years, I can not imagine what life will hold for these 4 cousins, but I can hope…I hope they are as close of friends as Sarah and I are with some of our cousins! I hope they have a chance to grow and bond in many different areas; family get togethers, church, slumber parties, vacations…I hope they come to a saving knowledge of Christ in those next 15 years and that they can spur each other on in that faith. And the next 10 years? Oh, I’m not even ready to think about that!

So, Happy 4th Birthday Isaiah, I continue to pray for you, Jonathan, Noah, and Nathan, (as well as your little sisters) as I have since before you were born. I am so proud to be your aunt!

My favorite holiday

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Ah…Thanksgiving

A time to be with friends and family, a time to enjoy each other’s company and a delicious meal. A time to reflect on the year’s bounty and God’s many blessings upon our lives. And, amazingly, it has been, it will be, it should and shall be done without presents. It is truly the holiday Christmas aspires to be. And that, my friends is why Thanksgiving is My Favorite Holiday.

Less than 3 weeks!