A Hymn for Good Friday

O Come and Mourn with Me Awhile

Words: Frederick Faber

O come and mourn with me awhile,
O come ye to the Savior’s side
O come, together let us mourn,
Jesus our Lord is crucified.

2. Seven times He spake seven words of love;
And all three hours His silence cried
For mercy on the souls of men;
Jesus our Lord is crucified.

Chorus: O love of God! O sin of man!
In this dread act Your strength is tried;
And victory remains with love;
Jesus our Lord is crucified!

3. O break, O break, hard heart of mine!
Thy weak self-love and guilty pride
His Pilate and His Judas were:
Jesus our Lord is crucified.

4. A broken heart, a fount of tears,
Ask, and they will not be denied;
A broken heart love’s cradle is:
Jesus our Lord is crucified.
(Repeat chorus)

Tag: And victory remains with love;
Jesus our Lord is crucified!

Ethan's Birth Story, 3 Years Late

Was it really only three short years ago we left early one morning from our upstairs apartment to rush to the hospital, eagerly awaiting our second son's arrival? In those intervening years I have neglected to tell his stories here. I think we must have posted something short announcing his birth, but probably not his birthdays. Or his birth story. And so this is my attempt at making up for that, one post at a time.

To my middle child:

The day you were born was like a wonder. Your grandmother arrived that Tuesday, a few days before your expected arrival, an unexpected blessing for us and better for many reasons. Now, mind, you were already well past your due date of the 5th, but we thought for sure I was going to have to wait and wait all week and show up on Friday morning to get a repeat c-section because you were overdue and stubborn, like your brother before you. Or perhaps just too comfortable. But, praise the Lord, you decided to come all on your own!

I woke up early Wednesday morning with contractions that kept me from sleeping. I counted, your father slept. Finally, I woke him up, giddy that they hadn't stopped, kept coming. I know now I could've waited -- I had a doctor's appointment that morning anyway -- but we were so excited to meet you. I called the midwife around 5am and she said to come on down. So we tried to sneak out and not wake your brother Jacob, but he heard us trying to be quiet. We said our goodbyes and left early, letting your grandmother DD know we were going. I think I ate breakfast.

Once at the hospital, we actually parked in the deck and I was able to walk all the way to the maternity ward. I walked a lot that morning. In hindsight, we could've stayed at home a little longer. My body wasn't quite ready, and needed a little something to help you along, so I remember at some point getting some Pitocin, drugs that help make the contractions stronger, more regular. I remembered what it felt like the last time, so I asked them to only give me a very little. Well, it worked. Our dear nurse friend Kristin wasn't able to be at your birth -- she was on a plane at the time -- so we relied on other nurses. They took good care of me...until the mommy next door needed to have her baby RIGHT THEN and needed my midwife, too. I remember literally crawling up the walls (and the back of the hospital bed) because the contractions were so intense, but only your Daddy was with me. Finally, someone was able to come and order some more drugs for Mommy, better drugs, to take the pain away. But no one really checked on me to see how soon you might appear. The epidural arrived and I was finally able to breathe, to rest. It was past lunchtime, so they told your Daddy to go get something to eat (lucky him!). But, while he was gone, my midwife Mary came in to check on me and said I was ready to push RIGHT NOW and that meant you were going to be here -- soon! But where was Daddy!? We had to wait for him to return, sandwich uneaten, so he could be here for your birth.

I only got to enjoy that epidural for a little while. A few pushes in and both my midwife and my nurse (who used to be a midwife) realized that something was wrong. I could see it on their faces every time I had a contraction and pushed down hard. They asked for a doctor to come and assist, hopefully with forceps or a vacuum (they sounded scary, but not as scary as the thought of going to an operating room). But the doctor-lady on call had never met me and didn't know my story, so she sauntered in and told me I'd have to go straight to surgery! No way! Not after all the laboring and pushing and hard work I'd done! I might have said a bad word in her general direction, especially after she made MY midwife check her pager for her. Well, thankfully, midwife Mary and the nurse were both extremely supportive and encouraged the doctor to try the vacuum to help you arrive.

It seemed only a few moments and a few more pushes and there you were -- in my arms! I was so happy to hold you! You have no idea how elated I was that they placed you in my arms and on my chest right away. You cried and wiggled but we were oh so glad to hear that cry! You were born on Wednesday, February 11, 2009. And our world has never been the same since.

Ethan in the hospital with Mommy and Daddy. You looks confused. Or sleepy.

You are three now; I cannot believe how the time has flown. Currently, your vast imagination dwells on aquatic things. "The floor is water, Mommy, and we are on a boat." At bedtime, at lunchtime, anytime. You love bath time and prefer to put your boats in the tub first. Playground equipment is almost always a "pirate ship," especially if it has a spyglass. What did you request for your third birthday cake? Ocean animals. A shark. An octopus. Fish.

From our recent December visit to the Aquarium. Before I cut your hair.

Happy third birthday, Ethan! May this story not traumatize you too much in some future date when you happen upon this blog. We love you!

Part 1: Love at First Listen

(This is the first post in a new autobiographical series titled The Roadtripper's Guide to Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Live Music. Indulge me. It releases weekly on Tuesdays. You can read the Prologue here.)

My relationship with unique quality tunes began the day I received a cassette tape in the mail from Release magazine. I had just gotten my first set of wheels -- a deluxe 1988 Pontiac Grand Prix, burgundy, previously a prize for a Mary Kay rep, complete with a futuristic dashboard resembling something from Flight of the Navigator. It might have been better if the car actually WAS pink. CD players did not exist when the folks made it in Detroit, mp3 players were a distant glimmer in some programmer's future, and the radio brought slim options, so tapes were still a delight to receive. As soon as I heard the songs on side A of this particular little cassette, I played them for anyone I thought might want to listen.

I distinctly remember sitting in my car in the FUMC church parking lot one afternoon after some youth event, asking Mrs. S, the mom of two kids I used to babysit, to hear this amazing new band I'd discovered. They came from somewhere out in Texas. A couple of guys and some girl with a pretty voice. They rocked. They used weird percussion instruments. They had a literary name. And I swooned.

As the first strains of Danielle's voice singing "This world has nothing for me..." resounded from my vintage stereo, I couldn't tell if Mrs. S was pleased at what she was hearing or just amusing a sweet little teenager. But as I preached the gospel of this new brand of smart folk-rock, I knew I would be forever changed.


Up until this point, my musical tastes consisted of my parents' do-wop classics, Kasey Kasem's Top 40 hits on Sunday afternoons, a casette tape of The Monkees, whatever was on the million country stations available (including lots of Garth), and a large dose of CCM, the pop hits that only came to us via radio on Sunday mornings, when local radio station KMX played music for puttin' on church clothes. I was stuck in a small south Alabama town where Dave Matthews hadn't quite yet made his presence known, the boys all listened to gangsta rap like it was Jack Daniels, and concerts were like a foreign country. Even the Christian music I thought I liked had to come by mail order or a trip to a shopping mall almost an hour away. At least we had Jars of Clay. That year you couldn't turn on the radio without hearing "Flood" pour out of the speakers. I remember posting lyrics to "Like a Child" on my dorm door when I went to a science camp back in the summer of '95. I thought I was so cool.

Don't tell anyone that my first actual concert of any kind, in middle school, was Ray Boltz. You'll shatter any illusions they might have had about my social stature. I followed those up with regular attendance at performances of Point of Grace, Rebecca St. James, Clay Crosse and somebody named Greg Long (who?), complete with all the paraphenalia they could sell me. One notable exception might have been a visit to my hometown from the guy who would later write all those songs for Casting Crowns,  but even then I can't seriously count that a brush with stardom. Anyone remember Skillet? Yeah, there's a reason I consider the moment I first heard Derek and Cliff as a conversion experience.

My junior and senior years of high school I spent too much time on messageboards for want of like-minded music lovers. Not only was I already a pariah in local cliques for intently following something called CCM Magazine, but I was about to jump ship and enter the world of slightly-independent music of which no one outside of a select few had even a remote interest. Mind you, the internet had only recently been introduced, but all us crazies tended to find each other there, so I forged ahead. My few real-life close friends at the time either could care less about music or were away at college, making their own discoveries. The one guy I dated in high school liked Nine-Inch Nails, for crying out loud. Not a paragon of musical taste. I'm still thankful to the youth leader from the Bible school formerly known as FBTC for giving me a poster of the album cover from this particular band's first label release. He was the first person I'd met in real life who actually knew who they were. It was a lead of love. (And if you just got that, then you do, too.)

And so I entered my senior year of high school armed with a new homemade binder for my AP English Lit class (where we began by studying early British texts), appropriately emblazoned with album covers and the band's name across the top: Caedmon's Call.

 Photo from http://caedmonscall.net/

Little did I know that there was a fellow Caedmon's Call fan from Alabama who was attending college just one state over and that in a few short years, our worlds would collide.

If you are still in the dark about this band (or any other I mention in this series) please go check them out at their official website. You don't even have to wait for someone to send you a tape or CD to listen to their music. We have iTunes now. And NoiseTrade, where you can download songs from their latest album for free!

Books Read in 2011 (Gaines)

Washed and Waiting: Reflections on Christian Faithfulness and Homosexuality -- (My review)

Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, From Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning

Keep Your Greek: Strategies for Busy People -- (My review)

The Acts of the Apostles (Sacra Pagina Commentary Series)

Reformed Dogmatics, Vol. 3: Sin and Salvation in Christ

Confessions and Catechisms of the Reformation

Introduction to the History of Christianity: First Century to the Present Day

Historical Theology: An Introduction to the History of Christian Thought [Selections]

Peter Martyr Vermigli 1499-1562: Renaissance Man, Reformation Master

Colonial Presbyterianism: Old Faith in a New Land

The Color of Magic

The Orthodox Church

The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression

The Monster in the Hollows (The Wingfeather Saga Book Three)

Let's Study Hebrews

Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets

I'm a bit behind in getting this post up - a fact which pretty much sums up my entire reading effort in 2011. Oh well.

Looking over the list, most of my reading was school-related. I guess that counts, but it just doesn't feel the same. Not that there weren't some good selections in there. The L.T. Johnson commentary on Acts was simultaneously brilliant and infuriating. I've almost finished all 4 volumes of Bavinck's Reformed Dogmatics, and it has been worth the read. The collection of monographs on Colonial Presbyterianism provided some great insight on a period I am woefully ignorant of. And speaking of history, I especially enjoyed the Peter Martyr Vermigli biography - the book itself was okay, but the subject was very fascinating: Vermgli deserves much more attention than he gets!

Of the non-fiction books that weren't for school, I especially enjoyed Amity Shlaes' The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression -- though it is easy to lament how quickly we forget the lessons of the past. Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets was often tough to read, but was an utterly captivating look inside the world of criminal investigation in a major U.S. city.

My biggest regret: only two fiction books in 2011! Granted, one was Andy Peterson's thoroughly enjoyable third installment of his Wingfeather Saga. But I'll have to do better in 2012.

Wordless Wednesday

Prologue

If I ever write a memoir (because my life has been SO exciting), it shall henceforth have this title: A Roadtripper's Guide to Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Live Music.

Okay, I confess. I've already started.

Everyone likes a good love story, right? And I figure most of the folks reading this blog weren't there for all those years before we became the awesomeness that is now known as Team Redd.

So, if there's one place you can be self-indulgent and write your autobiography, it's a blog.



I've been dashing out ideas for months and creating chapters in my head while I'm in the shower or drying my hair (those are excellent moments in which to actually THINK for us moms, rather than just respond mindlessly to an oft-repeated request). However, the problem is that not many of those ideas make it to paper, or in this case, the pretty internets.

But this is the time for resolutions, so by golly, I'm going to try!

It's Tuesday, Music traditionally releases on Tuesdays. Hence, I submit this to you on a Tuesday. Look for Chapter 1 next week. And break out some nineties rock.

Everyone's life has a soundtrack. Mine just might be a little less well-known.

Stay tuned, folks.

Gladys Herdman and the Book of Joshua

What does it feel like when God's Word speaks to you? To me, it's always like a smack on the forehead. "Listen Up! This is for YOU, silly!" Or maybe it's more like that Herdman kid from The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, whose strange proclamation somehow sounds like the best news you've ever heard: "Hey! Unto you a child is born! And he's in a barn!"

Well, this past Sunday I heard a sermon that spoke to me like Gladys Herdman. (I highly recommend you take a listen to it if you have the time.)

During the past year, our little church has been blessed by much change, some heartache, a search for new senior leadership, multiple guest speakers who have taught us from God's Word, an awesome associate pastor who has stepped up in a big way, and a long process of church revitalization. I'm on the Vision Team, and though I've put in many long hours (and Calvin, too, once he arrived), I think every minute has been valuable. One of the first parts of the process we've undertaken is to discern why God has placed us where we are. Why are we in this community? On this corner? In this building? And how can we use that to be part of what God is already doing? I thought about all this as I listened to the pastor draw together the grand picture of God's plan of redemption with events going on both across the world as well as in our own little corner as he exhorted us from the first chapter of Joshua.

The last time I really meditated on the book of Joshua was 12 years ago. The summer of 1999 was coming to a close, and I was at a leadership retreat for our college's InterVarsity chapter. Just before arriving at the retreat center, I'd returned home from a summer away working at camp to find out that a childhood friend of mine had been killed in a car accident, killed by a drunk driver. She was only 19. Like Joshua mourning Moses' death, I was grieving. And yet, our IV leader showed me Joshua chapter one, and the encouragement there. It helped me not to focus on my own sorrow and loss, but on the task ahead and the work God had for me. And I needed to hear it then, just like I needed to hear it again yesterday, but for slightly different reasons these days.


As he read from that first chapter, I was struck again by the oft-repeated "be strong and courageous," but also, for the first time, the parts surrounding the phrase:

"Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1: 6-9) And also, in verse 3, the Lord tells Joshua that "every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you."

For the first time, I connected those truths to my own life. Yes, I know intellectually that God owns everything, the mountains and the valleys are His and He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. The earth is His and all the fullness thereof. And I know that in Christ, the promises were extended so that now the promised land we are to inherit is not just a tiny patch in the Middle East, but the entire world. "For God so loved the world..." That is his promise -- His kingdom shall have no end. But on Sunday, I finally "got" that it applies to me. To our church. Right where I am, right now. Wherever I go, God is with me. God has people in this city that are His. If we commit to His Word and "meditate on it day and night" He will bring us people to share with, to love, to tell about the good news of Jesus. People in our neighborhood. People in our streets. People at the grocery store and the gym and at schools and parks and restaurants. Every place that the soles of our feet (or our tires) tread upon He has given to us. It seems like such a "D'oh!" moment to me now, writing this. Of course God is with you where you are! He's everywhere! But sometimes I just need someone to put it in slightly different words, like a betrodden kid dressed in angel wings who takes over the part of Gabriel and shouts the Gospel. "Emmanuel! God with us! PRESENCE!"

Why I Blog: Because My Brain is Too Full

While trolling through old blog posts to try to remember what my life was like before kids when we posted over 200 times a year, I just read this excerpt documenting our Christmas travels circa 2004:

Highlights of the day included playing Nerf N-Strike (it has an interactive DVD!) with his young cousin (and almost suffering a concussion when he shot me at point blank range, while Gaines almost had a broken tooth when the little boy head-butted him). Avoiding any more near-catastrophes, we traveled back down to Montgomery to spend time with Gaines' parents and sisters and their dog. 

A few funny things:

1. That cousin we played Nerf with is now a junior in high school. His name is Austin and he also happens to share a birthday with our oldest, Jacob. This past Christmas, he tried to manipulate Jacob into telling everyone he was his best friend. "Who's your best friend, Jacob? (Say 'Austin'.)" Well, after some time of this he thought he'd sucessfully brainwashed him, so Austin parades Jacob out in front of the entire family. "Who's your best friend, Jacob?" Jacob: "Cole."  Mwahahaha.

2. Oh my goodness I am much more prepared for violence these days. Gaines almost had a broken tooth? No way! That was nothing. I did grow up next door to three boys and I practically lived at their house, but perhaps by that time I'd lost my adaptation to testosterone. It's definitely back, now. I've got three boys of my own! Head-butts are like a daily occurrence around here!

3. Both Gaines' sisters and his parents still live in Montgomery, though now each in their own homes, but I can barely remember that they, at some point, collectively, only had ONE dog. (Lucy, who liked to bite the UPS packages to make sure they were safe.) Now, his sisters have three dogs between them (Zoe, Chewy, and Cody) and his parents have Zeke, who probably misses all the excitement from our recent visit. See why we don't need a pet just yet? We can visit four any time we'd like!

Books Read in 2011 (Allison)

Jayber Crow

Mere Churchianity

Madison House

Leepike Ridge

Washed and Waiting: Reflections on Christian Faithfulness and Homosexuality

By the Pricking of My Thumbs

The Scriptures, the Cross, and the Power of God: Reflections for Holy Week

The Narnian: The Life and Imagination of C.S. Lewis

The Case for Classical Christian Education

When You Rise Up: A Covenantal Approach to Homeschooling

Out of the Silent Planet

Perelandra

Simple Church: Returning to God's Process for Making Disciples

Son of Laughter

Many Waters

That Hideous Strength

The Power of Words

1776

Mudhouse Sabbath: An Invitation to a Life of Spiritual Disciplines

The Pressure's Off: There's a New Way to Live

Her Fearful Symmetry

The Help

Hoping for Something Better: Refusing to Settle for Life as Usual

The Politically Correct Guide to American History 

Though not quite the least number of books since we've been keeping track, 24 is still below my average. I'm seeing a trend, here:

2004: 40
2005: 47 (I count grad school and beginning teaching for padding my numbers that year.)
2006: 35
2007: 34
2008: 36
2009: 21
2010: 23

I am on a slight upswing, so that's progress! (And if you're curious, I linked to all the past lists.)

Favorite first reads from 2011: Jayber Crow, Simple Church, and The Narnian

Favorite re-reads: The Case for Classical Christian Education and Mudhouse Sabbath

Best fiction not by Wendell Berry that I liked so much I read it again this year: The Help

They all deserve a post, or at least a paragraph, of their own. Someday.

Book Review - Children and the Lord's Supper

Children and the Lord's Supper is a collection of essays addressing the issue of (as you can probably guess) children's participation in the Lord's Supper. Specifically, the book provides a critical assessment of the doctrine of paedocommunion, defined as "the admittance of a covenant child to the Lord's Supper on the basis of his descent from at least one professing Christian parent." Edited by Guy Waters and Ligon Duncan, Children and the Lord's Supper offers both a rebuttal to pro-paedocommunion arguments as well as a defense of the historic Reformed position that covenant children should be admitted to the Lord's Table only after providing a credible profession of faith. The collected essays address the topic from Biblical, theological, historical and pastoral standpoints.

The book is released under the Mentor imprint of Christian Focus Publications, indicating that its intended audience includes pastors, seminary students, and other serious readers. The book would also be most appropriate for those examining the issues from within the Presbyterian and Reformed traditions, as the historic Reformed confessions form a starting point for much of the book's arguments. The book's contributors include a number of respected Reformed authors, including Derek Thomas, Joel Beeke and Cornelis Venema (in addition to Waters and Duncan). The collected essays address topics including the nature of the link between the Lord's Supper and the Passover, the application of the critical "self-examination" passage in 1 Corinthians 11, an examination of relevant portions of the Reformed Confessions and liturgies, and a survey of historical evidence for the practice of paedocommunion in the Patristic era.

I would recommend Children and the Lord's Supper to anyone looking for a succinct defense of the traditional Reformed view on admission of children to the Lord's Supper. Those outside the Reformed tradition will also benefit from reading the book, particularly the essays on the Passover, 1 Corinthians 11, and the history of the practice in the early church. For non-Reformed readers, the essays dealing largely with the confessions and Reformed liturgy may be interesting but not as helpful in evaluating the practice of paedocommunion. (Admittedly, I have not read much in the way of pro-paedocommunion literature, especially the works critiqued in this collection, so I will have to defer to others to indicate whether the pro side has been fairly represented.)

Personally, the issue of children and the Supper is one I have not firmly settled in my own mind, and instead of settling the matter, Children and the Lord's Supper gave me further food for thought. I am a member of a Presbyterian church, so I do hold the Reformed confessions in high esteem. Yet they aren't infallible, so I would have appreciated if the book had spent more time examining the relevant Biblical texts than it did. I also found the historical survey most interesting, as it pointed to a diversity of practice in the early church. Perhaps this points toward a way forward on the issue of children and communion? Either way, the book provides a great starting point to a conversation on an important topic, and I look forward to hearing the other side present their case.

(Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book in exchange for writing a review. I was under no compulsion to provide a positive review.)

Hot Doughnuts Now

So, last Saturday we traveled to Alabama for our first family Christmas celebration with Gaines' Grandmama. And we came home from playing dirty Santa with...a doughtnut maker.

And not just any doughnut maker. A Sunbeam one, bright yellow, that looks like it came straight out of the Simpsons!

It's complicated how we got it, actually. I opened it when it was my turn, but then someone stole it from me. However, Jacob was so distraught at losing the doughnut maker ("Noooooooo!") that his dad and Aunt Amy conspired to get it back for him after the game. He was almost as upset that Amy stole it away until he realized it was really for HIM. Such a sweet aunt! Glad Uncle Mike was so agreeable about swapping gifts! (We promise to share some with you!)

This Tuesday morning I felt well enough to try it out. It's quite simple, really, you just preheat, make a batter, spray the hot molds with cooking spray, add batter to the pan, and heat until done. Just like the sandwich maker I used to have growing up, except this does get really hot, in order to bake them up all crispy, so watch your fingers!

I didn't just use any old recipe that came with the book, though. If I was going to make doughnuts, I was going to MAKE DOUGHNUTS. Baked Apple Pie Cinnamon-Sugar-Covered Doughnuts, to be precise. This recipe made about 15 of our mini-sized doughnuts. Perfect for hungry little boys who ate at least two each!

We will be trying this again very soon, with glazed doughnuts, per Ethan's request! Yum!

Year in Review: January

This has been the sparsest year yet on our trusty old blog. With these few weeks left in 2011, and in anticipation of more blogging to come in the new year, I'm giving you a recap of all the things I might have forgotten about if I didn't take a few pictures. Most deserve a blog post of their own, but as it is, you're lucky to get this much. So, without further adieu, I give you: January.

Last New Year's Eve we spent the long weekend driving up to Kentucky to attend Gaines' cousin's wedding. It marks the longest road trip we've ever taken as a family. It was also the perfect place to read my first Wendell Berry novel. Snow still clung to the mountainsides near the interstate as we drove, and the crisp air and mountain vistas made me want to return again during the fall. And the boys -- miraculously -- sat through the ceremony quite well. They also enjoyed the reception, but I heard we left too early, before the real dancing began. Still, here are the highlights:

Ethan really really wanted some food. Stat.

Jacob and his 2nd cousin Kaden making funny faces.

Me and my oldest boy starting off the New Year.

Nana dancing with Ethan. He was getting so sleepy...

 I don't even want to know what this was about. Cake?

Ethan dancing with his 2nd cousin Charlotte. So sweet!

Back home, the older and younger women of our church started meeting together each Sunday evening to participate in the Apple of Gold mentoring program. There was lots of laughter, yummy dinners, and much sharing of life, love and recipes.

One of many demonstrations. Lauren taught us knife skills. Two of the women in this picture, Becky and Lauren, now have newborns! Later, we wondered what exactly WAS in those recipes?!

Some of my favorite ladies watching from afar. There's my friend Lindsay smiling for the camera, and she, too, just had a baby this past summer. I love seeing the nursery so full of little ones!

Ok, so right in the middle of all this January fun came THE GREAT SNOWPOCALYPSE of 2011. If you didn't hear about us snow-trapped Southerners you were either in a snowstorm yourself of living under a rock. But we made the best of it!

Our back porch covered in inches. INCHES! of snow.

Jacob loved being out in the white stuff and could've stayed all day.

Ethan, however, was not so pleased and looked like this for most of his half-hour outside. "Too cold!" We were glad Daddy got to stay home, even if he did bring work with him. But we let him out to play with us for a little bit!

Jacob the red-nosed reindeer?

Question: Will winter outerwear still go on deep discounts in January if we have another one of these freak storms this year?

Ok, moving on to more fun things...like our field trip at the end of January! A fellow homeschooling mom and mother of five, a good friend from church, had two extra tickets to the Georgia Aquarium and asked us to go with them at the last minute! We were delighted! We also got to make a trip this past week (in December) and it was so fun to see how they've grown and how much more they enjoyed seeing the different exhibits now they are older. Still, I think our January trip will always be remembered for who we got to see it with...

Ethan studies a starfish. I love he still had a mullet!

Hanging out with a friend of ours from church!

Watching the deep-sea creatures with some siblings from the same family. The manta rays were a favorite!

Attempting a family photo, but the tropical fish were more interesting.

And that sums up our January of 2011 in pictures. I'm sure we did lots more wonderful things, like paint pictures and play trains and read books, but I was also in that first trimester zone where I was TIRED ALL THE TIME (thanks, Calvin) so mostly I remember staying inside, where it was warm. And taking naps. Can we do that again this year?

How to Get the Giveaway Fairies to Like You

This week, despite being a bit rough in the general life category, turned out to be quite prosperous online. I won not one, not two, but THREE online blog giveaways.

If you've been a reader for a long time (and bless you, because this blog has been basically dead for three years) then you might recall I had a spree of winnings back when our oldest boy was a newborn. I was online all the time and blog contests were just getting started, so I think I just got lucky. I won baby gifts and toys and all sorts of things -- some I still use and enjoy and some I gave away as presents! But this week I proved that the magic can still happen.

Not only did I win the previously mentioned camping gear, I won TWO prizes from Half-Pint House Handouts. I've been following Megan's blog Half-Pint House for years now and started entering her contests only recently, whenever I saw something that struck my eye. Earlier this week, I won a $50 Spa Gift Card, which I fully intend to use on myself once I recover from surgery.

Plus, this morning Megan let me know I won a Baby Bullet! I've secretly wanted one for a while, ever since my previous mini-food processor bit the dust after the birth of our second boy. Our oldest, 4 year-old Jacob, will probably be the most excited about this since he has been declaring for months, even before Calvin arrived, that "We NEED to buy a Baby Bullet, Mommy! To feed the new baby!" I think he's been watching too much Sprout. He even quotes the commercials. He's going to be psyched!



Well, all this happened because late one night last week I went on a twitter-flurry of entering giveaways. And I'm here to share my secrets with you.


1. Enter contests only for things you actually want to win.

2. Enter often, maybe a few times a week, but only if you feel it is worth your time. If a contest takes me a few minutes to enter without too much effort, I'll do it. But if I don't really like the product or the entries are too complicated, I usually don't bother. But even if you only enter once in a blue moon, you have a chance.

3. Enter small, blog-based contests. Half-Pint Handouts is a great site, and she has multiple giveaways each week! The contest I won from Southern-Savers had about 1,000 comments, which are pretty big odds in my book -- it might be the biggest contest I've won yet. Definitely the biggest prize I've ever gotten. I like to stick to smaller contests, usually from people I know. But I will still enter the Pioneer Woman and Money-Saving Mom Giveaways. Just because they have really cool stuff.

4. Go all in! If there are multiple ways to enter, use them all -- Facebook, Twitter, etc. I have a Twitter account mostly for the purpose of giveaways. And you can always un-like or un-friend something after a contest is over. Rafflecopter, a service that many blog giveaways use, makes this easy -- it tells you what to do for each entry and then you just check that you've completed that step.

5. Don't be disappointed. There are lots of contests out there, and lots of people entering them. For me, it's a fun diversion that I take part in every now and then, but I don't count on winning. Ever. Which is why it is such a great surprise when things like this happen! I count it all joy!

Alright, now that I've shared my tips and tricks my odds of winning are sure to decrease sharply since you found me out. But please show Megan some love at Half-Pint Handouts. And read all her other stuff, too. You'll like her. It's my way of saying "Thanks!"

Camping, here we come!

Back in October, I entered a contest at Southern Savers, one of my most favorite coupon websites.

Today I got the exciting news that I won $500 in camping gear from the Boy Scouts of America!

They haven't given exact details of what is included in the camping gear, but I hope it's enough for this family of five to go camping this spring!

We don't have any of our old gear (not that I had much to begin with -- a small tent and maybe some sleeping bags), and we haven't been camping since before we had kids -- so this is a wonderful blessing to us, especially right now. Yay for the great outdoors!

I am so thankful for Jenny at Southern Savers for hosting this contest and for the Boy Scouts of America for sponsoring the prize. I'll be on the lookout for packages in the coming weeks!

Brothers in Blue

Three locations. Same sofa. 
Three brothers. One outfit.
Oh my, how the years go by.

Jacob, age 4 months. Arbors at WC apartment.

Ethan, age 2 months. Centennial Ridge apartment.

Calvin, age 4 months. Lockridge house.

Spooky Spider Cookies

If you are looking for something fun and simple to make with your kids this Halloween week, I've got a tasty treat that takes no time at all. We actually made these back at the end of September. The idea came from a class that Jacob took last fall at a local nature center the week they studied spiders. (Forgive the ill-lighted photos -- it was an overcast, rainy, PJ day.)  Here is my version of these arachnid-shaped snacks.

Chocolate Spider Cookies

You will need:

• chocolate sandwich cookies (we prefer Trader Joe's version)
• pretzel sticks (also good for spreading)
• mini M&M's (the regular ones work OK in a pinch)
• something sticky (we used Nutella, but peanut butter works fine)

This is a very hands-off project for the adults, so just set out the supplies, make an example, and let the kids go to work!

To assemble, just open up your sandwich cookies, like so....

Arrange the pretzels in the icing so they form eight spider legs. You might want to break the sticks in half. (This moment affords an excellent opportunity to discuss the difference between how many legs spiders have versus insects. Numbers! Science! Comparison! Counting! We are "learnding."

Next, put the cookie back together (You may need some extra "glue" here to hold it together, so spread on some extra Nutella. Because you can.).

Using a pretzel stick, dab on two dots of Nutella and add the mini M&M's as eyes. That's it!

Here comes the best part...the eating! (They look so tired in this photo, but really, they were excited!)

We finished off the theme by singing "The Itsy-Bitsy Spider" and reading Eric Carle's The Very Busy Spider before taking naps. We may make these again this week, and if so, I hope to include a reading of Mary Howitt's poem, "The Spider and the Fly," which, though morbid, could make for an interesting inclusion in the cookie. Maybe the spider could swallow up a regular-sized M&M for the "fly"?! However you make these and whatever you do, please enjoy!

Book Review: 365 Great Bible Stories

The opportunity to review 365 Great Bible Stories The Good News of Jesus from Genesis to Revelation came at just the right time in our family. After the birth of our third son, things have become more hectic than usual, and so I've been looking for a way to incorporate more Bible reading time into our family's daily routine. This larger compilation by Carine MacKenzie, who has written numerous other children's adaptations of Bible stories, seems a natural fit for our family.

Things I appreciate about this Bible story book:

• the depth of theology -- the commentaries, particularly in the OT section, point toward Christ and the stories remain faithful to the truths found in Scripture
• the breadth of stories -- her selections include highlighting lesser known passages, yet they are almost always connected to some aspect of faith in Christ without simply moralizing
• the brevity of each selection -- no story is more than a few paragraphs long and each fits on a page, yet the content is sound and requires close listening
• the option of reading the stories thematically -- you can trace stories about Jesus, wars and battles, the Holy Spirit, journeys and travels
• the illustrations are also thematic (dove for Holy Spirit, road for journeys, etc.) which allow even pre-readers to recognize the larger threads of the Bible

Overall, I found this an excellent format for our purposes. These brief yet powerful stories will provide ample discussion and lead us to search the appropriate Scripture passages further. Though the illustrations were not in a style I particularly favored, I was glad that they refrained from attempting to illustrate Jesus, since that almost always turns out badly. And the repetition of iconic illustrations to assist in identifying the common themes of the stories turned out to be quite helpful to our children. The target age seems to be younger elementary students, but I think our almost-5-year-old will easily be able to understand the main points and the "Think" comments. We are looking forward to reading through these daily selections over the course of the next year as we grow together in our study of God's Word. MacKenzie's 365 Great Bible Stories is a great jumping-off point to guide your reading of Scripture as a family.

Full disclosure: I was sent a copy of this story Bible from the publisher, but these words and opinions are completely my own. I really do appreciate it and plan to use it in our family's devotion time.

Support Slugs and Bugs

You've probably heard us extol the virtues of Andrew Peterson and Randall Goodgame and their kids CD, "Slugs and Bugs and Lullabies." But maybe you haven't?

We've known about and loved both of these talented singer-songwriters for years, but it wasn't until they turned their awesome lyrical prowess toward the kid scene that we realized they found a niche that no one else could do better. Hilarious lyrics. Non-annoying music. In fact, the tunes are quite catchy, but yet somehow remain free from the cloying repetitiveness of other music aimed toward the toddler set. And they share the love of Christ, to boot.

The first time we heard one of the songs from the original Slugs and Bugs album was at Andrew's Behold the Lamb of God concert in Nashville in December of 2006. I was pregnant with our first son, and I distinctly remember listening to "Matthew's Begats" and thinking that we should choose our kid's name from the lineage of Christ. Apparently, Gaines had the same idea, just a different name. (He won.) Anyway, during the "in the round" portion of the concert where all the artists take turns sharing their original songs before the Christmas musical is performed, Randall Goodgame began singing "Bears, bears, they got no cares. Bears don't drink from a cup..." I was instantly hooked. It was the beginning of a revolution in music written for rugrats. After the concert, we bought a copy of the CD and listened to it for the first time in a car with our good friends Chandra and Kennan. And we laughed our heads off. Especially at the not-so-subtle references to kids getting eaten by something (orcas, panda bears, a tiger) and the background vocals by someone named Anklejelly Jones. And since then, the refrain of "Tractor, Tractor" has been heard on the lips of at least two Redd children almost every day of their lives. Possibly a third. So far, he's inaudible unless screaming.

Last year, Randall produced a Christmas album and began touring the country in earnest doing Slugs and Bugs only shows. Among appropriate holiday-themed tunes, Randall included new verses to the perennial classic "Jesus Loves Me," which is a household favorite. But did you know that they are producing a third album this year? Oh, yes. And YOU can help make it happen! Andrew is back as part of the action and they've got a page on Kickstarter where you can make a donation to support the new album as it is being made. You can also check out some of their new songs! "Mexican Rhapsody" may be one of my new favorite homages, especially since I spent all those hours on high school trips listening to Queen blaring from someone's boom box.. And we te gusta us some Mexican food.

You can also check out Randall's attempt at a support-raising video here. Yes, he is that funny in real life.

Lil' Brudder has arrived!

One week ago today, our third son, Calvin Harris, entered the world at 1:48 p.m. He weighed in at a whopping 10 lbs and 9 oz and 22 and 3/4 inches long. See? The photo doesn't lie.

Not bad for being only five days late -- his brothers, both born at 41 weeks, weren't even nine pounds! I'm so grateful for the answered prayers -- he came all on his own without the need for a repeat c-section and labor kicked in only a few hours shy of a scheduled induction. In fact, his was probably the easiest delivery out of all three and he was the biggest by far! (I plan to share more of THAT story soon.) We are so proud to be at home now with our "little" guy, and he's eating like a champ already and figuring out this sleeping thing. Jacob and Ethan are enamored with him (who wouldn't be?!) and are very sweet to the youngest Redd brother, though perhaps not so much to each other.

Here are a few more shots from the hospital. This is one proud Dad:

I love this next picture. Look at this kid! So young, so handsome -- so much hair! Sideburns like Elvis. Big blue eyes. Chubby cheeks. So much to love! (This also may be my best-ever photo in a hospital gown.) Current nickname: Chunk-a-munk

Perhaps you are wondering about his real name. The middle name, Harris, was Gaines' great-grandfather's name, and we just liked the way it sounds. We've had this tradition so far of using family names for our sons' middle names and were trying out different ones for months. Finally, someone mentioned this and it stuck. The coolest part we found out only after the birth -- that Gaines' great-grandfather was actually named for the minister that married his parents. What a neat idea!

As for the first name's inspiration, I'll let you guess. Was it...

A) the imaginative and irreverent six-year old boy whose best friend was a stuffed tiger, created by cartoonist Bill Watterson?

B) the amazingly agile former Georgia Tech wide receiver, who now plays for the Detroit Lions? (given his size, this might not be a bad guess!)

or C) the famous 16th-century theologian and Protestant Reformer, whose best known work is his Institutes of the Christian Religion?

Of course, he is Redd 5 after all, and if we were true nerds, we might have named him Luke:

Summer Fun, Summer Sun

This may be the hottest summer on record in Atlanta. I don't know, but for me, it has certainly felt like it! I've never had a summer baby before, but now I know that the complaints are justified. Last week, I spent time in two different air-conditioned buildings and was still incredibly hot.

However, we have found some ways to beat the heat and enjoy some time out-of-doors.

May wasn't so bad. We enjoyed racing in the driveway:

Finding bugs:

Eating ice cream with friends:

Discovering new ways to enjoy the baby pool:

Hanging out by the swimming pool at a friend's apartment:

June found us taking many trips to the local sprayground/splash park:

Practicing our mad bubble-blowing skillz:

The boys made a new game of racing toy cars down the slide into the pool:

And Ethan developed a fascination with his dump truck, bringing it from the sandbox to the pool:

Jacob also took swimming lessons the first week in June, and since then we've been spending at least one day a week at a friend's pool, but I always forget to take pictures there.

July came and went much more quickly than I expected, with little energy for photos. But I found one of those sprinkler spray beach balls on clearance a few weeks ago and it, too, has brought much joy:

I'm so behind on pictures, I barely have covered half of our summer. Some events and excursions that deserve their own post (hopefully soon):

May's inaugural field trip to the Botanical Gardens

Memorial Day weekend visit to Alabama to see DeeDee and Gaga

June day trip to the annual Moore family reunion, also in Alabama

The story of our new swagger wagon

Preparations for little brother's arrival