Please pray for Jordan

My poor little buddy. Jordan has had a 102 degree temperature since Tuesday morning. I took him to the doctor yesterday and he tested negative for the flu, but has ear infections and a horrible cough and his nose has been running like a faucet. I got all his meds yesterday, but still this morning he was screaming and crying about his ears and his temp rarely goes down. He is miserable. It was hard leaving him this morning, but Nik is staying home with him today. It is the worst feeling when your child is sick.

Lord God, please ease my baby's pain. Please comfort him and give him rest. Bring his temperature down so he can feel normal. Please take the pain from his ears. In Jesus Name I pray. Amen.

Super Mom

So today my mom came over early in the morning for the second time in a row to paint my cupboard doors for me. There are 20 doors, and they aren't small. And like I said before, putting two coats on everything takes FOREVER. When I got home tonight there was supper already in the oven and my clean dishes that were sitting in the dishwasher were all put away and the dirty ones removed from the sink. Aren't moms the best!! Thanks mom for all your hard work. I appreciate you more than you know.

Weekend Pics

Blah I am not feeling good today. I have a horrible cold, cough, and ear aches. I should stay home but I have important reports to get done and sent out today for work. Oh well... I posted some pics from our weekend. Savannah has participated in mini-cheerleading for the past week and they had a half-time performance at the Bryan/Fairview game on Saturday night. I did her hair before the game.

Even in 15 degree weather, this kid still begs me if he can play his drums outside each evening.

Jordan and Daddy playing their guitars.

Getting close...

So I have been working like a slave in the evenings after work and on the weekends to get my kitchen finished. I have to say it is looking totally up to my expectations. I don't want to post any pictures yet though until it is totally finished. I need to wait until this weekend before we can put the cupboard doors back on, becasue we don't want the paint to pull off from opening and closing them. My dad is going to help put them back on too, so I can't wait. My shoulders are really sore from painting. I wish paint jobs didn't take 2 coats for everything! Oh well, it's well worth the work.

Carter quote from tonight.

Carter: (whispering in my ear) Mommy, I love you.
Beth: (whispering back) I love you, Carter James.
Carter: I love you, Mommy James.
Beth: No, you mean Mommy Lynne.
Carter: I love you Linda.

hahahahahah

Before and After

See here is the beginning of my kitchen makeover. I finished the dark green color last night. I left my camera at work so I am showing a picture that I happen to have of the white wainscoating from the youth group party. And I took the After pictures on my lunch hour today. I am happy with the results so far.

Before

After

The Beginning Stages

Begging for a Makeover

Turn up the Music

Here is a song that's been on the radio a lot lately that touches my heart every time I hear it. The lyrics are so wonderful. I hope it brings a little sunlight to everyone today.

How You Live

by Point of Grace

Wake up to the sunlight

With your windows open

Don't hold in your anger or leave things unspoken

Wear your red dress

Use your good dishes

Make a big mess and make lots of wishes

Have what you want But want what you have

And don't spend your life lookin' back

Turn up the music

Turn it up loud

Take a few chances

Let it all out

You won't regret it

Lookin' back from where you have been

Cuz it's not who you knew

And it's not what you did

It's how you live

So go to the ballgames

And go to the ballet

And go see your folks more than just on the holidays

Kiss all your children

Dance with your wife

Tell your husband you love him every night

Don't run from the truth 'Cause you can't get away

Just face it and you'll be okay

Turn up the music

Turn it up loud

Take a few chances

Let it all out

You won't regret it

Lookin' back from where you have been

'Cause it's not who you knew

And it's not what you did

It's how you live

Oh wherever you are and wherever you've been

Now is the time to begin

So give to the needy

And pray for the grieving

E'en when you don't think that you can

'Cause all that you do is bound to come back to you

So think of your fellow man

Make peace with God and make peace with yourself

'Cause in the end there's nobody else

Turn up the music

Turn it up loud

Take a few chances

Let it all out 'Cause you won't regret it

Lookin' back from where you have been

'Cause it's not who you knew

And it's not what you did

It's how you live

'Cause it's not who you knew

And it's not what you did

It's how you live

Kitchen Makeover

I am going to start painting my kitchen tonight. I can't wait. I have put it off way too long and it's time to give it a brand new look. I will take pictures of it tonight before I start so that you can see a before and after shot. The people who lived their before us painted it decent colors, but they did a pretty bad job in a lot of places and it was chipping in several places even from the first day we had moved in. I am going to use two different shades of green for the walls. And a sort of khaki color for the cupboards. My mom is going to help me with most of it. But I am going to do the wainscoating tonight in the darker green shade. I am hoping to have everything finished within the next 2 weeks. I might take a day off of work for the cupboards. But I can't wait for my kitchen makeover. :)

American Idol Tonight!!

Will you be watching????

It's a Birthday Party

We had a birthday party for Savannah on Saturday since her birthday was on Tuesday. She mostly received money, so on Sunday we headed to where else? Libby Lue. There are four different hair packages you can get. She has gone three times, and this time she wanted the rock star look. They do your nails, hair, make-up, give you a sparkle package and let you pick out 5 things from a goody bag. She had fun and she looked awesome when it was done. So of course we had to take several "glamour shots". It was a lot of fun.

Captain Jack Sparrow made a special guest appearance.

Savannah has been such a big help lately with getting the boys ready for bed. She loves to read them their books before their naps and night night time. Oh and Stacey, if you notice, Jordan is holding a blue bear. I wish it was turned around, but it has a blue pokadot ribbon on it. It is the one you got for Carter when he was a baby. Neither of my boys have ever been clingy to blankets or stuffed animals, but just in the last week, Jordan has been carrying that blue bear around everywhere he goes. It is the cutest thing ever.


And Jordan has graduated from his crib to a twin bed. He recently expressed through screaming several nights in a row last week that he didn't want to be in his crib anymore. So I went and bought a bed rail and he is now in a big boy bed. No more cribs!!!

Our Little All Star

Nik's co-worker was at the Mad Ants game and took some pics of Carter. I had to scan the pics, so they aren't the best, but good enough.

Carter is thinking, "If I could just get my hands on that ball."

He Steals, He Shoots, He Scores!!!!

All together now, Carter - Carter - Carter - Carter

Happy 9th Birthday Beans!!!

We hope you have an extra special day today sweetheart!! We love and miss you and will see you this weekend!!! Muuuahhhhh

Meeting Joel

Saturday I finally got to hold my new nephew Joel for the first time. He is so sweet and such a handsome little guy. Dad picked me and the boys up and took us there on Friday night. It was good to hang out with the fam. Sunday was a lazy day pretty much after church. It was a good weekend.

Carter and Grandma Stiver. Again, always taking his shirt off.

Lazy Saturday evening.

Sunday afternoon.

Joel Lance Stiver

People keep hounding me about posting pictures of my newest nephew. Well here he is. Joel Lance Stiver.

Born December 24th, 2007

8lbs. 11oz.

11:31 pm

Cousins Joel and Hudson

He Shoots He Scores!!

Friday night Nik, Nate, Papa E, Savannah and Carter went to a Fort Wayne Mad Ants game. I asked Nik to email me his version of what happened at the game. So here is what he had to say....

Hey all!! Nik here.

It has been so great having Nate and Kayla home from LA this last week and a half. It will be hard to say goodbye to them when they leave on Friday. But we did some fun things while they were here.

A couple weeks ago I was on a Radio Show on Remedy FM, (which if you do not know what that is, it is an online radio station. They play all Christian music: ie.. rock, rap, worship.. all spectrums of the Christian music scene. There is a 24 hour video stream always going. A really nice station and the DJ’s and staff have a passion for Jesus!! If you get a chance log on at http://www.remedy.fm/ to check it out, you’ll be blessed!) in which I had the chance to give my testimony and preach a little. While I was there they gave me a bunch of Mad Antz basketball tickets. Mad Antz is the Fort Wayne, NBA D-League basketball team, and they have a couple players that I really like who used to play for IU (go hoosiers!!!) So I was stoked to get them. I had enough for my dad, Nate, and I to go with a couple of my youth. Well, the youth I was going to take backed out on me, so I took Savannah and Carter instead. We had a blast. When we were going up the escalator in the Coliseum, a worker approached us and asked if Carter wanted to be in the Slam Dunk contest inbetween the 1st and 2nd quarters. We signed him up and Carter and I sat courtside the first quarter. I was afraid that Carter was going to be nervous out there on the court with the thousands watching him, but he was focused on making his first NBA debut! There were 3 other kids and Carter in the Slam Dunk contest, and Carter was out in the middle of the floor without daddy. Carter was the youngest so he was going to go last. Well, he had other things in mind. As they were introducing the 2nd contestant, Carter stole the ball, made a fast break, stopped at the “kid size” top of the key, made a jump shot with perfect arc and form (maybe a little exaggerated on the perfect form, but I am a dad, gimme a break, lol) and “swisshhhh” nothing but net, The crowd stood up and went crazy! I was looking around for scouts!! Then the announcer said, “Should we give Mr. Carter another shot to dunk it?” and the crowd again went crazy, so Mr Mad Antz himself picked up Carter, did some tricks and, as Dr. J himself, Carter dunked the ball into the kid size rim. It was so cool. He came back over to the court side seat I was in and I got his autograph, which is now for sale on Ebay (just kidding).

Back to Beth......

On Saturday we had an all day event with Nik's extended family from Kendallville. We all started out at Coney Island (hotdog place) in downtown Fort Wayne. There were probably about 25 of us and before we left, we were each supposed to pick out one regular playing card from Nik's Uncle Mike's hand. Our next stop was the Botanical Gardens. They had a cute train set up with The Polar Express painted on it and there was some warm hot chocolate to drink. All the plants and waterfalls were so pretty. And again, we picked out a card. After that we headed to Crazy Pins bowling alley on Lima Road (picked another card). I didn't go to Crazy Pins though and decided to take Jordan home for his nap. Later Nik picked us back up and we headed to our final stop in Kendallville at Nik's Aunt Brenda and Uncle Mike's house. We had a great dinner and played several games. Before we left, everyone was to lay out their 4 playing cards. (Our first card we had actually received on Christmas Eve). We layed them all out and then Nik's cousin Kevin layed one more card down for each of us to complete our poker hand.

Out of all of us, would you believe I was the winner!! I had a very nice straight!!!! Woooo whooooo. I was handed a $25 gift card to Regal Cinemas!! Sweeeeeeeet. Can't wait to use that.

Sunday we had Christmas with Nik's parents and brother. Barb made an awesome lunch like always and then we opened our gifts. It was a great day!!

New Year's Eve, Nik, Nate, Kayla and I went to Logan's Roadhouse to eat dinner (without the kids). Thank you Barb and Eric!!!! It was soooooooo good. And then we came back home and celebrated with the family to bring in the New Year. New Year's Day was a pretty lazy day, but I took Carter to Chuck E. Cheese in the evening. While we were there, Chuckie actually came out and greeted the kids. I have never seen him come out in all the times we have gone there. So Carter's face immediately lit up. He wasn't scared at all and went right up to him, yelled his name and gave him a hug and a high five. It was too cute. Hope you all had a wonderful New Year's!!!