Happy Halloween (this blessed my socks off)

This year, Ben decided he wanted to pull our little fire ring to the front driveway and have hot cider, brownies, and candy out front so we could connect with neighbors on Halloween.

As we were bustling around getting ready, Victor came up to me.

"Mom, I wrote a little history of Halloween with the gospel in it. Do you want to print some off and we could attach it to candy for trick-or-treaters?"

Here's what he wrote:

The origin of Halloween:

 

Halloween is considered a time when kids go around in creepy costumes and collect candy from different houses. But that is not how it originated! Halloween began as a Celtic tradition, the festival of Samhain where they would light bonfires and wear crazy costumes to ward off ghosts. It then turned into a Holiday called “All Saints Day” that happened on November 1 In honor of the dead saints. The evening before was called “All Hallows Eve,” or what we now call ,“Halloween.” The two traditions eventually combined to create a crazy day of carving pumpkins, wearing costumes, and collecting candy. Although we know ghosts are not real, it is a fun holiday. We do not need costumes to scare away ghosts, though. There is someone who is much greater than any costume or saint. He came to Earth to save us. Even if you want to think you are good, no one could ever come close to becoming perfect except for Jesus. Jesus is God’s son and he is the only one who could do what he did. God, the maker of everything, saw that no one was good and that we needed help. So God sent his son into the world as a baby whose name was Jesus. God sent Jesus to bear the punishment we deserved. His son, Jesus, the only perfect person, Died a painful death on a tree so that we would be able to live with God forever. But his death wasn’t the end of the story. He was dead. But on the third day, when all seemed lost, He was resurrected! This is not a theory. People actually saw him after his death! Although Jesus died to save our sins, we cannot be saved unless we believe in him. Believe that he died for you. If you believe in him, God will look at you and instead of seeing your sin, he will see the perfection of his son on you and He will be pleased. And you will go to Heaven with him forever.

Victor Katterson age 12

And that pretty well blessed my socks right off. So Happy Halloween, and may the grace of Jesus cover you (and many others) tonight!

Merry Christmas Letter to the Fam

 

Dear family,

Merry Christmas! Another Advent season has come and gone. Another flurry of Christmas gift giving, baking, celebrating, and remembering has past. But what a good gift that the anchor, the center, the truth we rejoice in still sings as strong and true as ever. Christ has come!

Favorite moments from the Advent chain this season (plus some bonus post-Christmas fun): 

• Dropping off an Advent basket for friends and picking up peppermint Frosties on the way home
• Dad (and Elliot) getting the Christmas lights up on our house
• Eating supper in reverse (starting with ice cream sundaes, then the main dish, and lastly salad)
• Spontaneous visit to Como Zoo
• Farmer Christmas Celebration at the Oliver Kelley Farm (with a horse-drawn wagon, fresh cookies, and homemade ornaments)
  
• Family celebration with the other Kattersons, complete with breakfast burritos, cinnamon rolls, and a new game that turned out to be pretty fun
• Small group white elephant gift exchange (always an adventure ... able to deliver a few real treasures to our favorite friends. Precious Moments figurine from wedding and 5 lb bag of cassava flour )
• Brunch with Mr. Steve and Miss Lulu and Mr. Ryan (including some real tasty sourdough donuts dunked in powdered sugar and gifting a pretty terrific squeaking pig)
• Christmas Eve service at church with beautiful singing, beautiful message on Isaiah 9:6, sweet connections with friends
• Christmas Day! Sharing gifts among our own family (and seeing what thoughtful and generous gift-givers the kids are becoming!)
• Hitting the road for Iowa and having a terrific Anderson clan Christmas with amazing brunch, gifts, and Legos galore
• Family photos and celebration for Grammy & Grandad's 50th wedding anniversary!!!

Because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. Luke 1:78-79

Sunrise is such a brilliant image of Christ breaking into the world. From the dark, strangling mire of sin, He has exploded in with life and hope we could never have imagined on our own. May the year ahead be one full of trusting Him, serving Him, and rejoicing in Him!

Love you, all my favorites!

Mom

Story from Pop Pop

 Here is a childhood memory from Pop Pop:

My childhood was one that I would not share most memories with anyone other than my siblings. They alone would understand the brutality and horror that filled so many days and nights of our innocent lives. Our father was the source of all our pain.

That said, I do recall one of the rare occasions that I think of often and fondly.

    Late one cold wintry night, my dad came into my bedroom. He woke me and told me to dress in my warmest outdoor clothes. With yawns and stretches, I came downstairs to find my two sisters dressed and waiting for me. When he wanted, my dad was very good at raising suspense. He took us to the door and flung it open.

The moonless night was very dark but the few street lights illuminated thick falling snow. I was a wee lad then and it looked to my large eyes that the snow was at least three feet deep. I now suppose that it was about a foot or so. Grabbing one sled and our ‘saucers’, (those concave aluminum dishes with handles on the sides) my dad led us out, down from our apartment, across a ravine, and up a hill to a bare section of the hill that had many gullies. These were formed from years of flowing water.

We crawled to the top of a ridge and watched as my dad took a saucer and slowly made his way slowly over the fresh loose snow. Now it was packed down perfectly. I don’t know how long we went up and down the hill, but, my little mind says ‘for hours’.

All too soon, my dad called a halt to this and thinking that we were going home, I was shocked when he said that we were going for a long walk. Next, to my amazement, he told “me” to sit on the sled. Now we lived way up on the hills that ran along the Ohio river.

In a wonderland of falling snow that twinkled in the lights of the town, my dad pulled me all the way into town to his brothers house, which was dark and no-one answered the door.

From there my dad pulled me, through all the twinkling snow, back through the town and up the hill to our tenement apartment. I have no specific memories regarding my sisters, but I’m sure that they were tired by the time we go home. My memory ends before we got home but I’m sure someone carried me into the apartment, got me into my “PJ’s” and put me to bed.

This memory contains no yelling, hitting or pain. It remains pure sweetness in this old man’s ‘little boy’s mind’. The snow, the saucers, the sled and the winter wonderland of twinkling snow is my Currier and Ives memory.

 

Victor's Challenges 6-8

 

Week 6 (July 17): Learn how to change oil in a car. 

Verse to memorize: For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 1 Thessalonians 2:9

Components:

• Buy the oil and filter(s) that you need.

• Schedule a time to change oil with Dad.

• Gather the needed tools.

• Change the oil

Bonus: Employment opportunity (see next challenge)

  Week 7 (July 24): Work a (small) business. Postponed due to sickness...

(Ideas: Oil changes, yard mowing, dog walking, baked goods sales, weeding, etc)

Verse to memorize: Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Ephesian 4:28

Components:

• Write an email describing your service; set a business goal.

• Choose people to tell about your business. Persevere until you have reached your business goal.

• Buy the needed supplies.

• Provide your service.

Bonus: Make a plan for your income (save, spend, give).

 

Week 8 (July 31): Host a party. 

Verse to memorize: Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Psalm 34:8

Components:

• Choose the time, location (park), and guests to invite.

• Plan activities and food.

• Invite guests and keep track of RSVPs.

• Collect food and other supplies to bring.

• Help clean up.

Bonus: Fun with friends!

Victor's Challenge of the Week 4 and 5

 

Week 4 (June 19/26): Take a babysitting course.

Verse to memorize: But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. 1 Thessalonians 2:7

Components:

• Complete the online Red Cross babysitting course.

Bonus: Babysitting money potential

 

Week 5 (July 10): Grow your skills in a sport.

Verse to memorize: For while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 1 Timothy 4:8

Components:

• Attend soccer camp or watch a video to learn the next level of skills for your sport.

• Choose a skill to practice each afternoon/evening.

• Assess your progress and make a goal for the summer to continue to grow.

Bonus: Sports gear

 

Victor's Challenge of the Week 2 and 3

The weeks keep ticking by, and here is an update on our "Challenge of the Week"!

 
Week 2 (June 5): Hold a ping-pong tournament.

Verse to memorize: Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Colossians 3:12-13

Components:

• Learn the basic rules for ping-pong.
• Choose time for tournament and invite friends.
• Teach rules, practice, play, and celebrate.
• (Consider making this an on-going activity.)

Bonus: On-going extracurricular activity possibility

Victor has started up weekly ping-pong practice sessions (when we're in town) in anticipation of the upcoming tournie. It's been a fun learning experience so far!

Week 3 (June 12): Bike 10 miles.

Verse to memorize: But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. 1 Corinthians 9:27

Components:

• Find a venue or path.
• Schedule a time with Dad.
• Pack gear and snack
• Bike!

Bonus: Map of trails

Ben and Victor have already done a couple bike rides (probably 10+ miles), and they are enjoying exploring parks and trails around here!

 

Victor's Challenge of the Week 1

This summer I wanted to lean into creating some purposeful "challenges" (the kind of thing I would not get around to without some forethought), particularly for Victor.

So, we have initiated the summer "Challenge of the Week"!

Week 1 (May 29): Select and prepare a meal for the family.

Verse to memorize: But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 1 Timothy 5:8

Components:

• Choose 2-3 dishes to prepare and get Mom’s okay
• Make grocery list
• Plan the schedule for preparation
• Prepare the meal

Bonus: New cookbook or this one

Being quite the go-getter, Victor actually planned recipes to make for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, and dessert! We spread it out over the week, and he did a great job!

 

My 4-Loaf Sourdough Schedule (i.e. how I make sourdough bread without going crazy)

 

I have been dabbling in sourdough for a little over a year now, and much of that time has been spent in the mild angst of these kinds of weeks:

• This would be the perfect day to bake sourdough bread, but my starter is not strong enough, nor did I mix up the dough last night.
• I have a strong starter, but no time to mix up bread tonight.
  
• I could mix up bread tonight, but I will not be home tomorrow morning to bake it. 
• My starter is not strong, but because I have time tonight to mix up dough and time tomorrow to bake it, I will just try anyway (naive optimism = super-sad-hockey-puck loaf of bread) 
• All of these days of failure to make sourdough bread have left me with jars of sourdough discard which require my time to bake into something. (*stressed*)
  
• Repeat.

After too many of these kinds of weeks and a little advice and experimentation, I have landed on a happy rhythm! I now only have to feed my starter three days a week, bake once, and get four lovely loaves of sourdough on a regular basis (plus a bonus batch of excellent pancakes made with the discard).

None of this is "the one right way" to do sourdough, but it has proven a very helpful and workable routine for our family. Feel free to take it and make it your own.

My Weekly Schedule

Friday (anytime): 

Take sourdough starter out of the fridge. Remove some discard (quantity varies depending on how much I have and how much discard I need for pancakes, see below) to leave about 1/3 cup starter. Feed with 60 g warm water and 60 g unbleached flour. Stir well and leave lightly covered on the counter. (Refrigerate discard.)

Optional but our weekly tradition: 

Friday night: 

Mix 1 1/2 batches of Classic Sourdough Pancakes. Leave on counter overnight. Cook pancakes Saturday morning according to recipe. (Note: This will require 340 g -- 1 1/2 cups -- sourdough discard, and if needed you can just add extra to your equal parts of warm water and unbleached flour when you feed your starter so that you'll have enough extra on hand for the pancakes.)

Saturday (anytime):

Remove 120 g starter as discard. Feed with 60 g warm water and 60 g unbleached flour. Stir well and leave lightly covered on the counter. (Refrigerate discard.)

Sunday:

After church, ideally no later than 2pm: 

Remove 120 g starter as discard. Feed with 100 g warm water and 100 g unbleached flour. (The extra amount will provide enough starter for 4 loaves of bread.) Stir well and leave lightly covered on the counter. (Refrigerate discard.)

Between 6-8pm (once starter has doubled in volume on the counter): 

Mix up dough.

To mix dough, use food scale to combine:

• 200 g sourdough starter, doubled in volume from when it was fed earlier in the day
• 1400 g warm water
• 36 g salt

Use a fork to whisk all this together well. Then add:

• 2000 g bread flour

Using the skinny end of a wooden spoon, combine and cut together all the ingredients until you have a shaggy dough and no flour pockets or soupy, watery areas. 

 

Cover (I flip another bowl upside down on top) and leave overnight.

 

Monday:

Dough looks like this in the morning:

 

Between 7:30-8:30am: 

Lightly flour counter. Dump the dough onto the counter and fold each side inward on itself. 

 Flip upside down. Cut into 4 even pieces and gently stretch and tuck the ends underneath to form a smooth ball. Set on floured counter and leave for 30-60 minutes.

 

After 30 minutes: 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. (Optional: Put Dutch oven in the oven to preheat as well.)

When oven is hot: 

Place one piece of dough into Dutch oven, on a piece of parchment paper. Cut 3 slashes on top (I use kitchen shears). Cover with lid and put in oven. 

 

Place second piece of dough into 6" aluminum hotel pan, on a piece of parchment paper. Cut 3 slashes on top. Cover with lid and put in oven (both on top rack).

Bake 30 minutes. Remove lid from Dutch oven (I keep the hotel pan covered). 

Bake additional 30 minutes. Remove bread from both pans to wire rack. 

 

Put another piece of dough into Dutch oven and hotel pan, repeat process of slashing, covering, baking 30 min, uncovering Dutch oven, baking final 30 minutes.

Remove all bread to wire rack. Let cool at least one hour before slicing.

(To slice, I cut a loaf in half lengthwise, then set cut side down and slice into pieces through the crusty end.)

Any bread that is not eaten on the day it is baked, I put into a ziplock bag in the freezer. Thaw on counter overnight.

First Family Dinner

Oh yes, I have a blog. I forgot there for a few months... Doh.

Without attempting to recap all I've missed, here is a new thing: Saturday Family Dinner (like a melding of Sabbath Dinner of "What Have You" acclaim and pizza night from my childhood).

Yes, we pretty much always have dinner together. And yes, Saturday was already pizza night. So what's actually new?

Well, not so very much. Special new dishes. A centerpiece. Root beer in actual glasses. The goal: re-casting Saturday dinner as a time for special enjoyment of one another, special preparation for worship at church on Sunday, special celebration of the sweet gifts of God to our family in Jesus.

It was a fun beginning. Calvin grooving in his seat to the music. The discovery of a big, industrious ant in the centerpiece flowers. Lots of homemade pizza. Chocolate syrup stains on the tablecloth. Lots of giggles over the notion of barbecue sauce-topped ice cream. All the normal shenanigans, plus a little special flavor.

It's not really a time to hone dinnertime etiquette with the cloth napkins and rare appearance of knives at each place (though wouldn't that be a pleasant by-product!). We are trying to expand our own capacity to enjoy the gifts God has put right in our laps, invest with a sense of priority and heritage in our boys, and prepare our hearts for gathering with believers and praising God on the Lord's Day. 

A joyful start to something I hope will grow richer with time.

To hear more about "Sabbath dinner," give this a listen.

Anticipating Easter

Where we were the weeks leading up to Easter...

Children's choir on Palm Sunday (Victor is the plaid shirt just behind the pianist)

The boys each got to pick out a packet of seeds for us to plant. 

(Victor: watermelon, Josiah: wildflowers, Elliot: corn, plus quite a handful of others).

The first thrilling shoot!

Hot cross buns and handmade notes for our neighbors before Easter, 

praying that God will let the light of Christ shine on their hearts, even to new life!

This fine fellow, soaking in sunshine at a little backyard barbecue on the day before Easter

Our Easter "sugar cookie cake"

What a sweet season!

First Week of School

Two momentous things regarding school happened this week.

One. This was the first fall of our married lives (plus some) that Ben did not begin classes with the coming of fall! Woohoo!!!! Tremendous rejoicing, praise, thanks, joy, and gladness. God is good.

Two. This was the first fall for which we did begin official school with a few of our little cuties! It's an exciting and wonderful new experience!

First day of school pic

How big are these boys... (it's kinda hard to read, but it's on there!)

Our "school area"

First art project ... considering their non-art-talented instructor, they did great!

Acting out Josiah's first story, Yellow Ball

*using Before Five in a Row

So far the boys are excited about learning and it's been sweet to jump into school with them! More adventures ahead, no doubt! 

Vacation Days

We are home.

Another sweet, crazy, fun summer vacation under our belt.

The highlights of this trip:

Friday: Arrived in Iowa, spent the afternoon hanging out and playing with cousins. After supper, we also went to a local creamery for some very good ice cream!

Grammy's Bible story time with all 10 grandkids! They learned different truths about "God is ..."

Saturday: We imitated a long-time Anderson extended family tradition (going to Rochester to meet up with our extended family for one afternoon/evening/morning at a hotel all together). Our destination was a bit closer, but it was just fabulous to enjoy swimming, eating, playing, reading, and hanging out without needing to run lots of different directions for a day!

Sunday: We wrapped up at the hotel and had a fun picnic at a park together. Headed back to Grammy and Grandad's for afternoon naps, and then the Laser crew, Katterson crew, and Grammy and Grandad headed to Des Moines for 2 days and nights of great fun and adventure!

Monday: Off to Adventureland! Our boys were so excited! Everyone had a ball, riding the train (Josiah, Silas, Elliot, and I went 3 times), enjoying other rides, and playing in the water park. We stayed until suppertime and then enjoyed the complimentary dinner at the hotel, which was super nice. The boys slept really well that night!

Tuesday: We headed to the Living History Farm for our Tuesday excitement. It was very interesting, a beautiful day, fun tractor rides, and lots of fascinating things to learn about. Afterward, we drove back to Cedar Rapids for the remainder of our vacation.

Wednesday: For lunch on Wednesday, Mom took Betsy (and Hadley), Krista, and me to a fun, quaint restaurant to eat and look at fun decor. In the afternoon, Kate and I prepared supper (mini meatloaves my Mom already had ready, potato wedges, berry and romaine salad, dinner rolls, and "Selfish Bars" for dessert. Then we headed out for an all-family photo shoot, with some special bonus Katterson family pictures. So sweet. My sister and brother-in-law are uber talented... (Photos here not from them. :) Separate post coming.)

Thursday: My parents gave Kevin and Krista and Ben and me a chance to head out for a breakfast together, which was so fun. It was a rainy day, so we spent a bit of time getting decorated for Grammy's birthday celebration in the evening.


Friday: We had a day at the farm! Uncle Arlan and Aunt Sue let us help harvest potatoes, and then we all had a big picnic lunch by their pond, followed by some very successful fishing! In the evening we celebrated Kevin's upcoming birthday.

Notice my dad photo bombing this shot...

Saturday: We headed for a nostalgic breakfast at the Amana's (though our beloved Brick Haus restaurant is no longer...). We used to celebrate my grandparents' anniversary regularly in the Amana's, and this time we went there to celebrate Grandma Vaupel's 95th birthday. It was a sweet time. Afterward we browsed some of the nearby stores, then headed home. Grandad and I took the kids to a park to play for a while, and then we enjoyed the typical Saturday night pizza dinner.

Sunday: We went to church and then packed a picnic to eat at a park. It was another beautiful day, and it capped off a very beautiful vacation!

Monday: We headed home bright and early, the travel made much more fun because we got to caravan with the Lasers! They will stay with us tonight and then launch off the rest of their epic road trip back to British Columbia.

It was a sweet gift to enjoy these days, and we are thankful for so many mercies from God sprinkled through every day!