Monday, October 29, 2012

Weekends and Cameras

Our new camera came in the mail...I am ridiculously excited.  I now have joined the "cool camera" club that almost everyone I know is already a member of...and the more I look around, the more I notice the "cool cameras"...you know, the big, black cameras with a thick strap and a long, zooming lens?  Never mind that I have absolutely no clue how to use it - I am still very excited.  After our old camera broke, I felt quite lost without a camera.  Ever leave the house only to realize you forgot to put your wedding ring back on and your hand feels "naked" all day??  That's how I felt without a camera.  Going outside, a trip to the pumpkin farm, my children's darling costumes and antics...and no camera...So after a few weeks camera-less, I am quite thankful for a new (and much improved) camera.  Thanks to my amazing hubby for this awesome gift for our family!

This weekend, we had more empty space than usual, which was wonderful.  Micah was off in Michigan with his Papa visiting his cousins.  Zach and I went on a dinner, Starbucks, and movie date, which was lovely, and my in-laws came over to carve pumpkins with the kids, and besides that, we were attempting to get a few things done, rest, and take some pictures!

Here are some of our at-home, weekend pics...with the new camera!!!

our Sammy...

Ella "blow drying" Sophia's hair...

Reading books...

Our happy Soph...

Ella

Computer game time...an exciting time around here now that it is reserved just for the weekends...

We love our baby!

Pumpkin carving...Daddy's more into it than the kids!

Grandma Debbie helping Ella...


Finished products...can you tell that we have an Angry Bird jack-o-lantern??

Love this one of the kids watching out the door!

Hope you had a wonderful weekend, too!  Enjoy your Halloween week!

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Thankful Thursday

Micah's Gifts
I'm thankful...
...that I'm going to Michigan.
...that I'm going to see Chuck.
...that Papa's going to take me.
...that I'm going to play there.
...I'm thankful for the Spotlight showcase that's coming up soon.
...I'm thankful for going to Morton Arboretum.

My Gifts
I'm thankful...
...for cozy, rainy evenings at home.
...for my son's opportunity to go with his papa to Michigan.
...for how close my boys are to each other...Sammy was NOT happy that Micah was leaving for the weekend, but we continued to prepare him.  When the time came for Micah to leave, Sammy gave him many hugs and kisses, and ran down the street waving goodbye.  Precious.
...for Ella's love of babies.  She puts them down for naps in her crib, turns on the white noise, and closes the door.  She then makes sure NO ONE goes in and wakes up her babies.  Adorable.  Also, she nursed her baby today with the boppy.  Monkey see, monkey do, I guess.
...for a visit with a dear friend from high school.  The littles and I got to go see her and her new, precious baby, and although it was a chaotic visit (what was I thinking bringing my three children with??), she was lovely and gracious and didn't seemed phased by my little crazies.  And it was nice to catch up, even just briefly.
...for a FULL week of family visiting and day after day of fun activities and great people around us.  Feeling very blessed by both our families.
...for our new small group that started earlier in the month.  Each week has been rich and encouraging, and last night, as worship rose in our home and poured out the open windows, I felt so blessed to be a beacon of light on our block, thankful that we can gather and encourage one another in our home and can speak and sing of the truths of our God.
...that my husband is so willing and ready to serve and help when he is home.  After the kids go to bed, we work together to finish our chores, and I am beyond thankful that he doesn't hesitate to jump in and help with dishes and diapers and sweeping.  Thankful to have a teammate.

What are you thankful for today?

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Morton Arboretum

Today we had a family field trip.  Zach had the day off work, the weather was in the upper 70's, and we had a whole day to fill with fun.  We packed up and headed to the Morton Arboretum, and it was SUCH a great day.  It was seriously one of the most fun places we have ever brought our kids, and I am excited to bring back everyone I know...it was THAT great!!  We had fun exploring the plant maze and romping all through the children's gardens, climbing on bridges, walking across streams, playing in water, going in treehouses, and seeing all the beautiful plants, pumpkins, trees, and leaves all around.  All of us had a blast.  We even got to see the scarecrow exhibit that was currently happening all around the pond.  Guess which one was the boys' favorite?  That's right...Angry Birds.
My camera broke a few weeks ago, so these were all taken on Zach's phone.  I am anxiously awaiting my new camera in the mail, but for now, I am so thankful to have had his phone to take pictures with!
SO thankful for random days off work, beautiful October weather, colorful creation all around us, and happy, sweet children that enjoy life to the fullest.















Hope you enjoyed this beautiful, fall Wednesday!
Blessings to you!

Recipe of the Week - Parmesan Chicken

Tomorrow I am bringing this chicken dish to a friend who had a baby, and it is one of our favorites!  It was literally on the label of a parmesan cheese bottle once, and we have made it countless times since...Enjoy!

Parmesan Garlic Chicken

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 envelope Italian dressing mix
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
6 chicken breast halves (approx 2 pounds)

Mix the three dry ingredients together.
Moisten chicken with water; coat with cheese mixture.
Place in a greased 9 x 13 pan.
Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 20-25 minutes.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

No One Tells You

There are so many things no one tells you about motherhood.

No one tells you that when in labor, you really and truly think you just. can't. get that baby out.

No one tells you that when you are adjusting to nursing, that latch can bring painful tears to your eyes.

No one tells you that you may stand for hours in the middle of the night in the laundry room, baby strapped into his carseat on top of the empty-but-running dryer to attempt to calm some colicky screams.

No one tells you that you will be up in the middle of the night, stripping sheets and bathing children covered in vomit.

No one tells you that you will be pooped on.  peed on.  thrown up on.  bled on...and sometimes, all in one day.

No one tells you that your children will disobey and test you and make your insides crazy sometimes.

No one tells you that your child will cry over the toast being in triangles instead of squares.

And no one tells you that the staff at your pediatrician's office will know you and all your children by name because of the amount of time you frequent the office.

No one tells you that your children will push your buttons and be disrespectful.

No one tells you that your son will need surgery and be rushed to the emergency room.

No one tells you that motherhood is so very messy.

But...

Nor does anyone tell you that the moment that newborn bundle is placed in your arms, you can do nothing, nothing at all, but cry with pure joy and delight and the fiercest kind of love.

No one tells you how incredibly beautiful and bonding it is to nurse your sweet babe at your chest.

No one tells you that you will run like a crazy person to protect a toddler from danger.

And no one tells you how your heart will burst inside your chest when your son first says, "I love you, Mommy."

No one tells you that you will sit around the table at noon, eating noodles with your kids, genuinely enjoying their sweet company and laughing at their silly stories.

No one tells you that your heart will burst with pride the first time you see them sing on a stage.

No one tells you that you will feel a protection like a mama bear, claws ready to come out at anyone attempting to hurt your little one.

No one tells you that their little, sweet-smelling heads resting on your shoulder is the best kind of way to sit in a rocking chair.

No one tells you that you will have dance parties in the middle of a meal, or the middle of the day, or the middle of the kitchen stirring soup.

No one tells you that your heart just aches with the deep, indescribable love that you have for each of your children.

And no one tells you that the JOY they bring to your heart is the purest kind of medicine for your soul.

There are so many things that no one tells you about motherhood...instead, you get to experience the adventure of a lifetime.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Thankful Thursday

Another full day.

Chores.  Children.  Mothering.  Schooling.  Meeting.  Groceries.  Dinner.  Girls Night Out.

So I will make this brief because my bed is calling my name.  Loudly.

But today, I am thankful for a husband who helps with chores and cleans the kitchen while I race out the door for a girls night.

I am thankful for soup in the crockpot and biscuits with apple butter.

I am thankful for girls night out...how I love, love, love my girlfriends.  Sitting in a booth at Chilis, snacking on chips and salsa, drinking margaritas, laughing until my sides hurt, catching up on life...surely this is a slice of heaven.

I am thankful for how God takes a lesson he wants to teach us and brings it to our attention in several different ways.

I am thankful for the hope of transformation in the areas of my weakness.  I am thankful that God doesn't expect us to be perfect but gives us grace as we overcome little by little.

I am thankful my best friend is in town and that my kids get to have playtime with their best friends, too.

I am thankful that my in-laws are coming to visit, too, and I am thankful that we have such amazing family who loves us all so well.

And I am thankful for my sweet, blond-headed children who are so-not-perfect but who are so-very-perfect in their own way.  I want to celebrate them well, and I love their smiles and their hands and their kisses and their sweet little voices and giggles and ideas.


What are you thankful for today?


Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Recipe of the Week - Cheesy Meatloaves (and a quick hello)

Life has been busy lately, so the blog has had to go.  Thoughts have been swirling around in my head, but they will have to wait for another time.  I am in the day-to-day grind this week.  Diapers, laundry, meals, dishes, naptimes, more laundry, schooling, craft time, and yet another load of laundry.  I am weary today after a non-stop-kids-needing me kind of day, but my soul was refreshed after a chance to sit around our living room with our small group sipping cider, candle glowing, rain pouring down, worshiping, reading Scripture, digging into the concept of abiding in Jesus.  And what joy flows from that very act.  I am encouraged and refreshed, thankful for this group of people to do life with.

So all my other thoughts on life and mothering and rhythm will have to wait for now...there is a grocery list to be made and one more project before I can sink into my bed and sleep.

But I WILL leave you with my recipe of the week...Cheesy Meatloves...Happy Wednesday!


MINI CHEESY MEATLOAVES
(recipe from our beloved Julie, a friend who is basically family)

(Again, this recipe is super easy but so very yummy.  They can be made ahead of time and put in the oven later.  It's also easy to change the recipe up according to allergies.  My son, Sammy, who is allergic to dairy, LOVES these, and I just omit the cheese and milk from his and bake on the side.)

1 egg, beaten
3/4 c. milk
1 c. shredded cheddar
1/2 c. oats
1 t. salt
1 lb. ground beef

Mix ingredients together.  Shape into 8 mini loaves.  Line 9 x 13 pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.
Arrange loaves in pan and top with sauce...

2/3 c. ketchup
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 t. mustard

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Our favorite is to serve these with mashed potatoes, corn souffle, and salad.
Enjoy!

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Thankful Thursday

Sammy's Gifts...
I am thankful for...
...God.
...Daddy.
...Sammy.
...Hulk.
...going to the library.
...Papapa.
...Nana.
...snakes.

Micah's Gifts...
I am thankful for...
...Mommy.
...our dinosaur class.
...schooling.
...learning about dinosaurs in the dinosaur class.
...Mommy being funny.
...lesson ten in math.
...this tradition of schooling and doing chores.
(I promise I am typing these out word for word...hilarious to me that he used the word, "tradition.")

Zach's Gifts...
(He wants to participate tonight.)
I am thankful for...
...a rich small group meeting last night and men's Bible study this morning.
...warm apple pie and vanilla ice cream.
...work, and also, that it is meaningful.

My Gifts...
Today I am thankful for a quiet, slower day at home.  My days lately have been full to the brim, so a slower-paced day was quite welcomed.  The boys attended a dinosaur class through the park district today, so while the girls napped in the car, I enjoyed a trip through Starbucks and a peaceful drive with a pumpkin spice latte.  I was thankful for this little break in my day.  I am thankful for the fall weather.  I am thankful for an evening with no plans and a good book to curl up with.  I have been working lots and praying much for patience and a calm spirit in my parenting and discipline, and I am thankful that I see myself being transformed in this area more and more each day.

My sister's next door neighbor has gone missing with her two daughters, and all day my thoughts and prayers have been on this family.  Crises like this really put life into perspective, so today, I am simply thankful for my husband and my children and us all tucked into our little nest safely.  Life is precious and sweet, and I don't want to take it for granted.

What are you thankful for today?

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Recipe of the Week - Taco Soup

Another great cold-weather recipe...Taco Soup!  This is a staple in my family for many get-togethers, including our annual Halloween dinner.  It is so easy to throw together, it simmers on the stove for a few hours, and it is so warm and yummy...Enjoy!

TACO SOUP

2 pounds ground beef, browned (I often use ground turkey)
2 cans corn, drained
1 can kidney beans
1 can mild chili beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 large can tomato juice
1 chopped onion

Combine all ingredients.  Cook on low for four hours.

Serve with shredded cheddar, sour cream, and fritos!!!

To make a great combination, serve cornbread on the side!
(By the way, Trader Joe's has my absolute favorite cornbread mix. So good.)

One more thing...this is one of those recipes that freezes well, so if you have a large pot, you can double it and freeze half, too.  I did this when I was pregnant and had homemade soup to pull out after Sophia was born. :-)

Monday, October 8, 2012

One Step at a Time

Today was one of those I'm-glad-tomorrow-is-a-new-day kind of days.

I was just off.

All the parenting tips and discipline strategies that I've been working on lately seemed to go out the window.

I resorted to impatience and frustration and yelling.  I started seeing through a negative lense.

Sigh.

So thankful that I am a work in progress, and even though I would like to be a perfect work in progress, I will have to settle for being an imperfect work in progress who is beyond thankful for grace.

A wise woman from my church once told me that if we had everything just right, we would have no need for God.  And, oh, how I need my God.

We are moving forward one step at a time, and if you take a step backwards here or there, that's okay, too. We are covered by grace, and we get to keep moving forward that next step.

Tomorrow is a new day.

And I can do it.

We can do it.

One step at a time.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Thankful Thursday

Today, I am thankful for...

- a fun week with my children...lots of time spent together and lots of laughing
- my children's paintings on the wall
- singing and dancing to songs from Madagascar with my kids
- fall decorations
- beautiful, colorful, fall trees everywhere I go
- dinner with my mom
- Sophia's smiles (literally all of the time...)
- Ella's high-pitched, sweet, sweet voice and her little sentences
- Sammy's attachment to Micah and how the two are like a unit, moving together around the house
- Micah's excitement about reading and learning
- clean laundry hanging to dry
- an increased level of patience today and yesterday
- windows open and fresh air coming in
- banana bread
- my husband coming HOME after a trip for work and the anticipation of a weekend together as a family
- the week going so well in spite of him being gone
- a home that is such a safe place for me
- the changing of seasons
- that God gives us joy in the everyday moments that make up our days

What are you thankful for today?

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Recipe of the Week - Bagel Melts

Looking for a super casual dinner, or an easy Saturday lunch?  These bagel melts are both easy and soooo yummy.  We have baked many-a-bagel-melt in our home, and we love them!

I thought it could be a fun meal to share...(Also a fun playdate lunch with a friend!)

Bagel Melts

(There really is no recipe to it...)

Just slice some bagels and place them all on a baking sheet face up. (I even line my pan with foil so I don't have to wash it!)

Layer with deli meat, vegetables (we love sliced tomatoes and green peppers, but you could add onions, mushrooms, or any other veggie), and sliced cheese (my recommendation is two slices per sandwich as it seems to "shrink" as it melts).  My mom likes to sprinkle sunflower seeds on the top of hers.

Bake at about 400 for 10ish minutes or until the cheese is melted and the bagel is toasty!  (And we love to dip ours in Ranch dressing.)

Like I said, super easy, but if you're looking for something different, try it out!  Serve with soup or salad or chips to complete the meal!

Enjoy!

Patience

Patience.

Something I desperately need more of today. and every day.

I never knew that I was an impatient person until I had children.  I am not an impatient driver.  I don't mind waiting in lines at the grocery store.  I prefer to drive in the slow lane on the Interstate.  I am not rushed at restaurants.  But having children has a way of humbling us and bringing us to a place where we must die to ourselves.  It puts us in a place of seeing all of our faults and bringing us to our knees in a necessary need of God.  And for me, I have learned that I am, indeed, quite impatient.

One child wants to sit in a certain chair at breakfast and so throws a fit that he cannot, another child escapes from her chair, hands full of peanut butter, to run to the couch and the computer, and a third child decides he needs another waffle just as I am sitting down with my toast and tea.  A cup of water gets spilled, the same toddler throwing a fit now has decided to have his waffle cut instead of uncut, and the baby is getting fussy in her highchair, ready for her baby food and her morning nap.  We are running late, the boys are not picking up the toys I have asked them to, and my crazy girl has now decided to take off her diaper and pants during her time out in the crib.  One.  more.  thing. happens...one more act of disobedience, one more sassy comment, one more mess, and I can lose it.

Patience.  What I so desperately want and need.

Patience, for me, is the area in which I have been the most aware of my sinfulness since having my kids.  For I have come to the place where I cannot "control" this other human being(s) and that becomes a difficult concept to accept and embrace.  I have a picture of the way I want things to go, and my little humans actually are not perfect (the nerve!), nor are they perfectly in tune with my plan!

I have prayed and read and learned and observed all different ways to be patient.  I am daily trying, trying, and praying for patience and a calm spirit and a right perspective. Sometimes, I get it right.  But other times, I fail.  And I fail again.  And again.

I am an imperfect work of progress, as one friend wisely described it today.  I am learning and growing, and not in a perfect way, but in a very real, imperfect way.

Change can only happen, though, by the power of the Holy Spirit in me to give me self-control.  Whenever I try to muster up enough strength to do it on my own, I fail again.  So I need our full-of-grace God to work in and through me to make me a new creation and to transform this part of my heart and life.

I have decided that I need to start memorizing some verses from Scripture pertaining to patience.  I want God's word to be written on my heart, and I know that memorizing these powerful truths can empower me and give me tools toward change.

Care to join me in some memorization of patience passages?  How great to know we are not alone!

These are what I found today...

"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." (Ephesians 4:2)

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14)

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." (Ephesians 4:29)

"Love is patient, love is kind...It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs." (1 Corinthians 13:4-5)

So thankful for a God who gives us grace and gives us the strength to become less so He can become greater in us.  And greater is HE than the one who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

Anxious to see the story continue to unfold, for our journeys are never over.

We are all an imperfect work of progress.