Celebrating 100 days...

We are celebrating the 100th day of school this week!! Hip, Hip, Hooray!! Since we only school 4 days per week, it has taken us a little longer than the public schools to reach the 100th day. Today Tatiana made herself a crown to wear all week & I inscribed it with the words, "I survived 100 days of Kindergarten."

Of course, what's good for the goose is good for the gander, so we made little peanut a crown too that says, "Future Homeschooler".

The books I have picked out for this week are:

Mrs. Bindergarten Celebrates the 100th day of Kindergarten {read this one on Monday~perfect intro for this week!!}
100 Hungry Ants
The Wolf's Chicken Stew {read this one yesterday}
I'll Teach My Dog 100 Words {read this one yesterday}
Centipede's 100 Shoes

Yesterday we all made signs to hang on the homeschool wall that said what we each could eat 100 of. {Tatiana: 100 pizzas & 100 ice cream cones, Sienna: 100 french fries, Me: 100 cups of Chai, Rick: 100 hershey kisses} Here we are the happy students with their 100 Cheerio necklaces {ok, well by the time Sienna's was done it had about 90-something}:


I also have planned to discuss what life was like 100 years ago, make a list of what $100 could buy, see how far 100 steps takes us from our house, & end the week with a celebration with 100 balloons and a 100 piece snack {after which I should probably do 100 sit-ups}! It will be a fun last week of school before Spring Break. As for April, I am planning a "Easter" unit study for the first week {if I can get my act together, book recommendations anyone??} and we will be doing animal-related FIAR books for the rest of the month, capped off by a trip to the zoo on April 27th with my wonderful mother. I just love having school relate to other activities in our lives, especially since spring is {officially} here & al the little creatures are coming out to play. Makes so much sense that way!

I am already excited about the next school year & making plans for what sort of things to cover. I am thinking of adding cursive handwriting, some sort of creative writing/journaling, spanish & history. Sound like too much for a first-grader? We probably would not cover everything, everyday. For history I really like the idea of TruthQuest & using real books to teach. I especially like how this curriculum is about God's Hand throughout history. It seems like real books make things come alive for a child in a way that textbooks never can. Just yesterday we were reading the book Knitting Nell {about a girl who loves to knit!} and in one scene she is hugging a sheep. I asked Tatiana why she would do that. She said because wool comes from sheep & yarn is made from wool. {Insert jaw drop here.} I'm sure she remembered this from another awesome book we studied called "A New Coat for Anna". It was really cool. Well, we are off to homeschool group now for some friends, learning & fun. Hope everyone is having a lovely week!

What's in the freezer?

Beth's post inspired me to write this post & share what recipes I've recently put in the freezer. We mostly eat chicken, but I am thinking next round I will do some ground beef recipes. I can't wait until the weather warms up more so I can start grilling again. I *love* my grill!! {Probably should get the gas tank refilled so I can actually USE it.} Here are the items I made for my last session:

French Bread Pizzas w/Easy Pizza Sauce ~ this pizza sauce is SO incredibly easy....I added a pinch of sugar to sweeten it up a bit. I used a bag of french bread hoagie rolls from Sam's Club, $2.87 for 6 big rolls, which made 12 pizzas. Not bad, eh?

Honey Nut Chicken Strips from Rachel Ray's 365 No Repeats

Carribbean Chicken ~ light fruity flavor, probably will taste good grilled

Creamy Chicken Divan ~ this was yummy, but not super flavorful. More on the comforting side. I purchased a 4# bag of frozen broccoli florets at Sam's Club for $4.32. Seems like a great deal, especially considering that you've got only the usable florets & you don't have to spend any time chopping. I also used Healthy Request Cream of Chicken Soup & Lite Sour Cream to save on calories.

1 bunch broccoli ~ lightly steamed {or enough broccoli to barely cover the bottom of each pan}
1 can cream of chicken soup
4 c. cooked chicken, diced
1/3 t. poultry seasoning
16 oz. container sour cream
2 c. shredded cheddar
1 1/2 c. crushed Ritz crackers
3 T. slivered almonds
2 T. melted butter

This will make either two 8x8" pans or one 9x13". Place broccoli in the bottom of pan {if using frozen, no need to steam or dethaw}. In separate bowl, combine soup, chicken, poultry seasoning, salt, sour cream, and 1 cup shredded cheese. Spread mixture evenly over broccoli. Top with remaining cheese. Mix together crushed Ritz, almonds & melted butter. Sprinkle over the top of dish. Bake at 350° F for 35-40 or until topping is browned and filling is bubbly around the edges.

Pepperoni Ziti Casserole ~ I used whole wheat pasta & skim ricotta.

And then tonight for dessert I made Dirt Bombs, except I made them in mini-muffin tins {baking for only 13-15 minutes} so they'd be kid sized. {Seriously, can you really go wrong with anything dipped in butter then rolled in cinnamon-sugar???} Perfect for a play date snack, I think. {Little messy on the eating part though.} So far, two BIG thumbs-up from mom & daughter #2. YUM-O!!

The only thing I can't vouch for flavor-wise is the Honey Nut Chicken Strips. They seem like they're heavy on the spices, but we shall see. The only major problem I have been having for about the last 8 months is recipe storage. For the last 3 months I've actually been handwriting all the recipes I want to try out in a notebook!! I downloaded a free trial of Big Oven online, but then cheaped out when it came time to purchase the program. Also, I've read a lot of horror stories about computers crashing and entire recipe boxes being lost. I think I am just going to type out all my recipes into Word saving each recipe file, then print each one out and keep them in a binder. Kinda like my own personal cookbook. I really like something tangible that I can hold & see, as opposed to a computer database {which I have been using up until this point}. This way, I can easily share the recipes by copying & pasting from the Word file and I'll also have my "hard" copy for when I'm recipe planning. Whadda ya think? How do you store your recipes? I just love trying new recipes. I almost can't wait til the next round of OAMC. Guess I'll just start planning....

Even the Best Laid Plans....

....go awry. I had all these high hopes about house cleaning. {And house cleaning is definitely not near the top of my "Things I Enjoy Doing" list.} I was going to start with the kitchen. I even looked up a kitchen spring cleaning plan {which I still will use when the time is right}. Then my part-part-time job started again, with less time to complete my work than usual. My freezer stash was also rapidly dwindling. Throw in a cheerleading scrapbook that I've been helping my cousin with & the biggest wrench of all, a neck injury, and all my plans went out the window. I don't know how it happened, but one morning I woke up with a really stiff neck. I thought it was just body aches from the cold I had at the same time, but things only progressively got worse. I couldn't even turn my head. And then there was the chronic pinching/pulling pain. I found myself staring at a leftover Vicodin prescription wondering if I shouldn't just take one. I am not a big medicator though. Needless to say, I couldn't even keep up with the day-to-day housework, let alone some big cleaning endeavors. I am still not fully healed, but well on my way to recovery. Tatiana & I will be venturing into the City tomorrow so I can have another massage therapy treatment. She is well-versed in mass transit, but I think for a child, it is something that never quite loses its magic. So, spring cleaning is still on my to-do list, but I guess I will have to wait to begin until at least next week. Who knows? Maybe somehow this week I can squeeze in time to clean out a junk drawer or two. {Yeah, I know. Who else has TWO junk drawers??} I also have big plans for refinishing a used dresser, putting all Tatiana's clothes in it & putting a free new mattress in her trundle to use as a guest bed. My deadline for that will be March 29th when my niece and sister-in-law will be having their quarterly sleepover at our house. It will motivate me to git 'er done. What is on your March to do list? Spring cleaning? Projects?

Aldi & Spring Cleaning

March is National Frozen Food Month! And will be spring cleaning month here on ASL. If you blog, feel free to join in the Spring Cleaning Fun & let us know how you are making your house happy this month. Once I am fully recovered from my cold, I will be happily cleaning & organizing all most areas of my house. {No, I am not pregnant/nesting/crazy.} I am looking forward to sharing some cool cleaning websites, tips & maybe some before/after pictures of my own house.

But, in honor of National Frozen Food Month, I thought we'd discuss one of many people's favorite discount food stores: Aldi. I used to shop there quite often as we lived in their backyard. Not figuratively. Literally. It was nice to just be able to walk to the end of the fence to pick up a gallon of milk or a $1.99 pizza. Now that we live about 20 minutes from the nearest one {and not near my main grocery stop, Woodman's} I don't shop there as often. Maybe once a month. I am planning on going more frequently though to try and cut down on our grocery bill. I am a huge kind of a food snob, so some things I just don't buy there. We recently tried their beef hot dogs & Rick said they were disgustingly greasy. {This from the guy that pretty much will eat whatever you put in front of him.} I do like their cheap canned veggies {for the kids} and their canned diced tomatoes for Spanish rice. I also have always like their Spaghetti sauce too. Last time I went, their milk & eggs were both more expensive than Woodman's, but I had to buy the milk anyway because I needed it. Their not-from-concentrate OJ was slightly more expensive per ounce than the 96 oz. jug of Tropicana I bought at my main grocer. I used to really love their french toast sticks too, until I discovered OAMC & just freeze my own pancakes/waffles/french toast.

Please help me save money at Aldi. So here are my questions: How often do you shop there? What do you love to buy there because it is a really great deal {and tastes good enough}? What will you not buy there because it is either not saving money or doesn't taste good?

Moved

I am moved. I came across this video on a blog I frequent:



Crystal was discussing the movie Amazing Grace. Have any of you seen it? I think it just came out last Friday. I honestly rarely go to the movie theatre ($$$$), but if it's for something really awesome then I would go. I so enjoyed this video too of the story of Amazing Grace. I think it is miraculous how God stirred the heart of one man, John Newton, and the legacy he left with ONE song. Have you ever felt like you couldn't do anything great for God? I mean, maybe something small, but nothing magnanimous because you are just one woman, or one set of hands, or you would just be helping one person. I can't imagine that when Mr. Newton penned that hymn that he could've ever fathomed the impact that his simple heartfelt words would have. I am inspired today....by one man and one song.

Frugal Clothing Ideas

Whenever I get a really great deal on something, I always feel a little...sneaky. Like I bucked the system somehow. Like I got something I wasn't supposed to. Either way, it makes me feel good.
Here are some frugal clothing ideas I thought you may enjoy.

1. Thrift Stores/Garage Sales: I went to Village Discount over the weekend and bought Tatiana 6 summer shirts and 2 pairs of jeans for $14. I still can't believe it. These are all name brand items like Gymboree, Justice, Children's Place & Old Navy. They have seen some wear, but still have plenty of life left. I will be sure to be checking back there every so often to see what is new, especially once summertime nears. Another local thrift store which I have enjoyed in the past is Once Upon A Child. All kids' stuff! I also *love* garage sales. A lot of times you can purchase nearly new things for just a song. Whenever I am looking at garage sale ads, I specifically go to the ones that mention "kids clothes" or whatever it is I'm looking for. I also love neighborhood sales = less driving around.

2. Ebay: I am a big ebayer. I almost always check ebay before making a big purchase. A lot of times you can get something new or almost new for a fraction of the price. My favorite auctions are "LOTS" where you are buying a whole bunch of clothes, instead of just one item.

3. Hand Me Downs: Probably the most frugal clothing idea there is. It's free! Maybe you know someone who's child is bigger than yours to borrow clothes from. I know some people are protective of their clothes. The way I look at it is, it's all God's stuff anyways. If someone can use my clothes instead of just letting them sit unused in my basement, I rather bless another person in that way.

4. Sew: *gasp* If you are even a little bit handy, you could manage sewing simple items. My mom has made outfits for the girls without even using a zipper or button. There are so many simple easy-to-sew patterns out there. Especially as your kids grow out of the toddler sizes, it seems like the clothing gets *so* much more expensive. Fabric only costs about 1/3 to 1/2 the price of the finished item. Tatiana is really into skirts right now {and I have a feeling this will continue as she is very GIRLIE} so I plan on making her some skirts for the summer. Maybe a couple of dresses too. Another mom friend plans to do the same for her daughter, so hopefully we will be taking a road trip to JoAnn's shortly!

Feel free to chime in with your frugal clothing ideas. I'd love to hear 'em!

Frugal Grocery Ideas #1

PACKAGING. It’s what adds extra cost to your grocery bill. I know it’s sometimes hard to resist the cute little packages things come in or the idea that everything is all ready to eat in its convenient container. There are ways to use your own packages that are much more, shall I say, frugal. Some examples:

We eat a lot of sugar-free pudding {well, mostly hubby does}, which I used to buy in the refrigerated section. I think it’s about $2.50 for 6-4 oz. containers. Finally a money saving idea dawned on me one grocery trip while passing the Gladware. I purchased a set of small 6 oz. containers with lids {around $2.50} and some boxes of the dry pudding mix for $.50. Now I just wash the containers out & make more pudding. I am literally saving a couple of dollars every week just with this one change.

Another item people frequently purchase in convenient packages is yogurt. Our favorite light yogurt is Dannon Light and Fit Vanilla. I think the regular price for 6 oz. container is around $.60 {it has been a really long time since I’ve bought one though}. I buy the big 32 oz. carton instead for $1.99. To get the same amount, you’d have to spend about $3.25. Another dollar saved! I can also use my little gladware containers if I want to have a nice little portable yogurt.

Yet another case in point. My kids are not big milk drinkers. Not sure why. They rather have juice or water. For a recent trip I purchased a package of the mini Dean’s chugs Light Chocolate Milk. The kids love ‘em! Now they ASK for milk. I am saving the little chugs containers & will probably just make more {either with Hershey’s or NesQuick}, that way I can make it little less chocolatey, therefore less sugar. Hey, if it gets ‘em to drink more milk, I’m all for it.

An idea I ran across awhile back was how to make your own lunchables. Ya know, those cute little packages of crackers & cheese & meat. Purchase a small tackle box or craft box with individual compartments {you could even decorate the outside of the box}. Fill the little compartments with generic store bought crackers, little cheese slices, meat cubes, grapes, maybe even a chocolate treat and~Voila! Homemade lunchables!

Ok. So one of the few things I buy which is individually packaged is 100 calorie snack packs of Oreo, Fudge Stripe Cookies, etc. Whoever came up with this idea is pure genius! Now whenever I have a chocolate craving, I can indulge without feeling guilty.

Share your favorite packaging tips here! And stay tuned for more “frugal” posts throughout the week…..

Our Story

I wish we had some amazing, breath-taking love story. I wish it were love at first sight {well, I guess I don't believe in that though} or that at some magical instant I just knew that Rick would be my husband. I was sitting in the commons area of our local community college just minding my own business. A mutual friend came over and brought Rick with him, introducing him as the captain of the soccer team. I remember him being really friendly & genuinely interested in what I had to say. I ran into him a day or two later when he was on his way to class & we stopped to talk. We must've stood there for about an hour {he missed his class} and it seemed like after that conversation, I knew things would never be the same. One day after class, he let me borrow his leather jacket and in the pocket was a little slip of paper with his phone number on it, followed by a question mark. I remember that little piece of paper was green. I called. I went to lots of soccer games. We would talk on the phone until the wee hours of the morning. He was just returning from a spiritual wilderness & I invited him to church. The reason that we stayed together has boiled down to one thing: choices. It wasn't a whirlwind romance. We weren't riding high on the waves of puppy love. He just never gave me any reason not to want to be with him. I liked that he was smart & could have intelligent conversation. I liked that he was always willing to change or work on something to make our relationship better. I liked that he was able to joke around and have fun or be serious & get down to work, whatever the situation required. And it is still those same things that I love about him today. That fuzzy warm lovey feeling isn't always present, but I choose to love him. I choose to want to be together. I choose to do the hard work necessary to keep making things better. I love him more & more everyday. I am constantly seeing God's divine plan in having the two of us become one. If I would've known back then what I know now, I would've chosen him 10 times over. Happy 10th Valentine's Day together, Honey! And many more.

Scrapbook Share

Per my sweet cousin Ky-Ky's request, here are some scrapbook layouts that I recently completed. Tatiana's 5th birthday page seemed to take me forever. I swear I started it last fall & finished everything except the journaling. Don't know why that part took me so long. Our anniversary pictures have been languishing in my to-do pile for some time as well. Seems like since knitting entered the picture, scrapbooking has fallen by the wayside. Here goes anyways:
Road Trip
{Journaling} I gave up on the notion of a perfect anniversary weekend. Our cottage wasn't what I expected. The weather was dismal. In the end, those details didn't matter. We had a cozy fireplace, a splendid day in Holland, & plenty of unique coffee shops to visit. Most importantly, we had each other. Perfect after all.

*There is kind of a doodled line border that got cut off around the edge with little hand drawn stars here and there. I am a poor scanner/stitcher I guess.*

Fabulous @ 5
{Journaling} 12: number of kids at Tatiana's birthday party 11: months spent planning CareBears theme, Approximate days since emergency appendectomy: 65, 4: weeks left til beginning homeschooling kindergarten, Tatiana owns about 13 CareBears and nearly the same # of pajamas, 1826: days we've been blessed to have her in our lives

*It's kind of a play on numbers which I think is so fun!*

Hope your weekend was lovely!

Happy Birthday to Me

Yup. I'm 29 now. It's my last year of being in my twenties. Scary thought. Hubby & I celebrated over the weekend. Saturday we dropped the kiddos off at my mom's house for the night. We stopped at Panera on our way and I tried the Chicken Bacon Dijon Panini. YUMM-O! Then we headed off to the Gifted Purl. I picked up some yarn because I want to make this hat. Here is the yarn I picked out:
{I already have 5 of the 7 hexagons made. I am so excited. My knitting is getting faster and faster all the time.} Then Rick and I went to Barnes & Noble where I had a Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce Latte. It was good, but I think I'll stick to Chai. I read some Knitting books & mags {shocker, I know} and Rick read some Computing magazines. Then we headed home, stopping at Blockbuster on the way. We didn't really see any movies of interest so we picked up two DVDs of House, season two. After relaxing for a bit, I made a nice celebratory dinner, Barefoot Contessa-style.

For starters we had a warm goat cheese salad served on spring greens with a homemade basil vinaigrette. {The recipe didn't call for the basil, but I felt it needed something.} Rick's not even a huge goat cheese fan & this recipe made me realize that I actually like the texture a lot more when it is warm and slightly melty. Then we had this:

Two huge {1# each} ribeye steaks and homemade onion rings. This was the first time that I've ever made onion rings at home & I wouldn't hesitate to do it again, probably only for special occasions though. This meal rocked {if I can say so myself}. Uber yummy!!! {If only I would've made creme brulee for dessert. That woulda put it over the top. Maybe next time.} Then we spent the rest of the night watching House & knitting. The best part was trying to teach Rick how to knit. It was so funny. I wish I would've taken a picture. He caught on pretty fast and even woke up the next morning thinking about knitting {even if was only for like 15 seconds as he claims}.

So that is the highlight of my birthday festivities. Tonight I'm making stuffed shells {for the first time} & Tatiana has put on a fancy dress on my behalf. I kinda wonder where/how I'll be for the big 3-0. If things go according to plan, I might be..........pregnant ;>)

New Blog

I've influenced another person to enter the dark side, er, blogosphere. Enjoy!

The Pedaling Theologian

New Year, New Foods

I think the start of a new year incites people to try new things, make changes, and figure out how this year can be different than the last. It seems as if I have been inspired to try new things in the kitchen and so I have. Here are the recipes that I have tried since the beginning of 2007:

1. Prime Rib. I made this on New Year's day and was amazed that it could taste better than in a restaurant. I expected it to be complicated or fussy, instead of ridiculously simple. This wasn't the precise recipe I used, but it was very similar. I only left mine in the turned-0ff oven for 2 hours I believe. The crust was awesome too. Next time I will cut the prime rib in half so that there is more crust!

2. Penne with Vodka Sauce. This recipe also appears in one of Giada's cookbooks, which is where I got it from. It just sounded so yummy! This is the first time I've made homemade marinara {which also was a lot easier than I thought.} After making the marinara, I realized how much SUGAR most commercial pasta sauces have & sure enough, light corn syrup was listed 3rd on a jar I had in the pantry. This marinara tastes so fresh and tomato-y. I wasn't too stoked about the vodka sauce itself. Rick really like it though & the flavor seems to mellow out after a day or two.

3. Spanish Rice Mix. I have really been into making my own mixes for two reasons: frugality & health. You can be sure of what goes in them. If you find your spices at the dollar store & buy your rice in bulk, they can be pretty inexpensive. You can also control the sodium level {which unfortunately is very high in most commercial mixes}. I usually halve the recipes since my family is smaller & put the mix in a little snack size ziploc baggie. I keep the recipe card on the shelf under the corresponding baggies. Here is a link to a cookbook full of "Make Your Own Mixes".

4. Corn Bread Mix.

5. Antipasto Squares. Ok, so saying that these were a big hit is a serious understatement. At the party we just had, it seems like just about every person asked me for the recipe or what exactly was in them. They are a little finnicky to cut nicely and get out of the pan, but a big spatula works wonders.

I can't wait to try Beth's recipe for baked Amish Oatmeal. I am thinking it will be perfect for a Saturday morning breakfast. Another thing on my "to try" list is homemade onion rings. I have a recipe in one of Ina Garten's cookbooks for a buttermilk battered version. I think I might make them this Saturday for my birthday dinner along with a nice rib-eye steak. And for all you Olive Garden fans, I found this copycat recipe for their salad dressing which I thought might be interesting to try.

What's on your "to try" list for 2007 or what new things have you tried already?

P.S. I just had to mention that on Sunday night, Tatiana tried TWO new things for dinner. She actually ate several bits of fish {and liked it, although I just told her that it was "like chicken" so she really didn't know it was fish} and she tried asparagus. She didn't really like that, but this is HUGE progress.

Down in the dumps

Q: Where does the Lone Ranger take his garbage?
A: To the dump, to the dump, to the dump, dump, dump!

I don't really feel like I have anything noteworthy or witty or interesting to say. I'm just being honest. Do you appreciate honesty? This week I just have been feeling "down in the dumps". Probably because Sienna was sick, then I was horribly sick, then Sienna was a bit sick again. Through all that, I still managed to homeschool three days out of our normal four, but for whatever reason, I still felt like I was failing at homeschooling well. I have sensed that emotionally I've been feeling down, but I don't really have any good reason why. {S.A.D? If you have it, you know what I mean.} Yesterday was a bright spot, being Sienna's second birthday. I even watched the clock as it ticked to the exact minute she was born & said a prayer thanking God for the blessing that she is & asking her to be with us for many more birthdays to come. That was a good moment. I was feeling slightly overwhelmed at the prospect of having a party today & tried as best that I could to release myself from making it perfect. I am feeling a little disappointed too that nearly none of our friends came to her party {along with several family members}. I realize that everyone has their own lives to attend to and that this occasion was about celebrating Sienna, but still a little bummed nonetheless. {Maybe my love language being quality time has something particular to do with it.} Another bright spot though is that I've got a lot of knitting done & have been bit by the knitting bug in a BIG way. I even read an entire book in 2 days {easily done since it was a hilarious compilation of a real-life knitter}. It's called Yarn Harlot. She also has a blog here which I've been enjoying reading. I found this super cute knitting pattern {really, it's genius} for a baby that I am definitely making {you pregnant readers might get some for your wee ones, so I'm not spilling the beans}, but unfortunately all the yarn need will cost $30. Maybe that will be my birthday present. I know. How lame that must seem to some people. I want YARN for my birthday. Just kick me.

The other item weighing heavily on my mental platter has been, without giving many details, the question of whether a sin is the same as a SIN. Does God view all sins the same way? I am having a hard time reconciling the fact that a little white lie {maybe slightly deceiving your child perhaps} could be put on the same level with, oh...say, adultery. Dear husband says, "A sin is a sin." I told him I was going to just fall back on my Catholic roots and sort sins in the venial and mortal categories. {Insert laugh from husband here.} He says one way to explain it would be to say that all sins are equally against God, but that different sins have different consequences.....I also say that it is worse when a person, who appears to be living a very holy life and is walking the walk, falls into a serious sin issue than for a person who does not give that same impression. Dear husband says, "Aren't we all walking around, to some degree, hiding sin in our lives, pretending to be one way on the outside and another on the inside?" Sometimes I could just wring his neck for the swift and appropriate responses he comes up with.

{Insert friendly-but-thought-provoking comments from blog readers here.}

A Letter for Laughs

If a conversation I had yesterday were a letter instead, it would've read something like this:

Dear {mostly} Wonderful Husband,

Please excuse the fact that I haven't brushed my teeth since vomiting sixteen times on Tuesday and I hope you can overlook that I haven't showered in nearly two days either. Despite my various odors, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you. Thank you for being willing to take me to the ER when I thought I was dying from the stomach flu. I know you weren't too happy about it. When we got in the car at 8 pm and I asked if you were mad at me, you answered, "It is what it is." Your willingness is a big improvement. At least I wasn't reduced to calling a distant relative to come and pick me up to take me to the hospital like I have almost had to do in the past. Perhaps after another eight years of marriage, you will be able to treat my serious illnesses with a little more sympathy.
I asked you why you have never gotten the stomach flu and you just chuckled. Although it is not something I would wish on my worst enemy {ok, or just someone I don't like}, I almost wish that you could have just a small case of it so you could finally empathize. Believe me, alternating sitting hunched over the toilet with lying in bed with a nauseous tight twisted stomach is last on my "Things I Love to Do List". But I digress. Thank you also for your concern over continuing to eat at my favorite little pasta restaurant, which you accuse of giving me food poisoning when I went out with my girlfriends on Monday night. {I know you're convinced it was those danged shrimp they put in my pasta even though I didn't order them.}
Your nursing skills and bedside manner are improving with each bout of sickness and I look forward to the day when you'll arrive at my bedside with a bowl of chicken soup and the latest scrapbooking magazine.

Love,
Your Still Recovering Wife

P.S. You did earn a lot of Husband Points last night when I woke you up at midnight because our 2 year old had left a PILE of vomit in her crib. Thank you for changing her sheets and even *gasp* starting the washing machine with all the dirty items. I appreciated all the air freshener you sprayed and sprinkled on the carpet as well. See, improving all the time!

I'm a FIRST-born

Do you find any truth in birth order affecting your personality? I seem like the description of a first-born: mostly compliant, rule follower, low risk taker, perfectionistic. Dear hubby is a first-born also. I recently attended a scrapbooking workshop with my sister-in-law. She is the youngest. I should've known I was in for an evening of antics when after the instructor demonstrates the first item & we begin assembling our own, she whispers in my ear, "You know, you don't have to make yours EXACTLY like the instructor did?" {Typical youngest-type thing to say.} WHAT? She might as well have tried to get me to run a red light on purpose. I laughed out loud. I told her she was a rebel. After awhile though, I starting "breaking the rules" as well. Placing things not exactly like the example, adding a little glitter here, a little doodle there. And it was very....freeing. After being a captive audience of our bantering for two plus hours, the mother/daughter team at our table said they would want to sit across from us at every scrapbooking workshop. Naturally I replied, "Of course that would cost extra."

Fast forward to today. I had to take 2 year old to the ER. She had a fever and has been vomiting since yesterday morning. {My sincerest apologies to the guests at the Wilderness who witnessed my daughter puke in the hot tub.} She gets her vitals taken, she eats a popsicle, the doctor comes and talks to us & says we can go. So, we pack up daughter and our things and head to the car. As I'm getting in, I asked hubby if we should've gotten some paperwork. DUH. This wasn't my first or even fifth trip to the hospital. I go back inside and ask for the paperwork. I wait. I wait for 10 minutes. I ask again. Our nurse comes out to say that she was busy but needed to take 2 year old's vitals again. She really needs to have that done before they can discharge her. She will have another not-so-busy-nurse do it. Ok. I retrieve 2 year old from the car. I come back in. I wait. I wait. After 35 minutes of waiting {with a semi-sick toddler I remind you}, I ask if I can just leave without the paperwork. I tell the receptionist that the ER seems really busy, my daughter is not critical & can I just leave without the AWOL paperwork/nurse-needed-for-vitals. She makes a call and {apparently annoyed} is discussing my behaviour with the person on the other end. Right in front of me. I finally ask what they are going to do if I just leave. What is going to happen to me? She says, "WELL...we can't keep you here." Ok. So I leave. Not a typical first-born-compliant-non-rule-breaker move. And again, I felt....free.

Does your birth order match what a typical birth order personality would be? Seems like mine does.

Mealtimes

Do you have any mealtime traditions? I like the one I read about here, regarding the rose & the thistle. So COOL! How often do you eat together as a family? Do you have any special meal traditions for birthdays? {I am asking lots of questions as of late so that I can just collect other people’s opinions instead of sharing my own occasionally controversial opinion~LOL!} Our mealtimes look something like this:

We eat together almost every night of the week, unless one of us has to be out for a meeting or whatnot. We almost always eat at the kitchen table with the TV OFF. We do enjoy music with our meals. Every now & then we all eat in the living room, with the kids at a little picnic table. We don’t have any special mealtime traditions, which I’d like to start. I’ve heard of having a “Special” plate that a family member gets to use if they are having some sort of special day. Maybe when the kids get older I will make their favorite meal w/dessert for their birthdays. In the summer, things are a little more difficult as hubby doesn’t get home sometimes until after 6:30 pm. Sometimes we wait for him, sometimes we don’t. We are just accustomed to eating around 5:30-6:00 pm. The kids do miss him if we don’t end up eating together. I think the concept of eating at the dinner table together is extremely important. I heard some statistic on the radio recently {can’t remember the specifics} that showed a positive benefit for children whose families frequently eat together. I kind of look at it as a chance to reconnect after a long day. Even Tatiana is in the habit of daily asking hubby, “How was your day at work today, Dad?”

So, what does your family do that works or doesn’t or what do you want to change about your mealtime habits?

My inquiring mind wants to know.....

...how involved your husband is in your daily life. Does he know what your daily "routine" is like with the kids? Does he know where you are going at times, even if he is not home? If you homeschool, could he do a day of homeschooling without you? Does he know what brand of laundry detergent you use? Do you wish he were more involved? LESS involved {LOL}?

Who runs the "routine" when both of you are home? I struggle with trying to submit to what my hubby wants to do & still try and keep the household running smoothly at the same time!

Christmas in July

Here are the other little cross-stitching projects that I promised to post for Chloe. The first one still needs to be framed and the second one is actually a gift tag I attached to my mother-in-law's Christmas gift since I know she really appreciates crafty things, cross-stitching in particular. The little light bulb design is so quick & easy. I made a bunch of them as gift tags. If you have never cross-stitched before, a pattern like that could be cranked out in about an hour or two:


Oh, I can't forget the paper bag album I made for my dear sweet cousin, Ky-Ky {as I used to call her when I was a kid}:

Now for my Christmas in July idea. It seems like I *never* have enough time around the holidays to do all the crafty holiday things I want to do, including making great homemade gifts which are thoughtful and won't break the bank, so here is what I am planning to do. I am setting aside one smallish rubbermaid container which will be my Christmas in July box. Any craft items I collect or items needed for making gifts will be going in this box. That way when I am looking at garage sales for mason jars or small trinkets for my pirate jars, I will have a place to store them. I bought a cool wooden Christmas tree shadow box at Hobby Lobby which is going in the box to be decorated in July. I also have a computer document started titled "Christmas in July" with all the ideas for homemade gifts & decorations, which I can add to when I find a cool idea. I also hope to make my own Christmas cards, which is another thing that gets filed in the always-want-to-do-but-run-out-of-time holiday box. As I collect the cards or paper or envelopes for those, I can put them in my Christmas in July box. I've come across instructions for making chocolate lip gloss {for my girlfriends} and some scented rice heating packs for those gift recipients with aching muscles. I think I will just pick one weekend & make that my Christmas in July weekend where I work on all these projects & maybe send hubby and the kids away to his parents or something. Maybe some of my other real life friends will join me to make their own Christmas goodies. Maybe I can have a Christmas in July party. What fun! Oh yeah, another thing I've always wanted to make is my own Christmas advent calendar. I'm still looking for ideas for that! This will be my last Christmas post until July.....

As '06 Ends....

Happy Last Day of '06! Tonight we will be having a big family sleepover at my sister-in-law's house & will be celebrating Christmas as well with hubby's side of the family. {As if my house wasn't already overflowing with new stuff.....I feel some major decluttering coming on.} In the spirit of the New Year, I have been doing a lot of planning. Didn't I previously say that I was spending a lot of time planning? For the last few months I have been working on "Goals for My Girls {and Future Children}". I just jot down ideas as they come to me of what an excellent adult should look like. I highly recommend this! I am putting the finished list in my homekeeping journal. I am also breaking that down into smaller goals for each child in '07. My two-year old only has one goal listed for '07 so far: OBEDIENCE *smirk*. Here is what I have come up, although this list is not yet complete & in no particular order:

Goals for my Girls (and future children)

• Grounded in God’s Word
• To “count it all joy”
• Salvation!
• Well-versed in domesticity
• Organized
• Godly relationships
• Right priorities
• Prepare for marriage & have a clear vision of roles
• Recognize, encourage & develop unique gifts
• Self-disciplined
• Strong & loving sibling bond
• Christian worldview
• Nurtured creativity
• View children as blessings
• Know how to be a great friend
• Compassionate
• Others’ interests before their own
• Genuine concern for lost people
• Awareness of love languages & how to love different types of people
• Well-educated in academic

I think it is a good idea to think long-term when it comes to parenting and also to write your goals down as a reference. Has anyone else done this? If you don't know precisely what you're aiming for, how will you know if you've hit the target?! Interestingly enough, as I was typing out these goals today, I found myself introspecting as to whether or not I am successful in each of these areas. *eyes glaze over....deep in thought*

The other addition to my homekeeping journal is the recipe for Homemade Laundry Detergent:

Liquid Laundry Detergent
3 Pints Water
1/3 Bar Fels Naptha or Ivory Soap, Grated
1/2 Cup Washing Soda
1/2 Cup Borax
Bucket
4 Quarts + 1 Pint Boiling/Hot Water
optional: 15 drops Lavender Essential Oil (or whatever EO you prefer)
optional: 10 drops Tea Tree Oil

Mix Fels Naptha soap in a saucepan with 3 pints of water, and heat until dissolved. Stir in Washing Soda and Borax. Stir until thickened, and remove from heat. Add 1 quart hot water to bucket. Add soap mixture, and mix well. Add another 2 quarts boiling hot water and 1 additional quart plus 1 pint hot water and mix well. Set aside for 24 hours, or until mixture thickens. Use 1/2 cup of mixture per load.

The cost savings on making your own detergent is just ridiculous. Several places I have read online estimate the cost to be about $.01 per load or about $.50 to $.75 per gallon. I am almost at the end of my first batch {which didn't completely gel up by the way, but still is completely usable}. I think next time I will add some essential oils for fragrance. This detergent gets your clothes perfectly clean! We recently had a poopy mishap {literally} and it cleaned the inside of the pooped-up footie pajamas wonderfully. Here is a link to some FAQ's of homemade detergent.
A simple google of homemade laundry detergent will also yield you plenty of results.

If you don't already have a homekeeping journal, I highly recommend it. Great place to keep everything together: calendars, bill-paying stuff, recipes to try, goals, etc. Could be your New Year's Resolution!

Crafty People

I *love* crafty people. I am a crafty person & I love other people who get excited about the same crafty things I do. Like starting a new counted cross-stitch project or a bag full of new scrapbook goodies or perfectly lined up rows of holiday cookies. I love opening up my box of cross-stitching floss and seeing the rainbows of colored thread lined up like little soldiers {numerically of course}. I love taking butter & sugar & flour and a few other things, throwing it all into my Kitchenaid, and then poof! Twenty minutes later I have some awesome cookies. I love painting stuff. Seems like I don't know a lot of super-crafty people in real life. Either that or you've been holding out on me. If you're ever feeling a spike of creativity or want to develop your creative side, give me a call so we can get together & make something. Know what I'm going to be doing while I chill over the holidays? {Well besides planning the next 5-6 months of homeschooling, big UGH.} Reading craft blogs! I need some inspiration & really want to do more crafty things. The only problem is that it seems like I have to weed through quite a few crafty blogs until I find one that really fits me. If you have any crafty blogs I should check out, please send 'em along. I've been reading Diary of a Rather Crafty Girl for a short bit now & am crazy about these little onesie cookies. I want to get pregnant & have a baby shower for myself just so I can make these uber-cute cookies. {Well, that's a whole 'nother topic though, eh?} I came across Kiddley & it seems so fresh & cute all at the same time. So many fun great things to do with the kids. I especially like the Christmas idea jar & the gumdrop wreath. I am SO making one of those wreaths next year for Christmastime. Speaking of Christmas, I will be posting soon about my idea for Christmas in July.....

Here is a craft I recently did for a friend's son's school Christmas party. The deal was that I just needed to write each child's name on the ornament {I was thinking like 20 minutes TOPS for this} in the hand-writing style the PTO lady chose {yes, I did submit a writing sample}! PTO lady picked out the ornaments {totally wrong type for this project}, so I ended up having to painstakingly hand-paint each one:

I did a counted cross-stitch last year of a sleigh filled with gifts amidst snow falling & found it in my stash this year {sorry, too lazy to take a picture}. I just finished up some back-stitching on it & it looks so cute! I also started a new counted Christmas cross-stitch. It's a pattern from Mary Englebreit of a really cool embellished reindeer. I'll probably try & do most of it this winter or maybe set it aside to finish up next year. I really like counted cross-stitch {although I can get kinda perfectionistic about it & will take out a WHOLE lot of stitches if I made a tiny mistake}.

Here is a picture of the girls I took for my holiday cards. I ended up altering the picture & added a holiday border and message at the bottom using Photoshop. Wal-mart cut-off the outside border though, which is shame on me since I should've known better. Anyways, I think it makes for a cute photo {although Sienna does have food in her mouth *shocker*}:

And for my final crafty share, here is our finished Birthday Cake for Jesus. We started this holiday tradition about 2 years ago. I did the baking and the frosting, while Tatiana did all the decorating. We take this cake to our extended family celebration on Christmas Eve and the entire family sings Happy Birthday to Jesus with the little ones blowing out the candles:


Hope your Christmas was a merry & bright Birthday celebration!

Sorry

In regards to the last post, I would like to apologize to the "teacher" who I may have inadvertently slandered. Although I believed I was being subtle, apparently not enough so. Even though I have the right to say whatever it is I want to say as #1: this is my blog & if you don't agree you can start your own {nice going Erin!} and #2: the first amendment, I am also distinctly aware that I need to operate under God's laws as well. I do not want to be a gossiper {which I struggle a lot with}, but do feel a need to expose/defend the truth. Some people may feel that I was questioning the teacher's intentions, which I didn't mean to do, only to say that I felt misinformed. Actually, I was misinformed whether it was by the teacher or by my own misunderstanding. So, I am sorry if anyone's feelings were hurt/feathers were ruffled/undies were in a grundie. Actually makes me feel kinda important that someone would even care about what I have to say! Also, I am sorry that I broke a rule {you know who you are}!

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{group hug}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

I still think we should all go hang out over at Erin's blog though. Keep the posts comin' girl!

A Happy Discovery

During a recent...um...{how shall I put it nicely?}...."discussion" about education with a group of ladies, a Christian public school teacher was sharing all the merits/pros of public schooling, while indicating drawbacks to homeschooling. One of her good points I thought {among many ridiculous ones} was that homeschoolers would not have access to special services, like speech therapy for example, provided in a public school. "What will you do if one of your children has special needs? You will not have access to those services provided in a public school." Several other young moms nodded in agreement. This point actually continued to bother me......

....fast forward to today. I discovered that this public school teacher is WRONG! I am actually so relieved and kind of disappointed that she so adamantly shared her information without bothering to see if it was even true. {Insert frown here.} From HSDLA's article regarding this issue:

"The determination of whether a home education arrangement constitutes private school placement must be made on the basis of state law. Thus, if home education constitutes enrollment in a private school under state law, then the requirements of Regs. 300.403 and 300.452 apply when deciding whether to provide special education or related services to a child with disabilities who is being educated at home."

The above report makes it crystal clear that if the state recognizes a home education program as a private school in that state, then those home-educated students are eligible for the services.

Here is the full article if you are interested. I'm sure this would vary by state on the basis of state law. Here is another blurb from a separate article:

As a parent of a child with special needs, you can receive special services from your school district at no further cost -- you have already paid for them with your taxes. This includes speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, audiologists' and social workers' services. These are all covered by Public Law 94-142.

Hopefully this information may help someone who had the same concerns I did or who has been MISinformed as I have!

Christmas Memories

I have been reading this book, The 25 Days of Christmas: Family Readings, Scriptures, and Activities for the Advent Season, on and off since the beginning of the month. Great stories, songs, and ideas for turning your family's hearts toward Jesus during Christmastime. I think it also makes a great personal devotional and am going to pack it away with my Christmas things & bring it out each year. Today's story was titled "My Most Memorable Christmas", so I've been inspired to share some of my Christmas memories.

I remember really wanting a Cabbage Patch Doll for Christmas. I believe it was around the time when they were first being released, 1980-something. I don't know if I still believed in Santa Claus or not, but after some snooping around the house, I discovered two Cabbage Patch Dolls hidden behind my parents' waterbed {back when waterbeds were all the rage~LOL!} I was crushed. I think because the element of surprise was taken out of the equation. Nothing to look forward to on Christmas morning, other than taking off the wrapping paper & playing with the discovered dolls. I never snooped again. For all the years following, I even knew where my mom hid all the gifts, but I never looked. I wanted to cherish the element of surprise.

The Christmas of 2004 was memorable for all different reasons. Rick had gotten fired from his job of 5 years just twelve days before Christmas. I was 8 months pregnant. I thought this was such a heartless act. We really didn't have a lot of money and to me, that just turned the focus to Jesus all the more. I scraped together some money to buy Tatiana a few gifts and I think when you don't have a lot to give, it makes those presents all the more precious. It's amazing, though, how God has worked that situation for the good. It was actually a blessing that Rick lost his job because through that, God has provided a really wonderful one.

I think that the Christmas of 2005 will be one that I will cherish for a long time. My parents have been divorced for almost 10 years now. My dad's parents have both been deceased for decades & he really hadn't been close to many of his siblings. I know that while they were married he considered my mom's family just as his own. Fast forward to 2005. Every year we celebrate Christmas Eve at my grandma's house with a big fat Polish extended family celebration. I mean, every year for as long as I can remember. Rick & I began alternating holidays with my parents after Tatiana was born though. In 2005, my mom announced that it would be okay if my dad {and step-mom} attended our Christmas Eve celebration, with HER family. This is one of the biggest acts of forgiveness and love I have witnessed in a long time. I pray that this will go a long way towards sharing the Truth. Just that simple act made for a very merry Christmas.

Care to share your most memorable Christmas?

Party of 12, please

So on Saturday evening we went out to dinner with the in-laws {as opposed to the out-laws...LOL}. Dear husband & children had spent the day with them and I just ending up meeting them at the restaurant after a long day of driving around for my part-part-part-time job. {What else would you call a job that you only do once every 3 months??} Anywho, dear *cough* in-laws choose the venue: Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar. Or as my friend Justine says it's affectionately called: B-Dubbs {short for B-uffalo and 2 Ws}. In case you have never been there, this post will serve as an informative review. I took it upon myself to call ahead to see if 1) they accept reservations and 2) if they can accommodate parties of 12. No to #1 and Yes to #2. I get there early to stake claim to a table. In-laws finally arrive and we're seated. It was...um...a cozy seating arrangement. Here is a run-down of pros & cons:

Pro: Awesome buffalo wings! If you are a buffalo wing lover, this place is a must. They've got about a dozen sauces to choose from ranging from mild to blazing near seizure inducing hot.
Con: If you are not a buffalo wing lover, um, you'll be snot out of luck. They do have some chicken sandwiches, wraps and ribs so maybe you could order one of those. Also, limited selection for "healthy" diners.

Con: Aforementioned limited menu {which I hardly care about since I am a carnivore & love bbw, ribs, and burgers. Also I did not like that the sandwiches did not come with a side. You would think that I could order a boneless wings meal basket, but alas, NO. It's a la carte baby. I guess you can get the basket deal at lunch, but not at dinner. I don't even really like restaurants where a salad doesn't come with my entree *cough, Applebee's, cough, cough*, so to not get a side was ridiculous.

Con: Depends on what you're looking for whether this is a con or not, but atmosphere is more bar-ish. Kinda loud with big screen TVs everywhere~I guess if you're a sports fan you put plunk this down in the "pro" column.
Pro: I doubt the intoxicated patrons will mind rowdy children.

Pro: Service was good. Didn't have to wait for a table {5:15 pm on a Saturday night}. And they seemed accommodating.

Now back to our feature presentation. I ordered the boneless wings with some Asian type sauce & they were freakin' awesome. I mean, delish. Spicy in all the right ways. The other thing I liked is that they had a nice selection of kids meals. Figures that we ended up ordering 4 mac & cheeses. The funny thing about a party of 12 is that when a typical table would maybe need just one or two more things, like extra napkins or a side of some kind of sauce, when you multiply that by about 4 the requests are as long as Santa's "nice" list.

Um, waitress! Could you please bring 2 sides of hot sauce, some tartar sauce, a lemon wedge and some extra silverware? Ok, now that you've returned with that, we need another Corona, a diet coke refill, and one more straw.....

It was actually quite comical. {I began wondering about families who, in and of themselves, are parties of 10 or 12. Do you call ahead everywhere you go? Do you even go out to dinner that often?} They also had these little handheld video trivia game thingys where you compete against other diners answering questions broadcast on a couple of the TV screens. This kept the kids nearly endlessly occupied which was great for the big people. Until that is, dear father-in-law was having a coronary over the kids dropping them, so that put a kabosh on that. All in all, it was a very enjoyable meal. And if I ever in the mood for buffalo wings, which is strangely often, I know where I am headed. Care to join me?

Christmas Trimmings

I'm sure it probably looks like an ordinary Christmas tree, not unlike others that are in millions of American homes. For me, it is a BIG deal.
I really love Christmas. I love the festiveness of everything. I love that it's an entire season in and of itself. You see, every Christmas dear husband and I debate the merits of Christmas decorations, trees, and gift giving. Even the importance is family gatherings gets put up on the butcher block. I can understand his point. To him, Christmas is about only one thing: celebrating the birth of our Savior. To me, the decorations and gifts and family gatherings are just the trimmings on the main event, the icing on the cake, so to speak. I dragged the tree out on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I even unwrapped all my Christmas decorations. Due to a lingering "bah-humbug" spirit in the house, I decided to put everything away. Yep. I even took the tree down. The whole week I prayed. I prayed for peace. I prayed that I would come to a place where Christmas means only one thing to me. I think we don't realize the importance of something until God asks us to sacrifice it. I think sometimes He likes to see whether or not we are willing to give up what He asks of us. Ya know what? He answered. I did come to place where even if we didn't have a single Christmas decoration in the house, it wouldn't really matter. I came to the place where Christmas is only about Jesus. About meditating on Him and the story of His birth. Everything else was stripped away. And then, this last weekend, dear husband announces that we are putting the tree up. And so we did. And it looks...festive. And it makes me smile when I look at it. And I am glad that I can put my icing back on the cake.

Speaking of things that make me smile, I created this Christmas paper bag album for all my holiday photos. Usually I end up with so many pictures from our {too} numerous family gatherings, that I don't know what to do with them all. If you've been reading for awhile, you'll remember that I created a Summer paper bag album so I wouldn't have to scrapbook as many layouts for the summertime. I am so happy with how this Christmas one came out! There are 12 interior pages as well as 4 hidden tags for more photos/journaling. All based on a paper bag. Who'da thunk it?

I also like to use my scrapbooking/embellishing skills when wrapping gifts. I never really thought to do it before, but I was feeling creative when wrapping this gift. I used my tag punch and Making Memories stamps to initial the tag, added some ribbon & a jingle bell, and viola! One tres chic gift ;-)

a.k.a. June Cleaver

So I always wanted to be the mom who had warm chocolate chip cookies waiting for the kids after a long day at school. Fresh from the oven. With a cold glass of milk. But alas, the school bus has gone by the wayside. If you are one of those June Cleaver wannabes like I am, then here's an idea. Make a BIG batch of cookies on the weekend or after the kids are sleeping or whenever you have some free time. Then, line a cookie sheet {or two} with wax paper and using a cookie/ice cream scoop, scoop the dough onto the cookie sheets & freeze. When frozen, put the dough balls {this sounded really funny to me} in a freezer bag and mark with date & baking instructions. Then, you can have freshly baked cookies for the kiddies any day of the week just by turning on your oven. As one of my favorite food network celebs says, "Now how easy was THAT?!"

Here is the recipe I use:

2 sticks of softened butter
2/3 c. sugar
2/3 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. salt
3/4 t. baking soda
3/4 t. baking powder
1 bag of chocolate chips

Blend butter and both sugars on medium high speed until light and creamy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add the dry ingredients, beating just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Portion onto lightly greased cookie sheet {or onto your Silpat if you're a Silpat-girl like me}. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-15 minutes (depends on the size of your cookies). Add 1-2 minutes to the baking time if using frozen dough.

You can also substitute any type of flavored baking chips or pieces in place of the chocolate chips. Like butterscotch, mini m&m's, or whatever else you have on had. How about 1/2 chocolate 1/2 peanut butter? YUM-O!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I just wanted to wish everyone who reads A Stirring Life a happy thanksgiving! I hope that the turkey was delish, your time with family was blessed, and most of all, that your hearts are filled with gratitude for all that God has given us! Thanks to some encouragement from an ASL reader, I have felt motivated to make a couple of changes to make this blog a little more pleasing to the eye. I've added/removed some more links in the sidebar & also enabled the feature for posts to be emailed to someone by clicking on the little envelope below the post.

We celebrated yesterday at Rick's sister's house which was nice, but um...very tiring. I was so exhausted I fell asleep in the car on the way home. We are also having a meal here on Saturday with family and some friends as well. {Why is it that we only usually spend holidays with our family and not our friends too?} This last week has been so productive and enjoyable for me as I've prepared for the Thanksgiving holiday. Not only have I made 2 cheesecakes, 2 pumpkin pies, some spiced cranberry sauce, and baked macaroni & cheese (so far) but I also managed to sew the girls matching outfits. I think this productivity can be directly attributed to three factors 1) a detailed plan for the week 2) having morning quiet times 3) I don't watch TV during the day anymore. I can hardly believe all the things I have time for now that I'm not watching TV. Stuff I REALLY enjoy so much more than TV, like knitting and scrapbooking and sewing and cooking and blogging. Like going outside with the kiddies and playing playdough together and reading more books.

I am thankful for so many things, which if named, would probably fill up an entire page. To many of you, though, who are my friends outside of the blogosphere, I am thankful for you. I am thankful to the support you have given me when times have been difficult. I am thankful that we are able to enjoy life together and increase each other's faith. I am thankful for the laughs we have shared. I am thankful that you make my life better just by being in it.

I hope {to use a term from dear friend A} that wasn't too....cheesy!

"the Lump" and goosebumps too

Whenever I hear this song, which has only been a few times, I get "the Lump" and goosebumps too. You know "the Lump"? That tightening in your throat when something takes the express lane directly to your heart. Take a looky:

Third Day - Cry Out To Jesus
From the album Wherever You Are

To everyone who's lost someone they love
Long before it was their time
You feel like the days you had were not enough
when you said goodbye

And to all of the people with burdens and pains
Keeping you back from your life
You believe that there's nothing and there is no one
Who can make it right

Chorus:
There is hope for the helpless
Rest for the weary
Love for the broken heart
There is grace and forgiveness
Mercy and healing
He'll meet you wherever you are
Cry out to Jesus, Cry out to Jesus

For the marriage that's struggling just to hang on
They’ve lost all of their faith in love
They've done all they can to make it right again
Still it's not enough

For the ones who can't break the addictions and chains
You try to give up but you come back again
Just remember that you're not alone in your shame
And your suffering

Chorus:

When your lonely
And it feels like the whole world is falling on you
You just reach out, you just cry out to Jesus
Cry to Jesus

To the widow who suffers from being alone
Wiping the tears from her eyes
For the children around the world without a home
Say a prayer tonight

Chorus

The way the words are written are just so powerful and truthful. I remember trying to explain to Tatiana a few months ago about a friend who had taken his own life. I almost said that it was just God's timing for him to go, but then it struck me that I wasn't so sure that was even true. I felt exactly like the first verse: "lost someone they love long before it was their time". It seems I know at least one person struggling with all the heartache mentioned here, from a marriage struggling just to hang on to addictions and chains to the widow wiping her tears away. And I can't even think about children not having homes or being in ones where they are neglected or beaten. Can't even think about it. When I think of my own pain and struggles and occasional feelings of hopelessness or helplessness, it's a comfort to remember that He'll meet me wherever I am...and wherever you are too. If only we'll cry out to Him.

Finished

I just finished reading the book Chasing God and the Kids Too by Cheryl Carter, which I mentioned in a previous post. I can't say enough what a blessing it has been. Here are two things I read today that stood out to me:

We talk a great deal about God's awesome power and our trust in him. The greater question becomes, can God trust us? Can he trust us to have a good attitude no matter how dark things become? Can he trust us to keep our eyes on him and to walk on water to the other side despite what everyone in the boat is saying

AND

Q:What is one mistake mom's make?
A: The real reason we do not take time for ourselves is because we don't feel we are worth it. We are worth it.

Thoughts?

So blessed!

I am feeling so blessed lately by other women. SO blessed. I just love the blog GirlTalk & their conversations on biblical womanhood and other fun stuff. I was totally encouraged by some posts there to wake up before my children so I can have some quiet time before the chaos of the day begins. I have found myself really more open to God's leading & better able to hear His voice since I started my "7:00 am club". Please, if you are a "sister", keep me accountable! Ask me what I read today. Rick has started asking me what I've been reading & it's really encouraging.
I also have been so encouraged/challenged/stretched by the book Chasing God and the Kids Too: balancing a mom's most important pursuits. I can honestly say it is unlike any other "parenting" book I have ever read, if you can even call it that. If you want to be challenged to take your thoughts captive, learn purposeful thinking, be provoked to meditate & be a Christ-like example for your children, then I highly recommend reading it. I have been so BLESSED by it, I almost want to do a study about it here on my blog. You can check out the author's blog here. Oh, and {A} , if you read this, she has a book on organizing & seems to really love organizing! (I think you know who you are ;-) She even has a website started by her kids on organizing for kids. I am *loving* organizing too. Makes my life {and that of my household} run so much more smoothly.
I also have been so blessed by Christian radio messages lately. Seems like they sink in a lot more than they used to and I am really taking more to heart than I used to.
More blessings have come in the way of my new email buddy, {B}, who is also a "sister". I think we have learned so much about one another through our writings. Kinda like old-fashioned penpals! I am really valuing relationships so much lately & am working harder than ever to build the ones that are important to me & develop new ones as God so leads. But ya know, not just the "hi, how are ya? how are the kids?" kind of friends. I am trying to build my friendships into the, "what burdens can i bear for you? how is your relationship with God? how can i be an encouragement to you?" type of friendships. I think, even in Christian circles, these types of friendships aren't as common as you might think. It requires a level of personal-ness (is that even a word?) that makes a lot of people uncomfortable. And vulnerability too. Scary, huh? I think our fast paced, virtual, high-tech world doesn't help much either.
Let me know what you've been blessed by lately! I guess this would be a good time to prepare our hearts for a season of thankfulness as Thanksgiving approaches.
Bless you gals today! (Oh and guys too, in case there are any of you out there....)

God feels the same way

I've been struggling lately with encouraging a positive attitude in my dear daughter when it comes to cleaning. Occasionally, when I ask her to pick up some toys or her room, she is cheerful and just says, "Ok, mom!" Occasionally. Most of the time there is sighing, sometimes crying, and always some comment about her legs cracking/breaking/crumbling or her being "too tired". She does end up doing what I ask, but not with a joyful spirit. Tonight, after Rick put her to bed, he said, "I just don't know what to do with THAT one. I mean, that BEHAVIOR. It's almost driving me nuts!" And I replied by saying, "I bet sometimes God feels the same way about us." (If you reread his words from God's perspective, you'll see what I mean.) Good to remember when dealing with our little blessings!

Saugatuck & Lemonade

I've been meaning to post for a few days now, but just have been enjoying the family, keeping the home in order, and yesterday I think the blogger server was down. So I'm finally getting a chance to do it now!

Our anniversary trip to Saugatuck, MI turned out to be enjoyable. After dropping the kids off in Chicago to stay with my dad & step-mom, we fought several hours of traffic to leave the city. It didn't help that many streets were closed due to set-up for the Chicago Marathon. Plus side was I did nap a bit on the way up. Kudos to my wunderbar hubby for driving there (& back)! So we get to our "cottage" & that is when the lemonade making begins. The proverbial kind. Our cottage was NOT like the other ones pictured on their business website. I'm beginning to think they don't have photos posted of this particular unit for a reason. I would NOT have made a reservation for this unit if I would've seen what it looked like. I just assumed it would look similar to the other ones pictured. I was so disappointed. Of course being the perfectionist that I am, I wanted the weekend to be...well...perfect. Our cottage had carpet, the others had hardwood. Ours had a 70's kitchen & furniture, the others did not. Our bedrooms had floral "grandma-like" bedspreads (no offense meant to my grandma readers), the others did not. Hey, at least the bathrooms had been updated. And it did have a fireplace like I was promised. So, I made lemonade out of my lemons. Not easy for a type-A personality to do.

The town was great! We walked around the entire town on Saturday morning & drove north to Holland and walked around their awesome downtown as well! Lots of little quirky shops & restaurants. I came across two (2!) spice shops & several specialty food shops. If you're local to me, it was kinda like Lake Geneva, only bigger & better. We hit several coffee shops throughout the weekend & spent lots of time relaxing in front of our cottage fireplace. It was very refreshing & great to escape the mundane household tasks & get a change of scenery. Photos from our trip:

8 years and counting

On Sunday night, I could not fall asleep. I tossed and turned for awhile & then stayed up using the internet til 2 am. It reminded me of exactly 8 years ago on October 15, 1998. I couldn't sleep that night but for a very different reason. It was the night before my wedding and my mom, brother and I all slept in the same room together for my last night at home. I tossed & turned and actually thought I might have to send my mom to the store for sleeping pills...

Fast forward to today. I am still telling Rick that I'm so glad he picked me. I didn't know then that he would be such a good fit for me. There were people who thought we probably wouldn't stay married this long. Guess we proved them wrong. There is still no one who I would rather discuss things with, laugh with, raise kids with, love. We are going away this weekend to Saugatuck, MI to celebrate. I am so looking forward to time away with my dear hubby, no kids, no housework, nothing pulling me in a million different directions. Just me & the one I love!

Here's to you, babe! Can't wait to see what is in store for the next 8!

Planning Overload!

Anyone else out there tired of planning like I am? I have been planning new cleaning lists for better household management, planning my cooking sessions, homeschool planning (although I *do* have a new PLAN for my planning *rolls eyes*), planning the family's social calendar, AND now, holiday planning. Who's house we'll go to for Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas day, who to shop for, how much $$ to spend on gifts, planning how many Christmas cards I'll need, oh, and MENUS! This is one thing that I never tire of PLANNING! All this planning has me wondering: do I ever really enjoy the events or I am just busy planning the next item on my list? The dear husband requested that I not do any *planning* on Sundays so I can better enjoy our family time, so now I have to plan when to do my PLANNING. All this planning is driving me nuts! {Have you ever said a word over and over and over again, until it sounds weird & you're not even sure that's really how the word is supposed to sound? After this post, the word planning is sounding totally unnatural.} I do realize that the planning does help, A LOT. The more things I can write down or have in lists, the less things I have to remember. Tatiana seems like a real planner to me. I have never known another child this young to have picked a birthday theme (in August '05) and not changed her mind and had said birthday theme in July 2006. She has been telling me all day about the different themes of birthdays she is considering, all the way up until she turns twelve. Although, I'm not sure when she is 11 she will still want a Toy Story 2 birthday (complete with Jesse, Woody, the Prospector & all the "toys"). Maybe planning is genetic. I guess only my mom & dad can confirm that one for sure.....