My little girl is in love with our Christmas tree. Tony and I set it up one afternoon during nap time. When Sister Bear woke up and came downstairs it was all lit up and she was in awe. She keeps me reminded to plug it in so the lights dance for her and she cannot keep her hands from touching the ornaments that cover the tree. (I'm just glad I went ahead and bought the plastic ornaments last year instead of those glass balls!) She loves to play with the little nativity set I received for my high school graduation from Granny Meg, our library's storytime reader. The wise men and angels are her babies and she carries them quite carefully. Christmas is becoming more exciting each year as my children are growing older and are beginning to anticipate and understand the celebration. Big Brother actually remembered that he put the star up last year and was sure to be in the room for the tree decorating finale - he again put the star up on the tree. The Little One is going to be close to walking by the time Christmas day arrives. He isn't there yet, but he is learning so much every day; I don't think it will be long.
It is always a busy season. We are in the middle of "crunch week" for the children's Christmas production at church. Three Wise Men and a Baby. The kids are doing great. I am up to my eyeballs in costumes for the Wise Men and King Herod, but I think it will all get done in time! When the play is over we have Christmas parties for the kids at church and a little time to get ready for the excitment of visiting with family over the holiday. I am looking forward to the lull after Christmas day and the opportunity to spend some time with Tony and the kids just playing. It has been a while since I have taken a day to live in their world.
My goal this season is to create some family memories that they just might hold on to for life. One of my favorite things to do during Christmas is to sleep in the living room with the tree all lit up. The atmosphere of the room lit by the tree and the family snuggling up together on the floor with blankets and pillows all around speaks of peace and comfort and closeness to me. Maybe we'll play some games or put together puzzles or just drink hot chocolate and read stories out loud. Whatever we do, I plan on having a good time and enjoying the awe of Sister Bear as we have fun around our Christmas tree.
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Saturday, October 01, 2005
When It Rains, It Pours
It seems like forever since I've written anything here. Sorry about the long pauses, life just carries me along! The Little One has been sick this week, and when he gets sick he's sick! The others have a little cold, but he runs high fevers, doesn't sleep for nights in a row and loses his usually voracious appetite. He is better today, but only after throwing up in my bed three times last night!
I've started attending a small group for wives and mothers at my sister's house on Wednesday nights. It's nice to go and be around friends. This week we talked about trials and how they bring out what is inside of you. Well, I guess God was trying to give me an advanced warning of the rest of my week. That night was the Little One's first night of little sleep. Then I started feeling sick. Then yesterday the flood waters broke loose, literally. I was getting brunch ready for the kids (a slow start to the day!) when I heard a gush of water. I turned around to see water streaming down the wall behind my sink, inside and outside the window. It was raining from the ceiling and pouring from my kitchen cabinets. Wow! I raced upstairs to try to find the source and discovered the bathtub had sprung a leak at one of the faucet pipes. Water was spraying a good four to five feet high, and was obviously pouring downward as well, into the floor and through the walls and ceilings below. Well, I ran down to the basement (fortunately I knew where the water shut-off was!) and turned off the water. Then I called Tony and let him know that we had a little leak and he should probably come home. He arrived and was assessing the situation when Sister Bear decided to dump her lunch for the cat to eat. This happened the same time the cat decided he was thirsty and spilled Big Brother's milk all over the table and chair Big Brother has been sitting at. And I had no water for clean-up. Oh, well. It was a test of my ability to handle little high-stress situations in rapid-fire succession. Like I said, when it rains, it pours!
The good thing about God is that He is always faithful to us. He always sends us reminders of His love and providence, even when we don't understand why those little high-stress situations need to pop up. Yesterday, starting before we even had a chance to begin the repairs on the pipes, a friend called just to chat. She had been thinking about me. She was able to encourage me and help me to laugh in spite of the circumstances. Later yesterday afternoon I received another call from a friend. She had actually been trying to call for over a week, but had always missed me until yesterday. She had encouraging words as well. Then, just after getting my kids down for a nap, my sister, Ruth, called to talk. It seems that just as I had been assaulted with trials and opportunities for discouragement, God was also showering down His love on me. Letting me know that He remembered me and my day. He placed it on friends' hearts to call and check on me and be a reminder to me that His love for me is steadfast and sure. Like I said, when it rains, it pours!!
One of the verses we looked at Wednesday was James 1:2-4. "2Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. 3You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. 4So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way."
I'm glad that under the stress and in the trials our faith-life is revealed. It's good to evaluate where we are, and it's good to know that we are growing. It's also good to know that the same God who takes us through the trials loves us beyond anything we could imagine and desires for us to succeed. Not only that, but He cheers us on the entire way, giving us the hope we need to continue.
I've started attending a small group for wives and mothers at my sister's house on Wednesday nights. It's nice to go and be around friends. This week we talked about trials and how they bring out what is inside of you. Well, I guess God was trying to give me an advanced warning of the rest of my week. That night was the Little One's first night of little sleep. Then I started feeling sick. Then yesterday the flood waters broke loose, literally. I was getting brunch ready for the kids (a slow start to the day!) when I heard a gush of water. I turned around to see water streaming down the wall behind my sink, inside and outside the window. It was raining from the ceiling and pouring from my kitchen cabinets. Wow! I raced upstairs to try to find the source and discovered the bathtub had sprung a leak at one of the faucet pipes. Water was spraying a good four to five feet high, and was obviously pouring downward as well, into the floor and through the walls and ceilings below. Well, I ran down to the basement (fortunately I knew where the water shut-off was!) and turned off the water. Then I called Tony and let him know that we had a little leak and he should probably come home. He arrived and was assessing the situation when Sister Bear decided to dump her lunch for the cat to eat. This happened the same time the cat decided he was thirsty and spilled Big Brother's milk all over the table and chair Big Brother has been sitting at. And I had no water for clean-up. Oh, well. It was a test of my ability to handle little high-stress situations in rapid-fire succession. Like I said, when it rains, it pours!
The good thing about God is that He is always faithful to us. He always sends us reminders of His love and providence, even when we don't understand why those little high-stress situations need to pop up. Yesterday, starting before we even had a chance to begin the repairs on the pipes, a friend called just to chat. She had been thinking about me. She was able to encourage me and help me to laugh in spite of the circumstances. Later yesterday afternoon I received another call from a friend. She had actually been trying to call for over a week, but had always missed me until yesterday. She had encouraging words as well. Then, just after getting my kids down for a nap, my sister, Ruth, called to talk. It seems that just as I had been assaulted with trials and opportunities for discouragement, God was also showering down His love on me. Letting me know that He remembered me and my day. He placed it on friends' hearts to call and check on me and be a reminder to me that His love for me is steadfast and sure. Like I said, when it rains, it pours!!
One of the verses we looked at Wednesday was James 1:2-4. "2Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. 3You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. 4So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way."
I'm glad that under the stress and in the trials our faith-life is revealed. It's good to evaluate where we are, and it's good to know that we are growing. It's also good to know that the same God who takes us through the trials loves us beyond anything we could imagine and desires for us to succeed. Not only that, but He cheers us on the entire way, giving us the hope we need to continue.
Sunday, August 28, 2005
Incredible!
The Incredibles have invaded our home. For the past three days Violet, Dash, Jack Jack, Mom and Dad (who I am supposed to call Bob) have lived here. Big Brother (who I will now refer to as Dash) has played almost non-stop since Friday. I'm not sure what I'm going to do if I hear "No we're playing the Incredibles, remember? I'm Dash!" one more time! It's pretty amazing that the same little one who cannot remember to put his clothes in the laundry or let the kitty go when she cries has not even once forgotten that he is playing this game. Violet (Sister Bear) has even started calling him Dash, although I'm not really sure she knows why! The preschool mind and imagination are a pretty incredible thing, aren't they? If only we all could enter another reality as easily. It sure would make life a little more exciting. The baby wouldn't be crying just because he wants held, No! He would be needing rescue from some evil menace and YOU are responsible to save him! I keep hearing Dash telling Violet that they must save mom. They race all over the house until they find me (which in this big, new house can take a minute or two) and then proceed to save me from whatever has trapped me - most often some chore or something that I would really like rescue from. There are moments that I almost wish I could join the game with the same abandon my 3 year old has found! But, alas, I gain only glimpses of the pretend world nowadays - it seems my adult mind has lost it's ability to be lost in the fantasy. I can remember what it is like though....
When we were kids we would pretend we were lost on a desert island, or we were an Indian family who lived off the land and hunted food with bow and arrow. We started campfires in the backyard and cooked rhubarb soup. We drew roads on the sidewalk and road our bikes through our homemade city, complete with all the necessary stops - police, the gas station and a grocery store. We played house for hours on end with the neighbor boy. The land of pretend was our playground. It was an exciting place to be! I treasure my memories of pretend play. So, the Incredibles are welcome here, even when I am tired of them. They are my kids future memories, and though it is a difficult journey for me to make anymore, I want them to create and play and enjoy living in a place that is full of whatever adventures and opportunities they can imagine!
When we were kids we would pretend we were lost on a desert island, or we were an Indian family who lived off the land and hunted food with bow and arrow. We started campfires in the backyard and cooked rhubarb soup. We drew roads on the sidewalk and road our bikes through our homemade city, complete with all the necessary stops - police, the gas station and a grocery store. We played house for hours on end with the neighbor boy. The land of pretend was our playground. It was an exciting place to be! I treasure my memories of pretend play. So, the Incredibles are welcome here, even when I am tired of them. They are my kids future memories, and though it is a difficult journey for me to make anymore, I want them to create and play and enjoy living in a place that is full of whatever adventures and opportunities they can imagine!
Simplicity
It seems the craziness of summer is just about ready to give way to the routine of fall. I can only hope that the routine others find will settle into my house as well! I have spent a lot of time recently evaluating my activities and what keeps me busy, you know, besides the three children, the laundry, the dishes.... Looking at what I want our life to be like and what it currently resembles leaves me challenged to create something better. I hope it is not just nostalgia and longing for simplicity that I won't be able to find, but simplicity is what I want. I am working at paring down the extras and focusing on and being content with what I find at home to do.
I am anxious to start preschool again with Big Brother. He loves the activities and learning and his Sister Bear is really beginning to enjoy it, too. She has been learning the alphabet and counting from him all summer. They together wrote the alphabet on the sidewalk the other day, him making the letters, her telling him what comes next. School will be good for us together. It will be fun to spend time with them where we are not hurried and trying to finish up so we can get to the next activity!
I am anxious to start preschool again with Big Brother. He loves the activities and learning and his Sister Bear is really beginning to enjoy it, too. She has been learning the alphabet and counting from him all summer. They together wrote the alphabet on the sidewalk the other day, him making the letters, her telling him what comes next. School will be good for us together. It will be fun to spend time with them where we are not hurried and trying to finish up so we can get to the next activity!
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Sister Bear and Nevada
Please help us welcome the newest member of our family. Actually, she is here to work. Upon moving into the house, we have discovered evidence of mice everywhere. Mouse and rat poison and traps had been placed strategically throughout the house. Having such young children and such a large space, we decided against continuing to use the poison and traps.
So enters Nevada. This new little kitten is our weapon against the invasion of mice. Now Sister Bear believes we have acquired this new pet for her amusment, and I suppose we will let her believe that for the time being, but the time is coming soon that we hope this young charge will earn her keep around our home.
I am not a cat lover, but I am sure that Nevada will worm her way into my heart. She is joining us as our third pet. We have two dogs, Dakota and Montana, as well.
So enters Nevada. This new little kitten is our weapon against the invasion of mice. Now Sister Bear believes we have acquired this new pet for her amusment, and I suppose we will let her believe that for the time being, but the time is coming soon that we hope this young charge will earn her keep around our home.
I am not a cat lover, but I am sure that Nevada will worm her way into my heart. She is joining us as our third pet. We have two dogs, Dakota and Montana, as well.
Finally Home!
It has been one amazing month! Kid's Camp was great. All the kids had a great time. Moving was an effort, but definitely worth it!
My twin sister and her family came for a visit just as we were finishing our move. They have 3 kids and we all had a super visit together. We only see each other about once a year, so it is a real treat to have time together. All of our kids had fun playing together and getting reacquainted with one another. And of course, it was the first time they met our Little One.
Finally we have had some time to just be at home and enjoy this big house. Big Brother and Sister Bear have enjoyed the front porch and all the playing room. They can even ride their bikes and have a pretty good race around. They have become quite confident in the pool, swimming from one end to the other - of course, they are wearing floaty swimsuits and floaty rings around their waist, but they love it. We are going to have some fun memories here!
Last night and this morning we enjoyed a brief visit from Tony's parents and his oldest brother. It's wonderful to have them around. Grandma played games with Big Brother. He loves games!
Our life is busy and so full. We are very blessed. I am reminded often of the great gifts I have received from the Lord. He has given us a beautiful family and wonderful extended family to enjoy. He is a good God!
My twin sister and her family came for a visit just as we were finishing our move. They have 3 kids and we all had a super visit together. We only see each other about once a year, so it is a real treat to have time together. All of our kids had fun playing together and getting reacquainted with one another. And of course, it was the first time they met our Little One.
Finally we have had some time to just be at home and enjoy this big house. Big Brother and Sister Bear have enjoyed the front porch and all the playing room. They can even ride their bikes and have a pretty good race around. They have become quite confident in the pool, swimming from one end to the other - of course, they are wearing floaty swimsuits and floaty rings around their waist, but they love it. We are going to have some fun memories here!
Last night and this morning we enjoyed a brief visit from Tony's parents and his oldest brother. It's wonderful to have them around. Grandma played games with Big Brother. He loves games!
Our life is busy and so full. We are very blessed. I am reminded often of the great gifts I have received from the Lord. He has given us a beautiful family and wonderful extended family to enjoy. He is a good God!
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Closing
We finally have a final closing appointment! Thursday at 11 a.m. we will sign papers and receive the keys to our new house!!!! We have been packing and hoping that everything would happen before kids camp and it looks like we may get to move on Saturday. Our house is a disaster, but I think I'm making progress toward the goal. Sometimes it's hard to tell. :0)
After camp Tony will be taking a week of vacation so that we are able to settle in. It may be a while before I post again - probably after camp at least, but then I'll put in some pictures of all the excitement and let you know how camp went. We are leading praise and worship. It's an awesome opportunity and blessing to see 400 - 500 kids honoring God through worship. The kids from our church are primed and ready to experience a new level of relationship with the Lord and to have a super time building relationships with each other. It should be a great week!
After camp Tony will be taking a week of vacation so that we are able to settle in. It may be a while before I post again - probably after camp at least, but then I'll put in some pictures of all the excitement and let you know how camp went. We are leading praise and worship. It's an awesome opportunity and blessing to see 400 - 500 kids honoring God through worship. The kids from our church are primed and ready to experience a new level of relationship with the Lord and to have a super time building relationships with each other. It should be a great week!
Friday, June 17, 2005
Huh?
So, I'm sitting here tonight vegging out and doing a little work on the laptop for kids church (Tony is at a campout with some of the Rangers from church), when the Big Brother at our house picks up a pen and some paper to make a picture for his friend Josh. Once he fills the paper with circles and squiggles, he asks me, "Mom, how do you spell Josh?"
I'm absorbed in what I'm doing and don't answer soon enough, so he says, "Josh starts with 'j', right, Mom?"
"Mmhmm...", I reply.
"How do you make a 'j'? Like this?"
I finally pull myself out of what I'm doing and look at his picture to find he has started Josh's name on his own! He made a letter 'j'! Wow! As is evidenced by the masking tape 'f' on our basement floor, our feeble attempt at homeschool preschool only took us through the letter 'f' this year. And we didn't really learn to write any of the letters. My son has learned all by himself how to make a letter 'j'.
Well, that got me to thinking...how many letters can he make on his own? We finished Josh, then did Haven, Travis and Stacie, all with minimal assistance. I think I must have the smartest 3 1/2 year old around! I got around to suggesting writing the alphabet about the time he ran out of steam, but he did write ABCD for me. His letters are legible, too. Needless to say, I am impressed!
I'm absorbed in what I'm doing and don't answer soon enough, so he says, "Josh starts with 'j', right, Mom?"
"Mmhmm...", I reply.
"How do you make a 'j'? Like this?"
I finally pull myself out of what I'm doing and look at his picture to find he has started Josh's name on his own! He made a letter 'j'! Wow! As is evidenced by the masking tape 'f' on our basement floor, our feeble attempt at homeschool preschool only took us through the letter 'f' this year. And we didn't really learn to write any of the letters. My son has learned all by himself how to make a letter 'j'.
Well, that got me to thinking...how many letters can he make on his own? We finished Josh, then did Haven, Travis and Stacie, all with minimal assistance. I think I must have the smartest 3 1/2 year old around! I got around to suggesting writing the alphabet about the time he ran out of steam, but he did write ABCD for me. His letters are legible, too. Needless to say, I am impressed!
Thursday, June 16, 2005
the little man
This Little One is the most amazing baby around. He has discovered his hands. Most of his time is now spent getting them to his mouth so he can suck on them and poke himself in the eye. It's quite the talent! His smile is so beautiful. It really makes you feel as though you are the most loved person in the world and makes you love him so much at the same time.
Yesterday at the young mom's small group at our house we put him next to a little boy who is four weeks older. They sat looking at each other for several minutes, just cooing and gurgling back and forth. It was quite the conversation.
Yesterday at the young mom's small group at our house we put him next to a little boy who is four weeks older. They sat looking at each other for several minutes, just cooing and gurgling back and forth. It was quite the conversation.
Sister Bear and play-doh
This is the new favorite plaything at our house. They love it! We recently were given a whole set of play-doh toys and play-doh, so Sister Bear and Big Brother have been creating and manipulating. This Sister Bear has been talking so much lately. Tonight we were getting in the car and she said, "whe we gon', mah? N da cah?" Sunday morning I picked her up out of nursery early, before the end of service, and she excitedly began looking for her Big Brother. She was yelling his name and wondering, "whe'd de go?" I keep hoping to catch some of her baby babble on video, but have yet to get it done.
She has also recently mastered riding her push along trike. She has picked up some pretty good speed. She and Big Brother were riding through puddles this afternoon.
She has also recently mastered riding her push along trike. She has picked up some pretty good speed. She and Big Brother were riding through puddles this afternoon.
on the playground
The Big Brother at our house has been talking non-stop this week. I think my nerves are just about shot! He is shooting out rapid fire questions and giving his commentary on life every moment he is awake. I'm afraid I've commanded silence a few too many times because Sister Bear has begun growling his name the past few days when he begins bothering her. It's really cute, but probably one of those things I'm going to have to stop.
He is becoming aware of his surroundings in a new way, wanting to know if we are lost if he doesn't know where we are driving, paying attention to people he sees in restaurants and stores and making comments about them (no embarrassing ones, yet!), and asking his dad if we can go to Texas. Why does he want to go to Texas? I don't really know. He picked up somewhere that that was our vacation spot and he is ready to drop everything and return. He is also reading letters as we drive around town. "L-E-T-O-H. What does that spell, mom?" (It's 'hotel' for those who didn't see it backward! It was a vertical sign.) He's growing up! Kindergarten is still 2 years away, but I don't know if he'll wait that long to read!
The picture above is on the playground at our church. He was playing outside for a part of his Rainbows class tonight.
He is becoming aware of his surroundings in a new way, wanting to know if we are lost if he doesn't know where we are driving, paying attention to people he sees in restaurants and stores and making comments about them (no embarrassing ones, yet!), and asking his dad if we can go to Texas. Why does he want to go to Texas? I don't really know. He picked up somewhere that that was our vacation spot and he is ready to drop everything and return. He is also reading letters as we drive around town. "L-E-T-O-H. What does that spell, mom?" (It's 'hotel' for those who didn't see it backward! It was a vertical sign.) He's growing up! Kindergarten is still 2 years away, but I don't know if he'll wait that long to read!
The picture above is on the playground at our church. He was playing outside for a part of his Rainbows class tonight.
Saturday, June 04, 2005
A Place to Love Living
This has been a weekend of downs and ups. I know it's supposed to be ups and downs, but we had our down before our up, so that's how it's been for us. We found out on Thursday that our beloved new home had not appraised for as much as we needed it to for the loan we were needing. Needless to say, after some negotiations that failed, we were asking for our earnest money back and had begun the search for another house that would fit our family and our dreams. Now, after getting our heart set on this house, finding another that would equal was not going to be an easy task! We went to see one this morning. Five bedrooms, three bathrooms, 2200 sq. feet of house, 430 sq. feet of deck. It was nice. It was in our price range....kinda. But it was just a place to live, not a place to love living. So, we looked and came home. We talked a little, but it just wasn't the spot.
Then came the news: She has changed her mind! Our house is now available to us again, a new contract is to be signed tomorrow. That is wonderful, but that is not all. It is now available to us at a price below our original offer and $25,000 below her original asking price!!! WOW! The Lord is incredible! What a weekend, and it's only Saturday evening! We are so excited. We are feeling amazingly blessed. What is it that Ephesians says....He is able to do abundantly more than we could ever ask or imagine!
Then came the news: She has changed her mind! Our house is now available to us again, a new contract is to be signed tomorrow. That is wonderful, but that is not all. It is now available to us at a price below our original offer and $25,000 below her original asking price!!! WOW! The Lord is incredible! What a weekend, and it's only Saturday evening! We are so excited. We are feeling amazingly blessed. What is it that Ephesians says....He is able to do abundantly more than we could ever ask or imagine!
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Making Menus
I have a friend who I have been talking to about making weekly meal plans together in an effort to keep our families from eating out as often as we do. Time is our biggest reason for not getting dinner made for our families. We both work helping our husbands and don't end up doing things that we need to get done at home, such as planning and making quality meals. Our goal is to come up with simple ideas that can be made with relatively few ingredients and in a short amount of time. Here is our first week's menu:
Day 1 - Stromboli
Day 2 - Meatloaf
Day 3 - Chicken Enchiladas
Day 4 - Chicken & Dumplings
Day 5 - Herb Chicken with broccoli
The recipes and processes are simple and good.
STROMBOLI
ingredients:
Frozen bread loaves (they come 3 to a package, so we made two stromboli loaves and one loaf of bread)
pizza sauce
pepperoni, beef, salami, canadian bacon or whatever other meat you want
mozzarella cheese, pepper jack
greeen onions
process:
allow dough to rise according to package directions, roll out the dough and put in the ingredients you have chosen. It was my first time to make this and I could have put more meat in than I did. Don't skimp on the meats. Bake according to bread directions. It is delicious. If you don't want to put sauce in the bread, you may use it to dip the finished product.
MEATLOAF
ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 can stewed tomatoes
2 eggs
1 package crackers, crumbled
you can also add for flavor: garlic, tabasco, green peppers
process:
mix all ingredients and bake at 350 for about 40 minutes. This makes great sandwiches the next day.
CHICKEN ENCHILADAS
ingredients:
boneless chicken
cream of chicken soup
sour cream
green chilies
Mexican style shredded cheese
tortillas
process:
boil chicken and shredd. mix soup, sour cream and green chilies and add to the chicken. cover with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 until heated through. serve wrapped in warmed tortillas. can also be used as a dip for tortilla chips.
CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS
ingredients:
boneless chicken
white gravy (we used the white gravy packets)
buttermilk biscuits
process:
boil chicken and shredd (can be done the same time as the enchilada chicken!), mix with white gravy. cut biscuits into forths and add to chicken and gravy. Bake at 350 until biscuits are golden.
HERB CHICKEN WITH BROCCOLI
ingredients:
Boneless chicken breast
cream of chicken with herb soup
frozen broccoli
pasta of choice
process:
cook chicken on stovetop in tablespoon of oil. when chicken is white through, add soup and frozen broccoli. heat through.
serve over cooked pasta
Most of these meals provided leftovers for the next day's lunch. My family liked eating them and they are all simple to prepare. Hopefully this is something some of you can use! We will be working on another menu soon and I will try to post it when we do.
Day 1 - Stromboli
Day 2 - Meatloaf
Day 3 - Chicken Enchiladas
Day 4 - Chicken & Dumplings
Day 5 - Herb Chicken with broccoli
The recipes and processes are simple and good.
STROMBOLI
ingredients:
Frozen bread loaves (they come 3 to a package, so we made two stromboli loaves and one loaf of bread)
pizza sauce
pepperoni, beef, salami, canadian bacon or whatever other meat you want
mozzarella cheese, pepper jack
greeen onions
process:
allow dough to rise according to package directions, roll out the dough and put in the ingredients you have chosen. It was my first time to make this and I could have put more meat in than I did. Don't skimp on the meats. Bake according to bread directions. It is delicious. If you don't want to put sauce in the bread, you may use it to dip the finished product.
MEATLOAF
ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 can stewed tomatoes
2 eggs
1 package crackers, crumbled
you can also add for flavor: garlic, tabasco, green peppers
process:
mix all ingredients and bake at 350 for about 40 minutes. This makes great sandwiches the next day.
CHICKEN ENCHILADAS
ingredients:
boneless chicken
cream of chicken soup
sour cream
green chilies
Mexican style shredded cheese
tortillas
process:
boil chicken and shredd. mix soup, sour cream and green chilies and add to the chicken. cover with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 until heated through. serve wrapped in warmed tortillas. can also be used as a dip for tortilla chips.
CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS
ingredients:
boneless chicken
white gravy (we used the white gravy packets)
buttermilk biscuits
process:
boil chicken and shredd (can be done the same time as the enchilada chicken!), mix with white gravy. cut biscuits into forths and add to chicken and gravy. Bake at 350 until biscuits are golden.
HERB CHICKEN WITH BROCCOLI
ingredients:
Boneless chicken breast
cream of chicken with herb soup
frozen broccoli
pasta of choice
process:
cook chicken on stovetop in tablespoon of oil. when chicken is white through, add soup and frozen broccoli. heat through.
serve over cooked pasta
Most of these meals provided leftovers for the next day's lunch. My family liked eating them and they are all simple to prepare. Hopefully this is something some of you can use! We will be working on another menu soon and I will try to post it when we do.
Sunday, May 29, 2005
Is It Next Week Already?
This week has flown by! This was the final week of the childcare center at our church. Our older son spent his last week playing with the kids he has become friends with over the past two years. It has been nice having a built in group of friends for him who were available at just about any time of the day. He is going to miss being able to go play with them on the playground behind our house and eating lunch with them once or twice a week. This week he went to the zoo with them, went to Pizza Hut and spent a day playing at the park. It was a good final week with these friends.
With Big Brother gone some this week I got to spend some good time with Sister Bear. We went shopping one morning with the Little One. It was a really good time together. She got to be the Big Kid and help me with the baby. It was fun to watch her try to quiet him if he was getting upset. She actually does a very good job. We stopped and got a hamburger and chicken nuggets for lunch and had a good time playing together at our table. She is getting so talkative and playful. This week she has let me put her hair up in pigtails for several days in a row! That is a major accopmlishment!
And my Little One is getting so big. He is so happy and just smiles all the time. It is rewarding to look into his face and see his smiles and listen to him talk to me. He is such a blessing!
This week our goal is to get some packing done. It looks like we may get to close early on the house, so we have some work to do over the next couple of weeks to get things done here!
With Big Brother gone some this week I got to spend some good time with Sister Bear. We went shopping one morning with the Little One. It was a really good time together. She got to be the Big Kid and help me with the baby. It was fun to watch her try to quiet him if he was getting upset. She actually does a very good job. We stopped and got a hamburger and chicken nuggets for lunch and had a good time playing together at our table. She is getting so talkative and playful. This week she has let me put her hair up in pigtails for several days in a row! That is a major accopmlishment!
And my Little One is getting so big. He is so happy and just smiles all the time. It is rewarding to look into his face and see his smiles and listen to him talk to me. He is such a blessing!
This week our goal is to get some packing done. It looks like we may get to close early on the house, so we have some work to do over the next couple of weeks to get things done here!
Monday, May 23, 2005
Sidewalk Chalk
We've had a busy week. It seems like there is always something to spend time on - church work or house work is always pressing. Tuesday morning the small group for moms that meets at our house was about serving our kids. Taking time to do what our children want to do is not easy, but it is important to spend time with them. They need to feel important and included in our life. I needed the reminder to take time for them. They love drawing with chalk on the front sidewalk and driveway, so we spent a morning working on some masterpieces. This is a favorite of mine. Big Brother and Sister Bear posing by their images.
Monday, May 16, 2005
Our New House
Well, here it is. We have a contract on the house we've been looking at. We are so excited and can't wait to close and get moved in. Our closing date is set for the end of June, so we have a little bit of time to get packed up here. It's a good thing, because we have accumulated a lot of stuff in a short two years! This house has so much character. It has beautiful woodwork and wood floors. There are four bedrooms on the top floor, a living room, family room, formal dining room, formal entry, and a large kitchen on the lower level. It is just a few blocks from a schoolyard playground, the local library and my parents house. We are still pretty shocked that it will actually be ours, but we feel very blessed. It will be a wonderful place to raise our children and make our home!
Monday, May 09, 2005
Just a Monday :0)
We went and looked at a house today. It's one we have looked at before and really like. It was built in 1912 and really has a lot of character. We are going to make an offer on it tomorrow. One good thing is that when you make an offer like we are making, it would be a miracle for them to take it. Now it may not sound like that is such a good deal, but I happen to know God doesn't leave a miracle unfinished. It's good to know that if we buy this home He will help us with all the details it will bring with it.
For Mother's Day yesterday we had a family day. We had gone out for dinner on Saturday night to avoid the Sunday afternoon holiday rush. The restaurant we went to had escargo, so of course we had to try some so Tony could add it to his "weird foods I have eaten" list. Tony fixed a great lunch on Sunday, with Big Brother's help, and after naps we all went on a bike ride. Big Brother has a new two-wheeler we picked up at a yard sale and loves every opportunity to practice riding. He did get a bit frustrated when turning corners - he hasn't learned how the brakes work and kept tipping over on the curves. He was quite persistent and kept getting back up though. Sister Bear and Little One rode in our bike trailer. We padded the seat and made a little spot for Little One and he fell right to sleep when the ride began. After the bike ride and getting Sister Bear in bed, Daddy and Big Brother had a little ice cream. Big Brother must have been tired, though, because he fell asleep while eating. After all the children were in bed Tony and I watched a big thunderstorm roll in and enjoyed the refreshing smell of the first big spring storm. There was a little hail mixed in, but not enough to damage anything. It's always so nice to hear the rain falling and experience the power of the lightening and thunder. I'd say it was a pretty good Mother's Day!
For Mother's Day yesterday we had a family day. We had gone out for dinner on Saturday night to avoid the Sunday afternoon holiday rush. The restaurant we went to had escargo, so of course we had to try some so Tony could add it to his "weird foods I have eaten" list. Tony fixed a great lunch on Sunday, with Big Brother's help, and after naps we all went on a bike ride. Big Brother has a new two-wheeler we picked up at a yard sale and loves every opportunity to practice riding. He did get a bit frustrated when turning corners - he hasn't learned how the brakes work and kept tipping over on the curves. He was quite persistent and kept getting back up though. Sister Bear and Little One rode in our bike trailer. We padded the seat and made a little spot for Little One and he fell right to sleep when the ride began. After the bike ride and getting Sister Bear in bed, Daddy and Big Brother had a little ice cream. Big Brother must have been tired, though, because he fell asleep while eating. After all the children were in bed Tony and I watched a big thunderstorm roll in and enjoyed the refreshing smell of the first big spring storm. There was a little hail mixed in, but not enough to damage anything. It's always so nice to hear the rain falling and experience the power of the lightening and thunder. I'd say it was a pretty good Mother's Day!
Thursday, May 05, 2005
Do Queens Sleep Alone? and A House Fit for a Queen
Some mornings I am awakened by my husband bending over to kiss me before he leaves for work. Others, the squirming baby beside me persuades me to leave my dreams behind and welcome the day with him. Today it was the voice of my three year old, ready to greet the new day with enthusiasm and renewed energy! He jumped up into the bed, letting me know it was daytime and that I and Little One needed to get up. His excitement traveled down the hallway and Sister Bear heard his cries and decided it was time to get up too. As soon as he heard her, Big Brother ran to her room to help her up and they both came back to share my bed space with me. Big Brother was declaring something about our whole family being in the bed together. It was a very exiting moment for him, he was jumping around like a wild man, randomly landing on legs and throwing pillows. Then my dear husband asked the question of the day, "Do queens sleep alone?" (Ours is a queen-sized bed, after all!) I had no response then, as I was still trying to get out of my morning fog, but I suspect that if they do they are missing out on quite a lot of early morning excitement!
Speaking of excitement, we are experiencing the ups and downs of searching for a new house. Right now we are living in the parsonage of our church, but we would like to find a place of our own where our family can grow and make memories. This morning we were supposed to go look at a place that we were beginning to feel hopeful about. But we received word last night that the house had sold. Then we learned that a house we have already looked at may be available to us at a reduced price. It is a beautiful home and we would love to have it, so we will return there next week for another look around. We'll see what happens, but as my three year old keeps reminding me, "God is building us a house!" I'm not sure which class at church he learned it from, but he knows that God has houses in heaven. His theology may be misapplied, but it is a good reminder that God does have a house for us and we can trust Him to bring us to it at the right time.
Speaking of excitement, we are experiencing the ups and downs of searching for a new house. Right now we are living in the parsonage of our church, but we would like to find a place of our own where our family can grow and make memories. This morning we were supposed to go look at a place that we were beginning to feel hopeful about. But we received word last night that the house had sold. Then we learned that a house we have already looked at may be available to us at a reduced price. It is a beautiful home and we would love to have it, so we will return there next week for another look around. We'll see what happens, but as my three year old keeps reminding me, "God is building us a house!" I'm not sure which class at church he learned it from, but he knows that God has houses in heaven. His theology may be misapplied, but it is a good reminder that God does have a house for us and we can trust Him to bring us to it at the right time.
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
Rainbows
Tonight we had a Mother's Day event with the children at our church. It coincided with the presentation of awards to those in our Missionettes and Rainbows programs. My older son is in Rainbows. It is the preschool aged class. He received awards for all his work this year and shared some of what he has learned. His class sang their Rainbows song. It says "I'm a Rainbow. A promise of God's care. I love to share His happiness with my friends everywhere." It's exciting that they are learning from such an early age that God loves them and He wants them to share that love with others. All the kids were very excited to receive their awards.
I think the night was special for the mothers as well. They had worked to create a special video for the kids, sharing why they love them so much. I enjoyed watching the kids faces as they heard their mothers speak words of life about them. I think those words will impact the kids in a great way. It's easy to forget how important praise is to our kids. Not only is it important to praise our kids, but it is important to praise them in front of others. One little boy just smiled and giggled as he listened to his mom say why he was so special to her. The girls' faces were beaming as they heard pride in their mom's voices. As much as the kids enjoyed the praise, though, I think it was almost as good for the mothers to hear themselves praising their children. In the hustle and bustle of life we tend to take our children for granted. It's nice to be able to be reminded of how important they are to us and to put into words how special God made them. I'm glad we had the opportunity to publicly praise them and to hear other's public praise. I think that reminder is the best Mother's Day gift for me!
I think the night was special for the mothers as well. They had worked to create a special video for the kids, sharing why they love them so much. I enjoyed watching the kids faces as they heard their mothers speak words of life about them. I think those words will impact the kids in a great way. It's easy to forget how important praise is to our kids. Not only is it important to praise our kids, but it is important to praise them in front of others. One little boy just smiled and giggled as he listened to his mom say why he was so special to her. The girls' faces were beaming as they heard pride in their mom's voices. As much as the kids enjoyed the praise, though, I think it was almost as good for the mothers to hear themselves praising their children. In the hustle and bustle of life we tend to take our children for granted. It's nice to be able to be reminded of how important they are to us and to put into words how special God made them. I'm glad we had the opportunity to publicly praise them and to hear other's public praise. I think that reminder is the best Mother's Day gift for me!
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Rain Showers
We had rain showers at our house tonight. My husband doesn't know it yet, but Big Brother and Sister Bear played in the rain. The grass didn't even get wet. Sister Bear pulled up the shower knob while the bathtub was filling with water. They were so excited about the water falling on them that I let go of that instinct that makes me cringe at every splash of water that goes beyond the boundries of the tub and just let them play. Big Brother was giggling and bouncing with delight. Sister Bear was laughing at his antics. They had fun playing in the rain and were quite disappointed when I had to turn off the water for fear of an overflow. Now they are in bed and I probably need to go clean up the floor in the bathroom. But I won't mind it so much tonight.
Thursday, April 28, 2005
Long Days
Today has been a long day. It began yesterday really. My youngest child, at 6 weeks old, decided yesterday evening that sleep would not come easily to our house. He has been battling some chest congestion and spent about 4 1/2 hours wailing about it. His temperature rose to a startling 102 degrees and nothing was settling him. Grandma came to the rescue at 1 am. She offered that special touch that only a grandma can and Little One was soon resting in her arms. She stayed for over an hour, snuggling and comforting, then she returned home to her own bed. I was left again with him. Quiet reigned in our home...well, for a little while anyway. The squirming infant woke me shortly after 3 am with wails of discomfort, frustration and fatigue. And he was crying too. We called the Dr., who wanted to see him first thing this morning. He's okay now, but I'm longing for my pillow. We're getting ready for bed now, but not before Big Brother and Big Sister have an evening wrestle with Daddy. They love their time with him and, though he may act a little disgruntled, he loves it just as much. It's good to watch at the end of a long day.
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Finding Time
Well, I'm going to try it. My attempt at a record of my times. My hope is that as I am intentional about this time, that I will grow and others will be inspired toward intentional living as well. I don't want life to happen to me. I want to create a life that is on purpose. Here I will share as that happens, and the moments it doesn't happen. Life is a journey. Let's know where we are going!
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