A Little of This and That

First of all, I want to say thank you for the feedback via Facebook on my last post.  I'm thrilled that a few of you took the time to read my riveting thoughts! Glad to know that there are a few more of you out there working on the meal planning business.  If there are hints or tricks that you have discovered that make it easier, I'd love to hear them.  Next week, I will post a few recipes that I have found to freeze well. So, stay tuned. 

This weekend, we will be celebrating the 60th wedding anniversary of my grandparents. A milestone for sure.  One that we don't see often enough.  I am thankful that God has blessed them with so many years of marriage and that I have been able to witness that example of strength in relationship.  I am especially looking forward to time with family--I love seeing the littlest cousins together.  Four generations in the same place is something that my kiddos don't get to experience nearly enough. But that means I need to finish packing, so I better keep moving! 

Have a great weekend, Everyone!   

I've Got Dreams

I've got some lofty holiday baking goals.  Yes, I do.

Check that out.  It makes the regular bag look like a fun-size bag!  Love it.
So, what's on your holiday baking list? 

Today

I am not even sure where to start. It has been a long time since my last post and to be honest, posting is something that I have been putting off. So much has happened since I posted last. Many things I'd rather not try to wrap into words and yet I feel compelled to get back at this. It is my prayer that somehow by getting back to blogging that it will once again have a therapeutic quality for me. A healthy way for me to some how sort through things as well as document this crazy life that I have.
Today. Today was a good day. God is so very good.

Just a Little Patience

I would have never guessed that it has been over a month since my last blog post. It has been a crazy full month and why the blog has been so neglected.

We are currently battling the same gunk that it seems everyone has. It started a week and a half ago with The Little Man randomly waking up with a fever and has essentially been non-stop since then. Princess Pigtails is the last victim and has missed two days of school because of it. I sincerely think I am going to go stir-crazy if we don't kick this stuff soon.

The mudroom is finished. Every detail (I think) is complete. I am so pleased with the results and frustrated that we didn't do this project years ago. So much better use of the space. I'll post some pictures soon.

The biggest news around here is that we have decided to put our house on the market. It's not a decision that we took lightly or made easily. We've been talking about the possibility of this for quite some time. And now the timing feels right. Our hope is that we will be able to move closer to DH's work, which will in turn put us closer to family. Please say a prayer for us that it goes smoothly, quickly and favorably. I am nervous, scared and excited all at the same time. I know that God has a plan in all of this and I am trying to relax in Him. Patience is not necessarily a virtue that comes easy for me.

Weekend Recap

What a weekend! We filled every moment of the weekend to the brim. We accomplished much and are finally so very, very close to the finish of the mudroom. It looks really good and I am so excited! DH has done an awesome job! I'm so happy that he has the skills and abilities that allow us to do much of the work ourselves.

Other high lights: Saturday night found us out for dinner with the kiddos and let me just say, the whole experience was so great! The kids were absolutely amazing. I am encouraged that there is hope to enjoy dinner out with the family. Sunday we had the pleasure of enjoying a BBQ with some great friends from church. It was so much fun! Great conversation, good food and beautiful weather. What a night. We've got to do it again soon.

I have been on a mission to find a bike for Princess Pigtails' birthday--which is next week! How on earth is it already the middle of September? Anywhoo the bike search has been incredibly frustrating, but I was finally able to locate one on Sunday afternoon. There was much rejoicing! Who would've guessed it was be so difficult?!

So that's the scoop around here. What about you? What did you do over the holiday weekend?

Well, I promised two weeks ago that I would be back to my regular bloggy schedule soon. So I guess I am back, as I am predictably unpredictable about my posting.
We had a great summer, filled with lots of fun memories. Hopefully I'll get a few pictures posted soon. A trip to the zoo, a fun 4th of July with great friends and family, vacation Bible school at church...the month of August has been full of trips back and forth the state of Iowa to visit family. And then this last weekend, I went to Des Moines for a girls weekend with some of my best gals from ye ol' college days. It was glorious. Those ladies are forever friends--you know the ones that you can just pick up right where you left off. (I am fighting the urge to launch into the chorus of Michael W. Smith's "Friends"...) I just wish the times for us to get together weren't so far apart. Lots of thanks and love for DH surviving the entire weekend with the kiddos. There was some drama and lots of laundry, but they all survived. And I am grateful!

Excuses, excuses

I really didn't intend to take most of the summer off from blogging. Just like I didn't plan to take part of spring off. But it just is how it goes. Trying to find a balance and establish a routine. I am heading to Iowa today but when I get back I'll try to get on a regular schedule of posting.
See you soon!

Sweet Summertime

Here's how I know summer is here:
1. Staying in jammies until mid morning or later.
2. The kids have had hot dogs off the grill for at least one meal nearly every day for the last week.
3. The purple kiddie pool has made it's way to the yard.
4. A pitcher of Kool-Aid in the fridge.
5. The peonies are in bloom. That is truly the signature of summer if you ask me.

How about you? How do you know it's summer? Are you enjoying it?

Publish Post

Spring 2009

Sharing some random moments from around here this spring...
The Little Man was not so impressed with his first time swimming...
Ready to hit the Zoo...
Princess Pigtails up close and personal with the penguins...
Three generations:Some of the best pizza we've had in recent memory, Zio's Pizzeria in Omaha...The Little Man enjoying his slice at Zio's...Yum!Princess Pigtails with my grandparents at my niece and nephew's birthday party:
The Little Man and my cousin's son, Cason...On a jet plane, heading to Ohio...
Finally made it to Young's Dairy in Yellow Springs, OH...The Little Man, Our friend, K, and Princess Pigtails...Feeding the goats at Young's:Princess Pigtails and K...This picture just makes my heart happy...My friend Kari and her family stopped by this weekend...seriously, had it really been 8 years?Happy Father's Day, DH! You are a fantastic father to our kids...on a side note, I have no idea what Princess Pigtails is doing with her hand here, but this is the best of the pictures I got. She has her grandmother's innate ability to close her eyes every time the camera snaps. :)So there you have it, in pictures a bit of what we've been up to lately. Hope you had a great spring and that your summer is off to a good start!

Back to the Grind

We had a great weekend. It is always so fun to catch up with friends, make new friends, relax a little, and wonder how we ever had the stamina to make it through college!! I staged my own mini-reunion a few girlfriends on Friday night and that was absolutely awesome to see those ladies. I wish that I would have had more time with them! We will definitely have to do it again very soon. Huge thanks to my parents for taking care of the kids so we could enjoy the weekend.
There was essentially a blizzard yesterday morning that tore through the mid-section of Iowa. We had the pleasure of driving in it. Actually, I'm glad we left when we did, because although the driving was very tough, we were able to get north to my parents'. The interstate was closed shortly after we came through. Gotta love a blizzard in April. It was 55 degrees on Saturday. Blizzard on Sunday. Awesome!
Getting back to the routine was a little rough this morning. Princess Pigtails has been on spring break from preschool for two weeks. Although I've missed having those few hours twice a week, it was fantastic to not scurry around in the mornings. I'm not too proud to admit that there were a couple of mornings we were still in our jammies at 10a (or later). It was a nice break. Needless to say, getting everyone dressed and around to be out the door at 8:45 was tiring. And difficult. But we made it!
Hope your weekend was fab as well.

And We Are Off!

Just taking a quick break from cleaning the kitchen and packing the suitcases! We are heading out tomorrow for a fun weekend at DH's Alma Mater. My awesome parents agreed to take our kiddos for the weekend, so we are heading to hang out with some great friends to celebrate the 100th anniversary of his fraternity's local chapter! Looking forward to catching up with old friends, meeting new ones and bonus--it's our first weekend together sans kids since the arrival of The Little Man! Woo-hoo! Have a fantastic weekend. Rest, relax and enjoy!

More Rambling...

I'm sorry.

I have no excuses. I really did not intend to leave that last post sitting out there so long. I apologize in advance for the bloggy whiplash you are about to endure.

Are there topics or things you'd like to see me blog about? Questions for me? A give-away? More recipes? More endless rambling? I'd like to know.

It's been an absolutely crazy couple of weeks with two consecutive weekends of birthday celebrations because The Little Man? He turned one last Friday. I can not believe how fast the year went! When I have a minute I will pull the pictures off the camera and post a few here. Promise.

Monday marked the beginning of a two week hiatus from preschool. This week was parent teacher conferences and next week is spring break. It may actually be a miracle if I survive this break. I have not been the mom I want to be lately. This week has only highlighted it. I've been short tempered. I've been unmotivated. I've been undisciplined. I've been struggling with some feelings of resentment and frustration.

I know that I have yet to post pictures on our mudroom. I will get to that as well. Some time soon. I hope.

I hope that the last couple of weeks have gone well for you. And that spring has sprung in your corner of the world. Ours not so much. Cold. Windy. Snow flurries. Ugh.

Open Letter to Local Business

Dear Local Business Owner,
I adore that you have hours posted that you don't keep. It thrills me to no end that I have made multiple trips uptown to give you business or complete our business transaction, only to find the lights off and the door locked. I truly appreciate that you agreed to complete some work for me, I paid you the small sum with the understanding that the work would be done by a certain date and it was not. It made my week that you asked me to come back when you failed to meet the timeline you set. I love that there is no way to leave a message for you as you apparently do not have voicemail or a machine. It is inspiring to me that apparently your customer base is so broad that you do not need my referrals or repeat business. I am grateful for reminder that my business or satisfaction as a customer is not important.
I am indebted to you.
The Mama

Confessions of a Magazine Junkie

I have confessed here before that I am a bit of a magazine junkie. I am a sucker for the slick paper and beautiful pictures. It takes a great deal of will power to make it through the check out lane without purchasing one or five. Serious will power. It's not so much the celebrity gossip that gets me or the fashion mags that draw me close. It's the perfectly accessorized mantle. The deliciously glazed chicken and couscous. The vibrant photo spread of a Victorian rose garden. As I flip through the pages, I sit and soak up the inspiration and dream. Dream of how beautifully my mantle would be decorated if only I had a mantle. I savor the thought that some how, some time I will learn to be a more adventurous cook. And I can fixate on the rose garden of my dreams--you know one that will maintain itself! It is my escape. I love printed media for that reason. There is some thing dreamy about running your fingers over the slick paper. The intoxicating photo journalism and the creative journey that can be sparked by a single photo. It is transforming to me.
I have subscribed to many, many magazines over the years and Lord knows, drug many, many more home with me as stowaways in my grocery sacks. But there has been one magazine that I have always received or picked up nearly my entire adult life. Country Home. My favorite. The one magazine that I couldn't wait to flip through, time and time again. A standard go-to gift subscription. Last summer I finally parted with 10 years of back issues in my efforts to purge the clutter around here. I wish now that I hadn't.
I learned shortly after the February issue arrived that Meredith Corp would no longer be publishing my beloved magazine. The March issue would be the last. Did I mention that my subscription was paid through 2012. I think it would've been better not to know ahead that the March issue would be the last. Really. By the time that it actually arrived I had built up in my brain all that last issue would be that I was disappointed. And bitter. But mostly disappointed.
I know that there are thousands of decorating blogs and e-zines out there. I know that I could get transported to another place by a means other than printed media. And I do frequent many of those blogs. And while I am inspired by many--I often find myself feeling inadequate and overwhelmed. I want to create an inviting and warm place for my family and friends. I want my house to be beautiful and comfortable. Somehow the perfection or results are less intimidating to me when I am gazing at a photo spread that I know was done by professionals for a publication. I can reason with myself that real houses don't look like that. Then in a matter of clicks, I can see that many real houses DO in fact look like that. Sigh. The reality of my lack of talent in this area stings.
I have been notified that the duration of my subscription will be converted to Family Circle. I am sure that is a fine magazine. But Meredith Corp, if you are listening: Family Circle is not the same. It's not the same AT ALL. And I am annoyed. And I am wondering what is going to fill this void. But mostly I am annoyed.

**I promised Jill that I would post some pictures of our mudroom project and progress. So that is my goal for the week. Keep me accountable!!**

Questions for You

Things I am wondering about:
1. Why is it necessary to explain on the package of Cottonelle that 12 double rolls of toliet paper is equal to 24 single rolls?
2. Why is it that no matter how exhaustive my grocery list is I still get home and the very next meal I try to prepare--we are out of key ingredients? Why? Does this happen to anyone else?
3. Do you decorate above your kitchen cabinets? What do you have up there?

Just an update on the kiddos--The Little Man now has whatever virus Princess Pigtails had the beginning of last week. I thought Princess Pigtails was on the mend but she woke up this afternoon from her nap complaining that her ear hurts. Ugh.

Hope you had a great weekend!

Weekly Recap

Another crazy week is in the books. Here's a few of the highlights from the week that are still rattling around in my brain:

Had a great time at my friend Lisa's Tastefully Simple party. Probably spent too much money but I really love their products and I enjoy supporting my girlfriends! Thanks, Lisa!

Have you read this post over at SCL? Jon really speaks to something that I've struggled with all my adult life...

The book my Bible study group is doing right now is really interesting...we had a great discussion on Tuesday. I so enjoy those ladies!

Saw this darling little trench for Princess Pigtails in a store window yesterday:
Isn't just the cutest? Princess Pigtails informed me that it was her color and her size. It was a perfect fit. So cute. The price? Not so cute. $168. Seriously, J.Crew. Are you kidding me? $168? For a size 4T jacket? Umm, I'll get right on that.

Finally, had dinner last night with some friends that we have gotten reacquainted with through Facebook. It was so much fun. The kids ran crazy and it was fantastic! So happy they are in The Cities now and love that we were able to catch up! Looking forward to doing it again soon!

Hope you had an awesome week!

Wednesday Randomness

Happy Wednesday! In an effort to recollect my brain here's an update of sorts. I apologize now for the randomness of it all!

Thank you so much for the encouragement regarding Princess Pigtails and her stalling techniques at the dinner table. I appreciate your thoughts and advice. I've really been limiting her snacks/drinks and she seems to be eating in a more efficient manner...hoping that it continues! Fingers crossed!

The Little Man will be 11 months on Saturday. Which hardly seems possible... Have I told you he is walking? Walking!! Has been at it for two weeks now and each day he is gaining more speed and confidence. He so badly wants to chase after his sister! Watch out Princess Pigtails!

I think that the kitchen is finally put back together. And the floor? Love it. If anyone is interested, I'll post some pictures.

We are making slow progress in the mudroom. Hoping that we can install the bead board ceiling this weekend. Then flooring, trim and doors...maybe we can be done by spring??

I've really been having some serious writer's block. Did you know that the number one google search that lands folks on my blog? My post about reheating ground beef. Interesting? I told you I have writer's block.

That's all I've got. What's on your "by spring" project list?

Foiled

Can someone explain to me why a roll of foil is so expensive? Is it foil speculations? I literally stood dumb-founded in front of the shelf of foil yesterday at Wal-Mart. Perhaps it's just me but $7.37 for 200 sq. feet of tin foil seems a little ridiculous, right?

Just an observation. Carry on.

The Picture of Health and Wellness, We are.

I just want to crawl in my bed and pull the covers up over my head. Because if the last six days are what 2009 are going to be like for us, I'm not sure I am ready.

I will back up and say that we had great times with our families over Christmas. We nearly missed time with my grandparents due to an ice storm. There was about a three hour span on the Saturday after Christmas that I didn't think the two hour drive from my brother-in-law and sister-in-law's house was going to happen due to the ice. To say I was heart broken was an understatement. In light of the health things that have gone on with my Grandma over the last couple of months, I just felt it so important to get down there. I also knew that my grandparents were looking forward to having ALL their grand kids and great-grand kids (there were five new greats in 08!) together and I didn't want to disappoint. I knew they would understand given the weather, but still...We made it and had some sweet moments with my grandparents as a result. I am so glad that God allowed us to get there. Grandma is on the mend, by the way! Thank you for the prayers on her behalf.
We got home and had barely enough time to unpack, pick up a few groceries, stash the Christmas gifts/plunder/groceries and get organized to have a few friends over on New Year's eve. It was craziness getting that all accomplished, but I am so glad we did. What fun we had.

Enter 2009.

Friday morning, the kiddos both woke up with a sniffle. DH reported from work he thought he was coming down with a cold too. I was in denial.
Saturday, we definitively all have colds. And great! woke to the furnace clanking! Not as bad as this time, but not healthy sound for a furnace. In January. In Minnesota. Fantastic! (I have to say I am a little disturbed after looking up that link, to find that the last episode occurred on January 3rd 2008. A year exactly? Bizarre. Do you think I should just go ahead and book the HVAC repair guy for next year? )
Sunday, woke up and definitely still all have colds. And just for variety's sake, I have the stomach flu to go along with mine. Lovely. My darling, darling husband took such good care of me and the kids while I was sick. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Honey. You are amazing.
Sunday night, Princess Pigtails, despite all of the remedies I could come up with, was up practically the entire night coughing. She had 102.7 temp yesterday morning and began complaining in the middle of the night that her ear hurt. I'm sure you can see where this is going.
I called the clinic first thing because as it turned out I already had an appointment scheduled yesterday morning for The Little Man's well child check. So, took them both in. Princess Pigtails has a double ear infection. The doctor's words were "her ears look like hamburger". Great. Her first ear infection and it is a double? That's harsh.
The Little Man? Oh, yeah. He also has an ear infection. He was supposed to be my WELL child. So, antibiotics all around and little Robitussin AC for good measure and we are back on the road to health and wellness.
I forgot to mention that DH had called while we were in route to the clinic to let me know that his "consultation" appointment at the endodonist was resulting in an immediate root canal. Outstanding.
So, I pray we are on the mend now. The kiddos have been on their meds for 24 hours now. My cough is easing up. I'm keeping Princess Pigtails home from dance tonight and going to miss my Bible study. But hopefully tomorrow will be the start of some healthier days for us all.

Here's to hoping that your 2009 is off to a much better start than mine! That 2009 will be a year of HEALTH all the way around and that it will find you feeling blessed beyond measure!

A Little Progress

I am so done already with the cold. It was -24 yesterday morning. That is just wrong. However, I will say, it's weather like this that reminds me of how blessed we are to be able to provide a warm house for our family. And thankful for the remote starter on my truck.

Remember this? We have progress! The contractors were here yesterday. There is no longer a giant, gaping hole in my kitchen ceiling. Merry Christmas to me! The Taper will be here today and maybe, fingers crossed, he will be done with the whole thing tomorrow.

Did you check out some of the great home tours going on right now? Some pretty remarkable homes. I spent some time the other night clicking through some tours. Thank you to those that stopped by here are looked around. But good grief. After looking through some of those homes, I came to three conclusions:
1. My house looks like a Charlie Brown tree in comparison to most of those homes.
2. My kids must be more "ornery" (to use my Grandma's favorite expression) than others, because there is no way 75% of those decorations would survive here. And The Little Man is only 9 months. I fear the destruction that will occur in coming years!
3. Decorating to that extent would require loads and loads of trips to the attic and back with totes. I despise that part of decking the halls. And I am lazy.

There is one tour that I keep thinking about however. One entry way that caused my mouth to drop and my mind to fixate on it. I can. not. get over this entry way. Oh. MY. Word. I seriously spent like 10 minutes just staring at that garland, trying to take in every last detail.

Take a moment or two to relax today. Give yourself a time out from the preparations to enjoy the season. And really, you should swing through a few of the over 600 homes on BooMama's tour of homes for some inspiration and distraction.

Blessings to you all!