Robby Turns 9

It is so hard to believe that Robby is turning 9! It really wasn't that long ago that he came into this world, was it?!? He is growing up so fast. I can't hardly keep up. This year has flown by and I almost can't remember what he was like when he turned 8. So here are the things I want to remember about my amazing son on his 9th birthday.
He loves Jesus! Of course, this is the most important. And, he loves people! He has such a tender heart for the things of God and to love others. If this was all I could write about Robby, it would be more than enough. Obviously, I want my children to be successful and accomplished in life, but I hope that this is the first thing most people see in him.
Robby is a talented musician. I am amazed at his ability to hear a song and play it on the piano. He has already constructed several songs that are really quite good. He loves his piano lessons and I never have to ask him to practice. In fact, I often have to tell him to stop.
He is a great big brother. He loves his sister and is always helping Melanie and watching out for her. I love that he feels a responsibility to protect her and care for her.
If you ask Robby what he wants to be when he grows up, he will tell you he wants to be a Chef and a Missionary/Pastor. He hasn't quite figured out how he will do it all, but he is determined. He's not sure if he will share the gospel with others while he is studying the culinary arts in Italy or France. Or, if he will have his own Food Network show called "Rev. Rob". He has asked if he can observe a culinary class or take one for kids. If he isn't on the piano, he wants to help me in the kitchen.
There are so many things about Robby that I love. It would take up too much of the blogosphere for me to list them all! Robby really enjoys a good "acrostic", so here is my acrostic just for you Rob!!

R - Really Cool - you are just a cool kid!
O - Observant of others' needs.
B - Brainy - Mr. Smarty Pants
E - Energetic - I wish I could bottle it up and sell it.
R - Real- you are who you are and you aren't afraid to be yourself.
T - Talented in so many ways!

I love you, Robster!!

Works for Me Wednesday

I loved, I mean LUH-HUVED, being the mother of my infants. I'm sure my husband will remind me of the moments when a toddler was crying in a crib, an infant crying on the loveseat and a momma crying on the couch. BUT, I really did love it. I loved nursing my babies and holding them close. I didn't hate getting up in the middle of the night. I loved to watch them recognize my face and voice, their eyes lighting up with joy at seeing me. Robby was such an "angel" baby. Textbook baby. He did everything babies are supposed to do right on time or early. Melanie was much more difficult, until we discovered she was lactose intollerant and then she too was pretty easy as well. I think one of the key elements that helped was following a schedule each day. In honor of all my friends who are having babies, here is my Works(ed) for Me Wednesday tip.
The EASY Schedule (credit to Tracy Hogg and her book The Secrets of the Baby Whisperer). This is a simple scheduling model that allows for flexibility and yet keeps the baby's environment stable. "E" is for Eat. Start your baby with a 2 hour routine that begins with eating. Feed the baby at regular intervals and then the baby knows when to expect food and feels satisfied without over eating.
"A" is for Activity. Follow up feeding time with an activity. With newborn infants this will be talking to him, bathing or even just a few minutes with a toy. As the baby gets bigger and feedings are spread out to 3 hours or more, this is a good time for tummy time, bouncy seats, reading books and playing with developmental toys. At first activities will be 15 minutes to 30 minutes of active time, but eventually it will work up to 30-60 minutes.
"S" is for sleep. Now, is the time to lay your baby down to sleep. The first few days babies do seem to sleep all the time, but eventually they need some awake time. By spacing out the feeding and sleeping with an activity in between, the baby learns to fall asleep on his own. This helps to avoid a baby who falls asleep every time they are fed, which can lead to a baby falling asleep too quickly and never quite getting a satisfying meal.
And, finally, "Y" is for You! While baby sleeps Momma gets some "me" time. Take a shower, pick up the house a little, cook a meal or, better yet, take a nap, too!!
This worked great for me, even with a fussy baby. We did our best to stick to this simple routine for about the first year- year and a half. Stretching out the activity and nap times to accomodate a growning child. My kids were able to sleep through car rides, grocery shopping and even concerts if it was during their normal "sleep" time. It helped everyone, including baby, to know what to expect from the day. It also simplified babysitting, whether it was Dad, Grandma or a teenager, the babysitter knew what to do and what to expect. Of course, there are always minor glitches and times when the schedule has to shift, but IT WORKED FOR ME! Hope it works for you too!

Help! Technical (Blog) Difficulties

OK Friends, I am trying to edit my template for my blog, here, and I can not figure out how to add a list of the blogs I read. Does anyone in bloggy land have the "code" that I can put into my template to list the blogs I like to read?
Thanks!!!

Works for Me Wednesday - Quick breakfast biscuits

This is a great and easy breakfast biscuit that everyone loves. It is easy to make ahead, refridgerate, and warm up on a busy morning.
Ingredients:
1 tube "Grands" sized refridgerator biscuits
6 slices turkey bacon, cooked and chopped or cooked crumbled sausage
1 cup shredded cheese, your choice
5-6 eggs, beaten with a little milk and a tsp of bisquick mix, dash of salt and pepper or any spices you like.

Take each biscuit and tear a little of it off so you have 12 equal size portions (instead of the 6-8 that come in the tube). Press each biscuit into a muffin tin cup - prepared with Pam cooking spray. Sprinkle the chopped meat and shredded cheese into each biscuit cup. Pour a little beaten egg mixture into each cup, but don't fill it full. Bake at the temperature listed on the biscuit tube for 20-22 minutes until the egg puffs up like a cupcake and is set in the middle. If you overfill the egg, it will spill over onto your oven, so a cookie sheet on the lower rack is helpful. You can eat them right away or keep them in the fridge for up to a week (if they last that long). Pop one in the microwave for 20-40 seconds and you have a hot breakfast on the go! Works for Me!

Spring

Ahh, March 1st. To me, this is the day that I feel like Spring should begin. It is now March and I am done with Winter. Done. Usually by now, I am so "Done" I begin to plan my "Welcome Spring" party. The first weekend of March, I have a party for my family with brightly colored balloons, a big bouquet of bright mixed flowers and all our favorite warm weather foods. We crank the heat in the house for the afternoon put on shorts and watch a fun (warm) movie. No "Snow Buddies" or "Eight Below"! One year, I pulled out the plastic pool into the middle of the room and the kids sat in it in their swimming suits. They did end up covering up with a blanket after a few minutes but it sure was fun.
And, even though it hasn't been below zero and record breaking snow fall, I think we will hold to our little tradition and have a "Welcome Spring" party any way. The menu will probably still have hamburgers, but this time Bill will actually grill them outside since we can, and potato salad and baked beans. It has always helped me get through those last few weeks of winter weather in anticipation of warmer days ahead.
Spring really is a time to hope and look to the future. Several of my friends both here and up North are having babies. The thought of a new life coming in spring is so fitting. I hope that those I love will find hope and joy in this fresh beginning.
Spring also holds fun events for our family. And, this Spring has many. Bill and Robby's birthdays. My brother's wedding will be in April. Spring Carnaval at school. And, then it seems, school is out and summer is here! I am so excited to seem what this spring will hold!

Daily Joy

The other day I was rushing about after coming home from work; eating a quick dinner of ham and bean soup, pushing the kids to the showers and practicing spelling words. As my daughter finished her spelling words and was drawing some pictures in one room, I heard some tinkling on the piano keys in another room.
Robby was practicing for his piano lessons, playing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" over and over again, but with different techniques and rhythms. I watched his slender fingers strike the keys and his wrists rise with the expertise of a seasoned pianist. I began to think of my children, how they've grown so quickly, how talented and unique they each are. Robby is obviously musical. (Robby is obsessed with classical music and composers right now. He can name "pieces" composed by Mozart, Bach or Chopin and identify them when we are in public places). He has just begun piano lessons two weeks ago and is on his "4th" lesson. He has taught himself to play all sorts of songs long before formal lessons began. He has been eating up the new knowledge and practicing every day, without us needing to push him or even remind him.
As I watched and listend to Robby, I thought of Melanie and what unique talents she posesses. She is a budding artist. She could spend hours drawing and coloring. And, inspite of her parents' lack of artistic talent, she seems to have it. Her drawings of puppies, animals and even people are really good! (She is obsessed with dogs right now. Every library book is about different breeds of dogs, dog rescue stories, etc. She can also identify dogs that she knows to match the different breeds). She is also so tender hearted. She so often puts the wants and needs of others ahead of her own.
Tears came to my eyes at that moment, watching Robby and thinking of Melanie and the beautiful and amazing people they are becoming! They really are my greatest joy!

Round Peg

I have almost always worked outside the home off and on, but I have not worked full time since becoming a mom. Until a little over a year ago. Some dramatic changes in my family and the downturn of the economy led to the need for me to take on the majority of the breadwinning responsibilities. I was fortunate to have a part time job as a youth and family counselor that allowed me to go full time simply by taking on more clients/families. I know that having that job was a blessing straight from the Lord. One problem... it was very stressful! I would set up a schedule with my clients and it would often change at the last minute. This work seemed very chaotic, no routine, no set schedule. It seemed like I was always running late. I worked into the evenings at least a couple days a week and I had hours of paperwork to do. I usually put it off till it involved an all-nighter. And since I am no longer 20 years old and 125 lbs., living off diet coke and bagels, I don't do all-nighters very well. I knew I couldn't maintain that schedule for very long. I often felt like I was a square peg trying to fit into a round hole.

As Bill and I have continued to pursue God's adventure for our lives, I sought full time employment in a variety of places. My hope was to stay in a human/social service related field, but to get out of direct client services. Or, at least have a set schedule. I interviewed for a job in our new community as a prevention specialist with the non-profit division of a chamber of commerce. It seemed like a great fit for me and I liked the non-profit element in a community based profit organization. I was so excited when they offered me the job. They needed me to start working two weeks from that day. No Problem... HA! We flew into action, packed our house and made arrangements to rent a house "Down South". Three days after moving, I started my new job. I was really excited about having a set schedule and not taking work home.
I have been with my new job for almost 5 months and I love it! Having a set schedule has really helped me to develop a good routine. I am usually one of the first few people to arrive at work and very rarely late. My family knows when to expect me and I don't have to worry about having enough "hours" to support our family financially.
Bill's schedule is a little chaotic with Starbucks, right now, but we continue to pray and believe that the right opportunity will open up for him to return to professional ministry. We know that this is what God has for our family and we trust that He has a perfect plan for making that happen. Although, we still have a ways to go, I am beginning to feel a little more like a round peg.

Snowmageddon

I know my previous post was about snow, but it seems that the snow storms are really dominating our lives these days. I was scheduled to go to a conference in Washington D.C., but with the record breaking snow falls, no flights have been going in or out! Having moved from up north where it snows and sticks from about mid November through Easter(s), I don't find our occasional snow storms here in the "south" all that bad. My coworkers who are natives are not so casual about the weather. According to them, this is the worst winter our area has seen in several years. I am, of course, being blamed for this increase in winter weather. I can take it! For a little while. But, since the snow has delayed and potentially ruined my D.C. plans, I too am starting to get a little annoyed with the snow. And, so, here is my picket sign to Mother Nature... You are now on Notice!

The World is Coming to an End! (Not really)

I have lived through a few natural disasters in my short life, but I really don't recall reactions like I have seen here in the "south". This is a photo of the Walmart bread aisle. Everything is GONE! One gal told me she saw someone with 3-4 loaves, while others were going without. Seriously, I would have taken a loaf of white bread, just to have bread in the house.
I know that about a year ago this area experienced a severe ice storm that took power out of some homes for up to a week, but I am still surprised by the doomsday reaction of most people. After the floods hit our previous home, I recal people getting a little nervous when it rained real hard, but nothing like this. I had to chuckle a little at the people at Walmart freaking out about no bread. I did do my best to stock up on foods that don't need to be cooked and if we have no electricity for a week, we'll deal with it. We have a gas fireplace, so I know we won't freeze to death! I'll keep you updated on the storm...as long as I have electricity!

New Year Recipes

I am really trying to post more than once a month this year. So you may get a few random postings of my favorite activities, like cooking and eating, or sewing. I don't have any sewing projects in the que right now, but I have been doing some yummy cooking. My two favorite cooking items right now are my crockpot and my cast iron skillet. If you don't have a crockpot, you must be living under a rock, get one! If you don't have a cast iron skillet, you are really missing out. I purchased one right before Christmas and have used it a ton. Even with an old electric stove, the skillet heats perfectly and evenly. With my old non-stick skillet, I have to crank the heat to get things to cook. But with the cast iron, I can keep the temperature pretty low and get quick and even cooking. I've been using it for everything.
Here are a few yummy recipes I have created these first few weeks of the new year.
The first is a traditional southern new year's day meal. It is good luck to eat black eyed peas and greens as your first meal of the new year. So we made Hoppin' John for dinner.

1 cup dried black-eyed peas
12-16 ounces smoked kielbasa sausage (1 package)
1 medium onion
2 garlic cloves
2 celery ribs
1 fresh jalapeño chile, diced
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 3/4 cups chicken broth

Serve with cooked rice, sauteed greens (I used spinach) and corn bread

Directions:
Soak black-eyed peas overnight.

(If you forget to do this, you can “quick soak” them by putting peas in a saucepan, cover with cold water by 2 inches. Bring water to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat, soak peas 1 hour, drain peas in a sieve)

Quarter kielbasa lengthwise and cut quarters crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Chop onion and mince garlic. Cut celery crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Wearing rubber gloves, seed and mince jalapeño.

In a 3-quart heavy kettle (or in a cast iron skillet) cook kielbasa, onion, garlic, celery, jalapeño, and bay leaf in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until onion is softened. Add peas and broth and simmer, covered, 20 minutes, or until peas are tender. Discard bay leaf and stir in coriander and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve Hoppin' John spooned over rice. Don’t forget the cornbread!

It was so good!! I added a little extra salt and I may add some spicier sausage or even some dashes of hot sauce to spice it up a little.
My kids really liked it! Melanie claims black eyed peas as a new favorite food.

Another great recipe for the crockpot is Crockpot Chicken Cordon Bleu.
Again, who doesn't love chicken, ham, cheese and creamy sauce!?

We really enjoyed this and it was easy!! Now, if you really like traditional "brown in a pan then bake in the oven" cordon bleu, remember that this is in a crockpot and the texture will be a little different, but still good.

Ingredients:
4-6 chicken breasts, (approximately 2 lbs.) pounded to about 1/2 inch thick
thin Ham slices
Swiss cheese slices
1 can cr. of mushroom soup
1 can mushrooms
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup sherry
S & P to taste
Panko bread crumbs

Directions:
Pound your chicken to 1/4- 1/2 in thick. Spray your crockpot with pam. Place a layer of chicken, then ham, then cheese. Follow with a second layer of each.
Mix together the soup, mushrooms, sour cream and sherry. Salt and Pepper to taste.
Pour Sauce over chicken. Cook on High for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
When serving cut through the entire depth of chicken. This gives you the ham and cheese on the "inside" flavors without having to take the time to roll each piece of chicken. Put on a plate and spoon some sauce over the chicken. Top with a sprinkling of bread crumbs to get a little 'crunch'.
Serve with steamed veggies and brown rice. Enjoy!
Have fun trying out some new recipes. More may be coming soon! :)

A Year to Hope

The New Year has finally arrived. 2010 is here! By the way, how are you saying the year? Twenty-ten? Two thousand and ten? Ten? I still haven't decided how to say it, but I am so glad it is here. 2009 brought so many changes to my life. I am hoping and believing that 2010 will be a year to put down some roots and begin to feel a sense of security and stability in life, again.
I have been mulling over some verses today that I shared with a friend who had a difficult 2009. James 1:2-3 says "Consider it pure joy my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds becasue you know that the testing of your faith develops preseverance." Several years ago, I did a personal study of Romans. I simply read a few verses each day and journaled about what I believed God was speaking to me. It took me more than two months to complete the entire book, but it was one of the most powerful scripture studies I have done. Many of those verses and the lessons I learned have stuck with me and become such a core part of who I am. One of the more profound revelations for me was when I linked the "lists" we often see in scripture, such as the Fruit of the Spirit to the following verses. Romans 5:3-5 "...but we also rejoice in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit whom He has given." Demonstrating the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives is not a one time shot, all or nothing. It is a process of experiencing suffering and painful situations, letting those experiences develop character in our lives and living them out, as best we can with Hope.
Hope is really such an abstract concept. How do you define hope? How do you live it out in real way? What does true hope in God look like? Is it blind faith in the face of negative evidence? I guess in some ways it is. It is a faith that God has a purpose in our pain and a plan beyond what we can see. I recently sang at a women's event a Natalie Grant song titled "Our Hope Endures". The chorus says, "Our Hope endures the worst of conditions. It's more than our optimism. Let the earth quake. Our Hope is unchanged." As I start this new year, I truly am filled with hope and expectation that 2010 holds great things. I know it will not be without its challenges but my hope endures. This is my prayer for you and for myself.
"May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with Hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13)

The True Meaning of Christmas

Well, Christmas has come and gone and we are just days away from the new year. I can hardly believe that our first three months in our new "Southerly" home has flown by. I had a difficult time really getting into the Christmas spirit this year. I don't know if it was the lack of snow and cold temperatures, being busy or the newness of our situation or knowing we wouldn't be with our family. It just never quite felt like "Christmas".
It seems at Christmas we think of family and our blessings a little more than we do throughout the rest of the year. I have been blessed with a great family. Amidst hardships, my parents raised me to be strong, independent and confident in who God created me to be. I don't always feel that way, but it is deeply at the core of who I am thanks to my parents. I have great siblings. We aren't the kind that talk every day, but we communicate well and love and support each other the best way we know how. I have been blessed with a great husband. He is passionate for the Lord and for people. His greatest joy is connecting people to the love of God, whether that is through a sermon, a video or through serving them coffee. I have amazing children. I often ask my mom, "how did you manage to raise us to be functional adults?", so that I can do the same for my children. Of course, her answer is, "I dont' know!". Lot a good that'll do me! I try each day to tell my kids I love them and I'm proud of them for who they are and not what they do. I pray with them and tell them about our awesome Father in Heaven. And, I guess that is the best that I can do.
God has also blessed me with incredible "family by choice". I think of the friends we have had to leave behind along our journey. What a blessing and encouragement they have been to me over the years. I think, too, of the friends we have been able to join up with again and continue to encourage and spur one another on in this portion of our journeys. I hope and pray and believe that some day we will cross paths again with members of our family, whether biological or choice, as we continue each day to move forward. And, even though it never quite felt as "Christmas-y" as I would have liked, I think I may have just found my Christmas spirit after all!
Thanks family!!

Starbucks

All of you know how much I love coffee. We just got a programmable coffee maker, and so up until now, the first thing I did every morning was stumble to the coffee maker and switch it on. Most nights before bed I had the smarts to fill the resevoir with water and the filter with fresh grounds. It really is a wonderful way to wake up - the smell of coffee brewing, the pop pop of the steam escaping the back of the coffee maker, and the drip drip as fresh coffee fills the carafe. I. Love. It!

And, now I love coffee even more!! YAY!! Today was Bill's first day at his new job as a Starbucks Barista. It may not seem like the ideal job to the average man, but it is a perfect fit for him and for our family. This particular store has not hired a new Barista in several years. Most of his coworkers have been with the company for at least that long. They have a very low turnover rate because Starbuck's treats their employees well. For the most part he will have a routine schedule from week to week. There is always opportunity for growth and development within the company. Bill seems to be most excited about the chance to interact with the public and be around people. His particular store is right down the street from a major company that employs literally thousands of people. Many of them at the executive level are regular customers at his Starbucks. What a great way to love on people who are often overworked, and stressed out, but seem to "have it all". As Bill and I continue to work towards planting a church in our new community Starbucks seems to fit the bill for maintaining an income while still working towards our calling. And, you can't beat a free pound of coffee every week! YAY!

Life in the Land of Cotton

Moving to the 'South' really is an adventure for a 'Northern girl'. Now, thankfully, we have not descended clear into the deep delta South, but we are definitely "South" enough. So here is my list of Signs you now live in the "South":
1. Everyone says "Ya'll", including me
2. The temperature is around 40 degrees and people are "freezing". The local weather man said in a very ominously dramatic voice on last night's newscast, "Will it get to single digits tonight?
3. When you order tea at a restaurant the waiter asks if you want sweet or unsweet.
4. Everyone belongs to church (but only half of them go).
5. There are streets named: Dixieland, Cotton and K-L-A-N (I just couldn't type it straight for fear some crazy would find my blog through a search engine)
6. BBQ. There are BBQ places and smokehouses everywhere. I think I've gained 10 lbs since moving.
7. There are Cotillions!! The uppity socialite ladies wanted to put together one for some local low in-come girls. I don't think those girls really care that much about a fancy dress that they will only wear once.
8. Football - I really don't think I have to say much more.
9. Chick-Fil-A!! I love this place. Next time you go to one, say "Thank you" to the staff and see how they respond. They are instructed to say the same thing every time they hear "Thank you". It's great!!
10. And, everyone is friendly.
I think I can get used to it here.

Community

I am not a huge tv watcher. I used to scan the channels and watch whatever caught my fancy. But, now, with my new more routine schedule and the addition of a DVR, I have specific shows that I watch. I haven't fallen into a 'show for every day' routine, rather just a few nights a week. Tuesdays is The Biggest Loser. I love me some good cryin'. And, I do cry every. single. week. Thursdays is my line up of NBC favorites; Parks and Recreation, The Office and my new fave - Community. Community is about Jeff, a lawyer who gets disbarred and must get a real college degree from the United States, not Columbia - as in the country. So, he lands at a community college and forms a spanish study group with the washed up athlete, the retiree trying to keep his mind fresh, the 'hot' girl who took a detour in life, the middle aged single mom making a fresh start, the kid with social skills issues and the too smart for her own good overachiever. After making a wreck of the group's emotions, he calms them down with an eloquent speech that ends with the statement "And, now you are a community".
This show is absolutely hilarious, but also very thought provoking. How does a motley crew like this seem to meet one another's needs academically, emotionally, and sometimes even physically (Jeff has to live with one of the other students when he gets kicked out of his apartment and is found living in his car - classic) when they are all so different? It all comes down to that word "Community". The word community can refer to the location in which you live, but that does not necessarily mean that you are living in true community.
The origin of the word "community" comes from the Latin munus, which means the gift, and cum, which means together, among each other. So, community literally means to give among each other. And, that is true community. Giving of one's self, time, emotions, talent, efforts; all of you. True community is risky. It has the potential to hurt you. You may not be able to walk away unscathed, but isn't that kind of the point. To NOT walk away. Rather, to fight and give till you have nothing left to give. True community comes with so many more blessings and rewards. You find relationships that will last a lifetime. You have love and support during your darkest times. You have joy and celebration in the good times.
My community is not where I live - although I am enjoying my new residential location very much. My community is where my heart and soul live with others, spread out all over the country, but connected by a love for one another and a passion to serve God. He is at the center of my community. Although, the proximity of my community has changed recently, I know I will forever give of myself together with them. Love you guys (oh, you know who you are!)

A Season of Change II

Little did I know two years ago when I wrote the previous post exactly how much change was really ahead for me and my family! With the most recent changes, I am feeling the urge to blog again. I don't know how long it will last, but I will do my best to post a few thoughts from time to time. It may be funny quips about my kids or my job or may be some deep thoughts about life and its ever changing, yet constant meaning.
So, today I will leave you with a verse that I am pondering.

I Thessalonians 5:16-18

Be joyful always;

Pray continually;

Give thanks in all circumstances,

for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

A season of change

Well, school begins today and there is change in the air. I think everyone in our home is experiencing some kind of change right now.
Robby begins first grade. This is a grade with a number!! He is very concerned that there are letter grades this year as well. Overall, he is excited but still a little aprehensive of the possible differences from his much beloved Kindergarten class. He really loved his teacher last year. As we dropped off school supplies, he was anxious to meet his new teacher, but really wanted to go say hi to his old one. I know he is going to do great.
Robby is also starting his first competitive sport, soccer. I've always wanted to be a "soccer" mom. Yay, now I am one. They supposedly don't keep score at his age, but who are we kidding. Those parents are keeping track of every goal.
Melanie is going to take another year before beginning Kindergarten. As a child who has a summer birthday and didn't go to school until I was 6, I understand the many advantages to waiting. I can look back now and see that the extra time allowed me to be a little bit more mature and an above average student when it really mattered most... Jr. High and High school. I hope my daughter experiences the same advantages that I did. She does get to start a new preschool program at a new "school", though. She is very excited. Somewhere she heard the term Pre-kindergarten and has self labeled her class "pre-Kin". It's very cute.
I, too, anticipate some changes this fall. I will begin a new work schedule since I work primarily with at-risk teens and their families, I have to wait till they are out of school to meet with them. I will also be developing a school program for at-risk kids for the rural schools in our area. In time I may be able to work exclusively during the school day at the local schools. But, until then I anticipate a pretty hectic schedule.
I have also added a couple of new "hobbies" if you will. I have played around with running for a couple of years now, but had never gotten hooked. I hadn't experienced that "runner's high" or the addiction that Others,ahem, HETH have illuded to. But, this last spring I began to take it more seriously and now I'm signed up to run a half-marathon. That's 13.1 miles, people. I think I must be on something. I'm not athletic and have never liked running, but somehow the bug has bit. I'm battling through some foot problems, but I've started to treat it appropriately and already feel better.
I've also taken up knitting . Yes, the old lady craft with pointy sticks and balls of yarn. I don't think I will share with you my first project, a washcloth, because it is hideous. It has double knit stitches and dropped stitches and all kinds of bumps and bulges. I'm hoping the recipient of this labor of love will appreciate each knit and purl I put into it, though. There is a lady in our community collecting washcloths to send to orphan children in Somalia with a bar of soap and literature on daily hygiene. I can just picture it now..."My washcloth isn't as nice as yours"...hopefully orphans aren't picky.
With my crazy schedule, Bill is going to end up with a couple of bedtimes a week and running Robs to his soccer practice, so he may get a little "Mr. Mom" syndrome this fall until my schedule gets more settled.
It seems like with each new school year, we as parents experience change as well. I'm looking forward to this fall and all tha tit holds for us.

Ten things that bring me JOY

This is a list I've been working on through out this summer.

1. Beautiful flowers. Gladiolas to be exact.



2. S'Mores.

3. Late Summer nights filled with friends and laughter.



4. The POOL.



5. Freshly done Kitchen.



6. Summer Camp.







7. The loving arms of my husband.







8. Sweet kisses and "I love you"'s from my little ones.


9. Brand new school supplies.

10. School starting this week!!!!

Here's What I was Thinking

A couple of weeks ago, I posed a very simple question: "What was I thinking?"
Well, here's what I was thinking. I have been thinking about redecorating my kitchen since we moved in 4 years ago this month. In fact, I was so set on redecorating the out-dated, somewhat tacky, just a little too Amish (nothing against the Amish, I love their cinnamon bread)for my taste kitchen...that I ripped down the icky, falling off the wall basket border within weeks of moving in. Thinking this would motivate me to take care of it right away, I continued to slowly peel away pieces of the Amish quilt patterned wall paper over the next couple of years. Instead of motivating me, each new layer of wall revealed simply frustrated me even more. Pretty soon the cabinet doors were even falling off their hinges right before my very eyes...literally. Thankfully, I have a handy dad who can fix almost anything. He willingly repaired the doors for me. But again, instead of motivating me, they sat in the garage, "fixed", for about a year.
I knew the general direction that I wanted to go right from the beginning, but finding the time to do it is ridiculous. I knew I wanted to put up paintable wallpaper, so that I could change the color as I wished. I actually purchased the wallpaper over a year and a half ago. With the repairs needed on the cabinet doors I knew they would need painting. This was a more difficult decision for me. Do I paint over the cream with something else light, just to freshen them up or do I go for something bold, a big change. Well, here are some fun pictures of my new "Coffee Kitchen" as Robby calls it.



I found this great border that incorporated all the colors I had already chosen to complete my "Coffee Kitchen". It is only on one wall, so it isn't too overpowering.

I decided to go with black for the cabinets. It is a "hot" color right now, yet still neutral enough if we decide to sell the house anytime soon.


Here is a close up of the quick thinking trim I came up with. I had an odd sized gap between the cabinets and the soffet above them. In some places it was very small, an eigth of an inch and in others much larger, like a half an inch. I wasn't sure what to do with this space so I hot glued a cotton-poly rope trim normally used in fabrics into that space. It seems to be working just fine and I think it looks great.

So, that is what I was thinking dumping the contents of my kitchen onto my dining room floor. It was a very long week with several late nights, but I am very happy with the results.

Tom Came to my House Yesterday

Tom came to my house yesterday. He is a hard working young man. He and his girlfriend have recently restored a 125ish years old home. His favorite part is the giant claw-foot bathtub that is big enough for two...(TMI, Tom...definitely more than I wanted to know about you, dear.) Tom is a profuse sweater. No, he doesn't HAVE a big sweater; he sweats a lot. A LOT! But, if you have met my husband you know that doesn't bother me, too much. Something else you must know. I LOVE TOM. I'm not in love with him and I will never see him ever again, but I love him.
Why, you may ask, would I love a man that I have only met just once and will never see again. Because, he brought me two boxes that look like this...


Inside those two boxes were these...



I have never been so excited to do laundry!!! And, that is why I love Tom. He brought me my big beautiful new front-load, energy efficient washer and dryer.
This is really a wonderful God thing. My Uncle has worked for the Maytag corporation for probably over 30 years. My Grandfather worked for Maytag before him for many many more years than that. Maytag was recently bought out by Whirlpool. God directed my Uncle and some friends of his to start a private Research and Development Company. This allowed them to get a contract with Whirlpool and continue doing the same kind of work with all the same people.
Anyway, with all the changes at Maytag, the company opened up their employee discount to family of employees. I am a family. Yay!!! The other wonderful thing is just how perfect God's timing is. Our washer and dryer were fairly old and although they still work, I don't think they did as good a job as they could have. Drying times seemed to be getting longer and longer. And, mysterious little holes have occasionally appeared in my clothes. It was time for something new and this opened up at just the right time.
We were able to get this Maytag Neptune for such a good price. It doesn't look super fancy. There is no viewing window. (The kids were a little disappointed in that.) But, my Uncle and my parents have the same washer and dryer and they say you can fit 18 full size bath towels or 3 sets of queen size sheets or 12 adult size pairs of jeans. I have also been told by him and a salesman that I can put dirty, grass stained clothes right in the washer without even pretreating and they will come clean. No pretreating, how will I ever restrain myself from dowsing each grassy, muddy, or PB&J spill with Oxiclean. OOOOHHH I can't wait to give it a try. As soon as my new BFF, Tom, left I gave the laundry lady a quick call. I knew that she would appreciate my joy over a new washer and dryer. Anyway, I'm just a little excited. As I sit here and type my sweet little girl has informed me that she wet the bed early this morning and I will need to wash the sheets today. YAY!!! Wet sheets. I can't wait.

P.S. Big shout out to my hubby, Shawn, Paul, Zach and Cody for removing my old washer and dryer at 10:00 the night before. Thanks for getting rid of those old beasts. My feelings for you are almost as deep as they are for Tom.