{Memorial Day 2012}

First off, big THANKS to all our service men and women who are active today, and to our vets. THANK YOU for all you do for this country! {big shout-out to my cousin's Benjamin and Jonathan...so proud of them both!}

 {top left to bottom right- kids on the slip-n-slide! Declan and Owen {2 months apart} my dinner plate, Matt and Justin playing some corn hole, Karyn and Matt tending the fire}

Our friends' the Bushs'...have an AMAZING backyard and we spend the afternoon/evening there. The kids played, adults talked and played, we had a great dinner, and finished the night around a fire making smores. 

{more slip-n-slide action}

{and my baby...who will be ONE {1} on Friday!!!}

Kindergarten Graduation

EJ and his sweet teacher, Mrs. Walker. Last Friday was kindergarten graduation. The class prepared a little program for the parents, it was sweet. Afterwards lots of pictures were taken and I snapped this one of Evan and his awesome teacher Mrs. Walker. She was fabulous to work with, kept us in the loop of what the class was doing, and she has such a sweet heart for Kindergartners. Very thankful for such a great school. ( Maxwell's teacher rocked this year too) Can't believe EJ is on to 1st grade and Max on to 3rd!

the mother's day that wasn't

   {taken on the way to church, Mother's day}

7:38 my alarm went off, and I hit snooze. I heard Justin in the bathroom finishing up before he had to leave to be at church by 8.
 I think I hit snooze at least three times before I forced myself out of bed. Good thing I had thought of what to wear the night before. Got dressed, tossed my hair up in crazy pony and went to wake the boys. After coaxing them out of bed, got them downstairs, dressed and grabbed Clif bars for the car, we headed out the door at 8:49...we were doing well.  { I forgot to mention that I completely fell flat on my face right after I put my wedge shoes on...who falls in wedge shoes? I should just stick with flats}
It was pouring rain out and I was dying for a Starbucks latte. Unsure if Sunday School started at 9 or 9:15 I decided it'd be best to skip Starbucks and just get to church. As I pulled up to the curb in front of our church building {which is in a strip mall} an older couple from church was headed in. They saw me and Bill headed over to help. He took Dex and a box for me while the rest of the boys piled out and into the building and headed to their classes.  I headed in {wondering why I didn't grab my rain jacket as I was wearing a white blouse, but luckily the rain had subsided a bit} and grabbed Declan who was being held by Laurel , made some small talk with a few people and went to grab a cup of coffee.
  I poured my coffee and opened a creamer {creamer is a new thing for me, I used to do black but have been finding a little cream enjoyable} I dump in the half and half and there are curds...in my coffee. GROSS. I look at a few more of the creamers and they all look gross. Justin comes in at some point and offers to drink my curd coffee and I grab a new cup and someone brings out a new box of creamers...and the old box which expired 5 months ago. We toss it in the trash.
   I head to the nursery as I am on duty for babes this morning during Sunday school and 5 kids and I {and my friend Gina joins at some point} stack blocks, look at books and color. It was chill.
   After Sunday school ended, the girls who were on for church relieved me of my duties. I found the boys and we sat in our row, as church began. Long story short,  Liam and Evan fought over toys Evan snuck into church...I hulled them both out, spankings and a firm talking to. Back into church, Liam and Evan fought over a Bible, Evan laid on floor, Liam whined, Liam stole Maxwell's paper, while I was trying to get Evan off said floor. My friend Jess came over and took Liam to sit with her while I talked to Evan to sit still while he pulled away as I had my arm around him whispering in his ear. I stood up to finish singing what was left of the singing and cried. I was not only utterly embarrassed but felt like the WORST Mother EVER. I felt like I had ZERO control over my unruly children and that they had no respect for me.
  After church I bolted. I talked the people I only had to, gathered the boys and left. Justin called asking if I had the boys and I was all angry and annoyed at him {for no reason of course} and went home. I grumbled as I picked up pajamas scattered all around the living room, swept and cleaned things left out from the night before. I heated up some leftovers for lunch and cried again as I folded laundry. There was no real reason...just hormonal and being completely selfish.
Justin came home and told me to leave the house for awhile but I didn't feel like it. I finished laundry and took a short nap on the couch.
  I woke up in a much better mood and Justin reminded me that I had much to be thankful for, four healthy boys { a baby on the way} and despite the frustrations of everyday life that we all experience, I should be praising God for the blessings he has poured out on us.
  And he was/is right.
We decided to go to Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner. Not exactly my Mother's Day choice of dining out, but we had a gift card from a couple of kids on Maxwell's soccer team as a gift to Justin {who coached}, and the boys all LOVE B.W.W. TV's and trivia...they are in love. And the place had only a few other people there, one of which was a large family of older kids and adults who were all watching intently and laughing wholeheartedly at America's Funniest Home Video's on one of the TV's. We had a nice dinner. Max and Evan were THRILLED to be winning Trivia {other people were signed on but clearly not playing} and we all left with full bellies and in a good spirits. At home boys went to bed and  Just and I stayed up for a bit before we to hit the sack.
  I'm not sure what I expected for this mother's day{ I didn't really have any expectations}...right after church I thought it was the WORST ever, but it turned out just fine. Nothing spectacular, but ending the day together just doing something simple was all this Mother needed.

{baby boy bow tie baby shower}

last night I hosted a boy bow tie baby shower for my sweet friends allison + beth both due at the end of May. it was a fun evening of fellowship, friends, and food.
 decor, bow tie punch glasses, bow tie onesies {made by yours truly} and guest favors {a personal favorite, Mrs. Meyer's!} allison + beth,   gina,myself, and carrie {sporting our bow ties...I look like a farmer!}
char, carolyn, gina, and lindsey, allison and beth again {strike a pose!}-mia {Rebekah who had to leave early :( but she made all the fun poms! }

game time    poms {made by Rebekah} and onesies {by me}
the Dexter {only male ...except for the ones in utero } + allison, rebeah, and lindsey enjoying dinner


the food {veggies +hummus, fruit, chicken salad +ham sandwhiches, 7 layer salad, bow tie salad {of course!!} crackers and spicy dip, and strawberry salad! YUM!
front door { flowers given + planted by my sweet friend Carrie Beth, poms by Rebekah}
the AMAZING bow tie cake {by Gina, who rocks at cake decorating, and they taste awesome too!}


   

{an announcement}

31.

Happy 31st to my sweetheart. xoxo.

Tennessee

Boys had spring break last week and we made a two day trip down to Gatlinburg/Knoxville Tennessee.


We first went to Ripley's Aquarium in Gatlinburg.

It was pretty busy there, but boys all had fun...especially seeing the sharks.

We hope to take them to Shedd Aquarium one day soon. I have great memories of that AWESOME aquarium in Chicago.

{my 5 boys looking into a big tank }

After a long night of swimming at the hotel and sleeping in {and me having to run to the store to get items to clean up half the bottle of nail polish I dumped in the hotel bathtub} we headed to the Knoxville Zoo.










The days FLEW by and we {and by we I mean Just and I} were pretty wiped by the time we got home Friday night but it as a fun family trip.

{ March- 9 months}

{ stuck on repeat}

How is it the moment I get the mounds of laundry Folded and put away there are four more mounds to do? I'm still trying to figure that one out.

If you sometimes, like me, feel like you ARE the washing machine in an endless cycle of clean, rinse, spin and repeat, you can understand my plight. Day in and day out, it sometimes can begin to feel like that movie GROUNDHOG DAY. {great movie by the way}. Getting in a routine is a good thing, and I like it, except when that routine has some bad things in it.

Lately I've found my patience level to be low. Every small thing upsetting me...tracked in mud, a spill on the floor, fighting over a toy, a dirty floor after I JUST SWEPT!!! I know when the kids are grown these will probably be things that I miss, but it's hard to see that in those moments.

I've been trying to teach myslef to be more dilligent in prayer each day. It's something I've never been good at...and as a youth I never liked praying in a large group, feeling like I was stumbling over my words, worried too much about sounding right to everyone else, but God. I've gotten over those things, and am able to pray easily in a large group as I don't worry about how I am praying but that I am concentrated on the Lord as I am speaking to him..but I still need to be more dillegence in each day coming before him throughout the day.

Even more, I've been understanding more the importance of prayer. How VITAL it is to my relationship with him. Been meditating on Hebrews 5:7, and seeing how important it was for JESUS to pray to God, to thier relationship. I'm taking on the challange to each morning after reading His word to spend a solid half hour in prayer. Praying scripture, praying for things I want to change in my heart, life, family, church, neighborhood and world. { I'm using THIS as a starting point}...and my hope is that I will develop good habits in prayer and that my prayer life would flourish as I talk with the Lord, praise him, seek wisdom and understanding.

And through prayer I hope that it will trickle down to dealing with life each day. The following I'm sure describes a day we have all had:

"Imagine yourself in your kitchen trying to make dinner for a group of little kids who are tired and should have eaten a half hour ago. Imagine that things are going wrong beyond that — maybe you are out of something you assumed you had, children are fussing with one another, and maybe your littlest is still at the age where they come stand on your feet and pull on your pant leg. Bonus points if you are wearing maternity pants and this little person is actually capable of pulling your pants down. You are hot, you are tired, and you are sick of it.

This is no time for a gospel presentation. There isn’t time. There isn’t anyone to lead the discussion around the felt board, because you are still scrambling to figure out dinner. This isn’t a time for a gospel presentation because it is a time for gospel application. This is a time to take the grace that God has extended to you, and feed your children with it. Apply what you believe about God’s mercy and kindness and long suffering towards us, and pour it out to them — in a form they can believe in. Unrest like this is just like a baby crying for a bottle — only what they need is spiritual milk. They need you to feed them, not with a lecture, but with application."-{Rachel Jankovic , Motherhood is Application}

I so often find myslef feeling defeated. The boys have worn me down to my core, and I just don't have the energy to muster up trying to help them see the gospel and God's grace in that moment...but like Rachel says, it is the PERFECT time to pull up my boot straps, get over myself and apply what God has graciously shown me, what he has taught me over the years.
I like how she puts it " ...feed them, not with a lecture, but with application."

And cue in prayer. By praying for those oppurtunities and wisdom to use those times to apply what God has taught me to teach my boys I hope I can better take advantage of those moments.

So pray for me and I will pray for you all, my sweet blog friends {and real life friends} as we work through life here on earth, doing the best we can to love and serve our Savior.

Happy St. Patty's

St. Pattys meal.

We had planned a St. Patricks Day Party on Friday night, since Justin was headed east with some other guys from church to help clean up from the tornado's that went through here a few weeks ago.
However, since our house is currently undergoing some repairs, our handyman was not done painting by Friday afternoon, so we postponed the party to Sunday.
And it was great. Below is the party aftermath.


the menu:
soft pretzels with beer cheese dip { made by my friend Lindsey}
baked kielbasa and kraut {made by me, recipe below}
colcannon {made by my friend Allison. Recipe HERE}
Irish soda bread { also made by Allison. Recipe HERE }
Guinness cake {made by me, recipe below}

It was a great meal, all of the food was YUM...and all thoroughly enjoyed.

the baked kielbasa was SO easy, here is the recipe.

Baked Kielbasa and Kraut

2 lbs. kielbasa
2 lbs. sour kraut
one large onion finely sliced
1/8 c. dijon
1/4 teas. allspice.
3/4 cup chicken broth

preheat oven 350.

cut kielbasa into 1/2 inch rounds. Rinse sauerkraut and drain. Cook kielbasa in large heavy skillet over medium heat. mix and cook until sausage is lightly browned. {I did mine in two batches to cook more thoroughly. transfer to plate covered with paper towels.
In same skillet, sauté onion and then stir in sauerkraut , broth, mustard, and allspice. Then add your kielbasa.
Transfer it all to a backing dish and lightly cover with foil.
Cook at 350 for about 20-25 minutes.
Let sit 5 mins. before serving.




Guiness Cake
recipe: {via smitten kitchen}

This recipe was originally intended to make a layer cake of 3 8-inch rounds. Upon many reviewers’ suggestions, I halved it and it fit perfectly in a bundt pan. The halved amount is below, and the icing replaced with a simple ganache.

1 cup stout (such as Guinness)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream
6 ounces good semisweet chocolate chips
6 tablespoons heavy cream
3/4 teaspoon instant coffee granules

Cake prep:
Preheat oven to 350�F. Butter or spray a bundt pan well; make sure you get in all of the nooks and crannies. (Some people even go so far as to brush the inside of their bundt pans with melted butter–you cannot be too careful!). Bring 1 cup stout and 1 cup butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer cake to rack; cool completely in the pan, then turn cake out onto rack for drizzling ganache.*

Ganache:
For the ganache, melt the chocolate, heavy cream, and coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally. Drizzle over the top of cooled cake.

Definitely doing a St. Patty's feast again next year. Justin has requested Shepard's pie already!

insta-Friday

Insta-Friday

{beer}

mind you, I am NO beer connoisseur, I'm more of a wine girl....

I DO know I dislike dark beer, like Guinness for example.

This beer Justin got {for the ladies} for our Superbowl party yesterday, and I saw many men partake as well.

Pretty good for the $.

instagram friday

being happy at home {part 3}

First of all , I realize my thoughts are all over the place, and I apologize for the poor organization of these posts.

Secondly though, it's good to know that I'm not the only one.

.

I've received a few e-mails, and talked with a few different people. Just working through it all in my {loco} mind

I realize that a HUGE part of my problem is just plain old being discontent. Being discontent because I want for ME.

I've been reading1 and 2 Peter. I was slacking off about reading it and yesterday spent some time meditating on it. It's awesome how applicable scripture is ALL the TIME.

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

{2 Peter 1:3-11}

As I was reading some of the Westminster Catechism kept popping into my mind.

What is the chief end of man? To glorify God and enjoy him forever.

THAT's IT.

NOT {and have a great job...and be able to sew like a maniac, have the best kids ever...etc.}

Glorify God and Enjoy him forever. PERIOD.

And it's true.

I know and see that a part of glorifying God CAN BE through your job, your sewing, through how you respond to your kids...and that's awesome.

I know there are many areas of my life I can work on, and wanting to do other things with my life is OK. But my priority should be { and desire to be} on giving glory and LOVING Christ, my husband, my family, my church body, OTHERS.

And if I can accomplish that...if when I die they can say she LOVED so hard. Loved the LORD mightily, loved her husband and children well, and was passionate about loving others...I'd be good with that.

being happy at home {part 2}

Here is the thing, while I am satisfied with where God has me, where I am at in life. The feelings creep in...the guilt I do feel sometimes that I'm not 'making a difference'...{which I know I don't have to work at a paid job to do}

I am COMPLETELY thankful and happy to be at home, raising our boys. I also know there are a lot of women who would love to be able to stay home with their children. I guess it's the 'grass is always greener' syndrome.

It's not even that I want a career, I know I don't I suppose it's just more that I don't feel like I am contributing to the world at all. I realize that I'm being selfish here {the purpose of my life is 'to glorify God and enjoy him forever. Adore, worship, serve, seek to bring glory to him}... but I'm human...a sinner.

The inter-webs can be a danger zone. There are blogs/sites about and by women who seem to have it all figured out as a wife, mom, friend....and I know that nobody has it ALL figured out and most don't really affect me. I really enjoy reading others blogs, what they have to say, getting to know some of them better {via e-mail, facebook, etc.} and appreciate them and many have been so encouraging to me in many ways...and I can honestly say I'm happy for them.

It's more the women who have it put together AND are doing something amazing. Like sewing their pants off, or doing cute crafty things, doing something sweet for their community...you catch my drift.

AT the SAME TIME...I realize that what',s the point of all that? I mean I suppose some of them do it for $$ , but mostly they do it because they enjoy it. And then they blog about it. Because why not? Makes total sense.

{ I however, am probably making little to ZERO sense, I am rambling on about the craziness that is in my head I realize...but I'll keep going, it's my BLAWG after all.}

So, I guess I just feel like such a lame person. LAME.

I do it...the wife thing, the mom thing, the house thing, the blog thing, the friend thing...

etc...but I'm not really doing any of it that great. You know?

I know...I KNOW that the purpose of my life isn't to be AWESOME, or to please other people, or show off my mad skills, it just feels like I'm not a little bit good at anything.

HELLO DEBBIE DOWNER!

I know, GET OVER IT already, but I can't help the longing of DOING SOMETHING with my life. Problem is...I don't even know what I WANT TO DO. I've looked into going back to school...in a few years, for nursing. I'd LOVE being a labor and delivery nurse...and since I have a college degree I can join in an accelerated program. Then I have doubts, like am I being completely selfish in wanting this? It's not like we need extra income or anything...and what about other things I've thought about doing...writing more, opening a store or restaurant? What about just simply investing more in people? Am I completely insane?

Is it just as simple as I am looking to other things for joy/happiness other than Christ?

Am I the worst child of Christ EVER?

Am I the craziest person on the planet...and the only person reading my own blog?

more to come....

being happy at home. {part 1}

{my parents house. December 2011}

As a young girl I don’t remember ever really wanting to be something in particular when I grew up. I never really put that much thought into it. Sure I played house, and friends and I would have a wide variety of pretend careers but even as I got older I never really had a career I REALLY wanted.

I suppose maybe it’s like that for a lot of people. I think many young people enter into college having NO IDEA what they really want to do. I honestly think it would be helpful for high school students to have a

‘careers’ class where they could observe and/or explore different career paths to help them decide what they might want to do. Then again people seem change their minds as they grow older too.

Anyway, when I entered college I decided to get a teaching degree. I always loved my teachers and I really wanted to teach middle school aged kids. After three different schools, and getting married, I had one year of college fund money and then I was out. Long story short I did what seemed completely logical at the time. I got a degree in history, thinking I could get a job at the historical society, or perhaps when Justin was done with school we’d move somewhere amazing where I’d get an amazing career with National Geographic or something.

YEAH.

I graduated and when jobs weren’t panning out in Madison, I stuck with my job at Starbucks and saw the head of the department for some ideas.

He told me to join the PEACE CORPS.

Nice and all, but I did just get married and pretty sure my husband didn’t want me taking off to who knows where and for how long. I’m sure I would’ve benefited a LOT from the experience but I was at a point in my life where it wasn’t going to happen.

So, I worked at Starbucks…and then I got pregnant about six months after I graduated.

TOTAL shock…and COMPLETE excitement.

I remember back as a young girl, sitting in church watching families file in with their sweet little children and want that. A husband and little babes of my own to love on, teach, and raise.

Now here I am, all these years later, with a great husband and four healthy boys and I find myself complaining. I know I should be completely grateful { and I am grateful for all the goodness God has given to me}, but I still feel….unsettled?

Am I the only one?

more soon…

{8 months}

just.

so you know these? They are all over Pinterest and Facebook:



they are pretty funny, right? Well this one was MADE for Justin:

hmmmmmmmmmmm...yeah.