Sweet Home in Idaho

black hole

2012-02-15T10:00:00.000-08:00

You know those corner cabinets that extend so far that it's nearly impossible to reach the back?
They're like a bottomless pit. A black hole sucking in last year's birthday candles and that thing you got for your wedding six years ago and still haven't used .

So. I was digging in the very tippy-top such cabinet, you know, just to see what useless or broken appliances I'd buried back there, when my fingers brushed something that I couldn't quite see.

I hate that.
I hate reaching where I can't see.
It's like a part of me is positive that there's a big hairy spider hiding in there just waiting to pounce.
It'll bite me and my hand will fall off from some crazy nasty infection.
I know it's not rational.
There's not a rational bone in my body when it comes to spiders. Just saying the word 'spider' makes me itch and check the ceiling. Now I'm itching. And checking the ceiling.

Thankfully there was no massive speeeeider *itch* lurking in the cabinet.
Just a box of baby cereal with a disgustingly greasy dust layer on the top.
I eyeballed the expiration date thinking that maybe Brit had given it to me for 'in case' I watch the baby (like that'll ever happen in this decade), and I had absent mindedly shoved it in there and forgot about it.
I mean after all, if I were to describe myself, absent minded and forgetful would be some of the first things that come to mind. I used to be a rememberer, but not anymore. The kids seem to have sucked my brain away a little bit at a time.
Now I just walk around in a mom daze writing everything down.

... Anyway, the baby cereal had expired in July of 2009. Definitely not from Britani.
The kicker is that I've cleaned that cabinet twice since we've moved in.
Apparently not very well. I must've been too much of a ninny to reach into that dark corner both times, because it's been sitting in there for about two years.

And I've been saying all this time that the reason I'm soooooo painfully slow when I clean was because I'm really thorough.
Ha.
There goes that theory.

I guess I'm just plain ol' slow.

happy valentines day!

2012-02-13T18:39:00.000-08:00

did you know

2012-02-03T13:10:00.000-08:00

... That the Susan G. Komen For the Cure Foundation funds Planned Parenthood?

$680,000.00 a year.
Cause I didn't.

truly I do

2012-01-31T16:56:00.000-08:00

Marital love is a demanding and dying thing compared to the stuff of movies and mirages.

The love of imagination — it’s a different beast entirely than love made in the image of a Saviour with nails in His hands.

... There are no standing lovers: the only way to love is to lay down.

Lay down plans. Lay down agendas. Lay down self.

Love is always the laying down.

This is how to make love out of a marriage: Love lays down it’s own wants to lift up the will of another.

Love let’s go of it’s plans — to hold on to a person.
- Ann Voskamp

I think this is an attitude sadly lacking in our self consumed culture, but if grasped, is a life changer. The choice between self love and godly love affects every single aspect of our lives.

What would it do for our children if we could teach them to truly love?

kid say

2012-01-28T14:18:00.000-08:00

Drew loves me so much. He just always wants to sit by me. And I let him.
At dinner... at King's Kids. And he never would want any of his sisters to get hurt or die.

Well, I know everything.

                                                   -Amber

the verdict on the detergent

2012-01-27T15:53:00.000-08:00

I know you've all been biting your nails waiting to hear about how my homemade laundry detergent worked out. It's been a little over a week, and while that probably doesn't sound like a lot of time to try out something like detergent... it is.
When you're doing laundry for six people you do, oh, about a gazillion loads of laundry in one week.
Just imagine the mountain that would pile up if you missed a couple days. I don't have to imagine because I know.
It's called the weekend.

Some lady's all like, "Oh I just do my laundry on Monday."
And I'm all like, "My family wouldn't have any clothes at that point."

Laundry sums everything up.
What is the one chore that you get behind on? It has to be the laundry.
What is the chore you hate the most? Laundry. Because it never. ends.
What would you do if you had two more hours in your day? I would fold. Laundry.
Why isn't dinner made? Laundry.
Why is the room a mess and what is that mountain on our bed? Laundry.

It's alllll laundry's fault.

Anyway.

All that to say that I have used more than my share of the new detergent in the last week.
I like it.
It works just as well as the Purex that I was buying before.
The only thing that I miss is the lavender and vanilla smell. But apparently you can add essential oils to remedy that.

I paid $9 for all my ingredients and got 1 1/2 gallon jugs. I scaled back on the water by a couple cups, just to give it a little extra power. I probably didn't need to do that though.
I don't know the specifics on the money I'm saving because math has never been my forte. I was going to figure it all out for you, but it took all of two minutes to say the heck with that. Suffice it to say, it's a lot.

It's very fulfilling for me to be able to make these random things for my household and save money. It's like a weird game for me. I don't know if that's good or just pathetic.

So. It's a go.
I would recommend it to someone and I will continue to do it (except I'll add in some essential oils to make it smell pretty next time).
Try it out if it tickles your fancy.

one for you, one for me

2012-01-25T14:45:00.000-08:00

You know that something is going on when the kids get real quiet. No question about it.

Like that night last fall when Drew went to bed without a fight. He'd been having fits for several nights in a row when it was time to go to sleep. Then one night I put him in his bed and that was it.
Silence.
I sat my butt on the couch and watched a movie in peace.
I'd went upstairs to check on him at some point even. He looked so cute all hunkered down in his bed with a snuggle.
A couple hours later I headed to bed.
That's when I noticed the hieroglyphic-like writing on the wall. And the toilet. and the door. And Charlotte's bed. And his bed. Well, it was on pretty much every flat surface available. In black permanent marker.
I knew it was him because of the e's. Drew's e's looked like a comb at the time.

Fyi folks.
Finger. nail. polish. remover.

So this is a little more harmless than the marker incident.

The rest of the little's had already made their way upstairs to wait for me to tuck them in and say their prayers.
Char bar though, had found a little tin of breath mints, and she'd managed to get the lid off.
Ever so quiet she sat with Bella. Sharing her stolen goods.

new bathrom prints

2012-01-24T18:39:00.000-08:00

I made these little prints for the laundry/downstairs bathroom.
I decided on the purple and gray because a) gray is not only neutral color, but also a clean one. I like my bathroom to come across as clean. Even if it isn't always.
I've had gray in there for a while. I just couldn't make up my mind on an accent color. And b) I chose purple because it rocks. Period. It's the best color in the world.
Besides, what would gray be without a little bit of color. Boring, that's what.

With soap. Very important.

I had my black and white Audrey canvas in there for a while.
I put her in the bathroom out of desperation
It was black and white so it went with the gray. There was an very large empty spot on the wall. Aaaand I didn't know what else to do with it.
I love Audrey. She's so pretty in such a lady-like way. But she doesn't really fit in here.
Ahhh. I really hated saying that.
But it's true.

She doesn't belong there. Not in a plain ol' utility room watching me sort the colors from the whites. Or worse, creeping people out while they use the restroom. It's weird.
No.
She belongs in some itty bitty apartment keeping watch over a brave young girl just beginning to make her way in the world. You know.

Anyway, I had been keeping my eyes open for a replacement. Reluctantly.

I'd seen some cute printables another site for $3.99 each, and it gave me an idea.
I made them, so they were fuh-reeee.
Photoshop. You are perfect. I think I love you.

I'd share them if I knew how, but I don't. I'll have to look into that.

birth announcements

2012-01-20T13:55:00.000-08:00

Here's a look at my first shot at making custom cards...

This was a lot of fun for me, and it's something I'd like to learn more about and expand on.
Especially since I can do it from home!

tuesday ten: I heart pinterest

2012-01-17T12:58:00.000-08:00

1. I am making this laundry detergent today. It's way cheaper than buying it. Like way.
Hopefully it works well.
I'll let you know... cross your fingers for me.

2. Also. This fabric softener.

3. Speaking of fabric. I need to make this fabric stiffener too. Or maybe this one. I'll try them both.

4. I made these fabric flowers for some pillows.
Only problem is that they're too floppy. That's why I need fabric stiffy.
My flowers would be just fine if it weren't for the children and man that insist on laying on those particular pillows, thus crumpling up my pretty flowers.
It's not like that's what pillows are for... I mean, c'mon people.

5. I made this sweater pillow too. Only I didn't think about the fact that my sweater was white... and my stuffing was green. So, you can see a greenish tint through it. It's pretty other than that.
I have to take it apart and sew a liner for it. I probably should have anyway.

6. One of my next projects is to make some of these bow ties for Drew. A little man in a bow tie is so, so adorable.

7. Making this for dinner tonight. I have chicken and I have peppers, and they both need used. Like yesterday.
I had planned on making chicken tortilla soup with the chicken and sausage stuffed peppers with the peppers, but that didn't work out well for me.
You can see why I never plan ahead.

8. I tried this no heat curling thing on my hair. The outcome was decent, and I think as I get better at doing it, my curls will be prettier. I did like it more as the curls relaxed through the day.
I'm thinking this will be an easy way to curl little girl hair too... and maybe more comfy to sleep in than the old fashioned sponge curlers.

9. I did this top knot with a twist thing for church on Sunday. I love my top knots and the braid just adds a nice little something to it.
May I say that I love my long hair. I would be perfectly happy to wear it long all the days of my life.

10. So you see, I heart pinterest.
It's like the magazine that covers everything that you may be even slightly interested in and never, ever ends.
It makes me happy in the same sense that thrifting does...
It inspires me to do way more with way less.

Oi. And that's a lot of linkys.

Anna. Just look what you've done.

fear

2012-01-13T20:41:00.000-08:00

Unchecked, fear becomes a monster of our creation. It lives in our own minds and feeds off our own insecurities. It makes us second guess ourselves. We stop short of we can do... what we can be.
It must be challenged or we are bound to it.
I entertained it. I gave it ground.
The longer I waited to confront it, the more unsure I was of what I would do if we met face to face... so it was avoided at all costs. I skirted around it's presence entirely.

When at last we met, I waited for the terror. I thought that I'd be the one intimidated. That I'd be the one hesitant to make eye contact. Shaking in my boots. Knees knocking.
But I wasn't.
From somewhere inside, my chin lifted. A daring calm replaced my dread. There was no angst.
My eyes sought to face it square on, but when confronted it would not, could not look me in the eye.
It's dominance was dependent on my deference.
I watched it run away defeated.

In that moment I realized that no part of me belonged to it. Not anymore. I was free.
It was done and I had won and it had been up to me the whole time.
I smiled uncontrollably and even laughed.
Silly little much-afraid me.

Somehow, I'd expected more from such an ugly beast.

white

2011-12-20T10:18:00.000-08:00

Not a color we're seeing a lot of. Sadly.
Please can it snow this weekend? I am not dreaming of a brown Christmas.

Amber shares my love of old style music. We like this.

This week is about to get super duper busy.
Today and tomorrow is cookie baking and candy making, I've got some crafting to finish up, Kaylen's birthday is Thursday, and we still haven't been Christmas shopping. Shh.
I know. We're cutting it a little close.
So is the snow.

It's more exciting that way.

hopping

2011-12-15T17:51:00.000-08:00

Alright.
I know we're in the middle of December.
And I know, if your home is anything like mine, December is madness. Utter, complete craziness.
In the best sort of way, of course.
It's a mad dash of parties, shopping, baking, decorating, crafting... really, it's exhausting.
In the best sort of way. Of course.
I don't mind going to bed at night exhausted because I had to find a way to fit regular life into the midst of visiting with family or Christmas crafties with the kiddos. See what I mean? Busy having fun is... fun.

We... the kids and I, make a lot of different things this time of year.
My main source of projects is the internet. I like to learn to do things and the internet is an awesome resource for pretty much everything under the sun.
Blog tutorials are great because normally there's some personality mixed in with the instruction.
Personality is good. None is boring.
That's why I try to have a personality.
... I try.

Now. I know you are busy, but I promise that these are all useful blogs with relevant information, and while they could lead to rabbit trails, they may also inspire you to some homemade goodness.
If you're looking for a fun Christmas project, a nice gift to make someone or you're working on shutter skills, here's a few fun places to look.

Jones Design Company. She has some sweet decor tutorials and inspiration.
You know those flower hair pieces that are all the rage? Well, they're all the rage in our house anyway. So, I was trying to figure out how they're made. I have three girls, and I need them.
I need them in every color known to man.
And that is what lead me to Ms. Jones. That and Google.

Sew. Craft. Create.
I like to sew and craft so because I'm creative so...
Ha.You like my spin on words?
Roll your eyes. I know.

photo tuts+. I'll interpret that for us simple folk. Photography tutorials and more.
I just found this blog while researching my new camera equipment last week.
So helpful in so many ways. So helpful.
A wealth of useful information. Thank you again, google.

Sew Like My Mom. Another sewing one.
There are lots of kid related sewing projects. I like to make things for the kids, but the little red dress is what drew me to this one.
I haven't made it yet. I just keep looking at it and think about making it.

Captured by Carrie.
Goodness gracious sakes alive.
Babies. Sweet, sweet, little, wittle babies.
And amazing art.
... Now I need me a baby to hold.

M'kay, maybe that last one wasn't very useful.
But it was pretty to look at.

nifty fifty

2011-12-13T11:42:00.000-08:00

Christmas came early for me this year.
No surprise.
My husband can't bear to keep a present hidden. I think it's literally impossible for him.

He gave me this first.

The hardest thing for me has been getting good pictures in low light. With the point and shoot it was a nightmare.
And I'm NOT a fan of the standard on-camera flash. Too harsh.
I prefer not to ever use a flash, but sometimes you have to. You just do.
To my knowledge anyway.

I'm going to tell you something and your going to want to smack me.

Once upon a time, a sweet couple asked me to take their wedding photos.
I was extremely hesitant and nervous because I didn't think my old camera had the capabilities.
I duly warned said couple, but in the end I took the pictures.
I spent the whole night with my stomach in a knot... trying to manipulate the few manual settings I had, chewing my fingernails down to the second knuckle, switching to auto and using the horrible camera flash, wringing my hands, switching back to manual, and pulling my hair.
The pictures had a nice seventies orange warmth to them. A very dramatic orange.
They may have also been blurry.
Oh. I guess there were those ones with blinding light and pasty white skin tones too. Those ones were sharp as a tack.

... Aaaaaaand I thought I might die.

I have been trying to kick low-light's butt ever since that horrible night.
Hence the bounce flash.
The light is distributed softly and naturally, and if used right (I'm still working on this) should eliminate shadows.

I think AJ's theory was that if he gave me half of my present, then it would be easier to keep the rest quiet.
Ha.
All of thirty minutes after I got the flash, he showed me this.

This lens is a dream.
A dream.

No. You don't understand.
I. am in love.

I've been playing with it, and I can't get enough. This is what they call a fast lens.
I can get good images of my moving kids. at night. in the house. without any sort flash.

Look at that depth!
I'm in love.

If anyone that has some tips for using my new toys please share.
Or any other low-light eliminating help.
I know you do.

tuesday ten: christmas pics

2011-12-12T23:08:00.000-08:00

6. Cookie baking time.

10.

one eighty

2011-12-04T00:24:00.000-08:00

If you haven't seen this you have to watch it. Please. Pretty please.
It will be 33 very well-spent minutes.
I promise.

I have never heard it said so well.

This is one to pass along.
www.heartchanger.com

kid say

2011-11-28T11:38:00.000-08:00

Heard on the way to McDonald's.

(Make sure you read this with a fake Spanish accent)

Oh, Papasita! Amber likey! - Amber

happy thanksgiving day

2011-11-23T23:35:00.001-08:00

Pastor read this at our Wednesday service, and I thought I'd share.

Washington's 1789 Thanksgiving Day Proclamation:
WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLICK THANKSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and assign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed;-- for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish Constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;-- for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge;-- and, in general, for all the great and various favours which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also, that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions;-- to enable us all, whether in publick or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us); and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.

(signed) G. Washington

_________________________________________________________________________________

Oh give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good!
Have a happy day!

thanksgiving week: thankful ten

2011-11-22T10:22:00.001-08:00

For:

A blessed year.
A year of grace and mercies new.

Zion Baptist.
Some have compassion, making a difference.
You made a difference to me.

My hubby.
Stronger than ever we are.

My children.
They put a smile on my face and teach me something new.
Every day, all day.

My family.
Always there.
I love them.

Babies.
They melt me at the very core.

Friends.
A shoulder to lean on, to cry on, to admire the tan on. - Anna

Homeschool.
A whole new awesome side to motherhood.

Bus kids.
Reminding me that it's not all about me and mine.
People need the the Lord.

And for being Abba.
Faithful.
Working together for good.

Thank you Lord.

thanksgiving week: kid craft

2011-11-21T14:35:00.001-08:00

Well. This is technically a kid craft, but I do one for myself too.

I try to make a deal out of Thanksgiving because... it's no secret, I'm a fan.
The world loves to go from 'I want candy' to 'I want presents' while just barely acknowledging a giving of thanks.
I don't like it.

So there.

This craft is something I've been doing with the kids for a few years. It's a fun way to get them thinking about how awesome we have it.

Thanksgiving Tree

You need:
construction paper
a glue stick
crayons

This is what it looks like finished. I didn't think to take pictures while we were actually doing it.
I was having too much fun.
Also. I was cutting and gluing for two.

1. Trace a hand on a piece of brown paper. You're going to want to trace part of the forearm too because this is the branches and trunk of the tree. If you forget the arm part you'll just have a thanksgiving bush. Trace it and then cut it out.

2. Glue the 'tree' to a solid piece of paper.

3. Now you're going to make some leaves. The leaves are the 'thanks'.
We use yellow, orange, or red paper here because it is fall, after all... even if the snow has already covered any sign of pretty fall leaves.
The first year I did this I printed my leaves from this template.
Now, I haven't the patience to cut along the lines, and it really isn't necessary to have absolutely perfect leaves. I cut them in a general 'leaf' shape and they look just fine. Either way works.
I make ten leaves for each child. The older the child, the more 'thanks' they can think of on their own.

4. After you've cut your leaves out, glue them one at a time to your tree. Placement doesn't matter as long as you can write on them... so don't place them on top of each other.

5. Write one thing to be thankful for on each leaf.

6. Finally I let the kids color a picture around their tree and I hang it somewhere they can see it... like the fridge. If they think of anything new to give thanks for during the week, then we add a new 'thanks leaf' to their tree.

These are fun to save, and we look at the old ones after we make the new ones.

That's it! Have fun making these with the kiddos.

kids say

2011-11-08T16:38:00.000-08:00

Mom, I know what an Indiana is. It's a girl Indian.
- Amber

surfer girl

2011-10-26T12:54:00.000-07:00

Mama, did you know that life is a lot like surfing?

I always wait with bated breath when Amber says stuff like this. She has a way with words.
Oh? How so?

I don't know. Thats what it said on the movie.

I should have known. Ever since we let the kids watch Soul Surfer she has been obsessed with surfing.
She wants to move to Hawaii to be a surfer.
She'd like to be a surfer when she grows up.

♪ Little surfer, little one, make my heart come all undone.
Do you love me, do you surfer girl? ♪

Sorry.
I couldn't help myself.

random tuesday ten

2011-10-25T17:58:00.000-07:00

1. I may be speaking too soon, but it seems as if home school is going beautifully.
Amber loves it.
Of course, it's kindergarten, and who didn't love kindergarten? I know I did...

2. Fun fact.
I flunked out of kindergarten the first year I tried. Ahahaha.
You may laugh.

3. We are very happy with our home school curriculum . I was a little worried that it would be too time consuming, but it turns out that the 'time' doesn't matter. Sure it takes up my time. Duh.
But turns out, I love the time I spend sitting with Amber and teaching her.

4. I'm always having these moments where I'm trying to explain something to the kids that I think would be interesting to them. I get all in depth thinking they're into what I'm saying.
... Then I get a "Uh-huh. Can I go play now?" because they just. don't .care.
But in school, they have to care. I love it.
Heehee.

5. I'm planning a trip to green bluff. We were supposed to go for Amber's birthday, but it rained nonstop all day.
Dumb rain.
We had a tea party instead.

6. Does anybody have a favorite farm up there or a must-stop-and-do-this at green bluff?
I hear the pumpkin donuts at the Harvest House are to die for.
And that I can get a good discount if I go on a Monday.
There's so many places to go, and I was hoping to narrow it down. If you haven't heard, I'm not to awesome at making these kind of decisions. I'm afraid I'll pick wrong and miss out on something better.

7. I know. Loosen up.
It's not like it's a big decision.
I happen to be alright at making those. Just the little ones get me.
Which store to go to. What to do for a birthday. What to get for a birthday. What to wear to church.
Could I sleep in for fifteen more minutes on Sunday without sacrificing breakfast?

8. We are always, always late to church on Sunday.
It's a problem.
Obviously I should be getting up fifteen minutes earlier. Or thirty.

9. And...
Here's a free audio book from Christian Audio, Martin Luther: In His Own Words.
I'll be checking it out.

10. Also, if you've got a spare minute, here's a good post for mamas.

Happy Tuesday!

project

2011-10-24T17:42:00.000-07:00

Here's a bit of the project I've been working on.

I'm kind of a learn-to-do-it-yourself-rather-than-pay-to-have-it-done kind of person. With the help of Google, and some awesome tutorial blogs I've been trying to figure out how to manipulate HTML.

Goodness gracious, me oh my! What a bunch of gibberish!

I'm finally getting to the place where I'm happy with the way the page itself looks, but I'm going to have to find a better way to present the photography itself. I'm not really "putting it out there" yet, cause I've still got some completing to do. It's taken me forever and a day to get this far because I'm trying to balance it with schooling, the house, the kids, and the hubby... and not steal time away from them but I'm so excited about where this is going.

I'll let you know what I'm up to with this deal soon.

gift

2011-10-19T13:46:00.001-07:00

So do you remember me talking about the neighborhood kids?
How our vans were overflowing with them all wanting a ride to church?

Well, the other night I got a call from a man in the church where AJ grew up. It went something like this.

"Hey this is ____, I wanted to talk to you about the bus ministry.
Okay?
Well, we've got a van for you. It's fifteen passenger, and someone said they thought you could use it.
... We'd like to give it to you so if you want it, it's yours."

I have no words.

All I can say is that God is so very, very good.
Amazing.

girls hunt too

2011-10-17T12:22:00.000-07:00

I'm not going to pretend to be what you call an avid hunter. The key word being avid.
When season rolls around, and I can't be in the mountains every morning and afternoon to stalk wild animals, I will lose no sleep. There will be plenty else on my mind. The thought of firing the perfect shot off into the morning silence does not dominate my thoughts or even one percent of them. I will not spend every spare minute at the sportsman stores looking at gear or guns.

That being said, I do like hunting with AJ. I know a lot of girls get totally lost when the guys start talking about this stuff. Their eyes glaze over. They eventually wander off to something that actually interests them.

So I'm going to try to 'splain it to you from a girl's perspective.

Let's get one thing clear.
Hunting is not about blood and guts and glory for me. In fact, being perfectly honest, I find that quality in a girl just a little bit obnoxious. And unnatural.
For me, hunting is about being in the mountains, having meat in the freezer, and bonding with my husband.

AJ tries to give me opening day.
I love this because I know that he could easily get a guy to go with him on this oh-so-important day of the year, but he wants me there. Even I know that letting a girl tag along on a hunt isn't ideal.
I can't hike as far as a guy could. I can't take the steeper, more rugged trails that a guy might take. I am absolutely worthless when it comes to packing out meat or gag gutting an animal.
Not to mention, hello? It's guy time... but AJ wants to take me, and I want to go.
So a-hunting we will go.

Hunting always means 'AJ and I'.
Time with my husband without kids? I'll take it.

I get to see him in his element doing something he loves to do.
The dark has barely lifted.
The world is silent.
The grass is wet.
The air is cold.
The mountain peaks poke through the blanket of fog.
The view is breathtaking, and God's hand is everywhere.
I wish I had pictures but I'm always too afraid to bring my precious camera.
And for some reason the camera always feels like an intruder on these particular walks. Like the shutter will spoil the silence. A picture could never convey what the naked eye sees anyway, because that kind of beauty can't be captured.
It's pretty stinking awesome.

So there you have it.
Why I, of a sound mind and one hundred percent girl, like to go hunting.

I think my mind is sound...

little moment

2011-10-04T15:41:00.000-07:00

"Mama. Lay with me."

She pats the bed next to her and I'm half tempted to tell her I can't today.
I have so much to do before she wakes.

I know my precious baby won't always want me to cuddle her at nap time so I lay next to her... cramming myself into the little 'big girl' bed that isn't very big at all. I lay my head next to her as she peeks at me through crinkled eyes.
Soon her face relaxes, and I quietly get to my feet. A,b,c,d,e,f,g... a stuffed animal sings cheerfully.
Her sleepy eyes fly open with a start.

"Mama. Lay with me."

So I do. Again.

Her eyes flutter shut within seconds.

Her breathing slows.

She smells like grandmother's Chanel and lunch and there's a line of drool going to her pillow.
Her lashes are beautiful.
Her cheeks are rosy and the curls are tightening around her hairline because she sleeps so hot.
She hugs her soft new puppy close under her chin. She got the puppy for her birthday and it has replaced her sock monkey. She won't sleep without it.

I should be making a grocery list and menu for the month but I lay there longer because I'm looking at her.
Really looking at her.

This is why I'm a mother. This is why I stay at home.

I kiss her forehead and file her memory away.
Someday I will want to remember.

kids say

2011-10-03T10:04:00.000-07:00

I just love all the colors of the world. -Amber

canning

2011-10-01T13:28:00.000-07:00

I have conquered my aversion.

My two sister in laws came over and Grandmother with her boxes and boxes of jars and three pressure cookers and recipe books from the 1950's.

I had so much fun!

I love cooking, especially when I can do it with family and friends. Cooking is way funner with girlfriends... and it doesn't hurt to know that I will have tons of food to use up over the winter.
My grocery bill will thank me.

Also.
I have a thing for rows.

There is just something about rows.
Pretty lines all in order.

I plan on doing lots more... now I just have to find a place to store it all!

autumn

2011-09-23T12:14:00.000-07:00

Autumn.
Like the goodbye of the sun's shine, bathing the world in gold before at last tipping over the horizon.
She begs us to soak in her rays before we must shut out the looming cold winter.

To breathe her crispness.
To behold her majesty.
To partake of her bounty.
And to offer thanksgiving to God.

I love fall.
And today is the first day of fall.

Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile.
- William Cullen Bryant

seeing double

2011-09-22T14:06:00.000-07:00

We live in a duplex.

The thing about living in a duplex is that you are waaaay more likely to be exposed to your neighbor's lifestyle than if you actually lived in two separate houses.

The walls are joined.
The yards are close.
The back patio's are separated only by a few feet and a chain link fence.

Unless you're a hermit, you're going to get to know your neighbor.

Good duplex neighbors are a plus. Big time.
Ours are pretty good.

I love our neighbors.

Ironman and ...Ironman. They're buds.

grace, seasoned with salt

2011-09-21T14:30:00.000-07:00

"But mama, I want to be good... my heart is just bad."

After a rough couple days of the kids seemingly endless quarreling and disobedience, even the smallest infraction was grinding on my nerves.
At my wit's end, I administered a tongue lashing that left me feeling like my kids were most likely viewing me much the same as they would a scary monster. There was no love in my words. I was sorry as soon as I heard myself.
A sarcastic voice drifted through the angry murk in my head... That'll teach them to speak kindly one to another.

So we sat on the couch together and talked about hurting with our tongues and selfishness and esteeming others better than one's self.
That's when Drew told me his heart was bad.
And I didn't know how to answer him.
His heart was bad.
As was mine.

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not... O wretched man that I am! Romans 7:18, 24a

"Let's just try to have more patience with each other. Kay?"

What I meant was grace, but he wouldn't be able to understand the deepness that is grace.
God has so much more than patience for us.
He gives us His grace. His unmerited favor, His presence in our lives.
For some reason He gives us this abundant grace that we could never ever, even at our squeaky cleanest, deserve or earn.
And if His grace abounds so, then doesn't it stand to reason that it should flow through to others? Should not our tongues and actions speak of the grace that has been given to us?

When I was a girl, we had a magnet on our fridge that said "Grace, seasoned with salt." My step-mom had put it there as a reminder to herself. It comes to mind often.
Mostly when my tongue gets away from me.

Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. Colossians 4:6

Not "salt, seasoned with grace."
Grace, seasoned with salt.

We can never have enough.

two

2011-09-12T23:31:00.000-07:00

My sweet littlest.
My fair curly haired doll.
My gift.

Growing so pretty so fast.

I love.
To hear you pray simple at night.

Your mussy hair when you wake.

Your sparkly, smiling eyes.

To hold your precious hand.

That you love to sing.
I hope you always love to sing.

Happy birthday angel.

I love you.

saturday schmaturday

2011-09-10T17:12:00.000-07:00

morning

2011-09-08T13:36:00.000-07:00

What must it be like to leave this earth and enter Heaven?

To fall asleep a sick, broken, tired, and sinful man... and awaken to a perfect place, with an incorruptible, immortal body... in the presence of the holy God.

What joy must tear through the soul when our faith becomes sight.

To enter that great city bright with the light of the Lamb.
To sit at the feet of Jesus.
To witness all things made new.

"And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth..."

When resurrection claims victory and death bears defeat.

So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body...
... Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
I Corinthians 15:42-44, 51-57

new things

2011-09-07T12:02:00.000-07:00

We learned to sew.
Rather, we polished up our sewing skills... I did.
The ladies at church had a mother-daughter sewing class, and Amber and I had a blast!
I've always been hit and miss with sewing. Mending. A skirt here. An apron there.
Sometimes my stitches are straight and sometimes they resemble a two year old trying to color inside the lines.
However, I made Amber and Kaylen both a dress and even managed to do it straight... with the girls help of course.

My hair.

Cheese!

I'm going to can.
I'm going to try to can.
I've had an aversion to canning because I hated doing it growing up. I hated picking the fruit because it almost always involved finding a spider crawling on me. Grapes were the worst.
I hated washing peaches because you never knew when an earwig was going to run out. Earwigs are gross.
The kitchen was hot and humid from the huge pots of boiling water, and there was no air conditioning.
I would rather have been reading.

I may have been a bit of a nancy.

Anyway. I miss canned peaches.
My kitchen is air conditioned.
It's harvest time, and it's now or never.

Homeschool.
Just seeing the word gives me an anxious knot in my chest.
We're going to start a couple of weeks later than the public schools, because I changed my mind on curriculum at the last minute.
I was going to use ACE but switched to Christian Liberty Press. We shall see if I made the right decision.
Pray for me.
I'm going to need it.

off the street

2011-09-01T22:19:00.000-07:00

We turned our internet and cable off for the summer.
We didn't plan it. There was a 'policy change', some horrible customer service, and then it was off.
Just like that.
We planned on having it reconnected within the same month, but things being what they are... it just kept slipping to the bottom of the priority list. Rightfully so.

I do have much to tell, and as much as I want to gush it all out at once, I'm going to try to pace myself.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

When we first moved here, I noticed right away that the kids seemed to... well... play in the streets. They do. I've growled through clenched teeth at more then one little kid that jumped out in front of my moving van on his bike.

Once we left the garage open and we found a boy hiding beside our freezer with his Nerf gun.

A four year old little girl knocked on my door one Sunday afternoon and wanted to come in our house to play. I had never seen her before. I didn't know her parents. I didn't know in which duplex she lived.
And she didn't know me.

They irritated me with their darting in front of my car, playing on my front steps, and leaving their toys in my yard.

We had VBS in the beginning of the summer, and they all came. I wish I could say that I felt the burden for these kids and invited them, but I left it to someone else.

Two got saved and it didn't stop there.

Grandmother Molly continued to bring them on Wednesday nights to the kids class at church.
They brought their friends and their friends brought friends and next thing you know her minivan was overflowing. Kids were sharing seat belts and sitting in the back and her and her husband were driving separate vehicles to church so they could bring more.

Then she asked if I had room for some so we fit two more in my van.

I listened to ____ tell me her story on the way home from church.
Her daddy left when she was three months old. She lives with grandma. She'd come to Sunday school but Sunday is the only day her mom comes to see her. She likes when her mom visits.
She poured it out like it was nothing.
At eight years old this little girl knew more about the coldness of this world than I knew at twenty five.

That night, God used a child to expose to me my horribly selfish heart.
I, for almost twenty years of knowing the Great Physician, had kept Him all for myself and my own.
I held it close like there was none sick and diseased that only He could heal.
Acted as if people didn't need Him.

Since then, AJ has started driving separately so that we can have a couple more seats to bring kids. They're still stacked on top of each other and wishing there was more room for so-and-so down the street.
And there has been talk of finding a bus or a sixteen passenger van at the least.

Amazing.

amazing

2011-08-11T11:43:00.000-07:00

God is amazing.

As I talked on the phone with a close friend, I tried toexplain the things that God has done in my life. That is the one word I keptcoming back to.
Amazing.
It’s just not enough.

Oh were the skies of parchment made…

God has made it clear to me that I have spent far to long focusing on what has been already done.
I've been so consumed in God 'fixing things' that I was too blind to see that it was me keeping Him from doing so. I guess I expected Him to do it my way.
But then He wouldn't be God if that was how it worked.

All I wanted was to be 'held'. It was nice. To rest in the arms of God.
And what could possibly be wrong with it?

Hear me out.

The problem was that I nursed my wound longer thanI should have. It was making me extremely self-centered. My emotions were in the driver's seat and they were taking me for a ride.

It’s like when one of the kids gets running too fast andthey fall. They scratch their knee, so I give them a band-aid and kiss itbetter. They may even need a kiss better the next day.
After a week when it’s all but gone and they still want anew band-aid, I’ll be a little skeptical but I’ll give it to them anywaybecause I love them… and I wouldn’t withhold something good from them. Besides,do I mind the extra kisses? Most definitely not. I like kisses.

But there are times when I tell them enough already.
Its time to put on their big kid undies.
Shake it off, toughit out, and get on with their happy little lives.
I tell them this for their own good, of course.

Why let a little scrape take precedence over the sun in the sky, anice warm cookie fresh from the oven, or a trip to the park?

Get my gist?

A wise lady said that if something was getting me down, thenI needed to get my eyes off myself and find a way to serve someone else.Instant joy.
Be the blessing.
Lesson number two this year.

Turns out that God doesn't let go of my hand just because I stop moping around, and I can still come to the garden even if I’m not melting in mytears.

Amazing.

I have so much to tell.
This is an exciting season of my life and I can't wait to see what amazing thing God is going to do next!

sick

2011-07-11T10:42:00.000-07:00

Charlotte woke up with a fever last night.

She needed some cuddles.

Bless her precious little heart.

yaaaaaahoooooo

2011-07-09T09:46:00.000-07:00

You may have already seen this because it's on Yahoo.

I'm that nerd that reads the news that isn't always real news. The thing I like about the Yahoo page, is that they have the main news stories but it's not all depressing and sad.
For instance, you can read about 10 things you can do to help up your credit score... or the story about the guy that built the life size Noah's ark using his arm to measure cubits.
That's a little impressive.
Even if it's not actually built to specifications, it's pretty dang big.

I don't like the news channel because I already know that mankind is depraved.
I just don't need to hear about every single little depraved thing that they do.
Depravedness spun this way. Spun that way.
I'm not interested.

So I read Yahoo.
You may laugh if you like.

This was the the first thing I saw this morning and it made me smile and tear up at the time.

Is that the sweetest thing you've ever seen?

Sniff.

day at home

2011-07-07T13:21:00.000-07:00

We celebrated the fourth at home because, honestly, we were exhausted.
We'd spent the week moving my mother in law out of the home that has been hers for almost thirty years. That's thirty years of stuff to go through.

And going to the movie late on Friday and to the races on Saturday didn't have anything to do with us being tired.
No way.

The kids played in the kiddie pool.

Charlotte laughed hysterically.
I'm not sure why, I'm just glad I captured it

We had a few people over for a barbecue.

We did sparklers.

We cuddled up and watched fireworks.

We went to bed.

The End.

day at the races

2011-07-06T20:00:00.000-07:00

We started off the Independence Day weekend by going to the races on Saturday.
Racing is sort of a big deal to my husbands family. Big.
We had Charlotte yelling "Go, Jr., go!!!" at the television a few weeks ago. She doesn't even know who that is.
Yet.

Amber liked the pink race car.

Because it was pink.
Does she need another reason?

That's my girl girly girl.

Drew likes Greg Biffle. Sadly, Greg Biffle doesn't make it to the Spokane County Raceway.
So Drew cheered for any car that was painted blue.
Because he likes blue.
He needs no other reason.

His snow cone was blue.
His tongue was blue.
His lips were blue.

That's my boy.

Charlotte didn't get a snow cone.
She just sat there looking super cute and eating everyone else's snow cones.

One of the nice things about events that the whole family attends... there are babysitters everywhere.
Heehee.
I only love them for their babysitting.

I'm just kidding.

You gotta love family days.

They ended the evening with a fireworks extravaganza. I love fireworks.
Amber and I had a great conversation about them...
She likes the ones that are red and green and purple and blue sparkly dots. I like the ones that remind me of a willow tree.

July 4th

2011-07-04T10:41:00.000-07:00

"This brought on the war which finally separated the two countries and gave independence to ours. Whether this will prove a blessing or a curse, will depend upon the use our people make of the blessings, which a gracious God hath bestowed on us.

If they are wise, they will be great and happy. If they are of a contrary character, they will be miserable.

Righteousness alone can exalt them as a nation. Reader! Whoever thou art, remember this, and in thy sphere practice virtue thyself, and encourage it in others."
- Patrick Henry

Happy Independence Day!

portrait of summer

2011-07-02T14:21:00.000-07:00

Providence

2011-06-30T13:12:00.001-07:00

–noun

1. the foreseeing care and guidance of God over the creatures of the earth

2. God directing the universe and the affairs of humankind with wise benevolence.

3. a manifestation of divine care or direction.

I set out for the Post Office this morning.
I had letters to mail and a change of address form to fill out. I wasn't sure how many stamps I needed for my letters, because I was sending them to Canada and there were quite a few pictures in them. I figured it wouldn't be much, so rather than have to drag my purse along on the walk, I shoved a couple dollars in my pocket.
When I got there, I set Charlotte in front of me on the counter and started filling out the necessary forms for changing our address. A lady came up to me and asked if I had dropped a dollar bill. I put my hand in my pocket. "Nope, not mine."
"Well, it's yours now", she smiled and placed it on the counter next to me, then walked away before I could argue or even get a proper 'thanks' out.

When I got up to the counter, they weighed my envelopes and told me the total.
It was going to be 56 cents more than I had brought.
But I had enough because of the dollar that I'd been given.

Isn't it funny how God looks after us? We trust Him to provide for the rent or the car payment, but expect the little things to be too small for Him to care about.

This morning, Father put His arm around my shoulders and said, "I got this one, darlin'."

Isn't God good?
I just want to say that God is good.

transformation

2011-06-29T15:19:00.000-07:00

This is a jewel that God gave me eleven months ago.

"The fourth thing", said she waith a radiant face, "was really the first I learned up here. Every circumstance in life, no matter how crooked and distorted and ugly it appears to be, if it is reacted to in love and forgiveness and obedience to Your will - can be transformed."
Hannah Hurnard from Hinds Feet On High Places

Sometimes we need to remember the past, not to glory in it... but to glory at the distance that God has brought us through it.

recipe: peanut butter ice cream

2011-06-23T15:34:00.000-07:00

In honor of the wonderful hot summer couple of days we had, I'm sharing my recipe for peanut butter ice cream.
It is out of this world.

Peanut Butter Ice Cream

1 heaping cup of creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup whole milk
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
Optional: toppings (whatever sounds good to you- chocolate chips, Reese's, fudge, peanut butter cups)

With a mixer, beat peanut butter and sugar til smooth. Add milk. Mix on low speed until the sugar is dissolved. Mix in cream and vanilla.
Turn the machine on; pour mixture in, and mix until thickened, approx 30 minutes.
Add optional topping in and mix in completely.
The ice cream will have a soft texture.
Transfer ice cream into a container and freeze for 2 hours.

Note: I have a Cuisinart ice cream maker that has a freezable bowl that you make the ice cream in.
In other words, I don't need ice and rock salt to make it. If you have a traditional ice cream maker, you will need to have lots of rock salt and ice on hand to layer into your machine.
This recipe is a variation of one that came with my ice cream maker.

This is my machine. Cuisinart Pure Indulgence.
I got it for Christmas from AJ one year. It has rocked my ice cream making world.
No fuss, no muss.

This is the bowl.
It really is convenient, and I love not having to worry about making a special trip for ice and rock salt.
You just put that baby in the freezer til you're ready to use it.

Also. I'm not a salesman.
I just sound like one.
But from one busy mom cleaning up enough messes already to whoever else would like to avoid the extra work - it's a great machine that streamlines the whole ice cream making process.

And that's it for today's pitch.

Make some homemade ice cream on one of these wonderfully warm sunshiney days!

brocken hand

2011-06-22T11:27:00.000-07:00

This was Kaylen's last school paper.
I think it's pretty awesome.

I'll translate just in case you can't make it out-

Kaylen: Dad, are you okay?
Dad: Ya!
Kaylen: I love you.
Dad: I love you too.

I don't remember if I posted anything about this incident or not, but about a year ago Drew and Amber were playing in the back yard at my mother-in-law's house, and a neighbor's dog had come after them.

It had Drew and was shaking him around like a rag doll. Very scary.

Fortunately, Drew was wearing his heavy winter coat and that's what the dog had a hold of... so other than being scared half to death, he was okay.

Fortunately, we were paying attention, and AJ was out there before you could say 'boo'.

I've never seen a man run that fast. You could definitely say he unhitched the piano that time.
He punched that horrible dog in the face and saved the day.
And brocke his hand.

He was pretty awesome.

But I guess that's what daddies are for.

AJ in the kitchen

2011-06-20T15:03:00.000-07:00

The other night AJ made this soup.

Cream of mushroom.

It was amazing.
I mean good.
Sit and eat your yourself sick good.
Gorge yourself and think about it later good.
... If you like mushrooms.

I'd share the recipe, but it's a secret.
If I told you what it was, the cook at the golf course would have to kill AJ.
Then AJ would have to kill me.

You can see now why it's better if I just don't tell.

Actually, I don't even know whats in it.
I figure I'll keep it that way.
Then he can cook it for me the next time too.

I can give you a small hint.
One of the ingredients is mushrooms.

grad day

2011-06-16T15:36:00.000-07:00

Brodey graduated last weekend.
He's AJ's little brother.

We're happy for him.

He's a nice kid.
Fairly responsible.

Has a good attitude.
Not a punk.

... You know.

And how cute is that!?
Grandmas are the best.

That one's pretty good too.
Yeppers.

Look at those little cutie patooties with their uncle Brodey.

I'm feeling a little sentimental about this. I'm not sure why.
I guess because he's the last of the kids to grow up between AJ's siblings and mine.

Oh my. Look how little he was at our wedding.
That was six years ago! Make it stop.
Brodey is making me feel old.

My kids are not allowed to grow up.
Especially not that fast.
It's just ridiculous. Seriously.

camp meeting

2011-06-14T12:00:00.000-07:00

Church camp meetings have been a part of my life for a long time.

We drove in a caravan from Montana to Alabama for one when I was little.

We stayed in a cabin. Dad met Mary.

But our church meeting was always the best, and that's where we are going.

Home town.

Home church.

End of June.

I'm looking forward to seeing old familiar and comfortable faces and places.

And I can't wait to bask in the singing and preaching.

Oh the singing.

I feel happy already.

And just a little bit homesick.

Camp meeting fun in Virginia City.
Dad used to take us there.
Then I took AJ.
And we are going to take the kids.

one thousand gifts

2011-06-13T20:37:00.000-07:00

42. Surrounding of family.
43. Ants helping the flowers to bloom.
44. Soft piano in quiet times.
45. A sister in Christ on my side… pulling me through.
46. Children holding hands jumping on the trampoline.
47. Him teaching our son to throw a ball.
48. Summery weekends giving rest from rain.
49. Blessing giving rest from trial.
50. Friendship bracelets with him from him.
51. Watching the bonfire burn down as the day cools.
52. Barefoot races in the grass.
53. Looking down the church pew at fluffy dresses all in a row.
54. My little light singing This Little Light of Mine.
55. Baby name talk.
56. Chalk pictures on the sidewalk.
57. A voicemail from Dad saying he loves me.
58. God’s hand in the littlest detail.

portrait of summer

2011-06-10T18:20:00.000-07:00

no time

2011-06-09T11:03:00.000-07:00

No Time To Play

My precious boy with the golden hair
Came up one day beside my chair
And fell upon his bended knee
"O Mommy, please come play with me!"
I said, "Not now, son, go on and play.
I've got too much to do today."
He smiled through tears in eyes so blue
When I said,
"We'll play when I get through."
But the chores lasted all the day . . . .
And I never did find the time to play.
When supper was over and dishes done
I was much too tired for my little son.
I tucked him in and kissed his cheek
And watched my angel fall asleep.
As I tossed and turned upon my bed,
Those words kept ringing in my head,
"Not now, son, go on and play.
I've got too much to do today."
I fell asleep and in a minute's span,
My little boy is a full grown man.
No toys are there to clutter the floor,
No dirty fingerprints on the door,
No snacks to fix, no tears to dry,
The rooms just echo my lonely sigh.
And now I've got the time to play,
But my precious boy is gone away.
I awoke myself with a pitiful scream
And realized it was just a dream;
For across the room in his little bed
lay my curly-haired boy, the sleepyhead.
My work will wait 'til another day
For now I must find some time to play.

-Viola Walden

recipe: devil dogs

2011-06-08T11:14:00.000-07:00

When I saw that these were called devil dogs I had to make them.
And if that moniker isn't enough to make you want to try them... just look at them.

Pretty please. Chocolate with a cherry on top.

I came across these by way of The Pioneer Woman. Of course.
The kids had so much fun helping me put them together, and they didn't mind helping me eat them either.

It's a combo of two recipes... a cake one and a frosting one.
Hello captain obvious.

Overall the devil dogs were good.

The cake was good but the frosting had mixed reviews.

I'm a cream cheese frosting kinda girl and any recipe that lays down the best-frosting-I-ever-had claim better bring bring it's A game. I'm just sayin'.
I'll be making these again, but I'll probably try a different frosting with them.
That being said, the kids and hubby liked it. So make it and see for yourself.

They were very good, and I do have a tendency to over criticize.

Linky for devil dogs.

salamander

2011-06-04T18:12:00.000-07:00

The kids were gathered around Calvin. All four of them.
And Charlotte was squealing loudly... like only she can.

I had to see what the ruckus was about.

Cal had found a little salamander, and they were trying to make Drew hold it.
He was a little timid about the whole idea.

Drew is not a fan of crawly things. Bugs and salamanders included.

But they got him to do it.
His sisters held it and he couldn't let them show him up. That wouldn't be very manly.
Peer pressure man. The things we do for it.

Turns out he thought it was pretty dang cool.

Mr. Salamander wasn't quite as amused.
He ran as fast as his little legs could carry him.

Which is not very.

little brown church

2011-06-03T23:47:00.000-07:00

This is a little brown church.
The Little Brown Church.

It's where Grandma and Grandpa Potts go.

It's where Mom was laid to rest.

They tried painting it white once, but it just didn't fit.

It is, after all, The Little Brown Church.

I think it's beautiful.

free audio book

2011-06-02T08:49:00.000-07:00

Christian Audio's free audio book download this month is A Place of Healing by Joni Earekson Tada.

I've heard good things about her books, so I thought I'd share.

If you sign up for Christian Audio's newsletter, they send you a monthly email for a new free audio book download.
These are great for road trips!

swim suits

2011-06-01T17:08:00.000-07:00

It's almost that time.
Hopefully.
It should almost be.
That is if it were to stop raining before the fall season swings back around, then it would be summertime. I guess it would be summertime anyway.
A very rainy, sad summertime.

What I'm leading up to talk about is swim suits, and let's face it... if the swim suit expects to see the light of day, then the rain would need to first stop.
And we would need sun.
Hot, glorious, bright, energizing sun.

So... hypothetically, summer is fast approaching.
And one of our favorite things to do in the summertime is to take the kids to the lake or river and go out on a boat. We may even break out the kiddie pool if we just want to stay home. Anything to get in the water.
Which brings me to my subject. Swim suits.

I love shopping for swim suits.
For the kids.

And that's where the love stops.

It's not an easy thing to find a modest swimsuit these days.
When I was a teenager I used to wear culottes and a large t-shirt over my swimsuit.
I'm not saying that it's a horrible thing. I totally understand the whole idea of erring on the safe side. Especially now that I've got my own kids that I'd like to always protect from being the center of negative attention.
If you know what I mean.

Here's my point.
Is it possible to find something modest and flattering?
It ain't easy, that's for sure. I've been looking for years.

Yesterday we were in Costco and I came across this kiosk where they were selling swimsuits. I didn't see any bikini's. Tankini's only.
And then I saw the name. Diivine ModesTee. Is that a twist on divine modesty? Crazy. Modesty is not a word you hear too terribly often, so I looked, and they were.
The tops were anyway. Modest. Not revealing I mean.
Higher necklines. Long waisted.
I gots one.

Bye bye tank top.
I will still be wearing it with my board shorts because the bottoms were typical. They have skirts too but I don't like swim skirts.
I haven't since I was like ten and aunt so-and-so wore one.
Oh yes. Ten year-old me had a very keen opinion of fashion.
I said I had an opinion of fashion, not a sense a fashion.
I was also a big fan of the full dresses with the hoop skirts shown in western movies.

Anyhoo.
Diivine ModesTee will be at the Costco in CDA til June 5th. They also have a website if you're interested in looking.

picture from the past

2011-05-31T10:35:00.000-07:00

This is AJ's great-grandmother.
Madabelle.
... I hope I didn't spell that wrong.

I like this picture because I can't look away. I have to look at it at twenty times before I can put it back.
It's chock full of personality.
That outfit. Those dogs. The cars.

I want to be there.

today

2011-05-30T11:21:00.000-07:00

I went to church and youth group with Jim but the truth is I didn't know him very well. He sat across the aisle on the bus ride to college and career camp once. He was quiet.

He also happened to be Calvin's Sergeant during his first tour to Iraq.

I remember the phone call saying something had happened.
The terrible sinking in my chest the split second before they told me Calvin hadn't been there and was fine.
That breath of relief.
That awful silence after the names were given.

" I know him..."

Jim had a family and a fiance waiting for his return and I ached for them.
I had a heavy heart and a lump in my throat for days.

Memorial Day isn't faceless anymore.

Today in the midst of your barbecuing, playing, socializing, family time or whatever you choose to do...

please take a minute to remember what it's really about.
Don't be ungrateful.

Thank a soldier.

fluff

2011-05-24T15:49:00.000-07:00

I love cuddling the kids in the morning because they seem extra soft and warm and... cuddly.
But Charlotte is my morning person.
She wakes up happy. She doesn't sit in her crib and cry... rather, she sings. To herself. Or her snuggles.
I'm not really sure who she sings to.
But it is precious.
Precious I tell you.

This is an average morning.
Morning breath. T-shirt pulled over her jammies.
Toys littering the floor.

And that hair.
I can not even begin to describe to you how I feel about that hair.
Fluffy. So fluffy.
Pictures don't do it justice.
Just a big cloud of fluff.
Love that hair.

You know that part on Despicable Me where Gru takes the girls to the amusement park to ditch them, but then ends up spending the whole day there with them?
And Agnes sees that stuffed unicorn she just has to have?
If you haven't seen Despicable Me then you should. Really.
You are missing out.

The way I feel about Charlotte's hair in the morning is similar to the way that Agnes felt about her unicorn.
Sometimes I will leave it undone just so I can enjoy the fluffiness.

And if you haven't seen Despicable Me than you have no grasp on what I'm talking about.
I'm about to help you with that.

Now you see what kind of fluff I'm talking about.
So fluffy I'm gonna die kind of fluff.

His love

2011-05-23T11:37:00.000-07:00

It was in the Amy Carmichael book that I read and He dealt with me.
I doubted it first and thought it impossible.
Some things can be too much to ask.

"The more we ponder our Lord's words about love, and the burning words the Spirit gave to His followers to write, the more acutely do we feel our deadly lack. The Searchlight of the Spirit exposes us to ourselves, and such a discovery leaves us appalled."
"There is no need to plead that the love of God shall fill our heart as though He were unwilling to fill us... Cease to resist, and instantly love takes possession."
"It is possible that we may be enclosed in circumstances which drain natural love, til we feel as dry as grass on an Indian hillside under a burning sun... Shall we find ourselves meeting lovelessness with lovelessness?"

Her words planted a seed.
I revolted and reasoned against it.
I had forgiven and wasn't that enough? Did I have to love too?
Surely I could withhold love from just one and it wouldn't matter.

I read His Word and it took root in me.
I couldn't shake the conviction no matter how undesirable it seemed.
He wouldn't let it go. He wasn't leaving room for excuses.
There was nothing unclear about it.
Not the words of a man like my other book, but His own Word inspired.

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
I John 4:7-12

This holding back of love was a wedge between Him and I and He wanted it gone.
He was the example, and His love never failed.

The preacher man at my dad's church said it like he could see through me.
Like he'd had a front seat to our struggle.
Like he'd seen the darker corner of my heart.

Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
I Peter 3:8-11

He says that sometimes people hurt people.
And that sometimes the people that hurt us are brothers and sisters.
That we need to have compassion on them. Compassion is a passion that moves.
Love in action.

He says that I need to keep my lips off of them. He means that hurt doesn't justify gossip.
This railing... this evil has to stop at my door.

I had to smile at God. So persistent in His seeking.

This Love was something I needed to make it to the top of forgiveness.
To free open the way between me and God.

I sat in the service yesterday and listened to our own pastor talk about commitment.
Sometimes it isn't easy to do what you're supposed to.
But you have to make the commitment anyway.
Because it's the right thing.
Then you take up your cross daily.
You die to self. Then you die to self. And you die to self.
You kill this sense of self preservation we all feel so entitled to have.
I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live.

The Father whispers to me... quiet and insistent.
This Love is not a feeling. It's a choice.
It's Him in us.

He asks me to surrender my heart and let His boundless love replace my selfish own.

He asks me to put my hand upon my mouth.

He says that even the lost can love the lovely. To love the unlovely... that's the high road.
And that's the road we must take.

camera

2011-05-17T16:06:00.000-07:00

I got my camera.
I GOT MY CAMERA!
I will do my best to refrain from YELLING because I know it's annoying... but I'm excited.
Just a little.

AJ and Calvin bought it for me. I got it Friday night.
I haven't had it out of arm's reach since then.

Excuse me while I smile like a fool for minute. Or two.
Or three or four.
Who am I kidding? I won't be able to stop smiling for days.

It's the Nikon D3100.
I'd planned on getting the D90 for a long time, but when the D3100 came out I read a lot of great reviews on it.
I teetered between the two a bit til the 3100 won.
I love it.
I love AJ and Calvin too.
I want to give them a bear hug every time I take a picture.
Is that terribly shallow? I mean, it's not the only reason I love them.
M'kay. It helps.

This one I got on the way to Kalispell.

Isn't he funny?

Then I switched to RAW because I wanted to see the difference.
And now I have to read my users manuel.

Sheesh. I'm already in over my head... and I love it.

There is so much to learn and so much fun to be had!

Let me tell ya something.
This is huge.
HUGE!

ten on tuesday

2011-05-11T09:38:00.000-07:00

1. We spent yesterday outside. All day.
We even ate lunch and dinner outside.

Here's hoping that's about to be an everyday thing.

2. I get these dark circles under my eyes during the winter that make me look deathly ill, but as soon as I start to get some color on my face they diminish to a more respectable shade of dark.
Then I only look slightly ill.
I won't be sharing any of those pictures.

3. I decided to sit facing the sun yesterday in order to get some of the said color on my face.
And I got a sunburn.
On my back.
Because I only thought I was facing the sun.

4. I may or may not be an idiot.

5. AJ got his bike out for the summer.

Yeah baby!

6. I like to ride on the bike.

Last year AJ got me my own motorcycle jacket and helmet.
My helmet is pink.
I'm not wearing either of them in this picture.

7. We are going to Kalispell this weekend!

To see my dad and grandparents.

8. My dad is building a place there.
We're going to help him.

9. Also. Calvin is there on leave.
We may go shooting, have campfires minus the camp, and take the kids horse riding.

It'll be a good time.

10. Mr. Sun, your presence is requested in Kalispell this weekend.
Please.

motherhood

2011-05-07T21:22:00.000-07:00

It's morning breath and sleeping in the middle and cartoons before breakfast.
It's spilled milk and pictures on the fridge and crumbs on the floor.
It's puzzles and books and coloring pages.
It's skinned knees and band aids and kiss me betters .
It's missing shoes and messy hair and clothes that don't match.
It's superheros and cars and Lego's.
It's made up names and princesses and dress up.
It's hold my hand and push me on the swing and can we get ice cream.
It's bath nights and curlers and fingernail polish.
It's memory verses and Sunday school and Sunday best.
It's blankies and snugglies and pillow pets.
It's bedtime prayers and kiss good nights and tucking ins.
It's songs in the car and walks to the park.
It's water floaties and the smell of sunscreen at the lake.
It's pictures of mama with a crown and a camera.
It's sitting on the piano stool making music together.
It's whispered I love yous tickling my ear.
It's one thousand gifts many times over.
It's love enough to go around and around.
It's near and dear to my heart.
It's safe and warm and happy.
It's home.

... To be a mother, this is the rarest gift in the world.

Forbid, that we just have children and that is all — Ann Voskamp

grand. mother too

2011-05-06T10:25:00.000-07:00

My other Grandma is the mother of my mother. You can see why I love her already.

Dad used to meet Grandma and Grandpa every once in a while and they would take us for what seemed like a very long time... I'm sure now that it was just a few weeks.
We looked forward to these visits like... well, like kids.

Some things that I remember from that time...

Going to visit Oma.
A picnic in the park. Also with Oma.
Going to an amusement park. Tinker Town... I think.
Listening to Wee Sing in the car. You have more patience than I do.
Scotch mints.
The big mall with the rides.
Staying the night in Butte and mini golfing.
Going on a paddle boat.
Going to visit aunts and uncles and Paul.
Paul. He's a favorite.
Grandpa's merciless needling of Paul. Grandpa's a very funny man.
Freezing cold in Winnipeg.

I am so grateful for the way that Grandma made sure we maintained a relationship. I know it wasn't always easy.
For the long drives made to see us.
For Christmas parcels without fail.
For the the things that were Mom's.
For being at my 'graduation', even though it was a just home school one. It meant a lot to me.

My Grandma is a beautiful woman. Very beautiful.

Grandma kisses. The chubby eskimo baby is me.

Grandma and Grandpa playing with baby Amber.

Grandma and Grandpa are coming to visit us in a couple of weeks.
They get to meet our Charlotte.
I'm looking forward to it like a kid. Again.
Because I love them.

grand. mother

2011-05-05T12:21:00.000-07:00

In honor of the week, I'm going to be writing mother related posts til Sunday. Because I can.

There were several people that made an impact on me with their 'mothering'.
My Grandma was one of them. The main one.

A lot of my best memories are of time spent on Grandma and Grandpa's farm in Canada after my mom passed away. I think my dad was feeling a little lost and he needed the coming home to ground him.

Some things that I remember from that time...

Playing in an old tree fort that our uncle's had built once upon a time.
All the cousins crowded into the big room downstairs beating on a pinata.
Fresh picked mint tea.
Pretending to play the piano. Grandma never asked me to stop the noise. Bless her heart.
A tea party in a fancy dress that had once belonged to my aunt.
A calf in the mudroom.
Riding on Grandpa's tractor.
Sweeping the stairs with a hand held straw broom. It was my job.
Beautiful homemade clothes.
Grandma teaching me how to make the big bed right.
A cheery 'Good morning merry sunshine!' every morning.
My precious sun bonnet Sue quilt.
Pretending to take a bath one night. We had watched Unsolved Mysteries and I was terrified from it. When it came time for me to get in the tub I let the water run, got my hair wet, then sat on the toilet seat for as long as I could stand it. I watched the one bathroom window like a hawk positive that the boogieman was going to burst through at any minute. He didn't. And Grandma never said a word.
Reading from the box of old books that she still has.
" I don't run on shutters, I run on my feet, and when I get tired I sit on my seat." That saying has never made sense to me, but I say it anyway, because Grandma said it.
" Sleep tight. Don't let the bedbugs bite. If they do take your shoe and beat 'em black and blue." So many nights I laid awake waiting to see if the bedbugs would bite me. Did they crawl on me while I was sleeping? Was I supposed to sleep with my shoe?... If only she knew all the questions she raised in my little head with her sayings.

My Grandma is a great woman, and I would hope to be like her.
She is strong, wise, and Godly.
I love, respect, and admire her, and am so grateful for the example that she has been.
Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband [also], and he praiseth her. - Proverbs 31:8

I would call her blessed.

my grandparents on their wedding day

many years later - still a happy couple

pickin' wildflowers

2011-05-04T10:51:00.000-07:00

We went on a walk the other day and picked some wildflowers. They didn't last long, but they were beautiful while they did.
I like flowers, but I especially like wildflowers. They remind me of my Big Sky home.
And I like them on my table. They make the whole room happy.

Anna's picture. My photoshop.

I figured it would be okay to use her picture since I asked her to take it specifically with the thought of blogging about that day. It was a good day.
With sunshine and flowers.

I used CoffeeShop's Orton Effect on this picture. Normally I'm not a huge fan of Orton effect, and I can't really put my finger on why I don't like it. It's kind of overwhelming.
But every once in a while I find a picture that it works with. Usually it's a flower or macro picture.
I do like the depth it can give.

Here's another one I liked the Orton action on...

I use a lot of CoffeeShop's actions.
You can download them separately for free or for a small price she will bundle them for you.

ten on tuesday: cabelas

2011-05-03T14:07:00.000-07:00

1. AJ and I took Anna to Cabela's.

2. She'd never been, and we felt it our duty - as residents of a town privileged to have such an outdoorsmans paradise in our midst. Cabela's is camping, hiking, hunting, shooting, fishing, camouflage clothing headquarters.
I kid you not.

3. Also. They have a very large fish tank.
And an animal display complete with flowing water and a mountain.

4. Anna got her first camo. And I was there for it.

5. We played at the shooting gallery and Anna kicked my score's butt.
But. Butt but. The machine ate three of my tokens so I'm not sure that it counts.
I was distressed because I had like half as many turns as her.
It was affecting my shooting abilities.

6. Charlotte lost her shoes.
Charlotte likes to kick her shoes off.
In the car, it's not so bad. In the store, it's a pain in the neck. Many times I've had to retrace my steps.
So. Being the quick thinking mama that I am, I decided to stop her in her shoe kicking tracks.
I took them off the minute I set her in the cart and set them in next to her. We went here, there, and everywhere browsing around when I noticed them missing.
I should have known she'd throw them out... I didn't think it through very well.
Grr. Leave it to me to be outsmarted by the one year old.
I retraced my steps here, there, and everywhere and even checked customer service, but alas, they were gone.

7. AJ picked this cute little sign up.

Aw. Isn't that sweet.
He's a dear.

8. There was a very nice lady there.
She gave us fudge samples from the candy store. They have every kind of fudge imaginable.
The kids got two... just because they're so cute.
I didn't get two.

9. After we left, AJ said he forgot something and ran back in. You'll never guess what he stumbled upon.
The lost shoes.
In a neat pile where we were standing in front of the bird dog training section.
AJ would like to train Bella to hunt and he was showing me the stuff... aaaaand Charlotte got bored and chucked her shoes out of the cart.

10. This is what he 'forgot'.

It's one of those smashed penny things.
He got one for me and one for Anna so we'd have a little souvenirs from our trip to Cabela's.
Like I said, he's a dear.

song in my heart

2011-04-30T23:10:00.000-07:00

While Anna was here she gave me a music cd, and I have been listening to it at least once a day.
It's nothing fancy or professional... just some people singing.
They have so. much. joy.
It never fails to put a bounce in my step and my focus right back where it belongs.

I know He opened up my blinded eyes one day,
I know His precious blood washed all my sins away,
I know His peace, sweet peace has filled my troubled soul.
Yes, this one thing I know!

This song has been stuck in my head. And I mean stuck!

I've been thinking a lot recently about how right my Dad was when he said that the older we get, the less we feel like we know. At least for me. I know a whole lot of nothing about anything these days.
But this. This one thing I know.
And everything else pales in comparison. In fact, everything else doesn't matter. At all.

royal wedding

2011-04-29T10:43:00.000-07:00

I watched the royal wedding with Amber this morning... how fun!
I was curious to see what it would be like.. extremely stiff and proper, but just beautiful!
Everything was beautiful.

The queen.
Westminster Abbey.
The ladies hats.
The horses and carriage.
Kate! She was so elegant and poised. Her dress was lovely... very Grace Kelly

I know that everyone is probably sick of hearing about it, but I find it all so fascinating. I guess it's the little girl in me.
It doesn't hurt that I've got my girl to share it with. She was in awe. She kept asking, "She's a for real princess?"

It was a good little bit of girl time for us.

visit

2011-04-27T17:01:00.000-07:00

Anna came to visit us last week and we have so much fun every time we get together.
We are, as Anne of Green Gables would say, kindred spirits.
Seriously. I can't think of a better way to put it. We are.
In the corniest way possible.

We stayed up late, played the piano, talked cameras and photoshop, soaked up the springtime sun, shopped, laughed, cried, laughed until we cried...
And we took lots of pictures.
Rather she did, and I borrowed hers.
I only took pictures on Easter, and what a beautiful day it was!

Charley goofing off with Uncle Micah.

Auntie Anna spending some time with Amber.

The kids together with their Easter outfits.

Forget trying to make them all smile at the same time. Sometimes it's simply not possible.

Don't you love that fluffy, curly hair?

The kiddos with their Glammy.

Auntie Anna with Charlotte.

What I call mine.

bella

2011-04-20T17:29:00.000-07:00

Meet Bella.
Bella Mae.
The newest addition to the family.

We've been thinking about getting a dog for a while now.
We wanted the kids to have one. I wanted AJ to have one... I wanted one.
Yes. I said it.
I wanted one. There was no having to talk me into it, I think it was just the right thing at the right time.

We picked her up from the Kootenai Humane Society yesterday.
She's a black lab, and she's eleven months old. A large, overgrown, playful puppy... she can hardly hold still long enough to be petted.
Her name was Odie Mae, but we didn't like it. So we changed it.
Bella means beauty.

What is a beautiful purebred Labrador doing in a shelter? I don't know. Her previous owners left her there because they said she was the runt and they couldn't sell her.

The Humane Society is a sad place. All those puppy dogs sitting in their little pens giving you sad, pathetic puppy dog eyes.

Take me home. Please.
Pretty please.

Charlotte loves Bella.
Cautiously. Curiously. She loves her.
Bella loves her back.

There are some serious benefits to buying a dog that isn't just a cute, soft, fuzzy, baby ball of fur.
Like she's already house trained.
And she understands 'sit', 'stay', 'down', and 'outside'.

I'll trade the cute baby phase for not having to clean up piddle puddles any day.
Definitely.

available again - free eyeglasses

2011-04-15T12:05:00.000-07:00

I know.
That was quick.

I just checked on the Coastal Contacts facebook page, and it looks like they must be doing a weekly giveaway or something.
The next one opens April 20, 12 PM Eastern. That would be 9 AM Pacific for us.

What you'll need to do before April 20:

1. 'Like' Coastal Contacts facebook page to get your free coupon code.

2. If you don't have your prescription, you'll need to get it beforehand.
Your prescription for contacts will not work. You will need to get one specifically for eye glasses.
You can probably find it on the receipt from the last time you ordered eyeglasses or you can call in and get it if you've had an appointment within the last year.

3. Get on Coastal Contacts website and pick out some glasses that you like. Watch out for the ones that say 'coupons not applicable'. Obviously, you can't use your coupon to get those ones for free.

I'm not sure how fast these go, so I had my order all filled out and ready to submit as soon as it opened.
The glasses are free but you do have to pay shipping and handling... still a great deal.

And feel free to pass it along... I had so many people tell me they wish they'd known about this promotion when I got mine. I felt bad for not sharing.
So share.
It's the nice thing to do.

the new glasses

2011-04-15T09:25:00.000-07:00

These are my glasses.
My free glasses.

Aren't they purty?

Here's the details-
Coastal Contacts.
Suggested price: $400
Their price: $128
Price I paid: $18 shipping and handling.
They're dark purple and pink, and I likey.

Where I found this deal-
Freebies 4 Mom.
Freebies 4 Mom is a blog that keeps track of samples, promotions, and giveaways.
Check it out if you like.

Sorry I didn't share this offer before it expired, but they they're supposed to be doing this promotion again.
I don't know when they are, but I'll keep my eye on it and try to let you all know when it comes around again.
M'kay?

recipe: cinnamon bread

2011-04-14T09:29:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from Heidi and she got it from the Pioneer Woman.
This is actually Heidi's picture... hopefully she doesn't mind.
It looked so yummy that I had to try it.

It tastes yummy too.

I was going to try making french toast with it, but it was so good fresh that it was gone before I could... I guess I'll just have to make some more.

Bummer, man... not.

Cinnamon Bread recipe linky.
Enjoy.

And.
I'm making these today.

I can tell you right now that mine won't be so pretty.

Poppyseed Lemon Cupcakes with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting. Minus the poppyseeds.
I have none.
Lemon Cupcakes with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting.
Still sounds wonderful right?

I'll let you know...

randomness

2011-04-13T12:23:00.000-07:00

I have had an amazing week.
Amazing.
And I suppose it would have made for great ten on tuesday material because I'm about to spill random, choppy sentences with no sense of flow all over the place.
Good luck keeping up.

My grandma (mom's mom) called to let us know they'd be coming to visit.

I talked to Cal in Iraq and he said he was going to try to head this way on leave... possibly the same time as my grandparents.

In my sometimes ridiculous quest for all things free, I got a very nice pair of eyeglasses.
They're pink and purple.
Yeah.
I'm feeling a little vindicated after all the crap I've gotten for chasing after freebies. You just go ahead and be too good for free... and I'll sit here smugly in my free $400 glasses reading my free Vogue.

That felt good.

I had the day off yesterday so I took the kids to surprise AJ at work, and then we went to get ice cream at McDonalds and play at the play place.
I know. Play place. Gross.
So Amber, social butterfly that she is, was playing with the other kids... they were calling her Diamond. Diamond.
Cause that's her new new name. Diamond Sparkles Ponytail Allard.
How's that for a handle?

We've been watching the old Superman series with the kids. They love it.
Drew puts his Superman dress up outfit on and even Charlotte gets all excited and points "Momerman!".
Superman is the man.

My brother got a job.
No easy task these days.

There's a couple of other things coming up too, but I'm keeping my mouth shut in case they don't happen... that doesn't mean I can't still get excited about them.
After all - half the fun of something is looking forward to it.

And that is all.

ten on tuesday

2011-04-05T09:36:00.000-07:00

Some things that are floating my boat right now... subject to change on a whim.

1. Lindt dark chocolate.

Dark.
Dark>Milk. Don't mess with the dark.

2. My new nail polish. My nails make me smile.
They scream springtime.

3. These high heels. They're the ones that AJ picked for me... only mine aren't red.

They're like a burnt orange color.

I repeat. AJ picked them.

I think that's pretty awesome.

4. These boots. Also from AJ. For Christmas.

I wear them a lot. And I mean a lot.
With almost everything.

5. Homemade ice cream. Yumm-o.
I have a new recipe for some really good homemade ice cream.
I will share it.
You will die.

6. Peeps.
What's better than a cute little birdie-shaped marshmallow dipped in sugar?
A cute litte birdie-shaped marshmallow dipped in hot pink sugar.

Oh yeeeeeah.

7. The Country Strong soundtrack.

I know it's country music. So shoot me.

8. Raising Hope.

AJ and I watch it together.
It's funny.

9. Playing outside.

If it's warm... even warm-ish, the weekends are meant to be spent outside.

Period.

10. My plant.

Let me tell you something. I am a plant killer.

I love my plant for surviving me. When I walk by it I feel a pathetic little surge of excitement.
Because it's shiny and green with little baby leaves.

preservation

2011-04-04T09:55:00.000-07:00

I found this in one of my old cookbooks... my dad's wild game cookbook specifically.
Anyway. I thought it was cute.

free MCP action

2011-04-01T10:40:00.000-07:00

I'm going to share one of my favorite go-to actions with you today.
MCP Take Action on Cancer Awareness black and white action.

If I want to covert a picture to black and white this is almost always the one I use. The tones come out nice and clean, and tweaking them is easy. It looks great on most portraits, and there's several options for color overlay if you like (I usually add a peach overlay at 25% on mine).

I love it.
You should try it.
Here's the linky.
The End.

picture from the past

2011-03-31T10:37:00.000-07:00

This little chubbers is Andy. AJ's dad.

... I feel a little weird that I just referred to my father-in-law as a chubbers.

Oh well.

I love this picture. I do.
He's a baby sitting in a bouncy seat on his dad's workbench in the garage. This embodies my husband's side of the family perfectly.
Cars. Garages. Racetracks. Grease. These are the things I think of.
It's in their genetics, they love it, and they're good at it.

One of my favorite things is to sit in the garage and watch AJ do his thing. I love the greasy black prints on his baseball cap and on his cheek... and they way his shirt smells like it.
There's just something about a working man.
My husband specifically.

M'kay. I'll stop now.

one thousand gifts

2011-03-30T08:15:00.000-07:00

31. Spring rain.

32. Color emerging from winter’s drab.

33. Sparkly blue eyes.

34. The baby laughing til she can’t breathe.

35. Playing peek-a-boo.

36. Watching fight night with AJ.

37. A long phone call with a close friend.

38. Baking with one of the kids standing on a chair, looking over my shoulder.

39. Shooting with AJ.

40. Sunday morning.

41. Last minute family night out.

ten on tuesday

2011-03-29T08:24:00.002-07:00

1. My husband's sister is having a baby.
My sister in law.

2. And my brother's wife is having a baby.
Also my sister in law.

3. I love babies.

4. I love the way they're always deep in the lack of thought.

5. I love the way they turn me to mush on the inside.

6. Yay for babies!

7. I will do my very best to keep my unsolicited advice to myself.
I promise.

8. And not to smother their sweet little selves.
... That just may be asking too much.

9. smoth·er / verb / (sm thr)
To lavish a surfeit of a given emotion on (someone).

sur·feit / verb / (sûr ft)
To feed or supply to excess.

10. Psh.
They say 'smother' like it's a bad thing.

shooting

2011-03-28T10:48:00.000-07:00

We had some beautiful spring weather this weekend so we took advantage of it and went up to Sandpoint for a day. The kids got to run around in the field and Auntie took them to see the race car while AJ and I went shooting.
I like shooting.

AJ explaining how it works.

Him

It was great to get outside together and have some fun after being cooped up all winter. I had a blast!

cookie love

2011-03-25T12:17:00.000-07:00

Let's see. If I drag this stool over here...

I should be tall enough.

Reeeeeeeach.

Shoot!

Busted!

New day. New strategy.

We're getting the big guns out now.

Almost there... just a little more. Tippy-tippy-toes.

Yes! Jackpot!

What? Who? Me?

I don't know what you're talking about...

ten on tuesday

2011-03-22T10:09:00.000-07:00

1. Amber introduced herself to some neighbor girls... "My name is Ponytail."
She was very serious.

2. Drew has a new obsession with puzzles.
He'll sit at the table all morning and get three puzzles done before lunch. I had to make him eat breakfast because he didn't want to put his puzzle aside.
I think that's a good thing...

3. We went to Texas Road House the other night for a date.
It's very down homey. The staff was line dancing. It made me smile.
I liked it a lot.

4. We liked Texas Road House and the date. It was a good one.
We didn't pick up the kids til after midnight. I felt like a kid breaking curfew.

5. Slowly and surely our yard is turning green.

6. It's a very sad yard.
We'll have to whip it into shape soon, and I'd like to plant some flowers and veggies.

7. Sunshiny days are more frequent.

8. Spring! Spring! Spring!

9. ♫♪...Every field wears a bonnet
With some spring daisies on it,
Even birds of a feather show their clothes off together.
Sun's gettin' shinery, to spotlight the finery,
Spring, Spring, Spring...♪♫

10. Now I have to watch Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.

homemaking

2011-03-21T12:15:00.000-07:00

I am a homemaker.
Sometimes I forget exactly what that means.
Sometimes I think that it means I get the cleaning done.
I disinfect the bathroom. I do the dishes.
The floors are swept. The beds made. The furniture dust free.
That my husband doesn't have to worry about his laundry or meals.
I bathe the kids. I clothe the kids. I make them eat veggies. I make sure they go outside and run around.

Sometimes I don't succeed, and it makes me feel like a failure. I realize that I'll never get ahead of this craziness because that isn't the way this works. It's overwhelming.

I get uptight and impatient.
I'm short and terse.
I may not say things that are mean, but the way that I say them is. I see confusion in their eyes, and it stops me in my tracks. Conviction smacks me upside the head.

Sure, my part to give is service at home - it's my role. My forte.
But what I do holds little importance if I don't take heed to how I do it. If I don't bridle this tongue of mine. If I don't mind my attitude. If my spirit is without joy.
If they can't see Him in me.

I am reminded what the center of a home is supposed to be... or rather Who.
That I'm teaching through example the way to be.
That these children don't belong to me, but Him... and I have been privileged to lead them in a way that is right.
That relationships make crazy into beautiful if they're properly maintained.
That this noise and mess isn't a job, but a gift from Heaven.
That serving my husband doesn't make me a weak person, but a better one.
That tripping over toys and children isn't a nuisance, but a sign of blessing.

Homemaking is about making a home
— and a home is a safe place, a refuge, a place to be real and alive and truest true.
Homemaking is not about making perfection. - Ann Voskamp

I am not a stereotype.
I am not disheveled or desperate or trapped.

I am a teacher of faith and academics and character.
A nurturer of creativity and wonder and love.
A giver of boundaries and discipline and expectations,
of affection and acceptance and approval.
A keeper of hearts and minds and innocence.
A keeper of the home.

A maker of the home.

By the grace of God I am a homemaker.
A happy and grateful home maker.

Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands. - Proverbs 14:1

kid say

2011-03-19T11:39:00.000-07:00

When I get big, I'm going to... like... marry a man with no hair.
You know... when sometimes a man has no hair? That's handsome.

- Amber

pass it along: top knot

2011-03-18T09:54:00.000-07:00

Known to my girls as the ballerina bun.

It takes a boring bun up a notch.
Make it messy. Make it sleek.
Good for days when you don't have a lot of time.

Don't think crazy high like this...

It's too much.

one thousand gifts

2011-03-17T11:26:00.000-07:00

24. Sick baby cuddles.

25. The whole family crowded around a puzzle.

26. Lego creations littering the living room.

27. Feeding a hunger to learn.

28. A cozy, rainy kind of day.

29. A fever broken.

30. A baby sound asleep at last.

what's in a name?

2011-03-11T11:47:00.000-08:00

Amber has decided that she wants to change her name.
She's just not digging 'Amber' anymore.
She would prefer to be called Ponytail... because ponytails are beautiful...
Also, if I could teach her to write it so that she doesn't have to put 'Amber' on her school worksheets, that would be awesome.

She's not to be confused with Bad Ponytail. Bad Ponytail is bad.

picture from the past

2011-03-10T10:23:00.000-08:00

This is my mom.
We found this picture in the dryer about fifteen years after she'd passed away.
The dryer was making some kind of noise and dad had taken it apart to try to figure out what was wrong with it. This picture was there, stuck in some crevice.

She's young.
She's laughing.
She's cute.

It's on my fridge... I like walking by and seeing her like this.
It makes me smile.

I. love. it.
It's my favorite.

Peace.

one thousand gifts

2011-03-09T09:00:00.000-08:00

18. The promise of new life.

19. A freezer full.

20. The warm sun on a winter day.

21. Eskimo kisses.

22. Amber's meticulous organizing.

23. Little booklights shining after lights out.

recipe: tiramisu

2011-03-08T11:04:00.000-08:00

AJ actually made this one.
He's been watching Kitchen Boss with me.
We love Kitchen Boss and Cake Boss... there's something very fascinating and wholesome about Buddy and his family.
They act like they actually love each other.
They bake. They cook.
They're Italian.
They say things like "forget about it".
They make tiramisu.

That's good enough for me.

So we watched Buddy make it on tv and decided it would be a fun thing to do together. It looked easy enough.
When we cook "together" it usually means one of us does all the work while the other one of us fetches ingredients, does the tasting, and pesters the one that's doing all the work. This time I was in charge of the pestering.
I also tasted the mascarpone cheese... I'd never had it before and was curious. It tastes like heavy cream.

At first we couldn't find the ladyfingers that the recipe calls for. We searched high and low and tried to make our own. I say tried.
Fail.
We finally found some at Pilgrim's Market, and word has it that Fred Meyer's also carries them.
Super 1, Walmart, Trading Co., and Albertson's do not.

AJ put a lot of work into this for me. He knows that it's is one of my favorites.
Anyhow. Here 'tis.

Tiramisu
by Buddy Valastro

2‑1/4 cups brewed espresso
1‑1/4 cup granulated sugar
6 Tablespoons plus 1 Tablespoon coffee liqueur (we just used more espresso)
4 extra large egg yolks
1 pound mascarpone cheese
2 Tablespoons sweet marsala (more espresso)
1 cup heavy cream
48 store-bought ladyfingers (we used 60)
1/2 cup cocoa powder

1. Put the espresso, 3/4 cup of the sugar, and 1/4 cup of the coffee liqueur into a heavy saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Whisk until the sugar dissolves, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the syrup cool.

2. Put the yolks, marscapone, marsala, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and remaining 1 tablespoon of coffee liqueur in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment and whip on medium speed until light and airy, approximately 7 minutes. (If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can use a hand mixer fitted with the whip attachments.) Transfer the mixture to another bowl and clean and dry the stand mixer bowl and the whip attachment, returning them both to the mixer.

3. Put the cream in the bowl of the stand mixer and whip until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the cream mixture into the marsala mixture.

4. One by one, dip the ladyfingers in the espresso syrup and arrange a layer in the bottom of a 13-inch x 9-inch pan. Spoon a layer of cream over the ladyfingers. Sprinkle some cocoa powder over top of cream. Dip and arrange another layer of ladyfingers over the cream, with the second layer perpendicular to the first. Spoon the remaining cream over the top.

5. Dust the tiramisu with cocoa powder. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days. To serve, use a kitchen spoon to scoop out portions into small bowls or glass dishes.

Mmm Mmm. Good.

Note: We don't use any type of alcohol in our home - even for cooking, so I'm always on the the lookout for substitutes. The extra espresso worked in this recipe just fine.

littles

2011-03-06T09:59:00.000-08:00

Soft little face with big blue eyes.
Longest little lashes adorning.
A little snub nose that mirrors mine.
Precious crazy little blond curls
poking around sweet little ears.
Round rosy little cheeks.
Perfect little lips
and pronounced little cupids bow.
Bright little teeth
shining through a happy little smile.
Stubborn little chin.

That little baby tummy
standing out in a little baby stance.
A ticklish little button
to poke at with sticky little fingers.
Little fingernails painted bright pink
and dimpled little knuckles.
Little wrists hiding in little rolls.
Chubby little legs and little knees.
Little ankles, little feet, and little toes.

Little baby voice.
Little baby smell.
Little baby loves.
Little baby innocence.

Precious little gift.

I am in awe of every little.
Littles ever changing.
Every teeny tiny little.

I want to capture them and never let go.
To make them stay.
To hold them close and ingrain them.
To seal their memory in my heart.

To squeeze them soft.

To hold them.
To hug them.
To kiss them.
To breathe them.

To love them.

It’s a terrible and wonderful thing to watch the littles grow.

stitches

2011-03-05T14:33:00.000-08:00

Charley fell on Thursday.
One second she was at the table watching Drew play with play-doh, and the next she was on the floor.
We took her in and she needed three stitches.
She was very tough about it... I may or may not have cried more than she did.
It really wasn't that bad, but it was bad enough for me.

May I never see my babies bleed again. My heart can't take it.

waiting for the numbing medicine to kick in

finished work

one thousand gifts

2011-03-02T14:34:00.000-08:00

15. Charlotte’s attempt to sing at church.

16. Phone calls from Iraq.

17. A to-do list completely crossed off.

ten on tuesday

2011-03-01T14:48:00.000-08:00

1. I’ve been reading Uncle Tom’s Cabin for a couple of weeks, and I’m about three quarters of the way through.
I love the perspective. I love the story. I love that they quote the Bible in it. I love that it’s fiction mixed with history.
I love a good book!

2. Back to babysitting for me, only now they come to my house.
I’m so not missing the drive from Sandpoint every morning.

3. I thought old man winter might go down without a fight this year. Ha! Not. So.
I want to get the kids outside to play.

4. The kids are getting stir crazy. Crazy I tell ya.

5. Speaking of crazy… Sunday’s wind storm…
Kept me up all night with the howling, I half expected the roof to come off.
Next morning I thought I’d see a tree down or a garbage can out of place or a piece of garbage out of place. Something.
Nada.
Did I imagine it?

6. I played Black Ops with AJ last night.
Xbox Live.
Yeah.
I was painfully nervous about it. I don’t know why.

7. I stunk at said game, but did manage to get a few kills.
Like literally a few. Three to be exact.

8. I may have kinda sorta liked it, and I may kinda sorta want to play again... so that there may be a small chance that I could be half decent at it.

9. Hunting, shooting, Xbox playing together (together being key here)...
They don’t make marriage go ‘round, but they do make it go ‘round sweeter.

10. There isn't much that I have learned,
And less that I have known.
But this I know;
Love shares it's joy,
And can't exist alone!
- Peter Lea

markers

2011-02-25T11:13:00.000-08:00

Charlotte likes them.
I would even dare to say that she loves them.

Normally that would be a big deal because normally when you're one and you like markers you would normally redecorate the walls if you get you're hands on one of them. Not my Charlotte.
There's something you should know about Charlotte and markers - she doesn't know they're markers.
In all her marker finding happiness, she has yet to mark a wall or piece of furniture.

This morning I forgot to make sure my bedroom door was closed all the way...
Last time I forgot to close that door my glasses got broke; this time Charlotte emptied AJ's wallet and found the mother lode.
Computer desk. Top drawer.
Fine-tipped, thick. Fat, short, skinny.
Beautiful, colorful, irresistible.
Glossy, matte, sheer.
Moisturizing.
Wait. We're talking about lipstick. ...Right?

Apparently we are.

Sweet Home in Idaho

black hole

happy valentines day!

did you know

truly I do

kid say

the verdict on the detergent

one for you, one for me

new bathrom prints

birth announcements

tuesday ten: I heart pinterest

fear

white

hopping

nifty fifty

tuesday ten: christmas pics

one eighty

kid say

happy thanksgiving day

thanksgiving week: thankful ten

thanksgiving week: kid craft

kids say

surfer girl

random tuesday ten

project

gift

girls hunt too

little moment

kids say

canning

autumn

seeing double

grace, seasoned with salt

two

saturday schmaturday

morning

new things

off the street

amazing

sick

yaaaaaahoooooo

day at home

day at the races

July 4th

portrait of summer

Providence

prov·i·dence

transformation

recipe: peanut butter ice cream

brocken hand

AJ in the kitchen

grad day

camp meeting

one thousand gifts

portrait of summer

no time

No Time To Play

recipe: devil dogs

salamander

little brown church

free audio book

swim suits

picture from the past

today

fluff

His love

camera

ten on tuesday

motherhood

grand. mother too

grand. mother

pickin' wildflowers

ten on tuesday: cabelas

song in my heart

royal wedding

visit

bella

available again - free eyeglasses

the new glasses

recipe: cinnamon bread