Lists

10-12 loads of laundry done yesterday.
Washer hopefully arriving this week.
Short night - kids up all the time.
Calvin missing in the night.
Found.
Asleep on the floor in our bedroom doorway.
Much to do.

To-Do List for Today:
Finish folding laundry.
Put away massive amount of laundry.
Keep kids occupied and happy.
Protect the dog from said kids.
Put together donation bags for weekend.
Finish hygiene donation to deliver to Two Hearts.
Pack bags for the weekend.
Talk to insurance people.
Make doctor's appointments.
Clean bathrooms.
Make dinner.
Have a pedicure w/mom - a way overdue gift.

Yeah, I probably won't get a real blog post written today. :) Maybe tomorrow. Laundry is finally caught up after doing only the bare necessities over the past few weeks. Lots of towels, sheets, etc. No fun. Onward and upward. Coffee is a must. Pedicure will be a sweet end to the day. What's on your agenda?

This Week's Meals

It's here again...the beginning of another week. :) We will be headed out of town for the weekend on Friday afternoon so we will just have 4 dinners this week. I'll enjoy the break! So here's the plan:

- Salad topped w/Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken, Breadsticks (using my pizza dough recipe brushed w/olive oil and sprinkled w/parmesan cheese)

- Grilled Hot Dogs (I buy the nitrate-free ones at Costco), Baked Beans, Fruit

- Tofu Lo-Mein (using a recipe from a book I'm planning to review soon!), Fruit

- Mexican Lasagna, Corn, Chips & Salsa

Well, that's about it! Hopefully I'll get a chance to add several recipes to my recipe blog this week - we'll see. Check out orgjunkie.com for more plans or to post your menu plan. And as always, feel free to leave questions, ideas, recipes, or your own meal ideas. Have a wonderful week!

Rain, Rain, Go Away

I know, a post on the weather is rather boring but hear me out. :) This has been the coldest, wettest, spring I remember. It has rained so much that I think we've maybe had our sprinkler on once for the garden. It is so dreary.

We've had several quite severe storms and our children don't sleep particularly well through them which means we don't either. Last night, Patrick said amidst tears, "No more thunder." We've too often been hearing the pitter-patter of feet as they run to our room and jump in our bed (thank goodness for king size beds) but then Calvin doesn't sleep at all. And while they are so sweet and we are so glad they feel safe and protected with us, we are tired.

Today, I braved the weather and headed out to some neighborhood garage sales with my good friend, Heather, and a couple of our sisters. We were soaked to the bone and cold but determined. The excursion was all the more memorable and fun because we spent the morning together - even taking a break for yummy waffles and hot drinks. It was worth it. My favorite find was a small cabinet/buffet for $5.

So, we are rained out. The roads are washed out in areas, people are being evacuated south of us due to flooding, and our yard is more than squishy. We are longing for sunshine and warmth. And we are longing for a night of sleep without interruption. Maybe next week?

A Couple More Wardrobe Thoughts & Questions

**For my 1 or 2 male readers, I apologize - this is definitely a girl-topic post.**

Is anyone else loving that long shorts are in this year? And that tops generally fit a little looser and are longer? I think it's great - not only does it hide the not-so-favorite figure areas but it's more modest and way easier to bend down to take care of the kids etc. Yay for fashion!

Another thing - a few of you mentioned undergarments being important and I totally agree! I find this to be absolutely the most frustrating thing to shop for. Any suggestions - brands, stores, etc.? It would also be great to find these things for a reasonable price - who really wants to pay $50 for something underneath?

Wardrobe Must-Haves

I've been thinking about my personal style (or lack thereof :)) and thought about what things I really love to have in my wardrobe. These are a few things that give me that pick-me-up when I feel old, fat, tired or otherwise:) -

1) A great pair of jeans.
2) Dangly earings.
3) The perfect pair of heels.
4) A favorite white shirt and black shirt.
5) Bright pink nail polish.

I'm not really much of a dress or skirt person but having a couple that make me feel pretty and feminine is a must. I've found that the older I've gotten the more classic pieces are added to my wardrobe. Some things just aren't meant to be worn past age 21 and knowing that is a key to successful dressing. So, what things do you always like to have?

Quote

**I found this post that I started in November and never finished. I was again challenged by this quote and decided to go ahead and publish it.**

We should determine, then, to recognize and acknowledge all the gifts of the Creator: the glory of the heavens and the earth, of mountain, river, and sea, of forest and flowers, of birds,beasts and butterflies, and of the intricate balance of the natural environment. We celebrate the unique privileges of our humanness (rational, moral, social, and spiritual), as we were created in God's image and appointed his stewards; the joys of gender, marriage, sex, children, parenthood and family life, and of our extended family and friends. We appreciate the rhythm of work and rest, of daily work as a means to cooperate with God and serve the common good, and of the Lord's day when we exchange work for worship; the blessings of peace, freedom, justice, and good government, and of food and drink, clothing and shelter; and our human creativity expressed in music, literature, painting, sculpture and drama, and in the skills and strengths displayed in sport.

-John Stott, Fighting the Good Fight

I appreciate the all-encompassing nature of this quote. And while I would contend that our work and everything we do should be a part of our daily worship of God, I think that Stott's point is that on the Lord's day we rest from our normal labor and join in corporate worship. It's amazing how acknowleding the Lord in every aspect of our lives, leads to gratitude and appreciation for Him as our Creator and Sustainer.

This is also a great reminder that all of our gifts and abilities are given to us by the Lord. I truly believe that He enjoys seeing us use the talents He has blessed us with - whether that is cooking, writing, playing sports, sewing, researching...you fill in the blank. I think really seeing our abilities as gifts from an all-wise God and as pleasing to Him, should challenge us to make the time to put them to good use!

Much more could be observed from this quote but I think I'll close here.

A Tribute

Well, I'm officially loving my new ride. It took months and years to be okay with a minivan but I'm more than okay with it - I LOVE it! And I'm willing to admit it! :)

The sad part of this change was saying goodbye to our Honda. We didn't know it would be such a sudden farewell. It really was not in good condition and was an automatic that we were having to drive as a manual :), it had no air conditioning, no radio, and a window that didn't close all the way... But it was my first car. I bought it 6 months out of hygiene school with only 69,000 miles on it. I bought it the week before Andrew proposed. That was way back in 2001 - the car was already 10 years old.

That car took us on our honeymoon, moved us to Florida & back as our only car, and has been with us through building our house and the blessed addition of our sons. We put nearly 100,000 miles on it. We have lots of great memories tied to that car and we will miss it.

Goodbye dear, old, faithful car. You witnessed the beginning of our lives together. You brought joy to our children when they saw Daddy coming home in his red car (yes, it became his :)). And you lasted until we were able to replace you - yes, you have been replaced but you will never be forgotten. Thank you for your years of service.

Birthday Fun!

This was truly one of my favorite birthdays! My kids were adorable about it being my birthday. Last night, I asked them if they knew what tomorrow was - Patrick reached up and touched my nose and said, "It's your birthday." I was so surprised! Calvin said, "Presents, Mama!!" Patrick then told me that they were giving me, "A movie (or mobie as he says) and M & M's." Calvin told me, "There's paper to rip." And they were right.

This morning I was awoken by the same great kids. :) After church, we came home and I started on meal stuff. When everyone started arriving, Calvin danced around the kitchen with his arms in the air singing, "Birthday party, birthday party!" When we finished eating, the boys decided it was time for presents. They were eager to help - Patrick opened a card and present for me and Calvin helped with unwrapping as well but he also confirmed who the presents were from. They were so cute about it. Calvin sang happy birthday when it was time for cake and Patrick looked on - he's a little nervous about singing publicly. :) This evening when the boys were playing outside, Calvin made me a sand cake and brought it to the deck. He was so proud. Patrick thought it was a great idea, so he made one, too. :)

All in all, a wonderful day spent with amazing people. I'm so blessed. I think this year will be an exciting one as I anticipate the big 3-0 next year. :)

Menu for this Week!

A true statement - menu planning does make me happy and it makes my family happy!

Today we invited my family (there were 16 of us!) over for my birthday and I cooked (with help from Noah & Liz) :) - I didn't clean up though and that's the best! I decided to do an appetizer buffet which was a lot of fun. It included mini burgers topped with fresh mozzerella, tomato, baby romaine, & balsamic mayo on soft rolls, garlic, chive, & cheese stuffed mushrooms, baked wontons, hummus & pita, baked brie w/apples, pears, and crackers, buffalo chicken tenders w/bleu cheese dipping sauce, fruit - strawberries, watermelon, pineapple, blueberries, and raspberries, and veggies & dip. My mom made a yummy cake filled with raspberry filing! It was such a fun day - I spent it with some of my favorite people and ate some of my favorite food. :)

My favorite things to make are brunch, appetizers, and desserts. I don't make any of them very often but they are so fun to plan and and beautiful to serve! What do you like to make?

Anyway, on with the plan for the week:
Salad w/chicken tenders and leftover bleu cheese dipping sauce, Rolls, Fruit
Eggs, Toast, Fruit or Yogurt
Pizza w/sausage, onions, & peppers, Veggies & dip, Watermelon
Lo-mein, Egg Rolls
Black Beans & Rice

Andrew and I will have a date night this week - a rare occurence, I can't wait! For more menu ideas visit Laura's site. Have a wonderful week and enjoy spending time with your family around the table - they say it is one of the best ways to build relationships!