Summer {Delight of a Weekend}

It was just a good one.  Do you know what I mean?  When you lay in bed on Sunday night, reflecting over the past few days, and a smile just easily finds your face.  I found my face smiling last night.

Friday night was spent at Doons’ parents house prepping for Abi’s little party – having family close by is such a blessing.  It is evenings like these that I am especially reminded to be thankful!

(picture from earlier in the summer)

Saturday: the joy of watching Abi with her buddies, amazing feeling of community, and just enjoying spending time with dear people in our life.  May I have a second serving, please?!

(more to come on kiddo’s blog soon)

Saturday night: coolest baby shower.  Some awesome friends getting ready to welcome some little ones into their home.  Visit their blog and be encouraged. 

Sunday: I just love back-to-school.  Our church organized a backpack stuffing shindig (with some help from World Vision) to distribute backpacks to some local communities that our church loves on.  Helping Abi stuff her bag (she picked the green pack - that’s my girl!) was such a treat, and writing her note of encouragement (I just loved this, after the bag was stuffed, we asked that the family stuffing write a note to encourage the kiddo who would be receiving it!) made me smile.  Children have such a capacity to love – honestly and with no strings attached – it’s a good, good thing.

Boxes…and boxes…and boxes stuffed with loaded backpacks…yes!

Sunday night: Enjoying and saying goodbye to some dear friends as they head on out to the wild wild west of Colorado…(boo, forgot my camera…the kids earlier in the weekend)

It was a good one…we are grateful.

Sanctification through Motherhood

 

The past few days, today included, have been doozies.  I don’t think that’s a real world, but I imagine that is OK.  We’ve been taken hostage by some sort of summer cold-flu-yuck and it is really throwing me off.  I feel pulled in every direction – I am tired – I am tired of taking care of sick bodies when I’m trying to recover -  I miss my quality afternoon alone time when I just get to have a moment in silence (often accompanied by some yummy iced-coffee!).  I miss having my arms free when trying to change a load of sick-laundry.  Are you seeing a trend in these thoughts?

Now, don’t get me wrong.  I FULL well understand the tendency and temptation to take blogging and turn it into this “look how perfect and well rounded my life and thoughts are” situation – so I by no means want to do that.  There is some honest emotion in those thoughts – it is legitimate to be tired.  It is not wrong to be thankful for and savor alone time.  BUT…

When I dwell on those things – when I dwell on myself – I lose my thankful spirit.  I do not cultivate things which last.  I do not create peace and joy in my home.  I lose sight of that which is truly life.  You see I have MUCH to be thankful for.   I generally have a healthy household.  I am so thankful to be at home with my young ones and therefore even GET to have an hour of peace in the afternoon.  When I am just downright angry that baby boy has once again had a blow out and therefore needs a bath (when there is dairy in the car – and sister is just having one of those days and poor hubby is back in bed feeling miserable); well I am blessed with a home where cleaning my children with clean water, buying good food, and having multiple beds is a staple, something I just expect.  When my arms are tired?  Oh foolish me, what a blessing to have a sweet bundle who feels better when his momma holds him.  When I allow my joy and patience to be stolen from me so easily, I am choosing not to meditate on that which is joy-giving and life-sustaining.

 

So, with God’s grace I will try again.  Notice there is grace even now, because I’ve had 45 minutes of alone time to even meditate on these thoughts and sip a little bit o’ joe.  Oh my.  With grace I will not pretend not to have emotions, but choose that which is of Him and for Him.

 

(the pictures?  they’re random, but they make me smile – and I kind of needed to just smile!)

Sick

A sick house is no fun.  And we’re a bit bummed about it.  This summer, the sickness has won.  Boo to you, Mr. Sick.  Boo to you.

The Roadtrip {Week 2}

Alrighty – so here we are for week 2.  By now we had really settled into “road trip land.”  We had our organization system down / we knew the best places to stop (Starbucks, of course, for more than one reason!) to use the restroom / Abi knew what to expect / but Nate wasn’t digging it.  Sweet Nate.  He had his few roughest days this week.  Thankfully we never had more than 6 hours in the car the entire trip, but Nate had a few days where he just plain DID NOT appreciate being in his car seat.  We’re sorry, Nate.  Thankfully, he’s forgotten!  Thankfully, week 2 was also marked by being extremely relaxing.  We didn’t have as many places to be, or really much on our agenda.  We were settling – it felt glorious.  Vacation at its best!

Week 2 Itinerary: Drive to Joshua Tree National Park – Drive to San Diego

{Joshua Tree National Park}

We loved Joshua Tree!  I had visited the area in high school and somewhat remembered what to expect of the California desert – but this place just rocked!  We might classify this as Abi’s favorite place on the trip – she had so much energy climbing boulders, racing around, spotting wildlife.  Such a beautiful place for a kiddo.  The desert and the contrast of the amazing sky, the insane boulders, and the vegetation was crazy.  We just loved how a place could seem so desolate, yet life was literally all around us!  A very humbling and incredible place to spend some time.

 

{San Diego}

Ahh, San Diego.  The land of perfect climate.  What a place.  Donald & I had each been there separately; so it was such a joy to experience such a great city both together and with our kiddos!  San Diego was the first place that we just unpacked and existed for 4 days.  That felt heavenly.  We visited the grocery store, began and ended our days by overlooking the ocean, just had some simplicity that was so refreshing and became such a wonderful hallmark of our trip!

You know that I’d have an entire collage for the zoo :)  I couldn’t wait to go back to the zoo, and to visit it with Abi.  BUT, might I add that I was so pleased to see some features that I really preferred the good ol’ Dallas Zoo!  Nevertheless, the San Diego Zoo deserves every bragging right that it is given; it is a phenomenal place.  Donald & Abi were exhausted by the end of the day (but as Donald said, what was he thinking – if he is visiting a zoo with me, he will for sure see the entire thing, without missing an exhibit!).  Wouldn’t you know that I forgot my name badge from Dallas Zoo – and therefore “cost” my family $40!

Relaxin’ all cool…

The Abi Diet – Spiced Lentil Tacos

 

Me & my dandy little sous chef – isn’t he just the cutest?!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed
• 1 package (2.25 ounce) taco seasoning
• 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth *I would reduce this amount to only 2 cups, my mixture was too wet.
• 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, finely chopped (use half for less heat) *I omitted buying a whole can seemed silly to me– remember, I’m a northern girl, my mouth does not miss chipotle chile!
• 2 teaspoons adobo sauce *could never find this as just a sauce, so I just left out8 taco shells
• 1 1/4 cups shredded lettuce
• 1 cup chopped tomato
• 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat (2 percent) cheddar

Preparation

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion, garlic and salt until onion begins to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add lentils and taco seasoning. Cook until spices are fragrant and lentils are dry, about 1 minute.

Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

Mix sour cream, chile and adobo sauce in a bowl. Uncover lentils and cook until mixture thickens, 6 to 8 minutes. Mash with a rubber spatula. Spoon 1/4 cup lentil mixture into each taco shell. Top with 2 heaping teaspoons sour cream mixture, lettuce, tomato and cheese. 

*Little tip – please buy organic or daisy sour cream – there are so many nasty ingredients in other sour creams…it’ll make your skin crawl and your tummy want to cry.

 

Wouldn’t you know that I forgot to get a picture of the finished product?!  OH well, silly me.

Nate decided that he was hungry too, and tired of being a patient little helper in the kitchen.

 

Oh, da fourth…

I just love the 4th of July!  I definitely like it better in Michigan than in Texas – but I like it regardless.  It’s just too dang hot here.  The 4th of July in Michigan – there are boats on the lake, a lovely breeze, maybe you need to grab a jacket to watch the fireworks because it is getting a bit chilly….I digress.  But, I do love the 4th.

Oh, Lake Highlands.  You put on a parade.  We were sweating and enjoying it…but I was still daydreaming about being on a lake…

My momma & I aka the candy grabb - abi & ry’s cups were overflowing…

I mean seriously, too cute.

Because you can’t call yourself a carnival these days without some really fun bounce houses!

Oh, yummy…

Watching fireworks with friends whom we’ll miss at night.  Overall, Abi was a huge fan – minus the “big noise.”

Sweet Nate was such a trooper…we woke him up, he stayed awake (and really focused on the fireworks!), and then he fell asleep on the way home.  Thanks, buddy.

Thankful for family, thankful for friends, thankful for freedoms.

Labor of Love of Limes

Ahhh, key lime pie.  Ahhh, how my hand aches…