Mom's Visit...

So my mom has been here 3 days... and has 7 left! It has been a great time and I am hoping the next 7 days go slowly... I love her and have truly enjoyed the relationship she is developing with my boys! The first day we spent all day at the museum... needless to say mommy and grandma were wiped out - oh yeah, the boys were too! (yeah! that waas the goal...) Since then, just chillin'. Tonight we had dinner and played Cranium with Joe's dad. It was the oldies against us young ones... fun times - especially since Joe and I won!!! So... looking forward to the next 7 days. I am always on the lookout for new things for us to do while she's here. Anyone have any ideas for fun times in Rochester???

New...people, recipes, a new day!

So... it's that time of year when the taste buds change, along with the leaves... and the cold air! As I was sitting here tonight trying to plan out our meals for the next two weeks, I felt stuck in a rut - I need new recipes I thought. Then a few moments ago... as I was checking another blog I saw a blog of a fellow church member. I have never met her in person, but found out she has a blog for recipes only!!! So many great ideas! So... Melissa... I look forward to actually saying Hi - and I'm totally enjoying your blog and new recipes for our family! It's amazing how God cares about the details in our lives, our smallest desires.... and He provides. I'm feeling SO blessed. Another AWESOME bonus to my day: My mom will be here WEDNESDAY!!! Thank you Lord for all you provide!

Its been a long time...

This post is mostly for myself... to look back on for "remembering". But I have really been struggling with some problems with my hips that began when I had Ryan. When I became pregnant with Logan it got pretty intense and I saw a maternity chiropractor. At a certain point there wasn't much she could do, and then I had Logan. Afterwards, the dr's suggested I wait awhile to "allow nature to take it's course" and things fall back into place. So the last month or so I have really been in a lot of pain - as in it hurts when I walk across the room, or go up the stairs in my house....grrr. So tomorrow is the big day - trying chiropractor again first. If that doesnt work, will move on to "bigger and better" things! So today I was home with the boys and was really getting down on myself re: hip pain, being laid off from work, finding a job that still allows me to "be wife and mommy", and just alot of petty insignificant things in life. Then I started to read my Bible for the first time (quiet time) in WEEKS. HOW SAD!!! I didnt read anything new and exciting... but it was exciting. The peace. The rest. Just knowing that my God CARES about the details of MY life, and that I am here for HIS GLORY - NOT my comfort was also helpful for me to remember. Thank you God for allowing me the quiet time to rest in you. I am praying that you will give me the wisdom to prioritize the events of my day - NEVER leaving out time to rest in you! Thank you God for today and for the rest. Thank you for Loving me.

Summer VACATION - a little late!

So I am a little late in updating everyone on our fabulous summer vacation! This was our first "family vacation" outside of visiting family members, although we did meet up with Joe's mom, grandmother, and siblings! We were VERY blessed to be able to go to beautiful Cape May, NJ and stay in a beautiful home - Seaside Home. It is only about a block from the ocean - a short block!

Each morning around 7 am if you went out you could hear the waves come crashing in... it was amazing to me. The detail that God put into everything he created is amazing. As I heard the waves I thought about the details of the ocean, then the details of the beautiful sunset we watched, and EVERY grain of sand!!! It helped me to remember that God cares about the DETAILS of MY life!!! That is sometimes hard for me to grasp - that an amazing God so mighty and powerful, so amazing would care about measley lil ol' me and my details! So we went to the ocean at least once a day for a swim and lots of playing in the sand, we had morning and evening devotions at the home with a local pastor (it was sort of like a family camp), often I walked into the center of town while the boys napped for some shopping or testing and buying the most wonderful fudge and salt water taffy, and just totally relaxed! Joe and I truly enjoyed our time with Joe's family, and the boys, and just being together without the busyness of life. I am so thankful that God allowed us to go on such a restful vacation. That is what its supposed to be about, but often that does not always happen!!

my struggle TODAY

Wow - today's message and the last several weeks has been about "FIGHTING FAIR". Ugh. Sorry David, that's how I feel so you must (or the holy spirit) be getting through!!! Today's part in this series was all about forgiveness - and how God COMMANDS it. There are so many pieces to this subject... and right now I'm not liking it. It feels a little overwhelming! I think what my struggle is, is forgiving those who have NOT asked, and forgiving when I'm still FEELING hurt. Anyone else with these struggles? There's gotta be a few of you! Well, if you have a brief moment and remember me - PRAY FOR ME!!! This is a struggle, but something I am working on - an area that I REALLY want to please God in!! Please pray that God gives me the GRACE to forgive when my deep feelings say otherwise!! ALso I must remember to focus on what's been done FOR me and not To me.

CURIOSITY. IMAGINATION. A HEAVY HEART.

Here I am once again, Ryan has stumped me again. We have been trying to gear Ryan up for Awana, which he will be starting on Wednesday... (I'm probably more excited than he is!) so we've been working on memorizing verses. Also I do not have a stereo in my car at the moment, so that is what our conversation consists of each morning as we go to daycare. His innocent little voice reciting verses is such a great way to start our day! (especially mine!) So as we are learning Romans 3:23 and we are talking about sin... and heaven and hell(for the 1st time hell)... Ryan spouts out "Dont worry mom, I'm going to heaven!"... me: Well Ryan thats great, but do you know why your going to heaven? RYAN: because Jesus is in there... and points to a cemetery. Wow.... We have ALOT to work on I thought. Next was what really caught me up... "Mom, I am going to die on Sunday." I quickly replied, "oh no I dont want you to die before mommy".... Then in his sweetest voice he says "Its okay mom. You, me, dad, and Logan are all going to die on Sunday and go to heaven. That makes me happy."..... WOW. Where did that come from? Well, it was just amazing to me that he would think of us all dying as a family. We do everything else together why wouldnt we all die together in his mind?... So... all of this conversation has really stirred up an feeling of urgency in my heart... an urgency for him to understand the "why" of salvation. As offensive as it is, it is very difficult for me to believe there is an "age of accountability" as it does NOT say that anywhere in the Bible. This is a very hard thing for me to wrap around my brain. Our church recently did a study on where do babies go when they die.... and even though I've been told all my life there is an "age of accountability" I just cant come to grips with the fact that it is only assumed, not confirmed biblically. So there you have it. There is my heart. I'm certain there will be someone offended...and rightfully so...I'm offended. The word of God is offensive.

Antics of RYAN.

My Ryan, he is well... 3. I love it! And if you ask Joe he'll say "I wish they were born this way, I don't like babies." Ryan has fully developed quite the personality! He is strong willed and loves to do things on his own. He LOVES pretending... he likes to pretend he can't hear me! (not something he's allowed to do!) He is also VERY much a first child, with first child syndrome: beat up younger siblings. NO really, he adores his little brother and is very protective. He recently had a panic attack when we were disciplining Logan. Logan received a light twack on the hand as I told him "no no"... all of a sudden Ryan started WHALING as if he were serioiusly hurt! "DONT HURT MY LOGAN- MOMMY YOU MADE ME SAD AND MAD".... so yes, he loves his brother. But most importantly is his understanding of who Jesus is, and what He's done for us. He goes to Sunday school and loves his little friends, likes to do the crafts and sing the songs. His favorites are B-I-B-L-E, The wise man who built his house upon a rock, Father Abraham, and Deep and Wide. Recently after returning from vacation we went to Granny's church before heading home... he brought his craft and showed us the picture he colored of Esther. When asked what the story was about he replied "zip your lips"... and I was a little angry. ME: RYAN, you do not tell me to zip my lips, I am simply asking you about your story. RYAN: MOM! MY STORY SAID ZIP YOUR LIPS!!! I died with laughter, not necessarily the best thing to do, but I realized he must have been asked to "zip his lips"...
Then just today i was asked him if he remembered the verse we learned yesterday - Gen. 1:1 - "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth".... he recited the verse to me, and then said "Mommy he made the dark too. That's my verse too, dark is from God." Oh how I love his innocence... his childlike faith, creativity, unconditional love, and the cutest things that come from his mouth! I want him to stay this age... well, forever.

EGGPLANT LOVERS?

EGGPLANT SUPPER SOUP!
After I went to the farmer's market on Saturday I needed to find a new way to use eggplant... I came across this recipe and it was AWESOME! The perfect spices in this made it quite tasty! I hope someone else enjoys this as much as we did... this is a new favorite for us. If anyone has any ideas on different ways to incorporate EGGPLANT into a meal I'd love to hear them... it's my new favorite veggie!!!
INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pound ground beef
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 pound eggplant, diced
3/4 cup sliced carrots
3/4 cup sliced celery
2 (14.5 ounce) cans Italian diced tomatoes, drained
2 (14 ounce) cans beef broth
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry macaroni
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Add to Recipe Box
My folders:
Add to Shopping List
Add a Personal Note
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, and cook the onion, beef, and garlic until beef is evenly brown. Drain grease, and mix in eggplant, carrots, celery, and tomatoes. Pour in beef broth. Mix in sugar, and season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir until heated through.
Mix macaroni into the soup, and continue cooking 12 minutes, or until macaroni is al dente. Mix in parsley. Top with Parmesan chreese to serve.

SUMMER BLESSINGS - Summer 08

Our Crazy Busy Lives...
Wow! It's been awhile since I've updated you all... Well, we'll start with Logan turned 1 in May, I turned 27 in June... yikes.Blessings - there have been SOO many!

1. We were able to take a week long family vacation to Cape May, NJ... what an awesome time we had!

2. Some friends of ours GAVE us another car... one car is difficult, not impossible to do, but difficult. SO THANK YOU TERRI & PAUL.

3. Ryan had a successful surgery - tonsils, adenoids, tubes in ears.

4. Ryan is potty trained. (except at night he still has the diapers...)

5. Logan is walking, feeding himself with a spoon, and saying a few words like mama, dada, hi, ryan, doggy, night night, and bye.

6. I got a job! Pt to start, working up to full time. HUGE BLESSING!

7. An awesome christian childcare provider who truly loves my boys.

8. Joe turned 24... and the surprise party was a hit.

9. Our community group was able to meet through the summer and was a big blessing for us.

10. Someone gave Joe and I a 7day cruise as a GIFT! We will do that in April... yippee!

11. Heather also got a pt job at an ice cream shop through the summer before the new job started... it kept her sane before going back to work ft.

12. Joe has been able to be a part of his dad's life... very much needed.

13. We have been healthy all summer!
I know there is more than I can list here... but I wanted to share these especially. Will follow up with more randomness from Ryan...

BANANA SUSHI.

Recently, ok nothing on here is recent. My last post was in January!!!! Rachel Ray had a show this past spring on ways to involve your children in cooking. During that segment she showed how to make "banana sushi" - so simple a 3 yr old can do it! This is Ryans favorite I thought I would share our experience - maybe there are other little kiddies who would enjoy this yummy treat!

Ingredients: 2 slices wheat bread~ Peanut butter OR nutello~ 1 banana
Directions:
1. Cut off the edges of the bread (the crust) neatly.

2. Overlap the 2 pieces of bread just enought to be overlapping.
3. Roll with a rolling pin the 2 pieces of bread FLAT until they become one.
4. Spread pb or nutello on the one long piece of bread.
5. Peel and place the banana as straight as possible into the middle of the bread longways.
6. Wrap the bread tightly around the banana until it looks like a sealed burrito.
7. Cut 1/2 in. slices (horizontally)
WALAA! BANANA SUSHI! ENJOY!

LIFE WITH THE BOYS - Jan. 08

1-23-2008
Today, nothing out of the ordinary. A quiet day at home with the boys so far. Let's see.... Ryan requested (more less demanded) popcorn for breakfast. That was fun. We just traded lunch for breakfast pretty much. Then as I was cleaning up the kitchen, I looked over to see Ryan using his elephant hand puppet to entertain Logan with his many voices. It was cute... and as always I tried to capture it with the camera as soon as I could, but the "story ended" as I was raising my camera. Those are the moments I must cherish... I will never get them back. Later in the morning we decided to have a "dance party" in the living room, which can't be anything but fun... until someone gets hurt of course. Ryan got a little dizzy to say the least and threw himself right on top of Logan. No worries. He's fine. Logan let out a little yelp, then all was good. He was ready to go again! I wish adults were like that with life. Something gets you down... you get right back up again! We ended our morning by watching Little Einsteins and 1/2 of Peter Pan... while Logan was napping. I got some cleaning done and a shower too! I have been a little under the weather the last few days so it feels good to get some stuff done and be refreshed. I have been so back and forth (Joe's pretty sure of his desires) about having one more to complete our family... we'll see how I feel about that this afternoon when we go to Chucky Cheese! Well.... as I said before - a quiet day around here... SO FAR.