tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8487828644989567772024-02-06T21:30:06.081-08:00MommaNotesAmandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02049246349762266326noreply@blogger.comBlogger171125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848782864498956777.post-78450539729160984452010-07-15T19:50:00.000-07:002010-07-15T19:51:24.188-07:00I'm moving!Come find me at my new blog, <a href="http://livingloveathome.blogspot.com/">Living Love</a>.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02049246349762266326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848782864498956777.post-58076306727164970362010-06-29T18:30:00.000-07:002010-06-29T19:19:19.141-07:00be like a tree<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXDLqnP8dmd52ApErRcGMDdCgK1c9dtyM6KIgz7Rlp1gLbzUps2sG35h6WuCnYZVmMPDqcHAYLhnLhIB9N8D26d348IBCOmknUbr9yjvehhPHGl9Pwfx8TE_tqr7Vl_PYbuxYkqW8qB8bu/s1600/Fruitful+Tree.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXDLqnP8dmd52ApErRcGMDdCgK1c9dtyM6KIgz7Rlp1gLbzUps2sG35h6WuCnYZVmMPDqcHAYLhnLhIB9N8D26d348IBCOmknUbr9yjvehhPHGl9Pwfx8TE_tqr7Vl_PYbuxYkqW8qB8bu/s320/Fruitful+Tree.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488374905224370626" /></a><br />"...he shall be like a tree, planted by the rivers of water; that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither, and whatever he does shall prosper." from Psalm 1<br /><br />We are in the gorgeous season of plump berries, rapidly growing squash, tomatoes that seemingly ripen overnight. Still enjoying from the freezer the sweet strawberries, and looking forward to the juicy peaches that are coming soon.<br /><br />Fruitfulness that just asks to be enjoyed. Abundance delights and fills us with its beauty and flavor. <br /><br />And this is exactly what I've come to realize is, perhaps, the greatest gift I can ever give my children.<br /><br />Since having our first baby, I've gotten excited about a lot of things that I thought were really important for our children. Not to say that these things aren't at all valuable....but as I've weeded through them all, had another child, and gone through a few moves, I think I've had an opportunity to evaluate, over and over, what is important. What's important for me, what's important for our family, what's actually important for our children.<br /><br />It has never been so clear to me how simple it all is.<br /><br />"Parenting" is not a divorced area of life that you can read books about, study-up on, get your ducks lined up and check off. It is not a separate series of lessons you must conquer before earning the badge: "effective parent". It is not a bag of tricks which must be memorized and applied at appropriate times.<br /><br />It's all about growing. And, I'm not talking about the children. I'm talking about me.<br /><br />It's not what I can give them, do for them, prove to them, teach them, impress upon them, or expound for them.<br /><br />In so many ways, it comes down to: me. That's it. The most profound impact I will have in my children's lives will be the life I live out in front of them.<br /><br />Because growth is contagious. Abundance is enticing. The man God calls "blessed" is a verdant tree, planted by a cool, rushing stream; that bears delicious fruit. As my children view the grace of God flowing into my sinner's heart, they will thirst for it. As they watch me change because of the love of Jesus applied to my spirit, they will long to know Him, too.<br /><br />God doesn't call me to be perfect, to know-it-all, to have eyes in the back of my head, or to exhaust myself trying to be the super-mom that my kids don't need.<br /><br />Take all that stuff away that we Mamas pressure ourselves over (whatever are your areas - I have mine!)...all the time I can devote to reading books about whatever (crafts, parenting, discipline, health, routines....) That stuff won't be worth much in the story of our family.<br /><br />I am just so thankful that God continues to call out to me to seek after that which He knows is most desirable.<br /><br />He calls me to sit at His feet, to come to Him for rest, to seek after His wisdom, to learn from His humble heart and find peace. And in that living as His child, I will give my children the most precious gift I could ever imagine.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br />"seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Matthew 6:33</span>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02049246349762266326noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848782864498956777.post-4445883256759196412010-05-02T18:09:00.001-07:002010-05-02T18:22:09.851-07:00Our little family: soon-to-be FIVE!That's right! There will soon be five in our family. We're expecting baby #3 to arrive sometime in January of 2011! As Graeme said when we told him: "Mama, God gave us another baby!!"<br /><br />I am feeling fine so far. I am often ready to fall asleep at 8:30 and finding myself craving protein and vegetables. I think I'm around 6 weeks, but an ultrasound in a few weeks will hopefully help pinpoint a more precise timetable. Then we can safely add on 2 weeks to that and get a pretty accurate idea of when the baby will arrive. Wouldn't it be something if I were actually early this time? Not holding my breath.....<br /><br />Boy or Girl, I cannot wait to meet our new baby! Graeme thinks the baby is a girl...I just know it will be as precious as these two:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vonWddO9ZWhNbo8pv8HAFHAGjEUbZXSp9W6DFs8XqqA1TrXNK3uQxIQkRAYBoEoTj3bIkbaWYkkmjPfxNm5sKuldjPKq4Y98CWAdReUQeTCjJvixCJ5w-f2fHl3NP_i70QRNF_SDu3mm/s1600/DSC07284.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vonWddO9ZWhNbo8pv8HAFHAGjEUbZXSp9W6DFs8XqqA1TrXNK3uQxIQkRAYBoEoTj3bIkbaWYkkmjPfxNm5sKuldjPKq4Y98CWAdReUQeTCjJvixCJ5w-f2fHl3NP_i70QRNF_SDu3mm/s320/DSC07284.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466847733992823122" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZeWh5obPbr6G7zNZ1mGzPetTVt8M-LlWSemGCraqGnb4yZDTWSVZgaYw7za6K0Agec3uhpqlofFl3gajjnvcT__0ksCJuA690T6eOSjXRKZJKVEwpYDy1h8JZZflWLzsNsiNOwYMKiiH7/s1600/IMG_0150.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZeWh5obPbr6G7zNZ1mGzPetTVt8M-LlWSemGCraqGnb4yZDTWSVZgaYw7za6K0Agec3uhpqlofFl3gajjnvcT__0ksCJuA690T6eOSjXRKZJKVEwpYDy1h8JZZflWLzsNsiNOwYMKiiH7/s320/IMG_0150.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466847724507008802" /></a>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02049246349762266326noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848782864498956777.post-11568377233388206892010-04-17T10:40:00.001-07:002010-04-17T11:06:08.838-07:00a poem and some news<span style="font-weight:bold;">The News: <br /></span><br />I'll be moving blogs in the very near future. I've done a lot of thinking about blogging, and have a different direction I'd like to go, which will be reflected in the new blog. I enjoy writing and journaling a lot, and this blog is kind of stuck in a rut. So I'm going to go more towards the journaling side of blogging, though I'll be including plenty of pictures and recipes still - it's unavoidable ;-)<br /><br />So stick with me. Stay tuned. I've already got the new blog up, but have some tweaking to do before I'm ready to announce it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">And the Poem:<br /></span>Trust me, not the greatest. It's been awhile since Poem Composition 101. But I literally composed this one day while taking a shower, and thought it fairly quaint and descriptive. It made me laugh as I made it up - hope it makes you laugh, too!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mQX6bwLQ-HRMu0bqvHIakm5jGDBwaAS6u2r1n7_sTlRlSmNybQuQZh4lg2QFefwgDd9icHdp4Hnl2ICScDj224XMLcf-EbTzSLqi303mi4v8o6zEYBibRnJwMbAJ5vxCMYAeXp9cfN-V/s1600/2231504673_0caf35579a-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mQX6bwLQ-HRMu0bqvHIakm5jGDBwaAS6u2r1n7_sTlRlSmNybQuQZh4lg2QFefwgDd9icHdp4Hnl2ICScDj224XMLcf-EbTzSLqi303mi4v8o6zEYBibRnJwMbAJ5vxCMYAeXp9cfN-V/s320/2231504673_0caf35579a-1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461169141358396114" /></a><br /><br /><blockquote>An Ode to Laundry<br /><br />Laundry, will you never end?<br />I'd really like to be your friend!<br />To you I ever try to be<br />faithful; but, as you can see,<br />I fail in that - most miserably.<br /><br />I guess I could see this as my chance<br />(while ironing shirt and folding pants)<br />to learn lessons of patience, discipline, grace;<br />of everything having its own place;<br />of making sure my house isn't a disgrace.<br /><br />All of these, sure, are possibilities.<br />But, Laundry, I don't mind saying: "Please, <br />(and I pause, with a bright, persausive smile)<br />"Could you, just every once-in-a-while<br />go rest in someone else's pile?"</blockquote>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02049246349762266326noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848782864498956777.post-21843272781270347162010-02-19T19:29:00.001-08:002010-02-19T19:34:41.158-08:00days with my boyswe're moving this weekend...but since I'm sore and tired from all the boxing and lifting and painting and such, and not up for much blogging, I thought I'd post some pictures of some of our favorite moments - probably the two things my boys love to do best are: <br /><br />read<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6M5YvqHGcAnhZf_kqfJRMf5SDsLyEh4m0U772KamNaSrqkbh78OlXa7eCaO-DLfSFPeLdbrTQeQqvt8SzYRERx1xJYjatwTnXXV5OjpA9r5nVEATZLkxzJNc-Ep_0oSB1OqeRgK0QEFwz/s1600-h/DSC06972.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6M5YvqHGcAnhZf_kqfJRMf5SDsLyEh4m0U772KamNaSrqkbh78OlXa7eCaO-DLfSFPeLdbrTQeQqvt8SzYRERx1xJYjatwTnXXV5OjpA9r5nVEATZLkxzJNc-Ep_0oSB1OqeRgK0QEFwz/s320/DSC06972.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440162909625311506" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTya8Yy2X_qZfKu0ZAazYZV0m_0A6ef7zdTF-KSydqI4c-036ZME7f1wy5v_9kq2UwhZbZ3QSWDOwQoWYdBw4LrFAjloAmyCymSXhmfq8a5sL8PSe3ZqbuIM3BmsL4uIz8P5mwQh8Bo3SR/s1600-h/DSC06976.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTya8Yy2X_qZfKu0ZAazYZV0m_0A6ef7zdTF-KSydqI4c-036ZME7f1wy5v_9kq2UwhZbZ3QSWDOwQoWYdBw4LrFAjloAmyCymSXhmfq8a5sL8PSe3ZqbuIM3BmsL4uIz8P5mwQh8Bo3SR/s320/DSC06976.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440162905908688706" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGRN87gVen1lJmmCel-Ye1CdoX4JBQ9OfebPF0-bYPYpKXm6YPHRYF6yrTar8opnRDclyjmDk4OtdC4kWWBnHozCTC8-LwRWMHFj7sD6u0VmbLoa6qZFYmsGtAfv8FNCKyg7POP9Ne81Fu/s1600-h/DSC06977.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGRN87gVen1lJmmCel-Ye1CdoX4JBQ9OfebPF0-bYPYpKXm6YPHRYF6yrTar8opnRDclyjmDk4OtdC4kWWBnHozCTC8-LwRWMHFj7sD6u0VmbLoa6qZFYmsGtAfv8FNCKyg7POP9Ne81Fu/s320/DSC06977.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440162901422449426" /></a><br /><br />and play outside!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR0KJq0YjWU_N60dta3FbndYKYSzePUpRaRqK2-640YaMG6ZijDuhBOOnslyM9KTamkQflPVoHSdIQqK2u9zzLZuiIJugCUWOgA6ZyfAnzs1BkaSpTk3LCGrDPpkz4iamo0SX2gMSMaB1R/s1600-h/DSC06993.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR0KJq0YjWU_N60dta3FbndYKYSzePUpRaRqK2-640YaMG6ZijDuhBOOnslyM9KTamkQflPVoHSdIQqK2u9zzLZuiIJugCUWOgA6ZyfAnzs1BkaSpTk3LCGrDPpkz4iamo0SX2gMSMaB1R/s320/DSC06993.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440162917860242802" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLuGzasdS67ayUrCZ1ZzTL7I7LmSgMPyXmoNUUBH7LcNws1NjLaTSTWuXpAQ7V7wlU4xgTpB8Zsa-CF4EvUeptr3phc7qUEuKcoveYPWzVBcGLcwDVrNXTKGMp0oBJc0S2UwhQbw5lzo6A/s1600-h/DSC06985.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLuGzasdS67ayUrCZ1ZzTL7I7LmSgMPyXmoNUUBH7LcNws1NjLaTSTWuXpAQ7V7wlU4xgTpB8Zsa-CF4EvUeptr3phc7qUEuKcoveYPWzVBcGLcwDVrNXTKGMp0oBJc0S2UwhQbw5lzo6A/s320/DSC06985.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440162911302162258" /></a><br /><br />my heart is full with love of these two munchkins! Cole is talking up a storm these days - will try to post some soon =)Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02049246349762266326noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848782864498956777.post-29290851594155775692010-01-25T17:55:00.000-08:002010-01-25T18:26:54.252-08:00DaybookOutside my window::<br />:: a very still night after a lovely, nippy, sunny day.<br /><br />I am listening to::<br />:: pages turn as my husband studies here in the office. This counts as "together time" right now. Flight school has begun, and the first 4 weeks are the most intense (and most crucial). So I get a chance for more time on the computer while he studies aeronautics and weather patterns and the basics of physics.<br /><br />I am wearing::<br />:: not-so-stylish black velour pants with an apple-green shirt. and sneaker ankle socks.<br /><br />I am thankful for::<br />:: spontaneity (and spell check because I couldn't spell it). A bit of out-of-the-ordinary can turn a long day into a full day. Big difference.<br /><br />I am pondering::<br />:: living a faithful story. Making the hard choice when no one except God would know. Being kind, loving, gentle and purposeful, even though only my children see it. Read the whole post <a href="http://wholeheart.typepad.com/itakejoy/2010/01/count-it-all-joy-when-you-encounter-various-trialsreally-are-you-kidding.html">here</a>, but here is the inspiring summary:<br /><blockquote><span style="font-style:italic;">...don't resist the trials--they will be the making of your character, the galvanizing of your integrity, the defining of a great story of your king working on your behalf in the history of His redeeming the world back to himself. Your opportunity to show forth your true love for Him.</span></blockquote><br /><br />I am reading::<br />:: Time magazine and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Your-Children-Values-Richard/dp/0671769669/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264471476&sr=8-1"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Teaching your Children Values</span></a><br /><br />from the Kitchen::<br />:: baking day tomorrow! Meatloaf and mashed potatoes tonight. Four more days until grocery day, so a week of freezer/pantry cooking ahead.<br /><br />I am thinking::<br />:: that no day is risk-free in my husband's line of work (or anybodys, I realize)...a T-34 crashed last night in New Orleans, killing the instructor. The student pilot was okay, thankfully...but made me realize that what my husband does is full of risk. Thankful that a Sovereign God knows exactly how many days each of us have; my husband will be with us as long as my Father ordains. Praying that is a long time =)<br /><br />around the House::<br />:: going through the boxes and piles again, in anticipation of our upcoming in-town move. Is it possible to get addicted to this? My favorite part of moving is going through all of our stuff and weeding out the unused things; discovering something that I'd forgotten about; reminding myself of a project that really does need to be started (or finished).<br /><br />I am creating::<br />:: a picture prayer journal for our family. Been on my mind for awhile to do, but put it on the top priority for my week. A journal full of pictures of family and friends for us to pray through after dinner. Gives a face for the children to know who we're praying for, and also gives us a opportunity to track how God works in their lives. Can't wait to get it done and USE it!<br /><br />one of my Favorite Things::<br />:: nursing my babies at night. pure peace and trust.<br /><br />from our day::<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.blackwaterliving.com/images/trestle2a.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 370px; height: 278px;" src="http://www.blackwaterliving.com/images/trestle2a.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />:: We took a spontaneous trip to the Riverwalk here in Milton for a picnic lunch. After sitting on a blanket (for all of 4 minutes - I thought that was pretty good!) and mostly wandering around while eating crackers and pasta salad and yogurt, we bundled up for a jaunt along the river. The seagulls seemed interested in us; no less interested than my boys were in them. I think Cole tried to verbalize "sea. gull." and Graeme laughed every time they flew away when we got too close. Then we stopped by the Milton bakery for a chocolate chip cookie (and a donut as a treat for Daddy). It was so much fun.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02049246349762266326noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848782864498956777.post-79902476874860547652010-01-12T16:23:00.001-08:002010-01-12T16:30:35.102-08:00One of my favorite authors...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://wholeheart.typepad.com/.a/6a00e54f7ea81f88330120a7ca7368970b-320pi"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://wholeheart.typepad.com/.a/6a00e54f7ea81f88330120a7ca7368970b-320pi" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />...is releasing her new book, <a href="http://www.wholeheart.org/whitemdetail.php?itemid=76">Dancing with my Father</a>, today. <br /><br />I can't wait to read it! I recently finished Sally Clarkson's <a href="http://www.wholeheart.org/whitemdetail.php?itemid=2">Mission of Motherhood</a>. It came at a wonderful time for me, and changed my perspective on what this Mothering business is all about. It is the best book on Motherhood out there (at least, I should say, from what I've read and seen, which is a good bit.)<br /><br />If you can find her book at the library, order it from Amazon or from wholeheartpress (the Clarkson's website), I highly recommend that you do.<br /><br />I'd like to find the time to right up a post about both Sally's book, and Clay's (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Heartfelt-Discipline-Gentle-Training-Guiding/dp/1578565839/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263342619&sr=8-1">Heartfelt Discipline</a>). Meanwhile, just go read it! =)Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02049246349762266326noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848782864498956777.post-85042922148282892252010-01-11T20:28:00.001-08:002010-01-13T20:54:30.409-08:00three words. the computer. and my story<span style="font-style:italic;">Proverbs 4:7 says "Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding."</span><br /><br />inspiration. information. insight (i.e. wisdom).<br /><br />How are these three words related? More specifically, what do they have to do with the computer? =)<br /><br />Well, as you may have noticed, I haven't been as bloggy lately. In fact, I think I've had one or two posts per month for the past several months. For awhile, I was working to be more consistent so that people would keep reading...so it's pretty "bad" to neglect my blog so thoroughly! Who wants to visit if I only pop-in once a month?<br /><br />However, it hasn't been just my blog that I've been spending less time on. It's been the computer in general. Could I chalk it up to this season of life? New baby, crazy life for awhile, moving, settling in...sure, that's a lot. But plenty of folks manage to keep up with blogs through crazier times, no?<br /><br />So there must be something else. Yes, there is. My relationship with my computer has changed. A lot.<br /><br />It began gradually. Before Graeme's birth, the computer opened up a whole new world to me. I discovered a whole sister-hood of women who did parenting differently than the mainstream. Wow, was it fascinating! I spent hours perusing websites, jotting notes, printing articles...trying to figure out cloth-diapering, whether to vaccinate, how long to breastfeed, when to introduce solids. And after Graeme was born, that didn't change. Not only was the whole Momma thing new - so much of what I was trying to do was "weird" and I knew no one "in real life" who did it: cloth diapering, breastfeeding, attachment parenting, delaying solids, green cleaning, mama cloth, holistic medicine, naturally treating common childhood illnesses, not vaccinating. And I spent a lot of time with the computer.<br /><br />Too much. I'd let Graeme watch "one more" video, or wait just an extra minute to go get him when he woke up from his nap so that I could finish a particular train of research or a post on a forum. Granted, I gleaned a heap of information from this period of time. Indeed, I was greatly helped by many a forum post or chat with another Mama who gave me helpful information...sometimes even critical information, as Graeme went through a series of ear infections. But we all know how easy it is for one-thing-to-lead-to-another in the world of the Web. You can start by looking up one thing and an hour goes by, seemingly without a blink. Boy, did I become <span style="font-weight:bold;">informed</span>, though!<br /><br />While Mark was gone for OCS, the computer was my friend. I formed some fairly close relationships with other women with common interests on a forum, and blog-hopped late into the evening many times. I had a little knitting business that kept me busy online, and I started running co-ops (going in with other folks to buy things at reduced prices). My time on the computer increased. I often strived to balance it better - trying not to spend gobs of time on it while Graeme was awake. But much of my time and energy <span style="font-style:italic;">away</span> from the computer involved things that needed to be taken care of online.<br /><br />I knew it was taking up too much, so I cut back on some things. I spent less time on the forums. We were moving and in a new place, and I was pregnant, so a lot of my time online was spent in practical matters (finding new doctors, researching pregnancy-related tests and birth stuff)...<br /><br />until I got bit by the blog bug.<br /><br />Oh, can you be <span style="font-weight:bold;">inspired</span> by blogs! Friend blogs. Food blogs. Craft blogs. Kid blogs. Mom blogs. Marriage blogs. Green blogs. Simple blogs. Sewing blogs. Reading blogs. Picture blogs. Fashion blogs. Um, yeah.<br /><br />I have to put a disclaimer out there that I got to know some pretty amazing women, read some incredible stories, discovered a great wealth of material to use in my kitchen and in my home, and learned a lot from reading blogs. Nothing at all wrong with them. Thanks to all of you who invest so much in your blog!<br /><br />So I feel a little bad to say this, but I learned that I really had to cut back on the inspiration. It could gobble up time just as bad as anything I'd done before.<br /><br />Not to mention the aspirations that filled my head about my own little blog. Should I rename it? How can I generate more traffic? Could I actually make money through my blog? And I invested mental energy on and off the computer: creating posts as I took my shower...my menu plans were fodder for a great blog post. How could I encourage my readers? How could I get more people to read me?<br /><br />Fortunately, this phase was short-lived for me. I don't stick to things very well, and I quickly realized this was a downhill slope for me. Too much. Again.<br /><br />God was working on my heart. After Cole's birth, the pressures of TBS started taking their tole on our family. Newborn baby-life can be tiring, but add to that my husband's schedule (3am mornings anyone?) and the fact that we were with one car after January '09. In D.C. (traffic makes everything more stressful). Trying to train a toddler to sleep in his own bed. Trying to minister to a husband you only see an hour every few days (it seemed). Realizing that when you join the military, whether you're the one that signed up or not, you're giving away parts of your life. It was a tough time, for sure.<br /><br />For my sanity, and the sanity of my household, I had to give more of my time and attention to them. I started cutting back on anything that wasn't directly related to <span style="font-style:italic;">tangibly</span> being with my children, caring for my home, thinking about how I can serve my husband and my family. Me and the kids kind of clung to each other. It just became less important, this relationship between me and the computer. The knitting business went bye-bye. I stopped doing co-ops. I still blogged. But I began to realize, I didn't need any <span style="font-style:italic;">more</span> inspiration. I needed to live it.<br /><br />I needed wisdom. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Insight</span>.<br /><br />After all, it's not about the first two words that Solomon tells us to GET, though it cost *all* that you have.<br /><br />It's about the last one. Seek after wisdom; search for her as for a hidden treasure, Proverbs 2 says. All the information and inspiration in the world cannot serve-up wisdom for you. It is something you must seek after. It is something you must <span style="font-style:italic;">give-up</span> for.<br /><br />Finally, me and the computer started figuring out where each of us needed to be. I needed to be away from it more. It needed to be a tool, not a master. A resource, not a relationship. Don't get me wrong - I'm grateful for its information. I still utilize search engines and forums occasionally to find out something I need to know. I learn about new things. I glean much inspiration from well-written blogs. I like to check in on my friends, see their pictures, keep up with their lives.<br /><br />But I do all this with a greater degree of insight. I don't really care whether I keep up with my blog or not. That's just how it needs to be for me right now. I am not very active on forums or in blog carnivals and such. Hey, we don't even have cable and I often don't know about disasters or votes or important things like that until I hear it on the radio or see posts about it on facebook =)<br /><br />I love not feeling obligated to check in on the computer. I love not needing to check my e-mail, even being okay with skipping a day...there's nothing that important going on.<br /><br />Please don't take from this post that you ought to feel guilty if you keep up with your blog faithfully (thank you for doing that!). Don't take away that you should spend less time on your computer (unless, um, you should). Don't think that I find the internet, blogs, or forums evil (they are not).<br /><br />Just take from it that technology and me are finally at a comfortable spot. I am the happiest I've been in years about it. Maybe in the future I'll be able to be more faithful posting on my blog. I'd love to get to that spot. Maybe not, though.<br /><br />Meanwhile, thanks for reading! I hope this post is helpful. For some reason, it's been on my heart to share. Speaking of balance and wisdom...it's high time for me to head to bed. =)Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02049246349762266326noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848782864498956777.post-69637666691183552522010-01-01T06:30:00.000-08:002010-01-01T07:10:43.688-08:00A Picture PartyI thought I'd share our last month or so in pictures (since I haven't blogged at all since before Thanksgiving!) This is actually from Thanksgiving, as that was Cole's first birthday.<br /><br />We had homemade cinnamon rolls for Cole's birthday "cake" - yum!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeoLzQ7GM3UzPPdffVtf-40q6HIZ2fKcs2oLwFTKQ6zooeDzrgSMimxDs1keeVmx99Vy3ZlW8tmUZASdFrYbgvMs8ebQARh8eAqZBBOQdGWmvRke2W20fu-mLqAz0zh6p4MQD5d35ZvsCe/s1600-h/DSC06641.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeoLzQ7GM3UzPPdffVtf-40q6HIZ2fKcs2oLwFTKQ6zooeDzrgSMimxDs1keeVmx99Vy3ZlW8tmUZASdFrYbgvMs8ebQARh8eAqZBBOQdGWmvRke2W20fu-mLqAz0zh6p4MQD5d35ZvsCe/s400/DSC06641.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421779866719053474" /></a><br /><br />Happy Birthday, sweet boy! This guy is almost always smiling.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiemFJpb4R-vVR9Zzia0kwSsFgN_qjWWHDagFPE8-LFwcT_GsH3YChb9q2YdHoRRRJXoRvZ0FleVykRa7O326E3ab3rS9fbGv_1n-xH9o2BDHBfm1f0F0O8HpvPjxtdqVfyZnFv40EZasc/s1600-h/DSC06651.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiemFJpb4R-vVR9Zzia0kwSsFgN_qjWWHDagFPE8-LFwcT_GsH3YChb9q2YdHoRRRJXoRvZ0FleVykRa7O326E3ab3rS9fbGv_1n-xH9o2BDHBfm1f0F0O8HpvPjxtdqVfyZnFv40EZasc/s400/DSC06651.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421779873916356978" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8UjIgVtgHhGinHiVY7GfaO_F50AY8u4k2FLTjTTSBckhTVOxKUKsilPhkIjCbiOxJ0VV3cMTkzRM13Sc6v7vXgkvAKlnXAbF1gju2nAjfll615x_iBOc2bKa4C6F32hZgpkLAPtssOPia/s1600-h/DSC06661.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8UjIgVtgHhGinHiVY7GfaO_F50AY8u4k2FLTjTTSBckhTVOxKUKsilPhkIjCbiOxJ0VV3cMTkzRM13Sc6v7vXgkvAKlnXAbF1gju2nAjfll615x_iBOc2bKa4C6F32hZgpkLAPtssOPia/s400/DSC06661.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421779877614013010" /></a><br /><br />The "hit" birthday present - a pounding tower. He took it very seriously<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH7G-ubae_h6goFaJBI0uwWURCpIoHawwppiFcWEYneHEBVW1kmGaDjKIVjUgIZdL7Gu9BAeJUg38E0nqhK3TwTmAbKBo4CrCgXo2h0qUtzvufVbtUGYK_j3hCNlicaJ5XIXyc4KtnZAks/s1600-h/DSC06669.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH7G-ubae_h6goFaJBI0uwWURCpIoHawwppiFcWEYneHEBVW1kmGaDjKIVjUgIZdL7Gu9BAeJUg38E0nqhK3TwTmAbKBo4CrCgXo2h0qUtzvufVbtUGYK_j3hCNlicaJ5XIXyc4KtnZAks/s400/DSC06669.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421779885350459154" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhWOJj6JxSKQIgK6PhzX5DJLOOgX30GDSaF6o0aGui0dCYvt1RFUXMudhnfDXmW6RKnI9a4IqmUYdkeJwTmUu7CxE24e0VkLw-opb3TZnTmMmgnIdQ9lS42J21fjINL2c11Knw8-o8GGZ/s1600-h/DSC06713.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhWOJj6JxSKQIgK6PhzX5DJLOOgX30GDSaF6o0aGui0dCYvt1RFUXMudhnfDXmW6RKnI9a4IqmUYdkeJwTmUu7CxE24e0VkLw-opb3TZnTmMmgnIdQ9lS42J21fjINL2c11Knw8-o8GGZ/s400/DSC06713.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421779889796816130" /></a><br />Our other boy, growing up so fast. He'll be 3 in March.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiATG5XC-ar6BEAdcQzCnl2BObT_-KWY8Wu_PeXufClu7pGOMi-Vd8SU_fc8XZ8SsKl0_JvoBUgsr4ofnRBAZJnpC42OZWxm6xXVyvIPtCFgfFl6JeIskEMCfIL2w4qtzB7h3h1XFRgZ9bW/s1600-h/DSC06731.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiATG5XC-ar6BEAdcQzCnl2BObT_-KWY8Wu_PeXufClu7pGOMi-Vd8SU_fc8XZ8SsKl0_JvoBUgsr4ofnRBAZJnpC42OZWxm6xXVyvIPtCFgfFl6JeIskEMCfIL2w4qtzB7h3h1XFRgZ9bW/s400/DSC06731.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421780820276606466" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbMrvjW6-9jwddO9CNEIoqS0UJQJlkDagFawYfmJ-TdfiRkvvlUH_iLAEaLMA4kWVXkCeSC8VRRr7AiUG8tmNwaoKQe0pRJsRSzAskzRZGY9m-HkEySaDIl_5-AJxGDpmzmABAwxWCXOj1/s1600-h/DSC06734.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbMrvjW6-9jwddO9CNEIoqS0UJQJlkDagFawYfmJ-TdfiRkvvlUH_iLAEaLMA4kWVXkCeSC8VRRr7AiUG8tmNwaoKQe0pRJsRSzAskzRZGY9m-HkEySaDIl_5-AJxGDpmzmABAwxWCXOj1/s400/DSC06734.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421780827374066210" /></a><br />The "boys" and their beanies. I knit Cole's and Graeme's.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiciMiN1LTgH4mUWxUtVabKTN4AsFXs4jghnrJmCM7MZdQVZTOz8lhN3K9WVokgo7lrgTwuvRdkcd5binZXAI-M0pZlPpqDCbep4weSkQbq_RI5G5S_yr7t0b6SSnLBjlv9MgHCKP7nR4C6/s1600-h/DSC06744.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiciMiN1LTgH4mUWxUtVabKTN4AsFXs4jghnrJmCM7MZdQVZTOz8lhN3K9WVokgo7lrgTwuvRdkcd5binZXAI-M0pZlPpqDCbep4weSkQbq_RI5G5S_yr7t0b6SSnLBjlv9MgHCKP7nR4C6/s400/DSC06744.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421780832355968754" /></a><br /><br />An impromptu hat that made Graeme the drummer boy (he loves the song)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq67WbRp_DRTjZbc0bhurMsBlxEe5QTMNYTZli6IXcqOGxMNFE5ixVL_4zAwn8LkkuC0l0HmYEmE7t4LsDXOKJBIxmgnSaYVgOWyrihNtIhXN8DsXTQWZmkr0Qlx_1muNjTYg8I0X1wMkV/s1600-h/DSC06762.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq67WbRp_DRTjZbc0bhurMsBlxEe5QTMNYTZli6IXcqOGxMNFE5ixVL_4zAwn8LkkuC0l0HmYEmE7t4LsDXOKJBIxmgnSaYVgOWyrihNtIhXN8DsXTQWZmkr0Qlx_1muNjTYg8I0X1wMkV/s400/DSC06762.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421780836199204658" /></a><br /><br />Some of our Christmas shots:<br /><br />Cole and cousin Noah (only a month younger)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfJ6jiQ8KqNT7IUO4y6jSAtKJ_npwknhjsLfjXqWZWTVlC8cYz4v02Sex9WsdesYuKbkid6skb9GwjivlE7W71ADgVI5xnpYgaxfZ9sf7BOZ8P3LwCU_xrDzKT3xhiL8BXKVBohM7LSoad/s1600-h/DSC06768.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfJ6jiQ8KqNT7IUO4y6jSAtKJ_npwknhjsLfjXqWZWTVlC8cYz4v02Sex9WsdesYuKbkid6skb9GwjivlE7W71ADgVI5xnpYgaxfZ9sf7BOZ8P3LwCU_xrDzKT3xhiL8BXKVBohM7LSoad/s400/DSC06768.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421780839980927682" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOeKZN4Jmmn2Q8Q30tY8WZpex_mE6eA_x_69paV4jy99Zid_5iUbIM23HFIM4eRxksnXNMtpt3mBSPK7gtY00qEobBaIUXN74eovlZ_9L2V_CKYppB1fALUx-VqL8UhhCIKUJ7IknBQ601/s1600-h/DSC06781.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOeKZN4Jmmn2Q8Q30tY8WZpex_mE6eA_x_69paV4jy99Zid_5iUbIM23HFIM4eRxksnXNMtpt3mBSPK7gtY00qEobBaIUXN74eovlZ_9L2V_CKYppB1fALUx-VqL8UhhCIKUJ7IknBQ601/s400/DSC06781.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421784294674905602" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZd1Ayw8VUhxFieI-uEY-F4Lr8k3NU7Toat8BthnpJ3AgWzvcugaMSIlP0XUhkW7hgafu1_0rj7FCPd_Hjt-0MNy8M8zkd64DwUkoTfqs-XZ14_uXs_t-sXNx5fWPT5A_wrvstMtBXo4B/s1600-h/DSC06784.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZd1Ayw8VUhxFieI-uEY-F4Lr8k3NU7Toat8BthnpJ3AgWzvcugaMSIlP0XUhkW7hgafu1_0rj7FCPd_Hjt-0MNy8M8zkd64DwUkoTfqs-XZ14_uXs_t-sXNx5fWPT5A_wrvstMtBXo4B/s400/DSC06784.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421784300937699618" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0DznTya2yi_wlUxwAb1a-TllzKnwvfvPH_ghaO8N9o83_ukMicfPYDOTArhT91787eng8HxwReThzsGg36MdexCEKEP-JnUN_hNhG4eQN1MxIWwKLfQkla27ZHFwsp3pYkFHrpdFAnC0X/s1600-h/DSC06794.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 362px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0DznTya2yi_wlUxwAb1a-TllzKnwvfvPH_ghaO8N9o83_ukMicfPYDOTArhT91787eng8HxwReThzsGg36MdexCEKEP-JnUN_hNhG4eQN1MxIWwKLfQkla27ZHFwsp3pYkFHrpdFAnC0X/s400/DSC06794.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421784308974023234" /></a><br /><br />We had a very special time having my grandparents with us for Christmas Day at my parents' house. Nana, the boy's great-grandmother, quilted each of them a blanket. Hard to put into words how wonderful it was to spend Christmas with four generations. We took pictures, but it was on my Mom's camera - once I get those, I'll share.<br /><br />Nana<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD6KTeqFYHS1BFuV1oiYfdT9-yRQ3CRkL7rWtcjuCJwHhGmRGDDk7AivnQxXi7UbX8oB_W_6c_tmqVYHPxuONE7Kj2MPNULKn9Z4EaQEH8HHypvo_tzz3vPcQajXjGnwjAgE9fomwo5L4I/s1600-h/DSC06803.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD6KTeqFYHS1BFuV1oiYfdT9-yRQ3CRkL7rWtcjuCJwHhGmRGDDk7AivnQxXi7UbX8oB_W_6c_tmqVYHPxuONE7Kj2MPNULKn9Z4EaQEH8HHypvo_tzz3vPcQajXjGnwjAgE9fomwo5L4I/s400/DSC06803.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421787259305417490" /></a><br /><br />Graeme's quilt - the teddy bears are just up his ally - he loved feeling each one. I'm sure, eventually, they'll all have names and personalities =)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLlsyJoEME5dZOku2azliEl2VlSeI_-oe6G_0-vtr8B2VZbwPCnHhAuOc8dNE0xnA-MO4v7a8YfTw8kMV2sJpXy9Q0RshC8YjGD7lUJgy5gSVMfjsLZG7kNz-5wI4B3zEGRxb0JZQvy9nd/s1600-h/DSC06809.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLlsyJoEME5dZOku2azliEl2VlSeI_-oe6G_0-vtr8B2VZbwPCnHhAuOc8dNE0xnA-MO4v7a8YfTw8kMV2sJpXy9Q0RshC8YjGD7lUJgy5gSVMfjsLZG7kNz-5wI4B3zEGRxb0JZQvy9nd/s400/DSC06809.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421784315575857730" /></a><br /><br />A sweet blanket for baby Cole. Cuddly, just like him.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDSIcPPZH1-1IxziWoTynNZalPtRv3OI6X0JVlCMgs__qyK8NBYQWNM5U-izH_dPttGlJKGg12TYvQQDBQSfw_W9KWcgfNdQ4exuRIYyKu0SmBgQVVG7GEVbV3viBKYjE5lSO_GEQWXgH4/s1600-h/DSC06811.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDSIcPPZH1-1IxziWoTynNZalPtRv3OI6X0JVlCMgs__qyK8NBYQWNM5U-izH_dPttGlJKGg12TYvQQDBQSfw_W9KWcgfNdQ4exuRIYyKu0SmBgQVVG7GEVbV3viBKYjE5lSO_GEQWXgH4/s400/DSC06811.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421784318454343778" /></a><br /><br />Plates the boys made for my parents (little reindeer, the antlers are the boys' hands and the face is one of their feet.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9InWxv70w2W2PI-OFhCpWXFo8miRghO1u-Z4wIhECwgsj0UEfD2M8hSDkqHm2VlbsfWiPrDhlqTL2MY7bBqjAB0UGaP3IO92X-GvgUdQdkM2fSjhzAIAx5hWkFKbzJXF40xOY4tYCHmSl/s1600-h/DSC06812.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9InWxv70w2W2PI-OFhCpWXFo8miRghO1u-Z4wIhECwgsj0UEfD2M8hSDkqHm2VlbsfWiPrDhlqTL2MY7bBqjAB0UGaP3IO92X-GvgUdQdkM2fSjhzAIAx5hWkFKbzJXF40xOY4tYCHmSl/s400/DSC06812.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421787263091086418" /></a><br /><br />Funny how the simplest/least expensive gifts are sometimes the most fun. This little puppy from Walgreens gave hours of giggles and silly antics. Graeme especially found it hilarious.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1HPYz8duBmZSzANOUMtkqCAw8xf21PAtUMNjdTX7RyfduecB-2xhvLux-AMsD7j3Fg_pOdYp9NDnldIApA8sftamnI-eX6ln8ftf1F-7YbK-dUxoBLUHFfcO5f_cTRlza05CJWmv8GnLv/s1600-h/DSC06831.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1HPYz8duBmZSzANOUMtkqCAw8xf21PAtUMNjdTX7RyfduecB-2xhvLux-AMsD7j3Fg_pOdYp9NDnldIApA8sftamnI-eX6ln8ftf1F-7YbK-dUxoBLUHFfcO5f_cTRlza05CJWmv8GnLv/s400/DSC06831.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421787267913565554" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Dl6FJFFn7NzWzHvnyB3N6oyXkCF6JGxysEtG7W90vtcSXGmzT3GFpmOmk7ujx1l2v16nxW8M0upnkTKY9Wvmv-ZKujVOAI0-lrVrdpB6a5iOUl9Fl3UcWSLClES7zWNRezSgPzwMGMVM/s1600-h/DSC06852.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Dl6FJFFn7NzWzHvnyB3N6oyXkCF6JGxysEtG7W90vtcSXGmzT3GFpmOmk7ujx1l2v16nxW8M0upnkTKY9Wvmv-ZKujVOAI0-lrVrdpB6a5iOUl9Fl3UcWSLClES7zWNRezSgPzwMGMVM/s400/DSC06852.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421787273323787762" /></a><br /><br />Just loved this shot. Looks like he's trying to catch snowflakes or dancing with the lights...ah, to be one year old.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BXmZWyNekrC0VZLEfsBWP4Gax2HNUu0ClRviaYj7mpO6X2Vw3rW3i2w1896Z_Ue45Pna5Aa03cJXtagmb0HL8hI67Jw5TNLY34KJ3AbpQiIrNw2UdLo7xJe1_Z3oXBdFVlFn6i-a7GBj/s1600-h/DSC06875.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BXmZWyNekrC0VZLEfsBWP4Gax2HNUu0ClRviaYj7mpO6X2Vw3rW3i2w1896Z_Ue45Pna5Aa03cJXtagmb0HL8hI67Jw5TNLY34KJ3AbpQiIrNw2UdLo7xJe1_Z3oXBdFVlFn6i-a7GBj/s400/DSC06875.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421787277575993714" /></a><br /><br />There were many other moments, and I left out some of the "family" shots (especially those with people in pajamas ha!)...but that has been our last month. Full of special memories, some sickness and down-time, lots of being at home, preparing our special gifts, talking about birthdays and Jesus and gifts and balloons (Graeme's gift of choice for Jesus and baby Cole).<br /><br />We did something neat this year, a Jesse Tree, that I will post about in the next few days. Happy New Year, everyone.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02049246349762266326noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848782864498956777.post-9255012240631836062009-11-18T13:00:00.001-08:002009-11-19T18:56:30.718-08:00I am here to meet your needsOften, when my children wake up in the night, I rush to their side and murmur, "Mama's here, mama's here". Often with tenderness; other times with exhaustion; and sometimes, I'm sad to say, with frustration at yet another hour of sleep interrupted.<br /><br />As I whispered it to Cole this afternoon, waking from his nap rather violently, I took delight in being there for him...gently nursing him back into slumber so that he could later wake with renewed energy for life again.<br /><br />To me, the phrase "I am here to meet your needs" describes the essence of mothering young ones. God designed Mothers to be the lifegivers for their young. We see it throughout His creation; and most eloquently in His image-bearers, humankind. <br /><br />Without a supplement (formula, a wet nurse...), infants would literally die without the sustenance their Mother's milk provides. Without touch, infants will not thrive. Without someone to listen to and respond to their needs, babies are helpless! By design, their cry demands an answer.<br /><br />And God's answer was Mama. The person He created to constantly care for a baby. To nourish him; cradle him; smile at him; talk to him; care for him...to love him by meeting his every need, no matter what.<br /><br />It is a truly noble calling. <br /><br />At the same time, it often seems to be this precise round-the-clock neediness that can feel totally overwhelming, can't it? I recall sitting on my bed in the wee hours of the morning a few days after Graeme's birth. His was a c-section, so I was dealing with surgery recovery, which I found to be much worse, hormonally, than my natural birth with Cole. Anyhow, I sat on my bed, nursing Graeme for what seemed like the fourth time already that night, and I just started weeping as it struck me: I would never be an independent human being again. Yes, marriage is a dependent-relationship...my husband definitely needs me =) But <span style="font-style:italic;">nothing</span> like a baby needs me, especially a nursing baby. I realized that, for the foreseeable future, I would be tied to a needy little one who would demand my attention, whether direct or indirect, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There would be no "recess", no "lunch break" - no "vacation" from parenting.<br /><br />Having a baby makes you unselfish, whether you're willing to be or not!<br /><br />It was a process, for me, though, to accept my design. Then it took awhile more for me to embrace it. I think that will be a story I share another day, as (speaking of meeting needs) it's time to finish dinner preparations and help my boys share the tape measure. Ha!<br /><br />Some pictures from our last few weeks...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVJ519lpD5KmIWRLyuU5T5ToIKPq7GWOEbaQYvuY8FpFch4pjIGYiriA1b4zyMFSuynX2oxZ9iu8mTxEfPNdPqT-b0fJVFtVTFCtZdua8ulD3zYFVcnJ1PXZvOouFYDw_I7SK4xXXqiwCj/s1600/DSC06591.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVJ519lpD5KmIWRLyuU5T5ToIKPq7GWOEbaQYvuY8FpFch4pjIGYiriA1b4zyMFSuynX2oxZ9iu8mTxEfPNdPqT-b0fJVFtVTFCtZdua8ulD3zYFVcnJ1PXZvOouFYDw_I7SK4xXXqiwCj/s400/DSC06591.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405552081270834386" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS9wQvwQenMJts4MqR-ufGckVpSX6LeacYhU974pZ5Aj1K58Yi_KbWwBA3_vx-kHrkhT02_KxzAmwuFFo2zYjxFd1lg8bSPlXcIDMMv0bWw4b2fuZBalk2f7PHRoRd8CzkwDdBvBm8crXe/s1600/IMG_0100.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS9wQvwQenMJts4MqR-ufGckVpSX6LeacYhU974pZ5Aj1K58Yi_KbWwBA3_vx-kHrkhT02_KxzAmwuFFo2zYjxFd1lg8bSPlXcIDMMv0bWw4b2fuZBalk2f7PHRoRd8CzkwDdBvBm8crXe/s400/IMG_0100.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405552080910316402" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrQX32FU7nuqkmTi8_RM1cf9wgSp1EBTyciiMl0593v5z2FFeuiofmlAJJsvpd5pXovUa741fJNZoNOmqFzYGAkxYo0zpGczbV9BjV6bt8WmDoSq1zwgOdK5STO1uwArCl6Najuk2qz11p/s1600/DSC06595.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrQX32FU7nuqkmTi8_RM1cf9wgSp1EBTyciiMl0593v5z2FFeuiofmlAJJsvpd5pXovUa741fJNZoNOmqFzYGAkxYo0zpGczbV9BjV6bt8WmDoSq1zwgOdK5STO1uwArCl6Najuk2qz11p/s400/DSC06595.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405551634986544706" /></a>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02049246349762266326noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848782864498956777.post-2747097177555578962009-11-07T04:55:00.000-08:002009-11-19T18:56:30.719-08:00My "bumper sticker" for these baby-years<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIB1SpXP_IhCUtYU4XRtqu8qDQVbatN9iw7jzlRD6rDP8Pd1_C7jemSA-1Nfh5b99RA3Phraz7YqRbKCjg_znxUnD9hVowkQ7dgKAAmLpmfjgrlzojeLe-fzWkoVQ0kEbV9mwr3nD05P_v/s1600-h/bumperblog.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIB1SpXP_IhCUtYU4XRtqu8qDQVbatN9iw7jzlRD6rDP8Pd1_C7jemSA-1Nfh5b99RA3Phraz7YqRbKCjg_znxUnD9hVowkQ7dgKAAmLpmfjgrlzojeLe-fzWkoVQ0kEbV9mwr3nD05P_v/s320/bumperblog.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401347433721574498" /></a> Or, I should say, one of the many I could share. Do you ever think of a phrase that would look really good as a bumper sticker? <br />I can't say I think of one very often, but yesterday I did.<br /><br />It was just a long day, and I felt like I was cleaning up mess after mess after mess. My toddler had an accident; I did like countless sinks of dishes, as I was cooking all day; working with a laundry pile that seemed to multiply as the day went on, the blueberry that spilled on the seat that I had to feverishly try to get out before it stained....and so on - you get the idea.<br /><br />On days like that, I can find myself weary with the seemingly endless demand on my energies for these messes we all make. That can disintegrate to complaining and "whining" (even if only in my head!) about these repetitive chores that come with a home with small children (and a momma who tends toward the messy, I mean, artistic side of things).<br /><br />As I prayed for the Lord to change my viewpoint, I realized this: that <span style="font-weight:bold;">Life is worth the Messes</span>. <br /><br />Living comes with demands, yes; but it comes with rewards as well. In fact, the living we do day-in and day-out is full of so much LIFE - learning, giving, trying, falling, getting back up; creating, exploring; resting, worshipping, eating; loving, hugging, laughing, crying.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfj2OBYc8aDEC3v5FS4A36YdOAVwXXVrkkYP-bMybJve06P0p-OShu_D9AjFIWgX3F4XoS0rRhyhWKnYxVdFx-cX8z3lwkkhV-pXqchT8PfJNiEONuF37NyLn_cVrHaMMAmLMJqkLd8gss/s1600-h/DSC06175.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfj2OBYc8aDEC3v5FS4A36YdOAVwXXVrkkYP-bMybJve06P0p-OShu_D9AjFIWgX3F4XoS0rRhyhWKnYxVdFx-cX8z3lwkkhV-pXqchT8PfJNiEONuF37NyLn_cVrHaMMAmLMJqkLd8gss/s400/DSC06175.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401352668640098466" /></a><br />So, yes, my young ones make extra laundry because they are <span style="font-style:italic;">learning</span>: how to go potty in the big potty, how to hold a spoon or a cup.<br /><br />I make lots of dishes cooking healthy, nourishing food.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT6PuS4n_E_wE83aeUgy0ThiS290qGmFwvw069LGmj_h_VHlY-dF9P-f4002BYwQcZeEAHBtMSPmzHianmIjo-sHUeXCkpGdLweN7SPJEJpox3WL2maW4uu57V3VlrjM4A7NMWNNk0J47R/s1600-h/DSC06188.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT6PuS4n_E_wE83aeUgy0ThiS290qGmFwvw069LGmj_h_VHlY-dF9P-f4002BYwQcZeEAHBtMSPmzHianmIjo-sHUeXCkpGdLweN7SPJEJpox3WL2maW4uu57V3VlrjM4A7NMWNNk0J47R/s400/DSC06188.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401351959057559250" /></a><br />We spill paint, milk, water, juice, markers, glue....but we spill them because we are <span style="font-style:italic;">using</span> them to create, refresh and explore.<br /><br />The glass is either half-full or half-empty. The choice - which way to view it - lies entirely with me.<br /><br /><blockquote>17 She sets about her work vigorously; <br /> her arms are strong for her tasks.<br /><br />25 She is clothed with strength and dignity; <br /> she can laugh at the days to come.<br /><br /> 26 She speaks with wisdom, <br /> and faithful instruction is on her tongue.<br /><br /> 27 She watches over the affairs of her household <br /> and does not eat the bread of idleness.<br /><br /> 28 Her children arise and call her blessed; <br /> her husband also, and he praises her:<br /><br />Proverbs 31:17</blockquote><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvzaENrllU3ZGf1_mJsTKqrATWnh869Dg-ble9SgXj5RbiB2tKa5t3Ud8Qtp6IHWozdpWGhJbiozYZ_QFY0kPh5eX6m08vJwr8ZwUUdsb6VVNXwg08mXTAzFd1XCKvoCF7I66-4q_b3KQF/s1600-h/DSC06214.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvzaENrllU3ZGf1_mJsTKqrATWnh869Dg-ble9SgXj5RbiB2tKa5t3Ud8Qtp6IHWozdpWGhJbiozYZ_QFY0kPh5eX6m08vJwr8ZwUUdsb6VVNXwg08mXTAzFd1XCKvoCF7I66-4q_b3KQF/s400/DSC06214.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401351644169634818" /></a>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02049246349762266326noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848782864498956777.post-84195974974135372322009-10-26T07:37:00.000-07:002009-11-19T18:56:53.121-08:00Vegetables = Comfort Food?Well, in these two recipes, veggies meet comfort food! =) We really enjoyed these this weekend.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.delish.com/cm/delish/images/1Z/pasta-primavera-xl.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://www.delish.com/cm/delish/images/1Z/pasta-primavera-xl.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.delish.com/recipefinder/pasta-primavera-recipe">Pasta Primavera<br /></a>Apparently, a signature dish from a world-famous restaurant. I followed the recipe almost exactly, though I sub'd regular tomatoes for the plum and didn't have pine nuts this time around. A few tips from my experience: if you can chop up all the veggies ahead of time, it would make for a fairly quick meal - with the chopping and cooking together, it took maybe 40 minutes to prepare. I used two pans: a medium saute pan for all the sauteeing, and then a large stockpot to cook the spaghetti. At the final step, instead of putting the spaghetti in the saute pan to mix with the cream sauce, I put the cream sauce in the stockpot and mixed everything together in that. Cuts down on a few dishes ;-)<br /><br />I've never even had asparagus (that I can recall) and have always been rather afraid of it, I guess. It was wonderful in this dish. I don't imagine I'd love it by itself, but in a dish like this, you don't taste any one vegetable flavor over another...they just all blend together in lovely pasta creaminess!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMVz5wdgNzfXZ3lLjtoP82hVz9cXNGCDSDLTmBH5QHdY4UuJLtpcoKZIu2X6UXvWFubpndZdEG0Klv9Kw6rnjLKRdpaVoZkRr1jVn1GAJtyJbJktIdneBpAHbgGhxtrWnus1NvG-87KhLa/s1600-h/3806026825_b378e5b1bd-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMVz5wdgNzfXZ3lLjtoP82hVz9cXNGCDSDLTmBH5QHdY4UuJLtpcoKZIu2X6UXvWFubpndZdEG0Klv9Kw6rnjLKRdpaVoZkRr1jVn1GAJtyJbJktIdneBpAHbgGhxtrWnus1NvG-87KhLa/s320/3806026825_b378e5b1bd-1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396922736150494674" /></a><br />Turkey Cheese Casserole, or, Cheesy Pie (from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Healthiest-Kid-Neighborhood-Nutritional-Parenting/dp/B0015UXNLW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256568376&sr=8-1">Healthiest Kid</a> by the Sears)<br /><br />With this much cheese how can you go wrong? This was perfect for a dinner-breakfast (we had pancakes with it). Might also be good with some bread crumbs...there are lots of breakfast casseroles out there, but I did like that this one used turkey and cream cheese - hadn't seen those two before.<br /><br />Serves 6-8<br /><br />1lb ground turkey<br />3 medium zucchini, chopped<br />3 green onions, chopped<br />1 tsp. basil<br />1 tsp. Italian seasoning<br />1 tsp. salt (or, to taste)<br />4 eggs (used local, free-range)<br />1/3 cup milk (next time I might try cream)<br />4 oz. cream cheese, cubed<br />1/2 cup mozzerella, grated<br />1/2 cup cheddar, grated<br /><br />Preheat oven to 425. Brown the meat, and season as you cook with 1 tsp. basil and salt/pepper to taste. Cover the bottom of a large pie pan/casserole dish with browned meat. Layer on the zucchini and green onions. Add the Italian seasoning and salt to taste. Whisk the eggs and milk together and pour into the dish. Sprinkle all three cheeses on top. Bake for 30 minutes (mine took about 40 minutes b/c I used a deeper casserole dish).Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02049246349762266326noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848782864498956777.post-50647403963939087602009-09-27T20:16:00.000-07:002009-09-27T20:33:01.673-07:00Blogging BlockOver the past few weeks, I've had quite the time coming up with the desire to blog. Not that I don't have ample subject matter, just not so much the "want-to" to write about it.<br /><br />Most of my friends and family are now on Facebook, which somewhat eliminates part of the original purpose of this blog. Namely, to share pictures and updates with friends and family.<br /><br />So, while I am a bit slow on posting, I just wanted to explain myself for anyone who is not on said-facebook ;) I'm still here, and will post as I have the time, desire, and sufficient interesting subject matter LOL!<br /><br />I also have come to a humble conclusion about my own opinion. I've often been tempted to use my blog to share my political, spiritual, parenting or marriage or birthing or ___________ opinion......but frankly, I don't see the value in shouting from my little soap box when there are so many others who share their opinions quite better than I probably could. It is not either my mission or my purpose in life to convince the general "you" out there on the internet about things that are near and dear to my heart. It *is* my mission and purpose to love my husband, teach my sweet babies, care for our home, minister to my family, neighbors, friends, draw near to God....<br /><br />As a wonderful prayer on the wall in my Mother's guest bathroom states:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion. Release me from craving to straighten out everybody's affairs...With my vast store of wisdom, it seems a pity not to use it all, but Thou knowest Lord that I want a few friends at the end.<br />17th Century Nun's Prayer</span><br /><br />so blogging is taking a bit of a back-seat for me at this season of life. I'll be sure to post as I have time and energy towards it. Just be patient as I am slow these days :-) Blessings to you and yours.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02049246349762266326noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848782864498956777.post-62118361990516220142009-09-17T07:48:00.001-07:002009-09-17T07:48:52.718-07:00Summer Album 09<object width="425" height="425" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000"><param name="movie" value="http://images-community.shutterfly.com/flashapps/flashslideshowphotobook/slideshow_pb.swf"/><param name="flashvars" value="xmlURL=http%3A%2F%2Fws.shutterfly.com%2Fpsdata%3FprojectGUID%3D0AZN2jRi0ZuGMOLA%26uid%3D001083414472%26size%3D0%26ts%3D1253198907000%26height%3D425%26width%3D425&size=0&ob=0&fc=0&ss=0&sb=0&ft=0"/><param name="menu" value="false"/><param name="quality" value="best"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"/><embed width="425" height="425" align="middle" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" name="wrapper" quality="best" menu="false" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" flashvars="xmlURL=http%3A%2F%2Fws.shutterfly.com%2Fpsdata%3FprojectGUID%3D0AZN2jRi0ZuGMOLA%26uid%3D001083414472%26size%3D0%26ts%3D1253198907000%26height%3D425%26width%3D425&size=0&ob=0&fc=0&ss=0&sb=0&ft=0" src="http://images-community.shutterfly.com/flashapps/flashslideshowphotobook/slideshow_pb.swf"></embed></object><p style="width:425px;margin-top:0;text-align:center;"><a href="http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AZN2jRi0ZuGLlo&eid=115">Click here to view this photo book larger</a><img width="1" height="1" border="0" src="https://os.shutterfly.com/b/ss/sflyshareprod/1/H.15/111?pageName=sharekey&c1=photobook&c2=blogger" /></p>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02049246349762266326noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848782864498956777.post-59298741488321669272009-09-02T11:10:00.000-07:002009-11-19T18:50:21.538-08:00a visual aid for my toddlerI am a visual learner. I'm wondering if my son is, as well. <br /><br />Graeme is a helpful boy - I'm convinced it's in a child's makeup to enjoy helping. There's nothing like being productive while spending time with someone you love to make one just feel good, right?<br /><br />Since laundry is a daily task around here, I've been brainstorming to find ways to let Graeme help. Tried letting him "help" sort and fold. That didn't go over extremely well, though we will continue to work on it :-) He much preferred jumping on top of the pile of laundry, and climbing the "mountain, Mama!"<br /><br />So then I thought of this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMhIg62RC_PNAiTuhFJaIJ9Fpjex4vU3JbLpi7fm16m_heT8oerhJDF1PJXWlzlpbmGBWie7NICoSE1dz0YJHHeqZBC8orpvdq04fj6ArjBq3WPCe2V-cayiykbsv8xBERc5BxJxUfYoDo/s1600-h/DSC05981.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMhIg62RC_PNAiTuhFJaIJ9Fpjex4vU3JbLpi7fm16m_heT8oerhJDF1PJXWlzlpbmGBWie7NICoSE1dz0YJHHeqZBC8orpvdq04fj6ArjBq3WPCe2V-cayiykbsv8xBERc5BxJxUfYoDo/s320/DSC05981.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376945716915929266" /></a><br /><br />Each drawer is assigned a picture of what goes in it. As we (ahem...I) fold the laundry, we pile Graeme's clothes into these categories. Then I ask him to take ______ to the drawer it goes in.<br /><br />And it's working wonderfully! Graeme finds delight in locating the correct picture, opening the drawer, throwing (I mean, setting) his clothes in and running back to report the job accomplished.<br /><br />It does help me, as it's one less pile to put away.<br /><br />But it helps him a great deal more. It's giving him a sense of ownership, pride in accomplishment, and teaching him the pleasure of each thing being in its own home.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02049246349762266326noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848782864498956777.post-12304406924526197682009-08-29T05:39:00.000-07:002009-11-19T18:54:41.606-08:00Delicious, Real Food!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOMKZw_Zvh-YRWDYikoyINkEo7DM3KgnSbHEAx3VhlUEs3I0rfR0LuWcS7SX8BvVAOHaddFk1Qw88jsZw2dIr96FtzIUP0uAtJJEuW8qfIO3mCR28Z7h4A4ikMt7d-3maqWadIWqt5gvY5/s1600-h/DSC05980.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOMKZw_Zvh-YRWDYikoyINkEo7DM3KgnSbHEAx3VhlUEs3I0rfR0LuWcS7SX8BvVAOHaddFk1Qw88jsZw2dIr96FtzIUP0uAtJJEuW8qfIO3mCR28Z7h4A4ikMt7d-3maqWadIWqt5gvY5/s320/DSC05980.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375367253416300114" /></a><br /><br />Snapped a picture of all the food I bought Thursday on our trip to the Farmer's Market and Publix to re-fill our refrigerator. I felt so...GOOD, knowing that our family will be eating all this nourishing food. I'm really working to fill our pantry and fridge with whole foods as much as possible - though, certainly, we buy our fair share of ketchup, the occasional bag of chips or cookies, and canned or staple items. I try to get those at the Commissary once a month, as it's a good hour trip there.<br /><br />This just looks good, doesn't it? :) I think we'll have a bowl of peaches for breakfast...Happy weekend-ing!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02049246349762266326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848782864498956777.post-68341043495371254702009-08-26T17:26:00.000-07:002009-11-19T18:57:32.159-08:00Cole at 9 months<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM3TQG3prozCRhjY5TLSma9uwlfQdS0fTkvG2JaetMq_UIr_Uy_7-mz6lxre_sHAuCYzVx1_DG-1BrJcHbhU_jOf1tYUOTt5KOm3kmZa5ihn71uy75QEcr2zYO9zRkoye4PqOHhyphenhyphenu10pES/s1600-h/DSC05864.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM3TQG3prozCRhjY5TLSma9uwlfQdS0fTkvG2JaetMq_UIr_Uy_7-mz6lxre_sHAuCYzVx1_DG-1BrJcHbhU_jOf1tYUOTt5KOm3kmZa5ihn71uy75QEcr2zYO9zRkoye4PqOHhyphenhyphenu10pES/s320/DSC05864.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374434428942895986" /></a><br />Ah, how the time flies! I conceived Cole around the time that Graeme was 9 months (random fact, I know) - why that stands out, for me, is how fast pregnancy goes, and infancy...before I know it, Cole will be Graeme's age! I can't even remember Graeme being as small as Cole is now.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd5jSoFXObMM-nNwYc8msSpB_GX7LWHNp0f8xsDhP5fa1NOGaRZi5sSZFEOkKvg3k1ZJUnKM4WtPHbnzMaEZ2wLzNN1mEeAhHgxSPVnavKjuR0qw7Ll6qizlyWFCOgxwZwYQjIHsFLocua/s1600-h/DSC05794.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 275px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd5jSoFXObMM-nNwYc8msSpB_GX7LWHNp0f8xsDhP5fa1NOGaRZi5sSZFEOkKvg3k1ZJUnKM4WtPHbnzMaEZ2wLzNN1mEeAhHgxSPVnavKjuR0qw7Ll6qizlyWFCOgxwZwYQjIHsFLocua/s320/DSC05794.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374434422568208578" /></a><br />Four words to describe Cole at 9 months: sweet, snuggly, busy, and determined.<br /><br />Truly, Cole is the sweetest little baby I've ever known. I realize I'm quite prejudiced, but I think I can say that neutrally, because it's true! <br /><br />While I look forward to seeing Cole's personality develop (talk, walk, all that fun stuff), I will miss Cole as a baby. He is just such an enjoyable baby to be around.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHDwsOw42ydHgt6hcMNmMyP0_U9mt2cGh0B3SsXLT6jZVJENOaugIFVBVFX4RdfGtP38yR_N3Ejz-MG5PUCj_2TKRTSfHCWiBvLN937tMBN7_38Et7Ty2AtU8fmBGRlNLotZhd7c0NTXE8/s1600-h/DSC05743.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHDwsOw42ydHgt6hcMNmMyP0_U9mt2cGh0B3SsXLT6jZVJENOaugIFVBVFX4RdfGtP38yR_N3Ejz-MG5PUCj_2TKRTSfHCWiBvLN937tMBN7_38Et7Ty2AtU8fmBGRlNLotZhd7c0NTXE8/s320/DSC05743.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374434410706924290" /></a><br /><br />Snuggly! Oh my, Cole is affectionate! Lately, when Mark gets home, Cole will crawl as fast as his little legs will carry him to pull himself up on Mark's boots to get a welcome snuggle. :-)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibD3lhjn1QDWS2-lxfm7TdpqTr0drLOfRF8IcbUNS4cfwkLQDH6aszvnGk1KpAVjGDFdXBrtJd1XL3AueoxksQwZo0uNdh09pYJu7UHmPoSDxpU3Km6mvJaLMmxahojOx7idf1C7KF2fHF/s1600-h/DSC05527.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibD3lhjn1QDWS2-lxfm7TdpqTr0drLOfRF8IcbUNS4cfwkLQDH6aszvnGk1KpAVjGDFdXBrtJd1XL3AueoxksQwZo0uNdh09pYJu7UHmPoSDxpU3Km6mvJaLMmxahojOx7idf1C7KF2fHF/s320/DSC05527.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374434804333841138" /></a><br /><br />Busy. Cole is usually on to the next thing before I can keep track of where he's been. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgLOcSqp9tHZQc4f2YNKm3npUBBxXJKK-DVfuZwXyat7zMnWia4avbGSiVEJglpBVBgBAjI_mbVU9toouWGeM-Oq9zmSjUDDqMKo_l9NPWtjIJoMpry2CecnDXLpQYkqq-KoUwxtTegePY/s1600-h/DSC05542.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgLOcSqp9tHZQc4f2YNKm3npUBBxXJKK-DVfuZwXyat7zMnWia4avbGSiVEJglpBVBgBAjI_mbVU9toouWGeM-Oq9zmSjUDDqMKo_l9NPWtjIJoMpry2CecnDXLpQYkqq-KoUwxtTegePY/s320/DSC05542.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374434409084789570" /></a><br /><br />Determined. This boy gets his sights set on something and there is no stopping him or dissuading him from his purpose. He is Mr. Destructo - he likes to dump everything, destroy it, conquer it, throw it over, and move on LOL! <br /><br />However, once he's ready to sleep, he'll snuggle up (no going to sleep without rocking for this boy!) and be gone in a few minutes.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO6HcMTZAAMh8qpokn9LwICDVVS7OzLL8IfHTTazX3N4HN52GumrELqSgNBfTYtaG5S80YIAcIJTzCNH6nFLKn4CLHrzozRXT_ofXVjbOYrfJY7zVYcHyHw7PwWkztXQRo8tkO5WLUGa-t/s1600-h/DSC05769.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO6HcMTZAAMh8qpokn9LwICDVVS7OzLL8IfHTTazX3N4HN52GumrELqSgNBfTYtaG5S80YIAcIJTzCNH6nFLKn4CLHrzozRXT_ofXVjbOYrfJY7zVYcHyHw7PwWkztXQRo8tkO5WLUGa-t/s320/DSC05769.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374434398981693858" /></a><br />Favorite vocalizations: tongue roll, "da-da", na-na<br />Favorite place to be: with Momma, but Daddy takes a close second :)<br />What makes you laugh: Graeme's antics (especially when he chases you or makes funny noises with you), tickles in your neck, arms and tummy, Daddy playing "boy play" with you<br />Favorite food: Momma milk, avocado, oatmeal, banana (just started solids a month or so ago)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvW_SLDgEGkJCxTwInB33iTkToYK_-XiPKmvuefkeGlQoZpBAjjUdGOBVT94CJw0sbHOJSKxx-STHVum6EFNpbHLdZFxxIHZ_Vwl5jchhf0fR7yzYMk6zhKiJ0QBaKGxACJfZMY9zPV4vc/s1600-h/DSC05912.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvW_SLDgEGkJCxTwInB33iTkToYK_-XiPKmvuefkeGlQoZpBAjjUdGOBVT94CJw0sbHOJSKxx-STHVum6EFNpbHLdZFxxIHZ_Vwl5jchhf0fR7yzYMk6zhKiJ0QBaKGxACJfZMY9zPV4vc/s320/DSC05912.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374434794267781938" /></a><br />We love you, Cole!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02049246349762266326noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848782864498956777.post-11009909635357366802009-08-26T10:16:00.000-07:002009-11-19T18:55:52.024-08:00Home Management Notebook, Part 1Yesterday, I decided it was time to create my own Home Management Notebook. A fancy term for a notebook full of lists, charts, paper, and graphs to assist me in managing my home. This is not a task that comes naturally to me. I am the "free spirit", not the "nerd" of the house (aka Dave Ramsey)....If I were completely on my own, I'd be perfectly happy with clutter, piles, stacks, a full sink, etc. I count it progress that I'm willing to make such a dreadful confession ;-)<br /><br />So here's my notebook:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0EVgjozILYdHsySh_j9hJ479zsvrACVQy0cLb67sbSTP45YHTCkMxkUXtwAJ5LywOugFamhWa_EOBGjbkWLcEpms28gp5rTmxt_Y8kwioslYlqoXTFQsJGMf25_IeHKabj-9j0Isrlty/s1600-h/DSC05974.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0EVgjozILYdHsySh_j9hJ479zsvrACVQy0cLb67sbSTP45YHTCkMxkUXtwAJ5LywOugFamhWa_EOBGjbkWLcEpms28gp5rTmxt_Y8kwioslYlqoXTFQsJGMf25_IeHKabj-9j0Isrlty/s320/DSC05974.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374324079837164850"></a><br /><br />I found a picture on Flickr's "Creative Commons" that I liked, printed it out, then put my text in.<br /><br />Resources I used were: <br />1. SimpleMom.net<br />2. ListPlanIt.com (you can sign up for a free week-long trial!)<br />3. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/creativecommons/">Flickr's Creative Commons</a> <br /><br />The idea for the "Home Management Notebook" came from SimpleMom. She describes her notebook <a href="http://simplemom.net/home-management-notebook/">here</a>, and you can download (for free) all of the sheets used <a href="http://simplemom.net/tools/downloads/">here</a>.<br /><br />In my notebook:<br />1. The Daily Docket - simple a daily planner. I may not use it everyday, honestly, but for busier days/weeks, it would sure be helpful - at the least, I love SimpleMom's idea of making 3 "Most Important Things" on your list of 10 to-dos for the day. In other words, if *only* those three things happen, you'll consider the day a success. What a relief for a perfectionist like me!<br /><br />2. Master Chore Chart - can't decide whether to use SimpleMoms, or the one I downloaded from ListPlanIt's <a href="http://listplanit.com/lists/home-management/">Home Management section</a>. <br /><br />3. Grocery List and Monthly Meal Plan, as well as several menu charts from ListPlanIt. I chose one that lists menus by day of the week (which I'll use for breakfast), and another that is a "master list" of meals in different categories (meat, vegetarian, pasta, soups, etc)...Once I fill that up, I can easily scan it for menu ideas, pick a few new recipes that I want to try, and have my menu for 2 weeks done in a snap.<br /><br />4. Financial Worksheets (budget for each half of the month, Christmas gift planning chart, Home Improvement Savings List to save for all the things we'd eventually like to have in the house) - all of these were from ListPLanIt.<br /><br />5. Growth Charts and Notes about activities/memories I want to keep for the children. Since I'm <also> terrible at scrapbooking, I figure at least if I have a place to jot down little things that they do or how big they are, maybe I'll have them all in one place for someday when I have nothing to do and want to create a little memory book (ha ha).<br /><br /><br />I call it "Part 1" because I'll have to update how it works. Or, to be honest, whether I end up using all of the stuff inside, and what I add to it over time. What I like about this is that it is a visual, tangible thing that I can carry around with me. I'm very tactile, so having something to look at, thumb through, write in, and create is rewarding in itself. <insert: whether="" i="" use="" it,="" ahem="">. <br /><br />Finally, a video of Graeme from this morning. We were working in the garage during Cole's naptime, and Graeme was "helping" Mark fix the Volvo (nope, still not working!).<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx5a4m_MuzEHfIBPH6y3-lLAclZrPcf8IoMCBu_I8PXEsKSIG7ZdYGn52d0GroxpVx_z8MGBjfa8rc2BVzmQw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></insert:>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02049246349762266326noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848782864498956777.post-85751896519371134952009-08-25T07:16:00.001-07:002009-11-19T18:57:32.160-08:00Video of Cole at the beachWe had a marvelous visit with my sister this past week. On Saturday, we spent the whole afternoon at the beach! I'll post some more pictures later today, but for now, here's a video of Cole. He's got a great pincer grasp and is loving his new discovery of Toasty-Os :-) He'll be nine months in a few days, so I'll have a little post about him up.<br /><br />(Forgive me for forgetting - again- to turn the camera horizontal...I'll try to remember next time!)<br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw5kBeRKDeb6NO5FJT_sYr2BovbMjpg0LpcnIzkLWxExqwnLU86GgZma66G9oxsxD-7SNHC7EQmSW7fyCujCw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02049246349762266326noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848782864498956777.post-41176973290974163822009-08-07T08:22:00.000-07:002009-11-19T18:52:21.487-08:00Fun Friday Favorite<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51XA305EV7L._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA240_SH20_OU01_.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 240px;" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51XA305EV7L._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA240_SH20_OU01_.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Just for fun, I thought I'd share one of our favorite books. Maybe we could make this a tradition on Fridays...we'll see how good I am at keeping it up, though ;-)<br /><br />"There's a House Inside my Mommy" by Giles Andreae is a book about a little boy whose Mommy is pregnant. Here's the review I wrote on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0807578533/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img">Amazon</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote>This is the sweetest book about expecting a new sibling. My 2 year old son loves it, and as another reviewer said, loves the pictures that he can name all the items. The descriptions the little boy uses to explain parts of pregnancy were cute, and easy-to-understand for my son. It's just a charming book! We have two boys, so the genders worked perfectly for us. I like how it makes a story out of pregnancy...it doesn't focus on how the boy feels about the new child, and there's no obvious "moral" like many of the new-sibling books I've come across. It portrays the father, mother, little boy and coming baby with respect and tenderness.</blockquote><br /><br />Some of my favorite quotes...<br /><blockquote>The house must have a kitchen<br />So he doesn't get too thin,<br />And I think the food my mommy eats<br />Can find its way to him.<br /><br />He seems to want such funny things<br />But Mommy's very kind,<br />So she eats all sorts of crazy stuff<br />And doesn't seem to mind.</blockquote><br /><br />Best definition of pregnancy cravings I've ever heard!! ;-)<br /><br /><blockquote>Sometimes Mommy feels so sick<br />I don't know what to do,<br />But if I had a house in me<br />I'd feel all yucky too.</blockquote><br /><br />Isn't that adorable? This was a random thrift store find, but we're so glad to own a copy now! It's hard to find a book about pregnancy that is simply wholesome, not "politically correct" or too moral-ish - this one is a gem, that's for sure.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02049246349762266326noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848782864498956777.post-69982017082908904562009-08-06T10:17:00.000-07:002009-08-06T10:19:51.820-07:00Earth's Best/Garden of Eatin' DealI guess the theme today is deals! Here's a link for a redemption form - if you purchase $15 in Earth's Best snacks, Garden of Eatin', MaraNatha peanut butter, Healthy Valley cereals/snack foods, you will receive a $5 Barnes 'N Noble gift card...purchase $25 worth, and you get $10 gift card. Pretty good deal, if you would use this stuff. I love the Garden of Eatin' corn chips (made with organic corn) and the Earth's Best snacks are pretty good - depends on if you get them on sale or not.<br /><br />Here's the link:<br />http://www.takeahealthybite.com/gift-card/index.html<br /><br />Enjoy!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02049246349762266326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848782864498956777.post-50752434287896540622009-08-06T06:02:00.000-07:002009-08-06T06:04:45.989-07:00Awesome Sale at Children's Place!Children's Place is holding their seasonal "Monster Sale" where all sale items are an additional 50% off (price is reflected in the online price). But then I did a search for coupon codes and came up with one for an addt'l 15% off your purchase! That code is "family79".<br /><br />I got 7 shorts (including some of those adjustable waist ones, which my skinny-minny oldest son needs!) and 10 polo shirts (don't you love Children's Place polo shirts?!) for $63 bucks (plus $5 flat rate shipping and $5 tax). Now THAT is a great deal. I shoulda got more LOL! This will be the foundational pieces for next summer for my boys.<br /><br />Go quick, a lot of the nice stuff is on "low inventory"!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02049246349762266326noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848782864498956777.post-49026544494969846802009-08-03T11:43:00.000-07:002009-11-19T18:51:28.183-08:005 Dangerous Things You Should Let your Kids DoMy <a href="http://littlearrows.blogspot.com/">sister-in-law</a>, Laura, <a href="http://littlearrows.blogspot.com/2009/04/boys.html">posted a few months ago</a> about something that made me really think about how often I say "Be Careful" to my oldest son. Additionally, my dear husband often has to instruct me about what to expect with my boys - the first time he told me he wants our older boys (like 8+) to know how to use a firearm, I loudly (okay, shockingly and insistently) objected! So the more I think on this topic, the more humble I become in realizing how important, indeed, vital it is that our children (boys AND girls) become confident using even "dangerous" items, because it is inherent in the human make-up to rule over the laws of this universe - to discover them, figure them out and then utilize them. <br /><br />Take, for example, all forms of transportation - the inventors had to know all sides of the laws of motion (including the effects of falling down and, say, breaking an arm ACK!) in order to create the objects we use today, whether the skateboard or the automobile.<br /><br />Granted, when I watched Graeme, my two year old, climbing up the park ladder for the first time (you know, those ones with the big holes that go up high and he could FALL OFF AND BREAK HIS LEG!), I was hovering like a mother chicken and telling him to be careful. Sigh. Hopefully I can get over that, step back, and rest in the confidence that my children know their own limits and are capable of such things. Gradually, I am.<br /><br />At least I was cheering him on! :-)<br /><br /><object width="446" height="326"><param name="movie" value="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="bgColor" value="#ffffff"></param> <param name="flashvars" value="vu=http://video.ted.com/talks/embed/GeverTulley_2007U-embed_high.flv&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/GeverTulley-2007U.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=432&vh=240&ap=0&ti=202" /><embed src="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf" pluginspace="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" bgColor="#ffffff" width="446" height="326" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="vu=http://video.ted.com/talks/embed/GeverTulley_2007U-embed_high.flv&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/GeverTulley-2007U.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=432&vh=240&ap=0&ti=202"></embed></object>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02049246349762266326noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848782864498956777.post-83733445580568177632009-08-03T07:13:00.001-07:002009-11-19T18:57:15.099-08:00Tweaking my Menu Planning: Part 2The second part of my menu-plan tweaking is switching to a two-week rotation (shopping and planning) instead of weekly.<br /><br />Honestly, it's happening naturally, so I figure I ought to "get the clue" and go with the flow!<br /><br />1. We go through staples in about a two-week time-frame (cream, butter, milk, flour, juice, eggs). All of these items keep for at least two weeks.<br /><br />2. We're switching to using all-cash as a budget method (Dave Ramsey), and Mark gets paid on the 15 and 31 of the month, so it would fit perfectly to go ahead and alot all of the money at the beginning of each pay check.<br /><br />3. I'm locating local sources for eggs, milk and produce, and if I end up driving to purchase those, it would obviously be wise to limit the trips, so I'm thinking every 2 weeks would work well.<br /><br />4. If I enforce this for myself and the family, it would encourage both careful planning and frugality. For example, if there are yet 3 days until the next grocery trip, we must make-do with what we have, as opposed to an extra trip to get the things for what we *want*, not necessarily what we need.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Do any of you shop/plan by a 2 week schedule? </span>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02049246349762266326noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848782864498956777.post-38204166179688357762009-08-01T12:28:00.001-07:002009-11-19T18:57:15.100-08:00Tweaking my Menu Planning<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSu4Ua_b8EpW0Te48I4ZOZ89nhOGAEvfS_D7W3821Scr0iSkCTmfs2DWEKZFvysG6xSLsRBmDlnjy7WWwh-wXKsM-JrpC8CcA055IMkOChN4pGZhTNqQb_tvMSgOgIiL-tg1-zRwoidF1Q/s1600-h/2194216037_f83b9b7a73.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 218px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSu4Ua_b8EpW0Te48I4ZOZ89nhOGAEvfS_D7W3821Scr0iSkCTmfs2DWEKZFvysG6xSLsRBmDlnjy7WWwh-wXKsM-JrpC8CcA055IMkOChN4pGZhTNqQb_tvMSgOgIiL-tg1-zRwoidF1Q/s320/2194216037_f83b9b7a73.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365085673676141826" /></a><br /><br />I'm sitting here finishing up my grocery list for shopping this afternoon while the boys take naps ("bap" as Graeme says).<br /><br />I've come up with something that has been working for me for a few months now, so I think it's been tested enough to share it. I often have great ideas that don't pan out after giving them a good testing for a few weeks, but this one seems to be a "keeper".<br />We've been married for almost 5 years, and I've never gotten into a real groove when it comes to menu planning. It's probably because I get bored easily, and I always think the grass is greener - always trying a new thing!<br /><br />So this plan gives me some flexibility, but here's what I love about it: It gives me a place to start. Procrastination is one of my top-three flaws, I'd say, and so many times I'll sit down to make my grocery list/menu plan and feel lost, alone, and afraid! (Sounds exaggerated, but not by much!)<br /><br />Here it is: planning by category<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Monday - salad (change to soup in the winter)<br />Tuesday - stir-fry<br />Wednesday - spaghetti, lasagna or pizza<br />Thursday - fish<br />Friday - fun/family (grill-out, hot dogs, have people over...)<br />Saturday - sandwiches (easy, flexible in case we're low on groceries)<br />Sunday lunch - crockpot/roast<br />Sunday dinner - breakfast</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBC_nB-nt-MC12TEGZQCVRm1RQR519gad7OBnhuANu7usHt_9sN4QmbgUBYcyj5ds36BQ7b7PGgLE3ZMmGQH-nnqtme7LlRridng-O6ymh_8FCCNoUTQp20x5dzw0ewuqGDdy-qGcbvEwS/s1600-h/214240902_c060f7d751.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBC_nB-nt-MC12TEGZQCVRm1RQR519gad7OBnhuANu7usHt_9sN4QmbgUBYcyj5ds36BQ7b7PGgLE3ZMmGQH-nnqtme7LlRridng-O6ymh_8FCCNoUTQp20x5dzw0ewuqGDdy-qGcbvEwS/s320/214240902_c060f7d751.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365085668103097938" /></a><br /><br />Then I have a list of breakfasts and lunches to work off of on a regular basis. This makes stocking my pantry/cupboards simple.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Lunches: <br />pasta salad/rice salad/green salad (throw in leftover meats if desired)<br />burritos<br />quesidillas<br />PB&J<br />tuna sandwhiches<br />mac n cheese<br /><br />Breakfasts:<br />smoothies<br />pancakes/waffles/french toast (great for using up that almost-stale bread!)<br />oatmeal<br />bagels<br />muffins<br />fruit</span><br /><br />There are a couple things that I do weekly/semi-weekly:<br />Pot of beans to soak Sunday evening - this gives us beans for lunches, snacks, dips or whatever<br />Roast a chicken on Monday - sometimes use the chicken for a chicken or pasta salad that evening, to use in lunches or my Tues. stir fry, and then I make chicken broth for the week. Read more about the health benefits of broth here.<br />Baking - Once a month, I'm using this recipe for homemade bread. I'd like to bake a weekly batch of muffins/bagels or whatever, as well as a weekly batch of rolls (potato rolls, french bread, eventually I'm going to experiment with sourdough).<br /><br />So that's what a week in my kitchen is looking like, and I'm feeling very comfortable with this type of planning. Especially since we are really cutting back on processed/commercial foods, trying to eat locally and healthfully, and working to pay off our debt (Dave Ramsey anyone??!!), careful planning is not a luxury, it's a necessity! The few weeks of our move were crazy, and we were amazed at 1) how expensive it is to eat out, 2) how much we noticed feeling draggy and just tired of eating-out-food, and 3) how generally hard it is to find healthy food at mid-range restaurants and fast food. It's wonderful to get back to real food made by my own hands in my own kitchen! :-)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">A question - what do you all do on the weekends to keep meals simple? Do you have a standard Sunday dish you prepare every week?</span>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02049246349762266326noreply@blogger.com3