Date Night

Tonight hubby and I had our date night. We are taking turns planning our dates and this week was my turn. My Plan A was a picnic at a nearby lake, flying a kite, and watching the sunset. TW LOVES sunsets! However, the weather did not want to cooperate. It was a bit chilly and overcast so no sunset. So instead we had our own makeshift drive in movie theatre! Thanks to my homie Brooke for the last minute idea! We went to grab dinner and then we headed to the lake and parked in a spot right near the water. We made a cozy pallet in the back of our suburban and watched a movie on our laptop. And, of course we had cupcakes! It was so much fun! And, it hardly cost a thing! We loved it and will be doing it again!

Touching

Wow. Just heard these songs. This is my prayer!




Jason Castro's, American Idol, sister

Love. Them.

Our lovely girls. They never miss a second to pose for the camera. This is a picture of them at our church. They got these cute outfits from their grandparents earlier in the day and they were excited to wear them. I must say I wish both of these outfits came in my size. They are rockin it! But the thing I love about them even more is that they show true beauty everyday. True beauty that is on the inside and reflects the love of Christ to others. They love others in a tremendous way through their encouraging words and by pointing others to Christ. They have such a deep knowledge of the scriptures...even more than I do. That is something I admire in my girls. They have a good sense of self and are willing to speak up for others. They look out for one another and for their little brother. They are each other's number 1 fan. They are not just sisters they are sweet friends. I love it. I have a little sister. I wish I was half as nice to her as my girls are to one another. Growing up I didn't value her and treat her the way I wish I would have...they way she deserved to be built up and encouraged. This is the main reason I point my daughter's to treat one other they would want to be treated. I remind them often that they have each other for life. I want to be sure I encourage them in their friendship! So, yes these girls sure do look stinkin cute, but even better...their hearts are gorgeous!

His and Hers

My friend over at Pure and Noble does a favorite of his (her hubbys) and hers (self explanatory) every Monday. I love the simplicity of this post and I love the window into some of their favorite things. So, today I will be doing the same. Visit her blog as well if you would like to see more.

Favorite Girl Scout Cookies

His

Hers

Which ones do you like to devour this time of year?

A Wanna Be a Cowgirl Baby (said in a Kid Rock voice)

I have wanted a pair of cowboy boots for quite some time now. Why do we call them cowboy boots anyway? I am not a cowboy...if anything I would be considered a cowgirl being that I am a wo-man...but even with that I am definitely not a cowgirl. I would love to be one, but I definitely would not qualify in that arena. Let's get back on track here...I've wanted me some boots, some real boots. So, I decided to use some of my Christmas money to go get me some. (do you like my country slang for you? does it even sound country? or just unedumecated?) I was not prepared for what would happen to me when I walked into that boot store. Bliss...pure bliss. Every where I turned there were pairs that I adored. And the smell, oh the smell. Leather. Raw leather. I loved it. However, I wasn't quite prepared for the price tag. I knew they were pricey, but geez o peez o some of those babies cost quite a bit of money. However, they are like artwork. These are the pair I fell in love with.

And, this is the pair that I ended up investing in.
I really wanted the first pair, but I went more reasonable. I knew that the first pair wouldn't go with as many outfits, but it would go oh so perfect with a couple dresses I have. I do love the pair I got as well. I could have walked out of that place with four or five pair...that is if I had a money tree that I could visit. But, since seminary life doesn't lend itself to that type of income I will be completely content with my awesome pair of boots that I was able to buy. And my dream of becoming a cowgirl is one step closer to becoming reality. ;)

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope you are enjoying this day devoted to love! I am most thankful for a God who loves me more than I can ever imagine. And, secondly for a husband who shows me this love daily! I love doing life with him!

This picture is my favorite picture of us. It was taken at a friend's wedding four years ago. Love it.

And, if I would have seen this recipe before I went to the store today I would have for sure made this for him and I to share! Yummy!

How are you celebrating?

A Homemade Valentines

For some reason this year for Valentines I was feeling extra crafty. Maybe it was the four snow days we had in a row. Maybe it was due to me tapping into my creative side a little bit more lately. Who knows...but I just went with it. Pretty sure it ended up costing more then just buying the normal fill in the blank Valentines, but oh well. Lots of love were put into them. At least by some of us, as you will see. I got all of our ideas from Family Fun. This first one is AAP's Valentines. It is supposed to be an arrow (made out of hearts and a glow stick) that looks like this. But, she clearly had no desire to make these. She got pretty lazy and sloppy with them. It took everything in me not to take over and do the project to perfection just like the example. But, I am working very hard for my kids' projects to be completely their own. This includes school projects, posters, book reports, etc. So...here is her final product. It's hers...not mine. Her lack of interest in the project does not define me. :) I am learning so much in CR. ;)

Here is the Valentines that I made for my students. They are from my friend, who is the teacher, and I (I am the teacher's aid). A bag of gummy bears and Teddy Grahams. The card says You are Beary Special. Cute and corny. :)

This is AKP's Valentines. This is the only project that we actually did on a snow day. We made the stamps out of sponges and they sat and crafted away. She wanted to add some candy so I bought gummy worms, the only bug candy I could think of, and we put them in baggies and stapled them to the back.

Lastly we have JDP's Valentines. Such a cute idea, but the most expensive one. It calls for lifesavers, but the normal roll of fruity lifesavers is no where to be found. Pretty sure the other 4-5 year olds in his class aren't going to enjoy the mints, but oh well. We are going for the cute factor! And, note to self...when choosing the Valentine's projects be sure they are age appropriate. I ended up doing 90% of the work on this one.

So, what did you do for Valentine's this year? Homemade or store bought?

Drawing Heaven

Simply Amazing!

Cherry Dump Cake

My mom has been making this yummy dessert for years. It is so simple and so delicious, yet oh so rich. My mom really despises cooking, but this is one of her specialties. :) I love her lasagna as well! I didn't decide to blog about this dish until half way through so I missed getting a picture of the first step.

Ingredients:

2 cans of cherry pie filling

1 box of yellow cake mix

1-2 sticks of butter

Preheat oven to 350. Spread the cherry pie filling in the bottom of a 9x13 dish. Sprinkle the yellow cake mix over the top of the cherries. Cover the cherries completely. Then slice up the butter and spread the pats of butter over the mixture.

Put in the oven for 30-45 minutes. Basically you are waiting for the butter to melt and the cake mix to become golden brown. The cherry will start to bubble through as well. Enjoy with a cold glass of milk or perhaps even ice cream (although I've never tried that so not making promises on that one!) Enjoy!

"Home" for the Holidays

We have traveled to Colorado to be with my parents, sister, and BIL for Christmas. We have been looking forward to this trip for a while. Relaxing in the mountains and God's beautiful creation is one of our favorites! And another one of my favorites is to be at my parent's home during the different holidays...especially Christmas. My mom decorates for each holiday from St. Patricks day to 4th of July and everything in between. But, Christmas by far is the best. I tried to capture some pictures on my phone so that you could see some of the joy that is Christmas that we experience. As you walk up the sidewalk there is a tree outside decorated with ornaments. And as soon as you enter the door oh the smell...it is grand. Tons of candles were burning, wassail was on the stove, Christmas music was playing, and every nook and cranny is decorated. It is cozy. Makes me want to curl up on the couch with a mug of wassail, look out the window at the mountains, and soak it all in. Bliss, pure bliss.

These pictures don't do it justice, but we will try to give you a slight glimpse into our Christmas environment this year. And, I couldn't get these pictures to upload in the order that I wanted so just bare with me here.

This is one of the nightstands in the kids' bedroom. We each get our own bottled water in our bedrooms. And, of course notice the snowman and the Moose book (just to remind you that you are in Colorado).
This is TW and I's bedroom. That bear is a body pillow. Love sleeping with that guy! Oh and those little piles on each side of him...we each had little pre-Christmas surprises. A few sets of matching Christmas pajamas, an annual tradition, and a couple other goodies.
This is the cute tree by their front door. Again, pictures don't do it justice, but the ornaments are whimsical and colorful and oh so cute.

This is the mantle. I'm still curious to see what the presents are. Not sure if they are just for ambiance or if something is in them...I guess we will find out. And the Santa's on either end are really cute.

This is the bench in the entry way. A yummy smelling candle, a really cool ceramic Gingerbread village (it lights up and moves...this is one thing I have picked out that I want passed down to me when my mama is done with it), and a bucket of Christmas books.
A reading table up in the den. Of course adorned with a couple Christmas trees.
This is one of my favorite nooks. It is sitting next to the coffee pot. The tree and that little Santa are really sparkly and I just love sparkle.

Here is the window I will be staring out of while sipping on my wassail.

There is so much more I wish I could show you. But there is a small, small glimpse into our world. Merry Christmas to you and yours! May it not be about the presents, but about His presence!

Handmade Christmas

I have been a little more crafty this year in the gifts that we are giving. I have been getting a little more in touch with my creative side by trying out new crafts. I have gotten pretty good at replicating (is that a word) what I have seen others do, but I haven't tapped into the part of my brain that comes up with ideas on it's own. But nonetheless it has been fun, challenging, rewarding and time consuming (I promise I will never make another scripture box again). I have wanted to post pictures of the many things that I have made, but I also don't want to ruin the surprise. So, pictures will have to wait. Except for this quick crafty gift I threw together tonight. I love it. If I had more time I would make myself some. But, that will have to wait until after Christmas. This idea came from a blog one of my friends introduced me to. I love all of her crafty ideas and her great photography. The link to this specific project is:
And, here is my final project:

First Time For Everything

Today I went to an antique store for the first time. I have been to a few thrift stores and have some friends who like to do thrift shopping. This has seemed more appealing to me now that we are on the "seminary budget". I have noticed this little antique shop that is in our neighborhood and I decided to stop in there today. I thought I might be able to find a unique Christmas present for my sister and my friend. Little did I know the prices weren't all too low. I then realized an antique store and a thrift store have got to be different things. :) Nonetheless it was a fun experience. The moment I stepped into this old little corner shop near downtown it was like a step back in time. The smell....the smell...indescribable really. Smells old and a bit musty. Smells have a way of taking us back in time to memories stored in our brain. And that is exactly what happened. The memories of being a young girl spending time at my great grandma's house flooded my mind. She lived in the same house for years, decades more like it. The screened in porch had a water well in it, which was super cool to play with as a kid, so that tells you how old this house was. She had a detached garage. And, that garage did not hold a car. No, she never drove. Her whole life she never drove. Instead the garage housed many collections of things she had gathered over the years. Some visits we would just go through her stuff out there. Pretty sure during those moments I was ungrateful, annoyed, wishing we could be anywhere else but there, rolling my eyes, thinking it was super uncool to be spending my day that way, and on and on. I wasn't the nicest adolescent on the block. Oh how I wish I could now go to that garage with a whole new set of lenses. I would spend hours in there. Asking her questions about the different things. From books to violins to buckets to dishes to pictures. I am pretty sure there would be a lot of treasures in there that I would want. But more importantly I would love to have the conversations with her. Ok, back to the point. I was at the antique store. It reminded me of my great grandma. I had fun browsing through the interesting finds. Doilies, bags of match books, small dishes, pastry cutters, furniture, embroidered dish towels, old doors, signs, jewelry, paintings, buttons, thimbles, old metal containers that used to have spices in them, and the treasures are endless. One could spend hours in a place like that. I only had 30 minutes. I found several things I would have bought, but my favorite was this.

I would drink some yummy coffee or hot tea in this precious, dainty cup and curl up on the couch under my favorite blankie while watching a good show.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Oh how I love this season! My favorite part of the year is September through Christmas. I love the weather. I love the home decor. I love the recipes. I love it! The beauty of the change of seasons is a daily reminder of God's beauty and power. We have been counting down the days til Christmas in our preK class. 19 days left. I am so excited for Christmas, but at the same time I hate that there are only 19 days left. I kind of go through this slump after Christmas. It's like there is all of this build up and the day is fun and full of memories and then you wake up on the 26th and it's all over. All the cooking, the gift giving, the pine and cranberry candles, the Christmas movies, the music, the baking, driving around to look at Christmas lights, and on and on. It's kind of like a wedding. You have all of this anticipation and build up of emotion while you are planning and then you have the big day. It is special. And then, in a wink of an eye it's over. So, for now I am going to soak in the next 19 days. I am going to try and concentrate on the blessing of the Lord which is the present. The day we are residing in. Not looking forward or looking back. But being present in the moment. I will snuggle under my Christmas blankie a little longer. I will burn my candles all day. I will choose to not be stressed in the million and one things that I have to get done before we leave the state next Friday. Yes, feel free to remind me of that when you see me acting otherwise. And, I can almost guarantee you will. :) What are your favorite Christmas traditions?

Artist

So...the girls walk in the bedroom to go to bed and they come out and tell us that someone has drawn on the wall. Wonderful (said just the way my Grandpa does)! This isn't like our kids to do, but at the same time I wouldn't put it past them either. We did watch a little boy this afternoon so of course my first thought was it was him. AAP told me that he did draw on the wall while he was here but that she erased it off. Well, Bubby fessed up. I will be "that mom" that blames it on the other little boy. He did it first and then Bubby did. However, that does NOT mean that it is ok for Bubby to do it. The old saying, "If your friend jumps off the bridge will you?" So, clearly he shouldn't have done it. He did get in less trouble because he told the truth when asked if he did it. Nonetheless...here is his new mural.

Deep, deep Theology

I know I have told you about our dear neighbors. God has blessed our socks off by providing us with the apartment we have...right across the hall from them. They are our family here. We so enjoy doing life with them. You will often find our doors propped open like you see and we just share our space. Yesterday I was making dinner and the kids were playing and I walk by the door and see the guys as you see above. They are tackling all of the world's theological issues.

Well Hello

July 29...really? Has it been that long since I have posted on here. Wow, time flies when you're having fun! A lot has happened since July 29th. The two major changes...I am now 31 and I am now a working mom. I am a teachers aide and I work 20 hours per week. This is my first job post college. I became a stay at home mom right out of college...so this is a bit of a culture shock for me. Let me clarify...I am now working outside the home. :) AAP just said to me as she reads over my shoulder, "You have been a working mom." Well thank you dear, you are right...I have just upped work load more by accepting a job outside of the home as well. I have always respected woman who work outside the home, but my level of respect has now gone WAY up! This has been a transition for me. For starters I am not a morning person. So being dressed, hair done, makeup on, meals packed and out the door before 7:30am is the first shock to the system. Not being able to sip my coffee while throwing in a load of laundry or laying on the floor reading a book to one of my kiddos while still in pjs until around 10am has been quite a change. These aren't bad changes...just things I am needing to get adjusted to. Less time to get all of the household duties done. More organization is needed. An exact plan of how to tackle everything. I go to bed most nights just whipped. There have been some afternoons that I have been able to snuggle in on the couch for my naps that I so love to take. All of this to say that time to get on here and blog has not made it to the top of my priority list and for that I am sorry. I enjoy getting on here. Being creative. Airing some thoughts. So, here is to hoping I will be here more often. :)

Staycation

My parents provided us with a last minute weekend getaway to Colorado this past weekend. It was A-MAZE-ING! We had never been to Colorado in the summer time. Words can't describe the beauty. And the weather...close to heaven on earth. :) We headed back home on Monday and the kids...they are still there. My parents offered to keep the kids so they could spend some time with them and we could have a break. They are so thoughtful! So this week TW and I have had a staycation. This is the first time we have been in our home without the kids. We have gone away on vacation and left them with sitters or family, but we haven't been in our home without them. It is a little weird. Quiet for sure! Tuesday I slept in until 10:30am. Wow, haven't done that in years. It was so cozy and I just couldn't think of any reason I needed to get out of bed. So, I stayed. When I crawled out at 10:30am I felt so lazy. :) I drank some coffee and messed around on the computer. I then went to get a massage with a gift certificate that TW had given me for Valentine's Day. It was great! It was also our 8th anniversary this day. We met up for lunch at one of our favorite restaurants. We sat out on the patio and had a much needed conversation. We were there for three hours! Then we headed home and relaxed for a bit. We couldn't decide what we wanted to do to celebrate. We tossed around everything from a quick trip to Austin to staying at home and renting movies. We ended up going to Dave and Busters and played some video games and then headed to one of my favorite Italian restaurants for dinner. It was a nice low key evening. Wednesday morning we got up early and went to our favorite breakfast joint for coffee and breakfast. We then headed up to church. TW had to work and I hung out to do my daily reading and study time. Then off to the store. I headed home to make four meals for friends of ours. A quick nap and then off to church to lead in the marriage ministry. Today I sat my alarm so I wouldn't over sleep...but still didn't get up until almost 9am. :) I then had my favorite "open door coffee time" with my favorite neighbor. Today also consisted of laundry and organizing our bookshelf. Beth, the favorite neighbor, is quite the decorator and she generously offered to help me. She did a phenomenal job! I will post a picture soon. I cozied in for another quick nap. Then TW and I had an early dinner and headed up to church because he had a meeting. Tonight we will meet up with friends from church back in Missouri for some ice cream and then we are going to stay up late watching a movie. Tomorrow the plans are another breakfast date, picking up the house for my mama to come, and shopping for AAP's camp supplies. I sure do miss those babies of mine!

Things I enjoy

1. Unexpected kisses from my lil guy. He often comes up and kisses me on the hand or cheek or arm. Brings me a smile.

2. The smell of TW's neck when I cozy in for a hug.

3. Candles, candles, and more candles

4. Ginger Souflee Whipped Body Cream from Origins

5. Pumpkin Spice Lattes from Starbucks

6. Cool Fall Days

7. Soft, warm cozy blankets. Even when it is 110 degrees outside, like it is now, because I keep the house so chilly to force the need for a blanket. :)

8. Date nights with my hubby. Which are few and far between these days.

9. Softsoap Pomegranate and Mango I could swim in this stuff. I first found the handsoap and told my Mom about it. She suggested looking for the body wash in it. She is so smart! They have that too. Now if only they made lotion in this scent!!

10. Mexican food - this is new since moving down South. Mexican has always been my sis' preferred choice and I never understood. Well let's just say...I get it now!

11. White noise while I sleep

12. Iced tea with lots of ice

13. Chick-fil-A sauce (yes, that is the name of it)

14. AKP's laugh

15. Watching TW and bubby wrestle

16. Dessert...lately I've been craving an Oatmeal Carmelita from Upper Crust

17. Time with friends

18. Cheering on AAP at softball games

19. Traveling

20. Singing really loudly, even though I am horrible

One year plus 5 days

So, I wanted to do a post on our one year anniversary of living here...but we were still on the island so I will do the post today. :)

One year ago on July 6th we left everything we knew as "normal" and "stable" and "comfortable" to start a new journey. A journey I never anticipated. A journey that was never on my radar screen, in my hopes or dreams, or even something I thought would happen to me. This year has been a roller coaster ride...and let's just say I am NOT a fan of roller coasters. :) We often tell people that we have felt a full range of emotions. We have felt the highest highs and the lowest lows. We have depended on the Lord and each other in ways we never have before. Our marriage has grown ten fold! Our parenting skills have been tested and sharpened. Our family has united and bonded through this change. We have seen God provide for us financially and emotionally. As we step out in faith and trust He continues to show His faithfulness to us. The very thing I did not want to do, leave "home", has turned out to be the very thing that I am SO glad I did! Not because I don't miss my dear family and friends...all of you...but because of the growth that it has caused in each of us.

Some of the blessings of this past year...

1. A strengthened faith

2. A deeper more intimate marriage

3. Our kiddos bond with one another is stronger

4. An amazing church and a pastor who challenges the congregation

5. Money to pay the bills and then some

6. Friends, Friends, Friends (SWIM group, SF group, Baileys, Sawyers, Riggins, Morris')

7. A cultural experience: We have Mexican friends, Chinese friends, Indian friends, Puerto Rican and African American friends)

8. Personal growth

9. I finally did the whole "leave and cleave" thing :)

10. Serving opportunities

11. Sweetest Kindergarten teacher and friend for my lil miss

12. A bigger picture of the world

Those are just a few...I could go on and on

Headed to the Island

We leave tomorrow morning. Bright and early. I should be asleep. But, instead I am typing to you. Whoever you are. :) Three years ago we started going to a family camp. It is great! It is amazing! It is simple fun! No tv. No computers. No cell phones...if I leave it be. Let's go there for a minute. I have this slight obsession with my cell phone. It does cause problems in my marriage at times. I am sometimes so busy texting that I forget to engage with those around me. Why do I do this? I don't know. A sick habit? TW is convinced that in the future there will be rehab programs for people who are addicted to technology. And, we recently read an article where being on technology does affect different chemicals in your brain. Weird, but could explain my impulse to grab my cell phone at a red light to check the most up to date news. I mean really, what did I do at a red light before my cell phone??? Sing, think, pray, talk to those in the car, contemplate my day. So, this week I will be stepping away from the phone. Wow, this will be hard for me. Very hard! Especially the first couple of days because I want to keep everyone up to date on just how much fun we are having...because yall are dying to know right. ;) I have vowed to check it in the morning and at night. Rest of the time it is put away. Sorry for all the rambling. Like I said; no phones. Instead lots of giggles, ropes courses, water slides, archery, swimming, canoeing, tubing, and heck I might even water ski. Back to the basics. So, peace out! See ya in a week!