Thankful Thursday #6

This week has been busy. I am feeling a bit swamped... no really, like one must wade through a pile of papers to get to the computer, a pile of laundry to sit on the couch, and a slew of toys to get, well, anywhere in this house. Welcome to the Swampland! My name is Amanda and I will be your tour guide. I will guide you through the thick of this marshy laundry pile. Do watch out for plastic dinosaurs and various miniature farm animals lurking beneath the surface. They've been known inflict great pain upon your toes...

(Yeah, it's late as I type this. I am a little weird. Hopefully, I am entertaining if nothing else... fingers crossed. ha!)

Needless to say, my thankful list is short. Mostly because I don't have the time to edit many pictures. I know you're understanding :)

#49 Eyes to see a teeny-tiny praying mantis nymph... and the wonder of a child at it.

#50 Watching a serious-faced little girl inhale the sweet goodness of fragrant little blossoms
 #51 Cherry juice lipstick
 #53 The way a carwash can create an intimate family moment... and monkey faces too.
 #54 The look of anticipation before I "get him" and the look of joy after I "get him."
#55 The simple fun of peek-a-boo and the way it never gets boring to a little boy :)

#56 3-year-old prayers. Addy's made-up mumble words when she prays and knowing God understands her heart.  (No picture but I wanted to share it. It was one of those "wow, I am doing something right as a parent" moments. Those need to be written down for the rough days. My little girl prays, and she loves to pray! Why? Because I started letting her sit with me when I pray... and started praying out loud in my car when I drive. I may want to be selfish and keep that time all to myself, but getting to listen to her prayers is a GOOD gift. I've taught her to pray! Heart Is Singing!)

Happy Thursday Friends :)

Amanda

Comparison: Dream Killer, and 3 Ways to Keep Your Dream Alive

The other night, I participated in my first ever “twitter party” in an effort to get out of my comfort zone and meet some other women who are doing the same thing I am. A twitter party is essentially a glorified chat room, with a host, a topic and a bunch of people madly carrying on conversations simultaneously... all using # and @ to identify topic and person. You blink and you could miss 20 tweets. I felt overwhelmed... like sick-to-my-stomach, I-have-no-clue-what-I'm-doing overwhelmed... or, to bring a whole new definition to the word of one wise old owl, “twitterpated”... extremely and completely twitterpated.

Yeah.

What came out of it was this incredible sense of self-doubt. I was amongst twitter-pros, blogging giants, women with experience, know-how, and followings greater than my own. Women who not only maintain a blog but write books as well... and raise a family.

I felt defeated, miniscule, silly, like the 7th grade girl in the bathroom whose nightly prayer is for boobs and a period amongst girls all complaining about their times of the month and their bra straps. I am clueless, but so desperately want to be in the know. (Side note: Why, why, Amanda, did you pray so fervently for those things? Ha!)

Have you ever been there? You have a God-given dream in your heart and desire to pursue it. You pray, you fast, you step out... and then you find others with a similar dream doing what you want to do and doing it 100x's better. You can't help but look at them and wonder what in the world you are doing here. And maybe you even go so far as to wonder why God didn't give you the same measure of talent and overall awesomeness.

The day after the Twitter party, I made the blessed mistake of leaving my Bible within the reach of my son... the son with lightening fast reflexes who can clear a side table with the swipe of one arm. I came running as I saw the boy reach for the Bible, and by the time I got to him he had already made quick work of three pages. 


As I was putting the torn pages back into the Bible, my notes in the margins from ages past struck me. Big time.

God talked to me in my mess.

So let me give you a frame of reference for the notes:

Saul was the current and anointed King of Israel, but because he was disobedient God had appointed a new king to take his place, David. In this passage, David is running for his life from Saul who wants to kill him. My little revelations are from how David conducts himself when he finds Saul (who wants to KILL him, mind you) unarmed and completely helpless on two different occasions. Instead of killing Saul, David attempts to prove to Saul that he means no harm.

1 Samuel 24:6 “So [David] said to his men, 'Far be it from me because of the Lord that I should do this thing to [Saul], the Lord's anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, since he is the Lord's anointed'.”

my notes: It even bothered David to cut a piece of robe off of the one who was trying to kill him. David allowed God, who anointed them both, to be God.

David led by following God. He was NOT a man-pleaser. He didn't do what his men encouraged him to do... he sought God. Followed God.


1 Samuel 26:9 “But David said to Abishai, 'Do not destroy him, for who can stretch out his hand against the Lord's anointed and be without guilt?' David also said 'As surely as the Lord lives, surely the Lord will strike him, or his day will come that he dies, or he will go down in battle and perish'.”

my notes: Once again, DAVID ABSOLUTELY TRUSTS GOD. Be patient, honor God's way.


David knew that he was anointed to be King... that God had a plan and a purpose for his life. And David trusted God enough to bring it to pass.

In the pursuit of my dreams I have gotten worried
-that I am not enough
-that others are better than me
-that I don't know enough
-that I need to go about everything a better way

Comparison.

It's like the track runner who looks into the lane of his competitor and begins to accidentally step over into the other lane. A sprinter has to keep his eyes focused forward so that his foot-steps are sure. A sprinter has to run his own race... in his own lane.
Ultimately, comparison will dis-qualify you from your God-dream. And reminder: it is God who does the qualifying in the first place.

David knew that God had chosen him to be king. He knew that Saul was still king. He knew he had to wait. He knew that God was going to work it out. He knew that he could trust God.

And there it is.

He knew that he could trust God.

He could trust God to destroy his enemy (by the way in case you are following the parallel of my circumstance or even yours... other women bloggers are not my enemies. Those with similar dreams are not your enemies. But if there is an obstacle, know that God will see you through it).

Three things to learn from David about God-given dreams:

David knew that he could trust God's word for his life. He was called. Anointed. He never questions this.

David knew that he could trust God's timing. David might have wanted it to be time, instead of running for his life. But he waited. He didn't try to rush God. Be patient and honor God's Way.


David knew that he could trust that all the waiting was full of purpose and just as important as the dream itself. David grew so much in that time of running for his life. He might not have seen it at the time, but he became a sure-footed, strong leader who trusted God fully. Also, during this time God gave David allies in his hiding places, a smoking hot wife named Abigail, children, and mighty and faithful men whose loyalty and friendship stayed with him during his reign as King. This time of my life may not be the most productive in terms of writing and pursuing the God dreams in my heart... but they are important, wonderful, purposeful, needful... and who am I anyways to determine what productive is? Is it not a God-dream that I pursue? This husband, these kids, this home, all that I am here and now IS the dream, don't miss it by looking at what other people are doing with their lives. Different people. Different times of their lives. Enjoy the NOW. Live in the NOW. Thrive in the NOW.

And Trust God.

No really, Amanda, TRUST GOD.

Run YOUR race. Be the woman you were called to be. Trust God, His Word and His timing. Know that HE will make a way.

I've got a post, maybe a couple, in the works about pursuing dreams... somethings God has totally downloaded into this brain. If you want to know how to pursue your dreams, do return!

Amanda


Shabby-Romance Mock-Quilted Mat

This weekend, my husband was off for one day. We had a "normal" stay at home day, or, to put it as my daughter would, "Who-who! It's a hang day!" (I have no idea what a "hang day" is exactly, but I am pretty sure Saturday was it, and I can't help but melt every time she says it.) It absolutely amazed me what I was able to accomplish with my favorite support system at home. Housework, home-cooked breakfast and dinner, alone time and pages of writing in 2 hours, 1 1/2 projects, and tons of Q-time with the ones I love the most on this earth. I love days like that! I think Mike's crazy school/work schedule has given me a whole new level for gratitude for normal family days.

Who-who! It's a hang day!

Now, for Made Monday business, since I actually had time to make stuff. Yes! I got to 3 projects over the weekend. One project was a major fail (a shirt dress from scrap fabric that looked much better in my head than it did on me... no, there will NOT be pictures!), one project still needs a couple of finishing touches before I reveal it, and one is for today.

Introducing, the SHABBY-ROMANCE MOCK-QUILTED MAT.

I had an idea in my head. Sometimes it's a dangerous thing. Sometimes it's an awesome thing. Sometimes it leads to disasters. Sometimes, at least half of the time, it leads to something I like. And about 10 percent of the time, it leads to something I absolutely love. This time, it led to something I like. I think I would have loved it though, if I had known what I know now. So, I shall share what I did, in hopes of giving you some inspiration to create something you love.

I wanted a place mat looking thing (I have no idea what the official word is for it) kind of like a table runner to put my cake display/pull-up-a-chair-and-stay-a-while-yummy-goodies container on top of. I wanted to put it on my dining room cabinet (an idea that falls in the 10 percent, I-love-it-and-love-it-still category).

So here's the project:

My personal supply list:
2 yds of double sided bias tape
16" square of denim
2 fabrics ripped into 1" strips, over 16" in length
2 fabrics ripped into 2" strips, over 16" in length
Thread
Sewing Machine
Rotary scissors and cutting mat (measuring tape and scissors may be sufficient)


I needed to iron some of my strips before I used them because they curled from the pulling. I cleaned up some of the super loose threads too.




I had to seam-rip and re-sew twice because the machine grabbed the pieces of my fabric. There was a couple of places that are barely noticeable that I left alone... I decided since it's shabby, imperfections were welcome. Also, my lines didn't come out perfect, but since they all weren't perfect, it looks awesomely shabby (at least that's my story).

In the end, I hated it on top of my dining cabinet--too much color on a cabinet with plenty of color of its own. So I found a new home for it on my side table in my entryway. I love the mix of the linear pattern on a table with feminine curves. I love the shabby-vintage appearance underneath the vintage looking wedding frames.
 I think it looks romantic... especially with all the love in the pictures :)
I love my mix of fabrics. It was so fun to put them together. Almost makes me want to tackle a real quilting project... almost.
Side note: Upon editing this picture, I realized my grandparents picture was broken. Thankful I found it, instead of my son (who can now just barely reach it)! It's taken care of now :)
If I could do this over again, I am not sure that I would use the bias tape. It made it looks super "quilty." Maybe I would use something like lace trim... ribbon... I am not really sure what would look best. I also would have made the shape to fit the table I ended up putting it on. I think it could be super fun in a circle or heart shape and your own mix of fabrics.

In case you are curious, I think this took something like 2 hours to make. 

Hope your Monday is Made.
xo
Amanda

Thankful Thursday #5

Ever have weeks that aren't very busy and you aren't being lazy, but it seems you are unable to get anything accomplished?? Hi, welcome to my week. It's been full of moments that required a whole lot of joy-seeking and gratitude-giving. But, you know, joy is always worth the fight, and, yes, I think sometimes it is a fight.

One rough day VS. Joy...  And only Amanda can decide who will win.
A kitchen that looks like it's been raining cocoa powder and frosting globs (you know, in writing that out I actually think that is something that is easy to be thankful for... kitchen of yum-making), a shredded scouring pad, a curious and quick son coated in blue dust, blood, a brand new dress soaking in oxy clean, 20 minutes late to deliver the surprise happy birthday love for an amazing couple, and candles forgotten. And now so thankful for the grace in the matter: it looked much worse than it was. So thankful for a distance to drive, that while it may not help with my timeliness issues, it surely allows me the chance to breathe and commune with Christ. So thankful for grace-giving people, for my 2 beautiful kids, for 2 lane roads, the beauty of my country drive, and for remembering that on a long list of to-do's, my kids should always win my attention.  And Grace! Thank you God for Your Grace!


#41 For creative names straight from a little girl's imagination and a stuffed animal that's important enough to insist that we take the time necessary to ensure it's safety. Hello World, meet Dawson The Tiger [insert our last name here].

 #42 Empty laundry baskets and new ways of wearing make up.

 #43 Clapping for the vacuum.

#44 Busy helpers.

#45 Simultaneous zerbils and "stacks on dads"

#46 Wet eyebrows and gapped-teeth grins

#47 This sight at the end of our long grocery shopping day: precious and unprompted sibling love.

#48 The chance to relive a particular time in my life when it made perfect sense to have a butterfly mommy, a lizard daddy, a cat sister and a dog brother in the same family.


Happy Thursday friends!
I may have another post for you later today. My mom is coming to watch the kids so I can have time BY MYSELF. Whoo-hoo. I have big plans for my laptop and a comfy chair at Panera bread. We'll see how it goes. Inspiration has not been lacking. (I think I have a good 3 posts in the brain and 2 posts in the laptop unfinished.... and maybe even enough idea for a book) Time is lacking. But, that's okay. I get to choose how to spend my time and Addy and Jed WIN! :)

Amanda

Photo Wall with "Book" Shelves

Happy Monday friends!


My sister and I, along with a little $$ help from my dad, worked on a photo wall for my mom for mother's day. She has been wanting one for a long time, so we decided to make it happen for her.

Perhaps this isn't the case in every family, but my mom has a hard time decorating with my dad's very symmetrical tendencies and love for all things recliner and brown. He'll argue with her choices. But if my sister and I do it, he might disagree with us; but we're his daughters. He's gets to go along with our decorating decisions. HA!

What is it like in your family? Does your husband have a strong decorating opinions that are different from your own? How do you make it work?

I found this photo on pinterest for our inspiration.

Here's the link to the original post for the photo.  I loved the mix-match of shapes, sizes, textures and colors. I loved the girly, vintage feel to it. I loved the seemingly random placement of photos and the lack of symmetry. It reminded me of something my mom would love.

My sister and I knew we wanted at least one 8x10 for the family's green pickle photo. (Every year our family hides a green pickle ornament on the Christmas tree. Whoever finds it gets to pick a family day trip to the destination of their choice. It's a blast! And we always get a group photo, pickles in hand. Quirky? Perhaps. Fun? Definitely!) We knew we wanted some kind of "quote" picture about love or family, an assortment of picture frames, some little mirrors, a letter for the family name, and some oval shapes. Our small budget led us to Ikea. We stopped by Ross too, to finish it up.



We got all of the photo frames at Ikea on the cheap. We also found the mirror there.

We found the picture quote at Ross along with the "book" shelves.

Everything we purchased for the wall was under $7.00, some things were only $1.99. Win!


A tip for doing photo walls: Practice your arrangement on the floor first. Play around with arrangements and every time you get it arranged in a way that pleases your eye, snap a picture of it. It was so great to be able to measure the arrangement on the floor and then place it on the wall. It was also SO helpful to be able to constantly refer back to the picture to see where to place each item.


A word about the shelves: They are actually jewelry boxes made to look like vintage books. I tried screwing a piece of wood onto the wall and then screwing the book onto that, but I was having trouble. So, I enlisted the hubster's help. He placed a piece of wood inside the box and then screwed the book into the wall. They can't handle much weight, but they look awesome. My sister thought I was crazy when I picked them up and declared that I would make them into shelves. She kept trying to get me to put them back in favor of other ideas. But I am stubborn. And I had an idea in my head. And they looked like my mom. I knew I could go down for this, but I was determined to try. My sister was glad for my stubbornness in the end. We think it looks awesome. What do you think?




Most importantly my mom liked it. I think she might have loved it... I know this because she totally cried. WIN! (Okay, so perhaps it isn't a win in everyone's family when someone cries, but, with my mom, we know: if she cries, she likes it... at least in the case of gifts and movies).

We had kicked her out the family room to tea party with my daughter while we put hung the pictures.
 My daughter takes her tea parties very seriously. :-)

When it came time for the reveal, my sister covered my mom's head and led her into the family room. Momma loved it! Yay! Work worth it!

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

We love you!!



Thankful Thursday #4

#30 Sunsets in clear skies

#31 Life friends- even though we may not live close to each other or speak often, we are always able to pick up right where we left off as though no time had passed. Oh and for hikes and friends that will help you carry your child.

#32 Mike's random days off. Few and far between, but oh how we savor them when it happens.

#33 The little girl who takes her own path.

#34 Not only did make God big, beautiful, and bright flowers, He also made teeny-tiny, intricately-wrought flowers. I am in amazement.

#35 Man. While this girl stops and smells the flowers, this man gets out his knife and sees how fast he can cut them down. I am in amazement at how different the two sexes are.

#36 The 20 minutes of entertainment this little guy provided.

#37 Papa's helper

#38 The moment she started goofing off and got her Papa wet.

#39 Truck bed sand box? Who needs a sand box when Papa's truck has a pile of sand in it (for his garden)?!

#40 My grandma. And the chance for my kids to get to know her. Also, her fried chicken and biscuits and gravy.

Wishing you all a wonderful end to your weeks and many things to be thankful for.
xo
Amanda

My Mom, Warrior

I was 12 years old. I came home in a terrible mood; my 6th grade crush had crushed my heart. That evening I fought with my siblings, had an outburst at dinner, and fled to the safety of my room and pillow.

My mom followed me.

She asked what was wrong. I refused to share at first, but after my mom's calm refusal to go anywhere till I opened up my wounded heart for her to see the damage, I finally cried out: "I am ugly. No boys will ever like me."

Deep guttural sobs immediately ensued my confession. I was ugly. No boys would ever like me.

My mom tried to comfort. "I think you're beautiful. You are so smart. You are a great friend. I like you..."

"Your my mom! You have to say that!" I snapped back.

"But I really think that." She softly said. I let out a big "humph" and continued to cry.

She paused. Contemplated. All of a sudden, as though a wave of conviction fell over her, she stood tall, put her hand on her hip, and declared, "Oh no! No! That's enough of that!"

She dragged me in, most likely by the shoulder of my shirt, stood me in front of the bathroom mirror and made me list off everything I liked about myself.  "You are not leaving until you list off at least 10 things you like about yourself."

I cried. "But I don't like myself. There isn't 10 things!"

"Well, we aren't leaving until you do, no matter how long it takes."

I think it took at least an hour, maybe two--an hour full of tears and determination to not like myself, an hour that my mom could have been spent doing dishes, giving my 5 year old sister a bath, getting my little brother to complete his homework, an hour that could have been devoted to a great many things other than dealing with a 12 year old whose body was racked with unpredictable hormones that were not yet regulated to a monthly cycle.

My mom fought for my self worth. She fought for it against a raging tide of prepubescence and words like "I hate myself. My nose is too pointy. My chest is so flat." She fought for it even when my own words attacked her "Why can't we shop at better stores? I hate my clothes! You never pick out cute stuff."

She calmly waited for me to realize that I wasn't leaving that bathroom until I got to 10 positive things. She was resolved to see this through no matter how hard I fought. She gently guided me through the "Why? Why don't they like me? What is wrong with me?"

My mom's soft response: "God has a plan for you, Amanda. You are a priceless treasure. And I pray that He sets you apart, keeps you hidden from all the wrong boys."

"Could you please stop praying that?" The tenseness in my voice and body slowly leaving.

"No." Simple yet resolute.

Deep Sigh. I realized I couldn't win. "I guess my eye color is alright."

My mom fought for ME.

My mom is a warrior.


I remember the woman who fearlessly called a group of gossiping moms who were from the private school I grew up at. For some reason, they were discussing all over our small town how I was pregnant and sleeping around. I was barely 14. My mom hates confrontation, but she wielded a shield and sword that day on my behalf. She was shaking, but her words were firm. She fought for me. I remember the woman who shamelessly called after me and my prom date, "And no sex you two!" I was mortified, and she knew it. But she also knew what was on that boy's mind. She cared more for my purity and my future than she did my comfort. She fought for me. I remember the night my mom found out I was cutting again. She demanded that I get on my knees with her and pray at that instant or she was driving me to the psych ward and having me committed. I tried to refuse both options. I wanted to run from the problem. I fought her so hard. I know I screamed at her and said all manner of horrible things. But my mom fought harder.

My mom is a warrior.

She never actually fought me. She fought FOR me. Fought for my purpose, my sense of self worth, and for my future. She was the gardener fighting for the young sapling against pestilence, disease, strong winds, weeds and vermin until my roots went down deep enough to stand on my own.

I don't think words could adequately put the gratitude I have for you, Mom. I can only rise up and do the same for my kids. Writing this out challenges me to be an Ephesians 6 kind of mom... in full armor fighting FOR my kids.

Thank you for fighting for me, Mom!

Amanda

1000 Moms Project


What Doubt is Really About

Have you ever felt left out... or forgotten? Have you ever felt like you didn't quite fit... you know, the whole square peg, round hole thing? Maybe quirky (which really is just a nice word to describe strange and downright weird)? Unrelated to? Awkward?  Have you ever felt insignificant or severely under-appreciated?


I know I have. A lot. Especially lately.

A couple nights ago I was struggling with that very thing: feeling like I didn't belong and had no friends. The feelings begging the question: what is wrong with me? Why don't I fit? My mom happened to be leading our women's Bible study that night. (Side note: My mom is pretty much awesome. I LOVE HER!) She spoke on "Doubting Thomas." I had never in my life heard the story told quite like she told it.

Thomas was one of the 12 disciples. Jesus chose him. He had a place. After Jesus died and rose again, all of the disciples were hanging out and Jesus appeared to them for the first time. Their casual get together became an amazing time with the Lord. He blessed them. He shared with them.

Thomas wasn't there. He didn't get included. The disciples later run up to him and gush about the amazing time they had, how Jesus was there, and how Jesus did and said all these incredible things. Thomas's response was something along the lines of "I won't believe it till I see it." Thomas crosses his arms and his heart defiantly refusing to be apart of the "Jesus is Alive" club that he felt rejected from. When he finally does see Jesus, Jesus calls him out on his doubt. (John 20:19-29)

But here's the thing. Perhaps it is that Thomas didn't doubt that Jesus was the Christ, but rather that he had a place in Christ. Perhaps, he got all upset at being the only one that was left out, that he was ready to throw the whole Jesus-is-the-Christ thing out... all because the disciples forgot to include him. Perhaps he felt like the one disciple that just didn't quite fit, didn't deserve to make the cut, the one always over-looked, under-appreciated and constantly forgotten.

Perhaps Thomas really doubted God's love... that God made him wonderful, unique and with a specific purpose... that God saw him, flaws and all, and loved him.

Perhaps, my nobody-likes-me, what-is-wrong-with-me pity party is really me full of doubt and disbelief. Perhaps I doubt that I have a place. I doubt that God loves me. That He made me like, well, me for a specific reason.

I doubt. And instead of trusting that God loves me and has a plan for my life, I want to throw it away and be like someone else.

I can't believe I missed this! As a teacher and children's pastor, I was a pit bull about each child knowing that God loved them and had a specific plan for their life. I am a pit bull now for the same cause with my children. You want to make me super angry? Try sending a message to children that they are less than because they learn a different way than most kids, or by sending a message that the only way, or the best way to serve God is inside the church in a position of vocational ministry. RAWR! Yep, I will rawr at you. I know that God made each one of us unique. He gave us a different way to process the world. Some we label extroverts, some we label introverts, some we labels ADD, some we label free-spirits, some we label type-A, some we label slow... we have a lot of labels. But regardless of the label, God has a specific plan. He sees the evangelist in the extrovert, the deep-thinker in the introvert, the tireless-doer-of-many-things in the person with ADD, the outside-the-box thinker in the free-spirit, the get-things-done-and-get-others-doing-them-too in the type A... God has a plan! YOU HAVE A PLACE IN GOD.

Amanda. You have a place in God.

You. Just the way you are.

I love Jesus' response to the disciples on the matter (Matthew 28:16-20). Instead of getting on to the disciples and telling them to play nice and play fair ("Boys, you really need to make sure you include Thomas."), He sends out His great commission, "Go into all the world making disciples..." Stop worrying about what people think and whether you fit and how included you are, and go make some disciples. Instead of worrying about who isn't texting you, be the one texting that person who is struggling words of encouragement. Instead of worrying about who hasn't invited you to the play date at the park, grab some people and invite them out yourself. Be a disciple-maker instead of a pity-party thrower.

And as it turns out, when you get busy doing God's work, you find you have a place after all.

He loves you! You have a place in HIM!






Spicy Raspberry Cream Cheese Spread

I just wanted to share a yummy little suggestion for Made Monday this week.


Confession: I hate sandwiches.

Well, not all sandwiches. Just the easy, deli-meat-lettuce-and-mayo-between-two-slices-of-bread kind of sandwiches.

Another confession: I am a bit of a food snob. (At least that's what my husband calls it. I call it liking good food.)

So last week I had an inspired idea while trying to stomach another boring sandwich.

Spicy. Raspberry. Cream Cheese.

Yep I definitely think I can better my sandwich experience. (also known as gourmet-ifying or snob-ifying a sandwich)

After a couple attempts, I ended up with a simple chicken sandwich made glamourous with a pink spread.

Spicy Raspberry Cream Cheese Spread:

2 TBS cream cheese
1 1/2 tsp raspberry jam
1 tsp hot jalepeno jelly
Sriracha to taste (I think I ended up with 9 drops)

Just mix ingredients and spread generously on sandwich bread in lieu of mayonaise, mustard and cheese.

This spread is a only a little bit hot so you can spread it heavy. HOT and HEAVY. I am cracking myself up. But seriously, heavy handed on the spreading. It's good!



By the way, this is definitely something to play around with for your own taste buds. You can make it lighter by subbing neuschatel cheese for cream cheese. I am pretty sure it would taste equally awesome with strawberry jam. Try it with more or less jalepeno jelly and fruit jam till you find your sweet spot. The above recipe was what pleased my taste buds.

Also, for your own benefit. I first tried this with mild jalepeno jelly and I couldn't recognize it's presence. You definitely want the HOT jalepeno jelly. By itself, the hot jelly has a only a bit of a "bite." With the cream cheese and raspberry jam, the hot jalepeno jelly makes this spread very mild.

This didn't end up "Hot" at least not to my palate. It had a very subtle sweet jalepeno flavor and a slight heat from the sriracha.

I love Dave's Killer Bread. It's my favorite. (I get nothing for saying that. I just seriously prefer it over all other multigrains.)


It is a SWEET way to enjoy a turkey or chicken sandwich.

I hope I helped inspire some inspired sandwiches for all my fellow boring sandwich dislikers out there!

Amanda

Thankful Thursday #3

Yesterday, I embarked upon my last year before I turn 30. For some reason it feels like I just got diagnosed with some illness and have a year to live. I am finding myself wanting to go on bucket-list adventures, my procrastinated attempt to get all my living in before 30. NO AMANDA life does not end at 30!!! I would just like to formally apologize for all my careless encouragement to all the friends who have gone before me in this growing older journey: "29 and feeling fine" and "one year before 30 flirty and thriving," I so don't feel "fine" and definitely not flirty. Oh well, another year. I will eat my words and just be thankful. Another year of life! Thank you God for another year of life: of wildflowers, baby toddles, neck squeezes, back rubs, chocolate, and friendship... LIFE! Another year of it! Hooray!

After all the messes of last week, this week was pretty blah... and I mean that in a really good way!

I am grateful for...

Grandpas and grandkids on front porches,

3 year old conversations with a wise grandpa,

Rusty old farm equipment resting in green grass, 

My dad's love for gardening... and whatever a "hot dog" is... it just simply has to grow into something wonderful with a name like that,

 Easy preschool time on the bathroom mirror and the little girl who can create a person out of shapes,

 Fresh crayons with sharp tips and paper covers still intact,

 peek-a-boo happiness around the high chair,

 and funny scrunchy faces,

the little girl who exclaimed to her dad, "Look at my BU-tiful flower bow, Dad!" "I need to take a picture of it!" Awe! She's trying to create stuff with measuring tape and take pictures of it... she's trying to be like me!
Photo courtesy of Addy.

 and the little girl who has no problem acting silly with me!

AHHH! Sorry if I scared ya! That's a pretty intense face. Sometimes ya just gotta get on the floor with your kids, throw your hair up, bug out your eyes, and yell.

Happy Day to you friends!

Amanda

Dear Mother: You Aren't Perfect

I am participating in a community of bloggers writing Mother Letters. The challenge was to write a letter to any mother: your mother, a specific mother, young mothers, mothers of teenagers, mothers without children, etc... I decided to write to my readers (cuz I love ya!) who are moms. You can check all the letters out here. I had a chance to read some: encouragement abounds! So if you need some, check it out!  If you want to write your own letter, link it up here too!

Dear Mother,

There is NO SUCH THING AS A PERFECT MOM. Sorry, hate to break it to you, but you will never be one.

Deep inside this mother heart, we love our kids... LIKE CRAZY. They may even make us feel a little crazy, cause us to say and do the things we swore "I will never...," and then there's the 9 months of being a human incubator, the contractions, the mortification over even the possibility that you might (gasp!) poop on the birthing table, the sore nipples, the sleepless nights... yeah, I'd continue, but I am pretty sure I already went too far... In spite of the beautiful battle known as motherhood, we love our kids. We LOVE them unconditionally. They grab a hold of our hearts and pull at them in ways we never imagined possible. It seems natural to want to be good at motherhood. Heck, who wouldn't want to be perfect at it? No one wants to "mess up their kids" or "get it wrong."


So we try to get it right. We look to Food Network, mommy blogs, Pinterest for the latest and greatest in ideas for our kitchens and homes. We compare ourselves to our friends, our moms, the woman who lives next door who has never once raised her voice, some random woman out in the blogosphere with great family pictures, creative ideas, and amazing themed birthday parties for her small ones. We live in a cycle of trying out a new routine, adhering to it, and then suddenly life changes and the routine goes out the window, the house is a mess and the kids are staying up too late... so we find a slightly different way of organizing our lives and go through the cycle yet again. We chase perfection. We chase the perfect mom identity. We buy certain clothes, buy certain foods, use certain products. We often feel like we are getting it wrong, not good enough, less than someone else. We chase perfection. And on top of it, we now live in a post Pinterest/mommy-blog society where you simply can't have a wedding/birthday party/home/get together without an amazing theme, unique favors, hand crafted signs, and hand-dyed coffee filter lanterns. (And I am not actually against these things. I think it's all fun, but...) The pressure we live under to achieve "good mom" status is pretty incredible!

Here's just some thoughts (disclaimer: these are just thoughts and certainly not judgments or accusations): I have never quite understood why the SUV got to be so popular. I understand that in some scenarios they are the best vehicle (i.e. family in the mountains...). But I never quite understood what was so bad about a mini-van. I hear people say "I will never drive a mini-van." Why? Because they are ugly? Because they have a reputation for being driven by crazy soccer moms carting their kids all over the town? They are just (typically) two seats and two benches on a car frame. They get decent gas milage. They hold a bunch of kids. The slider doors prevent reckless kids from dinging another person's car when they exit. For the size and number of seating, they are affordable. Am I missing something?

I still remember the commercial from when I was somewhere in the neighborhood of 13 years old. There's a car pool line full of beige mini-vans and a line of kids with baffled faces unable to determine which van belonged to their parents. And then, the ultra sleek SUV comes riding in and a couple of youngsters walk confidently out from amongst their confused peers to their very cool mom's SUV. They know who they are. They know where they belong. They have an identity. They are cool.

Like I said, please don't think I am accusing you of anything because you drive an SUV or want to drive an SUV. I am not. And like I said, I do realize there are reasons and maybe even some I haven't mentioned or realized as to why one would want to drive an SUV. The SUV isn't even really the point. I really don't care about the car. It's the heart of the matter that's important. We all want an identity. And preferably not a frumpy mini-van, crazed soccer mom one. We want to be cool. We want to be a good mom. We want to be enough.

And there it is: the heart of the matter, the reason I mention SUV's. I could be completely wrong here, but I have a feeling one of the reasons the SUV got so popular so fast is because women wanted an identity that said "I am a good mom." I don't drive mini-vans. I drive SUV's! I have an identity! You can't buy an identity that makes you a good mom. You can't craft or cook or crochet or hot glue up a good-mom identity.

Perfection doesn't exist. So if you have ever looked at a woman (or even this woman) and felt that twinge of I will never measure up... KNOCK IT OFF! I think of the "mommy bloggers:" we are our own life's photographers. We hand people snapshots of our lives. We focus in our project, occasionally throwing in a story, thought, or family moment. We often leave parts of our lives blurry so that what we are trying to convey is in focus. We crop our messes and edit our shortcomings. And even if we expose our shortcomings, we at the very least leave out the mundane activities and our constant stream of thoughts. We all do this whether blogger or just chatting it up with a friend over coffee. We highlight our successes and occasionally touch on our failures. We scramble to shove our messes into drawers when we find out we have last minute company. We all hand people photographs of our lives, and a good photographer understands that a good photograph doesn't capture everything... it captures the best things. Photographs don't lie; but they don't tell the entire story. And truthfully, who in the world wants to see me sitting in my frumpy fleece pajama bottoms, feet up, desk disaster, typing in front of a laptop screen?! And most often, my frumpy appearance, among other things, is simply not what I am focusing on as I write. The point? I am human. Crafters are human. Mommy bloggers are human. Pastor's wives, your best friend, your mother-in-law... all human. There is no super woman, no perfection... just a bunch of moms who are doing their little bit and giving you a cropped snapshot of it.

So, be you. Do what you love to do (and the things you need to do too, ahem, the dishes). And dang it woman, STOP COMPARING YOURSELF!

Photo courtesy of my 3 year old. In case you really do have some need to see me getting my frump on in the morning whilst I blog. And by the way, it took everything inside me not to crop out the mess, and I do confess I threw Picasa's "lomo" effect over it in an attempt to hide the mess at the bottom and sides of the picture. I am trying to be as real as possible!

Stop looking at what other women do, and thinking to yourself if I could just be like that, do that, learn that... I could be enough. If I could just use a drill, sew a dress, make a homemade bow tie, knit a sweater, have cool organizational boxes with cute labels on them, bake muffins, cloth diaper, I could be a good mom.

WRONG! So wrong!

It doesn't matter whether your home is decorated in the trendiest grays and yellows with pops of coral and blue or your home is hand-me-down-couch beige and I-live-in-a-rental semi-gloss white. It doesn't matter if your pillows are chevron-patterned and accented with fabric roses or your pillows spend too much time in your kids forts or on the floor for anyone to know you have them or, heck, you might not even have any. It doesn't matter whether you buy your kids clothes from boutiques or whip them up pillow-case dresses or whether you walmart-$3.88-rack their wardrobes (you like how I just made that a verb?!). I could go on, but I think you get the point.

That whole Good-Mom thing... comes from the heart. It comes from trust. It comes from faith. "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6). You aren't enough. But God is. And you can't please God by thinking that you COULD be enough. You please Him when you trust Him. And, You CAN trust Him--with your heart and with your kids' hearts. You can trust that He can take your shortcomings and the shortcomings of your children and cover them in His grace and use them for Glory. "God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28) The whole Good-Mom thing comes from trusting God, from Grace, from time invested, attention given, and LOVE. Definitely LOVE.

And that's it.

Christianity is summed up in two commandments: Love God and Love others. So is parenting.

Love God. Love your family.

Love them how YOU love best. YOUR talents, YOUR gifts, and YOUR affection poured out all over your family.

And yep. YOU. You are enough.

Minivan or SUV. Frumpy or put together. Neat freak and ducks-in-a-row or free-spirit soaring through the mess. Anthropology or Walmart. Crafter or mess-maker. Culinary skills or fire alarm skills.

You are enough.

Here's to YOU mom!

Happy Mother's Day!

Love,
Amanda



Side note:
Just in case it wasn't clear: I do projects because I enjoy them. I put them up on the blogosphere because I like to share, because I truly believe if you want to learn to sew or craft or cook YOU CAN, and because I love the opportunity to do just what this post hopefully did... give you the message of encouragement, peace and hope that YOU ARE ENOUGH... project-maker or not. Your worth is far above rubies and pearls... and your worth is far above your ability to cook, sew, or craft (in fact those things aren't even in the equation). You are unique, one-of-a-kind, and you can be a conquering housewife by simply trusting God... and, REALLY, it takes NOTHING else.


Little Baby Ruffle Butts

Welcome to Made Monday!


Do you know the best thing about having a little girl?

Little Baby Ruffle Butts, of course!

I kid! But seriously, how cute is a ruffle butt on a little girl... especially if it's a little bit unconventional. Sure the white lacy one's are great if you are living in 1910 (or 1983, as in my bottom's case, my mom totally lace-i-fied my buttocks), but a fun fabric with a bright-colored ruffle?... On a wee-bitty, soft-skinned, squishy-soft baby bum? Yes! Please! (Am I getting a little carried away?... Maybe. That's up for argument.)

My sister-in-law's sister-in-law is having a baby girl. While, alas, that still doesn't make me an auntie, it's the closest thing I've got so far (ha!). So, when my sister-in-law asked for help putting together a tutu and matching get-up to go with it, I jumped at the chance. I don't know what it is, but making baby stuff is just fun... at least to me. Plus, the baby's parents are just straight-up awesome people, with or without the loose relations. I can definitely make ruffle-butt covers for them... well, their baby anyways.
(scratch the ribbon... it should read ruffle. I don't have time to fix it. But please love me anyways! Thanks!)

I used my daughter's largest baby doll for my model. I know, pretty silly, but I wanted to get an idea of how it would look.

I used Prudent Baby's pattern and sized it down for newborn size. I did this mostly by guessing. I grabbed one of my one-size cloth diapers and sized it down to the smallest setting (for 8-12 lbs.) for a frame of reference. I ended up taking an inch from the side of the pattern, and a little less than that for the crotch area. If I did this again, I wouldn't have sized down the crotch. I think it will work just fine how I did it, but I think plenty of diaper-space allowance is a good thing. (So if you do this, don't mess with the crotch. HA!). You don't actually have to size down their pattern for a smaller size, just change elastic measurements... it'll just make for a "poofier" cover.


Some notes on elastic:

I found this chart you can use if need help figuring out measurements. When cutting elastic, take waist waist measurement, subtract by 10% the length (So if waist is 20" you will subtract by 2") and then add an inch for overlap in elastic (where you will sew the sides together).

I had to guess on the legs... I looked at my diaper for frame of reference and made mine 8" (allowing for 1" overlap). After making it, I found this chart which may help you with your guess work if you don't have a live baby to take measurements on.



I added the ruffle after sewing the cover together. It may have been easier to sew on before, but it actually wasn't hard to do it after, plus it let me see just where I should place ruffle.

Add some baby legwarmers, a freezer paper baby tee, a simple no-sew tutu, or a headband (tutorial for the one in the picture should be forthcoming!) for an awesome shower gift... homemade with love and costs very little.

Fabric: 1/2 yd (only used half of it. I could have safely used 1/4 yd.) $2.00
Ruffle: 1 yd. (could have just used 1/2 yard, but wanted to play it safe) $2.00 (I can't actually remember so I am totally guessing on this one)
Elastic and Thread: I had on hand so FREE!
Total: $4ish dollars for a super cute, super hip, little baby ruffle butt.

Hope your Monday is Made!

xo
Amanda



Thankful Thurday #2

This week...

was a little harder to find the gifts God has for me. I took off on a Beauty hunt (i.e. car ride and then because that didn't quite improve the anger/yelling I kept feeling rising up in this tired housewife, I took a walk as well). I had plenty of chances to find joy in messes... because, well, my home is a mess and my kids have been great mess-makers (in a serious way) this week!

Needless to say I have lots of pictures... because this girl had a lot of things that she needed to be thankful through!

The gift of Thistle, delicate flower seeking the sunlight's grace amongst it's many thorns.

The gift of exotic flowers flowers, reaching above the trellis, seeking open air and opening full in the sun.

 The gift of an empty chair parked next to the sidewalk, determination to be a friendly neighbor.

The gift of convenience and ingenious ideas that make a mom's life a little easier.

The gift of eyes like watery jewels complemented by rosy cheeks and painted pink nails (also love the little bit of yogurt still on the corner of her mouth... one can only be so dainty).

The gift of carpet warmed by the sun and the little boy playing with his ball on it.

The gift of orange juice: room temperature, fresh squeezed, and full of pulp.

The gift of being needed... the two chubby little hands that cling to my pants legs... he needs me, wants me... to be able to walk. How soon this will change!

The gift of an army-crawling, little man on a mission. Covert operations from a double-wide diaper butt.

The gift of my own little, curious, fairy-dust dumper. (She found the baby powder, got curious, and sprinkled dumped it everywhere.)

The gift of a big glumps of pink, princess, sparkle toothpaste left on the counter... evidence of a big-little girl who likes to brush her teeth (and so glad she actually likes brushing her teeth)

The gift of speedy little boys who keep mom's heart rate up. (I strapped him in for diaper change, changed the diaper, realized I had forgotten the onesie, ran to grab it from the dryer--not far at all--and returned a few seconds later to find him happily out of the strap, standing up, and playing with the little light on the wall. Thank you Lord for keeping him from falling! And in case you are wondering, no, I did not leave him like this to grab my camera!)

The gift of the little mess maker peeking out from the long line of toys he's been busy playing with.


Anyone else have to figure out how to give God thanks in their messes this week??


Wishing you wonderful weekends!
xo

Responsibilities

The toy bin has been tipped over, it's contents spread across the floor. Dishes pile in the sink. A lone fly has managed to make it's way into our house, buzzing ferociously. I hear the sound of coils creaking under foot. Addy is on the recliner, singing out her abc's to the world, jumping. Jumping for the 10th time in one day. Jumping after being told not to 9 times.
I walk by Jed. His chubby little hands grab a hold of my pant leg. He pulls himself up. He's crying. I change his diaper. Nurse him.

The Mister comes home. He tells me I look good. Then asks what's for dinner and if his clothes are ironed. I roll my eyes, tell him I don't know, and I haven't had time. I'll figure it out. I'll get to it.


Breakfast, bills, baby, breast-feeding, laundry, dishes, "Mom, wipe my butt, please!"

Lunch, phone call, folding, washing, eating, feeding, nap, "Addy, please don't pick up you brother!"

Groceries, girl-time, library, park, project, crayons, church, "Mom, where are we going?"  

Teaching, training, Windex, Pinesol, broom, vacuum, dinner, "How many times have I said don't do that?!"

Baths, bedtime, snuggles, hugs, making love, "I'm not mad. I am just so tired."


Responsibility.

Piled high and a list that reaches the sky.

I live tired. Feeling the weight of the endless list. Wishing for just one moment to be out from under it.

"My yoke is easy and my burden is light."-Jesus
"How does that work exactly???"-Me

I had one of those "light-bulb" "Ah-Ha!" moments. I am pretty sure I read it somewhere (and being that I have been so into Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts, I am 99% sure it came from there. I can't find it though, and it's bugging me... if you know where it is, please, help a girl out!).  I saw the word responsibilities broken apart as response-abilities. It was one of those things that I just wasn't able to shake. It haunted me. Driving, cleaning, writing... it kept going through my mind. My response abilities. My response abilities.

And what does that mean?

Response Abilities.

The ways I am able to respond.

My responsibilities are my response-abilities.

It's a simple idea. A simple change in perspective. It's the realizing that I am loved: vastly, immeasurably, and incomprehensibly.
"For God so loved [Amanda]..." John 3:16
"That [Amanda] would be able to comprehend... what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the Love of Christ which surpasses knowledge..." Ephesians 3:18-19
"That nothing is able to separate [Amanda] from the love of God..." Romans 8:38-39

It's this Great Gift Search I have been on--seeking out all the ways God has lavished on me, seeking this thing called Beauty, and finding it everywhere.
The cowlick crowning my son all-boy... respond.
The full and contagious laugh of my daughter... respond.
The strong and sure jawline of my husband covered in fresh stubble... respond
The rain that adorns the trees in crystal beads right outside the window of my home... respond

I have been given so many responsibilities, response-abilities. My kids. My husband. My family. My friends. My home. The homeless guy on the corner. The children's church classroom. I am able to love God back. I am able to respond.

So does the perspective change anything? Do I have still work to do? Yes. Do I still need to do it? Yes. But God LOVES me. Overwhelmingly and Fully. I have been given SO much... and not so much TO DO, but given so many ways that God has shown His Love for me. And do I not love being told time and again by my husband how much he loves me? And do I not love receiving little gifts as reminders of his love? God does that for me! But I only receive the gifts when I stop and receive them.

I have to slow down, chill out, stop with MY LIST and commune with God. Find His gifts. Thanksgiving. And then, I can go about loving God back. I can respond.
 
"For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, 'Abba! Father!'" (Romans 8:15).


I am a child of God. Not a slave. I don't live in fear of not getting my list done. I don't have to live tired.

I am loved as God's own precious child.


In the communion, the slowing down and finding the things I have to be thankful for, I find joy in my to-do list. In fact, they cease to be "to-do's" but rather, "I am able's!" Jed, Addy and Handsome are no longer referred to as the vacuums that suck me dry of energy, they are my gifts. I can't help but love them, be patient with them, and smother them all in kisses. I am not empty. I am full of His love. I am able to give.

And God loves a cheerful giver.

I am able to respond.


I love you back, God!

Good Morning! Good Breakfast!: Baked Steel Cut Oats



Today I wanted to share something from the kitchen. This recipe has SO improved our mornings, especially my husband's. He is in an intense schooling program, that is both physically and mentally exhausting. He works full-time and is in school full-time. While breakfast might be the most important meal of the day, he simply doesn't have the time to have a decent one...

Until...

I discovered steel cut oats. (Yep. I said steel cut oats. Keep reading if you want to see how he has time for them in the morning.) They are healthy. They are high in fiber. They are minimally processed. They are a low-glycemic food (which means it takes the body a long time to absorb them, making you feel fuller longer, and giving you energy for longer). They are packed with carbohydrates to jumpstart a morning. They are chewy. (I know, the last item on my list of nutritional benefits doesn't seem to fit. But I do like things to taste good. And the chewier the oatmeal, the better... at least in my mouth).

By the way: feeling any weight from all those crunchy granola, steel-cut-oat women turning their nose up at you, the instant-oat woman. No need to! Steel cut oats are only slightly better for you. Really for me, it comes down to a flavor/texture preference and ... alright, a strange, crunchy-granola tendency to avoid over processed foods. But don't feel bad if you choose to stick to old-fashioned oats, the only extra process is rolling and steaming (and extra cutting if they are instant.) Oats--steel-cut, old fashioned or instant--are ALL so good for you! 

I have always had a thing for baked oatmeal. It's THE BEST way to have oatmeal. YUM-O! I found this recipe and adapted it to suit my family. Baked Oatmeal is SO tasty. I make it on Friday (our closest thing to a weekend at the moment) and serve it up with some eggs, bacon and fresh squeezed OJ. I package up all the leftovers and our little family has 4 days of leftover oatmeal squares that are super easy to reheat and take on the go... just in time for Michael's physically intense weekend.

Baked Steel Cut Oats. (Link will be provided at end of this post as well.)
And bonus for mommies with little ones: Baby Cereal Bars

1: Soak oatmeal overnight in water with tablespoon of plain yogurt, buttermilk, or kefir. This is not absolutely necessary, it's just a really good idea. Grains contains phytic acid, which prevent you from being able to absorb all of the grain's nutrition. Phytic acid also make grains harder to digest. I even read that soaking grains can help a person with a mild gluten allergy be able to eat some different types of grains.Yogurt, buttermilk and kefir all have natural enzymes that neutralize the phytic acid.
2. Drain oats in mesh collander. There is no need to rinse, just get rid of extra water. Put back in bowl.
3. Chop some nuts. I got almonds and pecans going in my concoction... mostly because that's what was available in my stash. (anyone else say AHH-monds and PEE-cans like I do???)
 3. Whisk it, and whisk it good. Whisk together the eggs, milk and maple syrup until nice and frothy. (This made me feel out of shape... my arm kept needing breaks... and by the way it takes less than 2 minutes to get to frothy... yeah, you really need to start working out again, Amanda.) If you can't afford maple syrup or don't feel like going to the store to get it, substitute brown sugar instead... same amount. Though I will say, everyone should make a way for maple syrup every now and again. It's GOOD :)
4. Add egg mixture to oats along with fruit. I have some blueberries and raspberries in this one from my frozen fruits stash. Add cinnamon and canola oil. You could add nuts here too (unless you are making baby cereal bars too), but I just sprinkle mine on top. (They get toasty this way... yummy)
Tip: I always keep at least a bag of frozen blueberries in the freezer. Fruit is a healthy way to make a last minute dessert on the fly without adding too much sugar. Frozen fruit keeps for a really long time in the freezer, and its great to have a last minute dessert/sweetener on hand (pancakes, crepes, crisps... oh my!) Also, if fruit is on special and in season, I buy extra of it, rinse it, and store it in the freezer in freezer bags. Money saved. Happy tummies. Win!
 5. (Optional.) I have a little guy (10 months today!) who will eat just about anything (yep. broccoli, peas, carrots...) so long as he gets to be the one who puts it in his mouth. This has made me have to be creative in how I feed him. Since this has little sugar in it and is minimally processed, I decided to make him his own batch of cereal bars. I just pulled out a little bit, put it in the food processor (to make it easier to eat... he doesn't have many teeth to handle the chewy oats), didn't include the nuts, and put in a little mini bake dish. (Do double check with your baby's pediatrician if you have concerns about whether your baby can have this... My baby can, but all babies are different, the allergen advice keeps changing, and I am no doctor)
 6. Place mixture in oiled pans. Sprinkle nuts on top. Bake in a 375 preheated oven for 20-40 minutes. It's done when a toothpick comes out clean. It's easy to tell when it's done: it will not have any liquid left. I used a 8x8, a 9x9 and a 3" circle (my little circle was done in 20 minutes and my two pans in 30 min. When I made this all in one pan and it was thick, it took 40 min). Side note: I am missing my big pan and have been for years now... I should probably get a new one. Ha!
 Hmmm... Hearty, Healthy, Wholesome, Hungry (alliterations for this creation... I know, I am a nerd)
Serve warm with eggs on a Saturday morning. Important: Drizzle oatmeal with maple syrup or a homemade fruit syrup like this one.)
 Big man approved. Little man approved too.
 For easy breakfast throughout the week: place each square on a piece of foil.
7. Wrap up. Store in fridge. Early each morning, pull out, unwrap (leaving it on the foil), place in toaster oven for 5ish minutes while you are finishing up getting ready for your day, wrap back up in foil, take with you, and eat on the go. So easy! Even my husband can do it! HA!
And in case you are unfamiliar with this math fact: toaster oven > microwave  :)
Husband LOVES his healthy, home-cooked breakfast each morning. I like not having to get up to make it for him.

Baked Steel Cut Oats Recipe

Open Recipe in Google Document for easy printing (Just click link):
Baked Steel Cut Oats

Ingredients:
3 cups Steel Cut Oats
1 TBS plain yogurt, buttermilk, or kefir
½ cup chopped nuts
3 eggs   
1 cup of milk                       
½ cup dried fruit or 1 cup of fresh or frozen fruit
1 TBS cinnamon
2 TBS canola oil
2 TBS maple syrup

Steps:
  1. Soak oats overnight. Place oats in large bowl, fill with water till water is an inch over the oats, place a generous tablespoon of plain yogurt in bowl.
  2. Preheat oven to 375. Grease pans.
  3. Drain oats in colander and place back in bowl.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and maple syrup until frothy.
  5. Add egg mixture to oats along with fruit, nuts, cinnamon, and oil. Fold until combined.
  6. Pour into pans.
  7. Bake for 20-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean or oatmeal has no liquid on top.
  8. Serve with maple syrup. 
  

Baby Oatmeal Bars: 

Prepare just like above, except omit nuts, and place in food processor before putting into baking dish. 

Oatmeal Bars on the go: 

Prepare as above. Cut into individual servings and store each serving wrapped in foil in the fridge. Unwrap and place in 375 toaster oven for 5 minutes before eating (or eat cold).


Some yummy variations:
blueberries and raspberries
can of peaches, drained and cut, and blueberries. Omit cinnamon. Add tsp of vanilla
Sprinkle toasted wheat germ on the top for some nutty nutrition
dried apricots and dried cranberries as Nourishedkitchen.com suggests
your imagination: keep the oats, milk, egg and oil ratios the same and play around with the fruit, seasoning/flavoring, sweetener and nut combinations :)


Hope your Monday is Made!
xo

Amanda

Thankful Thursday #1

Welcome to the very first Thankful Thursday posting ever!

This is a challenge to myself after reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. If you have been on my site recently, you've probably noticed... the truth found in that book has changed my life! I can't help but continuously refer back to it. Do check it out! Or if you want to check into some of the truths found in the book right now, check out Ann Voskamp's blog.

More than a list, more than a task to do, more than the next latest and greatest thing in the Christian world... this girl wants to live a full life. This girl wants to have Joy. This girl has found herself feeling exhausted, completely spent, grumpy, and yelling. I so don't want to be that sort of wife or mom. I know that supposedly Christ died so that I might "have life, and life abundantly." But I so am not feeling the abundance.

So, I am stopping throughout my days. Watching. Paying attention. Finding the gifts that God gives, the beauty I am surrounded with, the fleeting preciousness in my small ones. I have started an ongoing conversation with God that is full of gratitude and wonder in stead of "I want.. I need..."

It is changing my life. Slowing me down. When I feel stress build in me and I begin to yell over the dumbest of things, I stop and I look.

Where are you God in this moment?

And I always find Him too.

I caught the truth of this Great Gift Search one night while driving to my in-laws. I was running late. It had been a long day. Jed was especially fussy. Addy was especially obnoxious. I was stressed. And then I saw it. The faintest, tiniest hint of a rainbow just barely peeking it's head out from under the cover of the horizon. I decided to consciously thank God for it. I told Addy about it, but she couldn't see it. So I did something I never do, least of all when I have somewhere I have to be. I stopped. I got Addy out of the car. We looked at the rainbow on the side of that country road. She couldn't spot it, so I grabbed my phone to take a picture of it so I could point out the rainbow right there on the screen. We out loud thanked God for rainbows. I can't put it into words but something in me changed at that moment. Gratitude entered my stress-riden heart. It took worry, disbelief, selfishness, pride, anger off of the saddle and put God back over my heart. Peace and Joy--the beautiful fruit of a life lived trusting God. And Addy still talks about that tiny rainbow that never made it across the sky. Addy found God in that moment too.

It might sound strange, but I have found an overwhelming joy in grabbing my camera and trying to capture Beauty with it. I am not a great photographer. I know very little about what makes a good picture and even less about how to take one. I have a great family camera (Canon Power Shot SX120IS if you are curious), but it is by no means a "professional" camera. This blogging wordsmith could totally grab a pen and paper and write down her gratitude in a journal, but for whatever reason, attempting to angle a shot, pushing the zoom button, adjusting the ISO and shutter speed, is fun, soothing, and gives me Joy. It makes me step outside, step away from dishes, pull over the car, pause and worship with... a camera. Strange. No out-stretched arms or music involved.

But it is worship. And no, not of things, not of the created, but of the Creator. I see Him. I commune with Him. And He feels my tired mother-heart with strength.

I feel like Moses looking up and catching a glimpse of God's walking by. I am a poet-painter and as close as I can get to beholding God, grasping Him in a picture.

When I sit down to edit the pictures, Addy loves to crawl up in my lap and have me explain each picture. Even her 3-year-old heart is hungry for Beauty, hungry to know God. I have loved the chance to tell her about Him.

So, there you have it.

Thankful Thursday.

My chance to stop and frame a glorious God-given moment. (They may not always be pretty for I want to see God in the hard moments too.)

My challenge to allow God to change me. To live a full life.

Here and now.


The gift of a setting sun setting a rain-drenched pine on fire.


The gift raindrops on trees, crystal adornments, garlanding a tree in royal splendor.


The gift of a gnarled tree against a silhouetted Mt. Diablo.


The gift of the sound of a thousand honking geese flying home in the warming weather... and not feeling a drop of poo. (If you read this post you would know why I am thankful for this, lol) (This is just one of at least 30 formations that flew overhead at one time... amazing!)


The gift of that handsome cowlick in the warm sunshine and enough hair to spike it up. (By the way, as a warning this cowlick could be a reoccurring theme. I don't know what it is about a cowlick on a little boy, but I just adore it. Ever time I notice it, I can't help but smother that face in mommy-kisses.)

The gift of already, all-boy mischief at almost 10 months. How quickly he was able to army crawl his way into the bathroom and begin throwing items into the toilet! I wish I could have captured the look on his face when I found him... mischievous, boyish grin. (By the way, just in choosing to see this moment as a gift, it melted the really-now-I-get-to-fish-stuff-out-of-the-toilet-on-top-of-everthing-else-I-have-done moment I could have had. It brought me Joy instead of stress... Peace rather than frustration... all because I was thankful for it.)


Thanks for stopping by Thankful Thursday. If you are doing something similar or want to do something similar (on a blog, putting pictures in a folder on facebook or just writing something down in a journal, do tell me about it in the comments or on my facebook timeline. I would love to be connected with some other people on this life-changing journey)

xo

Crap Happens

True Story:


It had been one of those crazy, stormy days. I have become this wild, hungry God-seeker. I want to see Him, know Him. My tired, mother heart is worn out by the end of the day, but I want to fully live. I have been reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp and am taking her up on her challenge to live the fullest life.

Mike took the kids to his parents, and I had the house to myself.

But I had been in this house for 3 days straight, and I am ready to emerge from my tomb. (I am laughing at my bad analogy... no, though some days may feel like it, my home cannot be compared to the tomb where Christ laid). I grab my camera and decide to chase Beauty. Become the modern painter with a digitally-edited, photo-paper canvas. Try to hold Beauty within my lens. Grasp it. Capture it. Even for but a moment.

"'The glory of God is the human being fully alive and the life of the human consists in beholding God.'... Don't I give God most glory when I am fully alive? And am I most fully alive beholding God?"
-Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts

I am behind the steering wheel, making way for vineyards and empty fields that open the world wide to the horizon. The tempestuous storm that had pelted our front door with little hail stones had given way to the most glorious sunset. Gold-lined clouds against a blood-red sky. I chase after this Beauty, desperate. 

I find a spot off the road. Pull-over. Grab my camera. I adjust my settings as I hastily walk toward the vineyard. 

It's cold. The breeze runs through my hair. Soft rain drops dampen my skin. I feel a large, warm rain drop thud against my shoulder and hand.

Wait... Warm?!

Raindrops are not warm. This was definitely not a rain drop.

One brave bird flies off towards the night. I got crapped on.

In the midst of my soul's revery--my wild Beauty hunt--chasing God, I got crapped on by a lone bird on a wire... when all other birds have taken to their storm shelters.

I am disgusted. I want to throw my fist up, angry with God. How could You let this happen? I am here to worship and You let me get pooped on?! Really?

For a split second I stop my rant. In the time it took my heart to beat one time, I try to embrace the gift of that moment. Surely this moment does not contain a gift, but still I try to find it. And in the next heart beat, something even stranger than the gritty waste product on the back of my hand happens: Peels of laughter rip through the anger and inconvenience. I laugh.

I capture one picture and return to the safe haven of my car in search of tissue and Purel. I laugh some more.

Crapped on while capturing Beauty.

I crap-tured beauty. 

I am roaring now. And the laughter feels good. And God is in this moment too. 

I went out seeking Beauty... seeking a full life... seeking to know God... asking for Joy.

I found the beautiful sunset. I also found the lone, human-loathing bird on a wire that would dare to take aim at the innocent God-seeker. 

But still, I found Joy.

I could have allowed the birdy-poo to ruin my evening. I could have tried to find some deep meaning in the warm substance resting on my hand... Why would God allow this? Why would God let me get crapped on when I am trying so hard to be full of Joy? Doesn't He love me? Doesn't He supposedly give good gifts?... Or I could take the gift in the moment and laugh. I laughed with my Creator. I received the Joy in the moment.

Crap Happens.

In this beautiful, God-created world, crap happens... The diaper of the darling baby explodes and leaks onto his poor mama's pants who didn't think to bring a change of clothes for herself... The life-giving, bonding, and waist-trimming experience of breast-feeding can occasionally offer up clogged milk ducts that rack a body with feverish aches (Hi, this is where I am right now!)... temper tantrums from the sweet one, friend turned gossip, great day abruptly halted by the crunching sound of your own car's metal against another car's rear end... crap happens.

I cannot pretend to know the answer to the why.

It is a mystery. And even though I was able to find Joy in bird excrement, I am only just scratching the surface. There are far more crappy things that could happen in a life. I just have this strange sense that God is allowing me learn how to live Joy-Full in spite of circumstances.

Could it be that one could really keep their Joy every day, not just the good ones?

I know it involves trusting God. I know it involves taking each moment, easy or hard, and receiving it as a gift. It's like the manna the Israelites ate in the wilderness. Each day, God miraculously covered the ground in little wafers. It baffled the Israelites:
"God's people daily eat manna--a substance whose name literally means 'What is it?' hungry, they choose to gather up that which is baffling. They fill on that which has no meaning. More than 14,600 days they take their daily nourishment from that which they don't comprehend. They find soul-filling in the inexplicable. 
"They eat the mystery. 
"And the mystery, that which made no sense, is 'like wafers of honey' on the lips" 
 Ann Voskamp, Ten Thousand Gifts
Sometimes life is baffling. Sometimes painful. Sometimes wonderful. Sometimes it's offerings lead us to question God, "What is it? It doesn't make sense!" Our minds can't comprehend how all things can be a gift. But in taking the mystery, eating it, allowing it to nourish, we might just find that somehow it's like wafers of honey. Somehow it's sweet. Somehow it's Joy.

Taste and see that the Lord is Good.

I am not sure what it means. I do not know how to make sense of it all. But I did discover Joy in the most unlikely of places.

Joy in crap.
Imagine that!

xo


Easy-Peasy Pleated Dress

Welcome to the very first MADE Monday posting!

Even though I have been putting up stuff I make on Mondays for a while now, it just seemed like it was time for a name and a commitment. (Plus the English nerd is made really happy by using alliterations.)

(Also, as the title of the post indicates, assonances. It's okay if you have no idea what I am saying. An alliteration is just nerd-speak for words that start with the same sound, and an assonance is words with the same vowel sound. I speak fluent nerd.)

I am sure I have said it before, but I will say it again. I like creating. I like sewing. But I am so not that intricately-worked, masterfully-wrought, crafting/sewing wonder woman. I like easy. I like simple. I do it for the money-savings, the look of appreciation on the face of the one I labored for, and the satisfaction from creating something with my own two hands.

I am all about easy, simple, and money savings. Oh, and cute... I am all about that too.

You too? Read on!

I happened to catch a glimpse of a picture of a dress my friend wanted to create for her daughter on her facebook wall. I liked that it was a dress made over an existing shirt, I liked that the waist was high and I liked the pleats. The picture inspired me to make my own design... yep! pattern and tutorial free. (Plus I hate patterns and reading directions, so why not do it my own way? If you are like me, do feel free to be inspired by the pictures and walk away from the how to. It's easy, I know you could do it yourself!) Thanks friend for the inspiration! And yours turned out super cute too! In the grays and yellows you chose, it looks so sweet on you little one!

I love the way my easy-peasy dress turned out! I had bought a yard of the floral gray-green-and-yellow print for $2 that called to me from the Walmart cheap rack (Buy me! I'm cheap! I will make something cute for your Addy-pie!... Tell me I am not the only one who hears fabric?! haha!). I picked up a plain white t-shirt for $3.88 at Walmart. Yay for Walmart prices! I happened to have scrap pink fabric. Add in the zipper cost, and this bad boy cost me a little over $7.00. Not bad at all.

Minus the idea that originated with a picture, I did this entirely myself.

Easy-Peasy Pleated Skirt Instructions: 

You will need: 1 yard of fabric (this may vary depending on the size of your child. My daughter is a 4T and I had almost 1/2 yard in leftovers) A long strip of contrasting fabric. 1 zipper (7" or 9" would be fine for 4T). T-shirt or tank top. Thread.

1: Measurements! You will need the waist and skirt length. (measure the skirt length from where you want the waist to be to where you want the length to be. Mine is a high waist: just above the belly button to just above the knee.)

2: Cut! Double the waist measurement to make room for the pleats. Add 4 inches to the length for the top and bottom seam allowance. The sash took some really good guess work to figure out how long it would need to be. I used the ultra-sophisticated method of tying the measuring taping around Addy in a giant bow, adding 2" for the seam allowance and a couple more inches just to be safe and cutting that measurement in half to work with my design (see my sophisticated drawing above... if I haven't mentioned it before, you now know the truth, I am not much of a drawer.) I knew I wanted my sash to be nice and thick, like 3" so I doubled that and added a 1" seam allowance. I ended up making the sash 2" thick in the end (so my actual measurements are 30" by 5"). I realized 3" was too thick to make a good bow with the length I had cut. The thicker you make the bow the longer the sash needs to be.


I started the cuts with my cutters and then realized. It's cotton! I can rip it! I love ripping fabric, it is one really easy way to ensure you cut on the grain. Plus, it's fast.

I like fast!

Rip it, and rip it good.

3. The Sash. I folded the sash how I wanted it (See pictures) and ironed it in place.

 
Sew it together. For a fun touch I used dark gray contrasting thread. I sewed 1/4" from the edge on both sides and around the ends.

Some Basic Sewing Tips for Beginners:

If you are sewing using contrasting thread, it is especially important to get your seams straight. Your thread is more visible, and, therefore, so are your sewing abilities! If you have trouble sewing straight, try this: Hold the fabric between your thumb and fingers about an inch below and a couple inches in front of the machine. Use your other hand to gently guide the fabric right alongside the the foot of the machine.


To sew around the tips without stopping and restarting your seam:

4. The Pleats. Turn fabric to wrong side and fold the top over 1/2." Iron fold. Fold top over again, this time 2". Iron in place.
 Sew close to the bottom of the fold. This will be your seam for the top of the skirt.
Lay skirt out and place even pleats (just fold accordion-like). On mine, every 2" has a 1" folded under. If I could do it over again, I would have done every 1" has a 1" folded under... or closer to that. It looks great, but I think I would have liked it even more "pleated." Do make sure your pleated skirt length is your waist measurement plus 2" (for seam allowance). Adjust pleats or trim extra if necessary. Also, do leave a little un-pleated space at either end for the zipper (just over an inch at each end)
Sew in place right along the of your top seam stitch line.

5. Attach Sash, Insert Zipper. Pin each part of the sash to the dress right-side out where you want it to go. Baste them in place. (Pay attention to the direction of the ends of your sash. Each side should be opposite. It doesn't look like it in the picture, but they are)

Fold each side under 1/4" and then 3/4" and iron in place.
 Now would be a good time to double check the fit on your model. (Fold slightly more or less if necessary)
Pin sides together like picture.
Get everything ready to put your zipper in.
Sew in zipper. Do pay attention to where your sash is lest it get caught in your sewing.
 Notice I went and zig-zagged stitched the raw edges. I hate frayed edges.
 I ran my zipper stitches all the way down to bottom and then went back and sewed just past the end of the zipper in place.

Turn right side out and use seam ripper to open zipper.

6. Add in bottom seam. Turn wrong side out. Fold bottom 1/4" and then 3/4" and iron in place.

Sew. I did two parallel seams to mimic the sash and to make it look nice and finished

7. (Optional) Sew skirt to shirt. I put the shirt and the skirt on my daughter. I pinned where the skirt should be on the shirt.I sewed only the front side of the skirt to the shirt. I wanted to make sure that the skirt portion would be able to slip on over her head. I cut off the bottom of the shirt... I am thinking matching headband! T-shirt knit makes for stretchy, comfortable headbands. (I didn't finish the raw edge of the t-shirt. Knit doesn't fray. Thank you for less work, T-shirt!)


8. (Optional) Tack sash to sides of skirt. I tacked the sash to the sides of the skirt to keep the sash from hanging loose and sliding down. I want that bow nice and pretty! I sewed a vertical seam just on the sash where the side seam on the shirt is so they line up. (Where the yellow pin is in the picture.)



DONE!


 My model got a little grumpy. :)



Wouldn't you know that her favorite part of the dress would be un-tying it?! Of course. Haha.

 It's comfy. It's vibrant. It's one-of-a-kind. It's cheap. It's easy.

I win!

Wednesday I should have a story about a seriously funny incident (with some mom-thoughts attached). Do come back.
xo


And just because its fun and to prove everything is not perfect here, I have prepared an extra bonus for you (perhaps it will make you feel better about your sewing abilities and frustrations)...

MADE MONDAY Project "Easy-Peasy Pleated Dress" SEWING BLOOPERS!

I started the dress by sewing the bottom seam. Why? Why did I do that?! Don't do that. Fortunately, I managed to get everything nice and lined up so that when I sewed the two sides together, the two ends met each other perfectly... but it could have been bad... seam ripper, resewing bad. And you probably know how much I hate that.

Avoid sewing with the majority of your fabric towards the machine. You always want it facing out if you can help it. I thought I was doing myself a favor by having the pleats in a good direction for sewing them (so they didn't try to bunch up under the foot). I end up sewing the skirt together... where it shouldn't have been sewn together.

Thread malfunction! Argh! Fortunately, I fixed it... after 5 tries. Frustrated? Me? Never. HA!







Dainty Toe Testing Blog Water

I am finally going for it.

No more dainty toe testing the pool water...

I am jumping in.

It's only taken me 10 months.

What started as a thought, "What can I do to bring in some income and still be able to stay at home with my kids?" has grown to become something I love doing. I knew I liked writing. After all, I did select English as my major those many moons ago... and I actually enjoyed all the reading and writing that came with that decision. Last June, I made a commitment to try blogging for one year and see what I could do with it. In October, with the baby at an older age, I decided to commit to at least one post a week. I knew there was a great unlikelihood that I could make money doing it, but I felt I had nothing to lose in the trying. It encouraged my creativity; I began to record my own little family's history and my thoughts on life, God and motherhood; and it connected me with my distant friends and relatives (Shout out to my family Down Under! Makes me so happy when I see Australia has been reading.) I figured if I could share my story and one person be impacted by it, then it would be worth the effort. It is even harder than I realized to make money (and I knew it would be hard), the blog community is sometimes warm and welcoming but occasionally a little terrifying (think crazy, soccer moms driving minivans with somewhere to be in a hurry pushing all cars out of the way... so many DIY, crafting, stay-at-home moms desperate to get ahead...all with the next brilliant idea. By the way, not that I think all minivan-driving moms with kids in sports are like this, but you get the picture...), not to mention the overwhelming nature of html code (I am still clueless) and site design. Even in all the blogging I have done on my 10 month journey, I have never pushed the blog all the way, never reached out to try to grow it. I suppose I have been too scared to step out and make my little blog known to more than my friends and family. What if I fail? What if I seriously suck at all of this?

I am so the sissy-la-la girly-girl at the swimming pool, just sticking her toe in the water, taking forever to decide to take the plunge.

I am scared. I am nervous. A thousand "what if's" want to rack my brain. I want to give in to the questions: "Who am I that I should think I can do this?!" and "Who in the world really cares what I do and have to say?!"

I really am just dirt.

Nothing but clay.

But I am in the hands of my Maker and I have the breath of God in me.

I have a God-given desire to write, to share, to encourage...

I am nothing. But maybe, just maybe, if I offer up what I love to the One I love, He will make something of it. I will give the great Gift-giver my humble offering. Create, Share, and maybe, just maybe, I can encourage as so many others have encouraged me.

Maybe, just maybe, this little housewife's cadence can echo and fill others with hope.

After praying, seeking wisdom, I am compelled to try.

I must try. I must jump.

Faith.

Fail or succeed, I will put my Faith in the One who made me.

So, thus begins the launch of my facebook page.

The start of MADE MONDAYS that will feature a project or recipe.

The start of THANKFUL THURSDAYS that will have a couple snap shots from the week of something I am thankful for. (More to come on this. In a nut shell, it is a year-long challenge to myself, derived from One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp, to capture in photography all the gifts God has given me.)

I hope to have post a week that contains encouragement or thoughts on God and/or life... but I don't ever want to post something just to post something, so there will be no weekly commitment on this... just a goal.

You will never hear from me on Fridays. Those are my sacred days. And weekend postings have seemed pretty pointless to me; don't expect those from me.  Also, about every 8 to 10 weeks, I hope to step away for a week. I gotta stay fresh. I gotta spend time with God. I gotta spend time with my kids and husband. I have time-consuming little ones (but as much time as they demand, is it not so fleeting and precious?! I cannot poorly spend this time with them!). They will always come first. I know you understand :)

My goal: by October to have over 500 followers and begin the process of finding sponsors.  I love to write. But I could also really use to make some income. :)  (Also, I want to do giveaways! Give me something to give away and I will advertise your business for free! wink wink Nothing would make me happier than to make someone's day with free stuff)

Do help me out by following me on facebook and/or with google friends connect. Just click the follow button on the right hand side of the screen and follow the instructions. No one wants to be the first to follow me... least of all if they don't even know me... awkward. I would never follow a blog that has only 8 followers unless it's friend or family. Someone with over a hundred... If i like their blog I might. So, if you are related to me or call me your friend... Do it! Even if you really aren't into reading my blogs... Help a girl with her dream.

If you are an experienced blogger or website design wizard, I will take any offering of wisdom (yes, constructive criticism please!), help, or guest postings. 

Thank you so much to those who have been on my dainty-toe-testing-the-blog-water journey. THANK YOU!!! I have been so touched and encouraged by your kind words, your support, your love. Every email, every word, every comment fills me with such hope. It touches me just to know people read what I write... That someone would think I have something worth reading and take the time to read it. It truly humbles me. Maybe, just maybe, I can write. Maybe, just maybe, I can encourage another woman. Maybe, just maybe, I can be a conquering housewife filling others with the cadence of my life's song :)

I cannot conquer without the Faith it takes to try.

So I try.

Thank you for reading.

Seriously.

Thank you!

xo

Squeally Peels of Laughter

This little family had one big, full Easter weekend.

We remembered Christ's sacrifice by doing our own Seder dinner. Mike led himself and me in communion. We let Addy try the elements of the Seder. Her immediate and strong response to the tiniest taste of horseradish on her tongue was hilarious.

We dyed Easter eggs. Just the good old fashioned dyed eggs... with some jungle animal attachments.


We participated in the 3rd Annual Green Pickle Day. Every year at Christmas time someone hides a green pickle ornament on my parent's Christmas tree. Whoever finds the elusive pickle gets to decide where the family goes for a day trip. I found it this year. I picked the ocean.

I love Green Pickle Day. I look forward to it every year. It's the one day of the year, besides holidays, when my entire family gets together to do something. Now that most of us kids are grown, this is a rare and precious thing indeed.


This year, my grandma's visit from the Midwest happened to coincide with Green Pickle Day so she came along too. I love spending time with her and love that my kids got to spend time with her. We stopped at a park on the way to the beach for our picnic, complete with pickles of course. The beach was a gorgeous sunny and 70... we couldn't have asked for nicer weather. We finished the day off with some Betty's Burgers. Great day. Even better people.

Michael took Monday off of work. Okay, I actually told him he was taking it off (and he all too willingly complied). I just felt like we needed a normal family day. So, we slept in. I made breakfast: baked steel cut oats and eggs. (I will be sharing that one soon, it's too good not to.) We went to Costco for lunch and met up with Mike's parents. We dropped the groceries off and headed to the zoo. It's just a small zoo, but it was super close and super cheap to visit. Mom and Dad liked this easy, inexpensive family activity. Addy loved it!


Highlight of the day... well, actually of the whole weekend...
Addy wanted to ride her first roller coaster at the little fun town next to the zoo. I was hesitant. She was going without mom or dad. She was going with a random little girl she met. It was just a little roller coaster, but what if she got scared? What if she tried to climb out? What if it traumatized her and she never rides another coaster? Oh the mind of a mother! She got on that coaster, and immediately I heard her squeally peels of laughter ring through the entire park. Girlfriend had a blast! She was laughing so hard she even had the roller coaster operator laughing.

That's my girl. She loves life and embraces people. Her laughter is contagious. I love her!


Second favorite part: Upon using the last ticket and exiting her final ride, Addy tells the ride operator "I want to have my ticket back. Pllleeease."

Yeah. That's not quite how that works, Addy. But nice try. :)

Hope you had wonderful weekends as well.
xo