summer love

Oh to be 16 again and on summer break. I have been listening to the youth at church excitedly discuss their summer plans of sleeping late and days at the lake and late nights with friends. Pining after my own summer days gone by, I've decided to re-claim the season. I've started a running list of things I think will make these next few months special, things that will make these next few months my own summer break. Here goes:

1. Make and eat lots of popsicles. I'm buying my molds tomorrow at Bed, Bath & Beyond. My Rachel and Martha magazines have the most fabulous sounding recipes. Ones that are both nostalgic like banana fudge pops to the more exotic pomegranate lime pops.

2. Leave early with Lucy on Tue/Thu so we can be the first girls to stop by the Farmers Market. Being first means we will get the best watermelon.

3. Become a firefly whisperer. Our front yard is afire with them every evening. I'm going to let Grant stay up till after dark every couple of days so we can race around and catch them in his bug catcher.

4. Invite friends over for dinner more often.

5. Find some good novels - ones that make you stay up late in the night to finish. I got inspired thumbing through a box of novels at a garage sale this morning.

6. More bike rides. It's too hot to run and besides, biking takes me back to being 8 and growing up in Canada.

After watching the kids enjoy time together this weekend, I'm even more inspired. These pictures shout "let summer begin" to me.

lots of mud

What a memorable weekend! Several months ago my sister talked me into signing up for the Austin Muddy Buddy Race. It's a 6 mile bike/run that has obstacles interspersed and ends with a giant mud pit. Looking back I'm really glad Amy talked me into it because it made me start exercising again post-Lucy. It was a beautiful day and lots of fun. Our team name was "A Wing and a Prayer" and we finished right on goal. After our race there was a Mini Muddy Buddy race. Grant had been talking for weeks about competing in the race but he got cold feet right before it started. I talked him into competing and he was in first place until right before the finish line - that's when the realization that he was in fact in the middle of a deep mud pit sunk in and he went into total melt-down mode. He was sobbing as he got his finisher medal and continued to cry until we were able to spray off and change into clean clothes. Of course, he has a selective memory - to hear him tell the tale now he loved every minute of it!

Pre-race helmet help

I started running while Amy started biking. We switched off every mile.

At the starting line. Notice the crazy costumes like the bride in front of us. One team was dressed up as unicorns and had a huge "horn" coming off the back of their bike. It was a strange crowd...

Our finisher medals

Look closely to see Grant on the left going over the wall. He's in the blue shirt and red shorts. He is a competitor at heart. Wonder where he got that...?

Getting ready to enter the mud pit.

Jake and Amy. So proud of Jake. Unlike Grant he loved it and was so happy afterwards!

this easter

I always think that fall is my favorite season, until spring comes along, that is. I also always think Christmas is my favorite holiday until Easter comes along. This year we decided rather last minute to head to San Antonio for 2 nights before Easter Sunday. What a great idea it turned out to be. Thanks to my mom's willingness to babysit, Brad and I were able to meet up with some of our favorite friends for a lively dinner at a fabulous Mexican restaurant we had never been to before - which was another treat, getting to discover a new place!

The following day was one of those perfectly unscripted days that turns out so pleasant. Amy and the kids, my mom, Brad, Grant, Lucy and I packed a picnic lunch and headed to the park. The boys played basketball and soccer and played on the playground. Sophia lounged with the girls on the blanket. We ate good food and enjoyed the perfect weather. It was simple and that was what made it so nice. Later that day the big kids dyed Easter eggs. Wow that is a messy endeavor!

Easter Sunday was a full day. I woke up and was able to look out my window to the cemetery and see the sunrise service. When Grant woke up, I explained what was going on and we read the Easter story from the Bible. Our worship service was so full. Both Grant and Lucy came and my heart was full as I held onto my daughter and son and sang to God. There was a big egg hunt after church and then we walked home where Blake and Mallory joined us for the rest of the day. We feasted, sat on the porch, ran around outside cracking confetti eggs and enjoyed the day with each other.

gramma and lucy visiting

little girl likes picnics

girl cousins

a friendly game of hoops

oh the mess

the finished creation

grant showing lucy his bounty

happy easter 2011

One Line a Day

After reading One Thousand Gifts I was inspired to once again keep a journal. However, I knew it would be really hard to me to stay consistent with it. Then, voila! I found the One Line a Day journal at my favorite store, Paper Source. Who can be intimidated when you're only obligated to write just one sentence to summarize your day? The unique part is that this is a 5 year memory book. As you can see in the picture, you keep re-visiting the same page year after year. I keep mine on my nightstand and jot a quick note about the day or what I am grateful for - if you are looking for a new journal, give this one a try!

biscuit arms

lucy is 6 months old today. and i can't get over her arm rolls. i love her biscuit arms. i dressed her in a purple tulle-trimmed tank top today just so i could giggle at them. little girl is one chunky monkey and i love her so much...

Celebration of Life

Well, the big day finally arrived. Thank goodness. We decided to have Grant's birthday party before I went back to work, so it was held the last weekend in January while we were in San Antonio. He wanted a Baylor birthday party and it was really fun time with family. However, it turns out it's very confusing for a little boy to have a birthday party before his actual birthday. Thus, February 8 had been highly anticipated in our house, especially post-birthday party as it marked the day he would turn 4 'for real'!

The night before, we decorated his doorway with streamers and lined the hallway with balloons. The morning of, I got up early to run to Shipleys so he could have a birthday sprinkle donut. I put a candle in it and we sang happy birthday and ate donuts in bed together.

Brad and I took off work to go to his Celebration of Life (aka birthday party montessori-style) at school. I had a vague idea of what to expect, but it was so much more special than I thought it would be. They make birthday celebrations a time to teach the kids about time and seasons. The celebration begins with a special song and then a discussion about light and darkness, and how the earth revolves around the sun and how time passes. The birthday child holds a globe and walks around the sun. After each rotation, the parents talk about the child. Brad and I had made a special picture board and we got to show the pictures and talk about each year of Grant's life and what he was like at each stage. Once he had made it around 4 times, we sang happy birthday to him and then he got to blow out his candles. Then on to snack time. The birthday child is responsible for bringing snacks and drinks and is able to pick 2 friends to help pass them out. Grant had decided weeks ago that he would ask Karoline - what a big decision! His Celebration of Life was such a sweet ceremony. In fact, when the kids were singing the song I almost teared up. I liked how it made us pause and consider all the ways Grant has changed and developed over the past 4 years - life truly is an incredible miracle. And, it really honored him - I could understand why he had been looking forward to it for so long!

One Thousand Gifts

One Thousand Gifts: a dare to live fully right where you are

Ann Voskamp

www.aholyexperience.com

You must order this book today. I haven't fallen in love with a book in a long time. But, this one has captured me and I'm only a couple of chapters in. She writes with such a unique voice that is so delicately beautiful that it's almost haunting. If I had to choose a genre I would say it's poetry meets spiritual autobiography.

It's a book about journeying to a place of living with gratitude in the midst of a life that is raw and tainted with heart-break. I was stopped in my tracks last night while reading her chapter entitled "the sanctuary of time". This quote was meant for me as I begin 2011:

"I have lived the runner, panting ahead in worry, pounding back in regrets, terrified to live in the present, because here-time asks me to do the hardest of all: just open wide and receive."

I can't wait to go to book club tonight and share with them my discovery of this book so I can read it alongside others and hear how it speaks to them.

It's Back

My camera is finally back from the shop which should help my blogging hiatus! Here's what we were up to today. Pretty much like every day. Grant trying to get Lucy to laugh (despite the kind of startled look on her face she actually loves giggling for Grant and he almost has her out and out laughing), and Grant giving Norman a hard time and Norman indulging him. Not pictured: hours of me and Grant coloring together and playing with his new toys. A good day.

Yummy Recipes to Keep

I have made 2 treats this week for different events and both were new recipes. You never know with a new recipe...but these are keepers!!

Disclaimer: both are SUPER indulgent, like 4 egg yolks in one recipe indulgent...

Thankfully, I have been motivated enough to resurrect the 'driveway' workout that I did while getting ready for my wedding 8 years ago. Perhaps my workouts this week have counterbalanced at least a few bites from these treats...

Here are the links if you need something to make for the holidays:

Peppermint Cream Bars

Salted Caramel Brownie Bites

Enjoy!

All I Wanted for Christmas

I love spontaneous trips and I love that one of the things Brad and I are definitely on the same page about is the value of traveling. About a month ago we started talking about how fun it would be to play with Grant in the snow...Brad had vacation days he needed to use before 2011... and thus our trip to Colorado was hatched.

We found a house to rent up near the Durango Mountain Resort. It had everything we wanted, but was too big for our family of 4, so Brad's brother and his new fiance, Mallory, ended up coming along with us as well as my mother-in-law.

I sometimes think last minute trips are the best kind - you don't have enough time to build up unrealistic expectations. When we got back to Waco I told Brad that this trip was one of my favorite family vacations. Even with a 10 week old baby, it was all around an easy, relaxing, and fun trip.

The house was so nice that we hardly left. Each day we played in the snow, sat in the hot tub, watched movies in the 'media room' (how I would love surround sound and blue ray...), read books by the fire, and made smores. Oh, and I enjoyed the huge claw footed soaking tub. Since our water heater is going out at home and we have been boiling pots of water to take baths, a soaking tub with an endless supply of scalding water was pure bliss.

The one trip we made into town was to go to downtown Durango to ride the Polar Express. Grant is at just the right age for such an adventure and I loved watching his face. As soon as we boarded he wanted to know when the conductor was going to come and punch our tickets (just like the book). After the train ride was over, he got to go and sit on Santa's lap. He was too shy to talk to him, but listed in rapt attention as Santa encouraged him to write him a letter with his Christmas wishes.

This is one of our only 'family of 4' pictures. We make chubby babies in this family.

Blake and Mallory got engaged right before Thanksgiving. We are SO excited about having her in our family - she is so fun, smart, and inspiring. And Grant already adores her!

Grant wanted to make a snowman as soon as he woke up on the first morning. This picture was probably taken at 8 am in the morning!

After making our snowman, Grant had us hold hands in a circle and sing "Frosty". There was a brief moment of panic when we realized he was reenacting the cartoon and might think that he was going to come to life...!

Sledding = pure fun + hours of entertainment

We ate so many smores we got a stomach ache...

Polar Express tickets

Watching for Santa

Once we picked Santa up at the North Pole, he came through each car on the train and handed out 'sleigh bells'.

A change of scenery, being in the mountains, spending quality time with family, living in the moment, a long road trip - I think our trip was the best Christmas present I could get in 2010.

Love those Thanksgiving Craft Projects...

Flavor of the Month

We have a friend who while in college only ate pizza rolls. He would eat a carton of Totino's pizza rolls almost every day. We made relentless fun of him for the monotony of his food choice. However, I've noticed that I have the same tendency. Once I find a culinary delight, I indulge in it until I can take no more. I will eat the same thing day after day with no complaints. This month it has been quinoa. Jessica introduced me to it and ever since I have eaten a little quinoa every day for what has to be weeks on end. If you haven't ever tried it, please take my recommendation. I promise its much better than Totino's pizza rolls.

It's actually a seed. And it's considered a super food due to it's high protein content, iron, and fiber content. I eat it 2 different ways. Sometimes I make it with water and then I eat it like oatmeal in the morning, adding in cinnamon, agave, frozen fruit and almond milk. The rest of the time I prepare it in chicken stock and eat it with soup, vegetables, or as a side.

One of my favorite things to eat with it is black bean sweet potato mash. I know it's Thanksgiving and you might be tired of sweet potatoes, but this recipe is fabulous so I wanted to share it:

olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
3/4 c chicken stock
1 med sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 can rotel tomatoes
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained and rinsed
1 Tb lime juice (optional)
1/4 c cilantro (optional)

In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook 3-5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin and oregano and cook 30 seconds. Add chicken broth and sweet potatoes. Bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, beans and corn. Return to a simmer and cook, uncovered until potatoes are tender and liquid has mostly evaporated. Remove from heat. Mash about 1/4 of the mixture with a potato masher. Stir it all together and add lime juice and cilantro if you like.

Such a yummy treat. You can use this filling to eat in burritos, on top of a baked potato, or as I like, on top of quinoa. Enjoy!

what labor taught me

Lucy is 8 weeks old today and I have been thinking of her birth...

It’s true that words fail sometimes. There simply is no way to describe the very primal sensation that occurs the moment your body gives up what it has been carrying and you deliver a new life. It’s this intense euphoric release. Just as you are nearing a physical precipice of pain, this child pushes out and leaves a rushing wake of emptiness behind. There is an immediate gasp as you reorient and breathe in what emptiness feels like again. Mentally you call yourself back from the haze of labor and are able to rest in the blissful reality that your labor has ceased – you have crossed the finish line and survived.

When Lucy was born, Christy, our midwife, had to work fast because the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck 3 times; but thankfully she was fine and within moments she was handed to me. I remember looking down at this squalling creature resting on my chest and as I looked at my daughter for the first time, I was flooded with gratitude and my heart suddenly expanded with a new love, forever unique to this child.

As I have thought back on my experience, I am thankful that I was able to experience a drug-free delivery. We anesthetize ourselves to so much in our society. We try to minimize pain as much as possible – physically, emotionally, and spiritually. But going through labor, experiencing pain and living in that space for the time that it lasted, made me realize that I can survive. I can live in it and I can survive and it’s okay. Not only so, but sometimes all of that pain is necessary for new life and beauty to emerge.

These past 8 weeks have held so many different things for us as a family. The joy of a newborn; the sheer exhaustion and sometimes loneliness that come from caring for a newborn; the worry, sadness, doubt and resolution that go along with making big decisions; the demands of parenting a now very needy almost-4 year old; the fun of now being a family of 4; and the list goes on and on. During this season I am learning to rely on grace and I’m ever so thankful that its supplier has a limitless reserve. I am also learning that it’s okay to live in the space of each emotion. I can soak in the joy and the happiness, and I don’t have to immediately run from the unpleasant times. I can embrace all that this season has to offer, for better or worse. And if I live in this space with an ear to the whisperings of the Spirit, I am confident God will use this time, all of this time, to adorn my faith with new life and depth and dimension.

Snapshots

{snapshots from 6 weeks of life}

My brother looks a little uncertain about holding me, someone help before he lets go.

My first Baylor parade. I'm getting indoctrinated early for the freshman class of 2028.

I sound like a small wounded cat when I cry. I like making that sound a lot.

What's the big deal about pumpkins anyways?

My first golfing outing gave me a chance to break in my new tennis shoes.

Fishing trip at the ranch. Sunshine makes me happy and sleepy!

5 weeks. Enjoying a nice fall day without a care in the world.

My 6 week birthday. Notice my new double-chin. Life has been good to me.