happy at home

Managed Chaos and Thanks

2011-11-15T10:25:00.001-05:00

Stack of magazines for a friend

It's so long between posts these days, that when I come here to write, I don't know what to say. Feels a bit like running into a friend that you haven't seen in awhile...a little awkward but good, too.

Life here is messy, in all the ordinary ways. "Managed chaos" is what my husband calls it. I swing between over-the-moon blissed out baby love, to crying from exhaustion. People ask me how I'm doing and I have no idea what to say. Wonderful? Terrible? Neither? Both?

Probably most of us can say that, on any given day. There's good and hard all mixed in together.

Yesterday, when both girls were screaming simultaneously and my two year old was standing on the counter, throwing raw eggs onto the rug on the floor, I was positive that I couldn't do this mama thing for one. more. minute.

But I did, of course, and the afternoon brought dinner with friends, and moments to connect with each of my children and hubby individually, and even a few moments outside, sweeping the beautiful red and golden yellow leaves off the porch.

I have a beautiful, chaotic, happy life and some days I want to run away from it. I want to get in my car and drive fast to somewhere that no one will say "mama? mama?! MAMA!!!!" 30 times in a row.

You get that, right?

That it's wonderful and I wouldn't trade it for anything but sometimes I think I can't stand another minute of the chaos?

I hope you know what I mean. I always feel conflicted when people ask me "how are you doing?". I want to be honest and authentic and let the messiness show through but I also want to convey the joy and happiness that I feel.

On that note, here are some things that I am loving right now:

~My house is slowly, slowly coming back together. One drawer at a time, I am paring down, organizing, simplifying. The external peace of my surroundings really helps me feel calm, so I'm thankful that I am making progress on reclaiming my home after all those months of bed rest.

~ Saulsy. Oh my, I don't know how I could possibly function without him. We will be celebrating our 11th anniversary next month and I am so exceedingly grateful for his love and attentiveness to me and our children.

~Nursing babies. I was so anxious during my pregnancy that I would not be able to nurse these girls. And, when they were born 7 weeks premature, I was afraid that was the final nail in the nursing coffin. So, I am incredibly happy that they are both strong nursers now. I am proud of each and every one of their little fat rolls. Nursing them feels like a major accomplishment, and a gift.

~Good food. I am so, so happy to be back in the kitchen. My pantry and freezers are bursting at the seams. I have all our food organized into categories on my phone, along with the quantity and where it is located (we have 2 fridges and 3 freezers). This is so convenient for when I am at the store, and can't remember if I already have something, I can just check on my phone. My kitchen is my happy place. Lately, I have a pot or two of soup going at all times. Today, I have a venison vegetable soup, and a 15 bean soup. I make a pan of cornbread and pull out a jar of freshly canned applesauce, and we have a yummy, quick dinner. I've been making other things that I will save for another post.

~The leaves and weather have been exceptionally beautiful this year. I haven't been able to spend much time outside this fall, so I'm even more grateful for the beautiful fall leaves outside every window.

~Good friends and family. I have so many that have loved our family in numerous ways over these last months. I have so far been unable to aptly express my overwhelming gratitude for the encouragement, the late night visits to hold babies while I sleep, the texts, the pointing me to scripture, taking a toddler for a morning, picking up kids from school, bringing meals, doing laundry and other housework, and the list goes on and on. It really does take a village (or two!) to raise a child and my village has been on over-time this year.

~My children. It boggles my mind that I have six kids. I can't get over it. And twin girls?!?!?! Craziness. Saulsy and I stand side by side and stare at them at night, speechless. We really can't believe it. And wow, are we in love. And our boys!! Oh, man. Saulsy texted me the other day, while driving somewhere with our boys, and said "does your chest ever hurt? Sometimes, my chest physically hurts, I love you and our kids so much". Yep, that pretty much sums it up. Breathtaking, overwhelming love.

~My washer and dryer. Dang, we do a lot of laundry. Where does it come from? I swear clothes multiply. I'm awfully glad I can stuff it into a machine and push a button. Magically, 54 minutes later, I have clean clothes!

~Psalm 34. My sister-in-law sent me to that chapter after a desperate text during witching hour when I was having a melt down and I cried over the text. Great comfort there.

That's enough for now. I want to share some links in another post of foods I've been making and links that have encouraged and inspired me. I always love to see what other people are reading and cooking!

My first post-partum forays in the kitchen

2011-09-03T00:10:00.000-04:00

(This picture of my mantel has nothing to do with the post, I just don't like having a post without a picture)

One of the things that I always struggle with the most while pregnant is how my relationship changes with food. For nearly a year, as I deal with morning sickness and fatigue, cravings and aversions, my love of cooking is put on the back burner, no pun intended.

For most of this twin pregnancy, I was too exhausted to even stand up in the shower, much less go to the grocery store or prepare food. Many meals, I was too tired to even eat. Many, many meals were cold cereal, as that was the quickest, easiest thing I could find in the kitchen.

In my darker moments, I despaired that I would never again enjoy one of the things that used to bring me so much pleasure. I mourned that part of myself that was gone. So, it has been with great delight, that over the last (almost) three weeks, since giving birth, that my love for food and cooking has started to return.
First, it was just pinning recipes to my Pinterest Food Board. Then, it was my first trip to the grocery store, restocking my pantry and fridge. And today, I was back in the kitchen, preparing some quick and simple food. It felt so, so good to be back in there!! I'm taking it slow and keeping my expectations simple...caring for the twins + the 4 boys is about all I can manage right now, along with keeping the house picked up and the laundry and dishes done. We still have dear friends bringing us meals three nights a week. But I just needed to get in the kitchen and MAKE something, you know? I needed to feel some ownership over my house and my life, after so many months of relegating nearly all my responsibilities to others, during the harder months of this pregnancy.
So, I made salted caramel popcorn (I didn't like this recipe as much as the one I typically use but I loved the finishing salt) and the yummiest pizza with fresh mozzarella, caramelized onion, and topped with arugula, lightly dressed in a greek vinaigrette.
Now I am anticipating all the wonderful foods of fall and hoping, HOPING I have the energy and time to can applesauce this fall. I love to have freshly canned applesauce for when my babies are ready for table food.
So, what are you cooking these days?
And, are you on Pinterest yet?!

Introducing Piper and Scout!

2011-09-02T23:45:00.000-04:00

The girls are here! Piper Jane and Della Scout were born at 33 weeks, 5 days on August 15, 2011. Piper weighed 4 pounds, 11 ounces, was 17 5/8 inches long and was born at 6:48 pm. Scout was 4 pounds, 10 ounces, was 19 inches long, and was born at 6:49 pm. They spent 10 days in the secondary nursery and have been home with us for about a week and a half.

The names Jane and Della are after our maternal grandmothers. Piper was just a name we liked, and Scout was from To Kill a Mockingbird. When I watched the movie in high school, I thought that if I ever had a daughter, I would love to have a spunky little Scout. I also really loved the name Dylan Wren (Dylan is also a family name) and it took us two days after they were born to pick which two of the three names we wanted to use. I still feel a little wistful about tabling Dylan Wren. Such a sweet name!

(Scout on the left, Piper on the right)

I will write their birth story in another post on another day. The girls are such a gift to our family. We just can't get enough of them. They are so, so tiny. And having girls (!!)...and twins (!!!!) is just rocking our world. We all just stand at their bed and stare at them. I'm not sure when it will sink in!

If you would like to see more pictures of our sweet girls, check out the shoot that my childhood friend, Jenny Evelyn, took.

More soon...for now, an hour of sleep!

JUST A LITTLE TO SAY

2011-07-16T22:48:00.000-04:00

I never have much to say when I am pregnant. And what little I do want to get off my chest, usually fits nicely in a Facebook status. Hence, the four months of silence.

Life around here has been good.

Rich in friendship and community.

I've been on bed rest for two weeks now.

So, others are taking care of my children, fixing our food, cleaning my house.

It's been hard to let go of my responsibilities, without also feeling worthless and guilty...but it's also been a relief.

Guilt mixed with gratitude is sort of a weird place to be.

Maybe I will talk more another time about the wrestling that has gone on in my heart for the better part of this pregnancy...relinquishing ideals and expectations, mourning things that have changed, anticipating new life that is coming to us...but for now, I just want to keep it light.

In just a short time, we will be welcoming twin GIRLS into our family.

I'm happy to be back, in whatever capacity.

With millions of blogs out in cyberspace, I appreciate that you read and comment on mine.

And I am so thankful for the deep, real friendships that have sprung up from here!

Random List of Thoughts

2011-03-06T15:21:00.000-05:00

It's been awhile since I have been here, so I am keeping it short and sweet with bullet points today.

I am pregnant! With Twins! That's a large part of the reason it's been quiet around here these last few months. There has been a lot of lying in bed or on the couch, trying to survive morning sickness and fatigue. We are nearing the end of the first trimester and there is a (small) light at the end of the tunnel.
The hubby and I have started to make preparations for this big change that is coming. Selling my car, purchasing something larger that will seat everyone. Discussing homeschooling the older two versus putting them in school in the fall. Can I homeschool well with twin newborns (plus the other children)? What is best for everyone? Should we move to a larger house (for now, the answer is NO). What kind of help will I need in the coming months?
After months of serious house neglect, coupled with the arrival of spring, I am wanting to pare down the possessions radically, deep clean, and make room for the new little souls that will be joining us in the early fall. I love this idea. Right now, I am working in about 10 minute spurts of energy, before I head back to the couch to rest. I have been modifying my to-do list...breaking even simple tasks in to smaller tasks, and giving them my all, 10 minutes at a time. And saying "yes!!" to every offer of help.
My dear hubby has just converted his man cave into a walk in freezer/fridge. He sold or gave away most of the furniture, and replaced it with a chest freezer and a large commercial fridge. We now have 2 freezers and 2 fridges. I was at first skeptical that we needed that much cold storage. But, as I think over how much food we put up in a year, and how many people we are going to be feeding on a regular basis over the next two decades, it suddenly seems like a really useful luxury. I am rethinking my shopping (maybe only go to the store every 2 weeks? Start buying more in bulk?). I know that extra fridge will come in handy when the babies get here, and friends bring food!
Strawberry season is almost here. My sweet boys, eying the strawberries at the grocery store, wistfully ask again "how much longer until strawberry season is here?!" Last week, I relented, buying Florida strawberries, while warning them they they wouldn't be as good as when they are in season locally. There is just no better way to eat fruit, than when it is still warm from the sun. We are all anticipating eating them fresh, made in to jam, shortcake, icing, sorbet, sauce, cut up on cereal, made into leather...
Wildly optimistic, as my Dr. says that chances are high that I will be on bed rest for a good portion of my pregnancy, I can't help but think to summer and reserve book upon book upon book from the library. Oh, home canning, how I love you.
A dear, generous friend gifted me with an amazon gift card, and I have decided that I need to read the books I already own before I buy more. So, I am torn between this hammock...the perfect spot to put up swollen feet this summer, while watching the boys run through the sprinkler. All while licking on a homemade popsicle, of course. Or, maybe I should finally get these for picnics? Such delightful, tough decisions!
I mentioned that I have been saying "yes!" to every offer of help...which means, I need to stock up on stationary and thank you notes. Do you have a favorite etsy seller for paper goods? I would love if you would share your favorites with me.

A List of Randoms

2011-01-17T17:17:00.000-05:00

I was just looking over my 30 by 30 List (a.k.a. my bucket list), and realized I have 12 weeks until I turn 30, and have only crossed off 7 items (but the marathon was the biggest item, and it's DONE!!). I need to get busy. Speaking of the marathon, if you are a runner, and would like to read my marathon play-by-play, it is here. If you aren't a runner, you would probably rather get a root canal than read the tedium of my race, and that's cool too. ;)
Also, I have made my next goals for fitness and weight loss (losing those last 20 pounds is on my 30 by 30 list too). If you care, those goals are here.
I want to make these muffins and see if I like them better than these.
Itching to get my hands on this new book but am committed to reading most of these first.
My homeschooling mojo seems to have gotten lost during the shuffle of the holidays. It isn't that I'm tired of it, it's just that I can't seem to get back in a good groove. I will probably focus on #2, #10, #11, #18, and #22 from the list for inspiration. Any advice welcome!
Related to the picture above, I would really like to have one of these little fences around my square foot gardens (which ARE going to get revived this spring, by golly!). This picture was taken at Yorktown, I believe. Colonial Williamsburg also has them and I just LOVE them. Besides, my boys have energy to spare, so I can put them to work gathering the sticks for it!

First Family Photo

2011-01-11T00:19:00.000-05:00

My childhood friend and photographer, Jenny Evelyn, took these pictures of our family in the fall and gave them to me on Christmas. I am so happy to have photographs of our family together and can't wait to see the rest of the ones she took. I especially love the one with our house in the background, because I am so Happy at Home. :) Thank you, Jenny!

January Reboot, and the Weekly Menu

2011-01-08T10:53:00.000-05:00

Fridge, BEFORE

Fridge, AFTER

In January, I typically don't make resolutions, but I do give myself some small challenges to get our household back on track after a season of merry making. It feels really good to cut back, pare down, and get back in a groove. To do that, my goals for January are:

Buy only secondhand, except for food and household supplies. For anything else, I turn to ebay, thrift stores, craigslist, or barter with friends. Shopping this way requires patience and takes away the instant gratification of buying, which helps me redefine "need". It also is much more exciting to find what I need, after waiting and looking for awhile!
Declutter 5 items a day. After all the new things that come in to our house during Christmas, I always have a January pare-down. So far, I have tackled the laundry room and fridge. I plan to tackle the medicine cabinet today.
Spend no more than $65 a week on groceries. Our freezer and pantry are bursting at the seams, which is a wonderful "problem" to have. But even there, I want to have a little margin, so I will be focusing on making meals with items we already have. This week, I spent $59. $29 ($12 of which was for 1/2 of the $25 yearly fee that goes toward farm education, tours, etc. My neighbor and I shared the fee and order together.) at our online Farmer's Market on fresh veggies, bacon, and whipping cream, $20 at Sam's on raw almonds, dried cranberries, and popcorn kernels, and $9 at the grocery store on soap, bananas, and milk.

These are some of the recipes I plan to make over the next week or two, based on foods we already have on hand (with the exception of spring roll wrappers and sausage). At the end of the month, I plan to head to either Savannah or Atlanta to stock up on things I have trouble finding here, such as dried cherries (LOVE Trader Joe's dried cherries, which were #42 of their favorite items in 2010. SO GOOD.), white whole wheat flour, brown rice syrup, raw nuts, etc.

Almond Milk

Nut and Seed Granola

Breakfast Burritos

Green Smoothies

Whole Wheat Tortillas

Whole Wheat Waffles

Spring Rolls with Peanut Love Sauce

Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas

Shrimp skewers with Fried Rice

Egg Rolls

Hamburgers

Meatloaf

Corn, Crab, and Potato Soup

Curried Lentil Soup

Lentil Tacos

Chili

2011 Reading List

2011-01-01T21:36:00.003-05:00

This year, I have decided that I am going to, primarily, read books that I already own. I have so many on my shelves that I am interested in and have never read, or have read and want to read again. Have you made your 2011 reading list? Have you read and loved any of the books on my list?

1. Better Off by Eric Brende
2. For the Children's Sake by Susan Schaeffer McCauley
3. Traveling Mercies* by Anne Lamott
4. John Adams by David McCullough
5. Gap Creek by Robert Morgan
6. Under a Wing by Reeve Lindbergh
7. Forever Music by Edith Schaeffer
8. A Circle of Quiet by Madeleine L'Engle
9. The Art of Eating* by M.F.K. Fisher
10. Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv
11. Home Schooling Series by Charlotte Mason
12. A Praying Life* by Paul Miller
13. The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence
14. An Echo in the Bone* by Diana Gabaldon
15. The Last Time They Met by Anita Shreve
16. All He Ever Wanted by Anita Shreve
17. The Supper of the Lamb* by Robert Farrar Capon
18. ~~The Gift of an Ordinary Day~~ ~~by Katrina Kennison~~
19. A Severe Mercy* by Sheldon Vanauken
20. Luncheon of the Boating Party by Susan Vreeland
21. The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges
22. The Montessori Method by Maria Montessori
23. Age of Opportunity by Paul Tripp
24. Every Day Talk by John Younts
25. Your Family God's Way by Wayne Mack
26. Good and Angry by Scott Turansky
27. The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace
28. Attitudes of a Transformed Heart by Martha Peace
29. A Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George
30. Your Home, a Place of Grace by Susan Hunt
31. Blue Like Jazz* by Donald Miller
32. Radical Homemakers by Shannon Hayes
33. ~~For Women Only~~ ~~by Shaunti Feldhahn 1.14.11~~
34. ~~What We Eat When We Eat Alone~~ ~~by Deborah Madison~~

*Books I am already reading, or want to re-read

CATCHING UP BEFORE CHRISTMAS

2010-12-23T17:22:00.000-05:00

Somehow it has been two whole months since I posted last. Not sure how time slips away so quickly. Here at home, we have been enjoying the Christmas season in small ways. Last year at Christmas time, I started these stockings. My dear mother finished them for me yesterday. I'm really happy with how they turned out.

Last year, I didn't do much in the way of homemade gifts, still being in a new baby fog. This year, it's simply bags of granola, tied with kitchen twine, by the door for anyone that stops by. It isn't much, but it is pleasureful to give, and hopefully to receive.

In truth, I have been struggling to find that joy that I have been so earnest about. Reading back over that post, I wonder if I have grown at all over the past year. I still feel the same way as I did then, much of the time.
A lot of it is expectations.
When I snuggle up with my children in front of the fire, hot chocolate in hand, ready to read Christmas stories before nap time, I expect them to just happily curl up next to me, and listen to the story. The reality is more likely spilled chocolate, whining because they can't see a page, or "so and so is touching me", or "so and so got to sit next to you last time, it's my turn", or "I don't want to read a story, I want to play with my friends", etc.

Over the last few days, I have been trying to adjust my expectations, again. The to-do list, already simple, is pared down further. I delete Facebook from my phone, again. Making conscious decisions to be focused on the PEOPLE not the experience I want to create. It isn't easy for me, doesn't come naturally. But I know it's important, so I keep trying.
And I mess up, over and over again.
My kids fight and whine and I get angry, raise my voice, eventually apologize.
Repeat.
It's real and it's messy and it's exactly why I need Jesus. And it's what we are celebrating this season.
Over and over again, my mantra: "My ministry is where my feet are. I am choosing Joy."

I hope that your holidays are joyful and filled with hope, in the midst of the messiness!

MY LITTLE MEN

2010-10-25T16:38:00.003-04:00

Sometimes,
I look at these four little boys of mine,
sitting around the dinner table,
or jumping on the furniture,
or in the shower with shampoo mohawks.

And I realize that, someday,
these little boys will be:
fathers
husbands
employees
neighbors

I am overwhelmed.
By the task,
and by my love for them.

I remind myself (again) to
pray more
and get on Facebook less.

OCTOBER BUSYNESS

2010-10-19T15:26:00.000-04:00

October is the busiest month of the year for our family, and though I crave simplicity, it is also my favorite.

Housework and schoolwork have been pared back for the month to just the essential (toilets, laundry, dishes, math, and reading). In their place, we have been enjoying: the parade and fair

A trip to visit family and several friends in NYC, as well as several other trips coming up soon.

My brother, finally back from Iraq, and a proposal to his love!

Running new paths, as I continue to train for my first marathon.

Enjoying delicious food (on my must-make list for fall:

apple cheddar scones, roasted pear salad, and butternut squash bisque)

A few more things we are loving right now:

-New neighbors, right across the street, with boys the same ages as ours, that also homeschool! We are thrilled, and our children are outside together, from dawn to dusk. Such a gift.

-Screen doors. When I have to be inside, I am so thankful to let the outside in, with the doors flung open.

-Woodchuck Hard Cider. Autumn in a bottle.

-Sweater weather.

-The Farmer's market.

-Seasonal foods: roasted vegetables, soups, loaves of fresh bread, cider, apples, granola, pecans...

-Getting from here to there via foot or bike, or at least riding with the windows down.

-Learning through play. Right now my boys are in to writing secret notes in Egyptian Hieroglyphics and playing bingo (my 3 year old has learned to identify so many birds this way!).

-Speaking of learning, my boys (and all the other children in the neighborhood), were thrilled when the fire department showed up at our house (I burned a pot of beans...again...). The firemen were so, so nice, showing the children their gear, talking to them about fire safety, posing for pictures. Aside from feeling horribly guilty that I had wasted these very nice mens' time, it was a fun "field trip" for the boys! And we all got a good laugh when the fireman who was filling out the report asked "ma'am, are you running a day care?" When I looked confused, and said "No, why do you ask?" He said, "there are...just...so many...BOYS!!" haha :)

What are you loving this season?

Some Links I have enjoyed lately...

2010-09-30T17:48:00.000-04:00

Breaking the Rules of Frugality

It's Granola...made in a cast iron skillet!! Does this seem revolutionary to you too?!

A Perspective on Parenting

Your ministry is where your feet are

Creating a global pantry

On a little late-night mommy guilt

2010-09-08T21:39:00.000-04:00

I am from the school of thought that a little dirt never hurt anyone.

My kids get several baths a week...but the term "bath" is used loosely. A run through the sprinkler might qualify.

At any rate, they are usually semi-presentable, and they do get their ears cleaned and their teeth brushed regularly but no one is going to accuse me of being fanatical about children's hygiene.

Which is why it is somewhat unusual, that 10 minutes (quiet, beautiful, blissful minutes) after the boys' had gone to bed, that I hurried upstairs, got them out of bed, and in to the shower.

Their feet were just a little too dirty for comfort.

Getting out of bed to play in the shower for 30 minutes was full-out awesome to the boys.

And I was the hero.

Funny how my mommy guilt can translate so differently to them.

Shoes, simplified

2010-08-29T16:34:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I pulled out the boy's box of shoes from the attic.

I had them try on their shoes from summer, then switch out the pairs that were too small with large sizes from the box.

What is it about summer that makes children grow so quickly?

Each of my boys had grown at least 2 shoe sizes.

Each of our boys have 4 pairs of shoes as they transition from summer to fall.

1 pair of flip flops or crocs

1 pair of tennis shoes

1 pair of boots

1 pair of cleats

When it is truly fall, the flip flops will go into the shoe box in the attic.

I love being able to shop for the next season from our attic.

Shopping is one of my least favorite ways to spend time,

and I am thankful for any chance to avoid it.

The boys shoes, as well as the most frequently worn pairs of Matt's and mine,

reside in a large wire basket in a closet off of the kitchen.

Having a single place near the entrance to drop shoes has made life much simpler.

For fall, I will transition out of Chaco's, and will rotate primarily between 3 pairs of shoes

1 pair of Simple Shoes

1 pair of brown knee boots

1 pair of either Converse or Kigo's

In the next week or so, I am planning to go through the bins of clothes in the attic and pull together the boys' wardrobes for fall. I am guessing that I will need to purchase at least a few things, since boys are notorious for blowing out the knees of their pants (as it is now, I have a stack of 5 pairs in the laundry room, awaiting knee patches).

If you could only have one pair of shoes to wear, which would they be?

I would have a tough time choosing between my Chaco's and Simple Shoes.

For the love of running

2010-08-28T20:52:00.001-04:00

I laced my running shoes at twilight, instead of the usual break of dawn.

I left my running watch at home, for the first time in months.

Instead of staring at my running stats, I delighted in how pretty the road is to our house.

And for the first time in ages, I remembered why I had started running in the first place.

A Timer and 15 Minutes

2010-08-20T16:20:00.000-04:00

This afternoon, I called my mom. When she answered, I started laughing hysterically but it was because I felt like crying.
I was totally overwhelmed.
The house was a bomb, the kids were wild and in need of naps, and I just stood in the kitchen, paralyzed into inactivity.
She was about to go out of town, and was feeling overwhelmed too with packing and the to-do list.
We reminded each other that we didn't need to do everything, we just needed to do the next thing.
We got off the phone, and set our timers for 15 minutes.

Setting my timer for 15 minutes and racing the clock is such a helpful exercise for me. It really brings me in to focus and gives me a jolt of energy. I am always amazed at how much I can accomplish in 15 minutes.
For example, this was my kitchen this afternoon:

This was my kitchen, after working for 15 minutes.

It wasn't perfect, but it was better. As flylady says "even housework done incorrectly (or incomplete) still blesses your family!"

A Few of MY FAVORITE THINGS, 3

2010-08-19T15:21:00.000-04:00

An organized pantry is a beautiful thing.

Mason jars are practical, timeless, and lovely.

Good Food, Small Budget, post 1B

2010-08-16T18:30:00.002-04:00

A few more words on paring down the food budget...

Pay with cash. When I want to insure that I don't go over the budget I set, I take the money allotted for groceries out of the bank, and then leave my check card at home. This gives me no choice but to make careful, calculated purchases. And, it becomes a game to see how much I can buy with the money at hand.

When you think you can't go another day without going to the store, go one more day. Some of my most creative meals have come from the times when I think "we have nothing in the house to eat". This week is a great example of that.
Last Sunday night, I thought that I HAD to go to the store on Monday. We only had 3 eggs in the house, no sandwich bread, almost no cheese, and were low on fruit.
Additionally, I was having friends over for various meals several times during the week. I decided to make myself wait until Wednesday to go to the store, and to get creative with what was already in the pantry and fridge/freezer. Wednesday came and I decided I could wait a few more days. Now it is Sunday afternoon, and I still haven't been to the grocery store this week. I spent $31 at the health food store (kefir, bulk grains and nuts, butternut squash ravioli, toothpaste), and $2.50 at the farmer's market (mung bean sprouts). I now have 1 egg, still no sandwich bread, cheese, or fresh fruit (except for the pears that a friend brought over from their tree).
Last night, I was trying to think of a dish to make for our fellowship meal at church today. I kept thinking that I was going to HAVE to run to the store to make anything decent. I looked through the freezer and pantry several different times, waiting for inspiration to strike. In the end, I made a chow mein-like dish and some stewed pears.

Chow Mein (ish)
1 box of whole wheat spaghetti ($0.50, purchased on sale)
1 squash (free*)
1bell pepper (free*)
1 onion (free*)
mushrooms (free*)
mung bean sprouts (1/2 package, $1.25)
2 carrots ($0.25)
green beans (free*)
garlic ($0.25)

*These were all gifts from friends' gardens, with the exception of the mushrooms, which I received as a sample from a food show.
I sauteed all the vegetables (minus the mushrooms and sprouts) in a hot skillet with a little oil, just until they were warm but still crispy. After the spaghetti was cooked, and drained, I added it to the skillet of vegetables, along with the mushrooms and sprouts.

In a measuring cup, I whisked together:
1 T honey ($0.10)
2 T soy sauce ($0.10)
1 T worchestershire sauce ($0.05)
2 T garlic infused oil (free, gift)

I poured this over the mixture in the skillet, tossed, and salted to taste.
It was sooooo good and cost $2.50 to make (it easily served 6). I could have made it for much cheaper, if I had sprouted the beans myself.

In the words of Plato "Necessity is the motherhood of invention!"
Not only did I save a lot of money by staying out of the store, but I also have a yummy new dish to add to the rotation.

What are your best "make do with what you have recipes"? Do you have a dish you absolutely love, that you came up with when your pantry was bare?

Good Food, Small Budget, post 1

2010-08-11T00:23:00.000-04:00

This summer, and the last several summers, I have given myself a very meager grocery budget. In years past, the budget was $50 a week. This year, I raised the stakes, and made the budget $40 a week for 6 people (hubby and myself + 4 boys, ages 7-1). I maintained this budget for 9 weeks over the summer.

Several friends have asked me for the nuts and bolts of how I did this, so I thought I would spend a few posts outlining how I made this work for our family.

I am happy to share what worked for us, as long as it is clear that I in no way consider myself some kind of expert, nor a mama that has it all figured out. I am not saying that you should do as I do. Nor do I believe that I am doing anything radical or new...google would turn up blog after blog and article after article, covering everything I am going to say here. However, sometimes hearing (reading) from someone who is like you, or that you can relate to, can be helpful. So, maybe some of my friends who are reading this will find it useful.

First, I would say that it would be very difficult, if not impossible, to maintain a $40 a week budget for our family year-round. I choose to significantly reduce my budget in the summer, b/c we live in an agrarian area of the country, where fresh, local fruits and vegetables are available VERY inexpensively most of the year but especially in the summer. In fact, during this 9 week period, I would say that I received 90% of our produce for free from friends and families whose gardens were producing more than they could use.
During the rest of the year, my weekly grocery spending hovers in the $75-90 range.

Also, another thing that made it possible to stick to our $40 a week budget is that no one in my family has any food related allergies, or any illnesses that require dietary restrictions. My children are all generally good eaters (though they could be better), and I enjoy preparing food for my family and friends. All those factors worked in my favor for keeping our budget low.

For the rest of this post, I am going to talk about how I have worked to trim our food budget DOWN, over the last few years. My current low budget is the cumulative result of small, progressive changes to the way I shopped and prepared food.

Food is a VERY important part of my life...besides the need of food-as-sustenance, I really love to read about, think about, shop for, prepare and serve food to my family.

While my food budget it small, I place a high value on purchasing foods that are local, seasonal, healthy, and fresh.
My focus is to create as little waste as possible in my food purchases.
This is fleshed out in bringing my own reusable bags, going without produce bags whenever possible, buying foods with as little packaging as I can find, and shopping from locally owned, small businesses.

Sometimes this means paying more for some groceries than I would at a big-box store. Supporting small business owners is an important value to me, and so often I am willing to pay more for certain groceries, if I have to, in order to do that. None of these values were compromised while only spending $40 on groceries.

Here is a list of some of the ways I reduced my grocery spending:

I do not purchase disposable diapers, paper napkins, paper towels, zip lock bags, plastic wrap, etc. Instead, I use cloth diapers, cloth napkins and towels, tin foil (which I wash and reuse, then recycle), and rewash/reuse zip lock bags from several years ago. I do purchase toilet paper and wet wipes.
I do not buy meat. 90% of our meals at home are vegetarian. Occasionally, I will cook seafood, or use deer meat (which my husband killed, and was therefore free). Sometimes my husband will grill meat. When we eat meat, he purchases it through his job (he sells food to restaurants), and it was not figured in to my $40 a week budget.
I don't buy much dairy. If I buy yogurt, I buy a large container of plain yogurt, not the individual cartons. If I buy milk, I purchase pasteurized, non homogenized milk from a local dairy for $4.50 a gallon. I buy about 2 gallons a month. The rest of the time, we use almond milk. We do use a fair amount of butter and cheese.
I buy seasonal produce. That means that I buy asparagus and strawberries in April, apples and sweet potatoes in October, watermelon and sweet corn in July. Not only does it taste indescribably better, it is also much, much cheaper. Probably about 80% of the produce in our house is local and in season. Other things, such as bananas and mangoes, that will never be in season where we live, I purchase sometimes.
I make my own laundry detergent.
I buy very, very little prepackaged foods. Occasionally, I will buy a box of crackers or cereal. It is rare that I buy anything in a can or box. I really focus on buying INGREDIENTS.
When something is in season, I buy a lot and either can or freeze it for later. During the summer, I fill my pantry and freezer with homemade pasta sauce, whole canned tomatoes, cream corn, green beans, blueberries, strawberries, etc. This keeps my grocery bill much lower the rest of the year, and gives us food to use that is delicious, inexpensive, and local. I didn't do much canning this year, but I did freeze a lot.
I shop the sales cycle. When olive oil goes on sale (Buy 1, Get 1 free), I look for a coupon online, and buy enough to last 6-8 weeks, when it will go on sale again. A bottle of extra virgin olive oil that is normally $7, would then be $3.50 when it is B1G1, plus a $1 off coupon, brings it down to $2.50, for a savings of $4.50. I usually buy 3-4 at a time, for a savings of up to $18.
I use a few coupons, maybe 4-5 a week, for items that we use a lot of, such as toilet paper, almonds, almond milk, and olive oil. I save them until I can pair them with a sale, for maximum savings.
I buy the best ingredients I can afford. Pure maple syrup, local free range eggs, non homogenized milk from a local dairy, blocks of parmesan cheese, sourdough bread from the bakery in town, etc. Using good quality ingredients saves me money in 2 ways. First, I am more judicious with it, because I don't want to waste it and second, it is more flavorful, and a small amount can go a long way to flavoring a dish.
Because my husband is in the food-sales industry, every now and then, he brings home samples. It doesn't happen that often but for the sake of full disclosure, I will mention it :)
Sometimes, I purchase foods in bulk from my husband. This isn't something I rely on regularly, but perhaps once every 2 months or so, I will order a big box of organic spinach, or several logs of goat cheese, which saves money.
My mom supplies me with fresh eggs from her chickens, blueberries from their bushes, and green beans that she cans for me that my grandparents grew. I know, I am a lucky girl. I am so, so grateful for those food gifts!

What ways do you save money on your groceries? What is one of your biggest food-related expenses? For me, it is dried cranberries. Random, I know, but they are pricey ($4 for a small bag!) and 2 of my boys absolutely LOVE them. Also, my dark chocolate with sea salt obsession can be an expensive indulgence...especially when the boys catch me and I have to share! :)

In the next posts, I am going to talk about what I do spend my money on, and then, what a week of eating looks like around our house.

If you want to look back, here is a post from a few years ago on the same topic:

Eating Well in Lean Times

A Short Season

2010-08-08T00:28:00.000-04:00

While we sat there watching them play, we talked about the years to come, when we won't be bringing floaties and swim diapers, when we won't need babysitters or be confined by nap times.

We know that when we get there, we will be remembering these days wistfully.

Sometimes, looking forward helps us appreciate the here and now.

2010-07-08T19:14:00.000-04:00

Hmmm...I am not sure how I managed to skip blogging the entire month of June, but here we are.
These summer days are full, sometimes in the best way.
Yesterday, a bike ride to the library.

And Uno with an indian.

A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS, 2

2010-05-27T22:47:00.000-04:00

Soaking up the fresh air and sunshine with my boys on a quilt. When I am feeling overwhelmed or frazzled, a few minutes in the sunshine does wonders for morale.

A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS, 1

2010-05-25T15:07:00.000-04:00

When the baby stops nursing to look up at me and smile. Those are some rich moments in motherhood.

30 by 30

2010-05-13T18:05:00.005-04:00

(this picture has nothing to do with the post below. I just like taking pictures of my dishes)

30 things I would like to do before I turn 30, next April.

30. ~~Send my entire ironing pile to the dry cleaners, just once. And don't feel guilty about it.~~ 8.15.10

29. Have a date night with each of my children.

28. Take a cooking class.

27. ~~Have a~~ ~~family picture taken~~. 10.10

26. Volunteer with my children at a local charity.

25. Write a letter to each of my boys, for them to read when they are older.

24. ~~Pay for the meal for the car behind us in a drive thru~~. 10.10

23. Write a letter to someone, expressing admiration for qualities I appreciate in them. Be specific.

22. Write a mission statement.

21. Go canoeing. 5.29.10

20. Reach my ideal weight (20 pounds to go!).

19. Take a road trip with no particular destination in mind.

18. Take a hot yoga class.

17. Buy all new underwear.

16. Visit a nursing home with my children. 5.14.10

15. Don't say anything negative for an entire day. 5.23.10

14. Get my piano tuned. And play it.

13. Give away a favorite possession.

12. Write a will.

11. Run a 5K in under 25 minutes (8 minute mile).

10. Add some really great playlists to my ipod.

9. Do flylady consistently for at least a month.

8. Read a book aloud to the boys. Maybe Tom Sawyer?

7. Buy a harmonica. Sit on my back porch and play it.

6. Unplug from TV and internet for a day (or week?).

5. Make a blog book.

4. Organize a pick up game of soccer.

3. Read several books of the Bible.

2. Write a poem to Matt.

1. ~~Run a marathon (Charleston Marathon, Jan. 2011~~). 1.15.11

What goals, silly or serious, are you working towards?

ALMOND-QUINOA MUFFINS

2010-05-11T12:33:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, Wilder couldn't get enough of the oatmeal cookies my mom made.

Today, he is loving the almond-quinoa muffins I made for lunch. I am so happy when I stumble across a super-healthy recipe that I feel really good about feeding my family and that they absolutely love. These muffins are that kind of recipe.

These muffins, alongside a green smoothie, or some applesauce, make a great meal. And since my younger three boys completely finished off the dozen I made for lunch, I am going to make a double batch this afternoon for the freezer.

I have adapted it from the original, which is from the veganomicon cookbook, via No Meat Athlete.

Vegan Almond-Quinoa Muffins

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 T. ground flaxseeds
1/8 cup oil
1/8 cup unsweetened applesauce (next time, I will probably omit the oil entirely and just use 1/4 applesauce)
1/4 maple syrup (or honey or agave)
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 cup plain, unbleached flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup almond meal (I make almond meal from the leftover almond pulp when I make almond milk)
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. sea or kosher salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. ginger
1/4 t. cloves
1 1/4 cups cooked quinoa
1/2 cup chopped golden raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tin.

Mix first six ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix all remaining ingredients except quinoa and raisins. Mix dry ingredients with wet ingredients until just incorporated. Fold in cooked quinoa and chopped raisins. Spoon in to muffin tins and cook for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into muffin comes out clean. Makes 12 muffins.

WW points: 3

TIME FOR PLAY

2010-05-10T15:28:00.002-04:00

Today, I was sad.

Sad that my children are growing up oh-so-fast.

Sad that I so often put priority on the to-do list, not on relationships.

Laundry comes before reading

Dishes are more important than playing a game

Vacuuming and dusting and cleaning toilets and let's be real, checking Facebook,

come before riding bikes and catching lizards.

That's not what I would say, of course. If you asked me, I would tell you that building relationships with my family is the priority. But that's not what my life looks like, too much of the time.

And it really stinks because I already know that someday, I am going to look back, and I am going to really really wish that I had picked my boys more and accomplishing less.

So today, I put down the broom, picked up the baby, and headed outside. We jumped on the trampoline and we were happy. If you haven't jumped on a trampoline recently, I highly recommend it. I felt so free and youthful and like I was really living my best life, you know?

And my boys were so excited that I was playing with them. After thirty minutes, they headed for naps, and I returned to my work but it felt different. I think the subliminal resentment, theirs and mine, had receded.

The lesson is so simple, but I must learn it over and over and over again.

MOTHERHOOD

2010-05-04T15:30:00.004-04:00

I listed several items on Freecycle over the week-end. As a result, there were a number of people at my house throughout the day yesterday, picking up the items I had to give away.

It was only after several people had come and gone that I realized that one of my children was completely naked, except for his red cape.

A stranger pointed out the caped crusader, who was relieving himself on the driveway.

Motherhood is nothing if not humbling.

In other thoughts on mama life, I loved this NieNie video (click on the videos to see them full screen).

While I do not subscribe to the beliefs of the Mormon faith, I think her words here are applicable to anyone and her life is beautiful.

And while you are at it, watch this one too. I have
watched it over and over and over again.

Being a Mama is hard as heck, but man,
what a privilege.

HAPPY MONDAY

2010-04-19T10:41:00.001-04:00

It's 8:53 AM on a Monday morning.

My husband just left to take our oldest to school, thirty minutes late.

That's because, between 7 AM and now,

our four year old wet our bed and me,

the cat had explosive diarrhea on the living room wall,

and our oldest dropped a jar of pickle juice all over the kitchen.

So, I am sitting here in a camo t-shirt of my husband's and satiny pajama pants with a hole in the crotch, because it was the first thing I could find when I got peed on this morning.

Motherhood is a lot of things, but it isn't glamorous.

So, now I am regrouping and making a plan (since going back to bed and starting this day over isn't an option).

First, get out of this baggy shirt and worn pajamas. Those aren't doing anything positive for morale.

Second, I am going to bring order to this chaos by doing a series of 15 minute room rescues, with the kitchen and master bedroom being priorities. When those two rooms are in order, the rest of the house seems to follow suit.

Third, while implementing stages one and two, I will be looking for joy in it all.

Happy Monday to you!

2010-04-15T22:13:00.001-04:00

WINNER!!!

Wow, where did this week go?! I was out of town all last week, which subsequently, has thrown this week into a tailspin. At any rate, please forgive me for being so late in announcing the winner for the book give away. I really need to work on being more timely.

The winner of Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day is Eileen!! Eileen, please email me your contact info, and congratulations!

2010-04-04T22:08:00.003-04:00

GIVE AWAY: ARTISAN BREAD IN FIVE MINUTES A DAY!

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois had been on my wish list for quite a while. I had heard nothing but rave reviews from everyone that had baked from it. So I was THRILLED when I won my very own copy from Katie at Kitchen Stewardship. Ever since, I have been cranking out 5-6 loaves a week of beautiful, delicious loaves of bread.

I have always wanted to make bread on a regular basis and love the process of bread baking. I love to knead it and I love the yeasty smell that fills the house. However, it just seemed too time consuming and daunting to make it every week. We have a great bakery in town and I have always happily given them my patronage. But it could get expensive. And now that I have this book, and see how simple bread making can really be, I feel a little silly that it took me so long to do it!!

Today, for Easter lunch, I was in charge of bringing the bread. I made four loaves this morning, in between feeding the kids breakfast and getting the family ready for church. The bread received rave reviews from everyone. My brother, who works at the bakery in town, said that my bread was better than that at the bakery! My sweet husband said that I should open my own bakery! And my children said that my bread is the best they have ever had!

I don't own many cookbooks and of the ones I do own, I only consult 1-2 regularly. This is a book that is in heavy rotation. It is absolutely brilliant. If you are interested in making bread for your friends and family, without a big commitment of time, you need this book! And, the publishers of this cookbook have generously agreed to donate a copy to one of my readers!!

You may enter to win up to three times by:
1. Leaving a comment.
2. Tweet or Facebook about the give away.
3. Share this give away on your blog, linking back to this post.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. Entries will be accepted until 11:59 pm, est, on Saturday, April 10th and I will post the winner (selected from a random generator) on the following Monday. Contest is open to residents of US and Canada. If you don't win, I highly recommend buying this book. It won't take long to pay for itself and the satisfaction that comes from making delicious bread is well worth the money!

And check out the website, Artisan Bread in Five, for great recipes and tips!

2010-03-30T15:06:00.007-04:00

A CHILD'S DAILY UNIFORMA few posts ago, I shared the uniform concept that I follow.

In the last few months, I have taken time to rethink and rework my children's clothing as well. I began in the laundry room, where I often felt like I lived. I didn't mind the washing and folding but putting the clothes away was something I dreaded as I lugged full laundry baskets up a flight of stairs to cram the freshly folded clothes into already full drawers. I knew there was a way to simplify my laundry routine.

The first step was to stack my front loading washer and dryer. This freed up space in my small laundry room for a clothes chest. I haven't yet found a well made, inexpensive chest of drawers, so in the meantime, I am making do with small plastic stacking drawers that were being used for various organization in the attic and closets. I had four children's clothes + cloth diapers to fit in to six small drawers.

The cloth diapers take up one drawer. Each of the children have one drawer, and the older two boys share the remaining drawer for underwear/socks/pajamas. Once I find a chest of drawers, I will have quite a bit more room, since the plastic drawers are a lot smaller than dresser drawers.

I then sorted out each child's clothes. For the most part, my boys wear solid colored fitted tees with either jeans, navy shorts, or khaki pants. I did keep a few striped tees but mostly solid tops and bottoms mean that everything matches, the children can easily dress themselves, and I like the classic, simple look. Each child has 2-3 pairs of pants, 2-3 pairs of shorts, 4-5 shirts, a handful of socks and underwear, and 2 pairs of pajamas. This excludes the few dressier shirts the boys wear to church, that hang in their closet.
The baby has an assortment of mix and match onesies, pants, and button down sweaters in white, tan, and baby blue.

In the attic, I have four rubbermaid storage containers of clothes for ages 0-2t, 2t-4, 4-6, and 6+. If I have more clothes than I can fit in the bins, I pare down and give some away or consign them. I intentionally keep my storage bins and clothes drawers small so I can't mindlessly add to what I have previously determined is adequate.

There are several factors that make dressing my children pretty simple.
-I have all boys. It would be more challenging if I had to store clothes for boys and girls (and would probably want a lot more for a little girl!).

-I am very laid back about my children's clothing. While I want them to be dressed in a simple way that really highlights the child (rather than a cartoon or advertisement on the shirt), I also don't really care about them being dressed up. They're boys! I expect them to trash their clothes, always have dirt under their fingernails, and holes in the knees of their pants.

In the summer, the boys' wardrobes are pared down even further. There is one drawer upstairs that holds nothing but swim trunks. That drawer will get traded out for clothes in the laundry room later this month. There are 13-14 pairs of swim trunks (all hand me downs from generous friends), and the boys can wear most of them interchangeably (they just are baggier on the smaller kids). Truly, they live out of swim trunks in the summer. We spend most of every day in the summer at the local water park (we buy a family season pass), the back yard sprinkler, or the beach. If we need to go somewhere, they can throw on one of their solid colored tees. On Sunday, they exchange the swim trunks for nicer shorts. Laundry is such a breeze in the summer!

I know as my children get older, laundry will probably be more complicated...the clothes will be bigger and the opinions will be stronger! For now though, this system is working great for us!

2010-03-30T14:39:00.004-04:00

WORKING OUTSIDEThe baby plays happily in his Peapod, the other boys sword fight with sticks, argue, and occasionally help as I work to bring order to our little piece of terra firma.
Fifteen minutes a day is all I am aiming for. I am amazed at how much I can accomplish in that small amount of time.
And how happy I feel from working in the fresh air.

2010-03-22T09:18:00.002-04:00

HAPPY MONDAYRestoring order is what I do on this (and every) Monday morning...so my family can be a little more Happy at Home. Having only what I know to be useful and believe to be beautiful is the goal.

Happy Monday to you!

2010-03-06T23:09:00.003-05:00

A SEASONAL UNIFORMMy clothing style is pretty simple. I like to wear classic pieces that can mix and match and are appropriate for a variety of activities.

I like to personalize the classic pieces with retro-meets-earthy accessories.

My ideal style is a sort of j.crew meets anthropologie meets sundance.

Also, I want my clothes to move easily from housecleaning to errand running to baseball practice to bible study. I don't want to have to think about what to wear in the morning and I don't want to have to iron before I get dressed.

This is the uniform concept: to have a small wardrobe made up of versatile pieces that you can mix and match to easily put together outfits for every day of the week. To take the time and guess work out of getting dressed. This concept saves time, energy, money, and space.

Here is what I have planned for my summer uniform:
-bathing suit
-1 pair of shorts (dark brown)
-1 pair of running shorts
-2 knee length, cotton skirts (brown, white)
-2 sundresses (one doubling as a beach cover-up)
-2-3 fitted t-shirts, solid colors
-2 dressier shirts (linen or cotton)
-1 pair of linen pants
-1 pair of chacos
-1 pair of simple shoes
-1 pair of ballet flats
-1 pair of running shoes

Out of this list, the only items I don't already own are a sundress and a couple of t-shirts like this or this.

Once I have my basics, I can change my look for the day based on what items I wear together, and what accessories I pair with the outfit.

The uniform concept of dressing supports my main objective of living a simple life that focuses on relationships more than things (not to say that you can not have a simple life if you don't follow this method. I am just sharing what works for me)

In another post, I will share how I am doing this with my children's clothes as well.

Maybe you use the uniform concept too? Or have another system that works well for you?

2010-03-01T12:54:00.005-05:00

THOUGHTS ON LIVING WITH LESS "I had rather be shut up in a very modest cottage, with my books, my family, and a few old friends, dining on simple bacon, and letting the world roll on as it liked, than to occupy the most splendid post, which any human power can give" -Thomas Jefferson

I think a lot about minimalism and possessions and my relationship with the things I own.
I was reading my friend Sara's travel blog last night, and had the urge to follow suit, selling most of what we owned for a life of RV'ing on the open road. But as I considered further, and what that would really look like (or at least, what I imagine that it would look like), I acknowledged that's not a lifestyle I really want. I like having a house and firm roots in a community. The part that really appeals to me is the life that I could have without the encumbrances of THINGS. When I consider the amount of time that goes into maintaining the things we own, it just seems like a waste. A waste of time, of resources, of mental and physical energy.

What good things am I giving up because of the time I spend maintaining my stuff?

I have been going through what my typical day looks like and how much of it is spent on taking care of our things and how much of it is spent engaging with the people around me in a meaningful way. And while I don't think my time is grossly out of proportion in those areas, I just wonder how much time is spent caring for things that don't add a lot of meaning to my family. Of course, there isn't a clear-cut answer.
Basically, I want

my footprint here to be small

to be content with less

to own good things but few things

to be focused on the people in my life, not the things I own

to only own things that enhance our life, not take away from it

to leave enough margin in our finances that we are able to help others when a need arises

to focus more on experiences than acquisitions

The more I pare down, the more freedom I feel. I don't attach a lot of sentiment to the things i own. I am happy to release much of my material excess (though I am extremely attached to my physical house). But still, stuff creeps in. I feel like I am constantly editing. It can be challenging when other family members don't share the vision. I want to be respectful of their feelings. I read a good article on being a minimalist when your partner isn't.

Minimalism looks different to each person. What might be stark and austere to one person might be perfect to another. For me, books don't feel like clutter. I like being well stocked in food and household supplies. Areas that I want to be pretty pared down in are
clothing
kitchen appliances and equipment
toys
knick knacks/framed pictures
magazines
make up
shoes

Those are the things that I prefer to keep a relatively modest amount of to feel balanced and in dominion of my home. I am curious to hear your thoughts on this topic and how you find balance in this area.

2010-02-23T10:51:00.005-05:00

SIMPLE FOOD, SIMPLE MEALSOccasionally, I get in a food rut. Nothing sounds that good, I can't think of anything to cook, I make the same thing over and over, etc. I usually start to feel that way around the end of January. I am tired of root veggies, rice, beans, etc. I am ready for the fresh fruits and vegetables of spring and summer. I am uninspired. When I feel that way, I know a simple, sure-fire way to get my kitchen creativity going is to head to my local bakery and produce stand. Conversations with the owners, buying foods that I am not very familiar with, and just being around the fresh, local foods always gets me excited to be in the kitchen again.
I also love to eat really simply. I gravitate towards foods that require little more seasoning than olive oil, sea salt, fresh cracked pepper, maybe a little squeeze of lemon or a sprig of rosemary. If it can be made in a cast iron skillet and go straight from oven to table, all the better. Today for lunch, a baked sweet potato with butter and cinnamon, a bed of spinach with apples, pecans, and a drizzle of olive oil, and a wedge of that lovely artichoke and onion focaccia, pictured above, from the bakery. Easy, inexpensive, delicious. Some other foods that have been coming out of my kitchen the past few days...

-Smitten Kitchen's Chewy Granola Bars. I substituted honey for the corn syrup and next time will probably drastically reduce or eliminate the sugar...it was a little too sweet for me but my husband and kids LOVED them. It was fun to realize (via facebook) that Aimee and I were making these at the same time yesterday. Love friends with similar food ideas!

-Roasted Brussel Sprouts. I had never had a brussel sprout in my life, until my friend Lis made a big platter of them last week. Drizzled with olive oil, and sprinkled with sea salt, they were almost like candy and incredibly delicious. I went to the store straightway.

-Creme Brulee is my husband's favorite dessert, but I had never made it before, until last night. With only four ingredients (vanilla bean, heavy cream, egg yolks, and a little sugar) it was a pleasure to make, and easy (though time consuming).

-Overnight french toast. Big crusty pieces of french bread snuggled up together in my biggest cast iron skillet, covered in a mixture of eggs, whole milk, and a little sugar. The tops were sprinkled with a little grating of nutmeg and cinnamon. Five minutes of time spent putting it together the night before, and into the oven this morning. A sprinkling of powdered sugar and a drizzle of pure maple syrup over the top made it delicious. It would have been really yummy with a side of stewed apples too.

And some of my friend's are cooking up...

-Raw Foods

-Simple Breakfasts

-Chocolate Avocado Pudding

-Romantic Dinner

-Roasted Beets

What are you cooking in February? Are you still enjoying winter meals or are you counting down the days until fresh fruits and vegetables come in to season?

2010-02-14T16:34:00.003-05:00

CHOCOLATEI was never much of a chocolate lover until about six months ago, when Wilder was born. I don't know what happened then, but ever since, I have been a chocolate fanatic. This last month or so, my chocolate obsession was taken to new heights when I discovered this chocolate bar. Whoever first had the idea to put dark chocolate and sea salt together was a food genius. The love of that chocolate bar led to trying this Giada recipe (minus the cinnamon). It had to be made twice, once with dark chocolate and once with semi sweet (research, of course). So, my friend, Ellen came over and we made it together, and then made ourselves sick on it while watching (what else?) Chocolat. Ah, that movie never gets old.
Today, I made a chocolate panini, which I sprinkled with sea salt. It wasn't bad, but I am definitely a bigger fan of just straight chocolate. I mean, when you have good quality dark chocolate, why muddle it up with other ingredients? That's just a personal opinion, of course, and I am no food expert. I'm just a housewife that digs chocolate.

Several comments from this discussion validated my opinion on the dark chocolate-with-sea-salt combo.

And this helpful guide to organic dark chocolate has left me with several different chocolates on my wish list. I am thinking this one might be a little from-me-to-me for my birthday.

What about you? Are you crazy for chocolate? Are you a dark chocolate fan or do you prefer milk chocolate? How dark do you like it? And what's your favorite way to eat it? Straight or in a recipe?

2010-01-25T15:42:00.006-05:00

I CHOOSE JOY
Somewhere along the way of giving birth to four little boys, I became an angry person.
Or maybe I always was angry but never had circumstances to bring it out.
At any rate, it is here in my heart and it shows itself in the most unbecoming ways.
It shows in the sharp edge of my tone, when I answer the same question from my two-year old for the tenth time in as many minutes. It shows when I close the door just a little harder than necessary, to make sure the boys know I am not happy about the way they are carrying on. And if you could read my mind, it would be obvious in the fuming thoughts that tumble around in my brain...angry that I am tripping over my husband's shoes, that the kids are bickering, that the laundry is piling up, etc., etc., etc.
It doesn't really matter what it is that has makes me angry so much as why. And the why is because I am not getting what I want. What I want is a house that is always clean, with children that never fight and a husband that always picks up after himself. That probably won't be a reality any time soon, so I have two choices.
1. I can continue to be angry, contaminating the energy of our home and making everyone miserable -or-
2. I can change my perspective.
My husband may or may not start putting his shoes away. In the meantime, I can be thankful that I have a husband who is a hard worker, a loving husband, and a kind father. If he wants to take his shoes off in the dining room, it is a simple thing for me to put them away for him and takes a lot less energy to carry them to the closet when I am heading to the bedroom anyway, than to berate him and feel frustrated that "I have to do everything around here".
Instead of being angry that my two-year old talks non stop, I can be thankful that all my children are healthy and that I am able to be with them all day to answer their questions.

In 2010, I want to adopt the practice of putting off my negative, angry thoughts and replacing them with thankful, happy thoughts. I am going to deliberately and consistently change my thought patterns, through prayer and my husband's encouragement, and doing it again and again and again. I know how powerful our thoughts are to shape our reality. I experience it first hand when running. When I am running, and am tired and ready to quit, my body follows my thoughts...if I think "I am so tired, there is no way I can run another mile" then I guarantee you, I will turn home early. But if I consciously think to myself "I am not tired. I could run all day. This is easy" then almost magically, my footsteps get lighter and I feel a rush of energy. It is the craziest thing!

I am going to start meeting weekly with a woman counselor at our church. I am so excited! I love counseling. It is kind of like scratching an itch. It is uncomfortable but feels so good at the same time. My husband does marriage counseling and I often tell him that I wish I could go for counseling. I asked last night, and she said she had an opening and could start meeting with me!! I am looking forward to the accountability, looking at myself honestly, answering hard questions, and growing and maturing. I may or may not be able to change my circumstances but I can change the way I respond to them.

This year, my word is JOY and I am looking for it everywhere.

2010-01-25T15:02:00.003-05:00

JUST A QUIET MONDAYI try to stay home on Mondays. The kids are always tired and out of sorts from a long day at church the day before, and the house needs some attention to bring it back to order. Today went the way that I wish all Mondays did. We had a nice balance of work and play. The sun was shining and we hung laundry out for the first time in months. We picked up toys in the yard...I tiptoed around big muddy patches while the boys, of course, made sure to go straight through the wettest puddles.

I started back in earnest with flylady this morning. Oh my goodness, you wouldn't believe the layers of grime that is on the windowsills, fan blades, and baseboards of my house. GROSS. How have I not noticed?! Too tired, I guess. I am not freaking out though. I started on the current zone, the living room, worked in 15 minute increments of time and can already see a vast improvement. The kids were armed with feather dusters and rags and spray bottles of cleaners and had a big time.

I finally feel like I am living my old life again. I never realize how hard pregnancy and having a newborn is until afterward. It isn't until I am doing all the things again that I wasn't doing while I was pregnant to even realize that I wasn't doing them at all. Does that make any sense? It struck me, as I was hanging clothes on the line this morning, that it has been probably a year since I had done that...but I didn't realize it had been that long, until I was doing it again. It felt really good.

Now it is time to bring the laundry off the line and remake the beds. Tonight, we will have sweet dreams under sheets that smell of sunshine.

2010-01-18T00:01:00.002-05:00

EATING FROM THE PANTRY, 2 (pounding roasted chickpeas into flour to make socca)

I spent $85.38 at the grocery store last week, which is more than I normally spend in a week. I mostly stocked up on staples, as it was a good week for sales at our grocery store...most of the money I spent went towards stocking up on toilet paper, olive oil, peppercorns, wheat pasta, etc. as well as fresh vegetables we were running low on. I am trying to become consistent at shopping the sales cycle, so I stocked up on several items that I knew were the lowest I would find them for several months.

I went into our local produce place too, after several weeks of only shopping at the grocery store. I fell into a conversation with the owner and learned that they are perilously close to having to close shop, due to slower and slower sales. I am recommitting to spending at least $20 a week of my food budget at L & D produce...I love their local fruits, vegetables, honey, and yard eggs and want to do my part to support a great local family business. If you live in the same area as me, I hope you will shop at L & D too. We will all be missing out if they have to close and it is well worth the few extra minutes and the marginally higher cost to shop there, in my opinion.

I did well cooking out of the freezer this week and we enjoyed a nice variety of different foods. I will say though, my husband's job is to sell food to restaurants, so we do have a pretty varied stockpile. He is often bringing home samples or foods he bought on sale that can seem pretty random!
A few of the meals we enjoyed this week:

-Ostrich burgers in lettuce wraps with zucchini chips
-venison meatloaf with pureed cauliflower, peas, green beans, and corn on the cob
-socca wraps with lettuce, grilled chicken, greek dressing, and feta cheese
-ale-broth venison stew with homemade pumpernickel bread
-salad with black beans, corn, salsa, and cheddar
-salmon with a balsamic reduction, on a bed of spinach with gorgonzola and pecans (yummy!)
-homemade wheat waffles with agave (we were out of maple syrup)
-fried eggs on ezekiel bread
-green smoothies
-fruit salad (made from frozen mango, peaches, and blueberries)
-chocolate cake with icing
-oatmeal
-almond meringues ("cloud cookies")

This week, I plan to spend significantly less at the store, only buying staples and redeeming my rain checks from last week for almond milk.

2010-01-17T14:58:00.003-05:00

LET THEM EAT CAKEAs I have said many times before, feeding my family well is something I really put a lot of time and energy into. I enjoy the process, start to finish, from meal planning, shopping, cooking, and even washing dishes. For the most part, our family eats a very balanced diet with an emphasis on whole foods and a minimum of processed items. I generally follow the advice of popular food author Michael Pollan: "don't eat anything your great-great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food".
Today, I detoured from my normal food preferences, and really hit my stride, at least in my children's opinion. In one dish, I made their every gastronomic dream come true.

Pillsbury chocolate cake mix + Betty Crocker cream cheese frosting + multi-colored sprinkles = children's culinary delight.

I made it last night after they were asleep. I had purchased the cake mix and frosting for pennies (on sale and with coupons), with the intention of giving them to the food bank. Except that my two year old got into them when I wasn't looking and made them unfit for donation.

Their eyes lit up when they saw the cake sitting on the counter this morning. They stood by the dessert table at our church's fellowship meal, pointing out the cake and excitedly telling anyone that would listen that THEIR mom brought that cake.

It's funny, often when I am cooking, I think to myself that when the boys are grown and out of the house, they will look back fondly on the healthy, good foods I made for them. And maybe that will be the case, I don't know. Right now though, a boxed cake and canned icing makes me the coolest mom around.

2010-01-16T16:52:00.005-05:00

RESTIt's raining outside, which makes it feel even more cozy indoors. An easy dinner is cooking in the oven, an ale-brothed venison stew that makes the house smell all yeasty and delicious. Paired with the pumpernickel bread that is rising on the stove top, it should be a warm and simple winter supper. Hearty, one dish meals are my favorite way to eat...and cook. Everyone is home this afternoon, engaged in our own activities but enjoying the proximity of each other's company.I bake and cook and putter in the kitchen, reading the paper, nibbling on dark chocolate and thinking about what I am reading in The Supper of the Lamb and Grace Based Parenting. I fold a little laundry. Nurse the baby and kiss his fat baby cheeks (oh, those cheeks!!). Some play video games or work puzzles or read the paper. Others nap. After a busy week, the slow, unhurried week-end feels like a long exhale.

Today, home feels like a sanctuary rather than a pit stop, just the way it should.

I hope your week-end is restful and restorative too.

2010-01-10T12:24:00.003-05:00

EATING FROM THE PANTRYYesterday, I was looking at my (semi-long) grocery list and dreading going to the store. On a whim, I decided to take EVERYTHING out of both freezers, pantry, and fridge and make a list of everything I had on hand. After filling 5 (!!!) notebook pages, I decided to jump on board Money Saving Mom's Eat From the Pantry Challenge for the rest of January. There are no hard and fast rules but my personal goals for the remainder of the month are:
1. To make good meals out of what I already have on hand.
2. To spend as little as possible at the grocery store from now to the end of January.

I don't want to get to the end of January and have to do a massive re-stocking. The goal is more to use up foods that are getting close to being past their prime, make room for foods that will be coming in season in the next few months (strawberry season is just two months away!), and to challenge myself to be creative in the kitchen. I will keep a running tally on the side of my grocery spending too. I didn't keep my receipts but I think I have spent about $60 this month at the store so far. However, I am just keeping track from today through the end of January, since I am not sure.

So far, I have come up with about 20 meals that I can make without buying anything from the store and I know there are plenty more things I can come up with once I peruse some of my favorite cooking blogs.

On another note, I don't really make big resolutions at the beginning of the year but I do love the idea of having a word that really sums up your aspirations and focus for the coming year. I am still working on what I want my word to be but I do know what my main focus is going to be (I will save that for another post). I also have a list of things that I want to incorporate (or re-incorporate, as the case may be) into our year. One of them is regular blogging. I really miss it and am hoping to carve out regular time for it 1-2 times a week this year.

2009-12-03T22:04:00.003-05:00

WINTER SUPPERWe don't eat together as a family every night. Usually we only manage it two or three times a week. Every time we do though, I sit at the table, looking around at my boys, and am sure that these are the moments I will remember. It is such a special time. Feeding my family is one of the most satisfying aspects of my life. I take it seriously and derive a lot of pleasure from it. So tonight I happily refilled their little ramekins when they asked for seconds and then thirds. It was a meal of comfort foods. Chili, cornbread crumbled in milk, and homemade applesauce for dessert. Afterwards, with the kids tucked in bed, I sat in my armchair by the fire and cozied up with a book.

**A Week of Breakfasts will finish up soon. I keep forgetting to take pictures before the kids eat!**

2009-11-05T09:51:00.003-05:00

A WEEK OF BREAKFASTS: 3These apple pancakes tasted like a cross between a funnel cake and an apple fritter. As you can imagine, all the kids loved them! Sweet enough with just the dusting of powdered sugar, we didn't even bother with maple syrup.
A little time-consuming, considering the apple grating (though the kids loved grating the apples), these will probably be reserved for special occasion breakfasts. The recipe, which I modified slightly, is below. To see the original recipe + drool-inducing pictures, go here.

Apple Pancakes

2 eggs, well beaten
3/4 cup of milk
3/4 cup of vanilla yogurt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sucanat
3 medium apples, peeled and coarsely grated (I used fuji)
1 teaspoon vanilla
Vegetable oil, for frying
Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting

1. Mix the eggs with the milk or yogurt in a large bowl.

2. In a smaller bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together.

3. Combine the wet and the dry ingredients and stir in the apples and whatever other flavorings you see fit.

4. Heat a thin layer of oil in a skillet over low to medium heat. Drop large spoonful of batter into the pan and flatten it out a little (otherwise, you might have trouble getting them to cook in the center) and cook until golden brown underneath. Flip the pancakes and cook them for an additional two or three minutes.

5. Either dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately, or keep on a tray in a warmed oven until you are ready to serve them.

2009-11-04T13:33:00.002-05:00

A WEEK OF BREAKFASTS: 2My oldest son's favorite: plain yogurt, sweetened with agave and vanilla, topped with warm granola. Pecans, almonds, raisins, mango, and cherries were the add-ins of choice for this week's batch of crock pot granola.

2009-11-03T10:44:00.002-05:00

A WEEK OF BREAKFASTSWe are in full on apple-season mode around here and apples make their way into almost every meal...as well as being munched on throughout the day. Our family consumes upwards of 10-12 apples a day and we aren't even close to getting sick of them. That's what I really love about eating seasonally. When you wait all year for apples (or pears, or blueberries, or strawberries, or corn...) to come into season, that first bite of that first apple is LIFE ALTERING. That might be a bit of a stretch but just barely **happy sigh**.
We are especially enjoying the warm, cozy breakfasts of fall. There are not many things as nice as snuggling up in warm pajamas with a bowl of warm oatmeal. I wanted to share some of the breakfasts we are really enjoying this season at our house. So, for the next few days, I am going to be doing A WEEK OF BREAKFASTS.
What foods are you loving at your house right now?

This morning, we had one of my middle boys' favorites: oatmeal topped with chopped apples, cinnamon, and a sprinkle of turbinado sugar. I like mine sprinkled with walnuts too.

2009-10-14T12:44:00.003-04:00

A RAINY, STAY AT HOME DAY
Baking Bread
Reading on the couch
Homeschooling
Folding laundry
Sipping Cider
Long naps
Stacks of books
Nursing
Chasing the dog
Listening to bluegrass

Just a few of the things that we are doing on this rainy, cozy, ordinary-and-lovely day at home. Lots of thoughts swirling in my head but getting them from brain to computer has been quite the challenge. We are finding a new rhythm and things are settling in. Hope to find time to write here more soon.

2009-09-07T08:21:00.004-04:00

A QUIET FRIDAY NIGHTI love that time of night when everyone is sleeping and the house is still. It is some of my best thinking time. And, domestic chores that can seem like drudgery in the daytime, become peaceful meditations when done by the light of a single lamp while the mind is allowed to wander freely without interruption.So I spent my Friday night standing in my laundry room, folding the mountains of clean sheets, shirts, shorts...
And when I was done, I was able to enjoy this rare sight...an empty laundry hamper.

2009-08-23T20:36:00.003-04:00

HANDMADE GIFTSThis has been a lovely week full of baby-gift surprises. Wonderful, handmade gifts, sent to me from far off places and delivered to my door step by friends, all unexpected and very much appreciated.
My sister-in-law's sister brought me these sweet jars of baby food she had made. Green beans, squash, and apples. The apples had been picked from my parent's trees, then made into baby food.
My blog friend, Becky, who I have never actually met in person sent me this adorable woodland baby rattle that she knitted.
One of my mother's best friends (and a friend of mine, as well), Katy, made me these sweet baby washcloths!
My friend, Katherine, embroidered these onesies by hand for Wilder. I love that she bought the onesies second hand too. I definitely appreciate thriftiness and the time she took to make them personal for us.
Besides these wonderful handmade gifts, many, many friends have brought us wonderful meals that have been such a blessing and have alleviated so much stress. I am so thankful to live in community with so many selfless, thoughtful friends. Thank you for ministering to me, and to my family, during this time of transition. I am so thankful.

2009-08-14T15:31:00.004-04:00

I AM STILL ALIVEI seem to have lost my blogging mojo. Don't know where it went. I just don't have a lot to say that hasn't already been said better, somewhere else. I am sure it will pass. In the meantime, I am in new baby heaven. I pretty much want to do nothing else but kiss on this sweet baby morning, noon, and night. Food and showering aren't that important right now :)

Harrison Wilder (going by Wilder)
August 7th, 2009
7:25 AM
7 pounds, 6 ounces
20 inches long

Oh, I am going to be posting more regularly here again, if you are interested in reading about my weight loss/fitness/raw food life. I like to keep myself accountable and honest there *grin*.

2009-06-29T14:44:00.006-04:00

SUMMER FOOD LOVE
There are a few foods that I just can't get enough of this summer. I haven't tried many new recipes, sticking more with the simple, tried and true, in season, local. But, in my opinion, that is the best eating!
One simple recipe that I love is fresh bing cherries, cooked down in a balsamic-brown sugar reduction, over vanilla bean ice cream. Oh. My. Goodness. I don't really know amounts, and they aren't important anyway. Just pit a bunch of cherries and throw them in a skillet with a generous amount of melted butter. Really, do be generous. This isn't the recipe to try and cut calories. And please, whatever you do, don't use some fake nasty stuff. No margarine or Can't Believe It's Not Butter or whatever. If you are tempted to use something fake, don't even bother with this recipe.
Anyway, to the melted butter and cherries, add some brown sugar and balsamic vinegar. If I had to give amounts, I would say somewhere in the ballpark of 1/2-1 stick of butter, maybe 1/2 cup of brown sugar, and 1/8 a cup of balsamic vinegar. But really, change it as much as you like. Cook it all down for awhile, maybe 10 minutes or so, and spoon it warm over vanilla ice cream. A gingersnap or biscotti would be a wonderful addition too.
Another summer staple around here has been the personal pizzas. I know, nothing earth shattering but it has consistently been making our family happy 1-2 nights a week. Making personal pizza crusts takes almost no more time than making one large crust but the fun factor is increased exponentially. I don't have a pizza crust recipe that I love yet, I am still experimenting. If you have a tried and true one you use, please share it! For now, I have been using different recipes, and often resorting to the cheap, prepackaged crusts that you just add water to and roll out. I bake them for about 5 minutes, put them on plates, and set out different toppings on the counter and the boys have a blast topping their own pizzas. We do this a lot on Mondays, when the hubby and I go on date night. Letting the boys make personal pizzas and watch a movie makes the night special for them too.
The boys typically keep it simple with sauce, mozzarella, and pepperoni. I love fresh spinach, feta, thin slices of tomato, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes, caramelized onions, etc. I will often top mine with whatever fresh produce needs to be used up such as squash (lots of squash this time of year!). The personal pizzas are great for quick lunches after a morning in the pool and the kids really love the chance to make their pizza just the way they want it.
We have also been enjoying lots of other quintessentially summer foods...
corn on the cob
low country boil
fresh berries
fruit and yogurt parfaits with homemade granola

What foods are you loving this summer?

2009-06-18T21:02:00.003-04:00

FAMILY CONNECTIONS
I have been thinking a lot lately about family and siblings and brothers, as we are only seven short weeks from bringing another family member home. I have been enjoying the laid back pace of summer with my boys, spending hours every day with my tired feet propped up, watching them play in the pool, wrestle, build legos, and just do fun little brother things together.

I have been thinking about how fast their childhoods are going by. My oldest just lost his first tooth. He is starting first grade this fall, which just seems so much more serious than kindergarten. I am seeing him really change and mature and while I am proud and happy, I am also sad. I just want to freeze this time, hold on to them a little longer. I don't know why I seem to enjoy my children so much more during the summer. I just love to watch them at the beach or pool, their sweet little tan bodies running around. Gosh, they are just so cute!! And they get along so much better. I love to see them relating with each other. I love to see them comfort each other and help each other and to feel safe with each other.

I was encouraged as I thought about my own brothers (pictured above, with my Dad). We were also homeschooled and spent a lot of time together building forts, playing in the woods, dressing up, getting in trouble. I realized a few weeks ago that I have not lived in the same house as my siblings in ten years. We all are doing our own thing, living our own lives, having different experiences. It is weird to think about how different our lives are now, these people that I knew better than anyone else for most of my life. One brother is about to be deployed to Iraq (bottom in picture). One just graduated college and is trying to decide what direction to go next (far right). And the other brother is in school and married (top). In spite of the years it has been since we lived in the same home, we are still close. One brother was here at my house tonight, playing with the boys and talking to Matt about life. Within the last hour, I have spoken to my other two brothers on the phone. I am very thankful for those family connections that have changed and matured over the years. I am thankful for all the history that we share, the inside jokes, the memories, the traditions.

And even though sometimes I am sad to see my children growing up so fast, I am encouraged when I think about the relationships that I have with my siblings and the hope that I have that these years my boys have in the same house will also result in strong ties as adults. I hope that they will feel a companionship and safety and confidence in their brothers because of their time together as children.

(I also have a little sister, Darcie, who is ten. I was almost eighteen when she was born. I could say a lot about her and how she uniquely changed and added to our family but this particular stream of consciousness was more about my childhood interactions with my brothers. Not trying to leave Darcie out though!).

2009-06-06T13:48:00.004-04:00

TODAY FROM THE FARMER'S MARKETI didn't get much today and only spent $12. Plus, the prices had fallen on a lot of the produce, as it is becoming more abundant. People who think that fresh produce is too expensive have obviously never eaten in-season foods in an agricultural area. It is dirt cheap this time of year in south GA.

10 pounds of peaches $9 (they are only $0.50 a pound if you go to the farm and pick yourself. I will probably go in July).
8 ears of corn $1.50
1 onion $0.50
4 squash $1

I admit, I was a little disappointed in the corn this week. It was small to begin with, and once I shucked them, half of the cobs were eaten up with worms. I saw another vendor whose corn looked much bigger and better but I had already purchased this corn. Next week I will probably purchase from the other vendor. For $1.50, I am not going to get too upset about it. The corn that was left was still very good!

Caedmon was interviewed for the local news and his thoughts on the farmer's market were very cute (he said that the sweet corn is what keeps him coming back every week. That, and seeing the chickens and dogs.).

After we left the farmer's market, we made a spontaneous trip to my parent's house where everyone pitched in to pick me at least two days worth of blueberries (1 1/2 gallons) while I stood at the bushes and ate them as fast as I could pick them. :)

I love Saturday mornings.

2009-06-04T17:15:00.001-04:00

30 WEEKS

2009-06-03T20:58:00.004-04:00

LOVE FOR MY DADDYMy daddy just made my night. Possibly my week. There are two things you should know, before I tell you what amazing awesomeness he did for me tonight.

1. No one in my family "gets" my daddy like I do. He is not naturally verbally affirmative, he drives everyone crazy asking a 1,000 seemingly meaningless questions, works hard, and grins like the Cheshire cat when embarrassed. In a word, he is me. Or should I say, I am him.
In my mind, he can do no wrong. He asks lots of questions because he is analytical and needs more information before he can form an opinion about something. He loves us but has a hard time communicating it in words. He shows love for us through his ACTIONS. He works hard and provides well for his family. He went to all our baseball and soccer games. He comes to my sons' sports games. To me, his love is readily apparent. To other members of my family, especially the ones who receive love best through VERBAL AFFIRMATION, they just don't get him. But I also show love through DOING and so for me, it is easy to see the myriad of ways he loves and serves his family.
Also, if he were to read this, he would be embarrassed and would act like I was crazy.
One of my favorite things about him is that he grins from ear to ear when he serves communion at church, or during a baptism, and throughout my entire wedding. He tries not to but he can't help it. And I grin when I watch him.

2. The second thing is, I love blueberries. They are my #1 favorite food on earth and I anxiously await blueberry season every year, pestering daddy about the bushes every time I see him, wanting to know how much longer, has he been watering them enough, will it be a good season this year (the 1,000 questions!).

Tonight, he showed up at my door with a bag of the very first blueberries of the season. He had just picked them for me moments before. And then, he got in his truck and drove them to my house. And he grinned when he handed them to me.

Now, an hour later, I have an empty bag, a tummy full of blueberries, a lump in my throat, and big silly tears rolling down my face. Because my daddy just made me awfully gosh-darn happy tonight.

*Creative commons image from lepiaf.geo on flickr.com

2009-05-30T12:00:00.002-04:00

LIVING LOCAL
Today's Farmer's Market Purchases

Peaches $9
Blackberries $7
Sourdough Bread $3
Lettuce $4 ($2 per head)
Corn (6 ears) $1.50
Pole Beans (1 pound) $1.50
TOTAL: $26

I absolutely love going to the farmer's market. It is a recent addition to our town, this being only the second year it has been regularly held. And it is wonderful. It brings me immense amounts of happiness to spend Saturday morning with my family at the Farmer's Market. Being out in the sunshine, handing my money to the people that grew the food I am purchasing, discussing different recipes is pure heaven. The kids ran around, petting dogs, blackberry juice dripping down their chins, sometimes with their own purchases in their hands. This morning, we ran into 7-8 families that we knew. The kids played around our feet while the adults discussed when certain crops will be in season and how much we paid for the sweet corn. It was pure local happiness.
After we left the farmer's market, we had breakfast at the donut shop just down from our house. The owner lives in our neighborhood and my husband sells him the ingredients that he uses in his restaurant. As we ate, we chatted with the older lady at the table next to us. She also lives in our neighborhood and walks her dog by our house every day. She has had many conversations with my children as they play in the yard. As we finished up our breakfast, a family walked in who's daughter is getting married next Saturday. I am directing the wedding. We discussed a few wedding details before we left.
I love living a community oriented life. It really enriches our day to day interactions and gives value to the quotidian.

For more (lots, lots more!) on the importance and impact of eating locally, I suggest reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver.

2009-05-26T12:11:00.003-04:00

EXERCISES IN AWARENESS, #3 (today's lunch)

Record everything you eat in a day. Also, the time you ate it, what was going on around you, your emotional state, etc. How did the foods you ate affect your well being that day?

**I thought this would be a good exercise for me to do today, after a week of mindless eating at the beach. I notice that just the act of practicing awareness helps me make better food choices. I don't want to write down that I had a moment of weakness and ate half a bag of marshmellows, so therefore, I am less likely to eat them!**

FOOD JOURNAL FOR TUESDAY, MAY 26, 2009

10:15 AM: Very hungry. Kids have already been fed, so I am cooking just for myself. I am intentional about focusing just on the food I am eating, resisting the urge to turn on my cell phone or computer, or open a book, or make a to-do list. Instead, I sit at the table and force myself to eat slowly and really enjoy it. It feels a little weird but is relaxing.

-2 eggs, scrambled (eggs from my mom's chickens, seasoned with some of my new sea salt and pepper).
-1 piece of Ezekiel 4:9 sprouted cinnamon raisin bread, toasted with butter and local honey
-Large glass of ice water (3rd for the morning).

1:45 PM: Slightly hungry. Feeling a little frazzled, and am glad it is Bauer's nap time. Used the computer while I ate.
-A personal pizza of sorts. An Ezekiel 4:9 sprouted grain tortilla, topped with tomato sauce, fresh spinach, onion, and a little feta cheese. Heated through. Yummy.
-Large glass of ice water (5th of the day).

6:45 PM: Gnawing-off-my-arm -hungry. While fixing dinner for the family, I wolf down...
-Matt's Japanese left-overs from the night before (rice, zucchini, onions, chicken).
-Handful of yellow raisins
-Large glass of ice water (glass 8 or 9 for the day). Eating all this quickly leaves me with awful heartburn.

8:15 PM: Greatly anticipating my dessert for the evening. Enjoyed with much gusto and lip-smacking.
-Small cup of Strawberry Lemon Love Coconut Bliss ice-cream.

9:30 PM: Settled in with a book (rereading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver) and wanted something sweet.
-1 cup of frozen grapes. Yummy. Perfect ending to the day.

2009-05-25T10:17:00.007-04:00

HARVESTING SEA SALTI was turned on to the idea of harvesting sea salt from the wonderful River Cottage Family Cookbook, which I first read about here.
This last week afforded the perfect opportunity, as we vacationed with our family at Fripp Island, off the coast of South Carolina.
The process was as simple as lugging a stock pot full of sea water back home and straining it (we used a kitchen towel and coffee filter in lieu of cheesecloth), then boiling it down for several hours. It reminded me of making butter. For the longest time, nothing seems to happen and you think it isn't going to work, and then, within just a moment or two, bam!, you have butter (or in this case, sea salt). It happens very quickly. It just looks like a pot of water for several hours until all but about an inch of water has boiled away. That is when you start to notice salt crystals forming on the surface of the water. One stock pot afforded about 7 heaping tablespoons of salt.
The men/critics of our group refused to touch our "toxic waste sea salt" but after copious amounts of googling, it seems that my sea salt is just as safe to eat as any I could buy. Even Fleur de Sel is harvested by a sea town, as is most salt, apparently.
I think harvesting sea salt will become one of my annual beach traditions.

2009-05-04T12:42:00.007-04:00

EXERCISES IN AWARENESS, #2
Record all the sounds you hear in the course of one hour.

~12:44-1:44 PM, Monday afternoon~
Hum of the fridge
Cartoon on TV
College neighbor next door, starting his massive truck
Squeal of the postman's delivery truck tires
Children's voices
Toy dragging across the floor
Cellphone ringing
Fan whirring
Child screaming
AC blowing
Blind being pulled down
Sound machine
Side of crib being pulled up
Velcro fastening
Footsteps
Trash can, rolling over gravel
Nerd candies, pouring from box
Paper flipping
Wicker creaking
Car doors slamming
Car accelerating
Raindrops falling on leaves, through trees
Pantry door opening, closing
Mailbox, opening, closing
Crunching of ice
Typing
Drawers opening and closing
Clothespins snapping
Clothes coming off the line, being shaken, folded
Knocking on front door
Men's voices (Air conditioner repairmen, yay!)
Dishwasher running

I was surprised at how many different sounds I heard, during a relatively quiet time (children's naps). I was also surprised at how little I usually notice...these sounds comprise the background noise of my day. It wasn't until I tried to be aware of the sounds around me that I even noticed them at all.

*Creative Commons image from striatic on flickr.com

2009-05-01T16:35:00.003-04:00

EXERCISES IN AWARENESSIn an on-going attempt to be aware, thankful, intentional, creative, simple, grateful, and live a slow, meaningful life...I thought I would do a series of Exercises in Awareness...little things that either stimulate my creativity, encourage simple interactions with my children, force me to slow down, to notice new details, etc. I may do one a day, or sometimes only one a week. I am not going to put strict parameters on it and make it complicated. I have a List of 100 ideas that I found online (I will put up the link later) that I am going to pull from to get me started.

Today:

List your 10 most important things (not including animals or people).
1. My house.

2. Living an unhurried, simple, content life.

3. Nature.

4. Books.

5. Ergo.

6. Macbook.

7. Church.

8. Bubble baths in the claw foot tub.

9. Good food/cooking.

10. Date night.

What are your 10?

2009-04-29T12:54:00.004-04:00

DISCLOSUREI read blogs that encourage me. The ones that I continue to return to are the ones that promote simplicity, beauty in the every day, contentment with where we are, domesticity. Those are things that I try to focus on in my blog too. There are lots of less than pleasant things that go on in our home on a daily basis...temper tantrums, impatience, overflowing laundry, last night's dishes in the sink. But those aren't the things that I want to remember, so those aren't the things that I typically blog about.

Today though, I feel compelled to tell you that life as a mother has been really, really challenging for me these last six or so months. I have been/am really struggling. April in particular, has seemed especially daunting. Pregnancy is always a very trying time for me. Even this pregnancy, which has (so far) been pretty easy, especially compared to my other pregnancies, has been challenging. Aside from the normal physical aches and pains of pregnancy, the emotional/mental aspect is a real doozy for me. I feel like I could snap at any moment. My patience flies out the window. And, as a result, I second guess myself as a mother constantly. I wonder how I could possibly have another child, when I obviously am not fit to take care of the ones I have, blah blah blah.

Anyway, my point of all this is to say...I don't know...I guess for the people who know me in real life, my blog might seem like a big disconnect, maybe an alternate reality. It isn't!! I love my family and little green house and being domestic. But it is also really hard sometimes. Everyone's life is hard. We all know that. Mine isn't any harder than anyone else's.
When I look back on this time with small children, I want to remember them happily playing in boxes in the yard and eating homemade popsicles and making bread with me. I don't want to remember that today I yelled at them for jumping on my (just made) bed with their shoes on and telling them that they were making me insane. I want to remember them bringing me flowers. I want to remember snuggling up on the couch with a stack of books.

So, please know, I am not trying to be disingenuous. I am just trying to dwell on the good, happy aspects of daily life. And there is plenty to dwell on! I know that full well. Right now, I am just having to look for those moments a little harder.

2009-04-28T13:09:00.010-04:00

OTHER SIGNS OF THE SEASON

Outdoor play. Boxes are always a favorite.
Windows flung open.
Clothes on the line.
Backyard trees in full bloom. Green everywhere.
Strawberries.
Fresh fruit, always accessible.
Minimal clothing.

2009-04-28T11:56:00.003-04:00

WARM WEATHER CLOTHINGOne of my favorite things about warm weather is that my children can run around with far fewer clothes on. Sweet little tan children's bodies (usually with popsicle juice running down the tummy) is just the best. A cloth diaper is my toddler's uniform of choice all day, every day when it is warm enough.
I just don't think it gets much sweeter than this.

2009-04-22T14:17:00.007-04:00

EARTH DAY(Trees in our backyard, coming into bloom)
Rather than write my own post, I thought I would link to this excellent post that I found through Like Merchant Ships. She summed it up beautifully. I feel just the same way (but I am less articulate).

"Simply put, I did not make this ground on which I step, or paint the sky. Of my will, I cannot make a single blade of grass grow, or a stem bud and then flower. I am here as witness and steward, and worshiper of the Maker. I want to treat less callously what He made. And with a clothespin, a homemade meal, a planted seed, give thanks."

2009-04-21T11:05:00.007-04:00

FIRST STRAWBERRIES OF THE SEASONA farmer gave my daddy a flat of strawberries yesterday and he shared them with me. They are (or should I say, were) the most beautiful, deep red color. I wanted to put them in one of my old blue and white Spode bowls, but they never made it that far. When I was carrying them inside, late yesterday afternoon, the boys ambushed me on the kitchen steps. We ended up having an impromptu strawberry-eating party. I probably say this every year but I am pretty sure these are the best strawberries ever. Even relatively local strawberries from Florida don't hold a candle to true local, still-warm-from-the-sun berries. I am dreaming of all the things I am going to do with the strawberries we will pick later this week.
Fresh strawberries, eaten right away.
Cut up over scones and just-whipped cream.
In smoothies.
In fruit salad and cereal.
Homemade strawberry ice cream and popsicles.
Jam.
Cobblers.
Ah, the possibilities are endless. And this is just the first fruit to come into season!
Is it strawberry season where you live? What are you planning to make with this yummy fruit?

2009-04-17T14:12:00.006-04:00

23 WEEKS

2009-04-17T13:05:00.016-04:00

CELEBRATING THE ORDINARYToday is a beautiful day. After a conference with the boys, we came to the unanimous decision that we should have a celebration.
What are we celebrating?
Well, it is Friday.
Our newest member of the family has now been alive for 23 weeks (only 16 weeks until we meet him!).
Our church is celebrating 25 years this week-end.
It is beautiful outside.
The house is pretty clean.
What more reason do we need?!

The menu was quickly decided:
Hot Tea (with lots of cream)
Cheese and Crackers
Orange slices
Funnel Cakes I started on the funnel cakes while the boys went outside and gathered flowers, grass, and hydrangea leaves to decorate the table. I gave them free rein, and they eagerly pulled out linen napkins, silverware, candles and candlesticks, platters, and vases. I filled the teapot. As we ate, we talked about who the boys enjoyed spending time with. We talked about the weather and the food. We talked about table manners. I so often feel like I am racing the clock to try and clean the house, cook, teach Caedmon, etc. And lately, I have been really frazzled. So, it was nice to spend the morning just connecting with the children and celebrating the everyday joys of our life. I am not good at just naturally doing that. It takes real effort on my part. But I am always so glad that I did. Sometimes it surprises me that I have to actively work to engage with and enjoy my children. It doesn't always come naturally, as I had expected it would. Often, caring for their physical needs leaves me feeling exhausted. But I want more than that for us. I want more days like today. I am thinking of ordering Blue Yonder's Book of Days. I think it would help me be more creative and interactive and celebratory on a daily basis. So here's to enjoying the everyday. There is beauty and wonderful things to celebrate all around us. We just have to take the time to notice.

2009-03-31T13:38:00.004-04:00

WHAT IS YOUR DECORATING STYLE?I was perusing The Inspired Room's archives and found this fun quiz. You answer the questions by choosing the picture that best describes you. Even when I retook the quiz several times with some of my second and third choices, my answer always came back the same. Tell me in the comments what your style is, I am curious to know!

I am: Earth Mother

"There is a rustic simplicity and honesty about the way you furnish your home. If interior design corresponded with styles of cooking, your recipe would be a wholesome, hearty pot-roast, perhaps, or something inspired by the Italian Slow Food Movement. Your approach to interior design is almost elemental, certainly in terms of colour, texture, and (above all) materials."

2009-03-24T17:10:00.013-04:00

A SHAKY START
The day started out a little rough.
Lots of whining (kids) and lack of patience (me).
The day progressively improved,
and the afternoon ended on a high note.
Nothing to make the day a little brighter like fresh tomato soup.
Yeast rolls rising in the oven.
A little yoga...
Including sun salutations.
And a green smoothie, for a late afternoon energy boost.
All's well that ends well.

2009-03-24T12:31:00.004-04:00

PANCAKES
I tried a new, healthier pancake recipe this morning and was really happy with it, so I thought I would share it. I slightly modified this recipe. The kids all loved them, and apparently they are much more filling than the pancakes I normally make, b/c they were stuffed all morning and there were plenty left for the freezer.

Wheat Germ Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup applesauce
2 cups buttermilk (I used 2 cups milk and 2 T. lemon juice)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

In a medium bowl, mix eggs with applesauce and buttermilk. Stir in baking powder, wheat germ, salt and flour; mix until blended.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides, turning once.

2009-03-23T14:45:00.006-04:00

TEN THINGS I AM LOVING RIGHT NOW1. Springtime in South GA. Goodness, it is gorgeous here this time of year. There is no where like south Ga March-May. After that, it is pretty much just hot, but right now, it is pure bliss. The boys had their first swim in the kiddie pool this afternoon, surrounded by blooming azaleas.

2. Cleaning the house to classical music. Chopin, Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Rachmaninoff, I don't care, I love them all. It makes housework twice as nice.

3. Hot bubble baths. This is a perpetual favorite. I went to a good deal of trouble to find an old claw foot tub when we renovated the bathroom. Baths in a claw foot tub are in a league of their own.

4. Decluttering and spring cleaning. Ah, it feels so good to have room to move and breathe. Lots of space. Empty places to rest your eyes. Living with less is best!

5. This cool poster. I am planning to print it out, blow it up, frame it, and hang it in the boys room. So cool. Love it!

6. Cooking. It is so nice to be back in the kitchen after several months of staying far, far away. I made meal plans this morning and bought groceries. I am wanting fresh, simple foods with minimal preparation such as homemade tomato soup with foccaccia bread, texas caviar, green smoothies, and hummus and pitas. I always get lots of inspiration from Susan's food blog.(gRAWnola with fresh berries and local honey).

7. Mellow Mushroom. Man, I love that restaurant. The one in our town closed several years ago, and we are so happy that a new and improved one opened here last week. We have been four times so far. I love their hummus, spinach salad, and both their soups were yummy (tortilla with avocado and tomato bisque). Yay for good restaurants!!

8. Anticipation. There are lots of exciting things on our horizon and it is so fun to have big, happy plans looming in the future. A trip to Miami sans kids. My brother's wedding. Lots of friends having babies. We are having a baby! Time at the beach. Lazy summer days at the water park. Fresh foods coming into season!! There is no shortage of things to be excited and happy about!

9. Babywearing. I truly don't know how I lived without it with my first two children but it has been a wonderful experience with Bauer. Even now, halfway through my pregnancy, I pull out the Ergo 4-5 times a week. He loves it, I love it, and it makes my life infinitely easier. I can't wait to carry the new baby around, nestled in the pouch or wrap, all snuggled up next to me. Babywearing makes me feel nurturing and happy and just RIGHT. It is a good, good thing. (Bauer in my homemade wrap last year)

10. March Madness. I am not a televised sports fan. The announcers/broadcasters really drive me batty. However, I do enjoy March Madness. We all fill out our brackets (even Caedmon and Landing) and it is a really fun thing for us as a family to keep up with it, watch it together, tally our bracket points, etc. Plus, I feel like this is a way that I can really participate in something that Matt enjoys.

What are you loving right now?

2009-03-07T13:35:00.012-05:00

BOOK GROUPI am the weakest link in a wonderful book group of insightful, vibrant women.
I don't always finish the book.
Sometimes I don't even start it.
They let me come anyway.
I am the youngest, and therefore, lacking the most in wisdom and insights and life experiences to draw parallels from and to really glean the best tidbits from our reading.
I love being included in the group.

We meet once a month, usually around my mother's dining room table. We sip hot tea and eat scones or tea cakes with fresh whipped cream and jam or what have you. And we have delightful conversation about the book (a little) and family and what we have been reading and watching and doing. Yesterday, we composed a list of our top book picks of all time. Seeing the books that have moved a person the most deeply says a lot about the reader, I think. It is really a window into who they are. Kind of like houses. Seeing a person's house says a lot about who that person is and what she is like. A line from one of my favorite books (Frances Mayes, Under the Tuscan Sun) says it well:

"What is her house like?" my sister asks, and we both know she means what is she like.

Our "Top Book List of All Time" listed books as varied in style and depth and interest as the women around the table. All wonderful and engaging for completely different reasons and worth the time to get to know them.

In case you are interested, these are my top 5 favorite books of all time (so far). What are yours?

-Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes (don't judge this book based on the (awful) movie)
-The Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon
-Gifts from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh
-Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis
-Fortune's Rocks by Anita Shreve

2009-03-03T14:53:00.005-05:00

A CHANGE OF VENUE **Update at bottom of post**This is my ironing pile. 25 dress shirts and pants of my dear Saulsy that needed to be pressed. It takes me 10-15 minutes to iron one garment (is this a normal length of time, or am I really slow?), so I was looking at about 4 straight years of ironing.
But the sun was shining and the breeze was blowing and the kids were playing happily outside. So, I hauled my ironing board and teetering pile of laundry out to the screened in porch. The boys were thrilled to have an audience and the fresh air was just the mood-lifter I needed.Ironing has never been so fun.

**Yes, I do have a good iron, I do use it at the highest setting, full of water, steam, etc. And yes, I am a lefty!! Is that why I am so slow?! LOL Thanks for the tips, everyone!***

2009-02-21T23:06:00.005-05:00

THE REAL DEALThis is my kitchen window, as seen from the man shed. I was sitting in Matt's chair the other day, printing out something, and suddenly my kitchen window struck me as quite a lovely little thing. I love that there are real shutters, with working shutter dogs. The shutter dogs were one of the first things I noticed when we came to see the house, and they still delight me.

The real thing is just so much more satisfying than an imitation, isn't it? And I am not just talking about shutters. Real friendships with deep connections. Real food, made with healthy, natural ingredients. Clothing made out of natural fibers. Hardwoods floors. Reading a book, instead of poring over a computer monitor.

During these last few months, I have been taking the path of least resistance in many areas. I am thankful for the convenience that fast food, prepackaged items, TV, etc. have offered during a difficult time. But now that I am feeling better, I am craving things that feel more authentic and have a stronger connection with the natural world.

More time outside in the sun, less time in front of a computer or TV.
More fresh, raw fruits and vegetables, less food that comes in a bag or can.
More clothes drying on the line, smelling like the sun, less using the dryer multiple times for the same load (to get the wrinkles out, AGAIN!).
More books and play dough and legos, less Wii and playstation and DVD player.
More friends over, less instant messaging on Facebook.

2009-02-17T08:57:00.005-05:00

JUST A FEW QUICK THINGS......before I head out the door to homeschool co-op for the day. There are several things I have wanted to write about in the last few days but they will have to wait a little longer.

I was the featured mama on Andrea's Mama Mondays. She is so lovely and has become a great blogging/facebooking friend. I hope that we will someday be real life friends. I was very excited to be her featured mama yesterday. If you have the time and inclination, you can check out my interview here.

Also, we found out last week that baby #4 is a BOY. I don't know why but I was VERY surprised. It took several days for it to sink in. Now that it has, I am very excited to welcome another sweet boy to the family. As I have said before, I always envisioned myself with a houseful of boys.
So, now I know which direction to go with the nursery. I admit, I am less motivated to decorate it for a boy. Poor baby. Y'all stay on me about that, OK?

I have several pictures to post, as well as "My Space"...hopefully tomorrow (though you can see a little glimpse of it in the picture above). Have a lovely Tuesday!

2009-02-04T10:58:00.007-05:00

DECORATING THE NURSERYNext week we find out the sex of baby Sauls. I feel more anticipation over finding out this time than I think I have with any of the others. Are we going to have four boys? Or three boys and a girl? Four boys just seems so crazy. I mean, four boys...that's a lot of testosterone. On the other hand, having a girl would totally shake things up around here. Either way, the nursery needs a facelift. We moved here when Landing was ten months old. For the first few months, there was a lot of shifting around.
We started out with Caedmon and Landing sharing this small bedroom (now the nursery) and the master bedroom was in what is now the boy's bedroom. That didn't make a lot of sense for us, and eventually, we moved to the downstairs bedroom and made the largest bedroom in the house the boys room. Anyway, so the boys shared the nursery for a few months, then it became the nursery for Bauer when he came along. I have done zero decorating to this room. I would really like to get it pulled together for this baby.

This is already a really great room. Lots of interesting slopes of the roofline, the little alcove where the bed is, and this fun little hidden room in the corner.
All the furniture will remain in here. The green desk and the armoire were in my room as a child, and I finally begged long enough to get them. I will be repainting the armoire, but the desk will remain green. I am thinking of doing a mostly white nursery, with accents of the green from the desk. If it is a girl, I will probably bring in a teensy amount of pale pink. For a boy, some other accent color. Not sure yet. Any suggestions or ideas?
I really love the inspiration from Sanctuary and Toast. Really simple and clean with a few pops of color. Anywho, I am hoping to get started on this room soon and would love any suggestions.

2009-02-02T09:42:00.004-05:00

I HAVE A PLAN(My new mortar and pestle that my inlaws gave me for Christmas. I love it!)
I have a plan that involves getting a grip, pulling it together, acting like an adult, and doing the next right thing.
In short: I am going to clean my house.
I am almost 13 weeks pregnant and feeling a little better every day. The blood clot is still present, so I am still technically "taking it easy" but this house is Out. Of. Control. My loose plan is to spend this week restoring my house to order, which involves lots and lots of laundry and dishes, picking up and putting away random stuff, changing sheets, vacuuming, cleaning bathrooms, etc. It will also involve at least one trip to both Goodwill and the recycling center. I am not going to be going crazy and clean for 12 hours a day or anything. Probably just 15 minutes or so out of each hour. That should be doable. The other 45 minutes of each hour will be resting, reading, playing with the boys, teaching Caedmon his lessons, and such.

Then, next week will be the fun week. House project week. Oh yes. Painting the boys beds, sorting through children's clothes, starting to organize/paint/decorate the nursery, an art project for above the mantel, planting herbs, and even more decluttering. It could be great. But I can't get to the fun stuff while my house is in chaos. Plus, my hubby has been unbelievably sweet lately. Like, looking for his ulterior motive sweet. So, this will be a nice way to bless him. The poor man does love a clean house. For the record, he is the one who wanted a houseful of kids. Sorry, sweetheart, you can't have it both ways. And the kids are here to stay (for at least the next 18 years or so). But the house could be a lot cleaner than it is now, there's no arguing that.

So, here is what I am hoping to do today. I know how y'all love some before and after pics, so I will post some of those in awhile, so you can gasp in horror at my house.
-Ironing. The dear man has no pants to wear, and hasn't for days. And he hasn't complained once. Getting some ironed pants in his closet is a top priority for today.
-Laundry. Literally, I couldn't put Bauer to bed last night until I had done laundry. It is that bad. I am rewashing the load in the washer for the third time right now, b/c I keep washing them and leaving them so long that they smell bad and have to be rewashed. I am just being honest.
-Dishes.
-Picking up clutter.
The rest of the items on the list will probably not get done today but am listing them just in case.
-Changing the sheets. I have been eating saltines in bed and sleeping in crumbs is starting to drive us both crazy. This is a top priority for Tuesday, if it doesn't happen today.
-Cleaning the boys room. It is GROSS.

2009-01-21T13:58:00.010-05:00

A NEW DAY (Above my dining room window: "This is the day that the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24)
(Sara sent me this picture of my wall words, and I love it. Thank you, Sara!)

I am slowly resuming normal life, much to my husband's relief. Not quite as sick as I was, not quite as tired. I am still on (modified) bed rest, for a blood clot on the placenta. I will go back in a week to get that checked out. For now, I am lying low and just trying to get a few things done every now and then.

I woke up this morning, and my first thoughts were "how am I going to get through this day?" I immediately started thinking of things I could do to escape...a long shower, facebooking all day, send the kids to my mom, etc. That has pretty much been status quo for the last 5-6 weeks. And frankly, we are all sick of it. I am tired of just trying to survive, of not enjoying my kids, of just trying to get through the day so I can go to bed again. And I made a DECISION that today would not be that way, Lord willing and the creek don't rise, as my mother says.

So, I called the boys in for a pow wow. I apologized for being a negligent mommy for these last few weeks. I thanked them for being helpful and patient while I have been sick. And I told them that today was going to be different. I would not be angry. I would not yell. I would expect good attitudes and quick obedience from them. I told them that we were going to pitch in together and clean the house, bake some strawberry bread, read books, and enjoy our day.

And we have. The kids have been (mostly) great. They have cleaned without complaining. They ate their weight in strawberry bread. We read books upon books upon books. We had long in depth discussions about Star Wars (the current obsession around here). I actually ENJOYED my children again. I have really missed that over the last 6 weeks.

And I wonder, for the 385,670th time, why I can't grasp that the mama's attitude really does set the tone for the home?
Today, I made a decision that I was going to enjoy my boys and that I was not going to view the day as just something to survive. And, as a result, the day has been lovely. But I had to mentally decide that I was going to look for the good and minimize the less-than-great. Seems like this lesson would start to sink in. I am not going to spend time crying over the days we lost...they mattered too, of course. I AM going to be thankful that we had today, a bright, happy, snuggled up at home day...that started out just like the others before it, but then made a U-turn.

Now, you will have to excuse me. A certain sweet little 3 year old wants to snuggle.

2009-01-07T22:10:00.004-05:00

THINGS I HAVE DONE
I am copying Aimee here. I am usually writing "To Do" lists, so it was fun to see what I have already done. There are several more things I would like to do on this list (mainly, RUN A MARATHON!!). How about you? If you have a blog, play along too! Items in BOLD are the things I have done.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon (:::sigh:::hopefully next year!)
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice (been to Venice but was too cheap to ride the gondola. I know, LAME!)
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone (tailbone and nose)
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

2008-12-28T20:25:00.006-05:00

CONFESSIONS OF A MARGINAL HOUSEKEEPERI don't have much to say, specifically. Just wanted to blog so here I am. I hope you all had a lovely Christmas. Ours was very nice. We have been spending our days with family and friends, cramming in as much visiting as we can before normal life resumes.
Of course, normal life seems like a far distant memory right now, while I am in the throes of "morning" sickness. In all fairness, so far, it has been very manageable and much better than past pregnancies. But, things still suffer. Namely, housekeeping.

I will be the first to confess that my housekeeping can be a little lacking. I banish clutter on a daily basis, but as for the other kinds of cleaning...you know, dusting, mopping, and such...those I can overlook a little more easily. Very easily, actually. I know it drives my mother and mother in law crazy. They have hinted at/said as much:::smile/roll eyes/grimace:::but, over these last few weeks, even I have been feeling a little overwhelmed by the state of my house.
I give you Exhibit A:Significant improvement was visible after only 15 minutes of racing-the-timer in each room. Here, Exhibit B:Beyond that, white Christmas lights and cinnamon sticks simmering on the stove can do WONDERS for a less-than-immaculate house.

2008-12-19T17:06:00.006-05:00

IN WHICH MY HUSBAND SHOWS HE LOVES ME
I have mentioned before that acts of service are my primary love language.
When I saw my hubby pressure washing the house yesterday, I fell in love all over again.
He laughs and says that my love language is cold, hard cash.
I like that too.
But Matt working on the house?
Without me asking?
And doing a good job?
THAT'S HOT.

2008-12-18T19:06:00.006-05:00

LAST MEALIf I am able to pick my last meal, I want it to come from Garibaldi's.
It is our absolute favorite "without children" restaurant. We only go once every year or two, but we dream of it often in between.

Not only is the food absolutely sublime, but the ambience is truly enchanting. It is housed in a very old, beautiful building in downtown Savannah. I feel so grown up when I am there:::smile:::

If you are ever (or next time you are) in Savannah, you simply must stop at 315 W Congress Street.

2008-12-16T09:30:00.003-05:00

EIGHT YEARS

I ask you every year if we can get married again. You roll your eyes and say NO. It is only because it was so wonderful that I want to do it again. And because I love you so much. And because, if I had known then what I know now, I wouldn't have been nervous walking down the aisle.

December 16, 2000.

We have filled some days since then.

6 homes
5 jobs
14 cars (that is ridiculous!!!)
3 boys (and a baby on the way)
2 towns
8 Christmases, Thanksgivings, Easters
Countless meals
2 trips to Las Vegas (never again!!)
Many trips to other places...New York, Utah, Carolinas, Jamaica, Colorado, Virginia, California, Tennessee...
6 years of weekly date night (Monday)

And, while you drive me batty sometimes, I do love your crazy, spontaneous, unconventional, unpredictable self. You are good for this Type A firstborn. Happy Anniversary, Saulsy.

2008-12-10T22:51:00.005-05:00

COOKING FOR BOYS My husband is sure we are having twins. Twin girls. Wishful thinking on his part. As for me, if we find out we are having a girl, I am sure I will get used to the idea, and then wonder how I ever lived without a little girl in my life. But as it is now, I have always envisioned myself as a mother of boys. In fact, when I thought about being a mother, two images came to mind. 1. Carting lots of middle school aged boys to sports. I always pictured being the team mom for my boys baseball and soccer teams. I really look forward to that.
2. Cooking for boys. Growing up as the oldest of four children (eventually five), with three younger brothers, I learned to cook for a crowd of hungry guys. There is nothing so satisfying as a cook (for me, anyway), as the hearty appetites of a tableful of males. I cook and bake A LOT for my little guys, and it is so fun. I bought a HUGE white ceramic bowl at an antique store a few years ago, with visions of plopping it down in front of ravenous guys, full of pasta.

One of my favorite people to cook for is Eli Strickland. He is a close family friend and a high school senior. As a football player and wrestler (and 17 year old), he has a great appetite. And, he is from a family of great cooks who make a wide range of dishes. Translation: he will try just about anything I make.

He came over tonight, and asked me to make "his favorite brownies". How can I turn down that request? I love to cook for this guy! Here is the recipe, in case you are interested. It is my mother's recipe (I don't know where she got it), with a few modifications.

Eli's Favorite Brownies
7 Tablespoons Butter
6 Tablespoons Cocoa
1 Cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
3/4 Cup Self Rising Flour

Melt butter and cocoa together, stirring until smooth.
Remove from heat. Stir in sugar, then egg.
Add vanilla and flour, stirring well.
Pour into 9x9 baking dish.
Bake in 350 degree oven, approximately 20 minutes.

Now, this part is important. I get them out about 2 minutes before they are really done. Chewy around the edges and fudgy in the middle is how he likes them. And, this is crucial. You must put a little pat of butter on top. Don't question it, just do it. Thank me later. Salted butter is best. The slightly salty taste of the butter is the perfect compliment to the sweet, gooey chocolate. Pure bliss.

Cooking for others brings me great happiness. I try not to be offended if someone turns down my offer to cook or bake them something. :)

With each pregnancy, I have been so overjoyed to discover that I was having another BOY. They are so gosh darn sweet. And they love their mamas. And they love to eat!

(The above pictures are of one of my favorite winter meals. Vegetable soup and cornbread. My boys like their cornbread crumbled up in a glass of milk, the way my mother serves it to them.)

2008-12-08T15:18:00.023-05:00

MY KITCHEN (and Laundry Room)A few weeks ago, Aimee did a meme of "7 things she loves about her kitchen". Even though I wasn't tagged, I thought I would do it too because I love my kitchen (and seeing other people's kitchens and homes in general). As you can see, I have a galley kitchen. I love the efficiency of galley kitchens and this one is my favorite so far (of the 6 homes we have lived in since we married). We walked in the kitchen door to look at this house when it was for sale and immediately knew that this was THE HOUSE. Here is what I love about it.
1. AMAZING storage. It may have a small footprint, but this kitchen packs a punch in the storage department. I have plenty of cabinets with empty space, which I love. I like knowing that I am not at capacity. :) These are my floor to ceiling pantries that line an entire wall. Along the other wall are lots of drawers below, and cabinets above.
2. Built in dividers in the drawers. I really appreciate the attention to detail in this house, and these drawer dividers are no exception. They make me really happy.
3. The slate floor. It is hard to keep clean, and shows dirt but I love it anyway. It is also in the upstairs bathroom (and was in the downstairs bathroom prior to the renovation) and the fireplace surround is from the same slate.
4. My yellow door. It is a happy yellow color and I just think it is really sweet.
5. My yellow stool. The one downside of my kitchen is that there isn't a lot of room for people to sit and hang out while I cook. So, I added this yellow stool (with built in pull down steps) to the corner, which has helped a lot. It gives a shout out to the yellow door, as well as providing a spot for a friend or hungry little boy to plop down and visit (and snack) while I cook.
6. The window overlooking the sink. While I wash dishes, I can see the boys playing in the side yard, our college boy neighbors (who provide endless entertainment!), cars driving up, and Saulsy working in his man shed. I also have a nice shelf right under the window, where I have an ever changing number of things sitting there...usually a flower or rock from one of the boys, a picture, drying herbs, etc.
7. The wine rack. When we moved here, from the end of the pantry on was open space. The laundry room and kitchen made one L-shaped room. When we moved in, we had a wall built around the fridge, added the wine rack above it, and added the door next to the fridge that goes into the laundry room. Even though we don't drink a lot of wine, I like the look of it. As for the laundry room door, we found it at an antique store in Savannah. I plan to frost the glass, and have LAUNDRY spelled out across it.
Here are a few pictures of the laundry room. Adding the wall between the kitchen and laundry room made for a pretty small laundry space, but I like having them separate. The laundry room also has great storage space, as well as a counter for folding laundry on. There is also a small upright freezer in this room. My next project for this room is to stack the washer and dryer, and put a chest of drawers where the dryer was for the boys clothes. That will greatly simplify my laundry routine. And, we usually bring their clothes down and dress them in the living room anyway, so it makes more sense.

There are a few things I would like to change about my kitchen. I would like new lighting, faucet, and kitchen counter tops. But, those are minor things and I enjoy this small room very much. What do you love about your kitchen and/or laundry room?

2008-12-06T14:07:00.007-05:00

SAVANNAH RIVER BRIDGE RUN, 10K
I have been anticipating the Savannah River Bridge Run for months now. I signed up for the 10K (6.2 miles), which was my longest race, to date. This race has a reputation for being particularly tough, because of the incline and I was really looking forward to the challenge.

After discovering I was pregnant earlier this week, Matt was very hesitant for me to run it, even after being reassured by my doctor that it was perfectly fine. He doesn't mind me running while pregnant, but because of the early stage of pregnancy, combined with the supposed difficulty of this particular race, he just wasn't convinced I should do it. But I wanted to so, so, so badly. I am soooo goal oriented, and while I have (OK, am trying to) make peace with not doing the half marathon or marathon this year, I was really disappointed about the bridge run.

A compromise was reached by my walking most of the race, rather than run it or not do it at all. While it was hard to walk when I wanted to run (and to let go of hitting the goal I had set for this race), it was still an absolutely wonderful race and I enjoyed it so, so much. There was a group of us down there, and it was fun to cheer each other on and talk about the race. I rode down with John and Gracie Quattlebaum (Gracie did the 5K and did great!) and Robert Wagner (who did even better than he hoped to!).

This was the first big race I had run in...4,000 participants. The 10K started in downtown Savannah, near the courthouse. I loved running down Broughton Street, past the Paris Market and Brocante, and the Lucas Theatre. The street was decorated for Christmas and was lined with spectators who cheered as we ran by.

I started out slow, near the back of the pack. Directly in front of me was an older blind woman, who was running alongside of her husband. They were holding hands and I could hear him softly telling her everything that he was seeing. I was so moved by them, and started to cry every time I glanced in their direction. I decided that I needed to pass them, or I was going to be a wreck! I usually cry about twice a year...this week alone I have cried about ten times! Guess I am hormonal.

After I passed the blind woman and her husband, I was running behind a pubescent teenage boy. That was not going well for me and I needed to pass him quickly, for the sake of my churning stomach. After about a mile and a half, we reached the ramp of THE BRIDGE. I walked up the bridge, and while I was definitely "feeling the burn" in my thighs, it wasn't unpleasant. It was so cool to be at the bottom of the bridge, and look up and see the entire bridge covered in people from end to end. It is quite a large, long bridge and it was really neat. I wish I had a picture of it with all those people. By the time I was on the bridge, the elite runners were already on their way back over it for the second time. It was so inspiring to see those runners!! Many of the other runners cheered as they ran by. A little farther on, I passed John Manack, Sean Kent, Robert Wagner, and Barry Abell coming from the opposite direction. Then, I came up on Leslie (Tootle) Tucker, and we walked together for awhile.

It was a great race, and was really fun to go over the bridge. I got dizzy when I ran/walked too close to the edge. I walked about 4 miles, and ran just over 2 (I jogged through downtown, the declines on the bridge, and the finish). Though it wasn't what I had planned or hoped to do, it was actually really enjoyable because I didn't put any pressure on myself. I just enjoyed the scenery, the music at the water stations, the people running around me, and the experience in general. I didn't worry about time. Even so, I was pleasantly surprised to finish in 1:11:59. My original goal was to run it in 1:05 or less, which I would have done if I had run, rather than walked the other 4 miles. Other than a slight headache, a little dizziness, and some nausea at the end, I felt great and loved the whole experience!

I don't know if I will be able to beat my time next year, with a four month old, but I hope to try!! It was a lovely experience and our group all agreed that it should be a new annual tradition. We celebrated with lunch at Mellow Mushroom afterward, then headed home!

After a hot shower (and a cup of ice), I am going to get on my snuggly pajamas and am going to spend the afternoon reading to the boys, making a big pot of vegetable soup (with cornbread) for dinner, sipping hot tea, and enjoying being at home in a cozy house with my four favorite boys! I hope your week-end is delightful too.

2008-12-05T11:39:00.006-05:00

YUMMY BREAKFASTI had a delicious breakfast this morning, but since oatmeal isn't very photogenic, I thought I would include a couple pictures of the outside of my house, per Ashlie's request (Ashlie, I will save the kitchen for another post. Kitchens are my favorite, and should get it's own post!) This is the front door of my house. It doesn't face the road, but the woods and the small circular drive in front of our house. The next picture is of my kitchen door, which does face the road and is the door that most people use. I don't mind, that is a very southern thing, isn't it?Anyway, back to the point of my post, the delicious breakfast I made this morning. I was awake at four am and jonesin' for some spinach in a bad way, so I already had in my head that I would make a green smoothie for breakfast. But, by the time breakfast came around, that wasn't what I wanted.

Instead, I made Steel Cut Oatmeal, topped with a sprinkle of sea salt, a drizzle of honey, a few dried cranberries, pecans, and a little pour of almond milk. It was a very satisfying wintery food. Bauer ate half of it and Landing liked it too (Caedmon "doesn't do" oatmeal). I wish that I could have gotten a suitable picture, because it really was lovely with the pecans and cranberries on top, with the honey drizzled throughout!

2008-12-04T14:09:00.005-05:00

THAT MARATHON WILL HAVE TO WAIT......until 2010. About a month ago, I laughingly said that I would probably get about half way through my marathon training, and get pregnant. Well, I didn't make it to quite the halfway point, but I am pregnant! Due around the middle of August.

Caedmon and Landing promise that they are going to cry if it is another boy.

Matt has been dancing around the house all day.

Grandparents are speechless.

Bauer is indifferent.

I am surprised.

(And no, this picture has absolutely nothing to do with the subject matter. I just wanted a picture up)

2008-12-03T13:58:00.015-05:00

A FEW PICTURES
I have taken quite a blogging break and it was all my camera's fault. There were things I wanted to post about, but wanted a picture to go with them.

Yesterday, my dear hubby supplied me with the cord I needed to import pictures directly from my camera to my Macbook (I was having to go about it in a quite complicated way before, involving multiple computers. No more!).

And, this morning, I FINALLY figured out how to turn the flash off on my camera. The manual is MIA, and I am not the most tech savvy. So, now that those obstacles are out of the way, I am looking forward to blogging again.

This is just a little trial run, to see if the pictures look any better without the flash, and to make sure that I can actually get them to upload!

Around my house this morning...

CHRISTMAS TREE: My tree won't be gracing the pages of Southern Living any time soon, but it makes me very happy. Both Matt's mom and mine gave us each an ornament every year when we were growing up, so all those are on our tree. We were married around Christmas time, so some ladies at our church threw us an ornament shower. Those are on there as well. This year, the tree was decorated almost completely by my husband and boys. I handed them ornaments and did other decorating around the room. I think they did a great job!

VIEW TO OUR BEDROOM: From the living room, through the foyer. I love this view.

MASTER BEDROOM: This is from the armchair in the corner of our bedroom where I sit to read. Our bedroom is the brightest room in the house, as well as the cleanest and the quietest (the children do not play in our room). The wall color is much lighter than this, closer to the color in the last picture.

CHILDREN'S TABLE: I love seeing little hints around the house that children live here, and I love this little spot of theirs. The artwork rotates. Three little chairs for three little boys.

OTHER SIGNS OF CHILDREN: Little shoes on the stair steps

THE BOYS ROOM: Seeing three little beds in a row (especially with little boys sleeping in them!) brings me immense amounts of mama happiness. I am hoping to get all the beds painted this month (pale blue) and coverlets made in January (natural cotton duck and ticking).

BOY'S TREE: Small tree in the boys room.

PEEK TO THE NURSERY: From the boy's bedroom door, down the small hallway. I love the "tucked under the eaves" feeling of the upstairs bedrooms. So cozy.

2008-11-22T12:48:00.006-05:00

SEEING IMPROVEMENTS!

This morning I ran in my third 5K. It was through downtown Statesboro, which was fun. I really just wanted to run it to see how much my time has improved since the last 5K I did, about four weeks ago. Since that time, I have doubled my mileage, from three miles at a time, to six and hoped that I would see improvements in my time because of it.

My first 5K, March 29, 2008, I ran in 30:57.

My second 5K, Oct. 28th, 2008, I ran in 29:28.

My third 5K, Nov. 22, 2008 (this morning), I ran in 27:34.

My goal for this race was to run it in under 29 minutes, so I was elated to surpass that goal. I am looking forward to the Savannah River Bridge 10K Run on December 6th.

This book has done wonders for my running, in just the few weeks I have been using it. I highly recommend it.

My goal is to work up to running a 5K in 24 minutes. And of course, THE MARATHON in March!

2008-11-13T11:51:00.002-05:00

SOME LINKS I WANT TO SHARE

A few links that I have read over the last few days that I thought some of you might find interesting as well.

Satisfaction in Him alone

How they live a debt-free life

On Chocolate and Clementines and Simple Pleasures, magnified

The Gospel is NOT...

2008-11-04T22:34:00.007-05:00

COZY DAY (This picture really has nothing to do with this post. It was just the only picture I could find on my computer that really said "cozy" to me. I must figure out how to download pictures with my new camera!)

I have been refocusing my efforts on HOME this week. Deep cleaning, room by room, decluttering (toys, clothes, cleaning supplies and more), cooking, and just generally making the house cozy and homey and pleasant.

Monday was cool and rainy. The perfect day to spend at home. I spent the morning cleaning. With three small boys underfoot, my cleaning usually seems to be one step forward, three steps back. After several hours of steady work, with no visible progress, I decided it was time for a break.

I turned on a cartoon for the boys and headed into the kitchen for a few moments of mommy R & R. I pulled out my favorite cast iron skillet and a wooden spoon. Into the skillet went

new potatoes, from my grandparents garden
large pieces of fresh local carrots
whole cloves of garlic
wedges of onion
a handful of cherry tomatoes, from my garden
a few pieces of celery
a sprig of rosemary, from my yard
a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Sea Salt (I love the sensory pleasure of picking up the small olive wood bowl from the stove, filled with sea salt and taking a large pinch in my fingers, sprinkling it slowly over the food)
Several twists on the pepper mill

There is nothing like a bowl of roasted fall vegetables on a cold day. With the scents of rosemary and roasting garlic coming from the kitchen, I headed to the couch with hot apple cider (fresh from north GA apples this past week-end) for the boys in their cups...stainless steel sippy cup for Bauer, enamelware camp cups for Landing and Caed, my favorite pottery mug from an artist at Mom's gallery for me. I started a fire, just for the joy of it (it wasn't that cold) and snuggled in front of it on the couch with quilts, cider, boys, and books. Isn't reading in front of a fire one of life's most delicious pleasures?

I love days like this. After weeks of feeling frazzled and short tempered, it feels good to be here and at peace. It is going to be a top priority over these next few weeks to stay at home as much as possible and to make our little corner of the earth the happiest place to be. The holidays are quickly approaching and I want our time to be spent on nurturing our family connections, reading together, talking, making cookies, snuggling, dreaming, playing.

Each season brings its own gifts. I plan to fully embrace and celebrate the wonders of Autumn. And the pleasures of family.

2008-10-23T14:13:00.005-04:00

NEW LOOK

I normally don't post pictures of myself on here but I got a haircut today that I am pretty excited about. I have been feeling super frumpy and wanted to do something DIFFERENT. Something that would make me look like I had a little bit of style, even in jeans and a ponytail. Hubby hasn't seen it yet and I am a little nervous! I hope he likes my new look. These were taken from my phone, so the quality isn't great, but maybe you can get the idea. I don't know why I am always in the car when I decide to take my picture. Maybe because that is the only time I don't have a child hanging on to me!
BEFORE

AFTER

2008-10-20T13:54:00.004-04:00

UNIQUE NAME?Ever wondered how many people in the United States share your name?

I was surprised to discover that I am the only person in the U.S.A. with my moniker. Likewise, my children are all unique when it comes to their names. Huh. Only the hubby shares his name with anyone else in the U.S., and even then, it is only with 33 other people.

Go to this site to see where you stand in the rankings, then come back and let me know, OK? Because it is awfully interesting.

That, and I just really don't want to vacuum.

*Creative Commons image from Jack Dorsey on flickr.com

2008-10-18T14:52:00.003-04:00

TODAY'S RACE

Just wanted to pop in to say that I ran the 5K today in the rain and it was lovely. It was about 60 degrees outside, with a light drizzle. I ran with about 200 other people. A very sweet friend who is a much better runner than me, ran with me today to keep the pace and to encourage me. It was very kind of her and it helped me immensely. I struggled for the last half mile, but only walked about 5 steps of the race, which was a vast improvement over the last run I did.

I finished the race at 29:28, so that is my new personal record. As I got close to the end, I could see the clock counting up the minutes, and picked up the pace to finish under the 30 minute mark. I would like to be able to run a 5k in the 25-26 minute range and hope to work up to that soon. For now though, I have this race in my sights.

I think I am hooked on running.

2008-10-15T10:54:00.004-04:00

Right Now, I am:

feeling...surprised and impressed. Mom is giving me the quilt!

enjoying...the early mornings. I have started getting up before the children to pray, read, and run.

wondering...about the complexities of a mother's love. I am over-the-moon for these three little boys, yet, I am struggling to even speak a sentence kindly. How can it be so overwhelmingly wonderful and hard at the same time?

listening...to my children jumping on the couch and yelling.

drinking...H2O. Letting the ice melt to just the right consistency, then crunching away. Ever crunched on melting ice in a hot shower? Bliss.

wanting...to be productive today, but in a calm, happy way. I want to putter around the house, making a pot of vegetable soup, getting things done, reading to the boys, giggling and laughing and being content.

loving...This season of Project Runway. Finale tonight!

looking...forward to this afternoon when my mom keeps the boys for three hours and I can do whatever I wish. Today: catching up on work, cleaning, errands. It will be nice to do the necessary surrounded by quiet.

Thanks, Soulemama, for the inspiration.

2008-10-15T08:18:00.004-04:00

RUNNING AND A WAY OF THINKINGI am running my second 5K this Saturday (you may remember that I ran my first race this March). I am really looking forward to it. After the race in March, I pretty much completely stopped running until the middle of August. I started back in the middle of my training program and have been trying to work my way back up ever since. It has been a really frustrating thing for me. This time, I haven't had anyone training with me (Amanda had knee surgery in the summer) and so my motivation has been a little lacking. For WEEKS I tried to do the 20 minute run, unsuccessfully. I knew that I was physically capable of it. I would get within just a few yards of being done, and would quit. It was crazy! And very frustrating.

Then, I ordered (and read) The Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer. It deals with the mental aspect of training just as much as the physical component. I realized that the negative messages that I was sending to myself the whole time I was running had been keeping me from success. Usually, something like this might be going through my head "If I can just get to that stop sign, then I can stop running. I think I can do it. I just have to get to that stop sign. Man, that stop sign is really far away...."

This week, I have been consciously replacing those thoughts with positive messages like these "I can easily get to that stop sign. No problem. I can keep running after that, if I want to. I feel amazing. I love to run. This feels incredible. I am getting faster and faster."
At first, I felt a little silly. But, I did it anyway. And, when I looked down at my watch, I realized that I had been running for 22 minutes. And it was easy. I felt like I really could have kept running! I couldn't believe how much the mental and physical affect each other.

So, the last day or so, I have been paying more attention to the messages that I tell myself in regards to other areas of my life. And it is really helping! It is almost like a self-fulfilling prophesy. If I believe that I can't run two miles, then I am unable to do it. If I believe that it is going to be an awful day, boom, it is. Because my mental attitude shapes a lot of my reality. Obviously, there will always be outside forces that I can't control. And, there are things that will never be possible, no matter what my internal dialogue says. I will never win the Tour De France. So telling myself that I can would just be kind of lame.

But there are plenty of other things that I can control, just by my attitude and the way that I choose to perceive my current situation. I would consider myself a generally positive person, but as with most aspects of life, there is always room for improvement. I am feeling the affects of being more positive in regards to running and I am working to be more aware of what I think and say to myself during other times too.
It requires continually practicing contentment, gratefulness, and thankfulness.

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us" -Hebrews 12:1

*Creative commons image from tangywolf on flickr.com

2008-10-01T10:06:00.002-04:00

NEW CHALLENGE!

This isn't the challenge I was talking about yesterday (more on that one later!) but I just found out about THIS one from Andrea at The Flourishing Mother (thank you, Andrea!). I am so, so in! I think this will be incredible!

Anyone else on board?