What a trip around the Sun will do

Howard County Fair.  July 2010

 Noel sitting in the combine wheel

 Our bald beauty last summer.

One year later. . .



 Now they both love tractors

Still squeezing into the bike trailer.  These two racked up quite a stash of free stuff.

 First year enjoying a ride. 

Make way for Elise. Oh. My. Word.

Be still my heart.



Thursday Thank-yous

I am thankful for. . .

271.  Another great year of life for my husband.  He will be 39 in a few days.  Yikes!  We are getting old!

272.  upcoming vacation with my oldest and dearest friends.

273.  air conditioning.

274. zucchini bread.

275.  God working in big and small ways to show some upcoming plans for us.

276.  elephant ears, pulled pork sandwiches, bumpy barrels, and everything else at the County Fair (including some great people watching).

277.  finding others who are convicted about the same things I'm convicted about.

278.  Sesame Street.  What a great show!

279.  God's beautiful creation everywhere we look.

280. smoothies.

What are you thankful for?

You light up my life

(Okay, okay, no more cheesy song titles as blog post titles, but I couldn't come up with anything else)

On our second day of "Dave & Beth's Kid Free Extravaganza" we explored Holland.  It has a really cute downtown with an AMAZING deli and a very hip coffee shop (I definitely brought the cool level down upon my entrance!).  My favorite part of downtown was a store called The Bridge. It is run by volunteers from Western Theological Seminary and it full of goods from all over the world.  Each item was tagged with an explanation of how & where it was made as well as what the money was going towards.  This is something I have become very passionate about recently (I have a blog post in the works about it), and found that store so inspiring.

After checking out the downtown, we headed down the coast to meet Big Red, an old lighthouse in Holland.  We had some trouble getting there because it's behind a big private beach, but we finagled our way there, and the view was beautiful. 

This was my attempt at funny photography.  It's supposed to look like he is holding the lighthouse in his hand.  It's the thought that counts, right?

We drove up to Grand Haven, which is a few miles north of Holland, for the afternoon.  The beach there was beautiful as well, and we both fell asleep in the sun.  Luckily, it was late in the day, so no sunburns to report.  And of course we had to have some fried fish on the trip, which we did at JW's restaurant, which had a BIG sign out front that said "South Haven's Best Kept Secret".

Does anyone else find the irony in this?

We headed back the next morning to make sure our kids had not driven Ed and Linda to the brink of insanity.

They had.

But were glad for the trip.

Baby, You're a Firework!

On Monday of our trip to Michigan, David and I left the kids with his parents and headed out on a 2-day vacation, just the two of us.  We did this last year and decided as long as the in-laws were game, we were up for it!

Our first stop was Saugatuck, Michigan, which is right on the coast.  Let me just stop right here and say that Florida beaches have nothing on Michigan beaches in the summer.  The sand is beautiful, the water is wonderful (maybe a little chilly, but no salt), and it take, oh, 15 hours less time to get there.  The only thing is that they are only great for a couple of months each year.  But if you are looking for a short getaway, I cannot recommend Michigan beaches enough. 

We spend the day walking around, looking at the water, watching people, and enjoying a kid-free lunch at a place called Pumpernickels.

David could not stop raving about the Reuben he had.  I love the idea that they serve their sandwiches in cast iron skillets.

We drove to their neighbor town of Douglas, where we hung out on the beach for a few hours.  If you can't tell, my kid-free vacation goal is to do all things that one cannot do with kids. 

Eat a meal without having to cut up someone's food?  Check
Lay on the beach and read a book?  Check

Next on the list?  Fireworks, of course.

After our day in Saugatuck/Douglas, we headed to our hotel in Holland, where (thanks to the best concierge ever) we ended up watching fireworks right on the water in Kollen Park, Michigan.

My camera doesn't take great action shots, but it was so neat to see the fireworks' reflections in the lake. 

We had a wonderful first night!

Down on the Farm

On Sunday (July 3) we packed up the kids and headed for a week up at David's parents' house.  They live on an apple orchard, which David's brother owns.  Before his brother owned it, David's dad owned it.  Before that, David's grandpa owned it.  It is between 300 and 400 acres of apples and then hundreds more acres of corn and beans.  When I first met David and found out he grew up on an orchard, my only frame of reference was Farlow's Orchard, which is near my school. 

Besides the word "orchard", there is almost no comparison.  This orchard is beautiful.  I wish I had picture to insert here, but I always forget.  I took about a hundred pictures the first time I ever visited, but that was before I had a digital camera, and I can't find them, so you will just have to believe me when I say it's beautiful, no matter what the season. (The above picture is what came up on Google Images when I typed in "Wittenbach Farms".  Must be 20 years old, but, hey, it's a picture, right?)

So, of course my children love visiting the farm.  Here are just some of the things they love:

Seeing Grandma Linda and Grandpa Ed
Playing with cousins
golf cart rides
tractor rides
fork lift rides
riding down to the neighbor's farm to see the cow's
riding down to the other neighbor's farm to pick cherries
cookouts on the back porch
playing in the basement

And Noel loves that he gets to stay in David's old bedroom. It's too sweet.  The funniest part of going to the farm is that Noel thinks every kid gets to do this.  When I try to explain that not everyone's grandpas or uncles have tractors and huge fields, he looks at me like I'm crazy (which I most certainly am, but not for saying that). If only he was right.

And there are always tears when we have to pack up and leave, which is a sure sign that a good time was had by all.

So much to share, so much to share. . .

This past week we went on a family vacation to Michigan.  I have much to share about our time with the Wittenbachs, seeing extended family, and David and I going on a little excursion alone for a couple of days, but I had to share some garden pictures first. 

Above you can see that we got a few cucumbers, but it looks like those blasted beetles are going to win this war.  David just planted more of a different variety, so we will see how they work.

David picked the first batch of beans (see below), and they look pretty good.  When we were in Michigan, his mom gave us a french cutter for the beans, which Noel is trying out.  We did one bag of french cut and 4 bags of whole beans. 

 Well, hello, little red grape tomato!  Nice to meet you!  Tell your friends to hurry up and join you, because we are anxiously awaiting salads, salsa, and snacks!

 This is David with the corn, which is a pretty cool picture when you take into account what the corn looked like 2 weeks before that:

It must have been growing a couple of inches a day!  Oh, my, I love sweet corn!  I hope it turns out.  We enjoy it all year. 

We've picked a few zucchini, more snow peas, and a little broccoli.  Once the peppers and tomatoes are ready we are going to have a house full of vegetables.  YIKES!

Now, if I could just get a plant that grew candy bars. . .

5 Minute Friday

On Fridays, I try to take the "5-Minute Friday Challenge" that is given on this website.  The challenge is to write for 5 minutes straight on a given topic with no editing, no second drafts, nothing.  Just 5 minutes from my fingers to this blog.

Today's topic is WELCOME

GO

I feel like I am always in a state of cleaning something in my house.  When I am in one room, my children tend to be messing up another room.  Plus there is always laundry.  And dishes.  And an endless supply of bags from the van (I think they multiply when I'm not watching).

But why do I try and keep the house clean?  Yes, a small part of me is afraid if I don't we will end up on a reality show where there is some sort of "Intervention" team, but mostly because I want people to feel welcome when they come here.

I want my husband to feel welcome when he comes home.
I want my children to have a welcoming place to play and invite friends over.
I don't want to be a nervous wreck if someone decides to 'pop-in'.

(I would have a great transition statement here, but I only have 5 minutes, so bear with me).

I've been reading and studying about the Holy Spirit and how the Holy Spirit works in my life.  And this word "Welcome" made me think about that.  I spend a lot of time making sure my house is a welcoming place, but how much time am I devoting to making my heart be a welcoming place for the Holy Spirit to live?  Am I concerned?  Do I care more about how other people perceive me than how the Almighty God does?  I certainly hope not. 

So maybe while I'm vacuuming today or putting clothes away I will also take time to be with God and ask Him to continue to restore my heart and make it a welcome place as well.  There is an old song I love, and the lyrics go:

Come and make my heart Your home
Come and be everything I am and all I know
Search me through and through
'Til my heart becomes a home for you

STOP

Thursday Thank-yous

I am thankful for . . .

261. a washing machine and dryer in my home.

262. upcoming missions trip to Arizona for our youth.

263.  the YouthWorks missions trips who are coming to Kokomo for their missions trip and the opportunity David and I have to work with them at Kokomo Urban Outreach (more on that in another blog post).

264.  God-planned encounters with students through Bridges Outreach.

265.  hand-me-down toys.

266.  lazy mornings with the kids.

267.  how easily my children forgive me.  I could learn a thing or two from them!

268.  my guitar.

269.  the freedoms and luxuries I have in this country that I take for granted every day.

270.  flip-flops, and never having to wash socks all summer.

What are you thankful for?

An apology

I'd like to take a moment and apologize to all of the female population.  Because last night I was one of those women. 

Now before you get too intrigued, it all transpired at Menards.

A few days ago I was trying to figure out what to do with the little patch of dirt next to our garage.  Nothing grows there, not even grass, and it is kind of ugly.  Since we are thinking of selling our house, I was trying to come up with a solution to "ugly dirt patch".  So, I decided I would get some patio blocks (I know that's what they are called now.  At Menards I called them pavers, and that is NOT the correct term.), dig up the dirt a little and put them down.

So, here's where I embarass my gender. 

First, I take Elise (a 2 year-old) and we head to Menards.
We walk through and find the stones we like (on clearance) and then proceed to wander around looking for help. Did I write down the kind of stone I wanted?  Did I look at the color name?  Of course not!  I had to be a stereotypical woman and say to Mr. Menard, "I like these stones out there.  Can you get them for me?"  So after a trip back to the stones, I ask if I need anything else.  Tip:  never ask that at a home/garden store.  OF COURSE YOU NEED SOMETHING ELSE.  MANY MORE THINGS!  Sand, mortar, tools, levels, etc.  They had me so confused, I just decided to buy the blocks and run.

Except I had to drive to the lumber yard and pick up the stones first.

In David's truck.

Did I mention I am terrible at backing up?

I think I made every worker in the lumber yard cringe with fear that I was going to back into something.  But I got the blocks, thanks to another Mr. Menards who helped me. 

The only thing that made me feel better was the fact that he was totally acting like the stereotypical male.  These were his exact words while I was helping him carry the patio stones to the truck:  "I usually carry three at a time, but I'm feeling lazy today, so I'll just carry two."

So, I guess we are even.

Once I get this whole project complete I will share some photos (if it doesn't look like a total disaster.  Actually, I'll probably share even if it's a total disaster!)


**If you are reading this, and you aren't a follower of my blog, please join!  I'd love to see who all is reading this!

Garden update

The green beans are budding.  That's a good sign.  We should have real beans in a couple of weeks.  In case you are wondering, we freeze our beans, which means you boil them for 3-4 minutes and cool them, and then put in ziploc bags.  Much easier than canning and they last all winter!

 This is what our broccoli looks like.  It should make one big flower, but ours split early, so we probably won't have as much broccoli.  Also, if you ever grow broccoli be very careful to wash it because it gets these little green worms that are easy to miss, so you might end up with a little extra protein if you're not careful.

 Cabbage is coming along nicely.  Each cabbage produces only one head, but there isn't really too much to do with cabbage as far as saving it, so a few heads is plenty for us.

 Cucumbers are still growing, and the beetles are still chomping away.  David actually bought some more seeds to try cucumbers again if these don't produce.  We will have to wait and see.

 The first of many green peppers is starting to grow!!!  Now we just have to wait.  And wait.  And wait.  And hope it doesn't fall or get bugs before it's ready.

 Jalapeno peppers.  These have always done very well.  If you've never had a garden before, I'd suggest trying hot peppers, because they seem to grow pretty well.  Plus, you can just pop them whole into a ziploc bag, keep them in the freezer, and use them all winter.

 If you pull one of the onions, this is their size right now.

 The old adage is that corn should be "knee high by the 4th of July".  I think we are on the right track. 
 

 Tomatoes are starting to look good, too.



If you look carefully, you can see a little zucchini growing back there.  We didn't get many zucchini last summer, so we are hoping for a better outcome this summer.  If you have extra zucchini, you can shred it and freeze it to use in soups, breads, etc.

And here is our new favorite pico recipe:

Fresh Corn and Avocado Pico de Gallo

1 poblano pepper
1 red, orange, or yellow sweet pepper
2 cups grape tomatoes, quartered
1 cup corn (either fresh, frozen, or from the can--drained)
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon finely shredded lime peel
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 avocado, chopped

1.  Broil poblano and sweet pepper in oven on a foil-lined baking sheet for 7-10 minutes.  Let cool and peel skin away, get rid of stem and seeds, and chop up the rest.
2.  In a large bowl combine the peppers, tomatoes, corn, red onion, cilantro, lime peel, lime juice, salt, garlic, and hot pepper sauce.  Cover and chill 4-24 hours.  Stir in avocado right before serving.  Goes well chips or on top of grilled chicken.

Enjoy!!

Breaking the fast for some Roo's

These are my new shoes.  When I say "new", I mean they are new to me.  They belonged to some old man on highway 19 until I bought them at a garage sale today for one American dollar (as my good friend Alison would say).  I gave up buying clothes (including shoes, etc.) for a year.  Not because I'm trying to save money, but because I am trying to better understand "needs" and "wants".  So many times I think I need something, when in fact I already have several of those "needs" in my closet.  My fast is technically not over for a few more weeks, but I couldn't pass these shoes up.  It's not like I'm going to ever find them again (except maybe at the same garage sale next year). 

But I wanted to show them off to you, because I am simply in love.

And now I'm spending the rest of the day trying to figure out what to put in the little zippered pockets on each shoe.  Ideas, anyone?

Thursday Thank-yous

I am thankful for. . .

251. a great Father's Day, spent with my father and the father of my children.

252.  catching up with an old friend.

253. finishing Charlotte's Web with Noel.

254. seeing my little monkey hang from the bar above the slide.  How can you look at that and not smile?

255. cars that run and no car payments.

256.  joy in the midst of chaos and frustration.

257.  the miracle of a sunset.

258. Snack Pak puddings.  Seriously, those things are amazing.

259.  lazy summer days.

260. hugs from my little ones.  There is no greater feeling than their arms wrapped around my neck.

What are you thankful for?

Welcome, Summer!

Since Summer is officially upon us, I'd like to welcome it!

Hello, summer!  Welcome! 

So far, our summer has been going well.  I will admit that having both kids to myself all of the time can be a little. . .hmmm. . .overwhelming?  Not sure that is the exact word, but entertaining 2 children from sun up to sun down can really get to me by the end of the day.  Don't get me wrong, we are having fun.  We've been swimming and biking and playing and eating popsicles and going to parks and reading books and dancing and eating ice cream and running races and all kinds of other things.

There just isn't much down time for me.  And I recognize that in the grand scheme of things this isn't a problem worth complaining about.  I have healthy children who are fun to be with.  I recognize how much I am blessed.  It is just the selfish side in me fighting to come out.

Good news and bad news--gardening edition

 Well, I wanted to post some pictures of the garden and how it is going (since I'm sure you all care so much!) It's actually pretty cool to see it week by week.  The above picture is of the cucumbers.  David put the trellaces in, and they look good from far away, but. . .

 It looks like the dreaded cucumber beetle has struck again.  Either that or some kind of fungus.  It's incredibly discouraging.  All of the hard work and we might not get a single cucumber.  I think about people in third world countries who work so hard and if some kind of bug gets to their plants, they don't have the option to heading over to Meijer to buy their food.  And to think I have any reason to complain!

 In better news, the pepper plants are doing well (hot peppers on the left, bell peppers on the right).  David tied them all to stakes to keep them from falling over once the peppers (cross fingers) come in.  One of these plants is basil, and we actually picked the basil on Friday for freezing.  You can basically puree it with olive oil and freeze it so you can use it as a paste for sauces, seasonings, etc. all year.

 The tomato plants are looking good and are now caged, so they won't run away :) 

 Corn looks good.  The back part of the garden is the second batch of corn, and little sprouts have just popped up, so that seems promising.

I didn't post a picture of the onions last week, so here they are (didn't want them to feel left out).  You can pick an onion at any time.  They just keep getting bigger and bigger.  Right now they are about the size of a cherry and are very pungent.

In sad news, the broccoli plants are not doing well.  They started to flower too soon, so there isn't much hope for a big outcome there.  And broccoli is one of my favorites.  Oh, well, it's the nature of the beast.

If you have any gardening tips or helpful hints (or recipes) PLEASE let me know!

Happy gardening and Happy Monday!

Happy Father's Day!

Traits I inherited from my father:

*love for puzzles of all kinds
*love for cooking
*sarcasm
*appreciation of a good nap

Things I have learned from my father:

*patience
*looking at things logically
*helping others out
*how to make the best fudge ever

My father is a great man.  He has been through a lot in his life, and I think some of it weighs heavy on his heart, but he's not one to share.  He is a quiet man, but one with insight and wisdom. I wish that I could keep my thoughts to myself sometimes like he does.  My dad is not the greatest babysitter (he doesn't really get down and play with the kids much), but my 2 year-old girl is positively smitten with him, can't get enough of him. 

She is her mother's daughter.

Thursday Thank-yous

This week, I am thankful for. . .

241.  surprise visits from old friends.

242.  surprise visits from family!

243.  impromptu trips with the kids that turn out well.

244.  the sidewalks in our neighborhood.  Endless adventures await us every day!

245.  being a part of the ministry at Kokomo Urban Outreach.

246.  sunscreen.

246.  quiet time in the morning before the kids wake up (after that, it's not so quiet around here for the next 12 or so hours).

247.  the comic strip "Pickles."  It has seriously turned my disdain of the comics in the newspaper around.

248.  watching Noel and Elise eat ice cream cones. 

249.  upcoming fun plans for the summer.

250.  learning more about the Holy Spirit.

What are you thankful for??

Aunt Vicky can teach us a lesson or two

We went to the library today for story time and summing reading program, and we ended up meeting Aunt Vicky.

I call her that because that's what she told us to call her.

I was getting the kids buckled in to leave the library, and up walks this older lady who, I realize later, is carrying all of her belongings in 2 plastic bags and 2 purses.  She walks right up to me and starts explaining that she is diabetic, hasn't had her medicine, and hasn't eaten in two days.  She tells me that if she can get to the Rescue Mission for lunch (which was already starting) she has been promised a hot meal.  She asks for a ride. 

And before I even have a minute to think about it, she's buckled into my van and we are headed to the Mission.  On the way, she tells me about how she gets motion sickness, especially on airplanes, and that the last time she was on a plane she rode in a 747 from Indy to Dallas and then onto Las Vegas.  She also told me that her name is Vicky, not short for anything, just Vicky, but everyone calls her Aunt Vicky.  She also told me how cute my kids were and asked if there was anything she could pray about for us.  (Did I mention the Rescue Mission is about 3 blocks away?  Aunt Vicky is quite a talker!)

So we took her to the mission, got her in the door, and were headed on our way.  The whole incident took less than 5 minutes, but it left me thinking.  What if there were more Aunt Vicky's out there?

Wait.  I don't quite mean it the way you think I mean it.

I definitely don't wish there were more homeless women with diabetes and no place to eat.  What I mean is that I wish more of us could just be honest with each other about what we need.  I saw Vicky walking through the parking lot of the library, but I didn't think to ask her what I could do to help her. 

I think about all of us walking around, some of us really needing something.  It might not be a ride or a meal.  It might be some encouragement.  It might be some guidance.  It might be a need for someone to show them God's love in a tangible way not seen before.  But we don't walk up to people and say, "I really need a friend today, can you be my friend?"  Instead, we go through life with a mask on, pretending that everything is okay, that we don't need anyone, and we go without.

I don't know if I'll ever see Vicky again.  I don't even know if she got her hot meal.  But I do know that she showed me to speak up when I am in need and to open my eyes to those in need around me. 

What's Cooking?

In keeping with my "garden" post yesterday, I wanted to share a recipe with you today.  One of my favorite go-to meals is bbq chicken in the slow cooker.  Basically, you put some chicken breasts, bbq sauce, ketchup, and whatever spices/sauces you want to make a sauce and you let it go for the day.  I follow this recipe, but you can do just about anything.

But last week when I made this, I also tried making my own buns to serve the bbq with.  And it was about the easiest bun/bread I've ever made.  Plus it didn't take all day.  Only 30 minutes of rising and the only kneading was done in the mixer with a dough hook (if you don't have a mixer, you could knead it by hand for a couple of minutes).  And they were DELICIOUS!  I kept thinking that I wish this was the first bread recipe I ever tried, because some are very meticulous and have lots of potential to fail, but not this one.  Click here to see the recipe.

I also used this recipe from Pioneer Woman for roasted potatoes, and I may never be the same again.  They were soooo good and crispy.  Noel told me they were the best "fries" ever, so I consider it a success.

What have you been cooking this summer?

Our Garden

Okay, so when I say "our" I am being a little dishonest, because 98% of the work on our garden is done by my amazing husband.  But I just had to share the progress of our ever-growing garden.  Every year we add a little more.

 These are the cucumbers.  David puts a netting on them so the bugs stay out until they are big enough to withstand some beetles.  Cucumbers are David's favorite food and the reason we started a garden 7 years ago, so he's a little protective of them.  And no, I don't make pickles from them.  Yes, I have some very easy recipes, but I've never tried. 

 These are the peppers.  Hot peppers are on the left and bell peppers are on the right.  Our bell peppers were a total bust last year, so we are hoping for a better outcome this summer.  We freeze peppers and use them throughout the year.  You just dice them and quick freeze on a cookie sheet, and once they are frozen you can put them into ziploc bags. 

 And here are the tomatoes.  Again, it was a rough summer last year for the tomatoes, so we went a little overboard on the tomatoes this time.  We don't can tomatoes, but we do can salsa.  Also, you can put tomatoes in the blender and then freeze and add to soups, sauces, etc. all year.

 And now we have come to the part of the garden I dare not touch:  the corn.  David grows lots of sweet corn (the back of the garden is for the second installment of the corn).  We freeze most of it and eat on it all year.  The other vegetable we freeze for all year is green beans, which I didn't get a good picture of, but are behind the cukes.

Snow peas, cabbage, broccoli, and onions.  We are already enjoying the snow peas and broccoli.

So, there you have it, our garden in a nutshell. I'm going to try and take pictures every week so we can capture the progress.  And if you have any gardening questions, I have NO IDEA, but I will gladly pass them onto my husband.

5-Minute Friday

Welcome to 5-Minute Friday!  If you haven't seen this before, it is a blogging "exercise" from this website, where you write for 5 minutes straight on the given topic.  No editing.  No changes.  Just write. 

Today's topic:  BACKWARDS


GO

This world has got it all backwards.

God has such an amazing plan for each of us.  A plan that will bring us peace, unity, joy, contentment, and grace.

But we turn it around and live it backwards.

Instead of living for Him, we live for ourselves.  Instead of helping the poor, we try and get as much as we can.  Instead of working together as united believers, we disagree and argue over petty differences.

Jesus said to serve.  To live backwards.  And it's a daily struggle to wake up and not be swooned by the ads that say I "need" the new shirt or I "deserve" the new car.  It's a struggle to love those who are hard to love.  It's a struggle to forgive, even when someone hasn't asked for forgiveness, doesn't even think they are wrong.  But this is living backwards.  This is what Jesus did when He was on earth.  Befriending sinners.  Loving prostitutes.  Speaking the truth in love, whether it was popular or not.

In 1 Corinthians, it says that the wisdom of God looks like foolishness to this world. Talk about backwards.

May I live "backwards".  In contradiction to this world, and in favor with the One who made it.

STOP



If you want to take part in 5-Minute Friday, link your post up here.

Thursday Thank-yous

I am thankful for. . .

231.  ELECTRICITY!!! 

232.  Kokomo Beach  (you laugh, but it is wonderful).

233.  homemade rolls in the oven to go on top of slow-cooked bbq chicken.  Yes, sir.

234.  summer reading program at the library (even if all of Kokomo has invaded "our" library and taken away our secret hide-out spots and good books).

235.  dinner with good friends.

236.  a group from our church is leaving in a few days for Zimbabwe to work on an orphan house our church has helped fund.  So excited (and a little jealous) for them.  Still want to go.

237.  popsicles.  What would summer be without them?  Have you found mango-flavored ones?  I have :)

238.  batteries.

239.  the growing garden in the back yard.  Already had some snow peas and broccoli!  (not thankful for the weeds, though.)

240.  seeing people stop talking about church and actually being the church in numerous ways.  It makes me crazy happy!

What are you thankful for?

Sell, Sell, Sell!

I hosted a garage sale this weekend for our youth group's mission trip to Arizona (I think I already shared that yesterday. . .ANYWHOOO).

Let me share some thoughts from the whole garage sale experience:

Garage-sale people are a unique breed.  They have no problem asking "Can I use your bathroom?"  "I know this is a dime, will you take a nickel?" "Can I smoke right over the books you are selling?" (Actually, nobody asked that last question, they just went ahead and smoked RIGHT OVER THE MERCHANDISE!)

But garage-sale people are also funny, and friendly, and they are trying to stretch their dollars, which is impressive.  In previous years I've shopped lots of garage sales, although it's getting a lot harder with 2 kids begging me to buy every toy they see.  I'm a firm believer in re-using clothes, especially kids clothes.  But shopping a garage sale and having one at your house are two different things.  Wow.
I had never held my own garage sale.  I did not realize how much crap, I mean, stuff, is left over.  Even after 2 days, our garage was full!  What does that say about how much stuff we as Americans have?  Wow.  I also didn't realize how much work it is to get everything put out and displayed.  And the heat!  Yowza!! 

So, while it is fun to see your stuff go to a better home and get some money for it, I'm not sure I'm cut out for this every year.  And as my friend Leslie (who helped out like a champ) noted, it's such good people watching.  I mean, where else are you going to see a middle-aged man walk up to someone's house, buy a ceramic kitty cat, and leave pleased with his purchase?  That's good stuff.  Good stuff.

". . .it's like camping. . .but not so much fun."

So, on Saturday (and Friday, by accident) I hosted a garage sale to raise money for our youth group's mission trip.  It was long and tiring, and very hot, but we made some good money.  As we were packing up all of the leftover "treasures" that didn't get sold, I just kept thinking how nice it will be to relax Saturday night and lay on the couch, play with the kids, read a book, etc.

Little did I know we were going to be left in the dark, literally, for the about 27 hours.

There was a pretty big storm that blew through Kokomo, and some of the wind knocked a tree over in our neighborhood, leaving us without any power from Saturday night until Sunday night.

Ugh.

I know in the grand scheme of things it wasn't really a big deal, and I tried to keep perspective.  It wasn't 3 degrees out.  We had a lantern and some headlight flashlights.  The storm was over quickly, so it was calm out.

But I was still frustrated and hot.  Mainly because my plans had been unexpectedly changed.  I tend to stress when I haven't had time to adjust to a new situation.  I don't mind change, but I like to be warned of the change in advance.

Anyway. . .these are some things we learned from our power outage:

*You can still give kids baths and read bedtime stories without power.

*Chinese take-out is still pretty good even when it's cold.

*Sam's Club is good for more than 96 cent pretzels and cheap dog food.  It's also a great place to cool off when you have no power on a hot day in June.

*We really love electricity.  Love it.  If it were a person, I would buy it a nice steak dinner.

(But if the electricity goes out again, I'm asking for a refund on the steak.)

Thursday Thank-yous

I am thankful for. . .

221.  air conditioning.

222.  relaxing summer days.

223.  healthy kids who keep me running all day.

224. downtime with good friends and family.

225.  God turning tough situations into opportunities to honor Him.

226. new "treasures" for my children, thanks to garage sale donations.

227.  the first batch of broccoli from the garden.

228.  s'mores.  My favorite thing about camping, hands down.

229.  the power of prayer.

230.  the students from our youth group who are graduating.  Watching them mature throughout their high school years is always a treasure.

What are you thankful for?

"Making memories is hard work!"

This was David's catch phrase this weekend, as we went on a 4-day camping adventure.  On Friday we packed up a 4-year-old, a 2-year-old, and as much stuff as we could fit into our good old Honda Van and headed to Spring Mill State Park to do some camping.  Now, let me say that we HAVE camped with the kids before, but last time we did, we borrowed David's brother's camper, which is probably a little bit nicer than our own house.  So tent-camping this time was a little bit more of a challenge.

But we had fun.

We got dirty.  We rode bikes.  We went on hikes. We visited a museum.  We swam.  We saw a Pioneer Village.  We ate s'mores.  We ate s'more s'mores.  We played on playgrounds.  We hung out with friends.  We laughed.  And we made memories.

And there may or may not have been a poop incident with a 4-year-old who will remain anonymous.  I don't want to embarass him, so I won't give any more details, but it was definitely memorable.

Now, here is where I would insert all of the pictures of the fun we had, but the camera we packed never even made it out of the case.  We were too busy having fun (and chasing the kids.  and swatting mosquitos).

Sometimes going on adventures like this is more work than anything else.  Sometimes I just want to stay home in the air-conditioning and read a book while the kids play on their own.  Sometimes I dream about hiring a sitter and heading to a hotel. 

And then I remember that we only get one shot with these kiddos.  We are going to turn around and they will be grown and gone.  I'm going to blink and Noel won't be begging me to play with him, he'll be begging me for a car.  So we try to make as many memories with them as we can. 

Even if it is hard work.

Thursday Thank-yous

I am thankful for. . .

211.  the end of half-marathon training.

212. fajitas.

213.  conversations with Noel about death and heaven.  "I bet Grandpa Ed and Johnny Appleseed will be friends in heaven."

214.  a good book that you can't put down.

215. encouragement from friends just when I need it.

216.  my nephew graduating.  So proud of him!!

217. four days camping with my family on the agenda.

218.  watching my kids do pilates with me.

219. time to play in puddles.

220.  shelter from the storms in life.

What are you thankful for?

The Results

Well, the half-marathon was this weekend.

Not sure if you can see the timer, but I finished it in 3:01.  My goal was to do it in under 3 hours, so I was pretty close.  Here are some things I learned from this whole experience:

*Running truly a mental exercise.  I was doing really well for a long time, and then I got discouraged, stopped, and never truly recovered.  I would have cried the last few miles as I was walking, but I wanted to conserve my water. 

*If you're going to run a half-marathon filled with hills, TRAIN ON HILLS!  The hills were what killed me.  I should have taken that into consideration.

*Hydration, hydration, hydration.  I think I got dehydrated at the end, and had a really rough last 2 miles.  There were water stops, but I should have carried some sort of gel pack or something to help keep me hydrated.

*My family is such a source of encouragement to me.  My mom got up early to send me off, and David and the kids drove by to cheer me on.  Then they were all waiting for me near the finish line.  Noel even ran the last little leg with me.  He wore my medal the rest of the day :)

*Never give up!  Keep moving!  Even if you have to walk, or even crawl, keep going!  This is true for everything, not just running!

In hindsight, I'm glad that I had this experience.  I think it was really good for me to push myself physically and do something just for me.  I hope my experience can be an inspiration to someone else that whatever you put your mind to, you can do.

Thursday Thank-yous

I am thankful for. . .

201.  food to eat for every meal.

202.  my upcoming race on Saturday.  Rain or shine, I'm doing it.  13.1, I'm coming for you!

203.  Ben & Jerry's new ice cream inspired by Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.  Chocolate covered potato chips in caramel swirl ice cream?  Yes, please!

204. baby birds in 2 different nests in the back yard.

205.  beautiful flowers growing in the front yard.

206. bike rides with 2 very excited children.

207. my big brother.

208.  a great year working with Bridges Outreach.  Tomorrow is the end of the year celebration. Here's to a good summer.

209.  being able to tag-team discipline with my husband.

210.  take out Chinese eggrolls.  mmmmmmm.

What are you thankful for?

The things of this world. . .

On Sunday, our associate pastor spoke about viewing the world differently because of our relationship with Jesus.  He touched on a few different points, but the one that really stuck with me was how we view what is important in this world.  He reminded me yet again that the things of this world, the stuff, the materials, can never fill the void that Jesus is meant to fill.

He told a story of watching House Hunters and seeing a couple with no children buy a $900,000 house with 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms, and how useless all of that is. And everyone (including me) was nodding in agreement.  "Amen!  Preach it, brother!"

But, do I really live with conviction like that in the real world?

I've never had the means (and I don't want the opportunity, to be honest) to choose to live in a house that big.  And I'm guessing most people in our congregation are in the same boat.  It's really easy to look at the huge, fancy house and say, "What a waste of their money!  They could be giving it to God."

And then I read the story of the Widow and her 2 coins, and I am humbled.

I may not have a million-dollar house, but how much am I wasting on the stuff of this world when it could be used to share a cold drink of water with someone in need?  How many shirts does one need? What would third world countries think if they saw how much we spent on decorations for our house when they don't have a roof to live under? 

I'm not writing this to give anyone a guilty complex.  But I do truly believe that over the past year God has really been speaking to me about how I deal with the things of this world.  Do I offer it to Him?  Do I use what He has given me to help others? 

Oh, God, let me see the world the way you see it.

Getting Old

Today is the anniversary of David proposing to me.  Now, before you think I am super sentimental and remember all kinds of dates, the only reason I remember the exact date, let me explain that the day we got engaged David and I ran a 5K in Noblesville.  We got coffee mugs from that race that have the date, so we always remember that May 15 was the day we got engaged. 

Anyways. . .

I wanted to share something that I share with David sometimes. 

I like it when stuff wears out at our house.

Does that sound weird?

Well, it is weird.

But let me explain.

About a year or so ago I was drying dishes and realized that our dish towels are getting a little ragged.  I realized that the dish towels were a wedding gift, and I smiled.

I smiled because we had been together so long that we have worn things out.  So, when we need new pillows or the kitchen knives are starting to get old, instead of thinking about the expense, I think about all we have gone through in the time it took to wear our "stuff" out.

And that makes my heart happy.

And, yes, a little weird.

See?  Getting old isn't always bad.

Thursday Thank-yous

I'm going to be honest (again) and say that these past few weeks have been a little discouraging.  The kids have been sick again, and David and I are in need of some quality alone time.  However, we can't hire a babysitter when our kids are sick.  Plus, David's work has been really hard on him.  I just feel like I am struggling to see the positive.  But these are the times when giving thanks is the most important.  When we give thanks even in the hard

I am thankful for. . .

191.  my wonderful husband. 

192.  getting a shout out on one of my favorite blogs.  If you haven't read this blog, it's a good one.
193.  successful surgery for David's dad.

194.  learning alongside my son as he asks questions I don't know the answers to.

195.  our front porch swing.

196.  getting to know our neighbors.  (which is another blog post, or 2)

197.  our neighbor's lilacs that hang over our fence and cover up the smell of our dog's poop!

198.  The show "Parks and Recreation".  Seriously makes me laugh, especially after a hard week.

199.  baby birds in the nests around our house.

200.  the fact that every day is a new day.


What are you thankful for?

Welcome, Spring!

I feel like we have been waiting for months for the rain and cold to stop. (If I wanted to live like this, I would have moved to Seattle, right?)  But I think the weather is finally warming up, which means we can get ourselves outside and have some fun!!

So, yesterday I did my workout on the elliptical to save time in the evening for David to plant the garden.  But then it was so nice I had to take the kids for a bike ride.  Surely I can handle a bike ride, even after working out?

Yes, and no.

Yes, I could handle the bike ride, but no, I didn't realize that the tires were almost completely flat.  So I rode my bike PULLING THE 2 KIDS IN THEIR TRAILER to the nearest gas station to get some air in the tires.

I'm not kidding, I didn't think I could make it.  It was like riding a bike in wet cement.  I KNOW the people I rode past got a good laugh.  On a positive note, once the tires were filled the ride was easy as pie.

You know what's not easy? 

Sleeping after you've riden your bike in wet cement. 

I woke up about 1:00 sore all over! 

Note to self:  a)full tires = good b)ibuprofen before bed = excellent

What are you doing to get outside and enjoy the weather?

p.s.  I can't wait to take pictures of the garden, once everything gets planted and starts filling in.

p.s.s. (writing that takes me back to 7th grade) Have you seen my sweet bike?

The picture just doesn't do her justice.  Her name is Moon Dog:  it says so on the side.  It's an old-school, big-seat, wide-handle bar piece of beauty.  I love her.

5 Minute Friday

Today's post is linked up to this website.  The 5-minute Friday challenge is to write for 5 minutes straight without any editing or changing.  Today's topic is:

Motherhood should come with. . .

GO

Sometimes when people ask David and me if we want to have more children, our answer is "Yes.  If we can have them about 9 months old and already sleeping through the night!"  When we talk to new parents, the first thing we tell them is how hard those first few months are.  For me, when Noel was born, I had such a hard time transitioning to being a mom.  It was just plain hard.  And then as time went on, things seemed to get a little easier.  He smiled.  Then he laughed.  Then he became a little boy.  All in the blink of an eye, now it seems.

But when I think about those "hard" times (and the ones to come), that is when we grew the most as parents and as believers in a God who is our ultimate parent.  If we hadn't gone through those challenges, and there are many more to come, the successes don't mean as much.

So, what should motherhood come with?  A glimpse into the future.  So that you can see. . .

They WILL sleep through the night.
They WILL stop being 2-year-old tantrum throwers (we have one in the house right now.  Ouch!)
They WILL appreciate all you do, eventually.
They WILL grow up, and someday you'll be wishing they were teeny again.

The days are long, but the years are short.  Treasure each moment, even the hard ones.  Maybe especially the hard ones.

STOP

Thursday Thank-yous

I am thankful for. . .

181.  walks through the neighborhood pulling 2 kids in a wagon.  Adventure always ensues!

182.  my husband making me coffee every morning.

183.  laughter, even in the midst of hard times.

184.  brave women who inspire me.

185.  Amish variety stores (blog post to come explaining).

186.  children on the mend from sickness.

187.  the Holy Spirit's voice.

188.  my lifegroup students.

189.  open windows in the house.

190.  the great pre-school year Noel has had.

What are you thankful for?

Blocked

I have blogger's block.

There, I've said it.

I have the beginning of several posts all formed in my head, but no motivation or creativitiy to finish them. 

I have a lot on my mind right now.  Some series items (passing of a dear friend's father-in-law, friend having lumpectomy today) and some not-so-serious (Is Jimmy Fallon the best thing there ever was on tv?  How did I cook all of these years without the Pioneer Woman?)  But everything is all jumbled up in my head.

So, here, in no random order, are the things rolling around in my head:

*I've been reading "Forgotten God" by Francis Chan.  The first time I read it I couldn't get into it and quit.  This time I have really been moved by some of the points Mr. Chan makes.  Yesterday I read that we talk a lot about "carrying our cross" for cross, usually referring to the day-to-day life we live:  illness, money issues, job, friends, etc.  But, isn't that life for everyone, not just Christians?  So is that truly carrying our cross?  What if carrying my cross looks different?  What if it means giving up some things that I desire for the greater good of the kingdom?  What if it means moving?  Or changing ministries?  Or not?  Am I truly listening to the Spirit's call? 

I'll admit, it kept me up last night.  And I was glad it did.

*My kids are sick.  I don't deal well with sick kids.  I know God is teaching me to be compassionate and patient, but I just struggle with how to treat them, their whining, and those dreaded doctor's visits there they tell you you are crazy for bringing your kid in, and then he barfs a few hours later.  Yeah, nice.

*I haven't had a date night with David in far too long, and I am in need of some adult conversation.

*My niece Abby has inspired me to try eating more healthy.  Not healthy to diet, which is what I've done in the past, but healthy to get rid of foods that have chemicals, additives, etc. in them.  It's like learning to walk all over again.  But in a good way.

However, I still love me some hot dogs and mac 'n cheese.  Period.

*And then there's the upcoming half-marathon.  I started training about 9 weeks ago to run a half-marathon in Kokomo.  For the record, I'm not even sure there is anyone else but me signed up.  The website it still "under construction" and it's 2 1/2 weeks until the race.  Not a good sign.
The first several weeks were awesome.  I pushed myself more than I ever have physically.  I ran and ran and ran. 
And then I dropped a breadknife on my foot and had to get stitches on my toe.
And then I hyper-extended my foot walking down some stairs.
And then I broke my pinky toe.

All of the same foot.

Needless to say the running has slowed.  So I'm trying to get back into the running swing for the race, but once I lose motivation to do something it's hard.  Plus the foot is still injured.  I'm trying to see this as a life lesson.  (David keeps telling me the lesson is to not run this race!)

But I press on.

And you, dear reader, get to read every tedious scene.

Day #25

#25—Your Day

As a mom of young children, I can tell you that my day is filled with:

smiles
tears
laughter
screaming
questions
answers
stories
games
frustration
fulfillment
cleaning up
making a mess
praying
reading
challenges
successes
love
stress
joy
grace

I love my kids so much I posted this awful picture of myself!



Believe me, there are not always this innocent.  But when they are, oh my.

Melt. My. Heart.

Oh, yeah.  We also have dancing in our house.

Lots of dancing.

May your days be filled with dancing, too!