What's Cooking?

Actually, not much. This week has been a whirlwind of activities, leaving most nights to either eathing out or eating leftovers. But yesterday I did grill some chicken, and it was pretty good. I wanted to share the recipe, since this is grilling season, and who doesn't love honey mustard? Plus, I broke down a whole chicken for the very first time. I can't believe I'm almost 35 and have never broken down a chicken. I've cooked whole chickens and then taken the meat off several times, but never broken up a chicken to grill. It was actually pretty easy, and very affordable. I should be doing this more often. Anyway, here's the recipe: (For the record, it did not take as long for my chicken to get done, so watch carefully and baste often)

honey-mustard chicken

1 c. pineapple juice
3/4 c. honey
1/2 c. dijon mustard
1 t. ground mustard
2 T. cornstarch
1/4 c. cold water
1 broiler/fryer chicken (around 3-4 lbs.) cut up

In a small saucepan, combine the pineapple juce, honey, mustard, and ginger; bring to a boil. Combine cornstarch and water; gradually whisk into honey mix. Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until thickened. Reserve 3/4 c. to serve with chicken.

Baste chicken with remaining glaze. Grill, covered, over medium-low heat for 30 minutes. Turn chicken; brush again with glaze. Grill, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until juices run clear. SErve with reserved glaze if desired.

Already Learning

I knew when I signed up for this upcoming trip to Haiti that it would definitely be a learning experience. I just didn't know that the learning would start so early.

My preparing to leave entails a lot more than just packing my bags and going. I have to prepare my house, my kids, basically our every day lives for an upheaval for 11 days. And my first huge realization is that I am a control freak. I guess I've always know that, but this experience is just reiterating it.

For 11 days I have to give up control of

*my children (including their schedule, their safety, their time)
*my house
*my plans (I will have zero say in what we do or when we do it in Haiti. Definitely not used to that)

And it is already hard. Hard knowing that if there is a question, I can't answer it. Or if Noel is trying to explain something to his grandma, I can't be there to help him. Or if I'm frustrated beyond belief because I would have done something differently.

I like things easy. Don't we all?

But easy isn't always good.

Easy doesn't stretch us. Easy doesn't take us out of our comfort zone. Easy doesn't make life-changing memories.

So as I begin this journey, I realize that, although I think I'm in control most of the time, it's an illusion. This world is not about me, my plans, my decisions. This world is about showing God's love in our every day lives.

Maybe I need to lose control more often.

Date Night

As I said in my post yesterday, on Tuesday I got to have a kid-free afternoon AND evening with my husband. We went to this winery in the afternoon, and then did some driving, shopping, talking, and playing with the company car and navigation system.

Enter our Michael Scott scenario.

We had planned on eating dinner at Bravo in Castleton, and we knew where it was, but since a)we had the cool navigation system in the car and b)there is tons of construction around the Keystone/465 area, we opted to set our destination and follow the car's directions.



We're lucky we didn't end up in a pond.



The directions took us to the middle of an industrial park NOWHERE NEAR BRAVO. It was incredibly frustrating at the time, but now it's funny, thinking about how we just followed every step, never thinking that we would be led astray.



In the end, we found the restaurant and had a wonderful dinner, capped off by a new can to keep our compost in before it goes out to the big bin in the back yard. (yet another subject for another post: How I love compost and my husband's great gardening skills)







Happy Driving!!

Sigh of Relief

I know most of you know this already, but I love college basketball. Love it. I enjoy watching lots of different sports, especially live, but there is something about college basketball that I love.

Did I mention I love it?

And when David and I got together, he introduced me to another love: Tom Izzo. Head coach of the Michigan State Spartans Men's Basketball Team. I'm not gonna lie. It took me a while to be persuaded not to always cheer for the Illini (which I still do wholeheartedly--EXCEPT when they play MSU), but over the years I have come to really love watching Izzo coach. He cares about his players. He has a passion that is palpable without being over the top. Plus, he's from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Who doesn't love a U.P.er?

So when rumors started swirling last week about Izzo being offered the job coaching the Cleveland Cavaliers, I was disappointed. Not so much because Izzo would consider leaving MSU, but because he would leave it to go to the NBA. I can't stand the NBA. And I'm not sure watching Tommy :) coach an NBA team would sweeten the deal for me.

All week, David and I were nervous to check espn.com to see if the announcement had been made. And then today, after a fun day away with my hubby (a subject for another post), we come home to find out that he's staying.

Sigh.

Now we can relax.

I'm so glad that Coach Izzo is staying. He is so good not only for the Spartans, but for the Big Ten. I can't wait until November!!!

Haiti on my mind

80% of Haitians live in poverty.

The average daily earnings for a Haitian is around $2. Two dollars.

As I prepare for our trip to Haiti next week, I'm asking anyone who is reading this to pray for the people of Haiti. They are the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, and there is no solid government to help them change that.

Money isn't everything. I firmly believe that. But it's pretty hard to survive on $2 a day.

God, help me to not take one dollar for granted, because I know that some don't even have that much.

Everybody's Different

David and I often talk about how we wish we had a camera in our car, because living where we do we run into a lot of this:



So we're driving home from Coyote Kids* last night and this was the car in front of us.

In case you can't read it, the sticker across the top of the car reads:

Sgt. Big Nasty.

That's right, you read it correctly. Sgt. Big Nasty.

Who drives this car?

Who decides their identity is best defined not just by Big Nasty (which would be mind-boggling itself), but to declare yourself the Sargeant of Big Nasty?

I love this town. Never a dull moment.

Footnote
*Coyote Kids is a free running program at our local park that is so much fun! Kids of all ages race and get popsicles and sweat and play and burn off lots of energy. And did Imention it's free?

Still a long way to go

I love my husband. Incredibly. But I know I'm not always the best at showing it or helping him to be the best person he can be. I listened to a Christian radio program on the internet today about things I can do to be a better wife, and here are some things I took from it:

*My job as David's wife is to be his cheerleader. He has enough people in his life who point out his flaws. I'm here to encourage, support, and cheer him on.

*Respect is key. The speaker said men would rather feel respected than loved. Not sure if every guy feels this way, but it is definately true with most men. It's so important that I show David that I respect him. Not second-guess him or try to undermine him. This is also a great example to our children and to the youth group kids we work with of how I should treat my husband.

*The most important point I took from it was to show grace to my husband. He said to do for your husband what God does for you. It's so easy for me to hold a grudge or bring up the past, but that's not what God does, so I shouldn't do that with my husband, the most important person to me here in earth.

Does anyone out there have any other good marriage advice?

And so it begins

Yesterday was Noel's first day taking swim lessons. It's our first "lesson" of any kind. And it went pretty well, considering he's 3 and hasn't really been in the water very much.

He loved it.
He jumped up and down.
He kicked.
He waved at me every 18 seconds.
But he wouldn't leave the edge of the pool.

And all of a sudden, I had to fight the urge not to be a pageant mom and try and get him to do exactly what his teacher was telling him to do. I wanted his teacher to know how wonderful he is and how good he is at so many other things. That this is his first time doing this, and to not give up. But I had to let it go. I can't make Noel do exactly what I want, and I can't make everyone love him as much as I do.

And so it begins.

So I'll hold on when I should, and try to let go when it's time, and trust God to help me know the difference.

My little ones

I've been trying to post all day, and for some reason I couldn't get my page to let me make a new post. So it's almost bedtime for the kiddos, and I'm all out of words to share. Instead, I will share a few photos of my sweeties.

Making up for lost time

As the countdown to Haiti gets closer, I start to realize not only how much I will miss my family, but how much time I will miss out on being with them. That being said, I tried to cram as much summer fun into this week as we could handle. So here's the rundown:

Playgrounds Visited--4
Pools Swam In--2
Ice Cream Treats--2
Library Trips--1
Outdoor Play--too many to count
Scrapes on Knees--2
Tractor Rides--As many as you could fit into 3 days on the farm
Dirty Outfits--As fast as I can put them on, they're dirty again
Picnics-1
Smooches & Laughter--Never Enough

Motherhood is a challenge. It is, at various times, stressful, chaotic, lonesome, hilarious, educational, tedious, interesting, and heart-melting. I'm so thankful that I get this opportunity to see life from my two children's perspectives. To witness someone figure out that after stepping in a puddle you can make footprints on the porch. The laugh as my little girl waves at every person who drives by our house, now that she can see out the front window. To answer questions by the dozens from a curious child who wants to know EVERYTHING. Some days they make me crazy, and by the end of most nights I'm glad to see them go to bed, but I am thankful to be their mom. So let the pile of dirty clothes continue to pile up. . .

Needs vs. Wants

I'm reading a great book right now: Half-Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls. I'm not even done with it, and I'm going to already come out and say it's great--that's how great it is. A friend of mine gave me Walls' first book, The Glass Castle, and I really enjoyed it. It is a memoir of a girl growing up with a very unconventional family, moving all over the country, living in shacks, learning how to make do with nothing, and dealing with two parents who cared about themselves more than their children. It was kind of sad and frustrating, but Walls is a wonderful writer. So when I saw she had another book, I grabbed it off the library shelf.

In Horses, Walls tells the life story of her grandmother, Lily, from Lily's perspective. She grew up during the turn of the century on a farm in New Mexico. I won't tell you any more about the book, but I will just say that I love the voice Walls has created for her grandmother. She has so many great lines in this book--very poignant.

One part that has really stuck with me is a scene in which Lily and her husband have to move out of their house (it's been foreclosed) and to a cattle farm. This is about her first visit to the outhouse.

"A distinctly malodorous aroma arose from the hole, and for a moment I missed my snazzy mail-order toilet with the shiny white porcelain bowl, the mahogany lid, and the nifty pull-chain flush. As I sat down, though, I realized that you can get so used to certain luxuries that you start to think they're necessities,but when you hve to forgo them, you come to see that you don't need them after all. There was a big difference between needing things and wanting things--though a lot of people had trouble telling the two apart--and at the ranch, I could see we'd have pretty much everythingwe'd need but precious little else.

Next to the seat was a stack of Sears, Roebuck catalogs, and I picked one up and leafed through it. I came to a page advertising silk bodices and lacy chemises. I won't be ordering from this page, I thought, and when I was done with my business, that was the one I tore out and used."

Truer words were never spoken.
Enjoy the day, and be thankful that we have everything we need and much more!

What to pray. . .

I am not a good pray-er. Never have been.

I can sit and read the Bible and study and write lessons and sing praise songs and on and on. . . but it is such a struggle for me to quiet myself and pray. I've tried all different kinds of strategies, and I will never give up, but I wish I had the passion for prayer that others have. I know how important it is, and when some kind of emergency occurs, of course it's easy for me to pray. But the every day, kneeling before God and listening to Him, is hard for me.

As I was sitting here this morning thinking of how to pray for our upcoming trip to Haiti, God really put it upon my heart to pray just what it says in the scriptures. I just started reading Philippians a few days ago, and as I start reading chapter 2 this morning, the first 2 verses read this way:

"If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose."

So, this is my prayer for the upcoming trip:

That we will encourage each other and be an encouragement to those we minister with in Haiti.
That we will be united.
That we will be a source of comfort to the people of Haiti. Show them God's grace and love.
That our times of fellowship will be God-focused and memory-making.
That we will show tenderness and compassion when it might be easy instead to be judgmental and critical.
That we will choose joy instead of reasons to complain.
That we will work together, being like-minded, even when plans don't go our way.

Thank you, God, for hearing our prayers. May we not take it for granted.

Summer, Summer, Summertime. . .(think Will Smith here. . .)

Alright, everyone, I know it's not officially the season of summer, but schools all over are letting out, open houses are upon us, the weather has been in the 80's all week, and my air conditioning is on. I'm calling it:

Summer is here!!!!!

Now that I'm a stay-at-home mom, and my kids don't go to school yet, summer doesn't have quite the excitement that it used to. But I'm still pretty psyched this year. Here are some reasons:

*Haiti. Of course, Haiti is at the front of my mind all of the time. In a little over 3 weeks I'll be heading there. I'm really trying to not have any preconceived notions about what the trip will be like. I'm a planner, and a trip like this, where I have no control over what happens is difficult for me. But I am so excited. I believe this will be a life-changing trip for many. I'm ecstatic about being a part of something bigger than me and getting out of my comfort zone.

*Swimming. I love to swim. David doesn't share this love with me, so in our 7 years together we have gone to one beach, and that was in Michigan. But now I have a 3 1/2 year-old who has shown me already in this first week of hot weather that the pool is where he wants to be. So I've signed him up for a few swim lessons, and we're hoping to hit Kokomo Beach (not really a beach, mind you, but a public pool) at least a few times this summer.

*Urban Outreach. Over the last 2 summers we have been taking the youth group kids to help the Kokomo Urban Outreach on Sunday nights. We take food to a low-income housing addition, and while some people serve the adults dinner, we get to play with the kids. It has been such a neat experience to hang out with these children and get to know them. I'm looking forward to being a part of it again this summer.

*Camping. In August we are taking my brother-in-law's camper and going to Ludington, Michigan to camp. We'll be one mile from beautiful lake Michigan (more swimming!), and there are loads of trails, playgrounds, etc. to explore. Definitely looking forward to that.

Along the way I hope we can hit every park in town, go on lots of bike rides, eat lots of popsicles, read some really good books (any suggestions?), spend some time with friends and family, and show God's love all while we're doing this. I want to be an example everywhere we go of what it means to be a Christ-loving family.

All Things TV

While I've never seen an episode of "Lost" or "24", I've still had some good (and bad) tv moments recently.

*TOP CHEF IS COMING! While I've been loving Top Chef Masters, (and am rooting for Jonathan Waxman) I am always excited to see Tom and a new crew of chefs. I get to see the first episode before I go to Haiti. They're going to be in D.C., so I'm sure there will be lots of fun challenges.

*I couldn't watch American Idol. I wanted to see the tribute to Simon, but when I turned to it and Paula came out, and I couldn't handle it---SO UNCOMFORTABLE!! Is she that weird, or on drugs? And then the old Idols singers came out--the song was terrible!! Yikes! I think Simon is making the right choice by getting out before the boat sinks.

*I loved Glee this past fall. These spring episodes have not been as great to me. I don't like storylines that are just developed to get to a specific song (aka the Madonna episode). I did like the episode where the girl sang Christina Aguilara's "Beautiful"--made me cry. And they had to go and sing "Beth" this week, which of course will keep me tuned in to see if Gwen will really name her baby Beth.

*I still have the season finale of "Parenthood" on the DVR and am excited to watch it--just haven't had the time.

*I've said it before and I'll say it again, Jimmy Fallon and his crew are hilarious! Last week they did a spoof of Lost that was so funny--and Arsenio Hall was in it. You need to see it.

*If you have kids, and haven't seen "WordWorld", you need to. It's on PBS and it's really cute. Everything is made up of the letters that spell the item. And the duck with the speech impediment is so endearing. I love him.

*I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I've actually watched some NBA and it hasn't been too bad. We're rooting for the Suns--who doesn't love Steve Nash? Black eye? No problem. Broken nose? Bring it on!

*Lastly, David and I have really enjoyed the new show on TLC called "Best Food Ever". There are probably similar shows on the Food Network, but we don't have that channel. John Goodman narrates as they count down the top 10 of a certain food or type of restaurant. I feel like writing down all of the places so we can take a food vacation and eat our way across the country. This week was best diners, and the winner was in Worcestor, Mass. Almost made me want to go back to Worcestor. Almost.

In other news. . .
I'm on my way to Noblesville today to wish a former co-worker happy retirement and catch up with a few old friends. So excited the summer is here. This week we have gone on bike rides and long walks, been to the park, got out the sprinkler, the kiddie pool, and eaten our weight in popsicles already. I'm so thankful that I get to watch my children experience all of this, too.

Have a great day!

Catch of a Lifetime

When I married David in 2004, it was a package deal. Along with my new, sweet husband was a dog. Half Springer Spaniel half Brittany Spaniel, this brown and white ball of fur, otherwise known as Tee Off, has been a part of David's life since before he even knew me.

Over the years, Tee has gone from being a crazy-hyper dog who jumped on everyone who came in the door, to a mellow, older dog who mainly just lays around. She's almost 12, and, to be honest, she acts a little like an old biddy some days. She barks at nothing. She never wants to be outside anymore (unless you're outside). She has to take several different medicines to keep her healthy (and our carpets dry). But we love her.

The other thing you need to know about Tee is that the only thing that really excites her is chasing animals in our back yard. If you say the word "squirrel" her ears perk up and she runs to the door. Having a fence that squirrels can run on has been great entertainment for us. As they run, Tee chases them all over the back yard. She will also chase rabbits, which are in abundance this time of year, especially with our huge garden (which should be a topic of another post). However, with all of this chasing, in 12 years Tee has caught only one rabbit--and it was someone's pet (another great story for a different post).

Well, all that changed last night. I was gone to a meeting, and David was eating dinner with the kids, when he heard Tee scratching at the door. He opened the back door to let her out, and she dashed to the garden. Somehow a rabbit had gotten inside the garden fence, and when he came out, Tee was there to catch him. Within seconds Tee had that rabbit in her mouth and killed it. Way to go, Tee! After 12 years of trying, she finally caught a rabbit. She should be proud of herself.

And in fact, she was.

She was so proud that she tried to bring it into our house CARRYING IT IN HER MOUTH! So while the kids are eating dinner in the dining room, Tee is scratching at the back door (clearly visible from the dining room) to come in and show off her conquest. David kept shooing her away, and Noel kept asking what was going on. Luckily, she left eventually left it in the yard and came in without it.

So, hats off to you, Tee Dog. You may make me crazy every day with your barking, shedding, and bodily fluids, but I'm proud of you. You've still got a little bird dog in you after all.

In Case You're Wondering. . .

I do a lot of dumb stuff. I wanted to share some lessons from my amazing ideas that didn't go over very well, so you can learn from my mistakes:

*I was trying to be frugal this morning. After finishing up my bowl of Corn Pops, I thought the milk (sweetened by said Corn Pops) could substitute for creamer in my coffee. Terrible idea. It was bad.

*Speaking of bad, Corn Pops are not good. I thought I liked them, so I bought a big box when they were on sale. Now I know why they were on sale. I'm forcing myself to finish them so they don't go to waste. Ugh.

*Don't take a 1 year-old (who is a screamer) and a 3 year-old (who's been hopped up on snacks) to a program. I tried to sit with them and watch my brother's play last night. Big mistake. We were THOSE people who had to carry our kids out. Bad idea.

*Speaking of the 1 year-old. I let her play with my cell phone once in the car to keep her entertained. Now every time I get it out she screams! And it's that ear-piercing scream that only a little girl can do. So if you get a call from me, be prepared for some screaming in the background.

*Don't buy hair dye that costs $3.99 and says it will make your hair 'dark blonde'. No matter how long you leave it on, your brown hair will just turn more orange. Trust me.

*Don't assume that kids know not to pick up dog poop in the back yard. Enough said.

I could share more, but I think you get the point. I'm not a 'think before you act' kind of girl, and these things are proof!! But it does make for a fun ride!

Have a blessed day! Pray for someone today, and then do something nice without them knowing it!

What's for Dinner?

I love to cook. I really do. I love finding new recipes and trying them out. And I usually don't mind putting menus together for each week. However, sometimes it is hard to come up with new ideas for every week, and I'm always thinking that I wish I could see a list of what other people are making for their meals so I can have some ideas.



So, just in case anyone else has been in those shoes, here are some meals that I've been making this week or are planning to make next week:



I made Extra Spicy Linguine with Sausage, Chili Peppers, Cherry Tomatoes, and Arugula last night. It's a Rachael Ray Recipe, and I really liked it. Didn't use the Chili Pepper--not sure how spicy it makes the meal, and I have 2 small kids.



Another new recipe I'm going to try next week is Freeze-Ahead Broccoli and Sausage Calzones. I plan on making half of them for now and freezing the other half for when I'm in Haiti. They sound good.



Last week we tried these fish tacos. I thought they were pretty tasty, except I am not a fan of corn tortillas. I tried one the next day with a flour tortilla, and liked it much better. I also used tilapia instead of red snapper, and they worked fine.



I love pancakes, and I make them for the kids on a weekly basis. I usually make a double batch and them keep them in the fridge and reheat them for breakfast all week. A friend showed me this recipe for fluffy pancakes, and they are great!!! Definitely not lying about the fluffy! I added blueberries to some and they were good, too.



Another freezer-friendly meal that is a go-to for us is Hot Chicken Sandwiches. I got this recipe from Caryn Collins, and we are ever so greatful!



Hot Chicken Sandwiches



3 c. cooked cubed chicken

8 oz. cubed Velveeta

1/2 c. chopped onion

1 c. chopped celery

3/4 c. mayo



Combine all ingredients. Put on hamburger buns and wrap sandwiches individually in foil. Can be frozen or refrigerated.



Bake (in foil) for 25 minutes @ 325 if thawed or 35-40 minutes if frozen.



Happy eating!!

In the Tunnel

Seems like recently I find myself discontented more and more often.

I'm upset with the way the kids are acting, and it frustrates me. Every day Noel and I clash over something insignificant that turns into an outright war. Yesterday it was over a Capri Sun. I kid you not, a Capri Sun. I'll spare you the details.

I wish I had more one-on-one time with my husband. Our days are filled with half-completed conversations because they've been interrupted by a 3 year-old's questions or a 1 year-old's screams.

I miss teaching. I'm supposed to go to a retirement party tomorrow for a fellow teacher, and part of me doesn't want to go because it makes me so sad that I'm not still working there. It's been four years, and I still miss it all the time. I know that sounds awful, especially to people to would kill to be in my shoes, staying home with their kids. And believe me, I am incredibly thankful that we have the means and opportunity to keep Noel and Elise home. But I still miss it.

I wish I could be a better friend and have closer friends. I struggle with loneliness.

It's kind of like I'm in a tunnel in life--not a valley or a mountaintop, just a dark spot where I'm not quite sure of where I'm headed. Corrie ten Boom, one of my favorite authors, describes our journey with God as a train trip. And she says (I'm paraphrasing here) that when you're on a real train and it goes into a tunnel, you don't jump out because you're scared. You hang on tightly and trust the engineer to get you through.

To be honest, none of the scenarios I was complaining about is life-shattering. We are healthy, David has a job, we have food, shelter, and safety. But when I focus on myself and the areas I am unhappy with, it's tempting to start feeling more and more sorry for myself instead of hanging on and trusting that God has a plan for me. Instead of whining and moping and being discontent, I need to look around and see where I can be a servant right now, what I can be doing to make life better for those around me. Maybe I need to turn on a flashlight in my tunnel and look around to see if anyone else needs to know that the Engineer is in charge, and He will get us through.

More Links

Here are a two more links that I really like:

www.etsy.com
If you haven't been on etsy, take some time out of your schedule for it, because you can easily get sucked in for an hour. The best way I can describe etsy is that it is similar to ebay or amazon, but is handmade/vintage items that people are selling, and there is no bidding--just a fixed price. There are millions of items on etsy--I usually look at the jewelry. I've gotten Christmas gifts, Mother's Day gifts, and graduation gifts on etsy, and have been pleased with all of them.

www.backgroundfairy.com
This is a blog aimed at helping those of us who are blogging, but are clueless about how to make our blogs look nice. She gives step-by-step instructions for changing different settings on your blog, adding images, changing fonts, etc. She also posts free backgrounds and picutres. Pretty cool.

If any of you out there have sites that I need to look at, let me know!

Odd Things

I'm odd. I do some strange things. But I think we all do.

So, in order to make you feel better about your oddities, I'll share some of mine

1. I brush my teeth in the shower.

2. I have to pick up the house in a certain order. Even if company is coming in 10 minutes, I have to start at the back of the house (our bathroom) and work my way to the kitchen (always the messiest room).

3. I love Spider Solitaire on the computer.

4. The first thing I read in the newspaper is the obituaries. Last thing I read is the comics.

5. I have an old-lady bicycle with the big butt seat and high handlebars. It's called 'MoonDog'.

6. I don't own an I-Pod, and I still have a record player in our bedroom.

7. I still get excited about getting the mail every afternoon, in hopes of some sort of letter or card from someone, even though it's nowhere close to a holiday or my birthday.

8. Anything on tv that is about a great teacher makes me cry.

9. Speaking of tv, I still come up with different ideas for songs I would use to try out for American Idol. And yes, I'm well over the age limit.

10. I still don't understand the game of soccer or the game of chess.

Anyone else out there have some odd traits?