Little Birds and Some Bees

The Brewing Storm and an Honest Moment

2011-11-30T13:19:00.000-08:00

I have officially joined the rank of parents whose children throw a temper tantrum in a public place - specifically in the grocery store. What is it with grocery stores anyway? They just seem to draw out the worst in kids sometimes... right? I think the problem lies in the time of day + hunger + temptation + distracted parents + ________ (fill in the blank, we've all got our reasons).

My situation was slightly different in that we hadn't arrived at the grocery store with the sole purpose of purchasing food, we went in order to help 'Nonnie' ring the Salvation Army donation bell. And oh, the kids were adorable! Seriously, people were dropping bills left and right with comments like, 'aren't they just so cute!' Note to the Salvation Army people; recruit 3-year-olds and their parents to ring the bell. Guaranteed cash flow. The kiddos had an absolutely wonderful time wishing merry Christmas and happy Christmas to everyone passing. Hannah being my shy one had a little difficulty warming up to the idea of talking to strangers. This of course should have been my early warning signal that a storm was brewing just beneath the surface of her rosey cheeks. And although she was initially shy, that soon wore off and she was happily ringing the bell with enthusiasm giving out 'merry Christmas' wishes with a seemingly deep satisfaction. It was a proud moment to say the least - I even posted photos of facebook. Yes, I was proud and with reason they were doing great!

THE ENSUING STORM AND A LESSON LEARNED

About 20 or so minutes into the bell-ringing escapade, Hannah needed to use the restroom. And so we rushed off with hopes of preventing any accidents that are known to happen from time to time, especially when distraction and fun are keeping little ones occupied. Much to my dismay we were slightly too late and as a result I was left puzzling with what to do with a soaking wet pair of underwear. Thankfully the rest of her clothing showed very little signs of an accident so we were able to just peel off the undies and slip the clothes back into place. Done. I, being grateful that I wasn't dealing with a much bigger problem (ha ha ha) and in lieu of a better plan decided to simply toss the soiled panties into the garbage. BAD IDEA! Hannah freaked! Her reaction could easily have been equal to the loss of a favorite toy or perhaps being outright left at the grocery store. Crying, screaming, hysterics... you get the idea. I suppose I had a choice to make and I briefly considered the possibility of removing the underwear from the trash and somehow taking them with us, but this moment was brief and my response to the situation was, 'no - not going to happen.' I believe that a good portion of my reaction had more to do with Hannah's response and her temper than the actual potty-accident situation. I was slightly grateful that we were at least sheltered from the masses inside the small public restroom - for the moment.

After spending several painful moments of trying to reason with Hannah and then giving the usual threats of 'going to the car,' it seemed as if we had reached an understanding... Seemed. Still with tears streaming down and subsequent sobbing and sniffling we left the restroom and entered the main drag through the check-out (no, this restroom wasn't in the BACK of the store, it was front and center). It was then that the panic of leaving behind the underwear and the blood-curtling scream started. You know the kind of scream where people in certain areas of the country would probably call CPS on you, the type that happens in the safety of your home and that you only hope never happens in public? Yep, it happened. My first taste of that type of real embarrassment and humiliation due to the behavior of my child that is on display to... well, I have no idea how many - but a lot of people (I couldn't bring myself to look). I'm just say'in it as it is - it was totally humiliating and infuriating.

It is in moments like these that emotion has a way of blinding you completely. By God's grace, I was able to simply explain to Hannah that her behavior was wrong. But even in this, I failed... miserably. If only I had James Dobson, Ted Tripp, or Ginger Plowman standing there coaching me - I seriously would have paid money for that. I was left simply to my own wits, or so I believed. I chose my words poorly making her astonishing behavior the focus and totally leaving out any responsibility on my part for my angry reaction. You see, my greatest concern in that moment was me. Not Hannah. Me and how spoiled my image was in that moment. I had become one of those parents with that kind of child. Horrible, absolutely horrible, but it was an honest reflection of my heart in those tense moments. And that's the yucky truth of it. Despite her out-of-control reaction to me tossing what was apparently a valued possession, I was focusing more with her bad behavior than using that opportunity to train and correct, helping her to see where her heart was.

It wasn't until a long car ride and a fuming vent session with Jonathan that God gently, despite my dripping with sin reaction, began to open my heart to see how I had totally missed IT. As I was unloading the kids (who had fallen asleep) He put it on my heart to simply hold Hannah in my lap and rock her to back sleep. And during that short window of awake time that she had I was able to tell her that I was sorry, and to share with her that the things in which we place our happiness are simply never going to make us happy. It is Jesus and nothing more. He gave everything for us so that we could be happy in Him. It was the simplest of truths but it bathed us both in a moment of grace and forgiveness.

Although I left that grocery store with a tattered and beaten pride dragging behind me, I came home washed and whole. For this moment, I am able to stand again not on my own value and worth which I all to often look for in my kids and their actions. I am happily complete and separate from my wrong behavior because of Jesus.

I am now happy to report that I can join the rank of parents with out-of-control children - I am actually happy. What a painful and yet needed reminder of God's love extended in our worst moments. I can only hope that I will remember this when the next storm breaks loose again.

FINALLY

2011-11-09T17:59:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. You're probably thinking that the title refers to my dire need to catch up with my blogging, but it doesn't! Actually, it has to do with the fact that it has taken 3+ years to finally connect a group of children that have been separated by distance and time.

September of 1999 brought a tsunami of change to my world, sweeping me away into a life I had only imagined in my deepest of dreams. And somewhere along that life-changing ride, I encountered a person who redefined the meaning of friendship. Johnna and I quickly started what still remains today to be a friendship bond like that of a sister. There are few with whom I have ever laughed or cried so fully. I have had the honor of sharing with her such intense years of becoming, changing, and growing up. Somehow in the midst of all the various changes, experiences, and the degree of distance geographically we have remained close. It is a God thing... what more can I say?

Johnna and her husband, Hunter decided to celebrate their 10-year anniversary by retracing the setting for the start of their relationship in Montreat and Black Mountain, North Carolina. Since their trip took them just a few hours from our home, Jon and I had the joy of being able to hang out with and take care of their two kiddos for them. These two children brought such fun and entertainment to our home for the week they were here. Hannah and Eli were thrilled to have them, so much so that Eli claimed Jack as his best friend within minutes of his arrival. Ellie and Jack opened my children's eyes to a new world just outside their front door. On the warmer days, the kids would spend their time running and playing in the yard. Imagination and exploration were the naturally abounding themes throughout the week. Barefoot and tromping through the grass, a train of laughter and little voices that were getting caught up in their world of make-believe. Glass jars with holes poked in the lid, lady bugs, wet feet in the creek, tag, races, forts, hide-outs, and the list goes on. I remember those days, imagination was like breathing, involuntary and nearly tangible. But the sweetest of all treats was just the joy that Johnna and I shared of getting to see our children play together. We were both so pleased to FINALLY be able to introduce our children to one another.

Their first night here. Aunt Johnna reading everyone their night time story.

Their second day here, everyone went together to a corn maze and 'pumpkin patch.'

Eli and his new best-friend. This was the start of our corn maze experience.

That look says, 'which way do we go?'

The corn field was a good idea until the temperature rose about 100 degrees, we started running out of water, children started needing to potty, feet started hurting = carrying kids on shoulders, the adults were getting frantic (and yes, we all stomped through some corn - I know... cheaters), and frankly, we were lost... in a CORN MAZE! Ridiculous. Needless to say, I was pretty happy when we finished.

Hannah's expression says it all.

Dearest of friends

Walking through the 'Pumpkin Patch'

Salamander Hunting

Looking for Lady Bugs

Fall Tree Craft

Ellie Making Eggs for Breakfast

Playground Time

Apple Pie is Always a Good Idea

2011-11-01T13:12:00.000-07:00

Please excuse me as I blow a thick layer of neglect off my keyboard and attempt to catch up on the mountain of details called life that has happened this month! We have been busy (can you tell) and I'm afraid that my blogging has suffered as a result. The treasure of experiences this month runs deep and I fear that with everything we've done I won't be able to hold your attention in one blog post. Therefore, I will attempt to present it all in small bites so stay tuned!

A is for Apple:

I am pretty sure that we have rung every bit of life out of the fall season as we frequently checked activities off of our Fall Bucket list. It has been a full and thrilling month. The weekend of October 1st, we made a trip to Western NC to catch up with friends and visit an apple orchard local to the area. We visited Sky Top Orchards two years ago on an outing with friends on a cold and wet November day that clouded in what I was sure at the time to be an beautiful view. We still had loads of fun pulling apple after apple from the tree and putting them into our basket. But this time around I'm confident that October had its best on for us as the day could not have been more amazing. The air was crisp, the sky blue and clear, and the sun was bright! Such a gorgeous day!

In preparation for our weekend apple picking trip, the kids did several crafts to help them learn about apple trees and the process of growing apples. Thank you, Pinterest for all the great ideas that my craft-challenged brain could not conjure up on its own!

SKY TOP ORCHARDS. FLAT ROCK, NC.

Our basket running over with Fuji and Granny Smith

Our friends Megan and Aaron's little addition, Salem

Hannah's third or fourth apple... we kind of lost track.

Full Baskets and ready to call it quits

Family meal at a favorite restaurant in Asheville

We wrapped up our apple picking extravaganza with the Booth family tradition of making homemade apple pie. Their pie is usually reserved for Thanksgiving or Christmas only, but we've broken the rule a good number of times because I simply cannot go an entire 12 months without one! Such a perfect ending to our apple orchard experience. As far as I'm concerned, apple pie with a cloud of whipped cream is ALWAYS a good idea!

A Wall of Opportunity

2011-10-13T17:36:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if Hannah and Eli have yet figured out what danger and risk are all about - even the feelings associated with those concepts do not seem to be something that they have yet absorbed. Maybe blissful ignorance is still shadowing their little minds from reality. Or perhaps even in their own way, they too grasp at the chance to push the limits and experience that thrilling surge of adrenaline. Could it be that they too have the same need for heart-filling adventure that is so deeply entrenched into our hearts? A 40-foot-high wall studded from base to roof with hand holds begs to be climbed and that is what we did. Jon can be such a child at times - and I say that without an ounce of negativity. He simply portrays the same intrigue and peaked interest that I so often see on the faces of my kids when I offer an experience to them that they cannot wait to have. Nearly two weeks ago, our family packed up and headed to western NC for a 10-year Outdoor Education reunion for our alma mater, Montreat College. The college has a beautiful and relatively new high ropes course that came long after the days of my trudging through the woods and sitting in 'class' - class being the rocky surface of Hawks Bill high in Linville Gorge, a canopy of blazing stars, or a narrow trail skirted by tall grace - class, yes those were the days! I had no idea how good life was in those days! Okay, sorry for the rabbit trail - I can get in real trouble with reminiscing. Back to our day at the reunion.

Jon giving Eli the run-down on climbing gear

Naturally Eli expressed a desire to climb the wall, and in an equally natural fashion Jon decided to take it a step further and introduce Eli to rappelling. Much to my surprise, the reply from the high ropes coordinator to Jon's request to take Eli climbing and then rappelling was simply, "Well, how do you want to do this?" Secretly, I was fretting that someone was going to expose our bad parenting philosophy and frown upon our decision to allow our three-year-old to share this high element experience. No one balked - really, should this surprise me? It is after all the Outdoor Ed department.

Suited Up and Ready to Climb

Eli giving a 'Thumbs Up'

The Reliable Prusik knot. And don't worry,

that rope (as I was taught) can hold the weight of a several tons - 34lbs was no match.

Working their way up. Jon mostly held Eli and carried him up.

Almost There!

Starting the Rappel. Jon on rappel and Eli being lowered.

The Boys in Action

Hannah had her share of thrill. Much like Eli, she expressed a desire to try just about every element that they could see and understand. Her first element was the rope tunnel. She launched right up, climbing ragged hand hold after ragged hand hold - fearless. Somewhere along the journey upwards, the distance between her and the top was minimal BUT the distance between her and the ground was occupying her mind, and seeing Mommy cheering her on from a distance instead of right by her side unnerved her and she opted to call it quits. She did a great job!

Hannah latched onto Sarah for the day wanting to be by her side helping or playing.

Shortly after her climb through the rope tunnel, Hannah wanted to rocket up the 40' tower with me and rappel down the opposing wall. We had a great time. About 30' into the climb she panicked not wanting to go further. I gave her two options; either she could go back down or we could climb all the way to the top and see the mountains from there. Once she learned of the reward at the top, she was ready and determined to see it through. She took her experience atop the tower in stride, happily waiting and diligently listening to everything. Standing on a platform and waiting to be lowered can be intimidating for anyone, but she loved every moment and was ready to 'fly to the bottom like a bird.' She was so brave and such a little hero!

Hannah and Me

Eli and Daddy in the top of the rope tunnel

Hannah doing the big swing. She was too small to reach the release cord,

but the OE students made the experience just as fun!

Hannah Helping Clean Up

'Uncle' Nick

After the reunion, we retraced some favorite spots in Black Mountain. I caught myself on several occasions having to force my mind to digest the reality that this used to be our home. There were moments when I had that feeling that perhaps if I looked hard enough I could find our foot prints still there embedded in the sand from a walk round the lake earlier that day... the memories have not faded and it still feels familiar enough to be home.

I'm pretty sure it goes without saying (or writing in this case) that we had a great, great time. Jon and I enjoyed reconnecting with people from both our school experiences. We were also thankful for the opportunity to say goodbye to a favorite professor of ours who has taken a position with Wheaton College. Those places of our past still wear in my heart like my favorite tee-shirt. I'll wear those memories until they fall apart and ceases to exist.

Making New Memories

2011-09-27T17:40:00.000-07:00

We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.
T. S. Eliot

This well-read quote seems especially appropriate for this season that our lives seem to be falling into at the moment. We have returned to east Tennessee for this time, however long it may last - short or long, that is to be determined. But of what I am sure, I am going to cherish and allow every moment of our time here to be taken captive to the whole of my being. I want to be alive here and now, relishing each opportunity to do something and imprint a new experience onto my heart that will differ from past ones here in this place so familiar. I want to rewrite history and give this place a new name, one that capitulates to the pulse of a life well-lived, and not a mind heavy burdened and lost. I want to drop all my tendencies towards reticence and fear, and give into the same desire to explore and experience that my children live out each and every day. Oh, to be promised all the joy that they carry daily, and the driven mindset that they have just to move about and not quit until energy finally gives way and the bed offers the hope of dreams sweet. Hmmmm, that would be nice. They are reminding me daily of what life is - life: living, breathing, active, whole.

So in light of a desire to live and be, our family has taken to doing something that we all love most - hiking. I think I can honestly say that my children (at least at this point) absolutely adore hiking. The seemingly never ending path to all sorts of discoveries and treasures has them enamored with being outside. They are in love. This past weekend we had the delight to have our friends from North Carolina join us over night. It was incredibly soul enriching to spend time with them and their new addition!

Getting 'trail legs' early

Eli has recently formed an attachment to the movie, Bambi.

He is re-inacting/make-believing the antlers of deer getting tangled during a dominance fight.

Trying out Birch branches for the winter green flavor that is naturally produced

Hannah's Birch Branch Experience

Hannah discovered these two roots in the ground and put the stick between the two

in order to form the letter, H. As she is learning her name,

she is very aware of the various letter H's we come across these days

Eli gets a hold of REAL antlers at Poppie's house - LOVE.

First S'more

I think he liked it

Yep, pretty sure he liked it.

I know she liked it!

Frozen Meal Follow-up: BBQ CHICKEN

2011-09-19T12:30:00.000-07:00

Saturday we took off for a family hike and had a BLAST enjoying some time in the woods. The kiddos especially enjoyed all the wonders of the woods and the freedom of exploring big territories.

Before embarking on our day trip, I decided I had better put something in the crock pot so that we would have a filling and delicious meal waiting on us when we returned. I grabbed the pre-assembled frozen pineapple bbq chicken and it was oh so good!

The recipe is as follows:

1 jar of your favorite bbq sauce (I used Williams Bros BBQ b/c it is preservative free)

4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts

3/4 of a large can of pineapple chunks plus some of the juice (use as many or as few pineapples as you like)

1 Onion julienned

4-6 pieces of already cooked bacon (I had some on hand) cut into pieces

A sprinkle of brown sugar (optional)

I served it over rice and it was just perfect.

Mouse Cleaning

2011-09-16T10:34:00.000-07:00

"Our house is clean enough to be healthy, and dirty enough to be happy"

During a recent trip to the library we stumbled upon this book and it has been a real hit in our home. Hannah has especially taken a liking to it because the story line of the book is built upon cleaning. I highly recommend this book if you have a clean-loving toddler or pre-schooler. This is a fun read.

Hannah is our token neat freak/cleaning machine. One of her favorite activities is to fill her spray bottle, grab a rag, and go to work wiping just about anything in sight much to the dismay of some things (including Pilgrim our dog). In her mind she is contributing, and although each window is now streaked with watery drips and every swept pile of dust is scattered once again in her attempts to sweep it up, she is still such a help and brings me so much joy as I watch this aspect of her personality develop more and more.

Looking for the mouse that inspires the cleaning

(you'll have to read the book)

She comes by this trait honestly. She has various aunts and a grandmother whose passion in life is organization and cleanliness. So, here's to all you neat freaks out there! I am raising another to join the ranks! I personally tend to embrace the quote that I put at the beginning of this post!

And she does it with such Style!

Corn and Black Bean Salsa - A Favorite!

2011-09-14T16:43:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite cookbooks is Earthbound Organic's Food to Live By. There is a wealth of great recipes, tips, ideas, and organic know-how. I was first introduced to this book with this particular recipe, Corn and Black Bean Salsa. This is a favorite for me. It is easy, quick, and so incredibly refreshing. Perhaps you'll enjoy it too.

Love this recipe book. It's a great resource.

The recipe is mostly black beans and corn, but there is lots more that join in on this party to make it oh, so yummy! Fresh tomato, red bell pepper (my addition), purple onion, parsley, garlic, olive oil, vinegar and seasons. Need I write more? Soooo delicious!

Here's the recipe - I'm just too lazy to write it out myself.

1. Mix all the fresh ingredients (beans, corn, tomato, onion, and parsley)

2. Mix the liquids with the garlic and seasons (garlic, vinegar, olive oil, chili powder, cumin, sugar, salt, pepper. I added some lime juice too)

3. Pour dressing over fresh ingredients and enjoy!

15 And Counting...

2011-09-14T16:01:00.000-07:00

I found myself wondering today how many more times in my life I will wake up and have to re-orient myself to my surroundings, reminding myself that I am no longer in my former home. Spending the first night in a new place seems to always be followed by that odd feeling the next day when you wake up and realize that you just hauled all your earthly processions to this new 'home.' It's all a journey, but in my 29-years, 17 solid years of them were lived underneath the same roof. About the only thing that moved was the occasional piece of furniture or a picture frame - and even then it was rare. My parents planned their home, built it, furnished it, and kept it the same throughout my life except for a few remodeling projects. I guess I thought that was what most people do... apparently not. Since our wedding day Jonathan and I have moved a total of 15 times, that's an average of 2.15 times per year. I'm exhausted, especially since each and every move has involved Jon, me, our parents, whoever we can round up to help us, and a rental truck. Each item boxed and loaded and then unloaded and unpacked by yours truly.

I'm so over having stuff. The more I've moved, the more loosely I'm able to hold on to my processions, and with each move my pile to give to Goodwill or wherever gets larger and larger. I have learned to live on less and to really appreciate having less. I think that I can honestly say that less IS actually more.

Saying Goodbye to the home we first moved into when we arrived in Atlanta

But probably what has sunk more deeply into the core of my being, a realization so profound that it continues to echo in my mind as I pack and unpack and pack and unpack... I am not home yet. For the last two years we have had a great portion of our things boxed up and stored and there are moments when I cannot wait to finally settle down and be able to really unpack. But in more honest moments, when the mirage of stability has faded, I realize that even when I am am fully settled the dull ache for something more will again surface. I am on a pilgrimage and any place that I call home on this side of heaven is merely a watered down version, weak at best, of what I have waiting for me. What I'm really wanting is to be home - heaven home - to finally unpack, settle down, feel at home, and stay forever. And that one certain desire must continue to wait and grow, for now.

Getting Ready to Unload

Hannah having an artistic moment in her dress Meme gave to her.

For most of our moves, it usually takes several days to a week plus to get fully settled into our home. For this particular move we were able to do it in a day. I'm convinced it was God's grace poured out.

Snack time in the 'Tennessee House' - as they call it

Day 3 of being here and we've already made a trip to the river. The kiddos really enjoyed a trick that I learned during my days teaching, rubbing rocks (wet) together to create 'paint.' We had a little face painting session. They of course loved doing that and seeing how wet they could actually get without swimming.

Working on her funny face

The funny face presentation - this took effort

Eli's attempt at a serious face - turned out to be more of a funny face. Being serious is apparently funny to him.

A favorite Meal

2011-09-04T06:55:00.000-07:00

Fact:The average hen lays 250 to 270 eggs a year.

My dear in-laws are officially chicken farmers! They have been nurturing and maintaining a thriving group of 5 noisy hens (or 'girls' as they refer to them) for about a year now. The first things my kids always want to do when we go to Nonnie and Poppie's home is to see the chickens! I'm nearly as excited as they are to receive the inevitable dozen or so eggs that are graciously given to our family to enjoy after every visit to their house.

One of my favorite ways to utilize eggs is to make quiche. This meal is often served at our table and is loved by us all. I enjoy making quiche, and I've discovered that I can make double the amount and freeze half (unbaked) in a pre-made pie shell for a day when I need it. Below I'll share one of the many ways I like to bake it up! I'll give the measurements for a single batch.

For the Egg Base:

4 Eggs, beaten (sometimes I'll throw in one more)

1 3/4 C. 2% Milk

1/4 C. Sour Cream

1 1/2 C Shredded Cheese (Mozzarella or Cheddar as in this photo)

1/8 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

1/4 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp. Pepper

Add-Ins:

Onions and mushrooms Sautéed with garlic (use amounts you will enjoy)

Slightly cooked broccoli

4 Slices thick-cut bacon, cooked crispy

Pre-bake your pie crust and allow time to cool. Then sprinkle some of the Add-ins on the bottom. Mix the rest of the add-ins to the liquid base.

Pour egg mixture into shell and bake at 350 for 10 minutes then back it down to 325 for 1 hour.

Allow it to cool then serve it up with soup and/or salad, and some hot crusty bread! So Delicious!

Random Bit of Information:

When I think of quiche I immediately associate this dish with French cuisine. But upon research I came to find its roots to be German. What?? Exactly my thought. It was originally given the name, ‘Kuchen’ which is German for 'cake.' The idea of the quiche was supposedly born during medieval times in the kingdom Lothringen. I know, medieval German kingdoms don't exactly resonate in your mind when you consider quiche. I'm thinking quaint little backery, side of soup or salad, and perhaps some coffee afterwards. How about some Kuchen served in an earthen bowl along side your huge mug of ale or mead... not exactly what I think about. I'm sure the classic quiche has been refined over the centuries, but what a wild beginning! I am glad to be serving this age old dish on our table today.

Calzone Follow-up

2011-08-29T10:23:00.000-07:00

I love it when a plan comes together. Last Friday night as I was thinking through dinner plans I decided to give my frozen mini-calzones a try. Success! They turned out just perfect.

As you may remember, I had made up a bunch of them and froze them for later use. These were a great go-to meal and incredibly flavorful as well. I recommend making up several batches and allow for a variety of filler options.

This recipe is super easy:
1 loaf frozen bread dough (or you can make your own pizza dough if you want to)
Ricotta Cheese
Mozzarella Cheese
Parmesan Cheese
Whatever pizza toppings you like (we used some sauteed spinach, onion, mushroom, garlic, italian sausage that we had on hand)

See previous post for additional photos:
http://boothbunch.blogspot.com/2011/08/secrets-in-kitchen.html

Easy and yummy. I love win-win situations!

Secrets in the Kitchen

2011-08-18T18:40:00.000-07:00

I have recently discovered something about myself, a little secret about me: I have a hoarding problem. Phew, got that off my chest. Okay, perhaps I'm not an actual compulsive hoarder, I don't have junk stacked around my home threatening to topple over trapping me forever - I think I've been watching too much of TLC's Hoarding: Buried Alive. Last week after becoming inspired to stock my freezer with pre-made meals, I went poking around to see what I had to work with that was immediately available. That's when the sinking feeling set in, I pretty much skipped denial and went straight to acceptance - I've hoarded and I've procrastinated. As I was looking through the freezer I realized that I had quite the stock pile of chicken and beef. Let me explain, I shop for deals, mark-downs, and coupon steals. When I find something that blows the lid off on the regular price, I grab a few - okay, I grab lots. So naturally, tucked within the confines of the freezer's frosty interior was pack after pack of chicken, cooked italian sausage, loads of ground beef... alright, I'll stop there - after all, this isn't confession time. I had bought most of these items with every intention of using them right away or using them to make freezer meals for later. However, that is not exactly what happened - clearly.

I did not let the overwhelming amount of food get to me, I went right away to collecting recipes and developing a plan. In my search for recipes that can be easily frozen and then (and this is the key) pleasantly thawed and GOOD to eat, I realized how few healthy recipes there are floating around out there. Nearly everything called for Cream of this or loads of cheese. So I selected a few of those and then came up with my own substitutions and ideas.

In my search, one of the most favorable ideas I found was the concept of taking a crock pot meal, assembling everything in a ziplock back, and then freezing it. So I took a couple of recipes that I knew my family would love and fixed two of each of them.

Something that my family really enjoys is calzones. Now, normally we enjoy making them on a Friday night, everyone selecting their own combination of stuffing mix and creating their own tasty calzone. But I found this idea on the internet and thought it sounded good. I took pizza dough and laid out several small rounds inside of a muffin pan, stuffed, sealed, and froze them. I'm still not sure how it will work on the baking end of things, but I suppose if I let them thaw properly they might turn out alright.

Another easy and yummy idea for a quick meal and one that you can tailor in size is stuffed Italian pasta shells. I made two versions, some with meat and some without. I made up several bags of these, mostly because I boiled an entire box of jumbo pasta shells and wanted to fill them all. And also as a personal decision, I have determined to simply use all of an ingredient instead of leaving a bag of shredded cheese 1/4 of the way full or a container with 1/3 of a cup of ricotta cheese - all of which is likely to just get lost in my fridge and eventually tossed out... aka, money wasted, not food saved for a later use.

Tomato, Garlic, Cheese, Basil Stuffed Shells

Hannah Helping Me Prepare - Such A Great Helper

5 Cheese Stuffed Shells with Fresh Basil

Beware: when allowing your children to help, they will eat, and eat, and eat...

Best to have a little extra on hand for this reason.

After a couple of days of worth of cooking, assembling, and freezing everything I possibly could out of my stock pile of frozen foods, I'm pretty tired. I will warn you, this much preparation will make your brain feel a little like it's been sitting in a crock pot all day - mush. So I did something pretty stupid, I decided to use a great, big, heavy jar of mayonnaise to crush two garlic bulbs. Normally this wouldn't be an issue, however when one does decide to beat the day lights out of the garlic with an OPEN jar of Mayo, the end result is not pretty.

Wishing I had thought this through just a little bit more.

The end result:
5 bags cooked ground beef (for spaghetti, tacos, nachos, soups, etc)
2 Quiches
2 Pineapple BBQ Chicken Crock Pot Meals
2 French Onion and Swiss Cheese Chicken Crock Pot Meals
1 Mexi-chicken Crock Pot Meal
1 South of the Boarder Mac 'n Cheese Crock Pot Meal (meatless)
1 Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole
2 Chicken and Wild Rice Casseroles
1 Chicken and Broccoli Casserole
3 Bags Stuffed Shells
11 Mini Calzones

I sincerely hope you're not reading this and thinking that I'm having a little 'bragging session.' This is definitely a small victory for me. I strive to be organized, but life isn't always that simple and order isn't nearly as attainable as I would like it to be. But when I saw what other women had done from the web sites I visited, I was inspired. I hope this perhaps will inspire someone else. I should mention that I did not do all these meals in one day - just shoot me! I was able to do this over a few days and I had help from my mom who watched my kids. I know next time I will do some things differently. But it is my hope that all the prepared food I have put away will be in essence like a deposit in the bank of time. The less time I'm in my kitchen, the more time I can pour into my family.

Here are some links to some of the places that I found inspiration for this attempt to make a bunch of meals a head of time:

http://aturtleslifeforme.blogspot.com/2011/06/freezer-meals-on-cheap.html

http://annies-eats.net/2011/03/28/stocking-the-freezer-make-ahead-meals/

http://erinkristine.blogspot.com/2010/01/freezer-meals.html

As well as a website to get labels from (if you're really organized):

http://www.onceamonthmom.com/wp-content/uploads/BlanksNEW.pdf

Happy Cooking!

Little Escapades

2011-08-16T11:15:00.000-07:00

Cooling Down

This summer has been H-O-T!! I am finally beginning to realize what people in the southern most states do in order to survive the long summers - water, lots and lots of it. Pools, fountains, water hoses, baby pools, you name it. It is not just a fun time-filler, it is an essential tool to make getting outside happen. On most mornings, my poor children are shooed out the door to catch the milder morning temperatures while they last. Then upon realizing that Eli's face is the color of a ripe tomato, I come to grips with reality, it simply isn't fun playing in 97+ degrees. Not to mention that the ozone is sadly a hazard as well. So we've made trips to the library, Centennial Olympic Park, and the indoor bouncing gym to occupy our times. Here is little of what we've been up to these days:

Hannah Enjoying time in the water hose

Baking Cookies

Sweet Rewards

Waiting for the Train

Of course, we had to take the kids on MARTA in order to give them an experience riding the train. They are both really into trains right now, especially Eli who for a while carried around his Thomas nearly everywhere he went. They loved riding downtown watching cars, buildings, and landscape go whizzing by us. Such a thrill for them. Eli actually watched in awe.

Hannah was SOOO excited!

A stop into see 'Pops' at the 'Chick-bite store'

Picnic at Centennial Park

Playing in the Olympic Rings Fountain Downtown

We've been making short trips to Tennessee throughout the later half of this summer in order to mow the grass, check on our house, and try to get things ready for the house to sell. Hannah and Eli call it 'Our Tennessee Home.'

Sitting on the Entry Porch

No trip to TN would be complete for our little family if we didn't include an escapade into the woods.

And finally, we celebrated Pop's birthday with the making of homemade vanilla bean and peach ice cream!

Grill Master in Training

Happy Birthday Pops!

All in all, we've had a great summer. And we are looking forward to more adventures to come...

Another Fork in the Trail

2011-08-10T19:25:00.000-07:00

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair

And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

It is 'late' and I should be on my way to some semblance of sleep because before long I will hear the inevitable cry that wakes me out of my slumber and calls me to motherly responsibility. The call comes every night. And on the off chance that I should wake up at 6 am and realize that I went the entire night without waking I am most pleasantly surprised. It's amazing what 8 solid hours of sleep can do to a person, or so I have realized.

So why the restlessness, why the lack of sleep? I think the answer lies in the inconsistency of life and the great looming question mark casting its shadow over the future. Let me back up a bit. 13 months ago we were living in North Carolina, happy and ready to experience an exciting and laid back summer full of fun and rest (this following a busy semester in school). That, however was not what our summer looked like at all. July 3rd, we awoke to a kitchen floor sitting in a small bed of water with more pour onto it every second from the broken pipe under our kitchen sink (I can hear my children crying, but I can't hear a pipe breaking and water flowing... go figure). This three week fix turned into 2 months and the story goes down hill from there. In a chain of crazy events, we spent 2 months moving around to eventually 'settle' back into the repaired rental home. Two and a half months later, God changed our plans dramatically and we packed up and headed to Atlanta in pursuit of a nursing degree. Three months after moving into our new little home in Atlanta, we got the call from our tenants letting us know that they were moving out of our house in Tennessee. Are you still with me? Sorry, for the excessive detail. So, as most poor college students must do, we were forced into moving in with the parents in order to float our mortgage while continuing on with school here in Atlanta. One semester, two CNA courses, and one CNA II course later we are almost finished. We are exhausted. 13 months of ceaseless school, constant moving, too many night classes, and never really feeling settled and I can only hope that we will see the light at the end of the tunnel soon.

It would be unfair and dishonest if I said that the last 13 months have been nothing but hardship. Hardship has been woven throughout, that's just real life. But we have experienced so much more. We have been to places, met people, and had experiences that we never dreamed of having. We've walked along paths that we had no idea that our feet would ever trod. We've tasted the bitter feeling of want, and yet felt the sweetness that comes from knowing what our real blessings are. We are indeed blessed. We have mingled with people whom we both feel so privileged to know. We have been lifted and filled by the love of our families, and have watch the caring hands of our parents reach out in service and support to us.

So why the Robert Frost poem? Well, because yet another life change is upon us. We have come to another split in the trail. Being that going into the woods often times feels like going home for me, this poem speaks volumes. I can picture the trail and quandary the traveller must have felt. Decisions have NEVER been easy for me. I ponder over and labor in my thinking about what to do. I am analytical and indecisive, not a terribly good combination. I'm afraid this makes for a lot of long drawn out conversations with Jon, poor guy. Up until recently we had planned to return to our home in Tennessee to finish out school and then move on from there back to North Carolina. Upon consideration, we have realized that NC feels too much like home for us to stay away any longer. And being that we have a desperate longing for home, we feel it is time we finally sold our precious home in Tennessee.

Life is fluid, it changes, it is change. I would be remiss if I failed to mention that this decision was from the first moment of conception bathed in petition after petition to God for his guidance. Faith as we have been so aptly reminded often looks like moving forward and trusting God to direct us as we move.

When you are unsure which course to take, totally submit

your own judgement to that of the Spirit of God, asking Him

to shut every door except the right one. But meanwhile keep moving

ahead and consider the absence of a direct indication from God to the

evidence of his will that you are on His path.

F. B. Meyer - Streams in the Desert

I believe the road less travelled by is the road of faith. How many times, I have simply wanted life to be easy and predictable, and yet it has been anything but that. I have felt the gnawing desire just to know the end of the story, to know how each season of life is going to turn out. But I am forced into living in a place of faith, in a place of trust, placing myself at the mercy of One who does know the ending. So we move forward, trusting Him to block our path or make corrections as He sees fit. I believe this is the road less travelled.

Shades of Summer

2011-07-19T17:53:00.000-07:00

Last summer I said some simply spoken, unforgettable famous-last-words, 'this summer is going to be a real summer.' Anyone who knows us remembers that the summers prior are a laundry list of major changes (moving, building a house, having babies, moving again - to name a few) But last summer, I had every intention of spending lots of time playing with my family, going to summer concerts, eating good food, and hanging out with friends. Two days after journalling these very words, the home we were renting in Black Mountain flooded, and a torrent of successive moves took place from then on that eventually landed us in Atlanta. The word crazy comes to mind, but for whatever reason it feels incredibly weak and watered down to be used in this situation. So, you may be wondering what does that have to do with this summer? Well, again I had in mind to have yet another summer filled with fun. Chalk up another win to chaos! Instead of disaster, Jon and I in an instant of heated brain-madness both decided that this summer would be a good time to take advantage of a couple of accelerated education courses. I took a course during the day and Jon opted for the evening course. So for the last month we have been playing tag with the kids, driving to and from the Marta station and kissing hello and goodbye while one hops into the car and the other hops out and runs to catch the train. I know what you're thinking, 'Phew, that sounds exhausting.' It is.

But somehow in the midst of all the craziness, we've been able to capture a bit of summer and make amends for the wild ride we took last year. So, since I've been in class for the past month, I thought I might catch you up on what we've been up to these last few weeks... starting back from (dare I say) Father's Day (yep, it has been too long).

Father's Day on a budget looked like taking a hike at THE only good hiking spot within a short drive for us. We headed over to Kennesaw national battle field and spent some time on the trail. I'm pretty sure that no matter what I could otherwise offer Jon, he will nearly always choose the option that gets him into the woods.

During these busy weeks we had a short, but wonderful respite. Over the Fourth of July weekend we escaped to Asheville to visit some friends. Of course we were beyond thrilled to be there... I think we might have actually taken a deep breath or two as we drove back into those blessed mountains!

Quick Hike Up Lookout with Nick and Sarah

This view NEVER gets old

A Rainy Hike with the Blackmors

We stayed with friends Aaron and Megan (and baby on the way). It's nice to be spoiled and they are really good at this! We were given the royal treatment during our stay with them. We hiked out to a water fall and enjoyed exploring yet another amazingly beautiful treasure in WNC.

Hannah and Daisy on July 4th

We finished out our weekend away by spending the 4th of July with Jon's family.

No trip to TN is complete without mowing and mowing and mowing....

If you've been to our home you know what I'm talking about.

We spent July 4th with our family in Tennessee. It is always such a joy to drive up to their beautiful mountain home... and when I say home, that is 100% the feeling I get upon arrival. I always love visiting with Jon's family. Long morning chats over several cups of coffee, while the cool morning air drifts in through their front porch screen. Such peace. While there, I am recaptured by my love for the Smokies and their gnarled, ancient feel.

An Independance Day Classic

Back to Atlanta, and our other adventures continue...

We had the privilege to spend a day with a dear friend from New York who was in town. It was such a treat to be with her and we decided to head down town. No visit to Atlanta would be complete without a stop into Chick-fil-A! So we dropped in to visit my Dad at this store.

Eli Catching a Ride on Pops Brief Case

Work'in with Pops

I must admit, though I grew up in Atlanta my familarity with the down town area is pitiful, and on this particular day we took the 'long route' to the Children's Museum and Centennial park.

The Children's Museum

The Olympic Rings Fountain at Centennial Park

Although summer here has bordered on being miserably hot, I've found solace and comfort in the presence of dear family and friends. Their encouraging presence has in essence been a kind of sweet shade. Who of us when experiencing blistering heat wouldn't long for the cooling presence of the shade? Each moment in the shade gives me courage to step forward back into the blazing days of this crazy life.

Moving Forward to a Stand Still

2011-07-16T18:44:00.000-07:00

Starting the Smoker

The drippy heat that just about knocks me over every time I step from the kitchen door reminds me that the busy spring months are well behind us and summer is here. Just a few short weeks ago, Jon and I did a check on the bees and much to our surprise we found our first honey super almost fully loaded and in the process of being capped with wax. After an email to a seasoned bee keeper, I was instructed to place my second honey super before all the honey in the first super was fully capped. So naturally within the next day I found a bee keeper who sold supplies and set out to purchase another super.

Eager to Help

For our second super, we decided to try a medium instead of a shallow size. I hope that we aren't being over achievers in this case. We also purchased a queen excluder to insure that the queen would not lay eggs within our honey storage.

Helping Daddy Paint

It has now been close to three weeks since adding the second super as well as the excluder. I did a hive check on Monday and was a little disappointed by the seemingly small amount of progress the bees have made to draw out the comb and produce honey. It seems that they lost all the momentum from the spring months. But the more time I've spent outside, I've begun to realize that the bees have very little in the way of blooming plants. And I've noticed that they have spent quite a bit of time hanging out around the entrance to the hive. As pictured below, the bees literally cling to the outside of the hive body, forming a large dark mass against the white washed wooden hive. After a little research, I discovered that this behavior is called Bearding. Bearding happens during extremely hot temperatures when the interior of the hive is simply too hot. Many of the workers are within the hive fanning their wings in an attempt to keep the hive temperature down. So, as I've watched their activities I've come to realize that the bees are doing what they can to survive the heat.

Bearding

I'm often so focused on the product instead of the process. The bees don't have a choice, they must focus on the process, for at the moment the process involves survival. I am so keenly aware of how much I need to just be, living out each moment by embracing life fully right where I am.

Honey On the Fly

2011-06-15T17:58:00.000-07:00

Tart words make no friends;

a spoonful of honey will catch more flies than a gallon of vinegar.

Benjamin Franklin

My heart skipped at least one beat when I my eyes captured the first sight of honey from our hive! Almost as if the bees had intentionally brought the evidence of their hard labor right to the front door, allowing the gooey liquid to shine on the surface for a sticky, runny greeting. Oh, me of little faith, right? As if I should have thought that this whole time they were simply lounging around in there with all that commotion. Honey Bees create honey, pure science and design. I know, and I shouldn't have expected less from them. But the first sight of honey thrilled me nonetheless.

A couple of weeks ago when we opened the hive and found all 10 frames filled out and some patchy spots of honey, we realized that it was indeed the moment to finally place the honey Super atop the hive body. The brood itself has at least doubled in sized, perhaps tripled. Generally speaking, on most days there are several hundred coming and going from the entrance. The worker bees take about 21 days to fully develop from egg to adult. It has been so neat to witness this family grow dramatically.

The Growing Brood

I know what you're thinking when you see the above photo... 'Run for your life!!' Am I right? Come on, if at least some of us were honest we would probably freak out if we were come upon this scene. Well, I have good news. Not one of these bees stung nor attempted to sting us. In fact, they did not seem to mind or acknowledge our presence at all.

Pulling out an outer frame. You can see the wax fully drawn out.

Bees Wax Capped Cells

Honey Storage Capped with Wax

The Super Resting On Top

10 Fresh Frames, Ready to Be Filled

Adding the Top of the Hive. Notice the Sugar Water... still there.

I have to laugh a little bit when I think about how childlike I became in that moment of first seeing that beaming honey, laying nestled in our little hive. I love first experiences like this, being surprised and joyful over something so incredibly every day and yet unbelievably extraordinary and wonderful. Sure, honey is a staple in most homes, but to see it in its raw more natural form is brilliant and refreshing. there is simply something about the created world working in a smooth, God-designated, beautiful motion that is in some miraculous way deeply healing to me. I find myself wondering in what way I am bringing a bit of joy and refreshment into the lives of others? I am so aware of how easy it is during difficult days or hardships in our lives to throw in our negative word or two. And yet, how much more powerful and influential can a simple word of encouragement be to another? I am compelled to offer more, to bring a smile, to inspire... to be honey on the fly.

Sand Castle Moments

2011-06-09T11:25:00.000-07:00

Isn't it funny how the moment quickly becomes a memory? This week, I've been busy building sand castles with my kids and I am struck by how desperately I want to truly live out and soak up the fun of every moment. And when I wake up the next day, already those experiences are just memories. What is our fascination with building sand castles anyway? We pour hours of our time, energy, and creativity into a structure that may within minutes be engulfed within the ensuing tide... but we keep building. I love it! And one of my most favorite things to do is to build 'drip castles.' To sit at the surf and allow the wet sand to run off my finger tips into a series of spires and decorative mounds of dried sand art (if I might deem it that). No one creation is the same. I find it incredibly relaxing.

As I am sitting amidst my family, I am absorbed by a metaphor so absolute that it is almost poignant. My time with my family, each moment of life that I am given to enjoy is a little like sand castles, they are only around for a little while. Though, I am not saying that the memories themselves don't in essence build a much stronger structure, but the actual snapshot of life is short lived. I suppose I've become more sentimental the older I've gotten... especially as I watch the months fall off the calendar the way that days used to. I find within myself a motivation to enjoy each moment because you cannot stop the inevitable tide of what we call life.

The Tunnel That Daddy and Uncle Daniel Created.

Hannah was slightly unnerved by Eli playing in the tunnel.

Eli Emerging from the Sand Tunnel

My niece, Daisy

Hannah about to jump from Daddy's hands

The kids LOVE the pool

Beach Toes

Hannah was very apprehensive about the getting into the ocean,

but Nonnie's gentle approach to the water won Hannah over.

Hannah Getting Her 'Sea Legs'

The over comer

Daddy teaching Eli to boogie board

Eli is enamored with the water.

He was fearless from the start, taking on the waves like a giant.

Looking for Manatees

An ice cream treat

Down near the board walk

Playing on the beach

Eli with Uncle Daniel

Two Exhausted Kiddos

Enjoy the Sand Castle Moments while they are here!

Race Cars and Tutus

2011-05-31T17:22:00.000-07:00

10 days ago my kiddos turned three-years-old. And the fact that I'm just now getting a chance to post pictures of the party is just evidence to the reality that life has a way of happening to me sometimes. But I suppose just making the effort is better than just throwing in the towel... as my mom used to say, 'better late than never.'

We were privileged with some special guests that really helped to make the party extra exciting. Nonnie and Poppie as well as their Aunt Jessica and cousin Daisy drove from Tennessee just for the special day. Many a birthday has been spent crowded around my parent's large round table, and this particular day wasn't any different. Aunt Jo (Joy), Mo Mo (Molly), Collin, Me Me, Pops ('Pots'), Jon, and I were of course a part of the fan fare as well. All in all, it was a fairly laid back day with lots of family time, just the way we Booths like it!

Daisy or "Baby Daisy" as the kids call her.

Jessica and Daniel's almost 6-month-old little girl

Playing in the big sand box

Jessica and Daisy

We spent the first half of the day at Stone Mountain Park. Driving through those familiar gates was like strolling casually to the past. Memories of days gone by itched at my subconscious, like smelling something that sends you back in time. It was neat to retrace some old steps. There is so much to do there, but we opted to spend time playing on the playground and strolling in the woods.

Eli and Hannah on the hike

"A three year old child is a being who gets almost as much fun out of a fifty-six dollar set of swings as it does out of finding a small green worm."

I found this quote and it really struck a chord with me. Regardless of all the effort I put up to make their party special, i.e. delightful food, fun games, bang-up decorations, my kids are just as content and happy to be playing in the sand box. The simplicity of their desires and the ease with which they happily embrace life where they are is teaching me great lessons. I love this about my children.

The themes for our party were Princesses and Race Cars.

Hannah in her birthday hat

...she was actually happy. Seriously, she was.

Ballerina Princess Cupcakes

Almond pound cake cupcake

with white chocolate, strawberry cream cheese icing.

Race Car Cupcakes

Red velvet (in honor of Lighting McQueen) cupcakes

with cookies and cream cheese icing

My attempt to make a model race track... on a budget.

I know it's border line 2nd grade work, or maybe even kindergarden.

But I love my boy, and I'll even test my artistically challenged side to make him happy.

Fun parties can be very exhausting!

The Gentle Intrusion

2011-05-28T04:37:00.000-07:00

It has officially been three weeks since the bees arrived. They have been quietly going about their business, and I have enjoyed many moments sitting and watching them. To stand at a distance and observe them going to and from the hive is pretty neat. I have been trying to catch sight of them in their pursuit of nectar, but once they have launched from the hive their tiny specimens are lost amid the backdrop green. In other words, I have no idea where they are collecting from, and I'm beginning to realize that I may never be able to actually track them down. I guess this will come with more time and observation.

A Look into their Crowded work Life

It's interesting, the bees seemed completely uninterested in the intense amount of sugar and water mixture that I set out for them. In fact, the jar was mostly full up until about six days ago. Then all of a sudden they drained a one quart mason jar in a day. Go figure? What I've decided is that they can be unpredictable. It really shouldn't come as a surprise to me since every bee keeper I've spoken with has differing opinions about what works with the bees. And lots of the information I've read has conveyed the obvious truth that bees cannot be tamed, they are wild in their own rite and they must do whatever their particular hive needs in order to survive.

A first look

The first time opening the hive was intimidating. Being a total novice, I felt like a blank book whose pages needed to be written with the proper instructions on what to do. Jon and I went together, taking turns holding the smoker tool and working with the hive. Our main objective was to check on the outermost frames to see if the bees had begun to build comb on the extremities of their hive body.

Hive body with Frame "2" Removed.

What we discovered in the process was that our bees still had frames 1 and 2 as well as 9 and 10 to begin building their intricate combs upon. As you'll notice, the foundation within the frame did not contain any comb whatsoever. Now, in the event that the bees had begun building comb on frames 2 and 9, our next step would have been to switch 2 and 9 to the outermost spaces (essentially switching them into 1 and 10's spot - sorry, if this sounds confusing). We made a small mistake. Although the bees had not built on any of these four exterior frames, we switched them any way. This wasn't necessary. It's only effective to switch the frames if in fact comb is being built, and since there wasn't the presence of comb yet it wasn't helpful to switch them.

Jon holding an exterior frame devoid of comb

Propolis

Another goal in opening the hive was to remove propolis. Propolis (as seen above) is a resinous substance that is thick and waxy which the bees use to build their comb. Within these waxy hexagonal figures the queen lays eggs to build her brood, and they are also used to store the golden goodness we call honey. As a bee keeper, you want the bees to build within the frames and not along the top of the frames or out of the top of the hive body itself. So, this beautifully built extension of propolis that you see in the photo above had to be gently scraped away.

Building Comb

Opening the hive was awesome! It was unbelievable to encounter all the thousands upon thousands of bees. And to say that I wasn't nervous would be a lie, I was definitely nervous. But I was also mesmerized by the beauty of it all. Thankfully, neither Jon nor I were stung. Actually, the bees didn't even seem to mind our presence much at all. In truth, I can probably attribute their laid back behavior to the endless puffing from the smoker tool! But the most essential tool (if I may call it that) of this experience, this intrusion of their home was gentleness.

Welcome Home

2011-05-15T12:13:00.000-07:00

Ahh, yes the long awaited post about the bees. I'm so sorry I didn't get to this last week, but my life has been on the edge of crazy for the last five days (more like the last five years, but who's counting). Two sick kiddos, a working and in school husband = long days and nights with little rest. This means that the things I love doing often get neglected, like blogging for instance. And speaking of busy, wow! I think I will learn a lesson or two from these amazing bees who I have the privilege of keeping on my property. These ladies are beyond busy, they are highly motived and I've NEVER seen a group made up of mostly females who get so much done with so little drama.

So as a recap, we picked up the bees a week ago. On the night we picked them up from the local bee keeper, I laid my ear against the closed hive and I could hear the humming of thousands upon thousands of bees. The thrill of their energy and of the journey that I was getting ready to embark upon gave me such a kick of joy. It was awesome. They survived the 1 hour drive back home and we set them up on cinder blocks (two high) and removed the wire mesh which was placed over the entrance, gating them all in for the ride. Amazingly, not one bee came out once the mesh was removed.

The next morning I ventured out in the morning to see the action. Sure enough, there they were awake and on their way diligently doing their job. The pattern and rhythms of bees, like so many wild creatures is based upon the sun light. When the sun is up, so are they.

The Ground Work

Below I'm going to detail the necessary preparations that had to be done in order to welcome this army of working women.

SUGAR, SUGAR, SUGAR

Something that I didn't realize when I first started my research on bee keeping is the unbelievable amount of sugar that is required in the process. I honestly believed that bees could find their own food without any help at all. And this is true, obviously because wild bees seem to do just fine. But in order to keep your bees around, feeding them a solid mixture of sugar and water is a must.

The recipe for sugar water is pretty simple, however like with most simple concepts we have muddled it enough to make it seem a little complicated. Most of the books will explain that the sugar to water ratio is 1:1 and they would be correct. BUT it is not a 1:1 based upon quantity, but upon WEIGHT. So, for a gallon of water which is approximately 8lbs one must add 8lbs of sugar. That is a lot of sugar, so go to Costco and bulk up on your sugar rations. An easy recipe is as follows:

1 Five Pound Bag Sugar

2.5 Quarts of Warm Water

Dissolve the sugar into the warm water, do not boil!!

I made up quite a bit and have a back-up quart ready to go when I need it.

My Sugar Storage. On the right you'll see the entry feeder. This contraption slides up under the entryway and the bees can feed directly from the drippy syrup dispensed through the dotted holes on the lid of the mason jar.

TEST YOUR EQUIPMENT

Yep, you heard me right. Get out there and light your smoker, try on your hat, put on your veil, and work a little with your gloves. I used a couple different fuels for the smoker. First, I used pine needles. These created a beautiful and thick white smoke and quickly, but I could tell that I would have to keep adding more needles as they burned fairly quickly. I also used Pet Bedding, which I found fairly cheaply at Lowes in their dog house section of the store - and it's a huge bag, so it'll last forever probably. The finely shaved pieces of cedar were a little more difficult to start the smoker with, but once I was able to get the heat going the smoke was white, thick, cool, and best of all long lasting.

BUILD YOUR SUPER

Being the novice bee keeper that I am, I was unaware of how soon I would need my super. Turns out my assumptions were pretty badly off. Now, as to the exact time we will add the honey super that depends 100% on the bees themselves, each hive has its own personality. But when I learned that it could be a week to three weeks, we got busy building. My husband is a carpenter and LOVES to do wood working. So, when I mentioned that we needed to put this together, his eyes lit up. There are plenty of places to find plans to build your own super, but for the sake of time and sanity we opted to buy the materials already measured out. He spent about an hour putting it together (and that was with the "help" of our two-year-olds). I highly recommend you start with a kit and learn to put these together, you'll save money and you'll have a greater investment of yourself in this hive. We opted for the Shallow version of the super, the comb itself is about 4 3/4 inches deep. You can go with a medium or deep super, however be prepared to put your back into lifting! When filled with honey, the frames can be quite heavy.

Piecing the box together

One of the 10 frames for our Shallow Super

Duragilt Foundation going inside each frame.

These are thin sheets of embossed, bees wax coated foundation. The scent of the bees wax gives the bees an incentive to start building, they feel right at home.

Securing the foundation into the frame.

The Work Piling Up

The Beginning

The Middle

The End

With everything in place and ready to be used, the only real action we can take is to wait - and believe me, waiting is an action! So we gave the bees about five days to settle into their new location before we opened the hive. I'll be posting the results of our first opening soon!

Weekly Menu

2011-05-09T05:07:00.000-07:00

RECAP

Last week's menu went just fine. Yes! I'm thankful for another successful week. I know that this seems so simple, but planning, shopping, and actually following through with cooking the meal is for whatever reason challenging at times. Okay, enough with that. On to the recap. Last week my favorite meal by far was the stir-fry. In times past, I have never been able to make a truly delicious stir-fry. I've decided that there is an art to the ability to cook the veggies smothering them in delicate asian flavor without over cooking it. But this time I nailed it! The veggies were not over cooked, it was great! Unfortunately, I don't have a picture - of course! But believe me, bite size chicken pieces served alongside broccoli, cauliflower, long green beans, sliced carrots, and thin sliced purple onion on a bed of brown rice... yum, enough said!

THIS WEEK'S MENU

Monday - Baked chicken with veggies

Tuesday - Quiche

Wednesday - Easy meal (Probably Fish Sticks)

Thursday- Baked Penne Pasta (I'm trying a new recipe, I'll let you know how it turns out.)

Friday - Crock Pot Pork Loin

Saturday - Left Overs

Biscuits and Bacon, "Just Like Mama (Mammy) Makes"

2011-05-03T18:34:00.000-07:00

I wonder how many people in my generation could walk into their kitchen at any given time and whip out the necessary ingredients to make a mean biscuit? I would wager a guess that there probably aren't too many. And I'm sure that most of my health conscious friends would probably frown upon the idea of feeding their children white flour, buttermilk, and lard, baked up with a pat of butter (essentially more lard). But let's be honest here, who doesn't like a good southern style hot, crispy on the top, steamy and soft in the middle biscuit hot out of the oven? Go ahead and pass... I dare you!

Well, last week I told my mom, the token biscuit maker for my side family, that I need a tutorial. I fully intend to pass on this tradition, healthy or not and give my children the chance to participate in a tradition that my great-grandmother, grandmother, and mother have worked to sustain. And for those who may think it's a simple thing, biscuit making requires lots of determination, suave, patience, and whole lot of southern spirit. It truly is in its own way a form of art. These fluffy works of art certainly have a deeply rooted history, sustaining multitudes of people throughout time. These days they are considered more as an option, however in days past the biscuit used to be a staple in the diet. Girls were taught the basics of baking with their mothers as the worked through the daily routine of making biscuits.

In these modern times, the biscuit has evolved into something that can still be tasty, but in my opinion has moved from it's genuine roots. Pretty much any fast food place will serve something on a what they deem to be a biscuit, but I bet the great-grandmothers from days gone by would shake their heads and laugh - those are not the same.

So, here was my attempt to follow along side my mom with a goal of learning the 'family secret,' which is really no secret at all... it's just plain 'ol southern goodness.

The dynamic trio: Crisco, Buttermilk, and White Lily Self-rising Flour

(the only brand my mom will use)

It's hard pill to swallow, but yes, true biscuits are made with lard.

But this is essential and not too long ago bacon grease was the lard of choice.

Gloveless? You better believe it, making good biscuits has a great deal to do with touch. In this case, my mom showed me how important it was to understand

the feel of the flour once the crisco was pinched (by hand) into the flour.

Once the flour and crisco have been worked sufficiently, it's time to pour in that necessary item. And don't try to mimic Buttermilk. The morning of this biscuit making lesson we were out and I suggested making a substitute for the butter milk and my mom would not have it.

Substitutes won't cut it, it has to be the real thing.

More mixing.

For those more squeamish about getting their hands dirty, this is not for you.

Time to begin working in more flour into the dough.

Eli and Hannah also had their own side lesson

What kid doesn't enjoy playing in bread dough?

Still gently working the flour into the dough,

pulling it from the edges in swirling, stirring motions.

Done and ready to go onto the greased pan.

Pulling off a section of dough, rolling it, and tucking the edges under.

The Line Up

Mammy likes to have them snuggled up close together on that pan. Pre-heat your oven to 450 degrees and pop them in for 8 minutes - it doesn't take long.

Hannah working her dough

DONE

So, you may wonder what the big deal is with this recipe. Throughout my years growing up this was a breakfast that my mom would make on occasion. It is now the most requested meal whenever my siblings and their families come to visit. I know my mom takes such delight in making this treat, and I believe that in some way it allows her to stay connected with her own mom. I can imagine that with every batch there is laced throughout memories untold, moments that can only be explained through the smell and feel of worked dough and hot baked goodness. Like a machine meant to take us back in time, I can only guess that her biscuits are a link to the past. I know that without a doubt they are a link to my past and a certain part of my future.

Hungry Yet?

Weekly Menu

2011-05-01T17:11:00.000-07:00

RECAP

This week went pretty well, we especially enjoyed the poppy seed chicken and the green enchiladas! An easy trick is to purchase a rotisserie chicken (especially at Costco because they are usually only $4). Debone it, shred the meat, and you've got enough meat for probably several meals. And a lot of times I'll add in more veggies and thin down on the meat content and that makes it go further too. This particular week, I cooked and shredded the chicken for both meals at one time and that really helped to speed up the prep time the day of the meal.

Poppy Seed Chicken

Poppy seed chicken is one of family's favorite meals. This time I stirred in some frozen peas before baking and they were a perfect addition!

Green Enchiladas

Lots and lots of spinach is the key to this meal,

but it the flavor is so rich that the spinach isn't overbearing.

THIS WEEK'S MENU PLAN

Monday - Grilled Chicken Salad (which I didn't get to make on Saturday as planned)

Tuesday - Spaghetti

Wednesday - Fish sticks

Thursday - Stir fry Chicken

Friday - Calzones

Waking up to a Princess

2011-04-30T16:28:00.000-07:00

If I am to be totally honest, I would have to admit that I've been turned off to all the popular "Princess" themed paraphernalia that has exploded into the little girl culture. Jon and I both have been pretty clear that we don't want anything that would communicate to our little girl, or anyone else for that matter, that she is in charge and that the world somehow revolves around her. Not the message we want to send to our child. Sadly, we've pretty much written off the whole princess idea because of these cheesy articles. So needless to say, our Hannah hasn't had much in the way of princess type stuff. Yesterday, however I had some change of perspective. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not an avid Royal Wedding follower. I honestly didn't even know until about two days ago that this event was even taking place. But the experience I gained from watching this wedding (the parts I did watch) was worth the time investment. Yesterday, I believe a light bulb turned on in my head, and I was able to see past all the cheesy paraphernalia and see the true story, my story, our story. Are we not all a princess at heart? Isn't it at the heart of every woman (if she were truly honest with herself) that we long to be sought after, fought over, rescued, and then celebrated? Well, if you're out of touch with that desire, might I suggest you spend 15 minutes with a group of 2-year-old girls.

Hannah watching Princess Kate

(Excuse the bed head look)

"Hannah would you like to see a Princess?" I asked her this first thing yesterday morning after pulling her out of bed and bringing her down for breakfast. Her response, "YES!" So we turned on the tv and watched as the new Princess Kate rode through the streets of London with her Prince, in a carriage no less. It was like watching a Jane Austen novel come to life. All I can say is that the British know how to throw a wedding party! Wow. It truly was magical. Hannah was thrilled. Here she is, not terribly familiar with the concept of a princess and she got it. She understood to some degree that what she was seeing was a real Princess, and her reaction was priceless. Almost immediately she ran over to a chair where her discarded tutu from yesterday was thrown and announced, "I need to wear my princess dress while I watch the princess." So she literally stood in front of the tv, stared and waved. After a few minutes she twirled delighting in the moment, enjoying beauty and being the beauty. You need to understand something about my daughter, she doesn't watch tv for very long, but on this particular morning the princess was all she could see.

I got it, perhaps for the first time. How precious, how pure, and how delightful the experience. All I could think about was how much this desire to be a princess is built into the heart of a little girl (and women), and how much this is a story specifically designed to be there. While watching the royal wedding, what kept coming to my mind is how grand this wedding was and much it made me think of the celebration to come one day. It was magical, magnificent, elegant, and joyous. The celebration was packed and you could tell from the crowd that the energy was contagious, I felt it sitting in my living room thousands of miles away from it all.

Yep, I'd say that's a roaring party

Still watching

Hannah's pure, unguarded response to her desire to be the princess this morning, and having the opportunity to watch this wedding stirred my heart. I couldn't help but think about the grandest wedding to come, the one in which we play the part of the bride. Was it just me, or did it seem like every camera shot somehow included this new bride? No offense the guy looked great, but anyone watching could tell that all eyes were fixed on this bride. And what captivated me was the thought that he chose her. Kate would still be Kate Middleton without William. He chose her and brought her in to his family. Are we not also celebrated, brought in, and given a new name? The wedding in heaven between Christ and His church will be a celebration beyond compare and the energy and joy will be to a level that I don't think we can fully grasp in this life. And seriously, do we really have to even worry whether heaven will be boring (i.e. harps, cherubs, all singing and no play)? I think not. The British weren't the first to invent such partying. And to think, that we (as rugged, broken, messed up, and marred that we are) have the privilege to be called the bride. Wow... just, wow. I was humbled and grateful.

I'm still not in favor of the cheesy princess stuff that takes away from the real story. But I hope that I can instill in my daughter how much she truly is a Princess,

and how dearly she is LOVED by the King.

P.S.

On a somewhat unrelated note... did anyone else feel taken aback by all the impressive, stunning, and flamboyant hats these ladies had on? Brave souls. But really, isn't there some part of you that would like to sport one of these?? Although, I think I'd feel slightly guilty for blocking the view for pretty much everyone behind me. Knowing me, I'd be lethal with some of those hats.

Honey From A Thorn

2011-04-26T18:26:00.000-07:00

Life is like licking honey off a thorn

I heard this quote recently and it resonated with me on so many levels. It put into a word picture all of our present and past experiences. The sweetness of life has been complicated by some of the struggles we've been through. Yet, I would say that the honey, the good things have been satisfyingly sweet at times. And we are the better for the struggles we've walked through.

Last weekend Jon had a three day break and we decided to make another trip to North Carolina before the madness of his CNA course began. Before we headed west through the mountains to North Carolina, we made our way to Tennessee to make some preparations for the bee hive. Jon spent a couple of hours cutting grass and leveling out a spot for our soon to arrive hive. During this time we were able to get over to our property and walk around the outside of our home. It was surreal to be back again, standing amidst acres of grass and the two trees that we planted for Hannah and Eli. I am reminded of how God allowed such a generous blessing from a difficult tragedy. Beauty from ashes, honey from a thorn.

This girl loves to run! I couldn't get a shot of Hannah standing still! The moment we hit the property she was off. Three acres of level grassy field had to be conquered, and so she ran and ran and ran.

Eli Discovering a caterpillar and standing by 'his' tree that we planted in 2008

After a short jaunt to Tennessee we made our way over to see friends in North Carolina and to enjoy once again a place that feels so much like home. Over the last 2 years we have developed a true love for the Western NC area, it is like home to us in so many ways. God really poured out a blessing as we were able to visit and catch up with so many who we lived life with during out time there.

Our first stop was to see Nick. Nick became apart of our lives almost from the moment we first moved to the area. I remember Jon telling me that as 'part of his job' at the college he and this guy, Nick had to go mountain biking and check out some trails. Are you buying any of this? Really, mountain biking and get paid?! Yep, and so it started. This work (if that's what you want to call it) relationship developed into a friendship. Nick and Jon spent hours together boating, climbing, caving, biking, building, goofing off, and the list goes on...

Jon and Nick. Jon and Nick. Jon and Nick... sound repetitive? That's what I heard constantly all last year. These two were inseparable. It was a running joke that Nick saw Jon more than I did!

Eli scoring a big rock from Nick

Don't even consider separating these two.

"Sir, please do not kick the swans. "

If you're wondering about this caption, ask Jon.

Our next stop was to visit our dear friends, Aaron and Megan. They recently moved and had plenty of room for the four of us to invade their space for a little while. It was such a joy and it was incredibly refreshing to hang out with them and be pampered by their hospitality. Two amazing breakfasts and a day hiking and lounging by the river were just what we needed.

Hannah loved hiking with Megan

Our destination,

Standing behind the waterfall

Trillium

One of my favorite spring wildflowers

Two hours of hanging out on a beach at the river,

watching the kids entertain themselves

= one happy mama!

Megan and Aaron + One on the Way!

A trip to the Looking Glass area wouldn't be complete without ice cream.

Raspberry truffel and chocolate cake. Can we say, ah-mazing?

SUGAR RUSH

Something Jon and I really enjoyed doing during our time living in WNC was to go downtown. Asheville, is a vibrant and varied place. I've been in the summer heat and the cold of winter, and there almost always seems to be some type of entertainment going on there. From hula hooping to living statues, there is always something that catches the eye. And of course musicians are scattered everywhere, its an artisan mecca, a musical buffet.

Waiting for pizza at Mellow Mushroom

Still waiting for pizza

Pack Place

Water love

This particular fountain has always been a favorite for Eli

EASTER!

We had the opportunity to spend another Easter with Aaron and Megan.

We joined them at their new church and were reminded of why we have hope!

Kiss

Being Silly

Okay, enough with the pictures

As a mentioned above, God worked an amazing treat for us as we were able to meet up with so many of our friends. We spent a couple of hours catching up with Brandon and Martha and their new little girl. It was again such a blessing to sit in their home perched up on a mountain and enjoy some sweet fellowship (sorry, no pictures. I sort of dropped the ball on that).

At the end of our time. We were able to track down and see our dear friend, Sophie. This truly was a gift as this amazing woman has her hands full working at a busy and thriving wilderness therapy camp. She is usually off on some incredible trip (costa rica, key west, etc), but for this moment our worlds were able to collide. We are so enriched by her presence, her smile, and her ability to all-out love people. We are honored to know her. I so enjoy watching God work through this beautiful jar of clay.

So what, you may ask is the thorn in all this? Well, I would put it simply, it was leaving. We had such a great time and our hearts were reignited with our love for the area and the people there. As we climbed back into the car and drove off, we were filled with that bitter sweet reminder of what we left behind. Perhaps someday we will have the opportunity to go back. But as a follower of One who writes the story for us, I am not sure I can confidently say what the next chapter will hold - only the Author knows that.

Regardless of the distance,

the road leading away from friends is a long one.

Weekly Menu

2011-04-26T15:16:00.000-07:00

First let me just say, I know. It's Monday and I'm just getting around to posting this. It's been busy weekend!

MENU RECAP

Well, last week wasn't as much of a success as I had hoped, but I was able to complete two out of my three proposed meals. Note to self, do not make your most detailed meal on your busiest day (I should know this one, right).

Monday: Home made Chicken Fingers

This meal was easy to make, perhaps a little more messy/time consuming than I would have liked. The recipe called for Panko bread crumbs (Japanese bread crumbs) and that was the first time I've ever baked with them. They were great! The recipe was decent, it called for a curried egg wash, which actually turned out to be pretty good. In the end however, I believe this baked chicken fingers recipe wasn't a keeper - sad, I know. The search continues.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

This was SUPER easy. Pre-made pizza dough, a bottle of your favorite bbq sauce, chopped cooked chicken (I used some I had frozen), cheddar and monterey jack cheeses, pineapple, and purple onion. Bake it all up for about 13 minutes - done. I will add that the bbq sauce should be used sparingly. It has such a strong flavor that it can easily dominate and take away from the other ingredients.

So, just two easy recipes last week.

THIS WEEK'S MENU:

Monday - Manicotti

Tuesday - Poppy Seed Chicken

Wednesday - Fish sticks/sweet potato fries

Thursday - Green Enchiladas

Friday - Leftovers or TBD

Saturday - Grilled Chicken Salad

Since I'm posting this late, I'm happy to say that Monday was delicious! I'll keep you posted. Also, my green enchilada recipe is AMAZING. I'll try to post that next week.

Lastly, I'm trying to think up an idea for Friday night. I usually make this our pizza or calzone night, but we've eaten LOTS of pizza in the last week so I'm stumped. I would LOVE any ideas you might want to share. I'm wide open to suggestions!

Getting Ready for the Girls

2011-04-18T17:53:00.000-07:00

“Most people don’t have any idea about all the complicated life going on inside a hive. Bees have a secret life we don’t know anything about.”

~ The Secret Life of Bees ~

You just might be wondering what's up with all the bee references on the blog? Well, for those who don't know I've decided to dive into a new hobby - bee keeping. My interest in the subject began to grow a few years back after reading a popular book, The Secret Life of Bees (the book is way better than the movie). I am fascinated by the driven and motivated nature of such a small yet complicated creature. Their community is built on order and hard work, they value each member of the colony, and they all work together. I have so much to learn about these brilliant creatures, and I am excited about being a student again.
The girls are set to be ready for pick-up on May 7th. So while waiting on the bees (plus the hive) I have been collecting all the needed gear. Today, I received my first pieces of bee keeping equipment and it got me really excited! Of course I also experienced that feeling of butterflies and a twinge of anxiety. I'm wondering if I'm really cut out to do this. But honestly, I am thrilled to watch a small but incredibly vital part of creation go to work. I know that I will learn real-life practical lessons from them, and I will learn about them. I know I will get stung and pain will go along with the process, but my desire to learn will hopefully trump my fear of pain! I'm hoping to blog about my experiences as I go along, sharing my insights, blunders, and moments of awe. And for some, I hope to also share some of the reward, honey!

Smoker, Hive Tool, and Sheep's Skin Gloves

Still to come, a veiled hat and heavy clothing

Lastly, while getting ready to throw myself into the this process I have come to learn that bee keeping has been a family practice in the past. My great-grandfather (my mother's grandfather) was also a bee keeper. I've heard little snippets of stories my mother has shared about my great grandfather. In a strange way, I feel somehow connected to history in my desire to pursue this hobby. Perhaps the mindset of sustainability and nurturing the land are passed down through generations, even when no personal connection lies between the family members. I have thought how neat it would be to be able to sit down with my great-grandfather and glean from his knowledge. But since that is impossible, I guess I have to learn as I go.

So here goes, a new beginning and new adventure awaits.

Weekly Menu

2011-04-17T17:27:00.000-07:00

A little recap from last week:

It's amazing what a little motivation and a lot of accountability will do. I was able to stick to the schedule and even made two meals in one night so that lunch would be ready when we got home from church on Sunday (score). Perhaps letting whoever reads my blog in on my menu plan will help keep me on target. We'll see!

Turkey Enchiladas

This dish was fabulous! I've decided this is what people should do with their leftover turkey - seriously, mexican food can knock any appetite into gear after days of turkey (and stuffing if it's a holiday bird). And it was incredibly easy since the meat was already cooked from a turkey my mom baked up a couple of days before. Saute onion, a can of rotelle, and the turkey for a few minutes. Mix it up with a little enchilada red sauce, some sour cream, and some queso cheese. Roll it up in a tortilla, top with the rest of the enchilada sauce, and shredded cheese (monterey jack or cheddar). Bake at 350 until bubbling (30ish minutes). Done!

Cheesy Turkey Pot Pie

This is the second of the turkey meals I produced in one night. It's a super easy and yummy twist on chicken pot pie. Mixed veggies, cream of chicken soup, some sour cream, parsley, poultry seasoning, shredded swiss, and two strips crumbled bacon. Top it with pre-made pie crust (or your own if you're good at that sort of thing - I'm going for easy here). Bake it at 350 for 40 minutes or until crust is brown. Done. It was good, however I would have added more salt and/or some more sour cream. I thought it need just a little more of a 'punch.' But it was good, and it was even better to have it done and ready to be bake when I arrived home.

NEXT WEEK'S MENU PLAN:

This week will be easier because I'm only planning three meals. We're taking off for the weekend to see friends, so I'm off the hook for the rest of the week!

Monday - Home made chicken fingers

Tuesday - Lasagna Roll-ups

Wednesday- BBQ Chicken Pizza

Thursday- Left Overs

One Tired Little Guy

2011-04-12T17:05:00.000-07:00

Sleep 'til you're hungry, eat 'til you're sleepy. - Author Unknown

I think Eli might be one of the best examples of this observation. His internal clock wakes him up everyone morning sometime around 6 with an almost immediate request for cereal (his all time favorite food). Unfortunately, there is no snooze button for a child who wants breakfast. So inevitably we make our way to the kitchen to retrieve cereal and coffee (no, the coffee is for me).
In this one rare instance however, Eli took the second half of the above quote literally. He actually deserted his cereal in favor of an early bed time. After a long day of playing his heart out, and on the heels of recovering from an illness, this poor boy was beyond sleepy, he was exhausted. He fell into a deep sleep and didn't wake back up until the next morning.

Monkey'in Around

2011-04-11T18:12:00.000-07:00

Recently we enjoyed a visit from a few special people in our lives. Hannah and Eli absolutely LOVED playing together with their cousins. It is so neat to watch the kids play together, they have just reached this age where interaction begins and all sorts of games abound and imagination and make-believe start to come alive.
While they were in town we had the opportunity to visit the Atlanta Zoo, and WHAT A ZOO IT WAS!! The place was PACKED! One could have easily thought they were handing out pet monkeys the way everyone had flocked to that place. I sincerely thought we had to be there with at least 80% of the elementary-child-toting population. Wow, I honestly feel like I missed the forest for the trees. I was so concentrated on not running over some kid with my double jogging stroller, or worst yet, loosing one of our kids amidst the busy mass. I know I wasn't the only person feeling this way, a total stranger and I shared a laugh over the mass of humanity, because what else can you do? It truly felt like someone had stepped on a human ant pile and everyone was running to either attach or get out of the way! I literally had to merge into the human traffic every time we left an exhibit!

But all joking/venting aside, it really was a fun experience! :) And the best part of it all - watching the kids. They had a GREAT time! No matter what we adults were feeling in relation to the over-crowded, hot atmosphere, the kids took it in stride and soaked up every bit of joy out of the experience. Got to love that! Boy, do I have a lot to learn from them.

A FEW DAYS LATER...

Wondering what these next few photos are all about? Well, Daddy always has something up his sleeves when it comes to entertaining the kids. This particular day it was semi-rappelling!

Don't worry Grandmas, Eli wasn't too high

Loving the Ride!

Going Tandem

Every Good Climber Needs to Fuel-Up!

Weekly Menu

2011-04-11T17:27:00.001-07:00

One of my goals has been to adopt the routine of creating a weekly menu. For some reason this seems to be a constant battle for me as life seems to be in a seemingly never ending current of change and unpredictability. However, I'm sure it's just my perception and if I really tried to be consistent I could really nail this menu fiasco! So, I made myself sit down amidst the chaos and pick out easy to prepare family favorites. So here goes, my menu for this week:

Monday - Loaded Baked Potatoes

Tuesday - Sloppy Joes

Wednesday - Easy night (fish stick or chicken finger staple)

Thursday - Ravioli

Friday - Turkey Enchiladas

Saturday - Turkey Pot Pie

I'll let you know how it turns out!

A Mountain Retreat

2011-03-15T11:31:00.000-07:00

Last week we were able to shed the stress of our "normal" (ha ha ha) life and head off to the mountains for some time catching up with friends and family. Jon and I spent some much needed time visiting with dear friends in Asheville, and the kids had a blast staying with their Nonnie and Poppie in Tennessee.

Hannah with Nonnie and cousin Daisy

It was incredibly refreshing to be once again back amidst the strikingly beautiful backdrop of western North Carolina and east Tennessee. The weather was rough during the start of our trip, but it returned to being beautiful as the week unfolded.

Enjoying Lunch at Cades Cove

Referring back to my comment about having a "normal" life, even in typing that one word I think that there is enough irony to pack a real punch - one that either makes you laugh hysterically or simply cry and I've done both. As far as normal goes, Jon and I have experienced a total of nine months of what most people consider to be normal. That nine months began when we started dating and ended the day his brain tumor was discovered. Since then, it seems that life has been a roller coaster full of all sorts of twists, turns, corkscrews, and yes, dark tunnels as well. I've always enjoyed a good thrill, but sometimes this roller coaster has just plain scared me with its unpredictability.

In the same way that a roller coaster always comes back to its original starting point, it seems that we too will be making a return of sorts to a starting point. Two weeks ago our tenants gave their 60 day notice, letting us know that they will be vacating our home on April 30th. This notice came on the heels of our seeking God, asking Him where Jon needed to pursue his BSN and if we needed to stay in Atlanta or not. At this point, it looks like we will be returning to our home in Tennessee and finishing school there.

This is has been another faith journey for us. We are in so many ways right now at the mercy of God and His provision, especially with Jon being in school. We are still in pursuit of our goal to complete nursing school, but it now appears that we will be coming full circle and returning to a place we left almost 2 years ago.

Enjoying Time with Daddy

One of the best and most beautiful parts of a roller coaster is the feeling you have once you've left the ride and are walking away back to 'normalcy.' One cannot and will not be the same - impossible. The experience, wether thrilling and wonderful, or terrifying and horrible will forever be part of you and you cannot be the same person. I believe our leaving TN was a necessary and needed experience, we have lived as we have never lived before and we have made cherished friendships along the way. We have grown and changed as a result of the journey. We will not and cannot be the same people we were before we left - it is impossible.

Life is an adventure... we married each other with this motto, and it has in so many ways carved out what life has held and looked like for us until now. I don't believe life will ever be exactly 'normal' for us, more adventures are still to come. And though not every adventure is a happy one, I welcome them nonetheless.

I wonder what will come along next?

Memories - Making the New, Visiting the Past

2011-03-08T06:29:00.000-08:00

I can still remember hot, sticky, and muggy Atlanta summers as a child. It honestly seems like it was only a few years ago that I was running around my parent's home exploring, swimming in the pond, or pretending up all sorts of games. Of course, a summer in Atlanta would not be complete without making a visit to see Willie B.

Willie B.

Who is Willie B, you might ask? He was the patriarch gorilla of the Atlanta zoo, who in his own way changed the zoo forever. Most people in Atlanta knew of him and many came out to see him. I remembered visiting Willie B. as a child. The size and power of that animal was always intimidating, even from a protected distance. Willie B. would just sit in that hot Georgia sun and stare at all his admirers, seemingly unimpressed by his fame. He was a major part of the zoo that left its impression upon me... that and the reptiles!

Seeing the Elephants - a big favorite.

This was Hannah and Elijah's first visit to a zoo and they were able to experience the fun with a sweet friend of theirs. We're still adjusting to these abnormally warm temperatures (hence Hannah sporting a tank top), the weather was just right for us. It truly was a perfect time to visit the zoo.

The Hairless Mole Rats.

Eli seemed more interested in them than anything else.

The Warthog, Hannah was unimpressed.

Hannah on the Willie B. Statue

Look closely, can you guess who might be in there?

Dinner on Our Table and the Next Food Network Star

2011-02-26T16:52:00.000-08:00

To honor a Queen, or so the story goes. That is how our modern day 'pizza' idea was born. The idea of a baked, crispy flat bread covered in toppings has evolved over time. Throughout most of history, it has was considered food for the poor - sold cheap on city streets from various vendors. But this 'fast food' became royalty of sorts when in 1889 Raffaele Esposito crowned a piece of flat bread with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and basil, all the colors of the Italian flag. He gave it the name, 'Pizza Margherita' in honor of the Queen of consort, Margherita of Savoy.

Esposito was clearly a genius. His classic taste combo is still a favorite, and was on our table tonight! Glad to still be celebrating this Queen of consort, Margherita. Oh, and as an extra little golden nugget of info, Margherita means "Daisy" in Italian! :)

"Mommy, I help you!" Familiar words to my ears that come calling from some 3 feet below my range of sight. Hannah is already working pull out the step stool that is at least twice her size, quite a taxing task for a little person. But she is eager and motivated to help me cook in the kitchen, and I'm happy to have her. She is ready to mix, pour, measure, and well, take over my kitchen if ever I let her! She is still in a great stage of fascination and learning, and I am soaking up our time together. Tonight she took an active part in making our pizza as well as a delicious batch of cookies! Could she be on her way to being The Next Food Network Star...?

My Helper

Almost Ready to Bake

Individual Pizzas on Multigrain Pita Bread

Finished!

Top with grated parm, fresh basil, and red pepper flakes for a kick

Making Cookies

Soooo Happy!

Where's Eli you might ask. Well, he likes to make the occasional trip into the kitchen, squeezing his way up onto the stool, causing some minor disaster until he's shooed out of the kitchen and on his way to getting himself into some other kind of trouble. Somehow, I don't think he minds having to leave the action in the kitchen. It would seem that for the time making the mess was satisfactory enough for him - mission accomplished.

P.S.

Hannah decided that she need to call "Somebody."

Talking on her very cool phone

So Tech-y

The Dilemma

2011-02-22T10:32:00.000-08:00

As a child my family's menu consisted of two choices:

take it or leave it.

~Buddy Hackett

Has anyone else dealt with a child who refuses to eat their veggies or perhaps the meal that you've worked to prepare? Well, that is the case in our home nearly every night. Eli simply does not want any part of whatever vegetable is served - and if it's green, forget it! So, inevitably we work hard throughout the meal to try to entice, bribe, coerce, and to do all manner of methods frowned upon in the 'parental world.' But I say, who cares? I want my children to learn to eat things they don't like, to at least try them. So the battle ensues and we plunge forward and persevere knowing that there is a 50/50 chance that some day our children will indeed get over it, eat their veggies, and maybe, maybe thank us for helping them learn to like their veggies . That's what we all hope for, right? Balanced, healthy children with a right attitude about eating healthy.

Hannah holding an unwanted bite of food, unwilling to give in just yet.

The struggle!

I feel this struggle so acutely because this is where I am today, right now! In so many ways I can identify with this struggle, the knowledge that I must do something because my Father says I should, though it is NOT what I want. I know that it must be good for me, because He is always good. But inevitably I will whine, pout, groan, and just down right fuss until finally at last I submit my will and embrace what He has for me. What a dilemma! Even now my children are learning to submit over something as small as a serving of veggies, and what I wish I could tell them and that they would understand is; GET USED TO IT! Unfortunately, it's never that easy.

SWEET REWARDS

So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him. Matt 7:11

The entire time that Eli and Hannah struggled through the battle of will and submission, I knew what awaited them in the end - an oh so sweet treat - ice cream! Their eyes lit up and their smiles couldn't have gotten any bigger when I set that bowl of goodness in front of them. Needless to say, the ice cream was eaten and gone much faster than the veggies.

I have witnessed again and again in my life that regardless of the struggle, God does indeed work good into situations that seem nearly, if not entirely at a loss. He is walking with us all through various trials, small or large, and telling us to trust Him, submit, and wait perhaps. And boy, do I fight it! Yet, He is so gracious, patiently guiding me through each bout of my will, assuring me of His plan and His desire to grow me, and reminding me that He will never leave me. I am always amazed at how He brings us through it and the way He works to bring about endless, soul-filling, heart comforting blessings that fill us back up and strengthen our faith. God is faithful and He has and always will bring gracious sweet rewards to those willing to submit and trust.

Finally!

Sweet Endings!