a blessed April 2011...

family photo at Easter (please just look at the adorable kids...S & I are still half sick here)

April was a month of peace for me...at least as far as my attitude was concerned.  As far as happenings, it was far from peaceful!  Steve had a couple days of meetings in Chicago for work, we dog sat, and we started brainstorming and talking to contractors for a major remodel project that we plan on doing this summer.  And we also got hit with another horrible stomach/flu bug, as did many many people that we know here in the cities.  This was by far the worst one that we have had this season though, as it combined all the yuck of vomiting and diarrhea with the high fever and chills.  C got it first, then W got it 12 hours later.   W had it bad.  Bad enough he could not keep anything down and after 4 days of him being sick and not getting better we ended up having to take him in to urgent care which sent us right to Children's Hospital, where he was there for about 24 hours getting IV fluids.  The doctors there were great and explained the medical down-spiraling cycle that happens in small children with viruses like these, not making us feel like we did something wrong in taking care of him.  The stress of the hospital stay was enough to bring S's and my defenses down and then we both caught the bug.  This was right before Easter and my parents were planning on coming up for the Easter weekend.  I had planned great fun and good food...instead Mom and Dad stayed in a hotel, helped take care of the kids so S & I could be sick, helped clean and take a trip to the laundromat, and ordered (and paid for =) Easter pizza.  We were so very thankful for their help!

washing out the sick at the laundromat

As far as my attitude goes though, you would think that after my post about frustrations last month that this whole thing would take me over the edge.  But while S was in Chicago for meetings, God kind of kicked me in the butt as far as how I have been acting and feeling lately.  Which had been a lot of "WHY ME/US?! and WHY AGAIN?!"  While S was gone I was crabby about being alone and some other issues, and getting frustrated and was retreating to my ugly "WHY ME" mood.  I wasted quite a bit of time on the computer with blogs and random shopping, when I should have been paying more attention to the kids.  I came across a blog post with the title "called to the crazy," and while the post didn't really have anything to do with me or what I was feeling, the title struck me.  Our life is crazy, and will probably always be because we have kids and we live and breathe =).  I needed to stop having that WHY ME attitude and really think about how God is calling me to be a mom and how I can work for God's good in every situation, even our "crazy".  That combined with some thoughts and Bible passage that friends shared here, along with thinking about some great sermons from Rev Sawtelle about God being good, helped me come to a peace that I haven't had for a while.  God is good.  Always and forever.  And He works for the good of those who love him.  Although He works for HIS good.  And HIS good might not always amount to daisies and roses and chocolate sundaes in our lives.  We have to trust Him and have hope.  And remember how blessed we truly are...

being goofy in "new" shorts from Aahma B

G notes:

• Meal: macaroni & cheese, hot dogs, and peas
• Veggie: peas or green beans
• Fruit:  grapes or strawberries
• Snack:  crackers and peanut butter
• Treat:  chocolate chip cookies
• Doesn't like: raisins
• "Oh mom!  I feel like I could just cry forever!"  (wailing as I removed a splinter from her foot)
• "Eeny meeny miny mo.  Catch a tiger by the toe.  If he hollers 'no! no! no!'  Eeny meeny miny mo."

W notes:

• Meal: spaghetti (without meat)
• Veggie: corn or raw carrots
• Fruit: apples or grapes
• Snack:  fruit
• Treat: m&m's
• Doesn't like: potatoes, peas
• (sigh) "Momma, I can't wait until I am a adult and then I can drive a car."
• "Eeny meeny miny mo.  Catch a tiger by the toe.  If you don't let him go.  Eeny meeny miny mo."

C notes:

• Meal: macaroni & cheese
• Veggie: corn or peas
  
• Fruit: grapes or bananas
  
• Snack:  Trader Joe cereal bars (we call them "ba-bars" at our house)
• Treat:  yogurt raisins
• Doesn't like: a whole bunch of things!  very picky 2 yr old right now...
• momma: "what would you like for lunch?"  C: "hmmmmmm....ice cream!"
  
• "Eeny miny mo.  By the by the toe.  Let go.  Eeny miny mo."

a very happy G...

Our sweet daughter is extremely happy with 2 events of this week.  The first one is a big milestone for a 5-yr old...

...yep, G lost her first tooth!!!  (OK, well technically her second.  But the first one - top right middle - doesn't really count since the dentist had to pull that one due to it being abscessed.)  Her bottom right middle tooth has been wiggly for about a month, and really wiggly for the past week.  The catalyst for it coming out though?  Knocking herself in the face while trying to get a sticky lid off her hair-tie tin (is she her mother's daughter or what? =)  It was almost all the way out after that and she let momma pull it out the rest of the way with a soft cloth.  She cried for approximately 6.2 seconds and then tears turned into...

...sheer excitement!  =)  The super fun comes when she gets to tell her teacher and gets her picture on the tooth chart in the kindergarten room.  She was so worried that it wouldn't come out before school was over!  And it is kind of funny that the two teeth that she is missing line up...

...to give her a big ol' cutie-patootie gap in her smile.  G's reaction to this?  "It's so cool, dadda!  I won't have to open my mouth to suck out of my milk straw at school!"  Congratulations to our sweetie on this big milestone!  (PS. we don't really have a tooth fairy at our house, but she did get a little gift and two dollar coins in the tradition of my father.  I remember getting two dollars from my dad when my first tooth came out.  He told me that one was for me to celebrate, and the other I had to save in case the new tooth didn't come in - then I would have money to buy a new one.  G thought this was pretty funny.  =)

The other big event for G this week?  Getting mail!  And not just a letter, but a package from Nana!!!  And inside was what G declared the most beautifulest, specialest, prettiest...

...Nana-dress ever!  So a big thank-you to Nana/G-ma K!  The material with all the butterflies is perfect for G, and the dress fits her really well too!  And of course, it has what all good Nana-dresses have...

...great twirl factor.  There was someone who was not happy with this package though - little C.  He wanted to wear G's "Bu-fly" dress too, which of course was not going to be allowed by G.  G did smooth things over with him by doing one of her favorite activities though...

...dressing little C up in one of her princess dress-up dresses.  And C wanted his picture taken too just like his big sister.  He may not be happy with me in 10 years because of this picture, but he sure was happy afterwards this morning!

waffles...

I am a french toast kind of girl.

Pancakes are ok, at least you can make 4-6 at a time.  But waffles?  Only making one 5 inch waffle every 4 minutes to feed a hungry family of 5?  That was a once a year occurrence at our house for Waffle Fest (!!!) only.  They are definitely something I could take or leave.

Then a year or so ago, the kids and I stopped at my in-laws for lunch on the way home from the farm.  Aahma B had gotten a new waffle maker and made us waffles.  I got the kids' waffles ready first, then topped my own with strawberries (not a syrup girl either =) and prepared for a very ordinary bite.  And was pleasantly surprised - "what waffle recipe do you use?!!!"  I really liked the taste and the texture.  Turns out they were sourdough waffles!

We enjoyed Aahma's waffles quite a few times over visits, and last Christmas, my gift from the B side was a fancy new waffle maker and a sourdough starter so that we could enjoy these waffles at home.  I was leary of the starter at first (nightmares of Amish friendship bread starter flew through my head), but then I found out all that Mom B does is keep it in the fridge until she wants to use it.  Seriously, could I leave it for over a month?  Yep.  OK, I could handle that!

So now we get to enjoy yummy waffles made very quickly by our new twirly waffle maker and they show up much more frequently than just for Waffle Fest once a year.  In fact, my wonderful husband and kiddos just made them for me for Mother's Day lunch.  We love them enjoyed with strawberries on top, a couple slices of bacon (only way S tolerates breakfast for meals other than breakfast), and, if we are feeling fancy, a yogurt smoothie to go with! 

 

Sourdough Starter Instructions: (find instructions to make one here, otherwise ask friends!)

• at least 24 hours before needed, remove starter from fridge
• feed with 1 part milk, 1 part flour, 1/2 part sugar - you need enough starter for your recipe plus a cup of starter to save for next time in the fridge
• leave it at room temperature loosely covered (plastic wrap with a few holes punched in the top works well)
• stir before use - if it will be longer than 24 hours, stir once a day until you need it

Sourdough Waffles (this is a double batch and feeds our whole family nicely)

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• scant 1 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups sourdough starter
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/4 cup milk (use a little more if starter is thick)

In a large bowl, stir together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar.  In medium bowl, beat egg then stir in sourdough, oil and milk.  Stir liquids into dry ingredients until just moistened (batter will be a bit lumpy).  Pour 1/4 to 1/2 cup batter into heated waffle iron (follow manufacturers instructions).

PS.  I am excited to try this version too...will let you know how it turns out!

easter photo strip...

kindness...

 

...after a week of fighting a stomach virus with the boys ending up in a short hospital stay for W.  We are all home now trying to recover and get healthy and enjoying some delicious kindness from family (thanks so much J&C!).

Not what we had planned for this past week or our Easter weekend, but over and over we are shown that is not our plans, but His that matter.

seriously, again?

Honestly, after this post, I thought our LONG winter was going to be finally over...

And it has been a long winter.  I mean, look at the dates of our first and what I thought was the last snowmen of the season...

But it looks like we are in for another shot, as this is the forcast for tomorrow night (April 15).  At least it is only supposed to be an inch, unlike what other relatives of mine who live further north received...

two photos...

Got a few packages in the mail that are making me excited to plan for summer...

...but we need to finish taxes first.

A few things coming up in the yard are making me excited about spring and yardwork...

...and we really need to finish taxes first...

...but that is what the rainy rest of the week is for, right? 

Hope you have a beautiful day enjoying creation...and that you already have your taxes done!

ENOUGH KETCHUP! I am really more of a mayo kind of girl...

OK, so I had a goal of getting caught up on the blog by the end of March.  Yeah that was 6 days ago and I am still a month behind.  I am still going to post about things that happened in March, but I am going to drop the "could I get some catch-up on that?" preface as I am as sick of typing that as I am sure you are of reading it.  So when I post something I will leave it "new" for a while, and then will go back and "back-date" it so it will read in chronological order when you go back. (have done this already for January and most of February if you look).  And I will post new things as well so that not all our news and happenings are a month behind. 

Also, I am toying with the idea of making the blog private and by invitation only, but am not sure I want the hassle or if it would be a hassle to anyone else...any thoughts on that?

two (and four months)...

The busyness and sickness of us and also of our favorite auntie photographer at the beginning of the year led to no 2 yr old photo shoot for little C.  Poor neglected 3rd child!  I came to realize this somewhere in March (another frustration for forgetting!), and thought maybe I could try to get some of him myself.  Well, the following picture is what we got when Momma tried to point the camera at him (he is running away yelling "NO!!!!"):

little stinker...

Well, while we were in NE, I was complaining about this to M & A, and they asked if I wanted them to try.  Well, sure!  And the following pictures are what we get when Auntie A points her very nice new camera at him and asks him if he can smile:

little stinker...=)

Thanks Auntie A!  I am so very thankful for sister-in-laws that will take pictures of my children.  Sometimes having this momma step back from the camera can capture the most precious things about our little peoples.   And I will end with one more of my favorite photos Auntie A took of my 2 yr old with his dadda...

 

this sweet photo may not show it, but our little stinker get it honestly...=)

to NE, to NE, to see a sweet babe...

G had spring break at the tail end of March into April, and we took a wonderful and much-needed trip to the exciting spring break location of Adams, NE.  And there wouldn't have been any other place we would have rather been!  For starters, it is much further south so the thought of not having to wear coats and bringing our sandals along was heavenly.  Next, it was just good to get away all together as a family as it had been a long month.  But lastly and MOST importantly, there was a new baby that we needed to meet and cuddle and coo over!  Our new niece, baby E, was born 2 weeks before, and while we were worried that it might be too soon to subject the chaos that is our family to my brother and more importantly my sister-in-law who was still recovering from E's fabulous birth, we kind of were at a "we can come now or we will see you in June" point in our schedules.  So graciously M & A urged us to come, and even stay with them (we offered to stay at a hotel, but the nearest is 20 minutes away)!  We offered to cook the whole time we were there which they took us up on and we were so glad!  And we had a fabulous time together.  It was so wonderful to be able to meet sweet little E while she was still so small and get plenty of those new baby snuggles and cuddles.  And it was really great to see M & A as new parents (what?!  my baby brother has a baby of his own?!) and talk with them about the whole experience, and just hang out too.  The kids (G especially) were so excited about E and fascinated by her, and were fairly good about not being so noisy and crazy.  Although we were all thankful for M & A's basement and the nice weather outside, so that we had places to throw them when needed.  The kids learned the finer points of ping pong, too, which forever will make Auntie A and Uncle M's house the coolest house ever.  Thank you M & A, for letting us invade when I am sure that you could have used the quiet and rest.  It was a special trip for us and you have such a sweet and beautiful daughter.  We can't wait to see you all again in June!

fascinated with their new cousin

seriously, my baby brother really has a baby?

sweet baby E

so happy for beautiful weather and big spaces to fun and play ball!

oh yeah, S still has the touch!

Ping-Pong!!!

C's between the leg moves...

probably G's highlight of the trip - holding E all by herself for a cousins picture

W just figured out the E would hold his finger if he put it near her hand

cousins!