Our Fully Caffeinated Life

10 years later - I'll never forget

2011-09-11T07:24:00.000-07:00

This is the view from the fire station by our house this morning. Such an amazing reminder of what our country has gone through over the last 10 years but also of the incredible sacrifice our everyday heroes have made.

Where were you when you heard about the attack? I remember clearly where I was and what I was doing. I was at home feeding my 9 day old little girl and watching my 1 year old little boy play with his toys right next to me. You can imagine how emotional I was with my hormones being all messed up! Tears and fears pretty much sums it up. I remember calling my mom who was at work and seeing if she had heard about it. I didn't want to continue watching the coverage but I couldn't take my eyes away from it. I remember how our country came together and supported each other -- no matter what. We rose above our political stances -- we were no longer Republicans and Democrats -- we were Americans. How quickly we seem to forget.

Today I honor and remember all of our fallen heroes and salute those who continue to defend and honor our country. I will never forget!

"Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day? Were you in the yard with your wife and children or working on some stage in L.A.? Did you stand there in shock at the sight of that black smoke rising up against that blue sky? Did you shout out in anger, in fear of your neighbor, or did you just sit down and cry? Did you weep for the children who lost their dear loved ones and pray for the ones who don't know? Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble and sob for the ones left below? Did you burst out in pride for the red, white and blue and the heroes who died doing what they do? Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer and look at yourself and what really matters?

I'm just a singer of simple songs, I'm not a real political man. I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you the difference in Iraq and Iran. But I know Jesus and I talk to God and I remember this from when I was young: faith, hope and love are some good things He gave us...but the greatest is love."

-"Where Were You" by Alan Jackson

1st day of school

2011-09-06T07:17:00.000-07:00

Not only is it the 1st day of school....but it's the 1st day of school at a new school, with new kids, new teachers, new bus stop, new schedule....and the one who's the most nervous is ME! The kids are filled with anxious anticipation for a fresh start and new friends.

Backpacks and lunch boxes are all packed and ready to go!

"Back to school breakfast" is all set up. This year I added something new -- paper cones by each place setting with a note from Grandma Theda and Grandpa Fred and me, plus a candy treat for later. It was a hit! And it's something I can do each day.

Yummmmm....pancakes, fruit, whipped cream, sprinkles.

Heading to the bus! Abby - 4th grade; Noah - 5th grade; Joey - 3rd grade; Eli - preschool starting next week.

HAPPY 1ST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!!!

God never said life would be easy...

2011-08-25T19:29:00.000-07:00

This is the most difficult blog post I've written -- mostly because it makes me vulnerable -- but I promised myself when I started blogging that I would be honest with my posts.

It's no secret that Jeff and I have had many ups and downs in our marriage -- specifically in the last few years. From this post everyone knows how seriously I take my marriage vows -- the ones I wrote -- and how committed I am to making my marriage work. There also need to be boundaries and 1 person can only take so much. That's what this post is all about.

Jeff and I are separating. The kids and I are moving in a little over a week to a house a couple miles away that we'll be renting. The kids will be going to a new school and are excited about our adventure. When I talked to them about it, Abby asked "Mom, did you pray about this first?" I said "Absolutely, yes" to which she responded, "ok - then we're doing the right thing." They are wise beyond their years.

We have lost our home in foreclosure - something I've fought with everything I have to avoid. Jeff will have time to stay in our current house before he'll need to find another place.

I would appreciate all the prayers I can get during this time -- especially for the kids -- that they will always know how much they are loved and cherished: by me and, most importantly, by God.

The "S" word

2011-03-23T06:17:00.000-07:00

SNOW!!!!! What did you think I meant?! (hahaha) As much as we had already gotten used to seeing the grass and could even smell the beginning of spring, it is March in Minnesota --- so more snow is to be expected!

Our bonfire pit re-covered in snow.....it won't be long before a raging fire will be burning there instead.
The kids were just playing tag yesterday in the front yard and I had just thought about re-filling the bird feeders.....guess I'll wait a little bit longer.

Even though our winter has been brutal this year, there is always something to be thankful for. So today I choose to be thankful -- the snow looks beautiful -- so sparkly and clean, spring IS coming and we got a glimpse of it over the past couple of days.

Dreams

2011-03-20T19:39:00.000-07:00

Have any of you watched the show on ABC called "Secret Millionaire"? I've seen a couple episodes and it's an inspiring show. The show features a different millionaire each week -- someone who, for 1 week, will live undercover in a new city and find different volunteer opportunities. At the end of the week, he/she will decide which places to give some of their money to.

The people who run these organizations inspire me. They aren't out to make a lot of money -- they are simply doing what they feel passionate about. Tonight it really has me thinking about what I'm passionate about.....what I feel called to do.

See, I've had this dream for the last 8+ years to open a youth center. My ideas for it have evolved over time and every time I allow myself to think about it --- dream about it --- I get incredibly excited. I've shared my ideas with a few friends who have told me what an amazing idea it is. But I lose the excitement to discouragement when I think about how I would ever make it a reality. I guess the main question I keep asking myself is "How does a person make a dream a reality?"

Any thoughts?

Happy St Patrick's Day!

2011-03-17T06:53:00.001-07:00

Green pancakes --- it's what's for breakfast! The comments from the kids when they came in to get their green plates with green pancakes on them ranged from "Oh cool!", "Mom, you're the best!", "I don't like them.", "That just looks gross, Mom." hahaha I love surprising them like that.

Happy St Patrick's Day, everyone! How are you celebrating the day?

Riding in trains with boys.....

2010-12-17T07:52:00.000-08:00

At our local mall for the Christmas season there is something that appeals to all -- or almost all -- little boys. Or should I say boys of ALL ages. Eli has been staring longingly at this train everytime we've gone to the mall. So, the other day, we surprised him with a ride on this train.

The shining smile says it all!

He still talks about his train ride. I think it ranks even higher than seeing Santa! So, "thank you" Rosedale Mall for providing such a fun surprise for my little train enthusiast.

Sweetness

2010-12-11T20:16:00.000-08:00

Whenever I have long stretches of non-blogging, it usually means something big is going on in my life. This time is no exception.

After 10 years of being a stay-at-home-mom, I have re-entered the working world. That's not to say that when I was home, I wasn't working. Those of you who have stayed at home and raised children know how much work it actually is!!!! I am incredibly thankful for those years with my 4 amazing children. I wish I could have had longer but God gave me the 2nd most perfect job for me. I'm working full time at the front desk (guest services) at Juut Salon and absolutely loving it.

It's been a HUGE transition for everyone. Surprisingly, the one who has had the most difficulty adjusting has been Joey. He has become a worrier -- so much so that he has stomach aches everyday. Some of them have been dibilitating enough that he has stayed home from school. He is afraid that if he gets sick at school that no one will be able to be reached to come pick him up. It breaks my heart to see him go through this and I wish I could take the fear away....but I can't. I can only reassure him that he's loved, cared for, and will be ok.

Noah gave me an early Christmas present today. If I had only been able to get a picture of his beaming face right before he gave this to me.....

It's a necklace he won in the arcade while at a birthday party today. He said he saw this necklace and really wanted it for me because "you deserve this, Mom, for all the hard work you do for us." Talk about a tear-jerker! What a tender heart in such an amazing young man. I love you so much, Noah. And I'm incredibly proud of the young man you are.

First days of school

2010-09-09T09:26:00.001-07:00

The first day of elementary school was cold and rainy this year. But the kids were so excited to be going back. Even Noah was excited -- he was the one all summer long that told me he wished he had 4 more months of summer vacation.

In order: Abby is 9 and in 3rd grade; Joey is 7 and in 2nd grade; Noah is 10 and in 4th grade.

The very next day, Eli had his 1st day of preschool at the community center. It isn't obvious at all from his facial expression that he's excited, is it?! (ahem) This has to be my favorite picture of him!

Once he put his bag in the correct cubby, he made a bee-line for his favorite toys....dinosaurs! He had a great time and is ready to go back tomorrow.

My kids are growing up too fast!!!!! (sniff sniff)

Happy 9th Birthday, Baby Girl!

2010-09-02T18:33:00.000-07:00

My sweet only girl, I can't believe it's been 9 years since you were born. That was an amazing day....such an unexpected, quick labor and delivery. Remember, you were almost born in the parking ramp!!!

I love your soft heart, sweet spirit, beautiful singing voice, love for Jesus and for other people....I have learned so much from you in these short 9 years.

I love you to pieces, Abbers, and my life will always be better because you are in it. I am proud and honored to be your mom.

Silly kitty

2010-08-23T15:53:00.000-07:00

I walked by my daughter's room today and was reminded of this little song....."One of these things is not like the other. One of these things is not quite the same." hahahaha This is the favorite spot for our cat, Oreo, to sleep --- amidst all of Abby's stuffed animals. Sleep tight, kitty.

Cuddles with Daddy

2010-08-22T18:06:00.001-07:00

Relaxing on a Sunday night watching our favorite family movie, "Kung Fu Panda". Love watching a little boy cuddling with his daddy. Warms my heart.

Journey to health revisited on my blog

2010-08-22T17:14:00.000-07:00

The last few weeks I've been keeping a healthy life blog on the site The Organic Monkey. It was started by a friend of mine who desires to live a healthy, natural lifestyle and influence others to do the same. There is a store on the site as well and they carry natural supplements, fish and flax oils, etc etc. You need to check it out.

We decided that instead of me trying to keep up with 2 blogs, it would be easier to have her link back to this blog on her site so I could do all my blogging here. So for those of you who haven't been following my blog on her site, let me get you up to speed. I'm very honest about everything when I blog....including my weight. I use actual numbers which was quite scary to do at first. I blog about the good, the bad, and the ugly....about my successes and my "failures"....about everything I'm learning and how it is impacting my life and my family's lives.

I weigh-in every Friday and report what it is regardless of if I've lost weight or not. I will share recipes that I've tried with my kids and let you know if it was a "thumbs up" or "thumbs down".

If you have any questions or want to connect with me in any way, please leave a comment or go ahead and email me.

I'm very excited about meeting the goals that I have laid out for myself. Come along for the "journey"!

Art

2010-08-18T09:45:00.000-07:00

We have been making window clings over the last couple of days.
You first use the black paint to outline the character you've chosen...

next, put it somewhere safe to dry....

once it's dry, fill it in with whatever paint you want. Here's your chance to be creative....

put it somewhere safe to dry again.....

once it's dry, peel it off the paper, stick it to the window, and....

ENJOY the look of joy on your child's face when they see their artwork so beautifully displayed.

Dental appts then playing at the park = a beautiful day

2010-08-17T06:36:00.000-07:00

Eli had his 1st dental appointment yesterday....
And he did awesome.....

Even with the x-rays. He thought the dentist was fun!

Then it was off to the park in the evening....

1 scootered -- when did he grow up so fast?!

Thankfully I brought the stroller....scootering is tough work!

1 walked....

1 rode his bike....

1 rollerbladed.....

We swang (or is it swung? swinged? I don't know)...

Jumped off the swings....

Practiced being monkeys....

Practiced climbing....

Scared Mommy to death when I turned to see this....that was HIGH....

Finished up the evening playing tag. It was a beautiful day!

Last day of our adventure!

2010-08-14T17:50:00.001-07:00

A self-portrait with the flower my oldest son gave me this morning.

Exploring Trout Lake Bible Camp.....ah, the memories for me.

The new whiffle-ball field that the Twins gave permission to the camp to re-create their new ball field. They took the dimensions and plans of the Twins stadium and shrunk them down. How cool is that?!

More paddle boat rides.....

Games before supper....

Movie after supper.....a wonderful way to relax after our very busy week.

Our "home away from home". How we've enjoyed it.

Day 5 of our adventure!

2010-08-13T17:41:00.001-07:00

The best part of waking up is having these 4 squeeze into my bed every morning.

It was off to the park for some fun!

Showing off our muscles...

Pushing each other on the swings....

Showing off our coordination and strength on the monkey bars....

Climbing to the top of the metal spider web....

Sliding down the slides....

Playing "peek a boo"....

Exploring.....

Doing flips....

Taking a paddle boat ride.....

Once again, a very fun day!

Days 3 and 4 of our adventure

2010-08-12T17:44:00.001-07:00

To say that we have been having a fun time is an understatement! Our days have been filled with swimming, eating, swimming, eating, swimming, exploring, sleeping.....and on and on. As I type this we are experiencing some rain and distant thunder claps. The kids are watching a movie on the Disney Channel and they just finished up a little bit of ice cream. I am thoroughly enjoying spending some one-on-one time with each of my kids. How blessed we are. Enjoy these pictures from the last couple days.

Noah and Joey very engrossed in "The Wizards of Waverly Place" movie!

Abby and Eli enjoying the movie from a comfy spot.

Enjoying ice cream and cookies after lunch.

At the lake, each of the kids were trying to catch minnows that were swimming around our feet.

Now no one can say that I never post a picture of myself! hahaha It's my shadow in the lake!

These are our treasures from the day.....Abby and her shells and Joey found some kind of bone in the water.

All clean after a nighttime bath!

Joey is a master at making up his own games!

But nothing beats playing games with Grandpa Fred!

Day 2 of our adventure

2010-08-10T19:24:00.001-07:00

It's been a very rainy day and we spent most of it in the indoor swimming pool. Thank goodness that happens to be the favorite activity of my children! But after our 2 long swimming excursions today, we headed to what was supposed to be a bonfire on the lake with hot dogs, chips, lemonade, smores.....needless to say, it wasn't on the lake. It wasn't even a bonfire. But we did get hot dogs, chips, lemonade, and smores made inside.

When life hands you lemons, you make lemonade, right?!?!

The benefit of a rainy day after eating smores is easy cleanup!

Even Grandma got in on the action!
We have a nice phone call with Daddy so we won't be so homesick for him.

We play games as if we had some money with us.

We play ping pong with Grandpa.

And when we get "home", we play a fierce game of Uno with Mom!

All in all, a very good rainy, wet day.

Day 1 of our adventure

2010-08-09T17:08:00.000-07:00

My parents, my kids, and I are on a special adventure this week out of town. Poor hubby is left to manage things on the homefront. We were so excited when we woke up this morning to see what our day had in store for us but we encountered a little hiccup in our plans. While we were swimming Joey started to complain about his stomach hurting. We left the pool quickly and headed back to where we are staying. As he got out of the van, he started throwing up. Poor guy had such horrible pains in his stomach and he was barely throwing anything up. I know, I know -- TMI!!! He rested a good part of the afternoon and right now you would never know he was feeling sick this morning.

Despite his not feeling well, we had some great adventures.

A sweet, sweet picture to wake up to this morning. I was able to sit back and watch them interact with Grandpa Fred while I drank my cup of coffee.

Abby making a big splash in the pool

Joey jumping in the pool -- great form!

Eli, my little swimmer

Abby and Grandpa Fred

Love love LOVE this picture of Noah and Joey

Eli and Grandma Theda

It was off to the lake!

Eli and his shadow in the water

All 4 kids are watching the minnows swim all around their feet....and trying to catch one with their bare hands.

Fun at play

2010-08-06T16:37:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun today playing with my cousin and her kids at their house. There were 4 wheelers to ride, a sprinkler to run through, a trampoline to jump on, 4 wheelers to ride (again), a treehouse to play in, puppies to be played with......lots and lots of activity....lots and lots of fun memories were made as well.

The whole gang -- Noah (10), Chloe (8), Abby (8 1/2), Joey (7), Eli (3 1/2), Carter (5)

Eli drinking from the sprinkler

Abby and Joey on the big 4 wheeler

Eli drove this battery powered "4 wheeler" all day long!

Chloe and Joey

Chloe and Abby

Carter and Noah

Eli and "his" puppy -- the hardest thing to do all day long was separate him from the puppies

Abby holding the girl puppy

Joey and puppy

Noah and puppy, looking lovingly at each other

Thank you, Carla, Chloe, Carter (and Chad!) for being such wonderful hosts. We must do this again sometime.

Out of the mouths of moms

2010-07-30T16:12:00.000-07:00

Wow! When I saw this on my friend Jennifer's blog, I knew this was the perfect re-entry into the blogging world. So, sit back and enjoy some of the things I've said in the last couple weeks to my children!

Please put that mouse down right now! Why? Because it's gross! I know it's dead...that's why it's gross and dirty. Now come in here and wash the dead mouse gook off your hands!
Put the scissors down! We don't try to cut our friends while they're here playing.
Please don't bite your brother. You aren't a real dinosaur.
Please take your hands out of your pants. (ah, life with boys)
(said to 2 of my boys in the back of the van while I'm driving) Keep your hands to yourself please! I said, keep your hands to yourself! BOYS! Ok, both of you sit on your hands and look out the window. Look out your own windows please! Thank you.
Please tell me you're wearing underwear.
Please take that pull-up off your head. Because we don't wear pull-ups as hats. Please tell me you didn't pee in that one.
Did you just dip your toothbrush in the toilet to get it wet?

And my favorite one:

Yes it's very cool your penis has a hole in it but it's not cool to pee on your fingers! Now please come here and wash your hands!

Yes, life with children is always an adventure. And one that I love!!!! Hope you had a laugh...or 2!

Lasagna casserole

2010-05-10T17:05:00.000-07:00

I made this for supper tonight and it was a huge success!!!! 5 out of 6 of us liked it which is what makes a HUGE success in my book. So I thought I'd share the recipe with my "mommy readers". Let me know if you try it and what the outcome is for your family.

1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
****I used 12 oz of mild Italian sausage instead of the ground beef/onion****
salt (I omitted)
pepper, to taste
1 pound medium shell pasta, cooked and drained
****any pasta can be used...next time I'll use whole grain pasta****
1 pound (4 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
****I used 2% skim shredded mozzarella cheese****
1 carton (24 oz) small-curd cottage cheese
****I used 1% cottage cheese****
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
1 jar (26 oz) spaghetti sauce
****I used Barilla Tomato and Basil pasta sauce****

In a skillet, cook beef and onion until meat is no longer pink, drain. Sprinkle with salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, set aside. In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, 3 cups mozzarella cheese, cottage cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, parsley and remaining pepper; stir gently. Pour into a greased 13 in x 9 in baking dish. Top with the beef mixture and spaghetti sauce (dish will be FULL). Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Bake, uncovered, 15 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

I served this with a salad, fresh veggies, and garlic rolls. Yummmmm!!!!! Enjoy!

Life

2010-04-27T19:13:00.000-07:00

"Only one life, so soon it will pass. Only what's done for Christ will last."

These are a couple lines from a song my cousins, aunt, and uncle used to sing years ago when they traveled during the summer singing at different churches. I heard them do this song many times but, I hate to say, it didn't really mean much to me at the time. But this week this song has gone through my mind over and over.

Early Sunday morning a tragedy struck the home of a young couple (Heidi and Nick) from our church. I had her in youth group for a short time when I worked with youth. I knew her older brother better since I worked with him for a longer time. Heidi heard an intruder in her house and told Nick. He armed himself with his shotgun and they headed downstairs. Nick was confronted by the intruder and a struggle over the gun started. The gun went off during the struggle hitting and killing Heidi. The gun went off a 2nd time hitting Nick in the leg. Heidi was only 25 and her husband is 27. To say that this has rocked our church is an understatement. Both Heidi and Nick's parents are dearly loved at our church and have attended for years.

This has made me think about how I'm living my own life. None of us are guaranteed a long life. If something were to happen to me tomorrow, would people say that they saw Jesus in me? Would my children remember the fun times we spent together or the times I got upset with them? Would they know how I pray for them and how my heart breaks when they are sad or hurt? Would my family know how dearly I love them? When I see my Savior face-to-face will He say "Well done, my good and faithful servant"? What am I doing daily to live for Jesus?

These are just some of the questions I wake up in the middle of the night thinking about. And these are the quesions that are causing an ongoing change in the way I live my life. No more mediocrity. I want to do all things to the glory of God.

my attempt at photography

2010-04-08T18:35:00.001-07:00

I only have a "point and shoot" camera....although I'm drooling over a sweet, awesome Canon Rebel or 40D camera. Someday......but until then, I'm trying to master photography with my "little white camera" as it is affectionately known. Let me know what you think!