The Thelen Proceedings

Apparently even Google has a limit...

2012-11-29T14:06:00.001-05:00

Ok, I'm sort of tech savvy but not really. Due to {beyond my comprehension} Google limiting me on my photos I can upload to this blog, I regret to inform you that I will be moving to another blog. I am very sad about this, and very mad at Google for being {for a lack of a better term} stupid.

My new blog is here.

Back on the Bandwagon

2012-11-28T21:28:00.002-05:00

Yep. We are jumping back on the bandwagon called life. We haven't quite traversed the "pit of despair" {also known as the pit of being constantly sick}. We all got colds when we were back in Georgia for the Thanksgiving holiday. I'm praying that this will be the last of it, and this won't be our life for the next 5 months of winter. After our million errands that we ran in the past two days {usually the case after a trip}, I'm excited to finally have a day to get back on schedule. My mommy skills have greatly decreased as the past few months, I have been doing only what I can do to survive. Yes. The survival mode pit. I'm clawing my way out, only with prayer and realization of my dependence on the Lord. Less striving, more relinquishing, more ascending. Weird how that works... But the Lord's grace is amazing!

We had an amazing long Thanksgiving weekend with our families. It was truly a fabulous trip. Thanksgiving dinner was wonderful as always. This year, our extended family was huge! Two new in-laws, boyfriends and girlfriends, and new family friends (two of them from Burkina Faso!).

After Thanksgiving, Christmas season began... egg nog, Christmas music, shopping, the whole bit. As tradition has it, we went after Thanksgiving day shopping {basically right after... sales started at 8pm!} But I was happy to find a new laptop my hubby so lovingly bought me {as mine had died a slow miserable death} AND a set of glass Pyrex tupperware that I have been wanting... our plastic tupperware has also died a slow miserable death. Yuck.

Another highlight of our weekend was going shooting at some of our friends' house {a house that used to be a barn... basically my dream house}. So the 100 gallon cooler, packed full of guns, mind you, came out... Shotguns, ARs, Colt 45s, Sigs, Mosins, Glocks, .357 Mags... you name it, we probably had it. I hadn't been shooting in probably 3 years, so I was sooo excited! I did what I came to do... overcame my shotgun fear {bad experience where a pistol grip was very badly placed and basically bruised my spleen, haha}. I shot skeet for the first time and obliterated the second clay. Shooting skeet is probably my favorite activity. Ever. Nothing makes you feel more hard core than destroying a moving object in the air with a gun. Nothing.

We praise the Lord that Max passed the Georgia Bar Exam! I am so proud of him! While we were in town, Max was sworn into the GA Bar by a God fearing judge {what a blessing!} The judge had such encouraging words and helped re-affirm God's will for our lives with Max being a lawyer. I even had the privilege of holding the Bible that Max swore on. How great the Lord is!

David turns 8 months in two days and Benaiah keeps me young and is talking like a little human {love it!} and wants to do everything by himself. Days fly by. At this point in my life, I feel like I'm living a haze. I'm trying to live in the moment, but as moms of small children know, most days it's pure survival. But, I wouldn't trade it for the world!

Here are a few pictures from the weekend...

Drivin' the truck

Hangin' in the Eno with Uncle Jeremy

With Aunt Caroline

Post turkey slumber party...

Playing with cars post turkey

Asleep in Uncle Jeremy's arms

Good friends!

Catching some zzzz's. Our new brother-in-law, Chris.. he's already part of the family.

My talented baby brother

My beautiful newly married sister, Bethany

The whole gang!

On Friday, we went shooting at a friends' house. This was their remodeled horse barn! So neat!

Each stable was a kid's room! So cool!

After Thanksgiving, the Christmas festivities began. Coloring a cardboard house.

David saying hi to GigiMa and GigiPa (his great grandparents)

My two sleeping beauties.

My handsome eating a double decker meat sandwich..like a man.

My cutie, dressed up for church

Max getting sworn into the GA Bar!!! I couldn't be prouder of him!

So blessed by all of our family and friends who showed up to witness!

Clip on bangs!!! Ok, I haven't worn them out yet, but they're kinda fun, right???

Wrong baby in the bouncer

My almost 8 month old!!!

A pinterest hair style... the bow bun! And a happy boy!

Sandy, Sick, and Nearly Dead

2012-10-30T14:33:00.002-04:00

{the stillness after Sandy passed}

Being about as far east as you can get in Virginia, hurricane Sandy came hurdling our way, yet missed us by a hair. The only news to report is a whole lot of rain, some flooding, a day off, and lots of leftover canned food and water. The winds were disappointing (yes, I might be just a bit of a weather junkie who likes to be outside in the middle of a lightening storm taking pictures with my bestie-- this may or may not have happened). Don't get me wrong, I am thankful to the Lord for His protection, and my prayers go out to those families who have lost so much up north of us.

However, I wasn't really in the mood for action either because on Saturday morning around 5am, I awoke suddenly with a fever, vomiting for no apparent reason, and with excruciating pain radiating from my chest. Yes, as many nursing moms can relate, I had mastitis. And ooh, boy, was it a booger. I haven't felt that bad since my kidney stone two years ago. They said, nurse, nurse, nurse... and I said no, scream in pain, cry, and scream in pain some more. Ok, not really. I'm not that dramatic when it comes to pain, but I was miserable for a good 48 hours. Thankfully, I was able to come across some antibiotics before Sandy came barreling through, and my husband, who was out of town, was able to make it back. Praise the Lord, I'm back on my feet now, but am still very sore and I'm having trouble wanting to nurse my baby. There is a reason why so many give up after getting mastitis. I'm feeling it, y'all... If David was more interested in food, believe me, I probably would think about dramatically decreasing my nursing time; but no such case.

One thing Sandy brought that excites me beyond reason is... cold weather! Ah! I wore a coat for the first time today with my boots, and it was just pure bliss.

{sporting the post sickness no make-up face..yikes}

And all this cool weather makes me want to hunker down, decorate, and organize. And I think that's just what I'll do. Totally loving these cracker jars that Wal Mart sells for a mere $5.57.

And here is Mr. Fox bottle opener who I've always hated until I learned that he's an heirloom that sells for $50. He's Max's best friend. He's growing on me. But remember Mr. Fox, if I ever need $50....

Caroline, Maggie, and Lissy come up in 4 days!!!! Wow, I don't think I could be more excited! Just watch out for food galore and lots of laughing and lots of movies and lots of coffee drinking and lots of pure fun. Ben might be just as excited as he gets to hang out with Lissy for 4 days. Totally best buds forever.

And Ben found a new hobby...

yes, cookie cutters... who knew???

October Update

2012-10-25T13:46:00.004-04:00

I feel like so much has happened since the last time I posted! I spent a wonderful week with my family back in Georgia where, like a geek, I attended my high school homecoming only to end up spending the evening with my mom and sister (don't get me wrong, I really wouldn't have wanted it any other way! but does that make me unpopular? maybe so, but who cares, high school is over!). But the week was bliss. There is something special about the bond my kids have with my parents (their grandparents). I could die of happiness everytime I see my kids run to hug my teary eyed parents. My heart could explode with gratefulness and thanksgiving to the Lord for the blessing of wonderful parents and in-laws.

David has since turned 6 months (almost a month ago, whoops!), and crawls like there's no tomorrow. And after babysitting my friend's 10 month old, who was pulling up on things, since that day forward, my David has been doing the same. He's determined, probably even more so than Ben ever was. But with the unsteady legs of a bowlegged 6 month old, crashes are a common occurrence. Though I embrace every opportunity for extra kisses, I wish it didn't cause so many bruises and tears. Remember how I said he was my "serious" baby? Well, remember that no more because he's as goofy as they come, making growling noises and screams and squeals and kissing my nasty un-mopped kitchen floor... hm. He kinda sorta not really sleeps through the night, but that's ok... it's usually one early morning feeding and he's out again until morning. He still nurses like a pro and even though we have introduced solid food, he really hasn't taken any interest in it, so we've taken a break and will try again later. And that's a ok with me! I just love having my snuggly baby!

Ben is a sweet, goofy, fun-loving 2 and a half year old. We've started doing some structured learning activities with him and he is really excelling. He knows all of his letters and colors and most of his numbers. He LOVES reading, and we could read for hours. We go to the library almost every week and get a new round of 20 books and read them all before next week. He still holds a special place for his cars but has also branched out in his interests. He loves animals (we also go to zoo almost once a week) and is really good at distinguishing between them and naming them. He talks like a four year old, and I continue to laugh in astonishment at the funny things he says. He's been memorizing scripture and fun Bible songs and has even begun to say his own prayers, which once you experience that as a mom, it can really make you cry! He is absolutely precious and our pride and joy!

Max is super busy, busier than I expected (because how much more busy can you get being in law school? but I was wrong). He is starting a business, clerking for a federal district judge, reading up on cases for his next clerkship with a federal appellate judge, drilling once a month for the National Guard, the list goes on. Basically, he's a super hero glorifying God in every way he can. And the Lord has been gracious, and we enjoy each other's company every night. We all eat dinner as a family, Max plays with the boys until they go to bed and does bedtime routine with them. And boy does he spoil me!!! That man is as sweet and generous as they come. His spontaneity makes me feel like I'm 18 being courted by some suave debonair beau, and I guess I am (well, apart from the still being 18 part...) Yesterday, he told me to come to Norfolk to meet him for lunch and he took us to get Thai and then surprised me with coffee afterward and Ben with a blueberry muffin the size of his face. We also got a mysterious package in the mail and come to find out, he had bought Ben a motorized helicopter that they could play with together. He adores his sons and I just love watching him being such an awesome dad, husband, and man of God.

***Bar results for Georgia come out tomorrow!!! eeeeek! Please pray for God's favor and that Max has passed. (I have no doubt, but still plead with prayer and give all glory to God no matter what!)***

October has been a fun month weather wise, and we have loved spending our time outdoors...

Ben lovingly picks a flower for me

I prefer Ben with longer hair as it shows off the red, but it was really time for a hair cut after I realized how long it was in this pic.

Ben loves to help me in the kitchen, especially with my baking endeavors... it also means he gets to lick the spatula =)

David about to try his first bite of people food

Wasn't really sure...

Ben, of course, wanted to help feed his little brother.

A day at Mt. "Trashcan" (Trashmore)!

I even let David crawl around on the dirty ground... aren't I a good mom?

My climber of Mt. Everest

Standing up on everything!

Playing in boxes never gets old

After sleeping until 10am this morning, Ben proceeded to pack down 5 pancakes and 2 eggs.... growth spurt much???

My hubby also let me plan out a new house arrangement so both boys could have their bedrooms and the office could be downstairs! So, pictures to follow... we now have a fun office space in the living room, I have a mini office in the kitchen where I can pull up recipes, do my meal planning, and web browsing, and David has a full fledged nursery (which we might also make a guest room as well). Which reminds me, Caroline (my sister) and Maggie and Lissy (sister-in-laws) are coming up in a week!!!! CAN'T WAIT!!!

The Green Monster {not referring to snot or the baby}

2012-09-20T19:01:00.000-04:00

As David nears his 6 month birthday (already! ah!), he is officially a crawly monster. He has on many occassions slithered his way across the room when something grabs his attention; therefore, he has passed the mobility test. Now, I'm pulling cords out of mouths and trying not to shriek as he grabs books off of a bookshelf (praying the bookshelf doesn't somehow end up on top of him). But he is a completely different baby than he was two months ago; always with a goofy smile on his face or a quizzical brow, he is such a happy little guy.

I captured the little wriggler on video. Excuse the annoying monkey noises in the background. I shamefully admit, it helps keep me sane some days...

After a week battling the sickness from hell, we are hopefully recovering although it keeps hanging on. Thankfully, Max scraped by with a mere couple days of congestion. But the rest of us are battling coughs that make us sound like we have the plague. And out of the mouths of babes, it sounds horrific. It makes me thankful to the Lord for our health, which I take for granted so often. Praying He chooses to heal the little ones of their nasty coughs.

Being sick has put us a bit behind in the world... no library storytime or BSF for us this week, and yesterday was the first day we ventured out of the house, which was to ~~pick up~~ steal this Phil and Ted's off Craigslist.

The Green Monster

Then we ventured out again today to go on a walk and this is what happened...

Cuddling with his Car and Driver magazine no less.

And the backseat is the perfect place for this little guy.

The weather has been so nice here, and I have loved getting out and taking walks at night before the kids go down. It helps me have some time to think, helps the kids relax, and gives us something to do between dinner and bedtime.

I am so thankful to the Lord for our sweet children. As I write this post, my kind Benaiah is giving me slobbery kisses sporting my sunglasses and saying, "cool dude!" I shouldn't say this out loud, but yes, I have baby fever ALREADY. But the Lord works through my husband in many, many ways, and when he says wait, it means wait.

Ponder This

2012-09-18T13:54:00.002-04:00

O Lord, our Lord,

how majestic is your name in all

the earth!

Out of the mouth of babes and

infants,

you have established strength

because of your foes,

to still the enemy and the avenger.

When I look at your heavens, the

work of your fingers,

the moon and stars, which

you have set in place,

what is man that you are mindful of

him,

and the son of man that you care

for him?

Yet you have made him a little lower

than the heavenly beings

and crowned him with glory and

honor.

You have given him dominion over

the works of your hands;

you have put all things under his

feet,

all sheep and oxen,

and also the beasts of the field,

the birds of the heavens, and the fish

of the sea,

whatever passes along the paths of

the seas.

O Lord, our Lord,

how majestic is your name in all

the earth!

All in a Day

2012-09-12T21:31:00.002-04:00

Here, David is being the civilized one and Ben is the one chewing on the toy.

Hello, I see you!

We made a fort!

Playing with his boat made out of corks.

Hello there!

I spy a David.

Reading books together before church.

Homemade instant oatmeal mix

My breakfast almost every morning: vanilla black tea and oatmeal and lots of water

"Read it, mease!"

Bubbles during storytime

We love library storytime!

We go to the zoo almost every week, but this particular day was the perfect zoo day ever! The weather was in the 70s, and we got to see so many animals that are normally hiding.

This little guy (a red panda) came close to pose for a picture.

The first time I've ever seen the zebras!

Giraffes, one of our favorites

An excited baby!

Trying to look through the binoculars.

Riding a rhino (mommy's favorite)

The first time we've seen the sloth!

"a pider monkey!"

One of my favorites, the blue duiker. I've only ever seen him once before.

Fitting for a newly crawling baby. It's official! He's on the move!

Bubbling chocolate, what could be better?

Maybe this... no bake cookies!

Benaiah's colored picture from storytime.

Homemade Shaving Lotion

2012-09-12T20:53:00.000-04:00

If you are lucky like me, all it takes is looking at a razor to break out in horrible razor burn and red bumps and have scaly, dry legs. I once borrowed someone's Bath and Body Works True Blue Spa shave lotion, and my life was forever changed. Until, I looked on the bottom and saw the price... yes, I'm cheap and don't really feel like spending $12 on a small bottle of shave lotion; however good it is. So I stumbled upon a recipe {off Pinterest, of course} and decided to give it a try. But since my legs break out so easily, I tweaked it to be more gentle and natural, without fragrances or dyes.

Here's what I used:

1 cup of conditioner (this is what I normally use to shave my legs)
1/2 cup of shampoo (the recipe called for 1 cup, but shampoo tends to dry out my skin)
1/4 cup of coconut milk (recipe doesn't call for it, but I substituted for the shampoo)
5 Tbsp. lotion (I used fragrance free Aveeno)
5 Tbsp. olive oil (recipe called for baby oil)

Mix all together in a large bowl and let sit for about 30 minutes or so. Then I just transferred it to an old gel squirt bottle that I had laying around.

It was super easy, and it took me all of 5 minutes to make, and it has been fantastic! My legs don't break out, and I don't even have to use lotion now! The key to a close shave is keeping those legs hydrated!

Motherhood: Turning "Terrible Two's into "Wonderful Two's"

2012-09-09T17:35:00.002-04:00

Image found here.

It's funny the reaction us moms get in the grocery store or anywhere out and about when our toddler, well, starts acting like a toddler. I see countless moms look like they are about to pull their hair out, start a yelling war, or start a "2 year old" meltdown right there in the store. I get it; I've been there. There have been many times where I wanted to just sit right down in the aisle and start bawling or completely lose my temper with my kids because they were being "bad" in the store. Yes, we have small children. Yes, stress is our clingy best friend we wish we didn't have. Yes, it's hard. But are we just surviving or are we thriving?

I've really been evaluating recently about where I am as a mom. After feeling the stress of a colicky baby, a 2 year old who talks so much {and jumps so much}, I want to duct tape his mouth and tie him to a chair sometimes, I broke down. I couldn't reach my two year old. He was whining constantly, acting out, and his conscience wasn't clear. I was beside myself with frustration. Surely, this was not how I was supposed to be coping with motherhood. I've met even the non-believing mom who seems to handle things better than I do sometimes. But surely motherhood means we go to every mom's group we can find, gossip with every woman we find, keep a clean Martha Stewart home, sign up for Bible Study, teach a Sunday school class, keep up a blog, cook some gourmet meal that can be pictured in a magazine, run ourselves ragged so we are left with no energy or attention for the kids.... no?

I am a Type A personality. Many of us moms are.. or at least, become. We become pros at scheduling, organizing, doing, and multi-tasking. But, I envy those Type Bs out there. While they may not have a spotless house or a hardcore schedule or show up to events on time, they are "going with the flow". While that phrase makes every bone in my body cringe, the Lord has been teaching me the importance of putting aside the "to do" list {aka. the I-can-only-feel-good-about-myself-when-I-have-completed-the-list list} and going more with flow of my little ones. As moms (especially moms of younger children) we cannot expect our kids to be perfect sit still little angels when we, ourselves, are frantic, stressed out, going non-stop, and never sit still ourselves!

The Bible outlines the Proverbs 31 woman, and I think many of us idolize her. Be the Proverbs 31 woman, they say. Do this, do that. I oftentimes find myself psyching myself up to "do" all the things outlined in the passage only to find myself a week down the road in a failure induced state of emotional wreckage. Yes, all of that "stuff" is good, but the Bible outlines the goal of motherhood, which has much more of an everlasting outcome, one that could mean the eternal life or eternal death of our children....
And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.-- Deuteronomy 6:6-9

Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. -- 1 Timothy 4:16

"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed--or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her. -- Luke 10:41-42

How many times do we fail to diligently teach our children on a daily basis? How many times do things or events or emails or notifications steal us away from our most important job on this earth? How much time has been wasted on the things that have no eternal importance?

Mary chose sitting in Christ's presence over a perfectly served dinner. Mary chose sitting in Christ's presence over a clean house. She chose better.

I'm not saying leave the house in a state of wreckage (however, if it takes a day of wreckage in order to sit at the feet of Jesus, then by all means!). I'm not saying don't leave the house. I'm not saying don't go to a bible study. But let us do all things with one goal in mind: to glorify the Father; to do all things as unto Him. If we do not have this goal in mind, all of our to do's are in vain. We will be running in a hamster wheel... running, fatiguing, wearing thin, but going nowhere. There is rest at the feet of Jesus. We can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. Motherhood included!

So I realized, my two year old didn't need all the dishes put away in their exact spots, or the floor mopped every day, or to go shopping, or a perfectly cooked dinner. He needed a mom. One that would play hours with him, would smile at his words, would hug him, would delight in him, would teach him how to cook and clean (even if it took 30 extra minutes), would show him the JOY of the Lord. If we get one thing right, it should be to delight in the Lord and love Him. Our children will find no greater security.

I put together a little list of tips... Turning the "terrible two's" into "wonderful two's"

1. Sit at the feet of Jesus EVERYDAY. The word of the Lord is life to us. Without it, we as Christians have a hard time of functioning (or at least functioning correctly). Our tendency will always be towards our sin nature, which is lazy, lustful, idolizing, and all those nasty other sins that get in the way of true joy in our mothering. Staying in the Word will combat those and give us a sword to fight the day.

2. PLAY. The way toddlers learn the most is through play. They need attention or they will find their attention elsewhere. Let us always be open for their attention! This maintains the trust and relationship between us and our children. Also, we can teach them character skills even through play. My two year old began to play rough and start talking meanly to other toys. Many parents, who do not play with their children, would miss this issue. Obviously, my two year old was struggling with some bitterness in his heart and needed to be taught to play nicely and forgive others.

3. Include your children in the housework. Children love to feel like they are a crucial piece to your family unit. When you are constantly acting like they are in your way, they will begin to resent you and your housework. Let them help you even if it means it takes an extra hour. Later on, they will develop the right way of doing the housework as well as a joy and sense of accomplishment doing it. And they will feel important.

4. Delight in your child. Our children know when we are feeling bothered by them. They also know when we are stressed. Let us delight in our children and have patience with them. Do not be exasperated by certain behaviors that surface but let us use them as opportunities to teach them. Our Father is the perfect Father. His patience is eternal. We don't have that luxury, so let us pray to have patience with our children as God the Father has with us.

Dinosaur (Ice) Eggs Excavation

2012-09-08T09:24:00.000-04:00

I was excited this morning because I had a fun activity for Ben planned. I'm having a hard time finding activities that capture his attention and that promote learning at the same time, and I came upon this one! First of all, it was super easy (for me), and it was soooo cool and Ben loved it!

Materials

Balloons

Water

Small toys and objects (that are water proof)

First, you open the neck of the balloons as wide as you can make them and fit it around the small objects. (We put in a small toy truck and some pennies). But you can use marbles, animal figurines, or practically any toy that will fit inside a balloon. Then you fill the balloon with water the rest of the way. Place inside a bowl (in case of rupture) and freeze for a good 12 hours or longer.

Then just use your fingernails to scrape balloon off the ice egg (this was relatively easy). And you get a huge ice egg!

Then you can use a tool of your choosing to try and "excavate" the objects that are inside. We chose a spoon.

They really are a sight to be seen... beautiful.

Planning his next means of attack.

Then he tried kicking it around.

But a 2 year old's patience wears thin, as it normally does, and we chose to speed up the process a little.

A little gravity and hard concrete did the trick...

A great morning of excavation!

Is it Christmas yet???

2012-09-07T14:50:00.000-04:00

I must start this post with a video...

Almost every day, Benaiah asks about Grandmama, Grandaddy, Lissy, Cici, Pop, and just about every other family member. And today, he asked me to draw them. This is what we came up with...

And all this talk got me thinking about home....

And thinking about home got me thinking about the holidays....

And thinking about the holidays got me thinking about Christmas music....

I really shouldn't have, but I did.

And I really, really, really shouldn't have, but I did.

So, a Merry Christmas... in September. Please come soon.

It's a Wonderful Life...in Pictures

2012-09-06T19:13:00.003-04:00

Wrestling matches...

Brotherly love...

Never get tired of watching the sunset off our back porch...

Making strawberry peach jam...

I love canning...

David starts getting mobile. Watch out world!

Ben helps me in the kitchen

And in the backyard by cutting grass (working on fine motor skills)...

My little monkey...

A present from my hubby: a 60 year old rocking chair from Craigslist

"Cooking" with mama in the kitchen...

Which turned into a mini bath session... and a VERY wet floor.

Iced Coffee... So Good I Could Jump In

2012-09-05T16:09:00.002-04:00

I love coffee. Like really love it. I go to bed at night looking forward to my morning cup o' joe. But I'm not really a hot coffee drinker. I'm one of those weird ones who will go and order a ~~coffee flavored milkshake~~ frappucino in the middle of winter... when there's snow on the ground. Ok, not always, but the majority of the time. But every time I tried to make iced coffee at home, it was nasty crap* not good. Until now. Sky opens and clouds move aside as beams of sunlight shine down upon this cup of iced coffee. Well, I don't want to get your hopes up, but it is really good.

*to quote Jim Gaffagan. Normally, I hate the word "crap"... Anyways, if you listen to Jim, you will laugh. If not, I'm sorry.

If you are used to throwing your leftover coffee from the mornings in the fridge, like I used to do, do this no more! You will only get a stale tasting cup of mediocre iced coffee. It's true. Cold brew. Yes, and believe me, it's easy.... even though I would do backflips over hurdles to get some good coffee, I really don't want to.

***I got this recipe from The Pioneer Woman, but like any other recipe {and for those of you who know me} I never stick to a recipe... Here's my version. Of a caramel macchiato.

3-4 cups of ground coffee to 1 gallon of cold water. Mix it in a big bowl or pitcher. Let it steep for 8 hours (or more if you like really strong coffee) (I do this the night before and in the morning voila! coffee!). Strain through a sifter (like this one) AND a paper towel. Otherwise, you might get some coffee grounds. Not so good.

Then you get this! Black coffee!!! But no, no, no... it's not done. Because who on earth besides working men like black coffee. Not me. Wish I did, but no such luck.

I usually chill in the fridge for a few hours, but the first morning it's made, I can't really wait that long and I just make sure to add lots of ice.

Next, you will need:

glass of ice, full to the brim
your newly brewed black coffee
homemade caramel sauce (recipe is down below) or chocolate sauce (good 'ole Hershey's will do but this is much better AND cheaper, btw!)
sweetened condensed milk (or sugar + milk)
Coffee creamer (I use caramel macchiato flavored, but it's your choice) or plain 'ole milk (or if you are feeling super adventurous... half and half) will do the trick too

Make sure your glass is full of ice because who wants semi-cold iced coffee? It's gotta be cold.

Get a spoonful of this.... {your caramel}

Add it to your cup of ice.

Pour your coffee in until it's a little over 7/8 full {weird fraction? yes, I know, but I need to be precise}.

Then grab a heaping spoonful of liquid goodness, aka. sweetened condensed milk. Never bought it before, but will never be without it anymore.

Add 1-2 Tbsp. of coffee creamer. I like caramel macchiato flavored.

*I like International Delight's version better, but Wal Mart was out... hence the Coffee-mate*

Mix, top with some more caramel (or chocolate) if you wish, and drink!

And this...

Will turn into this... in a matter of seconds {if you're me}

Homemade Caramel Sauce

1 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2/3 cup of half and half
4 Tbsp. light corn syrup
4 Tbsp. water
2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract

In a saucepan, combine brown sugar and cornstarch. Stir in cream, water, and corn syrup until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes until thickened.

Remove from heat, stir in butter and vanilla until melted. Store in fridge.

David at 5 Months

2012-09-05T11:55:00.001-04:00

If you told me my baby is now 5 months, it would probably knock the breath out of me, but it's really true. My mother-in-law always told me 5 months is the happy month, and I finally understand why! David is a {most of the time} very content little guy. He is teething off and on and has his rough nights, but all in all, I can set him down, and he'll give me a solid 30 minutes to an hour of happy play! And he has a smile that will melt anyone's heart, but especially this mama's. He has an intent, gentle, and genuine spirit. He's also a cuddler... what mom can resist?

Words cannot describe how happy I am that he is still exclusively nursing and gaining weight. I can take or leave being pregnant, but I LOVE nursing my babies. It's such a wonderful experience, and I feel so blessed that I am successful this time around.

To give you an idea, this was Ben at 5 months...

Just so you know, this is a very hard picture for me to share. I feel guilty even now looking at those skinny little arms and legs, but I honestly didn't know my milk supply had plummeted. But the Lord is gracious and...

Here is David at 5 months...

Chunky and fat. Just the way we like our babies around here =)

David is now up on all fours, but can't quite figure out how to move around... yet. But I know in a matter of weeks, he'll be getting into just about everything.

If he likes anyone the best, it's his brother. David's face lights up every time Ben enters the room. And Ben is the BEST big brother. Kind and sweet and protective, but keeps David tough... just what big brothers are for.

And Ben adores his little brother too. Here he was so excited that they were "bof whitning queens!"

We are finally settling into a routine, and I have never enjoyed our little family more. My favorite? Dad coming home from work and reading to the kids.

The oh, so many faces of our sweet David...

So thankful for our sweet little blessing!

The VERY Best Chocolate Chip Cookie. Fer Real.

2012-09-02T00:42:00.002-04:00

When it comes to food, I'm a texture person, unfortunately. Who else out there is like me? Who can't quite enjoy oatmeal because the stuff is well, just plain mushy... who cannot dunk a cookie into a glass of milk for fear of sogginess... who eats cereal in world record time... who strategically places a cracker on top of my soup only when it's on its way to my mouth. My dad, on the other hand, will hold a cookie under until it drowns, will actually wait for his cereal to get soggy, and crumbles a whole sleeve of crackers into his soup.... um no, not me. No way, Jose'.

Anyways, I'm also picky about the texture of my cookies. They have to be the perfect combination between that buttery, flaky crunch and that chewy, doughy height. And friends, I have found the one, the one that makes my cookie soul go mmmmm. And it's chocolate chip, of course. With oatmeal. With a touch of cinnamon. With pudding. Yep, pudding. No really, this cookie makes me happy inside. Without further ado, its the Supreme Chocolate Chip...

They're flaky and buttery, yet chewy and soft. Perfection in cookie form. Add ice cream, and you won't ever forget the last 2 minutes of your life...

Supreme Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 pkg. instant vanilla pudding
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
2-1/4 cup flour
1 Tbsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup oats

Preheat oven to 375. Beat butter and shortening together until creamy. Add sugars and beat until fluffy. Beat in eggs, pudding, and vanilla. In separate bowl, combine flour, soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add dry mixture to wet mixture, beating well. Fold in chocolate chips and oats. Bake 10-12 minutes. And voila!

My Mini Vacation

2012-08-31T17:16:00.000-04:00

I'm excited to announce that the kids and I are GA bound! We'll be leaving this weekend and staying for a week. My high school homecoming is next Friday, and like a nerd, I'm going. And I must say that my parents are the absolute greatest! I cannot wait to see everybody! The most excited part of me is the part that watches my sweet Ben run to hug his grandparents and his aunts and uncles and the part that watches my parents squeeze the stuffin's out my little baby. It is a sweet moment. I love seeing my parents and I know they love seeing me, but there is that extra special-ness about grandchildren and their grandparents that could make me weep.

For the past month, I feel like I've been surviving instead of thriving. With my husband out of town for three weekends in a row, and with the kids and I being sick, it was all I could do to slap peanut butter on a piece of bread and throw it in the general direction of my two year old. And I've been suffering: spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically. So my sweet husband gave me some money, sent me to a coffee shop and to the thrift store ALONE while he watched the kids for 3 hours. So with my bible in hand, I excitedly marched out the door to my favorite local coffee shop, Cafe' Moka, where I can basically inhale everything on their menu. I spent an hour sipping coffee, praying, and reading my Bible where the sweet Lord touched me in a special way, filled me with joy and energy and life and purpose. What a blessing! Then I headed to the thrift store where I was able to restock Ben's winter wardrobe as well as mine! Some of my prized finds were a Colombia fleece for Ben for $2, a bunch of Chap button down shirts for $2 a piece, an Ann Taylor Loft sweater for $2 (for me), a pair of brilliant red flats for $4, and a free pair of jean slacks! I cannot tell you what a rejuvenating afternoon it was for me. The day concluded with a dinner date with my husband and his future co-clerk at PF Changs (sans kiddos again!). I must brag that Max is the very best. I cannot tell you how blessed I feel to be married to this man. Every day is an adventure, and he loves me more than I deserve. And did I tell you that he received an offer to become a clerk for a federal appellate judge (next step up is the Supreme Court!) in South Bend, Indiana and that's where we'll be this time next year??? We are soooo thankful to the Lord for His amazing provision and blessings!

Our week in GA to be documented later...

DIY Re-purposed Drawer

2012-08-20T15:08:00.000-04:00

I happened to find an old drawer in my Dad's scrap wood pile. And with the craze of pinterest ideas running through my head, I began to imagine it as a shelf. I liked the oldness of it. I liked the depth of it. After running the idea by my dad, we began our work. He had some ideas, I had some... and together, it became one of my most prized pieces of home decor. And the best part??? It only took me a matter of hours to complete. {It appeals to my need of instant gratification}.

Step 1: Sanding. I know, I know, not fun, but I will tell you a belt sander does actually make it somewhat fun... and quick.

Step 2: I painted the inside of the shelf an antique white (one of my fav colors). I did a thin coat.

Step 3: After a few hours of drying time, I came back and sanded where I had painted, concentrating on certain areas to give it an antiqued look.

Step 4: My dad had the idea of taking pallet wood and nailing it on the bottom to create a pocket so to speak, so after measuring it, sawing it, and sanding it, I nailed it to the bottom.

Step 5: Add alligator teeth to the back for hanging.

Step 6: My dad suddenly pulled out his beveling tool, and I was ecstatic! After a few trial runs with it, I beveled out the letter T {for our last name, of course}.

And it was done! Now, it has become my catch all for the kitchen, housing my Mommy Binder, planner, notebook, recipes, and mail. I later added some hooks for keys and such. Easy peasy!

Home Sweet Home

2012-08-16T14:01:00.002-04:00

We are HOME! After a chaotic and rather emotionally trying summer, we are finally home and somewhat settled in. So, I love our new house. I call it a house because it feels like a house. It's actually a townhome style apartment, but the privacy and the backyard add somewhat of a house feel. But I still love the free maintenance that comes with apartment living that can fix electricity, plumbing issues, bug issues (all of which we have had, but are now fixed).

And the aftermath....

More pictures to come as we still have some unpacking and rearranging to do.

But here is a little tour of the downstairs area... because the little ones are sleeping upstairs ;)

Our New New Home.... Officially.

2012-08-02T23:08:00.002-04:00

So you know the post about our new home? Well, that's not our new home. Everything happened in a matter of 24 hours (and is truly a testament to the goodness of God). We cancelled our lease due to some unethical behavior on the part of the apartment complex, called a new place and was moved in by the next day! During this time, we found out that Max's judge was hiring him on for another 6 months AND that Max got called to fly to South Bend, Indiana for an interview with a senior federal appellate judge for NEXT August. Wow! God is so good.

Our new new home is fantastic... so much more perfect for our little family with a cute little gated backyard space with grass! Introducing our new new home... officially!

And we get to be neighbors with Caleb and Kirsten again =)

Next week my sister gets married!
And then we head up to Virginia to unpack all of our boxes in our new home! Truly an exciting time.... pictures will follow.

Savannah & Tybee Island

2012-07-20T16:06:00.003-04:00

Love.

This picture adequately describes what I thought about Savannah, Georgia. It was a gem in the armpit of the South, full of history and charm, where ivy drips from the trees and tugboats drift along the river. As you can see in the picture, each street has a surprise, like this old cathedral that we stumbled upon which looks like something you'd find out of a European travel guide.

I can see why Bethany wants to move here... at least she got to spend a few days here for her Bachelorette trip.

Trip #2 is this weekend for my soon-to-be-sister-in-law.... the Georgia mountains.

And I must share the shoes that I found for the bridesmaids. (I'm trying not brag, but I am SO not good at fashion, so I am quite proud of my find... and that everyone else liked them.) Just to give you a visual, we will be wearing short dark purple cotton sateen dresses and carrying hot pink flowers.

4 days until the Bar...

7 days until the wedding...

9 days until we move...

Our New Home

2012-07-19T17:08:00.003-04:00

Movin' to the city. I'm excited to see what it's like to walk everywhere, find all the cool local shops, and get woken up by a train....

201 W. 21st Street, Norfolk, VA

Much more to come as we head into Bar/Anniversary/Wedding/Olympics Week....

Defeating Fear

2012-07-02T15:36:00.003-04:00

Image found here.

Fear is not a thing I normally struggle with. The unknown has always proved to be somewhat of an excitement for me. New things and change meant something bigger...better. But after having David and the coming of my 25th birthday, the idea of "death" began to plague my mind and fear began to cover me like a looming dark cloud, always there to rage a thunderstorm over my head. In the past few months, there hasn't been a day that goes by that I have not fully contemplated the painful consequences of death and dying, especially the ones whom I love the most. It becomes a game in my mind... Sometimes, I gain small victories. Other times, I cry out in utter defeat. I ask myself: I am a Christian, I know the Lord is good all the time, I know He will always be glorified, I know everything...breath, life is in His hands... why am I afraid? I know this in my head and yet it still consumes me. Yet I am reminded, sweetly, by the promises of God... Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you... My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Then, I realize no one can love me or my children more than God does. He aches for the hearts and souls of my children even more than I possibly could. And so often do I lose perspective... thinking that life in this world has more importance than eternal life with our God. Cliche as it may sound, death is only the beginning. So, I stand in the presence of God, through the Holy Spirit, and defeat fear. Fear violently opposes the promises of God. Fear leads to doubt, leads to faithless... And God forbid I be faithless. If anything, the brevity of life should teach me one thing, as expressed in 1 Timothy 4:16... to watch my life and doctrine closely and persevere in them, for in doing so, will save myself and my hearers. Rejoicing in the Lord today. Combating feeling with feeling. The joy of the Lord is my strength. The Word of the Lord is true, speaking life into my heart. Praise be to God forever.

To Georgia... To Tennessee...To Georgia... And Back

2012-06-30T14:07:00.001-04:00

Got back this week from two crazy full weeks in Georgia. My wonderful cousin got married... we darted back and forth between Canton and Acworth, even venturing out to Athens one day for my sister's first bridal shower...planned for two more weddings (my sister's and my brother-in-law's)...and now we are back to the nitty gritty of the countdown to the Bar and moving. Yes, we are busy, but so grateful for the rest that the Lord has given me in the midst of it all. It was so wonderful to have such doting babysitters. I could not be more grateful for both of our parents; they are the best grandparents any child could ever ask for. And although this week has been de-spoiling for all of us, I am grateful for the one-on-one time I've been able to spend with my kids, regaining their hearts and their attention.

A beautiful picture from my bestie's wedding. I've never seen her this happy, and I couldn't be happier for her. I was so grateful and honored to be her matron of honor. And never have I seen anyone "cool as a cucumber" as she was the whole time! I love you, Bonnie!

Ben enjoyed catching up with his uncles and aunts at the wedding. Here he is with Uncle Jeremy.

Max is deep in Bar study, and although it seems greatly overwhelming to me, he is strong as ever as he plugs away at it. Three weeks away! I think it's been more stressful for me than for him!

Benaiah is a talking machine. I continue to be amazed at his memory and pronunciation. He still has a sweet, gentle, and joyful spirit, which I pray will follow him all of his life. But just like any two year old, he is BUSY! He loves to help me with everything, and I'm learning how to let him help me. He has taken to the big brother role like a charm, and David just loves him. This particular week, we are working on Bible verse memory (the both of us! Here is the system we have been using!), not whining, and staying in bed during naptime. Cars are still his thing, and, no joke, can name almost any car on the road. His favorite being the Dodge Challenger... which, of course, he got from Dad.

David is reaching a happier stage, praise the Lord (it was challenging there for a while!). He is officially 3 months today! He is very communicative, much more than Ben was, which I also think adds to his unhappiness if he's not getting attention 24-7. Max and I always joke that we might have another lawyer in the family because he just loves to hear himself talk. He smiles, coos, and squeals constantly and is consistently sleeping through the night! He is nearly 14 pounds and filling out his 3-6 months clothes. He loves tummy time... for about 5 minutes, and his hair is something to be had. (Sadly, many people think he's a girl the first time they see him).

I'm getting back into the running groove, and secretly hoping Max will let me sign up for a half marathon in October. I'm also attempting to find motivation to pack... while hiding from a mouse that has somehow found its way into my kitchen. I'm not really afraid of mice, but I for sure don't want one pooping in my pans, like he has been doing! I've also been trying to keep up with the news, per Max's request. And from the blowup on facebook about all this health care reform (that suddenly makes people start caring), I guess I just can't get away from it. But no... it really does interest me, but praying for the grace to be wise in my words and actions, honoring to our government but not tolerating of its behavior (especially its attack on the unborn), and to be praying for our President who is in desperate need of Jesus Christ, just as we ALL are.

1 Timothy 4:16

Flashback: David at 2 Months

2012-06-01T18:58:00.000-04:00

De-cluttering My Cabinets, Part 2

2012-05-31T16:18:00.001-04:00

Ok, so de-cluttering my cabinets turned into de-cluttering my entire kitchen. I mean, look at my get rid of pile... and that's not even the half of it.

I must say that I now LOVE my kitchen and pantry. Not only did I arrange things to be more aesthetically pleasing (which is important to me), I now have pots and pans where I can access them easily without trying to fit them in my cabinets like a puzzle. This is where my pots live now...

Before...

I couldn't even fit my tools in the thing anymore! So bye-bye to the never used.

After...

Before...

It may not look like chaos, but believe me, that top shelf is impossible to get to, and my husband's beloved coffee mug collection (quite eclectic, wouldn't you say???) had to find a new, more organized home (meaning out of sight! but still reachable)

After...

I must say I love my white dishes.

Before...

The dreaded tupperware cabinet... dun, dun, dun.

And after...

And this is where my pots and pans used to live before I freed them. Now the ugly, space gobbling appliances live here.

And this is what happens when Mama's in the kitchen all day. Dad builds a train track complete with tunnels.

Which ends up looking like this...

But no complaints from this Mama. Both boys did awesome!

Then came tackling the pantry...

Before...

After...

And now to find a place for my Mason jar collection (which I ~~should~~ will not get rid of)