What's Mine Is Yours

New Perspective

2011-07-17T22:06:00.002-05:00

A video on what God taught me while on the other side of the world. I'll let it speak for itself.

I bet you can't...

2011-06-13T14:50:00.002-05:00

It's the newest motivational phrase around here... we've definitely discovered that playing a little "Devil's Advocate" or "reverse psychology," or whatever you want to call it, WORKS for our little man.

He'll be whining about how he needs help with his shoes (which he doesn't) or how he can't eat another bite (when he hasn't eaten a thing) and all it takes is a simple statement (said with a smile):

"I bet you can't do that."

And does he ever do it. He gets a gleam in his eye, and gets to work faster than I've ever seen. Its become a game to him too and he'll say "Mommy, say 'I bet you can't chew up this grape.'" And then, boy, will he ever chew up that grape. Is it wrong? Is this an inappropriate motivational tool? All I know is that it sure does work. He's got a bit of a competitive spirit in him, like his momma. If you think I can't do it, I will show you that I can.

So I've started using it for myself too, changing those nagging guilty, defeating thoughts that sometimes creep in into what they really are: a challenge. I guess that's why its called Devil's Advocate. "I bet you can't clean up that kitchen {again} joyfully for your family." "I bet you can't put away your phone and {really} play with your kids." "I bet you can't show grace and patience today." "I bet you can't find the time to spend a quiet moment with the One who made you."

Oh yeah? Watch me.

and not by my own strength...
"Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength: seek his face always."

11 Months

2011-05-25T15:01:00.000-05:00

My sweet eleven month old...

...has two teeth (barely!), loves playing peek-a-boo, waves, claps, adores her brother, and steals the spotlight with those big blue eyes and kissable cheeks. She's done with baby food and prefers to feed herself- her favorite foods are bananas, cheerios, carrots, peas, black beans, and cheese. She sleeps through the night and takes two naps, though sometimes they are shorter than I'd prefer! She is an early riser, snuggly, and pretends to be bashful around people she doesn't know, burying her face in my shoulder (I have to say- I love it!).

We've been taking her to physical therapy weekly for about a month now. When she was 9 months old and still not crawling/scooting or rolling to her tummy, the pediatrician thought it would be a good idea. The PT has given us lots of good feedback as well as exercises to get her on her tummy and strengthen her legs, neck, and arms.

She still hates being on her tummy, but I have seen her roll to her tummy recently and she will even get on her hands and knees for brief periods of time now. Her new-found love is standing. She can't pull up to standing, but if I set her up on something, she will hold on forever and even take a few steps side to side and this is helping to strengthen and slim (boo-hoo!) those legs.

I'm so grateful that while she is taking her time with things, we are definitely seeing that she is capable of it all, just taking her sweet time with moving along. This girl is showing me that she is her own unique little person and she will do things in her own time... I've been so eager for her to crawl, to pull up, you know, reach all those milestones, but I'm realizing I've got to enjoy this sweet baby stage while it lasts!

And I've got to let her be who she is, and allow the Lord to write the story her has for her. I'm realizing that's a lesson I'll probably have to learn over and over as my children grow up. Its one of those hard, but good lessons to learn, you know?

I love you, precious girl, and I am SO PROUD to be your momma!

Lazy Blogging...

2011-05-18T15:58:00.000-05:00

It seems blogging has taken a backseat for me recently, but here's my attempt at a catch-up post...

fun trip to the zoo with friends...

little day trip to the coast...

A Happy Easter with family and no less than FOUR egg hunts...

a fun plane trip (Norah's first!)...

My cousin's beautiful wedding and a visit with family (LOVE this 4 generations pic)...

Norah got a new tooth, Charlie got a new haircut, and I got some new pillows for my bed...

Can't believe in one short month my baby will be having a birthday...

We have our fair share of long days around here, but when I take a breath to stop and think I see how quickly its all flying by. Doing my best to cherish it all...

3 Years Old

2011-04-10T15:24:00.002-05:00

I can hardly believe it has been 3 years since I laid eyes on him...

...this tiny sweet bundle...

...turned curious, fun-loving toddler...

...turned loving, protective big-brother...

...turned funny, smart BIG BOY!

(who promptly after blowing out his candles declared

"it's MY birthday" to everyone around. Yes, I guess he really is three)

I could not be more proud of this precious son of mine. His sincerity and wit surprise me every day and I am cherishing every detail of who he is and who he is becoming. I cannot believe how blessed I am to get to be his mommy! We love you Charlie, Happy Birthday!

Sprucing up for Spring (& 9 months old!)

2011-04-05T20:26:00.000-05:00

We've been spending a lot more time outside recently and decided it was time to clean up the yard (ie get rid of the weeds!) and plant some flowers for spring.

Charlie had a blast "helping" his Daddy and riding back and forth on the wheelbarrow.

Norah just sat looking cute like she always does. She's 9 months old now! Still no crawling, but I'm convinced it's not because she can't, but that she doesn't want to get her hands and knees dirty. She'll wait until she can walk thankyouverymuch.

After I took these pictures, I thought I'd help a little with the planting. Not a good idea- soon after this photo shoot, Norah decided to see what grass tastes like and I frantically tried to get it out of her mouth while getting my dirt covered hands all over her face and pretty white shirt. No choking occurred, but bath time came early that day!

Its been so great to get outside and have some new plants to care for. Hoping they make it through our hot hot summer. Happy Spring!

an exercise in relaxation...

2011-03-16T15:41:00.001-05:00

drop off the kids, surprise!, 5th floor suite, champagne, chocolate covered strawberries, beautiful dinner, great {& uninterrupted} conversation, ice cream by the fire, sleeping in, long hot bath, coffee on the balcony, more eating out, beautiful drive, all with the one I love...

{... in celebration of our 7th anniversary}

I love you, Paul... and that was exactly what your tired, often un-showered, overwhelmed with two kids wife needed... how ever did you know?

Bethany, Artist Extraordinaire

2011-03-14T13:20:00.002-05:00

I have never considered myself in the least bit artistic... creative, maybe; but artist? No way. I just have never been able to translate something from my brain into a piece of art using my hands. Paul lovingly calls me "the gorilla" when it comes to things like painting details or using a steady hand for anything. The whole hand-eye coordination just doesn't come naturally for me. So when I heard that our MOPs group was having a painting party, I thought I would go along, have a good time, hang out kid-free with some girls... little did I know I would come home with a piece of art... created by ME!

Here is our little group at Painting with a Twist

Our group painted the picture "Looking Up." We were walked through each step by an instructor.

And here is my finished product!

I have to say, when I was painting it, I didn't think I'd actually want to hang it in my house, but now that its here, I LOVE it! There's just something about knowing that I painted that myself!

So, where to hang it? I really don't have any "art" like this in my house. I'm usually not attracted to paintings, and everything we have on our walls are photographs, a few prints, mirrors, and old windows.

Right now I just have it hung over the mirror in the dining room.

Maybe it will inspire me to paint something else... or to at least try something new every once in a while!

Eight Months Old

2011-02-27T16:25:00.000-06:00

I say it every month, but really, I can't believe she is eight months! Three-fourths of the way to one.

At 8 months, Norah got her first ear infection (and it was a double- no fun!!). She is a happy baby that loves her brother... she is starting to wave, and wants to clap so badly but just can't get her hands together. Her favorite things are to sit and play with toys, and by "play" I mean bang them together, or chew on them. Still no teeth, and no crawling or even much rolling (she despises being on her tummy!). She loves taking baths and being outside. In the car, Charlie makes her laugh and keeps her entertained. It is so fun to see him love on her! Still not sleeping through the night all the way, but I have to confess I haven't let her cry much. :)

We are loving our new camera and are taking so many pictures its hard to narrow it down, but here are my favorites from our little backyard photoshoot...

Happy eight months, Norah!

CWP Episode 7 - Pizza in 7d

2011-02-16T09:21:00.002-06:00

Well, for this next episode, it's something completely different. I just got a new camera, a Canon 7d, and I wanted to put not only the food, but the camera on display as well, so I didn't muddy up the video with me talking about a bunch of stuff...just video and music. The recipe for the dough is below and if you watch the video carefully, I pretty much go through the entire process step by step. I hope you enjoy not only the pizza, but the video too.

**Disclaimer: I think this made a little too much dough for me, which you can see the crust really get big in the video. I normally prefer my pizza crust thinner than that, but it may work out for you depending on the size of your pizza stone. I think doing a 3/4 recipe would be just about right, but experiment for yourself.**

Pizza Dough

12 oz. all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 package quick rise dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
1 1/4 cup warm water
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

- Put all of the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
- Pour out the dough onto an unfloured counter or surface. Form the dough by using the same method seen here, in my cinnamon roll episode.
- Put in a lightly floured bowl and let it rise for 2 hours.
- After 2 hours, preheat your oven to it's highest temperature. (Mine was 500 F)
- Gently remove the dough from the bowl onto a floured surface and stretch the dough to the desired size.
- Place any and all desired toppings on the dough and cook in the oven for 8 - 12 minutes, depending on the temperature of your oven. Just keep an eye on it. Enjoy!

For my Valentines...

2011-02-14T15:39:00.000-06:00

It's not the pale moon that excites me...

that thrills and delights me...

Oh, no... it's just the nearness of you.

It isn't your sweet conversation that brings this sensation...

Oh, no... it's just the nearness of you...

When you're in my arms and I feel you so close to me...

All my wildest dreams came true.

I need no soft lights to enchant me...

If you would only grant me...

the right to hold you ever so tight...

And to feel the nearness of you.

Happy Valentine's Day!

From mine to yours.

Sick Days & Snow Days

2011-02-07T15:29:00.001-06:00

We've had quite the week around here since my last post. Both kids picked up some kind of nasty virus back to back that had us sleepless, cleaning up vomit, and sitting in front of the TV most days. By the end of the week, things were looking up health-wise and Paul got a day off work for the snow/ice that was supposedly headed our way. Since we couldn't get out much, we did the usual sick day/snow day activities... a few crafts, a little baking, tent making, a lot of reading, and a little snowman building...

With the snow on its way, I attempted one of those cutout snowflakes that we all learned in grade school, you know what I'm talking about? Yeah, guess I need to go back to grade school. My first attempt looked more like some kind of weird spider...

My second attempt was a little better, but still not very snowflake-y

Third time, not much better. Seriously, can someone give me a lesson?

Oh and just keeping it real, here was my attire for most of the week- some form of comfy/sweats or pajamas (picture by Charlie). Maybe I should have just looked at my pants to know what a snowflake looks like.

Fortunately, I did remember how to fold paper and cut out a heart...

When the snow finally came, we woke up to a slight dusting of our deck. It was just enough to make this little boy, who was finally feeling better, pretty excited...

I think his Daddy was a little excited too...

How do you spend snow days & sick days? I learned something about myself- snow/cold and being stuck in the house all day makes me want to bake and eat. Its a good thing we live in south Texas or I might weigh 300 pounds! :) Here's to warmer weather and getting back into a routine...

Weekend Makeover & The Perfect Gray

2011-01-31T14:54:00.003-06:00

Looking for a great gray?

We did a little fixin' up of our guest bathroom last weekend. When we first moved in I painted it this dark brown color and I was really getting tired of it. It looked nice with white accents, but now that we have kids, our towels and washcloths are not all white! With no natural light, it was also really dark. Here are some before pictures:

Love that cross, but it is clearly too small for this big wall! And our towel rod is clearly too small for properly drying more than one towel...

Love that star, but its not working for me there. I don't have a picture of the old light fixture but it was one of those Hollywood Ms. Piggy fixtures... you know what I mean- with the light bulbs sticking straight out?

We decided to paint the bathroom the same color thats in the rest of our house- its called Silver Dollar and its by Olympic Paints. I love that brand because its low-odor and low-VOC which means no nasty/unhealthy paint fumes! When we repainted our living room and dining room this shade over a year ago, we agonized over the decision and probably bought about 10 little sample cans and tried them out all over the rooms. It was a pain at the time, but I'm SO glad we took our time to sample the colors- they all look so different in different rooms and with different lighting! This color is a gray tone with golden or brown undertones. Its not a stark gray. Its definitely still a cool color, but the golden undertones warm it up a bit...

For some cheap and fun art, I made these little prints with some old frames I had and the Bag o' Buttons from Hobby Lobby! I decoupaged the buttons to the frames and then used rub-on letters on scrapbook paper for the print itself. I guess I could have actually printed them from my computer, but I like the way these turned out...

We replaced the towel ring, toilet paper holder, and light fixture with new brushed nickel fixtures.

The little cabinet over the toilet has brought in some much needed storage for us and was only $55 at Wal-Mart! I love the beadboard look, it adds a little cottage charm.

Since the old towel rod wasn't cutting it, I had a vision for this row of hooks and Paul made my dream a reality! We bought a thin board and attached a chunky moulding to the top and a smaller one to the bottom. Then he primed and painted it (high gloss so it would stand up in the bathroom), screwed on the hooks, and screwed the whole thing directly into the wall...

I wish I had pictures of the process for you- it really was a pretty simple project. I love how custom it is and the charm it brings to this little bathroom.

If you are on the fence about painting something or choosing a color- may this be the little bit of inspiration you need to just go for it! Painting the entire bathroom took only about 45 minutes and I was able to get it all done in two days while my kids napped (primed one day, painted the next).

Looking for the perfect gray? Here are the links to the other rooms in my house painted with Olympic's Silver Dollar:

Living Room

Dining Room

Happy Painting!

Viewer Appreciation Giveaway Winner

2011-01-31T11:15:00.001-06:00

And the winner of the digital probe thermometer is..........Bush Family! We'll get your prize out to you soon (probably tomorrow). We hope you enjoy it! And here is the proof footage from our 3rd party, independent sweepstakes organization, which makes sure that all giveaways are run with the most recent technology and according to the strictest of ethical guidelines.

Congratulations to Bush Family and thank you all for watching, hopefully learning, and being a part of this with us. Looking forward to more episodes and more collaboration with you all in what you want to see. Thanks again!

Seven Months

2011-01-29T00:00:00.016-06:00

On Monday, Norah turned 7 months. And the day before that, we had her dedicated at church. It was such a special moment, to present her to our church and commit her to the Lord. It is our hope and prayer that it was a first step in a long line of spiritual milestones in her life, leading her to faith in Jesus.

Here are a few pictures from our lunch after church...

...and then a few more from our backyard... the weather has been so beautiful lately!

The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing. " Zephaniah 3:17

CWP Episode 6 - Viewer Appreciation

2011-01-27T13:52:00.001-06:00

Roasted Turkey Breast

1 half turkey breast, rib bones in or out (doesn't really matter)
1/4 cup kosher salt (I said 1/2 cup in video...sorry)
1/4 cup brown sugar (I said 1/2 cup in the video...sorry again)
4 cups water (In the video I said 2 or 2 1/2 cups, but it's 4...don't know what I was thinking)
2 Tbs softened butter
1 tsp fresh rosemary or thyme, chopped fine
zest from one large lemon
Vegetables, such as celery, carrot & onion. Herbs and citrus would be good too.
salt and pepper

- Dissolve the salt and sugar in the water and pour into a gallon-sized plastic bag (if you are going to add herbs or spices, I recommend bringing everything just barely to a boil and letting it cool before putting in the plastic bag).
- Place the turkey breast in the brine and get as much air out of the bag as possible, ensuring complete coverage of the brine around the turkey.
- Keep in the refrigerator for as little as an hour, but no more than 12 hours.
- Preheat your oven to 375 F
- Combine the butter, rosemary and lemon zest in a small bowl and set aside.
- On a half sheet tray, arrange any vegetables that you can find as a bed for the turkey to rest on (this is a good way to get rid of vegetables that are almost ready to be thrown away).
- Remove the turkey from the brine. Rinse in cold water and thoroughly dry. - Gently release the skin from the muscle by sweeping your fingers under the skin, being careful not to break through the skin.
- Spread the butter mixture all over the breast underneath the skin, making sure to cover as evenly as possible. Place the turkey breast on the vegetable bed.
- Coat the skin with olive oil and liberally season with salt and pepper.
- Insert a probe thermometer into the deepest portion of the breast.
- Place in the middle of the preheated oven until the temperature reaches 154 F, around 1 hour 15 minutes.
- Do not remove the thermometer until the turkey has rested for about 10 minutes. Carry-over cooking will take the temperature to right around 162 F, which is exactly what you want. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Hashbrowns

Sweet Potatoes
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Basil

- In the largest frying pan you have, heat enough oil over medium heat to almost cover the bottom.
- Cut the potatoes into a 1/2" dice, or smaller if you prefer. If you do go smaller, you can probably boost the heat a bit too.
- Once the oil is hot, place the potatoes in the pan and spread out as much as possible so that they're not stacked on top of each other. You may need to do this in 2 pans or 2 batches depending on how many potatoes you are using.
- Let the potatoes sit for about 5 minutes and flip. Repeat this probably 2 more times until they are slightly crisp on the outside and soft of the inside.
- Sprinkle with kosher salt and add the basil.
- **Alternate Method - If you've just got too many potatoes, cut them into 1" chunks, coat with oil and salt, put them on a sheet tray and roast in the oven at 400 F for about 30 minutes or until they are tender. Throw on the basil when they come out of the oven and toss. Enjoy!**

Homemade Shells and Cheese

2 Tbs butter
2 Tbs onion, grated or minced as fine as possible
1 small clove garlic, minced as fine as possible
2 Tbs flour
1 cup milk
4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, the sharper the better
2 oz gruyere cheese
4 - 6 oz dried pasta, shells or macaroni
3 - 4 fresh basil leaves, chopped fine
salt and pepper

- In a medium pot, boil enough water for pasta and cook pasta until al dente or just slightly firm...no mushy pasta please. **Do not rinse the pasta after cooking**

- While pasta water is heating, add the butter, onion and garlic to a saute pan over medium-low heat. Add just a pinch of salt to draw out a bit of moisture.

- Let the butter melt down and cook the onions and garlic for 5 - 7 minutes, until they get really soft.

- Keep an eye on the pasta! :)

- Sprinkle the flour into the pan and stir around to fully combine with the butter. Cook for about a minute.

- Slowly add the milk to the pan while constantly stirring. This will help to prevent lumps.

- Let the milk cook for a few minutes and thicken until you can draw lines in the milk (see video).

- Turn heat to low and add the cheeses a handful at a time, completely combining with the milk before each addition.

- Turn the heat off and stir in the basil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

- Return cooked pasta to original pot and pour as much cheese sauce over the pasta as desired. Stir to combine. Enjoy!

Chalkboard Reveal!

2011-01-24T13:57:00.001-06:00

No, not an entire wall, but I did paint the pantry door! When I first started painting what looked like black paint on my crisp white door, I got a little freaked out...

But once it was "conditioned" (covered it with chalk and then erased)...

...it received the enthusiastic approval of the whole family!

Since I had the chalk out, I changed up our mantle chalkboard too...

Paul and I are both working on scripture memory and decided to see if Charlie could do it too. I mean, he knows all the words to "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" and "Jesus Loves Me" so why not John 3:16? He has really surprised us with how well he has learned it. I love that I found something fun for our house that has also led to spiritual significance for our family, because isn't that what the home is for?

Hope you are having a great Monday! Thanks so much for watching and commenting on our last video!! It means so much to us that you have enjoyed it and take the time to watch. Its been fun for both of us! We have a few surprises coming up this week for our viewers/readers so stay tuned...

CWP Episode 5 - The Challenge

2011-01-18T08:50:00.003-06:00

Really no recipe here, but here is a blueprint for how I like to do these quick meals:

A Foundation (usually whole grain pasta or eggs)
1 protein
2 vegetables
Extra flavor

So you can really substitute anything you can think of in there and get a lot of different dishes from this one blueprint. Here are some items that I try to have at all times that really help when time is short.

Whole grain pasta - in a variety of shapes and sizes
Eggs
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Potatoes - I recommend fingerlings for their superior flavor. Small red potatoes are good, too.
Red Onions
Garlic
Celery
Carrots
Mushrooms - normally just white button mushrooms, but also other varieties
Asparagus
Frozen greens, such as spinach, brocolli or peas
Fresh ginger root
Soy Sauce
Rice Vinegar
Hoisin Sauce - These 4 Asian-inspired ingredients can help the monotony that may come from making this a lot. Use them with pasta to make an asian noodle dish or stir fry.
Canned white beans
Canned chick peas or garbonzo beans
Frozen chicken breast strips - I like the strips because they thaw quicker and I usually cut them into small pieces anyway, so who needs a whole breast?
A good quality smoked sausage
Parmigiano Reggiano - from Italy, not Kraft. No exceptions...at least not here :)
Lemons
Fresh herbs - basil and thyme are my two biggies
Kosher salt
Whole black pepper in a pepper mill

I'm sure there are probably some items I forgot, but that will do for now. I really hope this helps you to make meals that taste good and won't leave you feeling awful afterward. Enjoy!

Chalk it up...

2011-01-17T15:23:00.001-06:00

I've been eyeing some of these pictures for a while now...

(source: here)

...thinking of ways to add a little more fun...

(source: here)

...can you guess what project I'm dreaming of?

(source: unknown)

(source: here)

Potty Is NOT Fun

2011-01-13T14:22:00.002-06:00

The title of this post is a direct quote from Charlie. And I have to say that I agree with him. Potty training him has been an uphill battle from the start. But I'm starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel (aka yellow in the potty and not on the floor!) so now I can enjoy one of the best things about potty training... seeing this little guy in his tighty-whiteys...

... and apparently when wearing tighty-whiteys, a display of muscular strength is always in order...

...followed by a major, double, jumping, high-five.

Maybe potty training's not so bad after all! :)

Adding in the Fun

2011-01-12T13:58:00.004-06:00

Ever since I pulled back out these Christmas lights (see this post), I realized what I love about it so much- it brings a sense of fun and joy to our home and (this is going to sound weird) when I have more fun with my decorating, it feels like the toys that are inevitably all around kind of blend in with the decor. Does that make any sense at all?

I love the look of a serene, neutral, clean, and almost minimal living room. But if I were to have that decorating scheme, the jumperoo, the baby blanket, burp cloths, and cars that find their way on the floor every morning would jump out at me and make the house feel like a disaster. But when the things I choose for my home add to a sense of fun and color, the toys feel right at home!

Now don't get me wrong, I definitely believe it is important to teach my children to clean up after themselves, and every toy has a place to go at the end of the day. But I am learning about how to decorate and "keep house" for this season of life we are in right now. I have baskets by the front door for shoes and socks. I have an ottoman filled with toys. I have a throw blanket and pillows on the couch that I am okay with ending up all over the floor. I have a colorful jumperoo and exersaucer that are semi-permanent fixtures in the living area. I have a coffee table covered in dents and scratches from the countless cars raced and toys banged on its surface. But I can still look around and see beauty and a home that I love.

Once I kind of realized all of this, I remembered something I bought months ago but never hung up because I was afraid it was a little too "out there" for our house... its these chipboard letters ($1.50 each at Hobby Lobby) that I painted the same navy blue as the stripes in our curtains (see those here). They've been painted but just sitting on top of our fridge for probably 3 months. I hot glued them right to our cabinets (I use a low-heat glue gun and they pop right off with no damage whatsoever, by the way) and voila...

Hello happy, hello fun! I'm loving it. I'm just hoping I don't gain 50 pounds from feeling a strange compulsion to EAT all the time...

So with all of that in mind, one of my goals for 2011 is to maintain a home that adds some whimsy and fun to our lives, while at the same time keeping it reasonably clean and organized to add to a sense of calm and routine. When I really think about it, I want my home to be a haven for my husband when he comes home from work. I want it to be a fun place where my children feel comfortable to play and be creative. This atmosphere comes from me- not just how I maintain the house, but also (and probably mostly) my attitude when we are in it. My job is creating the mood, in more ways than one...

And all of this from one string of twinkle lights! :)

Norah in the New Year

2011-01-06T21:23:00.000-06:00

This little miss celebrated her half birthday on Christmas Eve! In celebration of this milestone and the new year, she wanted to share some of her New Year's Resolutions with you...

1. Get Teeth

2. Learn to crawl

3. Eat solid food

4. Sleep through the night

5. Learn to walk

6. Turn one

Wow, looks like she has a busy year ahead of her. Good thing I've got a front row seat to all the milestones- can't wait!

Dismanteling and the post-holiday blues

2011-01-04T16:00:00.005-06:00

I was all set to sit down and write a post about taking down the Christmas clutter and clearing out my house for January- about how great it feels to take it all down and freshen things up... but I just couldn't seem to get excited about January.

January, my least favorite month. Cold, but no Christmas. The decorations are put away, we've said goodbye to family, and its back to "the grind." Thankfully, for the past few years, "the grind" for me has been staying home with my kid(s). But while I am beyond grateful to be living out my dream job, part of me still longs for the excitement and magic, the twinkling lights, and extra time with my hubby home from work.

Once the suitcases were unpacked, the laundry was clean and put away, and the decorations bins were hauled up to the attic, I set to work dismanteling and art-nooking. We have this art nook next to our fireplace, which has always somewhat baffled me, but I usually keep it filled with a vase and some kind of floral-y branch-y arrangement. Once the greenery and berries were gone, things were looking a little empty.

Umm... sad is the word that comes to mind. Which really doesn't help when you're already suffering from a slight case of the post holiday-blues... so I decided to get a little whimsical (crazy?) and pulled a string of lights back out...

Really, is this crazy? Or fun? I'm kind of wondering why I did not think of this earlier, or why I don't do this every year... not sure how long it will stay up, but its like a little warm happy place now instead of lonely and empty... am I crazy to think of my house in those kinds of terms, haha? I think I may have just learned a lesson in decorating for myself and my family, not anyone else.

And seriously, twinkle lights make messes so much prettier! :)

Do you do anything different to your house after Christmas?

From Our Family to Yours

2010-12-27T16:32:00.000-06:00

We are busy enjoying some of the things I love most... family, food, twinkle lights, playing games, shopping, relaxing, and coffee-drinking. We probably won't be blogging much the rest of this week, but I wanted to take a moment to wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Thanks for reading and watching and allowing us to share some of our lives with you. We both look forward to more blogging in the New Year. So from our family to yours...

Merry Christmas!

With love,

Paul, Bethany, Charlie & Norah

CWP Episode 4 - The Bertinet Method (Sweet Dough)

2010-12-26T08:16:00.006-06:00

Cinnamon Rolls
Sweet Dough

18oz. all purpose flour
4 Tbs unsalted butter, softened
1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
3 Tbs sugar
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk

Filling

4 Tbs unsalted butter, softened
Ground cinnamon, enough to cover the rolled out dough
Brown sugar, enough to cover the rolled out dough

Icing

3 Tbs unsalted butter, melted
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp cinnamon

- For the dough, rub butter and flour together with your hands until combined and somewhat crumbly in texture.
- Add yeast, sugar and salt and combine.
- Add the eggs and milk and stir to combine into a sticky dough.
- Remove dough from the bowl and onto a clean work surface.
- Scoop the dough up with both hands from either side. Lift the dough, flip hands over and slap dough onto the work surface. Slowly stretch the dough toward you and then fold back onto itself.
- Repeat this step for approximately 7 - 10 minutes, until the dough comes clean off the board and looks very smooth.
- Sprinkle just a little flour on the board and form the dough into a ball.
- Place in a floured bowl, cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let rest in a warm place (room temp) for 2 hours.
- After two hours, gently removed the dough onto a floured surface and roll out to a large rectangle. The dough should be about 1/4" to 3/8" thick all over.
- For the filling, spread the butter all over the surface of the dough. Sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar.
- Starting with the edge closest to you, roll the dough up into a log and pinch the seam to close it.
- Take some unflavored dental floss and slide it underneath the dough. Pull up on both sides of the floss and cross them, cutting the dough with the floss. Cut the roll into 12 equal sections.
- Place the rolls into a buttered baking dish, equally spaced.
- Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let rise for another 30 - 40 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 360 F. Yes, I do mean 360.
- While the oven in heating and dough is rising again, combine the icing ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
- Once dough has risen again, bake in a 360 F oven for 20 - 22 minutes.
- Remove from oven and place a dollop of icing on each of the rolls while they are still hot.
- Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T20:28:00.000-06:00

"Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us- to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days." Luke 1:68-75

CWP Episode 3 - Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-12-21T22:45:00.005-06:00

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1/4 cup white granulated sugar
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 Tbs milk
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
10 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

- Preheat oven to 375 F.

- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the white and brown sugar. Slowly add the butter with mixer on Low. Increase speed to Medium and beat for 3 - 4 minutes, until mixture becomes light in color.

- With mixer on Low, add the egg and egg yolk, one at a time, letting each one incorporate fully.

- Add the milk and vanilla and fully combine. Scrape down the bowl and mix again shortly to blend evenly.

- With mixer on Low, add about 1/2 cup of flour mixture to the mixing bowl. Increase speed slightly to incorporate flour and then back speed down to Low again. Repeat until all the flour has been added.

- Lock the head of the mixer. With speed on Low, add the chocolate chips and fully combine.

- Chill the batter for 5 minutes. After chilling, stir slightly and chill for another 5 minutes.

- Using a #40 disher, place 9 balls of dough evenly on a sheet pan and bake for approximately 9 1/2 to 10 minutes, until edges are slightly brown and center is still "doughy".

- Let cookies cool on the pan for about 45 seconds to 1 minute, just long enough to prepare another pan of dough balls and get them in the oven.

- Remove cookies to a cooling rack and let cool. Enjoy!

**Look for a special Christmas episode coming Christmas Eve**

Santa Take 2

2010-12-17T10:01:00.003-06:00

Santa visit #2, at the library!

Charlie was still a little anxious, so I decided to get cozy with Santa too...

By the way, that's a baby Bjorn I'm wearing that I just took Norah out of... not some weird overalls like it kind of looks like, haha.

Charlie never quite seemed to loosen up, but did get his candy as promised...

Thanks, Santa!

CWP Episode 2 - Tomato Sauce

2010-12-14T22:00:00.000-06:00

Paul's Easy Tomato Sauce

3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 14oz. cans whole or diced tomatoes
1 Tbs tomato paste
5 - 7 large basil leaves, sliced into thin strips
2 Tbs oregano leaves, roughly chopped or left whole
Salt to taste

- Heat oil over medium heat in a large saute pan for a few minutes.
- Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook for about 7 minutes until the onions soften and start to brown a bit
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the tomato paste, basil, oregano and tomatoes to the pan.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for approximately 20 minutes or longer, if desired.

My House- Part Six- A Christmas Tour!

2010-12-13T14:32:00.003-06:00

Welcome to my home, dressed up for the holidays! I'm posting this as part of the Nester's Christmas Tour of Homes! Before you proceed I have to let you know... I have a five month old and a potty training 2 and a half year old. I LOVE decorating for the holidays, so that was a priority... but in my mind, twinkle lights camouflage a multitude of messes, as do close up pictures, hahaha...

This little guy never knows where he may find himself, but this year he's ended up on this chair. I'm enjoying him alongside this pillow!

These are hand made by my mother-in-law and are replicas of the original family heirlooms (made of out toilet paper rolls- yes I said heirlooms!) that reside at Paul's childhood home. Aren't they sweet?? You have to watch them, though, sometimes I find them in some compromising positions, but I'll keep it family friendly for the blog...

Even the kitchen gets in on the fun!

Love this little Santa door hanger...

Charlie's room!

He's even made a few of his own decorations this year...

I bought this little candle tree several years ago at Target... I like it, but just never know where to put it! This year it finds itself in the bathroom. Not sure how I feel about it there...

There's a fun little penguin rug for the winter in here too right now, which, along with the tree, makes all our hours spent in the bathroom lately (potty training, remember?), just a little more cheery.

Here's our room... just a simple wreath hung over the bed with a push pin... so easy, but so merry!

Merry Christmas! Hope you enjoyed the tour!

Want to see more of my house?

Click here!

Santa, Baby

2010-12-12T21:15:00.001-06:00

Look who loves her some Santa...

... they look like they could be related with those jolly, rosy cheeks! Reminds me so much of this picture from two years ago...

Charlie wouldn't go near the man this year, but let Santa know from across the room that he'd like a "blue car." Good to know! He did let me take a picture once we were outside and safely away from the scary bearded man.

The hustle and bustle has officially begun around here and I have been shopping, wrapping, and decorating up a storm. With all the busyness, we do have some posts coming up- Paul's got a new video up his sleeve and I'm thinking its time for a new house tour post, Christmas edition (if I can just get motivated to clean up around here, it'll happen this week!).

Until next time...

... with joy

2010-12-08T14:19:00.001-06:00

We started a new tradition this year. We're celebrating Advent each Sunday with candles and a short bible reading. Its something my family did when I was growing up {and still does} and now we're teaching our children about this season of expectancy... of hope to be revealed in Christ's birth at Christmas. Its a nice slowing of pace and remembrance of what this season truly means. Even well-meaning Christians get caught up in the shopping, and wrapping, and lights.

But lest you think we are all candles and spirituality in our house, let me give you a little insight into what had taken place that day...

This was, quite possibly, one of my worst days as a mother to date... I decided to start potty training Charlie and it wasn't going well. I felt like I had spent the day cleaning up mess after mess and growing more and more agitated with him, to the point of losing my patience in a way that I never had before. Norah was feeling neglected most of the day and in her own way, was letting me hear about it. Naps had not gone well, dinner was waaaay late (and too spicy- see the glasses? I got poblano juice in my eyes- not fun!!). It was one of those days.

I don't think I got a shower that day. And, yeah, that's probably poop on my arm {didn't even notice that until I saw this}. I was tired, I was cranky, I was complaining.

And then Paul read the verse.

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Hebrews 12:2

We looked at each other across the table. For a moment, we set aside our 'light and momentary troubles' and thought about Jesus' joy in His obedience to the Father. We decided to look for ways to find joy in Christ this week. We prayed. Charlie got to blow out the candle.

And then we went back to our lives... clearing dishes, bathing children, cleaning up {yet another} accident, picking up toys. And I still had that poop on my arm.

But in my heart there was a reminder, that this isn't it. There is more to come... because of our Savior, who for the joy set before Him, suffered for my sin- my complaints, my worries, my loss of patience, my pride.

He endured it all that we may know the One who sent Him.

Thank you, Jesus.

"No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

Heb 8:11-12

CWP Episode 1 - Basic Knife Skills

2010-12-05T22:12:00.006-06:00

The Big Room Reveal #1

2010-12-03T15:27:00.006-06:00

So a looooong time ago I posted this about my big design project at my in-laws' house. Well today I am happy to say that I am ready to reveal one of the rooms!!

Here is the before picture of the old squeaky full sized bed...

And after a little TLC plus a new queen sized mattress... The bedding is a combination of things from TJ Maxx, and Bed Bath and Beyond. The headboard is from Pier One.

Instead of a bedside table, we put in a small desk (from TJ Maxx, chair from World Market). It turned out to be such a cozy little spot and really functional too! Within a short time after getting there, my brother in law had his laptop and mouse set up and ready to go. :) The lamp is from Pier One and the mirror I found at Home Goods.

Here is a before picture of the opposite wall...

And here is that corner now, cozied up with a floor lamp and picture (from Target, as is the one above the bed).

Here is the wall across from the windows.

Notice the dresser... its the same one refinished with new hardware. It was sanded down and then spray painted a cream color. And yes, its the only thing we saved. Trust me, no one was using that Nordic Track, haha. You got rid of it, right Teri?? :)

My sister-in-law and I dug around in the closet over Thanksgiving and found all these old family photos... we had them blown up at CVS and they turned out just beautiful in matching frames. I love this wall!

While looking through the boxes of pictures, we also found some things stored away that had belonged to my mother-in-law's father, who died when she was a little girl. We bought the shadow box at Target and my sister in law arranged everything so beautifully! It turned out to be a really meaningful part of the room.

I'm no professional designer, so I really have no idea about the "correct" terms used to describe the style of a room. In my head, I was going for cozy, warm, and somewhat country, but not overly shabby or ornate. Kind of a clean, cozy, country. How's that for terminology? :) But through my experiences with my own house, you don't need to know the "right" terminology, you just need some ideas and some inspiration! I looked through tons of photos on blogs before starting. Then we went shopping specifically for the fabrics (pillows, bedding, curtains). After that we just did some more shopping... and I do mean "we"... Paul not only cooks but he is an amazing design assistant. Didn't I hit the jackpot?? :) We bought some things, tried them out, returned some things, kept some things. You know, sort of a trial by error kind of process. Gradually, the look developed and once the major pieces of furniture were found (the headboard, desk, and chair) the room really came together!

Just for fun, here are a few pictures of my in-laws seeing the room for the first time. It was SO fun to see their reaction. It was over Thanksgiving break, so the whole family got in on the excitement...

Ooh, that ceiling fan is also new, as is the plaque above the closet which reads "The Lord is my Strength and my Song."

Love this picture... this is my sweet mother-in-law realizing its the old dresser...

The second room is close to completion but just needs a few final touches. Here's a little sneak peek...

I'm loving these colors together, so warm and cozy! Oh and don't forget to leave a comment on Paul's post yesterday if you have any requests for his video series coming up! I am SO excited about it... he is very talented in the kitchen and I have learned soooo much from him.

Video Cooking Series Coming Soon

2010-12-02T21:54:00.000-06:00

Just a quick post to let you know that I'll be starting a video series on cooking tips, techniques and recipes, the first episode of which should be up on the blog in a few days. I hope you watch and enjoy it. And let me know what you'd like to see, whether it be a "how do you do ____?" or a "what's a _____ for?" or a recipe you want to make known to others. See you all then.

What I'm Thankful For

2010-12-01T15:34:00.002-06:00

... my little brother, who's {much} taller than me now...

... these two children that I love so much I can't even understand it and a husband who knows loving me means forgiving me and accepting me even when I'm cranky {and loves me STILL!}

...holiday traditions, like using my Great Grandmother's butter dish with {just a little} butter...

...my parents who show me what marriage is, what love is, who Jesus is...

... my Grandma who came to spend a week with family and meet her first great granddaughter...

... the legacy of love and grace that has been passed down to me, that I am passing to my own children in this season of my life...

...the hope I have in Christ for the seasons to come...

I am overwhelmingly grateful.

Israel, put your hope in the LORD,

   for with the LORD is unfailing love
   and with him is full redemption.
He himself will redeem Israel
   from all their sins.

Psalm 130: 7-8

Five Months Old!

2010-11-29T14:39:00.003-06:00

My little girl is not so little anymore- she is chunking up all over the place, and is oh so squeezable. This picture makes me just want to gobble her up, I cannot get enough! At five months, she is oohing and ahhing, always talking and laughing or letting you know how she feels about something. She is playing with toys and will sit up for several seconds on her own. We just tried cereal for the first time today and she seemed to like it... I have a feeling this girl is going to love food! She is really noticing everyone around her and loves her big brother. She reaches out with her little delicate fingers to play with toys or shove them in her mouth... from the amounts of drool and chewing going on I'm wondering if we will see a tooth soon.

We had the great privilege to be photographed by this talented lady over Thanksgiving break, so these are some of those pictures I borrowed from her website... aren't they amazing??? You'll be seeing more of them soon, but I just wanted to share a few of my favorites of the big five month old girl. :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-20T21:57:00.001-06:00

I have several new posts brewing but for now I am busy... busy hanging out with family, eating lots of good food, and just feeling so thankful I could burst. :) Taking a little blog break for now... hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

The Latest on Charlie

2010-11-16T20:22:00.002-06:00

Sometimes I feel like I can see this boy growing right before my eyes... see his legs getting longer, and his baby belly slimming up. His vocabulary and imagination are expanding by the second... he says things every day that surprise me and make me laugh!

One of our new favorite things is to go to the library. I found a few books that he LOVES that we have renewed over and over and he will sometimes quote them randomly, like at the grocery store or in the car... "Pig is STINKY... I am not STINKY!... Duck went into the doghouse, but Duck did not come out... Can't you come out duck? NO, because I am having Duck for dinner!!!... Duck for dinner???" (from The Doghouse by Jan Thomas) All of this followed by hysterical belly laughs that are contagious...

Sometimes I find him kissing Norah on the head, or talking to her in a sweet little voice, saying "Hi sweet baby!" or something that he's heard us say over and over to her. Sometimes, though he demands that I "Put Norah in the bouncer" so that my attention will be fully focused on HIM!

One of my favorite times of day with him is when he first wakes up from his nap. He calls to me from his bed and if Norah is still sleeping, I'll go in and lay down with him for a bit. He'll cuddle with me, or "honk" my nose, or look for the moles on my arms while waking up slowly before he's ready to hit the ground running again.

He loves to sing and knows the words to several of the songs we sing over and over like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Jesus Sweet Jesus, Jesus loves Me, The Whole World in His Hands, Away in a Manger, ABC's, I could go on and on... he loves to sing.

We were just recently given a hand me down play kitchen with all the accessories... a phrase often heard in our house lately is "Mommy (or Daddy), your want to cook wif me?" His favorite is a little metal muffin pan. He makes me blue and purple muffins all the time... yum!

While cooking is a fun pasttime, his absolute favorite thing to do is play with his cars... we have several of the actual characters from Cars (the movie) and they are his go-to for play time every single day.

What a job I have, hanging out with this kid every day... oh how I love him!!!

Baby lovin...

2010-11-11T14:56:00.000-06:00

Oh what a sweet baby...

Good enough to eat, baby...

Sweep me off my feet, baby...

I love you!

Lovely Weekend

2010-11-07T21:16:00.000-06:00

Paul and I finally got the opportunity to celebrate his 30th birthday together after a crazy couple of weeks. My mom came into town to keep the kids for a whirlwind 24 hours while we ran off about 10 miles down the road and shopped, ate, hung out with friends, and most importantly, SLEPT without children around. It was a glorious 24 hours. There were only a few minor glitches, like when I gave Paul a bite of my {delicious} shrimp and scallop risotto and he had an allergic reaction to the pine nuts. And then when our hotel neighbors got busted for marijuana and having like 7 people in their room at midnight. But nothing could have kept us from enjoying our much needed getaway. And while I am thankful for getaways, I am also thankful that I have the best job in the world to come home to... here I come, Monday, ready and refreshed!

I'll leave you with one of the only pictures I took this weekend- and it was of Norah! This was my first night away from her and let me tell you, I was dreaming about those cheeks the whole time I was gone...

Halloween in Pictures...

2010-11-03T15:38:00.001-05:00

and one video...

As you can see, Mickey and Minnie Mouse were adorable and Mickey had a BLAST...the sugar high still has not worn off. ;) Happy Halloween!

Updates on Aunt Carla

2010-11-02T14:42:00.000-05:00

Last week I posted about Paul's aunt Carla who was recently diagnosed with cancer and had major surgery Friday. Her daughters and sister (my mother-in-law) have created a blog to keep up with updates and prayer requests. If you are interested and want to know how you can pray specifically for her, here is the link:

The Queen Is In

Getting Halloween pics up soon...

Pumpkin Carving Time!

2010-10-31T08:00:00.004-05:00

Last night we finally got our pumpkins carved and decorated! It was so fun this year because we have been reading books about pumpkins and talking about this for a while now, so Charlie really understood and was excited about the whole process. First, he went to town with a green marker on his little pumpkin...

You can barely see the marker, he did it so fast.

Norah, on the other hand, took a little more time and care in creating the perfect little girlie pumpkin face...

So proud...

Next came the actual carving of the big pumpkin...

These pictures make me laugh, because if you know Charlie, you know that he does not like to wear pants!

This is one of the library books we've been reading about pumpkins and its where we got the idea for the face we carved. Its a very cute book and Charlie loves it...

Charlie is demonstrating the face that our pumpkin will have "one eye closed, one eye open." Can you tell his left eye is open? Looks like he needs to practice his wink a little more, haha.

Here is our finished pumpkin-head!

I can't wait for you to see their Halloween costumes this year... I will have a post up next week about all of the fun and excitement. :) Hope you have a Happy Halloween!

Four Months Old!

2010-10-30T08:00:00.003-05:00

My sweet girl turned four months old last week!

Here she is stylin' in her baby jeggings and her Halloween bow. It is true what they say- dressing up little girls is SO much fun. :)

Charlie had been calling her "No-ah" but I started working with him on the "r" sound in her name, so now it has changed to "Nor-wah," haha, which I am NOT a fan of (it sounds like narwal or something). We'll see if by five months he's got it down.

At four months old, this little darling is all about her hands- she stuffs them in her mouth constantly, and is starting to reach and grab toys when they are around. I've seen her just holding up her hands and examining them as if she's just discovering that they are hers and that she can move them. It is amazing to see her learn new things! She's not close to rolling over and hates being on her tummy, but I think she will be sitting up SOON. If she's leaning back in your lap or in her bouncer, she cranes that head forward and tries so hard to sit on her own. She's not sleeping through the night yet, but regularly gives us good 6-7 hour stretches, so I can't complain! No solids yet, maybe next month, but I'm in no hurry... its not like she's starving, I mean, look at those cheeks!

Happy 4 months, sweet Norah!

We Are Praying

2010-10-29T14:05:00.002-05:00

Just wanted to direct you to one of the blogs on my sidebar today... FaithWorks is written by Paul's cousin Megan and her post from yesterday is about finding out about her mom (Paul's aunt)'s ovarian cancer. This was a shock to all of us and Aunt Carla, as we call her, is in surgery right now. We are praying for a full recovery as well as the Peace that passes all understanding to cover our hearts and minds...

Psalm 70:5
"Yet I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay."

Psalm 33:22
"May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you."

A Perfect Fall Weekend

2010-10-27T08:22:00.001-05:00

We spent the weekend visiting my family in San Antonio. They are only about 4 hours from us, but it was our first trip there since before Norah was born. We hadn't seen my dad or my brother (Uncle Andrew) since they came here for Norah's birth! We started off the weekend with a a high school football game to see Uncle Andrew play his trombone...

It was a late night for the kids and Norah was a little upset to be at a high school football game when she clearly needed her beauty rest... but everyone slept great that night and even slept in a little later than usual- which for our family would be anything after 7- it was fantastic!

The next morning we headed out to Uncle Andrew's UIL band competition.

Their show was really amazing and we had a great time cheering them on. After that we headed out to a real pumpkin patch. Check out these gorgeous, unique pumpkins -way better than Kroger! :) We came home with four of these beauties that we plan to decorate later this week...

Charlie was more interested in the dirt at first...

After all that excitement, we spent the rest of the time eating some good food and celebrating Paul's birthday together...

It was a great time together and I can't wait until Thanksgiving when we will all be together again. What could be a more perfect fall weekend than family, marching band, and pumpkins? Hope you had a great weekend too!

The Big 3-0!

2010-10-25T13:30:00.001-05:00

We just spent a fun weekend with my family and Norah is now four months old... but more on that later because today my man turns 30!

Wow, 30, really? Babe, you're getting old. :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! To the man I love, the amazing father to our two beautiful children, your sacrificial love for us speaks beyond words of how you love the Lord and love and care for your family. I

want today and this week to be a special celebration of the amazing man that you are and how thankful I am to call you my husband! I love you!!!

Charlie on a Thursday

2010-10-21T13:13:00.001-05:00

Charlie picked out a pumpkin yesterday from this really amazing Pumpkin Patch nearby that I took him to. It's called Kroger. :) It comes in handy that they have groceries there too so when you are running around like a crazy person trying to get all your errands done with a toddler and a baby, you can actually remember to get your pumpkin for Halloween!

Even though you can't tell from these pictures, he really was excited about it...

But you know, he's not one for standing still or smiling for a picture...

... I had to chase him to the driveway for this one, but here we go, there's a smile...

Everything (like the "pumpkin patch") is so new and fun with him right now. Its so amazing to teach him something new and then hear him talking about it later. He's starting to really grasp the concept of Halloween and dressing up in a costume... he talks about how he's going ot say "Trick or Treat" and get lots of candy. We've been going to story time at the local library where I get to watch from a distance as he follows her directions to sit down and listen, and then stand up and sing. Today we went through the bank drive through where he got a sucker for the first time. The whole way home as he sucked on it, he kept saying "I love this, Mommy!"

He looks at everyday as a new adventure and likes to ask "Where we going next?" He blesses my heart with his energy and excitement... reminding me to take a deep breath and savor each little moment!

Tuesdays with Charlie- Mumpkins!

2010-10-12T13:00:00.004-05:00

I have another delicious fall recipe for you! This one is not quite as healthy as the Turkey Chickpea Chili, but it is another fall favorite at our house...

Mumpkins (as Charlie calls them)
aka Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 2/3 C flour
1 C sugar
1 T pumpkin pie spice
1 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
2 large eggs
1 C plain canned pumpkin
1 stick butter, melted
6 oz. milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl and set aside. In an electric mixer, beat the eggs. Add pumpkin and butter. Mix well, but do not over mix. Add the dry ingredients a little at a time and mix. Add chocolate chips. Bake in a greased muffin tin for about 25 minutes.

The only thing better than eating these muffins, is watching this little pumpkin devour them...

My House- Part Five- The Dining Room

2010-10-11T07:00:00.004-05:00

Today's tour brings us to the dining room. Now, as I have said before our house is small. There is no breakfast nook, there is no formal dining room. This one room covers it all. Its right off our kitchen and connected to our living room. We love how open it all is and really have no need for anything more formal than this. This is where we eat dinner together {almost} every night, and usually lunch and breakfast too!

The room also houses our hand me down piano... it doesn't get played much, but I LOVE that we have it. I always had a piano growing up and since music is such an important part of our family, it fits perfectly.

I painted the stripes on these curtains during my crazy nesting phase of pregnancy with Norah. I wasn't sure if I liked them until my style-savvy friend came over and raved about them. Now they are growing on me. They are actually the same long white curtains from Ikea that hang in Norah's room (I stenciled the design on those). I love these curtains because they are so long and versatile!

The room also holds some of my favorite family pictures.

I took these pictures at night because it is impossible to get a good picture in the daytime with all the light coming in through that window. Plus, I love seeing the twinkle lights shining through from our deck outside!

So there you have it, another room down, not many left to go!

All Dressed Up With Nowhere To Go!

2010-10-09T16:06:00.000-05:00

This sweet little dress was a gift (thank you Susan!) and the headband I got on etsy. I could spend all day nibbling those sweet cheeks. :)

The Big Design Project- The Befores

2010-10-07T14:59:00.004-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that I had a big design project in the works. It is still most definitely in the works, and no where near finished, but I thought I'd go ahead and share a little of it with you...

First of all, let me just say that I have the best in-laws. Seriously, they are amazing! When my friends complain about their in-laws and I have nothing to say, I think about Bill & Teri and I am SO GRATEFUL to have them in my life. They are both some of the most genuine, generous, and loving people I have ever met. And in fact, they are so generous and loving that they have given me an amazing opportunity to do two of my favorite things- shop and decorate! That's right, my wonderful in-laws are letting me {with Paul's help} redecorate their two guest bedrooms!

While I am discovering that this project will take a while to really do things right, I wanted to chronicle a bit of the process on the blog. Today I am showing you the before pictures.

The first room was Paul's brother's room growing up... now I have to tell you, the bed is always made up for us when we come, and the room is always clean. Anything that you see out of place in these pictures is that way because we were visiting and we usually spread out all over the place and make a huge mess with our two kids and dog. {sorry about that- but I guess before pictures aren't supposed to be great, right?}

The second room has always been their guest room.

My in-laws are the kind of people that spend their time, resources, and energy on others rather than themselves, which is the reason these rooms have pretty much stayed the same for years. Their home is always a fun place to be full of laughter and hugs and "I love you's" and I would LOVE for the way their home looks to reflect that same warm and cozy feeling- that's the goal here!

I want the end result to be a surprise for them, so I won't be showing you a lot until they are complete. But I can't WAIT to finish these up and show you the after pictures.

Tuesdays with Charlie- Embracing the Crazy

2010-10-05T16:00:00.000-05:00

Today's pictures are from Thursday, which was Charlie's last day of school. I think he had a great time this month, and I'm glad we tried it when we did, but I'm also glad we decided to end it now. I just never felt settled about it and it wasn't quite working out for us the way we thought it would.

He's only two, so I knew he didn't need to be in school yet. But I was hoping it would be a good time for him to play with some other kids, maybe learn a few things, and mostly to give me a nice break and some time to spend with Norah one on one. But the problem was, we were just too busy! Because not only did he have school on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but I go to a bible study on Mondays, MOPs on Fridays, and church on Sundays and Wednesday nights. Plus I have a gym membership. So my two year old, who I stay home with, was in childcare every single day except Saturday for at least two hours, usually more. Now this would be fine if I had, say, a job or something that I needed to do. But I don't. I am a stay at home mom. But I was not staying home.

For some people, their two year old needs more socializing time, time away from mom, and just a reason to get out of the house. But not this two year old, and not this mom. It just wasn't working out. So now we are back to our old routine. And it just feels right. There will be crazy times when I wonder if I made the right decision... for example, this morning when after the gym I decided to run a few quick errands with both kids and ended up with breast milk all down my shirt, and two crazy-whiny-cranky kids.

But then there are other moments- like when buckling Charlie into his seat, he (for the first time!) completely unprompted said "I love you mommy," and I whispered a prayer of thanks and then a request for energy and patience with these two so that I can enjoy this crazy season of life. Because the next crazy season of everyday busy-ness and making lunches and running off to school will come for us too. Its just not here yet. So for now my goal every day is to embrace this life, even when I am so tired I'm not sure I can keep going, even where there are mishaps, time-outs, boo-boos, spit-up, etc.

I'm embracing the crazy.

Show all

Technical Difficulties

2010-10-05T13:19:00.001-05:00

Sorry to my {few} readers out there who are looking for a new post! I've got several in the works, but our internet is to blame- for some reason I have not been able to upload any pictures!!! And what is a post without pictures? Just wanted to let you know- I haven't given up on blogging again already, I'm still here, and trying to post again as soon as I can.

In the meantime, if you haven't already tried it, let me direct you to my husband's meatloaf recipe on his old blog... it is amazing, I make it all the time!

For All You Meatloaf Haters...

My House- Part Four- the Living Room

2010-09-29T04:40:00.002-05:00

Today I'm showing you my living room, and linking up to The Nester's Fall Mantel party! We have a small house and our living room is the heart of it all. This is where the playing, tv watching, snacking, reading, and hanging out all happens. Right now, I've changed things up for Fall. I am generally a cool colors kind of girl, but I need a little warmth for fall so I've added in a few little pumpkins and some candlelight...

I know that looks a little scary- the table & chairs in front of the fire place? I wasn't kidding when I said we have a small house- that means it has to multitask... and we live in southeast Texas & have two small children, so I can't remember the last time we had a real fire in our fireplace. Plus, its the perfect place to have a snack while you watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse! :)

Thanks for stopping by! Want to see other rooms in my house?

Click here for my son Charlie's nursery, here for his big boy room, and here for Norah's nursery. Next up on the house tour will be the kitchen/dining areas!

Tuesdays with Charlie- first school project

2010-09-28T10:00:00.000-05:00

Charlie's teacher at school sent home a letter a few weeks ago asking for parents to please bring in pictures of their child's family for class this week. She asked for pictures of immediate and extended family members mounted on a poster for their lesson on families. So Charlie and I set to work on his very first school project.

Of course, baby sister had to help.

Charlie stayed focus for, oh, about as long as it took to snap this picture. Guess who did most of the work after that? Haha, its okay, I don't mind, and I got a chance to get a little creative and use some of my scrapbooking stuff that don't see much use these days!

And the finished product...

He was so proud. :)

3 Months

2010-09-24T14:14:00.000-05:00

My little Norah is three months old today! I know its so cliche, but it really is true that they grow up so fast. While things have settled down considerably in the last couple of weeks, its still a bit (okay a LOT) crazy around here sometimes with an infant and a two year old. But in the midst of all the craziness, lack of sleep, whining, spitting up, and endless diaper changes, I look at my sweet children and I cannot even believe how blessed we are. Paul and I have moments where we just can't stop looking at them at then looking back at eachother and saying something like "can you believe it?" Its those moments that remind us to slow down, and cherish these crazy days, because before we know it they will be all grown up.

So for now I will do my best to memorize her sweet giggle, her soft little rolls, and those big baby blues...

Sweet Norah, what a blessing it has been to get to know you these last three months. You are a sweet, happy girl and I look forward to every smile and giggle and milestone ahead!

Sweet Sibling Love...

2010-09-23T17:06:00.001-05:00

Tuesdays with Charlie

2010-09-21T16:25:00.001-05:00

Today started Charlie's 3rd week at school. Each drop-off and pick-up has gone better and better. He is really enjoying himself! Today when I got there, the teacher was doing the hokey-pokey and Charlie was doing his best to dance along. I peeked through the window to watch him for a while before he spotted me and danced over to give me a hug.

The afternoons on school days are a little rough. He's tired and a little hyper, and usually Norah is fussy because she missed out on a good nap having to go pick up her big brother. Today though, she stayed asleep in her carseat for a while after we got home which gave us an opportunity to play a little with one of his favorites...

See the sleepy eyes? I think we need an early bedtime tonight, sweet boy!

Simply Not Simple Salad

2010-09-20T12:00:00.002-05:00

I've been feeling somewhat guilty for not posting until now, and quite honestly, a little intimidated by this new batch of experienced bloggers since I've started sharing Bethany's viewership --- a viewership that I'm quite certain is all female, which then pours another healthy dose of Awkward into my near empty vessel of self-confidence. Nevertheless, I shall do my best.

As I mentioned, I figured it was about time I put something on this blog of ours, and this recipe won't disappoint (hopefully). Yes, these are three ingredients that tend to be very "everyday" or "pedestrian" to our pallettes, but when put together, they form a single flavor greater than the sum of its parts. This dish actually came about from a chopped salad that I had made for dinner one day. I had pretty much chopped up every available piece of produce and thrown it in a bowl with some lettuce. As I was eating it, I found myself being struck by a certain combination of ingredients. In fact, I can remember saying to Bethany, "You know what really tastes good together?". And then, almost at the same time we both said, "The apples, celery and cheese". Simple ingredients...not simple flavor. So, here it is: the best of what our chopped salad had to offer...because who needs lettuce anyway.

Celery, Apple & Cheese Salad w/homemade vinaigrette

1 celery stalk, sliced thin
1 crisp, tart apple, sliced thin (suggested Granny Smith or Gala...just no Red Delicious...come on, people! :)
1 oz sharp white cheddar cheese, sliced thin (the sharper the better)
2 - 3 basil leaves
1 1/2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
2 tsp honey
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

For the Salad:
- Place a slice of apple in the middle of a plate.
- Place about 5 or 6 slices of celery on top of the apple slice...however much it takes to cover the apple.
- Rip off 2 or 3 small pieces of basil and place them on top of the celery.
- Place one slice of cheese on top of the basil.
- Repeat these steps as many times as you like, using the cheese every other repetition. It can get a bit overpowering if used on every level.

For the Vinaigrette:
- In a medium bowl combine the vinegar, honey, sugar, mustard and lemon juice. Wisk together well.
- Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while constantly whisking to emulsify.
(I personally think the standard oil to vinegar ratio of 2:1 is a bit to oily for me, which is why I've toned it down a bit in this recipe. However, if you prefer more oil, go ahead and add it in. It will still be great.)

Finish:
- Drizzle 1 or 2 spoonfuls of the vinaigrette over the salad and top with a few grinds of black pepper.

**Note: Make sure to use a tart apple, as the vinaigrette is quite sweet. Also, if you prefer a more chunky texture, you can chop the ingredients instead of slicing thin and toss them all with the vinaigrette in a bowl. Enjoy!**

My House- Part Three- Norah's Nursery

2010-09-19T14:36:00.000-05:00

Welcome to my little girl's room...

...where a few DIY projects...

...lots of love...

...and meaningful pieces...

...went into making this room...

...a precious little place...

...for rocking...

...feeding...

...and loving on...

...a sweet baby girl.

Sneak Peek...

2010-09-16T13:59:00.001-05:00

Thank you so much for all the comments, everyone! And for all the nice things you've said about my house. :) I didn't do much decorating on my old blog. With this new blog, I knew it was something I really wanted to focus on, but it is a little scary putting your creative self out there for the world to see, so thanks.

I know I promised I would feature Norah's nursery soon and its coming... it really is! But, in reply to a comment I got from Erica on the last house tour post, (is my house always that clean??), the answer is NO. But I do only take pictures of it and post it for you all to see when it is clean. :) Which is why there is a delay in photographing the nursery... she's such a little girl, you wouldn't think she would make such a big mess! But we're having a bit of a diaper genie overflow... ahem. And the reason I haven't done much to take care of that situation is that I've got a BIG (well, big for me) design project in the works! But more on that later... for now I will just leave you with a little sneak peek...

Tuesdays with Charlie (& Norah)

2010-09-14T15:54:00.002-05:00

My intention when I called last week's post "Tuesdays with Charlie" was to take a picture of Charlie every Tuesday before school. Well, the picture taking thing is a little easier said than done with this boy! He does NOT like to have his picture taken. Here's what I got this morning:

Playing with my iPhone while I got ready

Getting into the car- he turned just a little too quickly!

So, for that reason, today's Tuesdays with Charlie will feature his little sister instead!

Oh and because everybody loves a fat baby, I thought I'd throw this one in...

One of my favorite things to do is nibble on those cheeks. :)

We'll try again next Tuesday!

My House - Part Two

2010-09-13T06:00:00.003-05:00

Have you ever seen the show Sarah's House on HGTV? It is one of my favorite shows - Sarah is a Canadian designer who buys a house, basically guts it, and designs each room, one episode at a time all with help from her hilarious assistant Tommy. Her style is flawless (in my opinion) and I've learned from her techniques- with any room, she always starts with the fabrics. Now, she has at her disposal amazing fabrics and wall papers and lots of $$$, none of which I have. And she also has the advantage of starting completely from scratch and designing a room all at once- which I usually don't have- my house is a collection of things bought over time, throughout different seasons and changes in my taste and style. However, when designing my kids rooms, I was able to start completely from scratch, because we had nothing! So I took a hint from Sarah and started with the fabrics (which for me and my budget means the bedding and the curtains). From there I moved to paint colors and was able to develop the general feel I wanted for each room, which led to the accessories and furniture. So to begin with, here's Charlie's big boy room!

Up next on the house tour, Norah's girly (but not too girly!) nursery!

A Perfect Fall Recipe

2010-09-11T08:57:00.001-05:00

Generally Paul will be the one with the recipes around here, but every once in a while I have been known to make dinner in this family. This chili is a fall staple in our house. And while technically it is not yet fall here, (101 with the heat index- ugh!)once September hits, I like to pretend.

Turkey Chickpea Chili

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup chopped onions

2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced

2 medium stalks celery, finely diced

1 lb lean ground turkey

14 oz can chickpeas, drained

14 oz can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained (I'm not a fan of these and usually make it with 2 cans of chickpeas instead)

14 oz can diced tomatoes

28 oz chicken broth

4 oz can diced green chiles

4 tsp chili powder

1 tsp minced garlic

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp cumin

1 tsp onion powder

Lime wedges

Directions

Heat olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions, carrots and celery. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add turkey and cok until browned, stirring frequently to crumble.

Add all remaining ingredients except lime wedges. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 1-2 hours. Serve with lime wedges.

*This recipe says it makes 8 servings, but in our house its only about 5-6.

*Oh and if you're interested, 1 serving (1/8th of the pot) has 317 calories, and 10 grams of fat

Charlie was a little skeptical at first (he's 2!), but then he discovered he loves chickpeas. :) Happy Fall!

My House- Part One

2010-09-09T07:00:00.045-05:00

One of my favorite things to see on a blog is a someone's home. I love all things decorating/design and it excites me to see a creative and well put together room. Through my blog browsing over the years, I've discovered that I love seeing a lived in, real person's home WAY more than magazine picture of some crazy expensive professionally styled custom home. So for that reason, I'd like to take you on a little tour! But first, a little background on me...

I think my love of decorating may have come from the 13 times I moved growing up as an army bratt. We always tried to unpack and make "house" as quickly as possible, even if we knew we would only be there a few years (or 6 months!). It didn't matter if we were renting the place, living in a stairwell apartment, duplex, or house, it always felt like our "home," and I am grateful for that.

The home I live in now is the first and only house Paul and I have ever owned. We've lived here for 6 and a half years now- which is about twice as long as I have ever lived anywhere! Even though its a small house and we won't live here forever, we made a decision to really invest in this house and make it our style, instead of thinking "one day, we'll have a home we love." This is where we live now and its important to me that it feels like home. After arranging, rearranging, painting, and repainting, I think I have learned a lot about what my style really is. Its definitely not perfect or magazine-worthy, and there are of course still things I'd like to change, but I can truly say I love living here and the way it makes me feel when I look around.

So to begin the tour, we'll start with a room that actually doesn't even exist in our house anymore- Charlie's nursery. These pictures were taken back in March before we moved his crib out and made it into a "big boy room." I just loved this sweet little nursery. Can you tell there's a tree painted over the crib? Paul painted that and it was beautiful.

Oh look, there's little Charlie. How'd he get in there?

This was a sweet little room for our sweet baby boy... more to come!

Tuesdays with Charlie- The First Day of School!

2010-09-07T12:01:00.001-05:00

UPDATE: When I got there to pick him up, he had just woken up from his nap and was crying. His teacher said he did great until naptime and then got a little anxious and starting missing his mommy. Well break my heart, why don't you!!! He only slept about 45 minutes. I was prepared for a major cranky meltdown last night, but he really was fine. We'll see how tomorrow goes!

This morning was a big milestone for my sweet Charlie- his first day of Mother's Day Out! I wasn't sure how he would do this morning. We've been talking it up all weekend. He knew right where to go and walked right in.

Of course, we had to bring Mickey for a little extra comfort.

There was only a tiny meltdown... but once Mickey was recovered from the little girl in the green, (he's gonna have to watch her!) all was good. Can't wait to hear how it went when I pick him up this afternoon!

First Things First

2010-09-06T06:00:00.004-05:00

While I don't intend to completely catch you up on all that's happened in our lives since I last posted, I do need to introduce you to the newest little member of our family...

Norah Allison

6/24/10, 7 lbs 10 oz, 20 inches long

Charlie seriously adores her and only speaks to her in this high squeaky voice, calling her "Baby No-wah." She is a happy little girl who has quickly made her way into our hearts and into this new spot in our family we never knew existed... Little Sister.

Why I Stopped

2010-09-04T19:46:00.000-05:00

Before I just dive back into blogging, I feel like I should at least address the year long break I took.

Honestly, there wasn't one big reason I stopped.

Partly it was because I got an iPhone and twitter became the way for me to quickly update friends and family on my life with pictures.

Another reason was because I got pregnant and for a couple months there I could barely muster the energy to turn on the TV for Charlie in the mornings. It wasn't pretty.

And then after a while it had just been so long and I didn't know how to come back. Do I backtrack and try to cover everything I've missed? (Halloween, oh I'm pregnant!, Christmas, New Year's, Charlie's birthday, etc, etc!). It seemed too overwhelming.

And then of course the baby came and for the last two months, we've been sleep deprived and covered in spit-up, and who wants to read a blog about that???

But now that things are settling down, I'm realizing how much I've missed blogging. And how much I love looking back at my old posts. Its really neat to see how much Charlie's grown and just how our family has grown. Its strange, but a lot of my memories from Charlie's first year of life are so clear because I remember the blog posts I wrote about them. And now that our family is growing, I want to be able to have a place to record and remember all of the little things that are passing by so quickly- the funny things Charlie says and does, the sweet baby coos and smiles- all of it!

So anyway, all of that to say, I'm sorry blog-world that I left you for so long! I should have at least said goodbye. But now I'm back, and while I'm not saying I'll never take another break, I do promise to warn you and not leave you hanging for another year. :)

p.s. stay tuned... we've both got posts coming up- Paul with some new recipes, and me with, well pics of these sweet kids!

The Start of Something New...

2010-09-04T15:55:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the new and improved blog! Paul and I have both been saying for a while now that we wanted to start our blogs back up, so we decided to make this a joint venture and came up with What's Mine Is Yours!

Wanna see Paul's old blog? You can find it here. This new site will be a combination of all things Paul and Bethany... including life with a two year old and baby, food, music, decorating, and the general goings-on of our little family.

Fall is Here!

2009-09-22T13:33:00.005-05:00

I'm sitting here with the windows open, listening to the rain falling outside. Its about 70 degree outside in the middle of the day, which if you live in southeast TX, you know that's about as close to fall as we are ever going to get! Over the weekend, we had some friends over to roast marshmallows out on the deck. It was the perfect evening for a fire, s'mores, and great conversation. I wish I would have taken more pictures as it got darker and the fire really got going, but I was too busy talking and stuffing my mouth with marshmallow-chocolately goodness to remember!

Here are a few of the fall things I've put out to cozy up the place... I love it, it reminds me that Christmas is just around the corner!

Oh and the above pic is my new coffee table! Well, its the same one we had, but my dear husband refinished it and put new legs and hardware on it!

Speaking of fall and decorating, if you have never read http://www.sugarpiefarmhouse.com/ go there now! She is a wife and mother passionate about homemaking as a ministry to her husband and family. Her home is beautiful and her warmth and wisdom even more so... I find inspiration every time I vist.

Speaking of Hope...

2009-09-18T12:57:00.003-05:00

Thank you for your comments yesterday... it was one of those things on my mind and heart that I felt like I needed to get out there.

Speaking of hope, here is my friend Erica's blog. After one healthy little girl and then two miscarriages, she is now 37ish weeks pregnant with Baby Sam and just found he has a heart condition and will require surgery after he is born. Her words are those of wisdom and faith, having faced suffering and loss. Please go to her blog and read the latest update. And then read the previous updates- read about how they came to name him Sam. Be encouraged in your faith, and then encourage them as they face the days ahead. Will you please pray for Baby Sam?

Filling in the Holes

2009-09-17T12:27:00.000-05:00

(written yesterday, Sept 16)

This afternoon I watched the Biggest Loser and boo-hooed while I watched overweight people try to run a mile. Two of them ended up in the hospital. The rest of them made it but then sat aorund and shared all their junk that got them in this situation in the first place. There was some heavy junk. One woman lost her husband and two children in a car accident two years ago. Another woman had a drug addicted mother and spent years tossed back and forth in different foster homes.

We all have junk. What's yours? Did your mother do drugs and live with you on the street, only for you to be picked up and swept away into a number of foster homes? Did your parents get divorced when you were young and you've never felt truly worthy and loved because of it? Have you been emptied and carved out by an addiction- pornography? food? sex? Have you been betrayed by someone you loved? Have you seen someone you love die? Seen awfulness beyond comprehension? Have you seen the depth, depravity, darkness that exists in this world? That exists in your own life? Will you allow yourself to peer into it, completely? Or is it just too dark, too deep, too empty? Is it too raw and gaping?

Instead of looking it head on, I have found that I tend to want to fill it with STUFF. That stuff can be any number of things. For the people on the show last night it was food. It could be drugs, alcohol, food... or a number of "lesser evils" if you will: television, internet, material wealth, popularity, pornography, even counseling, friends, our own children.

I cried when I watch that show today because these people are finally looking down into their pit. But some of them will look down into it and see that its just too awful to really look at- then fill it with something else besides food: exercise, calorie counting, motivating words. And when they go home after changing their lives and losing hundreds of pounds, they're still going to be empty. They're still going to have a gaping, ragged emptiness that tears at them- maybe not all the time. Maybe not every time they look in the mirror like it does now. But in the quietness of their souls- when faced with a little silence and slowing of their pace, it will be there.

Am I saying I have it all together? Am I saying that I have fixed this hole, this longing in myself? Not at all. I'm simply one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread. If you're not one of those beggars, I guess you could stop reading. If you don't have a hole, a longing, I guess you've beat the odds. But I will tell you that I have it. I've looked into the depth of that hole- the awfulness of senseless tragedy, betrayal, emptiness, and depression. The reason I can face this pit instead of filling it with STUFF? Its because down at the very bottom of my pit- is a light. That light is Hope in the darkness. Does that mean the hole doesn't exist? Absolutely not. I am not so naive to believe that this Hope makes everything hunky dory and happy all the time. That light is Hope for eternity. By this, I don't mean spending the rest of my life with white robes, angels, and singing the Hallelujah Chorus over and over with some anonymous choir. I'm talking about hope for a future without all this depravity. Hope for healing. Not just for physical ailments. And not just for me. Healing for the earth. Its all broken. Everything about it moves toward death. There are glimpses of life and healing, but overall, it all leads toward destruction. Its all a part of this vast emptiness and darkness labeled "sin."

I want to convey this to you in a way that makes sense. That makes it all brilliantly clear and shines that light into your pit as well. But I just don't know if I can do that. Are you hopeless? There is Hope. Do you see the hopelessness of this world? People literally starving? I got an email from a friend today who is right this moment in Ethiopia adopting two children whose parents are dying of AIDS. The father has already died. They bought coffee and sugar to bring as a gift in the time of mourning that cost them $25. The people there don't make more than 10 cents a day on average. Some of them are putting up their children for adoption simply because they can't afford to care for them.

Its out there- its sickening. I know you've seen it too. But there is Hope for us all, praise God. Its all through the sacrifice made by Jesus Christ on that cross. Have you heard of it before? Does it mean nothing to you because you can't see how a loving God would condemn you? How a loving God would condemn your friend- a homosexual? an unwed mother? someone who's had an abortion? Or what about those that are starving and poor? How do they have the time to even consider these things when they are just trying to make ends meet, and get dinner on the table? I hear you. I hear you loud and clear... but will you please look again? See the cross and see on it the One who came to find and save that which was lost. Not to condemn it. He died so that we could LIVE. Instead of filling our lives with STUFF he died so we could fill it with Him and truly face our deep gaping pit of wounds and sinfulness. Because in Him there is healing. By his death- a true sacrifice, I have found Healing and Hope. I can sit here and say that no matter what happens. There is hope for me.

Do you want to consider this more with me? Will you comment or email me if you do? I certainly don't have the answers, but like I said, I am one beggar telling another one where to find food. I have found healing and wholeness in the person of Jesus Christ; forgiveness, mercy, and hope for a better world to come.

17 Months

2009-09-14T15:06:00.003-05:00

Now that the weather is starting to cool off, Charlie and I are spending more and more time outside again. It is a beautiful day and I decided we needed to have a little 17 month photo shoot! I can't believe he's almost one and a half. He certainly is a little man...

Can you tell this boy is full of personality and constantly on the move? Oh how I love him!!!

My Little Project

2009-09-09T08:45:00.006-05:00

Since our house has been on the market for the past two months, my home decorating projects have taken a backseat. Now my extra energy is spent on keeping the house in perfect condition, ready to show in a moment's notice. But, I've been eyeing this picture I found online for a while now and thought it would be a fun and easy touch for Charlie's room...

I bought some $5 reuseable stencils at Lowe's yesterday and cut up an extra kitchen sponge I had. The paint was leftover from the tree on the wall. I debated on going with a navy paint, but I was worried I wouldn't like it and it would be harder to paint over...

Turns out, I love it!

Charlie loves it too!

Its baby-ish, but still masculine, and

will be a fun way to teach him numbers. And to teach him to put away his own laundry- ooh I like the sound of that! "Charlie, go put put your pajamas in drawer #3"

My Dancin' Man

2009-08-29T15:10:00.003-05:00

New Blog Feature!

2009-08-26T11:01:00.002-05:00

Just wanted to let you know you can now follow my Twitter updates via my blog. For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about- look to the right of this post. See the section titled "Tweet tweet..."? These are quick little updates that I create on my phone throughout the day, sometimes with pictures. Its sort of like a mini blog, which is probably why I have not been blogging as frequently. :) You should be able to read my updates and click the link when there is a picture to see some cute little pic of Charlie, or whatever I chose to "tweet" about today.

If you're a twitter-er yourself, let me know!

To Grandmother's House We Went!

2009-08-21T16:26:00.000-05:00

Charlie and I had a great time last week, spending about six days with my family! There was no shortage of balls to throw, bananas to eat, and "new" toys to play with! Charlie was in heaven! And it was a veeeeery nice break for me- I even got to spend Friday night and all day Saturday in Austin with one of my best girlfriends, sans-Charlie, all thanks to Grandma!

While we were there, it seemed like Charlie's vocabulary quadrupled basically overnight! I'm slowly trying to get all of his words on video to post here just so I can have it recorded- but now he can say the following words: ball, bird, dog, car, duck, dada, mommy, bye-bye, and bubble. Oh and I almost forgot, his favorite word "no" often spoken repetitively while wagging his finger. Hmmm... wonder where he learned that? He has also been heard possibly saying hello, quack, nana, grandma, pop, papi, choo-choo, flower, and banana. Like most of you really wanted to read all of those, but I know there are certain Grandparents out there that care. :) And now for more pictures!

The Lazy Blogger

2009-08-17T21:22:00.002-05:00

I've been meaning to post a blog about our weekend visit with my old college roommates, but visiting with my family, chasing around Charlie, and now a pesky virus have prevented me from doing it. Tonight I saw that one of my roommates already did all the work for me and created a great post about the weekend on her blog! Thanks Lacey! :) Here's the link:

http://thedestewartfamily.blogspot.com/2009/08/girls-weekend.html

We had a great weekend and I'm so thankful for good friends!

Look Alike

2009-08-04T12:45:00.005-05:00

I was always convinced Charlie looked just like me, until I found this picture of Paul (below) when he was about Charlie's age...

That crazy hair of his that curls up on the sides? Courtesy of me of course...
Just thought I'd share... who do you think he looks the most like?

My New Housekeeper

2009-07-24T15:59:00.005-05:00

I always thought having a housekeeper would be a little indulgent for a stay-at home mother of one like me. But since having our house on the market, its been a lot more work to keep the house spotless and ready to show at a moment's notice! So I finally decided to get some help...

He's an enthusiastic worker...

and gets in all those hard to reach spots...

Its a little awkward when he does his work in his underwear...

and sometimes I find him sitting down on the job...

but he's just so darn cute! So I think he's a keeper.

The Happiest Place on Earth

2009-07-22T21:39:00.007-05:00