Confessions of a Former Fat Girl

Happy Anniversary!

2010-04-08T06:36:00.000-07:00

Today is the third anniversary of God working a miracle in my life. "Now glory be to God by his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope." Ephesians 3:20 NLT

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2010-01-01T05:49:00.000-08:00

Wishing everyone the best in 2010! Who knows? Maybe I'll be a little more consistent in keeping up my blog!

"The Essentials" as Dictated by Kyra

2009-11-24T13:08:00.000-08:00

Q: What would you have taken with you on the Mayflower if you had been a Pilgrim?

A: pizza, games, marbles, colors, rug. I would also like to bring my care bear.

Trick Or Treat 2009

2009-10-31T17:51:00.000-07:00

Just a few pics from this year's festivities.
The Blue Man
The Butterfly
"50 Cent"
The Hot Dog
Gasp! Everyone looking at the camera!

It's that time of year again!

2009-10-25T11:26:00.000-07:00

Time for the Fall 50 in Door County. The Scrappy Runners kept the team intact this year and returned for another go. We changed up the legs a bit and I would say today our stomach muscles hurt just as much from the laughter as our legs hurt from the running. I'll share a few pictures, but what happens at the relay stays at the relay ;)

And like dominoes they fell . . .

2009-10-19T12:48:00.000-07:00

As of last Monday, you may recall Ian's tale of woe with the "ick". Now, I will admit since he was already five days into his illness, I was prayerful that rest of us had some sort of super immunity. Unfortunately. . .

. . .my hopes were dashed when Rich returned from a business trip on Wednesday complaining of similar symptomatology. Of course, adults with the "ick" are a little less needy than young ones and, since Ian was on the mend and Kyra was as chipper as ever, I figured 50% of the household wasn't bad. Until . . .

. . .the cry in the dark somewhere between Wednesday and Thursday morning. Yes, the princess was confirmed sick with the ick. Alright, well it could be worse: one on the mend and going back to school, a responsible adult though ailing but capable of caring for a pathetic princess and a germ-free office for me to escape to. Surely I could outrun the bug. But . . .

. . .there was no escape to be had. By Thursday evening, I knew what fate had in store for me. Yes, by Friday morning, Kyra and I cuddled up on the couch watching endless princess movies. By Saturday, Rich and Ian were doing well enough to escape the sick girls. I took the opportunity to nap when Kyra napped. Now . . .

. . .one may think that this tale of woe is over. But sadly, no, we shall not forget our beloved four-legged friend, Mel. You see, while I napped on Saturday, Ms. Mel climbed up one of the dining room chairs and helped herself to an entire tray of Hartman's cookies (and for those of you who KNOW about said cookies, I heard that gasp!) I'd like to think that it was only because they were cat-shaped and purchased to support a local cat rescue that she ate them out of spite, but it just goes to prove that no one can resist their powers! Now, having consumed enough cookies to equal at least the volume of two-days worth of her chow, you would think the "darling" would have stopped there. Oh no! Not my little slink! She also helped herself to an entire box of graham cracker bugs! Needless to say, I was none too pleased when I woke up from my nap and discovered the "evidence" (or, shall we say, lack thereof) of Mel's handywork. So, that night as we were getting to bed, Mel assumed her usual spot between us. All of a sudden we started hearing very strange sounds coming from our precocious pooch . . .

. . . and, yes, by Sunday morning, even the dog was sick!

Of course, now we are all on the mend and slowly but surely on the path back to "normal." At least we can one day look back at this and laugh.

Stay healthy, my friends! (and keep those cookies high!)

Poor Little Man

2009-10-12T12:26:00.000-07:00

Sometime in the middle of the night between Thurday and Friday (I'm a little fuzzy on the time; I don't function well when woken from a deep sleep), Ian came down and told us he was "hungry" except it wasn't hunger he was feeling but a severely upset stomach. Needless to say, the past few days have been anything but pleasant in our house. Ian has been a real trooper but this bug has just wiped him out. He was actually looking a little better last night and was excited about returning to school today.

Well, his hopes were soon dashed this morning when the bug reared its ugly head again. I did end up taking him in even though I knew it was viral and nothing really could be done and it just had to run its course. Nonetheless, it gives me a certain piece of mind to have him checked out. The doctor recommended that he stay home from school through at least Wednesday. I've notified school and his teacher will prepare a homework packet for me to pick up.

I feel so bad because Ian is really enjoying school this year and I could tell he was disappointed when the doctor told me how long to keep him home. Please pray for the bug to exit (both Ian and this house).

Post-Vacation Overload - Day 2; Part 2

2009-09-14T13:14:00.000-07:00

Oh dear. Life seems to have gotten away from me and I desperately need to get some of these vacation photos on here so I don't forget anything. So, I will try to be better in the next few days.

After spending a good part of our first full day at Hollywood Studios, we caught the bus to Epcot as we had dinner reservations at The Coral Reef. I wish I had some video of the kids' excitement over this restaurant. Our reservations were early enough that I we were able to request and receive a table smack dab in front of the giant aquarium.

These pictures certainly do not do it justice and if you notice, both Ian and Kyra were practically climbing on the table to get a closer look. Honestly, I don't think they would have cared if they had anything to eat because all they did was watch the the tank. Their favorites were the rays, the sharks and the sea turtles.

After dinner, we stayed in the Coral Reef area. The Disney people have really done a great job revamping the old "The Seas" exhibit. They turned it into a Nemo themed exhibit complete with a ride in a clam shell.

During Turtle Talk with Crush, Ian got to ask Crush what turtles eat. Crush then asked Ian what his favorite food was (answer: mac 'n' cheese) and then asked if it caused him to "get the bubbles"; yeah, that got him laughing. Nothing like a little potty humor from an animated turtle! They also played in this shark area except Kyra was a little frightened of the oversized sharks. She always had to be with someone for a picture.

Now, you would think that would be enough for our first day, but as you'll see in the next segment, there's always more . . .

First Day of School

2009-09-01T14:58:00.000-07:00

I interrupt this series of vacation phots to bring you "first day of school" photos. Kyra started preschool on Monday. She can hardly contain her excitement about school. It's amazing that I got any pictures as she was all energy!

This is her "princess" backpack. She had been coveting this baby since she first laid eyes upon it at JC Penney's. I gave it to her on Sunday night and she carried it around until she went to bed.

There was definitely no separation anxiety for this girl. She marched right into school, found her cubby and got right to work.

Tuesday was Ian's turn! I can't believe I am a mom to a 5th grader! Even though I see him everyday, I can't believe how much he's grown from last year.
Obviously, you don't get as many pictures on the first day of school when your child starts growing up. Kyra had to get in on the action this morning but I think it turned out pretty cute.

One change this year is that I will be taking Ian to school since it is on the way to Kyra's preschool and they start close to the same time. Ian gets theadded benefit of a little more free time around the house, but then again, he had to put up with his paparazzi mom this morning.

We're hoping for a great year all around!

Post-Vacation Overload - Day 2; Part 1

2009-08-31T12:55:00.001-07:00

We packed so much into our first "full" day at the World, that I am going to have to break it down into separate parts. Of course, with so much in front of you, it's definitely hard to decide where to start. After much debate, we picked "Hollywood" Studios (for all of you "old schol" folks, you can't really say that; Rich and I consistently still refer to it as "MGM"). There was a method to our madness. First off, it had a wide variety of attractions that suited both ages and, most importantly, the kids would get to eat at Pizza Planet!

We spent the first part of the morning riding "the big rides"; Ian immediately fell in love with Aerosmith's Rockin' Roller Coaster and revisited an old favorite from his memories of Dinseyland - The Tower of Terror.

Even after her encounter with the royal family the night before, Kyra was still a little leery of the larger than life characters - even the ones that didn't move or talk. If you notice in this picture, here fingers are in her ears because Lightening McQueen's and Mater's motors were "too loud".

After much debate, Kyra decided she would go see Jo Jo and Goliath but only if Daddy came with her. She was very tentative when she approached them but the characters saw that and played peek-a-boo and extended hands (and paws) for high 5s to gain her trust. When Kyra discovered they couldn't hurt/maim/frighten her, she declared that she was "brave" and pushed Daddy to the side.

After that, there was no stopping this little girl when it came to securing character autographs. She was very proud of her princess "autograph" book and clung to it while waiting in lines.

Kyra with June from Little Einsteins practicing her dancing skills.

Handy Manny was a huge hit as well.

And so we wrap up the first part of the day. Stay tuned for more . . .

Post-Vacation Overload - Day 1

2009-08-30T12:29:00.000-07:00

Well, eight days at Walt Disney World is apparently not enough to see it all, though we did give it our best shot. I'm currently weeding through over 800 pictures that I took throughout our trip and since I share photos on this blog for family to see, I'm going to try to break them down so you aren't all overloaded at once.

These pictures are from our first day in Florida. The day started rough - over a 3-hour delay due to mechanical problems on our flight. We were supposed to arrive in Orlando around 10:30 but didn't get in until around 1:30. Since the flight was supposed to leave originally around 7:00 a.m., we had been up for a long time and were tired. Luckily, our dinner reservations were early at 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian.

Kyra was selected by the manager to open the doors to the dining room with a "Bibbity-Bobbity-Boo". When the doors swung open, there was Prince Charming waiting for Kyra.
He took her by the hand and escorted her to the table. It brought tears to this mommy's eyes!
Later, during the dinner, Kyra also had the first dance with Prince Charming (after Cinderella, of course). I don't think Kyra ate much during dinner because she was so enthralled with the characters in the dining room. Needless to say, she got over her most of her fear of characters rather quickly.

Not to be left out of the picture, while Kyra danced with Charming, Ian caught the eye of Anastasia and she pulled him out of his chair to dance. I believe Rich has some video, but Anastasia tagged Ian as her future husband and began grilling him with questions including how much money he had and if he thought she was beautiful. This made for great fodder the rest of our trip.
To add to his pre-teen embarrassment, Lady Tremaine - the wicked stepmother, also came into the picture and began grilling Ian about why he found Anastasia so attractive. Look how red his cheeks are!

As I said, Kyra got over her mortal fear of characters with Prince Charming and Cinderella, but it was a little different when it came to the wicked Stepmother and the stepsisters. In fact, she went under the table when Lady Tremaine arrived.
We coaxed her into pictures with the stepsisters though but only as long as someone else came with her!
I've been to quite a few character dinners at Disney, but this one, by far, was the most interactive. This was a most magical way to start our trip and we had one happy little princess!

Never Too Big to Be Carried

2009-08-06T12:03:00.000-07:00

For the past few weeks, Kyra has been involved with a summer camp at Children's House Montessori. She is having a blast and it's also a nice introduction as this is where she will be attending preschool in just a few short weeks. Needless to say, with all that fun, she is definitely ready for a nap when all is said and done. Of course, it's interrupted our routine a bit, but flexibility is a wonderful thing and we've adjusted.

Let me just say, Kyra still NEEDS a nap. She can forego them every once in a great while, but she (and I) are much happier to be around if the nap takes place as scheduled. That being said, Kyra has inherited her procrastination skills from two of the best in the business. From extra potty stops, to drinks of water, to any excuse in the book NOT to go to take her nap, she will try it. Yesterday, we got to the base of the steps and looked at me pathetically and says, "I too tired, Mommy. Carry me." Knowing full well this was another tried and true delay tactic, I informed her she was too big to be carried up the steps and she would have to be a big girl and go up simply holding my hand. She did so (with amazing speed, I might add) and was soon on her way to dreamland.

So, where am I going with this tale of stay-at-home-mom-dom? I have gotten in the routine of taking my quiet time with the Lord during the first portion of nap time. I've recently been exchanging "Praise Party" requests with some friends on Facebook. Normally, I don't pay too much attention to request to join the mafia or create a farm, but this particular application intrigued me. You can "pass" your friends praises about our Lord and his many names. Each picture is accompanied by a verse that identifies where you can find said name in the Bible. I believe this particular application has 169 different identities of our Lord. Talk about a neat idea for a daily devotion!

So yesterday, I was looking at the verses for one of the particular praises and I got into Psalm 68. And here's where you begin to realize the planner that God is! Never doubt his timing!

"Praise the Lord; praise God our Savior! For each day he carries us in his arms." - Psalm 68:19 NLT

Now even though I knew it was a delay tactic, what would it have killed me to pick Kyra up and carry her those 13 steps up to her bedroom? True, I was trying to establish some boundaries, but look what our Lord does for us EVERY day! When we feel we are losing the never-ending battle with the laundry; when the dog chews off the eyes of your daughter's favorite teddy bear; when your kids are arguing again over who gets to give the dog a treat; when you feel that if just one more thing goes wrong in your day you are just going to run down the street and never come back - guess who hears you and scoops you up in His abundant arms when you feel like you can't take another step? That, my friends, is LOVE!

What a wonderful example our Lord sets before us! His power is made perfect in our weakness!

Rock On!

2009-08-02T17:17:00.000-07:00

What better place to run my first half marathon than my "home" town of Chicago. Back in May at the Green Bay Marathon, I was overtaken by a moment of insanity and signed on the dotted line for the Rock 'n' Roll Chicago Half Marathon. After the initial "what was I thinking?" moment, I set out to train. To my surprise, the training didn't stink as much as I thought it would; in fact, I found it to be rather enjoyable.

With Grandma Pokey & Grandpa Tiger volunteering babysitting services, Rich and I set off on Saturday for Chi-town. Our first stop was the expo to pick up my race packet:

While at the expo, I met a great organization called Team 413. You can read more about them on their website, but it is awesome to be able to not only participate in an activity that you love, but also share your faith in the process!

Afterward, we headed to our hotel to unwind. I ended up taking a nap (*gasp*) and slept through our dinner reservation at Rosebud. We ended up just having carry-out from Bucca di Beppo - a wise choice and I was able to hit the hay fairly early (4:30 a.m. comes awfully early!)

As you can tell, it was still dark when we arrived at the starting gates. Thankfully, it was an untypical August day in Chicago. We were actually cold while we waited for the start of the race!

Rich took this picture while I was waiting to start the race. He calls it "my game face".

At mile 4, I was "joined" by my sweet hubby. Technically, he was a "race bandit" which was forbidden, but he ran alongside me for almost nine miles snapping photos, getting water for me and providing me my Gu and Shot Blocks! Now THAT is a dedicated husband!

Most importantly, I FINISHED! My goal was to (a) finish the race and (b) finish the race without walking. With God's awesome power, I accomplished my mission! My finishing time was 2 hours and 19 minutes. I am thrilled to have finished this race and I thank everyone for their prayers and support!

With God, all things are possible!

A funny worthy of the blog

2009-07-30T18:31:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's been quite a while since I've blogged. Summer has us running at full speed. Anyhow, it's just me and the kids this week. As I was giving Kyra her bath tonight, I knocked over one of Ian's shampoo bottles. It's running rather low so I peeped my head out and asked Ian if he was going to tell me when he ran out of shampoo. He got a very sheepish look and said that he keeps forgetting to tell me. I just asked him what would happen if he didn't wash his hair properly and he just said, as only Ian can, "I'll end up like daddy."

Yep, I had to walk away I was laughing so hard.

Belated Happy Fathers Day

2009-06-29T11:13:00.000-07:00

Wow! It's been a while since I've put anything on this blog. Needless to say, since school let out, we have been quite busy. Last weekend, we couldn't properly celebrate Fathers Day with the surprise I wanted because Rich and Ian spent the night camping with the Cub Scouts. So, we just made plans to celebrate it the following Sunday.

When I asked Ian what he wanted to do for Fathers Day, he told me he wanted to go geocaching. He came up with spots around the yard to hide clues as to where we were headed on Sunday. Of course, my dear, sweet husband didn't make this an easy task as he took the afternoon off on Friday (so we couldn't hide anything that day) and then on Saturday, he took the GPS when we were going to use it to do the hiding. It turned out ok because the kids and I had fun doinga "mission impossible" getting the GPS from Rich's car, hiding the clues and then getting the GPS back before he realized it was missing. In the end, it was funny watching Rich try to find the clues in the backyard!

Our eternal early bird, Kyra, woke us up before 6:00 a.m. on Sunday morning as she was so excited to get going. We went up to Peninsula State Park in Door County and spent the morning and afternoon hiking, looking for caches and having a picnic. Here are some of the pictures from the day:

Ian and Rich planning the next cache to find.

We climbed up Sentinel Tower and got a great view of the bay and surrounding scenery. We had a gentleman take our pictures and of the four he took, this is the only one where my hair was not blowing straight up in the air! It was really windy once you got that high up!

Ian and Kyra made short work of climbing up the many steps to the tower! Kyra was really brave - I thought for sure she would freak out at the "see through" steps (at least, I was!).

I had to take this picture because it was so funny! Kyra is figuring out how to annoy Ian. I know I should really not be encouraging this type of behavior, but I just found it cute that she put together that she could block his view by sticking her hand up in front of him as he peered through!

What would an outdoor day be without a picnic? The funny thing is that by the time you purchase what you need to prepare said picnic, you could probably just eat out for less! Of course, it's all about the "experience" and let me tell you - Kyra was all about the picnic basket and red-checkered table cloth!

And just for the record, the kids are drinking Baumeister Rootbeer!

In all, we found 4 of the 5 caches we seareched for and everyone had a great time!

My Slugger

2009-06-11T06:25:00.000-07:00

Ian has had a grand total of two baseball games now. Last night though, after much anticipation, he got his first hit! And, it wasn't just a tap either. He really walloped the ball into center field and got a stand-up double. He's just beaming still!

She's Just a Giver!

2009-06-07T13:59:00.000-07:00

The other day, I mentioned that Mel has been bringing creatures to the back door. Well, this morning, she took her obsession a little too far. Yes, my darling puppy brought us a baby rabbit! Now, I did not see this poor creature who happened to be at the opposite end of a curious pooch's snout, but somehow Mel did not crush it and Rich placed it back in a nest (although we don't think it was the correct nest). So now, I think Mel might want to be looking out for Bunny Foo-Foo!

A Night Out (well, sort of . . . )

2009-06-06T11:31:00.000-07:00

Rich had to travel for a production run yesterday leaving me here with the kiddos on a Friday evening. I will say in his defense that it is not often that he has to travel on the weekend and at least I don't have to worry about getting Ian up and off to school in time the next day.

One of the nice things that we have here in town is a second-run movie theater. Since I am generally not very good at getting to the movies in general when they first come out, it suits me just fine to watch them after they are not quite a "hot ticket" and for substantially less than it costs at the regular theater (especially now that the curly one is now of the age where we need a ticket for her too). The other nice benefit is that it is such a family friendly theater and so even though Ian and Kyra are reasonably well behaved when it comes to going to the movies, it's definitely a more "causal" atmosphere in which to watch a movie.

So, I took the kids for subs at Jimmy John's and then we went to see Monsters vs. Aliens. I wasn't quite sure what to expect as I hadn't really paid attention to the reviews when it first came out, but I will say that it was highly entertaining and provided quite a few laughs for everyone. It was definitely a treat for all even though we wish Daddy could have been watching it with us!

How Do You Say Thank You?

2009-06-05T06:19:00.000-07:00

Given that we are now two months in to dog ownership and life as we know it pre-Mel will never be the same, we can say that she is a wonderful dog yet she still has some strange habits! One has developed most recently and that would be her fetish with June bugs!

Now, ever since the time my Mom told me the story of her friend, a pizza deliver man and the june bugs, I have had a dreaded fear of June bugs (although not to be matched by my much later developed irrational fear of kidney beans). They are just plain creepy bugs. They are HUGE, they buzz around your head and are not one of our Lord's more beautiful creations (to that end, I am sure that June bugs do serve a higher purpose other than to just creep me out; I just wish they wouldn't buzz by my head). Back to my story . . .

We have taken to calling Mel the "slink" because she can slink about of just about anywhere given enough time to ponder the situation. So, when returning from work in the late evenings, I always put the porch light on to keep an eye on her. Needless to say, this attracts my least favorite insect. And guess just who has taken to making these her new playmates? Yes, nothing says love just like a regurgitated june bug still struggling to crawl and fly. It's a good think I have a husband to chase these things down!

This Rock Looks Nice

2009-05-27T11:39:00.000-07:00

I will start off by saying it is a good thing that little Miss Kyra is only three and her cuteness saves her many times over because that child has taken to blurting out inappropriate commentary only because she does not know any better. For example, last week we were at a store when a rather large gentleman came in as we were exiting. Before I knew it, Kyra exclaims, "Whoa! You're BIG!" I immediately corrected her and told her that it was impolite. I really don't think the gentleman was paying attention as he was already in the store as I turned to apologize.

Of course, there are times when I am at a total loss for words and that time happened to me today. We went to the pet store with Mel to get some more dog food. It's somewhat of a challenge to corral both Kyra and Mel without knocking over displays, etc., but we managed to make it through the store fairly unscathed (and without any puppy "accidents" either). As I was wrangling the two to the cash register and trying to keep my eyes on Kyra while keeping Mel away from the dog treats (why do they put those things unwrapped at a dog's level?), I heard a someone ask me which of the two was easier to handle - the two-legged or the four-legged child (given Kyra's temperament these days, I might opt for the latter). Now, realize I wasn't really looking up and the voice was clearly a very deep voice. But when I looked up, I realized it was a "lady." Now, I am not a stranger to transgender folk; however, you can imagine how strange this might appear to say, your average, ordinary three-year old who cannot let things go. Yep, before I could put my hand in front of her mouth, out comes "You sure sound different!" Yes, if they made those hermit crab rocks in adult sizes, I surely would have been under it. I really need to get some "if you can't say something nice . . ." lessons working with that child!

Warming Up

2009-05-25T17:03:00.000-07:00

This weekend, we decided to head to Madison for the Madison Quarter Marathon. The whole story about why we decided to go was quite humorous. Our friends have run in the race the past few years and afterwards always have a great post-race BBQ. After talking it through, we decided to sign up and head to Mad Town. When I ended up talking to Ms. B to cordinate her watching Ian and Kyra, I found out that Mr. S & Co. didn't sign up BUT that was no reason not to have the post-race party.

So, I got to run the race "with" Rich. As you notice, I put that in quotes as he took off like a jackrabbit on steroids at the opening bullhorn. I didn't see him until the finish line. We both finished with good times. I ran in 58:51 which put me 12th out of 87 in my division and 106th amongst 624 females.

All in all, it was a nice warm up for the Bellin in three weeks and a nice half trial run!

A Brisk Run

2009-05-17T14:44:00.000-07:00

On a bit of a whim, I signed up to run the Cellcom 5K Run this morning. It's a smaller part of the Green Bay marathon but the half was closed and I don't think I would have been up to that right now as I'm only about midway into my half training. But, why pass up a race on such a beautiful day I say.

There were over 4,000 participants in the 5K and it was a flat course for the most part (if you want to call that one blip a hill). The supposed "highlight" was running around Lambeau Field. Yes, it was painful for this Bears fan, but I conjured up the strength and made it through (heck, it probably made me run faster to get it over with). I ended up finishing in 27:17 which was almost 30 seconds less than the 5K I ran last month. (I'll take anything I can get at this point). I was 194th out of all the women and 21st in my age group. I'll have more official numbers as they update the site, but I'm pretty pleased with the results. I got to hang afterwards with Ms. N who also had an awesome race and took in all the post-race festivities including a nice massage. Next race is the MadCity Quarter Marathon next Sunday.

Treed!

2009-05-12T11:44:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I wrote about re-reading Where The Red Fern Grows. The more time I spend with Mel, the more I think she is just like what Little Anne was like (ok, maybe not quite as smart, but she's definitely got the personality).

We know Mel has some dachsund in her but only the Lord knows her true mix. Our vet suggested maybe some beagle but I'm beginning to think she's got some sort of hound in her (she did come from a shelter in Kentucky). She definitely has the howl going on!

So, why am I musing about my pooch's mixture? Well, last night Rich and I sat down to watch 24 when we heard a ruckus coming from outside (I had just let Mel out back to do her business and sometimes it takes "a while"). I ran to the back and all I could see in the shadows was some sort of creature perched on our fence post and Mel circling frantically on the ground and barking like we have never heard her bark before. When I initially saw the thing, I swore it was a racoon (remember, I had just read the book) and was fearful that it would come down and hurt Mel. But when Rich came with a brighter light we saw it was an extremely large cat (bigger than Mel who is only 24 pounds dripping wet). I think the cat was just as freaked out as Mel but did manage to hiss at Mel and scare her a bit. We finally got Mel into the house but she did not go quietly. No, she wanted that cat! After a rawhide bribe though, the feline encounter was soon forgotten and all is right in her world. Thank you Mel for saving us from the invading cat! :D

The Princess' English

2009-05-06T11:39:00.000-07:00

Today, I told Kyra that if she finished all of her lunch (a delicious strawberry bagel with cream cheese), she could have a bowl of sliced strawberries. I use it as a motivational tactic because otherwise the main course gets overlooked for the much tastier fruit (who can blame her on that?). I set the bowl of sliced strawberries on the counter for her. She did indeed finish the bagel and came into the kitchen to grab the bowl of berries. Here is the rest of the conversation:

K: Can I have my strawberries now?
M: Did you finish your lunch?
K: Yep!
M: Of course you can.
K: Ok. Where's my straw?
M: Your straw is in your milk glass.
K: No - my straw!
M: (Puzzled face) What do you mean, Kyra?
K: How can I eat my strawberries?
M: Ummm, with a fork?
K: Yes, a straw! That's how I say fork in English.

I guess I need to go back to school!

A Contact Sport?

2009-05-01T15:14:00.000-07:00

Proving that I am really behind the times, I received a call from the school health assistant this afternoon. Apparently Ian was involved in a playground "altercation" (to which he was not the aggressor). He fell down and hit his head and has a slight bump. I was glad the school called to inform me and Ms. A felt that he was acting fine and was back at class.

When Ian came home, I asked him what happened and he told me he got knocked down getting someone "out" in a game but he was feeling better. I figured it was dodgeball or something like that. No, further proving how "old fashioned" I am, apparently these days, four-square is a contact sport! Lord, please help me!

Brand Awareness Starts Early (a/k/a BUSTED!)

2009-04-29T06:22:00.000-07:00

It really isn't my fault - the car needed gas! It was the nearest exit! Kyra needed to go potty! What's a mom to do? Could I help that the Coach outlet was in plain view of the public restrooms? It was such a short stroll and the colors in the window were oh-so-springy! I will plead the fifth on the rest of the details.

However - upon returning home from our journey to Indiana, we headed out for a bite to eat. Everything was going so well and then the hostess sat a table near ours to which Ms. Kyra sees the woman's purse and exclaims - "Look Mommy! She has a purse just like your NEW purse!" Yes, so busted (but the fact that Kyra knows a good handbag when she sees one brings a tear to the eye, does it not?)

Photo of the Week - April 26, 2009

2009-04-26T18:31:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, April 25th, I had the privilege of standing up in one of my best friends' weddings. This is just a sill pre-ceremony shot in all of our various flip-flops. Yes, the bride requested them as our chosen footware and even wore them herself during the ceremony! This celebration was a long time coming and an answer to some serious prayer over the many years of our friendship. God does indeed have a plan for each and every one of us!

Make New Friends?

2009-04-21T17:28:00.000-07:00

Tonight, Rich had to work on a project late so we decided to meet for dinner at Culvers. A local school group was hosting a fundraiser and the Culver's mascot, Scoopie, was there milling about.

Kyra has always been leery of large, oversized mascots. In fact, on her first trip to Disneyland, we have nary a picture with the large rodent because she was absolutely petrified of any of the characters (though she did ultimately warm up to Remy & Emile for some reason even though they were the wrong rodents!).

We pulled into the parking lot and Scoopie was walking around the building waving to the cars. Kyra was SO excited I thought she was going to burst. All she could talk about was how she loved Scoopie and she was going to talk to Scoopie and she was going to show Scoopie her bird feeder project from Playschool. She also stated, "I used to be a-scared but I'm not a-scared anymore."

Not five minutes later, Kyra entered Culvers only to be confronted of the reality of the oversized ice cream cone with rather creepy blue eyes. Yeah, we're still a-scared! Maybe another day . . .

Photo of the Week - April 17, 2009

2009-04-19T11:26:00.000-07:00

Seeing that the nice weather came in abundance this week, I had the camera out a lot. So, when it came time to choose the phot of the week, I couldn't decide, so I chose a favorite shot of each of the kids.

Revisiting An Old Favorite

2009-04-17T13:41:00.000-07:00

I will be the first to admit that I am a sucker for the Scholastic book order. A family can never have too much good reading material in the house. I usually find something for all of us and then some! That is why last month when I saw Where The Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls, I knew I had to get it.

This is one of those books that we had to read for English in junior high. I'm pretty sure it was in Ms. Allard's 8th grade class. Alas, I digress. The only concrete plot I remember about the book from my junior high days was that it was about a boy and his two dogs and that it made me bawl. Nevertheless, I felt compelled to pick it up and re-read it this past week.

Wow! Granted it has been about 20 some years since I last read this, but it was like reading it for the first time. I had forgotten how good this book really is. Sadly, so much has changed in our PC society over the past 20 years, I doubt this book would be allowed as course materials in the public schools as it does feature prayer and discussions about God (GASP!) Still, this is one of those books that I will be sure both Ian and Kyra read in future years.

So, if you are looking for a quick read and have a box of kleenex at the ready, I highly recommend picking this one up.

Grace of the wrong sort

2009-04-13T07:40:00.000-07:00

Borrowing a page from dear Ms. M, I must tell you all of my latest episode. Before I begin, I must say: DON'T WORRY, MOM, I AM OK! (my mom reads my blog and I know this post is going to warrant a phone call (not that I mind said phone call, but I just don't want good ol' Pokey to get herself all worried over nothing) - Love ya', Mom!)

Where to begin this tale? I got up this morning with the full intention of running along the lakeshore. Of course, once I got down there, I realized that 35 degrees into the wind wasn't exactly my cup of tea for the morning so I headed into the Y to run around the track.

Everything was going well and the run was good (despite the lack of better scenery) when the maintenance guy at the Y decided it would be a good idea to set up scaffolding in the middle of the back stretch of the track. Honestly, whatever possessed him to do this while someone was running around the track, I will never know. Alas, I had to jump over one of the legs and round the corner. Obviously, the jumped knocked me out of focus and before I knew it, I had ran smack into one of the outside beams of the track and was knocked on my ample backside. I think what irked me the most was that the maintenance guy didn't even notice that I was sitting there stunned for a few minutes. I managed to get myself up and tell the front desk what happened. After filling out an accident report, I drove home (which, in retrospect, probably wasn't the wisest of ideas, but then again . . . ) As soon as I got in, I went and got Rich and told him I needed to go to the doctor.

The Lord was really working for me this morning as Rich and the two kids were assembled in no time flat with minimal whining (Kyra was still sleeping when I got home and wasn't particuarly fond of being awakened from her beauty sleep). Then it was off to the ER where, to my amazement, there was NO waiting! The kids were extremely well behaved and the nurses took pity on them and showered them with juice and chocolate milk. I had my head examined (literally) with a CT scan and they discovered that I do, indeed, have a brain! Seriously, there were no abnormal findings but I just have a severe headache and I need to avoid football, wrestling, skateboarding and other contact sports that may result in a head injury for the next week. So, I guess my skydiving adventure planned for this week is out.

So, praise to God for being in control and keeping me safe. I guess this proves that I am really hard-headed after all!

Photo of the Week - April 12, 2009

2009-04-12T11:23:00.000-07:00

I had forgotten how difficult it is to get a picture of these two where both of them are smiling and looking at the camera! Anyhow, this week's photo is Ian and Kyra in their Easter finery. Kyra had been looking forward to wearing this dress since it came out of the shopping bag. Apparently I chose well because I was told it was "so princessy!" Ian, on the other hand, just wore what was given to him (I guess I'm lucky he's too young to complain about having to wear pink stripes!)

Celebrate the Journey

2009-04-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

As Easter nears, it suddenly dawned on me that two years ago today, God began a mighty show of his power to transform! Not a day goes by that I do not give thanks to my Lord and Savior for what He has done for me! It is only by His grace that I have been able to accomplish so much!

Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant

2009-04-05T19:30:00.000-07:00

Tonight the Lord called sweet Miss Linda home after a courageous battle with breast cancer. I will miss her smiles, her laughter, her sweet tooth but most her unwaivering devotion to the Lord. I rejoice that she is finally home and free from her pain.

Photo of the Week - April 5, 2009

2009-04-05T14:53:00.000-07:00

So, last week I forgot to specifically post the photo of the week. I guess it's because it was the same photo I posted the day before.

Here is this week's photo though. On Friday, April 3, I took Ian to his first concert ever - Superchick!!! It was a benefit concert held at the local high school auditorium. We had a lot of fun even though Ian thought it was "a bit too loud."

My Addiction is Now Justified

2009-03-31T15:18:00.000-07:00

Coffee Lessens The Pain of Exercise

Straight from Kyra's mouth . . .

2009-03-31T13:41:00.000-07:00

"This is the bestest puppy dog I have ever seen!"

I'm so glad she's happy with our newest family member (otherwise we'd be in BIG trouble!)

Menu Plan Monday - March 30, 2009

2009-03-30T11:51:00.000-07:00

Menu Plan Monday is hosted by I Am An Organizing Junkie. I have been a menu planning slacker the past couple of weeks and it's not been a pleasant sight. I've managed to get by wiht old "stand-bys", but having the plan in place at the beginning of the week certainly helps jar my brain when it comes time to take stuff out of the freezer in the morning!

Monday: Roasted Turkey Breast
Tuesday: E-Z BBQ Beef
Wednesday: Ranch Style Chicken
Thursday: Baked Flounder
Friday: TBD

Have a great week!

Meet Mel

2009-03-28T14:40:00.000-07:00

Further proof that I am once step closer to insanity, please meet the newest member of our family . . . Mel. We adopted Mel today from Heavenly Hearts Rescue. She is a dauchsund mix (they told us she's possibly mixed with lab, but she's only 25 pounds). She is just the sweetest thing! She has quite a personality and all four of us were immediately smitten with her. She loves giving kisses and snuggling up. Her name is short for Caramel. We look forward to many wonderful memories with her!

Photo of the Week - March 22, 2009

2009-03-22T17:41:00.000-07:00

We got a teasing taste of spring this week! It's nice to be able to see some grass with all of the snow finally melting away. Of course, all that snow brings puddles and Kyra was all too excited to don her special boots and go splashing about!

To All You Scrabble Wannabes!

2009-03-18T13:45:00.000-07:00

"Za", "Qi" and "Zzz"

I don't want any challenges the next time we all play!

Let's Go Racin' Boys!

2009-03-17T11:25:00.000-07:00

It was a big night last night - the annual Cub Scout Pack 3939 Pinewood Derby! As we did last year, Rich and I were the event coordinators. We believe this is one of the most fun events of the Cub Scout years and we do enjoy it in a crazy sort of way. Ian ran some trials of his car the night before the race when we were setting up the track. Though it seemed pretty fast, we tempered it because he only was racing against a few other cars and not those in his own den. Of course, I've come to learn that it is perfectly acceptable amongst Cub Scouts to brag about the speed of your car beforehand.

As in years past, Ian came up with the concept for his car and drew it out. Each year, however, he has done progressively more by himself in the building process. This year, he did almost everything by himself except for a little assistance in placing the wheels. This was a car he could truly take ownership of!

The evening began relatively well. The Tiger den started us out and there were some "design flaws" as several cars didn't make it to the finish line. Then, we had a computer glitch. The timing system wouldn't work at all, so after the Tigers, we switched to good, old-fashioned stopwatches.

As it turns out, after all was said and done, Ian won first place in the Webelos 1 den. As an added bonus, he came in 2nd in the overall grand finale race of the top cars.

Here is Ian getting his trophy from Rich.

I am one proud momma today!

Photo of the Week - March 15, 2009

2009-03-15T13:59:00.000-07:00

Nothing is better than a surprise visit from Grandma Pokey & Grandpa Tiger. Actually, Rich & I knew they were coming, but to save our sanity, we did not reveal it to Ian and Kyra. They were oh-so-surprised when they came in the door on Saturday!

Verses Revisited

2009-03-12T11:22:00.000-07:00

I have several favorite Bible verses that I turn to like "old friends" for encouragement in my daily walk. Each one holds special meaning for me yet they are sometimes so "familiar" that I don't take the time to dig in to the text. It's kind of like eating the icing off a piece of cake without tasting the cake. Without said cake, there would be no reason for the oh-so-sweet frosting.

Today I turned to Philippians 4:6(NLT): "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done."

Isn't that nifty? Kind of like a little worry-wart checklist. I can check off A, B, C & D whenever I get in a lurch or life comes at me like a Mack truck. Comforting to know God gives me such a good "To Do" list to keep at the ready. Yes, but read on, Becca, you are forgetting why you are going through this checklist!

"If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7 (NLT; emphasis added)

Yes, God is good! I may still be a frosting girl at heart, but I need to get some of the cake with the frosting to realize why it is soooooooooooooooo good!

A couple of down days

2009-03-10T16:19:00.000-07:00

Kyra had a cold last week and is finally turning the corner. Of course, she shared a little of the love and I've had some symptoms that I have been trying to stave off with Cold-eze. We've essentially spent the last two days in the house but that hasn't been all that bad. We've had manicures and bubble baths and have even managed to catch up on some much needed tidying. Of course, now I am ready to get out of the house tomorrow.

Menu Plan Monday - March 9, 2009

2009-03-09T12:44:00.000-07:00

Menu Plan Monday is hosted by I Am An Organizing Junkie. Here's what's cooking this week:

Monday: Apricot glazed pork chops
Tuesday: Sloppy Janes
Wednesday: 40 Clove Garlic Chicken
Thursday: Omlettes
Friday: TBD

Photo of the Week - March 8, 2009

2009-03-08T11:47:00.000-07:00

It only took about three and a half years, but Kyra was finally ready for her first haircut this week. Admittedly, it was only to get rid of some of the split ends and you really can't tell once her hair is dried, but she got such a thrill getting her hair done by Ms. Rebecca at the "shop".

Menu Plan Monday - March 2, 2009

2009-03-02T11:44:00.000-08:00

Menu Plan Monday is hosted by I Am An Organizing Junkie. I'm keeping it pretty basic this week. Here's what's cooking this week:

Monday: Italian Chicken Breasts
Tuesday: Crock Pot Cranberry Pork Roast
Wednesday: Pesto Baked Flounder
Thursday: Beef Vegetable soup
Friday: Leftover buffet

Have a great week!

Photo of the Week - March 1, 2009

2009-03-01T11:44:00.000-08:00

I'm just going to call this one "the find." My friend M and I went on a girls' shopping day yesterday. I was in desperate need of a new handbag and it turns out Macy's was having a rather nice sale. I saw this one and immediately fell in love, but wanted to "think it over." Before heading to lunch, I revisited it and decided it had to be mine and had the clerk start ringing it up. Not only was it on sale for an extremely reasonable price for a Coach, it actually rang up even less than what it was marked. Yes, a day does not get much better than shopping with girlfriends, a deal and a new handbag!

At least there's something I can agree with him about!

2009-02-28T05:24:00.000-08:00

Not to get political here, but I found humor in this Yahoo! news clipping.

I now return to my opposing political viewpoints.

And the winner is . . .

2009-02-24T12:02:00.000-08:00

ME!!!!

I just about fell out of my chair when I saw the final triathalon results that were posted today.

"For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need." - Philippians 4:13 (NLT)

Menu Plan Monday - February 23, 2009

2009-02-23T13:20:00.000-08:00

Menu Plan Monday is hosted by I Am An Organizing Junkie. I did pretty well last week and I only have one "carry over" from last week because Rich had a meeting that I wasn't aware of until after I made the menu plan. Here's what's cooking this week:

Monday: Pecan Bourbon Glazed Pork Chops
Tuesday: Double Dumpling Chicken Stoup
Wednesday: Fajitas
Thursday: Asian Chicken Roll Ups
Friday: Pizza for the kids; night out for Mom & Dad!

Have a great week!

Photo of the Week - February 22, 2009

2009-02-22T14:17:00.001-08:00

My triathalete in training! Ian got "bit by the bug" at today's indoor triathalon. While I was running, Ian got on one of the extra bikes and took off. I was so proud of him for riding five miles! He hopes to train for next year's youth division!

"TRI"-ing again

2009-02-22T11:39:00.000-08:00

Last year, I had such a good time running my first triathalon, the decision to do it again wasn't that difficult. In fact, my running time had improved so much since last year, I moved up in the heats and was in a quicker heat. I don't have the official results yet, but my total time was 38:35. I think it's close to 10 minutes quicker than last year.

The swim was my challenge area this year. I didn't feel as prepared for it as I did last year. I didn't want to overdo it in the first leg though and pushed at my own pace. It's really hard not to pay attention to others around you in the pool, but slow and steady wins the race I suppose. I was really glad to see that last lap sign though!

I really made up my time on the bike. I guess getting up every morning for those 5:45 spin classes does pay off! I did pretty good on my play list planning too because I only planned for two spinning songs - How Far We've Come by Matchbox 20 and This Is How A Heart Breaks by Rob Thomas. I also learned from last year and didn't bike in my running shorts so I could dry out before I put them on.

It was then off to the track. Since I've gotten to enjoy running more than any other part of the triathalon, I knew I wouldn't have a problem with the final leg. Still after swimming and biking, the legs are a bit heavy! I am just thankful to God for giving me the strength for the final push.

I also have to share this picture. Last year, just Rich came along as my counter but other kids were there to watch so we decided we would bring Ian and Kyra along to cheer. Kyra took the task of being my personal cheerleader VERY seriously. Before she went to bed last night, she had to find her pompoms and instructed that she would need to wear her "cheerleader costume". She did a great job but her favorite part by far was the complimentary refreshment table! Hooray for bananas, apples, bagels & cookies!

All in all, I am very pleased. I definitely have some areas to improve upon for next year and now it's time to prepare for the next event . . .

Guilty Pleasure

2009-02-20T20:59:00.000-08:00

Shhh! I took a nap today! ;)

A Dory Kind of Day

2009-02-19T12:23:00.000-08:00

Finding Nemo is one of my favorite Disney movies of all time. There are so many great one-liners that I can so often apply to my life and besides that, it makes me laugh.

I am going to make the broad presumption that most of my readers (seeing that most of you have children) have seen Nemo. Remember the part where Dory remembers P. Sherman's address - 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney? She's just so excited and shouts it to the ocean for everyone to hear. Now, Marlin, her counterpart, wants her to be quiet, but it's quite an amazing feat for her so she keeps on.

Today I was doing my Bible study. We're currently talking about frustration. In fact, we were supposed to talk about it this past week, but we got hung up on the previous topic of anxiety (hmmm, I wonder why God has put me in this study?) So, since I read the chapter already, I've been digging a little deeper into the Word and reflecting. And here's what I came across:

On the very day I call to you for help, my enemies will retreat. This I know: God is on my side. -Psalm 56:9 (NLT)

Now, admittedly, I should already know that God is on my side but I just want to be like Dory and shout it to the world. So I am - by way of my blog (and Facebook too since I link this to there).

Now get out there people and just keep swimming!

Recipe Reviews

2009-02-18T12:14:00.000-08:00

I really love to find and try new recipes. Sometimes they aren't all that and a bag of chips, but occasionally, I hit a winner. In the past week, I have found two recipes that are going to become staples at our family dinner table!

Lasagna Soup
Recipe source: Family Fun magazine

I really love Family Fun for their craft ideas, but they always have some interesting kid-friendly recipes as well. This one sold me just on the picture alone. Now, I don't exactly consider this to be a soup but rathermore like a "stoup" (in hommage to Rachel Ray). Nonetheless, it was a HUGE hit around our dinner table. Now, if you leave the recipe "as is", it makes 13 cups. I don't know about you, but that's a heck of a lot of soup for a family of four (considering the petite one doesn't eat that much). I chose to cut the recipe in half. I used a mild italian sausage made by our local grocery store which was a little spicy (I know you are laughing at me, Ms. M!); next time I might try their sweet italian sausage blend. I also did blend the full amount of the ricotta & parmasan cheese because this is Wisconsin after all and everything is better with more cheese! The next time, I would probably add a little more pasta as well (and would proably have even more leftovers). This fed our family well plus we had a full serving of leftover. Be sure to serve with either garlic bread or breadsticks
to make it even yummier!

Ranch Style Chicken
Source: The Pioneer Woman

If I were stuck on a ranch, I think I would cook just as much as The Pioneer Woman. This woman just has a knack for coming up with some of the best recipes though I must admit, she really loves her butter and bacon. Not the greatest when trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but you can always modify! I have to say, hands down, this is probably one of the best chicken dishes EVER! I think it has to do with the honey mustard combo. Ian suggested that the only way it could possibly be better would be if I could get the bacon, cheese and chicken to all stay together when he cut it. Not sure how to do that, but I kow I'll be making this agin so I sure will try! I did use my Pampered Chef stoneware to bake the bacon rather than fry it in the pan as she suggests. I just spooned a little bit of the bacon grease into my skillet when I went to sear the chicken. I'm thinking the next time I will use turkey bacon to bring down the fat content. I don't think the lack of grease will affect the searing since I use non-stick cookware anyhow. I would say though, if you have these ingredients on hand, this is what should be for dinner tonight. Seriously, I could probably eat this every week!

Ok, that's it for now. If I come across any other winners, I'll be sure to let you know.

Menu Plan Monday - February 16, 2009

2009-02-16T13:28:00.000-08:00

You might notice a couple of "repeats" this week from last week's edition. I actually do have a large stash of recipes, but I never got around to making the "repeats" last week. I fixed the pork roast and a turkey breast at the beginning of the week and we just had too much leftovers in the fridge to justify making more. The good thing is that we liked the leftovers as well. Menu Plan Monday is hosted by I Am An Organizing Junkie. So here goes . . .

Monday: Ranch Style Chicken
Tuesday: Thai Peanut Shrimp & Zuchinni Salad
Wednesday: Crab Meat Quiche
Thursday: Asian Chicken Roll Ups
Friday: Pancake day!

Have a great week!

Photo of the Week - February 15, 2009

2009-02-15T12:49:00.001-08:00

I just loved this picture I snapped of Kyra while we were ice skating (not bad for getting a picture while wobbling on ice skates!) Such a happy curly girl!

Slip-Sliding Good Time!

2009-02-14T15:16:00.000-08:00

This afternoon, our church held a family afternoon at the ice skating center. Kyra had never been ice skating before, so she was really looking forward to it. In fact, before she left the house, she informed me that she would be skatinga ll by herself and she was going to do a figure eight! That child just bursts with confidence! Of course, once she strapped on the skates, it was a little different story, but once she got her "ice legs", she did ok (as long as one of us was there to push the "ice walker"). Ian really didn't have much of a problem because he's been skating a number of times with school and is much more coordinated than his Mom or Dad! However, I must "brag" that neither Rich nor myself landed on our respective keisters the whole time. In the end, Kyra outlasted all of us (I think she could have gone the whole two-hour timeframe). Anyhow, here's some pictures from the event!

Kyra got the hang of skating once she secured a walker
Clearly skating was not as easy as Kyra thought it would be!
Ian took to the ice without any problem.
Another shot of Ian in action!

It's all about perspective!

2009-02-11T13:11:00.000-08:00

Today, I took Kyra for a preview of my new office. After two years of working in the basement of a very old and outdated office building, the Manitowoc branch of Peterson, Johnson & Murray is "movin' on up"! We have a great new location and I even get my very own office with a door (it truly is the little things that make me happy)!

My new office is even larger than I imagined when the boss man described it to me and it has huge windows that will soon be home to various species of plants. I don't even know where to start describing the awesome amenities, but if you only knew where I was coming from, trust me, this is the Taj Mahal of office space! Boss man J thinks I have the best office, but he does have the corner office with floor to ceiling windows, so I think he is if full of bologna!

Anyhow, back to the point of my post. Kyra loved the fact that Mommy & Boss Man J are going to have a new office (which coincidentally is locatd just across the parking lot from Starbucks - did I mention that perk?). She can't wait to create her own personal shelf filled with toys and coloring books (did I mention I love my job?). But, when asked what was the best thing about Mommy's new office, the first thing out of my darling's mouth was "It has an elevator!" And that, my friends, is something I never even thought of.

Crock Pot Cranberry Pork Roast

2009-02-09T13:06:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from a friend at Lifetime Moments. It is so easy and so yummy!

1 Pork Roast*
1 Can of Whole Cranberry Sauce
1 Envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1/2 Can of Water

Mix cranberries, onion soup mix and water in your crock pot. Add roast. Cook on low 7-9 hours. Slice and serve.

*I prefer boneless, but if bone-in is on sale, you can use that too. The meat is so tender, it will just fall off the bone. You can probably use a pork tenderloin as well but I would reduce the cooking time so it doesn't get overdone.

Menu Plan Monday - February 8, 2009

2009-02-09T06:16:00.000-08:00

After a two-week hiatus, I am back and raedy to plan this week's meals seeing that my darling husband will be staying put this week (or at least that is the plan anyway). I've been waiting to try a couple of recipes but I need the taster-in-chief around because I don't think the little critics of the house would do it justice. Menu Plan Monday is hosted by I Am An Organizing Junkie. So here goes . . .

Monday: Crock Pot Cranberry Pork Roast
Tuesday: Ranch Style Chicken
Wednesday: Lasagna Soup
Thursday: Crab Meat Quiche (and regular omlettes for the little ones)
Friday: Leftover Buffet

Have a great week! Off to the grocery store to get the rest of the ingredients I need!

Photo of the Week - February 8, 2009

2009-02-08T13:03:00.001-08:00

After many threats, my darling husband finally did what he has always said he is going to do. He SHAVED his head! Kyra thought it was kind of funny that Daddy really now doesn't have any hair. Of course, now the silly man keeps complaining about how cold he is! You would think he would thing of this BEFORE he went through with it.

It's Racin' Time!

2009-02-07T17:25:00.001-08:00

Ok, technically, we still have a couple of months before we get into peak road race season, but today was the first road race of the year for me. I got up in the pre-dawn hours (after a late night scrapbooking) to run in the Seroogy's Valentine 5K in DePere. The weather could not have been more perfect! I think it was around 40 degrees at race time. I finished in 29 minutes, 13 seconds which put me 8th overall in my age class (37 total) and 69th out of 417 for all of the women. My times can only improve from here. Next up is the YMCA Indoor Triathalon right here in town in two weeks.

Ick - Go away!

2009-02-04T06:28:00.000-08:00

Last week on Wednesday, Kyra came down with a "wonderful" stomach bug that lasted through Friday. On Saturday, I was down for the count (not sick to my stomach, but definitely not in any shape to go anywhere). On Sunday, Rich and I headed out to a Superbowl party only to be called home by the babysitter during the 4th quarter because the ick had struck Ian. He stayed home from school on Monday but was feeling better on Tuesday so he went back. Of course, this morning, he was not feeling well again. I am so sick of this ick! I think the only reason Rich hasn't caught it is because he's been traveling so much! You an't catch what you're not around to get, right? Calgon - take me away!

Photo of the Week - February 1, 2009

2009-02-01T12:35:00.000-08:00

One of Ian's favorite birthday traditions is choosing a restaurant for his birthday dinner and also inviting a friend to come along and share in the celebration. This year, he invited Mr. C. C had never been to Red Robin before so it was fun introducing him to it. The evening got off to a great start because they each got to order Mellow Yellow with their meal and then they began to dig in to the bottomless french fries. They told our server that they were going to eat all the french fries in the restaurant. Yeah, that didn't happen but they sure had fun trying!

The Birthday Boy

2009-02-01T12:20:00.000-08:00

Ian turned 10 on Thursday and while it's hard for me to believe that he is already a decade old, we sure had fun celebrating. In fact, the celebration stretched over two days (three if you count the sleep-over) since we wanted max time to celebrate his birthday dinner at Red Robin.

Here are some pictures of the birthday boy:

Call the fire department! 10 candles this year! Lucky I had enough. And the Culver's Cookie Dough Craving Concrete Mixer Ice Cream Cake hit the spot!

Kyra began "negotiating" with Ian from the minute we picked him up from school to be allowed to "help him" open his presents. Ian was a really good sport about it though Kyra didn't quite understand that it was Ian's birthday and not hers! Also, never let Kyra see you when you are wrapping birthday gifts as she will tell what is in them before they are even opened!

One of Ian's "top" gifts was Big Brain Academy Wii Degree.

On Friday we let Ian choose the restaurant to celebrate his birthday. It's really no surprise that he chose Red Robin as it has always been his favorite restaurant. Here he is getting his birthday sundae and song.

That's all for now!

February Playlist

2009-02-01T12:01:00.000-08:00

And it is already "road-tested"! Yes, I was able to get out this afternoon for about 40 minutes. It was so refreshing to be out with a change of scenery versus that mouse-on-a-wheel feeling! Here is this month's playlist!

Who I Am Hates Who I've Been - Reliant K
American Dream - Switchfoot
My Life Would Suck Without You - Kelly Clarkson
God Love Her - Toby Keith
Be My Escape - Reliant K
That's Not My Name - The Ting Tings
Check Yes Juliet - We The Kings
Yee Haw - Jake Owen
Memory - Sugarcult
The Curse of Curves - Cute is What We Aim For
I Got the Girl - Bon Jovi
Our Time Now - Plain White T's
Shine On - needtobreath
Go - Newsboys
Shake It - Metro Station
Stand - Skillet

Now, get moving!

It happened one night . . .

2009-01-29T13:03:00.000-08:00

Ian went to bed a nine-year-old:

And woke up a TEN-year-old!

Happy 10th Birthday to my favorite little man! You still make me smile every day!

Mommy doesn't get new math!

2009-01-28T06:08:00.000-08:00

I am glad Ian "gets" his math homework because I would be seriously perplexed and at a loss for words as to how they want him to solve problems. His district uses the Everyday Math program and I'm just wondering how on earth these people at the University of Chicago think this is easy!

Anyhow, Ian has now entered the unchartered territory of double and triple digit multiplication. He's not having any problem with it and dare I say, I think he might actually enjoy it (further proving that I was just the pod and he got none of my genes). Now, any of you who are around my age certainly can recall the way you were taught. This morning, Ian asked me which method of multiplication I preferred: the partial products method or the lattice method. ?HUH?!!! Neither really resemble how I learned to multiply. So, my answer for my preferred "method" is simple - the calculator!

PB&J Pizza Picnic

2009-01-27T17:53:00.000-08:00

When I am on my own with the kids while Rich travels, I like to do "special" things with them for meals to (a) keep it simple for me, (b) create less dishes and (c) have some fun.

Tonight, I decided that we would have a PB&J Pizza Picnic. The original "recipe" for PB&J Pizza came from a friend at Lifetime Moments. It's just such a neat little twist on pizza and it's sure to please even the pickiest child's pallet.

So, here is what you do:

You will need (and may probably already have on hand): 1 tube of crescent rolls, 1 jar of your favorite peanut butter, 1 bottle of your favorite jelly/jam and a baking sheet (I prefer my Pampered Chef Medium Bar Stoneware).

Pop open the can of rolls and roll them out flat. Place them on your pan and press all the seams together to make a "crust".

Bake in a pre-heated over at 375 for approximately 15 minutes (the longer you let it bake, the crispier your "crust").

This is what it should look like when you are done baking.

Now, this is important: immediately after taking the crust out of the oven, spoon use a tablespoon to equally distribute peanut butter on top of the crust. The hot crust will cause the peanut butter to start getting to its ooey-gooiest (yeah, that is so not a word, but I'm talking about a kid's meal here).

You can then spread the peanutbutter evenly across the crust with minimal damage.

And now a word about how much I love squeezable jams and jellies! Sure, you can use a spoon, but it makes much less of a mess and you get to hear that cool "slurp" from the bottle. I squeeze some large globs in equal spacing across the pizza.

Finally, you can share it with your oh-so-adorable dinner guests. (and, for an added treat, we followed up this brilliant meal with root bear floats!)

Enjoy!

Menu Plan Monday - January 26, 2009

2009-01-26T13:00:00.000-08:00

Here it is another week already! It's just me & the kids for a few days so I'm not going to be fixing anything "ornate". In fact, this week's menu isn't really much of a menu so much as it is a listing of what restaurant we will be dining at each evening. I mean, after all, I am on my own with the two kids - why add dishes to the mix?

Menu Plan Monday is hosted by I Am An Organizing Junkie. Here's this week's plan:

Monday: Not sure; Applebee's maybe?
Tuesday: Peanut Butter & Jelly Pizza (kid friendly = good thing; never got to it last week anyway)
Wednesday: Kid's Eat Free Night @ Charcoal Grill
Thursday: Ian's Birthday - his choice (more than likely Cheese Ravioli)
Friday: Ian's Birthday dinner @ Red Robin

Wow! I am a menu plan slacker! Have a wonderful week!

Photo of the Week - January 25, 2009

2009-01-25T13:03:00.001-08:00

Please excuse the graininess of this week's photo, but I didn't want to disturb the princess when I took it. What is the siginificance of this week's photo? Kyra is actually sleeping without a nuk! And there was great rejoicing in the house!

She's been cut off!

2009-01-23T13:17:00.000-08:00

It's been a battle royale here. Not since the transition from the bottle to the sippy cup have there been more tears shed in our house than as today. We have been "negotiating" (for lack of a better word) with Kyra to give up her nuk. She only uses it at bed and nap times, but it is the be-all-end-all of securities for her. It pained me to take it away from her, but I know she's getting too old for it and we had to do something.

Well, I decided that today was "D-Day". While Kyra was watching her pre-nap movie, I went upstairs and snipped the tiny top part of her beloved nuk and placed it back in its normal "safe spot." When we went up for naptime, I heard, "oh no! It's broken!" Immediately, there was a flooding of tears and pleas to fix the broken nuk. It really did break my heart to see her in such anguish, but I took a deep breath and summoned all of my inner-mommy strength and held my ground for I knew the situation would only be temporary.

There was really a sweet moment when she wanted to see Ian and she looked at him and broke down when she told him her nuk was broken. Ian got right down on her level and assured her that it would be o.k. and that he used to have a nuk too, but he lost all of his and he was still happy. I think that clicked with her on some level.

After calming her down, tying the nuk around CareBear's neck with a green ribbon, changing the pillow case and putting on some music, I closed the door and she has been quiet ever since. We are definitely going to be celebrating this victory in this house!

Crock Pot Brown Sugar Chicken - A Review

2009-01-22T12:55:00.000-08:00

In my most recent edition of Menu Plan Monday, a couple of you asked for a review of Crock Pot Brown Sugar Chicken from A Year of Crockpotting. I used boneless breasts instead of thighs and I cooked it on low for around 6 hours. I also threw in a bag of baby carrots so we'd have a complete meal in a pot. Everyone in our family ate it though when I make it again, I will probably cook it for less time (I'm thinking 4 hours or so) because I found the meat to be a little on the dry side. Other than that, it was a good recipe for a house of picky children!

Menu Plan Monday - January 19, 2009

2009-01-19T12:52:00.000-08:00

It was a weird week last week. Rich's trip ended up getting postponed so I had to improv a bit on the meals. Nonetheless, I did find a winner of a crock pot recipe for a pork roast. I'll have to remember to post it because it sure was yummy!

Menu Plan Monday is hosted by I Am An Organizing Junkie. Here's this week's plan (and I have confirmation that the husband IS officially on his way out of town this time!):

Monday: Breakfast for Dinner night at Perkins
Tuesday: Peanut Butter & Jelly Pizza (kid friendly = good thing)
Wednesday: Brown Sugar Chicken
Thursday: BBQ Bacon Bit Burgers
Friday: Crab Meat Quiche

Have a wonderful week!

Photo of the Week - January 18, 2009

2009-01-18T12:35:00.000-08:00

The cold weather this week kept us mainly indoors. Ian didn't have school on Thursday and was delayed two hours on Friday. Needless to say, we had a lot of free time in the house. Kyra loves playing with her dolls and decided that her dolly needed a hair pretty or two, or three, or four, or five . . .

Thank goodness for weather-watching kiddos!

2009-01-15T06:31:00.000-08:00

I got off to a bit of a slow start this morning and when I got up, Ian informed me that something was wrong with our outdoor thermometer because it was reading "Lo" and not an actual temperature. Alas, it is too cold here for it to register (and that, my friends, is wrong on so many levels). In any event, the wise 10-year-old-to-be suggests that Maybe we turn on the news to see if there will be a two-hour delay. I told him I had my doubts but low and behold, not only is there no dealy, but there is no school! This is certainly a record for our school district. It's our third no-school day this school year. I just had to laugh though because I told Rich it was a good thing Ian was alert because otherwise I would have been sending him out to wait for the bus! Now, what are we goint to do today . . .

Menu Plan Monday - January 12, 2009

2009-01-12T13:42:00.000-08:00

Has another week gone by already? Menu Plan Monday is hosted by I Am An Organizing Junkie. So, here is the plan for the week (I realize it's not really a "full" plan for the week, but Rich will be traveling and I'm just not going to make any huge recipes or dinners since the young ones will be satisfied with some sort of breaded meat or fluorescent orange pasta):

Monday: Leftovers (not really original, but hey, I have lots leftover from last week!)
Tuesday: Ranch Beef Stroganoff
Wednesday: TBD
Thursday: TBD
Friday: TBD

Photo of the Week - January 11, 2009

2009-01-11T10:07:00.001-08:00

Last week, I posted my first Photo of the Week for 2009.

Last Sunday, we had a thaw/freeze that coated the roads, streets and remaining snow with a layer of ice. On Monday and Tuesday, the sun came out and everything just sparkled! This is the view of our back yard. It really looked like you could just skate across it.

What a game!

2009-01-10T16:48:00.000-08:00

As a football fan, I'm used to the unfortunate reality that there are going to be in any given playoff year, a few stinkers. Not so with this afternoon's Baltimore/Tennessee match-up. Wow! I'm still in awe. That was a fun game to watch!

Sometimes, the truth hurts!

2009-01-05T11:51:00.000-08:00

Part of any daily routine with Kyra involves an incessant series of questions and answers. Given that is just a fact of life these days, I tend to "play along" and basically say what comes to my mind when she asks. Here is our discussion this morning at the grocery store (and just for added background, we're in the midst of re-financing since the rates are so low right now).

K: Where are we going next?
A: To meet Daddy.

K: Where is Daddy?
A: At the bank.

K: Oh. What are we going to do at the bank?
A: Mommy is going to sign her life away.

K: What life?

OUCH! That one hurt!

Menu Plan Monday - January 5, 2008

2009-01-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

It's been a while, but I really need to get back to meal planning as it really does help my week go better and I can plan my shopping list around it. Menu Plan Monday is hosted by I Am An Organizing Junkie (and for those of you who know me, quit laughing - it's not my blog!) So, here is the plan for the week:

Monday: Ranch Peppercorn Chicken Breast Salad
Tuesday: Ginormous Oven Baked Omelette
Wednesday: Sloppy Janes
Thursday: Roasted Turkey Breast
Friday: Pecan Bourbon Crusted Boneless Pork Chops

Photo of the Week - January 4, 2009

2009-01-04T17:54:00.000-08:00

Some of my friends on Lifetime Moments are doing a "Photo of the Day" blog but that's just too much of a commitment for me! Anyhow, I really like the idea of having an album at the end of the year of some of my favorite shots of the year. So, I thought I could certainly do a "Photo of the Week". This is my first for this year. It pretty much says everything that I've ever thought it would be like to have a little girl of my own one day. As you can see, Kyra is very into playing "dress up". Isn't she stylish?

I'll try to post my picture every Sunday. (keep me honest!)

I Am Not Going Anywhere!

2009-01-04T11:17:00.000-08:00

We had a late night last night watching football (and I won't even get into my bitterness about the Colts' loss) so I slept in this morning and planned on going to 10:00 services. A big thanks to Ms. M for the phone call because church cancelled all services because of the icy road conditions. Unfortunately, due to weather and travel, it's been several weeks since we've made it to services so I was disappointed as I was really looking forward to it.

So we are here at home now. Good thing I am well stocked from the grocery store as I almost killed myself going down the driveway to get the paper. Becca and ice are definitely not a good combination!

January Playlist

2009-01-02T13:04:00.000-08:00

Here's my new playlist for the month:

Too Much Time on My Hands - Styx
So Long Self - Mercy Me
Shine - Newsboys
That's Not My Name - The Ting Tings
Secret Valentine - We The Kings
Who I Am Hates Who I've Been - Reliant K
American Dream - Switchfoot
Lost Highway - Bon Jovi
Bring 'Em Out - Hawk Nelson
Harder To Breath - Maroon 5
This Is How a Heart Breaks - Rob Thomas
Hey Hey - Superchick
Made to Love - tobyMac

Happy moving!

Embrace the Power!

2009-01-01T12:25:00.000-08:00

"I pray that you will begin to understand the incredible greatness of his power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms." - Ephesians 1:19-20 NLT

After quite a bit of reflection, this scripture speaks volumes to me going forward into this new year. Just imagine what we can accomplish with God's infinite power at our disposal! May the Lord bless each and every one of you in this new year!

Note to Self

2008-12-27T22:05:00.000-08:00

When staying at a hotel, always make sure you check the alarm clock before going to bed to make sure that curious three-year old fingers have not turned on the alarm clock to go off at odd hours of the night! (I will look back on this some year and laugh, won't I?)

Santa Claus Came To Town

2008-12-25T14:36:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas, everyone! This house has been filled with excitement since turning the last day of the Advent calendar yesterday morning. Actually, Kyra was quite distraught that it was the last day to receive a piece of chocolate every morning and a new Littlest Pet Shop accessory.

We spent a quiet evening last night having a family movie night in anticipation of bedtime. Sadly, we were unable to make it to Christmas Eve service at our church because we got another snow storm yesterday and the roads were not ideal for driving. I'd say we have approximately three feet of snow in the back yard from all of the snowstorms we've had already this December.

Here are the kids last night in their traditional "Santa Jammies". I honestly don't know how much longer I'll be able to carry on the "matching" tradition because Ian is growing like a weed. In fact, I was lucky he didn't outgrow these before he wore them. Next year I may have to crack out the sewing machine.

Rich and I were amazingly up before the kids this morning but they weren't too far behind. They were so excited to glance down and see the presents beneath the tree! We "tried" to alternate opening presents, but it ended up being futile and in the end, it was pretty much a flurry of wrapping paper. It never ceases to amaze me how much time I spend wrapping compared to how little time it takes to come off.

After everything was open, it was time to play. Of course, there is always "some assembly required!" Thank goodness for handy husbands who patiently read through instructions all the while dealing with impatient children!

At last, everyone is happy and able to play until their hearts' content! In the meantime, Rich and I spent the day enjoying each other's company and watching our annual movie marathon.

We wish you all a blessed holiday!

2008-12-23T12:30:00.000-08:00

In an effort to assist in the concept that giving of ourselves is better than receiving, we spent this morning at the local grocery store ringing bells for the Salvation Army. It's so easy to volunteer for and this location was great for us because it was indoors and the store offers babysitting so when Kyra had gotten her fill of ringing, I could check her in at the "Tot Spot" so we could finish our two-hour shift.

The Salvation Army volunteers were so excited to see Ian and Kyra participating. We each got a bell to ring and it was overwhelming to see how many people stopped to put a little something in the kettle. It's a little late this year, but if you and your family get the chance to take a shift next year, it's a worthwhile and fun time!

An Emotional Morning

2008-12-20T12:24:00.000-08:00

I went to a memorial service this morning for a friend. It was more than a little overwhelming for me and there were many tears though I am confident that Ms. P is in heaven. If you can spare a prayer, please keep Ms. P's family in your thoughts and prayers especially in this holiday season.

Memories of Grandma

2008-12-13T12:24:00.001-08:00

I have always loved baking around the holidays. Honestly, there is more sugar in my house this time of year than any other as I make oodles of different kinds of cookies for gifts as well as school and office celebrations. I've tried out a couple of new recipes this year, but there are some that are "standards" in my book and this is the only time of year I make them

Today, I broke out my Grandma's decadent chocolate chip cookie recipe. Beware - these are NOT for the calorie conscious! It reminds me why I only make them once a year because (a) my Kitchenaid really gets a workout from them and (b) they seem to call and beckon me at all hours.

I always loved to cook and bake with Grandma, so it is extra special for me this year that Kyra has taken such an interest in baking. Yes, I can usually get things done quicker without her, but these are truly moments that I am going to treasure in my heart for years to come. It's hard to believe Grandma went to meet the Lord almost nine years ago this month, but I know I'm keeping her memory with me by passing these recipes on and I'm praying that the sweet smell of these cookies reaches her up in heaven.

Angels We Have Heard on High

2008-12-12T14:04:00.000-08:00

apparently were chocoholics! Today, Kyra and I were at Ian's school stuffing folders and she started singing but instead of "Gloria in Excelcis Deo", it is apparently "Oreo"s those angels were singing about! Gotta love what little ears hear!

Technical Delay

2008-12-11T21:19:00.000-08:00

This week Rich is in Chicago. I personally think he should have packed his cold weather gear and gotten a ticket for tonight's game but he's way more practical than I am! So, I was left to watch 'da Bears by my lonesome. He called as Danielle Manning ran back the opening kickoff to celebrate and then I didn't hear from him until just before Robbie Gould went to kick the game-winning fieldgoal - or so I thought! No, he was calling to celebrate the win because he was watching the game on the live Chicago feed as opposed to the tape-dealyed NFL Network feed. Very anti-climactic!

SNOW DAY!!!!

2008-12-09T12:20:00.000-08:00

There is nothing quite like the excitement of waking up and finding out school has been cancelled due to snow. Ian and Kyra were beside themselves (Iam because he didn't have to go to school and Kyra because Ian was going to stay home with her). We had a brief stint at the sledding hill down the street before we returned home. Ian his friend C had the "best snowball fight EVER!" and Kyra and I made some M&M cookies. It's just been a day that has brought a smile to my face and makes me glad to be a mom who gets to share little moments like this every day!

C'mon, people!

2008-12-08T12:53:00.000-08:00

We live in WISCONSIN! Are we afraid of a little snow? Heck no!

I ventured out this morning to do my regular Monday grocery shopping for the week. Now, the meterologists are predicting a big snow storm that is supposed to begin sometime today and go through Wednesday morning. You would think by the way people were stocking their carts that the world as we know it is coming to an end! Now, I can't say that the prospect of 14+ inches of snow thrills me, but it's not scaring me one bit!

We Do Clean Up Nicely

2008-12-07T18:14:00.000-08:00

Last night was Rich's holiday party for his office. In these difficult economic times for many, we are thankful for the blessing of an employer that values each and every employee and treats them very well. We had a fun time and we even won a gift certificate for another night out. But, my feet are done with heels for the year!

December Playlist

2008-12-01T12:39:00.000-08:00

Another month gone by! Here's the last playlist for 2008 (with some holiday music for your moving pleasure!)

I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus - John Mellencamp
Forgive - Reliant K
The Old Man's Back In Town - Garth Brooks
Be My Escape - Reliant K
Little St. Nick - John Denver & The Muppets
Get The Sillies Out - Yo Gabba Gabba
Hey Hey - Superchick
God With Us - Mercy Me
How Far We've Come - Matchbox Twenty
Chugga Chugga Choo Choo - Choo Choo Soul
Last Cigarette - Bon Jovi
Bring 'Em Out - Hawk Nelson
Suddenly I See KT Tunstall
Kickstart My Heart - Motley Crue
The Coffee Song - Ralph Covert
So Beautiful - Superchick
Just To See You Smile - Tim McGraw
Whisky Girl - Toby Keith

Christmas Getting to Know Your Friends

2008-11-30T14:26:00.000-08:00

My friend, Margie, posted this on her blog, so I thought it would be fun to pass along here so if you are reading this, consider yourself tagged!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? warpping paper (unless it's something really huge)
2. Real tree or Artificial? real
3. When do you put up the tree? day after thanksgiving
4. When do you take the tree down? New Years
5. Do you like eggnog? NO!
6. Favorite gift received as a child? dancing ballerina doll
7. Hardest person to buy for? my father, Rich
8. Easiest person to buy for? Kyra
9. Do you have a nativity scene? yes
10. Mail or email Christmas Cards? mail
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? used potholders with crusted gravy
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Christmas Story
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? depneds when I see something
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Christmas cookies
16. Lights on the tree? multi-colored
17. Favorite Christmas song? Little St. Nick by the Muppets
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? always in our house on Crhistmas but we travel afterward
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? yes
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? this year our tree is too tall
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? morning
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Seeing "X"-mas. CHRIST is the reason for the season, people!!
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? our ornaments are an eclectic mix
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? wireless iPod headphones