Lettner Livin'

:: He Helped ::

2012-01-25T09:44:00.000-08:00

Last week we were doing some errands and as we were headed home, we saw a young man on the corner holding a sign. Jameson asked what the man was doing and I told him that he was asking for food or money and unfortunately, we didn't have either in the car. Instantly, Jameson said, "Well we can go home and make him lunch. Can we Mama?" (It must be something about being three and more aware of the world around them. Analise was just three when she did something very similar.)

We quickly darted home and with help from from Jameson, a sandwich was made and a bag was filled up with snap peas, carrots, oranges, almonds, and a banana. We jumped back in the car and drove back to the corner to find the man. Jameson yelled, "There he is Mama! I see him! Roll the window down, I want to give him his lunch!" As we rolled up to him, Jameson said "Hello, I wanted to make lunch for you so I did! I hope you like it!" and handed the bag to him. The gentleman was so pleased and thankful!

In fact, I am not sure who was more happy, the gentleman we gave the lunch to or Jameson!

I'm one proud mama!

:: Thursday's Recipe Rodeo ::

2012-01-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

Today's Round Up: Soup

I got this recipe from my lovely friend Kristen Davis and it is a regular in our house now! It is easy, delicious and full of vitamin rich goodies and perfect for any type of weather! I only made a few changes to her original recipe and the beauty of this soup is that you can add anything you want!

Kale and Kielbasa Soup

* 16 oz. kielbasa sausage, sliced (we usually use the smoked turkey - leaner but still really good)

* 2 - 3 sliced carrots

* 3 - 4 garlic cloves, minced

* 1 yellow onion, diced

* 1 - 2 leeks sliced (sliced up to the green leaves)

* 2 large russet potatoes (any potatoes would work), cubed

* 3 - 4 Cups chopped kale (I typically use the whole head of kale, be sure to cut leaves from stem)

* 6 Cups chicken stock, low-sodium

* 1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary

* 1 teaspoon dried thyme (we use fresh since we have it in our garden)

* freshly ground pepper

* salt

Directions

In skillet, brown sliced sausage. In large pot, sauté the onions and garlic in a little butter (1 Tbsp.) until onions are translucent (about 3 minutes). Add the leeks, carrots and sausage and sauté for about 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add herbs to taste (fresh if possible!), pepper and salt.

Add the potatoes and bring to a boil. Lower heat and let simmer 10 - 15min (or until potatoes are tender – the longer the potatoes cook, the more mushy they will become). Add kale and cook for an additional 3 - 5min. Enjoy!

If you want to join in on your own blog, simply link back to this blog and mention that you are partaking in Thursday's Recipe Rodeo. If you don't have a blog and want to share a recipe with us - leave it in the comments!

Click here for a printable version of Kale and Kielbasa Soup

:: Bumblebee's and Soccer ::

2012-01-15T13:38:00.000-08:00

Analise's first taste of soccer came when we enrolled her in a soccer camp as a three year old. She loved every minute of it and when soccer season rolled around again, we enrolled her into Aptos Soccer where she joined her very first under 6 year old soccer team.

Every Wednesday afternoon, she and her seven teammates would practice together - learning to listen and take direction from Coach Jennifer, how to work as a team and pass the ball to one another and how to score a goal on a defended goal. Jameson proudly escorted his sister to practices each week.

After the first two practices, the team got their jerseys.

Bright yellow and black.

Instantly all of the kiddos decided that they would be called the Bumblebees! And they were just like bumblebees...they hung around in little clumps where ever they went making their mark with spunk and fun!

Every Saturday was exciting for Analise, not only because they got to play a soccer game, but because she got to be with her new friends!

All ready for her first game!

As we arrived to the field the day of her first game one of the team moms, Heather, made all of the girls matching bumblebee hair ties ... so cute!

It took the kiddos getting through the first few games to get the hang of playing with one another and against other teams. Playing against other teams was tricky sometimes because all of the kids had friends that they suddenly were playing against instead of playing with! (There were quite a few reminders that when on the field, they were to play soccer, not giggle and talk about princesses and fairies with the opposite team :-)

Analise did a great job! Sometimes going after the ball with determination and purpose...

...and other times hanging back and just running along.

It was so fun watching her get better and better each week!

This little video was taken during one of her best games. She went after the ball like crazy!

After twelve weeks of Saturday games, we ended the season with a pizza party and award ceremony. Coach Jennifer made each player their very own t-shirt with a little bumblebee and their name on it. Her daughter, who helped coach made little awards for each kiddo. Analise's award was for 'most stylish hair' and 'sportiest team member'. Each player got a cool medal with a yellow and black ribbon and I made cake pops!

This was my first attempt at cake pops - they were a bit of a challenge to make, but came out so cute! The kiddos loved them and it was a perfect dessert for a bumblebee team party!

We are so proud of our little Bumblebee!

She is eagerly awaiting her next season of soccer (and so are we)!

:: Simplicity in the Season ::

2011-12-29T22:37:00.000-08:00

Christmas has already come and gone but not without heaps of opportunities to reflect on why we celebrate Christmas to begin with. Lots of time was spent listening to Christmas music, explaining lyrics to curious kiddos, enjoying advent and the days that led up to Christmas. Many hours were spent by the glow of the tree rejoicing and being thankful for the TRUE gift we have ALL been given in Jesus. Here is a quick recap of some of the things that we did to make this season memorable and special.

The day after Thanksgiving we got our tree up and decorated the house. The kids helped put the ornaments on the tree, which is my favorite part of decorating. Most of the ornaments have a special story and bring fond memories like these little pieces that I got from Rene (who many of our ornaments are from.)

And these simple and silly ornaments that I made with John fifteen years ago are among my favorite.

Having these reminders of people I love is somewhat bittersweet - of course I would rather they be here with us to celebrate but they also remind me of how loved I am - how loved we all are and how thankful we are for the community we have and for the prayers that God hears. This isn't meant to be a cancer downer party, in fact, there is SO MUCH to be thankful for including the amazing news we just heard about our friend Amy (who may have gotten the best Christmas present ever!)

As we took time to revel in the joy of the season it was the simple things that helped make it so memorable. We didn't need a lot of pomp and circumstance. We didn't need heaps and heaps of presents. Our memories were made simply by...

Sparkelizing (Analise's word) pinecones...

Making gingerbread houses...

Taking the kids on their 2nd Annual Christmas Surprise...

Enjoying some fun family Christmas Eve laughs...

And the best, most simple gift was the complete bliss and joy that kids expressed when they walked out of their room on Christmas morning. It didn't take much, just a few gifts adorned with simple bows.

Another simple (and special) tradition that we got to start this year began in my family long ago. My mom made each one of our family members a Christmas stocking when we were very little. I used to LOVE seeing all eight of them strung up on the mantel each year.

Here is my stocking...just a tad bit weathered being over thirty years old. And yes, Nuraini is my full name.

My one request for Christmas this year was for new stockings for my own family. My mom got to work in early spring and HANDmade 19 stockings (seven for her own children including their spouses and kiddos - definitely not a simple task!) Her creations arrived just days before Christmas...Markus' tree even has little tiny beads sewn to look like candles because that's how they light up Christmas trees in Austria.

Such a simple gift, yet one that will bring years and years of joy, love and tradition! We love them!

We hope you had a fantastic Christmas and that this New Year is filled with joy, adventure and the constant reminder of Jesus' great love!

:: The Four of Us ::

2011-12-17T20:35:00.000-08:00

Just after Thanksgiving, my amazingly talented friend Jessica took family photos for us and needless to say, we LOVE them! Not only are these photos amazing and beautiful, but they are a true work of art. These photos tell our story - Markus, an Austrian boy, and Nini, and American girl. We met and married in New Zealand. Started our own family in California and our extended family is spread all throughout the States and Europe. These pictures are a fun reminder that regardless of where we are from, where we met, where we married, where we have to travel to visit our families, or where we end up, we are most at home when we are together.

I had a very hard time choosing which ones to post...we love them all...

Little beauty!

Melt!

Dreaming of places to go...

One of my favorites!

Where should we go?

That's my girl!

He is all about the camera lately!

They are best friends...

She has a special love for her dad.

I adore this man!

Simplicity. Bliss. Love.

This picture says it all...

:: Two Weeks of Instagram ::

2011-12-05T09:05:00.000-08:00

Instagram - the nifty little iPhone app that has been my go to for quick pictures with cool filters. MIA - me in blogland. Remedy - two weeks of Instagram photos to update you with.

Despite busy schedules, we have had plenty of time to play. Walks to the beach. Bike rides in the rain to the big parking lot on the corner. Basketball practice with dad (have I mentioned that Jameson is a natural with all things sports?)

After the crazy, busy work season for me in September and October, I finally got to some long overdue projects! Markus graciously spent time cutting out heaps of wooden letters for me (I had three sets of names I wanted to give to people as gifts.)

The first coats of paint...

The finished products...put them in the mail this weekend!

And I finally finished up these little onesies for my nephew in Tucson! He will be a dapper little fella (if I do say so myself)!

We celebrated my amazing husband's 33rd birthday as well. I woke up early so he could wake up to freshly baked cinnamon rolls before he went off to work.

During the day, the kids and I got busy making him his favorite trifle.

We also made 33 little fish, each one decorated differently and strung across the house.

So thankful for this man and each day I am blessed with him in my life...

A few days later we celebrated Thanksgiving. We had a mellow day enjoying the sun with a long family walk by the beach. Throughout the week we talked about things we were thankful for and where all of these fabulous blessings come from. We made 'thankful turkeys'.

We went against the grain and did not have any turkey! Yep, it's true - no turkey. In the words of my husband, "If the only time we eat turkey any other time of year is in a sandwich, that's saying something right? There are way better things to eat than turkey." So, we had steak, salad and some fresh bread. Sadly, this is the only picture I got of it...we were too busy enjoying the delicious feast we prepared!

The very next day we did family photos with Jessica (those will be posted soon. Let's just say that I. LOVE. THEM.! After our photo shoot we headed out and got our Christmas tree! It's the most wonderful time of the year!

We love sitting on the couch in the evening to the glow of the tree.

Markus and Analise spent some time making sparkly pinecones.

The weather was a bit confusing last week. Crystal clear blue skies were partnered with a CRAZY wind storm which caused the power to go out for a while (some people were without power for 5 days!). Although trees were falling down and leaves were constantly swirling through the skies the air was warm and made for some stunning views of the bay.

On Saturday we headed to the farmer's market.

That evening we headed to our church for the Vintage Kid's Christmas party. It was SO fun. They did a fantastic job putting it together and every kiddo there was blissful!

We are so thankful for the community we have...which includes you here in blogland. I have much to post and I am on a mission to get back to 'regularly' posting on here ;-)

:: October Celebrations ::

2011-11-13T22:24:00.000-08:00

The last week of October was full of fun things.

Being that Markus is half Swiss, we celebrated Swiss National Day back in August. October 26th was the day to celebrate the other half of Markus' heritage - National Austria Day. The kids and I made some rice krispy treats, topped them with some white chocolate and sprinkles and this is what Markus came home to.

Although Halloween passed two weeks ago, I couldn't resist posting some pics of the kiddos in their costumes. It took quite some time for them to choose what they wanted to wear for costumes, however once they did, they were both SO excited! As we were walking around Target, Analise saw her costume and decided on the spot that she didn't want to wear anything else.

One can't dress as Dorothy without red ruby shoes!

Jameson took a bit longer to figure out what he wanted to dress up in. He changed his mind daily - first he wanted to be a skunk, then a surfer man, then a space man, then a skunk again, then a hamburger, and back to a surfer man. One afternoon, he was digging in his closet and found something that his Oma Heidi had sent to us when he was born. I had forgotten that we had them until he came running out wearing...real RED LEDERHOSEN!

They were perfect on him! In fact, it is all he wanted to wear for a few days. He was so proud to be an Austrian Boy - just like his dad, his Opa Heinz and his uncle Stefan!

Since Jameson's birthday happens to fall on Halloween, we decided to celebrate him with a fun morning at the park with some of his favorite friends (this was the best picture I could capture with a heap of active kiddos - some in costume and some not)...

They were eager to eat some silly cupcakes!

Before we headed out for Jameson's birthday dinner, Analise requested a quick 'birthday costume photo shoot'. I love that although Analise is dressed as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, she looks more like a little Austrian girl wearing a dirndl next to her brother clad in lederhosen!

Jameson requested to have his birthday dinner at Cafe Cruz (he's a fine diner), so we headed over there where he got the royal treatment...heaps of ice in his water...

...and a birthday sundae on the house!

These two love each other!

And...just to make you laugh (because we sure did...A LOT)...our pumpkins never made it on display at the front of the house this year. They stayed in the back yard. We were pretty pleased with the way our pumpkins turned out - until we lit them up. The kiddos did a great job - all of the things they drew on their pumpkins got carved out. Somehow, the pumpkin I carved was missing something...

Here's to back yard pumpkins and spell check!

:: A Letter to Jameson ::

2011-11-07T16:09:00.000-08:00

Jameson,

I wanted to write you and your sister a letter every year on your birthdays but it never seemed to happen. I have a bit of catching up to do. Better late than never right?

One week ago today, we celebrated your THIRD birthday.

It's hard to believe that it has been three years since you entered the world. After you decided to interrupt a Halloween party you raced into the world after just two and a half hours of labor. And in accordance with your quick arrival, you love to run and ride your bike super fast. You are an early riser, and happy as can be in the morning.

Like the picture above shows, you've been curious since the day you were born. You are full of questions - constantly wondering how and why things work. You like to pray and talk about Jesus. Whenever I ask you who loves you, your first answer without hesitation is, "God and Jesus!" sometimes you add, "He made the sun, the moon, the stars, the planets, the flowers...all of it!" You think of others and remember everything.

You've had us captivated since the day we met you...

You are charming, engaging, and so enjoyable to be around. You are strong willed and sensitive. Although you tend to have tantrums over the silliest things, you are quick to ask for forgiveness and always willing to forgive others immediately. You respond better to logic and reason than to raised voices and scolding.

You were slow to eat solid food and even slower to like sweet things. On your first birthday you were more fascinated with the flame on the candle than your cupcake - in fact you were quite appalled that we wanted you to eat it! You still prefer green veggies over sweet foods - if it's green, you will eat it.

Since you were about 15 months old you have been able to spot airplanes, jets, bulldozers, tractors, excavators and the like from long distances. It's like you have built in 'boy radar' - you were instinctively drawn to all things boy and still are, yet you're not afraid to sport wings and tutus for your sister occasionally.

By your second birthday, you were more open to sweet things...you were a bit apprehensive at first but once you took a taste you were willing to eat some...but you didn't finish it.

You are quick to smile and laugh. You have spoken very well since you were about 18 or 19 months old. The things that come out of your mouth are so very mature and well spoken. If you had a deeper voice, one may think you were a young adult rather than a three year old except when you say things like:

~ Lasterday (yesterday)
~ Musgik (music)
~ Muddy (money)

You love to hug and kiss. You express your love so freely. One of our current favorite things is that the first thing you do when you see us in the morning is run up to us and give us HUGE bear hugs. You also say, "I love you...all the way to the milky way....and back." I melt.

You are kind, caring, loyal, determined, strong willed, full of spunk, funny, curious, thoughtful, precocious, honest and clever. I am so excited to continue to cultivate these qualities in you and see how many more unfold in the next year! You are a gift from God and we are so thankful to call you our son.

You are three and this year you ate your whole cupcake.

:: Homecoming ::

2011-10-25T20:16:00.000-07:00

Markus went fishing for three days the other week. He had a successful trip - the weather was quite warm during the day, cool at night (but not cold enough to feel miserable while tent camping) and he even caught a few fish!

Here are some pictures of his biggest fish yet! He had already removed the head by the time he snapped these pics on his cell phone.

Before cooking...

All fried up...

Enjoyed...

Because he was so missed while he was away, Analise decided to plan a welcome home party for him. She spent two days planning exactly what she wanted to do.

First thing in the morning on the day he was to arrive home she hollered at me from the living room, "Moooooommmm. How do you spell 'welcome'?" which I proceeded to spell for her. Then came the spelling of 'home'. The next thing I heard was, "this looks just perfect..." Here is what she created to proudly display on the front door: She said, "I even made Daddy with glasses. I have never tried to make glasses. It is hard! But I think that Daddy will like it." (And he did!)

Part of her party planning included a welcome home banner, balloons and party hats. Just a smidge of construction paper, tape and markers and this is what we came up with.

Who wouldn't want to come home to this lovely little one?

:: Thursday's Recipe Rodeo ::

2011-10-13T16:06:00.000-07:00

This is the place to get some new recipes or maybe even a twist on an old one. Feel free to take any recipe here and try it out. If you want to join in on the Recipe Rodeo, let me know! I would love to try some of your recipes too!

Today's Round Up: Seafood

Living in the Monterey Bay has it's bonuses, one being that fresh seafood is available year round. Markus and I love seafood of all kinds, however our favorite is fresh Ahi Tuna. There is nothing like it. I just so happened to notice that Costco had the most ridiculously large, beautiful, dark red, fresh ahi steaks. I couldn't resist. It was such a deal...just $20.00 for two gargantuan steaks. Yes. I really did just say that! It may seem like a lot for those of you who aren't familiar with seafood prices, however considering it costs upwards of $17.00 for a salad with a few measly slices of seared ahi on it, the $20.00 is WELL worth it. Look at these things...

We decided to keep it simple and sear these huge steaks and serve it on top of greens tossed in the chinese chicken salad dressing I make. You can get the dressing recipe HERE. Below is the recipe to sear ahi to perfection.

Markus' Seared Ahi Tuna

* 2 ahi tuna steaks
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* sesame seeds (optional)
* 1/2 Tablespoon butter
* 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns

Directions

Season the tuna steaks with salt and cayenne pepper and sesame seeds if you plan on using them.

Melt the butter with the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the peppercorns in the mixture until they soften and pop, about 5 minutes.

Gently place the seasoned tuna in the skillet and cook to desired doneness, 60-90 seconds per side (we sear all sides - and front and back) for rare. This goes FAST!

Slice and enjoy over greens, with soy sauce and wasabi or just plain. It melts in your mouth! Enjoy!

:: Catch Up ::

2011-10-07T18:29:00.000-07:00

You must be tired of staring at pictures of my living room. Please forgive my lack of blogging for the past MONTH. In the four years I have been blogging, I have never had that much of an MIA phase. Sorry. Bout. That. And thank you for the patience (my brother in law called me lazy. Yep. He did. Lazy.) and the gentle nudgings to blog again.

I have heaps of posts in my head. I just have to get them from my head to the screen. What free time I have has been spent with the hubs and chitlins'.

HERE'S THE HAPS AS OF LATE:

Nini started working more -

Life got crazy at the end of August. For the past year I have been doing some contract work for Vintage Faith Church . I was offered a promotion and as of September, I am now the Director of Community Groups.

As soon as I began in this new role, we dove right into a crazy busy season as we prepared to launch our fall groups. Lots of meetings, sign ups, book sales, minute details, facilitating leadership trainings - all of the deets that go into launching community groups. Fantastic work. Super crazy season. They launch this week, so things are mellowing out a bit.

Soccer started for both kiddos -

They love it and so do we! Analise is playing with Aptos Soccer on and Under 6 team. More on that later. Here are some 'pre-season' pics. (who says girls can't wear cleats and dresses at the same time? That's how Analise Joy Lettner rolls.)

Jameson is doing the same soccer camp Analise did in Scotts Valley last year. He was so excited the first week. Then he was not so into it. After a few weeks, he took to ~~liking~~ it. Scratch that - he loves it! (I think he looks like a British schoolboy with his socks pulled up.)

Analise started up art class at Blue Apple Studio again -

I could go on and on about how much we love it, but all of my previous and future posts about Blue Apple Studios give you the idea!

We celebrated some birthdays -

My newest nephew, Thane Grayson Contessa, was born on September18th. He is a handsome little dude and I can't wait to meet him and squish him and hold him and call him my own. Wait, I will just love him and squish him and hold him.

The day after Thane's arrival, we stumbled upon a fairy in the park and it just so happened that it was her 3rd birthday. Believe it or not, we just so happened to have birthday balloons for that 3 year old fairy!

Three days after our impromptu celebration at the park with Annike, on the last calendar day of summer, little Sommer Christiana Negard showed up (12 days past her due date) after just ONE hour of labor! Needless to say, her mom is amazing and so is she!

Someone else is turning 3 in a few weeks!

Please note - according to Jameson, he is a 'lightning bug that shoots fire - not a fairy'.

:: Living Room Makeover ::

2011-09-02T14:43:00.000-07:00

We got a new couch late last year. We love the couch, but as soon as we brought it home, the whole look and feel of the room changed. The room went from warm and cozy to drab and boring. The addition of a neutral toned couch made it quite clear that there was a monochromatic color issue going on. (To be fair though, we previously had two sage green couches that added contrast and went well with the wall color and pictures). The new couch pretty much blended into the walls. Ugh.

Here is a picture from last year. It's old (end of November), dark and blurry (because it was taken in the evening), but you get the idea. Try to focus on the walls and the couch behind my handsome husband and cute kids.

This is how drab the living room was.

It.

Was.

Boring.

Here is a daytime shot of the bland room. It was so boring that I don't even have that many 'before' pictures. This picture below is somewhat misleading because the striped pillows aren't mine (I borrowed them from a friend to see what accent colors would work) and I typically don't use a turquoise binder for decor. So...use your imagination and picture all of this without those pillows.

Boring right?

Yes. Boring.

Don't get me wrong, I love the wall color, I love the black and white pictures, I love the couch. I just didn't love them together. The living room is where we spend most of our time in our little house - it needed a major overhaul!

So, the transformation began. After much time spent on Pinterest and Esty.com, and drooling over other people's spaces, I decided on a new color scheme and went for it. I scavenged an old window frame from my friend Renee, which we painted white, and made into a mirror. We swapped the black and white pictures to our bedroom (which we overhauled as well) and the four picture frames and two candle holders from our room were brought out here.

One can of spray paint was all we needed to paint the picture frames and candle holders (they were a dark wood color). I filled two frames with some of Analise's art and used some fabric that matched the turquoise in the pillow covers, in the other two. (Don't mind the old ottoman on the right, we have yet to cover that or figure out what to do with it but it works for now.) The lovely turquoise and white pillow covers are from various vendors on Etsy.com. I love them.

The corner lamp is from Amazon and we *love* it. You can have one, two, or three of the bulbs lit depending on what type of lighting you desire.

I found the small lamp below at Target for $9.99 (it was originally a dark wood color) and immediately headed to Home Depot with one of my pillow covers and created a color match sample for $2.98. Needless to say, it was a perfect match and exactly what I wanted!

There you have it. Our living room makeover. Aside from the big corner lamp and the lovely pillow covers from Etsy, it was all do-it-yourself with things we had on hand projects. We just have to replace the dark ottoman with a coffee table at some point.

So.

Much.

Better.

Next makeover post :: kid's room.

:: Good Choices ::

2011-08-30T00:40:00.000-07:00

The last week and a half brought some heavy news - the kind of news that makes you hold on to your loved ones a bit tighter. The kind of news that makes no sense whatsoever. The kind of news that brings you to your knees because there is nowhere else to go. A friend of ours has been diagnosed with cancer.

Cancer. Completely unexpected. Completely shocking. Completely.

Cancer. Again. Why must this wretched illness affect so many of us, so often?

As I was cleaning up the house, praying for Amy and her family, I came across something that Analise made a few months ago in her Sunday school class. It was quite fitting to find and such a poignant reminder of the important things in life. In fact, it was Amy, who is the Director of Children's Ministry at our church, that put these little books together for the kids to make.

This book lays out truths that bring some perspective when not much seems to make sense.

It lays out truths that remind us of One who is greater than we are... One who can do anything (like make rainbows and create the world)...can heal anyone (like Amy)...and loves us all the time, no matter what we choose...

The face Analise drew on this page says so much...look at those eyes...

Looking at this book that Analise illustrated gave me a much needed perspective - in a time of frustration, sadness, and many questions.

I am reminded that I don't need to have all of the answers. I am reminded that each day is a gift. I am reminded that even though life doesn't seem to make sense, I can choose to trust. When my days seem long and redundant, I can choose to find joy in the simple things. When I am answering the same question for the 80th time, I can choose to answer without being annoyed. I can choose to enjoy each day, each person, and each errand that needs to be run. I can choose to find joy in spending the morning making construction paper top hats. I can choose to get down on the floor and build legos and train tracks and I can choose to spend three hours at the park rather than check off a 'to do' list - all because it brings my kids joy.

And, while I choose to live in the now, to embrace where I am now and what is happening now and be thankful for it, I will also be praying. Praying fervently for our friend, her husband and her two sweet boys. Praying for our friend who, in light of all that she is going through is choosing faith. Choosing to trust.

And, if you choose, will you please be thinking of and praying for Amy too?

You can click the picture above to get to her blog and read about her journey thus far...

:: From Canada ::

2011-08-24T22:14:00.000-07:00

We have been busy over here - hence the silence in blogland.

The highlight of the past few weeks was a visit from the Canucks. About two months ago I received an email from a friend that said something along the lines of, 'would I mind if he surprised his wife Tara by sending her here for a week?' Um...of course not! Send her...send her quick! Long story short, after much planning on his part and a simple phone call on my part during her birthday party (two days before her scheduled arrival), the surprise was popped and she was on her way!

I met Tara while living in New Zealand and we became fast friends. I had the privilege of being the matron of honor in her wedding in Canada four years ago (I had to post this picture...she was a stunning bride).Last Tuesday, Jameson accompanied me to the airport to pick her up and as soon as she got off of the plane, he claimed her for his own. Literally. He dropped my hand and took hers. He stuck to her like glue. It wasn't long until Analise followed suit. Despite the relentless summer fog, we had a great time together. She lived life with the Lettners for a full week. Heading to the park, sometimes multiple times in one day, forest walks, grocery trips, tantrums and beach trips.

One day we headed to Roaring Camp to explore the redwoods.

Jameson was *beyond* proud to be 'holding' Tara...

We fed some very personable ducks...

and a brave squirrel!

Tara was a trooper, going from place to place with me and the kids. We even made it to the aquarium.

My kids adore her and never gave her a free minute (I don't think she minded too much).

Tara's husband, Josh, flew down on Friday to spend the rest of the surprise week with us and it didn't take long for the kids to take to him as well!

The Canucks headed back to their land yesterday morning and the kids aren't too happy about it. They ran out to the living room this morning expecting to see the Jensen's sleeping on the couch (yes, the couch. They chose to spend their vacation on our couch - amazing). Much to the kid's dismay, they were indeed gone. Numerous times today Jameson claimed that he was going to Canada for his birthday. I'm so thankful for Josh and how he loves Tara. His gift of sending her down here was not only a gift to her, but to me and my family as well!

Here's to Canada for being the homeland of our Tara!

:: Thursday's Recipe Rodeo ::

2011-08-04T18:05:00.000-07:00

This is the place to get some new recipes or maybe even a twist on an old one. Feel free to take any recipe here and try it out. If you want to join in on the Recipe Rodeo, let me know! I would love to try some of your recipes too!

Today's Round Up: Dessert

I've had a fair amount of people ask for the recipe for the layered fruit dessert I posted a picture of a few weeks ago. I have made it a few times as of late, the first being for a 4th of July BBQ and since then I have made it for different dinner gatherings. It can be made with any fruit. You could also add some sponge cake or angel food cake, however I think it is perfect as is. It is ridiculously delicious and surprisingly light on the pallette - SO much more than just fruit and whipped cream! It is incredibly easy, delicious and beautiful.So, without further ado...

Berries & Cream Dessert

* 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
* 1/2 Cup sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
* 2 Cups heavy whipping cream, whipped
* 2 quarts strawberries, halved
* 2 quarts blueberries

Directions

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and extracts until fluffy. Fold in whipped cream. Place a third of the mixture in a 4-qt. bowl on the bottom.

Layer half of the remaining strawberries and blueberries over cream mixture. Top with another third of the cream mixture and the remaining berries. Spread the remaining cream mixture on top. If you want to make the flag design on top, reserve 20 strawberry halves and 1/2 Cup of blueberries and place on top layer, otherwise decorate as you desire. Enjoy!If you want to join in on your own blog, simply link back to this blog and mention that you are partaking in Thursday's Recipe Rodeo. If you don't have a blog and want to share a recipe with us - leave it in the comments! Click here for a printable version of Berries & Cream Dessert

:: Celebrating the Swiss ::

2011-08-03T09:27:00.000-07:00

August 1st is Swiss National Day.

Did you know that Markus is half Swiss? He got his green card and entered the country with his Swiss passport (coolest passport ever) and we are in the process of registering the kids in Switzerland so they are able to get Swiss passports too.

He gets his 'Swissness' from his mom, Heidi (how perfectly Swiss is that name!?). Here are Heidi and her mother, Alice. Omi Alice just celebrated her 90th birthday!!

Since we Americans get to celebrate the 4th of July, it is only fitting that Markus gets to celebrate the national holidays of his countries as well. So, we decided to celebrate Swiss National Day and Oma Heidi and Omi Alice's July birthdays (both a bit late). To do so, the kiddos and I decided to surprise Markus with some cookies.

As soon as he got home from work, Analise proudly showed him what we came up with! Here are a few...

My cookie decorating skills may not be the best, but Markus got the picture!

Our little Swiss miss loved the cookies!

Happy Swiss National Day and Happy (belated) Birthday Oma Heidi and Omi Alice - the real Swiss Misses! We get to celebrate Austrian National Day in October!

:: Wharf to Wharf III ::

2011-07-30T19:16:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday morning my friend Christine and I woke up bright and early, donned our exercise clothing, laced up our shoes and headed down the the Santa Cruz Wharf for (my 3rd annual) Wharf to Wharf race.

The weather was just right - cool and foggy. The setting was perfect - 6 miles of oceanfront running. The company was fun - 15,000+ people in one large clump, smiling, laughing, having a grand old time. The pictures below were taken about 30 minutes before the race began. When the gun went off, there was hardly any room to move your arms! Thankfully once we began running the crowd thinned out.

It is so much fun and each year I enjoy it more and more. The atmosphere, the thrill of participating in a 'race', the unexpected surprises (like seeing this proposal 10 minutes before the start of the race), it's all so much fun to be a part of!

This year I ran just over five of the six miles (I took a bit of a break during Mile 3) - the most I have ever run to date, and Christine made it the whole way!

After seeing yet another proposal just around Pleasure Point, saying hello to some friends along the way, and helping a lady who fell, the finish line was in sight! I crossed the finish line 45 minutes faster this year than last with a tag time of 1:15:33! Next year, my goal is to run all 6 in just under 1 hour! The picture below is the official photo that I am not privy to buying - I definitely don't need an 8x10 of myself!

Markus and the kiddos met us in Capitola village after we finished. The best cheering team ever and the best year yet!

Here's to Wharf to Wharf IV!

:: Sweet Things ::

2011-07-12T15:46:00.000-07:00

The 4th of July weekend came and went and I only have two pictures to show for the fabulous weekend we had! After a fun family weekend, we spent the 4th at the Aptos parade, some fun family time and then a lovely BBQ with some of our favorite people. I got to bring a dessert to the BBQ. I wanted to be creative and steer away from the typical desserts I tend to make (cake, pies, etc.), found an *amazing* recipe online and whipped up with this sweet American pride!Last Saturday, my friend Erin held a carnival to raise money for World Orphans and I made a cake for the cake walk. When I asked her what kind of cake I should make, she said, "Something that a kid would want."

Since I knew some of the kiddos that were going to be at the carnival, I decided to make a baseball cake with some San Francisco Giants pride! Cake decorating may not be my best talent, but it was fun nonetheless, and I *think* the cake was a sweet success - the carnival sure was!And I happen to think that these two are the really the sweetest...

What's your favorite sweet?

:: On Our Minds ::

2011-07-11T12:09:00.000-07:00

Today we are thinking of and praying for Stefan.

A fantastic brother. A fabulous brother-in-law. A loyal friend. An amazing uncle.

We miss you. We are praying for you. We love you. And, we can't wait to see you again.

Here's to you 'best Uncle Stefan ever'!

:: Schnoogy Schnoogy ::

2011-07-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, my siblings and I created games amongst ourselves. They were games that only we knew the rules to. They were quite silly really, but we created them and carried them on until we all left home. Ours was called '5 minutes'.

5 minutes is a silly game really. One of us would yell a name out and if they replied with "What?" we would say, "You have 5 minutes to get rid of that word!" Then they had to do the same. After a while most of us caught on and wouldn't respond with "what". When that happened you could be stuck with the word for days (for some reason, contrary to the point of the game, there was no consequence for not getting rid of the word 'what' within five minutes other than the fact that you were stuck with it).

I know, it's silly and doesn't make much sense, but it's something we did as a family. We created it, we played it, and we still try it on each other every now and then.

Analise and Jameson have created a game. It is their own thing. No one else does it, and no one else can do it right. It is called Schnoogy Schnoogy. (I obviously am guessing at how to spell a word that isn't even a real word!) Schnoogy Schnoogy happens randomly. They squeal with laughter whenever they play Schnoogy Schnoogy.

Schnoogy Schnoogy starts something like this...

One of the kids will put their hands up in front of their face... Then another Schnooger is added...

They wiggle their fingers in front of their face and chase the other saying, "Schnoogy, Schnoogy!"

Then they Schnoogy each other...All. Over. The. Place.

For a really long time...

And they keep Schnoogying...

Did you ever create games with your siblings?

:: Put a Lid On It ::

2011-07-04T07:00:00.000-07:00

As of late, our kiddos like to dress themselves and wear head pieces. At any time of the day, you may catch them wearing random clothing and some form of head piece.

These two requested that I take pictures of them making faces in their outfits and hats. Enjoy...

Please take note that Analise chose to dress herself in her soccer uniform even though she wasn't playing soccer and Jameson picked his outfit so he could look like a 'Giants Player Man'.

According to Jameson, sometimes a helmet is needed when snuggling on the couch...

Analise likes to wear her hat while dancing in the yard...

And who needs a hat or a helmet when your hair resembles a furry animal?!

:: Fresh Veg ::

2011-07-02T17:13:00.000-07:00

A few months ago Markus and Analise built some planter boxes in the back yard and planted a vegetable garden of sorts. We are *so* enjoying having fresh veggies straight from our own garden!

We have had heaps of salads made from a 'summer mix' Markus planted along with baby spinach. We continue to plant new seeds once we use up what has already grown.

It has been so fun for the kids to watch everything grow from a seed to ready-to-eat vegetables, although Jameson has a habit of picking (and eating) the snap peas before they are fully grown.

A few weeks ago our first round of radishes were ready to pick - they were just perfect!

The carrots still need a bit more time...

But Analise says they "carroty delicious"!

Do you plant your own fresh veg? If so, what kind?

:: Vacation ::

2011-06-23T21:35:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of the month we went on a family vacation. Markus took the week off of work and we headed up to Clearlake. One of our fantastic friends has a family house right on the lake that we were able to stay at. Despite the winter-like temperatures and non-stop rain we had for the first three days, we enjoyed our time away as a family so much! We relaxed, drove around to the neighboring towns, spent heaps of time playing games and even more time coloring.

I finally got the camera out on Thursday morning and was able to snap a few photos. The clouds broke and the sun began shining for the first time that week so we spent as much time outside as we could - especially since we knew the rain was on its way back that night!

The kids spent much of the time on the dock with Markus...

They were fishing of course.

That evening some fabulous friends joined us for the remainder of the weekend. The rain started again late Thursday night and didn't stop until Sunday afternoon. There were nine adults and six kiddos cooped up in the house all weekend and we had a great time! Everyone got along so well and aside from a small case of cabin fever, the kiddos did great too! We enjoyed great conversation, great games and great meals together. While it wasn't the warm sunny weather we were hoping for on vacation, it was so nice to get away for a week, have some time as a family and finish it off with good friends.

:: Baby Shower Projects ::

2011-06-16T21:40:00.000-07:00

Just over three weeks ago I helped throw a baby shower for a close friend who is expecting her second child. It was a small, intimate shower - a time to celebrate the upcoming arrival of a little boy whom we are *so* excited to meet!

When it comes to planning and organizing (or helping plan and organize) a baby shower, something I love doing is making invitations. I started making wedding invitations over ten years ago for my friends as a way for them to save money and a way for me to bless them with a special gift. Now we are in the phase of life when we celebrate the babies that are a result of some of these weddings!

For Shelley's shower I wanted something simple, classic and clean. I found an idea on Tiny Prints that I liked but felt it was a bit lacking so I opened up Adobe Illustrator and created my own little birdies with a nest (representing the family) - something I had never done before. Here is the end result:

We went light on decor - just some lovely calla lilies, favor boxes, and tissue paper pom-poms. I always love the way the pom-poms look and had heard that they were easy to make - and they were! As I was making them I thought to myself, "I must be doing something wrong...this is just too easy", but alas, I did it right! Perfect decor for a breezy day! I followed THIS tutorial and this is how they came out...

I was so happy with the little birds I created for the invite (thankyouverymuch) that I decided to tie the graphic into the favor as well. With some glass baubles, glass glue, magnets, some fancy computer work and a bit of old fashioned crafting, I was able to create a cute little favor. Each gal went home with a little box with set of magnets inside. It was fun to make and the magnets are a fun reminder to keep our dear friend in our thoughts and prayers as they become a family of four.

Here's to DIY projects and to meeting this little boy in the next week or so!

:: Blue Apple Art II ::

2011-05-29T21:03:00.000-07:00

Since last fall, Analise has spent almost every Monday morning learning how to paint at Blue Apple Studio. Her teacher, Cayce Ellison (who also happens to be a friend of mine since our Jr. High School days) is amazing. How she teaches a room full of 4-5 year old kiddos to paint such amazing pieces of art is beyond me. Every Monday, we always look forward to the artwork Analise comes home with. We LOVE what she has learned and the art she has created! Now that summer is upon us, we just finished up our last week at Blue Apple Studios. Needless to say, we will be missing our Monday morning art class.

Analise's latest pieces include everything from cats...to different types of houses...

to a self portrait (Cayce tells me that Analise was adamant about making sure the eyes were green like her own)...

and some of the lovely things that spring brings...
I *love* the colors in this painting...She's even come home with some animals you may come across in a zoo...

We will miss our Mondays at Blue Apple Studio! Thank you Cayce for being an AMAZING teacher and for opening a whole new world to Analise! We love you!

:: Gentleness Fruit ::

2011-05-17T15:37:00.000-07:00

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control..." - Galatians 5:22-23

Over the past eight months or so, we have been walking through the fruits of the Spirit as a family. We have covered LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS and have recently tackled GENTLENESS.

The thing is, we can't just learn about one and be done with it. These 'fruits' are something we have to practice living out every day. When we begin to move on to a new fruit, we walk through each of them all over again. Our conversation during the day often times comes back to these fruits of the Spirit - in our play, in our discipline, in our adventures, even when we are being silly. Walking through the fruits of the Spirit is such a great tool to remind both kiddos, and myself, that it is because of God's Spirit within us that these 'fruits' are used to the fullest.

Gentleness wasn't a hard concept for my kids to grasp - but putting it into consistent action has been the tricky part. I would think that most parents with toddlers, like me, hear themselves saying "BE GENTLE!" quite often.

When we were writing down our ideas about how to show gentleness to others, Jameson came up with the most simplistic yet applicable definition: "being soft when you want to be hard". Analise added the "in EVERYTHING" to the list.

Here is what they came up with:

I continue to marvel at how readily my kids understand these concepts and I am encouraged to see them putting them into action. When I was trying to take pictures of them with their fruit, Jameson was in a rather cantankerous mood and the following conversation took place:

A: "Jameson, come take a picture with me. Let's be gentle together."
J: "I don't want to take a picture!"
A: "Awww Jame..you need to choose a happy heart. Look at the camera and be loving and kind!"
J: "NO! I don't want to! I want to play baseball!" as he runs off.

I love the look of genuine gentleness that Analise has for her brother. (Please note: It isn't all hugs and kisses around here. These two have their fair amount of non-gentle moments!)

I love watching both of them with younger kids. They love to love on people. They are kind. They are caring, and they are gentle. While Analise tends to err on the gentle side more often, Jameson gets it too. Sometimes all it takes is a little reminder or a question like, "do you remember what it means to have gentleness?"

And they get it.

I can see the wheels turning and their actions changing, and sometimes they will even say it out loud, "It means being soft when you want to be hard!" Yes. Yes it does.

Next up: SELF CONTROL

:: Like Father, Like Daughter ::

2011-05-13T22:02:00.000-07:00

Around 2:15 pm today she came out of her quiet time and declared that she wanted to play soccer with her dad. She quickly ran into her room, dressed herself and waited anxiously by the door until he got home at 4:30. Before he could even sit down and relax with a cup of coffee after a long day of work she told him of her plans:

A: "Dad! I made it up in my mind today during quiet time that you were going to play soccer with me. Isn't that the greatest idea?"

Without hesitation he went straight to the backyard to play soccer with his girl. And there's no question as to whether or not she loves the special time with her dad.

:: Thursday's Recipe Rodeo ::

2011-05-05T14:20:00.000-07:00

This is the place to get some new recipes or maybe even a twist on an old one. Feel free to take any recipe here and try it out. If you want to join in on the Recipe Rodeo, let me know! I would love to try some of your recipes too!

Today's Round Up: Twist on an Original

We love making homemade pizza and after watching a Jacques Pepin cooking show last weekend (in which he made a fancy pizza) we had a hankering for something different than the usual pizza we make. I perused the internet for quite some time looking for a pizza recipe that would match the taste I was craving. And wouldn't you know it, Pioneer Woman {of course} had the *perfect* recipe. The only thing I changed was to add some fresh basil leaves. I made this with her pizza dough recipe as well. Get ready for a party in your mouth!

PW's Caramelized Onion and Prosciutto Pizza

* 1 whole pizza crust
* olive oil
* 1 whole large red onion, halved and thinly sliced
* 1/4 Cup brown sugar
* Kosher salt, to taste
* Parmesan cheese, grated
* 10 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
* 8-10 slices proscuitto
* fresh basil leaves (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Add onions and brown sugar and toss/stir for several minutes, or until onions are brown and cooked. Set aside.

Roll out pizza dough to a rectangular shape. Drizzle on olive oil, sprinkle on a little salt, followed by a little Parmesan.

Lay slices of mozzarella evenly over the top of the crust. Arrange caramelized onions over the top of the mozzarella. Add basil leaves. Randomly lay slices of prosciutto over the onions.Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the lower half of the oven, or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and cut into squares. Serve immediately. Enjoy!!If you want to join in on your own blog, simply link back to this blog and mention that you are partaking in Thursday's Recipe Rodeo. If you don't have a blog and want to share a recipe with us - leave it in the comments!

Click here for a printable version of Caramelized Onion and Prosciutto Pizza

:: The Small Things ::

2011-05-03T17:17:00.000-07:00

Today, we are choosing to enjoy the small things in life.

Like fuzzy caterpillars.

And our own garden.

Filled with heaps of tiny growing veggies, including spinach...

Snap peas...

...and radishes.

What are you choosing to enjoy today?

:: Our Easter Weekend::

2011-05-01T22:40:00.000-07:00

Weeks have passed since I last posted and a week has passed already since we celebrated Easter. With all of the busyness of the past few weeks, it was so nice to slow down a bit and celebrate Easter throughout the weekend. As a child, Easter was always a fun and special day. My mom put together some of the most amazing Easter baskets for my siblings and I and she is still carrying that on with my kiddos (she sent a huge box full of fun art stuff for them).

The exciting part about having kids of our own is that we get to create our own family traditions. Easter baskets, dyeing eggs, and egg hunts are just part of the excitement and joy of celebrating Easter. The most important, meaningful, and joyous part of this special day is that we celebrate the greatest day in history. The resurrection of Jesus - and with it, the greatest gift we could ever ask for.

It was fun to be able to partake in the fun festivities that Easter brings. We began Saturday by coloring eggs, which was serious business to Analise.

I overheard her say, "Jameson, make your egg blue. Jesus is a boy and he probably likes blue and Easter is his day so you can make him a blue egg."

After thinking about it for a minute he replied, "Jesus likes green too." {I think he is probably right!}

The finished products.

Later in the afternoon we went to Jessica's annual Jesus Loves Me party. It is such a special time to celebrate the deep meaning of Easter through the eyes of little ones. She didn't skimp on the fancy details either. She had everything from cake pops to delectable cookies.

While her dad told a story about God's BIG love for us, the dads' were hiding eggs outside. The egg hunt was such good fun for everyone and the bounty was plentiful!

This little man just may have been more excited about the baseball bat than the eggs though...

We spent Sunday together as a family - starting the day at church, enjoying a delicious homemade brunch, a lovely walk by the ocean and lamb burgers for dinner.

What does your family usually eat on Easter?

:: The Clock ::

2011-04-12T07:21:00.000-07:00

I am not a morning person - at all. I can function quite well into the wee hours of the night, but I love my sleep in the morning. I am pretty sure that my deepest, most replenishing sleep comes between the hours of 5 and 7am - if I get to sleep that late. And this morning, for some unknown reason, I have been wide awake since 4:22am. My mind started racing and I couldn't shut if off and I couldn't force myself to sleep, so awake I am.

Just as I can't force myself to sleep, even when I really need and want to be sleeping, we can't force our kids to sleep either. For quite some time, my kids were notorious for waking up way too early, as in 5:45ish, every day. Yet they were still tired and needed more sleep. We tried to reason with them and let them know that we wanted them to sleep longer or at least play QUIETLY when they woke up rather that to start screaming, laughing, throwing things, banging on the walls and acting as if they were at a park at the crack of dawn, but it just wasn't working. And, while we can't make them sleep, we can help them start the day a bit later and on a better foot than they were.

Our remedy: the best clock ever! This has been one of the best purchases I have made in quite some time!

This clock is so fantastic and it is a great learning tool for the kids. Analise knows all of her numbers and Jameson knows some. The clock tells time with hands and digital numbers so they can learn to tell time both ways. There is also a setting that turns on the audio function. You can press one of the buttons on the feet and it will tell you what time it is (we keep this setting off for now).

The clock also has a nightlight function which you can set for any time. We have ours go on at 7:00pm and stay on until the morning.

The absolute *BEST* feature about this clock is that when you're ready for them to be up and about, or in our house, when it is okay to make a ruckus, the clock turns green!

And...it works! When we first got it, the kids were so excited to have their own clock. The next morning I heard them stirring around 6:30am or so. Jameson started talking loudly and I heard Analise say, "Jameson, you have to be quiet until the clock turns green." And wouldn't you know it, they were quiet and come 7:00am they both yelled at the exact same time, "THE CLOCK IS GREEN!"

And so it goes. Each morning the kids wait for the clock to turn green. It isn't always perfect. Some days they are up way too early, making way too much noise and we have to remind them, from outside their door, that the clock isn't green yet. Most evenings we remind them to try and sleep or be very quiet until the clock turns green. We've inched up the time slowly. Now the clock turns green at 7:30am. And I would say eight times out of ten, if for some amazing reason they aren't awake yet, come 7:30 the shouts permeate the house...

"THE CLOCK IS GREEN!"

:: Thirty Five ::

2011-04-03T21:43:00.000-07:00

When I was younger I used to imagine what my life would be like when I was in my thirties. Here I am, circa 1984 sporting some fabby hair and amazing phone earrings. I wanted to be like Clair Huxtable when I grew up. I wanted to be a strong, successful lawyer (or business woman), a solid and reliable friend, a supportive and encouraging wife and a fun loving and devoted mom.

When I was younger, I had this idea that I would think differently, behave differently, feel different - somehow more accomplished, sophisticated, adult. I can't say that I feel much different than I did when I was turning 25 (aside from the normal aches and pains that come with having children and aging). Thankfully, I have grown in knowledge and wisdom. My dreams and aspirations have changed and morphed a bit, I have a husband and two children that are better than I ever could have imagined for myself, but I still feel younger in my heart and mind than my age declares me to be. Don't get me wrong, I don't think 35 is old at all. Shoot, I don't even consider 65 old anymore. And I'm not alone in this. I have spoken to people in their 50's, 60's, 70's and even some in their 90's that say that, in their hearts and minds, they feel and think the same way they did while in their 20's! I find that so fascinating!

Analise was VERY excited about my birthday. She declared that I "NEEDED to take a picture of myself so I would always remember what I looked like the day I turned 35". So, here I am at 35 - certainly not a lawyer like Mrs. Huxtable but hopefully, not too far off in the qualities I admired in her character either.

I got to spend most of the day with my favorite two little people. We made a Target run, played outside, and baked a cake that Analise picked out *just* for me.

As I mentioned, Analise had been waiting for my birthday all month. Every day she talked about the party she wanted to throw me and the cake she wanted me to have. So, while Jameson napped she and I baked together.
Confetti cake with pink vanilla frosting and sprinkles!

Jameson woke up from his nap just in time to lick the beaters. Did you ever do that when you were a kid?

My day was made extra special by all of the phone calls, Facebook messages, special deliveries of flowers and Peet's coffee (thank you so very much!), and a family dinner at my favorite restaurant in town, Cafe Cruz.

We topped the evening off with that very special cake!

The next evening I had the pleasure of dinner out with some of my very special girlfriends, who bless me daily.

So far, thirty five has been pretty great! Here's to the next 35 or more!

:: Catch Up ::

2011-04-01T16:14:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have been wondering, we are alive! I, obviously, have been slacking on updating the blog, among other things. Without boring you with the mundane details of the happenings around here as of late like having family in town for 5 weeks (which didn't seem like long enough this year), a busy work time for both of us, tsunami warnings, torrential rains, a 26 hour power outage, and a birthday, I will just say that I am feeling more on top of things and ready to resurface.

This morning, the kiddos and I walked down to the beach with shovels and buckets in hand. After a long, wet winter, one cannot complain about a week full of beautiful, warm summer-like sunshine!

Time is flying by and I want to slow down and enjoy it...

Nothing like a taste of summer to brighten one's spirits!

What are you looking forward to?

:: Faithfulness Fruit ::

2011-03-17T22:31:00.000-07:00

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control..." - Galatians 5:22-23

If you read this blog at all you most likely know that we have been walking through the fruits of the Spirit. So far we have covered LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS and now we are adding FAITHFULNESS to the mix.

I found defining faithfulness to my kids to be a bit tricky. Most of the time I try to talk to the kids about these things in the 'every day' while we are playing or on walks. If I try to have a proper 'sit down/learning' time with these types of life lessons, they don't want to have much to do with it.

After weeks of talking it through here and there and trying to word things in ways that I thought would make sense to them regarding faithfulness, I didn't seem to be getting anywhere. We talked about all of the things that faithfulness can mean and what it means to us. However this morning while on a walk, Analise reminded me of the most simple, poignant definition - the first thing I said when we began to tackle the idea of faithfulness. It was also the reminder that I needed to hear today.

I had just finished briefly reminding Analise and Jameson about the Holy Spirit and how through Him we are able to have faithfulness:

Me: "So Analise, can you tell me what faithfulness means?"
A: "Mooooooom, you make things so long and hard."
Me: "Um, that's not my intention, I am trying to help you understand."
A: "I do understand. You use too many words to say that God always keeps his promises. You said it a long time ago. That is what faithfulness means - that God always keeps his promises."
Me: "Uh...um...yeah, you're right."
Jameson: "Mommy, Lisi's RIGHT!"
Me: "Thanks Jameson."

Awesome. I just got schooled by my kids (in a good way of course). The concepts and lessons we can learn about from the fruit of the Spirit are not complicated. They don't need to be long and drawn out. That's not how God intended life with Him to be. It's simple really - if we have the Spirit within us then we have the ability to produce the fruit of the Spirit. The important thing is yielding to the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to work through us, not to rely on our own abilities.

Here is the list of things that Analise came up with to write on the back of her fruit:

I have been having a tough time lately, mainly in the area of parenting. Feelings of inadequacy, failure, feeling at a complete loss of how to parent these kids in the best way possible. Hearing from my kids more of what I am doing wrong as opposed to what I am doing right, etc. As I talked with Analise and Jameson about faithfulness today, I was reminded that even when times seem hard and I'm not so sure about things, the most important thing is to remain faithful, because God is faithful in all things. I am not supposed to do this parenting thing on my own! Phew!

And while it isn't all sunshine and roses here every day, today was a great day for remembering God's faithfulness. After our walk, while in Costco we saw a picture of a rainbow (with a pot of gold at the end) commemorating St. Patrick's Day. Analise loudly exclaimed, "Mom! Look! A rainbow! That is God's promise to never flood the earth again. God always keeps His promises because He is faithful!"

Yes. Yes He is.

Next up: GENTLENESS

:: A Little Something ::

2011-03-08T22:12:00.000-08:00

Something that brings me joy is making a delicious meal. Today I really enjoyed making my Jackpot Chili and some Trader Joe's cornbread (the best cornbread...ever).

And I baked up some oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

For me, a greater joy than simply cooking a delicious meal is being able to share a little something with friends. Today I was able to pack up the chili, cornbread, cookies, along with some of our favorite wine and drop it off to a friend who spent the day in the hospital with her dad who was having a major cancer related surgery. Giving in this way is one of the somethings that drive me, inspire me and bring me joy.

What are the little somethings that bring you joy?

:: Secret Fancy ::

2011-02-22T07:31:00.000-08:00

Jameson is a man's man. He likes to grunt and growl, show his muscles and play with dirt. He likes snakes and spiders and climbing and sword fighting. He loves tractors and trains, airplanes and helicopters.

And while he is all boy, he also loves to snuggle and has an appreciation for fine clothing. Believe it or not, he is much more concerned with what he wears than his sister and we regularly have battles over what pair of pants he wants to wear or the fact that I don't want him to wear his rocket jammies in the bathtub.

The other night, Analise and her cousin Ana were dressing up. Someone wanted to wear her new birthday dress and her new birthday shoes and be 'really, really fancy' and have lots of pictures taken.

The funny thing...

it wasn't Analise.

The next morning, when I asked him if he had fun getting fancy, he didn't want to talk about it. He just growled at me.

That's my boy!

:: Fairy Tale Tea Party ::

2011-02-20T16:11:00.000-08:00

In honor of her fourth birthday, my amazingly talented friend Jessica put together the most magical, whimsical, fanciful tea party for Analise and captured the magic of it on film. It was nearly impossible to pick just a few for posting purposes - and there simply aren't enough words to adequately express how special, lovely, amazing, and endearing these pictures are to our family. So, I won't even try, just enjoy the fairy tale that these pictures tell.

:: She's Four ::

2011-02-12T22:30:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, the 9th, marked Analise's fourth birthday! It may sound cliche but it really does seem like yesterday that we welcomed her into the world.

This was four hours after she was born...

And this is her four years later... As soon as she woke up and walked out of her room she was greeted by some birthday decor - in her favorite colors, of course.

The only gift she asked for was TWO microphones - one for her and one for Jameson (side note: there are no 'boy' microphones to be found in this town, hence *two* Dream Dazzlers.)

Markus took the day off of work so the two of them could have a 'date morning', and so he could take her fishing. Needless to say, she was elated!

After fishing, they headed to the park so she could go down the big kid slide.

They finished the morning off with a special treat at Starbucks. This girl is proud to be four!

We spent the rest of the day together as a family and topped off the day with, and I quote, "my own tiny little teeny tiny cute heart shaped cake".

Happy Birthday Analise Joy!

:: Ever Have ... ::

2011-02-10T21:42:00.000-08:00

Have...

you...

ever....

had...

one...

of...those...

days?

He has!

Please note: no children were harmed during this temper tantrum. Regardless of the the performance he put on, his mother simply refused to allow him to eat his lunch and take a nap in the car.

:: Thursday's Recipe Rodeo ::

2011-02-09T22:03:00.000-08:00

This is the place to get some new recipes or maybe even a twist on an old one. Feel free to take any recipe here and try it out. If you want to join in on the Recipe Rodeo, let me know! I would love to try some of your recipes too!

Today's Round Up: Cozy Cookin' Made Easy

Last year, Markus' sister Claudia gave him a cookbook called, Mad Hungry - Feeding Men and Boys. It is a fantastic cookbook with some amazing recipes. We have made quite a few dishes out of this book so far and none of them have been anything short of delicious! Markus decided that he wanted to eat some meat this past weekend (Super Bowl and all). He skimmed his Mad Hungry cookbook and found a winner! This dish is quite easy (no searing needed) and beyond delicious! It is fabulous served with some fresh bread and a crisp salad. Don't the the word 'braised' scare you...it is just a fancy way of saying that you are baking with both moist and dry heat. Go ahead...give it a try!

Mad Hungry Oven-Braised Short Ribs

* 1 onion, finely sliced
* 4 garlic cloves, smashed
* 1 leek, cleaned and finely chopped
* 1 carrot, diced
* 1 celery stalk, diced
* 4 sprigs of fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1 Cup red wine
* 1/2 Cup soy sauce (I use low sodium)
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 3 1/2 pounds short ribs (we used the boneless ones from Costco, but bone-in would only add to the flavor!)
* 3-4 red potatoes, cut in quarters (optional)

Directions

Mix all ingredients except the meat and potatoes in a 9 x 15 roasting or baking dish. Add the ribs and rub all over with the marinade. The meat should fit comfortably in a single layer in the pan. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for 6 hours or up to overnight (we marinated overnight). Occasionally turn the meat over in the marinade. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minute prior to cooking.

Preheat the over to 400 degrees. Braise (bake) the short ribs for 1 hour and then reduce heat to 350 degrees and braise for another 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Turn ribs every hour to avoid any drying out. If you choose to add the potatoes, add them in the last 40 minutes of cooking. Add water to the pan if too much liquid evaporates (we did not have to do this). You want to end up with glistening ribs in a reduced glaze. **The short ribs we picked up from Costco were boneless and in longer strips, so Markus doubled the liquids to ensure that the meat was submerged in while braising.** Enjoy!If you want to join in on your own blog, simply link back to this blog and mention that you are partaking in Thursday's Recipe Rodeo. If you don't have a blog and want to share a recipe with us - leave it in the comments! Click here for a printable version of Mad Hungry Oven-Braised Short Ribs

:: 10 Years Ago ::

2011-02-06T00:01:00.000-08:00

Long before the days of digital cameras or fancy SLR's (or at least before I ever owned one), I jumped on a plane with my point and shoot camera ready for a new adventure, as you will see in the scanned photos below. Yes, I said scanned. Remember...the days before I ever owned a digital camera?! I had to scan these out of my Creative Memories album - from ten years ago.

It was a lovely February day, ten years ago that I arrived in New Zealand for the very first time. Little did I know that the six months I was planning on attending Capernwray Bible School would change the course of my life forever!

These are the dorms that we called home

I expected to thoroughly enjoy living there for a while - learning new things, and having fun adventures. I expected to be challenged and grow in various areas of my life. I expected to see some amazing places and meet some nice people. But, there were quite a few things that happened that I didn't quite expect.

I didn't expect to build deep friendships with some of the greatest people I have ever known - friendships that are still going strong today - ten years later.

This is the extraordinary group of people that I spent a majority of my time with. Growing. Learning. Laughing.

I didn't expect to be able to drive a short distance to see places like this...

90 Mile Beach at the tip of the North Island

Or to take a ferry to the South Island and come across scenes like this...

Lake Tekapo with Mt. Cook in the background

I didn't expect to that I would be able to kayak on water like this...

Able Tasman National Park

And I sure didn't expect to enjoy wearing a kayak skirt!

I never expected to be among the first in the world to see the sunset on March 10, 2001 and among the first to see the sunrise on March 11th at East Cape.

East Cape is the Eastern most point in New Zealand and one of the first places in the world to see the sun rise each new day.

I didn't expect to spend my 25th birthday skydiving...

But I am SO glad I did!

Falling towards the earth at 200km/hour is windy folks. That is not a vein on my arm, it is my skin flapping in the wind!

I didn't expect to see New Zealand from 12,000 feet in the air!

This really is me...the profile gives it away!

I didn't expect that I would climb a glacier in the middle of a NZ summer.

In a little ice hole on the Franz Josef Glacier

I didn't expect that one of the very first beaches we visited after arriving in New Zealand would forever hold a special place in my heart.

Raglan Beach

You see, between all of the expectations I took with me to New Zealand, and the amazing unexpected things that I was able to experience, nothing could have prepared me for the twists and turns my life would take after arriving in that tiny country ten years ago.

Arriving at school, meeting amazing people, skydiving, beach trips, kayaking, rappelling next to 200 foot high waterfalls, seeing thousands upon thousands of glow worms deep in the Waitomo Caves, the breathtaking scenery of Milford Sound, hiking the Tongariro Crossing, growing leaps and bounds in my faith - all of these fun excursions and life changing experiences were preparation for the next great adventure in my life.

After my six months was up at school, I was asked to stay on and join the staff. I initially declined and returned to Santa Cruz for a year and a half, only to return and join the Capernwray staff in January 2003. But, that is another story for another time.

All of this is to say that had I not ventured out and gone to New Zealand ten years ago, had these experiences, met these amazing people and trusted that I was where God wanted me to be at the time, even when it didn't seem to make sense, there is a very good chance that I wouldn't have gone back there in 2003. And if I hadn't gone back in 2003, there is a very good chance that I wouldn't have met him...And because of this adventure that began to unfold ten years ago, my life was changed forever. Remember the picture of Raglan Beach up above? Here is another picture of the same beach taken exactly three years later.
What God had known all along, I didn't know. I didn't know that this beach would be the very place that Markus and I would begin our adventures together three years after the first time I set foot on the sand - ten years ago.

I wonder what the next ten years will hold? Where were you ten years ago?

:: Silly Sheep ::

2011-02-01T22:18:00.000-08:00

Have you seen it?

We LOVE Shaun the Sheep! How can you not...just look at him!Some evenings we love to gather around the computer as a family and watch a few episodes before the kids go to bed. The laughter that comes out of my children when they watch this little show is just *the best*. And, truth be told, Markus and I find ourselves laughing quite a bit too. Shaun's little sideways smile is enough to get me every time.

If you have a few minutes, enjoy a little bit of Shaun the Sheep!

:: It's Lovely Here ::

2011-01-27T21:59:00.001-08:00

The end of January is near yet we are having amazing weather...better than summer (which typically leaves us socked in with fog). Today we headed down to the beach with my brother, his wife and my little nephew Zander who are visiting from snowy Colorado.

This delicious little dude didn't seem to miss the snow much!

It was a perfect wet sand digging...

wave dodging...

water splashing with uncle...

tippy toe dancing...

rock collecting...and beach racing kind of day!

What was your day like?

:: Blue Apple Art ::

2011-01-20T16:19:00.000-08:00

I have mentioned before that Analise loves to draw. A good portion of her day is spent at the table with crayons and markers and heaps of paper - drawing pictures for everyone she can think of - her family, her friends, her cat, the mail man, you name it.

For the past few months, she has been taking an art class on Monday mornings at Blue Apple Studio. It is owned and run by my long time friend Cayce Ellison. Cayce is so gifted - not only in her own art but in teaching art as well. It is no small feat to teach a room full of 4 and 5 year old kiddos how to listen, follow directions and paint amazing pieces of artwork!

Markus and I both look forward to Mondays to see what Analise will bring home from art class. We have been blown away with the artwork that she has been creating! Here are some of my favorite pieces that that she has created...

We used Mr. Snowman for our Christmas labels...

Depending upon the day you ask her, this is either Bambi's mom or Mr. Rudolph...

Meet Mr. Penguin and Mr. Panda...

And Mr. Owl...I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Mr. Owl!

When I was a kid, I loved drawing rainbows, suns with smiley faces and little wood cabins. What was your favorite thing to draw when you were little?

:: In the Now ::

2011-01-14T13:12:00.000-08:00

We're a few weeks into the new year and I have had this post brewing in my mind and heart for a while. I typically don't 'do' new year resolutions, even though there are heaps and heaps of things I aspire to do and be. This year though, I have set some goals for myself that I hope to keep and live up to. While the list in my head is quite large, I decided to narrow it down for practicality and in order to set some realistic boundaries for myself.Eleven things I want to do in 2011:

* be more intentional - in my marriage, as a parent, as a friend
* clean my bathroom more
* talk less, listen more
* be able to run and not get shin splints (yes, I have tried good shoes and inserts)

* be more aware of the Holy Spirit in my life - in the everyday, throughout the day
* go to the beach with my kids more
* take more pictures
* memorize more Scripture
* pray for our parents and siblings regularly
* send more handwritten letters
* manage my time more efficiently

As I eagerly work toward these goals and look forward to all that is to come in this new year, I also want to be sure to enjoy things in the moment, not always be looking to the future or for the next big thing. I want to savor experiences, even the hard ones, because it is flying by. It feels like it only took a few minutes for her to go:

And for him to grow...

And for them to go...

The next thing I know they will be grown and out of the house. *eek*

Do you make resolutions or goals? What do you want to accomplish in 2011?

:: Thursday's Recipe Rodeo ::

2011-01-13T23:58:00.000-08:00

This is the place to get some new recipes or maybe even a twist on an old one. Feel free to take any recipe here and try it out. If you want to join in on the Recipe Rodeo, let me know! I would love to try some of your recipes too!

Today's Round Up: Soup

I posted this recipe last year, but for some reason my 'search this blog' box won't bring it up...and it just so happens to be on of my most requested recipes. It should show up in the search engine from now on. So, without further ado...in case you missed, get your taste buds ready for this delicious soup.

Nini's Italian Sausage Minestrone Soup

* 1 lb. Italian Sausage (I buy mild - It comes in a roll)
* 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
* 1 Cup white onion, chopped (about one small/medium onion)
* 1 Cup zucchini, sliced in rounds (1-2 zucchini)
* 1 Cup summer squash, sliced in rounds (1-2 squash)
* 1/2 Cup celery, chopped
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/2 Cup carrots, sliced in rounds
* 4 Cups vegetable broth (do not use chicken broth - one container from Traders Joes is the perfect amount)
* 1 can red kidney beans, drained
* 1 can white kidney beans, drained
* 1 can diced tomatoes
* 2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley (or 2 tsp. dry parsley)
* 1 ½ tsp. dried oregano
* 2 tsp. salt
* 1 tsp. ground black pepper
* 1 tsp. dried basil
* ½ tsp. dried thyme
* 1 1/2 Cups hot water
* 1 1/2 Cups red wine
* 4 Cups fresh baby spinach (or a few good handfuls-to your liking)
* ½ - 1 Cup pasta (any kind will do such as corkscrew or shells)

Directions

In skillet or pan brown Italian sausage. In large soup pot, saute onion, garlic, carrots, zucchini, squash and celery in the oil for a few minutes until onions become translucent. Add vegetable broth, tomatoes, kidney beans, white beans, browned sausage, hot water, wine and spices. Bring soup to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add spinach and pasta and simmer for an additional 20 minutes or until pasta is at desired consistency. Enjoy! If you want to join in on your own blog, simply link back to this blog and mention that you are partaking in Thursday's Recipe Rodeo. If you don't have a blog and want to share a recipe with us - leave it in the comments! Click here for a printable version of Nini's Italian Sausage Minestrone Soup

:: Thursday's Recipe Rodeo ::

2011-01-06T09:35:00.000-08:00

This is the place to get some new recipes or maybe even a twist on an old one. Feel free to take any recipe here and try it out. If you want to join in on the Recipe Rodeo, let me know! I would love to try some of your recipes too!

Today's Round Up: Light and Easy

I can't remember a time I ever craved burritos or tacos....until about three weeks ago. My friend Renee told me about a great recipe and since the first time I made it...I can't get enough! In fact, I made a big batch yesterday to put in the fridge so I can eat it for lunch as often as I want to. Renee and I have changed it a smidge from the original recipe. This is my new favorite thing to eat -- it is easy, delicious, contains just a few ingredients . And, added bonus, is quite low in Weight Watchers points (which you would never know by the flavor explosion in your mouth). I often times just eat it on it's own, no shell or tortilla.

Chili Beef Tacos (or Burritos)

* 2 Tablespoons chili powder

* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1 teaspoon olive oil
* 1 small onion, diced
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 pound lean ground beef (with 7% fat)
* one 15 oz. can of tomato sauce
* one 15 oz. can black beans (drained and rinsed)
* salt and pepper to taste
* taco shells or tortillas
* sour cream, cilantro, diced tomatoes, cheese (optional toppings)

Directions

Toast chili powder and cumin in a medium skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add oil to skillet and heat; add onion and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add beef and cook until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and black beans; cook 5 minutes more or until heated through. (I let it simmer for about 20 minutes to bring more depth to the flavors.)

To assemble, fill each taco shell or soft tortilla with 1/4 cup of beef mixture; top each with 1/2 tablespoon of sour cream and 1/2 teaspoon of cilantro. Enjoy!

Click here for photo credit

:: One Person at a Time ::

2010-12-29T20:06:00.000-08:00

We have days where nothing seems to click and nothing seems to go smoothly. Yet, despite how rotten a day may seem, there is always *something* that gives me a glimmer of hope. Something that I can reflect on and know that regardless of all of the back talk, disobedience, and defiance that may come my way in one day, these two kids of mine are kind, loving and generous.

This morning started out as 'one of those days'. From the moment the kids woke up, they were arguing, bickering, yelling, being rude to one another, and to me. Multiple time outs, tantrums, toy restrictions, and, to be honest, too much yelling on my behalf, all before 10:00am! Then...the *something* happened.

I have to backtrack just a bit to what happened yesterday. We were at a stop light while running errands and Analise noticed a homeless man standing on the corner. She asked what the sign he was holding said. I told her he was asking for money, most likely because he did not have a house to live in, or food to eat. Then as we drove along she said, "Hey! I have a piggy bank with money in it! We could give him my money since he doesn't have any. We have a house to live in and food to eat, so I can give him my money so he can have some."

I instantly got tears in my eyes and told her that she was right, we could do that sometime. She then said, "Mom, there are so many people who don't have houses to live in and food to eat. We could help someone every day and there would still be people who need houses. But you told me that we can help one person at a time." She asked me to pray for him too. So we did.

Which brings us back to today. As I mentioned, it started out as 'one of those days'. While in her room (after being sent there for talking back to me), Analise came up with a great idea. She came running out of her room jumping up and down and talking so fast I could hardly understand her. She decided that she wanted to find the homeless man we saw yesterday and help him. This was her own idea and she was so excited about it. She came up with a list of everything she thought he would need.

She drew a picture to make him happy which said "I'm praying for you" on it.

She and Jameson told me what to make him for lunch. "He would like three oranges. Not one. Not two. But three oranges. Carrots. Raisins. Crackers. Oh, and a sandwich like you make for daddy!"

They each chose a toy of their own to give to him. Analise chose a little bath pelican and Jameson chose his very own special helicopter.

We packed these things, retrieved money from Analise's piggy bank, jumped in the car and headed to the pharmacy to get some essential items. Both Analise and Jameson chose things from the travel bins that they thought would be useful, with a little input from me. When all was said and done, we had the following items to gift to him:

- homemade card from Analise
- an anonymous note from me explaining that he was cared for and prayed for along with a few Bible verses for encouragement
- helicopter
- pelican
- homemade lunch
- bottle of water
- toothbrush
- toothpaste
- shampoo
- shower puff
- body soap
- deodorant
- tissues
- baby wipes
- purell

As we prepared everything and packed it just right in our Trader Joe's canvas bag, we prayed that we would be able to find the same man, and if we couldn't find him that we would find *just* the right person to give this gift to. We drove back to the spot where we saw him yesterday and wouldn't you know...he was there again. As we rolled up to him, I motioned him over and explained that we saw him yesterday and didn't have anything to give at the time, but that my daughter kept thinking about him and she and her brother came up with the idea to provide him with this bag. Because he was special. Because he was cared for. Because he was not alone. His face lit up, as he graciously accepted our gift. He said thank you many, many times. He beamed at Analise and Jameson and thanked them for being so kind. We wished him a good day and headed home for lunch.

As we were driving home Analise said, "I think he was happy. He will like the pelican I gave him." Jameson yelled, "That man will like my helicopter too!" Then she added, with a huge smile on her face, "We helped one person today. My heart is happy right now."

While the rest of the afternoon was far from butterflies and roses around here, and their bedtime couldn't come soon enough for me, I do have my *something* for today to look back on to be reminded that in the midst of 2 and 3 year old chaos, these little people really do understand how to love others in real and tangible ways.

Aside from helping with some church functions over the years and giving a few dollars here and there, this was the first time I have done something like this. My kids surprise me beyond belief. I am so thankful that these two little people were given to us. They challenge us and encourage us to actively help change the world -- one person at a time!

Have you ever helped someone in need? How so?

:: Christmas Surprise ::

2010-12-22T23:10:00.000-08:00

Tonight we did our normal routine. Got the kiddos ready for bed and tucked in. Finished up the evening chores - dishes, making Markus' lunch for tomorrow, picking up the house. By that time, the kids had quieted down in their beds and were almost asleep. Suddenly, we burst into their room, told them to get out of bed right away and get their boots on. They were a bit bewildered - wondering what on earth we were doing (especially since we are pretty adamant about them staying in their beds). That was until we exclaimed...

"CHRISTMAS SURPRISE!! Get your boots on...we're going to look at Christmas lights!"

Oh golly! The excitement. The joy. The immediate hugs and exclamations of thanks and excitement were *so* worth the late night and most likely the cranky morning that may follow. Analise wanted me to document it as an "I'm so excited" moment.

Jameson wanted a photo do-over.

They were so excited that we sprung this surprise on them! Jameson was just beside himself. Every light he saw he squealed and shrieked and yelled, "CHRISTMAS LIGHTS!!" As we drove along, Analise sang us her own Christmas songs and announced the title of each one before she performed. They had very long titles such as: 'Jesus is born on Christmas day and the shepherds came to see him and the angels sing about him and Christmas is for giving to others and Santa says Ho Ho Ho'. Really. (look for it on iTunes)

Here is one of the sparkling houses we ventured to. The house next to this one had their light show timed to a radio station!

Photo courtesy of The Ron Fugelseth

Christmas Surprise night was a hit for all of us! Have you gone out on a Christmas light excursion yet? If so, where do you go?

:: He's Growin' Up ::

2010-12-19T14:54:00.000-08:00

There is a recurring theme in the pictures below. Do you see it? Am I talking about the handsome little boy? The huge brown eyes? Perhaps I must be thinking of those delicious cheeks or ridiculously long eyelashes? Guess again...

If you guessed that I must be referring to the piece of plastic and silicone in his mouth, then you are right! This boy of mine ~~loves~~ loved his binky (also known to some as a pacifier, paci, mute button, dubba, etc.) Since three weeks of age he has kept his binkies close by - he was VERY attached to it - so attached that he always knew where each one was, at all times. For the past six months we only let him use it for nap time and bedtime, but he wouldn't even think of falling asleep without it. I could go on for quite some time to give you an idea of just how attached he was to his binkies, yet I will spare you. Let's just say that I thought it would take a LONG time to wean him from his binky, a major habit and source of comfort.I love looking at the pictures of him when he was smaller. This little man is growing up...faster than I would like. Just over a week ago we were doing our normal bedtime routine and when he asked for his binky Markus said, "Oh, you'll be fine without it." Just a few little protests and he fell asleep just fine. We couldn't believe it! Over the next few days he protested just a bit here and there (although none of the expected whines and tears), but he hasn't seen a binky for over a week now and he no longer asks for them. Without prepping him or making a big deal out of it, he is binky free...just like that! It was completely unplanned and he surprised us! Just one more thing to remind me that he is growing up.

This little man continues to amaze us! Every time I look at him I am struck by how he is growing into a fabulous little person. He is funny, tender, strong, curious, smart, loyal, friendly, and snuggly. He is a great singer, a jokester, a jumper, a great brother. He knows how to read all of his letters and some numbers. He speaks in full sentences and sings heaps of songs. He loves to help in the kitchen and eat meatballs. He is an avid lover of trucks, tractors, trains, airplanes and cars. He is all boy but isn't afraid to be seen in wings and tutu's (courtesy of his sister). He is thoughtful and caring. Wakes up at the crack of dawn, and sometimes before. Says please and thank you without being prompted. Kisses me throughout the day. Runs to the door to greet us when we have been out. These are the things I want to remember when the days are hard and when he is grown and on his own. He is our one and only son and he brings much joy to our days!

:: Kindness and Goodness Fruit ::

2010-12-12T16:15:00.000-08:00

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control..." - Galatians 5:22-23

We started talking about the fruits of the Spirit in the summer. I had every intention of tackling one per week, but alas...here it is December and we have yet to finish going through them all. Thankfully, there is no timeline on learning and we have had some great experiences walking through these character traits -- character traits we will be working for a lifetime. We have talked about LOVE, JOY, PEACE, and PATIENCE which leads us to KINDNESS and GOODNESS.

We decided to combine kindness and goodness as they seem to go hand in hand. These two are common words in our house. If you spend any time with me and my children, one thing you will most likely hear is me asking my children (over and over and over again) to be kind. Kindness is so important to me. So important in fact, that the day I found out that Analise was going to be a girl, one of the first things I prayed was that she would be a great friend to others and that she would be a kind girl -- and she is. When we sat down to write on the back of our 'fruit', this is what she came up with.

While the things listed above don't happen every day, both Analise and Jameson are good at reminding one another to be kind. Just the other day I heard the following ~~conversation~~ ...um...arguement:

J: "Be kind Lisi! You not being kind to me Lisi!"
A: "No Jameson, you aren't giving me what I want and you are supposed be kind because I am your sister and you love me." - (as she proceeds to rip the car he is holding out of his hands)
J: (a loud growling scream)
A: "Thanks for the car Jameson. It was kind of you to give it to me."
J: "NO LISI! I did NOT give it to you." (whining) "You give it to me NOW!!"
A: "Be kind Jameson. Let me have it."
J: (shaking finger and pointing with great fervor) "No Lisi. You no take car from me! You need to be KIND!" (as he proceeds to rip car from her hands...and mother enters to mediate)

So, while they may not get it quite right all of the time, it is clear that they understand the meaning of the words. This has been very evident, not only watching them interact with one another and their friends, but how they perceive what is around them. We were coming out of the grocery store the other day, saw a Salvation Army gal ringing her bell, and the following took place:

J: "What that girl doing?
A: "She is ringing a bell."
J: "Why?"
Me: "Well...they are collecting money for those who have less than..."
A: (before I could finish) "Jameson. It is to help people and helping people is good because it helps them. Remember what we wrote on our fruit Jameson? It is good to love other people and to give to them too. Mom, can we ask her if she wants to give that money to us? That would be good!"
Me: "Um...that's not quite how it works..."

All of this to say, though there are many times I shake my head and chuckle with unbelief, it warms my heart when I see them 'getting it' and putting it into practice. We do have to reset, review, and remember what these fruits really mean, but that is all part of the learning process right? So far, I have two very kind and good little people in my life and I am learning from them all the time!

Next up: FAITHFULNESS

:: Thursday's Recipe Rodeo ::

2010-12-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

This is the place to get some new recipes or maybe even a twist on an old one. Feel free to take any recipe here and try it out. If you want to join in on the Recipe Rodeo, let me know! I would love to try some of your recipes too!

Today's Round Up: Side Dish

I found this recipe on a great website I have been frequenting lately (she even lists WW points for those that are counting). We eat broccoli quite often, yet I hardly ever think to get cauliflower. In fact, until I found this recipe, I do not think I had ever even prepared cauliflower in any way other than putting together a veggie platter. A few friends had told me about this recipe so I decided to give it a try. We have made it almost every week since the first batch and what do you know, it is Markus' new favorite side dish. He even requested it for his birthday meal! So, be brave. Buy cauliflower and make this recipe -- you won't be disappointed!

Oven Roasted Cauliflower

* 6 cups cauliflower florets (1 large cauliflower) cut small
* 3 garlic cloves, chopped
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* kosher salt and fresh pepper
* juice of 1/4 lemon
* 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Combine cauliflower, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper well so all the florets are coated and seasoned. Place in a large shallow roasting pan and place in the center of the oven.

Roast for about 25-35 munites, turning florets occasionally so they are evenly cooked. Remove from oven and top with Parmigiano Reggiano and additional salt and pepper if needed. Enjoy!

Click photo for credit

:: More Than Words ::

2010-12-04T11:20:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the amazing gifts and talents of my friend Jessica, and a half an hour spent in a beautiful green field on a chilly fall afternoon, I have some special photos that capture so much more than my words can describe. I've been a bit quiet here in the blogosphere -- busy in my heart and my head and not being able to adequately put it into words. And in the times I cannot come up with my own words for the things that are on my heart and mind, I am thankful for others who can.

"Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man." - Psalm 112:4

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." - Matthew 6:34

"...those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." - Isaiah 40:31"My Friend shall forever by my Friend and reflect a ray of God to me." - Henry David Thoreau

"A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones." - Proverbs 15:30

"Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints." - Philemon 1:7

"The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy." - Psalm 126:3

"Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm" - Proverbs 4:25-26

"Laughter is the closest thing to the grace of God" - Karl Barth

"Blessed be childhood, which brings down something of heaven into the midst of our rough earthliness." - Henri Amiel

:: Thursday's Recipe Rodeo ::

2010-11-25T22:38:00.000-08:00

This is the place to get some new recipes or maybe even a twist on an old one. Feel free to take any recipe here and try it out. If you want to join in on the Recipe Rodeo, let me know! I would love to try some of your recipes too!

Today's Round Up: Dessert

Happy Thanksgiving!! Hopefully you are enjoying the weeks festivities with family and/or friends! I have had a few requests for this dessert since I posted a picture of it a few days ago. This trifle is one of Markus' favorite desserts to eat. It is easy and delicious and a perfect treat for a special day, holiday gathering or just because. The possibilities of how you layer and what you layer with are endless I suppose, but the following recipe is our favorite way to enjoy this chocolately, deliciously delightful dessert!

Nini's Chocolate Kahlua Trifle

* 1 box dark chocolate cake
* 1 large box Jello Instant Chocolate Fudge pudding
* 2 1/2 Cups cold milk

* 1/2 Cup Kahlua

* 1 container Cool Whip (soften in fridge for a few hours)
* 4 Skor bars (or favorite toffee bar), broken into small pieces

Directions

Prepare cake as directed and bake in a 9 x 13 pan. You will be cutting the cake in order to make layers (you may have a bit left over.) Meanwhile, prepare pudding by combining cold milk and Kahlua in medium bowl and whisk pudding in for 2 minutes. Refrigerate while cake bakes.

Once cake is cooled you can begin layering. In a large bowl, or trifle bowl, cover bottom with cake. Next, cover cake with an even layer of pudding. Then spread an even layer of cool whip over pudding and top with some of the crunched up Skor bars. Place another layer of cake, pudding, cool whip and Skor bars for one or two more layers. I usually get three full layers. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy!

Click here for a printable version of Nini's Chocolate Trifle

:: Happy Dirfbay ::

2010-11-22T22:03:00.000-08:00

Thirty two years ago Markus Lettner entered the world - and I am so thankful that he did! We celebrated him throughout the day with songs, hugs, kisses, drawings, gifts from the heart, a special lunch delivery, more songs, more hugs, more kisses, a big steak dinner and his favorite dessert.

The kiddos helped me make the cake and the pudding for the trifle in the morning and there was plenty of lingering later in the afternoon as I was assembling it...you know...in case any spoons needed licking. They were so excited to sing Happy Birthday (for the umpteenth time) to help him blow out the candles.

We are beyond blessed to have this man in our lives! Happy Birthday Markus. Or...as Jameson would say, "Happy Dirfbay Daddy!" We love you!

:: Turkeys, Turkeys Everwhere ::

2010-11-19T15:51:00.000-08:00

We went on a walk around the neighborhood last night and Analise saw a Happy Thanksgiving sign hanging in someone's window. She decided that she wanted to make her own sign. While I was making mushroom and beef stew in the kitchen and she was coloring at the dining table, the following conversation took place:

A: "Mom! Can you tell me how to spell 'happy'?"
Me: "Sure. h - a - p - p - y"
A: "Say it slower please."
Me: "Okay. Just tell me when you want the next letter. The first letter is H"
A: "Thanks. What's next?"

And, on it went until she asked me how to spell 'thanksgiving' which she asked me to spell 'really super-duper slowly'.

A: "Mom. What's that 'K' look like again?"
Me: "I can come show you."
A: "No thanks. Just tell me, does it look like a kite?"
Me: "Well, it does look like the first letter in the word kite."

The next thing I know, she asks me to come to the table to look at the sign she made. This is what she did...ALL ON HER OWN!!
Her description was, "You see, I made a turkey out of my hand. Then I drew a barn. With a yellow fence to keep the chickens out. I tried to write thanksgiving under the happy, but my letters were too big and wouldn't fit. Oh, and the barn has an American flag on it since we live in America."

And...since the creation of this sign, she has been drawing turkeys all day. We have big turkeys, little turkeys, slow turkeys, running turkeys, purple turkeys, mom turkeys, dad turkeys. She even drew a princess turkey! Needless to say, I am one proud mom!

:: Thursday's Recipe Rodeo ::

2010-11-18T17:19:00.000-08:00

This is the place to get some new recipes or maybe even a twist on an old one. Feel free to take any recipe here and try it out. If you want to join in on the Recipe Rodeo, let me know! I would love to try some of your recipes too!

Today's Round Up: Soup

A chill has finally appeared in the fall air which of course, makes me crave warm hearty soups. Markus specifically requested that I make this soup tonight and that it be served in a bread bowl. I adapted this recipe to our own liking from a Cooking Light recipe I found a few years ago. It is light and hearty at the same time and ridiculously delicious!

Wild Mushroom and Beef Stew

* 3 1/2 cups water
* 3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
* 1 cup dried porcini mushrooms (about 1 ounce)
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon pepper
* 4 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 pounds beef stew meat
* 3 teaspoons canola oil
* 2 (8-ounce) packages pre-sliced button mushrooms
* 1 pound Cremini mushrooms, sliced
* 1/4 cup tomato paste
* 1 cup red wine
* 1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped
* 2 teaspoons chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
* salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Bring water and broth to a boil in a saucepan. Add porcini mushrooms; remove from heat, and let stand 15 minutes. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving liquid. Chop porcini and set aside.

Combine flour, salt, pepper, garlic, and beef, tossing well to coat. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add beef mixture. Saute about 4-5 minutes or until beef is browned. Remove beef to separate bowl and then add button and cremini mushrooms; cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook 10 minutes or until mushrooms release liquid. Stir in the reserved porcini liquid, chopped porcini, beef mixture, wine and tomato paste; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine 1 teaspoon oil and onion on a foil-lined jelly-roll pan; toss well to coat. Bake at 450° for 25 minutes, stirring twice.

Add roasted onion, rosemary, and pepper to stew. Cover and simmer stew an additional 30 minutes or until beef is tender. Sprinkle with parsley. We often enjoy this stew in a sourdough bread bowl. Enjoy!Click picture for photo credit

:: Argh Matey ::

2010-11-14T20:26:00.001-08:00

Both kids are down and out with colds so we decided to lift their spirits with a 'Surprise Adventure Sunday'. We hopped in the car and drove a quick 20 minutes down to the Moss Landing harbor to get a glimpse at the Lady Washington. The Lady Washington is a tall ship that is best known for it's appearance as the Interceptor in Pirates of the Caribbean - The Curse of the Black Pearl (the boat that Jack tries to steal in the beginning). This is what she looks like in all her glory (click image for photo credit).While we didn't get to see her with her sails lowered, we were able to go aboard and explore the deck. The kids were *so* excited to see a 'real' pirate ship.

Jameson was yelling "ARGH MATEY!" with ridiculous amounts of fervor the entire way down the dock and while we were on board the ship.

Analise was most impressed with the amount of ropes on the ship.

She also thought it was funny that there were "very little men" climbing on the ropes.

Although the boat was a bit smaller than I had envisioned, I was reminded of my appreciation for modern transportation. Just the thought of sailing the high seas for months on end on a ship like this makes me woozy!

We had a great morning as a family and may have started a new tradition to bust out every now and then - Surprise Adventure Sunday.

:: Thursday's Recipe Rodeo ::

2010-11-11T17:35:00.000-08:00

This is the place to get some new recipes or maybe even a twist on an old one. Feel free to take any recipe here and try it out. If you want to join in on the Recipe Rodeo, let me know! I would love to try some of your recipes too!

Today's Round Up: Soup

I have always loved clam chowder but I haven't been too successful in finding a recipe that we love or that I don't feel guilty about eating in large quantities. For the past few weeks I have been tooling around with recipes and trying to find one that works for our tastes . It took a few different recipes and a few batches of tweaking to get it to 'just the way we like it', but we succeeded. The recipe below is a new favorite in our house - perfect for a cold fall day or a rainy evening! The only thing we will change from here on out with this one is the addition of some fresh clams every now and then! Go ahead...get your soup on!

Nini's Clam Chowder

* 4 (6.5 ounce) cans minced clams
* 8 ozs. clam juice (I use Bar Harbor)
* 2-3 slices bacon, diced (I use thick Applewood smoked)
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 cup onion, diced
* 1 cup diced celery
* 2 cups cubed potatoes (I use red potatoes, unpeeled)
* 1 cup diced carrots
* 2 Tablespoons butter
* 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 4 cups milk (I use 1% - you can use half & half if you want to and omit cornstarch)
* 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
* 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* ground black pepper to taste

Directions

In large skillet, render diced bacon until slightly crispy, approximately 4-5 minutes. Add onions, garlic, celery, carrots and potatoes and saute for 5 minutes. Drain juice from canned clams and add entire 8 ounces of bottled clam juice into skillet to cover the bacon, onions, celery, potatoes and carrots. Simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender, approximately 10-15 minutes.

In small bowl mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch with a bit of water to dissolve. In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Whisk in milk and stir constantly until warmed through. Add cornstarch and whisk until thick and smooth. Stir in vegetables and clam juice. Heat through, but do not boil. Stir in clams just before serving. If they cook too much they get tough. When clams are heated through, stir in vinegar (do NOT skip this step - it adds SO much flavor), and season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!If you want to join in on your own blog, simply link back to this blog and mention that you are partaking in Thursday's Recipe Rodeo. If you don't have a blog and want to share a recipe with us - leave it in the comments!Click here for a printable version of Nini's Clam Chowder

:: Soccer ::

2010-11-07T20:40:00.000-08:00

Call it what you will - soccer, futbol, Fußball - Analise loves it! Her love of the game started after spending many a Saturday morning watching Kendall and Caroline play when she was just about 18 months old.

Back in September, just about a week before it started, we signed her up for an eight week soccer camp for 3-4 year olds that some of her friends were joining. She was *beyond excited* to start soccer camp!

On the first day, she got a shirt with her name on it and her very own soccer ball. Every Sunday afternoon we get her gear on, including tiny little shin guards and cleats, and head out to the soccer field.

As soon as we arrive, Analise is always ready to jump right in and get started.

She and a slough of other kiddos her age learn the basics of soccer. They start with warm ups...

They practice important moves...

and teamwork...

It takes concentration...

And determination...

And she gets better every week!

We have a little soccer player on our hands - the classic soccer camp portrait below makes it sort of 'official'.

We're proud of our little soccer star and we are all looking forward to next year's soccer camp!

:: Look ::

2010-11-01T13:52:00.001-07:00

It's a bird...

It's a plane...

It's SuperGirl and a Hamburger!!

:: Pushing Two ::

2010-10-30T21:47:00.000-07:00

October 31st is a special day in our family, not because it's Halloween, but because it is Jameson's Birthday! And Jameson really isn't into Halloween and dressing up as much as he is into playing with friends, cars, trucks, trains, bulldozers, excavators, and jumping and running around parks. So, what better way to celebrate turning two than spending the morning at the park with friends, a playground, and some trucks?

In order to help him feel unique and special aside from the Halloween hubbub, we decided to celebrate his birthday a few days early this year.

Here is the invitation that I made for his buddies: My lovely friend Ashley and her little one (Jameson's favorite girl buddy) Annike, met us at the park a tad bit early so I could get things set up. Instantly the three kiddos had their shoes were off and were ready for serious fun!

Within minutes they were conquering the playground as they waited for the others to arrive.

In the few minutes it took the three of them to cover every inch of the playground, I set up the party table with cupcakes, favors, and dump trucks that carried goldfish crackers, mini raisin boxes and drinks.

Everything was ready for the arrival of his friends...

And there were lots of friends!!

This little man was *beyond* excited to celebrate with his buddies!

Cupcake time!

He smiled the entire time everyone sang to him!

Once he had his cupcake in hand, he was a bit hesitant to dive right in. He gave it a little taste before deciding his cupcake was worth eating.

His sister on the other hand...well...she had eaten her entire cupcake before he even finished testing the icing!

We had such a great time celebrating this little man! The past two years have been an amazing, wild, fun-filled ride!

:: Thursday's Recipe Rodeo ::

2010-10-28T15:30:00.000-07:00

:: Big Choices ::

2010-10-26T08:44:00.000-07:00

On Saturday the following conversation took place:

A: "Mom, remember that picture you took of Baby Ana in Austria?"
Me: "No, I don't know what picture you mean."
A: "You know. The one where we found her on the ground?"
Me: "Oh yes, I do remember. Why?" (Thinking to myself, 'how does she remember this stuff?')
A: "Well, I've been thinking, and I think we need to get her a stroller or a bed so she doesn't flop on the ground like that."

Me: "Well, when you have enough money saved up, we can go to the store and you can choose something for Baby Ana."
A: "I have money in my piggy bank. I want to buy Baby Ana something today."
Me: "Okay, let's go count it and see if there is enough to get something."
A: "I think there is enough because Baby Ana really shouldn't have to flop on the ground like that anymore!"

Analise has been saving money since she was given a piggy back at the ripe old age of 3 months. Okay, okay, we put the first dollar in there for her, but since then she has been collecting change whenever she can. Any time she sees a coin she asks if she can put it in her piggy bank. Just last week I was cleaning the house and she picked up a towel and started dusting -- completely unprompted and without any expectation of a return for her good work. I told her how thankful I was for her help and hard work and I gave her fifteen cents (aren't I a high roller). She was thrilled and said, "Wow! Thank you! LOOK JAMESON--I earned money! I have to put it in my piggy bank. We have to save money, not play with it!" (Maybe she does listen!)

We opened up the piggy bank and discovered that she had over $10.00. We took out ten dollars and put it in her little red purse before we headed out to Target. On the way we talked a lot about making good choices and how important it is to think through things, especially when it comes to spending money.

Once we got to the doll aisle we came across three things she REALLY wanted to get for Baby Ana. I let her take her time and choose what she wanted to get. At first it was a swing, then it was a stroller, and then a pack & play. She wavered between the swing and pack & play for about five minutes. Eventually she chose the swing and the following took place:

Me: "Are you sure this is the choice you want to make? If you choose this, your decision is final."
A: "Yes. I am sure! I choose the swing!"
Me: "Okay. Great job making a good choice."
A: "Wait. Maybe I should choose something else."
Me: "Analise, I don't want to go back and forth, once you make a choice you need to stick with it."
A: "I know, but if I am going to spend my money, it should be on something that Baby Ana really needs."

She decided that Baby Ana needed a pack & play more than a swing because Baby Ana can play in it and sleep right next to Analise's bed every night. With a smile on my face and a smile in my heart we headed back to the doll aisle and swapped out the swing for the pack & play. I wish I had my camera when she paid the clerk with her own money for something that she chose on her own. She was so proud of her choice!

She is a great mama to her Baby Ana...

...and I am so proud to be her mama!

:: Thursday's Recipe Rodeo ::

2010-10-21T14:22:00.000-07:00

This is the place to get some new recipes or maybe even a twist on an old one. Feel free to take any recipe here and try it out. If you want to join in on the Recipe Rodeo, let me know! I would love to try some of your recipes too!

Today's Round Up: Seasonal Sweets

I keep saying it, and I will say it again -- Fall is here! Fall is here! Having had the pleasure of growing up in a small town on the East coast has given me an affinity for this season like no other. As a child, the crisp clear skies mixed with the crimson, auburn and bright yellow leaves ushered in some of the best outside-maple-leaf-hunting-raking-leaf pile-diving days. Along with the fun that the fall season brings, comes some of the most delightfully delicious treats! Don't get stuck in a rut thinking that the only fall treat is pumpkin pie! If you like pumpkin treats, try these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

* 1 cup canned pumpkin
* 1 cup white sugar
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 1 egg
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
* 1/2 teaspoon all spice
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon milk
* 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (yes, you read that right - 1 TABLESPOON, trust me)
* 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, and egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and salt. Dissolve the baking soda with the milk and stir in. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Add vanilla, chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet (or silpat) and bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 10-12 minutes or until lightly brown and firm. Enjoy!If you want to join in on your own blog, simply link back to this blog and mention that you are partaking in Thursday's Recipe Rodeo. If you don't have a blog and want to share a recipe with us - leave it in the comments!Click here for a printable version of Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

:: FYI Friday ::

2010-10-15T20:08:00.000-07:00

FYI - for your information (things you may, or may not need to know)...

Analise is drawing A LOT. She is creating more intricate pictures, each with its own story, and she is getting quite good at it. While this picture is somewhat simplistic in comparison to what she has been drawing, it was my favorite of the week. Meet Lisi's lion. According to her, "It is a lion because it has eyes, a nose, and a mouth. Without those, it would be a sun."Sometimes when Markus gets home, the kids will request that he make them something. This simple request for a rocket turned into quite a project - he went the extra mile and created a launchpad and a hangar that he let Analise decorate.

We frequent two grocery stores each week, Trader Joe's and Nob Hill (with a Costco run every three weeks or so). Every now and then we will hit up Safeway too, but only if they have a good sale. Some of you had heard my position on Safeway - for those of you who haven't, I will spare you my rant, but I will say this - Nob Hill (Raley's or Bel Air for some of you) is by far the superior store. They always have full shelves, great service (Bay Avenue location), beautiful, delicious, fabulous produce, and great prices (typically much lower than Safeway-for better quality food). They also have great E-Coupons. Last week I got a free 3-lb. bag of Gala apples. This week I got a free loaf of bread. It wouldn't be a bad idea for you to check out their online coupons each week. You can click here to get check what's available this week. If only I had seen this one before I went shopping today.

It was long (no pun intended) overdue, but I finally got my hair cut. It was much needed, and my friend Shelley's mom gracefully remedied my almost-two-year-baby-fallout-frizznastyness.

This little man is obsessed with bulldozers, excavators, and tractors. Thanks for the awesome shirt Shelley. He thinks it is A-OK.

And...he is also practicing how to show you what 2 looks like.

He should have it down before his birthday which is just over 2 weeks away!

:: Thursday's Recipe Rodeo ::

2010-10-14T14:07:00.000-07:00

This is the place to get some new recipes or maybe even a twist on an old one. Feel free to take any recipe here and try it out. If you want to join in on the Recipe Rodeo, let me know! I would love to try some of your recipes too!

Today's Round Up: Soup

I wanted to make use of the tomatoes that we had and came across a great recipe for tomato bisque on this website. I love tomato soup, especially on a cool autumn night. This recipe is delicious, relatively easy to make, and very healthy. We made grilled cheese sandwiches to go with it and it was the perfect pairing! The only thing I may do differently next time is to add a bit more sour cream to enhance the creaminess.

Fresh Tomato Bisque

* 1 tbsp butter
* 1 medium onion
* 1 cup chopped carrots
* 1 celery stalk
* 3 cloves garlic
* 30 oz fresh plum (Roma) tomatoes, peeled (I cut an X on the end and blanch them for easy peeling)
* 32 oz fat free chicken broth (I use Trader Joe's low sodium)
* 3 sprigs parsley
* 10 basil leaves
* 2 bay leaves
* 2 tbsp reduced fat sour cream
* salt and pepper, to taste (definitely needs a fair amount of salt)
* Parmesan cheese for serving (optional)

Directions

Chop onions, carrots, celery and garlic using a mini food processor or chopper. Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add butter until melted, then add chopped onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Cook stirring often until soft, about 8-10 minutes. Add chicken broth and tomatoes, stirring well.

Using a string or a rubber band, tie herbs together and drop into the soup. This will make it easy to remove later. Add salt and fresh pepper, reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 30 minutes.

Remove herbs and discard, add sour cream and blend with a hand blender until smooth. (A regular blender would work, but be sure to let the soup cool before blending and fill only halfway in the blender so it doesn't explode on you). Ladle into bowls and top with freshly grated cheese and fresh basil. Enjoy!
If you want to join in on your own blog, simply link back to this blog and mention that you are partaking in Thursday's Recipe Rodeo. If you don't have a blog and want to share a recipe with us - leave it in the comments!Click here for a printable version of Fresh Tomato Bisque

:: It's Pumpkin Time ::

2010-10-09T23:23:00.000-07:00

This is the third year we have taken a quick trip up Highway 1 to our favorite little pumpkin patch.
The kids were on a mission as soon as we arrived.

Mission 1: Climb the haystack tower.

Mission Complete.

Mission 2: Find the perfect pumpkin.

Nothing could deter Jameson from his mission...except...
.
.
.
.
.
A tractor. A. Big. Tractor.

Then he remembered his mission...

to find the perfect pumpkin...This was not his perfect pumpkin.

After searching for, lifting, dropping, climbing over, and choosing just the right pumpkins, we were finally able to safely say: Mission Complete.

Mission 3: Bring the bounty home.

Mission Pumpkin Day Successful!

:: Thursday's Recipe Rodeo ::

2010-10-07T21:35:00.000-07:00

This is the place to get some new recipes or maybe even a twist on an old one. Feel free to take any recipe here and try it out. If you want to join in on the Recipe Rodeo, let me know! I would love to try some of your recipes too!

Today's Round Up: Sweets

Some of my favorite Canadian folks have been asking for a recipe for the best ooey, gooey cinnamon rolls. Canada, I ask you this: have you ever heard of Pioneer Woman? If you are looking for the best ooey, gooey cinnamon roll recipe, I, in good conscience, cannot post any other Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Roll recipe. I take no credit for this recipe other than the fact that I have eaten plenty of these, and Ree knows what she is doing, because they really are the best. Just thinking of them has me drooling. So, Canada - just in time for Canadian Thanksgiving - go get your bake on! And, rest of the world - go make these because they are ridiculously amazing!

The Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls

* 1 quart Whole Milk
* 1 cup Vegetable Oil
* 1 cup Sugar
* 2 packages Active Dry Yeast
* 8 cups (Plus 1 Cup Extra, Separated) All-purpose Flour
* 1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
* 1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
* 1 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt
* Plenty Of Melted Butter
* 2 cups Sugar
* Generous Sprinkling Of Cinnamon
_____

MAPLE FROSTING:
* 1 bag Powdered Sugar
* 2 teaspoons Maple Flavoring
* 1/2 cups Milk
* 1/4 cups Melted Butter
* 1/4 cups Brewed Coffee
* 1/8 teaspoons Salt

Directions

Mix the milk, vegetable oil and sugar in a pan. Scald the mixture (heat until just before the boiling point). Turn off heat and leave to cool 45 minutes to 1 hour. When the mixture is lukewarm to warm, but NOT hot, sprinkle in both packages of Active Dry Yeast. Let this sit for a minute. Then add 8 cups of all-purpose flour. Stir mixture together. Cover and let rise for at least an hour.

After rising for at least an hour, add 1 more cup of flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir mixture together. (At this point, you could cover the dough and put it in the fridge until you need it – overnight or even a day or two, if necessary. Just keep your eye on it and if it starts to overflow out of the pan, just punch it down).

When ready to prepare rolls: Sprinkle rolling surface generously with flour. Take half the dough and form a rough rectangle. Then roll the dough thin, maintaining a general rectangular shape. Drizzle 1/2 to 1 cup melted butter over the dough. Now sprinkle 1 cup of sugar over the butter followed by a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.

Now, starting at the opposite end, begin rolling the dough in a neat line toward you. Keep the roll relatively tight as you go. Next, pinch the seam of the roll to seal it.

Spread 1 tablespoon of melted butter in a seven inch round foil cake or pie pan. Then begin cutting the rolls approximately ¾ to 1 inch thick and laying them in the buttered pans.

Repeat this process with the other half of the dough. Let the rolls rise for 20 to 30 minutes, then bake at 400 degrees (see note below) until light golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.

For the frosting, mix together all ingredients listed and stir well until smooth. It should be thick but pourable. Taste and adjust as needed. Generously drizzle over the warm rolls. Go crazy and don’t skimp on the frosting. ENJOY!

PW's Note: My rolls don’t work for me at 400 degrees anymore. I now bake them at 375 degrees.

Picture from The Pioneer Woman

Be sure to check out PW's website for more pictures and detailed directions.

Click here for a printable version of The Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls