Five Rocking Chairs

Scripture Memory

2011-06-01T20:45:00.000-04:00

Verse 11 - June 1st
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. James 1:5 (NIV)

Spring Concerts have Sprung!

2011-05-24T21:56:00.000-04:00

May is the month for concerts and recitals. It's been fun to celebrate all of the girls' musical accomplishments. We are so blessed that they have the opportunity to learn from some great teachers! Here are just a few of the highlights (of course video is also available for private showings:).

Ella & Makenna at the piano recital.

Makenna played the flute in the Band concert.

She also had the lead part in the Choral concert. She played a Native American and sang a solo. So proud of how hard she worked on all her lines. Owen could actually say them as well!

Must Have Monday

2011-05-23T09:38:00.000-04:00

Any family of five has moutains of laundry each week! Throw in 3 sports going on at one time and it can become quite overwhelming. I have tried several methods - a load a day, 3 to 4 loads every few days, etc... Since our laundry room is also the main entrance our family uses to the house (and the location of coats, shoes, bookbags, etc...), having laundry in there constantly drives me CRAZY because there is just not room.

So for me, it works best to do 24 hours of non-stop laundry to get it out of the way. That is not to say that I don't do the occasional load in between; however, it's not that much and it doesn't sit in there taking up space. So every Sunday night the laundry gets sorted... but NOT BY ME! Because to make this work, my "must have" is three little laundry sorters. And I start them just shy of 2 years old - as soon as they can identify the color white!

Now at 3 1/2, Owen can successfully sort darks, mediums, and whites with 85% acurracy! He loves doing it! We use to make it a game - laundry basketball - and he would stand on the bed and shoot the underwear into the approriate basket. However, now he is just happy to do his part. Makenna & Ella have been well-trained for years:)

Thanks to the delay cycle on my washer (brilliant!) I manage to get 7 to 8 loads washed and folded and put away by bedtime on Monday night. Did I mention that my sorters also put away their own clothes too

Scripture Memory

2011-05-16T21:07:00.001-04:00

Yesterday at the girl's piano recital, one of the students played the song "Finlandia". Who knew that was the alternative title for the hymn from the 1700's, "Be Still My Soul"? It was beautiful... and the inspiration for my 10th verse.

My soul, wait silently for God alone. For my expectation is from Him. Psalm 62:5 (NKJ)

Here are the words to the first verse of the hymn written over 200 years ago... I wonder what the situation was that caused the writer to pen these lyrics.

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.

Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.

Leave to thy God to order and provide;

In every change, He faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend

Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Florida Part 3

2011-05-04T21:39:00.001-04:00

Okay last one! We really managed to squeeze lots of fun into one week. Thanks mom and dad for the much needed vacation:)

Here are some shots from Easter morning. The kids weren't in the most cooperative mood for a photoshoot... but I managed to get a few.

Sorry for the blurry pics... he was just so excited about his Easter basket it was too cute.

Dan, Michele and the boys came after church for Easter dinner. Derek was very sweet to fill over a hundred eggs to hide for a big hunt. They were also good sports and participated with our kids. You are never too old for a little candy:)

The kids spent the rest of day in the pool.

Finally tuckered out and snuggling with Uncle Dan watching Scooby Doo! Seriously, the kid had endless energy the whole week.

Florida Part 2

2011-05-03T20:59:00.001-04:00

So there are actually going to be three parts to the Florida post! I just had a lot of fun pictures from our day on the boat. We spent the day with Dan, Michele (Scott's sister), DJ & Derek. We rode out to Charlotte Harbor on the boat and put the anchor down on a sandbar. Dan had fixed two SeaDoos just for the occasion (thanks Dan!!). The kids had a blast riding the SeaDoos and tubing. Owen was pretty stoked about the Spiderman life preserver he got to wear.

Grandma and Owen enjoying the boat ride.

Makenna and Derek attempt to keep the tubes from flying off the boat!

DJ riding the SeaDoo... looking much like Scott at age 15!

Owen wanted to sit in the tube that was hooked to the boat... that was anchored. However, he didn't know that and thought he was really moving. At one point he yelled, "Do you think we could go a little faster?"

Scott and I taking a ride on the SeaDoo... he promised not throw me off the back of it.

Dad and Michele taking a spin around the harbor. Pretty adventurous for a guy who is almost 80!

The shipwrecked crew taking time out to build some sand castles.

Ella and I tubing... or me holding on for dear life and Ella having a blast! It was a whole lot harder than it looked.

A landmark moment when Grandma agrees to take a ride with Dan... she even liked it!

Daddy and Owen

Makenna and DJ on the tube

My little dare devil wanted a turn! So this is Owen by himself in the tube! Don't worry, you can see that Makenna is riding on the back of the SeaDoo ready to jump in and save him. He loved every minute of it.

Such a wonderful time on the water!

Must Have Monday

2011-05-02T15:13:00.000-04:00

....fresh flowers to brighten your kitchen. My tulips are gone and it's too soon for my hydrandra... so these will have to do for now. Sometimes it's the flowers that brighten your day and other times it's the delivery boy!

Florida Part 1 and May Verse

2011-05-01T20:58:00.000-04:00

Took a little blogging hiatus... for a much needed post tax season family vacation! We had a wonderful week in Florida with Scott's parents outside of Ft. Myers. The weather was AMAZING every single day. We packed the week with lots of great events, although the kids probably had the best time just playing games with their grandparents and swimming in their pool.

Here is a glimpse of our week (part 1 - too many pics for one post!)

We went to a minor league baseball game - the Charlotte Stone Crabs. It was the perfect night for a game and lots of action on the field. FUN! Owen even got one of the practice balls.

We headed to Siesta Keys Beach for the day. The widest beach I have ever seen with the whitest, softest sand. Then we realized that it was Owen's FIRST time at the beach! How did this happen when we live less than 2 hours from the coast?? Oh well... as you can see he LOVED it and had no problem jumping right in.

Poor kid didn't know what he was suppose to do in the sand so he tried making "snow angels"...#longwinter!

We went to Fisherman's Village and had a nice dinner on the water at Harpoon Harry's. Another beautiful night! We stopped on the way home to watch the sunset over the Gulf.

And that was just the first part of the week!

Here is my May 1st scripture memory. They are starting to add up and I am not even half way. Enjoying the process, but it's more of a challege than I thought it would be.

Rely on the Lord! Be strong and confident! Rely on the Lord!” Psalm 27:14 The NET Bible

Scripture Memory

2011-04-16T15:29:00.000-04:00

April 15th Verse
Using the same verse that Beth Moore picked for the next two weeks. Hope everyone has their taxes done:)

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him!” Isaiah 30:18 NIV

Ella's 10 Commandments

2011-04-14T20:55:00.001-04:00

Now if only her 3 year old brother could read.....

Books, books, books!

2011-04-13T16:46:00.001-04:00

This week Makenna competed in the county-wide Reading Olympics for school. She has read more than 40 books this year in preparation for the competition. I honestly don't know how she does it! In a normal week she probably finished 3 books averaging 300-400 pages - crazy! I am so thankful that she LOVES reading.

Her elementary school sent several teams. They work together to answer questions about the books and compete against another school. It's so cute how excited they get when the question is read - all huddled together, discussing and deciding who will answer.

I was so proud of how well she did! She got to be the captian of the team for one of the three rounds.

Must Have Monday... a day late

2011-04-12T13:42:00.000-04:00

These seem to be handy for a southeast PA spring... especially when you have a boy that LOVES puddles. Gotta love Target for the momma and boy styles!

We've been having a lot of the rainy and 50 days around these parts with the occasional beautiful day to give just a glimmer of hope.

Ready to have my husband back...

2011-04-08T19:33:00.000-04:00

A went to the bathroom today... mostly for 90 seconds of peace.
Owen followed me in and closed the door.
I told him that I wanted privacy and could he please leave.
He said, "No mom I will just turn on the air (fan!) and stay with you. It's okay".

No seriously. 90 seconds of peace. Please.

Must Have Monday

2011-04-04T12:57:00.001-04:00

If your husbands travels or has seasons of long work hours, a set of these near-by are a must-have!! Mine are of the parent variety... but I have heard the in-law variety works quite well too:)

Thanks mom and dad!

Scripture Memory

2011-04-01T15:16:00.000-04:00

April 1st verse:

Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. Psalm 86:11 NIV

The Blue Box goes Green!

2011-04-01T14:55:00.000-04:00

Well looky here what I found.... just a little something to reduce the tax season dinner guilt!

Fruit Tacos

2011-03-24T10:15:00.001-04:00

Scott has been working LONG tax season hours. So at least four nights a week it's just me and the kiddos at the dinner table. I get weary of cooking for the ungrateful, so some nights I give it to something I know will receive rave reviews from all. This is our new favorite "brinner" (breakfast for dinner) food...
Fruit Tacos

Make really thin pancakes, probably like a crepe although I have never made one of those. I add an extra egg and extra 1/4 C skim milk to my regular pancakes. I also add a tablespoon of flax seed. Lightly butter and sugar the pancakes right when they come off the griddle.
Chop strawberries, blackberries, blueberries (whatever you love!) and fill your "taco".

A fun new way to eat breakfast for dinner!

Our Artist

2011-03-22T21:08:00.002-04:00

Ella entered the art contest at the Peter Becker Flower Show. She had to do something with the Gulliver's Travel theme. She was beside herself to see the 2nd Place red ribbon hanging from her watercolor!

The Flower Show was amazing as always. I only got one picture of the kids in front of this fabulous mural. The residents do everything! We were so proud of Mom-mom and all the artists.

Must Have Monday

2011-03-21T08:45:00.002-04:00

Some afternoons I am just dragging.... and craving a fun drink from Starbucks! However, since the closest one is 15 minutes away and those trips can get costly, I love making my own Iced Coffees at home.
You can get one of these shakers almost anywhere. Mine came from Target and it has markings on the side for other "drink recipes" (although I would not recommend those drinks at 2:00 in the afternoon!).

Fill about a third of the way with ice. Then add creamer and/or milk. I like about T. of french vanilla creamer just for a bit of sweetness and then a few more T. of skim milk.

Fill the rest of the way with your left over coffee from the morning. Shake.

I like mine in this "Starbucks knock-off" cup that I found at BB&Beyond for $5.

Enjoy! I promise it will get you through the afternoon. Although for the next 5 Mondays I will be getting mine for FREE because I got this sweet Dunkin Donuts coupon in the mail!

Scripture Memory

2011-03-15T15:04:00.000-04:00

March 15 - Verse #6
Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. I Cor 15:58 (NASB)

Hi, I am Amy and I might be a soccer mom.

2011-03-09T21:24:00.000-05:00

Ella has been playing indoor soccer for the past few months. I am loving the temperature controlled sporting event! I had never been to a facilty like it before... and it's pretty much AWESOME. Three full size turf fields indoors with plenty of bleachers and roaming space. Indoor soccer is a whole different game - they play off the walls and it is FAST moving. Ella is having a blast and learning a ton about the game.

Leah & Ella

Lent

2011-03-07T20:49:00.001-05:00

My brother posted this article on his blog about the observance of Lent. It's been a great resource for our family as we discuss the preparation of Easter. I did not grow up observing the Lenten tradition. To be honest I never understood it as anything more than a "Catholic thing". In recent years, I have come to find much benefit in the tradition. At it's core, Lent is about repentance ... and changing our attitudes, words and lifestyle. What a wonderful contemplation for the 40 days leading up to the grace & mercy of the cross & resurrection.

What's for Dinner?

2011-03-06T21:32:00.000-05:00

Tonight Owen was less than satisfied with what was being served for dinner. After much whining and being told several times that there were no other dinner options, he looked right at Scott and said,

"Fine, then I am going to have THIS for dinner... my thumb".

And so he did.

It's Raining Cats and Dogs

2011-03-03T22:22:00.003-05:00

Saturdays get long during tax season. We recently deviated from our normal routine (public library, YMCA, & Chick-FilA) and ventured to the Valley Forge Convention Center for the Super Pet Expo.

oh my.

First of all, it was insanely crowded. And I would guess that 75% of the people there brought their furry friends on leashes with them. We witnessed all kinds of "accidents" which gave new meaning to "clean up in aisle 4"!

It was like a page out of Dr. Suess. Tall dog, short dog. Fat dog, skinny dog. Fluffy dog, bald dog, Yappy dog, ferocious dog. Slobber, droopy, pouty dog.

The kids had fun. They watched a pot-belly pig paint pictures and pet a bearded dragon lizard!

The only challenge was finding a vendor that sold food... and not dog treats!

Minute to Win It

2011-03-02T20:50:00.001-05:00

My dear friend Kelly made the mistake of taking pictures of our lastest gathering... and then giving them to my on a CD. Bawhaaahaha! I believe that was like signing the permission slip for public posting:) And, it means I get to omit the ones that are less than flattering of me....
The Mowery's had us over this past weekend for dinner and a Minute to Win it challenge. It was hysterical, slightly embarrassing, and enjoyed by all. I am not even going to attempt captions to try to explain what we were doing. If you watch the show (which I never had), maybe it doesn't look quite so ridiculous.

Okay... I guess I have to put in one picture of me. And this just cracks me up because I am honestly not sure how in the world my hair did that!! I am actually trying to get 8 ping pong balls to fall out of the tissue box that is belted to my waist. WHO THINKS OF THESE TASKS???????

Scripture Memory

2011-03-01T21:47:00.000-05:00

March 1st and still plugging away at the resolutions... I am considering adding another one but I am not sure that I want to state it publically because then I have to be accountable for it - haha!

I am actually posting my verses for March 1st and 15th because they go together.

Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. I Cor 15:57,58 (NASB)

These verses come out of my study in the life of David (Annointed, Transformed, Redeemed).

Food Revolution

2011-02-24T22:35:00.000-05:00

If you don't have kids, you may not realize that every aisle of the grocery store is a marketing nightmare. You can't walk five feet without seeing Dora soup (with 500 g of sodium), SpongeBob Cheezits (hydrogenated oils), Cars "fruit" snacks (high fructose corn syrup) and Toy Story white bread (enriched flour).
It's simply exhausting. It's hard enough to keep a family of five happy at the dinner table. Trying to cook healthy meals begins in the store. I go in with the best of intentions... fruits, veggies, yogurt, beans... but three aisles into the trip I have already said no to a multitude of items that have caught the eye of my three year old. (because they are filled with crap and chemicals!)

Eventually he wears me down and the crap goes into the cart to stop the incessant requests. But alas, there just continues to be more enticing items in the aisles to come so the begging continues.

On one particular day I put my foot down by the time we got to dairy and I held strong to my conviction with the high sugar & artifically colored cartoon yogurt.

::EPIC TANTRUM::

The ironic thing is that Owen is a very good eater. But it's just impossible for the little guy to not be tempted by his favorite characters... it's not even about the food!

How about a little Batman broccoli to help a mom out!

"Sun"day

2011-02-23T15:44:00.000-05:00

Well less than two weeks after our snowday, the same gang gathered for an unsual February "sun"day. The kids had off for President's Weekend and the temperature soared to 70 degrees. So, we packed up the scooters, rollerblades and old shoes and headed to the park for some much needed vitamin D!

It was glorious.

Owen could not have been happier dancing in puddles and stomping in muddy grass. Believe me I got the looks from many mothers who had their one child at the park dressed in sparkly sketchers and white leggings. A few even walked by and did the not so subtle comments like "now johnny we don't splash in puddles we walk around them".

WHATEVER. Why squash the enthusiasm I say! What do you expect when you go to the park in February where two feet of snow has melted. We just wore old tennies and sweats. He was so wet and muddy he drove home in his underwear, smiling the whole way:)

Thanks Mowery's for a fun day at the park. Too bad our gift from the Groundhog only lasted one day. Back to winter for a few more weeks.

Trip to the Dentist

2011-02-18T15:05:00.001-05:00

Owen had his first trip to the dentist last week. He was a champion. He had been to the office a GAZILLION times since it's also our orthodondist. He walked himself right back without even being called and pretty much acted like he owned the place.

When we were there a few weeks ago for the girls appts, Owen & I had this lovely interaction:

Me: (mouthing so that the receptionist can't hear me) "Owen, get that gum back in your mouth."

Owen: (yelling across the office for everyone to hear) "Mom, I have to take my gum out of my mouth so I can put my thumb in."

nice.
guess we'll be needing the dentist AND the orthododist for a very long time.

Thursdays in February!

2011-02-17T08:52:00.006-05:00

Our amazing local grocery store, Hennings, has a great sale for February. 99 cent Paninis and 99 cent homemade soup every Thursday! Can't beat that - the Paninis are about 10 inches long. Italian, Chicken Florentine, Turkey bacon cheddar, Roast beef... so many choices and even more soups. If you live in the area, go early in the day for the best selection. Only two Thursdays left. You do need a Hennings card (free) and there is a limit of 4.

Good thing Scott got me this Panini maker for Christmas! (This is HALF of a sandwich btw... nothing like feeding the whole family for less than $5 with fresh, homemade food!)

Snowdays....

2011-02-16T14:44:00.001-05:00

Five snowdays in the first five weeks of the new year and a hand full of 2 hour delays. Enough to make a mama crazy. So might as well add 3 more kids to the mix and have fun ...

and snacks on special plates...

..reading time

and a little outdoor recess!

Let's hope the Groundhog is correct because I am sure ready for an early spring.

Scripture Memory

2011-02-15T20:29:00.000-05:00

Here goes verse #4... should have probably done this before the last one since they are from the same passage but oh well.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Phil 4:6 (NIV)

Never too late to start! http://blog.lproof.org/

Valentine Love

2011-02-15T14:43:00.000-05:00

There was lots of time to make Valentine's with all the snowdays we had this year! Owen loved delivering his cards to his friends. He worked very hard writing the letter "O" on each one:) We started Valentine's with our heart shaped pancakes using these nifty Lillian Vernon molds. Although there is a bit of a trick (and a lot of PAM) to get them to turn out just so.

The pancakes got eaten to quickly so pictures of those! The kids also enjoyed their little treats at their plates - don't worry Owen got a Batman themed one! Tried to steer clear of the candy - they got enough of that in school!

There were beautiful roses delivered in the afternoon. What a wonderful surprise!

The kids actually had their school parties on Friday. This is Makenna with her special friends.

I made Chicken Pot Pie (from the heart:)) for dinner... mostly because it's a HIT with ALL five family members. Sometimes that can be hard to pull off....

The evening ending with...

giggling...

screaming...

entangled bodies...

haha... get your mind of out the gutter!

That would be Kids V. Daddy wrestling match!

Looks like the kids win... again.

Little Old Man

2011-02-10T22:29:00.001-05:00

This was Owen on one of the MANY snow days we had in January! Watching TV, in his PJ's with his favorite "Sunday" socks on... the leg crossed just cracks me up!

Giant Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-02-09T22:09:00.001-05:00

The other weekend Makenna came to me with her American Girl magazine wanting to do one of the activities. Basically it involved producing your own cooking show. I was hesitant because frankly I was tired (it's tax season so Saturdays are just a L O N G day as a single parent). However, I agreed to do it with her as long as I got to pick the recipe! I saw these on Annie's Eats - she makes everything look amazing.

The recipe made 12 cookies - we easily stretched it to 18 and they were still huge! Next time I will just make five cookies and freeze the rest of the dough balls. They are best right out of the oven with milk!

Vocabulary

2011-02-08T22:08:00.000-05:00

Wonderful is defined as cruising the aisles of Target alone on a Sunday afternoon with a Skinny Caramel Macchiato in hand.
Glorious is when you get home from said event and your husband has cleaned the kitchen floor and the bathrooms.

::smile::

I heart Sharpie Markers

2011-02-03T14:25:00.000-05:00

Sharpies are the best. I love the colors. I love the retractable ones. I love them all together on my desk. I love that they are mine and no one is to touch them:)

totally off topic... but is this not the cutest fish mug/pen holder you've ever seen. made by my artist, Ella

I recently finished reading the book Cold Tangerines by Shauna Niequist. Scott gave it to me for Christmas at the recommendation of my SIL, Sarah. I love many of the chapters in this book. I was especially struck by the chapter entitled "Write in Pencil". Although planning, organzing and maintaining order can be very positive qualities, sometimes life throws us curve balls. If we have our life planned out in a Sharpie, it makes it pretty tough to roll with the punches. When we try to control every situation, we don't leave room for God's plans.

"Everything is interim. Everything is a path or a preparation for the next thing, and we never know what the next thing is.... We can dig in, make plans, write in stone, and pretend we're not listening, but the voice of God has a way of being heard....Life with God is a daring dream, full of flashes and last-minute exits and generally all the things we've said we'll never do. And with the surprises comes great hope."

I love to color code my calendar, make lists, cross things off, and have a master plan/schedule in my head. I feel like I operate much better and I at least have the illusion of order with a family of five. However, I admit that I can tend to obsess over silly details that probably do not bother other people. For instance, when the dentist office calls and changes the times of both girls appts. I cringe slightly. I have to cross off my neat color coded calendar and write in the new times. I know that is crazy. But seriously when you have four human beings that are constantly sabbotaging order in the home, I just like to think that my calendar can be my sanity.

Needless to say that writing in pencil in my life is a challenge. Thank goodness that God knows so much better and beyond my Sharpie lists.

February 1

2011-02-01T14:23:00.000-05:00

Two posts in one day. I know. I just realized that it's Feb. 1st which means it's time to post the next verse for this.

"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus". Phil 4:7 NIV

It's not too late to join in. Ironically (or not so!), my friend Laila picked the same passage.

Quotables

2011-02-01T13:08:00.000-05:00

So recently I have found myself documenting all the funny quotes and stories of my 3 year old on this blog. Because seriously, the kid is a crack up! And, because in the first years of your child formulating sentences that is what a good parent does, right:)

But I would be amis if I neglected the quotable moments of my other off-spring. She shall remain nameless because she occassionally reads my blog and will be mad/embarrassed. I never should have let her bookmark the site! So sorry dear child, but this happens to be my parenting outlet and there will be times I need to write about you:)

The problem is the kid is so stinkin smart and watching her brain function is simply amazing. Here are her recent quotes:

"I am not going to play that card game because it is merely a game of luck, there is no skill involved. That game will do nothing to increase my cortex."

"Mom, I believe that my immune system is down."

"It's just another load of laundry, what's the big deal?" (her response when I found clean clothes in her laundry basket.. sometimes she is smart and other times just has a smart mouth!)

"Mom you sound like you are talking out of a parenting textbook or something."

"Mom, did you know there is a Bible App on the I-touch? I really think I need one so I don't have to carry my Bible around."

I LOVE, LOVE you sweetie! God is going to use your amazing memory, planning and thinking skills! I am loving watching you transform into a strong, confident young lady. And although our personalities are sometimes at odds (because we are so much alike!), I adore that you continue to confide in me and share your thoughts.

keep saving your allowance if you want an i-touch though:)

What's in a Word?

2011-01-29T20:37:00.001-05:00

My college friend Cheryl recently talked about choosing a "word" for 2011 to represent your family, your vision/goals. Facebook friends gave great suggestions like clear, perspective, recover, intentional, gratitude, and simplify.

I thought it was a great exercise and discussion topic. What would your personal word be? Your family word?

Over my kitchen sink I have the word Shalom.

In Hebrew, it means peace and is often used as a greeting or farewell in Jewish cultures. A dear pastor and friend gave me clearer insight to this word a few years ago during a sermon series on the book of Mark. Shalom is the "essence of the way things should be, what God desires. Peace together in community."

A daily reminder to seek SHALOM in relationships, in parenting, in homemaking, in decision making, in finances...

Why not choose a personal word or a family word for 2011, then put it somewhere so you can see it often.

How I pass the time!

2011-01-26T16:29:00.000-05:00

Just another cold winter day with my favorite superhero.

Tuscan White Bean Soup

2011-01-24T20:55:00.001-05:00

Over the weekend I attempted to make homemade soup. The recipe came from my neighbor who watches the Food Network while she cooks so I was slightly intimidated. However, it was really good (and healthy!) when she made it so I wanted to give it a try. I am posting the recipe the way she gave it to me with my notes in green.

Warning: I had NO idea how expensive prosciutto was until I already placed my order at the deli counter. Yikes. The good news is that you don't need that much and at least beans are really cheap! I ended up making two batches of this because I already had the pots & food processor out. My stock pot wasn't big enough to double the recipe so I just transferred the soup to my crockpot to finish cooking while I started the next batch. We had it for dinner and I froze two large containers. It was time consuming, but good! And now I have lots more for the winter. The kids totally ate it:)

Ingredients

For the Beans:
1 pound dried cannellini beans (I soaked the beans overnight in water)
2-4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto (I used 1/4 lb)
1 yellow onion, quartered lengthwise
1-2 celery stalk, quartered crosswise (used 2)
1-2 carrot, quartered crosswise (used 2)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed (used 3 b/c I like garlic)
1 bay leaf (forgot to buy this, left out)
1 quart chicken stock
Finely ground sea salt, preferably gray salt (used kosher salt b/c that's what I had)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, optional
For the Bruschetta:
6 slices country-style bread, each 3/4-inch thick
Extra-virgin olive oil
Finely ground sea salt, preferably gray salt

For the Basil topping:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Cook the beans: Rinse the beans, place in a saucepan, and add cold water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, cover, and remove from the heat. Let stand for about 20 minutes, then drain.

Return the beans to the saucepan along with the prosciutto, onion,celery, carrot, garlic, and bay leaf. Pour in the chicken stock and then add water as needed to cover the beans by 2 inches. *Don't be afraid to add the extra water because it's a very thick soup. Slowly bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. (If you heat them too fast, the skins may break.) Adjust the heat to maintain a bare simmer and cook, uncovered, until the beans are almost tender, 20 minutes or longer, depending on the age of the beans. Add salt, to taste, and continue cooking until the beans are tender but not mushy, about 35 minutes longer (1 hr). Remove from the heat and let the beans cool in the liquid. *I let it cook for a full hour and then cool for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the bruschetta: Preheat a stove-top grill pan. Place the bread slices in a single layer on the grill pan and toast until each side is crisp and has grill marks, about 6 minutes. (You can also toast the bread in a 500 degrees F oven on a baking sheet.) Remove from the pan and lightly brush the bread slices on both sides with olive oil, then season lightly with salt & parmesan. Let cool.

Strain the cooled beans and other solids through a sieve, reserving the liquid. In a food processor, puree the beans and solids in batches with 3 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Using a rubber spatula, push the solids through a fine mesh sieve into a clean large saucepan (you should have about 6 cups of soup in the saucepan). *I have a really big food processor so I was able to puree 1/2 of the solids, 1/2 of the liquid and 1 T EVOO at a time. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper, then bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, in a small skillet over high heat, warm the 1/4 cup olive oil. Turn on the fan above your stove. Add the garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to turn brown. Add the red pepper flakes and cook for a few seconds, then add the basil. Cook until basil wilts.

To serve, ladle the hot soup into warmed bowls. Top the soup with a spoon full of the basil mixture. Serve bruschetta with each bowl, adding Parmesan, if desired.

Sometimes Buzz Lightyear lives in my house.

2011-01-24T09:28:00.001-05:00

Have you seen Toy Story 3? Love it. Love it.

Do you remember the scene where Woody is trying to escape from Sunnyside Daycare through the window in the bathroom. He nearly loses his hat in the toilet. Then, he jumps up on the toilet paper and does the classic "running in place" cartoon move.

Yeah, that scene keeps getting played out in every bathroom of our house. How do I know this? Because I keep having to "REROLL"!

Please tell me you would all reroll as well, because I just can't see wasting all that toilet paper.

Retraction of sorts...

2011-01-23T20:54:00.000-05:00

Okay so the day after my last post, my SIL sends me pictures from our weekend together. Lo and behold (I can't believe I actually just typed that!) my brother did in fact capture the memory of Dave N Busters on camera:) Granted they have their coats on because they were ready to leave when he remembered to take a picture! But I thought the group shot outside was cute. My dad was there as well, but he must have been the one taking the picture.

So sorry David:) Guess now we are even since I am apparently being used in sermon stories without my permission.

PA plus MN equals CRAZY FUN

2011-01-19T15:37:00.000-05:00

We said good bye to my brother and his family yesterday morning after spending the past 6 days together. We had a fabulous time together. We packed lots of activities into the weekend. Instead of exchanging Christmas presents for the kids this year, we decided to have a girls day/guys day. So all the girls went to Sweet N Sassy, then shopping and lunch at the Promenade.

Pedicures!

Manicures!

The guys all went to Dave N Busters for an afternoon of gaming and food. Here are some pics of them having a great time....

Wait for it....

Yeah, no pictures. Guess we know who captures the memories in this house. Oh well. They all told me they had fun so that is what counts:)

We spent the rest of the weekend playing LOADS of games, watching movies, bowling, EPIC snowball fights, and eating! The kids so look forward to time with their cousins. If only we could eliminate OHIO so they wouldn't be so far away (because you know how much my husband loves ohio, hehe.).

Check out Makenna's face! I think this was after Shiloh (my 3 yr old niece) got her third strike! She was the bowling superstar.

Sarah and Shiloh waiting...

Owen was far more excited about the airblower.

Okay, I can't even believe I am posting the most embarrassing bowling score EVER. Seriously, 84. Barely beat my son, lost to my 3 yr. old niece, and yes... that was WITH bumpers. Next time we are totally going rollerskating instead because I can still rock the limbo scene.

FUN in the SNOW... turned into a huge snow battle. Grandpop kept throwing snow, then closing the glass door. Thus the attack on my slider.

Off to see Voyage of the Dawn Treader!

Who wears the pants?

2011-01-17T21:50:00.002-05:00

The other day we were running late for afterschool activities. Possibly because two of my kids needed to be at different places at the same time. I forgot something in the house and so I gave Owen a very specific instruction to get in the van and climb in his seat while I ran back inside.

When I came out, he was not in his seat, but instead jumping around in the back of the van. I redirected him to his seat. While straping him in the carseat, I began my verbal discourse of how I needed him to obey the first time and explained that I needed his cooperation... blah, blah, blah.

When I finished, he looked right at me a calmly said, "Mommy, thank you for using your words."

Scripture Memory

2011-01-16T21:49:00.000-05:00

One of my goals for this year is to participate in Beth Moore's scripture memory challenge. The more I type them, the better I will learn them so I am posting my first two "picks".

Jan. 1: Isaiah 26:3 (New International Version, ©2010) You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.
Jan. 15: Proverbs 14:30 (New International Version, ©2010) A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.

Also two women in the "blogging world" are in need of prayer. It's funny how you feel like you know someone that you've never met other that by reading their blog. The first is Edie of Life in Grace - their house burned to the ground a few days before Christmas. The second is Joanne of Simple Wife who suffered a stroke last week. She is in a coma with swelling on the brain... 38yrs. old with two young girls. One has lost all earthly things and the other has lost health, but neither has lost their faith.

Pick-up lines and Bump Removal!

2011-01-10T22:27:00.000-05:00

Warning: Graphic medical content and pictures of pre-schoolers on drugs to follow!

Despite the snow storm, we successfully made it down to CHoP on Friday morning for Owen's hernia & ear tube surgery. I was going to rent a plow if necessary because a mom should really not have to push her son's intestines back into his body 5 times a day! Or what Owen so cutely named "his Bump".

We had an 8:30 arrival time. Unfortunately, the procedure before us went VERY long so we waited in pre-op for nearly 4 hours. Owen was a champ! Honestly, we were grumpier than he was - and starving! Probably would be really bad parenting to eat in front of you child that has been fasting for 16 hours.

(This was around 9am ... before we realized we'd be in that little room all morning!)

They finally gave him the "gigglejuice" (sedative) around noon. This of course is hysterical for the parents. Okay, maybe some parents get all weepy and wigged out watching their child dozing off before surgery. He is just so funny on drugs you can't help but laugh (and take pictures). He was a little confused at first because he thought it was time for his popsicle and instead he got a syringe of medicine and three drops of apple juice. He made sure the nurse was aware of his disappointment. LOOK AT THAT FACE!

A new nurse came in a few minutes later to take over. By this time the drugs are kicking in, thus "happy" Owen. Seriously, is that little surgeon hat not so stinkin cute.

Owen is gripping the sides of the bed and swaying back and forth looking quite intoxicated. He leans over the rail and says to the nurse, "Hey, ya wanna hear me hiccup?".

The nurse is clearly amused by this novel pick-up line.

She goes to check his ID bracelet and says, "Now are you Owen?"

To which he quickly responds, "No, call me DASH!". *that would DASH from the movie the Incredibles*

He continues his charade and insists that everyone that comes in the room must refer to him as DASH. I, of course, am ElastiGirl and Scott is Mr. Incredible. The residents, nurses and both surgeons were happy to go along with his drug induced illusion of being a superhero to the point where someone actually wrote it on his chart so that the nurse in the recovery room would call him DASH when he woke up.

He did have a rough time in recovery coming out of the anesthia. A totally normal reaction, but hard nonetheless when it's your child having the inconsolible, combative, irrational screaming fit that lasts for 30 minutes.

Everything went great though and the Bump has been removed (apparently quite a large bump accord. to the Urologist). We are so fortunate to have such an amazing, world renowned hospital in our backyard. It's an incredible place. Even more fortunate that we were there for two rather minor/routine procedures. Many in the parent waiting room were clearly not having the same kind of outcomes. It's a sobering reminder of the blessing of a healthy child.

DASH is back in action. In fact he was running around that night after dinner! hmmm... i don't think the other boy in the house will fair so well after he has his visit to the urologist....

Conspiracy Theory

2011-01-05T21:25:00.000-05:00

So I have decided that the IRS and the Airlines have ganged up against us.

We were so excited that finally after a decade of waiting, Easter falls AFTER tax season this year. Yippee. Not only can we see Scott for the holiday, but we can actually take advantage of the days off school to go see family - namely those that live in sunny Florida! We came to the decision that we were going to drive to Florida to save some money and also be able to stop in Georgia to see our dear friends the McCowns. We would be able to leave on Saturday, April 16th giving us over a week since the girls have off the Monday after Easter.

Perfect.
Or not.

The IRS just announced that they decided to push back the tax filing deadline this year to MONDAY, APRIL 18!! Ahhhh. Apparently the 15th is Emancipation Day which is celebrated in Washington, DC. Not sure by whom (other than gov't employees!).
Thus, we can't leave on our trip until Tuesday which wouldn't give us much time in Flordia if we drove. So the airlines it is. And although I am a fan of Southwest... there is no such thing as a good deal on airfare when you have to multiply it by FIVE:(

Well the bright side is that I have something to get me through the next four long months of cold weather and long work hours.... counting down the days til we fly to Florida.

And so a new year begins.

2011-01-01T21:30:00.000-05:00

New beginnings. 2011.
It's a little strange to think that I am linked to a different century than my children... and that they only have a post 9/11 perspective of the world. Someday Owen will tell people, "My parents were born in the 1900's". These are the things I ponder while considering resolutions for the new year.

It would be so easy to rattle off a whole list of desirable goals in the familiar categories of diet, exercise, personal growth, relationships, organization, etc... A list that looks so noble and exciting in January is so daunting and burdensome by March. However, I do think it's important to set goals - ones that are manageable, but still require some effort beyond our comfort zone. I am only choosing to list three publically - because frankly if you aren't telling me yours, why should I tell you all mine - ha!

FIRST~ I am doing the Beth Moore Bible memory challenge with a college friend. It's a very do-able goal, but potentially very impacting as well.

SECOND~ I got the girls and I the Mother/Daughter Daily Devotional by Dannah Gresh. Now right off the bat I can tell you that we won't accomplish it in a year because doing it "daily" is NOT a do-able goal for us. However, I am looking forward to doing at least 2 or 3 times a week together. It's so hard to carve out that individual time with three kids at very different stages.

THIRD~ At the risk of posting the cliche weight loss/exercise goal... I want to continue to get to the Y three times a week. Mostly because I just feel so much better about everything else when I get my butt kicked in RPM class! Not seeking a particular outcome or number per se, just really want to be healthy and sane which for me means time by myself at the gym. Unfortunately, this tends to be the first thing cut out of my schedule when the kids get sick or life gets busy.

Sure there are lots of other things I loved to cross off my "life list" this year as well, but I think sticking to these three will be more than enough for me. If I make it through tax season with some bit of success in any of these, I will be thrilled!

Hurry, quick before the ball drops...

2011-01-01T11:40:00.000-05:00

That's how I usually feel the last few days of December! How to make the most of girls' vacation, make sure my husband feels special on his December birthday (no Christmas wrapping paper here!), and celebrate our wedding anniversary all before the clocks stikes 12 to mark the end of the year.

Hopefully some goals were met:)

My parents got the kids tickets to see Disney on Ice for Christmas. The snow storm and 50 mph winds were threatening to cancel our day, but we managed to make it to the Wells Fargo Center. And one little boy couldn't have been happier to see Buzz Lightyear.

Waiting for the show to start.

Scott and I got to have two days to ourselves to celebrate his 40th birthday and our 17th wedding anniversary. We had a very relaxing time and two great meals at restaurants without kids:) I earned a free massage with my mobilefit points at the gym so I cashed that in as well!

We rang in the New Year with our friends the Jackson's. All but one (Owen) managed to stay up until the ball dropped... the unsupervised dessert table probably contributed to the VERY awake children.

Malena Jackson, Makenna, Ella and Avery Jackson

Scott & Brock toasting the New Year

Us with Manale & Steve Jackson

Happy New Year!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2010-12-24T22:35:00.000-05:00

Friends gathered to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

Christmas quiche have been baked.

Christmas Eve Service at church was wonderful (and standing room only... Ella sat on my lap & Makenna shared a seat w/ a friend!)

The final Advent candle has been lit and the Christmas story read by Scott & Ella.

Traditional Christmas Eve PJ's have been opened.

Cookies & carrots have been set out for Santa and the reindeer.

Looking forward to continuing the celebration tomorrow! All the kiddos in bed and presents under the tree. Enjoying a quite moment.

Winter Concert

2010-12-21T21:19:00.000-05:00

Great job Makenna! Last week we went to Makenna's Winter Concert. She played the flute in the band and sang in the chorus. The kids did fantastic... sure don't remember our elementary school sounding that good.

It's hard to see Makenna singing - her head is hidden in the second row. But, her friend Kimmy is the blond in the top row.

Christmas Greetings 2010

2010-12-15T09:07:00.001-05:00

I always enjoy Christmas card season.

First, it disciplines me to reflect on the blessings of the year. Life can be so hectic that we don't allow ourselves the time to consider the joys and trials of the year and how we are impacted. I am sure no one really cares how many softball or soccer games we sat through or the details of every developmental stage of a toddler... but as a mom is fun to think back over the year.

Second, I love receiving all your cards! Call me old-fashioned but there is just something about pulling that envelope out of the mailbox. My grandmother passed away rather suddenly this Fall. My mom found boxes of letters that she had saved. What a treasure to be able to read them decades later. And, after the holidays we like to pull a Christmas card from the basket each night at dinner and pray for that family. So if you don't send us a card, we won't pray for you - haha.

Scott has been busy building Kregel & Company CPA for the past 18 months. It's been exciting to watch the business grow. This Fall he hired another employee and expanded his office space. He continues to run and set a personal record in the Steamtown Marathon this Fall - 3 hrs. 2 mins. He and a neighbor had fun this summer coaching Ella's soccer team.

Makenna turned 10 this summer and she's in the 5th grade. Most of the time you will find her reading 700 page books! However, she also enjoys playing the piano & flute, singing at church, playing softball, and emailing her friends. Learning sign language is her goal for this year. This is the first time in many years that she did NOT have to have ear tubes! Now that she has the industrial stength tubes, they will actually have to be surgically removed someday.

Ella turned 8 this Fall and she is in 2nd grade. She has blossomed into our little artist and she did well in soccer. She is also playing piano. Ella is very sensitive and helpful to others. She loves reading, playing outdoors with friends, and American Girl.

Owen celebrated his birthday on Monday. Not sure where the last three years went... the crib is gone and so are the diapers. Bittersweet. He makes us laugh everyday (and gives a few headaches too!). The child talks incessantly with a vocabulary that continues to amaze me. Although he has been highly influenced by his two older sisters (and knows the names of all the American Girls), he is also 300% boy. He has no fear. At the end of this week, he will be having double surgery to repair a hernia and put in the second set of ear tubes. (Guess he is making up for Makenna's "year-off"!)

I have increased my hours working for the business this year...and am actually enjoying it. On the homefront the "daily operations" keep me hopping, as well as RPM class, Bible Study, & the occasional book. I enjoy planning our traveling adventures too. In May, we had a memorable trip to Disney with Scott's parents, We made our 54 hour round trip trek to Minnesota again this summer (with stops to see family/friends in Indy, St. Louis, & Chicago). We spent an amazing Fall weekend in New England with dear friends. Thanksgiving found us in snow covered Minnesota with David & family.

Wishing your family a blessed Christmas season. We truly have much to be thankful for.
Merry Christmas!
Scott, Amy, Makenna, Ella & Owen

Happy 3rd Birthday Owen!

2010-12-13T22:34:00.000-05:00

I love THREE. It's the first time kids really "get" the whole birthday thing. And, one great thing (maybe the only great thing) about a December birthday is that you can "count down" to your birthday with the Advent calendar:) Owen has been moving the calendar each day in anticipation of the 1 and 3 day. And the day did not disappoint.

We spent the morning at Giggleberry Fair in Peddler's Village with his friend Emily.

He soaked through two shirts after playing at the water table... he spent the rest of the morning drying out.

Grandmom and Grandpop Landt came at night for dinner. Owen's friend Jonathan joined us for cake.

Before going to bed he asked me if he was still three:)

The Ones that Didn't Make It

2010-12-11T15:46:00.001-05:00

So this picture was a SERIOUS contender for the Christmas card this year... highlighting the differences in our children's personalities.

But Lindsey did such an awesome job this Fall of capturing our family, that I just had to use one of her pictures. Here are few of the extra pictures. Ironically, the day of these pictures Owen not only had a hernia, but also a double ear infection that we didn't know about yet.

Snapshots of December

2010-12-09T21:45:00.000-05:00

On your mark, get set, go.... and December is off! With 6 family birthdays this month and our wedding anniversary, the holiday craze is elevated to a new level in our house. So you know, why not schedule a double surgery for my son while we are at it!! More on that later...

Here is the first week of December in photos.

Souderton Christmas Parade - a little cold, but a lot of fun. Are we the only town that has a 1/2 mile of tractors in every parade? It's like a John Deere commercial (which you shouldn't buy anyway because Kubotas rock :) just a little plug for a friend)

Christmas Piano Recital

Leah & Kimmy Mowery, Ella & Makenna all played a quartet on two pianos. The girls did awesome... the mammas were quite nervous since the practice sessions involved a lot of giggling and tempo conflicts!

Abbey with our two wonderful piano players.

Celebrating Mom's birthday a few weeks early. She had a little help blowing out her candles.

A trip to the Crayola Factory with our friends, the Stoudts. The girls had off school for an in-service day and the place was empty.

Ok, ready to start week two!

I was dreaming of a White Thanksgiving

2010-12-04T22:02:00.000-05:00

We spent the week of Thanksgiving in Minnesota visiting with my brother's family. Seven kids between 2 & 10 and four adults.. it was a blast! Although it always makes me a little sad when we get all the cousins together, because it reminds me how much fun they have... and how far away we are from each other.

There is no easy, quick or cheap way to get from PA to MN. However, we managed to skate through airport security in the "family fast pass" lane - almost as great as Disney. Unfortunately, Ella coordinated her stomach flu with landing of the plane - you never realize how small those white bags are in the back of the seat til you need them. Thankfully she recovered rather quickly and no one else got sick.

There was snow on the ground when we arrived and we got more on Thanksgiving Eve. It was beautiful. The kids went sledding on Thanksgiving.

We took the kids to Nickelodeon Universe, the amusement park inside the Mall of America.

Then we had a spa day for the girls and a Wii competition for the boys.

It was a fabulous week of memories!

Country Bumpkins

2010-11-15T22:03:00.003-05:00

Our longtime dear friends, the Fafel's, recently moved.... to the country. Which is a pretty comical thought anyway since they already lived in Lancaster (for the non-PA folks that's Amish country!). They moved 10 minutes down the road to Conestoga - home of the wagon museum. We recently got to visit them in their new home. It is a rare treasure to have friends that have survived 2 decades of joys, sorrows, and 7 children between us.

Leaf Therapy

2010-11-15T22:03:00.001-05:00

I can't imagine living somewhere that didn't "celebrate Fall"! My view from the kitchen window everyday this month...

I heart Autumn in Pennsylvania!

Happy Birthday Ella!

2010-11-12T12:07:00.001-05:00

Hard to believe that my little, sweet Ella could be 8 years old. She was my easiest delivery:)

We celebrated last week with her friends because they had a day off school. It was such a fun party... and I didn't have to do a thing but enjoy it with her! The Playful Chef came to our house and did a cooking party with Ella and her friends.

They made Chef hats....

And pizzas....

And recipe books...

And decorated cupcakes....

And had such a great time!

Thank you Chef Alisa for a wonderful birthday celebration (and making my part so easy!)

Under Construction

2010-11-04T23:25:00.000-04:00

working on some changes, slowly...

still here...

2010-10-28T21:32:00.000-04:00

I am a terrible blogger.

I know it. You know it.

The deal is that I had a chance to complete a digital scrapbook - but I had a deadline in order to use a coupon. So, I have spent my "free time" figuring out the program and creating the book. It's ordered. Now I am just waiting for it to arrive. The jury is still out because I do like the craft of scrapbooking. However, with 3 kids it's simply not possible to keep up with everything.

So, now I am back.

Kind of.

I am also not happy with my blog template right now and frankly I have been too lazy to create a new one. So I need to do that...

That's the deal.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

2010-07-01T22:32:00.000-04:00

We are up at the cabin in Minnesota this week with my brother's family.
Last year my SIL, Sarah, and I had the idea to celebrate all 7 kids birthdays together. Most of them have fall/winter bdays so we can never buy them fun summertime gifts. Since there are so many miles between us, we rarely get to see the kids open their gifts. Thus the group summer bday party emerged. It was such a HUGE hit that we decided to continue the tradition this year.

We mixed it up so they would be surprised. We decorated at night for a breakfast birthday with Mickey Mouse waffles, fruit and ice cream. The kids LOVED it! Here are a few pics. My camera battery died so I have to wait to get a few more from my mom.

Paybacks... take two.

2010-06-15T10:00:00.001-04:00

The sister abuse was getting serious.

I had to step in and take action.

Thank goodness for the hand-me down bag from Aunt Vicki to save my poor son from further humiliation.

Poof. Bam. Pow. To the Batmobile Robin.

Piano Recital

2010-06-13T16:00:00.001-04:00

The girls had their piano recital last Sunday. Ella just started lessons in January so this was her first public performance. They both did wonderful. Now if only their mom could figure out how to get the video uploaded! That is on my very long list of intentions...

We were so glad that Mom-mom could be there in person and Great Granny O could be there via cell phone.

Abbey, their piano teacher

Abbey's piano students

The girls with Mom mom

My parents with Ella

Yummo.

2010-06-12T09:57:00.001-04:00

We have been picking these everyday this week. This year we have enough for everyone... Owen likes to eat them right off the bush. We are loving our garden.

before... and after

2010-06-11T21:57:00.000-04:00

Makenna literally could not contain her excitment yesterday. The braces came off! For now. There is a chance she will need either a retainer or braces later when the rest of her teeth fall out. But for now, she is metal free and breathing better with her expanded airway.

Her appointment was at 5. Braces off by 5:40. Chewing gum at 5:45. Playing catcher in the softball game at 6:30. She even got two hits:)

Makenna with her Ortho. technician, Heather. They became very good pals.

Makenna about to steal third base in the last game of the regular season.

What do you see in the clouds?

2010-06-03T12:00:00.001-04:00

Warning: Graphic Content. Reader discretion advised.

So while we were in Disney, Owen decided he wanted to potty train himself! His idea... not ours. Although it worked out kind of nicely, because we didn't change a single dirty diaper while in the parks! Seriously the kid pooped in Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. Now don't think he is by any means potty trained... but he does manage to "make the magic happen" anytime we put him on the throne.

Since we have been home, he began this unique habit of "naming" his "products". Some people see figures in the clouds... it seems my son see things in his.. poop! It started with moustaches, meatballs, and hamburgers. Then it advanced to Chip & Dale, arms, noses, and animals! As soon as he is finished, he peeks in and begins to label his prizes.

There are no limits to this kid's humor. He cracks me up on a daily basis. I only hope we will find a way to positively channel his intelligence and humor before pre-school:) I am thankful for my daily reminder of God's special blessing in our life!

Disney Highlights

2010-06-02T14:15:00.000-04:00

It's hard to believe we've been home from our Florida trip for two weeks. Owen talks about it everyday! We spent 3 days in the Disney parks and the rest of the week in North Port. Scott's parents joined us in Orlando, then drove us back to their home. It was so much fun to have those memories together. And, it was a huge help to have two extra adults at Disneyworld... meeting the entertainment desires of children ranging from 2yr. - 10 yr. is not an easy task.

Downtown Disney

Honey I Shrunk the Kids with Grandma & Grandpa

Owen's dream come true... he waited patiently in line for an hour to meet Buzz & Woody. He was a little disappointed when Buzz couldn't talk though:)

We were the "host dinner family" at the Liberty Tree Tavern that night. Makenna got to ring the bell and call everyone to dinner.

Back in North Port at our favorite ice cream place... a tradition with Grandma and Grandpa Kregel.

Are there any "friendly skies" left?

2010-05-24T15:29:00.000-04:00

Flying with young children is anxiety filled to say the least. We have certainly logged our share of frequent flyer miles with having family around the country. Despite being veterans, it seems that the airlines continue to make it increasingly challenging ... and well frankly anti-family.

There are many "must-haves" for air travel with children (i.e. the portable DVD player with charged batteries!); however, these days it may be that the airline you choose could make the most impact in your decision.

Rather than waste time telling you all the annoying rules, fees and attitudes of other airlines... I will simply say that our family are fans of Southwest Airlines. Can we say TWO snacks, unlimited drinks, bags fly free, coloring books, happy flight attendants that sing, and early boarding for families with small children so you can actually sit TOGETHER (now there is a novel idea, ahem... are you listening USAir???)!

But best of all they still give out these pilot wings to little boys:)

So excited that they now fly to Minnesota:)

Band Concert

2010-05-21T13:48:00.000-04:00

Lots of photos to post soon from our recent trip to Disney! But our first day back we jumped on the moving carousel of school & work, etc. Makenna had her first Band Concert on Wednesday night. She plays the flute. The kids did a great job.

When the 4th and 5th graders combined for the last song, there was no room on the stage so all the kids had to stand. A few times the trumbone behind Makenna nearly hit her in the head! Hopefully next year the concert can be moved to a larger school... so parents don't have to come an hour early just to have a seat.

Cutting a Pineapple

2010-05-17T09:00:00.001-04:00

I absolutely love my Pampered Chef pineapple cutter! It seemed like a frivolous purchase... I mean how many times do you buy a pineapple. But, I am so glad I have it now. So easy to use. And a local produce stand has pineapples for $2! Wahoo.

Slice off the top and base

Place the cutter on top with the inner circle aligned with the pineapple core. Push down by pressing on the side handles in a rocking motion (similar to an apple cutter).

The slicer cuts off the rind, cores the pineapple and leaves two halves.

So Good!!

Raised Bed Garden

2010-05-07T16:25:00.000-04:00

So I convinced Scott to build me a second raised bed garden this year. Since I had the genetically altered zucchini plant that took over last year, I needed more room! I am so excited for the start of gardening season. Just finished getting all the veggies in the ground.

If you are thinking of starting your own, I highly recommend an awesome book The Vegetable Gardener's Bible to get started. Raised beds are the way to go if you have rocky soil or if you want to keep your garden "contained" and looking a little neater in the backyard.

I still need to plant the marigolds around the base of the garden. They act as a natural deterent to varmits - and we have a lot of those in the field behind our yard (fox, deer, wild turkey, vultures, and bunnies!).

I am super excited about our berries that we planted last year. They have tripled in size so hopefully there will be lots of blue, black and red berries this year! So much cheaper than the grocery store.

Here is my little gardening buddy who "helped" plant the beans... I have a feeling we will be seeing some sprouts in unusual places:) He loves to dig in the dirt and look for worms.

All in a Day's Work

2010-05-04T15:38:00.001-04:00

I love my job. This is what I accomplished yesterday.

Play-doh figures and Hugs.

Paybacks....

2010-03-23T22:28:00.001-04:00

"Someday my sisters will be in big trouble for this one..."

A new take on Veggies

2010-03-03T13:51:00.002-05:00

Last night I asked Owen to sit down on his seat and eat his beans and finish dinner.

He looked at me and said, "Umm.. how about jelly beans?"
"No, eat your green beans."
"Pretty please mommy."

Oatmeal Pancakes

2010-02-25T21:52:00.002-05:00

A great recipe for breakfast or dinner! We will be making this tomorrow morning if we yet another snow day (4th of the year...). I can't take credit - my dear college friend Laila passed it along to me.

2 Cups Oatmeal
1/2 Cup Flour (I use whole wheat)
1/4 Cup sugar
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
2 Cups buttermilk
1/4 C butter melted
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
(Optional things I add - some cinnamon and flax seed)

Mix dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, mix wet ingredients together. Add wet to dry. Mix gently til blended, don't overmix

Let stand 15 minutes.
Batter will be thick, don't add liquid. Make pancakes small - they are thick.

Great to take "on the go". Batter can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge.

ENJOY!

FREE money!

2010-02-21T19:51:00.004-05:00

Have you discovered eBates yet? It's a great site for finding on-line coupons and it earns you FREE MONEY just for doing your on-line shopping through their site. Here is how it works:

1. Sign up for an account at the link below.
2. You automatically earn $5 just for signing up- seriously, it's FREE MONEY! And, by using the link below I get $5 for referring you - BONUS, I will be your BFF:)
3. When you want to shop on-line, just go to ebates.com and find your favorite stores like Target, Lands End, Wal-Mart, Old Navy, etc... Click on that store and receive anywhere from 1%-5% back on your purchases. It's as easy as that! They have specials that offer Double Cash Back too!
4. When you reach the $15 mark, they send you a check in the mail. Just got mine the other day.

Note: In order to "activate" your account and for us both to receive the $5 bonus, you need to make a $20 purchase through the site in the first 90 days of you membership.

Here is the link:
http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=BgiXdOPs395meW6fPVXNlg%3D%3D

Happy Shopping!

For the Love of Candy

2010-02-20T13:39:00.004-05:00

The kids had their Valentine party at school yesterday since they missed it last week due to the snow. As soon as they got home they both ripped into their bags to see what heart goodies were waiting.

Ella pulled out a valentine from a boy in her class and exclaimed, "Oh Alex, you made all my dreams come true!"

Apparently all it takes to win over my daughter's heart is sour apple Fun Dip (aka artificially colored sugar in a pouch!). Let's hope she is a little more discerning in the future.

My Little Knitter

2010-02-16T14:59:00.003-05:00

This winter I taught Ella how to knit. She is working on a scarf for herself. When the letter came home from school about the 1st Grade Day 100 project, we thought it would be fun to do 100 knitting stitches. I am thinking it will be one of a kind! She does a great job - her great grandmother would be very proud!

Knitting is my tax season activity. In January, I managed to knit three scarves! My production has slowed a bit since I am helping Ella and Makenna with their projects... and playing knitting police because Owen likes to take the stitches off and steal the needles for drum sticks. Oh the fun just never ends.

Blizzard 2010

2010-02-10T21:30:00.003-05:00

This past weekend we got a foot of snow. Now just a few days later we are getting another 18-20 inches with blizzard conditions. Two days of school cancelled - the kids are thrilled and can't get enough of snow fun. Owen cries when it's time to come inside.

View from our front door...

Kids say the darndest things...

2010-01-30T22:15:00.007-05:00

Owen showing me how strong he is...

and then "hiding" behind the stairs!

Recent Quotables by Owen (2 years old)

"Mommy, your hair cut fell down" - I guess he rarely sees me when my hair isn't in a ponytail! This happened to be a day that I actually did my hair.

"Hoey mackeroal" - translation: holy mackeral

"Barn it" - I guess it could be worse... but I believe he means darn it.

"Yaya is noying" - translation : Ella is annoying.

"I yove diapers." - this is what he said when I asked him to throw away an expired Huggies coupon. Guess potty training is out of the question.

"I stink, got some poops." he tells me this daily!

Me "Where are you going with that lunch box?" Owen "To my office"

Me "What do you want for lunch?" Owen "Fruit salad, yummy, yummy."

"Oscar (the grouch) is hiding in the bathroom." - he told me this when I found him rummaging through the trash can!

Christmas 2009

2009-12-18T00:00:00.001-05:00

So it feels strange to be writing our Christmas letter. The majority of our Christmas cards over the past 12 years included a family picture with our golden retreiver, Payton. Sadly, we said good-bye to Payton in September. It actually was a hard year of good-byes for us. We lost my grandfather, Scott's grandfather, and my uncle. Grief is a difficult process, but it's even harder as you help your children understand it. However, we have much to be thankful for this year.

Makenna is 9 1/2 yrs. old and in the 4th grade. She loves school. She keeps busy with piano, reading olympics team, flute and softball. This is probably the first time in 7 years that I have no surgeries to report for this child! Maybe the 6th set of ear tubes finally did the trick - here's to hoping.

(Makenna's piano recital)
Ella turned 7 in November and celebrated her birthday with her first trip to New York City - American Girl Place of course! She is enjoying first grade and has really blossomed as a reader. Ella is our little artist as well. I think that she currently has less teeth than her little brother.

(Ella & I ice skating at Rockafeller Center in NYC)
Owen turned 2 on Dec. 13th. It's hard to believe how quickly the time has gone. Parenting a boy has definitely proved to be a new adventure! He is a spunky, assertive, hands-on guy who constantly makes us laugh. He talks incessantly and is curious about everything... a combination that can be exhausting at times. Owen seems to be following in his sister's footsteps... he had his first set of ear tubes this summer.

(Owen and daddy out for a ride during our first snow)

Scott made the big leap this June and started his own CPA firm, Kregel & Company (http://www.kregel-cpa.com/). He found some great office space in Souderton this Fall. It has been an exciting transition, but not without challenges. We are experiencing both the pros and cons of self-employment. Scott continues to enjoy running. In November, he ran the Philly marathon in 3 hours, 7 minutes.

I have been working a couple days a week for Scott, some from home and one day in the office. Owen gets to enjoy his day with grandmom and grandpop since my dad retired. The rest of the week I keep busy volunteering at the girl's school, taking classes at the Y, and women's Bible study. Owen is also teaching me how to play with cars & trains and the art of t-ball!

We were very thankful to my parents this year for watching the kids so we could get away twice this year. Once to Key West for our 15 yr. anniversary and once to Toronto for a business trip. It was so nice to have the time together. We will celebrate 16 years of marriage at the end of this month.

Merry Christmas to your family! May you focus on the Hope of our Savior this season.

The Kregel Family

Scott, Amy, Makenna, Ella Rae, and Owen

Owen's Birthday - Dec. 13th

2009-12-17T23:10:00.003-05:00

Owen had a wonderful birthday! His "happy to you" as he would say. It far exceeded his expectations, as he really just wanted an Elmo balloon. He was all smiles, all day long. Two is great - old enough to know that the attention is on you, but not disappointed about anything b/c you have no preconceived ideas about what a birthday should be.

Verbalizing Emotions... at two!

2009-12-10T20:36:00.003-05:00

Last night Owen and I were in the rocking chair going through our nightly routine - the usual books, songs & prayers. After singing the "Dee-sus song" (Away in the Manger) five times, Owen looked up an said, "again, Mommy". "No, it's time for bed now." Then he turned to me and said, "Mommy, I sad."

So I sang it again.

The Meaning of Christmas

2009-12-05T20:10:00.004-05:00

Whew! Okay... I can't get that behind in my blog again. Too much to catch up on... and then I don't write about the incidental happenings like Owen writing all over Ella's walls & the kitchen floor, Makenna accidently text messaging one of Scott's clients, the first time Owen said "I love you Mom" and the joy of watching Ella fall in love with reading.

This week I had Owen's 2 year appt. at Picture People... can I just say that this December birthday thing is going to drive me crazy! It's not just the overload of presents and the fact that no one needs another party to attend... but then there is the scheduling of the picture & well visit during an already busy month. Celebrating the half birthday is sounding like a superb idea.

Anyway, I digress. The Picture People is located right across from all the holiday mall entertainment - train, photo ops with the big guy, etc... So we come out of the store and Owen says, "Mommy, I go see Satan".... uh, yikes! Hum, let's practice saying it this way SAN-TA!

It made realize though that until last week he had no idea who Santa even was and still just thinks he is Pop-Pop in a red suit. However, he has been very obsessed with Baby Jesus and is able to point out every nativity scene. We, as parents, have such an opportunity to shape his view of Christmas.

November Highlights Continued...

2009-12-05T19:55:00.004-05:00

Okay, so I decided to do a new post for the rest of the November pics...

Ella turns Seven.

Ella and Mom-Mom

The Mowery's came for cake

Thanksgiving Dinner at Mom and Dad Landt's

Photo Update: Part Five

2009-12-05T18:59:00.011-05:00

November... at least I am getting close to catching up on my blog:)

The big event was Ella's birthday trip to New York City. My friend Manale and I had take the older girl's for their 7th birthday and we decided to repeat the tradition. So the four of us drove to Trenton, took the train to Penn Station, then a taxi to Rockafeller Center. We took the girls ice skating. So much fun!!

Afterwards we headed to American Girl Place....

Lunch in the Cafe

Shopping! Ella decided to get "Rebecca" as her birthday doll. The girls had so much fun. They were both exhausted. Great memories.

Photo Update: Part Four

2009-12-05T15:47:00.006-05:00

October is my favorite month of the year! And the fact the we managed to make it through WITHOUT the swine flu was bonus. At one point more than 50% of Ella's class was out sick.

We managed to pack in lots of fun Fall events.

We gave dad a trip to the Philly zoo for Father's Day... and finally got a chance to take him on a beautiful Fall day. They hadn't been there, well in probably decades! It's always a hoot to go to the zoo with Owen because he gets so excited to see the animal.

We were spoiled to be able to take a second "adult only" trip this year. Scott had a business trip with Chris Jurin so Danielle and I went along for fun. We spent a few days in Toronto, then stopped at Niagra Falls on the way home. We had a great time despite the rainy, cold weather.

Trips to the Pumpkin Patch are always an October priority. This year we traveled to Media, PA for something different. Linvilla Orchards made our local farms look like gardens. We all took our Claritin and enjoyed the hayride.

Photo Update: Part Three

2009-12-05T15:11:00.008-05:00

September was a hard month around here. A month of remembering and grieving. Just three pictures...

Scott's grandfather, "Grandpa Secrist", passed away at the beginning of the month. We were so glad that we had made the decision for Scott to make a trip to the West coast this summer to see him. It was a wonderful time for both of them.

A few days later, we got the very unexpected call that my uncle had died. Just one week before we had been together for Grandmom's 90th party. Uncle Dennis was loved by many. We will be praying for Aunt Jane, Craig & Kim, and Brian & Jami.

Uncle Dennis & his grandson, Eric

We were hoping for brighter days, but just a week later found ourselves dealing with health issues with our dog, Payton. For 11 years he was such a part of our family and never had any health issues. In three short days, we went from thinking he just had a stomach bug to finding out he had advanced cancer. On September 17th, my birthday, we all sadly said good-bye to Payton. We have all found it strange in our new life without "dog habits and routines".

Ella and Owen saying good-bye to Payton. Makenna so wisely commented that she was glad Owen was too little to understand because then he wouldn't be sad.

Photo Update: Part Two

2009-10-19T21:51:00.004-04:00

We celebrated Grandmom Landt's 90th birthday (a few weeks early) with a surprise party. Family and a few friends gathered at Peter Becker for dinner, cake & some family entertainment. Grandmom had a good time and I think she really was surprised!

The great grandkids (missing: Kaitlyn & Hannah)

The grandchildren & spouses (missing: Kim & Craig)

The children & spouses with grandmom

Photo Update: Part One

2009-10-19T21:17:00.004-04:00

YIKES! It's been awhile since I have blogged - August and September were a complete blur - some joys, some sorrows. I am going to attempt to "catch up" through a photo overview of the last 3 months.
Scott's parents came mid-August to visit. It was very nice to have them here for almost a week. Dad always helps out with jobs around the house and mom plays non-stop games with the girls. One afternoon we went to the Please Touch Museum together.

At the end of August, my brother David & family came for a long weekend. We had such a great time together. They are not often here in the summer so we took the opportunity to go to Sesame Place - 7 kids and 6 adults.
David & Shiloh

Owen, excited about the Elmo ride!

Our family at Sesame

The cousins - Ella, Ellie, Sammy, Graham & Owen

Family Photo

2009-08-04T13:00:00.002-04:00

Kindergarten Mother's Tea

2009-06-23T15:51:00.005-04:00

The last day of school, Ella's class had a mother's tea. I can't believe she will be in first grade . Just Owen and I for lunch next year:(

Ella with her teacher, Mrs. Truehart

Ella and her good friend, Halina

Ella reading her poem.

Serving Mommy ice tea and cookies.

My husband runs faster than yours...

2009-06-08T20:57:00.005-04:00

Here is Scott at the finish line. This past Sunday he ran

his fastest 5K Race ever - 18:11. That's smokin!

One GIANT let down...

2009-06-06T20:41:00.007-04:00

So these days I find myself without a paycheck (hmmm maybe because I quit my job!). I have found the need to be creative in ways to "earn" money. So now rather that recycling all the circulars, I actually read them first to try to find the best grocery deals. I am also a fan of http://www.coupons.com/ because you can print coupons for free without having to give out all your personal information. (Thanks Lisa for that one!)

So I recently made a trip to Giant, a large grocery chain in our area. My mom was watching the kids because I was suppose to be volunteering at field day - which was rained out. It's a rare treat for a mother of three to go grocery shopping during the day... alone. So I must say that I was generally happy. And, I decided to go to Target first which always puts me in a spectacular mood! I even treated myself to a Grande Java Chip Light Frappacino to sip while I did my grocery shopping. With circular and coupons in hand, I was determined to save money and earn gas points. Hah! Yeah right.

First of all the store is huge. Seriously, when a grocery store sells lawn furniture you have to wonder... Needless to say, you just hope that you don't forget something because retracing your steps will add at least 10 minutes.

Secondly, the circular reads like a scavanger hunt that is not meant to be won. Go and buy 3 items from this column, 4 items from this column, and 3 General Mills Cereals (select varieties only!) and then you can earn 400 extra gas points. Attempting to find those items and make sure that you do indeed have the value pack pictured is no easy task. One that a novice shopper would easily fail.

So anyway, an hour and 20 minutes later I reach the check out.... where I wait of course. It's finally my turn and I start to load up my conveyor belt. It is quickly filled because there is no one in sight to bag the groceries so we have grid lock. Now I must shimmy around my still full cart in order to start bagging so that I have more room to go back and load the belt! This routine must happen two more times before I can finish loading all the groceries. Finally, I can pay.

I quickly scan my three mile long receipt expecting to be gleeful of the extra gas points I worked so hard to earn. WHAT.... seriously.... they are not showing up. Calmly, I now proceed with a very heavy cart to customer service. I show the gentleman all the items that I bought which according to the circular should earn me the magic gas points. "Oh", he says,"did you have them scan the coupon, because sometimes it doesn't show up without the coupon?"

AHHHHHHHHHHHH.... so now I must study the paper, search the store, read the fine print, purchase the correct items AND show the coupon.

I wait patiently while he fixes the mistake and credits my points. I proceed outside in the pouring rain to load up the car and then attempt to shove my cart into and already overloaded cart return.

Needless to say, had I not had free babysitting this experience would have been even more frustrating.

1. I'd never be able to sip on the Frappcino b/c Owen and Ella would drink it.

2. The likelihood of finding all my coupon items and the magic gas point items would verge on impossible b/c who can spend an hour and 20 minutes shopping with kids.

3. Even if I found the items, the chance of me looking at the receipt and realizing the error after bagging all my own groceries while Owen is stealing all the gum and candy bars... you get the picture!

Now I must say that the only redeeming aspect of this incredibly frustrating trip was that I walked out with all my items in my Hennings reusable grocery bags. So hah - take that Giant you big, impersonal, annoying store. Honestly, I wish they said "I'd rather be shopping at Hennings" - but alas they just say Hennings. Which if you aren't from the area, is a lovely local market where you don't need a sillly plastic card to get a sale price, you don't need to be Nancy Drew to earn gas points, you NEVER have to bag your own groceries, you OFTEN are asked if you need help out to the car, and if it is raining Brendan is usually in the parking lot helping moms! You might spend a few more dollars... but I am beginning to think it is worth it. And when you are all done you can sit in a leather chair upstairs and ENJOY your coffee because you actually have time to spare.

The irony of all this is that the closest Giant gas station to even redeem my points is 20 minutes away. Maybe I should just go back to work - it's the easiest way to earn money. Hmmm... maybe I'll work at Hennings!

10, 9, 8, 7....

2009-05-26T19:23:00.006-04:00

We had the Mowerys over for one of our weekend picnics. They are dear friends and we are so glad they moved back to PA!! Now our girls can have "cousins" close by! As you can see from the picture that "cousins" wouldn't be too hard of a sell.

(Back - Owen, Makenna, Kimmy)
(Front- Carrie, Ella, Leah)

They brought over the rocket Kimmy got for her birthday. It had some serious launching power! We set it off in the front yard and had to retrieve it from the field a few acres behind the house!

Blast Off!

Looking for the rocket... hope there is not poison ivy!

We gathered all the candy from the parade that morning and put it in Ella's pinata that she made in Spanish class. It held up for all but one child to hit it.... so we let Kimmy do the final "smashing". You don't realize what a violent game it really is until the 17 month old watching begins shaking and crying because he just saw children pulverizing a blue "ball". Oh my! Note to self... do not get an Elmo pinata for Owen's 2nd birthday lest he believe that we are actually cheering on the assault of his favorite character!

Ella and her homemade pinata.

Memorial Day Weekend

2009-05-26T19:11:00.004-04:00

We celebrated Memorial Day Weekend with many picnics, yard work and relaxing. Our tradition is to kick off the events with the Harleysville parade on Saturday. This was Owen's first parade. He was in awe! He sat wide-eyed the entire time. He hardly made a sound, but he occasionally pointed with his mouth open. At the end of the parade, he spontaneously began clapping. We determined that he must have enjoyed himself. He is rarely left speechless... but with the trucks, horses, tractors, fire engines and candy he had little time to comment. He slept for nearly 4 hours that afternoon so I assume he was dreaming all about it:)

Our "spot" - camped out for the parade.

Woah... check out that tractor....

And they throw me candy too... I better eat this before mom realizes what's going on!

Got a little teary eyed... remembering my grandfather who was a marine in WW2. Thank you Grandpa O for your service to our country.

It's the little things...

2009-05-11T16:00:00.004-04:00

The other day I had a thought... why am I cutting up bananas, the kid eats steak! So I peeled the banana and handed it to Owen. At first he just looked at me. Then, he quickly realized his new found freedom with the yellow fruit.

Hmmm... this is just how Curious George eats his banana!

Owen is quite pleased with himself.

He proceeded to inhale it in record time.

As excited as he was to eat his banana from it's "container", he was equally devastated to find out that the peel then went in the trash.