Hitting the road in 12 hours!

picture by Wade & Stephanie Carignan (http://www.carignangallery.com/blog/?p=80)


Tomorrow we are leaving for a week to go to Peter's hometown of Indianapolis. We lived there for 7 years in which we were married, received our first jobs, rented our first apartment, had 3 children, and bought our first home. It will forever be a special place to us, and no matter how much time passes it always feels like home.
Visiting Indianapolis is full of much joy and sorrow. Joy for obvious reasons- we are able to visit with almost all of Peter's family (that are pictured above) and our many friends. Our kids are comfortable there, and it is similar to slipping into comfortable shoes that are perfectly broken in. It is such a nice, hospitable place- in our experience Mid-west friendliness can't be beat.
The sorrow comes because no matter where we live or how hard we try, leaving Indianapolis is always hard! The worst part is knowing that time passes, and things change that we can't be a part of physically. Oh, if we only had a time machine that could transfer us back and forth!
But all in all, the time spent there is worth it! It is always so refreshing to visit with people who know how you think and feel, because of past time spent. And oh how we miss the faces!! The smiles and laughter, the sorrow and tears, the beautiful kids that grow older and bigger each time we visit (not to mention the new additions).
I am so thankful that we serve a God who gives us family & friends to help us through life. To rejoice with, to mourn with and most of all to serve & worship Him who loved us first! Love is more powerful than the separating miles. And for that I am thankful!

A reminder of what spring rains bring.......

What's the going rate of a tooth these days?

This story begins almost 2 years ago in our house in Colorado. It is almost 9 PM and we have a very excited 6 year jumping around our house exclaiming, "My tooth came out! My tooth came out!"
This joyous occasion connected to much anticipation with a good dose of nerves. Solomon had this loose tooth for about 3 weeks and he would wiggle it just a bit everyday. If anyone suggested (meaning my husband) tying his tooth to a piece of string and a doorknob or even eating an apple, Solomon would gaze at you with tears in his eyes. So we wait and wait until the day the tooth has falls out because of the laws of gravity. And Solomon is happy, especially because he gets to stick that tooth underneath his pillow that night and hope that something big appears. So we clean the tooth, put it in a special box and kiss the boy goodnight. And then Peter and I forget about it.
Fast forward to about midnight while Peter and I lay in bed. Memories of that excited little boy rush back, and we pull ourselves out of bed to find Peter's wallet. In our sleepy stupor we pull out a bill and stick it under Solomon's pillow, with barely time to remember to take the tooth. But we have done our parental duty, and we quickly fall back asleep.
Morning light comes, and that excited little boy from the night before is even more excited. So excited that we are baffled. I mean it's just $1!! Then we see what he is holding in his hand. A $5 bill- in our bleary eyes at midnight a $5 bill looks like a $1 bill. And Solomon has become a rich man overnight from a tiny little tooth! He quickly makes plans to pull out all his teeth, and make his way to the toy store. Now we have a dilemma on our hands. Solomon is going to expect $5 every time a tooth falls out! But like good parents we procrastinate until the subject is forgotten about, which brings us to today. Solomon had another tooth fall out today! And guess what he is expecting tonight!! I almost feel bad for him, to wake up to only 1/5 of the money he expected. But living does not come cheap, and these parents have bills to pay. I contemplated leaving a note from the tooth fairy explaining that because of the price of fuel, and the recession a tooth now has the going rate of $1. But I will do the right thing and fess up.......and do it right now before I forget!

Recipe of the Week 2

Cheddar Bacon Casserole

4 cups dry french bread (or toasted) cut into 3/4 in. square
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 slices of bacon, crisp cooked, drained and crumbled
2 cups of milk
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 T snipped fresh italian flat-leaved parsley
1/2 t mustard
1/4 t black ground pepper
1/8 t onion powder

In a large bowl toss together the bread cubes, cheese and bacon. Divide among or place all the mixture in a 2 qt. casserole dish. In a medium bowl whisk together the milk, eggs, parsley, mustard, pepper and onion powder. Pour over dry bread mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hrs. and up to 24 hrs. Bake, uncovered for 25-30 for individual baking dishes or an hour or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean for a 2 qt dish. Let stand for 5 min. before serving (will fall). Makes 6 servings- 374 calories per serving.

Ella feeds herself.......

We have a scary basement. The kind that you may find in Silence of the Lambs with creepy men hanging out in dark corners. But it offers a lot of storage and something the price of gold. A washer and dryer. Unfortunately to get to the basement you have to go down slatted wood stairs to a concrete floor and concrete walls. Translation- If one of my kids falls down these stairs an awful injury will occur. So I have to be really careful. I usually only do laundry while Ella is sleeping in her crib, and recently I have been strapping her in the high chair.
Yesterday while feeding her I heard the dryer buzz. So I think to myself- run down there really fast cycle the laundry so that we have clean underwear for the next day, and return in 2 minutes. So I put down the yogurt I was feeding Ella down (about 1 1/2 ft from her) and made a break for it. I cycled the clothes as quick as possible and ran up the stairs as pleased as punch with the time I had made. Then I saw Ella. She had somehow grabbed a hold of the yogurt and started to feed herself. It was a mess!! She had it all over her, and was sticking the spoon in any configuration she could into her mouth. She was so proud of herself! So I grabbed my camera and let her finish up. Here is the result. I had to wipe down that end of the table five times before I could remove the yogurt smears, but it was worth it. Thank God I could stick the little girl in the bathtub!!

The Land of Nomads

As I pointed out in my last blog, Mary is currently sleeping (if not residing) in a teepee. The boys have protested constantly and consistently, with such passion that I have given up, in and every direction you could think of (it also helped that we have company this weekend sleeping in the boys bunk beds). Has anyone noticed how hard it is to make the top bunk! That is work out by itself! But we will save that subject for another day.
So now the boys are sleeping in an orange and blue monster tent that looks like a giant fish. Possibly the fish that swallowed Jonah- because this tent is huge! Big enough to fit 2 sleeping boys. Zeke received it for his 5th birthday in December, and because of the size it has been set up and brought down several times. But now finds its home behind our couch wedged into the corner in the living room. You can hear giggling and story telling going on this very moment. Some combination of Star Wars and Winnie the Pooh, with Sid the Science Kids lyrics being belted out to add a little spice. I love my boys!

Every girl needs a teepee

We were strolling through Target (on an outing searching for a little bit Spring) about a month ago, when we came upon a tent shaped like a teepee. To tell you the truth, I am not sure who was more excited, Mary or myself. We both gasped and reached for it at the same time to stare at the card board box in amazement. But then reality hit- no one needs a teepee, and it was way outside of our budget. To add to that we have a monster shaped tent at home that was just bought at Christmas time for the boys. So we left our visions of tea parties and sleep-overs (in a teepee) in aisle F39 and moved on.
So two weeks later on a routine trip for groceries I brought home a surprise. We are now proud owners of a pink & green teepee complimented by flowers printed on the flap. We ripped it out of the box and set it up as quickly as possible without reading the directions. Then the 4 kids and I attempted to all fit in the small structure. It didn't work, so we all took turns going in and out, and laughing as Ella walked into the doorway and falling down over and over. She was so happy that she didn't cry, but she still hasn't learned the art of ducking your head. Needless to say the girls (and boys) absolutely love it. We have no use for Mary's bed anymore. She has slept in the teepee for 6 nights in a row cuddled up with her favorite stuffed elephant and her "Aunt Hannah" blanket. You have to appreciate the little luxuries in life sometimes, and the teepee has definitely made that list. I am so thankful for my husband's provision so that we can have little luxuries every once in awhile.
There is an exclusive tea party scheduled for early next week with a guest list that includes 2 beautiful little girls, 2 stuffed elephants and possibly 2 brothers if they decide the don't need to build a Lego empire at that time. It is sure to be top notch with cookies and juice.
And when Spring produces consistent mild weather we will move the teepee to the back porch where Pocahontas and forest animals can visit at their whim.

Lunch time conversation

Zeke and Mary sit together and talk about how old they are on a daily basis. Today's conversation went a little like this-

M: I'm 14
Z: I'm 16
M: I'm 20
Z: I'm 22
Me: I'm 29 (almost 30, in April!)
Z: No, you're not!
Me: Yes, I am

Zeke: No, Mom that's too old. You aren't old, you're young. You are too fun to be 29.

Oh, I love my kids and the everyday joy they bring. God has blessed us. I hope I never forget!

Recipe of the Week

I made this recipe twice this week when we had people over for dinner. I absolutely love them, and honestly they taste better the 2nd day after they have had time to set and solidify. Here's the recipe- it is very simple!!
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/peanut-butter-cheesecake-brownie-112867.aspx

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Brownie Babies

prep time-20 min

total time-50 min

makes 16 servings, 1 brownie each

photo by: Kraft

recipe by: Kraft

What You Need!

1 pkg. (19 to 21 oz.) brownie mix (13x9-inch pan size)

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1-1/2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

20 maraschino cherries

Make It!

HEAT oven to 350ºF.

PREPARE brownie batter as directed on package. Spoon into 20 paper-lined muffin cups.

BEAT cream cheese, sugar, egg, peanut butter and vanilla with mixer until blended. Spoon 1 rounded Tbsp. into center of batter in each cup, pressing down slightly into batter. Bake 30 min. or until centers are set. Cool.

SERVE topped with COOL WHIP and cherries.

© 2010 Kraft Foods Inc. All rights reserved

A beautiful day

It's Monday afternoon and I couldn't be more pleased. Mondays are Peter's day off- and they are always a day of anticipation. Today we went to the History Museum with the 3 younger kids, and had a wonderful time. Zeke was so excited because he wanted to see George Washington's teeth. I think that he was disappointed when he saw them in person, but it was fun to watch him jump up and down at the thought.
I was very excited because on our way home we drove down Penn Ave and noticed all the diverse food stores located there. An italian grocery, an asian grocery, a middle eastern grocery, a bakery and a fish market to name a few. Soon you will find Peter and I strolling around picking up our groceries, and exploring the strip district. Maybe now I can find the ingredients for all the recipes I have been hoarding.
All in all the best part of the day is now- the house is peaceful and a homemade pizza crust is rising (recipe compliments of my sister)..... and I am sitting in front of this.......
if you can read the picture above my window, it says pray. And this picture is exactly what I have been praying for. A beautiful sunny day filled with fresh air coming in through our open windows. What more could you ask?
~Kristin

The View Through A Lens

I went to Target today to look at the cameras. I am trying to decide which one to save up for, and honestly I am completely stumped. All I know is that my camera is slowly but surely becoming more and more of a frustration then a joy. I love to take pictures, and am completely amateur, but there is something remarkably beautiful about looking through the lens and seeing what pops up. The camera has a way of making perfectly ordinary things look amazing- and prodding you to do things that you ordinarily wouldn't think of doing.
It is the ability to see the beautiful color and texture of things that the human eye cannot pick up on it's own. I look through the camera and suddenly the shape of Mary's fairy wings looks inviting and it is time to become Tinkerbell. Ella's sweet hats, and Zeke's shiny boots beckon you to go outside for a walk. Solomon's book covers just plead for you to huddle under a blanket and read. And I would probably never step foot into my dear husbands Jeep if I didn't look at it through a viewfinder.
I absolutely love and am completely endeared to whomever designed the magical camera. I am sure that God placed a camera in my life to help me do things that I might otherwise find a waste of time (because I have laundry and dishes or misc. cleaning of some other sort).
~K