Up From the Grave...

Pin It I arose. With a MIGHTY triumph o're my foes.

In the spirit of Easter, I just can't help myself.

Please don't think I am being irreverent. This song has been in my head because of the Lenten season and I couldn't help but realize that just as Christ was raised from the dead and gave new life, so am I given that gift each day.

After the flu bug came and waged an all-out war against my body and I laid around for the last few days, I started to think about my return to health as new life, just like the new life of salvation.

I am absolutely, head-over-heals, in love with Easter. I love telling my children the story of what Chirst did for us. I love the time of reflection. I love the hope.

I have so many fun ideas for next week at our house that I am bursting with excitement waiting for Palm Sunday. I will share them as soon as I have some pictures to jazz things up a bit.

Until, then I am hoping your families are preparing their hearts and minds for the gift of Christ's death and Resurrection. 

What happened to my laugh?

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" A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up bones." Proverbs 17:22

 

A few weeks ago Justin and I were watching some videos from when we were dating, engaged and our honeymoon. At first I could only stare at my impressively white teeth, but after I got past that, I realized I was just showing my teeth more in general. I was laughing more.
I felt like I didn't know those two people on the video. They liked each other so much. Watching those videos you would think that Justin was a professional comedian. If I wasn't laughing, I had my lips curled heavenward, like I was just anticipating the good times to come. What a refreshing sight to watch.
As we near our anniversary of being married 5 years I am trying to think of what gift I can give my husband that would strengthen our marriage. It was so good for me to see that I have changed since we were dating. I always thought he was the one who got so serious after we were married, harden by work, fatigue, real life and bills. I can see now that I have robbed our marriage of some key treasures that we had when we first met.
I want to take that joy and carefree spirit back into our marriage and into my role as a mother. Why can't I let the peace of the Holy Spirit give me joy in all things? Why can't I bless my husband by letting my countenance show that I love being around him?


I plan to start.

"Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4

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

The Psalms of Life

Pin It Yesterday was one of those days. 

You know, the day when life just comes to a head and you think, "THAT IS IT!" If one more child gets hurt, interrupts me, pees on the floor, yells for me continually until the minute they see the whites of my eyes, slaps their brother, or even needs anything... I am going to lose it. Oh, and I did lose it. You know, those moments when you are standing at the kitchen sink and the tears are rolling down, but your still washing the dishes daw-gone-it! If were to write a psalm  I would have sounded like David when he said, "Why have you hid your face from me?".

I wish I could say I just knelt at the foot of the cross at that moment, gave the day to my Jesus, and let his Words of Truth refresh me... BUT it took me a little longer. That is why I am writing this post today.....

My poor husband came home late, my back went out, spring has come to life in my house, dinner was not the dream I hoped it would be and I couldn't seem to chose joy in those moments. This is very sad to me since we just had a two hour bible study on this very subject. The steadfastness of our faith, no matter what life brings us. God is the same and his Word is the same in the hard days and the blessed days.

It took a good talk with my mom to snap me back into focus. Her wisdom was in the C's. Contentment, Creativity and I can't remember the other one (must not have been too life changing). I always laugh at her because I don't think she realizes she has left me with a mini three point sermon at the end of her calls.
Contentment was the key for me today. I need to learn to be content when my back hurts and when it doesn't. I need to be content if my husband is late or early, if kids are naughty or kind. My God does not change and neither should my attitude. Whoa... why couldn't I just do that yesterday?

Creativity was the realization that there are different seasons in life and we may not be able to do everything that we would love to do, but how can we be creative in the season that we have. My problem is that I hate not being productive. It is beautiful outside and I want to be cleaning and raking and picking up. My back was not allowing for that and I was getting more and more frustrated as the day went on. What else could I have been doing with that time that would of been a blessing? Maybe it could have been just sitting outside in the lawn chair with the kids and praying over them.

Ahhhhh, what good lessons. The sun and rain of life is what makes us grow in our walk with the Lord. I need to embrace the rainy days and be steadfast through them.

First We Have Coffee

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A new staple for my life, this book is going right beside my bible and staying there. I will hopefully read it a million times before I die. This is our second bible study book and I am loving discussing motherhood and faith with these ladies. 

It is the story of a mother written from her oldest daughters memories of her, stories that she told and lived. I want to be just like this lady and I want my children to someday be able to see a legacy of faith as easily in my life as this daughter did in her mother. I know my life will never be the same after reading it. This mother handled the ups and downs of life with such grace and seasoned every moment with the truth of God's word. She was one of those people you look for a reason to spend time with. She reminds me so much of my own mother and to make it even more special this book was originally my Grandma VanderWeide's who was also a great women of faith. 

I think I cried on every chapter and was so convicted I must have spent more time apologizing for my unchrist-like behavior then actually reading the book. What a blessing and a treasure! A true story of a Christian living a steadfast and disciplined life in Christ no matter what life brought her. A must read for every mom.

I think I ordered 6 copies off Amazon and I have given them all away already!

Menu for the week

Pin It Here is what we will be feasting on this week:

Monday: Southwestern Potato Pockets
Tuesday: Minestrone Soup, Bread
Wednesday: Chicken and Dumplings
Thursday: Chicken Fried Steak, Beans, Mashed Potatoes
Friday: Quesadillas
Saturday: Leftovers

Here are some pics of our Southwest Potato Pockets from tonight.

Everyone gets there own packet!

This is daddies. He likes jalepenos and spicy sausage!

I put chicken, corn, salsa and sour cream in the other packets.

Put them in the oven and cook for 50 minutes at 350 degrees.

Here is a little more detailed recipe:

Each packet:

2-3 Potatoes

2 T. Sour cream

3 T Salsa

2 T. Corn

1/2 C. Meat of your choice

1/2 C. Cheese

1 T. Franks Red Hot sauce (optional)

Jalapenos (optional)

Salt and pepper the potatoes heavily or they will be bland. Add all ingredients on top. Feel free to add any other leftover meat or veggies you have in your fridge. Seal foil tightly and place on a baking sheet to prevent drips. Cook for 50 minutes at 350 degrees or until the potatoes are soft. 

Stuffed Chicken Parmesan

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Oh, my, heavenly... this was very yummy! I was struggling to make Chicken Parmesan because I couldn't find a recipe that seemed gooey enough. I wanted moist, cheesy, yummy chicken. Most basic recipes just tell you to dip a breast in egg and then coat it with bread crumbs, that was not going to get the job done for me tonight. So... I searched through the low budget fridge and found whatever battle supplies I could.

Look at what little beauties were hiding behind all the canned goods (cottage cheese, cream cheese and pesto).

I scooped a few of those together to make a nice filling for my chicken breasts.

I don't have one of those meat pounding mallets, but the rolling pin works quite nice.

Spread the gooey goodness

 Roll them up and put a tooth pick in to secure.

These were dipped in egg and then bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 40-50 minutes.

Add a few scoops of spaghetti sauce and cheese and bake for another 5 minutes.
Then serve to all the beautiful people around your table.

Daily Bible Time

Pin It I picked up two books for the boys on my bookstore date with my hubby. These have been an easy way to get  a bible story and a fun activity in for the day without much prep on my part. I try to do this a couple times a week, but the boys love it so much they ask to do it most every day. I don't have to be creative because all I have to do it read a story and help put some stickers on. This opens up a world of conversation when we get to talk about who gave Samson his strength and how God helped David when Goliath was so big and strong. Now I hear the boys talking about being the Israelites when they are in their room playing.

The first book is the Read and Share Bible. It comes with two DVDs. I read the story to the boys and then they get to watch it on the DVD. This is quite a treat since we have limited TV watching in our house. 

The second book is all stickers. There are a different assortment of stories in the sticker bibleThere is a short description of a story and then 5-7 stickers to put on that go with that story. The stickers are amazing and very detailed and they boys LOVE them. The sticker book doesn't have all the same stories and the Read and Share Bible, but if there are parallel stories I do them both on the same day to reinforce the story a little more. If the stories don't line up I find the matching story in another bible or we will just watch the DVD one day and do the sticker bible the next day.

However we do it, it is a great way to get some great bible stories in and talk about the God who made it all happen.

Some little sweet treats that I have noticed since we have started reading these:

• Spencer telling me we don't have to be scared because Jesus lives in our heart.
• Jack saying we can do something because God helped Samson push down the pits (he refuses to say pillars, they are pits. I think we have a little bit of Joseph and his brothers throwing him in the pit mixed in there.)

Toddler Chores

Pin It What can a 2 and 3 year old do around the house?

I struggled with this question. I know I have to start young, but how soon? I want to prepare my boys to provide for their families and I don't ever want work to seem like a bad or drudging thing that they have to do.

The Lord continues to amazes me as he answers my prayers when I least expect it. Today Spencer said to me, "we should vacuum."  Well, he vacuumed... all the rugs and the living room carpet. He notified me that had already picked up the toys so that it would be ready to go. I guess he can vacuum.

Here are a few other chores I have noticed that they are able to do and do very well:

• Pick up their room
• Make their beds
• Put the laundry away (under my direction as to which room it goes in)
• Clear their places after a meal. Spencer can put his in the dishwasher
• Put any toys away that they have used
• Pick out their clothes for the day (boys are not as interested in this job as girls may be so it was a stretch)
• Take the trash out to the garage (that has been a paid position recently and seems so be quite appealing)

Jackson "my man" Bartlett making his bed beautifully

The man who made it all happen!

Sometimes it is helpful for me to see what other kids their age can do so I can try and see if that would be a good chore in our house. I don't want to try to compare or keep up with others kids I just want to get ideas for how we can make this home run better for our family.

What kind of chores are done at your house?

Don't Just Babysit

Pin It We just had a sermon on Sunday about not babysitting the elderly people in our life. I loved that. Pastor challenged us to encourage every believer to maximize their time on earth for Christ no matter what their age. 

Then I started to think... the same goes for a 1,2, and 3 year old.

They are young warriors for the kingdom. They have a whole life of battles ahead of them and this house is their training ground.

Some days I forget that and start to act like their babysitter and not their mother. Do you remember those babysitting days? You would let your little charges have whatever they want so you could sit if front of the TV until their parents got home. Could a 15 year old be doing my job and getting the same results?

These days I am not sitting in front of the TV, but those seemingly noble tasks of picking up, getting dinner on, laundry, washing hands, making a phone call and planning a grocery list can get in the way of the hearts of my children. I put a movie on, set up their Lego barnyard, dress and undress them for going outside, just so I can get 5 minutes to think clearly. How will they grow to learn about and love the Lord if am always too busy to take the moments throughout the day to teach them?

I am not saying I want to sit on the couch all day with my kids and have a crazy, messy house. I think it is good for them to see me working and to learn to do those tasks with me. I am just thinking... how I can be intentional with them in the little moments and be sensitive to teaching them first. I don't want to look back at these young years and remember that we just survived, I want us to thrive.

Simple ways we do this in our house:

• Get up earlier and make a plan for one intentional spiritual investment. I am going to read a bible story, do a craft, bake with a child, or sing a hymn and explain the spiritual importance of that activity. I have to plan for it in the morning or the day might get too crazy. It could be a 15 minute thing.
• We memorize scripture and meal times and review ones we have already learned. The kids recite their verses to their grandparents when they come over to give me a little accountability. 
• Have them pray at meal times and before bed. I read once that "if they can talk, they are old enough to pray" and we have made that the rule in our house. It takes a while to eat, but they will be well trained prayer warriors!
• Work on my walk with the Lord and challenge myself so they will see me growing and changing.

If we are not doing, at least, that last one as mothers, we are no better then a babysitter. Our main job is to train up our children in the truth of God's word. Lets start making little investments everyday!

The Little Ham That Could

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Looks scary right?

It is anything but that. This is all that is left of the ham who made the gift that kept on giving.

My sister brought me a ham a week ago. I was grateful, but had I known what that little baby was going to do for our family I would have kissed her feet before she left.

The next day we all had hearty ham sandwiches for lunch. Then the day after that I made scalloped potatoes for our family and the neighbor. Then I cubed up a few more slices for our snack plates at lunch. Then I got down to that scary little bone. The only thing I could think of to use it for was bean soup or pea soup, both of which I had never made before, and the thought of trying to serve them to my hubby made me pursue a different route.

I came up with potato soup. I hadn't made it in forever. I just needed an idea of how to use that bone to get some more flavor. My mom told me I could just boil it and then use the stock instead of the water in my recipe. Lovely. I turned out beautifully and tasty and I even made it on day I wasn't feelin' so hot.

Here is the sick day potato soup:
3 1/2 potatoes
4 c. water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1/3 cup celery (I didn't have any celery so I used carrots. Hence, the very orange color)
1/2 c. onion
1 c. ham
1/2 t. thyme
bay leaf
salt
pepper
5 T. butter
5 T. flour
2 c. milk

If you have a ham bone, simmer it for 1 hour with some onions. Make sure the bone is covered with water when you start. If you get more then 4 c. water freeze it for your next soup.

Put water (or ham stock), potatoes, bouillon, celery, onion, thyme, and bay leaf in pot and let simmer for 10-15 minutes.

In a separate pan melt butter and then wire whisk in the flour until it is a smooth paste. Add milk slowly while whisking the crap out of that milk so that it doesn't have any chunks in it. It will thicken up to a sauce-like consistency. Pour the milk mixture into the potato and veggie pot and stir. Add the ham.

Put a few parsley flakes on the tops for pretty! Not that anyone in this house noticed, but they liked it.

A Saturday with Snow

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We got a little snow last night...

Justin headed out with the boys to find the driveway. Shovels ready!

 Hmmmm... This could take a while.

Jack didn't want to go, but everyone needed to help get the job done

Still blowing...

This girls are staying in and cleaning, of course, but it must be done in style.

Menu for the week

Pin It A friend was over and looking at my menu for the week and we talked about how much we love to see what other moms are making because it sparks new ideas. I love to scour blogs for menus for the week to come up with some fresh ideas for our house. I always make my plan Sunday night when the house quiets down and it dawns on me that I have a few short hours to try to get my life together before Monday hits. Monday is not full of grace at my house and we would have to fast for dinner if I didn't think about what we were going to eat.

So here is what we ate/are going to eat this week:

Monday: Meatloaf, green beans, sour cream and garlic potatoes

Tuesday: BBQ pizza

Wednesday: Chicken Salad and pizza melts on our lovely English muffins

Thursday: Tacos

Friday: Chicken Parmesan, zucchini, garlic bread

Saturday: Loaded baked potatoes

Sunday: Roast, potatoes, carrots

If any of it sounds good, stop in around 6:00 p.m. and we will set a plate for you!

New Table

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We are rejoicing in the new table this morning. We are now ready to have more then two people over for dinner. I have a serious love relationship with the two leaves sitting in my closet.

 Testing out the new bench! Surprise, this is were you will be sitting for the next 15 years.

We had to break it in with a pb & j (on the english muffins, of course). 

How does this fit into the Dave Ramsey plan, you ask? We had a table we bought at a garage sale for $5 for the last 5 years. That was a Dave Ramsey table...and it had served us very well. However, Justin's parents decided to bless us with this beautiful gift as our family grows. Thank you mom and dad Bartlett! Goodbye $5 table with the tiny, hard, squeaky, stained seats. You were well loved, but will not be missed.