Two Great Dates

I have been on two great dates in the past week. 
Neither of them was with my husband
It's OK--he was alright with it.  What a man!
My first was a week ago today with my sister Amanda.  I took her out to lunch for her birthday to a little restaurant/coffee shop called Mugs right next to the NSU campus.  I STILL have not forgotten the fresh Tomato Basil Soup or the Grilled Muenster on Whole Grain Bread.  It was like dunking a huge mozzarella (or muenster) stick into a cup of the most delicious marinara sauce.  YUM.  Mugs' mission is to give the grilled cheese sandwich a higher status.  Do they ever.  I ordered a value meal (1/2 sandwich with soup), so I didn't get to add any extra fillings from the multitude of choices.  And they have A LOT of choices on the grilled cheese menu--from the breads and cheeses to veggies and meats.  Next time! 
Because my coffee loyalties still lie with Darcie at The Daily Grind, I did not try one of Mugs' lattes.  I'm sure they are delicious, too, though.
When I was at NSU (10 1/2 years ago--gulp!), the business was a rental property.  It is probably for the best that Mugs didn't move in until years after I moved out!
My second date was last night with my Grandma.  I hadn't been to a movie with my Grandma in a looong time and we had a great time catching up again.  It was also "Stimulus Tuesday" at our local theatre, so that meant $1 pop and popcorn!  The movie itself was one of the best I've seen.  We went to "The Help"--the movie version of one of my most favorite books. 
What I love so much about it is the way the story shows courage--in the maids, in Skeeter, and even Celia Foote.  It shows that progress can be slow and we might not always see the completion of our work, but times are always changing.  We can be a positive or a negative force in that change.  It is one of those stories that reaches down and sticks with me.
Like To Kill a Mockingbird and A Tale of Two Cities.
Or that awesome tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwich.

To Infinity and Beyond

Nathan's favorite number is "indinity," which I am guessing he picked up from Toy Story's Buzz Lightyear.  If there is any competition requiring a number, he will use "indinity" every time.
Coincidentally, Teresa is now concerned about things lasting "to-ever."  Will she have her doll "to-ever?"  Can she keep her clothes "to-ever?"
Some days seem like they take "to-ever" to get to bedtime, but I still love these children to "indinity" and beyond!

Let's Celebrate Fall!

Plans are quickly coming together and I just couldn't wait to tell you all about it.  Fall is my favorite season and this year I am throwing a party!
I am very excited for September 25.  It will be my first ever Celebrating Fall Open House. 
What is that you ask? 
Well, it is a home party . . . but BIGGER and BETTER.  (Think "mini-mall" and girly-food at my house.)  :o)
There will be representatives from Do You Bake?, Lia Sophia, Signature Homestyles, Stampin' Up, and Thirty-One.
Guests are invited to come and browse, visit with their friends, and sample South Dakota wine as well as lots of other yummy treats throughout the afternoon. 
Mark your calendar, tell all of your friends, and I hope to see you here!

Our Kindergartener

Today is Nathan's first day of Kindergarten!  He is mostly excited to learn how to READ.  He has a small but energetic class this year with 11 boys and 2 girls.  Let's all say a little extra prayer for Mrs. Mitchell, shall we?  Go get 'em, Nathan!

Sweet Pickles

I present to you my first batch of pickles . . . ever!  They are super easy refrigerator pickles!

David and Landen thought they were alright.  Teresa, my pickle girl, had two helpings.  Nathan, of course, wasn't interested in trying anything new.  I LOVE them and warned David that I would probably eat the entire bowl and have terrible heartburn.  I'm still working on it, but making good progress.

Here is the recipe:

7 cups sliced cucumbers (I leave peelings on for extra crunch)

1 cup sliced onion

2 cups sugar

1 cup vinegar

2 T canning salt

1 T celery seed

I also added a dash of mustard seed, just because I like it.

Mix sugar, vinegar, salt, celery and mustard seed.  Heat until sugar is dissolved. DO NOT BOIL.  (I am not sure what terrible things will happen if this comes to a boil, but consider yourself warned if it does!)

Pour over cucumbers and onions and refrigerate.

Enjoy!

First Day of 2nd Grade

Landen was up, dressed, and eating toast before David and I even got out of bed this morning.  I hope that enthusiasm continues!  He is excited to have Mr. Duncan for a teacher this year and to see all of his school friends again. 

Marching On

Wasn't I just posting my frustration at the start of summer vacation?  Thanks for hanging with me through that.  Sometimes I can get a bit whiny.  Don't tell my kids where they picked up that gene. :o)
Now here we are at our last day of summer vacation.  Landen will start the 2nd grade tomorrow and Nathan will start Kindergarten on Wednesday.  Wow--we will have a 2nd grader!  As my kids get older, I can remember how I felt about my parents' age at that stage.  At the age of 8, I thought my parents were OLD (they were somewhere around 29 and 36) and had been married FOREVER (only around 10 years at that point).  Quite similar to where David and I are now.  I thought I would be a bit wiser by now and have life, marriage, and all that big stuff figured out--you know, like my parents did! :o)
Thank you for joining me on this summer's journey.  As I posted a little while ago, it has been a faith-building summer like none I can remember.  There were great times and not-so-great times, but all were in God's hands and we know--no matter what--it will all be OK. 
There were transitions, too.  Our family started with the question of how long my 92 year-old grandma will be able to stay in her home.  My other grandparents sold their home and moved to an apartment.  I should probably be better with such things at this not-so-wise age of 32, but transitions are still difficult for me.  It is a reminder that nothing ever stays the same on this earth for long.  Sometimes that is very good.  Sometimes it can hurt.  A wonderful priest, Fr. Joe Vogel, once told a group of us at an NSU Bible study, "If you have great love, you will have great pain."  I remember that often when I feel the tug of time moving on.  I am so very, very thankful for the time I have been able to spend with my grandparents and the great love we share.
And now, it is time to turn away from summer and look forward to a new school year.  No doubt it will bring much of the same good and bad, happiness and sadness, as all life experiences do.  We've got the jeans, new shirts, shiny new folders, and brand new shoes. 
We know, as was shone to us more brightly this past summer than ever before, we will never walk alone.
We're excited.
We're ready.

Black Hills Adventure

Growing up, my family went to either the Twin Cities or the Black Hills for our vacations.  On a good summer, we did both.  This happened to be one of those summers for me! 

It is about a 5 hour drive to reach the Black Hills from our home.  I don't know how many times Teresa asked on the way out west, "When will we be at vacation?"  No matter how many times we told her we were already on vacation, she just kept asking.  Then I realized, she thinks she has to be in a hotel to be on vacation!  Sure enough, as soon as we checked into our hotel in Spearfish and she was wheeling her suitcase into the door, she exclaimed, "This is a fun vacation!"  It started all over the next morning when we checked out of that hotel and headed south through the hills.  That poor girl spent very little of this trip "on vacation."  

Our first destination was Roughlock Falls in Spearfish Canyon.  It was about a mile hike to the overlook. They weren't all that impressed with the scenery until they were allowed to get out of the van and explore.  Then they LOVED it.

We made our way south and found Mount Rushmore that afternoon.  Our little passengers were getting restless, but screamed with excitement when they caught a glimpse of the faces.  The last time we visited, I was pregnant with Teresa.  When I told her she was in my tummy, she said, "It was dark in there."  This time she had a nice sunny day and a better view. :o)  I don't know what it is about Mount Rushmore, but it never ceases to amaze me, no matter how many times I visit.

 Landen took this photo on our hike through the monument's walkways.  There is a little cave with a great view along the way.

 We spent that night in Keystone, which is a little tourist town just a couple of miles from Mount Rushmore.  I think it is so much fun!  My favorite place is a taffy shop in amongst the tourist shops.  They make their own candy in tons of flavors.  On any other day, I can resist taffy.  But, there is just something about Keystone taffy and experiencing it on every trip I make to the Black Hills.  David didn't want to accompany me downtown, so I had a quiet little walk by myself that evening.  Everyone appreciated the treats I brought back!

Our next day took us farther south along Iron Mountain Road.  There are many, many places to catch a glimpse of Mount Rushmore along the way.  The most striking are the rock-carved tunnels that frame the faces as you drive through.  (My photos of that didn't turn out due to the overcast day.)  The kids loved looking for the presidents every place we stopped to explore.  We stopped at one overlook to take a family picture.

 Here's Nathan peeking out from behind a rock.  Of course, he was our most fearless explorer (which could have been dangerous without dad close behind)! 

 David and the kids also hiked amongst the Needles on Needles Highway that afternoon. They thought those were pretty neat to see.  This is a photo of the Needle's Eye.  These tall rocks stand out amongst themselves and seem to come out of nowhere when you are driving up to them. 

 We made our way to our destination at Hot Springs that afternoon and spent the rest of our day at Evans Plunge.  Evans Plunge is a unique swimming pool in that it is a collection of natural hot springs (hence the name of the town.)  5,000 gallons of 87 degree water come up through its rock bottom every minute and replace the water that was there before.  Last time, I had to hold one screaming boy while David took the other down the slide.  This time both boys were old enough to go on their own and Teresa wasn't quite brave enough, so everyone had as much fun as they wanted to at the same time!  This is Landen making his way down.

There is one very steep and twisty slide that starts in the inside and goes to the outside pool.  All three "boys" loved this one!  David apologized that I was pregnant and couldn't experience it.  I assured him that I probably wouldn't be brave enough to go down it, even if I was medically cleared to try!

That about covers our adventure.  We did quite well hitting some of the high points the Black Hills has to offer in just two days--even if Teresa was only on "vacation" for a very limited time!
Now . . . on to school in just 2 short days!

Saturday [revisited]

I found my photos from Saturday!  So, here we go!

This was what was going on on the other side of the park while the adults were playing softball.  The kids spent most of the afternoon on this giant inflatable water slide.

There were balloon animals and hats and prizes and lots of temporary tattoos.  (Here is Teresa--pre-tattoos.  I am afraid she is going to have her own Ink show someday.)

 The Jelly Bean train is always a hit.  I lost count of how many times they went around the block.  At one point, Teresa was nodding off as they drove by.  Having that much fun is exhausting!

 Here is Teresa with her friend Philip.  Philip is a couple of years older and from the time Teresa could crawl and get into things, he has been looking out for her.  Isn't this just the cutest picture of them together?  (Maybe he can be a good influence and talk her out of those tattoos someday!)

 Whew!  That was fun.  We're looking forward to next year!

Small Steps

You may have noticed a new button/link show up on my blog sidebar for Small Steps for Catholic Moms by Danielle Bean and Elizabeth Foss.  It is a little book that provides words of wisdom (from Scripture or a saint), a prayer, and an idea to put that thought into action for each day of the year. 
The months are separated into themes:  Joy, Simplicity, Sacrifice, Courage, Grace, Gentleness, Humility, Charity, Diligence, Patience, Gratitude, and Peace.
I loved the authors' intent for the book in the introduction.  It can be used sporadically throughout the year, daily, or whenever you want to incorporate it into your life.  Their intent is not to add stress to moms' lives, but to help us find balance between action and prayer.
I have just acquired the book and have been pretty sporadic with it so far, but I do hope to use it more frequently.  The best part is that you don't have to be a mom to appreciate these Small Steps.
Small Steps for Catholic Moms, for me, is a reminder of what Mother Teresa once said,
"We cannot do great things, but we can do small things with great love."    

One More Thing

I'm adding this to my list of favorite quotes.  It is attributed to Corrie Ten Boom, a Dutch Christian Holocaust survivor who helped many Jews to escape during WWII.
Last week wasn't so great.  Both big and little things were getting to me and the future was starting to make me a bit anxious again.  Then I read this at the bottom of a magazine page:

"Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God." 

 Once again, it was an example of God's perfect timing, sneaking in a bit of encouragement when I least expected it and needed it most.

Welcome to Monday

We had a great weekend!  Unfortunately, none of the photos I took can be found on my memory card anymore.  Weird and annoying.  So, you'll just have to imagine the fun in your mind. :o)
David celebrated his 15th class reunion on Friday.  With just five in his class (and two marrying each other), it brings the grand total to 8.  Everyone lives in the area, so 100% attendance at their reunions is pretty much guaranteed.  It's always a good time. 
It seems like it took a long time for each of us to get to our 10 year reunions with college, marriage, work and babies filling up our lives and falling in quick succession.  These past 5 have flown by.  I will have my 15 year reunion next year, so I can feel "young" for one more year!
Saturday was our community's Corn Fest.  David played softball all day and the kids and I hung out by the giant inflatables in the park.  (Insert cute photos here.)  :o) 
The weekend was filled with catching up with old friends (even those who don't live so far away) and even a few students.  It was great.
Today it's back to work--cleaning, laundry, and refereeing.  Such is the life of a mom!

Breakfast for Supper

I love cookbooks, especially ones that have been compiled by community or church members.  The names attached to each recipe give each one special meaning, even if I don't know that particular cook.  If I do, the recipe will bring that person to mind as I am making their recipe.  If I don't, I imagine the person preparing it for his or her family.  Just the fact that the cook has prepared a recipe with love and likes it enough to share it gives it a personal touch. 
Several years ago on a visit to Wisconsin, I bought a cookbook at Aunt Tami & Uncle Lynn's church.  It was quite a find.  It was my first church cookbook to come from outside my German part of the world.  This one has several Scandinavian dishes that were completely new to me.  I have tried and liked the Finnish Cardamom Bread, but have decided to skip on the Blood Klub.  You really don't want to know any more details on Blood Klub and this comes from a girl who has eaten Head Cheese and Blood Sausage.  You don't want to know the details on those either!
There are a few favorite standbys in the book and Uncle Lynn's Pour Pizza is one of them.  The original recipe is this:
Pour Pizza
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1 cup flour
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/4 tsp oregano leaves
1 15 oz. can pizza sauce
1/8 tsp pepper
1 cup mozzarella cheese
Assorted pizza toppings

Combine beef with garlic salt.  Brown and drain.  Stir together flour, milk, eggs, and 1 tsp. oregano.  Pour into greased 9x13 pan.  Sprinkle with meat.  Bake for 10-15 minutes at 425 or until golden brown.  Combine pizza sauce, pepper and oregano.  Pour over crust.  Top with cheese.  Add desired toppings.  Bake for 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melted at 425. 

I intended to make Pour Pizza tonight, but decided to use a pack of seasoned pork sausage that was made at a local butcher shop in place of the ground beef.  As the sausage browned, however, I realized that it was intended to be a breakfast sausage rather than an Italian sausage.  (Like an Italian sausage would come out of a German butcher shop.  Silly me.)
And so, Breakfast Pour Pizza was born. 

Breakfast Pour Pizza
1 lb. ground seasoned sausage
1 cup flour
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs, slightly beaten

7 scrambled eggs
1 cup cheddar cheese

Brown and drain sausage.  Mix flour, milk, and eggs.  Pour mixture into greased 9x13 pan and sprinkle with meat.  Bake 10-15 minutes at 425.  Meanwhile, scramble 7 eggs and season with salt and pepper.  Remove crust from oven and spread cooked eggs over the top.  Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.  Return to oven for about 3 minutes to melt the cheese. 

I hope you enjoy this happy accident as much as we did--for breakfast or supper!

A Day of Firsts

Landen had a first yesterday, too.  It was his first day of running the grain cart during harvest and dumping "on the go."  I have done this a time or two and it isn't the easiest thing to do. 

He was very excited and proud to be grain cart driver for the day!

Finally!

Nathan came into the living room bursting with excitement on Saturday night.  He bit into an apple and discovered he FINALLY had a loose tooth!  This morning he woke up and discovered it had fallen out.  He has been waiting SO long for this.  He wants the tooth fairy to leave money under HIS pillow for a change! 

 Wow--my second child is losing his teeth now.  That must mean Kindergarten can't be far away!

Marmaduke

This is Marmaduke.  We don't know his real name, but that is what Nathan named him.  He doesn't mind at all.  At this point, if we knew his real name, we wouldn't call him by it anyway.  He is Marmaduke to all of us now.  He is our good friend when we are working by his owner's farm. 

Today Teresa and I got to the field just as they were finishing up on the wheat.  We closed the van doors and called for Marmaduke, but he didn't come to see us.  Soon Grandma dropped Nathan off at the edge of the field.  As soon as he started running our direction, I heard him say, "Hey, Marmaduke!"

Soon they were playing fetch with sticks and rocks.  If Marmaduke loses his toy, he digs up a new rock from the gravel road and brings it to us!  He doesn't bother our food, even though we know he has a sweet tooth.  His owner gives him a bowl of ice cream every night.  I don't think dogs are supposed to have dairy.  Don't tell Marmaduke.  That might be the only time he gets a little cranky.

Thanks for another fun harvest lunch time, Marmaduke!  Now you can get some rest until we see you again!

Baby Picture

Does it annoy you when people want you to look at their ultrasound photos?  If you are one of those people, you better not read the rest of this post.  This is the first time I am a blogging while pregnant, so this little guy or girl is going to make an appearance on my blog today.

An ultrasound can't show everything (like if baby will be a cross country runner like dad or a bookworm like mom), but everything it can show looks good.  There is evidence here that he or she may be a thumb sucker like dad!  Baby weighs just under 1 pound and the expected arrival date stayed the same. 
Our older three are intrigued that baby will be able to hear them while still inside me.  Teresa has already offered to help change diapers and Landen says he will do night time feedings.  I wonder how long that enthusiasm will last. :o) 

20 Weeks

Welcome to the halfway point of pregnancy #4.  Can you believe more family just found out we were expecting on Sunday?  Where has the art of good ol' gossip gone?  :o) 
I'm feeling great, due in part mostly to central air conditioning!  Feeling icky and tired ALL of the time is a distant memory and I (just in the past week) officially moved into maternity wear.  It helps that I still had bigger sizes on hand from my pre-Wii Fit and treadmill days.  However, there comes a time when only elastic waists will do!
I know you are wondering--"What does this information mean to me?"
Well, it means there are 20 weeks and 5 days left until Christmas! 
Happy Shopping!

Fun Weekend

We had a very fun weekend starting Saturday at Lake Enemy Swim.  It was our annual day with our hosts, the Johnstons, who are family friends.

Here is Nathan giving the signal for FASTER as he prepares to go tubing.  He had his thumb up for most of his rides.

Bo took the kids fishing for the first time off the dock.  They all caught their first fish in no time at all! 

Yesterday we met the Neises family in Watertown for a picnic.  Here are many of them playing volleyball in the rain.  You can see the drips coming off of the shelter (where I was nice and dry). 

Does it get any better than this?

Perspective

If I could sum up the summer in one word, it would be this--perspective. 
God has given me an abundance of opportunities to gain it these past few months.  He has placed wonderful faith-filled people in my life and opportunities to share with them.  Members of our families have gone through uncertain times, as have we.  Our lives have not always gone as planned (surprise!).  Although not all of these perspective builders they have been pleasant, I am grateful for each of them.
If you remember, I started this summer at a very fearful point in my life.  On one of those days, I opened my Bible to the Matthew (my favorite Gospel) and found my bookmark. 
There was one of my favorite verses in 8:26:  "He said to them, "Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?"  Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm. 
I LOVE that.  It reminds me that I am human.  Limited.  But He is not.  He will calm these storms when they arise.  Until then, we will be made stronger in our faith.
I am not qualified to preach, nor have I been given the gift to evangelize through speaking.
But, I have to give Him credit for all of the blessings has has brought us through these past few months.  It is still not always easy, but I know these storms aren't under my control.
They never were. 
That is OK with me.