Caution: Wife and Mom Under Construction

Homesick for Heaven

2012-02-15T08:50:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow will be 3 weeks since our nephew Luke went to heaven. The concept of time has become strange--some things seeming so recent and some so far away. We have embarked on this road called grief. No one wants to be on it, but we have no choice but to keep walking, not looking too far ahead, but concentrating on each small step.

As we gathered as a family after Luke's funeral, we joked that we should buy the house next door together as a time-share. I am liking that idea more and more, but only if everyone can quit their jobs and live together in a sort of Melius commune--sitting in a circle in the bare living room, talking, laughing, crying, and holding each other up. Was it just the newness of this reality? Was it the being altogether in one place? Somehow, sometimes, this all seemed more bearable then.

The hard part right now is not being able to be with Rick, Katie, and Lydia. Since we returned, farm and family responsibilities and sick kids have kept us from making a return trip to see them. We will, but it is taking much longer than we had hoped.

Grief and sadness are ugly, hideous things and I hate them Hate them.

But, do you know what I LOVE? The promise of HEAVEN, of an eternal life so beautiful that we cannot fathom it. If not for this promise, this road would be truly, truly unbearable.

Nathan (who often spends his church and prayer time spinning in circles and/or dancing), perched himself on the corner of the kitchen table a couple of nights ago and declared,

"Heaven is our home. This is not our home."

I am so thankful for these reminders, these feathers of hope, that God sends to float down when we need them most.

We received this beautiful prayer in a card from a friend yesterday. I know we are not the first family to travel this road, nor are we the only ones traveling it now. Feel free to share this, too, if you or anyone else may find comfort in it.

Lord, we know you are walking with our dearly departed Luke. Bless him as he comes to share in the eternal banquet you have prepared. Please show us your compassion and grace as we adjust to the changes in our lives here on earth. As each day passes, help us to understand our need to surrender to your never-ending love. Turn our tears of sadness to joy. Let us weep with happiness for the new life Luke now enjoys. It is through you, with you and in you that we will find peace.

Amen.

Empowered

2012-02-14T08:16:00.000-06:00

I am not taking my usual 1 or 2 year "recovery" time after this baby to get back to walking. Having my biggest baby without any drugs (I'm not saying I didn't ask for any!) left me feeling empowered. If I can do THAT, I can do anything! Right??

I started walking slowly again when Rachel was about four weeks old and now I am back up to my pre-pregnancy routine and walking speed 5-6 days a week.

Once spring comes around, my goal is to run a mile outside--maybe more.

(Running on the treadmill scares me.)

This goal is quite momentous because I DO NOT run and NEVER have.

But, like I said--now I just KNOW I can do it!

Exercising is not so much about the losing weight for me (although I do have a few pounds to lose yet), but that I feel so much better when I do it. That 35-40 minutes in my day has become my sacred "me" time (with my personal trainer pictured below, of course) as well as my natural Zoloft.

She is saying, "Cheeks like these only look good on me, Mom. Keep walking!" :o)

And, with that, it IS time for my morning walk!

Happy Valentine's Day! May you have a blessed day celebrating everyone you love.

Teresa's Room

2012-02-12T18:16:00.000-06:00

Teresa is not the best housekeeper. In fact, none of our children are meticulous that way. There is still hope for Rachel.

Today Teresa had this exchange with her Grandpa Melius about her bedroom.

Grandpa: Did a bomb go off in here?
Teresa: No. I have a smoke alarm.

Little Projects

2012-02-11T16:04:00.000-06:00

Both boys came home with notes this week reminding us of the upcoming Valentine's Day party on Tuesday. I was one grateful mom when they decided they would each make their own Valentine boxes! Now, I grew up LOVING this time of year and would plan my own Valentine box weeks in advance. One year I even ventured into the art of paper mache to make a gumball machine. Yes, I LOVED Valentine boxes!

At this point in my life, however, I have a little different view on this yearly project.

Even with my independent artists working away, there was still enough fighting over paper, markers, tape, and a crying baby punctuating any silences. Oh, it was quite a lively evening, but it turned out in the end!

By Friday morning, they had created these beautiful works of art!

It didn't take Landen long to get bored on their free day from school, so I put him to work baking muffins for the February church potlock tomorrow. Have you ever been to a breakfast potluck? You should, especially if you are a fan of egg bakes, rolls, and muffins! Mmmm!

This morning it was off to Saturday morning basketball for the boys. I managed to get all of my little monkeys together for a picture before our Saturday morning pancakes.

Mark Schultz - I Have Been There (Let's Try This Again)

2012-02-09T13:50:00.000-06:00

If you are a blog follower, you will see a mysterious post listed from yesterday, but if you click on it the post doesn't exist. Sorry about that. I was trying to embed this video, but it wouldn't let me. I've decided to post it anyway. If you would like to see the video, click on the link to YouTube and it will take you right to it. Let's try this post again today.
As I was saying yesterday . . .
If you haven't already noticed, my life has a soundtrack.
Most of the songs on my playlist are on it.
I am always adding to it.
Sometimes I will hear a song that I have forgotten is on my life's soundtrack. This is one of those. I love Mark Schultz' music and "I Have Been There" is one of his earliest songs. (There would be more Mark Schultz music on my playlist if more songs were available on playlist.com!)

Visit Just Imagine Heaven Today!

2012-02-09T08:31:00.001-06:00

Today I'd like to direct you to cousin Jan's blog at www.justimagineheaven.blogspot.com. Since I don't often blog about farm life here at the Melius farm/ranch, she did it for me after their visit last week. (See the post "Cattle, Baby, & Pyrex")
Jan couldn't believe that I hadn't been out to see the baby calves (and a week later I still haven't been). I suppose the novelty has worn off after ten calving seasons. Just knowing that they're out there, healthy, and that Teresa has named them (Avery, Lydia, Funny Face, and, most recently Laura) is enough for me. :o) Don't judge--I have a a new baby keeping me in the house--and that is a very good excuse for not venturing out to see the cows!
Jan also captured the first photo of Rachel smiling on February 1. (David would like to document that he was the first to make her smile on January 31. It's true. I witnessed it.) You'll see that photography is one of Jan's many talents.
And . . . you just never know what you might find at the Salvation Army!
Wow--we packed a lot into one day's visit! I'm sure you'll love her blog.
Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

You Are Mine - David Haas

2012-02-06T11:55:00.000-06:00

Church Music

2012-02-06T11:45:00.002-06:00

Since the last Sunday in January, I have been playing the part of a real live church organist (or church pianist to be more precise). Our full time organist is gone through the month of February and she asked if I could fill in. Thanks to my wonderful husband being willing to sit with our four kids on his own, I was able to do it. (OK, Rachel hasn't been awake for mass yet, but she probably will be before the end of the month!)
I subbed several times in our former parish and a few times at All Saints, but this is my first experience being responsible for everything from choosing the songs to putting the numbers on the board.
Choosing the music has been the best part. There is a music liturgy guide which suggests several songs appropriate for each Sunday's readings, so that takes a lot of the guess work out of it.
I have a love for both old hymns and more contemporary songs, So far my selections slightly favor the more traditional. My favorite hymn, "How Great Thou Art" is coming up in a couple weeks.
I chose my favorite contemporary song for yesterday's mass before I knew what God would have in store for our family the very next day. I first heard "You Are Mine" at the beginning of my sophomore year of college. I had been homesick my freshman year and was apprehensive with the start of a new one. I found such comfort in the words based on Isaiah. It has been my favorite ever since. Feeling God's great love through this song can (and often does) make me cry on a normal Sunday (which can get messy when I forget to pack tissues in my purse!) I knew it would be difficult yesterday, and with no choir behind me, I didn't have a choice but to sing. I made it almost to the end.
The last verse is what always gets me.
"I am the Word that Leads all to freedom, I am the peace the world cannot give. I will call your name, embracing all your pain. Stand up, now, walk and live!"
Love it, love it, love it.
I will post a You Tube link so you can hear it, too.
Now it is time for me to get practicing for next Sunday. At least I remembered to change the numbers yesterday. I'll get this all figured out by the end of the month--I hope! :o)
May God bless your day.

Rachels

2012-02-04T21:28:00.001-06:00

We have been blessed with the company of family and friends this past week. We continue to be grateful for such awesome support. We were especially blessed to spend time with cousins we don't get to see very often. David's cousin Jared & wife Jan and Rebecca, Rachel, Thomas, David, Elizabeth, and Anna came over to our house twice during the week before they had to return to Denver. The kids had SO much fun playing with each other.

We had to get a picture of the two Rachel Melius' while they were together. We didn't get a picture of the two David Melius' this time. (Yeah--our families have similar taste in names. At least we live far enough apart that we don't get each other's mail or confuse medical records!)

Here's a photo of our two Melius families' worth of children. The whole command to "go forth and multiply"?--not a problem here. :o)

We were blessed by a visit by another Rachel yesterday--my dear friend and baby Rachel's godmother (and her son Brandon, who was too busy when this photo was taken). We have decided to call this Rachel "Aunt Rachel." The only other alternative was "Big Rachel" and I just couldn't bring myself to call her that!
When I informed Landen of the decided name, he reminded me that she isn't really their aunt. I told him that we are going to adopt her as one because nobody wants to be called "Big Rachel." He said I had a point. :o)
Lots of Rachels and lots of love. We have lots to be thankful for.

We Have Seen Jesus

2012-01-31T11:08:00.001-06:00

Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours,
Yours are the eyes through which to look out Christ's compassion to the world.
Yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good;
Yours are the hands with which he is to bless men now.-St. Teresa of Avila

We have told our children several times that Jesus is everywhere and always with us; we just can't see him. We were wrong. We can see him. In these past few days, we HAVE seen him more clearly than ever. Many times.
We have seen him in the hands folded in prayer, arms wrapped around us, help in doing the chores at both farms so that we could be with our family, feet carrying meal upon meal, phone calls, email messages, cards, caregivers for our children, the gift of an open house next door for us to stay in (the owners even took it off the market for 10 days to make room for our families), pillows and blankets pouring out of the neighbors' homes for us to use in that house, heartfelt shared tears, and the list of kindness goes on and on and on.
David and I used to not know what to do when others were going through similar situations. We wanted to help, but we didn't want to be in the way. Now, through the kindness of others, we know what we can do to bring Jesus' love to others.
Thank you, thank you, thank you all a million times for being the hands and feet of Jesus on earth for us.

Where I Belong

2012-01-31T09:14:00.000-06:00

2012-01-28T07:40:00.001-06:00

Our family asks and thanks you for your prayers as we mourn the loss of our grandson, son, brother, nephew, cousin and friend Luke Alan, who went home to Jesus on Thursday night at the age of 4.
Just hours before, he told his dad the story of Jesus' life and that someday we will all go to Heaven and be happy.
May we all have the faith of a child, as Jesus himself told us we must have.

Today I have added "Held" by Natalie Grant.

This is what it means to be held, how it feels when the sacred is torn from life and you survive. This is what it is to be loved and to know that the promise was when everything fell--we'd be held.

SNOW!

2012-01-26T10:15:00.000-06:00

Usually my kids are tired of snow by this point in the winter (and so am I), but since it first made its arrival last week, the snow has been a new source of entertainment.

The boys now get off the bus and immediately hit the snow pile with their sleds.

And they aren't just sledding. Oh, no. They are SNOWBOARDING!

New Tunes

2012-01-24T14:35:00.001-06:00

One of my new favorite songs is "Brighter Than The Sun" by Colbie Caillat (#69 on the playlist).
It makes everything--even making the bed and changing a diaper--more fun.
Try it and I think you'll agree!
Another one that has been around awhile, but I've recently rediscovered, is "This" by Darius Rucker (#76). This is probably because of the beginning and the reference to getting up with a newborn at night. :o)
My new thought for each day is "It won't be like this for long." Whether we're going through good or bad times, whether my children are at a stage that is mostly fun or mostly frustrating, this statement is always true.
We have to enjoy or endure because it will all change soon enough!

Dad's Story

2012-01-23T12:09:00.001-06:00

As promised, here is some good stuff from last week. Nathan wrote a book! He worked very hard on it for two nights after school. He drew all of the pictures and told me what to write.

This is the front cover,

and this is a sample page.

Maybe he can illustrate my book someday!

Weird Week

2012-01-23T10:30:00.000-06:00

Last week was kind of weird. It started off alright as we returned from a fun weekend in Minnesota at Carter and Lily's house. Then it was downhill from there. There was a dentist appointment, missed coffee opportunity because of after effects of the dentist appointment, a sick husband who was not allowed within 6 feet of the baby for several days, nasty weather, cancelled religious ed, cradle cap, baby acne/dry skin, more nasty weather, cancelled Sunday mass, a missed chocolate party--Yes! A CHOCOLATE party-- and after all that, I didn't even have a bottle of wine in the house!

Do you know what all this means?
I haven't been off this farm since last TUESDAY. I may escape today . . . maybe.
Surprisingly, I am doing pretty well despite it all. Some good things happened, too. More on that later.
It's time to feed Rachel and she thinks she is a little more important than a blog post! :o)

One Dream Fulfilled--Meyer Lemon Pudding Cake

2012-01-19T17:06:00.001-06:00

With one willing assistant and one willing napper, I set to work on those Meyer lemons this morning!

Here's the deal with the special lemons. I tore out a recipe for Meyer lemon cakes a few years ago. I wanted to make them shortly after, but then I found out that not even the local "big" grocery store had the Meyer lemons it called for. (They are a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange, so a usual lemon just wouldn't do!) When I came across a bag of these the other day, I just had to buy them! They weren't even that expensive. And--aren't they just so pretty?

Instead of making the individual cakes from the original recipe I had intended to try, I used a recipe on the bag of lemons for one larger cake.
Learn from my mistakes and look ahead in the recipe. It will make this much easier!
Pour the milk ahead of time to make it room temperature and do the same for the eggs so the whites cooperate better. Also, melt the butter first so it can cool before you need it.

Meyer Lemon Pudding Cake
3 Meyer lemons
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs, separated
1 cup whole milk at room temperature
4 T butter, melted and cooled

Preheat oven to 300 and butter an 8x8 baking dish. Grate 2 tsp zest and then squeeze 1/3 cup juice from 3 lemons. Set aside.
Combine dry ingredients. Whish together yolks, milk, butter, zest, and juice. Add to dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Beat eggs whites until soft peaks form. Stir 1/3 of whites into the batter. Then gently fold in remaining whites. Pour into prepared pan and bake 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.

Then, enjoy! We tried ours warm, but I think I would like it even better chilled. It does have a definite lemon/orange taste--not a typical lemon flavor!

And there you have it--one little dream fulfilled. That didn't take too long! Now, onto the rest of the list . . . .

Don't Carpe Diem

2012-01-19T08:39:00.000-06:00

Today I am sharing someone else's thoughts with you. I don't read parenting magazines very often because I find them to be all the same and often the parenting tips they give can't even be applied to a rural lifestyle.
(If you've met my children, you probably think I should read more parenting advice. Just don't put your name on the Parents gift subscription card if you wish to remain anonymous!) :o)
But once in awhile, I come across something and think, "Finally! Thank you! I've needed this!"
How many times as a parent have you heard, "Enjoy EVERY minute! It goes by so fast!"
This wise advice is most likely to come when your children are at their naughtiest. Bedtime is so very far away and the promise of kindergarten--even farther. The problem is, as I've written before, that this well meaning advice can be a source of guilt and even a trigger for depression.
Landen was just days old when I realized loving every minute of being a mom was going to be impossible. Translated--I always wanted to be a mom and there I was--a failure and barely a week into it. That feeling, combined with the normal crazy hormones, made me absolutely miserable.
After I learned that I perhaps had taken the "enjoy EVERY minute" advice a bit too literally, and sought some medical assistance, a huge weight was lifted. I started to enjoy my baby boy even more when the pressure to enjoy him ALL of the time was gone.
That brings me to the link I am sharing today by Glennon Melton. As a parent, you know what a blessing it is to have a healthy child. At least I hope you do.
I also hope you find this column helpful and appreciate her humor as I did.
If you are having one of THOSE days as a parent today, feel free and
Don't Carpe Diem.

In My Dreams

2012-01-18T08:24:00.000-06:00

Lately I have a desire to create--lots of things! I want to start Rachel's scrapbook, catch up on everyone else's books, bake Meyer Lemon Pudding Cakes (I actually found Meyer lemons at the store yesterday), make felt play food for my girls similar to what I have seen on Etsy, design a new photo wall in our living room with room for all four kids and candid shots in between . . . oh, yes, I have lots of ideas!
Too bad there is just one of me! Last Saturday morning, I caught myself trying to catch a nap while drinking a cup of coffee. A few days before that, I knew I needed to sleep, but I so wanted to put in some time on the treadmill (a short nap won out). If only I could split myself in two once in awhile!
I know it will take some time before time and energy align and I am able to make any of these grandiose creative notions a reality.
(I do hope to get to those lemons before they shrivel up!)
Until then, I can live vicariously through the talented bloggers I follow and Etsy creations I love to browse through.
It's always fun to dream.

Baby Skin

2012-01-11T12:04:00.000-06:00

In my years as a mom, I have found that baby skin can be kind of tricky. I sometimes wish I had gone into dermatology!

As a baby, Nathan had scaly patches on his head from early on. I learned that was called cradle cap and scrubbed his head with baby oil every morning for several months.

When he was a little older, he developed red blotches all over his torso. The diagnosis? Eczema. Teresa joined him in the eczema club for a time, too. They each had to use a prescription lotion to treat it.

Now we have a new one—baby acne! Rachel started developing bumps on her forehead, cheeks, and chin last weekend and now its running its course. All of the advice I find says to keep her skin clean with water, otherwise leave the area alone and it will clear up within a few weeks. It looks like it could be irritating, but it doesn’t seem to bother her. We still think she’s one of the four cutest babies we’ve ever had!

Are there any other pediatric skin conditions I should know more about? Time will tell!

German Russian Goodness

2012-01-10T11:01:00.001-06:00

Our family made a trip to Eureka on Sunday and I picked up a few comfort foods while we were there.

Landen (my good German boy) always wants me to pick up a snack pack of kuchen, which happens to be the Official South Dakota State Dessert, when we visit. Last week I mentioned that we Germans like our dough. Well, we like cream and sugar with our dough sometimes, too. Landen, Teresa, and I appreciate this delicacy. David and Nathan aren’t sold on it.

One treat we all agree on are the homemade noodles from Hosmer—a very small town not too far from Eureka.

To make this week even better, our neighbor surprised our family with a big bowl of knepfla soup yesterday! Knepfla is, you guessed it, pieces of dough. It was delicious and was a little taste from my home territory!

There’s just nothing like comfort foods from home!

Gooey Stuff

2012-01-07T08:00:00.001-06:00

Oobleck is back and it has a new name at our house—Gooey Stuff. You can find the recipe HERE.

I really prefer this project outside on the picnic table, but I’ve been letting Teresa play with it at the kitchen table almost every day this week. One batch, with her Little People animals and people, will keep her occupied for at least a couple hours.

The texture is the crazy part. Even though it pours like a liquid, it will be dry to the touch. If it dries too much before you are done playing with it, just add a bit more water.

I let Teresa choose which food coloring colors to add and her favorite part is watching the colors swirl together at the beginning. She even made an exciting discovery. Yellow and blue make green! She also thinks it tastes good, although I don’t know how it possibly could!

Gooey stuff is inexpensive to make, fun to play with, and wipes or sweeps right up.

Put corn starch on your next shopping list and have fun!

NCL Sines

2012-01-06T08:54:00.000-06:00

Landen started his own home based company over Christmas vacation—NCL Sines. It is named for the three boys who are allowed in their boys’ club, Nathan, cousin Carter, and Landen.

He spent most of one day down in their room designing signs, gift cards and coupons for his upcoming sale (99% off!), and running his business.

He even sold a few signs to his grandparents and decorated our doors for free!

It’s good to have connections with a talented sign maker.

Climbing and Swimming

2012-01-05T10:44:00.000-06:00

As a proud logophile (that is, lover of words—thanks, Google for that info), I can’t believe this quote by Albert Einstein escaped me until now.

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

When we got married, I went from a small town girl to a farm wife just 70 miles from where I grew up. Some days I may as well have become a rice farmer’s wife and moved halfway around the world for how different the two worlds can be. Where I come from, farming is different, people think differently, and many of the older generation even talk differently as they are fluent in conversational German.

Our delicacies are based around dough and carbs (our ancestors had to feed hungry families on a diet consisting of mostly flour and eggs), and foods many other people wouldn’t touch, like sauerkraut, borsht, and pickled watermelon.

Here—yes, so close to that hometown of mine—things are very different. So is my home environment. I am not complaining. I do love the man I married, what we do and where we live.

My fins have strengthened a bit over the years and I have made it a little way up the trunk. But, it is still not my natural environment. It can be very easy to judge myself solely on my ability to climb. And then I can start to feel pretty stupid.

Maneuvering the loader bucket on a tractor is not second nature. The gestation of a cow is not in my brain’s storehouse of trivia. The inner workings of running a business as big as a farm operation are completely beyond my intellect.

When my children are acting up and I am completely overwhelmed and I can’t even escape to the bathroom for a minute and I completely forget that I once was intelligent enough to earn a college degree, I start to long for that pond I once swam in.

So, I have to find little puddles of water to swim in when I can. I’m not sure what I am a genius in, but I do have a few talents that I can feel pretty good about. I know my way around the kitchen pretty well (Landen didn’t even know cookies could come from the store until he was 3 years old), I am pretty creative and crafty around the house, and I love to write. I am still not sure where this writing thing is going to go, but someday it will have some direction!

That will be my resolution for this year. I will find places to swim when I can, and when I do find myself resembling a fish out of water, I will try not to let it make me feel stupid.

We all have our places of genius.

Sometimes we just forget.

What are yours?

Wow. Beautiful. Amazing. Grace.

2012-01-02T15:32:00.001-06:00

Wow. Beautiful. Amazing. Grace.

As yesterday came to a close, those words kept swirling inside of me. Today I still feel as though I am overflowing with love. A day, a blessing, so beautiful could only come from God Himself.

Yesterday Rachel Olivia Melius received the Sacrament of Holy Baptism.

Due to time constraints in the morning, we planned the baptism as its own ceremony yesterday afternoon. This was the first time we had baptized outside of mass, so we were expecting a short ceremony, as it would be during mass.

It was so much more than we expected. Father Christopher provided our family with a loving, personalized, and deliberate ceremony. That, coupled with the miracle that was taking place in our daughter’s life, completely overwhelmed our hearts.

It was one of those moments in life that was really too beautiful for this earth.

There are several details I always want to remember about Rachel’s baptism:

Many wonderful friends and family in attendance to pray and celebrate with us

Teresa starting an impromptu round of applause after Fr. Christopher closed his homily and said that Rachel Olivia would soon be baptized.

Nathan with his nose right up to the font as Father prayed over the water.

Landen assisting with the oils and getting a taste of altar serving. (He is proud to say that he has been trained for that.) :o)

Rachel completely wide eyed as she was blessed and baptized.

All of our children taking an active part, really understanding what was happening, and wanting to know more about their own baptisms.

Coming home to a house full of loved ones, great conversation, food, and laughter

How can one really sum up such an awesome day?

Godparents Eddie & Rachel, Fr. Christopher, Godparents Deb & Doug

Melius family (except for Uncle John)

Joachim family

Wow. Beautiful. Amazing. Grace.

Our Christmas Greeting

2011-12-30T10:12:00.000-06:00

Here are the photos that made it to our Christmas card!

Christmas is a Comin'

2011-12-21T15:06:00.000-06:00

and the geese are getting fat, please put a penny in the old man's hat . . . ."
(Come on mid-1990's EHS chorus members! Sing it with me!!)

So, how have you all been this week?

Life has been going pretty well around here. Rachel has been a content baby and has been sleeping for three hour stretches at night--just as all of her siblings did as newborns. I didn't even have to tell her that was one of the rules! What a smart little girl.

(This photo didn't make the cut for our Christmas card, but it was my favorite.)
You know when you work and work on a puzzle and you think it is completed, only to get to the end to find out you are missing a piece right out of the middle? Rachel is that piece in this crazy Melius family puzzle. We're so glad God was keeping her safe in His plan for us all along!
We are looking forward to seeing our families over the next couple weekends and Rachel's baptism on January 1.
May you have a blessed Christmas if I don't "see" you again before then!

Rachel Olivia has arrived!

2011-12-18T13:28:00.000-06:00

Were you wondering what happened to me? You probably guessed--baby decided to make her arrival on Wednesday morning!

We actually went into the hospital to check if I was in labor on Tuesday. I know that sounds crazy since it was my fourth time, but I just felt weird. So, the nurses hooked me up to the monitor, but nothing was happening, so we were sent away.

Since we were scheduled to be induced early Wednesday morning anyway and the road conditions weren't the greatest, we decided to spend the night in Aberdeen.

Thank goodness for Holiday Inn Express' Rapid Check Out because I went into labor at about 4am on Wednesday. We went to the hospital shortly before our appointed time of 6:00am and Rachel Olivia arrived at 8:06am. Now that's one efficient baby girl!

She was 8 lbs 7oz and 21 inches long. She holds the Melius baby weight record by a pound. I guess when you are the baby of four siblings, you have to arrive ready to hold your own.

We came home on Friday. It was difficult to leave the cocoon of our quiet hospital room, but it was time to start our new adventure in a family of six!

A Gingerbread Village

2011-12-11T19:43:00.000-06:00

What was the very first thing in my WalMart cart on Wednesday? A kit for a gingerbread village!

I waited until Thursday after school to get this mother/child bonding project moving.

After assembling the (admittedly simple) pre-cut houses with my very excited/loud potential gingerbread decorators hovering over me, and then having to wait an excruciatingly long hour to let the frosting/mortar harden, I started to question my sanity and that of the WalMart employees.

(Really . . . shouldn't someone have stopped me from buying such a thing? Did I really look emotionally stable enough to take on such a project with three children? They don't let 16 year olds buy spray glitter, but they let a 9 1/2 months pregnant woman buy a GINGERBREAD VILLAGE KIT? What kind of store policy is that?)

Looking back on it, it really wasn't that bad, but I think next time I will assemble the houses before they come home since that part isn't all that much fun anyway.

So, fast forward to the fun part. I turned all three of them loose with the included frosting and candy and the project took on a whole new spin. They each chose their buildings, shared their decorations, made a huge sugary mess, and had a GREAT time!

They were working so hard, they didn't even ask to EAT. David called to say he would be late for supper and I told him it was OK since they were building a gingerbread village. He didn't think I was serious. Then he came home and found this:

a village complete with parking lots for trucks and machinery. What else would a Melius Gingerbread Village include?
(Landen took this photo and was so proud of the view overlooking the combine hopper.)

And then we ate, but they were too excited telling about their creations to eat much at all!

Will we do this again next year?
Sure!
Sometimes crazy ideas can turn out to be pretty good ones!

Help!

2011-12-09T15:38:00.000-06:00

I just noticed today that links are showing up in my posts that I haven't put there. (Words are different colored or underlined and take you to a web page or ad.)
Just ignore these and I will see what I can do.
If anyone has any suggestions on how to get rid of these, please share!

Something New

2011-12-09T08:02:00.000-06:00

Today Nathan will go to his first birthday party without mom or dad. He has been excited all week, and a little nervous, too.
The party-goers will walk to the birthday boy's daycare after school. Nathan remembered going to daycare a few times and, although he remembered it being a fun time, he was a little apprehensive about nap time. Once I assured him that nap time would be over when they got there, he was just fine with that and looking forward to that portion of the evening.
He didn't quite know what to expect at the party either. What would they do? What if he didn't know the rules at their house? How long would he be staying?
At first I was thinking to myself, "It's just a birthday party! Why is he over thinking this and considering all of the worst case scenarios that his 6 year old brain can think of?"

I am so glad God kept His hand over my mouth because because before I could verbalize any of those thoughts, He turned on a BIG light bulb in my brain. Not just a 100 watt either. It was huge. Brighter than a LED flashlight held inches from my eyes. (Gotta love kids. . . .)

Why do I often have many of those same thoughts and fears when confronted with new and possibly really fun experiences?
When I do have those times, I am often blessed with people who will listen to my fearful questions and reassure me/prepare me based on their own experiences.

What a blessing to be able to be that person for my children. I hope I can be that person for others as well.

Once again, I am learning from one of my children this week.

It is OK to ask questions in order to make us feel reassured and prepared. Let us be thankful for those people in our lives who encourage us to take the next step.
Otherwise, we may allow fear to keep us from experiencing new things. . . like the best birthday party EVER.

And that would be a shame.

Tick . . . Tick

2011-12-08T08:02:00.000-06:00

I have reached the ticking time bomb point of this pregnancy.
It is the time when I don't want to make plans too far out in advance because there's a chance I may be otherwise occupied in the hospital.
I already have one--possibly two--backup musicians lined up for our parish's Advent program on Sunday afternoon. I have never had a baby this early (without induction), but still--one never knows. After our dress rehearsal last night, I know the show can go on without me, but I still really hope to be there!
I have been nesting off and on for 9 months, but now I know it is getting down to the wire. Keeping the house in order has been a constant project. How do I really expect to keep a house in order for more than a few hours with a family living in it? I know it is impossible. Still, I try! And, I do realize that no matter how much laundry I do today or next week, I will still probably end up not having something important washed and ready to wear for someone in the family!
I made a trip to Walmart yesterday. At this point I could probably open a grocery store with the food in my deep freezer and pantry. Squirreling away food for the winter isn't limited to this year (I hate pushing overflowing carts through snowy parking lots), but baby's imminent arrival has sure contributed to it!
This time bomb phase is also the point where everyone assumes I am having the baby as soon as I am not available to answer a phone call, if I show up a few minutes late to something, or if they see my name on their caller ID. Lately I have started many a phone call/email with, "Sorry, no baby news yet." I can almost feel the disappointment in their voices when they realize it is just me.
I completely understand, though. I do all of the same things when I'm waiting for my friends or family members to have babies, too! There is an excitement in realizing that so much can change in a person's life at really any moment!
Now it is 8am. Teresa has already been dusting for me this morning. She must be nesting, too.
I will try to blog tomorrow, but if I don't, don't get too excited.
I am probably just taking a nap . . . or vacuuming . . . or organizing my overflowing pantry shelves.

A Little Surprise

2011-12-07T07:48:00.000-06:00

As I was going through my Facebook newsfeed yesterday morning, I saw something I wasn't expecting.
Ignatius Press featured my recent "I Love this Advent Calendar" post/review on their Facebook page!
I don't suppose this is a huge deal for many bloggers, but I haven't had any national attention for any of my posts before. To be recognized by Ignatius Press was especially an honor!
People from nearly all 50 states visited that post yesterday. Fun!

Making Room for (the real) Santa Claus

2011-12-06T12:00:00.000-06:00

Every year, I have an unwritten rule that our home's Christmas decor is primarily Nativity centered. I have a collection of many sets and place them around the house to remind us of the true reason for Christmas.
Our children even received a Little People nativity set a few years ago. I used to put it away, but now I let them play with it all year long. One year we had all of the people accounted for except for baby Jesus. We thought he might show up on Christmas morning, but I think it was closer to Epiphany when we finally found him! (And, no, we weren't prepared with any gold, frankincense or myrrh!)
Any Santa related decor is pretty much limited to the stockings hung on our downstairs railing.
I have absolutely NOTHING against Santa Claus. He has been arriving at our house even before Landen was mobile. (He brought a dump truck and construction hat that year.) We follow the same rule in this house that I had growing up--"If you don't believe in Santa, you don't get anything from him."
As we we were returning from mass on Sunday, Landen started asking about how Santa Claus came about. I had a vague recollection of the real St. Nicholas and how he helped the poor by leaving gifts for them. I was stumped, though, when he asked me where the elves came in!
Today is the Feast Day of St. Nicholas. I've been doing a little online research to learn more about this early bishop of the church and his life. Some parts of the world open their St. Nicholas gifts on this day--Dec. 6--in order to focus more on Christ's birth on Christmas morning. A fun custom that some families have is to leave a carrot or a bit of hay in the children's shoes on the eve of Dec. 6 (for St. Nicholas' horse). Then they receive a small candy coin or treat in return in the morning.
I would like to find a children's book on St. Nicholas and how he came to be our modern day Santa Claus. If anyone has one they like, please let me know. It would be a good reminder for our children to read it each year as we make our way through advent.
There is a lot of information on the history of St. Nicholas and how families celebrate this day around the world on www.stnicholascenter.org. I found the following poem on the website.
It is entitled "A 'Word' from 'St. Nicholas'". Although the author is unknown, it is something St. Nicholas might have said and would want us to know in a world where Santa Claus and celebrating Christ on Christmas can sometimes seem so far apart.

In my own heart I cannot separate Christmas

from that Boy Child born in Bethlehem

some two thousand years ago.

I believe that Boy Child

was the Child of the Divine Mystery,

and He came into the world for love of us all.

I believe He came to bring healing,

forgiveness,

reconciliation,

freedom, and peace.

I believe He also came to invite everyone

to forget themselves and remember the needs of others.

For me, the religious meaning of Christmas

is a source of deep joy.

You must understand that my message

echoes the message of that Child born so long ago.

I am not the offspring of the Divine Mystery,

only His unworthy servant.

I am Saint Nicholas,

and the religious meaning of Christmas

will always be close to my heart.

Maybe our Santa Claus decor and the nativity sets can co-exist in harmony after all.
I'm thankful for Landen's curiosity about St. Nicholas and getting me interested in the real story. I didn't research far enough to get to the elf question, though.
Maybe I'll get to that one later!

Christmas Tunes

2011-12-05T14:51:00.000-06:00

I hope you enjoy the Christmas tunes I added to the playlist this year.
As with the rest of the playlist, there is a little something for everyone--even Grinches!

Collecting Data

2011-12-04T15:53:00.000-06:00

Earlier today, Nathan was drawing charts on his Magna Doodle and "collecting data" like he does at school. Landen, Teresa, and I took each of his surveys. We had to choose our favorite foods a couple of times (we had three choices for each) and then what we liked to do most with our time.
He was very formal with his survey taking and I was proud of his siblings for seriously answering his questions.
I found the last of these surveys to be the most interesting.
"Who do you like better--Daddy or Callie?"
Daddy won 2 votes to 1.
Who voted for the dog?
Not me!

I Love this Advent Calendar

2011-12-03T19:40:00.000-06:00

Long before I knew our children would be so interested in advent . . . or blowing out candles . . . this year, I ordered this pop-up Advent Calendar from the Ignatius Press catalog.

Until we made it to December 1, I was taking snippets from the Word Among Us meditations or reading a bit from Isaiah for our advent wreath time. It was alright, but it was going over their heads (and attention spans). I needed something more simply worded and geared toward children.

Once December 1 rolled around, I unwrapped this calendar and found just what I was looking for for our family.

They like the pop-up design that will eventually make a nativity scene when all of the doors are opened.
I really appreciate the companion booklet. Each day provides a Scripture passage, a short explanation/meditation, and prayer--just right for children to understand. The calendar continues through

Epiphany and has one last reading for The Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, which is on February 2 this year.

That's all I have time for today. It is time for our advent wreath lighting.
It's Nathan's turn to blow out the candle tonight. :o)

Preparing

2011-11-29T11:26:00.000-06:00

There are all sorts of preparations underway around here.

Sunday afternoon was very productive. David set up the crib in record time (which was impressive since he had only set it up once before over 8 years ago) and my three helpers put up most of the Christmas decorations.

One of the first things they found were the Advent candles. I have put these out before, but we have never lit them as a family. This year they could not wait to light the first one! I was so impressed that our children had such an interest in Advent. Then I realized, as I read an Advent reflection and prayer with our family gathered around the wreath, that they were most interested in who would get to blow out the candle at the end!

We'll continue this practice throughout Advent--and take turns blowing out the candles!

I am THANKFUL

2011-11-24T07:38:00.003-06:00

for the difficult times because they make us more appreciative of the good times.

for growth of all kinds. It may not always be fun to grow, but wonderful things come from it.

for my husband of over 10 years. I'm not surprised that we have made it this far, but rather that the time has gone so quickly.

for the gift of a healthy pregnancy (along with its aches and pains) and the baby we are about to meet. I have learned to never limit the blessings God can pour on us.

for stuffing, pumpkin pie, and cranberry sauce--no matter what The Biggest Loser trainers say. :o)

for Black Friday shopping. I'm not one of those crazy up at 4am people, but it is kind of fun to wake up early and go shopping in the dark once a year.

for family and friends. Again, I have been truly blessed.

for children who play well together and for children who fight--it means they are healthy and a part of our lives.

for faith, hope, and love.

for God's guidance and protection.

for all of those things I tend to take for granted--a warm home, plenty of food, and closets that don't lack for clothes, shoes, coats and hats.

and for everything else we celebrate today . . . .

Happy Thanksgiving!

This & That

2011-11-22T13:59:00.000-06:00

This week finds us just 4 weeks or less away from meeting our newest family member! In some ways, it seems like I have been pregnant forever and in other ways it has gone by quickly--especially these past few months. We are all excited and getting ready. I am hoping the crib gets set up sometime this week, but that might be something David rushes home to do before baby and I come home from the hospital. That's really all I ask for--just have it ready for when we get back home!
Nathan told us that Jesus told him our new baby is a girl. I'm not really sure when this conversation took place, but possibly having another sister concerned him. He asked me, "Mom, can you ask God to make it a boy? He can do anything and He can change it!" I assured him that--boy or girl--God will give us the family member that we need! I still don't think he's entirely convinced that another sister would be a good idea!

Today Teresa and I are easing out of pumpkin season and into cranberry season. We made a batch of homemade cranberry sauce this morning and this bread. I'm sorry my photo is not uploading, so you'll have to use your imagination! I really like how it turned out. I used a cup of frozen cranberries and did not use any walnuts. The glaze is something I added and I feel it completes the bread. A little extra sweet never hurts!

Cranberry Orange Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 cup orange juice
2 T melted butter or margarine
2 T hot water
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)

In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. In another bowl, beat egg. Add orange juice, butter, and hot water. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Gently fold in cranberries and walnuts. Spoon into greased loaf pan. Bake at 325 degrees for an hour or more until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool.
Drizzle a glaze made with orange juice and powdered sugar over the top. It works well to fill the bottom of a baggie with the juice and sugar, mix them together with your fingers, and snip off a corner to drizzle on the cooled bread.
Enjoy!

Candy Bar Brownies

2011-11-18T12:42:00.000-06:00

It was a good Halloween for chocolate. (Way to go, kids!)
But, after a few days of the boys rushing in the door after school to choose a few favorite treats from their bags and then my enduring the sugar rush after, it was clear that the candy needed to be controlled a bit more.
I sent the Tootsie Rolls and Smarties to Grandma & Grandpa's house for them to hand out to their grandchildren over the next year.
Then I put all of the of chocolate it its own bag with the intention of using it for baking. I have had my share of treats out of the chocolate bag over the past few weeks, but today it was time to put my original plan into action.
I even found a recipe for Candy Bar Brownies in one of my cookbooks--perfect for post-Halloween!

4 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup cocoa
7-10 fun-size candy bars

Stir together first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; stir in sugar mixture. Fold in candy bars. Bake in a 9x13 greased and floured pan for 35 minutes at 350. Make sure the middle is set before removing from the oven. Cool completely and cut into bars.

Goals

2011-11-15T08:26:00.000-06:00

I turned 33 on Saturday. That made me start to think about life goals. Hmm . . . lately my goal is to conquer all of the obstacles of the day so I can snuggle up and go to sleep again. It may not be a life goal, but it keeps me motivated through the day!
I hardly ever watch the show, but I did watch "19 Kids and Counting" on Sunday evening. Michelle Duggar is a rock star. Currently on the show, she and Jim Bob are taking their huge family (and a few extras) on a world tour. Not only that, but she is pregnant with their 20th child at the same time. I'm so glad my husband has never seen the show. He might expect me to have a smile on my face 24/7 and travel the world, too!
My dear friend Cathy once told me of a trip their family (then including 4 boys) took to Walt Disney World for her parents' 40th wedding anniversary. She knew the work it would entail, but her parents insisted that their entire family be together for the celebration. As they entered the magical gates, she told her mom, "I don't even take all of my kids to Super Valu." I thought that was hilarious and so, so true!
I thought of her after I took my 3 children through the grocery store last night (something I never do unless I absolutely have to).
A trip around the world?
Nope. Not one of my goals right now!
A snuggly blanket and a couple shows on the DVR?
Now that's something to look forward to!

I Heart Amazon.com

2011-11-11T10:20:00.001-06:00

For the past three years, Amazon.com has been my go-to Christmas shopping site.
It is especially handy when looking for presents for the children in my life. If I have any idea of what I'd like (Fisher Price, Melissa and Doug, etc.), I just type that in the search box, narrow it down by age range, and I instantly have a huge list of choices to pick from. If I don't like any of those, it only takes a few seconds to start a new search. Is there anything you CAN'T find on Amazon.com? So far I haven't found that one thing!
I also love to use it when searching book titles. When shopping for children's books, I like to find books with their names in the title. I'm not always successful in my search, but it is a lot easier than physically searching through a store's collection.
There are other perks to Amazon, too. For one, it will store items in your cart indefinitely and adjust the prices as they go up or down. I have had some items in my cart since last year's Christmas shopping. When I log in, I am alerted as to which items have adjusted in price. Items can always be placed in your cart to buy immediately or can be saved for later.
Then there's this problem I have with paying for shipping. I know shipping companies need money, too, but I hate giving it to them. Amazon has this great option called FREE Super Saver Shipping on most of the items if the total is over $25. (That is hardly ever a problem for me, or I just continue to fill my cart over several visits until I reach that total.) It might take a few more days than paying for shipping, but my orders still usually arrive within a week and a half.
Don't get me wrong--I am all for shopping locally and I love the hunt that comes with actually walking through stores to see what's out there. I never pass up an opportunity for "real" shopping and, as you know, I always adore a leisurely stroll through a bookstore.
But, when shopping needs to be done in bulk, and the rest of the world is shopping at the same time--and for many of the same things--convenience tends to win out. That's when Amazon.com rescues me from pre-holiday stress year after year.
What shopping sites do you like to use for your Christmas shopping?

*Amazon.com has not reimbursed the writer of this post in anyway, although she would be more than happy to accept. :o)

What I'm Working on This Week . . . .

2011-11-10T08:18:00.000-06:00

--Trying to stay active without my treadmill time each morning. Muscles that have been stretched four times aren't as kind on the fourth go-round! Sometimes just walking down the hallway will stop me in my tracks lately.
--Getting better at using coupons. I am a TERRIBLE coupon shopper. I cut out very few and usually use only a few of those before I find them expired and throw them away. I started using a coupon organizer yesterday and I actually knew where to find--and remembered to use--three coupons on my shopping trip. Still, don't expect to see me on Extreme Couponing anytime soon.
--Christmas shopping and wrapping. I am saving a bit for Black Friday, but staying ahead of the Christmas shopping list has been a huge help this year. I'm usually not a "Christmas before Thanksgiving" kind of girl, but I'm not sure how much of December I will have free to prepare.
--Sleeping all night. This happens to me with every pregnancy. I'm not sure if it is excitement, anxiety, or my body preparing for those 3am feedings, but I wake up most nights and stay wide awake for at least an hour. It's a good thing we believe in afternoon naps around here.
--Our church's Advent Program. It follows the same pattern as the one I wrote a couple of years ago at our former parish, but I feel it has improved. I gave the kids simpler songs to sing and the older students will either be song leaders or narrators, instead of singers. Teresa plans to make her debut as a baby sheep in the nativity scene.
There you have it--my week so far in a nutshell. Not too exciting, but ordinary is quite all right with me. Anything else just gets to be too exhausting!
Have a good day!

Growing or Shrinking?

2011-11-07T08:01:00.001-06:00

I'm not sure if my Landen is growing or his dress pants are shrinking! It seems as though every week I look at the length of his dress pants after church (no time for such details before) and they are short!
Last week he was wearing a pair that was so short I thought I must have forgotten to put them away. I checked them when we got home and they were 8's, but when compared to a pair from Old Navy, they had obviously shrunk to a 7 or maybe even 6. I put those away for Nathan and kept the Old Navy pair that he had worn the week before--and had fit--in the closet.
He wore that pair yesterday, and I noticed over breakfast that those were short, too!
I ordered a new pair last week and this time I'm going to keep a close eye on what is going on--if Landen is growing or if the pants are just shrinking. David always says that you can see a corn field growing from morning until night in the summertime. That's about how it is with Landen this year! He can easily eat more than I can and he no longer looks like a little boy. He flew through a shoe and jean size last summer.
I just hope no one starts a collection for the poor kid so that he can have dress pants that fit.
I'm trying--I really am!

Happy 6th Birthday, Nathan!

2011-11-04T09:29:00.000-05:00

We started celebrating Nathan's birthday with Teresa's last Sunday when the grandparents and aunt Amanda came for a visit.

Nathan wanted a Scooby Doo cake this year. Bless his heart, he also wanted to decorate it himself!

Here is his cake featuring Scooby Doo and Shaggy in a haunted house. He may be the new "Ace of Cakes" someday!

Both of them got to open their presents on Sunday. If you ask Nathan to hold something up for a picture, you can bet that he will do just that!

The cake was as yummy as it looked. No spit showers this year!

We gave him a Scooby Doo game for his birthday yesterday morning before school. Nathan loves to play games. Things have been a bit crazy around here lately, but we will play it soon!

Happy Birthday to our dear Nathan!
We are so happy God gave you and your energetic personality to our family to give us the spice we needed!

Halloween

2011-11-02T09:22:00.000-05:00

Here are our trick or treaters! Landen was easy again this year--he wanted to be a golfer. Nathan chose a skeleton and Teresa was a bumblebee with a crown. I thought that made her a "Queen Bee," but she preferred "Bumblebee Princess." A "hunny" pot, made by my uncle many years ago for my cousin's Pooh costume, was a nice touch for her bee ensemble.

Here they go! The weather was absolutely beautiful for trick or treating. It is very unusual that their costumes aren't covered up by heavy coats.

By the time we returned home, their buckets and bags were FULL! Once again, it was a successful Halloween for the Melius kids!
Next up . . . Nathan turns 6 tomorrow!

Teresa is 4!

2011-11-01T20:51:00.000-05:00

Some scenes from Teresa's birthday . . . .

An afternoon with grandparents on
Sunday

A bumblebee cake

A new computer (this one was much more realistic than the iPad Landen has already asked for!)

Our little bumblebee princess finishing off trick or treating with cake at Grandma & Grandpa Melius' house

She is so excited to be 4 like her best friend Lily!

More on Halloween tomorrow . . . I can only take on one special occasion at a time today! :o)

Peaceful Transition

2011-10-29T11:20:00.001-05:00

October was kind to us, and so our lighter jackets have kept us all warm enough--up until now.
This morning Landen needed his winter coat and snow pants (for warmth--not snow, thankfully!) to help Dad and Grandpa outside.
In a totally uncharacteristic move, I took an inventory of all the kids' winter stuff when I finally put it away for the summer. I don't think the weather warmed up enough until June, but eventually the coats, hats, and boots DID go into storage for a few short months.
Everyone needs two of everything (one for farm, one for good) for each season, and I inevitably forget what sizes we have on hand or which closet I have put what in by the time winter rolls around again!

This conversation happens every year.
The setting: An unsuspecting fall morning around the Melius breakfast table
David: "The kids need winter coats today."
Me: (peering over my coffee cup with a panicked/annoyed look on my face) thinking, "Why am I NEVER prepared for this day?"
David: "Do you know where they are?"
Me: (thinking, "Toilet paper? Check. Milk in the fridge? Check. Extra bottle of shampoo in the cupboard? Check. Homework done? Check. Winter coats and boots? UGH!!!"
Then I say something like, "Umm . . . I guess I have been too busy keeping track of the level of EVERYTHING else in this house."
David: Now slightly annoyed; makes some suggestion on how I could be more organized.
Me: Run to the storeroom and see what the kids will fit into after three months of growing--usually with only a few minutes to look. If I am lucky, I find what they need before they need to run out the door.

Well, not today, my friends!

Blame it on a fit of nesting or a moment of genius (probably the former), but for ONCE I was prepared for this seasonal transition. My coffee was still even warm when I returned from my quick run downstairs to find Landen's coat!
I won't become too confident, though.
Spring is only a few months away and I haven't yet found the time or ambition to inventory our spring/summer gear.

Still, I'll take one peaceful transition over none!

Tractor Time

2011-10-26T09:56:00.000-05:00

David kept promising me an afternoon or two in the tractor this fall, but I was beginning to think it wasn't going to happen!

Harvest is complete--YES! Now it is time to get the ground ready for planting next spring. Farmers do this in lots of ways. We use an aerator over most of our ground, which uses knife-like things to poke holes in the ground--kind of like reeeallly big worm holes to let moisture and air into the ground. So, here was my view for a few hours yesterday afternoon.

This is what an aerator looks like. The big concrete blocks to weigh it down are just so high-tech--don't you think? It's quite a cushy job, actually. When I get to the end of the field, the tractor beeps when it wants me to turn. After I turn, I push a little button that says "resume" and a satellite up in space steers the tractor right where it needs to be for the next pass through the field. Then I'm set for another mile until I turn around again. There's minimal actual tractor driving involved. In fact, it is best not to touch the steering wheel until it needs to turn. Crazy--I know!
So, for about 3 hours yesterday, it was just baby and me and the radio on KLOVE . . . and the occasional rabbit who happened to hop by.
My only complaint was that I had to bring my own snack. Isn't that supposed to be one of the perks of being in the field?

And for those of you who thought you would never see me behind the wheel of a tractor, here is proof.

This afternoon will bring more of the same, except I may have my sidekick along to help me sing along to the radio today!

The End is Near

2011-10-24T09:12:00.000-05:00

Our corn harvest should be complete by the end of the day. I use "should" because strange things have been happening with the combine, tractor, and grain cart this fall. If they can get through this day without any other unusual breakdowns, this major project will be completed!
I have come to appreciate harvest (after all, that IS how we get paid each year), and the long days with a mostly absent husband/father don't even bother me much anymore. The adrenaline makes the entire process a challenge to conquer and I do--until about week three.
Then I start to think about what it was like to have supper as a family (and not cold sandwiches most nights of the week) and I get a little antsy to get it all done! I don't even remember how long this harvest has been going on . . . I think this is the start of the fifth week. It's all blended together into a string of bologna sandwiches and Pepsi. :o)
Soon, soon, soon. Soon our lives will be slowing down for the winter and our family will be reunited in the evenings. I say it every year, but I love the fall time change. More time as a family makes everyone happier.
Thank you, God, for this gift of harvest. Thank you, too, for this upcoming time of rest!

The Corner Book Shoppe

2011-10-22T08:18:00.006-05:00

Reading has become my favorite hobby for the fall months. Most days when the kids go to bed, I am too tired to do much else, and I've found the promise of diving into a book at the end of the day something to look forward to (as opposed to diving into that basket of laundry that needs folding).
Our closest library is about 20 miles away. When I am getting to that town frequently (as I did last winter and summer), it isn't a problem to check out and return books. When most of my travels take me in the opposite direction, (as they do for most of the school year), it makes it a bit more difficult to be a local library patron.
In addition to geography, library books have a tendency to stress me out just a little bit. I can't believe I am saying this since I practically lived at the library as a child, but I lived close enough to walk to our local library then. Borrowing and returning books on time was never an inconvenience.
I thought I was alone in this library book stress, but I have since found out other people feel the same way! When I have a library book, I have a deadline to finish it. Sure, I can renew it, but then I have to remember to actually do that. Bargain shopper that I am, I would rather buy a book than have a 2 week deadline looming over my head. I know that sounds silly, but that's how I roll right now.
Enter The Corner Book Shoppe into my life. It is the perfect combination of library and cozy bookstore--without the late fees or new book prices. All of their books are used and in wonderful shape. I buy a pile of books for probably a third of the new book price, enjoy them, and pass them on to someone else. Many people discovered the store before me and suggested I go there--two friends, my grandma, my cousin, and aunt. They told me how beautifully it was arranged, the amazing selection of books, and the reasonable prices.
It took me several months to actually make the first stop. The first reason was that I hardly ever go to Aberdeen without my little sidekick T. I wanted to have time to look around the store and not be rushed.
The second part of my problem was that I was a little intimidated. I love to read, but I don't follow particular authors. If I come across a title or description of a novel somewhere, I'll make a point to read it if it looks interesting. I didn't want to walk in and be asked, "What author do you like?" This former teacher has been out of the adult literary loop for so long that I would probably just blurt out, "Stan and Jan Berenstain" and find myself amongst the hundreds of familiar Berenstain Bears titles my children have brought home from the library way too many times. Someone really should have told the Berenstains that their books can get a teensy bit wordy at times . . . but that's just my opinion. :o)
On a rare trip by myself in September, I finally made the time to stop and check it out. Still not recognizing many authors, I took the "judge a book by its cover" approach with the various novels in the front of the store and it served me well. I liked all four of the books I chose from their descriptions. I am hoping yesterday's stop for a new pile of books (using mostly the same approach) is as successful.
Sure, the books aren't free, but I always figure gas and mileage into everything and making a special trip to the library isn't free either. Besides that, buying five books for around $25 is a pretty inexpensive hobby in my opinion.
If you visit The Corner Book Shoppe, be sure to walk through the entire store. The front room is just the beginning. There are little coves for different genres, a children's room, a room with almost all cookbooks, and even a bargain table in the far room.
If you love to read, you won't be disappointed!

Some Vacation!

2011-10-21T08:35:00.001-05:00

Teresa loves reading her little board book Bible. It's one of those "only Mom can read this right" books as she knows what songs we sing with each story (Noah's Ark, Zacchaeus, Jesus' birth), or which ones we don't have songs for and just read the words (Adam & Eve, Daniel in the Lions Den).
Last night, after she, Nathan, and I sang "Away in a Manger," she asked me again why there was no crib for baby Jesus. She asks me this almost every time we read it. She can't wrap her mind around that there was no room in the "hotel" and he had to be born in the stable. After all, has a hotel ever turned her away? They wouldn't dare!
Last night she answered her own question.
She finished with, "Because there was no room at vacation?"
Yep. That's right.
I wonder if Mary and Joseph ever dreamed that 2000+ years later a little girl in South Dakota would be describing their long journey to Bethlehem as a "vacation."
Well, at least it would have been if they had been able to get a room at the inn with a bouncy bed, continental breakfast and an indoor pool. :o)

Melius Opening Pheasant Hunting Weekend

2011-10-18T15:11:00.000-05:00

Last weekend was the opening weekend for pheasant hunting in South Dakota. I have come to appreciate the annual event. It means a relaxing weekend complete with talking, laughing, shopping at our local craft fair and . . . of course . . . plenty of eating! While we women are enjoying ourselves, the men celebrate the weekend by trudging through fields, weeds, and trees as they shoot South Dakota's state bird. I think we have the better end of the deal.

David's cousin Lisa and I took a mommy photo. She is due in about 3 weeks with baby #3. I have about 9 weeks left.

Here is the next generation of Melius family hunters!

And . . . the whole crew. My boys and cousin Carter were big enough to go along this year. They walked with the big guys on both Saturday and Sunday afternoon.

Teresa and her cousin Lily are BEST FRIENDS.

Teresa wanted to celebrate her birthday with her cousins, so we had a little party on Sunday afternoon. We sang, we blew out candles, we opened presents, we ate cupcakes, and the kids were back to playing in about 15 minutes. It was the perfect little 4 year old party!

Soon after, the adults showed up and . . . we ate some more!

Remember September

2011-10-18T14:25:00.000-05:00

We had another photo shoot down our gravel road on a sunny Sunday afternoon in mid-September. Teresa is spending the day at Grandma's house today, so I finally took the time to edit a few.

This was my favorite walking shot. At first, David and I tried to keep the animals back, but then we realized that they are a big part of our kids' lives and will document our life in 2011 as well. It is appropriate that Callie is walking alongside Nathan. They are good buddies.

Then Teresa and Nathan wanted to take a couple of silly pictures. The name for Teresa's photo effect is called "1960's." With those sunglasses, she looks like she could belong there.

Then there's Nater. What else can I say? You just have to love that little boy!

Ever Feel Like This?

2011-10-14T19:15:00.000-05:00

I found this on Facebook earlier this week and shared it on my wall. We all have these days, don't we?

This picture is complimented very well by the--very encouraging, I might add--quote I read in my November Reader's Digest:

"If you want to know what it's like to have a fourth kid, just imagine you're drowning and someone hands you a fourth kid." (Jim Gaffigan)

That made me laugh out loud. If you go back to the beginning of this blog, I was drowning in mommyhood quite often. Now I keep my head above water most days.

So why not have another? In another couple years, I should be successfully treading water again. :o)

Cherry Bars

2011-10-13T12:13:00.000-05:00

This recipe has been a family favorite for a long time. I found this recipe, called "Coffee Cake," in a family cookbook. Once I made it, I realized it was the same thing we often made growing up, only we called them Cherry Bars.

These are good for breakfast (I made these and stuck them in the freezer for our church potluck on Sunday) or a dessert (topped with whipped cream). Either way, they are easy and people who can't have dairy appreciate their dairy-free-ness. :o)

Cherry Bars

1 cup canola OR vegetable oil

4 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 tsp baking powder

2 cups flour

Mix all ingredients together. Spread 1/2 mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Spread one can pie filling (cherry or your choice) on top of this and spread the rest of the batter on top. Top with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. (I start with about 1/3 cup sugar and add cinnamon to taste. Use more or less sugar to suit your taste.)

Bake 350 for 40 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Moving . . . YET again!

2011-10-10T12:14:00.000-05:00

For some reason this past weekend, I felt compelled to start packing up my side of the office. Baby isn't due to arrive for another 10 weeks, but my inner clock was telling me "it is time to make room!"
Wasn't I just blogging about making the built-in dresser into a scrapbooker's paradise? Well, it's ready to be a dresser again. My scrapbooking tools will be downstairs for a year or two.
Once my strong husband is done harvesting, he can carry my desk downstairs and the crib back upstairs. I am hoping to make room in our guest room for my desk, so I can have some place to store all of that office "stuff" that really doesn't have any other place to go.
As always, the blessing that comes with moving is cleaning! I decided to give some scrapbooking things away that I have either never used or will not use again.
I sometimes feel guilty for giving things away that I can no longer use, but now I have decided to look at it differently.
I'm just passing on the love!

Gypsy Day

2011-10-07T11:44:00.002-05:00

I hope you don't mind if I reminisce a bit for today's post. . . .
Tomorrow is Gypsy Day, the homecoming at my alma mater, Northern State University. Not too many years ago, going to Gypsy Day was a HUGE deal. This year I don't even plan to mention the parade to my kids. I know I am just being a big gypsy party-pooper, but I'm tired, stuffy from allergies, windblown, in the middle of corn harvest, and this house can't handle one more piece of Frootie candy.
But, as I said, it used to be a big deal. Someday maybe it will be again, with so many other things, "once the kids are older." :o)
Gypsy Day was a part of my life long before I became a student at NSU. Every year the college hosted, and still does, host a marching band competition for area schools. Rachel and I would arrive at the high school with the rest of the band VERY early on that Saturday morning to get on the bus for the 1 1/2 hour drive and enthusiastically announce, "It's Gypsy Day!!" Not everyone shared in our excitement, but most did. That was the best part--our band worked hard to be "one cohesive unit" as our band director put it. She wanted us to do well and we did our best to make that happen. We practiced at 7:30am several mornings a week to prepare for the Gypsy Day parade, which didn't make the late sleepers in town too happy, but I loved every minute of it.
The years I was marching, which would have been 1991-1996, the Eureka marching band was always in the running to win in our division. We would bounce around the top 3 or 4, finally did taking 1st place in 1994. The competition was strong, which made the victory all the sweeter.
I still love watching marching bands and I can still spot a great one. When I see a band go by with students with their heads held high, shoulders back, serious faces looking straight ahead, and their lines forming perfect diagonals, it makes me a little bit teary eyed.
Even 14 years out from that experience, I miss that feeling of being part of something great. Maybe I miss it more than I should. But, I suppose it is the same for the athlete who was part of a state championship team in high school. and holds onto that feeling of greatness. The band was my team.
My friend's daughter was lamenting to me a couple weeks ago that our junior high is marching with the high school this year for Gypsy Day. She was not excited about it. I offered to take her place--we even both play the flute--and she thought that could work. Somehow I don't think I would quite fit in anymore, or fit a uniform at this point!
If you make it to the parade tomorrow, or any parade this fall, look for the great bands and show them your appreciation as they pass by. In addition to the qualities I listed above, there is one more that separates the great from the good.
Great band members sacrifice their shoes and march right through the horse poop.
Every time.

Playing Catch Up

2011-10-04T21:33:00.001-05:00

Ahh. . . . time to breathe a bit. Life has been a little busier than normal with harvest going on and these other little extras.

To add to it, yesterday we had some work done on our phone and TV. I had a feeling that something would go wrong. When the phone, TV, and Internet are involved, chances are next to 0 that everything will connect as it is supposed to. I was right! Our "old" router (really, I have socks older than that thing) wouldn't connect to the Internet, so I was Internet-less until just a few moments ago. Determined to reconnect myself, I went through the new router's tutorial and I still can't believe it actually worked!

That is a very good thing since between the Internet and the broken toilet handle that is waiting for the man of the house to fix, I was just about to get a wee bit crabby!

Since I am not crabby anymore (for the moment), let's proceed with this catch-up post!

Friday was Homecoming! Nathan's class said "Wildcats are Grrreat!" This was his first parade and he was loving it!

Landen got to be a banner carrier with a couple other Toucan Sams for their Fruit Loops theme.

We also got to spend some time with cousins Luke & Lydia. Landen took every chance he could to help Lydia, so he could practice for the new baby. He played with her, helped her, made her laugh, and even offered to feed her. He definitely passed the "big brother" test and is ready to be promoted to big brother of 3 younger siblings.

Remember that box of pears I couldn't resist? Well, after sharing several and baking a batch of pear muffins, I still had MORE than enough pears to eat before they got too ripe. I decided to make a batch of pear sauce (instead of apple sauce) on Saturday morning. Between my family's first taste for breakfast on Sunday and supper that night, it was GONE. I can see another box of pears in my future . . . next fall.
It sounds like tomorrow will find me out of my usual post in the kitchen and out in the field! More on that later . . . .

Tough is Life

2011-09-30T08:30:00.004-05:00

When I was little, I could never remember which came first--"life" or "tough" in the saying "life is tough." Consequently, I ended up saying "Tough is life" most of the time, which gave the adults around me a laugh. I didn't understand why at the time. . . I thought I was just repeating what my own parents had told me!
It seems that I will have to use "Tough is Life" on Landen. Boy, is his life tough lately! When it comes to taking on new challenges, he struggles. Most things come easily to him and that is just how he likes it, thank you very much!
Second grade has already given him a few lessons in growing up. School requires more personal responsibility and his CCD class at church is now more structured than when he was younger.
He was having a rough time on Wednesday after school. The whole world was against him. (Just ask him; he'll tell you.)
On the way home from CCD later that evening, he summed it up as only Landen can. He told me he didn't like 2nd grade because now he had to do all of this extra work with "VERY LITTLE REWARD."
Oh, Landen. Welcome to life.
It can be tough that way.

Thankful

2011-09-29T20:51:00.000-05:00

What I am thankful for today:
1. Our phone lines have been reconnected after they were knocked out yesterday. Depending only on my cell phone with questionable reception and no Internet makes me feel way too disconnected!
2. For a happy baby on the ultrasound screen. I wasn't expecting to see baby this morning, but Dr. wanted to take some measurements. All looks good, but that ultrasound room still makes me nervous! (Sorry . . . I didn't get any new pictures to share!) :o)
3. For the nice man at the grocery store who called me a "pregnant young lady." That wouldn't be a compliment for everyone, but for a woman, who is in fact pregnant, has been married 10 years and is quickly approaching the age of 33, it definitely is.
4. For the box of pears I just couldn't resist buying. I do this every fall. Do I have time to take on a box of pears right now? Not really. But, they just looked and smelled so good!
5. I was able to celebrate National Coffee Day with a Pumpkin Pie latte at The Daily Grind. (That was only 1 shot of espresso instead of a double.) :o)
6. Spending the afternoon with my nephew and niece and watching them play with my own kids. It is so much fun to see cousins who love spending time together. It reminds me of my cousins and me when we were growing up.
7. Homecoming tomorrow! Our candy stash was almost in need of replenishing. (Not really.) Time to start rationing those Tootsie Rolls again . . . .
8. For beautiful fall days! Soon I will be preparing to hibernate, but for now I am appreciating the warm sunny weather. Let's get those fields harvested and safely in the grain bins!
9. As always, BEDTIME!
I hope you had much to be grateful for today, too!
Sweet dreams!

Caffeine and Ibuprofen

2011-09-28T08:00:00.002-05:00

I have missed these friends of mine during pregnancy!
After this baby is born, I plan to drink caffeinated coffee until my heart is content. I am fortunate that my doctor is quite liberal with the amount of caffeine she allows me to have, which is 2 caffeinated drinks a day. This two coffee (my caffeine source of choice) minimum is not a hardship. That is probably what I usually have anyway, but it is the act of thinking about it and rationing my caffeine intake each day that I will not miss. To help keep the caffeine within the limit, I make half-caf or go decaf--if it's a good morning. :o)
I know some expectant moms quit the caffeine altogether. That was not a problem for me in my first two pregnancies, but after my Nathan was born, my first thought of the day became, "Where's the coffee?" Yes, I made it through all of college and three years of teaching before I fell in love with coffee in the morning. My mom was afraid that I would NEVER turn into a coffee drinker! :o)
And then there's good old ibuprofen. We expectant moms are only allowed Tylenol for our aches and pains. I am not a big fan. Again, after I had Nathan, I took a bit too much over the course of two weeks for pain and ended up with what was most likely a stomach ulcer. I don't plan on doing that again, but it will be nice to take something that actually works!
Put the two--coffee and ibuprofen--together and that is most certainly a stomach ulcer waiting to happen!
Hopefully I will be able to take it easy on the ibuprofen.
But, I am expecting to require more coffee.

From Landen

2011-09-27T14:36:00.001-05:00

I recently told Landen that when he was still in my tummy, he once kicked a bowl of chips off of me when he kicked. He asked me, "Are you sure it was me?"

I purchased my first Scentsy a few days ago and plugged it into a bathroom outlet. Landen thinks it is a pretty neat invention. He told his dad that if we have a boy, they will need one of those for their bedroom. With three boys in one room, he is afraid it will start to stink in there!

As David said when he told me, you can't make this stuff up!

Plentiful Pumpkin

2011-09-27T14:19:00.001-05:00

It's pumpkin time again and I just had to try out a couple new pumpkin recipes for the Open House on Sunday. (Which, by the way, was SO much fun!) My biggest experiment for the day was

Pumpkin Fudge. Several of my guests gave the fudge rave reviews.

It really is pretty easy! Here's all you need:

2 T butter

2 1/2 cups white sugar

2/3 cup evaporated milk

1 cup white chocolate chips

7 ounces marshmallow creme

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

Line a 9x9 inch pan with heavy duty aluminum foil, spray lightly, and set aside.

In a 3 quart saucepan, heat milk and sugar over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.

Mix in pumpkin and cinnamon; bring back to a boil. Stir in marshmallow creme and butter. Bring to a rolling boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 18 minutes.

Remove from heat; add white chocolate chips and vanilla. Stir until creamy and all chips are melted. Pour into prepared pan. Cool, remove from pan, and cut. Store in a cool, dry place.

Another pumpkin success came in the form of

Mini Pumpkin Butterscotch Muffins.

(Sorry, none of those were available for a photo.) :o)

Here's what you need for those:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup melted butter

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease mini-muffin pan with cooking spray or use mini paper liners.

Sift together flour, sugars, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in to a large bowl. Whisk together the eggs, butter, and pumpkin in a separate bowl. Mix the flour mixture with the egg mixture just until combined.

Stir in the butterscotch chips; fill each cup to about 3/4 full.
Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean--about 10-12 minutes. This makes about 48 mini muffins.

No School Today!

2011-09-23T11:53:00.000-05:00

Oh, what a mixed blessing that is! :o)
It is great to have a long weekend just a few weeks into the school year. (Our teachers have an in-service today.) What makes it even better is that it is a beautiful fall day (yes, it is officially fall now)!
Teresa loves having her brothers home with her and isn't constantly calling "MOM!" to make sure I haven't abandoned her and become an over-the-road truck driver. Lucky for her, I don't have a commercial drivers' license.
So, for the moment life is good. Landen is working outside and Nathan and Teresa are playing nicely downstairs. I hear things hitting the wall once in awhile, but no screaming follows, so I consider that playing nicely. That could change at any moment . . . .
I have been preparing for the Open House on Sunday. The wine list is complete and I am excited for the menu . . . it is composed of all new recipes! I try new recipes all of the time for parties and other events. Just the thought of trying a new recipe and offering it at an event scares some of my friends to death, but it's always worked for me! Why not this time? I am most excited to make and try the Pumpkin Fudge. I'll keep you posted on that!
Here's wishing you a beautiful (and peaceful if your children are at home) fall day!

Applesauce

2011-09-21T12:04:00.000-05:00

September 21 must be a good day to make Crock Pot Applesauce! I see I posted the recipe exactly a year ago. I put our first batch for the fall in the crock pot this morning.
I love it when the days turn cooler and it is time for warm comfort foods again!
Here it is in case you missed it--Crock Pot Applesauce.
Enjoy!

I Believe . . .

2011-09-19T17:59:00.001-05:00

in pregnancy brain!
While visiting Registered Nurse extraordinaire Rachel last week, I referred to my "pregnancy brain."
She told me some very good news. It is REAL!
I have always believed it is real, since no other time in my life can I begin speaking a sentence and then completely lose the end of it somewhere in space. I may forget things and be a little preoccupied sometimes normally, but this particular problem happens only when I am pregnant.
I thought the reasons were purely psychological--caused by being tired, preoccupied with the baby's health and preparing for baby, taking care of older children, etc.
It turns out there is also a physical reason for this.
As Rachel explained it, the baby needs fat to grow and develop. Some of this fat is taken from the mother's brain as baby grows. I was so excited to tell David this news!
Now I also have another good reason to eat more ice cream. :o)

From Today's 1st Reading

2011-09-16T07:30:00.013-05:00

Today's 1st Reading really spoke to me. I could do better in pursuing all of these things today . . . especially the patience part! :o)

". . . Pursue RIGHTEOUSNESS, DEVOTION, FAITH, LOVE, PATIENCE, and GENTLENESS. Compete well for the faith. Lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called . . . ."
1 Timothy 6 11-12

No Sack Lunch For You!

2011-09-15T08:00:00.040-05:00

There are all sorts of things that demand parents' attention once school starts--the homework folders, the library books, the extra projects, studying for tests, remembering money for class parties (still haven't gotten to that one!), and the list goes on and on and on. Some nights I am so proud of myself for remembering to unpack, have my boys complete, and repack everything, I think I deserve a cookie.
So I have one. Oatmeal Chocolate Chip. OK, maybe two . . . .
One thing I never pay attention to, however, is the lunch menu. Landen used to ask when he would get to take a sack lunch to school. He even started to claim to have allergies (as if his own mother wouldn't know) so he could get his own lunch. He could not believe that I would question something as serious as a food allergy! Nathan has already pleaded for a sack lunch this year, too. It's not that they don't like the lunches offered at school. (Well, maybe our pickier Nathan doesn't care for some of them.) There is just something so exciting about taking their lunches to school!
I remember asking my parents for the same thing. So does David. We both got the same answer from them, "There is always SOMETHING you can eat at school."
School lunches have a bad reputation, but I have eaten a few of ours and they are quite good. There is no way I could pack a nutritious lunch for less money than for what we pay through the school's program. Besides that, I really don't want to!
Oh, poor offspring of ours! I am sorry to tell you this, but as long as there is a hot lunch program, you have no hope of taking a sack lunch to school.
Blame it on your grandparents. :o)

My Favorite Herb

2011-09-14T14:49:00.000-05:00

Is it normal to have a favorite herb? Well, I do. I have decided that cilantro (just narrowly defeating basil) is my favorite fresh herb. It is the reason why I love fresh salsa sooo much. YUM!

I have planted cilantro since I started my herb garden a few years ago, but I have never harvested any of my own. It always goes to seed and turns into coriander before I get a chance. So, I use my garden cilantro solely for its aroma!

When we were planning our salsa making day, I stocked up on plenty of cilantro. In the end, I had four bunches left! I couldn't let it go to waste, but didn't know what else to do with it. Roxanne suggested a pesto. I looked online for a recipe today and found one! I improvised just a bit the with ingredients I had on hand.

My little helper (see fingers) wasn't too impressed with the end result, but had fun making it with me! I, however, think it is VERY good!

Cilantro Pesto (my version)
1 cup almonds (I used Planters Sea Salt & Olive Oil flavored almonds.)
4 bunches cilantro (about 4 good sized hand fulls if you are using your own)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon chopped jalapeno
2 teaspoons salt
1/4-1/2 cup olive oil

You may have to process this in two batches and then stir it together. My food processor is full sized and it couldn't quite handle it all at one time. Partially chop almonds in food processor. Add rest of ingredients except for olive oil. Turn on food processor and slowly pour olive oil into the mixture while it is chopping. Process until it is the consistency you like. More olive oil will keep it moist.

I froze this in 1 cup measured lumps on a cookie sheet. Once they are completely frozen, I will break them off and store them in a Ziploc bag in the freezer. Our family likes pesto over pasta, especially tortellini.
Basil pesto is always such a wonderful reminder of summer in the middle of winter. I am sure this cilantro pesto, with a little kick, will be the same!

Coffee Time?

2011-09-12T08:00:00.015-05:00

Teresa knows I like my coffee. She also knows that she usually has to wait for me to finish my coffee in the mornings before I will do what she wants me to do.
I had all three kids by myself at mass yesterday, which really didn't go too badly. At 8, nearly 6, and nearly 4, this should be expected, but one never knows what can happen within that hour!
Teresa, as usual, kept asking if each song was the last song.
After the offering song as Father was preparing for the Liturgy of the Eucharist, she asked me if we were done. I shook my head "No."
She answered, "You didn't have your coffee yet?"

10 Years Ago

2011-09-11T12:44:00.000-05:00

Where were you?
I was preparing to start my day of teaching English. I had just sat down at the teachers' table in the lunch room for morning announcements. Another teacher told us a plane had flown into the World Trade Center. As most everyone else in the country, we assumed it was a small plane. An accident. A few fatalities and injuries. I wasn't able to get onto the Internet news sites at all that day, and even though I heard bits and pieces of news throughout the day, I didn't understand the full magnitude of the tragedy until I got home from school that day. I'm not sure I still understand the full magnitude of what happened on 9/11/01.
I remember my feeling of blissfully ignorant security was suddenly taken away. Wars happened across the world. Bombings happened occasionally, but no one attacked our country on that scale. Until that day. I had never heard of Osama Bin Laden or Al Qaida before. I'm sure they had been in the news, but I had never paid attention.
I remember a feeling of loss on several levels--the people lost in the towers, the people lost on the planes, those lost in the Pentagon, the families who mourned them, and, maybe the most shallow of the losses, the loss of those majestic towers my friends and I had just admired anchoring the New York City skyline two years before.
I was surprised in the coming weeks as I assigned a writing assignment in one of my classes. The topic of the essay was, "What I See in My World Today." The essays were overwhelmingly full of hope, optimism, and faith in the goodness of mankind. Al Qaida may have taken several things away from us that day, but it did not take away the optimistic spirit of my students.
Ten years later, it is clear that it didn't take away the optimistic spirit of this country either.
We will always remember as we continue to prevail.
God Bless Us.

Salsa Time!

2011-09-10T21:09:00.000-05:00

I LOVE my friend Roxanne's salsa. Quite often when we visit their house, she will make a big bowl of it and I won't leave that bowl for the rest of the night. Today we decided to can some of the wonderful stuff.

It was her first time canning, and I have never canned salsa before, so we were hoping our efforts would be a success.

This is what my kitchen looked like for most of the morning as our salsa assembly line was working. We employed child labor for awhile. Oh, and we had some milk spills and a particularly big Marshmallow Mateys cereal avalanche at one time, too. We had to keep it exciting!

Our jars look pretty and they sealed, so all looks good so far! By the time we had everything chopped, it was impossible to follow the recipe exactly. We went by taste (which I was happy to help out with). Some batches are hot and some are more mild. We should name this "Surprise Salsa" because we won't know which it will be until it is opened!

Homemade Salsa
2 14 oz. cans whole tomatoes, blended to texture of choice (or the same amount of fresh tomatoes)
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
3 medium jalapenos, blistered in a frying pan, chopped and seeded
1 T. minced garlic
1/2 to 3/4 bunch cilantro, chopped
salt and red pepper to taste

Good Times with Good Friends

2011-09-10T20:53:00.000-05:00

Teresa and I took a little trip to Pierre on Thursday and Friday. Our first stop was to visit my good friend and former co-worker Dianne. It had been WAY too long since we had caught up with her! We had a most wonderful lunch with her at an Italian/Greek restaurant called La Minestra in downtown Pierre. I highly recommend it!

After lunch, we made our way to our friends Rachel & Eddie's house. I've written about Rachel before. We go WAY back to her mom's daycare. This was the first time Teresa and their son Brandon had time to get to know each other and play. They were the best of friends while we talked, laughed, and caught up on life.

That made the trip even better than it already was!

Baby Lauren (in the highchair) is waiting for me to bring her a new playmate next summer!

Tricks of the Trade

2011-09-07T20:57:00.000-05:00

Nathan had to take a trip to the doctor this morning. After a few days of ear aches, it was time to get them checked out. It turns out it was a good thing we did as both were infected.
Our doctor ordered a chewable antibiotic for him after I assured him that would be fine.
I did not anticipate what was to come.
I gave Nathan the first dose in the parking lot. He chewed the tablet, but then held it in his mouth for ten minutes before finally swallowing. Nothing could convince him to make it go down. (And I didn't have a spoonful of sugar to help either!)
I have never had a child do that before, but I should have seen it coming from my child who can gag and make himself throw up at will.
I threw out an SOS on Facebook and my friends came to the rescue. There were many helpful ideas. I decided to go the "crushed up in applesauce" route with a "5 chocolate chip chaser" for a bribe.
It worked like a charm.
Only 18 more doses to go.
I better buy some more applesauce.
And chocolate chips.

School Supplies

2011-09-03T08:00:00.034-05:00

The back-to-school bug has bit again. That should explain the change in my blog's appearance. For the first few days of school last week, I had the song "New Shoes" (now on my play list) in my head. I even bought a pair of new shoes for myself this year! We've made it to Labor Day weekend and it's going well for all so far!
In honor of this new school year, I want to post a column that ran in the Aberdeen American News on 9/3/06. (I used to write an occasional column when they had a Human Relations page in the Sunday paper.) This column received more comments than any other I wrote. My favorite was from a friend who raised 9 children. She said she never let her children go to school without a new box of crayons.
It's been 5 years since I wrote this and guess what--I still love the smell of new school supplies in August. :o)

There's just nothing prettier than a new box of crayons. OK, maybe there are a few sights that hold a tiny bit more beauty, but not many. The bright, untouched colors perfectly arranged in their yellow box are not unlike a rainbow --- fleetingly beautiful.
Autumn is my favorite time of year and not just because of the crunching leaves and cooler weather. Autumn brings school supplies. Just when the world is starting to look a little worn out and the fun of summer is coming to a close, stores stock up on the brightest markers, crayons, notebooks, pens, and pencils a student could ask for.
One of my favorite movie quotes of all time is from "You've Got Mail," as New York City approaches autumn. In one e-mail, before they actually meet, Tom Hanks tells Meg Ryan that he would like to buy her "bouquets of sharpened pencils." How romantic is that!? Seriously, sharpened pencils would be much more practical and long-lasting than roses, and so much more creative. However, 90 percent of the women reading this would probably not agree with me, so guys, make sure you know your girlfriend or wife well enough before attempting such a gift with her.
I admit, the first back-to-school ad has always been a little unsettling. (Who wants to be reminded of summer's brevity in the middle of July?) By August, though, there is no denying that a new school year is fast approaching, and by then I am always ready to saunter through the aisles --- even now when I no longer have the need to buy anything.
When I am in the school supply aisle, I am taken back to my days as a student. My favorite days of school were always the first days. They always included a new school bag holding the completed school supply list from the newspaper (sans Trappers, which are still banned from my alma mater. Are they even made anymore? If they are, I would like one, since I was deprived of that necessity as a child. But I digress . . . ) With it, I held a determination to make the new year better than the last. This would be the year I would actually read all of my assignments, keep my desk organized, and practice my flute the prescribed 100 minutes a week for my band lesson.
There was just something so magical about that new school bag stuffed with the newest things. It represented the new school year about to start. Everything it held was exciting, brand new, and in perfect condition.
Within a few weeks, I would be skimming my reading assignments, stuffing my folders in my desk with no desire to organize, and be practicing maybe 30 minutes a week. (I loved band. I just wasn't much for the practicing part.) I would be tired of lugging my books home and my friends and I would have had our first argument on the playground. Every year was much the same, as I expect it still is today.
The first day of school is a little Jan. 1 --- it starts out with new hopes, dreams, expectations and resolutions. In a few weeks, the notebooks will be used, the folders bent, the crayons broken and the books way too heavy to carry home. But, until then, everyone gets a brand new start.
If you are a student, may this be the year you keep those resolutions.
Try buying the big box of crayons with the sharpener built in --- it just may make that excitement of the first weeks last a little longer.

Happy 8th Birthday, Landen!

2011-09-02T16:08:00.000-05:00

Our oldest is now 8 years old! There is an advantage to being born on Labor Day. It seems Landen usually has a week of celebrations as our families get together. We decided not to do one BIG party this year. Instead, he will have several small ones. He started on Sunday at Grandma Shirley and Papa Butter's house.

Landen started his birthday bright and early. He got out of bed shortly before 6am yesterday, came into our room, and announced, "I turned 8 twenty minutes ago!" He had his friend Nick over after school to play and celebrate. He received the movie Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs from his aunt Amanda in the mail. As you can see, Nathan likes this movie, too.

His present from mom and dad was a new bigger bike. He was pretty excited about that, too.

Landen chose to have a John Deere cake again this year. He has had a John Deere cake for at least half of his birthdays, but I always do something a little different. Teresa helped me make the tractor cake this year. The chocolate donut tires were a big hit.

Are we done celebrating? Not yet! He will have a cake with his cousins this weekend, too!
Happy 8th Birthday, Landen!

Two Great Dates

2011-08-31T20:40:00.000-05:00

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

2011-08-29T18:34:00.000-05:00

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!

2011-08-26T16:15:00.001-05:00

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

2011-08-24T15:46:00.001-05:00

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

2011-08-24T15:41:00.000-05:00

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

2011-08-23T14:38:00.000-05:00

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

2011-08-22T09:37:00.000-05:00

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

2011-08-21T18:45:00.000-05:00

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]

2011-08-16T15:40:00.000-05:00

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

2011-08-16T12:38:00.000-05:00

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

2011-08-15T15:43:00.000-05:00

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

2011-08-15T15:30:00.000-05:00

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

2011-08-11T20:18:00.000-05:00

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

2011-08-09T21:34:00.000-05:00

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!

2011-08-08T09:04:00.000-05:00

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

2011-08-04T20:36:00.000-05:00

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

2011-08-04T13:24:00.000-05:00

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

2011-08-02T18:18:00.001-05:00

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

2011-08-01T17:49:00.000-05:00

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

2011-08-01T09:21:00.001-05:00

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.

Dilly Ranch Party Mix

2011-07-29T16:25:00.000-05:00

Hey, there everyone! We made it to the weekend. I would love a margarita right about now to celebrate. If you are so lucky to have one close by, have one for me, too! Last week I was sitting at the Olive Garden bar beside a 7-or-so year old. We were having the same drink--a Shirley Temple. On a side note, it was one of the better Shirley Temples I have had in my lifetime. :o)
Thankfully party FOOD is not off limits and I today I developed my own party mix. We like it here and hope you will, too!

Dilly Ranch Party Mix
1 pkg dry ranch dressing mix
3/4 cup oil
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/4 tsp dill weed
Assorted snacks of your choice--I used 1 box Cheese Nips, 1 box Club Multi-Grain minis, 1/2 box cracked pepper Triscuits, 1/2 bag pretzel sticks, about 1 cup peanuts and about 1 cup Cheerios.
Mix the dressing ingredients together and pour over the snack mixture. Stir every 10 minutes for about 30 minutes and then store in an airtight container. No baking required!

Where Have I Been?

2011-07-26T15:24:00.000-05:00

1. Enjoying the coneflowers in my perennial garden. Somehow all of my randomly planted flowers are taking turns blooming so there is always color somewhere.

2. Eating and shopping my way through Sioux Falls on Friday. When the men are on a business trip, the wives will save money! My friend Roxanne and I shop well together. We both consider shopping (um . . . SAVING) at Kohl's to be an excellent part-time job! She also introduced me to Hu Hot Mongolian Grill (which was yummy and fun) and Oh My Cupcakes! (http://www.ohmycupcakes.com/). We both had "the Marilyn." YUM! If you don't live near Sioux Falls, they will ship their yummy treats right to you!

3. Saturday was spent at my grandparents' auction sale. I came home with this little treasure (with my grandpa sitting on it) for $2. He didn't want to come home and work around the house for me, so I settled for just the step stool. It was a good day, but also bittersweet. The great little town of Leola will no longer serve as our meeting point. We hope "Grandma & Grandpa's house" will go to a good family.

4. Yesterday found us on the beach on Lake Eureka!

My boys loved the diving board as much as I did growing up.