11 years ago today...

...I married this good-lookin' man.
Daniel wanted to know who babysat him at our wedding. I told him that on the day we were married, God laughed & said, "Those two kids have no idea what I have planned for them!"

To commemorate, I made this anniversary cake. The kids love any excuse to eat cake (okay, I do too). And with sweet strawberries on top, who can resist?

Last night

Well, it goes without saying, that last night was a lot of fun. I got to spend the evening with my husband...alone...with my husband. Phil loves to drive & we have some our best discussions when we're traveling. Okay, so we've had our share of fights sitting in the front seats of the van too, but we won't talk about that now. We drove an hour north of Enid to pick up the tickets from the radio station, then another 2 1/2 hours southeast to Tulsa. We got into Tulsa just after 5pm & had a delicious dinner @ Macaroni Grill. We made it to the concert in time & thoroughly enjoyed it. Steven & Michael opened with my favorite song, "Blessed be the name of the Lord." That was it for me. I cannot get through that song without crying. Phil & I talked about it later. I always get choked up @ "He gives and takes away...my heart will choose to say...Lord, blessed be your name." It's not the fear of what might be taken away, the uncertainty of struggles that may come, but it's the realization that God is in control. As much as I want to hold tightly to things, my kids, our futures...in the end I must come to the place where I realize that it was never mine to begin with. And it is when I realize that, that my heart cries out with joy, "Lord, blessed be your name."

I have always enjoyed Steven's music, but with the loss of his daughter, Maria, & the struggles his family has endured these past months, the songs took on new meaning. They are not just words on paper, or songs for sale...they are a declaration of faith. "God is God and I am not...I can only see a part of the picture he's painting. God is God and I am man, so I'll never understand it all, for only God is God..." Our ride home was pretty subdued. We didn't get home until around 1am. Today was a busy day & I feel like I'm still digesting everything from last night. It's amazing to see how God continually brings things to the surface - through Bible study, in classes @ church, in a concert, and in personal experiences. Some days I want to say, "Okay, enough already! I see what you're wanting to teach me, but do I really have to go through all this to learn it?" Unfortunately, I know the answer. Growing is painful, and discipline is never fun...but the reward of being in relationship with the One who created the Universe is well worth it.

Mom's day off

Any mother will tell you that it's impossible to take a day off "work"...unless you leave town! Even Sunday, a day of "rest", can be a crazy day for mothers...at least it is for me. Well, today I took half a day off "work" & it was refreshing. I had (what my mom loves to call) a "pajama day". After I dropped the kids off at the school bus, I came home & slept for another hour (Daniel hung out with Phil until he left for work). The rest of the morning I crocheted, drank hot chocolate, and enjoyed the cool, rainy day, while Daniel & I watched way too much TV. By 2pm I decided that I should probably get something accomplished (plus I didn't want to show up to the bus stop in my pj's!) So I hopped in the shower & then Daniel & I went grocery shopping. After school I spent the next hour picking up (it's amazing how a little picking up can make it seem like you were productive all day!). I also was a good wife & made my husband's favorite dinner - salmon patties. I can hardly stand the smell of that stuff and picking out the bones grosses me out, but he & the kids love it, so what's a mom to do? Plug her nose & bear it!

A first for everything

I'm so excited!!! This morning I won two tickets to Steven Curtis Chapman's & Michael W. Smith's concert in Tulsa. Wah-hoo! I think I've worked out all the details so my husband can come with me. With our anniversary this Saturday, it's a great way to celebrate & do something fun together.

On another note, I'm showing a 4 year old how to tie-dye, as requested by her mother...so pray for me. :) There may be a first for everything, but I can about guarantee it will be the last time I do that!

Do you ever wonder how Michael Phelps got his start? I mean, when he was little, was he enamored with famous swim stars? Did he get his start swimming laps in the bathtub?
I don't know whether my boys will ever be famous, but one thing is for sure. They love swimming, and they love Michael Phelps. They watched each swim race intently & were a cheering force to be reckoned with! Even though it has been over 2 months since the Olympics, Michael is a part of every bath time. A bath just isn't complete without a "Michael Phelps" - a face down plunge into the bath water & the most fun way so far to rinse off. Daniel scared a life guard at the pool this summer because he could stay under for so long. Noah will go under & then wiggle around - his version of the butterfly; there's just no room to swing his arms forward. I love that my boys have role models, and if their hero is a 6 foot 4 inch man that happens to be half fish, then so be it. At least they get the shampoo out of their hair without any tears!

Fall Recipes

I am loving the cool weather these days & it looks like Fall might be here to stay. You never can tell in Oklahoma. There have been years we've worn shorts for Thanksgiving! I'm keeping an eye out for a good price on pumpkins. The kids have fun carving them & we all enjoy roasted pumpkin seeds. I don't know if I should admit this :) ...but the day after Halloween last year, Phil reverted back to his dumpster-diving days & collected 7 whole pumpkins that were being discarded. We scooped out all the seeds, then set them out with our trash. I think those seeds tasted even better because we hadn't spent any money on them! Here's a really simple recipe...not the best for you, but so addictive and yummy!

Rinse pumpkin seeds. Boil in water for 5-10 min. Drain well. For each cup of seeds, combine 1 Tbsp. melted butter & 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce & sprinkle over. Sprinkle with salt or seasoned salt (we love Lawry's). Bake @ 350 degrees for 30 minutes until nearly dry, stirring every 10 minutes. Check seeds to make sure they are crunchy/crispy & not chewy.

My sister-in-law makes some of the best food I have ever tasted, and I fell in love with this stew the first time I tried it.

Harvest Stew

1 1/2 lb. boneless pork, cut into 1" cubes

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp. butter

3 c. chicken broth

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. dried rosemary

1/4 tsp. rubbed sage

1 bay leaf

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed (3 c.)

2 medium apples, peeled and cubed

In a large saucepan, cook the pork, onion, & garlic in the butter until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the broth, salt, & spices. Cover & simmer 20 min. Add squash & apples; simmer uncovered for 20 min. until squash & apples are tender. Discard bay leaf. (Yield: 6 servings)

What's your platform?

With the upcoming election, Grace's 2nd grade teacher decided the kids should hold an election of their own to better understand what it's all about. They talked about the candidates (Grace informed us she would vote for Obama because he has two girls & one is her size). Grace & Emily were chosen as the class candidates. With all the talk of change these days, our practical daughter ran on the platform of "I will keep things the way they are". She wrote that in her speech. Her opponent ran on having Show & Tell every Friday, as well as the class' favorite Math game twice a week. I'll let you guess who won. Just put yourself back in second grade...it's not too hard. :)

Fun with cousins!

I love being part of a large extended family. Growing up, most of my cousins were younger than I, but that didn't (and doesn't) stop us from having plenty of fun when we're together. Phil & I were married just 6 months after his oldest brother, and 3 months after the next oldest brother. By our second Christmas together there were 2 grandkids; Abbie & her cousin, Judah, are just 2 weeks apart. After that, about every 2 years, there was another "set" of cousins to join the family. In Phil's family there are 10 cousins & more to come. In my family we've doubled the numbers; from 1 girl & 2 boys, to 2 granddaughters & 4 grandsons. Now that you're up on our family tree... :)

Last weekend we went camping at Lake Thunderbird (southeast of OKC) with 2 of Phil's siblings & their families. Here are the guys with 5 cousins heading off on a 2 hour canoe ride. About halfway through Daniel was done, "When are we going to be there?!?! I really need a nap!"

Daniel with "his" cousin, Ella Joy.

Grace with Hadassah Faye ("Haddie"). It was so fun to see Grace in a "big sister" role, taking care of Haddie & walking hand-in-hand.

This past weekend, we doubled our household size when we welcomed Phil's oldest brother & family into our home. The cousins each have someone their own age, and we have had countless arguments when it comes to sharing..."No...he's my cousin!" They had a blast playing on the swing set, in the sandbox, riding bikes, beating Uncle Philip at soccer, and being silly together.

Martha Stewart, here I come!

The other day I was watching Martha Stewart. That's about all I do...watch & chuckle at her obsessive-compulsive "ness" - things all in order, perfect projects, need for control...

Anyway, she had a guest on that had published a book on how to make no-sew or low-sew purses. She & Martha created a tote bag with material, iron-on vinyl, staples, & duct tape. I was fascinated. I even took notes. A week ago I had eyed some cool fabrics at Hobby Lobby that reminded me of scrapbooking papers, but I couldn't think of anything to make with them that would be quick & easy. I couldn't find the iron-on vinyl (to make it water proof & stiff), so I had to modify. I modified a lot. I decided against the staples & duct tape, for the traditional sewing method. And I loved how it turned out. In all it took me just a little over 30 minutes to make. So now I'm dreaming of what I can scrimp on so I can buy more material to make more cute bags!