Four Chicks and a Daddy

Moving Day

2011-07-05T18:37:00.000-07:00

We're bloggin again. This time as a family of 6!

Keep up with us at our new location:

http://www.hotfudgesundaelife.com

The Power of Praying Feet

2010-08-31T07:14:00.000-07:00

I am having a boy! After being blessed with three beautiful and totally healthy girls, God is giving us a boy. Like the figurative cherry on top of my delicious hot fudge sundae life. And I feel completely elated and unbelievably humbled by this blessing.

Here's why.

This pregnancy was a surprise. So was my Little Toothache. Such an unexpected thing after struggling with infertility and ultimately a successful in-vitro procedure to conceive our beautiful twins. It's not that I don't know how this works. It's just that my body does not follow a "traditional" pattern and so there's no predictability for when peak times are, well, peak.

So, to have one surprise pregnancy was such a miracle. In fact, we have an inscription above LT's bed that says "Believe in Miracles". But, a second! I never saw that coming.

When I found out, I was in total shock. A little bit freaked out. But, amazed that after what we had been through the first time, this could happen all on it's own with no planning or intentionality on my end. Again!

In my prayer time, I had been talking to God a lot about having a fourth. Was it going to be His plan for us to conceive easily? Or was it going to get complicated again? If it was difficult, how long would we wait until we talked to a doctor? Or considered adoption? There were many other questions/worries I had about it. So, when it happened this way, I felt like He was just saying, "Relax, Jenni. I'm in charge."

What a relief.

The day I took the pregnancy test, I was overwhelmed. I remember driving home from errands and calling Andy. I started crying on the phone and was glad that he was working from home that day. When I pulled in the garage, I just sat in my car and cried. Andy finally came out to the car and joined me. We talked together and then prayed together. Then Andy said, "I really hope it's a boy."

I know he's always wanted a boy. He loves his girls and is an amazing dad to them. But, when we would see dad's playing ball with their boys or other father/son stuff, I could always sense that he really hoped to have that someday, too.

And that's when my praying feet came into play. I decided to paint my toes blue all summer long, as a silent prayer and reminder to God that I really wanted a boy.

See, when it comes to prayer, I had always had the mentality that God was going to do what he was going to do. That it was my responsibility to submit to his plan. To pray that His will be done, whatever that may be.

But, last year, I heard a teaching on Moses. How God was so fed up with the Israelites that he had delivered from Egypt that he basically said to Moses, "I'm going to kill them!" And Moses pleaded with God. He asked him to please give them another chance. And God CHANGED HIS MIND! (Read the story yourself; Deuteronomy 9)

That was a lightbulb moment for me, when I realized that I can have a say in this. I can pray bold, faith-filled prayers and God could actually have one thing in mind and then hear my fervent prayers and decide to do something else.

So, my prayers for a boy became the first time that I put this into practice. I would say to God, "I'm asking BOLDLY for a boy!" I prayed this prayer a lot. I wanted it bad.

I would see my blue toes throughout the day and say, "hey God! don't forget!"

People would say to me, "don't you think that's already decided?" And my response would be, "my God is big enough to change his mind any time he wants."

If God chose to give us another girl, I knew I could celebrate that, too. That I had prayed so much for a boy that He must have a big plan for this girl. And that His big picture view of our family was better than my view.

But, the day of the ultrasound came. And as my heart raced and as we felt gratitude for every healthy measurement of his head, heart and limbs, she came upon a site I've never seen on an ultrasound screen before. A penis! He spread his legs proud and there was no denying it. God answered me!

I instantly started to cry. My heart so full of gratitude and humility. I said a prayer and the God of the entire universe heard ME and answered ME!

I knew this was nothing short of a gift. It certainly was not something that I deserved. If it was about who deserved things, I can think of plenty of others whose faithfulness to God should add up to a blessing like this. Like our dear friends, the Shelbys.

God's work makes no sense to me. All I could think of was how I had been given something by my creator that I didn't deserve, and all I could say was "thank you, thank you, thank you!"

After the ultrasound, I sat alone waiting for the doctor and could have cried again just amazed at His faithfulness and love for me and my little life. My awe and amazement of our God has been renewed. My prayer life forever changed.

Sometimes we forget that power we have as believers. That the Holy Spirit is with us all the time and we can call on His help any time of day. We can release angels to do good work. We can pray with expectation and have it be met.

Sometimes our job will be to submit to His will, when His answer is different than our request. But, other times, lifting our hands (and feet) in prayer,we are invited to be active participants in His work. His life-altering work.

"The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with."

James 5:16 (The Message)

Jesus in Mom Jeans

2010-01-31T11:36:00.000-08:00

I want to be like Jesus.

But, sometimes as a mom, I don't act like Jesus. And sometimes not so much because I'm mad, but because I have a hard time determining what type of parental choice Jesus would make, in the heat of the trials and drama of three small girls. And I get frustrated about it.

I want to know Jesus so well. And truly "get" Him so much, that even when my emotions and blood pressure feel like they are about to go through the ceiling, I can confidently answer the question WWJD? And then actually do it.

Jesus, what practical parental choice would you make when your 18mo old is screaming in the high chair covered in applesauce, while one 3 year old just fell on the floor in a pool of tears because you got her a little spoon instead of a big spoon, and another 3 year old is in the bathroom yelling for you to come and wipe her booty?

And please don't misinterpret my tone. I truly believe He has the answer.

My post is about my issue.

I'm staying home full-time now. And in my quiet time with God, I feel like He's asking me to be still. To accept His love for me and define myself simply as His beloved (rereading Abba's Child)(one of my all time faves!) I'm learning so much.

And then my kids wake up. And it's practical application time. I start my day (and my ministry) and pray that all this good stuff that's happening in my heart is ever-present in my day, as I lead my kids.

I think that's the true test of growth. Grace in the hard times. That in the toughest of trials, I could hold up a mirror and still see His reflection. I'm not sure that happens all the time here.

As I read the Bible and read about the life that Jesus' modeled. I'm so inspired. And challenged.

I feel confident that he's asking me to abide in this new season. And I'm learning to carve out times of solitude with Him.

And I think it's so that I can really hear Him in the stillness, when my life is so LOUD. And that as I hear him more, His voice becomes so familiar, so easy to decipher, that when the NOISE is at it's loudest, I can still hear it.

Because, I know He knows how LOUD it can get over here. And that it's not always the kids.

Asian Beef and Noodle Soup

2010-01-08T09:55:00.001-08:00

If you're in the mood for some amazing Asian flavor combinations, this is the soup for you. However, if you aren't in the mood to flash back to college, livin on the cheap, eatin ramen for breakfast, lunch and dinner, you might want to skip this one, or find a noodle substitution (which is what I plan to do next time).

I used a few ingredients for the first time in this recipe: fish sauce and Chinese five-spices.

I have to admit, the fish sauce weirded me out. It was a tan color and a water consistency. I pictured someone pulling a fish from the lake and squeezing it over a sieve. I didn't taste it directly, but the bottle said you can use it like soy sauce and it's popular in Thai food.

The Chinese five-spices is an interesting mix of spices, including cinnamon and fennel. Even a little clover. Heck, if you wanted to, you could probably put it in your pumpkin pie. That would be interesting.

The noodles were straight up ramen, although you didn't use the seasoning packet. But, I wasn't fooled and I have too many memories of eating ramen in my dorm room when there was nothing else to eat. So I think next time I'll try some chinese egg noodles instead or even vermicelli.

This recipe also includes flank steak and I was surprised that you cooked it by simply throwing it into the broth and not in a skillet ahead of time. I was pleased since I feel like I usually mess up steak when I try to cook it in a skillet. The broth method made for really tender steak.

All these flavors combined, plus fresh ginger and cilantro, made this soup a party for my taste buds, which is why I'm sharing it with you. Enjoy!

Asian Beef and Noodle Soup

8 c low-sodium chicken broth

1 Tbs grated fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbs fish sauce

1/2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder

4 (3 oz) packages ramen noodles, broken into large pieces, seasoning packets discarded

1 lb flank steak, cut lengthwise into thirds and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices (see note)

1/2 medium head Napa cabbage, sliced thin crosswise (about 4 c)

1/4 c finely chopped fresh cilantro

Bring broth, ginger, garlic, fish sauce and five-spice powder to boil in Dutch oven. Reduce heat to med-low and simmer until flavors meld (about 10 min).

Add noodles to simmering broth and cook, stirring occasionally, until nearly tender (about 2 min). Stir in beef and cabbage and simmer until cabbage is wilted and beef is cooked through (about 2 min). Add cilantro. Serve.

Note: Freeze the steak for 15 min before cutting to ensure thin, even slices.

Potty Training for DumMommies

2009-12-20T08:36:00.001-08:00

Fast Track: Results in 3 - 7 days

Not-so-fast Track: Results in 365 days

I have mastered both tracks, having one twin who trained in a week and another who trained over the course of year.

This Christmas break one year ago is when I attempted the whole potty training gig with the girls for the first time. It was a little early (they were 2yrs 2mos.), but with three kids in diapers, I was highly motivated.

I thought it would be Lobaby who would catch on quickly. The truth was they both did. Our first "outing" in big girl panties was all dressed up to the Christmas Eve service at Northview. I was a nervous wreck.

"Please don't potty on your pretty dresses!"

"Do you need to go potty?!"

"Be sure and tell mommy if you feel the potties coming out!"

I whispered in their little ears. And we were successful! I was a potty training rock star! Or so I thought.

About one month in, Lo started to revert. I was so resistant to it. In denial about it. But, I was finally at my wit's and patience' end, and back to diapers she went.

Over the next few months we tried again. I tried my old methods. I tried new methods. But the truth of the matter was, she could care less about big girl panties.

For the months after that, I was mad about it. "She knows what to do! Why won't she do it??" I thought.

It was a battle. And she was beating me. And I hate to lose.

I finally accepted that it had to be her decision. She was going to have to want to do it. To care that her friends weren't in diapers. To care about being a "big girl."

Meanwhile, Jilligirl trained like a champion. Seriously, almost too good to be true. I told her that this is what big girls do and she bought it. I offered her stickers and marshmallows and she ate it up. At 2yrs and 2 mos, she had less than a handful of accidents and has been in her sweet little pink roos ever since.

So, this is yet another example of how my precious twin girls could not be any more opposite.

Around their 3rd birthday, I thought we'd give it another go. No success. But, I did realize something really important. A positive to all my potty-training failures.

At every attempt, I learned something new about my precious Lo. Every time we would try and fail, I would get insight into her personality.

Jilli is just like me. I get her. She is competitive and easily motivated. She embraces change and jumps into new things without fear.

Lo is very different than me. She isn't competitive. She's hard to motivate. She likes to do her own thing and she doesn't usually care what the other kids are doing. She's so quirky and funny. And it makes me nuts and I love it!

The upside to potty training over 12 months, is that I see her differently now and have a better appreciation for her quirks.

I realize this is just the beginning of my tough lessons in mothering, I just hope that they don't all take 365 days to learn.

Baked Manicotti with Meat Sauce

2009-12-15T11:53:00.000-08:00

So I'm home full-time now and I find myself with a new energy and excitement in the kitchen. I love to cook and try new recipes, but haven't had the patience (or kids with patience) to bust out a meal like this in some time.

I made my grocery list this week and on it were the ingredients for 3 new recipes from my favorite cooking resource, Cook's Country. I've never made a recipe out of these magazines that wasn't divine.

First on the list was manicotti, made with a few ingredients that made my taste buds happy before I even opened my mouth. With the big girls as helpers and Little Toothache in her high chair with a snack, we tackled this recipe with delicious results.

I hope you enjoy and devour this recipe as happily as my family did.

Baked Manicotti with Meat Sauce

Meat Sauce

1 onion, chopped

6 oz sliced deli pepperoni

1 lb 85% lean ground beef

1 Tbs tomato paste

5 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

2 (28oz) cans crushed tomatoes

salt and pepper

Manicotti

3 c ricotta cheese

2 1/2 c shredded mozzarella cheese

1 1/2 c shredded provolone cheese

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 c chopped fresh basil

16 no-boil lasagna noodles (see note)

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. pulse onion and pepperoni in food processor until coarsely ground. Add beef and pulse until thoroughly combined.

Transfer beef mixture to large saucepan and cook over medium heat, until no longer pink (about 5 min). Using slotted spoon, transfer 1 cup beef mixture to paper towel-lined plate and reserve. Add tomato paste garlic and pepper flakes to pot w/ remaining meat mixture and cook until fragrant (about 1 min). Stir in tomatoes and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened (about 20 min). Season with salt and pepper.

Combine ricotta, 2 c mozzarella, 1 c provolone, egg, salt, pepper, basil and reserved meat mixture in large bowl. Pour 2 quarts boiling water into 13 x 9-in baking dish. Soak noodles until pliable (about 5 min). Drain noodles on kitchen towel, pour of water and dry baking dish.

Spread half of meat sauce over bottom of baking dish. Top each soaked noodle with 1/4 cup cheese filling, roll and arrange, seam-side down, over sauce in baking dish. Spread remaining sauce over manicotti. Cover with foil and bake until bubbling around edges, about 40 min. Remove foil and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and provolone. Bake until cheese is melted, about 5 min. Let cool 15 minutes. Serve.

Note: You need 16 no-boil lasagna noodles. Get the Barilla brand (comes 16 to a box, other brands only have 12). I found these in the dry pasta aisle, even though I started looking for them with the refrigerated and frozen noodles.

My notes: 1) I skipped the red pepper flakes, even though it was just a smidge. I didn't want to risk the heat turning off the little palettes in the house 2) I only have a small food processor, so I only did the onion and pepperoni in the food processor and then mashed it in with the beef by hand.

In Transition: Synopsis

2009-11-10T12:35:00.000-08:00

My life is in transition.

There are two experiences I'm having in the transition and some stuff I want to share about both. So before I begin, let me give you the synopsis.

For months, I'd been praying and contemplating the idea of resigning my position at Northview to focus solely on my duties as a wife and mommy.

Some of you may not know that I work at Northview, but I do. I love it and I'm completely passionate about working in the local church. My favorite part of my job as Communications Director has been to help create experiences for our people to engage in relationships with each other and to experience God in new ways. I get an inside look at our leadership and get to contribute to their passion, by offering insight on how to share the heart of their ministries with our attendees.

I've been able to sit in on lead staff meetings and represent my voice as a woman, mother and creative thinker. It's been humbling and so cool.

I'm a such a passionate girl. And during my training for my half marathon (which I'll blog about later), I had a lot of time alone with my thoughts. One thought that I kept having was wondering what God could do if I were able to focus all my passion on my family. And I got really excited.

For the past two years, Northview has been gracious to let me do the job that I love on a very flexible, limited schedule. But, because I love it so much, I always felt frustrated by my limitations. There wasn't enough margin in my life to dream big for Northview in the way that I knew I could.

In the same way, I haven't had the margin to dream big for my family in the way I've wanted to, either.

Now that Andy is settled into his new venture as a self-employed web experience designer and developer (And doing AMAZING, I might add), our family has settled into a new normal, as well. One with many new exciting opportunities and challenges.

Andy has never been more fulfilled professionally. I remember thinking when we dated (and when my dad would bug me about considering my financial future), that this guy is so talented and I won't ever have to worry that he will provide for me and our future family together. I was right. It's almost too good to be true to watch how this whole thing has unfolded.

So, he's super happy. And super fulfilled. But, now running his own company and having the weight of all family provisions based entirely on his ability to seek out and secure projects, he's also super stressed. And in the 10 years that I've known him, I've never seen him stressed.

I've always been the one to have my hands in hundreds of pots. He's always been my easy-going, super-mellow, go-pursue-your-dreams-and-I'll-do-whatever-you-need-me-to-do-to-support-you kinda guy. And he still is, but his new reality has challenged his margin in new ways, too. His "supportive margin".

So, it's my turn to be the cheerleader. It's a new role for me. But, one I'm pretty excited (and also scared) about. I'm afraid and thrilled that God has a lot to teach me. I'm afraid and thrilled to have my margin back. I'm afraid and thrilled to stay home and use my passion to open the door to God to reshape and grow my family.

I think afraid and thrilled pretty much sums it up.

Come Here Goat!

2009-11-10T12:08:00.000-08:00

We weren't sure if we were going to make it to the pumpkin patch this year! But, we did with only 3 days before the end of the season.

The girls wanted to feed the goat a leaf.

Big girls turn 3!

2009-09-28T18:33:00.000-07:00

This year we had a big Dora backyard camping theme to celebrate the twins 3rd birthday. It was so much fun. I tend to go a little overboard with these things, but I believe in celebrating birthdays BIG!

We set up tents and picnic tables in the backyard, the big kids roasted hot dogs in the fire pit and the adults ate chili. The kids had a ball playing in the tents, we had a make-your-own trail mix activity for the kids and a bug/candy hunt.

The girls (and mommy) were overwhelmed when it was time to open gifts. That's what you get for having two birthdays in one AND both sets of grandparents living in town. We're blessed (and spoiled). Lobaby said her favorite new toy is her vacuum cleaner (if only it really cleaned!) and Jilligirl's fave is a Strawberry Shortcake doll that you can style her hair.

The Dora cake was a late night labor of love, but I'm really happy with how it turned out. It was my first ever star-tip cake, with 10 colors of icing! A little over the top, but I always wish I had more time to decorate cakes. It's so fun for me.

Many thanks to our AMAZING family and friends who came to celebrate our girls! You mean the world to us. Nothing makes me happier than my house full of the people that I love. We are so blessed!

Indiana State Fair 09

2009-08-26T19:18:00.000-07:00

We took a trip to the fair with my parents last week and had a really fun time. I don't have any pictures of the baby, but she was the MVP and endured about 6hrs of fair fun and was such a trooper.

This year, the girls really surprised me (especially my timid Lobaby) and wanted to ride the real ponies AND the kid rides, including the little kid roller coaster. They had a blast and it was really fun to watch their faces.

We walked around and ate a little. And then walked around and ate a little more. We tried the deep fried Snickers (delicious) and the deep fried Twinkies (not a fan). We gnawed on a couple turkey legs and drank some yummy Sweet Tea and Lemonade Shake-ups.

Until a couple years ago, I had never been to the fair. Each year gets more and more fun. Maybe I'm a country girl at heart. After all, I did wear my hair in pig tails for the occassion. Or maybe I just like fried food. Come to think of it, we didn't even make it into the livestock pavilions. Maybe next year.

I love Jilligirls face in this one.

She's a Keller. Can't wait to see her next time we visit North Dakota with Uncle Doug on the BIG tractors.

This is a cute little video of the girls on the motorcycles.

Ah - Wedding Bliss

2009-08-26T18:48:00.000-07:00

While we were in Missouri, my cousin Travis got married. It was such a fun celebration. Travis is an amazing guy, with a great heart. It was the first time I met Britney (his bride), but she was gorgeous and they seem like such an adorable, like-minded couple. I was SO happy for them.

They both like to dance and their reception had a live band. I don't know what got into Andy, but he was in the mood to get down. So we watched all Travis and Britney's friends and their fancy swing dance moves and did our best to copy them.

Their first dance was completely choreographed and really elegant.
This boy can sing. He surprised Britney and serenaded her with "Fools Rush In" - too cute!

I was sitting alone during a slow song and one of the band members came out and asked me to dance. It was nice of him. A tad awkward. But nice nonetheless.

The wedding was really close to the Plaza in KC. So they did a really smart thing and invited their guests to get dinner on their own between the wedding and reception. We went to Cheesecake Factory.

This is my Grandma Joyce. I love her and I'm really proud of her. My Grandpa is really ill and together they are showing tremendous faith and strength. It's neat to see them live what they say they believe, even when they're being tested so intensely.

Daddy and Little Toothache. She's getting too big, too fast.

This is my Aunt Cheryl (my dad's sister) and Uncle Gary. Parents of the Groom.

Grandpa Sonny and Grandma Joyce with their great grandkids, minus LT (she was taking a nap).

Travis and Grandma on the dance floor.

Adorable couple.

Baby's First Corn

2009-08-26T18:46:00.000-07:00

Needless to say, she LOVED it :)

Trip to Joetown!

2009-08-10T19:38:00.000-07:00

My whole family went back west for my cousin Travis' wedding, but it also was my best buddy's 30th birthday, so I went a few days early to celebrate with her!

All our family lives in the Kansas City area, so I don't always get to spend much time in St. Joe (my hometown, 50 miles north of KC). So, feeling sentimental, I had Cassie take me to some of my favorite spots.

This isn't a favorite spot, but since I'm ca-razy about Farmer's Markets, I had to get a shot of the Pony Express Farmer's Market (plus Cassie with all her loot).

This was my dad's restaurant, The Salad Shoppe, in the 80s. When he felt called to ministry, he also felt called to sell all his businesses. We talked to the current store owner (now a bakery) and she said she found all the old accounting records in the attic, she asked me "Why did he ever close this place? They were making money every month!" Obedience, baby, obedience.

I didn't really say that. And unfortunately the guy that bought the restaurant from my dad killed it in the first year.

It was bizarre to be inside. I probably haven't been inside since I was about 3 or 4 and I have some really vivid memories from the restaurant.

Of course, we had to taste the cupcakes from the cute bakery that's housed there now. It's called Delish.

For Cassie's birthday, we went to the Plaza in KC. Had dinner at a yummy Italian place and dessert at The Melting Pot. We went with great friends from high school (from left) Beth, Sarah and Cass and me.

BFFs.

Just about every HS memory I have includes Sarah. We were in every activity together from 7th grade until we graduated, including 1st and 2nd chair flute in the band. Awe-yeah! You're jealous. And guess who was 1st chair? Hint: It wasn't Sarah. That's right. Yours truly.

The Toothache shows off her tricks!

2009-07-24T11:00:00.000-07:00

First (of many) trips to Conner Prairie

2009-07-23T18:26:00.000-07:00

We got a membership to Conner Prairie for Little Toothache's birthday and visited over the weekend for the first time. Grammy and Pawpaw (Keller) came with us this time. We had a blast and plan to go back again and again.

I LOVE this picture of Lobaby. When she wears piggy tails she can have just about anything she wants. But, don't tell her that!

Cookin up some lunch!

Jilligirl watering her garden.

Petting the baby chicks.

Building a cool house with daddy out of Lincoln Logs!

The party!

2009-07-15T18:49:00.001-07:00

The party to celebrate our LT was so fun. And perfect weather, to boot!

The birthday girl in her party dress.

A rare family photo!

An even more rare picture of just me and baby LT

We sang the birthday song!

The big girls licked the icing off the cake and then dipped the candle back in the icing and licked again, and again, and again (sorry for those of you who ate that cake and were unaware of the toddler saliva on the top)

She ate her cake and buttercream, too.

She opened a few gifts. I opened most of them. She got lots of new books, some really cute clothes, shoes, toys and even a family membership to Conner Prairie.

We set up the baby pools and sprinklers. The kids had a blast.

This was a photo shoot I attempted with her little party dress on.

Running with crayons...

Eating the crayons (where's that child's mother?)...

Mommy takes the crayons away (and captures a perfect shot of LT's flair for drama).

These were the party favors. They were rolls of art paper, wrapped in tissue to look like candy. Each had some crayons attached and a little note from LT herself.

Here's the cake. Party confetti cake with buttercream icing.

The cupcakes and the stickers I found that inspired the whole theme.

Fourth of July

2009-07-13T14:04:00.000-07:00

The Fourth is so fun and our tradition the past couple years is to enjoy the Carmel parade in the morning and the Carmel fireworks at night. Last year and this year the big girls have enjoyed the parade SO much.

The party people - only Shan Shan is missing (she took the pic!) (My dad is missing, too. Not sure where he took off to.)

LT's first Fourth Parade. Last year she was still cookin in my belly, just 6 days from birth!

Bummer the parade was the same time as her morning nap. So she enjoyed most of the parade asleep in her Papaw's arms.

Took the prize for "Most random parade entry" - a HUGE elk. Check out those antlers.

Jilligirl flashes her sweet smile. She REALLY gets into it.

A year of sweetness!

2009-07-10T19:14:00.001-07:00

Today, our precious Little Tootheache had her first birthday. Here are a few photos to remind you of her sugary sweetness. It has been the most amazing year with our sweet girl.

When I had a positive reading on a pregnancy test, when the twins were just 13 months old, I was overwhelmed with fear. I couldn't understand how God thought that I was capable of handling another baby, but had comfort in the knowledge that it must be his plan. It certainly wasn't mine!

From Day 1, LT has been joy. Is it possible to say that a baby can relax you? After a HARD first year with the twins, I can only say that it made this year seem like cotton candy goodness.

I will never forget the moment I held her for the first time back in my hospital room. She pursed her lips and it was the first time I saw that she had dimples. I was in love!

I can't help but feel a little sad that the first year is over. My baby is officially on her way to toddler-dom.

My sweet baby! I love you so much! Your energy, happy-nature and silliness make me so proud to be your mommy. I can't wait for another year with you!

Cupcakes!

2009-06-29T12:02:00.000-07:00

I'm a little embarrassed to admit how much time I spent on these, but I'm just getting familiar with fondant and I learned a lot on this project.

These were yellow cake and devil's food cake cupcakes, with tinted buttercream icing. The toppers are all handmade with tinted fondant and black gel icing.

I enjoy projects like this so much. It's a total creative outlet for me. Plus, these were for our friend's baby shower - and she's expecting boy/girl twins! So fun!

Hanging out in the crib

2009-06-03T13:41:00.000-07:00

Fancy-up Your Flavors

2009-06-03T12:54:00.000-07:00

What are your pantry staples? For me, I always have some ingredients on hand for stand-by meals. Pasta is a pretty standard staple. I love cooking pasta dishes, but I get stuck on red sauce, pesto or cheese, as my options for toppers.

So, when I tried this new, super-easy pasta recipe for dinner the other night, I couldn't wait to share it. It's a simple pasta dish, with two ingredients I've never paired before: red pepper and italian sausage.

Sausage with Peppers and Pasta

3 c. rigatoni pasta, uncooked
1 lb. Italian sausage, sliced
1 each red, green and yellow pepper, roughly chopped
1 can (14.5 oz) Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 c. shredded Italian mozzarella-parmesan cheese blend
1/4 c. parmesan cheese

Cook pasta as directed. Meanwhile, cook sausage in large skillet on med. heat, 10 min., stirring frequently. Add peppers; cook and stir 7 min. or until sausage is done and peppers are crisp-tender. Stir in tomatoes; cook 2 min. or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

Drain pasta. Add to sausage mixture with shredded cheese; mix well.

Top with parmesan.

What did I do different? I think peppers are WAY overpriced, so I opted to get only ONE red pepper (and no green or yellow pepper). I felt like we still were able to appreciate the yummy unique flavor. In fact, it made me feel like three peppers would be totally overboard. I only had plain diced tomatoes on hand, so I chopped up some of my yummy fresh basil and I really liked the flavor that added, too.

Also, I already had shredded mozzarella in my fridge, so I didn't get the Italian blend, but I with I had, because I think the taste of parmesan is amazing and would have made this dish even yummier.

If you'd like to watch a video that demonstrates this recipe, Kraft has so kindly provided it.

Facebook: Time for a Time Out

2009-05-26T12:06:00.001-07:00

I'm taking a break from Facebook. I've noticed my productivity GREATLY decrease recently and wasn't able to put my finger on it. And then I realized that I leave FB open 24/7 and check it every few minutes while on my laptop. I'm not sure how many minutes a day this all adds up to, but it's my focus that it steals more than anything.

I'm torn, because I also believe that Facebook is an amazing tool. I am a VERY relational girl and the fact that I've connected with friends I never even thought I'd see again is nothing short of thrilling for me.

But, I've fallen behind in about every way a girl/momma can fall behind (ever since I got hooked on that dern Twilight series and was TOTALLY out of commission for like a month)(after I read book four), and it's time to catch up.

My blog is another area where I've fallen behind and I'm looking forward to catching up with you all. I've got a few recipes up my sleeve and a few mommy issues to vent about and all-around cuteness (via my babies) to share. So, for those of you who haven't totally given up on my blog, I hope I can earn back your devotion :)

So, my beloved FB friends, I will only be gone temporarily. And until then, I'll miss our random chats, status updates, photo uploads, wall posts and notes. But, hopefully before we meet again, my to-do list will be more than half to-done.

Two reasons why I love summer...

2009-05-25T18:15:00.001-07:00

Summer tomatoes and fresh basil! See them in my window?

There are so many ways you can enjoy tomatoes and basil. First, you'll want to get a really good cheese. I enjoy Feta or Chevre (Goat Cheese) or Fresh Mozzarella will do (and I'm not talking the shredded stuff, either).

You can top it with a little Italian dressing or get really fancy and pour on a little olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt/pepper. Seriously, my mouth is watering.

I have this great Black Currant balsamic vinegar from the Olive Mill. We discovered this little shop on our trip to Saugatuck last year. Holy crap! It's so delicious.

The other night, I simply poured that vinegar over my sliced tomatoes at dinner and devoured them. Then I poured it all over my strawberries and it was equally delicious.

When you're working with fresh basil, do me a favor and cut it the fancy way, by giving it a little chiffonade. Take the leaves and stack them on top of each other. Then, roll them like a tortilla and cut them to make long, thin strips.

I plan to eat so much of this stuff, that by the end of the summer I'll be thankful that tomato season is over. But, until that day, I'm gonna savor every bite.

Memorial Day Fun!

2009-05-25T17:58:00.000-07:00

Even though 3 out of 5 of us have nasty sinus colds this weekend, we had a great time with family. We started at Andy's folks pool on Saturday afternoon. Went to Ryan and Shan's pool on Sunday evening and then went back to Grammy and Grandpa's house tonight for dinner.

I've gotten progressively worse about snapping photos and tonight decided to change that trend by taking some fun action shots of the girls.

I love how easily entertained they are at this age. And how different they are. Lobaby loved to play with Grammy's pretend vacuum cleaner, while Jilligirl preferred to play with sticks in the mud and water fountain. It all makes my heart beam with pride.

Little Toothache was not feeling great today, but she got her share of snuggles and special attention from her Grammy, Grandpa and Uncle Mikey.

It was a great weekend. But, I'm exhausted. Just in time to start another week, right?

The girls loved getting pushed on the swings from front and back. Daddy and Uncle Mikey like to keep it exciting!

Duane made some excellent ribs for dinner. I got my in-laws turned on to the Food&Family magazine (I've mentioned it before). But, this rib recipe is super easy, if you want to try it, too.

Jilligirl loves to show us how fast she can run. I love how she swings her arms.

Jailbirds!

Lo is such a great big sister.

Dress up

2009-05-25T17:57:00.001-07:00

If you live with boys in your house. I have a feeling our lives are very different.

Wrapped around her chubby little finger

2009-05-04T13:15:00.001-07:00

It's a whole new world

2009-05-04T13:12:00.000-07:00

Now that LT is pulling up, she can experience toys and other babies in a whole new way. We hang out with my good friend Dawn and her 3 kids on occassion and these little girls are starting to become friends.

Laughter is the best medicine

2009-05-04T13:11:00.000-07:00

Just a few pictures to make you smile.

Super Soccer Kick!

2009-05-04T13:04:00.001-07:00

Recently, I went to serve at Wheeler Women and Children's Center to offer childcare, so that the moms living there could participate in game night. I took my girls with me and we were set up in a big open gym. I was amazed to watch Jilligirl running back and forth with a ball. She would get to one end and start running, throw the ball in front of her and dribble it with her feet down the court.

I have no idea who showed her how to do this, my only thought is that we have a Dora video where she plays soccer and the girls LOVE Dora.

So, I bought them a soccer ball and a little goal, to encourage her athletic aspirations. I'll have to get some video of her and try to post it. It's pretty impressive stuff for a 2-year-old.

OK. I'm done bragging. But, in my defense, I'm a mom, and bragging is in my job description.

Pulling up!

2009-05-04T12:57:00.000-07:00

Our Little Toothache is getting big. And over the past couple weeks, I've been wishing that we could just freeze her, because in just 2 short months, she'll officially be moving into toddlerdom when we celebrate her first birthday!

On April 9, we took this picture of her. She had pulled up to standing for the first time. She has definitely not looked back.

Over the past month, she has mastered crawling (she's FAST!) and actually prefers to stand and "cruise" from chair to chair. My bet is she'll be walking, if not in the next month, definitely by her birthday. The twins weren't walking until 13 months, but with all the fun that LT sees her sisters having, she's quite motivated to join the action.

Easter 09

2009-04-21T10:37:00.000-07:00

Best Friends

2009-04-10T07:20:00.000-07:00

The warm weather has allowed us to open up the house and GET OUT! The girls are allowed to play in the backyard while I watch from the kitchen (lovin that freedom, btw).

They take their babies out, play on their little slide, walk on the landscape rocks. They really enjoy being together (they fight a lot, too). But, despite the scuffles, they laugh together a lot. Nothing makes my heart happier than to watch them be friends.

Best (and worst) Weekend Away

2009-04-10T07:10:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago, we took a quick (spontaneous) trip away to Brown County. We took Andy's folks with us and stayed in the Abe Martin Lodge. We stayed in the little rooms apart from the lodge and it worked out perfectly. Thanks to the baby monitor, we put the girls to sleep and then could hang out in Deb and Duane's room and play some cards before bed.

It was a wonderful weekend. Or at least it started that way. Friday night we had dinner. The girls were so excited to be somewhere new and to have their grandparents along. They did great. Saturday, we played all morning at their new indoor aquatic area. Everyone was having a great time, until Saturday night when Little Toothache started to throw up.

First, in the car. I thought is was a fluke. Then, to make sure I new it wasn't, she threw up all over me in one of the cute downtown shops. She threw up a third time on the way back to the room.

THEN, I was crawling into bed that night with Lobaby and she started crying. I rushed her to the bathroom and she got sick, too. Needless to say, it became a long night and I got home wishing for a vacation from my vacation.

I snapped a few pictures of the girls having fun in the aquatic area. Maybe sometime soon, we'll get a do-over.

BTW - I would highly recommend this as a cheap/fun family getaway. And I think we might even be brave enough to try it again sometime soon.

Duane/Deb - you game?

Big girl food

2009-03-24T18:03:00.000-07:00

LT has been tackling some big girl food lately. She loves puffs and Cherios, peas, carrots, bananas, pears and graham crackers. She will probably love more, but that's all we've tried so far. It's so cute to watch her try to master the pincer grasp to get those little chunks of food into her mouth.

The birthday boy!

2009-03-24T17:58:00.000-07:00

J-man's party was a blast. We played at Recreation Unlimited (imagine a really cool park, move it indoors and multiply by 10).

He had all his buddies there for a pizza party and some play time. It was a lot of fun.

Happy birthday, buddy! We think you're pretty special!

Make a wish!

Lobaby liked the cupcakes.

Look at those brown eyes. My niece is getting so big!

The Cupcakes

2009-03-24T17:53:00.000-07:00

My nephew just turned 5! I still can't believe it. Shannon asked me to make some cupcakes for his party and I was happy to oblige.

I took the opportunity to attempt fondant for the first time. Due to limited time, I bought the pre-tinted kind from Michael's. So, all I had to do was roll it and cut it out. It was really fun to work with. Like Play-doh for bakers.

I even free-handed little "5"s and "J"s.

St. Patty's Day Parade

2009-03-24T17:48:00.000-07:00

St. Patrick's Day around here was pretty fun. We celebrated by going to the parade downtown with Andy's grandparents (we call them GGma and GGpa). GGma's birthday is on St. Patrick's Day, so this was a special way to celebrate with them.

Girlies marching to the music.

Lobaby with her Aunt Shan-Shan.

Me with my sweet niece!

The LT, enjoying her favorite - Puffs!

They were shooting guns and Jilligirl stopped mid-Tootsie to cover her ears.

GGma loves her girls!

The whole crew (minus me)!

Laundry

2009-03-24T17:47:00.000-07:00

This smile is SO forced. I HATE LAUNDRY!

Baker-babies

2009-03-22T19:16:00.000-07:00

The twins love to cook with mommy and I love that they show an interest in something I enjoy so much.

Recently, I had the girls help put together some care packages for my Grandpa Sonny and my Grandpa Jack. We made Snickerdoodles (Gpa Sonny's favorite). The girls helped roll the balls of dough into a plate of cinnamon sugar.

I love this picture of the two of them, since they're wearing their PJs with shoes. I can explain. They are becoming so independent and recently, they like to put their shoes on all by themselves! If they see shoes laying around, sometimes they like to put them on, just because they can.

PJ Playdate

2009-03-22T19:11:00.000-07:00

We had a fun playdate a couple weeks ago with our good friends. All the kids came over in their PJs for a lazy Wednesday afternoon. Their oldest is 5, and then they have a 2 1/2 yr-old girl and a new baby girl. So we have a few things in common.

I thought this picture was cute of all the kids watching a show. Except for Little Toothache, sporting an adorable grin.

Blueberry Pancakes

2009-03-22T18:49:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago I tried a new pancake recipe. They were the best pancakes I've ever made. I guess that's not saying much, since I've always used a mix to make them. But, these were from scratch, real butter in the batter, unique ingredient, light and fluffy delicious. And my girls eat blueberries like candy, so we added fresh blueberries and oh-yeah, you get the picture.

Better-than-the-box Pancake Mix

note: This recipe makes 6c or mix, enough for 3 batches of 8 pancakes each. You can divide and freeze the mix to use another day. I actually halved this recipe to make one recipe of 12 pancakes.

2 c. all-purpose flour

2 c. cake flour

1 c. nonfat dry milk powder

3/4 c. malted milok powder

1/3 c. sugar
2 Tbls baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

1 Tbls salt

12 Tbls unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-in pieces

Process all ingredients in food processor until no lumps remain and mix is the texture of wet sand, about 2 minutes. Can freeze in airtight container for up to 2 months.

To make 8 pancakes: Whisk 2 c. mix, 2 lightly beaten eggs, and 1/2 c. buttermilk in large bowl until smooth. Pour 1/4 c. portions of pancake batter onto lightly oiled nonstick skillet or griddle and cook over med-low heat until golden brown, about 2 min per side.

(If you don't have buttermilk, make clabbered milk by whisking 1/2 Tbls white vinegar or lemon juice into 1/2 c. whole or low-fat milk and let the mixture thicken for 10 min.)

As Promised: Cook Once for 3 Meals

2009-02-23T17:16:00.000-08:00

Before we dive into these recipes, let me just say there are pros and cons to cooking once for 3 meals. The apparant pro: cooking ONCE for THREE meals. The con: by night 3, I was OVER the roast beef. We don't eat a lot of red meat here, so if it had been chicken, I'm not sure I would have felt the same way. But, I would do this cooking once for three meals again, because it made me feel so creative and thrifty, nonetheless.

Another apparant pro: very cost effective. The 4lb roast I used, cost about $3/lb from Sam's Club. Not too shabby.

Night 1: Beef Roast with Shiitake Mushroom Sauce

3.5 oz fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 (4lb) boneless beef rump or tip roast, trimmed of fat
1/4 c hoisin sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c water
2 Tbls cornstarch
2 Tbls sliced green onion

Place mushroom in 3.5 to 4-quart slow cooker; top with beef roast. Spread beef with hoisin sauce; sprinkle with garlic and salt.

Cover; cook on low setting for 8-10 hrs.

About 10 min before serving, remove beef from slow cooker; place on serving platter and cover to keep warm. In 4-cup glass measuring cup or med micro-safe bowl, blend water and cornstarch until smooth. Pour juices from slow cooker into cornstarch mixture; mix well. Micro on high for 2-3 min or until mixture boils and thickens slightly, stirring once halfway through cooking.

Cut roast in half; set one half aside (you're going to use the other half for the next two meals).

Cut remaining half into thin slices; place on serving plate. Reserve 1 1/2 c sauce. Spoon remaining sauce over the beef or just serve it with the meat. Sprinkle with onions.

Jenni's note: I would suggest definitely using Shiitakes over standard mushrooms. They really added to the flavor of the sauce. Also, I skipped the green onion. Even though I'm sure it adds great flavor. I can take or leave onion as a garnish. Third, it wasn't until noon that I remembered I was doing this crock pot meal, so I cooked my meat for 4hrs on high. Just be super careful however you cook it, because you only get one shot to make it awesome. Otherwise, you're stuck eating dry meat for the next three nights.

Oh, and I served mine with mashed potatoes, the mushroom sauce made an awesome gravy, and glazed carrots.

Prepping for Meals 2 and 3

Divide reserved roast into 2 portions. Slice each; cut slices into 2-inch strips. Divide strips evenly into 2 plastic storage containers. Add 1 cup sauce to 1 container (this one is for Beef and Asparagus over Noodles). Add 1/2 cup sauce to other container (this one is for Beef and Broccoli) and throw them in the fridge.

Night 2: Beef and Asparagus over Noodles

3 cups uncooked medium egg noodles
2 c cut (1 1/2in pieces) fresh asparagus spears
1/2 c water
Leftover Beef w/ Shiitake Sauce (the one w/ 1c of sauce)
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp pepper
8oz (about 1c) sour cream

Cook noodles as directed on the package. Drain.

In large skillet, combine asparagus and water. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to meium; cover and cook 3-4 min or until crisp-tender. Add beef/sauce, Worcestershire sauce and pepper; mix well. Cover; cook 3-4 minutes or until thoroughly heater.

Stir in sour cream. Cover; cook 3-4 min or until thoroughly heater, stirring frequently. Serve over noodles.

Jenni's note: If you're a strogganoff lover, you'll really like this. I loved that this recipe had fresh asparagus, because it made me feel like summer. To add another flavor layer, you could also top this with some paprika or parm cheese.

Night 3: Beef and Broccoli over Rice

2 c uncooked instant rice
2 1/4 c water
Leftover Beef/Sauce (the one with 1/2 c sauce)
1/4 c soy sauce
1/4 tsp ginger
14oz pkg frozen broccoli florets

Cook rice in 2 cups of water, as directed on package.

In large skillet, combine beef/sauce, remaining 1/4 cup water, soy sauce and ginger; mix well. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in frozen broccoli. Cover; cook 5-6 min or until broccoli is tender, stirring once. Serve over rice.

Jenni's note: I always think it's worth it to use real ginger vs powdered ginger. But, I still cheat a little and use the fresh ginger in a tube (the brand I use is called Gourmet Garden).

Humility and 3 Ways to Cook a Beef Roast

2009-02-19T11:10:00.000-08:00

The other day I went for a run. As I was running, I was listening to a podcast by Francis Chan about living a life of humility. Probably not the most get-up-and-get-moving listening choice, especially since half way through I was running and crying at the same time.

The gist of it was that humility is not about YOU being humble (quiet) about how great you are, or the great things you're doing for the Kingdom. Rather, being humble simply means, you don't think about yourself. You don't wake up in the morning and think about your needs first, you think about the needs of the people in your life that need a hand, a hug, a note of encouragement, a high five, a break.

Phil 2:3 says, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves."

Another verse that stuck out to me...

"He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8

If you're familiar with Francis Chan (I'm reading his book with my Life Group and also recently subscribed to his podcast), than you know this is a big theme with him: acknowledging God's HUGENESS and our LITTLENESS and seriously being overwhelmed by it.

This struck me. You know how sometimes old concepts come to life for you in new ways? That's what's happening here for me.

I'm re-learning that humility is about me thinking about others first and how I can bless them before "blessing" myself AND (in my relationship with God), walking with him in a way that is constantly in worship and acknowledging his massiveness in the whole scheme of my life.

So, after my cry/run, God showed me humility with skin on last weekend, when my in-laws totally blessed us unexpectedly.

I won't give all the specifics, but I'll just say that my father-in-law is all about the meat. He gives meat to the people he loves. And the more meat he gives, probably the more he loves you.

And let's just say he loves us, A LOT!

In fact, this week, my challenge was to figure out how to cook a 4lb beef roast for two adults and two two-year-olds, without wasting any. And I'm proud to say, I did it. I will share the recipes for cooking once for 3 different meals in another post. We did beef and mashed potatoes, beef and asparagus over noodles, and beef stir-fry. And each night I was reminded (as the recipient of a humble act) how loved I am. How little I am and how HUGE God is.

We didn't go to them requesting meat. They were just aware that my husband was recently laid off, that we have three little mouths to feed and that it takes a little while to get a new business up and running (hooray, hubby is freelancing! more about that in another post).

They weren't thinking of themselves.

The amazing thing was that they had SO much joy, practicing humility. It was obvious that it made their day to bless us the way they did. I was so thankful to God for showing me this practical example of humility, right after he had challenged my thinking on my run last week.

It's a lesson I think God won't let me soon forget. Probably because I'll be cooking with the object lesson for the next month.

Valentine's Day 09

2009-02-15T19:50:00.000-08:00

I hosted a Valentine party on Friday for my girls and "my girls" (my kids and my friends)(and their kids, too)(in case you were confused).

We had a fun craft, exchanged Valentine's and ate a delicious Valentine-themed lunch.

The kids played great (no meltdowns) and the mommies actually got to visit. I'd say it was a true success.

Toenails and Time-crunch

2009-02-09T19:52:00.000-08:00

Three Little Monkeys (Sept 08) Twins 24 months, LT 2 months

Little (Growing) Monkeys (Feb 09) after their bath! Twins (almost) 29 months, LT (almost) 7 months

I know I say it a lot, but it's the logistics of care that are required for three little girls that blows my mind. Little Toothache will be 7 months old tomorrow, and you'd think I would be fully adjusted to it by now.

But, it's when I'm on the phone with a friend and I say "yeah. I'm dressed and one of the three girls is dressed, so I think we'll be there in like 30 minutes?" Then, 45 minutes later we're in the car and it just took twice as long as I predicted it would to get from point A to point B.

On Sunday, I gave all the girls a bath. Big girls first. Then baby girl. I think I started about 10:30am, once all was said and done (including clipping three sets of toenails, then three sets of fingernails), it was after noon! Seriously 90 minutes to bathe?!

I don't know where the time goes. But it goes fast. When anyone asks me, what did you do today? I'll stop and think. And maybe I can only list one or two things. But, the REST of my day was filled up with these lovely logistics.

Some day I know that I will truly miss my girls needing me for every ever-loving thing. In fact, it made me a little sad yesterday when Jillian was able to reach into the pantry and pull out her own snack to eat.

But, honestly, it made me a little happy, too.

Happy(est) 7 Months!

2009-02-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

Have I mentioned that I am IN LOVE with this little girl!? I told Andy the other night that I think God gave her to me to help me relax. Seriously, people, she's that good. It's such a joy to be her mommy!

Happy 7 month Birthday, baby girl.

I've got a toothache, you're so sweet!

BTW - This is my new favorite picture of her!

Playing with Daddy's Stickers

2009-02-04T06:47:00.000-08:00

Tomato Lentil Soup

2009-02-03T11:55:00.001-08:00

Last night, my husband says "Soup is the perfect food." I'm pretty sure he was trying to be funny, but, I agreed. Especially during winter time.

Soup has been one of my greatest weight-loss secrets. I've found these Progresso soups that only have like 120 calories in the whole can. Loaded with veggies and warm brothy goodness. What's that commercial? - Dieting lady: "It's the Manhattan Clam Chowder diet!" Supportive friend: "It's workin for ya!"

I've been cooking a lot of soup this winter, too. Now that my big girls can sufficiently work the spoon to their mouth with only minor spillage, I'm breaking out some old (and new) recipes.

Here's a new one I tried last night. It has lentils in it. This was my first experience working with lentils. So, if you're nervous, I'll just tell you, they look and taste like little round, flat beans. They're chock full of fiber, too. Not much taste, but they definitely hearty-up this brothy soup.

The best news is that this recipe makes 6 servings (probably about 1 cup size) at only 150 calories! I ate a half of a grilled cheese sandwich and a big bowl of this for dinner last night and I was completely satisfied!

Tomato Lentil Soup

1 Tbs olive or veg oil

1 large onion, finely chopped (1 cup)

1 med stalk celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)

1 cup dried lentils, sorted and rinsed

4 cups water

4 tsp chicken or veg bouillon granules

1 tsp dried thyme leaves

1/4 tsp pepper

1 dried bay leaf

1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

Heat oil in 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook onion, celery and garlic in oil about 4 min, stirring occasionally, until softened.

Stir in remaining ingredients, except tomatoes. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15 to 20 min.

Stir in tomatoes; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered about 15 min or until heated through. Remove bay leaf.

Almost there...

2009-01-31T20:00:00.000-08:00

Today was a really good day.

It marked the end of the second leg of my training with Cindy (btw - check out her new website - my hubby designed it and it's sweet!). And time to weigh in.

Since I started working out (late Sept 08), I've lost:

19 lbs.

10.75"

6.8% body fat

So, then, after my weigh in and wicked work out, I came home and was inspired to try on my "goal jeans". And they fit! (Doing a hilarious happy dance!).

To celebrate, I found the most hideous picture I have of myself from my trip to OKC back in Sept. and compared it to a picture from one of last weekend's birthday parties. Um. Sianora double chin!

Tomorrow, I'll pull out and hang my "ultimate goal jeans" in the closet. I'm almost there, folks!

Thanks for cheering me on!

Snow day

2009-01-28T19:46:00.001-08:00

We got 12+ inches of snow here last night. So, today was a great day to play in it!

We were out shoveling snow and honestly, this is the first time I've bothered to get the girls all bundled up to play in it. They really seemed to like it and they were SO CUTE in their snow suits.

These are the Dora bikes they got for their birthday. Just four short months ago, their legs didn't reach the pedals! How are they growing so quickly?!

My Lobaby - my snow angel!

Sitting in the "snow chair" I made.

Pink nose to match her pink coat.

We don't have snow boots for Jilligirl. So daddy "made" her some with duct tape. All I could say to him was "You are Duane Keller's son!"

At first, she was sad we didn't have boots for her, too. But, after Andy got to work putting baggies on her feet, she got over it.

BTW _ I love J's beautiful eyes in this photo!

"Cookin" the snow.

Pizza party

2009-01-28T19:36:00.000-08:00

Two days after our neices birthday, is our cousin's birthday.

My mommy friends have definitely set the bar high when it comes to fun birthday parties. First the fire station, now this awesome "cooking" party!

This party was all about stocking Jac's new play kitchen. We got her some cute heart-shaped measuring spoons, pot-holders and a play sandwich kit.

Jaime (and Jac) made cute aprons for everyone with their name on them. For dinner, all the girls got to top the pizzas. They had a blast and amazingly the pizzas were delicious!

Party time!

2009-01-28T19:28:00.000-08:00

First, it was our sweet niece's birthday! I LOVE this pic of her and her cake. This was her expression while everyone was singing to her. So funny! I love that girl!

Her party started with a tour of a local fire station. Such a fun and creative idea. The firemen showed us the fire house and let us get into the truck. He showed the kids all their fire gear and gave all the kids their own hat and sticker badge.

Mommy and Lobaby in the firetruck.

It's great to have cousins that double as your best friends!

Classic Jilligirl!

She really liked the hat.

Little Toothache

2009-01-28T19:17:00.000-08:00

(I love this pic! She raises her eyebrows and makes me think she's going to be trouble someday!)

LT is doing so many new things these days.

This morning, even, her first tooth popped out. Bottom left.

She's sitting up on her own and if I remember correctly, she's accomplished this almost 2 months earlier than the twins did. She's rolling over and blowing rasberries, constantly!

She's adorable. So happy. So smiley.

Rub a dub dub

2009-01-28T12:39:00.001-08:00

First of all, this is my first post in a while and I've had some time to think about my posts and I'm going to give my girls some new nicknames. I'm just tired of Baby C, J and Lo. I mean, they're totally original and everything, but I'm just ready for a change.

So, as of today, Baby C will now be "Little Toothache" or "LT". The girls have a talking hippo doll that says "I've got a toothache you're so sweet!" And that about sums up life with our Little Toothache. Too sweet!

J will be Jilligirl. And Lo will be Lobaby. So, now that that's settled...

LT has outgrown her baby tub and has graduated to taking baths with her big sisters. It's a good time.

Actually, bathtime can me the most fun, and quickly turn into the most stressful time of our day (that is, on the days that they actually get a bath)(def. not a daily occurance around here). There will be lots of laughing, splashing and playing and then suddendly, drama insues, tears, screaming and more screaming.

I think if LT could talk, she would say "Can I go back to my baby bath please? It was much quieter there."

Farewell, Sweet Jeremy

2009-01-05T12:00:00.000-08:00

Our great friends, Aaron and Beth Shelby, welcomed a beautiful baby boy into the world yesterday at 11:17 a.m. He was breathing on his own at birth, which makes him 1 in 10,000. They said that only 1 in 10,000 babies diagnosed with Trisomy 13 have a live birth.

But, a short 71 minutes later, he took his final breath and went to be with Jesus.

Last night, our Life Group gathered with Beth and Aaron in their hospital room. The mood was relaxed. Beth and Aaron were emotionally exhausted and so we just sat with them. Beth shared her labor story with all the girls. Just like any new mom would. Aaron shared the experience from his perspective.

They were even willing to let us see and hold Baby Jeremy. He was bundled in a blue blanket, with a hand-knit blue cap on his head. He looks a lot like Beth.

This is all a new experience for me. I've never been this close to a family facing such a tragic loss. Something that leaves me with so many questions for God. But, as I've said before, it really feels like a priviledge to journey with the Shelbys.

We've known the Shelbys for 3 years now and shared in life with them through our amazing Life Group. This couple truly amazes me. Yes, they are sorrowful. They have a million questions. But, their faith in God has been completely unwavering.

I'm also thankful today for my Life Group. I've learned about myself in the past few years, that I am completely a relational person. I love nothing more than to share my life, to know and be known, by my close family and friends. My friends are such a gift to me and today, I'm especially thankful for them.

One group member posted about our gathering last night and I couldn't agree with her more. I love doing life with these people. We're a group with such diverse backgrounds and I learn from them every time we're together.

So, even though I'm crying a lot of tears today, I can't help but feel grateful.

To God, for his faithfulness, that even though none of this makes sense, He will make it beautiful.

To Friends, for good people to share in the good, bad and ugly.

For the Shelbys, and their example. I know that we all can follow their lead in this and learn a few things about faith, love and hope, in the process.

I'm sure many of you reading know the Shelbys and so if you feel compelled, a memorial fund has been set up in Jeremy's honor to help cover his funeral costs.

1. Memorial Fund

* ALL Donations will go directly to the Shelby Family to cover funeral expenses. If the financial blessing outweighs the cost, the remaider of the proceeds will be forwarded to the trisomy 13 charity of the parents choice.

* Donations are being accepted at all FORUM CREDIT UNION branches. Just go into the branch and give them jeremy's name and tell them it is for a memorial fund....After the funeral services...all money will be released to the Shelby's so please make your contributions prior to that date. All donations will be anonymous. Here is a link of all their locations... You must copy and paste this link: http://www.forumcu.com/locations/default.aspx

2. Fashionthropic T-Shirt in memory of Jeremiah has been designed and about Half of the total cost goes directly to the shelby's to help them cover expenses...This is a GREAT way to help out and have an item to remember him by.....check out the link: http://skreened.com/fashionthropic

New year. New me.

2009-01-03T11:35:00.000-08:00

Yes. It's just what you think it is. It's the standard reflection post. A look back on all the stuff that happened in 08 and how it's gonna be better/different in 09.

Actually, I'm just going to skip the reflection all together and jump right to my hopes for 09:

1) Reach fitness goals.
I'm about half way there. I've lost about 15lbs so far. I'm starting a "Biggest Loser" contest with a good friend this week. Let me know if you want to join in.

2) Read more.
Read more for fun. Read more for personal growth. Read the Word. At work right now, we're discussing what getting into the Word looks like for the congregation and how as a church we can foster this discipline in them. I'm thinking more for myself about how I can work to make scripture come to life in my own life. How I can discover it in new ways. I think I'm going to start with the book, How to Read the Bible for All its Worth. Sounds helpful, right? Here are a few other books I hope to read this year: Grace-based Parenting, Parenting From Your Strengths, Three Cups of Tea, Tangible Kingdom, 200 Pomegranates and an Audience of One, Blue Like Jazz (can't believe I still haven't read that one) and others (still working on my full list).

3) Get better.
Get better at the mommy thing. Get better at the wife thing. Get better at the Christ-follower thing. Get better at the plate-spinning thing. Get better at the work thing. Get better at the priority-setting/time-management thing. Get better at the relationship thing. Get better at the family thing. Get better at the house keep-up thing. The focus thing. And the blog thing :)

4) Grow my heart.
This could fit in with other goals, but is important enough to be its own. I think 08 was a big heart-growing year for me. I'm learning to love bigger, better and more generously. Sometimes I think of myself as a girl on the verge of greatness. Great generosity, kindness, boldness. The important things. But, I carry around all my excuses, selfishness, laziness, desire to acquire, etc., that keep me living on the verge and away from making the big leap. In 09 I'd like to see (in the words of Elvis) "a little less conversation, a little more action please."

And one more, very important goal for 2009...

5) Don't get pregnant.
I love my babies. But, 3 in 2 years is quite plenty for now.

Are you setting any goals? Are you bold enough to share? Let's hear it!

Happy New Year to all my bloggy friends and family!

Happy Birthday, Grandma Dee!

2009-01-01T17:09:00.000-08:00

Claira's Dedication Service

2008-12-30T13:38:00.001-08:00

Christmas Cookie Day 2008

2008-12-20T19:38:00.000-08:00

Every year, my mom, Shannon and I get together and spend an entire day baking Christmas cookies. It's such a special tradition. I always look forward to it.

This year was really fun, because my girls (and Jake, too) really got into it.

We started with Peanut Butter Blossoms and my girls were in charge of taking all the Kisses out of the wrappers. They did great. But every time I turned my head, J would sneak a Kiss!

We took a break in the middle of the afternoon for my parents to take their Christmas card picture. Here are a few of my favorites.

I like this one, because Jake has his arm around Em. Too cute!

Poor Baby C!

This one was the winner!

We did sugar cookies and the kids really enjoyed it. I would roll the dough and then let each of them choose a shape and press it out. After the cookies were baked, they all were able to shake the sprinkles on.

Needless to say, it got a little messy. Here's J putting the cookie cutters on like bracelets.

Sprinkles!
All together, we made PB Blossoms, sugar cookies, turtles, Cream Wafers and Shannon made some Cherry Mash (shout out to our hometown proud, St. Joe!). A delicious and calorie-rich mix of Christmassy-goodness.

Prayers for a Beautiful Friend

2008-12-14T20:02:00.000-08:00

My beautiful friend, Beth, is amazing. (Pictured center here, with the other amazing women in my Life Group.)

Today we celebrated her and her journey towards motherhood. It wasn't your typical baby shower, because Beth's pregnancy has not been typical. You see, Beth's baby was diagnosed early in the pregnancy with Trisomy 13. It's a chromosomal abnormality that the doctor's say is "incompatible with life."

It's been nothing short of horrific and petrifying for their family. Beth and her husband Aaron are in our Life Group. And I have to say it's been amazing to share this journey with them.

Even though they are facing a very uncertain outcome, their faith has been unwavering. Beth has been blogging. I can't tell you how much her insight into scripture and her personal thoughts during the pregnancy have blessed and challenged me.

Can you imagine such a prognosis for your son? I certainly cannot.

So, I write this post to celebrate my beautiful friend. But, also to heed your prayers. Beth is 37 weeks today. Her belly continues to grow and baby Jeremy is very active.

We believe we serve a miracle-working God and ask that you pray for a miracle in this situation. Pray specifically for the growth of his heart. Pray for strength for Beth and Aaron.

They are an amazing couple and I have no doubt that God will be honored and praised regardless of how this story unfolds, but they have a difficult road ahead.

The photos below are from the nursery at Beth's house. They will paint the walls this week, but before they do that, they invited friends and family to come over and write prayers and scripture on the wall.

It was really cool to read what people had written. (Click on the photos to view them larger.)

Our Cotton Candy Girl is Dedicated

2008-12-14T19:42:00.000-08:00

Baby C is about the sweetest baby in the world. And Saturday was all about her. We had C dedicated at our church. The ceremony was special. I teared up as they read about her and showed her pictures. I was so proud.

She is such a gift. And truly a miracle. I am so grateful that she is here.

Afterwards, we had dessert at our house with family. It was a really special time and it felt good to just focus on our baby girl for the evening.

My beautiful family. I'm stinkin proud of this group.

Andy and I during the dedication ceremony. Check out the family on the left. She had twin boys younger than my twins and a baby, older than my baby. If I had to guess, it looks like she had 3 boys, in 12 months.

Needless to say, they had their hands full. I so wanted to reach out to them and say, can I help you?, hold something?, somebody?

I remembered that I had seen this mom while at a work meeting in Capstone, before C was born. I was so distracted watching her out the window. She whipped out her triple stroller and was loading kids into it from the back door of her mini-van.

I remember during that meeting wanting to run up to her and say, "I have twins too, and I'm about to have a baby! And I'm scared out of my mind! It looks like you're doing it! Let's be friends!"

I didn't get to meet her that night, but I'm gonna look her up. I'm sure we'll have some stories to swap.

Christmas with the Colts

2008-12-14T18:57:00.000-08:00

We had a really busy weekend. It started Friday night at the Colt's Christmas party. It's such a nice event, totally for families.

We ate some food... you know, the healthy stuff. Mini hamburgers, mac n cheese, chicken strips, egg rolls. And of course, you can't forget the dessert. Mini donuts for the girls. They came in these cute little individual cups, all warm and delicious. And while I wasn't looking, Lo ate all 6 of her donuts. I was a little stunned. That girl was wound up after that!

So, it's a good thing she could run it off on the Colts' indoor practice field... (look close. the girls are waving at me!)

As usual, J was a little more adventurous than Lo. J jumped on the inflatables and got a snowgirl painted on her arm.

And these weren't your average carnival facepainters, these ladies were really good...

This photo just makes me laugh. Lo is proving with age that she is a clone of her daddy, often in her own little world. She was in the middle of the endzone and decided to squat down and enjoy her sucker from Santa. Such a lady, I tell ya (she's a lot like her dad, but her lady-like ways are probably an accurate reflection of her momma).

The party was complete with a visit to daddy's office, to feed Baby C (yes, she was there, too, although there are no pictures to prove it). They got to try on his Lucas Oil Stadium hard hat, play with the nerf basketball and write on daddy's white walls.

Merry Christmas and Go Horse!

Friends

2008-12-14T18:23:00.000-08:00

The girls go to MMO two half days each week. I'm always amazed at the things they learn at school. But, I think what I love the most is that they are developing friendships for the first time.

They both love their new friend, Avery. Avery's mommy just had a new baby and since we know adding a baby to the family can be a bit stressful, we offered to let Avery hang out with us one morning to give her mommy a break.

We've only had her over once, but I'm sure it was just the first of many playdates.

This picture is adorable. I loved watching them play. They were such little girls. They were eating popcorn, talking and coloring at the table.

Guilty (again)

2008-12-08T20:41:00.001-08:00

I'm guilty (again) of bloggy neglect.

We've had a bit going on. Family in town, friends in town, huge party for hubby, Christmas party (already!) and new work project.

I'll have some picture proof of all the fun, real soon.

So, here's a little pic to cheer everyone up and hopefully keep you coming back for more!

Sweet Baby C will be 5 months old on Wednesday! I can hardly believe. She keeps living up to her cotton candy reputation, by sleeping 11hrs at night and smiling at anyone who talks to her.

Here she is in her ski hat, ready to hit the slopes. Or for a quick ride in the car!

Quirks

2008-11-29T20:24:00.000-08:00

I love having twin girls. Watching them grow side by side is simply fascinating. These girls are so completely different from each other. And here is one example:

They both love popcorn (I guess they're not completely different). And around here, it's one of many typical afternoon snacks. I'll pop a bag when Lo gets up from her nap and when J gets up second (and she is ALWAYS second)(loves to sleep, that girl), she'll smell it from upstairs and say "Popcorn!"

To help the girls excersice their independence, I let them choose their own popcorn bowl from the plasticware cabinet.

And it never fails. Lo ALWAYS chooses the biggest bowl she can find and J ALWAYS picks a little one. I thought it was just coincidence, but ever since we started this little tradition, they've always picked this way.

I'm still trying to figure out what this interesting pattern means for their future. Not that I ever overthink things. But, still. Fascinating, isn't it?

Progress report

2008-11-29T19:49:00.000-08:00

Today was the day. It marked the end of two months with my trainer and the first time on the scale since I started my routine with her. Here are the stats:

10.5 lbs lost
4.1% body fat lost
5.25" lost (2.5" around my hips/stomach)

Feeling really good today. Although I realize I still have a lot of work to do.

Any advice? What do you do to stay motivated when you have a big goal?

I'm a good neighbor!

2008-11-18T19:08:00.001-08:00

I'm so lovin' my job right now. For those who don't know, I'm the Comm Director at my church. Which means I get my geek on when it comes to helping the church communicate its message effectively, break down stereotypes and speak the truth compellingly.

We just finished a series, using the book Living a Life on Loan. We finished the series by mobilizing our entire church to serve in the community: 2400 people, 29 organizations at 51 locations, to be exact. It was awesome!

Our goal is to take the momentum from this experience and begin to shift our DNA as a church. To see service become a lifestyle and not something that you check off your i-gotta-do-this-so-i-don't-feel-guilty-anymore list. To ask yourself daily: How have you loved today?

I just can't tell you how exciting it is to be a part of the inner-workings of pulling this thing off right now. I like my job, but to be a part of energizing 3000 people towards a life of service is beyond cool, in my book.

We're working on tools that will help build community and encourage story-sharing. Relational tools make me giddy!

I'm simply humbled and amazed that God uses me in this way.

I'm excited about how it will influence our community. I'm excited about how it will influence me.

Aren't you excited, too?

The Countdown Begins

2008-11-16T19:14:00.000-08:00

I can hardly contain myself. I've been training with Cindy for a month and a half, now. At two months, I get to get back on the scale, reassess my body fat percentage and take my measurements.

And I'm excited about it! Crazy, right?

In the past, when I've needed to get in shape, I've always tried the same things. And the same things have only worked half-heartedly. I've been fortunate to never truly struggle with my weight, but I've always felt like I wasn't quite meeting my potential either.

Which reminds my, Cindy has a great new quote hanging in her gym now that says, "Don't let your mind cheat you out of your own potential." Or something like that. It's a good one though, right? And so true.

Here's what I'm doing different:

NOT getting on the scale (I've never thought I could handle this, because I'm obsessed with numbers, but really ignoring the numbers has been a huge key to my endurance)

Scheduled workouts

Strength training (this is my primary focus at Cindy's house and my homework is the diet and cardio)(I've never known how to do the strength training stuff, but I have muscles in my abs now that I don't think I've ever felt there before)

True accountability - Cindy is a great teacher and motivator, she makes me feel good about my best, whatever that happens to be on that particular day.

Now that it's cold outside and I don't have a gym membership, I'm trying to get creative with how to get in my cardio. So, last week, I checked out some DVDs at the library. There wasn't a huge selection, so I ended up with (don't laugh) "Dancing with the Stars: Cardio Dance" and a Biggest Loser workout.

Honestly, I haven't tried either one, yet. But, I'll let you know how they go. I know my husband is dying to know.

I've still got some work to do. I've still got that waterbed effect on my gut (moms, you know what I'm talking about), but I just had a baby four months ago... so I guess I'll give that some time.

But Saturday, Nov 29 is the day. Thirteen days and counting...

Four Chicks Makeover!

2008-11-14T13:12:00.000-08:00

Four Chicks has a new face. And from now on, a new attitude.

My hope is to post more about my everyday life as a mom of twins + one, as a woman striving to become more like Christ, as a wannabe chef and as a church communications professional.

I'm not perfect. I'm not trying to be. I'm just trying to get better all the time.

I hope you'll keep visiting and I hope you'll tell your friends!

I've got some "Stuff" (see my new labels) on my mind and I'm excited to share. And maybe even start a conversation or two.

Chinese Foo

2008-11-12T11:26:00.001-08:00

With a sick baby and a day in the hospital, we got some Chinese takeout for dinner Sunday night. I love that my girls are adventurous eaters. They even wanted to attempt the chopsticks like mommy and daddy. Cute!

First trip to the ER

2008-11-09T18:45:00.000-08:00

We took Baby C to the hospital today. The flu was just getting to be too much on her little body. They hooked her up to an IV and replenished all her fluids and calories. It was amazing to see the transformation. After a 30 minute drip, she was alert, cooing, laughing and smiling.

We were thankful for a new invention they used on her that shone a light through the bottom of her hand so that they could quickly and easily spot a vein. I think even the staff were surprised with themselves at how well they inserted her IV. She cried for only a minute and quickly fell asleep in my arms after it was over.

She was fascinated by the pink and purple tape around her hand. She's at that stage where she's just noticing and reaching for toys, so it was cute to watch her little mind at work, pulling at that tape all afternoon.

I was thankful for her sweet temperament. God has blessed us with some sweet babies.

And during my first trip as a mom to the ER, I learned some things about myself, too. I learned that I can (and should) trust my gut in making decisions for the care of my children. I felt calm, collected and confident as Baby C's mommy today. I knew what we needed to do, when to ask questions and when to push back. I felt proud of myself.

She's still not out of the woods. The trip to the hospital just got her tank full to hopefully ride the rest of this bug out at home. She's on a diet of electrolyte fluids for the next 24 hrs (she was on it for the prior 24hrs, too).

Please continue to pray. We really appreciate it.

Pray for my baby

2008-11-08T18:19:00.001-08:00

Please pray for my baby. She's been pretty sick since Wednesday.

We've talked to the doctor this weekend, and we're watching to see if she needs to go to the hospital (in case of dehydration). Just flu stuff, nothing more serious than that.

I would appreciate your prayers.

Here's an extra cute video of her to put in your head so you don't forget to pray!

Something's gotta give

2008-11-06T09:02:00.000-08:00

My baby girl is home sick today. We were on our way to dinner downtown last night with family and she threw up in her car seat.

The picture reflects what she's doing most today, but we're keeping a close watch on her fluid intake and any signs of fever. It breaks my heart.

But, my motivation to post this morning is less about my sick baby and more about thoughts that an unexpected change in my schedule have provoked.

Over the past few weeks, I've been struggling to figure out a few things. Mostly, my schedule.

I'm a firm believer in being a mom first. I have a part-time job, but I am happy to say that my work is done while my girls are either at school (two mornings a week) or asleep in their beds. It's a pretty sweet deal. It's work I'm passionate about and doing the work fuels my passion.

But, I also lead my adult couples Life Group, co-lead a high school girls Life Group and currently work out three times a week with a personal trainer... and over the last week, I hit a wall. And come face-to-face with the reality that something's gotta give.

I'm not sure yet what it's going to be and ultimately, it may be nothing.

See, I'm working on this new process in my life. I listened to a really great podcast the other day from Mosaic Church out in LA. I can't even tell you exactly what the speaker was talking about, but it was a single point that he made that really stood out to me. He said he was talking to a busy mom, and she was telling him how she was seeking "balance" in her life.

He challenged her by asking where in the Bible she heard that God calls us to "balance." He said, it's nowhere in the Word. Jesus wasn't balanced. Paul certainly wasn't balanced. God doesn't call us to find balance.

He calls us to find rythmn. Although at the moment I can't remember where in scripture he found this, but it's made a lot of sense to me, nonetheless.

I'm a convicted girl. And one of my convictions is that I shouldn't push my convictions onto others. But, let me say plainly here that I am convicted to never use my kids as the reason why God can't use me in this season of my life. I don't think that my kids excuse me from making myself available to God.

YES! I am a mom first. Which means, the majority of my week is focused on my girls: nurturing, disciplining, feeding, dealing with poop. And they will always be my priority.

I want my kids to see me serving. Using my gifts and passions and getting fuel from it.

But, somewhere in the last week, I must have missed a beat. Things are feeling out of sync.

I know I'm going to have moments like this. Where I'm just plain over it. I want to quit every commitment I've made and stay at home and not feel so stinking rushed all the time.

But, for me, that will only feel good for like a week.

I need to take a minute (a mommy time out, if you will) and sometimes in life I just need a good friend to tell me to SLOW DOWN. But, most of all I need to have some serious heart-to-hearts with Big G.

In the meantime, maybe I should wear a sign: White girl, desperately seeking rythmn.

Happy Halloween

2008-11-01T09:16:00.000-07:00

We started out our Halloween day by oversleeping. Don't ask me how that happened. But, we got up and at em in a hurry and up to the McCord party barn for a really great playdate - with 60+ moms and kids. It was a zoo of preschool age children, but a lot of fun.

The kids had story time, a costume parade, crafts, lunch and impromptu dancing (see video below).

We came home for naps and got up to go trick or treating and be friendly with our neighbors. Then off to another party at the barn. This time for adults and kids.

Our family dressed up this year as characters from the Wizard of Oz: Baby C was Glenda the Good Witch, Lo was the cowardly lion, J was Dorothy (complete with ruby slippers), Andy was the tin-man and I was the scarecrow.

Baby C's cozy spot during the playdate. A pretty rough life, I tell ya.

Sweet niece (the butterfly), aunt Shan-Shan, Grammy and Lo. It takes a village and I'm so thankful that my village is close by to enjoy times like these.

This pic gives you an idea of the chaos that was the Halloween playdate. These are my people - moms, with babies strapped to them and toddlers at their feet, all while wearing a smile.

There's no place like home. I tried to get J to say that all day long. No luck.

Our family at the party. Aren't we cute?

Daddy dancing with Dorothy. Wish this pic wasn't fuzzy. But, it's still sweet.

The hostess with the mostest. Jme and Jac - she was the CUTEST little pirate!

Lo with her GGpa. It's special to watch how Lo is drawn to her GGpa.

Superman! My handsome nephew stikes a pose.

Aunt Shan-Shan showing us what a lion says "Roar!" Lo less than enthusiastic.

I love fall cooking

2008-10-28T18:45:00.000-07:00

Fall is here... not in the calendar sense (that was awhile ago), but in the curl up beneath a warm blanket with a warm beverage sense. I am so excited to break out my Crockpot and try some new recipes.

My Grandma Dee was in town this last week. I love my Gma Dee for many reasons, but one is that she is a great cook. She's the one who taught my mom and my momma taught me... and the tradition continues.

She brought a cooking magazine with her and I snagged it to copy some recipes and tried this one tonight:

Potato Kielbasa Skillet

1lb red potatoes, cubed
3Tbs water
3/4lb smoked kielbasa or Polish sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 c chopped onion
1 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs brown sugar
2 Tbs cider vinegar
1 Tbs Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
4 c fresh baby spinach
5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

Place potatoes and water in a microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 4 minutes or until tender; drain.

In a large skillet, saute kielbasa and onion in oil until onion is tender. Add potatoes; saute 3-5 minutes longer or until kielbasa and potatoes are lightly browned.

Combine the brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, thyme and pepper; stir into skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Add spinach and bacon; cook and stir until spinach is wilted.

Jenni's notes: I'm dieting, so I used Turkey Sausage, only 90 calories/serving. This is a fast, all-in-one recipe. I loved that it used red potatoes and fresh spinach (lots of vitamins). I'm definitely adding this one to my fall recipe repertoire.

Another pumpkin patch

2008-10-22T17:54:00.000-07:00

We visited Russell Farms with Daddy, Uncle Mikey and Leigh Leigh. It was a great time and this patch was perfect for the girls age. We'll definitely being going there again next year.

My cute hubby!

We just picked ONE pumpkin this time, which made our collection complete - we now have 5!

It's great to have a Sissy, when it comes to see-saws!

Lo liked the horse swing, made from an old tire.

Family picture

The girls love their Uncle Mikey and Aunt Leigh Leigh!

Bored with her view

2008-10-22T17:43:00.000-07:00

Bored with her view from the swing, Baby C has decided she wants to look at the room from a different angle. With her increasing strength, she's now able to get sideways in her swing. Although not on purpose, it looks like she's turning to get a better view of the TV. Sweetest baby ever!

Puzzle Me

2008-10-22T11:49:00.001-07:00

I've titled this video "Puzzle Me" because that's what Lo says to me, when she wants me to sit down with her and work a puzzle. It's one of the girls favorite activities right now and they are both so good at them.

I'm simply amazed by their little brains. This puzzle is labeled for ages 3+, but is no problem for Lo.

This video is a little long, but if you haven't seen the girls in a while, this will give you a good idea of what they've been up to lately - lots of talking, singing and puzzle working. And there's a little clip of Baby C at the end, too.

Tag-erific!

2008-10-18T19:10:00.000-07:00

My friend, Danielle, tagged me in a game of Random Facts.

My job is to post seven random facts about myself. So, here it goes...

1) The temperature in my car must always be set on an even number... odd numbers just don't feel right to me. Sometimes my husband will drive the van and set it at an odd number just to bug me.

2) I am not a morning person.

3) I like my fingernails to be really short. I absolutely HATE dirt under my fingernails.

4) I overanalyze.

5) I have convinced myself that Qdoba burritos are a healthy food, despite the 800+ calorie price tag.

6) I dream of someday having a garden in my backyard, where I can grow organic produce and herbs. The problem, I don't have a green thumb. I hope I get one in the next couple years, because I think this would be a fun project to do with the girls, too.

7) I always looked forward to chicken nugget day at school... the warm wheat rolls, cheesy potatoes, nuggets and honey for dipping. Yum.

Now, if I were truly dedicated to this game, I would post 7 people to tag... but it's getting late and I'm pretty tired, so here are 3 people... no, better make it 4 (it's even) people I tag to join the fun:

1) Nicole A.
2) Shannon
3) Jaime
4) Beth

Workout Workup

2008-10-18T18:57:00.001-07:00

So here's the scoop on my quest to get my body back.

I'm still working out with Cindy. She's so great.

I really think accountability has been the key for me this time. I'm such a goody-good and I like to be the teacher's favorite. So I do my best to do EVERYTHING Cindy tells me to do.

Which means, I'm working out between 4 to 6 times a week. Watching my portions. Counting calories. Not eating after 6p.

The funny thing about not eating after 6p; I thought I would be starving, and for a few weeks I was awful hungry, but she told me it would get better and believe it or not, it has!

So here's the most exciting news...

For the first time since January (when I started to show with Baby C), I fit into REAL jeans. No more elastic maternity waste bands!

I pulled them from my closet, took a deep breathe, got them over my booty and started to zip. Those jeans went up and on with very little muffin top.

It's time to celebrate... maybe with M&Ms? Probably not. Don't want to get too cocky.

Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-13T13:18:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, I took the girls to the pumpkin patch at Stoney Creek Farms. We met up with some friends, who invited their friends and we ended up filling an entire hay ride with our group.

The girls were semi-interested in picking out pumpkins. Lauren was more concerned with setting upright all the pumpkins that had fallen on their side. It was pretty cute.

They also had some fun playground sets that the girls enjoyed. Lots of swinging and sliding.

We're probably going to another patch this weekend so that daddy can get in on the fun, too. Happy Fall!

Proof

2008-10-13T12:37:00.001-07:00

Here are some pics from my breakout session in OKC. Do I look like I know what I'm talking about? That was the goal.

Family photos

2008-10-10T19:08:00.000-07:00

About a month ago we invested in new family photos. I truly think of it as an investment and if you look at these pictures you'll see why.

Our photographer did such a great job of capturing our family as we are. All the girls cute quirks and expressions. Their blossoming relationship with each other and our sweet Baby C's beautiful eyes.

It will be so hard to decide which of these photos we're going to actually purchase. I want all of them!

Buff chick

2008-10-07T17:48:00.000-07:00

Two pregnancies and two years later, it's time to get it in gear and lose some baby weight - and then some.

I started a week ago working out with my new personal trainer, Cindy Sams. She is so great! A spunky, little package of abs and biceps that is totally kicking my butt.

I met Cindy on the Discipleship Walk last year... ironically, we worked in the snack room together. She is funny, honest and has a great story of her own (weight loss, major injury). I instantly liked her.

For my birthday this year, my husband surprised me with a training package with Cindy (I had requested this by the way, my husband wasn't trying to drop any hints).

So, all this month, I work out with Cindy three times a week and do cardio on my own another three times a week. I'm watching my portions, no eating after 6p, etc.

I'm not going to tell you my starting weight. But, my goal is to lose 35lbs. I'm not supposed to get on the scale. "It's all about inches and your clothes fitting better," Cindy says. But, I'm not sure I'll be able to not at least peak every once in a while to see my numbers going down, down, down.

This is the first time I've ever worked with a trainer and I love her ability to push me, keep me focused and accountable.

So far so good. I'll keep you posted on my progress.

My big girls turned 2!

2008-10-07T10:37:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, we celebrated Lo and J's 2nd birthday at the park. We did a triple celebration with our sweet niece Em, who turned 1!

It was great to combine my efforts with my sis-in-law, because September was just downright nutty at my house.

The weather was beautiful and everyone had a great time. The cupcakes were adorable (I made them!) and the decor was perfect. I don't think it could have gone any better.

Cute pom-pom decorations I found a Wal-Mart (can you believe it!?)

Sweet niece, Em! She looked so cute in her birthday dress!
Either Jason needs to go nigh-night or Amos was REALLY boring to talk to...

This is a great picture, but it made me laugh because if you look closely, Grammy Deb has a huge bug on her shoulder.

Sweetest face on earth!

Cupcake time!
Em sharing her cupcake with her daddy (my brother, Ryan)

I think Lo liked her dessert!

Menu Monday Revived!

2008-10-07T09:59:00.000-07:00

Oh bloggy, how I have missed you. I'm working so hard right now to get back into a good blog habit and what better way than to revive Menu Monday?

I recently got the fall issue of Kraft Food's food&family magazine and became SO inspired to cook. I usually get this magazine and can't wait for the girls to go to bed so I can read it cover to cover. The recipes are easy, fast and usually pretty healthy.

So here's one I tried the other night:

Ham and Cheese Calzones

What I love about this recipe is that you could put ANYTHING inside this crust and bake it. This recipe called for you to mix your shredded cheese with ranch dressing (different), but it added some flavor and was pretty good.

We're not big ham fans around here, so next time I might try some of these other combinations I came up with:

Turkey, provolone, tomato, mayo
Peanut butter and jelly
Tomato, basil, mozzarella (with the crust brushed with olive oil)(my mouth is watering!)
Chicken, feta, olives, greek dressing
Scrambled eggs, bacon, cheddar cheese, salt/pepper

See, what I mean? Endless possibilities.

In fact, the first night we tried them, I made some with tomatoes and some without.

Fold the edges and seal with a fork and wa-lah! Oven ready!

Another note: These made great leftovers for the girls. I just reheat them in the micro and it's a no-fuss lunch!

So, here's the recipe... let me know what yummy combos you come up with :)

1 can (13.8oz) refrigerated pizza crust
16 slices shaved honey ham
1c shredded Colby & Monterey Jack cheese
1/4c ranch dressing
1 tomato, cut into 8 thin slices

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Unroll pizza dough on lightly floured surface. Pat out dough to form 16x12-inch rectangle. Cut into quarters.

Top dough with ham to within 1/2 inch of sides. Mix cheese and dressing; spread on ham. Top with toatoes. Fold each rectangle in half; seal edges with fork. Put on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake 16 to 18 min. or until golden brown.

Make ahead tip: Prepare clazones up to 8 hours in advance. Wrap bking sheet with palstic wrap and store in fridge. When ready to eat, unwrap and bake one or more as directed.

Momma went to OKC!

2008-10-01T19:32:00.000-07:00

I had the awesome priveledge of going to a great conference called MinistryCOM in Oklahoma City, where I also had the awesome priveledge of presenting a breakout session at the conference.

The breakouts went well. I had a lot of positive feedback and even a positive online review.

I met a lot of great people. My team had a super productive brainstorming session. We got to know each other a lot better. I got to see some of my family I never see. I got to sleep in a BIG bed, all by myself, ALL NIGHT LONG!

I really missed my babies and I was ready to come home. But, it was a great trip for lots of reasons.

I got to hear some great speakers. Scott Hodge and Jon Acuff were by far, my favorites. Scott is from The Orchard church in Aurora, Ill. And the completely hilarious Jon Acuff is author of the popular blog, stuffchristianslike.net. This blog is not only hilarious and insightful, but so well-written. If you're a fan of his blog already, then you'll be totally jealous to hear that I caught some Skittles during his talk.

I thought it a bit immature to ask him for my picture with him and my Skittles, so I just got this "jr. high-esque" photo of me and my Skittles, with Jon in the background.

Yes. A much more mature choice. I agree.

The bonus for going to OKC was that I got to stay with my aunt and uncle, the Wileys. And I got to see my awesome cousins, Kara and Kyle, and now I have a new cousin-in-law, Crystal!

We all went to dinner on Friday night to a fun place called Pops! It's a new fixture on historic Route 66. It's a gas station, but also a diner, and they carry every kind of bottled soda imaginable. I think I had some kind of pomegranate flavor. Out front is this fancy soda bottle that measures 66ft tall. Clever, huh?

Yummy, pomegranate soda! I was thirsty!

And then I got REALLY thirsty!

(second) First Day (of the second week) of School

2008-10-01T19:11:00.000-07:00

I'm amazed lately at the things I forget to do. Forgot the baby's paci. Forgot mommy's coffee. Forgot the snacks. You get the idea. So, I totally forgot... no I didn't even think about taking pictures of the girls on their first day of school (at MMO). Which is probably a must on the good mommy list.

But, they looked much cuter on their second first day of the second week of school, in their new little dresses.

I rarely capture pictures like this of them side by side. I LOVE it!

Carmel Homecoming

2008-10-01T18:53:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago, we went to Carmel's homecoming game. We went last year and sat in the alumni area, and decided to make it a tradition and do it again this year. I'm not alumni, but my hubby is, his brother and sister are, his mom and probably our girls will be some day. So, Go Greyhounds!

The girls loved the drum line. They were watching them practice and drumming on daddy and Pawpaw's head.

Baby C loved snuggling with Grammy when the weather got a litte chilly.

Uncle Mikey with all his girls. They LOVE him!

Grammy loves her girls. This is Lo after enjoying a chocolate chip cookie. She really knows how to enjoy a cookie!

Lo and J are learning what it means to score a touchdown! Here's J with hand motions and everything.

Cousins are the best! I love our neice's expression in this photo. They were running up and down the hill.

There was a chance for rain. But Lo wanted to play with the umbrella rain or shine.

Working on the house

2008-09-11T13:20:00.000-07:00

If you remember my post back in May, you'll appreciate these photos much more. Now that I'm no longer pregnant and now fully recovered from having the baby, I've got new energy to work on the house again.

We finally finished Baby C's room. It's so precious. I chose the words "Believe in Miracles" because all babies are miracles, but Baby C was an unexpected, even a once-thought-impossible miracle in our lives. Seeing this above her bed brings tears to my eyes.

We also worked on the girls bathroom. All three of the girls will share this bathroom. We're thankful it has more than one sink and a REALLY big mirror :)

If you never saw this bathroom before, imagine totally white walls, no shower curtain, no rugs, and no wall fixtures.

We went with a soft yellow (taken from the yellow in the rugs) (the yellow doesn't look very soft in these photos, but believe me, it is) and I loved this wall decal that measures their height.

I had a lot of fun with the wall shelf that we recycled from the guest bathroom at our old house. I found this cute tissue paper flower set (by none other than Martha Stewart) and had fun making the flowers on top of the shelf.

Ready for some football!

2008-09-11T13:14:00.000-07:00

Now that Andy is working all the home games, I took Jaime with me to the Colt's season openner and we had a great time. The football game was not much to watch, but all the pre-game hype and the helicopter flyover was pretty cool.

See the helicopters coming in the large window frame? That was pretty cool.

Hill Fest 2008

2008-09-11T13:00:00.000-07:00

Hill Fest was more fun this year and more work. Andy hauled the big girls around in the wagon and I carried the baby in a Bjorn carrier.

We could only big our brave Big Girl J to do any of the activities...

She rode a horse and at first she hated it:

Then was OK with it:

But, she pretty much went back and forth between those two emotions the entire time. I couldn't help but laugh at her.

Next, she tried out the inflatable jumping thing and had a ball.

Happy Birthday to Me!

2008-09-11T12:47:00.000-07:00

My birthday came and went and although I got some pictures, I never had the chance to blog about it.

It was a fun day (Aug. 12). Jaime planned a pool play date for me and Cara even made me a birthday cookie cake - yum!

We celebrated with family later in the month and I had cupcakes from Flying Cupcake and homemade vanilla ice cream for dessert! Double yum!

All the kids played musical instruments when they sang happy birthday to me. It was pretty cute.

Milk drunk...

2008-09-09T20:15:00.000-07:00

My monkeys!

2008-09-09T20:14:00.001-07:00

Andy took some great shots of the girls tonight, just being themselves. I've wanted to get pictures of all three of them together, but just have not had the energy.

He got a lot of good ones, but I think this one is my favorite. Silly girls, being silly.

Cotton Candy!

2008-09-09T20:11:00.000-07:00

I was talking to my grandma in Texas the other day and she said "That baby is like cotton candy! I just want to eat her up!" When she said that I thought it was such a perfect analogy.

This picture is proof.

Growing girl

2008-09-04T19:30:00.000-07:00

Our baby girl is growing so fast. Just tonight I was snuggling her and thinking about how too soon she'll be running with her big sisters and adding to the mess.

Right now, she's so peaceful and calm. I'm amazed at how she'll snooze in her swing while her sisters run and scream around her.

She has a beautiful smile and is now cooing and gurgling in response to attention.

Here are some recent pics of happy C:

And sad C:

My apologies to all of you who consistently check my blog for updates. I've been going through bloggy withdrawel. Forced to choose between writing a new post or getting enough sleep at night. Don't be offended, but I've chosen sleep.

Don't fret, I'll return soon...

State Fairly into it

2008-08-22T12:26:00.000-07:00

We went to the State Fair this year and enjoyed nice weather, greasy food and all the animals. We didn't live close to the State Fair growing up and even then, my parents aren't the "fair-type" so we probably wouldn't have gone anyway, so having a fair close is a new experience for me.

The girls didn't get as into it as I had hoped, but we had a nice family outing regardless. The animal barns were a little overwhelming to Lauren, but Jillian enjoyed the horses.

Their favorite part wasn't the elephant that balanced on the ball (my favorite) or the white tigers, but the swing set that was set up next to the landscaping demo. So, I snapped some cute pictures of the big girls, while Claira slept snuggled to me in her sling.

I was also really excited about the food. Andy was looking forward to the same turkey leg he got last year, but I'm more adventurous and like to try new things. So, we walked a little while and I made my mental list of all the things I was dying to try and I settled on a cheese steak - bad choice.

I always choose wrong at the fair. It wasn't nearly as meaty or cheesy as the picture indicated and the onions gave me heartburn. I was also looking forward to fried pickles, thinking they would be pickle chips with some type of dipping sauce, but instead they were spears, with no dipping sauce... sigh. Maybe I'll get it right next year. Andy really enjoyed his turkey leg, though. And the girls ate super-messy baked ziti (and I forgot their bibs and it was everywhere!).

I think next year the big girls will be tall enough to enjoy some of the rides on the Midway and that will make the Fair something they will really look forward to.

Either way, it's a summer tradition I already enjoy.

Hat day

2008-08-22T12:25:00.000-07:00

I love Sesame Street!

2008-08-22T12:12:00.000-07:00