New recipe

On the recipe blog over here.

If I could do it all over again

I'd have my wedding at the owner of Hobby Lobby's house.



Last night Andy and I got to go to a wedding at just that place. I would have brought my camera, but I thought I'd low key it. I'm not going to even try to describe it, other than its bigger than any house I've ever been to. And dinner served by the indoor pool make me feel like I was at a resort. And we felt like we were in another state. The surroundings were breathtakingly beautiful with the house perched on a hill that overlooked a river and valley. Everything took place outside. Our table overlooked the valley as we watched the sunset. Wow was all I could say all evening.



Its so funny how now that I am a decade older, my wedding would have been completely different. From my dress, to the location, to the size - just everything. Don't get me wrong, I have great memories of it all. And I of course, wouldn't change the groom. Its just funny to me how you change as a person. I look back on that girl who got married so young by today's standards and realize I didn't know as much about the world as I thought. I think I've grown up alot.



I can't imagine what I'll think of myself when I'm in my 40's

Veggietales = Narnia

I have been introduced to this great summer program where at my local movie theater, for $5 we can see one kid movie a week for 10 weeks. I know! Steal of a deal!!! So today was our first week and the movie of the week was the Veggie tale pirate movie. My plan is to give Rene' to my mom on these days and I can take the 2 older ones. But my mom was busy today. My thinking was Veggie Tales has songs, etc and surely if I fed her popcorn, she'd be good.

We hooked up with our friends and as we were entering, they informed us that they hadn't received the reel for Veggie Tales so as a substitute they were showing the new Chronicles of Narnia movie. Now I don't know about you, but I don't think that Chronicles of Narnia is an equal substitute for the animated Veggie Tales. I looked down at my 2 year old and 1 year old and knew I was in trouble. After discussing it with our friends, we thought we'd try it. Everyone got settled with snacks, etc and the first preview was a Wil Smith movie - who sets up these kid days anyway? Some single 21 year old guy??????

To make a long story short, when the popcorn was gone, so was their attention span so we asked to go back later in the week once they got the reel in.

And that was our first morning at the summer movies.

11 years and counting.....

It was my freshman year of college. I was experiencing freedom like I never had before. I was dating a boy from Arkansas - Jeremy was his name. We hit the fair and it seemed half of Southern Nazarene University was there. Being a new freshman, I didn't know half of them, but Jeremy was kind enough to introduce me. The first people he introduced me to that night was his friends Andy and Kevin. I remember them in their baseball caps. I didn't think twice about them. A few weeks later - Jeremy broke up with me - jerk. As I was experiencing my first college heartbreak, my roommate and the guy she had been dating, decided to play matchmaker. They set their roommates up. Andy was his roommate. Tiffany and Rob didn't make it. But we did.

And so began the first chapter of Andy and Amy. There were many break ups to follow, until I finally decided I didn't want anyone else to have him, and I wanted him for the rest of my life. We got married on May 24th, 1997.

I love him more than I did the day I married him. He is the kind of father to our kids that I dreamed of having as a kid. He is funny, handsome, handy, and most importantly a man of God. I won't say the past 11 years have been bliss, because they haven't. Although I think this 10th year we have had the best year as a couple. I have no doubt we'll be together until we leave this earth.

Andy - here's to decades more with you. I love you.

Amy

Take me out to the ballgame

Last night was Zak's first t-ball game. Here's some pictoral highlights

It starts like this

Then we get something in our shoe and have to get it out

Then we decide to just sit

Finally an action shot

Paige had her own fun at the ballfield - that was pretty entertaining as well

And that is the stuff that memories are made of.

I love change and cake

Have to give a big "thank you" to my coffee supplier, friend, tag line creator, and cake decorator - Dana. She has been the maker of my blog tag lines, and she is also the most amazing cake decorator I have ever known. I'm not kidding. Her cakes are incredible. So now to check out her cakes and order one - click here. Thanks Dana!!!!!

Whats for dinner this week

If you like potatoes and ham - you've got dinner for at least one night this week. Click here.

blog fun

So, sometimes you get tagged by other people's blogs to do what is called a meme. That means you answer the questions on your blog. Due to lack of creativity, I'm accepting Tricia's challenge

1. What were you doing 10 years ago?I was finishing up my first year of marriage, moving into a new house, and working as an accountant for a group of physicians.

2. What are 5 things on your "to do" list? Find stuff for a garage sale tomorrow, plan Paige's 3 year old birthday party, clean my house, map out our summer plans.

3. What are 5 snacks you enjoy? granola and yogurt, pretzels, fruit, anything chocolate, and trail mix.

4. Name some things you would do if you were a millionaire. Travel, Travel, Travel!!!

5. Name some places where you have lived. Colorado , Texas, Wyoming, Oklahoma

6. Name some bad habits you have. I over commit myself, I have a horrible temper, I like to snack.

7. Name some jobs you have had. sales clerk, babysitter, bus driver, accountant, waitress (my favorite)

And there you have it.

The neglected cup of coffee

Last night was a rough one. Rene' was all stopped up and couldn't sleep, which translates to me not sleeping. And I had set my alarm for 6 because I just want to wake up one morning before the children and drink coffee and try to read my Bible. So when six rolled around, and I had just been up 2 hours earlier, I hit snooze, about 6 times, till 7. I counted it lucky that Paige wasn't up. She's my "crack of dawn" child. So I ran into the kitchen where the coffee had been made for an hour (thank you person who invented the auto set button). I poured into my favorite pink mug, got my breakfast bar and sat down in the chair in the living room for some quiet reflection before the day started. As I sat, I looked up to see Paige, smiling. Then she promptly asked me for her breakfast. Luckily, last night I had poured 3 juice glasses/sippy cups in preparation for the morning. As soon as she had her oatmeal, I went to sit in my chair and take that first, now lukewarm, sip of coffee. Only to look up and see Zak, now ready for his breakfast. So I set the mug down and got his cereal, made Paige's lunch for Mother's Day out, changed a poopy diaper because now Rene' was up, and got her breakfast. Back to the coffee - now cold. Luckily I make a full pot so I dumped it and poured a fresh cup. I realize I could have just microwaved it but it doesn't taste the same and I'm afraid I'll get cancer from the microwaves. Now I took it with me into the bathroom because I was going to drink it while I got ready. I did get a few sips in. But by the time I was ready, it was cold again. So off I went to the kitchen to dump cup #2 and pour cup #3. Keep in mind, this is not my 3rd cup of coffee. I had only drank about a half of one cup at this point. Then it was off to get the girls dressed, which led to straightening their room, and you know where I'm going with this. My coffee was cold. And I gave up.

Future rock star

His dad wishes.

Zak's the one in the blue shorts strumming the air guitar to "5 little monkeys"

Wow, I don't know where this came from.

I desperately want to be that mom whose kids hair is always in place, with beautiful bows, put together outfits, and they're standing sweetly by, while their mother is chatting with a friend. Meanwhile, my husband is at work making thousands of dollars a day just so I can go spend it on luxurious items.

Rene' won't keep a bow/barrette in to save her life, Paige is into dressing herself and well, I don't think I have to explain to you how that goes. She even tells me where she wants the unmatching bow on her head. And Zak - he is never standing by waiting patiently. He is in the middle of the action with a loud voice and a body that can't stand still. And when I'm on the phone trying to chat with a friend, that's when they either need my attention, fight, cry, or need to go potty. And the Target dollar spot is my place to splurge my husband's very hard earned money.

Today I decided I'm going to quit trying to be that mom. That mom who doesn't really exist. Today, I'm thankful that Zak is the life of the party and is very loud, and loves having fun. I'm thankful that Paige is learning to make her own decisions and delights in her mismatched clothes, shoes, and hair. And that Rene' is probably going to be a tomboy, as I was. Life can be fun with chaos. I need to relish it because trying to be someone I'm not, or make my kids be someone they're not, is an insult to the One who made us. I'm going to love the chaos of Christmas morning with 3 excited kids, I'm going to love the chaos of family dinners and family game nights. I'm going to video Zak singing his songs he learned from school, take pictures of Paige's fashion choices and Rene' pulling everything out of the pantry. And I'm going to thank my husband for working so hard for us and try to spend his money much wiser.

Life is good.

New recipe posted

Click here for a great breakfast recipe

Weekend in review

We hadn't seen our friends Jason and Jewel for over 5 years. We met in Colorado Springs and the both moved away at different times. We've tracked each other and found we were fairly close now, so we decided to meet halfway at a lake in Cheney, Kansas over the weekend. Our kids met for the first time and had a ball together. After we got over the freezing temps the first day, the weekend recovered nicely into the 70's and we had a great time. Thanks Jason, Jewel, Eli and Denali!!!!

The boys in the water

Jewel and Denali

Ali and Rene' loved the sand

They guys went fishing

s'more fun