go. and preach the Gospel.

the beautiful stained glass at Covenant Presbyterian (PCA).

my brother recently started a church plant here.  we've moved churches to help get it going.

it's an odd time for us, to be honest.  we loved our church.  but felt compelled to help him start this church plant.  and honestly, it's been such a blessing.  and we're loving it.

i think one reason i haven't blogged much over the last few months is because we've been praying, seeking Him, and trying to decide what we should do as a family.

my life is an open book, so i wanted to blog about this...but felt compelled to keep my mouth shut.  for once.  {ha}

my hope this year for myself and for you is this:  that the Lord will give me a desire and a hunger for His Word.

i'm reading through the Bible chronologically.  i love reading it that way.  and i love having the YouVersion app on my phone so that it keeps up with my progress.  (if i get too far behind i can hit the "catch me up" button.  or i read ahead, i can use that same option to jump ahead.)  and you can start it any time!!  so don't feel like you can't start it this year b/c january is almost over.

if you live in the area and are looking for a church home, feel free to join us this Sunday.  or if interested, you can find podcasts of the sermons online here.  

one of the main things i love about the church is this:  We are a gospel-centered church focused on Theological Depth, Intimate Relationships, Joyous Worship, Relentless Evangelism, and Sacrificial Serving.

my life...in pictures

my girl and i are having a very lazy day at home.  we skipped the gym, neither one of us feels all that great.  so we're just hanging out at home.  we're still in our jammies....ok, i'm still in my jammies.  she's in a princess dress.

so while being lazy, i flipped through some pics on my camera.  wow.

there are days i take really random pictures.  

ok, most days i take really random pictures.  ok, probably every day i take really random pictures.

but that's just how i roll, y'all.

a new trail mix.  from Sam's.  my man wanted it, but when i sent him a pic of the can he doubted it was the same thing he'd sampled.  i bought it anyway.  then sent him that pic.  

and yes, it was exactly what he wanted.  if you can find it, try it!  if a nut & seed lover - like me - you'll luuuuuurrrrrvvvve it. 

i finally changed the chalkboard on our deck.  it still said something about summer....yeah, it was time for a change.  but since it was only about 40 degrees outside, i did a short and simple one.  themed for next month so i don't have to do it again.  yes...that's pretty pathetic.

we cleaned out our garage on saturday.  it was a BEAUTIFUL day!!  i love the way our garage looks cleeeeeeean.  now if we could only keep those rotten kids from messing it up.  {snort}

sunday i took Bruiser to a birthday party at a skating rink.  we weren't real happy about it considering it was a gorgeous day outside...and we were inside.  but he ended up having fun...after the party moved from the skating area he loathes to the bounce around area he loves.  we had to go to the party right after church...no time to go home and change clothes.  do you know how fun it is to be at a 7-year old birthday party in a skating rink dressed up in church clothes?!?!?!  oh my.  and i noticed that i kinda matched the carpet. hmm.

kiwi, strawberries, and grapes.  my favorite fruit combo.  and this cold weather has not been my friend.  despite visiting the gym 5 days a week, i've packed on quite an extra layer of warmth this winter.  {ahem}

so i'm back to counting calories.  and trying to cut back on sweets...which i normally don't eat....but my mind seems to think it's still Christmas...and still ok to consume those deliciously tempting empty calories.

last night....reading to my girl.  How I Became a Pirate by Melinda Long.  this is a family favorite!!!  if you've never read it, you gotta get this book.  

of course, it helps if you do all the different pirate voices and throw in a sea chantey or two.

so.  how was that for random?  i hope you enjoy your randomly delicious day.  i know i will.

just read it.

i've mentioned before that i love to read.

i mean, i really love to read. 

unfortunately, when i start reading a book....well, nothing else gets done. 

case in point:  i started reading a new book the other day, from one of my favorite authors.  i couldn't put it down.  no seriously, i couldn't put it down.  and so instead of doing laundry, blogging, cleaning, showering, balancing my checkbook, or doing anything productive....i just read.  for basically an entire day.  

minus a trip to the gym.  and then to TJ Maxx.  but then i came home.  and read.  until i had to pick up my boys from school.  my girl was with her grandparents.  and so i read.

part of me felt guilty.  the other part was lost in England during the Regency period and could almost hear the waves crashing against the shore while strolling through the gardens.

ahem.

now you know why i can't read fiction all the time.  see, i had to wait until the holidays were over.  otherwise i'd be celebrating Christmas now, a month later, after some odious white lie to my children about Santa's sleigh breaking down.... nooo, best to wait until bitterly cold January to curl up in a blanket and reeeeeeeeead.

The Tutor's Daughter by Julie Klassen.  in all honesty, i don't think this one was as good as Klassen's other books.  it took me a little while to get in to the book, which is perhaps why i couldn't put it down.  i knew that it was going to get good...i just had to get to that point.

right after i finished reading that book, i started this book.  this one was recommended by Klassen via her Facebook page.

Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson.  i really enjoyed this book from this debut novelist.  another Regency period love story, but it had some interesting twists and turns.  there were a couple of things that bothered me...but all in all it's a clean, well-written, love story. with a hint of mystery.

and now i'm trying to find a new story to get lost in the pages.  i actually bought a couple of new books, but have decided i might need to wait a few more days before i crack the e-spine.  that way laundry actually gets done...my children get fed...and i might get out of jammies.

or maybe not.  {sigh}

tonight

tonight....

i put my boys to bed without snuggling in bed with them.

tonight....

i did not do the usual "plus and equals" with my Bruiser before he fell asleep.

tonight....

i did not play rock/paper/scissors with either of my boys.

tonight....

i did not go over tomorrow's agenda with Bubba while cuddled up under covers.

tonight....

i did clean up water from my bathtub off the floors, windows, windowsills, and blinds.

tonight....

i did make 2 sloppy little boys clean up the entire house, whether they made the mess or not.

tonight....

i did put 5 wash cloths and 3 towels drenched in water straight into the washing machine, leaving puddles all along my way.

tonight....

i did inform 2 sneaky little boys and 1 charming little lady that their behavior during their joint bubble bath was unacceptable and just downright rude.

tonight....

i did lose my temper.

tonight....

i did give an adorable little girl a "tickle back."  and i might just be headed back to do a few quick games of rock/paper/scissors.

project: family binders

i just started looking through my posts from the past.  trying to find a specific one.  instead, i got lost in reading past memories.  stomach viruses, funny quotes, hard parenting decisions...

i had forgotten this story.  go read it.  it's cute.  i love my Bruiser.

it's kinda fun to go back and read my own blog.  i really should make it into a book.  i'm forgetting so much from when my babies were smaller.  sad.

truth be told, it makes me want another one.  but only me....my man doesn't seem to have the same sentiments.

anyway, i was looking for a post i've done in the past on making goals vs. resolutions.  but i gave up looking.

since i've been discussing new year // new goals so much lately, i decided to share another goal of mine for the year.

family binders

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one for each family member

it's on my to-do list this month.  important documents, necessary info, cute stories...all in one place.  yep, i'm upping my organizational game this year.

there's always next year // Christmas

i don't know how it happened.  but somehow we didn't accomplish everything we usually do at Christmas. 

* neighbors didn't get their Christmas goodies (we weren't the only ones b/c we didn't receive one thing from neighbors this year!)

* lots of yummy things were made, but none were our traditional Christmas cookies.

* we never rode the train at Creekmore park to see the lights -- fortunately my parents took them once

* we didn't make gingerbread houses...until last week...the night before the boys went back to school

* we didn't do as many Christmas crafts

we made it all Fall long without any sickness...then a week before Christmas, sickness hit.  it started with Bubba.  then went to Doh Doh.  and then the day after Christmas it hit my man and me.

oh well.  it wasn't all that bad.  but i'm already planning for next year.  and this is one craft on the list.  and i'll have to check it twice.

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you might be able to tell this is a meg craft.  it just looks like her, doesn't it???

i'm telling ya, i hope i can wait until next year to do this one.  i think it's adorable.  my kiddos will love doing this one.  even my boys!  although it's possible that by next year the boys might not like doing crafts like this anymore.  {sigh}

i might revamp it for Valentine's.

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perhaps a pink canvas with a big heart?  

well, it still feels Christmasy.  surely we could do this craft and put it back for next year.  

maybe if we have another snow day......

fyi is today!

this is the craft we were supposed to do at church today for our monthly FYI crafting day.

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cute, right?!?!?!  we had to cancel, but i'm still going to make this.  hope this inspires you to get your craft on!

just a glance: Christmas

i haven't posted many Christmas pictures.  and honestly, now that it's january it feels a little late to do it.  tired of seeing Christmas pictures?

well, i won't show many.  i've been a bad blogger the last several months.  i'm surprised any of you are still around!  but i'm trying to get better.

our chalkboard door.  not sure if it's sad or funny, but it still looks like this.  i need to change it for the new year, but i liked this one.

i love this picture.  i think it's because red & aqua are a favorite color combination.  {dreamy sigh}  anyway, this is how i wrap our presents.  each package gets either an initial or a tag with their name stamped on it.  i started this years ago, still love doing it.  i was a little lazier with it this year...used more stickers than i usually do.  but i'm the only one who noticed.

every year the kids get to open one present on Christmas Eve.  this year we let them open their gifts from each other.

Doh Doh got Bruiser Legos.  he had them worked in about 15 minutes.  but at least it was a quiet 15 minutes.

Bubba really wanted Saturdays and Teacakes by Lester Laminack.  So that's what Doh Doh got him for Christmas.

his teacher has the book at school.  if you've never read it, GET IT.  it's a fantastic book.  and the pictures by Chris Soentpiet are wonderful.  and the story is absolutely lovely.

you get only one guess as to who gave the girl a tiara.  yes, that's right.  her Bruiser.  it's a deep love story those two have.

i used these printables found on pinterest.  i don't have a direct link to them anymore, but i had saved them as a picture and just printed them off tweaking them in picasa.

i find it hilarious that my one child who no longer believes in Santa, had the most fun tracking Santa online with his Daddy.  and then, using a pointer, finding the countries on the world map.

i absolutely love that picture.  seriously love it.  my two geography lovin' fellas.

so that's a glimpse into our wonderful Christmas.  i really hope yours was just as lovely.

food, glorious food: cheese broccoli

my man and I don't get many date nights.  but when we do, we love to go to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse.

some of you may be snickering right now.  what does a vegetarian eat at a steakhouse???  

well, i must tell you....i love steakhouses.  i mean, L-O-V-E love them.  for reals.  very often, steakhouses have the BEST side items.  {gasp}  i'm drooling now just thinking about them.  decadent salads, savory side dishes....and I didn't even mention their wine lists!  

oh.  havemercy.

people ask me all the time what in the world i get to eat there.  my man tells them, "just two words:  cheese.  broccoli."

Ruth's Chris has the best side items.  and you can order 3 of them on their veggie plate.  worth every penny.  when i first had their broccoli au gratin it was love at first bite.  steamed broccoli.  cream sauce.  sharp cheddar cheese. 

seriously, i should've had you at au gratin.

of course it's so good i want it more than i should.  (don't judge it by my pathetic photo!!)  so i've experimented...and i've yet to recreate this dish in the same decadent cream sauce.  but i'm close.  so very, very close.

in the meantime, i make a quick, knock-off version.  i wish i could say this was a low-cal, low-fat version.  but then it wouldn't be decadent.  and let me preface this by saying, i don't cook much with soup mixes or canned soups.  and again, i'm trying to recreate their cream sauce.

but y'all.....this comes close.  and i've made it for Thanksgiving and Christmas the last two years.  and everybody raves about it.

so here goes:  CHEESE BROCCOLI

Ingredients:
broccoli
milk
cream of broccoli soup (Campbell's in a can; not broccoli cheese soup)
sharp cheddar cheese
parmesan
salt/pepper
*as with any recipe from me, i rarely give portions or measurements.  this recipe is versatile.  make as much or as little as you want.  you can tell when you start mixing everything together how much or how little you will need.

Cut broccoli.  I like a mix of bigger pieces and smaller, bite-size pieces.  Steam broccoli until tender.  Lightly salt. 

In a bowl, mix steamed broccoli with condensed soup.  Add milk to thin it out.  Stir all together.  Fresh grate parmesan on top of broccoli mix.  Add cheddar.  Stir.

Pour into casserole dish.  Top with more sharp cheddar.  Bake at 425 until cheese is melted.

i warned you it wasn't low-cal. or low-fat.  but enjoy it.  every last cheesy bite.  

and if you make it to Ruth's Chris, you can tell them their broccoli au gratin is famous.  oh, and did i mention their potatoes au gratin?  havemercy

new year // new goals

i don't make new year's resolutions.

i set goals.

not that resolutions are bad.  but a goal is an aim, or an achievement in a race.

i have set a few goals for myself for 2013.

* love others more; love myself less

* fall even more in love with the Word

* help my children fall more in love with the Word, memorizing a Scripture a week, nightly readings

* finish losing weight {grrrr......}

* get more organized:  finish our death file, make binders for each family member, clean out paper clutter, make recipe binder, say NO to clutter {ugh....Legos.....ugh}

* get better about nightly meals, including new meals each week

* do one household decorating project each month

* share my faith more, proclaiming "I am unashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ."

* be a better steward of our finances {i'm looking at you, grocery bill}

i have more.  perhaps i'll share them later.  and we have some others as a family as well.  

I love the start of a new year.  i love that fresh start feeling.  sickness hit us the week before and the week after Christmas, so i didn't accomplish as much at the end of the year.  but no worries.  i'll catch up this month.

and for my monthly decorating project....no it's not the boys' debacle room, like i blogged about last week.  too many decisions, too many options.  nope.  this month i'm focusing on a smaller project while i get us organized in other rooms.

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i've never decorated around our bathtub in the master bath.  this picture reminds me a little of our space.  and i love all the frames, the shapes, sizes.  i pinned this pic awhile back, but tonight while giving Doh Doh her bath in our tub I thought of this pic again.  and decided it's a good January project.  so we shall see.  i better get busy.

i've got the itch

perhaps it's the new year.  perhaps it's all the goals i've set for myself and my home for the new year.  perhaps it's being cooped up in the cold weather.

perhaps it's just all the fighting.  or perhaps it's the fact that to curb the fighting we put a blow-up mattress on the floor of the playroom to separate the boys...essentially giving them their own bedrooms.

since then, they've slept together MANY times, or with doh doh, or with Daddy...and rarely spent a night in there alone.

but regardless of what it is.....i've got the itch.

to redecorate.  or decorate.  i haven't yet decided.

but i'm drooling over pinterest pics.

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the other day we were up in our attic and looking at the delicious slants of the ceiling.  we started talking about finishing it out, making it one large boys' space.  y'all.  it would be beautiful.  and it's a possibility....but it's doubtful we'd get our money out of it.  so probably not smart.  {disappointing sigh}

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this one is a little too juvenile for what i'm going for.  but i love the map on the shade.  cuteness.

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i love built-ins!  love.  them.  been a dream of mine to build some in a room.  considering doing it!!!

but maybe not.  it overwhelms me, truth be told.  but some are nice! 

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love these!!!  again, if we finished the attic space it could look like this!

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i like the red of this room.  not sure what the artwork is on the wall, but love the light that hits it and the color.

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love this hidden nook!  how cute, right?!?!  but it looks like maybe it's in a hallway or something.  not in a bedroom.  what do you think?

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love the wood behind the bed.  we actually have considered this for the boys' shared room or one boy's room.  i don't like the generic headboard.  too blah for me.  but like the stripes and the wall.  

and of course you know i love those tennis rackets.  yep.

so many choices.  so many decisions to make.  i think the boys (Bubba, actually) need a space where they can go alone.  but they really like being together and get lonely without the other one.  so i just don't know.  but until then, i'll dream about all the different spaces i could decorate.....

beautiful post

Do you read Ashley's blog?  You should.  But I'm sure you already do.  I mean, who doesn't?

Have you read this post?  You should.  It's beautiful.  

Tomorrow her sweet daughter, Little One, is having surgery for her cleft palate.  As I was reading her post tears came to my eyes.  I'm not the best at posting comments on people's blogs.  I read, but very rarely comment.  

But today...oh, today.  Her post spoke to me.  Got to me.  Tugged on me.  And it made me remember.  And so today I left a comment.  And as I was typing it, I thought I'd share it with you. I really don't know why.  Maybe it's because I'm realizing that my babies are growing up.  And as the poem goes, "babies don't keep."  Doh Doh is no longer in diapers.  She still wears one at night and I'm clinging to that as long as possible.  I miss the rustle of her diaper.  I miss cuddling with her in those polka dot diapers.  She no longer takes naps in the afternoons.  Oh, how I miss her warm cheeks when she would wake up.  I miss cuddling together when she was still groggy.  I miss getting underneath the warm covers and stealing kisses.

I miss my boys at that age, too.  I realize how much I've forgotten.  I savored those moments.  But they were gone way too fast.

But back to my comment.  Five years ago my Bruiser had surgery for tubes.  Actually, over the years he ended up having 3 sets of tubes.  But before the first set we discovered he was almost completely deaf.  Completely deaf in one ear, and limited partial hearing in the other.  

And it made sense.  At not even 2 years old he read lips, couldn't speak much and what he did say could only be interpreted by Momma.  But oh! those sparkly eyes, those misunderstood noises and "words."  Yes, getting tubes meant he could hear.  Meant he would learn to speak.  But...well, there are days I miss the before.  Days I miss his innocence.  

I daresay there are times Ashley will miss the "before" days.  Miss her clefty sugars.  Her precious grins.  That dependence on Momma.  She'll love the future as well...but that "before" time will be sweet, sweet memories.

I love that she has savored that time with her daughter.  Love that she has documented all of that.  I love that she is such a "real" person, perfectly willing to share flaws and details of her every day life.

Happy New Year!  Hope you're savoring every moment!  Especially if your babies are little.  Steal some slobbery sugars for me, too.