such a great book

If you follow me on Instagram, you've seen these pics before.  My apologies.

Last night we had our third night of Bible study on Tim Keller's The Meaning of Marriage.

Oh y'all.  This book is so good.

I mean really, really good.

Ok, I'm only on chapter 2.  But still....it's good.  And of course, it's Tim Keller.  So you know going into it that it's going to be full of good stuff.

If you're married, read this book.
If you're engaged, read this book.
If you're single and would like to one day be married, read this book.

And here's the thing:  it's about so much more than just marriage.

That's good stuff.  Think of how often we are missing opportunities...by not being a servant.  We know we're supposed to be servants.  But are we actually being one?

Read the book.  And enjoy every morsel of it.

weekend update

what i did this weekend

i made this amazing cookie dough {aka my all time favorite chocolate chip cookie}
and this one as well

and then froze it for later use
{i'm building up my freezer meal selection!}

i watched my cuties swim around

and watched as my man helped Bruiser perfect his front flip

i devoured my favorite summertime dish:  bruschetta

straight out of the garden

date night...& the morning after

i teared up as my girl played bubbles in the laundry room...
tall enough to use just a step stool and not the usual barstool {sniff}

hosted Bubba's friend for a sleep-over,
complete with tent and minecraft in the family room

and found this fantastic little note in my bulletin Sunday morning

****************

it was a great weekend.  how was yours?

diagnosis {SCS}

I love this boy.  I mean really, really love him.

He wears me out.  He keeps me on my toes.  He is currently making me count all the numbers that come after 10,000.  No, I'm not kidding.

Just yesterday he asked his brother what 80 x 80 equaled.  His brother, of course, didn't know.  In fact, Bubba responded that probably nobody knows. 

So I called out the answer:  6,400.

Bubba responded, "She's smarter than I am." 

I never thought I'd hear those words.  Ever.

Bruiser was impressed.  Beyond impressed.

It will be the last time he's ever impressed with my mathematical skills.

Like his Daddy, he can't find the nose on his face.  Even if that nose is itching.  And standing up screaming, "Hey!  Look at me!  I'm a nose on your face!!"  

But good grief he's funny.  And cute.  And sweet.  And just downright lovable.

He's also one big ole Momma's boy.  And I ain't complaining about that, folks.

This boy also has a huge case of SCS:  Scaredy Cat Syndrome.

The other night at my parents' house they were watching a mystery movie on the Hallmark Movie Channel.  It was Hallmark.  And had Kellie Martin in it.  In other words, super cheesy movie.

They had to turn it off.  Bruiser was too scared.  {go ahead and laugh}

See what I mean?  SCS.  My big ole Momma's boy has Scaredy Cat Syndrome.  

And I love it.

my view

It has been a great day.

We started the morning at my parents' friends' house out in the country.   They're out of town and we helped ourselves to their bounty.

I didn't want to leave.  I'm a country girl.  Married to a city boy.

I walked up and down the rows in her various garden plots.  And drooled.  The ingenuity.  The creativity.  She had peppers growing through coils of old wire.  They didn't droop...like my pepper plants...but the coils made it even easier to pick peppers.

I would've taken pictures of those coils, but I was too busy picking.  And drooling.  And breaking up fights for the tire swing.

Despite coming home with bags full of produce, watching tadpoles swim in the pond, gathering ingenious ideas for my garden next year, the best part of the day was that we get to go back!  In another day or so the cantaloupes will be ready.  And the blackberries.  And more tomatillos!

Oh my.  I'm drooling again.

And there will be LOTS more grapes ready.

Bruiser and Doh Doh were more fired up about the watermelons than anything else.

Well, except for maybe the chickens.  They were a hit.

After picking at this amazing garden, we headed to my parents big garden.  From there I came home with purple hull peas, cucumbers, okra, squash, & more tomatoes.

And if you're wondering, yes my boys are in their good clothes from church Sunday.  They spent the night with my parents after church but didn't have any play clothes.  And yes, I have lots of stains to get out of their shirts.  And no, they might not be church clothes anymore.  But we sure had fun.

After all the garden work, Bubba and Doh Doh went back home with my parents.  Bruiser came home with me.  Alone.  And ate Lunchables for a  late lunch.  And a Hershey bar.  He played the Wii alone.  Built Legos alone.  And played his Ipod.  Alone. 

This is my view.  He's having his best day ever.  He has me all to himself.  Alone.

changing my approach

I'm changing my approach to cooking.

Actually, I should probably say I'm going to start cooking.  Again.  Hilarious.

We've truly enjoyed our summer.  Lots of swimming.  Lots of hanging out with friends.  Lots of pizza.  And lots of cereal.

And my freaky obsession with french fries dipped in ice cream has been passed on to another generation.

But now that vacation is over, and summer is half over, we're starting to slow down our activities a bit.  The kids want more days at home, a little more down time.  And I'm desperate to get back to our routine.

So for the rest of the summer we're focusing more on reading, writing, cleaning, and family time.  But still plenty -- and I do mean plenty -- of swimming.

I've missed the domestic side of life since our summer began.  I'm not the type of person who likes routine, but I'm the kind of person who needs routine.  So I'm taking back our family routine this week.  Which means more cooking.  

source

I loved PW's tips on freezer meals in last week's episode.  She freezes grilled chicken breasts, cooked ground beef, as well as tons of meals.  I rarely freeze anything!!  And when I do, it's usually just raw meats or my meatballs.

source

So this week is all about cooking, freezing, and reclaiming my kitchen!  Here are a few recipes I'm planning on trying this week.  And if we like them, I plan on freezing another portion or the ingredients for quick prep the next time.

PW's Taco Pizza
My Meatballs (because I actually got ground VEAL at Fresh Market!!!!)
PW's Grilled Chicken Bacon Sliders (I plan on grilling several chicken breasts and freezing for later)
PW's Patty Melts (I have all the ingredients...and they need to be used up!)
Cheesy Taco Casserole (similar to lots of dishes I make for my vegetarian self to nosh on all week)

I don't usually cook a lot of PW's recipes.  Love her blog...although I really don't read it anymore.  Love her show...which I faithfully watch every week.  But the few recipes I've tried have seemed a little...bland.   But I never follow a recipe completely.  So I tweak and revamp and add this and that.  I'm sure I'll do that to those above as well.

Repeat recipe or ditch even the leftovers, this week is all about reclaiming the kitchen.  And family meals together.  Instead of Special K with red berries.  {I'd hang my head in shame, but I'm too busy watching my Bruiser do the worm on top of the couch.  Next to me.  As I try to type.  I love him.}

Oh, and I'm trying these muffins this week for breakfast/snacks.  Oh my.

happy {belated} birthday!!!!

I've been a bad blogger lately.  So much so that I never blogged about my baby boy's birthday last week.  {gasp...I know}

I know it sounds ridiculous, but birthdays stress me out.  Is that weird?!?!?  I just don't want my kids disappointed.  Is that even weirder?!?!?!  Last year I did a big combined birthday party for both boys.  Hardly any of their school buddies came.  They still had a blast...but it was a lot of work.

Bruiser makes friends easily.  (That's one of his best buddies in the pic above.  Look at the height difference!!!)  Bubba, on the other hand, is my introvert.  He's an old soul.  He doesn't always relate well to kids his age.  {sigh}  That makes birthday parties even harder.  Oh well.

So this year we spent Bubba's birthday on vacation (per his request!).  And for Bruiser's birthday we swam at the athletic club and had pizza and cake.

Despite the 9,452 pins I have on Pinterest for a Minecraft birthday and birthday cakes, I did ZERO of those, only invited a couple of people, and had a bakery make the cake.

And we started our day with the perfect homemade French toast a McDonald's biscuit.  Complete with the #7 candle.

Good grief, y'all.  I love this boy.  He melts me.

HaPpY BiRtHdaY, BruiSeR!!!!

today

I'm trying to get better about resting on the Sabbath.

It's hard.  Last week our home group met at our house.  So I spent all of Sunday trying to clean house and just straighten up.  But today, we have nothing.  Niiiiiiiiiiice.

Despite the fact that

*  all of my ironing is piled up in my laundry room and desperately needs attention
*  a load of clothes is still sitting in the dryer
*  breakfast dishes are sitting in the sink instead of in the dishwasher
*  Legos have taken over my dining room

I'm trying to just relax.  And enjoy.

All while I watch The Pioneer Woman.  Her latest episode is about freezer meals.  Interesting.  Just happens to be a goal of mine.

{Anybody have some great freezer meal tips to share???}

So I'm gonna keep my feet propped up, rest up for the coming week, research new recipes, and be thankful for a day of rest.