Wonderful Wednesday...

It was a "snow" day today and the school was closed so we were all able to sleep in and have a wonderfully lazy day. It was a good thing since I was up until after 4:00 a.m. going through old pictures, cards and letters. I am such a pack rat. Some of them brought back memories, some made me laugh. I giggled at Hunter's hand drawn birthday cards to me...he put soooo many candles on my cake. He must have thought I was really old. I actually still have cards and the invitation from Hunter's first Birthday. So on his day off Hunter played with his sister a bit and then had a friend over for most of the day. The two of them were even able to play outside once it warmed up in the afternoon. Morgan has been a hoot lately. She is all about her big brother. She actually threw a fit and put her head down on the rug the cry when he left for basketball practice Monday! I was amused as that was a first. She has been really "crawling" with her arms up off the floor vs the army style body frag she used to pull off. She is much faster now. She is also pulling herself up and standing while holding on with just one hand. Next thong you know she is going to give me the "look ma no hands!" squeal and life as I know it will be over. Her little legs have rolls on top of rolls and are so cute. We learned that she is too big and too mobile to take baths in the kitchen sink anymore. I can no longer safely contain her. I am trying to teach her to relax and float in the tub. She is doing pretty good as long as I am in there with her or the water is shallow enough that her backside is on the tub floor. She also said Momma a lot this week which was music to my heart!!!

Yummy for My Tummy Tuesday!

Heather's Meat Loaf Supreme
By Heather Scott
Description:
I use drained diced tomatoes instead of sauce. I also add a cup or so of Italian bread crumbs.
Ingredients:
2 lbs. hamburger
1 lb. sausage
1 (6 1/4 oz.) box Stove Top stuffing mix
2 (4 oz.) cans tomato sauce (I used I 16 oz can diced and drained)
3 eggs
1/4 c. chopped celery
1/4 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. chopped green pepper
salt, pepper, & Lowery's to taste

Directions:
Combine dry stuffing mix and contents of seasoning packet
with hamburger, sausage, eggs, tomato sauce, celery, onion
and green pepper. Place in 9"x13" baking pan or divide into
2 or 3 loaves. (Part of recipe can be wrapped and frozen for
later cooking.) Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour and 15
minutes or until done. I take mine out about 20 minutes early and spread a mixture of ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar (all stirred together) on top and replace in oven to set.

Meatloaf is another favorite of mine and especially of Wes and Hunter. I make it a little different each time. Sometimes I use yellow onion but normally purple. I use red, yellow, orange, and/or green bell pepper, sometimes a little green onion. Whatever sounds good at the moment. It is always good and just taste like home. Mixing the ooey gooey mix takes me back tot he days of mud pies and dragon flies. I usually make a huge batch and freeze a few for later or for friends and neighbors. I use the disposable loaf pans, fill, cover with foil, and stick it in a ziplock freezer bag. I try to always mark the date so that it doesn't get lost in the deep freezer for too long.

Crab & Shrimp Quiche

I needed ways to add more protein iron and veggies so this was my inventive Monday night dinner. I also made homemade broccoli cheese soup. I don't normally care for eggs but I love quiche. You can add anything to it and it is still delicious! Next week I will make one with diced ham & spinach and who knows what.

Crab & Shrimp Quiche

1 Pillsbury pie crust
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup mayo
1 package of crab flakes and shrimp
1/2 cup mayo
2 cups fresh chopped broccoli & carrots (I threw mine into food processor for just a sec to save time and hide the carrots from Hunter)
chopped onion to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1-1/2 to 2 cups shredded cheese (Swiss would have been better but I used cheddar blend)

Preheat oven to 400

Press pie crust into pie plate

Beat milk, egg, and mayo until well blended, stir in meat, cheese, and veggies. Mix well.
Pour into pie crust and bake 30-40 min until knife comes out clean...Yummy!

Did you know there are hundreds of ways to make quiche? Any other favorites out there?

Just a swingin'

We bought Morgan her first swing and I hung it this week. We were finally blessed with some beautiful spring like Texas days and we took advantage of playing outside while we could. She LOVES to swing but I have to push her from the front so that she can see me at all times. It was great to see her so happy in her swing!

Hunter is also happy with his new toy. His quesadilla maker! He loves it and would eat them everyday if I let him. I had to make a once a week rule.

To blog or not to blog...

Hmmmm. Should I write or go to bed and rest. I need both! Oh how I long for the days when Morgan took two hour naps, when I could sit here and IM my friends and blog about my random thoughts, prayers and ideas. Morgan is a blast but she can be quite demanding of my time. Did I say quite? Let me rephrase that EXTREMELY demanding. I had to stop and remind myself just this week that she is only a baby once. When the day of drooling, gassy teething fits seems like it will never end, I need to remember that it goes by way to fast. I had a rough beginning to my week. My sweet baby girl was being anything but sweet. I am guilty of letting the everyday worries weigh me down more than need be. This week I made that dreaded choice to look at the big picture and what a mess it seemed. My reaction was much like Morgans in the above picture. This is not cool for a gal like me that likes to have order in all things home and family. I love to be spontaneous and go on adventures...outside of my home. Home, where the four of us come together to live, this is my safe haven, my nest, that place we all come and know that we are blessed and loved. Wes's job will be ending soon and we have no idea where he will work next. I don't just mean, what company, I mean what state will he move to! For us at home this is hard, and even though he doesn't say it, for Wes I think it is harder. Like most we worry about income, bills, insurance, health, family...all the normal things that families all over America stress over. Add to that not knowing if he can find work that pays well enough in Texas, we need to be together as a family, should we move to where Wes is (???) in order to be together, how long will that job last, Hunter needing a good school and sports program, Morgan needing to know her Grandparents, my Dad's health, the ex, leaving our friends and family, our home being totally unorganized, feeling under appreciated, hormones, everyone trying to put their two cents in, trying to loose weight, the guilt of the cookies I baked and then ate, feeling cooped up because it was cold outside, missing Wes like crazy....well you can only imagine that well, I WAS A HOT MESS!!! I got a little blue, vented like crazy, and then was totally blessed with a man that loved me right through my "moment", a baby that has been all smiles for the past few days, a son that knows just when I really need a hug, those that walk with me and build me up, and great friends that really do pray for us and believe in us as a family and the one who reminded me to sing and praise God. Audrey, you have no idea how much you enrich my life by being so positive and reminding me to always look to God's word. Sharing so many verses that change my heart as I read them. Thank you so much my dear friend! Thank you most of all for reminding me to miss Wes without putting any additional burden on him. I needed to hear that.

Why do I write about my life?

I have read two quotes in the past few days that gave me great pause.

The first was from another blog.

"We write to taste life twice, once in the moment, once in retrospection."
Anais Nin

The second from one of the women who write my devotional.

Writing can be a creative and invigorating way to make our lives available to ourselves...we may discover that the better we tell our stories, the better we will want to live them."

~Henri Nouwen

These were both great inspiration for me and ring so true for my life. I am seeing that the more I write about being a better wife and mother the easier it is to live my life that way. Even bigger than that, the more I write my prayers and talk about my relationship to God, the closer I feel to Him. So that is why I write. When my children are grown and I am gone, I want them to be able to read the story of their childhood. I want them to read my journey through life and see what changed me, what moved me, what people and events taught me to be the Mother I was. Hopefully it will aid them in there own relationships and walk with God.I was chatting with a childhood friend the other day and was invited to have drinks as a group. When I declined the comment was something like, "You deserve a life of your own." While I was actually a little offended, I politely responded that "this is my life, the life I love." The way I see it, serving my husband and children honors my relationship with God. Wes would have no problem with me going out for a drink with old friends. But while he is out there working so hard for us, I want to be here working equally hard at home for him. I love him and want to honor him in all of my decisions.

Updates on the kiddos. Morgan, oh Morgan! What a mess you are with your little bangs always in your eyes. You get into everything and when I tell you no, you look at me and either smile as if to say I know I am not supposed to but aren't I cute or you grunt and growl at me like a gorilla and then cry...very loudly. Couldn't we find some happy medium here? The good news is that your sleeping longer at night again and we seem to be on a little better schedule together.

Hunter has been studying all week to retake a test he didn't do so well on. I know that my choice to have him take all four pre-ap classes on him seemed a little unfair at the time but he is doing well in all of the clases except math. He needs help but refuses to ask for it. I feel like he is retaining enough to get through it but not fully understanding it. I think people assume that just because he is in Pre-Ap he "knows it all." He fakes it well. I try not to put to much pressure on him to explain it to me. I just ask questions when he is excited about a subject.

Wes's job will be wrapping up in Colorado late February or early March. He is so tired from working so hard but is hanging in there. He has no idea where he is going to work next but I have faith in him that he will make good decisions for us as a family. We have been praying about it for a long time. We ask God to let us know what direction he wants our family to move. Where can we grow together and serve Him? It is exciting and scary all in one big ball of mystery. I don't do well with mystery or surprises. I need secure plans. This is the area I struggle with the most in my relationship as a Christian. Wes, he is so much better at giving it to God and actually taking his hands off of it. I am so proud of him.As for lil ol me. This week has been great. I walked twice with my friends in my Mom's group. It was easier on Monday and by Wednesday I was SERIOUSLY feeling the burn. I have been much more conscious about what I eat and tried to shop that way when I bought groceries. I was also able to attend a Bow Making play date on Tuesday. It was a blast and I was able to make some adorable little bows for Morgan.

All My Heart...

11 For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord. "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me WHEN YOU SEEK ME WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART. 14 I will be found by you. Jeremiah 29:11-14

This are some of my very favorite verses in the Bible. I have pointed out to Wes several times in the past that I think I am failing in the area where He says "with all of your heart." So many can quote verses 11-12 easily but stop there. Why is that? Do we just want to hear that He is listening and nothing else matters? I want to seek God with all my heart. So many excuses, words, memories, and thoughtless actions/reactions jump in there and get in the way for me. I am not perfect. If I we were Jesus would not have had to die for our sins. However, I truly want to honor God and seek him with all my heart. I am going to continue to pray about this. I am going to spend more quiet time talking to God and less watching TV. I am going to guard my words and actions. My children are watching and there are so many little things I regret doing. It is my job to teach them to love God. How can I tell them to love God when my actions are not Godly?
Lord, please help me to be a better example for my children and all those that I meet. Please let your forgiveness and love shine through me with out a spoken word needed. Help me to find supportive, uplifting, positive, like minded friends. Help me to make a positive difference in the lives of those I love and those who may not yet know you. I know your tugging at my heart. I feel you Lord and I am honored and scared all at the same time. Help me to read your word and understand it. Thank you again for all of my beautiful blessings.

I am not ready for this!!!!

Morgan pulled herself up in her crib and stood up on her own during nap today! I was excited and terrified all at the same time. She was happy and bouncing. She definitely knew was was doing something cool. We haven't even lowered her crib as she just started sitting up and crawling a month ago. Later in the afternoon Hunter called me in the kitchen to show me that she had crawled all the way through the house to the kitchen, pulled herself up on the case of bottled water and was trying to get her knee up so she could crawl up the cabinet...what happened to baby steps? I was cleaning out her clothes and hats again today and the overpriced cap that Wes bought her at Seven Falls in Colorado (it was way to big but we wanted to protect her little head) almost fits her perfect now. Wow how they grow!!!
Another thing I am not ready for....Mom bought Hunter an Electric Guitar for Christmas. I encouraged her I know that music is good for him developmentally and I am a true believer it is just good for the soul. THANK GOD IT CAME WITH EARPHONES!!!

I am almost done packing away all of the Christmas stuff. I procrastinated because I knew I would buy more during the 75% and 80% clearance sales. I over bought but got some really great deals for next year. I purchased a beautiful wreath at Hobby Lobby originally priced $99.95 for 20 bucks!!!! Yeeeee Hawwww!

I am signing up for a biggest looser challenge with my Mom's group. I am nervous because I have issues with will power...meaning I have none. I love food. I love to cook. I love to serve people comfort food in my home. I finally quit smoking almost two years ago (I smoked a pack a day for 12 years!) and am now addicted to food instead. Plus nursing Morgan leaves me famished so I eat more than I should. I am done with the excuses...I want to be healthy again. This is not just for me but for Wes and the children. Pray that I am successful. I know that it is God's desire for me to be healthy so that I can serve him and my family better.

Updates on the Kids...

I realized that in being a blogger slacker I have missed so many updates on the kids. Hunter is still growing like a weed! He is less than an inch away from being as tall as I am. His voice is changing too. It is a very odd thing to watch your baby grow up so fast. He continues to makes good grades but really needs to improve his study habits. He is playing basketball and likes it. So far we are 2-0. He has a girlfriend, Hannah. I think he is too young but at least it gives him a reason to remember to put on deodorant and brush his teeth.

Morgan is also in the middle of a growth spurt. She is crawling everywhere and climbing on everything! There seems to be no stopping her and I have to really watch what the boys leave on the floor or she will have it in her mouth lightening quick. Over Christmas holiday she started waving and clapping. She also is mastering picking up food and toys with just her finger and thumb "pinching" things. She says Dadda, Bubba, Momma, shakes he head no and clamps her mouth shut when she is done eating and is getting better with a sippy cup. I still primarily breast feed her but she is eating two table meals a day as well. Lucky for me, she hasn't cut teeth yet but does drool everywhere! Just like me, she loves the men in her life. She looks at her big brother like an awe stuck fan and coos and smiles special just for her Daddy.

Have I mentioned today how much I love being a Mom? I truly do. Thank you God for my children. I pray that I am the Mother you desire for me to be and that I am teaching my children to love and trust in you.

Up up and away....

Once again, I had to watch my very best friend walk through security at the airport to board a plane and fly far far away from me, our children, and the safety of our home. It is so hard to say goodbye or even see ya later. We have a cycle we go through...we fight a little, then we make up, then we ignore each other and get busy around the house pretending that it is a normal day, and then we pout a little while making jokes and trying to lift each other up, and finally when he is leaving we talk about how blessed we are that he has this job that supports our family. Tonight I told my husband that while he could be a pain (not the actual word I used), that he makes my whole world better and then I waved at him until I couldn't see him anymore and then I cried all the way the the truck. Just when I was about to say I can't do this, I heard a little voice in me say, "yes you can, you will because you have too and you are blessed." Thank you God for my reminder. Wes landed safely, called and told me he loved me, and made it to work to start his week. Those of you who are home with your spouses tonight need to hug them and tell them you love them an extra time for us.

New Years Resolutions

I have a few New Years Resolutions for 2009. I borrowed a few I found a was inspired by:
To grow and become healthier spiritually, emotionally, and physically
To read God's word in some form daily
Turn off the TV more often
Go for walks as often as possible
To be a better wife, mother, daughter and friend
To continue to let go of the past and forgive
To clean out my closets and help those less fortunate than me
To become more organized
To learn to sew
To learn to cook healthier (and like it)
To be more like me than ever before!!!
To make a difference somehow, some way, to someone....

NEW YEAR CHEER

At the sound of the tolling midnight bell
a brand new year will begin.
Let's raise our hopes in a

confidant toast,
to the promise it ushers in.

May your battles be few, your pleasure many,
your wishes and dreams

fulfilled.
May your confidence stand in the face of loss

and give you the strength to rebuild.

May peace of heart fill all your days
may serenity grace your soul.

May tranquil moments bless your life
and keep your spirit whole.

May God walk with You in the coming Year,

bring Joy, Happiness, Health and Wealth.

For with Him there is no Fear.

God Bless You and Your Family.