Life

Loving Lately ❤

Loving Lately: Life

I’m not gonna lie, lately I’ve been distracted. I’ve been making dinners and not taking pictures. I’ve hardly done any blog reading. I’m day 4 into a 21 day fix eating/workout challenge, and my out-of-shape self is really sore!


All of the kids (okay 3 out of four) have started their sport programs. (Between that and church, there are my weekends.)

I’ve redecorated my downstairs bathroom, and around my fireplace. My “country cottage” look is finally taking shape! (I can’t wait to tackle the kitchen.)


The yard is screaming for some attention. Thankfully that is not my yard in the picture. But spring has sprung and a couple of my flower beds have (almost) as many dandelions!


You know that saying “there just aren’t enough hours in the day,” it’s true- at least concerning all of the warm weather outdoor play time.

Who Has Time to Blog?

So as many of you know I spent the last week and a half on vacation. As the quasi-organised person I am, I set the blog on autopilot, scheduling posts I wrote ahead of time and even filling in a few during the trip. The truth is I love my blog. It’s my getaway, my connection to the outside world, and my sense of professionalism. We had a great time on our spring break, and in reflection on the way home it seemed to provide an endless amount of inspiration with all of the things I could share! Then reality set in.

Of course we held the mail while we were away, so it came to no surprise that upon delivery it would be a bundle. What I didn’t expect was a bill from a collection agency regarding an unpaid balance from my 2014 baby delivery! What in the world? We settled everything already a year ago (so I thought). Ok, fine. Don’t stress about it, I’ll have Owen call in the morning. Moving on.

I was unpacking our suit cases upstairs while my daughter played with the baby in his room, when I heard her scream. “There’s an ant!” My three year old bravely went to get me a tissue to dispose of the ant, while I checked for any more. And yes, there was another crawling up the diaper genie. Ugh! We paid (what I considered to be) a small fortune for an extermination company to get rid of the carpenter ants last fall! Oh please, don’t let this be happening again.

Naturally there tends to be a lot of laundry when a family travels, but not for us. We are the fortunate ones who get to visit my in-laws during our stay. They generously offer their home, including appliances, so we don’t have to pack-up dirty belongings. So where in the world did all of these soiled clothes, blankets, etc. come from? I’d like to know.

I knew there would be no groceries at home, because we were responsible people and used up what we had before we left. So, obviously it made sense to stop and pick up bread for Isaiah’s school lunches on the way to our house. Why didn’t I think of anything to make for dinner? Or milk? Who goes to the grocery store and doesn’t pick up milk? So I trekked my way out this morning to make a dash for the grocery store with three kids 5 and under, after a stop at the bank. In route my baby fell asleep in the car, and you know what? I just didn’t feel like doing it. So through the drive-thru I went and back home.

And you know how I like to deal with all of this stress? Well the washing machine is running and I’ve already called the exterminator. The kids are fed. So I’m going to pretend it’s not happening. Instead, we are going to purpose-lessly decorate eyeglass rims and dress up like Batman, until it’s time to get ready to celebrate my nephew’s birthday. The end.

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Diet Life

My diet life could be compared to Oprah’s, except not as public. It’s more of a let go, then reel it in approach rather than a lifestyle- which kind of is a lifestyle. It’s all about perspective.

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But I’m working on it, because I want to be overall healthier. So my friends and I have started a Diet Club. Ironically, the club consists of the same members as the Dinner Club. (Which reminds me I need to set a date for our long overdo Israeli cuisine night.) Basically, we have all set individual goals. They vary in range from counting calories to training for a marathon to cutting processed foods to learning to dance the waltz, etc. We communicate through a group text and encourage each other to keep it up.

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In the mean time, I couldn’t show you a picture of my breakfast banana. I am sure to start getting creative, you know, and swap all of the oil in my quick breads for applesauce; replace the cream in my sauces with skim milk (Eeek)… But for now I will share a few photos from this weekend.

I actually made a commitment to one of my dearest blogging friends, Lynn of Lynz Real Cooking, to take pictures of some barns (which I treasure and romanticize about the stories they hold… dilapidated just gives character). And thankfully I have more time to do it… Because I got only one in this trip.

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But I did find inspiration else where…

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I also told Lynn that I would challenge Owen to come up with a sandwich. Until then, I will share an Owen hot dog (not on the diet).

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It is so nice that the weather here is getting milder and easier for strolls. Did I mention I tried a youtube Zumba class? Hilarious. Like Steve Martin finding his rhythm in The Jerk. But it’s something I can rope my kids into doing with me right in the living room. So yes! And I am actually very excited about getting a little more healthy… And maybe I can spread my enthusiasm; encourage a few people to make a good choice or two. Because little choices add up. (See, that’s like something I could text to the group.)

I love the little sign -signifying the foot path…

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Just a little reminder to stay on course.

 

 

Aspirations

Sometimes I wake up with such big aspirations… which could also be referred to as small attainable goals. I get my game plan together: “Today I need to give the middle kids a bath.” (Side note: The eldest and youngest got theirs last night. I’m not one of those “crazy” people who think you need to bathe every day… And I’m just kidding about thinking people who shower every day are crazy. Many members of my family are everyday people. More power to you. I’m just more of an every other day type of person.) Ok, let’s get back on track. So on the day’s list is “Give the middle kids a bath; Enroll Isaiah in flag football, sign Naomi up for gymnastics, and call about soccer for Elijah; remind my husband about scheduling the windshield replacement; email the guy about the travel trailer; catch up on laundry (my nemesis); etc.

I realize this all sounds very doable. And in theory I agree. Of course, there is the regular daily stuff to do too. I wake up, change the baby, pour a cup of coffee, pack Isaiah’s lunch, start breakfast for four kids (a special menu for the baby, no dairy means no butter, pancakes (with milk), cheese, yogurt…), unload and load the dishwasher… Have I read my Bible today? Did I yesterday? I really need to get on the treadmill. Today is the day I’m going to count calories. Get the baby off of the kitchen table. Who’s calling my name. Oh, Elijah needs help in the bathroom (my newly potty-trained big boy!). Shoot, where’s the baby. “Mom! Noah is on the stairs!” Ok, run to get the baby before he gets into Isaiah’s lego-land. Ugh, did he poop? Change the baby’s diaper (2 down, umpteen to go). Oh no, I need to roll the sausage over. The toast is probably cold- Isaiah won’t eat butter if he can see it. Ok, gather everyone to the table. Elijah got his own water from the fridge… get a towel before everyone soaks their socks. Is that lip gloss on the kitchen cabinet? “Naomi, did you put on lip gloss?” Check her face. Affirmative. “Did you leave a lip print on the cabinet?” Add to list Magic Eraser the cabinet. What’s in the baby’s mouth. Oh my gosh, Owen left his socks on the floor. “No, Noah don’t put that in your mouth!” Ok, time to eat. (I will spare you all of the details. It’s mostly just constant reminders for the children to actually put the food in their mouth, and for the baby to sit down; because he is a master of high chair escape.) There is at least 1 spill, probably more. What time is it? Isaiah go brush your teeth, your bus will be here in 10 minutes. Start the clean up. Make sure Isaiah’s lunch, snack and water bottle are in his bag. “Mom! Noah is on the table again!” Save Noah. Watch Isaiah get on the bus. Elijah asks for a snack. I reply we just had breakfast.

Wow, what was I supposed to do today? Because it’s not even 8:30 am, and I could really use a nap.

Quote Me on This…

I have so much catching up to do! This has been the longest break since I started my blog. Sometimes life just has to take over. I had a great weekend with my family on a planned family getaway to an indoor waterpark. We are finally finished celebrating my daughter’s birthday. ? I’m still settling some matters that I promised my friend Barbara. ? And I’m excited that I was sent an invitation by Chobani to come up with some recipe ideas!  ? It’s been an emotional roller coaster.

I haven’t forgotten my commitment to participate in the quote challenge, so befittingly I remembered something that feels like where I’m at.

Have you seen the movie Parenthood? It’s just one of those films I saw years ago, in the 80’s probably that I’ll never forget. It’s outlandish, unexpected and completely relatable all at the same time. When I watched it the first time, I hadn’t experienced much life yet. But it wasn’t hard to understand; these people living their separate and complicated lives, all dealing with their own familial, parental, marital, etc. issues and still connected by the bond-ship of family and friends. Steve Martin, does a great job taking on a this multi-faceted role playing Gil, the son who wants the approval of his cold unappreciative father, a father of four children with different needs (one of whom is in therapy for emotional/anxiety problems, and another who has to wear a helmet because he is always ramming things with his head), sibling to an irresponsible brother (who has the admiration of their father), a grandson who takes on a lot of responsibility caring for a senile grandmother, and a husband to a supportive wife who is transitioning in her own personal life as a mother and homemaker. And all at the same time he’s trying to be this great employee to hopefully gain advancement in his career. There is this one scene in particular where a meeting with his bosses didn’t go how he had hoped it would and things at home are feeling overwhelming. If I remember correctly, he and his family are getting ready to head out to his son’s baseball game (which he coaches) and his grandmother in a moment of lucidity starts talking:

Grandma: You know, when I was nineteen, Grandpa took me on a roller coaster.

Gil: Oh?

Grandma: Up, down, up, down. Oh, what a ride!

Gil: What a great story.

Grandma: I always wanted to go again. You know, it was just so interesting to me that a ride could make me so frightened, so scared, so sick, so excited, and so thrilled all together! Some didn’t like it. They went on the merry-go-round. That just goes around. Nothing. I like the roller coaster. You get more out of it.

The grandma walks out the door and the scene finishes with Gil and his wife left in the room and she says: As far as I’m concerned, your grandmother’s brilliant!

Gil: Yeah, if she’s so brilliant, why is she sitting in the neighbor’s car?

Doesn’t it just seem like that’s how it goes sometimes? Up and down, and moments of clarity… and then loved ones helping you get back into the right car. (Well maybe not that part.) And if you’re fortunate enough to be able to see the humor in life, (and laugh at yourself) it makes it so much more enjoyable! Lately life has felt a bit like a roller coaster, with all of its fast paced ups and downs. But I get it. I don’t take the ride for granted. My life is full. God is good.

Thanks Krista at From Food Stamps to a Future for nominating me for this challenge! I apologize for breaking the rules, I’m just a rebel.

Rules for the challenge:

Thank the blogger that nominated you.
Share one new quote on three consecutive days on your blog. They can be from anywhere, anyone, or anything.
On each of the three days, nominate three more bloggers to carry on with the fun! No pressure; nominees are free to decline.

My Third (and last) Quote Challenges are to the following:

Clair Neriah

Mama Muse Me

Linda Creation

 

Loving Lately ❤

Loving Living Lately: The Circle of Life

I met Barbara years ago. It didn’t take long to figure out that she was one of my favorite people. She never had any children, and at that time I hadn’t either. Something else we had in common? Scrabble. And so it started. Every week we would meet at one of our houses for a game of Scrabble. Eventually our meetings turned into visits with my baby, babies, children, lunches and dinners; and of course whenever we could make it work, a game of Scrabble. She was fascinating. We would have long conversations about things like the mill her family owned when she was a child, and how she loved the bread they would make with the flour. Barbara shared how long it took her to grow up after her mother died in a car accident, after a visit from her parents, when she was a sophomore in college. And she confided that she always wished she would have stayed in school after that and finished her degree. Barbara told me about when she was hired to accompany Herbert Hoover’s wife’s secretary on a drive across the country to California because she didn’t want to drive alone. And we often discussed how things had changed since she was born in 1918. Our bond was deep and our relationship was strong. I loved her greatly and I am going to miss her terribly.

I said goodbye to Barbara and not 24 hours later, I had to pull it together and put on my happy face to celebrate my daughter’s birthday. She was so excited for the day to finally be here. First thing in the morning, she opened a makeup kit with her dad and brothers (and mom) before they left for work and school. We face-timed grandma and grandpa, who are away in Florida, while she opened the art set they gifted her. Thankfully we had planned to have a princess luncheon at my sister’s house in the afternoon. She picked out the dress she wanted to wear for the day and we all got ready to go. My mother and sister had a lovely Disney Princess table set for the first round of celebration. Naturally we would have dinner when dad was home from work at the restaurant of her choice, which happened to be Taco Bell. (Yes, I am aware that there is not 1 organic thing on their menu. To be honest, I don’t want to know their food products. I’m not in the mood.) I have to say it turned out to be one of my favorite parties. It was completely laid back and unpretentious. I actually found myself looking around at our group of about 30 people and laughing about taking up over half of the dining space. I was surrounded by people who love me and my children. We were creating wonderful memories for Naomi and nurturing the building blocks for her life ahead.

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Life is an amazing thing. Such a beautiful gift we get to share with each other. It’s hard to believe that Naomi is five! It seems like just yesterday the doctor said “It’s a girl!” and shortly thereafter, right in the delivery room, I called Barbara to let her know.

 

And I Quote…

A week or two ago I came across this little gem of a quote. So when Krista at From Food Stamps to a Future challenged me to a 3 day Quote Challenge, I knew right away that this would be something I would share. There really isn’t much to elaborate on with the quote. It’s just overall how I want to be and how I want to raise my children. Thank you Krista for inviting me to participate!

Rules for the challenge:

Thank the blogger that nominated you.
Share one new quote on three consecutive days on your blog. They can be from anywhere, anyone, or anything.
On each of the three days, nominate three more bloggers to carry on with the fun! No pressure; nominees are free to decline.

My second day Quote Challenges are to the following:

Roberta at Chorizo & Thyme

Natascha at Natascha’s Palace

Claudia at OldCountryGirl

 

“If I had my life to live over…” Erma Bombeck

Someone asked me the other day if I had my life to live over would I change anything.

My answer was no, but then I thought about it and changed my mind.

If I had my life to live over again I would have waxed less and listened more.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy and complaining about the shadow over my feet, I’d have cherished every minute of it and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was to be my only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded.

I would have eaten popcorn in the “good” living room and worried less about the dirt when you lit the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would have burnt the pink candle that was sculptured like a rose before it melted while being stored.

I would have sat cross-legged on the lawn with my children and never worried about grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television … and more while watching real life.

I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband which I took for granted.

I would have eaten less cottage cheese and more ice cream.

I would have gone to bed when I was sick, instead of pretending the Earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren’t there for a day.

I would never have bought ANYTHING just because it was practical/wouldn’t show soil/ guaranteed to last a lifetime.

When my child kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, “Later. Now, go get washed up for dinner.”

There would have been more I love yous … more I’m sorrys … more I’m listenings … but mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute of it … look at it and really see it … try it on … live it … exhaust it … and never give that minute back until there was nothing left of it.”
― Erma Bombeck, Eat Less Cottage Cheese and More Ice Cream: Thoughts on Life from Erma Bombeck, courtesy of goodreads.com

Loving Lately ❤

Loving Lately #1: Grilling Outdoors

I know the official BBQ season is all summer long. And I really do enjoy all of the hamburgers and hot dogs, etc. But there is something about grilling when it’s not ridiculously hot out that makes it so much more fun! These cool evenings are amazing, such a beautiful reminder of how good life can be! I love grilling! (A new hobby I picked up this year) And I really love grilling on cooler evenings, while the sun is still out and the breeze blows the smell of BBQ everywhere. It’s like the best ever.

The Pioneer Woman’s Ranch Style Chicken isn’t bad either;)

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Loving Lately #2: Molded Bakeware

Do you see what I tried to do there? Anyway, I am gaga over shaped ‘tins’. I haven’t even scratched the surface of my molded bakeware stockpile. Nordic Ware is where it’s at. And rightfully so! They make everything look like a piece of art. Any cake or bread baked in these and served on any table or given as a gift is an instant winner. If it tastes half decent but comes out of one of these in a perfect shape, then you have succeeded. It does the work for you. Does Nordic Ware sponsor? How can I sign up for that?

A Blur in Review

If time flies when your having fun, then this was the funnest summer ever!

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And don’t get me wrong, I’m excited about Fall; the baking, the color changes, the sweater weather…

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But I’m not ready to put the pool cover on!

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And even though we’ve done the school shopping, I’m not ready to send my baby to fourth grade!

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I am extremely happy to share that my infant’s skin condition has improved immensely. Thank you to all of the eczema supporters out there!

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Weddings, birthdays, graduation parties, horseback riding lessons, vacations, holidays, swimming, BBQ-ing, boating, beaching we did it all! Summer living… see you next year!

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