This week

We are home from a quick trip to the mountains, I will share pictures soon.
I have a list of things to do but then again I always have a list.

• Laundry to catch up on
• cleaning to do
• crafts to prep for Sydney's class on Wednesday, another mom and I share the role of class kraft/party mom- I have a cute project planned
• I need to get Halloween costumes ready for Wednesday since Tuesday I work late
• I want to try to make a new butternut squash soup
• I need to go to the library
• jalapenos to blanch and freeze
• apples that we just picked at the orchard are begging me to bake some yummy treats
• I need to clean out my raised garden beds and pick the last peppers before it frosts

So much to do this week. 
What do you have planned?

Great Expectations

Have you ever thought that your life would really begin at a certain point?  For instance, when you moved out on your own, got married, graduated from college or finally started your career.  At that point life would really begin and we anticipate that it will be "perfect".  Or maybe you are always looking forward to the next step or the next big event.  I hear people all the time say things like, "once I make more money or have my debt paid off" then I will be happy or be less stressed. 

Years ago at a retirement party I listened to speech and the speaker asked the audience what their most valuable asset was.  Immediately your mind goes to the things you have that cost the most or to people in your life that are the most important.  The answer.....your TIME.  Everything in your life is replaceable to an extent, of course you cannot replace people but you can buy a new house or a new car or earn more money.  You can never get time back, so why do we wish it to pass or why do we waste it. 

Every moment is a gift and we should be good stewards of the time we have been given and not waste.  Instead of waiting for those big moments and feeling like life will begin at a certain point we need to treasure the everyday moments.  I believe life is in the everyday moments.  Enjoy each step or stage in your life because this may be all you are given.  Instead of just surviving and getting through the mundane, embrace each day.  Make the ordinary fun, slow down, absorb the moments.

What a week

Wow, what a week.  Lots of stuff going on at our house. 

Out of town guest, so fun and so good to see family. 

Spirit week at Sydney's school. 

Parent teacher conference on Friday. 

My Saturday morning to work. 

Trip to the mountains and apple orchard coming up. 

Sydney's fall break. 

Some days are a juggling act but we are excited about all the fun things and doing or best to enjoy each moment. 

What is going on at your house lately?

Garden Deals

A few months ago I came upon a 1 dollar sidewalk sale at our local feed and gardening store. I bought chives, milkweed and salvia leucanthus (also called Mexican bush sage). The salvia is dividing rapidly and now has beautiful purple flowers. I planted the milkweed outside the sun room and it is tall enough that we can enjoy it from the inside in addition to the outside. I am so pleased with my garden bargains.

Easy Bake Oven

Sydney was overjoyed with this birthday gift from the Parker family.  Even though her birthday is not until the 12th we had one party this year so Sydney opened gifts from friends and family at the party.  After church on Sunday I let her bake some mini cookies!  Oh the memories, I recall having an easy bake oven, or maybe Amanda did and I was allowed to use it. 

Rolling dough into itty bitty balls

eating cookies!

She loves this little oven and the goodies it makes.

Recipe

Do you always cook with recipe or do your improvise?

I do use recipes but I am confident enough that I like to create my own dishes.

Bill and I enough quinoa and it is healthy so I am trying to come up with more recipes.

I chopped some veggies and sauteed them in olive oil. 

I cooked the quinoa as directed.   In a bowl I combined stone ground dijon mustard, and balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper, then I added the quinoa, sauteed veggies and some feta cheese, grape tomatoes and kalamata olives. 

Serve!  Yummy. 

Track meet

While in Indiana for Christopher's wedding we made a conscious effort to spend time with all the kids and also grandkids! We spent an afternoon with Laura and the kids and then we all went to Carson's lats track meet. It was fun to cheer him on, while he ran the two mile race. Then we all went to Ivanhoes for dinner and ice cream. We had a wonderful day.

Carson on the right

Summer list

Fall is here and I am finally getting around to letting you know that we almost completed everything on our summer list, plus we did a few things that were not on the list.  We never made it to our local farmer's market, mainly because our weekends were so busy and this is the only time for us to go as a family. 
We did get to take the kids fishing twice while we were on vacation at the beach and we all had a blast.  We had another trash pick up day.  It may sound crazy but the kids really enjoy going on walks and cleaning up trash around the neighborhood.  We also borrowed a golf cart from the club and went for a few rides around the neighborbood. 

Did you accomplish all you wanted to this past summer?  What do you have planned for the fall?

classroom fun

While in Indiana we went to Swayzee Elementary to see Alexandra's classroom. She was so blessed to get a job as a 6th grade teacher the school year following her graduation from IWU. Her classroom was very organized and engaging. Sydney had fun playing teacher and wearing a silly set of glasses. Griffin was super excited to shoot basketballs! It was great to see where Alex works!

Birthday Party

Follow the balloons to our Dr Seuss birthday party...

Menu

Truffala trees- cotton candy on a stick

hats- marsh mellows dipped in melted chocolate with red chocolate stripes

yummy food

Birthday girl- Sydney

Happy Birthday banner

Syd and Cadence

Griffin and Charlie

Griffin, he did not want to pose with his hat on so this was the best picture I could capture

Me playing Dr Seuss bingo with the kids

cupcakes!

Happy Birthday to Sydney and Griffin!

new toys

Kylie and Rylie

Swedish fish in goody bags and coloring packets

The party was a hit!  I enjoyed making all the decorations and food and everyone had a wonderful time celebrating. 

Favorite gift

I have a few favorite gift ideas that I like to give. For weddings I think this pewter heart is a wonderful keepsake that is unique and very classy. I think wedding registries are wonderful because everyone likes to pick out exactly what they want instead of receiving random stuff. However, I enjoy giving something that people will always have and remember who bought it for them. For Christopher and Lindsey's wedding we bought them all sorts of bake ware from their registry but we also wanted to give them a special gift. We made it a tradition to have this heart custom ordered for all the recent weddings. Below you can see Christopher and Lindsey's and Marcus and Lindsey's. I forgot to take a picture of Alexandra and Scott's. I just love Lisa Leonard products, check out her shop.

Do you have any favorite gifts that you enjoy giving?

Jersey's Cafe

While on our recent trip to Indiana for Christopher's wedding we stopped at a great place for lunch. We had seen this cafe on Diner's Drive In's and Dives and wanted to give it a try. Bill had 1/2 reuben and I had 1/2 Dr Jazz.  The portions were huge and delicious. Griffin is making a funny face in this picture but it is cute anyway. Check out Jersey's Cafe if you are in the Carmel Indiana area.

Happy Birthday Griffin

Hard to believe our baby boy is three years old!  He was just so little and time has flown by so fast.  I love looking back at all the baby pictures.  The party is later this week so we will have more pictures to share.

Happy Birthday times two!

October is a big month for birthdays!  Today is Marcus and Henry's special day!  We are actually going to get to spend the day with Marcus and his wife which is exciting because we are usually not together to celebrate.  Wish we could be in two places at once and sing happy birthday to Henry too.  Happy Birthday October 4th babies!

zoo times two

I took the kids to the zoo on the 22nd for a great apes program. Our zoo has two new baby gorillas both born in August.   One's name is Bomassa and the other is unnamed- the zoo is giving a sponsor the right to name the gorilla when they donate money to pay for a shelter structure for the gorillas.  Can you see the baby in this mamas right arm? 

this is another baby on this mamas back

our zoo also has a new baby giraffe, Juma (I believe)

Sydney's first field trip was last Friday and it was to the zoo!  Here is her class with teacher Mrs Fearnside and assistant Ms Graham.  Sydney is in the middle back row.

Bill went with her and they had a great time.

Two zoo trips within a week of each other.  We love the zoo!

New Chairs

Preparations for new chairs- donation of our old chairs and I cleaned the carpet!  Thursday night I moved all the furniture to one side of the room and on Friday night I moved it to the opposite side and cleaned carpet. 

Our new chairs!  Now we need new lamps- the shade on this one is broken and always seems to be teetering

Griffin modeling the new chair

they are recliners but it is hard to tell

what do you think of the pattern?

Sydney

Sydney is getting so big and so grown up.  She lights up our life in so many ways.  We just got interim reports and her teacher described her as a "joy".  She is a big participator in class and most days is on green for great behavior.  She did have one day she was on yellow for talking which just made me chuckle because all my report cards said "Meghan talks too much".  She was on purple (excellent) once for doing exactly as she should have been in center time.  We are so proud of our little girl in so many ways.