HBD to Me!

What an amazing birthday I had yesterday!  One word to sum it all up:  perfect. 

I had lots of texts, messages on Instagram, a few calls, a cute video from my niece, an email - all from people wishing me a Happy Birthday.  It was SO sweet.  I promise that alone made my day great!

But Kevin went to so much trouble to make sure I had the best birthday.  Last week when he got off work, he told me to go shop and pick out a few things for myself.  He specifically told me to get some cute new boots, so I did.  (Can I just insert kid free shopping is a gift in itself!  I mean, I love those little boogers, but trying on shoes or clothes with kids isn't fun.)  And I got a few new tops from Target.  I'm hard to surprise because I take care of the finances, so I know when money is going out and where it's going.... but he sneakily opened up a Dillard's card and got me a new Michael Kors red purse.  He also got my mom a gift and wrote her a sweet card and left it on her car so she'd find it that morning.  Who does that?!  He had several ladies at Dillards wishing he was their son in law!  It didn't stop there.  He went to one of my favorite cake shops in town and ordered me a birthday cake in my favorite flavor (strawberry).  I had every intention of making my own cake, but he didn't want me to that.  His thoughtfulness was just through the roof, and I felt so lucky!

Satchel bags with long straps are my favorite style right now.

I was torn between two pair of boots.  The other pair had lots of cute cream colored fur at the top, but I figured these would wear better over time.  Plus they are narrow!  (I have a super narrow foot.)

Strawberry cake with strawberry icing

Several months ago I saw an angel canvas that I fell in love with.  My parents always ask for birthday and Christmas ideas and I told my mom I needed this canvas and was hoping she'd give it to me for my birthday.  She did and my dad delivered it :)  Kevin hung it for me as soon as it was delivered.  It's one of my favorite things hanging in our home.  I just adore it.  The painter is probably my all time favorite.  I follow her on instagram and love to see comments on her painting because everyone interprets them differently.  I looked at my painting and saw my 4 kids.  Another lady looked at it and saw her and her 3 grandkids.

I need to make the kids start posing in this order - Krissy/Hayden/Allie/Austin bc that's how  I see them in the pic!

Posing with some of my gifts before dinner :)

Kevin's parents gave me the perfect birthday gift - money!  They told me to get something I wanted.  I have some bracelets I'm wanting to buy this Spring, so I'm putting that money in my bracelet fund!  

Back to my actual birthday, Krissy, Austin, and I went to the mall for lunch.  We had Chick Fil A, I let the kids play at the play place, and we had an m&m cookie from the cookie place before we left.  After that, we went to the elementary school to refill Hayden and Allie's lockers with snacks and deliver a little gift to Allie's class (she's star student this week).

Austin ate what Krissy didn't finish!

He had so much fun

They loved this slide.

My favorite cookies

I had planned to go to Texas Roadhouse for dinner, but when I called they said they'd have to split up our party of 10.  I said no thanks and picked O'Charley's who had no problem accommodating us.  I mentioned I had a strawberry cake and my dad hates strawberry cake - but if you didn't know, Wednesday you get free pie at O'charley's, so he got to enjoy apple pie while we all had cake.  And kids eat free all day, everyday.  Since when?!  So, all the kids ate for free and that was a wonderful surprise.  Everyone enjoyed all their food and we were "accidentally" served rolls twice (BRING THEM ON)!

Our attempt at a family picture...

Our group

Krissy fell asleep on the way home and we put her straight to bed.  Kevin went to bed as soon as we got home too (because he's working day shift this month and waking up at 4:25am).  The other kids put on their pjs and we turned on Hairspray Live.  I realized pretty quickly it wasn't really appropriate for kids (which disappointed me), and put the other kids to bed. 

Like I said, an all around perfect day!  Thanks to everyone that took time to wish me HBD!

Christmas Lake Overnight

Some of our favorite yearly Christmas traditions take place at my parents cabin at Christmas Lake Village in Santa Claus, Indiana!  Usually around my birthday, we shoot down mistletoe from my uncle's trees and I also mail our Christmas cards from the Santa Claus post office.  We also try to spend the night at their cabin, but some years we've missed that part.  

When we went up to the cabin in middle November for Christmas card pictures (another tradition we started back in 2012), the kids were so disappointed we didn't spend the night.  I promised them we would soon, so we did last weekend.  We kept it really simple - got dinner at the local grocery store, made chocolate lava cakes for dessert, and made an easy breakfast in the morning.  The best part was we packed really light (pillow/blankets/pjs/toothbrushes for everyone and that was it!).  I kept commenting on how nice it was to pack so light!  It's the first time we've gone and not had to bring diapers or a pack and play or a baby gate or anything else baby/toddler related.  The kids sat by the fire, watched Christmas movies on cable tv, played with all the toys, and it was actually relaxing and restful!  

I didn't snap as many pictures as I would have liked to but here are a few from the little overnight stay :)

Kevin, my dad, and Hayden shot down and collected the mistletoe.  One of the branches came down and they brought that back for me! :)

Kevin drove his truck up and we got this cute picture of him and Hayden by the main lake before we left Saturday.

This is where I did Christmas card pictures this year, so I wanted another picture there with their grandparents in the back ground. 

Sometimes unposed/candid shots are my favorite :)

Hayden found this little nest and "baby pumpkins" when he was getting mistletoe.  We've since clear coated it so it stays together and he can keep it!

Chocolate Lava Cakes

This past week, Momma was wanting some chocolate.... ever have that feeling or is it just me?  I had decided I'd make chocolate chip cookies, but was really sad to discover I only had about 1/4 of a bag of chocolate chips left.  I scrapped that idea and tried to come up with something else chocolatey I could make.  Then I remembered chocolate lava cakes and all the recipes I've seen for them.  Usually they make 2-4 small cakes, and I was thinking I probably had enough chocolate to make some!

There's about a million recipes for these cakes, but I went with the one from Pioneer Woman, because I always enjoy her cookin!   I should mention the recipe I've linked with is slightly different than the one I used.  I saw a few different variations of it (some use all bittersweet chocolate, some use 3 egg yolks, etc - but I'm sure the final result of all of them is delicious).

A couple notes... I love how fast this recipe is to whip up.  It literally takes a couple minutes.  You only use one mixing bowl too, and the dish doing hater in me loves that!  I also have these ingredients on hand 99% of the time, so you probably do too!  One thing you may not have are the ramkins, but you can use small glass bowls.  I splurged on some last month when I was on a pot pie kick, and I secretly love I can use them for this recipe too!  I bought mine at TJ Maxx, but you could probably go to any local goodwill/thrift shop and pick you up some too.  Or you could try coffee cups.  I've seen them used before.  I also used my food scale to measure out my 2oz of chocolate.  They are like $10 brand new and I promise you'd use it more than you thought, so add one to your Christmas list!

I haven't figured out how to serve them pretty yet - I always pull the bottom of the cakes off and out comes the chocolate lava!  This one baked 13 mins and it's a little runny for my taste..

Here's the recipe that I made!

Ingredients:

1 stick salted butter
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (approx 1/4C - I used Ghirardelli chocolate chips)
2 ounces semisweet chocolate  (approx 1/4C - I used Ghirardelli chocolate chips)
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
2 whole eggs 

2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spray four glass cups with baking spray and place on a baking sheet.

Microwave the butter, bittersweet chocolate and semisweet chocolate in a large bowl on high until the butter is melted, about 1 minute. Whisk until the chocolate is also melted. Stir in the sugar until well blended. Whisk in the eggs and egg yolks, then add the vanilla. Stir in the flour. Divide the mixture among the cups.

Bake until the sides are firm and the centers are soft, 15-16 minutes. Let stand 1 minute. Invert on individual plates while warm.  Serve with vanilla ice cream, whip cream, fruit, or whatever your little heart desires.  I love them most with fresh strawberries and whip cream!  They are amazing!

Right out of the oven

This one baked 18 mins and there wasn't much lava...

I made these for the kids this past weekend and they loved them!  (Krissy was busy making strawberry chocolate chip cookies and homemade bread - haha!)

Kids Christmas Tree

When we set up the "play room" for the kids, I decided it would be a great time to set up a Christmas tree for the kids.  I remember growing up, we had a small tree at the top of the stairs to put our ornaments on, and it was one of my favorite things!  I haven't taken the time to set up a tree filled with the kids ornaments for I'm guessing 3-4 years.

I had a pre-lit artificial tree in the garage, and I knew the lights were dead, but I decided I'd pull it out, take the dead lights off and that could become the kids tree.  I had no idea what an undertaking it was to pick lights off pre-lit trees.  I spent hours working on it (the problem was eachbranch of the tree had two little green snaps that connected the lights to the branches.  Each branch x2 is a lot of little plastic snaps!)  Kevin surprised me with my favorite Starbucks drink and that helped perk me back up.  My fingers were so sore, so when I thought I had finished, I was so excited to get the tree inside (I'd been working in the garage) and get the new lights on.  My joy was short lived because I spotted about 100 lights that I had missed.  But... I got them off, added the new lights, and the tree is beautiful!

I can't say that it was a fun job, but I didn't want to pay for a new tree when I knew the one we had was pretty.  I also decided I'd have a hard time ever buying a pre-lit artifical tree again!

All the ornaments are ones the kids have collected over the years!

Our "angels" on top were made back in 2010 (that was the size of their hands and feet that year!) - so it's probably time to update them and include 2 more angels!  I actually have a sewing project in mind, just don't know that I'll get it done before Christmas!

Pumpkin Spice Waffles

Pumpkin Spice Waffle + pecans

Back in July, I taught a preschool cooking class during Art Smarts camp at church.  I made 5 different recipes with the kids, and surprisingly, pumpkin waffles were everyone's favorite!  Let me start by saying I'm sorry I've had this recipe since July and I'm just now sharing it.  Also, I know we are past the pumpkin season, but I promise this recipe is great year around!

During cooking class, I'd write the recipe on the dry erase board so helpers and other teachers could snap a picture of the recipe and use it with their class or make it at home for themselves!  So, it seems only appropriate I share the recipe with you the same way.  

A couple notes:

• The recipe makes 4-5 waffles (if I remember correctly!).  If that seems like too many for you, make them and stick them in the freezer!
• Plug in your waffle iron first.  That should give it time to heat up while you make the batter.  
• Pumpkin Pie Spice is not something I keep on hand, and actually the day we made these during class, I forgot the spice, so I used cinnamon instead.  They were excellent!  So use what you have - don't feel like you need to buy the spice just to make the recipe.  
• The batter will be thick, so you'll need to slightly spread it out in your waffle iron.
• It says 3 minutes cooking time, but each iron is different.  3-5 mintues cooking time may be more accurate!
• Add mix ins!  I've made them with chocolate chips (they don't need syrup if you do them this way!) and pecans and both were so good!

Cute Krissy eating her waffle at church camp!

Perfect and Plain

 

 The chocolate chip version!

It's Beninning to Look A lot Like Christmas

Happy December!  It took me longer to get in the Christmas spirit this year than usual.  (Usually November, I'm itching to put out decorations.)  I purchased the Lauren Daigle Christmas CD on iTunes in mid November and that's when I finally felt ready to kick off the holiday season!  Btw, it's a great CD if you're looking to add one to your Christmas music collection!

Since then, I've taken pictures for Christmas cards, ordered & addressed Christmas cards, decorated the house, found some new recipes I want to try, shopped online for gifts, and bought wrapping paper!  I'm certain this really is the best time of the year!  Hope you're enjoying it too!

Here's a look at some of my decorations.  I'm 100% sure less is more... and all of our decorations fit in 3 plastic tubs.  Easy set up, easy take down.  (I haven't put out my Christmas ornaments in years, and will probably wait another year - maybe two - before I get them out.  They are all in a container too, so technically we have more than 3 tubs!)  Also 95% of my decorations are kid friendly - so all the kids helped me decorate and I didn't have to worry about them breaking anything!

One of my favorite nativity sets!  Baby Jesus has been man handled a lot this year by Austin :)

I'm so thankful we have a mantle!  It's one of my favorite things to decorate!

The cutest pair of deer!

I've always adored Annalee cats and the Christmas ones are my favorite!  I've got a little collection I put on top of my china cabinet!  (Along with some really cute trees I got from the Christmas store in Santa Claus!)

Our bear gets a Santa hat.

Hello Beautiful!  Our tree!  The girls and I picked it out the day after Thanksgiving (and got a Starbucks).  We got it from the Boy Scouts and I was really impressed with the service!  It's a Frasier Fir and it's probably the most beautiful tree we've ever had!

Changing Rooms

We've been talking about bunking the kids up in bunk beds for months.  All the kids were excited about the idea and looking forward to having some room in their rooms to play.   (And I was excited to have all their toys out of the family room and in one spot!)  The room situation was:  Hayden & Austin shared a room and Allie & Krissy shared a room.  One night it dawned on me, why don't we bunk them all in the same room and have one whole room for a play room instead of having a boys and girls room.  I ran the idea by Kevin and he thought it was a great idea.  Then, I ran the idea past the kids, and they wanted it done that day.

I was thinking in my head that after the first of the year we'd move them, but Kevin was so on board with the idea it happened this past weekend!  Let's be honest... I'm the one full of ideas and he's the one that makes my ideas reality.

We know this probably won't be our permanent room set up, but I can't even tell you how excited the kids are about this arrangement.  They came home from school on Monday and asked if they could go to bed! Ha!  I'm having to lay down the law about staying in bed when lights go out... and only 1 person in the top bunk at a time - Krissy and Austin are the ones that have the hardest time with the rules.  Thanksgiving was the perfect time to move them.  I was feeling very thankful about what great friends they are, so it was exciting for all them to be roomies.

The play room is a work in progress.  I've got some storage ideas for this room, but they will probably have to wait until the first of the year before they become reality!  Basically... waiting for Kevin to get some time off! :) 
The bedroom will get a couple small additions - pictures on the wall, maybe curtains, but it's pretty much done!

I found the solid oak coffee table in the middle of the room at Goodwill this weekend.  It was $8.  I envisioned the kids playing at it, coloring, playing cars and playing barbies on it.  I loved the height and the rounded corners and did I mention the price tag!

Allie's Baptism

Several weeks ago during breakfast, Allie said, "I want Jesus in her heart, not the devil.  When can I get baptized?"  Back in February when Hayden got baptized, she kept saying she wanted baptized too, but Kevin and I decided to give it some time and let her come to the decision on her on, not because Hayden just did.  Well, her proclamation during breakfast led us both to believe she was ready.

After she left for school that morning, I called the church to see about getting her baptized.  They highly recommended she do the baptism class our church offers.  The purpose of the class is to explain baptism, explain that we will still make mistakes, explain that getting baptized just annoucnes we know we need Jesus - all good things, right?  Well we waited until November for the class, but due to the loss of the Rinehart family, classes were cancalled, but our plans of baptism were still on.

We met with the family pastor after school last week and he walked through the class with Allie.  He did a great job, and at the end Allie was still sure she was ready to be baptized.  Kevin has been working most Saturdays, so when we got word he was off the 26th, we planned for the baptism to happen that evening at church.

The day of her baptism she was so ready and excited to get to church.  She asked, "how much longer?" from the minute she woke up.  We let her get dressed and ready about 1 o'clock, but we weren't planning on leaving until 5.  We gave her a little silver cross necklace as a baptism gift, and she loved it.  As soon as we got to church, Allie and Kevin went back to get changed, while her little cheering crowd (family and friends) gathered near the baptistry.  Her baptism was the first thing to take place during service.  The pastor introduced Kevin and Allie, and Kevin spoke about Allie.  She was quick and loud to answer the questions Kevin asked (Do you believe that Jesus is the son of God?  Do you accept him as Lord and Savior of your life?) and it made people giggle.  At the end when I went back to help her get changed, I was telling her what a good job she did and she said, "Mr. Andrew (the pastor) told me to talk loud so everyone could hear me." 

After church we celebrated at Cracker Barrel (Allie's choice).  We ate, she opened a few gifts, and then we had cake.  She had requested chocolate cake with chocolate icing.  The ganache was my idea, and it was a good one!

I wanted to make her a cake topper she could keep - so I decided to do an ornament.  I burned her bible verse on a slice of birch wood and added a little paint around the edges to give it some color.

Allie took my camera and went around taking pictures of people. 

Since she's been baptized, she's made lots of cute comments, like, "When I turn 7, I'm not going to ask for any gifts for my birthday,"or "I'll never do bad things again."  I just smile and help her navigate through her thoughts.  And I let her know she will mess up and do bad things, but we all do, and that's ok, and we will always love her, and God loves her more than we do.  And she gets it.  As much as a 6 year old girl can.

Thoughts

Yesterday was supposed to be a day of celebrating.  Allie has decided to accept Jesus into her heart, and we were scheduled to go to a baptism class at church.  That evening, Kevin and I had a date night planned to celebrate us meeting on that blind date 12 years ago.  But before the day could begin, I received an urgent sounding text from a friend.  Then she called.  David, our worship pastor at church (for most of my life), his mom, and one of his daughters, Sophie, had passed away in a tragic car accident on the interstate.  One daughter had survived and was being life flighted.  It's really hard to wrap your mind around such unexpected loss, and I wasn't even close to the family. 


I sat on the couch, trying to process what I had been told.  As I sat there, I remembered the prayer I had said the night before during communion at church.  I don't remember my exact words, but it was something like 'Lord, help me get my priorities straight.  I feel like at the end of most days I've run around like a crazy woman, but haven't accomplished anything.  I'm not prioritizing my time with You, and I know I need to.  Shake up something in my life to get my attention back on you.'  Then I realized this was indeed the shake up I had just prayed about the night before.

Allie and I went to church thinking we'd still be attending the baptism class, but when we got there, they had cancelled all classes, and turned the scheduled church service into a worship service.  I've never experienced anything quite like it.  All of us, in one room, so saddened by what had happened, yet all standing, most of us with hands lifted and tears running down our face, and cracked voices singing:

 "Oh praise the one 

who paid my debt 

and raised this life up 

from the dead."

The worship was so genuine.  We sang Cornerstone and 10,000 Reasons too.  I'm glad Allie was able to experience that with me.  She, worshiping with her hands in the air, was indeed more moved by that service than she would have been by the baptism class.


These three people, three generations, were Christ followers.  Their deaths will serve as a reminder of His death for me, and I continue to pray that it changes me forever.  More personal devotion and worship, more thanksgiving, more patience,  more love, more acceptance.  I was such a fan of the daughter Sophie and her amazing singing abilities.  So much so, I'd periodically check her instagram to see if she'd posted any new singing videos.  Her instagram is flooded with young people speaking to her amazing character and how love was the only language she knew.  David too, was a steadfast, solid worship leader for so many of my growing up years. 

Yesterday felt heavy.  But it also felt like a great place to start a new chapter in my life.  A closer relationship with Jesus, a purposeful marriage, more intentional mothering, and invested friendships.   My bible reading today took me to 1 Corinthians 1:4-9.  "I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.  For in him you have been enriched in every way - with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge - God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you  Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gifts as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.  He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.  God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." 

Allie's Poodle Skirt

Several weeks ago I got a letter in the stack of papers Allie brings home from school.  It was letting us know they'd be celebrating the 50th day of school by wearing 50s styled clothing, having ice cream floats, doing a bubble gum blowing contest, and talking about the number 50!  Talk about a fun day!

I knew immediately Allie needed a poodle skirt.  At that point in the month I also hadn't decided on her Halloween costume, so I figured if I was going to put time and money into making a poodle skirt, she could wear it for Halloween too!

My aunt made me a poodle skirt when I was in junior high, and it was the best looking poodle skirt I'd ever seen.  I knew I wanted Allie's to look like mine, so I did my best to make that happen!

I found all my material at Hobby Lobby and spent just under $18.  I also made a crinoline skirt to put under the poodle skirt to keep it full looking.  I love how it turned out.  It's the perfect length, the poodle is just as adorable as the one my aunt put on mine, and I'm thrilled Krissy will get her turn to wear it in 2 years!

I splurged on the gold jacket... it's from Target.