Erin-Go-Blog

Happy Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T10:04:00.003-06:00

Made these Cinnamon Roll Scones for our special Valentine's breakfast. Super duper tasty!

Marbled Paper

2012-02-14T10:01:00.003-06:00

We marbled paper with our homeschool group last Friday. The papers turned out fantastic and the kids truly enjoyed making them. I looked at a bunch of marbling tutorials on the web, but finally settled on following this one because of kid-friendliness and because it was easy on the wallet. It's very messy, but fun. Highly recommended!

Another List

2012-02-09T20:55:00.000-06:00

1. I like lists. I have notebooks filled with them. I happen to really like posting in lists lately. So neat and organized and structured. Makes me feel like I'm structured. Ha!

2. I give myself a big, fat F for exercise this week.

3. I drank my first cup of coffee this morning in weeks (months?). Delicious. I've got my inner happiness/ calm/ peace back just like that. Though Tazo's Wild Sweet Orange tea was getting me awfully close to my inner-yogi.

4. I'm feeling fine. My belly hurts sometimes--round ligament sort of achy-pain. I am sometimes sitting and reading books to the kids and I start to feel contractions. I don't remember contractions this early with the other pregnancies, but I'm sure it is normal. Who knows? I'm getting older, its my fifth pregnancy, my uterus is tired and knows it needs to start whipping itself into shape starting immediately? I'll ask at my next appointment for sure.

5. We had the most awesome dinner tonight. Chicken Gyros. I made the chicken as the recipe suggests. I mostly followed the recipe for the tzatziki sauce. I didn't strain the yogurt and I omitted the cucumbers and served them sliced on the side instead. Other toppings included red onions, tomatoes, feta cheese, pepperoncini, kalamata olives, shredded lettuce and sliced bell peppers. Really delicious. We were all licking our plates--Gus literally did.

6. I tried to pickle my own pepperoncini this past summer. We love to eat them! The final product tasted good, but the seeds inside were all black and gross, instead of white and firm. I'd like to try again this next summer, but I should probably wait a year. I am going to be pretty busy around harvest time. If you have thoughts about canning these peppers, I'd love to hear them!

7. I am reading the My Father's Dragon trilogy to Gus and Isabel. Really, really adorable and a great chapter book for little kids because it has pictures. We all love it.

8. I just finished reading A Wrinkle in Time to Claire and Lily tonight. It was every bit as magical and amazing as I remember. It was my favorite book for a long time when I was a girl. Such a good adventure! I cried at the end. The girls think I am a sap. I kissed them and hugged them tight and sent them off to bed.

Happy Birthday Gussy!

2012-02-02T15:57:00.000-06:00

Six Things

2012-01-26T14:57:00.002-06:00

1. I have been the crabbiest, crabby-pants for weeks now. I'm surprised that my family hasn't staged a coup. I need to work finding some inner-happiness/ peace/ contentment. Very yoga of me, I know.

2. Isabel left yesterday afternoon with my parents to visit my sister's family in Iowa. I miss her. I think everyone misses her. I'm sure that she is having a fabulous time.

3. We have a busy upcoming weekend. Again. Our winkle's Epiphany Party tomorrow. Celebrate Gus' birthday a day late Saturday (he's turning 3!). Sunday is our church's annual Soup Dinner fundraiser. Busy. Lots of eating. Groan.

4. I haven't taken a single photograph since the Sunday School Christmas Program. I'm feeling guilty. The camera is coming out this weekend.

5. My pants are getting tight. I asked Chris this morning if it was acceptable for me to wear pajama pants all day. I can't wait for the box-o-maternity-goods to come from Iowa.

6. Operation Homeschool Week hasn't gone very well. Do you think it has been less than successful because the teacher is the crabbiest, crabby-pants? I do.

List

2012-01-18T12:26:00.001-06:00

(1) We were sick for Christmas. We are sick every Christmas. Advent viruses were triumphant in the end, despite us being fairly laid back the month of December. I cooked frozen pizzas for Christmas Eve dinner. I burned them too. An awful meal to celebrate the birth of Christ. Next year, I need put something nice in the freezer earlier in the month (when we are not sick) that I can reheat on December 24th.

(2) I felt doubly sick at Christmas because I am pregnant. Excited. Nervous. Scared. Happy. I'm due in the middle of August. Chris is rooting for another daughter. :) The nausea is finally going away. I can't wait for my appetite to return. I haven't eaten really well in weeks.

(3) My Mom and Dad took care of us on Christmas Day. I was able to take a long nap and wake up to a ham dinner. Christmas was saved!

(4) We went to Michigan to visit with Chris' family between Christmas and New Year's. We visited the Henry Ford Museum, reminisced while watching slides, ate too much, played with cousins and celebrated my in-law's 45th wedding anniversary. Our 11th anniversary fell over our trip too. We didn't realize it until lunchtime when someone else pointed it out. Happy Anniversary!

(5) I've enjoyed our mild winter. Those spring-like days in early January were awesome! Our children, however, were desperate for snow. It finally arrived last week. The sleds have already made up for lost time.

(6) I've been very tired, but have somehow managed to continue running three times a week on the treadmill. I hope to keep it up as long as I can!

(7) Spent a day/ overnight at a local indoor waterpark with friends last week. We had a great time. 3 of the 4 kids fell asleep on the 25 minute drive home. The rest of our day was lethargic. I think that everyone was tired!

(8) Homeschool has felt sluggish. Mostly due to me. We have had number of staccato-ed weeks due to other commitments. Next week is the first full 5 day week we will have had since early December. I'm looking forward to turning over a new leaf!

Chris - went to the ordination of a college friend on Epiphany.. It seems all his good friends from college were there and he had a great time. He is currently at Doxology. I can't wait for him to return this evening! We've all missed him! I think that he is looking forward to getting back into a fuller schedule too.

Claire - had her first swim meet the weekend before Christmas. It was pretty fun! She swam the 50 free. Her goggles slipped off half-way through. Bummer! She has been very helpful and sisterly lately. Maybe she sensed that I needed a bit extra help? She's growing up! :(

Lily - has really taken off with her reading. Right before Christmas I was always catching her with a nose in a book and it has been difficult to keep her bedside pile well stocked. Yeah!

Isabel - has been coloring, coloring, coloring. And if she is not coloring, she is painting. In her free time she has really wanted to learn to read, insisting that we do lessons almost everyday. She is the youngest one I have taught. She is doing really well...we will see!

Gus - meanders from room to room, checking out what everyone else is doing. He isn't great at independent play. I try to keep him busy. He likes to be read to and help out with chores. He is my sidekick. However if he isn't at my side, he's usually found trouble. :)

Sunday School Christmas Program

2011-12-12T09:25:00.000-06:00

Why do we even try to take pictures of our children all together? Hysterically funny. I'm still laughing about this sequence of photos.

These were taken right before the Sunday School Christmas Program which was yesterday afternoon. All of the children did a great job learning their parts and singing.

Messiah

2011-12-12T09:13:00.001-06:00

My husband sang in our community's performance of Handel's Messiah this past Saturday. We got gussied up and went out before hand to our favorite local place. The 150 member choir sang with a 37 member orchestra. It was pretty amazing and my husband loved it--learning his part, the practices, the tux and the performance. I am sure that he will do it again.

My parents came up for the weekend. They arrived on Saturday afternoon in time to make dinner and babysit the kids while we went to the Messiah. We went to church and Bible Class together Sunday morning. We put up our tree and baked cookies while we watched the Packer game in the afternoon. They stayed to see the Sunday School Christmas Program and went home after dinner. It was a busy, but fun weekend! It went by too fast.

Bye Bye Northwoods

2011-12-12T09:02:00.000-06:00

Finally done this past weekend! My dad hung up the mirrors which he had salvaged from a job site years ago. I love how it turned out. So much better than Northwoods!

Christmas Preparations

2011-12-06T15:23:00.001-06:00

I made it. Cute, no?

I always knew that Spritz were a Christmas cookie with German origins, but I Wikipediaed it this year curious to learn more. Spritzgebaeck. Awesome!

Made some trees with Gus and Izzy.

Made this for my Mom. Canning jar, 50 count light string, potpourri, coordinating cloth and lid. Force it all together!

Meal Plan

2011-12-05T15:55:00.001-06:00

1. Enchiladas, lettuce, fresh salsa
2. Mushroom Burgers w/ blue cheese mayonnaise, veggies
3. Pea Soup, bread
4. Chicken Wings, veggies, apples
5. Pork Chops, salad w/ apples, pecans and dried cranberries
6. Chili, corn bread

My Favorite Cleaning Product

2011-11-21T14:05:00.001-06:00

I don't clean. He does.

Parent Teacher Conference: A Personal Reflection

2011-11-19T09:00:00.000-06:00

1. School overall has been going well. We have been making progress and reading lots of books. The girls and I went through a very hard time the first few weeks (months?), but we have worked it mostly out. I had some pivotal epiphanies about my daughters, how they are very different from each other and how differently they learn. Its tricky, this homeschooling thing we do.

2. I, as teacher, have done a few things differently this year. Namely. planning out our lessons and ordering books from the library on weekends. Planning takes me about an hour to finish. That hour of time saves me hours of time throughout the week. I also make a very strident effort to only focus on teaching during the morning. I try to not open my computer, turn off my phone and pretend that my home is calm, clean and organized until lunchtime. By noon, the bulk of our lessons are done (math, English, Latin and piano) and the afternoon/ evening is housework, pleasure reading, science and history.

3. I need to start specifically spending more time with Gus and Isabel. Not schooling them, but consciously sitting down and playing with them and reading picture books. They are not completely ignored during the day, but I feel like my focus is only on the big girls. I should come up with a few activities that would be special and enjoyable for them to do during the hectic morning hours.

4. I, as mother and wife, have also done a few things differently this year. I've been better about meal planning and preparation. I want to further reduce the number of times I go grocery shopping every month (it is such a chore now--I never used to mind doing it!) I've had a better system to get laundry done in a timely manner. I have also been regularly running again since school started after a lazy summer off (3 times a week, usually in the afternoon during Netflix time). I am a better person when I work out. It seems paradoxical, adding yet another thing to my schedule to help me stay organized, focused and sane, but it works.

5. The pace of our lives is busier than it has ever been. I'm not sure why this year seems so drastically different. We have something on the calendar almost every day. Its crazy, but there isn't really anything we can cut out. I can feel my heart quicken every time I flip the calendar to peek at our already packed December.

6. I'm tired right now. Keeping this pace is exhausting. I need to specifically plan more 4 day school weeks and time away from [insert large, all-encompassing motion] all of this.

Art Project: Abstract Watercolor

2011-11-18T14:29:00.001-06:00

I led a group of homeschool friends in this art project today. I think that these watercolor paintings turned out fantastic! Fantastic enough to overpower the cuteness that is my Bon Appetit bunting (a la Lauren). Love my cute kitchen!

Sweaty

2011-11-18T08:39:00.001-06:00

My fellow patrons at Jo-Ann Fabrics this past Wednesday were all super-seamstresses. The kind of women (like Jan or Gail) who could make something gorgeous on their sewing machines while simultaneously sleeping. These women intimidate me. They make my armpits sweaty while I wait 14 deep at the cutting counter. They look at my cart filled with beginner notions and cotton cloth and judge me (I know that you do it Jan!).

On top of my insecurities, my four children were with me. They were being very, very good, but it was the middle of the day on a Wednesday. I was getting the "what are your obviously healthy, school-aged children doing home in the middle of the day" look. I was getting the "are those all her children?" look and the "she's one of those people" look.

I finally made it to the cutting table after 10 or 15 minutes of waiting and constantly being stared at by the judgmental-sewers. I was sure that they all had noticed the sweat rings developing on my dark shirt. I needed help picking out interfacing. The woman working, a effortlessly hip youth named Elisha, looked at me like I was from Planet Have-Too-Many-Kids-Moron. "I'm new here. I don't know anything. You're going to have to ask my manager, Diane. She's back in Yarn."

ARGH!

My kids were starting to lose it at this point. "Are we almost done?" I was irritated and ready to be done myself. I thought that this entire errand would take 10 or 15 minutes. However, unbeknownst to me, everyone in the metro-Milwaukee area was buying crafties at Jo-Ann Fabrics on this particular Wednesday. Gus bit Isabel out of frustration (how is that even possible?) and the girls started arguing about something stupid, like which fabric was prettier. I think I said BE QUIET! in a mean, quiet voice for the gazillionth time.

I found Diane. She told me which interfacing I needed. I got back into the monsterously long line for the cutting counter, and the sweat started really dripping because of my areobic activity pushing the cart in circles around this place. I asked myself "why is the heat up so friggin' high in this choatic, disorganized craft store????" And then we made eye contact. A skirt-wearing woman got in line behind me.

"I had four children too. They are such a blessing. This is my youngest. The time goes so fast. You really have to treasure these moments."

Grrrr.

Elisha cut my stupid interfacing. I proceeded to the check-out where my children were immediately drawn to the impulse candy section like insects to a bug-zapper. I think that the entire event may have actually transpired in slow-motion like I remember it.

"Geeeettt aaaawaaayy froooomm thaaat stuuuffff!"
"Moooommmm, caaan weee geeet theeeeeseeee?"

[Candy spills all over the floor. Judgemental-sewer rolls eyes and looks on disapprovingly. My armpits gush.]

Braatens

2011-11-10T15:04:00.001-06:00

Our good friends the Braatens came to visit two weeks ago. We had a pretty fabulous time.

We didn't do much outside of our normal routine. We got our kids dressed and fed. We made a trip to the library and read books on the couch. We went to the park. Lauren and I made, and cleaned up dinner. Our time together was familial and good.

We are so thankful for friends who like to laugh, talk late into the night, do crafts, and raid the Trick-or-Treat stash with us after the kids are all tucked into bed.

But most importantly, we are thankful for such lovely, wise and Lutheran friends. They are friends that comfort and counsel, and know just what to say because they get it. They get what matters to us most. Our friendship is a blessing.

Meal Plan Monday

2011-11-07T08:50:00.003-06:00

In an effort to be more efficient, I've decided to try grocery shopping and meal planning for two weeks instead of one. Eventually I'd like to stretch the time period to 3 or 4 weeks. I'll see how it goes.

1. Lentil Soup, bread
2. Macaroni and Cheese, apples and salad (Pam Anderson is awesome)
3. Italian Wedding Soup, bread
4. Reuben sandwiches
5. Cheddar Bacon Ale Dip, homemade pretzels, veggies
6. Smoked Pork Steaks, BBQ sauce, roasted brussel sprouts, mashed potatoes
7. Hamburgers with onion jam, salad
8. Chicken Parmesan, salad
9. Split Pea Soup, bread
10. Fish, baked french fries, coleslaw
11. Angel Chicken, brown rice, veggies
12. Enchiladas, salsa, shredded lettuce, cilantro
13.Onion Soup, bread, fruit, veggies
14. Pot Roast, potatoes, carrots, green beans

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T12:08:00.001-05:00

Cleopatra (with dental hardware, so cute!)

Athena

Owl

Construction Worker

Owl Pellets

2011-10-31T10:18:00.001-05:00

My kids have a fascination with owls. All of them. We get all sorts of books about owls. The big girls love the Ga'Hoole series and the little kids love the book about Owls by Gail Gibbons.

A friend gave us some owl pellets and Lily, my flower who doesn't like getting her fingers dirty, couldn't wait to dig in!

"Mom! I found another skull! A femur! Look at this bone!"

She found 3 skull in her pellet. They were carefully washed, dried and now rest with her other treasures.

Meal Plan Monday

2011-10-24T12:05:00.000-05:00

1. Moo Shu Pork
2. Roasted Corn Pizza w/ cilantro, lettuce and salsa
3. Lentil Soup, bread, apples
4. Deluxe Grilled Cheese, veggies w/ dip
5. Chicken Noodle Soup, pumpkin pie
6. Spaghetti, salad, garlic bread
7. Cajun Clam Chowder, bread

Breakfast recipes to try:
1. Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal
2. Sun-Dried Tomato Jam

Pumpkin Farm

2011-10-21T17:18:00.001-05:00

Fall Trek

2011-10-20T21:30:00.000-05:00

Each fall our family takes a day trip west to the marsh to see the geese and cranes as they fly through Wisconsin on their way south. Our first stop is in Teresa, Wisconsin to the Widmer Cheese factory. It is very small and unassuming, but they make the best brick and cheddar cheese!

These are the brick cheese curds (cubes). I feel 9 again when I eat them. We also bought a six year white cheddar that we are saving to eat with friends who are coming to visit soon. I feed all my house guests cheese. What can I say? I'm a cheese-head at heart.

Our next stop is the Horicon Welcome Center. We read the displays, watch the liberal environmentalist video clips and chat with Harold. Harold volunteers at the Center to answer vistors questions. We see him every year. I'm not sure why he remembers us. Crazy couple with lots of kids? Maybe we are memorable.

Then on to view the marsh! There is nothing particularly special about the marsh, but it is big and there is a lot of water, reeds, muskrats and birds. Its a marsh!

We walked on this floating boardwalk through the marsh this year. Our family gave it mixed reviews. I think we will return to our usual trail next year.

We made the kids pose for a picture. They were thrilled about looking into the setting sun.

On the return trip we stop at an orchard to stock up on apples and cider and arrive home to a time-baked meal. A perfect fall tradition!

2010

2009

2007/ 2007

Future Pastor?

2011-10-17T09:31:00.001-05:00

Baby cradle lectern? Check.

Upside down hymnal? Check.

Marble-works microphone? Check.

He calls this playing "Bible Class". I have seen him playing it more than once. Melts my heart.

Meal Plan Monday

2011-10-17T09:23:00.002-05:00

1. Cauliflower Gratin, applesauce, salad
2. Potato Leek Soup, bread
3. Chili, corn bread
4. Omelets, smoothies
5. Pulled Pork Sandwiches, coleslaw
6. Pizza
7. Roasted Chicken, potatoes, green beans, blueberry bread pudding

Meal Plan Tuesday

2011-10-11T11:18:00.003-05:00

So, I'm a day late. Sorry about that. One of last week's meals is repeated in this list because we have been sick and our appetites have been quiet.

1. Gyozas, stir-fried veggies
2. Reuben sandwiches, veggies and dip
3. Chicken, Broccoli, and Wild Rice Casserole (yuck!)
4. California Soup, fruit
5. Pork Chops with Bacon and Cabbage, brown rice
6. Hot Spinach Dip with bread, veggies and apples
7. Beef Roast, baked potatoes, salad

Baking to-do this week:
1. Banana Scones with Brown Sugar Glaze
2. Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies

Pattern Play

2011-10-04T15:08:00.000-05:00

I love this puzzle we have called Pattern Play.

Isabel has been working on the easier puzzle cards lately. It is very challenging for her, but problem solving can never start too soon in my book. I love all of the colorful wooden pieces. Aren't they fabulous?

Meal Plan Monday

2011-10-03T11:52:00.000-05:00

1. BLT's, applesauce
2. Italian Wedding Soup, bread
3. Cornish Pasties, salad
4. Baked Potatoes w/ toppings, salad
5. Gyozas (wrappers here), stir-fried veggies
6. Pizza, applesauce

Misc.

2011-09-30T09:00:00.000-05:00

It has been busy around here. Each week is a circuit of school, library trips and piano lessons. I have been planning menus and lessons each weekend, which dramatically helps the week run more efficiently.

I have been trying to fix up the Northwoods bathroom since June. I have kicked it up a notch the past few weeks, and I see the project's completion on the horizon. Currently the walls are primed and the cabinetry and trim have all painted the same creamy white as the kitchen cabinetry. Orange walls this weekend! I still have to buy some new hardware. I am experiencing a sort of crisis between choosing polished chrome and antiqued bronze. Stay tuned for before and after pictures!

Claire started Swim Team this past week. She dove off of the blocks for the first time yesterday. I just about died anticipating the worst. She dove off like a pro. She loves swimming and has already has made friends with a few of the other 9 year old girls on the team.

Meal Plan Monday

2011-09-26T14:07:00.000-05:00

After a long hiatus, Meal Plan Monday returns...hopefully long term.

1. Country ribs with sauerkraut (did you know that my kids LOVE sauerkraut?), applesauce, carrots
2. Corn Chowder with Chilies, bread
3. Beef Stir Fry with broccoli
4. Chicken Pot Pie
5. Bean Burritos
6. Lasagna, salad
7. Chicken Wings, veggies

Moving Dirt

2011-09-24T17:37:00.000-05:00

"Mom, I need to go move dirt."

Don't you love how he posed all American Gothic for me?

School Days

2011-09-20T16:21:00.002-05:00

We started school a number of weeks ago and it is going very well. The first weeks were difficult, our lazy flesh undisciplined after a summer off, but we have settled into a nice routine that seems easier every day.

-Finish Saxon 5/4, start Saxon 6/5

-Shurley 4

-Daily Handwriting Practice

-Latina Christiana

-Piano

-Finish Saxon 2/ start Saxon 3, supplement with Brain Quest Math 2 flashcards

-read to mom or siblings daily

-Copywork/ Handwriting - Small Catechism

-Prima Latina

-Piano

Together the girls and I will finish Story of the World 3 and Apologia's Anatomy and Physiology.

When the girls come home from Matins, we start our day reading science and history snuggled on the couch. After we move to the dining room table to complete everything else. We are usually done with our book learning by 1:00 or 2:00pm, depending on how focused and motivated we are.

Quincy Mine

2011-09-19T15:39:00.000-05:00

When we were on vacation in August our family took a day trip north to visit the Quincy Mine in Hancock, MI. My husband went to Michigan Tech University in Hancock for a few semesters before transferring to Concordia River Forest. It was fun to drive through the town and see the places that he has told me stories about.

The mine itself was uber fascinating. Here is a promotional video I found on YouTube.

The tour started inside the Hoist Building, where the steam engines that raised the lowered the ore and workers out of the ground were located. The building itself was enormous because the hoist is the largest steam hoist in the world, sitting on top of the largest reinforced concrete engine foundation ever poured! It was an engineering marvel when it was built in 1919, but in order to appeal to investors it was also designed to be beautiful. The interior was covered with white subway tiles and shiny brass fixtures. Swoon.

We then took a ride on the cog-wheel train down the hill to the mine tour entrance. The miners would have gone into the mine vertically, but they have accessed the mine horizontally for tour purposes.

We are so glad that we went. It was so enjoyable to learn about this particular place and time in history. I don't know that we will ever have reason to go back to the UP, but if ever we were nearby, I would take another tour of the mine in a heartbeat.

Pictures, Cake and Presents

2011-08-27T14:03:00.000-05:00

We have a tradition of looking through photo albums on birthdays and anniversaries. It is a good tradition. We made it from Claire's birth to Lily's birth last night. So many good memories!

Claire requested a peanut butter cake for her birthday cake. I used the cake recipe from here and the frosting recipe from here, and together the cake was amazingly good. I whipped up a half recipe of both to make a 6-inch two layer cake, instead of an 8-inch or 9-inch two layer cake. The baby cake is so cute and the perfect size for a party.

Kyle and Grace called just as we were lighting the candles. So they sang Happy Birthday with us.

Presents were opened after cake. Claire received a package of Smencils per recommendation. An impromptu smell test started.

Fail!

Pass!

Happy Birthday Mom! Happy Birthday Claire!

Happy Birthday Claire

2011-08-26T09:45:00.002-05:00

On the evening before her birthday Claire is always a jumble of emotions. She is very excited for the festivities, having anticipated the day by creating possible menus and lists of gifts for weeks. On the other hand, she is usually sad, mourning the loss of another year of her childhood.

She told me a few weeks ago that she would like to stay eight forever. I smiled, kissed her, and told her that sometimes I think the exact same thing.

Here's to being nine Claire! May your year be full of laughter and adventure!

Vacation

2011-08-19T15:51:00.001-05:00

We got back from our annual camping trip with my husband's family last Saturday. It was good to get away, but even better to sleep on my own mattress again. :)

Garlic Dill Pickles

2011-08-05T13:22:00.000-05:00

My neighbor Andy, who is a Renaissance Man if I ever knew one, gave me his recipe for pickles last summer. Because all his recipes are golden I made a batch. The pickles turned out great--crunchy, garlicky goodness!

Garlic Dill Pickles

2 quarts water
1 pint vinegar
1/2 c salt
2 T sugar
garlic cloves, peeled - 2 or 3 per quart jar
dill* - 1 or 2 heads per quart jar
pickling cucumbers

Bring brine to boil and pour over packed jars. Place into hot water bath (already hot) and return to boil. Turn off heat and let stand to cool overnight. Remove jars. Check lids. Let cucumbers pickle for at least six weeks before opening.

*Andy freezes his dill. As soon as his dill is ready, he cuts off the heads and puts them in the freezer. He then takes them out as needed. I have not tried this yet, but because it is Andy's advice I'm sure it works.

County Fair

2011-08-05T09:59:00.001-05:00

We go to the County Fair every year and volunteer to staff the Lutherans for Life booth for a few hours. My husband's family has always been actively involved with Life groups and causes. I'm proud that my husband is continuing the tradition.

We had to pry the fetal models out of Isabel's arms. She would have cradled that baby all day if we would have let her.

A local non-denom church had a raffle for an ipod and was passing out cotton candy. That'll pack in the ~~pews~~ padded chairs!

Some guy had a remote control talking cow. He casually stood off to the side speaking into a microphone messing with all the kids. My children loved it and had no idea how it worked. Magical, corny, farm-style fun!

Dairy barn, my favorite!

Pygmy goats!

Ugly, featherless, long-necked chickens!

Corn dogs!

Kubotas!

Severely over-priced rides!

A really fun evening. It always is.

Home Tour: Porch

2011-07-29T12:07:00.000-05:00

This winter when I did the home tour, I did not photograph the porch. It was snowed in! Every summer our porch becomes an additional room of the house. We eat every meal outdoors and the kids like to play out here with their toys and board games. New homes have decks, and those are very nice, but I can't say how much I love the old fashioned charm of our porch. It is a feature of the parsonage I will miss if (when) we move away.

Cousins

2011-07-21T20:30:00.001-05:00

Cherries

2011-07-21T20:27:00.000-05:00

A pretty bucket of pies.

30 on the Fourth

2011-07-21T20:22:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Lily

2011-07-21T20:18:00.001-05:00

Visit

2011-06-27T14:00:00.002-05:00

I took exactly 6 pictures when our good friends came for a visit a couple of weeks ago. This is the only photo worth its salt. I was too busy laughing, eating, or corralling kids to even think of grabbing my camera.

Thank you for everything J and L. Our time together always goes too quickly.

Beach Morning

2011-06-27T10:58:00.000-05:00

Why do we have the beach to ourselves you ask? Because it is 64 degrees and a bit breezy.

Purplish-blue lips? Check.
Chattering teeth? Check.
Let's go swimming!

Porch Swing

2011-06-26T11:18:00.000-05:00

What We've Been Reading

2011-06-22T18:45:00.000-05:00

Chris - Undaunted Courage, Ambrose

Erin - Poisonwood Bible, Kingsolver

read-aloud to the big girls - From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, Konigsburg

Clarie - The Sword in the Stone, White

Lily - Mr. Putter books, Rylant

audiobook series the girls are listening to - Gaurdians of Ga'Hoole

Izzy - Maisy First Experiences series, Cousins and Rupunzel, Zelinsky

the picture book I always choose - All the World, Garton Scanlon

Gus - Roadwork, Sutton and Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, Burton

We are in a good place with books right now. Everyone curls up on the couch happily engaged to their respective stories. I breathe deeply on the afternoons after morning library trips. There is no sweeter aroma than children reading on the couch.

Bunnies

2011-06-22T16:18:00.001-05:00

We spend our time waiting for piano lessons to finish in our piano teacher's backyard. The entire time is usually spent feeding her bunnies dandelions or clover blossoms. Its a win win win situation, entertained children. well fed bunnies, and a weed free yard for our piano teacher.

Silhouette Project Complete

2011-06-14T14:37:00.012-05:00

Ta da! I love how the silhouettes turned out and how they look on the wall of our living room.

I followed instructions found in the comment of the Sutton Grace post found here. Pretty easy. You can do it!

Silhouette Project

2011-06-12T20:05:00.000-05:00

I have been feverishly cutting these silhouettes the past few days. I have to work fast when the inspiration moves me, as I never know when my sluggishness will return. I'll work on Gus' tonight and post the finished project sometime next week.

I love these profile pictures. So seriously posed!

Frozen Strawberry Lemonade

2011-06-06T21:12:00.000-05:00

In a blender combine:

1/4 c simple syrup
1/2 c lemon juice
1 pint frozen strawberries
some ice cubes

Pour deliciousness into a glass.
Drink through a straw.
Giggle when Lily says, in her little Lily voice, "Its like sweet and sour at the same time."

Memorial Day Parade

2011-05-31T14:10:00.000-05:00

I love the Gibson Tuck

2011-05-31T10:06:00.000-05:00

I may be obsessed with this style for summer.

Poppies

2011-05-26T17:03:00.003-05:00

I needed some flowers for my wall. I love the way these poppies turned out, they make me smile every time I see them. For art class inspiration I turn to two websites, that artist woman and Art Projects for Kids. Both of these women understand how to teach art to children and have lots of great ideas.

Out of the Camera

2011-05-25T15:28:00.000-05:00

A bug bite near her eye. She is obviously very sensitive to bug bites. She gets that from me.

Work it Iz.

The Pyramids.

The Sphinx.

Get out of the picture Isabel!

Can I help Mom? Lick it?

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

2011-05-24T16:44:00.001-05:00

I made these on Saturday morning because we were out of maple syrup. I will definitely make them again. Awesomeness on a plate! I adapted the recipe I found here.

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

For the Cinnamon Filling...
1 stick softened butter, almost melty
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 T. cinnamon

Using a rubber spatula to scrape the sides, pour this mixture into a large pastry bag or ziptop bag with corner cut.

If you melt the butter, the sugar will settle at the bottom of the mixture. NOT GOOD! It will clog the pastry bag and make a mess on your skillet.

For the Cream Cheese Icing...
2 cups powdered sugar
2 ounces cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
4 T. milk

Mix until smooth.

For the Pancakes...
3 c flour
3 T sugar
3 t baking powder
1 1/2 t baking soda
3 c buttermilk
1/2 c milk
3 eggs
1/3 c canola oil

Blend. Ladle batter unto skillet. Snip corner of pastry bag, swirl cinnamon filling onto pancake. Cook the pancake until bubbles form evenly through each cake. Gently flip each pancake over and cook on other side. Top with icing.

Turtle Playground

2011-05-17T14:29:00.000-05:00

Who knew that giant turtle sculptures could be so much fun?

The Arch

2011-05-13T14:56:00.001-05:00

We saved the Arch and the Westward Expansion Museum for our last day in St. Louis. It was a goofy, backwards way to do things, but I wanted to go to the Arch on Thursday so we could also attend a session of the Storytelling Festival that would be located inside the museum. The morning was beautiful and we enjoyed taking it all in. The Arch was breathtaking and the museum below was great. We studied Lewis and Clark for weeks prior to our vacation. The girls loved seeing posters and displays of things that they already knew. It was a privilege to witness their genuine excitement about American History.

While researching things to do on vacation I found the St. Louis Storytelling Festival on an events calendar somewhere on the web. We attended two of the sessions for children. Our family thoroughly enjoyed them both. I found a YouTube of one of the storytellers, Randall McGee. Here you go.

Cathedral Basilica Saint Louis

2011-05-11T13:35:00.005-05:00

Instead of going to the St. Louis Museum of Art, we went to the Cathedral Basilica Saint Louis. Our favorite exhibit at art museums is the religious artwork anyways. This church is a pretty special place. All of the ceilings and walls are completely covered in beautiful mosaics. The floor is intricate tile-work. It is completely and overwhelmingly gorgeous. I recommend a visit and be sure to call ahead and schedule a tour. Our tour guide was an older gentleman named Paul, a life long Catholic from the St. Louis area. He was great, patient with the wiggly kids and was very informative about the building.

St. Louis Zoo

2011-05-11T09:50:00.002-05:00

Early Tuesday morning we headed straight for the St. Louis Zoo. We wanted to be there early to take advantage of the free admission to the Children's Zoo, Carousel and Sting Ray exhibit during the first hour of operation. It was a lovely, sunny spring morning. I am sure that we were the first visitors to the Zoo. It was fun to have the place all to ourselves.

The Sting Ray exhibit was pretty awesome. Because I was elbow deep in salt water petting sharks and sting rays I wasn't able to take any pictures. All of us touched at least one. It was fabulous!

The goats in the Children's Zoo were pretty great.

This one like to be brushed a little too much. Yikes.

Playground.

Photo opportunities. Frameable? Not so much.

Tortoise!

Penguins!

Train ride! Choo-choo!

The Insectorium was my favorite exhibit. While some of the inhabitants were bone-chilling, these leaf cutter ants were so interesting to watch and learn more about.

The Butterfly Room was Izzy's favorite.

I highly recommend the St. Louis Zoo to anyone visiting. It is a treasure to the city of St. Louis. What a great place!

St. Louis Trip

2011-05-10T09:33:00.004-05:00

Last week Monday our family drove to St. Louis for a post-Easter family vacation. We picked St. Louis because it lies inside a radius of drivable locations, but we were very pleasantly surprised at the plethora of family friendly activities. We packed a lot of activity into our week, which included visiting some very dear friends. It was a great trip. We came home with our cups filled up, rested and joyful to return to everyday life here at home.

Our first stop was the seminary campus. We started at CHI, and browsed the exhibits on Durer and Muhlenberg. Chris and I would have loved to read everything, but the kids were ready to run around after being in the car all morning.

Isn't she cute?

We walked around the campus feeling suspiciously Fort Wayneish. The campus was very beautiful, but I am so glad that my husband picked the other seminary.

They were doing some work on campus. Gus loved the diggers.

After the campus tour, we needed to stock up on groceries for the week, and because this was our first big trip with our new smartphones we simply typed "walmart" into the map and found a store only 7 minutes away. It is so futuristic! The creepy female voice in the navigation feature told us exactly how to drive from the seminary campus to the store. We already loved our smartphones before the trip, but we giggled in awe and adoration about how easy it was to get around the city. We could have found groceries without smartphones of course, but it was a luxury being able to depend on the creepy female voice to chauffeur us around all week. She saved us a bunch of time and headaches.

I struggled to find affordable housing in St. Louis. Because we have a larger-than-most family, many hotels require us to stay in a suite or book two rooms. The best rate I could find in the downtown area was $200 a night, further out in suburbia the rate was $140 or $150. Taxes and fees would have pushed the nightly rate up higher. I called around. My my friend Adriane gave me the best lead. Her apartment community has furnished guest apartments for a very reasonable fee. The apartments are meant for lessees waiting for their apartment to open up, but others are allowed to stay if there is availability. We didn't stay in her apartment community, but were referred to another in the area. We rented a three story, 2 bedroom town house for $90 a night (no taxes). It was perfect and saved our family lot of money. Housing was by far our biggest expense, but I'm glad that we stayed there. It was clean and comfortable. It was the perfect sanctuary from our busy mornings, giving us the ability to come back to a quiet place and spread out for a restful afternoon before another busy evening out.

Taco night!

Here is the messy kitchen. It is our (my?) mess. It is the only picture I took. I'm embarrassed, but I wanted to include it anyway. Don't judge me.

More Vintage Pictures

2011-04-26T10:57:00.000-05:00

Speaking of Kyle looking like others...doesn't this picture of Dad look like Kyle with a full beard?

When you have two big sisters...

2011-04-25T16:11:00.004-05:00

When you have three big sisters...

2011-04-25T14:21:00.000-05:00

My Fave Things in the Kitchen

2011-04-11T16:04:00.001-05:00

I use this electric kettle all. the. time. If you don't have one, get one! No more waiting for the pot of water to boil, this baby gets water hot fast.

Until I can afford the real thing, my red pot is always the one I grab off the shelf.

Immersion blenders are awesome, especially to puree (gasp!) vegetables. My kids eat all sorts of vegetables pureed. They have no idea.

What are your favorite kitchen tools?

Makes Me Laugh

2011-04-09T10:35:00.000-05:00

Kristen and Walter twirling hair. So sweet.

Iowa Visit

2011-04-09T10:32:00.000-05:00

This past week the kids and I went to Iowa to spend some time with my sister and her newly expanded family. I'm not gonna lie, it was pretty crazy. But I'm so glad that I went. I think that I was helpful.

We went to visit some kittens and lambs on Wednesday. All the kids had a fabulous time running around the acreage for a bit.

Twins. I can't imagine.

The Sandbox Equation

2011-04-08T23:01:00.000-05:00

2 moms + 7 children = chaos

2 moms + 7 children + 1 sandbox = multiple hours of peace from chaos

Cake and Presents

2011-04-08T22:53:00.000-05:00

Saturdays have a special cadence at our house, and none of that cadence was lost on Isabel's birthday. Pancakes, cleaning and saunaing. What a day!

She requested make-your-own-mini pizzas for dinner.

Gus stuck his finger into the Parmesan cheese lid while I was preparing the pizza assembly station. We had to have the neighbor cut the lid apart with tin snips to get his finger out. That was fun. Thankfully his finger is fine.

Strawberry Cake: FAIL. However, my pink princess was very happy. So, I was happy too.

Happy Birthday Izzy.

Happy Birthday Isabel

2011-04-02T20:49:00.001-05:00

It was Palm Sunday. I was huge and swollen and had horrible heartburn after eating tacos for dinner with my family. I went to bed around 9:00pm feeling contractions, but being 41.5 weeks pregnant, that was normal. Around 9:45pm the contractions had not yet subsided, and were getting stronger and I nudged my sleepy husband to tell him I thought it might be game time. He asked "Wanna kill some time and clean the house with me?" We were expecting company for the baby's baptism Easter Sunday. Why not?

We laid down around 11:00pm after scrubbing the floors. Neither of us were tired, being much too excited to sleep. Before rolling over he said "I'm not taking you in until you are really, really ready. Hold out until you are sure that you are about 5 or 6 cm. We always go in way too early. Try to wait this time." "Okay." I told him. Around 12:30am I couldn't take it anymore. The contractions were regular and strong. I told him in a voice bordering on hysteria that it was time to go.

We arrived at the hospital around 1:30. The nurse checked me. I was 1 or 2 cm. 1 or 2 cm! My spirits sank. Chris was mad. He laid down on his cot, inserted his ear plugs, rolled over and put a pillow on top of his head. Instead of pitocin my doctor prescribed cytotec to get things moving along. The freshmen nurse placed a the pill on my cervix. She told me that the pill takes a long time to work and that women often need a second dose in a few hours. "Settle in. Relax. You are going to be here a while. Try to get some sleep. I'll come in few hours to check on you, but push the button if you need anything."

Within 30 minutes I was in serious pain. The contractions were coming fast and furious. I tried to keep calm in the darkened room. I didn't want to disturb my husband. He had a very busy week ahead of him. I figured nothing was happening downstairs anyways. Based on my previous two deliveries (both inductions with copious amounts of pitocin) my doctor said that if I was to labor naturally she thought I would have hard contractions for 36 to 48 (or more) hours. I grabbed my hips. I clenched my fists. Tears quietly streamed down my face. I endured it all alone, frustrated with my ridiculously small tolerance for pain. At 3:30am I moaned loud enough to wake my husband. He called the nurse in. I told her I was in excruciating pain. She said "I'll check you, but you are probably a good ways from being able to receive pain relief." She put on her glove. Checked me and her eyes popped out of her head. "I'll be back in just a minute." A more senior OB nurse came into the room. She checked me. "You are about 8 cm. I can feel your baby's head. It's too late for an epidural. Would you like a spinal?" "YES!"

What a relief. I wasn't crazy. I was so happy that the pain I had endured meant progress. Our baby was coming soon! The anesthesiologist came and the spinal was blissful numbness. I could feel my entire demeanor relax as the medicine spread. The sun was just rising outside. My doctor arrived just as I was feeling the urge to push. She spoke so calmly. She had me change positions and get ready. I did not push for very long, maybe one or two pushes and our baby girl was born.

This Boy

2011-03-31T08:52:00.000-05:00

This boy.

He is growing up too fast.

He has demanded to sit in a regular chair at the table, consequently the high chair has been banished to the basement. He has favorite clothes. A baby doesn't have clothing preferences! My boy likes black socks ("Daddy socks"), white undershirts instead of onesies ("Daddy shirts"), and anything black ("Daddy shirts or Daddy pants"). He can jump as of yesterday. He has been a bouncy boy the past 24 hours. He is curious, lovable and huggable. He isn't a baby anymore, and that hurts my heart just a bit.

Lazy Hair Day

2011-03-30T10:20:00.002-05:00

I will always have long hair. I am too lazy to take the time to style a shorter do. Most of the time I put it into a ponytail or a braid after it air dries. For Sundays or special occasions I blow dry it sleek and straight.

This is one of my favorite ways to put it up my hair and I always get compliments on it. When your hair is mostly dry, pull it back into a loose ponytail. Separate it into three equal parts and braid upwards, keeping it close to your head. Secure with bobbybins to keep it in place. Comfortable and messy, with the air of looking put together. Perfect!

Signature

2011-03-29T15:30:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Christopher

2011-03-29T15:18:00.001-05:00

Ina's Spanakopitas

Greek Salad

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

with stawberries and whipped cream

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2011-03-17T20:00:00.004-05:00

A normal day around here except that we all wore green shirts. During our grocery shopping trip today I saw someone point and laugh at us. What's so funny? Then I remembered that a crazy, green-shirted lady trying to lasso four crazy, green-shirted kids while pushing an insanely full grocery cart would be pretty funny and I laughed too.

Making Noodles With My Sous Chef

2011-03-16T13:39:00.001-05:00

Start with flour, eggs and a little salt. Knead into a stiff dough.

Have sous chef roll dough through the press.

Homemade yumminess!

While cleaning up pasta press, have sous chef empty salt cellar onto available cutting board and distribute salt evenly over floor, countertops, hair and into nearby empty receptacles.

Have sous chef spank himself. Done!

Kristen had her baby!

2011-03-16T08:22:00.004-05:00

Baby Joseph was born this morning via emergency c-section. 9 pounds 5 ounces, 21 inches long. Kristen is fine and Joe is fine.

I started crying when my mom called me this morning, is that weird? I just want to be with my sister and hold her new baby.

Laundry

2011-03-10T11:09:00.001-06:00

(1) My kids are messy, just like me, and we get lots of grease stains around here. After trying a gazillion products (Shout, Shout Advanced, Spray-n-Wash, OxyClean, Biz, etc.) I have found that Dawn dish soap works like magic. Rub just a bit in and scrub! I can even get grease stains out of clothing that I missed the first time around.

(2) I was getting orange stains around the neckline of my (favorite!) white shirts. After doing a Google search I found that the stains are caused by my daily moisturizing sunscreen reacting with the iron in our water. I have found the product Iron Out works best.

Winter Recap

2011-03-08T11:01:00.003-06:00

It's March people! Lent starts tomorrow. The robins are back. We have rain in the weather forecast. Can you believe it?

We have been busy all winter. I've been on a roll with homeschooling. My children can now sass me in Latin! I don't know whether to be proud or dole out a punishment.

Gus and Izzy are so cute. I find them coloring like this on a regular basis. I also find them doing other (naughty) things together on a regular basis too. "Gus you want to smear Vaseline all over the bathroom with me?"

In mid January I drove with the kids to Des Moines to visit my sister and her family. Somewhere in the middle of no where between here and there, under sunny and clear skies, I pulled off of the highway to take a break from driving and drove my van in a ditch. That was fun.

One evening we stayed up way too late because Kristen made Charles and me finish this 500 piece Noah's Ark puzzle with her. Why? Kristen is crazy.

Kristen attempted to teach Claire and Lily a little about sewing with a machine. Ha!

In mid Februrary Jeannette drove with her girls to visit us. We went to the zoo and Costco, did an art project and Chris even watched the kids one night so Jeannette and I could go and drink wine with Cate.

The polar bear was very entertaining. We watched him for 10 minutes wrestling that blue ball in the water.

My mother in law planned an impromptu visit the following week. More sewing lessons! Free babysitting! She also took us out for Indian food! Yummy!

I run.

2011-03-08T10:23:00.001-06:00

I started running in high school. I went out for track my sophomore year because being on freshmen softball team didn't go so well, being afraid of the ball and all. My friends said I should join them on the distance team. I did. Who knows why? My high school running career, by most standards, was horrid. I never won a race. I barely improved. I was always at the rear of the pack. Very slow. But I really did enjoy the sport; the quiet cadence of my own rushing breath, the time to think, the challenge, the sweat.

I took a long break after running my first half-marathon in August. I have completely forgotten all the labor pains of my first 13.1 birth. I've been back on the treadmill again for a few weeks. I am very much looking forward to the longer, warmer days so I can run outside. I feel wonderful. I'm flirting with training for a full marathon to celebrate my 30th birthday this year. Crazy? Oh, most definitely!

The King's Speech

2011-02-28T08:52:00.001-06:00

Chris and I went to see The King's Speech on Friday evening. The story of King George was inspiring. The set was visually striking--just look at the gorgeous walls in the above photos! The actors did a remarkable job. It was an amazing film and I would recommend that everyone watch it. Well, not everyone, it is rated R for some foul language (dare I say appropriate foul language?). We are happy that it won Best Picture last night. The film deserves the heaping accolades!

Fave Books: Jane Ray

2011-02-14T14:33:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite illustrators is Jane Ray. Her pictures have a folk-arty quality about them and we seem never to tire of her intricate details. We have checked out a number of her titles from the library, our favorites being Apple Pip Princess, Hansel and Gretel, or Moonbird. A word of warning, some of her books have an eco-friendly message and others have a ecumenical streak. Let the Lutheran reader beware!

We own two of her books, Noah's Ark and The Story of Christmas. They both are "my" books, reside on a high shelf and the kids have to ask to look at them. The text is inspired by the King James and the illustrations demonstrate some good catechesis. Look at that image of God the Father!

Chronicle Books - Illustrated Classics

2011-02-10T09:44:00.000-06:00

I love pretty books. Beautiful prose and illustrations make reading aloud much more enjoyable to me. In fact I censor what comes home from the library. I will say flat out "no" to things like Dora's Adventure or stupid Scholastic picture books. I'm heartless. I know.

This collection of books contain some of my favorites to read to my children. The editors pair classic texts of fairy tales or nursery rhymes with a collection of vintage illustrations and artwork. I highly recommend them!

Princess Stories, Aesop's Fables, Tales from the Brothers Grimm, Classic Animal Stories, The Big Book of Little, Fairy Tales from Hans Christian Andersen, Sea Stories

Go Pack Go

2011-02-07T07:47:00.000-06:00

In all honesty, I barely watched the game. I was working in the kitchen preparing dinner, then cleaning up dinner, cleaning up kids and reading picture books. When I was finally able to watch I couldn't handle the suspense and left the room to go check blogs. What a devoted fan.

Sunday Best

2011-02-06T16:21:00.000-06:00

On Sunday afternoons, after everyone has eaten a bit and is tucked in for their Sunday afternoon nap, I will often pass by this pile of shoes. It is a wonderful reminder of how blessed I am.

Wintery Fun

2011-02-06T16:14:00.000-06:00

Water Trucks

2011-02-03T09:29:00.000-06:00

I don't get it. Water Trucks is an activity my sister created for her son James. It has been a big hit here for the last two, snowed-in days.

Cake Pictures

2011-01-28T19:01:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday Gus!

2011-01-28T18:27:00.000-06:00

Big Boy Bed

2011-01-27T14:53:00.003-06:00

Happy Birthday Gussy! Presents!

A bedskirt! Just what you wanted!

Matching sheet set! Awesome!

I'm totally serious. Your very own mattress pad. What? You're speechless? You love it that much?

Mock-up of last morning in the crib.

Time to take it down!

Claire: "Mom! This is kinda like a cage!"

Mom: "That's kinda, like, the whole point."

Big boy bed all set up.

I am not ready for my baby to be two. I am double not ready for him to be out of his crib. I am always so emotional about this transition from crib to bed because je ne sais quoi. I'm weird (and hormonal). I'll just go cry now.

Home Tour - Living Room, Dining Room and Front Hallway

2011-01-11T09:13:00.001-06:00

The study and the kitchen are in the two east corners of the house, the living and dining rooms are in the two west corners of the house. Can you picture this? I didn't think so. The floor plan creates this perfect circle of rooms that my children run laps around everyday around 4:30pm. I am told by previous inhabitants of our home that this childhood craziness has occurred for generations. It is comforting to know that my children are not the only wild ones.

Front Hallway

Front Hallway from the opposite corner, study to left, front door straight ahead.

Living room.

The bookcase my dad made for us, stuffed full of books.

Sitting on the couch looking towards the front hall, stairs to go upstairs on the left, door into study on right.

Dining room complete with lovely built-ins. The middle section of cabinets we call the "homeschool cabinet". I love that our materials are so accessible, yet have doors to hide the paper explosion.

A detail of the family tree I made last winter, which was inspired by the project I found on the Mor-mom blog here. It hangs in the front hallway. I love it!

On Top of the Piano

2011-01-10T18:21:00.003-06:00

On top of our piano I have placed a number of photographs of our family. The collection is mostly wedding portraits, but the photo above is placed among them. This photo is a picture of Christopher's great-grandfather and his string quartet. Can you guess which one is my husband's relative? He is the only one seated, and I think that his great grandson looks just like him.

Pewabic Pottery and Hamtramck

2011-01-06T09:08:00.002-06:00

We stopped at Pewabic Pottery after the museum. While it is of historical importance, mostly it remains a working shop, gallery and store. We walked around, looked at the kilns and read what was available. When Chris and I fall into some serious money, I plan to tile my kitchen with their tiles.

I'll take one of these kilns in the garage of the parsonage please! Right next to my husband's hot box of course. Kind of like his-and-hers.

Then we drove through a ghetto of Detroit because Google Maps does not have a non-ghetto option for driving directions (very scary...please, no stop signs) to get to the Polish neighborhood of Hamtramck. My husband's father's boss recommended a restaurant called the Polish Village Cafe. The place was bustling, and we had to wait for a table, but it was worth it! Awesomeness on a plate. Cheers!

Borscht.

Detroit Institute of Arts

2011-01-05T13:29:00.000-06:00

Chris and I had planned to go to the special Rembrandt exhibit at the Detroit Institute of Arts on the Faces of Jesus. Turns out the exhibit doesn't open until November of 2011. No fear, we were still able to enjoy the museum. What a collection of artwork! The docent (my dream job) told us that at any given time the museum only displays 10% of their collection. We could have stayed much longer browsing the galleries, but alas, we had food to eat.

Baptismal font from Sweden.

Claire's favorite: Cupid and Psyche.

Want some pearls with that Mrs. Medici?

Christopher's favorite: Lucas Cranach the Elder.

Lily's favorite: St. George and the dragon (albeit missing the beautiful princess).

Fra anyone? Raise your hand if you got this Annunciation image on a Christmas card. (I did! Thanks CTSFW!)

My favorite: Modigliani.

I really love art. If I could go back, I would go to school for a studio art degree with an emphasis in ceramics. If time and money would allow, I would also double minor in chemistry (to better understand glazes) and art history (because I love it). My education didn't work out that way, and I probably will not have an opportunity to study again in the future, but to have a husband who appreciates art as much as I do is a very, very good thing.

Misc December Pictures

2011-01-04T11:24:00.001-06:00

From the Milwaukee Ballet's Nutcracker student matinee. We got yelled at for taking pictures right after this photo was taken. Homeschool lesson learned: It is fun to be a rebel and break dumb rules.

Decorating cookies with our good friends.

Before the Sunday School Christmas Program.

Reading books.

Being silly on Christmas morning.

Ablaze! A "charcoal lighter" for incense that Chris has nicknamed the flame thrower.

Thomas! Thomas! Thomas!

Sunday School Part

2011-01-04T10:47:00.001-06:00

Walking Around

2011-01-04T08:28:00.000-06:00

Waiting to get on the People Mover.

The GM Renaissance Center.

This is Hart Plaza. Canada is across the water.

Christopher's great uncle William Kapp was one of the architects responsible for planning the move of this historic church in downtown Detroit in 1955.

The Spirit of Detroit.

William Kapp's firm also designed this art deco gem, the Penobscot Building.

While having pre-dinner drinks in the lobby of a different building, Chris got a call that a parishioner had died.

Outside the restaurant for dinner. Roast specializes in (ready for it?) meat. I had an enormous steak (we both ate leftovers for lunch the following day) and Chris ordered the suckling pig. We shared an order of fried brussel sprouts that had a walnut vinaigrette poured over the top. What a meal! My mouth is still watering.

Ten Years

2011-01-03T20:44:00.000-06:00

Christopher and I celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary last week. Chris's parents graciously offered to watch our children so that we could enjoy some time alone together. We booked a room at the Inn on Ferry Street in Detroit. The bed and breakfast consists of a number of historic properties just west of downtown (MidTown if you want to get technical). It was a gem. The breakfasts were amazing and the buildings themselves were gorgeous. We were within walking distance to a number of museums, including the Detroit Institute of Arts (future post).

I booked the standard queen room. We were bumped up to some sort of palatial king suite for some reason or another.

The bathroom was cavernous, like fourteen times the size of our bathroom at home.

I read somewhere in the Inn's promotional materials, that during the renovation of the buildings the owners used salvaged materials wherever possible. I really enjoyed the little details of the room we stayed in. Just look at those tiles!

Crown molding. Swoon.

Merry Christmas

2010-12-26T10:49:00.000-06:00

See amid the winter's snow,
Born for us on earth below,
See the tender Lamb appears,
Promised from eternal years.

Hail, thou ever-blessed morn!
Hail, redemption's happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem,
Christ is born in Bethlehem.

Gift of the Magi

2010-12-23T08:49:00.000-06:00

The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry is one of my favorite Christmas stories. I remember reading it with my mom as a child. His words are so lyrical and touching. This particular illustrated version by Lisabeth Zwerger captures his prose beautifully. The characters dance on the pages. Check it out!

Home Tour - Outside and Entryway

2010-12-20T13:51:00.000-06:00

My husband literally has a 10 second commute! We love it!

Our home is an almost traditional American Foursquare. The floor plan is a bit different because of the special pastor's study the church put in on the main floor. Basically we have four rooms on the main floor (one in each corner) and four bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs.

Our neighbors all live in Foursquares too. According to the stories, the homes were all built by the same group of men from 1915 - 1919. I love going inside my neighbor's houses. They look just like mine with small variations! The house built for the town's doctor, on the opposite corner of the street, has the fanciest details in the woodwork. Gorgeous!

We almost never use our front door. Next time you come over, come to the side door! Can you see it in the picture?

Looking down the stairs to the side entrance.

Looking up to the main floor from the entrance.

Down to the basement.

"The landing"

Outside the side door.