tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11004100036104164802024-03-12T16:32:05.612-07:00Another rainy day in ParadiseIt may be raining most of the year, but at least everything is green and beautiful! Everything depends on your outlook....Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10556846566487058008noreply@blogger.comBlogger318125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100410003610416480.post-91673625716997648152019-07-25T22:12:00.000-07:002019-07-25T22:13:01.401-07:00Loaded Baked Potato & Chicken Casserole: Crockpot editionI happened across a meal that has been a winner for the whole family. And you know how rare those tend to be. I don't make it incredibly often, but when I do, it all disappears and everyone is happy. This week, that particular recipe made it onto our meal plan for the week. However, due to some unexpected events, I ran out of the time needed to bake it in the oven. So I re-worked the plan for the week and attempted to turn this meal into a crockpot option. I wasn't sure if it would work the way I hoped, but the good new is that it tasted almost the same as in the oven! And I'm happy to say there were no left-overs - a sign that everyone approved!<br />
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In case you're looking for a yummy crockpot option, here you go:<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Loaded Baked Potato & Chicken Casserole: Crockpot Edition</span></b><br />
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<b style="box-sizing: border-box;">Ingredients</b></div>
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3 – 4 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed and diced small<br />
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced<br />
4 slices bacon, cooked crisp, cooled and crumbled<br />
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese<br />
4 green onions, sliced<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper<br />
1/2 cup heavy cream<br />
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces</div>
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<b style="box-sizing: border-box;">Directions</b></div>
<ol style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: "Libre Franklin", serif; font-size: 16px; list-style-position: inside; margin: 0px 0px 20px 15px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-position: inside; list-style-type: decimal;">Lightly grease your crockpot.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-position: inside; list-style-type: decimal;">Spread half of the diced potatoes in bottom of crockpot. Place the diced chicken breasts evenly on top. Season chicken with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Sprinkle with half the bacon crumbles, 1/2 cup of the cheese, and half the green onions.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-position: inside; list-style-type: decimal;">Spread the remaining diced potatoes on top, followed by the remaining bacon, another 1/2 cup cheese, remaining green onions and another 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Pour heavy cream over top of casserole and then dot with the butter. </li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-position: inside; list-style-type: decimal;">Cook in the crockpot on high for 4 hrs. Add the rest of the cheese. Serve.</li>
</ol>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "libre franklin" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "libre franklin" , serif;">I hope you enjoy it as much as we did! </span></div>
Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10556846566487058008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100410003610416480.post-26301671271758716152019-01-24T15:32:00.002-08:002019-01-24T15:32:25.883-08:002019 Word of the Year (plus some others)It's a new year, and time for my new word. For the past several years, I have picked one word each year to be the lens through which I view my world. Hopefully it helps me make choices that guide my life in the direction I want to be going. I know there are plenty of people that make New Year's resolutions, but apparently, only 8% of resolutions are kept. That sounds pretty depressing to me. I'm more of a goal kinda girl. And this whole word thing works really well for me. I remember picking SIMPLIFY one year. And 2 years ago, (although I never posted about it!), my word was REST.<br />
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REST was a hard one for me. I don't feel like I do it well. I like to be on the move. And doing. Always doing. But that was one I felt God had laid on my heart. I didn't know why at the time. And I don't know that I can say I did a stellar job at it, but as time as gone on, I know why it was needed. After 9 years of helping with the MOMS ministry at our church, I stepped down, not knowing what would be next. But my husband wisely told me I probably shouldn't make any new commitments. Even if the commitment would be a good one. Just because something is good doesn't mean it is best. And so I followed that advice. It's been good for me. Just rest. Breathe. Have some white space on the calendar for once.<br />
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Because next up was WHOLEHEARTED. Yep, time to jump back in! Well, in some ways, as the year started, I still felt like I was in the midst of REST. It didn't totally start until May when MOMS ended. And although I intended to be wholehearted in whatever I started last January, I also felt it had been laid on my heart as a reminder of how to take on the next chapter in where God was leading. I expected that next chapter to start somewhere around May of last year. And it did. We became officially licensed as a foster family in May. And let me tell you, it requires a wholehearted commitment to do it well. At least in my opinion. The kiddos in care didn't ask to be there. The adults in their lives made choices that resulted in the kids ending up where they have. They still deserve someone to love them wholeheartedly. To care for their every need. To let them know they matter and God has big things in store for them. We have chosen to only take infants because that's what we feel God has called our family to for this season. We currently have baby #4 with us and she's a sweetheart. <br />
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But this next year, my word is ANCHOR. It came to me mid-December. And with it, an interesting thought. When ANCHOR came to mind, it was with the reminder that the anchor on a ship doesn't stop a ship from moving at all, but it stops it from drifting. It holds the ship in place so it doesn't accidently drift away from where it should be. But the ship will still sway and move some. It can still be tossed by the waves. But it's not going to drift farther out to sea or end up way down the coast. I want to remember that through the storms of life, Jesus is my ANCHOR. He's not going to prevent the storms. There will be waves to ride. But if I choose to stick to him as my anchor, I'm not going to drift. <br />
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Already this January, I've seen why God dropped this word in my lap. I need an ANCHOR so that I can walk through the hard stuff with friends around me. It's a challenging season over here. But God's got it all. And as long as He's my ANCHOR, all is well with my soul.<br />
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"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure." Hebrews 6:19Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10556846566487058008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100410003610416480.post-51407757816597549662018-07-16T09:00:00.000-07:002018-07-16T09:00:12.159-07:00Stay little, sweet babyI do some of my best thinking in the shower. Maybe it’s because the water bearing down is the closest I’m getting to a massage anytime soon. Or maybe it’s because there are no little inquisitive minds asking a million questions while I try to multitask through a million <i>other</i> things. Whatever the case, the thinking is good. And in the past month or two, my thoughts turned to upcoming changes for my family.<br />
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My kiddos have grown so quickly. I mean, the days are long. Don’t get me wrong. And some days feel like eons ago. But in another sense, I have no idea how they grew so quick. Have I really been a mama nine years?! Coming up on ten? How did that happen? It also reminded me of times over the years that I have silently wished there was a way to keep my babies little. I don’t imagine I’m the first mama to wish it. I remember wishing they could stay itty bitty, sweet, and snuggly. That I could freeze time with them as babies. I remember talking to God and clarifying that freezing time would be best because I didn’t wish for a child who grew in size and age, but still had all the mental or physical characteristics of an infant. Although I would love that child just as much as the ones my kiddos have grown to be, I can’t say I’ve ever met a mom who <i>wished</i> for that. </div>
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But you know, it’s always fascinating how God works. In a strange sort of way, he seems to be answering that prayer. Who would have ever thought I would be submitting everything needed to have extra babies in my home. Only staying a handful of months at the most. Never to grow big, eat at the table, run around. Always to stay little and snuggly. And yet, that's exactly what we feel God has called us to. Foster care. There are so many little ones who need to be loved. They need someone who will love unconditionally and teach them how to bond well. They need someone who will fight for them when they can't fight for themselves. They need someone praying over them, and their parents. So I find myself here. With a nursery ready, and boxes of clothes in various sizes. Ready to love on someone for a season, while their own mom and dad are sorting out life. Ready for a baby that will hopefully go home when it grows a bit bigger. Leaving my arms ready for another little baby who needs the exact same thing a handful of months down the road. </div>
Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10556846566487058008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100410003610416480.post-85189044185177980512018-07-14T08:00:00.000-07:002018-07-14T08:00:15.974-07:00CloserSo I recently came across this song called "Closer" by Sidewalk Prophets. Have you heard of it? Talk about a song that gets you in the gut. I listened, and then listened again. Wanting to sing, but afraid. Do you sing the lyrics when they terrify you? Can I sing them because they are great, but I'm not ready to mean them? <br />
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I want my life to matter. To shine brightly for Jesus. I want others to see me and see that there's something different about me. I want to be closer to Him than anything. But being close usually means sacrifice. The best of things don't just happen. They come because of work. And maybe some really big challenges. Relationships grow when they are challenged. When you walk through really hard things together. And the though of ASKING for those challenges is terrifying. Here's a portion of the lyrics. I'm still singing them very hesitantly at this point. <br />
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<span style="background-color: #ddddee; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">I want You here closer, closer than anything</span><br style="background-color: #ddddee; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><br style="background-color: #ddddee; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ddddee; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">So take me to the center of the fire</span><br style="background-color: #ddddee; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ddddee; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">take me to the middle of the sea</span><br style="background-color: #ddddee; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ddddee; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">Take me through the darkest of nights</span><br style="background-color: #ddddee; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ddddee; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">You can be the lamp to my feet</span><br style="background-color: #ddddee; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><br style="background-color: #ddddee; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ddddee; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">Walk me over mountains and valleys</span><br style="background-color: #ddddee; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ddddee; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">'till I'm only hanging by Your prayer</span><br style="background-color: #ddddee; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><br style="background-color: #ddddee; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ddddee; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">If it brings me closer, closer</span><br style="background-color: #ddddee; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ddddee; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">You can take me anywhere</span><br style="background-color: #ddddee; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><br style="background-color: #ddddee; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ddddee; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">What I know about fire</span><br style="background-color: #ddddee; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ddddee; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">You use it to refine my heart</span><br style="background-color: #ddddee; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><br style="background-color: #ddddee; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ddddee; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">What I know about the ocean</span><br style="background-color: #ddddee; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ddddee; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">when You tell it to part it parts</span><br style="background-color: #ddddee; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ddddee; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">Even though the darkest of nights</span><br style="background-color: #ddddee; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ddddee; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">it draws me to my knees</span><br style="background-color: #ddddee; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ddddee; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">And it brings me closer, closer</span><br style="background-color: #ddddee; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ddddee; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">when I hear You speak</span><br />
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<br />Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10556846566487058008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100410003610416480.post-79275847312534517162018-07-12T10:06:00.001-07:002018-07-12T10:06:06.743-07:00Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus"So let go my soul and trust in him<br />
The wave and wind still know his name"<br />
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Let me just tell you that as we embark on this journey of foster care, there are a lot of ups and downs. And we are just getting our feet wet! I'm quickly finding that letting go of expectations and trusting Him is imperative. Just when you think you've got something figured out, you get a phone call that causes upheaval and a change of direction. I'm learning to hold on very loosely.<br />
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But God knows just how to speak to my heart. My kids are attending VBS this week at a local church. We make a point of buying the CD each year and my kids memorize every song. They love the music, and I can't deny that I do too. So this morning, as life was feeling chaotic, the song "Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus" came on in the van. What a perfect reminder. <br />
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<div jsname="U8S5sf" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<span jsname="YS01Ge">'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">Just to take Him at His Word</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">Just to rest upon His promise,</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">Just to know, "Thus saith the Lord!"</span></div>
<div class="UH8R2" jsname="U8S5sf" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin-top: 13px;">
<span jsname="YS01Ge">Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">How I've proved Him o'er and o'er</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">Oh, for grace to trust Him more!</span></div>
<div class="UH8R2" jsname="U8S5sf" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin-top: 13px;">
<span jsname="YS01Ge">I'm so glad I learned to trust Him,</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">And I know that He is with me,</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">Will be with me to the end.</span></div>
<div class="UH8R2" jsname="U8S5sf" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin-top: 13px;">
<span jsname="YS01Ge">Oh, how sweet to trust in Jesus,</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">Just to trust His cleansing blood</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">And in simple faith to plunge me</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">'Neath the healing, cleansing flood!</span></div>
<div class="UH8R2" jsname="U8S5sf" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin-top: 13px;">
<span jsname="YS01Ge">Yes, 'tis sweet to trust in Jesus,</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">Just from sin and self to cease</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">Just from Jesus simply taking</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">Life and rest, and joy and peace.</span></div>
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He's growing me and giving me more chances to learn to trust. </div>
Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10556846566487058008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100410003610416480.post-46367967823429768872018-03-24T11:00:00.000-07:002018-03-24T11:00:43.242-07:00Well Done<div class="kp-header" data-ved="0ahUKEwjs8MH-x4DaAhXKwVQKHfjQDvsQ3z4IKCgA" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif;">
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<span data-original-name="Well Done">Some songs just speak right to my heart. As our family prepares to start a new adventure, this is one of those lately. </span></div>
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<span data-original-name="Well Done"><br /></span></div>
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<span data-original-name="Well Done"><br /></span></div>
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<span data-original-name="Well Done">Well Done</span></div>
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<span data-ved="0ahUKEwjs8MH-x4DaAhXKwVQKHfjQDvsQ2koIKygBMAA"><a data-original-name="Moriah Peters" data-ved="0ahUKEwjs8MH-x4DaAhXKwVQKHfjQDvsQMQgsMAA" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Moriah+Peters&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAONgVuLSz9U3yLLMNS1MAgB3S-ipDgAAAA&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjs8MH-x4DaAhXKwVQKHfjQDvsQMQgsMAA" style="color: #660099; text-decoration-line: none;">Moriah Peters</a></span></div>
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<span jsname="YS01Ge">I'm headed down this narrow road</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">Chosen by the few</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">And all that I know is</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">You told me to follow You</span></div>
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<span jsname="YS01Ge">I'm taking a risk and leaving it all</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">Not knowing what I'll go through</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">But I'm not alone</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">As long as I follow You</span></div>
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<span jsname="YS01Ge">So when my life's a leap of faith</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">I can hear You say</span></div>
<div jsname="U8S5sf" style="line-height: 1.24; margin-bottom: 12px;">
<span jsname="YS01Ge">Well done, well done</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">I'm gonna chase You, Lord</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">I'm gonna show the world Your love, woah</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">I'll run, I'll run</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">I'm gonna run this race</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">To hear You say well done</span></div>
<div jsname="U8S5sf" style="line-height: 1.24; margin-bottom: 12px;">
<span jsname="YS01Ge">If people walk with me, talk with me, looking for truth</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">They're gonna find out soon</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">If they're following me then</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">They're gonna follow You</span></div>
<div jsname="U8S5sf" style="line-height: 1.24; margin-bottom: 12px;">
<span jsname="YS01Ge">So let my life speak loud and clear</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">Lord, I wanna hear</span></div>
<div jsname="U8S5sf" style="line-height: 1.24; margin-bottom: 12px;">
<span jsname="YS01Ge">Well done, well done</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">I'm gonna chase You, Lord</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">I'm gonna show the world Your love, woah</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">I'll run, I'll run</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">I'm gonna run this race</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">To hear You say well done</span></div>
</div>
<div class="G1VCxe kno-fb-ctx" jsname="c4lrhc">
<div class="iw7h9e" data-mh="-1" jsname="U8S5sf" style="line-height: 1.24; margin-bottom: 12px;">
<span jsname="YS01Ge">I'm so glad that I get to serve You, Lord</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">You're the only One I am living for, woah</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">I'm gonna run straight into Your open arms</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">I'm gonna follow You with my all heart, woah, woah</span></div>
<div class="xpdxpnd" data-mh="96" data-mhc="1" jsname="U8S5sf" style="line-height: 1.24; margin-bottom: 12px; max-height: 96px; overflow: hidden; transition: max-height 0.3s;">
<span jsname="YS01Ge">Well done, well done</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">I'm gonna chase You, Lord</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">I'm gonna show the world Your love, woah</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">I'll run, I'll run</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">I'm gonna run this race</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">To hear You say well done</span></div>
<div class="xpdxpnd" data-mh="48" data-mhc="1" jsname="U8S5sf" style="line-height: 1.24; margin-bottom: 12px; max-height: 48px; overflow: hidden; transition: max-height 0.3s;">
<span jsname="YS01Ge">I'm gonna run this race</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">To hear You say well done</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">[x2]</span></div>
<div class="xpdxpnd" data-mh="16" data-mhc="1" jsname="U8S5sf" style="line-height: 1.24; margin-bottom: 0px; max-height: 16px; overflow: hidden; transition: max-height 0.3s;">
<span jsname="YS01Ge">Well done</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10556846566487058008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100410003610416480.post-74110751160826307982018-03-22T11:38:00.002-07:002018-03-22T11:38:39.249-07:00Pesto Ravioli with VeggiesHere’s what happens almost every night: I start making dinner. The kids wander in and ask what I’m making. “I’m making __(fill in the blank)___ for dinner. Fill it in with anything. It could be something we have several times a month. It could be a new recipe. It could be the food they declared to be their all time favorite last week. But inevitably the response will be something along the lines of<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">“awwwww! Why do you always make that?” </span></b><br />
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Or<br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">“Gross, that’s so disgusting.” </b><br />
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Or my favorite from this week:<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>“All we ever eat is casserole!” </b></span><br />
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Oh, and when prompted, no one could think of a <b>single</b> casserole that had been served in the last month. <i>Because there haven’t been any.</i> Yeah.<br />
<br />
So since my tried and true recipes obviously aren't winning any awards from the kids, I'm going to start trying some new ones. The old standards aren't going away. After all, a mama's gotta have her quick and easy options! But I'm going to try to spice things up around here too. <br />
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Today I want to share with you a winner from last night. Well, my husband and I declared it a winner. And I think normal children would too. But my kids don't get a vote right now since they are even vetoing chicken nuggets. (What child <i>DOES </i>that??)<br />
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I have to confess, I swiped this from <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/ASMP8rmMx9K-VIx7MUN1Q3gYHyFDUPnSc8ZSwn-5aGybGyehOOel9OnuDFRKTXLkjw77RHh7kxFYYg4fiB4DcPk/" target="_blank">pinterest</a> and made a few modifications. I'm pretty sure that's my number one site for new recipes. It's just so easy to find yummy stuff there!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Pesto Ravioli with Veggies</span><br />
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2 - 1lb bags of bell peppers and onion stir fry from the frozen food section (fresh red, yellow, and orange peppers along with an onion could be used but the frozen ones make life easy!)<br />
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2 Tablespoons olive oil<br />
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Salt and Pepper<br />
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1/2 tablespoon minced garlic<br />
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1 package <a href="https://www.buitoni.com/" target="_blank">Buitoni refrigerated ravioli</a><br />
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1 jar <a href="http://www.classico.com/Products/Basil%20Pesto" target="_blank">Classico traditional basil pesto</a><br />
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Optional: fresh basil, grated parmesan cheese<br />
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Directions<br />
1. Add oil to saute pan. Heat and add peppers and onions, as well as salt and pepper to taste. Saute until completely cooked. <br />
2. Add minced garlic and saute for approximately one more minute.<br />
3. At the same time, prepare the ravioli according to the directions on the packaging. Drain.<br />
4. When the veggies are finished, toss them with the drained ravioli and add about 2/3 cup of basil pesto sauce. Mix well.<br />
5. Garnish with any additional salt, pepper, fresh basil, or grated parmesan cheese as desired.<br />
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<br />Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10556846566487058008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100410003610416480.post-32232269049723236592018-03-21T10:09:00.001-07:002018-03-21T10:09:05.775-07:00Prayer is to Faith what Breathing is to Life"Prayer is to faith what breathing is to life." <br />
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The morning started out feeling overwhelmingly challenging. Unfortunately, there have been a lot of those mornings lately. Emotions are high and having any expectation seems to be too much. But I'm told this is just life with girls, and I don't imagine it will get any easier any time soon. By the time everyone was out the door, I was barely holding it together. My sweet middle kiddo looked me in the eyes and asked why I was so sad. I hope she's just as intuitive when it comes to others around her. She has the ability to make a big difference just by caring. </div>
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Feeling overwhelmed, I grabbed my two Bibles: the one with my maiden name on the front, and the one with my married name. I've decided that I want all the notes from my original one transferred to my current one because I value those insights. The next book to transfer over was 1 Thessalonians. And it spoke right to my heart. Hebrews 4:12 says "For the word of God is alive and powerful." So true! I love how God can orchestrate life so that what appears to just be the next section of reading becomes exactly what I need at that time. Many would say coincidence, but I say God had his hand in it. He orchestrates things better than I could ever dream up. </div>
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Do you have days like that? I never cease to be amazed at how everything can come together so perfectly. That day where I was meaning to read my Bible, but just didn't make time for it? Well, because of that skipped day, the right verse was in front of me when I needed it. If I had made time to read that other day, I Thessalonians would have landed in front of me a day earlier. And it just might not have been as meaningful. Who knows. But I know I'm thankful for a God who knows my heart and exactly what I need at just the moment I need it. </div>
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Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10556846566487058008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100410003610416480.post-29343764920096277642018-01-01T22:19:00.000-08:002018-01-01T22:19:46.227-08:00 Memories of 2017This past year has been filled with adventures. To be honest, I think every year is. But by the end of the year, it's easy to forget what those adventures were. And it's especially easy to compare my life with the lives of others and feel inadequate. But the truth is, the adventures my family had were perfect for US. So for 2017, I tried something new. I pulled out a large mason jar January 1st, and told the kids we would try to put notes or mementos from each adventure in the jar. Then, at the end of the year, we would review what our year held. The idea was a total success! We didn't remember to put notes in every time, but we did put in quite a few. And although the plan was to empty the jar on New Year's Eve, we were out of town making more memories with friends. <br />
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So today was the day! At dinner tonight, we opened the jar and Honeygirl read out each memory. What fun it was to remember each one. Smiles, laughter, and dreams of making some happen again. It was perfect. <br />
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Here was our list:<br />
1/1 - Night skiing + Sparky's Pizza 12:30-9:30 Dad, Honeygirl, and Aaron<br />
1/2 - Saw SING at Cinetopia as a family (tub of popcorn $8.50)<br />
1/5 - dinner date at Jerusalem Cafe<br />
1/12 built a snowman with neighborhood kids and went sledding (snow day #6)<br />
1/21 - Family day at Mt Hood Meadows. Night skiing for Dad, Honeygirl, and Sweet Pea. Mama and Gracie sat in the lodge and took too many bathroom breaks to keep count. Agh!<br />
January: went to a birthday party at Kid's Club<br />
January: swim lessons for Honeygirl and Sweet Pea<br />
1/28-29 Overnight date in Portland...happy hour at Portland City Grill, LaLaLand movie, and breakfast at Mother's<br />
2/25-3/4 - HAWAII!! Beach..shave ice..snorkling..dolphins..Dad's friend..Big Island with Gramma, Papa, Uncle Paul and Aunt Barbara. Rented a house with gorgeous view<br />
3/10 School talent show: Honeygirl entered a painting. Sweet Pea did a skit with Corbin<br />
3/31-4/3 - Visit to GG. Saw Rumbles, Paul/Mary, Swerzo family, Ruth-Anne. Visited Englunds and met Lily!<br />
4/4 Spring Break - playdate with Elise<br />
4/15 Boss Baby movie at the theatre<br />
4/27 - Mama and Gracie to the zoo. Nora the polar bear was super playful!<br />
5/27 - got OMSI membership, saw Art of the Brick exhibit + laser movie madness show in planetarium. Fire drill while we were there! Missed the One World One Sky show but went on a walk.<br />
7/1 - The Englunds (minus their dad) came for the night. We went to the park and listened to Oddessy<br />
7/2 - Cannon Beach for the day...met the Martin family to play on the beach. Dug a giant hole together. Ice cream at the Coach house<br />
7/4 - BLBB family camp for the day... zipline, boating, tubing (1st time for kids!), Bike parade, all the cousins! Then s'mores and fireworks at Uncle Mike's house (just the 9 of us - Mike and Debbie were out of town).<br />
7/18 - OMSI + One World One Sky planetarium show<br />
7/21-23 1st overnight camping trip as a family, with Stephen and boys at Manchester State Park<br />
summer: YMCA swimming with Martins<br />
7/22 - ferry ride to Seattle for ice cream on our camping trip<br />
End of July - week of Royal Ridges day camp for older two girls<br />
8/1 - Gracie's water birthday party with friends, but not sisters<br />
August - week at CBCC with lots of extended family and friends (Bells came too)<br />
End of August - went to the zoo to say goodbye to Nora the polar bear<br />
8/5 - surprise happy hour double date at Portland City Grill for my birthday with Martins<br />
10/6 - 1st time renting a car! Trip to Jenness Park with the girls for mother/daughter retreat. Flew to SAC, then drove 4.25 hrs farther. Great weekend with Jana Alayra<br />
10/29 - OMSI with the Sutters<br />
11/3 - Sweet Pea got picked for the 3rd time this school year in the positive paw drawing! Got to take a stuffed animal to school on Friday<br />
11/22 - Bells in town for Thanksgiving and stayed with us<br />
11/24 - OMSI with the Bells + One World One Sky planetarium show<br />
November - helped friends move and paint old house<br />
Beginning of December - Singing Christmas tree as a whole family after brunch at Mother's<br />
12/13 - ZooLights and the train with Popi and Grammie. We found all the hidden lillies!<br />
12/23 - swimming as a family at the YMCA. <br />
12/24 - Christmas Eve breakfast and presents in the morning with extended family<br />
12/24 - candlelight service at church - all three girls were candle lighters this year!<br />
12/29 - pedicures with christmas money for mama and Sweet Pea<br />
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This list is not exhaustive; it's just the things we remembered to write down and add to our jar. I know there were other trips to the zoo, other fun outings, and special memories that for one reason or another we forgot to write down. But the jar has already been emptied of these memories and new ones from today have already been added. I think this is a fun new tradition we will continue! I can't wait to see what all 2018 holds!<br />
<br />Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10556846566487058008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100410003610416480.post-38573459281676348352017-08-05T06:00:00.000-07:002017-08-05T06:00:27.310-07:00I thought I had a pretty good handle on what was in the freezer. But the kids were digging in the depths of the freezer and managed to dig up something I didn't expect. One lone, old bag of frozen breastmilk. Forlorn and lost, it got smashed between things and completely forgotten. Well, mostly forgotten. I remember coming across it about a year ago. Even though it was old at that point, I couldn't bring myself to throw it out. Breastfeeding had been such a big part of life for me for so many years. Throwing it out seemed so final. So I gently put it back in. And let it settle back into the very bottom of the freezer. And I managed to forget that incident had ever happened. Until this week when it was once again uncovered. Sorta fitting as it is currently World Breastfeeding Week. But now the time has come. Last night, that final bag went headlong into the "round filing cabinet." That season for me is over. <br />
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So instead, I will go to the Big Latch On today in support of breastfeeding and all the mamas out there who are still in the thick of it. I will smile and encourage them. I will remind them that they are doing a great thing for their babies. And I will learn to embrace my role as a mama who was once there in their shoes.Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10556846566487058008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100410003610416480.post-7290716439725473292017-08-04T15:33:00.003-07:002017-08-04T15:33:39.546-07:00Coffee (gasp!)I remember back in high school, when I was babysitting for a family with two little girls a lot, the mom used to ask if I drank coffee. "No, I drink tea," I would tell her. This woman had big, teased up hair and a personality that filled a room. She couldn't believe I didn't drink coffee. And I was pretty sure she ran on it like fuel. "Well, when you go to college, you'll definitely start drinking coffee!" she told me. Hmm...<br />
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Well, those four years came and went. And I drank tea. <br />
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Then more years went by. Still just tea. <br />
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But Year 34, you have done me in. I mean, somewhere in the past 5 years, I started drinking the occasional frappuccino. But that was it. Until now. <br />
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Don't get me wrong, tea is still very important in my life. And tea still has a dedicated cupboard in my kitchen. I even have a mug that says "Coffee isn't my cup of tea." (which by the way makes me smile every time!)<br />
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Buuut... sometimes I drink coffee now. Blended coffee drinks from Dutch Brothers. And frappuccinos from Starbucks. Or even a mocha or Irish Coffee on a road trip. And occasionally, a hot cup of coffee (with a generous amount of creamer) made at home with our AeroPress. I don't know why or when the change happened. Just that it did. <br />
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Don't worry tea...I'm not abandoning you. Just expanding my palate... 20 years later. <br />
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Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10556846566487058008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100410003610416480.post-24090774619565321502017-04-07T14:30:00.001-07:002017-04-07T14:30:32.936-07:00Gray HairsOk, so it's official. I found the first gray hairs. A month or two ago, I thought for sure I spied one, but then couldn't locate it again. Last night, it was confirmed. Though not a lot, there are more than one of the little guys that have sprouted out of the top of my head. Now, really, I find it impressive that I survived 8 years of parenting before the first appeared. I mean, that should totally count for something! Eight years with a determined, strong-minded child. Six years of life with a second one, who needs constant reminders to stay on task. And three more years with a third who just might rival her oldest sister in determination and strong-mindedness. Life isn't exactly dull. But it's exactly what I want. Even on the tough days. Sometimes I just need a little reminder.<br />
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Then one night this past week, I heard the oldest demand to know why Mama (me) wasn't being "allowed" to have more babies. Ha! Does she think my life is not full enough? I got a good chuckle out of that one. Yes, I will always be a baby person who loves babies. But my babies will always grow up, and three seems quite adequate for us. <br />
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How many kiddos do you have and do you feel like it's the right number of kids for you?Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10556846566487058008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100410003610416480.post-8961781548526612932017-02-16T12:31:00.002-08:002017-02-16T12:31:52.972-08:00Pick up lines A week ago, I had a rare morning to myself. After getting the older two on the bus, my mom came to pick up Gracie to go along to bible study with her. I have to say, it's the cutest thing to hear little Gracie girl talk about her teachers at bible study, and hear her singing songs she has learned there. I love that she loves going!<br />
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I was supposed to have a meeting, but at the last minute, it got canceled. So there I was. A morning without kids, and no plans. I have to confess, I didn't have a clue what to do with myself. I mean, I can make a list a mile long, but where to start?! What should I do to make the most of the time? I'm sure there's about a million things I could have done at home, but I opted to drop by Goodwill. As usual, it was raining. And as I pulled into the parking lot, I saw a man standing by his old van with the hood up and jumper cables attached to his battery. His van had been backed in, so the front was easily accessible. But in a full parking lot, no one was stopping to offer assistance. I parked nearby and walked over. Nope, no one had offered to help and yes! he would love it if I would pull my van up to help. I warned him that I had no idea how to attach the jumper cables, but at least my van was working.<br />
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He told me how he had recently picked up his (rickety) old van and how it would be great for road trips. He confessed to leaving the lights on, killing the battery. He asked how I liked my van. He got his van started, thanked me, and I re-parked my van then headed in the store.<br />
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When I came back out and was pulling away, I noticed a little orange paper tucked into my side mirror. I've read enough warnings on Facebook and whatnot about how papers on the windshield can be a trap to get you out of your car, so I kept driving. When I got home, I pulled the completely soaked paper out and got a good laugh.<br />
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Here's what the paper said: "Hi - are you a single ladie? If so plz text or call me. I would like a pretty friend like you. Thanks for the jump!" (name and phone number were also included)<br />
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Oh.My.Goodness. Having a guy give me his number is a first for me! It's never happened before. I already have the best guy out there, so this poor guy won't be hearing from me. But he sure provided me with a good laugh. I mean really. Did he miss the car seats? Did it not register that it was MomForce1 I was driving? It's a classic mom-mobile. Single? About as far from it as you can get. But I guess this mama of three who drives a minivan has still got it. (Or finally has it!) Hahaha! 😂Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10556846566487058008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100410003610416480.post-13198684564729601392017-02-14T22:34:00.001-08:002017-02-14T22:34:30.780-08:00Valentine's Day and Wonder Woman A lot of days I feel like I have nothing to show for my day. I feel like I spin my wheels. Loads of laundry. Meals cooked and devoured (or left untouched on the plate). Rooms cleaned up only to be destroyed again. At the end of the day, I'm not entirely sure what filled my day and there is certainly nothing visible to show for it.<br />
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But today was a different story. Today I felt like Wonder Woman.<br />
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You know, I picked up a Wonder Woman shirt at a clothing swap once. I kept it for a brief time, but decided it wasn't a keeper for my closet. Now I wish I had hung onto it. I mean, even on mediocre days, sometimes you need to feel like you *could* conquer the world if you wanted. But alas, the shirt is no longer in my possession.<br />
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And I digress.<br />
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Today, I got up extra early to frost the heart shaped sugar cookies I baked after the kids went to bed. Because sweet little Seeet Pea told her tracer I was bringing cookies for the class today. Uuummmm.... That extra hour was used so well deflecting all the morning's disasters. But not frosting cookies. So I got the older two on the bus and headed to MOMS group. Fortunately, it went off without a hitch. 41 ladies and a fabulous speaker, who is also a friend. Good thing that went well because I followed that with a trip to the grocery store before heading home for lunch. And throwing together dinner in the crockpot. And frosting the cookies. After all, Gracie and I were set to volunteer in Sweet Pea's class at 2pm. Oh yes, we crammed all that in before 2pm! Oh, and I had the privilege of fighting off a turkey while trying to toss all our trash from MOMS this morning too. Nothing like having a farm with rogue animals that run free right next to the church!<br />
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After volunteering at the school, I managed to get valentines goodies together for my kiddos, as well as dessert for after dinner. They we raced back to school to pick up the bigger kids and head to piano. Then once again, we dashed out the door, but this time to head home. I fished the rest of dinner as fast as I could and got the kids dressed. Planning a fancy dinner for Valentine's Day was a fun idea,, but probably not ideal on the same day as piano lessons. All in all, I'd say it was a success though. We all dressed up, and I even managed to get the same dress on that I wore for my first valentines date with my husband. That was a shocker. Of course the kids thought it was awesome. Fancy clothes, a table cloth, china dishes, and flowers. Yummy food, presents, and chocolate pudding in goblets.<br />
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Crazy day, but it paid off!Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10556846566487058008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100410003610416480.post-41457614302811307362017-01-07T10:00:00.000-08:002017-01-07T10:00:11.187-08:00Hope<div style="text-align: center;">
A pessimist sees the glass as 1/2 empty.</div>
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An optimist sees the glass as 1/2 full.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Hope is seeing Who holds the glass.</span></b></div>
Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10556846566487058008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100410003610416480.post-74604369791328483722017-01-05T15:04:00.002-08:002017-01-05T15:04:52.077-08:00Dear Gracie girlSweet Gracie girl, you are growing up so darn fast. Today, as I listened to you praying at lunchtime, I heard you pronounce all the words correctly. Even your "f" sound. No more "plip-plops" and "ping-ers." You can say flip-flops, floor, food, Father, and fingers just fine. If I call you my baby love, most of the time you correct me and tell me you are my big girl now. You tell me that Sweet Pea can be my baby love if I really still need one. You sleep in the same room as your sisters and definitely want to be one of the big kids. You are nearly as eager as your sisters to run down the street to play with friends. And this morning I noticed that you actually put your shoes on the right feed without help!<br />
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You know a ton of songs and sing all day. I think one of my favorites right now is "Good morning God, this is your day. I am your child, show me your way." When I asked you about this song I had never heard before, you proudly told me that you learned it at bible study. You love going to bible study (BSF) with Grammie! And you are learning verses in Awana. A few weeks ago, you even asked if I wanted to see Jesus. You quickly lifted your shirt and pointed at your chest, saying to me, "See? He's right here, Mama!" I love your sweet heart! May you never lose that tenderness for Jesus.<br />
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In spite of you being the caboose to our family and not getting a ton of help on counting and ABC's, you have learned to count to 10 and recognize your numbers. And to my surprise, last week, you correctly identified multiple ABC's. <br />
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You're crazy tall for a three year old (just like your sisters!). And your hair reaches your waist since it's never been cut and you don't want it touched. It looks gorgeous in braids though! You are an amazing little mama to the legions of baby dolls in this house. It's not uncommon for a doll highchair to be found next to your seat at the table, or a baby strapped to your back as you go about your day. The doll stroller you got for Christmas was a slam dunk. You had the best reaction when you opened it, knowing immediately it was the one from Costco that you've been eyeing for months.<br />
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You are growing so fast. Sometimes I just want to rewind the clock and gather you into my lap as a little baby. I want you to snuggle in and fall asleep on my chest. But the days are going to keep flying by. So I better hurry up and cherish each of these precious moments. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVckckvSAaFv8EZ0CYzvOEJf9xJ5H0rtTYeT0TihwNMO3szjpk08vtVyiXGmQYC4WCT44Z25y0idoYYNt3RuVR-UDpY3rTfQbNYk66q6BF1bSP16CEXniKEecFYnISTQMMn4rv1BDFk_9d/s1600/IMG_7476.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVckckvSAaFv8EZ0CYzvOEJf9xJ5H0rtTYeT0TihwNMO3szjpk08vtVyiXGmQYC4WCT44Z25y0idoYYNt3RuVR-UDpY3rTfQbNYk66q6BF1bSP16CEXniKEecFYnISTQMMn4rv1BDFk_9d/s320/IMG_7476.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Playing "Sandwich Stacker" together</div>
Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10556846566487058008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100410003610416480.post-50250115114146627452016-11-11T10:00:00.000-08:002016-11-11T10:00:43.923-08:00Library DisasterThis summer, I was reminded of just how important our words are. With social media, I think we often forget to sensor our words as much as we should. And maybe because of that, we also forget to sensor our words as much as we should in public too.<br />
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We go to the library a couple times a month usually. I've taught my kids that the library is a place where we use our quiet voices. I don't care how loud the other kids there are being, we will use our quiet voices. Even little Gracie girl, who just turned three a couple weeks ago, approaches the library with whispers only. </div>
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So when we were half way through checking out our stack of books and she started screaming about who knows what in rage, I was caught off guard. But I knew I had a couple choices. 1. Walk away. Just leave all the books there and run. 2. Finish checking out the rest of our pile, then grab them all and leave.</div>
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I opted for option two. I was at least half way done, and when I attempted to pick her up, she screamed more. So I figured I'd just be quick and get us out. Well, apparently I wasn't quick enough. As I finished up, a library volunteer approached and informed me more than once that people werecomplaining. A lot of people were complaining. And that it was obvious trying to take three children to the library was more than I could handle. She suggested they if I really felt it necessary to return with my children, I probably needed to bring others to help me with them. </div>
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Ugg. Really? </div>
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I informed her as nicely as I could muster that we do visit regularly and have not had this issue in the past. I also assured her that we were leaving. I was, after all, actively picking up our stack of books when she approached. She did offer that on another day, she would take my little girl out of the library and read to her elsewhere. </div>
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Umm..thanks but no thanks. </div>
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It's funny. I was feeling really good about my mom abilities that day. I had arrived at the library with an extra child in tow. (The mom met us there.) All the children were well behaved and relatively quiet. They were certainly not the loudest ones there. At least until I was half way through checking out. </div>
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But it wasn't like I was ignoring what was happening. I had tried unsuccessfully to calm her down, so I was trying to get us out of there as fast as possible. Trust me, I wanted out of there as fast as possible too! I knew the screaming was disruptive and wanted to do whatever I could to end it as quickly as I could. </div>
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I guess we don't always see things as others do. The volunteer sure didn't see where I was coming from. And I'm sure there are plenty of times when I don't understand where others are coming from. It's a good reality check for me. I so often don't know the situation, so I need to refrain from judging. Both verbally and mentally. I don't want my kids to see me do to others what this woman did to me. They saw how it affected me, which was important. They saw how broken I was afterwards. And hopefully that will help them learn how important their words are too.<br />
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May I love well, no matter who the person may be or what their situation might look like. </div>
Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10556846566487058008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100410003610416480.post-47011528847754799992016-11-10T15:20:00.002-08:002016-11-10T15:20:39.692-08:00To Room 7<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: "American Typewriter";">This week, Honeygirl gets to be "Star of the Week" in her class. She got to take a poster she made about herself and share something special from home with her class. She got to share a poem, and chose who she got to eat lunch with. And her teacher asked that I write a letter to the class about how special she is to me. So I don't forget, here's what I wrote, and I mean every word.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "American Typewriter";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "American Typewriter";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "American Typewriter";">Dear
Room 7, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "American Typewriter";">There
are so many things I could tell you about Honeygirl!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She really is a special girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s funny, a hard worker, smart, artistic,
a good leader, and caring. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you need
to visit the health room, she’ll walk you there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you don’t have someone to play with, she’ll
probably play with you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you need some
encouragement, she’s really good at giving kind words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Need help with your art project?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re in luck! She loves art! And if you’re
having a hard day, chances are she will pray for you, as well as make you a
card.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s really great at stuff like
that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "American Typewriter";">But
I also wanted to tell you some things about her that you might not know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She loves tacos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean, really loves tacos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And watermelon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But not together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has a huge extended family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are about 50 people just on her dad’s
side of the family, and she loves to spend time with all of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s the oldest kid in her family, and the
oldest of all her cousins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s super
at helping with all the younger kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And they all love her! When she grows up, she might want to be a nurse
like her grandma and me (her mom).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
if she does become a nurse, I think she would be excellent at it because she
has such a compassionate heart for others, and is intrigued by medical
stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But if she chooses to do
something else, that’s totally fine too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Lastly, after getting some new clothes, she went through her closet and
picked some things to give to the kids at an orphanage her aunt and uncle work
at.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She told me that since she had
received some things, she thought she could share some of her other clothes
with the kids who live there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love
that she cares so much about others and is willing to share. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At our house, we talk about shining for Jesus,
which really means showing love to everyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I think Honeygirl does a great job at that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "American Typewriter";">When
I asked her this week what she’s thankful for, she told me she’s thankful she
gets to be in Mrs. S's class this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You know why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because she loves
being in the only split class at your school with all of you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m so glad you get to spend the year in the
same class as Honeygirl!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "American Typewriter";">Love,
Honeygirl's mom<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10556846566487058008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100410003610416480.post-61684993068790503602016-10-30T00:02:00.001-07:002016-10-30T00:02:10.852-07:00EggedTo the person who egged my house last night:<br />
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I understand. You were hanging out with friends and looking for something to do. It was late and no one was making the best choices anymore. Someone suggested egging some houses. Maybe you were even the instigator. But somehow you found yourself walking down the street, eggs in hand. I don't know what made you pick our house. I'm guessing there's a pretty good chance you have no idea who we are. Or our neighbor across the street that you also egged. I'm guessing you didn't really put any thought into what you were doing. Because if you did, you might have though about who lives in the houses you egged. You make have stopped to think that while you are a teenager, not all houses are filled with teens. In fact, the houses you chose both have small children. One has a baby that hasn't been sleeping well. That was the baby's window you hit, by the way. The other house- my house- also has small children. And unfortunately, the littlest had woken up just minutes before you happened by. I had just taken her back to her room when she heard a terrifying noise. She's already fearful of "punder" (thunder) and windy nights. But last night we heard something repeatedly hitting the window. Was someone breaking in during the night? Her little self was shaking in terror. I quickly figured out we had been egged on both upstairs windows (and in the morning we discovered the other place you hit), but no amount of reassurance was adequate for my 3 year old. She wouldn't leave my side. And even curled into my side, under my protective arm, she continued to shake. All day she talked about whether someone was going to come back with eggs to get her. She doesn't want to sleep at home because she is scared. And I get to be the one dealing with this.<br />
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My husband and I got up this morning, cleaned the windows, cleaned the screens, and picked egg shells from all the little nooks and crannies they were in. My husband climbed on the roof to spray off all the eggs. And we will pay to replace the screen you put a big hole in. But I will also repeatedly try to reassure my little one that no one is going to get her and that she is safe. Because she has a steel trap of a memory, I'm not sure how long it will take for her to let it go.<br />
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I'm sure if you knew all this before, there would be no way you would have egged our house. There would be no way it would have still seemed worth it. But you didn't know and you didn't think. So do me a favor- next time, take a moment to think about your actions. Think about how it could affect someone. Hopefully, it will prevent you from doing something like this again.<br />
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And for the record, of everyone on the block, I'm still glad it was us. I'm glad you didn't get the neighbor in a wheelchair. It would have been really tough on that elderly person to clean up the mess. I'm glad you didn't get the neighbor with heart problems and a very large dog. You better be glad you didnt get them too! Maybe someday you'll have a family if your own. A few little kiddos. And a careless teenager will egg you. And then you'll know. You'll know what really happened the night you egged a few houses with friends.<br />
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-the mom of 3 little kiddos </div>
Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10556846566487058008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100410003610416480.post-4847179169552363032016-07-11T22:50:00.001-07:002016-07-11T22:50:10.230-07:00Reasons to eat chocolateMy dear momma gave me a new flip calendar recently. You know, the kind where there is a different quote or whatever for every day of the year. This one is 365 Reasons to Eat Chocolate. She knows me so well! I've been getting a kick out of it. Not that I really need more reasons to eat more chocolate, but there are some winners in here, let me tell you! <div><br></div><div>Today's quote is "If your friends are worried about eating too much chocolate, eat theirs." Sounds like a good plan to me! But here's my favorite so far:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLvbe7-tqsvgGfGGBbs-efsbPxyzPg_r55gr5xieGAAWwdysMB1VqSObiDpYjVDDCwHl8TfmNpWjZP6yHsaejz_8pMkI8dhG9ZBJnV7nGHlbbC4RG9m-WExRzxKIhgLvwxyZIsvHSYOrXF/s640/blogger-image--692252070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLvbe7-tqsvgGfGGBbs-efsbPxyzPg_r55gr5xieGAAWwdysMB1VqSObiDpYjVDDCwHl8TfmNpWjZP6yHsaejz_8pMkI8dhG9ZBJnV7nGHlbbC4RG9m-WExRzxKIhgLvwxyZIsvHSYOrXF/s640/blogger-image--692252070.jpg"></a></div><br></div>Now there's a solid plan. </div><div><br></div><div>Until next time...</div><div>Anna</div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10556846566487058008noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100410003610416480.post-88671735750341073592016-06-29T10:03:00.000-07:002016-06-29T10:03:58.797-07:00Flying with littlesAs I write this, we are flying home from our longest vacation ever. Twelve days. Holy shmolie. It's gone incredibly well. No complete disasters. Overall, attitudes and behavior have been good.<br />
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Being a family of five, and no longer having "lap children" on the plane, we can't all sit right next to each other. So we have tried out different configurations for this trip. At the moment, my dear husband and the older two are sitting right behind me. This works out well for him, because they are willing to sit and watch a movie even though he's got two out of three of the kids. And when they do need something, or course they poke their little fingers between the seats and jab at me. Even though the answer is probably "ask your dad." Because I'm the mom. Gracie girl is sitting between me and a gracious business man who has put up with a lot of singing and feet in his side. Not to mention, the girl has terrible gas. Sorry to everyone near us! Gracie girl is reveling in having my full attention for hours on end...I don't think we've gone more than 20 seconds during the entire flight when she didn't want my attention for someting, or need something. Jeepers. Thankfully, our seat mate didn't notice when she pulled up her shirt, tucked her baby close and announced that Baby Maggie was "hungry por mommy molk." We covered Baby Maggie with a blanket while Gracie rocked her, and wiled away at least three minutes of the flight. And then there was the moment out of the blue where she said, "Mommy, I luz you so berry much!" This flight is feeling forever long right now, but these little moments are priceless!</div>
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Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10556846566487058008noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100410003610416480.post-1220612577072249202016-05-28T23:27:00.001-07:002016-05-28T23:27:29.753-07:00Be the MoonToday I was reminded of an important truth. The only reason we see the moon is because the sun shines and is reflected off the moon. Without the sun, the moon would be invisible to us. It would still be there, but we wouldn't gaze into the night sky with amazement at the beauty of it. My kids wouldn't excitedly point it out. And we wouldn't have its light to brighten the darkness. <div><br></div><div>I want to be like the moon. I want to reflect the Son so that when people see me, they see something special and beautiful. I want to shine light in this dark world we live in. And I want others to recognize that there is someting worth pointing out that makes me different. I want Jesus to shine through me, reflect right off me. It's not really ME they need to see. I'm just the vessel Jesus is using to show himself. </div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10556846566487058008noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100410003610416480.post-79335584688205496852016-05-24T21:48:00.001-07:002016-05-24T21:49:00.000-07:00Java Chip Frappe recipeIt was one of those days where I was needing a little pick-me-up. Who are we kidding...most days I need a little pick-me-up! Today, Starbucks was sounding pretty darn good. But loading the kids up just to satisfy this craving wasn't sounding so lovely. So good ol' pinterest to the rescue! I tell you, you can find anything there. And once again, it didn't disappoint. <br />
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A quick little search turned up a copycat recipe, which I readily tried. Since I'm not typically a coffee drinker, today I was super thankful for our Kurig. I love that I can just whip up a perfect cup of coffee to get my frappe going! So just in case you're needing a little pick-me-up too, here's the <a href="http://www.selfsagacity.com/2012/10/how-to-make-starbucks-java-chip.html?m=1" target="_blank">recipe</a>, with a few little modifications to suite my fancy:<br />
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<b><u>Java Chip Frappuccino </u></b><br />
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1.5 cups ice cubes<br />
1/2 cup milk<br />
handful of chocolate chips<br />
a big squirt of chocolate syrup<br />
1/3 cup coffee<br />
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Dump it all in the blender (Vitamix at our house) and blend. Next time, I think I'll add a little more ice...I thought it could have been a little thicker. But the taste was perfect. No picture because I devoured it too fast. Maybe next time. :)Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10556846566487058008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100410003610416480.post-70745981155358333182016-04-14T15:22:00.001-07:002016-04-14T15:22:32.932-07:00The things they sayToday Sweet Pea came home from preschool and proudly announced, "Today I made binoc-lee-ers!" Sometimes her take on pronunciation is just too awesome not to write down. <div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZppt2Sw3nWvJXFhETIrLdDwOZpcmFcfEirFa1byni_lIZX7QVTttyMTg1Z62YiPH709GIn1mWJKiYFmO7zoWFPbl2SE8d5xwxpYgROlBd3fcFYEXjF4YVcEt3_f5i4hlSl6ThRqFEa5Tx/s640/blogger-image-1580892871.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZppt2Sw3nWvJXFhETIrLdDwOZpcmFcfEirFa1byni_lIZX7QVTttyMTg1Z62YiPH709GIn1mWJKiYFmO7zoWFPbl2SE8d5xwxpYgROlBd3fcFYEXjF4YVcEt3_f5i4hlSl6ThRqFEa5Tx/s640/blogger-image-1580892871.jpg"></a></div></div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10556846566487058008noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100410003610416480.post-74610465223839105422016-02-24T23:23:00.000-08:002016-06-12T23:12:06.638-07:00Shopping for jeansOk- confession time. Somewhere around 7 years ago, a friend who was cleaning out her closet, gave me a pair of jeans she didn't want anymore. I tried them on, and they became MY jeans. I mean, these things fit like perfection. I'm pretty sure I had never worn something more trendy than the basic boot cut jeans from Old Navy. But these jeans...these had been bought at Nordstrom and were some brand I had never heard of. In no time flat they became the only jeans I ever wore.<br>
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At least until that fated day when a hole appeared in one of the knees, entirely uninvited. It's true- I had legitimately worn my jeans out. So I did what any bargain hunting person would do. I found another pair on eBay for about 10% of the retail cost. Now, when you have one pair of jeans that you wear every day (and I do mean every day literally), you wear out jeans every few years. At least I do. So I've gone the eBay route a few times. And it's worked every time. Except this last one. Maybe they were mismarked. Maybe they were a different style and I didn't realize it. Don't know what happened, but it wasn't love like in the past. And because it's eBay, I'm stuck. Couple that with another recent eBay disappointment (but that's another story!) and I decided that I needed to actually attempt shopping for jeans again. </div>
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Now, since it's been a fair number of years, I really didn't have any starting point. I mean, I know my size, but what style? Brand? </div>
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So for Valentine's Day, my sweetie suggested we hit the mall in a nearby city to try to find me a decent pair of jeans. He was even kind enough to suggest we hit up Nordstrom since that's where my other favorite jeans had been from before Nordstrom stopped carrying them. It sounded like a lovely idea until I pulled the first pair of jeans off the rack. "Distressed" is not my chosen style, after all, I can create that all on my own if I just wear my jeans long enough. And the $209 price tag made me nearly faint. This bargain hunter just couldn't handle it. (Nor could my husband who buys his jeans at Costco for roughly $15 a pair!)<br>
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So we ditched the mall and headed for Nordstrom Rack across the street. After the previous price tag shock, all the price tags looked good to me. Ten pairs of jeans and I had it out in the dressing room, and to my pleasant surprise, I was able to declare two winners! The first pair on felt like a long lost friend that I never wanted to be separated from again. (And we have been quite inseparable ever since.) The second winner was the lone non-denim pair I dared to try on. Bright coral, they were definitely a risk. But they felt amazing. And looked trendy! Seeing the "compare at $128" made me feel slightly better about $56 for jeans that I can't guarantee I will actually wear on a regular basis. And honestly, I was still questioning my sanity for spending that much. But I decided to splurge and go for it. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOLHJDAWVYYvyKF2o_Tl1adnfKqu7sCcDkB-wOQm1mA4BvDXR-3iSMZImUOlxU6a1cI0HWuw8nuOivxN5WyT0dX4w6zQ-cLzFE_DqRHBlRPKGp-CWSikRsaXA-GXPIINjbSlhHVO-bOaHY/s640/blogger-image--1921007937.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOLHJDAWVYYvyKF2o_Tl1adnfKqu7sCcDkB-wOQm1mA4BvDXR-3iSMZImUOlxU6a1cI0HWuw8nuOivxN5WyT0dX4w6zQ-cLzFE_DqRHBlRPKGp-CWSikRsaXA-GXPIINjbSlhHVO-bOaHY/s640/blogger-image--1921007937.jpg"></a></div></div>
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Now, this is when things got good. At the register, the helpful guy ringing up my purchase pointed out a slight discoloration so small I had to ask him to point to it again to see it. <br>
"Are you sure you want these?"<br>
"Where is the stain?"<br>
"If you buy them, just keep the tags. If the stain doesn't come out after washing, just bring them back!<br>
"Ok - I'll take them!"<br>
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And then it happened. He rang them up. And for some amazing unknown reason, $0.01 showed up on the register. The poor guy almost lost it. "Oh my ***! Oh my ***! Did you see this!? They are only a PENNY! You are so lucky! Oh my ***!" </div><div><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn8gVKHxNX65mvCJothVTNnx11t1wyc-zHvF4g1Rbj_DYncVNh7JDZYYLUOM8EZ3VPR7YHYNvuPg1Rr4MEHzQRVQJFonPiwGuCXR17kativE9yitH7i9afOYYVF79L3-5fEUBielDMzDe3/s640/blogger-image-1332418033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn8gVKHxNX65mvCJothVTNnx11t1wyc-zHvF4g1Rbj_DYncVNh7JDZYYLUOM8EZ3VPR7YHYNvuPg1Rr4MEHzQRVQJFonPiwGuCXR17kativE9yitH7i9afOYYVF79L3-5fEUBielDMzDe3/s640/blogger-image-1332418033.jpg"></a></div></div><br>
Who knows who mislabeled those suckers, but I hit the jackpot. Um, YES! A thousand times YES I will take those jeans. And I don't care if that stain never comes out. I had to ask twice to find it in the first place. </div><div><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJfI724zq1o-Mj26olBGKIUvKVyoVTM4XV5PFVzoOpUWai2YB2PeQNhm8SSSj8NtGZcWSi2peFth0c7xlkc3vL9q-oQgMq9Uhd38D36IrIfc-Vq1SkKP100vfxoianKguwqegFOv3UMpf/s640/blogger-image--1222333669.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJfI724zq1o-Mj26olBGKIUvKVyoVTM4XV5PFVzoOpUWai2YB2PeQNhm8SSSj8NtGZcWSi2peFth0c7xlkc3vL9q-oQgMq9Uhd38D36IrIfc-Vq1SkKP100vfxoianKguwqegFOv3UMpf/s640/blogger-image--1222333669.jpg"></a></div>(Pardon the mess I call "reality" in the background.")</div><div><br>
So I guess it turned out to be a good thing my eBay jeans didn't work out this time...<br>
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Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10556846566487058008noreply@blogger.com1