THE creamiest and THE easiest cheesecake

This recipe is really from my friend Jaesi.  It's soo easy and sooo yummy, it quickly became a FAVORITE and do again and again dessert!  Ready for it?

8 oz cream cheese, softened
tub of whipped cream
1/4-1/3 cup powered sugar
graham cracker crust

With a mixer, cream together the cream cheese and whipped cream and add powered sugar to desired sweetness. Spread into a pre-made crust (either vanilla crumbs or graham cracker crust) and refrigerate til it firms up again.  I like this one topped with cherry pie filling but plain is yummy too.  ENJOY!

Monday Meanderings - July 25

Eli's birthday week is over, and I'm relieved the schedule, though still busy, is a little more relaxed this week. One good friend is returning after having been gone for two weeks and another friend is moving the end of the week {sad}. So for separate reasons and at separate times, I'll be trying to help both of them out this week.

Bible Study... Ugh, I just don't really know anymore...

Memory Verse... Romans 12:11

"Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord."

Husband Encouragement...

♥ Plan a mini-date for sometime this week, Wednesday or Thursday.

♥ Pay attention to what laundry he may need done.

♥ Fresh towels.

♥ Get him some food for when I'm gone next weekend.

Train Them Up...
* I'm doing a few "knights & castles" things with Eli this week.
* Been having Carter put his shoes away on the shelf and sippy cup in fridge (though he's been doing that one for awhile now).
* Making a "stay-in-your-bed" chart for Eli and Hannah. I'm tired of them getting up multiple nights a week.  IF they stay in their beds for 30 days, THEN they can have a sleepover in the same room.

Personal Goals...
* Run 1x this week??  That SHOULD be my goal but looking at the week, the weather, and the schedule, I just don't know...

New Habit of the Month...  {JULY} work on establishing new nap routine for Eli

MUST Do...
* Eli thank-you notes
* Get all party stuff put away
* Mail in Eli's Kindergarten registration --we finally got his last checkup done! The paperwork is ready, but I just noticed in some other info papers that there is a registration day in August.

* Pick up a copy of Eli's shot record from Dr? Found our shot record book!

* Do Eli's 5 yr and Family pics
* Prepare a meal for my friend Nikki.
* Pack my stuff for this weekend.
* Pack the kids' stuff for this weekend.

Zone(s)... post-party, getting things back in place

Menu - TBD

M  - Mediterranean pasta

T - chili dogs {meatloaf, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, and homemade applesauce for Nikki}
W - taco wraps
Th - grilled shrimp
F -Ohio
S -Ohio
Su - Ohio

FUN THINGS! 

* Except for an OT day on Monday, Kevin's off this week!
* Carter has his 18-month checkup on Wednesday.
* A mini-date with Kevin maybe Thursday, if I can arrange something??
* Friday I'm headed off BY MYSELF to visit my friend Lisa in Ohio for the weekend while the kids go to Grandma and Grandpa's and Kevin works nights.

3 things I'm thankful for today...

1. Sweet corn.
2. One-on-one time lately with my eldest.
3. Some great days with my Mr.!

Sunday Psalm

Psalm 100

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

Worship the Lord with gladness;

come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the Lord is God.

It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the Lord is good and his love

endures forever;

his faithfulness continues through 

all generations.

While the pizza cooks...

...I like to let the kids color on the pizza cardboard, drawing their own toppings, or just scribbling however they want.  They get excited about it every time and it sure passes the time quickly and they play with their "pizza" for the rest of the day!

Monday Meanderings - July 18

This is Eli's BIRTHDAY WEEK (turning 5!!) so we have loads of fun things planned!  Last night we kicked off the week with cake and ice cream and slip n slide fun with his friends!  Today instead of heading to a splash park because of the extreme heat we are headed to Chuck E Cheese instead.  Yeah, I'm not one of those that despises C.E.C.  No ball bit at this one.  And germs are everywhere so we might as well go have some fun with some other friends when it's too hot to be outside.  Then Tuesday is actual B-day in which Eli will have a couple new surprises AND finish the day with a sleepover with Hannah in his new bunk bed. Wednesday is his very first eye appointment. Thursday and Friday are "blank days"/Daddy nights. And Saturday is birthday party #2, with family.  Fun fun days!!

Bible Study... Exodus! Haven't done any reading in awhile

Memory Verse... Psalm 86:11-13

"Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth, give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart. I will glorify your name forever."

Husband Encouragement...

♥ Start planning our next date! Not really sure when that can be, but I'm gonna start trying for every two weeks.

♥ I have a secret plan regarding the calendar alerts he gets on his phone.

♥ I have a couple nights out with friends this week, one of them being right after Kevin gets home from work, so I'm going to do my best to have the kids fed, PJ-ed and maybe even watching a movie so Kevin can still have post-work downtime when he gets home.

Train Them Up...
* New nap routine with Eli.

* A fun-week with them.

* Chore wheel.  We've been forgetting it lately with all the summer busyness.

Personal Goals...
* Run 1x this week. I DID get a run in last week, outside even, AND had a pretty good time (actual time, not fun time)

* Read a little bit in Exodus.

* Paint nails.

New Habit of the Month...  {JULY} work on establishing new nap routine for Eli

MUST Do...
* Get presents wrapped, cake ready for Eli's birthday party.

* thank-you notes

Zone(s)...  laundry (a bit behind these days)

Menu - 

M  - crockpot ribs

T - Chinese restaurant (Eli's fave)
W - H.H.
Th - TBD
F - mac n cheese/hot dogs (daddy night)
S - BBQ??
Su - TBD

FUN THINGS! 

* Chuck E Cheese today.
* Eli's 5th Birthday tomorrow. (Chinese restaurant and sleepover with Hannah)
* Eli's first eye appointment Wednesday.
* Mommy's movie night and sleepover with HER friends on Thursday.
* Friday I'm going to Omaha to meet up with an old college friend.
* Saturday -- family birthday party!

3 things I'm thankful for today...

1. Country livin'.  It's so peaceful out here.  And in the summer, it's just sooo much fun for playing!
2. Parties. I love parties. I love having people to our house!
3. Summer.  Tis the best time of year.

A new week

A week ago I was pretty down in the dumps about life and marriage.  God was really revealing a lot of things to me about myself.  It was good but it was hard.  I was able to share those thoughts with Kevin. And we had a great weekend as a family, including a date night out.  Who cares that we just went out to eat, Target, Lowes, dessert, then home.  It was just the two of us, and during that time we talked about what other dates we might do.  I really want to try for every two weeks if we can at all POSSIBLE squeeze some time in, even something little.  I left the weekend feeling excited, excited for a growing relationship with my husband, and feeling hopeful for what's to come.  Gosh, sometimes I feel like I'm bipolar cuz now this week I feel zest for life. I gave Kevin a simple card, thanking him for his hard work over the weekend and of course telling him that I love and appreciate him.  And I've also got some ideas brewing for how we can better connect with other friends from church, since Kevin is often gone on Sundays.  Lots of growth coming for all of us, I hope.  So cheers to this new week!

Monday Meanderings - July 11

Bible Study... Exodus! Haven't done any reading in awhile

Memory Verse... Psalm 86:11-13

"Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth, give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart. I will glorify your name forever."

Husband Encouragement...

♥ Start planning our next date! Not really sure when that can be, but I'm gonna start trying for every two weeks.

♥ Be flexible.

Train Them Up...
* New nap routine with Eli.

Personal Goals...
* Run 1x this week. STILL having a HARD time getting back to it.

* Read a little bit in Exodus.

* Start limiting what things I add to the rest of our summer schedule.  We are really getting booked up!!

New Habit of the Month...  {JULY} work on establishing new nap routine for Eli

MUST Do...
* Get presents wrapped, cake ready for Eli's birthday party.

* Paint Eli's desk.

* Start staining the bunk bed.

* Mow?

* Deliver MOPS meal, I have it all ready, just need to get a hold of the person!

* Blog posts-- Arbor Day Farm, Fritz visit, zoo, bunk bed, 4th of July! 

Zone(s)...  Eli's room, Kitchen cupboards (really trying to clean out!)

Menu - 

M  - burritos, salads

T - spaghetti
W - kabobs
Th - chicken piccata
F - fair
S - TBD
Su - crockpot BBQ ribs

FUN THINGS! 

* Kevin's day off today--we got a lot done with the bunk bed and now it's pretty much ready for staining once we finish our sample staining first.

* MOPS park playdate Tuesday.

* Meeting Amanda and her kiddos in Omaha Wednesday.

* Holly's coming down on Thursday for a visit!

* Parade and fair on Friday and Saturday.

* Eli's birthday party with friends on Sunday evening.

3 things I'm thankful for today...

1. A date with my hubby on Saturday evening.  We mostly ran errands but we had a fun time and good conversation and delicious food. Nice time out and we talked about other date ideas for the future. I really want to start doing this much MUCH more often!
2. Friends. The schedule has been so busy but it's all filled with time spent with wonderful friends and family! It's a good busy for sure!
3. Progress on Eli's bunk bed! I'm so excited and I'm thankful for Kevin's hard work on it--it looks wonderful thus far and I'm super excited get Eli's "new room" together! {I LOVE rearranging!!}

I Am a Control Freak.

I am a control freak. And so, at any given minute you are probably doing the "wrong" thing, not the thing I want you to be doing.  Whether you're pooping too long or in the wrong bathroom, you're parking in the wrong spot, working on the computer instead of playing with the kids, working on a project instead of cleaning up dinner, NOT working on a project, not eating enough dinner, saying No to dessert, or using the wrong tone of voice, I get upset. I get upset over little little things.

Most of the time I try not to say anything though because I don't want to be a nagging wife. So instead my insides boil just thinking it, and trying to hold it in.

And if we're trying to make it somewhere on time, just forget it. I'm probably going to blow my top. I try to plan ahead so we're not rushed, but I can't control everything.  The baby poops and a diaper needs changed, or someone needs to go potty again, or we can't find a shoe, or the sippy cup is misplaced. There seems to always be something. And that's what's hard.

I need to learn that even in marriage I need to choose my battles.  Let the little things go. Let. It. Go. Keep perspective and focus on something else instead of stewing. And {kindly} communicate my desires, so my husband knows my thoughts.

I don't really know how to change all this in an instant. So I'm just going to say I'm sorry.  God has been opening my eyes, allowing me to see who and what I am. And it aint pretty. It's quite the opposite. So please forgive me and know that I am trying.

Trying to slow down, take a deep breath, and ask myself if it really matters.  If not, I'm moving on! Or at least I'm trying.

Used to be.

We used to play tennis in the evenings. We used to fly kites at the park. Ride bikes through a shady trail. Go for walks. Play frisbee or catch with a ball.   We used to eat out with friends after church. Every time. We used to go to movies at the theater. Eat at restaurants frequently. And run errands together. Always. We used to order pizza in on rainy days. We used to sleep in together and watch movies in the afternoon. We used to have conversations. We used to work out together. Go Jeepin'. Take trips spontaneously. Go camping. Take pictures of ourselves.

And then.

We had kids.

And ALL that changed.

Now, we don't do ANY of that. What fun is it to arrange a babysitter just to go do something simple like fly a kite? There's no spontaneity, there's no freedom to just BE and have fun with one another. It has to be arranged and planned and timed. And then, that just takes the fun out of it.

So what's next? How do we get it back? The thrill of one another??

Food lapbook

Our food lapbook is finally up and available for download on our school blog! Go check it out HERE!