Good Reads

I've been collecting blog posts to share for the past couple of weeks, so I thought I'd just link up this afternoon. Hope you enjoy these posts as much as I did.

Oh that Kate Middleton. She's gorgeous. And stylish, as Sarah at Modern Country Style points out.

I thought these printable alphabet letters were really cute from The Handmade Home. If you're crafty, head over there and get printing.

Jo-Lynne made this asparagus frittata this week. I'm sure I'll be making it soon as well. Mmmmmm.

It wouldn't be a "Good Reads" post without a link to Jon Acuff. I so resonated with this one titled "The Miserable God."

Oh-so-beautiful post from Kristin Welch's husband: "How [A Dad] Really Loves a Daughter." Yes! Go read it. Now.

And then there's this one from Ann VosKamp. Not your typical Mother's Day post, but such a great reminder that relationships cost . . . and sometimes they cost a lot.

Happy reading!

31 Days Closer to Your Kids: Meals Together

Our college girl came home yesterday.

For the summer.

Where, oh where did that year go?? It’s like *poof!* Gone. Into thin air.

Please, God, can’t you just slow down time a little bit?

Alas, this isn’t a post about kids growing up too fast. Even though these teen years are super-fun for us and I hate to even think about college graduation, which is right around the corner, there were plenty of years (*ahem* babyyears *ahem*) that seemed to c r a w l.

Nope. I just wanted to tell you about our night last night because it was so much fun and we really had a great opportunity to connect with our kids.

Since I knew Kate would be officially coming home for the summer, I decided to kick it off with a fabulous meal together. I went to the meat market and bought some beautiful steaks. I made her favorite fruit salad, even splurging on raspberries at $2.99 for a half pint which I usually don’t do because . . . $2.99 for a half pint? Seriously? But College Girl loves raspberries, so I splurged. We also had pasta salad and baked potatoes and some delicious banana bread that a friend made for us. It was an awesome meal.

Caroline had a friend over (the sweet friend who came on Spring Break with us—she’s pretty much like family) so she stayed for dinner too. The girls were headed to a talent show after dinner, and Kate was supposed to go to a party at another friend’s house, so dinner had to be a little early.

This is how we roll with teenagers. Flexibility is the key.

Let me just tell you that dinner with all of our kids around the table (plus one!) was so much fun. We ended up sitting there for a long time just talking and laughing and talking and laughing some more.

Eventually Caroline and E left for the talent show, but Kate said, “You know what? I don’t really feel like going out tonight. I think I’ll go get a movie and stay here if that’s O.K. with you.”

O.K. with us? Of course!

So the four of us who remained at home ended up watching “The King’s Speech” together (awesome movie—don’t let the R rating deter you).

Don’t underestimate the power of a great meal. Yes, it took planning. Yes, it took flexibility. Yes, it took effort. But the results were so worth it.

You know what? You don't have to wait until your kids are coming home from college to plan a special meal. And your meal certainly doesn't have to be steak and too-expensive raspberries to be special. Making family meals a priority is a good start to celebrating your family . . . every day . . . no matter how young (or old) your kids may be.

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Be sure to check out the other gals in the "31 Days Closer . . ." series:

Sandy at The Amazing Adventures of the Fitness Friday Girl
Melanie at Bella~Mella
Jen at Finding Heaven
Lisa at Glad Chatter
Missy at It's Almost Naptime

31 Days Closer to Your Kids: Host Their Friends

Last Friday, you may recall, there was a little matter of a wedding. A Royal wedding.

Over there . . . in England . . . where I like to be every so often . . . the wedding took place at the same hour that B and I got married: 11:00 a.m. It’s a decent hour to get married.

But over here the hour was not decent at all. All of the pre-wedding coverage started at 3:00 a.m. THREE O’CLOCK IN THE A. M., PEOPLE!! The wedding itself started at 5:00 a.m.

In order to watch the big event live, you had to be pretty committed (get it?!) and get up EARLY. Boy, was I ever committed.

At 4:30 a.m., girls started streaming in my front door. I don’t think I’ve ever welcomed guests to my home at that hour. Ever! By the start of the ceremony there were a dozen college girls in their pajamas sitting in my family room staring at the television.



And I loved every minute of it.

Was I tired that day . . . and the next? You bet I was.

Was it worth it to create a lasting memory for my girls and their friends? Oh yeah.

I feel like I’m a very lucky mom because not only do I really enjoy my own kids, I truly enjoy their friends. And I love hosting their friends here in our home. Which is one way I really think we connect with our own kids—when we connect with their friends too.

Here are a few pointers to hosting kids in your home:

Start when they’re young. Get your kids in the habit of inviting friends over. Over the years they will just know that you want their friends to be around.

Be the place they all want to be. This means, of course, having plenty of food available for kids to eat. When Julia was younger she used to bring a friend home from school every Friday, and on most weeks I made sure I baked cookies before they got here. To this day, her friend still calls our house the “Cookie House” because she knows she’ll get a cookie if she stops by.

Don’t expect them to pay too much attention to you. After all, having kids over isn’t about you, Mom. It’s about them connecting with each other. But in the end, your own kids will appreciate that you were there.

In the end, everyone benefits when you host your kids’ friends. Your kids will feel important because you took the time to do this. You will get to know their friends better (and believe me, this is SUCH a benefit. I love my kids’ friends!). And you might just get to share some love and kindness to someone who really needs it.

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Be sure to check out the other gals in the "31 Days Closer . . ." series:

Sandy at The Amazing Adventures of the Fitness Friday Girl
Melanie at Bella~Mella
Jen at Finding Heaven
Lisa at Glad Chatter
Missy at It's Almost Naptime

31 Days Closer to Your Kids: Laugh

“The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.”
e e cummings

We like to laugh around here. A lot.

Why wouldn’t we when there’s so much to laugh about?!

I’m kidding, of course. Laughter doesn’t always come easily, especially when life gets hard. When sickness comes. When tests loom. When wisdom teeth need to be extracted in a couple of weeks. (Oh, yes they do!)

But for some reason, my family loves to laugh in the midst of it all. (Last night said soon-to-be-without-wisdom-teeth daughter was looking up You Tube videos of people coming out of anesthesia. Hysterical!)

I grew up in a house of laughter and, believe me, there were plenty of years when we didn’t feel like laughing. When deep losses pressed in, when droughts came, when money was tight. But my parents spent time laughing with us, joking us through our teenage years, cajoling us despite our girly mood swings.

Thankfully, I married a very funny man who makes me laugh every single day. (In fact, as I was writing this post he called me from work and said something that totally made me laugh.) His delicious sense of humor is one of the things I most appreciate about him.

A few reasons to laugh with your kids:

- It shows them that life doesn't need to be taken so desperately seriously all the time.

- God wants us to be filled with joy. Laughter models that kind of joy for our kids.

- It helps us remember that things aren't always as bad as they seem.

- It's FUN! And having fun with our kids is always a good thing.

When I talk to my girls about the type of guy they might marry someday, aside from being someone who loves Jesus more than he loves them, I tell them to marry a man who makes them laugh. Life is stormy enough on its own, but there is also plenty of joy to be found. Laughter is the buried treasure among life’s stormy seas.

Laughter is a gift. So pass that gift on to your children and find something to laugh with them about today.

Question: Do you laugh with your family? What makes you laugh the most?

31 Days Closer to Your Kids: Text

"Have a great day!"

"I'm praying for you today."

"How did your test go?"

"Hey, Mom, can I borrow the car on Thursday?"

These are just a few of the texts that have passed between my kids and me in recent days. And to think, just a couple of years ago I didn't even know how to send a text!

I've come a long way, baby.

I’m kind of funny about cell phones. I’ve seen some pretty poor choices among junior high girls regarding cell phones, so we don’t let our kids have a phone until high school. (But that’s another post for another time.)

But once my girls have cell phones, I find that one of the best ways to connect with them is through texting. Just a simple text that says, “I love you” or “I’m praying for you today” really lets my kids know they're important to me. It's kind of like slipping them a little love note . . . electronically.

Texting isn’t your thing? I can promise you it’s the way your kids will be--or already are--communicating, so give it a try, figure it out (it’s not that hard), and get in touch with your kids.

Connecting with your kids through texting is great because it’s a quick hello, a reminder that you are thinking about them, and it’s meeting them where they are in a techno-savvy world.

Go ahead—send an encouraging text to your kids today!

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{Giveaway winner!}

Random.org chose Commenter #7 from Sunday's giveaway post: Tina!!! Tina, email me (wildmom3[at]sbcglobal[dot]net) with your address so I can send you your $25 Target gift card. Congratulations!

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Be sure to check out the other gals in the "31 Days Closer . . ." series:

Sandy at The Amazing Adventures of the Fitness Friday Girl
Melanie at Bella~Mella
Jen at Finding Heaven
Lisa at Glad Chatter
Missy at It's Almost Naptime

31 Days Closer to Your Kids: Work Alongside Them

Good parents make their kids work. It’s as simple as that. When kids don’t work they end up being spoiled brats who aren’t equipped to live in the real world.

(Gee, could I be any more blunt?!)

Every week our kids have jobs: they need to clean their rooms, keep their bathroom picked up, do garbage duty. And then there’s the dreaded “dog poop” job. Before the weekend, one of our kids is assigned the job of picking up the grossness in our back yard. It’s one of the worst jobs we have in our home, but somebody’s got to do it (and it ain’t going to be the parents!).

Our kids are pretty good about working. We’ve given them age-appropriate jobs from the time they were very young, so they know how to work. But every once in a while, I notice that a child needs a little extra encouragement. When her shoulders slump. When she’s had a bad week. When she’s not feeling well.

And that’s when I step in and work alongside my child. (Remember, this doesn’t happen every week. If it did, I’d just be bailing out my kid from doing the work that’s expected of her. This is a special exception that’s reserved for every once in a while.)

Recently we painted Julia’s bedroom and, as you know, a painting project involves lots more than just putting paint on the wall. It involves cleaning out closets and dresser drawers. It means washing curtains and hanging them back up again. In this case, it means an entire room makeover.

Rather than leave the closet cleaning to my daughter (an overwhelming job to be sure!), I will be pitching in this week and working alongside her. Sure, it might be easier to do it myself (or to just have her do it alone), but our working together does a couple of different things.

First, it encourages my child. The job might feel just too big for her, so my helping her shows her that we can tackle it together.

Second, it gives us some time together. Who knows what she might open up about while we’re sorting through old papers and Barbie dolls? It might give me another opportunity to listen. ☺

And finally, working together allows me to show my daughter how to do the job right. If left to do it herself, most things would just get piled up in a corner again rather than sorted and put away properly. I have the chance to model the right way to clean a closet so that, hopefully, next time she’ll have a better idea of what’s expected.

Question: Is there a job you can do with your child this week? How do you encourage your children to work hard?

31 Days Closer to Your Kids: Listen

"Mom! You're not listening to me!"

Have you ever heard those words from your kids? I have. And it makes me cringe every time.

Yesterday, in my introduction to this series, I mentioned that getting closer to our kids isn't just an automatic thing. Just because they live under our roofs doesn't necessarily mean we're "connecting" with them.

I have teenagers. And if you also have teenagers, you know how tough it is sometimes to connect with them. We parents want to just pour what little bit of wisdom we have into our kids while we still have them in our homes. We feel this sense of urgency to talk to them about the world and everything they will need to know once they're out and on their own.

But today I want to encourage you to just slow down and do one thing for your kids: listen.

No matter what age your children are, just listen. Eventually they will tell you what's on their hearts. Don't push. Don't prod. Just close your mouth and listen.

I have found that listening to my kids is good for me for a couple of reasons. First, because it's so hard for me, listening is a good exercise in self-control. How often do I just space out when one of my girls is going on and on with a long story? But they know the minute they lose me. And that's when I hear, "Mom, you're not listening to me!"

Ugh. I hate it when they're right.

The second reason I've found that listening is important is because it empowers our kids. Think about times when others have really paid attention to what you've had to say. Doesn't it feel great? Don't you feel like your words mean something? Like your words have power?

Our kids live in a crazy-busy, loud world where everyone seems to be shouting for attention at once. If we're not careful, our kids might end up feeling like their voice cannot be heard, like their voice doesn't matter at all.

Today, take a minute to show your kids that their voice does matter. Close your laptop. Turn off the radio. Look your child in the eye. And listen.

Just listen.

This post is being linked to Amanda's "Weekend Bloggy Reading" at Serenity Now. Head over there for some great posts!

31 Days Closer to Your Kids {giveaway}

When Sandy asked me to join with five other bloggers in a month-long series, I immediately said, "I'm in!" I didn't actually think about the fact that I'd have to write a post every single day for a month.

Whoo boy!

This is going to be a challenge for me, but hopefully a good one . . . and one that will benefit all of us.

I'm so excited about the topic I've chosen: "31 Days Closer to Your Kids" because, as you know if you've been around here for a while, it's a topic I'm fairly passionate about. As my girls have grown I've come to realize more and more that our time with our kids is short and maintaining a relationship with them is not something that always comes automatically. Just because they live under our roof doesn’t mean we’re always connecting with them. Over the next 31 days, I’ll share some practical tips to help you grow closer to your kids.

As I said, there are six of us doing this "31 Days Closer . . . " series. I am blessed to be counted among these amazing women. You need to go check out their stories.

Jen at Finding Heaven
31 Days Closer to Hearing God's Voice
God speaks to us. He wants us to sit at His feet and let His Words wash over us. But sometimes, a whole lotta junk gets in the way of us actually hearing what He has to say. Over the next 31 days, we are going to practice getting our baggage out of the ways so that our heart is prepared to listen to what He has to say.

Melanie at the Bella~Mella
31 Days Closer to A Cuter You
Have you had that moment yet? You know the one where you unexpectedly catch a glimpse of yourself in a mirror? Yeah…THAT one. If you grimaced instead of grinned, join me for the next 31 days for 31 tips and tricks to tweak your look and come closer to a cuter you!

Sandy at The Amazing Adventures of Fitness Friday Girl
31 Days Closer to Health, Wellness and Bathing Suit Season
It’s the little things. All the little things you do in a day either contribute to your health …or not. Whether your goal is to feel better, drop a few pounds or just strut more confidently in your bathing suit, we’ll cover all the little things you can do to get closer to your goal by June 1st!

Missy at It’s Almost Naptime
31 Days Closer to a New Home
You don’t need to move to get a “new home.” I am going to reorganize and redecorate the one I have. In the next 31 days, I will stop the procrastination and tackle all those little projects I’ve been putting off. So this summer, I can sit back and enjoy my family. Join me.

Lisa Smith at Glad Chatter
31 Days Closer to the Life You Always Wanted
If you have ever found yourself saying things like one day I'll print out those pictures and hang them on the wall, organize my bookshelf, have a usable filing system, throw awesome birthday parties for my kids, make a living by doing my passion or become a runner, this series is for you. When cancer threatened to take the life I had, I decided it was high time I started living the life I had always wanted.

Now here's some more good news. To kick off our series, we're all hosting a Big Fantastical Give-Away!!!

To be eligible for the giveaway, read the rules carefully.

1. You must tell someone about the “31 Day Closer to” series. Post about it on your blog. Link to us on Facebook. Send a Tweet or an e-mail. Just something computer-like to spread the word.

2. Leave a comment on the blog saying that you did. Be sure to include your e-mail so we can contact you.

3. One entry/comment per person.

4. Comment must be on the blog, not on Facebook. (Thank you for not making me look multiple places.)

5. You may enter once on each blog (for a total of 6 entries possible).

6. Entries must be submitted by Midnight on Monday, May 2nd.

7. Winners will be announced Wednesday, May 4th.

We’ll draw one random winner per blog, and each winner will receive one of the following prizes:

$25 Ikea Gift Card

$10 Starbucks Gift Card

an original charcoal art piece, by Jen Ferguson

an original picture frame designed by The Chubby Dove

$25 Target Gift Card

Good Girls Don’t Have to Dress Bad, by Shari Braendel


It's May. It's almost summer. And it's time for a giant blog party!!!

See you tomorrow . . . and every day this month!

P.S. The best way to get the post every day is to subscribe via e-mail or follow in a reader. It's quick, it's fun, it's free. Head on over there -------> to sign up!

31 Days Closer . . .

Hey guys!

I'm so excited!

Tomorrow I'm starting a 31-Day blog series called "31 Days Closer to Your Kids."

Sandy Cooper of "The Amazing Adventures of Fitness Friday Girl," Melanie Dorsey of "Bella~Mella," Lisa Smith of "Glad Chatter," Missy at "It's Almost Naptime," and Jen Ferguson of "Finding Heaven" are all taking part in this 31 Day extravaganza, each with a different topic.

More details to come tomorrow . . . along with details about a huge kick-off giveaway! So come on back tomorrow, will you?

Royal Wedding Party

Good morning! Come on in!


Grab a tiara and a Royal Wedding Bingo card.


How about a spot of tea?


The food is ready.


Especially the yummy scones Kate made. (My Kate, not that Kate--she was a little busy this morning.)


We have cucumber sandwiches too.


I told you we'd be having a party, and party we did. At 4:30 this morning, 12 college girls descended on my house to watch "the wedding of the century" according to news reports.

Check out these girls' faces as Kate came walking down the aisle. I'll admit, she was a bit mesmerizing.


Here's Princess Abby. Isn't she cute?


All of these girls are adorable, and they had so much fun this morning dreaming of their own "weddings of the century." By the way, I told them they had to speak in a fake British accents and wear their tiaras all day today. I actually think a couple of them might just do that.


Finally the big moment arrived. Wills and Kate kiss on the balcony. How cute are they??!!


The girls swooned.


And then they fell asleep.

The Light

They sat right there, within reach, on the checkout counter of the dimly lit doctor’s office. Those little rolled-up sunglasses that just curve around your face, making you look like your grandpa who used to wear those hook-on sunglasses around his real glasses.

And so I passed them by.

Yes, my pride is huge.

I rationalized that my own sunglasses were just in my car. Surely I could get myself to the car without having to put a piece of ugly rolled-up plastic on my face.

As soon as I stepped out of the building I regretted my decision.

The light!

My dilated pupils took in so much sunlight I had to blink. Hard. When I tried to open my eyes I couldn’t do it. Beams of light were streaming in from every direction, and I squinted and squirmed uncomfortably, hoping in those first few minutes to quickly adjust.

My eyes started to water profusely as I struggled to find my keys and make my way, slowly, to the car where my sunglasses awaited me.

Why did I not take the plastic protectors when they were offered to me? Now, practically feeling my way to the car, I wondered why I had been so stupid. It was a mere 25 yards, but the walk (or should I say, the grope) to my car felt like a mile.

The light just streamed in, hitting every exposed surface of my inner eye, and I could not stand to look outside.

In those few feet I could not help but think of the Light we had been studying in Bible study this year in the book of John.

This True Light (John 1:9) who Himself created the light (Genesis 1:3) and whose light cannot stand to be looked upon (Exodus 19:21) is brighter than even the discomfort I experienced that day. His light is all-consuming.

And one day, we will get to see His light. All the time.

"And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
" Revelation 22:5

What a day that will be.

Source: photographyblogger.net via Shelly on Pinterest

Your Royal Wedding Watchers Guide

Alright, Anglophiles. It’s game time.

This week is OUR Super Bowl week, and Friday is the Big Game.

Time to exercise your clicker finger. Time to bake scones. Time to pull out that old bridesmaid’s dress and wear it.

It’s Royal Wedding Week.

There’s just a bit of buzz about the Royal Wedding going on around here. Three girls live in our house. Are you kidding me?! We’re just a little bit excited.



We will be celebrating with a group of college girls (along with any high school or junior high students who might want to get up early) at 5:00 a.m. Tea, scones, and cucumber sandwiches are on the menu.

As a public courtesy, I thought I’d give you a few ideas to enhance your Royal Wedding week.



Websites
Of course, your RW stage central is the Official Website of the Royal Wedding. Here you’ll find pretty much everything you’ve ever wondered about the Royal family, its history, and their friends. You can even find a seating chart . . . just in case you’re wondering where to sit in Westminster Abbey.

Fox News also offers a Royal Wedding page on their website, complete with the guest list and plenty of videos.

And then there’s the BBC. The BBC website offers love stories, a map of the wedding route, and even a Middleton family tree (I guess that’s just to prove she really is a Commoner).

Just for Fun
Boden, THE place for adorable British fashion, is THE place for Bingo this week. Go to their website to download Royal Wedding Bingo cards that you can play during the ceremony.

And while we’re having fun, how about a movie? One of my personal Royal family favorites is “The Queen.” It’s particularly fitting right now since it’s rumored that Wills and Kate will be honeymooning in Balmoral, and much of the movie takes place there.

(As an aside, why anyone would want to honeymoon in Balmoral, where it’s cloudy and foggy and about 45 degrees all year long is beyond me. But, hey, who am I to talk? I went to Wisconsin on my honeymoon. But that’s another story for another time. Or never.)

Another favorite British movie that has nothing to do with the Royal family but is one of my favorites is “Notting Hill.” Because . . . why not?

Finally, for a HUGE laugh, you have to see the Man Hater’s Channel Lifetime movie “William and Kate” played by C-list British actors who have never been to St. Andrews let alone ever ridden in a Range Rover (not that I ever have either, but hey, one can dream). To properly watch this movie you have to gather a bunch of friends together, drink a couple of glasses of wine, and only use your fake British accent all night long.

This movie just has to be experienced to be believed, but thankfully Lifetime has given us a 30 second trailer for their stellar film. Watch this and get in the mood for Friday.



So tell me, how will you be celebrating the Royal Wedding this week? WILL you be celebrating the Royal Wedding?

Seventeen

To you, my independent one.

My oh-so-disciplined child who has

. . . practiced willingly

. . . studied carefully

. . . loved tenderly

. . . saved diligently

. . . given faithfully

. . . tutored selflessly

. . . befriended loyally

. . . traveled begrudgingly

. . . laughed joyfully

. . . challenged truthfully

Thank you for teaching me so much. Thank you for your sense of humor, your sense of style, and your sense of caring.

You, special girl, are a gift, and I love you so much.



Happy birthday, Caroline!

Love,

Mom

Gratitude Journal

I've been struggling lately.

Struggling to find words.

I'm not sure why--I usually have plenty to say. But lately, I just can't seem to figure out how to say it.

But here's what I know . . . thankfulness will lead me somewhere good. So today I'll just keep listing and reaching and seeking and finding.

152. A beautiful day to work in my garden. (That was a couple of weeks ago!)

153. A visit from my mom. Such a treat!

154. April showers. (Can I really be thankful?)

155. Ducks on our roof.

156. Closed doors. (Can I truly thank Him?)

157. Open doors.

158. Faith stretching opportunities.

159. Good Friday service.

160. Easter with family and friends.

161. Easter hymns.

162. Kate home for the weekend.

163. A great birthday last week.

164. Remembering 17 years ago this week--a second blessing to our family.

165. He is Risen! Indeed!



Linking up with Ann today.

Do You Have "Stuff"?

I sure do.

I'm sitting here amidst a mess on my desk that is calling out for my attention. Who knows what's buried here?

My dog has tracked in so much mud lately I could give myself a facial.

I've been frustrated with the procrastinator I am.

Sometimes I wonder how on earth God can use me. But thankfully He does . . . somehow.

If you've ever felt like me, you HAVE to listen to this song by Francesca Battistelli. It's her most recent release, and it is a fun, toe-tapper if I've ever heard one. (By the way, Francesca's got some other great songs that have landed on my iPod lately.)

Plus, it makes me feel so much better about the mess I am.

Enjoy this today!

Here's What I Know

1. My mom is visiting with us for a few days.

2. It’s colder here than it should be right now. (Sorry, Mom!)

3. My kids have more activities than usual this week.

4. College Girl is coming home for the weekend (yippee!), so I've got some cooking to do.

5. It’s Holy Week, and I’ve got some reflecting to do.

6. We’ve also got some celebrating to do. My birthday is tomorrow. (*gulp*)

7. Between church services and family fun, there won’t be a lot of blogging this week.

So here’s the deal. I think I’ll post a couple of previously run posts this week. And I’ll come up with new material as I can, but no guarantees.

I’ll miss you, but I need to focus my energy here at home right now.

See you when I can!

Hey there! I'm over at the MODsquad blog today. Come take a look!

Fabulous Friday Food - From Great to Average

In the interest of keepin' it real around here, I thought I'd let you in on a few secrets and call it a Fab Friday Food post.

1. I didn't cook anything fabulous this week. In fact, I really can't remember what we ate this week. Do you ever have weeks like that?

2. I may be a great cook, but not everything I cook comes out great. How is that possible, you ask? Well, take a look at these pathetic pancakes.



I burned made these while on Spring Break when I was forced to cook on an electric stove.

3. I hate electric stoves.

4. Here's another flop from last weekend. Ree, a.k.a. The Pioneer Woman, gave this recipe for a grilled Romaine salad with a strawberry balsamic reduction. I thought that sounded really good. I still think it sounds really good.



It tasted like dirt.

[Ree, if you're reading this, I am sure it has nothing to do with your recipe and everything to do with me. And if you're reading this I think you probably have too much time on your hands--don't you have a conglomerate to run?]

5. Just yesterday I was trying to do something nice for my girls, so I made their all-time favorite cookies. These . . .



. . . for which I actually have already given you the recipe. They are delicious, unless you put them in the oven and then go upstairs and get completely sidetracked and leave them in the oven for about 15 minutes too long and then you smell something so you go check on the cookies only to realize that the oven timer has been going off for 15 minutes. Oh my heavens.

But, being the troopers that we are, we soldiered forth, cutting away the really brown parts from the edge and diving right into the middle of the pan. They were pretty good, but not great.

So, see? Not every week is a bang-up, wonderful, fantastic food week. Some weeks are just your average I-can't-even-remember-what-we-ate-for-dinner weeks.

I'm still a great cook, but I had an average week.

How about you? What did YOU have for dinner this week?

Five Minute Friday

It's Friday! There's a lot on my plate today, so I'm grateful to Lisa-Jo at The Gypsy Mama who makes it easy to put up a quick, yet thoughtful, blog post.

Today's Five Minute Friday topic is Distance. So let me check the little clock up in the corner of my computer screen and I'll be back in five minutes.

*Start*

When I think of distance all I can think of is my family. A close-knit family, growing up amidst the tall corn fields and black dirt of Illinois.

Yet today, we are all spread out. Nine hundred miles to the closest of my relatives. Twice that to my parents.

Does distance separate us? Yes.

And no.

We do not let distance come between us. Christmas has become a priority. Cousins still hang out happily, connecting instantly, and tell us they still want to have "cousins Christmas" every year . . . as they said, "Even when we have husbands." (!)

Other times we make being together a priority too: weddings, graduations, even orchestra concerts as my mom will attest to. She's coming next week just to see her granddaughter play in the orchestra--something she's never been able to do, being 1,800 miles away.

Distance can be spanned. We can be as close as we want. And for my family, even being a thousand miles apart, we are right next door.

*Stop*

Defining My Blog

Hi again!

Two posts in one day? Only for Sarah at Modern Country Style who is hosting a "Define Your Blog" party today.

Have you met Sarah yet? She's amazingly talented, amazingly sweet, and amazingly gracious. Plus, she lives in my favorite place. Go check her out sometime.

But not yet. Stay here for a second, will you? Because Sarah has asked us to define our blogs, which is a challenge for me.

I kind of did that recently for the Ultimate Blog Party--you can find that post here.

So today I thought I'd totally steal an idea from my friend, Glenda, and use pictures to define myself.

Briefly, my blog is mostly about four F's: Faith, Family, Food, and Fun!

Faith

My relationship with Jesus Christ will hopefully come through while your read about the rest--the family, the food, and the fun. He is here, and He is everything.

Family

Married for 26 years to my college sweetheart, B.


We have three teenage daughters with whom we share many fun adventures.


I write about parenting kind of a lot--I guess I'm passionate about getting that one thing right in my life.

Food

I love food. I love to cook it, and I love to eat it. Come around on Friday and you'll usually get a recipe from me.

Fun

I love to laugh. I love to have fun. And I LOVE to travel. Most of the fun I write about are our travel adventures. Particularly travel adventures to England--I've been there six times . . . and counting.

Here's the house I'd live in if I lived in England.


And this would be my view.



Well, maybe this one.



Or this one.



One can dream.

Alright, and just for fun and so you can get a little sense of where I actually really do live, here are a couple of pictures of the bathroom remodel we did last summer.




Welcome to my little corner of the world. It's a great place to be.

This post is also linked to Amy's Finer Things Friday! Go visit Amy too!