Friends, Food, and Fun!

Rick and Sandra AKA Uncle Rick and Aunt Nanny, had us over for a great cookout a while ago. Aunt Heather and Uncle Brent (Brandon) were in town and we were all able to relax and let the kids play. We love spending time with this family.. they are such a blessing to us!!


Here are the grandparents lounging. Aunt Nanny is feeding watermelon to Brennan and Zoe.

Cade loves the puppies, here he is giving Hallie a drink (L). All the kids playing in the sand/water table.(R).

Sweet Zoe. Isn't she adorable!!

Cade is being a more strong silent type, but Zoe is going in for the kiss. :)

Investing in our marrage.

Michael and I read a while back about date nights with your spouse. We always have good intentions to have time away from the kids, time to focus on one another and relax with one another. We usually just do something with the brothers b/c we enjoy being with them and including them in EVERYTHING, we like having a strong family unit, we enjoy seeing our children interact and learn during activities... but one term struck us. The author used the term "investing" in your marriage. And it hit home. We are trying to remember just that and spend more time "investing' in our marriage, which is also a huge investment to our close family.

A few weeks ago, our sweet Aunt Nanny and Uncle Rick watched the brothers while we went and had some couple time. We headed to Port Aransas for dinner at Virginia's. Obviously feeling some freedom:)

The view from the ferry boat.


Then end of dinner. We spent our evening sitting outside, watching the seagulls, and waves. It was a wonderfully amazing evening... I love this man so much.

Just a Swingin'

April 2009

Sleepin and Swingin...

I promise, Brennan put himself in this position and then went to sleep. Comfy, right?

Cade is becoming such a big boy. Here he is on the "Big" Swing.

I know all kids love to swing, but I really think my kids might swing all day if I would push them all day.

Mr. & Mrs. Brent Caldwell

The last weekend of May we traveled to our old home of Longview TX to celebrate the marriage of Brent Caldwell to his bride Keri Christopher. It was a blast and such a beautiful laidback day. We really enjoyed visiting friends and family and catching up with so many of you!!!

Aunt Jen and Brennan near the end of the wedding. He was exhausted. Thank you Jen for all of your help that weekend. Love you tons.

Our little unit at the wedding. Michael was a groomsman.

Bow chicka Bow Bow!!! What a hunk :)

Everyone blowing the bubbles. What a great day.

On My Mind Today!

Love is patient and kind.

Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.

Love does not demand its own way.

Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged.

It is never glad about injustices but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful,

and endures through every circumstance.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

True Love confounds all human Wisdom.

I know this is a verse that is often used to describe a marriage, but what about a church family. Do we truly show this amount of love to one another? Do I let God out of the box I have placed him in to allow this type of love to happen? So many times I think I have it all figured out and then God throws me for a loop and this time it was a big one. I have been humbled, and I have learned from mistakes that have been made. I am ready to face to facts. I am ready, I am ready to let God out of the Box. I'm ready to start living the worship like I have in the past. I am ready to grow and give God all the glory. I'm ready to stop the frustration that comes when you allow rules, regulations, and traditions to consume your spiritual walk. I am ready to live for God once again, and to do it through Love for others!! All others, friend or foe!! I know it is a risk, I know I might get burned again. But what if I don't.

It has been said that the gain is worth far more than the risk.

I am ready to risk it all. I am ready to trust a church family again, and share one an other's struggles and rejoice in one an other's victories. I learn more and more about how much I don't know all the time, but for today I know I am ready!

I am ready to Love and to be Loved.

Menu Plan Monday.

Well, lets just be honest this whole making anything in the morning isn't happening, so I'm going back to Granola bars, and cereal. Anything we can grab and go, b/c that is our mornings.



Monday

B: Cheerios, Milk
L: PB&J, chips, fruit
D: Soft tacos, chips homemade salsa, beans


Tuesday:

B: Granola Bars, Juice

L: Grilled Cheese, fruit, pretzels

D: Spaghetti, backed zucchini, garlic toast


Wednesday:

B: Cereal

L:Chicken Nuggets, veggie dippers
D: LO


Thursday:
B: Breakfast roll ups
L: PB&J, Chips, pears

D: Quick Chicken Casserole, spelt biscuits


Friday:

B: Cereal

L: Leftovers

D: PMN Pizza, Popcorn, strawberry-peach slushies


Saturday:

(Garage Sale Day) We all got a bite from the flu bug, so we will try for the Garage sale again this week.

B:Doughnuts, Milk

L: Sandwiches

D:Hot dogs, chips, fruit


Sunday:

B: Cereal

L: Out

D: LO... clean out the fridge

Summer Favorites

So Stacy Neal posted on her blog about fun things to do in the summer. I loved her list and decided I would try to make one too.

Here are our favorite things to do this summer!!

We are fortunate to have a minor league baseball team here. The Corpus Christi Hooks. We don't go nearly enough, but it is so fun when we do get a chance to go.
The brothers geared up for a game last year.

We really like waterguns. I fill up a bucket in the back yard so they can dunk their guns and fill them up and I don't have to refill every 5 seconds. (it's a great activity while I'm trying to clean floors. :)


One more thing that is a fav of my boys is bug hunting. They each have a plastic jar and are able to catch any bugs they want... we usually get a ton of rollie-pollies, and june bugs.


Bike riding! We do this all year, but it is a fun summer thing to do!! Especially if there are puddles involved.






There is nothing better than digging with a kitchen spoon. I have some old spoons that I got at the flea market and they are hidden treasures to pull out when it is dirt playing time.


Does anyone remember this photo?




Thats right we also love the mud. I mean really who doesn't?



Our #1 favorite thing to do in the summer is................. POOL TIME!!!

We love the pool, enough we bought a membership and go at any chance we get.

Hope you all have a wonderful Summer filled with Fun and Sun!!!

Menu Plan Monday.

VBS is this week, so all meals are going to be quick and non-messy meals. Plus half of the stuff I planned for last week didn't get used so I will use them this week.

Monday:

B: Toast, Honey, Juice

L: PB&J, chips, fruit

D: Roasted Chicken, Peas, Garlic Toast

Tuesday:
B: Orange Yogurt Smoothies
L: Grilled Cheese, fruit, pretzels
D: Chicken Noodle Soup, crackers

Wednesday:
B: Cereal
L:Chicken, Spinach Wraps, veggie dippers

D: Meal at VBS (take cookies)

Thursday:

B: Breakfast rollups

L: LO Soup, crackers
D: Penne con Pico de Gallo (recipe on last weeks menu) I will also toss in any LO chicken

Friday:
B: Cereal
L: Leftovers
D: PMN Pizza, Popcorn, strawberry-peach slushies

Saturday: (Garage Sale Day)
B:Doughnuts, Milk
L: Sandwiches
D:Hot dogs, chips, fruit

Sunday:
B: Cereal
L: Out
D: LO... clean out the fridge

Rehearse the Verse

For any of you who have not seen the link to Rehearse the Verse I want to encourage you to visit this blog. It is a very close friend of my sister in law, who puts out a verse of the bible linked with graphics to put to memory and hold in our hearts.


From Kerri,

"This verse rehearsing started back in February 2008. I wanted to use my graphics know-how and use it in a way to sharpen my spiritual sword. I email a verse nearly every week to friends, family...and email requesters too. I use these verse pics to better familiarize myself with God's awesome word. All verses are designed large enough to be printed and put around your house (your fridge, bathroom, livingroom). Get to know God's Word! It is one of the best tools we have."

Her graphics are beautiful, and of course the verses are so relevant to our lives. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Wordless Wednesday

Menu Plan Monday... or Tuesday

Monday:

B: Granola & Milk

L: Sandwiches, grapes, pretzels

D: Grilled Sausage, Baked Beans, fruit

Tuesday:

B: Granola Bars & Chocolate Milk

L: Tuna Salad, Fruit & Veggie Dippers

D: Roast Chicken, corn, peas, garlic cheese biscuits

Wednesday:

B: Orange Yogurt Smoothies

L: Sandwiches, fruit, pretzels

D: Chicken Noodle Soup, cheese toast

Thursday:

B: Cereal

L:Chicken, Spinach Wraps, veggie dippers

D: Penne con Pico de Gallo (recipe below) I will also toss in any LO chicken

Friday:

B: Fresh Blueberry Muffins

L: Leftovers

D: PMN Pizza, Popcorn, strawberry-peach slushies

Saturday:

B:Pancakes, Eggs, Orange Juice

L: Sandwiches

D:hamburgers, chips, grilled fruit

Sunday:

B: LO Muffins

L: Out

D: LO... clean out the fridge

Penne con Pico de Gallo

1 pkg. Whole Wheat Pasta

12 oz. Pico de Gallo

1 can Black Beans (drained and rinsed)

1 can Whole Kernel Corn(drained and rinsed)

juice of 2 limes

1 c shredded asiago or Parmesan cheese

1 c creamy cilantro dressing

Prepare Pasta according to directions (drain rinse & set aside).

Combine beans, corn, pico, lime juice, cheese, & dressing in a large bowl.

Toss with Pasta, season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and chill for 15 minutes.