{bella vita}

the boys' room...

2011-09-29T22:41:00.000-07:00

summer milestones...

2011-09-29T22:03:00.000-07:00

It's been quite the Summer, with lots of momentous events.

Josiah lost his first two teeth...but not before the permanent ones started coming in and made him look like a shark (freaked this mama out!)

He also ditched the training wheels on his bike! That really made me feel like he was a big boy...I don't know if anyone else sees that as a major milestone, but he went from little kid to big kid in one fell swoop in my mama brain.

Elijah is now wearing underwear...after a long struggle he finally succumbed to his parents' iron will. The final straw for him was getting a "Lullypop" for doing his thing in the "tulet"

I'm willing to take the stigma of being known as "that mom" who lets her kids ride around the block in their underwear, just to prove to all that my kid really is potty trained.

Noah is FINALLY starting to talk a little more. I think he's stringing us along, and could probably speak in paragraphs if he wanted to, but just talks to us enough that we're satisfied that he's not completely deaf or in need of intervention. Two of his latest additions are "Popeye" and "mine" the latter of which we hear incessantly as he is two.

And the last great milestone of the summer is that I am pregnant with our fourth child! I'm starting to come out of the first trimester fog...it's been rough and my house has suffered a lot of collateral damage. Fortunately I have some wonderful young lady friends who have helped with watching the boys and keeping up the house. I'm due around the beginning of April. This pregnancy came as something of a surprise, although we were considering adding to our number again, and were about ready to think about "trying"

That's really all we have to do is think about it.

checking in.

2011-08-18T18:09:00.000-07:00

Well, I have been conspicuously absent from this spot for several months now. The summer has flown by! The biggest reason I haven't posted is that my computer's power cord died and I had to wait about a month for a new one (long story), so I haven't been able to use my mac or upload pictures from my camera. So, I have a camera full of photos to sort through and post...sometime. We have come to the decision to homeschool our eldest son for Kindergarten this year, which is adding to the sense I have that blogging may be slipping down on my priority list.

I am feeling a mounting sense of urgency to get my butt organized, and hope to incorporate blogging into the mix...but as of this moment, I need to just clear a path through my laundry room and find the sink under all the dishes!

I do want to share a new favorite blog. Don't look unless you have half a day to oogle.

And I have found this blog most helpful in journey toward beginning to homeschool (as well as inspiration for getting organized...this gal is amazing).

preschool graduation

2011-05-31T22:18:00.000-07:00

Josiah graduated from preschool last week.

Oh my gosh. Could he be any cuter?

Miss Jennifer put on a smashing graduation, complete with a slideshow that made me bawl like a baby. She is the best. teacher. ever.

Here is the graduate putting up with the obligatory pictures with mom and dad

{He was very excited about the alphabet silly bands Miss Jennifer got him, as you can see.}

This one cracks me up.

Awww mom...do ya have to?

That's exactly what he's going to look like in...oh...about 13 years...when I try to kiss him as he graduates from high school.

*sniff*

bloom where you're planted...

2011-05-14T23:17:00.000-07:00

Over the last several years, we have had a growing desire to move out to an acreage near town and practice becoming more self-sufficient. Nothing too crazy, we just wanted to have some chickens, a garden, some fruit trees, and maybe, eventually, even a cow.

We currently live in a 1100 square foot two bedroom house, that is over a hundred years old and sits right in the heart of our city. I love it for many reasons, mainly because of our wonderful neighbors and the close proximity to parks, and the city library.

Since it's apparent that we're not moving anytime soon, I've been contemplating the idea of practicing these ideas of self-sufficiency on a small scale, and what that looks like on a day to day basis for us...blooming where we are currently planted. I've actually started another blog, co-authored by our neighbors, who are joining with us in our endeavor to live more sustainably.

We're calling it Farming 5th Avenue.

Of course there's a story behind the title...A friend of mine made the comment the other day how funny it was that we lived on 5th Avenue. She was making reference, of course, to the well known 5th Avenue in Manhattan, smack dab in the middle of one of the biggest cities in America and synonymous with high fashion and even higher price tags. We giggled a bit, thinking how far we are from THAT 5th Avenue (literally and figuratively). But it got me thinking about where I am and where I want to be, and wondering if they really didn't have to be two different places.

The journey to sustainability is really like any other journey...it's a lot of small steps. So, here we go, taking some small steps right where we are. I plan to keep posting as I have here, but will primarily use the other blog to chronicle the "farm-ish" happenings going down on 5th Avenue.

done.

2011-05-13T23:26:00.000-07:00

Did I mention that my husband is done with Nursing School?

Yeah, he is.

I'm really glad.

So is he.

This is us after his White Honors Ceremony. It's like a graduation, but just for Nurses. They put little pins on the graduates and talk about caring, and compassion, and saving lives...Kev said his B.S. o'meter was going off through the whole thing.

That's what happens when you're a Male Nurse.

(At least he didn't have to wear white pants.)

noah 2.0

2011-04-28T09:51:00.000-07:00

My Noah Bug is two years old!

Our neighborhood cake-maker-extraordinaire, Mariah, made him a Hungry Caterpillar cake, complete with "dirt" and "worms"...so cute!

We had a small birthday celebration with our neighbors and my mom. (I am realizing that I'm not a very good birthday party planner...)

Can't believe he's two. Time for another.

Just kidding :)

thoughts on lent.

2011-03-09T08:21:00.001-08:00

As I type this, I'm sitting by the window, looking out at late winter bleakness, cold lasting too long, a dreary blanket of colorlessness that hovers over my world. I can't help but think that Lent happens at this time of year for a very good reason. There is such a longing everywhere for the warmth of spring, for the smallest sign of new growth through the frozen sod, for resurrection. As soon as the sun appears, with it's frail, late winter warmth, I find a reason to go outside and feel it's warmth on my skin, making me feel alive again.

In these days leading up to the season of new life, feeling the cold hardness of the ground of my own soul makes me long for the miracle of dormant seed springing to new life. I long to see the treasure in my jar of clay that really has nothing to do with me, but with the gracious gift given to me though the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Last Sunday's sermon was on Peter, his denial and redemption. The thing that amazed me most was the way that Jesus came to find Peter, who had gone back to fishing because he didn't know what else to do. Their meeting on the beach in John 21 ends with this beautiful conversation:

"Peter, do you love me with unconditional love...the way I love you?"

"Lord, you know I love you the best I can, I love you as a dear friend."

"Peter, do you love me with unconditional love...like I love you?"

"Lord, you know I love you as a dear friend, like a brother."

"Peter do you love me like a dear friend, like a brother?"

"Lord, you know everything, you know I do."

And then, Jesus reveals to Peter the way that he will die for him, revealing that Peter really does love him with unconditional love even though his weak heart doesn't know it. He who knows the end from the beginning sees the Seed of Love planted in this man called The Rock.

Jesus sees in us the Seeds of Love. When we acknowledge our own weakness and inability to love him, he meets us there and speaks prophetically to our weak hearts:

"Child, you WILL love me with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. You WILL love me with the kind of love I have shown to you. You WILL lay down your life for me, as I have done for you."

open shelving

2011-02-07T21:21:00.000-08:00

There is a wall opposite the sink in my kitchen that is very bare, and since I'm not the best at decorating, I am of the opinion that it should be put to good use. I have wanted to put open shelves on it almost since we moved in 5 years ago. I love the way open shelves look, especially with shiny glass jars and vintage ironstone mixing bowls and kitchen utensils (that are always clean and never dusty, right?)

I've posted this picture before, but I must do it again because...well, it's amazing, and over the top...and right on topic.

Can you imagine keeping all those dishes clean? This is EPIC open shelving!

This is the wall where I want to put shelves...on either side of the window. This photo was taken when we (our friends) were ripping out a faux brick wall out (while I documented and supervised) before we moved in. Sorry, I don't have a current photo. I'll work on that.

Isn't lathe and plaster cool looking? It's a royal pain in the arse to work with, but it looks neat-o.

I've been pestering my poor husband about putting up some open shelving in our kitchen for a while now...like he doesn't have enough on his plate. So, the other day, he was sweet enough to ask a good friend to make some shelving for me, since he is up to his eyeballs in his last semester of nursing school.

I found a few pictures last year on the internet for inspiration. The first photo is my favorite. I love how utilitarian the shelves and brackets are...they look like they would fit perfectly in a farmhouse. Another reason I like this photo is that I've started collecting Le Parfait canning jars and love how they are being used for storing food goods. I'm up to three :)

I also love the vintage mixing bowls...I hope to have some before I die.

I'm not even going to address the amazing breadboard countertop and vintage kitchen appliances...Focus, Jen...FOCUS.

Moving on.

In my dream kitchen I will have beautiful windows over the sink, so I can watch my boys playing together quietly in the lush, shady yard, and survey my thriving garden (hey, I did say dream didn't I?)

At the moment, while I wash my dishes, I have a lovely view of my dusty open shelves holding my equally dusty dishes and my unfinished cupboards with their peeling paint.

But at least it looks better than when we moved in...

Yikes. I've only just started allowing red back in my house...

I believe this second picture is a kitchen designed by Molly Frey. This is how I want the shelving to flank my window on either side. Isn't the light in this kitchen just lovely? It makes me think that I might actually enjoy doing dishes at that farmhouse sink...

This third picture, I think I liked because of the decorative brackets. They add a great flair, especially paired with the light green shelving. The look is more eclectic than the first two photos, and I like it.
I will make an attempt to get a current before shot of the wall, and update as things progress. It may not happen until this summer, but the prospect got me excited enough to blog about it.

eli is three!

2011-01-05T12:48:00.000-08:00

Despite my best efforts, Eli's birthday caught me unprepared once again this year...I think it always will mostly because it's three days after Christmas. I had plans to have a big Thomas birthday party for him, but it just did not happen.

Fortunately our lovely friend neighbor/babysitter/aspiring-cake-maker, Mariah, offered to make him a Thomas cake, which I happily agreed to...she saved the day!

It turned out really cute and Eli was VERY excited about it.

We had a few good friends over, as well as Mr. Gardner's mom and stepdad, who had been here for the holidays. Elijah very much enjoyed being the center of attention, which is rare indeed for the 2nd of three little boys.

Happy third birthday Eli Superhero...mommy loves you!

hoildays.

2011-01-03T13:41:00.000-08:00

Due to the busyness of the holidays, I am just now getting around to posting our Christmas pictures. We had a wonderful day, filled with joy, family, presents, friends and food.

We started the morning by reading the Christmas Story, a family tradition in my home for as long as I can remember. The boys were surprisingly attentive.
Then it was on to present opening...

And then a midmorning brunch at our dear friends' house, complete with mimosas, eggs benedict, and homemade cinnamon rolls...I'm still paying for that day's culinary delights. It was a wonderful way to spend the day!

handmade ornaments.

2010-12-06T21:04:00.000-08:00

I have been inspired to have a handmade/repurposed Christmas this year. I'm really trying to make things instead of buying them and I'm finding that there is a great deal of satisfaction in doing so. I've been crafting and making gifts late into the night with a dear friend, the enjoyment of crafting made even better by good company, meaningful conversation, and hot tea.

In keeping with the handmade theme of this Christmas I have been making some handmade ornaments most of which have been inspired by this post. This is my simplified version of her Book Page Bird Ornament. I simplified it because I didn't have some of the supplies she used. I also don't have a lot of patience...

My first step was to pester Mr. Gardner about letting me cut up one of his old books {this is tantamount to asking him if I could cut up one of his children}. After some deliberation, he said I could have this book that he had only bought because it was old (circa 1936) which he said he would never read. As you can see the pages are beautifully aged.

Using the bird template from the previously mentioned blog post, I began tracing and cutting. I did have to make my own wing template because there was not one provided. Fortunately, they turned out looking fairly anatomically correct.

Then I distressed the edges with an ink pad and glued the wing to the bird with my son's glue stick :)
Next, I flipped the whole bird over and stuck a cheap ornament hook through the paper. I had to experiment a little with placement so that the bird was not bottom heavy...that wouldn't fly {pun intended}...
Once I had the placement right, I used another wing template and glued it onto that side, matching it up with the wing on the other side.

Done!

I'm afraid we don't have a Christmas tree to model it on....I'll post a picture of our tree when it's up.
Aren't they sweet? They won't last long in this house...

advent tree

2010-12-02T14:32:00.000-08:00

I love the idea of having an advent calendar. I have some fond childhood memories of opening the little doors as the anticipation of Christmas Day grew through the month. We haven't ever done one in our home, mostly because it would require planning on my part, but I've been wanting to start some traditions as the boys get older.

So...when I saw this advent calendar tutorial over at maya made that she crafted out of toilet paper tubes I was smitten. Two days after I posted a link on facebook and lamented about how I didn't have enough tubes, I had two bags full of toilet paper tubes donated to the cause (Thanks Pam!)

So I got to work on them. I followed the directions precisely, except that I didn't paint the tubes 1. because I like the brown cardboard and 2. because I didn't have any paint. I also added squares of wintery scrapbook paper I had on hand to the doors. They turned out darling, and I've hidden little tickets with special things to do with my boys behind each door. So far we've had hot chocolate with "mushrooms" (marshmallows), and "helped" mama make some cookies.

The wonderful thing about this calendar is that it gives the gift of time to my little ones. Each day I'm reminded to do something special with them...

What better gift could I give them?

giving thanks.

2010-11-25T14:20:00.000-08:00

Today, I'm giving thanks for these boys...

And for this man (who looks smashing in my apron)...

For the abundance we have in our home...

For bread pudding with whiskey sauce...

For simple pleasures...

For friends and family to share with...

For the Giver of all good gifts...

And for this thrift store hospital-cart-turned-buffet I scored for $4!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with the ones you love!

pirate party

2010-11-20T13:53:00.000-08:00

Every kid needs a pirate party, right? Josiah turned 5 this last week and so we re-used our pirate get-up from halloween and had ourselves a pirate party! I found these great free pirate printables from the lovely cottage industrialist blog and used them for the party.

She had these adorable cupcake wrappers and decorations...

Pirate hats and eye patches for the kids to cut out and put together...this one was a bit big :)

And a darling pirate bunting for the wall.

No pirate party would be complete without a treasure hunt! I wrote out clues on a scroll image I found on the web and hid them in various places around the house. The last clue led them to...

Party favor bags!

Most of the loot for the party bags I found at the local dollar store, some of it discounted because it was left over from halloween (who knew the dollar store had sales?)

I made some little maps for the party favor bags out of vellum I had left over from my days of attempting to scrapbook...

And filled in the decorating with some shells (from the dollar store), gold chocolate coins and some pineapple "boats"

He's still talking about it...Happy 5th Birthday Josiah!

fall fun...

2010-11-03T14:05:00.000-07:00

I have mixed feelings about Halloween. I HATE all the evil nastiness that comes out around Halloween, but fall is my absolute favorite time of year...and I am a huge fan of parties, dressing up, and eating candy.

So...all that to say, this year is the first year that I've dressed my children up and attended a Halloween "alternative". Our Church hosted a Harvest Party/Chili Feed/Trunk or Treat/Bonfire which was very well attended, and oh, so much fun!

I started looking for pirate attire about a month ago at the thrift store and managed to buy outfits for myself and my three boys for about $30 (Mr. Gardner declined the dress up fun...) It took some very creative thinking, which made my head hurt, but it really helped that there are so many creative people out there blogging all their creativeness and making it available to people like me : )

Josiah was the fearless Captain Calico Jack Rackham

Elijah was the fearsome first mate Bart Roberts, eye patch optional.

And Noah was the dread pirate Little Henry.

Isn't he scary?

I could die from cuteness overload!

where i've been...

2010-10-28T13:43:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I posted. We really have been busy, but I also really haven't had much to say. Blogger's block, I suppose? Life has been ridiculously busy with school, work and pastoring a church, but it has also become very monotonous. With school starting the days and our hectic schedule have become routine. Josiah is in preschool and Mr. Gardner is back to school full time. Family time has become sparse, and I find myself longing for a day of rest. The idea of Sabbath is becoming very, very appealing. I find that Sundays are far from restful, in fact, I often feel that we need a full day to recover from them. The days are getting shorter, and colder, making me wish that we could all stay inside our home and spend time together. Mr. Gardner will be done with school in May, and so we are comforting ourselves with that thought. We are truly looking forward to spending a little more time together as a family.

menu planning.

2010-09-01T09:32:00.000-07:00

In a desperate attempt to save myself from that panicked feeling that comes from wondering what to do for dinner every day around 4pm when the kids are going nuts, I have been organizing my recipe files. My plan is to create 10 master menu PDFs with 10 dinner meals and a corresponding shopping list to keep in my kitchen binder. Each menu should get us through about two weeks of meals. My plan is to just rotate through the ten menus throughout the year and make changes as needed. I'll have to supplement the shopping list with pantry staples and breakfast and lunch items, etc. Really, though we eat mostly the same things for breakfast and lunch, so that part of the menu doesn't change.

I'm also making dividers for each set of recipes in each menus for my recipe holder and paper clip the recipes to the menu divider they belong in, so all I have to do is pull out that set of recipes when I start a new menu. I used the dividers from old photo storage boxes that I had lying around, which I cut to size and covered with some lovely black and white patterned scrapbook paper I had left over from some sort of project {the paper clips are from Walmart I think...} I plan to make dividers just for breakfast and dessert recipes, and probably also side dishes, appetizers, beverages etc.

It's going to be a lot of work at the outset, but I'm just quick printing the recipes that I want and resisting the OCD temptation to write them all on matching recipe cards.

I did, however, design my own recipe cards inspired by these and these {drooling}, just for kicks and giggles...so maybe someday all the recipes will all be on matching cards. Hey, a girl can dream.

Here's the menu PDF as an example and a link to print my recipe cards...
Menu 1

Recipe Card Spoon and Fork

table for five...or ten.

2010-08-18T21:55:00.000-07:00

I have been curiously absent from my blog for over a month.

There are several reasons for that, which I won't go into. Mostly, life has just been crazy busy.

Not that it's any better now...I just have something to post about.

It recently occurred to me that, very soon, we will have five people eating at our table (Noah is still in the high chair at the moment...but not for long), and we have a table that only seats four.

I have also found that I don't invite people over much because there's nowhere for them to sit down and eat.

All these things led me to scour the internet in search of farmhouse tables...and discover very quickly that we could not afford one.

But in my searching, I found this blog and these plans for a farmhouse table loosely based on a Restoration Hardware farmhouse table that I have loved from the moment I first saw it.

I casually mentioned to Mr. Gardner that I really wanted a new farmhouse table and I had found some "really easy" plans online...the next day he said he was going to make it for me.

"Now?" I asked, incredulously.

"Would you like me to wait a few years?" He replied.

"Um, no. Now is great!"

I really wanted to use reclaimed wood, but it turns out that reclaimed wood is REALLY expensive and hard to find...so we went with plain old pine. Mr. Gardner and his good friend built the table in just under two days.

And then it sat there for about a week. Truth be told, I was afraid to stain it.

I didn't really want it to look TOO polished because, after all, it is a farmhouse table. I wanted it to look like it had some history. So we did some distressing with random tools. My favorite distressing marks actually came from a bent-up dog comb.

Several of the blogs and websites that had instructions for creating a distressed finish on furniture recommended starting off with a layer of whitewash stain. So we used a stain called Pickled Oak as our base stain.

We followed this with a sanding sealer (which the man at the paint store highly recommended...maybe because it was $16 a quart). Then we sanded the table lightly with a fine grit sandpaper

Then it was the moment of truth. We decided on a walnut stain and tentatively began applying it to the table with rags...and it looked good!

I loved the results after the first coat, but wanted it a little darker, so we did one more coat of stain before finishing the process with Varnish.

And this is how it turned out.

The table looks absolutely amazing. I still can't believe that we made it. And I just love having a big family table to gather at for meals, visiting, studying and fellowship...although it barely fits in our dining room! We figured it could easily seat ten, and up to fourteen in a pinch with a few benches.

So now, I just need some benches...

I'm trying to decide between these three styles, all from the same website as the table plans:

I'm leaning toward the storage bench...storage is always good.

a love story {part 8}

2010-07-21T21:30:00.000-07:00

Ten years ago today, on July 22, 2000 I began the greatest adventure of my life with the man who completes me in every way. I will treasure the memories of that day until I take my last breath. But I will also treasure the many other memories that we have made together since that day. I'm so thankful for these last 10 years, and am looking forward to the rest of our adventure...

Here are a few of our wedding photographs...thanks for reading our Love Story!

a love story {part 7}

2010-07-20T20:39:00.001-07:00

Up to this point, I have been covering our courtship in a fairly detailed manner, spending 6 posts on about 6 months.

That, my dear friends, is all about to change. So hang on, because this post is going to cover an entire year and a half.

So, where did we leave off?

Oh, yes. We had just gotten engaged.

I think we did make it home for curfew that night, but just barely. My roommates were all in bed by the time I walked in the door, and in my excitement I ran into through the apartment turning on lights and woke them all up to tell them the news and show them my ring. I'm sure I scared them out of their senses. But they were excited too, when they realized what the heck was going on. Best. Roomies. Ever.

Shout out to all you girls, I know you're reading this...

At first, we were planning to marry that summer. But as you know, that did not happen because if it had, it would be my eleventh anniversary, and I would not be writing this. There were a lot of reasons we decided to wait, and the whole story is quite long and probably pretty boring...

So here is what you need to know...

Kevin graduated in May and went back to Lincoln, Nebraska (his hometown) for the Summer to work. He had decided that he was going to spend the next school year in China with his mom and stepdad, who were doing missions work there.

I went home to Idaho for the Summer to work, as well. But I got to fly out to Lincoln for about a week or so around my birthday to spend time with Kevin and his family.

Right after he picked me up from the airport he took me to a restaurant with one of those great photo booths and we got these pictures...

I love those things. Maybe we'll find one this week for anniversary pictures...

As the Summer drew to a close, we both went back to Pensacola, me to go back to college, and Kevin to catch his flight to China. It probably goes without saying that I was dreading his departure. I really didn't know how I was going to make it through 9 months without him. But I also knew that if our relationship could survive a 9 month overseas separation, it could probably survive just about anything.

I cried the entire day he left. In fact, I remember having to pull over as I was leaving the airport because I was sobbing so hard I couldn't see.

But gradually the ache in my heart became more bearable, and I gradually settled back into the college routine and determined that I was going to enjoy my last year of school and the great girls I lived with.

Plus, I had a wedding to plan to keep me distracted.

We e-mailed almost every day. And then we discovered this cutting edge thing called instant messaging. All five of the girls in our apartment shared one desktop and we had dial up internet, so as you can imagine, it really wasn't really "instant" messaging. But it was something. We had one 15 minute phone conversation in those 9 months and it was heavenly.

I did a lot of growing up that year. I was only 19 and I hadn't really had a chance to be on my own yet. It was a good year, and by the time Kevin came back the next May, I felt like I was a little wiser.

My mortarboard at graduation only contributed to the feeling of wisdom...

It was so good to have him back, even if it was just for a few weeks as we said goodbye to all our college friends in Pensacola and packed up our belongings to head back to our respective hometowns.

Kevin was scheduled to drive back out to Idaho a few weeks before our wedding day which was rapidly approaching...

To be continued...

a love story {part 6}

2010-07-19T20:12:00.000-07:00

Kevin left a few days after Christmas to go back to Pensacola, and I followed a few days later. I moved out of the dorms and into an apartment with a group of wonderful new roommates. Kevin moved into the same complex about 2 buildings down with a group of great guys. So conveniently, we got to see each other a LOT.

I knew it was only a matter of time before he popped the question. We had talked about it, and even looked at a few rings on a date at the mall. I ventured to guess out loud that he might do it on Valentine's Day. That was a mistake.

"How did you know?" he asked, incredulous.

Silly boy.

Our One Month Anniversary arrived and I fully expected that we would spend some time together to celebrate (what is it with us women and stupid dates, anyway?) I gave him a cheesy construction paper card I had made in honor of the momentous occasion. "Cool, thanks!" he said, "I'm going to go hang out with the guys today, OK babe? You and I can hang out when we get back."

Ummm...

What could I say? I tried not to look too disappointed as I reluctantly agreed. I mean, I didn't want to force him into anything.

So, dejected, I went home and started stewing. Hang out with the guys?! On our One Month Anniversary?! How could he?! (I know, that sounds so unbelievably petty right now.)

This continued for most of the day, and the later it got, the more ticked I was. He FINALLY knocked on my door at around 9:30, I think, and excitedly asked if I'd like to go for a drive. Mind you, our curfew was at 11pm, sharp. I said yes, but I was still a little put-out that he had only saved an hour or so for ME...on our One Month Anniversary.

So off we went. We drove...and drove...and drove. I remember getting more and more agitated as it got closer and closer to curfew. Did he not know what time it was? We were going to be late for curfew...and who know what would happen then! I mean, we already had a reputation from the whole "4:31 Club" affair.

Finally he pulled over on a completely deserted road in the middle of nowhere, parked the car, and excitedly came around to open my door.

"We're getting out here?" I said.

"Yeah, I want to show you something!"

I may or may not have had a moment of panic just then wondering if I had inadvertently fallen in love with some sort of psychopath.

He grabbed my hand and dragged me through some trees and brush until we arrived, breathless, on a sandy beach.

It was beautiful. We were, in fact, on a secluded beach in Perdido Key and across the bay there were hundreds of lights reflecting on the still water. It was perfectly quiet and we were the only souls around.

"This is one of my favorite spots," he said.

I could see why.

What happened next is still a little bit of a mystery...mostly because it was so dark. I looked over at Kevin, and it appeared to me that he was preparing to pick me up and, I assumed, toss me in the water. So, I, of course, began protesting and tried to turn and run.

He caught my hand, and it was then that I realized he was kneeling in front of me. And I could see, with the little light there was, that he had something in his hand that was reflecting the lights from the bay.

"Jenny, will you marry me?"

I screamed. And then I said yes. And then we laughed and hugged and kissed, and tried to get the ring on my finger in the dark without dropping it in the sand.

It was quite late by this point, so we hurried back to the car, where I got my first good look at the beautiful ring he had SPENT THE WHOLE DAY SHOPPING FOR with the guys.

Yeah. I felt pretty awful. And I told him so. And, of course, he thought nothing of it because that's just how wonderful he is.

He had picked out a round, half-carat solitaire set in white gold, with the date 1-18-99 engraved inside...our One Month Anniversary.

to be continued...

a love story {part 5}

2010-07-18T21:13:00.000-07:00

It was time for Kevin to meet the parents.

At some point late in the semester, he had concocted a plan to get out to Idaho for Christmas. It involved tagging along with a friend from Pensacola to Dallas, a short flight from Dallas to Salt Lake City, and a bus ride from Salt Lake City to Idaho Falls, where I was to pick him up and drive him three hours to my hometown (yes, my parents live in the middle of nowhere).

I figured if he was willing to go through this travel gauntlet, he must really like me.

Now, I feel I must explain something. His intention for making the trip was actually to ask my father if he could marry me, which sounds a little frightening considering the fact that we had been dating all of a few days. But we had agreed that we did not want to date one another, in the traditional, casual sense, that is. (We did, of course, want to go on dates.) We had agreed that a courtship was probably a better option...kind of an all or nothing approach. So he wanted to meet my father from the beginning to obtain his permission to not only date me, but marry me....eventually. He was making his intentions very clear.

Very Jane Austen-ish. Love it.

So anyway. There I was, sitting at the greyhound bus stop in Idaho Falls, with three of my very good friends who had agreed to come with me to pick up this guy I had somehow snagged in Florida. At long last his bus pulled in, and there he was, in my state, just 3 hours from my house. It was fairly surreal, actually. Up to this point I had two separate lives and they were about to collide.

I have a picture someone took of me as he walked up, but I just cannot post it because I look like I'm in excruciating pain because of the ridiculously cheesy grin on my face...It's the worst picture of me. Ever.

Miraculously we made it home through a nasty snowstorm. Probably because I made one of my friends drive home so I could snuggle with my hunky boyfriend. Nice friend, I am.

(OMG is that a scrunchie?! That is sooo 1990s...)

After we dropped everyone off, we headed home. The introductions went off without a hitch, and he didn't turn around and run out the door. Success!

Now, I must say that I love my family, dearly. But we all know that each family has their own...um...peculiarities, which remain hidden until that fateful time when an outsider wants to join it. That's probably why meeting the family is such a big step...and why there are so many romantic comedies about it.

He fit in perfectly. He's got a knack for adaptation, let me tell you...

My brothers even liked him.

He hadn't brought a winter hat with him, so I think my mom pulled out this one for him to wear on his various outdoor excursions into the Idaho wilderness. I was slightly mortified.

(And yes, he's cooking for the family...)

He wore it with pride the whole trip. Even when we went snowboarding together.

What a guy.

He got "the talk" out of the way fairly quickly. He and my dad locked themselves in the office and didn't come out for hours. Meanwhile, I was dying a thousand deaths. Turns out, they got the business settled within the first 20 minutes, and then just sat there chatting.

My dad said yes, by the way.

Soon after, my parents pulled out the nice China, made a lovely dinner, and read a beautiful blessing they had written to us by candlelight. We had them read it at our wedding.

Did I mention that I love my family?

I do.

To be continued...

a love story {part 4}

2010-07-17T20:28:00.000-07:00

4:31 pm December 18, 1998 finally arrived.

Someone took a picture of Kevin walking to his car after class to pick me up.

I'm sure I looked about the same.

The truth is although I was really excited, I was a little nervous, too. This was actually my first real date. Ever. I had no idea where he was taking me, and we were going from being good friends to dating. Actually, any anxiety probably stemmed more from wondering if I was going to get my first kiss...

He picked me up at my dorm not long after class got out. He gave me a single red rose as he walked me to the car and opened my door for me (he's always been good at that, being a sweet Southern boy at heart). I remember being breathless with anticipation.

We drove along the Gulf for about 30 minutes to Orange Beach, Alabama. I don't remember much about our conversation, except that it flowed easily. Everything was just the same as it had been...only better. We could relax and enjoy one another's company. I can't tell you what a relief it was...like taking a deep breath after you've been underwater too long.

He took me to dinner at a romantic oceanfront restaurant called The Outrigger. The entire wall we were sitting by was made of glass and had ocean waves crashing against it throughout our meal. It was amazing. In typical Jen fashion, I can only remember what I had for dessert...a decadent almond cheesecake.

No, not the whole thing.

And he drank coffee for dessert, which I disliked at the time. This was the beginning of the end of disliking coffee for me, because my husband is a Coffee Gourmet.

{I don't know if I've ever told you this Love, but thanks for introducing me to coffee.}

After dinner, as we drove back towards Pensacola, he took my hand and held it. I won't try to describe the effect this had on me, because, honestly, there are no words for it. I will say this, though: In a culture that often rushes headlong into physical intimacy at the first opportunity, there's something to be said about the power of a little restraint and self-control.

And no, he didn't kiss me...not yet.

He pulled over at a beach, and we took a walk along the Gulf together. At one point we stopped and sat down, he draped his arms around my neck and he pulled me back against his chest. And we sat there listening to the sound of the Ocean...for minutes...hours...I don't really know.

I found out later, that he had asked his friend Dave (who is an amazing musician) to meet us at the beach to sing me a song Kevin had written for me. But Dave was waiting for us at a different beach (this was before cell phones and texting were commonplace. Gosh, that makes me feel old.)

And then he took me home.

As soon as we pulled up to the dorms, a bunch of friends who, I guess, had just been waiting for us to get back jumped in the backseat...

And that...was our first date.

To be continued...

a love story {part 3}

2010-07-16T20:39:00.000-07:00

I had spoken with my parents by phone not long after I had met Kevin, and said the infamous words every parent dreads,

"Mom. Dad. I met someone."

Considering the fact that I had never had a boyfriend before, I think they took it rather well. They flew me home to Idaho for Thanksgiving to visit and I filled them in on all the juicy details.

They wanted to meet him.

During my trip home I also had to say goodbye to my Pastor and his family, who were moving away before Christmas Break. They had been like my second family for me all through High School, and my pastor's wife, in particular, was someone I often sought advice from. I briefly told her about what had happened while I was away at my first semester of Bible College (I don't think she was surprised) and showed her this picture of my mystery man (which I carried everywhere while I was home, and showed to anyone who would look...)

"Oh, that's Connie's son, Kevin" she said. "He was in our Youth Group when we lived in Lincoln."

Ok. Maybe he wasn't so mysterious. I had forgotten that they had lived in Kevin's hometown for several years.

But really...what were the odds? It really made my head spin. I had wanted Kevin to be able to meet my parents and my Pastor and his wife, so that I had the approval of the people whose opinions I most valued. I knew he would be able to meet my parents eventually, but thought he would never be able meet my Pastor and his wife...

...and they already knew him.

So back to Florida I went, with all this fresh in my mind...and there he was. Only a month from being fair game and looking better by the hour.

That last month seemed to last forever.

We still made an effort to keep things under wraps. But it really was ridiculous. Everyone knew. Just look at this picture someone took of us. I am trying to appear nonchalant (with my crossed arms...ha!) while Kevin is doing nothing of the sort and our friends are laughing at us...

Now lest you think that we were the only couple in such a predicament, I must disclose that there were actually a good number of us. We collectively became known as the 4:31 Club. This affectionate label was in reference to the exact time that classes would end for the semester: 4:31 pm on December 18, 1998. Oddly enough we all had plans for that evening...

The closer we got to D-day, the more Kevin and I stopped pretending we didn't like each other. We still followed the rules, but it was tantamount to telling a starving person not to drool over a huge piece of chocolate cake. It was...impossible.

So we just drooled with our mouths shut.

To be continued...

a love story {part 2}

2010-07-15T20:27:00.000-07:00

So there I was, sitting in my RA's room, tearfully apologizing for letting myself fall for someone within a month of school starting despite the first semester no-dating policy. Although all of our interactions had thus far been in a group setting, it was apparently painfully obvious that we REALLY liked each other. Funny thing was, neither one of us had expressed any feelings to the other, at all. We just knew.

So that was a little awkward. I mean, how do you explain to someone that you've been reprimanded for liking them when you haven't told them you like them yet, and you're not supposed to tell them that you like them? Worse yet, how do you do it in a group setting?

The perfect solution seemed to be the same as in grade school...write a note. Technically, it wasn't "pairing off" and something had to be said...

So I wrote a note. It went something like this:

Kevin.
I have been accused of really liking you, but I can't like you right now because it's against the rules. I don't want to get in trouble. So we'd better chill and pretend like we don't like each other.

{It wasn't quite that explicit.}

So began the daunting task of pretending that we didn't like each other. Which was really, really hard.

By this point, we had many of the same friends, and we were always going out to eat, or doing homework, or going to church together. So we did our best to be just friends and hang out. It actually went pretty well, for the most part.

There was one occasion at Sonic when we were all sitting around talking, and he was in his car parked at the carhop ordering box by himself. I don't know why.

I couldn't resist. I walked over to the box and popped my head over and said, "What can I get you, mister?"

Without hesitation he replied, "One Jenny, second semester, please."

*Gulp*

I had asked for it.

There was another incident, I don't remember the timing exactly, when he and I and two other friends went to sit on the beach after dark. I can't remember exactly who the two other people were, but they took off down the beach about 2 seconds after we got out of the car. (Thanks, people.) So there we were, unintentionally paired off, sitting on the beach. That was one of the first times we just talked. About life. About our individual hopes and dreams. And of course, we had to run into the waves before we headed back to make curfew. I remember standing waist deep in the dark, churning water that reflected the black sky and a million stars, with this amazing man I was pretty sure I was falling in love with less than 10 feet away. So close, but so far away. That moment is forever etched in my memory.

And then it was gone. Our wandering friends came back. We all piled back in his car and went through the Taco Bell drive through on our way home. As I turned to tell him what I wanted, he held out a flower, picked from the bushes lining the drive through lane. I put it behind my ear, and he took a picture of me, with my soaking wet hair and running mascara and a smile that couldn't be helped.

I kept that flower in my journal for a long, long time. Until it fell apart.

To be continued...

a love story {part 1}

2010-07-14T20:32:00.000-07:00

In honor of our 10th Anniversary next week, I've decided to tell the story of how Mr. Gardner and I met and fell in love. The sad fact is that nearly a third of marriages are over by the 10 year mark, so it's a milestone worth celebrating. I've been looking through old scanned photos of us when we first met and it has brought back so many memories. It's amazing how much life and adventure these last 10 years have held. Through all the wonderful and trying times, we have grown together and become parents to our three boys, deepening and strengthening our relationship. I pray our love continues to thrive, and that the next 10 years are even better than the last have been.

And, in ten years, I fully expect to be on an extended European Vacation with Mr. Gardner, preferably somewhere romantic in Italy on our exact Anniversary date.

{Just wanted to throw that in there.}

All that to say...this is how it all started, from my point of view...

Just two months after my 18th birthday, I moved to Pensacola, Florida to attend a small Bible College (just so you know, most Bible colleges are affectionately called "Bridal Colleges" by those who attend them...there is a good reason for this.)

The particular Bible College I chose was quite strict when it came to student life. We had a curfew and separate housing for ladies and gentlemen, both on and off campus. Furthermore, the ladies and gentlemen were forbidden to step foot in a domicile of the opposite sex, unless they were going to the home of a married couple who had the express permission of the College to host co-ed get togethers.

Dating or "pairing off" during the first semester was also forbidden, to prevent distractions among the new students. I fully intended to follow the no-dating-during-first-semester-policy, and, in fact, thought it was a good idea.

My parents felt that it would be wise for me to live on campus my first semester, and so I started settling into dorm life, and meeting lots of new friends. Living on campus included meals at the school cafeteria, which was right next door to the dorms.

I don't remember the exact day, but the first distinct memory I have of my husband-to-be is definitely from sometime in mid-September during breakfast at the cafeteria.

I was going through the line, trying to find some familiar Northwestern breakfast fare, (I had already mistaken the cheese grits for cream of wheat once and put sugar and butter in them...) when I found myself looking at a very handsome young man with mesmerizing blue eyes who was offering me a bowl of whole grain hot cereal.

"It'll keep you regular," he said, grinning.

Wow.

Now, this might be considered an odd greeting by some people, but it really rocked my socks because it's something my dad would say. It would be common breakfast conversation at home. Which further cemented the feeling I had deep in my soul that I knew this man. I didn't know from where. But he was so familiar. I remember thinking later that it was like that line in Sleepless in Seattle, when Tom Hanks is talking about meeting his wife,

"It was like coming home, but to know home I'd ever known."

I probably smiled and took the offered cereal without a word, but I like to think I may have raised an eyebrow and said something coy.

Needless to say, I very much looked forward to eating from then on (even more than usual, I mean). And it didn't take long for me to notice that it wasn't just me looking forward to meals. My roommate even heard that he asked about me when I missed breakfast.

Not long after that, we both ended up going to Chile's after an evening church service with a large group of friends. I somehow managed to sit right across from him.

Despite the fact that I was extremely happy about this, I was suffering from a cold, complete with a nasty sore throat (which I think was from the rapid temperature changes when going from inside the ridiculously ice-cold AC in every building in Florida to the outside excessively humid, hot weather multiple times a day).

Anyway, he found out I wasn't feeling well, and did some very goofy things to make me feel better.

(Which worked by the way. )

He also ordered Chicken Noodle Soup so that I wouldn't be eating it alone.

I went home feeling absolutely dreamy...and got called to the R.A.'s room and got a talking to.

About...

You guessed it...pairing off.

To be continued...

inspiration.

2010-07-03T16:44:00.001-07:00

Just a few things that have inspired me today.

These lovely hanging canning jar luminaries from Pottery Barn. I am going to go get some wire and make some of these for my house.

This entire blog (even if it is in Norwegian...thank heavens for google translator). But particularly, I want to duplicate this shelving in my kitchen.

And speaking of kitchens, just look at this one from designer Margot Austin

I have a thing for open shelving. And vintage kitchen islands. And white.

And...I think I want to duplicate this canopy from the same designer.

Or I may copy the canopy Margot created for her own bedroom...

So lovely.

adventures in thrifting.

2010-07-01T14:13:00.001-07:00

I've found some great new blogs lately...most of them I have found through these two sites dedicated to repurposing and DIY home decorating.

So, freshly inspired, I went thrifting last week and came back with these little treasures:

Two sage green linen Pier One curtains that I put in my living room....Ohhh, the lovely filtered light. Total cost: $2

A very vintage looking mirror which is now in my dining room. I haven't cleaned it because I kind of like the streaks...they add character. Total cost $6

I bought some assorted vintage sheets and pillowcases, with the intention of using some of the fabric as wall art in old picture frames, and using several of the pillowcases for a redecorating makeover for our Master Bedroom. Total cost: $10

I used some fabric from my vintage sheet to put in my mirror/key hook near my front door (which was also thrifted last winter for $9...it was missing one of the glass frame pieces, which I just replaced with glass from another thrifted 4x6 frame). I had photographs in the frames, but they just didn't do much for me. This looks much better, I think. Total cost: just a fraction of the cost of the sheet.

I found this cute little white frame, and was able to overlook its contents...unlike Mr. Gardner, whose only comment was "Two ducks...really?" (I think they're geese, Love...)

(Sorry about the bad lighting in the photo above BTW...)

So, the next morning, I cut out some of the vintage sheet fabric and put it in the picture frame...and it looked much better without the ducks...er, geese. Total cost: $2I bought another frame and....you guessed it, put some vintage sheet fabric in it...what can I say? I really liked this sheet! This wall art is hanging in a previously very bare spot between the kitchen and dining room. Total cost $3

These last two things, I picked up for Mr. Gardner's study.
I don't know what this is called, but it has lots of gauges on it, and looks like it belongs in a man-cave. Total cost: $3
I found these three boxes of vintage bookplates...150 total. A totally sweet deal for my bibliophile husband. I was totally excited to find these for him because I'd been looking for bookplates some and they were pretty pricey. Total cost: $0.99

Have I mentioned that I love thrifting?

More to come on the Master Bedroom makeover...I'll have to make the bed first.

all boy.

2010-07-01T13:51:00.001-07:00

This kid is tough as nails.

Last week he did a face-plant on the pavement and skinned up his nose and forehead.

Then he ran in front of the swinging child at the park and got knocked flat on his back...and got a black eye in the process.

He also loves to play in the dirt.

{I think I know who my ER frequent flyer is going to be...}

father's day

2010-06-18T15:45:00.000-07:00

I snapped these pictures of Mr. Gardner reading to the boys the other night, just in time for Father's Day. Obviously, they were completely engrossed in Robinson Crusoe...

Happy Father's Day, to the best baby daddy in the whole world... I love you.

tenderknees.

2010-06-18T15:25:00.000-07:00

Apparently, Noah does not like the feeling of grass on his knees. Rather than just taking the plunge and standing up, he has devised a plan for walking around on all fours. It is really quite entertaining to watch.

"Aw, mama. Stop taking pictures of me. This is serious. The grass is touching my knees!"

{I'm surprised any of the pictures turned out, I was laughing so hard.}

gone fishin'

2010-06-05T09:55:00.001-07:00

Mr. Gardner took our eldest son on his first Fishing Trip last week, and I sent the camera with him, so he could document this momentous male coming-of-age ritual. He brought me back these photos:

They didn't catch any fish...but it looks like they had a great time anyway. Maybe next time.

home.

2010-05-28T14:07:00.000-07:00

We got home from a week and a half long vacation to Phoenix early Thursday morning after driving for 14 hours with our three boys.

It's good to be home.

We had a wonderful time visiting Mr. Gardner's mom and stepdad. We enjoyed spending time with our family, watching our boys play and cuddle with their grandparents. We did some serious shopping (I got to go to IKEA and Trader Joe's for the first time). We soaked up the beautiful sunshine and 80 degree days. Good thing, too...since it's been raining and in the 50's since we got back to Idaho.

I don't think there's anything like being gone from your home for a while to make you enjoy it more. Absence makes my heart grow fonder of my home. Even though it's messy and everything is only half unpacked, it's still home.

Jane Austen said it well: "There's nothing like staying (or, in our case, coming back) home for real comfort."

vacation.

2010-05-22T13:28:00.000-07:00

A vacation is one-third pleasure, fondly remembered

two-thirds aggravation, entirely forgotten.

~Robert Brault

one.

2010-05-06T09:26:00.000-07:00

April 28 was my baby's first birthday.

I made him cupcakes from Pioneer Woman's sheet cake recipe, with this frosting, and they were really yummy.

He was quite happy with his cupcake and candle...mostly the candle.

Then we blew it out...and I think we broke his little heart.

We encouraged him to try the cupcake, but he wasn't too sure...I think he was still upset about the candle.

Then he realized, "Hey, this is good!"

At which point he quickly devoured one...then two cupcakes!

Here he is declaring his passionate love for cupcakes with a little song...

Just kidding.

I used to think it was cliche to always be commenting on how fast children grow...until I had them. There's nothing like having babies to make you realize just how fast a year goes by. It's really obvious with little ones...a year brings amazing changes.

Mama loves you, Noah Bug.

what a woman wants.

2010-04-24T13:00:00.000-07:00

You'll never guess what Mr. Gardner got me for Mother's Day.

I'll give you a hint...it's shiny and expensive, and I've wanted one for a very long time.

A diamond?

Not that expensive.

Give up?

Here it is.

Ohhhh so shiny...

What's that? It's not Mother's Day yet? Oh, right. I guess this would be a good time to explain how Mr. Gardner and I give gifts to one another.

When the day of gifting (i.e. Birthday, Christmas, Mother's/Father's day) is drawing near the gifter asks the giftee what they want. Frequently this occurs when the giftee is stopped dead in his or her tracks by an object they desire on a shopping outing. The item is then usually bought on the spot and all possible guesswork and returns are avoided. I know, I know, we are so romantic...

In this case, we were at Costco, and I, the giftee, was stopped by the display of beautiful Kitchenaid mixers (I always pause by them and touch the boxes and look at Mr. Gardner and wistfully say, "I should get one of these sometime" to which he agrees and then we continue on our way to buy our diapers and 4 gallons of milk). But on this day I was also stopped by the fact that our Costco coupon book had a coupon for $40 off a Kitchenaid mixer (this was up from $30 off at Christmas). Plus it came with 4 little prep bowls and a kitchen timer (which my husband and friends insist I need to stop burning things). Oh, and did I mention they also had a special mail-in offer for a FREE slicer/shredding attachment if said mixer was purchased before the end of May?

It was tempting, to say the least.

Now you must understand that I am notoriously cheap. It is hard for me to spend money, unless I am buying useless clearance items. I'm working on this. My husband helps me. He loves to spend money and he's good at it. He doesn't buy cheap crap just because it's cheap. When he buys things he buys them because he likes them and he buys high-quality.

That's how he got me : )

Anywhoooo....

This time, instead of walking away with me he said, "I think you should get it."

And so I did.

I vacillated on the color, I liked the silver, but also liked the classic white. Mr. Gardner helped with that as well. He said I could get anything I wanted as long as it was the silver one.

I love that man.

I couldn't help but think of the movie Father of the Bride when the bride almost calls off the wedding because her poor husband-to-be buys her a blender, not knowing that he has unwittingly condemned her to a life of repressive domesticity, and stripped her of all feminist dignity.

Not me, baby. Bring on the kitchen appliances!

sprung.

2010-04-22T07:23:00.001-07:00

Spring is here...it appeared this week out of nowhere, just like these tulips in our yard.

I love how Spring does that...and how you can feel it before you can see it.

A few evenings ago, right after supper, we all spontaneously wandered outside and savored the warm weather...

My Spring baby loved digging his little toes in the grass.

As did I.

Eli went straight for the dirt.

And Mr. Gardner and Josiah climbed the tree so they could look down on the rest of us.

Eli eventually got bored with the dirt and took off down the sidewalk, so Mr. Gardner had to catch him...and provide me with this gem of a photo.

I love Spring.

I'm glad it's sprung.

good for you & tasty too.

2010-04-15T20:44:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe for superpower breakfast cookies last fall, but have just recently started making them on a regular basis. They are quite nutritious and very filling and, best of all, they taste wonderful...the whole family loves them!

I pretty much follow the recipe exactly (I know, unusual for me) although I usually double it because they disappear so quickly...

Oh, and I do divide my batch into two bowls before adding the chocolate chips, and substitute dried cranberries in one for my boy who *gasp* doesn't like chocolate...I don't know what happened there...

the stairs.

2010-04-15T09:29:00.000-07:00

Noah is now at the age when he must feel the undeniable need to navigate the stairs. Historically, the ascent is rarely ever the problem, it's coming DOWN that seems to give the little guys trouble. In a house with stairs, this is obviously a necessary skill, but the process always seems to foster some bumps, bruises and tumbles.

Mama isn't a fan.

Here is the way to come down the stairs, as demonstrated by Noah:

1. Realize that you have climbed the stairs.

2. Panic. Cry for your mama.

3. Realize that your mama is not going to help, and is, instead going to take pictures.

4. Try to go down head first, and realize this is scary.

5. Listen to mama's suggestion to go down backwards.

6. Give it a try.

7. Works well!

8. Forget what you just did and panic a little.

9. Put your leg back up on the stairs...what?

10. Give up and hang on for dear life.

11. Cry for your mama.

12. Mama to the rescue.

13. Thanks mama.
Awww...

Oh, well. There's always next time...

(Note the symmetric bruises on his forehead from the last stair-climbing attempt)

supper's late.

2010-04-11T20:36:00.000-07:00

This is Eli.

He just woke up from his nap.

Apparently, he suffers from a little-known, but widespread disorder I just discovered on the Pioneer Woman's Blog called LBSCBDO, also known as Low-Blood-Sugar-Cranky-Butt-Disorder. She goes into more detail about the symptoms here, if you would like to diagnose your own family members.

He came downstairs tonight as I was trying to make dinner and I could tell he was about to have an acute episode of LBSCBDO. He kept saying this word over and over (with increasing urgency) that sounded like a cross between the words Beagle and Pickle...."BEEEGKOOUUL!"

See? Here he is saying it "BEEEGKOOUUL!"

He was quite insistent and I couldn't figure out what he wanted...until Josiah nailed it.

"He wants a bagel, mom."

"Oh, right. Thanks son. Not now Eli, mama's making dinner."

He rapidly deteriorated to end-stage LBSCBDO...

While his caring, empathetic mama took pictures.

Then, I kid you not...

He walked over to the silverware drawer, pulled out a butter knife and said...

"Knife. Kill."

He's serious about his food.

(We really don't promote violence in our home...I don't know where they pick this stuff up.)

boys.

2010-04-10T17:14:00.001-07:00

What does this look like to you?

Just the ugly backside of our house (that really needs to be resided) and the shed with some junk piled up next to it, right?

Wrong.

It's a ladder. Um-hmm. A ladder to the roof. Do you see that perfect stair-step?

Ok, now do you see that child on my roof?

Now before you judge me for being a negligent parent, I must defend myself. I was outside when this happened. Yes, I was blogging on the back porch so I could "keep an eye" on my boys. Which might actually make me even more negligent than if I were inside, now that I think about it.

As would the fact that I ran inside after telling him not to move, and grabbed my camera to get a picture.

Hey, it's a momentous occasion!

I did it when I was two...ask my mama. I was AD-vanced.

So I guess I have no one to blame but myself.

photo shoot.

2010-04-10T16:14:00.000-07:00

A month or two ago, some good friends of mine asked me to take some family pictures for them.

I had never done this before and, although I was a little worried about how the pictures would turn out, I agreed. After all, there was a baby involved.

I love babies.

And they have a sweet baby boy who is almost 6 months old and who is still at the "strange people are cool" phase. He was more than happy to flirt with me, even when his mama left him alone with me while she finished getting ready.

Little doll.

Look at those sweet baby fingers...

He didn't even get mad when I put him in a basket...although he does look like he's a little concerned about my mental health.

And then we got him stripped down to a diaper and let the good times roll (no pun intended...)

Almost makes me want another...darn those maternal hormones.

Almost...ahem.

Here are some sweet family shots.

They turned out pretty well, I think. And my friends liked them a lot, or at least told me they did...

I should have never doubted my camera.

easter

2010-04-07T07:39:00.001-07:00

Sorry. Late entry here.

But I have a good excuse: Blogger and my iPhoto have not been getting along and I finally realized today that it was because it needed an update...I'm happy to report they are getting along just fine now.

So, Easter.

I had to work...and there were not many Easter babies this year, so work was a little slow (read bo-ring). So while I was slaving away (catching up on the latest Pop Culture gossip via smutty magazines at the L&D Nurses station) Mr. Gardner packed up the boys and headed to church, with the promise of an Easter Egg Hunt after the service.

He also took the camera, bless him.

His only comment was, "There wasn't much time to get pictures...and the aperture was set funny so they're overexposed."

Love him. And I think they turned out great. I also love how Eli is watching and learning what it's all about...

And then he does it himself...

So proud! Wish I had been there. I think I'll ask for next Easter off....

Not sure why Josiah has this look on his face...bad egg, perhaps?

thrifting finds.

2010-03-28T22:17:00.001-07:00

Sometime last week, the whole family hit the thrift stores downtown together. I found some great things that I had been looking for, and thought I'd share...

Huge Canning Pot, with canning rack. I can use this to sterilize my yogurt jars AND do some canning this fall...which I have never done on my own, and have been wanting to do. $3.50

The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck (which I've wanted to read since High School) $1.50

In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan. (Mr. Gardner found this one) $.50

Gardening Hat (for growing all those veggies that I'm going to can...) $1.50

Metal Strainer (I've been wanting a metal one) $1.50

Vintage Potholder $.60

Total $9.10

I love thrifting.

there he goes...

2010-03-28T21:41:00.000-07:00

I was watching Josiah ride his bicycle up and down the sidewalk in front of our house the other day and thinking about how much he has grown up. I thought about how our children start out always in our arms. And then they grow up a little, and they sit and play at our feet. And, one day, they take their first steps. And, as they grow, they wander further and further away, until one day, we watch them ride away on a bike, clear to the end of the block...and we don't really worry about it too much.

Right now, Josiah still has clear limitations to his bike riding. He knows he can only ride on our block, he can't ride in the street, and one of his parents must be able to see him, always. He's still held close by the gravity of his parents...but he's gradually widening his orbit around us. I was thinking that, if I had seen him way down at the end of the block last year, I would have panicked. But this year, I know that he is going to remember that his mama and daddy love him, and want him to stay safe, so he won't go any further.

One day, probably much sooner than I think, he will be a man, and he will be making his own decisions about where he goes, and what he does. I pray that he remembers that, like his mama and daddy, his Heavenly Father has given him boundaries to keep him safe, and that the love He has for Josiah will hold him and guide his steps.

busy week...

2010-03-14T13:35:00.000-07:00

And this is why: I decided to host a ladies night/diaper shower for a friend who had a baby boy about a month ago. This week was a flurry of preparation, planning, baking, and decorating. And of course, the whole family was under the weather. Again.

I decided to divide everything that needed to be done up over 4 or 5 days, and that actually made things much easier (imagine that). I spent one whole afternoon doing decorations, which was really enjoyable (the house cleaning day...not so much) I made my first diaper cake, which involved a lot of diaper rolling and rubber bands, but turned out looking...delicious...or so my son said :)

These tissue paper pom-poms were something I'd wanted to try after seeing them at another baby shower a couple months ago. I found this tutorial on Martha Stewart's website (I'm sure she came up with the idea herself...) I tried making two following the instructions exactly and got fairly frustrated with the results. So then I tried cutting the folded tissue paper in half to make smaller pom-poms, which looked much better, in my opinion.

I found the baby clothesline idea on several blogs, none of which I can remember. So I raided Noah's drawers and hung some onesies and swaddling blankets on kitchen twine with clothespins. So cute...and so easy.

We did a dessert buffet for food, and everyone brought lovely delicious treats. My contribution was some punch...

...and monkey bread, the deliciousness of which I was reminded of a few weeks ago when Deb at Smitten Kitchen posted her version. If you don't know what monkey bread is, she has an apt description:

They [are] like cinnamon rolls and doughnut holes got together and made beautiful dough monkeys.

I love Deb. She is wicked funny :)

Anyway, I didn't make the cream cheese glaze, mostly for lack of time, but I'm sure it would make it that much more sinful...er...delicious. I made the dough in my breadmaker (on the dough setting), using the recipe for cinnamon roll dough that came with my machine. I rolled the little balls of dough in a mixture of white/turbinado sugar and cinnamon and put them in a bundt pan, letting them rise for about an hour. Then I mixed about a stick of melted butter with 1/2 cup of brown sugar, poured it over the contents of the bundt pan and baked it at 325 for about 25 minutes.

It was good.

The shower was wonderful. It is always good to get together with other ladies and have good food, good conversation, and stay up past my bedtime. Almost every one of us had a baby (all boys!) in arms most of the time...and we all enjoyed seeing each other's beautiful children. Poor Mr. Gardner took my two eldest out to a playland somewhere for most of the shower even though he was feeling sick. Bless him.

One last picture from the shower...

{this moment}

2010-03-05T09:02:00.000-08:00

via Amanda @ soulemama

***{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.***

first haircut.

2010-03-02T21:15:00.000-08:00

Noah's been looking a little shaggy lately...

I've been trying to stave off his daddy's attempts to buzz his hair until I can get enough for a keepsake lock of hair from his first official haircut.

Well, I got my lock, and then some...happy mommy.

And daddy got to utilize his amazing clipper-wielding skills...happy daddy.

Happy boy!

yogurt update.

2010-03-02T13:24:00.000-08:00

Well, I made my first two quarts of homemade vanilla yogurt yesterday, and they turned out fairly well. Actually, judging from how fast the first quart disappeared, they turned out very well! The yogurt didn't turn out thick enough for me, but Mr. Gardner and the boys enjoyed drinking theirs (this first batch would be perfect for smoothies!) When we lived overseas, we actually bought yogurt with exactly the same consistency, it was sold in a cup and you drank it...so Mr. Gardner and I were having flashbacks!

Anyway, next time I make it, I will let the yogurt sit longer in the cooler and see if that helps the jars set up better. I think I'll try another batch soon (first I need to get a bigger stockpot to boil my canning jars), and post some pictures when I finally get it the way I want it...if there's any left!

homemade yogurt.

2010-02-27T13:55:00.000-08:00

photo

I'm thinking about trying this recipe for homemade yogurt from fellow blogger-&-frugal-girl-extrodinaire-Kristen. I'll bet it's really yummy, and quite a lot cheaper than buying yogurt at the store. Plus, you KNOW there are live, active cultures in this stuff if you grew it yourself...

*wink*

standing tall.

2010-02-26T08:20:00.000-08:00

Inspired by Amanda @ soulemama

***{this moment} - A new semi-regular Friday ritual I've been thinking about. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.***

What a lovely idea. Here is my moment, with just a few words:

Noah is standing up on his own. He wobbles and braces himself with his legs all splayed out, and then smiles like he knows he's accomplished something big...which he has. It's a big milestone for this first year. He's almost 10 months now, much to his mama's dismay...wasn't he just born yesterday? What a sweet little boy he's turning into, my Noah bug.

link to dana's pants pocket tutorial.

2010-02-25T18:03:00.000-08:00

Dana at MADE posted this tutorial for these adorable pants (along with several other designs...take your pick, they're all amazing!). I have to make these! February has been "Celebrate the Boy" month on her blog, and has been totally inspiring for this mommy of three boys.

thrifting 101.

2010-02-25T14:02:00.001-08:00

photo

I love thrift stores. I'd rather shop at a thrift store than just about anywhere, mostly because I'm such a tightwad. Mr. Gardner loves thrifting too, so it's a favorite pastime of ours. I started back in High School (before it was cool) at a store called Rags & Wags in my hometown. That was about 15 years ago. That's a lot of thrifting. I've learned a few valuable lessons in that time:

1. To get great finds, you need to go often. Probably once a week or so. Mr. Gardner is something of a bibliophile, so he finds out when the local thrift stores put out their new books, and tries to go weekly. He's found some amazing books using this method.

2. Don't buy things just because they're cheap. This is the hardest thing for me...I have bought way too many things at thrift stores for this reason, and not because I really like them, or will use them, only to re-donate them right back a few months later. Don't buy an item if you don't love it or have a specific use for it. Which leads me to...

3. Keep a list of things you need or want and take it with you when you go thrifting. This may seem counterintuitive, because if you've ever gone to a thrift store looking for something in particular, you know inevitably you will not find it! However, if you do go often, chances are you will eventually see what you are looking for. If you don't have said item on your list, you will walk into the store and be completely distracted by all the stuff, all the while having this nagging feeling that there was something you wanted to watch for...as you walk right past it.

4. Don't underestimate repurposing. This is probably one of my favorite things about thrifting. You can re-use and re-purpose almost everything in the store. We've picked up some great, well-made furniture at thrift stores. True, when we bought said furniture, it was spray painted purple and green, and needed to be refinished, but that's the fun part! Sheets can be made into almost anything, old baskets or luggage are great for storage, clothing can be resized, throw pillows can be recovered. There are a lot of amazing ideas out there for repurposing the items that are sitting, waiting for a new life!

5. For every item you buy while thrifting, donate an item back. This is a great way to de-clutter your home. I always have a donation box going at my house for items that are no longer used, or needed. I especially try to do this with my children's things, because toys and books and outgrown clothes seem to accumulate unusually fast at our house!

That's all I have, but would love to hear more tips from other thrifters...

what i did today...

2010-02-24T20:33:00.000-08:00

Last night, as I was going to bed, I looked over at the lone dresser in our bedroom, which was buried under piles of magazines, diapers, and articles of clothing, and resolved that today, if I did nothing else, I would clean it off. Oh, and I would finish the load of laundry that has been "soaking" in the washer....

So after the boys ate breakfast, and I did the dishes, and tidied the kitchen, and took out the trash, and changed a couple poopy diapers, and fed the dog, and got everyone dressed, I stood in front of the dresser and began the daunting task of removing and sorting the accumulated junk.

AsI did, I found a pair of my favorite earrings...which reminded me that I've really been wanting to make an earring frame for all my earrings (I got the idea from a dear friend, who got it from apartment therapy, I think...) I bought a frame at the thrift store about a month ago and just needed some screen to hang in it. So, I left the mess, and proceeded to go outside to cut a ruined screen out of one of our windows. Fifteen minutes later, I had this little project finished...

But still had a mess on my dresser.

Which I took care of.

But the clothes are still in washer...tomorrow, perhaps?

reversible baby booties.

2010-02-16T21:45:00.000-08:00

Ok, these are the most darling little booties...EVER.

I have wanted to make them for a long, long time, and I finally made them for a friend with a brand new little boy. I am so excited about them that I'm posting the pictures of them before I give them to her (I don't think she knows I blog...yet). I must say that the tutorial I followed from crafting blog maked out of Canada was really, REALLY good. So good, in fact, that I was actually able to figure out how to make them...that's saying something! And I figured out how to make them in an evening, with "help" from my three children. The house is an absolute disaster as a result...but these darling little booties sitting on my kitchen table make everything worth it.

A couple of notes:

I used a light quilting cotton pattern for one side, and a rich brown flannel for the other. While I was looking around for fabric ideas, I saw some made out of old embroidered tea towels that were, well...amazing (I'll have to keep an eye out for old tea towels when thrifting). I also saw some with corduroy for the bottoms, which would be great if you were making them for an older child who actually used their feet...

Which brings me to the next thing; these are incredibly tiny. Way smaller than I thought. They are definitely newborn size. I took some pictures of them in my hand, to show just how small they are. So tiny...so darling!

Here they are with the brown flannel side out...

treasures...

2010-02-16T11:43:00.001-08:00

Wedding_0043
Originally uploaded by jengardner

We just got a new printer and I discovered, much to my delight that it is also a scanner. So, inspired by all the love this Valentine's Day, I got out our wedding photos and scanned them all! I've been wanting to do this forever...

Here's my favorite.

happy valentine's day.

2010-02-14T13:47:00.001-08:00

So, since everyone knows that chocolate and Valentine's Day go together perfectly...I wanted to share the BEST chocolate cookie recipe in the whole world. I got it from the blog of one of my dearest friends who is also something of a gourmet cook in my book. But be forewarned, if you don't care for chocolate, you will not like these cookies. They are made with dark chocolate chips and are amazingly rich. I make them at least once a month, much to the chagrin of my four year old who despises chocolate (I know, I know, something went horribly amiss in the gene pool there...)

restoration hardware kitchen.

2010-02-11T20:59:00.000-08:00

Restoration Hardware - Shop By Room

I just LOVE this kitchen...especially the reclaimed wood island.

make you own...

2010-02-10T19:51:00.000-08:00

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With three sons, I've been going through baby wipes like there's no tomorrow, and they're not cheap. Lately, several of my friends have been making their own (and raving about how great they are), so I thought I'd find a recipe and try them out soon. I need to run to the natural food store to get some of the ingredients (I think I might try some organic baby wash and essential oil in mine...either lavender or tea tree oil). And here's a link to a tutorial on how to make the lovely wipe case cover shown above...to put your homemade wipes in...

photo

I also ran across this recipe for home-made deodorant on a great little blog I just discovered. I've (unsuccessfully) tried several all-natural deodorants before because I've heard the aluminum that is in EVERY anti-perspirant is not good for you. So I think I will whip this up and see if it works. It's made with coconut oil, so it has to smell pretty good...

love this home.

2010-02-05T19:38:00.000-08:00

I found these photos of a home in Brussels, Belgium that I LOVE on a design blog today. The whole house is done in shades of off-white, with touches of buttery yellow and sea-foam green. The owners have an amazing assortment of antique furniture like this hutch and farm table in the kitchen...

The kitchen is my favorite room...the owners used old library shelving, complete with ladder, to house their beautiful stoneware and dishes (hate to think how dusty those dishes get, though...)

The library is beautiful as well, looks like the same shelving. I just LOVE the sparsely treated wood on the ceilings and floor and the airy french doors. I'm imagining that they open to a lovely garden that smells like lavender...

The entryway is a bit more formal, but still feels very welcoming to me thanks to that lovely, warm, yellow color...

And lastly, the bathroom, which has a little green in it...I love green, especially when it's understated like this.

I'll have to incorporate some of this design style into my own home, It feels old and homey, but fresh at the same time. I could live in this house. But it's not too kid friendly, I would imagine...

make your own grocery totes...

2010-02-03T12:13:00.000-08:00

I have decided to start posting links to blogs, etc. that I am enjoying every now and then to my page. I rarely actually get to do projects, or even update my blog, and it seems to me that one of the greatest things about blogging is sharing the wealth of amazingly creative ideas that are out there. So here is a link to a tutorial from this blog for these sweet recycled grocery totes. I would just love to make these...sometime...

mom's pancakes.

2010-02-03T11:52:00.000-08:00

You know those recipes that your mom makes, that you totally take for granted when you are a little kid? And then you grow up, and one day you remember that wonderful...well, whatever...that your mom made and you just have to call her for the recipe? Well, last week I resurrected my mom's pancake recipe. I have actually had the recipe for a while, but haven't ever made it. I guess I overestimate the difficulty of getting out ALL those dry ingredients. That, and I never seem to have buttermilk on hand. But last week, I just happened to have the perfect amount of buttermilk and the overwhelming desire to eat some of my mom's pancakes. They were just as good as I remembered...

Here is the recipe:

Mom's Half Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes

2 cups flour (1 cup white/1 cup whole wheat)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons oil

Sift together dry ingredients in large bowl, mix wet ingredients in smaller bowl and combine, mixing well.
Pour by 1/4 to 1/2 cup onto hot, buttered griddle (I usually have mine around 300-350, I think). Cook until bubbles on top pop, then flip and cook until browned on opposite side.
Top with whatever you want and enjoy! These can be frozen and reheated in the toaster.

a new year.

2010-01-17T21:17:00.001-08:00

Ok, it's halfway through January and I am just now getting around to posting about the Holidays. Not very impressive at a time for New Year's resolutions and starting fresh, but, it's an accurate representation of how life has been of late. We have, collectively, either had houseguests or been traveling since the second week in November. It seems that the last two months of the year are destined to be crazy in the Gardner home, as they contain 3 out of our 5 birthdays and the two biggest holidays of the year. So here's a brief rundown of the last three months...

November 13th was Mr. Gardner's 35th birthday. I attempted to organize a surprise party for him the night before his birthday, with some of our closest friends coming over for appetizers and

drinks. It was very enjoyable, and our little home was packed wall to wall with people.

Three days later, Josiah turned 4. He is growing up so quickly! He amazes us with all his observations about life. He's an outgoing, kind, talkative, and sensitive boy. To celebrate, we had his favorite dish, Macaroni & Cheese, followed by yummy rainbow chip cupcakes. My mom was visiting, and it was wonderful to have her there to share in his big day. It's hard to believe it has been 4 years since I became a mom, I still feel like I'm trying to figure out parenting basics most of the time...

My mom left at the end of the week,

and the day she left, Mr. Gardner's mom came up from Phoenix to visit for the Thanksgiving holiday. She was able to stay for a week and a half, and we had a wonderful holiday, despite the fact that we all managed to get sick with various illnesses while she was here.

The boys got the stomach flu the night before Thanksgiving, and it spread through the whole house over the next few days. At some point we were all feeling well enough to go on a foray to the South Hills to cut down a Christmas tree.

A few days before she left, Grandma asked if she could take Eli home with her for a few weeks and bring him back for Christmas. Although the mommy in me was really quite distraught at the prospect of being without him for several weeks, Kevin and I both knew this was a wonderful opportunity for Eli to have a little undivided attention. He doesn't get much of that being the middle child in a family of three boys 4 and under.

So, off he went with his Grandma. I missed him terribly,

but Josiah and Noah kept me busy, and I was able to enjoy having just the two of them for a while.

Mr. Gardner finished his semester the week before Christmas, and that weekend, Grandpa and Grandma Dawson brought Eli back.

They had to share the upstairs loft with their grandsons, and I'm sure that they didn't get much sleep while they were here. But the boys loved every minute, and we were so glad to have them here. Our Christmas was not at all white, but that made for an easier trip home for Grandpa & Grandma the day after Christmas. Eli, in particular, was brokenhearted to discover that Grandma had gone home. It took him a few days to adjust to not being an "only child", but we could tell that the extra attention had really done wonders for him.

Three days after Christmas was Eli's second

birthday. I must confess that I often forget it is almost his birthday until right about Christmas

and it's a challenge to give the day the attention it should have. It motivated me to take down the

Christmas tree in an attempt not to have it overshadowing his Birthday. He was just happy to have a birthday cupcake for breakfast, although he was quite distressed by the burning candles on it, and would not be consoled until his (overly helpful) big brother blew them out for him.

Mr. Gardner and I worked over New Year's and then we were off to Salmon to visit my family for a few days. We had subzero temperatures for much of the visit, and spent a lot of time around their cozy wood stove as a result. It was a very enjoyable visit, and the boys seemed to especially enjoy roughhousing with their Uncle Jeremy.

So there you have it, that brings us up to last week. I'm feeling tired just thinking about all the activity these last few months have held. Still, we have made lovely memories, and closed out the year blessed, healthy, and happy, all the while in a state of perpetual, controlled chaos. Mr. Gardner and I often look knowingly at one another and wonder what we have gotten ourselves into...but we wouldn't have it any other way.

I was trying to explain what an absolutely life-changing experience it is to have children the other day and all I could come up with was that it absolutely consumes my life. It is the most challenging, wonderful, amazing, all-encompasing, life-altering, heart-expanding thing I have ever experienced. Our children make us less selfish, whether or not we want to be. We are the ones that they depend on for only everything. What an amazing responsibility. I pray that this year I would have the grace of parenting my boys well.

hustle & bustle...

2009-12-19T11:34:00.000-08:00

Kev turned to me the other night and asked "Are you feeling Christmas this year...'cause I'm sure not." I had to admit, I'm not. I'm dreading the holiday deadlines, craziness, the scramble to find something meaningful for the people I care so much for. It's all so far removed from the simplicity of Christmas. I know it's cliche, but the true meaning of Christmas is so easy to lose in all the hustle and bustle. It's so easy to give presents, but the real gift is to give of ourselves.

That being said, I am looking forward to enjoying this season with my family and friends, and I am trying to be so, so very thankful for the gifts that I receive every hour of every day. We are SO blessed, and this is a perfect time to remember that.

felted sweater hat and mittens

2009-11-20T07:43:00.000-08:00

I've been fascinated lately with all the amazing things people make out of felted sweaters. I had no idea people actually shrunk wool sweaters on purpose to make things out of them. I've been itching to try some of the projects I've found online and scouring local thrift stores looking for felting candidates (the sweater needs to be 80% wool or higher in order to felt well). I found a few the other day, one of which was 100% new wool and hand knit in Ireland...just lovely. I felt a twinge of remorse as I threw it in the washer on hot and then in the dryer. Sure enough, it came out about one third of it's original size and REALLY thick (my thumb started going numb from trying to cut through it with my little scissors)

Next, I got to work finding patterns online. I decided on this one. I must offer this caveat, though: I never, ever follow patterns or recipes...even if I want to. I did all the measuring and made a template and cut all the pieces and sewed a few together, only to find that the hat was hanging down to my nose and would have been WAY to big for my head, if I had used all the pieces. So, I only used four of the five pieces I cut, and then turned the cuff of the hat under and hemmed it so it didn't cover my eyes.

For the mittens, I found a lot of patterns, but thought the simplest way to make them would be to use the cuff of the sleeves of the sweater for the cuff of my mittens. So I put my hands in the sleeves the wrong way and then traced the outline of the mitten where my fingers were. The sleeves had shrunk so much they almost weren't long enough for my hands. Then I turned them inside out and stitched a very small seam around the raw edges (which was not easy because the felt was THICK...my poor sewing machine had a rough time...but we made it through).

I really like the finished products, especially the mittens. The seams are a little annoying because they are so thick, but they are very WARM and look oh, so nice. Wish I had enough for a scarf...

muffins

2009-10-10T10:40:00.000-07:00

This lovely fall...or, more precisely, winter weather has been making me want to bake and, as we always seem to have a plethora of overripe bananas at out house...I thought I'd make some banana bread. I had all the ingredients, and got to work looking at recipes online. Apparently I was not the only one craving banana bread...it was in the top searches box on allrecipes.

Now there seems to be a misconception about banana bread, at least in my brain, because it's made with fruit...it must be more nutritious than, say cake. Not so, I found as I perused through all the top rated recipes. Two sticks of butter in one loaf of bread is a bit excessive, in my opinion, especially when I'm sure I would probably end up eating most of it.

So on to Plan B. I needed to find something that called for overripe bananas, that tasted good, and was somewhat nutritious. I must admit, I wasn't optimistic. But not only did I find a recipe that met all the criteria, it also called for apples...which I had, and needed to use. The stars were in alignment! All was right with the world!

So I got to work. Of course, I had to change the recipe, because I can never actually follow a recipe to the letter. First off, I tripled the recipe, because I wanted to make muffins we could eat for a week or so, and a loaf of bread. The recipe called for raisins...plumped raisins... not a fan. So I left them out. Actually, I substituted walnuts. And I added an extra egg and a substituted a little all-purpose white flour for some of the whole wheat because some reviews said they didn't rise well. So this is what the recipe looked like when I was done with it:

4 eggs
2 1/4 cups milk
4 1/2 cups bran cereal {I used bran flakes}
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking soda
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons melted butter or oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 apples, cored and shredded {zucchini would work too}
4 ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup brown sugar or honey
1-2 cups chopped walnuts

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 36 muffin cups or two large loaf pans.
Beat the eggs and the milk in a large bowl, and mix in the bran cereal. Let the mixture stand until the cereal absorbs the liquid, about 5 minutes (this is when I mash my bananas and grate my apples). Add the mashed bananas, shredded apples, melted butter (or oil) and vanilla. Gently mix in the dry ingredients, and stir a few times to combine.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, and bake in the preheated oven for about 20-30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

They were wonderful! Not quite as good as banana bread *smile* but still very good. A new staple at our house for breakfast, I think.

10 things

2009-09-24T10:20:00.000-07:00

I discovered a blog last week that has really been inspiring me. From time to time the author does a post of 10 things that she loves at that moment in time. I am loving that idea, of taking a little snapshot of the things that are occupying my thoughts and dreams at a given moment in my life. So here are my ten things for this very moment...most of which have to do with the turning of summer to fall {which just happens to be my favorite season}

1. Harvest food

I am loving the fresh, local produce, some of which is coming from my little garden {my boys "helped" me by picking all my tomatoes...ripe or not}

My mom came a few weeks ago and picked me some peaches from a local orchard. We made freezer jam and frozen slices for pies, cobblers and such. I love peaches...

I ventured out on a limb last week and made a butternut squash bisque with some homemade soup sticks that were absolutely delicious {this is coming from someone who doesn't like squash...yeah, try it}

And of course...apple pie.

2. Wool socks

I may only wear sandals during the summer, but I'm also among the first to pull out the warm fuzzies as soon as it starts to get chilly. This most favorite pair of wool socks my sweet husband bought for me when we were dating. Yes, you read that right...these socks are 10 years old, but pulling them on is still one of my favorite things about fall.

3. Finally...a family photo collage

It's only taken me 3 years to finally hang these pictures on the wall next to the staircase where I envisioned a pottery barn-esque collage. My friend gave me a picture frame for my birthday and that was the impetus to get it done. Now, we'll see how long those pictures stay on the wall...

4. New slippers
Doesn't get more warm and fuzzy than these...

5. Blogs & blogging

A few new favorites are the sometimes crafter, soule mama, and the long thread.

6. Fall sunshine

Not too hot, just enough to warm you in the cool fall air. It's sunshine at it's best. Perfect for lying on a blanket in the backyard.

7. A clean kitchen

But don't look at the rest of the house...

8. etsy.com

9. Coffee and books

That won't ever change, but, as the mornings get colder, getting up early for hot coffee and some time in a good book gets all the more appealing...

10. These boys...

They're my world. I love these rare moments when we are all together in one room {usually piled on our tiny queen bed} They just don't come often enough.

first day of school

2009-08-28T14:35:00.001-07:00

Oh my.

Josiah had his first day of preschool today. He's turning 4 in November, so he misses the cutoff for K4 by about a month. So he's in K3 and is a bit of an anomaly among the other 3 year olds. He's about 43 inches tall and could quite easily blend in with the 5 and 6 year olds, if it wasn't for the fact that he acts exactly his age.

He has been going through his school supplies over and over since we bought them a few weeks ago. He'll line them up perfectly into a row and just gaze at them for several minutes. Then he'll put them back in his backpack only to pull them back out and repeat the process...it really is quite darling.

I found myself feeling quite "mom-ish" as I labeled all his supplies with a permanent marker, laid his clothes out, and packed him a lunch last night. It feels like I am entering a new phase of parenthood...the one where I watch the little ones that I have held so close begin to venture out, testing the bounds of their independence. It's bittersweet. And for Josiah, it's absolutely exhilarating! He really didn't want to come home today, but I'm afraid his mom had had enough independence for one day...

quilt

2009-08-28T13:17:00.000-07:00

Finally finished this blanket for one of my dearest friends who had her third child about a month ago. The sex of her baby was a surprise, so I waited till she delivered to start (that's how I justify it taking so long...) Technically it's not really a quilt, because there's no batting in between the layers...it's more like a glorified receiving blanket. But it's patchwork and it looks like a quilt so that's what I've been calling it...

I thought it turned out well, for a first attempt. The squares of the various fabrics were already cut and came pre-packaged, for which I was grateful. It's not always easy for me to pick out complementary fabrics for this sort of thing, although I think I'm getting better at it.

I didn't have the time or dedication to hand quilt it, so I machine- sewed down the the middle section of squares in one direction to keep the layers together. The backing is just a chocolate colored twin sized sheet I found on clearance, cut to size and used to bind the edges.

One final note: I finally bought a rotary cutter and mat for this project, and can now say, with conviction, that they are most definitely necessary tools for any sort of quilting.

camping

2009-08-10T14:56:00.000-07:00

We went up camping in the South Hills this weekend with some of Kevin's co-workers. Here are some of my favorite shots of the family...

Eli and his hot dog (that he just dropped in the dirt)...

Eli with some chocolate (and dirt) on his face...

Noah staying warm...

Josiah loves camping...

I shouldn't be surprised that the little wild man LOVED this 4-wheeler...

Keeping warm...

Noah and I by the fire...

We were fortunate enough to be able to use our friends' trailer, so we stayed fairly warm and everyone made it through the night relatively unscathed. We were all completely exhausted by the time we got home...and we were only gone about 24 hours! Camping with three small boys is something, let me tell you. I've never seen such dirty, happy faces! They didn't want to come home, but mom and dad were totally worn out.

scones

2009-08-06T21:30:00.000-07:00

I made some blueberry scones tonight with this basic scone/biscuit recipe and was reminded how wonderfully versatile and easy it is. I got it from my mom a few years back when I was trying to make homemade strawberry shortcake and just couldn't quite duplicate her light, slightly sweet shortcake. This recipe can be used to make plain shortcake, scones, or savory drop biscuits depending on what is added.

Here's the basic recipe:

2 cups flour (my mom always sifts it...I never do)
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar (increase to about 3 tbsp if you are making shortcake or scones)

Mix these dry ingredients together thoroughly and then cut in:

5 to 6 tbsp butter, slightly softened

You should have a sort of crumbly mixture after cutting in the butter. Then add:

1 cup milk or cream, stir to combine.

If you are making scones, stir in your additional ingredients and top with a bit of raw/turbinado sugar. A few of my favorite scone variations are orange zest with cranberries, dried blueberries, and of course, chocolate chips...the possibilities are quite endless.

For savory biscuits, you can try adding bacon, cheese and chives or sundried tomatoes and feta...again, endless possibilities!

Drop by tablespoonful onto cookie sheet and shape as desired. Bake at 350 until the tops of the scones start to turn golden, 10 to 15 minutes depending on the oven.

eli

2009-08-03T14:31:00.000-07:00

I snapped these shots of my middle son Eli the other day. He's 19 months old and finally growing into that noggin of his, even though he's quite small for his age. I think he's still catching up from his early start. That's baby Noah's hat he has on, and it's a little too small, but he loves it and just looks so darling when he puts it on. He walks around the house like a little drill sergeant and barks out unintelligible orders to all of us, the dog included. He says a few words like "baaaay beee" (that's what he calls Noah) and "wooo-woo" (that's what he calls the dog-when he says it he sounds just like a little hound dog) and, of course, "mama" and "baaa" (ball). Everything he says sounds like a question, because his little voice goes up about an octave at the end of every word. He loves to climb on the table or up on the window sill (as he was doing in these photos) and frequently topples off, only to climb right back up again. He is, by far, my most determined child, and it takes a LOT to redirect him. Sometimes I wonder if he's getting lost in the shuffle, but he lights up when I stop and just pay attention to him. He's got the most darling little dimple on his right cheek, and it's so worth the time to get him to smile! It will be good to have a little more one-on-one time with my little wild man when his big brother heads off to preschool this fall.

chairs

2009-07-31T14:54:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to re-upholster this pair of chairs I bought at a yard sale several years ago. I had a few fabric options, but couldn't commit to them for some reason.

I found some fabric that I really liked this week and it really seemed to fit the chairs. So here are my "new" old chairs...love them!

first post

2009-07-30T22:07:00.000-07:00

I've taken the plunge...it's official. I have a blog.

I've been fighting the urge to start blogging for several reasons. Here they are:
1. I have three small children...all boys.
2. I journal about once every 3 years or so...
3. Did I mention I have three small children?

So why? Why am I doing this? I've been feeling like it's something I want to do. But I think the main reasons are:
1. & 3. I have three small children...and I'd like to cherish the fleeting moments I have with them everyday. Not just the big stuff, the everyday moments. Like this morning, when I was sitting on our porch swing rocking my baby in the early morning quiet...nothing spectacular, but it was a beautiful moment, and one I want to be reminded of.
2. It's true, I'm not the world's most consistent journaler...but I love to write. Often, I don't know how I feel until I start writing. But some days, there just aren't words. So I'll share what's happening in my life through the lens of my camera. Either through words or photos, this will be a record of life, in all it's intricacies. Today, this blog may be a short post of what's on my mind. Tomorrow, it may be a moment I had with one of my three precious sons, or my amazing husband. Or it may be a picture of a place we visited, a dish I prepared, or a project I'm working on. Whatever it is, my goal is to remind myself that I am truly living la bella vita...the beautiful life.