Today's video is up, in which I cover how we talk about faith with our kids when they're young.
Two things:
One, I think the cord on my webcam is a stinker, which makes the video act weird in a few places. I'm in the process of figuring it out, but in the meantime, pretend I'm like a hologram on Star Wars, instead of someone posting videos even though they're wonky in spots. Holograms have permission to be kind of erratic.
Two, I forgot to cover one other way we like to talk about the Gospel with our kids, so I'll be adding a second video this week with some bonus material - I'll keep you posted!
my kids fight with each other. i just thought you should know.
I was talking to my sister the other day, and saying how I wish I didn't feel so alone in struggling with my kids' bickering. I get why it isn't talked about much in parenting circles: we really have little right to be airing our kids' sin struggles to the whole world. It's my job to cover their multitude of sins, just like I would hope that someday they will be gracious and forgiving with my multitudes and multitudes of sins, when faced with the opportunity to air them in public. That's what love does.
However, it is possible to discuss it honestly without going into the specifics that would throw my kids under the bus. So if you're in the same boat, here's some company for your misery: my kids bicker. I often feel frustrated and unequipped to deal with it. It sometimes feels like I'm failing, and it sometimes feels like it's pointless to even try to combat it. I yell way too often, and I'm guilty of just wanting them to knock it off instead of putting the work into addressing the heart behind what's happening.
I have no answers. Is that comforting? I think sometimes that would comfort me to hear from other Christian moms - to know that managing frustrating relationships between kiddos seems it's just par for the course. To be reminded that they really do struggle with sin, and it will feel like it. To be cheered on knowing that it can't be 'controlled,' and the best we can hope for is to take the perspective that each opportunity for correction is yet another opportunity to share the Gospel. Not because it will 'fix' them, but because it is powerful to make them new, which will then motivate them to love the things worth loving: peacemaking. generosity. kindness. It will come - but only with lots and lots and lots of opportunities for correction and discussion, which seem to be most present in the midst of lots and lots and lots of offenses.
So take heart if that's where you're at. It's where I'm at, too. There is no fix. There is just endless opportunity to enter the ring on their team, and to trust the Holy Spirit to do the work in them that we can't. I needed this reminder, and need it fresh every day. Maybe you do, too.
teaching the liturgy to our kids.
I didn't have a strong church background before I started attending a Lutheran church with a friend in middle school. While Todd and I haven't chosen to be part of a traditionally liturgical church in our adulthood, we have a really deep love for church history and the comfort that believers have found for hundreds of years in the creeds of orthodox Christianity.
Earlier this year, I was prayer journaling, and suddenly a Lutheran confession of prayer immediately rose to mind - a prayer I had recited dozens, or maybe even hundreds of times in my pre-conversion days without giving much thought to it. But in reciting it recently, I found so much comfort in the deep truth I had unknowingly and almost effortlessly stored away in my heart and mind in those years.
Most merciful God,
We confess that we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name.
Amen.
Earlier this year, I was prayer journaling, and suddenly a Lutheran confession of prayer immediately rose to mind - a prayer I had recited dozens, or maybe even hundreds of times in my pre-conversion days without giving much thought to it. But in reciting it recently, I found so much comfort in the deep truth I had unknowingly and almost effortlessly stored away in my heart and mind in those years.
Most merciful God,
We confess that we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name.
Amen.
It got us talking about the importance of liturgy, tradition, and rote memorization in the life of faith. While I don't think it should make up the entirety of our interactions with God, it is so helpful to enter into words and actions that have been clung to for generations. So because our church isn't liturgical, Todd has really started making it a priority at home to help our kids memorize and understand some of the creeds and foundational texts.
One thing that has really helped us is finding resources where they're set to music, to make it easier for the kids to enter in, and quicker for them to memorize. Here are a couple of our family's current favorites!
In Wednesday's video post, I'll be talking about other ways we initiate faith discussions with our kids in our everyday lives, so make sure to check that out!
*Unrelatedly, just a reminder that today's Marriage Boot Camp vlog will post today at 10 a.m. CST on my YouTube channel. (Will someone let me know if that link works?) I'll be talking about one tiny, seemingly insignificant word that has made a huge difference in my communication with Todd, and can likely help you, too - I bet you'll be surprised to find out what it is.
*Unrelatedly, just a reminder that today's Marriage Boot Camp vlog will post today at 10 a.m. CST on my YouTube channel. (Will someone let me know if that link works?) I'll be talking about one tiny, seemingly insignificant word that has made a huge difference in my communication with Todd, and can likely help you, too - I bet you'll be surprised to find out what it is.
it's the weekly 'what's up.'
We were supposed to head up to Iowa last Friday to spend the weekend with my family, but the kids were still (still) under the weather. A couple of the kids still had gurgly bellies, and Penelope has been dealing with some stuff that makes me wonder if she doesn't have a latent strep infection somewhere in her body, so we thought it best to stay home.
While it was a bummer, we found out later that on Sunday, the day we would have been driving home, there was a 70-car pileup accident nearby in Iowa, and a 100-car pileup accident nearby in Missouri... so apparently the roads would have been really bad on our way home. It made me glad that we didn't have to experience any of that!
So instead of loading up the van and heading out on Friday night, we decided to rotate the living room rug. I had asked Todd at Family Table to help me with it at some point in the future, since the wear patterns were becoming pretty noticeable. He put it on his to-do list, and I walked into the living room as he was already moving stuff out of the way to get it done. It has helped us in so many ways to be on the same page, with eyes on each others' goals. Thanks, Family Table!
The weekend was pretty chill still, since everyone was still (still) recovering from illness. We didn't go to church or really do much of anything.
Monday night, a friend of ours offered to watch the kids so Todd and I could go out on a date. It was so appreciated - it has been a really, really long stretch of being chained to the house. It was nice to get to dress up and go eat fancy tacos. (And have the best margarita of my liiiiiiiiiiife.) We stopped to grab coffee on the way home, but I've found that one of the lingering effects of being so sick was that I still can't stomach coffee. (I also have sustained some really intense thumb/hand/wrist pain and weakness. I think the virus has somehow set up residence there and done some damage, which is weird and unfortunate.)
The rest of the week was normal and low-key. We got through the whole week's school work, which is a huge blessing after having missed the last week and a half. Our van battery died last week, so while we were able to make it to the Amish (Todd jumped it before we left, and I never turned the van off from the time we left the driveway until the time we returned), there were other things we had to cancel because we weren't able to get out, like speech therapy.
SPEAKING OF SPEECH THERAPY, I have had some really, really, really wonderful news come out of the woodwork with that. An amazing family member of mine who is a speech therapist has offered to work with Atticus via Skype, so we may not have to set aside entire mornings for all of us to go! What an amazing answer to prayer. I'll keep you posted on those developments.
And other than that, the best news this week involved food. First of all, Todd's mom sent us oranges from their tree in Arizona. THEY ARE THE BEST. Sunshine in a box!
Second of all, I grilled. There is very little February can offer me that's better than grilling weather.
And that was our week!
And just in case you missed any of the goings-on around here this week:
Family Table: Todd and I have started using Friday nights to sit down and get on the same page, and it's a seriously sexy time. Better than date night.
My favorite chicken-bacon-rice soup recipe. This is a seriously perfect soup, with some photos that don't do it justice.
Marriage Bootcamp, Episode 1: Teamwork. Where is the center line in your marriage? It's really one of the most important questions to ask yourself, especially in the middle of an argument.
And the best newborn advice I have to offer, after much time spent learning things the hard way.
Have a great weekend! See you next week!
She also lost a tooth this week!
While it was a bummer, we found out later that on Sunday, the day we would have been driving home, there was a 70-car pileup accident nearby in Iowa, and a 100-car pileup accident nearby in Missouri... so apparently the roads would have been really bad on our way home. It made me glad that we didn't have to experience any of that!
So instead of loading up the van and heading out on Friday night, we decided to rotate the living room rug. I had asked Todd at Family Table to help me with it at some point in the future, since the wear patterns were becoming pretty noticeable. He put it on his to-do list, and I walked into the living room as he was already moving stuff out of the way to get it done. It has helped us in so many ways to be on the same page, with eyes on each others' goals. Thanks, Family Table!
The weekend was pretty chill still, since everyone was still (still) recovering from illness. We didn't go to church or really do much of anything.
Monday night, a friend of ours offered to watch the kids so Todd and I could go out on a date. It was so appreciated - it has been a really, really long stretch of being chained to the house. It was nice to get to dress up and go eat fancy tacos. (And have the best margarita of my liiiiiiiiiiife.) We stopped to grab coffee on the way home, but I've found that one of the lingering effects of being so sick was that I still can't stomach coffee. (I also have sustained some really intense thumb/hand/wrist pain and weakness. I think the virus has somehow set up residence there and done some damage, which is weird and unfortunate.)
The rest of the week was normal and low-key. We got through the whole week's school work, which is a huge blessing after having missed the last week and a half. Our van battery died last week, so while we were able to make it to the Amish (Todd jumped it before we left, and I never turned the van off from the time we left the driveway until the time we returned), there were other things we had to cancel because we weren't able to get out, like speech therapy.
SPEAKING OF SPEECH THERAPY, I have had some really, really, really wonderful news come out of the woodwork with that. An amazing family member of mine who is a speech therapist has offered to work with Atticus via Skype, so we may not have to set aside entire mornings for all of us to go! What an amazing answer to prayer. I'll keep you posted on those developments.
And other than that, the best news this week involved food. First of all, Todd's mom sent us oranges from their tree in Arizona. THEY ARE THE BEST. Sunshine in a box!
Second of all, I grilled. There is very little February can offer me that's better than grilling weather.
And just in case you missed any of the goings-on around here this week:
Family Table: Todd and I have started using Friday nights to sit down and get on the same page, and it's a seriously sexy time. Better than date night.
My favorite chicken-bacon-rice soup recipe. This is a seriously perfect soup, with some photos that don't do it justice.
Marriage Bootcamp, Episode 1: Teamwork. Where is the center line in your marriage? It's really one of the most important questions to ask yourself, especially in the middle of an argument.
And the best newborn advice I have to offer, after much time spent learning things the hard way.
Have a great weekend! See you next week!
creamy chicken-bacon-rice soup. prepare to be impressed.
I make a lot of soup. A loooooot of soup. Why? Because #1. I love soup. I could eat it every day. #2. It's cheap and easy. #3. It stretches to feed a lot of people over a lot of days. #4. You can make it early in the day so dinner time is less stressful. #5. Very little clean up. #6. Who doesn't like soup? #7. I could really keep going with this list.
Of all the soups in the whole world, I would like to submit that this is the best soup. It is the Soup of Soups. It will win over even the staunchest of the soup-averse. It will win you friends and help you influence people. In short, it will change your life.
I have two secrets to making an extraordinary soup, which I'll share with you if you promise not to tell anyone. Are you ready?
1. Don't use a crockpot. Please swear to me you won't use a crockpot. Crockpots take everything good and wonderful in this world and turn it all into flavorless, textureless sadness. Don't try to convince me that you have some miracle crockpot recipe that will change my mind. It will not change my mind. I am unconvinceable.
2. Cook each component of the soup as though you would be eating it on a plate. What I mean by that is, like, season and grill the chicken; don't boil it to death. Would you eat boiled chicken by itself on a plate? No. Would you eat grilled chicken? Yes. Sautee the veggies in some good fat; again, don't boil them in the soup broth. You would not enjoy eating mushy boiled vegetables by themselves. Think of a good soup as basically a complementary marriage of some awesome individuals; not a hot tub full of the old and leathery.
Okay, so with that in mind, here is the recipe that has won me more friends in the course of life than my mediocre personality has:
Ingredients:
Veggies:
1 onion, chopped.
2 carrots, peeled and chopped. (or equivalent baby carrots chopped)
2 stalks celery, halved and chopped.
4-6 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped. (so much chopping!)
Meat:
1/2 lb bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
1 chicken breast, cooked and chopped into bite size pieces. (grilled*, baked, or roasted in advance.)
Rice:
1-2 cups cooked rice, cooked in broth. (I like jasmine or brown basmati because they maintain their structural integrity)
Liquids:
4-6 cups broth
1.5 cups heavy cream
Seasonings:
1 tsp (ish) salt
1 tsp (ish) pepper
dash of cayenne
1 tsp (ish) rosemary
Okay, before we move on, let me give you a head's up that my photos are terrible; also, I forgot to take a photo of the finished product because I was too busy eating it (I'll try to snap a picture later today in the daylight); also I was making a quadruple batch when I took these pictures, so you're seeing a a ton more food here than this recipe will yield. (Unless you quadruple the recipe yourself. Which I would recommend.)
Directions:
1. Cook bacon in soup pot until crispy. Remove bacon, but leave a couple of tablespoons of the bacon grease in the pot.
2. Add veggies to hot bacon grease, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until the onion is translucent and the carrots and celery are soft but not mushy.
3. Add bacon, cooked chicken, and cooked rice to pot, and add enough broth to cover ingredients by an inch or two. Add cream. Heat through, and season to taste with salt, pepper, rosemary and cayenne.
4. Serve to guests and accept their eternal gratitude with grace when it's offered.
Like I said, I triple or quadruple this recipe when I make it. I serve one batch (or two, if we're having guests), and freeze the other batches for later. I just leave the broth and cream out of the ones headed to the freezer, and add the liquids later when I'm ready to heat it through and serve it.
*Here's a little tip: my favorite way to grill chicken for this is to pound the chicken breasts flat, rub them with olive oil, and season with salt, pepper and paprika. Then I grill for 2-4 minutes per side.
And there you have it. The best thing that's about to happen to you.
Of all the soups in the whole world, I would like to submit that this is the best soup. It is the Soup of Soups. It will win over even the staunchest of the soup-averse. It will win you friends and help you influence people. In short, it will change your life.
I have two secrets to making an extraordinary soup, which I'll share with you if you promise not to tell anyone. Are you ready?
1. Don't use a crockpot. Please swear to me you won't use a crockpot. Crockpots take everything good and wonderful in this world and turn it all into flavorless, textureless sadness. Don't try to convince me that you have some miracle crockpot recipe that will change my mind. It will not change my mind. I am unconvinceable.
2. Cook each component of the soup as though you would be eating it on a plate. What I mean by that is, like, season and grill the chicken; don't boil it to death. Would you eat boiled chicken by itself on a plate? No. Would you eat grilled chicken? Yes. Sautee the veggies in some good fat; again, don't boil them in the soup broth. You would not enjoy eating mushy boiled vegetables by themselves. Think of a good soup as basically a complementary marriage of some awesome individuals; not a hot tub full of the old and leathery.
Okay, so with that in mind, here is the recipe that has won me more friends in the course of life than my mediocre personality has:
Ingredients:
Veggies:
1 onion, chopped.
2 carrots, peeled and chopped. (or equivalent baby carrots chopped)
2 stalks celery, halved and chopped.
4-6 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped. (so much chopping!)
Meat:
1/2 lb bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
1 chicken breast, cooked and chopped into bite size pieces. (grilled*, baked, or roasted in advance.)
Rice:
1-2 cups cooked rice, cooked in broth. (I like jasmine or brown basmati because they maintain their structural integrity)
Liquids:
4-6 cups broth
1.5 cups heavy cream
Seasonings:
1 tsp (ish) salt
1 tsp (ish) pepper
dash of cayenne
1 tsp (ish) rosemary
Okay, before we move on, let me give you a head's up that my photos are terrible; also, I forgot to take a photo of the finished product because I was too busy eating it (I'll try to snap a picture later today in the daylight); also I was making a quadruple batch when I took these pictures, so you're seeing a a ton more food here than this recipe will yield. (Unless you quadruple the recipe yourself. Which I would recommend.)
Directions:
1. Cook bacon in soup pot until crispy. Remove bacon, but leave a couple of tablespoons of the bacon grease in the pot.
2. Add veggies to hot bacon grease, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until the onion is translucent and the carrots and celery are soft but not mushy.
3. Add bacon, cooked chicken, and cooked rice to pot, and add enough broth to cover ingredients by an inch or two. Add cream. Heat through, and season to taste with salt, pepper, rosemary and cayenne.
4. Serve to guests and accept their eternal gratitude with grace when it's offered.
Like I said, I triple or quadruple this recipe when I make it. I serve one batch (or two, if we're having guests), and freeze the other batches for later. I just leave the broth and cream out of the ones headed to the freezer, and add the liquids later when I'm ready to heat it through and serve it.
*Here's a little tip: my favorite way to grill chicken for this is to pound the chicken breasts flat, rub them with olive oil, and season with salt, pepper and paprika. Then I grill for 2-4 minutes per side.
And there you have it. The best thing that's about to happen to you.
Family Table.
Todd and I have recently implemented Family Table, time on the schedule each week for us to sit down and sync up. Every Friday after the kids are in bed, Todd grabs his laptop and I grab my planner and bullet journal, and we spend time intentionally getting on the same page.
To be honest, I knew I wanted to start something like this, but I had no idea how indispensable it would become to us in such a short time. We missed out on it a week and a half ago because I had the flu, and even Todd commented that he was feeling the chaos that was resulting from not having intentional time to just sit down and talk about stuff.
So what do we all talk about? Anything. Everything. Each week, I keep a special spot on my weekly to-do list of things I want to talk to him about. A lot of the time it includes out-of-the-ordinary expenses I'd like to run by him before purchasing, like a humidifier for the girls' room or a yearly subscription for online piano lessons for the kids. I also write down house projects I'd like to ask for his help with. And a lot of the time I'm working on some kind of creative endeavor I'd like his input on - the marriage boot camp vlogs, for instance, or an online course I'm working on putting together.
We also sit down and go over our schedules for the week: who's coming over for dinner, what nights we have church meetings, when we'll need babysitters, etc. If there's anything we would like the other person to put on their to-do list for the week, we cover that. We also come up with the meal plan together - I find that it really helps me to have a little bit of accountability in cooking, since Todd knows what the plan is, and it helps me to know that he's on board with what I'm serving.
Last, we like to sit and pray for each of the kids individually, and we ask what we can be praying for each other through the coming week.
You guys. This hour or two every Friday night is quickly becoming my favorite time of the week. It's better than date night! I always feel really connected with Todd during these times, and it's so great to have time set aside to talk face-to-face about our goals and plans. Even when the conversation gets sticky, like it can when budgeting or something comes up, it is amazing to plan to just sit there and work it out, at a time when the kids aren't causing chaos and disrupting conversation.
It is one of the best things we've done for our marriage lately! Do you have any habits with your spouse that help to get you on the same page?
To be honest, I knew I wanted to start something like this, but I had no idea how indispensable it would become to us in such a short time. We missed out on it a week and a half ago because I had the flu, and even Todd commented that he was feeling the chaos that was resulting from not having intentional time to just sit down and talk about stuff.
So what do we all talk about? Anything. Everything. Each week, I keep a special spot on my weekly to-do list of things I want to talk to him about. A lot of the time it includes out-of-the-ordinary expenses I'd like to run by him before purchasing, like a humidifier for the girls' room or a yearly subscription for online piano lessons for the kids. I also write down house projects I'd like to ask for his help with. And a lot of the time I'm working on some kind of creative endeavor I'd like his input on - the marriage boot camp vlogs, for instance, or an online course I'm working on putting together.
We also sit down and go over our schedules for the week: who's coming over for dinner, what nights we have church meetings, when we'll need babysitters, etc. If there's anything we would like the other person to put on their to-do list for the week, we cover that. We also come up with the meal plan together - I find that it really helps me to have a little bit of accountability in cooking, since Todd knows what the plan is, and it helps me to know that he's on board with what I'm serving.
Last, we like to sit and pray for each of the kids individually, and we ask what we can be praying for each other through the coming week.
You guys. This hour or two every Friday night is quickly becoming my favorite time of the week. It's better than date night! I always feel really connected with Todd during these times, and it's so great to have time set aside to talk face-to-face about our goals and plans. Even when the conversation gets sticky, like it can when budgeting or something comes up, it is amazing to plan to just sit there and work it out, at a time when the kids aren't causing chaos and disrupting conversation.
It is one of the best things we've done for our marriage lately! Do you have any habits with your spouse that help to get you on the same page?
here's what to look for. here's what to look for.
(Does anyone else watch Cheap Seats and now have the "here's what to look for" jingle in their head? Other than Todd, I mean, who's probably singing it right now as he reads this.)
So, there's a lot of stuff happening around here this week, and until I have a more streamlined way to organize it all, here's a heads-up post about what all will be going down:
Vlogs:
Today, I'll be posting the first vlog in a Marriage Boot Camp series that will post on Mondays at 10:00 a.m.! I am so excited about it, it's kind of embarrassing. Tune in today to watch me make a fool of myself as I try to describe what exactly I think a football team does.
Wednesday, I'll be posting another FAQ vlog with a couple of my tried-and-true newborn survival tips!
Make sure you subscribe to the YouTube channel so you don't miss out on any of the videos!
Blogs:
This week, I have plans to give you a rundown of Family Table, a relatively new but life-changing habit Todd and I have adopted on Friday nights.
I'll also be sharing my no-fail, always-earns-praises-and-accolades, creamy chicken-bacon-rice soup. That's a lot of hyphens, and if every hyphen is worth ten thousand taste points, this soup has earned all.the.hyphens. No hyperbolic hyphenating here.
Video Vednesday will be the FAQ vlog, and Friday has a standing appointment with a What's Up Weekly post. And that's the week as I know it so far!
Obviously, stuff might change. I'm notorious for promising to post stuff that I never actually end up posting, and we still have the GI bug in the house (OH MY WORD KILL ME DEAD I JUST WANT TO GO HOME), so I'm kind of taking a gamble when I make lists like this, but whatever. Lofty goals worth aiming at, right?
So, there's a lot of stuff happening around here this week, and until I have a more streamlined way to organize it all, here's a heads-up post about what all will be going down:
Vlogs:
Today, I'll be posting the first vlog in a Marriage Boot Camp series that will post on Mondays at 10:00 a.m.! I am so excited about it, it's kind of embarrassing. Tune in today to watch me make a fool of myself as I try to describe what exactly I think a football team does.
Wednesday, I'll be posting another FAQ vlog with a couple of my tried-and-true newborn survival tips!
Make sure you subscribe to the YouTube channel so you don't miss out on any of the videos!
Blogs:
This week, I have plans to give you a rundown of Family Table, a relatively new but life-changing habit Todd and I have adopted on Friday nights.
I'll also be sharing my no-fail, always-earns-praises-and-accolades, creamy chicken-bacon-rice soup. That's a lot of hyphens, and if every hyphen is worth ten thousand taste points, this soup has earned all.the.hyphens. No hyperbolic hyphenating here.
Video Vednesday will be the FAQ vlog, and Friday has a standing appointment with a What's Up Weekly post. And that's the week as I know it so far!
Obviously, stuff might change. I'm notorious for promising to post stuff that I never actually end up posting, and we still have the GI bug in the house (OH MY WORD KILL ME DEAD I JUST WANT TO GO HOME), so I'm kind of taking a gamble when I make lists like this, but whatever. Lofty goals worth aiming at, right?
what's up weekly (in which two weeks foggily blend into one post).
Well. It's been two weeks since I've written a W.U.W. post, and some stuff has happened in there, so I guess it's time to give you the skinny.
Friday night two weeks ago, we all went to Bonkers, this indoor obstacle course/gym thing for kids. Penelope had saved up her money and paid for all of us to go as her Christmas gift to us. It was so sweet of her, and the kids had so much fun. I don't think I've ever seen Finneas that overheated. He was red and sweaty and having the time of his life. The rest of the kids were going nuts as well - even Rocco was doing his best, although I had inadvertently dressed him in a pair of very-much-too-small jeans, so his range of motion was pretty limited. (Plus, he was also dressed in a getting-too-small shirt, so his belly was hanging out the bottom of it, and he just looked like a tube of toothpaste that had been squeezed too hard at the bottom.)
We spent the weekend acting pretty normal, even though Rocco's tummy seemed like it was upset at times. By Sunday evening, it was pretty clear he was sick.
Although he was feeling under the weather, the rest of us were feeling fine. Penelope and I made raspberry vanilla ice cream with some of our cream from the Amish, and we planned to share it with the babysitter that night, but Rocco woke up from nap with a fever, so I opted to stay home from Connection Group and let the babysitter take the night off. After our trip to the Amish the following morning, I didn't leave the house again until yesterday. (That's eight days, for those of you counting at home.)
It's been brutal. We have had the active stomach bug in our house for the last fourteen days. Atticus and Laurelai are still feverish and queasy. Each of us seems to have had it for around five days each, although Finneas had it the worst - eight days of the stomach flu. He is so gaunt right now it's heartbreaking, though he hasn't lost his scrappiness.
I will say, though, it has made for a verrrrrry open week. No school, no house guests, no speech therapy. Just lots of Netflix, lots of cuddles, lots of warm baths, lots of naps. We didn't even make the drive to the Amish this week - a super sweet friend of mine offered to go for me, and I took her up on it. It gave me time to start stripping the beds and dealing with the mountains of laundry.
We are now in the recovery stage, for which I'm grateful for many reasons - not least of which being that I finally have enough energy to shave my armpits again. It is amazing what a committed armpit can accomplish in a week's time with no interference.
And other than sickness-related news, this girl turned seven months old and is terrified at the prospect of aging.
I tried giving her goats milk before bed a couple of times before we all fell sick, but she was not having it. I'm hoping to try again soon, just to see if I can stretch her nighttime out a little longer. And speaking of stretching, look who has clearly outgrown her 0-3 month clothing! This has to be a record for our kids. I know for a fact it's a record for our girls.
Also, Todd preached twice. Once at Salt (the college ministry) on the topic of sx and marriage, and once at church on Galatians 2. Click the links to listen - they were both just incredible!
Here's to a lowkey weekend of rest and recovery, and an upcoming week that's hopefully full of 'normal'!
Friday night two weeks ago, we all went to Bonkers, this indoor obstacle course/gym thing for kids. Penelope had saved up her money and paid for all of us to go as her Christmas gift to us. It was so sweet of her, and the kids had so much fun. I don't think I've ever seen Finneas that overheated. He was red and sweaty and having the time of his life. The rest of the kids were going nuts as well - even Rocco was doing his best, although I had inadvertently dressed him in a pair of very-much-too-small jeans, so his range of motion was pretty limited. (Plus, he was also dressed in a getting-too-small shirt, so his belly was hanging out the bottom of it, and he just looked like a tube of toothpaste that had been squeezed too hard at the bottom.)
We spent the weekend acting pretty normal, even though Rocco's tummy seemed like it was upset at times. By Sunday evening, it was pretty clear he was sick.
Although he was feeling under the weather, the rest of us were feeling fine. Penelope and I made raspberry vanilla ice cream with some of our cream from the Amish, and we planned to share it with the babysitter that night, but Rocco woke up from nap with a fever, so I opted to stay home from Connection Group and let the babysitter take the night off. After our trip to the Amish the following morning, I didn't leave the house again until yesterday. (That's eight days, for those of you counting at home.)
It's been brutal. We have had the active stomach bug in our house for the last fourteen days. Atticus and Laurelai are still feverish and queasy. Each of us seems to have had it for around five days each, although Finneas had it the worst - eight days of the stomach flu. He is so gaunt right now it's heartbreaking, though he hasn't lost his scrappiness.
I will say, though, it has made for a verrrrrry open week. No school, no house guests, no speech therapy. Just lots of Netflix, lots of cuddles, lots of warm baths, lots of naps. We didn't even make the drive to the Amish this week - a super sweet friend of mine offered to go for me, and I took her up on it. It gave me time to start stripping the beds and dealing with the mountains of laundry.
We are now in the recovery stage, for which I'm grateful for many reasons - not least of which being that I finally have enough energy to shave my armpits again. It is amazing what a committed armpit can accomplish in a week's time with no interference.
And other than sickness-related news, this girl turned seven months old and is terrified at the prospect of aging.
I tried giving her goats milk before bed a couple of times before we all fell sick, but she was not having it. I'm hoping to try again soon, just to see if I can stretch her nighttime out a little longer. And speaking of stretching, look who has clearly outgrown her 0-3 month clothing! This has to be a record for our kids. I know for a fact it's a record for our girls.
Also, Todd preached twice. Once at Salt (the college ministry) on the topic of sx and marriage, and once at church on Galatians 2. Click the links to listen - they were both just incredible!
Here's to a lowkey weekend of rest and recovery, and an upcoming week that's hopefully full of 'normal'!
goals that make me not want to die in february.
February is the woooooooooooooooooorst. As it is now February, I'm having to put some incentives in place to help me want to make it through the month and not just give up and die right now.
While goal setting is something that is becoming more natural for me, goal follow-through is the really groundbreaking work happening in my life at the moment. I noticed that when I posted my goals last month, it really helped me get on it so I could hold my head high around here instead of having to schlump around in the shadows of failure. I think I need that again, especially now that it's February. I am anticipating desperately needing a tangible win or two at the end of this month.
So, without further ado, my February goals.
*Get back on track with my Bible reading plan. I have fallen off the wagon these last few months with Christmas and then a couple rounds of illness.
*Read four books. This is backing off my recent hardcore ambitions for getting huge stacks of books read each month, but I'm slowing down lately, and I have a lot to get done around the house, so I'm going to give myself the grace to be a bit more realistic. I'm not even going to pick what they're going to be in advance.
*Get down to goal weight. I am soveryclose. I haven't seen my 'target' weight since my postpartum days with Atticus, other than when I get really skinny during morning sickness seasons. I want to get there this time! I'll plan on sticking more closely to the Trim Healthy Mama plan than I have been.
*Get through exercises Two and Three in Ab Rehab. I have a small gap that I need to close again, and I've been seriously delinquent about dealing with it.
*Paint Callista's ceiling. This doesn't really get me headed in the direction of being a better or more disciplined person, but it does force me to face something I don't really want to do.
*Post at least three vlogs. I don't know why I feel so weird and self-conscious about these, but I just need to jump in. (If you've got any topics you'd like me to cover, make sure to let me know!)
*Host another Facebook Live event. Not sure what the topic will be, but I'd love to have another super casual, conversational night with you guys. I loved the talk on homeschooling a couple of weeks ago!
*Blog each weekday in February. I really had fun sticking to this last month. Forcing myself to write that regularly really got me out of a creativity funk, and got the juices flowing again. While I don't know if I can keep up that pace every month, I'd like to at least try again for February.
*Get a little closer to moving this blog over to my permanent domain. I don't know what all this will involve, other than a lot of prayer and probably a lot of cussing, but I'd like to finally get it figured out.
So. There are my goals for the next four weeks! Seeing it all written out like that makes me feel a little trepidation, but that's good. Goals aren't really goals unless they make you feel like you actually have to work to meet them. Otherwise, they're just likelihoods or wishlists.
So now it's time to muster my inner Teddy and charge up San Juan Hill*!
*Obviously I mean February, but "Charge up February" is less catchy, so I figured, why alter a classic?
While goal setting is something that is becoming more natural for me, goal follow-through is the really groundbreaking work happening in my life at the moment. I noticed that when I posted my goals last month, it really helped me get on it so I could hold my head high around here instead of having to schlump around in the shadows of failure. I think I need that again, especially now that it's February. I am anticipating desperately needing a tangible win or two at the end of this month.
So, without further ado, my February goals.
Personal
*Get back on track with my Bible reading plan. I have fallen off the wagon these last few months with Christmas and then a couple rounds of illness.
*Read four books. This is backing off my recent hardcore ambitions for getting huge stacks of books read each month, but I'm slowing down lately, and I have a lot to get done around the house, so I'm going to give myself the grace to be a bit more realistic. I'm not even going to pick what they're going to be in advance.
*Get down to goal weight. I am soveryclose. I haven't seen my 'target' weight since my postpartum days with Atticus, other than when I get really skinny during morning sickness seasons. I want to get there this time! I'll plan on sticking more closely to the Trim Healthy Mama plan than I have been.
*Get through exercises Two and Three in Ab Rehab. I have a small gap that I need to close again, and I've been seriously delinquent about dealing with it.
*Paint Callista's ceiling. This doesn't really get me headed in the direction of being a better or more disciplined person, but it does force me to face something I don't really want to do.
Look, I made some new bling for the Facebook page!
Blog/Online
*Post at least three vlogs. I don't know why I feel so weird and self-conscious about these, but I just need to jump in. (If you've got any topics you'd like me to cover, make sure to let me know!)
*Host another Facebook Live event. Not sure what the topic will be, but I'd love to have another super casual, conversational night with you guys. I loved the talk on homeschooling a couple of weeks ago!
*Blog each weekday in February. I really had fun sticking to this last month. Forcing myself to write that regularly really got me out of a creativity funk, and got the juices flowing again. While I don't know if I can keep up that pace every month, I'd like to at least try again for February.
*Get a little closer to moving this blog over to my permanent domain. I don't know what all this will involve, other than a lot of prayer and probably a lot of cussing, but I'd like to finally get it figured out.
So. There are my goals for the next four weeks! Seeing it all written out like that makes me feel a little trepidation, but that's good. Goals aren't really goals unless they make you feel like you actually have to work to meet them. Otherwise, they're just likelihoods or wishlists.
So now it's time to muster my inner Teddy and charge up San Juan Hill*!
*Obviously I mean February, but "Charge up February" is less catchy, so I figured, why alter a classic?
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