It happens every time: A major tragedy; A baby’s dedication; A phone call from a friend about a hardship they are going through; A Birthday Party; A Wedding; a broken toilet; an oil leak in the car. It seems like any event now-a-days has turned into an opportunity for our family to give thanks to God. When something bad happens, Nick and I usually end up meeting in the kitchen; we cling to one another, he cups the back of my head in his hand and I can just cry if I need to. We are breathless and then one of us mutters how blessed we are. We look at our house, our cute little car, our children who are priceless beyond measure, and the love that we have between one another. We are in wonderment at our health, our careers, our “chance” meeting where we fell helplessly in love. We stand in awe of the silly facts that come with our lives: we both love capers, we live kind of near the water, we are addicted to Chicago. What are you thankful for in your life? Do you stand in awe of the massiveness of God in your life and everything he has blessed you with?
Saturday's Date Day
Nicholas and I have both been in the need of a fashion overhaul. Nicholas is one to wear clothes that he has faithfully until he has worn them for so many years that they are frayed and beginning to show some serious wear…serious wear cannot happen when you have to be in the public eye. I have lost 25 pounds and so am finding that a lot of my clothes are no longer fitting. I had some clothes this small from pre-baby but they were immodest and inappropriate for a married woman. So shopping we must go. To make sure we actually went shopping, we had money set aside for this; We just needed a day set aside for this. So this past Saturday we chose to go shopping out of town. Nick’s mom watched the kids for us, bless her heart. Its not that we don’t like our kids around but we needed some serious alone time. We realized it has been months since we have had a couple hours to ourselves. We found clothes but more importantly we found our old college, silly selves again. We fell madly in love again. This man I married smuggled me into a dressing room which made me giggle. We sat at Swingbelly’s and talked, honest to goodness talked. We stared into one another’s eyes and we just relished every minute of it. And in case you are wondering about our clothes, we each bought a pair of pants and two shirts. Being who we are and how cute our kids are, we ended up buying more for them but it was fun. At home I’ve added a pair of sneaks and work out pants to my line up of items bought. On the way home from shopping we felt as though we couldn’t get to the kids fast enough, we missed them so, but it was so nice to have a day to ourselves to be ourselves together.
4th of July
So I know I commented earlier on how I was sick over the 4th of July but we did manage to get out and celebrate for the sake of the kids. If it were just me I probably would have been curled up like a squirrel somewhere. The 4th started on Tuesday for us because we went to the parade in Nick's hometown. It was a lot of fun for Emma (aside from being half asleep) and it is a nice tradition to have.
Here are my children waiting for candy on the curb!
I love this picture of them...do I have the cutest kids or what?
Friday we had a picnic at my Grandma Jeans house. It was nice to get together and Emma loved playing on the swing and in the sandbox with Aunts Jaime and Lacey. I think she secretly also like Uncle Doug's new dog, Cedar, even though she refused to touch it. Calvin also seemed to have a nice time too! He is such an easy going baby. 4th of July night was tricky with all of the fireworks going off and two kids tucked safely into bed...luckily we didn't have too many interuptions of sleep. 
Here's Calvin at Grams house for the picnic...just having fun!
Here is Emma passing her time on the swing...wheee!
What Season of House do You Have?
photo courtesy of pbase.comI was reading an article in a magazine the other day that mentioned that some houses tend to be at their best during certain seasons. And as I am sure that you now think I am batty, allow me to explain. Some houses look their best with the bright sun of the winter mornings streaming through the windows while the summer suns causes only a dull glow to settle upon the house; some houses thrive in the summer with the position of the windows they do get spectacular light and the views of green are unheard of; some get fantastic views of the foliage changing to its vibrant colorful self and when you decorate your doorstep with gourds, pumpkins and mums, it looks like Martha Stewart dwells at your home. Finally we have to pay homage to those spring time houses…the homes that look as though they are bright eyed and busy tailed in the early months of spring; their spring bulb flowers are a crisp color burst against the warmth of the home. So thinking through this, what type of house do you have? In thinking about this I have to say that we have a summer house. One of the huge reasons I am thinking that is the season of our house is because of all of the foliage around us. We are so close to our neighbors here in the city but when the foliage on all of our trees fills in we don’t even have to close our curtains for no one to be able to see in. Its kind of like living in a giant tree house which is just amazing. I also love how much light our home brings in…which was one of the huge selling points for me. Our yard is also somewhat of an oasis in the city. When you step inside our gate there seems to be a hush that falls over the land. The man that lived there before us (and had the forethought to do all of this planting) did a great job because I never would have thought to plant everything where he did and how he did. So anyway, leave me a comment and let me know what type of house you have…I am curious to see what season has the majority.
Sorry
So I know that I haven't written for a while and it has been because I have been on death's door. Last week I just couldn't shake the feelings of "allergies"...again. However this time my eye swelled shut and drooped and it seriously looked like I had had a stroke (which by the way Nick said is not a good look for me) :) I just couldn't shake this sore throat too. So I went to the Doc Thursday and wouldn't you know it, infection has settled into these old bones of mine. They thought it was strep but the test just came back negative, which may I just say a HUGE thank you Jesus! So I am on antibiotics and am finally feeling better. Friday and Saturday I think I must have pushed myself too hard because Saturday night I seriously thought I was going to die. I have never been so sick before that I was wondering how everyone would do without me and praying for God to let me live. I thought Nick was going to have to take me to the hospital but luckily I survived, slept a lot and am now feeling better. Hopefully I will continue to be up to par and will be able to blog some more this week!
Broccoli Chicken Skillet
Last week I tried a recipe I had seen in a magazine involving Campbell’s soup. And Oh Lordy let me tell you that it was the yummiest and easiest thing…you have got to try this! It is an excellent way to use up leftovers that you may have on hand which is exactly why I used this. Here is how you make it:
½ box linguine noodles, cooked according to package directions
1 cup broccoli florets
2 tbsp butter
1 lb. chicken breast, cubed
1 can cream of mushroom soup
½ cup milk
½ c parmesan cheese
Black pepper to taste
Cook the linguine and 4 minutes prior to completion add the broccoli to the pasta water to cook. Brown chicken in butter in skillet on medium-high heat. (If you use leftover pasta like I did, I just threw the broccoli in with the chicken to cook once the chicken was cooked). Once the chicken is done, stir the soup and milk and cheese into the skillet and cook until bubbly. Toss with the noodles and Voila! Its just that simple. The thing I liked about this recipe was that the soup makes it super creamy without tasking mushroom soupy. Also, its versatile…you could add any shape of pasta and a variety of different veggies…peas, carrots, asparagus, you name it. So it is a great way to use your leftovers in a new way that is super quick and easy.
½ box linguine noodles, cooked according to package directions
1 cup broccoli florets
2 tbsp butter
1 lb. chicken breast, cubed
1 can cream of mushroom soup
½ cup milk
½ c parmesan cheese
Black pepper to taste
Cook the linguine and 4 minutes prior to completion add the broccoli to the pasta water to cook. Brown chicken in butter in skillet on medium-high heat. (If you use leftover pasta like I did, I just threw the broccoli in with the chicken to cook once the chicken was cooked). Once the chicken is done, stir the soup and milk and cheese into the skillet and cook until bubbly. Toss with the noodles and Voila! Its just that simple. The thing I liked about this recipe was that the soup makes it super creamy without tasking mushroom soupy. Also, its versatile…you could add any shape of pasta and a variety of different veggies…peas, carrots, asparagus, you name it. So it is a great way to use your leftovers in a new way that is super quick and easy.
Calvin's Dedication
Today we celebrated Calvin being dedicated to God and announced our intentions of dedicating our lives to raising him to be a fine young Christian. Boy I look at everyone around us and am simply in awe of how blessed we are. It was so nice to have our moms and dads there as well as my sisters, Nick's Aunt Bev and my Grandma Jean and of course Aunt Jaime...what a solid support system we have for our children!
Here we are with our sweet little boy
And here's our sweet little boy trying to eat my face
Here we are during the dedication
Here is Pastor Chuck dedicating Calvin to God
Chicago!
Last weekend we took the kids to Chicago. I was a little skeptical going as I didn’t want to spend vast amounts of money but I decided to let my frugal guard down and just enjoy the weekend. And boy did we have fun! We went to Ikea and did some shopping as well as Trader Joe’s before heading downtown. There we parked (Which by the way cost us a whole $.75) and went to Millenium Park and the Garden of the Art Institute of Chicago. We had so much fun! There were so many neat things to see and do and there was a fountain for Emma to play in…she loved it! The thing I loved about Emma playing in the fountain was that she didn’t seem to mind the scads of other kids surrounding her, lately she has been a little intimidated by other kids. Anyway, we had such a wonderful time! We look at one another on the way home from days like this and revel at all of God's blessings and wonder if there is a family as wonderful as ours. Um, I think not.
Here is a picture of the bean in the park...it is sooo neat! This is a picture Nick took of me at the beanAnd here we are inside of the bean...this is kind of hard to explain
This is the picture of the fountain...the pictures are of people in Chicago and they change periodically. It really is amazing! Here she is at the base of the fountain
Everyone Loves a Man Who is Free AND Easy
These pictures were from Father's Day...don't you just love my husband? I think he is the funniest person in the world...anyone who comes downstairs in a tanktop like this must have a sense of humor. He really is the best Daddy in the world. For Father's Day we made him a silk tie that Emma colored and I put their handprints on the back so they would always be touching Daddy's heart. He also got a camcorder, blueberry pancakes in the morning and stuffed shells for dinner. Oh and new dress shoes. I just love him so much and I am so grateful for him. I love you baby, even if you are Free and Easy...and hilarious! 
Cute Pictures
I know you all check in here for pictures of the kiddies...who cares what Linds has to say, right? I hope you enjoy. I have no idea how we were blessed with such beautiful children but were were so...ha! Enjoy!
This outfit was Nicholas' confirmation/dedication outfit! Cal is so big I couldn't get it shut in the back but doesn't he look silly?
This is my all time favorite picture! Muddy feet from making Grandpa Marc's stepping stone!
Emma going fishing...she told us this was her boat and she was out in the water going "splash splash" she kept pretending to cast and then reel the fish in...ah, I love her.
This outfit was Nicholas' confirmation/dedication outfit! Cal is so big I couldn't get it shut in the back but doesn't he look silly? This is my all time favorite picture! Muddy feet from making Grandpa Marc's stepping stone! Emma going fishing...she told us this was her boat and she was out in the water going "splash splash" she kept pretending to cast and then reel the fish in...ah, I love her.
All About Me
Okay I have seen other bloggies do this so I am going to take a shot at it; here are 100 things you didn’t know about me before. Enjoy!
1. When I was little I called Stickers by the yard, stickers by the lawn
2. I started eating sushi when I was 8
3. I liked it
4. Still do
5. Eel was and is my favorite
6. Nick introduced me to pork rinds
7. Still up in the air about those
8. The only reason Nick and I are together is because my roommate was catholic
9. I once ran over someone with a gocart
10. The ocean makes me smile
11. My high school boyfriend forced me to bungee jump
12. I secretly stalk Hello Kitty
13. Last I knew she was in Tokyo
14. I often tell Nick “I love you Aunt Polly”
15. Because Pollyanna is my favorite movie
16. I wish I had been alive in the 40s
17. Or in the Victorian Era
18. Or maybe the Edwardian
19. I collect stamps
20. And yes I do know that I am a dork
21. I quit ballet when my mom had cancer
22. I wish I hadn’t
23. I am the oldest sibling
24. I act like it too
25. Clutter causes me to have panic attacks
26. Pink is my favorite color
27. It’s the color of my kitchen
28. In our last place the pink kitchen was so bright it looked like the place was on fire from outside
29. I love goofy pens
30. I get a thrill by getting free things from the grocer with coupons
31. I have a sticker collection
32. I had braces for three years
33. I’ve never been to a Club
34. Because I am lame
35. Nick gives me butterflys in my tummy
36. Still
37. We had Emma’s name picked out since we started dating
38. I think watching sports is stupid
39. Nick thinks I am stupid for thinking watching sports is stupid
40. I am like a beautiful mind with all of my post it notes around
41. I plan what I am going to wear for the week
42. I love buying cleaning supplies
43. And office supplies
44. Christmas is my favorite time of the year
45. I love making sugar cookies
46. I don’t have a rolling pin
47. I am scared of squirrels
48. I used to have my navel pierced
49. Oh to be young again
50. I find French to be over my head
51. I like to talk about the meaning behind art
52. History is my favorite subject
53. Vietnam history to be more exact
54. I love the smell of scratch and sniff stickers
55. When I think of the fair I think of the song “Lady in Red”
56. I was engaged before Nick
57. Long story
58. I’ve always wanted to live in Manhattan
59. Now I want to live in Seattle
60. I think Hawaii is almost TOO perfect
61. I am Hawaiian
62. Nick says I act uppity sometimes
63. I’m not
64. I think I have the self confidence of a rock
65. And not of a rock star
66. or a rock like a diamond
67. Just a rock
68. When I was young, I collected unicorns
69. I dislike leftover meat
70. I also dislike when people breathe through their mouth
71. I used to be a lifeguard
72. Occasionally I will still run into people who call me Lifeguard Lindsay
73. I like chunky peanut butter
74. Mychildhood nickname was Pookie
75. I don’t like when people dress immodestly
76. I’m a recent convert on this
77. I need to go shopping
78. My closet is still full of immodest clothing
79. I have a dressing room, not a closet
80. Another reason why my husband is the best
81. My two children are my world
82. I feel like I can’t breathe when they’re not with me
83. I am a breastfeeding advocate
84. I don’t eat tuna that’s not dolphin safe
85. I don’t use laundry softener
86. My favorite restaurant is Maggiano’s
87. I miss my Indy friends
88. And our Indy apartment
89. In theory, but we couldn’t all fit now
90. I have a degree in Corporate Finance
91. I used to be in the Corporate world
92. Now I live in the real world
93. You get hit on a lot when you’re the only woman in your corporate world
94. Again, now in the real world
95. I am a genius in planning events
96. Or so I’ve been told
97. I could eat a jar of Nutella in one sitting
98. I love the Nutcracker
99. I danced with Mr. Kelly…the tap dancer
100. When I grow up I want to be a housewife and philanthropist…I think
1. When I was little I called Stickers by the yard, stickers by the lawn
2. I started eating sushi when I was 8
3. I liked it
4. Still do
5. Eel was and is my favorite
6. Nick introduced me to pork rinds
7. Still up in the air about those
8. The only reason Nick and I are together is because my roommate was catholic
9. I once ran over someone with a gocart
10. The ocean makes me smile
11. My high school boyfriend forced me to bungee jump
12. I secretly stalk Hello Kitty
13. Last I knew she was in Tokyo
14. I often tell Nick “I love you Aunt Polly”
15. Because Pollyanna is my favorite movie
16. I wish I had been alive in the 40s
17. Or in the Victorian Era
18. Or maybe the Edwardian
19. I collect stamps
20. And yes I do know that I am a dork
21. I quit ballet when my mom had cancer
22. I wish I hadn’t
23. I am the oldest sibling
24. I act like it too
25. Clutter causes me to have panic attacks
26. Pink is my favorite color
27. It’s the color of my kitchen
28. In our last place the pink kitchen was so bright it looked like the place was on fire from outside
29. I love goofy pens
30. I get a thrill by getting free things from the grocer with coupons
31. I have a sticker collection
32. I had braces for three years
33. I’ve never been to a Club
34. Because I am lame
35. Nick gives me butterflys in my tummy
36. Still
37. We had Emma’s name picked out since we started dating
38. I think watching sports is stupid
39. Nick thinks I am stupid for thinking watching sports is stupid
40. I am like a beautiful mind with all of my post it notes around
41. I plan what I am going to wear for the week
42. I love buying cleaning supplies
43. And office supplies
44. Christmas is my favorite time of the year
45. I love making sugar cookies
46. I don’t have a rolling pin
47. I am scared of squirrels
48. I used to have my navel pierced
49. Oh to be young again
50. I find French to be over my head
51. I like to talk about the meaning behind art
52. History is my favorite subject
53. Vietnam history to be more exact
54. I love the smell of scratch and sniff stickers
55. When I think of the fair I think of the song “Lady in Red”
56. I was engaged before Nick
57. Long story
58. I’ve always wanted to live in Manhattan
59. Now I want to live in Seattle
60. I think Hawaii is almost TOO perfect
61. I am Hawaiian
62. Nick says I act uppity sometimes
63. I’m not
64. I think I have the self confidence of a rock
65. And not of a rock star
66. or a rock like a diamond
67. Just a rock
68. When I was young, I collected unicorns
69. I dislike leftover meat
70. I also dislike when people breathe through their mouth
71. I used to be a lifeguard
72. Occasionally I will still run into people who call me Lifeguard Lindsay
73. I like chunky peanut butter
74. Mychildhood nickname was Pookie
75. I don’t like when people dress immodestly
76. I’m a recent convert on this
77. I need to go shopping
78. My closet is still full of immodest clothing
79. I have a dressing room, not a closet
80. Another reason why my husband is the best
81. My two children are my world
82. I feel like I can’t breathe when they’re not with me
83. I am a breastfeeding advocate
84. I don’t eat tuna that’s not dolphin safe
85. I don’t use laundry softener
86. My favorite restaurant is Maggiano’s
87. I miss my Indy friends
88. And our Indy apartment
89. In theory, but we couldn’t all fit now
90. I have a degree in Corporate Finance
91. I used to be in the Corporate world
92. Now I live in the real world
93. You get hit on a lot when you’re the only woman in your corporate world
94. Again, now in the real world
95. I am a genius in planning events
96. Or so I’ve been told
97. I could eat a jar of Nutella in one sitting
98. I love the Nutcracker
99. I danced with Mr. Kelly…the tap dancer
100. When I grow up I want to be a housewife and philanthropist…I think
Posting
I have had a number of beautiful friends let me know that their comment are not coming through. I think I have fixed the problem...I would love if you commented again...I miss my comments. Sorry for the mixups!
Back from the Market
Here's what I bought for 49.76So I just got back from the grocery store and again it was like pulling teeth to stay on budget! How fruustrating. I think we are going to have to up the food budget as previously suggested; I just hate the thought of having to do that though, don't you? But anyway, I was doing some blog surfing this morning and I stumbled across a woman who could be my sister, weird huh? I can't remember the blog off the top of my head but when I stumble across the name I will let you know so you can tell me if I am right about this sister thing. Anywho she was saying that as hard as staying on budget is these days, at least we are still able to provide healthy nutritious meals to our family with organic foods and wholesome products. And you know, she is right? At times it may seem as though we are scraping by, but we aren't SCRAPING by. I am not feeding Emma ramen noodles or pork rinds for dinner. We have fresh fruits and vegetables (thank you Witwers!). We sit down as a family and have dinner every night. We truly are blessed beyond measure. I especially know how blessed we are when Emma prays for the dinner (albeit sounding like the old lady at the Griswald Christmas..."I pledge allegiance to the flag".) But anyway, pictured is what I got from the store. I should tell you that anything I buy from supplemental stores (read CVS, Walgreens, Target) is not factored into my budget. Here are some of the amazing deals I got:
Juice at Walmart for 1.00 each
Mrs. Meyers countertop spray at Kroger on clearance for $2.50
Muir Glen tomatoes 1.20/can...I used my 3 $1.00 off coupons off 3 cans and got each for $.20.
Kashi Granola bars 2.67/each...I used my 2 $2.00 off coupons and got 2 for $.67 each
Honey Bunches of Oats 1.98...I used my $2.00 off coupon and got paid $.02 to buy it!
YoBaby yogurt for Emma, originally $4.09, on sale for $2.09
A lot of these deals I wasn't looking for, they found me. Another way I am shown that God is watching out for us and is providing for our every need. 
Oye
I found this on a wondeful website, http://www.livingfortodaymom.com/ I had to post this because I thought it was HILARIOUS!!! I am so doing this when we get a dog...okay not really. Well, maybe not really.