potato beer soup

I just made this today and it came out ok... Makes 4 cup servings 1 sweet onion 3 stalks of celery Saute this with 4 slices of cut up bacon. I use turkey bacon. Add: 1t garlic 1/2t allspice 1/2 t nutmeg 1t salt cracked pepper to taste 4 red potatoes cut in small cubes Saute this until it starts sticking to the sauce pan Pour in 3/4 of beer. (I used Stella Artois which was left over from my brother in law. Just like wine, if it tastes good straight, it'll taste good cooked. I don't drink beer, but I found myself sampling it as I cooked.) Add 1 c. chicken broth and bring to boil. Cover and let simmer for 20 mins. Mash potatoes until there are no more big chunks and enjoy with a good piece of country bread.

backwards glance?

I remember as one of my first blogs I had started a workout regimine and a year and a half later I had reached my goal of 131.. Yipee. However, the day I found out I had gone in for my initial checkup when I found out I was pregnant very unexpectedly. It was a day of conflicting feelings. I was very happy to find out another one was on the way even though the chance was .01...(beware of IUDs, ladies) I was also very disappointed, that all my hard work was for naught. But now as I think of it and as I hold my 6 month old who is 17lbs and 28 inches long, maybe all that hard work wasn't all that bad. I ate better than my other two and I was COMPLETELY exhausted the whole time. But he was stronger as soon as he came out. NOW.... I have to get into the groove again. Recently I climbed the stairs at the WI Concordia bluffs from Lake Michigan to the summit on a vacation and I was NOT pleased with myself. I gained 40lbs and I now only have to lose 25. Not only am I doing this for myself, I'm doing this for my kids.. I have heart disease on both sides of my family. I have to do this. I found weights are one thing... but cardio makes you feel invincible. We'll see... I'm pinning down my exercise physiologist husband to make me a chart again... Now to pin down a start date......(to be cont.)

humble living

it's awesome giving stuff away... but when it's turned on you.. why do I feel so.... humbled, shocked.. even embarrassed. On Thursday, we gave away a good queen mattress because it didn't work for us and also a gas fireplace from the 70s but it still worked well. Both recipients were glad for the items and we were glad to get them out of our hair. On Friday, our grocery budget didn't include a Spiderman costume for our 3 year old. He didn't agree with us. We then were given the costume buy the lady behind us and said, "Pay it forward." I was shocked. Then on Saturday, my sister-in-law gave us a Casio keyboard.... the BIG one. With the works. I'm still shaking my head at the gifts given to us. I'm not sure if it was a balance thing, because then where did my youngest son come from? We didn't expect him but he's for sure the greatest present of my life along with my other two, of course. I'm sure he's our lottery and we should spend our dollar a week on better things. Well, I know we're not in charge and that's a relief as I wouldn't trust anyone with that job.

growing up

Kya wanted to help me feed Cooper. I was amazed at how gentle and observant she was with him with what he needed. She is such a little lady.

Thumbprints and Impossibilities

I once had a question of my importance and position in the world and then I saw this.

Here's a cunundrum...

why is the Bible said to be made of stories and read when times are tight? Why do people read the Enquirer, People Magazine, or the newspaper possibly everyday and talk as if it's the truth? Consider the source and the audience of each and the reason why it is published.

gimme!!!!!

While my husband was working on our little bit of landscaping, he overheard 3 women walking past him, "I have 3 kids. I don't have a life." He was chuckling as he walked into the kitchen and told me what he heard. I had a good smile because as a mediocre comedian, she is right. Most women might believe that of themselves. I used to believe that. First we get periods. We didn't ask for that. Then as a result, we can get pregnant and we are expected by our partners to deter anything from happening. Then we get pregnant for 9, no almost 10 months. Again, we didn't ask for that responsibility. Then we are expected to feed and care for these things which along with the pregnancy have COMPLETELY altered our bodies into interesting forms only which certain artists think lovely. Also, didn't ask for it. Then the wrinkles in our forhead from forever frowning at whatever comes our way determined constantly by our children. No, that is not a life. Thank goodness that's not my life. Granted, I have complained many times about how I look, how I can't do most things by myself or how we don't have the finances to take trip. However, I have been given the gift of periods for the possiblities for children. I have had 3 pregnancies that have completely altered MY IDEA of a perfect body. I have been given the miracle that is called breastfeeding. I have also been given the little "lessons in life and a mirror into my soul" called my children. No. I did not ask for all this....this is not my life. I've been handed a life much better than I would have ever planned for myself. God has a way of teaching us the dynamics of life...would you rather choose a toy to play with, or be given a toy you have to buy, put together to play with it...and then find out as your putting it together, the endless possibilities of fun?

childhood smiles

We have a sidewalk that slopes down toward the river and my kids love running down it because you can run faster. With butterfly wings or a jet pack, you can FLY!! Imagine what it feels like on roller blades or a bike!

We went to one of the many St. Croix beaches, this one being just a couple miles south of us. The beach was unusually large and sandy for a west side beach. Cooper found the water to be a little cold at first but dug his little toes in the sand for a good feel

Change of Life

OK.... so I haven't written because I now have chaos in my house. No. Not really. People who have 2.5 kids or less just think that. I'll let them think that. Then next time they see me looking all Mrs. Beaver and stuff and my kids are saying "thank you" and "please pass the broccoli and peas" and "my, doesn't your house look like my mom's", they'll think I'm mom of the year.

Yep that's me. I'm not going to lie. I have had my times of being indisposed while my 2 month old has just started crying after I sternly told him to wait to be fed. While my 3 year old SON is dumping everything out of the toy drawers because he can't find his Buzzlight year costume or one of his many cars. AND while my daughter is asking me to take her to the beach because we NEVER EVER take her there and she has NEVER BEEN TO THE BEACH, EVER and SHE'LL JUST DIE OF HEAT IF I DON'T TAKE HER TO THE BEACH THAT SHE'S NEVER BEEN TO (just 2 days ago) That, I have found to be an exercise of will, strength, deep breathing and a countdown to my first alchoholic drink.

My life is ever changing and I love it.