Play Dates and Playing Host

If you know us very well at all, 

you know that Braden loves to have friends over and I love to be in the kitchen. 

It works out pretty well here because our rental is super open and conducive to large gatherings.

It generally works out pretty well because my 

recipes and experiments are more than we can consume!

This last week I had some local ladies from MOPS and their kiddos over for a playdate. 

There were 13 kiddos and over 20 of us all together. 

The chickens are always a big attraction.

And so, I pulled out a few new recipes I'd been anxious to try.

Since I haven't shared recipes here on my blog for a few weeks, 

I'll include a few photos and links.

 Melon & Pineapple Fruit Salad with 

Honey, Mint, and Lime Dressing

It was fun and colourful.

I ended up making a second batch to take to our Bible Study group in the evening.

Also on the menu:

Coffee Cake Muffins

This isn't my picture, my morning got busy and I forgot to take one, but this is one of my favourite baking bloggers and I always love her recipes on Pinterest.

Of course we had coffee, and I had planned to make a big pitcher of basil lemonade before the friends arrived, but mothering a toddler took priority and so I was only able to make up the basil infused simple syrup before everyone arrived. 

Finally today, I juiced some fresh lemons and mixed up the lemonade to have with our lunch. 

My basil has survived on the windowsill for a whole month now - a new record!

Using this recipe, 

I just made up some simple syrup and then added fresh minced basil 

to steep in it as it chilled for a few hours.

Then came the lemon juice.

Cold water and ice. 

Mmmm...

The boys had a ton of fun playing with their friends.

I enjoyed some adult conversation.

Operation Christmas Child

This last week, our local MOPS group filled shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child.

This week is their national collection week, but there are still lots of opportunities to get involved, and probably a local collection centre in your area that you can get a shoebox to, if you're interested in participating.

I didn't get any pictures of the individual boxes we packed at our table, but our MOPS meeting place is also the local collection centre and here are just some of the boxes packed and waiting to be shipped overseas.

Now that I have little ones, I treasure opportunities like these, when I can teach them to look beyond themselves and encourage generosity. I could see the wheels turning in Ryder's head when he realized that the colourful airplane gliders he helped choose weren't going to be for him.

As we look forward to Thanksgiving next week, I am reminded to be thankful for our life here in America and all of the blessings God has given!

The Everyday

I haven't been great about posting much more than once a week lately. 

This everyday life keeps us busy! 

I've been making a concerted effort to not spend a lot of time on my computer and iPhone - I have boys to love and a home to run!

Here are some highlights from the last few weeks...

Everyone is as crazy about Starbucks coffee as I am!

Our MOPS table had a midweek playdate. 

Look 10 children are sitting together and not one of them is crying!!

On our way to the gym in the mornings we drive by an old bridge that was demolished last week. Ryder has loved seeing and pointing out the red digger as we drive by each time. 

One morning we stopped to get a closer look at the digger in motion.

One of our other favourite things is the garbage truck. 

Every week we watch it come down the street one way and then back up the other way.

Ryder has become quite the helper and always asks if he can put the garbage can away. 

And then yesterday a big box arrived in the mail. 

Ryder gets so excited over packages in the mail and delivered by the present truck (UPS or FedEx).

This one was no disappointment. Ryder pulled out all kinds of fun and super cute winter clothes for himself and Lynden - thanks to Mimi!

I'm not sure if he was more excited or if I was!

This morning we made pumpkin pancakes for breakfast and Lynden had his first taste of pancake. 

Actually, I think he may have eaten more than all of the rest of us. 

Life With Littles

I love reading with my boys. Even if I'm in the middle of something and can't exactly read, I love talking about what's going on in pictures and hearing Ryder try new words. This morning he sat up on the counter while I fed Lynden. 

Go Dogs Go! 

One of my favourite books as a little girl. 

The dog party in the tree at the end of the book always seemed pretty awesome to me!

Yesterday afternoon a box filled with Usborne books arrived in the mail. I'm so excited to read through these fun educational books with the boys. I'm not sure if I'll be able to save them for Christmas!  I'm looking forward to hosting my own Usborne book party tonight too!

Since our guest speaker at MOPS yesterday was an occupational therapist, I decided to try some of the activities she suggested for working on fine and gross motor skills with children. Ryder loved the Put-The-Toothpick-In-The-Hold game. For a boy that didn't walk until 18 months, I think he's doing pretty well.  :)

We had some fun Mama & Ryder play time outside while Ryder napped this morning. Ryder was thrilled when I showed him that if he rode his tricycle through the puddle it left a wet mark on the driveway. It's the little things!

And I have to take just a minute to brag on my husband. 

He works so hard! 

This is the workbench that he's in the process of building.

 I love how his woodworking hobby enables him to spend time with Ryder out in the shop.

What a great Daddy!

10 Things I'm Grateful For This Friday

Most people anticipate Friday with an eye toward the upcoming weekend. This Friday, as I enjoy my morning coffee with a baby on my lap, I can't help but be thankful for what this last week held. 

Would you care to join me in my journal of gratitude?

1. Fresh eggs from our very own chickens sitting on the window sill.

2. Hand me down clothes for Ryder.

A fellow military Mama who lives in town was cleaning house in preparation for a move. She took her boxes of boys clothes to Goodwill, but they were already closed - and I'm so thankful, because instead she passed along over 25 great quality items and 2 pairs of shoes sizes 3-5 for Ryder. Wow!

3. A great first experience at the Honda dealership in Reno yesterday.

What I thought would just be an hour or two of waiting with the boys for a quick diagnosis of a noise the van was making turned into a 5 hour wait. But...since there was a recall on the airbag that they wanted to fix for us, we were given a great family size rental car to run errands while we waited. 

Plus, when we got back to the dealership we were told the brake rotors, wheel bearings, and alignment were all great, it was just worn tires with uneven tread making the racket. We already knew the tires were pretty worn and were anticipating replacing them already - probably not with the $725 Michelin's the dealer was suggesting though. ;)

4. A Christmas gift on clearance.

While waiting on our van yesterday I ran through TJ Maxx and Marshalls, something I normally don't have the time to do when I'm in Reno. While there I found Ryder's Christmas gift for more than half off, from a line of toys we've admired at a friends' home in WA - made in Germany - so they pass Braden's not-made-in-China policy. Shhhh....don't tell Ryder!

5. A 100% insurance covered breast pump.

I've exclusively breast fed both boys thus far, but in retrospect, I think having a pump would have helped with a lot of fussiness in those early weeks when I just couldn't be nursing baby 24/7. With that in mind, I called my doctor's office to just ask about insurance coverage and a few other questions. Within 3 days, I received an awesome quality electric pump. If God should send us another little blessing (no, I'm not pregnant ;) hopefully this will help!

6. The start of a new year of MOPS

This week we just met for registration and a play date at the park, but I'm certainly looking forward to some time spend encouraging and being encouraged by other Mamas!

Lynden enjoyed his park time too!

7. Health for the whole family.

Not a day goes by that Ryder doesn't ask me if he can help me make some 'smoothie juice.' I don't know if it's the thrill of using the Vitamix or being able to help add ingredients, but he loves to make and drink delicious smoothies. 

This morning's was banana, plain yogurt, pineapple, carrot, kale (from our garden!), flax seed, mango, fresh ginger (this is just a passing phase, but boy is it potent!), and milk.

8. My sweet boys.

I don't think I could make a list of things I am thankful for without including my busy two year old and happy almost six month old. Of course I'm thankful for their Daddy too, but he doesn't love the limelight. :)

9. Unexpected Generosity

Every once in a while I get in the mood to purge and just clean house. These last few weeks I've sold a few things laying around on our local FB swap/sell pages. One such sale was fabric I've had for ages that I no longer love and want to use my limited time sewing. I posted it for $5, but the sweet Grandma who bought the stack pressed a $20 bill into my hand and insisted I take it because it was worth more than that. All I can say is benefiting from the generosity of others has really encouraged me to be more generous as well. After all, nothing is really mine, just on loan, right?!

10. The ability to do what I love.

While I'm only self-taught and just have a basic machine, I love to sew for and sell some of my items on Etsy. I've been blown away by the amount of orders I have received and look forward to completing another order placed just this morning. I'm saving up for a new sewing machine!

Oops, I was planning on having just 10 but somewhere along the way I lost count.

11. Home days!

It's Friday, and while I can't say I have nothing to do (Haha!) I have nowhere to be but home. I love days like today when I get catch up on laundry, cleaning, one on one time with the boys, etc. in my most comfy clothes. Happy Friday!

Let's be real.

Not all days are like this. 

Some days the list doesn't overflow, it needs to be mulled over and sometimes I still come up short. But, the more I practice counting through my blessings, the more I see the little things as blessing from the hand of our good God.

What about you? 

What are you thankful for today? 

Share your list in the comments below...

A Trip to the Fire Department!

Whew, it's only noon and we've already had a day full of excitement!

Both Little Dipper and I survived a terrible long weekend with the stomach flu. My OB appointment this morning was great, now all I need to do is gain back the weight I lost. With a little time to waste, we headed stopped by a local cafe for tea (loose leaf organic orange creamsicle - whoever came up with that is a genius), a slice of apple berry pie for myself, and Ryder chose a beautiful chocolate cupcake decorated with colourful M&Ms. Don't worry, after taking a few pictures, I cut only about 1/3 off for him to enjoy and the rest is being saved in the fridge to share with Daddy tonight. 

Such a fun date with my little man!

After finishing our snack, we decided to enjoy the sunshine by taking a walk downtown. We had about 30 minutes before meeting up with our MOPS friends for our tour of the fire station.

All ready to hear about fire safety from Chief Mitch

My little poser

And back to the truck with this little cutie to head on home for lunch and a nap.  And on that note - I'm going to sneak in a little nap before Ryder's through with his.

Happy Wednesday!