Autumn Has Arrived

I've started my fall decorating, but I'm still seeking some inspiration here and there, like on my coffee table for instance!  I've been looking at lots of blogs and getting some good ideas, but I'm also trying to keep my spending under control, by using lots of what I already have, just in different ways.  It makes me very happy to wake up in the morning, or to come home after work, and to have all my candles giving off their wonderful spicy smells.  This time of year is just plain good for my soul!  And, to top it off, we are having incredible weather right now!  Thank you Lord!!

This shelf is right inside our front door and so I wanted it to have lots of fall touches.  Not thrilled with the flower arrangement on top, but I haven't had time to re-do it yet.  I will.  I love decorating for fall more than any other season.  It just fits me and the colors work really well with our furniture and color scheme.  

One of my favorite things, are these little gourds and mini-pumpkins that I buy every year at this little farmer's market.  I thought these were fun with their long, twisted stems and I always think they look good nestled on some raffia in a clay pot.  Raffia is one of my fall go-to things!

This year, I tried something totally different on my table.  I kind of just made it up with what I had around the house, but I really liked it when it was done!  I like to use coffee beans this time of year too as a decorating tip.  They smell good and they look good with most fall colors.  

These candle hurricanes were a steal!  I bought them on Tuesday at Homegoods, on CLEARANCE (my favorite kind of buy) for $5 each!  I love them.  Especially with a candle and raffia!  The candles are nestled in sand, with coffee beans on top of the sand.  

I confess, I have a thing for pumpkins.  I don't get into the "halloween" stuff too much, like witches and spiders and jack-0-lanterns (that may change with kids), but I do like different kinds of pumpkins, because I feel like they work all the way until Thanksgiving.  These three pumpkins were a fun buy last year, they all have scripture carved in them.   

I liked how this table turned out too...I kept it pretty simple, but used lots of the same things.

I know, I know...I am probably overboard with my pumpkin thing, but I can't help it!  And in case you're wondering, the "T" and "S" are for Travis and Stephanie.  I have the coordinating "A" on the opposite wall for Armstrong.  

My Breakfast Date

One perk of school starting again, is that I'm down to nannying for just one of my little guys while his brothers are in school.  For the pregnant girl who is always tired or hungry, that is a big blessing.  Plus, Barrett couldn't be cuter, so what more could I ask for to get me excited about motherhood?  Yesterday we had ourselves a little breakfast date at Panera, because I couldn't live through storytime at Barnes and Noble without eating something substantial first!  So, I had their spinach, artichoke, and egg souffle and Barrett had a pumpkin muffin, which left crumbs all over the booth and the table when he was done!  It was yummy and I don't know who was more excited about it, him or me!!??  Barrett loves to eat, so I have a little partner in crime when I feel like a snack...that boy is always game!  Besides a date with Travis, I haven't had a better one in a long time!  Lots of eating, little talking.  That sounds great to me!!

Seriously, isn't he just to die for??  Those big brown eyes and that little face...Lord help me!!

Javanese Recipe

I wanted to share one of my favorite recipes with you, that I requested my Mom to make and was in my freezer, until last night when I made it for Travis and I.  It's called "Javanese" and is a recipe that I made for my family in High School, after my youth Pastor's wife had us overfor  dinner and introduced it to me for the first time.  Maybe that's one of the reasons I love it too...Gotta love those youth Pastor's wives!!  Anyway, my family quickly fell in love with it and it has become one of our family staples.  Also, it's one of those meals that I make for guests because it acommodates all kinds of eaters.  For the adventurous eaters, it's full of great toppings and lots of flavor and for those a little more "picky", it can be edited down to just chicken and rice.  Travis and I have differing ways of eating it.  I eat it with all the toppings and I couldn't imagine it any other way, but he eats it with about half the toppings.  I also like it because it's very easy to eat as leftovers the next day.  Sometimes I take the extra chicken mixture and serve it over mashed potatoes with biscuits or I take the extra toppings and make nachos.  Anyway, here it is:

You'll need a pan of instant rice, or if you have a rice cooker, that's even better!  Just make enough for the size of your crowd.  I usually make this last, so that it's fresh and hot.

On top of the rice, scoop some of this chicken mixture.  You'll need cooked, shredded chicken to simmer with cream of chicken, cream of celery, and chicken broth.  You can use as much or as little as you like, depending on how many people you have and how thick you like it.  For Travis and I, I use one can of each and this is how much it makes.  When my Mom made this for me, she cooked and shredded the chicken, then froze it, and I added it to the soups.  She just bought all the toppings ahead of time for me, so I wouldn't have to go to the store...she's the best!

After you layer your rice and chicken, you'll need to start adding toppings.  I always start with shredded cheese and then add the things pictured below:  coconut, tomatoes, green pepper and green onion, pineapple, and toasted almonds.

I know that sounds like such an odd combo, but trust me when I tell you, it is AMAZING all together!!  It's kind of a great mixture of cold, hot, sweet, tangy, and savory....Seriously, it's really good when you combine it all together. 

If you prefer, the final topping is a scoop of crunchy chinese noodles.  I personally think the almonds are enough "crunch" but Travis and my family love to add the noodles, so I'd be in trouble if I didn't mention and picture them!

This is what the finished product looks like.  It's one of those colorful meals that looks good on a white plate or a colored one too.  I always show people what the finished thing looks like, because otherwise it's hard for people to wrap their minds around combining all of that!  Think of it like you would a taco salad.  Layers people, layers!!  I would love to hear if you make this...It is ALWAYS a crowd pleaser and I KNOW you will absolutely LOVE It if you try it!  

Weekend Recap

I'm sorry for the lack of updates this week, we have been so busy with our fall kickoff on Wednesday night and our Fall Retreat this weekend. I'm sitting here now, feeling the impact of that week, trying to keep my eyes open! I can barely survive this week on a normal year, but being pregnant has really thrown a curveball into the game! I no longer move as quickly or last as long as I once did! We had a great night on Wednesday though, it was fun to see all the kids come back and to meet lots of new 7th graders. They're always so shy and nervous at the beginning of the year, I just love it! In no time they'll shed that fear and burst into the room, but until then, I kind of get a kick out of them! It was also great to see Travis back in his element, hanging with kids and speaking to them. I love that. Travis is a great youth Pastor and he loves what He does. That makes me a happy wife.

We left this weekend for Covenant Pines Camp in northern Minnesota and took our junior highers with us. It's always a little colder the farther north we go, but unfortunately it was also rainy. We got in on Friday night and Travis and the kids came back tonight. I stayed one night and came back Saturday night, with a few kids that participated in our Peru recap service today. As always, we had crazy games planned, gross crowd breakers, and sweet teaching times together. Jason, our high school Pastor spoke to the kids, and next weekend Travis will speak at the high school retreat. It was a fun weekend, we talked about unity and how important it is for the body of Christ to be one. It was a timely message for our students, but also one that was convicting for me to hear as well. Jesus made it very clear that He wants His body to be unified for His glory, but we often fall so short of unity in our churches. So, anyway, we challenged the kids to start with themselves and change that.

One of the other reasons I came home early this weekend, was to see my parents, who were staying at our house, cooking for me!! They drove up Friday night and left this afternoon, but not without blessing our socks off!! Would you like to know what my Mom did for me?? Here's the "short" list of what's in my freezer:
-2, 8x8 pans of Chicken Divan
-1, 9x13 pan of Poppy Seed Chicken
-2, containers of Vegetable Beef Soup
-2, 8x8 pans of Green Bean Casserole
-2, 8x8 pans of Frozen Fruit Salad
-4, 1# pkgs of frozen, browned hamburger
-1, pkg of frozen chicken for Javanese
-1, pkg of cooked, shredded chicken for Wild Rice Soup
-1, 9x13 pan of Chicken Enchiladas
-plus all the toppings and fixings that go with each meal

As if that wasn't enough, when I came home at midnight last night, there were 2 loaves of freshly baked Chocolate-Chip Pumpkin Bread waiting!! Isn't she the best?? I swear she didn't sit down at all yesterday, she just kept cooking and cooking. We are SOOOOO grateful and so thrilled! I have the enchiladas in the oven right now and I can't wait to dig in to them!! Not only did they cook for me, but they also brought us some baby gifts and some gifts for me. THEN, after we went to Church this morning, we met my cousins for lunch at the mall, and we went to Old Navy, and my parents bought me tons of maternity clothes!!! YEAH!!! I have been struggling to fit into so many of my pants and shirts lately, so I am very excited to be wearing things that are comfortable and stretchy!! Yes, who knew I'd love stretchy pants again?? I found some great jeans there and lots of fun tops. I'll take pictures of everything when I get a minute this week.

So, after that great, action-packed weekend, I am waiting for Travis to get home so we can just CHILL and recover tonight. Hope you had a great weekend too! I have to go, the timer for my enchiladas is beeping!!! I LOVE YOU MOM AND DAD! THANKS FOR EVERYTHING!!


My Sweet Mom, before she left today, after her marathon cooking weekend in my kitchen!


My Dad and I, thrilled that our team won this weekend! Iowa beat Iowa State, 17-5, and that win made our weekend!!


I think they should win an award for "Best Parents Ever!"


Ryley and his Grandpa...best buddies! They are going fishing next week together, with Trav too, to Canada!


What would a retreat be without a gross crowd breaker? This is my second cousin Emily and her partner Ryan, who won this contest. Emily had to stand across from Ryan and spit cheerios onto Ryan's face, which was covered in peanut butter. Totally gross, but very funny!


Travis and I, exhausted at this point, at our Fall Retreat...one of us is more exhausted than the other!


Cutest Youth Pastor I know! He didn't pay me to say that either.


Our group of kids, after playing games in the pouring rain for 2 hours!


Notice the staff, under the overhang, watching the kids! I was one of them by the way!


We really had bad weather all weekend, lots of rain and cold temps, but the kids made the most of it and had fun anyway!


One of their favorite games involves this huge ball, named the "death ball" which the kids push around and bounce off of...I can hardly watch it however, because of the collisions I've witnessed and the force at which you bounce off that ball. Travis loves it but I do not! You can see whose opinion won out!!

Parenting

**Update** Several of you have asked me for the link to the sermon I referenced, so here it is! It's called, "Christianity's Greatest Threat." Hope it's a blessing to you!

So occasionally it hits me, that along with the pregnancy and the eminent arrival of this baby, we're about to embark upon one of the hardest journeys in the world: Parenting. We sat through one of the best sermons today on that very topic and while it was incredibly inspiring and dead-on in truth, it was a little sobering. Good sobering, but sobering none the less. I sat there soaking up the teaching from Deuteronomy 6, taking notes faster than I could write, and I kept thinking, "are we ready for this?" Now I realize that like most things, you're never totally "ready" for anything, but I found myself making a mental list of things I need to work on, so that one day my little one can look back on his/her childhood the same way I look back on mine. I seriously don't think I've heard a better sermon on being a parent. I say that because rather than a list of "7 ways to do this" or "10 things you should never do", this was a verse by verse exposition on exactly what God has to say about it. And you know what, His standards are high! We left very challenged to start thinking about how we are going to raise this baby to love and know Jesus. We can make a plan and come up with a "program" but ultimately, they will model what we model and they will get a passion for what we have a passion for. We are going to be the only parents they'll have and no one else will share that responsibility but us! Not the Church, not their teachers, not the school system, not the government. We'll stand accountable for how we raised them. Whew! That's a big job. Praise be to the Lord that He has not left us alone to do it! There is nothing He's asked of us that He won't equip us for. As much as this whole parenting thing sometimes freaks me out, I love that I can rest in the knowledge that He will walk us through each season and every stage and He will provide all the help we need. Even now. So, let me challenge you to get out Deuteronomy 6 and read it again for a little refresher! Our kids and their futures mean too much not to.



Now, speaking of parents, let me tell you just how great mine are! Yesterday, while my Travy was gone on a 100 mile bike ride, (yes I did say 100 miles), I had a little breakdown. I was home, feeling gross, looking at the disaster that is my house right now, and I couldn't take it. I was hungry, so incapable of cooking or even going to the grocery store, and finally tired of spaghetti o's, so I did the only thing I knew to do. I called my Mom and begged her to come over! Now she lives in Iowa and we live in Minnesota, so I knew that probably wasn't going to happen that afternoon, but I asked her anyway. I told her how I longed for her to make me some food and help me put this house back together and as only a good Mother would, she caved and said she'd come! Next weekend. Then she asked me what I wanted to eat, and I started listing all my favorite things! YEAHH!! Both she and my Dad are coming to stay with Ryley while we're at JH Fall retreat, and they're going to fill my fridge and probably do other things around my house that I haven't had the energy to get to. And we're all thrilled, even Ryley! Because they're the best. I'll get to come home a day early from the retreat so I can see them for awhile and so I can start diving in to my favorite home cooked meals!! On my way home from Church today, my Mom called and she told me that she made her menus and they went to the grocery store yesterday and already bought way too many groceries so that she can start cooking the minute they get here! Of course I felt a little bad about asking her to come "work" for me, but then I thought about what a blessing she's about to give me, and I thanked her. And then I made a mental note, "Cook for my kids someday when they are pregnant!" Then I'll tell them how much I loved it when their Grandma did that for me! So, in honor of our great parenting sermon today, Mom and Dad, thanks for being the best parents I could ever ask for...both in childhood and adulthood. You've left us a legacy to aspire to and Your daughter, son-in-law, grand-dog, and future grandchild thank you!! Our stomachs are rumbling in anticipation!!

Keeping the Postal Service Busy!

I have LOVED opening the mail this week, because we have been sent so many sweet cards and some precious, precious gifts! No one told me how much fun this was!! Of course we are so thankful for each person who has encouraged us and is praying for this little one. I literally can't wait for the day when I can hold this baby in my arms and tell them how loved, wanted, and prayed for they are. What a blessing! I have been incredibly good and have not bought anything yet, although I am scheming and dreaming about many things! Perhaps one benefit of being nauseous is that I don't feel good enough to shop! I spend lots of time at home right now and I come straight home after I get done working. One of these days, I'm hoping this will pass and I'll be back to my normal self, and when that day comes, look out! I'll be doing some serious damage!! Here are some of the fun things we've gotten this week!


My favorite gift of all, is this adorable, brown and white zebra blanket. My Mom and Dad sent it to me and I LOVE it! The one thing I know right now about our nursery, is that I am painting the walls chocolate brown. This sweet blanket will look PERFECT in there!


They also gave us this cute little book abut a mama bunny and her babies, which Travis read to me after we opened it.


Travis' Mom bought this little owl for the nursery while she was here. So cute.


I laughed when this came in the mail, because Trav's cousin Melissa, is sure that we are having a little girl! She sent us this darling hairbow and the onesie below, in case she's right!


In case you can't read this, it says, "This is my little black dress!"


And this is one of my favorite books, I've given it as a gift many times. My best friend Amber sent this to us, along with the world's cutest onesie below.


This is the adorable view from the back...


And this is the precious view from the front, "Heaven Sent." We agree! I squealed all night over this one!


And somehow, with great restraint, I have kept myself from going crazy and buying everything that looks cute...Until...Yesterday. Travis and I went to a few garage sales looking for maternity clothes and we saw this. I was already wearing an Iowa sweatshirt and when I saw this, brand new and with the tags still on, and I had to have it. It will be awhile before the baby can wear it, but in honor of my parents, we now have our first Hawkeye outfit!

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things!

I keep pouring over all of your sweet comments, cherishing every single one. Thank you for leaving comments and encouraging us this week. You have truly added to our joy and we are incredibly grateful. Some of you have shared really difficult heartaches with me and I want you to know that I am writing your names in my prayer journal and I am asking the Lord to meet you exactly where you are at and to minister to you. He cares about every hurt and He always knows better than we do. It's not always easy to rest in that knowledge, but He brings such peace and is very worth of our trust.

So along with the joys and emotions of this pregnancy, I have developed quite a struggle to eat anything normal without it turning my stomach or giving me heartburn! Of course I have waited a long time to feel this badly, so I am NOT COMPLAINING! In fact, I am incredibly thankful for every wave of nausea I feel. But, all that to say, eating is not easy these days and every time I go to the store, I come home with weirder assortments than the last time! Travis does not know what to think I'm sure and the poor thing has hardly had a decent meal lately. I just can't bring myself to cook. I've tried a million things to keep the nausea at bay and some things work and some don't. I find a strange comfort in feeling sick all the time however, it does make me remember that all of this is for a purpose and feeling carsick 24 hours a day, is indeed a good sign!

I thought you might like to see what I'm putting my husband through....


The first thing I eat every morning, a small bowl of Special K with ICE-COLD milk. It never sounds bad.


Grape juice has replaced my need for coffee. Travis and I fight over these little bottles though, we both love to grab one for the car ride to work!


I love these!! They are totally meeting my pop needs! I have never been a big pop drinker, but as soon as you can't have something, you naturally crave it constantly! I have wanted an ice-cold coke for the last 10 weeks, but I have been good and stayed away from all pop. These have become the best substitute. They are tart and not so sweet, and carbonated!! Sparkling grapefruit is my favorite flavor.


And this is the bad thing I crave...chocolate donuts. Chilled in the fridge. I could eat one of these at all hours of the day and night. NOT GOOD. With every bite I try to remind myself, "This is only a temporary indulgence! Don't get used to it!!"


Yep, classic pregnancy craving. I suddenly LOVE a cold, dill pickle!


These crackers are next to my bed every night. I like the buttery taste these days, more than the saltiness of saltines.


My regular blog readers know will know that I LOVE coffee and I can't imagine heading into the fall and winter season without it! However, my doctor would like me to stay away from the caffeine, so I have been trying to find a natural decaf. Ironically, I can't stomach the thought of coffee in the morning, the smell is too sweet, but I love the thought of a cup at night! I blogged awhile ago about our new, WONDERFUL coffee maker and I was thrilled to find this decaf blend from Caribou that is all natural and made for our coffee maker!


Perhaps the weirdest craving of all, spaghetti-o's. You couldn't have paid me to eat these before, but all of the sudden, they taste so good to me! My Mom cannot understand this!!