Darling Siamese

Breakfast

2012-02-16T10:21:00.001-06:00

"this breakfast is so good you should put it online!" -jay

Layer twice:
Strawberries
Yogurt
Rolled oats
Top with:
Walnuts
Dark chocolate chips

After they have devoured the parfait, finish the bag of chocolate chips while skipping around the house.

The end.

Feb 11 ::makes me happy::

2012-02-12T09:31:00.001-06:00

Feb 10 ::self portrait::

2012-02-10T13:04:00.001-06:00

Feb 8 ::sun::

2012-02-08T20:13:00.001-06:00

A magnet on my fridge. :)

Feb 7 ::button::

2012-02-07T15:51:00.001-06:00

Feb 6 ::dinner::

2012-02-06T18:23:00.001-06:00

I <3 my crockpot.

Feb 5th ::10am::

2012-02-05T18:05:00.001-06:00

Feb 4th ::a stranger::

2012-02-04T21:12:00.001-06:00

I think this man reads every article in the daily paper and retells the best parts to his wife of 46 years. I'm sure I'm right. :)

Feb 3rd ::hands::

2012-02-03T16:22:00.001-06:00

A day in the life

2012-02-03T13:29:00.001-06:00

Linking up with Simple Homeschool

My days with Jay (7.5), Hunter (5), Tyler (3), and Mia (9 months)

These days life is not dictated by the clock but a general flow of activities that make up our days.

I try (yes, try...I'm still up with a nursing baby during the night) to wake up around 6:30 and get some quiet time before the boys wake up. Some days this happens and other days we all wake up around 7 and start our day with some breakfast and playing with Legos.

Some days have slower starts than others and we just go with the flow.
After breakfast we clean up the kitchen, the boys unload the dishwasher and I load it. I make my bed, pick up my room, get dressed, etc and then we all head the boys room to do the same thing. Depending on the morning we either go to town and run errands, start school, or play outside and then start school. I like to do our school work in the morning while the baby is napping but I'm flexible as long as we get our day's assignments mostly done.

We eat lunch around noon, usually sandwiches or leftovers. I would love to be more creative but it never happens. Oh well! We clean up and the boys play some more, usually outside, and I nurse Mia, start planning for dinner, drink some coffee, etc. We will also finish school if there's anything we didn't get to in the morning.

Around 3:30 we get a snack, play more, watch a movie, read...something like that.

About 5:00 or 5:30 I start dinner. We eat around 6:30 or 7 depending on when/if John will be home to eat with us. (he has a crazy work schedule!)

Clean up dinner, load dishwasher, pick up toys and generally tidy up for the next day. I make sure the kitchen and everything is done before I get them to bed so I can be done with the day once they are out.

Bath, brush teeth, pjs on, read, pray, sleep. Whew!

John and I usually stay up way too late talking or watching a movie. I'm usually asleep by 11:00 (sometimes earlier and sometimes later).

That's it. That's my day. Some are good. Some are not so good. Overall, it's a pretty wonderful gig I have here!

Feb 2nd ::words::

2012-02-02T10:33:00.001-06:00

February photo a day

2012-02-01T15:00:00.001-06:00

I follow Terahgirl on Instagram and she posted this:

And thought it would be fun to do! Attempt anyway!

So.... Feb 1st - my view today

It's a good one. Except for the never ending math lesson...holy moly.... :)

{this moment} ::math::

2012-01-27T13:53:00.001-06:00

Inspired by soulemama

Another Delicious Breakfast

2012-01-24T14:14:00.001-06:00

About 10 years ago i was given a mini muffin pan and literally used it once so I got rid of it around thanksgiving. Then I found all these yummy recipes that, of course, use mini muffin pans...bummer...
So, for Christmas guess what I was given again? Yep! A mini muffin pan! Yay! (I didn't even ask for it!) I've already used it twice. The donut holes and now this easy-peasy breakfast! The boys were in love! :)

Mini Puffed Oven Pancakes with Berry Sauce
recipe and picture by ourbestbites.com

Ingredients
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1/8 teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoons butter, melted
powdered sugar

Berry Sauce
6 large frozen or fresh strawberries
3 tablespoons berry jam
optional: sugar if needed, to taste

Instructions
Place mini muffin pan (or cast iron skillet) in oven and heat to 400 degrees. While oven is heating, place flour, milk, eggs, and salt in a blender and blend until smooth. Carefully remove the pan from the oven (don’t forget it’s hot!) and quickly spray the wells with non-stick spray, or brush with melted butter. But we’re going for quick and easy here so I just grab the spray. (If using cast iron pan, coat entire pan surface with butter). Fill muffin wells 3/4 full with batter. Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until puffed and slightly golden on top. Remove puffs and place on plate or platter. Drizzle with melted butter and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Drizzle with berry sauce and top with cool whip or whipped cream, or serve with sauce and/or maple syrup for dipping.

Quick and Easy Berry Sauce

If using frozen berries, place berries and jam in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for about 1 minute. Use a fork to stir and mash everything together (cut strawberries if necessary), or place everything in a blender and pulse a few times until desired consistency is reached. Add sugar to taste for sweetness and a few teaspoons of water or juice only if needed for consistency.

Yields about 24 mini muffin pancake puffs

Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes

2012-01-22T13:22:00.001-06:00

I found the recipe here. The light, fluffiness is heavenly. Yes, there are donut holes in heaven, I am sure! Jay said that Cereal Saturday should now be Donut Hole Saturday. Ok!

Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes
Yield: 24 donut holes (mini muffins)Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
ingredients:
For the Donuts:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoons ground cloves
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup canned plain pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 cup milk

For the Coating:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon

directions:
1. Preheat oven 350°F. Spray a 24-cup mini muffin tin with baking spray and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. In a separate, large bowl whisk together oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin and milk until smooth. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined.

3. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

4. While the muffins bake, melt butter in one bowl and combine granulated sugar and cinnamon in another bowl. Remove muffins from oven and cool for 2 minutes. Dip each muffin in melted butter, then roll in cinnamon sugar to coat. Serve muffins warm or at room temperature.

Recipe fromThe Craving Chronicles

{this moment}

2012-01-20T11:21:00.001-06:00

Inspired by soulemama

Cooking with Tyler

2012-01-17T13:33:00.001-06:00

A few nights ago I walked into the kitchen to this:

"let's make muttins!" (that's "muffins" for those who don't speak Tyler)
We make a lot of muttins in our kitchen. Tyler is quite the little kitchen helper as you can see! He pulled out just about everything needed to make some yummy muttins...i mean, muffins.
So we grabbed a cookbook from when John was young and made some for dinner. Yum!

I love this cookbook. I mostly love that John color coded each recipe indicating which ones were his favorites. Adorable!

I never think to get a picture of the finished product...we are too busy eating the finished product!

Hope there's something yummy cooking in your kitchen this afternoon!

{this moment}

2012-01-06T14:50:00.001-06:00

Inspired by Soulemama...

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T20:38:00.001-06:00

May 2012 bring many blessings, much love, and great adventures!

Love,

Jay

Hunter

Tyler

Mia

John & Cheryl

{this moment}

2011-12-11T10:13:00.000-06:00

(inspired by Soulemama)

11 years of love, adventures, and happiness! I love you, babe!

(I tried to post this on Friday (our actual anniversary) but my phone app wasn't working...ugh!)

CallMom.co Retreat Giveaway! Woohoo!

2011-12-08T12:40:00.000-06:00

This is my sweet friend, Rachelle who is part of a great website called Callmom.co where you can submit questions about children, marriage, family, life, love, anything you may have a question about and get answers from 4 experienced, Godly moms in different stages of life. It's pretty great! And what's greater is they are having a retreat giveaway contest! Check out the video and enter! Good luck! I'm off to take some frazzled mom pictures....it's not too far fetched around here!

{this moment}

2011-12-03T23:38:00.002-06:00

A day late....

(inspired by Soule Mama)

Another Party!

2011-11-28T06:35:00.002-06:00

Go Hunter!! Go Cowboys!!

Coached nicknamed him "sweet feet" because of his sweet moves!

That is one proud little man!

And silly little man!

Fun times, indeed!

Great job, Hunter! I'm so proud of you!!

PS...he sleeps with his trophy. Oh yes! :)

End of the Season Party

2011-11-18T07:11:00.002-06:00

They played hard, worked together, and gave it their best! It was a fun season!

Jay, I'm so proud of you! :)

The Girl

2011-11-08T21:22:00.002-06:00

Soccer {in pictures}

2011-11-06T14:38:00.002-06:00

It has been a super fun season!!

Happy Birthday, Tyler

2011-11-02T09:13:00.001-05:00

Just a few things that I love about you... (I have to stick to a few because there are too many to name here)

I love...
That you let me be on your team

How you miss your brothers when they aren't with you

That you always want me to sit with you

The way you copy what Hunter says who copies what Jay says

You have the best grumpy face, hands down

When you come to me with whatever you are wanting hidden behind your back and you sloooowly pull it out to show me

You recently say "I neba..."(transaltion: never)
"I neba get to eat an apple...I neba get to play outside...I neba get to sleep in your bed..."
And I roll my eyes every time because it's always something ridiculous

The Lego creations you build on your own

You play "weird" (according to Jay anyway)

That you don't like to be called Booba anymore. You say "my name is Ty-lar!!"

I could go on and on.

I love you so much and I am so glad I get to be your mommy!

Happy Birthday, Tyler!

Your favorite picture pose!

{this moment}

2011-10-28T07:15:00.002-05:00

Inspired by Soulemama

This rainy weekend

2011-10-09T12:03:00.002-05:00

Crafting

More crafting

Playing in the rain

Birthday presents

Star Wars

Playing

Pumpkin pie

This is my favorite recipe:

1 Graham cracker crust
1 canned pumpkin
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs
2 T pumpkin pie spice
1/2 t salt

Preheat oven to 425. Combine filling ingredients, mix well and pour into crust. Bake for 15 minutes at 425 then reduce heat to 350 and continue baking for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean. Enjoy!!!

Hope you are having a lovely weekend as well. :)

{this moment} ::Flowers for my hair::

2011-10-07T06:53:00.003-05:00

Inspired by soulemama

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

From Hunter

Four and a half months

2011-09-26T07:51:00.003-05:00

I changed her clothes and her diaper, sat her up and she sat by herself for the first time! It's funny how one day they aren't and the next they are. She growing so fast...

The boys were so proud of her! Jay said "I don't think there's ever been a 4 1/2 month old who can sit up alone!" Sweet big brothers.

May the Force be with you

2011-09-25T14:32:00.002-05:00

We had a little birthday party for Hunter this weekend with a few close friends and it was so. much. fun. I love how at this age they host the party themselves. I hung some streamers, made cupcakes, and a few party favors and the rest was all Jay and Hunter. I sat back and visited with the mommies. :)

Streamers. (please excuse the unfinished drywall in the background...it's a work in progress)

Star Wars finger puppet favors. Pattern found here.

Along with "tickets" for the party made by Jay and Hunter.

Chocolate Zucchini cupcakes found here. So yum! With free printable cupcake toppers found here.

When our guests arrived there were two impromptu Jedi costumes made. (I knew it was going to be a fun party...i got to play dress up with little girls! Fun!)

A quick pillowcase dress for Cousin Madelynn.

And a lovely floral tunic for Aunt Lexi.

Here are a few of our guests:

Darth Vader

Storm Trooper

Princess Leia

A variety of Jedi types.

The best part was the Jedi training and each trainee was awarded with a Jedi Training Certificate.

I think the party was a success. I had one tired little Jedi to prove it! (well, a few!)

Happy Birthday, Hunter! I love you! <3
(some photos were taken and edited by my fabulous sister who doesn't have a blog but should so i could link you to her! Love you, sis!)

Virtual Coffee

2011-09-22T07:34:00.002-05:00

Good morning! Grab a cup of coffee and yummy creamer and let's chat. I was flipping through my pictures and noticed we have been busy little Amelangs lately! Now that the weather has "cooled" (it's a mere 95 degrees outside these days) we have been regulars at the state park that is only a few miles away. I love it there. Hiking trails and a playground. So fun. The boys are learning the trails and have a blast exploring them.

Jay (Spartans) and Hunter (Cowboys) have both started soccer this season! Hunter's first game was Monday.

Have you ever watched 5 year old soccer? Oh my, it's the best! My sister in law says it's her new favorite sport.

Hunter did a great job! I was so proud of him! He got in there, worked the ball, blocked and almost made a goal. Soooooo close! He loved it. He's worn is uniform every. single. day. since we got it.

Jay's first game is on Monday.

Random thought...
Remember fishtail braids?

I tried it out the other day. Pretty cute! I like to mix things up from time to time. ;)

One last note before we finish our coffee....
I am working on my certification to be a Bradley Method Birth instructor. I'm super excited about it! I have been reading a lot lately and it's been a great refresher. I've also learned a few new things about pregnancy, labor, breastfeeding and babies. I'll be sharing interesting and hopefully helpful tidbits of information here in the coming days.

Well, thanks for stopping in. I hope you have a great Thursday!

{this moment} ::first library card::

2011-09-15T22:28:00.002-05:00

And sometimes we have guests for school...

2011-09-13T15:01:00.002-05:00

The School Post

2011-09-12T16:06:00.000-05:00

I recently read one of those "You know you are a homeschooler when..." lists and one was "when someone asks what grade your child is in and your answer ends in 'ish' " That's us. Jay is 2nd grade-ish. And really the only reason I keep up with a grade is so that I have an answer when someone asks! This is our first year of formal schooling. The past years have been learning through living. "How many people in our family? 5, right? There are 3 forks in the dishwasher. How many more forks do you need?" Reading LOTS of good books and just letting him ask questions, find answers, play and explore. That tactic worked great! This year I bought real school books and have a real plan and it seems he is right where he should be. That makes a mama happy! So here is what we are doing this year.

Bob Jones Math

Explode the Code bk 2

Handwriting Without Tears Bk 1

First Language Lessons by Jessie Bauer

We are also doing geography loosely using Geography for Every Kid and the library and internet fun worksheets mostly found here.

October- Human Body Lapbook
Novemeber-Thanksgiving, Pilgrims, Indians...all that jazz. Bringing in the geography we are already studying.
Decemeber-German Christmas Traditions

That will get us through the end of the year. I have plans for next year but they are still dancing around in my head! They will get on paper soon.

Hunter has been right in the mix as well. I've picked up a couple of little math books that he loves. He also finished a dinosaur workbook. He is always telling me that he wants harder books! ok! He's loving this school thing. That makes a mama happy too!

Copying math problems out of Jay's book to his own notebook! So cute!

He also has his own Explode the Code

So that's the school post!

{Birthdays} today's and a few belated

2011-09-11T23:04:00.002-05:00

::Today's birthday::

Happy 5th birthday Hunter Bunter!

::Your smile makes me melt
::I love how you like when I wear dresses
::you luh-uv legos
::you would live on pbj sandwiches if I let you (and sometimes it's tempting)
::you are so excited to start soccer
::you love school and always want to work in a "harder" book
::you have decided that you don't like kisses because stick on you
::you are amazing

I am so grateful for you and the beautiful morning that you were born at home. Perfect.
I love you, Hunter all the way to the moon, around the sun, to all the planets and back.

::Belated::

My 30th was in April we celebrated with my Dad, Bro, Sis, and the rest of the fam in late July.

It was a blast! Thank you guys for an amazing 30th!

::Another belated::

Jay's 7th!
We decided to wait to have his party until after the baby was born. Finally in early August we got a party put together for the sweet boy! He wanted a party at Jackson Park so we braved the heat with pizza, watermelon, popsicles, science experiments and of course, good friends! Good times I tell ya!

Jay, I love you so much. I can't believe how much you are growing up. You are so helpful to me. You make eggs for breakfast, you pick out clothes for Mia, you help me keep tabs on Tyler. I don't know what I would do without your sweet self in my life. I love you....ALL the love!
(what's cool about having your party 4 months late is that you don't have to wait as long for your next one!!)

Happiness is....

2011-09-10T16:38:00.002-05:00

flowers from my boys!

"because I wanted to make you happy" ~Hunter

{this moment}

2011-09-09T09:06:00.002-05:00

Our Nature Walk

2011-09-05T10:34:00.002-05:00

A cool morning (finally!) in Texas!

Perfect.

{this moment}

2011-09-02T07:28:00.002-05:00

Art Class

2011-08-31T19:27:00.002-05:00

Tyler's first drawing of a guy. Complete with sword and shield. Jay and Hunter (and mom!) are so proud of him!

Summer days and homeschool love

2011-08-31T11:55:00.002-05:00

We have been in the school mode for a few weeks now and it's going very well. Even with a two year old and baby in tow. I'm keeping things light, fun and informal with Hunter. Jay started with Math and Explode the Code everyday and I'm slowing adding a few more subjects to fill out our school day. I'll post more details later in the week.
Even with school in full swing here in Texas, fall hasn't shown any signs of visiting. Triple digits. Hot. Hotter. Hottest. Oh. My. So a few days ago I was wondering why I've been so grumpy and irritable by the afternoon and I realized it's because we haven't been outside in weeks. Sure I've kicked them out for a few minutes in the morning for as long as they can stand it but we haven't been playing outside until.....

a storm last week (yeah, like crazy wind and a quarter inch of rain) knocked down this ginormous branch! (we weren't home. More on that later too) The boys can't help but sweat it out because it's so fun to play on!! I deliver water, they play outside. It's a beautiful arrangement and my summer grumpiness has passed! Now if some cooler weather will just come I'll be a happy mommy!

homeschooling

2011-08-23T13:37:00.002-05:00

Learning place value:

Teaching place value:

There you have it.

{this moment}

2011-08-19T14:11:00.002-05:00

Hunter's best friend

2011-08-18T10:55:00.002-05:00

In my Alabama slideshows I mentioned Bart as Hunter's new best friend. Sarah wrote more about here. I learned a few new things too about their friendship. A secret handshake? Man, that's cool. Every four year needs a super cool BFF! :)

When there's silence...

2011-08-15T15:33:00.002-05:00

FIND TYLER!

Tyler's shenanigans as of 12:38 pm today...
1) hid in the pantry eating cherrios
2) snuck the pack of bubbles trying to open with scissors
3) tinkled on the bed (luckily just got on the comforter)
4) got paint brush John use last night, unwrapped it and smeared wet white paint on the entry way floor
5) took the honey bear in his bedroom and got it all over the comforter, a glass, a paint tray and himself.

The day is only half over!

{this moment} ::breakfast::

2011-08-12T09:53:00.001-05:00

{Virtual Coffee} ::creamer recipe::

2011-08-09T10:19:00.001-05:00

Good morning!
Ok, so I feel like I talk about this a lot. My coffee creamer addiction. I love it. It makes me happy. But again I'm remembering how bad all of the ingredients are not to mention how expensive it is. So I tried again to make a creamer that lived up to creme brûlée or cinnabon. I think I did it! I actually enjoy it as much as the bad stuff. (not that all the sugar in this is GOOD for me just better than the preservatives and yucks in the store bought creamer)

Cheryl's coffee creamer
1can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon (or to taste)
2 teaspoons vanilla (or to taste)

Heat condensed milk in a small sauce pan on low and stir to melt. Add cinnamon and vanilla and mix. Heat for another minute or two and pour into a glass jar to store in refrigerator.
Stir into coffee and add a little milk for extra creaminess.
Ahhh! So good! :)

And in other news:
Tyler just made his own sandwich. Yes, the two year old. I think it comes from having a lot of siblings. I was nursing the baby and I told him I'd make him one after I fed Mia. I guess he got tired of waiting!

I have a few things on the To Do list today
1) change the light bulb in the kitchen over the sink
2) put away my clothes.

Too much? You wouldn't think so but chasing these people around all day doesn't leave much time for extra stuff! Ha!

Thanks for stopping by! Need to get some school done with these boys today!
Talk again soon!

Zucchini Bread or Muffins

2011-08-07T11:06:00.001-05:00

My brother in law gave us 3 ginormous zucchinis from our local farm where he works so I made muffins! This is a recipe from Whole Foods. I made muffins instead of bread because it's quicker but here are the directions for both! Enjoy! :)

Natural cooking spray
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 egg
1/3 cup expeller pressed canola oil (I used coconut oil)
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup grated zucchini
1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray an 8-inch loaf pan with natural cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, oil, applesauce, yogurt, sugar and vanilla. Add flour mixture and stir until well combined. Fold in zucchini and walnuts then transfer batter to prepared pan and bake until risen, deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes.

Cool in pan on rack for 30 minutes then remove bread from pan and continue cooling on rack.

For Muffins:
Preheat oven to 350, grease a muffin pan, using a ice-cream scoop, scoop mix into cups and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden and delicious!

{this moment}

2011-08-05T10:24:00.001-05:00

::inspired by soulemama::

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Out of the mouths of babes

2011-08-02T17:57:00.001-05:00

Pulling into the Target parking lot this afternoon...

Jay: why is Target so awesome?
Mom: I don't know but I gotta agree.

{this moment} ::hush little baby::

2011-07-29T08:57:00.001-05:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

It's going to be fine day!

2011-07-25T14:36:00.001-05:00

You know when the day just isn't going your way and you look around and wonder what in the world you've gotten yourself into and then the perfect email, phone call or letter comes along and puts things in perspective again? This was mine:

***************************************
From The Well Grounded Life
On a scale from 1-10, how extraordinary are you?

She [Brene Brown] has caused me to go deeper in processing this core trap we fall into, this societal distraction that keeps our focus away from the truly important. And that is, at the core, the belief that we are never enough.

We are not smart enough, not thin enough, not happy enough, don’t have enough time, don’t have enough space, don’t have enough energy, don’t have a big enough house, don’t have nice enough clothes, didn’t get enough sleep…it goes on and on.

But what all of these statements are really saying is that we are not enough.

As Brene puts it, we are simply not “extraordinary” and when it comes down to it, our desire to be extraordinary is really a desire for others to perceive us as extraordinary.

When extraordinary becomes the goal (and by extraordinary she emphasizes that what we really mean is “how others perceive us”), that goal strips us of our life.

Because the truth is ordinary moments are where our treasure lies. And no one knows better than a mother.

We are daily, moment by moment, faced with the most ordinary things.

Loading the washer, brushing the hair, matching the socks, tugging at our knees, filling cups of water, cutting off the crust, reading simple books hundreds of times over, packing bags, wiping noses, hugging the hurts, going mad over the constant squabbling, fretting over who our kids are dating.

And when we trade the ordinary for the search of the extraordinary we miss the gold. We miss being present to the gift of joy that is hidden in the folds and creases of our days. And we always have access to our true selves in ordinary moments.

One of the things I love about the honor of helping moms change the trajectory of their lives toward wholeness and health is that it cultivates a practice of tuning in to the here and now. We become our own experts, through skills and tools that help us check in and translate what we hear; to be present to what is really happening, right here, right now.

In our body. In our mind. In our spirit.

The goal is not perfection. The goal is growth.

And when we start to feel stagnant and stuck- it has nothing to do with needing a more extraordinary life– it has to do with identifying what is clogging up the flow, where is growth stagnant.

We can’t grow as mothers in the world if we aren’t growing as women in the world.

The biggest sabotager of growth is the puruit of perfection. And the best fuel for the pursuit of perfection is the belief that we are not enough. Right here, right now. All of us, even the dark spot, the shadows, the imperfect places.

What if we took a deep breath and rested into the knowledge that we have all we need, that we are all we should be, and that we are in the perfect place right here and right now to completely open up to true life and overflowing joy.
You know what’s I’d bet surfaces? Gratitude. And that is to remedy for it all.
**************************************

So, in light of that....{wearing my non-extraordinary maternity jeans (yes, still), plain grey t-shirt and dirty hair in braids}

I'm grateful for::

::Jay reading Green Eggs and Ham today. The first book he's picked up and read on his own initiative.
::Hunter and his silly smiles and how he needs jelly spread on every square inch of his bread at lunch time.
::that I am able to stay home with my sick Tyler boy and nurse him back to health.
::Mia. 'nough said :)
::a husband who works nonstop so I can be home and play, teach, feed and love on the aforementioned little blessings.

It's going to be a fine day! :)

Posted with love from my iPhone <3

This moment :: Nap time

2011-07-22T14:03:00.001-05:00

::right now::

2011-07-19T11:47:00.001-05:00

{inspired by soulemama}

:: I am avoiding the piles of laundry to be folded...

:: loving the Robot Warriors the boys made this morning...

:: so happy with the rhythm of our home these days with the help of our daily picture plan along with some daily reorganization...

:: watching my sweet baby sleeping on my bed...

Hope you are having a beautiful Tuesday! :)

{this moment}

2011-07-15T12:26:00.001-05:00

inspired by soulemama

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

{this moment}

2011-07-15T12:10:00.000-05:00

as inspired by soulemama:

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Alabama Slideshow Part 2

2011-07-14T11:33:00.000-05:00

Here are the pictures from my phone that was resurrected from dead...i dunno! Enjoy!

Free photo slideshow personalized with Smilebox

Part 1 & Part 2 from last year.

Goodies from Mom!

2011-07-13T23:41:00.001-05:00

The boys, Mia and I spent the night with my mom and little sis the other night. We had a lovely time! I never leave her house without a bag of goodies to take home.

Mom works with Special Needs children at her local school. My little sis has DS so she lives and works with these sweet kids 24/7. At her school they had a book drive and she got to take an arm load (or two) of the leftovers home with her where she then passed some on to me!!
She sent me home with these:

This dress:

And a variety of face wash, moisturizer and concealer (a must have for a new mommy!) that she wasn't using. :)

I love going to my mom's! The company is lovely and the goodies are a bonus! ;)

PS....luh-uving my new instagram app!

PPS....will be posting another slideshow of Alabama pictures because my broken phone is alive again. Hooray! (yeah, not sure how that happened but I'm happy and have all of my pics again! Whew!)

Posted with love from my iPhone <3

Virtual Coffee and fun with Apps!

2011-07-12T09:34:00.000-05:00

I think I have complained before that we don't have internet at our house yet (in the boon docks) so I don't get to post as often as I'd like BUT....{drum roll} I bought a blogging app for my phone so I can post more often now! (I hear your cheers!) Yeah, so I'm kinda excited. John rolled his eyes...oh well.

So, I follow this blog. She's a super cute homeschool mom and is a fellow coffee lover. She often invites me over for virtual coffee....ok fine, me and her other other 300 follower friends. That's beside the point...

I love this virtual coffee idea so I'm going to invite you over for some coffee and coffeemate (yes, still addicted.) I can brew a hot pot or I have some cold coffee in fridge. (A summer staple along with the lemonade.) Your choice!

So now that we have coffee in hand:

The boys, Mia and I spent the night at my mom's last night after a super fun play date with a sweet friend. We could talk for days. We decided that for the week between nursing and getting pregnant next (that's how we roll) we are going on a trip together. So fun.

Today was Chuck E Cheese with my sis and her kiddos. Too much fun!

Had a blast!!

Oh! Ok, one more thing before you have to leave...I'm totally excited because I finally organized my pantry. It was bad y'all. So bad that I didn't even take a before picture...

Gosh it's pretty now! ;)

It was great visiting with you. Please stop by again! I'm up for coffee and a chat anytime! See you next time!

Tyler

2011-07-10T14:32:00.001-05:00

alabama slideshow

2011-07-08T17:03:00.000-05:00

We got back from a week in paradise {john's grandparents river house in alabama} The weather was in the mid to high 80's, the scenery is beautiful, the company was entertaining and I just love it there and didn't want to come home...
But since the pop tarts and capri suns eventually ran out we had to come back! bummer...
As a consolation we stopped by Las Fuentes for a margarita on the way home.

Here's a little slide show of our trip! (I have more pictures on my phone but a)i think it died...like killed...like never coming back again and b) I managed to lose it on the way to the AT&T store today...*sigh* I'll see what I can get off John's phone and from Traci since I constantly texted her pictures to make her envious...j/k)

Personalize your own slideshow

These days...

2011-06-01T15:33:00.000-05:00

This time of babymooning has been wonderful, peaceful, and beautiful.
I have had lots of help and been able to keep to myself to enjoy this fleeting season of a newborn baby in my arms.

Here's what we've been up to this last month!

Snuggling

Staring

Playing lots of board games

Playing dress-up

Reading lots of books

Yesterday it was time to get out of the house for a little fun. We had a great time playing at the park!

I'm in love with this little family of mine.
{heart bursts with love}

Welcome Little One!

2011-05-28T14:36:00.000-05:00

We welcomed little
Mia Grace Amelang
on April 29, 2011
8# 31/2 oz
19 1/2 in

She's amazing!

Nesting

2011-04-22T14:40:00.000-05:00

With only 12 days until my due date the nesting is in full swing! The cleaning, scrubbing, furniture moving (not me...hubby to the rescue!) organizing, sewing and general baby preparation is just about complete. I feel ready for this...and excited...and nervous. And happy...I can't wait to meet this little person!

Sew Necessary::Belleville, TX Market Day

2011-04-01T16:09:00.000-05:00

Sew Necessary is a story about….

Two friends, with husbands and young children and some time to sew. This is a collection of stitches gathered here and there in between laundry, dishes, diapers, meal preparation, education, some rest and exercise and, any other small thing that women do to make the day smoother for those they love. While we could do without sewing, we enjoy the time taken aside to make something by hand. We could show our children that we are consumers and not producers but we opt out of that when we take time to sew. Just like making bread by hand or crafting a hearty stew that nourishes the body, this practice and routine is vital to our soul, our children and our culture. In many ways, we feel more connected to pioneer women by taking part in a heritage that to them was indeed “sew” necessary while for us, it seems somewhat optional.

All items handmade, appliqued, embroidered and/or quilted by Cheryl Amelang and Traci Mueller who to their families and to each other are Sew Necessary. Please come out and browse a variety of baby clothing and slings, home décor, women’s apparel and accessories as well as handmade cards ~ all made with love this Saturday at the Belleville Market Day on the square from 9am to 4pm. The bluebonnets are still blooming!

Give us this day our daily bread {a bread recipe}

2011-03-15T11:46:00.000-05:00

I have been scared of yeasted breads for years even though I longed to give my family homemade whole wheat bread without all the weird stuff from the grocery store...but I was terrified of killing the yeast! I would have out my thermometers, googling "the right temp for yeast", just ridiculous! I was so stressed out and it never seemed to come out right. One day, my friend Traci told me to chill out...yeast is easy and actually hard to kill (I think my stress killed the yeast) so I relaxed and found this yummy bread recipe in some old homeschool/parenting newsletters from my MIL. We make bread every week now and I really love it! I've never had a flop batch of bread. John says it reminds him of the bread his mom made as a kid. Well, that's because it is the same bread! Let me know if you try it out!

Whole Wheat Bread

6-7 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup honey
2 3/4 cups warm water
1 T yeast (or 1 pkg)
1 t salt

Mix the yeast into 3/4 cup warm water and let dissolve. (Really, just get it warm and mix the yeast in slowly while stirring. It's never died on me.) Mix oil, honey, salt, water and dissolved yeast together with 6 cups of flour. Knead dough until it is elastic, adding more flour as needed (approx. 15 mins) (I usually call Traci and put her on speaker phone at this point...makes the time go by faster since I don't have a fancy mixer to do the work for me!) Form the dough into two loaves and put them into two greased bread pans to rise. Let rise for about an hour, until double in bulk. Bake at 350 for 35 mins.

That's it! Easy peasy! And when it comes out of the oven, slice everyone a thick piece and drizzle with honey and enjoy! I store one loaf in a cotton towel and in a little drawstring bag that was a gift and the other in a cotton towel in a large ziplock bag. They stay soft and fresh and delicious! Enjoy!

Cat Quotes: brought to you by Jay, Hunter & Tyler

2011-03-10T12:17:00.000-06:00

Dragon

Our cat has it rough with 3 boys who love to cuddle, kiss, love and generally smother him with so-called affection!

Cat Quote #1:
Hunter: TYLER! Don't blow your nose on the cat!

Cat Quote #2:
Jay: Mom, Hunter has a chain (plastic, toy chain), an oatmeal box and the cat...I'm afraid he's going to do something bad!!!!

Hunter: I'm not going to capture the cat!

Note: No harm was brought to our sweet little cat...on that day....

6 things that make my home run smooth(er)

2011-03-02T13:50:00.000-06:00

It's hard work keeping a home. It's even harder with little people. I have three littles. One more coming soon. Here are a couple of things (nothing earth shattering) that keep my home running as smoothly as I can...

1) Wake up earlier than the children.
I have read this before and thought that it meant that I need to wake at 5 and do all of these amazing things before everyone gets up. That may work for some people but not for me. What I have realized lately is that all I need to do is wake up earlier. Sometimes that means that I get a lot accomplished before the day begins some days it means that I lay in bed and look at my email and just enjoy a few minutes of quiet by myself. It really helps my day start off right. I look forward to everyone waking up rather than thinking "5 more minutes..." as my guys are jumping on me asking for pizza for breakfast...yeah, Tyler...

2) The Drink Tray

I hate having random cups sitting all over the kitchen. I end up throwing them in the dishwasher just because I hate the clutter. My MIL was getting rid of this small silver tray and it has become the home for cups in use. It has changed my kitchen completely! I am happy because there aren't cups everywhere and my family is happy because they can keep a cup for more than 5 seconds before mom gets rid of it.

3) Morning Chores
We finally have a morning rhythm - and it feels great! Eat breakfast, clean up (unload the dishwasher it's ready to be emptied), get dressed, make beds. That's how it goes. Easy peasy and makes the mornings run smoothly. I also love having my room clean with all the beds made (the boy's are in our room in bunk beds right now). It starts my day out on the right foot without clutter and chaos...well, maybe still some chaos!

4) Smiley Face Chart

I've never really been a chart kind of girl but lately it's been nice to have a little reward for good, helpful, happy attitudes. So we started the Smiley Face Chart. They have to get 25 smiley faces and they get a treat. I have seen a huge difference in behavior since we started this. It started out with a lot of "mom, I helped Tyler up the stairs, can I get a smiley face?!" or "I said 'yes ma'am' can I get a smiley?" and it's moved into habits. I see them being kind and helpful to me and each other without expecting or even thinking about a smiley face. I try to keep them pretty even so they will get a treat at the same time. Tyler is also potty training right now so he gets one when he tinkles in the potty. For now, this is working for us and I love it!

5) Menu Planning
I have been doing this for a few years now and I still swear by it. The worst feeling in the world is looking at the clock and it's 4:00 and then staring into the fridge wondering what the heck to make for dinner. I spend less money and impulse dinner purchases ("honey, can you pick up a pizza on the way home?"), have less wasted leftovers that never get used, and the bonus is a happy mommy in the kitchen at dinner time! =)
Cheryl's kitchen secret: "Whatever Quesadillas" Once a week or so I take leftovers like beans, meat, rice, or whatever is in the fridge, saute some veggies that need to be used, add cheese and voila! Yummy quesadilla DINNER!. Come on, anything with cheese and salsa on a tortilla is a winner!

6) No dirty clothes piles
Seriously! Ok, maybe sometimes...
Disclaimer: I don't sort my laundry unless there's something new or really gross dirty and then I wash them separately. So if you are a laundry sorter...this isn't for you!
At the end of the day I make sure the washer is empty and my family take their dirty clothes from their bodies to the washer along with their bath towels, wash clothes, and whatever else needs a wash. I also throw my kitchen towels, cloth napkins from the day, etc. Sometimes it fills it up and sometimes it doesn't and I leave it until it's full. I never have piles of dirty clothes around. Piles of clean clothes is another problem that I'm working on. I hate putting laundry away but here's what's working for me now. When the dryer buzzes I fold the clothes as I pull them out of the dryer and put them in a laundry basket and put them all away when the basket is full...usually 2 or 3 loads. I hang up any nice clothes right away so I don't have to risk ironing! The boys put away their own clothes and one other stack. This is working so far. I'll keep you posted.

So, like I said...nothing earth shattering just a few things I've found that work for me. I like reading other mommy's tips so I hope you pick up something new that will work for your home!

The Art of Gratitude

2011-03-02T12:43:00.000-06:00

I wish I had more time to really think about this post because it's something that is very real in my life right now. My internet time is limited since we don't have it at our new house yet and I really just want to get my thoughts on "paper" before they get lost in the fog of pregnancy and motherhood...

This has been a trying time for our family, starting a new business, our home remodel, an unexpected pregnancy, and just regular life on top of it all. We keep reminding ourselves that noone makes money the first year in business but remembering that doesn't pay the bills...ya know? We are walking by faith, confident that this is where God wants us. Making us work...hard. Making us grateful...for every little thing. Making us trust...when it looks hopeless. I look and realize how ungrateful and ugly I have been in the past. Always wishing for more money, more stuff, more, more, more. When, in reality, we had an over abundance. So much. I see it now. I wish I had seen it then.

Times are different now. We are relying on the Lord's goodness every day. It's a humbling place to be. It's all good stuff that is happening. There are worse places to be in life. We are self employed, have a beautiful house with minimal debt, blessed with 3 boys and another pregnancy. Nothing is bad in our life. Money is just tight. And that's okay. I'm learning that it's okay. Money doesn't buy happiness...just stuff that I don't need anyway. The best thing is seeing first hand how the Lord provides. Over the years I have seen crazy things in other's lives ..."Whoa...they gave you a car?" , "she is paying for your raw milk?" , "your dad helped out with Christmas and medical bills?" , "wow, that's all amazing!" Seeing these things in our lives has been...um, amazing! When it looks like there's no way we are going to make it....something unexpected happens. I'm humbled. I lay awake at night scheming ways to bring in more money or to shift this or that to make things work and in the end it's not my bright ideas that bring us through....it's God and His timing and His crazy, lovely ways that gets us to the next month.
I feel like we are being pruned. It isn't pleasant and hasn't been comfortable at all...but it's necessary and beautiful. I don't ever again want to look back and think "man, I had it so good and didn't know it." Even now, I have so much. I realize what a great life I have and I am grateful. It's an art that I hope to always be perfecting.

I Love....

2011-02-14T13:31:00.000-06:00

when Hunter asks me if the purse he picked out for me is my favorite.

when all three boys want to sit next to me when I read and Jay says "we just all like you!"

sunny days playing outside.

walks in the country.

baby kicks.

late night movies with John. (even though it takes a couple of nights for me to make it through the whole movie!)

kisses from Tyler.

that we have baby names already picked out! (this is early for us!)

that Tyler loves his little kitty cat.

preparing for baby.

Jay learning to read.

Hunter's new found obsession with dinosaurs.

sitting in the sunshine, drinking tea (or coffee), enjoying the quiet while the littles rest.

nesting! (including sewing, cleaning, and crafting...oh the fun!)

when the boys want to talk to the baby and tell him/her about their legos and How To Train Your Dragon books and toys and the game they were just playing outside.

when John says my baby belly is cute!

Springtime coming!

this life!

time with hunter bunter

2011-02-01T11:23:00.001-06:00

Hanging with my Hunter at Mobius this morning. He drank hot chocolate and ate a muffin and I drank some tea. We talked, played, and I planned our school week. A perfect little morning!

Baking Day

2011-01-29T14:16:00.000-06:00

Mondays are baking day. I've always wanted to have a day to bake cookies, breads, pies, the works. We've been reading the Little House Series and Ma inspired me to get started. ! The highlight for the boys so far were Ma's Best Butter Cookies. Oh my...they were delish! They came from My Little House Cookbook (found on my fancy new Ferris wheel!) that Hunter got for Christmas. He's very proud of it! Oh, and everything that we bake now is "Ma's best (insert food title here)....!" The book is full of kid friendly recipes like Laura's Little Maple Cakes, Buttermilk Cornbread (YUM!), Homemade Butter, and lots more. The boys are excited about baking day now too..."Mom, when is it going to be Monday so we can make more of Ma's Best Cookies?!" Love.

What's baking in your kitchen on these chilly (or not so chilly if you are in Texas) winter days?

The Mother-In-Law Files #2

2011-01-21T11:21:00.000-06:00

For about a year after John and I were married, Camille asked what else we needed for our home. For wedding gifts we received beautiful china, crystal bowls and crosses, decanters and champagne glasses but not so much everyday practical stuff. (Don't get me wrong, I LOVE all the fancy stuff we were given but a crystal cross doesn't stir a pot of soup...ya know?!) So Camille did a great job of filling in things we still needed. I really appreciated it. For instance, she gave us a blender for Valentine's Day. Now that's sweet! =)
So remember: Ask my newly married son if they have enough dish towels, laundry baskets, kitchen utensils and of course a blender!

Kisses from Hunter

2011-01-21T09:17:00.000-06:00

Hunter: I love you so much! I want to fill you with kisses! *kiss* *kiss* *kiss*

LOVE!

Bob Dylan Conversation

2011-01-18T11:15:00.000-06:00

Jay: (wearing his cool Bob Dylan t-shirt) Mom, is Bob Dylan real?
Mom: Yep. He's a real musician.
Jay: *thoughtful look* Hmm...I didn't know him...

{this moment}

2011-01-14T20:39:00.000-06:00

{{inspired by Soulemama}}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

A House for Hermit Crab by Eric Carle

2011-01-14T18:04:00.000-06:00

This week for school we read A House for Hermit Crab and studied the ocean. We use Memoria Press Kindergarten curriculum as our home school guide. The boys were fascinated! Today we used watercolors and markers to draw our own ocean pictures. I love Eric Carle's illustrations. The colors are amazing! Hunter and Tyler were experimental with their color choices but Jay decided to stick with one color. I just love them!

Better than curtains, I think!

Organizing my home ::First Stop - Toy Bins

2011-01-06T16:12:00.000-06:00

Confession: I love to organize! Don't you?! I love taking something messy and unorganized and make it lovely to look at, easy to use, and simplified. I'm constantly moving things around in the house. John is used it after 10 years of marriage. "honey, where are the napkins kept now?" He's easy going about it. I love that man!

I thought I'd take you on an organizing journey through my home.
First stop: Kids toy bins. I love them but they have become quite unruly. And with Christmas presents to now find homes for it was time to reorganize!

Here's what I started with:

Tools needed:
Trash Bag
Donation Box
Ipod blaring your favorite tunes

Method:
Dump all the toys on the floor.
Start Sorting.

Jay walked in after I emptied all the bins on the floor and asked who made the big mess! I told him that I was cleaning. He gave me a funny look and walked away. You have to make a mess to get things clean. That's how it works! =)

Here's what I ended with:
(can you see the difference? Oh, let me tell you...there is one!)
I still need to make tags for each bin but they look so much better and the boys can actually find what they are looking for. I'm a happy mommy!

Maybe this will inspire you to clean out a drawer, closet, box, bin...

My next stop is the kid's craft cabinet. *sigh*

Corners of our home :: the heart - our kitchen

2011-01-03T15:40:00.000-06:00

{inspired by Soulemama}

I am finally getting around to posting of pictures of our "newly-remodeled-but-not-ever-close-to-being-finished" home! Here's a reminder of the original state of the house. The kitchen is where I spend ALL of my time. Cooking, baking, school work, planning, cleaning...you know the drill. I love my new kitchen! I mean, I really love it.

Here is a before picture...

And after:

at breakfast this morning!

what do you think?

The Mother-In-Law Files

2010-12-31T17:56:00.000-06:00

I have decided to start a file called "mother-in-law" to record all the thoughtful things my MIL does for me and our family. I want to remember them for when I am a mother-in-law. I'll keep a running list here too.

THE HOLIDAYS

1) Take the grandchildren shopping to pick out presents "from them" to give their parents. This is what Hunter picked out for me.

Is this not stinkin' adorable?!?!

Jay picked out an electric toothbrush for me (with electric floss...he's really excited about that!) and ammo for John. Hunter picked out jeans for John and the above purse for me. LOVE IT!

2) Remember what it's like to be young with (or without) a family, realize that money is tight at times and ask them what is one thing that you skip buying at the grocery store (or wherever) because you just can't justify the purchase.

Mine was silver polish. Guess what was in my stocking! And guess who has the shiniest jewelry in town! ;)

This is just the beginning of the thoughtfulness that is shown to us every day.

The Sweet Little One

2010-12-29T15:00:00.001-06:00

I had my ultrasound 2 weeks ago. Actually, on our 10 year anniversary! This was a great way to spend our evening together...gazing at our sweet baby! Everything looks beautiful! We didn't peek...even though it was so tempting! I'm feeling great and looking forward to welcoming this little one into our new home.

How stinkin' cute is that foot? One inch long...oh my...

(these are iphone pics of the pic so the quality isn't great but you get the idea!)

merry christmas from the boys

2010-12-23T17:27:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas!

christmas has come to our house!

2010-12-14T11:57:00.000-06:00

New Feature of Brenham School of Rock: Birthday Parties!

2010-12-08T13:49:00.000-06:00

John recently hosted his firsst birthday party at the studio a few weeks ago and it was a hit! I wish I had pictures to share. (Maybe I'll contact the mom and ask her to send me some...brilliant!) So I wanted to let everyone know there is a new place in town to have your next birthday party! Here are the details...

Brenham School of Rock
104 S. St. Charles St.
Guests design and record a CD of songs picked by the birthday boy/girl.
$175 for 2 1/2 hours of party time for 15 guests.
Guests take home their CD party favors in a custom designed jewel case.
You are welcome to bring cake, snacks, drinks, and of course lots of gifts!
Check out our website at www.sirensoundproductions.com for more information!

This is a fun idea for all ages!

This sweet boy...

2010-11-29T18:07:00.000-06:00

Jay loves to write. And draw. And write little notes. And "lists" (filled with text, pictures, and check marks). I love it!
So the other night I was on the bottom bunk with Tyler and Hunter getting them to sleep and Jay was on the top bunk...supposed to be sleeping. I'm laying there thinking about my little sweets and I hear a paper come down between the wall and the bed. I take it and it's a note from Jay that says:

I <3 U mom
love Jay

My little heart melted. So I stuck my hand up to him and held it for a minute until he let go. A few minutes later, another note.
This one says:

I <3 U mom
I <3 U dad
I <3 U Tyler
I <3 U Hunter

Too sweet! So Tyler and Hunter finally fall asleep and I write him a note that says:

I <3 Jay. You are a sweet boy.
Love, Mommy

He reads it and smiles and tells me to wait because he's going to write me a note. He finishes and hands it to me and it says:

I <3 Mom. You are a sweet.
Love Jay

Then he tells me that he didn't say "boy" since I am a girl. Oh my, I love that boy....

Brotherly Love.

2010-11-16T13:37:00.001-06:00

Alive and Kicking!

2010-10-30T09:38:00.000-05:00

Things have been wild and crazy around here the last few months. There has truly not been a dull moment. Here's are the key points:

WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A BABY! Part of the blogging silence has been due to awful morning sickness. I'm in week 13 now and feeling like life may go on and I will not die. That's a good feeling!
Tyler broke his collar bone 2 weeks ago after falling off the play ground.
We moved into our house! (before and after pics to come) There's still a lot of work to be done but I am so happy to finally be living in my house!
Unpacking
Tyler has an inguinal hernia that will need to be surgically repaired. It's not really a big deal (if surgery on a 2 year old can be "no big deal") It's a minor, routine procedure. We are hoping to schedule it March.
More unpacking and organizing
Homeschooling. Which mostly consists of reading lots of books, playing outside, and learning through everyday living.
Jay started choir at the First Baptist Church! He loves it and just thinks he is so big and important (and he's right!)
Hunter is growing like a weed! I think he gets bigger every morning. He is just so sweet and kind to all of us. There is the occasional food meltdown but that's to be expected every now and then.
Tyler will be 2 on Monday. Where has the time gone?
And more unpacking and organizing.

I hope to one day have a post that does not have to be an update but just a sweet post about every day life in our home. That seems a little ambitious at this point though! =)

My Backyard

2010-08-24T11:25:00.000-05:00

the boys and i spotted a nest with tiny, hungry baby birds

peeking at the world!

the mama

getting brave! learning to fly!

Our little bird friends have moved out of the nest. We so enjoyed watching them grow up!

Amelang Update Part 2: SirenSound Productions

2010-08-17T15:33:00.000-05:00

Things are changing around here at every turn. Along with our decision for me to stay at home with the boys, John also decided to move his recording and music lessons out of the family music school and start his own studio. He has a dedicated recording following, sound gigs, music lessons, etc. He stays very busy with it all. And he’s good at it. The music school was great place to get started (and spend the last six years) but there are things that he needs/wants as his clientele grows and needs shift. Enter “da boof” (aka…the booth). He is very excited about “da boof” and so are many of his regular guys. They can’t wait to get in there and check it out! Soon boys…sooooon!
So here’s the scoop on the new location of SirenSound Productions – Full Service Music Studio.
Located at 104 S. St. Charles St. in Downtown Brenham
• Recording
• Live Sound
• Guitar, Bass, & Drum Lessons
• Zither Lessons
• Song Editing/Writing/Production
• Mixing/Mastering
• Small Retail Store
There is more to come! We are very excited about this new start. Wish us luck!
Check out our website for more information on what's new!
www.sirensoundproductions.com

Muellang Summer Fun

2010-08-10T22:26:00.001-05:00

I have to take a quick break from my Amelang Family Updates and post this...

My dear friend Traci invites me and my crazy crew over to her house just about once a month for some good old fashioned...well, chaos. Yes, that's the right word. So when we first started these little shindigs we were having such a great time that we combined our last names (Mueller and Amelang...you get the idea) and now lovingly refer to our get togethers as Muellang Fun Time (or something like that). It's always a good time... six children, two mommies, food, sewing projects, home school talk, water hoses, no naps, crumbs on the floor, wine (not for Traci since she is, as we speak, growing eye buds in her uterus), not stop talking, giggling, and telling someone to stop sitting on a little sibling! What's not to love?! Here are some fun pictures from our visit in July.
Thank you Traci for having us over...
I can't wait to have y'all over to our house! And, I know what they say about paybacks...I'm in for a great deal of...um..chaos. John, you should get a hotel room when the Muellang Shindig comes to Brenham!
And Martin, you are a good man...

Amelang Update Part 1 - My Full Time Job

2010-08-07T20:36:00.000-05:00

This week I embarked on a new adventure in life…a stay at home mom. I’ve worked at our family’s music school for seven years. I started when I was pregnant with Jay. It was a good job. I enjoyed it very much. I was only “part time” and things were flexible as far as being able to take the boys with me or missing a day if someone was sick. Even though it wasn’t a full time 9 to 5 job, I still missed out on the full experience of being at home with my children. I was always thinking about a bank deposit or wondering if I needed to go in to return phone calls or when I was going to make it to Wal-Mart to buy more paper towels. It was a full time brain load.

It’s been a good, long run. Now I’m moving on.

This is my first week of being at home and I am loving it. It’s noticeably different to me. I wasn’t sure how I’d feel. Sad? Anxious? Happy? I had no idea what to expect. My last day was weird. I was at the school all day (as I had been all week) I finished up what I was working on and said I was leaving. I looked around at all of the things that still needed to be done and it felt strange to leave and know I wasn’t coming back on Monday to work again. I felt like I was leaving a mess, things undone. Well, I was really…but not in a bad way. They are preparing for the upcoming school year and have about a month’s worth of work left to do to get ready. So I finished my tasks, actually hung around about an hour after I said I was leaving because it felt so weird to leave, then finally I packed up my crew for the last time as a music school employee and went home.

I noticed it on Sunday night as I talked to my sister about a birthday party for my mom the next day. I realized that I didn’t have to call anyone and see what I need to take care of before I left or drop in to check messages or feel guilty because I really should be updating the website or passing out flyers for the upcoming semester. Nope. None of it. I just got to leave. Oh, what I feeling! What a glorious feeling!

I have been thinking a lot about this SAHM thing. As I was putting the 285^th load of laundry in the washer this morning I wondered why I want to do this. Why is this so important to me? I don’t have an answer yet except that it’s a desire that God has built into me…women…mothers. I am so grateful and hopeful that God will bless us and supplement my income in new and exciting ways. (more on that in a later post)

I just finished reading “For the Children’s Sake” by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay. I read it on several recommendations and it’s wonderful. This passage was very thought provoking for me.

Cops and robbers. Mud pies. Scratches from climbing trees. Adventures on tricycles. One child stares at an ant carrying a crumb, and a few others start a club in a garage.

Certain factors encourage play. It is often easier home-based than institutional-based. There should be space, and lots of free time. Children need to be outdoors (for hours). They need to make noise, mess, and to have access to raw materials (old clothes for costumes, hats, tables to turn into camp, etc., etc.). They need privacy from intruding adults, but the need interested support in quarrels, thinking of another way around a problem, providing food, and, at the end, bringing the children tactfully back into the world where supper is ready, the camp has to be packed up, children are tired and ready for the soothing routine of evening stories.

Grown-ups need time if their life is to support this kind of play. The children have to matter more than the furniture (but children don’t mind at all sticking to the boundaries). This means saying no to too many time –consuming activities both for adults and children. It means welcoming their friends, and sympathetically diverting others who will “spoil our game. We just got to the good part” (said with feeling as a destructive two-year-old blundered into the “camp”).

Doesn’t that sound dreamy? I want my life to support this kind of play. The thought of not working was a little scary at first. The more John and I thought about it and talked about the kind of childhood we want our boys to have, it only made sense to be a full time, home school mom. Don’t worry, I know every day is not going to be cherries and lemonade but I am excited to see the wonderful, educational, and fun memories we get to make together. Wednesday night at dinner (after a long day of playing at the swimming pool) Jay was talking about the kids he is going to have one day (he does that a lot) and he said that he’ll teach his boys to wrestle the way daddy wrestles with him when it’s time for bed. He’ll say “my dad taught me this and now I’m going to teach you.” I asked him what he will say about me and he said “that you like me a lot.” It’s true…I do! I want more memories like these! I just love it! Don’t you just love making memories with these amazing little people that have been given to us? I’m constantly amazed…I love it. Truly.

The Creativity Crisis

2010-08-01T18:16:00.000-05:00

This is a very interesting article.

The Creativity Crisis - Newsweek

ABC Memory Book

2010-07-30T13:34:00.000-05:00

Whatever you write on the heart of a child
No water can wash it away.
The marks in the sands are erased by the tide.
Inscriptions will crumble with clay.
The words in a book will decay with the years
And even engraving in stone disappears.
But God's Word inscribed on a child's heart
For time and eternity, shall not depart.

(From "A Word to the Parents" in the ABC Memory Book)

John's mom has been going through her books, papers, and closets and passing down things she doesn't need anymore. I have received some wonderful things from her! One of the best so far is the ABC Memory Book. I really love it. I remember seeing this book in the children's bathroom with John and I were engaged. It's great to now use it with my boys.

We started with A this week and the boys like to sing the verses. This week is "All we like sheep have gone astray" Isaiah 53:6. The book is for ages 3-6 and it's in 3 stages. They start with just part of the verse (the black words) and memorize more as they get older (the blue words and reference) and then 2 verses per week in the third stage. One thing they require is memorizing each verse word for word, including little words. I usually let Hunter get away with mispronouncing a word or using the wrong word and I realize he's capable of more and I need to encourage growth in this area. I'm working on building my school year plans and this book will be up there on the "to do list" each day.

Sweet Home Alabama-our trip in pictures part 2

2010-07-21T11:24:00.000-05:00

mama and papa's amazing garden. we ate fresh garden veggies every day. (along with pop tarts and coco puffs...hey, it's once a year!)

frolicking in the garden

late night catch. yep, jay caught it himself!

Aunt Cecile's steel pans were hours of noisy fun.

Sweet Home Alabama - our trip in pictures part 1

2010-07-19T19:46:00.000-05:00

Family Tradition: Krystal Burgers
As long as we drive to Alabama we will stop for Krystal...

On the boat

Building a fort

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the backseat

2010-07-15T13:33:00.000-05:00

precious....

A Toad-ally Cool Friend

2010-06-23T09:00:00.000-05:00

We have a big tree in front of our house that houses Kermit the Toad. He hides in the hole all day and hops out onto the tree to sit and wait for dinner. The boys think he is so cool! Surprisingly, so do I. I have always had a huge fear/dislike for them but I have grown fond of our Kermit. We look in his hole as we walk by the tree and sit and watch him when we are outside playing. He's a toad-ally cool guy!

Gettin' Dirty!

2010-06-19T17:14:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday John and the boys harvested some potatoes from our garden. They had a blast and were filthy by the time they were finished. It doesn't get much better than this....