Ten things

I was "tagged" by two of my mommy blogging buddies, Jennifer (Mama with a Mission) and Lindsay L. (Because He Gave)... so here are ten probably not so interesting but none the less little known facts about me.

1. My family is most often served grass fed beef and was long before Food Inc. came out.

2. Even after three children I'm a little nervous about the upcoming labor of baby #4 in just 86 days or less....

3. I think my husband is one of the funniest people ever and I sometimes wonder what I did for laughter before I met him.

4. We watch about one hour a week of television in this house... unless it's football season and you can count us in for three to four hours based on how long the Cowboy game is.

5. I'm completely smitten with each of my children.... I think they are AMAZING.... and you wonder why we keep having more! =)

6. I'm passionate about being a good mother but I REFUSE to be rigid and obsessive about the details. I'd rather just enjoy my children.... time flies by.

7. I really really really like a clean house... I mean really!

8. I think my parents are amazing and I'm so proud to say I have parents who are about to have FORTY years of happy marriage this December!!!!

9. I miss my brother and wish he and his wife and baby (as of Sept.) lived closer!!!

10. I wish everyone liked the name Rivers as much as we do!! =)

New home

Well after nearly two weeks off the internet we are finally up and running. We had some complications with the first guy who came from Verizon and today was the first day they could get back here. So, we now have our super fast fios back... YAY!!

It has been a total whirlwind since moving day and I will write about that in the next post but as of today all boxes are unpacked, pictures hung, house is actually neat and tidy, older children are playing quietly upstairs, baby is napping and I'm cooking my first meal here as I write! So, just as quickly as the moving process started, it is over and we are all settled in. THANK YOU LORD!!

Until I post about moving day and I'm going to put some pictures up that I've taken over the last few days. Granna, I know you will love these! Most of these are of the girls playing in the new back yard picking wildflowers and by our pond... oh and the wildflowers on our kitchen table are the ones Anna picked for me. She pics me a fresh batch each day for the table. Ben is so busy exploring all the new things but as you can see he still loves trying to get in the same entertainment center he has been trying to get in for several months now.... all the new surroundings and he still is determined to get in that cabinet! =)

I've never had so much fun as I'm having on these two gorgeous acres with these three amazing children and one most incredible guy!!

It's moving day...

The movers arrive this afternoon to help us start a new chapter in our lives. Last night with dishes half packed in boxes all over my counters, I sat in our kitchen after dinner when everyone was out of the room I could see little replays in my mind of evenings we had spent in there. I could see extended family enjoying holiday feasts. I could see Jimmy making Saturday morning pancakes. I could see dinner parties with friends. But then it happened, I could see Anna toddling in for breakfast not even two years old and the little bit of hair she had all wild on her head and I cried my eyes out. =)

I knew it was coming I just didn't know when. Leaving a place you have formed so many memories is bound to cause a shedding of at least a few tears and it did. Jimmy walked in talking about something and took one look at my wet face and said sympathetically, "oh no, is this the gonna miss my first house cry?" I could only nod and he just laughed and hugged me. We talked about our favorite memories from the house and then suddenly as quickly as it hit me, I felt a thousand times better and we resumed our packing a preparation for this long awaited day.

This will be an emotional weekend for us all BUT, not just sad ones. We also have ones of sheer joy to as we begin to form new memories at our new home! We have so much to be grateful for at our new house... mainly TWO wonderful acres for our FOUR wonderful children to run and play on! This is a good thing!!

Now if I can just find the energy to pull this move off.... we'll see about that one! =)

My perfect husband and our perfect marriage...

Ok, ok so you are sensing that I might be stretching the truth a little with my title there? What???.... you don't think Jimmy and I experience pure bliss all the time?? =)

It seems there have been those who don't think I am giving the whole story when I talk about how much my husband and I love each other and how happy we are together.... see previous post "Six years ago yesterday". Here are my thoughts and response to the happy marriage naysayers....

Jimmy and I are incredibly happy together. We love each other very deeply and with a strong love that can't be shaken.... BUT, we have had our trials. There have been lots of things that have been difficult and times we have both wanted to tell the other one to get lost. Going through hard times is part of life and going through hard times in marriage is part of it too. How does that saying go? "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger". That could easily be said of our marriage. We have experienced lots of ups and downs but let me tell you for Jimmy and I both, that love and forgiveness go a long way. Laughter and joy in the midst of trial. Looking at the bright side and NOT dwelling on the bad stuff. Hard times and trials are short lived in the grand scheme of things. Our marriage is forever, we choose to be happy and love no matter what.

By the way, do I get it right every day and just walk around with a giant smile on my face and ignore the reality right in front of me? Of course not. I've had pity parties. I've screamed and yelled. I've said unkind things I don't mean... BUT, I'm learning. I'm learning as I go that if I choose a joyful attitude and love in the midst of struggle and trial and hard times that when it's all over I can hold my head high and walk with dignity knowing I didn't stoop to saying or doing things I will regret. This blog is the perfect example... I'm not going to get on here and spew my personal and very private experiences for the purpose of airing my feelings. There are just some things that need to be left unsaid to the rest of the world that are sacred between my husband and I. It's called discretion!

So, for those who think my blog is too sappy sweet about my relationship with Jimmy, and that I'm not painting a truthful picture, please know that is not the intent. My blog is to record the joy of motherhood and the changes it has brought in my life. My husband plays a huge roll in my joy in motherhood and in marriage. I'm not going to use this blog to tell about our latest argument or fight. Am I trying to hide the truth? No, because you know we are human so you must know we have the same problems every other human has right?

Bottom line though, we are very much in love and incredibly happy together! I'm very blessed to have a husband who is selfless in so many ways and despite his shortcomings or mistakes he has made I see a man who is learning and growing and understands what is really important in life. Gotta love him!!!

Ben

It seems all my children at this age LOVE to crawl into the inside of these barstools and push them around the kitchen. Ben was trying to stand up inside it but was too tall. He was laughing because he kept having to drop back down on his knees cause he couldn't stand up! He thought it was hilarious... we did too!!

Cinderella

Saturday night Anna and I went to see Cinderella with my best friend from high school Lindsay and her daughter Reese. Our high school (Lake Country Christian School) was performing the Rogers and Hammerstein version of Cinderella at the Scott Theatre in Fort Worth so we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to take our girls to see a real musical in a slightly relaxed environment. We had a lovely time! Anna and Reese dressed in their princess dresses and loved every minute of it!

Jimmy watched the two little ones at home and poor Serene woke up at about 8:00 from a long nap (don't ask why she was napping so late) and was hysterical for mommy and Anna). So Jimmy packed Serene and Ben up in the car and Anna and I met them at IHOP after the show for pancakes!! This is what I love about our little family.... we don't really do things by the book but we build so many fun memories in the mean time! We were the only people at IHOP on Saturday night with three children and two of them with big fat smiley face chocolate chip pancakes! Honestly, Cinderella was fun but sitting at IHOP watching the girls laugh and giggle as they ate their pancakes, watching Ben devour his first pancake and having a lovely conversation with my amazing husband was MUCH better!!!

(sorry no pics from IHOP... guess I was enjoying myself too much to take the time to get pics!)

Granola

It seems like about every two weeks I'm back in the kitchen making this granola. I try not to feed the children any boxed cereal since it is so bad for you (read over processed). So, I make my own granola that they can eat as cereal. They love it and I feel good about giving them something I made and I know is good for them... it's a win win!! Added bonus, Jimmy LOVES it... which is probably why I have to make two more batches every two weeks! =) Granola is so easy for breakfast... especially when the children don't want oatmeal right now as the weather is getting warmer.

So as far as recipe goes... well I just use what I have in my cabinets at the time with a base of oats.

Oats with:
sunflower seeds
unsweetened coconut
almonds
raisins
sesame seeds
walnuts
pecans
ETC, ETC!!

I usually add a little cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla for spice and raw honey for sweetness (raisins help the sweetness too)! Stir in some butter or coconut oil, bake at 300 for 25 minutes, let set for an hour or so to dry out good and there you have it... Granola!

Six years ago yesterday...

Six years ago yesterday my life was changed FOREVER! Jimmy and I sat quietly at a park a few minutes from his apartment and tried to eat some Sonic for lunch. A pregnancy test from CVS sat in Jimmy's black BMW waiting for us. We knew it was there and knew that going back to his apartment meant taking it so we stalled. After a bite here and there and sporadic conversation we left. At his apartment I took the test and then just went and laid on the bed. He wouldn't let me look, so after a few minutes he came back with a hard to discern look on his face. I could not for the life of me figure out if the look said "pregnant or not pregnant", "one pink line or two pink lines".... Well long story short, I never saw the test but I can hear the results playing in the backyard as I type this. She is an incredible five year old who has no idea that the day her mommy and daddy found out she was on the way we were stunned and shocked yet somehow calm and peaceful knowing life had just thrown them a huge curve ball that would seal their relationship forever.

Jimmy and I had only dated a short time when Anna was on the way but I can tell you this, you won't often find two people as madly in love, as passionate for the same things and as best of friends as some who have dated for years. Take tonight for instance Jimmy is at his class for the CFA... and I miss him so much. I miss that we didn't get to have our usual dinner together and talk and tell each other about our days and laugh as the children entertain us. I miss not getting to sit here with him right now making plans for the weekend and watching the children play in the backyard. I've already gotten at least six phone calls from him at work and on the way to class just to talk and tell me he misses me and can't wait to be home. When someone is your best friend, you never run out of something to talk about and laugh about and just enjoy life with. That is why we both had peace that day six years ago. We LOVED being around each other and now suddenly we were gonna be around each other a LOT more! =)

So here we sit, six years later, four children later... that's a lot of children for six years... =) and happier now than we even thought possible back then. I remember when Jimmy and I married on May 7, 2004, he asked me if I thought it was possible to be any happier or more in love than we were that day? I didn't think it was but I was wrong. We have a deeper stronger love than ever.

Oh and as for the results of the test. She just ran in asking for a kiss on her finger that she smashed on the swing set. Then after a kiss she hugged me and told me she loved me and ran back out again. Life is full of sweet surprises!

Easter 2010

We had a wonderful Easter Sunday this year! It was a beautiful day to celebrate what Easter is all about!!

Anna decided to go swimming while the little ones were napping... I had to get a picture because I am pretty sure this is the earliest anyone has been swimming in my parents pool! She was cold but she swam for a good 30 minutes or so. Better her than me!! =)

Yes, I know Ben's face is a mess... he didn't care! =)

Please pray for this family

This is the cousin of a good friend of mine and they lost their sweet newborn baby today who was born with a heart defect. PLEASE pray for them as they walk through this incredibly difficult time.

http://www.thealbusfamily.blogspot.com/