Be my Valentine

My forever Valentine!

Easily Chris’ least favorite day of the year. We don’t really celebrate except going out for dinner sometime that week, never on the 14th!

Care packages for the college girls

10 things I love about you!

You love Jesus

You call home

You give good hugs

You are honest

You love coffee

You can talk to anyone

You come home

You share your emotions

You are low maintenance 

You are a good communicator

You love cookies

You love Jesus

You are a hard worker

You are funny

You come home

You are caring 

You are humble

You are adventurous

You are loyal

You are a deep thinker

Olivia and I made this little rag heart for my office. It was cheap easy and fun. 

 

Valentine's Day

If there is a reason to celebrate, I'm all over it. I would celebrate Boxing Day if I knew what to do. Let's be realistic, I don't even have the gloves. (just kidding.) Chris calls Valentine's Day a Hallmark holiday, to create revenue and make men all over feel inadequate. Truly, in one quick click social media can ruin the beautifully hand written note when compared to a gorgeous vase of flowers and a pair of diamond earrings but only if you let it. TBH (text lingo for to be honest) I prefer the heartfelt note. Back to valentines day in our home. It's conference week in our school district which means the man I love is at school from 6:30am - 8:30pm. Looking for the silver lining, we won't have to make reservations to go out for dinner. 

This morning the girls woke up to this sign and bouquet of Lindt chocolate flowers. (the flowers didn't turn out as cute as I had hoped so there won't be a close up photo) My hope is that while they are still a little grumpy about waking up so early they will slowly focus their eyes to see something cheerful and know their mom wants them to have a great day.

This is the last Valentine's Day box I will ever have to make. Yes, I am crafty and once we get started it is a fun process but I always dread it. This year I dreamt of wrapping the Nike shoe box in red wrapping paper, drawing a heart and calling it good...and then I looked into my sweet baby girl's eyes and knew that wasn't going to happen. Liv did a great job making Elle the Valentine's box.

What did I find this morning? My girls bought flowers. Aww, this brings me to tears. It's not the flowers, it's that they thought of me and then went out of their way to do something that they knew I would love. My hope for my children is that the love of Jesus would inspire them to pour out love on others. We live in such a consumer driven world where we constantly think about ourselves so much, there's hardly time to think of others. Breaking that cycle is crucial. Great job Emma, Reagan and Olivia! Another thoughtful person in my life is my mother-in-law. Linda knew she would not see us this week so she brought over valentines last week.

(side note: I combined Emma's Bday flowers with my VDay flowers)

 I have a date with 5 baskets of clean laundry. Don't be jealous! I'm not posting this so that you will feel bad about yourself or struggle with social media induced depression. I know it's not fair that I am so blessed to do this much laundry (and more). The warm cozy feelings I get from folding and putting away clothes will be there all year long.

AND THIS IS THE POEM CHRIS WROTE FOR HIS GIRLS, ALL 4

My Girls

“I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day” doesn’t do justice about the way

I feel about my girls.

My girls are giggles and laughter in the evening around our kitchen table.

They are colorful foliage of fall leaves swirling down from oak and maple.

My girls are a Netflix binge session with the television up too loud.

They are games, concerts and accomplishments that make Dad proud.

My girls are godly for more than just Sunday

In a world that tugs, tries to pull that away

They are sunshine and butterflies, an ocean breeze, a spring rain

A carnival, a rodeo, a thunderstorm, and a hurricane

They are messy rooms and birthday balloons

Wide Christmas eyes and Halloween costumes.

They are creative and genius, they are caring and strong

And can dig their heels in even when they’re wrong.

How does one like me be that lucky to have three caring daughters who cherish each other? Don’t look very far to see where they are is all due to my lovely bride, their amazing mother. Her eyes sparkle, twinkle, and shine with a laugh that lights up a room every time.

She’s involved and sometimes obsessed with helping our girls through failure and success. At times she takes on the role of a teacher, while others require her to be in the mode of preacher.

Oh, we may argue, sometimes disagree, her pink earbuds and my blue megaphone With three active daughters, forget man-to-man, quite often we are playing zone

My other half is the better half, my beau, my sweets, my bride, my wife

She’s my Sunday morning... my lazy afternoon. She is the love of my life.

My brown-eyed girl, as years go by, her by my side is all I desire

And always know, as we grow old, her love stokes this fossil’s fire

So let time pass and slip downstream, each day folded carefully into memory I look forward to days in future’s haze, knowing that it will be you and me. “I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day” doesn’t do justice about the way

I feel about my girl. 

Make February 14th a great day whether you have candy, coffee and laundry or not. Share a joke, a smile or a word of encouragement with someone you know today. You both will benefit.

There's no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends.

John 15:13 NLT

Is It Worth Working On?

Turning 23 years old was a pretty big deal for me. Most people talk about their 21st birthday. Oh, that was a fun celebration but number twenty-three was life changing. My boyfriend and parents were in town the weekend before the big day. We did the normal stuff, dinner and some gifts and I got my hair cut extremely short (more about that later). Oddly enough I don't remember much more about that weekend. The following Wednesday, my actual birthday, I was interrupted at work (Knortz-Snyder Physical Therapy) by the most handsome boy. Chris was in town again to take me out for dinner. Aw, I love surprises (and gifts). We went to a near by steakhouse, The Bum Steer and mid-way through our meal Chris gave me one more gift... a pair of socks. Oh good, I didn't have to take his anymore. However, inside those socks I found a little gray box. Chris got down on one knee, opened that little box from Nebraska Diamond and asked me to marry him. Oh my word, I was floored. Apparently so was the couple next to us. I remember hearing a very feminine male voice say to his boyfriend, "Oh look how sweet that is, I just can't stand it!" Seriously, the biggest day of my life to that point and that guy's comment is cemented into my brain. So weird! 

I said "YES!" Then suddenly I remembered I just chopped my hair all off SUPER short. Geesh, why didn't someone give me a warning? Don't get me wrong, it was cute and fun but not what I wanted my wedding pictures to look like. Seven and a half months later we were at the alter and thank goodness my dress was beautiful because my hair looked terrible. 

That was over eighteen years ago. So much has happened since then. We have owned several houses, many old vehicles, brought 3 delightful children into the world (whom we remind we can take them out too. LOL), taken vacations, earned degrees, owned pets, buried loved ones, faced failures, loved each other, hurt each other and through it all we have relied on God to walk with us every step. I know some of my failures have been a result of forgetting God was with me. I tend to try to do stuff on my own. Why Oh Why am I a slow learner?

The dreaded holiday is quickly approaching. You know the one that reminds single people that they are unloved and those of us in a relationship that someone else gives more thoughtful gifts than our loved one. Ever since the year Chris gave me a teddy bear and kitchen towel set purchased from the convenience store down the street, I have had to change my views on the holiday a little. Chris wants to show his love for me when HE wants to and not when Hallmark tells him to. Okay, I can live with that. This year our celebration will be a month late. We are going to Family Life's: A Weekend to Remember. I can't wait. Thank you Christopher for this thoughtful gift.

Take a few moments to check out the website and look for a location near you. It is worth the money! Click HERE  This is for pre-married, happily married, and struggling married couples.

Blessings to each of you and please leave me a message below.  Thanks

T o d a y ' s  G o o d  W o r d:
For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.
1Peter 1:23 NLT

Teacher Gifts

Using yesterday's recipe for Reese Peanut Butter Bars, I created a tasty little valentine's gift for the girls' teachers.  Turns out, I had so much that I gave it to the janitors, our chiropractor and staff, grandparents and several neighbors.  This snack is super yummy and just as easy to make.  Funny how you make something so easy and people think you are some kind of Betty Crocker.  :)  Even though it's full of sugar this snack is better for you homemade than store bought.  I used organic ingrediants and cut the sugar in half.  Still it was so rich you could eat only one piece. (Chris said he had 5 today.)

Do you know Quinoa?  Are you a fan?  We love quinoa but only because we "doctor" it up.  Quinoa (keen*wa) can be used when ever you would serve rice or pasta.  It is a healthy alternative and delicious.

Using my rice cooker....
1 1/3 cups quinoa
2 cups broth (I used homemade chicken broth to avoid MSG and other yucky stuff in store bought)
I'm not sure how long I cooked it, probably around 35 minutes

In a skillet I lightly sauteed onion, red bell pepper and zuchini. I added garlic, salt, pepper and sweet basil. Do not over cook, veggies should not be mushy. I did mushrooms in a seperate pan so the girls wouldn't complain.

I added all the ingrediants together plus about a cup of leftover black beans

Add a fresh veggie salad and you've got a healthy happy meal.  The girls all loved it.

Love Is In The Air

Happy Valentines Day!

Valentine's Day is a little bitter sweet for me, mostly because I often have unattainable expectations of my amazing husband.  The good thing is that I am fully aware of those expectations.  Poor guy, huh?  So as I prepare for the holiday that says "I love you" with cards and gifts I am trying to figure out what to do for the guy who does not celebrate the holiday.  Remember from previous posts, one of my love languages is gifts so I just have to give Chris something.  Lucky for me, one of Chris' love languages is eating.  (I made that up.)  Since he has a love affair not only with his wife but with peanut butter the girls and I are making these yummy Reese's Peanut Butter Bars for daddy. The recipe is from OurBestBites.com which I found on a new friend's blog, Brandi.


No Bake Reese's Peanut Butter Bars
1 1/2 C graham cracker crumbs
1 lb (3 1/2 C) powdered sugar
1 1/2 C creamy peanut butter
1 C (2 sticks) real butter, melted
1 12oz bag chocolate chips (milk, semi-sweet, or dark, you pick!)
2 tsp shortening (or use more peanut butter)


In a large mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and peanut butter and butter and beat until combined. Press into a parchment (or waxed paper or foil) lined 9x13 pan.

Place chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 30 second intervals, stirring after each one, until melted and smooth. Pour chocolate over peanut butter mixture and spread out evenly. Place pan in the fridge just until chocolate is set and then cut into bars. Tip: If the bars chill until the chocolate is too hard to easily cut, use a sharp knife and score the cuts first, then gently cut through. Can be stored in the fridge or at room temp. They will stay firmer if stored in the fridge.



There are other signs of love in our home and I'm not sure how I feel about it.  Why do kids have to grow up?  There was a day not too long ago that they all had chubby cheeks and nothing brought them more joy than their toys and hugs from mommy and daddy.  *sigh* 

However, the greatest love affair known to man is the one God so generously shares with each of us.  Why can we accept the love of a human who is flawed in so many ways but struggle to accept the free, no strings attached love of the creator who is perfect in every way?  My prayer for you tonight is that if you don't already know that love seek it out or comment on my blog and we can have a private conversation.  You are as precious as gold.

Blessings to each and every one of you visiting my blog today. 
Melanie