Menu Plan Monday

This is Dave, aka "a man's man", hiking up Diamond Head carrying 2 kiddos. :)



Breakfasts
Cereal
Granola Bars
Homemade Yogurt with Granola (Si likes it with a spoonful of all fruit jam mixed in)
Egg Casserole and Waffles - Saturday Morning

Lunches
Leftover Chili, Grapes
Almond Butter & Honey Sandwiches on Ezekial 4:9 Bread, Celementines
Smoothies with Flax, Frozen Berries, and Spinach
Brett's Salad
Tacos with Fried Corn Tortillas

Dinners
Comfort Meatballs, Baked Potatoes, Green Beans (didn't get to this meal last week) - This is a Pioneer Woman recipe from her book. They turned out very yummy!
Homemade Pizza with Mozzarella, Tomatoes, Olives, Onions, Artichokes, and Mushrooms (Dough is in the freezer from last week)
Baked Dijon Salmon, Broccoli Spears, Crusty Bread and Dipping Oil - not a new recipe to us, but definitely a favorite!
Cauliflower Soup, Artisan Bread
Mini Cheddar Meatloaves, Roasted Potatoes, Green Beans
Leftover Cowboy Calzones (in freezer)
Spicy Shrimp, Baked Potatoes, Salad, Crusty Bread, Carrot Cake - yum!


View from the top of Diamond Head

Menu Plan Monday

Still cookin' through the ol' PW cookbook...

Breakfasts
Leftover Pancakes (from the freezer), Real Maple Syrup
Koinonia Granola and Homemade Yogurt - these are both amazing!!
Granola Bars
Kashi Cereal

Lunches
Black Bean Quesadillas, Carrot Sticks, Green Grapes - a family fave, we just throw 2 buttered tortillas on the electric skillet, with black beans and cheese in between. So good with salsa and sour cream.

Leftovers from the Weekend :)

Brown Rice and Lentil Taco Salad - We really liked this! It was so nice to just throw this in the oven before I went to pick E up from school, and lunch was ready when we got home! Dave laughed and said, "Where's the meat? Can't a guy get any meat around here?" :) No worries! He is getting some tonight! We are just trying to eat grass fed meat right now, and with that extra expense, we're experimenting with some non-meat meals too. Anyway, I served this with blue chips, black beans, sour cream, salsa, and guacamole. Yum!!!

Sack Lunches/Moms Day Out
Leftovers
Egg Casserole, Waffles, Smoothies - Sat. Brunch

Dinner
Pesto Pizza with Mozzarella, Tomatoes, Olives, Onions, Artichokes, and Mushrooms, Green Beans - We've had this many times, and always love it. It's PW's pizza crust recipe, which is only in her book. It is so amazingly easy and it makes a delicious thin crusted pizza. You could do any toppings, obviously, but I tend to make this on the nights we're going vegetarian. :)

Migas, Orange Slices, Ezekial 4:9 Cinnamon Raisin Toast - The Migas were so, so good! They reminded us of being in Mexico - we had variations of this dish every morning when we vacationed there with Doug and Sonja 5 years ago. Dave and I put tabasco on our Migas (I left out the jalapenos, for the kids sakes). The kids weren't completely sure about eating the sweet peppers at first, they were kinda trying to eat around them. But we made them eat them, and I think it was just a texture issue, since they are used to eating plain scrambled eggs. Clare loved them. :)

Cowboy Calzones (a PW cookbook exclusive, apparently), Carrot Sticks - These were great! It made enough for our family for 2 meals, so I just froze the rest of them after I baked them. The kids really liked these. The only complaint I have about this meal was that it was a tad time-consuming for a busy night (prayer meeting night!), but I probably just picked the wrong night to make them. :)

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup, Carrot Cake for Bible Study - Bible Study was canceled, so Dave gave me the evening off from cooking and took the kids to Chick-fila for their family night. We'll have this meal sometime soon, I'm sure. It's become a staple around here. :)

Date Night
Enchiladas, Chips and Salsa
Comfort Meatballs, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Salad

Golden Birthday

6 years ago Dave and I brought our first little baby boy home from the hospital. Ethan Brooks, with his scrawny legs and fluff of white blond hair. He made this little squeaking noise when he was asleep - it was the cutest thing. And I can still remember that car trip home. It was January, but it felt more like April or May, the way the sun was shining. I kept looking back at his little car seat in the back of the Mazda. As if to make sure it was all really happening to us. It just felt so surreal, to be a parent. For life to change that much all in one day.

6 years later, and I just can't imagine what life would be like without our children! The 3 the Lord has given us to raise have blessed our lives in so many ways. I am continually reminded of what a privilege it is to have them with us.

Ethan, as our firstborn, makes us most aware of the quickly passing years, I think. It seems like I was just holding him in my arms, bouncing him because he'd cry every time I stopped, but I guess not, because he started kindergarten this year. He comes home from class with "fish slips" now for showing kindness to other classmates. But I remember when he was two and knocked over every kid in sight! Tim Gallagher even gave him a nickname...Bruiser, I think it was...I was a little worried that he was going to be a bully for life!

He turned 6 this year, and he was very excited because it was his golden birthday, you know. 6 on the sixth of January. I'm not exactly sure what that means, but to him, it was extra special. And he thought and thought about what he wanted to do for his birthday, how he wanted to celebrate with his friends. My sister had superhero capes made for the boys for Christmas, and somehow, that eventually evolved into us throwing a superhero birthday party for him. He was just over. the. moon. about it. He had lots and lots of plans. :)

We invited a few friends from Sunday School, soccer, and school, and his cousin too. This is what his invitation said:

Calling all SUPER Friends! You're urgently needed for a Birthday Bash! Come join us for a Super Hero Training Camp to celebrate Ethan's 6th birthday.

We here at the CRIME FIGHTING SUPER HERO LEAGUE have noticed you and your special skills. Skills that are necessary and vital to crime fighters. Do you think you have what it takes to be a Super Hero or Heroine? Ethan seems to think so. He has invited you to our SUPER SECRET SUPER HERO TRAINING FACILITY at the Everhart's. Training begins at 2 pm on the ninth day of January. No uniform required - it will be provided when you get here! Becoming a Super Hero is not for everyone, but it could be for you. We hope you decide to become a part of the...CRIME FIGHTING SUPER HERO LEAGUE.

Dave and I made capes and masks earlier in the week for all the kids, but when they got here we had a table with art supplies so they could decorate arm bands with stickers, sequins, and glitter. Superheros must have accessories, you know!










The birthday boy!




I just love the hat head these two have going on!







Abby Grace wore her mask to church the next day. Her mom said no, or she would have worn the cape too. :)




Next we went down to the basement for the *real* superhero training to begin. Each kid got a training manual with a page for each essential superhero skill: speed, agility, and marksmanship. If they passed each skill, they would become superheros. (They all took this totally seriously...cracked me up!)



The first event was a speed relay - they had to change into work clothes, and then when they heard someone in distress, change into their superhero costume and coming running to their aid. (The person in distress ended up being Dan Billon, one of Dave's college roommates, whose son Isaac played on E's soccer team. Dan was totally hamming it up for the kids! :)



Next the kids bowled for villains (water bottles with pics of famous cartoon villains on them - didn't get a picture of this). The kids LOVED this and it cost $0.

The final game was to test their aim. Dave drew some skyscrapers on brown paper and taped pics of Darth Vader, the Green Goblin, Captain Hook, the bad guy from Up, etc...in windows. And we broke out the box of nerf guns, so they had their weapon of choice! (We have way too many of those things :).



After they were done, we put stickers on each page of their manuals declared them all superheros. Then I told them I needed their help. A villain was on the loose in our house, and he had threatened to steal the birthday cake. I needed them to track him down with their skills and keep him from ruining the party.

Meanwhile Dave (aka, Mr. X) slipped out. :)

The kids followed hidden clues all over the house until they finally arrived back in the basement where Mr. X had covered the floor with black bombs (balloons). They had been told in the clues that they had to jump on the bombs to diffuse them, but to make sure NOT to jump on the green ones (those ones were kryptonite and would make them loose their powers).




They all passed!




Opening presents with friends - lots of silliness going on! :)




Andrew is his sweet friend from school.




All the kids tried to be in this shot - I love all their different expressions.




Grandma and the birthday boy. He loves the game you gave him! :)








Happy birthday, big boy!




We're very thankful for another year with Ethan. This last one has been a good one - we've seen him mature a lot and start to take on some responsibilities at home. He often asks to help us or asks for chores that he can do. He is learning to find the joy in serving. Love that! Ethan made a profession of salvation a couple months after he turned 5, and he seems to be growing in his knowledge and desire to live for the Lord. As a parent, it just thrills your heart to see your little one pouring over the pages of the Bible!

Most of all, we are just so thankful for a loving heavenly Father who loves Ethan more than we do. There is so much peace in knowing that it is not all up to us! The Lord is orchestrating the events in Ethan's life to grow him into the man He wants him to be...for His glory! We can try to faithfully raise him, by God's grace, but we know the Lord's pull on his heart will be far greater than any words we ever say.

So we just pray that his heart will stay tender to the Lord every year he grows older. Love you, honey!

Menu Plan Monday

Breakfasts
Koinonia Granola
Homemade Yogurt
Oatmeal

Lunches
Grilled Cheese
Salads
Leftovers

Dinners
Lentils and Brown Rice Soup, Crusty Bread
Mediterranean Herb Pizza, Broccoli
Cauliflower Soup (yum! could not get enough of this Friday night at the Blooms!)
Leftovers, Spicy Molasses Cookies for Bible Study
Homemade Mac 'n' Cheese, Fruit Salad, Green Beans, Icecream
Tacos
Chili and Cinnamon Rolls

Name that waterfall...

Waimea Falls...look familiar to anyone? That's a very famous pool to some of us who watch Lost. Bonus points if you can remember what Jack and Kate found at the bottom!



Beautiful walk through the park to get there.



Lots of gorgeous flowers (wishing I had a better lens!)



Family shot before we all jumped in! (sans Clare, of course)



Content to sit in the stroller and watch.



Happy little cousins.



Can't believe 2 1/2 weeks ago we were walking around Hawaii! Seems impossible. We came home to temps in the single digits and lots of snow. The Blizzard of '09. It's been a crazy winter so far.

I want to go back!

Menu Plan Monday

Dave bought me this for Christmas (actually we didn't exchange gifts this year, but he bought it for my stocking, assuming it would fit. It didn't.) But I am so happy to have it...and I think I'll try some of the recipes out this week!


Homemade Pizza with Italian Sausage, Mushrooms, Red Onions, Tomatoes, Olives, Feta, Mozzarella Cheese (had this tonight - yum! The recipe in her book is just for the dough. The toppings were just what we had on hand :)

Seasoned Roast, Baked Potatoes, Fancy Green Beans

Marlboro Man Sandwiches, PW Mac 'n' Cheese, Brett's Salad, Mocha Brownies

Spinach & Artichoke Dip and Chips, Bowl of Grapes (New Year's Eve Party)

Date Night!

Spinach Quiche, Tomato, Onion & Cucumber Salad with Balsamic Dressing, Crusty Bread

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Sherried Tomato Soup, Brett's Salad, Spicy Molasses Cookies

Evening hike up Lighthouse Road

We spent our first day at the beach, recovering from the 10 hour flight the day before. There was a 4 hour time change too, so the kids were up before the sun was. We really can't complain though...they did amazingly well on the plane, beyond our expectations, really...and besides, Dave got a chance to take some great shots at sunrise.

We stayed at Bellows Air Force Base on the eastern shore. The little military cabins there kinda reminded us of the housing quarters that The Others had (for all you Lost fans, out there). Cream colored little boxes, scattered along the beach. It was so nice to be so close to the water! We could easily nap babies when they needed it, without having to plan ahead too much. Made for a very relaxing time!

That first evening Michael suggested we go for a hike. I'm so glad he came on this trip - otherwise, I'm pretty sure I would have stayed on the beach the entire 8 days. :) But he kept us moving, and a lot of the activities he suggested ended up being my favorite stuff of the whole vacation.

On the southeastern tip of Oahu was a paved trail leading up onto a cliff with a beautiful ocean lookout. We hiked for a half hour or so to end up with this view.









"Cousins!"

Austin yelled this every time we met up with them, even if we had only been apart for a few minutes.




Sunset over the mountains.




Sweet daddies who carted these 2 all over the island.




And a sister that I don't get to see nearly enough of...



...made for a wonderful day.

Sunrise in Hawaii

We just got back from an amazing family vacation at Bellows Air Force Base on Oahu. The whole week was a display of the beauty and creativity of God - it is so beautiful there!

Tiny vantage point

Christmas photo - check! I love having a photographer for a dad!

Right now, it's quiet time in our house - the youngest 2 are napping, and I can hear Ethan's soft voice as he reads aloud on my bed. Cracks me up how he can't read silently yet! Today was library day at school, and that means new books to read!!! I so hope his love for reading continues.

I thought about taking a nap too, but this morning's passage has been on my heart, begging to be written down. I love how God's Word pierces sometimes...

Been thinking about how a right perspective enables me to give thanks in all things, all the time.

Hebrews 13 was in my reading this morning:

"For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come. Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name."
Hebrews 13:14-15 (emphasis mine)

Continually? I was so convicted by that word today...does that really mean in everything? the mundane tasks (the kitchen floor that needs to be cleaned again and again), the difficult seasons (a child who does not want obey), the strained relationships, the pain and sadness of life, death - can I honestly give thanks in these things, Lord?

Even hard things can be a platform where I can stand in humble appreciation of the One who suffered outside the gate for me (v.12 - love this verse!). He suffered so that I can be set apart for Him, so that my life can have eternal significance!

This world is not my home. I am seeking a city which is to come.

That's really it, isn't it?? All of the joys and sorrows of life have deeper meaning than what I see on the surface. Reminds me of the chorus in Andrew Peterson's song about heaven...

There is more
More than all this pain
More than all the falling down
And the getting up again
There is more
More than we can see
From our tiny vantage point
In this vast eternity
There is more

Oh, Lord, help me tie all these things together in my mind! Give me Your perspective, so I can teach my children how to live this way too. As those who are seeking a city which is to come...

Menu Plan Monday

Breakfasts
Cereal x2
Banana bread
Pumpkin bread
Muffins from freezer
Eggs & Bacon, Toast

Lunches
Grilled cheese
PB&J
Quesadillas
Leftovers

Dinners
Hot Dogs & Grapes (for kids), Date Night In with the Man :)
Rigatoni with White Wine Tomato Sauce, Broccoli,
Pancakes & Smoothies
Hearty Beef and Noodles, Rolls
Pizza, fruit, and cookies (Blooms here)
Lasagna, Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole, Caesar Salad, Rolls, Brownies and Icecream

Clare, 6 months

My sweet Clare turned 6 months a couple weeks ago! She is officially out of that tiny baby stage, which makes me a little sad! Here's a little update on what she's doing these days...

• The big news is, she is crawling!!! All. over. the. place. She is a crazy woman! And very proud of her new skill.
• As soon as she learned to crawl (which was last week, I think) she started sitting up without help. Now she goes from laying down to crawling to sitting. Which means, it is time to lower the crib, wouldn't you say???
  
• She got her first 2 teeth this month, the bottom ones.
  
• She loves to eat! Her favorites are bananas, applesauce, and those Gerber wagon wheels.
• She is no longer quiet in church. (Sad) She has found her voice!
• She's saying lots of consonants - ma-ma, da-da, ba-ba
  
• She nurses during the day, but takes a bottle before bed. And sleeps all night! Clare has been my best sleeper, I think.
• Last month at the doctor's office she was 17 lbs, 10 0z. Look at those thighs!
  

FD No. 4 and thoughts on growing up

Last week Ethan's class went on a field trip, and Clare and I got to go along! Both kindergarten classes walked down the road to the fire station, because they were studying the letter "F" that week. And it was a beautiful, fall day, so there were lots of leaves to crunch underfoot on the way. So fun!





I just love being able to be involved in Ethan's class, and to see him in this element. It is so encouraging to me to see him grow up and behave well in a setting outside our home. I mean, he has mostly been here, with me, for his first 5 years of life...and sometimes when you're in the midst of raising little ones, it's hard to see the fruit of all your labor. Especially when the 3 year old brother has a bad day, and mom feels like pulling her hair out... :) I really just need to take the time to reflect, I guess.




Days like this remind me of how important it is to keep going. To continue on at home with these little ones. I would have never thought a kid as hyper and crazy as Ethan Brooks could sit still at a desk or stand in a line, especially at 5! (I love this kid, but he is nothing, if not crazy wild!) But he can sit still and listen well - I have seen him with my own eyes...and it just amazes me, to be perfectly honest. :)





His teacher told me at our Parent-Teacher conference that Ethan has never given her a moment's trouble. How can this be???? She assured me it was true, that she would tell me if it were otherwise, but that he is very responsive to her authority in the classroom, that he is quick and happy to obey. Oh my goodness, gracious, could there be sweeter words to a mother's ears??? Thank you, Lord, for letting something sink in!

And he is doing great academically, but she went on and on about his knowledge of the Word of God and his scripture memory. I love that! (Have I mentioned we love his school???) At the end of our time together, she said, "Ethan is a very special boy, and I cannot wait to see what the Lord does with his life. I want to go to his wedding someday, because I just know the Lord is preparing a very special bride for him."





I just love his teacher! She is very strict with her class, but very loving as well. When she says it, she means it - I've seen her dole out discipline - but she is quick to appreciate the good character she sees too. The perfect combination for a kindergarten teacher, I think! (and for a mom too)






Every chance she gets, she steals Clare from me. :) I think she is hoping for some grandchildren of her own in the somewhat near future. Mom, she just adores the hats you've made for Clare!










We've been so encouraged by the growth in Ethan's life this year - so glad to see his heart tender to the things of God. The other night at dinner, he asked Dave when he'd be old enough to pray at the prayer meeting. That encouraged us! It is such a joy to see him read and enjoy his Bible... not so very long ago, he was just a wiggly, rowdy toddler that we could hardly keep still at church, and now he is beginning to desire to be involved. Lord, keep his heart soft toward You!

















Ethan's whole kindergarten class, minus one. Sporting their Very Hungry Caterpillar t's - the theme of their classroom this year.





I just love my little kindergartner - and the joy he finds in learning, the exuberance for life he has. Every day when I pick him up from school, he jumps in the car and asks, "What exciting thing are we doing today, Mom?" Cracks me up... for Ethan, life is just one party to the next. :)