the quest…

Hi, my name is Kelly & I’m a Peyton Manning fan.

Before my husband has a heart attack & thinks that I have turned from his beloved Bears, let me clarify…I consider myself a Manning fan, not a Colts fan.  So, I root for the Bears, but at the same time, enjoy it when Manning does well too. 

When the Bears & Colts played each other in the Superbowl a few years back, I was torn!  I wanted the Bears to win, but I also wanted Manning to win a Superbowl.  Whenever people talk about Dan Marino, you hear how he was an amazing quarterback, who set all these incredible records, but never achieved that football crown – Superbowl champ.  I did not want Manning to share in the same story.  There is no way anyone can deny that this guy is one of the best qbs of all time.  So, that year, I cheered for both and was happy for Manning when his team won.

Since Manning was going back to the Superbowl this year (and not playing against the Bears), I asked my husband for the unthinkable…could I buy a Manning jersey to wear for the game?

He was quiet.

I mean, the ONLY team he cheers for is the Bears.

But, he said yes!!!

Even better, he said he would like to buy it for me (WOW!).

Well, Adam spent all last week trying to find a jersey, but the best he could come up with was one that cost $60.

By Friday morning, he passed the baton to me.  He tried, but if I wanted a jersey, then I’d need to find it.

He had one condition…I had to find a jersey for $30.

I spent all of Friday driving around the area trying to find a jersey.  But, the best I did was see one for $85.  Apparently, we here in Chicago only sell Chicago gear and the occasional Packers item.

At that point, my stubbornness & resolve had kicked in – one way or another I was going to get a jersey.

So, I did what any other Manning fan would do…

Friday night, I put the kids in the minivan (Adam was out with some buddies), and drove to Indiana.

That’s right…

I drove to Indiana.

It was there, on a snowy evening, that I completed my quest.

For just over the stateline, in Hammond, IN, was a Walmart which sold Manning jerseys…for $30.***

SCORE!!!

I thought the game was great.  I was disappointed that Manning did not win last night.  But, he does have a Superbowl ring already, so I’m not heartbroken.  And hey, the Saints just one their first Superbowl in their franchise history!

A funny moment from our IN trip:

When I told the kids we were going to Indiana they were soooo excited!

When we got there, they were soooo disappointed!

1.  The kids thought that Indians lived in Indiana.  We didn’t see any Indians.

2.  They couldn’t believe we traveled so far just to go to Walmart.  They had a hard time understanding why we had to drive 1 hour to a Walmart when there is one 5 minutes from our house.

♦♦♦

***Under the guidelines of our agreement, I had to find a jersey for $30.  Gas cost was not factored into this figure.  So, when we add the amount of gas I spent driving to Indiana to the price of my jersey, Adam probably could have bought the $60 jersey & we would have had a wash.  But, then I wouldn’t have a fun story to tell!

bowling

The kids had Tuesday off this week.  I thought we’d try something new, so we went bowling!

I had a wee bit of trouble making it to the alley.  Like, oh…I think I’d say 35 minutes of trouble.  The alley is located right off the expressway, but you have to take a street that winds around toward it.  I kept missing the street.  Yeah, for 35 minutes.

But, make it to the alley we did!  I had a coupon for buy one game get one free, so I got the kids & I two games each.  20 frames is a bit much for a 3 year old, so Grady & I did quite a bit of bowling together.

The first game was cosmic bowling.  Have you ever experienced this?  They turn the lights off in the alley, but the bowling balls illuminate, so it was very cool.

They put the lights back on during our second game because it was league practice time.  So, we were flanked on either side by high school girls who could BOWL.  I found the entire situation quite comical.  In the midst of girls who were bowling turkeys like it was Thanksgiving, was a mom whose goal is to score 100, her three kids with their bumpers & the bowling alley assistant who constantly visited our lane because the boys didn’t always throw roll the ball hard enough to make it all the way down the alley.

Here a couple of random pics from our afternoon…

Ava getting ready to let it fly!

Garrett showing me how strong he is.

Grady was so funny…he’d bowl one frame with his right hand & the next with his left.  I think his fingers are still in bowling-mode!

Garrett loved the foul line.  He start his “walk” all the back by the ball dispenser, run up to the line & literally stop dead in his tracks before plopping the ball down the alley.

He reminds me so much of his Uncle Brandon!  Here he is, dancing after a good roll.

Ava snapped this shot of me.

Awesome afternoon – looking forward to our next game!!!

proverbs 1

We got a new challenge in church yesterday.  The book of Proverbs consists of 31 chapters & there are typically 31 days in a month.  So, we are to read the chapter that corresponds with the day of the month.  Today is February 1st (convenient, eh?), so we are to read Proverbs 1.

My pastor, Dennis, is posting something he learned from the reading each day on his blog & I think that is fantastic!  It not only gives us daily insight, but also lets us participate in the conversation.  Two things hit me this morning from Proverbs 1.  I figured I should only post one on his blog (don’t want to be a comment hog – ha!).  But, I thought I’d post the other one here.

I was struck by verses 8 & 9:

“Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.

They will be a garland to grace your head
and a chain to adorn your neck.”

I pray this for our kids all the time.  Adam & I do the best we can to teach them how to make wise decisions.  Do you remember the show “Dora the Explorer”?  Dora has a backpack that always has whatever item she needs to either solve a problem or get her & her buddy Boots out of a jam.

I like to think of the things we teach our kids in a similar way.  Every time I explain a “why” or whenever I praise or correct a choice they’ve made, it’s like I’m putting another item in their “backpack.”

I only get to hold their hand for a while & it scares me sometimes to think of all the paths they could take that could lead them astray.  I hope they’ll befriend people who will offer beneficial kinds of peer pressure.  But, I understand there will be instances when they’ll be tempted to either do or try something they shouldn’t.

It’s in those those moments, when they find themselves choosing between two paths, that I pray they’ll have something to pull out of that “backpack.”  Something that not only equips, but empowers them to make a wise decision even when I’m not standing there beside them.

Happy Birthday Adam!

Today, is my husband’s special day!

I love old pictures.  I can sit for an entire day looking through old albums.  In church, we recently learned your direction determines your destination.  I like to apply this principle to pictures.  For me, photographs are like little markers that highlight moments in our life.  They are like dots that, when connected, create a line showing how we got where we are today.

So, what does this have to do with Adam’s birthday?

As I was looking for a photo to put up with this post, I came across this little gem.  So, it’s a boy in a Superman shirt.  Doesn’t just about every boy wear a superhero shirt at some point or another?  Big deal, right?  Well yes, actually, that is right.

Adam has this “superhero” quality about him.  He will go any distance & endure much for those he loves.  A recent example is my trip to Tennessee.  My parents watched the kids the first couple days I was gone.  Adam had them the last three days.  Adam has the privilege of being able to work from home.  But, it’s still distracting when you are trying to work while our kids, aka “the hurricane,” are running around the main level.  I don’t know too many men who would not only work from home, so they could watch the kids & at the same time have to take on the responsibilities of both “mom” and “dad,” so their wife can pursue a dream.  Pretty darn super if you ask me…

Our kids look up to their daddy – he is their superhero!  They look to him for direction & watch the choices he makes.  They absolutely, unconditionally love him.  They love the way he puts their toys together, they love that he chases them, they love the Beach Boys because he does, they love making pictures for him.  Throughout the month of December, Garrett would make Adam some sort of winter-themed project every day.  I’d pick him up from school & it was always the same routine.  He would hand me his papers one by one, and then ever so slowly, pull out the final piece.  He’d then reveal what he made & say, “This is for my dad.”

Adam, thank you for being such a super guy.  Not just with the big surprises, but in the little details too.  We were able to take two incredible vacations recently because of all your hard work.  Yet, you still take the time to help clean the kitchen and read to our kids.  We love you so much & hope this birthday is a memorable moment on your path.

Happy Birthday!!

muffins with mom

This morning, Ava & I got to enjoy a muffin breakfast at her school.

The cafeteria was crowded & I found the fluorescent lighting a bit annoying at such an early hour.  But, the muffins were great!  I had blueberry & she had chocolate chip.  In actuality, she had more of a mess than a muffin because she was intent on picking out every chocolate morsel first.

So there we were, talking about her upcoming field trip, when her facial expression instantly changed & she said, “Mom, there he is.”

Lucas

Now, I’ve heard her mention Lucas a few times because he is in her centers group.  But, this time was different.  There was a hint of excitement underneath the way she said his name.

“He likes me.”

WHOAAAAH!

All of a sudden, I started shooting off questions…”What do you mean he likes you?”, “Does he try to hold you hand?”, “Is he nice to you?”, “Do you like him?”.

I mean seriously, I know she’s only in 1st grade, but I have absolutely no idea what a 1st grade crush looked like anymore.  Whenever my girlfriends or I liked a boy, we would send the reliable “check the box ‘yes’ or ‘no’ if you like me” note.  These kids don’t bother with notes.  They, or rather, their friends, go over & just flat out ask.

She quickly grew tired of my interrogation & said, “Mom, let’s not waste our time together.”

HA!

“Besides,” she continued, “I don’t think you’re supposed to know.”

HAHAHAHAHA!

“No way,” I told her.  “You tell your mommy first whenever a boy likes you.”

So, from what I can gather…

1.  Lucas likes Ava.

2.  Ava likes Lucas.

3.  Lucas likes Ava because she’s cute.

4.  Ava doesn’t know why she likes Lucas.  She just does.

5.  Lucas likes to chase Ava at recess.

6.  Ava thinks Lucas is the funniest person she’s ever met.  But, this is not why she likes him.  She is extremely adamant on the fact that she doesn’t have a particular reason for liking him.

I’m glad we’re talking about it.  But, I don’t quite know what I should be saying to her.  I remember having a crush on a boy in 1st grade.  But when I hear Ava talk about it, all I can think is, she’s so young.

You know, Polly Pocket conversations are waaay easier…

are you blogging anymore?

My husband is my biggest blog fan…and at this point, he may be my only reader.

He’s been gently suggesting for about two weeks that I put up a new post because he’s getting tired of seeing the little Charlie Brown tree.

Last night, he came up to bed and said, “You either need to post something new or take down your blog.  And by saying that, I mean you need to post something NEW!”

So…here we go.

I am currently working on a CD.  It’s my own personal project & something I’ve always wanted to do.  God has been pressing this on heart more strongly than ever and He’s continuing to open doors to make this project possible for me to complete.  Communication & music are both strong passions of mine.  So, I’m using them to not only fill a personal desire, but to fulfill something I believe He’s calling me to do.

Before I go any further, I think it’s important to clarify that I’m not looking for anything beyond this little project.  I’m not hoping to be signed or anything like that.  I just hope to influence people in a way that leads them to a hope that is bigger than themselves.  I believe in embracing whatever mission field God lays out before me.  Whether that is my home, my church or community is entirely up to Him.  I want to be responsible with the way He gifted me & use those those gifts in a way to glorify Him.

Also, this is something I’ll be able to show my kids & grandkids.  It’ll give me the opportunity to say if there is something you want to do, then you need to be proactive & go after it!

I made a few trips to Nashville this past year.  There are a few coaches I started working with who not only teach, but produce.  In fact, I spent the last week in Tennessee & I have to say, I’m blessed by the people I get to work with (and of course by Jim & Leslie, who always have a room available for me!!).

At first, only a handful of my closest family & friends knew what I’ve been up to.  Originally, I never really intended to share this with too many people.  However, over time, I’ve opened up more.  You see, there was this part of me that knew if I kept this to myself then it would be okay if I never completed it because no one would ever know.  But, then I realized that was awfully convenient, eh?  So, I’m sharing more about this season so I have people to hold me accountable.  I’m very grateful for the encouragement I’ve received & support I’ve been shown!  Also, I would reallllllly appreciate your prayers!

I haven’t been blogging much because most of my writing efforts have been focused on lyrics.  And for me…songwriting is hard!  I find that I use too many cliches & I can’t stand that.  However, I recently formed a new lyric partnership – my hubby!  He’s a fantastic writer & I think we make a great team.  And I love that this is something we get to do together.  We may need to work with someone else when it comes to instrumentation…we’ll see.  Hopefully, it will be someone local, but if not, I know there are session instrumentalists we can work with in Nashville.

So, there it is.  I’ll try to be more intentional about my blogging.  I guess now I have something new to talk about.

And once I start recording, I’ll definitely post my songs here.

Thanks so much for hanging in there & still journeying with me!

I love you all!!!

our new tree…

I was shopping the other day, when I came across this little tree, tucked in the corner of a store.

Do you recognize it?  It’s the Charlie Brown Christmas tree!  And it’s absolutely perfect.  I am a big Charlie Brown fan & in particular, I look forward to the Christmas special every year.

I kinda have a thing for Christmas trees.  We have them all over our home.  I love sitting in a quiet room, lit only by the soft glow of all the Christmas lights.  Give me a cup on peppermint hot chocolate to go with it & I am one happy girl.

Each tree in our home has it’s own significance.  Adam & I bought our main tree the first year we were married & let me tell you – it still looks good to this day!  That first year, I had the tree decorated very classy with white lights & burgundy & gold accents.  Since then, our tree has become a color spectacular, adorned with the kids’ ornaments made in school or at home.  And I wouldn’t have it any other way!

The kids each have a tree in their room, decorated with ornaments they’ve received every year since they were born.  Adam & I give them an ornament each year that in some way commemorates something special that happened during the year or reflects on an interest or hobby.  This year, we gave Ava a Cubs ornament (she’s a huge fan, much to her daddy’s dismay…), Garrett got a Star Wars ornament (his backpack theme) & Grady received a Toy Story ornament (Buzz is his hero!).

So, what is significant about our little Charlie Brown addition?

When we look at this tree, my family will always remember what Christmas is really about.

Merry Christmas everyone!  I rejoice with you as we celebrate the birth of our Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ.

a new child in His family

Ava accepted Christ yesterday.

It was such a cool mommy/daughter moment!  She has been asking me for a while now more questions about Jesus & in particular, inquiring more about communion.

Yesterday, she & I sat on the guest room bed & I talked to her about it all.  I explained to her what communion means & what it symbolizes (then I had to describe what a symbol is!).  We talked about the ABCs of faith…Admit, Believe & Choose.  And we talked about living our lives in a way that allows Christ’s light & love to shine through us.

After I finished explaining everything & after she felt satisfied with my answers to her questions, I told her when she was ready to ask Jesus to be her leader & friend, then I’d be here waiting for her (well, not here as in “sitting on the guest room bed  ).  I told her it doesn’t have to be right now, but whenever she feels ready.  It was so important to me that she not feel pressured in any way.  This decision was her’s alone & I wanted her to own it.

She looked at me, and her voice dropped real low as she whispered, “I’m nervous.”  I asked her why & she said she was afraid of having to pray in front of the whole churh.  Poor thing!  I laughed just a bit & I told her that this is something that she & I would do together privately with God.

She crawled on to my lap & said she was ready & wanted to pray.  We did & hearing her sweet voice was an absolute joy to my heart.  Afterward she gave me a huge hug – probably the biggest one I’ve ever got from her!

She is so excited to take communion on Sunday & I’m excited for her.

I love you baby girl.  I’ll always remember this decision you made & how honored I am to have shared the moment with you.  And as precious as you are to me, you are all the more precious to Him.

thankful

“Thank you God for Christmas and for decorating the Christmas tree.”

Garrett has prayed these words every single day over the course of an entire year.  And it’s never a throwaway statement.  When he prays it, he means it.

He loves Christmas trees!

We decorated our tree yesterday, so hearing him pray this sentence at dinner did more than just turn up the corners of my mouth.  I think my heart gave a little leap too.  It’s no secret that I love simple things.  And it’s moments like these that I store away in my heart:

~ A three year old boy who couldn’t stop giggling once I turned the Christmas lights on for the first time.  I watched, as a boy who is normally reckless, approach these lights with care.  And then, reach out so tenderly as though they might break at the mere touch of his finger.

~ A five year old boy who waited an entire year for this moment.  A boy who sat with the Christmas star in his lap until he got to crown our tree.  Then, watching, as his face lit up when he stepped back to take in the sight (and listen when he told me I needed to turn the star so it faced “the front” ).

~ A seven year old girl wrapping herself up in the skirt we put around our Christmas tree.  Then, watching, as she twirled around the room, dancing to the music only she hears in her head.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving.  And as I reflect on all I have to be grateful for, the people I cherish & the times we share together, I’d like to specifically thank God this year for simple, precious moments.  Moments that fly by so quickly, you could blink and miss them.  But, moments, that when captured, last forever in my heart.  These moments serve as an everlasting reminder of a God who provides.  For it is these moments that create a reservoir from which I draw joy in dark times.

Oh, and speaking of that little three-year-old, Adam snapped this pic.  Another priceless moment…

I guess we need to work on keeping those drawers up!

celebrating two birthdays!

It’s after 11pm on Saturday night, & I’m just sitting down with my laptop after a full day of celebrating not only our little 5 year old boy’s birthday, but also my mom’s.

Garrett had his very first “friend” birthday today at Chuck E’ Cheese’s.  We invited his preschool class along with our neighbor friends to share his special day with us.  He had a blast!  He’s been looking forward to this day for quite a while now.  In fact, I think he was up by 6:30 this morning!

Garrett is my strong guy.  He gave my tummy the toughest kicks while I carried him (future soccer player!).  He is known for his “butt drops.”  If you haven’t been on the receiving end of one of these, consider yourself lucky!  A butt drop is literally him plopping his rear down right on your stomach while you’re lying on your back.  He has quite a knack for sneaking up on you & catching you when you’re least expecting it…

But, Garrett has a wonderful quiet strength about him too.  He stands his ground, not in an “in your face” defiant sort of way, but with a determined “this is the way it should be” attitude.  He’s smart & he’s always thinking.  He adjusts when he’s wrong about something (hey, “whores” is now a clear “dwarfs!  If you have no idea what I’m talking about, then you’ll need to catch this post).

Garrett is also tenderhearted.  He wears his heart on his sleeve & every emotion he feels is painted across his face so vividly.  He is loving.  He won’t let you leave without giving him a hug & kiss.  He’s devasted if you ever forget & he’s quick to remind you of that when you come home.

Garrett is willing to try anything when it comes to food – he’s very open minded!  He’s seems to have taken quite a liking to my tofu & enjoys sharing my dinner.  I wish I was generous in return – I’m constantly pushing his fork off of my plate!!  Hummus has become a new favorite of his & if I’m not mistaken, he’s even delved into Adam’s sushi.  But, I think his favorite is steak.  And tonight, for his birthday, he got to enjoy a steak dinner from Lonestar with Grandma Bev & Grandpa Dave.

Speaking of Grandma Bev…

Today is also my mom’s birthday!  After Garrett’s birthday party, we made a surprise trip to Rockford to see my parents.  It was such a great day & I’m very thankful for my family.

I can’t say enough wonderful things about my mother.  I admire her like no one else.  She has the most generous nature & such a compassionate heart.  She also is a great listener.  Many times I’ve called her & monopolized the entire conversation as I share my life’s ups & downs.  And she listens.  She never tries to project any sort of agenda when she shares her opinion, but will tell you plainly what’s on her heart.  I’ve always respected that about her.

Garrett, you are growing so fast & your daddy & I love you so very much.  We are proud of you Garrett!  You make us smile.

Mom, I love you.  Thank you for everything.  I know that’s not saying much, but I think it says it all.

Happy Birthday you two!!

French Dip Sandwiches

Okay Aunt Carol…here you go!!

3 lb beef boneless chuck roast

1½ cups water

1/3 cup soy sauce

1 tsp dried rosemary leaves

1 tsp dried thyme leaves

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 dried bay leaf

4 peppercorns

2 loaves (1 lb each) French bread

1.  Trim excess fat from beef & place in a 3½ to 4 quart slow cooker.  Mix remaining ingredients (except bread ) & pour over beef.

2.  Cover & cook for 7-8 hours on low setting.

3.  Remove beef & cut into thin slices (we then used a fork to pull it apart).  Use broth for dipping!  Makes 10 sandwiches.

Enjoy!!

for my Graders…

I can’t believe you are three years old already!

Here’s a bit of randomness on a few things that come to mind when I think of you…

You make me smile like no one else.  You are all boy – total frogs, snails & puppy dog tails!  You remind me of a little Huck Finn with your mischievous ways & fishing adventures.

Your heart is so sweet.  You hurt for other people when they hurt.  And you seem to have the best timing when it comes to hugs.  I love that you still fit in my lap & every once in a while, fall asleep there.

You are fearless – my goodness, you have enough scars to prove it!  We just have to work a bit on getting you to slow down to balance out that bold nature of yours.

I love you dearly.  Your daddy & I love watching you grow.  But, take your time growing, okay?  Don’t grow too fast because I know I’ll miss these little boys days of yours.

Happy Birthday!

candy! candy! candy!

Oh my word…

The amount of candy we have in our house is INSANE!

I thought I had collected all the kids’ candy (no, not for myself…well, maybe a little )

But, nooo, I was wrong.

Guess who hid his candy bag up in his room?

I couldn’t believe it when he came down with FOUR suckers in his hand – ha!

If you need a sugar fix, you know where to come.

Florida Pics

Whoo boy!  Well, it took a while, but I finally got my pics organized.

The album details our 4 days in Florida.  We spent the first day at SeaWorld, the second day at DisneyWorld, headed back to SeaWorld for Day 3 & concluded our trip at DisneyWorld on Day 4.

We did a lot of cool things at SeaWorld.  The kids LOVED feeding the dolphins.  It’s amazing the way the dolphins feel & they are so sweet.  We enjoyed a sea lion/sea otter show & the dolphin show.  Garrett especially loved seeing Shamu.  As many of you know, I’m a huge animal lover.  Watching the trainers interact with the animals & seeing their love for them was awesome.  What a cool opportunity!!

We had a blast at DisneyWorld.  The boys got to meet their hero, Buzz Lightyear & Miss Ava Grace got to spend time with her favorite princess, Snow White.  And hey, Grady got his first kiss (from a Disney princess!).  There are lots of pics of the kids on rides.  The ones of us on the “Pirates of the Caribbean” are priceless – the kids were both enthralled and scared at the same time!  We enjoyed watching the fireworks both evenings in front of Cinderella’s Palace.  We concluded our trip with tickets to “Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.”  The kids got to dress up in their Halloween costumes & trick-or-treat around the park.  It was so much fun!!

Adam & I shared the camera duty & between the two of us, we really captured some special moments.

So, without further ado…

Here you go – enjoy!!!

Florida Trip 2009

soon

Well, I finally finished going through all our pics from our trips – there were over 400 of them!!

I’m through deleting, now I’m in the process of resizing them (it makes uploading a lot faster).

Unfortunately, I still don’t have my computer back yet, so I’m working with a different photo program than what I’m used to.

All that to say…

I have everything up by Monday – I promise!!

: )