Hello Fourteen!

Our sweet girl, Eliza Claire, is FOURTEEN.

You know I could just finish this post with all the cliches…

time is a thief!  don’t blink! they grow up so fast! hang on tight!

This is definitely a very sweet season of life with two fourteen year olds – our double caboose!!

We celebrated Eliza’s birthday on a Sunday during family day.

img_3513

We surprised Eliza with 15 new laying hen chicks!!

She was VERY excited.

They were not scheduled to arrive until May 6th, so I printed off pictures of the breeds of hens we got her.

She was already making a list of names for them later that afternoon – SO CUTE!!

img_3509
img_3515
img_3511
img_3527

Blake also found Eliza an antique typewriter – the only thing she had asked for.

I love hearing the clickety clack of that thing when she is using it!

I learned how to type on a typewriter that was just a step up from this one, ha, ha!

img_3516
img_3533

Addie is in charge of dessert on Sundays.

She made chocolate cake to celebrate Eliza!

This is the BEST cake! (I have heard anyway!)

We use the recipe for the cola cake from Magnolia Table and even though we have changed it quite a bit to fit our dietary needs it turns out so good!

img_3521
img_3526

On Eliza’s actual birthday she chose a meal and then her favorite dessert – angel food cake with strawberries and whipped cream!

It was fun to celebrate all over again!!

img_3593
img_3597

As I type this post we are getting ready to celebrate both Tate and Eliza’s Forever Family Days because it is almost July.

It has been twelve years this year since we first held Eliza in our arms!

It seems like yesterday and forever ago all in the same breath!

What a joy it has been to watch this sweet baby grow into the most beautiful young lady!!

She is talented, driven, organized, thoughtful, a very good friend (and pen pal!), and an incredible aunt to all her neices and nephews.

She is my daughter!!

And she is my friend.

Goodness, I am one blessed lady to be able to spend my days with our two fourteen year olds!!

Please make time stop!!

We love to celebrate birthdays, and this one was no exception!

Happy, happy birthday to our He Jie!!

Our sweet precious Eliza Claire!!

We are so thankful to be your FOREVERMORE!!!

We love you SO MUCH, ZI!!

Precious Times

At the end of February we took our routine and favorite trip to see Blake’s Mom and my Mom and brother!

I counted recently and we have taken this trip almost 25 times over the last seven years!!

It is definitely a highlight for us!

Thankfully, even though this was the last weekend of February, the weather was very good!!

It was almost summer like!

Our first stop is always in Illinois to see Blake’s Mom.

We enjoyed lunch and then some coffee together before heading on to Indianapolis.

Of course, as we were loading up to leave Wisconsin, Jazzy wanted to make certain she was not being left behind!

Funny puppy!!!!

img_3307-1
img_3314-1
img_3312-1
img_3318-1
img_3320-1

We always arrive in Indy at our hotel right about bedtime or later.

It is a LONG drive!!

So we do not get to see my Mom or brother until the next morning.

Did you know that a Keurig, coffee mug, and Bible time can travel too?

They are the first things I pack!!

We had another beautiful day of blue skies and weather in Indy!

img_3322-1
img_3321-1
img_3325-1
img_3328-1

My brother is so intentional about making memories with these kids!!

Something that fills my heart so full – because they won’t really have many memories with their grandparents like the big kids did.

He also plans some amazing meals and we always have fun cooking them together!!

img_3329-1
img_3342-1
img_3335-1
img_3357-1
img_3330-1

When we arrived at my Mom’s condo that Saturday morning, I was the first one, as usual, to run inside to find her.

She looked at me as I said “Hi, Mom!” and then she said “Where’s Blake??”

Oh goodness – these are the memories I am tucking so deep in my heart these days!

img_3363-1

We have already taken another trip just like this one since February!

I am not very timely in getting to this little ole blog of ours these days – but stayed tuned to hear about that trip too!

There are SO MANY treasured memories made on these long weekend trips – between Blake and I, Blake and the children and I, with Blake’s Mom, and with my Mom and brother.

PRECIOUS TIMES.

These last few months have been full of many hard things, but one thing that keeps coming to my mind and heart is how very important FAMILY is.

I hope the lessons the Lord is teaching me through it all will having lasting impact on my choices here on out.

People matter.

Family matters!

And time is PRECIOUS and it is fleeting.

So grateful for these memories!!

Memories made and now kept!!

Contact Lenses, A Square Dance, One Silly Goose and More!

February was full of all kinds of really great things!!

Tate decided to try out contact lenses to see if he liked wearing those daily over wearing his glasses daily.

I was SO proud of him for his perseverance in learning how to put those contacts in his eyes and how to take care of them.

This did not come easily to his Asian shaped eye lids and we had more than one visit to the eye doctor because of that!

Ultimately he decided to stick with his glasses for now.

I love how his glasses look!

Visiting the eye doctor gave us a good excuse to spend some time in town shopping, using a gift certificate that Eliza got for Christmas, and having dinner out!

img_2920
img_2922
img_3295
img_2921

Eliza’s violin instructor does SUCH an amazing job at giving the children opportunities to use their violin talents!

At the beginning of February she hosted a square dance where her students played while everyone danced.

The students got a chance to dance too!

It was really SO much fun!!!

We had a lot of the fam bam join us for that evening which made it even more fun!

The caller for the square dance was very talented herself and included the children so seamlessly into all the fun!

img_2960
img_2975
img_2959
1750947235283686387
img_2983
img_2955
3597649184992397635
img_2986
img_2956

We all headed to David and Kay’s one Sunday in February after church to celebrate our newest one year old, Miss Goldie Hayes!!

No, I cannot believe she is one – time is such a thief!!

Our grandchildren are such joy and one of the brightest spots in life right now!!

Goldie is SO cute – she reminds me a lot of Kayla at that age!!

She enjoyed her party very much and loved the camp chair and books her GPa and NaiNai (that’s us!!) bought her for a gift!

I was thinking of summer already, folks – what can I say!!

Kay’s place is truly one of my favorite places to be….they serve the BEST coffee and have such a warm and cozy home to hang out in.

img_4279
img_3013
img_3025
img_3018

Well, for goodness sake, I could never have just picked one of these photos!

It’s a NaiNai’s privilege to have as many photos as she wants, right??

img_3020
img_3022
img_3021
img_3019

Some NEW things in February were a new author Addie told me about that I started to enjoy, a new wax craft for Eliza that she bought with some Christmas money, Tate earning money as he received his very first paycheck ever,  a new card game that we really got into and enjoyed over and over, and a newer thing worth mentioning again would be that Keurig that has its own water line!!!

I love that coffee maker that doesn’t need filled!

It’s the little things!!

img_2875
img_2995
img_3191
img_2940
img_3033
img_3245
img_2941
img_3034
img_3058

February had us continuing on with our school and school like activities.

I really enjoy looking back on our routine photos at home the most!

These memories are what shape the biggest part of our days.

Tate, Eliza and I had to get used to just being the three of us – and I think we did (and are doing) a pretty good job!!

img_2878
img_3037
img_3178
img_2898
img_3056
img_3290-1
img_2902
img_3059
img_3180

I am thankful for the routines I have in a solid place in my life these days.

The capacity I need to take care of everything that is on my plate depends on these solid routines.

Things like my non-negotiable Bible time each morning, journaling in my journal, working out with my trainer, taking supplements, eating a strict AIP diet, getting to bed on time – all these little things add up.

I praise the Lord all the time for blessing my efforts!!

He has been SO kind to me!!

img_2909
img_2911
img_3304
img_3287-1

We had some big snow storms, beautiful skies, and beautiful birds throughout the winter!

One of our biggest storms had Blake and Lane stuck at home in the middle of February – they could not get out of the end of our road as there was a three foot drift there.

We were seriously land locked!!

The snow was so so pretty though.

We were thankful for our neighbor who came to help us unbury our driveway.

img_3211-1
img_3225-1
img_3227-1
img_3215-1
img_3230-1
img_3253-1

I sure do take a lot of food photos!

I have a reason, I promise.

My time in our kitchen is what I share most over on Instagram.

I get a lot of questions about my cooking and baking over there!

I like helping those who are just learning to love cooking and baking too.

So – food photos will be a big part of my memories here too!

It sure is easier to put them all here in my scrapbook with this collage format.

img_2908
img_2919
img_2934
img_2897
img_2932
img_3052
img_2915
img_2933
img_3050
img_3053
img_3182
img_3202
img_3057
img_3149
img_3195
img_3082
img_3196
img_3280

I have shared my sourdough waffle recipe here on the blog.

They are still a constant staple in our freezer!

They seriously turn out perfectly every single time!

img_3286
img_3278
img_3279

Of course all of this food has to come from somewhere!

Was it two years ago already that I started shopping in bulk from Costco and Azure?

Time goes so fast – I am guessing it was!

We still do that!

But we are not driving to Costco once a month anymore.

I do order dry goods from them and have them delivered.

Blake stops there when he is near one to get our frozen goods.

I do still order Azure monthly – which is a huge blessing for all of the rest of our bulk dry goods!

I will stop at a grocery store whenever I have time when I am in town for the rest.

We go through food fast here!

img_3266
img_3219
img_3267
img_2930

There are always appointments to attend to, no matter what month it is.

We have routine dentist, orthodontist, haircut, and eye appointments.

We also have had some not so fun dentist appointments along the way.

We are very thankful for all the care we receive!

There are times though that I want to fire whoever is in charge of our calendar – but then I remember that it is ME!

img_3061
img_3204-1
img_3071
img_3296

I have enjoyed being part of our Women to Women ministry at church for (I think) ten years now.

It has been very fun to watch this ministry grow over the years!

Sometimes I am taking care of ministry tasks at the last minute while sitting at violin lessons, just saying.

I cut bookmarks during one violin lesson just a few hours before our monthly ministry gathering – but I got it done!

img_3259
img_3257
img_3263

All I can say about these photos is:

TO BE A DOG.

img_3045
img_3055
img_3004
img_3077

And about these photos?

I LOVE FAMILY DAY!

Especially one warm enough in the middle of February that allows us to hang out on the deck!

1000024904
img_3139
1000024913
img_3138

Let me add some sky photos, so you know it is really me and all!

My signature!!

Yes, I still LOVE the sky and gawk at it every single day.

I bet I have thousands upon thousands of photos of the sky in my photo gallery!

img_3154
img_3177
img_3152
img_2893

Well, lookie there.

More memories that were made are now kept!!

The end of February we took a fun trip – I bet you know where??

Any guesses?

That is coming up next!!

A Sweet Valentine’s Day

This year for Valentine’s Day, Blake and I had the pleasure of traveling to a marriage retreat that our friends invited us to!

We only had a 3 1/2 hour drive to get to Iowa City, and did not need to be there until noon on a Friday, which was nice.

I usually do not enjoy sitting still in a vehicle!

But these days I am starting to enjoy it more and more – especially when my hubby is in the seat next to me!

The weekend of the retreat we had the MOST beautiful weather!

It made traveling easy and packing a lot lighter!

The conference was being held at the Hyatt Regency, which was a very nice hotel.

img_3093
img_3094
img_3092
img_3095

The conference started at noon with lunch and then a speaker.

I could not believe how very well cared for I was over this two day event!

This place sure knew how to handle food allergies – and I am here to tell you I ate like a queen!!

Lunch was DELICIOUS.

After the first speaking session, we had the rest of the afternoon free to be with our spouse.

Blake and I enjoyed getting some coffee and going for a walk outside because the weather was so beautiful!

img_3091
img_3097
img_3098
img_3099

As we walked around town, of course we saw things that the children would love and ended up talking about them the whole time!

It was a really nice place to take a walk.

img_3101
img_3100
img_3103
img_3102

The Valentine Banquet was that evening, and we had to be ready for it at 5:30.

I was very excited to get to eat “out” again!

Before we had our meal though, we played some games as a group – they were really fun!!

I think our favorite was the selfie game.

It was a wild scramble of finding the right people to get the selfie you needed!!

There were 225 people there!

I am not sure it helped us get to really know the other couples there – it was a competitive group – and everyone was running around!

Oh my goodness, our selfie skills are so on point, aren’t they??

img_3107
img_3110
img_3108
img_3116

Dinner was fantastic, by the way!!

Tate had set my girlfriend and I up with some chocolates he had made for our dessert.

They brought everyone else a giant piece of “tuxedo” cake that looked like a stomach ache, or maybe a heart attack, ha, ha!

No one at our table hardly ate it.

But then they brought my girlfriend and I a fruit dessert and we were the envy of the couples at our table!!

It was delicious!

And I even got a photo with my very best bestie!!

img_3117
7459ce6b-6ff6-4484-8028-89f909089b5b
img_3119

The next morning we had a buffet breakfast before the speakers started.

I found plenty to eat and it was perfect!!

Before we left our room to go down and check out, Blake and I watched the trees out of our room window.

We were right on the river where we were staying and there were SO MANY EAGLES!!

I have never seen so many eagles in one place!!

We counted 36 eagles in those trees!!

It felt like a hug from the Lord.

img_3120
1000024894
img_3096
1000024895

Of course once the retreat was over, we headed right to Costco!

How can you be five minutes from a Costco and not go??

Our friends went there too so we shopped together.

It was a great way to end our couples Valentine get-away!

Then it was time to head back home to our kiddos!!

img_3106
img_3132
img_3128

That was the most wonderful retreat!

Blake and I could not even talk about all we heard without tears!

We are SO grateful to everyone who made that retreat possible – they really believe that strong marriages and strong families are what this country needs – and we AGREE.

Our friend’s invited us to join them again next year!!

Time will tell, but I am sure hoping we can make that happen!

Blake and I NEED time away alone, with each other, where we can focus on our marriage.

Thanks, babe, for taking off work and making this very special Valentine get-away happen.

You are one in a billion, Blake Moschel!!