honorable mention {2}

In July, Henry turned five. To celebrate we had our family and some friends over to the farmhouse for a superhero birthday party.

{warning! This turned into a monster post. refill your coffee cup and come right back.}

{Dessert table. Cake by Sandi. Cake stand and cupcake platter by Holly.}

{Sandi designed this cake to compliment the party invitation. She made the fondant; rolled it and dyed it to match. Amazing. She is an artist! My dad baked the cakes and they turned out delicious. This cake tasted every bit as delicious as it looks.}

 

{Fondant cupcake toppers are from this shop. A new Etsy favorite. Charynn is exceptionally talented, super sweet, and a total doll to work with. My frosting was supposed to look more like this. Something clearly went wrong. It was a hot day, I think it was a combination of my bad baking and the heat melting it, it was a total flop. Please don't judge the darling toppers by my terrible frosting.}

{Marshmallow pops. I dyed the white almond bark blue to match, dipped marshmallows on lollipop sticks in the chocolate, sprinkled them with red sprinkles-from the cake supply store-and once they dried I wrapped them in cello bags and tied them with ribbon. By far my new favorite thing to dip. I ordered extra large jumbo marshmallows, but they didn't arrive in time. These worked fine though.}

{Sara made each and every one of these darling sugar cookies. The design was all her idea and the execution was flawless. After she baked and iced the cookies with yellow, she added the blue icing and then the letters to spell either "Bam" or "Pow" made out of--get this--chocolate. Yes, they tasted every bit as yummy as they look. Amazing! These were the favors for the adult guests.}

 

{Water bottle labels. Holly helped me make these using strips of coordinating scrapbook paper; the comic graphics are from a Batman book I bought at the Goodwill for 25 cents.}

{Favor bags for the children. Simple stuff: superhero Pez, mini squirt gun.}

{Crunch! and Chomp! boxes, were prepackaged lunches for the children. They included a simple sandwich, bag of chips, pickle and apple. The boxes are these from a cake decorators grocery in Bloomington. My mom assembled all of the boxes and the lunches. And thank goodness for her! She worked hard and fast to finish on time.}

{Super Z: gigantic, uninvited super sized zucchini, plucked from our garden on the party morning.}

{Henry took to plugging his ears for the first time this year.}

{And a party is not a party without the homemade chocolate chip cookie/ice-cream sandwich that have become a summer party tradition.}

{I made capes and masks for each child with their initial using no sew/heat transfer iron tape and sticky felt. Super easy peasy.}

{This was our first ever party pinata. Henry was so excited to pick this out himself. William was so thrilled with his pinata loot.}

{Holly made this super darling party game. All hand drawn. Another artist! The children played pin the mask on the super hero. Dan ended up winning!}

My most favorite part of any party is the crazy/silly/downright exhausted fun that is had sometimes during, and always after the party:

A super special thank you to Sara who took so many of these pictures. You got a gift, girl! And to my mama, who came early so Patrick and I could have a date night Friday to celebrate our {8th} anniversary and who helped with every small and large party detail and everything in between. I am blessed.

One of my favorite memories that weekend was the next day, a Sunday. Dan and Sara spent the night so the boys got to have a slumber party. It was another steamy July day and Sunday morning, the boys had a major water fight.

happy fifth birthday to my sweet, sweet Henry! Around here birthdays are a big deal. Another year of life deserves a big celebration.

major.

{I love the stripes in this picture. Could there seriously be any more?}

Today it was back to business as usual at the farmhouse. It's Friday, but felt like a Monday after enduring the agonizing battle of getting Henry ready for school, and saying too many times, "because you can't go to school in just your Batman underwear" {just in case you forgot during those three days away}.
William has really taken to books lately. He will stack them, find a cozy place and read through them one by one, stacking them again when he's finished.
He has also taken a liking to using the word 'major', as in "look at all of that snow Mommy; it's major". I will confess that once (maybe twice?) I happened upon The Rachel Zoe Project {I'm pretty sure my mom is rolling her eyes and sighing right about now}, and I think she refers to amazing fashion as 'major'. It stuck with me and now I hear my William using it as a lone adjective to describe something. Isn't that major? It will just hang out with shootfire for a bit.
I hope your weekend is off to a good start. Fridays are major.
:)

good life.

This morning we woke up to a warm home, lights that flipped right on and coffee that was a brewin'. The sun rose high and promised a day full of light, shining on the piles and piles of freshly fallen snow and making the fields glitter like diamonds. All of that really does sound like the makings of a perfectly perfect morning. Snowed in for the 3rd day counting.
But I could feel that cooped up angst rising up in my chest. Snowed in for the 3rd day. And when I snapped at Patrick before 8 am for daring to suggest it was warm enough for me to take the boys outside to play, I knew that trouble was a brewin', right along with the coffee.
I read this, in Psalm 39
"Show me, O Lord, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span on my years is nothing before you. Each man's life is but a breath. But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you."
Then I made this,

For them,

And a bunch of these,

for me.
I added this song to my playlist. And I've listened to it, oh, um, maybe 20 times today.
How fleeting really is my life. {Psalm 39) So, Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? {Mary Oliver}
Today it was simple; bake cupcakes, build a fort, fold a basket of laundry and be present with my children. Tomorrow it may be more grand, but I doubt it. There are always days of grandeur mixed in with the ordinary ones, but mostly my days will fill with laundry, dishes, dinner, minivan driving, story reading and bedtime tucking. I want to be sure to make the most of every moment God has given me in this one wild and precious life.
{By the way, Holly is back. Check out her post, and the link to her Etsy shop! }

rescued

{The big red tractor. This is exactly the blur that it looked like at 5:30 this morning. The wind causing the snow to swirl around.}

We were rescued this morning by our farmer in shining tractor. He said he didn't sleep well last night. He woke every hour praying for us and devising a plan to come and take us out of here. At 5:30, we woke the boys, dressed them in full snowsuits, mittens, hats, scarves and boots and prepared them to be rescued. He came through the field and took us 2 by 2.

{It took two pick up trucks with snow plows to start to dig out.}

We spent the day there. Patrick and his dad spent much of the day shoveling, running back up generators here at our house to keep our pipes from freezing, and towing his truck out of the ditch. We were greeted with a warm breakfast and steaming coffee. Thank the Lord for electricity. I was most sad last night thinking of a glum morning without coffee.

{Look who trudged through the snow to find us?}

Thankfully this evening, 24 hours after we lost it, our power returned. We are so thankful to be home and settled back in. Thankful for lights, a warm house, coffee. And thankful for Patrick's hospitable and loving parents who welcomed us, cooked hot meals for us and who were prepared to let us stay as long as we needed to.

we lost it

{William watching out the window by candlelight while we waited for our rescue.}

Well the snow came down, and the winds blew. We had an entire day of hunkered down fun; the boys made suncatchers, played indoor baseball, perfected puzzles, read books and sipped cocoa while listening to the whistling wind outside. We laughed at the snow blowing in through the closed front door. Not funny, but so blizzard-worthy.

And then, at 6 p.m., our hunkering came to a halting stop. Our power went out and we went from hunkered to huddled. We lit candles, found flashlights and laughed as we ran around in the dark and waited for farmer grandpa to come pick us up in his pick-up truck. But my poor father-in-law never made it the 1/4 mile to our house. He was blinded by the wind and snow creating a complete white-out and his truck went into the ditch. He was safe and he walked safely home. Patrick was determined and went outside to check out the driveway. When he got near the garage he found himself waist deep in a huge snow drift. {His car was already parked in a tractor shed.} He came in and said there is no way our minivan is going to bust through that drift. It's capable, but that is just not happening.

So we huddled and hunkered and bundled and cuddled and we made it through the night. We slept, all four of us, in our queen size bed in our room which for once I was so thankful does not have windows.

hunkering down

I'm totally stealing the word "hunker" from an email I got from Sara this afternoon. In regards to the big predicted snow storm, she said she was looking forward to being able to hunker down. I haven't been able to shake that same urge, or word since I read her email.
Today we stocked up on groceries and books and movies from the library. Farmer grandpa paid us a visit to talk about back up generators and high winds and power outages and such. We have plenty of candles and matches and of course our fingers are crossed. We hope and pray our power will stay on. But one thing is for sure, whether we'll be here or there (at Farmer grandparents house with the back up generator), we'll be hunkered down and we'll be together.
Tonight hair cuts were in order,

{Patrick giving Henry a hair cut. William was the first to go tonight.}

The storming has already started. Schools are already closed. So tomorrow morning will be nice and slow. I'll sip an extra cup of coffee and play Sorry with Henry and maybe make some of these.

How yummy do those look? Nutella + croissants. Yes, please. 

So thank you, Sara, and here's to some hunkering down!

go Redbirds!

This morning standing at the sink washing the breakfast dishes, I saw this run {it was more like trot} past,

{Can you tell? It's a fox. It's pretty! I ran to get my camera but it was already trotting up the street. This picture is cropped as much as possible!  I mistook it for Dolly the dog at first, but quickly realized it's fluffy tail and pointed ears must make it a fox. If this is really a dog, I'm going to be so embarrassed.}

This afternoon Patrick took William to Illinois State to watch a Redbirds game and have some one-on-one time.

This is what William thought of it all,

{Ha! Sweet baby! He slept through all but the last 5 minutes of the game!}

I sent Patrick a text to ask how things were going, what William thought of the whole exciting scene, and he sent me these pictures. So funny. Patrick said there was a dog show at halftime and William wouldn't even wake up to see the dogs. His favorite part of their afternoon was getting ice cream after the game!

where I sit

{The newly arranged computer area. Transplanted from the office, to the desk in the living room.}

I have a feeling if you stick around long enough on this blog (and assuming I do) you'll see more rearrangements. We took the computer out of the cold, cold office today and brought it into the warmer and cozier living room. And can I just tell you that I am loving it already. Feels so much more connected. So just in case you're wondering where I'm sitting when updating this thing; here I am.

Dolly

Dolly is the dog that visits us from time to time. She's the perfect pet really. She pops in to say hello, peeks in the windows and has a hotdog (or two) and then she's on her way.

saran wrap + scotch tape

{The outlet in our bedroom.}

So it turns out that living on the farm is not always a glamorous, pick-up truck driving lifestyle. There is a list of things I do adore about this cozy little farmhouse: the sunrises every morning and the sunsets that paint the sky a million shades of watercolor pinks, purples and orange, the loop that connects every room to each other that makes hide-and-seek a thrill every time, the way the cozy little kitchen opens up to the dining room so I can cook and play superheroes at the same time, the room in the back dedicated to crafts (and extra pantry storage).
But there are smells. Oh the smells. And it's a good thing for saran wrap and scotch tape.
Something has died in the farmhouse. Something has died in the wall behind our bedroom, in between our room and the boys room. And while I am so grateful that it's not in the house and it's not alive in the house, it really smells and the smell is wafting in through that outlet. And that blessed outlet is directly behind our bed--behind my head. Last night Patrick devised this little solution and I burned candles and we slept in our room! Is that gross? It still smells today.

super

{This morning at the farmhouse.}

honorable mention {1}

2010 was a big year. It was a year of change and growth. I became a farm girl. My boys became farm hands. They turned 5 and 3. There were significant birthdays, birthday parties, family vacations, a move into the farmhouse and bidding farewell to our beloved house on Leland. It was a good year and there are a few things that still deserve a mention. An honorable mention, if you will.

So I will start here, with the Rockford Half Marathon {May 16, 2010}, since I mentioned it a few days ago. Last year, at the start of the new year, I decided to try something I'd always wanted to attempt, but never really dared to try; the half marathon. I found a training plan and began to run. It was an encouragement knowing that Patrick, Dan and Erica were doing the same training and working toward the same goal. During my runs I learned to trust God more; to lean on Him when I was fatigued and felt like I couldn't go on. He revealed to me through physical metaphors during my runs the places in my heart where I needed to trust in Him more and lean on Him There were points of absolute clarity during my long runs particularly where the moment I began to shift my eyes off God and onto my own goals and feeling of personal achievement, I became weary and felt the physical fatigue and pain. I grew to understand that my health is a gift and that being able to run without injury was a gift.

Hebrews 12:1 became an encouragement for me. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
And so on a bright, clear morning last May, we lined up at the start and ran the race. 









At the start you literally hear the pounding of thousands (I think, thousands?) of feet. Volunteers fill water stations and hand out water and Gatorade to thirsty runners. People come out of their homes to cheer on the runners passing through their neighborhoods. Our family was there. They cheered at the start and at the 3-mile mark, and waited for two long hours to cheer us through the finish. I loved running it by my brother's side. We were about the same pace and were able to spur each other on. Patrick crossed the finish line with William in his arms. He grabbed William just before crossing. He injured his knee a week or so before the race and was in pain after running his pace for about 8 miles. He was determined though and crossed the finish line limping. We missed Erica and Bret who weren't able to fly in from New York that weekend.

It was an amazing experience. I guess I liked it because I'm going to run it again this year. Mostly my goal is always to finish. But secretly, deep down, I would love to shave a few minutes off my time.

{A very special thank you to Sara who took all of these pictures of that day.}

big red tractor

{William watching the big tractor from his window in the big pick-up truck. I love Henry's little head bopping along in the big red tractor.}

Part of what makes living here an adventure is that from time to time, I find myself behind the wheel of a pick-up truck following behind a big tractor. Today was one of those days on the farm. Farmer man needed a ride to town to pick up his big red tractor and you can bet that my two farmin' boys were not going to miss out.

Please believe me when I tell you that William wears his pajamas all.the.time.

happy monday

{Pj clad boys jumping to tunes blaring from the "Train" channel on Pandora. We rearranged a few weeks ago and tucked both beds in the closets. It opened up the room to be one great, big play area. Perfect for these two boys versus the long cold winter.}

A happy Monday is a hard thing to come by. But here we are. The boys are tucked in, popcorn is popping, the dvr is calling "Bachelor" to me. Alas, a happy Monday we have indeed.

the game

{Henry in his Bears jersey and helmet, watching the game and cheering for the Packers.}

This afternoon we stayed in and cozied up. We snacked on artichoke dip and tortilla chips and twizzlers after a big lunch of pizza and pop. The boys ate Teddy Grahams, in honor of the Bears. I don't get excited for football games until these big ones at the end. I love rooting for a team and love the sense of unity you feel when it's your home team and you imagine most everyone around you is cozy in their living room, eating pizza and wings, too.

Henry loves sports. He finds a little place next to Patrick on the couch, and there they sit, glued side by side during games. Basketball, baseball or football. He will tell you that the Bears are his favorite football team. He even wore his jersey to church today. However, this boy likes to win. He wants to cheer for the winning team. When Patrick predicted the way he thought this game would go: Packers winning over the Bears; Henry decided then and there that even though the Bears are his favorite, he was going to cheer for the Packers. And his risk paid off today, when the Bears lost.

And here's a list because I don't want to forget these funny little things--
Last Sunday Henry told me we were going to watch the Bears game against the "Water Eagles". I told Patrick I have no idea who the Water Eagles are. He was perplexed until he figured out Henry was talking about the Bears vs. Seahawks. Later that afternoon he was talking about the scores of a game against the "Raisins". He kept saying adamantly, "you know, that Raisin team." Again, no clue who on earth in the NFL is called the Raisins. It turned out to be the Ravens.
And then today watching the game, I pointed out number 22, Matt Forte, to Henry because he has the same jersey. He said, "huh? who is it? number for-tay?" Oh my goodness. Seriously the way his sweet little mind works.

half

{This was my long run tonight. Book is Decision Points by George W. Bush. I love reading and running. I am enjoying this book and really respect the former President. An interesting tidbit; George W. Bush ran a marathon in Texas and finished in 3 hours 44 minutes. A really respectable and darn fast time!}

Last year, in May, I checked something off my resolutions list. But not by myself; together with my brother Dan and husband Patrick {who by the way, really really dislikes running}, I ran a half marathon. It was an exhilarating experience, and to be honest one that after four months of training, I almost didn't complete. We moved into the farmhouse in May, just days before the race. I lost a lot of steam and most of my gusto. The move was emotionally and physically exhausting and I just felt depleted. Spurred on by my family and sheer will to finish something I'd started, I put in one last long run the weekend before the 1/2. Eleven miles. They felt good. My body was healthy and I felt excited to run this race I'd been training for all of those months. Race day was amazing. I ran side by side with my brother and we crossed the finish line together being cheered on by our family. After that Dan went on to train for and run the Chicago Marathon last October. Watching him train and run and using it all to glorify God has inspired and motivated me.

So here we are again, in a new year. I'm going to do it again. Dan is training for the Rockford 1/2 Marathon again and I'm committing to run it too. {Although maybe not by his side. Brother is getting pretty fast.}

project {365}

Happy New Year, friends! The ground is frozen and completely covered with a fresh blanket of cold white snow. Our house feels bare, emptied of Christmas, but in a fresh, clean slate, blank palette kind of way. I like the freshness. After the fullness and constant busyness and errand running of the holidays, it's nice to settle back into a quiet rhythm.

But the quietness can only last for so long and then I start searching for ways to fill those empty spaces. I'm pretty sure that's why New Year's resolutions are so popular. The new year is a blank slate and a fresh start. This year I didn't make any formal resolutions. But I did make a mental list of "must-do's" for 2011. The largest looming of those being a formal record keeping of our memories. I love pictures. I like looking at them. I like taking them. This is going to be my year to organize them and create albums of them. I want to be able to hold them, and let the boys flip through them.

In an effort to work on that goal, I'm going to join Sara {and Dan} in a project they started. Project 365. Take one picture every day and post it here for an entire year. I realize I'm already almost a month behind; 20 days to be exact. But I figure, better to start now than never. So, here's to the new year and keeping record of our memories in 2011. And thanks to Sara for the inspiration!

{Most days, night or day, you will find William in his pjs. They are his outfit of choice.}

It's sunny here this morning. I love the morning sun pouring in through the front windows. This is the first sunny morning we've had all week and let me tell you, it makes such a huge difference. I hear it's freezing outside today; below freezing even. But the sun makes me feel like spring is just a little bit closer. Most mornings me and the boys are cuddled up on the couch as the sun begins it's ascent into the morning sky. It's one of my favorite things about the farm. We watch the huge, glowing ball appear on the horizon as it begins to light up the entire sky.