Blessing My Daughters

Girl Time

I love spending individual time with my kids and I also love hosting parties.  So, I asked my Mom if she would take the boys for a few hours on Friday evening and planned a fun little girl party for Julia and Amelia.

One thing John and I always said was that we wanted to be the "Fun House".  We wanted our kids to feel like their friends were welcome in our home and that they could have people over and enjoy themselves while we were with them.  We want our home to be a safe place for kids to hang out and just be kids.

So I planned one Friday night for the girls and next Friday it will be the boys turn!  I didn't want to break the bank, so instead of buying pizzas I am going to make homemade pizza pies and I am going to have a few snacks out and also ask parents to bring a snack to share.

You know the Type A in me already planned the evening, and what was really awesome was that Julia totally gave me some great ideas!  We decided on having a pajama party where the girls bring their favorite stuffed animal.  Julia even made homemade Photo Booth props!  Here is how we envisioned the night will go:

5:00-5:30 pm craft and stencil time/play time

5:30-6:00 pm pizza and salad

6:00-6:30 pm painting toe nails

6:30-7:00 pm freeze dance/games/play time

7:00-8:00 pm AGD (American Girl Doll) movie and popcorn time

8:00 pm Pick up time! Hand out goodie bags!

Tomorrow, I will be kneading the dough for the pizza, baking brownies and cookies, setting up the craft table and getting things neat and ready for our Girl Pajama Party.  Trust me when I tell you, I am just as excited as the girls are for the party.  I told the moms they can drop off or stay, so I plan on hosting some sweet mom friends and enjoying my girls company!

One thing I wanted to remind the girls while they are over (perhaps right before we eat or while we are doing our nails) is from Psalm 139 that they are "fearfully and wonderfully made" and that God has an amazing plan for their life, (Jeremiah 8:29).  So often our girls hear negative things from the world about how they look and I just always want to be that reminder to my girls and their friends that they are beautiful and special and God has a purpose for their life.  I plan on having a ball tomorrow night!  And I can't wait to bless my daughters socks off!

Family Meal & Hosting A Crowd

Hosting a Lovely Crowd

We lead an MC at our church and once a month host a boat load of awesome couples, singles, and families.  This past weekend we had 30 in attendance and since we were rained out (we had planned to picnic at Holmdel park this month) we hosted in our home.  

Everyone chips in with bringing a side dish, or a dessert.  This particular month our theme was sandwiches and soups.  I made two yummy soups and a huge salad, and I wanted to share my soup recipes!  One easy chicken soup recipe in the crock pot that I've made my own and my favorite Rachel Ray Chicken Cacciatore Stoup on the stove top.

Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

1 package of boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut up (about 2lbs)

2-4 carrots chopped

2-4 celery sticks chopped

1 medium onion

1 box of chicken broth or 2 cans of chicken broth

salt and pepper to taste

1 bay leaf

cilantro to garnish (optional, but my favorite part)

Directions:

Put all of your soup ingredients in the crock pot for 4 hours on high!  Add the cilantro at the end to top off the soup and add that extra bit of green!  I also serve with orzo pasta (but I do not include the pasta in the crock pot.)  I make pasta on the side and add it to each bowl so that the soup stays soupy and the pasta doesn't absorb all the liquid.

Serve with crusty bread!

Rachel Ray's Chicken Cacciatore Stoup

Ingredients:

1 package boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 to 1 1/3lbs diced

salt and pepper

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

3-4 tbsps EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

2 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 portobello mushroom caps (I always leave out)

4 ribs of celery

1 medium onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup red wine

1 -15 ounce can diced tomatoes (or just dice a tomato)

1-28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

2 cups chicken stock

3 tbsp fresh rosemary (I use basil or cilantro from our garden)

1 cup basil

Grated cheese to top and crusty bread

Directions:

1. Heat a deep skillet or a medium soup pot.

2. Add 2 tbsp EVOO and the chicken.

3. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.

4. While the chicken cooks chop all the veggies.

5. When chicken is cooked through remove from pot and put to the side.  Add more EVOO and cook potatoes for 3-5 min until tender.

6. Then add the mushrooms, celery, and onion to the pot. Cook for a couple of minutes and add the pepper and garlic.  Season all the vegetables.

7. Add chicken back to pan and toss it with the veggies and add red wine to deglaze it picking up all the drippings.  And tomatoes and stock and stir to combine.  Add rosemary and reduce heat to low and cover and cook for 10-15 minutes.

8. Top with basil.  

9. serve with crusty bread and cheese for the top!

Every time I make my chicken stoup I get so many compliments so I had to post this recipe and give Rachel Ray all the credit!

The best part of hosting a crowd is seeing everyone talking and eating and just being able to make everyone comfortable and happy!  Having 18 kids in our MC is challenging especially since all of them are under 8 years of age, but we somehow make it work and there are lots of Dads and Moms in the room to referee any issues.  We pray, eat, and talk, and the kids love dessert time and the parents equally love the dessert time with piping hot coffee!  From our family meal to yours...

Bon apetit!

The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad, Friend

A Friend Loves At All Times (Proverbs  17:17)

I don't know if it's old age or the fact that I'm a mom or the fact that I live in the northeast but I have turned into a horrible friend.  I always thought I was one of those people who would send cards at just the right moment, call to chit chat randomly throughout the week, remember everyone's birthday and anniversary (without the help of Facebook), memorize children's names and ages, and remember to send care packages for the holidays and just because.

But...

I can't keep up.  Whether it's summer time, fall, winter or spring I always find myself wondering how in the world is it the END of  September (or fill in the month) already?!  I haven't seen or talked to half of the friends I wanted to, and I still have a birthday party to plan, curriculum to buy, memory books to make, doctor's appointments to schedule, christmas shopping to start....the list goes on and on.  

How does one be a good friend to those she loves AND be a good wife, mom, daughter, sister, etc?  

It frustrates me to no end that I can't take a twenty minute phone call, or read a book, or think clearly, or remember the years my kids were born in.  How did I become this person?!  I am MISS CONGENIALITY for crying out loud!  I love people! I love staying connected and keeping up.  How do I choose between friend and family or friend and spouse or friend and laundry?  

Over the summer I was at my bestie's mother's 65th surprise party and most of the time I was worried about my kids behaving and not running, more than spending time with my friend.  I was so preoccupied with keeping everyone quiet and together, and keeping Micah from flashing everyone his tummy (could he please keep his shirt down?) that I missed out on the joy of just being there.  I hate that!

This past week our mentor at MOPS spoke about how she had to give up friendships during the time when her kids were small.  She had "friends" get mad at her for not returning phone calls and she realized, listen if they can't understand that I am in over my head, and give me some grace, then maybe I am not the friend they need.

I think we as women can be very hard on ourselves and each other. If there is any advice I will pass on to my girls when they get older it will be that when you have a young family, and by that I mean kids who are still nursing, or in diapers, or toddling around your home, then you may have to for a season focus on your family and not see your friends as much as you used to.  But!  But there will be friends that it won't matter how many times you called during the month, or how often you sent a card, all that will matter is that you can pick up wherever you left off and it will still be wonderful.

I am thankful for those types of friendships.  The ones who give me lots of grace through all the ups and downs of motherhood.  That's another thing I will teach my girls.  Give your friends tons of grace.  We all make mistakes, we are all imperfect, we all need lots of forgiveness and loads of grace.  

No one intends on being the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad, friend.  But sometimes, you just can't help it.

The beauty of a friend loving at all times is that even through your busy times, sad times, chaotic or don't even think about calling me right now times...your REAL friends (the ones who are in it for the long haul) love you no matter what, they "get" you and they know that you will come around again!  Sometimes loving a friend is giving them space, listening when they do call, helping when they are hurt or overwhelmed, and even them just knowing you are a safe place to fall is wonderful too.

The Sweetest Neighbors

Home Sweet Home

Well, we are finally home and settled and not living out of boxes!

Everyone has their own space and we are still working on making Miss Amelia's room the sweetest for a baby girl.  Right now she's still living in our room in a sweet bassinet-like/crib our new neighbors gave us.

We are surrounded by great neighbors, just like in our old neighborhood in Aberdeen.  The weekend we moved in all of our new neighbors came over, introduced themselves, and brought us meals!  For real!  The hospitality around here is amazing.  I can't wait til I'm on my A-game so I can whip up a batch of muffins or brownies to thank all of them.  

And the oddest thing is...everyone has 4 kids!  Right across the street from us is a sweet family with 2 girls and 2 boys right around our kids ages.  Julia and Mark were besides themselves with excitement.  And the first weekend they walked across the street to shake Julia and Mark's hands to say: Welcome to the neighborhood!  Who does that?!  I was so impressed and so was Julia!  She ran in to tell me right away, she said, "Mom these kids are so respectful!"

Looking back over the past few months...I can see how God worked it all out.   I knew He would...but I was so scared, so afraid, and I worried about how we would handle the move, the new baby, etc.  But God surrounded us with help from all different sides, from people I didn't even expect, and just a continuous overflow of blessing that whispered, "Kristi, didn't I tell you I would take care of you?"  

And all I can say now is..."You did it Lord, thank you, thank you so much."

Amelia Susanna joined our family two days before the big move!

The Scary Mom At The Park

When Confrontation Gets Scary

So, it was just a normal play date at the park with me and some mom friends and our 9.5 kids (I'm counting Amelia).

The day was sunny and cool and the playground had a spray park and a regular park.  I dropped the big kids off at VBS met my friends and Micah played with all of their kids til it was time to pick up Julia and Mark.

Since the church was close to the park I came back and the big kids got to play too.  It was really a perfect day and all of our kids were laughing and playing in the water and just having a great time.  As we started to head over to the playground to pack up our stuff and let the kids play some more and dry off before heading home we had a little "incident".

I was glued to watching Micah, who is only 16 months old and quite the little climber, while my two mommy friends were packing their bags and watching the big kids.  All of the sudden I hear one of my friends telling a little boy not to splash water into Mark's face.  That caught my attention and I turned around to see what was going on.

The little boy who threw the cup full of water on my son's face at this point ran over to his mother and said another mom yelled at him.  This mom became irate and yelled, "Which MOM yelled at my son???" very loudly.  At this point the entire park was engaged and looking on and wondering what indeed was the matter.

My friend calmly walks over and said, "I'm that mom and I didn't yell at your son, I told him not to splash water on Mark's face."  She really did not yell at this little boy.  She talked to him in an even toned sing songy voice but she was firm.  And if some random kid threw water on your kid wouldn't you say something?

Well, at this point it gets tricky.  We don't know who was telling the truth or what was left out.  But the little boys story was that my son Mark (who barely talks to people he doesn't know) was making fun of his older sister.  (I highly doubt that, not because my son is perfect, because he isn't, but because Mark doesn't talk to kids he doesn't know...especially not girls...and especially not older girls...this girl was at least 8 or 9 years old and very tall...way too intimidating for mark...and mark doesn't make fun of people).  Then the boy switched his story to his mom and said that Mark threw shreds from the ground at her (this part I think could've happened...and just a few minutes before this he was playing with Micah like that...so it's totally possible, although still a bit suspicious).  So the boy's story was that Mark did this so he deserved the cup of water in his face.

Now, I got involved and walked over to Mark and said, "Mark, did you make fun of this girl?" He shook his head no.  "Mark, did you throw stuff at this girl?" He shook his head no.  "Mark, are you telling the truth?" To which he completely broke down and started crying.  So I kind of felt like he was guilty but because I didn't see what happened I guess I will never know.

I said, "Mark you need to apologize to her.  Stop crying and say you are sorry."  The girl wouldn't even look at mark or come down off of the monkey bars.  She just kept climbing.  So Mark apologized.

Then the Mom just kept attacking all of us.  Yelling at us and saying we shouldn't have confronted her son.  At this point we decided to leave because she was just a lunatic and was so loud and it was ridiculous.

As we packed our kids in the minivan and they all were settled, me and my friends tried to make sense of it all.  First of all, if Mark threw something, he was wrong and I was glad we apologized.  Second of all I was glad my friend saw what happened to Mark and confronted the little boy.  And third of all I was glad that my friend was brave enough to speak up to the irate mom because she was very intimidating and all I wanted to do at that point was crawl under a rock.

My friend brought up a good point...notice that the mom never made her son apologize to mark...her answer was, "Well he shouldn't have to."  That spoke volumes to me.  Two wrongs don't make a right.  Just because mark did something wrong doesn't mean it gave her son the right to do what he did.  As adults I think the best thing was for everyone to apologize and move on.  

On the car ride home yesterday, right after the incident it was totally over for my kids, they were not mad or sad or angry.  In fact Mark goes, "Mom, can we go again tomorrow?"  In Mark's mind the situation had been handled and no harm had been done.  I was glad for that.  Although I don't see us going back to that particular park any time soon...unless my hero friend comes with me!

The scary mom at the park ruined the park adventure for me.  I was a tiny bit sad driving home because I was just like, "What went wrong there?"  I wished I had seen the whole event play out in front of me.  I hope we did the right thing.  Sometimes people can be so unpredictable.  And it wasn't helpful that this lady kept ranting and raving when we were all being calm and trying to handle the situation properly.

What would you have done?

Guest Blogger: Suzette Ladouceur @ The Joy of Homemaking

Faith is Born

As a homeschooling mom, I have come to realize that the reason I homeschool is not only to give my children a high quality education, but to make sure the education the receive supplements what I am teaching them about faith in the God who created them and loves them even more than I do. 

Many times, what I teach them about God and His Word is not meant for me to see a result right away. It is just to give my children the foundation they need to hold their faith steady when tough times come.

As a young girl, my mother had us memorize Scripture on a weekly basis. 

It wasn't for some quiz that we were going to take later.

It wasn't so we could win every Sword Drill in Sunday school.

She taught us God's Word because she wanted us to have it close at hand when we needed it.

Will we always see the fruits of our labors? No. Our children may have a moment with God and we may never know about it.

But sometimes, God will give us a glimpse into how he is using the time we put into our children to give us the encouragement we need to keep pressing on.

We had a recent incident which showed me that the lessons that I teach my children about the Lord are taking hold, holding fast, and are building their faith.

I live in Florida, previously known as the Lightning Capital of the World (apparently Rwanda recently took the title away from us). When we haven't had rain for a few days, the heat dries up the brush and tall grasses and makes for a very dangerous situation when the summer thunderstorms roll in. 

On Memorial Day weekend this year, we had lightning strike the wooded lot across the street from us which caused a brush fire. (For reference, there is a dirt road and a retention pond between us and the lot so we were not in any danger this time, but it could have been a lot worse.) 

We called 911, my husband went across the street with a shovel, and the fire department arrived within five minutes of us making the call. Thankfully the fire never climbed the trees and the wind never carried the flames. Once the fire fighters arrived and began putting out the flames, God opened up the heavens, and it down-poured.

This was the first incident that my daughter (6 years old) has been old enough to be aware of. She did not understand that we were not in any danger.

She was terrified. 

She saw billowing smoke coming from the woods across the street. 

She knows that fire is dangerous. 

She knows that 911 is only called in the case of an emergency. 

She knew that Daddy was walking towards the fire to see if he could help control it before the fire department arrived.

She packed up her most precious belongings- her American Girl doll and all of its clothes, her favorite stuffed dog Taffy, and her new pair of swimming goggles- and was ready to evacuate. She came running outside with a look of pure terror on her facecarrying all of her stuff ready to leave, and she was reminding me not to forget my two year old who was napping. I had to hold her and tell her over and over again as she cried that everything was fine.

After it was all said and done, Addie came to me and said, "While the fire was still in the woods, before the firemen came, I went into my room, and I asked God to protect us. And he did!"

That is how faith is born.

Faith is not born in the number of verses memorized. Faith is born when we pull out God's Word and use it as the Sword of the Spirit that God has designed it to be to help us fight off temptation or to encourage us during the hard times.

Faith is not born in the amount of attendance pins you have on your lapel. Faith is born when you hear God speak to you in the quiet of your own home, and not just at church.

Faith is not born in the social gatherings and happenings at church. Faith is born when God uses someone at church to speak to you right where you need it, and they have no idea what a comfort they are being to you. 

Faith is not born in the number of prayers we have memorized. Faith is born when we cry out to God and see Him answer.

Faith is born when our children are able to take what we have taught them about God, apply it to their very own situation, and see God come through on their behalf.

For my daughter, faith was born when she called out to God and saw that He had protected her.

That is when faith is born.

Suzette is a childhood friend of mine!  We grew up at the same church for a few years before she moved down to Florida.  We recently reconnected and discovered many similarities in our family life.  She is a teacher by trade.  She is married with 2 children.  And she home schools both of her children.  Check out her blog at The Joy of Homemaking www.godlyrose.blogspot.com

What HE Taught Me This Year

Birthday Wisdom

So, it's my birthday this weekend.

Yup another year wiser!

I do not feel old AT ALL.

I do on occasion feel exhausted from a full life, but it's a good life, and so I am very thankful.

God has taught me a lot this year.  

He taught me A LOT.

And it wasn't easy for me to learn.  

In fact I was down right angry.

Last June I had three kids.

Three very planned kids.  And in my mind I was finally content.  I was finally happy.  I had all my ducks lined up in a neat 3 person little row.  My older sister calls them my three little bears.  And 3 is a big number.  Micah totally outnumbers me and John and my hands were completely full with 3 very active children.

Julia was 5, Mark was a new 4 year old, and Micah was a few months old.  I was still adjusting to this life of 3.  We were now a party of five and I was feeling very overwhelmed at times.  Micah wasn't the great sleeper that Julia and Mark were.  Micah was 20lbs at 4 months and I had to carry the beautiful chubby baby everywhere.  It was hard.  I was homeschooling and still feeling kind of not super secure in it. 

When 2014 came I felt like God was going to do something HUGE in my life.  I could really feel it.  I was finally "done" with babies and we were starting to think about moving.  I started to think about putting both kids in private school and was praying about what God was about to do in my life.  I felt this change coming and I was kind of excited!!! Dream Big I blogged on New Year's Day!

Then, on January 1st I started to feel sick...

On January 3rd I knew I missed a menstrual cycle...

On January 4th I took a pregnancy test...

Psalm 27:11 "Teach me your way, O Lord, And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies."

Dream Big?

Dream Big!

God what are you doing!!!???

This was not in MY plan!!!!!!

Isaiah 41:10
"Fear not for I am with you; be not dismayed for I am your God.  I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

How can I dream big God when I keep getting pregnant? I thought.

I felt like this pregnancy in particular would somehow slow me down from the BIG thing "whatever that was" that was going to happen to me/us.

I couldn't even tell John that day.  I found out on a Saturday while he was at Chinese school and it wasn't until Tuesday night sitting in bed that I finally told him.  It was 3 days of torture.

John 8:32  "And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free."

I knew I needed to tell John.  I was so afraid he would be devastated.  I was so afraid he would be mad.  I was so afraid he would be disappointed.

I told him, and he said, "Kristi why didn't you tell me sooner?  There's always room for one more!"  He made me cry even more because I was so relieved he knew and we just laughed at the shock we were both in.

We kept our pregnancy a secret until after my sister in laws baby shower.  We wanted the day to be all about her.  We didn't want to steal her thunder.  And quite frankly, I was deathly afraid of her reaction and my in laws reaction.  We didn't tell them until I was already 13 weeks and heading into my 2nd trimester.

We get home from the baby shower and help Laurie and Kelsey bring all the many baby gifts into their house.  We make Laurie and Judy (my mother in law) sit down in recliners.  We hand them a wrapped present and say, "Guys we have one more gift to give you."  To which Laurie goes, "No more gifts you spoiled us enough at the shower!"  To which we said, "Open the gift!!!" and laughed.  So they both open up a baby frame of an ultrasound and say "Awwww" at the same time.  I think they thought the picture in the frame was the hallmark photo.  I look them both in the face and say..."I'm due this August!"  They SCREAMED and SCREAMED and SCREAMED!  Laurie tried to jump up but she's pregnant with twins so she couldn't... we all hugged and laughed.  And I saw their faces and there was no judgment...there was only joy and love.

God taught me 4 things so far....

His ways are not my ways...his plans are not my plans.  This baby was meant to be growing inside of me.  This baby was in His plans.  This baby has a purpose in our lives.

I never have to feel afraid or alone because He is always with me.  When you get shocking news it is okay to be shocked.  It is okay to not "feel" happy about it.  Sometimes God has to do a work in you and help you and guide your thoughts so that you don't focus on the overwhelming part, but focus on how He will be with you no matter what.  And God will eventually help you to feel joyful again.  Maybe not right away.  Be patient with yourself.  Emotions are a tricky business.

Trust my spouse.  Tell the truth right away.  Don't hide something and torture yourself.  I came to realize that John always has my back.  That we are in this together.  And that we really are a team.  And we are a great team.

The people who truly love you will not judge you.  They will only share your joy with you.  Don't be afraid to share your joy with those you love.

God also taught me that it is great to plan, it's wonderful.  But he taught me that when things don't go according to "my plan" it doesn't mean something is wrong.  It means they were not HIS plan.  And HIS plan is the best plan.  We fool ourselves in thinking we decide who we marry, where we live, how many kids we have, and what career we choose.  We often put God in a box and forget that we may think we have great plans for our lives, but we need to remember that God has a BIG plan for all His people.  Sometimes God over rides birth control!  Sometimes God plops the man of your dreams in your homeroom class.  Sometimes God says no to one career or job and opens the door to another.  We do not control our lives.  We only "think" we do.  God is in control.  And it's best to accept that God's plan is best, even if we have no idea why or how it happened, or how we will manage.  I still struggle with how to answer people when they say things like, "Oh, you didn't plan this pregnancy, huh?" Maybe I didn't "plan" this pregnancy, but God did.  And He gives perfect gifts.

James 1: 17 "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights..."

God also taught me and he continues to teach me that...Yes, my hands are full.  Very full.  But so is my heart.  My heart is so full of love for my husband, and my children that I could continue to fill a blog with the joy I feel.  Yes, I was scared and overwhelmed at first.  Who wouldn't be?!  But I am not alone.  I have an awesome husband, a great support system, wonderful family and friends and a God who is so loving and gracious with me that He decided I got to be blessed with another amazing gift.  A baby girl.

I don't know if you've seen our gender reveal post but after you see the pics and watch the video you will feel the joy and the love we have.  We are so excited for what God has in store for us.

I will choose to continue to dream big.  My hands are full and so is my heart.

36 years old feels pretty amazing.

Our Very First Cookbook

Wanting to Make a Difference

My amazing husband John who likes my cooking and who loves my blog came up with this great idea that I should start compiling all of my recipes and the meals I make at home and share them in a cookbook!  He also said that since the readers of my blog are fellow moms who love to share recipes we should incorporate other people's favorite recipes and create a diverse cookbook which would represent our family and my blog family.

I loved the idea...but I wanted the cookbook to stand for a  cause and be not only a great resource for other moms and dads who enjoy cooking, but a blessing to other people.  I also was afraid to commit to such a task with a baby on the way...but Philippians 4:13 says with God ALL things are possible!  Plus, John and I work well under pressure, have you noticed?

So, this Summer and Fall we will be working on our very first cookbook!  This is huge!  This is such an exciting opportunity for me and for my blog.  I want to use it all for God's glory...not my own!

We have two very dear friends, Christianne and Grant (Micah's godparents in India) who work with a group of other Americans (5 in total) living in Kolkata, next to the largest red-light area of India, 10,000 women, who are now trapped in the sex trade.  Their desire is to provide economic opportunity for women to leave the trade and sustainably provide for themselves and their families in a dignified and loving work-place.  Their vision is to open a cafe/bakery by the end of 2014...

Wouldn't it be a blessing to help these women get started in careers and help them get out of the sex-trade industry?

How cool is it that our cookbook could raise money to help women in this way?

I want this cookbook, whatever profit we make, for 50% of the proceeds to go to straight to the bakery in India.  I want to be able to collect funds (with all of my readers help of course) and write a check that could possible buy a woman out of slavery from the sex-trade.

We are told in Micah 6:8 He has shown thee, oh man, what is good and what does the Lord require of thee? But to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.

Seek Justice.

Love Mercy.

Walk Humbly With God.

I am so excited to announce this Project Cookbook 2014 (We are still working on a catchy name for the cookbook...I like Happy Food but I haven't swayed John on that title as of yet, but Christianne likes it!)

Will you partner with us?  We are not exactly sure what each cookbook would cost to get published but we are hoping in the neighborhood of no more than $30 each book.  And half the proceeds would go straight to Christianne and Grant for the building of their cafe/bakery in India!

I will start compiling my favorite recipes, food photos, and quick stories for each one and start sharing them weekly with all of you!  Hopefully it will encourage you to send me your favorite family recipe and to join us in this new venture!

Team Rudanovic is Growing!

The Next Chapter For The Home Team

You may remember the last time I interviewed Morgan when she was pregnant with her latest bundle of love.  Well, now that Jordan Foster Rudanovic is here I wanted to touch base with Morgan and see how she was doing with her new addition and how she prepped her older son Desmond for the baby to come.

I absolutely love highlighting other Moms because A. They inspire us to all be the best at what we do. B. It encourages me that I am not alone in my motherhood journey. C. I am so thankful to have met so many awesome moms who truly make me a better mom!

Jordan Foster was born on April 8th...here is my interview with Morgan....

How did you prep Desmond for his new brother?

We discussed mommy's belly a lot with Desmond beforehand. He wasn't that interested until Sara Jones and Deanna Sgalambro had their little ones. Then all he would talk about is "Nate has his sister and Dray has his brother, when do I get my brother?" So I would really say seeing other babies prepped him on what was about to happen.

What are you most excited about in meeting this new little guy?


We can't wait to see what he looks like!  (Jordan looks just like his Daddy!!!!)

Lastly, what new tradition will the four of you be able to do now? Or what are you excited to teach/share with Jordan?


We are so excited to have two boys who will grow up playing with daddy and mommy in the backyard. We are both very into sports and games so it will be fun to continue that with our boys. Desmond already loves playing in the backyard!  We are also excited to teach Jordan to pray and to see him grow up being taught the truth of the Gospel and the grace that has been extended to those who trust in Jesus.

**** Morgan and Chris are one of my favorite couples at Jacobs Well.  They are down to earth, very funny, and the hardest working pair I have met.  There is also a huge measure of excellence in everything they do.  They lead the Well Kids ministry at our church which is all of the education programs for the kids.  I am so excited to join their team this summer.  I'm teaching K-2nd grade this summer and helping out with VBS.  I really felt like God was pushing me to teach more at church and use my gifts there for Him.  I was so glad when the opportunity came up!

Every Mom Has a Story: Michele Ng

The Third Baby Woes

Trusting God No Matter What

I met Michele at Jacobs Well right away.  She and Ming are very sweet and warm people and we are so thankful to know and love them.

Michele found out she was pregnant right after I had Micah.  I can remember nursing Micah at church and talking to her about getting things ready at her for her baby to come.  We were both excited and nervous to add this third member to the family.  Michele has been someone I can totally relate to in her faith, her career (she taught at a christian school in elementary) and now as a stay at home mom.

We are looking forward to double dating with her and Ming super soon!  We both have very hectic schedules so at least we are in the same boat!  Michele has so much wisdom on motherhood and in her faith.  I could listen to her all day.  

Here is her story...

Did you and Ming always envision a family of 5?

1. We did!!! However we didn't think it would be a reality. In fact, Rachel was our surprise baby!! At the time we were both happy with only having Jonathan and Hannah but God obviously had other ideas and blessed us with Rachel.

What has been the hardest part transitioning from 2 to 3 kids (this has been super difficult for me)?

2. This transition from 2 to 3 kids really has been the most difficult for me. I don't know if it's just I'm older this time around but I find myself really tired all the time and not being able to keep up with all the housework. It's also been lonely at times because I've been stuck at the house with Hannah and Rachel due to the crazy winter we've had. I'm not really sure I have fully adjusted yet. I try not to beat myself up about the housework. On any given day there will be toys on the floor, dishes in the sink and laundry that needs to be done & that's ok!! I try to have the attitude of it'll get done when it gets done!! It also helps having a husband who is understanding and will help out with the chores and let you take a 2 hour nap after working a full day!

What would you say your family's mission or goal is?

3. We haven't really come up with our family mission statement yet so this is kind of a "work in progress". First, we want our family to be rooted in the Gospel. We want to raise our kids in the ways of the Lord and we pray that they would be saved and have a relationship with God. Second, we want to live out the Gospel by loving Jesus in serving those who are around us. And finally we want to glorify God in all that we do.

What is your favorite part of motherhood?

4. My favorite part of motherhood is seeing the kids accomplish something they have been working on. With Jonathan it's been his journey with his speech - he went from not really talking at 2 to now reading books with ease! With Hannah it's her ongoing conquest of being afraid of everything. We are still working on it but I'm sure she'll overcome her fears eventually. With Rachel it's been every little developmental milestone she's been able to reach - from lifting up her head, smiling, grasping fingers tightly and now rolling over! I'm excited to see what she'll do this week!!

What is the most difficult part of motherhood for you personally?

5. The most difficult part of motherhood is disciplining the kids and being consistent. It's so easy to make excuses for them or let them off the hook. However, I find that their behavior becomes worse. For example I've had a really hard week with Hannah not listening & doing what I've told her to do the first time. It's been building up all week and finally she threw a huge tantrum after church. After we got home, she was put in time out and cried her eyes out! However, for the rest of the day, she was well-behaved! :)

How has your relationship with Jesus grown/changed through motherhood?

6. I have definitely grown since becoming a mom. It certainly teaches me about unconditional love and being patient everyday. When I struggle with something the kids are doing like not listening or talking back, I find myself struggling with the same thing in my relationship with God. Except it's me that's not listening or having a bad attitude. God definitely uses my kids to point out the things I'm struggling with and the lessons He wants me to learn.


God bless your growing family Michele.  I 'm so thankful God allowed our paths to cross!!!

Guest Post About Homeschool Sisterhood

Homeschool Sisterhood

Today you can find me at The Joy of Homemaking blog where I am guest posting about the sisterhood of homeschooling!  I had so much fun writing this post because God has blessed me so much with awesome sisters in Christ, and awesome homeschool friends who constantly encouraging me in the quest for achieving the highest academics for my kids!

http://www.godlyrose.blogspot.com/2014/04/homeschool-sisterhood-guest-post-by.html

Click the above link to check it out!

Every Mom Has A Story: Valerie Woods

Sweet Valerie

I met Valerie at church many years ago before either of us were married or had kids.  Then we crossed paths again at MOPS where we were both just moms attending.  Three years ago Valerie took on the role of leading mops for two years and she did an amazing job!  This is when we worked together on the same steering team and got much closer as friends.

Our boys Mark and Charlie are only months apart, and Mark LOVES Charlie to pieces.  He always wants to be with his buddy Charlie.  They are in the same Awana class and next year they will both most likely be in the same Classical Conversation homeschool coop.

Valerie is a naturally sweet person.  The sweetest I know.  She is super organized and loves artsy crafty stuff because she was an Art major and Art teacher.  She is gifted and talented in so many ways.  I had to spot light her here.  I think she is a great mom!

Here is her awesome mommy story!

When did you and Scott meet?  When did you get married?

1. Scott and I met in the Summer of 2006 through Doctor Steve, a mutual friend of our families. The story goes something like this...Doctor Steve asked my mom to call me into the office one summer afternoon as Scott was the next patient he was going to see that specific day. It was definitely a set-up and more so for Scott as he had no inkling of what was going to happen. When I arrived at the office, Scott was sitting there as was I and Doctor Steve came right out from the hallway and very nonchalantly asked Scott if he knew me and then let us take it from there. Well...to make a long story short, that was history and we got married in November of 2007. I am blessed by my wonderful, loving husband who genuinely loves The Lord and continues to nurture our family as he faithfully serves us!

Did you always know you wanted to be a Mother?

2. Yes!!! I always knew that I wanted to be a mother. My dream was always to be a stay-at-home mom and wife! Without a doubt! I am so grateful that The Lord knows the desires of my heart and provided for me in this area!

Charlie is 4 1/2 and Maeve is 2...have you found them to be totally different or more alike being that they are a boy and a girl?

3. Charlie and Maeve are very much alike! I see so many similar attributes in the two of them. Sometimes I feel like I am reliving exactly what I went through with Charlie as Maeve displays much of the same characteristics at a very similar point in her life. For example, her strong-willed personality, although not as pronounced as Charlie's, began to come through right at the beginning of her life. Her tender, sensitive heart for others and love for her family is as clear as day as is Charlie's sensitive, loving spirit. They both have a passion for life and a joyful personality. They both love The Lord and enjoy learning about Him more and more everyday.

Charlie and Maeve both love music! Charlie channels his love of music more instrumentally as he continues to take piano lessons and Maeve expresses her musicality through dance. She is a mover and a shaker-a very kinesthetic personality! I must mention Charlie's love of art as well! Suggesting any kind of art project be it drawing, painting, gluing, sculpting, etc., sends him on an artistic journey!  Differences aside from gender and looks (I have a chocolate and a vanilla) are limited and I continue to look for them. 

What is your favorite part about being a Mom?

4. My favorite part of being a mom is feeling that unconditional love for my children everyday and being able to pour into them and help to mold them as The Lord guides me. I love the wonder that my children display when they learn or experience something new or do something that they love!

I heard you are homeschooling...do you love it? How is Charlie doing?

5. Yes! We are officially homeschooling. It is very exciting and I am really enjoying it. You asked how Charlie is doing. He is soaring! He is fluently reading books and really enjoying math! We are learning about money and time in math right now. We love AWANA as it helps me to incorporate devotions and bible study into our curriculum.

Beauty In Bloom

Awesome Mom Jobs

My Mops leader Jamie Cone, and her best friend Tara Silvestre both have the best job in the world.  They build and encourage little girls at parties.  They teach them about loving themselves, and self esteem, and about where true beauty really is.

The name of their company is Beauty in Bloom.  I interviewed Jamie this past week and was able to book Julia's 7th birthday party all at the same time.  I think this business they created is truly awesome and you will too!

Here is a video clip:

Beauty in Bloom video 

How did you come up with the idea for this business?

1. Beauty in Bloom was inspired by our own daughters.  Tara and I were seeking a business opportunity  that would allow us income and flexibility but also the ability to really impact lives in a positive way.  There was nothing like that out for us so we decided to pioneer our own company. As mothers our first instinct was to think of our children; we started with our oldest children; our daughters.  We designed a company that would be fun, on trend and meaningful. We wanted girls to have a great time at our parties but also learn something at the same time: Beauty in Bloom was born!

What is the message or goal of Beauty in Bloom?

2. The core message of BiB is vital to girls in today's society. As parents we have responsibility to teach our daughters about loving themselves, respecting who they are and being kind to themselves as others.  These are lessons that, sadly, some children never learn at home. We come across girls who are never told they are beautiful, smart and worthy of love.  At Beauty in Bloom we get to be a positive, uplifting voice to girls who may not have that.  In society that is constantly telling girls to conform, conform, conform; we are telling girls to be proud of who they are, just as they are because they were created perfectly.

What do you hope to accomplish at the parties?

3.  Many times at our parties and workshops we see changes before our very eyes!  We see girls who are shy and introverted blossom into bold, confident kids ready to conquer the world. We see girls who learn to encourage other girls by saying positive things and praising their friends at the party for sometimes the slightest things, it really touches your heart to see girls lifting up other girls in a positive way.  We once had a mom reach out to us after a party because she couldn't believe the change in her daughter. Her daughter had attended a friend's party.  This little girl, Danielle is her name and we still remember, was so quiet and shy. Her mom told us that she came home and couldn't stop talking about how her talents and gifts were special and she felt great about being who she was!  It's always so amazing to hear that kind of feedback.

What was the hardest part of creating your business?

4.  The hardest part of starting BiB was simply finding the time to follow through!  We have 7 kids between the two of us and we are busy mamas!  It's still a challenge to this day, but isn't that the gripe of all moms?...Finding the time to do it all!

How do you and Tara divide/share the work load?

5.  Tara and I work great together!  I love talking and being "on"; she prefers the behind the scenes mechanics of the business so we make a great team!  I can't tell you how many times I call tara with some crafty idea, tell about it and she just finds a way to make it happen!   She's amazing like that!  So it's pretty easy for us to split up the work, we both recognize the other person's strengths and capitalize on those and work to pick up the slack for each other's weaknesses.  Plus we're best friends, and what's better then working with your best friend!

1. What is the best part/your fav part of beauty in bloom?

Tara: My favorite thing about Beauty in Bloom is knowing that at each party or workshop that we do, these young girls are getting our message and all we can hope is that they remember it in the future. At the end of a party we go over everything we talked about and hearing the responses from the girls is so rewarding

2. What is your main goal in hosting the parties?

Tara: Our main goal in hosting these parties is that we help girls really understand where inner beauty comes from and help them to realize that they are special just the way they are. Beauty is not always about what is on the outside.

****** Jamie and Tara blessings on this business venture!  Praying that you are booked over and above what you could ever ask for or hope for.  You both are amazing role models for these girls and great mommies.  Love you Both!

Prepping for the Big Birthday!!!

Erin Nicastro Photography

First Birthdays Are Huge At Team Mac

My Micah turns one next week and this Sunday we are having a huge family party for him at my Mother in Law's house.  I am so excited!!! Today, I have to do some final things like order the sheet cake and pick up some colorful tablecloths to match our Super Bowl Football theme, and buy some face paint for all the kids.

Erin Nicastro Photography

I already ordered the balloons, cookie favors (Dina Newhard will be making them at Chloe's Creations) and bought all the games, decorations and goodie bags, and planned out all the food items.  He got his pictures done a few weeks ago by Erin Nicastro Photography.  She does all our family photos.

John is working on the year video of Micah.  We always show this at each child's birthday so you can see a progression of how they grew and changed throughout the year.  It always makes me cry to look back and watch them, and the big kids love to watch their video and hear the songs daddy picked out for them.

We are so happy to celebrate our Micah this year!  This has to be the fastest year of our lives.  So much has happened and  God has moved and blessed us in so many incredible ways.  I am very excited to share the joy with all our close family and friends!!!

Awesome Mom Jobs: My doula Roe

Roe always makes me laugh!

Best Job Ever

My doula Rosemarie has the best job in the world.  She is a stay at home mom AND a doula!

She has helped me and John bring three healthy children into this world.  And in Aug/Sept we will be using her wonderful services again!  

She is awesome at what she does.  She truly supports the mom throughout the labor and delivery and all through out the pregnancy you can talk to Roe and ask for advice.  She is wonderful.  We don't know what we would do without her!

Sitting on a yoga ball during a contraction.

Here is a little more info about what a doula is!

1. What is a doula? A doula is a woman  experienced in childbirth who provides emotional, informational, and physical support to a birthing mother and her partner before, during, and following birth. 

My water birth with Mark.

2. What interested you in being one? I had a doula present during the birth of our son Nicholas 18 years ago due to a not so pleasant birth experience with our first child three years prior. The experience was so amazing. I researched it for many months, found a training in a local hospital and spoke with my husband John about his feelings. He was super supportive but reminded me that my first and most important job was raising our sons. If I could find a way to raise our sons without it getting in the way he would support me 100% of the way. At first I only did a few births a year, but as my husbands job became more flexible with him working from home when not traveling and my kids getting older it became easier and easier. I also had the help of my mom who would help if John was out of town when I had a client due. 



3. How many babies have you delivered? Here I am 17 years in and I have assisted 280 babies into our beautiful world including your three and looking forward to our fourth in the coming months. 

Eating ice chips and relaxing in the birth tub.

4. Do you do water births? Yes, I did my first water birth about 8 years ago and have been doing them ever since.  I currently have a few moms desiring a water birth. Most all of my moms use water to help them relax during labor whether it be using submersion or shower. Moms experience great relief throughout their body and they are better able to manage the contractions. 

5. What is the best part of being a doula? I have to say the best part of being a doula is witnessing life come into the world. For me, childbirth is a magical and mysterious experience. Magical in a sense that one minute you're in labor and the next there is this beautiful baby God has blessed you with. Mysterious in a sense you don't know the path that labor is going to take. Yes it always ends with a baby in mamas,  but I am there to suggest different positions and varied coping techniques guiding the birthing couple towards holding their baby in their arms and experiencing the most amazing and memorable birth ever.  

We were so excited to have a boy! (Mark)

6. How has being a doula allowed you to be a stay at home mom and yet earn a great income? I average one to two births a month so basically I am home when I am not assisting at a birth. I am also a Lamaze certified child birth educator and teach small group classes in my home which also enabling me to be around. It was great when the boys were small but now that they are young men, they don't need mama so much.  God has given me the ability to use my gift of servanthood  to serve mothers and babies. I feel totally blessed by my profession.

Thank you Roe for helping us bring 3 healthy babies into this world!  God knew we needed you!