Two Years

April marks the month that we moved to Indiana. Two years ago, the weekend after Easter, we packed up a large moving truck with the help of friends and family, attended church to say our goodbyes and started driving the 14 hours to Goshen.

Easter 2010
 Aiden 5 mo, Cai 20 mo, Ian 3 yrs

 Now it's hard to believe that two years have past. I kinda figured after our move we would settle in and life would settle down. So not true. One year and one month later we moved into Mark's folks house and started the emotionally taxing task of house hunting (again). This time with the hope of buying rather than renting.

Easter 2011
Aiden 17 mo, Cai 2 yrs, Ian 4 yrs

 Four almost five months later we closed on our house. And another month later moved in. Can I just say here that I'm still excited and happy about our house. Sure home ownership has brought with it challenges we were not exactly expecting, but we, or at least I, am enjoying it all.

Easter 2012
Aiden 2 yrs, Cai 3 yrs, Ian 5yrs

 Now just three months ago Mark changed jobs and we are enjoying the benefits his new employment is bringing. One of which translates to less stress for him, which usually means less stress for all. And most recently we have once again become a two car family. We are now the proud owners of a '92 Chevy S-10. And I do mean proud. Mark and I both love the truck. Not to mention it feels so nice to have a second vehicle  that  is not company owned, and thus only Mark can drive, or borrowed from family. It's nice to not feel stranded or feel as if I'm stranding Mark when one of us leave. So when looking back alot has changed in two years.

April 2010
Cai in the van on our way to Goshen

And it's not that I thought life would be stagnant here. Everything changes. We all grow. I just have to look at the pictures from last year or the year before to see that. But I did think life would settle down. The last six years have been a whirlwind of change for Mark and I

April 2010
Aiden and Ian playing on the floor in our first Goshen house 

 And there was a part of me that thought after this move, life would settle into a little more predictability. No such luck as of yet. And something tells me that luck is not going to change anytime soon. Come August Ian will start kindergarten. And with that will bring changes that will be no less disorienting that any of the past.

April 2011

But I'm coming to find that just maybe that is were life is. We grow within these changes. I grow within these changes. And while I'll still look forward to a time when life is a little more predictable, I can live right now these spaces. Or I can at least try to/

April 2011- Easter

Live in the joy of home ownership, even when all the house and yard projects threaten to overwhelm me. Live in the newness of no diapers (that's right other than at night Aiden is out of diapers).

April 2012

 Live in the joy of preschool while looking forward to the new challenges and excitement that elementary school will bring. Live  in this routine, this reality, just as much as I look forward, worry and question what routines will look like tomorrow, this summer and next year, a year or years from now.

April 2012- self photo

 Recognizing that two years have passed and much as changed does not have to be as scary as I make it out to be. Maybe I can take some reassurance in these life changes. After all, I have three little boys, change comes with the territory. Doesn't it?

April 2012- Easter egg hunt

Purple, Purple Everywhere

A week ago our yard was covered with shades of purple. Now the color is fading giving way to spring green and waiting for the next batch of color to burst open.

the Wisteria in full bloom

I love the look of these blooms and the smell. 

But a week ago: Purple. It was so pretty. And really made me smile.

more blue than purple 

 It's been fun to see what will bloom. I'm not good at recognizing plants. Some flowers I know, but many I don't. But watching and waiting to see what pops up in our flower beds has been a wonderful joy.

 And it certainly brightens my days. Especially when often the skies are still gray and covered in clouds. Though on that note we have had some sunny afternoons, which I've enjoyed.

 Gardening will be this summers exciting adventure as I learn how to tend to what we have, remove what I don't want and try to add or adapt to fit my own tastes and talents.

 As overwhelming as it all feels, I look forward to learning. And really watching the beauty of my yard come to life brings joy and smiles.

Ok these are not purple, but they are gorgeous . 

Menu Plan Monday- April 16th

It's Wednesday! But I have a menu so I thought you might want to read it. I'm sure what else to say. Life is life. Daily routine and all that. Nothing all that exciting. Although we did plant veggies on Sunday! I can't wait till my lettuce and spinach is ready to eat. Plus watching them grow with the boys will be fun. They helped me plant. Ian was especially helpful while planting snow peas. :) In other news I'm trying to find the energy to clean house. My folks are coming to visit at the end of next week and the current state of my house is too embarrassing to leave as is. Hopefully it will be at least presentable by next week. Anyway here is the menu.

Monday: Pizza Rice Casserole (More with Less cookbook)
Tuesday: Biscuit pot pie (with chickpeas instead of chicken)
Wednesday: Midweek meal at church
Thursday: Chili and cornbread
Friday: Homemade pizza
Saturday: Broccoli and cauliflower soup (Simply in Season cookbook)
Sunday: leftovers or popcorn, cheese and apples

For more menus  check out Organizing Junkie's website. 

Happy Meal planning !

Menu Plan Monday- April 2nd

It's Monday! And I'm actually posting. Yeah for small accomplishments. In addition to being Holy Week, it's spring break around here. A week of boys home all day, it will be a test of patience for sure. I've gotten very much accustomed to having only two at home in the mornings. I'm sure this will be good practice for summer. ;) Oh an exciting food note, the Farmer's Market had locally grown asparagus on Saturday. So we get to enjoy that tonight. I love asparagus. So I've very much excited that it's now available. And on that thought on to my menu.

Monday: Lemon Asparagus Pasta (Simply in Season)
Tuesday: Enchilada Casserole (Extending the Table)
Wednesday: Cheese Corn Chowder
Thursday:  Sweet Potato curry over rice
Friday: Homemade pizza using Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Saturday: Leftovers? or other simple meal
Sunday: Easter Dinner (I haven't figured out what I'm doing yet. But I'll try and let you know what I come up with)

For more menus visit Organizing Junkie

Menu Plan Monday- March 26th

I should just start calling this Menu Plan Tuesday, because that seems to be when I get around to posting. But it just doesn't have the same ring to it. Plus all my buttons say Menu Plan Monday. Oh well. It is what it is I guess. We are back to normal spring weather around here: 50s and 60s. After the high 70s and low 80s of last week it is down right cold. I can't decide if I miss the oddly warmer weather or if I'm just grateful we got to spend so much time outside. On the upside, my brother-in-law came and tilled up my garden tonight. So it is ready for planting when the time comes! Sadly we lost one of our fish. Being that it was in the shallower pond I'm afraid it was due to the drop in temperature. Anyway on to our menu. Pretty simple this week. No new recipes. Maybe next week :)

Monday: soup from the freezer
Tuesday: spaghetti with tomato sauce and peas
 Wednesday: Chili- maybe corn bread?
Thursday: Quiche
Friday: Potato Soup or Cheese corn chowder
Saturday: leftovers
Sunday: simple supper

As always I encourage you to wander over to Organizing Junkie for more menus. Happy menu planning!

Menu Plan Monday- March 19th

Happy Spring everyone! I've been enjoying our unusually warm weather. I bet I've spent most afternoons outside working on our yard and just enjoying the flowers and greeness. My daffodils are all in bloom and are beautiful. I even brought some in for my table today. :) We now have fish in our pond too. Which is lots of fun for the boys to watch. They are still very little, so you have to look for them. But it is somewhat of a game to see if we can find them every time we go out. Oh the joys of warmer weather. Ok here is the menu this week.

Monday: Spaghetti and corn
Tuesday: Coconut Milk Curry over rice
Wednesday: leftovers (I'm eating soup and bread with the Lenten Prayers group at church)
Thursday: Some friends from college are coming over for dinner- Sausage and Butternut squash over rice (from Simply in Season)
Friday: Chili
Saturday: Quiche? Leftovers?
Sunday: Popcorn and Cheese? Breakfast? Other simple supper

What are you eating this week? For more menus visit Organizing Junkie.

Signs of Spring

Spring is clearly on it's way. The weather is warmer (today 's high is to get up to 77!), the sun seems to be making more of an appearance, and I have even gotten to enjoy blue skies. And of course we have been spending more time outside

Add caption

. I've been trying to do yard work, starting with cleaning out flower beds and getting my garden ready for when I can start planting. It's slow work, and feels so overwhelming it's hard to keep going. But I'm taking everything one section at a time, starting with small areas and some of the smaller beds.

Small flower bed by house. I didn't think to take a before picture

 Our yard sure has a lot of landscaping to maintain. However I'm sure once we get a rhythm it will look beautiful. Already the flowers are growing without any help on my part. :) Yeah!!!!!!

Flowers found in raised bed last week

Flowers in same raised bed this week :) Oh how they have multiplied 

Also Aiden has learned to peddle his tricycle so playing outside has gotten even more fun for him.

Look at him go :)

 And don't forget about the appearance of the toad hiding among all the dead leaves and grass. Oh what fun to watch him hop around.

We had to feel how bumpy he was. The boys named him although now I can't remember what his name is. 

 Spring is coming. And we are welcoming it with open arms.