A Sad Goodbye

Today I am tasked with writing a sad post. A goodbye post. It has been nearly a year since we began this blog and we have enjoyed it and been challenged by it. We have loved having the chance to write, and we have sure appreciated each person who chose to read what we wrote. Unfortunately, the time has come for us to end this endeavor. We each have our own reasons for stopping, but we are all in agreement that it is the best action to take. There has been no dispute between us! We largely took our other responsibilities and family time into consideration when making the decision.

Thank you for "following" our blog. Thank you for caring about what was happening in our lives and for appreciating our take on life. We have loved this experience as sisters, and we have treasured the time shared. If you are interested in keeping up with us in other ways, you can follow Esther's personal blog at: http://estherbeard.tumblr.com/ and find out more about Maude's production company here: http://ehrenkrookentertainment.com/. As for me (Lizzi), I guess I'll just have to be in touch.

Sisters Chat about 4-H

Maude: This week I thought we would talk about 4-H. I am not sure if you all heard about the announcement from the Dept. of Labor who is revamping child labor laws but they made it illegal for kids to work on anything but family farms (most family farms are legal entities and therefore would not be considered "family"). In addition there was language that would make 4-H and FFA illegal.This has been rescinded because there was such a big stink.
But it got me thinking about 4-H.
Esther: That's crazy and dumb!
Maude: I know, it is ridiculous!!!
Esther: like we need kids to be learning less. 4-H and helping on farms is such a great way to learn.
Maude: And it teaches them hard work. Plus there is something of a catastrophe looming for farms because around 80% of small farmers are set to retire in the next 10 years and there is no one to replace them.
Lizzi: Wow. That is certainly a catastrophe!
Maude: All the big farms will continue but small farms are the backbone of this country. Imagine the countryside without small farms!!
Yuck!
To those reading this who aren't familiar - What is 4-H?
Lizzi: I don't remember what the 4 h's stand for! Isn't that terrible?
Maude: head, heart, hands and health
Not sure why I remember that...
Lizzi: I was close! I was going to say head, heart, health and home. Close, but no cigar!
Maude: haha, Liz!
Esther: 4-H is an opportunity for young people to learn how to work, farm, build, sew, cook, and lead.

Mornings At My House

My household (other than my husband!) usually wakes up between 8 and 9 in the morning.  I am not a morning person and so I normally sleep in until the kids wake me up leaving my "quiet time" for night.  But this morning I was awake before 7 am.

I decided to surprise my husband and have breakfast and spend some time with him before he went to work.  I was thwarted as he had to go in early and I just missed him.  As I came downstairs, he drove off.  So I had some toast and read my Bible.  The house was quiet; the deck was cool; it was lovely.

Then at 7:30 am Maeva started fussing so I got in bed with her and snuggled down.  She was sweet and we both fell back asleep.  I felt like this waking up early thing had some potential.

lamb leg roast

I like lamb. I think it is delicious, however, I have very little experience cooking it.  I have decided to change that.

I bought 3lbs of a boneless leg of lamb.

Healthy (and Yummy!) Carrot Zucchini Muffins

These muffins are a sweet, tasty way to get my three-year-old to eat vegetables! They are about as healthy as muffins can get (maybe if I added bran they'd be even healthier.. will have to think about that!) and they eat like a yummy treat! 

Sisters chat about SUMMER

 Esther:  Since today is June 1st I thought we'd talk about SUMMER. I don't know about you all but after memorial day and once school is out I don't need to wait till June 20th to feel like I am in summer
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of summer?

 Maude:  HEAT.

 Esther:  I think of ice cream & drive-inns

Gardening - Asparagus Success!

We planted our asparagus early.  We dug holes in our red, clay soil, mixed in some black soil for good measure and watered faithfully.  After a month of nothing happening we decided that we would rather use that space in our tiny garden for our tomato plants so we transplanted out tomatoes from their starter pots in the house and put them in the section where we had just dug up the dud asparagus and we put the asparagus into the started pots and put them in our front window.

The general plan was to water the asparagus if we thought about it but otherwise to not waste anymore time or thought about the dead asparagus crowns.  We placed a spray bottle next to the plants and let the kids squirt (or sometimes drown) the poor little plants as they wanted to.

What to do with laundry...

This morning I was making my bed and thinking about the dishes I needed to get done and then I noticed the laundry pile in the corner of our room and remembered that I forgot to move the clothes from the washer to the dryer last evening. Ahhh! Ever have a morning like this? I started my day feeling overwhelmed before 8am, that is a little depressing.  Unfortunately, I think I start the majority of my days this way.  Beginning my days in such a stress filled state is just asking for disaster. I am snippy with my husband, impatient with my son, and just frustrated in general. What can I do about this?

Late Again

Late like always. I did not plan to talk about procrastination today. I had a great post started, but that's all it was. Started. Instead of completing it and scheduling it to automatically post this morning, I waited, thinking I would get time today to finish it properly. Oh, my. Will I ever learn that waiting is never the best policy? Waiting until tomorrow to complete a task simply means that it will be finished in a hurried, haphazard way, if it gets finished at all. 

Just a Little Pride

Our guest blogger today is our brother-in-law, Jim. He is married to our oldest sister, Hannah. They have three sweet boys.


I would like to talk about Pride. Not in the biblical sense, as in Proverbs 11:2, "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom."

No, this is a different kind of pride. Let's call it the healthy kind. Like, when I grill four steaks and three of them actually turn out edible. Or, when I am successful in convincing my four year old that there is no actual Holiday called "Pantless Tuesday."

Of these healthy types of pride, my favorite is the pride I have in my wife, Hannah. This pride does not come from a selfish or arrogant place. Am I happy that she is beautiful and the girl of my dreams? Sure. To say I'm proud of those things would suggest I had something to do with it. Taking credit, if you will.

My pride is in her successes. The drive, determination and heart she puts into everything she touches. After eight years of marriage, I can be around her for ten minutes and wish I was a better man. On top of that, she has blessed me with three beautiful, smart, healthy and sweet little boys.

What a Girl Wants

It is funny to think back to what I wanted in high school and compare that to what I want now as a woman.

I wanted to be living in Europe with a career in something international, business suit required.  I did not want to be married and most definitely did not want children.  I wanted to be able to travel on a whim and see and experience whatever culture I found myself in.  I wanted independence and importance.

That is not what I want now...

When in Louisville.

If you were to come to Louisville I'd suggest a few places to try out.  For a good cup of coffee Sunergos  is the place for you.  They roast all of their own coffee beans and the result is always a smooth satisfying taste.

If you are into doughnuts then you can just walk next door to Nords bakery .  There apple fritters are basically to die for.  

Letter Love

Recently, I've been thinking about Christmas card season. I love writing Christmas cards. I love addressing all the envelopes, affixing the stamps and sealing stickers, and writing the personal note most of all. The last few years we have been sending picture cards so that family and friends can see how much our boys have grown. The only problem with this type of card is that it's not very personal (besides the family picture, of course). So I try to send a personal note along with most of the cards. It's so much fun!

I love to receive hand-written notes from people at all times, and I love to send them just as much. I don't know why. I guess it's just a quirky passion God has given me. It's too bad that "snail mail" is a dying practice. It does take more time, especially if I'm trying to write a card with little ones around. For some reason, when Mama is writing someone, they suddenly have an urge to magnetize to me- pulling my arm, reaching for my paper. These two blessings have certainly instigated a decrease in letter-writing output from me. But, that's to be expected. Anyway, I digress. My heart really smiles when I have a completed note (thinking of you, birthday, anniversary, etc) dropped into the mailbox. It's such a small thing, but it is an offering of love to write them, and I imagine it brings the receiver a small amount of joy as well. What could be a sweeter, simpler surprise than a note from a dear one amongst the junk mail and bills? I love to picture the smile they may wear as they open and read the note. I know, I'm a little odd with this passion of mine.

Remembering Mother's Day

Lizzi: We just celebrated Mother's Day this past Sunday.
How many years have you celebrated it, as a mother?

Maude: 4 years

Esther:  2 or 3.  Three years if you count being pregnant.

Lizzi: And mine is 3!

Maude: I didn't do anything when I was pregnant - I figured I would celebrate as my last Mother's Day not being a mother instead! Because I will never not be a mother again!

Lizzi: That's a good idea!

Esther:  Haha! So true!

Maude: I like to celebrate all sorts of things! Anything I can, really!

Lizzi: I have recently heard friends say that what they'd like for Mother's Day is to have hubby take the kids and get to spend the day alone. (Relaxing with a book, maybe a day at the spa, etc)
Do you agree? What is your idea of a great Mother's Day gift?

The Most Important Job

"The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world."

My sisters have both written on motherhood this week - I guess their minds are focused on it from the celebration of Mother's Day last weekend but that isn't what I mean to write about.  Not exclusively, anyway.

Of course, as the above quote implies, it is about those people who are raising up children.  Those people who are impacting the next generation each hour, each day of their lives.  I want to celebrate mothers but also fathers, grandparents, babysitters, whoever is pouring themselves into children on a daily, usually hourly, basis.  Whoever the primary caregivers are.

I know of kids being raised by gransparents, aunts and uncles, or foster parents.  I know of a particular young single woman who has become a foster parent en lieu of the as-yet-future family she wants for herself.  She is taking the opportunity to give love and care to someone else's child for whom she holds no responsibility - what a blessing she is being to that child.

I am convinced that these people have the most important job on earth.

The mission field of Motherhood

I have been thinking about Mothers recently.  My Mother, being a Mother, friends who are Mothers, the Mother down the street I have been wanting to talk to because I see her son running, screaming, and being a little extra mischievous like my own and I think, I want to know her .  How do you start that conversation exactly? "I see your kid is as crazy as mine, let's be friends!" that may not go over super well...

I don't know about you but I like to see Mom's with crazy kids too! "You mean your kid does that too?!" It puts my heart at ease knowing other Mothers are probably making the same dumb decisions I am.  Us gals need each other.  Whether it be a fellow Mom, your own Mom, or an understanding kid less friend.  Motherhood should not be done alone.

Climbing the Mommy Ladder

I am a mommy. I have been for over three years now. My mommy has been a mommy for 38 1/2 years. (I'm not 38. Just to clarify in case you were wondering.) Wow! When I put it in those terms it really highlights the difference in our amount of experience. If motherhood required an application and hiring process, my mom's resume would be at the top of the pile. Or, maybe she would be the one doing the hiring since she would know what would make a stellar candidate. She would certainly be at the senior management level, helping to train and establish a new generation of mothers.

In fact, that's just what she's doing. I live faraway, so I can't "drop by," but I call her repeatedly with questions upon questions, and I fill her in on silly happenings that only Gramma could care about. Mom will answer potty training and sleeping questions, brainstorm about eating issues, and share creative learning activities from her plethora of knowledge. Actually, I'm not really sure why I'm writing this blog instead of her! She could put hundreds of "new recruits" at ease with her warm and easy manner, wise and patient advice. Hmmm... that's a thought.

Sisters Chat about the Institution of Marriage

Maude: In light of the marriage amendment that just passed in NC, I wanted to talk about the institution of marriage.
Esther: good idea
Maude: Clearly, marriages are falling apart all over the place. Why do you think that is? What is causing that to happen do you think?
Lizzi: I think people don't know what it's supposed to be about. They have faulty perceptions of fairytale love and don't see the necessity of commitment and self-sacrifice.
Esther: I think a lot of it boils down to selfishness. Marriage is work, is sacrifice, but putting the other's needs before your own - that is not easy.
Maude: I think it is selfishness. I think people are increasingly self-centered and don't know how to put others first.
Haha!
We are reading each other's minds, Es!
Esther:  Great minds think alike.
Maude: I read an article recently that said a scientific study had proven that selfish behaviours and attitudes increase before divorces occur. I thought, "You need a scientfic study to show that?!"
Esther: It is really easy to love someone who is loving you. But, when they're mean and not being lovely we want to kick them to the curb. No one is perfect but is much easier to shrug off my own selfishness then to forgive my husband's selfishness.
Lizzi: So true. We only feel content when we are getting what we want and when times get tough and people act human, we want to stand up for our "rights" and give up.

The Difference Between Boys and Girls

Okay, I am not going to talk about the obvious difference here!!  I just mean the differences any mother of both sexes can tell you.  It is fascinating.

The other day I was vaccuuming after we had finished working on a creative project and there were some sticky foam circles under the table.  I asked Maeva to come over and pick "some things up for me"  she picked up the circles as well as a chunk of cookie that she found on the floor and threw it away.   If I had asked Milton to pick them up he would have either picked up every miniscule little crumb in an effort to be helpful or would have wanted more precise instructions of what I wanted.

One of those days

I should have written this post days ago.  Now I sit and stare at a blank page.  What to write?  What to say? I think something witty would be good, something sad would be better, and then of course there is my favorite topic: FOOD.  But, I do not have anything witty to say today, perhaps something sad, and as to food? Well, I would love to get a moment to sit down and eat at some point today.  May I be honest with you?  I am overwhelmed.  I was thinking I need to write about "something positive" but I am positively not there.  I do not think it is wrong to acknowledge hardship, it is not wrong to see the mess in life.  The question is: How do you deal with the mess?  I don't know about you, but I am full of mess.  I have been struggling with that question all morning.  I know what I want the answer to be, but I am not sure if that is the real answer of my heart.

But a Breath

While I draw this fleeting breath, when my eyes shall close in death

When I rise to worlds unknown, and behold Thee on Thy throne

Rock of Ages cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee
(Rock of Ages, Augustus Toplady, Thomas Hastings)

Fleeting breath. How often do I think in those terms? Sure, I know each day is numbered, each moment precious, each breath fleeting, but it is not often foremost in my thoughts, causing my words and actions to line up accordingly. I don't know how long I will be on this earth, and yet I don't always appreciate the here-and-now. I don't consistently live with the urgency that I ought. An urgent, heavenward view should be my focus.

News of an unexpected death has the incomparable ability to shake a person into eternal thinking.

Sisters chat about: Habits

 Esther:  Today I thought we'd talk about habits.
 Maude:  Uh oh.
 Esther:  bad habits, good habits, all kinds of habits!
What would you consider your own worst or most annoying habit?
 Maude:  Golly.  This is hard!  I think you shouldhave given us a heads-up about thequestions this week!!
 Lizzi:  I think for me it would be procrastination toward about everything
 Maude:  I think my biggest problem is lack of GOOD habits!
 Lizzi:  Would that be considered a habit?
Procrastination, I mean?
 Esther:  Well, one of mine is never measuring things. When you make bread it is a good idea to know how much flour is going in, ya know?
 Maude:  Like I need to exercise more, take vitamins better, floss more, etc.
I think procrastination could be considered a habit, Lizzi.
 Esther:  I also habitually eat bad when my husband is not around.  Krispy kreme anyone?
 Lizzi:  Yeah, sweets intake is definitely a  bad habit of mine
Especially with my afternoon coffee...

TransAtlantic Differences

When recently staying at a hotel in America it reminded me of something new that I experienced at the Bed & Breakfast I stayed at in Germany a few months back.  It was a recently built B&B and even though I was staying in my room with a girl I didn't know they would only issue us one key (a card key - which is easy to dupicate!) to share.  When we got to the room we found out why.  In order to use any electricity in the room one had to put the card in a slot on the wall which actuated the electricity.  This meant that we couldn't leave lights on when we left the room - makes sense it saves money for the B&B but it meant that my roommate had to sit in the room and wait while her cell phone charged and we had to really coordinate going to and from the room with each other which was a big pain.

That would never have worked in the US - especially for the rates we were paying.  But that difference made me think of some of the other differences between Europe and the US in my experience. 

Does a Mom have time to workout?

We live in a very different world then we once did.  We once lived in a world full of physical labor.  Now we are sitting all the time.  Men used to work the fields, work with their hands.  Women would get down and scrub the floor on their hands and knees and wash the laundry by hand.  People once walked to the places they needed to go, not anymore!  Now we have vehicles, sit at desks all day, just to come home and sit at the dinner table and then move to go sit on the couch.   I am glad we have the modern convinces we do but unfortunately, one of the things that was lost with more technology was the necessity to be active. We now have to work to be active, we now call being active "working out".  I do not know if I am the only one, but working out that is more difficult then I would like it to be.  Not only do I  find the time hard to come by but also the motivation to do it!  It just makes so much more sense to have activity built around your day  like it once was then to isolate "activity" to 3 hr. a week (or whatever it may be for you).  Now don't get me wrong, I do not think there is anything wrong with having a workout routine, going to the gym, or for a run, in fact, I would greatly encourage that! I just know that regularly heading to the gym or going for a run can be hard to keep up with. Especially if you are a Mama.  Do you workout in the evening so your husband can watch the kids? That can cut into family time and when does he get to workout? Do you try to do it in the day? How a Mom of three or more kids goes for a run (or has time to workout at all) is completely beyond my comprehension! (Please, fill me in on how you make this happen!)  Some gyms provide childcare, but what if you can't afford a gym?

How is a Mom supposed to get the opportunity to work out?  Between dirty diapers and laundry it can get to be kind of challenging.

Events Worth Noting

Today is a holiday, even if we don't get out of work or school to celebrate it. Many people don't even observe May Day, simply treating it as any other day of the year. I guess I am really one of those people. However, growing up, we would prepare some kind of gift basket or baked good and then drive around to various friends' houses to leave it on their doorstep, ring the doorbell, and run so that they found the treat, but not us. Some years we would call ahead and drop it by, staying to visit after we surprised our dear one with our goodies. It was a lot of fun and a good lesson for us kids in remembering to treat others with kindness and love. I don't know if you do anything special for May Day, but I also wanted to use this opportunity to bring to light two other events going on this week.

The first is Screen-Free Week, which actually began yesterday and goes until May 6th. Its purpose is to encourage children and families to turn off all electronic screens and spend time together doing other fun activities. If you click on the link above you will see the wide array of organizations participating in Screen-Free Week, and that is because our children (and us, too!) spend a horrendous amount of time watching TV and using other electronic forms of entertainment. (Yes, that does include the computer, and thus, our blog.) The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under age two watch NO television (that's right- zip, nada, zero) and that children over age two (no age specification) watch only 1-2 hours per day.

The second event I wanted to highlight is The National Day of Prayer, taking place on Thursday, May 3rd. This is an annual event in which the focus is lifting our nation up in prayer to God Almighty. If you aren't sure how to get involved, here is a list of ways. Most importantly, use this event as a reminder of the importance to regularly pray for our country and its leaders.

Guest Blog: A Hero Like No Other

Our Guest blogger today is our brother, Paul. Paul presently lives in Kentucky with his wife and two children.

Stories have a plot: problem, solution, result. They also have a main character or characters, good guys and bad guys. This is true for romances (or I think this is true, I am not an expert here!) and even action movies (though, likely to a much lesser degree).

Take one of my favorites for example, The Lord of the Rings. This is an epic story about “the fellowship” trying to destroy a certain very powerful and enchanting ring. Sometimes in stories there is what I call, “the contrast character,” he makes the hero of the story look even more heroic. For The Lord of the Rings its Boromir, for romance movies it is the jerk who doesn’t care (or Mr. Collins in Pride and Prejudice), and for action movies it is probably the guy that is geeky and kills less people. Throughout the story, we see the hero overcome insurmountable odds and defeat the bad guys of the story and bring a solution to whatever problem was introduced. The narrative of Scripture similarly has a plot. Instead of Frodo (or whoever) being the main character, Jesus is, and all the supporting actors only serve to demonstrate Jesus’ superiority.

The Beach Boys are Back!

When asking a woman in her 60's once what it was like to grow up back then one of her comments was that all the young people listened to the same music. It wasn't like today with a hundred different genres. Regardless of race or economic status, everyone knew the same songs. I think that was part of the magic of the 60's and 70's. Music really was unifying (at least among the young generation!).

Just in time for summer, the Beach Boys will be releasing a new album on June 5th!  They are celebrating their 50th anniversary with a new album and a tour.  Three of the original members: Brian Wilson, Mike Love and Al Jardine, and two other members who were a part of the band as well but not founding members, David Marks and Bruce Johnston.  The other two original members, Carl and Dennis Wilson have passed away.

Of course, I was not yet a twinkle in my father's eye when the Beach Boys were hot in the 60's and 70's but, nevertheless, I feel a thrill of excitment at their reunion.  Who doesn't like the Beach Boys?

WAFFLES!

What is better then a warm waffle with maple syrup? Not much! Maybe, just maybe a savory waffle filled with paprika and cheddar cheese, topped with an over-easy egg and spinach? Well, at least it could give it a run for its money!

I recently invested in a Waffle maker one of the best decisions of my life.  Waffles go so far beyond breakfast food.  You can have them for lunch or dinner, gluten free, or good old traditional.  I do not regularly keep bread in my house but sometimes I get a hankering for a sandwich and what does a girl do? Waffle sandwich of course! The other day I had a delicious cornbread waffle sandwich with pulled beef, horseradish, spinach and peppers.  So, many things you can do with waffles.  

Sunshine, Showers, and Flowers

Who doesn't know that "April showers bring May flowers"? However, I'm thankful that it is not just the showers that cause pretty flowers to grow. This past weekend we had beautiful seventy-degree, sunshine-y days and it was exhilarating. My husband biked 50 miles on Saturday and afterward the boys and I met him at an outdoor musical playground to play for awhile. We made lots of noise and sat in the sun. It was nice. Sunday afternoon my husband biked 27 miles and still had energy left over! So, we took the boys for a hilly walk to a nearby park. They both ran around, climbed, slid, and swung. I hopped on the swing, too, and while I loved it, I couldn't believe that as I soared I also got a little nauseated. I am old. We played for a couple hours and made the trek back downhill. It was perfect weather for the weekend.

Sisters Chat: Dealing with the Elements

I have entitled this chat 'Dealing with the Elements' because we will talk about our responses to factors (exhaustion, anger, stress, excitement) that are simply part of living this life.

Lizzi: We all have full, busy lives. This can mean that at times we suffer from sheer exhaustion.

What do you do when you need to relax?

Maude: I have 2 main things that relax me - reading a good novel and laying down (that's important!). And listening to music.

Esther: A bath with a book.

Maude: Yuck. I hate baths. I tried that once - a bath with a book - I found it stressful, or at least irritating.

Lizzi: I like baths and books to relax, but not together!

Esther:  Really? I think it is wonderful.

Maude: Ugh. To each her own.

Lizzi: I'd just end up dropping my book in the water or catching it on fire with the candles and I'd be stressed out again. BUT I do love them both at separate times.

Maude: How do you turn the pages with wet hands?

Lizzi: Exactly!

It's A..... (boy/girl)?

Well, we are finally here.  Just the other day I had my ultrasound! 

It felt like I had to wait forever because according to my dates I should be two weeks farther along than I am but according to the baby's measurements I am just now at 21 weeks.  So it'll feel like 42 weeks of pregnancy to me (if baby arrives on time and not late!).

Thankfully, the doctor said that everything they could check on the baby came out healthy so that was wonderful which only left the mystery of the gender of my little blessing.

Going in to the ultrasound I thought that the little one was a boy, my husband thought it was a girl, and each of the kids thought it was the same sex that they were.

Two of us were right.

Drumroll please.
It's a .....

Soaring to Freedom

I sit and watch the little planes take off and land from the airfield near our house.  My son always yelps an excited "ooh!" as they fly by.  Often I have this feeling well up inside me that I want to soar like that plane, go where the wind takes me.  May I be honest with you? Motherhood is hard. I am a care-free person, I like to be able to just go and do, try new things, go exciting places but that is a little hard when you have a two hour afternoon nap to fit in and an 8pm bedtime.  Where can you go between 4pm and 8pm? Not very far.

Stay-at-Home Mom's Response to Ms. Rosen

I'm sure you've all heard about Hilary Rosen's comments about Ann Romney on Thursday, April 12th. By now it is old news so it may even be hard to find the original story, but her comments clearly showed her disdain for women who choose to stay home to care for their children. I know that she tried to clarify, implying that it was Ann Romney's wealth that kept her from being an "expert on women and the economy" but we all know the truth. Hilary Rosen would have had no problem with Ann Romney being an expert on the economy (and women!) if she was a wealthy "working" woman. (Well, at least if she was a liberal wealthy working woman.)  Leftist feminism wants every woman to  have a choice, as long as the woman's choice lines up with their ideology.

Sister's Chat About Music Part 2

Maude: This is about music again but a little different than the chat Esther recently lead. But to start off I did want to remember wht genre of music you typically listen to...
Esther: okay!
Maude: I listen to country and classic rock (and a LOT of kids music!)
Esther: singer songwriter/folk/indie rock
with some bluegrass & classic rock thrown in
Yes kid's music too!
Lizzi: I listen to Christian (rock, pop, contemporary, worship, hymns), some classic rock (mostly of "Delilah" style), jazz, old styles (20s-40s)
and LOTS of kids music too
Maude: I want to listen to oldies but there are NO oldies station here!
Okay, what song do you really like right now?
Only ONE ladies!!
Lizzi: Oh dear.
Maude: I REALLY like "A Little More Country Than That" by Easton Corbin. It is sweet because it says "If you think I'm gonna give you this ring and then take it back - I'm a little more country than that." Good song.
Lizzi: This has been a favorite for a little while now, but I still really like 'Blessings' by Laura Story
Esther: I have been listening to a lot of "May your power rest on me" by Sojourn
Maude: Cool.
Is there any band/album that you particularly like that you would recommend one or both of us to listen to?

Natural Bridge

We recently visited the Natural Bridge in Virginia.  We had stopped once before but didn't want to spend $19/adult to see a rock formation.  This time, however, we decided to go ahead and check it out. 

The Natural Bridge is much higher and bigger in real life than this picture makes it look.

The Hunger Games...and popcorn!

I love reading. I love eating popcorn. I love reading and eating popcorn together.  Last night I did both; a lot of both.  I have been reading the Hunger Games

 which is the popular teen book at the moment. We had our Harry Potter faze, our Twilight faze and now it is the Hunger games (maybe I missed a few in between?) The Hunger Games is the first one I have gotten sucked in to.

Brothers Together

We are four days into a new sleeping routine with our boys: shared bedroom. Our oldest has been experiencing fears and wanting "someone with him" for some time now, and usually when we lay him down to sleep either my husband, or myself, stay upstairs (in our room) until he is asleep. It seems that just knowing we are down the hall helps him to fall asleep peacefully. It started out innocently enough, but eventually became a problem (especially at night) because we'd come down, only to have a few minutes before we had to head up to bed ourselves. (Yes, he was taking that long to fall into a deep sleep.) I know many of you parenting experts are chiding us right now, but it's really a hard choice when you're in the midst of it, you know? Anyway, when my mom was here, she helped us to come downstairs by sharing with him that the distance downstairs really is about the same distance as "down the hall" and instating a special sign to share when we went down. Worked great. The problem, though, was that he knew Gramma would be sleeping in his room later that night, and he had that to look forward to. Well, after Gramma left we were back at square one. And so we decided that our younger son was sleeping well enough through the night at this point to attempt the transition.

We talked up the move and they both seemed excited. They "helped" Daddy move the crib and set it up in big brother's room. Now the trouble was figuring out a compromise: Our oldest had started sleeping with a night light on and the blinds up in his room, and our youngest was used to a blackout curtain over the closed blinds. We decided to start with the blinds closed (especially with increasing daylight rapidly approaching!) and leave the night light for a little while. Well, now that we are four days in, I don't know why I worried about the night time! They fall asleep pretty quickly because they are so worn out from partying during nap time!

No More Mondays

If you're reading this, then you are aware that we have posted five days a week since we began this blog together last summer. After Katharine stopped regularly blogging with us, we have rotated the Monday duties, and asked guests to share certain blog posts. Well, after several months of sharing this responsibility we have voted to cut down to four days a week and forgo the Monday post. This will begin immediately.

We will still post Tuesday- Friday. Lizzi will post on Tuesday, Esther on Wednesday, Maude on Thursday, and Sisters Chat on Friday. One Friday a month we will plan to have a guest blogger instead of posting a chat.

We believe this change will allow us the time needed to prepare our entries, participate in and tweak the chats, and give priority to our homes and families. Thanks for continuing to read, comment, and connect with us! We appreciate you!

Question and Answer Time with Mom

Maude: What is your favorite thing to grow in the garden?

Mom: Why flowers, of course! Sunflowers and zinnias are my very favorites! They don't count, actually, because they are just for fun. Thank you, God, for their beauty. They cheer the heart! I also love tomatoes because I love to eat them! Sun-ripened, fresh from the garden- yum! Also because they are easily canned or frozen, and can be enjoyed in so many recipes.

Maude: That's funny.  I hadn't really even thought of flowers for my garden.  We do have Nasturtiums but that is mostly because their leaves are edible greens for salads.  I mostly think of the garden as functional, not as much pretty.  I am excited about my tomato plants though!  Did I tell you that we started them from seed?  We've not put them into the ground outside yet but we will be in the next couple of weeks.  My husband's never a tomato fresh from the garden so he's excited about that.  I told him about your tomato sandwich.  I always think of you with tomatoes, Mom.

Esther: I planted flowers in my garden this year because I loved how you always did Mama.

Maude: What has been your favorite thing about motherhood?

Mom: My kids! :) By the time I have gotten to the "red hat" age group it's hard to remember anything I didn't like. After the 1st couple babies I even relished the time alone at night with my little one- well, most of the time. I remember being pretty tired with the buddy boys, #9 and #10. My favorite thing? Maybe cuddling in bed. After awhile it got pretty crowded. My favorite thing? I loved loading up the big monster van, Nessie, with all the family and heading off to church. It was not easy but very rewarding. My favorite thing? Sitting around our Dining Room table praying together and singing hymns. What a privilege to worship together as part of education. (As a new believer in my 30's I took seriously Deuteronomy 6:4-9, desiring that my children would love and serve the Lord all of their days.)

Esther: Fun memories Mama!

Maude:  That's a lot of favorites!  Is that allowed?!  Haha!  One can definitely tell you love being a mom.

Lizzi: Those are great memories, Mom! And what an encouragement to those of us "in the trenches" that you mostly just remember the good stuff! :)

Lizzi: What advice would you give a new parent, or parent of young children?

Happy Easter!

As I was putting my kids to bed earlier this week, I turned on a CD for them to listen to as they fell asleep.  It happened to be a Christmas CD.  While I prayed with them and rocked them for a few minutes I found myself singing along to The First Noel.

It really hit me, and I tried to explain to them what I was thinking, how that tiny little baby, that sweet innocent babe wrapped in swaddling clothes that we celebrated just a few months ago was beaten and scourge and killed for us.

My garden

We did it! We planted our garden. I was beginning to think it was never going to happen. We have been having torrential downpours here. But, on Saturday evening we got it planted! Because we have had such rain I have not watered it once! (That is my kind of garden).

Creativity at Work

My mother always brings out the creative spirit in me. Actually, she is just fun and creative herself, and I trail behind, enjoying her ideas and the end result they display. The first day she was here, she pulled out a goody bag filled with beads, stickers, pipe cleaners, foam shapes, balloons, and more.

Egg Mobile

Memory Monday: Coloring Easter Eggs

Today, we colored Easter eggs. Gramma is still here, so she made the food coloring/vinegar dye and we set to work. It was my first year to attempt coloring eggs with my son. (We did it during naptime for my 14-month old.) He turned three recently, and so it seemed a good year to begin this tradition. In years past I knew I would be the only participant, so I had no desire to begin until he could fully enjoy it himself.

Sisters chat: Music

 Esther:  Question one: On a sunshiny day (like today! at least for me...) what is the cd you would pop in your player?

 Maude:  Beach Boys

 Esther:  I would opt for either Noah and the whale (what I have been listening to on a lot of sunshiny days recently) OR Beach boys! Maude, it is fun we listed the same group.

 Lizzi:  Hmm... Isn't that silly? I'm having trouble thinking! I guess for sunshine-y we are thinking like, happy, fun music, right? Well, I love Matt Papa, Audio Adrenaline, or Casey McGill

 Esther:  Whatever you think when you think "sunshine"

Susan Sarandon

I am afraid I do not keep up with celebrity lives which is why it took me 3 years to hear that Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins have broken up their non-married relationship after 23 years.  Somewhere I saw a quote that Susan Sarandon gave and I thought, "How very sad.  At 63 years old, she is single again and trying to substantiate her relationship theories that clearly haven't worked after (at least) 3 "serious" relationships. 

I am not a fan of Susan Sarandon except that her first (and only) husband was Chris Sarandon who played Prince Humperdinck in the Princess Bride (how cool is that?!).  Then she had a daughter with a director, Franco Amurri, and then was with Tim Robbins for 23 years and had 2 sons.  So, she has had 3 significant relationships that didn't last - probably not the person to take relationship advice from. 

A breakfast of champions

I am going to let you in on a secret that you probably already know if you have been reading this blog for any amount of time... I love food.  I love making food and tasting food. So, today I am letting you in on the best breakfast ever. Period. Full of sweet potatoes, sausage, spinach, eggs, cheese, and coffee (of course!)  This is honestly my favorite breakfast. Anytime we have a little bit more time in the morning this is what I make unless of course I am making coconut pancakes (but that is a recipe for another day...)

A Special Visit

Right now at my house, Gramma is visiting. We have had a wonderful time and my boys have eaten up each moment they have gotten to spend with her. I have also enjoyed the continual conversation we've filled the days with. Our thoughts may be interrupted constantly by, "Excuse me, Gramma..." or, "Ahhhhh!!" (a blood-curdling scream) but somehow we have managed to piece together where we left off and even continue on into hours and days of contented chatting.

A Poem, by: our Mother

Six Words, One Life

By Mom

Sisters Chat: A Day at the Spa

Lizzi: So the services we can keep in mind while talking are: haircut/style, coloring, other hair services, pedicures, manicures, massages, makeovers, facials, etc.

If money weren't an option, what service would you want to use regularly?

Esther: Massage or facials. Pedicures are nice too!

Maude: Facials

Esther: Am I allowed to say all of them? Haha!

Lizzi: That's what I'm thinking!

Esther:  Not hair color though... I don't color my hair.

Lizzi: I LOVE getting my hair done, and might get it highlighted sometimes if it weren't so expensive. I also love massages, and manicure/pedicures.

Maude: Nope, Esther is not allowed to color her hair! It is just too pretty naturally to do anything to.

Saint Patrick's Day

We had a lovely Saint Patrick's Day and after talking about it in Friday's Chat I wanted to follow up with one little picture!

We played Tape the Hat on the Leprechan and I cut out a bunch of three leaf clovers and they had to find the one four leaf clover in the bunch.  Milton and I enjoyed making the leprechan and the Happy St. Patrick's Day sign.  I did splurge and buy them each a St. Patrick's Day shirt but I did it around midnight the night before so I got them both for reduced price (I am NOT a bargain shopper so I was pretty proud of that!).

We had green waffles for lunch and Shepherd's Pie for dinner with root beer in bottles.  We watched Darby O'Gill and the Little People (we hid eyes and fast-forwarded the part with the banshee!).  We listened to Irish music and danced around a bit.  And before bed I sang some of their favorite Irish lullabies while we cuddled.

I really love holidays and St. Patrick's Day is especially fun with little ones.  They are thrilled by the littlest things (like green waffles).  I said to my husband that when they are teens they will probably be harder to please - they will think green waffles are silly and below them yet will be upset by the break in tradition.  I am very happy with where we are at now - and I do have ten years to get ready for being the mother of a teenager (thank goodness!).

Spring has SPRUNG... or summer?

Aubrey Renee Photography

The high in Louisville Kentucky yesterday was 88 degrees. I greeted the first day of Spring with windows closed and A.C. blaring. Is not Spring supposed to be around 65 degrees or am I crazy? (Don't answer that!)  Despite the heat I LOVE spring.  It is time to head back to the Zoo! I have to admit we have a pretty rockin' Zoo around here and I live less than 10 minutes from it (Score!) We spend a lot of days/evenings/mornings at the Zoo.  It is also chalk-sidewalk-art season! Translation: I attempt to draw flowers with chalk on my sidewalk but give up when my 17-month-old's scribbles look better than my "flowers" (if only I were joking).  On Friday we are going to attempt to plant our garden.  (I do say "attempt" or "try" a lot don't I? I think that is because I am a lot like Amelia Bedlia and most of my "attempts" go a little awry. But, that is a post for another day!)  I will let you all know how our garden adventures go. I am hoping for success and lots of growing veggies!

Anybody have a Theory?

On Sunday, our pastor shared a quote during his sermon that I thought was hilarious. Hilarious, and true. I don't remember it verbatim, and I don't remember the author of it, but the gist went like this, "Before I had kids, I had six theories about raising them. Now, I have six kids and no theories." That sure made me laugh.

I have certainly been guilty of theories. Theories mixed in with the certainty that I was right about every one of them, before I had any experience on which to base those theories! Before I was married, I had lots of theories about marriage and about being a wife. Before I had kids, I had lots of theories about parenting. It's funny how those theories tend to fall away the longer I am within these roles! Every situation is just too unique to place a black-and-white stamp on it.

My son: by Andrew Beard

This morning my husband (Andrew) and I were talking about our little man and all the crazy things he does, says, and how badly we want to know what he thinks.  We wonder what he will be when he grows up, who he will be more like in personality, how he will spend his spare time and where he might live.  It is fun seeing him begin to grow into a little boy and out of the baby; one day this boy of mine will be a man.  But, for right now he is just a little man, a baby turning into a mischievous kid.   Here is what my husband came up with if what our little man is up to these days.

Sister Chat About Spring

Maude: I thought we would talk about Spring since it is springing up all over - at least in Virginia! Crazy to think we had snow last week
Lizzi: That's a good idea
Maude: What is your favourite thing about Spring?
Lizzi:  I LOVE Spring! I love the smell, the wind, the rain, the sun,
the flowers, and trees blooming!
Esther: I love the rain
Lizzi: It's about the same weather as fall (which I also love) but it feels so warm since you are just coming out of winter...
Esther: we have lots of it right now
all the colors
being OUTSIDE
Maude: I think there is a special exciment to the air in the Spring
I love the rain too!
And this starts the miracle of trees
Esther: I love seeing all the trees in bloom! I have a big tree out back full of blooming flowers
it is beautiful
I also love OPEN WINDOWS
All my windows are open right now
Maude: Open windows are lovely
Is Spring either of your favourite season?
Fall is my favourite season, then winter, but Sping is a close third!!
Esther: I can never decide if I like Autumn or Spring
more
Lizzi: I like to say it's my favorite, but I say that for every season... I love them all best when I am in the midst of them
Maude: What Spring activity do you like to do best?
Lizzi: Get outside and walk!
Esther: Anything outside!
Maude: Picnics!
Esther: We walk to the park a lot
or go to the Zoo
Maude: I love taking walks too.
Esther: Playing with chalk or the ball out of doors
I like picnics too!
we were just talking about wanting to do that
Lizzi: We don't do a lot of picnics until Summer because it's always raining or wet on the ground
Maude: Also, we have just started planting some things in our garden so that is exciting
And the plants we started inside a few weeks ago (like tomatoes) are growing so much each day which is fun.
Lizzi: that is really fun!
Maude: Are either of you doing a garden this year?

The Noticer

The Wednesday Night Bible Study for women at my church is currently reading The Noticer by Andy Andrews.

I had not heard a single thing about this book before a friend at church loaned me her copy.  First, I was expecting a study or devotional.  Second, (considering it was a Bible Study) I was expecting a Christian book.  The Noticer is neither.

Frying an egg

I love eggs! In fact, we have eggs almost every morning for breakfast.  Because of this I have gotten fairly decent at frying an egg (at least my husband tells me so...) My man loves eggs and will eat a lot of them. We are definitely capable of mowing through 3 dozen in a week (I know, crazy right?) Somehow our eggs just disappear, maybe a little elf comes in and steals them, maybe I make frittata's for dinner alot, maybe I bake too much, maybe we just like our eggs! Sheesh people give us a break!

Now, let's turn our thoughts from eggs for a minute to talk about my best friend, the Iron Skillet (if only I were joking). Do you own an iron skillet? Please say yes. If you don't, don't worry we can still be friends... just go buy one NOW. Of course I am joking (kind of!) Honestly, they are not that expensive and they make everything taste better.  I cook basically everything in my iron skillets, cornbread, pancakes, stir-fry, quiche, shepherds pie,  and my friend the egg.

Granola Bars!

Do any of you have the same problem as me? When you get a chance to sit down with a cup of coffee (if sitting down is ever possible, or if you drink coffee), do you crave a little something sweet to go with it? I do. In fact, it has become a bad habit that I am slowly trying to rid myself of. Admittedly, I am taking baby steps, but trying nonetheless. I have started making these granola bars on occasion that I enjoy and that I can share with my kiddos. (The recipe is also easy enough that they can help make them, too!) The granola bars are not perfectly healthy, as you will see when you peruse the ingredients, but they are delicious and a step in the right direction. I also figure they are most definitely better for me than devouring a cookie, cupcake, or (most) muffins! Why don't you try them for yourself and then let me know what you think and if you have some healthier replacements to add in?

Tomorrow is my (our) Mama's birthday!

My Mama and I

Tomorrow is my Mother's birthday.  I am thankful for her in so many ways.  Some of you may not know my Mother. Let me tell you a little bit about her:

• She gave birth to ten children and loves every single one of her children.
• When I think of my Mom I think of sacrifice. How much my Mother sacrificed for her children over the years. 
• Mom is compassionate, always reaching out to help and serve.  

sisters chat: About date nights

 Esther:  What is your favorite kind of date with your man?

                Eating out? a movie? show? walking? hiking? ect...

 Lizzi:  Well, I love just doing simple things like walks, coffee dates, or sitting at a pretty park with books and talking or all of the above!

 Maude:  I think my favorite date would have to be going to a festival (I LOVE those) or a local football game or something like that.  Something that is different than the regular routine but easy.

 Maude:  Or perhaps checking out a small little town in the area that we've never been to before.  Just parking the car and walking around, checking out the different shops, parks and restaurants.

 Lizzi:  Yeah!

 Esther:  I think my favorite is going to dinner and a show downtown.  Usually we pick a restaurant downtown and then just walk to the show.  But I love parks and coffee shop dates too!

 Lizzi:  ooh... I love shows! that IS fun! Can I just have everything be my favorite?

 Maude:  I think dates with my husband are just pretty nice all around!!

Snow Day!!!

As I have complained about before this has been a pathetic winter for me.  Virginia is hardly known for cold, snowy winters but the one day of half inch snow accumulation is particularly sad (it did snow a little more than that one other day while I was on the O'Brien mini-vacation and, of course, I missed it!).  I love winter and the snow so I've been a little down in the mouth about this state of mine these past few months.

So in the last few weeks of warming up weather I have made a concerted effort to get excited about spring.  We've started our tomato seeds inside and bought several other seeds (determined to have a better garden this year than our first attempt last year!).  We had a picnic at a park on Sunday with some friends (the day started warm, the afternoon was cool and the early evening had several of us wrapped up in blankets on some park benches!).  Then Sunday night my husband and I planned our garden - which is a little tricky because we have two long narrow plots that aren't very big at all.  Of course, I grew up with an enormous garden so my perspective might be a little skewed!

However, this Monday we woke up to the most beautiful snow!  The flakes were falling in large bunches so thick it looked like a snow globe.  It was absolutely gorgeous!!

Let's talk about coconut flour

In August I wrote about my new found love of coconut. (You can read all about that  HERE) Well, guess what? It has continued and spiraled till being deliciously out of control.  Perhaps I ate a whole box of somoa girl scout cookies by myself... in one sitting. I thought I would hate them! I always had... they have coconut and until recently I have hated all things coconut.  But, enough about my somoa eating problems I have something amazing to share with you, two words. Coconut Flour.  You can make cakes, pancakes, bread, cookies, ect. with coconut flour! It leaves an almost somoa like flavor in your mouth, incredible!

A Birthday Celebration

Today my little boy turned three years old. It has gone by so fast, these three years. Unfortunately, as I sit here tonight, I feel like I spent the whole day in the kitchen and not much of it with him. When he woke up, he helped me make his own birthday sign (by his own wishes) and later in the morning we made a birthday medallion/necklace complete with cheerios and stickers. But I was a little grumpy. He and I were both fighting an obscure stomach bug, and I was tired and impatient. Oh, dear! What a way for a birthday to begin!

Memory Monday: A visit to Las Cruces

4 month old Judebug

Almost a year ago today this was my baby. We were in Las Cruces, New Mexico we spent the morning at the Farmers Market then went to a fun Hawaiian restaurant.  We were staying in El Paso, Texas at the time preparing for Andrew's deployment in early March.  Las Cruces is only about a 40 minute drive from El Paso and worth every moment.  It is a great place to visit! Full of good food, sunshine, and those perfect "nook-like" stores I love. But, most importantly Las Cruces has trees! Smallish, kind of strange looking, but trees nonetheless.  After being in El Paso for three months there was nothing I missed more (there is not a whole of trees to be found in El Paso or green for that matter) going to Las Cruces was a nice change of scene. 

O'Brien Mini-Vacation

After the youngest O'Brien's wedding we rented a cabin and, those of us who could make it, spent about 3 days playing and talking together. Mom was there (of course!!). Four of the sisters, one of which brought her husband, one sister-in-law, and eight of the grandkids (plus two in the bellies of two of the girls there!) were in attendance.

Esther and Maude chatting during our O'Brien family mini-vacation.

Maude:  Of course it was lovely to get some time to chat with my mom, some of my sisters and two of my in-laws while at the cabin.  We stayed up late and talked, played games, and watched movies.  My absolute favourite night was before we went to the cabin though when we stayed up and played Mafia - a game I haven't played in years - it was so much fun!!! 

Esther: And crazy! We all tend to really get into Mafia! Maybe those acting genes? I love role playing games. We stayed up so late but it was well worth it! I think we will be talking about that game for years to come :)

Maude: While at the cabin though we got to see Parent Trap 3 - that is a movie that Katharine, Lizzi and I used to act out as little girls.  It was amazing how much I remembered.  I could still quote most of it (we seriously had the entire film memorized as little girls and LOVED playing like we were triplets) but was surprised at a few parts that I had completely forgotten about.

A Little Announcement...

I have a little announcement that I just wanted to share with ya'll...

I am expecting our third little one! 

I am due sometime in August (there is some disagreement with the due date depending on whether you go by my courses or the informal ultrasound they gave me) - but sometime mid-to-late August is sounds like.  I do not yet know whether it is a boy or a girl since I am somewhere in my 14-16 week (it is really frustrating to have a two week disparity in due dates!). 

My birthday

I am now 23. Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am a birthday lover.  I do not keep it any secret that my birthday is coming up, a month, a week, a day away and I do not shy away from telling people on my birthday "it is my birthday!" (Yes, I really am that person). But, it isn't about the gifts  or even the cake... (though that does help) I just love celebrating and taking time to slow down and enjoy those special moments in life, like birthdays.  I told Andrew this year I was fine with not receiving any gifts (and I truly meant that!) though I did want him to sing me the "happy birthday song" I told him I just wanted a nice day spent with my favorite men, and that is what I got... with a few gifts thrown in :)

Growing a Heart that Gives Thanks

I know this isn't the appropriate time to be talking about thankfulness. I mean, Thanksgiving was over three months ago! But we were talking about its importance in my home today and so it led to my pondering it, which led to a blog post. :)

The fact is, if I want to instill the importance of being thankful in my children, I must be thankful myself. All the time. It is more than just teaching them the proper and polite words to say when someone gives them a gift or shares their toy, it is to be a constant attitude of the heart. I don't want my sons to have the thanks squeezed out of them through gritted teeth, I want it to flow naturally from their lips because their hearts are already bubbling with it. But how does it get there? How do I teach the process of being thankful in all things? How do I display that to them?

Table Talk

Growing up in the O'Brien House, Mom cooked everything from scratch.  She is a great cook and many of my memories are centered around a fantastic meal with everyone crowded around our big table, laughing and talking until long past the meal was over.


My favorite meal was always the beef roast, cooked slowly with potatoes, carrots, and onions and served with Mom's fantastic gravy.  We had that meal most Sundays growing up and it never got old.

Honey Whole Wheat Bread

I have been making our own bread for a short while now, and this one is my favorite so far. It is perfect for a novice (like me!) because it has basic ingredients, and few steps. The recipe makes 3 loaves of bread, so there is no need to put on my math cap while I bake, which I love! I have shared another bread recipe which I like, but this one is much easier, and still delicious, which is a winning combination.

Simple Honey Wheat Bread

3 cups warm water                                                        3 tablespoons butter, melted

2 (.25 oz) packages active dry yeast                             1/3 cup honey

1/3 cup honey                                                               1 tablespoon salt

5 cups bread flour                                                         3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

                                                                                      2 tablespoons butter, melted

1. In a large bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and 1/3 cup honey. Add 5 cups white bread flour, and stir to combine. Let set for 30 minutes, or until big and bubbly.

2. Mix in 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/3 cup honey, and salt. Stir in 2 cups whole wheat flour. Flour a flat surface and knead with whole wheat flour until not real sticky- just pulling away from counter, but still sticky to touch. This may take an additional 2 to 4 cups of whole wheat flour. Place in an oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with a clean dishtowel. Let rise until doubled.

3. Punch down, and divide into 3 loaves. (I only have 2 loaf pans, so I use a round cake pan for the 3rd one and it is more like a roundish loaf.) Place in greased 9x5 inch loaf pans, and allow to rise until dough has topped the pans by one inch. (I let it rise in the pan for awhile, but don't wait until the dough peeks over, and mine still turn out fine.) :)

4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes.; do not overbake. Lightly brush the tops of loaves with 2 tbls melted butter when done to prevent crust from getting hard. Cool completely.

I found this yummy recipe here

Maude's Wedding Story

Most weddings have a funny story.  Mine was NOT funny at the time!!

To understand mine you must know that my husband's family wasn't exactly thrilled about our marriage...

On the morning of my wedding I was 100% sure that my husband was the only man for me and I knew my husband was just as sure about me.

My Wedding Day

Some people hear about my wedding and think it sounds strange, I think it sounds lovely.  I was barefoot, we were in the woods surrounded by trees, and only 27 people attended. To me, that sounds absolutely perfect.     I think it is interesting how weddings portray the individuals preferences and let you see some unique aspects of the couples relationship.  I think that is definitely true of our wedding.  I always knew I wanted a simple wedding, I wanted a low-stress wedding, I wanted an outside wedding preferably in my Mother's woods (which was exactly where it took place),  I truly got the wedding of my dreams.  

The Day of my Dreams

I was never a little girl that daydreamed about her wedding day, or knew how and what I wanted long before the day actually arrived. And I've never been a perfectionist or an organizer, so I probably should've consulted a professional wedding planner after the engagement, right? Maybe, but I didn't. I was blessed to have the enormous help of family and friends to make our wedding day beautiful. It was truly a group effort, and that effort showered us with love as others served, decorated, and sweated on our behalf. In fact, I'm thankful I wasn't as focused on making the day "perfect" because I think if I had been, I might've missed out on the real purpose and joy of my wedding.

True, if we had worried more about the little things my soon-to-be husband wouldn't have had to teach our sweet volunteer how to use the sound machine right before the prelude music began. (We had forgotten to secure someone to run sound, and so the poor man was willing to be "trained" last minute! Oops!) I guess I did slip a little into the non-planning extreme, but it's also true that no matter how hard I would've slaved toward a perfect day, bloopers will still happen. How else does AFV get such hilarious wedding footage for every episode?

Funny Wedding Stories

This weekend the O'Brien family has been focused on weddings as the youngest O'Brien got married on Saturday (only one more to go!).  Over the years and the nine weddings we've had we've accumulated some wedding stories which we will be sharing this week on our blog posts. 

Nearly every wedding has some bloopers but I think my oldest brother's wedding takes the cake (literally!). 

First, while his lovely bride was walking down the aisle her long train caught on the poles that were holding burning candles and knocked it over.  It would have fallen on her beautiful dress if the man sitting at the end of the pew hadn't caught the candle and saved the day!  A flaming bride - almost!

Sisters Chat about Valentine's Day!

Lizzi: Today I wanted to talk about Valentine's Day. I know by the time we post this it will be over, but I still wanted to use it for a topic!

Valentine's Day was always special in our house growing up. What type of things do you remember doing?

Maude: Esther posted about this, but the Secret Someone thing was a favourite

Esther: I LOVED that

Lizzi: That was fun! I also think it was really special that mom always made a heart-shaped chocolate chip cookie for each of us

Esther: It was so fun. Mom did a good job making it special.
Maude: It was fun because you had to do something every day. Whether a gift or doing one of their chores for them. Very fun, and it taught good lessons.

Lizzi: They were huge! Had to be a big expense and a lot of work for her

Maude: I loved the chocolate chip cookies. When we first got married and mine NEVER looked like hearts!

Lizzi: She also would post Valentine's poems

Esther: I can never get my chocolate chip cookies to taste like hers either. Hers are the best!

Lizzi: And decorate in such a fun way

Esther: And put hearts on the cupboards

Lizzi: Yep! Mom made it better than any preschool teacher could ever imagine... We had it so good.

Family Means Sacrifice

I've not been back to the O'Brien Home since Thanksgiving and it is so nice to be home! I'm the first out-of-stater to arrive for my little brother's wedding this weekend and it has been lovely to spend time with Mom and watch my little one's play with their cousins all morning.

Can anything replace family? I know there are some people out there whose biological family are not really their family but instead they have formed a circle of friends who act in that role and I am including those friends, whoever is your "heart" family, in this question. Can anything replace family? Don't we need a loving support system outside of our immediate family that shares a bond of affection and commitment to each other?

Amazing audio books

I have been on a mystery kick. I do that sometimes. I have been known to just pick up my Sherlock Holmes collection and read story after story, day after day; or maybe it would be Agatha Christie's Miss Marple books.  I would just clunker down on the couch with a cup of tea perhaps and read for hours on end.  Unfortunately, it is not quite as easy for me to just pick up books and read them like I once could. But, there is this amazing invention called audio books, they have changed my life (and lives of all busy readers if you let them).

The Day of Love

As I sat to work on this blog post, I realized that I got the winning number! I got to post on Valentine's Day! That also led to a second realization that maybe no one will read my post since they will be so busy celebrating love, but that's okay. I will just think of this as a diary entry and enjoy the writing even if I am the only reader. :)

I love Valentine's Day. I wonder if part of the reason I am enraptured with it is because as a child I received the nickname of "Lovable Lizzi." No, it was not that I was especially sweet or darling. It was actually the opposite. Seriously. My Mom thought it might be helpful to give me the nickname to encourage me to be more loving to others! Now that is very hopeful, positive parenting! I'm not sure if it worked, or not, but I do love this holiday. Not just the pink and the hearts and the sweet little valentines (although I love those too!) but the emphasis on loving others.

While my husband never fails to bless and spoil me, and I look forward to and appreciate all he does, and I have no doubt in how much he loves me, I also don't think of Valentine's Day as simply a romantic holiday. It is all about love, and love is for everybody! I love making valentines and sending them to loved ones, near and far. I love attempting to make heart-shaped cookies to give to my guys. I love decorating my home with hearts- well, I guess I always love that, even at un-Valentine's Day times.