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!).