.That's How we Roll.

Take 1.

Take 2.

Take 3.

We had a picnic at Jim's parent's home this weekend with his family. This was one attempt at family photos.

.Feeling Refreshed.

Oh, how I love writing and encouraging other women via my blog, but it has been refreshing to take a break for a bit. Thanks for grace and patience.

I am not going to dive right back into writing today, but tomorrow look for a new Wedded Wednesday post! We have been enjoying the start of our summer break. I have been getting things organized for Cadi's Kindergarten Graduation on Saturday {sob}. Basically we have just been thoroughly enjoying being a family of five.

Photo is thanks to my sweet friend, T who was the amazing photographer at Bethany's wedding.

Our meeting with our social worker went well on Saturday. It was like meeting with an old friend, and I am not just saying that because she reads here, either! [Hi Kristen!] Jim and I have said over and over that our social worker has been a huge blessing. She was handpicked just for us, and we cannot imagine taking this journey with anybody else. It is no secret that we hope God leads us to adopt again (and possibly again and again??!), and we look forward to continuing this relationship with Kristen.

And now I am off to relax with a book while my children finish their naps. Ooooh, I do love the summer!

.T-shirts, Tabouli, Tankinis, & Time Out.

First - before you read another word - check out these amazing t-shirts my brother and sister-in-law are selling to raise funds in order to bring home their Ethiopian babies! (Yes, Jamesy is going to have Ethiopian cousins!! {squeal})

Second - while my friend JO and I were having one of our marathon conversations the other day we started talking about our go-to summer recipes. Mine is pesto. Hers is Tabouli. I had heard of it, but I had never eaten it or made it. She told me what was in it, and I decided we had to try it! Yesterday my mom brought me a ton of fresh chocolate mint, so today I threw it together for dinner. It smells amazing! Joanna uses toasted pine nut couscous made by Near East, and so did I. I believe she also puts cucumbers in her salad. I did not today, because I did not have any on hand.

What is your summer go-to recipe? Share below in the comments with us!

Third - my sister shared with me a website that sells absolutely adorable {modest} tankinis and swim suits. I do not think I can reconcile buying one at this time. {bummer} (Unless I return that Land's End one from two years ago..... Is that ethical? Probably not.) But I had to pass this site along. They do have clearanced items! Check out Lime Ricki Swimwear (I am not getting paid or receiving anything for sharing this. I just thought my readers would love the swimwear as much as I do!)

Lastly - I am taking a brief blogging time out. I will definitely be back next Wednesday for Wedded Wednesday, but probably not before then. Cadi finished kindergarten on Friday, and we are officially on Summer Break! Although everything is more relaxed now, it will still take us time to acclimate to a different routine. Plus today is over 90 degrees, my kind of weather, and I want to spend every moment under the sun!

Wouldn't you with this cutie pie??! I cannot resist!

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PS If you think of it, please pray for Saturday as we have our three month post-placement meeting with our social worker for Jamesy!

.Looking Forward.

to summer.

We got a taste this weekend of summer weather and summer activities. After Friday of this week we will officially be on summer break, and I will officially be the mommy of a first {gasp} grader! I love the change of seasons and living in a state that fully experiences all four. The anticipation of the changing seasons brings security to my life and joy. I love that we serve such a creative God who is in the details.

Looking forward to....

long days
warm nights
sun tea
summer storms
giggles
new books
snuggles
popsicles
flip-flops
hiking
beaching
farmer's market
warm tomatoes
little dirty piggies
hair that smells of sunshine
later bedtimes
slower days
dripping icecream
talks on the porch swing
evening strolls
riding with the windows down
iced coffee
sunkissed babies

....and so much more.

Looking forward to summer and all it holds.

How about you?

.Preserving Summer.

Summer and all of it's warm goodness is slipping out the door.

I've enjoyed it.

I've loved being at home, for the first time ever, during the summer with my children. It has been busy. Not slow and relaxed like I had expected, but that just makes me anticipate the passing of the baton to autumn. (It has to slow down then, right?!)

This week I have been preserving summer.

I have been preserving it for those brisk autumn days, and the bitter winter nights. I will enjoy so much what I have preserved and the memories that will roll in with each preservation.

Here is a sampling of what I have preserved this week.

peaches,

roma tomatoes,

and hot sauce.









This hot sauce is an heirloom family secret recipe from Jim's grandma.

I spent the better part of Tuesday in my kitchen with my mom-in-law preserving the above. It was a special time.

I have also been preserving this.



A moment cherished here and there.


These beauties did not get preserved. Nope, they just took up residence in our bellies cushioned by warm biscuits and whipped cream!



Mmmmmm.....summer.


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.Enjoying Summer.

We've been staying busy-tieing loose ends together so that we can send in our paperwork and check to initiate our home study. I think it really is going to happen this week!!

We enjoyed our family day yesterday. We switched the children's rooms around. We gave Cadi my old bed from when I was a child (now we can use her room as a guest room if we ever need to), and Scotty now has Cadi's twin. {gasp} He is really not a baby anymore.

It works well for our family to switch our children from a crib to a bed earlier rather than later. I know this does not work for every family, and please do not think I am advocating that everyone should do things my way. I really do not ever mean to come across that way. We do the bed thing early, but the potty training thing we do much later than others. We are all just trying to do what is best for our children and family, right? {grin}

We moved Cadi into a twin bed shortly before she turned two. So with Scotty heading rapidly towards his second birthday {gasp}. It was time. I will admit Mommy was not ready, and shed a lot of tears. However, Scotty has now taken two naps and slept at night in his new bed and acts as if it is nothing new. He was sitting up in bed waiting for Mommy this morning. Our only concern is our stairway out in the hall with Scotty, so like Cadi, we put a gate across his doorway when he is in bed. I still use the baby monitor on him, so I can hear him if he gets up. But honestly my children are excellent sleepers, and I can probably count on one hand the times they have woken in the night since they were infants. It just doesn't happen here. I know, I know, I am in for it with my third! {grin} I have already been told that numerous times.

So this is Scotty's big boy room. All of the decor - down to the sheets were given to us by a friend. We feel so blessed, and I adore how his room looks.







Scotty is so proud of his new bed. We taught him how to say "army", and he walks around yelling "army, army". So cute.

And this is Cadi's room with her "new" bed. We rearranged her room a bit, and I think it looks bigger than before. It is a struggle to know the best set up for their tiny rooms. We have future (really, really future) renovation plans for the upstairs that will give the boys a big room to share with a closet, and will expand Cadi's room to include a closet.




(Scotty was helping me out here and wearing Daddy's hat!)

Cadi's bed set and canopy were given to her by the same friend that gave us Scotty's decor.

Yesterday we also went to a farmer's market and once again stocked up on produce. I cannot get over how much cheaper it is to buy this way rather than the grocery store. I adore it when my kitchen is stocked with fresh fruits and veggies. That is what I always crave, and my children are the same way. We are working on altering Jim's cravings in the evenings from ice cream to fruit. Ha! Poor guy.

For lunch today I threw together the yummiest avocado salad. It's not really a recipe, but here is what I did.



I cut up a cucumber, sliced red onions, minced a fresh garlic clove, and diced avocados. I mixed the cucumber, onions and garlic together sprinkled on a little sea salt and some pepper. I then added the avocados carefully and stirred in some dill weed and a vinaigrette. If I wasn't crunched for time I would have added tomatoes and peppers, too. I also think feta sprinkled on top would be amazing. And if my herb garden was ready I would have picked fresh dill to use instead of dill weed. Oh wait a minute - that would mean I had to have planted an herb garden! Whoops!

Then my husband got the great idea to take this avocado salad and use it as a filling on a whole wheat wrap. mmmm. Yes it was as yummy as it looks! I think I may add some chickpeas to the wrap next time - smashed a bit.



Jim has a softball game tonight that we hope to attend if the rain holds off. I am contemplaing making some pesto tonight with the fresh basil I purchased yesterday. Besides that we are enjoying summer and each other! How about you?



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.Sum sum summer.

We are feeling our way through what a summer is "supposed" to look like and be like. Remember, my hubby and I have spent six out of our (going on) eight married summers at a summer camp where he was the program director. So the long sunny days that lazily loom ahead of us without any schedules or bells or people is rather....different.

And dare I say lovely? I am embracing this new phase of life with both arms.

I really desire for summers to be a special part of my childrens childhood. We have very special memories of our camp summers together. Why does being home during the summer have to be any different? I want our summer days to look very unique when next to our "rest of the year" days. I have been mulling this over in my mind trying to figure out how to do summer.


Our breakfast has taken on a summer look - yogurt and granola. I am thinking of even adding a few green smoothies once in awhile.

Our dinners have taken on a wardrobe change as well, as I learn to implement summer recipes.


Stuffed green peppers. One of my favorite recipes growing up. The dinner is simple when prepped ahead of time. I cooked my meat and scooped out my peppers a few days ahead.

Of course there are things that still have to be done - like housework and laundry and cooking, but I am going to loosen up a bit on those during the summer. Some nights we may even have ice cream - as our main course. And some days I may skip the laundry and the floors.

Our mornings will be spent lounging in our jammies just a bit longer.



And of course we will read tons of books. I can remember being a child and spending a large amount of my summers getting and reading new books from the library. We went together as a family yesterday. I indulged in a large stack of books for ME! I plan to enjoy every last one of them - guilt free. Cadi and I spent a long time this morning in the sun reading. {bliss} A mountain of books, the warm sun beating on our backs = summer.



I gave Cadi a summer trim today as well. I keep trying to talk her into an inverted bob - to no avail. So we did away with five inches instead. It's not too noticeable, but it is healthier now.



I hope this summer affords me opportunities to continue to get to know Roxie - my sweet camera. I worked on aperture and sunlight this morning and spent time with my daughter in the process. When I focus my lens on her I find my heart tuning into hers as well.





Scotty got in on the action a bit when he awoke from nap. Boy is he hard to capture lately! He is so lively and fun and active!



We were goofy for a bit on our porch swing. Growing up I had a huge pink mirror in my bedroom. We tried to sell it at our yard sale with no luck. It sits on our porch right now. (I think I may end up putting it in Cadi's room after all.)



I love the little hand print smears on the glass.

I love the little children that belong to those hand print smears.

I look forward to what's ahead this summer.

Little toes peeking out of sandals.

Long summer mornings spent with a good book and some iced tea.

Adventures at some nearby parks.

Afternoon walks around our small neighborhood.

Homemade popsicles.

Ice cream for dinner.

Dirty little bodies from a hard day's play.

The smell of sunshine in my childrens hair.

Tucking freshly bathed children into crisp, clean sheets.

Spending time together on Mondays with Daddy.

Flip-flops,

sun block scented skin,

water balloons,

and bubbles.

Now that's what summer is made of.
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.My Children are the Greatest.

I know every Momma thinks that, and that's the way it should be. But let me tell you, my children really are the greatest. {wink}

Our world has been crazy here for months now

with Jim's job change,

with financial strains,

with an adoption in the future,

with a crazy yard sale,

with a mommy learning how to open her home and tackle the roles of hospitality

and being a pastor's wife (more on that to come)....

and these sweet children just continue to roll with the punches. It humbles me, as I must confess that I have not been the most intentional mommy. That puts an awful lump in my throat typing those words. Last week I was so busy with keeping up with the yard sale items that on Thursday I really didn't have time to play with Cadi. While I was busy she emptied my dryer and neatly "folded" the clothes onto my couch as she had seen her mommy do over and over again. Then she made her own fun. This is how I found her.



Jim asked me if I reprimanded her and told her the dangers of playing in the dryer. I didn't. I was feeling too guilty about not having the time to play with her. But no worries, we have since talked it over. (On a side note - my mom once dryered her cat! The cat was fine - a little worse for wear!)

And Scotty just continues to be sunshine here in our home. Charming and pleasant and silly. He is getting so big. My heart catches when I think about his second birthday coming at the end of summer. He's no longer my baby, but I have yet to tell him that. {grin}



We are getting out of the house this morning. I am thankful for that. I need a break from crazy. My mom and I are going to a local farm market. I cannot wait to load up on fresh fruit and veggies, that is all I have been wanting since the days turned hot. However, produce is just so expensive in our grocery stores. We will also shop at a little Mennonite store before coming home. The children will enjoy seeing the farm animals at the farm market, and I will enjoy my children.

My back deck is loaded with left over yard sale items, and there are still a few in our yard. I just don't know what to do with it all. The thought of another yard sale does not appeal to me. Our paper work for this adoption overwhelms me, and yet God continues to grant me His grace to plug on.

I am pretty set on the changes to my blog for now (besides very minor tweaking). For about one hour yesterday, I wasted time rearranging the layout. I moved both sidebars to the right, but it just was not looking great. HTML seems to get the best of me. Everyone is moving to wordpress, and makes me wonder if I should to.

Ack. Just blog Tiff. Don't get caught up in the business of blogging.


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PS Come join the discussion on the facebook page!

.Dog Days of Summer.

I suppose it is not technically summer, but in our home it is! Cadi is done with preschool and the living is eeeeasy. {grin} Well, that is not really true either. We have been busy, busy, busy here organizing and tagging items for our adoption fundraiser yard sale this Saturday and on Memorial Day. We have been blessed with so many donations!! I keep telling myself that I have to take photos, and I will.... The weather forecast for our yard sale looks perfect, and I have just been bathing it in prayer. I am so very excited to see what God will do, and to come back here and share it with you all on Tuesday.

Speaking of dogs... (remember my title?)



She has made herself at home here. She wandered onto our front porch this morning (and even was upstairs in our house (!!) at one point as I unloaded more donations). I have contacted her vet via the number on her rabies tag, and they are going to hopefully help us find her owners. We should receive a phone call sometime this evening. She is the sweetest, calmest dog - an older dog, I think. Right now, my Cadi is out on our back porch whispering sweet nothings into the dog's ear and patting her lovingly. Jim seemed rather smitten when he came home for lunch as well, and instructed me to lock the dog into our back yard. I have given her cold water and a few slices of bread. Cadi prayed before nap that we could keep her. She has named her Pretty. Oh my.

What kind of dog is she? I thought she may have some boxer in her.

I am feeling as disheveled as this post is becoming. It is hot here - 90 degrees, dry and beautiful. I couldn't be happier. We started our eight hour online training courses for our adoption last night. We have printed out our home study packet and need to jump in. I am nervous about the amount of paper work, but I am also anxious to get things rolling. I have been dreaming of meeting my baby. For a while I had been having nightmares about horrible orphanages, but those have melted into sweet dreams about my child. I am glad for that.

I need to apologize. I did not get a chance to read the Momentous Monday entries yesterday. I feel really bad about that, but I will read them. I love that people participate, and I love reading what you write!! Again things have been busy, busy here. I am also behind on sending thank you emails to those who have donated money and purchased coffee. Forgive me. I am carving out time tomorrow morning. We so appreciate the generosity that has been shown to us. I continue to be amazed. I don't want to seem ungrateful in anyway, because I am most definitely not.

I have not been able to keep up with my emails either, and that really bothers me. I love that so many of my readers take the time to email me. Lately I have been receiving a lot of questions regarding our adoption. To help aid me in answering the questions, I am going to do another question and answer post. I have done a few in the past, and have gotten great feedback. So if you have any questions feel free to email me amomentcherished(at)gmail(dot)com or just leave your question here in the comment section. In a few days I will answer them in a post. I suppose it doesn't have to be about adoption either. {grin}

Alrighty friends, have a beautiful day. You are a blessing.


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