dancing fools

So, our son LOVES to dance. ALL the time. Yesterday he and his buddy, Isaac, were dancing up a storm. Wow...I love this video.




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best buds

Jonas has a buddy. They are just too cute: Best buds

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dairy and harry

I LOVE date nights! What a great husband I have...he planned this one from start to finish. After living in Ohio for five years we finally went to Young's Jersey Dairy Farm, since everyone gasps when we mention we've never been there! Fun place...great food, putt-putt, and lots of things for kids. It was great...we're looking forward to taking Jonas back.

We took the long country drive back to Kettering and picked up some cheap snacks for, oh yes, Harry Potter. I know, I know. If you've never seen the movies, we are now automatically nerds. I'm not ashamed to admit it, though (okay, maybe a little)...I love them!

We had a great time. I really love my hubby. And we LOVE date nights...and having friends who like to watch Jonas for us!


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my helper

Jonas is learning to be an excellent helper...especially in the kitchen. When I cook, he empties out the Tupperware cabinet and climbs in. We're a great team.

cheesin'

Last weekend we had a little picnic with some other house churches in our area. I only snapped one picture, but I love it. Yep, Jonas is totally cheesin'.

Jonas & "Grandpa" Garrett, playing in the fountain

chicken fingers

A conversation from yesterday, after learning that our friends had their baby (Congrats, Mark & Amy!)...

Me: "Whenever my friends have babies, all I can think about is labor."
Drew: "All I can think about are those hospital chicken fingers. Mmm."

He was kidding. I think.
I love my husband :)

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lake fun

Jonas and I took a quick trip up to northern Indiana this week to visit some family. My grandma, aunt, and uncle hadn't seen Jonas since he was six weeks old, so it was really fun for them to spend some time with him. My aunt and uncle have a place on a lake, and they are so generous to give my family an open invitation!

So happy to see Grandpa

Out cold

Uncle Ron, just before he tried to drown us

Swans at the dock in the morning


Not quite sure what to think of the fish

Relaxing with uncle Jeremy, just back from Costa Rica! It was so fun to hear about his trip...and to drink the yummy coffee he brought back with him!

Lots of fun. I'm so thankful we're able to take little trips like this. Thanks Ron & Marcia!

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the magic of the boat

A day in the sun + long boat ride = tired boy.

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top recipes

For those who don't already know, I have been doing bulk cooking for the past few months. With the help of our friend, Tricia, Tami and I have cooked once a month since February. We even took the month of May off to catch up on leftover food! Tricia provides everything we need to make it go smoothly - menus, recipes, grocery lists, instructions for the cooking day, and even the weekly shopping breakdown for the Dayton/Cincinnati area (we purchase the food during the month before the cooking day when items are on sale). Tami and I (and our families) absolutely love it. We both love to cook, so it's nice to spend set-aside time making new dishes, yet still saving time in the evenings. Oh, and the money we're saving is an extra perk!!

Since we've been doing this, Tami and I have both had numerous people ask us what our favorite recipes have been, so I made a list! We have been pleasantly surprised with how much we like the recipes, and these are our favorites. For those who are interested, I've broken down the recipes by month. If you go here you can find the recipes in their respective months.

April
Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
Ham & Potato Pockets
Zesty Slow Cooker Chicken BBQ
Burritos
Cheddar Butter Burgers
Beef Fajitas

March
Baked Chicken Fingers
Spinach Tortellini Soup
Raspberry Chicken
Pizza Roll-Ups
Jamie's Minestrone
Orange Marmalade Marinade Salmon

February
Chicken Parmigiana
Spaghetti Sauce
Chicken (Turkey) & Corn Quesadillas
Taco Soup
Vegetable Soup
Blueberry Whole Wheat Waffles
Lasagna
Banana Sour Cream Bread/Muffins

Yum. I actually miss some of these dishes. I love to talk about it, so let me know if you have any questions! Oh, and visit Once A Month Mom :)

pool date

Beautiful day = pool date with friends!

Amaya was sitting pretty, and Braden was apparently fascinated with Jonas' hair...or ear.

It was a miracle that Jonas actually sat long enough for this picture. He's a champion walker now. A trip to the pool generally means he climbs in and out of the pool 10 times, plays in the dirt/landscaping, tries to eat a rock, and starts the cycle all over. We have a great time :)

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happy 4th!

A great holiday weekend in Michigan with family! Birthday celebrations, a trip to the zoo, an afternoon at the beach, playing and reading with the boys, loving on 3wk-old baby Peter, card games, motorcycle rides, and way too much food! We just don't get up there enough...

Birthday fun with cousins

Happy 29th Birthday, Drew!

Books before bed

Kayaking on Lake Michigan

Snuggling with baby Peter

Stealing a mommy-son moment at the zoo

Happy 4th of July!!

food, glorious food

Ever wonder what a month's worth of food looks like? Technically this is for two families, but still...wow!


Tami and I had our latest cooking day this past Saturday. And after having lunch together today we gave the Asian Chicken-Salad Pitas an A+. Thanks, Tricia, for all of your hard work! You make our lives run much more smoothly...and help us save money. Yay for you :)