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!

http://www.theclemensuz.blogspot.com

the magic of the boat

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

http://www.theclemensuz.blogspot.com

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 :)

june in review

Ahh, summer. I love it so. And with a very active one-year-old to keep up with, I love it even more! That's right...one-year-old. Last Monday (June 22) we celebrated Jonas' first birthday. We can hardly believe it! What an amazing year it's been. He is learning things now so quickly and becoming such a fun little boy. He's so happy, and finally starting to gain weight more steadily. God is so good!

We took a family vacation to North Carolina during the first part of June...with ALL of my dad's family. It was such a great time! There were around 40 of us staying in a big house right on the beach...the perfect place to be with such a large group. We all came back refreshed and tan...perfect.

Other than vacation the month of June has been packed with weddings, new babies, cooking, firepits, trips to the pool, birthdays, date nights, concerts, and even a little time to myself. We've posted some photos from the past few months on our Picasa account. Click the picture below for the direct link. Enjoy!

Spring/Summer '09