Easter Eve

Wow the last couple days have been so full!  

We had our first BBQ in our new outdoor space...

Maisie worked on a dancing duet with a friend from the distance of our two homes and the friend’s brother merged the two videos-  Gosh that was tricky!  But it turned out so special-  too hard to share here.  

Daphne and I sang a duet too- whoa-  so scary and it took many takes.  But it was well received.  Both of those were for a fundraiser we are doing at our local theater!   Not gonna share ever beyond the private fb page😂

Lots of chores!

And getting ready for Easter!!

My mamas trees are blooming.  She is telling us that everything is going to be okay!

My heart is so full.  We are healthy and safe and really rested.  I’m so thankful for these days.  

Praying you are all well too...  God Bless You!  

💗me 

Highlights and a challenge for me...

I thought returning to blogging would really set my soul on fire to write again. Well that and to record 

all our goings on during this historic stay at home time.

But between Facebook, the girls’ dance Band page that lights up all day, a fun singing project at our local theater, home school, workouts, chores and the texting with friends that keeps me social and sane—- there’s not much more to say!  

I told mike this am I woke up feeling convicted that I’m addicted to my phone and it’s got to stop.  I check it all.day.long.  And I won’t go into that here but for Easter weekend I’m gonna put it aside.  I’ll still allow myself some texting but not gonna look at Facebook and messenger and our dance community challenges and conversation. 

I feel like the kids are going to leave the house knowing a mom who had a phone as an appendage.  Ugg.  And so I’ll try to do this.

I actually was doing it before the pandemic hit-  I was dieting and staying off social media.  And that took a ton of will power.  Darn it.  

Will see how I do with this mini challenge!  But it’s sunny out and it’s a holiday weekend too.

Wishing you all the best weekend as well!

Here’s a few picture of our week:

The little things ...

Today we got to celebrate a friend’s birthday!!! It was a really fun bday parade in front of her house... 

And I saw Ruby for who she is ... a people person!  And one that loves to give and participate in joy!

Then all four kids and Briar got to take a ride in the back of the pick up truck into the countryside.

I was following in the suburban and they were so happy!  Good to get out and have some sun!

Happy Birthday Finley Marie-  so thankful you are Ruby’s person.  You two just fit!

💚me

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls - Keto

YIELDS: 1 DOZEN

PREP TIME: 0 HOURS 15 MINS

TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR 45 MINS

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SAUCE:

1 

(14-oz.) can diced tomatoes

1 tbsp. 

apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp. 

red pepper flakes

1 tsp. 

onion powder

1 tsp. 

garlic powder

1 tsp. 

dried oregano

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 c. 

extra-virgin olive oil

FOR THE CABBAGE ROLLS:

12 

cabbage leaves

1 lb. 

ground beef

3/4 lb. 

ground pork

1 c. 

riced cauliflower

3 

green onions, thinly sliced 

1/4 c. 

chopped parsley, plus more for serving 

Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

FOR THE SAUCE: 

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Puree tomatoes, apple cider vinegar, red pepper flakes, onion powder, garlic powder, and oregano in a blender; season with salt and pepper.
2. In a large deep skillet (or large pot) over medium heat, heat oil. Add pureed tomato sauce, bring to a simmer, then lower to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes, until slightly thickened.

FOR THE CABBAGE ROLLS:

1. In a large pot of boiling water, blanch cabbage leaves until tender and flexible, about 1 minute. Set aside.
2. Make filling: in a large bowl, combine ½ c. tomato sauce, ground meats, cauliflower rice, scallions, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of a large baking dish. Using a paring knife, cut out the hard triangular rib from each cabbage leaf. Place about ⅓ cup filling into one end of each leaf, then roll up, tucking in the sides as you roll. Place rolls seam side-down on top of sauce in baking dish. Spoon remaining sauce on top of cabbage rolls. Bake 45 minutes to 55 minutes, until the meat is cooked through and internal temperature reaches 150°”
4. Garnish with more parsley before serving.

Behind on blog posts so I may do a few today!  These are amazing though-  a new recipe tried and successful during this quarantine!!!

Easter Candy

I keep going back to the displays of Easter candy when I venture to the store.  Maybe because it’s pretty and comforting in more ways than one.  And I bring some home and we eat it all and the girls even ask me not to buy anymore but eventually I throw some in the cart again.  Oh there’s always a rule I like 1-3 snack size candies a day...but who’s is kidding who?!  Me that’s

who!!  

Like tonight.  I couldn’t wait for the kids to finally go to bed!  I’m so lucky too, cuz my kids are in bed-  even now during this pandemic-  by 10.  It’s just us-  we are not night owls - even on vacations and weekends... 

I’d usually be in bed -  actually asleep by 10pm too but the last two nights I’ve found myself sitting on the couch with Tate.  Oh yeah- we only have one couch.  I sold the other pieces of furniture before this hit.  So we have three spots to sit in the living room...  and by that I mean if the kids are super close together spots! 

So back to the couch.  Now it’s my first time to sit down all day on the ONE couch. And eat candy.  So the kids don’t see me ignore the rule. Oh and the quiet...the quiet is healing.

It hit me tonight, this is reminiscent of when they were toddlers.  I’d stay up really late to catch up on chores that I couldn’t get to during the day AND for that first breath of aloneness.  I find myself in that position again now.  I’m super tired but I’ll force myself to keep going just to wipe down a counter, fold a load, cram some candy in my face and to hear myself breath.

Ahhhhh. This is an interesting time.  I want to remember it.  Because I think it’s changing all of us.  I think we will look back and see the good in this.  I hope so.

By Ruby today

Gonna get that egg bake out of the oven now... toss these wrappers... and go to sleep.  Tomorrow’s another day.  Thank goodness tomorrow Friday!! 

🤍me

(Temporary Backup) Wednesday Thoughts

If I was tired Monday night I was even more tired Tuesday night.  So I didn’t blog.

We homeschooled double the time as Monday, we exercised, I took Maisie back to the doc AGAIN,  I cooked a new recipe for dinner, made cookies after dinner, did all those dishes (we have no more paper plates), then took some kids on a long drive.... 

Good LONG days!  

Here’s a fun idea I had for my post.  These are the things we are seeing more in our house lately!!!  Makes me happy.

Lots of old fashioned sorta of living plus some new things like ZOOM classes, FaceTime,  and online school!

What new at your house?

♥️

Today

Today was a really good day.  

Not gonna write much but leave a couple pictures.

Homemade breakfast


A small start to homeschooling.

And a LOT more.  I’m exhausted.  Can 8pm be bedtime?? 

My wish for us all is that we figure out what works best for our own families.  Don’t compare.  Don’t try to copy.  Just use your mama heart to gauge what each child needs to grow during this time-  that might be educationally, healthfully, spiritually, physically, or a mix and it’ll probably be different daily or least weekly.

Also grace.  Today I kicked but in the morning and then my tummy hurt and I took a nap w Henry.  Then I took Maisie to the doctor for the 4th time in 3 weeks...

Henry didn’t exercise today at all but I read to him, cleaned his room with him, played Yahtzee with him and he helped me put away a lot of groceries.

Some winning some not.

Okay I wrote a lot after all .... 

❤️Me