THE PERFECT BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR A TEEN BOY

I feel like I've been talking about Jonah's birthday a lot, ha. But I like to document the details so I'll always have a way to look back and remember it all. I mentioned on Instagram on his actual birthday, Thursday, that we kidnapped him and surprised him with lunch out. My Mom and I picked him up from school (he's taking two classes there) and literally blindfolded him, ha ha. We met up with my Dad and Ethan at a local restaurant. This was So Much Fun!

 Then that night, he had a basketball game, so of course I had to do something! I mean, how often do things like that fall on your actual birthday? Usually his is sometime during winter vacation week, so this felt like a big opportunity to embarrass him, ha ha. And they won the game! Woo-hoo!

Here we are singing, right before handing out cupcakes to everyone.

What a great night!

So onto the actual birthday party, which was the next night...

I know boys (especially older boys!) don't usually care as much about party decor and decorations as we ladies tend to, but I really enjoy doing simple things to make our house look festive for the occasion. And I think they appreciate it, too. A few inexpensive banners, some crepe paper swags and bright balloons, and festive plates and cups to get the par-tay started. Jonah batted his beautiful hazel eyes at me and requested a Whoopie Pie cake. Again. It turned out so well last year that he wanted another one. Okay, so he didn't bat anything, but he did ask nicely. =)

For family and friends, I made regular sized whoopie pies and frosted the other dozen cupcakes I'd frozen, leftover from basketball. In case you're wondering, the giant whoopie pie bakes really nicely at the same temp and for around the same time as the smaller ones; the two larger "mounds" of batter fit on one large baking sheet.

Our naughty cats kept getting a little close for comfort after I put the rest of the whoopie pies and cupcakes out, and I spent the hour before friends and family arrived shooing them away. Carb junkies.

I waited as long as I could for the "sparkler" candles to sparkle... and they were duds. The occasional little burst of flame here and there, but the candles were melting so fast and I couldn't just stand there snapping pictures hoping to capture sparkles. Dumb candles.

This pretty much sums up the evening. Lots of smiles and laughter. It made me so, so happy.

Bill and I would be in the kitchen prepping things and then this completely insane bout of laughter would erupt from the other room, and we'd just look at each and smile. That was my absolute favorite thing. We set up the island as a pizza making bar- they loved that!- and had snacks and drinks on the small table in the kitchen. I don't have even one picture of any pizzas because it absolute chaos and cuh-razy!

While the pizzas cooked, they watched funny soccer videos and such on YouTube- hilarious! In past years, we've had science experiments, scavenger hunts, and Olympics-type competitions, but now that Jonah's older, we didn't need a "theme" or specific activity; he just wanted to hang out with his friends and play video games. Which they never ended up doing because they were too busy tossing balloons, eating, and laughing. Such a wonderful group of friends! I am so thankful for each of them because I have watched Jonah, in particular, struggle in this area, and that is so hard as a Mom.

Here's an action shot. None of my pictures came out very well. Ugh. The boys won the championship on Saturday!

Isabelle was annoyed (really mad) at me when I wouldn't let her go play on the other side of the gym because one of her friends was over there. But this friend doesn't listen to her mother and is really obnoxious, so, um, no thanks. There were other kids over there too, climbing all over equipment and such, and I don't think that's right, at least not during the basketball game. She absolutely beamed when cutie pie cousin walked in with my sister-in-law and her parents to cheer for Jonah. Whew! Cute cousins for the win!

EASY SUNDAY DINNER IDEAS

Good Saturday morning! The sun is shining and I hear we might even get up into the 30's today. Woot! Last night we had Jonah's birthday party- it was so much fun! What a great group of boys. I thought, however, that I was going to enjoy a quiet and lazy morning today... but then I woke up at four, ended up making blueberry coffeecake, and generally puttered around doing a little of this and that. Until the quiet ended. =)

Today I'm sharing some easy fix 'em & forget 'em recipes, which have come in handy on Sundays. I've gone to church my whole life, and growing up, I remember always coming home to the smell of something delicious after Sunday service. We enjoyed a big, sit-down meal around one o'clock, sometimes with one set of grandparents or the other. It was just a really special time. In our family now, we typically enjoy a larger Sunday evening meal, but since joining an afternoon Bible Study, this hasn't been working out quite so well, as dinner doesn't get eaten (or prepared) until much later into the evening. And that actually feels a little bit stressful, not exactly how I'd like to welcome a brand new week.

Here are some recipes, all of which can be fixed ahead of time, left in the oven with the timer set, and be ready for us when we're back home around noon.So now I'd like to begin this midday tradition with our family. It's certainly easier with colder weather since we're already sort of stuck indoors, but come summertime, I'm sure I'll happily trade in oven-cooked meals for a cold picnic lunch at the beach or mountains.

Easy Scalloped Potatoes

When this dish is the main meal, I add cubed ham.

Veggies: sauteed asparagus (10 min); steamed carrots (8-10 min in microwave)

Sides: cottage cheese; canned or fresh fruit

Slow Cooker Hearty Beef Stew

I like to prepare the ingredients sometime on Saturday to save time in the morning.

Sides: rolls or bread for dipping; fruit

Tangy Pork Loin

Truly a fix it and forget it dish- toss a few sweet potatoes into the oven to bake at the same time

Veggies: potatoes/ sweet potatoes

buttered peas & corn (frozen, steamed) or salad

Sides: cottage cheese; applesauce

Slow Cooker Ribs

Veggies: green beans (or green bean casserole); steamed corn

Sides: corn bread or rolls; applesauce; "pink stuff" or cottage cheese

Aw. I came across this photo from a few years ago as I was looking through the files- we'd had my Mom and Dad over for dinner, and then we headed outside to make S'mores since it was such a gorgeous afternoon. Boy oh boy am I looking forward to green grass and cute little sundresses and eating outside again!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SON

I've been a baking lunatic this week in preparation of my foodie's birthday. He has always been the one to want a little of this, a little of that, oh, I don't know, gourmet vanilla bean cupcakes with whipped cocoa frosting, a giant birthday cake Whoopie Pie, that fabulous Death by Chocolate party a few years back, ha ha. We sure do have some yummy celebrations! Right now I've got a double batch of cupcakes (from a box) and the first batch of whoopie pies (without the creme) in the freezer downstairs, and I'm not even halfway there. HA

Tonight is the championship play-off basketball game for Jonah's team. How exciting for that to coincide with your actual birthday! So of course there must be cupcakes. Of course.  =)

As apparent by my last post, sometimes I really wrestle with this whole growing up business. It is the most wonderful, rewarding, sacred and humbling process, and my prayer for all my children, especially for my Jonah on his birthday, is that they continue to walk with the Lord. That's it, that's all that truly matters to me.

I also hope that my children feel celebrated on their special days. While I would love to treat them to more lavish gifts or whisk them off to some really awesome mini vacation or something, we just can't do that. It is my most sincere desire that all the special little things we do speak to their hearts and let them know just how much they mean to me, what a wonderful and unique creation they are.

Jonah Gabriel, you are growing into such a caring, interesting, fun and special young man, and we know that the Lord has so many wonderful things in store for you! Happy Birthday, Son!

Now I'm off to whip up chocolate chip pancakes with strawberries and cream...  ;)

SEEKING TRUTH

Hello March! Since we just got new snow dumped on us, I'm really (really!) hoping the old "in like a lion, out like a lamb" bit is true.  I suppose we shall see...

I've been thinking a lot lately about time, more specifically, about our days on this earth. I don't know if worry is the right word, but there's certainly an angst or anxiousness that hovers over these thoughts. And I've begun to realize that it's robbing me of joy and peace. My oldest son is officially in driver's ed now- no, that was not an intentional segue into a post about angst and fear, ha!- and he's been chauffeuring me around and keeping track of all his hours on a driving log hanging on the fridge. I don't know how I feel about all this. It's pushing me in a direction I don't yet feel ready to go. It makes me realize that sometimes I just want my babies back. I want things the way they were before, when everyone was younger and I didn't have to worry so much about aging parents or making huge decisions that impact my children because it felt like the years just stretched out endlessly ahead of us. There would always be time for this or for that because, well, we had lots of time back then. And now, suddenly, we don't.

I was talking with some friends at church yesterday about an area in which I feel like a complete and utter failure: family devotions and Bible reading/praying together. It's what my heart desires most and yet I keep failing. (I know there is no condemnation in Christ but I feel like a failure.) I have had so much time and I have wasted it! And now that my boys are older, it makes me feel like it's too late. Like that ship has sailed, my chance is gone.

Is that really true? Is that how Jesus wants me to look at it? No, I don't think so. God's Word is FILLED with promises of renewal and transformation and peace and grace and hope. He can - and does - use our shortcomings for His good when we allow Him to. How awesome that the Creator of the world and all that is in it is a God of love! That HE is the one to restore and heal and soften hearts! I love the Lord and want to live out my life in a way that honors Him, but I can't save people- only He can do that. This is so hard for me to grasp because I feel like if I could get a grip on nightly devotions and we could have prayer time three times a day, if only I would do this and do that, then all would be well with my children. Really what I'm thinking is: if I do all the right things, then I can save them.

Talk about pressure, right? But that's not true! I am called to train up my children, to love them and to teach them Truth, but ultimately, I have to relinquish the thinking that I am responsible for their own walks. And that is so hard. I don't want my mistakes and shortcomings to injure my children's views of our perfect God, to be a stumbling block for them. Argh. I'm sorry to be so confusing and all over the place, but it's all so jumbled in my mind as I wrestle with these thoughts.

I know I have an internal struggle going on because I do feel called to equip my children in more ways that I have at this point, and that isn't a bad thing. My time has not run out. Each new day is a new opportunity to live out our faith, to explore grace, to meditate on Scripture. I don't need to allow fear and doubt to cripple me here, but rather, this unsettled-ness can spur me to action. First and foremost, I can pray about how God wants to use me to teach my children. I can pray about resources and influential relationships and every single detail about how to reach them and KNOW that He hears me and that nothing is trivial in His eyes.

I don't think I'm alone here, but I wonder how many of you struggle with the same thing. We can be praying for one another!

The name of the Lord is a strong tower;

the righteous run to it and are safe.

Proverbs 18:10

This verse is such a great reminder to me-

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! For I have overcome the world.

John 16:33