beauty in a sunrise

This morning the sunrise was so amazing!!!  

Wow!!!!  

What an awesome God we have that could creat just a beautiful site!!!!

Definitely made my day. 

Wordless Wednesday

I know that Wordless Wednesday posts aren't suppose to have any words, but I was going to back through some old pics and this one just cracks me up.  Enjoy!!! 

Must-Have Mondays

I am a HUGE fan of cake in the box.  I love the yellowcake, the butter recipe, the devil food...I think I love them all.  I alway have a least one box but I have been know to have up to 10 box in my pantry.  I use them for cakes, lots of cupcakes and more.

When I'm in a pinch I even use the cake in a box to make cookies. I am such a fan of these cookies.  I can make them quicker than it takes to send Mike to the grocery store.  And they are so delicious. 

Now I know that I have many of you wondering what the recipe is.  Well it's simple, take on box of cake mix, any flavor you want,  add 1/3 cup of 

vegetable oil and 2 eggs.  Mix together well.  If you want to add chocolate chips or m&m's you may, if not that's fine too.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.  Make sure to not overbake.

The cookies will be soft

YUM!!! 

Cake in the Box is my Must-Have for this Monday

Have a great Week!!!!

Soccer Kicks!!!!

As promise, here are some pictures of Brendan playing soccer. Once again this week all the boys had games at the same time - 10:30.  So Mike and Connor started off at Brendan's game, and I went to the twin's game.  I am pleased to say that Austin did an awesome job, there was no crying or pouting.  That sure made his mommy proud. :)  

During half time, Mike and I swapped places.  Wow, what a difference between the skill level of the two games.  I had to take a moment to realize how big the field was and how fast the ball moved.  The kids weren't afraid to go after the ball!!!

Brendan getting ready to the game...making sure his shoes were tied.

running after the ball

a little elbow action

look at the concentration in their eyes

Have I told you before how much I love being a soccer mom?

Flashback Friday

On Wednesday, I promised I would upload some of our engagement pictures, so that's what you get for Flashback Friday this week.  All I have to say, is that photographers have come a long way in 10 years.  Mike will probably not be happy this are up here either. :)  oh, well.  Enjoy!!!!

10 years ago....

It was ten years ago today that Mike proposed to me.


At dinner tonight, Mike asked if I remember that 10 years ago tonight we went out for dinner and of course I did.  But when I asked him where we went he didn't remember (and neither do I).  I guess that wasn't the important of the evening.  What I do remember is that we went for walk downtown Zeeland, and as we were getting out of the car, Mike put on his spring jacket. That was very strange because Mike is a hot body, doesn't wear many clothes, he could spent the whole winter in short sleeves if I let him.  When I questioned him about it, he shrugged it off, and off we went on our walk.  After a few minutes, we came to the water fountain by 2nd Reformed Church in Zeeland. We sat for a while, talking and watching the colors change of the fountain.  After a few moments of silence, Mike got down on one knee and asked me to marry him.  He didn't have any profound speak made up, instead he told me how much he loved me and that he wanted to spend the rest of our lives together.  Of course I said YES!!!!


I love this man more each and every day.  I love how he makes me feel.  I love his smile.  I love how much he loves our boys.  I love it when he sense that I need some alone time and he makes it happen.   I love him for who he is.  


(I will try and get some of our engagement pics up today.)

Wordless Wednesday

The Dangers of Farming

  Today, the neighbors across the street started their fall harvesting.  They weren't even out there 3 hours and there was equipment on fire already.  Thankfully no one was hurt, but it's a big wake up call that farming is a dangerous job.  So during the next couple weeks and months,please keep the farmers in your prayers. Ask for God to keep them all safe and that they return home each night to their family.

the inside of the cab

the engine compartment

It's begining to look a lot like Halloween?

We had a first yesterday,  we took the boys to a cross cultural birthday party.  One of Mike's employees, Manuel had a birthday party for his daughter Stephany.  It was a little awkward seeing how we were the ones who weren't Mexican and didn't speak fluent Spanish.  It was good for the boys, to see that different people eat different foods, speak different languages, and celebrate birthday in different ways.

Now to the title of this post.  We came home with as much candy as we do at Halloween.  We arrived at the party and were waited on hand and foot.  Manuel quickly cleared a table for us to sit at.  He got us beverages and then continues to serve us our food (I was served first!!! It's was great being the only lady in the family.)  The food was very tasty, spicy at the same time and this time Mike didn't get sick on the food.  

After dinner, Manuel started setting up the first piñata, yes I did say the right, the first of FIVE piñatas.  OMG!!!  Five piñatas, and the way it started off with the little kids hitting the piñata, Mike and I began to understand why Mexican can party a long time.  I think kids were banging on the piñata for about 30 minutes before the piñata fell off the rope, it still wasn't broken.  Thankfully Manuel broke it open and throw the candy at the kids and they started on the second one.  Well, soon the second piñata was also broken apart and then it was time for us to go...that 8:00 o'clock came too quickly.

After say thanks for the invite and food, the boys were given party favors that were stuffed full with more candy.

our loot

Hot and salted pulp candy - It's candy suppose to be sweet and sugary?

Mike thought this one was hilarious...it's a sucker that looks like a chicken on a stick.  We tried this one, not what you would think of when you think sucker.  This was salty, not my favorite 

Here we have three suckers on one stick.  How does a kid eat the third sucker without gagging themselves with the stick?

Genie fortune teller sucker?

and there were a couple familiar "American" candy

and finally Mike's all time favorite candy bar.

All in all is was a great experience for our family.  Of course we had to almost force a couple of the boys to eat some food, and Brendan tried to keep impressing Manuel with the little bit of Spanish he knew and he kept "thinking" out loud...saying things that you would only think.  But it was fun.  

until our next adventure...

Just for Kicks

Soccer is a sign of fall to me.  I love being a soccer mom...to sit at a soccer game and cheer on my boys is something I really enjoy doing. So I was really excited when this past Saturday arrived. The boys were also super duper excited...at least two of them.  >

The only thing that I was bummed about was that both of the games were at the same time.  How do you choose which game to go to?    Well the twins wanted daddy at their game, so Mike started out at their game and Connor & I went to Brendan's game.  

>

Lucas getting ready to kick the ball to start the game.  

Lucas absolutely loved the game and put his whole heart and soul into playing.

Running off the field for a break

waiting for his turn to play again.

and then there's Austin.  What can I say beside the fact that I didn't expect this from Austin at all.

It started off at practice a few nights before.  Mike took them to their practice and Austin was pouting and crying  because someone kicked the ball away from him (it's that what soccer's all about?)

So I was interested to see how the first half of the game went when I went to switch games with Mike.  He was crying.  This time it was because he wasn't scoring goals...other kids were taking the ball from him. Again if I remember correctly that what soccer is all about.

On and off throughout the game, Austin would want to play until something didn't go his way.  Like here where all the kids went running by him, but there he just stands with his hands on his hips.

I believe he's actually going after the ball here.

again pouting....I think this time it's because he had to go pee.  So I sent him into the weeds to relieve himself and then he wanted to go back out without waiting his turn. 

Another time he just walking off the field right in the middle of a play because he wanted his long sleeve shirt off.  

I guess I need to teach him more about the game.

All in all it was a good game, and I think for the most part, they both had fun.  Austin did score a goal and was so excited to share that with daddy when he came to pick us up.  I think that actually went off the ball more that Brendan did at this age.  I'm interested to see how much they improve over the next six weeks.


I will try and get more pictures of Brendan playing next week and post them then.  I only got one picture of him the past Saturday....and that's not normal for me.

Wordless Wednesday

Must-Have Mondays

I wouldn't consider myself a great cook or that I even really LOVE to cook, but I enjoy entertaining and having people over to over house and with that comes the need to provide others with something to eat.

A few months ago I heard an ad somewhere, (I wish I remembered where so I could five them some credit) about this website where you can type in the ingredients you have in your pantry and with the click of a button it comes up with recipes that include the ingredients you have on hand.

I {heart} supercook.com.  I would recommend everyone to check it out.  Whether you are on a tight budget or have a refrigerator that has about nothing in it, SuperCook can help you.  Try it for yourself!!!!

That is my Must Have for this Monday.

Picking Blueberries

This morning, Brendan kept asking what we're going to do today.  He came up with all these great ideas - play with his remote control car, go to the children's museum, the list went on and on. Well, mom and dad didn't really take a liking his ideas, instead we headed to the blueberry fields.

This past spring (I think), my dad planted 20 acres of blueberry bushes, and although they are still small, we wanted to take advantage of free fruit.

Connor wanted to show me how many berries he and I had picked so far.

Lucas was a really hard worker - I think he picked the entire time we were out there today.  Although, I  think his mouth was moving faster than his hands.  I pity his teacher

Connor was upset when he stepped into the mud and got his flip flops all dirty - it's a good thing that summer is almost over, those are the sandals he wears to church.

Brendan lying around between the berry bushes.

Connor AKA buttons

At this bush, Connor finally realized that he could eat the berries off the bushed.  He eat every berry on this bush.

more  berries.

Brendan actually picking berries off the bush, even though he doesn't like the berries.

a bounty of berries

helping daddy fill his bucket, I think daddy liked it better when they were helping mommy.

Brendan and Lucas sharing a bush with lots of berries of it.

Brendan started collecting the berries in his shirt.  After that it was monkey see monkey do, all the boys were doing it.

Later the boys started collecting  berries in their water bottles.

Connor carrying the berries back to the truck.  He was beat.

B, A and L rode in the back of the truck through the corn field, back to the main road.  They loved it.