The Best Mom-in-Law/ Friend/ Role Model!

I have the very best Mom Call!!!

Dee has been such a bright light for me in this crazy past couple of months. When I need someone to talk with, she is there. When I want someone to talk with, she is there. 

I am so fortunate to have such an amazing woman in my life!

And she is a wonderful example of genuine love for others. I am truly blessed.

Staying Home During Spring Break...

When I can't go visit my littles, I NEED to stay busy!

Worked on some jean quilts...

and made some dishcloths...

baked...

cooked...

Love curry!

Luke's black bean/quinoa 'meatloaf'

LOVE quinoa burgers!

and played in the dirt...

Garlic- yum!

Peas coming up!

and flowers coming...

Not quite the spring break I was planning, but grateful I can keep busy!

What do you do when you can't color eggs with the littles?

I bake! Whole grain Challah bread (even used powdered egg!)

Luke's "meatloaf" - without the meat, of course... really quinoa and black bean loaf- Yum!

Chocolate Zuc muffins with homemade salted caramel 'frosting'

And I cook...

Black bean/quinoa burgers!

And of course, lots of wheat bread!

And as I was craving ice cream, I was fortunate to discover some frozen strawberries and bananas in the freezer. This shake will do as well as any old ice cream!

So grateful to be able to bake!

The Big 3.0!

This little one is now 3! She is such a great little sister and big sister and just a joy to be around. We were blessed enough to celebrate Olivia the weekend before the world turned upside down... otherwise we may not have had the chance to celebrate face-to-face.

So blessed to have this 3 year old!

Eating from my storage...

With all that I know how to make and having a very large deep freeze...

Curry over oven baked brown rice!

I am very grateful to have an exercise bike and treadmill!

Curry over rice with homemade naan for dinner, black 'refried' beans with chips for lunch, slow cooker apple cinnamon oatmeal for breakfast...

I am truly blessed!

When the love of baking and the love of math collide.... Yum!

The blessings of having a Grandma who loves to bake and who loves teaching math:

pumpkin pie, pizza pie

blueberry/apple pie, chocolate pie with strawberry whipped cream!

One terrific Pi day for our local littles!

And they had fun with Grandpa too!

Blessings of Brothers

I have the BEST brothers!

I can honestly say that my big brother is better than yours! Dan has always been the best!

He always had my back growing up. Once, when I was very young, I started to read a (probably not the best) book on the recommendation of a friend... before I got to the not-quite-so great-part, however, I found a note from my big brother telling me that I should not be reading that kind of book, I was better than that, and not to ask who wrote the note (although it was in his cursive handwriting). He always wanted the best for his little sister.

And he still does! He's a man of gentle strength and a great role model for the kind of man I wanted to marry! (So lucky that I did marry a man like Dan!)

My little brothers are also the best! They are both hardworking and oh so very caring! I know they would help me in any way they could if I were to ask! I am one fortunate sister to have such brothers!

And now I have added two more plus to my wonderful brother list... my brothers-in-law and brothers-in-law-by-marriage to my sisters are all outstanding men!!! Greg, Jared, Jesse, and Phil are such great examples of the kind of men this world needs. Plus they all, in their own way, have gone out of their way to show how much they care for me!

I am so blessed to have such brothers!