Yummy Avocado

I've already documented for you that my son loves raviloi, and that he creates a huge mess while eating it.  Well, I discovered the perfect messy food to pair with it - avocado!  Just some cute pics to make you smile.  The last one is my favorite!  Hope your weekend was full of rest and joy!!!

Housecleaning Helper

For the past couple of weeks, I've been documenting Weston's attempts to help with the housework while we are staying with my in-laws.  Sadly I haven't taken any pictures of him helping in the laundry room, although that is his favorite place to help.  My in-laws have these beautiful (I lust after them!) front load washer and front load dryer which is perfect for my son because he loves to scoot in between them while laundry is being done.  He lets me know that everything is washing just perfectly.  Wish I had a pic of that, but here are a few pics I have caught :)!

Okay friends!  This is my favorite chore - emptying the dishwasher.  I'm in charge of removing all the clean silverware.  Mom especially likes it when I remove the sharpest knives I can find.

For those dishes that can't go in the dishwasher, I help Mama Ann clean them in the sink.  Man she works me to death!

Now it is time to work on cleaning out the cabinets.  Mom, where would you like me to put these Ziplock bags.  I was thinking about putting them in this next door cabinet with the pots and pans.

Oh mom, you caught me trying to help you clean out the kitchen drawers.  I know you liked what I did with the cabinets so I thought I'd add my special touch to this, my favorite, drawer.

Now it is time to fold the clean sheets.

This job is a little harder than I thought it would be. Maybe I'll just stick to watching the sheets get cleaned in the laundry room.

What did you say mom?  It is time to take a little break from all this work and play a little Rock Band.

Well Mama Ann, you are doing okay, but let me show you how a Rock Band expert does it!

These chores have worn me out!!  Now it is time for a siesta!!!

Weston Walking!

Thought y'all would enjoy this little video, although I'm sure you won't watch it 100 times like I have :)!  Weston isn't walking all the time or anything, but we are getting there!  Thanks for celebrating with us :)!

Adventures in Cooking

I was just discussing this recipe with my sweet and talented friend Steph (check out the Birds and Trees blog) so I thought I'd post it for all to see :)!  This is a fabulous recipe that I discovered in Cooking Light.  Of course you need to use the part-skim ricotta cheese in order to keep it light.  This is a family favorite and using the won ton wrappers makes it much easier than any other Lasagna that I've made!  Be sure you note that you have to buy the won ton wrappers in the produce section.
Hope you enjoy!

Won Ton Spinach Lasagna

Ingredients: 2 C of mozzarella cheese, divided; 1 ½ tsp basil, divided; ½ tsp ground red pepper, divided; 
1—15oz ricotta cheese; 1-10oz pack of frozen spinach, thawed and well drained; 1 cup finely grated carrots;  ½ C grated parmesan cheese; 1 egg; ½ tsp garlic powder; 1 26oz jar of pasta sauce; package of wonton skins (found in the produce section)
Directions: Stir together 1 C of moz. Cheese, 1 tsp basil, ¼ tsp red pepper, ricotta, and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl.  Set aside.  Stir together pasta sauce, ½ tsp basil, & ¼ tsp red pepper.  Spread ½ C sauce mixture in the bottom of a 13x9 greased baking dish.  Arrange a layer of wonton wrappers over sauce, and then the cheese mixture on top of the wontons.  Repeat layers—end with a layer of sauce mixture and top with one cup moz. cheese.  Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until bubbly.

Hearing NO

I've never enjoyed being told NO.  I'm a pretty independent person and so when I hear NO it translates into the word "boundaries" in my mind and boundaries remind me that I'm not in control ( and who likes to hear that they are not in control :) )

I can sometimes hide my reactions to that two-letter N word, but my son on the other hand usually has one or two reactions.  He either stares at me and then proceeds with whatever action he is NOT supposed to do or he just breaks down crying.  The first action usually incurs some reprimand/punishment which leads to tears, so basically NO = tears for Weston

I want to look at my precious son at those moments and say, "Weston, Mommy loves you more than you know, and I'm telling you NO because I want to keep you safe, " or "Sweet child, Mommy loves you more than you know and there are such better things for you to play with besides the water in the toilet!"  Because I am his loving parent, most of the time I know what my child needs. I tell him NO because I know their is a better or even best option for him at that moment compared to the thing he is choosing to do.

Recently we heard a NO to something we had been praying about and I really let it get to me.  That NO reminded me, once again, that I am not in control!  I just went ahead and told God that I had waited long enough and his NO was not what I wanted to hear.  And in His loving way my heavenly Father used my active little son to remind me of something that I already knew but wasn't believing.  It was like he said, "My sweet stubborn child, I know the end from the beginning.  I'm good.  I'm in control.  I love you more than you know.  There is something so much better for you that I'm saying YES to, but you just have to wait for me to work.  Believe me child, I love to give you good gifts."

If I, in my sinful finite self, want to take care of and give good gifts to my sweet boy, then why do I think that my perfect and sovereign Father is holding out on me?  Why do I focus so much on the NOs and not take the time to ponder what that means He might be saying YES to?  And why do I have to learn this lesson over and over again?  Come on Corley!  Can't you just learn your lesson?!? :)

It is amazing that God uses my 13 month old to teach me over and over again about Himself.  

Matthew 7:9-11 "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?  If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"

Food Funnies

The two men in my life like to eat.  It really is a blessing because I can fix just about anything for Kevin for dinner and hear no complaints.  And Weston seems to be taking after his daddy - he eats most everything and he eats it faster than a bolt of lightning or a speeding train or whatever speedy object you'd like to insert here!  Food does not stay on his tray very long at all!

He doesn't like to waste time so that is why he employs
the double-fisted feeding method.  He doesn't even chew the
first bite before the second one is in his mouth!

Also like most little ones Weston is a fairly messy eater.  We are trying lots of new kinds of food, but the Ravioli is definitely his favorite!

Usually, at the end of most meals he'll lean back in his chair
as if to say, "Mom, that was really good.  I might have eaten
a bit too quickly.  Now, how do I loosen these pants because
they are a bit tight now."

Like I mentioned above Kevin will eat just about everything.  Most of you also know that my hubby can be rather witty when he wants to be.  I learned a new thing about him the other day in reference to food.  For lunch, I had made sandwiches and washed off a couple of peaches for us to eat (Southern peaches are about the best thing you can eat!).  Then my husband asks me why I left the skin on the peaches.  "That's how I've always eaten them.  It's too much trouble to peel them," I replied.  (I'm learning I might be an oddball for this peach-skin eating custom).  To this my husband said, "Eating a peach with the skin on it is like having a little squirrel dancing on your tongue!"  I chuckled about that analogy for hours :).  If only my students had been able to create similes as funny as that!

Well, I think my child is now playing in the toilet so I better go!  Hope these little food funnies brightened your day!  Ta Ta for now!

The Adventure of Waiting

Maybe if I call what we are doing now an adventure then it will make it more fun.  What we, as a family, are doing right now is waiting.  Waiting to hear about a job for Kevin.  Waiting to hear where that job will move us.  Waiting to know where the heck we are going to have our second child and who will be delivering that said child :)!

Like the teacher dork that I am, I looked up adventure in the dictionary.  The first definition that came up was: an exciting or very unusual experience.  So it is true that I can call this "waiting" an adventure because it is definitely an unusual experience

I hope you enjoy this poem/prayer from Paul David Tripp's book Broken-Down House as much as I do:

I have come to

understand

that I am not the

author

of my own story.

My narrative

is being penned

by One

who is the defintion

of all that is

wise

loving

pure

true

and good.

But since I am

in the story but not the

author of the story

I am often called

to wait.

I wish I could say

that I wait well

but I don't.

I wish I could say

that I never question your wisdom

but I do.

So Lord

once more I ask for the

grace to wait

not only so I can get

what I'm waiting for

but so that I will become

what you want me to become as I wait.

Transitions

Transitions are always a bit interesting.  Right now our family is transitioning in a lot of ways.

Our little man is growing up way too fast.  Our second little son is growing like a weed (and of course that means my stomach is expanding at the same rate :))  Kevin is transitioning from seminary student to soon-to-be pastor.  I'm transitioning from full-time teacher and mom to stay-at-home mom.  Our family is transitioning from our own place to temporarily living in a huge house (that we are sharing with my wonderful in-laws!).

Since we are transitioning from one stage of life to other, I figured I'd chronicle our adventures on this little blog.  Hope you enjoy keeping up with our Ordinary Adventures!

Weston with his friend Geneva at about 5 months.

Weston on his 1st birthday.