Author: amylynw

What’s in Your Pocket?

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Well, at the end of the day I picked up Jack’s shorts and thought they felt pretty, um, heavy.  So, I emptied his pockets to find this treasure trove!  Money, chains, nails, sticks, a sock, a rock, keys… wow.  And all day I was wondering why his pants kept falling down!  That boy’s sweet spot is shiny things.  The paper money is pretend, by the way.  He rolls it up really small.  The keys are his, because our real ones kept disappearing.  So, Grandma Weldon made him his own set of old defunct keys.  That, my friend, is a look into Jack’s pockets.

>Please Grow Old With Me

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>Oh, Matthew.  He’s off to work again this morning.  I’m so happy he got to sleep in today.  I cringe a little when I look at the alarm set for 3:45 every morning.  He wakes up and every other day he goes for a run, decked out in his yellow reflector shirt and blinking hat, and runs through the dark, discovering new roads and thinking deep thoughts.  He gets back, makes his coffee, showers, reads his Bible and is off to work before I’m even up.  I can usually hear his truck leaving– his old cherry-bomb truck.  At least once a week, instead of jogging he goes to the grocery store to pick up things we need, so I don’t have to take all of the kids during the day.  He always washes the fruit and puts it in the fridge.

I know how much he wants to get out of debt, because I want it so much too.  I thought we were getting close, and we are, but he just told me that we paid off all of the medical bills incrued from his last surgery… let’s just say it was enough for a really nice vacation.  I’m so amazed by his discipline.  He needs new clothes but brushes it off and takes care of bills.  He is content.  I think of how his clothes in the closet take up about ten hangars.  Everything else fits in his dresser.  The only sweatshirt he owns is from high-school.

Do you know what he does with the little “extra” at the end of the week?  He gives it to me so I can save for a camera, or whatever I think I might need that doesn’t fit into any category on our budget.

There are so many other things I appreciate and love about Matthew.  His humor.  His ability to sit down and  talk to anyone.  The little notes he writes to the kids and leaves all around the breakfast table some mornings when it’s been a hard week for them.  The way he likes the milk on the right side of the fridge and the juice on the left.  His discipline to be and stay healthy.  The fact that he loves to have fun, but not “fun” that compromises his integrity.  The way he has countlessly forgiven my faults and helped me to become a better wife and mother.  

I love you, Matthew!  Thank you for working so hard for our family!

>Cinnamon Rolls

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When the air turns cold, it seems like our taste buds sense the need for cinnamon rolls.  So, last night at 7:30 I started making them… it also had something to do with the fact that Matt had “promised” the guys at work that he’d bring some in today to work.  It was fun, although the yeast didn’t cooperate… I guess there really is an expiration on that stuff.  The final “45 minute” rise took 6 hrs, then the oven clicked on at 5am and baked them.  They’re not as puffy and airy as usual, but still taste good!  Many ask for the recipe, so here it is.  I found and adapted a version from the internet when we were living in Honduras and had an intense craving for Cinnabon.  Adapted, meaning I cut out a lot of fat, believe it or not.  Enjoy!  

1 cup warm water
2 Tablespoons yeast
2 cups sugar– divided
1 cup warm milk
1 cup melted butter– divided
2 tsp salt
2 eggs
up to 8 cups flour
2 T cinnamon
4 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
up to 6 T hot water
Dissolve yeast and 1 tsp sugar in warm water. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix ⅔ cup melted butter, milk, ⅔ cup sugar, salt, and eggs. Stir well and add yeast mixture.
Add half the flour and beat until smooth.
Stir in enough of the remaining flour until dough is slightly stiff. Turn out on floured surface and knead for 8 minutes.
Grease bowl, turn, cover, let rise until doubled– 1 to 1½ hours.
Punch down and let rest 5 minutes.
Roll out into 15“x20” rectangle.
Brush ½ cup melted butter over dough and 1½ cup sugar and cinnamon.
Starting on the long edge, roll up jelly-roll style and pinch edge to seal. Cut into 12-15 slices.
Grease 13“x9”x2″ pan. Place rolls in pan close together, cover and let rise 45 minutes.
Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.
For icing: stir ⅔cup melted margarine, powdered sugar and vanilla. Stir in hot water 1 T at a time until glaze is right consistency. Spread over rolls.


TIP: After placing in pan, freeze cinnamon rolls. The night before let sit out overnight. They will rise and be ready to bake the next morning!
OR: Fix to jellyroll stage and then freeze. Let thaw in fridge overnight, then slice and let them do the final rise in the morning before baking!
TIP: Use a piece of strong thread or dental floss to cut cinnamon rolls into perfect slices!

>A Full Shore House

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>This Labor Day we continued our tradition of heading  down to the shore house with the Weldons.  We had the beginnings of colds and coughs when we left, but went anyway, arriving at 1am on Friday.  It was a fun, relaxing first day… culminating in the evening when Jon and Capri arrived to announce their engagement!  We had been waiting for that for quite awhile, and there was MUCH excitement about THAT one!  Nadine told me through her smile, “Mom, they’re finally getting married!”  We’re proud of Jon for choosing such a sweet girl!  We love Capri!

Other highlights include:
 Playing Sorry with Daddy…
Talent show, featuring Bill & Marguerite played by Matthew and Jonathan…
“You raise me up” sung by Celtic Woman, impersonated by Amy and an empty beer bottle/microphone…
Harvey the Caterpiller by Dad… and so much more talent!
Some people go to the beach to listen to the waves… others, not so much.

A fishing trip where many fish were caught, but none kept.
Freeze pops…
THE tent… we slept here, while the other 6 slept in the house!
Maybe a little too much Phase 10… =)
Early morning coffee, checkers, sodoku, book-reading…
Baseball…
And we even got icecream and went to the boardwalk.  The only down side was that every day someone got better and someone else got sicker, myself being the worst.  Elsie pretty much cried for two days straight and was especially difficult at night.  But the memories made were priceless and fun!   

>New House

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A big thanks to my mother-in-law for letting me borrow her camera this week so I could take pictures around the house!
Welcome to our new home!  Here we are, eating breakfast in our sunny dining room.  
The kids each have their own desks and computers for cyber school.
Moving on, upstairs, this is our bedroom.  SO bright and breezy, with four big windows.
Elijah is playing in the boys room.  It holds a bunk bed and dresser and bookshelf.  Little else.
The girls’ room is pink, with bunkbeds, three dressers, and baby girl’s bed.  Little else.
Looking out our front living room window. 
I was so happy to freecycle this gorgeous entertainment center.  Did I mention it was FREE?  I love that the doors close so you don’t have to see the TV.
Looking in by the front door, I love the built-in bookshelves behind glass doors.
Going upstairs.
Kids busily doing school work while Mommy plays. =)  No, not really.  I’m posting this AFTER the kids are done their schoolwork.
Our kitchen is lovely and big.  Do you see the dishwasher???  The dishwasher??!!!  
We also have our home computer in here to the left, not pictured.  The door leads to the laundry room.
Our laundry room is still messy, so here’s from the middle up!  Looking into the powder room.
Going outside to the backyard… Elijah is raking and the trampoline takes up almost all of the second half of the yard.  The clothesline is back there too.
There is a fishpond under all of that brush!  Hopefully next summer we’ll have it in working order!  Everything is overgrown right now.
And perhaps my favorite thing of all, in the pavement of the patio:
So, please come over for a visit.  We are really dying for some company!

>A new chapter

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Well, packing is in full swing, and the den is overflowing with boxes from all over the house.  The boys found some fun… then promptly got shooed out… Jack is sitting right on top of a box marked “FRAGILE”.  We’ll see what we find!  
Today our house went up for sale with no takers… so the bank now officially owns it.  We have 30-90 days to be out of here.  However, we will be out of here in 8 days, so no worries.  We’re gathering and packing and purging and everything else in-between!  
A verse I wrote on my kitchen chalkboard about a month ago says, “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.” (2 Chron. 20:12)  It has been exciting to see Him work out our ways and carve a path for us through the waters.  We love our God!

>coconut shampoo and coffee

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We took a break from our boxes to help Matt’s parents move yesterday. That was a fun family day. It will be exciting when the bulk of our days won’t have something to do with tape and a box!
Two days after we move, the kids will be starting school. After much prayer and deliberation, we chose to do cyber school this year with Nadine, Elijah, and Jack. It’s going to be fun to see if we can line up three computers in the dining room! The kids are excited to be at home this year, and we’re excited to see how everything will pan out for our family.
There are so many things I am thankful for about Matthew. I love the way that he loves our kids. Right now he’s playing a game with the older two and surprised them with a bowl of icecream. Every morning he grinds and brews his coffee in the garage, because the smell of it still makes me feel sick. And after four long months without any hot tea, because the thought of it made me feel sick, he just made me a cup to see if my taste-buds have changed.
To say that we are enjoying having cousins nearby is quite the understatement! There is something grand and delightful about seeing your sister and about your kids seeing their cousins every week that is just like balm for one’s soul. They recently had some trees trimmed at their house, and as a bonus the tree-trimmer guy rigged an 80-ft rope swing on one of their trees! All the kids LOVE it, and it’s both frightening and fun to watch.
Nadine can make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and loves to serve beverages to people. Her heart wants to help and serve, and though we’re working on certain things (aren’t we all?) she has a desire to be helpful. She loves to write notes and letters! 
 Elijah has been sporting a summer mo-hawk. His favorite thing to do involves anything technical or electronic. He loves listening to music on the i-pod and doing pushups. He is excellent on his bike and excellent at reading! 
 Jack would rather conquer a castle then learn his colors, and he often reminds me of a big puppy that is growing into his paws. He wants to be big and strong and manly, yet bedtime is still hard without his ratty well-loved bear. He can eat triple the amount of crepes that I can eat. 
 Elsie is into “let me show you” everything! From going potty, to getting in and out of her crib, to getting in and out of her car-seat, to doing just about everything, she is quite independent. She loves dollies and pretty hair things and anything girlie. She never ever stops, quite like her big sister was at that age (and still is), so sometimes I expend just as much energy from watching her as I do from chasing her!
I will be twenty weeks along at the end of the week, and hope to find out whether this baby will be a warrior or a princess! I’m through feeling sick, except when I smell coconut shampoo and coffee. Oh, and that cup of tea that Matthew brought me? It tasted great!

>Rain & Barf

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>After commenting yesterday how glorious it would be if it would rain… God sent rain this morning!  Our whole house is starting to cool off at last, and I can almost hear the flowers clapping their petals.  It’s a great sound.  What makes this cuddly day even better is that I get to share it with Matthew!  We’re praying the rest he gets will heal his leg.  Jack also threw up last night, so I’m praying those germs stay away from everyone else!  Our bedroom looks like a sick ward!  Sometime in the night, Elsie came in “scared”.  After cuddling her for a few minutes I just couldn’t take her little kicks and wiggles any more, so I put her on the floor on a blanket with a pillow.  She loved it and is still sleeping up there.

Then Jack wandered in to say that his throat feels all better now (it stung from throwing up) but his tummy still hurts a little.  “And my legs are really slow!”  I know the feeling!  So, I made him a little bed on our floor where he fell back asleep.

He is absolutely adorable when he sleeps.  It’s hard to see my warrior boy weak, though.  We’ll see if we can make his legs go fast again!  Enjoy the rain!

>Mr. Limpy

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>So on Saturday morning Matthew ran 10 miles… well, later on his leg started to hurt, and it’s gotten steadily worse.  He took Monday off work hoping it would heal.  Now today it’s still really painful, so Dr. Beck told him he should rest it for the remainder of the week.  That’s almost like telling a fish to stop swimming.  It will be fun to have a few daddy days, but unfortunately not for the best reason!  Sometimes God tells us to rest and He will take care of the REST.  Those things we think we need ourselves in order to accomplish.  Maybe He just wants us to really depend on Him.  Isn’t that every day?  So, I’m thankful for an opportunity to be cast upon an unexpected moment to trust Him for provision, strength, and faith.