A Fun Filled Family Saturday

This past Saturday, all the stars aligned and we actually had a family fun day!!! Darryl didn't have to work on Saturday and we didn't need to go out of town so we decided to do some fun things (and accomplish some things too!) Darryl will be having back surgery sometime in May so we really were hoping for at least on more time to do something Fun with the kids.

As always, I made my list (and checked it twice HA!) so we knew what we wanted to do.

We started out with lunch at Grand Traverse Pie Company.  I will admit, this was a selfish move on my part because I've been craving their Turkey Reuben but I really thought the boys would be ok with it because they serve Mac and Cheese (The blue box).  Well, the Mac and Cheese didn't "taste" like I make it so they just nibbled on that and ended up eating the pickle and chips that came with the sandwiches Darryl and I got.  Oh well, at least I got my piece of pie for dessert ;-)

From there we headed to a place called "Catch Air" that I had heard quite a bit about it.  We were hoping that it would entertain for a couple of hours if we were lucky.  Well, three and half hours later the boys agreed to leave but only because they were hungry HA! 

 The whole "Catch Air" place is padded and geared for kids 10 and younger.  Even parents have to take their shoes off before entering the play area.  One side has a huge castle that, really, doesn't look like much until you get inside then it is full of stuff from ball rooms to tunnels to trampolines and slides.

 It was nice because a lot of it is adult height so as you run behind your kids you don't have to bend over the whole time!

 Nate having a blast!!!

 See this photo of Nate running?  Well, this is I saw most of the time - the back of him as he ran away to something else.

The other side of the place was a huge blow up slide and maze. 

 Josh was all smiles from the moment we walked in!  He loved it.

 Periodically they have dance parties where they turn off the lights and turn on "disco" lighting and big bubble machines and the kids dance.  It was awesome.

The boys had so much fun playing together on the slide.  The both came home with "rug burns" on their elbows from rolling down that thing.  The other thing that as nice about this place is the whole center is open with small kid tables and big foam blocks for the parents to sit on along the walls.  We would play for bit with the kids then sit back and watch them run around and play.  They have already asked to go back and trust me, we will. 

From there, we went to dinner at Smash Burger.  If you have never been, you should go!  Their burgers are awesome (I always get an Olive Burger) and I just love their Smash Fries. 

After dinner we had a few errands to run including picking the boys up some soccer shoes.  Our last stop of the night is always a big a hit!

 Yep, Krispy Kreme.  The "HOT NOW" sign was even on so we got to get hot, fresh donuts to try for free too.  Of course, we always buy some too.  Josh LOVES Krispy Kreme donuts. 

 Josh and Darryl :-)  (Yes, Josh is into taking funny photos again.)

Josh and Darryl having some fun with donuts!

 This was my favorite thing - a Mango/Passion Fruit Frozen Drink.  I love that ice cold slushy feeling and it even tasted really good! 

 Now, this is also a favorite place of Nate's but not because of the donuts (he is not a big sweet eater) but rather, his treat is to watch the donuts as they go through the process.  He watches from beginning to end and tries to figure the whole thing out.  He did tell me that he wants to be a donut guy when he grows up. (And then on Monday he told me he wanted to be an acrobat . . .. so I think his options are wide open!)

Darryl and his boys. 

Then we headed home . .. . to something totally not expected.

 No power :-(  Apparently, while we were having fun in the city, a HUGE storm swept in from the Lakeshore and did tons of damage.  Our only "damage" was that my swing was blown over but we really didn't see anything on the way home so we just figured it was minor. 

 Scardy Dog who was home during the storm .. .

The boys had a rare treat.  They got to stay up until they basically fell asleep which was about 9:30.  Some things I was thankful for:
1) Our IPads.  Even without internet the boys were able to entertain themselves with some games we had on them.  It helped keep their anxiety down and calm them down for betime.
2) The shortwave radio Darryl has had for ever.  He was able to tune into the Tigers game :-)
3) My Kindle - it is so much easier to read with that in the dark then while trying to hold a book and a flashlight!!!
4) Flashlights that actually worked ;-)

Around 9:15, Nate put away the game and crawled up into my lap.  He said he was tired, curled up, and fell asleep about 30 seconds later.  As I put him to bed, Josh came in and said he was tired and crawled into bed.  I really figured the power would come on during the night but it was still out when everyone started stirring at 6:30 so Darryl called into the power company only to find it that it was not expected to be back on until Monday night.  We packed up and headed to my parents for at least the day.  What they did not realize was how bad the storm was in their area.  As we drove closer to their house, we saw horrible damage with trees uprooted, (huge, huge trees) pole barns blown down and more.  Thankfully, they had power even though just a few houses down did not. 

The photos above are from the cemetery that is behind my parents house. 

We enjoyed a great day at my parents (Darryl and I even got to go out to lunch without kids to our favorite Coney Place!) 

Power was restored by about 4:00 Sunday afternoon so we headed by home that evening.  You don't realize how much you miss things like running water and lights until you don't have it HA!

So, our family fun day turned into a family fun weekend. 

Happy Birthday Dad!

 My dad turns 71 today so I wanted to take time to wish him a very happy birthday!  My dad is such a great example of what God's love really is and he shows that love to pretty much everyone he comes across each day.  As a pastor he set a strong example to those around him but he also lived that example himself.

 My parents hit the 50 year mark in 2013 so obviously my dad is a great example of how to build a good marriage.  He is kind, caring, compassionate and, most important, does everything my mom asks him to do HA!

 He has survived two heart attacks, a triple by-pass, and melanoma skin cancer.  Added to that he has survived being trampled by a horse, electrocuted, a few car wrecks (even sliding down the road on the roof of that old station wagon!) almost ripping his thumb off not to mention the "minor" things he has gotten himself into through the years.

Most importantly, though, he is a perfect "Papa" and "Grandpa" to all of his grandkids.  He has taught some how to drive, built many a science project and taught many of them the value of hard work.  I know my two boys think that Papa hung the moon and knows how to fix it if it isn't shining :-) 

Thanks, Pops, for being a great example through the years and the Koll family just wants to say:

Homeschool Corner - Making use of Pinterest

We all know that Pinterest is both a good thing and a bad thing.  Sometimes I have to take a break from it because I get so overwhelmed with ideas yet it sure is nice to be able to find just about everything you need all in one spot.  I tend to Pin so many Homeschooling Ideas, Art Ideas and just general kid ideas but I find taking time to put them to use is hard.  I decided I wanted to go back to my own little pinterest challenge and start making/doing/implementing things on my boards.  I may not use them right now but, I will create many things (hopefully) that I can also use in school this fall.  I'm keeping it simple, I'm starting with the most recent pins and just picking the first 5 things and actually reading the posts, learning about the idea and then either doing it or deleting it.  So, here are my first 5 goals for the next week.

I've heard alot about the Bob Books and I think they will make a great resource.  Hoping this is really just a "print it" option!

I loved Oopsey Daisy when she had a blog so I'm looking forward to seeing how this idea plays out.  I don't recall seeing this one before so maybe she is blogging again!

This is a must for this fall.  Last fall I tried this but we WAY over thought it so it was taking almost an hour to get through it.  I like her simple version.

I thought this looked interesting . . not sure what the concept is yet but I like what I see.

Finally, I want to see what this is all about.  I want my kids to learn the basic order of the Books of the Bible and it is never too early to learn.  :-)

Hopefully this new idea works and I can do some great prep work/planning for activities beyond the typical curriculum to use with the boys.  This week is a trial period so we'll see how I do ;-)

Things my Kids Say

* Twenty minutes after lunch:
Nate: "Mom, I'm hungry"
Me:  But, Nate, you just ate like twenty minutes ago. It's not snack time
Nate: But it should be because a lot of minutes went by and I'm hungry.

How can I argue with that reasoning?  Actually, Nate must be growing because the kid won't stop eating; and two weeks ago, I couldn't get him to eat.

* Josh's dreams have come true.  Nate informed me the other day that, "When we are playing, mom, Josh is the boss of us".  Yep, Josh is finally the boss.

* Nate reminded me to get chips when I go to the store.  "Orange Chips, Mom".  So I asked him if he meant the long fluffy chips (Yes mom), you mean Cheeto's? (YES Mom!  those are the ones I like!)

* Nate asked one night why he had to take a bath so I said, "Well, because your feet are dirty, your hands are dirty, your face is dirty . . .", he interrrupted me and said, "And I peed in myself".  Darryl and I seriously laughed so hard we almost fell off our chairs.  Nate was like, "What?  I just got some on my hands." hahahahaha

* The favorite line right now?  "Well, that's how God Made me."  Which is great except they use it when they chew with mouth open, when they leave the sink running, when they wear their boots in the house . . .. uuugg!

* I like to say things like, "I think you are . . .. " and then let the boys fill in the blank.  Josh's favorite right now is "I think you are . .. SMART" HA  I love the self confidence.  Yes, he thinks he is smart and, well, I just agree.  ;-)

What is my Ministry?

Recently, I became acquainted through the choir I sing in with someone who attended the same Bible College as I did and knows mutual people.  She was only there one semester but it happened to be at the same time as my brother and, thus, we had fun pulling out "old" names and stories.  Throughout the conversation she asked about what one of my brothers was now doing so I mentioned that all three are in the ministry.  She then replied with, "So how come you aren't in ministry like them?".  I was kind of taken aback and replied hastily with, "Well, I taught in Christian School for years."  Kinda like that made up for it or excused it or something.  I then said that I also help at church with music to which she replied, "Oh, you head up everything and take care of worship?"  I was like, "uumm, No.  I sing.  Once every couple of months."   I was really put off by the whole thing and it made me think about one simple question - "Where is my Ministry?". 

I think too often people look at Ministry as the pastoral roles or someone who leads the worship, heads up the children's programs, teaches at a Christian School or, well, is a Missionary.  But, wait.  Don't we all have a ministry?  I know I do! 

This is a book that is on my reading list (which has sadly not had much progress lately!).  This questioning of late has made me really want to read this book and focus on my main ministry - my kids, my spouse and my home.  I'll be ordering this book this week and getting started on it. I'm slowly coming out of my winter hibernation (that hit harder this year due to all of the snow HA!) and getting things done which will include some "reading to learn" not just reading for fun!

What is your ministry?  Maybe your kids are grown and your ministry is now helping with your grand kids.  What can you do to minister to them? Maybe you are part of a special group at church like a widows group or even the ladies ministry - how can you minister to the people you help in these areas?  Or your ministry might be at your desk at work where you can shower those around you with kindness and caring words. 

Food Friday - Sunday Dinner Swiss Steak

Swiss Steak
adapted from ReMarkable Home

  I don't know why but planning Sunday dinner seems to cause me problems.  I grew up in a house where my mom made a roast almost every Sunday for after church and it was fabulous.  The house smelled heavenly when we got home, she would have dinner on the table within about 30 minutes of walking in the door and we usually had homemade biscuits too!  As much as I love a roast, I just never seem to have it in the freezer.  I've found it hard to find really good roasts at our store so I just don't get them.  Ironically, as we ate this last Sunday, we figured out that we have not eaten at hone on a Sunday since . . .Superbowl Sunday.  Seriously.  We either ate at church, were out of town, or went out to eat.  Well, this recipe is now my "go to" dinner.  As a matter of fact, I'm planning it for this Sunday again.  There is a little prep work because you need to brown the meat and deglaze the pan but it is well worth it for a fabulous meal when you get home from church.  I served it with Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, and Rolls.  

A couple of little things.  One, I did cut this recipe in half and it still worked perfectly.  Two, for seasoning I use Nature's Seasoning in place of Lawry's and the Canadian Steak Seasoning.  We are total Nature's Seasoning Junkies in the house.  Third, after frying the meat, I poured out the excess oil before adding the water to the pan to deglaze it.  There was just too much oil left to NOT pour it out.  

Grammy’s Swiss Steak

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds petite sirloin or round steaks, cut into 3-4 oz. pieces
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Lawry’s
• 1 teaspoon Canadian Steak Seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil or vegetable oil (for browning meat…may need more)
• 1 onion
• 4 cups water

Directions:

Cut up meat into 3-4 ounce sized pieces (about the palm of your hand or a little smaller).  Cut off fat.  Mix flour with garlic powder, Lawry’s, steak seasoning, salt, and pepper.  Dredge meat in flour.  Reserve remaining flour.  Place oil in large flat bottomed skillet and heat well but not to smoking.  Brown meat in oil until browned and crispy.  You will likely need to do this in batches.  Add more oil in between if necessary.  Remove meat to a 9x13 baking dish or large covered casserole dish.  Sprinkle with salt a pepper lightly.  Deglaze your skillet by adding 4 cups of water to it and scraping the toasted bits off the bottom with a wooden spoon.  Pour over the meat.  You want the meat to be just covered.  Sprinkle 1/2 cup of extra flour mixture.  Slice an onion thinly and spread over the meat.  Cover pan tightly with foil or glass lid and bake at 325 degrees for 3-4 hours, or until meat is tender but you still have liquid in the pan.  Serve with mashed potatoes, if desired.

Weekly Menu

Well, I took a week off.   I didn't mean to; I even had a few posts to put up; but I will admit that I have enjoyed playing some computer games in the evening so I haven't even gotten out the laptop much lately.  I do feel like I'm coming out of hibernation as spring is slowing starting to envelope the mid-west.  As much as I enjoy winter, I am enjoying the fact that most days the boys can just put on their mud boots and head outside without any need for help me.  Flip Flop season is about here and getting out the door becomes so much easier.

I figured the weekly menu post was a good one to start out with again.  Last week I must admit that I made some pretty awesome meals so I'll even have some recipes to post again!  There really isn't anything major going on this week; Easter is coming but that will be in the next weekly menu.  We are throwing around the idea of going to an Easter Brunch after church.  I said, after last Easter, that I would not plan Easter dinner again.  I was in the kitchen almost the entire day and it was not enjoyable.  As a matter of fact, I said we would get KFC for dinner this year.  I have two places in mind for reservations - a local hotel restaurant that does an awesome Sunday brunch every week; their Easter brunch is just bigger or The Melting Pot.  It could be a fun tradition but I'm afraid the kids might not be quite ready for that one yet.

Anyway, here is the plan for the coming week.

Friday - It's time for tacos.  I saw a recipe I would like to try called Barbacoa Slow Cooker Tacos that looks really good.  It was posted on a blog where the author loves Tacos as much as I do but agrees that variety is good!

Saturday - We have a family day planned so we'll be eating out.

Sunday - Swiss Steak, Green Beans, Potatoes, Rolls

Monday  -Chicken and Asparagus Stirfry over Brown Rice w/ Rolls

Tuesday - We are going to meet my parents for dinner to celebrate my Dad's 17th birthday (Hahaha)

Wednesday - I think it is time to Grill.  Probably Chicken because I have some in the freezer and will have some baked potatoes, carrots, and, of course, rolls

Thursday -  Beef tips and Noodles with Rolls.  This is one of the last winter meals I'll make  . . .then we'll shift fully to some summer, less hot stuff!