Monday, February 7

And So I've Resorted...

to bullet points.  This doesn't bode well for the state of my life.  Bullet points?

My mountain climber and her cohort.
  • We spent the week catching up.  You know, the kind of catching up after a vacation.  Can you believe a week on a cruise ship causes you to forget how to do laundry, dishes and prepare food?  Well, it does.  And now some of you ladies are seriously looking into a cruise vacation, just for that reason eh?
  • The weekend was spent on the couch and in bed.  Yup, we were sick.  Actually, the kids were sick during the week.  I think I missed my first ever day of work to stay home and nurse sick kids.  Then, daddy and I were hit with the plague over the weekend.  I guess that's as good a time as any to get sick.  
  • Missing the church super bowl party last night means we have a fridge full of what I think is contest winning salsa...anyone have any good recipes that contain salsa?  Otherwise, I'm going to need to buy stock in tortilla chips.
  • I have an aspiring mountain climber.  Elli turned sixteen months and promptly celebrated by crawling on top of everything.  Yes everything - the toilet, table, coffee table, tv stand, bunk beds...she really scares me.  She thinks its hilarious.  I'm predicting a broken bone here in the near future.
  • And that brings me to this...do any of you feel like your house is not your own?  Like now that your kids have taken over it looks like a playground trying to be a home?  I'm close to giving up.  I mean, I have fought toys in the living room for three years, but I'm losing the battle.  Is it worth fighting?  I am a self-proclaimed clean freak.  And most would say my house is really never messy.  But its a lie.  I'm just a really nutty mom who cleans crazily before anyone comes over.  I'm learning to give it up.  To stay sane, be a loving mother and helpful wife, I need to give it up.  A dear friend told me once, a house is to be lived in, not looked at.  Thank goodness! 
  • Elli is talking like crazy.  She can say...
    • Anne
    • Mommy and Daddy
    • No (her favorite word)
    • Yes
    • Please
    • Cheese
    • Hot dog
    • Ball
    • Juice
    • Papa and Gigi
    • Baby
    • Down
    • Up
    • Bye Bye
    • All gone
    • No (I think that deserves two mentions, since it is her favorite word)
  • Spring is shaping up to be a busy time for us as a family.  I have a work trip that will take me to California (and Disneyland) for a week in March.  Matt and I are helping to lead a mission trip to Honduras in April and then we're hoping to hit Kentucky for a visit in May or June.
  • Said mission trip has caused me to develop a severe hatred for my address book.  I need your help!  Have you found a really good way to keep addresses?  On the computer, in a book, or online?  I can't decide.  I'm computer savvy - and phone savvy - so I love the idea of entering all those addresses into my computer.  But, I also love that I can grab my address book and flip to a page to look up a friend.  It just feels right.  Tell me, how do you keep your addresses in order and up to date?
  • I love my blog.  Its been an outlet for me since we moved to Michigan four years ago.  I've recorded so many big moments - our move, our house, the births of our children, vacations, sadness, prayer requests...A friend of mine recently told me about this website where you can print your blog.  Go figure!  So, I'm doing some research to see if this would be a good Christmas present to ask for.  Wouldn't it be great to have a bookshelf that contains entire years of your life as recorded in your blog?  I'm excited about the thought and hope it develops into reality soon.  Guess that means I should do a better job blogging, eh?
Well, its looking like bullet points was the way to go.  We have so much going on - and so much to be thankful for.  

8 comments:

Diana E. said...

Rach,

I think I have your same compulsion to keep the toys at bay. However, trust me, this is just a phase. Your house will one day be back to a more normal state and toys and such can be contained within their respective rooms. Until then, do what you need to do and let yourself off the hook!!!! And, by the way, I love the bullet points!

Lee and Candace said...

I loved hearing your update...bullet points and all!

Angie, Jon, Ty, Wyatt & Levi said...

Wyatt was the same way with climbing...at 18 months he was climbing the payset so he could slide. Talk about scarey. Just remember their bones are really spongy for awhile!! As for Toys in the living room, we've given up. I try and try but there's more kids than adults, we lose!!

Liz K said...

address! uggggg....here's what we have gone to, a free database program designed for missionaries. It might be helpful for you guys, obviously, you wouldn't need all the functions, but even things like tracking your donors would be nice for thank you cards and such...here's the link
http://www.donormanager.com/

Hope that's helpful!

krissy said...

Throw some of your salsa in a soup pot and simmer it for a bit, add a couple cans of black beans and a few cups of chicken broth and simmer until it's hot. I call these soups "whatcha got soup". This one is one form of whatcha got mexican. You can add frozen corn, left over chicken, whatever ya got! I love soup.

krissy said...

It just so happens this one was on my friend Maria's blog.

Mexican Casserole OLE!

WHAT YOU NEED:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 cups salsa
- 1 16 oz. can chili beans, drained
- 3 cups tortilla chips, crushed
- 2 cups sour cream (optional)
- 1/2 cup chopped green onion
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh tomato
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese


HOW TO MAKE:
- preheat oven to 350
- in a large skillet, brown beef. once cooked, drain beef
- stir in salsa, reduce heat & let simmer for about 10 min.
- stir in beans and heat through
- spray a 9X13 baking pan with pam
- spread crushed chips in a layer on bottom then add the ground beef mix
- spread sour cream on top (optional)
- top with the onion, tomato, cilantro, and cheese
- bake for 30 min. or until bubbly

Rachael Neal said...

Thank you, thank you! Love all these comments and ideas. I need to bullet point more often!

Angie, Jon, Ty, Wyatt & Levi said...

Ty wanted to see the photos I was looking at and ask who they were. I told him and he said "Whoa, Elli is big, and chubby!!" I thought it was so cute. Had to share.