Bicycling

Today was one of those....just perfect... kind of days. Aaron let me sleep in this morning and took the boys right down stairs, so that I could sleep, when they woke up.  He fed them and got them ready for the day.  When I heard Lydia cry...I went in and scooped her out of bed and nursed her in my room.  I just love that time with her.  It is absolutely the thing I will miss most when I wean her...I love the closeness and bonding time we have as she nurses, and I pray for her, tell her stories, etc.  After she nursed Aaron came and took her and let me sleep even longer...which I did...and he got her fed and ready for the day too!  When I got up, he told me that he was taking the boys to the park down the road...and handed me Lydia, who was ready for a nap.  I laid her down, did some quick clean ups of rooms upstairs, made myself breakfast...and ate it checking the internet, and got ready for my day...it was almost too quiet--almost...

Our plans for today were to go on a bike ride...a long one...so when the boys came home from the park (covered in mud from riding through mud/water puddles from last nights rain) and Lydia woke up...we headed off.  My awesome husband is a cyclist...he is fast, puts in lots of miles (he rides on his lunch hour at work with a group of guys) and a REAL cyclist. I, on the other had am not...so when I promised to ride with him this year, although he was pleased that we could ride as a family...he wasn't so thrilled that he really didn't get much exercise when I had to pull Lydia's trailer because he was pulling the boys...and I couldn't keep any speed up, or go as far. So, being the handy man that he is...he (and his dad) welded a contraption to put on the back of the boys trailer so that he could pull both at the same time...thus equalizing the effort he and I were putting out...and not slowing me down anymore than I already am!  Today was the first time we went on a long ride. Alone, or just with the boys, he rides on the country roads around our home...but together we drive to the bike trails, that used to be railroad tracks, about 40 minutes away.  We went there today and road 10 miles out...and 10 miles back.  It is a great trail, with lots of nature and quite a few travelers...so it doesn't feel too secluded.  We were doing good until, when we were beginning our ride back to the car....it started raining, and then the wind picked up--and was already at our faces...it was a hard ride back to the car.  All in all, it was a great day!  I am proud to say our overall mph...was almost 12 mph...and we didn't get too many mosquito bites (the swarmed whenever we stopped for the boys to take a potty break).  We even got to eat at one of our favorite new Mexican Restraunts--it has been hard to find a good authentic one in this new town!  We're ALL pooped and that is a very good thing!  Hope you had an amazing Saturday....one that was blessed with time together as a family, too! 

Love and Blessings,

Amanda

PS...I'll try to remember to snap a pic of the new trailer "train" sometime soon! 

Skirts

If you know me, and have seen me recently, let's say the last 10 months or so...you most likely have seen me wearing a lot, if not mostly skirts.  It has been a conscious effort on my part...after much prayer and discussion with my husband...to wear skirts as an example of femininity and modesty to our children.  I have enjoyed it a lot, and even though I do not exclusively wear skirts, I wear work out clothes to go to the Y to exercise and ride bikes, I have recently enjoyed reading a series put together by The Modest Mom and Raising Arrows, called She Wears Skirts.  I struggled with how to stay warm this winter, and have really enjoyed the practical tips and info I have read.  Today, I am linking up with them to show just a few of the ways I like to wear skirts.  Some of my photos are old..it was hard to find photos of myself, but I hope you will take a look at the series and let me know what you think too!  Blessings to you,

Amanda

 This picture is old, but I still wear both pieces..I really like the length of the denim skirt (my husband bought it for me and surprised me!)

 This is family photo from a couple of years ago...prior to Lydia's arrival...I often wear cardigans to cover bare shoulders or a lower neckline.

 This was our Christmas photo shoot December 2009...the black dress is actually a strapless, empire waste dress from Old Navy that I ALWAYS wear a sweater over.  It is very comfortable fabric and I wore it through my entire pregnancy with Lydia!

 I had to search high and low for a long dress that would work for a pregnant woman....they were just hard to find.  The dress above isn't actually maternity and I wore it for Easter and Aaron's Sister's Wedding while Pregnant with Lydia. I still wear it often...I love it! (the bottom one is while I was pregnant with Lydi...the top one is just after her birth)

 Even though you can't tell, the brown dress is a great length...mid-calf...and very comfortable...I'm almost done nursing, so I can wear it again soon!

The above dress was one I ordered for Easter this year...on the model in the magazine it was short and Aaron mentioned he thought it may be too short, but I am short--so it ended up fitting nicely!

Be Blessed!

Fruit Salad

Because our littles are small and not huge eaters, I can make a good summer side dish and we can eat on it for lunches and dinners for at least a couple of days.  This weeks fruit salad is one of those dishes.  It is super easy to make and is not only good for dinner for your own family, but fantastic for a potluck too!

Fruit Salad

1 container frozen strawberries, and their juice. ( I had some that I froze, I thawed them and threw them in!)
1 can mandarin oranges with about 1/2 their juice
1 can of pineapple drained (my boys loved drinking the pineapple juice)
2 bananas (fairly green so they stay firm)
1 large can of peaches and their syrup
1 large box instant vanilla pudding
(today, since I had them, I also added blueberries)

With this, you simply throw it all in a bowl...I reserve the mandarin orange juice just in case it needs a little more liquid..and mix.  It is better if you chill it first, if you are in a time crunch--which I have been before--just throw it in the freezer to chill until you need it! Happy Summer!

Amanda

Linking up at Raising Olives

 

Family Pictures!

While in our hometown, over Memorial Day, we got new family pictures taken...

This is just a preview, I'll post more later...these were done by Elizabeth Highcock at High 5 Photography...please let me know if you want her info...she is located in Central Illinois and is very affordable...I love the fact that I get my CD and get to print the photos for myself!  More to come later!

Look what landed at my door today!

The week before Memorial Day I got an email from the Frito Lay Fan Program, of which I am a member to let me know that I would be receiving a box of goodies in the mail.  In the email they called it a Snack Pack, so I was thinking it was going to be sample sizes of the chips...but on my door mat today arrived this box...with 3 full size chip bags, a insulated lunch bag, and a dip mix and recipe card.  

Enclosed (and provided by Frito Lay) were a bag of Lay's Plain Potato Chips, a bag of Tostitos Scoops, a bag of Tostitos Hint of Lime chips, a Dip Creations Mix, and a Frito Lay Lunch bag and recipe card.

What a neat freebie!  We're not going to use them all at once...I'll put some in the freezer to keep them fresh, for use in the coming weeks!

Blessings to you!

Amanda

Happy Summer Days!

WOW! Has it really been almost 2 weeks since I blogged? Memorial Day and life just happened...and then It was June...it went from being great weather here to HOT, HOT, HOT...which has been absolutely no fun!  I have been spending recent days trying to catch up from travel (laundry, cleaning, unpacking--from the trip and from the move, etc), get my kids back onto their schedule, and trying to keep the weeds in my garden down. Yesterday I decided to switch over the clothes in my kids closets...take out any cold weather clothes that will absolutely not fit next year, put in the summer clothes that have been packed away, and re-organize the closets so that my husband can find something that fits my kids when he dresses them.  It was a huge task...but though I am not completely done, I am almost there...just have to box up the outgrown clothes and put them in storage.  Hopefully I can keep cutting my list down and get caught up by the end of the weekend!  Today was a weigh in...and even though I have been traveling..and not on my own work out schedule, place, time, etc...I lost 2 more pounds! YAY!  I am feeling very successful and pleased!  Hope you are having a great week too!