Kings Island for our Kings!

Happy Fathers Day (a few days late) to all those fathers out there!

Our family had a wonderful Father's Day weekend. It was a perfect weekend for some family time, especially as my sister prepares to go back to Colorado here in a few weeks. The summer is such a busy time for us all, I'm glad we had this chance to spend some time having fun with one another.

I was worried when we decided to try Kings Island on a Saturday that it would be crazy busy. It wasn't, however. It was really nice! Friday evening we drove down to stay at a nearby hotel. Though it was a long drive (I know, three hours isn't long, but the last half Madelyn decided she didn't want to be confined any longer, and let Marc and I know it....) We were able to have some pool time. Maddie just loves the water. She splashes and giggles. I also try to "dunk" her every time we get into a pool to get her used to going under. She never has once gotten upset. In fact the two or three times we went under on Friday night she'd come up and clap. She was having fun!

The next morning we work up early for some breakfast to find out it was raining. I was starting to worry this was how it would be all day, but by the time we got to the park the dark clouds had disappeared and the bright sun was back.

We had a great time at the park. The crowd was low, the heat was comfortable, and the rides were fun. We also had a good time at the arcade, though I'm not sure the package of sticky notes, two containers of goo, two balsa wood planes, a pencil, and a sticker was worth the money we spent trying to beat the ski ball and other enticing and addicting machines!

Here are a few pictures of that fun!

My favorite moments at Kings Island:

• Maddie giggling and kicking her legs on the carousel
• Beating Marc at Whack-A-Mole
• Doing the photo booth with Marc and Maddie
• The look on my mom's face at the end of the log ride
• Feeling like a kid again with my sisters

More to come...

Just a Little Reminder.....

So over the last few weeks I haven't gotten much sleep. Not because of the baby. No, she sleeps wonderfully - and really, always has. I just haven't been sleeping well. This lack of sleep has made things seem overwhelming. Everything from daily chores to planned events, everything has turned into such an effort for me to do.

Well today at work has been especially stressful. I had to do a task that I loathe.....I don't know if its because its so time consuming or if its because I'm not really used to it. You know, push me out of my comfort zone and I get cranky! Well in order to avoid doing this task, I decided to tackle the tower of papers I had stacked at one end of my desk. They needed to be sorted and either filed or tossed. The whole time I'm grumbling about all the million "problems" in my life. As I get to the end of the stack I notice a paper is taped to my desk. It dawns on me that it is a paper I had taped on there a year ago. The title of the page is "You Say, GOD Says, Bible Versus". The first verse I read through all the clutter was " You say: Its impossible" "GOD says: All things are possible"

As little as that might seem to you, it really hit me hard. Here I live in an awesome country. I have a great paying job with good, Christian co-workers surrounding me. I have the most beautiful daughter in the world. I have a hard working husband and a super supportive family. Here I have so much and yet I get so worked up about the little things...

My mood is better now that I've had the simple reminder that I can offer it up to Him.


Luke 18:27 Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."

More to come...

My New Hat!

Maddie's new bonnet from Connor Prairie!

More to come...

Conner Prairie - Taking Time to Reflect our Past!

On Sunday, my family visited Conner Prairie. It is such a neat place! I know I've been there before, but it seems like so long ago. It was a beautiful day for walking around enjoying the step back into time!

Fun fact that I learned during my visit:

School was in session for the three months in the winter only. Children were expected to be home working in the fields with their parents, not sitting in a school house. Also, it cost 3 cents a week to go to school. Because of this, many kids only attended one or two semesters in their lifetime. Can you imagine, only going to school for 6 months total in your life?! I'm sure as a kid I would love that idea. Looking back now, I think how far we've come. I also think how blessed we are to live in a country that has so many choices for education! (Though only the truly smart ones make the decision to attend Purdue University - Boiler Up!) It all started with one room school house for 3 months out of the year!


Enjoy the pictures!

The little bug was in a good mood!

Crossing over into the past....

"Sleeping"

School Teacher

Washing clothes....The old fashioned way!



Abby learning about toys before Leapster and Fisher Price

Mom and Dad getting the lesson from the local carpenter

Such a pretty day out!

Sayler Family

Sleepy girl!

More to come...

A Day to Remember

Memorial Day took on a whole new meaning for my family this year.

Never forget the sacrifice the men and women in the military (and their families) make for our freedoms.

Remembering SPC Brian Bowman

KIA 03JAN10

Memorial Service in Indianapolis

More to come...

Recipe Time - Ham and Cheese Foldover Sandwiches (using Bisquick)

I love Bisquick. I just wanted to throw that out first thing. I enjoy the recipes on the box. The Impossible Cheeseburger Pie is so simple and a favor tie at our house. So far I haven't tried a recipe using Bisquick I haven't enjoyed! This is especially true for my newest discovery - Ham and Cheese Fold over Sandwiches. LOVE THEM! I tried this recipe and it got a very warm welcome in our house.

Loving this recipe so much I decided to try it with can chicken, BBQ sauce, cheese, and green onions. It turned out delicious too!

Last night I used turkey pepperoni, pizza sauce, and pizza cheese. Though it couldn't hold a candle to the ham and cheese version, it was still pretty good!

I just wanted to share it with those who randomly read this blog. I also wanted to put the recipe in a place I have easy access to it. I tend to get on a kick with a recipe, then after time I forget about it and, worse, forget where I placed it!

Hope you enjoy!


Ham and Cheese Fold over Sandwiches

2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
1/2 cup boiling water
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
8 oz deli shaved cooked ham
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese (4 oz)
1 egg
1 tablespoon water


1.Heat oven to 375°F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. In medium bowl, stir Bisquick mix and boiling water with spoon until dough forms. Divide dough into fourths. On surface sprinkled with Bisquick mix, roll dough in Bisquick mix to coat. Press each piece into 6-inch square, 1/4 inch thick.

2.Spread 1/2 teaspoon of the mustard on each dough square to within 1/2 inch of edges. Top with ham and cheese to within 1/2 inch of edges. Fold each square diagonally in half. Press edges with fork to seal. Place on cookie sheet.

3.In small bowl, beat egg and water. Brush over sandwiches. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

To Freeze and Bake: Place unbaked sandwiches without egg wash on ungreased cookie sheet. Freeze uncovered 2 to 3 hours or until solid. Arrange in single layer in container to prevent breaking; seal well. Freeze up to 2 months. To bake, place on greased cookie sheet and brush with egg-water mixture. Bake at 350°F 25 to 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Find this recipe and more at: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/ham-and-cheese-foldover-sandwiches/1e91b492-d49d-4bbf-ac93-7b04de4933a3?MLE=1

More to come...

Just call me Bloggy McBlogs-a-lot!

Recently my mom sent me a link to a couple of really neat blogs. They feature good recipes (well what I consider good - which means common every day ingredients that is easy and quick to create). Once I started reading these blogs, it got me hungry for more....Not just recipes, but blogs! I really enjoy reading other people's stories. It got me thinking, I have more than a baby with a cute face. I have a family that is growing and evolving faster than I can keep up and I want to share that!

So, the time has come for me to make a commitment to blog more regularly - not just when a big event happens and I want all to see the pictures. (Though I'll do that too!) Maddie is growing so fast, I want to not only share this with all of my family and friends, but I also want to remember every detail later.

Here we go:

Maddie playing outside with her new toys!

Today is the first day of June. I can't believe how fast May has come and gone. Maddie has started picking up skills left and right. Its amazing! Like a few weeks ago, Marc, Madelyn and I went out to the Forum for breakfast. Maddie wasn't really drinking from her sippy cup, so I offered her my straw. She drank out of a regular cup with a straw like a pro! I had no idea she'd be able to do that. Maybe its just first time mom syndrome???

Maddie has also been taking first steps on her own...Which also means we've had a lot more tears lately from bumped heads and bruised knees. Tears have also been coming a lot more lately as our little bug is proving to us that she's not a baby any more. No more cuddle bug--she's a baby on the move! (Even tackling climbing the stairs! Yikes!) The good news is, at the end of the day, I still get my cuddle time, as I rock my pretty girl to sleep.

Something else Maddie is beginning to master is feeding herself with a spoon. We bought some new spoons to make it easier for her to handle. She does great with it! She's a huge fan of feeding herself applesauce and yogurt!

Marc's been super busy with work. He now has to be up an hour earlier than usual--and still works super late. The poor guy can't get a break. The longer his hours at work means the longer his to-do list at home grows!

My job is going well. I enjoy the people I work with on a daily basis. It has become more and more of a struggle to leave little M behind, though. It does help seeing her during my lunch hour and knowing that she's with the next best thing to Mom - her Ma!

Our garden is growing like...well a weed! Ha ha. At least we have plenty of those that we keep trying to hoe and pluck from the soil. The plants look great! Anyone need any onions right now?

Well that's our life right now. I'll try to be better at posting updates!


More to come...