Weekend... came and went

Not much to report.... took the kids to get haircuts on Saturday and then drove to Troutdale to visit my dad. Abby kept saying "Are we still in Oregon?" ha!
Today was Church, I had to work some, Cooper had training class, we went to the library and did a store run. I had an ugly migraine to boot.
I've been praying about something lately and still have not felt any real clarity. It's pretty insignificant compared to what others are facing, and the crisis in Haiti. Most of you know the kids attend a private school that goes up to 6th grade. It is a Christian based school and we like it, however, most of the kids leave prior to or after Kindergarten because many families contend "why would we continue to go here when the schools in our district are so good." (Lake Oswego district). This Wednesday, Rick and I are meeting with Horizon Christian School which is in Tualatin, starts at age 3 and goes to 12th grade. We need to make a decision soon since Abby starts Kindergarten next year. We either need to pay our annual fee at our current school, reserve spots at Horizon, or attend Kindergarten round up at the public school this spring. If you can just keep us in our your thoughts about our situation and decisions we face. If we choose public school, we currently we have no before and after school care options or summer care. There are a gamet of choices, pros and cons.... I'm hoping after Wednesday we will come away with... with something???


Playing with their dress up magnet sets from Uncle Mark & Aunt Karen


Sharing apple juice with Cooper

Has Anyone Seen Cooper?

One more thing

don't let the pictures below fool you. Cooper is psychotic. He has a reputation at doggie daycamp and at Petsmart. He's needs to be people socialized- so I am trying to work on some sort of plan where we have open house every Sunday with free food for anyone who wants to drop by and IGNORE our dog.
I'll let you know when we'll start. Free food people.

Sit.

He is pretty much her dog.

Big Day in the Jenkins House

I'm holding up ok. Thanks for asking.

This is what happens

when you leave your five-year-old unattended. My New Year's resolution is to drink more red wine. Last year it was to give more. This year it's to prioritize the 'Author of all that is good' and to drink wine. I'm not a big fan of red wine but all the studies indicate it's good for your health. I'm thinking it's good for situations like this.

Don't you feel more in control when you draw near to God? When you seek him first? This last year was a blur of 'busyness' where my relationship would wax and wane. Although as Christians we KNOW he is to be first, but yet some days we I do not follow through and He ends up getting my leftovers.

"Busyness is a manifestation of the problem of misplaced priorities"

(busyness is also what happens when you don't keep an eye on your five-year-old)

Not Your Typical Date

Date day today! It's Rick's Wednesday off and my coworker hooked us up with 3 hours of private lessons with this amazing range instructor. He is now retired but teaches classes and gives 1/1 lessons. He used to train police officers, re-create crime scenes, and train a whole slew of other FBI CIA and Military types.
So... I took the day off and we learned how to shoot guns. From there we dined on a late lunch of burgers. Is that not a man's dream date? Guns and Meat????

This one cracks me up- he faced the targets backwards so we were only shooting at white paper- this was so that we would focus on the grip and proper technique versus accuracy. I wonder if it was actually turned around if I could have actually hit the dude's head????

Weekend

Sunday afternoon homework

Getting ready for Church

Where's my breakfast?

Daddy told me no

Wake up call

Saturday night slumber party with Pooh

Bed Hog Exhibit A

Bed Hog Exhibit B

Friday Morning did not want to wake up

Whew!

I am glad last week is over... nothing happened but I feel like I cannot keep up at work, cannot keep up at home.... I make list after list to keep my head on straight. THANKFULLY I worked extra hard in the evenings to clean the house so that today, Saturday, I could sit in my jammies ALL DAY LONG and do nothing. Ok well not nothing. I am doing loads of laundry and dishes. I made cinnamon rolls, I made marinate for fish tacos, I made pancake batter for tomorrow so after church I can make my hubby a big breakfast. And... tonight I am trying a new mac and cheese receipe with goat cheese. If you could do it all over again would you be in your same career? I think I would have chosen something with food or personal training. See? Those go together... food and exercise.
My heart is heavy for Haiti. Watching the news each and every night, the tears just flow and a physical ache appears. The desperate feeling of not being able to be there and do something is profound. In the midst of tragedy though, God is GOOD.

And beacause I love you, and I love cooking... I'm sharing a receipe from my new cookbook The Pioneer Woman Cooks. Make these. Your spouse will thank you and your family will eat them faster than you can make them.

Sour Cream Pancakes
1 cup sour cream
7 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
butter

place sour cream in a bowl, add flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. stir gently- don't totally 'combine' it
separate bowl- wisk eggs add vanilla and stir to combine.
pour egg mixture into sour cream mixture. stir gently. it's ok if it's not totally combined
melt tablespoon butter on skillet. MAKE PANCAKES.

I hope you dance

I don't know why I am saving every pair of ballet shoes. I don't know why I am still upset that one pair is missing... sentimental. She's growing up... and fast.

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder,

You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger,

May you never take one single breath for granted,

GOD forbid love ever leave you empty handed,

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,

Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens,

Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

I hope you dance....I hope you dance.

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance,

Never settle for the path of least resistance

Livin' might mean takin' chances, but they're worth takin',

Lovin' might be a mistake but it's worth makin',

Don't let some hell bent heart leave you bitter,

When you come close to sellin' out reconsider,

Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance,

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

I hope you dance. I hope you dance.

A little of this a little of that

I decided to start the New Year off by taking most of this week off from work. Sunday was Christmas at Rick's dads, from there we made it to Macy's before they closed to order Aidan's mattress for his big boy bed. The kids started their new winter swim lessons Monday morning and from there we left for the beach. They napped as soon as we got to the hotel- no one else signed up for Abby's class so she had a private lesson and was pretty worn out.
Wednesday the kids went to school and I went grocery shopping alone- that's like a small luxury. Ash and Nick got us a date for Christmas so we went to Costco and then went to lunch and a movie! We are still not used to spending time alone together... ha!
Today I took the kids to school, ran an errand, got a wonderful massage and now I am going to see a movie by myself and then get the kids. Tomorrow is back to work...

Puzzles with daddy

Abby picked the hardest puzzle. I finally got up and left and he finished it

Lighthouse early morning

Self portrait

Happy Anniversary