Merry Christmas 2012

To My Four Year Old "Little" Girl

Dear Clare,

     Another year and another birthday has passed.  This birthday seemed more exciting, because you were preparing for it months in advance.  The night before your birthday, Daddy and I asked to have extra kisses, because they would be the last 3 year old kisses we would ever get from you.  I had to bite my lip a little and blink back the tears as I thought about you growing up.

     When I tease you and beg for you to stop growing up, You tell me, "Mommy, I have to get more numbers (get older), so that I can become a person (adult), so I can die and go to heaven!"  But that won't stop me from wishing you could stay a little girl forever.

     Our days together are filled with books, Science Spectrum visits, shopping, cooking, cleaning, story times, playgroups, water coloring, and naps!   You love cleaning toilets and get upset if you find out I've cleaned them without you.  Somehow, I don't think you'll always love this task so much.  Grandma says you have gotten my domestic gene.
 

    You're still an only child.  While this weighs on your Daddy and me, I sometimes see that it bothers you too.  This year you added a new addition to our family, Soma, your imaginary friend.  Most of the time Soma is a boy, but occasionally you switch him to a girl, if it suites your fancy.  While I don't mind Soma being a part of the family, I draw the line when you ask me to buckle him into his car seat too!

      If your not hiding away somewhere with a good book, you love to be outside.  Playgrounds, camping, bird watching with Daddy, running through the sprinklers, and swinging.  You even walked nearly all of a 3.2 mile trial in Carlsbad Caverns!  To see you walking Duke, our Pyrenees mix dog, is hilarious since he easily triples you in size and weight.

     You really are a great girl.  You're girly and gentle for me, and you're daring and active for your Dad.  You fill both of our lives up to the brim.  Having you is the hardest thing we've ever done, and having you is also the best thing we've ever done.  No one can drive me up the wall like you, and no one can make my heart melt into a puddle of happiness like you.  I love you!

 

 

Love Always,

Mommy

1. What's your favorite color? Pink
2. What's your favorite animal? A bear 
3. What's your favorite food? Macaroni & Cheese 
4. Where do you like to play? At Parks, Sandbox
5. What's your favorite thing to do? Run around
6. Who is your best friend?s Anthony, Connor, My Playgroup Friends
7. What's your favorite song? B-I-N-G-O
8. What were you for Halloween? Dorthy
9. What's your favorite toy? My Baby
10. What do you love? You (Mommy)
11. What's your favorite shirt? My Texas Tech One
12. What's your favorite book? Whoo loves you, Clifford books
13. What's your favorite place to go out to eat? Dion's & Chickaleigh (Chick-Fil-A) 
14. What's your favorite thing to drink? Chocolate Milk 
15. What do you want to be when you grow up? A Mommy

Clare Quotes (3 Years Old)

My Clare turns 4 years old this week, so it's time to post her cute sayings I've been saving up during the year.

While eating green chile talapia:
Clare: Mommy, Mommy, I got one more thing to tell you..... Some time's I'm very difficult.
Me: (start laughing hard)
Clare: These things are sweet.
Me: (looking confused at the spicy fish) Sweet like candy?
Clare: Sweet like special candy

Beads = Beetles.  This is terrifying in a park when she runs up to you saying she found a beetle, only to reveal a tiny plastic bead in her hand!

(After spinning her around in a circle too much) Stop it, Mommy. I'm getting too bizzy.

We wish you a berry Christmas & I love you berry much

Goodnight.  Have a safe dreams.

Put it in your tummy to remember.  (She is very adamant that this is where all memories go...)

I didn't know Trinity (a playgroup friend) was there. But I turned around and surprised my eyes. She was there!

I just can't stop loving you. (This is always said with an exasperated sigh.  As if she really tried to stop loving me, but it just didn't work!)

(A conversation she had with my Mom that I will never live down)
What Does Red Light Mean?  Stop
What Does Green Light Mean? Go
What Does Yellow Light Mean? Hold On!!!

(Being ken to her father, Clare has started to make up words and
use them frequently, even though we tell her it's not correct)
No, I amn't (a new contraction for 'am not')
These pants are jaggy (tough to get on)

One stormy night, Clare asked me if we could say a prayer. This is what she said, "Dear God, Please rescue my barn from all this hard rain and keep it safe. Amen" - She was happy the next day to see the barn in perfect condition and that her prayer had been answered.

Halloween in Oz

    We had a fantastic Halloween this year!  Many months ago, my sister bought Clare a pair of ruby red slippers.  Clare adores them and wears them every single day.  When every person we met called her Dorthy, we finally watched the Wizard of Oz with Clare for the 1st time. 

     In the first 10 minutes of the film, while it's still in black and white, Dorthy's mean neighbor takes Todo away from her to take to the pound.  I looked over to see tears rolling down Clare cheeks.  I hadn't even remembered that part of the film, and my little girl was already so emotionally invested in the movie to cry about the dog.  Oh, dear.  I had no idea what an emotional roller coaster I had gotten us into.  She cheered for the munchkins, laughed with the Tin man, and hid from the Wicked Witch.  When the Wizard of Oz tries to take Dorthy home in his hot air balloon, but it goes up without her, Clare looked at me and said, "I can't watch anymore."  I knew she just had to hold on 5 more minutes till Glenda the Good Witch showed her to click her ruby slippers, so I begged her to wait for the happy ending.  In the end, it was all smiles and excitement over watching the movie.

     So in honor of her new favorite movie, we decided to dress the whole family up as the Oz gang.  Originally, she had requested Kevin to be the Wicked Witch.  Even though  a green witch with a goatee would have been attractive, we talked her out of that scenario. 

 I don't know if we'll always dress up as a family, but so far we've really loved it.  And just because I'm a sap for little kids costumes, here's a little walk through our Halloween Past!

2011

 

2010

 

2009

It's Hard to Say Goodbye

     Yesterday, my brother, sister-in-law, and nephew started their big move from Lubbock to Virginia.  When Kevin and I moved to Lubbock two years ago, we thought it was the start of getting the Krile clan back together.  But unfortunately, schemes rarely go according to plan.  John received a job offer that he just couldn't refuse.  There are so many perks to being close to family, so we are really sad to see them go. 

     My Clare and my brother's boy, Connor, are only 5 days apart in age.  They are our own little version of twins!  They have been best of friends since we moved to Lubbock.  And if you've ever had a conversation with Clare, you know Connor is her favorite subject.  They play hard, fight even harder, and know the other like the back of their hand. 

    We've talked to Clare about the big move, but nothing has really sank in till now that it has happened.  They are so close right now, but still so young.  It's weird to think that they probably won't even remember their time living in the same city when they grow up.  I do know that I will remember and always be thankful for the beautiful memories.

    John and Melissa, I wish you all the best luck in your new adventure.  I pray you are successful enough to have a great time in Virginia, but homesick enough to move back to Texas when you can!

I Want It All or Nothing at All

   "I want it All or Nothing at All".  Not only is this an extremely catchy, early 2000 boy band hit (Please, tell me I'm not the only one that remembers this song), it's also a materialistic see-saw I struggle with. 

     There are days when I look around my life and think, "Wow, I have so much stuff that I can't even imagine what I'd ask for my birthday/Christmas." My closets are full, my kitchen is fully stocked, and I have gadgets to occupy me all day.  Then the next day, "Oh, I wish I had more _______" or "I hope someone gets me ______." 

     It's gotten even worse now that I have a kid.  She needs some toys.  I need to give away loads of these toys.  How many toys should Santa give her?  Why do I feel like one present for her birthday is not enough?  She needs to learn to entertain herself with just a stick and imagination.  She needs bookshelves worth of books. 
 
    Ugh, the Jekyll and Hyde swings drive me nuts.  If my house burned to the ground tomorrow, would my life be empty?  No. When I die and head to the pearly gates, will I get to take my jewelry? No.  I heard once that the secret to life is being happy with what you've got.  Why is that secret so hard to grasp and so hard to embrace? 

   Do you struggle with this?  What are ways we can all find happiness in what we already have? 

Doing Charity With Kids For Kids

Sometimes I feel like the mere mention of tithing can cause a tidal wave of eye rolls through a crowd of people.  Some people have never started tithing, some people do it only when they remember, and some do it begrudgingly.  The truth is that tithing is a grateful heart giving back to God a portion of what is already his. 

We want our children to be kind, gracious, and sharing to their friends and family.  Including them in how you tithe as an adult helps them see how we are all connected.  It's not just about your child being kind to their best friend.  You want them to show that kindness to the gas station cashier, a complete stranger.  If we teach our children that God had a hand in making everything, then how can we not also teach them how to give thanks for all God has given them.

Handing your kids some spare change from your purse for the children's offering is all well and good,  but there are a lot more fun ways to do it!  Get them involved in some hands on charity! 

As the heat of summer feels like it's going to melt the rubber on shoes to the blacktop in early August, it means it's just a few weeks away for school to start up again.  Let your kids pick out what folders they think other kids would like best, what type of glue you should buy, how many pairs of pink scissors to get?  Let them dump the supplies into your cart and then into the donation bin after you buy it.  Let them know how thankful those kids will be for the supplies they picked out.  Every little box of crayons helps!

Food drives are especially fun once fall and Thanksgiving rolls around.  Let your kid pick out what type of canned fruit to buy, ask them which type of Chef boyardee kids would like the best, and how many cans of tomato soup to get.

Christmas toy drives are my absolute favorite.  There is nothing like rolling through a store with your cart, just pulling cool toys off the shelves.  Encourage your kids to pick out toys for both girls and boys, toddlers and teens.  It's a great lesson in self discipline to have your child be excited about all the toys in your cart, but also have them understand how great it is to give them all away. True selflessness for a kid is to have a toy in their hand, and then turn around to give it to someone else. 

If your an old pro at tithing and are used to doing it every month without fail, consider sponsoring a kid from a different country.  Both Christian Foundation for Children and Aging and Compassion International are amazing groups that can teach your kids how you can help people all over the world.  You can put the picture of your sponsored child on your fridge right next to your latest art project, write letters to them, and include them in your nightly prayers.

The easiest of all, I saved for last.  Going through your house to collect all the clothes and toys you don't use anymore requires little effort and absolutely no money!  Materialism looks wasteful when you start looking at all your unused items that cover your house.  Having your kids see unused toys or outgrown clothes as a way they can bring joy to other kids lives is a way to lessen the pull of materialism.  "Think of how happy a little baby will be when he's mama buys him the ball were giving away?"  "You loved wearing that shirt, so I bet the next little girl to wear it is going to be so thankful you gave it away for her."  We all know the best way to lead is by example, so be sure to rid your closet of all those outdated shirts and clean out your kitchen cabinets of that huge mug collection you've been hoarding! It's good for you. 

Carlsbad Caverns

What an amazing trip!  My parents, Kevin, and I decided to take the short 3 hour trip to visit Carlsbad caverns.  I had been there twice as a kid, but I was not prepared to be so taken a back by the beauty and mystery of the caves.  I didn't remember all the wonderful sites it held.

We decided to forgo the elevator, and venture in the same way the first explores found the cave.  It was a steep and plunging 1.25 mile trail that takes you deep into the darkness.  It was amazing to see new and bigger rooms unfold at every turn.  At the bottom, we stopped for a snack and to rest our feet for a bit.  Luckily, someone had the foresite to install bathrooms down there.  Next was the trail into the Big Room.  It's approximately 8.2 acres in size.  While less steep, this hike was just as long.  It took you twisting around massive stalagmites and precariously hanging sharp stalactites.  Dripping water from the dessert above showed that the cave is still alive and changing.  The cool 56 degree breezes (yes, there are breezes in caves) were a welcome change to the sweltering heat outside.  The tour ended with a speedy and much needed elevator ride back up to the surface.  We stuffed ourselves with greasy hamburgers, and then passed out for a much needed nap.

While I was nervous about taking my 3 year old on a trip that involves walking close to 3 miles down 750 feet down, she was a champ and walked on her own most of the way.  It was an amazing trip, and I'm so thankful that we got to take it with my parents.  We love to travel with them, and I'm so glad Clare gets to experiance all these things with them.

Start of our journey.  Clare's holding up 3 fingers to help us remember how old she was when we made this trip

The first twist and turns into the mouth of the cave

Unbelievable sights underground

Healthy Addictions

 

Here are my top ten healthy addictions:
(which can be found at Wal-mart)

1. Sweet Mini Pepper - They are delicious, easy to munch on during lunch, and are loaded with vitamin C.  In one small pack you get Red, Orange, and Yellow bell peppers all for a great price!

2. Turkey Breast Cutlets - Turkey breasts are a great source of lean proteins.  Rub them down with some BBQ spices, throw them on the grill, and eat them as is or on top of a big leafy salad.

3. McCormick's Perfect Pinch, Parmesan Herb -  When it comes to cooking veggies, it's easy to get stuck in the rut of steamable microwave bags or heating up a can.  A great way to punch up the flavor is to cook fresh veggies in the oven.  Take any raw veggie you like (broccoli, brussel sprouts, asparagus, green beans), toss them in olive oil on a cookies sheet, season them up with this Parmesan herb spice, salt and pepper, and pop them in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes.  You'll be glad you did!

4. Quinoa - This is a great whole grain that's packed with protein and provides all 9 essential amino acids.  It is cooked exactly like white rice and found in the same grocery isle.  My Aunt Priscilla has shown me a great way to spice this one up.  Cut up some onion and bell peppers into tiny pieces. (Easy to use the mini bell peppers mentioned above).  Saute with olive oil in the same pan you would cook the quinoa.  Set aside and cook quinoa as directed.  Once cooked, add veggies and some sliced almonds back into the quinoa.   Crunchy and savory!

5. Spaghetti Squash -  This beauty has folic acid, potassium, and vitamin A.  Please do not be fooled by the name or by many popular recipes for this veggie; it is NOT a good substitute for real spaghetti!  It is a great veggie side dish all on it's own with a little salt and pepper seasoning!

 

6. Low Sodium Taco Seasoning - This packet is instrumental in my favorite Mexican dish remake.  In one skillet cook ground turkey with the taco seasoning, and in another skillet cook up a pan of sliced onions, peppers, and mushrooms.  Stack up your plate with a few whole grain Sun Chips, pile on the turkey and veggies, and grate some cheddar cheese on top.  It's a staple in this house!

7. Mini Seedless Cucumbers - I tell Clare that these are sour less pickles!  They are practically seedless and can be chomped down with no prep work besides a quick rinse.

8.  Melba Crackers - A little carbs are needed in every one's diets.  I love these Melba crackers for a fast lunch of cheese, crackers, and veggies with Clare.  This particular flavor (roasted garlic) is great smashed up and coated on chicken breasts in a oven fried version of Parmesan chicken.

9. Kikkoman's Stir-Fry Sauce - While most Chinese food is not what most people would include on a healthy diet list, my version is sure to please.  Stir-Fry's are great because with a good protein (like pork sirloin or chicken breasts) you can increase the amount and variety of veggies you can get in one meal.  I love to add snow peas, bean sprouts, carrots, bell peppers, onions, broccoli water chestnuts, and (as odd as it sounds) cabbage.  You get a huge pot of veggies and meat as one complete meal. 

10. Swai - Sometimes cooking fish correctly can be a very daunting task.  At least that's how I felt for years till I tried Swai.  These fillets are about the size of talapia with the beauty of being unable to be overcooked.   Believe me, I've tried on accident.  Get a skillet on Med-High heat.  Spray with Pam. Season fish with what ever you like.  We do salt, pepper, garlic powder, and ranch seasoning.  Cook, flipping once till no longer pink.  Simple as a pimple!

Piano Project

In early February, a dear friend offered our family a free piano.  She was moving to a smaller place, and it was an older piano that needed a lot of TLC. 

So started our great piano improvement project.  It needed to be stripped, sanded, stained, and laquered all over again.  It's spent a lot of it's life in an storage shed, so a through cleaning was need.

The whole sanding process was horrible.  It took a lot more time, effort, and stress than we originally thought.  But it has all been worth it for our beautiful new addition.

Now we just need to luck into an abandoned paino bench!

Dressing Room Dilemma

   Oh, the optimism of walking through a department store picking cute outfits, one after another.  The thought always crosses my mind that I have so many outfits picked out, that I really can't afford to buy all of them.  Then as that cold, miniature dressing room door shuts, things quickly go downhill.

   Today, I was shopping for a dress for an upcoming wedding.  The first dress I tried on was a sharp pencil skirt.  Those dresses do not flatter my thunder thighs at all, but they seduce me with how cute they look on the hanger.  Getting it on was a bit of struggle, but at least I didn't hear any strings tearing.  (Don't act like you've never tried something on just to hear that small ripping sound!). 

    I found that my hips don't lie, and that little pencil skirt looked  like a cobra swallowing a large mouse.  After a small sigh of resignation to my body type, I started lifting the dress over my head.  It got to my rib cage and abruptly stopped.  Hmmm... So then, I suck in a huge gulp of air and tug as hard as possible.  It didn't budge, but it did get to a point where it could neither go back down towards my hips or up to my shoulders.  I'm stuck with my arms and head trapped in the skirt portion, while my lower body is bare to the cold cruel world.  Now the panic starts sinking in.  I'm all by myself in this room, and I physically don't think I can get out of this outfit without the jaws of life and a few fireman to assist.  I keep up a steady mental mantra of, "You were able to put this dress on, so you should be able to get it off."

   I briefly think of yelling for help to the dressing room attendant, but she looked so tired and overworked.  I was afraid she would take one look at me, take a quick photo to post on facebook, and go to the manager and give her resignation.  So then the dress vs. woman wrestling match began.  I lean all the way over thinking that it might squeeze my ribs in a bit.  No luck.  Maybe the dress was catching on my bra.  Nope.  I put one foot on the wall for leverage, regret eating that banana muffin last night, get a good grip of the dress, and pull like I've never pulled before.  Pop.  I shoot out of that dress like a shaken up champagne bottle.  I won the battle, but the pencil skirt left me something to remember her by.  The clasp on the "cute, tiny" belt left a scrape up my side. 

     And that was just the first dress I tried on.  I had to look at myself in that horribly lit full length mirror and give myself a good pep talk.  Okay, so maybe you should never try a dress on that size ever again, but that doesn't mean there's not a perfect dress out there for you.  There are a lot more fish in the sea.  I vowed to that reflection that I wouldn't give up today and complemented my calves for looking great.

     Many dresses and many stores later, I found a dress I have fallen in love with.  Unfortunately, It's not dressy enough for a wedding, so my adventure will continue another day....

Grandma Mary Krile

At a week shy of 99 years old, my Grandma passed away last week.  She was a strong, faithful, and humble woman.  There's a joke I heard the other day that a Catholics worst nightmare is that they die, get to purgatory, and Mother Teresa's still there.  That's the way I feel about my Grandma.  She had unwavering faith and solid convictions her whole life.  While we weren't extremely close, there are few memories that I hope to share and pass down to Clare someday.

• Grandma was raised by her Grandfather in Wisconsin, while her father worked 6 days a week. 
• At the age of 22, she came from Oshkosh, WI to Pisek, ND to care for a relative.  She was then asked to become the priest's housekeeper and stayed in Pisek from then on out. 
• My grandfather courted her by giving her Holy cards.  Even though there was a 17 year age difference between them, they got married in 1940 when she was 27 years old.
• She worked at the Post Office and became Postmaster in 1973
• My Grandfather died in 1961, while my Dad was still in college.  Grandma never re-married, and lived way more of her life as a widower than a married woman.  I can't imagine living that long without your husband's support and love.  There meeting in heaven must have been a beautiful sight.
• She lived by herself in a single wide trailer in Pisek till she was 91.  She never drove a car and would make daily trips to the grocery store down the street.  She knew how to survive the harsh winters of North Dakota.  I've heard stories of getting a bowl of snow from outside and waiting for it to melt to get drinking water. 
• She used to have a beautiful orange cat that was a great companion.  When the cat died, someone gave her a fish.  The next winter, the fish froze in his bowl.  Winter's were harsh!
• In the summers, Grandma would have massive gardens on either side of her trailer.  Corn, dill, cabbage, peas, and beans sprouted everywhere.  The best memories were snapping green beans on her huge two bench swing in the back. 
• Grandma was an avid gardener, talented crocheter, cook, piano player, card player, and reader.
• The last time I visited her in 2008, my Aunt Rosemary kept insisting she play canasta with Kevin and me.  Grandma kept going on and on about how she couldn't remember how to play and that she had forgotten everything.  Her memory was starting to fade then, and she had good and bad days.  Finally, we talked her into playing.  We gave her 2 minutes to get her cards straight, and then she whomped us every round.  We didn't even have a chance.
• I want to say thank you to my parents, who drug all us kids on the three day drive, one way, every other summer trip to get to visit Grandma in Pisek, ND.  I know it was a hard trip to make, but I'm grateful for every memory we made. 

At my cousins wedding in California.

The last time I got to see her, and Kevin's first time to meet her.  I was just finishing my 1st Trimester with Clare and got to ask her a lot of advice.





Scrappy Sewing

Ever since I got my sewing machine last year, I've been drawn to simple small projects that mostly can be done with scraps.  I wanted to create a list of some of the things I've sewn, and now I see that they are mostly kid related.  I'm a very novice sewer, and I can promise you that if I can do any of these projects, then so can you.  Just click on the links below to find the blog tutorials!

Quilted Patchwork Baby Bibs

Great for showing off those little scraps of fabric you love. 

Very simple tutorial, and just requires batting and Velcro as extra supplies.

Super Hero Cape

Super Clare to the rescue!  This was Clare's "Santa" gift this year.  His elves were very proud of it.  We decided to come up with Clare's own shield instead of just copying superman, so you can get creative.  The cape does require buying more than a fat quarter of fabric, which I never like.  The Shield was made with felt sheets and double sided fusible web.

Magnetic Fishing Game

My very first sewing project, and a big hit with the kids. 

It can help with counting, color recognition, and fine motor skills for toddlers.

Square Pin Cushion

Okay, this project really doesn't revolve around kids, but I really loved it.  While it's not the best pin cushion in the world (pins stick out the bottom and stab you when you pick it up), it's a great way to always be able to see some of your favorite fabric scraps in use!  You could be creative and turn it into a ring holder for a wedding or pillow for your kids favorite doll

Toddler Tee-Pee

I had the most fun with this project, and the best part was that it cost around $10 to make!  The fabric is a twin sheet you buy at a Goodwill, and the polls are cheap PVC.  The best part about this is that when the kids are done playing hide and seek it folds up and can easily be hidden in a closet to get your floor space back.  I spray painted the PVC just to give it a more white color and used simple acrylic paint for the grass and stars.  I adapted the tutorial to fit my own aesthetic a bit, so go with what moves you.

Crayon Roll Up
Great beginners project and great Birthday present for kids!

Twin Boy's Onesies

No tutorial on this one, because I came up with it on the fly.  Clearance sale onesies tea bag dyed light brown.  Then use double sided fusible web to attach cut outs.  Lastly, zig-zag sew around the outer edges.  These were made for my friend having twins, but the options are limitless.