Painted Sky

Yesterday was my 25th birthday. It being a Thursday, nothing too eventful happened. I enjoyed lunch with my mom, I let myself off the hook on housework, my parents took the boys out for a while so I could have some time alone so I read a book. I got some wonderful gifts from my husband and my parents after dinner. I was relaxing and the kind of day that I really needed.

After dinner and before gifts I went outside with my little guys. They love the dirt. As I was standing outside I became suddenly captivated with the sunset. Colors of soft pink illuminated into orange in certain spots, surrounded by a grey clouds swirling together with the pinks. "How does he do that?" I wondered. He must just enjoy the ability to blow our minds everyday with His artwork. There is maybe nothing better about New Mexico than the sunsets. I can't imagine my life without them at this point, and yet, as common as they are, each one enchants me.

I resolved last night, as I was trying to take in every last bit before it drifted off into nighttime, that my Father had painted the sky for me. A reminder that He's there, He knows how to get my attention and He, the Creator of the Universe, wants to give me good things. He has the time. He delights in putting a smile on my face.

Anyway, I just wanted to drop in and say, you matter. Maybe people don't always know how to make us feel special (although my family did pretty good) but God does. Just look around, He will definitely amaze you.
-Lindsay

I Wish I was a Professional Baby-Namer

That's right. If I could just make up a job and have people pay me for it, that's what I would do. Celebrities could come to me and I could help them set the trends for the year. I've already chosen the name for little Miss Kimye. Krimson. Krimson West. And when the name her Easton, I'm going to throw a fit and wonder why they did not come to me FIRST! So I thought it would be cool to do a post all about names that I think are awesome. Cause your name stays with you no matter what else changes, and I think that's powerful.

I'm throwing in some All American names and we'll do boys first:

1. Lyndon. Like Landon, but less common and presidential.
2. Harrison. As in Ford. How cool would it be to walk around knowing your named after Han Solo AND Indiana Jones? That's what's up.
3. Carson. I just think it's cool, and fyi it is currently ranked #85 in the US. Carson Stats So you see I'm slightly ahead of the trend.
4. Parker. It's preppy, it's crisp on the lips. I love it.
5. Noah. Had I been a boy, my name would be Noah. I've always liked it, it makes me think of The Notebook, and who wouldn't want their son to be that kind of man?
6. Arion. I obviously love Hebrew names. This one means "with melody." It would definitely work in our musical home.
7. Hosea. I didn't want to give away a personal choice of mine, but this biblical name, and the man he was, are both seriously overlooked.
8. Rhodes. I'm a fan of names after places. Charlotte, Sydney, Houston, Raleigh. I love them all.
9. Ryder. Only an extremely cool kid could pull of Ryder, but.. well.. I make those, so...
10. River. Ok, I know it's kinda earthy. I just love actual rivers and I think it's a great name. The runner-up was Forrest, which I also love, but all I can think of is "run Forrest, RUN!" For the rest of his life.

GIRL NAMES, cause we know you can get a little more creative with girls, so this should be fun.

1. Ember. I thought this would be a super unique name, but everyone else seems to think it would be confused with Amber all the time, and just get annoying. I still think it's pretty.
2. Carter.  I love names for girls that almost sound like boy names.
3. Hunter. Same theory as Carter. I think Hunter is good unless she really is a backwoods hunter. That just seems too predictable.
4. Winter. Season names are great. Except Spring. Spring is not a good name for anything but maybe a bunny.
5. Gemma. Meaning Jewel or precious stone. Who doesn't want their daughter though of as a Gem? and doesn't that make a really cute nickname?
6. Rae. One syllable, three letters. It just leaves so much room for her to be more than a long drawn out name. Simple is good.
7. Dahlia. Pretty, different but not foreign and, of course, the name of a flower.
8. Savannah. I mentioned that I'm a fan of location-related names. I'd also like to add that I used to take care of a little girl named Savannah and she was the sweetest little thing ever! Some names stick with you when you relate them with someone you enjoyed being around.
9. Sadie. I know it's been done, and done again, but I just love the name Sadie. It means Princess, so that's part of it. It's just so fun and spunky while still being very girly. Not getting over it. Ever. Deal.
10. Hannah. You cannot go wrong with a strong name like Hannah. The mother of Samuel, the woman strong enough to believe for a son. I love her. I would gladly give my daughter that legacy.

So those are my picks. If you're trying to name your baby, please consider these. Most of them are at the tail end of the top 100 list, meaning your kid would be slightly ahead of the trend. Happy naming! Love-
Lindsay  

Honestly Sincere

Coming into the summer, almost everyone has atleast one wedding to attend. For me it's my best friend! It's been so much fun talking to her through the last few months and seeing her transform from a confused single young lady, to a trying-to-figure-it-out Bride-to-be. It reminds me of when Allen and I were just starting out. All the ridiculous fights and conversations, all the anticipation for whatever the future would hold. And it has reminded me of how much I truly love my husband! The things nobody sees in him that I do, the silliness, the little habits that sometimes drive me nuts. He is honestly the piece of me that was missing for 17 years.

If you're married, you may also know that there are those days you just want to rip your spouses head off! We think, "why don't you do what I say!" and all we want is to be in total control. When that plans fails and the frustration sets in, all we see are the things we dislike. We feel powerless to change it, so we start doubting if this was really what we wanted. It was. It still is. Because it may be worth someone pushing your buttons for me to grow as a person.

Paul's letters to the churches have been hitting me full force for the last week or so. Everytime I feel like I'm struggling with my attitude or don't know how to correct my thoughts in certain areas, I open up to Romans or Ephesians or II Corinthians and BAM! shooting straight to my heart, I get a fresh perspective. So I consulted him on: how to feel love for someone who just isn't getting what you want from them at the moment.

 Sometimes you wait patiently for the still, small voice. Other times you get an obnoxious wake-up call while you're still warm and cozy in your folly.

Romans 12:9-13
 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil, love what is good. 

I'm not saying my husband is evil. But this makes the point that you cannot love  someone while focusing on their flaws. Love the things you love about that person, because perception is reality.
Recently our pastor did a series on relationships and he made this point: It is not fair to judge others by their actions and yourself by your intentions. What would happen if we turned that around? If we thought about the effect our actions have on others? If we gave everyone the benefit of the doubt that they weren't really trying to be offensive? I feel like we would all live our lives a little less wounded and a lot more loving.

This is a challenge to myself to look at the positives and to appreciated the beautifully flawed in every person. Even in myself. Because to long for perfection in humanity is to be left empty-handed.
-Lindsay

Pizza Pasta

Tonight I'm making Pizza Pasta for dinner, and I am so excited to eat! Since this has been a family favorite for a long time on my mom's side, and it also happens to be the first meal I ever made for Allen, I thought I'd share the recipe.

1 box pasta, I used whole wheat rotini but penne is also really good
1 jar of pasta sauce
2 lbs ground beef (we're feeding four adults and two kids, 1lb is probably enough for a family of four)
1 bell pepper
1 onion
1/4 cup of red wine (optional)
about a 1/2 cup of mozzarella, shredded
pepperoni


I began by cooking the ground beef and then adding the onion and bell pepper slices to the pan. I used 83% lean mean, so the little bit of fat in it was enough to saute' the veggies in. This is also where I would add the wine and let the alcohol evaporate. But I didn't use wine because, sadly, we don't have any.

So, while I have the meat cooking, I also have the noodles boiling. I really try to multi-task. More on that later.

I use this particular sauce a lot because A. It's tasty but mostly
so my mom can sing, "Life is a Cabernet!!!"
I'm not sure you need the backstory, just know that we sing a lot.

Strain the noodles, then combine the meat-veggie mixture. Now turn the heat on low and mix in the sauce.

Now, and do not skip this, taste test. Because all the cooking shows will teach you to never serve something you haven't tasted.... Or maybe it's that us moms know that the main perk of cooking dinner is getting to sample. 

Then I threw the pepperoni in the skillet I used for the meat and veggies to heat them up a bit.

After everything is incorporated, cover the pasta with a layer of mozzarella, then top with pepperoni. I then put a lid on it and let it sit over low heat until the cheese got all melty and perfect.

Serve with a salad and dinners DONE!

Enjoy and let me know how it turns out-

Lindarella

Wedding Excitement and a Pretty Dress!

I love weddings.

Just wanted to get that out there. I could sit and watch "say yes to the dress" everyday. I get so excited every time someone invites me to a wedding. Well.. One of my dearest friends on the planet is getting married in May and I am bursting at the seams. I've been pinning ideas for her on Pinterest and planning our way to Phoenix for the last two months.

Weddings make me so happy because they take me back to my wedding day. I would venture to say that not much was perfect or what, I, as a little girl imagined my wedding day to be. The building was ugly and the room adorned with flags from many different countries around the room sort of set off my soft pink and lilies thing. My dress was perfect. Our cake was great. All the things we had control over were nice. But the thing I remember most from that day is the smile plastered on my face! I literally could not stop smiling. Once the nerves were gone and I saw the grooms face from the end of the aisle, I could have been in a dingy back alley and wouldn't have cared.

We can spend a lot of time trying to master the "big day." We can spend even more money trying to make and mold it into our childhood fantasy. The thing is, I just wanted to be married. I was ready to start my life with my husband. I knew that one day wasn't worth waiting another 365. And I do not regret that choice. Weddings are about the marriage. And in some ways I think the way that day turns out resembles the relationship's ups and downs. Like how we are always happy together, but sometimes the things outside our control throw us off a little. Maybe it's not always glamorous, but we can see past that because our love is more than picture perfect moments. Our crazy families overcomplicate things a little, but when the two of us stand together, nothing else matters. And God is at the center of it. He was then, and I know he always will be.

On Thursday we stood and renewed our Vows. Our church gave every married couple the opportunity to do so this past week. I was so happy I cried as I got to look into his eyes and tell him all over again that I am so much happier with him than I would have been trying to live without him. He was and is my choice for the rest of my life. The stability he brings to my scattered and flip-floppy approach to life have made everyday a little more worth while. I am so in love.

And so, naturally, when my friend told me the color she had chosen for her bridal party, I immediately found THE dress! Because anyone's wedding is worth dressing up for. After all, I'm celebrating her having that moment and in some ways reliving mine. A girl's gotta look good. So check out this dress. I haven't ordered it yet, but I will soon, with her "okay."

Coral Dress

ugh. I wish the website would let me post the pic, but it's cute. I'm obsesssssssed!

hope you all have a lovely day,
lindarella

Mama Time: Guilt and Overcompensation

I really don't know if I'm the only one, but with both of my boys I didn't feel a strong infatuation with every little thing they did until after the first year. Call it exhaustion, maybe. Or perhaps breastfeeding just requires so much time that when I'm done, I want to spend time on other things for a while. Maybe I just click better with toddlers than babies. Probably a mix of all of the above. Recently I have come to a new level of complete adoration for my youngest. The curiosity and adventure, the new words and the adorable way he walks around with his diaper shuffling along. I'm obsessed! But I realized something about it today.

When the little one was on the way, I began to feel extremely guilty that I knew little Ira just wouldn't be getting as much of me as before. I made up in my mind that I was going to do my best not to forget him, not to treat him as less than important than the new baby. I would find a way to make time for him. After all, I want to have more kids and I wanted him, as the big brother, to love them all. Not resent them.

In the process, I think maybe I've expected too much from Asher. Wanting him to be independent because Ira needs me. Or hoping that he would learn certain things faster than Ira did because now he had an example to keep up with. I realize that's not fair to him. He deserves the same time and opportunity to become his own person on his own schedule. So instead of overcompensating with Ira by trying to treat Asher as his equal, I've decided to love and embrace them each at their own level. And the past few days, since making this discovery, I've noticed they both seem happier. Yes, Ira is dealing with some jealousy issues. That's pretty normal. But I sincerely hope that I can find a balance and continue to give him time and attention that he needs, and also the chance to grow in his independence.

Mamas never stop learning and adjusting. Don't be too hard on yourself. If you're thinking about your choices everyday and working toward improvement, then you're doing great. We are showing the example of accepting failures and continuing to work on things. That's a good foundation for anyone, if you ask me.

Lindarella

Shared Space Harmony

Let me begin by saying that I do not claim to have the art of living peacefully with others 100% mastered. I might have about a 50% success rate. But if you are living in a home with others, 50% might sound pretty good right now.

There are six of us under one roof. My parents, my husband and I, and our two little boys who are both under the age of 3. Imagine moving you family of four in with happy "empty-nesters." Then try to imagine parenting (especially disciplining) with 1) your parents, or 2) your children's grandparents watching. Am I painting a picture here?

It's tough, mucky, steep terrain. And I also want to say, on a positive note, I am really grateful for this time. My hubby is getting the chance to go to school and do something he enjoys, I get to have the time with my parents that I missed when we moved away and THEY get to watch their two favorite people in the world change and grow everyday. It does, however, come with sacrifices in comfort both physically and emotionally. Thus I have something to write about.

Rule 1) If you are living in someone else's house, be appreciative. Don't take advantage of someone else's kindness. Try and be helpful and positive.

Rule 2) Don't play the victim, it's annoying. If you're residing in someone's house, it's probably because of financial reasons. Some may be out of your control, but take responsibility where it's needed. People are trying to help you, so stop with the sob story, take the hand up and prove you can move forward. This is just as important for YOU as it is for anyone. being in the "poor me" phase too long will depress you, it's just a matter of time.

Rule 3) Don't overstay your welcome. That means, let their house just be their house sometimes. Go for a drive, go to the store, camp out in your room with your kids (after you help cleanup the kitchen, perhaps). ~This is something that I don't get right very often. I selfishly want the human interaction and have a hard time breaking off.

Rule 4) Make it a win win! Since we arrived here, we've done our best to help with little projects, filtering out things that have piled up, painting, cleaning. I have taken over most of the meal planning and grocery shopping as well as much of the cooking and ALL the laundry. If I'm not having to pay rent, I'm going to work a little harder to make sure my parents don't feel like doormats.

Rule 5) Change thing up. A few weeks ago, things started getting a little tense. I could just feel the frustration and all the words unspoken. So I got creative and made, what I called, a "Do Unto Other Jar." I took some Popsicle sticks and wrote things like "be patient"  "give you time" and "focus on love" on them. I told everyone that as they see fit, pull on of the sticks and make it your focus for a while (a day, a week). When we began to lose focus of the positives, we all started getting really irritable. Once that dynamic is established, it's REALLY hard to get rid of. Do your best to keep it light and loving.

Something else I did to lighten the mood was this: We have a bar that became a catch all for all manner of evil. Toys I wanted out of reach for the boys, mail, dishes, whatever was in our hands when we walked in. It was a disaster. So I made a score board. Every time someone put something down there, they got a mark. At the end of the night, whoever had the most mark got put of pots and pans duty. that fixed that. Just find fun ways to keep everyone from getting too comfortable (aka lazy).

Rule 6) Communicate. So you meant to stay 6 months, and it's looking like a year. Talk about it. Give your hosts the chance to reestablish boundaries, talk about new expectation or just talk about how they've been feeling. You don't always know what you're agreeing to, and it's a little hard to change expectations AFTER you've said "ok."

Rule 7) Give a little. So we don't have a lot of expendable cash right now. It's not like it's a secret. But if we are out and about, I try to pick up Starbucks or when we can, throw in the tip for a meal out. It's not a lot, but it says "hey! we appreciate you and we're making an effort."

Rule 8) Compromise, and don't. Be willing to let the little things slide for the sake of peace. Don't feel like you have to lose yourself completely. Not having your morals or intentions grounded will become a big deal. Right now I'm dealing with this one in my parenting. There is a lot I would probably do for my own sanity that I am not for the sake of peace. It's honestly about to drive me nuts! I'm working on finding the balance, and I also wonder if it's worth it now if I could just wait until we move out. FYI, I'm talking little habits and behaviors. It's picking and choosing the battles.

Rule 9) Make yourself at home, kinda. Make your favorite dish for dinner. Don't leave a disgusting mess and wait three days to clean it. Put simply, be mindful that other people live here and are watching you. Don't be a slob!

Rule 10) Say Thank You! No really. People don't usually feel taken advantage of when you let them know you are grateful. Just saying it makes a difference. Really.