Easy Holiday Baking

I love easy baking recipes and I have been using this sweet and salty one for a while. Here is the recipe...Happy Holiday Baking.

Nuts – pecan halves
Mini pretzels
Rolo chocolate candies

Preheat your oven to 350F.

Unwrap your Rolos – try not to eat all of them. Place pretzels on the baking sheet in one layer. Top each pretzel with a Rolo. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes, until the chocolate just begins to melt. The Rolo candy should be soft but not completely melted. Remove from oven, carefully use a spatula to lift the pretzels on cooling rack and immediately squish the Rolo candy with a nut. ooohlala! Watch the caramel ooze out!

Taking time to Stop and Rest

I've been running around like crazy this past month. My masters, teaching at LCU, holiday prep, taking care of the boys, trying to get a run in, etc. have all kept me in this whirlwind. I have been working frantically on my homework while the boys nap and yesterday Eli decided to wake up 3 times during his nap. He has a cold with a cough, which often causes restlessness. I knew I would just have to rock him, but I actually said to myself, "Just give me a break Eli. I need this time to myself." I'm sure all moms have said this when a child refuses to nap, drops a nap, etc. Naps are precious to moms. It's our only alone time. At times, it allows me to regain my patience and perspective. But, in the moment of rocking Eli back to sleep, I realized that there is no better time than this. A moment of complete silence, looking at my baby boy sleep and learning to rest myself. That is one of the most valuable lessons my children have taught me...to simply stop and rest. It is in these moments that I find myself again. I would fail a masters assignment, forget to grade a paper and even skip 3 days of running, just to hold my baby in my arms and REST.

The Pefect Little Hat

We have had the joy of having Aaron's cousin and his family here for 6 days. They are our best friends, so we have called each other cousins since we met, even though Dottie and I are cousins-in-law...if there is such a thing. Owen and Quarton are 2nd cousins and best friends. Eli and Carilyn are too far apart in age to really "play" yet, but I bet they will love each other some day too. I have many pictures to post of our fun together, but today I wanted to post the perfect hat Dottie made for me while they were here. We had a shopping day yesterday and she took me to pick out the yarn. She whipped this puppy out in one evening and part of this morning. She is my idol. I love you Dottie...for little things like a perfect winter hat and for the big things, like being my best friend and second Mommy to my boys. I miss you already. I'm so glad we will be together for the Holidays this year.

Just a snopshot into this month

A big boy boo-boo, a Thanksgiving Program and fun with the entire Searby family has made for more words than I can type in a blog, so I will give glimpses into the fun of being a Roemer. Love to ALL!!

...and when the weather is GREAT!

This weekend the sun came out and warmed our little part of Lincoln right up. The boys spent the entire weekend outside raking leaves, making "squirrel nests" out of leaves, making leaf forts, playing with worms in the ditch, throwing the worms in a box and throwing worms at each other. I LOVE my boys...all three of them!

When the weather is ok...

We eventually went outside last week, even though is was sprinkling. I think all boys need to be outside at least once a day. Eli's friend Jayce came over with his mommy and my friend Erin. Owen still calls him "Baby Jayce" even though he is only 3 months younger than Eli. The boys played, fought over who would get to ride the trike and even tried to rake!

When the weather is bad...

We have had about 2 weeks of no sun and a lot of rain. When this happens, my boys get a little crazy so we have to create fun inside of our home. We often make "forts" out of all of the couch cushions, but this was the biggest yet. Owen also decided to make a train out of all of our chairs and stools. Owen was the conductor, I was a passenger and Eli was the caboose. CHOO CHOO, so much fun at the Roemer house!

Wishing I Were More

Do you ever wish you were more creative, had more style, had the money to be creative and have style? I find all of these great websites (Erin provides many great ones on her blog) that give inspiration for decorating at half the price. But, there is one problem....I need time, I do need money, and I need more of a creative gene. Where are all of those things I need to make my home look like it came out of Pottery Barn, Domino or Cookie magazine? I'm still trying to figure out what my "style" is. I'm still trying to figure out how to sew. Honestly, I'm still trying to get over my indecisiveness. How do these stay-at-home moms like http://www.vanessachristenson.com/ and http://asoftplacetoland-kimba.blogspot.com/ raise their kids and find the time to make so many amazing things? Seriously, I need an answer. Or, maybe I need to stop comparing myself to other women and just be the best mom and wife I can be (while finishing my masters, teaching, staying at home and raising two boys).

Autumn Light

watching two boys laugh
delighted by autumn's light
precious time is mine

Batman and Eli

I had to remind myself of this wonderful phase my boys are in right now. They are learning to play together so there is yelling and fighting, but there is also so much laughter, smiling and endless pretending. Eli is just amazed at all that Owen can do and Owen loves to "help Eli learn." Here are my boys...Batman and Eli (his big brother wears him out!)

Thoughts

I am typing this in a new home, at a new table, with a new view. I can look out of my window and simply see trees. No cars, no voices, just birds and acorns falling from the tree down to our roof. This is a much needed view for me. I have needed quiet, peace and solitude. To be honest, I haven't taken time to be at peace with God in a long time. I had stopped doing Pilates, which was one way to quiet my mind, my time in the Word had been sparse and my prayer life was getting that way too.

I have chosen to find Him again and in doing so, I have found myself. This has happened to me many times before and I'm amazed at how Christ welcomes me home again. I have never run away from Him. I've never been rebelious. People who know me, know that. But, I have left Him on "call waiting" for far too long. I write this to encourage you and to remind myself that we are never too far from the One who longs to be near us. He's waiting...are you ready to pick up the phone?

Saying Goodbye

Saying goodbye is never an easy thing and I am finding myself saying those words or learning to let go a lot lately.

I said goodbye to Owen as he confidently walked into his pre-school classroom. He asked, "You are really going to leave me here alone at the school?" I said yes and he responded, "Cool." Where has my clingy toddler gone?

I am slowing saying goodbye to our home. We move on Saturday, but have been in the process for about a week. As each room becomes empty, I realize that saying goodbye to all of the memories within these walls hurts. This was our first home, I have rocked both of my babies in the nursery, played outside in the yard, painted every wall, loved every smell, cherished every imperfection, felt worry, peace and most of all felt at home.

I have said goodbye to a cousin, a grandmother, a grandfather and most recently an uncle, all within this year. It's never easy to say goodbye, even when you know you will see them again in a perfect place.

I'm even saying goodbye to my baby Eli. He is officially past being a toddler, but I still call him my baby. He is talking, running, fighting, laughing, mimicking, and always stealing my heart.

So, how do I say goodbye and still have JOY.
I look to the future and see Owen learning and growing.
I see new memories in an amazing new home.
I see my heavenly Father with my family.

and
I learn to let go, but still consider both of my boys my babies...forever.

And of course, the smile I see on my boys' faces when they see me again, when we say "hello, " makes every goodbye easier to utter.

Cardinal Game