First Day of School 2012

Megan 1st grade

Megan(1st) and Mitch(3rd)

The first day of school for all of us!

Italian Beef in the crock pot

Italian Beef
3-4 lb Pot roast
1 jar pepperocini peppers
2 tsp Italian seasoning
2 C beef stock
1 medium onion, finely diced
garlic and pepper to taste

Cook all ingredients in crock pot(including juice of pepperocini peppers) on HIGH for 4 hours. Serve as sandwiches with mozzarella or Parmesan cheese.

This recipe came from a mom in a mom's group a long time ago.  It is super easy and one I dug up this summer for something different.

A Season of Change

Next week I start a new season in my life.  I will be going back to work.  In May I accepted the position as an Education Assistant at Lincoln Academy...also the kid's school.  The summer has been filled with lots of excitement and hesitation, especially as August rolled around.  It was great to be hired in May and still have 3 months as a full time mom, but it also gave me time to think, "oh shoot! work? really?!"  I haven't worked in almost nine years and never with kids so it will be a change for all of us.

Pray for me, Frank, the kids and my kindergarten students.  I have read Jeremiah 29:11 over and over and know that this is His plan for me in this new season.

Happy Birthday Hula Girl!

We celebrated Megan's 6th(July 18th) birthday with a Luau and all of our family a few weeks ago.  Megan's 5th year was a great one, and she has grown up so much, even just since the start of the summer.  In less than 2 weeks she will be a 1st grader and go to school all day just like her big brother.

Some of Megan's fabulous traits: her love of fashion and all things pink, her imagination, her great smile and her huge heart for others. Love ya, Megs!

Our Glenwood Trip

We took our annual Glenwood trip this summer with the Wernlein clan two weekends ago.  It was a hiking, swimming, adventure filled weekend, as usual.  This is our after the hot spring pool picture.  Unfortunately, all four of us ended up a little crispy, but we had a wonderful time and can't wait for next year.

Colorado Springs Vacation '12

The kids and me at Garden of the Gods

Over Father's Day weekend, last month,  we vacationed to Colorado Springs and did the local tourist thing.  We visited Garden of the God's, Cave of the Winds, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and drove up Pikes Peak for a 14,000 foot view of our state.  It was a wonderful trip and great to get away for a few days.  A week after we got back the area we had just visited was overcome by one of the worst wildfires our state has seen in almost 10 years.  Some of the areas we had just visited were threatened by the Waldo Canyon Fire, and other were safe.  We felt lucky to have visited and made the memories we did, and are praying for all those affected.

Happy 4th

From our family to yours...we hope you had a very happy and festive 4th of July!

Frank's favorite cake

I am taking this cake to my parent's house for their 4th of July BBQ tomorrow.  It is one of Frank's favorite desserts and really easy.  I decided to post it here because I really thought I had lost the recipe, and thought it would be helpful to have it posted somewhere.  Enjoy!

Brown Sugar Cake
1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 pkg. (3.4 oz) vanilla flavor instant pudding
4 eggs
2/3 C sour cream
1/2 C oil
1 C brown sugar
2 tsp. powdered sugar

1. Heat oven to 350.
2. Beat first 6 ingredients with a mixer for 3 min. or until well blended.
3. Add brown sugar; mix well.
4. Pour into 12 cup fluted pan.
5. Bake 60 min. or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted into center.  Cool cake in pan for 15 to 30 min.  Loosen cake from sides of pan; invert onto wire rack.  Remove pan; cool cake completely.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.

Summer fun!

July!?  What?  Already?  We've been having so much fun this summer that I haven't had time to sit at the computer and even think about posting on the blog.  Here is a quick pic of Frank and I from last weekend at my brother-in-laws surprise 40th birthday party.

Summer reading list

I love to read, and the summer is always a great time to get caught up on some of the books I have had on my shelf or on a list to checkout from the library.

This is what I am looking forward to reading this summer:
Arcadia
The Buddha in the Attic
The Dovekeepers
The Devil in the White City

Cute cousins!

Megan, Isobel and Mitch

My dad took this great picture of the kids last week.  It's a great picture of three adorable kiddos.

In a rut

Megan and I went clothes shopping yesterday, and as I picked up another black shirt she said, "No Mom!  All you wear is black and green!".  Yes, my "mom outfit" was criticized by my 5 year old fashionista.  The critique continued in the dressing room when she said I needed more "sparkle", and I could only wear my favorite outfit(for the summer it is camo green capris and a black shirt) once a week.  Snap!  She's so funny, but the truth does hurt.  The kids aren't little anymore, so maybe I can add a little color back into my wardrobe, and stop using the excuse that I am hiding spit-up, slobber and stains.  Anything I get on myself is my own doing, but black does hide dog hair well.

Go Pink for my aunt

Tomorrow my Aunt Wendie starts chemo for Stage 2 Breast Cancer.  She was diagnosed on May 8th and is ready(or not) to be begin a battle no woman wants to under go.  Knowing her she will do so with a big fight.  Please pray for her tomorrow, and wear a little pink in her honor.

If you are close to my family you can be updated on her progress on her care page here.

Megan's Kindergarten Graduation

Megan graduated from Kindergarten at Lincoln Academy yesterday.  She has done an amazing job this year, and was awarded with the Core Knowledge Award of "Dr. Seuss" for her creativity in writing and illustrating.  She is such a spirited and talented young girl.

Bring on Summer Break and then 1st grade!

Mother's Day 2012

Happy Mother's Day!...2 days late, but shouldn't everyday be Mother's Day?

I had a wonderful day this year: worship, lunch with my family, a walk with Megan and the dogs, a movie on the couch with the family, and dinner at my parents to celebrate my mom.  Megan painted me this coffee mug last week at Into the Fire, and I love it.  The kids also got me chocolates and seed packets for us to plant.  So cute!  Frank gave me, as always, a very nice day to relax and enjoy time together as a family.  I love that man!

Mitch's Immigration project/recipe

Mitch(2nd grade) is studying Immigration, and tomorrow is their Immigration Feast.  Tonight we made German Honey Cookies.  Our family has been studying Germany and some of the recipes that our relatives might have made.  Mitch decided that bratwurst wouldn't taste good cold at school tomorrow, so he is taking cookies.

Give Away on Amy Cornwell

Jump on over to Amy Cornwell's site and enter her giveaway for this month
http://www.amycornwell.com/just-be-you-a-giveaway/#more-1135
If you aren't familiar with her jewelry then you should be.  It is wonderful.  I have 3 pieces that I wear all the time, and LOVE!  Very cute and unique.

Seasons are Changing

Big changes are coming for (me) the Wernlein family.  Stay posted...

Circus Days

Last Sunday we went to the El Jebel Shrine Circus.  It was my niece, Isobel's, first circus.  She loved the lights, and checking out what Mitch was up to.  The big, and little, kids always have a great time.

April catch up

The last few weeks of April have just flown by. We celebrated Easter and my sister's birthday on the same day. I tried to make it special for her, but hard boiled eggs are never anyone's request for their birthday. She took it well, especially as a new mom, and clebrated with all of us and her super cute 4 month old daughter. See the cuteness below.

I have been volunteering at the kids' school more and more, and in just a few days will wrap up the big fundraiser we have been working on for a few months. I enjoy every minute of it, and am so glad I have this season of my life to spend with my kids in their classrooms, working with their teachers, and meeting their friends.

With April more than half over May looms ahead, one of the busiest months of the school year, and the kids are starting to look ahead to summer. I can't say I blame them, but Megan keeps saying, "1st grade". Is that possible?! The seasons are changing, that's for sure!

My sister and me on Easter, and also her Birthday!
Isobel at 4 months
Bunnies and chicks can't compare to this cuteness!