Hey, everybody!  It has been a long time.  Too long, I know!  I could make excuses, but that would be boring.  Plus, I know you all get it.  Life happens!

So instead of making excuses, I will just fill you in on a few things that have been going on.  My, my (as Reed likes to say now- don't know where he got that) do we have things to talk about!  Tons of new recipes to share, travels to describe, adventurous Little Outdoorsman stories.  This is going to be fun!

Of course I am going to start with Reed!  He is doing great.  We celebrated his fourth birthday in November with a big McDonald's themed party with plenty of balloons (by request).

Only the most sophisticated fare for The Little Outdoorsman.

Four hasn't been much different than three, so far.  The only major difference I can pinpoint is that he has started negotiating quite a bit.  I think we have been watching too many episodes of American Pickers. ​But truly, I love our conversations.  He still has a guitar strapped to his chest whenever he is not outside.

​  And we bought a drum set.  

Four was just another (unnecessary) reminder of how quickly time goes by with this little one.  I often wish that I could bottle up all of the moments we share.  I guess that is one of the reasons I chose to blog!

I am so proud of my handsome man!  Our freezer is full of steaks, roasts, sausage, burger, and brats from his various hunts this fall.

The new job requires quite a bit of travel.  I know he feels guilty about traveling sometimes, but honestly, I could not be happier for him or for us!  I don't know that there are many blessings greater in life than getting to do what you love every single day.  What a dream come true- to see the world and pursue your passion at the same time.  It has been a wonderful change for our family.

The Little Outdoorsman is pretty proud of his daddy, too.

In terms of "out with the old", we have packed away the holiday decorations and settled into the rhythms of ordinary time.  Christmas was wonderful; I felt we were able to keep Christ at the center of our hearts and minds through the season.  Overall, our holiday was peaceful, filled with joy, and abundant with memories.  Although this was our first Christmas after losing three of our precious grandparents (Reed's great-grandparents), we couldn't have asked for a more blessed holiday season.

One of my favorite things we did this Christmas was a "Shepherd's Meal".  I invited my sister and her boys over and we acted out the shepherds in the field story from the Gospel of Luke (with extreme creative license, obviously).  It was a blast!  The boys really soaked everything in.  I grabbed the idea from Sarah and Sally Clarkson's The Lifegiving Home.  It will definitely be an annual tradition in our home, too.

My neice and nephews are growing like crazy, too!  Cha-cha and Poppy, Jacob's parents, celebrated New Year's Eve with us over buffalo wings and fries.  They are rocking out the grandparent thing, as always.  Boaz is nearly two and absolutely adores Reed.  The boys play this game where they steal all of Cha-cha's spices and hide them around her house.

I know who is in charge of this maniacal scheme, but I'm not telling.  I know better!

My parents, Nana and Papa, are also doing well and spend every moment possible loving on their four grandchildren. Reed (far left) and Matt (far right) are still basically attached at the hip and spend almost every day together. Cousins are the best, aren't they? Little Rose (next to Reed) has the most amazing smile and is SO close to crawling. Isaac (the chunker next to Matt) has my heart wrapped around his chubby little finger. He is a conversationalist and has two dimples. Also, he sleeps on me. Game over!

There are a couple of other "new" surprises coming on the nieces and nephews front (not with me!), but I will announce those as they come along...

Finally, we have added something new to our family, too!  Oliver, our dachshund, celebrated his tenth birthday in the fall.  Ten!  Sniffle!  How can it be?!  We decided to add a new pup to the family now that Reed is a bit older. So... (drum roll, please).... I would like to introduce Echo!

The above picture shows Echo when we first brought him home.  You may have noticed him in the Daddy-Reedie camo picture earlier, too.  He is hidden in the bottom-right corner.  Here is a more recent picture:

Echo is a German Shorthaired Pointer.  He was a big handful when we first got him at 8 weeks, but now, at almost 6 months, he has calmed down quite a bit.  To be honest, this little fuzzball has sucked up most of my time this fall and winter.  It is hard work to train a dog!  

​But totally worth it!

Echo is very energetic, so TLO and I have been spending even more time outside than usual!  He is super friendly, a little mischievous, and very clingy to me ( I love it).  Woman's best friend, as they say.

Jacob hopes to train Echo as a bird dog in the future, but for now he is a momma's boy.  That tends to be the trend.

January is such a wonderful time to reflect on the old and new that frames the present season.  Amidst these dreary, short days and cold, long nights, take time to evaluate the new and old in your life, and find the blessings in between!

The past several days have been a pleasant but chaotic whirlwind.  At the eye of the hurricane is a big change I'd like to share with you.  After a decade of hard work on the streets, a whole lotta prayer, and no small amount of late-night conversations and sleepless nights, Jacob made the decision to resign from his position as a police sergeant for a new job in the hunting world.  It has been a bittersweet step of faith for our family, especially Jacob, of course.  He will keep working as a police officer on occasion, "auxiliary" they call it, but it is still going to be a big change for all of us.  And a big blessing, in many ways.  Oh the pages and pages I could write as we end this season and begin a new one.  Pages of reflection, contemplation, and anticipation.  God is truly good.

So our recent winter break and snow days have come at a good time.  This has allowed me to stay at home and keep the balance and harmony of home during this transition.  God always seems to work things out that way.

The early-morning phone call was a beautiful sound today.  I mean, I love my job, but I'd be lying if I said I don't want a snow day every now and then.

I'm a teacher everyday; I can't help it!  It's in my blood.  Look back in the family tree- I can prove it! Today, Reed and I attempted a homemade lava lamp.  Unfortunately, we didn't have any food coloring, but Reed thought it was cool anyway.  Water, vegetable oil, food coloring, and salt is all you need for a little at-home science lesson.

The best thing to do on a snow day is hole up and cook warm, yummy, beautiful food.  This morning, Reed and I made Eggs Benedict for the first time.  I don't know if I can really say I made it, though, because I didn't poach the egg.  I've never poached an egg before, Reed was being, well, 3... and I decided to just make the egg over easy.  Gasp! I know that's not really Eggs Benedict, but trust me. All of the mommas of threes out there will stand with me, call it Eggs Benedict, and dare you to disagree.

Oliver is ALWAYS one of my favorite things.  Snow days give me extra time to cuddle him, a win-win-win-win!  Today I listened to him snore for about an hour.  He just melts me.

This one's a no-brainer.  I love having a giant stack of books to read at all times.  My current stack has some old favorites, like Corrie Ten Boom's The Hiding Place alongside books I've always wanted to read or ones that have been recommended to me, like Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain.  Hmmmm... where shall I start?

Oh, yes.  My new Gideon Spa Foot Bath Massager!  Jacob got this foot spa as my "big" Christmas gift this year.  I am in love!  With Jacob, yes, but I meant the spa. My sister and I do a girls' spa night each weekend, and this beautiful addition makes our nights even more luxurious and fun.  On a completely unrelated note, Valentine's Day is coming up in about, oh, 37 days (give or take).  This spa bath would make a wonderful gift... just in case anyone is interested.

Spring days will be upon us before we know it, so I've resolved to enjoy every moment of this snowy winter.  These are the things I like to do to make me happy when I'm surrounded by snow, cold, and ice.  Please share some of your favorite things in the comments below!

Happy New Year from our home to yours!  I have to admit, 2017 treated us well.  I don't know if I could say the same thing about 2016... 2015... so yeah, it was nice to catch a break!

We've never really "celebrated" New Year's Eve as a family, usually because Jacob was working the late shift at the PD.  (Let me give yet another shout-out to our men and women in blue and their families!  They sacrifice so much.)  Miraculously, Jacob was able to spend NYE at home this year.  So maybe it was the off-shift, maybe it was the three-year-old, maybe it was the extra-great year, but we decided to throw a little party for just the 3 of us.  Four, I mean.  Sorry, Ollie.

Our party was pretty low-key, but it was PERFECT.  Five bucks bought streamers, hats, horns, and confetti poppers for each of us.  Another 10 bucks bought sparkling grape juice and ingredients for our favorite fried ravioli recipe by Giada De Laurentiis.  We jammed to our new favorite Louis Armstrong album while frying up these delicious little guys in Jacob's new fryer, an amazing gift from his incredible, thoughtful, and beautiful wife, who obviously was not thinking how such a gift might impact her hips and thighs.

We basically can't keep Reed out of the kitchen now (still closely monitored, of course).  He helped us with this simple recipe: cheese ravioli, buttermilk, Italian breadcrumbs, and vegetable or olive oil.

Dip the ravioli in the buttermilk, then coat with the breadcrumbs.  Set aside a batch and fry 'em up!

Sprinkle with some parm and serve right away with warmed marinara.  Delish!

Jacob ate like 20 more than what is healthy, recommended, or humanly possible, and found himself in a food coma.  This always makes me feel good.  Ha.  He finished the Bengals game while Reed and I prepared with great anticipation for the "countdown".  

Let me take a moment and just say... THANK YOU, NETFLIX!  We use their "anytime" countdown each year so Reed still gets the NYE experience without missing bedtime.  King Julien led us to the New Year around 6:00, and we welcomed it with as much noise as possible!  It was a blast!  Best of all, Reed didn't miss any sleep, and I was still in bed at 8:30, asleep by 9.  Yep, that's right. 
​Party.  Animal.

2017 deserved a celebration this year.  Good health, positive relationships, spiritual growth, the launch of my blog, traveling, new nephews, love abounding.  It was incredible.  But really, every year deserves a thankful celebration, no matter how we feel as we reflect.  As I move into 2018, I pray for God's blessing upon my family, friends, and all of you.  May we start this year emptied of bitterness, and full of love, forgiveness, passion, and joyful expectation.

Best wishes to you and yours.  Happy New Year!

This past weekend included something extra-special. Baby Boaz was dedicated on Sunday!  It has been a while since I updated y'all on my newest nephew, Mr. Samuel Boaz, so prepare yourself for a whole lotta cuteness!

Boaz has been keeping quite busy lately, let me tell ya.  In short, he has been doing the "normal" baby stuff: growing, learning to eat cereal, rolling over, and talking.  In his spare time, he hangs with the ladies, sings Mary Poppins songs, and trains to be an Olympic swimmer. And models for the blog.

Bo was obviously a pretty popular fellow on dedication day.  Nobody in the entire family wanted to miss it!  On Sunday we all drove to Bo's church and watched as his mommy and daddy dedicated him to God.  The family and church body vowed to do its part in raising and supporting Bo, too.  It was a beautiful ceremony.

Boaz is a miracle baby in so many ways.  Aunt B and Uncle Sam prayed and prayed for him, and boy, did God bring them the perfect miracle.  The ceremony was a glorious reminder of the faithfulness and goodness of God in Brook and Sam's life.  In all of our lives, really.

The Little Outdoorsman was there to support his cousin, of course.  Going up on a stage can be tough, although Boaz handled it like a pro.  But it is what cousins do, right?  Reed and Boaz are already BFFs.  They have inside jokes and secrets and stuff.

After the dedication, we went to a nearby park where Brook, Sam, and their friends grilled out for everyone.  They made THE BEST hotdogs I have ever had in my life.  Seriously.  They grilled each hot dog, put a slice of pepper jack cheese between the bottom of the hot dog and the bun, and wrapped the whole thing in foil.  I plan to never eat a hot dog without pepper jack again.

Bellies full of hotdogs, Cha-Cha's famous pasta salad, and CAKE (woo-hoo!), everybody relaxed in the sunshine while the kids played on the playground.  

I was able to steal away the man of honor for a few moments of cuddles.  He is the sweetest guy.  Never a peep or cry.  Whenever he is with me, he falls asleep almost immediately.  No joke!  I'm either really peaceful or really boring.  Let's go with peaceful... AKA comfortable... AKA cushion-y.  We all know what that means.  All those months of not working out have finally paid off!  Yippee!

After a couple of hours at the park, everybody was tuckered out and ready for a nap.  Boaz sneaked in a snooze or two before we left.  It's hard being the cool kid.

I know it has been two weeks since I last blogged- I know, I know, I know.  I will do better.  
I pinky-promise.

The first two weeks back at work have been amazing.  My students are fantastic, as always, and my lessons and strategies are much improved after spending my summer at Miami University.  What remains the same is that stack of essays.  I just can't seem to make it disappear!  But I am going to set it aside for a minute to give you an update.  You should feel very special.

Jacob-
Jacob's gearing up for hunting season.  To translate- I pretty much won't see him until Christmas.  He goes crazy this time of year and hunts every chance he gets- land near our house, nearby states, across the country.  The good news is he is staying in the country this year.  Hooray!  I miss him a lot, but I love seeing him so happy!  I won't complain about all of the yummy meat he brings home, either.

The Little Outdoorsman-
To be honest, Reed has had a tiring couple of weeks.  Transitioning from being home with me full time to his school-year schedule has been tough for the little guy, plus he's fighting through his second cold in two weeks.  Everybody around here has been sick, plus I know I bring germs home with me from work.  He's a trooper, though.  We've invested in a few wooden puzzles, floor puzzles, and a Play-doh start up kit to help keep him occupied while he is sick.  But believe it or not, he misses being outside all day.  We are looking forward to plenty of farm visits, harvest festivals, and pumpkin-pickin' with the little guy in the fall.

When I'm not at work, I've tried to squeeze in as much quality time as possible with Jacob and Reed.  Any "alone time" is an epic battle-showdown between sleep and Iron Chef America.  And books.  And puzzles.  
​Sigh.

My sister and I have been trying out some new recipes for the blog.  I have my salmon burger recipe just about perfect.  I'm also working on a perfect grilled cheese recipe- almost there- and tonight we are going to try out chicken alfredo roll-ups.  I am so excited to share these yummy recipes with you soon.  But I want them to be PERFECT!

So that's us right now.  I know this time of year is a transition time for many people, but I finally feel like things are settling down.  I find my peace and strength still, as always, in God and knowing that I am exactly where I am supposed to be.  I am so excited to see what September holds for us!

Now back to that stack of essays...

It's the dog days of summer in Ohio, but we have been busy today even in the heat. Why? It's the day before Independence Day- a day we spend mostly cooking and prepping for my husband's absolute-favorite holiday.

Our responsibility for the big day includes a pork loin and a strawberry poke cake.  Jacob's going to smoke the pork in the electric smoker, and, of course, I'm in charge of the cake.  Strawberry poke cake is a dessert that brings back a ton of memories for me!  I'll have the recipe up on the blog after the holiday.

My sister and I took the boys to a park this morning, I knocked out a bunch of homework during Reed's nap, and Jacob and I decided to clean out the fire pit and spend the afternoon at home cooking grouse over a campfire, soaking in the sun, getting the pork loin ready for tomorrow, riding bikes, and watching The Andy Griffith Show.  I am totally hooked on Andy Griffith right now.  What a great show!  You'd never guess I'm in my 20's, would ya?

 Now I realize many of you didn't get past the whole "cooking grouse over a campfire" detail.  This, lovelies, is my husband and two grouse.  He killed them in Canada on a hunting trip and brought them home to the freezer.  They are pretty neat animals, actually.  YouTube one sometime- it is well worth it.  They make the most interesting sounds!

So in preparation for this wild west trip, we decided to try cooking over a campfire.  We made corn on the cob and grouse, carrots, and onions on the campfire- like pioneers!

We had to cook it for a while and the smell was amazing!  We managed to call in Bo-Bo, our neighbors' little dog and Oliver's BFF.  He just dropped by to sniff around and beg shamelessly, even though his mom assured me that he had just eaten!  No wonder he and Oli get along so well!

While Jacob cooked and defended our dinner against Bo-Bo and Oliver's coordinated attacks, Reed and I played hard.  I think this pic wraps up just about everything that was going on.  Swim trunks, bicycle helmet, broken tractor, dirt on the belly.  The life!

Dinner was worth the wait!  Yummy grouse, buttery carrots, and corn on the cob!

Yum-O!  I just can't figure out where wild game gets the bad rep.  Clean eating, right there (unlike the cake I will be making tomorrow).  Happy Independence Day Eve, friends!  Stay safe and have fun!

Goodness.  I did it!  I survived May.

I apologize for dropping off the face of the Earth for the past four weeks.  Teaching high school in May is no joke, peeps.  Survival of the fittest is still very, very real.  But school is out now, I was able to give my students the end of the year they deserved, and I'm looking forward to a summer of rest, travel, continuing education, and planning.

I spent most of my spare time in May making little memories and cramming in as much soul food time as possible to counter the stress of the season.  We spent hours and hours outside, riding bikes, playing on the swingset, watching airplanes zoom through the clouds, and tracing leaves.  You know, the important stuff.

This kid...

Reed is doing great with his new bicycle.  He wants to ride it every day.  We've started taking it to parks and bike trails.  People are INTENSE out there, though!  I feel like I'm constantly keeping him from getting creamed by older kids and adults on bikes.  His bike has a little bell on it, too, and he is learning to ring it at people and greet them as they mostly swerve to miss him.  Geez, I still sound a little bitter about it!

We spent some great time with friends, too.  The Little Outdoorsman is rolling with one of his best buddies, Hunter, here.  Don't be fooled by those sweet faces... I solemnly swear they are up to no good!

It was all hands on deck at home this past month.  Jacob and Reed stepped up, helping out more around the house.  They are probably so relieved that summer break is here- bless them both!  Day after day after day I came home to a clean home, the essential oil diffuser diffusing "Tranquil" or "Relax" by Plant Therapy.  Its pretty funny, considering Jacob is such a "manly" guy.  Essential oils aren't really his thing- he makes this very clear.  But when it comes to keeping me sane... I would say he knows how to work that diffuser better than I do!  Hilarious!

 On another note, Reed started his first chore chart and has become more and more aware about what he can do to "help" out around the house.  His chores are very small and simple, but he really enjoys the sense of responsibility.  He gives us a big smile when he finishes his two-item list and volunteers to help out now, emptying the dishwasher utensils, picking up after himself, helping Jacob with different projects, and getting out things I need like the vacuum or Swiffer when he hears me talk about it.  It is pretty cool to watch!  I wonder how long it will last?

It's so wonderful to be back at the keyboard at last.  Thank you to everyone who reached out to say you missed me!  I missed sharing with you, too!  The long summer months promise plenty of soul food time.  I'm off to the beach in a few days and really looking forward to some time to write, read, eat, reflect, and love the family who will be with me!  I'll keep you in the loop!

xoxo- Rebekah