What Day Is It?

I don't really know where to start since my last post.

Things have been a massive blur since the Niagara Falls trip.

Daniel didn't have any days off the last two weeks before moving out of Cleveland.

Which meant I had the unfortunate job of doing the majority the packing.
With a five-year-old and two-year-old at home.

There was a certain little munchkin who loved unpacking my finished boxes, popping all the bubble-wrap, and writing on the hardwood stairs with a giant Sharpie (praise Jesus for Magic Eraser).
I won't name any names, but I will say she looks insanely cute sitting on the ramp of a moving truck...



Despite the total madness, e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. got packed, and I only had 490,234 a few meltdowns in the process.
We all gathered in front of the house for a last family photo and even in that moment it already seemed so bizarre to me that we actually lived in Cleveland for a year.

What's even crazier is realizing just how much has changed in these past five years of residency and fellowship.

Father's Day Weekend 2009 moving to Oklahoma ---- Father's Day Weekend 2014 moving to Kentucky.

It's been the fastest and slowest time of our lives.
I'm exceedingly excited to begin a new chapter.
Even if it has already started out like a nightmare episode Seinfeld.
More on that later...

The Abandoned Castle

Today was the first day of Summer Break for the girls.

I wanted to start it off with something I knew they would love.

So this morning, after we had breakfast, the girls were lounging on the couch -- already assuming their Summer sloth positions. 

"So...who wants to go on a secret excursion today...?"

After popping up shouting, "ME! ME!" I told them to scurry upstairs, brush their teeth, and get dressed. 

We were buckling carseats in record time.

They asked non-stop questions about where we were going the entire twenty-four minute car ride. 

Of all their predictions, hunches, and theories -- they never guessed we were going to an abandoned castle...

Oh the squeals when the girls saw it.
And the look on their faces when I told them they could go INSIDE was absolutely priceless.
They ran as fast as they could!

It was quite impressive up-close...

"Oh, Mom...I just adore it!" Aubrey said.

These girls have vivid imaginations.
Put them in an empty stone castle, and you'll be there for over an hour in the midst of an intricate tale.

It was definitely a day I'll never forget.

And I hope these two won't either...

Three Things Thursday

Thing 1: 
A couple of weeks ago, we walked the courthouse steps for an adoption hearing in order to obtain a certificate of foreign birth for Mina. This is an official document in English with her American name. It's the closest thing to a birth certificate, which will be important for things like starting school and when she needs to get a driver's license one day.

The Magistrate who was assigned to our case has a niece who was also adopted from Mina's province! We even stayed at the same hotel in Nanchang. Such a small world.

We celebrated the day with a PF Chang's lunch.
And we all thought this fortune was perfect in describing our little dumpling. :)

Mina is such an amazing blessing. 

Pure sweetness, joy, and preciousness.

Thing 2:

                 (Image and recipe via here)

I have a true passion for all things Caesar Salad.
And this is basically my love language on a slider bun.

So easy. So delicious.
You can eat this warm or the next day after it's spent the evening in the fridge.
I've even put it on a bed of romaine lettuce and drizzled it with more Caesar dressing.
I'm telling you all -- I am obsessed.

Slow Cooker Chicken Caesar Sandwiches

2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup to 1 cup Caesar Dressing (I use a full cup, and my favorite is Mazretti's Supreme Caesar)
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley or 2 teaspoons of dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 can chicken broth (I've used 1-2 cups of water and it's been fine)

Shredded romaine lettuce
Buns or sliders (which ever you prefer)

1.  Put chicken and broth (or water) in crockpot and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

2.  Remove chicken and drain all liquid.  Shred the chicken.

3.  Place the chicken back into the slow cooker and pour the dressing, parmesan cheese, parsley, and pepper over the top.  Stir until chicken is coated well.

4.  Cook for another 30 minutes or until heated through.  Spoon mixture into buns and top with romaine lettuce and extra parmesan cheese if desired.

Thing 3:
Life is so funny sometimes.
It takes turns you never saw coming.
Like getting an email from an old college acquaintance asking if I'd be interested in teaming up with her party company / website. I would be posting just once or twice a month on the We Heart Parties blog -- things I've done with my munchkins like an afternoon craft, a holiday gift idea, or even featuring parties I throw for my friends and family. Basically just posting about everyday life stuff that falls under crafts / parties.

I said yes, by the way.
Gulp.

I won't really be diving into this venture until around August, when life has settled down a bit for me.
Right now I'm pretty consumed with packing and organizing our move to Kentucky, which is less than 4 weeks away!

Mother's Day

Mother's Day was wonderfully FULL.
Nothing extremely different (well, except for one thing...), but the whole day felt unexplainably meaningful.

Aubrey invited me to go on a hike with just her during Mina's nap. She held my hand and talked non-stop the entire time. It was the best Mother's Day gift ever. I hope she asks me again next year.

While we were hiking, I managed to squeeze in a question:
"So Aubrey, what are some things you think I could work on as a Mom?"
She thought for .004 seconds and answered, "Hmmm. Patience. Oh, and when you see me doing something I shouldn't be doing outside, don't say 'Get in here RIGHT NOW!' so sharp, okay?"
ZING.

Once Mina woke up from her nap, we all hopped in the car and drove 25 miles outside of Cleveland to try out Rita's Ice. It was AMAZING. Worth the drive and forever long line.

And the one extremely different thing...

Apparently this newspaper insert was delivered to more than 10 million readers starting on Mother's Day...

No big deal.
Just me and my girls playing ring-around-the-rosie while the amazing Ann Wade snapped our picture.

By the way, my teeth are not that white in real life.

The Cleveland Botanical Gardens

I was going to add this little segment to my ridiculously photo-overloaded Easter post coming soon, but I decided to post these today in honor of Earth Day.

The girls didn't have school on Good Friday, so I decided to take them to the Cleveland Botanical Gardens. I had wanted to take them earlier in the week to snap some pictures of them in their Easter dresses. Luckily I didn't get around to it -- seeing as it wasn't quite the idyllic Springtime backdrop I had envisioned...

Poor, poor Cleveland.

To make up for the lack of outdoor scenery, Polly the Bee was buzzing around to provide some sort of photo op for moms with their cameras.

Mina was in love, and Aubrey suddenly turned into that big kid who looks awkward posing with a costumed character. 

And, um, since I used the Chick-fil-a cow dressed up as Santa over Christmas, I'm chalking this one up as our trip to see the Easter Bunny. (Mom of the Year, folks.)

Moving on.

So the outdoor area of the Botanical Gardens was downright pitiful, but the indoor elements were a bit more colorful. Aubrey even whipped out her camera.

Sidenote: Aubrey's outfit. She insisted on this floral cardigan ("Mom! It's perfect for the botanical gardens! I'll look like a fresh Spring bouquet!"). I had been cleaning out clothes that were too small in her closet when she spotted it. Oh well, I must admit I like her appreciation for themed apparel. :)

Mina couldn't stop saying, "Whoa, Mama! Woooook!"

The girls spotted a stage filled with insect / bird / animal props.
Aubrey was basking in her full-winged glory of a captivated audience.
(It's truly a shame that she inherited my "singing" voice.)

And then little Mina came out just flapping her wings and smiling at everyone. 

Next we were off to find our way through a ladybug labyrinth...

And the girls' favorite part -- the glasshouse filled with all sorts of plants and insects.

Despite the look of these pictures, the whole place was PACKED.

I was worn-out and stressed-out after 90 minutes, but the girls were loving every second.

So I guess it was a small price to pay.

Especially since I skipped out on the Easter Bunny this year. ;)

Three Things Thursday

Thing 1: Weather

Signs of Spring started popping up here in Cleveland despite the cooler temps...

And then it warmed up beautifully and even exotic pets were out enjoying the fresh air!

And then this happened...

And we spent the afternoon watching (and singing) Frozen because it just made sense.

Thing 2: Books

Daniel started reading chapter books with Aubrey this year. I decided I wanted in on the action too because -- Good Lord -- Mina wants the same 10 page books read from dusk till dawn.

Curling up with my big girl and reading a book has been beyond delightful. It's the perfect afternoon wind-down after school and once I put Mina down for her nap. I'm going to miss that sweet time with her when she's in school all day next year. (Waaaaaaah!!)

A bonus is when there's a movie based on one of the books. After we read the book, we pile up and watch the movie together. I love how (so far) Aubrey's decided that she likes the books more than the movies. She'll often say during the movie, "That's such-and-such character?! I had a totally different picture in my head! I like my brain idea more..."

Here are a chunk of the books we have read: The Jungle Book, Peter Pan, The Secret Garden, Ramona the Pest, Shanghai Secret, and The Lion's Paw. Daniel has also been reading her the Chronicles of Narnia set. I asked her today what her favorite one has been so far and she said The Secret Garden. We just finished The Jungle Book last week, and she's trying to decide between Mary Poppins, The Voyages of Dr. Doolittle and Pollyanna right now.

And, just a sidenote: When did Aubrey turn into a full-blown big girl?

Thing 3: Recipes

My friend posted this Cafe Rio Shredded Chicken Copycat recipe on Pinterest. I have never heard of Cafe Rio -- much less eaten at one -- but after trying this, I'm pretty sure I'd want to eat there at least once a week.

It's a crock-pot recipe (three cheers!), and you can eat it any way you like: taco salad, soft tacos, or just on a bed of romaine lettuce. My girls gobbled it up in quesadillas. It's SO good.

Cafe Rio Shredded Chicken with Cilantro-Ranch Dressing 

       (Image via here)

PREP TIME:  10 MINS

COOK TIME:  5 HOURS

TOTAL TIME:  5 HOURS 10 MINS

SERVES: 6

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds chicken breasts
• ½ cup zesty italian dressing
• ¾ tablespoon minced garlic
• ½ tablespoon chili powder
• ½ tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 1 oz package dry ranch dressing mix
• ½ cup water
• 
  
• Optional toppings:
• minced cilantro
• roma tomatoes, chopped
• olives
• fresh lettuce
• cilantro ranch dressing

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Spray the inside of your slow cooker with cooking spray. Add all of the ingredients except for the chicken into your slow cooker. Mix until combined.
2. Add the chicken and cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high 3-4 hours until the chicken is no longer pink and cooked throughout.
3. Remove chicken from the slow cooker and shred. Replace the chicken back in the slow cooker and mix with the juices. Enjoy!

Cilantro Ranch Dressing

      (Image via here)

INgredients

1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not BUTTERMILK)
1 cup buttermilk
2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno (if you like it mild, just remove the seeds)

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix all ingredients together in the blender or food processor. That’s it!

I just realized this would be a perfect dish for Cinco de Mayo!
How fantastico!

Flesh

Easter is just around the corner, and it always gets me.
I will cry this Sunday in church.
The overwhelming magnitude of its significance will flood my heart, which will then result in mascara cascading down my cheeks.
I'll look like a mess by the time it's all over.
And that's okay.
We're all a mess anyway.
I'd say Easter is the one day we might as well embrace it.
Amen?

I mean, have you ever really meditated on the fact that God came to down to us through the incarnation of a man?
Ever actually let that sink in?
Or at least imagined, "What if...?"
That He physically walked this Earth.
Breathed our air.
Burped after a meal.
Got splinters working as a carpenter in His dad's wood shop.
Hugged His friends.
Went to the bathroom.
Laughed.
Cried.
Loved.
Became one of US.
It's absolutely mind-blowing when you take the time to even attempt to process it.

A dear friend of mine shared on Facebook that this book was free for download one day on Amazon.
So, I figured I'd download it. (Why not, right?)
And it turned out that this book put into words some of the very things I had been wrestling with since reading the Bible in its entirety a few years ago.

One of the main takeaways from that year for me was the realization that Jesus and what He taught is scarcely seen in professed "Christians" today. More specifically, it is RARELY seen in ME.

I feel like God has been telling me to be more INTENTIONAL.
Intentional with my family, with my friends, and with people God puts into my life unexpectedly.
To not be in such a hurry, but to see people through His eyes.
Not with judgment, but with compassion.
Really get to know what's going on.
Know their struggles.
Strengths.
Situations.
Set-backs.
And then serve them right where they are.
However that looks.
Each person / relationship will be different.

I'll be honest, there are days / months / years when I do a super crappy job of being intentional.

We had a neighbor in Oklahoma who was a retired, never-been-married woman with not many (if any) friends or family around. She lived all alone, and I went and visited her one time.
We lived there for four years.
I was home every single day.
She was home every single day.
I never invited her over.
Not once.

In this book, Flesh: Bringing the Incarnation Down to Earth, the author highlights the God incarnate life of Jesus on Earth. The God-Man literally walking our streets. How He interacted with people. He was SO intentional -- particularly with "big sinner" people. The way He treated them is so vastly different from how most "Christians" treat them today.

There were several quotes from this book that I feel like said exactly what I've been thinking...

Jesus was teaching that godliness is not about trying to hide our humanness and appear more like God. That always comes off smelling like inauthenticity and reeks of hypocrisy -- and neither God nor the observing world buys it. Worse, it doesn't work anyway.

People are not pagans to be converted, projects to be preached at, or demographics to be reprogrammed. Humans should never be generalized, categorized, dismissed, judged, or underestimated. Every person is a story, rich with history, experiences, creative potential, strengths and weaknesses, clarity and blindness.

You must learn to respect people's lostness; you must become a deep listener and learn to dignify people's spiritual journeys. And when you hear what has happened to them or not happened to them regarding spiritual matters, you must identity with them or put yourself in their shoes so that maybe someday you can help them see Jesus ans separate from those bad experiences. You've got to help them see the real face of God.

Jesus transcended all the dilemmas, arguments, trite judgments, and religious expectations simply by not picking a side. He neither condoned nor condemned, and yet people felt accepted by Him...and they felt conviction.

People of every sexual orientation miss God's design for marriage. In fact, they miss His design for just about everything. It's called sin -- missing God's mark. But for some reason, God looks past that and still shows up at our parties, our ceremonies, and our dinner tables. He wants to talk. He did way back then. I believe He still wants to talk today. Jesus shows us that there's never a change of mind unless there's a change of heart, and there will never be a change of heart without a conversation between trusted friends.

We have to remember that how we treat people influences what they may believe about God, and if you look like you've got an agenda other than loving, listening, or blessing, your God will look like a conquistador instead of a compassionate King.

If any of this resonated with you, I highly recommend you read this book.
It's written in a down-to-earth / conversational way.
It will encourage and demonstrate how to live more than just skin deep life.

School, Skating, and Sunshine!

School

Mina has been dying to go to school like "Aubie" so I signed her up for a Mommy and Me class that meets one day a week. The class is like getting to be a fly on the wall at a Mother's Day Out program. The kids are learning how to behave in a "classroom" setting, while all the moms are within reach in case separation anxiety strikes. It's so cute to watch the kids interact, and at the same time I am always convinced I could NEVER be a preschool teacher.

Mina asks me every single day, "Mina class?!"
She is the first one in the door and introduces herself, "Mina! From China!", scurries to hang up her backpack, washes her hands, finds her Mina "Mitten" to place in the basket signifying she's present, and then she's off to do some important preschool work.
Basically, she's the cutest thing ever.

I've always been impressed with Mina's ability to focus.
School is serious business for this girl.
One little boy in her class is always trying to get her to play.
This scene unfolded the other day: he nudged his chair over to her, leaned over to check out her work, and finally worked up the courage to ask, "Mina play?" to which she responded, "No, I'm fine. Busy."

I predict she'll be a brilliant heart-breaker one day.

Skating

I took Aubrey ice skating a couple weeks ago and decided she was / is the most adorable ice skater ever.

I don't think I had been ice skating since Middle School, so we both about busted it when our blades hit the ice. Aubrey said, "It's so slippery! Who even came up with this idea?!"
After clinging to the rink wall for dear life, we started to get the hang of it by the third lap.

This is the pose she struck when I suggested, "Lets take your picture to send Dad." after he texted me to see how it was going.

Then she wanted me to take a video to send him, which didn't go quite as planned...

(The boy talking in the video was calling for a friend named "Temere". 

He wasn't saying, "Come here"  to Aubrey -- just to clarify in case that was confusing. ;))

I was hesitant to post that video of her falling, but I love her resilience afterward. 

"That was a little tumble!"  

She is so awesome.
Gosh, I love her.

Sunshine

The other day the temperature warmed up to 47 degrees. A few more degrees and the girls would have asked to get the inflatable pool out. It felt SO warm compared to the tundra we've been living in since, well...I can't remember. I do recall our pumpkins having snow on them well before Halloween, so yeah. It's been awhile!

I think Mina was in a slight state of shock at first...

But it didn't take long for that smile to defrost...

Ahhhh...SUNSHINE!!!

Stuck in a Snow Globe.

Winter in Cleveland is exactly how you'd imagine Winter in Cleveland.

It's freezing cold (wind chills in the negatives).

It snows nearly every day.

And no one seems to notice.

I walked out to start the car before taking Aubrey to preschool to find this kid just riding his bike in 8-10 inches of snow. WHAT?!

I feel like we're stuck in a snow globe.

And considering we've had snow since before Halloween, I'm about to lose my mind...

Nevermind.
Too late.